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www.morungexpress.com
The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. VIII ISSUE 331
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www.morungexpress.com
Thursday, December 5, 2013 12 pages Rs. 4
The love of family and the admiration of friends is much more important than wealth and privilege Pakistan cannot win a war in my lifetime: Manmohan
Perry is UNICEF goodwill ambassador
Hornbill Festival 2013 [ PAGE 02]
National Handloom Expo underway begins in Dimapur
[ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 05]
[ PAGE 08]
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
Dimapur | December 4
The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your answer to 9862574165 Is Hornbill Festival the best way of promoting Naga culture and ways of living? Yes
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Naga Hoho urges Nagas to shun violence DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 4 (MExN): Naga Hoho President, Chuba Ozukum and General Secretary, Mutsikhoyo Yhobu have urged all Nagas to “shun violence and undertake dialogue for mutual and shared understanding.” While expressing sadness at the violence among some Naga political groups which has led to loss of lives, the Naga Hoho in a statement said they were looking forward to a “peaceful atmosphere for celebration of festival and Christmas.” The new Naga Hoho president and general secretary pointed out, “As we assume our office at a time of festivity through our land and as celebration of Christmas approaches us, we would like to greet each and every Naga a joyous and memorable season. May this season of joy and festivity usher in brotherhood, fraternity, goodwill and peace amongst the Nagas.” While expressing gratitude to the Nagas for having “reposed faith” on them to lead the Naga Hoho for the tenure 2013-18, they acknowledged the “onerous responsibility” that lay ahead of them. To this end, they sought the cooperation of all Nagas.
FGN cautions against ‘disgruntled elements’
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DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 4 (MExN): The Federal Government of Nagaland under Brig. (Retd.) S. Singnya today said that it “upholds the principle of the NNC” and appealed for all individuals, organizations and Naga Political Groups “not to shelter nor patronize disgruntled elements and characters who are on the missive of national disruption. . .” A statement from its Kilo Kilonser, Zaleo stated that the NNC is “the political institution of the Nagas but it is not an executive government. It further urged the people “to be pure in heart and clean in action, so that Naga sovereignty reigns supreme.” Full text on page 5
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–Charles Kuralt
Cook to combat the hostilities with runs [ PAGE 10]
nagaland: A state on shaky Grounds Morung Express news
never judge nagas by their pot holes, craters and dust ok? nagas are more than..........
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In the 1970s, a Chief Minister of Nagaland State, J.B. Jasokie, laid the foundation stone where oil was first struck in Nagaland. Today the same spot is allegedly occupied by the Borholla Gas Gathering Station, a property of the Assam State. Leadership from Nagaland State, as well as its people, watched this encroachment with nowhere to turn to. At the bottom of this ever ready border problem lies the foundation of the 16-point “agreement.” On August 1, 1960, Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India, and Minister for External Affairs, convinced the Lok Sabha that a Nagaland State must be formed. He based his conclusion on a 16-point memorandum submitted to the Government of India (GoI) by the Naga People’s Convention (NPC). “I take it that this agreement is an understanding or arrangement and not agreement proper,” interjected the MP from Kumbakonam, C.R. Pattabhi Raman, during the Lok Sabha debate. “Agreement means agreement, nothing else,” retorted Nehru. It has been known for a while now that it was probably something else. “It is not clear if the
In this Associated Press File Photo, nagas are seen participating in a rally for peace in new Delhi. The 16-Point Agreement, has divided the naga people on arbitrary lines resulting in confusion and division of naga society.
it became an “instrument of accession,” as Toshi Wungtung, secretary of the steering committee for statehood demand of the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), has always maintained. Without providing the people in these areas with the “benefits” that some availed in the State, it led to the “failure of the welfare state in the ENPO areas.” “The 16-point agreement bestowed extraordinary powers on the Governor and thus undermined the possibility of real devolution of powers to the elected government. We have seen that the successive governors of Nagaland being either former Army generals or heads of various intelligence organizations,” reveals Hongray. As a result, whenever faced with a problem, the Nagaland State has to come up with ingenious ideas which are then shot down by the government in New Delhi. The State was moved, through a unilateral decision of the GoI, from the Ministry of External Affairs to the Ministry of Home Affairs—nothing could be done about this. Implementing the 16 points in the form of Nagaland State has left the Naga people with no “political footing,” no defined boundary and the baggage of a system that has proven itself unjust. “Delhi was just happy that a handful of Naga people were ready to be part of India, so even without a clearly defined bound-
ary, they went ahead and formed a State,” says Dr. Longkumer. Like Borholla, there are other aberrations which the State leadership diverts attention from since it cannot come up with a solution. “How can it? When Naga people have no legal or political footing, Article 371-A amounts to nothing,” as it obvious from the recent Centre-State debacle on the oil front. An ambiguous document, the 16 points provide no roadmap when the State’s leaders need to refer to something for direction. The need of the hour, then, is a debate on the basis of the formation of Nagaland State (and its aftermath), not consultations on Article 371-A. Lack of peace, corruption and confusion has become an entrenched part of the Naga reality. As former chairperson of the Nagaland State Commission for Women, Sano Vamuzo, puts it, “There is no real peace. Leaders have no sense of direction and have left the youth frustrated and confused. They feel they have no future.” “If the Sixteen Point Agreement had been used to integrate the Naga inhabited areas it could have served to unite our people and been an important first step towards genuine self-determination,” feels Hongray. Forging such a future requires seriousness, and since the 50s, up to the 50 years of statehood, this seems lacking from the GoI, and now the State of Nagaland.
16-point agreement exists in reality,” reveals human rights activist Dr. Lanusashi Longkumer. “The NPC went to Delhi with a 16-point memorandum and returned with their signatures on it, but no signatures from the side of the GoI. There is no evidence to suggest that this is an agreement.” No wonder then that Kohima is never taken seriously by New Delhi. “It is not an agreement, just a memorandum,” agrees journalist and author, Charles Chasie. “The GoI ignored points as per its convenience. Under-
ground leaders, at the time, refused to come for the NPC meetings, and overground leaders were looking to the GoI for protection,” he highlights. “The eventual statehood was only a strategy to solve the ongoing problems at the time,” reiterates an indigenous academician who prefers not to be named. “So though there are peace efforts and development in the State today, the whole set up is a mockery. We cannot find democracy here, nor have the peoples’ aspirations been fulfilled,” he notes, as also that instead of the “quick
fix” statehood, Naga aspirations should have been better understood. “This has compounded the problem for the Nagas. While some have benefitted through education and infrastructure, it has finished the Nagas politically,” admits former Naga Hoho president, Keviletuo Kiewhuo, fuelled by, according to educationist, P.S. Lorin, “worsening economic conditions marked by the widening gap between the minority rich and majority poor.” The Naga movement was weakened, and people divided along arbitrary
lines. The story of Nagas outside the Nagaland State is morbid—“As far as the majority of the Nagas were concerned they were left out of the Nagaland State. Even today we can see that they are deprived of basic amenities,” says human rights activist, Sebastian Hongray, quoting the example of the depraved Tamenglong district of Manipur. The promise of “integration of Naga inhabited areas” was, he states, “belied,” leaving the 16-points as a mere “instrument to divide and rule the Nagas.” For Eastern Nagaland,
“threatened” by a personal assistant attached to the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. On August 14, 2013, Yona filed an RTI seeking information on the total number of vehicles entitled for use by the NLA Speaker and Deputy Speaker. In response, the NLA Secretariat duly furnished the information sought. However, NPCC informed that a letter was sent to the petitioner by the PA, which read: “If any untoward incident comes to the Speaker or for that matter his family members or his PS/PA, drivers, vehicles you shall be held wholly responsible”. Jamir said that the letter should
be condemned by all right thinking citizens. NPCC stated that the PA’s letter also claimed that the NLA Speaker falls under “Z-Plus security category.” However, this claim was dismissed as it was informed that the NLA Speaker is under “Z category.” It was further stated that there are only six persons in Nagaland State under the Z-Plus security category, namely: Nagaland Governor, Dr. Ashwani Kumar; Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio; Health and Family Welfare Minister, Imkong L Imchen; former Nagaland Chief Minister and Odisha Governor, Dr SC Jamir; NSCN (IM) General Secretary, Th. Muivah and Chairman, Isak
Chishi Swu. In response to the PA’s letter, it was informed that the petitioner has written a letter to the Nagaland State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) making a “fervent appeal to view this threat to my person and right with seriousness and take necessary action deemed fit under the given law.” Summing up the case, the NPCC president expressed confidence that the “threat against the NPCC member and RTI Act” would be suitably addressed by CIC. He further informed that the Congress would stage another bandh during the Hornbill Festival.
‘crucial issues’ in ne
rti petitioner receives “threat letter” PM urged to address NPCC seeks action from Chief Information Commissioner
KOHIMA, DECEMBER 4 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today alleged that in response to an RTI petition filed three months ago, a “threat letter” was sent to the petitioner. NPCC President, SI Jamir speaking at a press conference in Kohima informed that N Yona Konyak, a member of the Vigilance Cell, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, is presently being
BJP to win MP, rajasthan; hung assemblies in Delhi and Mizoram
NEW DElHI, DECEMBER 4 (IANS): The BJP is expected to retain Madhya Pradesh with a massive mandate and wrest Rajasthan from the Congress, while falling short of a majority in Chhattisgarh. Delhi and Mizoram would see hung assemblies, according to exit poll projections of the assembly polls in the five states by India TV-CVoter. According to the India TV-CVoter exit polls, in Chhattisgarh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be two seats short of a simple majority in the 90-member assembly. In Rajasthan, the BJP is projected to win 130 seats of the total 199, while the ruling Congress would manage just 48 seats, it has projected. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would win four seats, and the other parties 17 seats.
India TV-CVoter exit poll projections
In 2008, the Congress had won 95 seats, the BJP 78, BSP six and others 20 seats. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP is projected to retain power with 128 of the total 230 seats. The Congress could win 92 seats, the BSP six seats and the others four seats. In 2008, the BJP had won 143 seats, Congress 71, BSP seven and the other parties together nine seats. In Chhattisgarh, the ruling BJP is likely to be short of simple majority. The BJP is projected to win 44 of the total 90 seats. The Congress is likely to win 41 seats, the BSP two seats and others three seats. In 2008, the BJP had won 50 seats, the Con-
gress 38 seats, and others two seats. In Delhi, the ruling Congress would be in for a rude shock. According to India TV-CVoter exit polls (till 1 p.m.), the BJP is projected to win 29 of the 70 seats, the Congress 21, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 16 seats, the BSP two seats, and others two seats. In 2008, the Congress had won 43, the BJP 23 seats, the BSP had won two, and others had won two seats. In Congress-ruled Mizoram, the ruling party is projected to win 19 seats of the total 40 seats. The Mizo National Front (MNF) plus Mizo People’s Conference (MPC) is likely to win 14 seats, the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) five seats, and others two seats. In 2008, the Congress had won 32 seats, MNF plus MPC had won six, and ZNP had won two seats. Counting of votes will take place December 8.
Calls for ‘immediate scrapping’ of AFSPA
GUWAHATI, DECEMBER 4 (MExN): The North East Regional Political Front (NERPF) has written to the Prime Minister of India expressing serious concern on what it said were “issues of crucial importance” to the people of the North East. The NERPF letter, dated November 30, informed the PM of the various resolutions arrived at its meeting on October 20. The letter expressed concern at the “piecemeal way in which the Government of India deals with the problems of insurgency in the region.” It lamented that instead of taking an approach to find a permanent solution, the GoI has handled problems “in an adhoc, half-hearted manner by dealing with one outfit at a time and has created a situation for other outfits to assume prominence and aggressively pursue their demands.” The NERPF further unanimously called for “immediate scrapping of the draconian Armed Forces Special Power act (AFSPA) and stop its use in all forms in the northeast Region.” While stating that the GoI has not taken the people of the respective states into confidence it asserted that constitutional safeguards of all indigenous people of the region and their political, economic, social and traditional rights must be
protected. It expressed concern over the destruction of ecological balance in the region, through erection of large number of huge darns in the region without properly addressing the environmental issues The NERPF demanded 80 percent reservation for “sons of the soil” in all central, semi-central, public sector and private sector jobs in the region. It urged the PM for proper security to NE students, particularly girls, studying in other parts of the country and lamented that working women from the region are being subjected to physical attacks, indecent behavior and insults outside the region. It asked the centre to immediately enter into a treaty with the Government of Bangladesh to deport all the “illegal infiltrators” from the region and to immediately cancel the agreement with Bangladesh to hand over a large chunk of area of the NE Region. The Front expressed that in agreeing to hand over land to Bangladesh, the GoI has “violated the rights of the states and acted arbitrarily against the principle of a sovereign Government.” The Front expressed concern at the “continued incursion by China in to Arunachal Pradesh” and called upon the GoI to take up the matter immediately
with China. It also asked the GoI to address that building of massive dams in the upper reaches of the Bramaputra (called Tsangpo in China). It also felt aggrieved that the GoI has started fencing in the Manipur- Myanmar international border “without taking the people of Manipur into confidence and in the process, has given away large chunks of land to Myanmar.” While urging the GoI to implement the Look East policy in letter and spirit, it called for rebuilding of the Indian portion of the Stillwell Road and the opening of an immigration office at the border, helping cross border trade and commerce. It also insisted that the GoI extend the fourlane National Highway to Imphal in Manipur. Citing instances of tampering of Electronic Voting Machines, the NERPF demanded that either the EVMs be abolished or be supported with paper slips in all election, as was used in some bye-elections recently (VVPAT). If this is not possible, the system of universal adult franchise should be reverted back to the ballot paper, it stated. The NERPF also called for a fresh look into centre-state relations in the spirit of federalism and called for a review of the Seventh Schedule of the Indian constitution.
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