April 10th, 2017

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C M Y K

www.morungexpress.com

MonDAY • April 10 • 2017

DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 97 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

To God everything is beautiful, good, and just; humans, however, think some things are unjust and others just Rs. 9600 lakhs required for grant-in-aid to VDBs in Nagaland

Aadhaar card initiative a watershed event: Prez pAGE 08

o F

— Heraclitus

Hamilton coasts to fifth title at Chinese Grand Prix

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reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

That’s a huge development project you’re promising us. Thank you. We know you’re lying, but hey, we believe you.

The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion

Vote on www.morungexpress.com sMs your answer to 9862574165 Is Naga society open to talking about mental health issues? Why? Yes

no

others

How would you rate the general Happiness Level of the people of Nagaland state? Why? • High • Medium • Low

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8 killed as violence mars Kashmir polls nagaland legislators

SRINAGAR, APRIl 9 (IANS): At least eight civilians were killed and scores injured in firing by security forces as mobs tried to attack some polling stations in Srinagar parliamentary constituency that on Sunday recorded a poor seven per cent voting in a by-poll -- the lowest in the state in three decades, officials said. The by-poll to the Lok Sabha constituency -- spread across three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal -- was marred by widespread violence with police claiming that nearly 200 incidents of violent protests took place in central Kashmir. As the day began with small queues of voters outside polling booths, slogan shouting mobs attacked polling stations in Budgam, damaged EVMs and prevented voters from exercising their franchise. Security forces tried to disperse the crowds with warning shots initially and opened fire at them when they didn’t relent, a police officer said. Seven persons were killed at three places of Budgam district and one in Ganderbal, where protestors clashed with security forces. “The security forces opened fire to protect the polling staff,” the officer said, alleging that mobs tried to storm many polling stations and destroy EVMs. The seven per cent voter turnout is the lowest in 27 years in the state. The constituency had in the 2014 general elections recorded 26 per cent turn out. The by-poll was the first af-

without quarters Morung Express news Kohima | April 9

Kashmiri demonstrators (C) throw stones towards indian policemen during a protest against by-polls in srinagar April 9. (REUTERS)

ter the 2016 unrest, triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in July last. Over 100 people were killed in five months of the unrest -- the worst in six years of the troubled valley. “It was an unfortunate day. Over 100 security personnel were injured. The turnout was 7.09 per cent,” Chief Electoral Officer Shantmanu told media persons. He also said that re-polling will be held at 100 polling stations that witnessed early closure due to violence. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said it was the worst

poll-related violence he had seen in his 20 years of political career. “Have contested six elections over 20 years and have never seen this level of violence in elections in Kashmir,” Abdullah tweeted. Abdullah hit out at the state government over the violence and accused Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti of failing to provide a conducive atmosphere for voting. “Mehbooba Mufti is responsible for this situation. There is mismanagement,” he said. Security was stepped up after separatists extended shut-

down call till April 12 -- election day in south Kashmir, the authorities also decided to suspend the internet services and postphoned the university examinations scheduled. The stakes were high for opposition National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s Nazir Ahmed Khan who were the main contestants in the constituency. In all, nine candidates were in the fray. The seat fell vacant after then PDP leader Tariq Hameed Karra resigned to protest alleged atrocities on people during the 2016 agitation.

Some elected representatives of the Nagaland State are currently caught in a strange conundrum. Additional appointments have come with the shortage of housing quarters in their wake, forcing some of them to operate without an official residence. The newly appointed NLA Speaker, for instance. The present Speaker, Dr. Imtiwapang Aier, has no official quarters, and is compelled to reside at his wife’s allotted quarters under the Forest Department, informed a source close to the Speaker. According to the said source, the NLA Speaker handles most official meetings at his office at the Nagaland Assembly Secretariat, but security remains compromised and visitors are difficult to accommodate. “He is entitled a body guard, house guard and security guards who cannot be accommodated at the current location. Moreover, when people visit from his constituency and villages therein, it becomes difficult to meet them all at the office. An official residence becomes necessary for these functions,” the source noted. The problem, according to a journalist, is that new appointments in the ‘rank and status of cabinet ministers’ has created a domino effect on the shortage of housing for those who are entitled

to designated quarters. The current Government of Nagaland has 12 ministers, 24 parliamentary secretaries and six advisors. An official source reported that the official residence of the former PHED Minister is presently occupied by the Finance Advisor, compelling the current PHED Minister (who is the former Speaker) to continue residing in the Speaker’s official residence. This is what has left the current Speaker with no official quarters to operate out of. “We do not know which quarter is designated to which minister/portfolio,” said one Minister on the condition of anonymity, citing that the quarter allotted to the Deputy Speaker (near Raj Bhavan) is still occupied by the former Deputy Speaker who is now a Parliamentary Secretary. The bureaucracy has taken note of the confusion. Work is underway to ensure that all those elected representatives with allotted quarters are ensured a place of residence from where to disburse their official duties effectively, with ample security. “We are working hard to ensure that new ministers’ quarters are ready soon. We are constructing (quarters) for ten ministers and separate for Speaker and Deputy Speaker,” said Himato Zhimomi, Commissioner & Secretary to Chief Minister. The said constructions will be completed within a few months, he added.

lotha Hoho, rengma Hoho serve ultimatum to state govt

03% 28% 69%

Details on page 7

Naga woman killed in road accident in Punjab DIMAPUR, APRIl 9 (MExN): A 21 year old Naga woman was killed and two others injured in a tragic accident at Phagwara, Punjab on April 9 at around 2:40am. The deceased, identified as one Aosen Longchar, a BSc Agri student at Lovely Professional University, was reportedly killed on the spot when a truck hit the motorbike in which she was travelling along with two others. Sources informed that one of the injured, identified as Yepeto Khuzumi is reportedly in the ICU, while the other sustained minor injuries. A condolence service for the deceased was conducted at 2:00pm today.

T R u T H

The mangled roof of a house at Molungyimsen village after a hailstorm lashed parts of Mokokchung district on sunday afternoon. Tuli town, a few kilometres away from the village, was also affected by the hailstorm, which was reported to have lasted for around 10 minutes. At longtho, under Mangkolemba sub-division, a few houses were partially damaged.

Kidima village records over 1 Cr income from sale of vegetables our Correspondent Kohima | April 9

Kidima village under Kohima district was adopted as a vegetable village by the Horticulture Department in 2007 under the name of ‘Aazu Farmers Group’ with the vision to achieve economic empowerment for both men and women through production of horticultural crops.

Together with the assistance of the department and hard work of the villagers, this village has evolved into a vegetable village of repute, according to annual administrative report 2016-17 of the Horticulture Department, tabled in the just concluded state assembly session by Parliamentary Secretary for Horticulture, Kejong Chang. In addition to cultivation of vegetables like tomato,

Khuve, chilli, cabbage, beans, potato etc in the open field, protected cultivation of vegetables like capsicum, tomato etc was also introduced in the village by the department and components like community tanks, farm handling units, vermin-compost units, power tillers were also provided to the farmers, which have paid rich dividends. As the villagers have reported

an income of rupees one crore and thirty thousand just from the sale of vegetables alone which is expected to go up to rupees two crores and fifty thousand during the peak season, the report stated. “The cultivation of vegetables surely has minted in prosperity for the villagers changing the very face of their socio-economic status,” the report stated.

DIMAPUR, APRIl 9 (MExN): The Lotha Hoho and the Rengma Hoho today served an ultimatum to the Nagaland State Government for widening of the National Highway No 2 (erstwhile NH 61) in Tseminyu and Wokha Sectors. A joint statement from the two apex bodies gave the government till April 18 to start works, failing which they cautioned that a total Bandh would be imposed from April 19. Citing the series of events with regard to the project, the apex bodies questioned “how the NH Authorities can be so adamant, so indifferent and so discriminating to the two tribes, for so long.” “The NHAN gives excuses that being a centrally sponsored work, it involves lots of technicalities and hence time taking. But sen-

sible people will all agree that four years (after settlement of court case) is too long for preparing DPR and to obtain sanction,” they said. The rights of the people, the apex bodies affirmed, “cannot be suppressed by any amount of clarifications or assurances, except by timely and satisfactory works.” Stating that the issue will no longer be negotiable, the Lotha Hoho and the Rengma Hoho said that the total bandh will be imposed indefinitely till work is started by producing copies of the work order to the two Hohos. It was meanwhile informed that the bandh, if enforced, will exempt the press & media, paramilitary, medical personnel on patient duty, administration, police personnel on duty, fire service and water and power personnel on emergency duty.

NE students show solidarity with African nationals Bombings at Egyptian Coptic churches kill 36

Ask GoI to address racial discrimination

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DIMAPUR, APRIl 9 (MExN): 23 North East student unions today issued a joint statement decrying the discrimination and assault against African nationals in India. The statement extended solidarity with people of African origin living in India and particularly those who were attacked in Greater Noida recently. “We empathise with the violence, ordeals, and humiliation faced by Africans in India. We are distressed to learn of the ongoing situation, and denial of the Indian government to term the incident as racist is worrying. Various incidents of racism against people of African origin in India from the past are not isolated incidents, they stemmed from the deep rooted prejudice mindset of the majority of Indians,” it stated. While condemning racial discrimination against anyone (particularly people of African origin) and caricatures people make by creating stereotypes like cannibalism and drug users/peddlers, the student unions

stated that these stereotypes are reflection of “racist mindset which we, people from North East India, are also at receiving end over and over again.” It pointed out that whenever people from the North East were “racially discriminated, we see that nationalism fervour is being infused by stating that we don’t deserve to be discriminated when we are also Indian.” Statements like these are misleading, it stated, while adding that “racism is committed towards any people from other race irrespective of one’s citizenry of a nation.” The unions urged the Government of India to take appropriate steps and measures to address this issue. “We believe that the first step towards addressing this issue is to acknowledge the existence of racism. We also like to convey that the government and concerned authorities, and civil societies should continue to reach out to people of African origin and make their voices heard and involve them in any decision concerning their interests,” the statement added. The student unions that appended the statement included the All Bodo Students’ Union, Arunachal

Students’ Union, Delhi (ASUD), Concerned Faculties, St. Edmund’s College, Shillong, Delhi Association of Manipur Muslim Students (DAMMS), Delhi Mizo Zirlai Pawl (Delhi Mizo Students’ Association), Foothills’ Study Circle, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad Manipur Society (HYMS), Kuki Students’ Organisation, Delhi & NCR, Kuki Students’ Organisation, Mumbai, Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), Meghalaya Students in Delhi, North East Students’ Association, Jamia (NESA), Naga Students’ Union, Mumbai (NSUM), Naga Students’ Union Pune (NSUP), North East Students, Delhi School of Social Work, University of Delhi, North East Support Centre & Helpline, North East Students, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, North East Students’ Forum (NESF), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, Northeast Solidarity, Bangalore, North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union, Raiot Webzine, Tripura Students’ Forum, Delhi. (TSFD) and the Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR), Meghalaya.

TANTA/CAIRO, APRIl 9 (REUTERS): At least 36 people were killed and more than 100 injured in bomb attacks on two Coptic churches on Palm Sunday, in the latest assault on a religious minority increasingly targeted by Islamist militants. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, which come a week before Coptic Easter and in the same month that Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Egypt. The first bombing, in Tanta, a Nile Delta city less than 100 kilometres outside Cairo, killed at least 25 and injured at least 78, Egypt’s Ministry of Health said. The second, carried out just a few hours later by a suicide bomber in Alexandria, hit the historic seat of the Coptic Pope, killing 11, including three police of-

A relative of one of the victims reacts after a church explosion killed at least 21 in Tanta, Egypt, April 9. (REUTERS)

ficers, and injuring 35, the ministry added. Pope Tawadros, who had attended mass at Saint Mark’s Cathedral, was still in the building at the time of the explosion but was not harmed, the Ministry of Interior said. The bombings come as Islamic State’s branch in

Egypt appears to be stepping up attacks and threats against Christians. In February, Christian families and students fled Egypt’s North Sinai province after a spate of targeted killings. Those attacks came after one of the deadliest on Egypt’s Christian minority,

when a suicide bomber hit its largest Coptic cathedral, killing at least 25. Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack. Thousands gathered outside the church in Tanta shortly after the blast, some wearing black, crying, and describing a scene of carnage. “There was blood all over the floor and body parts scattered,” said a Christian woman who was inside the church. “There was a huge explosion in the hall. Fire and smoke filled the room and the injuries were extremely severe,” another Christian woman, Vivian Fareeg, said. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Prime Minister Sherif Ismail are set to visit the Tanta site on Sunday and Sisi has ordered an emergency national defence council meeting, state news reported.


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