31th March 2014

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www.morungexpress.com

Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 87

The Morung Express “

www.morungexpress.com

Time to give back to country what I got in life: Nilekani [ PAGE 8]

Vidya Balan: No plans of joining politics

Reviving Don Bosco High School, Lakhuti [ PAGE 2]

China seizes $14.5 billion assets from family, associates of ex-security chief

“He quit his party and he wants to join us on a temporary basis for two month.”

The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn

Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your anSwer to 9862574165 Do you support the NLA decision to set up Nagaland Special Development Zones? no

Others

Yes

40% 33%

no Others

27%

Details on page 7

70th anniversary of the Battle of Kohima Kohima, march 30 (mExN): An official delegation from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is scheduled to visit Kohima from April 3 to 4, in connection with the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Kohima, which falls on April 4. The delegation will consist Air Chief Marshall Sir Joe French (Retired)- vice chairman of CWGC, Barry Murphy- Director of Africa and Asia Pacific Area of the CWGC and Lt Gen Ravi Eipe (Retd)- Honorary Liaison Officer- former Army Commander, Eastern Command.

People won’t tolerate poor governance: Mukherjee

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NEw DElhi, march 30 (iaNS): With Lok Sabha election less than 10 days away, President Pranab Mukherjee Sunday said people will no longer accept non-transparent and unresponsive administration. Mukherjee stressed for “urgency” in decisionmaking and transforming public administration into a dynamic and “result oriented entity”. “The people are demanding better and more efficient administration. They would no longer tolerate non-transparent and unresponsive administration,” he said here.

“The increasing expectation of the people can only be met by improving good governance practices for on it hinges the welfare of the people,” he added. The president was inaugurating the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA). “Though IIPA has done commendable work, there is much more that can be done to increase the importance as a catalyst for change in public administration. “It (IIPA) should also make ethical governance the central focus in its training calendar,” Mukherjee said.

–Thomas a Kempis

Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 at Malaysian GP [ PAGE 12]

Poll Prep: Political parties urged to address AFSPA

By Sandemo Ngullie

Are nagas ready to forgive their past hurts and reconcile for a better future?

Monday, March 31, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4

[ PAGE 9]

[ PAGE 11]

reflections

Yes

”

Intelligence must follow faith, never precede it, and never destroy it

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Police helicopters fly over the Mare slum complex during it’s occupation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, March 30. The Mare complex of slums, home to about 130,000 people and located near the international airport, is the latest area targeted for the government’s “pacification” program, which sees officers move in, push out drug gangs and set up permanent police posts. (AP Photo)

NEw DElhi, march 30 (mExN): The Lok Sabha election is round the corner; political party manifestos and rhetoric is all over. And even at this crucial juncture, political parties have maintained silence on the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or its repeal.

To “create a political pressure for repeal of AFSPA,” an “anti-AFSPA” rally was organized in New Delhi on March 30 from the Mandi House metro station to Jantar Mantar. The rally was jointly organised

by Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC), All India Students Association (AISA), AIPWA, RYA, DSF, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union, North East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS), Voices against 377, NAPM and Right to Water Campaign.

In efforts to urge political parties to take up the issue of AFSPA, an open let-

Organisations come together in New Delhi to urge political parties to take up AFSPA repeal ter was issued by the SSSC and endorsed by many human rights’ activists and organizations across the country, addressed to political parties including AAP, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, left parties, regional parties of Jammu & Kashmir and the NE. The organisations also requested academicians and columnists to write on the issue in newspapers to highlight it.

Ravi Nitesh of SSSC said that the draconian and inhuman law of AFSPA has existed for almost 60 years now, yet the Government remains least bothered. Almost all major parties in the country have been silent about the everyday horror

in the States to which AFSPA applies.

Devika Mittal, a Delhi University (DU) student and member of SSSC, said that while political parties are talking about development, secularism and corruption, these claims and promises hold no meaning in AFSPA States. “There can be no development in AFSPA states without the revocation of AFSPA, which is also the face of corruption in these states,” she noted.

Rupam, a DU student from Assam, stated that the promise of a better future is intertwined with the repeal of AFSPA from these states.

He said that “Repeal of AFSPA is the only way forward for a better India.”

After the rally, a public meeting was held at Jantar Mantar.

Anubhuti from the JNUSU talked about the human rights’ violations enabled by AFSPA. Ram Mohan Rai, a social activist from Haryana, talked about how AFSPA is “anti-democratic.” Students from Kashmir and NE also shared their experiences.

Raies ul-Haq, a DU student also talked about other repressive laws, like the Public Safety Act in Kashmir.

During the programme, the Irom Sharmila Scholarship, to be granted to a postgraduate student from an area with internal armed conflict was also awarded by

by Dr. Deepti Priya Mehrotra and Deepti Sharma to Seram Rojesh, a PhD student of Delhi School of Economics.

He is from Manipur, and has tried to highlight the issue through his research works and activism.

Nagaland imports livestock NPF appreciates & supports products worth Rs. 215.46 Cr signing of Lenten Agreement Our Correspondent Kohima | March 30

Nagaland State imports livestock product worth Rs 215.46 crore, informed the administrative report of the Department for Veterinary and Animal Husbandry. The report was tabled by Parliamentary Secretary, Yitachu at the recently concluded NLA session in Kohima.

As per the Sample Survey Report of 2013-14, the

State of Nagaland produces 63.10% of its total requirement worth Rs. 1180.07 crore, leaving a shortfall of 36.90%. Out of this shortfall, the State imported animal husbandry products worth Rs. 215.46 crore in monetary terms.

In 2001-02, the import level was Rs. 375.00 crore; however, the department could bring down the import cost to Rs. 215.46 crore in 2013-14 by implementing various livestock

91,308 govt employees in Nagaland State Our Correspondent Kohima | March 30

The Nagaland State Department of Economics & Statistics has published the government employees census 2011, enumerating the total number government employees at 91, 308.

Out of the 91, 308 employees, 3,707 belong to Class I gazette, 2,401 to Class- II gazette, 61, 264 to class- III and 23, 936 to Grade VI. For publication of the government employee census report 2011, data was collected from 64 departments in the State, according to the annual administrative report of the Department of Economics & Statistics 201314. This report was tabled in the recently concluded assembly session by Parliamentary Secretary T Torechu.

Meanwhile, the report also stated that during, 2013 the estimation of State Domestic Product (SDP) for the year 2010-11 has been published. As per 2010-11, the GSDP, NSDP and Per Capita income at current prices are Rs. 1175937 lakhs, Rs. 1084962 lakhs and 55582 respectively.

The annual growth rate from 2009-2010, 2010-2011 at current prices of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) and Per Capita income are 11.70%, 11.72% and 10.58% respectively.

The report said that the estimation of SDP is done to measure the economic position of the State.

“This is one of the best indicators to depict the economic health of the state and the living condition of the people, as it enable as to know the per capita income of the state,” the report stated.

It added that the SDP estimation assumed more significance in recent times as the Planning Commission, Government of India determines the ceiling on the State burrowing account based on the GSDP. As a result, the GSDP estimation has become one of the most important indicators for finalizing the State annual plan.

The report also stated that to evolve an inclusive planning system, the Department is also making necessary preparations to launch the estimation of District Domestic Product (DDP) in the next fiscal year.

and poultry programme in the State, according to the report.

During the 12th Five Year Plan, the report said, the Department is focusing on development of piggery, poultry and Mithun for meat production and infusion of superior Germplasm of dairy cattle for milk production, which is being imported from the USA. This is being done so as to narrow down the gap between demand

and supply of animal husbandry products.

The report stated that in the absence of any organized industry in the State, animal husbandry and dairying alone can absorb a large fraction of the vast number of unemployed persons in the State.

It also stated that livestock farming, in a scientific and profitable way, can play a vital role in improving the rural economy.

Kohima, march 30 (mExN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has termed the signing of the Lenten Agreement between the NSCN (IM), GPRN/NSCN and NNC/ FGN as another “hallmark” towards Naga Reconciliation: A Journey of Common Hope. This was stated in a press release from the NPF party president, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu.

The NPF conveyed its “appreciation and full support to all signatories” and

hoped that “all Naga nationalist groups join the reconciliation process in the true spirit of Naga Unity.”

“As agreed and committed in the ‘Naga Concordant’ to formation of National Government, the reiteration of this principle through the signing of the Lenten Agreement mark a historic process,” noted Dr. Liezietsu in the press release. “The resolve to work together in the common purpose of achieving Naga political aspirations without further delay is

supported and appreciated by all Nagas.”

The NPF said it shall continue to “leave no stone unturned in facilitating the peace process in whatever ways possible.” “Today, we also place on record our appreciation of the hard work and the positive role being played by the tribal hohos, Church, civil society leaders and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, and assure them of our fullest support and cooperation in times to come,” stated the party.

‘Unified Nagaland’ through music Where?

DImapur Ao Baptist Arogo (DABA) Church, Dimapur When?

April 5, 5:30 pm onwards Who? Church Choirs from all over Nagaland Renowned musicians from Indonesia, Singapore & Kolkata Professional musicians from Nagaland Music Schools Concert Theme: “Oneness in Christ” Instruments of Unity: The Orchestra for ‘Handel’s Messiah,’ a Worship concert celebrating ‘Oneness in Christ’ to be held on April 5 at Dimapur Ao Baptist Arogo.

Morung Express news Dimapur | March 30

Come April 5, a conglomeration of various Churches in Nagaland, music schools and musical artistes will come together, in hope and prayer for a united Nagaland. ‘Handel’s Messiah,’ a Worship concert celebrating Oneness in Christ, will aim to fill hearts with God’s love, inspiration and encouragement through the immortal and spiritual power of choral masterpiece Messiah by George Frideric Handel. An exciting concert, which will certainly be the most powerpacked event of 2014!

Creating a ‘Master Ensemble’ for the first time in Nagaland, the artistes featured are Rubin Lukito (Tenor) from Indonesia, Judy Tay (Viola) from Singapore, Lydia Wong (Vi-

ola) from Singapore, and Nagaland’s musical powerhouse Margaret Shishak.

The ensemble will also include professional musicians from all over Nagaland State.

This event is also an exceptional one, as it will not be the standard worship concerto. It is in fact the first ever western classical music concert played by a full sized Orchestra.

For several months now, the organizing team along with 300 and more musicians have been singing, breathing, and living ‘Handel’s Messiah.’ Hours of rehearsals have built a deep sense of bonding and genuine friendships have formed between the musicians, organizing committee and the production team. A heart-warming

incident was narrated of how an old woman ran towards one of the organizers, clutching in her hands her contribution towards the event fund. This is just the first chapter towards the ‘Unified Nagaland,’ envisioned through the concert.

torios to this day, and is a favourite for all Naga musicians as well.

For Pastor Razo, the excitement is more about the huge medley of Churches and musicians coming together under one roof. He highlights the grave importance for Churches and its members to come together. He underlines the fact that it is very crucial for Naga people from all the tribes to unite. His main concern is for Nagas to be able “to rise up together and identify the true evil persisting in our society”.

Pastor Razo feels that Nagas are blessed abundantly in the gift of music and should use the gift positively for the glory of God. Commenting on the rehearsals underway for the event, he said, “There

Nagaland’s biggest worship concert Representing a nine member organising Committee of the event, Pastor Razo Vasa, and Zubeno Mozhui shared important information and details on the set-up of the Worship Concert. Clearly enthusiastic about the event, they pointed out that ‘Handel’s Messiah’ is one of the most widely performed and best loved classical music ora-

Entry Free For All!!! is so much joy in planning together. This is a small but significant step”.

With the concert arranged as free entry for all, it still requires huge expenditure. Together with assistance from the North East Zone Cultural Centre, several churches, well-wishers and many others have come forth and donated willingly, but the target remains to be achieved. Anyone interested in helping out can contribute any amount towards this purpose by contacting the following numbers: 9436012906/84 15007059/09435162884/8 974003765/9436060192/ 9862124636 or Hope Centre for Excellence: 03862233301/9774166212.

Be sure not to miss it! The event takes place Saturday, April 5 at DABA Church, Dimapur at 5:30pm.

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Dimapur

LocaL

Monday 31 March 2014

The Morung Express

Reviving Don Bosco High School, Lakhuti

As urban migration rises, village school struggles to survive Morung Express News Lakhuti village | March 30

It was a day to remember as students of a Catholic school in a Lotha village came with their parents to help save their school, running on deficit, from closing down its classrooms forever.

On March 29, Don Bosco High School, Lakhuti village organized a social work cum student-parents get-together.

Parents of the students from Lakhuti and adjacent villages arrived to the school early morning carrying daos (machetes), spades and bags of yam, tapioca and ginger seeds.

Together with the students and faculty of the school, the parents tilled the vacant plots in the school compound and planted the vegetable seeds.

Later, after the social work, the school principal, Rev. Fr. George Anthony, at the get-together function said the social work would

Chairman NSMDC, Thomas Lotha, MLA; Dr. John Murry and Rev. Fr. George Anthony with students of Don Bosco High School, Lakhuti village, at the social work cum student-parents get-together of the school on March 29.

go a long way in raising contingency fund to run the school. According to Fr. Anthony, around 900 kgs each of ginger and yam seeds were sowed while tapioca plantation covered 3 acres. The proceeds from sale of the vegetables after harvest would supplement the income of the school, he added.

With enrolment of stu-

dents decreasing each passing year due to sparse population in the area and migration of students to urban schools, Fr. Anthony said the school management was finding it extremely difficult to manage the school.

The principal also informed that the school is not in a position to pres-

surize the parents, mostly farmers, by increasing school fees.

Borrowing one of MK Gandhi’s quotes, “A small group of determined spirits, fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history,” Fr. George in an emotional tone added, “Coming together is beginning,

staying together is progress and working together is success.”

Thanking the parents, patrons and well wishers for their concerted efforts and concern, the principal also welcomed alumni of the school and said the occasion was homecoming for many officers as they have come back to the por-

tals of their alma mater.

Chairman, Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation (NSMDC), Thomas Lotha, MLA, who graced the get-together as chief host, thanked Don Bosco Schools for their immense contribution to the Nagas, especially in rural areas, both in education sector and spiritual enrich-

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Kohima, march 30 (mExN): The upgradation of Jakhama BPO to departmental sub post office will take place on March 31, 12:00 noon at Jakhama. It will be inaugurated by Som Kamei, director of postal services, Nagaland, Kohima.

The function will be chaired by Vikehiel Khazo.

K.I. Singh, Assistant Superintendent, post offices, Kohima Sub Division will deliver welcome address while Razuzakie Phinyo, IPO (PG) DO Kohima will brief on the functioning of PO Kohima.

Short speech will be delivered by Medose Richa, Music students of Patkai Christian College along with their tutors performing during the Advanced Recital organized by the Music chairman Jakhama Village Council while vote of Department on March 29, 2014. (Photo Courtesy: Jimmy Lotha) thanks will be proposed by Kevilekho Kirha.

Person(s) involved in Old Jalukie forest fire to be penalized

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JaluKiE, march 30 (mExN): The Jalukie Pumling Nko and Old Jalukie village council have taken strong exception of the forest fire that engulfed the western portion of the Jalukie Community Biodiversity Reserve, on the night of March 29. Stating this in a press release, the chairmen of the two councils termed the incident as

“ill intended and destructive, a result of some retarded minds retreating to barbarism, causing huge loss to nature and resources which are irreversible.”

According to the release, the Jalukie Community Biodiversity Reserve has come a long way since its declaration in 1986, and stands tall as one pioneering community conservation initia-

tive in the region and a testimony of a transitional tribal community who had foregone all their tribal instincts for a committed conservation effort. Besides, it stated, the existence of a strong prohibitory order from the government, especially the Peren District Planning & Development Board as well as the State Chief Secretariat obligating all villages for a concerted ef-

fort in biodiversity conservation and imposing stern penalization for non-compliance, is a concept yet to be understood and taken seriously by the village authorities.

Meanwhile, in this regard, the Jalukie villagers have responded instantaneously and are doing their best to douse the forest fire, “which hopefully will be doused in a short time.” Therefore, to dis-

courage such incidents in future, the joint council asserted that, it will leave no stones unturned to bring the culprit to book and at the same time, requested the government authorities to investigate into the incident and apprehend the culprit(s) whoever is responsible and make an exemplary penalization, “that will be a factor for positive change in our society.”

World Autism Awareness Day at Jo Foundation

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Kohima, march 30 (mExN): As part of the ongoing SVEEP (Systematic Voter’s Education Electoral Participation) campaign through the initiatives of Election Commission of India, CEO- Nagaland, YouthNet and State SVEEP Icon Alobo Naga, an orientation program was organized at Zisaji Presidency College and Loyola Higher Secondary School. A press release informed that the campaign is to encourage people to vote and stop selling votes, proxy voting, multiple voting, impersonations and more.

On the occasion, EAC and Nodal Officer of Phek District, Tiayanger Jamir spoke about how it was important for people to vote, that “it is our right and each one of us was gifted with and we should not sell our rights.” Especially in a district like Phek which is not connected to the highway, he requested the people to start thinking and choosing leaders who will work with them and create an eco system which will benefit the district. He stated, “If you sell your vote, you sell your future.”

Lezo Putsure from YouthNet further asserted that “we live in a democracy that allows us to choose our leaders and we should do that consciously.” We have to elect leaders that will bring peace, development, economic prosperity, jobs, better education and basic necessities and we have to work together to build our state and for our younger generations to follow, he added. Lezo emphasized that poverty was not about bad roads, infrequent electricity or poor infrastructure, but real poverty was about hypocrisy, blame game attitude, selling our rights and settling for mediocrity.

Meanwhile, Kuovizo Belho enunciated when one person says “My vote doesn’t make a difference”, it becomes 2 and 3 and 4 and then multiplies. Very often, he said, majority chunk adds up to non- voters who underestimate the value of their vote and others use theirs for proxy votes.

Ruokuokhrienuo Vizotha encouraged young people to request their elders/heads to allow them to vote for the leaders they believe in and not to sell their votes because it only means a compromise on the future of young people. This whole campaign is for the team to travel across all districts of Nagaland encouraging people to vote.

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the pioneers of the school who have sown the seeds of education in the village.

Encouraging the school management to continue with their yeoman service, he added “we will walk together and overcome the hardships.” Dr. John Murry, an alumnus of the school, also pledged his service to the school.

Representatives from the parents’ side also appealed the school management to continue to run the school as their wards have no other place to go.

The parents also assured to contribute in whatever manner to keep the school alive. Later, all the parents, students and faculty members of the school partook in a “common meal” to celebrate the occasion.

Established in 1970, Don Bosco High School, Lakhuti, is the lone private school in the village with students coming from neighbouring villages like Aitepyong, Akuk, New Akuk, Mekokla, Changkhayan, Sunglup, Yonchucho and Lotsu, for education. Many government officers of Lakhuti village had once studied in this school.

MEx File Colleges in Dimapur informed Dimapur, march 30 (mExN): All the colleges in Dimapur that have appointed campus ambassadors have been requested to send their campus ambassadors to the office of the deputy commissioner, Dimapur and report to Thavaseelan, IAS (P), on March 31 at 10:00 am for orientation programme. This was informed in a press release issued by Deputy Commissioner N Hushili Sema.

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Commissioning of EVMs Kohima, march 30 (mExN): The Commissioning of EVMs/Preparation of EVMs (Candidates set) will be taken up on March 31 and April 1 from 9:00 AM onwards at DC's Conference Hall, Kohima. In this connection, the recognized political parties and contesting candidates have been requested to detail their representative to observe the preparation of EVMs process. If for unavoidable reason, the recognized political parties and candidates cannot detail representative, they have been requested to intimate the Deputy Commissioner & District Election Officer, Kohima in written for not detailing the representatives.

DAVP exhibition in Dimapur starts today Dimapur, march 30 (mExN): The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), Ministry of I&B will hold an exhibition for voter awareness at the Convention Centre, Holy Cross Higher Secondary School, Dimapur from March 31 to April 2. The exhibition will be inaugurated on March 31 at 1:00 pm. Therefore, Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur, N Hushili Sema has requested the public to come and witness the exhibition.

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DNSU emergency meeting today

Kohima, march 30 (mExN): The observation of World Autism Awareness Day and inauguration of multipurpose hall at JO Foundation inclusive play school, Agri Colony (Middle Medizie), Kohima will be held on April 2 at 10:00 AM. Nagaland governor, Dr. Ashwani Kumar will grace the occasion as the chief guest. Dr. Atha Vizol, state commissioner for disabilities will also speak on the occasion. Greetings will be delivered by N. Thong, retired director, economic and statistics, Kohima. Neikule Doulo, chairperson ENABLE Kohima will share “Journey with my autistic child.” Short speech will be delivered by Vipralhou Kesiezie, director, SCERT Nagaland.

‘If you sell your vote, you sell your future’

ment. “Despite the amount of hardships you face daily with poor medical facilities and poor road connectivity, your dedication and sincerity in nurturing the students can never be forgotten,” Thomas said.

On the occasion, Thomas, who is also a native of Lakhuti village recalled the contributions of

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Dimapur, march 30 (mExN): Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) has convened an emergency presidential council meeting on March 31 (Monday), 1:00 pm at Unity Hall, Naga Council Building. Therefore, the Union has requested all its constituent units, former office bearers and senior leaders of DNSU to attend the meeting positively without fail.

NAYO presidential council meet A WORSHIP CONCERT CELEBRATING ONENESS IN CHRIST CHOIR: SUMI BAPTIST CHURCH // KUDA BAPTIST CHURCH // CHAKHESANG BAPTIST CHURCH // LOTHA BAPTIST CHURCH // DIMAPUR CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP // DABA // PATKAI CHORALE // NAGALAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC // NAGALAND CHAMBER CHOIR // crown centre SOLOIST SOPRANO: JUDY SENOLOS HONOR TENOR: RUBIN LUKITO BASS: VISAHU PESEYIE ORGANIST: MRS. MARGARET SHISHAK PIANIST: MR. ZINGRIN SHISHAK STRING ENSEMBLE: MS. JUDY TAY // MS. LYDIA WONG // HOPE CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE // JOEY WOCH STUDIO // PATKAI CHRISTIAN COLLEGE // CONDUCTOR: PASTOR RAZO VASA

Kohima, march 30 (mExN): The Northern Angami Youth Organization (NAYO), “having some important agendas in hand” has convened a presidential council meeting on April 2, 9:00 am at NAPO Building, Keziekie, Kohima. Stating this in a release, NAYO president Peter Rutsa and press secretary Rükravolie Rülho have requested all the concerned village youth presidents and general secretaries to attend the meeting positively with utmost concern.

NLA informs, ex- IB, IBM Kohima, march 30 (mExN): With the enhancement of Interim Body member’s pension, the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) secretariat today requested all the ex-IB members and ex-IBM family pensioners to collect revised pension form from the assembly secretariat during office hours. Ex-IBM members have been asked to submit six copies of latest passport size photographs (4.5 cm x 3.5 cm) and three Xerox copies of identity card (attested by any gazette officer). The ex-IBM family pensioners have been asked to submit six copies of latest passport size photograph (4.5 cm x 3.5 cm), three copies of identity card, three copies of life certificate, three copies of death certificate, three copies of no objection certificate (all documents attested by any gazette officer) and three copies of birth certificate for dependent/minor along with affidavit dully attested by class-I magistrate.

State Level GHSSs & GHSs Tournament postponed 5TH APRIL • 5:30 PM • DABA (DIMAPUR AO BAPTIST AROGO) ENTRY FREE • KINDLY BE SEATED BY 5 PM IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Kohima, march 30 (mExN): State Level GHSSs & GHSs Tournament earlier scheduled to be held from April 15 to 17 in Mon has been postponed to commence from April 23 to 25, 2014 due to unavoidable technical reasons. However, except for the deferment of date all other directives and instructions as circulated stands and as such all District Education Officers have been informed to update the latest turn of events. This was informed in a press release issued by Kesonyü Yhome, IAS, Principal Director, Directorate of School Education.

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REgional

The Morung Express

Monday

31 March 2014

Dimapur

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Tough choice for people in Darjeeling hills KALIMPoNg, MArcH 30 (IANS): Believing in the promise of Gorkhaland, people of the hills in West Bengal voted for a BJP candidate in 2009. This poll season, with the dream of a separate state still not fulfilled, the people are however yet to decide between the development promised by the state's ruling TMC and giving the BJP another chance.

While the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has fielded the star footballer Bhaichung Bhutia, who is promising development and progress, the BJP's Surinder Singh Ahluwalia, supported by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has revived the slogan for Gorkhaland.

The Darjeeling constitu-

ency, one of 42 in West Bengal, comprises the Kalimpong and Kurseong sub-divisions. According to Election Commission data, it has an electorate of 1,215,464.

"This election I do not know whom to choose. If Bhutia wins, at least the state government will release funds for development. But this means Gorkhaland will never become a reality," Lok Bahadur Kharga, the owner of a milk dairy in Kalimpong, told IANS. The hills will vote April 17.

Kharga, who has been associated with the Gorkhaland agitation since 1986, said that the GJM has only politicised the statehood issue and sold itself to the state government.

"The GJM leaders have taken

Northeast Briefs Rio to visit Manipur today IMPHAL, MArcH 30 (NNN): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio will visit Manipur on Monday for the third time in this ensuing poll canvassing for NPF candidate Soso Lorho. Rio will address poll rallies for Soso Lorho in Chandel and Ukhrul on March 31. The first meeting will be held at Maha Union ground, Chandel at 10:30 am, where Rio will lead the election campaign. TR Zeliang, Minister and others will also address the meeting. Neiphiu Rio will also have an election meeting at Tangkhul Naga Long Ground, Ukhrul at 1:00 pm where T.R. Zeliang and ex-minister W. Morung Makunga will also give speeches.

UDJA condemns police high handedness

the people for granted. Sometimes they announce demonstrations against the GTA, while on other occasions they will accept them. The people are not fools," added Kharga.

GTA is a semi-autonomous administrative body for the Darjeeling hills which came into being in 2012 after the GJM reached an agreement with the Mamata Banerjee-led government opposed to the division of West Bengal.

In 2009, the people had elected BJP's Jaswant Singh.

Ahluwalia has been fielded in his place this time.

Said Kharga: "Like me there are many who are confused as to whom to vote. We want development, but we also want a

separate state."

But there are many others, especially youth, who are disillusioned by the constant shutdowns and unrest in the picturesque hills and are now pinning their hopes on the TMC. "The Gorkhaland issue is only a populist measure now. My vote is definitely for Bhutia," Sanjog Dutta, a resident of Kurseong, told IANS over the phone.

"I think the aspirations of youth can be best represented by Bhutia. He is from (the neighbouring state of) Sikkim so he at least understands our culture and needs, unlike the BJP candidate who is completely an outsider," said Phulamu Sherpa, a student of Darjeeling Government College

and a first time voter.

Interestingly, in the hills, selecting a candidate and a party has become more of a community decision than an individual choice.

While the Limbu community is boycotting the elections, the Lepcha population, which is viewed as a major vote bank in the hills, is so far divided over the candidate.

"Our association - the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA) - is supporting Bhutia. What we want is development and protection of our rights," Lensong Lepcha, the ILTA leader, told IANS. What has also made the contest interesting is the fact that the ousted leader of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF),

Subhash Ghising, is likely to extend support to the TMC. But for many, BJP candidate Ahluwalia is still a better choice as the party might come to power at the centre and grant a Gorkhaland state.

"This time the support to the BJP is not just because of GJM. There is a strong feeling that they might come to power at the centre. If that happens, then our cause of statehood might come true," Dal Bahadur Basnet, a farmer and village head, told IANS. Santosh Chettri, a teacher at a government secondary school, said: "We have fought for the cause of Gorkhaland for very long. Now is the time. So how can we give up?"

Though the main fight is be-

tween the BJP and the TMC, Independent candidate Mahendra P. Lama is also gaining ground.

"Lama is a great educationist and was vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Seeing his background, many could vote for him," Prem Tshering Bhutia, a government school teacher, told IANS. In fact, seeing his growing popularity, the GJM's Bimal Gurung has already asked him to withdraw his nomination and come on board.

"Lama belongs to Darjeeling itself. GJM should have supported Lama's candidature and regained its credibility," Homnath Pradhan, a businessman, told IANS.

'Do not vote for those who preach hatred'

18 candidates for 2 LS seats in Manipur

gUWAHAtI, MArcH 30 (IANS): In a clear hint at the BJP, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Sunday asked people in Assam not to vote for those who believe in the politics of hatred.

"Two forces which believe in opposing ideologies are facing each other in the election," Gandhi told an election rally in Lakhimpur district.

"While on the one hand you have the Congress that has struggled for betterment of all sections of the society, on the other hand you have a party that believes in hatred," she said without taking any party's name.

"These leaders were not to be seen when Congress leaders from the northeast struggled along with other national leaders for the country's independence.

"Even after independence, these forces have wasted their time criticizing the Congress," Gandhi added.

She added: "You have to decide the future of our country. Your vote will decided as to what type of leadership will run the country."

Gandhi referred to the floods and erosion problems faced in Assam and said several steps had been taken for better flood management in places like Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Majuli.

"I am confident the people of the northeast know what is real nationalism. I hope you will not be misled by those who are simply beating the drums of nationalism," she said.

IMPHAL, MArcH 30 (NNN): Altogether 18 candidates are vying for the two Lok Sabha seats of Manipur, where the polls will be held on April 9 and April 17.

Both the seats are occupying by the Congress party after the 2009 Parliamentary elections.

As the poll tempo is gradually heating up the fault-line is getting clearer between parties. The regional parties with a lean towards the NDA on one hand especially in the valley districts and the Congress party on the other. And between these fault-lines in both the Inner and Outer Lok Sabha constituencies the factors of Independent candidates sandwiched them.

With respect to the Outer Parliamentary constituency which is a reserved seat for the tribals, the BJP, the Naga People's Front (NPF), the Congress, AAP, the NCP, Trinamool Congress, JD-U, two Independents, and the CPI(ML) are glittering their fangs in poll canvassing for the April 9 election.

For the Inner Parliamentary constituency, territorial integrity of Manipur, AFSPA, development, employment, corruption issue are the main vote banners of the eight candidates.

UKHrUL, MArcH 30 (NNN): The Ukhrul District Journalists’ Association (UDJA), in its emergency meeting held on Sunday, has resolved to boycott Ukhrul district Superintendent of Police S Selvan and Manipur Police in the district of Ukhrul, Manipur. The meeting seriously deliberated on the high-handedness and unethical conduct meted upon the members of the Fourth Estate, who were covering the peaceful rally of students at Ukhrul mini secretariat at 11.30am on Saturday. According to UDJA president Sothing Shimray and its secretary Pamreiso Shimray, the escort party of Ukhrul SP S. Selvan obstructed a team of media persons from performing their duty by way of confiscating their cameras and deliberately deleting the pictures captured on the spot, wherein Selvan and his escort party forced their way through the assembly of students in the premises of Ukhrul mini secretariat. Selvan threatened the journalists on duty against taking picture of the scene. UDJA has seriously viewed and condemned his conduct. Journalists in Ukhrul have been maintaining a cordial relationship with the Manipur Police in the disIndia's ruling Congress party president Sonia Gandhi waves to supporters as she leaves after addresstrict over the years and still looks forward to continue the ing an election rally in Lakhimpur in the northeastern state of Assam on Sunday, March 30, 2014. India will hold national elections from April 7 to May 12, kicking off a vote that many observers see as the good rapport with them in future, the media body said. most important election in more than 30 years in the world's largest democracy. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) On March 29, the UDJA, with intention to settle the problem in an amicable manner, met and submitted a written representation to the Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner and the same copy forwarded to Ukhrul SP seeking his “unconditional apology” and to forget the unfortunate incident once and for all. " Selvan, however, has not responded to our good intention to solve the problem, de- IMPHAL, MArcH 30 (NNN): held at Longmai town in Tamen- and resources and to develop the lic meeting at Tamei Sub-division spite the representation and deadline set at 12 noon of Independent candidate for Ma- glong district. The meeting at agricultural lands and capitalize headquarter. The Independent March 30," stated Sothing and Pamreiso. nipur Outer Parliamentary con- Longmai was attended by pastors, the development plans of Asian candidate stated that he had destituency Mani Charenamei said village chairmen, of the surround- super highway which would pass cided to take up the Independent implementation of National Land ing villages of Longmai including through Tamenglong,” the former stand, so that he would be at a betZRA cadre injured in shootout ter position to create a common Utilisation Policy in the hill districts Haochong range in the morning. Lok Sabha MP asserted.

IMPHAL, MArcH 30 (NNN): A cadre of the ZRA of Manipur will be concertedly Then in the afternoon, another Again, on March 28, the next platform for all the sections of the was injured in the firing of the personnel of 7th As- pushed in the event of him being in meeting was held at Nungba Sub- stop was at Tamenglong district communities to come together, sam Rifles on duty on the night of March 29 in Manipur the Parliament for the second time. divisional headquarter. headquarter where the Indepen- and also understand the sufferings south district town Churachandpur. ZRA is engaging The public were reminded of dent candidate went to the neigh- of the people better.

Winding up his Tamenglong in the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the govern- district tour since March 27 meet- the many achievements of his pre- boring villages and had a brief The next public meeting was ment. Meanwhile, the PIB-Defence Wing said today ing frontal organisations, public vious term, 2004-2009 when he campaign. The flag hoisting was held at Irang Part-I, in Senapati done at the district election office, district. There were about 200 that troops of Red Shield Division apprehended four leaders, Church leaders and the represented in the Parliament.

“I will do my utmost to imple- where he interacted with the com- people in the meeting. The encadres of Zomi Revolution Army (ZRA) from Chura- general public, Mani has headed ment the National Land Utilization mittee members. tourage then headed towards chandpur in Manipur south late last night. According for Senapati district.

On March 29, there was a pub- Purul in Senapati district.

On March 27, a meeting was Policy in order to protect our land to PIB, Defence Wing, around 10:20 pm four cadres on two wheelers approached a mobile check post of the security forces. On being challenged by the mobile check post, one of cadres fired upon the security forces. The troops of Red Shield Division displayed restraint and returned controlled fire in which one of the cadre was injured while other three cadres were appre- gUWAHAtI, MArcH 30 irrigating farmlands, poor not get- the leadership of the then Prime east is developed.

Hindu refugees in Assam's Barak hended by the security forces, the PIB-Defence Wing (IANS): BJP president Rajnath ting rations and no job opportuni- Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that He also accused the Congress of Valley and said the party's views stated. The injured cadre was rendered first aid at Veng Singh Sunday charged the Con- ties for youth," Rajnath Singh said took the initiative to set up a sepa- dividing the country and said: "It is on the issue are clear. "If someone Battalion location and was subsequently evacuated to gress with not doing anything to while addressing a rally in Karim- rate ministry for development of the Congress leaders who divided comes to India without a passport RIMS hospital in Imphal. He is identified as one Lu- develop the northeast region. ganj in Barak Valley Sunday. the region -- the Ministry of De- the nation during Independence. and visa, we cannot accept him lun Paite (19). The apprehendees have been identified "BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) velopment of North Eastern Re- The Congress leaders were in such as an Indian citizen. But if some"It is the Congress party which as Private D Paula, Private Lullun Nuala, Pomu and was in power for most of the time believes that the northeast has gion," he said. a haste to grab power they decided one comes due to harassment in Milian. Two 9 mm pistols and five live rounds were The BJP chief added that the to divide the nation into two parts -- the other country, he should be at the centre after Independence. not been developed on expectrecovered from their possession at the time of appregiven refugee status," he said and In Assam also, it is the Congress ed lines since Independence by party has an emotional relation- Hindustan and Pakistan." hension. The apprehendees along with the recoveries Rajnath Singh also took up added that whoever came to Asthe successive Congress govern- ship with Assam and the northgovernment that has ruled most were later handed over to Lamphel Police Station in of the time. But still there are prob- ments. However, it is the NDA east and that it believes India the issue of D voters (dubious sam from Bangladesh after 1972 Imphal, informed the PIB-Defence Wing. lems of road network, electricity, government, led by the BJP under cannot develop unless the north- or doubtful voters) and Bengali would be treated as a foreigner.

Charenamei stresses on NLUP implementation

Rajnath flays Congress for lack of development in NE

EC firm on postal voting for Mizoram refugees in Tripura Money envelopes ‘unknowingly’ AIZAWL, MArcH 30 (IANS): Despite opposition in Mizoram against allowing tribal refugees in Tripura's relief camps to cast postal ballots, the Election Commission (EC) is firm on its decision, officials said Sunday.

Of the over 36,000 Reang tribal refugees, known as "Bru", living in the Kanchanpur and Panisagar refugee camps of Tripura for the past 17 years, about 11,500 are listed in Mizoram's electoral rolls.

These refugees have been casting votes for the Mizoram assembly and Lok Sabha elections through postal ballots.

"The Election Commission has appointed seven observers to oversee the voting of the tribal refugees from April 1 to April 3 in seven relief camps," Tripura Chief Electoral Officer

(CEO) Asutosh Jindal told reporters in Agartala. He said the EC observers have already arrived in Tripura and visited the refugee camps in north Tripura, 190 km north of Agartala.

Five NGOs and youth organisations, led by the Young Mizo Association, organised protest rallies in Aizawl and other places of Mizoram last week demanding that the poll panel revoke its decision.

"We have sent a memorandum to the Election Commission conveying our protest... But it is yet to respond to it... We will continue our protest," said Lalhmachhuana, president of Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and member of the coordination committee of the five NGOs and youth bodies.

The NGOs also demanded that all refugees be sent back to their Mizoram

villages before the Lok Sabha poll. They added that the names of those refusing to return be deleted from the electoral rolls.

Lalhmachhuana told reporters the refugees left Mizoram of their own will (in 1997 and later in 2009) and showed wrong reasons for not returning despite several repatriation programmes undertaken by the state government.

The tribals fled after ethnic clashes with the majority Mizos over the killing of a Mizo forest official.

About 5,000 refugees returned to their homes in the past three-and-half years following continued persuasion by Mizoram, Tripura and union home ministry officials. The process got stalled after that with many refusing to return unless their security is guaranteed.

Mizoram Chief Minister

Lal Thanhawla earlier this month urged Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath not to allow the refugees to vote through postal ballots.

Jindal, the Tripura CEO said: "Like on previous occasions, the EC has decided to take the votes of the refugees in the relief camps in north Tripura through postal ballots." "At least one facilitation centre would be set up in each of the seven camps during the first week of April so that the eligible refugees could cast their votes," he said.

Earlier this month, the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), an organisation of the refugees, asked the EC to conduct polling in the camps.

The MBDPF had complained to the poll panel that many eligible voters in the camps were not included in the voters' lists of Mizoram.

given to journalists: APCC

ItANAgAr, MArcH 30 (PtI): After a section of Arunachal Pradesh’s media accused Congress of trying to bribe media, the APCC on Sunday said envelopes containing money were “unknowingly” handed over to few journalists.

Arunachal Press Club (APC) and Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalist (APUWJ) lodged a complaint with Chief Electoral Office (CEO) against Congress on Saturday accusing it of violating model code of conduct by trying to bribe media.

In a letter addressed to the CEO, APCC stated that “a few envelopes containing some amount intended to be disbursed to APCC staff’s over time payment received from the party’s accountant, were unknowingly handed

over to few journalists”.

APC and APUWJ had in the complaint claimed that APCC violated the MCC by distributing envelopes containing some cash to media persons after the release of party’s manifesto at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan here on March 27.

Meanwhile, People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) on Sunday urged the CEO to take appropriate legal action against Congress.

Claiming that Congress and BJP in the state have chartered choppers to be used in election campaigning, PPA urged the CEO to keep strict vigil at airfields and landing grounds and conduct thorough checking of luggage to stop illegal movement of ‘cash or kind’ involving any contesting candidate or his agents.

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Apple & Samsung to renew patent battle in US court

SaN FraNciSco, March 30 (aFP): Apple and Samsung will return to federal court in the heart of Silicon Valley on Monday for a new round in their seemingly perpetual patent war.

The case concerns smartphone and tablet patents and is just the latest in a long-running feud between the two tech giants, who are battling for supremacy in a multi-billiondollar market.

“The parties tried hard to accuse each other’s latest and greatest products, but the US patent litigation is slow, which is why this 2014 trial will be about 2012 and pre-2012 products,” intellectual property analyst Florian Muellersaid in a post at website fosspatents.com.

The rivals will face-off once again before district court judge Lucy Koh in the california city of San Jose.

Koh presided over a trial last year that ended with a jury declaring Samsung owed Apple more that a billion dollars in damages for infringing patents with some older model

In this Aug. 27, 2012, the Apple iPhone 4s, left, is displayed next to the Samsung Galaxy S III at a store in San Francisco. Apple already has won nearly $1 billion in judgments against Samsung over patent infringements involving older-model devices. Now Apple is alleging Samsung’s newest devices, such as its Galaxy S III, also copied Apple technology. Jury selection for the case begins Monday, March 31, 2014. (AP File Photo)

Android-powered devices.

The damages award was later trimmed to $929 million and is being appealed.

If this new trial goes in Apple’s favour, it could result in an even bigger award since it involves better-sell-

ing Samsung devices built withGoogle-backed Android software.

This time californiabased Apple is taking aim at Samsung’s flagshipGalaxy line crafted to challenge the iPhone in the high-perfor-

mance end of the market.

“Both in the US and globally, Apple and Samsung have established themselves as fierce competitors in the smartphone market and fierce adversaries in the courtroom,”

Koh said during rulings on injunctions, testimony and other matters ahead of trial.

Under pressure from Koh, the chiefs of Apple and Samsung engaged in mediation to see if the dispute could be settled out of court, but talks failed. However, the companies expressed a willingness to keep talking, raising the slim possibility trial could be avoided.

Jury selection is to commence on Monday. Koh is allowing each side 25 hours to present evidence to make its case to jurors.

Apple filed the suit against the South Korean consumer electronics behemoth in February 2012 as “one action in a worldwide constellation of litigation between the two companies,” the judge said in a ruling.

Patents at issue in the case involve unlocking touch-screens with gestures; automatically correcting words being typed; retrieving data sought by users, and performing actions on found data such as making a call after coming up with a phone number.

The Morung Express

public discoursE Exploiting Illiterates: A Peril in Naga Society

I

lliteracy is a disease that continues to plague countries worldwide. The illiterates live unable to voice their problems. Their lives are a daily struggle, but they live on.

Language is a gift but to be incapable of reading and writing can be a curse. To live in a society surrounded by letters that are mere figures is but a torture.

Illiteracy is a growing crisis not only within India but many developing countries worldwide. One could go on about the troubles faced by Indian illiterates or illiterates worldwide but somewhere closer to home lies the problems faced by “Naga Illiterates”.

In the political sphere, they are denied various benefits from schemes especially provided for them. The closest example is the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which guarantees to provide 100 days work at the wage rate of 175 rupees per day. But the officials or politicians take advantage of their illiteracy by instilling false information and denying these people their rights. Even during elections, the politicians buy the votes of the illiterates robbing them their right to participate in selecting a fit leader.

In the economic sphere, the local merchandise produced by the rurals are bought at astonishingly low rates by the exploitive literates. In relation to this, even plots of land are bought off with cheap prices as they are not well-versed with the ways of the market. Some shopkeepers even sell goods to the illiterates at very high prices as they are unable to read the printed prices. There are even incidents of how certain people cheat them by handing out currency notes claiming them to be of higher value. Their lack of education also bars them from finding good jobs in an increasingly growing literate society.

They are ultimately left to take up lower wage jobs such as manual labour where they are paid unjust wages.

If society does not change its failing mindsets and mend its ways toward the illiterates, it cannot develop its full potential. Until then, this growing epidemic will spread its firm grasp within the Naga society and continue to oppress the people as if they were less than human. In so doing, Naga society loses.

Arenpongla Jamir St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama

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.

India to grow at 5.5% in FY’15: FIccI Executives likely to see 15 to 20% salary hikes Baby & childcare market set New Delhi, March 30 chor for the Reserve Bank’s mon- New Delhi, March 30 Satya D Sinha said executives dependent on domestic econ(PTi): India’s economic growth etary policy, the opinion was di- (PTi): With economic pros- especially in the pharmaceuti- omy — could see significant to boom with foreign brands

is likely to pick up and reach 5.5 per cent in 2014-15 as industrial output will recover to expand at 3.3 per cent, says FIccI. The Economic Outlook Survey by the industry chamber pegs agriculture and services sector growth in the next financial year, starting April 1, at 3.3 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.

It also estimates that growth in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal will pick up marginally to 5 per cent.

“However, this might imply that actual growth in the year 2013-14 will be slightly lower than the growth of 4.9% projected by the central Statistical Organization some time back,” FIccI said.

On inflation, it said that majority of the participating economists felt that going ahead both WPI and retail inflation rates would remain range bound.

Inflation based on Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is expected to stay at about 5.5 per cent in 201415 and the one based on the consumer Price Index (cPI) will be at about 7.9 per cent, as per the survey.

On cPI becoming the new an-

vided. Some economists felt that it is a good indicator, while others were of the opinion that monetary policy decision on the basis of a single parameter may not be a correct approach.

Moreover, they said that cPI is a fairly new series available only since 2011 and hence does not adequately portray the underlying trends.

Further, the median forecast for fiscal deficit as a per cent of GDP stands at 4.4 per cent for 2014-15. This is higher than the 4.1 per cent estimate announced in the Interim Budget last month.

Subsidy burden continues to be a bothering factor and can lead to fiscal slippages, according to the economists polled by FIccI. On the external sector, the survey pegs current account deficit (cAD) to remain in the comfort zone at 2.2 per cent in 2014-15.

Moreover, the rupee value is projected at 61 against the US dollar by March-end 2015.

The participating economists cited high cost of borrowing and delays in government approvals as the key reasons hindering investments.

pects looking better, executives are expected to see their pay packets increase as much as 20 per cent in the next financial, feel experts.

Although the salary hikes could see significant variations across sectors, pharmaceutical and automobile industries are likely to see the maximum increases, HR experts said.

“The expected hike is estimated to be 15-20 per cent. It should be better as economy is looking upwards,” HR firm Unison International’s managing director Udit Mittal said.

According to him, some multinational companies might also extend additional perks to their senior level executives.

Latest projections by executive search firm MANcER consulting showed that middle and senior level professionals in the country are likely to get a pay hike in the range of 10 to 20 per cent. Similar increases could also been with respect to bonuses.

MANcER consulting cEO

_

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 # 2835

cal, automobile and realty sectors, are expected to see better appraisals next fiscal.

While pharmaceutical industry is anticipated to get sal-

ary hike of 14-15 per cent, that in automobile segment is likely to 13-14 per cent. Real estate sector is projected to register 12-14 per cent increase in pay packets.

Executive search firm Spectrum Talent Management’s director Vidur Gupta said that sectors such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and consumer goods sectors — that are largely

hikes.

“With a general election to be concluded by the end of May 2014, many are looking to the country’s next government to break India out of its economic doldrums.

“A stable government will definitely have a positive impact on the overall economic condition and hence there will be something good for employees as well,” he said.

Striking an optimistic note for the coming months, Sinha said services, mining, construction and infrastructure are expected to up their hiring activities as well as increase salaries.

“A hike of 2-4 per cent is expected in hiring in 2014. This is owing to positive growth in GDP and high expectations from Lok Saba Elections in 2014,” he noted.

Experts also opined that companies need to be careful while carrying out appraisals since there is need to retain performers and provide them with decent pay hikes.

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 2843

MUMBai, March 30 (PTi): The domestic baby and childcare market, which has been growing at cAGR of 17 per cent since 2012, is set for a big boom with a host of global players foraying with innovative products.

Brevi from Italy, combi from Japan, Bubba Blue from Australia, Tiny Love from Israel, Grup Baby from Turkey, US Baby from china, Kiddy Gmbh from Germany, Tolly Joy from Singapore and Farlin from Taiwan are some of the top brands which will be foraying into the local market during an industry event taking place this week.

“The child-baby care product industry is highly fragmented with few organised players in the fray. considering the huge potential that this market offers, these brands are making a debut in the local market,” UBM India Managing Director Joji George said.

UBM India specialises in holding exhibitions with an aim to bring together all stakeholders — manufacturers, distributors, retailers as well as consumers — at one common platform and has been organising the second edition of industry event, cBME India 2014 from April 3.

With India being home to around 50 million babies in the 0-2 years age group and 304.8 million children in the 0-12 years group, the country offers immense opportunities to the segment players to tap this growing market, he said.

According to research and consultancy firm RNcOS, the domestic baby and children care products market which includes apparel, footwear, toys and baby cosmetics is growing in sync with the retail industry growth, and is estimated to grow at a cAGR of around 17 per cent during 2012-2017 to USD 26.2 billion from USD 11.8 billion in 2012.

Despite worldwide economic crisis, the sales soared to USD 11.8 billion in 2012, owing to strong demand for baby and children apparel, footwear, toys and baby cosmetics, RNcOS said in the report.

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 # 2834

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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63. Regenerate 65. Angel’s headwear 66. Protective ditch 67. Feel 68. Brother of Jacob 69. Agile 70. Spouse 71. Exam

DOWN 1. Derbies or berets 2. Distinctive flair 3. Authorized 4. Notwithstanding 5. Adult male 6. Dwarf buffalo 7. Bacteria 8. Bug 9. Graduate 10. Ripped 11. Norse god 12. Kind of moss 15. Adult male singing voice 21. Slender 23. Let go 25. Part of the outer ear 27. Makes a mistake 28. Monetary unit of Macedonia 29. Not used 31. Express in different words 32. Wash out with a solvent

34. Regulation (abbrev.)

36. Encounter 39. Representative (abbrev.)

40. Break 43. Godlessness 44. Standard 46. Historical periods 47. Anagram of “Chatter” 49. Layers 50. High regard 53. Ringworm cassia 55. Charity 56. Coil 57. Russian emperor 58. A musical pause 60. “Oh my!”

61. Urarthritis 64. Tiny

Ans to CrossWord 2842

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

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Police Station 1: Police Station 2 :

2226241 2226214

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

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LOCAL

The Morung Express

Monday 31 March 2014

Dimapur

5

wotsa commissioned as religious rahul spoke the facts: npcc Kakugha teacher in indian Army, sBtA lauds

Dimapur, march 30 (mExN): The NPCC today stated that NPF, by accepting the “communal BJPRSS” as its high command, has lost all moral right to speak on behalf of the Nagas “who are classed as religious minorities and have no place in the BJP-RSS idea of nationhood.” Referring to NPF’s accusation of AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi being brainwashed by the state congress and remaining unaware of happenings in the country, NPCC said, resorting to “the gambit of crying wolf in drawing the attention of the Election Commission of India on Rahul Gandhi’s speech is nothing but a cheap publicity gimmick since the NPF has run out of issues before the people.”

NPCC asserted that the issue of solution within three months as promised

by NPF during 2003 assembly elections will continue to haunt NPF into denial

mood. The proclaimed role of “facilitator” and “mediator” to the ongoing Naga political peace talks by the NPF, it said, has miserably failed to achieve anything other than to befool the people. “The NPF aligning with the communal forces of BJP – RSS combine can only hope to achieve imposition of alien culture on the Nagas instead of finding a political solution that remains elusive after 17 years and 68 rounds of talks.”

Meanwhile, NPCC declared that contrary to the NPF claims of stepmotherly treatment by the Congress government at the centre, an amount of 300 crores was generously sanctioned as special package for ENPO areas during 2012-13. However, the “mischievous attempt” of the state government to rather clear the outstanding liabilities in ENPO areas has effectively put brakes on release of the special pack-

age. The repeated claims that congress had rejected the 400 crore package for Dimapur-Kohima four lane road sanctioned by the BJP government in 2003 is another desperate attempt to implicate the congress, the release added. It alleged that for the past 11 years, the road project has been stalled because of the NPF government’s indifference especially with regards to random encroachment on the highway stretch particularly between DimapurChumukedima and the proposed new alignment facing hurdles owing to the “opportunistic policies” of NPF government. It reminded that the Congress led UPA government in 2013 had sanctioned a revised package of 1098 crores for this road.

NPCC further stated that “the dilapidated conditions of the state infrastructure, severe financial crunch, total collapse of

news in picture

National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Nagaland Unit, Vice President Mulato Katty led the Nagaland delegation to the recently concluded NSUI national convention in New Delhi. Seen in this picture are the Nagaland delegates with AICC President Sonia Gandhi, AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar, and NSUI National President Rohit Choudary.

economy and lack of access to basic amenities bears testimony to the dubious achievement of the NPF in 11 years of their misrule.”

Therefore, it asserted, AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi speaking the facts before the people exposes the bitter truth for the NPF to swallow and the question of Rahul apologizing does not even remotely arises.

Having indulged in enough “aggrandizement” to last for generations, “the NPF leaders have abandoned the Naga people by aligning with communal forces that have no respect for other’s culture or belief,” the NPCC said. Hence, it appealed to the people of Nagaland irrespective of party affiliations to “outrightly reject the NPF candidate for shamelessly bowing down before communal forces in an attempt to escape from the mess that has been generated as result of his blatant misrule.”

Dimapur, march 30 (mExN): Sümi Baptist Theological Association (SBTA) has lauded Naib Subedar Kakugha Wotsa of Xelhozhe Village under Kuhuboto sub-division, Dimapur for being commissioned into the Assam Regiment as Religious Teacher Junior Commission Officer on March 27, 2014. Wotsa passed out from the Institute of National Integration (INI) housed in the Pune campus of College of Military Engineering (CME), Dapodi.

A press release from SBTA general secretary Phushito L. Chishi informed that Kakugha Wotsa is the first among Sümi tribe to be inducted into the Indian Army from RT category and perhaps also from Nagaland state. He holds a Master of Theology degree and has been an active student leader. The SBTA along with Wotsa and his family have expressed

Kakugha Wotsa being greeted by Brigadier Ajay Talwar, CO, INI.

happiness for the opportunity to work as a Chaplain in the Indian Army. The Association believed that Wotsa will put all his efforts in keeping the good morale and disciple of the Indian Army and wished him Al-

Medical camp conducted at Khuzama

kohima, march 30 (mExN): The 164 Infantry Battalion Territorial Army-Naga Regiment under the leadership of Col. Vinal Chatterjee and Leut.

Col. P.S. Bishkt conducted a medical camp in Khuzama village on March 26 last. The regiment had deputed four doctors and two nursing officers. Altogether, 270 patients received treatment. All the prescribed medicines were distributed free of cost by the regiment.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Khuzama Village Council on behalf of the village council expressed appreciation to the regiment’s medical unit for their immense contribution to the health Officer from 164 Infantry Battalion Territorial Army-Naga Regiment inaugucare of the villagers. rating the medical camp held at Khuzama.

PDTA extends support to NTTU NCC camp held

Training on procedures & EVM handling for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Election for 1st & 2nd polling officers was held on March 22, 2014 at Dimapur Government College. (DIPR Photo)

kohima, march 30 (mExN): The Phek District Timber Association (PDTA) has extended its support to Nagaland Timber Traders Union (NTTU), while lauding the latter for raising their voice against heavy taxation imposed on the tree farmers and timber traders.

The Union in a press release said that timber traders in Phek district hardly do any timber business these days, while pointing out that even the few truck loads of timber they carry down to Dimapur have been stopped now because of the heavy loss incurred after paying heavy taxes to different national political groups and Forest Department.

The release also stated that

there are many farmers in the far flung areas, who depend on timber for their family livelihood. These famers, the note asserted, have worked very hard for so many years but at the time of harvest, they land up paying taxes to different groups. It further said that as most of the logging are done in the remote areas of the state where there is no road connectivity, timber traders build roads before taking up the venture to make life easier for the villagers.

The PDTA further questioned, “How can we develop and encourage our farmers when we continue to take their share?” In this connection, it has appealed to the department concerned to look into the matter immediately.

BLOs training in Mkg on April 4 Sungro Range Youth Welfare Organisation (SRYWO) with its enthusiasm to promote eco-tourism and create awareness for protection of the world famous migratory bird Amur Falcon and conservation of wildlife in the Range, initiated an exposure trip for the youth and elders of the Range to Kaziranga National Park from February 26 to 28, 2014.

mokokchuNg, march 30 (mExN): DC & ARO Mokokchung has informed all the Booth Level Officers of Mokokchung district to attend a one day training/ briefing on April 4, 2014 at Town Hall at 11:00 am. ARO also informed those BLOs, who do not have their Identity Card to bring along two passport size photographs.

KGPO supports Rio’s candidature

ATMA Dimapur, Medziphema Block organised demonstration programme on March 22 in collaboration with the Youth Department of Aoyimkum Baptist Church. Resource persons from Jenti Ren SHG and Neisetuono, AHO & BTT member demonstrated on “Saw Dust Mushroom and Value addition on fruits and vegetables”.

District Health Society of Mokokchung organized a free cataract surgery camp at Mangkolemba Community Health Centre from March 25 to 28. 14 patients, mostly elderly people were successfully operated during the camp.

Dimapur, march 30 (mExN): Kuhuboto Ghakhu Public Organization (KGPO) held a meeting with the area leaders and public on March 29 at Kuhuboto. A press release from KGPO president and general secretary informed that the gathering unanimously resolved that irrespective of political party, it will support Neiphiu Rio’s candidature, “through the able leadership of Zhaleo Rio, parliamentary secretary from 5th Ghaspani – I A/C and Jacob Zhimomi, MLA from 4th Ghaspani – I A/C” in the ensuing Lok Sabha election.

Dimapur, march 30 (mExN): Kohima NCC group conducted a camp at Living Stone Higher Secondary School Dimapur from March 20 to 29. According to a press release issued by PRO (Defence) Lt Col Emron Musavi, 517 NCC cadets from four NCC battalions of Kohima NCC Group, hailing from all parts of Nagaland, participated in the ten days camp under Colonel S Bhardwaj.

The aim of the camp was to impart military discipline and values to the cadets. Various activities like weapon training, shooting, social activities, co-curricular activities, parade, physical training and

mighty’s choicest blessings and guidance in all his future endeavors.

According to the press note, Indian Army, grappling with the problem of suicides and fratricides among its rank and file,

particularly those posted in strife torn regions, has been increasingly turning to behavioural and social science training of not just the religious teachers joining its various regiments but also its officers.

General Observer visits Mokokchung district

mokokchuNg, march 30 (Dipr): General Observer for Nagaland Lok Sabha election, A.A Latief-u- Haman Deva (IAS), who is monitoring the election process in Mokokchung, Tuensang, Mon, Longling and Kiphire districts met DC & ARO Mokokchung Murohu Chotso and other officers related to elections at Dobashi’s Court Mokokchung on March 30.

The General Observer assessed the entire electioneering process in compliance with guidelines/ rules issued by the Election Commission of India and also had wide ranging discussions on preparedness to conduct the election in a fair and free manner in the district. He called upon all the officers to complete all the exercises well in advance for free and fair election in the district.

He also enquired about training of polling officials, security arrangements, EVMs and electoral rolls in the district. Liaison officer, Er.Yanger Pongen said the General Observer will be visiting Mon and other three districts beginning from March 31.

Meanwhile, the DC & ARO Mokokchung, appointed 10 (Ten) Micro Observers on March 27 to oversee the elections in the ten Assembly segments in the district.

games were conducted during the camp for the cadets.

The cadets, along with learning the essential military values, thoroughly enjoyed the camp under the disciplined guidance of instructional staff of all participating NCC units, added the note.

KUK’s silver jubilee cum Aoleang fest

kohima, march 30 (mExN): The Konyak Union Kohima (KUK) will celebrate its silver jubilee cum Aoleang festival on April 4 at Naga Heritage village Kisama from 10:00 am onwards. Nagaland governor, Dr. Ashwani Kumar will grace the occasion as chief

guest, while Angami Public Organization (APO) president Keneingunyü Sekhose will be the guest of honour.

All the Konyak citizens have been requested to attend the occasion with traditional attires. Special guests and inlaws have also been invited.

Transportation shall be provided from various junction; New Secretariat, Tin Patti, TCP gate, PHQ and Lerie. The silver jubilee programme will be marked by presidential address by P. Longang, president KUK; special melody by Wangcha Khong; short speech by L. Noklem, first president, KUK, and S. Manlip president, KU, Mon; folk dance by Khiamnungan troupe and Konyak troupe, folk tune Nahalan etc.

Libra Consultancy informs Dimapur, march 30 (mExN): India Northeast Tribal Community Welfare Society (INTCWS) Notun Basti, Dimapur, under the aegis of Libra Consultancy, its education wing, undertook the fourth phase of inspection of private engineering, medical colleges and universities in Jaipur and Alwar in Rajasthan in the month of March.

A press release from INTCWS PRO, Martha Ngaomei informed that the annual visit is undertaken to bring about recognized and top colleges for the welfare and convenience of the tribal students. The society has signed MoU with these top institutes for the benefit of the students and it also give opportunity to meritorious students to avail scholarship and fee waiver in the colleges, it added.

Indian Evangelical Mission (IEM) conducted a consecration service For any information and free counselfor missionary Yhunthonlo Magh at Tsophenyu Upper Baptist Church ing, one may contact INTCWS office at Tseminyu and missionary Thungchanbeni R. Patton at Wokha Town 9862370317 or visit www.intsociety.org.

Baptist Church.

Vehicle mechanics course held for youth of Longleng LoNgLENg, march 30 (mExN): 31 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ 7 Sector Assam Rifles, has been conducting Vehicle Mechanics Course for youth at the ITI established by the battalion.

In the recently conducted 8 weeks course from January 20 to March 15, 22 youth from Longleng district attended and successfully completed the training which aims at providing basic knowledge of vehicle and repairing techniques, informed a press release from AR. A two-week practical on job training at

local workshop was also organized. The release noted that efforts are being made to assist the trained youth in procuring driving licenses.

Water tanks built at villages near Indo-Myanmar border In a step towards improving the living conditions of people in remote border areas, as part of DGAR Military Civic Action project, 23 Assam Rifles constructed a RCC water storage tanks at Bumei and Monyaksho villages on March 4. Assam Rifles in a release informed that the two remote villages were

facing acute scarcity of water lives of the needy. and the water storage tanks will ensure availability of sufficient Water tank constructed for water to the villagers through- Lempong Hostel 31 Assam Rifles on March 17 out the year. constructed a RCC water storBlood donation camp to mark age tank at Lempong Hostel, Nyenchingvill, Longleng as part Assam Rifles Day 23 Assam Rifles under the of DGAR Civic Action Project. aegis of HQs 7 Sector Assam Ri- The construction of Water Storfles organized a blood donation age Tank will definitely help the camp to mark Assam Rifles Day occupants of Lempong Hostel in association with the District which faces acute shortage of Hospital at Tuensang on March water, asserted Assam Rifles in 24, 2014. The blood collected a press release. This is one of the during the camp was deposited various projects taken up by AR with the District Hospital Tuen- to further its efforts to extend assang which shall be used to save sistance to local populace as a

goodwill gesture.

Solar street lights presented to Hothoty village As part of ongoing Civic Action Programme, 33 Assam Rifles presented five solar street lights to the people of Hothoty (No 3) village on March 26. During the presentation ceremony, the village authorities and NGOs acknowledged the commitment of Assam Rifles towards social progression of the local population, Assam Rifles said in a press release. The ceremony was attended by civil administration including village Angh, GBs, Chairman and NGOs.

6

IN-FOCUS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express MonDAy 31 MArcH 2014 voluME IX IssuE 87

Along Longkumer consulting Editor

Lenten Agreement: Time to Act

T

he Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) last week announced to the Naga public about the Lenten Agreement signed by top Naga leaders as part of ‘Naga reconciliation: A Journey of Common Hope’. The Lenten Agreement in short reiterates what was already agreed upon in the ‘Naga Concordant’, formation of a Naga National Government. While no doubt significant in terms of the resolve to form a ‘Naga National Government’, what is required is for such agreements to come to fruition. The latest Lenten Agreement is one among other similar statements issued in the past by the top leaders of the Naga Political Groups (NPGs).

In fact the resolve to form a Naga National Government goes back to the ‘Naga Concordant’ signed a few years back i.e. on August 26, 2011. In both the ‘Naga Concordant’ as well as the latest ‘Lenten Agreement’ there is mention about how the top leaders have agreed ‘in principle’ to form a Naga National Government.

Both statements also mention about the need to ‘expedite this process of eventually forming the Naga National Government’ (Naga Concordant) and to begin this task ‘at the earliest and to be completed without delay’ (Lenten Agreement).

A valid question therefore is whether our top leaders are good only at signing statements or can they walk the talk and deliver on what they may say or agree on paper. It is now upto the NPGs to convert their thought process into political action as far as the issue of forming a Naga National Government goes. Their credibility along with that of FNR is at stake if they cannot deliver on what they have agreed in the ‘Naga Concordant’ and now the ‘Lenten Agreement’, to form a ‘Naga National Government’.

Also looked at it differently, given the larger political currents at present, it makes good sense to invest time on the political reconciliation of the NPGs. With Lok Sabha elections and the Naga peace talks in the back burner, the FNR along with the NPGs have done the right thing to revive the process towards formation of the Naga National Government at home.

The peace talks with Delhi can wait for now. Also, whichever party or formation comes to power in Delhi after the elections, it will be probably correct to assume that a political decision on the Naga issue is expected sooner than later. In fact, the Naga public should now demand a timeframe for the formation of such a ‘National Government’ because more than ever before the situation demands that we are well prepared for a political settlement with India.

As per the ‘Lenten Agreement’, the FNR has been tasked to ‘work out the modalities to expedite the process’ towards formation of the Naga National Government’. And in a statement issued on July 7, 2013, the FNR has already laid down some guidelines to be followed towards this end. As rightly mentioned by the FNR and a very important point to be noted, such a national government will be “required to be people-centered and guided by the common aspirations of the people and not by any particular group”. Hopefully, the NPGs will work with the FNR in the spirit of the ‘Lenten Agreement’ and thereby demonstrate their willingness to work for the Naga people in one accord. On its part, the FNR should put the formation of a Naga National Government on fast track. This is an opportunity towards a new beginning as we look to the future well-being of the Nagas.

(Feedback can be send to consultingeditormex@gmail.com)

lEfT wiNg |

Nury Vittachi IANS

The wisdom of being stupid works for me

T

hese days, people overthink every decision they make. To compensate, more people need to underthink their decisions. Luckily, many people, including this writer, do this automatically.

Like the man who spent months building a nursery for quintuplets, but learned a few days ago that he just had a fat girlfriend. (Paul Servat of Quebec, if you want to look him up.)

Or the guy in Australia who recently got lost in his back garden and phoned the police. "I'm lost." "Where are you?" "In the garden of my house in Darwin." "Thought you said you were lost?" "It's a big garden." A police rescue team found him 300 metres from his back door, NTnews.com reported.

Now I can see you starting to smile but it's really important we do not laugh at these people. As Modern Scientific People, we need to consider the positive side of stupidity.

Exhibit A is the US police force, which rejected an applicant because he scored too high in an intelligence test. The irritated brainy guy, Robert Jordan, sued. His appeal was rejected by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals after police chiefs explained that less intelligent applicants better suited the job and stayed longer. Judges considered mounds of data and agreed. Stupid was better.

The case took place several years ago but has been much discussed recently by researchers. Would-be cop Jordan pleaded at the time that he couldn't help being smart, having been born that way. "I maintain you have no more control over your basic intelligence than your eye colour or your gender or anything else," he said, according to ABC News. (He should have said: "Me like being brainiac! Woof woof!")

The good news is that the US police force can bulk-recruit from Asia. Recently, the Delhi Police force admitted that it had had missed eight years of on-line corruption tipoffs because no one could remember the email password.

When they finally managed to download the messages, they found 600 tips, many referring to people who had already died, moved away or been elected to high office.

But how exactly is stupidity good? Studies say it improves efficiency (Journal of Management Studies), boosts productivity (University of Texas) and increases happiness (University of Edinburgh). In a study in top journal Nature, scientists divided people into three groups: unconfident, accurate and overconfident. They found that "natural selection is likely to have favoured a bias towards overconfidence". I would give more details, but all the studies are full of really big words.

I learned the wisdom of stupidity when I was 13. I walked into a gang of neo-Nazis in London, who told me they had a policy of beating up all Pakistanis. A typical bookish Asian kid, I nervously explained: "I was born 1,499 miles from Pakistan in Sri Lanka, as far from the aforementioned country as London is from Russia." They beat me up. The next time, I just talked rubbish. "Yeah! Cool! Manchester United vs Arsenal, right? I like popsicles! Gary Glitter sucks!" They greeted me as a brother.

So I don't worry about the future of the world. Consider the words of our greatest modern role model. "Stupidity got us into this mess, and stupidity will get us out." (Homer Simpson).

THE EDIT PAGE

C O M M E N T A R Y

Amal de Chickera

The Rohingya refugee making factory

I

f the production of refugees was an industry, Myanmar would be among the world’s market leaders. In the creation of the product, the Burmese regime has pulled out all the stops and ended up with something unique.

For the Rohingya are more than refugees. They are also stateless, they are considered illegal immigrants (though they are not), they are seen as outsiders, they are feared and hated by other Burmese. The discrimination, persecution and abuse they endure invoke human rights law, humanitarian law and international criminal law. Their history has been denied and so is their future. Their identity, ethnicity and membership have been questioned, scrutinised, erased. If we didn’t know better, we’d think they were a fiction, an imagined people, a dream. Their voices have been silenced by denying them the tools of language – education, freedom, information. Those among them who are brave and privileged enough to speak out have been dismissed, their credibility questioned. Their friends are at best notional and their enemies take their job very seriously. They are seen as a problem and behind closed doors, in barely audible whispers, masked men with ulterior motives would admit that they would like to make the problem go away.

The Rohingya are eternal refugees. Their vulnerability has been designed using state-of-the-art methods, with a universal lifetime guarantee that remains valid across borders and generations. So perfect is the creation that countries to which they flee rarely integrate them, and where they do it is only by accident, with reluctance or solely due to the perseverance of the Rohingya and the kindness of local people, not governments. So perfect, that resettlement doesn’t figure as a solution. No one wants them. Not Myanmar, not Bangladesh, not Malaysia, not Thailand, not Australia, not the UK, not the USA, not the EU. The Rohingya are the ultimate refugees: ones with no place to go. If the production of refugees was an industry, Myanmar would not have to plunder its environment to satiate its economic appetite.

A profitable business The creation and existence of refugees can be a very profitable business. Profitable to politicians who sell fear and hatred, traffickers who sell escape and promises of a future, state authorities who sell protection and security. The persecution of refugees by repressive states also creates a dilemma for the profit oriented. It tarnishes their image to deal with repressive states; it undermines their geo-political leverage. There is a correlation between refugees and business, but it is not an industry.

Neither is it an issue of national security, although it is increasingly perceived as such. The mighty state demonstrates hysteria and fear at the sight of the vulnerable, starving, hopeless Rohingya woman and her child in a half sinking boat in the middle of the ocean.

She is intercepted. She is pushed back. She is helped on. She is detained. Not on the territory of the mighty state - that would be far too risky - but on a barely inhabited island. She is detained. She who has lost everything; her nationality, her dignity, her family, her home.

She is detained in a detention centre on an island. The production of refugees is not an industry, but detention is. The production of refugees is not an industry, but perhaps it serves as a test. If so, the production of Rohingya refugees is a very difficult test. It tests our resolve, our integrity, our courage, our humanity. It is a test we are failing. If only we could take a re-sit. If only it were that simple. If only each passing day of inaction, indifference, hypocrisy, exclusion, discrimination and further persecution did not cost human lives.

They must be a threat Well over a million Rohingya refugees have been produced. No one knows the exact number. They are not important enough to be counted. Bangladesh boasts a population of 300,000 – 500,000. Saudi Arabia, 400,000 – 700,000. The Malaysian population is in

T

he escalating situation in Ukraine is a matter of concern, as it has implications not only for Ukraine but for the international community at large. The main argument regarding Ukraine is: secession of Crimea is unconstitutional. The referendum was not approved by the Ukrainian parliament, nor does international law approve of such a referendum and consequent secession. Russia’s argument is: the overthrow of the democratically elected Yanukovich government was unconstitutional. In regards to Crimea, Russia argues that there is the Kosovo precedent. These are complicated issues. Evidently, Crimea is not Kosovo and there are many differences between the two successions.

I am strongly in favour of multiethnic and pluralist states. After Kosovo’s independence, I was among those who argued that Kosovo would not be a good model for other states with similar problems. Following Kosovo’s independence, the separatists in Kashmir called for a referendum in Kashmir, over which India and Pakistan are locked in a bitter rivalry. In the case of Kashmir, the referendum may appear more logical than Kosovo, since the United Nations had recommended the procedure to which both the rivals had agreed. Now, they have different positions on the issue.

Can a state be monistic? I am using the word ‘monistic’ – primarily a theological and philosophical term – in its broadest sense to mean that the basis of a state has only one identity traditionally defined – religion, race, ethnicity, etc. Should all states be monistic?

In the modern, globalized world, can a state’s identity be related purely to one race, religion or ethnicity? As one of the political leaders in the twentieth century opined, pure race is a myth – there is no such thing as a pure race. The matter seems obvious in the case of religion (though every religion has many sects, factions, etc.), but this may not be possible with regards to ethnicity.

In this February 27, 2014 photo, Hasinara, left, holds 15 day-old Minara Begum, whoes mother died after giving birth to Minara as Anawara Begum watches at a camp for refugees in Thatkapyin village, north of Sittwe, Rakhine state, Myanmar. Data on Rohingya health is almost nonexistent. However, Rakhine is the nation's second-poorest state and lives have always been at greater risk there. Away from the camps, in isolated and predominantly Muslim northern Rakhine state, the health situation is even worse and reaching a hospital is nearly impossible. (AP Photo/Pyae Phyo Thant Zin)

the tens of thousands. Unquantified populations live in India, Pakistan and throughout the Middle East.

None of these countries have ratified the refugee convention or the statelessness conventions. To them, this is not a protection issue. There is no protection framework through which it can be approached.

Thus, the Rohingya are seen through a different lens, a lens which fits the frameworks already in place.

Their story is shaped, their credibility undermined, their legitimacy questioned. Just as Myanmar has denied the history of the Rohingya, these countries deny their suffering. There is no refugee protection framework or statelessness determination procedure, so they must be ‘illegal’ economic migrants. They must be opportunistic and conniving. They must be an economic threat, a security threat, a threat.

Pull factor The inaction of states, their failure to protect is justified using sophisticated jargon filled arguments.

‘Pull factor’ is possibly the most widely used. ‘We will tolerate them but we cannot protect them – if we do, more will arrive, our kindness will pull them to us like moths to a flame.’ Never mind the persecution they face in Myanmar. Never mind the incredible dangers of the boat journey. Never mind the massive financial burden that drowns them in a lifetime of debt. It is the ‘pull factor’ that counts. When the ‘pull factor’ argument is used, the opportunity cost of not protecting the vulnerable is never factored in. What is the cost of having a large, growing, disenfranchised, vulnerable and ‘illegal’ population in country? What is the cost to the individual, and what is the cost to the state?

The inaction of states receiving Rohingya refugees has caused a regional stalemate. No one is willing to break it. The persecuted individual continues to suffer on new shores as a result. Imported vulnerability becomes home-grown vulnerability with the passing of a generation. Rohingya children born in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries are not allowed to access the nationality of these countries. Many are not even registered at birth. The cost of protracted, inter-generational statelessness is profound. Denied the right to work, to access education and healthcare, Rohingya refugee families live vulnerable, insecure and poverty-stricken lives. Illiteracy and poverty grow with every generation. The snow-ball effect of inter-generational statelessness should not be underestimated.

lack of a nationality, their foreignness, their otherness – these are all factors that play a role. Discrimination impacts on their access to basic human rights. It also impacts on their dignity. It is not intended that the Rohingya have dignity. They are unwanted, tolerated at best.

The Rohingya do not have many options. Persecuted in Myanmar, discriminated against and excluded elsewhere, they are not allowed to live normal lives, do normal jobs, have normal dreams. They have been forced into the periphery; unregulated, unprotected, unsafe. They are then blamed for living on the margins, as if it were their choice to take a dangerous boat journey, work an unsafe job, live an undocumented existence. As if they turned down the much cheaper and safer economy class plane ticket, the much more secure legitimate job, the much sought after birth certificate.

The states that receive large Rohingya refugee populations should not be singled out. The Rohingya issue is an international one. We all have a responsibility. The states that can take more Rohingya refugees through resettlement programmes, the states that can use their influence over Myanmar to push for the protection of their rights, the states that are members of the United Nations. They all have a responsibility to protect.

Where there is a will, it should be shared This situation cannot continue. Myanmar must get its act together. It is the source of the problem. The creation of refugees is not an industry. In fact, it must be seen as a barrier to other industry. Economic relations with Myanmar should be conditional upon its treatment of all persons, all minorities, even of the Rohingya. Rohingya-receiving states must take on more responsibility too. Their inaction amounts to complicity.

Their failure to protect the Rohingya has a dual impact – Rohingya refugees remain unprotected and their offspring, born in new countries are born into new vulnerability, new statelessness. The international community at large must step up. Their silence, their half-hearted statements, their mixed messages must end. Stronger, more principled intervention is required. There are no easy solutions, not because they are not obvious, but because there is no real political will across the boards to resolve this situation; to protect the most vulnerable.

States need to accept their individual responsibility but also to push each other into shared responsibility.

The production of refugees is not an industry, but the protection of refugees is an obligation. It is not a profitable one to undertake, but a costly one No dignity is afforded them Discrimination too follows the Rohingya, remains to ignore. Costly to the individual, to the state and with them, sticks to them. Their lack of legal status, their to our collective humanity.

Multiethnic and pluralist states here to stay Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra There is one perspective of monism which is important to any discussion on pluralist states. This perspective notes that if we make/restructure states on the basis of monism, we will have an increase of states on the international scene. The counter argument may however also be true. We may have fewer states than we have now. The question is – is it possible?

And how far will it help to better organize diverse communities?

The answers to these questions are not simple. Identities clash. Some religions may believe that religion should be the sole basis of state formation and state boundary – other identities are subsidiary to religious identity. The application of this kind of logic is farreaching. Take the case of India. It has a population belonging to all religions. India has Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Jainas. It has hundreds of languages, though its constitution gives official status to about two dozen languages, and it contains multiethnic communities. Due to these myriad diversities some analysts prefer to refer to India as a multinational state.

If we apply the logic of monistic states to India, then India would need to be divided into dozens of states. One of the founders of modern India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was fond of arguing that India is as diverse as it is united. This is famously known as unity in diversity.

To the north east of India, China also has a population that is richly diverse.

From Tibet in the south east or Xinjiang in the north east, the people inhabiting these regions are different from the

Han Chinese. And if you go to the north of China there is Russia. Though Slavic Russians rule the country, the population belonging to different religions and races has grown tremendously. Some reports suggest that cities like Moscow may have a Muslim majority population in 30 or 40 years. Russia has an array of diverse communities belonging to multiple races, religions, languages and ethnicity. Russia has Chechens, Tatars, and Ingush ethnic communities. While Russia is often identified with Orthodox Christianity, there are also individuals practicing Islam, Buddhism, and indeed Shamanism.

Across the Bering Strait from Russia is the United States of America, perhaps the most diverse country in the world. Many different religions, cultural practices, identities, and beliefs are found in the USA. People migrate to the country every year, mingle with the people and its richness, and in turn enrich it. In my opinion, the founders of the country were great visionaries and could foresee that in order to develop and prosper the country must adopt diversity and pluralism, instead of monism. Hence, when one says one's identity is American, the term embodies in itself notions of diversity, multi-ethnicity and pluralism. Think of America or the US – and this does not imply a specific religion, race, color or ethnicity. Barack Obama before becoming President told an audience that the US is not black America or white America; it is the United States of America. Arguing in a Durkheimian way, America has emerged as a new identity – but that identity is multiethnic and pluralistic.

wRiTE-wiNg

We know that Europe champions multiethnicism and pluralism, despite many debates. In fact the European Union is an embodiment of these values.

The question is - is it possible to have more monistic states in a globalized and interconnected world? Will the attempts to create monistic states lead to more violence as seen in some parts of the world?

The answer to this question has to be yes.

Multiethnic and pluralist states are here to stay. They should, in my opinion, be the hallmark of the twenty-first century. Religion, ethnicity, race, and other identity markers all have their purpose in a pluralist civil society. And particularly in the context of state building, arguments favoring monism have increasingly proved obsolete, even devastating.

Of course there is nothing simple about the result. What about the oppression of a minority community by a majority community in a state, which calls itself pluralist and multiethnic? We must hope that minority and majority communities within a state can resolve their differences. The majority community needs to come forward and enable power sharing with the minority community. The developments in some conflict zones in which minority protests have been violently crushed is tragic. There should be fair laws protecting individuals and communities against discrimination – whether they belong to the majority or minority. The law must be fair.

International organizations, particularly the United Nations, have a meaningful role to play in reinforcing multiethnic and pluralist values. In my opinion, what is required are international norms and values, which are reinforced by international organizations and governing institutions. However, this rests on the premise that the countries with most power reach a consensus. This is possible if states with power in the international community do not transgress UN laws, and learn to enforce international laws even if they do not suit their supposed national interest.

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.

7 PERSPECTIVE ‘Noah,’ revival of Bible epics, finds rough seas

Monday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

31 March 2014

NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE

‘noah’ is everythingexcept boring

Jake Coyle

I

AP Film Writer

n the beginning of their work together on "Noah," director Darren Aronofsky made Russell Crowe a promise: "I'll never shoot you on a houseboat in a robe and sandals with two giraffes popping up behind you."

Decades after Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" and "Ben-Hur," Aronofsky has renewed the tradition of the studio-made, mass-audience Bible epic, albeit as a distinctly darker parable about sin, justice and mercy. While much of his "Noah" is true to Scripture, it's nothing like the picture-book version many encounter as children. "The first time I read it, I got scared," the director says. "I thought, 'What if I'm not good enough to get on the boat?'"

It's an altogether unlikely project: a $130 million Bible-based studio film made by a widely respected filmmaker ("Black Swan," ''Requiem for a Dream") few would have pegged as a modern-day DeMille.

In the lead-up to its March 28th release, "Noah" has been flooded by controversy, with some religious conservatives claiming it isn't literal enough to the Old Testament and that Noah has been inaccurately made, as Aronofsky has called him, "the first environmentalist." "Noah" is a culmination of the shift brought on by Mel Gibson's independently produced "The Passion of the Christ," which awakened Hollywood with its unforeseen $612 million box office haul in 2004. In the time since, Hollywood has carefully developed closer ties to faith-based communities, (Sony and 20th Century Fox have set up faith-based studios targeting evangelicals).

Yet the debate about "Noah" proves that it can be tricky to satisfy both believers and non-believers, and that finding the right intersection of art, commerce and religion is a task loaded with as much risk as potential reward. A lot is at stake, and not just for "Noah" and distributor Paramount Pictures. In December, Fox will release Ridley Scott's "Exodus," starring Christian Bale as Moses.

On the heels of the recently released "Son of God," the religious drama "God's Not Dead" opened Friday and Sony is releasing the less straightforwardly Biblical "Heaven Is for Real" ahead of Easter next month. The studio is also developing a vampire twist on Cain and Able with Will Smith. In Lionsgate's pipeline is a Mary Magdalene film, hyped as a prequel to "The Passion of the Christ" and co-produced by mega-church pastor Joel Osteen.

When Jonathan Boch started his company Grace Hill Media in 2000 to consult Hollywood studios on reaching the faith community, the two "really didn't know each other," he says. Since then, films like "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "The Blind Side" have benefited from outreach to churchgoers. "Over the course of those 15 years, you've seen the faith community go from almost pariah status or fly-over status to now being seen as an important market," says Boch, who consulted on "Noah." ''In my mind, what we're seeing is another renaissance where the greatest artists are telling the greatest stories every told."

Though Hollywood largely swore off the Bible epic when films like 1965's "The Greatest Story Ever Told" flopped, the revival dovetails recent trends.

Figures like Noah are globally recognizable, and thus easier to market. They come with no licensing fee, and, often, plenty opportunity for flashy special effects. "Noah," which is being released in converted 3-D overseas, is perhaps the oldest apocalypse story.

W

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Jennifer Connelly, left, and Russell Crowe in a scene from "Noah."

(AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Niko Tavernise)

The story fascinated Aronofsky as a Jewish kid growing up in Brooklyn. He recalls a poem he wrote about the tale as a 13-year-old — and a teacher's subsequent encouragement — as his birth as a storyteller. Whereas "The Passion of the Christ" was largely made by Christians and for Christians, Aronofsky says his "Noah" (which was advertised during the Super Bowl) is "for everybody." "It's wrong when you talk about the Noah story to talk about it in that type of believer-nonbeliever way because I think it's one of humanity's oldest stories," he says. "It belongs not just in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition. Everyone on the planet knows the Noah story."

The Genesis story is only a few pages, with more details on the dimensions of the ark (which Aronofsky held to) than who Noah was. He's instructed by God — "grieved" in his heart by what mankind had become generations after creation — to build an ark and fill it with two of every animal. After the flood, Noah is referred to as drunk and then banishes his son, Ham — all clues for Aronofsky on the pain of Noah's burden.

Paramount sought the approval of religious leaders, consulting with Biblical scholars in pre-production and doing extensive test screenings (during which Aronofsky and Paramount feuded over the final cut before an apparent truce).

But early criticism bubbled up online based on what Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore says is an old, unused version of the script (which Aronofsky penned with Ari Handel). "It has been a very interesting journey," says Moore. "It's been highly chronicled along the way, much of which was based upon either speculation or hearsay or old information." After seeing the film, Jerry A. Johnson, president and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters, urged Paramount to advertise the film with a disclaimer. Moore acquiesced, adding a warning that "artistic license has been taken."

"Darren, as an artist, had some sensitivity about what that meant in terms of what we were saying the movie was or wasn't ahead of time, versus letting people experience it for themselves," says Moore.

"But there was such a group of people who had concern about it." "For the vast majority of people, the controversy will go away," he says.

Johnson still has mixed feelings about "Noah," calling it "a great plus, minus": neither worthy of the boycott that Roman Catholics held for Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ," nor a film like "The Passion of the Christ" that will have churches sending busloads to theaters. "They got the big points of the story right," says Johnson. "It's so counter-cultural today in America or the West to talk about sin, right and wrong, and particularly the idea of judgment — and that is so serious in this film."

Johnson adds that, among other reservations, "the insertion of the extremist environmental agenda is a problem." Aronofsky disputes that. "It's in the Bible that we are supposed to tend the garden," the director says. "To say there's no ecological side to the Noah story when Noah is saving the animals just doesn't make sense to me."

Picturehouse founder Bob Berney, who as president of Newmarket Films distributed "The Passion of the Christ," says balancing artistic license and faithfulness to Scripture is challenging. "It's a kind of a trap, and you have to be very careful," says Berney.

"At the same time, they are movies, and they have to be really good. I think the faith-based audience, the Christian audience still wants a big, exciting movie."

All the conversation — both negative and positive — may lure audiences to "Noah," which Moore says will do its biggest business internationally, even though the film has been banned in many Islamic counties where it's taboo to depict a prophet. He and Aronofsky believe they have a rich history of artistic ambition on their side.

"It's strange that the conversation for a little bit has turned into a controversy about literalism," says Aronofsky. "What is literalism when it comes to interpreting and making an artistic representation of the text? Is Michelangelo's David a literal interpretation of what David looked like?"

The Morung Express

Jocelyn Noveck AP National Writer

hat to make of Darren Aronofsky's "Noah"? Perhaps that's the wrong question. Indeed, what NOT to make of "Noah"? Because it is so many things.

It is, of course, a biblical blockbuster, a 21st-century answer to Cecil B. DeMille. It's also a disaster movie — the original disaster, you might say. It's an intense family drama. Part sci-fi film. An action flick? Definitely, along the lines of "The Lord of the Rings." At times you might also think of "Transformers," and at one point, even "The Shining."

But there's one thing "Noah" is not, for a moment: Dull. So, what to make of "Noah"? It's a movie that, with all its occasional excess, is utterly worth your time — 138 minutes of it.

Although the real star of the film is its visual ingenuity, particularly in a few stunning sequences, one must give ample credit to Russell Crowe, who lends Noah the moral heft and groundedness we need to believe everything that ends up happening to him. Noah's near-descent into madness would not be nearly as effective had Crowe not already convinced us of his essential decency. At the same time, the actor is believable when pondering the most heinous crime imaginable. It's one of Crowe's more effective performances. It wouldn't have been possible, though, without considerable liberties taken by Aronofsky and his co-screenwriter, Ari Handel, in framing Noah's story. There's been controversy here, but if you glance at the Bible, you'll see why liberties are necessary: the story takes up only a few passages, hardly enough for a feature-length script.

And yet, it's one of the best-known tales in the Bible, if most of us only remember the children's version, with visions of brightly painted animals standing two-by-two on the ark.

But there's a much more serious backdrop: Man's wickedness, and God's desire to purge the earth of that wickedness.

Aronofsky dives headlong into this story of good vs. evil, not only between men, but within one man's soul.

We meet Noah and his family as they're attempting to live peacefully off the land, and ward off the greedy, violent descendants of Cain. Noah has three sons and a wife, Naameh (Jennifer Connelly, genuine and appealing). Along the way they pick up Ila, an injured young girl who will grow to love Noah's son Shem (an invented character, played with sensitivity by Emma Watson.)

Noah visits his grandfather, Methuselah, embodied with scene-stealing vigor by Anthony Hopkins. The old man — and by the way, this is relative, because Noah himself is already over 500 years old, according to the Bible — helps him induce a hallucination, which brings a vision. The Creator will destroy the Earth in a great flood. Noah's job, of course, is to build that great ark, and get out of Dixie.

It's a monumental task, but Noah has help: the Watchers, huge, lumbering creatures made of rock, who, for Aronofsky, represent the biblical Nephilim. Are they angels, giants or men? Interpretation varies. But it is here that the movie courts ridicule. These creatures look a little too much like Transformers, and detract from the mystical feel of the film.

A giggle is surely not what the director was going for here, but he may get a few. But that ark? It's a wondrous thing — constructed on a Long Island field, according to measurements specified in Genesis, and finished up digitally.

Also stunning: the flood itself, more chilling than any you've seen in a disaster flick. It's also rather magical to watch the animals arrive, two by two (and by virtue of CGI) at the ark.

But for sheer cinematic beauty, it's hard to beat the dreamlike sequence in which Aronofsky illustrates the story of creation, as recounted by Noah. At this moment, you may well forgive any excesses in the film. Like his flawed hero, Aronofsky has a vision — a cinematic one — and the results, if not perfect, are pretty darned compelling.

POLL RESULTS

Are NAgAs reAdy to forgive their pAst hurts ANd recoNcile for A better future?

Some of those who voted YES had this to say: • Yes the general Nagas have time and again shown their readiness and wiliness to forgive and forget the past events. But our underground leaders, all our politicians, most public leaders will never reconcile for their personal gain. It is in this political climate that they get respect and become rich. In the name of representing certain groups or organization they make palaces and drive sport-cars.

No matter, if they Nagas perish, these leaders will not allow Nagas to unite. This is the fact. So if we are really concern for our future, stop giving any respect to all our corrupt and selfish Naga leaders. This is not only their life-line but also earn respect in our society. They are surviving only because of this space. Once we exhibit what they deserve, they will say and do what we want them to say and do. Therefore, to have a better future condemn our underground leaders, our corrupted politicians, many NGO leaders and some church leaders. We will then have a bright future for the generation to come.

• Yes, we are all nagas brothers and sisters • Yes, but all do not, some factions in the society want to retain total control over others, thus until the old guard die out noting good will happen • Yes because we should be oneness for naga solution.

• Despite this lingering reminding me of James Hatfield’s signature “Never be Never See Won’t see what might have been Never free Never me So I dub thee Unforgiven,” I see no reason why there is no hope on the horizon.

• Yea because i love my state.

• Yes, we are all christian brothers and sisters. if we can't forgive and forget our past there will be no blessings of our past • At this moment i should say yes...but nt by forgiving /forgetting, if MONEY is given I should say yes....Money can buy everything in Nagaland even peace...

• Yes, I believe that's the dream of every Naga Warriors...but everyone must go through the 12 steps programs of recovery first, only then there will be a true reconciliation... The twelve steps Principles of Recovery: 1. We admitted we were powerless over our factionalism/ tribalism—that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourbecome 'The Peoples' Movement'! selves could restore us to sanity.

• No the nagas are not ready …. for a better future 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over the nagas must stand together or else nagas wont to the care of God as we understood Him. get a good future.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of • No, Nagas controlled by self. ourselves.

• No All are not same 5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another hu- • Ism...Ism...Ism, this ism will not allow us to move man being the exact nature of our wrongs. ahead. Everything is based on this ism line. We the 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these Nagas will be the same as today even in 100years defects of character. to come. Infact there will be ism even in Heaven 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. if there will be Nagas. So 4get about forgiving the 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and past hurt and reconciling. became willing to make • From how i c it, I don't think amends to them all. so.

9. Made direct amends to • with the present scenerio such people wherever thats something which is not possible, except when to at all possible do so would injure them or • Forgive them and let them others. poop in my plate. NO. NEV10. Continued to take perER. sonal inventory, and when • NO. We refuse to forgive we were wrong, promptly and reconcile because we admitted it. feel justified in our resent11. Sought through prayer ment and bitterness. We and meditation to improve cast all the blame and critiour conscious contact with cism on the other, and blind God as we understood ourselves to the reality of our Him, praying only for own faults. Thus we live in knowledge of His will for delusion. us and the power to carry that out.

Some of those who voted 12. Having had a spiritual OTHERS had this to say: awakening as the result • Truth and Reconciliation of these steps, we tried modeled South Africa is to carry this message to better. Face the ugliness fellow Nagas/Tribes/Facof each perpetrators one YES no OTHERS tions, and to practice these by one. Let them confess principles in all our affairs. and acknowledge what they (Adapted from the 12 steps program of AA) have done. They cannot obviously cannot make any restitution but they can genuinely say sorry Some of those who voted no had this to say: to all the victims of crime. Whether they are viola• No! When the guilty party/parties are never ready tion of Human Rights and randoms acts of killing to seek/beg forgiveness from the heart and soul, or senseless corruption. Public must agree that but instead strongly justifying their actions...and the they will not retaliate. But would like to see offithird party offers the policy of 'forgive and forget', cers and ministers who took development grants and left everything dilapidated to pay back 30%let us reconcile for tomorrow....its a big frank NO. 50% from their Savings or Investment so that Nagas are forgiving but not forgetful...so as long much needed development can be realized. This as the 'movements' exists...the hurts will continue. is not retaliation but justice. They must own their Better days await when these 'movements' truly

40%

33%

27%

wrong and make it right. This is just me.

• Let the underground leaders answer this. Our Naga underground called our Nagaland, “Nagaland for Christ,” but killed more than four thousand Naga people, more than they killed our enemy Indian army. If our underground leaders really believe in our Lord Jesus Christ let them first ask forgiveness from Lord Jesus Christ and also from our Naga people.

• 'If we wish for peace, prepare for war'. As löng as factions exist, there won't be peace. Factionalism has to end if Nagas want to see the light.

• The common (read mass) Nagas have nothing against one another. It is the misdeeds of the political leaders, bureaucrats and the factions creating divisions and misunderstanding among the people. Sometimes small issues are often disproportionately magnified when tribal hohos step in and thereby making it appear as tribal issue when the actual issue could be to do with some anti-social incidences involving one or two persons from different tribes. The sources of our misunderstandings are these elements because at personal level, Nagas have no serious problem with one another that can't be resolved.

• its a two way road.. YES as well as NO .. depends on what is in store with the forgiveness *just stating the fact* • Well the question itself is debatable on what part of hurt you are talking about.. tribal, with the Central govt and so on.... But in all situation if right Education is given to all the youth one fine day we might see the change.....

• Two hindrances, overblown ego and tribal supremacy and cliques. Two probable solutions, broadmindedness and tru spiritual revival.

• There is no question of forgiveness and reconciliation when the people are ignorant of their own past history. Moreover the brute reality which this revelations will bring about once they are made known cannot be simply brushed aside by "Prayer" or "Fasting". I belief that reconciliation can be attainable only through the path of deliberative democracy, where all the issues involved are brought into the political domain rather than to an abstract ideal domain of religion which is strictly private in nature. It is time that religious influences be segregated from issues which are imperative for the stability of our political community.

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 31 March 2014

The Morung Express

Time to give back to country what I got in life: Nilekani

Bangalore, March 30 (IanS): Indian IT bellwether Infosys’ co-founder Nandan Nilekani, who has declared assets worth Rs.7,770 crore ($1.3 billion), said that “it’s time to give back to people and the country” what he got in life as he contests the Lok Sabha election.

“As I had a successful and fulfilling career in private and public sectors, there is not much left to achieve personally at this age (58). And as I and my family are financially secure, it’s time to give back to people and country what I got in life though I was born and brought up in a middle class family,” Nilekani told IANS in an interview here.

Having co-founded and run a global company successfully for nearly three decades and worked with state and central governments for a decade collectively, Nilekani said he got into politics so as to give back to the people and the

country what he got from them.

Nilekani declared in his nomination March 21 that he and his wife Rohini had assets valued at Rs.7,770 crore, with about 80 percent of these as Infosys’s blue-chip shares.

Noting that the wealth the global software major had created had given him freedom to do what he wanted to, Nilekani said he would now like to give millions of people the opportunities he had though he too had humble beginnings.

“The Infosys story has inspired a generation of young Indians to start something on their own, to take risks that created wealth for the country, as well as millions of new jobs,” Nilekani said.

Nearly five years after spearheading the world’s largest social project to give identity (Aadhaar) to about 600 million citizens across the country, the 58-year-

old billionaire geek has recently joined the Congress to contest from the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency in the April 17 general elections.

Exposure to the executive, law-makers and political parties across spectrum as the state-run Unique Identification Authority Development of India (UIDAI) chairman has convinced Nilekani that politics is a great lever to change many things for the people.

“Opportunity to work with the state’s three wings for the Aadhaar project made me realise that political or executive power could be effectively used as a lever to change many things in our country for the people’s welfare,” said Nilekani who has taken to politics like coot and ducks take to water.

Nilekani’s first brush with the executive behemoth as Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) chair-

Jaswant Singh expelled from BJP for six years new DelhI, March 30 (PTI): Days after senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh filed his nomination as an independent candidate from Barmer, Rajasthan for the upcoming General Elections, was on Saturday expelled from the party for six years. The decision to expel Singh, 76, for six years was taken by BJP President Rajnath Singh, a party statement said.

The party expelled another rebel leader Subhash Maharia, former union minister, who is contesting as an independent in Sikar constituency, also in Rajasthan, against BJP’s official nominee.

Earlier, party sources had said that Singh could be expelled from the party because as per BJP constitution, any partyman contesting against official candidate is liable to be expelled.

man over a decade ago (1999-2004) gave him a closer view of the wheels that drive the government juggernaut.

Nilekani told IANS that though he was “dealing with governments for long as part of a private firm (Infosys), working with state agencies’ and officials as head of BATF and UIDAI subsequently had shown (him) that the political system can serve the people through correct policies, efficient processes and modern practices using appropriate technologies”.

He said with political support the executive could accomplish a lot, as evident from the Aadhaar scheme in giving an identity to millions of ordinary people, eligibility to social benefits and access to multiple services, including institutional credit.

“We have been able to implement Aadhaar across the country owing to unstinted support from

new DelhI, March 30 (IanS): Close on the heels of the US decision to relinquish its oversight of Internet Corporation for Assignment of Names and Numbers (ICANN), a global multi-stakeholder meeting - NETmundial - on the future of internet governance will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 23-24. Nearly 800 delegates representing government, private sector, civil society, academia and technical communities, including several from India, are expected to attend this meeting.

This meeting was a result of an angry speech by Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff at the United Nater spending a night at a resort when the ac- tions General Assembly cident occurred around 10.30 a.m., he said. held in New York in 2013.

The identities of the students were being Rouseff, who, following the confirmed. The injured students were undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jodhpur.

In another accident, four passengers were killed and 30 injured when their bus new DelhI, March fell into a gorge in Bengu area of Chittor- 30 (PTI): The broadcast and garh district, some 300 km from Jaipur. The publication of opinion polls deceased included an infant, a police of- is unlikely to be restricted in ficer told IANS. the coming months as Election Commission has told the law ministry that it will not take such a step using its powers under the Constitufidence for support as we are equal to more tion and it wants the governthan a dozen nuclear families,” he said. ment to come out with a law His joint family owns 20 bighas of agricul- on the issue.

Days after the law minture land. Nazir’s two younger brothers are school teachers and they provide their istry suggested to the poll monthly salary to him to manage the family. panel that it can restrict “I have been given the responsibility to opinion polls using its run and manage the joint family, which has powers under Article 324, been living together for three generations,” the Commission has rehe said. “We consume 20 kg rice and same amount of flour in each meal,” he said.

Nazir brother Mohd Ashfaque’s wife Anjera Khatoon is mukhiya, village head of KolKaTa, March 30 the panchayat. Khatoon said that all chil- (IanS): A government ofdren of her joint family are getting educa- ficial in West Bengal’s North tion. “We have decided to provide educa- 24 Parganas district has altion to all children in the family because it leged that he was threatis the only way to get ahead in life,” she said. ened with being beheaded Khatoonsaidshemaybemukhiyaofpan- by a ruling Trinamool Conchayat but the family head is her husband’s gress legislator and his men elder brother Nazir. “He is the final authority who also abused and asand manages the family in such a way that no saulted him for removing one has any grievances,” she said. Police offi- posters of party supremo cial Mahender Prasad Yadav said that Nazir’s Mamata Banerjee. Ten Trifamilyalsoprovideshelptopolicetosolvedis- namool workers have been putes and problems in the village. arrested, though party leadRebel BJP veteran had ruled out his withdrawal from the Lok Sabha poll fray today amid speculation that the senior party leaders were in touch with him on this issue. “No senior leader of BJP has contacted me on this issue (withdrawal of nomination). I am not going to withdraw,” Singh, who is contesting as an Independent from Barmer, said.

After BJP refused to oblige the former External Affairs Minister, who wanted to contest from his home state for the last time, Singh filed his nomination from Barmer. BJP has fielded former Congress leader Sonaram Chaudhary from the seat.

This is the second time that BJP has expelled Singh, earlier he was expelled from the party in 2009 for praising the founder of Pakistan in his book Jinha -India, Partition, Independence.

public life too should begin from home town so that he could build systems and processes that can be replicated in serving the people in other parts of the state and across the country.

“Problems in metros and cities across the country are generic, as they are a result of relentless migra-

tion from towns and villages. Rapid urbanisation and lack of timely investment in civic amenities have made existing infrastructure inadequate. I intend to address these issues head on and find solutions as I am a problem solver,” he quipped.

Stressing on the impor-

tance of dreaming big and doing big, Nilekani said every Indian has a dream for India and a vision for what the country should be.

“Each of us should do what we can, with what we have, to make a difference, and get us a little closer to what we envision,” Nilekani added.

allegations by whistleblower Edward Snowden regarding mass surveillance by the NSA (National Security Agency) in the United States, publicly criticized the US administration and sought a resolution of these issues of any further acts of mass surveillance.

The Brazilians have invited written contributions in the run-up to the meeting. So far 188 proposals from 46 different countries have been received.

From India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Cellular Operators Association of India and Data Security Council of India, IT for Change, International Center for Free and Open Source Software, and the Society for Knowledge Commons, have made

submissions. Some 20 Indians are expected to participate in this global internet meeting in Sao Paulo.

The MEA, in its submission, has highlighted the need for governments to “enhance common understandings and intensify practical cooperation through regular institutional dialogue with broad participation under the auspices of the United Nations, as well as regular dialogue through bilateral, regional and multilateral fora and other international organisations, in the area of internet and security”.

It has also argued that internet governance “should be multilateral, transparent, democratic and representative with the participation of governments, private sec-

tor, civil society and international organisations in their respective roles”. It seeks to make these as the foundation principles of internet governance.

The conference will be held under the chairmanship of Prof. Virgilio Fernandes Almeida, who has invited four co-chairs to help coordinate and run the meeting. These include Jeanette Hofmann from Academia, Fadi Chehadé from the technical community, Andile Ngcaba from the private sector and an Indian academic from Delhi University, Subi Chaturvedi, from civil society. Chaturvedi is also a member of the United Nations Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group, in addition to the Multi-stake-

holder Advisory Group constituted by the Government of India in 2013 to organize the India Internet Governance Forum.

NETmundial will focus on detailing the principles of internet governance and debate a proposal for the roadmap of future development of the internet and its ecosystem. Even though the Snowden exposé regarding mass surveillance are seen as the reason for holding such a conference, Internet governance ecosystem goes beyond surveillance and privacy and includes issues of access, diversity, multilingualism growth and development, security, human rights, free speech, new technologies and emerging issues, among others.

Election Commission not to ban opinion polls; wants Centre to make law

This family of 47 voters being wooed by all parties PaTna, March 30 (IanS): It’s a joint family of 85 people, with 47 being voters and in this poll season, they find themselves much in demand in Bihar’s Kishanganj constituency. Leaders and workers of all political parties are eyeing the joint family, probably the largest in Bihar. The family of 35 children, 30 women and 55 men lives under one roof in Jiyagachi village in Purnea district, about 350 km from Patna.

Their village may be in Purnea, but they are part of the Kishanganj parliamentary constituency after delimitation. Muslims make up more than 66.7 per cent of the voters in Kishanganj. The Congress has fielded its sitting MP Maulana Ishrarul Haque, ruling Janata Dal (United) has fielded Akhtarul Iman after he quit the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the BJP has fielded Dilip Jayswal.

“We are in high demand as 47 members of our joint family would cast their vote in the Lok Sabha polls,” said Mohd Nazir who is head of the family. Nazir, in his early 60s, is a farmer. He said that his joint family’s importance has increased ahead of the polls.

“Leaders are trying to take us into con-

Congress 2014 General Election candidate from Bangalore South, Nandan Nilekani during a press conference at Press Club in Bangalore on March 14, 2014. (Photo IANS)

India seeks equal role for all governments in global internet

Seven killed, 33 injured in Rajasthan accidents JaIPur, March 30 (IanS): At least seven people, including three students from a Delhi institute, were killed and 33 injured in two road accidents in Rajasthan Sunday, police said. Three students, including two girls, were killed and three others injured when their car overturned near Jaisalmer, some 500 km from Jaipur, police inspector Jetha Ram said.

The six students had come to Jaisalmer from Delhi Saturday and were returning af-

all state governments, lawmakers and officials irrespective of political affiliations and concerns over its data protection and privacy,” Nilekani observed.

In this context, Nilekani spoke of similar support Prime Minister Manmohan Singh got when he was the union finance minister during 1991-96 from then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to usher in pathbreaking economic reforms over two decades ago.

“In fact, thousands of entrepreneurs and companies like Infosys immensely benefited from growth-oriented reforms unleashed

by Singh with Rao’s backing, resulting in employment generation and increasing investments from domestic and overseas players,” Nilekani said.

On the choice of his constituency, Nilekani said since he was born, brought up and lived most part of his life in Bangalore, he thought like charity, his

verted back to the government saying that bringing a law would be a better idea.

EC feels that restricting opinion polls under Article 324 may not be “legally sustainable”. It told the law ministry that since exit polls were also restricted by law, it should follow similar procedure on opinion polls.

The poll panel had proposed that there should be a prohibition on publication and broadcast of the results of opinion polls starting from the date of notification of elections till

the completion of the last phase of polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Existing law allows EC to ban opinion polls just 48 hours prior to voting.

Earlier this year, the Attorney General had backed a proposal of the EC to altogether ban publication and broadcast of opinion polls between announcement of election schedule and final phase of polling. To support his view to ban opinion polls, the AG had also pointed that the amendments incorporat-

ing restrictions in relation to exit polls have been in force for over three years “and there does not appear to be a challenge to this.”

On February 28, the EC had referred to its proposal to amend the law for restricting publication of results of opinion polls and lamented that no action has been taken so far. “It may be recalled that the Commission had made a proposal to amend the law for restricting publishing the results of opinion polls. However, no action has been taken on

the proposal which was initially made in 2004. “ ... in view of the issue raised in the complaint of the Indian National Congress, the Commission would like necessary action to be taken by the government on its above referred proposal,” the poll panel has said. The government, however, seems to be in no hurry to take a call on the issue. It has referred the matter to the law commission which is already examining the broader issue of electoral reforms.

Threatened with beheading for removing Mamata posters: Bengal official ers have rubbished the allegations.

Habra II Block Development Officer Dinobandhu Gayen, in his FIR to the Ashokenagar police station filed March 26, alleged that local legislator Dhiman Roy abused him on telephone after a Model Code of Conduct team removed the posters and festoons bearing Banerjee’s pictures from public plac-

es March 24. An officer of Ashokenagar Police station confirmed the receipt of the FIR and said 10 people have been arrested in this connection after they surrendered before the police.

“In view of the removal (flags and posters), MLA Ashokenagar abused me March 25 over telephone and thereafter the MLA and his team reached my office and entered my

chamber and assaulted me physically and insulted me in front of my employees and also confined me to my office for quite some time,” reads the complaint letter by Gayen. Gayen, in his complaint, also claimed that he was threatened by Roy and his men that if the posters were not put up again he and his MCC team will be “beheaded and their legs chopped off”.

Roy has rubbished the allegations. “There was some heated debate between us because he acted in a biased manner and removed the posters. So we had gone there to protest, but nobody assaulted him.

There was no physical contact,” he said. Senior Trinamool leader and State Food Supplies minister Jyotipriya Mullick also refuted Gayen’s claims.

‘Manmohan legacy of growth stunted by price rise, graft’ new DelhI, March 30 (IanS): As Manmohan Singh steps down less than two months from now as the prime minister of Asia’s third-largest economy, he will be credited for ushering the fastest-ever growth, but his legacy will also be mired somewhat by serious allegations of graft against his government and sharp rise in prices, opinion makers maintain.

The 81-year-old softspoken economist, who initiated India’s economic liberalisation 22 years ago as finance minister, is now criticised for failing to push forward the reform process and in controlling pervasive corruption and inflation.

These, the opinion makers felt, overshadows the unprecedented average annual growth of 7.5 percent logged during his two terms heading the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)

government against 5.9 percent of the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime.

“Had Manmohan Singh taken decisive action on corruption in the 2G telecom spectrum case, allocation of coal blocks and the Commonwealth Games scam, history would have treated him differently,” Arun Jaitely, leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, told IANS. This apart, his hesitation in taking decisive action against some cabinet colleagues, as also in communicating to the people at large also cloud what has otherwise been a dream career run for the Oxfordeducated economist, the analysts said.

“A good man but weak prime minister.” This has been the general description of Manmohan Singh that L.K. Advani, former

deputy prime minister and senior leader of the Bharatiya Janapa Party (BJP), has often used.

Speaking to IANS, Surjit S. Bhalla, the chairman of Oxus Research and Investments and a noted economist, said the uncontrolled price rise that one has seen during the past few years is also a big drag on the performance of the Manmohan Singh government.

“Inflation had been high and low, no doubt. But it has consistently been in the double-digits levels for the past six years. This has never happened before,” said Bhalla and pointed out that the average retail inflation has been over 10 percent since 2008.

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who has also held the key portfolio of home ministry during the two terms under Manmohan Singh, says the sus-

tenance of high economic growth and the uplift of some 140 million people out of poverty are major achievements. But that, the analysts maintain, is just not enough.

“It was clearly a lost opportunity for India during these 10 years,” said Rajiv Kumar, a senior fellow at the New Delhi-based think-tank, Centre for Policy Research, commenting on Singh’s legacy as prime minister, especially on the economic front.

“The prime minister’s inability to assert and push forward policy reforms were reflected in his comments from time to time,” added Kumar, who was also secretary general of top industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci).

Kumar sought to draw attention to the recent press conference and a

rare, third one that Manmohan Singh addressed in 10 years, in which he sought to defend himself by saying he had insisted that coal and spectrum auctions must be “equitable” and “transparent”.

The prime minister had said it was he who wanted transparency.

“I feel somewhat sad because I was the one who insisted that spectrum allocation should be transparent, it should be fair, it should be equitable. I was the one who insisted that coal blocks should be allocated on the basis of auctions,” he had said.

But Kumar maintained that the same comments in defence made by the prime minister sound different when seen in another context. “Such comments show that he was not in control. If he wanted coal blocks auctioned, they

should have been auctioned,” Kumar said.

Manmohan Singh also conceded that his government did not succeed in creating enough jobs and controlling price rise.

These two issues, the analysts maintain, are two major areas that directly affect the common people the most, and ought to have been addressed.

Another area where the Manmohan Singh government has come under criticism from analysts is subsidies. A whopping Rs.11 trillion ($183.3 billion) was spent on doles toward fuel, fertilizer and food. The money, they said, could have been used productively.

The prime minister has argued such spending helped minimise the impact of price rise on the common people. But had this money been spent on

asset creation and infrastructure, the impact on growth and job creation would have been much better.

A study by another leading industry body, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), throws more light on this. It said there was hardly any addition to the output of the manufacturing sector.

In fact, it pointed to some worrying aspects in the economy like the fall in the share of manufacturing in India’s gross domestic product (GDP) to a 10-year low of 15 percent in 2013.

“The manufacturing sector is a core enabler for job-creation. A healthy macro-economic environment is a precondition for the expansion of businesses as also to encourage new entrepreneurs,” said Sidharth Birla, president of industry body FICCI.

“We certainly expected more action in these areas,” Birla said, adding sound governance, policy clarity and effective implementation of these were all required to achieve the desired outcomes in terms of growth.

Economic expansion has undoubtedly been faster during Manmohan Singh’s tenure. Average growth in first five years was 8.4 percent. It fell sharply in the first four years of the second term. Yet, the 10-year record has been impressive at 7.5 percent.

But as argued by Manmohan Singh’s close friend of many decades, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, growth alone is not an enabler enough to end hunger and ensure inclusion -- the main two planks on which his grand old party got the people’s mandate for two terms.

InternatIonal

the Morung express

Monday 31 March 2014

China seizes $14.5 billion assets from family, assoCiates of ex-seCurity Chief BEIJING, MARCH 30 (REutERs): Chinese authorities have seized assets worth at least 90 billion yuan (8.7 billion pounds) from family members and associates of retired domestic security tsar Zhou Yongkang, who is at the centre of China’s biggest corruption scandal in more than six decades, two sources said.

More than 300 of Zhou’s relatives, political allies, proteges and staff have also been taken into custody or questioned in the past four months, the sources, who have been briefed on the investigation, told Reuters.

The sheer size of the asset seizures and the scale of the investigations into the people around Zhou – both unreported until now – make the corruption probe unprecedented in modern China and would appear to show that President Xi Jinping is tackling graft at the highest levels.

But it may also be driven partly by political payback after Zhou angered leaders such as Xi by opposing the ouster of former high-flying politician Bo Xilai, who was jailed for life in September for corruption and abuse of power.

Zhou, 71, has been under virtual house arrest since authorities began formally investigating him late last year. He is the most senior Chinese politician to be ensnared in a corruption investigation since the Communist Party swept to power in 1949.

“It’s the ugliest in the history of the New China,” said one of the sources, who has ties to the leadership, requesting anonymity to avoid repercussions for speaking to the foreign media about elite politics.

The government has yet to make any official statement about Zhou or the case against him and it has not been possible to contact Zhou, his family, associates or staff for comment. It is not clear if any of them have lawyers.

The party’s anti-corruption watchdog and the prosecutor’s office did not respond to requests for comment. In the secretive world of China’s Communist Party, targets of its investigations usually disappear, often for months or even years, until an official announcement is made.

Xi ordered a task force formed in late November or early December to look into accusations against Zhou, sources have previously told Reuters. They have not said what the allegations were except that they were related to violating party discipline, official jargon for corruption.

A third source with ties to the leadership said Zhou had refused to cooperate with investigators, insisting he was the victim of a power struggle. “Zhou Yongkang is tough and claims its political persecution,” the source said.

Zhou rose through the ranks of China’s oil and gas sector before joining the elite Politburo Standing Committee in 2007, where as domestic security chief his budget exceeded defence spending. He retired in 2012 and was last seen at an alumni event at the China University of Petroleum on October 1.

BONDS, VILLAS, CARS, LIQUOR, GOLD The first two sources said prosecutors and the party’s anti-corruption

watchdog had frozen bank accounts with deposits totaling 37 billion yuan and seized domestic and overseas bonds and stocks with a combined value of 51 billion yuan after raiding homes in Beijing, Shanghai and five provinces.

Investigators had also confiscated about 300 apartments and villas worth around 1.7 billion yuan, antiques and contemporary paintings with a market value of 1 billion yuan and more than 60 vehicles, the sources added. Other items seized included expensive liquor, gold, silver and cash in local and foreign currencies.

The seized assets belonged to those in custody, the sources said, without saying how many people in total had been detained compared to just questioned. Most of the assets were not in Zhou’s name, they added.

According to the sources, the seized assets had a combined value of at least 90 billion yuan, although it was unclear what share of that total was ill-gotten and would be turned over to the state.

The amount eventually made public could be smaller to avoid embarrassing the party and angering ordinary Chinese, the sources said.

Such asset seizures, while large, are not uncommon in China, where excess has often been revealed from graft probes in recent years. In January, the respected Chinese magazine Caixin said authorities had seized a solid gold statue of Mao Zedong among other things from the mansion of a senior military officer who has been under investigation since he was sacked in 2012.

LONG LIST The first two sources added that more than 10 of Zhou’s relatives had been detained. They included Zhou’s one-time television reporter wife Jia Xiaoye, his eldest son from a previous marriage Zhou Bin, Zhou Bin’s in-laws and Zhou Yongkang’s brother.

About 10 officials who held a rank equivalent to at least vice minister were also under investigation, the sources said.

Among them were Jiang Jiemin, former chairman of both state energy giant PetroChina and its parent China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), former Vice Minister of Public Security Li Dongsheng and Ji Wenlin, ex-vice governor of the southernmost island province of Hainan.

Chinese state media has announced that all three were being investigated for serious violations of discipline. They were either proteges or aides to Zhou.

Reuters has been unable to contact the three men. It’s unclear if they have lawyers.

More than 20 of Zhou’s bodyguards, secretaries and drivers had also been detained, the sources said.

Many other family members and associates had been questioned.

THE BIGGEST TIGER? Since becoming head of the party in late 2012 and then president a year ago, Xi has vowed to go after both powerful “tigers” and lowly “flies” in an effort to crack down on the corruption he says threatens the party’s very existence.

But Xi is in a dilemma over whether to put Zhou on trial lest it further under-

mine public faith in the party, the three sources said, referring to the growing disillusionment in China over rampant graft and abuse of power. Xi would also risk alienating other party elders who fear that they and their families could be next, political analysts say.

Putting someone as powerful as Zhou in the dock would be a political decision that only Xi could make after getting the consensus of senior party members, Xi’s predecessors and other retired top officials, they say.

In ordering the investigation, Xi broke with an unwritten rule that incumbent and retired members of the Standing Committee were immune from prosecution.

As a member of the Standing Committee, the apex of power in China, and a former domestic security chief, Zhou would have intimate knowledge of the skeletons in the party’s closet.

It is still unclear exactly why Zhou has been targeted, though an early sign that he might have overstepped was when he retired and the position of domestic security chief was dropped from the Standing Committee.

Sources have also said Zhou angered Xi and other leaders over Bo Xilai, whose career was ended in 2012 by a murder scandal in which his wife was eventually convicted of poisoning a British businessman who had been a family friend.

Before Bo’s downfall, Zhou had recommended that Bo succeed him as domestic security chief, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the matter have said.

Sri Lanka ruling coalition wins local polls

CoLoMBo, MARCH 30 (PtI): Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition has retained two provincial councils with a significant loss of seats in a crucial mid-term test for President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the opposition parties made considerable gains, according to the official results on Sunday.

Rajapaksa had campaigned for the polls held on Saturday for the Western and Southern Provincial Councils, both in the ethnic majority Sinhalese heartland, which account for more than a third of the country’s electorate.

The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won 33 of the 55 seats in the Southern province, down from 38 in the 2009 poll, with three opposition parties winning the rest, final results from the election office showed.

The drop in the vote in Rajapaksa’s home constituency of Hambantota was a bitter pill for the President as he seeks his third successive term in the next presidential elections which could be held in 2015.

The ruling party’s vote dropped from 66.91 in 2009 to 57.42 per cent in the dis-

trict, one of three that make up the Southern province.

In the West, the UPFA suffered a loss of 12 seats in the 104-member council compared to the 2009 poll when it won 68 seats The main opposition United National Party (UNP) won 28 seats, a loss of two. The biggest gain was made by the war winning Army Commander Sarath Fonseka’s Democratic Party which won nine seats.

The party pushed the third force JVP to fourth place in the West. JVP won six seats up from three in 2009.

Fonseka’s party ended

up having 12 seats in the two councils as they won three seats in the South. The main opposition UNP retained its 14 seats while suffering a loss of two seats in the west.

Rajapaksa had based his campaign on the issue of the Sri Lanka resolution adopted on Thursday at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). He had urged for votes as a fitting reply to the Western countries against him in the UNHRC. Rajapaksa had said that defeat in Geneva would be offset by his victory in the two provinces. The UNHRC resolution prescribed an inter-

national investigation into alleged war crimes committed by government troops in the final battle with the LTTE five years ago.

The opposition urged voters to issue a warning to the Rajapaksa’s government for bungling of the economy, his inability to uphold the rule of law, curb corruption and drug peddling. The government banked on its unprecedented infrastructure development with ports, airports and highways.

The provincial elections are being seen as a prelude to the next presidential election.

British PM hails same-sex marriages in country

LoNDoN, MARCH 30 (IANs): British Prime Minister David Cameron Saturday welcomed the introduction of same-sex marriages in Britain, as samesex couples were allowed to be legally married in the country from this weekend. “For the first time, the couples getting married won’t just include men and women, but men and men, and women and women...in Britain it will no longer matter whether you are straight or gay, the State will recognise your relationship as equal,” Xinhua quoted Cameron stating in an article for a homosexual news service in Britain.

“That is not something that the State should ever deny someone on the basis of their sexuality. When people’s love is divided by law, it is the law that

needs to change,” he added, comparing same-sex marriages to his own.

He said the introduction of same-sex marriage sends a powerful message to young people growing up who are uncertain about their sexuality. nDeputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also congratulated the same sex couples on their “making history.”

Ceremonies are expected in England and Wales from Saturday and throughout the weekend after The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act became law in July 2013 in England and Wales. The Scottish government also approved the same sex marriage bill earlier in February this year, and its first same sex marriages are expected to be held in the autumn.

Malaysia jet MH370 search stepped up

PERtH/KuALA LuMPuR, MARCH 30 (AGENCIEs): The search for a Malaysian airliner intensified Sunday, 22 days after it vanished with 239 people on board, as relatives of Chinese passengers arrived in Malaysia to demand answers about their fate.

Eight ships -- the largest number so far -- and 10 planes from six countries were sweeping a vast expanse of the Indian Ocean off Australia for wreckage from the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777.

Hopes of finding physical evidence of a crash have been repeatedly raised by debris sightings, then crushed as the items turned out to be random sea junk such as fishing gear.

As the hunt resumed 1,850 kilometres (1,150 miles) west of Perth, Australia said its former military chief Angus Houston would head a new unit to help in the search, which involves the militaries of seven nations -- Australia, China, Malaysia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the

United States.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Houston would lead the new Joint Agency Coordination Centre based in Perth.

Houston will coordinate the often delicate diplomatic contacts between search participants, and ensure families get all the information and help they need.

About two-thirds of those on board were Chinese and their loved ones have complained bitterly about what they see as Malaysia’s secretive and incompetent handling of the search.

Thirty-nine relatives arrived Sunday in Malaysia to push for more answers.

They are particularly angry at the announcement on March 24 by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak that -- based on detailed British analysis of satellite and other data -- the plane had been lost at sea.

Clinging to shreds of hope, several desperate relatives refuse to accept this until wreckage from the jet is found.

“Can you tell us precisely in which countries the aircraft could have landed?”

screamed a man at a Malaysian briefing for relatives Saturday in Beijing.

Abbott said the Australian government “won’t rest until we’ve done everything we reasonably can to get those families and to get the wider community of the world a little more peace and a little more insight into exactly what happened”.

International protocols mean Malaysia is officially in charge of the search, but Abbott made clear that Houston was available “to oversee the overall search and investigation effort” if asked.

Meanwhile authorities continued to pour resources into the operation, which is scouring an area about the size of Norway.

An Australian navy ship fitted with a sophisticated US black box locater and an unmanned underwater drone is due to leave later on Sunday. But the ADV Ocean Shield will take days to reach the search zone, an area the size of New Mexico some 1,850 km (1,150 miles) to the west of Perth.

Malaysia says the plane,

which disappeared less than an hour into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was likely diverted deliberately. Investigators have determined no apparent motive or other red flags among the 227 passengers or the 12 crew.

“Until items are picked up by a ship and assessed by expert investigators, no conclusions as to their origin can be made,” said New Zealand’s Air Vice-Marshal Kevin Short. “It’s difficult and demanding work, scanning the ocean for small items, even flying low over the water at comparatively slow speeds. It requires total concentration.”

The search had moved Friday to a new sea zone after fresh data indicated the plane was flying faster than first thought before it is presumed to have run out of fuel and plunged into the sea.

But debris sightings by Chinese, Australian and New Zealand planes on Saturday did not yield any solid clues, compounding the frustration of families.

Flight MH370 disap-

peared on March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, in one of aviation’s greatest mysteries.

Malaysia believes it was deliberately redirected by someone on board before being flown thousands of miles southwards, but nothing else is known.

A sighting of wreckage could bring closure for relatives. It could also help searchers find the main body of the plane and the flight recorder before its battery-powered “pinger” locator stops working.

The battery normally lasts one month. But in a rare piece of good news, Captain Mark Matthews --- the US Navy supervisor of salvage and diving -- said that while the pinger is certified for 30 days, it could last up to 15 days longer than that.

Fifty Malaysians were also on the plane and signs of mourning are everywhere in the country’s capital. Teams and spectators at the Malaysian Grand Prix Sunday afternoon were to observe a minute’s silence for the victims.

Dimapur

9

Supporters of Afghanistan's presidential candidate and former foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul, listen to his speech during a campaign rally in Herat, Afghanistan on March 30. The poster shows a photo of Zalmai Rassoul, center, and two brothers of Afghan president Hamid Karzai's photos. Eight Afghan presidential candidates are campaigning for the third presidential election. Elections will take place on April 5. (AP Photo)

Russia sees no need for Ukraine incursion, Tatars seek autonomy

MosCow, MARCH 30 (REutERs): Russia said on Saturday it had no intention of invading eastern Ukraine following its annexation of Crimea, while the Black Sea peninsula’s Muslim Tatars demanded autonomy.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet on Sunday in Paris, the State Department said, as both sides moved to ease tensions in the worst East-West standoff since the Cold War. In a pivotal political development, Ukraine’s presidential election effectively became a two-horse race when boxer-turned-politician Vitaly Klitschko pulled out and threw his weight behind confectionary oligarch Petro Poroshenko.

This sets up a May 25 contest between the man known as the “Chocolate King” and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Speaking on Russian television, Lavrov reinforced a message from President Vladimir Putin that Russia would settle - at least for now - for control over Crimea despite massing thousands of troops near Ukraine’s eastern border.

“We have absolutely no intention of - or interest in crossing Ukraine’s borders,” Lavrov said.

Putin called U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday to discuss a U.S. diplomatic proposal, with the West alarmed at the threat to Ukraine’s eastern flank from what U.S. officials say may be more than 40,000 Russian troops.

But Lavrov said Russia is ready to protect the rights of Russian speakers, referring to what Moscow sees as threats to the lives of compatriots in eastern Ukraine since Moscowbacked Viktor Yanukovich was deposed as president in February.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in an interview with Germany’s Focus magazine published on Saturday, said the alliance is “extremely worried”.

“We view it as a concrete threat to Ukraine and see the potential for further interventions,” said Rasmussen.

“I fear that it is not yet enough for him (Putin). I am worried that we are not dealing with rational thinking as much as with emotions, the yearning to rebuild Russia’s old sphere of influence in its immediate neighbourhood.”

In the Tatars historic capital of Bakhchisaray, the assembly representing the 300,000-strong indigenous Muslim minority voted in favour of seeking “ethnic and territorial autonomy” in Crimea. They make up less than 15 percent of Crimea’s population of 2 million and have been overwhelmingly opposed to Russia’s annexation of the territory.

Crimean Tatars’ assembly leader Refat Chubarov told more than 200 delegates: “In the life of every nation there comes a time when it must make decisions that will determine its future.”

“I ask you to approve... the start of political and legal procedures aimed at creating ethnic and territorial autonomy of the Crimean Tatars of their historic territory of Crimea.”

The assembly subsequently backed his proposal. Critical of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the Tatars boycotted the March 16 vote to split from Ukraine and become part of Russia.

Moscow has tried to pressure them to drop their opposition. However, their proposal to seek autonomy signals they would be ready to negotiate their status with Russia.

The West imposed sanctions on Russia, including visa bans on some of Putin’s inner circle, after Moscow annexed Crimea this month following a referendum on union of the Russian-majority region with the Russian Federation that the West called illegal.

The West has threatened tougher sanctions targeting Russia’s stuttering economy if Moscow sends more troops to Ukraine.

Lavrov called for “deep constitutional reform” in Ukraine, a sprawling country of 46 million people divided between those who see their future in closer ties with Europe and mainly Russian speakers in the east who look to former Soviet master Russia.

“Frankly speaking, we don’t see any other way for the steady development of the Ukrainian state apart from as a federation,” Lavrov said.

Each region would have jurisdiction over its economy, finances, culture, language, education and “external economic and cultural connections with neighbouring countries or regions,” he said. “Given the proportion of native Russians (in Ukraine) we propose this and we are sure TATARS DEMAND AU- there is no other way.”

Lavrov and Kerry spoke TONOMY

by phone on Saturday, following up on the PutinObama call on Friday. The White House said Obama told Putin that Russia must pull back its troops and not move deeper into the former Soviet republic. The Kremlin said Putin suggested “examining possible steps the global community can take to help stabilise the situation.

UKRAINIAN ELECTION Ukraine remains deeply divided over protests that led to Yanukovich’s overthrow. Many eastern Russian-speaking regions are sceptical about the policies of the new pro-Western government in Kiev.

Yanukovich called on Friday for each of the country’s regions to hold a referendum on their status within Ukraine, instead of the presidential election planned for May 25.

Poroshenko was an influential supporter of the “Maidan” popular uprising that toppled Yanukovich in February, three months after he spurned a deal on closer ties with the European Union and plunged the country of 46 million people into turmoil.

Poroshenko confirmed his candidacy late on Friday. Several opinions polls already had him in the lead even before he said he would run to succeed Yanukovich.

In Riyadh, Obama ended a four-nation trip on Saturday in the same situation as he began it - with about a diplomatic way out of the Ukraine crisis. It remained unclear whether the European allies would be able to stomach the kind of crippling sanctions required to significantly undermine Russia’s economy since some of their own economies would be jolted as well.

Several German executives criticised the strategy of the United States and Europe in dealing with Russia over Crimea, fearing the consequences for their businesses.

Steelmaker ThyssenKrupp’s Chief Executive Heinrich Hiesinger told daily newspaper Die Welt that the events of the past had shown that great change could be achieved if the West cooperated with Russia rather than being confrontational.

Many companies are worried about losing out on business if further sanctions take effect. Some 300,000 German jobs are linked to business there and Europe’s biggest economy depends on Russia for 35 percent of its gas.

10

Dimapur

SPORTS

Monday 31 March 2014

Messi penalty lifts Barca back to La Liga summit MADRID, MARch 30 (AFP): Barcelona rounded off a fine week to move top of La Liga as they overcame stiff resistance from local rivals Espanyol to win 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Lionel Messi. The Argentine scored the only goal of the game 14 minutes from time at Cornella El Prat after Javi Lopez was adjudged to have handled inside the area. Espanyol were then reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Kiko Casilla saw a straight red card for blocking Messi's goalbound effort with his hands outside the area.

Victory moves Barca two points clear of Atletico Madrid and five ahead of Real Madrid with both sides from the capital in action later on Saturday against Athletic Bilbao and Rayo Vallecano respectively.

Knowing his side would be in for a difficult afternoon, Barca boss Gerardo Martino named almost his strongest side despite Tuesday's upcoming Champions League quarter-final clash with Atletico. Andres Iniesta was left on the bench after having to

come off during Wednesday's 3-0 won over Celta Vigo with a slight muscular problem, whilst Jose Manuel Pinto replaced the injured Victor Valdes in goal.

The visitors started brightly and would have been in front had their star forwards been at their best as both Neymar and Messi wasted good headed chances when well placed inside the area. Neymar then missed a glorious opportunity on 19 minutes when he blazed Dani Alves' cross over from point-blank range with an open goal to aim at. Pizzi was next to pass up a wonderful chance as just two minutes later he fired over with just Pinto to beat from Sergio Garcia's inviting cross.

Javier Mascherano was lucky not to concede a penalty as he appeared to catch Javi Lopez with a stray arm as the Espanyol full-back broke into the box.

Neymar came close to breaking the deadlock once more before the break as he prodded Jordi Alba's through ball beyond Casilla but the ball rolled passed

The Morung Express

the far post. There was far less in the way of goalmouth action in the second-half, but Barca upped the pressure as Espanyol started to tire in the final 20 minutes and Gerard Pique struck the crossbar from Sergio Busquets' flick-on.

Moments later Martino's men did get the all-important goal as Lopez handled whilst contesting a cross with Neymar at the far post and this time referee Clos Gomez did point to the spot.

Messi stepped up and, just as in scoring twice from the spot in Barca's 4-3 win over Real Madrid last weekend, showed no sign of nerves as he calmly slotted home his 36th goal of the season.

Espanyol finished the game with 10 men as Casillas then saw red for handling outside the area as he blocked a lob from Messi that appeared to heading goalwards.

Lopez ended an eventful afternoon by going in goal as the hosts had already made all three substitutions and made a fine save in stoppage time to prevent Alexis Sanchez FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi, left, duels for the ball against Espanyol's Diego Colotto during a Spanish La Liga soccer match against Espanyol at Cornelladoubling Barca's lead.

El Prat stadium in Cornella Llobregat, Spain, Saturday, March 29. (AP Photo)

Balotelli, Kaka lead Milan to 3-0 win Sergey Kovalev successfully defends title

AC Milan Brazilian forward Kaka, right, celebrates with his teammate forward Adel Taarabt, of Morocco, after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Chievo Verona at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy on March 29. (AP Photo)

MILAN, MARch 30 (AP): Mario Balotelli scored one goal and Kaka added two as AC Milan comfortably beat relegation-threatened Chievo Verona 3-0 Saturday to give coach Clarence Seedorf consecutive victories for the first time since being

hired in January.

Balotelli volleyed in a cross from Adil Rami four minutes in at the San Siro.

Kaka doubled the lead in the 27th after controlling a lob pass from Keisuke Honda and the Brazil playmaker scored again in the 54th with a long, angled shot

that went in off the post.

The victory moved Milan level with Lazio in eighth place, six points behind Inter Milan in the race for fifth and the final Europa League berth. A week ago, Seedorf's job seemed at risk but Milan has now picked up points in three consecutive matches.

"It's a special moment for us," said Kaka, who made his 300th appearance in the Italian league.

"Football is great like that.

Everything can change in a hurry." Earlier, Atalanta won 2-0 at Bologna for a club-record sixth straight victory in Serie A. Atalanta is four points ahead of Milan in seventh.

Balotelli's goal was the 45th of his Serie A career — in 95 matches — and it followed another strong performance in a 2-0 win over Fiorentina on Wednesday, when he scored one goal and set up another.

Milan could have had another goal in the 38th when Balotelli set up Honda with only the goalkeeper to beat but the Japan international wasted the opportunity by shooting high.

AT L A N T I c c I T Y, MARch 30 (AP): Sergey Kovalev successfully defended his WBO lightheavyweight title Saturday night, stopping Cedric Agnew in the seventh round at Boardwalk Hall's Adrian Phillips Ballroom.

Kovalev improved to 24-0-1 with his 24th knockout, ending the bout with a powerful left jab to Agnew's liver. Agnew (261) dropped to one knee in pain and remained there for several minutes after referee Samuel Viruet completed his 10-count at 58 seconds of the seventh.

Kovalev had two other knockdowns in the scheduled 12-round fight. He sent Agnew to the canvas with a left hook to the jaw in the second and dropped him again with a body shot in the sixth. Kovalev did have to overcome some adversity, suffering cuts above both eyes from a head butt in the fourth and an elbow in the sixth. "I tried boxing because he has good defense," Kovalev said. "Then I went to the body. I saw how hurt he was."

Sergey Kovalev, right, of Russia punches Cedric Agnew of Chicago, IL during the second round of WBO Light Heavyweight Championship boxing in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, March 29, 2014. Kovalev won by knockout in the seventh round. (AP Photo)

Agnew spent most of the fight on the ropes, content to absorb Kovalev's punches before launching a counter attack.

Occasionally, he was successful, catching Kovalev with some left hooks and body shots, but eventually was overwhelmed.

"He had an uncomfortable style," Kovalev said.

"He has an uncomfortable style. He's not stupid. He kept a good distance. He was patient and I understood he was trying to tire me out, but I was ready."

Kovalev, a native of Russia now living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was making his second defense of the championship he won with a fourth-round

TKO over Nathan Cleverly in Wales on Aug. 17, 2013.

In his most recent outing, Kovalev stopped Ismayl Sillah in the second round in Canada on Nov. 30, 2013.

Saturday's victory was his 11th straight win via knockout or TKO. Because of his power, the 30-yearold is regarded as one of boxing's rising stars. Kova-

lev entered the fight with the second-highest knockout percentage among current world champions, behind only middleweight champ Gennady Golovkin.

Skeptics wondered how focused he would be for the Agnew fight after a potential unification bout against WBC light-heavyweight champ Adonis Stevenson fell apart last week when Stevenson signed with HBO rival Showtime.

Kovalev is under contract to HBO. "I don't want to speak on Adonis Stevenson," Kovalev said.

Agnew, 27, entered the fight as a considerable underdog. Despite his impressive record, he had not fought anyone near Kovalev's level in his first 13 fights.

He earned his biggest win in his last fight, a 12-round decision over former middleweight contender Yusaf Mack 11 months ago. A terrific co-feature saw Puerto Rico's Thomas Dulorme win the NABF junior-welterweight title with a 10-round, unanimous decision over San Francisco's Karim Mayfield (18-1-1, 11 KOs).

76ers end 26-game losing streak, beat Pistons Blue Star lift 5th Silver Cup

PhILADELPhIA, MARch 30 (AP): The Philadelphia 76ers avoided setting the longest losing streak U.S. major professional sports history by routing the Detroit Pistons 123-98 on Saturday to end their winless stretch at a record-equaling 26 games.

Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young each scored 21 points for the 76ers, who won for the first time in exactly two months and did it with surprising ease, leading by as much as 32 points.

They also ended an 18-game home losing streak, which was one shy of another NBA record.

Beaten badly a number of times during their skid, the 76ers got to experience life on the other side, ringing up a season-high 70 points in the first half.

Their 26 straight losses equaled the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and also the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who dropped 26 straight from Sept. 12, 1976-Dec. 4, 1977.

Henry Sims added 16 points for the Sixers, who hadn't won before their home crowd since beating Charlotte on Jan. 15. Fans were into it from the start and grew louder throughout, standing and cheering for the final 45 seconds.

Greg Monroe had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons.

At Houston, Chris Paul had 30 points and 12 assists and Jamal Crawford added 22 points as the Los Angeles Clippers clinched a club-record third straight playoff appearance by beating the Rockets 118-107.

Philadelphia 76ers' Thaddeus Young, right, goes up for a dunk against Detroit Houston was without injured Pistons' Josh Smith during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturstarters Dwight Howard and Pat day, March 29 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo)

Beverley. It wasn't all good for Los Angeles. Blake Griffin left in the first quarter with back spasms and didn't return, and Glen Davis missed the second half for disciplinary reasons after throwing a temper tantrum in the second quarter.

James Harden led the Rockets with 32 points and Chandler Parsons had 28.

San Antonio's Marco Belinelli scored 18 points as the Spurs never trailed after its opening possession to extend its winning streak to 17 games with a 96-80 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili scored 15 points each, Patty Mills added 13 and Tim Duncan had 12 points and eight rebounds.

San Antonio (57-16) extended its lead to 3½ games over Oklahoma City (53-19) for the league's best record.

Reserve guard Brian Roberts had 18 points to lead New Orleans (32-41). The Washington Wizards inched closer to its first playoff spot since 2008 after John Wall scored 25 points and Drew Gooden had 16 in a 101-97 win over Atlanta.

Washington entered the game needing a win and a loss by the New York Knicks on Sunday to make the playoffs. In other games, Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points as the Dallas Mavericks avoided a potentially serious blow to its playoff hopes by beating the Sacramento Kings 103-100, while the Miami Heat wrapped up a three-game trip through the Midwest with an 88-67 victory over Milwaukee Bucks.

T-20 Cricket Tournament

Champions and runners-up of 5th Silver Cup T-20 Cricket Tournament: Blue Star CC and Lhomithi SC (green) along with chief guest and other dignitaries.

Our Correspondent and citation. ees are: Player of the TourKohima | March 30

Blue Star Cricket Club, Dimapur today emerged as the champion of the 5th Silver Cup T-20 Cricket Tournament organised by Youth Department of Nepali Baptist Church Kohima under the theme “Peace and Unity through Cricket” at Local Ground.

In a closely fought final match of the game, Blue Star CC defeated arch rivals Lhomithi Sporting Club, Dimapur by 20 runs to lift the trophy along with cash award of Rs. 60,000, gold medals and citations.

Lhomithi SC received cash award of Rs. 25,000 with trophy, silver medals

Winning the toss, Blue Star elected to bat and set a target of 178 runs losing 5 wickets in 20 overs with Imliwati and Tezosal scoring highest 45 and 44 runs while Lhomithi bowler Mridul and Vicky claimed two wickets each.

Chasing the huge target, Lhomithi SC managed 157 runs losing 8 wickets in 20 overs with Rahul Ronghang scoring highest 60 runs and Krishna managing 21 runs.

Blue Star bowler Gaurav Yadav and Kanak Yadav claimed two wickets each.

The two semi-finalist team Whiskers CC Dimapur and Dimapur Cricket Club also received Rs. 5000 each. The individual award-

nament – Michael of Blue Star CC with 135 runs and 10 wickets in four matches; Best Wicket Keeper - Birju Nandi of Lhomithi SC; Best Bowler – Mridul Rongpi of Lhomithi SC with 11 wickets in 5 matches; Highest Run Scorer – Michael of Blue Star CC for 135 runs; Emerging Player – Sedezhalie of Whiskers CC and Fair Play Team – Bayavii ‘B’.

All the individual awardees also received cash award, citation and trophy.

The valedictory function was graced by Vice Principal of Kohima Science College, Yanger Longkumer as the chief guest.

He also gave away the awards to the winners.

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Monday

Entertainment

The Morung Express

Upstairs Nirvana tribute concert

31 March 2014

Dimapur

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Hugh Jackman sings Who Am I? from Les Miserables

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riday night at Upstairs was a treat for all music lovers, bringing a first of its kind tribute to Grunge legends Nirvana. The show, which was hosted by Moanungsang, experienced a full house. Nine Bands from various corners of the Northeast came to be a part of this music event. Each band performed one cover of Nirvana’s song

as he sang them. The song was written for him by the BBC team, and he performed it at the end of an interview. At one point Jackman sang about the dietary restrictions that his acting forces him to endure and nodded knowingly at the camera as if to confirm the lyrics were painfully accurate.

‘I cannot eat this ice cream anymore/I need a body people can adore/I gave up junk food that I know/I made that bargain long ago/All my snacks and crisps they’re gone/Now this wolverine can go on.’ But as the song reached its crescendo, with Jackman singing ‘Who am I?/I’m Wolverine!’, Hugh went for the final high note and missed it.

‘I haven’t got it today!’ he told the radio presenter Matt Edmondson, who could be heard laughing. Jackman tried again, but once more missed the high note. The actor laughed it off and declared it was too early for singing, before finally hitting the note and giving the melody its closure. He seemed to enjoy his experience and posted a picture of the song’s lyrics to Instagram. Jackman first appeared as Wolverine in the 2000 film, X-Men, and will appear as the mutant again when X-Men: Days Of Future Past opens in cinemas on May 23. The most recent film, which also stars Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, follows on from the 2011 film X-Men: First Class, and is a prequel to the trilogy.

Sonam attacks Katrina Kaif, calls her ‘shameless’

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ugh Jackman may have been nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Jean Valjean in the musical Les Miserables, but it was his role as Wolverine in the X-Men movies that launched the Australian star to Hollywood fame. The 45-year-old combined the two roles when he appeared on BBC radio on Saturday, singing a parody of Les Miserables song Who Am I? as Wolverine. The song is a key moment in Les Miserables, as Jean Valjean voices his torment about whether or not to reveal his identity as a prisoner who skipped out of parole many years before in order to save another man from going to prison in his place. In the Wolverine version, the inner turmoil comes as Hugh Jackman wrestles with his identity as an actor, rather than as the famous X-Men character. ‘Who am I?’ he sings. ‘Am I a superhero with some claws?/Or just an actor searching for applause?/Wolverine has all the fans/But what about me Hugh Jackman?’

The actor belted out the song, which also made reference to the intense training he has to undergo to get in shape for the role.

‘I play the wolf man/Yes it’s quite the task/In X-Men Days Of Future Past/I’m at the gym doing weights each day/ Hugh has got to look buff they say.’ Hugh was very goodnatured about the song, chuckling about some of the lines

and one of their original songs. Gift hampers were given to the best vocalist which was sponsored by Audio Garage, best lead guitarist by Upstairs, best bassist by Metal Gear and the best drummer by Encore. Cash prize of Rs. 5000/- was given to the band with the best composition from the proprietor of Upstairs Sumika Yeptho.

onam Kapoor it seems love to indulge in controversies. This time the actress had taken a dig at Katrina Kaif by calling her ‘shameless’.

The fashionista in an interview with Anupama Chopra, expressed her desire to send Katrina a bouquet of flowers. When asked why, the actress said ‘I don’t know how she does that. You need a certain kind of commitment and a certain kind of shamelessness to do certain things. You get that may be with stardom or with confidence in your talent or with who you are as a person. I need to develop that before I do films like that’.

Sonam Kapoor is known to have a big mouth and she doesn’t hesitate to state her opinions and suggestions openly. This Bollywood diva has made various snide re- doesn’t think twice before speaking her heart out. marks about other actors and celebrities in the past and She sure must be the best dressed celebrity in the tincreated controversies. Whether it be her middle finger act sel town but Sonam still needs to learn a lot, starting by before the press or calling Aishwarya an aunty, Sonam checking her words before it spills out of her mouth.

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elena Gomez scored favourite female singer at the 27th annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, which aired live Saturday from the USC Galen Center in Los Angeles. The curly-haired 21-year-old accepted the honor in a yellow-trimmed kimono top and matching shorts which featured a b&w painting. The slime-covered ceremony kicked off with a chaotic swirl of twirling aerial acrobats, a drumline drill band, dancers, and a Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball parody. Teen idols Cody Simpson and Austin Mahone rapped from the audience before a confident Mark Wahlberg strutted onstage vowing: ‘Everybody’s getting slimed but me. I’m just unslimable.’ However, Wahlberg’s own children conspired against him near the end of the show, which led to him being literally showered with slime for several minutes. The stage’s 360-degree arena featured a screaming mosh pit of neon-clad kids at the edge of ‘the slime zone’ where a 20,000-gallon gooey river and waterfall flowed.

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Vidya Balan: No plans Voice of joining politics

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ational award-winning actress Vidya Balan, who is currently holidaying in Australia with her husband Siddharta Roy Kapoor, has said that she is happy with her film career and is not planning to become a political leader. “I don’t have a political bent of mind except that I will cast my vote like a responsible citizen of India,” Balan told reporters during the launch of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) on Saturday. Balan expressed happiness over the fact that she has been selected as the brand ambassador of the festival third time, adding this year is special because Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan will inaugurate the festival this year on May 1.

Balan would return to India tonight to receive Padma Shree award on Monday in New Delhi. “As long as I get exciting parts to play, work with good filmmakers and team, I think that is what I am hoping for... Everything else follows. I have never pursued or worked towards an award but good work is always what one hopes for,” Balan said. The 36-year-old actress also rejected reports that she is pregnant. “I have been working with back to back shooting and film release for the last five years. I am taking a break for two months before I start promoting my next film ‘Bobby Jasoos’ which will release in June n March 29, lovers of music gathered or July and would need lot of work,” she said. and witnessed the first voting round of Earlier some reports had claimed that Balan decided not to do Sujoy Ghosh’s next Voice of Nagaland Season-1 2014 at Upstairs thriller ‘Durga Rani Singh’ because she is expecting her first child. - See more at: http:// lounge Walford, which played host to the 33 www.delhidailynews.com/news/I-am-not-planning-a-career-in-politics--Vidya-Ba- contestants. lan-1396162043/#sthash.pkaZ7w4r.dpuf An enthralling performance by the Rain-

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Photo courtesy Heutinggumbe

bow Choir from India’s got talent 5 was followed by the unveiling of their official debut album by the presiding judges Lamchala M Sangtam and Mathung Odyou, from Purple Fusion.

Voting cards are available at Dream Cafe

for the Kohima contestants whereas the contestants from Dimapur are asked to contact the organizers. Voting starts from from April 1 till 19.The fate of the contestants will be decided by the votes and points of the judges.

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Serena defeats Li Na for Sony Open title

Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 at Malaysian GP

MIAMI, MArch 30 (AFP): World number one Serena Williams won the Miami WTA title for the seventh time with a 7-5, 6-1 win over China's Li Na on Saturday. In a battle of the world's top two players, the US superstar took her tally of WTA titles to 59 -- including 17 Grand Slam triumphs. She added a second trophy in 2014 to the one she lifted in Brisbane in January.

The 32-year-old Williams, who first played at Miami as a 16-year-old, was strangely subdued as she seemed to sleepwalk through the first half hour of the match.

Trailing 4-2, she fought off three break points in the seventh game only to surrender her serve for a second time on a double fault.

The seriousness of her situation woke Williams up. She won the next five games to take the set, saving a set point in the 10th game and hanging on to break Li in a 12th game that went to deuce six times.

Although she delivered only three aces in a match that lasted just under two hours, Williams' serve steadily improved as the match wore on, as did the power and precision of her returns. She seized a 5-1 lead in the second set with a

Serena Williams, right, of the United States, and Li Na, of China, pose for photos after the trophy presentation for the women's final at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Saturday, March 29. (AP Photo)

fierce backhand winner on her fifth break point of the game and wrapped up the contest on her first match point. Although the match turned so dramatically, with Williams winning 11 of the last 12 games, Li had

little to reproach herself for as she continued to battle even as Williams inexorably pulled away.

"I don't think I was playing bad," Li said. "Maybe she just started playing a little bit better after 5-2 down.

"I think it was a pretty good match. At least I tried so many things, like coming to the net, return volleys.

"At 5-2 up or after 5-all, I think I did exactly the same, so really there's nothing to say because I tried the best

I can do for today."

Li, who won her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, has now lost 10 straight matches against Williams.

Her only victory in their 12 meetings was back in 2008.

Dominant India beat sorry Oz by 73 runs

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gestures as he holds his trophy aloft after winning the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday, March 30. (AP Photo)

SEPANG, MArch 30 (AP): Lewis Hamilton broke his drought at Formula One's Malaysian Grand Prix and led a onetwo finish for the Mercedes team on Sunday. Hamilton beat teammate Nico Rosberg by 17.3 seconds at the Sepang International Circuit, with defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull third.

Hamilton got away well from pole position and led throughout, making up for his retirement in the season-opening race in Australia and belatedly winning in Malaysia for the first time, at his eighth attempt.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished fourth, ahead of Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and McLaren's Jenson Button, while Felipe Massa held on for seventh ahead of Williams teammate Valtteri Bottas despite being told by his team to let Bottas through. Two rookies took the final two points positions, with McLaren's Kevin Magnussen ninth and Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat tenth.

On a day when the threatened tropical rain held off, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen were the leading cars that suffered the worst luck.

Ricciardo was in fourth place with 15 laps to go when the team failed to properly attach a wheel at a pitstop, forcing him to stop halfway down the pitlane and be pushed back to have it replaced. Soon after, the Australian lost his front wing, got a stop-go penalty for an unsafe release from the pitstop and then retired. Raikkonen was hit from behind

by Magnussen on the opening lap, causing a puncture, dropping him to the back of the field. He finished 12th, behind Lotus' Romain Grosjean who surprisingly finished the race in a Lotus that has been very unreliable.

MIrPUr, MArch 30 (PTI): India continued their dream run in the ICC World T20 as they pounded a listless Australia by a whopping 73-run margin to emerge group 2 champions with an all-win record, on Sunday. Put into bat, India scored 159 for seven with Yuvraj Singh showing glimpses of his destructive self with an innings of 60. On a slow track, Yuvraj initially struggled before blasting four sixes and five boundaries in a 43-ball knock.

Indian bowlers then faced little problems in skittling out the Aussies for a meagre 86 in 16.2 overs as Ravichandran Ashwin registered dominating figures of 3.2-0-11-4. This was India's most facile win in a T20 match. The intensity was right there for the entire duration even in an inconsequential match as India would certainly be favourites going into the semi-final encounter for

the first time in seven years.

None of the Australian batsmen could show stomach for fight as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men excelled in all departments yet again. The Aussies were clueless against the spinners, circumspect against the pacers and the Indian fielders were excellent throughout the duration.

Ashwin got the first breakthrough when Finch tried to slog him and Kohli took a simple catch at mid-on.

Cameron White (0) looked distinctly short of match practice as he miscued while trying to drive Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the up and Ravindra Jadeja judged it well running backwards from his mid-on position.

Young Mohit Sharma, getting the first match in place of Mohammed Shami, then bowled an off-cutter which breached through Shane Watson (1)'s defence. Watson's sequence of scores in this World T20 has been 4, 2, 1.

David Warner (19) and Glenn Maxwell (23) can win matches on their day but they were simply interested in trying to slog the spinners across the line.

Watson's slog sweep off Ashwin was taken brilliantly by Rohit Sharma running forward from his deep midwicket boundary position.

It was 44 for four and the match was sealed when Maxwell tried an audacious reverse sweep off the Tamil Nadu tweaker to get bowled. Operating from the leg-stump line, it was a straighter one and only the batsman was to blame for his downfall. With half of the team back in the dugout before the completion of 10 overs, the match was all but sealed. Skipper George Bailey (8) hit a six and the second cross-batted heave was his dismissal.

Brad Haddin (6) on current form wouldn't have lasted longer against Amit Mishra as Australia were down on their knees at 75 for seven.

Shehzad ton powers Pak to win over Bangladesh

DhAKA, MArch 30 (AFP): Opener Ahmed Shehzad smashed an unbeaten 111 off 62 balls as Pakistan thrashed hosts Bangladesh by 50 runs to stay on course for the semifinals of the World Twenty20 in Dhaka on Sunday.

The 22-year-old from Lahore hit 10 boundaries and five sixes in his first T20 international century to lift Pakistan to a commanding 190-5 after they elected to bat. Bangladesh managed only 140-7 in reply in front of a sell-out home crowd of 25,000 at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium to suffer their third successive defeat in group two of the Super-10s.

With both Bangladesh and Australia out of the race, the winner of Tuesday's last league match between Pakistan and the West Indies will join India

in the semifinals from the group.

Shehzad, who reached his century off 58 balls in the 18th over, was caught off a Mashrafe Mortaza noball in the 19th after hitting the previous ball for a six.

The error proved expensive as Pakistan scored 44 runs in the last two overs, with Mortaza conceding 24 in the penultimate over.

Shehzad hammered 31 in an opening stand of 43 with Kamran Akmal (nine) that came off just 27 deliveries.

Bangladesh fought back by taking three quick wickets, two of them by leftarm spinner Abdur Razzak, as Pakistan slipped to 71-3 by the 10th over. Umar Akmal, Pakistan's hero against Australia when he made 94 off 54 balls, was dismissed by Mohammad Mahmudullah for no score.

Flamini makes Man City wait for top spot

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LONDON, MArch 30 (AFP): Manchester City could not exploit an earlier defeat by Premier League leaders Chelsea and had to be content with a point from a 1-1 draw at Arsenal on Saturday. The visitors looked on course for the summit after taking an 18th-minute lead through David Silva, but Mathieu Flamini earned his side a share of the spoils early in the second half.

City would have moved ahead of Chelsea, who had surprisingly lost 1-0 at Crystal Palace, and Liverpool, who are at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, had they won, but Chelsea remain at the summit for now.

Manuel Pellegini's side stay in third place, but will have two games in hand over their rivals once the Liverpool game is concluded, so their title destiny remains in their own hands.

Arsenal's title hopes continue to fade, however, as they find themselves still in fourth, five points behind Chelsea with only six games remaining.

Arsenal made one change from the side that drew 2-2 at home to Swansea City on Tuesday due to a late Flamini own goal, with Lukas Podolski replac-

Arsenal's Santi Cazorla, right, competes for the ball with Manchester City's James Milner during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates stadium in London, Saturday, March 29, 2014. (AP Photo)

ing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Unsurprisingly, City retained the same starting XI that had won 3-0 at Manchester United on the same

night.

City had scored early at Old Trafford and almost repeated the trick when Jesus Navas curled just wide

in the third minute after the visitors had twice got in behind the home defence on the right flank.

Kieran Gibbs was find-

ing himself exposed on the left of the home defence, with Podolski offering little protection in front of him.

Arsenal replied with a ball into the box from Santi Cazorla that saw Tomas Rosicky go down under Pablo Zabaleta's challenge.

The City defender had not got the ball, but referee Mike Dean awarded a goalkick rather than the penalty Arsenal wanted.

City then opened the scoring through Silva, who started and finished the counter-attack himself. The Spain midfielder brought the ball forward before slipping Edin Dzeko in on the left. The striker's low shot cannoned back off goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny's near post to Silva, who got enough of a touch to divert it into the net.

Flamini put the ball in the City net straight after with an effort that bounced over City goalkeeper Joe Hart, but the Frenchman was one of two offside attackers when the cross came in so it did not count.

The setback seemed to galvanise Arsenal, who continued to attack, and Yaya Toure was booked for tugging Rosicky to the ground, with Vincent Kompany also cautioned for a bodycheck on Mikel Arteta.

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