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Dimapur Vol. X issuE 92
, Ajung Jamir for cabin crewtease my sister we have the difficulsest pasto sit- “What we are doing to thelecfortioestnsofofwhtheat it m li e th is y Sk boys who of the fa- sengers who refu plus a mirror ref d to one kle up world is but ng one
Evolve mechanism to address deficiencies: PM to judiciary
[ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 12]
nagaland Police: What lacks thee?
reflections
‘High time the State police has a dedicated riot response force’ imkong Walling Dimapur | April 5
Centre Nagaland Job in Nagaland
Job OpeningAcBack from car shopping? (1 post) cha honey, tell them how you 1. Cook 2 Warden 10+ (1 post) are helping me and my2. HostelGradeptt Or duate utilize the allocated fund.ionist (non-Local) post) 3. Recept in accounts 12 pass good
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aland Job Centre/ please call Nag For more detail ce offi Wake into our land, ICICI Bank Mid Dimapur-Opp. -Old NST Kohima r resume you g brin se Plea
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your anSwer to 9862574165PRIME TUTOenwoodRISchALool initiative of Gre
An Is the need for a dynamic, indian Christians pray during Easter mass at a Church in Guwahati, sunday, April 5. Christians around the world celAdmission g Crash Course ance 2014) (Main + Adv students creative and visionary leader AnnFor AIPounMTcin/ JEEebrated Easter commemorating + passed OF NAGALAND MERCE the day when, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was resurrected in Jerusalem two ing ear app RNMENTPhoto) the key towards leading the for Class XII millennia GOVE(AP & COM ago. h boys and bot for tel OF INDUSTRIES A Nagas out of this present crisis? Special features: - Hos HIM DIRECTORATE Girls
no
others
Is there widening gap between the younger Naga generation and present Naga apex organizations (Church and Civil Society groups)? Yes no
72% 13%
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15%
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Rs. 37,000 crore paid to states towards devolution
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New Delhi, April 5 (iANS): The union government has released more than Rs.37,420 crore to the states for the current fiscal as first instalment of devolution as per the 14th Finance Commission’s recommendation, with Uttar Pradesh getting the highest share. “The Government of India has released more than Rs.37,420 crore to all the states for financial year 2015-16 as the first instalment of devolution as per the 14th Finance Commission (FFC),” a finance ministry statement here said. Uttar Pradesh has received the highest share at Rs.6,735.81 crore followed by Bihar at Rs.3,624.37 crore, Madhya Pradesh at Rs.2,835.75 crore, West Bengal at Rs.2,746.91 crore and Maharashtra at Rs.2,075.59 crore. States getting the least funds include Sikkim at Rs.137.46 crore, Goa with Rs.141.51 crore, Mizoram at Rs.172.40 crore and Nagaland at Rs.186.68 crore. The 14th Finance Commission has recommended a record 10 percent increase in the states’ share in the divisible pool of taxes to 42 percent, which will give the states an additional Rs.178,000 crore in 2015-16. The commission also recommended a grants-in-aid of Rs.48,906 crore for 11 revenue deficit states for 201516. The total devolution to the states in 2015-16 will be Rs.526,000 crore, representing an increase of Rs.178,000 crore over 2014-15.
ls - Study materia - Library facility lty - First rate facu Test - Weekly Mock-
NAGALAND: KO
ry 2014 the 14thFebua Dated Kohima, ADV/35/2014 NO.IND/EST/ NT ME ADVERTISE
Lack of food safety killing 2.2 mn every year
t of up 4 (Four) pos March Nagaland to fill conducted on 1st ve will inhabitants of ate of Industries & Commerce. h abo ance test will be wit local indigenous • A perform ents who secure 70% and ted from Naga establishment of the Director any recognized university invi eby her 2014 and stud discount. Applications are Assistant (District) under the duate from any discipline from be given 50% fee on 3rd March 2014. rs of age as ll be gra Computer yea sha 35 n cum n ces atio tha LDA lific re men m qua not mo ment • Class com 1424 1. The minimuer application. than 21 years andting policy of the state govern 5485 / 943509 uld not be less put diploma in com imum age of a candidate sho limit will be governed by exis contact: 897442 For information by the head 2. The min relaxation of the upper age Sd/ate duly signed tific Cer nts. he on” T . lica / 9612973589 ecti on 31.01.2014 physically Handicapped app uired to furnish “No Obj notireq Government as employees and Government employees are icy of the state 3. Serving name and official seal. shall be as pr the existing pol es with ed to the Diress add of department ation of seats of backward Trib and the applicant 4. Reserv artment. duly signed by ents:in plain paper R Dep fied by the P&A lications may be submitted ied by the following docum 5. The App & Commerce, and accompan mark sheet. h ies wit rector of Industr Cards of HSLC/P.U/Graduate • Admit ate petent Authority. tific • Birth Cer ous Certificate issued by Com • ST/Indigen Certificate. er exchange. put ent the office of Com loym ME • emp ll be received in n Card of the AGE INCO applications sha M. The last date for receiving LIFICATION • Registratio sword photographs. 5000/- TO ily rejected. The uld 2: P. VACANCY QUATH BELOW 26 RS. /- PER • 2 recent pas applications shall be summar office hours from 10:A.M to d date. The applications sho TO 10 20500 cifie . ing lete S 59 6. Incomp ustries & Commerce, dur shall be received after the spe it will be summarily rejected DUATE OR YEAR MONTH s ch of Ind MALE / FEMALE GRA VALENT the Directorate ll be 24-04-2014.No application of the applicant without whi EQUI applications sha of Contact Number and Address ietuoKire) contain details Sd/-(Er.Thekrun ies & Commerce ustr Directorate of Ind
mumbAi, April 5 (iANS): Lack of government policies on food and water safety is causing the death of 2.2 million people, including children, every For batch 2014 the globe, health year across experts said on Sunday. They said the use of pesticides NTACT fertilizers in TAILS COand FOR DE50 the past years KOHIMA has grown L L HI S ’ ER C FI times. nearly OF170 7159 17 8974998 8 / 986266 AsPhone Noa.: consequence, persistent residues of the chemicals contaminate food and disperse in the environment and find their way into the food chain. “There has been rampant use of chemicals resulting in several shortterm and long-term effects on the human body. High use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides while growing food grains results in food-borne diseases,” Behram Pardiwalla, consultant internal medicine at Wockhardt hospital, said in a
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–Mahatma Gandhi
Serena strolls to eighth Miami title
Avril Lavigne on life after Lyme disease
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Yes
Monday, April 6, 2015 12+4 pages Rs. 4
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or just bei and fight- down and buc at am to ourselves an mous G.I JOES with my the turbulence. Wh typi- we are doing ts is no another.” ing sword figh ” saying is, there day for a s. ndhi boy l ma our nor neighb ― Mahatma Ga re its that cal or She also adm ion is cabin crew. In fact the e mis fess pro her current pro ident than is one thing I can ever hmore of an acc e never you - no two days areno 1 to dle, marking a birtstart s small burning can intentional. “I'v oming a the same. There is never Whether it is a fire consuming a forest, all fire or a e sing wild planned on bec I bumped 10 here, and you’r r day day, or a raging rk. And it can either be a bles . Either a il cabin crew, unt ent on- quite sure how you rt this from a little spa , big fire, it is still man-made sem into an adverti submitted will turn out! In sho t will curse. Small fire man’s wit or his negligence. sidered as of line one night, then one is a profession tha and manifestation st fire at Mount Japfü, con is also susllenge you ume and The recent fore ’s worst in recent history, of trekne's toe my res to the other and always cha on your toes. s l keep everyo g led one of the countrybeen caused by the carelessneslves warm. Based in Doha as a wil check. And one who is thin am today in Doha keep you ictability is the I pected to have have lit a fire to keep themse her, be- cabin crew with the Qatar on ntaneous ought to love here g as a cabin crew”, The unpred job, I feel”, she furt soul of this s into the kers, who might eventually spread much commu- ways, Ajung Jamir has spo bit of it”, she says. workin pse Air s. had ry That little fire of hundreds of volunteers and douse off ensively travelled the eve cribing her two she say she got into it, throws glim crew. ext Before a cabin re- Des yond the control o were trying their best to but has firmly her years’ journey with Qatar further recalls that life of ng Jamir would derld, wh wo ers mb she nity me te remark- profession to her was Aju self as a people ing mained grounded to qui sum as s con k, way e- Air a wee be her the fire. her, it is extrem s on to share this elabohad raged on for reports, pretty face, scri The forest fire flora and fauna. According to t the roots. For nt to know one’s able, she goe the privilege all about a smiling to person even as she peoorta d, ia tha “I love e had lot of along with it, a first time in the history of Ind the newly- ly imp and identity and she that, “I'v g some amazing looking goo s and doing rates by saying, h them, this is also the helicopters, none other than y utility- roots rly drawn valu- of meetin around the the passenger before take- ple,- working wit m, helpIndian Air Force Mi-17 V5 helicopter, a militarcombat the has clea ons from travel- people from about life, a bit of demo nion has talking with the being By Sandemo d to able lessNgullie n globe, learn growth, off. But that opi lot since ing them- I just love ng inducted Russianial mac hine are being use and s bei oss the globe eve da and-combat aer t tested in Nagaland. contained ling acr res that, “Trav- friendship bt I would clearly change n as she around people. Thi re are firs forest fire, also d news to have the raging fire end here. as she sha taught me about which I dou I been home she joined, eve o knew said, of course, the my While it’s goo issue of forest fire does not terms elling has respect- it have had, had people goes on to add, “wh ally times when I require st inion d in the and on the 7th day, make us think where we stan lly speak- humility to respect and just among le with.” about being profess , or se- "quiet space" (I’ll be is taught me how on board I am comfortab re- trained on first aid a sane without it), and this Rather, it should environment, which, technica ate and te and , she also y a cleaner of protecting our nt equall the CEO of my To this end of her pro- curing a certific is given the time I read, wri rece the in life. ity uld one one ers wo our v ore I ing, is members think.” ege, license bef ble loss of biodi eration as back from coll g the green card to fly? This When she is not flying, The unimagina ing the people of this gen con- company.” eth can in a company fessors t, ‘bein forest fire is somupon and think of how best wefrom hap- Working in crew from who told them tha us dis- job needs a lot of bra to she tries to achieve the bashould ponder such unfortunate incidents decades of almost 7000 she goes around people help and and will power. Brain sics first, such as catch on tribute to avert r future. What took years and n wildly all over the world, the first cover ourselves better with study and remember, the her sleep, do her laundry, bee pening in the nea servation in the area had how much on to say, “when r asks is I couldn’t agree more l- will power to take in ev- cook and sit for her famous con , of biodiversity a matter of days. Imagine sed by a question a strange ?", it him because I now rea as erything that is thrown at , dal and aloo fry dinrice cau from lved consumed in justtake us to rebuild the loss, "where are you nt to know ize how I have evo fes- you.” ch. Once these it re are ner or lun accomplished, this pro importa longer would . Apparently, the call upon is very ls are ntity, a person and fire small spark of t the state government had to of the lack one's roots and ide or sion has also helped me no normal days for a cabin goa is out and about Doha, ls.’ The fact tha the fire is also reflection y. That to remain grounded, ht is un- she a movie spree, of hone my PR skil tain mit crew. “Each flig it on the Centre to conhanism to deal with such cala ed we are else we will be just one m Yet, when she was a dictable in its own way, be ng, reading a book of our own mec the question of how prepar hanisms the faces that serve the kid, nobody would have pre nks to the passengers. shoppi room or just catchas cabin to mec tha t us her gs - in her ” . men in y are working also brin strike. Putting govern re- chicken with rice k the imagined her to be as It won’t matter to the pas up with her friends. and not only The to travel and to save y s dut ster the ause, o- s profession w uld thin had the ing it is also when disa saving the One wo attendant is shoes today. Bec d, I was sengers if you just of the She would also abs re Thi n avenues of meeting cre e enough money to go ething else but ht in place is som ry citizen to play a part in ope chil -sav ak mo a flig kbre a “as rt age of s, bac hea our n home life say eve h glamour she y, mischievous and biggest or you just had lutely enc to join a people from diversehelp in back to their ow up their sponsibility of ths y ve role in one filled wit ght t environment. can especially play a proacti diversity, and style, and while that nau enturous. I don’t have centur iod because what- Naga you like hers even grounds but alsos own per- country and star law firm, ate v pri own Young people e, our ecosystem, our bio first of y be true to a certain adv ries of owning a your per y be, you "have profession across that achieving one' y mo had the ver studies/ , by ma heritag fession is any me or a dress, I was out ever it ma to your pas- while putting to travel and sonal dreams. I ng with a finance for higher open up a preserving our in creating more awareness ves. nd s l extent, the pro and lead the way s, careful and aware themse forest. And tainly not without chal- Barbie ut exploring the fa- to" atte Period. You will this job pay she further privilege of flyi o, a micro- specialization or t, all, being cautioua little spark to burn an entire certainly cer ges. “When I get ready and abo ak river near our sengers. ies crying non- not only tha to spend on lawyer from Cair ran and clinic. 2 Teh Mil len get Contd. on page It takes only in the right direction can kok- have bab biologist from clueless of mous iday adds, “you e step for duty, I am out of that ward/colony in Mothers, stop, hyper active hol of yourself, help out here and also a Doctor from South therefore, a littl ll what to expect unpre- chung with my bro bing makers wanting a refi - there if required and then Africa (to name a few). save the world. tim The day or flight. job is playing marbles, clim(fruit), beers and wines, first s get to save in your personthis ton dictability of llenging trees, stealing plum sses, ers trying all the but n al bank account too. what I find chasame time. breaking school gla little on the handset, and the the the to at re and Fun t giving a sca tha ion fess This is a pro
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statement. He said tackling the problem was necessary because toxic compounds like pesticides, heavy metals and toxins of fungal or bacterial origin could also contaminate the food during manufacture, storage or transportation. Observing that unsafe food kills an estimated 700,000 children in Southeast Asia alone every year, he said: “Even if the food is free of bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemicals, other contaminants, additives and adulterants can cause over 200 diseases ranging from diarrhoea to cancer.” Pradeep Gadge, consultant diabetologist at Shreya diabetes centre, said: “The lack of surveillance by the government on food adulteration is another big issue that is contributing to the food poisoning among people.
“Adulteration of milk is very common. Some milk suppliers add salt to slow down the decomposition process of milk. Similarly cane sugar is often added to milk. Consumption of such milk leads to multiple health hazards especially in diabetic and blood pressure patients. “Kidney patients and blood pressure patients suffer serious consequences due to the salt content of such adulterated milk,” he said. Apart from urging the governments of the countries to ensure food safety, they also said that there was a need to work with NGOs to raise awareness among the people. The WHO has designated food safety as the theme for World Health Day-2015 on April 7. In a statement, WHO’s South Asian director Poonam Khetrapal said food
safety was one of the key focus areas under the International Health Regulations -IHR 2005 -- which include all public health emergencies of international concern that involve contaminated food and outbreaks of food-borne diseases. She said WHO and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have established the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) to rapidly share information during food safety emergencies. Saurabh Arora, a pharmaceutical experts and founder of foodsafetyhelpline.com said there were 306 disease outbreaks due to food contamination in 2014 alone. “Food that is produced and processed at one place may become contaminated at the source, but affect the health of the consumer, located at the other side of the globe,” he said in a statement.
The March 4 and 5 incidents in Dimapur are now etched in indelible ink. The incidents not only brought to light the failing of the people as a society but also exposed a glaring chink in the armour of the Nagaland Police – its preparedness against civil disorder. For a State police force raised primarily as combat units, its personnel end up miserably under-prepared and ill-equipped when faced with civil unrest. The violent mob upheaval of September 1, 2012 was another example where the need for a dedicated crowd control force was felt. It was apparent, the Nagaland State Government failed to learn from that violent September day, which claimed one life and injured several. A Fact Finding Committee (FFC) was instituted in the aftermath to “enquire into the causes and circumstances leading to the incident, whether the incident could have been avoided and how such incidences may be avoided in future.” The FFC’s report was never made public with State Government officials maintaining contradictory positions on the fate of its findings. Among the factors deterring the State police from firmly responding to civil unrest is the glaring lack of non-lethal equipments. According to one policeperson, while a dedicated counter-insurgency based training regimen has given rise to strong fighting units, civil policing as a component of the department was left lagging behind. “Police training is focused more on counter-insurgency than civil policing,” the policeperson said, adding that it was an unavoidable upshot of the turbulent 60s and 70s. Emphasising on the urgent need for specialised riot response units, the policeperson felt that a constructive shift from a purely counter-insurgency framework of training to one that combines this with qualitative enhancement of the capability of the already existing workforce would augur well for the Nagaland Police. Crowd control lesson is but limited to what is imparted as a small part of the compulsory police training that every policeperson
undergoes. Another policeperson affirmed the same. “You cannot use counter-insurgency tactics while dealing with civil unrest.” Citing the March 4 and 5 incidents, the policeperson acknowledged that the police were not prepared to handle situations of that nature. To quote, “There was no proper strategy to control or disperse the mob.” According to the cop, the situation would have been different if the police had at its disposal rubber pellets, tasers or stun guns. Only two platoons of police personnel with riot gear were deployed at the Central Jail on March 5. The ill-equipped riot response personnel were outnumbered. The equipment available was limited to plastic shields, helmets and ‘lathis’ (wooden sticks). Several shields were damaged on impact from projectiles. Robust body armour for the personnel, rubber pellets and special armoured vehicles are some of the riot response paraphernalia the State police lack. The State government has two water cannons – one in Kohima and one for Dimapur. The one in Dimapur made the rounds only after the violence of March 5 subsided. On the other hand, there were no less than 3-4 companies of the NAP (IR) on site, including Mahila personnel. Further, according to reports, though not officially acknowledged, only around 19 shells of tear gas were on hand on March 5. “What is the use of assault rifles in such situations (riots) when the people are convinced the police would not fire at them?” Emphasis should be on non-lethal measures or munitions, not only limited to tear gas, and protective gear for the personnel, said another. Force-multipliers (equipments and technology), as it has come to be known in modern law enforcement parlance, backed up by a well-trained workforce are aspects of policing which the State government must invest in. The District Executive Force (DEF) or the unarmed branch of the Nagaland Police is another area pointed out, which needs overhaul. “The District police deserve attention as well, rather than simply increasing the numbers of the armed units.” Overall, keeping pace and adapting with present day law and order environment in terms of equipment and technology are “issues which the policy-makers need to realise,” the policeperson said. “We cannot totally put the blame on the lack of equipment, however. It boils down to the person behind the uniform.”
Wangtin Naga on Easter: Vatican Mass, the Easter current situation Bunny and that blood moon
DimApur, April 5 (mexN): NSCN/ GPRN leader, Y Wangtin Naga, has expressed regret at how his “beloved Baba SS Khaplang” expelled him and failed to realize that “I am his face everywhere.” Wangtin noted in a press statement today that he accepted all hardships and difficulties while defending Khaplang from both Government of India agencies and other Naga groups. “But, Baba fail to understand my position and expelled me on the advice of someone,” stated Wangtin. He said that for the last two and a half years, he had predicted this situation and written letters to Khaplang twice about “what went wrong in his administration.” “Since I miserably failed in all my attempts to convince him, I have humbly submitted my resignation letter on 14th April 2014 from two Ministries i.e., MIP and Public Relations and NGO’s as warning bell but Baba fail to understand what I meant at that point of time,” informed the leader. While thanking ‘Baba’ Khaplang for his guidance, Wangtin regretted that Khaplang disapproved the ‘deed of commitment’ signed in the third Chiang Mai Naga Reconciliation meet “for not using non Naga forces against other fellow Nagas.” “This deed was signed with good intention for the good of all the Nagas as no Naga use non Naga forces against other Nagas. For which, I am tendering un-qualified apology to my great Baba as no son has any bad intention towards his father,” stated Wangtin. He explained that at the third Chiang Mai Naga Reconciliation meet, the words of God came through one prophet saying, “This reconciliation is my creation and whoever betray and abuse this reconcilia-
tion will be up-rooted.” Wangtin said that he had appealed to Khaplang not to back out from Naga Reconciliation under any circumstance but all his efforts failed and without consulting his cabinet and council, “Baba severed ties from Naga reconciliation against the words of God, which brought him first curse in the form of dividing his government vertically into two groups as Anti- reconciliation group and Pro-reconciliation group, leaving behind only me and Tikhak in his side and all the rest of the kilonsers and workers sided with the pro-reconciliation group led by Baba Khole and Kitovi.” Wangtin reaffirmed his stand for peace and Naga reconciliation under the ceasefire atmosphere. Khaplang, he said, has gone “too far,” and has expelled more than 30 Kilonsers from his government “with reason only known to him.” Nonetheless, Wangtin has said his relationship with Eastern Nagas in Myanmar will continue. He remained thankful to all Nagas in Khamti, Myanmar, who welcomed the NSCN team with great joy in April 2012, when it went there for the ceasefire agreement. He gave special thanks to Naga Yuya and Naga MPs of Myanmar for their co-operation, simplicity and generosity. He also thanked the Naga Baptist Convention, Myanmar (Khamti) for their ceaseless prayer support during ceasefire agreement with Myanmar authority. He acknowledged the contributions of Rev. Sein Moung, Executive Secretary, Naga Baptist Convention, Myanmar and Rev. Khosai who translated all ceasefire related documents into Myanmar language. Wangtin said he will try to meet all these leaders elsewhere or abroad. Full text on page 5
Says his relationship with Eastern Nagas in Myanmar will continue
CNN | April 5
Easter is a cornerstone event in the Christian faith, but it’s surrounded by interesting quirks. Here’s a journey from the Vatican to the Holy Land, around the moon and the Earth’s tilting axis, to Germany and the United States to try to explain the complex holiday called Easter. Easter Mass and Urbi et Orbi At the Vatican, Holy Week began with Palm Sunday last week and culminated in Easter Sunday Mass with multiple celebrations in between to mark the final week of Christ’s mortal life. Jesus rode on the back of a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday where crowds celebrated him as the Messiah and laid down palm branches in his path. But the crowd and the Romans turned on him in the course of the week, according to the Bible, leading to his crucifixion and resurrection. Rain sprinkled down on worshipers standing under a sea of umbrellas as they gathered in a gray St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to partake in the outdoor services held by Pope Francis. Afterward, the Pontiff took a moment to tell the world to do right those in need in his Urbi et Orbi address. Francis lamented the suffering of people in many of the conflicts around the globe. From Nigeria to South Sudan, Iraq to Ukraine, he expressed hope that violence would end. Francis also doesn’t put on airs. This week he washed the feet of believers, repeating the Biblical account of a woman, a sinner, washing Jesus’ feet and anointing them with oil.
Celebrations at Calvary and the Tomb The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in old Jerusalem unifies the spot where Christ was crucified -- Calvary -- with his tomb, or sepulcher. On Sunday, Catholics and Armenian Christians celebrated the Resurrection there. In the morning, the Latin Patriarch, the Archbishop of Jerusalem, entered the basilica. Then mass was held followed by a procession. But a large group of indigenous Christians didn’t join them. It’s not quite Easter yet in the Holy Land for Eastern Orthodox Christians. They’ll be celebrating a week from now, because they determine Easter’s date by a different calendar than Western Christians -- the Julian calendar. The vernal equinox, the moon and Easter A blood moon appeared in the sky early Saturday, right between Good Friday and Easter Sunday and during Passover. Just a coincidence? Not completely, because the dates for both Passover -- the Jewish holiday celebrating the deliverance from slavery in Egypt -- and Easter are determined by moon phases, according to timeanddate.com. Easter’s timing is related to Passover, because Jesus was crucified around then, according to the Bible. Many Jewish holidays, including Passover, fall on full moon, which is also a prerequisite for a lunar eclipse, the event that turns the moon a blood red color. Since the timing of moon phases doesn’t jibe with Earth’s orbit -- which
is how we determine the length of a year now -- Passover’s exact date moves around -- and so does Easter’s. Confusing church rules When Christian bishops first convened at the Council of Nicaea in the year 325, they made a rule to determine the date of Easter, so as to fairly reliably pin it to Passover: It would fall on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. That’s the day in March when Earth’s axis reaches a midpoint between winter and summer and the day and night are of equal length. But ... if the full moon fell on Sunday, Easter would be pushed down a week. Confusing? It got worse. When the West moved from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, Orthodox Christians stayed put, resulting in -- usually -- two separate dates for Easter. In 1997, the World Council of Churches pushed for a unified method of determining a date based on astronomical occurrences. It didn’t catch on. But some odd Easter trappings that popped up after the Middle Ages very much have -- the eggs and the bunny. The Easter Bunny and the eggs The bunny is an egg-laying pagan that worships the moon. That’s one notion of its origins, but probably not the actual one. German immigrants appear to have brought it to North America in the 1700s. German historians are not clear on its beginnings, but the first known mention of the bunny and the eggs in writing was in 1682.
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Kohima Easter Sunrise service Catholics celebrate Vigil mass & Easter
People gathered at World War II cemetery in Kohima for Easter Sunrise service on April 5. Our Correspondent en!” of resurrection lives in us, klane, Kohima on April 25 Kohima | April 5
Several believers, both young and old, today turned up at the Kohima Easter Sunrise Service held here at World War II cemetery and prayed that with the power of resurrection, the people can be free from fear, division, corruption and guilt. The programme was held under the theme, “He is not here, He has ris-
Rev. Dr. Kethozelhou Keyho, general secretary, NBCC in his message said the Cross is victory won and resurrection is victory endorsed and demonstrated. He continued that resurrection explains the power of God. “As the sunshine over us this morning, make a fresh commitment to be resurrection lifestyle,” he said. Stating that the power
Keyho challenged, “With the power of resurrection, let us see a resurrection life and change our lifestyle.” He further wished that Jesus Christ be the strength and power of everyone. Rev. Dr. Vevo Phesao, president, Kohima Baptist Pastors’ Fellowship (KBPF) told the congregation that a prayer and fasting programme will take place at Sumi Baptist Church, Da-
and requested everyone to be part of it. The service was led by Pastor Kedo Peseyie, while Pastor Surjay B. Sapkota invoked God’s blessing and read out the bible passage. The service was also marked by special songs from Police Baptist Church, New Reserve and Khedi Baptist Church, Kohima Village. It concluded with a mass prayer.
kohima, april 5 (mExN): The Catholic faithful celebrated the Vigil mass on the night of April 4 at Holy Cross Parish and Day Mass on April 5 at Cathedral, Kohima with Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, the bishop of Kohima. The vigil service, which has four segments, began with the blessing and lighting of new fire, from which the Paschal candle was lit, symbolizing the divine life of Jesus which was not destroyed on the cross. A press release from Bishop’s Secretary, Kohima informed that Rev. Fr. Jaison CJ explained the meaning of the variety of symbols used in the liturgy. He said the Paschal Candle represents also the body of Christ, adding the Greek letters of Alpha and Omega together with the year 2015 show that Christ is the Lord of all things, of all times, of all peoples. Meanwhile, the five grains inserted on to the candle symbolizes the five wounds of Christ, he added. The faithful, then, proceeded to the Church led by Bishop with the lighted Paschal Candle, showing
Children during the mass on Easter Sunday at Cathedral, Kohima.
Christ as the new leader to lead all people to God. The great Easter Proclamation was sung by Rev. Fr. KM Joseph. This was followed by three readings from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. After the Old Testament readings, Gloria was sung, alter Candles was lit, the church bell rang symbolizing, Christ’s Resurrection, according to the release. Bishop in his homily said that the resurrection of Jesus speaks of a new life for Christ and a new
life for each one. The resurrection of Jesus form the dead is the manifestation of God’s power, the Bishop said referring to Rom 6:4. In the battle between God and man, God will win in the end, he stated. He further declared that the evil actions done by man on Good Friday will always be defeated, and Easter will be the final word in the battle between good and evil. “To those who are on God’s side, victory will always be theirs…By the resurrection of Jesus, evil is overcome
and death is defeated. Our sins are washed clean by the blood of Jesus and we can begin a new life in the friendship and fellowship of Christ.” After the homily, the bishop blessed the water, sign of purification and life, reminding all of their baptism and he administered the renewal of baptismal promises which was followed by the Eucharistic celebration. At the Cathedral Church, 59 children received the sacrament of the first Holy Communion.
Student makes Easter special for security personnel
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Dimapur, april 5 (mExN): As the world celebrated Easter Sunday, a student of St. John Higher Secondary Residential School found an unusual way of marking the day in Dimapur. Myanrony Khuvung (Class XII) of St. John Higher Secondary Residential School motivated her siblings and cousins and distributed decorated Easter eggs and mineral water to the police, mahila, traffic, and army personnel on duty in Dimapur for providing safety and security. According to Myanrony, the concept of distributing Easter eggs on the auspicious day signifies the new life given by Jesus Christ conquering death, a press release informed. Myanrony was motivated by her hostel warA replica of empty tomb of Jesus Christ, with the sign "Jesus has resurrected", lay alongside den before leaving hostel for Easter break. “We the Easter Eggs at the entrance of Dimapur Ao Baptist Church on Sunday, April 5. The rep- are sending you as missionaries,” that is what lica made by Christian Education Ministry, Lingrijan, depicts “The Garden Tomb,” of Jesus Miss Akala told us, Myanrony said.
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Christ located in East Jerusalem. Along with the rest of the world, the day was celebrated with solemn gaiety with nearly 6-8 thousand people congregating at the Church to attend Easter Eggs presented to police personnel in Dithe Easter Devotional Service. (Morung Photo) mapur on April 5.
Nine nominated for implementation of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
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kohima, april 5 (mExN): Nine “eminent personalities” from Nagaland have been nominated for effective implementation of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the State. A press release from Deputy Secretary to Governor Saroj Kumar Sahoo informed that the Governor of Nagaland PB Acharya, as one of the brand ambassadors for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, has nominat-
ed the following for effective implementation of the cleanliness campaign: Alobo Naga, Longtam Phom, Abei-u Meru, Vizopal Chaya, Supongmeren Jamir (Ex-MLA), Geoffrey Yaden, Hokugha Chishi, T. Khongo, and Methanelie. The release noted that Governor PB Acharya had launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in Nagaland at Old NST, Kohima Town on March 23.
11,000 hectares of rubber plantations developed in nagaland Our Correspondent Kohima | April 5
The State’s land resources department is promoting rubber plantation on a large scale in Nagaland in view of the high environmental and economic benefit. “Rubber is successfully cultivated in the foothill areas and valley lands of the state with excellent result,” according to the annual administrative report 2014-15 of the department of land resources. Presently, about 11,000 hectares of rubber plantations have been developed in the state with about 45 lakh standing tress at various stages of growth. The report stated that these plantations have been developed with the sup-
port of Rubber Board, State government and individual growers. The people of the State are highly motivated of the benefit of the crop and thus area under rubber is rapidly expanding year after year. The present production of dry rubber sheets stands at about 3000 MT annually, which is steadily increasing, the report stated. As per the department’s estimate, the State has the overall potential of 3.60 lakh hectares for rubber plantation, out of which, about 1.00 lakh hectares, is targeted to be developed. During the 12th five year plan, it is targeted to cover 25,000 hectares. During 2014-15, a fund provision of Rs. 64.80 lakhs is earmarked for rubber development under the State plan (NABARD-RIDF-XVI), the report stated.
Climate Refugees: New book released
mokokchuNg, april 5 (mExN): A book entitled “Climate Refugees” authored by Zulunungsang Lemtur was released today by the Principal of Clark Theological College (CTC), Professor Rev. Dr. Takatemjen at CTC, Aolijen, Mokokchung. A well researched book, it addresses one of the most pertinent concerns of the time- peril of climate change and covers several areas of unavoidable concerns linked with the questions of Climate Refugees at the backdrop of the predicaments resulting out of climate change, according to a release. The author challenges the readers to become ‘living answers’ to a world that desperately wants to know and address the problem of Climate Refugees. For this, he proposed the possibility of ‘restoration’ by revisiting the tribal worldview - the interrelatedness, the corporate co-existence
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ANEFWA meeting Dimapur, april 5 (mExN): The All Nagaland Electricity Fields Workers Association (ANEFWA) has convened an executive meeting on April 10 at Hotel Holiday Oki, opposite Blue Hill Counter at 1:00 am. ANEFWA president, Kelhousevi and general secretary, Ayeto Sumi in a press note have requested all the zonal presidents and secretaries to attend the meeting without failure.
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Mkg DPDB on April 7
Caption: Rev. Dr. Takatemjen, Zulunungsang Lemtur (Author) and Dr. L. Imsutoshi Jamir.
and interdependence of all God’s creation. And people interested and committed for “Climate Justice and Peace” would find the book inviting, the release added. The author received his Master’s degree in Christian Theology from United Theological College, Bengaluru and Peace Studies at
International Peacemaking Programme, Hartford Seminary, USA. He is presently the Programme Coordinator of Clark Centre for Peace Research and Action (CCPRA), CTC Aolijen. The book is published by Tribal Development and Communication Centre, Mokokchung.
NEISSR students learn about realities of village
Dimapur, april 5 (mExN): North East Institute of Social Sciences & Research (NEISSR) conducted ten days Rural Camp at Lakhuti village in Wokha district from March 23–April 1. 43 students from different tribes and parts of Nagaland took part in the Rural Camp, which was organized with the objectives of exposing the students to rural areas, helping them understand rural lifestyle and rural realities, a press release from the institute informed. The camp was also an exercise to help the students experience group living, sharing and adjusting with fellow students, it added. Different activities like awareness programmes, cleanliness drive and Participatory RuOn the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on April 5, Hindu comral Appraisal (PRA) which munity held a procession in Dimapur town. The procession started from Hanuman Mandir and passed through the town will help the students to inculcate talents and skill to culminate at the Mandir premises.
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mokokchuNg, april 5 (Dipr): Deputy Commissioner, Mokokchung, Sushil Kumar Patel, IAS has informed that the meeting of Mokokchung District Planning and Development Board (DPDB) will be held on April 7 from 11:00 am onwards. The newly appointed chairman of DPDB, Mokokchung, Amenba Yaden will preside over the meeting. In this connection, all the DPDB members have been informed to attend the meeting positively.
SVSU condemns TuENsaNg, april 5 (mExN): Shamator Village Students’ Union (SVSU) has condemned Martica, a government teacher, for beating Arethong of B'coy, 3rd NAP, Shamator Post while on his way to perform usual duty. “Attacking or manhandling not sparing even government servant without any rhyme or reason is condemnable and intolerable by all citizens of the world,” stated SVSU president B. Kiutsu in a statement. “Yet, a qualified teacher teaching anti-social lessons should be corrected by all students’ community in a right time.” The SVSU president further demanded from the government that the accused be brought to book under relevant section without further delay. “Failure to deliver timely justice will invite our own course of action for which the Govt. will be held solely responsible,” the statement cautioned.
KABA CARE: Environment & sanitation program
NEISSR students who attended the rural camp held at Lakhuti village.
such as organising, mobilising, rapport building, motivating and performing were carried out during the Rural Camp, it was
informed. The students termed the experience as an ‘enriching and awesome’, according to the release.
The NEISSR students also thanked the Lakhuti Village Council and the villagers for the hospitality and warm welcome.
kohima, april 5 (mExN): The Kohima Ao Baptist Church is all set to organize environment & sanitation programme for Kohima town on April 7 here. Vikuo Rhi, youth secretary, NBCC and Kovi Meyase, administrator, Kohima Municipal Council, will speak on the occasion. Welcome address will be delivered by Tiatoshi Longkumer, youth director KABA. The Kohima Ao Baptist Church dedicates the year (2015) to work towards a cleaner and greener Kohima town through the kind initiative of youth department. It called this mission KABA CARE (Creating Awareness for Restoration of Environment). The main purpose of KABA CARE mission is to create awareness among the citizens of Kohima to protect and restore “our bleeding environment” from further destructions by promoting locally relevant environment friendly activities. The committee on this environment and sanitation campaign (Evangelism and Social Concern Committee) of the youth department has decided to formally launch the KABA CARE programme on April 7 (World Health Day) at Naga Hospital premises (NHAK) at 7:00 am to 8:00 am, followed by a cleanliness drive in the same compound.
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Tripura militant outfit keen to surrender, talks held AgArtAlA, April 5 (iANS): Guerrillas of the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) are keen to surrender if their demands are met, a top Tripura police official said on Sunday. And in view of this, a preliminary meeting involving officials of the central and Tripura governments and NLFT leaders was held in Shillong on April 2, Director General of Police K. Nagaraj told IANS. "The meeting was fruitful and positive," the Tripura police chief said. "Some modalities were worked out at the Shillong meeting." He added: "We hope a tangible shape (of the surrender) would emerge at the next meeting, the date for which will be finalized soon. The NLFT leaders indicated that they will surrender if their demands are met." Nagaraj said the NLFT,
Two NSLA cadres arrested gUWAHAti, April 5 (pti): Two militants belonging to National Santhal Liberation Army were arrested along with a cache of arms and ammunition from Kokrajhar district. A joint team of Army and Assam Police nabbed the extremists from Srirampur area last night, a Defence release here said. The apprehended terrorists have been identified as Elison Tudu and Edison Marandi, it said. "They were in possession of one factory made 7.65 mm pistol, one hand grenade and other war-like stores," the release said.
led by Biswamohan Debbarma, expressed its willingness to the central government to hold talks a few months back. The union home ministry sought the state government's view. The Tripura government gave a positive response. Nagaraj and Tripura Tribal Welfare Department Secretary L. Darlong, two senior officials of Intelligence Bureau and three NLFT leaders -- Utpal Debbarma, Kajal Debbarma and Karna Debbarma -took part in the meeting. The NLFT wanted the talks in the Meghalaya capital. Nagaraj said that though the tribal guerrillas expressed their willingness to come to the mainstream of life, they did not specify their demands. "We have asked them (NLFT leaders) to disclose their expectations, if any, to the government. They said
they would discuss the issues among themselves at their hideouts and submit the demands at the next meeting." According to an official document of Tripura Police, the NLFT was formed in March 1989 under the leadership of Biswamohan Debbarma, with some erstwhile disgruntled surrendered Tripura National Volunteers (TNV). The TNV had signed a tri-partite agreement involving the central and state governments and itself in New Delhi in August 1988. Many NLFT militants have escaped from their campsandhideoutsinneighbouring Bangladesh and surrendered to security forces and the Tripura government in recent years. Members of NLFT and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) have taken shelter and arms training in Bangladesh, which shares a 856-km border with Tripura.
Both outfits, banned in 1997, advocate secession of Tripura from India. But as most ATTF cadres have surrendered, the group is almost non-existent now. According to a union home ministry report, the central government currently has a ceasefire agreement with five militant groups in Assam, two in Manipur and all factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland. The central government has a scheme for the surrender and rehabilitation of militants from the northeastern region since 1998. Under this, a one-time grant of Rs.1.5 lakh, a monthly stipend of Rs.3,500 per militant, and incentives for deposited weapons are given to surrendered extremists. In 2013-14, a sum of Rs.15.55 crore was released to the northeastern states for payment of stipend to surrendered extremists.
Monday
6 April 2015
gUWAHAti, April 5 (tNN): The state's first gazetteer, which was brought out in 1999 and is considered to be a compilation of authentic information on Assam, quotes census reports from 1951 and 1961 to show that Muslim immigrants from the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) stopped returning to their birthplace, claiming to be 'indigenous' to the state. Bengali-speaking Muslim immigrants also returned their mother tongue as Assamese since pre-Independence days. The gazetteer states that, in 1951, 120 languages were recorded as mother tongue in Assam. This rose to 192 in 1961 and 200 in 1971. "Some of them are new language names as many almost dead and extinct dialects came up as languages during the period. This was the result of ethnic consciousness that gradually developed among different groups that were in the process of being assimilated in the greater and larger indigenous society of Assam — the Assamese," the gazetteer states. It adds, "The Assamese people, whether Hindus or Muslims, always returned Assamese as their mother tongue, while Bengali Hindus returned Bengali. Bengali Muslim immigrants, however, had a tendency
to return Assamese as their mother tongue even in pre-Independence days because what they wanted is land in the valley. All Muslim immigrants from East Bengal speak the dialect of Bengali called 'Bhatialli'. These immigrants, after coming to Assam, tried to learn the Assamese language and sent their children to Assamese schools." The gazetteer, based on recordings of two superintendents of census, RB Vaghaiwalla of the 1951 census and EH Pakyntein of the 1961 census, states that the immigrants fabricated information about themselves to avail of benefits from different government schemes and to get jobs in Assam. The gazetteer states, "Muslim immigration began as the result of interplay of economic forces in East Bengal (now Bangladesh) vis-a-vis Assam. Later, it took on a political colour. The pressure on East Bengal (Bangladesh), sometimes the actual loss of land and homesteads, cheap and plentiful supply of virgin land in Assam, the freedom afforded by Ryotwari settlement in place of expensive, small and uncomfortable holdings as tenants in East Bengal (Bangladesh), were the main factors that expedited immigration." According to the 1951 census, 8,31,872 persons in the state re-
Gogoi asks Centre for special Sikkim govt taps e-governance package to secure 'justice for all' to make it 'smart state' NeW delHi, April 5 (pti): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today asked for a special package from the Centre for Assam and other north eastern states for overall development of justice delivery system in the region to ensure "justice to all." Addressing a conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts, Gogoi pointed out that the first phase of construction of the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam at a cost of Rs 100 crore is on the verge of completion. The chief minister while stressing on the need to infuse managerial skills in the judicial system as endorsed by the 13th Finance Commission, said the Central government must provide
adequate funds for this purpose instead of leaving it entirely to the state governments. He urged the Centre to grant "a special package for north eastern states, including Assam for overall development of justice delivery system." Expressing concern over the alarming rate of pendency of cases owing to delay in delivery of justice, Gogoi said, "Our synergy must be directed towards innovation of new ways that will enable clearing of backlog of pending cases and ensure speedy justice to our citizens." The Chief Minister while emphasising on the quality judgement, called for proper training of judicial officers. Gogoi stressed on the
need for time-bound implementation of e-Court project to 'bring about seachanges in the justice delivery system.' The chief minister underscored the need to bring in innovative legislations, both operational as well as structural in the judiciary to cater to the needs of the society in tune with changing surroundings. He highlighted the slew of initiatives taken by the state government to strengthen judicial infrastructure and manpower that included sanctioning of 36 new courts, converting 20 ad-hoc fast track courts to regular courts, sanctioning of 54 new fast-track courts for trial of offences against women and doubling the number of courts at subordinate levels.
Many villages affected by cyclone in Meghalaya SHilloNg, April 5 (pti): Over a hundred villages in Meghalaya's South West Garo Hills district adjoining Bangladesh have been affected by a storm that hit the region last night, officials said today. Strong winds accompanied by rains bearing hailstorm damaged houses and some crops in at least two villages in the district, they said. South West Garo Hills
3 Assam gazetteer reveals persistent influx trends
REgional
The Morung Express
Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh said that the district administration is taking stock of the situation and necessary measures being taken to provide relief to the affected households. As per initial reports, around twenty villages under Betasing block, including New Chondonpara, Chondon Nokat, Godalgre and Arenggre had been fully damaged.
Text message for massage rubs man the wrong way delHi, April 5 (eNS): A government employee, who received an unsolicited text message from a massage service, has taken such deep offence to its wording that he has filed a police complaint and wants the “culprits” held to account. Sonit Kumar Goswami, who works for the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, got an SMS on April 2, in which “spa treatment and body massage” were offered by “Indian and North East” masseuse. What Goswami has objected to most is the separate use of the terms “Indian” and “North East”. The SMS reads: “Body Massage@xxxxxx SPA Pretty N Traind Indian/NortEast female Take Packge n enjoy 4 spa in 5k, 10 in 10K luxry steam/ JACUZZY room call xxxxxxxxxx sec7 Dwarka.” “I received this message on April 2 and I was concerned about the use of the terms ‘Indian’ and ‘North East’ separately. I am from Assam and this really affected me. So I decided to file a complaint with the police so that action could be taken against such people and that a message goes out that the Northeast is part of India and not a separate nation,” Goswami told Newsline. The complaint, registered at Amar Colony police station on Friday, says, “I am a law-abiding citizen of India.This is a very simple and commercial message on first look. But being an Indian and from Guwahati (Assam, a part of North East which is in India), I have objection to the message. “It says India…and North East are different. By putting that (/), the sender of the message clearly divides India…the message is a very serious offence affecting the unity of India.” Goswami has also taken offence at the use of the words “Pretty and Traind”, which he finds “derogatory to the dignity of women”. An officer at the police station confirmed that the complaint had been received and it could be converted into an FIR after investigation.
But after actual assessment of the ground situation, Betasing BDO Albert Marak informed that altogether 139 villages were only partially damaged and that total number affected households is 247. Most of these households had their rooftops blown away by the strong winds, Singh said. Meanwhile, the BDO of Zikzak, Reuben Ch Momin reported that Salmanpa-
ra, Dinapara, Nachilpara, Banangpara and Chapahati villages were some of the worst affected by the cyclone under Zikzak block. However, the extent of damages and affected villages may increase after detailed survey, he added. The cyclone has also affected households in South Garo Hills and South West Khasi Hills district since last Friday. Assessment of the affected families is on.
VAdodArA, April 5 (pti): Sikkim government is envisaging to develop the state as a 'smart state' through its various e-governance initiatives which remain a key focus area for Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, a CMO official said today. "Sikkim Government is working towards strengthening e-governance and has extensive plans. Our chief minister has been taking keen interest in it and the target is to provide updated services and ensure greater accountability of the government," Anand Madia, Secretary (e-governance), Chief Minister's Office, told PTI on the sidelines of a conference. Madia was in the city to take part in the two-day 6th National Conference themed 'Emerging Vistas of Technology in 21st Century' that concluded here. He said SWAN (state wide area network) project has already been implemented in Sikkim and other projects under execution are -- state data centre (SDC), setting 40 Community Information Centres (CIC), online medical database, computerisation of land records, electoral rolls, online vehicle registration, driving licenses, treasury, etc. "E-governance enables stakeholders to access a host of services digitally and conveniently, eliminating the need for citizens
A rendezvous with Assam's fashion Sugandha Rawal IANS
An ethnic fashion show with tradition and culture at its core got an interesting twist when Assam-based designers like Barsha Aditya Singh and Dhiraj Deka presented a modern take on the looks at the ongoing Rongali Festival here. Designers like Meghna Rai Medhi aka Mehzabin Ershad, Dhiraj Deka, Arita Kashyap, Suruchi Agarwal, Barsha Aditya Singh and Kangana Konwer put together a vivid show on the second day of the three-day festival, held at the Veterinary Ground, Khanapara here on Saturday. It was a night when Assam entertainment industry's stars like Rimpi Das, Priyanka Bharali, Asha Bordoloi and Barnali Pujari came down to walk the ramp. But singer Angaraag Mahanta, popular as Papon, stole the show when he came on the stage to walk for designer Aditya Singh. “Hi, big congrats to all. They all are doing some great work. And thank you for giving me this beautiful dress, I will not give it back,” Papon said at the runway. With traditional attire of Assam -- mekhela chador, gamcha, sari, skirts, gowns and dresses -- the designers played with colour palette of red, off-white, orange, pink, blue and black. Golden add-
ed the shimmer as models sashayed on the ramp dressed in designers' creations. Inspired by traditional weaves, the designers also presented new ways to drape the six-yard wonder giving it a very contemporary yet modern look, which exuded grace and elegance. The collections were high on traditional motifs, floral print, handloom, elaborate border work and mogar motifs (paisley). A story of tribal life was also presented through ensembles. Accessories were also an important part of the outfits with headgear and Anarkali caps making a style statement. Rai Medhi, who gives an artistic touch to her range while staying in touch with traditional motifs, says her main aim is to present Assam's culture on a bigger platform. “My focus is on traditional things... I stress on presenting ethnic culture of Assam with a twist of modernisation with hand-woven silk fabric. I made mekhela chador sound as half sari and easy to drape. People loved the idea,” Rai Medhis told IANS. The designer also feels that there is "lack of exposure". "These kind of events will promote and will boost fashion world,” she said. Echoing the same, Dhiraj said: “We have a lot of potential, but lack promotion. I
would like to request the state and central governments to promote Assam fashion through exhibition, buyerseller meets -- both internationally as well as nationally.” To this, Arita noted that there is a communication gap between fashion designers from the North East and the rest of India. “The North East designers are losing out on opportunities like fashion shows due to a communication gap. This gap need to be filled to let change set in,” she said. It was also a ground to bring back the lost world. Remember the art of sleight of hand and the world of 'abracadabra'? Well, it came back with magician Vikram Talukdar taking the stage to mesmerise his audience with magic. “Magic as an art form is dying because of some false myths and superstitions. It is a very simple art form. I have been to other parts of the country and feel that the government is helping magicians survive, but there is no initiative from the state government here,” Vikram, who manages Gurukul Magic Academy since 2010 to instill faith in the art form among youth, told IANS. Other star performers of the night were Bharali, Babu and Simanta Sekhar. (Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)
Dimapur
turned themselves as being Pakistanborn. The number of such persons dropped to 7,74,869 in 1961. "According to Pakyntein, Muslim immigrants who returned their birthplace correctly in the 1951 census returned it as Assam in 1961. Moreover, in 1961, rehabilitation benefits had almost stopped and the passport and visa system had become very strict. People coming from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) into Assam from 1961 had nothing to gain by revealing their true birthplace," the gazetteer states. Apart from immigrants, the 1951 and 1961 census operations also reveal the number of foreign nationals staying in Assam with valid passport and visa. In 1951, 2,32,826 persons were listed as Pakistani nationals in Assam. In 1961, the number was only 47,179. Of this, only 6,952 were Muslim passportholders on March 1, 1961. The remaining were Hindus from East Pakistan who had passports and visas. The gazetteer states, "According to Vaghaiwalla, superintendent of census operations, Assam, 1951, the tendency to return as indigenous was prominent among the refugees of Cachar, probably due to the government policy of giving priority to indigenous persons in matters of recruitment for government employment, allotment of government land and distribution of contracts, permits and licences."
Kyong (Lotha) Academy in collaboration with
Mt. Tiyi College
to stand in long queues to obtain information and service," Madia said. Briefing on the 'connectivity project' under which government will develop web portal for its various departments, he said the government will be better equipped not only to share important information through portal but it will also facilitate future growth by reducing operational costs.
A Seminar on
Lotha Jüli Yancholan (Researching Lotha Culture)
Time: 10:00 AM Date: Friday, April 10, 2015 Venue: Don Bosco Youth Center, Wokha
Registration : Others :
Students: Free Rs. 50/-
All are Welcome!
ST. JOSEpH’S COLLEGE, JAKHAMA B.A.
Economics Education English History Political Science Sociology
THE COLLEGE OF CHOICE
B.Sc.
Botany Chemistry Zoology
B.Com. B.B.A. Ph: 0370-2231009; 9436437544; 9402832288 9436004768; 9436213924; 8730938796 Website: http://stjosephjakhama.ac.in Email: stjosephc@gmail.com
INSTITUTE FOR CHILDREN MINISTRY Motto: Every Child, Every Church
Sponsored by Toluvi Baptist Church Toluvi Village, Dimapur – 797112, Nagaland Registered under the Government of Nagaland: NO.HOME/SCR-6826
A six months intensive course (residential) diploma course especially designed for child care givers, Sunday School teachers and others interested in children ministry. • Issue of application forms – 5th April to 7th May, 2015 • Last date of submission of application forms – 8th May, 2015. • Date of entrance exam and interview – 12th May, 2015, 10 AM. • 2015 session begins in the month of June. Interested candidates may contact: Programme Co-Ordinator, ICM Mobile: 8259973539 or E-mail: icmtoluvi@gmail.com
GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND
DIRECTORATE OF FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES NAGALAND, KOHIMA
NO.FHQ/GEN-16/2014-15/928
Dated Kohima, the 31st Mar, 2015
SENSITIZATION PROGRAMME ON FIRE & SAFETY The Nagaland Fire & Emergency Services had a consultative meeting on fire safety with Shri. Kovi Meyase Administrator KMC & wards incharge on 31st March 2015 at KMC Conference Hall. Base on suggestions and fire safety necessities, the Nagaland Fire & Emergency Services will conduct sensitization programme on Fire & Safety to all 19(Nineteen) wards under Kohima Municipal Council at Kohima Local Ground on 8th April 2015 at 10 a.m. Therefore all wards are requested to send representatives for the said programme. (NEILASA SOPFII) D.I.G. (F&ES) Nagaland: Kohima
4
businEss
Monday
Dimapur
6 April 2015
The Morung Express
Foreign funds get huge tax demands
New Delhi, April 5 (pTi): In the biggest-ever tax demand slapped on them, nearly 100 foreign funds have been asked to cough up an estimated USD 5-6 billion for ‘untaxed gains’ made by them in the Indian markets over the past years. The number of affected investors can rise substantially as assessments are still in progress and notices could be served in many more cases, taking the overall tax demand from them to well over USD 10 billion, sources said. Spooked by these “retrospective” notices and assessment orders, the foreign investors have begun lobbying intensely with the policy makers and regulators, while stating that the move goes against the government’s stated position of providing a ‘non-adversarial and stable tax regime’. Till March 31, close to 100 FIIs got notices from the Tax Department for a controversial Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) of 20 per cent, while they are now being followed up with Assess-
ment Orders. The FIIs have, however, decided to challenge the tax demands, stating that MAT cannot be levied on FIIs or FPIs as they do not earn any ‘business income’ in India and their income is defined as ‘capital gains’ under the I-T Act. These FIIs, many of whom have now converted themselves into Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), include entities from the US and Europe as also those operating through Singapore, Hong Kong and Mauritius. Among others, the issue has been raised by FIIs with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha, capital markets regulator Sebi, the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the top Finance Ministry officials, while they are now planning to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter. When contacted, a top official said that the government is looking into the matter to allay any ‘genuine concern’ such investors
grEETings To Dr. Achum Kyong (Nchumbeni Humtsoe) You are wise, good in conversation, having strong determination and straight forward. You are bright in your in your field. You are good in cooking. You are very good in housekeeping. You are systematic, neat and clean. One thing which really makes me like your quality is your prayerful life. You are passionate in singing God’s song too. As you grow older, May you grow fuller, May you grow wiser, May you live longer, May God watches you to grow well in His garden to bloom as His flower, Bringing joy to our friendship, May our friendship grow, to its Wholesomeness. In His Time, I pray. -From Your Special FriendDear Dr. (Miss) Nchumbeni Humtsoe Wishes made on Birthday’s always come true, that is why I wish the very best for you. I hope that you achieve everything you wish, There should never be a moment in your future which you bleak, I wish that you soar to new heights and wade into uncharted territory for you know well that you can always fall back on me…..HAPPY BIRTHDAY ACHUM. Best Wishes from a friend. Dear, Dr. Achum Kyong (N.Humtsoe) Shore never meet but share the ocean, The moon and stars cannot be one yet there are in the same sky, we cannot meet often but our friendship will go on and on till our last breathe. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday Dear Friend…. From your Best friend-
might have, but added that no assurance can be given as of now to nullify the notices. There are an estimated 8,000 FPIs registered in the country and they have emerged as a mainstay of the Indian markets over the years with an overall outstanding net investment of USD 226 billion (over Rs 11 lakh crore). This includes over Rs 8 lakh crore in stocks and Rs 3 lakh crore in debt markets. In the fiscal 2014-15 itself, FPIs made a net investment of Rs 2.7 lakh crore into the Indian markets. Interestingly, this is the first time since 1993, when FIIs were allowed to invest in the Indian markets, that such investors have been asked to pay MAT. These organisations include European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA), Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) and ICI Global, while many foreign funds have also individually raised the issue.MAT is generally applicable to domestic and foreign companies having a
New Delhi, April 5 (iANS) Ahead of the RBI’s bi-monthly monetary policy review on Tuesday, the FICCI said on Sunday that any cut in interest rates would not be “adequate to stimulate investment in manufacturing” given the lack of “significant change in demand conditions”. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in its latest quarterly survey said 69 percent of respondents do not foresee any substantial increase in investments by their organisation as a result of reduction by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in repo rates at which it lends to commercial banks. “Interest rates or cost of finance continues to be sticky. At least 58 percent of respondents reported availing credit at over 12 percent average interest rates,” FICCI said in a release. “For Q-4 (January-March 2015), 73 percent respondents reported that they don’t have any plans for capacity additions for the next six months. Availability of land, delay in regulatory clearances, poor demand conditions, and high cost of borrowing are some of the major constraints affecting the expansion plans of the respondents,” it added. In terms of order books, it said the survey result “remains same as of the previous quarter (Q-3), indicating no significant change in the
demand conditions”. The FICCI survey gauges the expectations of manufacturers in 13 sectors - textiles, capital goods, metals, chemicals, cement and ceramics, electronics, auto components, leather and footwear, machine tools, food and fast moving consumer goods, tyre, paper and textiles machinery. “Responses have been drawn from 272 manufacturing units from both large and SME segments with a combined annual turnover of over Rs.400,000 crore,” the FICCI said. The RBI is widely expected to leave the repo rate unchanged at 7.50 percent at its first monetary policy review of the new fiscal on Tuesday, after two unscheduled rate cuts made this year. “Not expecting any rate cuts this time, not for another one or two months,” Vinod Nair, head of fundamental research at Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services, told IANS from Mumbai. “It is very difficult this time with retail inflation increasing. The RBI would also like to look at the public sector banks’ distressed loans restructuring issues during the last quarter,” he added. Nair said the RBI wanted to see the impact of a possible hike in US interest rates by the Federal Reserve in June, though that appears less likely.
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.”
SUDOKU Game Number # 3186
Indian tax laws allow such notices and assessments to be issued for up to seven previous years. Experts, however, said that such tax demands would also override benefits enjoyed by foreign entities under India’s bilateral tax treaties with Mauritius and Singapore -- two jurisdictions that account for a major chunk of overseas inflows. Notices have been mostly received by foreign portfolio investors for the financial year 2011-12 but there are concerns that the Income Tax Department could even go back up to seven previous years from today for assessment purposes. On ways to address the concerns, experts opined that the government needs to amend the law and clarify that MAT would not be applicable on any FPIs or foreign companies. In its communication to the Indian government, ICI Global said the recent notices appear to be in conflict with the stated objective of providing a “stable, non-adversarial and predictable tax regime”.
New Delhi, April 5 (pTi): Central Bank of India has topped the list of public sector banks with maximum bad loans including restructured assets as a percentage of total advances. According to the data provided by the RBI to the Finance Ministry, Central Bank of India’s 21.5% assets are either bad or have been restructured to save them turning non-performing assets (NPAs). The other banks which have significant amount of gross NPAs and restructured loans include, United Bank of India (19.04%), Punjab & Sind Bank (18.25%) and Punjab National Bank with 17.85% as on December 2014. Indian Overseas Bank, State Bank of Patiala, Allahabad Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce all have bad and restructured loans in excess of 15%. The rising bad loans have become a major concern for the Reserve Bank as well as the government. Most of the restructured loans are from the corporate sector. The top-30 defaulters are sitting on bad loans of Rs. 95,122 crore, which is more than one-third of the gross non-performing assets of PSU banks at Rs. 2,60,531 crore as on December 2014. There are four kinds of restructuring. The first and foremost is restructuring of advances extended to industrial units, restructuring under Corporate Debt Restructuring and restructuring of loans extended to MSME as per RBI guidelines. However, banks have their own operational rule for restructuring of small loans. RBI has not prescribed any board or bank level position at which these loans need to be approved.
RBI rate cut not enough to ‘Vegetable prices likely to climb 20-25%’ Major rabi crops such as wheat, oilseeds and Delhi, April 5 (pTi): Prices of vegstimulate manufacturing: FICCI New etables are likely to jump 20-25 per cent in com- pulses have also taken a big knock due to the un-
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LEISURE
‘place of business in India’ that are required to draw up a balance sheet and a profit and loss account for their business income. However, the Tax Department began issuing tax notices to FIIs as well late last year. To clarify the situation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget this year proposed to amend the relevant sections so as to specifically “provide that income from transactions in securities (other than short term capital gains arising on transactions on which securities transaction tax is not chargeable) arising to an FII, shall be excluded from the chargeability of MAT...” However, these “amendments will take effect from April, 1, 2016 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2016-17 and subsequent assessment years”. It is this ‘prospective’ nature of the clarificatory amendment that has led to the Tax Department continuing with its notices and assessment orders for MAT demand from the FIIs for the past years.
Gross bad loans of PSU banks at Rs. 2,60,531 cr
ing days as untimely rains and hailstorms have damaged crops, says a study. According to the joint study by Assocham-Skymet Weather, at least 25-30 per cent of ready-toharvest crop has been damaged, impacting wheat procurements that generally begin from April. The study, titled ‘Monsoon 2015: Agri-business Risk or Opportunity’, has pointed out that horticulture crops such as mangoes, bananas, grapes, channa have been hit and the impact could be seen in their prices firming up.
timely rains. Vegetables like tomatoes, cauliflower and coriander are the worst hit, the study added. Untimely rains mean that the threat level from pests has gone up, the report said. Meanwhile, a government estimate showed that crops in 106.73 lakh hectares across 14 states have been destroyed. The study has also predicted that India could get a normal monsoon rainfall at 102 per cent of long-period average during June-September this year.
Over Rs 570 cr excise duty evasion demand against Cadbury India New Delhi, April 5 (pTi): A demand of over Rs 570 crore has been raised against confectionery giant Cadbury India Ltd for allegedly evading excise duty by fraudulently taking exemption for one of its ‘ghost’ production units in Himachal Pradesh. The Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCEI) had in 2011 initiated a probe against the company for allegedly misusing ‘area-based exemption’ for its new unit in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh even before it came into existence, official sources said. After completion of its investigation, the DGCEI had
slapped a show-cause notice to the firm demanding about Rs 250 crore against excise duty evasion, they said. The demand was contested and the central excise office of Chandigarh had late last month issued an assessment-cum-demand notice to Cadbury India Ltd (now Mondelez India Foods Private Limited) upholding the demands raised by the DGCEI. It has demanded from the firm Rs 574 crore towards alleged excise duty evasion -- including Rs 231.47 crore for the period from July 28, 2010 to January 31, 2013, Rs 111.36 crore for the period from February 1,
DAILY CROSS WORD
CROSSWORD # 3196
Answer Number # 3185
DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:
2013 to December 31, 2013 and a penalty of Rs 231.47 crore, according to the demand order. Further, a penalty of Rs 1 crore has also been imposed against Anand Kripalu, Managing Director of Cadbury India Ltd for allegedly violating central excise rules, the order said. In addition, penalties to the tune of several lakhs of rupees have been imposed on a few present and former employees of the company. The Mondelez India Foods Private Limited, in its response, said it is examining the order and will challenge the same in appeal.
STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474
Metro Hospital:
227930, 231081
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228846
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228254
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228400
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232106
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242555/ 242533
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Railway:
131/228404
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229366
Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre
W
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Painting Glass JARS
DECORATE
LARGE
STORAGE
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COLORED
BOTTLES
OUTLINE
PLASTIC
DESIGN
OUTLINERS IMAGINATION PAINTBRUSH
NEWSPA-
PAINTS
PERS
TOWELS
SPILLS
HOBBY
CLEANUP
RECYCLING RECYCLING GIFTS USEFUL
CREATIVE
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Y Z A F P R F O W F F G B I Z I P E I L
C I W F N G Z Y N S A O I Y P A H Q M B
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V K U V P V S T O R A G E J N O A I Y O
I T R P E V I T A E R C V J Z Q P S Y T
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C K V S P X H G L C G O P I J K A U U T
V O W R N T S Y P Y N L E J P N I S Y L
E G N E L B U D O C I O U T L I N E X E
D V D P J D R N I L L R I Z A G T F N S
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S L E W O T I K I A E U P B C L O J Y I
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ACROSS
1. Bicycles 6. Hurried 10. Frosts 14. Something to shoot for 15. Killer whale 16. Nil 17. Gremlin 19. Food 20. Emperor 21. Long-haired wild ox 22. Dash 23. Typewrote 25. Discourage 26. Anagram of “Star” 30. Worn away 32. Rampaging 35. Performance 39. Make inconspicuous 40. Compel 41. Plague 43. Dawn 44. Acid neutralizer 46. Foot digits 47. Loose-fitting 50. Deli item 53. Anagram of “Dome” 54. Shade tree 55. Wealthy 60. 53 in Roman numerals
61. Enfeeble 63. 1/100th of a dollar 64. Carpenter’s groove 65. Ancient empire 66. Large 67. Basic unit of money in China 68. Not full
DOWN
1. Defraud 2. Notion 3. Yachting cap 4. Hearing organs 5. Mixture of rain and snow 6. Comes after Mi and Fah 7. Appeal 8. S. American country 9. Musty 10. Element 11. Unit of weight for gems 12. Draw forth 13. Cavalry weapon 18. Weep 24. Dowel 25. Style of interior furnishings 26. Region 27. Jazz phrase 28. Wealthy man (British slang) 29. A cylinder in a cave
31. A style of design 33. In a cold manner 34. To kiss amorously 36. Threesome 37. Skin disease 38. Lower limbs 42. Any dramatic scene 43. Russian fighter 45. 11th Greek letter 47. Burp 48. French farewell 49. Coming and _____ 51. L 52. France’s longest river 54. Countercurrent 56. “Smallest” particle 57. Humid 58. French for “State” 59. Declare untrue 62. Charged particle Ans to CrossWord 3195
Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home: Northeast Shuttles
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Chumukedima Fire 282777 Brigade Nikos Hospital and 232032, 231031 Research Centre
KOHIMA
FIRE STATIONS
STD CODE: 0369
2226241
Police Station 2 :
2226214
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2226216 2226263
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2226373/2229343
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CURRENCY NOTES
222246 222491
BUY(Rs)
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US Dollars Sterling Pound Hong Kong Dollar Australian Dollar Singapore Dollar Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen
60.73 89.54 7.58 45.89 44.00 47.45 50.15
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Euro
65.00
69.49
Thai Baht Korean Won New Zealand Dollar Chinese Yuan
1.81
2.04
0.0529
0.0597
45.15
48.45
9.47
10.68
LOCAL
The Morung Express
Phühgimi village bans hunting, fishing
Monday
St. Francis Xavier’s church Kidima observes Holy Week kohiMA, April 5 (MExn): St. Francis Xavier’s Church Kidima under the diocese of Kohima observed Holy Week from March 29 to April 5. Parish Priest Reverend Father Thomas Muttathil and Reverend Father Raymond D’ Souza SJ, Director of Eden Garden, Khuzama, were the main celebrants. A press release informed that the church observed Holy Thursday on April 2. On Maundy Thursday, the Father also washed 12 faithful men representing the Apostles. Reverend Father Thomas Muttathil explained the meaning and purpose of Holy Eucharist, which was instituted by Jesus himself. Jesus had the Last Supper
with his Apostles before he was arrested by Pontius Pilate and led to crucifixion. The Parish Priest said the Last Supper gave a new commandment that is love one another as I (Jesus) love you.
faithful to look upon Jesus, who does not take revenge, but forgives all his followers. Confession, way of the cross, veneration of the cross, receiving the body and blood of Lord Jesus Christ, blessing of holy water, sprinkle holy water to the faithful, singing the hymn of Gloria, renewal of baptism, baptism to infant for origin sin inherited from first ancestor Adam and Eve, reading the Passion of the Lord, Easter Vigil procession on belief of Christ the light of the world, making of new fire, special prayer for the atheist and faithful, and Eucharist the fellowship meal with the Lord were the highlights of the weeklong celebration.
The Holy Week was observed from March 29 to April 5
Deposited arms at the village armoury in Phiihgimi village.
phEk, April 5 (MExn): The Phühgimi Village Council under Phek district has banned hunting, fishing except traditional form and extraction of forest products within Phühgimi territory for one year in the first phase with effect from March 1, 2015. The decision to this effect was taken at the general meeting of Phühgimi village on February 7, 2015.
To further strengthen the effective implementation of this resolution, all private arms in the village have been deposited in the village armory. Stating this in a release, Phühgimi village council chairman Velazo Sapu informed that anybody from Phühgimi village or the neighboring villages is found violating this resolution shall invite severe penalty as laid down by the village council.
Meanwhile, Reverend Father Raymond D’ Souza SJ in the solemn Easter Vigil on April 4 night homily highlighted the book of Genesis. He emphasized on how Almighty God loved and cared his own creation like Abraham and Moses. Meanwhile, Father Muttathil added that the free gift from Jesus was the sacrament of reconciliation. He asked the
SETAM students undergo biotech training Traffic awareness week in Kohima DiMApur, April 5 (MExn): A 10-day handson training programme was organised at ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun on ‘Augmentation of Health and Production through Biotechnological and Bioinformatics Tools’ for the B.Tech students of School of Engineering Technology and Management (SETAM - Nagaland University) Dimapur from March 21 to 30. A total of 31 students participated in the programme, a press release received here informed. The training programme was inaugurated by Director, NRCM who opined that the knowledge of different tools of biotechnology and bioinformatics would definitely help the trainees to equip them for future challenges faced by
the farming community. Organised at the Bioinformatics Centre of National Research Centre of Mithun, established under the aegis of Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, the aim of the Centre is to impart trainings to undergraduate and graduate students as well as academicians in the region on the basic and applied aspects of Bioinformatics and its applicability. The training programme covered various aspects of isolation of DNA and RNA from different biological samples, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Real Time PCR, ELISA, Agarose gel Electrophoresis, SDS PAGE, Spectrophotometric analysis, analysis of partial and complete genetic sequences
and establishment of their phylogenetic relationships among the sequences reported from different regions and species. The students were trained to use various online databases and statistical tools. Dr. DJ Kalita, Associate Professor, College of Veterinary & AH, Khanapara was invited as expert to sensitise the students about the basic and applied tools and techniques of bioinformatics in the area of biological sciences and their usefulness. The programme was co-ordinated by Dr. KK Baruah, Co-ordinator, Biotech Hub, Dr. N Haque, Dr. Akhilesh Kumar, and Dr. Vidya Singh. Various other scientists of the institute contributed in the training programme and delivered different lectures as well as practical classes.
The campers at the ““Soul Ignite Youth Camp” organised by Koinonia Baptist Church, Kohima, held under the theme, “…. In His presence there is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11) from April 1-5 at Koinonia Prayer Centre Tsiesema. According to the camp director, Lhouzakie Rutsa altogether 290 campers attended the camp and experienced the “fullness of joy- a joy which is permanent.” Many campers received Jesus Christ, and got deliverance and healing, he added. The Speakers of the camp were Rev. Zotuo Kiewhuo Sr. Pastor; Medotseilieü Asst. Pastor; Neibalie Kiewhuo Asst. Pastor; Dr. Orentsani and Menuosielie.
kohiMA, April 5 (MExn): Kohima police in collaboration with Kohima Village Youth Organization (KVYO) observed traffic awareness week in Kohima from March 31 to April 2. During the 4-day programme, which was organized with a view to generate awareness on the issue of road safety, flyers were issued to all the road users, and billboards with traffic signs were set up in the main town. Lectures on traffic rules and safety were also imparted to
adopt scientific agricultural technologies suitable for hill farming system. He also asked the farmers to go for large scale production instead of focusing on home scale. After the formal programme the chief guest inaugurated the exhibition stall where 10 SHGs from different villages participated along with KVK Wokha. The farmer-scientist interaction facilitators were Megokhono and Bendangla Imsong and the farmers
actively participated raising queries with regard to soil health, diseases management in livestock, horticultural crops and vegetable, mushroom production, fishery and sericulture with panel of experts. The panel were District Agriculture Office, Peter Yanthan, DAO; Liben Ennie, DSO; Mhomo Murry, Fishery Inspector; Zubemo SDO (Soil & water Conservation); and officers from KVK, Wokha.
INTCW Society conducts 5th educational tour DiMApur, April 5 (MExn): The India Northeast Tribal Community Welfare (INTCW) Society under the aegis of Libra Consultancy (edu wing), Notun Basti, Dimapur conducted its 5th phase inspection of universities and colleges in Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand from January through March 2015. Informing about the tour in a press note, the Chairman of INTCW Society, Atser Sekhose said that the annual inspection is carried out with the objective of providing free service and benefits for the tribal students and as part of the society's initiative in creating awareness about various agencies duping the tribal students during admission time and lessen the hardships faced by students and parents in choosing good colleges. “The society has given free counselling to many students who wished to study out-
side the state and helped them in choosing their career options since 2008 and many have received help through this free services,” the press note added. It further stated that as an NGO it is overwhelmed by the response from different universities and colleges outside North East which have been a source of constant help and support in its endeavour to reach out to our tribal students. It also informed that Dolphin (PG) Institute, Dehradun, one of the top private agriculture and allied colleges, has opened its Nagaland centre at its office for the convenience of students to avail admissions. It welcomed parents and students to avail free counselling and guidance at the INTCW Society office by contacting 9612160086 or visiting www. intsociety.org.
MEx FILE DC Mon informs Mon, April 5 (MExn): The Deputy of Commissioner, Mon Honje konyak has informed to all concern that both the MPs of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha of Nagaland will be visiting the district of Mon on April 8 to hold the meeting of District Level Vigilance & Monitoring Committee (DLV&MC) at 10 am in DC's conference hall, Mon. All the Elected Members of Mon district, all the departments implementing MoRD program, all BDOs and other concern members are requested to attend the meeting without fail, a DPRO Mon press note stated.
Peren DPDB meet postponed pErEn, April 5 (MExn): The monthly meeting of District Planning & Development Board (DPDB), Peren has been postponed to April 22 (Wednesday) at 11:00 am in the conference hall of Deputy Commissioner at New District HQs. Therefore, all DPDB members have been informed to take note of the change of date and attend the meeting.
Kiphire DPDB meet deferred DiMApur, April 5 (MExn): The Kiphire DPDB meeting for the month of April is postponed till further notice due to unavoidable circumstances. The Deputy Commissioner & Vice Chairman, DPDB requested all the members to note and attend the meeting when informed.
State BJP 35th anniversary
training programmes and learn about the latest cultivation practices and value addition of their produce. The DC stressed on mushroom cultivation, fish pickle making and kiwi cultivation practices for uplifting the socioeconomic status of Longleng farmers. The training consisted of four technical sessions with 10 lectures, 4 practical classes, 10 film shows and 6 feedback sessions. The resource persons for technical sessions were Dr. Patu Khate Zeliang, SMS (Plant Breeding), Dr. Lily Ngullie, SMS (Animal Science), Lireni Kikon, SMS (Plant Protection), Lily Rangamei, SMS (Hortculture), Dr. P. Chowdhury, SMS (SWCE), Thungchano Ezung, Programme Assistant (Home Science). The trainees learnt about the basic concepts of different Resource Conservation Technologies
through hands on training on Seed production technology on rice and maize, Scientific low cost Backyard Poultry and Pig Production Technology, Cultivation practices of Large Cardamom and Kiwi, Scientific Mushroom cultivation, Rainwater Harvesting through ITK, Farm Pond and Jalkund, Agricultural Mechanization in hill agriculture, Fish pickle making & processing and Low cost Scientific Fruit & Vegetable preservation storage structure - Zero Energy Cool Chamber (ZECC). The valedictory programme was graced by Abhishek Kundu, District Information Officer, National Informatics Centre, Longleng as the chief guest. Kundu lauded the efforts of KVK for arranging such type of skill oriented training for the farmers and also assured to help the farmers for their livelihood development.
Children of Jo Foundation Kohima during World Autism Day in Kohima recently. (Morung Photo)
The Chen Union Dimapur (CUD) celebrated Aoleang Festival at the Union Mission on April 4. Seen in the picture are former MP W Wangyuh Konyak, former MLA Shaboh, and CUD President Chenlip, office bearers and executives, and community elders.
DUDA Director, K. Libanthung Lotha, along with Department Programme Officers visited BADP sponsored trainees at M/s Pusa Craft Centre, Jharnapani. Under Capacity Building & Skill Development Prog of Border Area Development Prog (BADP), various training courses such as Diploma Engineering in Tool & Die Making, Bamboo/ Wood Crafts and Tailoring have been organized by DUDA in collaboration with NTTC & Craft Council Nagaland.
Public SPace
Farmer - scientist interaction at Wokha WokhA, April 5 (MExn): A day long exhibition cum farmers’ scientist interaction was organised by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, (ICAR) Wokha on March 31 at Likya Community Hall, Wokha town with A Robin Lotha, Deputy Commissioner of Wokha as chief guest. Altogether 68 farmers from 10 villages participated in the programme. In his speech, the chief guest encouraged the farmers to venture out and
5
DiMApur, April 5 (MExn): The general secretary school children and drivers by traffic per- and spokesman of the BJP Nagaland party, K.James sonnel. The Kohima Police through its Vizo has informed its member that the party will be celPRO has thanked all individuals and orga- ebrating its 35th anniversary on April 6. nizations concerned, especially the KVYO, for extending support to Kohima Police to make the awareness programme successful. “The same exercise may not be able to be carried out regularly but it is anticipated that, a positive response is expected from all the road users in the coming days,” stated the PRO in a release.
KVK longleng organizes livelihood development training longlEng, April 5 (MExn): Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Longleng organised a training programme on ‘Livelihood Development through Resource Conservation Technologies’ at Orangkong village from March 23 to 26. Altogether, 60 women from six different Self Help Groups participated in the training. The inaugural programme was graced by Nikashe Sema, Deputy Commissioner, Longleng as chief guest. Coordinator Dr. P Chowdhury, SMS (SWCE) conveyed the overview of the training programme preceded by welcome address from Dr. Lily Ngullie, SMS (Animal Science). The chief guest advised the farmers to take interest in cultivation of different crops, vegetables and fruits for their livelihood development. He encouraged them to actively participate in skill oriented
Dimapur
6 April 2015
I
as Human being regretted and all my heart melted down for what had happened today where my beloved Baba S.S.Khaplang is made to hate me by some selfish and visionless people for their cheap popularity and personal gain. From day one of my joining the Naga national movement under Baba leadership till the day he expelled me, I have served selflessly as if I am working in my own field. I have represented Baba in all good times and bad times but, Baba fail to realize that I am his face everywhere. For the last two and half years, I have predicted this situation and therefore I have written two times long epistle letter with all details of what went wrong in his administration but, Baba did not study what was ahead and he always misunderstood me. Since, I miserably failed in all my attempts to convince him, I have humbly submitted my resignation letter on 14th April 2014 from two
Y Wangtin Naga Regrets Ministries i.e, MIP and Public Relations and NGO’s as warning bell but Baba fail to understand what I meant at that point of time. Whatever, the situation might have cropped up, I as human being indebtedness to Baba for his guidance to shape me to my present position. I felt regretted that, Baba might disapprove the deed of commitment signed in third Chiangmai Naga Reconciliation meet for not using non Naga forces against other fellow Nagas. This deed was signed with good intention for the good of all the Nagas as no Naga use non Naga forces against other Nagas. For which, I am tendering un-qualified apology to my great Baba as no son has any bad intention towards his father. On third Chiangmai Naga Reconciliation meet, the words of Gods came through one prophet saying, “This reconciliation is my creation and whoever betray and abuse this reconciliation will be uprooted”. I have appeal to
Baba not to back out from Naga Reconciliation under any circumstances but, all my efforts failed and without consulting his cabinet and council, Baba severed ties from Naga reconciliation against the words of God, which brought him first curse in the form of dividing his government vertically into two groups as Anti- reconciliation group and Pro-reconciliation group, leaving behind only me and Mr. Tikhak in his side and all the rest of the kilonsers and workers sided with the pro-reconciliation group led by Baba Khole and Kitovi. Tikhak and I have supported Baba not because he is right but, only because he is our Baba. The second curse strikes him in the form of present situation. Baba must humble down before God , his creator. All my selfless sacrifices for more than ten years have been thrown out by Baba with simple word ‘EXPULSION’, which really shock me only because I firmly stand for peace and Naga
reconciliation under the ceasefire atmosphere. Baba have gone too far, never to be returned to his senses and so far he has expelled more than 30 kilonsers from his government with reason, only known to him. I have accepted all hardship and difficulties while defending Baba from both the GOI agencies and other Naga groups. Even on 26th of March 2015, I left for Chumukedima CFSB meeting without knowing the secret conspiracy hatched by vested interest where, I have been picked up and detained for more than 6(six) hours by the Indian Army at Assam in retaliation to Kohima shooting and Wokha bomb blast, in which I was supposed to be killed in place of Baba. Had I knew of the conspiracy, I would not have travel in Assam. All these difficulties and hardship came on my head only because I am Baba’s face in all situations. But, Baba fail to understand my position and expelled me on the advice of someone. Whatever the situation
had happened, my relationship with Eastern brother and sister (Myanmar side ) will continue. I still remember and thankful to all Nagas in Khamti,Myanmar, who welcomed the NSCN team with great joy in April 2012 , when we came for ceasefire agreement. Special thanks to Naga Yuya and Naga MPs of Myanmar for their co-operation, simplicity and generosity. Also thanks to Naga Baptist Convention, Myanmar(Khamti) for their ceaseless prayer support during ceasefire agreement with Myanmar authority. I also cannot forget the contributions of Rev. Sein Moung, Executive Secretary, Naga Baptist Convention, Myanmar and Rev. Khosai who have translated all ceasefire related documents into Myanmar language. I will try to meet all these leaders elsewhere or in abroad. My respect for Baba will continue till his last breath although, we live in different home. Y Wangtin Naga, NSCN/GPRN
The Morung Express is introducing “Public Space” as part of our intention to provide deliberate space for the opinions of the people to be expressed and heard through this newspaper. Nonetheless, The Morung Express points out that the opinions expressed in the contents published in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper or the editor.
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IN-FOCUS
The Power of Truth
The Morung Express MonDAy 6 APrIl 2015 voluME X IssuE 92
Along Longkumer Consulting Editor
Let's Be Role Model Christians
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ccording to the number of theological colleges spread across Nagaland there could be hundreds and thousands of students passing out every year. It is encouraging to know that every year many young people take the decision to pursue theology and the prospect of serving in the Christian ministry. This is both a matter of inspiration and also hopeful that we are grooming and preparing young people for the challenges that lie ahead. In fact not just Bible colleges but educational institutes, both theological and secular, have a big role to play in strengthening the institution of the Church and State and making it responsive to the needs and problems of our times. This writer has a strong belief that if we want our institutions to be revived or improved upon then our youths have a role to play and they must be given fair and equal opportunity. Yes the problem of indiscipline among the youth is a concern and we need to pay attention to this problem. Educational institutes whether theological or secular have the important responsibility to prepare young people in a way that they become useful citizens for our State, Church and society. We need to educate and mould our Naga youths to be good citizens. I would like to put forward the argument that a good citizen is someone who is also a role model Christian. When we talk about things like peace, love, honesty, hard work, humility, accountability etc. isn’t all this the basic tenets found in the teaching of Jesus Christ. Most of us even though we profess to be Christians, we tend to underestimate the value of the Bible and its teaching. Let me briefly mention here about Abraham Lincoln. All of us have heard of Lincoln in some context or the other. He continues to be the most admired President that America has ever produced. He is also one of the leading Statesmen the world has ever seen. Why? Here is an interesting fact. Abraham Lincoln was never a very religious man. His opponents used to tar him as a “scoffer” of religion. Abraham Lincoln is the only U.S. President, who never joined a church, but he read the Bible frequently. Abraham Lincoln is often admired for being the very model of the progressive politician, a crusading visionary who sealed his place in history with his farsighted, morally righteous decision to emancipate the slaves during the Civil War. He was able to do this because he had certain ethics that helped and guided him. “He was theological but not religious”. Another person that comes to mind is Mahatma Gandhi. All of us will know that Gandhiji was greatly influenced by the New Testament. He applied many of the Christians principles to tackle the problems of his generation just as Abraham Lincoln did in his times. It is somewhat of a paradox that Nagas we proclaim Nagaland for Christ and yet we have failed to apply the Christian principles. And as a result we are faced with the danger of becoming a failed society. As a society which boasts itself of being a Christian State, Naga people will need to do more. If our State and its people are to be happy, prosperous and peaceful then we must return to the roots of our fellowship with Christ. To state it plainly, our church, our politics, our development and our governance must be Christ-centred. We need to apply the Christian values and thinking into our everyday lives wherever we are and in whichever vocation or work we are in. We needed to be educated about the simple yet profound moral lessons of what is right and wrong, respect for life, respect for the rule of law, respect for differences, promoting dialogue and understanding, propagating the message of forgiveness and reconciliation. And isn’t these biblical values the need of the hour in our society where corruption and violence has become the order of the day. Let us be known as Christians who were instrumental in bringing about the reform and change that our society desperately yearns for. Let’s be role model Christians. (Feedback can be sent to consultingeditormex@gmail.com)
lEfT wiNg |
Mazie Nakhro, Ph.D
Sowing the Seeds of Democracy What does God say? Read 2 Samuel 2:4; 5:1-3 In today’s passages, both the people of Judah and Israel took the initiative to approach David and asked him to be their king--that is, David was the people’s choice. Indeed, this is the biblical method of choosing political leaders: only with the willing consent of the people can one be chosen to lead others (see Deut. 17:15; Hos. 1:11). Conversely, self-appointed leadership or seizure of power by force or enticement has no divine stamp of approval. There are also other biblical truths that can be cited to support certain democratic principles of government: First, the Bible teaches that every person is endowed with some degree of capacity to rule (Gen 1:26). In other words, any person, male or female, could be chosen to political leadership. Second, the institution of government is for common good, and not for a special ruling class (Rom. 13:1-4). The American Experiment In 1636, Minister Thomas Hooker founded Connecticut. In 1639, Hooker drafted the Fundamental Order of Connecticut, a set of principles that made Connecticut’s government more democratic. As a result of his role, some historians have called Hooker “the Father of American democracy.” In 1681, King Charles II granted William Penn, a Quaker preacher, permission to establish a new colony which the latter named it as Pennsylvania. Penn tried to create a government that was fair to all its people. He limited his own powers so that “the will of one man may not hinder the good of the whole country.” He also provided a means of changing the colony’s laws to reflect the will of the people. Penn sold land to colonists at low prices and created a government that would care for the poor. Penn named the capital of his colony as Philadelphia, which in Greek means “City of Brotherly Love.” In short, all the early settlers established some forms of selfgovernment based on biblical principles. They declared that they were forming a “civil body politik” that would enact laws for the general good of the people. This was not imposed on them from without by a king or by some other conquering force. It was purely a voluntary submission to a government that they themselves had created. It was setting up a government to function with the consent of the governed--a kind of democracy. Okay, so now what? The democracy in Nagaland is a flawed one: It is one where public servants rule and civil workers are not that civil at all. In a real democracy, the people are the masters. As such, they don’t need to beg from their government; rather, they can command their government. Taken from the book “Breakfast with the King: The 100-Day Devotional” by Mazie Nakhro
C O M M E N T A R Y
THE EDIT PAGE
Dolly Kikon dollykikon@gmail.com
Sexual Violence & the Culture of Impunity in the Naga Society
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n 2013, the Nagaland State Commission for Women condemned the rape of a 5-year old girl in Kohima and the murder of a woman on April 17thin Dimapur. Noting that the increase in the number of crimes and atrocities against women in Nagaland was alarming, the Commission for Women called upon the various communities to introspect and work towards strengthening systems of justice to introduce fast track courts to punish the perpetrators. They emphasized these measures so that, “Naga women can live and feel safe in their own social environments”. I conducted a small research on sexual violence and impunity in 2013 as part of an initiative by scholars and activists to study sexual violence and impunity in South Asia. In order to understand the situation of sexual violence in Nagaland, I carried out several discussions with friends and colleagues who were working with rape survivors in Dimapur. Women advocacy groups and child rights activists underlined how cases of sexual violence against women were increasing in the state. Several advocacy groups and activists said that majority cases of sexual violence went unreported because “Our women do not talk about such things. They keep it inside and suffer quietly.” Gradually the larger story began to unfold. The reason for “suffering it quietly” was because victims of sexual violence were often held accountable for the “deeds”. The grand narrative in cases of violence against women went something like this: Women got “it” because they asked for it. A short discussion one afternoon during my fieldwork in Dimapur captured the culture of impunity in Naga society in a chilling manner. A housewife I had met in a neighborhood told me, “The girls are not completely blameless. They are partly responsible for it. Men can smell the sexual signals that girls give out. They attract men and get raped.” Let me pause here and bring in a much-misunderstood word: Patriarchy. It is often imagined that that this thing called patriarchy in Naga society divide man on the dark side and makes them evil, insensitive and absolutely politically incorrect animals. By this very virtue, Naga women are portrayed as perpetual victims and, thereby, some of them are reborn as aggressive man hating - frothing fanatic feminists. Let me disrupt this polarized image. Patriarchy is a social system whereby men are given the power, authority, and legitimacy to make decisions and all other forms of asserting claims in society. In this context, Naga men and women like any other society reproduce sexist stereotypes. I remember many instances when aunties and well respected Naga women along with their husbands and sons would justify all kinds of violence against women by saying, “but it is the trait of a Naga man to be like this: we have to adjust and forgive them.” We have been fed this lie for a long time. Such justification of violence as part of Naga society, compounded with a colonial mark that continues to define Naga men as “fierce warriors”, “hot headed men”, and the larger Naga collective as “blood thirsty people” must be interrogated. However, at times, it appears that we accept this violent construction as the foundation of our values and morality; as though Naga identity, being a Naga, the core of our Naga-ness is built on violence, disrespect towards the young and vulnerable, and a culture where the rich and powerful get away with everything. Given the alarming number of sexual violence in Nagaland, I began to reflect upon the existing culture of impunity in Naga society and came up with some observations. First, the culture of impunity perpetuated because survivors of sexual violence were often dispossessed, abandoned by their family, and excommunicated by the larger collective as well, while the perpetrators get away. Second, cases of sexual violence were often suppressed and considered as dark secrets, and erased from the larger public memory under social and political pressure. Finally, impunity was inbuilt into crime like rape because the focus was shifted towards interrogating and judging the morality of the victim rather than addressing the gravity of the offense. During the months to come, I noted that comments about the moral character of the victim became regular. These perceptions were not unusual given how children were socialized and taught about morality and chastity among other things. The male and the female reproductive organs were described as mediums that calculated morality and were fitted with an economic language of profit and loss. This logic went like this; “Once a man touches a woman (sexual intercourse), if he does not marry her, the girl’s life is destroyed”. This basis of morality and chastity was built on male penetration, yet this belief about maintaining the “moral chastity” was detached from the social realities of sexual abuse. Sexual violence is a horrifying act, but it is important to recognize that it is centrally about power, powerlessness, and violence. That is why rape is called an instrument of war and conflict around the world. Let us be clear that sexual violence is not limited to women and girls. Sexual violence against men and boys has been rampant yet it remains unaddressed. Even international bodies like the United Nations have programs only for vulnerable women and not men in many conflict zones. Lara Stemple, a professor at the UCLA Law School, in her book titled Male Rape and Human Rights notes that male sexual violence during times of conflict has been recorded in countries such as Chile, Greece, Croatia, Iran, Kuwait, the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia. Photo journalist Will Storr writes that twenty-one per cent of Sri Lankan males who were seen at a London torture treatment center reported sexual abuse while in detention. In El Salvador, 76% of male political prisoners surveyed in the 1980s described at least one incidence of sexual torture. He further points out that a study of 6,000 concentration-camp inmates in Sarajevo found that 80% of men reported having been raped. I present these statistics to rupture two myths: first, that ac-
"In the Naga context, the emphasis on moral chastity that is detached from the ground reality has led to a disturbing understanding of sexual violence" counts of rape are concocted by immoral persons to trap innocent men; and second, that women or for that matter men give out signals inviting perpetrators to come and rape them. In the Naga context, the emphasis on moral chastity that is detached from the ground reality has led to a disturbing understanding of sexual violence. I say detached from ground reality because as a consequence of the armed conflict, women headed households, widows, domestic violence, women destitutes, survivors of sexual violence, trafficking, sex trade, and teenage pregnancies are rampant. Yet, the hymen centric moral and cultural code is perpetuated in overwhelming ways. During a conversation with women cadres in a ceasefire camp belonging to one of the Naga armed groups, one of the women said that several widows and children of fallen Naga soldiers lacked economic and social support. Some of them had turned to sex trade, while others had become dealers of contraband goods. “Countless” the women cadre commented signifying the large number of widows and orphans who were barely able to keep themselves together. I have brought the story of the women and children of fallen Naga soldiers to offer a panoramic view of our Naga reality – a violent militarized society. Acts of sexual violence transgress the boundaries of the family, the legal jurisdiction of rival Naga nationalist groups, and the state agencies as well. This brings us to confront the ways in which issues of justice, rehabilitation, rights, and trauma counseling are huge challenges but need to be urgently addressed in militarized societies. In Nagaland, the legal institutions, quasi-legal units like the Naga nationalist justice system, and the political system that includes the tribal customary courts and state machineries all co-exist within their respective constituencies. Yet, the boundaries of jurisdiction between these organs are often hazy and complicated. For instance, when I sat down with women cadres of two Naga nationalist groups to enquire about the organizational stands on the increasing cases of sexual violence against women, particularly emphasizing how their cadres were also being implicated with charges of rape, the members of the women wing stated that perpetrators of such heinous crimes, when proved and brought to the organizational courts, were given capital punishment. Such responses from the Naga nationalist groups cutting across factions were not necessarily helpful. First, there were no discussions about justice for the victims and secondly, these extreme measures were often taken to save the image of the organization and not based on any principles of human rights. One thing that emerged from these conversations was the existing culture of impunity that existed inside and outside the ceasefire camps as well. Conducting the research in 2013, 16 years after the Indo-Naga ceasefire agreement, it was striking how everyday conversations were filled with references about sexual abuse at the hands of ordinary Naga men and non-Naga men equally in the neighborhood. I wondered whether there was a change of guard that took place between the Indian security forces, notorious for their track record of rape and human rights violations, and the civilian men on the streets of Nagaland? When did happen I wondered? Initially, these were difficult and uncomfortable questions. However, the testimonies of rape survivors and women activists who were concerned about the heightened rate of violence against women emerged as a living biography of Naga society. It was then I began to question my role in perpetuating the existing nightmare of sexual violence; and Idecided to return to my scene of crime. I realized that irrespective of a heightened atmosphere of political activism that Naga society witnessed since the 1970s, since my childhood, cases of violence against women within the household or in the neighborhood were often accepted as natural. It was a "cultural” trait and condoned as part of “our society”. However, there were also voices from the past, that of my grand mother’s generation from Tsingiki village and elsewhere who composed songs of freedom and poems of justice. We also witnessed the long political campaigns of the Naga Mothers Association and the Naga Women’s Union of Manipur. The return to my scene of crime that I noted earlier was not an individual journey though. My own experiences of growing up in Nagaland within a particular cultural milieu, I believe, also influenced my perceptions about the naturalization of violence against women in Naga society for a long time. Early on I learnt that men and women connected in different ways. For my uncles, their method of bonding was to sit around the table playing cards, talking politics, or going off on hunting trips. The womenfolk interacted with one another sitting around the kitchen table preparing meals, fetching water, or washing clothes. It was also in these gendered spaces and structures of attachments that
violence against women and children were allotted meanings, values, and reified. Some of the popular sayings went something like this; “No matter how terrible the deed, it is a duty to support the husband.” Another frightening phase in my mother tongue Lotha was this simple phrase; Epoi cho Epoi or “A man is a man.” I call this phrase frightening because it was so banal and elementary that a little child could also pick up its meaning, repeat it, and start imbibing its heightened sexual stereotyped characteristics. However, stories of violence against women were kept as family secrets, thereby constructing a collective lie that Naga people do not rape. This act of sexual violence has been always inscribed on others like the Indian security forces, migrants, and the larger non-Naga population. Calling this collective denial a “false sense of self-righteousness”, Chingya Luithui, a human rights activist with the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) notes that the denial to acknowledge sexual violence has perpetuated sexual violence against women in Naga society. One can trace the origin of this normalization of sexual violence as an outcome of the state’s role in granting impunity to perpetrators under extra constitutional legislations like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Today, the legal and social impunity that sexual offenders enjoy within Naga society is no longer an exceptional story. Therefore, in order to understand the culture of sexual impunity and violence, it is important to take into consideration the history of militarization and violence that has deeply transformed Naga society. One has to only flip conflict literature like Kaka Iralu’s book Blood and Tears to realize how the Indian state is deeply implicated in escalating the culture of sexual violence and impunity. Post 1997 witnessed the establishment of the ceasefire camps near civilian areas across the Naga areas from Ukhrul, Dimapur, to Mon. Today, hundreds of cadres continue to wait inside the camps uncertain about their future; some have surrendered and become entrepreneurs, while others have lost their lives in factional conflicts. The government of India is yet to accept its role and responsibility in the destruction of property, infrastructure, and the psychological trauma and loss of lives in the Indo-Naga conflict since India’s independence in 1947. It is also yet to accept its role in creating political divisions among the Naga people by pitting one section against the other. The dedicated efforts of the government of India to stall the Indo-Naga peace process had succeeded in not only extending the period of the conflict but has also created new forms of power structures, authorities, and tribal elites, which allows the political terror and nightmare to spread. We have to contextualize the increasingly cases of sexual violence and the culture of impunity within this larger political and historical framework. Conclusion How do we start to engage with themes of violence, impunity, culture, history and the situation we find ourselves in at this point? In the olden days, a wise Naga woman told me how animals roamed wild and free across the Naga villages. Men and women worked hard in the jhum fields to sustain their families. As they returned home around dusk, the danger of being attacked by wild animals was real, so the man and the woman distributed their responsibilities. The women carried the basket filled with produce on her head and tied the infant on her chest, while the man carried the torch on one hand to light the way, and on the other hand held the spear to protect the food and the family. This image is partly visible across the Naga area even today. Women are seen carrying both the basket and the infant on their bodies, however, along with the wild animals the Naga men have also disappeared. When and why did this happen? Was it because men realized that they had ancestral property rights unlike the women, and that it was legitimate to sell off the land and justify all kinds of behavior? Or was it because, they are invited to the tribal council unlike women, to make decisions for the tribe only the basis of being men? As I noted earlier, sexual violence is not solely about women and girls. That man and boys also have terrifying experiences is telling that rape is centrally about power. Naga writer Temsula Ao captures the gory scene of power in acts sexual violence in her book of short stories called These Hills called Home. In the history of the Indo-Naga armed conflict, the Indian security forces deployed in the Naga areas since India’s independence in 1947 have been identified as the most aggressive and brutal perpetrators of sexual violence. Temsula Ao describes a scene of rape that underlines the trauma and brutality of sexual violence. This is a small excerpt from the story; Libeni was now frantic. Calling out her daughter’s name loudly, she began to search for her in the direction where she was last seen being dragged away by the leader. When she came upon the scene at last, what she saw turned her stomach: the young Captain was raping Apenyo while a few other soldiers were watching the act that seemed to be waiting for their turn. The mother, crazed by what she was witnessing, rushed forward with an animal-like growl as if to haul the man off her daughters’ body, but a soldier grabbed her and pinned her down on the ground. He too began to unzip his trousers and when Libeni realized what would follow next, she spat on the soldier’s face and tried to twist herself free of his grasp. But this only further aroused him; he bashed her head on the hard ground several times knocking her unconscious and raped her limp body, using the woman’s new lungi afterwards, which he had flung aside, to wipe himself. The small band of soldiers then took their turn, even though by the time the fourth one mounted, the woman was already dead. This paper was presented during the International Conference on “Rethinking the Nagas in the Contemporary,” held from March 2021, 2015, at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, organised by Naga Scholars Association & The Hao Research Initiative.
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Monday
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
6 April 2015
T
he message was relayed by a neighbor. Her words, transmitted through my grandmother, Dana Josephina Ongecha Nyo’Tenda, were crisp and clear: Kwara Odera K’Ogwande needed me to meet him at Mwibona market at the “usual place” like now! I was both excited and afraid. I was afraid because the sun was almost kissing the valleys of the Bantus of our land. It would soon be pitch dark and I was afraid that by the time I would walk back from Mwibona, some 5 kilometers away, only fire flies will be my only source of light. You see, in Koga village in western Kenya, the term ‘electricity’ was not in our dictionary. But, at the same time, I was excited. You see, Kwara Odera K’Ogwande, would not want me to meet him at Mwibona if ‘nothing was not elephant’ as we used to say. Something had to be elephant for our grandfather so summon one of his grandchildren at this late hour in the evening. So, as soon as Dana relayed the message, I switched off my transistor radio and without much ceremony abandoned Chris Pinkerton with his “Focus on Africa” evening program on BBC radio.On double time, I headed to Mwibona markets through short cuts and occasionally trespassing other people’s villages. Our neighbors knew me well and they responded to my casual greetings as I whizzed by. Occassionally some dogs would bark to forewarn me of their village’s sovereignty but I was hardly bothered, I only increased my running speed. You see, the image of my grandfather waiting for me at Mwibona market was so compelling, it made me easily transcend fear. I arrived in Mwibona market in semidarkness. I found Kwara at the “usual place” sipping from a mug of tea at the roadside cafe. Kwara clicked his fingers,
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small Australian study finds that grandmothers who take care of their grandchildren one day a week do better on cognitive tests than peers who mind grandkids more often, or not at all. Researchers say the brain benefits from this form of “grandparenting” may come not just from having social engagement, but “active” engagement in those relationships. “The key point here is they found that the socialization part was important primarily when it was associated with some kind of useful function,” said Dr. William J. Hall, a geriatrician who was not involved in the study. “The party line on this from geriatricians like me is that some form of social engagement seems to be absolutely essential for maximizing the chances you will have good brain function for those years,” said Hall, who directs the Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. Study authors Katherine Burn and Cassandra Szoeke, researchers at the University of Melbourne in Parkville, Australia, point out in the journal Maturitas that lifestyle and environmental factors are easy, inexpensive ways of boost-
PERSPECTIVE NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE
Mirembe! by Babu Ayindo
God Has No Hands
the way he beautifuly did when he was excited, and motioned to me to join on the bench. Only lit by the ‘Nyangile’lamp in the makeshift cafe, Kwara looked elegant in his light blue shirt, dark brown sweater and black trousers. There was something about him that radiated energy, light, love. He wore that look of someone who was against lottery – a man who believed in creating his own wealth, brick by brick. Hardly had I settled down than the Mama who managed the cafe arrived with my mug of tea with an ‘escort’. In those days, an ‘escort’ of the tea would range from buns or samosa or chapati (a version of roti made with oil). Today’s escort was a huge chapati. You could tell that whoever baked it had made considerable atempts to bake it into a neat circle without much success. After my grandfather and I had finished happening on the tea and chapati, we headed out into the semi-darkness on Mwibona market where business people were packing up. Kwara asked me to carry his reed basket that was essentially his tool box. Did I tell you in a previous story that my Grandfather was a carpenter? A self-made carpenter who could build or reconstruct anything? Yes, my grandfather was a carpenter known all over the district of Gem. He could repair anything made of wood. He
also built roofs and doors of new houses. When the number of contracts were low, he would walk around his own village, anything that was threatening to breakand he would take preemptive action and fix it! I could tell that Kwara was happy, the kind of happiness that comes from being paid on time. Kwara led me to this shop and his purchases that day were rather strange. With confidence, he asked the shopkeeper to give us 6 packets of sugar in half a kilogram packets; then he asked for 6 packets tea leaves; then he asked for 6 loaves of bread. After that, he asked the shopkeeper to pack another set of 1 kilogram of sugar, a bigger sachet of tea leaves and two loaves of bread. As a child I could not understand this strange consumer behavior. Once done with shopping, we headed back to Koga village. It was nice to walk in the semi darkness with Kwara because it meant he would stop less to acknowledge greetings from people or greet anyone we met. More importantly, Kwara knew his way in darkness. He knew where the tree stumps were and where the holes were. As we strolled back with a full reed basket, the fire flies were already claiming their space and so were the youth from Bunyore who audaciously smoked cannabis by the roadside. When we arrived home, Kwara instructed me to pick one packet of sugar, one packet of tea leaves and one loaf of
‘Grandparenting’ in moderation might help keep the mind sharp Janice neumann Reuters ing cognitive health and might even help stave off chronic illnesses like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. For the new study, they used data from the Women’s Healthy Ageing Project, which Szoeke directs, and which involves Australian women originally recruited for a midlife study in 1991, when they were aged 45 to 55. The 224 women included in the new analysis were between 65 and 75 and lived in the Melbourne area. Most had grandkids, and most spent time taking care of an average of three grandchildren. Those who did care for grandchildren were about a year younger and more likely to have at least 12 years of formal education than those who didn’t. The researchers used various tests to gauge the women’s cognitive ability, asking them to read numbers forward and
backward, name as many animals, boy’s names and fruit and furniture as they could and to copy a drawing. To test memory, the women repeated a word list and named as many words as they could beginning with different letters. After factoring in the women’s age and education levels, the researchers found that those who were caring for grandkids one day per week did better on the cognitive tests than those who weren’t minding grandkids, or those who were caring for grandkids up to five days a week. “We wanted to be able to guide people on a common, in fact the most popular informal childcare option prevalent in our community,” Szoeke said in an email. “The aspects of social engagement hypothesized to be responsible for the
The Morung Express
bread as we walked towards my Mother’s house. Since tradition forbade him from entering my Mother’s house, Kwara and I stood outside as he handed the package to my Mother with the fond words: “Nyar Dumbu [Itumbu] bilie.” (Daughter of Itumbu, have a taste) Then we proceeded to the next hut and Kwara called out the name of my small mother “Nyar Seme” and handed a similar package of sugar, tea leaves and a loaf of bread. Then to the next hut and “Nyar’Ahono” was called out, followed by “Nyar’ Gem”. Then it was the turn of “Nyar’ Maseno” and finally we arrived at the hut of the “Nyar’Kasagam.” You see, Kwara would never call the names of his daughters-in-law by the names that appeared on their national identity card. That would be considered rude, an abomination even. A daughter-in-law was given a ‘praise name’ that reminded everyone the land from which she came, the land she painfully left in order to join our family. I also noticed that Kwara had followed an order in the ‘distribution of wealth’ starting with house of his senior daughter-in-law and ending with the wife of his last born son. Then Kwara and I walked towards Dana’s house. The remnants in his bag were the bigger one kilogram of sugar, the bigger sachet of tea leaves and, of course, two loaves of bread. This Kwara of mine had left the bigger everything for his wife, ha! That is when it also dawned on me that my grandfather, Kwara Odera K’Ogwande, was, indeed, a socialist! As we settled down in Dana’s house, waiting for another round of tea, Kwara told me, almost in a whisper, to always remember that God has no hands. Kwara taught me that we, humans, are the hands of God. As a child, I wondered: how could a whole God not have hands? benefits on cognition (positive mood, mental stimulation, increased activity) were highly relevant to activity as a grandparent.” But more research is needed on the benefits of social engagement to cognition in general, and especially on the role grandparenting could play in its maintenance, the authors note. The study did not account for health or economic factors that might affect the women’s cognitive function, as well as possibly influencing whether or how often they cared for their grandchildren. The authors acknowledge that their results suggest a connection between some amount of grandparenting and better mental function, but cannot prove cause and effect. Hall said that he wasn’t sure if the results would apply to the United States, where the pace is faster and the quality of life less “tranquil” than in Melbourne. But he said he thought the information should prove useful to older people. “In the field of geriatrics and gerontology, this whole idea of social engagement and what kind of social engagement goes forward is extremely hot right now,” said Hall. “This is better than treating people with pills.
The Naga Blog is a forum on facebook where Nagas from Nagaland and around the world network, share ideas and discuss a wide range of topics from politics and philosophy to music and current events in Nagaland and beyond. The blog is not owned by any individual, nor is it affiliated to or associated with any political party or religion. The only movement it hopes to stir is the one raised by the voices of the Nagas every step of the way, amassing perhaps to mass consciousness one day. www.facebook.com/groups/thenagablog
CORRUPTION..CORRUPTION... Naga Hospital Kohima, the unseen face Rukutho Atho Lcho: This week, due to unfortunate murder of a relative, the police took the body to the Naga Hospital for post mortem. What one witnessed at the post mortem building was appalling (just below the National Highway). The building was in shambles, broken window panes, cracked floors in the post mortem room, rubbish strewn all around. To top it all, there are no windows (only in the waiting/rest room), just grills and curtains separating the room and the verandah. When the wind blew hard, one could literally see how the doctor and his assistant were conducting the post mortem. It was not a pleasant sight and in my opinion, an insult to the dead. I think it's time that these kind of issues are brought to the fore and that the remedies are taken to at least give some respect to the ones who passed away. I have clicked some pictures and you can best judge for yourself when you look at it.
Krocha Nk: Terrible indeed. While personal properties of those in power has gone to the level of international standards, the public properties continues to rot without any concerns from any quarters. Thank you postmaster for taking this step and sharing with the "Voice of the People". I hope with contributions from members of this forum, we can raise our voice and pressure the government for action. Issac Lotha: Govt. Hospitals in almost all the districts do not have proper arrangements for post-mortem and morgues for Unidentified dead bodies . The decomposing corpse of unidentified persons are just kept on a cement platform which is housed in a ramshackle which provide no protection from the elements of weather. Decomposing corpses (especially those that died of contagious disease) may spread the pathogens among the people living in and around the vicinity of the hospital. In order to avoid such situation, post-mortems should be done in a controlled environment and morgues should have the facility to preserve the dead bodies at least before the hospital is allowed to dispose off the same Salam Zeliang: Rukutho , important info with EVIDENCE ! great job! n shame to all of us cos we Nagas are so use to all this crap that we never QUESTION! Send this to H&FW dept. and publish this in daily paper eg nagaland post etc . RTI . high time we Nagas wake up from our slumber ! Martin Chadi: Great job PM......ministers and govt officials in charge should do the needful immediately...how much will it cost to repair and maintain a good post mortem facility....a price of a bolero which the officials buy at the clap of a hand... Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Naga Blog.
POLL RESULTS
Is there widening gap between the younger Naga generation and present Naga apex organizations (Church and Civil Society groups)? Some of those who voted YES had this to say: • Definitely a big Yes. More and more there is a widening gap between the younger generation and the present Naga apex organizations and even the older generation. The apex organizations don’t even allow the young people to voice out their opinion. This is creating a lot of social tensions in the present situation. Our apex organizations are failing to read the signs of today. • Yes sir. The gap is not only with apex organizations but also with the older generation. • Yes there is a widening gap between the young and old. But no one wants to acknowledge the impact this widening gap is having on the society as a whole. • Naga apex organizations are prone to corruption rather than to work for the benefit of the younger generation. • Yes there is a gap in thinking between the young and the older generation. This, however, does not mean that the younger generation is right. I wish the older generation would see this gap and use their wisdom to educate the younger generation of the Naga history. But unfortunately, the stubbornness of the older generation is only making matters worse and their attitude is driving the younger generation further away into utter confusion. • To my opinion it is Yes, there is a huge gap between young generation Nagas and Present Naga apex. I strongly raise my voice against the different leaders of the different organisation i.e: ''You have done no good to our land. All you hunger is power and money, and alongside in the image of our parents, you have even corrupted us with your dirty corrupted teachings. Please stop the leadership and give us an opportunity to start it over'' • yes....leaders needs to be changed in all fronts. new brains needs to replace the dusty ones • YES, leaders have lost their connection with the people (young ones). • Yes. Many Church and Civil Society organizations are still adapted to the old cultural values while the younger generation is more adapted and adaptable
to new ideas. The elders brain and the value of grey heads also needs to be taken into account but this may usually be accepted by very few youngsters. On the other hand many elders wouldn't accept the ideas of new thoughts from the younger generation.
of corruption, nepotism, favouritism etc, which is now becomes as dreaded as the most feared incurable disease and now all the able persons got infected, irrespective of individuals in whichever field they are engaged, be it politics, bureaucratic, social affairs, even in religious activities. Some of those who voted NO had this to say: • n this era of fast paced Information Technology and • Sad to say while the older ones are striving for unity Globalization, today’s generations are far too quick to and peace trying to lessen our past history of enmi- absorb the changing trends, more open to new ideas ty the younger ones are and would not mind exonly striving for Hi-fi life, perimenting with it. This have tribalistic outlook, makes some bunch of etc with no sense of any lots (like veteran Church civic touch. members) who gracefully • No, the problem is wish to remain ignorant, not the widening gap. proves to be a hindrance The problem is that the in connecting the dots. younger generation do And unless these youngnot know their history and er generations provide are confused about their the fillip by taking it as a identity. challenge to take them • No, The younger Naalong, I am afraid that gas are arrogant and do there is a very fair chance not respect their elders. for emerging a strong soThey think they know evcial rift. erything and this is the • Others. why? Our asreason why there is a piration, approach may gap between the old and change but youngsters young generation. guided by impulse without doing away with narSome of those who voted row mindset does not ofOTHERS had this to say fer redemption either. Are YES no OTHER • At least the churches we really ready to prove are trying their best to bring back the youths but civil wrong the saying, "like father like son". society groups? Do we have in Nagaland? • From a cultural context, it is the elders that hold • The sole responsibility of the church is to stand in reign over what and where the community does or the gap. As far as the civil society is concerned defi- goes. The ladies and young people have always nitely there a vast generation gap. But if one is open been expected to follow suit and this they did. Unto constructive ideas it can work out. fortunately, such a diktat cannot be fully exercised in • Gaps would've been avoided if the apex bodies acts today's contemporary Nagaland which goes beyond in the interest of those they'd represented. Instead, village boundaries. The youth and women like every powers and opportunities were mis-used all because body else are more informed, liberated and proba-
72%
13%
15%
bly even more exposed to world views - at least the youth. In this context, they have aspirations and their notions of democracy and participation may different from that of what has prevailed in many communities for generations. The time's they are a-changing... Dylan got it right then and while we all sang to his tunes, we missed the message. The perspectives and ways in which younger people relate to "internally imposed" social and community organizations are fast changing. In the process, the social fabric, norms and the ways it has always worked are beginning to be questioned albeit silently. While respect for elders may continue to be there, it may not necessarily be because it is earned and this is where the issue arises. Respect like many good things in life has to be earned and the current generation running the organizations need to know that there needs to be MUTUAL RESPECT. Its a two way traffic. Until and unless, the voices and opinions of the younger people are included in planning and decision making, until and unless visions are shared across the board, until and unless these organizations are speaking sense, the gaps may just grow and one day, the generals may find themselves with no soldiers.... just as much as the soldiers will find themselves leaderless. This my friends is already manifesting in our society in minute and dangerous ways. • The apex organisations like church & civil society leaders are no denying elder to us in age, but it doesn't mean their decision is the wisest. They should stoop low & seek answer from younger generation also eg., about how we feel it, are we impacted by their decision's? what are the remedies?, how should be done about certain agendas and the way their organisations leading the people. These are some questions, the older generation should try to peek inside the young minds even though they might have lots of experiences from life. Now, it's not their old generation age & time, the world have advanced & we are living in the same fast paced advance generation. If they could bridge the gap of superiority thinking, I think there would be much progress.
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Monday 6 April 2015
The Morung Express
Evolve mechanism to address deficiencies: PM
New Delhi, April 5 (iANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon the judiciary to evolve a dynamic inbuilt mechanism to address its deficiencies and problems. Calling for a "dynamic inbuilt mechanism to address the deficiencies in the judicial system", Modi said: "If we make a mistake, though we have no right, there is remedy in judiciary. "But if you make a mistake, then there is no remedy as there is nothing above you. We have to repeatedly make self appraisal," he said at the inaugural session of a conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts. The conference is aimed at addressing issues relating to the administration of justice in India. The last such conference was held on April 7, 2013. Calling for "qualitative changes" in the judiciary, which he said could be achieved by taking recourse to digital technology, Modi said: "Judiciary should be powerful but perfect as well at the same time. "We are becoming powerful, there is nothing wrong in being powerful, but we should be perfect as well," Modi said.
Uphold constitution in letter and spirit: CJI
Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu, left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, and Indian Law minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda release Indian Legal Glossary during the Joint Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts, in New Delhi on Sunday, April 5. (AP Photo)
Emphasizing the importance of inbuilt mechanism for self-correction, he pointed to criticism that people in the government face for their mistakes and added that judges were lucky not to be exposed to such situations as they enjoy a lot of credibility among the people. Cautioning the judges vis-a-vis the absence of inbuilt mechanism, Modi
said: "Howsoever good a person (occupying a position) may be, but in the absence of institutional mechanism there are always dangers of slide." He said the Right to Information Act and the Lokpal were self imposed statutory restricts on the people running the government. Modi said every care has to be taken so that
people's confidence in the judiciary was not dented as that would cause great damage. "People have a lot of faith in the judicial system of India. We have to think how can we create good law institutions, keeping in mind the needs of the future." The prime minister said: "There is a great responsibility on the judiciary. In fact, we all are the
same kind of individuals carrying out responsibilities as per our potential and capabilities. "But this is not the case with people in the judicial system, what they do is divine. God has sent you to carry out this divine responsibility." Modi called upon the judges of the Supreme Court to review the working of tribunals whose perfor-
New Delhi, April 5 (iANS): Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu on Sunday urged chief justices and chief ministers in states to uphold the constitution in "letter and spirit". "The ultimate goal of all of us is to serve the people of India upholding the letter and spirit of the constitution. Our forefathers have defined and declared our common goal within this sacred constitution," he said in his address to a joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices of the high courts here. Terming the people's faith in the rule of law as the "greatest democratic achievement in nearly seven decades of independence", he said achieving and maintaining rule of law in society was easier said than done. "In a country that is as socially diverse and economically disparate as ours, ensuring access to effective justice is a Herculean task. However, it is important that we consistently engage with this task and constantly re-evaluate the measures we have designed," CJI Dattu said. mance he said was dismal. He said a lot of budgetary allocations were being spent on tribunals but their rate of disposal was a matter of concern. "They (apex court judges) should think whether the tribunals are really effective or just another hindrance (in the justice delivery system). Their working is also a matter of concern," Modi said.
On the conference, he said discussions like these are a "fine example of institutional dialogue", which is very important for the country's democracy. "It is in the highest traditions of democratic governance that two branches of the state have come together to communicate directly with each other. In a task as complex and important as the one we are concerned with today (Sunday), it is important that we are open to suggestions, open to change and open to thinking outside the box," the CJI said. On pending cases in various courts, he said the Supreme Court and various high courts have been taking a wide range of measures to deal with the issue, and arrears committees are being set up in every high court to develop a strategy to clear backlog of cases relevant to local context. CJI Dattu also expressed concern at young people not wanting to join judiciary thinking it was not a financially viable career option.
Calling for the simplification of laws, Modi said the statute book had to be cleared of web of laws which were redundant. He said the central government had decided to erase 700 antiquated laws and another 1,700 laws were being reviewed. He said his wish was to erase one law a day in his fiveyear term. Calling for the training
of judicial officials in forensic sciences, Modi said there was need for trained legal people to draft law to ensure bare minimum gray areas. Talking about pending cases, he said: "We all talk about pendency of cases in courts but have we ever thought the number of hours the judiciary has to spent on them and problems they go through?"
Yemen: 670 more Indians evacuated 'Political class is under scrutiny 24 hrs' Cabinet reshuffle before PM Modi goes to West
New Delhi, April 5 (pti/ht): India on Sunday evacuated 670 more nationals, including 488 from Sanaa by 3 Air India flights, taking the total number of Indians rescued from war-ravaged Yemen to nearly 2,300 after the "largest" evacuation in a day so far from there. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj thanked Air India for its massive effort in 'Operation Raahat' to pull out Indians trapped in several parts of Yemen amid raging fighting. "Air India conducted three successful flights out of Sanaa and evacuated 488 Indians. It was the largest evacuation so far," the spokesperson in external affairs ministry said. He further said that 203 people were evacuated from Ash Shihr - 182 Indians and the rest from seven other coun-
tries - by navy vessel INS Sumitra. INS Sumitra could not make a stop in Al Mukallah port on Saturday and hence it was diverted to the nearest port which was Ash Shihr port, about 25 kms east Northeast of Al Mukallah. The Indians from the fallen city were moved to Ash Shihr port from where they were transferred to the Navy vessel using smaller boats under Operation Raahat, defence sources said adding that the conditions were difficult. Due to the security situation, INS Sumitra had anchored about 3km outside the port. "INS Sumitra is expected to reach Djibouti tomorrow noon. Situation in the area remains grim and as per last reports. All Indians have been evacuated from the Mukallah area," a Navy official said.
New Delhi, April 5 (pti): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said political class was now under the constant scrutiny of media and various other institutions as he advocated for an "inbuilt mechanism" for judiciary to monitor itself. "The news which earlier did not find a place even in a gossip column has now become breaking news. I belong to the community (of politicians), which is under scrutiny for 24 hours,"
the Prime Minister said addressing a conference of High Court Chief Justices and Chief Ministers here. He said we (politicians) have to answer to people after every five years. "The community (of politicians) from which we come has got a lot of bad name. Even being in that community, we have imposed checks on us," he said listing Election Commission, RTI and Lokpal as institutions that keep an
KolKAtA, April 5 (iANS): While nudity is considered taboo in civilised society, a man from West Bengal's Cooch Behar district has not put on a shred of cloth to hide his modesty in the past 43 years -- but is revered and respected by all. Subal Burman can be seen roaming around dring the day in Chandamari village, going for plumbing assignments or stopping at a stall to have a cup of tea after working hard for the day. "Be it rain, summer or winter, I have spent 43 years of my life like this," said Burman. The reason for living life the nudist way is his allergy to clothes. "Wearing clothes made me feel sick, my jaw would get locked," he said. Burman enjoys spending his time with children who often take a ride on his bicycle. While the sight of a naked man may shock outsiders, the villagers rather see him as a godly figure. "We revere him, unless godly you can't do such things," says a woman from the village which is some 700 km from Kolkata. With his long tresses and naked appearance, he may seem to be a hermit. However, he has been a political activist for the past two decades. "I am a BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) activist since 1995. I was brought into politics by (late union minister) Tapan Sikdar and I have great respect for (former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee," says Burman.
New Delhi, April 5 (iANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to undertake a reshuffle of his cabinet before leaving for France, Canada and Germany on April 9, BJP sources said on Sunday. The exercise "will focus on improving governance and accommodating allies", a Bharatiya Janata Party source said. It will be the second reshuffle for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government in the past 10 months. The sources said a leader from election-bound Bihar and one each from the Shiv Sena and the Peoples Democratic Party may be inducted in the council of ministers. Some ministers are likely to be promoted. Ram Madhav, who played a key role in the formation of a BJP-PDP alliance in Jammu & Kashmir, may also get a place in the government.
States to gain Rs.3.35 lakh crore Kejriwal vows to make on coal auctions: Union Coal Sec'y Delhi corruption-free city
KolKAtA, April 5 (iANS): Citing the ongoing coal auctions as a "true example of federalism", union Coal Secretary Anil Swarup on Sunday said the states will be getting a whopping Rs.3.35 lakh crore on account of the coal auctions. "Of the 67 (coal) blocks auctioned and allotted so far, the states will be getting Rs.3.35 lakh crore revenue and another Rs.69,000 crore will be unlocked by way of tariff benefit to the consumers," Swarup told media persons on the sidelines of an interactive event organised here by the Coal Consumers' Association of India. Till the conclusion of the actions held so far, a revenue of nearly Rs.20 lakh crore has been generated. "This is a true example of federalism. In this Saturday, April 4, 2015 photo, Indian nurse Tinu, left, one among the Indians evacuated from Yemen meets her son Febin upon her arrival in Kochi, India. India is evacuating The entire money generated from the its citizens from Yemen amid the growing violence in the Middle Eastern country. (AP Photo) auctions is going to the states while the
The naked plumber
eye on the political class. "How much good a person may be. If the institutional network is not good, there is a possibility of degradation. Parents keep money under lock and key in homes. They do not do it to prevent thieves. Thieves can take away the box itself. They do it so that the habits of children are not spoilt. This is necessary for us also," the Prime Minister said.
union government is organising the auctions," he said. Swarup said that although washeries are featuring in the list of possible bidders for the auction, they will soon be struck off in a forthcoming amendment to the coal bill. Until now, 29 blocks have been auctioned and another 38 has been allotted to the state-owned entities. "We will also allot mines to the individual states for commercial mining," he said. Further, the coal department will allot Chhattisgarh and Odisha dedicated mines to meet their requirements for the sponge iron industry. For the next round of auctions due in the third week of April, a total of 16 blocks will be put up for bidding of which 11 will be for the power sector and the remaining for the "non-regulated sector".
New Delhi, April 5 (iANS) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday pledged to make Delhi among the world's top five corruption-free cities in five years. Saying that his AAP government was dedicated to cleansing Delhi, Kejriwal made the announcement at the re-launch of an anti-corruption helpline 1031 -- to curb bribery in government offices. "We will use technology on a large scale to make Delhi among the top five corruption-free cities in the world in five years," he said. He also alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched against him ever since he led the Aam Aadmi Party to a landslide victory in February. "Ever since our party came to power, a conspiracy is on against me," he said. "Blackmailers and corrupt people have come together to tarnish my image." Without naming anyone, the AAP leader said that anyone could "get fame within 24 hours by abusing" him. It was not immediately if his comments were directed at political parties like the BJP or the Congress or dissidents within the AAP.
Easter celebrated across India in solemn gaiety Morung News Desk
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Dimapur | April 5
hristians across India celebrated Easter Sunday with religious fervour and gaiety. Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ following his crucifixion and Christians believe that the resurrection signifies the victory of Jesus Christ over death and the redemption of mankind from sin. The day was celebrated across the nation with people holding special masses, sunrise and church services for healing, peace and reconciliation. Earlier during the day, sharing his wishes on Twitter, President Pranab Mukherji wrote, "Greetings on occasion of Easter to all fellow citizens & in particular, my Christian brothers & sisters." “Let us follow the inspiring example of Jesus Christ & dedicate ourselves to the service of the weak & downtrodden," the President added. Extending his Easter greetings to people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cited the teachings of Jesus Christ to pitch for creation of a world
that is just and compassionate. “Easter greetings to everyone. May this day further the spirit of harmony and brotherhood in society,” he tweeted. “The teachings of Jesus Christ inspire entire humanity. Let us pledge ourselves to create a world that is just, compassionate and joyful,” he said. Meanwhile across India, the day was celebrated with utmost devotion and enthusiasm. In the state of Mizoram, it was observed with religious solemnity and gaiety by different church denominations. In Aizawl, Band parties of the different corps (local churches) of the Salvation Army ushered in the day this morning by playing ‘He’s Arisen’ and delivering sermons in almost all the street corners since early hours while youth members of the Presbyterian Church organised sunrise service in their respective local churches. Churches like the Presbyterian Church, the Baptist Church and the United Pentecostal Church also held praise and worship programme throughout the day and many local churches organised community feasts to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
In Meghalaya, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mukul Sangma wished that the resurrection day filled the people with the spirit of love, renewed hope and abundant blessings. The Catholic Church organised mass in different cathedrals and community feasts in the local churches as many Catholics, who fasted to signify the sufferings of Christ before and during the crucifixion broke the fast from today. The Archbishop of Guwahati, John Moolachira, led the Easter mass in Guwahati while others celebrated the day in their respective churches with sunrise service and devotion. Christians in Kerala too joined the celebrations of Easter. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and leaders of various political parties greeted Keralites on the occasion. Christians constitute about 23 per cent of Kerala’s population and are mainly concentrated in the central districts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Thrissur. Senior bishops and priests led the Easter masses and read out the Easter message of hope and spiritual revival. Break-
ing the 40-day season of Lent when believers shun worldly pleasures, traditional feasts were arranged in most Christian homes. Starting from Palm Sunday last week, Christians, who form nearly a quarter of Kerala's 33 million people, were busy with rituals and festivities associated with the Holy Week (also known as Passion Week), which ended with Sunday's morning mass. In Tamil Nadu too, Easter was celebrated by Christians with religious fervour and enthusiasm. Midnight and early morning masses were held in all the churches to mark the occasion. Leaders of various political parties, including AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalilthaa, DMK President M Karunanidhi, TNCC President EVKS Elangovan, extended their greetings to the Christian community on the occasion. However in the national capital Delhi, the Christian community celebrated Easter on Sunday with prayers and sumptuous meals, with police providing protection to all major congregations. While some Christians attended the Easter
vigil a day earlier, large numbers of people took part in the morning mass in churches all across the city. Special Commissioner of Police Deepak Mishra said the force had been told to maintain "a strict vigil" at all the churches in the city to avoid any untoward incident. M.S. Stanislaus, secretary of the Federation of Catholic Association, said the recent attacks on some churches here made the government step up security outside Christian institutions. "Before Easter a delegation spoke to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi. Now onward security will be deployed outside every church on every Christian festival," he said. Marking the victory of Jesus Christ over death for the redemption of mankind from sin, Nagaland celebrated Easter by holding special mass for healing, peace and reconciliation within the Naga society. Extending cheerful greetings to the Christian community of the state, Governor P B Acharya said, “Let the day of Resurrection inspire all of us to work with unity and
without any difference in the communities/caste etc.,” adding, “may the spirit of Easter fill us with peace, joy and forgiveness. Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang in his greetings said: “Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his victory over death. For Christians, it is the foundation of our faith. Put aside our differences, and present ourselves before the Lord with gratitude and thanksgiving for what He has done for us.” While special services were also held in Churches across the State, in Kohima, several believers both young and old turned up at the Kohima Easter Sunrise Service at the historic 2nd World War II cemetery under the theme, “He is not here, He has risen!” and prayed that with the power of resurrection the people can be free from fear, division, corruption and guilt. Rev. Dr. Kethozelhou Keyho, general secretary, NBCC delivering his message said the Cross is victory won and resurrection is victory endorsed and demonstrated. (With Agencies input)
InternatIonal
the Morung express
Monday 6 April 2015
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Police: 1 of gunmen in attack that killed 148 was a Kenyan GARISSA, APRIL 5 (AP): The son of a Kenyan government official has been identified as one of the gunmen who attacked a Kenyan college where 148 people were killed, authorities said Sunday. Abdirahim Mohammed Abdullahi, one of the Islamic extremists who attacked Garissa University College, was the son of a government chief in Mandera County, Interior Ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka told The Associated Press. The chief had reported his son missing last year and said he feared that he had gone to Somalia, said Njoka. All four attackers were killed by Kenyan security forces on Thursday, said police. Abdullahi graduated from the University of Nairobi with a law degree in 2013 and was viewed as a “brilliant upcoming lawyer,” according to someone who knew him. It is not clear where he worked before he disappeared last year, Njoka said. To prevent an escalation of Islamic radicalization in Kenya, it is important that parents inform authorities if their children go missing or show tendencies of following violent extremism, said Njoka.
Kenyan Muslim women wearing the Hijab wait in a queue to be checked by security at Kenyatta International Conference Centre during the Islamic Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, Sunday, April 5, 2015. Tight security was in force for the three day Islamic Conference following the Thursday killings by Al-Shabab gunmen at a university in northeastern Kenya. (AP Photo
Somalia’s al-Shabab Islamic militants claimed responsibility for the attack on Garissa college Thursday saying it is retribution for Kenya deploying troops to Somalia to fight the extremist rebels. The news that one of the attackers was Kenyan
came as grieving Christians prayed, sang and clapped hands at an Easter Sunday service at a Catholic church in Garissa. Security forces patrolled the perimeter of Our Lady of Consolation Church, which was attacked by militants almost
three years ago. Grenades lobbed at the building sprayed shrapnel into the interior, injuring some worshippers. Another Garissa church was also attacked that day and 17 people were killed. Sunday’s ceremony was laden with emotion for
the several hundred members of Garissa’s Christian minority, which is fearful following the attack by alShabab, a Somalia-based Islamic extremist group. The gunmen who attacked Garissa University College on Thursday singled out Christians for killing,
though al-Shabab has a long record of killing Muslims over the years. “We just keep on praying that God can help us, to comfort us in this difficult time,” said Dominick Odhiambo, a worshipper who said he planned to abandon his job as a plumber in Garissa and leave for his hometown because he was afraid. “Thank you for coming, so many of you,” Bishop Joseph Alessandro said to the congregation. He said some of those who died in Thursday’s attack would have been at the service, and he read condolence messages from around the world. Alessandro saw a parallel between the ordeal of Jesus Christ, which Easter commemorates, and that of Garissa. “We join the sufferings of the relatives and the victims with the sufferings of Jesus,” he said. “The victims will rise again with Christ.” Alessandro, who is from Malta, first came to Garissa in 1989 and was shot and injured by bandits on a trip outside the town several years later. He said there had been development in recent years in the area, as well as an increase in insecurity because of al-Shabab.
“You don’t know who they are. They could be your neighbors,” he said. A heavy security presence only helps up to a point and more intelligence on the militants is needed, he said. The church service was spirited, combining incense, candles and other traditions with local, upbeat singing styles. Worshippers swayed to the rhythm of the hymns in the simple structure, with latticed walls that let light and a breeze through rectangular openings. Fans mounted above images of the stations of the cross helped to cool the crowd. Birds chirped from the upper reaches of the high ceiling, which consists of metal sheeting. Roseline Oduor said she is worried because the church had been attacked in the past. “Having courage as a Christian, we just have that faith with coming to church,” Oduor said. “We have gone through what Jesus went through.” She said: “When the day comes, you cannot run away from death, whether under a tree, in bed, anywhere.” The Islamic militants said the attack on Garissa college was in retaliation for killings carried out by Kenyan troops fighting the rebels in Somalia.
“No amount of precaution or safety measures will be able to guarantee your safety, thwart another attack or prevent another bloodbath,” said al-Shabab. Following the extremists’ threats, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed to take harsh measures against the Islamic militants. In a nationally televised address, Kenyatta said his administration “shall respond in the severest ways possible” to the Garissa attack, in which four gunmen entered the campus and slaughtered students. The military moved in hours later and the gunmen were killed. “We will fight terrorism to the end,” said Kenyatta. “I guarantee that my administration shall respond in the fiercest way possible.” Kenyatta said the country’s “security forces are pursuing the remaining accomplices. We will bring all of them to justice ... We are also in active pursuit of the mastermind (of the Garissa attack) and have placed a reward for his capture,” said Kenyatta, who declared 3 days of national mourning. Five people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the Garissa attack, a Kenyan official said.
Ex-Premier Zia avoids arrest as Bangladesh court grants bail Pope, thousands brave rain for Easter in St. Peter’s Square DHAKA, APRIL 5 (AP): Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia avoided arrest on corruption charges Sunday after a court granted her bail. Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadder approved Zia’s request for bail when she surrendered to court in the capital, Dhaka. Zia left her office for the first since Jan. 5, when authorities had initially barred her from leaving to attend an anti-government rally calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her archrival. Authorities later said she was free to move to her nearby residence, but Zia refused,
vowing to continue with anti-government protests that have turned violent, leaving nearly 115 people dead since the beginning of the year. Zia’s lawyers have rejected allegations that she illegally collected more than $1 million in donations for a charity during her last premiership in 2001-2006, and say the charges are politically motivated, which authorities deny. The trial began early last year. The court had issued an arrest warrant for Zia in February after she failed to appear to answer the charges against her. Prosecutors on Sunday did not oppose Zia’s bail request.
Zia currently leads a 20-party opposition alliance that has been enforcing a nonstop transportation blockade across the South Asian country since early January to demand that Hasina resign and a new election be called. The blockade began after a year of relative calm following a January 2014 election that was boycotted by Zia’s party. The boycott allowed Hasina to come to power with an overwhelming majority, and she says there is no need for another election before 2019, when her five-year term ends.
Italy rescues 1,500 migrants Thirty people killed in at sea in less than 24 hours storm in Bangladesh
ROme, APRIL 5 (ReUTeRS): Italian navy and coast guard ships rescued around 1,500 migrants aboard five boats in the southern Mediterranean in less than 24 hours, officials said on Sunday. All of the migrants were rescued on Saturday by two coast guard ships and one navy ship in five separate operations, the coast guard said in a statement. Three of the migrants’ boats were in difficulty and sent rescue requests via satellite phones while they were off the coast of Libya. The Italian vessels spotted the other two while heading for the others. The migrants were all transboarded onto the Italian ships and were being taken to either the island of Lampedusa or ports in Sicily, the statement said. About 170,000 migrants entered the European Union through Italy last year by way of the dangerous sea crossing organised by human traffickers, most departing from Libya. More than 3,000 perished. During the first two months of this year, arrivals were up 43 percent versus the same period of 2014, officials have said.
DHAKA, APRIL 5 (IANS): A severe nor’wester has left at least 30 people dead, hundreds injured and a swathe of destruction in a number of Bangladesh districts, an official said on Sunday. North western Bogra district, 197 km from capital Dhaka, accounted for the highest number of 17 deaths in the storm that lashed the area on Saturday night, Xinhua reported. “At least 17 people were killed and 85 others injured when the storm devastated parts of Bogra on Saturday night for half an hour,” Md Shafiqur Rahman, the district’s administration chief, told Xinhua on Sunday.
Malaysian helicopter crash kills PM’s senior aide & former US envoy KUALA LUmPUR, APRIL 5 (ReUTeRS): Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s chief of staff and a former ambassador to the United States, who was also a senior member of Najib’s party, were among six people killed in a helicopter crash near the capital, officials said on Sunday. Witnesses told state news agency Bernama they saw the helicopter explode in mid-air before it crashed into the ground in the town of Semenyih outside Kuala Lumpur late on Saturday. The Prime Minister’s Office said the helicopter was carrying guests back from the wedding reception for Najib’s daughter. Malaysian officials also confirmed that Najib’s chief of staff, Azlin Alias, and lawmaker Jamaluddin Jarjis, a former Malaysian ambassador to the United States, were among those killed in the crash. A grief-stricken Najib told a news conference late on Saturday “no stone will be left unturned” by investigators determining the cause of the crash. “We have lost two figures who had made great contributions to the government, party and country in this tragedy,” Bernama quoted a tearful Najib as saying. He said Jamaluddin had played a significant role in building close ties between Malaysia and the United States. Jamaluddin was also a senior member of Najib’s United Malays National Organisation, the party that has led the coalition that has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957. “His loss is a big tragedy to me and I am deeply saddened by what has happened,” Najib said. The other four killed were identified as businessman Tan Huat Seang, the pilot, co-pilot and a bodyguard. All six bodies were recovered from the wreckage on Saturday night, officials said. Malaysia’s civil aviation department has begun an investigation.
He said most victims died when their houses collapsed, while some were electrocuted by electrical wires from fallen poles. At least 13 more deaths were reported from other districts, including Naogaon, Natore and Pabna. Hundreds of people have reportedly been injured in the affected districts due to the nor’wester -- a local thunderstorm which occurs in India and Bangladesh, with increasing frequency, from March till monsoon establishes over north-east India. During this time, the affected areas suffer violent thunderstorms which can cause considerable damage to life and property.
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 5 (AP): In an Easter peace wish, Pope Francis on Sunday praised the framework nuclear agreement with Iran as an opportunity to make the world safer, while expressing deep worry about bloodshed in Libya, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa. Cautious hope ran through Francis’ “Urbi et Orbi” Easter message, a kind of papal commentary on the state of the world’s affairs, which he delivered from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Square. He had just celebrated Mass in rain-whipped St. Peter’s Square for tens of thousands of people, who huddled under umbrellas or braved the downpour in thin, plastic rain-slickers. Easter day is “so beautiful, and so ugly because of the rain,” Francis said after Mass about Christianity’s most important feast day. He expressed thanks for the flowers which bedecked the square and which were donated by the Netherlands, but the bright hues of the azaleas and other blossoms seemed muted by the gray skies. Francis made his first public comments about the recent framework for an accord, reached in Lausanne, Switzerland, and aimed at ensuring Iran doesn’t develop a
Pope Francis delivers the Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Sunday, April 5. (AP Photo)
nuclear weapon. “In hope we entrust to the merciful Lord the framework recently agreed to in Lausanne, that it may be a definitive step toward a more secure and fraternal world.” Decrying the plentitude of weapons in the world in general, Francis said: “And we ask for peace for this world subjected to arms dealers, who earn their living with the blood of men and women.” He denounced “absurd bloodshed and all barba-
rous acts of violence” in Libya, convulsed by fighting fueled by tribal and militia rivalries. He hoped “a common desire for peace” would prevail in Yemen, wracked by civil warfare. Francis prayed that the “roar of arms may cease” in Syria and Iraq, and that peace would come in Africa for Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan and Congo. He recalled the young people, many of them targeted because they were Christians, killed last week
in a Kenyan university, and lamented kidnappings, by Islamic extremists, that have plagued parts of Africa, including Nigeria. He also cited bloodshed closer to home, in Ukraine, praying that the Eastern European nation would “rediscover peace and hope thanks to the commitment of all interested parties.” Government forces have been battling Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine, months after a cease-fire was proclaimed following international diplomatic efforts. On Good Friday, Francis chastised the international community for what he called the complicit silence about the killing of Christians. On Easter he prayed that God would alleviate “the suffering of so many of our brothers persecuted because of his name.” During Mass, Francis was shielded from pelting rain by a canopy erected outside St. Peter’s Basilica, while prelates carried umbrellas in the yellow and white colors of the Vatican. The downpour petered out to a drizzle, and by the end of the ceremony, the rain had stopped. Francis, wearing a white overcoat, was driven through the square in the open-sided popemobile so he could wave to the faithful.
Afghan woman killed by mob becomes icon for justice, rights KABUL, APRIL 5 (AP): Poets, musicians, actors and activists packed an empty shop in a Kabul mall to commemorate the short life and violent death of a woman who has become a symbol for justice and women’s rights in a country that historically elevates warlords and battlefield heroes to national icons. The name of Farkhunda, beaten to death by a frenzied mob apparently in the mistaken belief that she had burned a Quran, has become a rallying cry for Afghans hoping the shocking incident will lead to profound changes in Afghanistan. Activists say the previously unquestioned power of the religious establishment is being challenged for the first time in Afghanistan’s modern history. Religious leaders and conservative politicians have been forced by the power of public opinion to apologize for trying to justify Farkhunda’s killing. At least one official has been sacked for saying the woman would have deserved her brutal death if she had indeed burned the Muslim holy book. At last week’s Kabul vigil, candlelight illuminated a huge poster of Farkhunda’s blood-reddened
face as an actor recited Shakespeare’s “Seven Ages of Man”, followed by performances of works commemorating her death. Outside, documentary filmmaker Diana Saqeb broke down: “I don’t believe in the humanity of this country anymore,” she said. “It has been more than 10 days, but still I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. These people are killers, no different to the Taliban or Daesh who also kill people in the name of God,” Saqeb said, referring to an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group. The rule of law, said human rights activist Nader Nadery, is in the ascendancy. “This is a turning point for civil liberties that is real. It will be difficult to return to the former status quo when only self-proclaimed religious leaders held the high moral ground at the expense of justice and the constitution,” he said. “If this struggle continues, the outcome will be what the country needs, to make rule of law clear and have religion understood in its place within the context of the law.” Farkhunda, a 27-year-old religious scholar who like many Afghans used only one name, was killed on March 19 after an argu-
ment with a peddler at Kabul’s Shah-Do Shamshira mosque. According to witnesses, she told the man to stop selling amulets to childless women; he shouted to whoever could hear that she had set fire to a Quran. As police watched, and at times participated, Farkhunda was punched, kicked, hit with planks of wood, thrown from a roof, run over by a car and crushed with a block of concrete. Her body was then dragged along a main road, thrown onto the banks of the Kabul River and set alight. The incident, filmed on cellphones and posted on social media, sparked nationwide demonstrations — and vigils around the world. The Interior Ministry says it has arrested 28 suspects and dismissed 19 policemen. Investigations by a presidential commission, which declared Farkhunda innocent of Quran burning, continue. On Thursday, the government ordered the mosque closed until further notice. Sima Samar, head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, said some good may result from Farkhunda’s shocking killing if the perpetrators are punished according to
the law and a professional police force emerges to command public confidence. “It should lead to very positive outcomes but this is a very heavy price to pay,” she said. “If justice prevails and the law is followed, women will also feel safer.” Farkhunda has emerged as an icon for rights and justice campaigners. The now-familiar banners of her battered, bewildered face hang by the riverside mosque, and a green satin flag of martyrdom has been erected near where her body was burned. On the stony bank below, activists planted a pine tree to mark the spot. In Kabul, a coffee shop originally named after Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez has changed its name to the Farkhunda Cafe, said owner Mir Abdullah Miri, who also runs the Afghan Women’s Welfare Foundation, a small non-government organization helping women sell handicrafts to become economically independent. “I have already had to bow to pressure from the local mosque to make it a women’s only cafe because religious leaders do not want men and women mixing together,” Miri said.
At the Cactus Gallery not far away, owner Nasir Neanderthal, who uses his nickname, commissioned local artist Hamid Hassanzada to paint a huge wall mural of a Persian maiden being molested and murdered by black, horned demons. “I try to bring people here to my cafe who are dissatisfied with this society and culture. This mural is a protest against something that happened here in this city, I want it to depict those who became devils and killed a woman,” he said. The Interior Ministry hosted a three-day women’s volleyball tournament in which teams competed for the Farkhunda Cup. In central Ghor province, Juma Gul said she had named her newborn daughter after the dead woman “to keep the memory of Farkhunda alive.” In contrast to politicized figures like former Taliban opponent Ahmad Shah Massoud, whose death two days before the September 11 attacks on the U.S. in 2001 is celebrated annually as Massoud Day, Farkhunda is an icon “chosen by the people, the difference between imposition and choice,” Samar said.
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Monday 6 April 2015
The Morung Express
NbA: Hawks rout Nets, team mark with 57th win ATLANTA, ApriL 5 (Ap): Al Horford and DeMarre Carroll scored 20 points each to help the Atlanta Hawks match a franchise record with their 57th win, beating the Brooklyn Nets 131-99 on Saturday night. However, the Hawks lost forward Paul Millsap to a right shoulder injury in a collision with Brooklyn's Earl Clark with 1:52 left in the first half. There was no foul called on the play which left Millsap sprawled on the floor. He grimaced as he held his shoulder while walking off the court. Millsap did not return and finished with eight points and five assists. The Hawks provided no immediate details on the injury. Jeff Teague added had 17 points as Atlanta never trailed while ending the Nets' season-best six-game winning streak. Bojan Bogdanovic led Brooklyn with 19 points. The Hawks topped their previous season high of 130 points on John Jenkins' 3-pointer with 54 seconds remaining. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer has given his starters generous rest since the team clinched first place in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Hawks returned to a normal rotation against the Nets and looked ready for the postseason while racing to a 66-48 halftime lead. The teams could meet in the playoffs, but Budenholzer said before the game "We can't hold anything back. We're just going to play." Millsap's injury was the only bad news of the first half for the Hawks. Atlanta shot 7 for 12 on 3-pointers in the half and also had stirring jams from Horford and Teague.
Steely Chelsea unfazed by tie chasing pack or Adam stunner
Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap, right, looks to pass as Brooklyn Nets forward Thaddeus Young (30) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game on April 4 in Atlanta. (AP Photo)
Reggie Jackson scored 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, including the winning layup with 5 seconds remaining, and the Detroit Pistons rallied to beat the Miami Heat 9998. Andre Drummond had
11 points and 17 rebounds for his 44th double-double, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 19 points and Anthony Tolliver added 15 for the Pistons. Detroit rallied from 15 down in the fourth and closed with a 21-6 run
over the final 5:36 to get the win. Dwyane Wade scored 24 points and Goran Dragic had 21 for the Heat. Luol Deng added 13 points and Hassan Whiteside had 13 points and 12 rebounds. Marcus Smart hit a
buzzer-beating layup in overtime and the Boston Celtics beat the Toronto Raptors 117-166 and moved into the playoff berths. With 2.6 seconds left and Boston trailing by one, Smart took a pass from a driving Isaiah Thomas and sneaked behind the collapsing Toronto defense to score the winning basket, silencing the sellout crowd of 19,800. Thomas scored 25 points, Tyler Zeller had 20 and Evan Turner added 18 points and 10 assists for the Celtics, who moved onehalf game ahead of Miami in the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth after the Heat's loss at Detroit. Klay Thompson scored 21 points and the Golden State Warriors clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with their 12th straight victory, beating the Dallas Mavericks 123-110. The Warriors (63-13) need one more victory to assure finishing with the best record in the NBA for the first time since 1975-76. They hold the tiebreaker on Atlanta for the top overall seed. Stephen Curry scored 11 points while big men Andre Iguodala and Maurice Speights got into the long-range fun mostly reserved for Splash Brothers Curry and Thompson. Both finished with 18 points. Dirk Nowitzki had 18 points to lead the Mavericks. Also Saturday, the Los Angeles Clippers had a 107-92 win over the Denver Nuggets, the Orlando Magic beat the Milwaukee Bucks 97-90, the Charlotte Hornets edged the Philadelphia 76ers 92-91 and the Washington Wizards topped the Memphis Grizzlies 92-83.
Bayern's Lewandowski returns to haunt Dortmund
dorTMuNd, ApriL 5 (reuTers): Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski scored the vital goal in a tense 1-0 victory over his former club Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Saturday. The win left champions Bayern 10 points clear at the top of the table despite a string of high-profile absentees. Polish forward Lewandowski, who joined the Bavarian giants this season, shrugged off a hostile welcome on his league return to the Signal Iduna Park, heading in the winner on the rebound in the Bundesliga's showpiece game. Victory lifted Bayern to 67 points while Dortmund suffered a setback in their hunt for a Euro-
pean spot, remaining 10th on 33 points following their first defeat in eight league games. Missing injured Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and David Alaba among others, Bayern lacked their usual punching power but they made up defensively by completely shutting out the hosts. "Obviously we fielded a different team, when you are missing players like David, Arjen and Franck," captain Philipp Lahm told reporters. "It was tight until the end but we defended very well although we did not have a lot of possession. "It is always great to win in Dortmund against a team that has been our biggest rivals in the last years." The 80,667 sell-out crowd
had to wait 16 minutes for the first shot on goal in a finely-balanced and physical first half. With a newlook midfield of Lahm, Xabi Alonso and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Bayern gradually found space to go forward while efficiently shutting down space for the hosts. Dortmund had the edge in the second half but, apart from a fine Marco Reus free kick in the 88th that Manuel Neuer did well to save, they struggled to break past a tight Bayern back line on the way to their second home league defeat of the year. Earlier, Borussia Moenchengladbach scored three times in 10 minutes to come from a goal down and demolish hosts Hoffenheim 4-1 to tighten their
Chelsea's Eden Hazard, left, vies for the ball with Stoke's Stephen Ireland during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Stoke City at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Saturday, April 4. (AP Photo)
LoNdoN, ApriL 5 (reuTers): Under pressure from the chasing pack and rocked on their heels by a Charlie Adam bolt from the blue, Chelsea showed cool heads to extend their Premier League lead to seven points on Saturday with a 2-1 home win over Stoke City. When Adam launched a 60-metre missile from inside his own half just before halftime to cancel out Eden Hazard's penalty it could have provoked a few jitters but Chelsea held firm to claim three points after Loic Remy tapped in following a bad mistake from Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic. They have 70 points from 30 games with Arsenal on 63 and Manchester United on 62, both having played a game more. Champions Manchester City can reduce the gap to six if they beat Crystal Palace on Monday, but the reality is that Chelsea need 16 points to win the title for the first time since 2010. The main talking points, however, were Adam's freakish goal and a worrying injury to Chelsea's leading striker Diego Costa who limped off with a hamstring problem shortly after coming on as a halftime substitute. "I don't know but a couple of weeks minimum," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports when asked about the injury to Costa,
hold on a Champions League spot. Second-placed VfL Wolfsburg struggled initially against VfB Stuttgart but two goals from Swiss international Ricardo Rodriguez and another from Andre Schuerrle, his first for the club, earned a 3-1 win. Bayer Leverkusen also took a big step towards a topfour finish, crushing relegationthreatened Hamburg SV 4-0 with two goals from Gonzalo Castro to stay in fourth on 48 points, nine ahead of Schalke 05, in fifth, who are in action at Augsburg on Sunday. Former European champions Hamburg, who were defeated in interim coach Peter Knaebel's debut game, are in 16th place, the relegation playoff spot. LoNdoN, ApriL 5 (AFp): Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam scored one of the greatest goals in Premier League history in his side's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday. noble rhetoric as a peace-loving hen state Home Min- and appealed them to maintain any such attempt. With City trailing 1-0 at From the interactions with power with lofty ideals. However, a Stamford Bridge, Adam ilister Y Patton landed peace and tranquility, besides inin Shamator Subdivi- teracting with the affected people the Chang and Yimchunger lead- little humility would go a long way luminated a drab evening sion HQ under Tuen- taking shelter in nearby villages and ers and sequence of the incidents, in advancing government’s attempt in west London with an ausang district on March 30, a mam- at Shamator town with aids. The it appears that things are not that to find solution through its initiative dacious bolt from the blue moth Yimchunger crowd in their ENLU team led by Medical Minister easy to solve. However, one very of “Tripartite talk.” Humility is dem- in the 44th minute. Taking possession well public ground was waiting to hear P Longon also visited the affected positive development prevailing onstrated by understanding the hisin the district is both Chang and tory, culture, traditions, language, inside his own half, the from him of what the government people with monetary aids. While acknowledging ef- Yimchunger tribes have not ut- and current issues and concerns of Scotland international was thinking about the recent up to see Chelsea clashes between the Chang and forts and contributions of vari- tered any undesirable words so far. the conflicting parties. We have also looked goalkeeper Thibaut CourYimchunger people in the district. ous NGOs and church leaders for They are seen maintaining such a to listen to the views of the conflict- tois had strayed off his line. After three days, the Home helping normalize the situation in maturity and this shows that they ing parties while treating them on Even so it initially Minister visited the Tuensang HQ the areas, the ENLU also appealed understand who they are and what an equal footing. seemed nothing more than If we allow the unrest and tur- a reckless gamble when on April 2 and interacted with the to Chang leaders to show their their future is. The government or for that moil to continue, the region will be- Adam shaped to shoot, yet leaders of various Chang frontal magnanimity as they were the big organizations. They also narrated brothers in the district. They even matter others may try to intervene come a boiling cauldron and a huge his incredible drive from their side of the stories as to how urged the Chang people to call the in the clash and they are, no doubt, security concern for the state gov- 65 yards out arrowed over the unwanted Chang-Yimchunger fleeing Yimchunger people back to good gestures. But the ultimate ernment. As such, the post Chang- Courtois, who could only clashes happened in the district. the Town to live as before and open solution lies between the Chang Yimchunger clashes, constant ef- help the ball into the net as They, however, did not buy the idea channels for “dialogue” between and Yimchunger people who have forts should be there to promote he back-pedalled in a futile that the current issue as “tribal is- them for an amicable and perma- been living as one family and even reconciliation and reconstruction attempt to prevent the wonsue.” “This incident is not a tribal nent solution to their problem. heaven falls, they will continue to with the two tribes so as to prevent der-goal. "It's a great goal to According to intelligence re- live as one family. This is the reality the recurrence of such incidents in score. I saw the 'keeper off issue. It is an issue that started in line, tried an effort and future. In a larger sense, such recon- his a small village due to land dis- port, some underground cadres and they understand it. it went in," Adam said. "I alThe Chang and Yimchunger ciliation and reconstruction needs ways have a look at the goalpute and it should be handled and are trying to penetrate into Tuensolved locally,” said S Ato Chang, sang town to create further prob- people should use the opportu- larger transformation toward man- keeper's position throughformer CKS president. lem which according them will nity of “April 7 Tripartite Talk” to ageable, peaceful relationships and out a match because these They told the Home Minister worsen the already fragile situa- resolve their differences. “Without governance structures. balls move so much. The leaders of Chang and Yimthat they had neither asked the tion in the district. The NSCN (IM) sharing your problems, how can "When you have that Yimchunger people to leave the has already directed its cadres not we know your problems,” Patton chunger tribes should not miss the much space and time it's Tuensang town nor did they have to involve in the current Chang and said while appealing the Yimchun- opportunity to attend the “April-7 nice to do something like any ill-feeling towards Yimchunger Yimchunger issues. ger and Chang people to attend the Tripartite Talk” where govern- that. I was just disappointbrothers till date. The Chang leadIt is reported that the police and “Tripartite Talk.” “Only after know- ment representatives will sit as ed the keeper got a hand on ers urged the state law enforcement paramilitary forces in the district ing your problems, we will be able one of them. They should bring up it! "It was great to get back agencies to arrest the actual culprits are keeping close vigil on all the to move forward for finding solu- all their points across the table and in the game but the biggest responsible for the recent incidents. points suspected to be used by the tion to the problems.” discuss honestly and find the loop- thing is we lost the match." Adam's moment of Yet, there is a perception around holes to plug. There is nothing that Many NGOs including church underground cadres to penetrate magic brought back memleaders have already met leaders of into the Tuensang town. They are the region that the state govern- cannot be resolved. ories of David Beckham's Oken Jeet Sandham famous lob from the halfboth Chang and Yimchunger tribes making coordinated vigil to thwart ment has not acted to live up to its way line against WimbleReaders 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. don in 1996, a goal widely
who had just been passed fit after a similar injury. Mourinho was impressed by Adam's goal. "It was a goal every super player in the world would like to score, from the Messis, to Maradonas to the Peles," he said. While Chelsea have been labouring in recent weeks, Arsenal are showing belated title-winning form and they notched a 10th win in 11 league games in a rout of Liverpool. Brendan Rodgers's side, desperate to boost their top-four ambitions seemed to have weathered an early storm at The Etihad, but collapsed as Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez scored in an eight-minute spell before halftime. CURLING SHOT Jordan Henderson reduced the arrears from the penalty spot but Liverpool had Emre Can sent off for a second booking and Olivier Giroud put the icing on the cake for Arsenal with a superb curling shot in the last minute. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger played down his side's hopes of reeling in Chelsea, although the leaders still have to play Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool. "What we can master now mathematically is the top four, where we will finish," he told reporters. "For the title we need us to be perfect and Chelsea not to be per-
fect, so let's focus on what we can master." Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera scored at the end of each half and Wayne Rooney added a spectacular strike in between as United moved above Man City into third place. "We are looking up and we have to win every week, but anything is possible," United boss Louis Van Gaal said. Liverpool's top-four hopes are fading fast and they are on 54 points in fifth place, seven behind Man City. "It was a game we needed to take something from," Rodgers said. "We didn't defend well enough in key moments of the game." It was a good day for teams striving to avoid relegation. Andy King's scrambled late goal earned bottom club Leicester City a precious 2-1 home win over West Ham United, their first in nine, and 18thplaced Queens Park Rangers crushed 10-man West Bromwich Albion 4-1 for a rare away victory. Hull City's worries deepened, however, after a 3-1 loss at Swansea City. Leicester are still four points adrift of 17thplaced Sunderland who play Newcastle United on Sunday, but QPR are only a point below the relegation cut-off. Everton all but ensured safety with a 1-0 win over Southampton whose hopes of a top-four spot now look forlorn.
regarded as one of the best in the Premier League's 23year history. The stunning strike also earned comparisons with Manchester United star Wayne Rooney's gem against West Ham last season, Xabi Alonso's goal from inside his own half for Liverpool against Newcastle in 2006 and Maynor Figueroa's goal from the halfway line for Wigan against Stoke in 2009. "Charlie Adam! He tried that shot from the halfway line 3 times a game at Lfc. About bloody time!" tweeted Adam's former Liverpool team-mate Jamie Carragher. Adam's rocket wasn't enough for Stoke to earn a
point against the leaders, but Blues boss Jose Mourinho said even legends like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi would have struggled to score a better goal. "It was a fantastic goal, every super player in the world would like to score a goal like that. Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi to all these brilliant players," he said. "Not all of them did score that goal in their careers. But when my goalkeeper plays in the limit of the box he has to read the game and know the quality of the opponent. "Normally he would anticipate a shot like that from the moment we lost the ball, but it's a great goal."
Adam's stunner among best in Premier League history
public discourse
'Tripartite Talk' crucial for solution to Chang-Yimchunger issue
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Monday 6 April 2015
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Colours of Konyak Aoleang celebration
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The Morung Express presents glimpses of the colourful celebration of Konyak Aoleang festival at The Naga Heritage Village, Kisama under the aegis of Konyak Union, Kohima on April 2. (Morung Photos/Chizokho Vero)
One Direction assure fans they're 100% Bon Jovi guitarist, Richie Sambora committed to continuing as a four piece investigated over death threat
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Jessica Simpson sells stake in her fashion brand
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inger-fashion designer Jessica Simpson brokered her most lucrative business deal to date, agreeing to sell a 50 per cent stake of her brand to Sequential Brands Group, Inc. Launching in 2005 and previously managed by the Camuto Group, Simpson's eponymous brand, which includes clothes, shoes, and home goods, rakes in about USD 1 billion dollars in sales annually, reported Us magazine. "I am extremely honoured to partner with Sequential Brands Group to continue the growth and integrity of the Jessica Simpson Collection," she said in a statement. "Working together with the powerful management team at Sequential and with all of our trusted retailers and licensees, including Camuto Group, there is no limit to our success," she added.
he boys have given their first interview since the departure of Zayn Malik. It’s been a tough couple of weeks for One Direction and the group’s legion of fans, but it seems the boys are beginning to come to terms with Zayn Malik's exit. Speaking for the first time since Zayn's departure, the band assured fans they would continue, despite going from a five piece to a four some in the past month. Speaking to The Sun newspaper Liam Payne said, “We’re gutted that Zayn chose to leave but now after a few performances as a four piece, we’re feeling confident and are determined to carry on stronger than ever.” The 21 year old also added that he past few weeks had "probably been the toughest" in the band's five year history. But despite the hard times this is by no means the end for the world’s biggest boyband. "All four of us are 100% committed to staying in 1D,” Louis Tomlinson add-
Bon Jovi guitarist, Richie Sambora, is under investigation by police after his exgirlfriend files a report alleging he physically assaulted her and threatened to make her "disappear".
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ed. The group were speaking from Dubai as they prepared to take a break from the road after performing the last gig of their current tour. Harry Styles, who had been pictured being particularly emotional on stage after Malik’s departure, also told the newspaper the
band were now working on their next record. Calling the album a tribute to the fans, Styles added it was, "A huge thank you to them for everything they've done for us all. All the love to them.” Since announcing his departure from One Direction on March 25th, Zayn
Avril Lavigne on life after Lyme disease Singer Avril Lavigne opens up about the devastating disease that kept her bedridden for months – and how she's fighting to recover
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hough a severe case of Lyme disease left Avril Lavigne bedridden five months, the singer says she's surprisingly thankful for the experience. "Sometimes it takes instances like this to put things in perspective," says Lavigne, 30. "So in a way, I am grateful for all of this." For the singer – who has worked nonstop since she was 17 when her debut album Let Go went platinum – being forced to step away from work was a blessing and changed her priorities. "I've never had this much time off in my life," she says. "And I've never been more clear about what I want in life – health, family, love, happiness." Her illness, which she contracted
sometime last spring, also forced her to make some positive changes to her lifestyle. "[My diet is] sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, all organic. I juice three times a day," says Lavigne, who adds that she is about "80 percent" better now. "I do yoga, meditate and try to swim or walk every day. It's really up and down – you get better, then you get worse, then better." Moving forward, she's hoping to use her experience – which included many frustrating months of being undiagnosed despite consultations with several doctors – to inform others. "I'm a very private person," she says. "But I can't just sit here and do nothing. I want to help people, and the first thing is bringing more awareness to Lyme disease … People don't really talk about the disease, and help can be minuscule." And she's also using her music to benefit a good cause: Her new single "Fly" will be released in April in support of the 2015 Special Olympics.
is said to be working on solo material, heading to the studio with producer Naughty Boy. The 22 year old is thought to be currently enjoying a holiday with fiancee Perrie Edwards, who he’s been pictured looking loved up with in the South of France.
ichie Sambora's ex-girlfriend, Nikki Lund, has claimed he threatened to kill her. Lund has filed a police report in which she alleges 55-yearold Sambora physically assaulted her and issued threats against her life in a series of phone calls. The report was filed in Calabasas, California on Wednesday (1st April) after Lund reportedly called police out to her home. A representative for the LAPD confirmed a report had been made and that they are currently investigating the allegations. "The incident is under investigation," a spokesperson told People. "The victim didn't come to the station. It was a call for service... We do have a person of interest, but we are not saying who it is. The detective just got the case this morning." Although the police spokesperson gave few details about the incident, a source close to Lund claimed Sambora had hit her and threatened her life. "He's been physically abusive to her and hit her in the chest at a meeting [in January]. This left her bruised and shaken up," the source said, as People reports. "After this, he reTweeted something about Nikki being a nobody and a drug addict, and then started calling her cell and threatening her saying, 'I will make you disappear. I have millions of dollars and I can make people disappear - you are nothing.'" Sambora, best known for being the lead guitarist and founder of rock band Bon Jovi, has denied the allegations against him. His representative issued a statement in which he described the allegations as a "cluster of fabricated lies". The representative further
claimed Lund had only filed the report after Sambora refused to continue financing their joint business venture. "This is a cluster of fabricated lies in retaliation for Mr Sambora's decision to cease further funding of the unprofitable partnership, plain and simple," Sambora's representative said. The former couple have reportedly been dating on-and-off for more than a decade. Lund and Sambora have been
business partners for a number of years and they have worked together on Lund's own fashion line, Nikki Lund Clothing. Sambora's representative has suggested their business disagreement is relatively recent, dating from less than two weeks ago. Their relationship appears to have been amicable until fairly recently with Lund posting on Instagram in January, describing Sambora as her "partner and bestie."
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Serena strolls to eighth Miami title Ronaldo scores five as
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Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, left, and Serena Williams, pose for photographers with their trophies after the women's final at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Saturday, April 4, in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo)
MiaMi, april 5 (reuters): Serena Williams won her eighth Miami Open title with little trouble, enjoying a 6-2 6-0 win over Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro in just 56 minutes
on Saturday. The victory was the world number one's third consecutive title at Miami and she becomes just the fourth woman in the openera to win the same tourna-
ment eight times, joining Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Steffi Graf. "It feels really good to have eight under my belt. I can't say I thought I would win eight, especially in the
beginning of the week," Williams told reporters. The American had to pull out of Indian Wells before her semi-final due to a knee injury and there had been doubt over her participation at Miami. "It just feels really weird," said Williams, "and I'm happy to be able to get through it." In bright sunshine at Key Biscayne, the 12th seeded SuĂĄrez Navarro started with determination but Williams broke to go 4-2 up in the first and never looked back as she went on to win 10 straight games. Williams broke again at the end of the first set and the second was barely a contest with the Spaniard winning just five points. The American, a 19-times grand slam champion, produced some magnificent winners, 27 in all, and her powerful serve delivered seven aces. The win also extended Williams' winning streak at premier mandatory level matches to 46. The most titles won at a single event is 12 by Navratilova at Chicago but Williams, 33, appeared horrified at the suggestion she might manage four more in Miami. "I hope not because I would still be here and I would be how old?" she said, counting on her fingers. "No. Let's pray that I don't get to 12." Given the one-sided nature of the final and the lack of real competition for Williams, who has been world number one for over two years, she might not be the only one.
Chen, Carolina win titles in Malaysia Open
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Real crush sorry Granada
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, celebrates with team mate Marcelo after scoring a goal during a La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Granada at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 5. (AP Photo)
BarCelONa, april 5 (ap): Cristiano Ronaldo erupted for his first five-goal game on Sunday, ending all talk of a dry spell as the Real Madrid star fueled a 9-1 demolition of Granada to keep the pressure on Spanish league leader Barcelona. Ronaldo followed Gareth Bale's opener by netting his first three goals in a stunning eight-minute span to decide the match before halftime at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Ballon d'Or holder added two more goals after the break as Karim Benzema also netted a pair in one of the club's most lopsided wins. Madrid hadn't scored nine goals in a league match in 47 years. Its biggest league victory remains an 11-2 thrashing of Elche in 1960. Madrid and the Spanish league said this was the first time Ronaldo had scored five goals in a match and it came after a two-month stretch when the Portugal star was merely extremely good after his spectacular year in 2014. That re-
cent dip in form had even earned him unexpected criticism as Lionel Messi took over as the league's most in-form scorer. Usually protective of his players, Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Saturday that Ronaldo "had lowered his productivity" in the past two months as Madrid lost its league lead to Barcelona. Ronaldo responded in emphatic fashion by netting his 43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th and 47th goals in his 41st game of the season in all competitions. Ancelotti was almost left without words after the match. "What more can be said?" Ancelotti asked. Ronaldo's outburst moved him ahead of Messi in their individual duel to lead the scoring this season with 36 goals to the Barcelona forward's 32. Ronaldo's 28th game with three-or-more goals for Madrid increased his career tally with the club to 300 goals in 287 games. Only Alfredo Di Stefano with 308 goals in 396 games
and Raul Gonzalez with 323 in 741 have more goals in club history. Madrid's win came one round after losing at Barcelona and pulled it to within one point of the pacesetter before it visits Celta Vigo later. In other games, Valencia needs to beat Villarreal to recover third place and Deportivo La Coruna visits Getafe. Madrid defender Marcelo said his team showed no mercy out of "respect" for its opponent. "We started the game with a great attitude and never stopped," Marcelo said. "We knew to respect Granada until the end and that's why we scored so many goals." Granada goalkeeper Oier Olazabal's long day began in the 25th minute when Bale won Toni Kroos' throughball and was all alone to dribble around Olazabal and poke the ball home. Five minutes later James Rodriguez marked his first game in two months after recovering from a broken right foot with an exquisite pass to set up Ronaldo for his first goal.
Sunil Narine cleared to play in IPL after BCCI nod
(LEFT) China's Chen Long, right, along with his compatriot and runner-up Lin Dan, poses with the trophy after their men's single final at the Malaysia Open badminton tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sunday, April 5. (RIGHT) Winner Spain's Carolina Marin, right, and runner-up China's Li Xuerui, left, pose after their women's singles final match at the Malaysia Open badminton tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, April 5. (AP Photos)
Kua l a lu M p u r , april 5 (iaNs): China's Chen Long and Spain's Carolina Marin clinched the men's and women's singles titles, respectively, in the $500,000 Malaysia Open Superseries Premier badminton tournament at the Putra Stadium here on Sunday. Reigning World champion Long overcame compatriot and five-time World
champion Lin Dan 20-22, 21-13, 21-11 in an hour and 18 minutes. The win helped World No.1 Long improved his head-to-head record to 2-7 against the two-time Olympic champion Dan. In the women's singles final, current World Champion Carolina got the better of China's Olympic champion Li Xuerui 19-21, 2119, 21-17 in an hour and 11
minutes. World No.2 also improved her career meetings record to 2-3 against the World No.3 Xuerui, who on Saturday ended India's Saina Nehwal campaign in the semi-final. In the women's doubles final, the Chinese pair of Luo Ying and Luo Yu overwhelmed South Koreans Chang Ye Na and Jung Kyung Eun 21-18, 21-9 in 54
minuts. The mixed doubles final was an all-Chinese affair. Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei outplayed Xu Chen and Ma Jin 21-16, 21-14 in 45 minutes. The Indonesian men's doubles pair of Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan won 14-21, 2115, 23-21 over South Korea's Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeon Seong.
CheNNai, april 5 (pti): Sunil Narine was today cleared to play for defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming Indian Premier League after the BCCI's review committee dealing with suspect action gave the West Indian spinner a clean chit. Narine was first called for a suspect action last October during a KKR match in the Champions League T20. The review committee, comprising S Venkatraghavan, Javagal Srinath and AV Jayaprakash examined the bowling action of Narine after he had undergone
a biomechanical assessment at the ICC-accredited SRMC centre here. Narine had taken a retest at Sri Ramachandra University on Thursday where he was put through various tests by the panel headed by former Indian fast bowler Srinath. "The committee concluded that Sunil Narine, who had remodelled his bowling action, was within the ICC approved limits for all types of deliveries that were assessed and has hence recommended to the BCCI, that his name may be removed from the warning list of bowlers with
suspect action," the BCCI said in a statement. Narine will now be available for selection for the defending champions, who play the tournament opener against Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. KKR CEO Venky Mysore was expectedly delighted with Narine being cleared of suspect action. "Greatly relieved and happy for Sunil Narine. Sincere thanks to president and secretary of BCCI and the committee for the positive outcome," Mysore tweeted after BCCI made their decision official.
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Olazabal was partly at fault for Ronaldo's next two goals. Ronaldo got his second when he blasted in a short clearance by Olazabal in the 36th before he drove a long strike through Olazabal's hands in the 38th for his hat trick. Ronado's treble was not the fastest of the season. Rayo Vallecano's Alberto Bueno notched three goals in six minutes before scoring a fourth in a 4-2 win over Levante in February. Benzema got into the act with a goal in the 52nd. Ronaldo headed in Bale's pass two minutes later, and Benzema's deflected shot found the net in the 56th. Roberto Ibanez scored for Granada in the 74th. But Diego Mainz scored an own goal with seven minutes left before Ronaldo got his final goal against Granada's demoralized defense in the 90th. "This is the biggest blow I have ever had, either as a player or a coach," said Granada's veteran manager Abel Resino, whose team was left in the relegation zone.
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2nd 10 Northern Angami-1 T20 BASH Kohima Village Ground, Ziekiezou
Semifinals (April 6) High School Daredevils vs P. Khel Eagles @9:00 AM T. Khel Knights vs North Block Warriors @1:00 PM
Kane subdued as Spurs draw at Burnley
BurNleY, april 5 (ap): Harry Kane delivered a subdued performance in his first game as Tottenham captain, with a 0-0 draw at Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday hurting his team's slim hopes of Champions League qualification. The 21-year-old Kane has been a revelation in his breakthrough season, scoring a joint-high 19 league goals and also on his debut for England last week, but he was starved of service against relegation-threatened opponents at Turf Moor. Burnley created the better chances, with club top scorer Danny Ings forcing two saves from Spurs goalkeeper Michel Vorm in the first half. Christian Eriksen drove Tottenham's best opportunity over the crossbar in the 69th. Sixth-place Tottenham moved level on points with Liverpool and is provisionally seven points behind fourth-place Manchester City, which has a game in hand.
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