December 23th, 2014 by The Morung Express

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The Morung Express

Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 353

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And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time

Jackie Chan’s Nitish, Son Jaycee Mulayam, Lalu slam PM Modi charged over drug offence [ PAGE 08]

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Nagaland to observe National Consumers Day [ PAGE 2]

Fatal shooting reported at Myanmar mine protest [ PAGE 9]

[ PAGE 11]

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4 – Jesus Christ

Liverpool scores late for draw vs Arsenal [ PAGE 12]

100 years in, dreaming of the next 100 Western Rengma people of Assam commemorate 100 years of Christianity Morung Express News Karbi Anglong | December 22 American Baptist missionaries first came to what is now the North East of India in 1836. In their original endeavour to take the gospel to China and Burma, they stumbled upon the ‘hill peoples’ of the region. In 1914, the first Western Rengma person in Assam was baptized, laying the eventual foundation for the conversion of all Western Rengma people to Christianity. From December 19-21, the Rengma people in Assam celebrated 100 years of Christianity taking root in their soil under the theme ‘From Darkness to Light.’ “No one has seen god but if we love each other, his love is perfected in us,” said Rev. Taku Longkumer of the American Baptist International Ministries while giving his message to the Western Rengma people. The centenary celebration was organized by the Western Rengma Baptist Association (WRBA) at its Christian Centre in A-Jongpha village, where more than a thousand Rengma people, old young men women, gathered to stay together in makeshift camps and pray for everyone’s well being. In attendance were people of other origins—Karbi, Tiwa, Garo, Bodo, Nepali, Adivasi and Assamese—to celebrate the occasion together. “You need to love and trust each other and let the love of god be passed on from one to the other. Only love can overcome fear,” Rev. Taku exhorted the gathering on December 21 while speaking on ‘Enmity to Love.’ Churches here today, he said, are not

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

(LEFT) Oldest surviving Western Rengma elders, two of them over 100 years of age, in front of the monolith erected in commemoration of 100 years of Christianity having taken root in their soil. (RIGHT) The Centenary Choir practices hymns before presenting them to the 1000+ audience that gathered at the WRBA compound, A-Jongpha, Karbi Anglong, from December 19-21. (Morung Photos)

shining, overcome by darkness, asking them to rise above blaming others, and spread the love of god and his message. It is good to honour and remember those who have come before us in the past 100 years, reflected Katie Longkumer of the American Baptist International Ministries in her greetings, but this is also “a time to dream what god wants to do to us, through us, in the next 100 years.” She urged the Rengma people to take forward the vision left incomplete by the American missionaries of yore. Significance of Christianity There will be “untold development,” said Dr. Eli Seb Rengma in the next 100 years “if we lead a true Christian life.” Dr. Eli is the grandson of the first person, Lt. Serisheng Sebu, who was baptized by American missionary Rev. JM Carvell, along with Lt. Jokhen Sebu, in 1914. They were the first persons to be sent to a mission

Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your anSwer to 9862574165 Are Nagas losing the spirit of Christmas to commercialization? Yes

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Governor extends Christmas greetings

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KOhimA, December 22 (DiPr): Nagaland state Governor, PB Acharya has extended his warmest greetings to the people of Nagaland for Christmas 2014. “On the occasion of Christmas, I extend my warm greetings to the people of Nagaland. Christmas is an occasion to renew the bonds of love, tolerance and compassion as has taught by Jesus Christ to the world. The celebration of Christmas re-assures the believers of Christ to live on the principle of humanity,” the Governor stated in his message. “May the celebration bring peace, happiness, progress and prosperity to everyone,” he added.

ligion has kept the strength in people to survive on the path from their insecure homes to being displaced persons at camps to making the anxious journey back home, this was the first occasion that brought them all together with Karbi leaders who gave the message of reconciliation and peace. “The Rengmas and Karbis have lived together for years now. In the past 100 years, we have shed violence and learned to live as brothers and sisters,” highlighted Rev. Davidson Ingti, general secretary of the Karbi Anglong Baptist Convention. Some of the first missionaries and teachers in the Rengma villages in Assam, he informed, were Karbi people. Stressing that the recent violence was “not a war between tribes,” Rev. Ingti said that this centenary has been a platform to come together for more Coming Together It has been a year since the West- peace rallies, “a commemoration of ern Rengma people faced violent god’s love towards Rengmas in parconflict on home ground. While re- ticular and Karbi Anglong in general.” through the church,” she listed out optimistically. Violence reduced, “bad traditions” were shed for the “good traditions,” like sacrifice rituals that were becoming economically unviable for the people. But there were downsides. “We could not preserve much of our traditional practices due to Christianity. Our ancestors could not differentiate between religion and culture,” reflected Dr. Eli, noting how “religion and culture mingle.” Dialects have been lost in the process as have rich folklore projected through songs. “We don’t even know how to weave baskets anymore!” He suggested that this must be changed and people given incentives to teach traditional arts and values, as well as learn them.

PMO note says Christmas is working day for govt Opposition urges Modi to speak on conversion issue

New Delhi, December 22 (AgeNcies): A wishlist sent out to ministries by the Prime Minister's Office on celebrating "good governance day" on December 25 suggests it could be a working Christmas for many in the government. Sources said a detailed plan and directive from the government could follow. It is former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 90th birthday on Thursday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that it would be observed as "good goverI am not feeling the Christ- nance day." mas spirit, I need to shop The PMO note suggests that minsome more. isters and MPs should visit "sensitive The Morung Express districts and organise events on good

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school in Golaghat to study, where they were baptized. With the help of missionaries, the first school at Shaho village (Lolashunyu) was set up; eventually the first church was established in the Western Rengma areas in 1932. “Without Christianity I might not have been alive today, falling to alcohol, sickness or head hunting,” said Dr. Eli, the second medical doctor to have come out of the Western Rengma areas. His father was the first reverend, he informed. Women, like his mother, he noted, were not allowed to be educated before, and Christianity according to him has helped bridge that gap. After Christianity came, “we women felt more empowered and confident to educate our children,” corroborated Elisa Seb, vice president of the women’s department of the WRBA. “We learnt how to interact with outsiders, learning hospitality. We started becoming leaders

For Benting Teron, chairman of the Karbi Anglong Peace Forum as well as executive secretary of Nihang Karbi Baptish Association, more awareness needs to be raised among the people for “peace in our land.” “We need reconciliation but first we have to allow healing,” he said. Since the violence took place last year, no investigation has taken place, he informed, and only a sense of bitterness prevails. “Through this centenary celebration, I request Rengma leaders to help spread the light of the gospel to the Karbi people—this will help maintain peace,” he suggested, highlighting how the Rengma people might have achieved 100% Chrisitianity, but only about 15% of the Karbi people are Christian today. “The message should be sent out that the Karbi and Rengma people are one, and nothing can separate us,” he maintained. In the past year, the churches initiated measures to address both the Rengma and Karbi people at a time when fear prevailed. The WRBA, along with its Karbi associates, put together exchange programs, for instance, wherein each of its 17 affiliated churches attended services at Karbi churches and vice versa. “Christianity gave our people hope to survive when they were confused and panic stricken—our Christian brothers and sisters helped us then,” recalled Phenpiga H. Rengma, president of the Rengma Naga Students’ Union, which was at the forefront of working with the survivors of December 2013. “Centenary is a time to reconcile and renew relationships. This program has been successful because Karbi leaders addressed the Rengma people, giving the message of love. The sound system came from the Karbis, and they even presented songs,” said Nshenthang Jishing, president of the WRBA, proud that the celebration had achieved its theme in bringing people together, from darkness to light.

governance and sanitation on December 25" and also organise other events. It has also suggested holding seminars with eminent speakers, egovernance camps and promoting digital literacy on that day. A detailed circular from the Department of Personnel and Training is expected soon, which is likely to calendar Thursday's activities for ministers and government employees on Christmas Day- a gazetted holiday. There has already been controversy over an Education Ministry circular on students' participation in activities for good governance day, but the government has clarified that

schools will be closed for Christmas as usual. Sources have however not ruled out the participation of students on what is being called a "voluntary basis." Ruling party BJP wants representatives to share the NDA government's achievements with the people that day and to draw parallels between the six-year rule of the Vajpayee government and the first six months in office of the current Narendra Modi government. The BJP's lawmakers have also been told to include a two-hour cleanliness drive and a feedback session with citizens in their constituencies on Christmas, sources said.

India may end support to Palestine at UN Move marks tectonic shift in foreign policy New Delhi, December 22 (AgeNcies): In what is seen as a major shift in foreign policy, India may abstain from voting in favour of the Palestinian cause at the UN General Assembly, The Hindu reported on December 21. The Modi government is expected to take the step, which is seen as a decisive one in the light of India’s efforts at strengthening relations with Israel. At the same time, this fundamental alteration in foreign policy may raise concerns in West Asian capitals. India was one of the first non-Arab countries to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as “the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.” Mahatma Gandhi had remarked: “Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong

and inhuman to impose the Jews on the Arabs... Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home.” A PLO office was opened in New Delhi in 1975. In 1980, full diplomatic relations were established between the two nations. In 1996, India opened a Representative Office in Gaza. In 1995, India pledged US $1 million in aid to Palestine and followed it up with an additional $1 billion in 1996. India also accepted Palestinian refugees from Iraq in 2006, many of whom were later resettled in Sweden. In October, Sweden officially recognised the state of Palestine. In 2006, India issued a strong statement against the Israeli invasion of Gaza, describing the use of force as “disproportionate and excessive." In July, when Israel mounted an offensive on Gaza in attacks that killed an estimated 2,200 people, India had reiterated that its Palestine policy remained unchanged and urged the two sides to talk. At the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in New

York in September, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India, as the founding member of NAM, remained committed to the Palestinian cause. However, India’s ties with Israel have grown from strength to strength since 1991, when the two countries established diplomatic relations. In 2000, Jaswant Singh, Foreign Minister in the NDA government under Prime Minister Vajpayee, became the first Indian foreign minister to visit Israel. In 2003, Ariel Sharon became the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit India. However, even the Vajpayee government made no changes to India's voting record at the UN. Currently, India is the largest customer of military equipment from Israel. The West Asian country is India’s second largest military partner after Russia, with the military business between the two countries estimated at around US $9 billion. In this climate marked by deep investment in each other by both countries, the Palestinian cause could emerge a casualty.

New Delhi, December 22 (AP): Opposition lawmakers, charging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done little to stop hard-liners in his party from forcibly converting religious minorities to Hinduism, threw Parliament into an uproar Monday, with the upper house repeatedly adjourned after descending into shouting matches. Right-wing Hindu groups allied with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have conducted a series of ceremonies across India over the past week to convert Christians and Muslims to Hinduism. Some of the Muslims, though, later said they had changed religions out of fear, raising the specter of religious communalism and a growing political divide in a country that has struggled for years with intermittent HinduMuslim violence. Modi, an avowed Hindu nationalist and longtime member of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Dal, one of the two main groups behind the conversions, has remained mostly silent on the issue. On Sunday, members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or World Hindu Council, converted 30 Christians to Hinduism in the southern Indian state of Kerala. In the western state of Gujarat, the VHP said 200 Christians had participated in weekend "homecoming" ceremonies. Similar conversions were performed earlier this month in the north-

ern state of Uttar Pradesh, where around 100 Muslims converted to Hinduism. Many, though, said later that they were threatened with violence if they didn't go along, and that they were promised government ration cards and money if they did become Hindus. Hindu hard-line organizations were key political backers of Modi, who was voted into office earlier this yearinavictoryoverthelongpowerful Congress party. Since his election, the hardline groups have become increasingly vocal, calling for the transformation of India into a Hindu nation. "We are going to take the percentage of Hindus to 100 percent in the country," Praveen Togadia, a VHP leader, said in a weekend speech. "We won't tolerate Hindus becoming a minority in the country." Indian Muslims have long been wary of Modi. In 2002, he was accused of failing to stop anti-Muslim riots that shook Gujarat state, where he was then the top elected official. The violence left at least 1,000 people dead. Modi has rejected the accusations, and India's Supreme Court has said that it found no evidence to prosecute him. Some Christian groups say fear has also been spreading in their communities. Early this month, a Roman Catholic church was burned in New Delhi in a suspected case of arson. Last week, a group singing Christmas carols was at-

tacked in the southern city of Hyderabad. Meanwhile, as members of Parliament have battled over the past week about the conversions and the statements by Hindu leaders, Modi has barely mentioned the issue at all. "The prime minister's silence has been deafening," said Dominic Emmanuel, a spokesman for the New Delhi Archdiocese. "If Modi does not speak up now, the situation is going to slip out of his hands." Christians account for about 2.3 percent of India's 1.2 billion people and largely coexist peacefully with Hindus. About 14 percent of Indians are Muslims. Education minister, Smriti Irani, caused an uproar a couple of weeks ago when she suggested canceling the Dec. 25 school holiday so students could attend classes on good governance. That idea was quietly scuttled. Opposition lawmakers say Modi's silence is damaging the secular nature of Indian society and the religious freedoms guaranteed by the country's constitution. The upper house of Parliament was repeatedly adjourned Monday after opposition lawmakers demanded that the prime minister clarify his position on the conversions. The impasse in Parliament has paralyzed a series of key bills, stalling government efforts to overhaul the economy and boost growth.

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Dimapur

Tuesday 23 December 2014

Officials inspect CM’s new bungalow

The Morung Express LocaL Nagaland to observe National Consumers Day

Kohima, December 22 (me xN): Nagaland along with the rest of the country is all set to observe National Consumers Day on December 24. The Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection department is the nodal department for the protection

of the consumer rights of the consumers in the state. The Legal Metrology Act & Rules and the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 were enacted by the Government of India and are being implemented and enforced by the department for the protection of consumers from exploita-

tion by unscrupulous traders and to save consumers from sub-standard goods and services. Consumers can directly lodge their consumer complaints to the office of the Assistant Controller of Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection in the districts

in case of any grievances or the various consumer courts such as the District Consumer Forum in the districts or the Nagaland State Commission. Consumers may also seek assistance or guidance on consumer related queries from the office of the

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Nagaland State Consumer Helpline through the toll free No. 1800-345-3701 or phone no. 0370-2292232. This was stated in a release issued by Bizo M. Kuotsu, joint controller & HoD, Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection, Nagaland, Kohima.

APO pre-Christmas held

Principle Secretary to CM, Temjen Toy IAS, Finance Secretary Y. Kikheto Sema IAS and Chief Engineer Housing Chanbemo Lotha inspects the ongoing construction work of Chief Minister’s bungalow on December 22. (DIPR Photo)

Kohima, December 22 (DiPr): The Principle Secretary to CM, Temjen Toy IAS, Finance Secretary Y. Kikheto Sema IAS and Chief Engineer Housing Chanbemo Lotha inspected the ongoing construction work of Chief Minister’s bungalow on December 22. The contractors were requested to complete the work at the earliest as Chief Minister intends to shift to the new bungalow next year. The officials also inspected the construction of 11 quarters for Cabinet

Ministers near 4th NAP Thizama Police Hq. The officials inspecting the site hoped that the 11 Cabinet Ministers shall be able to shift to the new quarters by July 2015. The contractors assured the officials that they will complete the construction work of 11 Cabinet Ministers quarters within 6 to 7 months. The Housing Department and concerned Engineers in charge of the ongoing construction works have been directed to report on the progress of the work from time to time.

WASU 41st general conference

Kohima, December 22 (mexN): The Western Angami Students’ Union (WASU) will hold its 41st Biennial General Conference on January 13 at Khonoma Village under the theme “Each One, Teach One” to be host by the Khonoma Students’ Union. The chief guest for the one day conference will be Kiyanilie Peseyie, Hon’ble Minister, So-

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cial Welfare, Government of Nagaland and Salhoutuonuo Kruse, Advisor, Angamimiapfü Mechü Krotho (AMK) as the Guest of Honour. All the Members of Western Angami Students’ Union (WASU) are mandatory to attend the programme positively. Senior Student’s Leaders and well wishers are also invited to attend the programme.

Postal Life Insurance Mela held at Dimapur DimaPur, December 22 (mexN): A Postal Life Insurance Mela cum distribution of infrastructural equipments to the Branch Post Offices under Dimapur Sub Division was conducted on December 19 in Dimapur. Speaking at the Mela, the Director Postal Services, Nagaland, Som Kamei (IPS) exhorted the employees and the participants that Postal Life Insurance is India’s Oldest Life Insurance Scheme with a nationwide cover and proven reliability. Postal Life Insurance have different Plans to suit the pockets of salaried employees of Central/ State, Government undertaking and the Rural people. It is 100% money guaranteed protection of any policyholders. The exclusive investment schemes are Tax Free, Risk Free and Tension Free. Som Kamei (IPS)

also shared his official experience that he had obtained during his recent refreshing training held at Europe. He motivated the employees and the participants for Productivity Change Management in Life. As part of the change management and modernization program of the Post Offices in Nagaland, 150 (one hundred fifty) Branch Post Offices were provided with the basic infrastructural equipments like Table, Chair, Steel Almirah, Notice Board and wall clock etc. All the Branch Post Offices of Dimapur and Peren Districts has been covered by the program, while Mon District will be covered by January, 2015 Under Dimapur Sub Division. A special song was presented by a Postal Employee Mallabika Kachari, Winner of Naga Hindi Voice, first season- 2014.

Kohima, December 22 (mexN): On December 20, 2014 the APO office bearers held a pre-Christmas get together at Phesama Village. The APO wishes all the communities, residing under APO jurisdiction, a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. The

APO reminded that the birth of Jesus Christ has brought ‘Peace and Love’ to the world. The APO also appealed to all the people in the State and particularly in the Angami area to maintain peace, harmony and have a joyful festive season.

DGU extends Christmas Greetings DimaPur, December 22 (mexN): The Dimapur Gorkha Union extends heartiest Christmas Greetings to the people of Nagaland. May the birth of Lord

Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace bring joy and happiness in every family. The Dimapur Gorkha Union Wishes a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Thenyizumi Christian Revival Church golden jubilee

Kohima, December 22 (mexN): The Thenyizumi Christian Revival Church will have its church dedication cum golden jubilee celebration from December 27 to 28 under the theme “Liberty through Christ.” Rev. Dr. N. Paphino Angami, president NCRC will grace the occasion as golden jubilee minister and Rev. Vevozo

Khamo, executive secretary CCRCC as church dedication minister. Greetings will also be shared by Rev. Zhowhiiyi Nyekha, Sr. Pastor CCRC Upper PWD Kohima and Ngoswuyi Lohe, chairman CCRCC. During golden jubilee celebration, pronouncement of blessings will be made by N. Theyo, first concert.

DIPR feature | December 22

Visual art as a medium of expression is most versatile to convey messages on issues relevant to the society and the Nagaland Arts Society wishing to create better awareness for our environment through art chose the theme ‘Gifts of Nature’ to showcase a collection of paintings and also to organize a students’ painting competition on the same theme. The state of Nagaland is endowed with a wonderful treasure of natural wealth and beauties. The greatest loss we face today in seen in the rampant depletion of our forests, flora and fauna which comes either from ignorance or from greed. What is felt important for every individual or group is to educate and inspire those around us to be able to see the wonderful gifts of nature bestowed on us by God the creator without our asking Depletion of nature is a threat to our life itself that we need to learn to love it and protect it for our posterity in every possible way. The ‘gifts of nature’ painting competition is intended to inspire our children to be better aware of the wonderful nature around us by way of depicting our trees, flora and fauna through art which will also help others to see the gifts of nature in a new light and learn to love it more as our irreplaceable abode. Our greatest potential for tourism also lies in our gifts of nature. In fact, preservation and conservation of our culture and our nature are the key words for promotion of tourism in our state. We hope and believe this initiative will take root and continue to grow through the years to come.

Artists are instrumental to show the goodness of God and his wonderful creations. People who once viewed skyscrapers and machineries as symbols of advancement are today looking for a closer touch with nature to keep themselves happier and healthier. The world of nature affirms and declares the wonderful plan of a loving Creator. Art is a reminder of the beauties of nature around us. It may be added that Looking through the traditional woodcarving motifs of Nagaland Woodcarving is a traditional art form which are so widely practiced by the Naga tribes for various purposes. In earlier days, it was a specialized job of the male folk who used simple tools and implements such as dao, axe and adze to create great works of art to adorn village gates, house fronts and pillars as well as objects of utility like the common wooden platter. Every man was then expected to master the art of woodcarving to be able to create wooden objects of utility for his house. Striking Specimen of woodcarvings from the past can still be seen in many villages even today though the art is no longer practiced as in the past.

The huge door of a Village Gate is made from the trunk of a single tree on which art motifs reflecting the unique tribal culture

and ethos of the Nagas are beautifully carved. Prominent motifs invariably carved on the village gate are the mithun head, war-

riors, human heads, moon etc. Elaborate ceremonies and rituals are observed in the selection and carving of the door. The Village Gate

is both symbolically and functionally important. The wooden door normally measures about 5’ by 9’. The Log Drum is an-

NSU 49th annual day on Dec 30

Kohima, December 22 (mexN): The Nerhema Students’ Union (NSU) will be holding its 49th annual day on December 30 at Indoor Stadium Chiephobozou Town at 10:00 AM with T.S. Angami, director New & Renewable Energy as the chief guest. NSU executives requested all its members and well wishers to attend the occasion. It is compulsorily for every NSU member to attend the annual conference. Any person willfully fail to attend for three consecutive

times is liable to lose/his/ her membership as stipulated in article 15 (iii) of the NSU constitution, a release received here stated today. Transportation will be provided for the students in Kohima and Phezha. The concerned students have been requested to gather at PHQ junction, Viliethie Complex, Old Tata Parking, Pezielietsie, High School junction and Phezha at 8:00 AM. This was stated in a release issued by NSU information & publicity secretary Keviletuonuo Usou.

VISUAL ART: A GIFT OF NATURE

Temjenkaba

MLA & Chairman, NPCB & NBDA, Amenba Yaden inaugurated the Anakiyimsen Village Gate on December 20. The gate was constructed under LADP 2013-14 scheme. Speaking on the occasion, the MLA appreciated the Anakiyimsen Village Council and everyone involved in the construction of the Gate. He said that any work can be achieved if it is done with honesty and unity and hoped that more developments would come in the years to come. He also appreciated all the ongoing developmental projects going on in the village and called upon the villagers to work with dedication. (DIPR Photo)

other striking specimen of Naga woodwork prominently displayed in many Naga villages. It is carved out of a huge log slit along on one side and partially hollowed. These drums have an average length of 30 feet with a girth of 12 feet. In the earlier days, thes e dr ums were used to announce the approach of enemies, victory in war, village feasts, funerals, natural calamities etc and the drum was revered as a deity. Different rhythms of beatings are used to announce different occasions. The traditional art motifs of Nagaland are unique and intriguing. Every art motif is symbolic and carries a deeper meaning or story behind. Attainment of Social recognition and status is a strong human aspiration that in many ways influences the life style of a people. The modality adopted by a society for determining social status among its members is a force that shapes the mentality of the mass. Feast of Merit is a common feature traditionally practiced by the Nagas in the past for conferring Social Status to an individual which speaks of honesty and hard labour as a way of life then. Through years of labour and perseverance, a man acquires sufficient wealth in the form

of grains and cattle heads to offer a feast of merit for his village that requires of him to perform a series of elaborate ceremonies. On accomplishment of all ceremonies and feasts, he is recognized as a man of high status in the village entitled to wear specially designed dresses and to adorn his house with various designs of woodcarvings and Daintiness. A rich man’s house is distinguished by the ‘house-horns’ and carvings on the front wall or huge carved pillars in front of the house that may differ from tribe to tribe. Acknowledging the abundance of artistic talents in the state and the need to expose and promote the creative potentials, the first Artists’ Corner at the Hornbill Festival was organized by the Department of Art & Culture with the Nagaland Arts Society in 2010 to facilitate display and sell artworks. The huge collection of art works accompanied by demonstration, live sketching and caricatures by several artists organized in the first year turned out entertaining and rewarding for many and the Artists’ Corner became a regular feature of the Hornbill Festival since then. The Artists’ Corner in 2010 and 2011 was housed in thatched huts constructed in Naga traditional house pattern, but the need for bigger space to accommodate more art activities necessitated a bigger pavilion to be constructed at the space adjacent to the WW2 Museum to house the Artists’ Corner from 2012. The Artists Corner through the years grew to become a conglomeration of varied art activities. Source Department of Art & Culture

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Participants from Nagaland along with the resource persons and CIH officials during the exposure visit cum training on ‘production technology & processing of Aloe Vera’ held at MAET Jaipur from December 14 to 17. Central Institute of Horticulture, DAC, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI Medziphema organised the visit.

Phek DC order on household tax

PheK, December 22 (DiPr): The Phek Deputy Commissioner, Murohu Chotso has directed all concerned Administrative Officers in the district, Phek to give further directive to GBs of all the (1) recognized villages, (2) unrecognized Villages, (3) stations (4) small Town and (5)

various ward/colonies under Town councils to collect the Annual Household Tax for the year 2014-15. It is further directed that all concerned should summit the annual Household Tax of their respective administrative jurisdiction on or before 15th Feb. 2015 without failed.

Pongching Students’ Union informs

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LoNgLeNg, De cember 22 (mexN): The Pongching Students’ Union has convened a general body meeting on December 29 evening and 55th PSU Annual General Meeting on December 30 at 8:30 am. Therefore, all the members are asked to attend the said meetings without fail. Absentees will be dealt as per the Rules of PSU.

ADMISSION OPEN ages 2 to 5 years classes:

TODDLERS º NURSERY º LKG º UKG House No 74, Adjacent to Shri. Ramakhrishna Society Duncan Bosti, Dimapur, Nagaland CONTACT NO 8257907205 • 9436062930 OFFICE HOURS 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m.

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REgional

The Morung Express

Tuesday

23 December 2014

Dimapur

Manipur in 2014: Militant activities, Irom Poppy farming takes Sharmila & Mary Kom kept state in loop hold of Arunachal

New Delhi, December 22 (PTi): Militant activities including blasts on Republic Day, Irom Sharmila’s fast entering the 15th year and boxer M C Mary Kom winning an Asiad gold kept Manipur in news in 2014. Though there was some decline in militant activities, nevertheless 13 civilians including 5 non-Manipuris were either killed by unidentified gunmen or in bomb explosions. Five militants were killed

by Assam Rifles in separate encounters while one Assam Rifle personnel was killed by unidentified militants during the year. Altogether 63 cadres of different militant organisations surrendered before the government. A member of the Autonomous District Council was shot dead by unknown persons on July 11, while he was going from Imphal to Ukhrul district. Congress won both the Lok Sabha seats in Manipur. Prime Minister Narendra

Modi visited Manipur in November for the first time after he assumed the office to attend the famous Sangai Festival. Sangai is a rare species of brow- antlered deer available only at Keibullamjao National Park in Bishenpur district. K K Paul was sworn in as governor on September 15 replacing V K Duggal. An attack on an Assam Rifles post near Myanmar border and four explosions marred Republic Day celebrations in the state. Two

personnel of the 21 AR - a Major-rank officer and a rifleman - were injured in the attack, but no casualty was reported in the explosions. August saw high drama as civil rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila was re-arrested by police, two days after she was released on court orders, on fresh charges of attempt to commit suicide and remanded in judicial custody. 42-year-old Sharmila was forcibly taken away to

the Jawahar Lal Nehru Hospital from a makeshift shelter near it where she was continuing her 14-year-old fast demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). On November 6, her fast entered the 15th year. Sit-in- protests, hunger strike and demonstrations joined by students, civil society organisations and human rights activists were held in Manipur on that day to express solidar-

ity with the activist. Boxer M C Mary Kom brought laurels to the country as well as Manipur when she won a gold medal in the Incheon Asiad. A biopic of hers directed by debutant Omung Kumar and coproduced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali was released in September. However, there was no screening of the Priyanka Chopra- starrer biopic in theatres in Manipur where there is a “ban” by insurgency outfits.

Christmas celebrations Continue foodgrain supply to tea gardens, Gogoi urges Modi take over Meghalaya ShilloNG, December 22 (iaNS): Choir groups singing carols in churches and at public places and decorated shops are a common sight across Meghalaya as people gear up for the Christmas celebrations in this “abode of the clouds”

"Christmas is a time of the year one wants to be with family. I look forward to be at home with the family, celebrating the spirit of Christmas with my wife, sons and the extended family," David Syiemlieh, one of the seven members of the Union Public Service Commission, told IANS. Netizens are busy networking with their relatives and friends to keep abreast of the celebrations. The Central Puja Committee, the apex body of Hindu religious organisations in this predominantly Christian state, is organising an event to celebrate the Christmas. "We have always celebrated Christmas with our Christian brethren in a different way. This Christmas season too we will be celebrating Christmas with the inmates of Shanti Bhawan, an oldage home, run by the congregation of Missionaries of Charity,"Central Puja Committee leader J.L. Das said. Almost all the houses are decked up with sparkling lights, candles on

Cakes, pies, puddings, smoked meat and wine are some of the delicacies fancied by Christmas revelers where about 70 percent of its three milllion population practise Christianity. There is a festive mood across the state and shops too are all decked up, hoping the celebrations for Christmas and New Year would increase their sales. It is also the time to bond with loved ones. In Meghalaya, people from all faiths join the celebrations, strengthening bonds of togetherness and mutual respect. "Everyone is on a celebration mode as this is the season of happiness and rejoicing," Mathew Sohtun told IANS. Others look forward to getting back with their family and friends.

HURRY! HURRY! Bookings for stalls at the Duncan Winter Festival (27th - 29th Dec. 2014, 4pm to 9pm) are now open. Interested parties contact:

8974063801/9436831244/9862148431/9436012257 Organized by: Duncan Womens Union and Duncan Basti Council GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT & CRAFTSMEN TRAINING NAGALAND: KOHIMA

NOTIFICATION Dated Kohima, the 22nd December'2014

NO.DET-7/20/2001 (Vol-V)/360: It is hereby notified that All India Trade Test (Supplementary) 2015 will be held from 12.01.2015 to 23.01.2015 as per Ministry's letter No. DGET-18011/1/Conv. Jan./2015TTC, dated New Delhi 21.10.2014. Therefore, candidates willing to appear the AITT (Supplementary) Exam may contact Govt. Industrial Training Institute Kohima, for detail information and submission of Applications Form on or before the 07.01.2015. Sd(MUTHINGNYUBA SANGTAM) Director, Employment & Craftsmen training, Nagaland, Kohima.

APPRECIATION ON FOOTHILL CONSTRUCTION The Konyak Union Dimapur, Chumukedima Konyak Union, KU Unit Tizit, KU Unit Naginimora, KU Unit Wakching express deep appreciation to Nagaland Foothill Road Construction Committee, PWD Department, Government of Nagaland headed by the Hon’ble Minister for the amicable settlement of the Foothill Road Construction issue in Mon District area and for the proposed launching of the construction work in the area. It is appealed to all concerned to extend utmost cooperation for the successful completion of the work to fulfill the long standing desire of the people. 1. Shri. Woknyei, President Konyak Union Dimapur 2. Shri. Apai Konyak, President Tizit Unit Konyak Union 3. Shri. Chingyong Konyak, President Naganimora Unit Konyak Union 4. Shri. Konpa Konyak, President Wakching Unit Konyak Union 5. Shri. Tingyuh, President Chumukedima Konyak Union.

the window sills and lit-up pine trees in the yards. "We are preparing to celebrate Christmas and welcome the New Year by lighting our house with Christmas trees and singing carols throughout the night," said Caroline Marbaniang. She is busy decorating her cozy home. The festive season has also opened up a range of delicacies, boosting the sales at the eating joints here. "Cakes, pies and puddings, smoked meat and vintage wine are some of the delicacies fancied here by Christmas revelers," said Diana Nongbri, who is running a guest house in Shillong. "We are geared up to meet the expectations of the people," she said.

GuwahaTi, December 22 (iaNS): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to continue the system of allocating bulk foodgrain to the tea gardens in the state till the implementation of the National Food Security Mission. Gogoi, in the letter, said suspension of the system of allocating bulk foodgrain to the tea gardens will affect the families of over 20 lakh tea garden workers, the Chief Minister’s Office here said Sunday. He said Assam received a letter Nov 23 from the consumer affairs, food and public distribution ministry that said the allocation of 7,600 tonnes of rice and 5,000 tonnes of wheat to tea gardens in Assam will be stopped from Jan 1, 2015.

“This will affect the tea garden workers in Assam and might lead to a law and order situation, particularly in tea garden areas of the state,” Gogoi said. The allocation system has been in place in Assam for over 60 years. The gardens collect the foodgrain, including rice and wheat, from the government and distribute it among the workers at 50-55 paisa per kg of foodgrain. The chief minister also said the state had not been able to implement the National Food Security Mission so far due to the ministry’s recent imposition of a pre-condition to digitise the whole process before the Act’s implemention. However, there is no pre-condition of digitisation of the whole process in the National Food Security

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT & CRAFTSMEN TRAINING NAGALAND: KOHIMA

NOTIFICATION Dated Kohima, the 22nd December’2014

NO.DET-7/20/2001(Vol-V)/359: The results of All India Trade Test held in the month of July/August 2014, at Govt.Industrial Training Institutes- Kohima, Dimapur, Mon, Mokokchung, Wokha, Tuensang, Phek and Zunheboto, is hereby declared and the Roll Numbers of the successful candidates are given below: 1. Roll Numbers of the successful candidates (Conventional System): a. Govt.ITI, Kohima:- Roll No: Km- 01, 02, 04, 05, 07, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56R2, 59R1, 61R1, 63R1, 64R1, 66R1, 67P, 68P, 69P, 70P, 71P. Automobile: Roll No: ABTK- 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. b. Govt.WITI, Dimapur:Apparel (Advanced): Roll No: AATO2- D01, D02, D04, D05, D06, D08, D09, D10, D11. Apparel (BBBT): Roll No: APTD- 01R1. c. Govt.ITI, Mokokchung:Roll No: Mk-97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113R1, 114R1, 115R1, 116R1, 117R1, 118R1, 119R1, 120R1, 121R1, 122R1, 124R1, 125P, 126P, 127P, 128P, 129P, 130P d. Govt.ITI, Mon:- Roll No:Mn- 58R1, 99R1, 100R1, 101R1, 102R1, 103R1, 104R1, 105R1, 106R1, 107R1, 110R1, 111R1, 112R2, 115R1, 116R1, 117R1, e. Govt.ITI, Tuensang:- Roll No: Ts- 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63R1, 64R1, 65R1, 66R1, 69R1, 70R1, 71R1, 72R1, 73R1, 74R1, 75R1, 76R1, 77R1, 78R1. f. Govt.ITI, Wokha:- Roll No: Wk- 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35. g. Govt.ITI, Zunheboto:- Roll No: Zn- 28, 29, 30. 2. Roll Numbers of the successful candidates (Semester-I):a. Govt.ITI, Dimapur:- Roll No: Dm- 24, 26, 51, 64. b. Govt.ITI, Kohima:- Roll No: Km- 02, 06, 07, 12, 13, 14, 20, 25,27, 29,35, 37, 43, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 54, 60, 73, 75,78,87,93, 102, 110, 131,135,136, 138,139,140,148,154, 156,157,160,165. c. Govt.ITI, Mokokchung:- Roll No: Mk- 25, 28, 29, 38, 42, 55. d. Govt.ITI, Mon:- Roll No:Mn- 04, 06, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 57, 67, 69, 70, 79, 83. e. Govt.ITI, Phek:- Roll No: Pk- 12, 18, 19, 21, 25. f. Govt.ITI, Tuensang:- Roll No: Ts- 04, 05, 06, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 30, 31, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46. g. Govt.ITI, Wokha:- Roll No: Wk- 04. 3. Roll Numbers of the successful candidates (Semester-II):a. Govt.ITI, Dimapur:- Roll No: Dm- 01, 02, 03, 04, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 54, 36, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56, 65, 67, 68, 69, 70, 72, 74, 75. b. Govt.ITI, Kohima:- Roll No: Km- 01, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96, 97, 102, 103, 107, 129. c. Govt.ITI, Mokokchung:- Roll No: Mk- 01, 03, 04, 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 75, 78, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85, 86, 88, 90, 91, 92, 94, 95. d. Govt.ITI, Mon:- Roll No:Mn- 01, 02, 04, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 57, 58, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 78, 83, 84, 85, 87, 97. e. Govt.ITI, Phek:- Roll No: Pk-01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31 f. Govt.ITI, Tuensang:- Roll No: Ts- 02, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42 , 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51. g. Govt.ITI, Wokha:- Roll No: Wk-02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21. h. Govt.ITI, Zunheboto:- Roll No: Zn-01, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 12, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Total Appeared : 936 Total Passed : 577 Passed % : 61.64 Sd/(MUTHINGNYUBA SANGTAM) Director, Employment & Craftsmen training, Nagaland, Kohima.

Act 2013, he said. “The state is ready, sans the digitisation, to implement the NFSM and it should be allowed immediately to implement the NFSM. I request you to continue with the system of allocating the bulk foodgrain to the tea gardens of Assam till the NFSM is implemented,” Gogoi said in the letter.

GuwahaTi, December 22 (DeccaN chroNicle): Weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concern over the rising drug menace, many remote districts of the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh has fallen into the grip of large-scale opium cultivation. In absence of any opportunity of jobs and earning, the opium has slowly become the economy for the residents of the Lohit district with state administration remaining a silent spectator to the menace, which in past few years has spread over at least 6-7 hectares of land in one district alone. Villagers are engaged in rampant farming of opium in these areas from kitchen gardens to far-off fields. Though, the deputy commissioner of Lohit district B.M. Mishra who was posted recently has identified this threat and trying to device a mechanism with the help of local students leaders and social organisations to stop this growing menace, the local students leader Aman Tayang says it has become a house-hold business for the remote district. Admitting that Mr Mishra was interacting with the civil society and government staff to shoulder the responsibility to fight the menace, Ms Tayang, who heads the women wing of All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union told this newspaper, “The government will have to do some intervention by facilitating some alternative for the livelihoods of villagers. There are strong economic reasons that is driving villagers in tow-ards opium cultivation.” In such situations, youths and villagers are encouraged by some vested interests to cultivate opium. Ms Tayang intends to meet the PM after hearing about his concern for drug abuse in his programme Man Ki Baat on radio. According to a rough estimate, the annual yield of opium is 100 tonnes, an average of 10 kg a hectare. The average addict in the state consumes about three gms of opium a day, which is much more than what an addict consumes anywhere in the country.

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND

DIRECTORATE OF TOURISM NAGALAND:KOHIMA

NOTICE INVITING TENDER NO. TOUR(P&W)-59/2007-2008/46

Dated Kohima the 19th Dec 2014

Sealed Tender Quotation affixing court fee stamp worth of Rs. 7.50 (Seven Rupees fifty paisa) are hereby invited from reputed Entrepreneurs /Firms/Hoteliers/Agencies having Diploma in Catering Technology and food nutrition/tourism management for private management of Tourist Resort, Tsiepama, under Dimapur district on lease basis for a period of ten (10) years which can be extended depending upon performance. The detail lease terms and condition can be obtained from the office of the Directorate of Tourism, Nagaland, Opposite Indoor Stadium, Raj Bhavan Road Kohima. The tender will be received in the office of the Directorate of Tourism Kohima on or before 15th January 2015 upto 13.00 hrs and will be open upto 14.00 hrs on the same day in the presence of tenderer/ bidders/representatives. Name of the project

Purpose of the Period of lease Security project

Monthly rent (to be quoted)

Tourists Resort, Tsiepama Food/ Lodging/ 10 years Accommodation.

5.00 Lakhs

The interested party may inspect the tourist resort mentioned above and quote their own rate of monthly rent and figure and in words. (Purakhu Angami) Director, Tourism

The Morung Express 4 businEss/public discoursE THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST RESPONSE TO THE GITA, God’s revelations to a child Dimapur

Tuesday

23 December 2014

Dr. L. M. Murry

he common impression of many Christians in Nagaland today is that Jesus began His life when He was born in Bethlehem. The fact however, is that He existed from Eternity. How we belittle Him to the limitation of time and space of this Planet Earth. He existed before the Earth was. It is beyond the comprehension of finite human mind to think what Eternity is. We can only conjecture as a realm where the patterns of life consist of love, joy, integrity, beauty, justice and compassion. We called it as Paradise. We do not exactly understand why God would take the time and trouble to create this Planet Earth for human habitation. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden in a perfect environment. But Adam and Eve disobeyed God and separated themselves from the sweet fellowship of God. It is Love that prompted God to start the restoration of the original condition. The prophecy encapsulated in Gen.3:15 gives us the understanding of the beginning of this rescue operation and its accomplishment by the birth of God, the Son in Bethlehem. The wondrous way God chose to come and reveal Himself to us is beyond the imagination of finite human mind. The birth of the Son of God and the Roman decree of Augustus Caesar to tax the whole Empire co-incited. Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary had to travel to Bethlehem, a two days journey, on the back of an Ass. By the time they

arrived the small village, all the available accomodations were full. In vain he searched every available spot. In utter desperation, Joseph turned to the country side and found a crude stable where the Shepherds kept their sheep at night. It was empty because the drought condition forced the Shepherds to graze their sheep in the field by night. Joseph must have cleared a small corner where Mary could lie down. The same night labour started for Mary. She writhed in agony of labour pain. Joseph spread his tunic where she laid down with the crude hard saddlebag as her pillow. It is worthwhile to imagine the trouble mind of Joseph on his face. There, alone, without friends and relatives to witness the ordeal of Mary, she delivered her son in the darkness. A modern man can never imagine such an ordeal because now everything is taken care of by the Health workers both for domicilary and hospital deliveries. In that dim darkness of the stable, the sound of an infant cry was heard. For the first time, deity was articulated directly in the sound expressed through human body. The sound brought cheer, comfort and courage to both Joseph and Mary. God is come. God is with His people. Immanuel. Outside the stable all was dark and still, except the distant call of the jackals scavenging the death animals. The Shepherds were the most troubled people. They were all herding their sheep searching for pasture. Day after day, they watched the pasture shrivelled and die. All their

THE NATIONAL SCRIPTURE

sheep were wasting away. They searched the skies for clouds for rain. But there was nothing but drought and drought everywhere. They were the most worried beings, wondering how they could survive. Had the Lord forgotten them! Rome the Ruler of Israel demanded everyone to be taxed. How could they pay their taxes? The sheep, the only source of their survival were being decimated by the drought. Their future was black. Into such dark and rough World, the birth of the Son of God arrived. In that dark World of hopelessness , they saw a brilliant light brightening the desert skies. They covered their eyes with their hand to shield the splendour of the angelic host that enveloped them. Suddenly they heard the eternal word “Fear not” that echoed the whole World, and stilled their spirit and soothed their soul. God always come to man with the same encouraging word “Fear not” with the good tidings of great joy and good cheer. The joyous praise and adoration of jubilant chorus rang out and filled the place. The Angelic host of heaven announced the arrival of God becoming man to the simple, despairing Shepherds. As we celebrate this Christmas, let us remember that the message of joy comes to each and every one of us in the midst of a World filled with corruption, greed and injustice. Let us rejoice and give thanks to our God who is love. We are inheritors of His Eternal kingdom where there is no death, no separation from dear and loved ones, no sin, and no pain and fear. Amen

Dr. E. Rengphamo Lotha Eminent constitutional expert and activist

y special attention has been drawn to the wrong statement by Sushma Swaraj, the External Affairs Minister in Modi’s government at the Centre which appeared in the Hindu on the 08th December, 2014. She has intentionally condemned the Constitution under which she took oath of allegiance in May, 2014. Hence, she is duty bound to resign on moral ground for having violated the Constitution, the only sacred book of all Indians on equal footing. In this context, the right a reply of the Trinamool Congress that the Constitution was the “Holy book” was fully constitutional and legal. The aforesaid party and other likeminded political parties must stand together to protect the Constitution at any cost which is the real sign of the success of the parliamentarians.

New Delhi, December 22 (bs): Indian Railways may not cut down passenger fares any time soon even as the global slump in crude oil prices has brought down diesel cost for the country's largest transporter. Instead of passing on low diesel price benefit to passengers, the railway wants to focus on measures to improve safety and passenger services in the upcoming budget in February. A top rail ministry of-

New Delhi, December 22 (reuters): The government is considering imposing a temporary cap on airfares to limit sharp movements in prices in the wake of troubles at SpiceJet, the country's secondlargest budget carrier, a government official said on Monday. The official, who could not be named because he is not authorised to speak

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

_ 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 # 3091

ficial said on condition of anonymity, "Relief to passengers is already there as fares are highly subsidised. There should be relief for Indian Railways now." He added the ministry has ordered an energy audit of the railway systems to identify potential for energy savings apart from setting up renewable energy plants. Diesel price for bulk consumers including Indian Railways has come down by 16 per cent to Rs 50.51 per liter since June when it

Ambrose.J.Chakre Founder President Ambrose Foundation in Christ Ministries Kohima Nagaland

GoAir ticket discount: Where’s the cheap fare? New Delhi, December 22 (Fe): Trying to cash in on the holiday traffic and the space vacated by SpiceJet in the past few days, GoAir is now offering discounted tickets for as low as Rs 1,469. The company claims it has over 17 lakh tickets at the discounted rates. The tickets are on offer from December 21 to 25 and is applicable for flights from January to March 2015. However, the goair.in website seems to be struggling with the number of people trying to get hold of the cheap tickets for our

last revised passenger fares through a 14.2 per cent hike and freight rates by 6.5 per cent increase. However, railways has not reviewed the FAC component of tariff that was due this month. The official also said the ministry is planning to approach the Union cabinet once feasibility studies being conducted by Japanese and Chinese companies for Mumbai-Ahmedabad and PuNe, December 22 Delhi-Chennai high speed (bl): Nine-odd months corridors are submitted. after Nissan India resurrected the Datsun brand and launched the Datsun Go hatchback in the Indian market the automaker is ready to introduce the A spokesman for the Datsun Go+, a family ministry could not imme- wagon on the same platdiately be reached for com- form. Due for a January 2015 ment. Fierce competition launch, the new sub 4-meamong airline firms has tre wagon with a petrol enlong limited price increas- gine has an additional row es despite crippling oper- of seats, and will be built ating costs. But some have at Nissan’s Chennai facilseized on troubles at Spice- ity and will be nearly 97 per Jet, which last week was cent localised. “Datsun launches two briefly forced to ground its fleet after suppliers refused body types in every market, and in India we decided go to refuel planes. with the utility vehicle and

to the media, said the government had received requests to set an upper limit for ticket prices. He did not elaborate. Local media have reported that the aviation ministry has been considering both upper and lower limits for prices after receiving complaints from customers. Consumers reported sharp increases, particularly for last-minute sales.

attempt to book a ticket in January 2015 was anything but smooth. The cheapest ticket — if we can call it that — we could find for January 7, 2015 was Rs 6,266. For the next day we found a Rs 5,402 ticket on the same route. On the MumbaiAhmedabad route we found tickets for Rs 3,034 for February 6. However, for the same day Cleartrip. com had flights from Indigo at cheaper rates. So if there are tickets for Rs 1,469 there are not that easy to find.

Nissan to launch Datsun Go+ in Jan

Govt Considers Temporary Cap on Airfares

Angels to every shepherd Bethlehem Manger reach of the society. our mansions as Christian This C h r i s t m a s : brethren. (Dominic Yazokie) May the real meaning President of Christmas reach our Anagami Catholic Union homes as Christian fami(ACU) Kohima, Nagaland lies: May the Star of the

LEISURE

Prime Minister. Let us call a spade as a spade and not a jumper. There is a clear cut separation between religion and state. Hindu religion of course follows the principles of the Bhagawad Gita. Whereas, the state strictly follows the Constitution, the supreme law, the only holy book of all Indians irrespective of caste, creed and religion. If India after 67 years of independence if he could not distinguish what is state and what is religion, there is no question of becoming a holistically developed country as he has not been able to recite 3 Rs. – reading writing and arithmetic. Hence, India today led by the Prime Minister is advised to follow basic principles of what is there in the constitution and not any religious books. So that the lost image of India – developing may become developed starting from ABC and 1,2 and 3. All the best to worship the only SACRED BOOK – INDIAN CONSTITUTION only.

Your train journey won't be cheaper soon

THE CHRISTMAS STAR

hristmas Stars are on every home: May every have house a worthy Christmas family: May every Christmas Star lead wise men to every home: May every Star herald the

It may be recalled that Shri. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India presented a copy of each of the Bhagavad Gita to both the Prime Minister of Japan and the President of America in his visit to Japan and America in 2014. Thereby, he became a Hindu Brahmin rather than Indian Prime Minister. He also imitated Vivekananda in his noble mission to make Hinduism universal in 1893. But unfortunately, he could not do so because of the fact that he is the Prime Minister of India whose job is to build up secular India as per the dictate of the Constitution and never the Gita in any way. Well, there is nothing wrong to respect the Gita as an individual hindu devotee but not in official capacity. It is a joke that Indian Prime Minister could not distinguish himself as to whether he is a Hindu religious guru or the Prime Minister. His Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of States are well advised not to be foolish like their

A child once told me Sometimes I feel like The Bible is like a human: The truth is more than he thinks, Yet the revelations are greater than he thinks. If God had not revealed it, This child wouldn’t have said what he said: It is the Spirit of God Who reveals God’s plans to His saints. The greater gifts are to be desired, The stronger passion must be embracedIt is the breathe of God Which gives lifeIt is the Spirit of truth which speaks wisdom This is wisdom from the lips of a child. God is wisdom.

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 3100

Answer Number # 3090

DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:

not the sedan,” Sundararajan Krishnan, Asst Chief Vehicle Engineer, Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India, said. He was speaking at a preview of the new vehicle near Rishikesh. To provide for the extra mass (40 kg extra) and added load from passengers on the third row of seating, the steering, power train and brakes have been calibrated, while the suspension has been fine tuned, Krishnan said. The vehicle is similar to Go+ Panca which is sold in Indonesia, but has some features especially suited for Indian road conditions, he added.

STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474

Metro Hospital:

227930, 231081

Faith Hospital:

228846

Shamrock Hospital

228254

Zion Hospital:

231864, 224117, 227337

Police Control Room

228400

Police Traffic Control

232106

East Police Station West Police Station

227607 232181

CIHSR (Referral Hospital)

242555/ 242533

Dimapur hospital

224041, 248011

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

230695/ 9402435652

Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

229366

Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre

Carbohydrates CARBOHYDRATE

GALACTOSE

HYPOGLYCEMIA

DISACCHARIDES

KETOSIS

SUCROSE

KETONES

LACTOSE

WEIGHTGAIN

MALTOSE

TOOFEWCARBS TOOMANYCARBS ENERGY FAT LOWCARBS CARBON HYDROGEN OXYGEN FUEL ENDURANCE

OLIGOSACCHARIDES RAFFINOSE STACHYOSE POLYSACCHARIDES STARCH GLYCOGEN CELLULOSE ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT

PERFORMANCE

PROCESSED

CALORIES

REFINED

MONOSACCHARIDES

FATTYACID

GLUCOSE

HEALTHY

FRUCTOSE

NOTHEALTHY

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V S A C E A I M E C Y L G O P Y H X L S

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F A T T Y A C I D G D E S S E C O R P S

N E S O L U L L E C V P L A C T O S E A

ACROSS 1. Whiskers 6. Matured 10. Long ago 14. Courtyards 15. Marcel Marceau was one 16. Countertenor 17. Gossip 18. Dainty 19. Lampblack 20. A purified liquid 22. Melody 23. Hairdo 24. Required 26. Its symbol is Pb 30. Not on 31. Bar bill 32. Doing nothing 33. Jetty 35. Wuss 39. Scorn 41. One of the Great Lakes 43. Hair net 44. Dash 46. Torture device 47. Record (abbrev.) 49. Calypso offshoot 50. Dam 51. Virginal

54. Flippant 56. Bit of gossip 57. Eclipse 63. Certain 64. Indian dress 65. Picture 66. Norse god 67. Being 68. A shoulder firearm 69. Lease 70. T T T T 71. Old hat

DOWN 1. A lyric poet 2. Decorative case 3. Not legs 4. Violent disturbance 5. A gold coin of ancient Persia 6. Signal booster 7. Long-necked animal 8. Send forth 9. To deprive of reason 10. Composition board 11. Not silently 12. Rock 13. Lugged 21. Eyelets 25. Where the sun rises 26. Jar tops

27. Biblical garden 28. As well 29. Conduct 34. Rock gardens 36. Wear away by rubbing 37. Clock sound 38. Oxen’s harness 40. Notion 42. Approaches 45. Bad-mouth 48. Wardrobe 51. Eyeshade 52. Chopin composition 53. Small finch 55. Not first or second 58. Flower holder 59. Dogfish 60. Wacky 61. Leer at 62. Noxious plant Ans to CrossWord 3099

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LOCAL

The Morung Express

‘immanuel, in unison’ Morung Express News Dimapur | December 22

Citizens of Dimapur – young and old alike – on Monday evening gathered for ‘Immanuel, in unison,’ a combined Christmas Carol at the City Tower. It was organised by the Nagaland Missions Movement (NMM), the Missions Department of Nagaland Baptist Churches Council (NBCC) and Baptist Churches in Dimapur Town, and co-sponsored by the Council of Baptist Churches in North-East India (CBCNEI). Some of those who had gathered wore Santa Claus’ cap while some others wrapped themselves in their respective tribes’ shawl. They were gathered

People sing at the Christmas Carol event ‘Immanuel, in unison’ in Dimapur on December 22. (Morung Photo)

in the hundreds all the while singing Christmas songs and praising and thanking God for His Son, Jesus Christ. Andrew Semp, Director, NMM, delivering the welcome address urged the gathering to say “Immanuel, God is with us” in unison and wished upon them that

they would be able to say it on all occasions and not just during Christmas time. Atungo Shitiri, Secretary, Justice and Peace, CBCNEI, greeted the gathering. Rev. Dr. Anjo Keikung, General Secretary, NBCC, narrated a story which pointed to the importance

Dimapur | December 22

This Christmas eve, The Garden, Dimapur will play host to one of a kind charity event. The fund-raiser dubbed the ‘The Joy of Giving – A Jazz Christmas Eve’, promises not only a classy evening with good music and good food but a purpose-filled Christmas. “In doing so you partner with us to support the education of 13 less-privileged kids. The proceeds from the event will go to do just that,” stated the organisers. The event is being orchestrated with the belief that “good quality education moulds and builds a child towards becoming a responsible individual of the society.” “It is in giving that we truly experience the joy of Christmas because it started with God giving us His son.” The people behind the event are group of young performing artists and professionals from the music industry. To name a few - Atsung Jamir, Katrin Rudel, Akihito, Samuel Shiu, Clement Imsong, Lucia Panicker, Tulu

Longkumer, Moa Nash Longkumer, Meyasunep Imchen, Akok Imsong, Yangkum Jinger, Mhaseve Tetseo, Kevi Neibulie Kiso, Bethel Tuzu, Fung Walling, Girls Excess, Atsen Murry, Diethozo Thakro, Sophia Mero, Sevi and Easter Tepa, Meren, Atem, Inakhu, Athamong and Imjungmeren are some propping up the event. According to Atsung Jamir, founder of Audio Garage, “This event is organized by a collaboration of likeminded friends and different businesses from the music industry.” Kevi Neibulie Kiso, proprietor of The Jam Tree said, “We are doing this not only because we believe in it but also we want to connect the children and the sponsors.” “Somebody once told me that there is enough for everyone’s needs so if everyone cares enough, share enough, everyone will get enough. I believe that the whole idea of Christmas and Santa Clause is to experience the joy of caring, sharing and giving,” said Clement Imsong, Managing Director of Rockstar EI pvt Ltd.

Dimapur, December 22 (mexN): As per the directives received from the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), New Delhi, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dimapur has directed all the food items manufacturers, including the ones making at home, under Dimapur jurisdiction to put proper labels on each packet, which should have the information mentioned in the box. Non-compliance to this directive would be an offence and punishable under relevant Act and Rules, cautioned the CMO, Dr. MA Wati in a press re-

given to gifts and presents during birthdays rather than to the child. He questioned people of Dimapur the meaning of Christmas and said, “Is it just to celebrate and enjoy? If you forget Jesus Christ, it will be a tragedy.” Dwelling on the etymology of the word ‘Jesus Christ’, he explained that the two names – Jesus, derived from Hebrew, and Christ, derived from Greek – had the same meaning, “Saviour”. On the meaning of Christmas, Rev. Keikung said, “Jesus came not to celebrate but to give men salvation. Christmas happened in history because God came down from heaven and made himself WoKha, December 22 human to bring men to (mexN): In the midst of feshimself.” tivity happening across the State, the All Commercial Vehicles Association (ACVA) of Wokha district today launched a generous gesture of acknowledging vehicles and passengers passing through Wokha town. At hoped that the celebration Zero Point, the ACVA with of the birth of Jesus Christ the help of Kyong Eloe Hoho and the New Year usher in and well wishers tied ballove, peace, unity and oneloons on vehicles, distributness among all the people. ed sweets and mineral water DAYO also thanked and acknowledged everyone who had helped, supported, and encouraged it the whole year round and requested to continue doing Kohima, December so in the days to come. 22 (mexN): People who Use Drugs (PUDs), Alcoholics, People Living with HIV/ AIDS (PLHIV), their family members and well wishers come together every year One cadre apprehended on December 22 at Kohima Meanwhile, troops of 18 War Cemetery for a Prayer Assam Rifles apprehended one NSCN (IM) cadre & Meditation, said Kripa in Vongkithem village of Foundation in a press rePeren district on Decem- lease. The prayer and mediber 19 alongwith one point tation conducted in middle 22 Rifle, two 12 Bore Rifles, of a Cemetery symbolises one point 22 Pistol, assort- “Living among the deaths,” ed ammunitions. The cadre the release stated, adding identified as Khupmang December 22 is dedicated Chongloi (35), Assistant Po- to remember “our” friends litical Officer of NSCN (IM) who died of Alcoholism, was handed over to Athi- Drug Use and HIV/AIDS bung Police Station, Peren, and to pray for their soul a press release from AR in- to rest in peace and to acknowledge God’s grace for formed.

lease. Further, he directed bakeries, hotels, stalls, or any shop selling food items not to sell or store “misbranded” food articles. Any shopkeeper found violating the above men-

tioned directives will be penalized under Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, by the Food Safety personnel/ Food Safety Regulatory Authority at any time without warning, it was stated.

to passengers and presented Christmas card to each vehicle for free, informed a press release issued by Team Metamorphosis chief, Thungdemo Kyong. The ACVA even refused to accept any donation offered, according to the release. The ACVA team was led by its president, Pankathung Lotha and general secretary, Renbi. On December 21, the ACVA also organized a

Dimapur

NNC wishes Merry Christmas Dimapur, December 22 (mexN): The Naga National Council (NNC) under the leadership of Z. Royim Yimchungrü and V. Nagi has wished all the people in “Naga Homeland”, the believers in the North East and around the world a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The NNC through its Information & Publicity Wing wished each and every one to celebrate this Christmas with joy and peace. “May this celebration be a special blessing to each and every one in the Homeland and the humanity at large,” it added. The NNC further prayed to God to bless everyone in this festive season and also wished that the joyous peace prevail in each and every heart.

Christmas Carol, which started from 3 pm at Public Ground, Wokha, touring the Mokokchung and Kohima road with hundreds of the commercial vehicles and well wishers joining them, the release informed. The Team Metamorphosis and Lotha Youth Hoho have wished ACVA a “very Merry Christmas, blessed long life and a successful career as they venture more for Kohima, December 22 (mexN): Parliamentathe uplift of the society.” ry secretary for CAWD and economics & statistics and chairman of DPDB Tuensang, R Tohanba has expressed grief at the demise Director, Kripa Foundation of S. Tokiu Yimchumger, led the Prayer & Meditation former general secretary of and Neidono Angami, for- Yimchumger Tribal Counmer NMA president, shared cil (YTC), who passed the history of Prayer & Med- away at Sir Gangaram Hositation. pital Delhi on December 19. In his condolence message, Tohanba said Tokiu served in various NGOs - served as chairman Yimchumger Community No.NL06T-0558) used in Diphupar B, Chairman committing the theft was SMC, GMS unity village, seized, informed a press joint secretary Yimchnger release issued by Addl. Su- tribal council from 2005 perintendent of Police/ to 2008, and general secPRO, Dimapur. According- retary from 2009 to 2012. ly, the Officer-in-Charge, Stating that he was active East PS Dimapur registered social worker throughout a regular case vide Dimapur his life, Tohanba said, in East PS C/No.0266/14 U/S his death, Yimchunger 379/34 IPC and investiga- community has lost an tion is on, it added. upcoming leader.

Tohanba mourns

Prayer & Meditation at Kohima War Cemetery

AR busts arms workshop pereN, December 22 (mexN): Troops of 18 Assam Rifles busted an “illegal” arms fabrication workshop in Tening, Peren district on December 19. A press release from AR alleged that the workshop was engaged in fabrication and repair of arms under Dintalak (30), who was apprehended with one point 22 Rifle, four 12 Bore Rifles, partially fabricated arms parts and tools used for arms fabrication. The apprehended person was handed over to Tening Police Station, Peren, it added.

Each food packet should have label with following information: 1. Name of the food 2. Ingredients used 3. Veg or non-veg logo 4. Date of manufacture 5. Lot number/ batch number/ code number 6. Best before 7. Proper packer’s address 8. FSSAI license/ registration number with FSSAI logo, which is mandatory under 2.1 (Packaging and Labelling) Regulation, 2011.

ACVA gifts vehicles passing through Wokha

and New Year greetings

Dimapur, December 22 (mexN): The office of the Dimapur Ao Youth Organization (DAYO) has wished all the people of Nagaland a blessed and meaningful Christmas and prosperous New Year. In a message, DAYO president, K Longri Imchen and general secretary, Chitenlemba Imsong

23 December 2014

Directives for food manufacturers

The Joy of Giving DAYO extends Christmas Morung Express News

Tuesday

“us” that “we” are still alive. Abou Mere, Director Kripa Foundation chaired this year’s programme and presented welcome address. Dr. Joyce Angami, former

Two apprehended for theft Dimapur, December 22 (mexN): Two persons – Honikhe Assumi (31) and Tohoqhe Awomi (46) – were apprehended by public for stealing cable wire (approximately 2000 meters) at Half Nagarjan, Dimapur on December 22. The two accused were produced at Dimapur East PS and the car (Maruti Van B/Regd.

Public SPace

Christmas & New Year greetings

Joyful Greetings to all at this Christmas and New Year season. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ Our Savior, It’s a time of joy, peace, hope and prayer. Let this Christmas bring bountiful blessings, grace and love for all. Let us celebrate this Christmas to receive Jesus Christ in our hearts. Let us dedicate ourselves this Christmas to work for the Lord and for the people with love, compassion and prayer. May the New Year bring new life, new hope and prosperity for all. May God Almighty bless all. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all!!! (Lieut. Gen. Phungthing Shimrang, MC.) Longvibu, Naga Army

THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST

he common impression of many Christians in Nagaland today is that Jesus began His life when He was born in Bethlehem.The fact however, is that He existed from Eternity. How we belittle Him to the limitation of time and space of this Planet Earth. He existed before the Earth was. It is beyond the comprehension of finite human mind to think what Eternity is. We can only conjecture as a realm where the patterns of life consist of love, joy, integrity, beauty, justice and compassion. We called it as Paradise. We do not exactly understand why God would take the time and trouble to create this Planet Earth for human habitation. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden in a perfect environment. But Adam and Eve disobeyed God and separated themselves from the sweet fellowship of God. It is Love that prompted God to start the restoration of the original condition. The prophecy encapsulated in Gen.3:15 gives us the understanding of the beginning of this rescue operation and its accomplishment by the birth of God, the Son in Bethlehem. The wondrous way God chose

to come and reveal Himself to us is beyond the imagination of finite human mind. The birth of the Son of God and the Roman decree of Augustus Caesar to tax the whole Empire co-incited. Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary had to travel to Bethlehem, a two days journey, on the back of an Ass. By the time they arrived the small village, all the available accomodations were full. In vain he searched every available spot. In utter desperation, Joseph turned to the country side and found a crude stable where the Shepherds kept their sheep at night. It was empty because the drought condition forced the Shepherds to graze their sheep in the field by night. Joseph must have cleared a small corner where Mary could lie down. The same night labour started for Mary. She writhed in agony of labour pain. Joseph spread his tunic where she laid down with the crude hard saddlebag as her pillow. It is worthwhile to imagine the trouble mind of Joseph on his face. There, alone, without friends and relatives to witness the ordeal of Mary, she delivered her son in the darkness. A modern man can never imagine such

an ordeal because now everything is taken care of by the Health workers both for domicilary and hospital deliveries. In that dim darkness of the stable, the sound of an infant cry was heard. For the first time, deity was articulated directly in the sound expressed through human body. The sound brought cheer, comfort and courage to both Joseph and Mary. God is come. God is with His people. Immanuel. Outside the stable all was dark and still, except the distant call of the jackals scavenging the death animals. The Shepherds were the most troubled people. They were all herding their sheep searching for pasture. Day after day, they watched the pasture shrivelled and die. All their sheep were wasting away. They searched the skies for clouds for rain. But there was nothing but drought and drought everywhere. They were the most worried beings, wondering how they could survive. Had the Lord forgotten them! Rome the Ruler of Israel demanded everyone to be taxed. How could they pay their taxes? The sheep, the only source of their survival were being decimated by the drought. Their future was black. Into

such dark and rough World, the birth of the Son of God arrived. In that dark World of hopelessness , they saw a brilliant light brightening the desert skies. They covered their eyes with their hand to shield the splendour of the angelic host that enveloped them. Suddenly they heard the eternal word “Fear not” that echoed the whole World, and stilled their spirit and soothed their soul. God always come to man with the same encouraging word “Fear not” with the good tidings of great joy and good cheer. The joyous praise and adoration of jubilant chorus rang out and filled the place. The Angelic host of heaven announced the arrival of God becoming man to the simple, despairing Shepherds. As we celebrate this Christmas, let us remember that the message of joy comes to each and every one of us in the midst of a World filled with corruption, greed and injustice. Let us rejoice and give thanks to our God who is love. We are inheritors of His Eternal kingdom where there is no death, no separation from dear and loved ones, no sin, and no pain and fear. Amen Dr L M Murry

THe cHRiSTMaS STaR, THe GiFT aND THe cRib Fr. Tom Karthik, SDB

1. The Christmas star It has become a custom for us to put up stars over the houses as we prepare for the feast of Christmas. And now not only just a star, but along with it plenty of additional illumination and decorations too. But why do we put a star over our houses as Advent season starts? Where did the first Christmas star appear? It appeared over the crib in which Jesus was born. “Where is the Child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his STAR in the east and have come to worship him” (Mt. 2: 4). This is what the Magi told Herod. The wise men left the palace of Herod. “And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was” (Mt. 2:8). So the first Christmas star appeared over the crib in which Jesus was born. It was the sign of a Holy Family, Father (Joseph), Mother (Mary) and child (Jesus) It was God centred family, nay, God himself was present there. It was a family of mutual love, where the parents were ready for any sacrifice for the well being of the child. Now, when we put up a star over our houses in the Advent season, we are telling our neighbours (those looking for an ideal family) “ come, here under this star you will find the ideal family, a family like the family of Jesus, a family where

God is honoured and worshipped, where there is mutual love and readiness for sacrifice.” Putting up a star is not a meaningless custom, but a deep examination of conscience. The thought of Christmas must make us reflect on the family in which Jesus was born. And if there be any misunderstanding, any lack of love or unwillingness for sacrifice in our families, Advent season calls us to make things right. To remove anything and everything that might prevent our families from resembling the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. So when visitors came to see us in the season of Christmas they will be delighted to see the love we bear for each other and the love we bear to the God who gave us his son. If this reflection is absent on putting up the star, it will be a mere imitation of a meaningless custom that is repeated year after year as the season of Christmas comes round 2. Christmas gift. It has become a custom to give gifts especially to Children on Christmas day. And we employ Santa Claus to do this job. Usually on someone’s birthday we give the birthday person a gift, we do not expect a gift from him or her. But on Christ’s birthday we are waiting for a gift from him? What is the difference? Did you ever ask who gave the first Christmas gift? The First Christmas Gift was Jesus, whom God

the Father gave to the world. “God so loved the World that He gave his only Son” Jn. 3:16. Giving of Christmas gifts reminds us of the generosity of the Father to each one of us. And this Father who gave us His Son continues to give us his gift even now by giving us his Son in the Sacrifice of the Mass. He continues to give new gifts year after year at the birthday of His Son by giving us a “New Heart and a New Spirit”. The gifts that we usually give, new as they are, are a symbol of the new heart and new spirit that God the Father gives us. So Santa Claus in reality is not some unknown Old Man with a white beard, but God the Father who loves us, His Children. So if we “become like little children” be sure we shall all get a gift from the Father on Christmas day. 3. The Christmas Crib. The crib in which Jesus was born was a cow shed. It was rather dirty with halfeaten fodder and dung. Joseph must have cleaned up a little corner for Mary to find a somewhat comfortable place to give birth to her Child. The cribs we make on Christmas day have no resemblance to the original crib except for the statues of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The present day cribs are so beautiful, with coloured bulbs and beautiful decoration, little water falls and running streams. Why do we make the crib in this

fashion so different from what it was originally? True, Christ was born in a stable. But now he wants to be born in our hearts. Here again we are asked to reflect while making the crib. As we make the crib so beautiful we should ask ourselves, “Are our hearts as beautiful as this crib we are making?” It may be our hearts are like a cow shed with our sins and faults. Should we allow Christ to come into such a dirty place on Christmas day? Shouldn’t we clean our hearts by confessing our sins, so that they can become a worthy dwelling place for Jesus who longs to come into our hearts? If our hearts are not clean where Jesus would love to come, it is meaningless to make a beautiful crib because such a crib has nothing to do with the crib in which Jesus was born but a symbol of our heart where Jesus will be on Christmas Day. So in short: THE STAR over our houses makes us ask, “Are our families like the family of Jesus? THE CHRISTMAS GIFT reminds us of the generosity of God the Father who gave us His Son. Are we like little Children to be worthy to receive a new heart and a new spirit from the Father? THE CHRISTMAS CRIB. Are our hearts as beautiful as the cribs we make that Jesus will find a worthy dwelling place in our hearts when he comes?

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.

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express TuesDay 23 December 2014 volume iX issue 353

This Christmas!

hristmas is one of the most significant historic events for Christians everywhere around the world. It is the basis on which Christians of all denominations derive a sense of purpose for their existence through celebrating the birth of Jesus. This represents to them the embodiment of transformation in praxis. Simultaneously, it is also very true that Christmas, in today’s context, represents a season that means different things for many people, both Christians and non-Christians. This also applies to the Naga people. In the Naga realm of life, the extent to which the ‘outward’ forms of Christmas is overwhelming and affecting its ‘inner’ spirit is vast. This in reality reflects specific social, cultural, economic, political and religious conditions which Nagas as a people have not adequately addressed. The duality of the ‘outward’ and ‘inner’ cannot be ignored and there is a need to engage in dialogue between superficiality and realism in order to bridge these separate realities. Hence, in the midst of all the joyous celebrations, we are invited to discern around the question: Can we find Christmas in our hearts? A Christmas that transcends seasons, overcomes divisions, embraces grace and compassion, reveals the truth, stands for justice and embodies a diverse and interconnected web of life. In essence, this means a Christmas that is reflective and embracing of life-giving values in praxis. Perhaps, this Christmas we can renew our commitment to seeking new ways of thinking, acting and relating that is consistent with the spirit of Christmas. In many unexpected ways 2014 has been an unusual year for the Nagas. The creative tensions between the ‘old ways’ and the ‘news ways’ are being articulated like never before, especially young minds that are speaking out ever more clearly about the need to break from the past. Their ripple-effect can be felt as many disconnected and unrelated events throughout the year have been united by a common yearning for a pathway to a shared future. In this time of Christmas let’s ask ourselves, ‘What gift can you give to the Naga people?’ Each gift will contribute to the Nagas’ new path for their shared future. The spirit of Christmas can persuade the human heart to think and act in unexpected ways, so let us expect the best this Christmas and invoke the prophetic imagination!

lEfT wiNg |

Ettie Higgins Inter Press Service

Give Peace a Chance: Run with the Youth

IN-FOCUS

ambang “Raymond” Tot Deng was 18 and attending his final year of school when fighting erupted in South Sudan’s capital Juba, one year ago. In the ensuing violence, as Raymond’s schoolbooks burned, thousands of South Sudanese were killed, including two of his cousins. Many fled to U.N. bases for protection or to neighbouring countries. “I saw children killed and women killed and everybody was crying,” Raymond recalls. It was never meant to be this way. The bells of celebration that rang around South Sudan just two years ago are today emergency sirens. And while South Sudan is a crisis for children and of young people, sparse global attention has been paid to them. This must change. The well of pain runs deep in many parts of Africa, and yet it is young people who offer the best chance for true conflict resolution, and lasting peace. Conflict-affected youth are often the most ambitious, the hardest workers. They want back what was taken from them: opportunity. They want an education and they want to earn a livable wage. Since conflict began, an estimated 1.8 million South Sudanese have fled their homes. Many remain on the move, while tens of thousands are living in camps in South Sudan, such as the UN Protection of Civilian camp #1 on the outskirts of southern Juba. Here Raymond lives alongside 10,000 other youth. Whilst ever grateful for the protection the camp offers, Raymond says: “Life in the camp is difficult. You can see people just lying, sitting down, there’s nowhere people can go, nothing for them to do.” Raymond’s experience of war, violence and suffering has been shared by hundreds of thousands across the region. But during the past two to three decades, it has consistently been young people who have been most affected by the conflicts that have raged. This early experience of conflict leaves young people in a kind of no man’s land. Education interrupted, opportunities crushed. In South Sudan 400,000 young people have lost the chance to have an education, in this year alone. Hundreds of thousands more are jaded, frustrated and disconnected, putting them at a critical crossroads, do they fight or fight for peace? “Some of the youth with whom I was together outside [the camp] joined the rebellion,” says Raymond. “They would say, ‘if I could be in this dire situation we are now in, why should I be here’?” And yet Raymond offers an important caveat: “Fighting cannot take everybody everywhere. Only peace can unite people as one.” How then to do this? UNICEF believes one answer is through providing essential services, and in particular, education. Basic education and vocational-skills training can lift people out of poverty by providing opportunity. But an education can be so much more, teaching war-torn children things many of us take for granted. At school children learn about the environment, about sanitation, and the importance of good nutrition. In turn, they become agents of change, conveying good practices to their families. Importantly, children who go to school are less likely to be recruited by armed groups. UNICEF, through Learning for Peace, our Peacebuilding, Education and Advocacy Programme, is helping to rebuild and improve schools in both conflict and former conflict zones in South Sudan, providing materials and psychosocial support to help children cope with the traumas they have suffered. UNICEF believes a key strategy for governments, the African Union, IGAD and development agencies is to counter insecurity through harnessing and connecting with youth. On this, Raymond should be a poster child. Despite the horror he experienced a year ago, the boredom of the camp and the frustrations of having his education suspended, he is a born peacemaker. Now part of a youth forum in the Juba camp, he leads discussions on the root causes of conflict and reconciliation. Raymond deserves to have his voice heard. “Let all youth in the world facing the same thing we are, know that forgiveness is the first priority, he says. “Give us the tools, and we will create peace.”

C O M M E N T A R Y

Steve Rushton

Antiwork – a radical shift in how we view “jobs” Over a decade into the 21st century, we seem as work-obsessed as ever. Is it time for a progressive reframing of work and leisure?

ntiwork is a moral alternative to the obsession with “jobs” that has plagued our society for too long. It’s a project to radically reframe work and leisure. It’s also a cognitive antidote to the pernicious culture of “hard work”, which has taken over our minds as well as our precious time. Big shifts have occurred this year. While politicians preached about “hardworking families”, unconditional basic income went viral and was adopted as long-term policy by the Green Party. Social media campaigns, meanwhile, made it increasingly difficult for companies and charities to benefit from the forced labour schemes known to most as “workfare”. The facts and figures generally don’t support the rose-tinted political view of work. Studies consistently show how jobs keep many of us poor while also making us ill, stressed, exhausted and demoralised. As Julia Unwin, chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, put it: “Hard work is not working.” But facts and figures alone don’t bring about change. Our cognitive frames for work tend to be anachronistic. The existing structures of our language/concepts in this area aren’t neutral – they predispose us to think conservatively. The rightwing press constantly talk about the “workshy”, etc, because it activates morally loaded frames that are impossible to argue against with facts alone. Antiwork addresses this moral dimension and reframes the whole issue from a progressive standpoint. Work as virtue – the existing moral frame “Work” is seen as a virtue, but it covers the moral spectrum from charity and art to forced labour and banking. Belief in the inherent moral good of work has been used historically in social engineering, notably during the shift from agriculture to industry, when the Protestant work ethic was used to motivate workers and to justify punishment, including whipping and imprisonment of “idlers”. (In The Making of the English Working Class, historian EP Thompson describes how the ethos of Protestant sects such as Methodism effectively provided the prototype of the disciplined, punctual worker required by the factory owners.) Work’s assumed virtue has always been about more than its utility or market value. George Lakoff, the cognitive linguist, provided a clue in the frame of “work as obedience”. The first virtue we learn as children is obeying our parents, particularly in performing tasks we don’t enjoy. Later, as adults, we’re paid to obey our employers – it’s called work. Work and virtue are thus connected in our neurology in terms of obedience to authority. That’s not the only cognitive frame we have for the virtue of work, but it’s the one that is constantly reinforced by what Lakoff calls the “strict father” conservative moral system. This “strictness” moral framing is implicit, for example, in the current welfare system. An increasingly punitive approach is adopted towards those who don’t follow the prescribed “job-seeking” regimen – a trend that most political parties seem to approve of. Politicians boast of getting “tough on dependency culture”, and when they talk of “clamping down” on the “hardcore unemployed”, you’d think they were referring to criminals. Emphasis on punishment is the sign of an obedience frame. Work itself has a long history as punishment for disobedience, as the Book of Genesis illustrates - Adam and Eve had no work until they disobeyed God, who imposed it as their punishment: “Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life”. Unpaid work, or “community service”, is still sometimes dictated as punishment by courts. Workfare programmes similarly involve mandatory work without wages – it looks very much like punishment for the “sin” of unemployment. Workfare illustrates a difference between framing and spin. The cognitive frame is paternalistic, morally strict, punishment-based (much like “community service”), while the political spin is all about “helping” people “integrate” back into society. Genuine help, of course, shouldn’t require the threat of losing what little income one has. Morally, it seems that politicians, most of the media and a large section of the public are still stuck in the Puritan codes and scripts that, following the Reformation and into the industrial revolution, dominated social attitudes to work and idleness in England, America and much of Europe. In fact, when reading early accounts of the treatment of what Calvin called “lazy good-for-nothings”, you get a strong sense of déjà vu. Christian charity – Calvinist style – didn’t extend to the “idle poor”, who were viewed as outside God’s chosen and thus unsaveable. Poverty is still widely viewed as a moral failure of the individual, unless the self-flagellation of uninterrupted hard work is on display. Incidentally, if you think you’re free from this moral script, try an experiment; spend a whole day in bed doing absolutely nothing, then spend another

two days being lazier than you’ve ever been before – deluxe, self-indulgent laziness, relaxo supremo. Do nothing that could remotely be considered work. Observe your reactions and moods during this period. (And if you do break through, and time stops, and you experience the unburdening liberation of simply being... congratulations – that’s antiwork.) Leisure – the flip side of work The concept of “leisure” tends to reinforce the work frame. “Leisure is non-work for the sake of work. Leisure is the time spent recovering from work and in the frenzied but hopeless attempt to forget about work”, to quote Bob Black’s essay, The Abolition of Work. Most of us would like far more leisure – we dream of it. But we believe it comes with a price. And so we resent the unemployed for (supposedly) “sitting around all day”, while we identify with our jobs and righteously grumble, or boast, about our hard work, like demented subjects in a behaviourist’s divideand-rule experiment. Leisure, like happiness, tends to be seen as something that’s earned through work. The underlying idea is that you’re endlessly undeserving – that reward, ie happiness, will always be contingent on the endurance of some unpleasant activity (eg “hard work”). Again, we could trace this notion to early moral ideas – eg original sin and redemption through suffering – but the important point is that we seem to have a nasty, and very persistent, cultural neurosis in the form of an archaic cognitive frame for work and leisure. Laid on top of this work/leisure neurosis is consumerism – the idea that spending money will make you happy. This is like toffee coating on a bad Puritan apple. If you spend enough money to give you the (advertised) conditions for happiness, the neurosis emerges in the form of random worries or vague, guilty feelings about not working hard enough. This, along with the work as obedience frame, may explain why we’re contributing £29bn worth of free labour (in unpaid overtime) to British employers each year, according to TUC figures. Antiwork and radical politics Consumerism is, of course, opposed by many on moral grounds. Anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist politics focus on corporate greed and its effects, but not usually on the work ethic and the obsession with jobs. Maximising employment is often tacitly accepted as good, and sometimes even promoted. ZNet’s Michael Albert, for example, argued, in a Guardian article, that “full employment” should be one of the main demands of the Occupy movement. I see plenty of irony in this. As Sharon Beder notes, in Selling the Work Ethic, what distinguished the rise of the capitalist edifice from traditional concentrations of wealth and power was precisely the moral ethos of work and Protestant-style discipline: “The asceticism of Protestantism ensured that the money made by capitalists was not wastefully spent but was reinvested to make more capital.” Although the religious roots of this ethos later gave way to “utilitarian worldliness” (as Max Weber put it), the moral framing of work as a virtue in its own right continues to serve the interests of big business and conservative politics. But rather than morally reframe the issue along progressive lines, many on the left claim the existing ethic as their own, fully identifying with the narrative of “hard work”, “full employment”, “tough on the workshy”, etc. So, while consumerism and capitalism are widely protested, a moral justification of the status quo remains in place, largely unquestioned. It takes many forms – shouted from tabloid headlines about “benefit cheats”, or quietly echoed across all media with daily “austerity” framing. The reaction, if any, from the left, leaves the strict moral framing of work unchallenged, and usually reinforced. This is where the progressive approach of antiwork is needed.

Antiwork – follow your bliss Antiwork is what we do out of love, fun, interest, talent, enthusiasm, inspiration, etc. Only a lucky few get paid enough from it to live on, yet it probably enriches our lives and benefits society more than most jobs do. Our yearnings for antiwork remain largely unexpressed, as they don’t fit existing semantic frameworks. This is precisely why we need the concept. The existing work/leisure dichotomy divides our lives in a way that serves narrow market interests and distorts our evaluation of unpaid activity. This isn’t just a matter of surface language and word definitions – it concerns cognitive frames that shape how we think, ultimately determining social and economic policy. Antiwork has both negative and positive aspects. The negative is a clear expression of what we choose not to do. Melville’s Bartleby put it best: “I would prefer not to” – the most radical response one can make in an all-pervasive jobs culture. Antiwork is also a rejection of what we regard as pointless or immoral work. This might include any form of forced or subtly coerced labour, work that serves no positive purpose (in the opinion of those doing the work), work that has harmful consequences (physical, psychological, environmental), etc. If the studies I’ve read over the years are anything to go by, more than half of existing jobs in the UK could be classed as immoral or pointless. I remember reading a Guardian report on the 1993 British Social Attitudes survey, which found that around 60% of British workers were unhappy in their work and were inclined (more than workers in other countries surveyed) to “feel their work is not useful to society”. Similar survey findings appear fairly regularly. Most recently, the Independent on Sunday cited a YouGov poll which found that “only a third of us report looking forward to going to work, the rest are either ambivalent or dread it”. A New York Times piece, meanwhile, summarised one of the biggest-ever surveys of the American workplace by stating: “For most of us, in short, work is a depleting, dispiriting experience, and in some obvious ways, it’s getting worse.” David Graeber’s essay, On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs, continues the theme of dehumanising work, and articulates the antiwork perspective on needless “job creation”. Graeber points to the ballooning of the administrative sector (more than the so-called “service” sector) and the disappearance, resulting from automation, of productive jobs. He says we have a morally and spiritually damaging system in which huge swathes of people “spend their entire working lives performing tasks they secretly believe do not really need to be performed”. On the positive side, antiwork could be defined as any activity, or non-activity, which you value in its own right, not as a means to an end. Which isn’t to say that antiwork must be inherently pleasant – it’s simply chosen action (or non-action), accepted as it is, not collected like Brownie points towards some deferred moment of “earned” happiness. It’s always done for its own sake, in contrast to “work”, which is never done for its own sake (by my definition). Work will doubtless always be necessary, but hopefully reduced to a minimum. Bertrand Russell wrote that “the road to happiness and prosperity lies in an organised diminution of work”. But this seems unlikely to happen while work is framed as the virtuous side of a moral dichotomy. The point of antiwork is to think of “good” human activity outside the dominant cognitive frames of market value and obedience. It’s also about letting go of some misplaced sentimental attachments to “honest work” (still common on the left, alas). As Robert Anton Wilson once put it, “most ‘work’ in this age is stupid, monotonous, brain-rotting, irritating, usually pointless and basically consists of the agonising process of being slowly bored to death over a period of about 40 to 45 years of drudgery.”

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TuEsday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

23 December 2014

PERSPECTIVE NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE

Christmas 1914: The day even WWI showed humanity Raf Casert

Kuriakose Chavara: Educationist & Social Reformer

Associated Press

ith British and German forces separated only by a no-man's land littered with fallen comrades, sounds of a German Christmas carol suddenly drifted across the frigid air: "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" ("Silent Night, Holy Night"). Then, during that first Christmas Day in World War I, something magical happened. Soldiers who had been killing each other by the tens of thousands for months climbed out of their soggy, muddy trenches to seek a shred of humanity amid the horrors of war. Hands reached out across the narrow divide, presents were exchanged, and in Flanders Fields a century ago, a spontaneous Christmas truce briefly lifted the human spirit. "Not a shot was fired," Lt. Kurt Zehmisch of the 134th Saxony regiment wrote with amazement in his diary that Christmas. On the other side of the front line, Pvt. Henry Williamson of the London Rifle Brigade was amazed by the goodwill among his enemies. "Yes, all day Xmas Day & as I write. Marvelous, isn't it?" Few could be believe their eyes, especially on this mud-caked patch of Belgium and northern France where crimson poppies had long ago shriveled in the cold. Peace allowed for corpses to be recovered from the fields and given a proper burial. Fighting continued in many other places on the front line. But it was a momentary peace in a war that would last for nearly four more years. The Birdcage Near one of the spots where British and German soldiers fraternized for the unexpected truce, a dark, dirt track veers off the road and meanders into the gloom of the woods. There, a cleared space has the graves of British soldiers who died on Dec. 19, 1914, in a battle as gruesome as it was insignificant, their dreams of a peaceful Christmas ignored and buried in the cold mud. It was a time when swift military movement from Germany across France to the Belgian coast was grinding to a stalemate, leaving hundreds of thousands of casualties behind. For both sides — Germany versus an alliance led by France and Britain — this buried any hope that the war would be over by Christmas. The result was a form of warfare across trenches where human life was expendable. "There are a number of local attacks which never make it into the history books, but which all cause a great loss among the troops," said Piet Chielens, curator at the In Flanders' Fields Museum in Ypres, Belgium. The Dec. 19, 1914 "Birdcage" attack occurred on a bulge of the German line about the size of a football (soccer) field. Allied soldiers also had been thinking about Christmas, but for 80 of them it turned into disaster in an area where a warren of barbed wire had given the German defenders a huge advantage. Chielens said that during those early days of the war both sides dug into the Flemish soil, with commanders "attacking without deep thought, without deep concern about the fate of their men." The infamous "Birdcage" was one of those battles that made them realize that strategy wouldn't work. With offensive artillery nearly non-existent and sometimes so wayward that it also was a threat to its own troops, soldiers were thrown into action where one machine gun could mow down a whole row of approaching men. Some of the bodies found after the attack were so mangled they could no longer be told apart, and today the headstones of several casualties stand shoulder to shoulder to mark that horror. "We no shoot" Little wonder so many soldiers were pining for a glimmer of hope on Christmas Eve. Frank and Maurice Wray of the London Rifle Brigade settled in to keep watch when they suddenly heard a German band in the trenches play songs "common to both nations," they later wrote in an article. "Quite understandably a wave of nostalgia passed over us." At dawn, a German called out, "We good. We no

“Arena of mind” portrays a space for idea germination, a field where ideas from multi-disciplinary viewpoints fertilize the world of intelligence. The writers aspire to envision a new future by exploring the mind, discovering new seeds of insights and unleashing them to enlightenment.

In this photo taken from an image in the collection at In Flanders Fields Museum provided by the family of German soldier Kurt Zehmisch, a German World War I soldier of the 103rd Saxon Regiment wears the hat of a British soldier as he sits in a trench with other German soldiers in Warneton, Belgium, during Dec. 1914. Soldiers who had been killing each other by the tens of thousands for months climbed out of their soggy trenches to seek a shred of humanity amid the horrors of World War I. Hands reached out across the divide and in Flanders Fields a century ago, a spontaneous Christmas truce ever so briefly lifted the human spirit. (AP Photo)

In this photo taken from an image in the collection at In Flanders Fields Museum provided by the family of German soldier Kurt Zehmisch, German World War I soldiers of the 103rd Saxon Regiment sit in their trenches along the Western Front in Warneton, Belgium, during Dec. 1914. Soldiers who had been killing each other by the tens of thousands for months climbed out of their soggy trenches to seek a shred of humanity amid the horrors of World War I. Hands reached out across the divide and in Flanders Fields a century ago, a spontaneous Christmas truce ever so briefly lifted the human spirit. (AP Photo)

shoot," and the Wrays noted: "And so was born an unofficial armistice." Men walked out, extremely apprehensive at first, many fearing some deadly trick. Then human warmth cracked the freezing cold. Chielens said that similar scenes occurred at about 30 scattered points across many miles (kilometers) of Belgium. Others happened across the Western Front, which ran from the North Sea to the Swiss border. Apart from talk in a shared language or merely with hands and kindred eyes, the men exchanged gifts, using everything from bully beef and barrels of beer to small mementos. Some played football. German soldier Werner Keil scribbled his name on a piece of paper and gave a uniform button to 19-year-old British Cpl. Eric Rowden of the Queen's Westminster Rifles on Christmas Day 1914. "We laughed and joked together, having forgotten war altogether," Rowden wrote. War, though, was never far away, including memories of the Birdcage still lingered and the burials of dead soldiers. It was hardly as if gunfire stopped all over to make room for warm embraces. On the Belgian stretch around Ploegsteert alone, "we still have over 250 people dying on Christmas Day itself. There was enough fighting going on," Chielens said.

Despite the uplifting moment, commanders away from the trenches abhorred the softening of posture and fighting spirit. Cpt. Robert Hamilton of Britain's 1st battalion Royal Warwickshire noted: "I am told the general and staff are furious — but powerless to stop it." 25th December 1917 All that would change soon enough, and the 1914 truce would not be repeated. Once British Gen. Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien had heard of it on Dec. 27, 1914, he wrote in a confidential memorandum that "this is only illustrative of the apathetic state we are gradually sinking into." He threatened disciplinary action to avoid a repeat. "It was certainly remembered by the army commands because around Christmas in 1915, 1916, 1917, they see to it that there is no such thing as a truce possible because then the shelling will be deliberate and very intensive." One thing did continue — the relentless killing. Next to a monument in Ploegsteert to mark football playing at Christmas is the Prowse Point Military cemetery. Amid the 225 dead, three headstones from the 27th Battalion Australian infantry stand out. Date of death? "25th December 1917."

ne of the few states in India that rightly prides herself of many ‘first’ or has made great strides in many fields is Kerala. Calling herself as ‘God’s own country’ for she is blessed with lush green everywhere with lot of productivity and fruitfulness, she has every reason to call herself so. I have travelled a bit at least to the four corners of the country, and still I have not found so far a place like Kerala. Different from other parts of the country in the sense that, in Kerala, I have not found an inch of land that is not usefully utilized or cultivated. You travel from north to south, from east to west, whether it is a plain land or a mountainous terrain, the length and breadth of the state is made productive. Kerala is the first literate state in the country. Literacy here means much. It means an educated nation, a people that can reason, where resources reaches to proper people, where people know the value of hard work and are justly rewarded. It is a place where you will have to think not only twice but thrice when you want to do anything contrary to what you are expected to do. The media is in a way the conscience keeper of the people. Today, there are many Keralites in different parts of the world who are contributing immensely to the development of the world. Has anyone given a thought on how Kerala has reached such heights? One may reason, it is blessed with good climatic condition, it is seldom affected by natural calamities, etc. No doubt, every state or country has its own strengths and weaknesses, but definitely Kerala is an exception. And the reason behind all the advancement is because the Catholic Church has made such an impact on the state on many fronts. To pin point some individuals, the contribution made particularly by Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, who was just declared a saint in Rome by Pope Francis on 23rd November, 2014 is remarkable. Born in a village at Kainakary, Alappuzha district, Kerala, on 10th February, 1805, Kuriakose Chavara grew up against all odds and became a Catholic priest. Having lived for sixty six years he died on January 3, 1871. During his short span of life, he contributed much for the society. He is an educationist and a social reformer. Realising that any nation that has to grow needs attention in the field of education, he geared his attention toward this end. In his capacity as the Vicar General of the Diocese, he sent a circular making it mandatory that every Church should have a school attached to it. He even threatened that without a school no Church would be consecrated. In fact the word for school in Malayalam is ‘pallikoodam’ which means ‘a hut attached to the church’. In this way a number of schools began in Kerala, joint to every Church. This is the starting point for the high literacy rate in the state and the furtherance of its positive impact. He did not stop at this. He made sure that the poor and the Dalits too are also given an opportunity. To meet this end he introduced the mid-day meal for the students. He advised the families that whenever they cook rice, a handful of rice should be kept aside for the poor, and this collection is gathered and given for the poor. He also provided free books, slates and clothes to the needy children. It is interesting to note that the government of India in this 21st century has introduced mid-day meal scheme; and it is no wonder the inspiration might have come from such a visionary like Chavara. Another notable undertaking of Chavara is the starting of the Sanskrit School in 1846. Sanskrit Schools were the reserve of only a few privileged groups till then. It was he who realized the importance of providing accessibility to the roots of learning. Knowing full well the importance women play in society, he made sure that women too have access to the portals of learning. Chavara was the first to set up a home for the poor in India. He gave written instruction as to how funds could be collected to support these centres. India’s first home for the poor at Kainakary, continues to this day. In his own life time, he has set up several such homes. Fr Chavara, a far sighted man was conscious of the fact that if a nation wants any progress, it has to have reading materials. He went to the then existing government press at Thiruvananthapuram, studied them and made a model of the printing press with banana stem. With the help of a carpenter, he built a wooden press and began his mission of disseminating literature to educate the people especially on principles of good and right living. The Malayalam daily, ‘Deepika’ today stands as a testimonial to his legacy. It is not very easy to note down at this moment the tremendous contribution Chavara made. But the greatest gift he gifted to the world, particularly in the field of education is the starting of two indigenous religious societies, one for men, generally known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) and another for women, Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC). A strong band of more than nine thousand men and women are members of these societies and it is gratifying to note that there are thousands both in India and abroad who have benefitted immensely from the different institutions and centres under their care. To mention a few, Christ University and Christu Jayanti College, both at Bangalore are run by the CMI Fathers. In the North East, Chavara Home, a Care and Support Centre at Purana Bazaar, Dimapur and Carmel Jyoti, a Care Centre for Children (HIV/AIDS) at Luwangsangbam, Imphal and Nirmalabas School, Imphal are under the care of the CMC Sisters. Sr Dr Kaisa Rosalind CMC Asst Professor Department of English St Joseph’s College, Jakhama

2014: A year of e-commerce boom in India A Gagandeep Kaur

n avid shopper, Hima Shukla, 29 years old, didn’t bother to visit market for Diwali (major Indian festival) shopping this year. Even the discounts offered by various retailers were not enough to change her mind. The reason for this was that the discounts offered by brick-and-mortar retailers paled when compared with discounts offered by online retailers. “There was just no comparison. The discount offered by online retailers was simply unbelieveable. It just didn’t make any sense to visit regular market. In fact, I totally cut down on Diwali visits as well and had the gifts delivered at friends and relatives places,” elaborates Shukla. She is not the only one. The rock bottom discounts offered by the online retailers this year managed to draw even their harshest critics to the platform. A prominent Indian etailer, Flipkart made record single day sales of Rs 600 crore in October this year. Backed by heavy investment funding and in an effort to garner maximum subscribers, online retailers like Myntra, Flipkart, Jabong and Amazon are offering mind blowing discounts to their customers. The sector is witnessing a heightened merger and acquisition activity this year. In May, Myntra agreed to be bought by Flipkart for $330 million in the country’s largest ever

e-Governance deal. Not just that, almost all the major e-commerce firms, Flipkart, Jabong, Pepperfry and Limeroad have announced fund-raisings this year. However, this was not always the case. The scenario was totally different a few months back. Generally, people were unsure about online retailers and felt that they were fly-by-night kind of companies. They were also reluctant to share debit/credit card details on internet. The same people are now happily shopping through their mobile and tablets. What really led to this change? Experts believe that the decision of the online retailers to offer cash on delivery was a game changer. This meant that a customer has the option of paying in cash once the product is delivered and he is satisfied. This coupled with frequent discounts offered by the companies enticed the consumer to at least try them out once. “Rapidly changing consumer behavior towards technology adoption and Internet is one of the prime drivers of this boom. Besides that the demographic profile of the country favors a vast majority of young population, which is ready to try out new concepts,” says Ankur Bisen, Senior Vice President, Retail and Consumer Products, Technopak. The company is a management firm with focus on the Indian retail industry. There are other reasons for this change

in consumer behavior. There is a perceptible lack of modern retail penetration in brick-and-mortar format, especially so, in mid and small towns and cities. This implies that there is a gap between desirability and availability of retail outlets. The upcoming online retail outlets perfectly address this segment. “Although e-tailing is still a small contributor to retail, accounting for only 0.4% of the overall market, it is on a rapid growth trajectory. It is projected that the ~USD 2.3 billion e-tailing market in 2014, will reach 3% of Indian retail i.e. USD 32 billion by 2020,” says the recently released report by Technopak.

Deja Vu The rise of online retailers can be compared to the dot com bubble at the turn of the century. As a cub reporter in Bangalore (Silicon Valley of India) at the time, I recall attending at least two website launches every week, with a number of them announcing significant funding from investors. What happened next is history. Is something similar in store for India’s online retailers? “No, the trend of e-tailing’s growth is not a bubble. While one can question the viability of players in e-tailing to succeed in the long term, but the trend and so the business opportunity is here to stay,” says Bisen. Experts also believe that discounts

(many of them simply unviable) do not tell the entire story. Online retailers are able to offer discounts because they do not have brick-and-mortar infrastructure to maintain and thus have fewer expenses, which enable them to offer discounts to their customers, which a traditional business would never be able to offer. “Discount structures offered by e-railers are rapidly evolving. Today it is not about discounts alone. Also, many discounts offered are built-in the margin model of Etailers. While practice of offering discounts will continue, the reasons will be as normal as any other retailer offering discounts for liquidation, sales uplift etc,” elaborates Bisen. A major challenge for most of these firms is that almost none of them are anywhere near profitability. Huge investments have gone in setting up operations across the country but profits are nowhere in sight. Besides huge discounts mean the road to profitability is further pushed forward. “Most of the companies claim that they are on the path to profitability. In the next two years you will see success stories emerge,” says Bisen.

the country. “Order fulfilment is one of the biggest challenges and concerns for Indian etailers. Logistics, which is a key component of order fulfilment, is challenging given the geographical complexity, sub-optimal infrastructure, and regulatory variations across India. Further, logistics services have traditionally not been designed to serve B2C needs like that of e-tailing. India has witnessed a direct correlation between the evolution of e-tailing and that of B2C logistics and while we have seen considerable progress in the past five years in terms of the development of the B2C logistics ecosystem, this still remains the biggest challenge in this sector,” says Technopak report. There is another reason for comparison with dot com bubble burst. The bubble burst was characterised by a huge hype surrounding the potential of the websites. The current ecommerce boom is witnessing the same phenomenon. Realistically speaking, from overall consumer spending perspective, the share of e-tail channel by 2020 is expected to be just 3% of the net sales value and not more than 10% by 2025. The e-tailers would need to gear up to capitalise on the opportunities in the marAnd the tough gets going ket. In spite of the challenges it can be said Going forward, online stores face major that ecommerce has finally and firmly archallenges like last mile delivery, regulatory rived in India. The coming year is likely to and policy clarity and lack of talent pool in witness a heightened activity in this sector.

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

Dimapur

NATIONAL

Tuesday 23 December 2014

The Morung Express

Nitish, Mulayam, Lalu slam PM Modi NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22 (IANS): Leaders of the Janata Parivar raised the issue of black money both inside and outside parliament Monday, hitting out at the NDA government for failing to fulfil its promise of bringing back illegal cash stashed abroad. They also accused it of fomenting communal tensions. Political heavyweights from the Janata Parivar, comprising the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) gathered in the Jantar Mantar area in the heart of the capital to address a rally denouncing the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. "Why has the NDA government failed to fulfil its promises made before the (Lok Sabha) election?" asked JD-U leader Nitish Kumar. "Where is the black money it promised to bring

back (from abroad)?" "The prime minister has campaigned across the nation. He had said that he would bring back black money; what happened to the promises he made? They are spending money on religious conversions, they made false promises during poll campaign, and now they are diverting people's attention," said the former Bihar chief minister. He accused Modi of not acting tough against right-wing Hindu groups charged with religious conversion of Christians and Muslims and said the country should not be divided on religious grounds. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad were equally critical. Mulayam Singh said: "They promised jobs to all the youth and Rs.15 lakh to everyone (from the black money they would bring back). They even asked people to open bank accounts. But where is the money?" "The BJP's conspiracy

Walkout in Lok Sabha over black money

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav with Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad and Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav during a protest by Janata Parivar at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday.

is to engineer riots so that attention is shifted away from the government's failures," said the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister. "The Agra incident was just a beginning. They will do such things across the country," Mulayam Singh said, referring to the conversion of 300 Muslims families in his state. Lalu Prasad alleged

that Modi was attempting to cause religious divide in the country by tacitly encouraging religious conversions. "The minorities have also fought for India's independence and the Modi government engages in 'ghar vapsi' (home-coming)," he said. JD-U chief Sharad Yadav said: "Janata Parivar

is protesting at the venue (Jantar Mantar) against the government over black money. You promised good days, employment". The issue was raised again in both houses by members of these parties. In the Lok Sabha, they also staged a walkout over the issue. Members of the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress also

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22 (IANS): The issue of black money stashed in foreign banks was raised again in the Lok Sabha Monday by opposition members, who also staged a walkout over the issue. The opposition parties staged a walkout after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav accused the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not fulfilling the promises made to people who voted him to power. Members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal-United also demanded a statement from the prime minister over the issue. The SP chief said promises were made that farmers would get money in their accounts and that land encroached by China and Pakistan would be taken back. But "these promises have not been fulfilled". A debate was earlier held over the black money issue in the Lok Sabha at the beginning of the winter session.

held protests in the parliament premises. In the lower house, Mulayam Singh accused the government and Prime Minister Modi of not fulfilling the promises made to people who voted him to power. Members of the RJD and the JD-U also demanded a statement from the prime minister over the

issue The SP chief said promises were made that farmers would get money in their accounts and that land encroached by China and Pakistan would be taken back. But "these promises have not been fulfilled". Both houses of parliament have debated the issue of black money during the winter session.

Raiding Delhi Police team attacked, nine injured

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22 (IANS): At least nine policemen were injured here when they were attacked by residents of a locality where they raided a house because a sex racket was allegedly being run from there, police said Monday. Police detained some people for rioting, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikramjit Singh told IANS. The injured policemen were admitted to hospital, where they are said to be now out of danger. Police said the residents pelted stones when a police team came to conduct searches at the house in west Delhi's Narela area Sunday night. "The team was led by station house officer Ghulam Sabbir. Nine policemen, including Sabbir, were injured when the residents pelted stones at them," Vikramjit Singh told IANS. "The residents also vandalised five police vehicles. Some people have been detained for rioting," he said. Another official told IANS that the raid was conducted after a call was received from the locality that a sex racket was being run from a house. "When the team reached spot, a few youngsters were found inside the house but the sex trade is yet to be ascertained," the officer said. Meanwhile, the residents alleged that police were promoting sex racket in the area.

Despite intelligence, Mumbai attack wasn't foiled, reveals NYT NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22 (IANS): In one of the "most devastating nearmisses in spycraft", intelligence agencies of India, the US and Britain failed to foil the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack despite information from high-tech surveillance and other tools, The New York Times said Monday. The daily said it had pieced together the story from classified documents, court files and dozens of interviews with current and former Indian, British and American officials. According to the Times, 30-year-old computer expert Zarrar Shah "roamed from outposts in the northern mountains of Pakistan to safe houses near the Arabian Sea in the fall of 2008, plotting mayhem in Mumbai". Shah, the technology chief of the Pakistani terrorist group Lashkare-Taiba (LeT), and fellow conspirators used Google Earth to show terrorists the routes to their targets in the city, it said. "He set up an Internet phone system to disguise his location by routing his calls through New Jersey. "Shortly before (the) assault (on Mumbai) that would kill 166 people, including six Americans, Shah searched online for a Jewish hostel and two luxury hotels, all sites of the eventual carnage." Shah also drew similar scrutiny from an Indian intelligence agency, according to a former official briefed on the operation, the Times said. "The US was unaware of the two agencies' efforts, American officials say, but had picked up signs of a plot through other electronic and human sources,

and warned Indian security officials several times in the months before the attack," it said. The Times said: "What happened next may rank among the most devastating near-misses in the history of spycraft. "The intelligence agencies of the three nations did not pull together all the strands gathered by their high-tech surveillance and other tools, which might have allowed them to disrupt a terror strike so scarring that it is often called India's 9/11." The daily quoted India's former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon as saying: "No one put together the whole picture. Not the Americans, not the Brits, not the Indians." "The Indians did not home in on the plot even with the alerts from the US." The Times said that David Coleman Headley, a PakistaniAmerican who scouted targets in Mumbai, exchanged incriminating emails with plotters that went unnoticed until before his arrest in Chicago in late 2009. "US counterterrorism agencies did not pursue reports from his unhappy wife, who told American officials long before the killings began that he was a Pakistani terrorist conducting mysterious missions in Mumbai. "That hidden history of the Mumbai attacks reveals the vulnerability as well as the strengths of computer surveillance and intercepts as a counterterrorism weapon," it said. However, later cooperation among the spy agencies helped analysts retrospectively piece together "a complete operations plan for the attacks", a top-secret NSA document said.

A farmer rides on his bullock cart through dense fog near the fence at the India-Pakistan international border in Ranbir Singh Pura, in Jammu on Monday, December 22. Cold wave conditions intensified across northern India as temperatures dipped along with thick blankets of fog cutting out sunlight for long hours. (AP Photo)

No post-poll alliance with BJP: Omar SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 22 (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Monday ruled out post-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party given its stand on issues like Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and Babri Masjid as also with any other party. Talking to reporters on the eve of results to the 87-member state assembly, he said, “Clearly, no single party is going to form a government on its own. What remains to be seen is how close to these socalled exit polls, the actual number stacks up.” Abdullah expressed hope that his party will put up a credible show and said “please understand where we are coming from. In the Parliament elections, I held three assembly constituencies — all three in Srinagar. Two of them were badly hit by floods. If we extrapolate that result with the resultant post— flood anger, perhaps I should have only one constituency,” he said. Asked about the possibility of his party allying with the BJP to form the next government, he said it was inconceivable for his National Conference to get into alliance with that party in view of the latter’s stand on issues which are important to the people of the state. The BJP went silent on Article 370 (during the election campaign) but has not dissociated from its stand on it, it has not dissociated from Ramjanambhoomi— Babri Masjid issue, it has not dissociated from Common (Uniform) Civil Code. Right till now, you have a Prime Minister who is silent about the issue of forcible conversions that is going on in some parts of the country. “These are issues National Conference will find very difficult to reconcile itself to, should the BJP require support from the National Conference. I don’t see a situation like that emerging,” he said.

Forgotten asbestos mine sickens Indian villagers RORO VILLAGE, DECEMBER 22 (AP): Asbestos waste spills in a gray gash down the flank of a lush green hill above tribal villages in eastern India. Three decades after the mines were abandoned, nothing has been done to remove the enormous, hazardous piles of broken rocks and powdery dust left behind. In Roro Village and other settlements below, people who never worked in the mines are dying of lung disease. Yet in a country that treats asbestos as a savior that provides cheap building materials for the poor, no one knows the true number and few care to ask. "I feel weak, drained all the time," Baleman Sundi gasped, pushing the words out before she lost her breath. "But I must work." The 65-year-old paused, inhaled. "I don't have a choice." Another gasp. "I have to eat." Sundi and 17 others from a clutch of impoverished villages near the abandoned hilltop mines were diagnosed in 2012 with asbestosis, a fatal lung disease. One has since died. Tens of thousands more remain untested and at risk. Asbestos makes up as much as 14.3 percent of the soil around Roro Village, analysis of samples gathered by The Associated Press showed. The 17 surviving patients are suing in the country's environmental court for cleanup, compensation

and a fund for future victims. If they win, the case would set precedents for workplace safety and corporate liability, both often ignored in India. Neither the government nor the Indian company that ran the mines from 1963 to 1983 has made any move to clean up the estimated 700,000 tons of asbestos tailings and debris left scattered across several kilometers (miles) of hilly mining area. "The company had followed all rules and procedures for closure of a mine and had complied with the provisions of the law, as in force in 1983," a spokesman for Hyderabad Asbestos Cement Products Ltd., now known as HIL Ltd., told AP. India placed a moratorium on asbestos mining in 1986, acknowledging it was hazardous to miners. But that was the government's last decision curtailing the spread of asbestos. It has since embraced the mineral as a cheap building material. Today, India is the world's fastest-growing market for asbestos. India keeps no statistics on how many people have been sickened or died from exposure to asbestos, which industry and many government officials insist is safe when mixed with cement. Western medical experts strongly disagree. The World Health Organization and more than 50 countries, including

the U.S. and all of Europe, say it should be banned in all forms. Asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs and cause many diseases. The International Labor Organization estimates 100,000 people die every year from workplace exposure. "My greatest concern is what will happen in India. It's a slow-moving disaster, and this is only the beginning," said Philip Landrigan, a prominent New York epidemiologist. From the top of Roro Hill, a small boy leaped out to slide down the cascade of fluffy grey dust. A few villagers followed, nudging a herd of cows and goats. Huge clouds billowed in their wake. The villagers often ignore the warnings from visiting doctors or activists to stay away from the waste. Many just don't believe dust and rocks could be dangerous. Others are more fatalistic. "We tell the children, don't go there. But they are children, you cannot control them," said 56-yearold Jema Sundi, diagnosed with asbestosis though she never went into the mines. She then noticed her 4-year-old nephew Vijay, his tiny body covered with chalky white streaks, shrinking into himself as if trying to disappear. "You went up there today again?" she exclaimed. Vijay, lowering his head, attempted a halfsmile. "It's heartbreaking. Kids are playing on it. Peo-

In this September 11, 2014 photo, Baleman Sundi prepares brooms to sell at her home in Roro, India. An asbestos mine, abandoned nearly three decades ago still affects the people around it and 18 along with Sundi were diagnosed with asbestosis in 2012. Tens of thousands more, some former mine workers, remain untested and at risk. (AP Photo)

ple are stirring it up. You don't have to inhale much to put a cap on your life," said Richard Fuller of the Blacksmith Institute, a New York-based watchdog that estimates 50,000 people could be at risk. Hydrabad Asbestos employed about 1,500 people in the Roro asbestos mines in Jharkhand state. The company said it followed strict health and safety policies, and "no health or environmental damage was reported during the mine operations." It did not say if it sent anyone to check on the villagers' health after the mines closed. Villagers told the AP they were never invited for a company-sponsored checkup after 1983. The fact that Sundi and

the other plaintiffs had the opportunity for a diagnosis was rare. Like most living near Roro Hill, they cannot read or write. "The idea that the environment, something that has always provided and been taken for granted, could be causing them harm is a notion that just doesn't occur to them," said T.K. Joshi, a doctor who heads India's only university department specializing in occupational health. "And unfortunately, most Indian doctors are not trained to ask the right questions." Activists, doctors and lawyers have described an almost Kafkaesque effort to hold the government and company accountable over the past decade.

At the time the mines were open, Jharkhand state didn't even exist. The land was part of a wider Bihar state, with its capital and paperwork held in a different city. Neither state has been able to produce the 30-year-old documents about the mine's closure. "As far as environmental issues are concerned, we have already dealt with it," said Jharkhand's Mining Secretary Arun, who uses only one name. In 2012, an activist group selected 150 Roro-area villagers for chest X-rays. The plates were examined by Dr. V. Murlidhar, an occupational health specialist, who confirmed 18 had the tell-tale honeycomb pattern that denotes asbestosis.

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Tuesday 23 December 2014

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N Korean cinema: Kidnappings and evil Americans mantic comedy from 2012 about a young female coal miner who dreams of becoming a trapeze artist. The movie was co-produced with Western partners. The 1980s were a heyday for North Korean movies. The current leader’s father, Kim Jong Il, was an ardent movie buff and ensured generous funding for filmmakers. When Kim soured on the quality of films produced by his countrymen, he ordered the abduction

In this file image made out of film "Comrade Kim Goes Flying" released on October 3, by Busan International Film Festival, Comrade Kim Yong Mi played by Han Jong Sim smiles as she wears a coal miner's helmet. North Korea's progress in filmmaking technology has been slow, especially when compared to a South Korean film industry that's the envy of Asia. The country's relative isolation means North Korean filmmakers rarely get the opportunity to work with foreign artists. A notable exception was "Comrade Kim goes Flying," a romantic comedy from 2012 about a young female coal miner who dreams of becoming a trapeze artist. The movie was co-produced with Western partners. (AP File Photo)

SEOUL, DECEMBER 22 (AP): North Korea hates the currently scrapped Hollywood film that revolves around the assassination of its beloved leader, but the country has had a long love affair with cinema — of its own particular styling. In the six decades since North Korea began to cultivate its own film industry, a South Korean director and his movie star wife have been kidnapped, a Godzilla-inspired monster movie has bombed at the box office in the South, American defectors have hammed it

up in anti-U.S. propaganda films — and there has even been a foray into “girl power” cinema with the more recent “Comrade Kim Goes Flying.” The U.S. blames North Korea for the recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which produced “The Interview,” and also for threats of terror attacks against U.S. movie theaters. Sony canceled the movie’s release. North Korea has denied a role in the hacking, but also praised it as a “righteous deed.” Pyongyang began

of South Korean film director Shin Sang-ok and his then-wife, actress Choi Eun-hee, in 1978, Shin said after he escaped the North in 1986. Shin shook the North Korean movie scene with his entertainmentfocused works. They included 1984’s “Love, Love, My Love,” responsible for the first on-screen kiss in North Korean films, and “Runaway,” an action film released the same year that included an explod-

building its cinema industry in the 1950s as a wing of a propaganda machine meant to glorify the country’s late founder, Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un. The elder Kim once declared movies to be the most important tool to educate the masses, according to archive material maintained by the South Korean government. North Korean moviemakers have since dabbled with science fiction, action and romantic comedy, but they’re mostly expected

Adam Geller

AP National Writer

to stoke public animosity against rivals Washington and Seoul, and to portray the Kim family as a fearless bastion against evil foreign imperialists. North Korea’s progress in filmmaking technology has been slow, especially when compared to a South Korean film industry that’s the envy of Asia. The country’s relative isolation means North Korean filmmakers rarely get the opportunity to work with foreign artists. A notable exception was “Comrade Kim Goes Flying,” a ro-

cuses on the assassination of its leader Kim Jong Un, who is the beneficiary of a decades-long cult of personality built around his family dynasty. The U.S. blames North Korea for the cyberattack that escalated to threats of terror attacks against U.S. movie theaters and caused Sony to cancel “The Interview’s” release. Obama, who promised to respond “proportionately” to the attack, told CNN’s “State of the Union” in an interview broadcast Sunday that Washington is reviewing whether to put North Korea back on its list of state sponsors of terrorism The National Defense

More than nine months after searchers began scouring the seas for a Malaysia Airlines jetliner that vanished with 239 people aboard, the catastrophe defies resolution. The long hunt for clues to Flight 370’s fate set the tone for many of the headlines that defined 2014. It was a year that often left the public and its leaders grasping for answers. From Ukraine to the Middle East, from the Ebola threat to the tensions exposed by police killings in Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere, many stories fed into a growing sense of frustration. The conflict over Ukraine stretches back

to President Victor Yanukovych’s ouster in February. When Russia grabbed the Crimean peninsula, it set off a standoff reminiscent of the Cold War. Many of the biggest news events capture the public’s attention for just a few days, or perhaps weeks, before slipping from view. Not in 2014. The Ebola crisis began with a case in Guinea last December. A year later, the disease has already killed at least 6,000 people. Nearly all of those deaths came in three west African countries. As the year neared an end, the World Health Organization questioned reports of progress in containing the disease based on data it says is filled with

inconsistencies. Meanwhile, violence in the Middle East again took command of the headlines. In Gaza, a 50-day war killed more than 2,100 Palestinians and 72 Israelis. But it ended with no hint of a route toward resolution. After nearly four years of civil war in Syria, the radical Islamic State group’s rapid expansion and videotaped beheadings of Western hostages inspired a U.S.-led campaign of more 1,000 bombing attacks on IS strongholds in Iraq and Syria. As the year ends, leaders have warned that their vows to destroy the insurgency could take years to fulfill. “We recognize that hard work remains to be done,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said.

Americans turned their attention to suburban St. Louis, where in August a white police officer fatally shot black 18-year-old Michael Brown. Exactly what happened was clouded by conflicting witness accounts. Brown’s death, and a grand jury’s decision not to charge the officer, prompted widespread anger over law enforcement’s treatment of young, black men. The larger narrative of 2014 is of a world faced by daunting challenges and few answers within reach. That was clear in October, when Peter Foley, an Australian coordinating the hunt for the vanished Malaysia Airlines jet, faced questions about its direction. “We are in for the long haul,” Foley said.

Cambodia doctor spreads HIV to over 100 people

PHNOM PENH, DECEMBER 22 (AP): Cambodian prosecutors said they charged an unlicensed medical practitioner with murder on Monday, alleging he spread HIV among at least 106 villagers in the country’s remote northwest. Authorities detected the local epidemic of HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, on Dec. 9 when they started testing in the community in Battambang province and found children as young as two and people in the 80s had

contracted the virus. They were alerted after a 74-year-old man tested positive in November and started convincing others who had also visited the same practitioner, 55-yearold Yem Chrin, to get tested. “We charged him with spreading the HIV virus to others, brutal murder and operating a medical service without a licence,” Nuon San, the provincial court’s chief prosecutor, told Reuters by telephone. Yem Chrin admitted to routinely re-using syringes

and was a well-respected local doctor who provided cheap services to the poor, according to provincial deputy police chief Chet Vanny. “He used the same syringes again and again,” Chet Vanny told Reuters. “And he even let villagers owe him the money for the services,” he said, adding the accused was also regarded as having healing powers. The case is a blow to Cambodia’s so far successful efforts to cut the rate of HIV infections after the

virus spread almost uncontrollably in the impoverished country during the 1990s. “After I gave a birth to my child, I went to this doctor all the time,” said a 20year old mother, who asked not to be named, who tested positive for HIV. “I suspect the virus may have been transmitted through injections or intravenously through a drip.” The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and three U.N. agencies are assisting the government in the case.

Fatal shooting reported at Myanmar mine protest YANGON, DECEMBER 22 (AP): A woman was fatally shot Monday during a crackdown on protesters at a controversial Chinesebacked copper mine in northwestern Myanmar, activists and an opposition lawmaker said. Khin San Hlaing, a lawmaker from the National League for Democracy party, said the confrontation at the Letpadaung coppermine project occurred as police and Chinese workers erected a fence on land that the villagers claimed as theirs. She said a woman in her 50s was fatally shot in the head, though it was not clear whether she was shot by police or mining company security personnel. Photos taken at the scene showed the dead woman bleeding from her head, and a wounded man sitting up with blood coming from his thigh. Khin San Hlaing said 12 people were wounded, with nine hospitalized, including two in critical condition. Government and com-

pany authorities could not be reached immediately for comment. A receptionist who answered the phone at the Chinese company’s head office in Beijing said that personnel who could comment on the incident could not be reached because it was after working hours. The massive project, a joint venture between a Myanmar military-controlled holding company and China’s Wanbao Mining Copper Ltd., drew international attention two years ago when police forcefully dispersed protesters, injuring more than 100 Buddhist monks. Many suffered severe burns from smoke bombs that contained white phosphorus, a substance not generally used to contain civil unrest. The mine, near the trading hub town of Monywa, has been the scene of some of the fiercest opposition to corporate land-grabbing in Myanmar since elected President Thein Sein came to power in 2011. Villagers say thousands

tween the rivals. North Korea has long shown American characters in its movies as villains, sometimes played by North Koreans in makeup, but also by actual Americans who defected to the North in the 1960s. Four such Americans appeared together as evil capitalists and military officials in “Nameless Heroes,” a 20part propaganda film series filmed from 1979 to 1981, according to the South Korean government website.

North Korea threatens strikes on US

SEOUL, DECEMBER 22 (AP): President Barack Obama is “recklessly” spreading rumors of a Pyongyang-orchestrated cyberattack of Sony Pictures, North Korea says, as it warns of strikes against the White House, Pentagon and “the whole U.S. mainland, that cesspool of terrorism.” Such rhetoric is routine from North Korea’s massive propaganda machine during times of high tension with Washington. But a long statement from the powerful National Defense Commission late Sunday also underscores Pyongyang’s sensitivity at a movie whose plot fo-

WikiLeaks publishes CIA Top news of 2014 that left public grasping for answers tips for traveling spies WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 22 (AFP): WikiLeaks released two CIA documents that offered tips to help spies maintain their cover while using false documents as they crossed international borders. The two documents, dating from 2011 and 2012, are marked classified and “NOFORN,” which means they were not meant to be shared with allied intelligence agencies, WikiLeaks said. The documents outline a number of strategies for agents to avoid secondary screening at airports and borders. Some are obvious: don’t buy a one-way ticket with cash the day before flying. Others perhaps less so: don’t look scruffy while traveling on a diplomatic passport. “In one incident during transit of a European airport in the early morning, security officials selected a CIA officer for secondary screening,” one of the documents reads. “Although the officials gave no reason, overly casual dress inconsistent with being a diplomatic-passport holder may have prompted the referral.” The CIA agent involved went on to have his bag swabbed for explosives and it tested positive. Despite extensive questioning, he stuck to his cover story that he had been involved in counterterrorism training in the United States, and eventually was allowed to continue his journey. “Consistent, well-rehearsed, and plausible cover is important for avoiding secondary selection and critical for surviving it,” the CIA wrote. In a statement, WikiLeaks said this example “begs the question: if the training that supposedly explained the explosives was only a cover story, what was a CIA officer really doing passing through (a European Union) airport with traces of explosives on him, and why was he allowed to continue?” One of the CIA documents, called “Schengen Overview,” reveals that the CIA is very concerned about EU nations introducing biometric security measures for people traveling on US passports and that new systems pose an increased “identity threat” — in other words, making it harder for agents to travel on false documents. The document focuses on the EU’s Schengen area, a chunk of Europe in which travelers between 22 EU countries are no longer required to show passports. The CIA expressed concerns that a new EU security system will potentially make life harder for CIA agents.

ing train, according to a South Korean government website. Shin and Choi managed to escape during a business trip to Vienna in 1986, a year after Shin completed “Pulgasari,” a science-fiction film inspired by Japan’s iconic “Godzilla” series. Pulgasari, which features an actor waddling around in a padded monster suit, flopped when it was released in South Korea in 2000 during a period of warmer relations be-

of acres (hectares) of farmland were seized to allow the mine’s expansion and that the deal, approved when Myanmar was still under military dictatorship, lacked transparency. They worry that the mine is causing environmental, social and health problems. Because of the outcry, work at the mine was temporarily halted. The mining contract was renegotiated to ensure that millions of dollars go toward community development projects and to pay compensation to villagers, allowing the resumption of mining activities. Although the company has paid compensation to some villagers, others refused to take the money and insisted that they would hold on to their land. In Monday’s incident, U Arlawka, an activist monk, said police killed the woman when they started shooting to chase people away so that the company could put up a fence. “The police started fir-

Farmers confront riot police at the site of the Letpadaung copper-mine near Monywa in northwestern Myanmar on December 22. A woman was fatally shot Monday during a crackdown on protesters at the controversial Chinese-backed copper mine, activists and an opposition lawmaker said. Khin San Hlaing, a lawmaker from the National League for Democracy party, said the confrontation at the Letpadaung copper-mine project, a joint venture between a Myanmar military-controlled holding company and China's Wanbao Mining Copper Ltd., occurred as police and Chinese workers erected a fence on land that the villagers claimed as theirs. (AP Photo)

ing with their guns and the Chinese security beat up the villagers on that land with axes and hammers, which injured a lot of farmers this afternoon,” he said.

Lawmaker Khin San Hlaing said she called government officials and police to get their side of the story in order to judge the situation fairly, but had re-

ceived no answers. “It is very depressing that no government officials are answering my calls. No one is taking responsibility,” she said.

Commission, led by Kim, warned that its 1.2 millionmember army is ready to use all types of warfare against the U.S. “Our toughest counteraction will be boldly taken against the White House, the Pentagon and the whole U.S. mainland, the cesspool of terrorism, by far surpassing the ‘symmetric counteraction’ declared by Obama,” said the commission’s Policy Department in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. North Korea has said it knows how to prove it had nothing to do with the hacking and proposed a joint investigation with the

U.S. North Korea and the U.S., which fought each other in the 1950-53 Korean War, remain technically in a state of war because the conflict ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The U.S. stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to deter aggression from North Korea. The rivals are locked in an international standoff over the North’s nuclear and missile programs and its alleged human rights abuses. In the spring of last year, tension dramatically rose after North Korea issued a string of fiery threats to launch nuclear strikes against Washington and Seoul.

Pope in blistering critique of Vatican bureaucrats

VATICAN CITY, DECEMBER 22 (AP): Pope Francis issued a blistering critique Monday of the Vatican bureaucracy that serves him, denouncing how some people lust for power at all costs, live hypocritical double lives and suffer from “spiritual Alzheimer’s” that has made them forget they’re supposed to be joyful men of God. Francis’ Christmas greeting to the cardinals, bishops and priests who run the Holy See was no joyful exchange of holiday good wishes. Rather, it was a sobering catalog of 15 sins of the Curia that Francis said he hoped would be atoned for and cured in the New Year. He had some zingers: How the “terrorism of gossip” can “kill the reputation of our colleagues and brothers in cold blood.” How cliques can “enslave their members and become a cancer that threatens the harmony of the body” and eventually kill it by “friendly fire.” About how those living hypocritical double lives are “typical of mediocre and progressive spiritual emptiness that no academic degree can fill.” “The Curia is called on to always improve itself and grow in communion, holiness and knowledge to fulfill its mission,” Francis said. “But even it, as any human body, can suffer from ailments, dysfunctions, illnesses.” Francis, who is the first Latin American pope and never worked in the Italian-dominated Curia before he was elected, has not shied from complaining about the gossiping, careerism and bureaucratic power intrigues that afflict the Holy See. But as his reform agenda has gathered steam, he seemed even more emboldened to highlight what ails the institution. The cardinals were not amused. The speech was met with tepid applause, and few were smiling as Francis listed one by one the 15 “Ailments of the Curia” that he had drawn up, complete with footnotes and Biblical references. The annual Christmas greeting comes at a tense time for the Curia, the central administration of the Holy See which governs the 1.2-billion strong Catholic Church. Francis and his nine key cardinal advisers are drawing up plans to revamp the whole bureaucratic structure, merging offices to make them more efficient and responsive. The Vatican’s finances are also in the midst of an overhaul, with Francis’ finance czar, Cardinal George Pell, imposing new accounting and budget measures on traditionally independent congregations not used to having their books inspected. Yet it was perhaps Pell that Francis had in mind when he complained about the temptation to lust for power even if it means defaming or discrediting others “even in newspapers or magazines, to show themselves as more capable ... in the name of justice and transparency.” Pell recently penned an explosive essay in Britain’s Catholic Herald in which he said his team had discovered that the financial situation of the Holy See was “much healthier than it seemed, because some hundreds of millions of euros were tucked away in particular sectional accounts and did not appear on the balance sheet.” The Vatican later clarified that the money hadn’t been hidden and that nothing illicit was going on, just that the funds didn’t appear on the Vatican’s balance sheet. Over the weekend, the Jesuit magazine America reported that an internal Vatican memo had undercut Pell’s claim of having found the cash in the first place, saying the funds kept in the Vatican Secretariat of State were well-known, duly reported, were used to cover Vatican losses and special projects and actually had been well-managed over the years. Francis started off his list with the “ailment of feeling immortal, immune or even indispensable.” Then oneby-one he went on: Being vain. Wanting to accumulate things. Having a “hardened heart.” Wooing superiors for personal gain. Having a “funereal face” and being too “rigid, tough and arrogant,” especially toward underlings — a possible reference to the recently relieved Swiss Guard commander said to have been too tough on his recruits for Francis’ tastes. Some critiques could have been seen as worthy of praise: working too hard and planning too much ahead. But even those traits came in for criticism as Francis noted that people who don’t take time off to be with family are overly stressed, and those who plan everything to a “T’’ don’t allow themselves to be surprised by the “freshness, fantasy and novelty” of the Holy Spirit.

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Griezmann nets 3 in Atletico's 4-1 win at Bilbao

BARCELONA, DECEMBER 22 (AP): France forward Antoine Griezmann netted a second-half hat trick to help Atletico Madrid roar back for a 4-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, as Diego Simeone's side pulled within four points of the lead in the Spanish league. Bilbao bossed the first 45 minutes at its New San Mames Stadium, not allowing Atletico a shot on goal while Mikel Rico headed in a free kick for the 17thminute lead. But Atletico emerged the more aggressive side from halftime, and Griezmann headed in Juanfran Torres' cross to finish off a sublime team move started from kickoff after the restart. "Griezmann played a fabulous second half," said Simeone. "He was the player we went after (to sign this summer)."

Raul Garcia put the titleholders ahead in the 53rd from the penalty spot after the referee ruled Mikel San Jose had tripped Tiago Cardoso in the area. Griezmann, starting for suspended striker Mario Mandzukic, then struck a decisive double blow with breakaway goals in the 73rd and 81st. "We played a bad first half, but Simeone motivated us with his words and everything went better in the second half," said Griezmann, who doubled his season goal tally in the league. Pacesetter Real Madrid, with a game to play, leads Barcelona by one point and Atletico by four. Bilbao finished 2014 in 11th place, two spots behind promoted Basque neighbor Eibar. Villarreal and Malaga also won to end the year on winning streaks. Atletico de Madrid's Antoine Griezmann gestures during their La Liga soccer match between Athletic Bilbao and Atletico de Villarreal striker Lucia- Madrid, at San Mames stadium, in Bilbao, northern Spain, Sunday, December 21. (AP Photo)

no Vietto scored two goals to secure a comfortable 3-0 win over visiting Deportivo La Coruna, while Malaga had to rally 2-1 at Elche. Villarreal eased to a fifth straight victory over a Deportivo side that remained one point above the relegation zone. A strike by Denis Cheryshev led to Jonathan Dos Santos finishing off the rebound, giving the hosts the lead in the 10th. Villarreal made it 2-0 when Vietto tapped in a low cross from Victor Ruiz in the 68th. The Argentine struck again from a similar pass by Cheryshev five minutes later. Villarreal played the last 10 minutes down a man after substitute Tomas Pina received a direct red for a tackle. "We wanted to finish off a good year with a win," said Vietto. "It's difficult to concentrate on the last game when you are

thinking about the holidays with your family, but we played well." Malaga recorded its eighth win in the last 10 rounds to keep Elche in last place. David Lomban headed Elche in front in firsthalf injury time, only for Ignacio Camacho to level in the 49th. Luis Alberto then came on as a substitute in the 76th and a minute later dribbled by two defenders before drilling the ball home. Elsewhere, Getafe salvaged a 1-1 draw at Granada to ensure the Andalusian side remained winless in 12 consecutive rounds. Getafe defender Emiliano Velazquez fired in a free kick lobbed forward by Pedro Leon in the 78th to cancel out Jhon Cordoba's 41st-minute opener and split the points. The Spanish league takes a winter break and resumes on Jan. 3.

Kenei Club 'Handing Over' ceremony James guides Cavaliers over Grizzlies Germans set 10-year plan, want Euro 2024 CLEVELAND, DECEMBER 22 (AP): Cleveland's LeBron James had 25 points and 11 assists and put in a strong second-half performance to guide the Cavaliers to a 105-91 home victory over NBA Southwest Conference leader Memphis on Sunday. Among other games, Washington missed a chance to build a lead in the Southeast when it was beaten at home by Phoenix, New Orleans took a tight victory at Oklahoma City, and Toronto downed New York to open a 10game lead in the Atlantic Division. Cleveland's James scored 16 points in the second half and Dion Waiters scored 13 points in the

Kenei Club Kiruphema new team pose for lens with officials of KCK (Old).

KOhiMA, DECEMBER 22 (MExN): The Kenei Club Kiruphema (KCK) today held handing over ceremony from Kiruphema village at Kithu Hill 21km away from the state capital Kohima to promote youngsters in the field of education, unity and sports under the theme ‘Rise and Shine’. The Club number 8 of

Kiruphema village Kenei Club Kiruphema consisting of 82 permanent members hand over its Club bearing Govt. registration number H/RS-1926 Dt.13/11/2001 and Club constitution to the young upcoming batch which will be Club number 16 of Kiruphema village.` from today. Earlier, the function was chaired by Sedeneikho

Shosahie, invocation from Asano Dahou, welcome address was presented by Roupfüselhou Kehie, special number was also presented by the KCK (New), exhortation from Viselie Mor, Advisor KCK, vote of thanks was delivered by Rokoseto Zhünyü and the benediction was pronounced by Keneisevono Dahou.

Amateur Naga Wrestling Club launched

fourth quarter to make it 21 for the game as the Cavaliers shot a season-best 61 percent from the field. The Cavaliers have won eight of their past nine home games to move within one game of Chicago for the Central Division lead. Marc Gasol had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who played without forward Zach Randolph due to a knee injury. Phoenix won 104-92 at Washington, ending the Wizards' six-game winning streak. Eric Bledsoe and Markieff Morris each scored 17 points for the Suns, who completed a perfect threegame road trip, having lost their previous six games. Rasual Butler's 17

points led the Wizards, who dropped into a tie with Atlanta atop the Southeast. New Orleans' Anthony Davis scored 38 points to lead the Pelicans to a 10199 win at Oklahoma City. It was the third-highest point total of Davis' career. He made 16 of 22 shots and had 12 rebounds. Jrue Holiday had 11 points and matched a career high with 15 assists for the Pelicans. Russell Westbrook scored 29 points for the Thunder, but he missed a 3-pointer that could have given Oklahoma City the lead in the closing seconds. Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant missed his second straight game because of a sprained ankle.

LLRSA sports meet concludes

WOKhA, DECEMBER 22 (DiPR): The 59th sports meet of Lotha Lower Range Sports Association (LLRSA) which started at local ground Bhandari on December 15 concludes on December 20. All together

14 teams participated in football and volleyball trophy. In football, United Bhandari Town lifted the trophy beating ADC 11, while in volleyball, United Bhandari Town emerged as the winner respectively.

The inaugural programme was graced by local MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon while the closing ceremony was graced by Junior Engineer (JE) power, Bhandari R.Lotha as guest of honour.

DDCA Junior Cricket Coaching Camp

DiMAPUR, DECEMBER 22 (MExN): The Dimapur District Cricket Association (DDCA) will organize a week-long cricket coaching camp for the Under-14 and Under-16 boys at the DDSC Stadium, Dimapur

from December 26. All interested cricketers of the U-14 and U-16 groups are asked to contact Avtar Singh (9774724187) for further details. All players shall have their own cricket gears and

white dress and shall report for registration with a copy of birth certificate and passport size photo and a fees of Rs 500 at DDCA office at Room No. 9 between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on December 24.

ASA meet at Kohima from Feb 4

KOhiMA, DECEMBER 22 (MExN): The Angami Sports Association (ASA) games and sports meet 2015 will take place from February 4 to 6 at Local ground, Kohima. Athletics for men’s and women’s, while football for men’s only and volleyball for men’s and women’s

will form part of the competition. The four units of ASANASA, SASA, WASA and CSA will be taking part in the competition. The organizer has requested all the units not to make programmes that will clash with the ASA games and sports meet 2015. Meanwhile the ASA

open wrestling championship 2015 exclusively for Angami players will take place on February 6. The meet is organized by Angami Sports Association (ASA), with ground management taken care by Unity Club, Kohima Village.

FRANKFURT, DECEMBER 22 (AP): At a reception shortly before Christmas, German football federation president Wolfgang Niersbach said his plan for the holidays was to sit back on a sofa, shut off the radio and television and think about the wonderful year behind him. After winning a fourth World Cup title, Germany has plenty of reason to celebrate 2014 as an extraordinary year. But the Germans don't want to rest on their laurels and again end up waiting 24 years for a World Cup title. "The year behind us was extraordinary but it shouldn't be the only one," Niersbach said. "We are not going to lean back. That's why we've set out a 10-year plan." The ambitious longterm project is aimed at making success more permanent. Few would consider Germany a failure in football, but the title in Brazil was its first championship since the 1996 European Championship. "When you are first, you always have something to lose," German national team director Oliver Bierhoff said. "It's dangerous to think it's always going to continue like that. We went through that in 1990. Ten years later, you wake up and notice that you've slept through something." Germany coach Joachim Loew hopes his team can create somewhat of a dynasty, like Spain did with two consecutive European titles and a World Cup. "We want to leave our mark on an entire era," Loew said. Germany hopes to follow its World Cup triumph with the 2016 European Championship title in France. Then there are World Cups in 2018 and 2022 and another European tournament in 2020.

"We are still hungry," said Hansi Flick, Loew's assistant in Brazil and now the federation's technical director. Niersbach said "we should be thankful and humble for what we've achieved," but promised to embark on the project for the future. The plan culminates with the 2024 European Championship that Germany hopes to be awarded. "It would be a wonderful perspective for us and our most ambitious goal to get the 2024 championship and we are confident we are going to get it," Niersbach said. "Not many nations are able to host a 24team competition." Germany plans to use 10 stadiums, all of them already in existence and most used for the 2006 World Cup. Another highlight of the project is an 89 million euro ($109 million) academy to be built on the outskirts of Frankfurt, the federation's biggest investment to date. The national training and research facility will be home not only to Loew's team but also to all other national selections starting at youth level. "It's important to use the momentum of the World Cup title and to lay down structures for future success," Bierhoff said. He and Flick will visit the United States early in 2015 to visit similar academies, and Bierhoff said the academy will also offer its knowhow to other nations. Work on the academy is scheduled to start in 2016 and to be completed by the end of 2018. Frankfurt residents, however, have started a move that could end up in a referendum and ultimately scuttle the project despite previous approval and a contract with city authorities.

Boxing Day test of India's resolve in Melbourne

KiDiMA, DECEMBER 22 (MExN): Amateur Naga Wrestling Club was formally launched by Keyho Yore, a 92 year old veteran wrestler who took part in the 1946 wrestling meet at the present Naga Hospital premises in Kohima. The club led by Sahovi John Phinyo was launched with the motto “Fraternity in bout” on December 21 at Kidima village some 32 km away from state capital. Keyho Yore expressed belief that wrestling started as early as human history. Speaking on his wrestling experiences, Yore said he took part in group/team event where Western Angami (Khonoma), Northern Angami (Kohima), Japfü, Chokri competed. Khonoma team was awarded Rs. 40 while he himself re-

ceived Rs. 20 as the winner prize during the 1946 meet. The President of Amateur Naga Wrestling Club, Sahovi John Phinyo, is the the son of Vitan Phinyo former two times champion of Naga-Mizo Wrestling and medalist in Freestyle at National Meet. Phinyo emphasizing that the Club’s goals and objectives are to promote traditional games like wrestling with inculcation of modern techniques stressed on the maintenance of balanced and alcohol free diet. The Club will seek to facilitate units/ associations for more participation in days to come, Phinyo added. Vinocho Phinyo champion in Nagaland Wrestling in 1984 speaking on the occasion urged sportsmen to be humble in spirit, which,

he said, also opens the door for the lovers of sports. Dusü Tholre, Head G.B. of Kidima village stated that wrestling in the olden days was a means to settle disputes amongst people. Today, sports helps in building friendship, he added. Tholre also urged upon the wrestlers to go for a vegetarian diet saying vegetarians perform far better than non-vegetarian in competition and health. Earlier, invocation was pronounced by Pecho, an 86 year old veteran wrestler. Vote of thanks was proposed by Kezeviho. Keyho Yore, the veteran wrestler asked the Almighty God’s blessing and declared opened Amateur Naga Wrestling Club and wished that the club would serve the sport to greater heights.

MELBOURNE, DECEMBER 22 (REUTERS): With all hope of a first series triumph in Australia gone after defeats in the first two tests, India need to draw on their reserves of pride and motivation to avoid a seventh straight test loss on Australian soil this week. If the tourists can retain the fighting spirit that has made the Adelaide and Brisbane tests anything but one-sided contests, however, they could record a victory of some significance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Since they triumphed in Perth in January 2008, neither side has won a test match in the other's country with Australia suffering 2-0, 2-0 and 4-0 defeats on the sub-continent and India losing all four tests on their 2011-12 tour. There have been signs too that Australia, for all

the confidence that backto-back test victories will bring to any side, have a fragility to their batting order that India's pace attack can exploit. Prolific opener David Warner has a bruised thumb that could hamper him if he is passed fit to play, veterans Shane Watson and Brad Haddin are in poor form, while injured all-rounder Mitch Marsh has been replaced by the uncapped Joe Burns. Quite how Australia will line up when the test starts in front of the traditional bumper crowd on Friday is matter of some conjecture with coach Darren Lehmann suggesting Burns could slot in anywhere in the top six. Against that instability, there is the sparkling form of stand-in skipper Steve Smith and the mercurial menace of paceman

Injured Jadeja replaced by Patel in India squad

MELBOURNE, DECEMBER 22 (REUTERS): India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been ruled out of the remaining two tests in Australia with a shoulder injury and will be replaced by uncapped left-arm spinner Akshar Patel, the country's cricket board (BCCI) said on Monday. Jadeja, who did not play in either of Mitchell Johnson, whose performances with bat and ball turned the Gabba test. Fast bowler Ryan Harris has recovered from a thigh strain and should return in place of left-arm quick Mitch Starc alongside Johnson and Josh Hazlewood, who took 5-68 in his first innings in test cricket. India look the more settled of the two sides, though, with the fast bowl-

the defeats in Adelaide and Brisbane, will return home to undergo a rehabilitation programme. The 20-year-old Patel has played nine one-day internationals for India since making his debut against Bangladesh in June. The third test starts in Melbourne from Friday with the last match of the series in Sydney from Jan. 6.

ers working as unit and taking wickets, while the top six batsmen have all got into the runs at some stage of the series. Just how long the unrest caused by opener Shikhar Dhawan's decision not to bat on day four in Brisbane after injuring his arm in the nets continues to unsettle Mahendra Singh Dhoni's dressing room remains to be seen.

But if Dhoni, who has been criticised for appearing less than convinced of the importance of the longest form of the game, can lead his team to victory, he could make a considerable addition to his legacy as skipper. His predecessor Anil Kumble rated the 72-run victory at the WACA in 2008, when India were also 2-0 down in the series, the best of his 132-test career.

Christian Bale: Moses is ‘most extreme’ role ever C

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Tuesday

Entertainment

The Morung Express

hristian Bale says the character of Moses in ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ was the ‘’most extreme’’ role he has ever undertaken. The ‘American Hustle’ star plays the Egyptian prince in the new blockbuster and felt compelled to act differently around the set when filming the movie because he wanted to do the character justice. He revealed: ‘’Moses is the most extreme character I’ve ever played. Because of that I actually changed the way I behaved on set. I kind of kept to myself, because I find it very difficult to get to know people too well and then play a character.’’ The film - directed by Ridley Scott - features Christian’s character as the defiant protagonist who fights against Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton) by sending 600,000 slaves on a journey to escape Egypt, and the star admitted the character was even more difficult to perfect than gruesome murderer Patrick Bateman in the 2000 movie, ‘American Psycho’. He continued: ‘’I thought: ‘I’ve got to turn him on and off because he’s too much.’ You know, I played Patrick Bateman in ‘American Psycho’ where I stayed in character, but Moses is way more extreme than Patrick Bateman.’’ Christian - who is married to Hollywood stunt double Sibi Blazic - added he found it tough getting back into shape for the movie, having previously played overweight con man Irving Rosenfeld in the Golden Globe winning picture, ‘American Hustle’. He told Notebook magazine: ‘’I was thankful to wear loose-fitting tent-like clothes throughout the film, as I was desperately trying to lose weight. I didn’t feel playing Moses as a fat guy would be fitting.’’

23 December 2014

Dimapur

Brian May claims Adam Lambert “can sing higher” than the late Freddie Mercury

ueen guitarist Brian May has lashed even more praise onto Adam Lambert, claiming he “can sing higher than even Freddie [Mercury]”. Collaborating since 2011 alongside Roger Taylor in the group, he says that Adam’s vocal ability is enough to challenge Queen’s late frontman Freddie Mercury. Speaking to Japan’s Universal usic he explained: “They’re difficult songs to sing, Queen songs. There’s too much range. So many people can’t sing them in the original key -even if they are good singers, Adam comes along, [and] he can do it easy. He can do it in his sleep! He can sing higher than even Freddie could in a live situation.”

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He also admitted that Freddie could have felt peeved that the star’s singing ability lives up to his legacy. “So I think Freddie would look at this guy and think, ‘Hmm... Yeah. Okay.’ There would be a kind of, ‘Hmm... You bastard. You can do this.’” Brian went on to compliment Adam for his superb showmanship whilst on-stage, being exciting yet not being a copycat of Freddie’s behaviour. “He doesn’t have to try. He is a natural, in the same way that Freddie was. “We didn’t look for this guy, [but] suddenly he’s there, and he can sing all of those lines. ... He doesn’t imitate; he just does his own thing.”

Jackie Chan’s Son Jaycee charged over drug offence

Rev. M. Asangba Longkumer with Rev. Dr. Toshi Langu and other artist during a release of music album “Walking Tall” in Kohima on December 21. All songs written and composed by Rev. Dr. Toshi Langu except the tune of “The pilgrim’s song.” (Morung Photo)

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hina’s state prosecutor said on Monday it had formally charged Jaycee Chan, son of Kung Fu movie star Jackie Chan, with a drugs offence, meaning he is almost certain to face trial. The younger Chan, a 32-year-old actor and singer, was arrested in Beijing this year after testing positive for marijuana, with police saying they found 100 grams of the drug at his home. In a brief statement on its official microblog, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate said it had begun legal proceedings against him for “the crime of sheltering others to take drugs”. It did not elaborate. President Xi Jinping said in June that China would “harshly crack down” on narcotics, state media reported. Action and comedy star Jackie Chan, 60, served as a goodwill spokesman for the China National Anti-Drug Committee in 2009, state media reported, promoting anti-drug education. Jaycee Chan was not available for comment. In August, his father offered the public a “deep bow of apology” for his son’s arrest. China has detained a string of other mostly B-list celebrities in recent months on drug-related charges, cases that have been publicised widely in both state and social media. They have included movie and television stars, film directors and a prominent screenwriter. Drug crimes carry harsh penalties in China including death or life imprisonment in serious cases. Illegal drugs, especially synthetic substances like methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy, have grown in popularity in China in tandem with the rise of a new urban class with greater disposable income.

Angelina Jolie: Home life is hard work

he ‘Unbroken’ filmmaker - who raises children Maddox, 13, Pax, 11, Zahara, nine, Shiloh, eight, and six-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne with husband Brad Pitt - and her spouse do their best to always put their personal lives ahead of their careers so as not to ‘’strain’’ their relationship. She said: ‘’[Brad and I] work really hard at nurturing our family to make sure that everybody is alright and everyone stays connected. ‘’Maintaining a marriage and raising kids is hard work. You have to really make sure that your work doesn’t get in the way. That you don’t do something that is going to put too much strain on your family.’’ And the ‘Maleficent’ star enjoys being at home with her kids - who she says are fiercely pro-

Ac Dc - Phil Rudd: ‘I Want My Job Back’

AC DC

drummer Phil Rudd is determined to clear his name and return to the band after his upcoming court case. The rocker hit headlines last month (Nov14) when he was charged with attempting to have two as-yet-unidentified men killed. The murder plot accusation was later dropped by authorities in New Zealand, but he still faces charges of drug possession and threatening to kill. Rudd, 60, has pleaded not guilty and the case is expected to go to trial in the new year (15), prompting the band to hire a new drummer for their upcoming world tour, but the musician is adamant he wants to return to Ac Dc after resolving his legal troubles. He tells New Zealand Tv channel TvNZ, “I want my job back and I want my reputation back and I’m going to get them... It’s all wrong and I’m very upset about the whole thing. It’s ludicrous, ludicrous - as if I’d need anybody to do that... This has just been a big ball of cheese and all the rats are gathering and having a piece. “That’s not who I am... I’m going back to work with Ac Dc, I don’t care who likes it or who doesn’t. Everyone listens to the wrong people, they should listen to me, I’m a good guy, and I’m a pretty good drummer by the way - ask Angus (Young), he’ll tell you.”

tective of one another - because they are ‘’so entertaining’’. She said in an interview with the January issue of Australia’s Women’s Weekly magazine: ‘’They’re six of the funniest people we have ever met in our lives. We love being home and we love being around them because they are just so entertaining.’’ Angelina, 39, married Brad, 51, in August after over nine years together and the brunette beauty is ‘’very happy to be married’’ and loves referring to the ‘Moneyball’ actor as ‘’my husband’’.

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‘PK’ mints over Rs

92.50 cr in three days

Elton John provides live coverage of his wedding to David Furnish on Instagram

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n Sunday morning Sir Elton John and David Furnish were officially married, exactly nine years after they entered into a civil partnership. They tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in front of family, friends, numerous celebrities and of course, their sons Zachary, three and Elijah, 23 months. And the couple

were so eager for the whole world to share in their happiness they posted pictures to their Instagram pages throughout the ceremony alongside the hashtag sharethelove. Nothing was held back, with pictures beginning in the morning of the pair making the union official as they signed their legal documents, right up

to the sweet moment they said their vows. And the couple’s sons and ringbearers got in on the action, with Zachary even taking a picture of Elijah during the ceremony, which was promptly uploaded. Elton captioned the sweet snap, which showed Elijah clasping his dad’s leg and a stuffed toy, with the words: ‘Zachary grabs David’s iPhone and takes a photo of his brother while we exchange our vows. #ShareTheLove.’ The dapper duo were dressed in matching dark suits, as were their sons, and Elton wore a pair of sunglasses as he and David said their vows. He captioned the intimate moment: ‘The exchange of vows. #ShareThe-

Love.’ They entered a civil partnership on December 21, 2005 and and picked the poignant date to officially get wed on their ninth anniversary. Same sex marriages became legal in England in March and to celebrate, Elton and David set about planning the lavish bash. The couple also posted a sweet snap of them together after signing the official paperwork on Sunday morning. Sir Elton shared a photo of himself, pen in hand, sitting next to Furnish at a desk, with a piece of paper in front of them. The accompanying caption red: ‘That’s the legal bit done. Now on to the ceremony!’ The dapper duo smiled for the camera in dark suits,

in the first of what is sure to be a selection o smart outfits. Elton’s first post on his specially-created Instagram page was an invite to his wedding. The note read: ‘Sir Elton John and David Furnish request the pleasure of your company to celebrate their wedding on Sunday the 21st of December.’ The couple have invited a string of celebrities to the big event at their estate in Windsor, England. They began arriving for the ceremony on Sunday morning, with the likes of David and Victoria Beckham, David Walliams and his wife Lara Stone, and Liz Hurley and her son, Damian, all arriving by car. The Beckhams were joined by their

adorable children, Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and daughter Harper for the bash. Sir Elton is godfather to both Brooklyn and Romeo. Other guests joining in the festivities included Hugh Grant, comic Jimmy Carr, singer Lulu, musician Ed Sheeran, TV presenter and fashion critic Susannah Constantine, and Evening Standard owner Evgeny Lebedev. The revellers enjoyed a lavish feast on simple-yet-elegant tables festooned with giant bouquets of red roses, the same style of flower which decorated the reception at their 2005 civil ceremony. The high-profile couple have been together for 21 years, after meeting at a dinner party in 1993.

amir Khan starrer ‘PK’ releases ‘PK’ is one of the very few films which have seen such a huge jump in collections from day one. Written by Sonal Gera , Edited by Sarika Sharma | New Delhi | Posted: December 22, 2014 1:44 pm Aamir Khan’s recently released ‘PK’ is gradually inching towards the Rs 100 cr mark as it collected almost Rs 37 cr on its third day, summing up the collections to a whopping Rs 92.5 cr in just three days. Also read – Aamir Khan’s ‘PK’ is a hit in North America, stands at 10th spot in top grossers’ list As Zaveri mentions, ‘PK’ is one of the very few films which have seen such a huge jump in collections from Day 1 (Day 1 – Rs 26 cr). The jump is mainly due to the humongous word of mouth. The movie had collected Rs 55 cr in first two days. On the first day, it earned about Rs 26 cr. The next day, it managed to mint Rs.29 crore. ‘PK’ is being liked by people in metropolitan cities and is likely to maintain steady figures in coming days too. It’s also expected that it might cross the Rs 100 cr mark today only.

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named ICC World Liverpool scores late for draw vs Arsenal Tendulkar Cup 2015 Ambassador

LIVERPOOL, DECEMBER 22 (AP): Martin Skrtel powered home a header deep into stoppage time to earn 10-man Liverpool a 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday. In the seventh of nine minutes of injury time, Skrtel leaped high to head a right-wing corner from Adam Lallana into the bottom corner. Despite being mostly outplayed, Arsenal recovered from conceding a 45th-minute goal to Philippe Coutinho by scoring in first-half injury time through Mathieu Debuchy before Olivier Giroud swept home from close range in the 64th. Substitute Fabio Borini was sent off two minutes into stoppage time for picking up two quick bookings, yet there was still time for Skrtel to rescue a point for Liverpool, which climbed a place to 10th. Arsenal is sixth, four points of the top four. It was the least Liverpool deserved for an effervescent performance that overran Arsenal at times but exposed the team's biggest problem this season — a lack of a true goal scorer to finish off the glut of chances created. In the end, the Reds relied on a center back to get the team out of trouble — in a lengthy period of injury time allotted after Skrtel

himself was trodden on by Giroud early in the second half, requiring a long stoppage to put eight staples into his bleeding head. "He is a strong character, a real warrior, and thankfully he stayed on and scored a great header," Rodgers said. In Liverpool's situation, though, a point is not enough if last season's runner-up is to climb back into the Champions League places. With almost half the season gone, Liverpool is nine points behind fourthplace West Ham. "There is a bit of work to do but at least we are moving in the right direction," Rodgers said. "Our performance today was outstanding: the passing and intensity and the pressing in our game is starting to return." Arsenal has been guilty of starting big games slowly in recent years and the team did so again here, with Liverpool's pace and movement too much for Arsene Wenger's side and Mathieu Flamini being badly exposed as Arsenal's holding midfielder. Liverpool's fluid 3-43 formation, again containing winger Raheem Sterling as a main striker, seemed to befuddle Arsenal and the only surprise was that it took almost 45 minutes for the home side to score — and even then it was from an error.

Liverpool's Martin Skrtel, right, keeps the ball from Arsenal's Danny Welbeck during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England on Sunday December 21. (AP Photo)

Giroud's misjudged lay-off was pounced on by Jordan Henderson, who slipped the ball forward for Coutinho to jink past Debuchy and strike a low shot in off the post from just inside the area. Outplayed, Arsenal did not deserve to go into halftime level but that was what happened after Flamini nodded a loose ball in the area onto Debuchy, whose header brushed against the back

of Skrtel's head and deflected into the net. It was almost the last touch of the half. The second half started with Skrtel needing lengthy treatment after being stamped on the head by Giroud, and the striker inflicted more pain on Liverpool by putting Arsenal ahead. Giroud passed out wide to Santi Cazorla, whose return pass from the byline was met with a first-time

finish from six meters through goalkeeper Brad Jones' legs. Lucas Leiva, Coutinho and Borini all wasted decent chances but Liverpool's chance of an equalizer looked to have disappeared when Borini raked his studs across the chest and left arm of Cazorla. Less than three minutes earlier, the Italian forward had been booked for chucking the ball away af-

ter a throw-in was awarded against him. Skrtel, who scored twice against Arsenal in Liverpool's 5-1 win in the corresponding fixture last season, came to the team's rescue with his late goal. "We had problems to get our flow going," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "Maybe bad memories from last year. Some players were not at their best."

DUBAI, DECEMBER 22 (IANS): The International Cricket Council (ICC) Monday named Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Ambassador. It will be the second successive time that the Indian maestro will be the Ambassador of ICC’s pinnacle tournament, after he fulfilled the role in the previous event, which was co-hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka in 2011. In his role as ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Ambassador, Tendulkar will promote and support a variety of ICC initiatives to enhance the profile of the tournament, which is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will take place in Australia and New Zealand from Feb 14 to March 29. Tendulkar retired from international cricket last year after representing his country in 200 Tests, 463 One-Day Internationals (ODI) and one Twenty20 International. In a career spanning 24 years, the 41-year-old scored a total of 34,357 international runs and 100 centuries. Tendulkar added the missing World Cup title to his long list of achievements in his sixth attempt in 2011. He is the all-time leading run-getter in World Cup history with 2,278 runs in 45 matches at an average

of 56.95. For his 673 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, he was awarded player of the tournament as India finished runner-up to Australia. Commenting on his appointment, Tendulkar said: "I am delighted and honoured to be appointed ICC Cricket World Cup Ambassador for the second successive time." "After playing in the last six editions, the upcoming World Cup will be a different experience as I will follow it from the sidelines. It could probably be comparable to the ICC Cricket World Cup 1987 where I was a ball boy, enthusiastically cheering every ball." "The image of the champion team lifting the World Cup inspires many youngsters around the world and gives them a dream to chase - a dream which I fulfilled after 22 years of relentless pursuit by being part of the victorious Indian team in 2011," he said. ICC chief executive David Richardson said: "The ICC is delighted to once again have Sachin as an Ambassador for its biggest and most prestigious tournament. Sachin is not only an inspiration to cricketers but to all sportspeople for his endurance, perseverance, talent, personality and commitment to the game."

Yuvraj, Gambhir dropped from BCCI contract list Badminton: World champion Chen wins Superseries title MUMBAI, DECEMBER 22 (IANS): A few weeks after they were left out of the 30-member preliminary squad for the 2015 World Cup, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh were Monday dropped from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) contracts list while medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was promoted to a Grade A contract. Pacer Mohammed

Shami, Ambati Rayudu and Ajinkya Rahane have been promoted from Grade C to Grade B, while Gambhir, Yuvraj, Dinesh Karthik and Jaydev Unadkat have been struck off the contracts list. Both Yuvraj and Gambhir were part of Grade A contracts last season. Several players who did not have a contract last season have been absorbed in

Grade C this time around, including Varun Aaron, Stuart Binny, Pankaj Singh, Dhawal Kulkarni, Parvez Rasool, Axar Patel, Robin Uthappa, Manoj Tiwari, Karn Sharma, Sanju Samson, Kuldeep Yadav and K L Rahul. Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit

Sharma have been kept back in Grade B, while Amit Mishra, Wriddhiman Saha, Vinay Kumar and Mohit Sharma remained in Grade C. BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in a release that players who do not have contracts but feature for India in any of the three formats would be given a Grade C contract once they debut.

Ferrari braced for another hard year in 2015

DUBAI, DECEMBER 22 (AFP): China's world champion Chen Long finished 2014 on a high by winning the World Superseries Finals title on Sunday (Dec 21), brushing past Hans-Kristian Vittinghus of Denmark 21-16, 21-10 in just 47 minutes. It was Chen's fourth major title of the season and he secured it in some style with Vittinghus failing to win another point from 10-10 in the second game. "I'm happy with my game. This is the first time Dubai is hosting such a big event and I'm very happy with the way it was organised," said Chen. "I believe that with so many Chinese and Indian people living here, badminton has a great future in Dubai and I'm looking forward to coming back." Taiwan's Tai Tzu Ying claimed the women's title with a 21-17, 21-12 win over South Korea's Sung Ji Hyun. "Tai is now as good as the top Chinese players," admitted Sung. "She is very aggressive and powerful; I found it hard to return her smashes today." Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi handed China their first defeat in

Chen Long

a major final in women's doubles for over a year by beating world champions Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei 21-17, 21-14. South Korea's Lee Yong

Dae and Yoo Yeon Seong claimed the men's doubles by beating China's Chai Biao and Hong Wei 19-21, 21-19, 21-16. World and Olympic

champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei took just 41 minutes to beat Chinese compatriots Liu Cheng and Bao Yixin 21-15, 21-12 in the mixed doubles final.

AP File Photo

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MARANELLO, DECEMBER 22 (REUtERS): Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne drew a line under a dismal year for Formula One's most glamorous and successful team on Monday but made clear that 2015 would also be a season of struggle. Speaking at a news conference before Christmas lunch at the team's Fiorano test track, Marchionne left no doubt there was a hard road ahead before Ferrari could catch up with dominant Mercedes. "We must forget 2014," said the Fiat Chrysler (FCA) chief executive who replaced Luca Di Montezemolo as Ferrari chairman in October. "I don't want to talk about 2014."

The Italian outfit failed to win a race this year, their first blank season since 1993, and have said farewell to two team principals in a general clearout and restructuring. Double world champion Fernando Alonso has left for McLaren, with Red Bull's quadruple champion Sebastian Vettel arriving to try to galvanise the restructured team after they finished fourth overall. Newly-appointed principal Maurizio Arrivabene warned, in his first official news conference, that he could not work miracles and Marchionne agreed the team now needed time. Marchionne said Ferrari, whose engine has been outperformed by champi-

ons Mercedes, were paying a price for decisions made under the previous management. "We started late with the 2015 car, certain choices and strategies that were made by others and that, in retrospect, I don't necessarily share," he added. "So 2015 will be a difficult year that will put the team to a real test." Asked how long it would take Ferrari to recover, Marchionne said: "I think 2015 is going to be a reconstitution year. It will be Maurizio's first full year with the team. "I think hopefully within the next 12 months we will remove all the baggage of uncertainty that is going to plague at least the initial phase of 2015.

"Not to underestimate the significance or the magnitude of the task, I think Ferrari can probably get to the same place (as Mercedes) by the end of 2015. Some of the work has already started. We need to be able to emulate their success." Arrivabene, who has years of experience working on the governing body's F1 commission as a sponsor representative, said the 2015 car was on schedule and had passed crash tests. He said two wins next year would be a success, even if the legions of fans might not see it the same way, and three a triumph. "If we win four, we go to heaven," added Marchionne.

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