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www.morungexpress.com
The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. VIII ISSUE 271
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www.morungexpress.com
[ PAGE 08]
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
Thursday, October 3, 2013 12 pages Rs. 4
It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit
Nation remembers Gandhi on birth anniversary
Cancer has an answer: Manisha, Yuvraj
NSRLM area coordinators undergo training on SHGs [ PAGE 02]
Attack on Iran seems off the table
[ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 09]
Morung Express News Dimapur | October 2
26 lakh worth IMFL seized DIMAPur, OctOber 1 (MexN): Personnel of the 31 Assam Rifles seized a truck load of IMFL and apprehended three persons at permanent vehicle check post Longtho under Mokokchung district on October 1. A press note from the PRO informed that the huge liquor haul comprised of a total of 14,856 bottles of liquor being illegally smuggled into Nagaland. Approximate cost of recovered IMFL is Rs. 26,86,800 in the open market, it added. The liquor was being smuggled in a truck which was also loaded with some cement bags in order to conceal the illegal liquor. The apprehended have been identifies as L Peri, Koychung Thure and Tachi Thura. They were later handed over to Longtho Police Station along with the recovered IMFL.
GPRN/NSCN on Khumishi incident DIMAPur, OctOber 2 (MexN): The GPRN/NSCN today informed that on September 24, Naga Army belonging to the GPRN/NSCN came “face to face with the NSCN (K) boys at Khumishi village. According to the MIP, “the Naga Army GPRN/ NSCN in order to avoid confrontation with the NSCN (K) fired a few blank shots in the air to let the NSCN (K) boys sense the presence of GPRN/NSCN in the area.” It stated that prior to the blank firing “the Naga Army did not realize the presence of the Assam Rifles in the area.” It added that “the immediate intervention of Assam Rifles compelled the Naga Army to retreat back honoring the ceasefire agreement.”
Tom Clancy dies at age 66
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New YOrK, OctOber 2 (AP): Tom Clancy, whose high-tech, Cold War thrillers such as “The Hunt for Red October” and “Patriot Games” made him the most widely read and influential military novelist of his time, has died. He was 66. Penguin Group (USA) said Wednesday that Clancy had died Tuesday in Baltimore. The publisher did not disclose a cause of death. Clancy arrived on best-seller lists in 1984 with “The Hunt for Red October.” He sold the manuscript to the first publisher he tried, the Naval Institute Press, which had never bought original fiction. A string of other best-sellers soon followed, including “Red Storm Rising,” ‘’Patriot Games,” ‘’The Cardinal of the Kremlin,” ‘’Clear and Present Danger,” ‘’The Sum of All Fears,” and “Without Remorse.”
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–Harry S. Truman
‘Wanted to become a soldier, became cricketer’ [ PAGE 12 ]
ordinance flip-flop ‘Foothill Road is the Government overturns decision, symbol of Naga unity’ withdraws ordinance and the bill
Route survey almost complete
Best birthday gift ever. Thank you Rahul!
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Survey of the proposed ‘Foothill Road Connectivity Project’ jointly taken up by the Nagaland Foothill Road Construction Committee along with engineers from the PWD’s Roads & Bridges is almost complete. The survey had started on September 24 with a team touring the entire 339 kilometres (approximate figure) stretch of the proposed road. Survey in the Wokha sector, in which approximately 120 kilometres of the road fall, is awaiting completion. “Hopefully, it should complete by tomorrow (October 3),” said NFHRCC secretary WY Kithan. Survey in the Mon, Longleng, Mokokchung and Western Sumi (Dimapur) sectors is already done. Survey of Liphanyan (Governor’s Camp)-Dimapur, the last leg of the survey, was conducted on Wednesday, October 2. The team visited the proposed Doyang bridge site near Governor’s Camp at Liphanyan, about two hours drive (existing road condition) from Dimapur. At present, only a steel ropeway connects the two sides of the river at the bridge point. As a cost cutting measure, a single lane bailey bridge is proposed to be opted instead of an RCC beam bridge. It will cut spending by nearly 10 crores while expediting connectivity. Building an RCC bridge, according to an estimate, will cost Rs. 26
The steel ropeway over the proposed Doyang bridge site at Liphanyan (near Governor’s Camp), Wokha district. (Morung Photo)
crores, at the same time extending the completion of the Foothill Road. With preliminary survey complete, the onus now falls on the PWD (R&B) to finalise the Detailed Project Report (DPR) at the earliest. “We’ll press upon the department (Roads & Bridges) to expedite completion of the DPR,” said NFHRCC convenor, Supu Jamir on Tuesday at Niuland. At a meeting held after the survey at Niuland, President of the Western Sumi Hoho (WSH), Hokiye Yeptho reiterated the hoho’s stand that everything has been sorted out with regard to land owners in the Western Sumi sector. Yeptho said that only extension of the road is required, for which the hoho has taken into confidence the landowners. Terming the Foothill Road as “the people’s road”, the
WSH president appealed upon all concerned not to exert negative pressure based on personal interest, which may derail the project. President of Western Sumi GBs Association, extending support and cooperation of the Western Sumi, said that every Western Sumi village is signatory to the unhindered beginning and completion of the Foothill Road. MLA Jacob Zhimomim reiterated the statement of the WSH president. On the stand of the government, he said, “The DAN government is really concerned to turn this dream project into reality.” NFHRCC convenor, Supu Jamir, expressed gratitude to the CM and the R&B Minister, while stating that without their sincere effort, the Foothill Road would not have
taken off. He further lauded the cooperation rendered by the ten border MLAs, senior bureaucrats, Chief Engineer, Additional Chief Engineer (R&B) the ‘freedom fighters,’ and the landowners. While appealing upon all concerned not to allow internal bickering to hamper progress of the project, Jamir said that the NFHRCC will not entertain any objection whatsoever after Wednesday’s meeting. Former Additional Chief Secretary, Nagaland, TN Mannen, described the NFHRCC’s movement as unique, in which the people are not only lobbying the government to act but also physically participating for a common cause. While terming the Foothill Road as a symbol of Naga unity, he said that the road will bring forth unity coupled with development.
New DeLhI, OctOber 2 (IANs): Forced into a corner after the public censure by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday withdrew the controversial ordinance and the bill that sought to save convicted lawmakers from disqualification. A day after the prime minister indicated that the ordinance could be taken back, the cabinet met for just 20 minutes in the evening at Manmohan Singh’s official residence to take the decision, brushing aside the disapproval of some Congress allies. A hassled looking Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari told the media: “The decision of the cabinet to withdraw the ordinance and the bill was unanimous.” He insisted that the cabinet U-turn did not mean that the authority of the prime minister, who had earlier backed the ordinance, had been undermined by Rahul Gandhi, the Congress vice president. The writing on the wall was clear since Gandhi’s Sep 27 dramatic outburst that the ordinance was “complete nonsense” and should be “torn up and thrown away”. The ordinance, now with President Pranab Mukherjee, sought to overrule a Supreme Court ruling that favoured the disqualification of convicted MPs and state legislators from their legislatures. Tewari sought to give Congressled UPA credit for going back on its own decision. “Democracy is not a monolithic authoritarian system of government,” he said. “We respect the diversity of views, and there was a view which was articulated by Rahul Gandhi.” He said Gandhi’s criticism of the ordinance was possibly based on a “wider feedback”. “Under those circumstances, the (earlier) cabinet decision was reconsidered
and it was decided that we would withdraw both the bill and the ordinance. “It demonstrates that you have a government which is not authoritarian in nature.” Tewari said the bill would be taken back by parliament at an appropriate time. But Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, who was not in agreement with Wednesday’s move, did not look too happy as he came out of the cabinet meeting. “We (NCP) have communicated our views. What I said was said in complete secrecy. I made my views clear,” the agriculture minister told reporters. National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, who too was not at home with the U-turn, was blunt: “It was a cabinet decision then, it is a cabinet decision now... I am not upset, but I am not happy.” The road to the ordinance’s burial began early in the morning when Rahul Gandhi called on the prime minister to explain his public criticism of the ordinance when Manmohan Singh was in the US. No details of the Manmohan-Rahul meeting were available. Hours later, the Congress core group, including party president Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and other senior leaders, who had last week cleared the ordinance, discussed its likely withdrawal. Shortly thereafter, the prime minister met President Mukherjee, before the latter began a week-long trip to Turkey and Belgium. The president has not yet given assent to the ordinance passed by the cabinet Sep 24. He had sought clarification from two ministers. Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the ordinance triggered a political storm, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying the prime minister must step down as his authority had come under question. On Tuesday, Manmohan Singh ruled out his resignation over the issue.
poetry re-imagined We want Justice: Watsü Mungdang Morung Express News
“Expedite July 4 murder investigation”
Dimapur | October 2
“We couldn’t be more imprisoned, when we have to apologize even for our thoughts.” —Tiamerenla Monalisa Changkija, Monsoon Mourning, 2013 Veteran journalist and poet, Monalisa Changkija, brings out thoughts from the region that many are familiar with, but have not been able to express in so many words. Written since the 1980s, the two volumes termed ‘Weapons of Words on Pages of Pain’ and ‘Monsoon Mourning’ were released first in 1993 and 2007 respectively. On popular demand, second editions of both were released here at the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) conference hall today, which saw a packed audience. The new editions have been published by Nagaland’s Heritage Publishing House. Her poems will become part of the NEZCC’s collection of art and culture works from the region for its silver jubilee celebration. “This collection of poems talks of the courage of women, of survival in an insurgencyprone area. They reflect longings, unfulfilled promises and hope for the future,” said Som Kamei, Director of the NEZCC. Changkija is slated to receive the 2013 Governor’s Award for her work on January 26, 2014. Presenting a reflective and explanatory review of the collection titled ‘Monsoon Mourning’, Professor A.J. Sebastian, sdb, Head of the Department of English, Nagaland University, who released the book, stated,
Professor A.J. Sebastian releases the second edition of Monalisa Changkija’s collection of poems at NEZCC conference hall in Dimapur today. (Morung Photo)
“The poems are a window to some of the contemporary social concerns prevalent in the Naga society which call for concerted effort from all quarters. She has been very articulate in expressing her anguish which will certainly have their due share of influence on society ushering in societal transformation in the midst of social woes.” Associate Professor Keshaw Prasad Avikasit from Wangkhao Government College, Mon, compared Changkija to American poet Denise Levertov, whose poems articulated social change and revolution. “Her being a journalist has enabled her to be very simple and straightforward and she has succeeded in conveying with precision and force her ideas to the readers. Her passion and her courage come through in her poems,” he asserted. Changkija’s poems have been introduced in courses run by the Nagaland University, the North East Hills University as well as by the Nagaland Board of School Education. To facilitate the increasing number of Naga and non-Naga students, particularly young women studying Changki-
ja’s poems, the two second editions contain reviews, analyses and critiques of the same. Raising a toast to all who supported her in this endeavor, she used the African adage, “It takes a whole village to bring up a child” to exemplify how the whole society must support and nurture an artist or writer in order to strengthen the literary history of the society. She dedicated the day to those who helped and encouraged her to publish the current editions. These include the NEZCC for providing space to artists in a multi-handicapped region and publishers like Heritage Publishing House which have made writers accessible; publishing has the potential to become the future’s “major industry” in Nagaland, said Changkija. Among others, she acknowledged the artists who made the cover pages of her collection, and teachers: “while poets conceptualize, it is teachers who contextualize.” Priced at Rs. 300 and Rs. 200 each, her books will be available at Signet book store (Circular Road, Dimapur), Heritage Publishing House (Duncan Basti, Dimapur) and Cornerstone book store (Kohima).
DIMAPur, OctOber 2 (MexN): The Watsü Mungdang wants justice and has expressed dismay over the pace of investigation regarding the murder of a woman in Dimapur on
July 4. A press note from the President and General Secretary of the Watsü Mungdang stated that the “tardy” pace at which the investigation is progressing leaves room for doubt in the minds of the people. It further expressed concern that till date no charge sheet has been framed against anyone involved in the crime.
The Watsü Mungdang lamented that non receipt of DNA and forensic test samples from outside the state is one of the main reason causing delays in the investigation, “as claimed by the law enforcing authorities.” It therefore asserted that the absence of a forensic laboratory in Nagaland is a matter for the state gov-
ernment to ponder upon seriously in order to efficiently deal with such cases in the future. Watsü Mungdang further urged upon the authorities to expedite the investigation without delay and also reiterated their demand for denying bail to anyone arrested in connection with the murder case until and unless proven innocent.
exercise “as good as medicines” Exercise may be just as good to treat heart disease
LONDON, OctOber 2 (reuters): Exercise may be just as good as medication to treat heart disease and should be included as a comparison when new drugs are being developed and tested, scientists said on Wednesday. In a large review published in the British Medical Journal, researchers from Britain’s London School of Economics and Harvard and Stanford universities in the United States found no statistically detectable differences between exercise and drugs
for patients with coronary heart disease or prediabetes, when a person shows symptoms that may develop into full-blown diabetes. For patients recovering from stroke, the review - which analysed the results of 305 studies covering almost 340,000 participants - found that exercise was more effective than drug treatment. Cardiovascular disease is the world’s number one killer, leading to at least 17 million deaths a year. “In cases where drug options provide only modest benefit, pa-
tients deserve to understand the relative impact that physical activity might have on their condition,” the researchers wrote. The review also said the amount of trial evidence on the health benefits of exercise is considerably smaller than that on drugs, which the scientists said may have had an impact on their results. They argued that this “blind spot” over exercise in scientific evidence “prevents prescribers and their patients from understanding the clinical circumstances where drugs might provide only modest improvement but exercise could yield more profound or sustainable gains”. The review adds to a large body of evidence showing that regular exercise is key to human health. According to the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO), physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths around the world each year. The WHO says regular moderate intensity physical activity - such as walking, cycling or participating in sports - can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression, as well as cutting the risk of bone fractures and helping to control body weight.
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