April 25th, 2016

C M Y K

C M Y K

www.morungexpress.com

MonDAY • APRIL 25 • 2016

DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 112 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

Your heart is full of fertile seeds, waiting to sprout

PAGE 09

o F

T R u T H

— Morihei Ueshiba

Career seminar highlights avenues outside govt. service

North Korea to halt nuclear tests if US stops drills

P o W e R

Ulloa double puts Leicester on verge of title triumph

PAGE 02

PAGE 12

Rain, storms & floods hit NE

Ato (l) and Hekato Asumi (R) are sugarcane farmers in Zunheboto district, making a living through small scale production of jaggery. in 2016 alone, they have sent 400kg of jaggery to Wokha, amounting to Rs. 40,000 and 600kg to Zunheboto earning Rs. 60,000. Per year, the business has been fetching them a profit of Rs. 3-4 Lakh which helps support their family of five children, four of them in school.

In 2013, Hekato won the Best Farmer Award for Zunheboto district from the Government of Nagaland.

As a small trader often going to Jorhat, Hekato landed up buying a sugarcane processing unit, using it to produce and sell jaggery—“We got married and had no job. We had to find a way to survive,” says Hekato. Ato, his wife, is from Peren district and they met through business related work. later, the Department of Agriculture stepped in with seed money to help their business grow, even donating a bigger processing unit in April 2014. The couple is seen here with the same at their residence in Akuhaito village in Zunheboto district, nagaland. Their jaggery is well known for its quality to traders and connoisseurs alike. (Morung Photo)

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

He was awarded the ‘lifetime Achievement in Transformation’ based on his leadership qualities and contributions to his fields in the last 3 years? OH God!!

The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion

Vote on www.morungexpress.com sMs your answer to 9862574165 Do you agree with the Nagaland Home Minister’s statement that the State government is committed to fight corruption?

Yes

no

others

Has Prohibition Act in Nagaland State led to any positive behavioral and social change?

Yes

11%

no

85%

others

04%

Details on page 7

Jual Oram to attend Moatsu at Kangtsung m o Ko Kc h u N g, April 24 (mexN): Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Government of India, will attend the 64th Moatsu Festival at Kangtsung Village, Mokokchung district on May 5. This was informed in a press release from Kangstung Village Council Chairperson, Tekameren. The release also stated that the Minister’s “availability” as chief guest for the program was initiated by BJP Nagaland State Vice President Imsu Yaden, as well as the Mokokchung BJP unit. The Village Council has invited all its citizens as well as well wishers to attend the festival positively.

DimApur, April 24 (mexN): Rain, hail and windstorms continue to hit the North East region of the Indian subcontinent, causing landslides and floods affecting thousands of people in the region.

As per reports from the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) and Mon District Disaster Management Authority, heavy rainfall, hailstorms and windstorms during April have severely affected many areas of Mon district.

Mon Town’s Techahan Ward, Newsite, Tokubari and Tanlao Ward were badly affected by landslides, rains and flashfloods that led to damage of infrastructure, stated the report from the authorities. Further, there was a “massive landslide” on the Tobu-Mon road leading to the blockage of the road. Villages like Monyakshu, ChanglangshuChangsa, Wangti, Wakching, Phomching Town, Shengha Chingnyu, Chaoha Chingnyu, Longwa and Ukha were affected by hail and windstorms. Incessant rainfall has also led to mud slips, damage to retaining walls, power infrastructures, houses, road blockage, drainage blockage etc. (Details on page 5) Meanwhile, in Assam, over 40,000 people have been affected and 1,000 hectares of crop land inundated by flood waters

A resident pulls a branch of a fallen tree uprooted during a rain storm in Dimapur on April 24. Photo by Caisii Mao

following pre-monsoon rains, officials said on Sunday.

Four districts -- Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Sivsagar and Charaideo -- have been inundated by flood waters, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said, adding that 42,658 people were hit.

The army, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force helped in rescue and relief operations to help the marooned people in Charaideo.

The Central Water Com-

mission said the Burhidehing river in Khowang in Dibrugarh district and the Desang river in Sivasagar districts were flowing above the danger level.

The Regional Meteorological Centre at Borjhar near Guwahati said the situation was likely to improve after Monday.

Also, heavy rainfall has damaged many houses and caused flooding in low-lying villages in Manipur, officials said on Sunday.

In Manipur’s Bishnupur district, over 300 acres of paddy

fields have been flooded. There were widespread destruction of houses in Mayang Imphal areas.

Landslides at several places along the National Highway 37 linking Imphal to Assam have caused the vehicular movement to be suspended.

Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has directed the officials to provide relief to the victims.

The Met Office in Imphal has forecast more rains and hailstorms.

With inputs from DIPR and IANS

Corruption impediment to development: NTC CJI breaks down: judiciary needs more judges

KohimA, April 24 (mexN): The ‘special provision’ under Article 371-A made for Nagaland State through the Constitution of India poses “neither ambiguity nor confusion” for the “furtherance of development.”

In fact, it is ‘top to bottom’ corruption that has been an impediment to development of the State. This was stated by the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) in a press statement from its media cell today.

The NTC reiterated that citizens of the State are “proud of the constitutional status under which the land and its resources belong to the indigenous people of Nagaland.” In other words, “the land does not belong to the State as it is in other States/Union territories of Indian Union.”

Wondering what could have contributed to the lack of development after 53 years of statehood, the NTC reminded that Clause (a) of sub-clause (iv) of Art 371-A says that ‘no Act of Par-

liament in respect of ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the State of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides.’

“Under this provision, the law framing body which is the State Legislative Assembly has every power at its disposal to make or review any law suiting and developmental friendly in Nagaland,” stated the NTC. To this effect, it said, a law pertaining to ownership of land in Nagaland was enacted under the title of ‘The Nagaland Land and Revenue Regulation (Amendment) Act of 1978’. Its Section 2(2) reads ‘Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any law, usage, contract or agreement no person (other than the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland) shall acquire or possess by transfer, exchange, lease, agreement of settlement of any land in any area or areas constituted into belts or blocks in contravention of the

provisions of Sub-Section(1).’

In that, “the Govt. of Nagaland can conveniently make laws and frame rules on land use in the interest of development,” the Council extrapolated. So, whatever “hitches” relating to land issues that may crop up from time to time can be “tackled by administration” and “hiccups” cannot be considered “roadblocks” to developments, it asserted. Branding Article 371-A as an “impediment” by Nagaland State representatives, stated the NTC, is an “excuse for development stagnation.”

The NTC reiterated that the impediment to development in Nagaland today is “nothing but corruption from top to bottom irrespective of politicians or bureaucrats.”

“The lack of integrity in the Government and its machineries, selfishness, senselessness, tribalism, nepotism and greed of power and wealth are the impediments to progress,” it said.

New Delhi, April 24 (pTi): Chief Justice of India T S Thakur today broke down at a meeting in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lamenting Government’s “inaction” in increasing the number of judges from the present 21,000 to 40,000 to handle the “avalanche” of litigations, saying, “You cannot shift the entire burden on the judiciary”.

“Nothing has moved” since 1987 when the Law Commission had recommended increase in the number of judges from then 10 judges per 10 lakh people to 50, an unusually emotional Thakur said.

“Then comes inaction by the government as the increase (in the strength of judges) does not take place,” he said in a choked voice while addressing the inaugural session of Joint Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts here. “...And therefore, it is not

AiocD against banning 346 drugs

Says online pharmacy is against law Morung Express news Dimapur | April 24

All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has opposed the central government’s ‘sudden’ notification banning around 346 Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs with effect from March 10, 2016.

According to AIOCD General Secretary, Suresh Gupta, who spoke as guest of honour at the 2nd AIOCD NE Zone Conference at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur on Sunday, there were no reports of the banned drugs having adverse effect on human body.

“The government does not have any proof about the adverse effects of the banned drugs,” Gupta said.

He said the government’s decision to ban the drugs was based on the recommendations of an “expert committee.” He said if the government was to make any such move, then the matter has to be referred first to Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) and Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) for approval. “But the system was not followed,” Gupta asserted.

The AIOCD General Secretary revealed that there were more than Rs. 18,000 crore worth already-manufactured ‘banned’ drugs in the country and if all such drugs were to be de-

stroyed/removed, it would be a national loss.

Further, Gupta said that doctors are still prescribing the ‘banned’ drugs and queried, from where the patients would acquire the drugs that have already been taken off shelves.

He maintained that if the drugs were to be banned then the government has to first stop manufacture and give 3-6 months time for the pharmaceutical traders to comply.

Gupta also objected the move of the government to regularize online sale of medicines saying that it was “totally against the law.” “If any government frames laws against pharmaceutical trade then more than 18 lakh chemist fraternity in the country will not tolerate,” Gupta asserted.

It may be recalled that the Nagaland Medicine Dealers’ Association (NMDA) had called for a strike on October 14, 2015 when medicine shops across Nagaland were shut complying with the decision of AIOCD. It is illegal to sell medicines on the internet under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940.

The AIOCD Secretary was also critical of the erstwhile central government’s amendment to make a pharmaceutical trader as the first accused if s/he was found possessing spurious drugs even after producing proper purchase bills from the manufacturer. “It (such law) is not good,” Gupta said, indicating that the first accused should be the drug manu-

facturer and the trader, second accused.

Stating that the pharmaceutical trade has over Rs 90,000 crore domestic market, he informed that India was also exporting drugs to more than 206 countries at the cheapest rates with high quality.

Editor, Nagaland Post, Geoffrey Yaden who was the chief guest lauded the activities of NMDA which he described as an Association that “gives back to the society.”

Reflecting on the issues raised

by Suresh Gupta, Yaden said that the central government’s decision to ban hundreds of FDCs were “definitely questionable.” “How can a popularly elected government act in such an arbitrary manner?” Yaden wondered.

He said that the responsibility of the government was also to ensure that those who were doing business legally are not put into trouble.

He called for people’s support to the AIOCD stand, adding, “If government does not revoke the ban then lots of patients will face problems.”

AIOCD NE Zone Vice President, Ashok Kr. Singhal said 90% of medicines in Nagaland were supplied by NMDA and appealed the state government to extend “full support” towards the chemists.

Chaired by NMDA Honorary General Secretary, Basu Damani, the conference was attended by delegates from Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh besides Nagaland delegates.

only in the name of a litigant or people languishing in jails but also in the name of development of the country, its progress that I beseech you to rise to the occasion and realise that it is not enough to criticise. You cannot shift the entire burden on the judiciary,” the Chief Justice of India, who was seen wiping his eyes, said as the Prime Minister heard him in rapt attention.

Modi, who was not slated to speak as per the schedule of the programme circulated by the Law Ministry, said, “I can understand his(CJI’s) pain as a lot of time has lapsed since 1987.

Whatever has been the compulsions, but its better to be late than never. We will do better in the future. Let us see how to move forward by reducing the burden of the past,” he said.

He said if constitutional barriers do not create any problems, then top ministers and senior Supreme Court judges can sit together in a closed room to find a solution to the issue.

It is the responsibility of all to ensure that the common man continues to have faith in the judiciary and his government will fulfil this task and will not falter in helping to make the common man’s life easier, he said.

The Chief Justice said following the Law Commission’s recommendation, the Supreme Court in 2002 had also supported increasing the strength of the judiciary. A Parliamentary Department Related Standing Committee on Law then headed by Pranab Mukherjee had also recommended taking the judge to people ratio to 50 from 10.

As of today, the judge to people ratio stands at 15 judges to 10 lakh people which is way less than as compared to the US, Australia, the UK and Canada.

The CJI also spoke of the “tug-of-war” that goes on between the Centre and the states over funding, infrastructure and other issues.

2

monDAY 25•04•2016

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

A Naga fisherman catches fish with a battery operated electric gear and a handmade net along Chathe River in Chumukedima on April 23. (Photos by Caisii Mao)

Two-day Mothers’ Day celebration at PVBC P H E K , A P R I L 24 (MExN): The 36th Mothers’ Day celebration cum 2nd sisters and in-laws get together of the Phek Village Baptist Church (PVBC) will be held from May 7 to 8 at PVBC under the theme, “A Gracious Mother”.

Zashetalu Chiero, former treasurer, Chakhesang Women Welfare Society (CWWS), Bino Kenye, President, Western Chakhesang Mothers Association, Dimapur and Niekhosalu Venuh, former women pastor, Chakhesang Baptist Church, Dimapur will be the panel of speakers during the 2-day celebration on the topics, ‘A Gracious Mother: Discreet Women’, ‘A Gracious Mother: Christian Home-Maker’ and ‘A Gracious Mother: Loyalty to Family’ respectively.

Sister Desino Nienu, Nuchicho Venuh, Pastor PVBC, Kuvepolu Nienu, Sister-in-law Suohienuo Keyho, will bring greetings while Nieyinulu Lohe, Vesotalu Huire and Vesupalu Nakro will exhort the congregation.

Choral praises, celebratory and committal worship services, Mothers’ Day feast, reports etc. will also feature in the celebration.

The women department of the PVBC has invited all Phekmi sisters, sisterin-laws and well wishers to be part of the programme.

Gorkha pastors go on exposure tour Career seminar highlights

avenues outside govt. service

AGBCNPF members during the exposure tour to Sikkim. The members visited several places across the State.

SIKKIM, APRIL 24 (MExN): The Association of Gorkha Baptist Church Nagaland Pastors’ Fellowship (AGBCNPF) undertook exposure tour to Sikkim from April 13 to 18. Altogether, 18 pastors of different Nepali/Gorkha churches in

Nagaland participated in the tour, which was a first of its kind for the Association.

In Nimtar under West Sikkim, the team visited Sikkim Rehabilitation Centre and had ministry with 55 inmates, a press release from Shyam Gu-

rung, Chairman and Suraj Duttraj, Secretary, AGBCNPF informed.

The team then visited Namchi city in South Sikkim and toured through various tourist spots, religious places and also organic tea garden. The third destination was the state’s

capital Gangtok, where the team was exposed to Tibetology, Museum, Deurali’s Butterfly Bridge, Water Fall, besides tourist attraction places.

On Sunday, the AGBCN pastors attended the devotional service at Baptist Church Gangtok.

KOHIMA, APRIL 24 (MExN): Parliamentary Secretary for Higher and Technical Education, Deo Nukhu on April 23 highlighted the various job prospects in fields outside government sector during the career guidance seminar organized by Zhavame Students’ Union at LCS Building here.

He told the students there are ample job opportunities if one is willing to take up. In this regard, he emphasized on trainings for unconventional jobs such as plumbing, tailoring, refrigerator and mobile repairing etc, for students who are interested in these areas.

In the second session, President of Zhavame Union, Kohima, Deo Movi exhorted the students to make wise career decisions while asserting the need to change mindsets in order to move ahead. Regard-

less of the career that one chooses, he said, “building trust” is an essential element to progress in life.

He also urged the students to read to keep themselves updated.

V i re k h r u D o m e h (NSS), who got into the service through NPSC examinations at the young age of 21, shared how he worked really hard to get there. As the eldest in the family with parents who were farmers, he said, he also worked in construction as a student in order to buy books for himself. Stating that his hard work has paid off, he told the students there is no substitute to hard work.

Entrepreneur Rekha Rose Dukru, one of the resource persons, spoke about Eden Garden, their family farm that is into integrated farming. Among others, kiwi fruit, apples, blueberry, raspberry, cabbage, potatoes are grown in

the farm. Highlighting that people are often surprised when she introduces herself as a farmer, she asserted that educated people can also be farmers and that the mindset about associating farmers with the illiterate needs to change.

She further encouraged students saying that if they are interested, there are several avenues wherein they can start their own small enterprises.

The other resource person, writer & publisher, Vishü Rita Krocha said that writing, like any other profession, requires interest, passion and hard work while briefly sharing about her journey as a writer.

She urged that whatever the students decide to become, they must put their heart into it, work hard and that they must also enjoy what they do. Altogether, 120 students attended the seminar.

Panel lawyers encouraged to penetrate in remotest areas

KO H I M A , A P R I L 2 4 (MExN): The two-day orientation training for panel lawyers to advance their lawyering skills, organized by the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority, concluded on April 23.

Justice LS Jamir, Judge, Gauhati High Court, in his valedictory address deduced from the comments and remarks of the participants that the orientation training was a success.

He hoped that the professional ethics of the advocates imparted during the training has been instilled in the minds of the participants and they will follow them.

He also remarked on the 7 new schemes introduced by the National Legal Services Authority in the year 2015. Stating that they are of great importance, the Judge hoped that the schemes will be implemented effectively in all the districts of Nagaland under the

initiatives of the panel lawyers.

He urged the participants to stand united, be hard working, and have a clear concept on the objectives of the Legal Services Authorities. He stated that Nagaland State Legal Services Authority under the leadership of the Member Secretary has been doing a tremendous work and is expected to continue with the good deeds in the near future.

Meanwhile, maintaining

that the panel lawyers are the link between the weaker sections of the society and the court in delivering justice, he said the panel lawyers are lesser to none.

He encouraged them to penetrate deep into the remotest area so that the weaker sections are not neglected.

After the valedictory session, Justice LS Jamir presented the Certificates to the participants of the training.

Member Secretary NSLSA, Nino Iralu, NJS summed up the sessions and opined that the programme will yield a good result from the side of the panel lawyers from all the districts.

She informed that the orientation training will be organized quarterly.

Earlier in the day, four sessions were held where resource persons dwelt on different topics. The resource persons were

Limasenla Longkumer, Project Co-ordinator, A2J Project; Joshua Sheqi, Retainer & Legal Aid Counsel; Esther Aye, Legal Aid Counsel; and Cheliam Khiamniungan, Master Trainer. Special topics were presented by CT Jamir, Senior Advocate, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench; A. Zho, Advocate; Visevonuo, Principal, Kohima Law College; and Imti Imsong, President, Dimapur Bar Association.

Village level Panchayati Day observed in Tobu, Naharbari

Solar light installed at International Trade Centre Avakhung under Meluri subdivision of Phek district. Avakhung village along Indo-Myanmar border is yet to be electrified. Altogether, 75 habitation/villages are yet to be electrified in Nagaland, according to Nagaland Economic Survey 2015-16.

(Morung Photo by Chizokho Vero)

25th April

2016

END MALARIA FOR GOOD

DIMAPuR, APRIL 24 (MExN): The village level National Panchayati Day in commemoration of 125th birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar was organized at Tobu village in Mon and Naharbari village in Dimapur respectively.

At Tobu village, Yannithung Ngullie, EAC Mopung highlighted the significance of Rashtriya Samrata Diwas and the National Panchayat Day. To mark the occasion, he initiated an oath where members pledged to maintain social harmony and equality to create an equitable society which was the dream of Dr. BR Ambedkar.

A Zibenthung Kithan, ADC

Tobu presented a brief sketch of Dr. BR Ambedkar and significance of the 23rd Amendment of the Indian Constitution. He stated that Dr. BR Ambedkar was an economist and a renowned jurist who fought for the downtrodden and the socially backward class. He also deliberated on the significance of April 24, the day the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution came into force for the Panchayati Raj and its impact on the lower section of the people.

Moba Konyak, BDO Tobu gave a presentation on the overview and challenges in implementation of MGNREGA

and IAY programmes. Sentilong Ozukum, SDO (Civil) Monyakshu Hq gave a presentation on the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' including its history, objectives and its implementation in Mon district. He informed that Changlangshu village under Tobu subdivision was the first village in the district to successfully construct 100% Individual Household Latrines under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Representative from Social Welfare Dept highlighted the various National Social Assistance Programmes, including Old Age Pension, Disability etc. The programme was attended by all Village Council

Rev. Tsukdi’s demise mourned KOHIMA, APRIL 24 (MExN): The Pungrungrü Billy Baptist Church, Pungrungrü Village Baptist Church women department, and Pungrungrü Christian Youth Endeavour have mourned the sudden demise of Rev. Tsukdi Ao on April 19 in Dimapur after a prolonged illness. Late Rev. Tsukdi Ao, who hailed from Mulungyimsen village under Mokokchung district, arrived at Pungrungrü village on February 14, 1971 and served as pastor till January 25, 1987.

“He was a man of God who immensely contributed for the spiritual, social and economic upliftment of the villagers in particular and Yimchunger in general,” stated a condolence note issued by Kiuthrong Yimchunger, secretary, PVBC. “Even though he is no more with us today, the legacy of his foot prints will live in the hearts of the Yimchunger people.” He further conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

Members, NGOs, students, church leaders and officials under Tobu subdivision.

The celebration at Naharbari village under RD Block, Chumukedima was held on April 24, jointly organized by Rural Development department and Social Welfare department. Thungbemo Patton, EAC Chumukedima recalled Dr. Ambedkar's significant contribution towards the transformation of the country.

Moakaba Ao, Program Officer, DRDA Dimapur urged the village functionaries present at the function to judiciously utilize the fund that comes to the villages for development.

K. Yamao, BDO, RD Block Chumukedima presented the programmes and activities of RD department while Toto Sema, Supervisor, Social Welfare highlighted programmes of Social Welfare department. Tiatoshi Jamir, SO, RD Block Chumukedima gave a life sketch of Dr. BR Ambedkar and his significant contribution towards the transformation of the country.

Departmental officials of Rural Development and Social Welfare along with village council chairmen and council members, GBs and VDB secretaries of villages under RD Block Chumukedima attended the programme.

Pochury Hoho new office bearers

KOHIMA, APRIL 24 (MExN): The new office bearers and executive members of the Pochury Hoho for the tenure 201618 was declared by Search Committee on April 21 during the general session of Pochury Hoho. Follow-

ing are the office bearers: President- Penthvü Pochury, Vice president- M. Chuba, General Secretary- Vichutho, Joint Secretary- Anaki, Finance Secretary- Chusietho Joshou and Treasurer- Khevitho Nyuthe. Executive mem-

bers: MAPO- Rashutho, Chiilekhu, Tsirütho, Nyuletho and Rholetho, KAPOVirhosie Mizu, Rekhwepa Katiry and Ditimu, ARPOH. Neicha and Z. Chunda, PPO- Kotu, Sipichu and Tuping Vaching, PAPO- P. Paratsü and S. Kachu.

Residents of Ura Villa Colony in Dimapur repair one of the worst parts of road in the colony on April 23. The colony had conducted social work to repair road and drainage with contribution solely from the residents. The road condition in the colony, according to a release, was worse after rainfall. “The road was like a river with the drainage flowing on the road making it difficult for the travelers.”

MonDAY 25•04•2016

NORTH-EAST

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

3

Boost for public healthcare in Arunachal

Anpum, April 24 (iAnS): Until a couple of years ago pregnancy was unavoidable for women in this tiny village of Arunachal Pradesh. Unavailability of contraceptives in the defunct Public Health Centres not only led to unwanted pregnancies but also lack of spacing and maternal morbidity, finally resulting in unhealthy children, with bleak chance of survival.

Thirty year-old Christina Perme (name changed) never wanted to have four children, keeping in mind her family's economic status. But she ended up becoming pregnant four times in the first six years of her marriage as neither she nor her husband could avail of any type of contraceptives, for which they still have to travel miles through hilly terrain, without the surety of returning the same day in case a downpour damages the muddy roads passing through deep forests.

Such a situation prevailed some six-seven years ago, but now the tribal women in this village either undergo tubectomy or use any other type of contraceptives to block their chances of pregnancy.

This was made possible after the government de-

cided to hand over the public health centres to NGOs under the Public Private Partnership (PPP), which proved to be a boon for the state, which has one of the highest Total Fertility Rate in the country with a population of mere 1.4 million.

Karuna Trust, an NGO, has been tasked to manage 11 PHCs by the Arunachal Pradesh Government, all in remote areas which takes days to reach from the state capital.

According to the villagers, PHCs which used to be in a dilapidated condition and could not provide medical services even to people suffering from common cold, after being operated by Karuna Trust, are able to provide all basic medical care including family planning. Institutional deliveries have increased by 30 percent and home deliveries have come down to a great extent.

Under then PPP model, Karuna Trust is given Rs.30 lakh annually by the government to manage each PHC in Arunachal Pradesh. The PHCs now have IT-based essential supply chain management system for drugs and vaccines, reproductive and child health programmes for tribals, and delivery of generic drugs along with

NWU condemns assault & carjacking

LOST NOTICE

TAhAmzAm, April 24 (mExn): The Naga Women’s Union (NWU) has strongly condemned the assault and carjacking incident on three women flower vendors and driver of a pickup truck on April 19 at Keithelmanbi in Senapati District. Stating that it was “deeply disturbed” by frequent incidents of kidnapping and hijacking of commuters along the NH-2, the NWU stated, “Such incident can only create tension and cause fear among the people.” The NWU appealed to the concerned authority to take up necessary measures so that such incidents do not recur. “It is our earnest prayer that it will not happen again in future,” the NWU stated.

I, Mr. Puwehi Mebou am applying for a duplicate copy of HSLC Admit Card as I have lost it.

Name: Puwehi Mebou F/Name: Wenyitso DBO: 17th June 1996 HSLC: Year 2016 Name of school: Govt. High School Losami, Phek Roll No: 1650340 Contact: 9089283514

dental care facilities.

"There is no doubt that Karuna Trust is doing a marvellous job. In fact by witnessing the work of the

NGO and the satisfaction of the people in the remote areas, I want to give the work of more PHCs to Karuna Trust, so that we can ensure

our people in the remote areas do not die due to lack of medical care," P.N. Thungan, Mission Director National Health Mission, told IANS.

ST. STEPHEN’S HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL DIMAPUR : NAGALAND Near D.C. Office Complex, Dimapur

ADMISSION NOTICE

Admission Forms for Class 11 SCIENCE, COMMERCE and ARTS stream can be obtained from the School Office during office hours, between 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM on all working days.

Admission will start as soon as the HSLC result is declared.

Direct Admission will be given according to first come first serve on merit basis.

The School provides adequate Hostel facilities separately both for BOYS and GIRLS.

Sd/- PRINCIPAL

MGHSS Dimapur Chapter – An Appeal for Platinum Jubilee The Mayangnokcha Govt. Higher Secondary School (MGHSS) Mokokchung, Dimapur Chapter, has kindly assigned the following members to reach out to the desirous Alumni ready to donating towards the upgradation of the Science Laboratory of the said school commemorating the Platinum Jubilee. (Target: 12 lakhs). PLEASE RESPOND AND CONTACT. The collection shall be closed on 12-05-2016.

1

Dr. Khehokhu Chishi

9436019221

Nagagoan,Lhomithi & Zhimo colony

2

L. M. Merry Er. K. L. Merry Mekoksenla L. Bendang Lemtur Imsunaro

9436002780 9856154980 9862564197 9436005697 9862090619

Dmr – Chumu Area

3

Mefutiba Imti Imchen Martha H. Walling

9436163437 9436012324 9862666830

Fellowship,Supply,Duncan, Landmark, Recidency, Riverbelt & Nuton Basti.

4

Ayula

9436261206

Khermahal, Lakeview and Island colony.

5

Kilangnaro Akokla Lucy Toshimongla Bengjong Aier

9436603922 9436061260 9612169802 9436012446

D.C. Office & surroundings Lengri.

6

Akokla Nungja

9436013091

NST colony & Circuit House Area.

7

K. Mar Lemtur

9436019202

Bank colony, Nagarjan & Govt. Hospital Area.

8

Satem Changkiri Jonathan

9856320400 9436004363

Kashsiram, Viola, Indisen, Signal Angami, Phom colony

9

Amen Changkiri

9436263720

Ghaspani & Lingrijan.

10 Nungsang Aier 9436002544 Dr. Merennungba Jamir 9436062728

ZDC formed DimApur, April 24 (mExn): The Zeliangrong Baudi Assam, Manipur and Nagaland (ZB AMN) and All Zeliangrong Students’ Union Assam, Manipur and Nagaland (AZSU AMN) in its joint emergency executive meeting on April 13 at Hotel Regency, Dimapur constituted Zeliangrong Development Committee (ZDC). AZSU president Nchaheing Kompoing in a press release informed that the main objective of the committee is to pursue the Central Government sponsored project for the welfare of the Zeliangrong people living in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.

The committee will be headed by Raitu Chawang as the Chairman, T. Mirhu - Vice Chairman, Dr. Gairiangmei Maringmei - Joint secretary, James Akham - treasurer and members - Ramkiu, Hurui, Samson Kamson, Chaoba Kamson, and Meibon Phaomei.

A.G. COLONY, KOHIMA

ADMISSION NOTICE FOR CLASS 11 (Academic Session 2016-2017) STREAMS:- 1) ARTS 2) COMMERCE 3) SCIENCE st th SPECIAL OFFER: 1. TOP 1 to 10 (Free Education) 2. TOP 11th to 20th (Monthly school fee free) • Hostel Facilities (Boys & Girls) • Bus service for day-scholars.

• Experienced and dedicated teaching faculties.

• Counselling facilities.

• Well equipped Laboratory and Library.

• Offering Job-oriented subject (Financial Markets) in Commerce stream.

• Audio-Visual classes (Teach Next) • N.C.C. (For Girls) • Nurse available for First Aid during school hours Forms and Prospectus are available during the school-hours (9:00 AM – 2:30 PM).

Sd/- PRINCIPAL

Padumpukhuri,Dubagaon, Tulovi,Ekranipathar,Iralibil.

Nungsang Aier Convener, Phone :- 9436002544

FAITH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Campus N.H.29, Jotsoma, Kohima, Nagaland Postal address P.O.Box-431, Kohima -797001, Nagaland Recognised by H.Ed., Govt. of Nagaland Associate Member of ATA

Website: www.ftskma.com

Email: principal@ftskma.com

ADMISSION NOTICE

An Institution established under the guidance of God. Dedicated to train servants of God in an atmosphere of Spiritual, Ministerial and Academic Excellence. Invites application for the following Course from committed Christian men and women who have the call of God for the ministry.

Courses Offered Duration Eligibility M.Div. (Master of Divinity) Regular & Extension

2 Years B.Th with B Grade and above 2 ½ Years Secular Graduate/ B.th with below B Grade

M. Min. (Master of Ministry)

2 Years B.Th. / Secular graduates

B.Th. (Bachelor of Theology)

4 Years HSLC/Class 10 passed 3 Years Class 12 passed

C.Th.(Certificate of Theology) 3 Years Under Matric  Admission Form are available for the new Academic session (2016-17).

For detail information contact:

ZB (AMN) Dimki on May 6 DimApur, April 24 (mExn): The Dimki (Assembly) of Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam, Manipur, Nagaland) tenure 2013-16 will be held on May 6, 11:00 am onward at Poilwa Village, Peren district. The Assembly Speaker, Majabung Gangmei and Secretary Lungshi Haikube, in a press note, have requested all the central executive, state executive, zonal executive members of Zeliangrong Baudi, Zeliangrong frontal organisation leaders, village council chairman of the three states, and well wishers to attend the session without fail. The Assembly will discuss constitutional amendment, land resources and miscellaneous matters, it added.

MODEL HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Principal: 9436001730, 9856070787

Little Star Hr. Sec. School

OFFICE OF THE

NAGA PEOPLE’S FRONT 28 A/C KORIDANG MOKOKCHUNG: 798601, NAGALAND

Consequent upon the suspension of our chosen leader Shri. Imkong L. Imchen from the primary membership of the NPF Party issue on 14/04/2016, the 28th Koridang A/C has convened a party general meeting on 23/04/2016 at the residence of Shri. Panger Kichu (Party Treasurer) at Yimyu, Mokokchung Town. All the Unit officers led by their respective President, all the A/C executive members and office bearers, all the Mokokchung division NPF Office bearers representing 28th Koridang A/C assembled with full strength.

RESOLUTIONS :The meeting thoroughly deliberated on the issues involved on the suspension of our chosen leader Shri.

Imkong and adopted the following resolutions unanimously :1. That on receiving show- cause notice issued on 15/02/2016 the A/C clearly understood that the suspension of our leader Shri. Imkong L. Imchen was a forgone conclusion and therefore the show-cause notice was just a mere formality. The 28th Koridang A/C was mentally fully prepared to face and accept such ugly and ill-motive action taken by the central office. The 28th Koridang have clearly seen the evil design schemed by the central leadership against our leader.

2. The NPF party was drawn ZERO in 2003 General Election from Mkg District and yet our leader Shri.

Imkong L. Imchen who got elected as an Independent nurtured, molded, structured and led the NPF Party in the District. Thereby in 2008 general election the NPF won 4 out of 10 MLAs, followed by the election of Shri. Toshipokba from 26th Aonglenden A/C by-election. Subsequently in 2003 general election 5 of its party nominees got elected from the district.

3. That since 2003 it was our leader Shri. Imkong L. Imchen under whose leadership the NPF Party in the district was put firmly in the minds of the people, uprooting the National party politics from the district. It was on his initiative and personal supervision and contribution that even the present NPF office building at Mokokchung Town is standing. Thousands of party workers across the 10 A/C have joined the NPF Party making it strong to withstand any challengers, which clearly demonstrates the peoples support to our Leader.

4. That even though the suspension of our leader from the party was ill-motive and an unreasonable decision taken solely from the feeling of jealously and envy, the 28th Koridang NPF shall still remain steadfast behind the leadership of Shri.Imkong L Imchen and therefore shall remain loyal and disciplined soldiers of the NPF Party in the State.

5. That it is explicit and declared mandate of the 28th Koridang people that our A/C MLA Shri. Imkong L Imchen shall stand solidly behind the ongoing political dialogue between GOI and the NSCN-IM. So as to facilitate for a negotiated political settlement of the Naga issue. We feel proud that our elected representative have stood on this principle till today and shall he be remain so in the days to come. The people of 28th Koridang A/C are fully aware of certain section of people within and without the NPF Party who are working tirelessly against the on-going political dialogue even to the extent of going against the framework agreement signed between GOI and NSCN-IM on August 3rd 2015. However it is the mandate of the 28th Koridang A/C that Shri. Imkong L Imchen shall stand by the Naga Political Talk till an amicable solution is arrived at.

(K. Lanutemjen Imchen) General Secretary (Adm)

Office: 8575756771

(Imtinungsang Imchen) President

(Hostel Attached)

Midland, Dimapur Website: www.littlestardimapur.com Admission in Class XI (Arts) for Girls only Admission Forms for Class XI (Arts) are available at the School Office. Admission will be given on first come first serve basis.

Management reserves the right to admission. Personal interview with student and parent.

Subjects Offered: 1. English 2. Alt. English 3. Political Science 4. Education 5. History 6. Sociology 7. Economics 8. Computer Science Infrastructure and Facilities  Smart Audio-Visual Classrooms  2 year hands on Certified Computer Course by the Computer Department, LSHSS  Air Conditioned Computer Lab  Special events and life skill oriented activities  Air Conditioned Classrooms with tiled floors  Dedicated team of Lady Lecturers  Various clubs like Cookery Club, Sports Club, Craft Club, Music Club, etc  School of Music offering Keyboard, Guitar, Drums and Vocal Classes  Parent – Teacher Interactions  Weekly Test and Remedial Classes  Off Campus Playground

Hostel facility also available (Limited Seats)  Air Conditioned Dormitories  Generator facility  Off Campus Playground with Children’s Park, State of the Art Basketball Court, Volleyball Court, Football ground and Table Tennis  Spacious Wash Rooms with 24 hours hot and cold running water  Nutritious planned food (Naga, Indian and Continental)  Sunday School & every Sunday evening Faith Youth Fellowship  Dorm – wise outings  Special Hostel events like Talent Night, Sports Day, Fresher’s Night, Hostel Picnic etc.  Teacher Supervised Study Halls  Tata Sky TV connections  Housekeeping Staff

Students with ‘tattoo mark’ will not be given admission.

Ph. 03862-248507 (O), 9436015571 (Hostel Supdt.)

Principal

4

MonDAY 25•04•2016

Business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

‘Smart’ Italy eyes India’s own $1.2 trillion mission

New Delhi, April 24 (iANS): Claiming to have the largest number of smart cities in Europe, Italy is keen to partner with India in its own initiative for 100 of them over the next 20 years with an investment requirement of over $1.2 trillion, a senior diplomat here has said.

“Italy can be a strong partner for smart cities in terms of design and technology. We are very attentive and focussed on India’s smart cities,” Francesco Pensabene, Italian Trade Commissioner and Director of its trade promotion office here, told IANS in an interview.

“We offer a strong partnership for India for its smart cities. Italian companies can majorly contribute in terms of design and technology for the smart cities,” Pensabene said, adding the services can range from consultancy to actual building of infrastructure.

The trade commissioner said his country has launched a two-year campaign this year -- “Italy: The Extraordinary Commonplace -- to explore new business avenues for Ital-

ian companies and that the Indian smart city project figures high on the priority list.

“Smart cities can be instrumental in promoting our exports of furnishing, technology, etc., to India. It is a wonderful programme,” he said, even as his office circulated a paper on the project for Italian companies.

As per this paper, the Mediterranean country has 30 smart cities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the development of 100 smart cities across India in 2015, with proposed initial allocation of Rs.48,000 crore over five years. The first batch of 20 smart cities are expected to be launched by June 25 this year.

A number of countries, including Japan, the United States, Canada, Germany and France, have already entered into various partnerships for the development of India’s mission.

Italy now is looking at partnering for the smart cities to boost its exports to India, that stood at $3.6 billion in calendar year 2015, growing by 10.4 percent when compared to 2014.

“The slogan for our export promotion campaign is ‘building business partnership’. We are looking at a winwin situation for both, constituting of joint programmes and cooperation in all the sectors,” Pensabene said.

“Industrial machinery constitues as much as 40-50 percent of our exports to India. We are happy about the Indian government’s Make in India programme. In fact, we are amongst the top exporters of marble and leather machinery to India.,” the trade commissioner said.

“We are looking at increase in exports of agricultural machinery, textiles and pharma as well.”

The total annual trade between India and Italy stands at $8.2 billion with the Italian deficit at $720 million. The Italian trade promotion office here is also focussing on promoting the food and wine exports to India, which has seen a growth of 27 percent in the last four years.

“Italy contributes as much as 80 percent to India’s pasta imports, 30 percent to its olive oil imports and 10 percent to its wine imports,” he said.

EPFO to launch system for discouraging premature withdrawals New Delhi, April 24 (pti): Retirement fund body Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) plans to launch ‘One Employee One Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Account’ system on May 1 to dissuade premature provident fund (PF) withdrawals and encourage state governments to join its pension system.

The decision was taken on April 21 in EPFO’s internal meeting, a day after after the government rolled back its decision to tighten PF withdrawal norms restricting subscribers to withdraw employer’s share of PF contributions (3.67% of basic wages) before the age of 58 years, among others.

During the meeting, EPFO’s Central Provident

Fund Commissioner V P Joy discussed about the unrest regarding the PF withdrawal norms.

Joy emphasised the

need for effective communication with employees and employers and stated that frequent withdrawals by employees on each job change, which is also encouraged by employers, need to be addressed by good service and simple interface.

He was of the view that employers and employees must be able to view and access the money trail

India ratifies WTO agreement to Government considering proposal boost global economic integration to liquidate some loss-making PSUs

Anjali Prasad presents India’s instrument of acceptance ratifying the Trade Facilitation Agreement to WTO’s director general Roberto Azevedo on April 22. (IANS Photo)

UNiteD NAtioNS, April 24 (iANS): India has ratified the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which could further “its integration into the global economy” by boosting trade through efficient movement of goods.

India’s Permanent Representative to the WTO, Anjali Prasad, formally presented the instrument of acceptance ratifying the agreement to WTO Director General Roberto

Azevedo on Friday in Geneva.

“India is one of the most dynamic economies in the world today and has become a top recipient of foreign investment,” Azevedo said. “Ratifying the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement will help India further boost economic growth by reducing trade costs and supporting its integration into the global economy.”

India is the 76th WTO member to accept the TFA, which will enter into force once two-thirds of WTO 162 members formally accepted the Agreement. The TFA was agreed upon at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali in 2013. The agreement aims at expediting the movement and clearance of goods, including goods in transit and establishing effective cooperation between customs and other authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues.

The implementation of the TFA has the potential to increase global merchandise exports by up to $1 trillion per year, according to the WTO’s 2015 flagship World Trade Report.

BSNL saves Rs. 613 crores due to energy conservation New Delhi, April 24 (pti): State-run BSNL today said various energy conservation measures adopted by it have resulted in a cumulative saving of Rs. 613 crore from April 2008 to March 2016. The company said it has been honoured with eight national-level energy conservation awards, given by the Power Ministry, and 26 state-level awards given by various state governments in recognition of its energy conservation and demand side management initiatives.

In order to reduce energy burden, Energy Policy was framed by BSNL in 2010 for optimising energy consumption. “The various energy conservation measures adopted by BSNL have resulted in a cumulative energy saving of Rs. 613 crore since April 2008 to March 2016,” the company said in a statement.

The measures include identification and publicity of no cost, low cost and high cost measures for conserving energy and carrying out frequent energy audits of establishments. The company also leverages new technology like free cooling technology, which has resulted in enormous savings in compliant areas.

“Induction of BEE certified products into the system...helps in reduction of energy costs in our operations,” BSNL said. The company further said advances in clean energy technology are being embraced and solar power systems to the tune of 940 KWp aggregate capacity have been installed at mobile tower sites.

New Delhi, April 24 (pti): As it looks to contain public expenditure, the government is considering a proposal to liquidate some lossmaking PSUs while protecting the interest of their employees who may be offered “lucrative” payouts.

In line with recommendations of Expenditure Management Commission, a proposal for liquidating some loss-making PSUs is being examined, sources said.

Liquidation should be done in a manner that it does not hurt interest of employees and is a win-win for both government and the staff, sources added.

The government, sources said, may provide for lucrative one-off sum toward pension payments for the staff of those loss identified loss making companies.

As per the latest government report, there are 77 lossmaking PSUs at the end of March last year with a total ag-

leisure

gregate loss of Rs 27,360 crore.

Some of the companies include, Bharat Gold Mines, Tannery and Footwear Corporation of India, Cycle Corporation of India, Mining and Allied Machinery Corporation, National Bicycle Corporation of India, Bharat Process and Mechanical Engineers, Weighbird India and Bharat Brakes & Valves.

It is understood that Expenditure Management Commission, formed in September 2014, recommended liquidating loss-making PSU by selling of assets such entities wherever possible.

The commission was given the task to review all matters related to central government spending, including suggesting space for increased developmental spending and reviewing the budgeting process and norms under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act and suggesting ways to meet a reasonable proportion of spending on ser-

Daily Cross WorD ACROSS 1. Everglades bird 6. Beige 10. A heavy open wagon 14. hack 15. “Comes and ____” 16. double-reed woodwind 17. miscellany 19. Anagram of “Snob” 20. Black Sea port 21. Wander aimlessly 22. Six-stringed instrument 23. Surpass 25. greek letter 26. Stepped 30. Beginning 32. The largest flatfish 35. Pinna 39. Occurring together 40. Unsaturated alcohol 41. Improvised 43. Timidity 44. Large lizard 46. French for “head” 47. manicurist’s board 50. 6 6 6 6 53. Sandwich shop 54. Eastern Standard Time 55. kleenex 60. modify 61. Instructions 63. Small amount 64. Wicked 65. Spritelike 66. Breezed through 67. Between the head and shoulders 68. Tablet DOWN 1. Reflected sound 2. Well-behaved 3. Boorish 4. hens make them 5. Not those 6. Conceit 7. Old man

CROSSWORD # 3572

SUDOKU

Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.”

Game Number # 3558

Answer Number # 3557

Jewellers asked to clear excise dues New Delhi, April 24 (pti): The government has asked jewellers to settle excise dues for March-May along with that of June and get themselves registered with the Central Excise department by July 1. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had in Budget imposed 1 per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery which led to widespread protests by jewellers.

The agitation was temporarily called off on April 13 following assurance from the government that there would be no harassment by tax officials. “Assessee jewellers may make payment of excise duty for March, April and May 2016, along with that for June 2016,” the Finance Ministry said. The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has also extended the time limit for taking central excise registration of an establishment by a jeweller up to July 1, 2016.

The jewellers, the CBEC said, were liable to pay excise duty with effect from March 1, 2016. The government has, meanwhile, set up a committee under former Chief Economic Adviser Ashok Lahiri to look into the demand of agitating jewellers and into their grievances with regard to compliance and operating procedures for payment of excise duty. The gems and jewellery industry is estimated to have incurred over Rs.1 lakh crore loss due to the 42-day strike from March 2. Jewellers have been protesting against quoting of PAN for transactions of Rs. 2 lakh and above.

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LEANmEATS

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PROdUCESBLOOdCELLS

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SALmON

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vices through user charges.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget 2016-17 speech had said NITI Aayog will identify Public Sector Units for strategic sale.

“A new policy for management of government investment in Public Sector Enterprises, including disinvestment and strategic sale, has been approved. We have to leverage the assets of CPSEs for generation of resources for investment in new projects,” Jaitley said.

The Department of Disinvestment has been renamed DIPAM. The government aims to collect Rs 56,500 crore through disinvestment in PSUs this fiscal, as per Budget 2016-17.

Of the total budgeted proceeds, Rs 36,000 crore is estimated to come from minority stake sale in PSUs and the remaining Rs 20,500 crore from strategic sale in both profitable and loss-making companies.

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tractual be taken by all field offices.

He stated that all running contracts as well as future contracts by municipalities be examined to enrol all eligible employees and to secure compliance.

Joy raised the specific issue of PF default by tea gardens and plantations and informed that a departmental order has been received from commerce secretary to take action against such plantations.

He also stated that reference be made to tea board and to concerned state governments to find out who is the owner of the land on which tea garden is situated and make the owner liable for payment of statutory dues.

PIANO TUNER (Tuning & Repairing) Recognised by the govt. of S. korea Ph: 8416089458

FIRST TIME IN ZUNHEBOTO daily day Service (Taxi) Zunheboto to kohima & dimapur Timing: 10:30 Am

Counter: Trade Mark Building, Near Airtel Office Old Town Zunheboto Contact: 8794983314/8730888188

PRANAB VIDYAPITH hIghER SECONdARY SChOOL

(For BOYS’ & gIRLS’)

Milan Mandir Road, Dimapur, Nagaland.

Phone : (03862) 232455/233012

Prospectus for admission to Class- 11 Science & Commerce is available at the School Office from 25/04/2016 (From 10:00 A.m. to 2:00 P.m.)

Principal, P.V.h.S.S., dimapur, Nagaland

dImAPUR Civil Hospital:

STd COdE: 03862 232224; Emergency- 229529, 229474

MH Hospital: Faith Hospital:

227930, 231081 228846

Shamrock Hospital

228254

Zion Hospital:

231864, 224117, 227337

Police Control Room Police Traffic Control East Police Station West Police Station

228400

CIHSR (Referral Hospital) Dimapur hospital

242555/ 242533

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

230695/ 9402435652

Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

229366

232106 227607 232181

224041, 248011

Chumukedima Fire 282777 Brigade Nikos Hospital and 232032, 231031 Research Centre Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre

kOhImA

Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home: Northeast Shuttles

STd COdE: 0370 100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202 08974997923

08822911011

T O d A V I R I Q U S N N A L I Z N g F

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k L O Y g g E R U S E N O B g N O R T S

KoHIMA NoRTH: 7085924114 (o)

CHUMUKEDIMA: 7085982102 (o) 8732810051 (oC) WOkhA: 03860242215/101 (o) 8974322879 (oC) MoKoKCHUNG: 0369-2226225/ 101 (o) 8415830232 (oC) PHEK: 8414853765 (o) 8413822476(oC) zUNHEBoTo: 03867-280304/ 101 (o) 9436422730 (oC) TUENSANG: 8414853766 (o) 9856163601 (oC)

kIPhIRE: 8414853767 (o) 9436261577 (oC) PEREN: 7085189932 (o) 9856311205 (oC) LONgLENg: 7085924113 (o) 9862414264 (oC)

WE4WOmEN hELPLINE

R

KoHIMA SoUTH: 0370-2222952/ 101 (o) 9402003086 (oC)

MoN: 03869-251222/ 101 (o) 9862130954 (oC)

Toll free No. 1098 childline

mOkOkChUNg:

FIRE STATIONS

DIMAPUR: 03862-232201/ 101 (o) 9856156876 (oC)

ChILd WELFARE COmmITTEE

A

A k N B I h T O F L E E F O O B O J R J

pertaining to their individual profiles.

“Improvement in services and better pension systems would mean that we can open an additional channel for pension services,” he said.

“If the EPFO services and schemes are made more employee friendly then a reference can be made to state governments for joining the EPF pension systems,” he added.

Joy also informed his colleagues that EPFO proposes to launch a system of ‘One Employee one EPF Account’ on May 1.

He stated that once EPF services are improved then more people will voluntarily join the EPF system.

On the issue of compliance by municipalities, Joy stated that legal actions for enforcing compliance in respect of all employees, whether regular or con-

STd COdE: 0369

Police Station 1:

2226241

Police Station 2 :

2226214

Civil Hospital: Woodland Nursing Home:

2226216 2226263

Hotel Metsüpen (Tourist Lodge):

2226373/2229343

TAHAMzAM (formerly Senapati) STD CoDE: 03871 Police Station: Fire Brigade

CURRENCY NOTES

222246 222491

BUY(Rs)

SELL(Rs)

US Dollars Sterling Pound Hong Kong Dollar Australian Dollar Singapore Dollar Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen

64.79 92.79 8.08 50.49 48.09 51.19 58.73

67.74 97.34 9.01 53.00 50.47 53.70 62.07

Euro

73.11

76.69

1.79

1.99

0.0553

0.0616

17.07

19.02

9.67

10.78

Thai Baht Korean Won UAE Dirham (AED) Chinese Yuan

Monday 25•04•2016

NAGALAND

Incessant rain causes widespread damage across Mon District

Disaster Management Authority submits assessment report

MON, April 24 (Dipr): The officials of Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority and District Disaster Management Authority, Mon undertook a field assessment of the damage caused due to heavy rainfall, hailstorm & windstorm during the month of April 2016 and inspected the affected areas and report submitted by the administrative officers posted in the sub division.

The Team comprised of W. Honje Konyak, DC Mon; M.A. Shihab IAS ADC Mon; Relise Sangtam EAC (Sadar), Mon; Rendemo Shitio SERO, NSDMA; W. Shejeang DPA, NSDMA; Bubu Patrick Golmei DPA, NSDMA; and Kedigong. DPA, NSDMA. As per the preliminary assessment, the following damages were observed & reported: Techahan Ward (mon Town): Due to massive landslide following incessant rainfall, many inhabitants of the locality were compelled to abandon their severely damaged houses.

District Administration has also issue an evacuation

A boy studying in his room despite of damaged caused by the landslide in his room.

order for 50 houses that have been damaged completely and relocated 150 houses severely damaged.

One Government Primary School building located in the ward is also being affected by landslide, posing danger to the school children.

A Road Culvert connecting the inhabitant of Techahan Ward to Mon town has also been affected due to the erosion of land.

As on April 23, vehicular movement on the road is halted as it is posing threat to vehicles plying on this road. If preventive work is not undertaken immedi-

ately, it will further aggravate the condition which may completely cut-off of the area.

Tobu-mon road: Massive landslide has caused road blockage in 21 Km, 25 km and 71 km of TobuMon BRO road. In this connection, the Mon District Administration is coordinating with the Border Road organization for early restoration of the road, for which the BRO has assured that the road, will be cleared at the earliest. DC Mon has directed Tobu Administration to liaise with Tuensang Administration for supply of essential

commodities. No shortage of essential commodities reported so far. newsite (mon Town): 3 houses severely damaged in the area. Electric pole that connects the Newsite area and Upper Konyak areas was also damaged.

However, the electric pole was replaced by Power department by the evening of April 23.

Tokubari (mon Town): Due to flashflood caused by heavy downpour in the area, 10 houses displaced by the flood, out of which, 1 (one) house was severely damaged. Besides a culvert on the road that lead

An old lady in a desperate mood at her home. (DIPR Photo)

to Don Bosco School was choked resulting in flooding the roads which compelled the students to abstain their classes for a day.

Temporary measures have been taken to restore the road, however, a proper restorative works needs to be undertaken at earliest to avoid further damage.

Tanlao Ward (mon Town): A culvert has been severely damaged and a bypass was created as a temporary measure for vehicles to pass. This culvert is located at a very strategic road as it is the only lifeline which connects Mon Town with the upper areas

of Mon District like Aboi, Longching, Angjangyang, Mopong, Tobu and Sadar area villages of Totok and Chi area. Considering the importance of the road, a proper restoration is needed immediately.

Villages: Monyakshu village -10 houses severely damaged; Changlangshu village - 3 houses severely damaged; Wangti Village - 10 houses severely damaged by windstorm; Wakching Village - 3 houses severely damaged; Phomching Town - 6 houses severely damaged; Shengha Chingnyu - 1 Government Primary School (GPS) has

Maintain peace for progress: MLA Khumo EAC’s residential office inaugurated at Kiusam Town Kiphire, April 24 (MexN): Parliamentary Secretary for Women Development, Land Revenue, Village Guards, L Khumo inaugurated the newly constructed EAC office cum residence at Kiusam Town in Kiphire district on April 20.

Expressing serious concern over the frequent conflicts among the different tribes in the district, Khumo appealed to all secANNUAL COMMUNITY FISHING: Folks from Philimi and Tsungiki villages participate in tions of people to maintain the community fishing held at Doyang River on April 19. (Morung Photo) peace and shun violence

corrigendum With regard to the speech of Raya Sabha MP KG Kenye at the inauguration of NPF office of 5 Ghaspani II A/C in Medziphema as published on April 24, NPF Press Bureau has corrected that the first Indo-Naga cease fire was signed in 1964 and not 1963. The NPF Press Bureau said it was a typographical error and expressed regret for the same.

NPF office inaugurated KOhiMA, April 24 (MexN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) office of the 14th and 15th Southern Angami A/C was inaugurated by KG Kenye, Member of Parliament and Secretary General NPF Central on April 19 at Dzüvürü (Mohankhola), Kohima.

Speaking at the occasion MP Kenye reminded the party workers about the responsibilities of the party towards the political settlement and to continue to support the peace process. He also highlighted the importance of unity and reconciliation in the organization and added that ultimately the Government translates the policies and programmes of the party manifesto. He asked all to gear up and prepare for the General Election due in 2018 if the peace talk does not hammer-out any alternative arrangement by then.

for progress and prosperity, according to a press release. Stating that peaceful coexistence is the only way to bring progress in the area, he said conflicts among the people in the area are the main hurdles in the process of development. The Parliamentary Secretary also called upon the people of Kiusam area to cooperate with the State govt. for speedy development.

Khumo also said that land is the main item of

development and called upon the people to generously contribute land for any kind of development without creating any hurdles. Meanwhile, he informed that Kiusam EAC HQ was established in late eighties but only this year, the office could be constructed. He termed it a big step towards development of Kiusam area.

The programme was chaired by EAC Kiusam Town and well attended by public of the area.

Sotokur orgs condemn abduction, support demand for SIT DiMApur, April 24 (MexN): The Sotokur Arihako Dimapur (SUD) and Sotokur Union Tuensang Town (SUTT) while condemning the alleged ‘abduction’ of S. Kumcho, a citizen of Sotokur Village on April 11, has extended support to the demands laid down by its Village Council’s for constituting the Special investigation Team to solve the matter at the earliest.

The organisations also called for continuing intensive search operation till the victim is found and any information regarding the same should be made known.

The Sotokur organisation and public are very much concern about his fate as already two weeks

has passed since his disappearance but no words of information and hints by the District Administration & Security agencies has been made known to concern Sotokur citizens and thus making us more worried of his safety and well being, a joint statement by SUD and SUTT stated.

The victim is an active church worker and presently holding the post of Mission Secretary and was reportedly abducted near Helipong Junction while on his way to Tuensang Town, it said, The statement also expressed displeasure that despite many request from Yimchungru organisations to the concern authorities for the necessary action for the safe return of

the victim, no satisfactory initiative by the state government at this stage.

The Sotokur organisations are anguish and disheartened that no suspect has been arrested so far even after the lapse of two weeks of the victim disappearance, it added.

Further expressing apprehension that the motive behind the alleged abduction seem to be “life taking” as no words of ransom had put forward so far, the statement maintained that such “illegal activities and action is putting doubt and confusion among the general public as whether they are safe to travel in such situation.”

It also argued that such action is derailing the peace process when several organisations are working for

peace at Tuensang within the ENPO jurisdiction.

Extending their support the demand made by the Sotokur Village Council to the district administration to constitute a SIT in order to book the culprit at the earliest and to continue Intensive search operation till the victim is found, the two organisation appealed government to fulfill the above demands in “the interest of public peace and tranquility and also urged all the right thinking citizen to condemn the alleged abduction.

The joint statement was appended by SUD President S. Mukam and General Secretary Mutrong and SUTT President M. Yinkiu and General Secretary Chunglikhium.

Capacity building for police personnel on human trafficking KOhiMA, April 24 (MexN): The State Resource Centre for Women (SRCW) and Arz (Anyay Rahit Zindagi) Goa in collaboration with Nagaland Police conducted state level workshop on human trafficking on April 21 and capacity building for police personnel on April 22.

The programmes held with special emphasis on commercial sexual exploitation and child labour at the Police headquarters Kohima were supported by Terre des Hommes- Netherlands.

The guest resource persons were Arun Pandey, Director, Arz, CJ George, Consultant, Terres des Hommes- Germany, who conducted intense session on concept clarity and related laws on human trafficking & child labour.

On April 21, Director

General of Police (DGP) LL Doungel (IPS) attended the programme as the Chief Patron. He stressed on the role of various stakeholders in curbing human trafficking and said, “If you are human, you must act”. He also assured the support of the police and that efforts are being made to “demystify police department” so that better services can be pro-

vided to the public.

During the capacity building programme for police personnel on April 22, the DIGP (Human Rights & Social Justice), W Krome (IPS) highlighted the challenges faced by the Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) because of the additional responsibility. He shared that the attitude of the police must

change and further encouraged the police officers to take the issue seriously.

Toshitsungba Aier, IPS, IGP (Crime) stressed on the need of the police to give priority to criminal related cases and that no amount of rescue and rehabilitation will restore the damage done to the children and women who

are victims of human trafficking, sexual abuse and child labour.

Rupin Sharma, ADGP (Law & Order) shared his concern about cases of trafficking into the State from Myanmar, Bangladesh and other interior parts of State who are then kept at homes. He stated intervention must be made keeping in mind the aspect of

national security and its exploitative nature. He also stressed that the police should see that the civilians must not be allowed to take law into their own hands.

Neinguvotuo Krose, Legal cum Probation Officer, State Child Protection Society spoke on Role of Special Juvenile Police Unit and Trafficking on Children.

Limasenla, Project Coordinator, Access to Justice, Nagaland Legal Services Authority spoke on legal mechanism in the State to curb human trafficking and the role of police.

The police officers from various battalion representing different districts participated in the sessions.

The session was chaired by Ajabu Tungoe, District Coordinator, PSK, SRCW and the concept note was given

by Gracy Ayee, State Coordinator, SRCW.

been severely damaged; Chaoha Chingnyu - 10 houses have been severely damaged; Longwa Village: The only Guest House in Longwa has been badly damaged by Windstorm.

In ChanglangshuChangsa Village, all together 28 houses were completely damaged and 3 houses severely damaged by hailstorm. SDO(c) Monyakshu sub-division reports that 4 person were also injured by the hailstorm.

In Ukha Village, due to the massive hailstorm 40 houses were completely damaged and 260 houses severely damaged. 3 mi-

nors were severely injured by the hailstorm. The injured were shifted to Mon District Hospital and an immediate relief of Rs. 5000 each was also given to them

by DDMA, Mon. Tizit Sub-division: It was observed that the area around Tizit River faced a flood-like situation due to torrential downpour encompassing several days which led to a rise of the water level by about 20ft at an alarming rate. However no human life, houses or properties are reported to be damaged so far.

Apart from the huge property and infrastructural damages, there are also reports of Crops, Plantations and Paddy fields destroyed by the hailstorm all over the district. Proper verification and assessment is yet to be undertaken, which will make available in due course of time.

It was also observed that the incessant rainfall has caused a wide-spread damage in the district. Mud slips, damage to retaining walls, power infrastructures, houses, road blockage, and drainage blockage were reported from all over the district. Urgent and immediate restorative activities and preventive measures need to be undertaken at earliest before the arrival of monsoon.

MEx FILE DCC leadership training in Mon MON, April 24 (MexN): The District Congress Committee (DCC) Mon will conduct leadership training on April 29 at DCC Bhavan, Mon. In this regard, Chingwang Wangsha, President, DCC Mon has requested all executives, office bearers and members of DCC Mon, PCC members, DYC, Mahila, ACC (I) and VCC (I) to attend the said training without fail.

Chakhesang-Sumi 7th Brotherhood Meet KOhiMA, April 24 (MexN): The 7th Brotherhood Meet of Chakhesang-Sumi is scheduled to be held on April 29, 10:00 am onwards at Phek Town Hall. Chotisuh Sazo, Speaker, Nagaland Legislative Assembly and Tokheho Yepthomi, Minister for PHED, Nagaland will bring greetings during the meet while Sumi Hoho (SH) President Toniho Yepthomi and Chakhesang Public Organization (CPO) President, Kekhwengulo Lea will deliver their Presidential address respectively.

The meet will include discussion hour, cultural exhibition by Chakhesang Cultural Organization and Ketsapo Cultural Troupe. The two tribal organizations have invited present and former legislators, former CPO and SH officials, frontal organizations and well wishers to attend the Brotherhood Meet positively.

ANCDPOs Conference held KOhiMA, April 24 (MexN): The All Nagaland CDPOs Association had it 19th annual conference on April 15, where T. Merangtsungba, Director, Social Welfare advised and encouraged the officers to always remain active, more sincere in their assignments and duties for the department and for better service to the public in general and to uphold the motto of the Department ‘Uplift’. The Association inducted Hovishe as the President replacing Keviseyiezo Vizo on promotion.

The members thanked the outgoing President for his outstanding achievement and appointed him as Advisor. For any matters relating to the association, contact: Hovishe, President (8731823574) and Imlitungzuk, General Secretary (9463005472).

Kohima College 2013-2014 batch informed KOhiMA, April 24 (MexN): The students and alumni of Kohima College, Kohima 2013-2014 batch have been informed that a picnic cum get together will be held. A press note issued by Tokiye Kappo, Former General Secretary, Kohima college has requested the members to contact 8974267982 for further details.

KUWA consultative meeting DiMApur, April 24 (MexN): The Kuzhami Welfare Association Dimapur (KUWA) will be holding a consultative meeting on May 7, 11:00 am at Panchayat Hall of Sodzulhou village, 7th Mile, Dimapur. A press note from the Association’s General Secretary, Prestso Therie has requested all KUWA Advisory Board, Presidents and Secretaries of affiliated units to attend the meeting without fail.

Excise seize ganja DiMApur, April 24 (MexN): The Excise (Narcotic cell) personnel at Chumukedima Excise check gate recovered 60 kg of ganja from a Dimapur bound Senapati Tata Sumo taxi from the possession of one Asambe Zemei. The accused person has been arrested and booked under relevant section of NDPS Act 1985. The duty party was led

by B. Apong IE, along with Ikiho H/c, Khumeng, Nemao, Vitsathrong, Abel, Shikaho and Sutsung, all Constables of Excise. This was informed in a press note issued by the Superintendent of Excise (NC) Dimapur, Chanlei Angh.

monDAY 25•04•2016

IN FOCUS

6

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express volume Xi issue 112 By moa Jamir

Time for local ‘transformation’

C O M M E N T A R Y

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani NYT

What’s Worse Than a Girl Being Kidnapped?

A

prophet is honoured everywhere, save his own hometown. The well-known biblical adage strikes the mind as one reads the news report of the Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang receiving a global leadership award for ‘Lifetime Achievement in Transformation’ at an event in Bali, Indonesia on April 23.

The Nagaland Chief Minister was selected by a panel of renowned professionals from all parts of the world and the awardees were selected in various categories based on their leadership qualities and contributions to their fields in the last three years or so, the news report illuminated quoting the Chief Minister’s Office press release.

Where is the transformation? A cynic might ask. Are the locals too caught up with their daily struggle over bad roads, corruption and other wearies of life that they failed to objectively recognize the ‘transformation’ that has been taking place in the State in recent times?

Maybe the sagacity of the panel’s selection gets diluted during the course of our mundane existence. For, apart from withering an ‘internal political storm,’ one cannot recall any ‘transformation’ worth writing about at home.

When the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 had selected United States President Barrack Obama, the Committee said the Prize had not just been used to honor specific achievements, but also to give “momentum to a set of causes.” The Prize could thus represent "a call to action" to all of us, the Committee said, reflecting on the possible weighing of “his ideals against what he really does.”

As we bask in the global recognition that the Chief Minister has garnered, therefore, it is not a time for questioning the rationality of the award but wholeheartedly supporting the government initiative in bringing about transformation in the state.

As stated, an award is recognition as well as a responsibility to give momentum for a set of causes and also a call for action—will the Chief Minister earnestly start such ventures?

One looks forward in anticipation that a ‘lifetime achievement award’ is not simply an end to itself, but a means to an end.

For starters, the potholes we lovingly describe as road need immediate ‘transformation’; the common people need life jackets to come out of the whirlpool of corruption; students needs textbooks and workers need unpaid salaries; transparency and accountability need to transform governance; and basic services in all sectors need to improve.

Most importantly, can the Chief Minister cure us of our cynicism and restore our faith in politicians as a true global ‘transformer'? Can he bestow us with such commitments and transform our lives for the better, with the moral boosting recognition and responsibility conferred by his lifetime award?

Only time will tell, but as mere mortals, we ‘wishfully’ stand and wait.

For any comment, drop a line to moajamir@live.com

lEfT WING |

Vani Sathisan and Bobbie Sta. Maria

The Problem with SEZs in Myanmar

M

ore than half a century of military rule ostensibly comes to a close on April 1, when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy officially takes over Myanmar’s government and the first civilian President since 1962 starts leading the nation.

Despite these extraordinary developments, daunting challenges remain in Asia’s second poorest country. Myanmar’s military still controls key governmental functions; the country is barely emerging from decades of civil conflicts; rule of law and institutions are weak; the economy is fragile and dominated by crony companies; corruption, and human rights abuses remain stubbornly persistent.

In opening up, Myanmar has embraced special economic zones (SEZs) – designated areas in which businesses receive tax, tariff and regulatory benefits - as a means to encourage economic trade and investment heavily promoting three major zones; Thilawa, Dawei and Kyaukphyu.

But in all three, affected communities have repeatedly complained about the need to address human rights and environmental harms caused by the projects, including land, air, and water pollution, and the displacement and loss of traditional forms of livelihoods of thousands. Communities in these zones have also voiced concerns about a lack of transparency, inadequate consultation and participation of affected local communities in project-related decisions, and insufficient compensation for losses.

While SEZs are supposed to drive Myanmar’s economic growth, at the moment it looks as if this growth disproportionately rewards businesses and investors, and not the communities displaced and impoverished to make way for them.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre and the International Commission of Jurists are engaged in efforts to encourage greater public accountability among foreign companies for their human rights impacts - including by highlighting concerns of affected communities with businesses, providing guidance, and tracking companies’ investments and efforts to avoid negative impacts - but a concerted response by government is vital.

The National League for Democracy taking office is crucial, because whilst they support the Thilawa zone, they have said they will review the continuation of the Dawei and Kyaukphyu zones including by speaking with relevant stakeholders.

We hope that the new regime will not lose sight of its commitments in its Election Manifesto, including encouraging “foreign investment in line with the highest international standards”, and laying down “paths for economic cooperation that can bring sustainable long-term mutual benefits”.

The problems surrounding SEZs are significant and urgent.

This period of re-evaluation provides the new government an opportunity to fulfill its duty to protect affected communities.

They can build upon the limited progress of the previous government in legislating rights protections by ensuring that laws are properly implemented.

The new government must amend the SEZ law to ensure that investment projects are planned, designed and undertaken with respect for the fundamental principles of participation, transparency and accountability. By design, SEZs are meant to lure businesses through friendly conditions. But this goal must not be pursued at all costs, especially not in ways that will lead to irreversible environmental damage, abuse of rights, or further impoverishment of locals. The challenge to govern carries with it the responsibility to listen, respectfully engage, and ensure the protection of the human rights of all people in Myanmar Vani Sathisan (International Legal Advisor, International Commission of Jurists) and Bobbie Sta. Maria (Senior Researcher for Southeast Asia, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre)

W

e were late getting to Chibok.

Our driver was delayed. On the way to meet us, he explained, he had seen a mother carrying a sick child on her back and stopped to give them a lift to the hospital. By the time they arrived, the child had died.

Two years ago, more than 200 girls were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok by Boko Haram. A few dozen have since escaped, but a vast majority remain prisoners of the Islamist insurgents. A Nigerian nonprofit group, the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, had asked me to organize a team to interview the families of these girls, in order to create a book memorializing them. We spent a few days in Chibok, in September and October. I was prepared to hear many stories of anguish. What I was not prepared for was the realization that what had seemed, from the outside, like one of the greatest horrors to befall a people appeared from the inside as just another great misfortune in a land where tragedy is an everyday occurrence.

We spoke with the families of 201 of the 219 girls who are still missing.

(Only a few actually lived in Chibok town; most lived in surrounding villages.) In addition to their daughters, many had lost at least one other child. Some had lost three, some had lost six, one woman had lost nine out of 12. “He had a fever” was the most common explanation for the death of an infant. For older children, we were often told, “He was bitten by a snake and died.” One mother told us how, a month after her daughter

was kidnapped, another daughter died during childbirth. A few months later, yet another died from an unknown illness.

Many mothers had between seven and 12 children. The typical man with more than one wife had about 20 children. When you do not expect all your children to grow into adulthood, it makes sense to have as many as possible, whether or not you can afford to feed them or send them to school.

Girls in Chibok marry early. April and December are the seasons of weddings there, with marriage ceremonies taking place almost every day. One girl, Deborah, was married the weekend before she was abducted; she had returned to school because of her impending exams. Another girl, Mariam, was married a week earlier. Her husband had promised her parents that she could complete her secondary education, and so a few days after their big day, he saw his wife off to school.

The fact that these girls were getting an education at all was remarkable.

One of the kidnapped was the only one of her 20 siblings to have attended formal school. “The rest attend Quranic school,” her mother said. When we visited, virtually all the government schools in the entire state of Borno, in northeast Nigeria, had been shut because of the threat of Boko Haram.

Some reopened at the end of last year, but the one in Chibok remains closed.

Even before the Islamist insurgency began, Unesco estimated that Nigeria had the highest number of out-ofschool children in the world.

There was no electricity when I was there. Apart from some communal wells, the residents have no source of potable water. Following the kidnapping, the government drilled a

borehole for the community, but it is out of use because the cost of running a generator to power it is too high.

Many sons of the families we met had left home in search of work. “He is working as an okada rider in Lagos,” a number of parents said, referring to the motorcycle taxi drivers notorious for their daredevil attitudes and disregard of basic traffic rules.

The people of Chibok seem to lack many of the rights of citizens of Nigeria. They told me they had to get permission from the military personnel guarding their community before they could leave in a car. The military also seems to decide whether they entertain visitors from outside or not, and whether or not they speak to the news media. Yakubu Nkeki, the chairman of an activist group made up of parents of abducted girls from Chibok, was once dragged from his home into a military vehicle for organizing a media event, while his wife and children watched in tears. “They detained me from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” he told me.

As a result of this hostility, my team and I did not ask official permission to carry out our interviews.

We worked in secret. I dressed in shabby, ankle-length clothes and a veil, then sneaked into Chibok town with a group of locals. One of the mothers, Yana Galang, kindly offered to let me stay in her house, and let me borrow some of her abducted daughter’s clothes. The pink caftan I selected was tight at the hips; otherwise, she was right about me and the missing Rifkatu being the same size.

But the soldiers’ antagonism toward journalists came second to their hatred of Bring Back Our Girls, a high-profile group that is demanding that the government find and free the

kidnapped. After convincing a soldier at a Chibok checkpoint that we were not part of the group, he vented: “I so hate those Bring Back Our Girls people. I blame them for the girls being there till now. They turned it into a political thing. They are there in Abuja and Lagos while the parents are here suffering.”

It is easy to understand why the Nigerian government at first did nothing about the abduction. These are people in the forgotten backyard of the country. Organizations like Bring Back Our Girls did a lot of good by making people care about the girls’ plight. But I was struck by how little light has been shed on the many other problems of the community.

Chibok is a microcosm of the entire northeast of Nigeria. At 76.3 percent, that region has an astoundingly high poverty rate. At 109 deaths per 1,000 births, it has the highest infant mortality rate in the country. The literacy rate of men is 18.1 percent and that of women is 15.4 percent — again, by far the worst in the country.

Perhaps this is why, when asked what they missed about their daughters, many parents spoke of practical matters. “She worked very hard on the farm”; “I no longer have anyone to help me look after the younger ones.”

But one mother, who was blind, told us that she also missed hearing her daughter sing.

Without a doubt, the abducted girls need to be rescued. But deliverance is equally needed for all the people of northeast Nigeria, a region where death has cast its long shadow.

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani is the author of the novel “I Do Not Come to You by Chance.”

To make good decisions, Africa needs its own climate knowledge sophie mbugua

Thomson Reuters Foundation

T

here seems to exist a great disconnect in the dissemination of information on climate change issues in Africa.

“A large mix of quality information is not tailored to the needs, issue and questions related to Africa,” says Bruce Hewitson, a climatologist at the University of Cape Town.

Geoff Barnard, chair of an international Climate Knowledge Brokers group and knowledge management adviser to the UK-backed Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), agrees.

“Africa has rich experiences and knowledge but there are gaps in connecting it and making it accessible globally,” he says. This is a key contributing factor to why most of Africa’s climate services are being sourced outside the African continent.

To effectively design and implement climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, Africa’s communities, policy makers and organisations need to develop and strengthen their skills and abilities. This will require access to a wealth of information and knowledge.

“There’s need to build a community whom we can trust to guide the continent’s decision making and that community does not exist,” Hewitson notes.

A new global agreement to tackle climate change, agreed in Paris last December, emphasizes the need for country-driven capacities for climate action based on and responsive to na-

tional need. Climate knowledge brokers – people who sit between knowledge producers and knowledge users – can help filter and improve the quality of information available across disciplines and sectors.

Late last month, a group of potential African climate knowledge brokers gathered in Addis Ababa, organized by the UK-based Climate Knowledge Brokers group, to look at what information Africa needs and how the ability to produce and broker it might be developed. The meeting brought together 30 researchers, government representatives, climate change organisations, non-governmental organisations, media, civil society and consultants from 10 countries.

Brokers can bring together different players, such as policy makers and researchers, to provide a safe space where they can engage, participants said. Fiona Percy, coordinator of the adaptation learning programme for Africa at CARE International, says it is important to bring together different knowledge sources, from researchers to policy makers and local communities, to make informed decisions.

“Climate science is available in many African countries, though complicated. Many institutions do not know how to make it useful for decision-making processes” she notes.

Robi Redda, who leads CDKN’s work in Ethiopia, says he believes climate change knowledge brokers are

essential to ensure that projects and programs being designed, implemented and funded are well-informed and built on the knowledge already in place.

THE ROAD TO CLIMATE CASH? Mamouda Moussa Na Abou, a knowledge sharing expert at Senegal-based ENDA Energie, which works on energy, environment and development issues, and for the UK-backed Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED) initiative, says knowledge brokers in Africa need to create information that is useful and based on demand from governments, in order to help those governments access international climate funds available.

“Knowledge on drafting bankable proposals for the climate finance institutions – which has been a challenge in many African countries – is much required as it will be an important area to help in building linkages and exchange between countries,” Redda says.

“Bidding for money for climate financing from the international systems requires an effective business case for the investments African countries are proposing,” he adds.

The media is also seen as an important knowledge broker in a long “knowledge supply chain”. Samuel Ogallah,a programme manager at the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), which has been building the

WRITE-WING

capacity of African reporters to cover climate change, called their role “critical”.

Without journalists to help get knowledge where it is needed, adapting to climate change or mitigating it will be much harder, he said.

CDKN, which is working to help establish an African climate knowledge brokers group, believes it could be supported by a range of funders, particularly donors who recognise that good knowledge is key to good decisions on climate change.

Barnard says he sees this as an opportunity for the African governments – now waking up to climate opportunities and implications – to invest some of their resources in building the capacity to bid for climate finance on their own, rather than by hiring consultancy groups.

African governments “need to be knowledge players themselves so as to bring together their own knowledge through their own ministries”, he says.

In a decade, the hope is Africa will have a diverse and competent web of climate change knowledge brokers, including extension agents, community-based organisations, government services, researchers, the media, policy makers, and non-governmental organisations, all of them sharing knowledge while learning from each other.

That group should be not just translating global information into local languages and contexts but also facilitating “information flowing not only from the top but also from the bottom up” Redda says.

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The morung express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: morung@gmail.com All letters (including those via email) should have the full name and Postal address of the sender.

Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.

MonDAY 25•04•2016

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Wake Up! We need statesman and values but We Get Selfish Politicians and Cynicsm Roberto Savio

A

total indifference has accompanied the number of refugees injured by Macedonian police in Idomeni, where more than 12 000 people, including 4 000 children have been trapped, since Austria asked Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, to prevent the continuing passage of refugees. Austria has now informed the Italian government that it will send several hundred troops to its border with Italy.

The illegal agreement with Turkey, that Angela Merkel pushed to defuse her growing unpopularity in Germany, is conducted in a way that has obliged both the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Doctors without Borders, to refuse to participate in a brutal operation that effectively violates the UN Charter and the European Treaty by bribing the Turkish government.

The use of tear gas and rubber bullets against refugees in Idomeni is deplorable and plays into the hands of growing support among Europe’s right wing parties and even ISIS, which supposedly calls for the dignity and freedom of the Arab world and supports the creation of a war of religions.

What many seem to have forgotten is that the Austrian police actually carried out a survey of refugees and discovered that they were better educated than the Austrians.

Now the group of experts and academicians who monitors migration has published a study entitled Unpacking a Rapidly Changing Scenario, which proves the obvious. The million people , who risked their lives to come to Europe in 2015, are in large measure middle class, uprooted due to conflicts.

Two-thirds of the refugees have college or university level education, and those with a university degree are one-third of all refugees. Two-thirds had a stable job before leaving their country.

Merkel originally accepted the refugees because Germany is in a dire need of workers. She had not however anticipated that the right wing parties would so effectively use the present climate of uncertainty and frustration. Now in Germany there are 2 000 racial incidents a month, and Alternative for Germany (AFD), the new right wing party, looks poised to become the third German party.

Unfortunately, no statesman is currently in the offing. That is someone who would risk votes, to educate electors to unpopular truths, like the simple fact that Europe is not viable without a large immigration. The statistics are clear. This vast tide of refugees, the largest since World War two, are on average 23 years old – half the European average – 82 percent are younger than 34, and two-thirds have a high level of education.

Migrant children play with rubber bullets and empty cases at a makeshift camp for refugees and migrants at the Greek-Macedonian border near the village of Idomeni, Greece, on April 11. REUTERS

The European Commission, in 2015, projected that Europe would need to support an increasingly elderly population.

There will be an uninterrupted decline in jobs between 2010 and 2060. The population at working age (20-64) has been declining steadily since 2010, and in 2060 will have fallen by 50 million from 310 million in 2010, to 260 million in 2060, likely to result in a probable bankruptcy of the pension system. The total number of those in the employable age bracket of 20 to 64 will shrink from 210 million in 2010, to 200 million in 2060. The issue is,who is going to replace the missing 10 million people needed to keep Europe at its present stage of global competitiveness. Who is going to pay the contributions of those who have gone into retirement?

The lack of jobs and the probable bankruptcy of the pensions systems will occur in a considerably older population. While we need 2.1 children per couple, to keep the population stable, present projections indicate that it will fall to 1.22 children per couple.

The average age of maternity, currently 31.7 years, will increase to 33 years in 2064, and the number of woman of childbearing age (between 15 and 49 years) will fall by 4.3 million.

Finally, life expectancy, currently 80 years of age for men and 85.7 for woman, will reach 91 by 2064 for men and 94.3 years for woman. It is estimated that those aged over 100 years will represent about 10% of the population.

In other words, the world we know today, will no longer exist. We are debating whether the retirement age should be 65 years. Children born today have a life expectancy of 82 years, and according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), those who are now between 18

and 25 years will go into retirement with an average pension of around Euro 630 per month, because many will be precariously employed, will not be able to meet their pension contributions, and even fewer will be able to buy property.

The ILO also found that while today parents and grandparents provide a safety social net that alleviates the pain of unemployment, the current generation that can look forward to a relatively decent pension will have disappeared in three decades, and those who will be parents will not able to help their children in the same way that their parents were able to help them. It means that we will live in a world of old people, where young people will face a much harsher destiny.

And yet today, few talk about that future. On the contrary, we listen to the xenophobes and right wing parties, which in every European country keep growing in every election, riding on the tide of frustration and fear. What they do is to call for a return to a better yesterday, for a pure Europe, where others will be deported thus leaving jobs free for Europeans. At the same time, the politicians play their game, instead of discussing a serious immigration policy.

The difference between pavst European statesmen, the likes of Konrad Adenauer, Alcide De Gasperi and Robert Schuman, with a clear vision and ability to communicate to their citizens (like abandoning nationalism for a European dream), are dramatically absent today.

The Dutch referendum against Ukraine (an unexpected gift for Putin, who beside being a smart player is also a lucky one), will hasten the decay of Europe.

The scandals associated with the massive participation of political leaders in the Panama Funds will also hasten

the decline of legitimacy of the political class, and therefore of democracy. The American elections are also proceeding in this direction. That Ted Cruz, who is a modern incarnation of the Great Inquisitor Tomas de Torquemada, an ISIS dream, has become the solution to Donald Trump. And in a campaign that will cost over $4 billion, few contributors will cover the costs. The Koch brothers, the king of coal, have announced an investment of 900 million dollars.

If a republican wins, we can forget any real attempt to control climate change, which is already forgotten, in spite of the alarming evidence of future disaster. In a normal world, a statesman would attempt to motivate young people, to consider their future. He would create new alliances, transcend traditional politics, which look to the past, and attempt to shape a debate about the future.

The tragedy of Idomeni is not only a crime against humankind and the values of justice and solidarity: it is a crime of stupidity and cinicsm, a crime committed against young Europeans, who are not aware of their future world. And Federico Mayor is right, when he says that the European Central Bank has no problem adding $20 billion a month to the $60 billion already going to the financial system, indicating clearly where priorities lie.

The generational betrayal is going ahead, amidst generalized indifference.

Only history will speak of the Angela Merkels, the François Hollandes, the David Camerons, the Mariano Rajoys, the Matteo Renzis, and the Mark Ruttes, as those who looked to politics as a crutch for their survival instead of a tool for a better world, but it will be too late.

The Morung Express poll results Has ProHibition act in nagaland state led to any Positive beHavioral and social cHange?

Some of those who voted YES had this to say: • Yes. The number of people suffering cirrhosis is much higher in places like Shillong where there is no prohibition.

Seek the statistics.

• Yes, Many remain sober much to their chagrin. Fewer people are suffering from liver diseases. Women in Bihar dancing that they are soon going to be a dry state like Manipur and Nagaland.

Some of those who voted NO had this to say: • Not really. Instead of positive it has only gone for the worse. Because of Prohibition, it has led to criminalisation of so many things that are actually normal in other societies. Also it has only increased corruption in society. to be fair, it is only appropriate to say that Prohibition is a sham in our state.

• NO. It has made black market thrive more and profit from this namesake bans. Why enforce it when the concerned are hand in hand with this profitable business. Its done openly.

• No, Its easily available and that too adulterated ones • No. Foolish idea • No, those who want to drink will regardless of what un enforcable laws are put out. those who want to behave badly will do so with or without the prohibiton act. if our behaviour is to be controlled by laws, then a sorry lot we are.

• No. The only thing NLPT Act has led to is the early demise of many due to consumption of adulterated alcohols.

If thats the positivity the church and government is going for then yes • No, when the Prohibition Act has been a failure what kind of positive behavioural change do you expect. Instead, the Prohibition Act has made liars out of honest people. Now people tell 'white lies' that they dont drink

An urgent plea for governments to stem the murder of forest guardians

I

Inter press service

of 'any religious groups' by lifting the when they actually drink.

• I should say totally no changes at all total liquor prohibition, NBCC (need to and will never be..! It just make non- rethink) need not take parasatic advansense for our people and make more tage, need not take things for granted, poorer way of living. At the same time need not play with lives of innocent it shows to others to learn how we are people or need not play policing or play so lacking behind for modernization.. God. By God, who the hell are NBCC & because we know that some people will NGOs to oppose 'tooth & knell' if liquor drink and eat and some people will not ban lifted? Can they bring back all the even if it is at their door steps. And So, deads, prevent deaths caused by ilthat's why we are called backward peo- licit and spurious drinkings? Can they ple, poor people, addicted to prohibit- reduce alcohol related crimes? Can ed things and corrupted minded. I am the NBCC recover or add to the coffer Sorry for my negative views but its true.! of our State's Treasury? If the NBCC/ • No, one can stop one from drinking NGOs are very inconsiderate this time b'coz one has the WILL to drink. In- too, they are responsible and answerstead more money is given away for able to all the Naga people in future!

• It's a fact that human wants to taste drinking who drinks.

• Total Liquor ban only increased sick- and do only the thing which is not good to taste or eat ness and that is what death caused we do all by adulteratin general.! ed and spuAnd exactly rious alcohol it happened supplied by to Adam and thousands of Eve in the bootleggers beginning.! all over NaWell, what g a l a n d -A s my point is.! sam border. there is no It gave rise to different at all record smugwhether alcogling and hol is ban or crime as well. not in NagaThe 1 & half land. It's not a decade of big deal at all. ban dried the we are rather Treasury and YES dying on taxthus brought NO OTHER ing and filling untold misfortune to Nagaland. So the out come up the pockets of unknown numbers. Is & impact of the total ban is NEGATIVE. not a funny to talk about ban of alcohol Why cant the NBCC and some NGOs in Nagaland.? How long NBCC can fight stand and voice against corruption? ? What did we get any solution so far..?

Can they deny the fact Church bodies Please, fellow Nagas we must wake from in Nagaland are the most corrupt? Just this nonsesnse way of living.we are like a because Naga land Govt/NPGs dont frog in a well.. No scope for future. How want to hurt the pride and sentiments many factories and industries do we

85%

11%

04%

have..?? Why do we become more poorer ? Why more drunkards and dies..? Think in a logical term.

• No! A very big no. It has rather given more rise in social corruption.

1. In the midst of NLTP Act, liquor is available in every nook and corner of the towns like Dimapur and Kohima. I don't know if it is of quality or not. There are shop which looks like a wholesale shop for mineral water and cold drink but selling liquor. Probably under certain protection.

2. Lots of accidents and deaths related to use of alcohol continues reported and unreported.

3. Trucks loaded with empty liquor bottles moves out of Nagaland regularly.

4. Have a look into the handcarts of scrap collectors one will always find empty bottles and cans.

5. Existence of night clubs where liquor is the lead attraction is known by all and need no further explanation.

6. Many Young girls out of home ends up working in various liquor joints.

7. No age limit for use of liquor can be maintained due to prohibition act.

8. In the midst of prohibition par continues in various pockets localities with rows of tables with various brands of liquor 9. Many more reasons...

Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say: • It is very difficult to say whether there is any positive or negative impact because no proper study has been done to look at the pros and cons of the prohibition act. This is why an independent study has to be done.

• Wait, I cannot fathom it being so straight farwrrd.

• This question requires some soul searching to do before we open our mouth and make fool of ourselves.

7

Victoria Tauli-Corpuz

n early March, Indigenous Honduran activist Berta Caceres was gunned down in her own home in response to her protests against a dam that threatens to displace hundreds of her people. A few weeks later, another member of her community, Nelson Garcia, was murdered for the same reason.

Berta received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015 in recognition of her efforts, and was an inspiration to Indigenous Peoples around the world. During my official visit to Honduras last November, she facilitated my meeting with her people, who told me troubling stories of violence and intimidation in response to their protests.

Despite numerous death threats and emergency protection measures granted by the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, the Honduran government failed to protect Berta, and continues to fail her community. Her family and her community remain in danger, and it is urgent that the government – who has thus far maintained that Berta’s murder was a botched robbery – act immediately to protect her family and stem the flow of indigenous blood.

Sadly, Berta and Nelson’s story is far from unique. On my recent trip to Brazil, numerous Indigenous Peoples told me of the intimidation, threats, and outright violence they have faced for standing up for their land rights. According to Global Witness, 29 of the environmental activists murdered in 2014 were from Brazil, more deaths than were reported in any other country. At least 454 persons have been killed for environmental activism and assertion of Indigenous Peoples’ rights in Brazil since 2002. And, judging by many metrics, Brazil is a “leader” on Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

In Mato Grosso do Sol, indigenous Guarani Kaoiwa communities face constant attacks and evictions from landlords seeking to develop industrialscale farms and cattle ranches. Indigenous Peoples I visited showed me the scars on their bodies caused by rubber bullets and the graves of their murdered leaders. No perpetrators of these crimes have been brought to justice. The local judges and police are complicit in attempts to drive the Guarani from their homes. Tekoha Taquara, an indigenous land I visited in Juti, has been served an eviction notice that was to be implemented the day I left Brazil. The first community I visited was attacked only three hours after I left. In the past few years, over 300 Guarani have been killed in land conflicts in Mato Grosso do Sul, not to speak of the high level of suicide rates because of desperation and hopelessness.

This failure is not only in direct contradiction to Brazil’s obligations to protect its Indigenous Peoples under international law; it also contradicts the country’s promises under the climate change treaty agreed upon in Paris. Brazil’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution outlines a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 37 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, and to achieve zero illegal deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon by 2030.

Meeting these commitments will require Brazil to protect its Indigenous Peoples’ land rights, as they are the proven best stewards of the world’s largest rainforest. To date, Brazil has been the most successful country in decreasing its greenhouse gas emissions, largely as a result of titling indigenous lands. In the Amazon, deforestation rates are 11 times lower in community forests than outside. Brazil contains nearly half the world’s remaining rainforest and sequesters 63 billion tons of carbon, much of it in legally recognized community forests.

The global aspiration of keeping warming below two degrees and protecting the earth for our children and grandchildren cannot succeed without forests, yet the very people we depend on to protect those forests are being murdered in droves. Illegal logging on indigenous lands persists, as do efforts to deprive Indigenous Peoples of their ancestral homes.

As mentioned, Brazil was an early leader in recognizing indigenous land rights, including protections for indigenous rights in its constitution and ratifying International Labour Organization Convention No. 169. But now the country has turned to large scale developments on indigenous lands as a means of buoying its economy, despite evidence that these strategies rarely result in sustainable development. Brazil’s government is merely standing by, and have not done much to bring those who murder and maim the guardians of the forest to justice.

The impunity with which indigenous activists have been murdered must end. It is urgent that governments around the world – Honduras and Brazil included – take immediate action to protect indigenous rights activists peacefully protesting for legal rights to their own lands and territories. Global Witness recently released data showing that at least 109 environmental activists were killed in Honduras between 2010 and 2015; the murders are linked to a surge of destructive agriculture, mining, and dam projects that threaten the food sources, traditional livelihoods, and cultures of Indigenous Peoples, as well as the forests that we all rely on to mitigate climate change.

116 environmental activists were reported murdered globally in 2014; 40 percent of those killed were indigenous persons. I plead with governments around the world: do not allow Berta Caceres and hundreds of other indigenous leaders to have died in vain. Berta spent her life fighting for the rights of Indigenous Peoples to legally own the lands they have long called home, and to be free from destructive dams and other industrial projects. I am inspired and humbled by her courage and steadfastness. Let Berta and Nelson be the last in a long list of those who have given their lives in order to protect their homes and to protect the forests we all depend on.

Victoria Tauli-Corpuz is UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

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

MondAY 25•04•2016

INDIA

India revokes Vijay Mallya's passport

Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Vijay Mallya speaks to the media during a news conference in Mumbai November 15, 2011. (REUTERS/File)

New Delhi, April 24 (iANS): Industrialist Vijay Mallya's passport has been revoked after he failed to turn up for a probe into a Rs.9,000 crore default of loans from Indian banks, the government said on Sunday, setting in motion the billionaire's possible deportation from Britain.

The revocation comes after Mallya ignored at least three summons from the Enforcement Directorate, which has registered cases against the beleaguered Rajya Sabha MP pertaining to his loans and money laundering allegations. Mallya has sought time till May to appear before the agency for questioning. The external affairs ministry earlier suspended his passport and a non-bailable arrest warrant issued after Mallya didn't appear before the agency on April 15.

"Having considered the replies furnished by Vijay Mallya to the show cause notice, facts brought by Enforcement Directorate and Non-Bailable Warrant under the (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) PMLA Act, 2002 issued by Special Judge, Mumbai, the MEA revoked the passport of Vijay Mallya under Section 10 (3)(c) and 10 (3)(h) of the Passports Act, 1967," the ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

The ministry had earlier said that the central government was committed to bringing Mallya back in India to face justice. According to informed sources, the revocation of the passport and the warrant have set the ground for his extradition from Britain.

They said the government was also considering issuing a red corner notice by Interpol against Mallya. The notice will make his arrest possible anywhere in the United Kingdom. Mallya was asked to appear in person on March 18, April 2 and April 9. His office has sought time till May, saying he was abroad since March 2.

The industrialist is facing a probe over his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, separately by the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

He has allegedly defaulted on loans worth Rs 7,000 crore from 17 public sector Indian banks.

The Kingfisher currently owes around Rs.9,200 crore to the banks. The trouble for the independent Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, known for his lavish lifestyle, began shortly after he launched the airlines in 2005 as the aviation industry slowly started dwindling.

Mallya first took loans from IDBI bank in 2006 and in 2009 got loans from a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) for the airline. By 2007, he had spent a huge amount to take over low-cost carrier Air Deccan.

By 2010, the business tycoon had run into rough weather and tentatively had a debt of over Rs.7,000 crore -- which only increased with the passage of time.

Attempt to strangle me in Jet plane, says JNU leader

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Speaker seeks smooth session, Opposition wants Uttarakhand debate

New Delhi, April 24 (iANS): Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Sunday sought the cooperation of all parties for the smooth functioning of parliament during the session starting on Monday but the Uttarakhand developments are likely to overshadow proceedings with the opposition demanding a debate on the issue while the government appears keen to avoid it as long as the matter is before the court.

At an all-party meeting convened by her here, Mahajan made a strong pitch for the session's smooth functioning.

"All parties have promised they will cooperate to ensure a fruitful and functional session," she said later.

But opposition parties, led by the Congress along with a number of regional parties including Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), seemed to have geared up for taking on the BJP-led dispensation with all their might for its "misuse" of the Constitution's Article 356.

Since February, the central government has dismissed Congress governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

However, minor differences surfaced among the opposition parties on the rules under which the debate could be held.

Congress leader in Lok

Pranab Mukherjee recommends private bill to protect farmers in drought-prone regions

New Delhi , April 24 (pTi): The President has called for the recommendation of Ahmed Patel's The Farmers of Arid and Desert Areas (Welfare and Other Special Provisions) Bill.

At a time when many states are reeling under severe drought, President Pranab Mukherjee has recommended consideration of a private member's bill that provides for protective measures for farmers of arid, desert and drought-prone areas and a welfare fund with an initial corpus of Rs 10,000 crore.

The Farmers of Arid and Desert Areas (Welfare and Other Special Provisions) Bill, 2014 was introduced by senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel in Rajya Sabha in December 2014.

The bill, if enacted, will involve Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said his party will move an adjournment motion under rule 56 in the house and expressed happiness that several other parties were in support.

BJD leader Bhartuhari Mahtab, however, told IANS his party wants a debate under rule 193 -- implying the house proceedings need not be suspended and the debate can be held in time agreed upon by all sides and decided by the chair.

Government sources, meanwhile, said the possibility of acceptance of an

adjournment motion is remote as "no motion which seeks to raise discussion on a matter pending before any statutory tribunal or statutory authority performing any judicial or quasi-judicial functions can be raised under rule 56".

Members from Trinamool Congress, another regional party, did not attend Sunday's meeting as the party MPs are tied up in the ongoing electioneering in West Bengal.

The new session of parliament begins on April 25 since the budget session was prorogued last month

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has stated that the President, having been informed about the subject matter of the particular private member's bill has recommended its consideration under article 117(3) of the Constitution by the Rajya Sabha.

The Upper House has listed the bill for consideration, which seeks to provide for the establishment of welfare fund for farmers of arid and desert areas with initial corpus of Rs 10,000 crore to be provided by the central government.

Clause 6 of the Bill makes it mandatory for the central government to provide requisite funds to the states concerned while Clause 5 provides for certain welfare measures to be undertaken by appropriate governments.

to facilitate the promulgation of an ordinance to meet the financial requirements of Uttarakhand, where central rule was imposed on March 27.

Government sources said they were ready to discuss all issues in both houses, including drought and imposition of central rule in Uttarakhand -- but with a rider.

"We are ready to discuss all issues provided they do not clash with matters that are sub-judice," a source quoted a government representative as saying at the meeting. Mahajan too said:

"The issue of President's Rule in Uttarakhand is subjudice. I don't think it can be discussed before April 27."

BJD leader Mahtab also demanded a debate on water scarcity. "At the meeting I also pointed out that the problem in most parts of the country has moved beyond drought. What we face today is water scarcity and, therefore, more detailed and proper debate should be held on water scarcity."

The session, to be treated as a "fresh" one, will continue till May 13.

"Normally, the budget

Titlagarh continues to simmer One killed in Aligarh varsity

bhubANeSwAr, April 24 (iANS): Titlagarh in Odisha on Sunday registered a maximum temperature of 48.5 degrees Celsius, the highest in the country, while 17 other places recorded above 40 degrees, as people continued to reel under the blistering heat wave.

The state government confirmed four deaths due to sunstroke, while it has received unconfirmed reports of 88 deaths due to heat stroke.

The western town of Tit-

lagarh recorded the highest temperature in the country for the third consecutive day. It also broke the all-time record in the month of April on Sunday, said Bhubaneswar Met department director Sarat Chandra Sahu.

Titlagarh had recorded 48.1 degrees on April 30, 1999 while it had registered 50.1 degrees on June 5, 2003. Other towns that recorded over 40 degrees are Sonepur (46.1), Bhawanipatna (45), Talcher (44.8) and Bolangir (44.5), while state capital Bhubaneswar

recorded 41.8 degrees Celsius.

"The heat wave would continue (for some time) in several parts of the state. However, there may be thunderstorms in some parts of the state on April 26," said Sahu.

An official at the special relief commissioner's office said 32 death cases were inquired into by district collectors. While 28 deaths occurred due to some other reasons, four people were confirmed to have died due to sunstroke. The other cases are being inquired into, he said.

'Sexual offences should be dealt with strictly'

MuMbAi, April 24 (iANS): JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar alleged on Sunday that a passenger tried to strangle him on board a Mumbai-Pune flight here but the airline refused to act against the attacker. In a series of tweets, Kanhaiya Kumar said the passenger attacked him inside the aircraft 9W 618 when it was due to depart.

When he brought it to the notice of the Jet Airways staff, they off-loaded him and the alleged assailant who was detained by the security. Kanhaiya Kumar said he left for Pune by road for his scheduled engagement in the city.

The airline said: "Some guests on board this morning's flight Jet Airways fight 9W 618 Mumbai-to-Pune have been off-loaded at Mumbai airport in the interest of operational safety." Said the leader of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union: "Yet again, this time inside the aircraft, a man tries to strangulate me." He alleged that the airline staff refused to take any action against the attacker. "After the incident, Jet Airways staff completely refuses to take any action against the man who assaulted me. "Basically Jet Airways sees no difference between someone who assaults and the person who is assaulted.

They will deplane you, if you complain," he said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde asserted that there was no attack on Kanhaiya. "The police report says that fighting between two passengers led to scuffle. Kanhaiya's allegations (are) baseless," Shinde said. In view of the development, Pune Police have further tightened security for Kanhaiya Kumar for his events in the city. The student leader was arrested on sedition charges on February 12 after allegedly raising antiIndia slogans at the JNU campus. He was given bail after police failed to produce any evidence to back the charge.

New Delhi, Apr 24 (pTi): Sexual offences against women are increasing and such crimes have to be dealt with strictly and no leniency should be shown to the offenders, Delhi High Court said, as it increased the imprisonment awarded to a convict from three to seven years "Rape is a heinous crime not only against the individual but also against the society at large.

The offences against women more particularly under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) are increasing.

"Therefore, if such an offence is committed it has to be dealt with strictly and no leniency should be shown," a bench of justices G S Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said.

The bench made the observation while enhancing the three-year jail term to seven years of rigorous imprisonment

Morphed picture: Prakash Karat files complaint

Thomson Reuters Foundation

New Delhi, April 24 (pTi): CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat today filed a complaint against TMC MP Derek O'Brien for allegedly using a morphed picture of his being offered sweets by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Targeting the Mamata Banerjee-led party over the photo episode, Karat said TMC is getting "increasingly desperate" as the poll campaign in West Bengal goes on. It shows the level to which TMC can "stoop to", he said. Karat, the former CPI(M) general secretary, has lodged the complaint at Mandir Marg police station in the national capital. "He (O'Brien) has used morphed picture in his press conference and it has also been put on website of Trinamool Congress and this is being widely shown on the (news) channels also. "So, it is politically defamatory and got the party (CPI-M) and myself into disrepute among people. So, action should be taken," Karat said in his complaint. The Trinamool Congress, following a press conference by its national spokesperson O'Brien, had yesterday posted two videos and six pictures on its website. The party, however, removed the morphed picture from its website after controversy. O'Brien had yesterday told PTI that the image was removed from the TMC website on realising that the photograph was a morphed one.

expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India.

"It is estimated a sum of Rs 20,000 crore may be involved as recurring expenditure per annum. A non-recurring expenditure of Rs 5,000 crore may also be involved from the Consolidated Fund of India. A non-recurring expenditure of Rs 5,000 crore may also be involved from the Consolidated Fund of India," the Financial Memorandum of the Bill says.

Under the rules, a Bill which, if converted into a law and brought into operation would involve expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India, cannot be passed

by Parliament unless the President has recommended to that House its consideration.

In a letter to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General a few days back,

session is split into two sessions. This time, it will be an entirely new session as both houses of parliament were prorogued to facilitate constitutional requirements of Uttarakhand," said a parliamentary official.

Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Rajiv Pratap Rudy represented the ruling side at the meeting.

During the session, government sources said, efforts to get the support of opposition parties for the passage of key legislations, including the long-pending Goods and Services Tax Bill, are expected to yield positive results.

Issues pertaining to the Ishrat Jahan case and the Malegaon blast may figure prominently, especially in the Lok Sabha, BJP leaders said. Congress Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma has given a notice for the suspension of Question Hour to discuss the Uttarakhand issue.

Meanwhile, some MPs from states where electioneering is at its peak have complained about the timing of the parliament session.

"With election process on in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, it is natural that MPs from these states will be campaigning for their respective parties and candidates. I think the timing of this session is not suitable," said Communist Party of India-Marxist's P. Karunakaran.

awarded to convict Tanjeer Alam for raping a 15-year-old girl in May 2011.

The court said the punishment prescribed under the IPC reflects the gravity of offence and its impact on the society.

"It is necessary for the courts to imbibe the legislative wisdom and respect it. The legislature in its wisdom made a provision for awarding a sentence of less than seven years when there are special and adequate reasons for the same. "The power under the proviso is not to be used arbitrarily or routinely. It is to be used sparingly and only in cases where special facts and circumstances justify a reduction.

"In the present case, at the time of commission of offence, prosecutrix was less than 16 years of age and the punishment prescribed in the law is minimum seven years of rigor-

ous imprisonment which can be reduced only if there exist some special and adequate reasons for the same," it said.

The bench said "considering the age of the prosecutrix at the time of the occurrence of the offence... it is not a fit case where sentence less than the minimum should be awarded." The trial court in November 2015 had convicted and awarded varying jail term to the convict for kidnapping and raping a minor when she was going to meet her father at his stall near Seelampur police station in north east Delhi. The sessions court had awarded 3-year jail term to the convict for raping the minor and a year imprisonment for the offence of kidnapping.

The convict had denied the allegations and claimed that the girl had gone with him at her own will as she was in love with him and wanted to marry him.

violence, VC meets agitators

AligArh, April 24 (iANS): One person was shot dead and at least a dozen others were injured when two groups of students clashed in the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus here, police said on Sunday. The vice chancellor met the agitating students and tried to pacify them so that there is no further disturbance on the campus.

A dozen students were injured in the violence that began on Saturday night and continued into early Sunday. Police sources said one student was seriously wounded and taken to a Delhi hospital for treatment.

"An altercation between two groups in the morning of April 23 resulted in several incidents of firing near the proctor's office, where the groups had assembled to get their respective FIRs lodged with the police," a university official told IANS. "Later, some more incidents of firing were reported in which one ex-student, Mahtab, was wounded and who subsequently succumbed to his injuries. Another youth, Waqif, who is not a student of AMU, received serious injuries and was later shifted to Delhi for treatment."

University property, including vehicles, was set on fire, a police officer said. The proctor's office was partially burnt.

The trouble began when an unidentified person fired at a student from Moradabad near Mumtaz hostel, some students said. Two people suffered bullet wounds, of whom one died later. The injured student was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi.

Officials said the room of a student, Mohsin, at Mumtaz hostel was set on fire.

A group of students then went to the proctor's office to lodge a complaint. The student said some outsiders barged into his room and also beat him up. This triggered violent clashes which continued through the night.

The Rapid Action Force (RAF) and police reinforcements were deployed in the campus. University authorities said on Sunday that the situation was now under control. "I think the cause of the clash is regionalism," said one university official.

On Sunday, vice chancellor Lt. Gen. Zameer Uddin Shah (retd) met the agitating students and tried to pacify them so that there was no further disturbance on the campus.

Admission tests for B.Tech and B.Arch were conducted smoothly on Sunday at 39 examination centres. More than 17,000 candidates appeared for the tests.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Govind Agrawal, District Magistrate Balkar Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police J. Ravindra Gaur and other officials met the vice chancellor and assured him about providing all necessary assistance to maintain peace on the campus.

"The disturbing incident of firing and arson on the AMU campus by two groups of primarily ex-students is regrettable. This disorder was the result of old rivalry between the two groups. Groupism requires strong action to counter and this process has commenced," Shah said.

Women work like machines in India's textile mills, says union leader Anuradha Nagaraj

Rajaram Paritha is on a mission. The 35-year-old tailor wants to be the voice of every young girl who is lured with the promise of big money to work in textile mills in southern India's Tamil Nadu and then exploited and abused.

Head of the all-women Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU), Paritha uses her experience as a factory worker to challenge forms of exploitation such a debt bondage, long hours and sexual abuse in the garment and textile industry.

"Workers have to come together like they did a few days back ... against the government's controversial government pension plan. If they don't, the ex-

ploitation will not stop," she said in an interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The scale of the issue Paritha and her organisation are trying to address is huge: much of India's $42 billion-a-year textile and clothing export industry is located in Tamil Nadu, and to boost productivity and increase margins, parts of its lucrative supply chain are built on bonded labour.

A 2014 study into Tamil Nadu's textile industry by the Freedom Fund, a philanthropic initiative dedicated to ending modern slavery, and C&A Foundation, which partners with the Thomson Reuters Foundation on its human trafficking coverage, found workers were often subjected to low wages, excessive and sometimes forced

A worker tends to yarn-spinning equipment at a factory in Coimbatore, about 500 km (310 miles) from Chennai, January 8, 2013. (REUTERS/File)

overtime, lack of freedom of movement as well as verbal and sexual abuse.

A conservative estimate suggests there may be at least 100,000 girls and

young women being exploited in this way.

"I vividly remember the one year I worked at a mill," Paritha said. "The machines would always be

running and we were constantly working, just like the machines. Even a restroom break meant ensuring a co-worker manned your position for the few minutes you were away."

A year into the job, Paritha quit because standing for eight to 10 hours was taking a toll on her health. "I learnt tailoring and moved on. But many can't do this due to economic pressures."

Working with women and girls in 10 districts of Tamil Nadu, the union, now with nearly 5,000 members, trains its members on their legal rights, lobbying and leadership skills and addresses sexual harassment and violence in the workplace.

"We are fighting for justice for a teenager who was found dead in a mill hostel a month back and a young

woman who was recently penalised for stopping the machines for a few minutes when her clothes got stuck in it," says Paritha.

"Their individual voices are suppressed by mill managements. They cannot do the same with our collective voice."

This week, after thousands of protesters clashed with police in the city of Bengaluru, the government decided to scrap a proposal to change the rule on pension withdrawals - a rollback seen as a victory for workers' unions. But the battle for rights is far from over, said Paritha.

"The change is so slow," she said. "I still see the same issues of wages being withheld, no restroom and lunch breaks come up even today. It only makes me more determined to fight.

MonDAY 25•04 •2016

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

9

China says Brunei, Grief and frustration as Nepal marks Cambodia, Laos agree sea Nepal kids still dispute must not hurt ties earthquake anniversary ‘Quake-hit without safe classrooms’ KATHMANDU, April 24 (reUTers): Grieving relatives mourned on Sunday the thousands killed in a huge earthquake in Nepal last year, as aid agencies warned about the health risks for the millions still living in substandard temporary shelter following the country’s worst-ever disaster.

The 7.8-magnitude quake struck high in the Himalayas minutes before noon on a sunny Saturday, toppling one million houses, upending roads and turning hundreds of mountain villages into ruins that left about 9,000 people dead and 22,000 injured.

In Kathmandu, the capital, Prime Minister K. P. Oli led a day of mourning, placing a wreath at the remains of the Dharahara tower that collapsed during the quake, killing 132 people.

At the nearby Durbar Square, a UNESCO-listed world heritage site, a dozen crimson-robed monks chanted from Buddhist scriptures at a memorial as the victims’ relatives sat cross-legged, praying, in front of framed portraits of their loved ones.

Among them was grief-stricken Surya Bahadur Shrestha, praying for his late father who was crushed to death by a building in the city.

Nepalese police personnel try to stop protesters marching towards the Singha Durbar office complex that houses the Prime Minister’s office and other ministries, during a demonstration against the government for the delay on reconstruction and relief during the first anniversary of the 2015 earthquakes in Kathmandu on April 24.

(REUTERS Photo)

“I came to mourn my father who died here last year. I prayed for eternal peace for the soul,” the 49-year-old said.

One year on from the quake, reconstruction has been slow and uneven in the poor Himalayan country, and most of the $4.1 billion that donors pledged for reconstruction in June last year remains unspent because of political squabbling.

As around 100 people protested near the prime minister’s office, demanding the government begin rebuilding, the Red Cross said four million people were still living in poorquality temporary shelters, posing a threat to their health and wellbeing.

“We are hoping that the government’s priorities and perspectives on reconstruction will soon be clear so that we can help

people to rebuild and get their lives back on track as quickly as possible,” said Max Santner, head of the Nepal mission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Gopal Khanal, an aide to Prime Minister Oli, said that the government would make arrangements for proper shelter before the start of the annual rainy season in June, but many

KATHMANDU, April 24 (iANs): A year after a devastating earthquake hit Nepal, 1.6 million school children in affected areas are still without safe classrooms and starting their new academic year in temporary structures. While recovery and reconstruction efforts are moving ahead, much remains to be done to ensure a rapid return to normal learning environment for these children, according to UN children’s fund Unicef. On the first anniversary of the disaster, Unicef on Sunday said there is a need to redouble the efforts to ensure that children can study in safe transitional or permanent classrooms as early as possible.

“The devastating earthquakes last year destroyed or severely damaged over 35,000 classrooms. After that, efforts were made to bring children back to school as soon as possible to minimise disruption of their education and exposure to risks of neglect, exploitation and violence,” said Tomoo Hozumi, Unicef representative to Nepal.

“A lot of work has been done for humanitarian relief and recovery in the affected districts so that education continues and outbreak of diseases and severe malnutrition is avoided. But the country still has a long and hard road toward full recovery,” said Hozumi.

Unicef has worked with the Nepal government and partners to identify and register 39,337 unaccompanied, separated and vulnerable children. Of them, 13,317 were provided with emergency support that they required. are sceptical about the state’s ability to deliver.

Kanchhi Tamang, who lost her home in the tremor, said she feared that her three young children would be forced to endure a second monsoon living in a shack on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

A government authority set up in January to oversee rebuilding has so far only distributed $500 to 800 people, against a

promise of handing $2,000 to every household who lost their home, National Reconstruction Authority spokesman Ram Prasad Thapaliya said.

Unrest over a new constitution adopted in September, which triggered a months-long blockade of Nepal’s border with India by an ethnic group in the south of the country, has added to the upheaval and delays in rebuilding.

BeiJiNG, April 24 (reUTers): China has agreed with Brunei, Cambodia and Laos that the South China Sea territorial dispute should not affect relations between China and the Association of South East Asian National (ASEAN), China’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Four members of the 10-member ASEAN - the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei - have rival claims to parts of the South China Sea with China, which says virtually the entire sea belongs to it. China is the biggest trade partner of many ASEAN nations.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke to reporters in the Lao capital, Vientiane, on Saturday and was quoted by his ministry as saying China had reached “an important consensus” with Brunei, Cambodia and Laos.

The South China Sea problem was not a China-ASEAN dispute and it “should not affect China-ASEAN relations”, the ministry said in a statement, referring to their agreement.

China’s maritime claims are ASEAN’s most contentious issue, as its members struggle to balance mutual support with their growing economic relations with China.

The grouping, which also includes Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar, expressed in February its serious concern about growing international tension over the disputed waters.

Land reclamation and escalating activity has increased tension and could undermine peace, security and stability in the region, ASEAN said in a statement at that time.

The United States has criticized China’s building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to disputed territory to assert the right to freedom of navigation.

China seeks to keep the South China Sea off of the agenda at multilateral forum, but other claimant countries, such as the Philippines, have sought to raise the issue at ASEAN summits.

The dispute has been divisive for ASEAN. Cambodia, a close Chinese ally, was accused of driving a wedge in the bloc in 2012 when its refusal to be drawn on China’s actions in the sea resulted in a customary communique at the end of an ASEAN summit not being issued for the first time.

North Korea to halt nuclear tests if US stops drills High-fructose diet can damage brain genes: Study NeW YOrK, April 24 (iANs): Fructose, a sugar common in the western diet, can damage hundreds of brain genes in a way that could lead to a range of diseases -- from diabetes to cardiovascular disease, and from Alzheimer’s to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- warns a new study.

However, the researchers discovered good news as well: An omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) seems to reverse the harmful changes produced by fructose. “DHA changes not just one or two genes; it seems to push the entire gene pattern back to normal, which is remarkable,” said Xia Yang, assistant professor at the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA).

DHA enhances learning and memory.

It is abundant in wild salmon (but not in farmed salmon) and, to a lesser extent, in other fish and fish oil, as well as walnuts, flaxseed, and fruits and vegetables, co-senior author Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, an UCLA professor, pointed out.

The research was published online in the journal EBioMedicine.

To test the effects of fructose and DHA, the researchers trained rats to escape from a maze, and then randomly divided the animals into three groups.

For the next six weeks, one group of rats drank water with an amount of fructose that would be roughly equivalent to a person drinking a liter of soda per day. The second group was given fructose water

and a diet rich in DHA. The third received water without fructose and no DHA. After the six weeks, the rats were put through the maze again. The animals that had been given only the fructose navigated the maze about half as fast than the rats that drank only water -- indicating that the fructose diet had impaired their memory.

The rats that had been given fructose and DHA, however, showed very similar results to those that only drank water -- which strongly suggests that the DHA eliminated fructose’s harmful effects.

Other tests on the rats revealed more major differences: The rats receiving a highfructose diet had much higher blood glucose, triglycerides and insulin levels than the other two groups.

Those results are significant because in humans, elevated glucose, triglycerides and insulin are linked to obesity, diabetes and many other diseases. The research team sequenced more than 20,000 genes in the rats’ brains, and identified more than 900 genes that were altered by the fructose.

The altered genes they identified, the vast majority of which are comparable to genes in humans, are among those that interact to regulate metabolism, cell communication and inflammation. Among the conditions that can be caused by alterations to those genes are Parkinson’s disease, depression, bipolar disorder, and other brain diseases, Yang said.

NeW YOrK, April 24 (Ap): North Korea is ready to halt its nuclear tests if the United States suspends its annual military exercises with South Korea, the North Korean foreign minister told The Associated Press in an interview in which he also warned that his country won’t be cowed by international sanctions.

Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong defended the country’s right to maintain a nuclear deterrent, and for those waiting for the North’s regime to collapse, he had this to say: Don’t hold your breath. “Stop the nuclear war exercises in the Korean Peninsula, then we should also cease our nuclear tests,” he said in his first interview Saturday with a Western news organization.

Ri held firm to Pyongyang’s longstanding position that the U.S. drove his country to develop nuclear weapons as an act of selfdefense. At the same time, he suggested that suspending the military exercises with Seoul could open the door to talks and reduced tensions. “If we continue on this path of confrontation, this will lead to very catastrophic results, not only for the two countries but for the whole entire world as well,” he said, speaking in Korean through an interpreter. “It is really crucial for the United States government to with-

draw its hostile policy against the DPRK and as an expression of this stop the military exercises, war exercises, in the Korean Peninsula.

Then we will respond likewise.”

DPRK is an abbreviation for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Ri, who spoke calmly and in measured words, a contrast to the often bombastic verbiage used by the North’s media, claimed the North’s proposal was “very logical.”

He granted the interview in the country’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations. He spoke beneath portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jung Il, North Korea’s two previous leaders — the grandfather and father of current leader Kim Jong Un. If the exercises are halted “for some period, for some years,” he added, “new opportunities may arise for the two countries and for the whole entire world as well.”

Ri’s comments to the AP came just hours after North Korea testfired a ballistic missile from a submarine in its latest show of defiance as the U.S.-South Korea exercises wind down. He referred to the launch in the context of current tensions caused by the military exercises. “The escalation of this military exercise level has reached its top level. And I think it’s not bad — as the other side is

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guides on the spot the underwater test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on April 24. (REUTERS Photo)

going for the climax — why not us, too, to that level as well?”

It is extremely rare for top North Korean officials to give interviews to foreign media, and particularly with Western news organizations.

Ri’s proposal, which he said he hoped U.S. policymakers would heed, may well fall on deaf ears.

North Korea, which sees the U.S.South Korean exercises as a rehearsal for invasion, has floated similar proposals to Washington in the past, but the U.S. has insist-

Indigenous leaders seek forest protection role in global climate fight NeW YOrK, April 24 (THOMsON reUTers FOUNDATiON): As 175 countries signed the Paris climate change deal at U.N. headquarters on Friday, Diana Rios, a 23-year-old indigenous Asheninka activist from the Peruvian Amazon, paddled down the East River to protest against the exclusion of indigenous people from the international push to tackle global warming.

Rios expressed frustration at what she sees as inadequate recognition of the threats climate change poses to indigenous communities.

“The communities have a key role in protecting tropical forests and slowing global climate change. We have the potential to help the world fight it, and adapt to its impacts,” she said.

Edwin Vasquez Campos of the Coordination of Indigenous Organisations of the Amazon Basin (COICA) said he and his colleagues were in New York to fight “for our territorial rights”. “We are the guardians of our rain-

forests,” he said.

“We expect that political leaders go back home after having signed the agreement bearing in mind that we help our countries to prevent cleaning, burning, illegal mining and logging and, therefore, preventing increases of carbon emissions,” said Campos.

New findings by the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC), a conservation research institute based in the United States, warn that failure to curb deforestation would require eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use by 2035 to limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius – a limit the Paris deal promises to better.

A previous study from the same centre estimated that at least 20 percent of the above-ground carbon stored in the world’s tropical forests is found in territories claimed by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica, Amazonia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia.

“We find a very high proportion of carbon con-

tained within indigenously controlled territories,” said WHRC president Philip Duffy. “If you look historically, the indigenous peoples have done a better job preserving the forest and its carbon,” he added.

CLIMATE PLANS FALL SHORT But a review presented by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) of the 161 national contributions for the Paris climate agreement, submitted on behalf of 188 countries, found that only 21 made a clear commitment to strengthen or expand land tenure and natural resource management rights.

Of the 161 climate action plans submitted, 131 are from countries with tropical and subtropical forests. Those governments should review their plans before the agreement enters into force, the authors recommended.

“Countries should be encouraged to include specific, measurable and robust tenure and natural resources rights for indig-

enous peoples and local communities in their national climate change mitigation by 2020,” they said.

Globally, indigenous and local communities - an estimated 1.5 billion people - have formal legal ownership of 10 percent of land, and have some rights of control over an additional 8 percent, according to RRI. In 2015, the community of Diana Rios received title to more than 80,000 hectares of forest. This happened after her father Jorge Rios, an indigenous leader

of the Alto Tamaya Saweto, was killed in September 2014. He had been a key figure in the battle against illegal logging and other threats, including drugtrafficking, in the Amazon rainforest.

In the name of her father, Rios came to New York to speak out in favour of indigenous communities. “I am not afraid. My father taught me to be courageous. If we don’t do that, who will?” she asked. She realised how important forests are for the planet after attending the

U.N. climate negotiations in Lima, Peru, in 2014.

“I knew from my heart that forests were vital to every inhabitant, but there I saw the science behind that,” she added. Edwin Vasquez Campos said indigenous leaders will continue to fight for recognition.

“We keep not only a huge carbon store in our territories, but also the lungs of the planet, - a very effective air conditioner which provides food, water and climate stability for the world,” he said.

ed the North give up its nuclear weapons program first before any negotiations. The result has been a stalemate that Ri said has put the peninsula at the crossroads of a thermonuclear war.

In response to Ri’s remarks, a U.S. State Department official defended the military exercises as demonstrating the U.S. commitment to its alliance with the South and said they enhance the combat readiness, flexibility and capabilities of the alliance.

Migrants seek new routes into Balkans after borders sealed iDOMeNi, April 24 (reUTers): After weeks stranded at a closed border in northern Greece, migrants and refugees are seeking out new, irregular routes to get into Macedonia, clambering through forests and over hills under the cover of darkness. As dusk fell on Saturday evening, a Reuters witness saw a group of up to 70 people crossing into Macedonia from Greece, at a point where there is no razor wire fence between the two countries.

They darted in and out of a forest, hiding from authorities.

It was roughly a 20 km (12 mile), or four hour walk from Idomeni, a sprawling tent city hosting thousands of refugees and migrants stranded by a cascade of border shutdowns throughout the Balkans in February. Others at the campsite were also mulling their options to leave Idomeni and find vulnerable points along the border to cross into the Balkans, the preferred route to western Europe.

“There is no other solution,” said Moutaz, a Syrian from Aleppo. “Let him (others) put himself in my position, what would he do with this life we are living? Will he be ok with it, what is happening and what he is seeing?”

Human rights organisations say the living conditions at Idomeni are appalling. Fellow Syrian Eyas from Damascus said he would attempt to cross the Albanian border further west. “There is a chance you will get there through the Macedonia route but the Macedonian military will send you back,” he told Reuters.

Some people chance the trek on their own. Others use traffickers, who charge anything between $350 and $600 per person to smuggle people across the border. A million migrants, many fleeing Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries in conflict in the Middle East, Asia and Africa have poured into Europe through Greece since last year.

There are more than 10,200 people camped out in tents in the fields of Idomeni. Greek authorities have repeatedly urged refugees and migrants to move to organised reception centres elsewhere in the country.

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MonDAY 25•04•2016

SportS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Golovkin destroys Wade to retain crown

INGLEWOOD, AprIL 24 (Ap): Less than six minutes after the opening bell, Gennady Golovkin left another contender for his middleweight belts crumpled on the canvas.

Golovkin appears determined to keep on brutalizing overmatched opponents and racking up knockouts until no 160-pound fighters remain upright.

Golovkin defended his middleweight titles in devastating fashion again Saturday night, finishing Wade in the second round for his 22nd straight stoppage victory.

Golovkin (35-0, 32 KOs) knocked down Wade three times in the short fight, punishing the previously undefeated challenger before ending the bout on a right to the chin with 23 seconds left in the second.

A sold-out Forum roared for its adopted champion in his 16th consecutive title defense.

"This is a big present for my fans," Golovkin said.

"I'm here now and I'm here to stay. I'm not going anywhere."

Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez also defended his WBC 112-pound title with a unanimous decision over

Gennady Golovkin, left, and Dominic Wade connect with each other during a middleweight title boxing match on Saturday, April 23, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo)

McWilliams Arroyo.

Golovkin and Gonzalez combined to pack the famous arena south of downtown Los Angeles for the second time in a year, attracting 16,353 savvy boxing fans who understand the sublime brutality of the Kazakh 160-pound champion and the Nicaraguan flyweight.

Wearing blue-and-gold trunks to celebrate the Los Angeles Rams' NFL return

to a future stadium across the street from the Forum, Golovkin opened his bout in his new hometown with the crowd repeatedly chanting "Triple G!" And Golovkin was relentless from the bell, knocking down Wade (181) with a punch to the ear in the final seconds of the opening round. After absorbing a few punches from Wade with negligible impact, Golovkin landed a

dynamite combination in the second round, flooring Wade with a left uppercut and a right to the body.

"I was not able to get comfortable once he started hitting me," Wade said.

"He's a great champion, and he does everything well. His power is real."

Golovkin finished his woozy opponent with a right hand that left Wade face-down on his knees.

Golovkin, who idolizes the

same Mexican boxers beloved in Los Angeles, got another enormous cheer when he greeted the fans with "Muchas gracias!"

Gonzalez (45-0) is widely considered the world's top pound-for-pound fighter since the retirement of Floyd Mayweather, and the 112-pound dynamo put on another impressive display in his fourth straight title defense.

Yet the Nicaraguan champion's streak of 10 consecutive stoppage victories was ended by Arroyo (16-3), whose gritty effort on a damaged shoe earned him respect from a crowd supporting Gonzalez.

Nobody had gone the distance with Gonzalez since Juan Francisco Estrada in November 2012.

Two judges scored the bout 119-109 for Gonzalez, and a third gave every round to the champion, 120-108. The Associated Press scored it 119-109 for Gonzalez.

"This shows that I can win either by knockout or by going the distance," Gonzalez said through a translator. "It was a very difficult fight, but McWilliams moves very well, and he knows how to avoid the punches."

Suarez makes history as Barca, Atletico win BArCELONA, AprIL 24 (rEutErs): Luis Suarez became the first La Liga player to score four goals for the second game in a row as Barcelona, helped by three penalties in the second half, stayed top by hammering Sporting Gijon 6-0 on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Gareth Bale made up for the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring twice as Real Madrid came back from two goals down to win 3-2 at Rayo Vallecano while Atletico Madrid kept up their title hopes with a 1-0 home victory over Malaga.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone could be facing a three-game touchline ban after being sent off at halftime when a ball was thrown on to the pitch from the technical area.

Suarez moved ahead of Ronaldo as the league's top scorer on 34 goals after netting four times, twice with penalties, in the space of 25 second-half minutes.

Sporting had defender Ognjen Vranjes sent off in the 85th minute after picking up a second booking for fouling Neymar who scored the subsequent spot kick The league leaders and Atletico have 82 points, with Barca top because of a superior head-to-head record. Real are third on 81

Luis Suarez (R) of FC Barcelona and Igor Lichnovsky of Sporting Gijon compete for the ball during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Sporting Gijon at Camp Nou on April 23, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. (Getty Images)

points with three games remaining.

Lionel Messi's stooping header put Barca ahead on 12 minutes but Gijon, who are third from bottom, missed two chances to equalise before halftime.

Suarez eased Barca nerves by tapping home Andres Iniesta's low cross in the 63rd minute before converting twice from the spot.

The prolific Uruguayan, who also scored four times and provided three assists in Wednesday’s 8-0 thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna, grabbed another goal in the 88th minute, drilling

in a pass from Messi.

Substitute Angel Correa settled a difficult game for Atletico against Malaga soon after coming off the bench, as his shot from the edge of the area was deflected into the far corner in the 62nd minute.

Simeone said a ball boy lobbed the ball on to the pitch, leading to the coach being forced to watch the second half from the stands.

"It was the boy who was beside us but it doesn't change anything," said the coach. "It's clear the referee took the correct decision as stated by the rules."

Assam Rifles' Cycle race on May 1 North East Cricket Development Committee formed

DImApur, AprIL 24 (mExN): To commemorate the 5th Raising Day of 6 Sector Assam Rifles and as a tribute to Martyrs of North East India serving with the Security Forces, a Cycling Race is being organized in Dimapur under the

theme “Race for National Integration Together We Can: Celebrating Youth; Celebrating Unity in Diversity” on May 1.

The race will start at 6 a.m. from Hq 6 sector AR camp, Dimapur. For registration, contact: 8415070616, 8257879239.

PSG beat Lille to retain French League Cup pArIs, AprIL 24 (AFp): Ten-man Paris Saint-Germain beat Lille 2-1 in the French League Cup final at the Stade de France on Saturday to remain on course for a domestic clean sweep of titles. The Ligue 1 champions took the lead five minutes before half-time in contentious circum-

stances, with Javier Pastore's shot passing through the legs of an offside Layvin Kurzawa on its way into the net. But Lille hit back shortly after the restart when Djibril Sidibe fired a free-kick through the wall and into the net.

The capital city side were dealt a huge blow when

Adrien Rabiot was shown a second yellow card for a cynical foul on the impressive Sofiane Boufal with 20 minutes remaining. But a moment of madness from Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama allowed Angel Di Maria to roll in the winner with 16 minutes to play for his 15th goal of the season.

DImApur, AprIL 24 (mExN): Cricket associations from five North East States have come together to collectively pursue the development and promotion of the game.

The newly formed body called North East Cricket Development Committee (NECDC) was set up during a meeting of the five North East States’ Cricket Associations in Dimapur on April 23. The associations who participated are Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Nagaland.

According to a press release, the meeting discussed problems and challenges – both common and state specific in nature, faced by the cricket associations and the roadmap for development of the game in the entire region. It ex-

pressed confidence that the BCCI would appreciate and extend all possible help to the region as equal and contributing members of the Indian cricket family.

The five associations noted that Cricket Associations in the North East should be given sufficient assistance from the BCCI for development and promotion of the game and stated that it will approach the Board of Control for Cricket in India as a collective for more intensive developmental initiatives all over the region, including enhancement of annual grant/subsidy.

Among others, the meeting also passed a resolution demanding affiliation for Mizoram without further delay as it remains the only state in the North East yet to be granted membership of BCCI.

The five NE states also welcomed the recommendations of the Lodha Commission of ‘one state one vote’.

The Committee resolved to extend full support and cooperation to the BCCI for development of the

game and make all necessary contributions.

The NECDC will be led by Nagaland Cricket Association President Neiphiu Rio as Convenor and Naba Bhattarcharjee, Secretary, Meghalaya CA as Co-Convenor.

public discourse

Collaboration as the way to improve government schools in the state Who broke the unity of the Nagas under NNC Chothazo Nienu

University of Hyderabad

T

he result of the class 10 and 12 board exams will be declared in a few weeks, if not days. The outcomes are predictable: keeping aside the endless congratulatory notes to the toppers, private schools will perform much better than the government schools, followed by the lashing of government institutions in social and print media. The cacophony will last for a month and the same trend repeated the next year.

The bad performance of government schools is a cause of concern for several reasons:While there is no available data (as far as the author is concerned) on the proportion of the rich children studying in government institutions, it is generally accepted that the proportion of children of the poor in government institutions is much higher than the rich. These mass of students also do not receive proper care and attention at home. In fact, not to be accepted in toto but which has a point, many shield the non-performance of government institutions to the fact that mostly the children of the economically weaker sections and the poorly literate and illiterate studies there.

The high proportion of the poor in government institutions are then at a double disadvantage – stuck in government institutions that do not teach them as hard as the private schools while lackingproper guidance at home.

Setting government schools right is thus paramount for the future of the mass of the economically weaker children in government schools.

The second reason why

the failure of government schools is a cause of concern is the wastage of valuable economic resource. This wastage occurs at two levels – the pinch it has on the state’s exchequer by way of payment of salaries to the non-performing or poorly performing teachers or even excess teachers in certain schools, and the payments that people have to make to send their children to private schools which would have been saved or consumed otherwise if they did not spend on private schools.

Thus, non-performing public schools do not only act as a hole on the state’s exchequer but also affects the household spending pattern.

Another obvious but not often discussed issue is the lack of concern of the leaders and well-to-do in the society on the plight of the government schools as their children stay away from them.

Issues related to the government schools are thus ignored by the leaders and the elite who have a more commanding voice and could bring change if they had personal stakes in it. The issue is cyclical in nature – the rich do not send their children to government schools because they do not perform well and government schools partly do not perform because the rich who could improve them do not have a stake in it.

The low performance of government schools thus lead to perpetuation of the existing social relations in the state. Setting them right is thus critical to the wellbeing of the state.

The quality of education as a concern is not limited to India or for that matter, Nagaland. Other countries have faced the same issue and there

have been varied responses to it – from the raising of money from the community so that it could take responsibility in Indonesia (the so called BP3 Program),to the P-900 project in Chile where the services of the youth were roped in to improve learning outcome in certain schools,to the school clusters in Thailand, and the People Learning Support System (PLSS) in Philippines where parents are engaged in classrooms where teaching takes place and so on. It is to the last two that the author wants to explore as a possible solution to the state of education in the state.

The People Learning Support System (PLSS), Philippines: Recognizing that homes, communities, and schools all play important roles in educating children, the idea of PLSS was born in the Philippines. The PLSS seeks to improve the quality of education through collaboration among parents, pupils, teachers, guardians, the administration and the community members.

Low achievementof the students in cognitive and non-cognitive areas, student absenteeism, educational wastage, under-achievement and lack of achievement had been features of the Philipino educational system. The PLSS is a school-based initiative to improve the quality of elementary education and raise the achievement level of pupils by organizing parents, guardians and community members.

Parent-teacher groups for each class from Grade I to VI are formed which forms part of a parent-teacher assembly. This assembly make plans for the year. Seminars for both parents and teachers are hold to orient them about

their roles. Parents fill in questionnaires about their socioeconomic conditions and support for children's studies. These information help in establishing study habits, socio-economic status of parents and how pupils spend their time when they are not in school. These information are supplemented by the pupil's academic profile.

During the implementation, parents stay inside classrooms to observe teachers and pupils and even aid the teachers. They take notes which are then discussed with teachers in regular teacherparents conferences.

At the end of the year, certificates are awarded to parents for their participation.

The PLSS program use the existing resources for the seminars and other PLSS activities. The parent-teacher group also provide minimal resources on voluntary basis. The PLSS has helped in improving the learning outcome of the students and also improved the relationship between schools and community.

SCHOOL CLUSTERS, Thailand: In order to improve the learning outcome of students, schools clusters were introduced in Thailand. Under this system, eight to nine schools would form a cluster and resources in the form of teaching materials, notes and teachers’ experiences shared among the schools in that cluster. The head teachers meet regularly to discuss issues affecting their schools and give reports on how their schools are performing such that there is competition among the head-teachers to improve their schools. One head-teacher was said to have left a meeting mid-way

because he was embarrassed at the low performance of his school.There is not only resource sharing but also competition and cooperation and helping of the weak schools that students’learning outcomes improved.

School clustering along with parents’ engagement in the day-to-day learning experience of the school could be combined to improve government schools in the state.

There would not only be resource sharing among the stakeholders as they come together but accountability will also improve as the two systems are combined. This should transform the dull, non-performing government schools closed to the gaze of the public to open, vibrant functioning schools.

Some might argue for the merit of communitization in middle schools and primary schools and call for replication of the same in high schools and higher secondary schools. The problem, however is that, communitization, which seeks to tap the community’s social capital would not work at the high schools and higher secondary schools because the students from a high school or higher secondary school belong to other villages or towns and the village or town community would be very unwilling to use its resources to help the “other students” which it might perceive as competitors and rivals. Studies in other countries have confirmed the same.

Privatization is very exclusive in nature and the best way to achieve an inclusive educational outcome in the state is to improve the government schools. This call for trial of even non-conventional methods.

and Who is calling NNC a dead Institution?

I

n April 1945, Naga Hills District Tribal Council (NHDTC) was formed in Naga Hills district, still under British administration. It was moderated by C. R. Pawsey, the then Deputy Commissioner of Naga Hills district, who also happened to be the first Chairman.

It did not include the people of Free Nagaland because those areas were outside British control. On February 2, 1946, the Naga Hills District Tribal Council changed its name to Naga National Council (NNC) in its Wokha meet. The composition of NNC was based on proportionate representation by all tribes. NNC members included all ages and sexes of Nagas by birth. NNC adopted the Naga Constitution (Yehzabo) on January 14, 1956. The constitution formally integrated all the Naga inhabited territories between China, India and Burma as sovereign Nagaland. Later in 1954, the NNC spread its wings to Free Nagaland and other Naga areas. NNC’s membership was by spontaneity of birth (naturalization of citizenship by birth) and not voluntary.

Until 1957, NNC became the only socio-political institution of the Nagas. There was no other pan-Naga public organization of any kind. Nagas experienced their strong sense of belonging and ownership in NNC. History revealed that the unity of the Nagas under the banner of NNC was solid strong. It was in that period of unbreakable unity that the Nagas declared independence on August 14, 1947 and conducted Plebiscite on May 16, 1951 that gave 99% mandate for independence.

Then, in June 1957, Naga People’s Convention, NPC was formed by a group of Naga elites who called themselves co-operation group that stood against Naga independence despite having participated in the declaration of Naga independence and plebiscite. NPC engineered the

first break-up in NNC to sign the 16-Point Agreement. The unity of the Nagas was first shaken and broken by NPC. The signing of 16-PA gave a new twist to the sovereignty of Nagaland. However, 16-PA failed to bring permanent peace. It created what was called Naga political problem, a problem created by themselves.

Until then, Nagas had no political problem. Nagas had only an inalienable right to be independent as declared. Today, the direct offshoots of that very NPC are fervently calling and appealing to Nagas for unity.

Nagas must know that the only way to reunite Nagas is to come to that historical fact. The honorable thing is to admit the mistake of breaking Naga unity by sabotaging NNC’s political program. What they had broken, they have to mend it by coming back to the truth. Else, there is no point shouting at the rooftop.

The second attempt to destroy NNC came when some people started calling NNC a dead institution after the Shillong Accord of 1975 to which, NNC had no part, at least in letter. Incidentally, people who had no part in the history or origin of the formation of NNC in 1946 in Naga Hills district are calling NNC a dead institution. Therefore, calling NNC a dead institution by non-actors seemed by default. No doubt, the territories of sovereign Nagaland as defined in Yehzabo included all Naga inhabited areas, none could deny the historical fact of the origin of NNC’s formation by the Nagas of Naga Hills district. A parasite tree cannot call the host tree a dead tree because the parasite tree has no root in the ground and entirely depends on the host tree’s roots for its nutrition. Therefore, if the host tree is dead, the parasite tree too has no chance of survival.

I write this as a natural member of the then undivided NNC.

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.

Dr. K. Hoshi.

monday 25•04•2016

EntErtainmEnt Chyna’s bRain to be donated to sCienCe

A

plan is underway to donate former WWE wrestler Chyna's brain to science, says her manager.

"We want to donate her brain. We want to know what made Chyna tick," manager Anthony Anzaldo said. He said lawyers reached out to him long before Chyna's death Wednesday to test her interest in joining a brain injury lawsuit against the WWE, reported the New York Daily News.

They did not want any part in litigation but were intrigued by the science, he said.

"When she died, they

Sumi youth take part in a war ululation competition as part of Melange 2016, a festival held in Zunheboto Town from April 21-23, 2016 (Morung Photo)

called me again and asked, 'Can we have her brain,'" Anzaldo said. "My hope is that we can do it. I'm in the process of getting the permission to speak on behalf of family to tell the coroner it's okay to release it."

He identified the doctor involved as Dr Bennet Omalu, the famed forensic pathologist who discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) by examining professional football players. The true story of Dr Omalu's fight to make the NFL recognize CTE was brought to the big screen by Will Smith last year.

Source: PTI

Play Review: ‘Land where life is good’ T Ta Walling

Director, Shiksha Rath, New Delhi

his play is conceptualized, designed and directed by Temjenzungba Kechu and performed at the 18th Bharat Rang Mahotsav (International Theatre Festival of India, February 1st – 21st 2016) organized by the National School of Drama, New Delhi. The play was written by renowned playwright Asif Ali Haider Khan, visiting faculty at NSD. As a Naga living in Delhi, although possessing a strong, deep-rooted cultural heritage, when confronted with multiculturalism, I am always faced with the question of how much I can hold on to my identity and how far I can assimilate with the many others I meet.

This phenomenon of developing hybrid identities in a diaspora setting is not merely a Naga issue but rather applies to all of us living in an increasingly multicultural world where we are constantly negotiating different identities.

Kechu has successfully brought out this issue and its struggles in his play, ‘Land where Life is Good.’ It was not only a proud moment to witness such an incredible play directed by our own Naga brother but what captivated me and the audience the most was his novel attempt to bring to life the pressing issues of the identity crises of diaspora Nagas and the reality of multiculturalism through the journey of a Naga boy, his faithful dog and his magician friend.

C M Y K

Synopsis of the play: The play revolves around a Naga Boy called Tako setting on a journey to find himself, along with a magician friend Nokzenba and his dog, who represent Tako’s Naga heritage. With the introduction of Christianity, Tako becomes a Christian and his name is changed to Peter. Along with the new Christian culture seeping into the existing Naga culture, arrives the media and the television where he could watch Indian mythical serials like Ramayana connecting him to the rest of India. This made him ask questions about his identity and he begins his journey from his village to Rajpath to find himself. Along the way he witnesses a cultural troupe dancing at the hornbill festival and tries to join the dance.

The cultural dance troupe suddenly shifts to a Michael Jackson dance number and then to a death metal number leaving Tako all the more confused. At Rajpath he witnesses the ‘flag hoisting’ on Republic day and the cultural presentations of different States at India Gate. Even as he overwhelmed by this diversity, Tako gets separated from his magician friend Nokzenba and his dog. There is a scene of the Naga dog in conversation about identity with a German shepherd dog

that belonged to the Indian army. Tako meets Hanuman whom he has seen in Doordarshan but finds out that he is not the Hanuman rather an artist playing different roles. They try on each other’s costumes. The play ends with Tako giving a Hornbill feather to the Hanuman impersonate who in turn gives the ‘hanuman tail’ to Tako.

What impressed me the most was the metaphorical use of mythical characters. The two fictional characters accompanying Tako, his friend Nokzenba and the dog are a symbol of Tako’s Naga cultural heritage. Nokzenba is the last Ao magician mentioned in the folk tales and Kechu’s use of this character to show the fading old tradition is commendable. The dog reflects the stereotype attached to the Naga people.

Another highlight of the play is the constant disappearance of Tako’s friend and dog when Tako encounters people from other cultures. Whilst living in a multicultural city, we rub shoulders with different traditions and negotiate with them. It is not the question of who is superior rather an act of survival and harmony between different cultures.

Many times we find ourselves being unleashed from the ideas we thought to be central to our identity and embrace the culture and lifestyle of others.

The most insightful scene that left a profound impression on me was the scene with the conversation between the two dogs –Tako’s Naga dog and the Indian army sniffer dog German Shepherd. This scene has multilayered meanings: first the Naga dog represents the stereotyping of Naga people as dog eaters. Secondly, the German shepherd dog represents how even the Indian army is borrowing a foreign dog as its own without apprehending its foreignness which at the same time views the Naga dog as an inferior. Even as the dog scene captures well the struggles of our identity crisis, the humour in the conversations between the dogs leaves the audience roaring with laughter even as it explores the unspoken biases we have in our search for

identity in a multicultural society.

The last scene ends with a crystal clear message of acceptance, sharing and the spirit of openness to explore other traditions while having respect for each other’s uniqueness.

The best way to sum up this play would be to quote what Shashi Tharoor said on Indian diversity, ‘If America is a melting-pot, then to me India is a thali, a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different, and does not necessarily mix with the next, but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast.’

The director Temjen Kechu did a tremendous job of presenting a smooth performance that not only addressed an important issue but also kept the audience entertained throughout with the humourous dialogues. His creativity was well showcased by the use of different

techniques and lightings on the stage and the use of metaphorical images rather than direct representation.In my opinion, the show excelled not only due to the high quality of acting it entailed but also due to the powerful imagination and creativity of the director in designingthe sets and setting the stage.

Achie Humtsoe, a copywriter working in Delhi had this to say about the play: Temjenzungba Kechu’s ‘Land where life is good’ brings out the complexities of the Naga identity in the Indian narrative. And he does so brilliantly without the slightest hint of re-

proach or bias. That, to me, is a feat in itself.

Taku, his protagonist, is not a victim of circumstance, but an individual struggling to define his identity in the ever changing, globalized world. The fact that Kechu managed to present a universal theme through a Naga protagonist on Indian soil was a refreshing departure from the palpable bitterness that’s fraught in earlier works on the subject. It’s really encouraging to see artists from Nagaland interpreting our history in the language that everybody understands.

Benrilo Kikon, PhD candidate, OCMS, Oxford added: To be honest, when the play started with the theme of the Naga freedom fight, I became a little skeptical of the content of the play, wondering if it would be about the general notion of demonizing the other (read Indian here) and of romanticizing the Naga past in all its glories. I was pleasantly relieved to see that the play contained no such depictions.

It revolved around the whole notion of ‘identity’ and if it is even fair to talk about a ‘pure’ identity. Through the play, Temjenzunba Kechu seeks to argue, echoing the postcolonial critique, that there are no pure essential identities. Rather that all our identities are constantly constructed and reconstructed in our everyday engagement, not only with our own people group but also with the many others with whom we interact.

This issue has plagued not only the Nagas but also people of all communities, particularly minority communities, who are struggling to find a voice and an identity in our increasingly globalised world. Therefore, everyone in the audience, both Nagas and others, could resonate with the play on these lines. The script was brilliantly executed by talented actors who enacted each scene with such intensity and passion that even I, with very little knowledge of Hindi, could follow through with no trouble. I especially enjoyed the use of humour in conveying issues concerning identity and the intricate layers involved in forming one’s identity.

I highly commend Kechu for broaching such

an important subject through the medium of art. The identity crisis that present-generation Nagas face and the attempt of so many young Nagas to integrate into the larger Indian community is indeed a pressing issue. As a Naga, living away from Nagaland, I know that my identity is being shaped and re-shaped time and again in my everyday interaction with different cultures and people. Kechu, in his exposition of the theme of identity, personal and central to all of us, particularly through a Naga protagonist has not only enriched the Naga imagination but has indeed crossed barriers and made a Naga contribution across cultures and people.

Temjenzungba Kechu from Mokokchung, Khensa village, is a recent graduate of the prestigious National School of Drama, New Delhi, with a specialization in Theatre Techniques and Design. Alongside conducting theatre workshops for youths, college students, and popular village folks, he has collaborated in the production of dramas and professional theatre pieces that address issues of democracy, corruption, domestic/child labour and violence.

Under the NSD team, Kechu has worked with eminent theatre directors such as Abilash Pillai, Ovlyakuli Khodjakuli, Tripurari Sharma, Mohan Maharishi, Sohag Sen, Shantanu Bose, Gunakar Dev Goswami and Hema Singh. He also organizes theatre forum on the other pressing social issues in North East India and give voice to the marginalized and the oppressed. Currently, Kechu is exploring how Naga folk and traditional narratives can be adapted for contemporary creative art and performance. He is committed in the value of dramatic and theatre education as a medium for building a creative bridge and dialogue between fast modern educational system and traditional cultural values. He approaches theatre art as a therapeutic tool for promoting holistic educational growth and awareness toward responding to social issues and challenges. He also develops drama pedagogy as a medium of teaching for creative involvement in the classroom and teaches as a guest faculty in B.ED colleges in Nagaland.

In Nagaland, theater art is not yet a career option for our young people. But I believe, our youths have many talents in the creative fields that are yet to be explored. I strongly recommend that people support these creative vocations and give a platform for artists like Temjenzungba Kechu. Even as their messages through drama impact our society, they are an inspiration for young people to venture into these fields and make a meaningful contribution not only to the Nagas, but also to the nation and the globe as a whole. We are proud and honored to have such talent in our community.

World Mark 400th anniversary of shakespeare’s death

T

housands of people from all walks of life and from around the world descended Saturday on the streets of Stratford-Upon-Avon, the hometown of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of his death.

Visitors, performers, literature buffs and notable people, including Prince Charles, gathered in the central English market town to pay tribute to A Chinese actor poses before a performance in the gardens of author one of the world’s most promPeople wearing masks depicting William Shakespeare line the street William Shakespeare’s birthplace during events to mark 400 years since inent playwrights. Shakeduring a parade to mark 400 years since the bard’s death in Stratford- the bard’s death. speare is regarded by many as upon-Avon in central England on Saturday. the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

A parade took place in Stratford to mark the anniversary. A band from the U.S. city of New Orleans performed a jazz rendition of "Happy Birthday" in honor of the British icon, as confetti flowed through the streets.

Actors Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Benedict Cumberbatch and Ian McKellen were among stars scheduled to celebrate the anniversary with perPresident Barack Obama, 2nd left, greets actors on stage after watching formances from Shakespeare's them perform Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the Globe Theatre in London, best-known works at the Royal Saturday, April 23, 2016. Obama on Saturday opened his last full day in A New Orleans jazz band perform during a parade to mark 400 years Shakespeare Theatre.

London by taking in a performance taken from William Shakespeare’s since the death of English writer William Shakespeare in Stratfordupon-Avon in central England.

The occasion was being play Hamlet, on the 400th anniversary of the playwright’s death.

marked across Britain with parades, church services and stage performances. Thirty-seven short films, one of each of Shakespeare's plays, were shown on giant screens installed along the River Thames in London.

U.S. President Barack Obama attended a performance of scenes from Shakespeare's works, including the famous "To be or not to be?" from Hamlet, at the Globe Theatre, a reconstruction of a 16thcentury part-open-air theater.

In Washington, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was among those talking about Shakespeare during a program called “The Wonder of Will Live” at the Folger Shakespeare Library, which stands next to the Library of Congress.

Actors, artists and scholars, including actor and former White House official Kal Penn and NASA chief scientist Ellen Stofan, also participated in the program.

Shakespeare was born in Stratford in April 1564. It is believed that he died there on April 23, 1616, but no record of his death exists.

Source: VOA News

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MonDAY 25•04•2016

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

UFC 197: Jones defeats Suryakumar helps KKR secure tense win Saint Preux for interim title IPL 2016 | Today's MaTch

25/04/2016

Kings XI vs Mumbai Indians

Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali

20:00

Jon Jones punches Ovince Saint Preux during an Interim Light Heavyweight Championship Mixed Martial Arts bout at UFC 197, Saturday, April 23, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Getty Images)

Suryakumar Yadav of Kolkata Knight Riders plays a shot during an IPL match against the Rising Pune Supergiants at the Maharashtra Cricket Association's International Stadium, Pune on April 24. Yadav’s 60 led KKR to a thrilling 2 wicket win over the Supergiants. With this win, KKR go top of the table with 8 points (NRR +0.922). (Photo by IPL)

Brief Scores:

Supergiants - 160/5 in 20 overs [Rahane 67, Steve Smith 31; Al Hasan 1/14] KKR – 162/8 in 19.3 overs [Suryakumar Yadav 60, Yusuf Pathan 36; Rajat Bhatia 2/19] C M Y K

Gujarat down RCB in high scoring affair

rAjkOT, ApriL 24 (iANS): Gujarat Lions rode on a strong batting performance to defeat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by six wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium here on Sunday.

Chasing a target of 181 runs, the Lions scored 182/4 in 19.3 overs. The result saw the Lions climb to the top of the table with eight points. The IPL debutants thus continued their

superb start to their maiden season as they have now won four the five matches they have played so far.

RCB are at the fifth spot with four points after two wins and three losses.

O p e n e r s D w ay n e Smith (32) and Brendon McCullum gave Gujarat's chase a healthy start before the former holed out to long on. But Kane Richardson, who claimed Smith's wicket, could not celebrate for long a McCullum hit for two sixes and an

LAS VEGAS, ApriL 24 (Ap): Jon Jones unanimously outpointed Ovince Saint Preux on Saturday night at UFC 197 to take the interim light heavyweight title in his return to the octagon.

On probation for a previous hit-and-run crash in New Mexico, Jones had been stripped of the title.

Jones improved to 22-2 with winning scores of 5044, 50-45 and 50-45 from the judges. He will next face Daniel Cormier to unify the title. Saint Preux fell to 19-8.

"I needed to do this and get this fight out of the way.

I felt like I only used 20 percent of my technique to-

equal number of boundaries in the last four balls of the over.

By the time Tabraiz Shamsi pulled off an excellent caught and bowled effort to send him back to the pavilion, McCullum had laid the foundation for a successful chase with a 24-ball 42 that included five hits to the fence and a couple of sixes. Dinesh Karthick then scored an unbeaten LONDON, ApriL 24 50 off 39 balls to lead the (rEuTErS): Leicester City were left in touchLions to victory. ing distance of a fairytale first Premier League title on Sunday after Leonardo Ulloa's double helped them outclass Swansea City at a delirious King Power Stadium.

Sunderland, meanwhile, crawled out of the Premier League relegation zone as Arsenal dropped points in their quest for a top-four finish in a lively 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light.

The Foxes' dream of completing their surreal journey from 5,000-1 nohopers to English champions felt more tantalisingly real after 10 minutes when Ashley Williams' careTendulkar is the lead- less clearance gifted Riyad ing run-scorer in Tests and Mahrez his 17th goal of the ODIs. He is the only crick- season.

Then Ulloa, filling in for eter to have hit 100 interLeicester's suspended top national centuries, and the first to score a double cen- scorer Jamie Vardy, took centre stage. He headed tury in ODIs. Tendulkar received In- home the second on the dia's highest civilian award half-hour and tapped in Bharat Ratna from the Pres- a third on the hour as the ident Pranav Mukherjee in Foxes cruised while their 2014. He is the youngest fans merrily sang: "Are you recipient to date and the watching, Tottenham?" first ever sportsperson to The Spurs faithful who receive the award. were watching could only

spinner Saqlain Mushtaq also wished the batting maestro who has amassed 15921 runs in 200 Tests and 18426 runs in 463 ODIs. "Have a wonderful day brother @sachin_rt. God bless you," Saqlain said.

The good wishes were not just restricted to cricket.

The Indian Super League said, "Best wishes to @KBFCOfficial owner and cricketing great, @sachin_rt on his birthday!"

as Jones was able to secure two big takedowns, gaining side control following the second and delivering heavy elbows and punches to easily take the round.

Critical of his performance, Jones eventually was able to enjoy his victorious return. "I've got to kill this Debbie Downer attitude," he said. "I just won a fight in the UFC. I have a lot to be grateful for. I'm excited to fight Daniel Cormier."

Jones paced himself entering the fifth and final round and controlled the action, landing a big slam and neutralizing any attempt at a late Saint Preux rally.

Demetrious Johnson, left, fights Henry Cejudo during a flyweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 197, Saturday, April 23, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo)

Johnson landed a hard right elbow, followed by two knees to the body and a devastating knee to the jaw that sent Cejudo reeling. Johnson followed Cejudo to the mat, landing a couple more power shots that forced the referee to stop the fight at 2:49 of the round.

Johnson improved to 23-2-1 in handing Cejudo

his first professional loss at 10-1.

On the undercard, lightweight contender Edson Barboza looked sharp in a unanimous decision over former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis.

Sergio Pettis, Danny Roberts, James Vick and former female straw-weight champion Carla Esparza also won fights.

Ulloa double puts Leicester on verge of title triumph

Sachin trains children on 43rd birthday mumbAi, ApriL 24 (pTi): Sachin Tendulkar today celebrated his 43rd birthday by playing cricket with children from the 'Make-A-Wish India' organisation in the city, even as the fraternity wished him and waxed eloquence.

Tendulkar spent some time with the children, teaching them the basics of batting, bowling and fielding at the MIG Club. He posted the same on his official facebook page.

Tendulkar retired from all forms of cricket in November 2013 during the Test match against West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium.

As he stepped into his 43rd year, wishes started to pour in on twitter.

"Many happy returns of the day champion @ sachin_rt have a blessed year!" former India captain and longtime teammate Anil Kumble wrote on his twitter handle.

Former Pakistan off-

night," Jones said.

Also, Demetrious Johnson successfully defended his flyweight title for the eighth straight time, stopping Henry Cejudo in the first round.

Jones was unable to inflict any serious damage, but was able to control most of the action, landing numerous kicks and strikes, easily outclassing his opponent. The usually dominant Jones seemed to show a little rust in his return, with the heavy underdog Saint Preux keeping the fight competitive in the middle rounds with neither fighter gaining an edge. It turned in the fourth round

sigh as substitute Marc Albrighton smashed in a fourth in the dying minutes to confirm Leicester's eight-point lead over the second-placed Londoners.

Should Tottenham lose their game in hand at home to West Bromwich Albion on Monday, the Foxes, who need five points from their last three games to take the title, could even be crowned champions next Sunday with victory at Manchester United.

Sunderland escape bottom three

A game full of chances saw Sunderland's Patrick van Aanholt rattle the woodwork with a first-half free kick while at the other end former Arsenal keeper Vito Mannone made several great saves to deny his old club.

Both sides had strong penalty appeals turned down too, first when Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker blocked Jermain Defoe's shot with his arm, then minutes later when DeAndre Yedlin's outstretched arm deflected away Alex Iwobi's shot.

Arsenal finished strongly and Mannone

Leonardo Ulloa scores his second goal. (Photo - The Guardian)

saved from Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck but Sunderland grasped the point that moved them above Norwich City on goal difference with both

sides having four matches to play.

Arsenal stayed in fourth spot, behind Manchester City on goal difference and five points above FA Cup

finalists Manchester United, but a 19th consecutive appearance in the Champions League is still not guaranteed as United have a game in hand.

Naga lads win at AITA Men’s Nationals Palace beat Watford to book FA Cup final with Man United

DimApur, ApriL 24 (mExN): Keneisezotuo Whuorie and Vilasier Khate once again clinched the Men's Doubles Title in the recently concluded AITA 50K Men's Nationals held at Dehradun. The Naga pair beat Pradeep Pant and Tushar Singh 6-1, 2-6, 14-12 to emerge victorious in the final which was played on April 22. It was a double delight for Vilasier as he also won the Singles title by beating Sunil Malik 6-3, 6-2 to finish off the clean sweep.

LONDON, ApriL 24 (rEuTErS): Crystal Palace set up a repeat of the 1990 FA Cup final against Manchester United after Yannick Bolasie and Connor Wickham securd a 2-1 victory over Watford at Wembley on Sunday.

Bolasie headed in Yohan Cabaye's corner to put Palace in front after six minutes and they should have built on their advantage before halftime against a lacklustre Watford.

Troy Deeney sparked the semi-final into life with Watford's equaliser nine minutes after halftime but they were only level for seven minutes.

Wickham stretched to meet a cross from Pape Souare and his header flew beyond the reach of flat-footed Watford keeper Costel Pantilimon who was slow to react.

Watford mounted some late pressure and there were a few anxious moments for Palace in stoppage time but they deservedly held on to set up a season finale against United who they lost to in a replay in their only other FA Cup final.

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