4th May 2014

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www.morungexpress.com

The Morung Express

Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 120

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www.morungexpress.com

[ PAGE 8]

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

“I`m 10 yrs old, I don`t want dolls. I want Samsung Galaxy 10.1.”

NFHRCC: withhold issuing work order in Mon sector Morung Express News Dimapur | May 3

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Sunday, May 4, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4

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The miracle of the seed and the soil is not available by affirmation; it is only available by labor Curfew Continues in Srinagar for Third Day

The Nagaland Foothill Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has appealed the PWD (Roads & Bridges) to withhold the issuing of work order in Mon sector pending further discussion. The decision to appeal the PWD (R&B) to withhold this work order was made after the NFHRCC came in receipt of a letter, long overdue, dating to January 20, 2014 only on May 3. The letter’s content related to allotment of work contract.

Thursday’s meeting was initially scheduled to be a joint review meeting with regard to progress of work between the NFHRCC, the PWD (R&B) and the contractors involved in the first phase of the Foothill Road project. The PWD (R&B) could not attend the meeting citing “pre-engagement,” while contractors could not turn up either.

The NFHRCC, however, received progress reports from the contractors. With regard to the Mokokchung sector, contractor Yashitsungba Ao stated that work on the ‘Longtho to Changki Agri link road’ is complete and is awaiting fresh work order for the Longtho-Yajang C segment.

In the Wokha sector, the progress report from P. Imty Ao stated that work could not progress in the Governor’s Camp to Old Ralan segment (9km) due to “villagers demand for a new alignment.” The Wokha sector spans 62km in all. Beyond Governor’s camp up to MI Dam Project, the letter stated that the work assigned has been completed, except a stretch of ‘road formation embankment’ in the Meriyan-Governor’s Camp segment.

The NFHRCC has called an emergency meeting on May 4 to discuss matters relating to route alignment at Rengmapani. The R&B engineer in-charge of the area and a JE from Dimapur division along with the contractors have been requested to attend the meeting.

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Unlocking educationLessons of another kind [ PAGE 2]

Mumbai Indians finally get on board

[ PAGE 9]

[ PAGE 12]

Rescuers struggle to help Afghans hit by landslide [ PAGE 11]

–John Rohn

Assam violence: Thousands flee Naga political groups their homes fearing more attacks meet to strengthen

GUWAHATI, MAY 3 (AFP): Police found nine more bodies on Saturday after a deadly rampage by tribal separatists in Assam, taking the death toll to 32 following two days of violence.

The latest fighting in the area, a site of frequent ethnic clashes, began on Thursday with the killing of 11 Bengali-speaking Muslim villagers, followed by more bloodshed on Friday when 12 others were slain.

Police said it was not immediately known when the nine villagers whose bodies were recovered on Saturday had been killed.

“The death toll has gone up to 32,” police inspector general S N Singh told AFP. “Security has been further tightened with police and paramilitary troopers deployed in strength.”

The nine bodies, including those of women and children, were recovered from Narayanguri village in Baksa district, 200 kilometres (125 miles) west of Assam’s main city of Guwahati.

This week’s attacks come as the country votes in a multiphased general election that began on April 7. Polling winds up on May 12, with results to be announced four days later.

Voting in Assam has ended, with April 24 the last day of polling. Police blamed the attacks on the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), which has been demanding a separate homeland for decades.

Investigators said they arrested around 20 suspects on Saturday in the violence-hit districts of Baksa and its neighbour, Kokrajhar.

“So far we have arrested about 20 people,” said a senior police official, who did not want to be named.

Witnesses said some of the victims were killed as attackers opened fire on them while they

Villagers walk with their belongings leaving their violence-affected village of Narayanguri, in Assam on May 3. Police in India arrested 22 people after separatist rebels went on a rampage, burning homes and killing dozens of Muslims in the “worst outbreak of ethnic violence” in the NE region in two years, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo)

slept in their homes.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh directed Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Saturday to “restore normalcy” in the area, while con-

demning the attacks. “(My) heart reaches out and grieves for all those who lost their near and dear ones,” Singh said in a statement.

The attacks have prompted security forces to launch a mas-

sive hunt for the guerillas and have spurred some 5,000 people to flee from their homes, police officer Singh said.

The officer added that an indefinite curfew has also been imposed in the violence-torn districts, with police given shooton-sight orders and army soldiers on standby.

The victims of the attacks were Muslim migrants who have been locked for years in land disputes with indigenous Bodo tribes in the tea-growing state that borders Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Media reports said Muslim villagers were targeted as a punishment for not voting for candidates backed by the rebels.

Chief minister Gogoi said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would probe the violence and involvement of any political parties. “An NIA probe has been sought and anyone found guilty, including politicians, will not be spared,” Gogoi told reporters after a state cabinet meeting on Saturday.

While the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has criticized the Congress-led state government for inaction and failure to protect its people, some student groups have demanded Gogoi’s resignation.

Seventeen people were killed in clashes in the same region in January, and thousands of others fled their homes for fear of further attacks.

Survivors of Thursday’s attack in Kokrajhar district described how a group of around 20 masked gunmen had carried out the killings late at night.

“We were asleep when gunmen barged into our home and sprayed bullets, killing my elderly mother, my wife and my fouryear-old daughter,” Siraj Ali told a local TV channel, as he sat beside the bodies in a police station.

“I don’t have anyone left in my family now,” Ali said.

Lenten Agreement

KolKATA, MAY 3 (MExN): Top leadership of three Naga political groups, currently part of the Naga Reconciliation Process, took part in a five-day reconciliation meeting organized in Kolkata from April 29 to May 3, 2014 with the intent to “engage and explore creative ways to fulfill the Lenten Agreement.”

“In pursuit for the realization of the Lenten Agreement, the Forum for Naga Reconciliation facilitated a series of formal and informal meetings among the leaders of the signatory groups. On recognizing the necessity, the three Naga political groups agreed to have a close-door residential meeting among the top leadership,” the FNR stated in a press release today.

The top leadership of GPRN/NSCN Gen. Khole Konyak and N. Kitovi Zhimomi; NNC/FGN leaders Zhopra Vero, Vice President and Zaleo Sapu, Home Minister, “responding to this necessity” participated in the meeting.

The FNR valued their presence with much appreciation.

However, it was informed that FGN President, Brig. S. Singnya was unable to attend the meeting due to ill-health.

Furthermore, the travel of NSCN/GPRN leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah to Kolkata was not cleared by the Government of India, and hence, they were unable to personally attend. In their absence, they were represented by General (Retd) VS Atem, Khevihe Chishi Swu and TT Among.

In the course of the 5-day meeting, the three Naga political groups expressed the “necessity of Naga reconciliation as a means to a shared future and extended their willingness to work for it till it is achieved,”

the FNR informed.

As part of the confidence building measures the representatives identified positive and negative aspects of the process and specified key steps on how the Naga reconciliation can be further reinforced.

“They explored together the values of Truth, Mercy, Peace and Justice and emphasized on how they were vital to the journey of Naga reconciliation,” noted the FNR. The representatives, through a process of envisioning, shared their vision for the Naga people and expressed desire to engage in more confidence building measures as a way of “trashing out difficult issues in the interest of the shared Naga future.”

While appreciating the Government of India for their cooperation to Naga Reconciliation, the FNR remained “concerned by this recent attitude, thereby raising questions of doubt and insincerity.”

The Forum for Naga Reconciliation further informed that the Naga Reconciliation Process is in the interest of the common good of all concerned. It stated that “For too long the internal division of the Nagas has been projected as one of the causes for the protracted conflict.” Hence, in this time of peace, where Naga political groups are “reconciling and seeking ways to find unity in purpose,” the FNR urged “Nagas, our neighbours and the Government of India to have more understanding and extend even moral support to the process. The realization of Naga reconciliation is in the mutual interest of all those who desire justice, peace and reconciliation in the region.”

Nido Tania case: Court ssA teachers’ picketing enters third day takes cognizance of CS Fourth day oF picketing oF S/deo oFFiceS on May 5, Monday

NEW DElHI, MAY 3 (PTI): A Delhi court today took cognizance of the charge sheet filed against seven accused in the Nido Tania murder case and asked the agency to provide copies of the final report to the four adult accused on the next date of hearing.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pritam Singh directed the CBI to supply the copies of the charge sheet and other documents annexed with it to the four adult accused on May 7 in connection with the death of 19-year-old Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania.

The matter against the three juveniles will be sent to the Juvenile Justice Board.

CBI has dropped murder charges on the accused allegedly involved in the death of Tania, son of an Arunachal Pradesh MLA, on the ground that his killing was not premeditated but a result of altercation over breaking of glass counter. The charge sheet was filed by the CBI yesterday against seven people, including three juveniles, in the case.

CBI has filed the charge sheet for the offences of culpable homicide, illegal confinement under the IPC and the provisions of the SC/ST Atrocities Act against Farman, Pawan, Sunder Singh and Sunny Uppal, who are currently in judicial custody.

Earlier, the accused were booked for the offence of murder by the Delhi Police but the CBI dropped the murder charge in its charge sheet.

The case was transferred to

CBI from Delhi Police for further investigation after the victim’s parents had met Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, demanding speedy justice for Tania.

They had alleged police negligence in the case and also demanded action against the guilty personnel. The accused were apprehended after relatives of Tania, a BA first year student in a private university, alleged that he had an altercation with some shopkeepers at Lajpat Nagar market here on January 29 after they made fun of his hair style. Following the altercation, the shopkeepers had allegedly thrashed him. He was brought dead to AIIMS the next day.

The death of Tania, son of a Congress MLA, evoked angry reactions from people of the northeast living in the national capital who alleged police had failed to protect him.

Police had booked the four adult accused under Section 302 (murder) of IPC after the postmortem report showed Tania died due to injuries to his head and face caused by a blunt object.

Initially, police had on February 3 arrested three of the accused under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

On February 10, police arrested Sunny and slapped murder charge against all the four accused. Two minors, who also allegedly assaulted Tania, are facing an inquiry before the Juvenile Justice Board here.

KoHIMA, MAY 3 (MExN): The Nagaland Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers’ Association (NSSATA) continued picketing District Education Offices (DEO) across the State for a third day, and has stated that a fourth day of picketing will be on May 5, Monday.

“The NSSATA continue to stand firm on its earlier resolutions. Till date, no approach has been made by the state government and its implementing agencies to negotiate with the aggrieved party on acceptable terms. The aggrieved party have been requested to call off its present stir through certain agencies of the state in some instances with assurances of paying salaries, i.e., of Dec, 2013 to Feb, 2014,” the NSSATA stated in a press release today.

The NSSATA reiterated that the Centre has “already sanctioned and deposited the second installment for the financial year 2013- 2014, which does not cover only from Oct’ 13 to Feb’ 14, but it covers the months of Oct’ 13 to March’ 14. In support of it, it is learnt through RTI that an amount of Rs. 91.8311 Cr has been sanctioned by the central Government against salary component for the financial year 2013-2014 which is sufficient for payment of all dues for twelve months, i.e., from April’13 – March’14.”

In light of this, the NSSATA demanded the Nagaland State Government and its imple-

Secy to Finance Department (Budget) clarifies on SSA salaries KoHIMA, MAY 3 (MExN): Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Finance Department (Budget), Y. Kikheto Sema (IAS), has informed that a deposit of Rs. 23 Crore by the State Mission Authority of the SSA to the Naga-

land State Government account was made recently and as per the Drawing and Disbursing Officer-wise sub-allocation submitted by the School Education Department, the Finance Department has issued directions

to the Treasuries vide Order No. BUD/11-31/2011-12 dated May 1, May 2014 to honor the salaries of the Teachers under SSA for 3 months i.e. with effect from December 2013 to February 2014.

Full text on page 5

Resume classes given ‘time bound assurance’: NSF KoHIMA, MAY 3 (MExN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), while reiterating the earlier stance of the Federation in supporting the cause of the NSSATA for nonpayment of salary, has once again appealed to the department concerned to “give time-pound assurance to the SSA teachers” and asked them to resume normal classes at the earliest.

In a press release from its general secretary Esther Rhakho and secretary education Bangdi Chawang, the NSF informed that its officials have met the department in

concern and SSA officials on many occasions urging them to “press upon the Ministry of Human Resource Department to release the money at the earliest.”

The NSF has also appealed to the NSSATA to resume their normal classes in the interest of the students should the department give a “time-bound assurance” for the release of their salaries.

“However till date nothing has been materialized and it is the innocent students who are being made to bear the brunt of this impasse,” noted the NSF.

The Federation has learnt that the further stated that, “It has been learnt that the MHRD has already released the money, therefore NSF once again urge upon the department and the government to release the salary by 1st week of May as the innocent students are victims of this undesirable episode.”

In addition, the NSF asked the NSSATA to be “cautious and sensible” while “expressing your resentment or fighting for your legitimate rights, more so being an employee serving under government rules and undertakings.”

menting agencies to “make the full payment immediately.”

With regard to Finance Department Clarification on release of SSA salaries from the Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Finance Department (Budget), Y. Kikheto Sema, the NSSATA questioned why “comparisons have been made against the state of Na-

galand with those of inefficient states of Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir with regard to SSA implementation and why not with other successful states?” The NSSATA informed that in Jammu & Kashmir, the RTE Act is not yet implemented.

“Further citing about the net loss of Power and NST Depart-

ment and the difficulties faced by the state to pay its employees has no connection when it comes to payment of salaries to the SSA employees as the centre has already done the needful,” noted the NSSATA. In light of all the above, the NSSATA has decided to stage a fourth day of picketing of SDEO offices on Monday, May 5.

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Sunday

Dimapur

LocaL

4 May 2014

The Morung Express C

Unlocking education- Lessons of another kind

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Bundle of joy: SEC students learn to sing which they present for visitors.

Becoming young ScholarS: This year a massive accomplishment of the Centre was giving free uniforms to all the students.

Akangjungla Dimapur | May 3

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Eight years old Shanti dreams of becoming a medical doctor when she grows up. She hopes to help and make well the sick. Shanti would be the first from the locality where she lives to achieve this feat if she can go to a proper school and is admitted to a medical college. Shanti has no complaint of staying with a Naga family who treats her with care and love and provides proper meals and clothes.

She looks forward to live in her own home with her three siblings and parents, but her parents cannot afford to provide the basic needs to the whole family.

Her day starts at 6:00 am.

After completing her share of domestic chores, she gets ready for school.

Sonia aims of becoming a teacher. She is nine years old. The thought of teaching other children brings a smile to her face. She is the eldest daughter to her parents who are both daily wage earners. She had been to a school few years back. Unfortunately, after few days, the teacher never came back and she had to discontinue her schooling.

2014 is a good year for So-

nia as she was admitted to a school again and she can pursue her dream of becoming a teacher.

Separated by their own stories of fate, these two girls have one thing in commonThey aspire to become somebody. Their dreams grew wings when Sinai Educational Centre (SEC) reached out to empower them through education.

Shanti and Sonia’s lives and futures have been irreversibly transformed through the intervention of SEC. The SEC is an initiative and project of the Christian-faith based Sinai Ministry, to help the downtrodden and the poor. It is an endeavour to bring change in the society through education by providing free education to children who cannot afford to go to school.

This philanthropic endeavor was started since 2009 in a small room with set of little furniture, which was donated by a club at Island Colony in Dimapur.

Irrespective of caste, creed or religion, students are enrolled for free-education every year.

This year the Centre has enrolled thirty-six regular students, which is divided into junior and senior sec-

education ShowS the way: Despite the financial instability, taking care of family, and distance from schools, they all want to be somebody.

tions. Majority of the students come from poevrtystricken families. A team of four voluntary teachers invests into these children two hours of their time and giftings from Monday to Friday.

Recollecting the struggles of the Centre opening years, Dina Ross Longchari, the administrator of SEC says, “To convince the parents to send their children to school was a big challenge in the initial years.

They thought more children mean more income, as they children went to work along with them. They used to say, “If our children go to school our income level will go down.” Now we see parents are realiz-

Free education fair on May 9 and 10

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DimaPuR, may 3 (mExn): Professional Enterprise, an educational consultancy is organizing two days education fair on May 9 and 10 at Urbaan Haat, Walford, Dimapur from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm where more than a dozen reputed institutions from outside the state would participate. The free two days event includes presentation, demonstrations, an event where families and children will learn about the different institutions from Bangalore, Chennai, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi etc.

Apressnoteissuedbytheorganisedstated that it is a great opportunity for students seek-

ing admissions and aspiring to study outside the state and an opportunity to make the right career choices and to be able to do what they love for the rest of their lives. Spot admission for students aspiring to study Engineering, medical, polytechnic, aviation, MBA/BBA, Architecture, B.ED, computer science, IAS coaching and other UG/PG and PHD courses etc. Professional Enterprise is located at 2 1/2 mile, near Delhi Public School, Dimapur.

For more information contact- Professional enterprise team: 9856014585 / 9774140041 / 9612850056 Email; professional.enterprises77@gmail.com.

GOVERNEMENT OF NAGALAND DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMME FOR REVIEW OF NGOs RECEIVING GRANT-IN -AID FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE th

Date : 6 of May 2014 Time : 9:30 AM Venue : Zonal Council Hall, Kohima

Chief Guest:

Shri. KIYANEILIE PESEYIE Hon’ble Minister, Social Welfare

1. Compere 2. Invocation

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: Ms. Inaholi Shohe. : Mr. M. Odyuo. Associate Pastor, City Church, Kohima.

3. Key note address/Introduction of NGOs : Mr. Khevito T.Shohe, Director.

4. Special item : Tabitha Enabling, Kohima.

5. Short Speeches (3 minutes each) : (i) Children's Home, Longleng. (ii) Aonglar Women Welfare Society, Kohima. (iii) Cherry Blossom, Kohima. (iv) Good Samaritan Women Society, Kohima. (v) Caring Neighbourhood, Dimapur. (vi) Highland Home, Dimapur. (vii) Mother’s Hope, Dimapur. (viii) Nagaland Children's Home,Dimapur.

6. Special Song/Skit etc. : Cherry Blossom, Kohima.

7. Short Speech : Mr. Beiu Angami, Secretary Social Welfare 8. Short Speeches (3 Minutes) : (i) Deaf Biblical Ministry, Dimapur. (ii) Transformation Resource Centre, Dimapur. (iii) Care & Support Society, Mokokchung. (iv) St. Joseph Children’s Home, Dimapur. (v) Nagaland Blind Association, Dimapur. (vi) Eden Garden Children's Home, Khuzama. (vii) Community Education Centre, Dimapur. (viii) Evangel Childern's Home, Longleng.

8. Special Song : Miss. Ajungla, Nagaland Blind Association, Dimapur 9. Disbursement of GIA : Chief Guest.

10. Speech : Chief Guest.

11. Vote of thanks : Mrs. Kewe-u Kenye, Joint Director.

ing the need of education.”

SEC administrator Dina says, “I also remember how we used to struggle to provide the children with basic things like books and stationeries. We started out with the slates and chalks but today we are able to provide them with the best because God has been faithful. The journey has not been easy but the hardships and sacrifices are forgotten as we see the school and the student progress.”

As a part of its ongoing services towards the student community, SEC has been distributing free books, and stationery to the students. The books are from the nearby govern-

ment schools and some from contributions. This year a massive accomplishment of the Centre was giving free uniforms to all the students. The Centre also provides meal, organises medical check up, outdoor activities and camps on regular intervals.

SEC is registered under National Child Labour Project. However, it has not been very successful in meeting the support terms like “Mid Day Meal, Stipend @ Rs.150/- per child per month, Health care facilities through a doctor appointed for a group of 20 schools etc” which the Centre is suppose to receive as per the Government’s scheme.

Equipping the children with basic education is the key goal of SEC. The teachers are driven by the purpose to let the children enjoy and not miss out their childhood, to encourage the parents to send their children to regular school after the basic have been taught, to identify their talents and give them proper guidance to become educated and self reliant.

Asangla Lemtur who has been teaching in SEC for the last three years shares, “Being a teacher,

dealing with the kind of students we work with can be sometimes very tiring and tasking, especially when you are in difficult situations or facing challenges in your personal life. However, the children give me lesson of love and encouragement. It is a God given chance, making me a finer person to take better care of children.

Another voluntary teacher, Achila, a qualified BA, BD graduate said, “I really appreciate Dina Longchari for understanding the need of education and giving hope to the lives of illiterate children. SEC not only educates children how to read and write but to impart moral character in the society. Being a part of SEC has been a revelation and enriching experience. By seeing the zealous and enthusiastic spirit in the children, I am encouraged and challenged to teach them. In the three months teaching and spending time with these children, I have learnt to be more open, patient, creative…Cheers to the SEC children!”

(Names have been changed to protect the identity of the students observed)

creating the future: SEC aspires to identify their talents and give them proper guidance to become educated and self-reliant.

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Sharing love: Well-wishers gifts clothes and stationeries to SEC children with inspiring messages written on them.

(Photos by Aden Jamir)

G. Rio School observes Thanksgiving Service

Ko h i m a , m ay 3 (DiPR): Honoring the outgoing students of Class X and Class XII 2013 - 14 batch and celebrating their success in the recently declared HSLC and HSSLC examintations, G. Rio School Kohima, orgnised Thanksgiving Service on 3rd May, 2014, at the school auditorium.

Principal of the school, Kevino Savino congratulated the passed out students describing them as young people with potentials, ready to face new challenges.

She advised them to uphold the values taught at G. Rio School and to be the

best version of themselves.

"The choice between being an optimist or pessimist remains with us, so choose wisely," she added.

She further acknowledged the outgoing students for being the object of their expectation and said that they would remain close to her heart. "Parents and teachers are proud of you and we give the world our students with values, so go be brave, be bold and be like a true Geereean," she encouraged.

Pastor Kohima Ao Baptist Church, Sentisashi Aier exhorted the students to be real winners through hardwork, determination,

commitment and love of God.Winning in one or two occasion is different from having a winning attitude, the pastor said and encouraged the students not to quit the spirit that that they have today to be a real winner. Reminding them that achievement of today would become a past glory, Pastor Sashi asserted that winning is not achievement but achieving, and challenged them to cultivate the habit of achieving all the time."Will you be a winner even tomorrow?" he questioned and reminded them that winning is a continuous process which could only be achieved

Villagers repair Mkg-Mariani road

through hardwork. The Pastor also blessed the students with a prayer.

In the programme, Kaisa Rio, wife of Chief Minister Nagaland, honored the outgoing students with presentations.Managing Director G. Rio School, Khrienuo Moa gave away the prizes to the Best Students (outgoing) Class X and XII Arts and Science stream.

Geereeans Alumni Association, also presented awards to the outgoing meritorious students and also delivered speeches.

General Secretary, GRSSO Bozi-o Nienu, Dinah Walling Asst. teacher and LhoulievinuoThur (2013 - 14

batch) also delivered short speeches. Outgoing student Meribeni Shitiri enthralled the gathering with a song titled "Thank You", adding more colors to the programme.

Parents of outgoing students, teachers, staff of G. Rio School, and well wishers attended the impressive Thanksgiving service.

Choir G. Rio School also presented a melodious rendition. School Chaplain Neilabeinuo lead the service while Letsonu was the pianist of the day.A sumptous lunch followed to celebrate the success of the HSLC and HSSLC (2013 - 14 batch) students.

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MEx File

ANUDEEA general meeting Kohima, may 3 (mExn): All Nagaland Unemployed Diploma Electrical Engineers Association (ANUDEEA) has called for a general meeting cum election on May 21 at Red Cross Building, MC Hall Kohima at 11 am. All the Diploma holders are requested to attend the meeting without fail. Failing which stern action will be taken against the absentees. For further details contact: 9612373838, 9862528981.

Invite for awareness on labour issues Kohima, may 3 (mExn): V.V.Giri National Labour Institute is organizing a training programme on “Strengthening Awareness on Labour Issues for women leaders/ organizers from North Eastern States scheduled from June 2 to 6 at the V.V.Giri National Labour Institute, Noida. Expenditure on to and fro/ board and lodging will be borne by the Institute during the training period. Interested leaders representing their respective organization/ Trade Union/NGOs etc may kindly contact the underVillagers from Chungtia, Aliba and Kinunger undertook massive social work on Mokokc- signed on or before May 7, 2014. This was informed in a press release issued by Er. L. Nungshiyanger Aier, Joint hung-Mariani road on May 3. (DIPR Photo) Labour Commissioner (HoD), Kohima. moKoKchung, may between Mukuli and tion.

Leaders from the three 3 (DiPR): Three villagers IOC Mokokchung town namely Chungtia, Aliba seemed to be nastiest in villagers who led the work and Kinunger on May 3 the entire 85 km Mokokc- said they have engaged undertook massive social hung-Mariani sector be- number of trucks to carry DimaPuR, may 3 (mExn): The ongoing 30 days conwork on Mokokchung- ing maintained by Border boulder to fill up the worst tinuous social work will be held on May 4 at Dobinalla to Mariani road in the stretch road Organization. Hav- portion. The District Ad- Holy Cross School traffic point, Dimapur. Volunteers may lying between Mekuli vil- ing suffered unbearable ministration lead by Vok- join the social work at 5:00 am. lage and IOC Mokokc- journey in this sector, the hoye SDO (C) visited the hung town as the Border three villagers decided to site and met the leaders road (Life line for Mokok- undertake the social work and expressed deep gratichung, Tuensang districts) where nearly 600 (Six hun- tude to the three villagers Kohima, may 3 (mExn): Felicitation Program for all is lying in deplorable con- dred) male workers active- for showing exemplary successful HSLC Candidates will be held on 10th of May dition for quite some time ly participated in clearing work at their own cost not 2014, at Viswema Committee Hall, on 10:00 am. Theredrainage system, filling up only to the government fore, all the concern candidates are requested to attend in even in off season.

The road condition pot hole in the worst por- but also to general public. the meeting without failed.

Social work today

Viswema Student Union Felicitation Program

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REgional

The Morung Express

Sunday

4 May 2014

Dimapur

3

Corpus fund for Opposition grows on National Green Tribunal's rat hole mining ban in Meghalaya power in Meghalaya SHILLONG, MAY 3 (ET): On April 17, the National Green Tribunal banned rat hole mining, a practice unique to Meghalaya saying neither the people nor the government benefit from it. The tribunal was hearing the matter based on a complaint brought by the All Dimasa Students' Union (ADSU) and the Dima Hasao district committee.

While passing the order, the tribunal quoted extensively from a study conducted by Professor OP Singh, (department of environment studies) in the North Eastern Hill University.

The Principal bench of Justice P Jyothimani observed that neither the government nor the people were benefiting from the "illegal mining" and only the

"coal mafias" were benefiting.

Coal miners and the state government are already planning to challenge the ruling. Coal miners are upset at the blanket ban on mining while government says thousands of livelihoods will be lost.

The tribunal is hearing two petitions against rat hole mining. One is by the students union and the other is by Impulse NGO. The students union is concerned at the unregulated and unscientific manner in which the practice is conducted in the Jaintia Hills leading to the deaths of many people during the rainy season as these 'death traps' get flooded while the NGO is more primarily concerned at the exploitation of

minors in these mining areas.

Meghalaya being a tribal state, the community owns the land, and this order of the NGT is in a sense the first major attempt to stop the unregulated mining rampant in the state.

There is also environmental pollution as these mines turns river water acidic.

State's stand The state government has decided to appeal to the tribunal to withdraw its recent order.

Meghalaya's forest and environment minister Prestone Tynsong says the appeal would be made during the next hearing scheduled for May 19.

"Mining and geology department is preparing nec-

essary documents to appeal before the NGT. Government could regulate mining activities once mining policy is in place.

The ban would affect livelihood of many people," he said. As far as child labour is concerned strict instructions have been issued to coal miners, he says.

Miners angry Meghalaya has 576 million tonnes of coal. The sub-bituminous coal is spread across in South Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills, East Garo Hills, Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills.

The tribunal's ban has made coal mine owners who say the livelihood of thousands would be at stake for pleasing just a few. They want the green tribu-

nal to elaborate on its contention that coal mining has not benefitted the state or people except the "coal mafia."

Coal miners in Garo hills are now demanding proof to justify what it had observed. George S Marak, a coal-mine owner of Nongalbibra said, "The statement makes no sense." He questioned as to where are the mafias the NGT is talking about and asked the officials to name the mafia mermbers.

"Scientific mining, may be possible in states, but land rules prevalent in Meghalaya will definitely be a hindrance to its implementation," says Zinba Sangma, the general secretary of the Nongal Dobu Coal Truck Owners Association.

SHILLONG, MAY 3 (PTI): The state government has decided to form a corpus fund for the power corporation to pay them and have steady supply of power.

"A corpus will be formed to deal with emergency situation like the present one," Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after a cabinet meeting here today.

The corpus can be utilised for clearing dues to power PSUs such as North East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) and Power Grid at times of crisis. Currently the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeECL) owes Rs 379 crore to the NEEPCO, the major reason why the power giant stopped supply to the state. According to NEEPCO, the MeECL was

warned about the impending power regulation two years ago and given an offer to pay the then dues of Rs 200 crore in 24 installments. MeECL allegedly did not pay any heed to the offer resulting in accumulation of the debt plus additional purchase of power to Rs 379 crore in 2014. The MeECL, even after being split into three companies, failed to complete its auditing system as required by the government of India norms from any corporate body. On providing electricity to remote areas the chief minister said the MeECL has been suggested to go for "standalone" projects which would not be affected by technical snags in another grid, which has been the case with most of Garo Hills areas.

Manipuri Awarded FICCI Women Strike called in Tripura to demand re-poll Achiever of the Year Award IMPHAL, MAY 3 (MExN): Woman Activist and Writer from Manipur Binalakshmi Nepram has been awarded the 30th FICCI Women Achiever of the Year Award 2013-14 for outstanding contributions in the field of Social Activism by the FICCI Ladies’ Organization, Northeast Chapter. Nepram was awarded this honour at the 6th Annual Event of the FICCI Ladies’ Organization, Northeast Chapter, on April 26 in Guwahati.

Dr. Mridul Hazarika, Vice Chancellor of Guwahati University, who was the Chief Guest of the event and Guest of Honour Malvika Rai, Past President of FICCI Ladies Organisation, jointly gave the awards to the Women Achievers.

Other women achiever awardees from Northeast

Binalakshmi Nepram being awarded the 30th FICCI Women Achiever of the Year Award 2013-14 for outstanding contributions in the field of Social Activism.

India included Bertha G. Dkhar from Meghalaya for her outstanding contributions in the field of Social Work and Education in the Disability Sectors for the translation of Braille in Khasi Language, Sudakshina Sarma from Assam

AGArTALA, MAY 3 (IANS): A political party in Tripura has called a 12hour strike May 12 to protest alleged irregularities during the polls for the state's two Lok Sabha seats.

The Tripura Pragatisheel Gramin Congress (TPGC) Saturday announced a dawn-to-dusk strike, demanding re-poll in the Lok Sabha seats for which balloting was held April 7 and April 12. "All the leaders of opposition parties, including Congress and BJP, in a recent meeting have decided to observe the strike May 12 to protest the misdeeds in the elections to the two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura," TPGC president Subal Bhowmik told reporters here.

Opposition parties - the

for her contribution in Music, Nellie Ahmed Tanweer from Assam for her contribution in Education and Entrepreneurship, Journalist and noted poet Monalisa Changkija from Nagaland for her contributions ITANAGAr, MAY 3 in the field of Journalism.

(PTI): Forest officials in Arunachal Pradesh have arrested a person for burning and clearing approximately one hectare of forest land under Drupong Reserve Forest near here for jhumming.

ZEO whether the school management and Development Committee (SMDC) of Laiphrakpam Laishram Mamang Leikai Primary School, Lilong was approved by him.

When the ZEO replied in affirmative, the Minister stood up and physically assaulted by giving blows and verbally hurling offensive and discriminatory words.

According to ATSUM, the Minister had also said that the ZEO should be posted at his own district Churachandpur and not in Thoubal valley. The tribal officer was even told to adhere to the minister's instruction and not to follow the SSA’s guideline which is why centrally sponsored flagship programmes and schemes are being misappropriated and adjusted in the name of local adjustment, alleged the tribal student body.

Further, the tribal officer was ordered to file an FIR by the minister against

the incumbent SMDC by saying that his (the officer’s) signature was obtained by coercion and intimation at gunpoint.

The tribal student union while condemning the reckless and wanton display of the minister at the highest ceiling to avoid further complication said that the Minister should resign from his post on moral ground and that if the demand is failed to be addressed, then, the union would be compelled to spearhead democratic agitations to see that justice is delivered.

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ATSUM demand action against Mnp Agriculture Minister for racial slur IMPHAL, MAY 3 (NNN): The All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) submitted a representation to Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, New Delhi, regarding the institution of immediate action against Md. Nasir, Agriculture minister, Government of Manipur as per Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste (prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989 for his alleged racial discrimination and atrocities to a tribal Zonal Education Officer/District project officer of Thoubal district, Manipur, according to ATSUM (Muan Tombing).

According to the tribal student body, on the fateful day of April 24 at around 5:30 pm, David Tualzathang, ZEO/BDO Thoubal district as summoned over the phone by the Agricultural Minister went to meet the latter at his official quarter.

The Minister had asked the

Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura and the Aam Aadmi Party - have indicated that they would support the strike. But they are yet to make their position clear. The ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) opposed the strike and urged the people to foil the "conspiracy of the opposition parties".

"Of Tripura's 23 lakh voters, over 20 lakh electorate have cast their votes April 7 and 12. Of the seven phases of elections held across the country, Tripura's polling percentage is highest so far," the CPI-M said in a statement. It said the demand of the opposition parties was undemocratic, illogical and provocative.

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Sunday 4 May 2014

The Morung Express

Conversation with Mr. Khaplang

A

fter eight years of NSCN formation, Mr. Khaplang realized the wrong policy of Muivah and hence decided to apart from him, which led the NSCN split into two factions in 1988.

Soon as the split took place among them, Mr. Khaplang declared he stands for unity and solidarity of Nagaland and announced that he will welcome Naga national leaders, public leaders, Church leaders and student leaders who would like to talk with him for national unity and reconciliation.

I took his declaration as a good gesture and opportunity for meeting him to talk for national unity and thus boldly decided to go to meet him. I started from Kohima on 27th November, 1990, along with two other NNC Central Committee Members namely Messrs Ku-o Angami and I. Toshi Ao. We reached the NSCN-K's Council Headquarters (CHQ) Thingpa, Heimi Region on 6th January 1991. I take Mr. Khaplang as my own elder brother since we are from the same Heimi Region and our discussion was frankly as brothers.

I suggested him to break the barrier which prevents us to stop killings and reunification by denouncing the formation of NSCN as wrong. To form the socialist government was purely the idea and policy of Muivah but not yours, and you have the right to declare the formation of NSCN was wrong.

I felt regretted for Mr. Khaplang blatantly rejected my suggestion, saying: do you think that I was used by Muivah pinching on my ear? As we have no sustainable understanding for national unity, we insisted him and his colleagues to have peace among us (between NNC/FGN and Khaplang group), to which they agreed and signed for peace on 10th January 1991 and we returned back on January 12, 1991.

After ten years, that

was in 2000: I went to meet him (Khaplang) again and reached at his Laa Hong CHQ on September 18. I told him; I could reach you after ten years taking the grave risk of my life, for I don't want the killing among the Nagas and take the risk of my life in the interest of national unity.

Since 1991, we could maintain peace among us, and through which we could save many lives. Again today, if we could take another positive step in the interest of peace and reconciliation, we will save many lives again. Unless you denounce the NSCN and relinquish it, there is no way to stop the killings.

You may intensively fight against IM group but you can't overpower them and neither can IM group do to you. But only losing of more lives will be counted sad fully as the result of fighting in between you (IM and K groups). You know the fact by now that Muivah and Isak have politically failed.

Their failure is yours as well. Because, even if you are in two different groups, but are in the same NSCN. But if you think, you have optimistic to achieve our cherish goal, please tell me, I'll absolutely support you and follow you. But he told me nothing. And then I asked him, why then you don't want to rejoin the NNC/FGN again? What is the reason? Please tell me frankly.

He said; I have three reasons: "the first, I cannot accept the observing Nagaland Independence Day by the NNC. Because the declaration of independence in 1947 was, the Nagas who were under the British colonial rule declared themselves freed from the British colonial rule. As we are free Nagas, we will not accept it. We will observe only the day, our independent and sovereignty is recognized by the world. Secondly, I do not accept calling to rejoining the FGN, for the FGN was formed without participation of free Nagas but only the Nagas who

were once under the British rule. Thirdly, I do not accept, the Naga country name "Nagaland", that is only the name referred to the present so-called Nagaland State. I prefer to have our country name as "United Nagaland".

My explanations on his points were: that the Nagas in fact did not need to declare independence in those days because we all were free and independent people, but our leaders had done it in order to safeguard the sovereignty of Nagaland in those days of changing world so that no nation could challenge us in the future. To become the British subject, we have no treaty and agreement with the British, and therefore the British have no point to declare granting independent to Nagaland and neither did the Nagas need to declare that they were freed from the British colonial rule. We all were free people and yet, the intention of our leaders to announce our ageold independence to the outside world was only to let the world know the Nagas will remain independent as in ancient time.

But not as we were freed from the British rule.

On the Second point: It was explained that the FGN was formed not only by the Nagas who were under the British occupation but including free Nagas from the North-east such as Konyak, Khiamniungan, Chang, Sangtam, Yimchunger and Phom.

Among free Nagas, only Heimi and Somra Nagas did not participate due to lack of information and communication.

On the third point: I told him; according to Nagaland Yehzabo (Constitution), Nagaland is comprised of all territories inhabited by the Nagas.

Our country name "Ngaland" was given by the NNC leaders when the Naga National Council was formed on 2nd February 1946, and the same was approved by the Tatar Hoho (Parliament) on March 22, 1956,

when the Federal Government of Nagaland was duly formed. The name of Indian puppet state was also given as Nagaland in 1960 by the leaders of so-called Naga People's Convention.

It is therefore, name of Nagaland is not only referred to Indian puppet state but all the Naga territories.

And I continued, saying; if you principally accept my suggestion to work for national reconciliation, I will be staying with you here and take time to make Heimi and Koyank national workers understand on our national affairs. When they have fully understood, we can convene a public general meeting in and around Konyak Region and from there we have to declare the NSCN-K group has formally rejoined the NNC/FGN. This is the only way that we can stop killing among the Nagas and brings national unity once again. But Khaplang showed no sign to agree with my suggestion and I returned back to Kohima again.

Later after three years, I reached to his Laa Hong CHQ once again on January 9, 2003. This time our discussion was the most animated and vituperative.

When I started to suggest him again to work for national unity by denouncing the NSCN; he angrily responded me saying: "why are you always urging me to rejoin the NNC? What had the NNC done? If the NNC has the way to achieve our national goal, why Phizo has failed to do it? Why Ms. Adinno could not do it?

Why are you always saying that only the NNC has the right to tell Naga national history? No! we all have the right to tell our history".

I responded him saying: if the NNC did not sow the seeds of Naga nationalism, today you and I will not be here to work for the Naga nation, and we will have no history.

The NNC has done a lot for the Naga nation and today what we talk about our national history are only the records of the NNC. For the failure, you talk about

is not only to be blamed Phizo or Adinno. As Phizo was sent to abroad by our people, he has done his duty to inform the outside world of the Naga national right, the suffering and plight of the Nagas in the hands of India. His efforts captured world opinion to support the Naga cause presenting before the U.N. However, by the news that Naga People's Convention had accepted statehood under the Indian Constitution hampered his work in 1960s. Again in 1968, the formation of revolutionary government made his work suffered a severe setback again, and moreover the formation of NSCN did the same to his achievement. The Nagas have no unison voice to support Phizo and his daughter Adinno Phizo and neither did extend financial support to them. Then how can they do to make achievement. Even if you were there, you can't do so.

You are right to say all Nagas can tell the Naga national history, but my point of view is; even if you or Muivah and Isak tell or write the history of the NNC/Naga nation, it won't become as a history of the NSCN and neither can use it by the NSCN leaders as a history of the NSCN. This fact already proved by Isak and Muivah that without historical background they have no alternative to achieve Naga national goal.

Because when they moved away from the NNC, they also moved away from the history and mandate of the people. The history and mandate of the people are not private properties to be taken away or used as one's own will, but can be used them within the platform of the NNC, since the history is written and mandate is given on the platform of the NNC. This truth Muivah and Isak firmly said in 1976 that "without the NNC there is no short cut way to achieve our national goal".

However, in 1980, they reversed their stand, stating; "It is arms and arms again that will save our na-

tion and ensure freedom to the people" and hence started a new history in 1980. But they have failed to achieve their expected goal through arms struggle. We are obligated to fight for our national objective is solely based on truth and historical facts.

For this reason I urge you to rejoin the NNC. The NNC belongs to all Nagas and rejoining the NNC doesn't mean surrendering to the NNC. Please don't compare our national affairs with mere party politics. The politicians of political party are playing politics to form their own party government, and they can dissolve their parties if necessary in the interest of jointly forming a new party whatever the name they agreed upon.

But we can't do the same way, because we are building our nation and striving to solve the conflict with the aggressors by addressing our history. After the problem is solved with the aggressors, then only party politics will be followed.

But for now, we should not divert our nationalism into petty party politics or dilute it with other issues or political ideology.

You are a renowned leader among our Heimi people, your life should not be ended in bad record. Our lives are in the hands of God and we don't know when our lives will be taken away by our Lord God. The killing among the Nagas started in our time and it should not be handed down to the younger generation without solving it. This is needed to solve by you before you die in the larger interest of our people and for the sake of your good record as well.

The enemy is playing delaying tactics to solve the conflict with the Nagas.

And as long as we are divided we can do nothing to achieve our national goal in our life time, instead we will be adding to succeeding the enemy's policy.

As you asked me the question "what the NNC has done?"; so also some

Nagas will ask you, what the NSCN has done? What will be your answer? He said nothing. I continued saying; as soon as you have formed the NSCN; you, the NSCN crushed down Khiamniungan Region in 1980, where the NSCN killed more than 500 Khiamniungan people, and then in 1984-85, the NSCN waged war against Lainong Nagas and there too the NSCN killed more than 800 Lainongs and razed down their villages into ashes. In 1988, the NSCN split into two factions, and now the two factions are joining hands with the enemies and fighting against each other. When the Indian elections are conducted the two NSCN factions are intentionally and diligently involving in the Indian elections. By forcefully they are collecting money from the Naga people and building their luxurious lives. All these are not that the NSCN has done? He said; some of Western Naga leaders have been doing as what you said.

The fighting among the NSCN factions is happening according to prophetic words which told you in 1984 through the boy Kummo Heimi in Eastern Nagaland and also Evangelist Athui Zeliang from Western Nagaland. The boy told you the words emanated by the Holy

Thomas, NNC Member.

Spirit, that you should relinquish the NSCN setup and rejoins the NNC. If you do not obey Me, more killings will be happened among yourselves. On this Mr. Khaplang said: yes, we failed to obey the words of the Holy Spirit. We were told to summon FGN leaders including President Zashei Huire from Western side and have a meeting hosting a white flag on the hill top between Tsünkhao and Kingphu villages and declare reuniting with the NNC in the spirit of forgive and forget. He narrated it with regretfully. But no action was followed up accordingly.

And lastly, I gave another suggestion to form a committee from his group comprising five or seven members. The NNC/FGN has a committee and the two committees should have continuous and intensive talk for reconciliation. I could come to you once after ten years or five years, we therefore should have continuous talk through our committees in order to build up well understanding for reconciliation. On this my suggestion, he said; I have Council of Kilonsers (Ministers) and should have to discuss with them for your suggestion. But till date he has done nothing for the reconciliation. Now it is running more than ten years again.

Birthday Greetings

Dearest Somaina,

I

hope and pray that you will get a lot of happiness from anything and everything you do. May your days be filled with blessing!

Happy Birthday to you, my dear girl.

Yours :Deta, Maa & family members.

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.

_

LEISURE

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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

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100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202

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Ancient Civilizations.

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ACROSS 1. Trolleys 6. Instant 10. Publicize 14. Relating to audible sound 15. Ends a prayer 16. Reflected sound 17. A cosmic cataclysm 19. Remain 20. Fail to fulfill a promise 21. Consumed food 22. Story 23. Motionless 25. Stayed 26. Fired a weapon 30. Complex in design 32. A short novel 35. Quandary 39. A European peninsula 40. Superficiality 41. Agony 43. The dead body of an animal 44. Deep blue 46. If not 47. Groans 50. Roman cloaks 53. Diva’s solo 54. Make a copy of a recording

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DOWN 1. Russian emperor 2. Lasso 3. Nameless 4. Rodents 5. Women of loose morals 6. Direction 7. African antelope 8. Snuggled 9. Leg joint 10. Plague 11. Group of eight 12. Sedimentary rock 13. Trifled (with) 18. Permit 24. Actress Lupino 25. A machine for baling hay 26. Hissy fit 27. Vagabond 28. Not under 29. Temporary 31. Opera star

33. Property claims 34. Territory 36. Lunch or dinner 37. Untidyness 38. Backside 42. Existing in name only 43. Sprocket 45. Evil spirit 47. Of the cheekbone 48. Small African antelope 49. Intended 51. European peak 52. Located 54. Expunge 56. Wicked 57. Computer symbol 58. Short sleeps 59. Delight 62. Fury Ans to CrossWord 2872

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5 LOCAL cM chang on SSa salary imbroglio BADP brings cheer to Naga youth of Indo-Myanmar border Sunday

The Morung Express

Dimapur, may 3 (mExN): Reacting to NPCC’s demand for his resignation following non-payment of salaries to the SSA teachers, Minister of School Education CM Chang has clarified that there are no lapses and failure on the part of School Education department or the State government regarding salaries of SSA teachers. “Such responsible political party as NPCC should know and ascertain the actual systems and procedures involved in implementing flagship programmes such as SSA.” In a press statement, CM Chang clarified that the SSA is a mission mode programme with SE department as implementing agency. Posts creation of SSA teachers was made from the central government through centrally sponsored scheme with the funding ratio of 90:10 and the salaries of all employees under any flagship programmes is re-

4 May 2014

leased by the state government to department concerned only after funds are received from the centre.

“There are no such lapses on the part of state govt. as well as School Education department since it is paid from the central mission authority and not from the state exchequer except for the 10% state matching share.”

He added that the department has also several times appraised the matters, systems and procedures involved in implementing mission mode programmes in the State to the representatives of the Nagaland SSA Teachers Association and requested them to bear with the department till fund is received from the centre. While acknowledging the difficulties faced by the aggrieved teachers, CM Chang stated, “it is unfortunate that they had blatantly refused to understand the system involved citing their dif-

ficulties.” He informed that, the central mission authority through SSA (NEMS) has already deposited salary component on April 7, 2014 and subsequently, the State Finance department on May 1, after completing the formalities directed treasuries concerned for release of salaries to SSA teachers from December 2013 to February 2014.

As stated by NPCC, CM Chang asserted, there is no question for him to be awakened or tender apology to SSA teachers “when time and again, department official meetings was summoned and held to take serious note to appraise and request the central government for immediate and early release of fund.” Rather, the Minister advised “the NPCC Media Cell to be awake and to try to ascertain the system and technicalities involved therein and to see for themselves the initia-

tives taken by the Minister concerned and not just sleep-talk with baseless allegations without ascertaining the serious concerns taken up by the SE department and the state government.”

CM Chang further asked the NPCC Media Cell to tender public apology for the allegation made on misuse of all state resources by him to contest bye-election. “The NPCC should not be baffled when all clarification sought in the floor of the assembly was satisfactorily responded regarding funds received from the centre under SSA programmes.”

NPCC, he said, should also sympathize and express solidarity to the aggrieved teachers by appraising the matter to the Congress led UPA government at the centre for timely release of such funds “rather than being scapegoat to mislead and misguide the public through baseless allegations.”

Chizokho Vero

Jharnapani | May 3

The implementation of the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) in Nagaland has brought cheer to several youth of the state living in the Indo-Myanmar border blocks.

This was reflected during the valedictory function cum distribution of machines/tools for vocational training on bamboo/wood crafts, tailoring and mechanized stone masonry under BADP capacity building 2013-14 organized by Department of Under Developed Areas (DUDA) Nagaland in collaboration with Nagaland Craft Council and Nagaland Toolsroom & Training Centre Dimapur here at Pusa Crafts Centre.

This vocational training benefited 15 youth under bamboo/wood crafts, 21 in tailoring and 27 mechanized stone masonry from the institute of Pusa Craft Centre, Savino Training Centre and NTTC

respectively.

Government of India under Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) Department of Border Management introduced BADP in Nagaland in 1997-98 with an objective to meet the needs of the people living in remote and inaccessible areas of Nagaland situated near the international blocks viz. Phomching, Chen and Tobu (Mon district), Noklak and Thonoknyu (Tuensang district), Pungro (Kiphire district) and Meluri (Phek district) by implementing various works under education, agri & allied, health, social and infrastructure sectors and capacity building programmes.

A successful trainee proclaimed that the training package has opened the way to many to venture into business activity thereby offering scope to earn their livelihood.

Speaking on the occasion, DUDA advisor Naiba

Konyak congratulated the trainees for completing the course and called upon them to make the best of the basic skills they had gained and translate the BADP’s target into reality.

He also challenged them to have a sense of creativity and focus on miniature and quality crafts as well as to establish a favourable commercial base.

Stating that hard labour matters most for any successful entrepreneur, he encouraged them to have strong determination and set up their units in a systematic manner.

Also stating that all the required machines and tools have been extended to the successful trainees, he asserted that the ball is now in their court as to how best they apply their minds for proper execution of their respective units.

The advisor challenged the successful trainees to transfer their skills and expertise to others as well.

Also speaking on the

Dimapur

occasion, MLA Eshak Konyak encouraged the trainees to have courage to take up even minor jobs and flourish thereafter.

He also stressed on the need to have a collaborative effort in starting the units.

Further, he called for a systematic guideline for effective implementation of BADP in the state.

Commissioner secretary for DUDA T.C. Sangam said there are 160 border villages in the state.

He told the successful trainees not to stay idle but have a competitive spirit among themselves and excel in their respective fields.

Stating that BADP will continue, he announced that the department is going to sponsor another 1500 youth this year and to reach the unreached people.

Earlier, the function was chaired by DUDA director Alan Gonmei while DUDA project director Thepfuzakie Angami proposed vote of thanks.

Business Association of Nagas issues membership certificate DCCI tells traders to cooperate Dimapur, may 3 (mExN): Business Association of Nagas (BAN) started distributing certificates of membership to registered members from May 3. The certificates were distributed at a programme today at Hotel Tragopan, which BAN described as the commencement pro-

cess of issuing certificates to genuine members having legitimate business enterprises. BAN has received over a thousand applications for membership since its inception in July 2013. To avoid enlisting people with bogus enterprises, the applications and the applicants were put through a

rigorous screening process.

Commissioner & Secretary, Commerce and Industry, Thangi Mannen handed away the certificates to members, who passed the screening test.

In her address, Mannen stated that BAN should see to it that its members are genuine Naga business-

Student unions support NSSATA agitation Dimapur, may 3 (mExN): Several student unions of Nagaland have voiced their support to the ongoing agitation of the Nagaland SSA Teachers Association (NSSATA). The SSA teachers in Nagaland are in their third phase of agitation demanding pending salaries and arrears.

ZSU (N): The Zeliang Students’ Union (N) has urged upon the department concerned to look into the grievances of the SSA teachers. It expressed sadness at the ongoing agitation “which is affecting the students’ career as so many schools in Peren district is affected by the ongoing agitation.” It also urged upon the government of Nagaland to look into the matter at the earliest. Further, it appealed to the respective VSCs under Peren district not to deduct the salary of the SSA teachers until the matter is resolved amicably.

PSU: Meanwhile, the Pochury Students' Union (PSU) reaffirming its support to NSSATA stated that the agitation intensified by the latter is directly hampering the academic career of the students. Therefore, the Union appealed to the state government and the School Education Department to seriously look into the matter and address their grievances by releas-

ing their pending salaries and arrears at the earliest.

CSU: The Chakhroma Students’ Union (CSU) in a press release also said that teachers are supposed to be taking care of the students and not “begging” at educational offices or the state government. Strongly appealing the state government to release the pending salaries/ arrears of SSA teachers at the earliest, it added, “We expect the government to honour the hard earned salary of the teachers.” According to CSU, the ongoing agitation has threatened and hampered the career of thousands of students under SSA. In this regard, it questioned the responsibility of the education department and state government and asked all concerned individuals and organizations to take prompt action to facilitate for early settlement of the issue.

NASU: The Northern Angami Students Union (NASU) also stated that it will not allow any force, institution or organization to jeopardize the future of the students. “NASU will not allow any type of corruption that will spoil the career of the students,” asserted the union. It appealed the department concerned not to play any “political atmosphere against the right of

the intellectual SSA teachers and students for the larger interest of the society.” The union pointed out that the students in government schools are all suffering as there are no teachers to take classes. Hence, the union appealed to the authority concerned to fulfill the demands of the NSSATA enabling the classes to resume at the earliest. The union cautioned that it will not remain a spectator, but will come forward with its own course of action in the region without further delay. The union further congratulated all its members who got through HSLC and HSSLC 2014 exams.

Peren Students’ Union: The Peren Student's Union has also articulated deep concern about the delay of salary to the SSA teachers stating that teachers, who are the backbone of the society, are “victimized and traumatized by the government of Nagaland.” It asserted that it is a gross violation of Human Rights and Right to Education. “The students community are the worst affected due to the closure of schools,” it added. In light of this, the student's union has urged the Nagaland government to expedite the “genuine” demand of the NSSATA so as to enable them to rejoin their duties for the welfare of the students.

men, as it could be held accountable. With Nagaland not free of people, who use non-existent businesses to avail government aid, Mannen said that it has prevented genuine entrepreneurs from availing help. Until and unless the state is rid

of bogus entrepreneurs, she said that government schemes aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship will go to naught.

On paper, Mannen disclosed that Nagaland has a high percentage of people involved in entre-

Dimapur, may 3 the DMC officials.

He has also informed (mExN): The Dimapur Chamber of Commerce those who have not reand Industry (DCCI) has in- newed their license to reformed all the traders/busi- new the same at the earliness establishments under est, stating that the DCCI the jurisdiction of Dimapur would not take any responMunicipal Council to coop- sibility in the event of any erate with the DMC officials license defaulter being peduring the time of checking nalized by the DMC for not renewing the license.

DMC trade license.

Hokivi further warned DCCI president, Hokivi Chishi has directed the the traders not to charge business community to more than the price menuntil the students and the display their trade license tioned in the MRP tag of youths role up their sleeves in their respective shops/ items and encouraged the business establishments so consumers to always insist to actively participate.”

Another question was as to make it convenient for on MRP. regarding unabated taxation and price rise despite ban on illegal taxation

by ACAUT Nagaland. To this, ACAUT responded that ACAUT being a mass based movement does not Diploma Entrance Examination have legal sanction to en- 2014 candidates informed force but what it attempts Kohima, may 3 (mExN): Director of Technical to do is to present the facts Education has informed all candidates who had apand potentials that would peared Diploma Entrance Examination 2014 and have hopefully change the connot yet submitted their HSLC/HSSLC mark-sheets to science collective of Nagas, submit their mark-sheets to the Directorate of Techniultimately bringing about cal Education on or before May 13, 2014, failing which, a change that is so despertheir candidature shall not be considered for selecately needed. The program tion to various diploma courses within the State. Mark concluded with the pledge statement of Diploma Entrance Examination 2014 will by students. be available on the Notice Board of the Directorate of Technical Education, Nagaland, Kohima, in the afternoon of May 6, 2014. The same will also be available at http://www.dtenagaland.ormin preneurial activities with no substantial proof on the ground. It has, while creating doubt considerably prevented the state from deriving projected benefit from the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP).

ACAUT reach out to college students Dimapur, may 3 (mExN): As part of its ongoing campaign to spread awareness to the youths, who it considers as the biggest stake holders in the society, ACAUT Nagaland visited Eastern Christian College, Padumphukri, Dimapur on April 28.

A press release from ACAUT Media Cell informed that the principal of the college said ACAUT Nagaland was a social movement for better tomorrow and it should reach out to all the colleges to create awareness among all students.

A brief address by ACAUT Nagaland on corruption and about ACAUT

was followed by interaction session, where students and faculty members posed various questions. According to the release, on being asked the role of a student and how students can contribute to the social change movement, ACAUT responded that the task of nation building is a herculean one and the role of students’ activism in nation building cannot be under estimated. “It’s a fact that the youths have never been more empowered with advancement in information and communication, the largest bulk of social media users are youths but ACAUT cautions that it remains a mere potential

MEx FILE

AR apprehends two NSCN cadres Dimapur, may 3 (mExN): Based on a tipoff about the movement of Chairman, Angami Region of GPRN/NSCN with illegal weapons in a Maruti Gypsy (Registration No NL 06 0353) on NH 29, near Sukhovi road junction, a search operation was launched by troops of 29 Assam Rifles on April 29. At around 2:00 pm, the troops tracked the individual and intercepted him at 7th Mile, Dimapur.

A press release from the Assam Rifles informed that he was found possessing illegal/unauthorized arms and was consequently arrested.

The AR identified the person as Apelhou Angami, 41.

In gross violation of the Cease Fire Ground Rules, the release stated, the cadre was found carrying five Pistols and nine magazines with an intention to sell them to an unidentified group in Assam. The weapons haul included four 7.65mm Pistols with eight magazines and one .22 Pistol with one magazine. The cadre along with the arms haul was later handed over to the Diphupar Police Station, Dimapur for further investigation.

In a separate opera-

tion on April 29, 5 Assam Rifles and 23 Assam Rifles launched a joint operation and apprehended one NSCN (IM) cadre from Nyaklangbou Sector, Tuensang. The person has been identified as SS Raja Peyu, Chuba Chang, 48. The Assam Rifles team also recovered ten live rounds of AK47. The apprehension, the AR stated, has sent a strong message to the faction to restrict unauthorized possession of ammunition, thereby maintaining peace, tranquility in the area and enforcing Cease Fire Ground Rules.

Naga Hoho condemns Dimapur, may 3 (mExN): The Naga Hoho has condemned the “brutal torture and murder” of Supongtemjen Imchen on April 30. “While acknowledging the fact that there is a border dispute between Assam and Nagaland for which both the state agencies are giving its efforts to settle the same, the act of Assam police in recent times of firing and shooting randomly at innocent Nagas cannot be accepted and deserves to be condemned by all right thinking citizens,” stated a press statement issued by Communication Cell, Naga Hoho. “The fact that Lt. Supongtemjen was killed as an animal without giving an opportunity to defend himself is itself a gross violation of Human Rights.” The Naga Hoho stated that the Assam police should restrain themselves from firing at sight at innocent people and the urged the Assam government to take stern actions against the erring jawans and justice be delivered at the earliest. The Hoho also expressed its deepest condolences and solidarity to the bereaved family members.

Public SPace

Matter relating to release of SSa salary ( Y. Kikheto Sema ), IAS Secretary to the Govt. of Nagaland Finance Department (Budget)

A

propos the write-ups in regards to non-release/delayed release of salaries to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Teachers in the local media, we would like to bring the following facts for the information of all concerned: There are many flagship programmes of the Government of India (GoI) which are implemented in the State, viz: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Yojana (RGSY), Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhijan (RMSA), etc. and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is also one such mission mode pro-

gramme being implemented in the state. Of these flagship programmes, the requirement of manpower (employees) are mostly under SSA, RMSA and NRHM. In all the states in India, employees under flagship programmes are on a mission mode and their pay and allowances are paid from the mission authority and not from the State Exchequer.

Following the creation of posts under SSA in Nagaland, the School Education department was clearly advised that the salary of the SSA employees would be released only after the funds were received from the GoI (Mission Authority of SSA).

Accordingly, the Finance Department, from time to time, has been issuing directions to the Treasuries for release of salaries only after the funds were received from the GoI and deposited to the state Government account by the Mission Au-

thority of SSA Nagaland.

This procedure is followed not only for release of SSA salary but even for other Government employees appointed under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) such as ICDS of Social Welfare of about 7448 employees, Health & Family Welfare Deptt. of about 495 employees, DIET under SCERT of about 247 employees and Hindi Teachers under School Education of about 1379 employees, where the state government pays the salary only after funds are released by the GoI. Finance Department also keep advising the concerned departments to pursue with the GoI for early release of the salary components to avoid delayed payment.

The issue of non-release of SSA salary is not only unique to Nagaland but similar problems are being faced in other states throughout the

country. In some of the states like Jammu & Kashmir, salaries for SSA teachers have not been released even for 9 months, while in North East states, such as Arunachal Pradesh, salaries for SSA teachers have not been released for the last 6 months.

It needs to be pointed-out here that due to the normative approach adopted by the 13th Finance Commission (13th FC), all the special category states, including our state, are facing huge resource constraints.

As per the recommendations of the 13th FC, the salary expenditure of our state should be within 35% of the total revenue expenditure excluding pensions and interest payment; whereas, during the time of their recommendations, our expenditure on account of salary was almost 60%.

The short assessment of Non-

Plan Revenue deficits by the 13th FC on account of salary and pensions is about Rs. 6312.86 crores, while the net loss of Power and NST is about Rs. 1111.21 crores; totalling to about Rs. 7242.41 crores. With this kind of normative funding, many special category states are finding it difficult to pay even normal salary to its employees, particularly in states where there are huge number of employees like ours.

We are, nonetheless, hopeful that the 14th Finance Commission (14th FC) will cater to the problems of the Non-Plan revenue deficit gap created by the 13th FC. During the visit of the Chairman and members of the 14th FC to the State in October last year, the state government had presented its genuine grievances to them. They have also understood and appreciated the problems and we are hopeful that the 14th FC rec-

ommendations would be more realistic and favourable vis-a-vis that of the 13th FC. Reverting to the issue at hand, deposit of Rs. 23.00 crores by the State Mission Authority of the SSA to the state government account was made recently and as per the DDOwise sub-allocation (DDO=Drawing and Disbursing Officer) submitted by the School Education Department, Finance Department have issued directions to the Treasuries vide Order No. BUD/11-31/2011-12 dated 1st May 2014 to honor the salaries of the Teachers under SSA for 3 months i.e. with effect from December 2013 to February 2014.

It is, therefore, hoped that the above facts would clear all such unfounded doubts and misgivings pertaining to the delay in release of SSA salaries for the period from December 2013 to February 2014.

The Morung Express is introducing “Public Space” as part of our intention to provide deliberate space for the opinions of the people to be expressed and heard through this newspaper. Nonetheless, The Morung Express points out that the opinions expressed in the contents published in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper or the editor.

Sunday 4 May 2014

6

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EXPRESS

Review

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Teaching kids about sexual assault At increasingly young ages, programs aim to teach children about healthy relationships and create places where parents, teachers, and children feel they can speak up about abuse. The message cannot obscure the fact that adults, not children, are responsible for keeping children safe.

M

CATHERINE BUNI |The Atlantic

elody Dillard is a parent who lives outside Hanover, New Hampshire. As a child, she attended Bernice A. Ray Elementary School. Her child goes there now. Dillard is happy about this. “It was a place I could feel relief,” she says.

When she herself was in second grade, Dillard colored a crayon picture of a basement and several terrified children. “I know I was trying to tell someone I was being sexually abused,” she says. “I always felt safe at the Ray School.” But no one ever asked her about the darkness she’d drawn. Thirty years ago, she says, no one talked about children’s sexual health and safety.

Susanna Carls teaches at the Ray School now, and, in late 2010, she sat in the office of Ray School counselor Pam Graham. Graham had convened a meeting with the K-1 teachers to review the year’s social emotional learning curriculum.The day was bright, but as Carls listened, she thought about students who, she felt, might be at risk. She imagined children sitting in class in the aftermath of sexual assault, as she once had. She thought about the children’s fathers and mothers, what they might or might not be willing or able to see or ask about.

Carls (who has two children and asked that her real name not be used) had been a quiet, reliable student when she was a girl. She’d had close friends, but they never talked about their bodies, their sexual health, or safety. Nobody did, she said. She used to pray at night.

Once, sitting next to her mother in the car, she’d said her prayer out loud.

“Please just divorce him.”

“I’m working on it,” her mother had said. First, she needed to save more money.

“I could give you a reason.” Carls felt certain her mother knew that something, something she didn’t know how to say herself, was wrong. But they rode on in silence, and for years her prayers went unanswered.

Where was her stepfather now? Carls had no idea. By the time she’d been able to understand the crimes he’d committed against her, it was too late to press charges.

Now, here at the Ray School, listening to Pam Graham, Carls felt unsettled. Is it ever a good time to press charges? One of Carls’ classroom parents was in the throes of a trial herself. During a recent parent-teacher conference, Melody Dillard (who also asked that a pseudonym be used to protect her family) had told Carls about the searing experience of testifying against her childhood abuser, about the heartfelt expressions of gratitude from some parents, the rejection and even rage from others.

“I don’t know why we’re not dealing with sexual abuse,” Carls blurted, feeling suddenly clear. “Sexual abuse is part of my history, and I don’t want it to be part of other people’s histories.”

Graham listened carefully. Several months before, she’d been trained as a crisis-line volunteer for the region’s domestic and sexual violence advocacy center, called WISE, and she’d learned how to receive a disclosure. On one of her first calls, she had found herself in the local ER, at 3:30 a.m., with a teenage girl who’d just been raped. When Graham arrived, the nurse had shrugged. “She’s in the shower,” she’d said.

How could an ER nurse not know a rape victim should not shower until after the exam? Graham had wondered. How can we still know so little?

“Keeping it a secret didn’t work,” Susanna Carls was saying to her now. “I had hinted a lot, wishing someone would point blank ask me.

I’d hoped someone else would bring it up. It took more than 20 years to get healthy again. Maybe it could’ve been only two.”

Maybe, argue sexual assault prevention educators, it could never have happened at all.

Reports of child sexual abuse have dropped 58 percent in the last two decades, says leading researcher, Dr. David Finkelhor, director of the University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Center. More education, media exposure, and awareness, better law enforcement, better offender treatment and victim support, better psycho-pharmaceuticals, all have contributed to reductions.

But even with the progress made, the numbers are still staggering: an estimated one in four U.S. girls, one in six boys, has been sexually abused, and children with disabilities are at higher risk. Over the age of 18, the CDC says, 18 percent of women (and one percent of men) report having been raped, reflecting the shared cultural status of women and children, a cultural status that supports epidemic levels of sexual violence against them both. It is statistically likely that every one of us is connected to people—colleagues, friends, and neighbors—who’ve experienced child sexual abuse, whether we hear about it or not. Of every 100 incidents of child sexual abuse, it is estimated that only 10 to 18 are reported to authorities.

Nobody can say for sure how many schools and youth-serving institutions are introducing sexual violence prevention programming in the wake of recent high-profile cases, but we know the number is growing. David Lee, of the nonprofitPreventConnect, says on this front he feels “hopeful.” Fueled by awareness, outrage, and grief, and also by threats of insurance loss and lawsuits—$60 million, Penn State’s penalty; 30 to 60 years, Sandusky’s sentence; $2.2 billion, the amount The Catholic Church has spent litigating with more than 100,000 U.S. survivors—individuals at youth-serving institutions across the country are flight-testing an emerging array of policies and programs that appear to be helping.

Some implement in crisis—Boston’s Catholic schools, for instance, adoptedCommittee for Children’s Talking about Touching, a pre-K-3 program taught in 25,000 schools nationwide, after revelations of widespread abuse there. Others under law, as is the case in Vermont, where landmark 2009 legislation, called Act One, mandates that all schools implement primary prevention as part of comprehensive health education. In many schools, the topic remains taboo. In many schools, post-trauma crisis is still the norm, and the immediate needs are so great that looking upstream to prevention could be called a luxury. But more and more, Lee says, schools and organizations like the Ray School or The Unitarian Universalist Association, recognized for its Our Whole Livescurriculum, make changes before there are headlines.

Ideally, says Bridgid Normand, Committee for Children’s program development manager, current research-based models are implemented systematically, and include policies and procedures for a safe school environment, training for all staff, parent engagement and education, and a child-focused curriculum. In reality, implementation is as varied as people themselves, their communities’ legal practices and workplace cultures, history, politics, and religions, with many schools relying on programs that focus on teaching children to protect themselves, perpetuating the notion that victims are somehow responsible for being assaulted. This, despite newfound awareness of how effectively the“grooming” process silences children, and the obvious but recent shift towards the understanding that adults, not children, are responsible for keeping children safe.

Normand, like other prevention professionals, is extremely careful to note that even the best prevention programming is still only one small piece of the much larger prevention puzzle. As the CDC frames prevention, from HIV/AIDS to obesity, all four pieces of what’s called the social-ecological model for change—Societal, Community, Relationship, and Individual—must be on the table to sustain long-term cultural change.

But while programming in schools and other institutions that care for children is just one small piece of the puzzle, it is not an insignificant one;some 55 million children go to school in the United States every day. The parent-educator connection is a powerful force—most educators are parents too—one that can be engaged with questions as simple as: What are your child safety policies and hiring practices? Do you offer training and instruction?

Different approaches work for different communities, depending on staffing, culture, and resources, says Dr. Carol Shakeshaft, a professor of

educational leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University. In October 2013, PreventConnect, with support from the Ms. Foundation for Women, helped launch a web-conference called #PowerinPrevention. The series of 15 conferences covered policies, programs, and strategies for interested practitioners, including school administrators and staff. The CDC also offers guidelines. In April, Enough Abuse, a Massachusetts-based sexual abuse prevention initiative with collaborators in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and California, launched a comprehensive prevention campaign for schools and youth-serving organizations calledGatekeepers for Kids. Resources include an online forum, videos, ask-an-expert contacts, and assessment, training, and policy consultation services. Often, Shakeshaft says, programs are found by word of mouth, after calls to local prevention professionals. When Pam Graham from the Ray School called WISE in late 2010 and asked for help, for instance, she was transferred to Kate Rohdenburg, WISE’s Program Manager.

Two months later, on a rainy March evening in 2011, Rohdenburg stood at the front of the Ray School auditorium, waiting for the mothers and fathers to settle in. Susanna Carls sat on the sidelines with Pam Graham and Matt Laramie, the Ray School’s principal and a parent of three who’d greenlighted Pam Graham’s request to call WISE for counsel.

“How do we prevent sexual violence?” Rohdenburg, 26, asked, after a brief introduction to a healthy sexuality curriculum called Care for Kids.

Rohdenburg had been trained in the program—developed in Canada and now used in more than a dozen U.S. states—several months before.

She scanned for hands. More than 50 parents had turned out for the information session. More than 70 percent of them held advanced degrees.

They worked nearby at Dartmouth College, at the U.S. Army’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab, at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Memorial Hospital. But none raised a hand.

“Well,” Rohdenburg asked, “how do we promote healthy relationships?”

More silence.

Rohdenburg said, “With Care for Kids, we’re trying to teach young kids and the adults who take care of them communication and empathy, and reinforce protective skills, to recognize and reinforce positive interactions.

Talking about healthy sexuality is an ongoing conversation, sort of like sneaking in veggies—by the time they’re teenagers they don’t want to talk to you anymore, but, if you start now, you’ll have already gotten all the good stuff in them.”

The parents laughed. A good start.

We’re teaching life skills, “not sex,” Rohdenburg is careful to say to parents. Rohdenburg does not teach what is popularly called sex ed—not the definition of intercourse, not techniques of contraception, not protections against STDs. She does not speak about anything scary—bad touches or bad people. Care for Kids is what’s called “trauma-informed,” designed with children who may already have been abused in mind. It teaches kids the language and skills of empathy and consent, in age-appropriate ways and over time, she says. These are skills necessary for any healthy relationship, skills demonstrated to prevent offending behaviors.

The program also offers referrals and resources for those interested in implementing school-wide policy and adult education, and teaches teachers and parents how to look for signs and symptoms, how to address children’s questions and responses, and how to teach children healthy, empathic interpersonal behaviors. But, say Rohdenburg and other prevention experts, for adults to master these skills, they must first acknowledge and address their own discomfort that feeds the silence that covers for child sexual violence.

And so, Rohdenburg said to the Ray School parents next, “I want you to think about the first messages you ever got about sexuality.”

The room was quiet. Then parents started to whisper and laugh.

“Who wants to share?” Rohdenburg asked.

A woman raised a hand. “I was walking home from junior high school,” she said, “ and a guy in a car pulls up next to me and asks if I can give him a—blow job.”

Several parents burst out laughing.

“For $50, he said. I thought he wanted his car washed. I said, ‘No thanks,’ but he kept asking if I’d give him a blow job. He finally drove away. It took me a week to figure it out. I talked to a friend…I would have never talked to my mother.”

“I remember Playboy was around the house like the New Yorker,” a man said. “There was never any acknowledgement of it…we all just silently took it in. Nobody ever talked about sex, and it was just lying around everywhere.”

“When I was a kid,” another woman said, “my parents talked to me about stranger-danger…But it’s not a stranger, it’s a teacher or a coach.”

“And we talk to strangers all the time,” said Rohdenburg, “so we’re not modeling that behavior for our kids. It’s confusing.”

It is confusing. Why do so many seemingly normal people sexually assault children? One study indicates 34 percent of offenders are family members, 59 percent acquaintances. Upward of 94 percent are male, with 30 to 50 percent of abusers still children or adolescents themselves. “Not

all people who abuse are the same and not all of the reasons they abuse are the same,” says Joan Tabachnick, a national consultant on offender treatment. “Some people are sexually attracted to young children. Some abuse because they have access to children and are drinking, depressed, jealous, or just need comfort. Some are developmentally delayed and don’t understand the implications of what they do. Some are psychopaths. Some have grown up in a culture where the signs of sexual abuse are ignored and somehow justify to themselves that it is okay.” What we do know, says Tabachnick, is that the cost of sexual assault is huge, both socially and economically. We know that when an organization or a community—whether college campus or elementary school or church group—creates a culture of accountability, where sexual assault is talked about and not tolerated, where inappropriate behaviors are discussed and addressed through organizational policies, and people are educated about healthy sexual development—people are less likely to offend.

Rohdenburg says she believes a culture that rejects violence against children and women is possible. But every so often, she lets slip a burst of exasperation. What was it Penn State’s Joe Paterno said on his way out? Oh, yes. “The kids that were victims of whatever they want to say, I think we all ought to say a prayer for them.’” “…Say a prayer?” Rohdenburg says. “Freakin’ do something.”

Mostly, Rohdenburg asks a lot of questions. Her favorite—it can be asked of anybody, anywhere—“Does that make sense?”

Rohdenburg checked her watch. It was getting late. She opened the floor to questions. “What if a child falsely reports?” (False reports are rare, though the question is important, because we must keep adults safe as well as children.) “What, exactly, will you teach?” (Six lessons: Bodies; Babies; Feelings; Bedtime; Touching; Secrets and Surprises.) “Is there a version for Catholic schools?” (Yes.) For almost an hour, Rohdenburg and Graham fielded questions. And then a parent asked, “How do we know it works?”

There is no quick answer. The adult responsibility-focused programs being adopted across the country show evidence of strengthening protective factors and decreasing the likelihood of child sexual abuse, research shows.

They improve hiring practices and reporting, parent-child communication, social and emotional competence, and resilience for both parents and children. Studies show increased sense of personal efficacy for kids, more positive body image and attitude, and, for those who’ve been abused, a decrease in self-blame. Rohdenburg and Graham did their best to explain.

Another parent asked, “How do we know it works?”

Off to one side, Susanna Carls stood up. For a moment, she said nothing, the color in her cheeks rising. “To me,” she then said, “if there are kids who are helped, great.” The parent said nothing. “Teachers will be present for all of this,” Carls continued. “If there’s a child who’s uncomfortable, we’ll call the parent…” she paused, and, for a moment, Carls and the parent simply looked at one another. “I was sexually abused as a girl,” Carls said. “I didn’t say anything for years. I wish I’d been given a voice. I wish someone would have talked about it.” Carls sat down, and the room filled with quiet words of recognition. Thank you and Oh and I’m sorry.

A month later, Rohdenburg returned to the Ray School.

“Hi, everyone!” she said, opening one class, called “Touching.” “Do you remember me?”

“Yes!” Seventeen children yelled happily back.

“Last week,” said Rohdenburg, “we gave a baby a bath!” Her scarf was sparkly this day, the colors of a peacock feather.

“Do you have the dolls today?” a child asked.

The kids had clearly loved giving “baths” to their plastic baby dolls, one boy, one girl, one beige, one brown, during their “Babies” class— Babies need help with most things and deserve to be looked after. Children, as they grow, learn to do more things by themselves, but they still need some help.

For several minutes, Rohdenburg named body parts, and kids called back. “Public!” or “Private!” Elbow, penis, shoulder, buttocks, nose, vagina. They’d learned the Bodies’ lesson two weeks before— Our bodies are good and special and deserve care and respect (including our private parts). Boys and girls have many parts that are the same and some that are different.

A child shouted. “We need a special soap! If it gets in your eyes it doesn’t hurt!”

“Once a spicy noodle went in my eye!” called out another.

Rohdenburg crinkled her nose. “Owwww,” she said. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

The kindergarteners and first graders of the Ray School’s K-1 classes spoke boisterously and often and out of turn. They jumped up during circle time, skipped to the recycling bin without asking. Rohdenburg listened and let them roam. She is not afraid of the prospect of their mutiny. More important, she is not frightened by the fact of their sexuality.

“They’re not usually like this,” one teacher said. “They’re excited to have a guest speaker,” explained another. In one of the four “Touching” classes I witnessed Rohdenburg teach—Sometimes we like touching and sometimes we don’t. Touching is never a secret. Any person can say “no” to touching. Don’t touch a person who says “No touching.”—one teacher turned the classroom over to Rohdenburg entirely, allowing the children what Rohdenburg calls “agency.” In every class, Rohdenburg handed each child a colorful strip of construction paper, a yard long. Each child traced his or her hand, cut out the tracings, and then stapled one raggedy-edged cutout hand to each end of the paper strip. When asked, they flew from their tables, paper arms flapping, and formed a circle.

They took turns asking a classmate if a paper hug or handshake or high five would be okay. “Can I hug you?” they asked, their age-appropriate lesson in consent. “Is it okay if I hug you?”

It’s not proof, it’s not evidence, but it was hard not to notice that in the one classroom where freedom of expression, or “agency,” was allowed by adults, most of the children, when asked by a classmate if they could be “hugged” firmly said, “No.” They asked for a high-five or a handshake instead. In the classrooms where adults controlled the children’s speech and bodies—“1, 2, 3, eyes on me!” “Raise your hand!” “Sit down!”—all but a few children answered the question “Can I hug you?” with a quiet “Yes.” How young we are taught to meet expectations.

A year later, in spring 2012, while Rohdenburg set up WISE information tables and scheduled prevention and education classes next door at Dartmouth College, which has started to make headlines for widespread campus assault, Graham taught the class called “Feelings”—Everyone has all kinds of feelings. When you are not sure what you are feeling, we called that “mixed up” or “confused.”—and another called “Secrets and Surprises”— Sometimes we want to keep a secret, sometimes we don’t. Touching is never a secret. When you are sad or confused because someone asked you to keep a secret, you can ask two or three grownups for help. “I do my best to let the children express themselves fully,” she said after the class. There’s so much more to do, she said. By March 2014, she’d taught another 80 children, five and six years old. Only one family opted out, she says.

She wants to integrate curricula for the older grades. Introduce more staff training. The Ray School still sends home parent worksheets and surveys during the classes, but no longer organizes group parent meetings, instead inviting parents individually or in small groups to come in and talk.

It’s more comfortable that way. She says that since the Ray School has begun integrating sexual violence prevention policy and education, other colleagues have shared stories of surviving sexual assault. Two kindergarteners have made disclosures to their mothers, both of whom called Graham, a parent herself, so they could work together.

Says Matt Laramie, the Ray School’s Principal, “When you see the cycle broken, this early, it’s joyful.” Says Melody Dillard, who’d sat in the Ray School’s classrooms a generation ago, waiting for someone to speak. “This is how things are supposed to be.”

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.

FAITH LEAF

SunDAY

THE MORUNG EXPRESS 4 May 2014

www.morungexpress.com

Of friends who converted to Christianity

W

hen the drooling dinner was served, my friend, Nima continued narrating the amazing and amusing story of his friend to Rev. Zotuo. Nima and his beautiful wife, Ruth came to Nagaland for internship. They were sent by TROTB ministries, where they are getting trained to be full time missionaries. Nima is an Iranian Muslim convert and Ruth is a Punjabi by origin, both settled in the UK. They have amazing testimonies, each of them. The moved out of the UK because they heard and felt God wants them to serve as missionaries in Thailand, and very soon they will be in Bangkok.

I heard the full story of Nima’s friend when told to Rev. Zotuo and it intrigued me. I asked Nima to write the story the same way he told Rev. Zotuo.

He did and here it is in Nima’s words.

Thank you Nima and Ruth for letting us read the story. The name of Nima’s friend and the prison is left anonymous because it can endanger the people involved. In Nima’s words: Iran is number 8 on the Open Doors World Watch list of countries where the persecution of Christians ishappening, but despite all the persecution people are embracing Christ on a daily basis.

There was a time in my life where I had met a brother at the Bible College I was attending. When this brother had completed his studies, he decided to go back to Iran and serve the Lord in full time ministry among his nation.

The Lord used this dear friend of mine in such a mighty way. Due to his activity among the Persian speakers, he was soon arrested for evangelism, bible training and distributing Persian Christian literature. Even though my friend was behind bars, the walls within the prison could not stop him from sharing the Gospel with other inmates.

There was a point during his imprisonment the officials had to remove my friend to confinement. There he had no one to talk too but the guards. Soon af-

S

he was kidnapped in South Sudan before she was even a teenager and forced by her Muslim captor to the North. Subjected to beatings, forced genital mutilation, and commanded to “pray like a Muslim,” she found liberation after 19 painful years.

“I was captured in 1994 in Gok Machar. I was still young, not yet a teenager. Six of us were captured. Three of us refused to go to the North. They were killed. My hands were tied to a horse to pull me along. We walked all day without rest, and we weren’t treated when we were sick,” Ayul Aguer told those who worked for her release at Christian Solidarity International (CSI).

After they arrived at their destination, her new master – a man named Mohammad Jamos, sold two of the remaining three victims, so only Ayul remained as his servant.

“He did not treat me well,” she recounts. “He beat me all the time, as much as ten times a day. He forced me to work, grinding grain, fetching water,

Mezhiisevi Mark Ziitso

My nous on Nagas and the Bible

The writer is currently doing his Master of Theology (Th.m) majoring in Biblical Theology in Asian Christian Academy and also works with Christ in Youth Team, Kohima.

ter he began to share the gospel with the guards and the investigation officers.

One day a prison governor had visited my friend and through conversation he had mentioned, there is one condition, which we can set you free. The governor went on stating the conditions, plead guilty, and take oath that you will not evangelise anymore, denounce your activities and beg for your pardon. The governor continued and stated that my friend will be tape recorded and will be handed a letter to confirm that he had denounced such activities.

My friend was given one hour to do what the governorrequested. At that precise moment the Holy Spirit began to speak with my dear friend, “you can speak about yourself for the next hour or you can speak about Jesus, what do you want do?” so my friend made the decision and he began to speak about Jesus.

After a while the governor got upset and said he didn’t want to hear any more about Jesus and sent him to his cell as he was not answering the relevant questions. At this point the governor had even came to the conclusion that my friend had gone mad, at the fact that he didn’t want to even consider his own freedom

but speak about Jesus.

A few months later the governor had returned and explained you can go home and be with your family, you have half hour too explain to me about your activities and not about Jesus. The Holy Spirit yet again began to speak to my friend, “you can speak about yourself for the next half hour or you can speak about Jesus, what do you want do?” so my dear friend made the decision and he began to speak about Jesus. The governor became very angry and said, “this was your last chance and it seems like you deserve to be in here.” My friend was pleased he was able to share the gospel as the Holy Spirit was comforting him.

A few months later the governor came back and stated to my friend, “this is the very last chance I am giving you; you now have 15minutes to denounce your faith and sign these papers to confirm it.” The Holy Spirit began to speak yet again to my friend, “you can speak about yourself for the next 15mins or you can speak about Jesus, what do you want do?” So my dear friend made the decision and he began to speak about Jesus without any hesitation. The governor at this point became very angry with my friend and told him

Sudanese Christian woman, enslaved for 19 years, liberated!

Mark Ellis cooking, and washing clothes,” according to her interview with CSI. One day Mohammad sent her to the market for provisions, but a tragic incident happened. “Some Arab boys raped me on the way, and knifed my finger, upper arm and upper thigh.”

Ayul followed Jesus Christ at the time of her capture and attended church, but her captor forbade any outward expression of her faith.

“Mohammed forced me to pray like a Muslim. He threatened to kill me if I talked about church. Once I told him I was going to go to church anyway. He tied me up outside and left me in the sun all day. He ordered me to look at the sun.

A

couple of T-shirt slogans caught my attention recently and made me think. “Live before you Die” said one. “Live free or die” said another. I began to wonder: “Everyone lives before they die and very few people live in bondage, right? Was I missing something here?” I began to look more closely at people’s lives and realised that some just “exist” and do not really “live.” Then I came across another quote which said: “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” How did my life measure up? Am I really living the life that God intended for me?”

One of the most quoted speeches is Steve Jobs’ commencement address at Stanford University in 2005 in which he says, “When I was 17 I read a quote that went something like, “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll be most certainly right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

If you were to ask yourself the same question, would the answer be ‘No’ for many days in a row? If so, you need to change something!

I couldn’t see for some days after that. I still get dizzy sometimes,” she recounts.

Mohammed also forced her to undergo female genital mutilation/cutting (FGC), sometimes referred to as female circumcision. It is estimated that between 100 million and 140 million girls and women worldwide have received FGC, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. There are more than 3 million girls at risk of having FGC each year.

“I didn’t want it; it’s not from my culture,” Ayul says.

A short time later, Ayul was given to another slave, Deng, to be his wife. “We had three children, and gave them Arab

Live before you die!

Rev. Dr. Jose T. nithi

that all visitation rights will be suspended and he will not be allowed to come out of his cell for 3 months. My friend was then sent back to his cell.

About a month later, the doors to his cell was reopened and they released him to go to the prison yard for his 1 hour of free time. Leaving the cell, my friend felt he hadn’t heard from the Holy Spirit for a few days. While he was walking through the prison feeling low, he had noticed that Persian Christian songs were being played from the megaphones that were installed in the corridors. To his surprise he began to shout to other inmates, “Can you hear this?Can you hear this?”

One had replied and said, “Yes, they are playing Christian songs.” My friend was overwhelmed and filled with great joy, he began to openly Praise and worship God for 1 whole hour. His free time came to an end and he was escorted back to confinement, feeling reenergised and refreshed. During his prayer time in his cell, the cell hatch was opened and through the hatch appeared the governor, he spoke out, “Thank you for sharing about Him, I know Him now” (said with a smile). The Governor shut the hatch and went his way. Approximately two months later, my friend received a letter of pardon with the help of the governor and was soon returned back to his family and friends. Amen.

This prisoner and our brother in Christ chose God at the expense of his freedom and family. This recent story is not less than the story of Paul and Silas in prison in the book of Acts where the jailer and his household were saved (16:25-33). Here the Governor was saved. There is nothing much to say, the story told everything in real. This story reminded of what William Carey said, ““Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” May God give us the grace to choose Him and to talk about Him in the time and opportunity given to us. Be it at home, at school, at college, at work or anywhere. names. If I had given them Dinka names, I would have lost my life,” she says.

Ayul is from the Dinka people group, the largest ethnic tribe in South Sudan, which makes up about 18% of the population.

Ayul was separated from her three children when she was liberated in September, 2013 and returned to her home in South Sudan. “I need my children back,” she says. “I also need Deng. He’s the only one I know.” Deng also belongs to the Dinka people.

“But I’m happy to be here. When the slave retriever told me we were going back to South Sudan, I was so happy that I laughed all the time.”

The freedom to openly express her Christian faith is a huge blessing to Ayul.

“I will go to church again. I want to make a business here. I will make a shelter with a plastic sheet, and wait for my children.”

Ayul was freed from slavery for only $50. Thousands of others, including her children, are still trapped in slavery in North Sudan.

FUTILITY OF LIFE TO FRUITFUL LIFE? King Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, a man who enjoyed wealth beyond measure, pleasure beyond description and wisdom far above the wisest, says, “Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless. So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 2:17) “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity” (Eccl. 5:10). In spite of accumulation of wealth and searching for the secrets of success and achieving it, still we feel there is something that is dead within us. Norman Cousins calls that the tragedy of all tragedies: “The tragedy of life is not death but what we let die inside of us while we live.”

Dying inside is a spiritual problem. God promises a life of fruitfulness and a life of abundance in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

SINFUL LIVING TO SIGNIFICANT LIVING? God alone can take us out of meaningless living. In the story of the prodigal son, “He got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20-25). A sinful life was changed by the compassion of God into a significant life. Life restored through Jesus Christ is the only way to significant living. Jesus regards and honours our simple, child like faith and gives us a significant life. Why hesitate? Get up and come to him.

MERE EXISTENCE?: “We are the hollow men, We are the stuffed men, Leaning together, Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! Our dried voices, when we whisper together, Are quiet and meaningless, As wind in dry grass, or rats’ feet over broken glass, In our dry cellar.” The poem “The Hollow Men”

by T.S.Elliot well describes the traumatic experience of people and the hollowness of life. They wander on earth with no purpose in life, like zombies. God has not called or created us for mere existence. The Bible says, “God created man in his own image” (Gen. 1: 27). If God created us in his own image, then there has to be some meaning and purpose in our living.

DESTROYED LIFE TO DESIRABLE LIFE?: Marilyn Monroe, one of the most famous Hollywood celebrities said, “Fame doesn’t fulfill you. It warms you a bit, but that warmth is temporary.” Her suicide is still a mystery.

This year already the world has seen 12 bankers commit suicide. Fame and fortune don’t make any one happy, they just warm you.

Many lives have been and are destroyed because they search for meaning in life in the wrong places and

7

INSPIRATIONAL STORIES, MESSAGES, POEMS & SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

Satan aids them. “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy...” - John 10: 10. After enjoying everything life had to offer, Solomon felt there was something more to life. “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men...” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). God alone can give a desirable life.

WAKE UP AND LIVE: It may sound strange and weird to get advice from rock-stars on living but Bon Jovi says it well: “You learn what’s wrong and right, You fight and you forgive, You live before you die...

Sit down son, come take my hand, Look me in the eye, take these words, promise me - You live before you die.” We do not want to hear someone’s sobering statement about our death -- “I’m not sorry he died; I’m sorry he never began to live.”

God has designed the answer to our searching; why not look in the most obvious places? An inward emptiness is a spiritual problem. We do not have to die a dozen deaths before we really die. Easter season is the gentle reminder from our creator, “I died so that you can live”, I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance. (John 10:10).

Preacher's Daughter Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison ... What?

J

anie Burkett was raised in a quiet town in Oklahoma. She was a pastor’s daughter with a happy childhood and loving family.

“We had a great church,” Janie said. “I always knew I was going to do something big for God. I loved Jesus so much.” But when Janie was 10 years old, her parents separated.

“We were busy, busy with God,” Janie said. “They were busy helping other people but they forgot about themselves. The vision that I had of God began to switch. That He is a judgmental God. The vision of God was “If you are a loving God, then why do you let such bad things happen to good people?”

A few months later, Janie’s parents reconciled.

They decided to travel full-time as evangelists but Janie hated her new life on the road.

“My childhood from that point on was hard because everything that I had known was crumbling,” Janie said. “I began to comfort eat. It was the one thing that would be there when everybody else left. I was 200 pounds at 15, 16 years old.”

At the age of 15, while her parents were preaching at a revival, Janie was raped by a boy her age. For years, she kept it a secret. “For a long time, I took the blame of it, that it was my fault,” Janie said, “and I hated myself. I was raped when I was fat, so I just wanted to get rid of it. I wanted to get rid of it, so I think that is where most of the bulimia started.”

After five years on the road, Janie’s family settled down in a small Texas town. Janie plunged into the party life.

“I began to get in with the wrong crowd,” Janie said. “Then when I took my first hit of cocaine at 17 is when it was ‘over the top.’ The whole insecurity faded. And, this is what caught me with the drugs, because it completely took away the reality of what I thought about myself. But, as soon as the high faded off the insecurity came right back. So, I was hooked, my first hit and I was hooked.” While her drug use was rising, Janie’s weight was plummeting.

“When I would look in the mirror and I was 110 pounds I was like, I have got to get thinner,” Janie said.

“The only way I am going to be loved is if I am really, really, really thin. The more dope I can do, the thinner I can get. The more I throw up, the thinner I can get.”

Soon, Janie found a new way to take drugs; the needle.

"I had like a $300 a day or $400 a day habit. So then you start selling dope, then you start doing forgery, you start doing organized crime. It wasn't a party life anymore. It was a way of survival."

Janie’s family was grieved over her addictions, but their efforts to pull her out were futile.

“They would try to do as much as they could to pour Jesus into me the time that I would be home,” Janie said. “They would put on Christian worship music when I would come home and I would clean up for a day, and there I’d go. I can remember my dad being in the driveway with tears pouring down his face because he knew he wouldn’t see me again for months.”

By the age of 22, Janie was a high profile drug dealer with 17 warrants out for her arrest.

“They had set my bond at 1.5 million dollars,” Janie said. “Like, 1.5 million dollars” Janie eventually served 18 months of a 5 year prison sentence. But, less than a year after her release, she violated her probation with alcohol and drug use.

“On Dec. 18th was my hearing for me to go in front of the judge,” Janie said. “She looked at me through her glasses and she said, ‘I am confining miss Burkett to the Texas Department of Corrections for 40 years.”

“I thought about, when its time to get married, I’m going to be in prison. When it is time to have kids and watch them grow up. I’m going to be in prison. 24 years old, completely broken, 90-something pounds, alcoholic, drug addict. I had no life left before me.”

“I was transferred back to the Women’s State Prison to serve out my 40 years,” Janie said. “I remember looking out the window, seeing all that was before me, it was just me and Jesus…me and the Savior who died for me.” And I ask you Lord, that if it be your will, would you please overturn this sentence? But if not, then give me grace to accept the fact that this is where I will spend most of my life and give me peace and love to do it.”

“My inside began to change,” Janie said. “I began to read my Bible. I began to pray, my anger began to break and my hate began to break and the love of God began to flow through me.

At the same time Janie and her parents were praying for a miracle, the judge who sentenced her resigned. Soon after, Janie received a letter from her mother.

“And it said, ‘YAYYYY! We got a new trial.’ In big letters it said, ‘the new judge is going to hear your case.’”

Janie asked the new judge to send her to a Christian rehab program called Teen Challenge.

“She came out and she said, ‘If I could give you a 60 year prison sentence and probate it, I would because what you did was wrong and unacceptable with this court.’ She said, ‘however, that would not be merciful nor would it be compassionate. What I am going to do it probate that sentence, that you go to Teen Challenge, you complete the program, and you make something of yourself. ‘” Janie left for Teen Challenge.

“I went in basically dead,” Janie said, “a dead person with skin and bones and the Lord was transforming me this 13 months. I graduated at 135 pounds. I had finally completed something in my life and God had given me a new start. And I looked in the mirror and I saw somebody completely different. I saw my hair was fuller and my eyes were beautiful. I didn’t see fat anymore. I saw who God saw.”

Today, Janie is drug free and has completely reconciled with her family. She is also a full time speaker and has written a book called, “Unshackled.”

“There is no drug that is too big for God,” Janie said. “There is no prison that is too big for God. Give your life to Jesus because it will be the best decision that you have ever made in your life. Just try Jesus.

Don’t let him be your last shot. Try him and see what a difference he can make in your life.”

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

Sunday 4 May 2014

The Morung Express

India drafts policy to cut carbon emissions

NEW DELHI, May 3 (REutERs): India, one of the world’s largest polluters, has drafted a national policy aimed at reducing its carbon emissions from deforestation as part of a global scheme which financially rewards developing nations for carbon stored through forest preservation.

But some environmentalists are sceptical, saying the move is unlikely to yield results as previous compensation schemes have not led to serious cuts in emissions. India has the tenth largest forest coverage in the world. It is also the world’s fifth largest carbon emitter, accounting for 5 percent of global greenhouse gases, according to the Indian government.

Deforestation and forest degradation - through agricultural expansion, conversion to pastureland, infrastructure development, logging and fires - account for nearly 20 percent of emissions, says the United Nations. This is more than transportation sector and second only to the energy sector.

As a result, the fledgling U.N.-backed Reducing

Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation scheme, or REDD+ - aims to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands, while managing them sustainably.

“There is a need to recognise the carbon function of the forests and develop a fair, transparent and participatory mechanism to share the financial benefits arising out of national and international mitigation and adaptation programmes with the local communities participating in the conservation efforts,” said the draft policy document issued on Wednesday by the Ministry of Environment.

“The National REDD+ Policy aims to provide a roadmap for building comprehensive strategies for implementing REDD+ projects and programmes effectively in the country in the context of international development in this sector.” Around 300 million people - one quarter of India’s population - are dependent on forestland, which occupies about 20

India 3rd on list of ‘green buildings’ countries WasHINGtON, May 3 (PtI): India has been ranked third on the list of top 10 countries in leadership in energy and environmental design outside America, according to the latest US Green Building Council report. Canada followed by China occupy the top two slots in the ranking of the top 10 countries for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) outside the US. The report said the list demonstrates the global reach of the movement that is transforming the building environment into healthy, high-performing structures that benefit the planet and its people.

From India ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi, built in 1977, Platinum under LEED, was notably

mentioned in the report.

“The global community is increasingly recognising the imperative for action as we combat the extraordinary challenge of worldwide climate change,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “LEED’s success across a wide variety of cultures, climates and communities represents not only a growing recognition of its demonstrated benefits for human health and operational cost savings, but also its unparalleled potential to be part of the solution to a warming planet and rising sea levels,” he said.

The ranking of the top 10 countries for LEED outside the US is based on cumulative gross square meters (GSM) of space

certified to LEED in each nation as of April 2014, a statement said. Canada tops the list, with 17.74 million GSM of LEED space. Collectively, Canada boasts of 4,068 total LEED-registered and certified projects, representing 58.66 million total GSM of LEED space.

China and India, two of the world’s fastest growing economies and rapid adopters of sustainable building practices, took second and third place on the list having 14.30 million and 11.64 million GSM of LEED-certified space respectively, the statement said.

Other Asian nations in the top 10 included South Korea at number four with 3.84 million GSM of LEEDcertified space and Singa-

pore at number with 2.16 million GSM. In Europe, Germany and Finland secured the sixth and tenth spot respectively — Germany with 2.90 million GSM of LEED-certified space and Finland with 1.45 million. In South America, Brazil stood at number 7 on the list, with 2.85 million GSM while the United Arab Emirates represented green building success in the Middle East at number 9 with 1.82 million GSM of LEED-certified space. The list of the top 10 countries for LEED reflects the global adaptability of the world’s most widely used and recognised system guiding the design, construction, operations and maintenance of green buildings, the statement said.

percent of the country’s total territory.

The national draft policy said there was significant scope for improving quality of forest cover by addressing degradation which is major problem facing centuries-old wood-

land in India.

The REDD+ programme could provide for the capture of around 1 billion tonnes of additional CO2 over the next three decades and significant financial incentives, the draft said.

“REDD+ can be a part of an effective strategy and tool for mitigation and adaptation of climate change, improving ecological and environmental services, biodiversity conservation as well as enhancing the forest based livelihood of

forest dependent communities,” said the draft policy document.

“LIP SERVICE” But environmental group Greenpeace India said while it welcomed the move to address emissions

cuts from deforestation, the country’s forests faced serious challenges from industrial activities such as mining as well as the building of roads, railways and dams.

“India has always been interested in market mechanisms to address emissions cuts and climate change, but previous examples of such financial reward schemes show that they do not work,” said Vinuta Gopal, Greenpeace India’s climate change campaigner.

“Money which is awarded for such clean ventures has often been poured into other ventures.” Gopal cited the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) - a similar emissions reduction initiative which allows countries to earn carbon credits which can be traded and sold to developed nations as part of their own reduction targets.

“In the refrigeration industry, for example, we saw companies gaining credits for removing CFCs and they would then use the CDM money for putting them back into units,” Gopal said.

“The Indian govern-

ment has also declared a clear intent to mine vast tracts of forest for coal reserves to meet energy needs and then it is drafting a policy on REDD+. Lip service is being paid to climate change.” In March, the latest report on climate change by the U.N. stressed the risks of global warming, making a stronger case for governments to adopt policies on adaptation and cut emissions.

It predicted a rise in global temperatures of between 0.3 and 4.8 degrees Celcius (0.5 to 8.6 Farenheit) and a rise of up to 82 cm (32 inches) in sea levels by the late 21st century due to melting ice and expansion of water as it warms, threatening coastal cities from Shanghai to San Francisco.

Environmentalists say in order to constrain the impacts of climate change within limits that society will reasonably be able to tolerate, global average temperatures must be stabilised within two degrees Celsius.

This, they add, will be practically impossible to achieve without reducing emissions from the forest sector, in addition to other mitigation actions.

A year after Uttarakhand floods, ‘Char Dham Yatra’ begins

uttaRkasHI, May 3 (aNI): The annual ‘Char Dham yatra’ began for devotees with the reopening of the sacred portals of the Himalayan shrines of Gangotri and Yamunotri in Uttarakhand, a year after the devastating floods that left a trail of destruction and an immense loss to life and property. The portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri Temple, located in Uttarakashi district, were opened on Friday on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, after the traditional six-month winter break.

The region is a popular Hindu pilgrimage destination due to its four temple towns of Kedarnath,

Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, which make up the site called “Char Dham Yatra”, attracting tens of thousands of devotees from all over India and abroad during the peak summer months. The president of temple committee, Suresh Semwal on Saturday said the portals would remain open for the devotees for next six months.

“The doors of the Gangotri Temple have been opened and it will remain open for the devotees for next six months,” said Semwal.

A large number of devotees flocked to the temple to witness the ceremony marked by religious rituals held by the priest of

the temple. The Yamunotri shrine dedicated to ‘Mother Yamuna’ in the same district was also reopened to devotees after special prayers and rituals performed by the head priest. A devotee, Shruti, urged more pilgrims to visit the holy shrine. “The Char Dham Yatra begins from Yamunotri and everyone should come over here and undertake this pilgrimage.

The condition of the road is good and we did not face any problem,” said Shruti.

For thousands of years, pilgrims have flocked to Uttarakhand’s majestic Himalayan mountains, drawn by the ancient Hindu belief that it was here

that deities such as Lord Shiva and Vishnu resided.

The region, with its lush green valley dotted with countless temples and shrines, is often referred to as ‘Dev Bhoomi’ or the ‘Land of the Gods.’ The unprecedented rainfall last year, which wreaked havoc across the region, making rivers overflow and setting off massive landslides, killed almost 6,000 people.

Two lakh people, onefifth of Uttarakhand’s population, have had their lives disrupted by the devastation. The rains buried villages in silt and washed away roads, while raging rivers like the Ganges swept away homes on their banks.

An Indian shopkeeper arranges mangoes at his shop in a fruit market in Mumbai, India on May 3. India recognizes the mango as its national fruit and is the world's largest mango producer. (AP Photo)

36.76 mn voters for second phase Andhra polls EC to consider Army chief Curfew Continues in HyDERabaD, May 3 rangements for live web- of security personnel has was concerned over the appointment issue Over 36.76 million cast from 23,000 polling been trebled compared to growing money power in Srinagar for Third Day (IaNs): voters, half of them wom- stations. The remaining elections in 2009. Telan- the elections. He said the

sRINaGaR, May 3 (PtI): Curfew continued for the third day in areas under seven police stations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar on Saturday though public transport ran and shops opened in some parts of the city. As a preventive measure, the authorities continued the curfew in Rainawari, Khanyaar, Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Safakadal, Zadibal and Maisuma police station areas of the city. No restrictions or curfew have been imposed in any other part of the city, a senior police officer said. Dozens of public transport vehicles ferrying tourists to Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Pahalgam hill stations plied normally on roads in the Valley.

Curfew was imposed

after a youth identified as Bashir Ahmad, from Gratabal area (Nawa Kadal) in old city, died in firing by security forces on Wednesday. A magisterial probe was ordered into the incident and the district magistrate of Srinagar was ordered to submit the report within 15 days. The Central Reserve Police Force has also ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Incidents of stone pelting were reported on Friday from Kashmir’s Baramulla and Bandipora districts in which protestors attacked an ambulance, injuring its driver. Two senior police officers were injured on Friday in stone pelting incidents in Badgam district and the uptown Hyderpora area of Srinagar.

Chennai train blasts: Police looking for ‘bald man’ CHENNaI, May 3 (IaNs): The Tamil Nadu Police is on the lookout for the bald man caught on camera running away from the train minutes before two bombs went off in two coaches of the Bangalore-Guwahati Express Thursday, an official said Saturday. A police official told IANS that they are hoping to get information from the public about the bald man who was seen in a camera footage running away from the train minutes before the two bombs went off.

The blasts in S4 and S5 coaches killed one young woman and injured 14 people. On Friday, Inspector General of Police in Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CBCID) Maheshkumar Aggarwal said: “We found the movements of a bald person getting down from the S3 coach and running

away as unusual from the CCTV footage. His movements were unusual.” Aggarwal stressed the police does not consider the man as a suspect in the case but sought his presence in the investigation to explain his unusual movements.

He said the man got off the train at 7.08 a.m. The two bombs went off in succession at around 7.15 a.m.

According to Aggarwal, the man was not seen getting on the train at the Chennai Central station but was only seen getting down and running away.

The police officer said the investigating team is also checking the camera footage at all other stations between Bangalore and Chennai Central stations.

A senior railway police official told IANS that security at the railway station has been beefed up without inconveniencing the travellers

en, are eligible to cast their votes in the second phase of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh May 7. Chief electoral officer (CEO) Bhanwarlal told reporters here Saturday that all arrangements have been made for conducting free and fair elections for 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Seemandhra (residuary state of Andhra Pradesh).

The CEO said 40,708 polling centres were set up for the second phase elections to be held in 13 districts of Seemandhra (four districts of Rayalaseema and nine districts of coastal Andhra). As many as 12,740 polling stations have been categorised as critical. The authorities have made ar-

polling booths will be covered by videography, static cameras and micro observers.

Polling in two Maoist affected assembly constituencies will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. In 10 other Maoist affected constituencies, the balloting will take place till 5 p.m. while in the remaining 165 constituencies the deadline is 6 p.m. For parliamentary elections in Seemandhra, 333 candidates are in the fray while 2,246 contestants are testing their political fortunes in 175 assembly constituencies. Bhanwarlal said 272 companies of paramilitary forces besides 110,000 state police personnel would be deployed. The number

gana and Andhra Pradesh will come into being as separate states on June 2.

The Election Commission is holding polls in united Andhra Pradesh.

The elected legislators will be allotted to the respective states after June 2.

Rs.140 crore seized A whopping Rs.140 crore in unaccounted cash has been seized during the ongoing assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh so far, officials said Saturday. The state accounts for more than 50 percent of the Rs.272 crore seized across the country.

State Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal told reporters here Saturday that the Election Commission

number of flying squads was also increased to keep a close watch on the money and liquor flow.

The police have so far seized five lakh litres of liquor. “As the seized liquor bottles have made in Goa, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh stickers, we will send teams to these states for further investigations,” he said. The cash and liquor were seized March 5 onwards when the poll panel announced the election schedule. Half of the cash was seized in Telangana where elections to 119 assembly and 17 Lok Sabha seats were held Wednesday. Polling for 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Seemandhra is scheduled May 7.

Air taxi service in Rajasthan soon

JaIPuR, May 3 (IaNs): The Rajasthan government is set to soon launch an air taxi service which will help connect major industrial and tourism points in the state, officials said. “As per the plan, approved by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje before the (Lok Sabha) election code of conduct came into effect (March 5), we will give on rent the state government-owned planes to individuals and organisations for flying in the state,” a senior official of the gen-

eral administration department told IANS Saturday. He said Rajasthan has two planes and airports are functional in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur.

Work on airports is on in Kota and Ajmer while defence-owned airports are operational in Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer. The state also has a number of airstrips and helipads.

“To begin with, we will fly these two airplanes with a capacity of seven passengers each as air taxis and charge a minimum fare of

Rs.10,000 per person. The condition is the planes will only fly when all seats are booked,” he said. Welcoming the idea, tour and transport operator Karan Singh said Rajasthan located in the north-west of India is the country’s largest state in terms of area. Foreign tourists visiting the state have to skip important destinations due to absence of proper air connectivity or lack of quick means of transport. “I think this air taxi service will not only help to open some of the

virgin tourism sites in the state but also give a boost to the flow of tourists,” he said.

Rajasthan with its heritage, culture, safaris, sand dunes, lush forests and wildlife continues to be one of the favourite tourism destinations in the world.

The foreign tourists are mostly from France, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the US, Spain, Canada and Australia. The state in the past couple of years attracted over 1.5 million foreign tourists and over 28 million domestic tourists.

NEW DELHI, May 3 (aGENCIEs): The Election Commission on Saturday said it will consider the issue of appointment of the next Army chief when its top brass meets next week. “We have received a reference from the Defence Ministry and the issue is under examination.

But no decision has been taken so far. The matter has so far not been placed on the agenda of the ‘full commission’ (the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners),” a senior EC official told PTI. “The meeting could take place on Monday or Tuesday where the matter would be considered,” the official said.

The poll panel will consider the matter in the light of its March 27 order that appointments, promotions, tenders and procurements of defence forces are not covered under the Model Code of Conduct in the ongoing elections as well as any other election in the future as well as complaints from BJP that the government was rushing with the appointment of the next Chief of Army Staff.

Amid strong opposition by the BJP to the appointment of the next Army chief, the Government had referred the matter to the Election Commission saying any decision will be taken only after getting its nod.

“The matter is before the Election Commission. We want to strictly follow all the procedures before taking any final decision on the issue,” Defence Minister AK Antony had said yesterday when asked about the status of appointing the next Army chief. The matter was sent to the EC by the Defence Ministry earlier this week though the poll panel has already said that appointments, promotions, tenders and procurements are not covered under the Model Code of Conduct in the ongoing elections as well as any other election in the future.

On why the Ministry has sent the matter to the Election Commission despite its March 27 order, highly-placed Defence Ministry sources said such matters are important and it was felt that nod of all authorities concerned should be taken before proceeding. The BJP has been opposing the appointment of the next Army chief by the UPA Government, arguing that there was no hurry to do so and the matter should be left to the next government.

Army Vice Chief Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag is the front-runner for appointment to the top post which will fall vacant on July 31 after the retirement of present Army chief Gen Bikram Singh. The EC official also said the panel has not received any reference from the government on the snoopgate commission of inquiry.

‘Stop treating us like garbage’ Indians Tell High Commission in London

LONDON, May 3 (aGENCIEs): The High Commission in London is one of India’s largest and oldest missions abroad and the focal point of the nation’s relationship with Britain. But its grandeur is incompatible with how it is described by some online petitioners in the United Kingdom. A petition on CHANGE.ORG has been scathing in its criticism of the treatment meted out

to some at the Indian High Commission. The petition - which urges the Mission to ‘stop treating Indians like garbage’ -- has now been signed by over 900 people online. The petition was the brainchild of Arun Asokan, an IT professional, who launched it in the wake of an unpleasant experience at the Indian High Commission.

“I had gone there for

the birth registration of my two-month-old son.

I was armed with all the documents mentioned on the website. When I finally reached the counter after waiting in the queue for four hours, from 6 am, I was told the information on the website was wrong and I needed to find the correct information from my sources,” he said. He also claimed that the staff-

ers at the Indian High Commission act rudely with visitors. “I have been there thrice and each time they were equally rude. No matter how many documents or photos you have, in accordance with the information available on the website, they will still be rude to you,” said Mr Asokan.

On any given day, a long queue of applicants can be seen waiting outside the

High Commission. When queried about the complaints against the mission, Ranjan Mathai, Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, said that he would be happy to take the suggestions provided by the petitioners. “We have started a system of e-appointments. Plus, we also have a public response unit and (we are working towards) improving the way in which

we handle some of the services. I hope we will be able to deal with some of the online petitioners. The first thing I am going to do is to come and speak very freely and candidly about how we can improve and I will be happy to take their suggestions,” he said.

The High Commission has also updated its website and agreed to hold a dialogue with the petitioners.

Sunday

InternatIonal

the Morung express

4 May 2014

Dimapur

9

More than 2,100 dead in Afghan landslide

KABUL, MAy 3 (ReUteRs): Afghan officials gave up hope on Saturday of finding any survivors from a landslide in the remote northeast, putting the death toll at more than 2,100, as the aid effort focused on the more than 4,000 people displaced. Officials expressed concern the unstable hillside above the site of the disaster may cave in again, threatening the thousands of homeless and hundreds of rescue workers who have arrived in Badakhshan province, bordering Tajikistan.

“More than 2,100 people from 300 families are all dead,” Naweed Forotan, a spokesman for the Badakhshan provincial governor, told Reuters.

Villagers and a few dozen police, equipped with only basic digging tools, resumed their search when daylight broke but it soon became clear there was no hope of finding survivors buried in up to 100 meters of mud.

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said the focus was on the more than 4,000 people displaced, either directly as a result of Friday’s landslide or as a precautionary measure from villages assessed to be at risk. Their main needs were water, medical support, counseling support, food and emergency shelter, said Ari Gaitanis, a

spokesman from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The impoverished area, dotted with villages of mud-brick homes nestled in valleys beside bare slopes, has been hit by several landslides in recent years.

The side of the mountain above Ab Barak collapsed at around 11 a.m.

(0630 GMT) on Friday as people were trying to recover belongings and livestock after a smaller landslip hit a few hours earlier. Hundreds of homes were destroyed in the landslides that were triggered by torrential rain.

Officials worry another section of the mountainside could collapse. The Afghan military flew rescue teams to the area on Saturday, as the remote mountain region is served by only narrow, poor roads which have themselves been damaged by more than a week of heavy rain.

“We have managed to get one excavator into the area, but digging looks helpless,” Colonel Abdul Qadeer Sayad, a deputy police chief of Badakhshan, told Reuters. He said the sheer size of the area affected, and the depth of the mud, meant that only modern machinery could help.

NATO-led coalition troops are on standby to assist but on Saturday said the Afghan government had not asked for help.

FRIGID CONDITIONS Hundreds of people camped out overnight in near freezing conditions, although some were given tents. Officials distributed food and water. At least 100 people were being treated for injuries, most of them by medics who set up facilities in a stable building.

Seasonal rains and spring snow melt have caused heavy destruction across large swathes of northern Afghanistan, killing more than 100 people.

U.S. President Barack Obama said American forces were on standby to help.

“Just as the United States has stood with the people of Afghanistan through a

Afghans search for survivors after a massive landslide landslide buried a village on May 2, in Badakhshan province, northeastern Afghanistan, which Afghan and U.N. officials say left hundreds of dead and missing missing.(AP Photo)

difficult decade, we stand ready to help our Afghan partners as they respond to this disaster, for even as our war there comes to an end this year, our commitment to Afghanistan and its people will endure,” he said.

About 30,000 U.S. soldiers remain in Afghanistan, although that number is falling as Washington prepares to withdraw by the end of this year all combat troops who battled Taliban insurgents. Police said they had provided a security ring around the area, which has been relatively free of insurgent attacks.

The Taliban said in a statement they were also willing to provide security.

Rescuers struggle to help Afghans hit by landslide

KABUL, MAy 3 (AP): Afghan rescuers and hundreds of volunteers armed with shovels rushed on Saturday to help villagers hit by a massive landslide in the remote northeast a day earlier, officials said, while fears of a new torrent of mud and earth complicated rescue efforts. Figures on the number of people killed in the disaster varied as officials try to gather precise information from the village of Hobo Barak.

Abdullah Homayun Dehqan, the director of

Badakshan province’s National Disaster Department, said he did not have an exact number of how many people were killed.

The United Nations on Friday said at least 350 people died, and the provincial governor said as many as 2,000 people were feared missing. Afghanistan deputy director of the Natural Disaster Management Authority, Mohammad Aslam Seyas, said Saturday that 255 people had died.

He said villagers believe the number is higher, but

said judging by previous experiences that the 255 figure seems more realistic. “Search and rescue operations are going on very slowly,” Seyas said, adding that fear of new landslides had slowed the operation.

Friday’s damage was actually caused by two landslides from the hilly terrain, said Dehqan. The first, smaller one covered a few houses. When people rushed in to help, a second, bigger landslide came down, burying the rescuers and more houses, he

said. Another official with the authority, Ahmad Khan Nafeh, said initial reports suggest that 120 houses had been buried under the mud.

Speaking on Afghan television, he said he did not have any information on the number killed or missing but said it was unlikely that anyone buried underneath would be found alive. “I don’t think any human who would have been buried under all that mud for more than 12 hours or so, would have been alive,” he said.

Authorities were dis-

tributing food and water to people displaced by the landslides, said Dehqan.

A memorial ceremony is planned for later Saturday, and the site is expected to be designated as a mass grave, said U.N. spokesman Ari Gaitanis. Senior officials from Kabul including one of the country’s two vice presidents were flying to Badakshan province to check on the status of the operation.

Rescuers have struggled to reach the remote area in northeastern Afghanistan,

where there is little development or infrastructure.

Heavy rains earlier this week contributed to the landslide. In addition to the wars and fighting that have plagued Afghanistan for roughly three decades, the country has been subject to repeated natural disasters including landslides and avalanches. A landslide in 2012 killed 71 people. Authorities were not able to recover the vast majority of bodies and ended up declaring the site a massive grave.

Peru security forces trash illegal mining machines HUePetUHe, PeRU (AP): In a surprise raid, about 1,500 police and troops dynamited $20 million worth of heavy machinery as Peru’s government dialed up a crackdown on illegal gold mining that has badly scarred the ecologically rich southeastern jungle region of Madre de Dios. The operation Monday was the first such action since a nationwide ban on illegal mining JOHANNesBURG, MAy 3 (AP): South African political parties hold final campaign rallies this weekend ahead of elections on Wednesday that are likely to see the ruling African National Congress return to power with a smaller majority due to voters disaffected by corruption in government and economic inequality.

Officials will visit hospitals, retirement homes and other places to help about 300,000 people cast early ballots on Monday and Tuesday, ahead of election

took effect April 19.

Security forces accompanied by prosecutors blew up backhoes, generators and water pumps in the Huepetuhe district, a mining boomtown dating back to the 1980s that includes two entire streets of brothels and many more of machine shops. Some adjacent buildings caught fire from explosions witnessed by an Associated Press photographer, but there

were no reports of injuries.

Police and soldiers cleared out adjoining camps first.

“We are using specially designed methods and strategies to avoid violence,” said Daniel Urresti, a former army general running the operation. “There hasn’t been a single injury.”

Madre de Dios state has an estimated 40,000 illegal miners, most centered near the commercially vital Interoceanic Highway

South Africa to vote next week

day, according to South Africa’s election commission.

Some people will also vote early at polling stations.

Voting for South Africans abroad ended on Thursday with polling stations in London and Dubai having the largest turnouts.

South Africa has about 25 million registered voters, roughly half the population. The election this year has symbolic resonance because it comes 20 years after the country’s first all-race vote which heralded the

end of white-minority rule.

The African National Congress, which led the movement against apartheid and has dominated politics since the 1994 vote, has sought to woo voters with the narrative of what President Jacob Zuma says is “a good story to tell,” citing improvements including the provision of housing, water and electricity to millions of people.

However, government corruption, crime and economic inequality have

sapped some of the ANC’s popularity, and opposition parties are seeking to capitalize on that discontent to make electoral gains. The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, controls the Western Cape, one of South Africa’s nine provinces, and hopes to make a strong run in Gauteng, the most populous province.

Another challenger is the Economic Freedom Fighters party, which wants to redistribute wealth and is run by Julius Malema, who was ex-

MJ-TIMbeRlake DueT hITS The web he highly anticipated Michael Jackson-Justin Timberlake duet Love Never Felt So Good has been unveiled. Timberlake shared the news with his 32 million Twitter followers, with a message that included a link to the song and the comment #PLAYITLOUD. The first single from MJ’s posthumous album was released on Thursday night during the inaugural iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles.

However, it was Usher, not Timberlake, who appeared on stage, after LA Reid introduced the song.

Love Never Felt So Good is one of eight tracks to appear in Jackson’s posthumous album Xscape that will be released on May 13.

Rodney Jerkins, Timbaland and Stargate are among the producers involved.

The song was written in 1983 in a session with Paul Anka and Kathy Wakefield.

In 1984, Johnny Mathis released a version. Xscape is Jackson’s second posthumous release, following his death in June 2009.

half-year in jail.

The previous lowercourt ruling gave the pair suspended 20-month jail sentences and fines of up to €10 million. Under Italian law, Dolce and Gabbana will not have to serve actual jail time as the sentence is below Italy’s minimum sentencing requirements.

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BLOGS OF THE DAY

that links the Pacific Ocean with Brazil. They use tons of mercury to bind the gold flecks they dig up, and have ravaged forests and poisoned rivers in a biodiverse region that is also home to tribes living in voluntary isolation. Huepetuhe itself is flanked by a 1-by-10-mile wasteland gouged out of tropical forest. Some mining claims in Huepetuhe are legal.

The equipment de-

D & G SeNTeNCeD TO JaIl n Italian appeals court has found designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana guilty of tax evasion of approximately €1 billion in the 2004, sentencing the duo - and an accountant - to one-and-a-

A

aRReST waRRaNT ISSueD aGaINST DIReCTOR, aCTORS OF RaM leela court in Muzaffarpur on Friday issued arrest warrants against Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela director-producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, actors Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh in connection with a case alleging that a few scenes in the movie hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

Warrants were also issued against another producer, Kishore Lulla, as well as the musicians and lyricists of the movie. Issuing the arrest warrants, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) S P Singh directed the Mumbai Police Commissioner to arrest the persons concerned and produce them at his court on June 4. These warrants were issued based on a complaint case under various sections of the IPC filed by advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha in November last year alleging the movie hurt religious sentiments of Hindus.

The Madhya Pradesh

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stroyed was on the outskirts of town or at a nearby river. It included 15 backhoes, 45 big motors used to suck water from rivers and nine dredges, Urresti said. All mining in rivers is illegal in Peru. Before the deadline, the government began sharply reducing gasoline supplies to Madre de Dios, idling mining machinery. Its multi-pronged approach to snuffing out illegal mining has included pelled from the leadership of the ANC’s youth league.

The ruling party won two-thirds of the vote in 2009 elections. Its credibility has suffered in part because more than $20 million in state money was spent on upgrading Zuma’s private rural home.

The state watchdog agency concluded that Zuma inappropriately benefited and should pay back some of the money. Lawmakers in the ANC-dominated parliament delayed any study of the matter until after the election.

High Court had stopped the release of the movie till November 22, 2013 but it was released here on November 12 itself. The CJM took cognisance of the case on February 14 this year and summoned the actors and the director, who did not turn up following which today the warrants were issued.

SluMDOG MIllIONaIRe STaR helpS Save pOOR ChIlDReN FROM pOlluTION lumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel launched ‘Pure Earth’, a new campaign with non-profit organisation Blacksmith Institute, that aims at raising awareness about the threats toxic pollution poses to poor children around the world’s worst polluted places.

Along with actress girlfriend Freida Pinto, who sported a printed green dress

by Oliver Tolentino, Patel unveiled the project at an inaugural benefit gala in New York City over the weekend.

In order to raise funds for environmental clean-ups in poverty-stricken, toxic hot spots, an art auction was held at the venue.

Works by celebrities, including painted globes by peace activist Yoko Ono and actor Anne Hathaway, were up for bids. Patel, who turned 24 a few days ago, said this was the best birthday present he could get.

S

confiscating illegal gold at domestic airports and dynamiting illegal gold refineries in the coastal cities of Chala and Nazca.

Miners have resisted, clashing with police while intermittently blocking traffic on the Interoceanic Highway in recent weeks.

One miner was killed and more than 50 people hurt by shotgun and gunfire during those confrontations. Illegal mining accounts for about

20 percent of Peru’s gold exports, and most miners are poor migrants from the Andean highlands. By cracking down the government is toying with a powder keg, some Peruvians fear.

Urresti said the government will soon decree the investment of $35 million in public works projects in the region to offer the miners employment in agriculture, ecotourism and other areas. “We know we’re not

going to do away with illegal mining unless we solve the social problem,” he said. Urresti said the government has no plans to forcibly remove miners from the shantytowns where they live. He said the government sympathizes with the miners, and is more interested in the businesspeople behind the illegal mining. The government has vowed to identify and prosecute them.

NAGALAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION KOHIMA

Dated, Kohima, the 3rd May, 2014

ADVERTISEMENT NO. NPSC-1/2014

NO.NPSC/ADVT/NON-TECH/1/2010 : Applications are invited for filling up the following vacancies under the Government of Nagaland in the manner prescribed below : ITEM NO. 1:

20 (Twenty) posts of Extra Assistant Commissioner (Class-I Gazetted, Junior Grade) under Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department, Nagaland.

ITEM NO. 2:

3 (Three) posts of Deputy Superintendent of Police (Class-I Gazetted) under Home Department, Police Establishment Branch, Nagaland.

ITEM NO. 3:

2 (Two) posts of Youth Resources Officer (Class-II Gazetted) under Youth Resources and Sports Department, Nagaland.

ITEM NO. 4:

2 (Two) posts of Station Superintendent (Class-II Gazetted) under Nagaland State Transport, Transport Department, Nagaland.

ITEM NO. 5:

40 (Forty) posts of Secretariat Assistant (Class-III Non Gazetted) under Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department, Nagaland.

ITEM NO. 6:

2 (Two) Posts of Research Assistant (Class-III Non Gazetted) under Art & Culture Department, Nagaland. (Reserved for Angami and Khiamniungan Tribe)

ITEM NO. 7:

1 (One) Post of Research Assistant (Class-III Non Gazetted) under Administrative Training Institute, Nagaland

NOTE: 1. Candidates are advised to access the details of the Terms and Conditions of the Advertisement from the Commission’s website at www.npsc.co.in and Notice Board of the Commission.

2. Only online applications shall be accepted.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING ONLINE: 1. Candidates can apply Online through the Nagaland State Portal at https://nagaland.gov. in or through any NagalandOne Common Service Center (CSC). Details of the Online Application Form (eForm), instructions to the candidates and list of operational CSCs are available on the Commission’s website at www.npsc.co.in.

2. All fields marked as * on the eForm are mandatory.

3. Instructions for uploading photograph and signature: a. Candidate must upload clear scanned images of their photograph and signature. b. Size of photograph should be approximately 200 pixels width x 250 pixels height.

Size of signature should be approximately 250 pixels width x 120 pixels height.

4. Instructions for making online payment for examination fee: a. After submitting the eForm, candidate shall click on the Preview Button and review all the details for correctness in the submitted eForm. b. If any information is incorrect or photograph/signature have not been correctly uploaded, candidate may submit a new application. c. After candidate is satisfied that all information is correct and photograph & signature have been correctly uploaded, proceed to make online payment. d. Page will be re-directed to NDML payment page. e. Candidate will select payment option: Debit Card, Internet Banking, Credit Card. f. Candidate will select the bank and be re-directed to the bank payment page. g. Fill in the required details and proceed to make payment. h. After making payment, page will be re-directed to the State Portal payment confirmation page. Only then, the candidate’s online application form shall be accepted.

5. Candidates who apply individually from any CSC may make payment by cash a sum of Rs. 300 (rupees three hundred only) for examination fee and additional Rs. 50 (rupees fifty only) for CSC service charge which includes scanning, filling up of eForm and transaction fee.

6. Candidates should note down the Transaction ID of their eForm which will be required later for downloading e-Admission Certificate and for future reference.

7. Application containing incorrect or suppressed information in any respect shall be penalized as deemed fit by the Commission.

8. The Online Application Form shall be available from 10:00 hrs 12 May 2014 till 24:00 hrs 25 May 2014 (Last date of submission). ( SARAH R RITSE ) Secretary, Nagaland Public Service Commission, Kohima

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Dimapur

SPORTS

Sunday 4 May 2014

The Morung Express

Nets down Raptors to force seventh-game showdown

Portland Trail Blazers' Robin Lopez scores against the Houston Rockets' Omer Asik, James Harden (13) and Dwight Howard (12) during the second half of game six of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series game in Portland, Ore., Friday May 2. The Trail Blazers won the series 4-2 in a 99-98 win. (AP Photo)

NEW yORK, MAy 3 (AFP): Deron Williams scored 23 points and shook off an ankle sprain to lead the Brooklyn Nets over Toronto Raptors 97-83 Friday and keep their NBA playoff hopes alive. Williams, who scored 11 points after twisting his left ankle early in the third quarter, added five rebounds and four assists to help the Nets level their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series at 3-3 and force a decisive seventh game Sunday at Toronto.

"It'll be a little more sore when the adrenaline wears off, but it will be ready on Sunday," Williams said of his ankle. The Nets led by as many as 26 points in the third and took a 79-59 margin into the fourth quarter, but Brooklyn was mindful of what happened in game five at Toronto, where the Raptors led by 22 entering the final period only to have the Nets move ahead in the late going only to lose. Toronto made a 14-2 run to pull within 86-76 with 5:02 to play in game six but the Raptors came no closer.

"We did a good job putting them away," Williams said. "We knew they were going to make a run. They are a great team. It was a tough battle all the way through.

"They were persistent and we got up 20. Sometimes when you get up 20 you get complacent. We had to fight to finish it out."

The Nets reached a seventh game last year before losing in the first round to Chicago, then traded with Boston for stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in building a roster worth $193 million.

Whether that pays off with a deeper playoff run will be decided Sunday against a club whose payroll is about $68 million.

Brooklyn's Joe Johnson scored 17 points while Garnett added 13 points and five rebounds, and Pierce contributed 12 points and six rebounds.

Toronto's DeMar DeRozan netted a game-high 28 points while Kyle Lowry, who had 36 points in the Raptors' game six win, had only 11 points Friday on 4-of-16 shooting. The Raptors seek their first playoff series triumph since 2001 while the Nets try to rally and win a series for the first time in five tries after falling behind 3-2.

Recording artists Beyonce, right, and Jay-Z watch during the first half of Game 6 of the opening-round NBA basketball playoff series between the Brooklyn Nets and the Toronto Raptors, Friday, May 2 in New York. (AP Photo)

Lillard stunner puts Blazers into 2nd round

PORTLAND, MAy 3 (AP): Portland's Damian Lillard hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Trail Blazers a stunning 9998 win over Houston on Friday, clinching a 4-2 win in their playoff series and a place in the NBA Western Conference semifinals for the first time 14 years.

On a dramatic day in the playoffs, Dallas staged a fourthquarter comeback to overrun

Texan rival San Antonio and square their series at 3-3, while Brooklyn also won at home against Toronto to force a Game 7 in their series.

Portland, making its first playoff appearance since 2011, had been eliminated in the first round in its last six trips, and had not advanced to the second round since 2000.

Dwight Howard's layup and

foul shot put the Rockets up 9694 but Nicolas Batum's fadeaway jump shot tied it again with 39.9 seconds left.

Chandler Parsons scored on a reverse layup with 0.9 seconds left to give Houston the lead but there was just enough time for Lillard to hit a 3 that will go down in Blazers folklore.

Portland will face the winner of the series between San

Antonio and Dallas, and that remains up for grabs after the Mavericks pulled off an equally dramatic 113-111 comeback win over the Spurs.

Monta Ellis scored 12 of his 29 points to lead a fourth-quarter surge. It was an unlikely comeback by the eighth-seeded Mavericks, as San Antonio had won every time this season when leading after three quar-

ters in a road game.

Dirk Nowitzki added 22 for Dallas, who will travel to San Antonio for the decider on Sunday with the knowledge that the last time they went there for a Game 7 they won, in 2006.

Tony Parker scored 22 to lead the heavily favored Spurs, who won all four games against Dallas during the regular season and had been expected to

quickly dispatch their state rival.

Brooklyn had a relatively comfortable 97-83 home win over Toronto, with Deron Williams shaking off a second-half injury to score 23 points.

Despite appearing to hurt his left foot or ankle early in the third quarter, Williams dominated his matchup with Kyle Lowry and helped the Nets put

it away with a 3-pointer with 1:13 left that made it 92-79.

Game 7 is Sunday in Toronto, with the winner advancing to face defending champion Miami.

DeMar DeRozan scored 28 for the Raptors, who have never won a postseason series that went seven games, and have not won any playoff series for 13 years.

Sania & Cara reach Portugal Open final Maheswary nominated again for Arjuna Awards

File photo of Sania Mirza and Zimbabwean Cara Black.

OEIRAS, MAy 3 (PTI): Sania Mirza alongwith her doubles partner Cara Black stormed into the finals of the Portugal Open with a straight-set victory over third seeded American pair of Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond. Continuing their fabulous run, the top seeded combo of Sania and Cara took an hour and 14 minutes to get the better of their American rivals, 6-4, 6-3 at the $250,000 clay court event.

First set saw the Indo-Zimbabwean pair struggle a bit, as they could convert only three of the eight breakpoints they got but they managed to held their nerves to finally win it.

In the second set, two decisive breaks of serve enabled Sania and Cara to wrap up the match comfortably in their favour.

They will now take on Eva Hrdinova and Valeria Solovyeva in the final.

Tyson Gay gets one-year doping ban, returns Olympic medal

Tyson Gay. (AP File Photo)

COLORADO SPRINGS, MAy 3 (AFP): US sprint star Tyson Gay has received a one-year doping ban from the US AntiDoping Association (USADA) and returned his 2012 London Olympics silver medal to the US Olympic Committee. USADA announced Friday that the 31-yearold American track star tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid in two random out-of-competition tests and one event doping test in urine samples taken last year by both USADA and the world gov-

erning body IAAF. Gay accepted a one-year period of ineligibility that began on June 23 of last year, the day his sample was collected at the US Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Because the random test positives were collected near the date of the meet, they were treated as one violation.

While the suspension timing means that Gay can return to competition next month, he will do so too late to take part in Diamond League meets at New York or Eugene, Oregon.

In theory, Gay could return in time to qualify for the US Track and Field Championships at Sacramento, California, on June 26-29.

Gay accepted a one-year doping ban from last June and the disqualification of all results dating to July 15, 2012 -- the date he first used a product that contained a banned substance -- and forfeited all prizes obtained from that date, which included voiding his effort on the US Olympic men's 4x100m relay runnerup squad at London. USADA said Gay has already handed over his silver medal to USOC officials. Also thrown out was Gay's fourth-place showing from London in the 100m final in 9.80 seconds, what had been the fastest non-medal effort in Olympic history. After learning of his violation last year, Gay went public and said that while he never knowingly or wilfully took a banned substance, he had made a mistake but did not elaborate.

NEW DELhI, MAy 3 (PTI): Triple jumper Renjith Maheswary, who has been stopped from receiving Arjuna Award under controversial circumstances on charges of dope violation last year, has again been recommended by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the coveted honor this year.

A top AFI official told PTI that Maheswary`s name has again been nominated for this year`s Arjuna Award on the ground that the Sports Ministry`s eligibility rule does not bar him from getting the coveted honor.

"Sports Ministry`s eligibility clause says that any athlete who failed a dope test conducted by a WADA or IOC accredited laboratory will be barred from getting the award. But Maheswary`s case relates to a test conducted in 2008 while the NDTL got WADA accreditation in 2009 only," the official said.

"So, we have recommended Maheswary`s name again for this year`s Arjuna Award. Let us see what the new government does this time," he said.

Interestingly, this same eligibility rule (4.2) of the Sports Ministry for conferring Arjuna Awards was considered when the controversy over Maheswary being barred from receiving the coveted award cropped up in September last year. The eligibility rule (4.2) for Arjuna Awards as amended on March 15, 2010 states that "sportspersons found positive for use of drugs banned by the International Olympic Committee in any laboratory accredited by the IOC will not be eligible for Arjuna Award".

Maheswary also has the performance to show as he won a silver in the Pune Asian Championships in July last, besides winning a silver and a bronze in the Asian Grand Prix last year.

Youth Department Nepali Baptist Church, Kohima, along with the Organizing Committee of Silver Cup visited Naga Mother Association Cradle Ridge, Seithogei, Kohima, on April 26 and handed over cash collected through sale of tickets of the Exhibition Match between Naga Blog and the Organizing Committee and the ticket proceedings of Final match of 5th Silver Cup 2014 along with the generous contribution of well wishers.

6th Summer Cup Cricket Tournament postponed

DIMAPUR, MAy 3 (MExN): The 6th Summer Cup Cricket Tournament which was scheduled for May 4 has been rescheduled to May 11 due to unavoidable circumstances.

A press release from the office of the Balijan Youth

Club stated and informed that the last date for submission of form is May 7.

Forms are available at the following places: System Solution, Near South Indian Bank, Dimapur; Ranglal Shop, Balijan (A), Near Forest

Check Gate, Karbi Anglong; Biswajit Scooter Workshop, Khermahal, Opp. IDBI Bank, Dimapur; Kiran Sports, Dimapur.

For further queries, one may contact 9402238805, 9402906616, 8575624103, 9402902585.

Nadal out to dispel doubts in Madrid Masters

MADRID, MAy 3 (AFP): World number one Rafael Nadal heads into the Madrid Masters this week in the unusual position of searching for his first title on the European clay this season. The 13-time Grand Slam champion has dominated on the surface throughout his career, including an incredible stretch last season which included wins in Barcelona, Madrid, Rome and finally an eighth French Open title at Roland Garros.

However, Nadal has so far struggled this year to bounce back from a back injury that hampered him in losing the Australian Open final to Stanislas Wawrinka in January.

His slump has included surprise defeats to compatriots David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro at the Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open respectively in recent weeks.

Yet, he is hoping home advantage will help him recapture his best form and a fourth title in Madrid. "Spain is my country and every time I play in any tournament here it is something special. The crowd always make a big difference here," said Nadal.

Rafael Nadal. (AP Photo)

Nadal could though be dethroned at the top of the world rankings by Novak Djokovic this week should he fail to reach the quarterfinals and the Serb go onto to win for the second time in Madrid.

Djokovic has had injury problems himself recently due to a right wrist injury. The world number two admitted after losing to Roger

Federer in the semifinals in Monte Carlo that he expected not "to play tennis for some time."

However, he will be return to action just two weeks later in an effort to build up some rhythm ahead of his attempt to complete the career Grand Slam in Paris.

The in-form Swiss duo of Federer and Wawrinka would appear

to pose the major threat to Nadal and Djokovic. Wawrinka made the final in the Spanish capital last year before being swept aside by Nadal, but will be full of confidence after securing his first Masters title in Monte Carlo to go with his maiden Grand Slam in Australia.

Federer has undergone a resurgence too in recent months under the tutelage of Stefan Edberg and is a three-time winner in Madrid, including twice since it became a clay court tournament in 2009.

Wimbledon champion Andy Murray also returns to action for the first time in a month since failing to propel Great Britain into the semifinals of the Davis Cup and the world number eight will be after some valuable ranking points to boost his seeding ahead of the French Open. On the women's side Serena Williams returns to defend the title she has won for the past two years. The 17-time Grand Slam champion has taken over a month off citing tiredness after suffering a shock second round defeat to Jana Cepelova on the green clay of Charleston.

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GREEN DAY

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Mumbai Indians finally get on board

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M u Mb a i , M ay 3 (ageNcies): Kieron Pollard came agonisingly close to pulling off a win in the previous match, and succeeded today to give Mumbai Indians their first win of 2014 - in their sixth attempt. Taking strike to his former MI team-mate Mitchell Johnson with the defending champions needing 25 off 12 balls, Pollard struck a six, watched a wide slide down the leg side, clipped two to cow corner, squeezed a yorker to the fine leg boundary, heaved a one-handed four to deep backward square leg and smashed a singe to long-on. Nineteen runs off the over, and effectively game over. Back on strike, Pollard hit the winning runs with a six off Sandeep Sharma, finishing not out on 28 off 12 balls as MI won by five wickets.

With those seven deliveries, the game slipped away from Kings XI Punjab as MI, back on their home turf of the Wankhede Stadium, handed them their Michelle Wie watches her approach shot on the first hole first loss of IPL 7.

Like an engaging T20 during the second round of the North Texas LPGA Shootout golf tournament at the Las Colinas Country Club in match should, Mumbai's Irving, Texas, Friday, May 2. (AP Photo) chase veered to and fro.

4-May

20:00

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

Bangalore

MI found two big overs immediately; Dhawan's third over contained sixes from Rohit and Corey Anderson to get the asking rate to ten, and then Anderson slogged three fours and a six off Akshar Patel's fourth over. But the game had a few more twists in it.

With 46 needed off 28 balls, Rohit (39) edged L Balaji to Saha and in the following over, Anderson (35) lofted Dhawan to David Miller at long-off. Then Aditya Tare helped loot 16 off Balaji's final over, the 18th, to make the equation 25 off 12 balls. Up stepped Pollard with a cool-headed innings to give allow the

franchise heave a huge sigh of relief.

That flurry of boundaries put in perspective the final over of KXIP's innings, bowled by Lasith Malinga, which produced just three runs and accounted for the dangerous Miller. Miller had just taken 20 off the 19th over, bowled

by Zaheer Khan, and KXIP looked set to touch 180. But Malinga bowled a superb six balls, varying his pace to stifle runs.

Earlier, after George Bailey opted to bat in sapping conditions, KXIP had, not surprisingly, struggled to get an opening stand together.

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Kieron Pollard of the Mumbai Indians celebrates after hitting the winning run during match 22 of the Pepsi Indian Premier League 2014 between the Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab at the Wankhede Cricket Stadium, Mumbai, on the May 3. Photo by BCCI

The hosts were jolted in the first over when Ben Dunk edged an away-moving delivery from Sandeep to Wriddhiman Saha, and not long after Ambati Rayudu was trapped lbw. Sand-

eep's strikes were counterpunched by CM Gautam, who in between sharing words with the bowler swatted him for two lovely sixes. Gautam helped add 47 in 41 balls with Rohit

Sharma before he was sent on his way for a 29-ball 33 when attempting a needless reverse paddle against Rishi Dhawan in the tenth over.

Despite the setback,

West Ham ensure survival with victory over Spurs

LONDON, May 3 (ReuteRs): West Ham United made absolutely certain of Premier League safety with a 2-0 win over 10man Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday - their third victory over their London rivals this season.

An own goal by Spurs striker Harry Kane and Stewart Downing's free kick put West Ham in control before halftime after Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul was redcarded for bundling over Downing who was racing towards goal.

The Hammers had lost their previous four games and were not mathematically safe but have now reached 40 points with one game, away to Manchester City, left.

Tottenham remain in sixth spot with one match left, although Manchester United, who are six points behind, have three games to play and could still snatch a Europa League place.

The north London club were also beaten 3-0 at home by West Ham in the Premier League and in the League Cup quarter-finals this season.

Later on Saturday Manchester City can move top of the table if they win at fifth-placed Everton.

At the bottom Cardiff City, Fulham and Sunderland are all seeking away wins, at Newcastle UnitWest Ham's Andy Caroll, right, heads the ball under pressure ed, Stoke and Manchester from Tottenham's Harry Kane during their English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Tottenham United respectively as they battle to avoid relegation.

Hotspur at the Boleyn stadium in London on May 3. (AP Photo)

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