December 29th, 2016

C M Y K

C M Y K

DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 354 • 12 PAGes • 5

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ThursDAY • December 29 • 2016

T H e

ESTD. 2005

They tried to bury us. They did not know that we were seeds Abe pledges Japan will never wage war again PAGE 09

‘Knowledge is the greatest power’

By Sandemo Ngullie

Kohima | December 28

Nice to see so many women ready to contest the upcoming Election...

Awww forget our resolution, Remember how you use to howl when your papa put Men folk of Mopungchuket village under Mokokchung District carry a replica of a tiger on you in an all boys school ?” a bamboo platform from one end of the village to the public ground as part of the 3-day Süngkotenem Festival, which is a quadrennial event (once in 4 years). The act of carrying the model tiger is in commemoration and celebration of the olden days when the villagers used to carry slain tigers in a similar fashion. (Photo by Imojen Jamir)

If the Naga public were to awaken from their silence and voice out their rights, do you think 2017 will witness changes?

T R u T H

— Mexican Proverb

Liverpool roar back to demolish Stoke

PAGE 02

Our Correspondent

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o F

PAGE 12

Vision 2030: nagaland Govt plans to vitalize agri & industrial sectors

reflections

The Morung Express POll QuESTiON

P o W e R

Holding on to banned notes after March 31 to be criminal offence

Nagaland has a workforce participation rate of 49.24 %, which comprises of 9.74 lakhs workers from a total population of 19.78 lakhs. This data was revealed in the Nagaland Vision 2030 document, which was released by the Nagaland State Government earlier this month, a part of which analysed the employment scenario in the state.

The document suggested measures to vitalize the agricultural and industrial sectors in order to ensure viable employment for people in the state.

Agriculture still employs nearly 60 per cent of the total persons employed in the state. The contribution of the sector to the Gross Domestic Product is around 30 per cent.

The productivity of this sector is relatively lower than the productivity of the other two sectors- the secondary and the tertiary since the employment ratio in these two sectors are much lower. ‘Other services’ is a very broad category that includes public administration, defence, education, human health activities and others.

While assessing the magnitude of unemployment in the state, the Vision document touched on some key issues. It took into account the number of students enrolled and passing out at the various stages of education and calculated that the number of educated persons who will be looking for employment is around 12,909 annually. This includes about 968 students studying outside and who pass

out annually as per records of the post matric scholarship. The numbers have also been taken after subtraction of roughly 1000 students who are students from outside the state.

Secondly, against this annual output of about 13,000 educated youth who will be looking for jobs, there is possibility of an intake of about 3000 to 3500 people in the government annually. This is calculated on the basis of an attrition rate of about 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent of government employees by way of retirement, deaths and resignation etc. out of the total government employees of about 1, 20,000.

Accordingly, the document stated that this will roughly leave about 9500 numbers of educated unemployed without opportunities every year, which will be added to the already existing number of about 70,000 people on the live register of the Employment Exchanges. The Vision document stated that by 2016 this would have swelled to about 55,500. Creating employing opportunities for these 9500 educated youth and space to absorb the backlog of unemployed will be one of the main challenges for the Vision.

To analyze the possible avenues for employment of the educated in the economy, the sector wise employment potential in the state has to be studied, it observed.

In primary sector, it stated that adequate attention needs to be given to this sector as more than 70 per cent of the state’s population live in rural areas and are dependent on agriculture.

The vision strategy is twofold: de-

velopment of Integrated Intensive Inclusive Agricultural Clusters that will increase growth in the economy and spin-off activities like marketing and agro-processing that can absorb the urban educated. Simultaneously, it will increase productivity and income on account of focus on medicinal and aromatic plants, cardamom and coffee which will also help reduce outflow of labour from rural areas.

In secondary sector, the document stated that it is time for formulation of a new industrial policy of the state akin to “Make in India.”

With peace and stability, this will enthuse private sector participants to partner actively in the development process of the state, it postulated.

The document said that construction sub-sector with an employment elasticity of 5.16 also has the potential to absorb labour. Skill upgradation of youth for employment in agro-processing industries and for increasing the skill basket in the construction sector will reduce the unemployment issue in the state.

In the tertiary sector, upgradation of the youth with focus on the anticipated areas of growth like marketing for agro-based industries, repairing of machinery required for road construction activities, masonry and related activities will enhance the employment potential of this sector.

Another area which the state should focus on is exploitation and promotion of the pool of sporting talents available in the state, it added. It also proposed state of the art sporting infrastructure in all districts by 2030.

New DelHi, December 28 (iaNS): dra Modi, seeks to amend the Reserve Bank of The cabinet on Wednesday approved an India Act, aimed at extinguishing the liability of ordinance which makes possession of de- thegovernmenttowardsbearersofsuchnotes.

Sources declined comment on whethmonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes beyond March 31, 2017 illegal, providing for a er the ordinance also sought a jail term for jail term for violators. violators. "The ordinance primarily seeks to Yes No Others People can deposit old notes in banks up shield the government against future litigaLast week’s result on page 7 to December 30 and with the Reserve Bank tions that may follow for not honouring the of India up to March 31 next year. promise to pay," a senior official said.

Official sources said the ordinance -However, the ordinance makes it clear called "The Specified Bank Notes Cessa- that collection of old notes up to ten in numtion of Liabilities Ordinance" -- will be sent ber will not invite prosecution. to President Pranab Mukherjee, currently in The opposition, however, questioned Hyderabad, for approval before notification. the logic behind the ordinance and termed The ordinance, approved during the cabi- the government policy as “rudderless and SeNapaTi, December 28 (NNN): The Naga net meeting chaired by Prime Minister Naren- confused”. people's consultation under the banner of the United Naga Council (UNC) today resolved to launch demoIt further expressed sur“Is this not a treacherous atThe existing problem in cratic picketing of state gov- Dimapur, December prise at the GoI’s support to tempt to undermine the peace Manipur, the NSCN (IM) stat28 (mexN): The NSCN (IM) ernment offices in 'Naga the Manipur Chief Minister talks on the part of GoI? Will the ed, has been created by the today questioned the Govdistricts' from midnight of Manipur Chief Minister “out Indo-Naga problem be solved at this crucial stage and stated ernment of India’s sincerity to December 31 and prevent of his sheer desperation.” “At through Ibobi Singh?” it asked. that this has created a “huge the district administration solve the Naga political issue, his behest the GoI is send- The NSCN (IM) stated that the trust deficit in the central and criticized the central govfrom functioning. This adernment’s dealing of the situa- ing additional central forces fate of the Nagas “will never be leadership of India.” ditional mode of agitation “The Nagas will defend against the Nagas all the more. placed in the hands of anyone.” tion in Manipur. will be launched even as the Stating that it has not be- their ancestral land at any cost.

The NSCN (IM), in a press This clearly shows the nexus ongoing economic blockOne of the vehicles note from the MIP, stated that between CM Ibobi and the trayed the GoI in the long Therefore, the Nagas can no ade continues. Educational damaged by the crude the Nagas “had come all the way GoI. Where is the sincerity of years of political negotiation, longer be blamed for the worst Institutions, medical servicbomb explosion in Dithus far to resolve the longest the GoI to solve the Indo-Naga it asked the GoI to seek a re- to happen,” the NSCN (IM) es, and power sector will be political conflict in the whole problem?” it questioned. mapur on December alistic approach to the Indo- meanwhile cautioned. When 28. (Morung Photo) exempted. Today's consul- South East Asia and for which Nagas, it affirmed “will nev- Naga issue. “The Indian lead- the Nagas have come to the netation was attended by Naga positive steps have been taken er accept any imposition upon ership must realize the futility gotiating table for an honorable Morung Express News and undergoing treatment. tribe councils, frontal and wisely.” It added that the seri- them whether today or tomor- of using armed forces against and acceptable political soluThe other injured, who was ridDimapur | December 28 regional organisations, in- ousness of the political talks led row.” It termed the creation of the Nagas lest the hard earned tion, do not chase them away ing a Mahindra Bolero Invader, is tellectuals, church leaders, to the signing of the Framework new districts out of Naga terri- peace process would be ren- again, it advised.

Two persons were injured when un- stated to be out of danger. parliamentarians, social Agreement in 2015 and pointed tory in Manipur without their dered meaningless. The CM The NSCN (IM) termed it identified miscreants detonated a The explosion also damaged leaders and members of the out “there is an immense prog- consent as a “deliberate act to Ibobi Singh’s refusal to have appalling that the GoI has “de- crude bomb on Wednesday evening. Nagaland Congress General Secgeneral public. The meet- ress in the political talks.” suppress the right of the Nagas.” a tripartite talk is bound to in- liberately chosen to support the The incident occurred around retary, Roland Lotha’s vehicle, ing appealed to all churches It added that the Manipur vite an endless confrontation. concerted efforts” which led to 6:30 pm along the NH-29 near the which was hit by two splinters – While expressing committo offer 'special prayer' on ment for a peaceful solution, Governor “apparently had the Is not the current volatile situ- the humiliation and destruc- New Dhansiri Bridge, Dimapur. One one shattering the window of the January 8, 2017 against the the NSCN (IM) however la- blessing of the Central Govern- ation created by Ibobi a delib- tion of the properties of Nagas of the injured who was travelling in a back door on the right. He however declaration of 7 new district. mented that the “GoI seems to ment of India when she gave erate attempt to sabotage the in Imphal valley and those who Maruti Wagon R sustained head in- escaped unhurt. At the time of filThe meeting also decided have lost its statesmanship in her assent to the new districts progress of the peace talks?,” are “desperately trying to derail juries from the bomb’s splinters and ing this report, Police were investithat a sum of Rs. 20 (twenty) dealing with the issue at hand.” creation.” the Indo-Naga peace process.” is reportedly in a serious condition gating the incident. the NSCN (IM) added. will be contributed by every Naga household towards strengthening the people’s movement for safeguarding the ancestral homeland ly lady taught me how to sella. I am taking back with under the aegis of the UNC, Morung Express News are used for pickling. Nagapeel and prepare Yanchak me dried rosella and very land is a land of many tribes Dimapur | December 28 to be submitted by January for pickling. She said to me, soon it will be on the menu and each tribe has some10, 2017. It was resolved that “Teaching you how to pick- of my restaurant. thing distinct about their Indian celebrity chef and consultation will be held at le reminds her of the time I found Naga food to be restaurateur Kunal Kapur food and cooking and I am all respective tribe levels by she was small kid and how simple, nutritious and unwas here in Nagaland re- here to savour it.

January 15, 2017. her mom taught her how pretentious. Much like the cently in his search for exotto pickle. Though she is no rest of the cuisine of India ic pickles of India. He is well On his unique project more but today because of it is classic and liked by all. I recognized for not only be- ‘The biggest Book on this pickle I am reliving my feel it’s time to take the next ing one of the best chefs in Pickles’ good time with her.” step and work on how to use I am a very passionate the country but for hosting Chef Joel took me to the local ingredients to reinvent and judging popular TV foodie and I love the cuilocal super market and half and create some unique shows Masterchef India sine of India. Indian food is my day spent there made modern Naga recipes. and Junior Masterchef In- intricate mesh of flavours me learn a lot of the daily dia. During his trip, he met and ingredients and probKOHima, Decem- several Naga pickle makers ably is most complex cuiingredients used in cook- His experience ber 28 (mexN): Naga- who will be featured along sine in the world. Pickles ing & pickling. in Nagaland… land Governor P.B Acharya with their recipes in his up- have long been considered Everyone whom I met today gave his approval to coming cookbook. Here’s a side dish and have never His take on Naga cuisine… on this trip has been very Nagaland Municipal (Third an excerpt of his experi- been documented propI tried the smoked pork kind and welcoming. Not Kunal Kapur with Nagaland's Chef Joel Basumatari Amendment) Bill 2016, ence towards document- erly. But pickles of India are with bamboo and I must on any instance I felt I was amidst disapproval raised ing unique pickle recipes as unique and diverse as pickling is dying and I want incomplete if it wasn’t for Khonoma. We did not speak say I was blown away. away from home. Their love by various organizations. in Nagaland: the people of our country. my book to be the largest Nagaland’s Chef Joel Basu- any common language and This dish is very addictive. and blessings for my book The one third reservation for Sadly, very few inferior documentation of home- matari to be kind enough it took hours to understand But the most unique was is the biggest gift for me. women, however is not the Chef Kunal on his My only suggestion is varieties of pickles one can made pickles of India. This to introduce me to pickle what the recipe was. Best “Moudi” where meat is only amendment made in maiden visit to Nagaland easily find on the shelves of is a humble effort to capture makers of Nagaland. He was there were around six marinated and wrapped to start documenting our the Third amendment Bill.

This is the first time I have supermarkets but nothing the most basic yet the most has been with me on this men and women from the in banana leaves. Then recipes. The youngsters exploration and was very village who came together it is put in a fire pit in the now days are career oriThe word 'Scheduled castes' travelled to Nagaland and I compares to homemade iconic part of our meal. kind enough to share some and we all sat and they trans- ground and covered com- ented and have lesser time and contents related to the am here to explore the cul- pickles. Pickling is like a tralated and gave me this spe- pletely with mud and slow to engage in the kitchen word in Section 23A and 23B ture, lifestyle and festivities dition, is like a festival and I Exploring pickle recipes of his recipes as well.

The best pickle so far for cial recipe. For once, I was cooked. Once done the and documenting recipes were omitted as well as Sec- of this land through its pick- want to capture those mo- and meeting Naga pickle me here has been the Gakriti extremely thrilled as pickle pit is dug and the meat is will ensure that the long tion 120 (1)(a) relating to tax les. Given the location and ments of families coming makers…

My journey in under- Pickle (Mustard Leaf Pickle) became a reason for that vil- served. This dish has been and old heritage of these lands and buildings were climate of Nagaland, I am ex- together while pickling. As also omitted among other pecting to see some unique we move ahead towards standing Naga pickles and of the Angami Tribe, which I lage to come together. really special. On the other unique recipes exchange In Kohima a very elder- hand I am in love with Ros- hands and are not lost. minor changes. ingredients and spices that modernisation the art of lifestyle would have been learnt from a young girl from

South Naga orgs resolve to intensify agitation in Manipur

NSCN (IM) questions GoI’s sincerity to solve Naga issue 2 injured in crude bomb explosion

Celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur visits Nagaland on pickle trail!

Gov gives assent to Nagaland Municipal (3rd amendment) Bill

2

ThursDAY 29•12•2016

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Jakhama Students’ Union golden jubilee concludes ‘Envisioning a competitive future’

Our Correspondent

Jakhama | December 28

Nested on the twin foothills within the National Highway 29 passing through it and proximity to the state capital Kohima, Jakhama village is gifted with reputed educational institutions ranging from primary schools to the college.

The village and its people are also enlivened with streams of fresh water running down from the mountainous region for consumption and irrigation purposes besides the abundance of numerous natural resources.Even communication and transportation facilities are conveniently accessible. “There is no dearth of facilities for the society to grow at par with others in terms of education and economy.”

This was stated in the golden jubilee souvenir of Jakhama Students’ Union (JSU). JSU attained 50 years of its existence since its inception in 1967. The golden jubilee celebration took place

Niketu Iralu, Trustee, Centre for concern over the destructive con- bring to us which we cannot ignore.

North East Studies and Policy Re- sequences of the degradation of the “Each one of us have to play our role,” search, New Delhi today unveiled sensitive eco-system that supports he said and emphasized on the need the golden jubilee monolith and life on planet earth. On socio-eco- to find the way and be responsible in later spoke on the jubilee theme ‘En- nomic, political and cultural chang- their thinking to put the things right. visioning a competitive future.’ He es, Iralu shared his view on threatenHe said each Naga must decide to talked about the rapid increase in ing world peace and growth because be the role model otherwise our socipopulation world-wide, which now of revolutionary changes and break- ety is going to be unmanageable. stands around 7-8 billion. He said through in science and technology in Also stressing on the need to nurthere is increasing number of hu- general and artificial intelligence in ture well a common Naga tree, he Niketu Iralu and others after unveiling golden jubilee monolith of JSU on December 28 at man beings needing to share living particular. said “we should become a people Jakhama. (Morung Photo) space that cannot be increased and He stressed on the need to re- who are happy to care for the health from December 27 to 28 this Avenues like agro-based loyal, courageous and hard- resources that are limited. spond to the high challenges that the of the tree more than the enjoyment year under the theme ‘Envi- farms, eco-tourism, res- working, adding “These rich On climate change, he expressed coming changes in the world that will of its future fruit.” sioning a competitive future.’ taurants and weekly/daily values clubbed with the As per the Nagaland markets knock at our doors. beautiful culture and traEconomic Survey 2015-16 Retail businesses catering dition have to continue to statistics on government to daily needs of the people guide our lives. With a rich employees, there are 6,731 are feasible because of the and great past, we should and Beyond” at the closing souvenir was released by Class I & Class II employees presence of a large number not become complacent JSU golden jubilee plan- afford their education.

JSU president Kele- session. Earlier, hoisting K. Ashi Khieya, additional in Nagaland and based on of student community and by living on the yesteryear’s ning committee convenor the list of gazetted officers hostel apart from the villag- glories. It is time to wake up Ar. Zavishio Khieya an- thuzo Yosa in his presiden- of flags in commemora- director general, National in Jakhama village prepared ers and employees in the the slumbering giants in us nounced the institution of tial address thanked the tion of 50 years of JSU was Academy of Customs Exby the Jakhama Gazetted government departments to ensure a better environ- Educational Trust in com- founders and past leaders done by Dr. Nolesel Zhotso, cise & Narcotics, Shillong.

Concluding remarks Officers Krotho in 2016, and private sectors. This ment and brighter future for memoration of 50 years of who had brought the torch chairman Jakhama Village JSU. Later it was formally of education and wisdom Council on day one while was made by Adv. Kezhokthere are 95 numbers of ga- will facilitate the enhance- the coming generations.” zetted officers, constituting ment of our economy,” stat“Let us all unite to strive launched by Er. Khiipi from the beginning until Koko Vizotha, managing hoto Savi, co-convenor JSU 1.42% of the total number. ed the concept note of the for excellence through wis- Natso, Engineer-in-Chief, the present time. He also director, Fernwood Higher golden jubilee planning “Our village has an golden jubilee theme. dom and to achieve it cou- NPWD, Kohima. This Ed- granted permission for for- Secondary School spoke committee. Literary compeon the topic “Education tition, installation of new ofabundance of opportunity The concept note also rageously, so that we can ucational Trust aim to fa- mation of JSU unit, Kuda.

Later, Er. Khiipi Natso and its impact in the pres- fice bearers, jubilee nite also and resources to be both stated that Zhokhami has a excel in all fields,” the con- cilitate the students whose parents found inability to spoke on the topic “50 Years ent context.” Golden jubilee marked the celebration. producers and consumers. history of being righteous, cept note added.

JSU Educational Trust launched

MALT celebrates 84th edition of Sungkotenem festival

(Left) A scene of the village procession at the Mopungchuket Ait Liashir Telungjem’s 84th edition of Sungkotenem festival cum general meeting. Seen here is a traditional ‘Tiger carrying’ (Keyi-apu) ceremony. (Right) Dr. Imtiwapang Aier, Parliamentary Secretary, speaking as the chief guest during the event held at Mopungchuket Village. (Photo Courtesy: Moasen Ozukum) Morung Express News Mopungchuket| December 28

The Mopungchuket Ait Liashir Telungjem (MALT) celebrates its 84th edition of Sungkotenem festival cum general meeting at Mopungchuket village, Mokokchung from December 27 to 29.

Dr. Imtiwapang Aier, Parliamentary Secretary, Geology and Mining, was the chief guest at the Culture Carnival which was held on December 29 at Imkong Moapu, Mopungchuket Village under Mokokchung.

The cultural carnival began with ‘Yimdongmak’ (village procession) where the stu-

dents from different units participated.

Dr. Imtiwapang in his speech said that Asetkong range is the cradle of Christianity and education and that Asetkong has produced many prominent figures and pioneers. He stressed on the importance of preserving our culture

and tradition and encouraged the younger generation to learn and impart the cultures they learn during such festivals. Dr. Imtiwapang further said that we should maintain our identity especially by preserving our language along with other culture and tradition. He added that the

'Knowledge is the greatest power' Morung Express News Kiphire | December 28

The 45th session of the Langzanger Village Student Session (LVSU) was held with C. Lisemong, Vice President, NPF 59 A/C as chief guest under the theme ‘Knowledge, the greatest power’ on December 28.

Addressing the gathering, Lisemong said, “the source of knowledge is from God and as a student one should have personal relationship with God to gain quality knowledge, otherwise the knowledge we gain without God will only bring destruction.”

The chief guest said that hardship and inconvenience are nothing new during student life, but if one could undergo the problems, they will be successful in life and asked the students to focus on their goal in life and not just to look for a comfortable life.

Sharing his thought with the parents, Lisemong also said that parents should know their role and responsibility while supporting children for education. “Spending money in the life of students for education is noth-

Children from Shangsa Village under Tizit Block in Mon District caroling on the streets of Shangsa during the Christmas Day Celebration on December 25. The Street Christmas Caroling, which was hallmark of every Christmas celebration, is suddenly giving away to others act in many Naga areas. (Photo Credit: Khamhi Konyak)

NPF holds introductory prog for intending candidates Morung Express News Dimapur | December 28

C. Lisemong, Vice President, NPF 59 A/C addresses the 45th session of the Langzanger Village Student Session held on December 28. (Morung Photo)

ing but investment,” he said while encouraging the parents not to hesitate in supporting children education.

Later, the chief guest declared the games and sports open and inaugurated the cultural programme.

Liriba, President Langznager Village Students Union while delivering welcome note mentioned about

the value of education and impact of education in the lives of individual. He encouraged the gathering to give their best in any activities for the growth and betterment of the society.

In the cultural programme, ‘Pung Khyangba Atuzu’ and Longmi were present by Seyangli and Sitsa Amulong.

Organic cultivation in Nagaland Our correspondent

Kohima | December 28

The state has a comparative advantage for the development and promotion of organic cultivation. The state must therefore devise measures backed by appropriate policy framework to convert the ‘organic by default’ areas into ‘organic by design’ for specific crops with high market value and demand, observed Nagaland Vision 2030.

It is a fact that certified organic products fetch higher income for producers and hence a market based incentive for environmental stewardship should also be introduced, the vision document stated.

cultural carnival is an important event as it helps in maintaining our identity which will be an asset for the future.

The special invitees at the festival included Longmisa, Chuchuyimpang and Mongsenyimti Student’s Union. The three day festival will feature competitions among different units in traditional dance and games, choral and drama competition. One of the most anticipated event, the Sungkotenem Open Beat Contest ‘Clash of Bands 2016’ will also be a part of the festival which will be held at Sungkotenem Park, Mopungchuket on 29 December.

The MALT Sungkotenem festival cum general meeting is a quadrennial celebration and is attended by Mopungchuket students from all units including Mokokchung, Dimapur, Kohima, Shillong, Impur and Mopungchuket village.

Nagaland Vision 2030: State must devise measures backed by appropriate policy framework to convert the ‘organic by default’ areas into ‘organic by design’ for specific crops with high market value and demand.

It stated that the ap- development of certified proach shall be towards the organic products in value

chain mode to link growers and producers with the consumers and to support the development of entire value chain right from the supply of inputs, seeds, certification to the creation of facilities for collection, aggregation, processing, marketing and brand building.

It also observed that the endeavour should also be production of 100 percent SAFE food through good agricultural practices and natural indigenous production systems duly certified by an appropriate state agency for instant recognition as Naga food brand with Unique Selling Proposition as well as brand value such as pristine, safe, exotic etc for both fresh and processed products.

NPF has received 50 applications seeking party ticket for the forthcoming Dimapur Municipal Council elections where 33% has been reserved for women.

A brief introductory programme for the intending candidates was held at SM College Auditorium, Dimapur where Minister for PHE, Tokheho Yepthomi addressed the gathering on Wednesday.

In his speech, Tokheho highlighted about the issues and problems on why the government could not hold civic body elections for almost a decade. He added that elections were delayed owing to several controversies and contradictions within NGOs, tribal leaders and other organizations.

The minister said that the government was committed to hold the elections with 33% reservation for women and encouraged the women candidates to perform better than others if elected.

Tokheho also said he was “amused” to learn that the Medziphema Village Council had opposed the women quota and opined that the stand of the tribal apex body, Angami Public Organization, should be honoured.

During the programme, the intending candidates took a pledge to work for the party and function within the ambit of the Indian constitution.

Short speeches were delivered by several intending candidates on voluntary basis.

Over 500 people including both non Christians and Christians had a community feast on Christmas Day, December 25 at Tizit Village. The Tizit Village Baptist Youth department organized the feast for the Non Christian community within Tizit to celebrate the joy of sharing and fellowship on Christmas. Threiwang, the Vice Principal of Mon Theological College was the Speaker at the event. (Picture Courtesy: Khamhi Konyak)

Acknowledgement Our hearts were torn apart with the sudden demise of

Kerüno Sakhrie, Kerry on Sunday, the 18th of December, 2016. We, the family members of the departed are indebted to each and every individual, her Department, churches, near and dear loved ones who stood by us in our times of deep sorrow and grief.

Our earnest prayer is that, God will repay each of you for your immeasurable and munificent contribution and support.

Tsilie Sakhrie, families and relatives.

Thursday 29•12•2016

NORTH-EAST 3

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Manipur: Black market thrives as fuel outlets run dry Utpal Parashar

Manipur blockade leads to fuel crisis in Tripura, Mizoram

Hindustan Times

Residents of Manipur have heaved a sigh of relief after hundreds of trucks which were stranded at the town of Jiribam some 200 km away from the state capital finally made their way to Imphal under heavy police escort.

The trucks laden with goods, including petroleum products and medicines, are likely to ease the crippling scarcity of essential items in the state in the wake of the ongoing blockade of two national highways since November 1.

But the relief could just be temporary. The blockade of NH2 and NH37 – the two lifelines of the state – by the United Naga Council (UNC) in protest against the creation of several new districts is still in place. The supplies brought in by the trucks are likely to ease the situation for a few days, but there is widespread fear that Manipur will slide back into hard times again.

“Scarcity of essentials has become a way of life,” said a resident of Manipur, witnesses to protracted blockades enforced by different outfits even in the past.

Manipur relies on other states for supply of most of its essential needs. But due to the blockade, no trucks had reached the state since December 12.

“I was stranded at Jiribam

Taking advantage of the gap between the demand and supply of fuel, people have started selling petrol and diesel in black.

over seven days. There was nothing to do and we were uncertain what to do because of the blockade,” said Tapas Nath, who brought a truckload of potatoes from West Bengal.

Usually it takes just three days for him to cover the distance from Dhupguri in West Bengal to Manipur’s capital.

This time it took him 10 days.

He hopes to return back safely soon, with police escort.

The blockade by the UNC against the creation of new districts which it alleges benefits other communities at the cost of Nagas has seen residents scurrying for essentials such as petrol and vegetables. Prices of most items in short supply have skyrocketed.

Petrol pumps across the capital have been closed for weeks. The scarcity has spawned a thriving backmar-

GUWAHATI, December 28 (NDTV): Even as the economic blockade on both the highways leading to Manipur continues, there seems to be a spill-over effect in other landlocked regions of northeast India - both Tripura and Mizoram are witnessing scarcity of fuel for a week after the centre asked Indian Oil Corporation to shift the route of sending fuel tankers to Imphal on priority, leaving the main fuel loading terminal in Guwahati to delay its load for other northeastern states.

With hundreds of fuel-laden trucks stranded, the BJP is blaming the Congress government in Manipur for the mess.

"Centre has provided security forces to Manipur government in time and it is up to the state government to use force or have dialogue to resolve the crisis but Manipur Chief Minister is playing politics over the issue and wants the deadlock to continue to get political gains," said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav.

After the centre asked for maintaining fuel supplies to trouble-torn Manipur on priority, ket. The going rate of one litre of petrol, which had reached nearly Rs 300 few days back, is Rs 140 these days.

“We received our last supply of fuel several weeks ago. There was such a huge rush of customers that we ran out of petrol and diesel in a couple of hours,” said Bikash Thapa of United Brothers filling station at Chinmeirong West.

To fill the demand and sup-

Indian Oil Corporation Limited had to make operational changes in its supply that has perhaps led to a shortage of petrol, diesel and cooking gas supply to two other states - Tripura and Mizoram, which are equally landlocked like Manipur.

"We have to make operational changes, we had to bring back the loaded fuel tankers and send them via Jiribam to Imphal and the empty tankers were diverted from Tinsukia to Guwahati loading terminal, thereby creating bit of delays for fuels tanker from Guwahati terminal to Mizoram and Tripura but it is getting sorted within this week," said Kailash Kumar Handique, Deputy General Manager, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, at Guwahati.

In both Tripura and Mizoram, long queues of two-wheelers and other vehicles were seen in front of all petrol pumps and people were also facing a tough time arranging LPG cylinders during Christmas. Indian Oil Corporation Limited has claimed that normalcy would return within this week.

ply gap ,there’s ‘jugaad’. Women with plastic drinking water bottles filled with petrol and diesel can be seen doing brisk business on the streets.

“Most of the petrol available in black market is adulterated.

One needs to have good contacts to get pure petrol or diesel, but the price could be a bit higher that the market rates,” said Norendra Singh, a taxi driver.

Some residents say due to the ongoing scarcity, petrol and diesel are also being smuggled in from Myanmar through the Moreh border, located 110 km away from Imphal.

“The petrol and diesel coming from Myanmar has a lighter tinge than the ones we usually get in petrol pumps here. We buy whatever we get as there’s no choice,” said L. Bikram, an auto-rickshaw owner.

While petrol and diesel can be purchased at premium, the bigger problem many households are facing is due to the non-availability of LPG cylinders to run kitchens.

“One LPG cylinder can cost Rs 2000 and more on the black market. It has become difficult to manage day to day affairs at home because of the blockade,” complained Sarojini Devi, a housewife at Chinmeirong East.

Prices of vegetables like potatoes and onions and cereals and pulses have more than doubled since the blockade began, forcing many households to cut down on their expenses.

Travelling both inside and outside the state have also turned into an ordeal. Passenger buses from Imphal to other important towns in Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland have stopped operating from November 29 due to the blockade.

“Nearly 20 buses carrying passengers to other states used to leave Imphal daily, prior to the blockade. Our business has been the worst hit,” said Romeo Singh, an Imphal agent of Guwahati-based Network Travels.

The situation is expected to ease for the next few days with the arrival of the trucks filled with goods. But with UNC not in a mood to lift the blockade soon, it seems like a temporary respite for residents.

'Centre to resume revised industrial policy for NE' Rs 5000 cr investments coming up in Assam GUWAHATI, December 28 (IANS): The Centre has decided to resume the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP) 2007 till March 31 next year with some revisions, Assam Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowari said on Wednesday.

Although NEIIPP, which came into existence in 2007, was supposed to continue for 10 years, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government suspended it in December 2014 due to some alleged shortcomings.

There were sharp reactions from different trade bodies, which have since been urging the governments in Delhi and Dispur

to either resume NEIIPP or announce a new industrial policy for the landlocked region.

"The Centre will resume the registration of industrial units under the revised NEIIPP, Patowari said. The state government had received information in this regard from the Centre.

He said the Assam government hoped the Centre will announce a new policy to promote industrialisation in Assam and the rest of the northeast region from the next fiscal starting April 1.

The minister said all industrial units that commenced commercial production on or after December 1, 2014, and on or before March 31, 2017, as

well as existing units which go in for substantial expansion and commence commercial production on or before March 31, 2017, will be eligible for incentives as per the revised subsidy norms.

He said more than 25 big industries are in the pipeline and many will be commissioned within a year.

"Taking together all proposals in the pipeline, the total investment will be around Rs 5,000 crore," he said adding that close to 44,000 people will get direct or indirect employment through these industries.

Patowari said the government proposed to create a land bank of about 5,000 acres so that invest-

Molestation slur on Meghalaya MLA SHIllONG, December 28 (TNN): The Civil Society Women's Organization (CSWO) has demanded immediate arrest of Julius Dorphang, Independent MLA of the Mawhati constituency in Meghalaya, for allegedly sexually exploiting a minor girl.

"The law is equal for everyone. No bail should be granted to the MLA," CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said on Tuesday.

She urged police to follow the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act while dealing with the case.

"According to an FIR filed by the victim on December 16, the MLA sexually exploited her in a guest house in Motinagar.

She has named him in her statement to the chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR)," Agnes said.

The CSWO said, "The organization has

information about some more MLAs who exploit young girls."

The group urged the authorities to take the case of trafficking and sexual exploitation of children seriously and not to shield the perpetrators.

The SCPCR, in a series of FIRs filed in connection with the trafficking case at Marvelene's Inn, owned by the wife of Meghalaya home minister HDR Lyngdoh, has named Dorphang based on the statement of the victim. The inn, located in Motinagar, was raided two weeks ago.

The Child Welfare Committee took the statement of the 14-year-old girl on December 19 last. So far four persons - two women pimps, a hotel employee and a client - have been arrested in connection with the case.

When contacted, Dorphang denied the allegations.

Sarbananda Sonowal

nowal and BJP keep allies in good humour.

AGP and BPF have refused to react. “I won’t like to react. Please talk to my seniors,” BPF leader and Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma told Express.

Senior BPF leaders Hagrama Mohilary and Kampha Borgoyari were not available for comments.

AGP president Atul Bora, who is also a minister in the Sonowal government, said he had not heard what the BJP president said.

GUWAHATI, December 28 (Ie): As many as 25 big and small manufacturing units with a total investment of about Rs 5000 crore are coming up in Assam in the next 12 months, with Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali alone putting in Rs 1300 crore, all of them together promising to generate over 45,000 job opportunities soon, according to State Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary.

The minister said the improved law and order situation coupled with stability, good governance and steps taken under “ease of doing business” had attracted these investors to Assam. “Our government has sent out positive vibes across the country, with the investors beginning to respond with lot of enthusiasm. Patanjali alone is investing Rs 1300 crore in a huge unit in Tezpur,” Patowary said.

“At least 25 big and small investors are setting up shop in Assam soon, and the majority of them will go into production in the next twelve months,” he added.

Patowary said while the BJP-led govern-

ment has laid special emphasis on promoting agro-based organic industries and tourism.

“Our government has decided that sustainable industrial development can take place only if industries are based on local resources. Agro-industrial development will have to benefit farmers in a big way too,” he said.

“Many multinational and big companies have approached the state government and have shown keen interest in investment in the state. We are also creating a land bank of about 5000 acres, which will be readily available for the investors,” said Patowary.

While HUL, Godrej, Emami, Britannia and Horlicks have been already running plants in the state, Patanjali (Rs 1300 crore), Dabur (Rs 475 crore), SunPharma (Rs 200 crore), Eveready (Rs 199 crore) and Ajanta Pharma (Rs 158 crore) are some new investors which have already landed.

HUL and Britannia are putting in Rs 1100 crore and Rs 143 crore respectively in their second units.

State Bank of India trashes report of Rs 1,300-crore deposit in Arunachal branches

ITANAGAr, Decem- ure of these 26 branches ber 28 (pTI): State Bank as on November 8 last was of India (SBI) rejected re- Rs 1,595 crore and Rs 1,748 ports that Rs 1,300 crore crore as on December 24 cash has been deposited last with a marginal inin its various branches in crease of Rs 153 crore durArunachal Pradesh after demonetization saying no such deposits were found after minutely verifying the relevant records.

SBI Regional Manager Sakya Sinha Bairagi in a ing the demonetization statement today said, "We period of 45 days," the rehave verified all our rele- gional manager said.

"We strongly condemn vant records minutely and found that no such deposits such misleading news rewere made in any branch ports without knowing the of the SBI in the state under factual data in media who Itanagar region." He said, are the fourth pillar of the the Itanagar region (SBI) society. At the same time, has 43 branches out of we appealed one and all which 26 are in Arunachal not to impress upon such misleading news," he said.

“I don’t know what he Pradesh.

"This has badly affected "The total deposit figsaid. So, I can’t make any comment now,” Bora said.

In the 126-member Assam Assembly, a maximum IMLOMI UNION DIMAPUR- PITHI TSA of 18 MLAs, excluding the chief minister, could be inIMLOMI UNION DIMAPUR LO AKEQONO ducted into the ministry. In DATED 31.12.2016, ADO- 9:30 AM, GREEN May, Sonowal was sworn PARK LONO ANNUAL PICNIC SHINIYE ANI. in along with 10 MLAs – TIGHENGUNO KICHI-ITI KHUMU VEZUsix from BJP and two each from AGP and BPF. MONO AKIGHINI ENO AKUPUGHU ZHELI The three-party BJPKUMTSULO KUTUPO TSULOPI PITHI ANI. AGP-BPF alliance had Er. Honito Chishi Yewoto Aye formed the coalition govPresident Secretary ernment in May, routImlomi Union, Dimapur Imlomi Union, Dimapur ing the Congress. BJP had bagged 60 seats, four short of the magic figure of 64.

OBJECTION NOTICE AGP and BPF had won 14 NO.LLG/JUD/SUC/2009-10/728 Dated, LLG the 20th Dec, 2016 and 12 seats respectively.

Whereas, Smti.A.ASHEN PHOM ofYONGPHANG Congress had its worst village/town has applied for issue of Succession ever performance, winCertificate to operate/draw/transfer/withdraw the ning just 26 seats, down debts & securities in respect of late Shri. N. ANBA from 78 in 2011. Similarly, PHOM who expired on 7th Nov. 2016. the tally of minority-based All India United DemoNow therefore, publics are hereby asked to file cratic Front (AIUDF) had claims/objections, if any within one month from gone down from 18 to the date of issue of this notice.

13. An independent was Deputy Commissioner, Longleng; Nagaland among the winners.

Sonowal likely to expand ministry GUWAHATI, December 28 (eNS): The sevenmonth-old Sarbananda Sonowal ministry in Assam is likely to be expanded early next month, disclosed BJP state unit president Ranjit Kumar Das. “The ministry is likely to be expanded before Bhogali Bihu (celebrated mid-January). Altogether eight MLAs will be inducted. Six of them will be from BJP while AGP (Asom Gana Parishad) and BPF (Bodoland People’s Front) will have one member each,” Das told the media on Wednesday.

He also said that he would discuss the issue of ministry expansion with the chief minister on Thursday.

The AGP and the BPF have been demanding that two more MLAs each from their parties be inducted into the ministry. It remains to be seen how So-

ment from big multinational companies could be solicited.

"While our government has already taken steps for setting up a bamboo park, plastic park and a mega food park in Kamrup, Tinsukia and Barpeta districts, plans are afoot to set up tea and pharma parks, micro industries park and textiles park in different parts of the state," Patowari said.

The minister said the Assam government has decided to modernise all Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) for skilling youths.

"We are also going to introduce new trades in the ITIs so that our youth can skill up and find employment opportunities," he added.

the image of the premier bank and demoralized the employees of SBI who tirelessly worked till midnight including Saturday and Sundays to help people ex-

Condemns 'misleading' news reports without factual data change/deposit their hard earned old high denomination notes," the official said.

"This has badly affected the image of the premier bank and demoralized the employees of SBI who tirelessly worked till midnight, including Saturdays and Sundays, to help people exchange/deposit their hard earned old high denomination notes," he added.

"Being the premier bank of the country, while rendering numerous banking services to the state we strictly adhere to the laid down systems and procedures in dealing with day to day banking activities with professional zeal and due diligence," he further said.

Bairagi added that during the entire demonetization period the cooperation, dedication and hard work rendered by the SBI employees have been appreciated by the people, state government as well as the central government at various levels.

"We also expect such appreciation and encouragement from all concerned including various media houses," he said.

BORDER ROADS ORGANISATION (GENERAL RESERVE ENGINEER FORCE) 89 ROAD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Zubza, Kohima (Nagaland) The 89 Road construction company requires following Tradesmen in Kohima and Peren area on temporary basis for the period six months to one year.

1. Driver for heavy vehicles (Tipper/Dumper).

2. Operators for operating Excv cum loader Tata JD/ JCB, Dozer, Excavators, etc.

3. Driver for Road Roller.

Salary for above post is Rs.8, 800/- to Rs. 10,500/Candidate should carry following documents:1. Civil heavy driving license.

2. Medical fitness certificate issued by Govt. Hospital.

3. Police verification certificate(Character certificate) 4. Residential proof and Adhar card.

5. Passport size photographs (Minimum 10 copies).

6. Bank details and copy of passbook.

Note:i) Accommodation will be provided on free of cost for selected candidates. ii) Food will be provided on payment basis with nominal charges.

Interested candidates shall report this HQ on any working day but before 10 Jan 2016 with 3 sets of above documents along with original certificates for Trade Test.

Arson, protests, gunfiring in Imphal ImpHAl, December 28 (IANS): Manipur University students indulged in arson after students' union elections were cancelled, police said on Wednesday.

Some university students on Tuesday night burnt furniture and damaged other property in the students union office, said police. The students were not happy with the manner in which the authorities cancelled the elections scheduled on Wednesday.

Police and firefighters have rushed to the spot.

Meanwhile, a large number of women on Wednesday launched a sit-in protest at Mayang, Imphal protesting against some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers who allegedly opened fire on them on Monday night.

One woman activist said: "The workers came with guns and threatened us. We closed our doors as I heard sounds of gunfire for a long time."

In another incident, one jamadar (a post equivalent to police head constable) identified as K. Binoy reportedly opened fire and beat up two persons on Tuesday night at Mayang, Imphal.

TENDER NOTICE NO. : 49 OF 2016 DTD.: 23-12-2016

Open Tenders in sealed covers are invited for the following works: Name of work & place : Construction of New Foot Over Bridge (FOB) including related works in connection with development of Pencharthal (PEC) station which was declared as “ADARSH” station by the Railway Board. Tender Value :` 87,96,142/-; Earnest Money: ` 1,75,925/-; Completion period: 08 (Eight) Months; Cost of Tender document: ` 5,000/- ( ` 500/- extra by post).

The Tender document will be available from the office of the (a) Divisional Railway Manager (Works), Lumding (b) General Manager (Works), Maligaon (c) Assistant Divisional Engineer, Jagiroad w.e.f. 09.00 hrs. to 16.00 hrs. of 17-01-2017 to 30-01-2017 & 09.00 hrs. to 11.00 hrs. of 31-01-2017.

Tenders will be received in the office of the (a) Divisional Railway Man a g e r ( W o r k s ) , L u m d i n g (b) General Manager (Works), Maligaon (c) Assistant Divisional Engineer, Jagiroad during office hrs. upto 13.00 hrs. of 31-01-2017 and will be opened at 15.00 hrs. of 02-02-2017 at DRM/W/N.F. Railway/LMG. Detailed Tender Notice and Tender Document are available at www.nfr.indianrailways. gov.in. Notice Board locations:DRM (W) s/KIR, APDJ, RNY, LMG, TSK, SR. DEN/C/MLG, Sr. DFM/ APDJ, KIR, RNY, LMG, TSK, Sr. DEE, Sr. DSTE, Sr.DME, Sr. DCM, Sr. DOM, CMS/LMG & Dy. CE/ CON/LMG, ADEN/JID, ADEN/BPG. The Executive Engineers (PWD)/ Haf l o n g , K a r i m g a n j , S i l c har, Guwahati, Nagaon, Jakhalabandha, Diphu (Karbi Anglong), Dimapur (Nagaland), Dharmanagar and Agartala.

Divisional Rly. Manager (Works) Lumding

NORTHEAST FRONTIER RAILWAY Serving Customers With A Smile

4

thursDAY 29•12•2016

business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Aadhaar number mandatory for Airport employees to get Entry Passes from January 1

Panel moots ‘handling’ levy on cash payments NEW DELHI: DECEMBER 28 (THE HINDu): Union Budget 2017-18 should allow merchants as well as government departments to levy a handling charge for cash payments above a certain limit, the Committee on Digital Payments has advised the finance ministry.

It also recommended a reduction in the mandatory threshold for quoting PAN card numbers for cash transactions from Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 2,00,000, applicable in different cases currently.

The committee, headed by former Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal, proposed that Aadhaar be used as an alternate for KYC for people who don’t have a PAN. “Permit merchants, including government agencies to levy a cash handling charge for payments in cash above a certain threshold.

The cash handling charge so collected should be exclusively used to fund new infrastructure for acceptance of digital

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 28 (PTI): For the old existing passes, the validity has been extended till March 31.

In order to beef up security at airports, all employees working at these facilities across the country will have to furnish their Aadhaar number to obtain the mandatory Airport Entry Passes (AEPs) used for entry and exit. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the mandated force for civil airports, will implement the measure from January 1 after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) issued an order in this regard on its request.

“From January 1, all AEPs will be made using the Aadhaar number of the individual working or employed at the airport. A committee constituted in this regard has mandated that these passes will only be made using the Aadhaar number. “For the old existing passes, the validity has been extended till March 31,” CISF Director General O P Singh said. The DG added that the force had made a request in this regard to the BCAS, the agency that frames airport security rules, as it was witnessing instances of fake or tampered AEPs being used by people to enter these sensitive facilities.

A senior CISF official explained that at times when an employee working at the airports was found to be indulging in a criminal act and his AEP was suspended or blacklisted, it was found that the individual got enrolled in a different company and again started entering the airport using a new AEP. This system was not ensuring fool-proof ID authentication of employees working across various ranks at airports and hence using the Aadhaar number will allow that no duplicity or forging is done while getting an AEP, they said.

The BCAS, in order to ensure that AEPs are not forged and tampered with, keeps changing the design and colour of the passes every year, but linking the creation of such an ID with the biometrics powered Aadhaar number will ensure a foolproof security, they said. The force has also sought creation of a AEP database so that red flags can be raised against defaulters or those who have been caught in wrongdoing, the official said.

Each AEP is checked by CISF security personnel during entry NEW DELHI, DECEMand exit at airports. The force at present guards 59 civil airports BER 28 (PTI): Black money in the country. holders keen to avail of the new tax evasion amnesty scheme will have to first deposit 49.9% tax and park a quarter of their unaccounted cash in zero-interest deposit before being able to apNEW DELHI, DECEMBER 28 (IANS): Trying to solve call ply for it. drops, the telecom service providers have installed more than The Pradhan Mantri Gar130,000 additional base transceiver stations (BTS) across the ib Kalyan Yojana, 2016, which country between June to October and plan to install more than provides last chance to hold150,000 more BTSs till March 2017, an official statement said here ers of undisclosed income in on Wednesday. the form of old Rs 500 and Rs “In order to obtain direct feedback from subscribers and 1,000 notes to come clean, use that feedback to solve the problem of call drops, DoT (De- will not be applicable to any partment of Telecommunications) has launched an Integrated person facing prosecution for Voice Response System (IVRS) in Delhi, Mumbai, Punjab, Uttar corruption, holding benami Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Goa on December 23, property, money laundering, 2016,” the statement said. The IVRS will be extended to the entire violation of foreign exchange country very soon, it added. or drug trafficking.

“The platform is a channel to capture direct feedback from the In a clarification on consumers and this voice of the customer can be used to improve Provisions of the Taxation the services that are being offered to them,” Communications and Investment Regime Minister Manoj Sinha said.

He said, initially the government will use the platform for call for PMGKY, CBDT said the drops and will extend this to receive consumer feedback in other scheme will not be applicable to anyone facing charges areas as well in the future.

“Subscribers will receive an IVRS call from the short code under the Foreign Black1955. They will be asked a few questions on the subject of call money Act. “The provisions of this drops such as: Are they facing call drops in their area or not? They can also send a toll-free SMS to the same short code 1955, contain- scheme shall not apply in ing the location of city/town/village, where they might be facing relation to any person in respect of whom an order of dethe problem of frequent call drops,” the statement said.

The feedback of the subscribers will be shared with the TSPs tention has been made under so that they can take corrective steps in the identified areas, to the Conservation of Foreign improve the mobile network for addressing the problem of call Exchange and Prevention drops, it added. of Smuggling Activities Act,

payments (like PoS devices).”

PAN threshold Gradually, the Centre should reduce the threshold for quoting of PAN, which is currently mandated for banking transactions above Rs. 50,000 and merchant transactions of more than RS. 2 lakh, the panel suggested.

To create parity between cash and digital payments, the panel proposed that eKYC requirements in digital payments should be in consonance with KYC norms for transacting in cash. “Transactions which are permitted in cash without KYC should also be permitted on prepaid wallets without KYC,” it said.

The committee’s report, on which public comments and suggestions have been invited over the next fortnight, has also pitched for allowing tax payments by debit cards and e-wallets, against the current option of net banking only.

“CBDT and CBEC should de-

velop an e-commerce based model where their web portals generate the tax challans and accept payments from all electronic modes.”

A recommendation has also been made to make Aadhaar numbers compulsory in Income Tax returns, although the committee has stressed such an amendment must only be made after seeking the Attorney General’s opinion. Income tax payers already have PAN cards.

It further said that CBEC should issue necessary instructions to facilitate Service Tax input credit on price of digital transactions. Amendments have also been mooted to the General Financial Rules, 2005 and Central Government Account (Receipt and Payment) Rules, 1983, to include digital modes of payment.

The panel also recommended that when government acts as a merchant, it should bear the cost of electronic payments and not pass

them on to consumers.

Digital payments for low value transactions, such as parking charges, toll charges or health services at government hospitals and health centres, also need to be promoted. “The low value routine transactions need special attention. These are payments that touch the lives of people every day.”

Pushing for adoption of digital payments for all government transactions, it has also proposed that utility bills and payments to government above a certain threshold be made only in digital mode. Also, convenience or service charge levied by utility service providers, petrol pumps, railways, airlines on electronic payments should be withdrawn.

Customs and excise duties on import of equipment which form a part of retail payment system infrastructure must be cut in the Budget, it recommended. The list includes micro ATMs used by business correspondents; fingerprint

readers and biometric readers either as spare parts or as integrated electronic data capture machines and point- of-sale (PoS) terminals.

Cash heavy economy India is a cash heavy economy, with almost 78 per cent of all consumer payments being effected in cash. This imposes an estimated cost of Rs. 21,000 crore, without factoring in other effects of cash reliance, such as counterfeit currency and black money.

Transitioning to digital payments was estimated to bring about a significant reduction in costs incurred on account of inefficiencies associated with cash and other paper based payments.

“For instance, by certain estimates, transitioning to an electronic platform for government payments itself could save approximately Rs. 100,000 crore annually, with the cost of the transition being estimated at Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 70,000 crore.”

Proof of tax paid, 4-year money Govt appoints Viral Acharya as RBI deputy governor lock-in must to avail PMGKY

Telcos to install 150,000 towers by March 2017

FiRe StatiOnS

KoHIMA soUtH: 0370-2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) KoHIMA nortH: 7085924114 (O) dIMAPUr: 03862-232201/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC) CHUMUKedIMA: 7085982102 (O) 8732810051 (OC) woKHA: 03860-242215/101 (O) 8974322879 (OC) MoKoKCHUnG: 0369-2226225/ 101 (O) 8415830232 (OC) PHeK: 8414853765 (O) 8413822476(OC) ZUnHeBoto: 03867-280304/ 101 (O) 9436422730 (OC) tUensAnG: 8414853766 (O) 9856163601 (OC) Mon: 03869-251222/ 101 (O) 9862130954 (OC) Kiphire: 8414853767 (O) 9436261577 (OC) Peren: 7085189932 (O) 9856311205 (OC) LonGLenG: 7085924113 (O) 9862414264 (OC)

Civil Hospital emergency-

232224 229529 229474 MH 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 227607 west Police station 232181 CIHsr (referral Hospital) 242555 242533 dimapur Hospital 224041 248011 Apollo Hospital Info Centre 230695/ 9402435652 railway 131/228404 Airport 229366 Indian Airlines 242441 225212 Chumukedima Fire Brigade 282777 nikos Hospital and 232032, research Centre 231031 nagaland Multispecialty Health & research Centre

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NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 28 (PTI): Government today appointed Viral V Acharya, a professor of Economics in the Department of Finance at the New York University (NYU), new Deputy Governor at the Reserve Bank of India.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet cleared the appointment for three years.

He is taking over at a time when the central bank is facing criticism for repeated changes in the rules related to deposit and withdrawal of money, post-demonetisation.

Acharya is known for his research in theoretical and empirical analysis of systemic risks of the financial sector, its regulation and genesis in government-induced distortions, according to the profile on the NYU website. std code: 0369

Police station 1 Police station 2 Police station Kobulong Police station tuli Police station Changtongya Police station Mangkolemba Civil Hospital

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The research areas also span across credit and liquidity risks, agency-theoretic foundations as well as their general equilibrium consequences, it says.

Acharya is is the C V Starr Professor of Economics in the Department of Finance at the New York University Stern School of Business (NYU-Stern).

An alumnus of IIT, Mumbai, with a degree of Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering in 1995 and PhD in Finance from NYU-Stern in 2001, Acharya was with London Business School (2001-08) and served as the Academic Director of the Coller Institute of Private Equity at LBS (2007-09) and a Senior Houblon-Normal Research Fellow at the Bank of England (Summer 2008).

CURRenCY nOteS

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Contact numbers

8575045501 8575045510 8575045502 8575045520 8575045508 8575045518 8575045506 8575045516 8575045507 8575045517 8575045505 8575045515 8575045549 8575045538 8575045509 8575045519 8575045500 (Emergency No. – 100)

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taHaMZaM (formerly senapati)

void and shall be deemed never to have been made where a declaration has been made by misrepresentation or suppression of facts or without payment of tax and surcharge of penalty or without depositing the requisite amount in the PMGKY Deposit Scheme, and in such cases, all the provisions of the Income-Tax Act, including penalties and prosecutions, shall apply accordingly,” it said.

The scheme provides an opportunity to persons having undisclosed income in the form of cash or deposit in an account maintained with a specified entity (which includes banks and post office) to declare such income and pay tax, surcharge and penalty totaling in all to 49.9% of such declared income.

Besides, the scheme provides that a mandatory deposit of not less than 25% of such income shall be made in the zero-interest bearing Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme, 2016, for four years.

It commenced on December 17 and shall remain open for declarations and deposits up to March 31, 2017.

FrAternItY

AFFront APPArAtUs

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std code: 03862

DiMaPUR

1974,” it said.

This is also not applicable to cases of detention orders in relation to prosecution for any offence punishable under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Prohibition of Benami Property Transaction Act, 1988 and the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002.

Additionally, the provisions will not cover “any person notified under Section 3 of the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Act, 1992”.

CBDT promised that the content of the declarations made shall not be admissible as evidence against the declarant under any Act other than the exceptions listed above.

IT said that upon making a valid declaration, the amount of undisclosed income declared will not be included in the total income of the declarant under the Income Tax Act for any assessment year.

“A declaration shall be

SUDOKU

Simple Rules - Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Game Number # 3809

Answer Number # 3808

ACROSS 1. . Reversed 6. Trudge 10. Taxis 14. French for “Queen” 15. Go on horseback 16. Buckeye State 17. Angry 18. Many millennia 19. Defrost 20. A lyric soprano 22. Friends 23. Alkaline liquid 24. Prepared 26. Renter 30. Applied to a wall or canvas 32. More or less 33. Documentary film 37. Unit of pressure 38. Aspirations 39. Bit of gossip 40. Excited 42. Gander 43. Relieves 44. A Cossack headman 45. Intelligent 47. Derisive laugh 48. Iridescent gem 49. Decorative 56. Short skirt 57. Bobbin 58. Unsophisticated 59. Hotels 60. False god 61. 9 9 9 9 62. Squad 63. Defrauds 64. Aware DOWN 1. . Relating to urine 2. Roman emperor 3. Found on rotary phones 4. Within 5. A chevrotain 6. Chatter

7. Place 8. Smell 9. A Roman silver coin 10. Countryman 11. Coming up 12. Nightstick 13. Drunkards 21. Yes to a sailor 25. Terminate 26. Tardy 27. Black, in poetry 28. Achy 29. A 20th century art movement 30. Pontiffs 31. Breezed through 33. Snooze 34. “Smallest” particle 35. Plateau 36. Ends a prayer 38. Memorable 41. Needlefish 42. Tartarus 44. An unskilled actor 45. Backbone 46. Bread from Heaven 47. Corridors 48. Leave out 50. Start over 51. A noble gas 52. Found on a finger 53. Prong 54. Affirm 55. In order to prevent Answer to Crossword 3813

Thursday 29•12•2016

NAGALAND

Deo Nukhu stresses on preserving culture Zhavame Students’ Union observes 57th General Session KOHima, December 28 (mexN): The Zhavame Students’ Union observed its 57th General Session today at the Public Amphitheatre, Pame Tsüdu, Zhavame village with Parliamentary Secretary for Higher and Technical Education, Deo Nukhu as chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Deo Nukhu noted that we live in changing times; he however impressed upon going back to our roots and preserving our culture. In the meantime, he said there are two types of education – formal and informal education. In this regard, he emphasized that people in both the categories should respect one another as they are both specialised in their own respective fields whether it is education in different aspects or to do with farming and agriculture.

He further remarked that the strength of Zhavame village lies in their spirit of unity and urged

Parliamentary Secretary Deo Nukhu speaks at the 57th General Session of Zhavame Students’ Union on December 28.

upon the gathering to continue to uphold this virtue while quoting, “unity is our strength.” He also called upon young people to play active role in preservation of wildlife while stating that “preserving the future generation is in your hands.”

In his exhortation, Village Council Chairman of Zhavame, Vivotso Domeh informed that the village council has resolved to set

January 2, 2017 as a day of prayer to seek blessings for the New Year, wherein members of the village would spend time in prayer in their respective churches, renew themselves and pray before undertaking any activity for 2017. He also enlightened the gathering about several other resolutions that the village council has made.

Motesou Rhi, who got

through NPSC 2015, gave a brief sharing during which he stated that it is not easy to get through competitive examinations but asserted it is not an impossible task.

Towards this end, he also dwelt on the need to put God first in their lives and pray, apart from working hard to achieve the desired goal. On the other hand, he stated the need for the students to venture into differ-

ent fields, adding “My wish is that you excel in your respective callings.”

Earlier, a moment of silence was observed in memory of the departed members of the village during the year 2016. Zhavame had lost both the oldest man (Late Rhipi Raphael Nukhu, aged 94) and oldest woman (Late Asü Matilda Krocha, aged 104) of the village on December 7, 2016 and December 19, 2016 respectively.

Highlights of the inaugural session included unveiling of the union flag by the chief guest, opening prayer by Dizu Shupao, ZBC, special song by Lisi Shupao, presidential address by Medovi Rhi, special appearance by Khrurhülu Rhi, Gospel Voice Hunt Grand Finalist 2016, general secretary report by Derhü Pohena, meritorious award and closing prayer by Moliba Pohena, President, ZCYA.

Children Festival form submission date extended till January 3 Dimapur, December 28 (mexN): Organisers of the Children Festival 2017 scheduled from January 5 to 7 have decided to extend the date for last day of submission of forms to January 3, 12 noon at KWC office, Khermahal, opposite Tata Parking, Dimapur. Those who are yet to collect the forms have been requested to do so from the same place.

A press note from the organisers said that the confirmed speakers and resource persons till date will be coming from USA, Taiwan, Switzerland and Singapore.

“More speakers are expected to be confirmed in a week time,” it added.

The age eligible for the festival is from 7 to 16 years. Children who are looking for-

ward to the festival are expected to reach the venue, The Maple Tree School, by 8:00 am on January 5. The children have been informed to fill their stomach before they come to the festival. They will be provided light lunch in the middle of the sessions.

Meanwhile, the participants are to bring drinking water, bible, pen, and note book.

There will be workshop for parents and registration for parents as well as children will be Rs. 200/-each While encouraging the participants to invite friends, the orgnaisers assured them lots of fun, laughter, singing, topical workshops and stories at the festival.

For further details, contact : 9862352344, 9856313798, and 9085852702.

NRST Pretty Girls wins inter-ward dance competition in Pungro Town puNgrO, December 28 (mexN): NRST Pretty Girls won the 2nd Inter Ward Dance Competition held at Local Ground in Pungro Town on December 22. Silver Stepper Crew bagged the second position of the dance competition organized by the Hilly

Guys Club. Assistant Inspector of Excise, T. Pusukhong, who was the chief guest on the occasion, lauded the sincere effort made by the organizer to promote young talents in the field of art and music.

He also encouraged the youngsters to exhibit their

gifted talents in a proper way in various levels of competitions in order to bring laurel to the society.

Earlier, the opening stage was performed by Illusion Crew Chumukedima, Dimapur. Hilly Guys Club also performed a modern dance on the occasion.

AAP Nagaland provides relief Acharya interacts with NE students in Mangaluru in poverty, with few opporDematerials to Dimapur's fire victims maNgaluru, tunities to learn or earn a cember 28 (mexN):

AAP Nagaland members with the relief materials the party gave to the fire victims of Unity colony, Dimapur.

Dimapur, December 28 (mexN): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Nagaland visited the spot where a fire burnt down houses of 12 families on the night of December 25 at Unity colony, Purana Bazaar ‘B’, Dimapur and took stock of the situation on December 26 morning, stated a press release from Dr. S. Amos Longkumer, Coordinator, AAP Nagaland. The party led by its Coordinator had an emergency

meeting with the Goan Buras (GBs) and the village council.

According to the release, the party decided to go in for urgent relief operations and distributed foods, clothing, and essential commodities under the leadership of Viccato S. Aye, president, Youth Wing of AAP Nagaland. The entire operation was monitored by the party state incharge, Er. Mathew Peter (Jolly).

Governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya recently asserted that “empowering people with education is the great job one can do for his country. It’s only through education a nation can achieve something admirable and stand unique.”

He was speaking at an interaction session organized by Indian National Fellowship Centre (INFC) and North East People's Association, Mangaluru (NEPAM) in association with Alva’s Education Foundation on Monday at SDM Law College Seminar Hall, Mangaluru.

Education, electricity and employment are the three E's of present inevitable concept of development, the Governor added, according to a press release. “North East is a cultural mosaic of various ethnic groups having its own unique history, cul-

Governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya cutting a Christmas cake during the interaction session at SDM Law College Seminar Hall, Mangaluru on Monday.

ture, language, identity.

What is worrisome and in fact matter of great concern is that this unique cultural heritage of the region has not even become partially recognized by the rest of the country.

So, attempts are made to flourish cultural diversity

of this country,” Acharya stressed.

He called upon the students to build samruddh, swachh, nirog Bharat with participative democracy.

He also highlighted central government schemes, which he said are more people oriented and devel-

opmental motives.

Meanwhile, the Governor noted, “No job is considered superior or inferior; every job is dutifully done with honesty.” India, he pointed out, represents a staggering amount of human potential, yet too many of them are trapped

MEx FILE

AR organise free medical camp in Pfutsero One drowns Dimapur, December 28 (mexN): A total of 110 patients from Pfutsero sub-division were given treatment, including screening for diabetes, during a free medical camp organised by 9 Assam Rifles in Pfutsero Town on December 20.

The aim of the medical camp was to provide free medical treatment to the local populace where requisite medical facilities are not available, the AR informed in a press note.

A specially constituted medical team under Chief Medical Officer 2IC N Sandhyarani conducted the medical camp, it said Apart from providing

NNC condoles

at Dhansiri

Patients receive treatment at the medical camp organised by Assam Rifles in Pfutsero on December 20.

medical assistance, basic knowledge on health education including precautions from common viral diseases,

importance of hygiene and sanitation were also imparted to the villagers, the release added.

Dimapur, December 28 (mexN): One man drowned at the Dhansiri River in Dimapur on December 28 at around 2:00pm. His body was recovered later the same day. Sources informed that the deceased, identified as one Imlikokba, had gone for a picnic with family and relatives when the tragic incident occurred. The deceased was from Yaongtimsen Village under Mokokchung district, and currently a resident of Signal Basti, Dimapur.

Dimapur, December 28 (mexN): The Thinoselie-led Naga National Council (NNC) today expressed sadness over the sudden demise of Temjenyanger Aier, President, NPGN/NNC (N/A). A condolence message from Thinoselie M Keyho, President, NNC acknowledged “Though there are some differences between us, it is all about national interest and not personal.” It further conveyed deepest condolence to the bereaved family and prayed that his soul may rest in peace.

Neighbours and others try to douse off fire raging from a house at Sungratsu village around 2:00 pm on December 28.

Second Catholic priest from Lozaphuhu ordained pHeK, December 28 (mexN): Rev. Fr. Vekupa Rhakho George was ordained a priest by Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima at St. Mary School Ground in Lozaphuhu, Phek on December 28, 2016. He is the second Catholic priest from Lozaphuhu village. Dressed in traditional dress, Fr. George was led to the altar by the village elders in traditional Chakhesang attire.

The ordination ceremony began after the proclamation of the gospel, after which the parents of Fr. George prayed over him and removed the traditional attire symbolizing him being set apart for God’s work. Fr. Carolus Neisalhou, the Vicar General, presented the candidate for ordination, which was followed by the homily of the Bishop.

Bishop thanked the

Rev. Fr. Vekupa Rhakho George being ordained by the Bishop of Kohima on December 28 at Lozaphuhu village in Phek.

parents and relatives of Fr. the Church. “Jesus invites George for offering him people to share in his minto the service of God in isterial priesthood, not be-

cause of the innate merit of the person, rather because of God’s love for him.

God empowers one who is called,” the Bishop stated, according to a press release from the Bishop’s secretary, Fr. Thomas Toretkiu.

Rev. Dr. James also stressed the three aspects of priestly call referring to the gospel of St. John: “God has chosen you (Jn 15:16), God wants one to be with him (Jn 15:3); God wants to send you (Jn 15:16).” The Bishop maintained that the Holy Spirit is the very oxygen of God enabling the Body of Christ, the Church, to breathe in the very essence of God, empowering each individual member of that Body to be engaged in mission.

“As you offer yourself today to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, know that the Lord wishes to do great things in you. He wants you

decent living. He strongly condemned the traditional system of conventional degrees offered by universities, making students more dependent.

Later in the session, Christmas cake was cut and students of Alva’s College sang Christmas carol in the backdrop of Christmas celebration.

North East students from Alva’s, Aloysius, SDM and many more institutions in the city participated in the interaction session. Nitte University Vice-chancellor Ramananda Shetty, SDM college of Management Director Dr Devraj, spouse of PB Acharya, Kavitha Acharya, NEPAM Vice-president John Lalmuanawma, Advisor Christy D'Souza, PRO Chiheuding Khate, Alva's Education Foundation Managing Trustee Vivek Alva were also present.

to be for His People the true ‘face of Christ’, one whom the people can easily identify as a man of God, one entrusted with the Divine Mysteries,” he encouraged Fr. George.

He also requested the congregation to uphold Deacon George daily in their prayers so that he may discern God’s plan for him and in his ministry. “Correct him (Fr. George) gently when you find him straying away; boost his spirit when he feel low; appreciate him when he is doing well, encourage him when he feels discouraged for priesthood is a great treasure given in vessels of clay,” the Bishop told the congregation.

After the homily, the proper ordination ceremony began with questioning the candidate, invocation for the power of the Holy Spirit by praying the litany of the saints, laying on of

hands, prayer of consecration, investiture in the priestly attire, anointing on of hands, presentation of the gifts of bread and wine for the Eucharistic celebration and the kiss of peace, the release added.

Deacon Vekupa Rhakho George, born on September 30, 1985, is the fourth son of seven siblings: five boys and two girls. Growing up, he desired to be in the army, but gradually another lifestyle, that of the priest, began to grow in him, it was stated.

He began his studies in pursuit of priesthood in the year 2000 at St. Xavier Seminary Jalukie (High School), Newman Bible College, Chumukedima (+1), St. Xavier Seminary, Jalukie (+2), Vianney Home, Chabua, Assam (Spiritual Orientation), St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama (Bachelor of Arts, Sociology), Sacred

Heart Church, Chizami (1st Year Regency), Papal Seminary of St. Francis Xavier, Pune (Bachelor in Philosophy + Master in Philosophy), St. Francis Xavier Church, Shamator (2nd Year Regency), Papal Seminary of St. Francis Xavier, Pune (Bachelor in Theology), Ordained Deacon by Bishop Valerian D’Souza (Bishop Emeritus of Pune).

Fr. George expressed words of gratitude to all who were instrumental in leading to the altar of the Lord.

Rev. Fr. Lawrence, SJ, and Mhashepalu Marina anchored the program, which was attended by priests, sisters, leaders from CAN, NCWA, NCYM, pastors of various churches, public leaders and invited guests. Choir and special presentation by Whuories added color to the ceremony.

CMA mourns Zutsoü’s demise KOHima, December 28 (mexN): The Chakhesang Mothers’ Association (CMA) has mourned the sudden demise of Zutsoü Therie, mother of K. Therie, President, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), on December 22. A condolence note appended by CMA president, Zaposhelu Venuh and general secretary, Wechete-u Khape termed Zutsoü as a loving and responsible mother.

Through her dedication and selfless sacrifice, it added, she could mould her children to be assets in the society. Acknowledging that the CMA has lost a faithful and dedicated mother, it further said the community has lost a big asset in her death. The Association also shared pains and sorrows with the bereaved family and prayed that her soul will rest in eternal peace.

6

thursday 29•12•2016

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express volume Xi issue 354

By Aheli moitra

Time for a new social contract?

U

nprecedented onslaught on the poor. Foolhardy and reckless economic experiment. Wrought havoc on lives and livelihoods. Reflects a mindset that has only contempt for the poor. A bungling of monumental proportions. Aggressively promoting inequality. A colossal failure.

Reduced the rupee’s status to just another commodity. A scheme to enable “unscrupulous people” to turn their black money into white. All drama and no effect. Shifting goalposts. Preposterous.

Wholesale bungling. Blatantly irresponsible. Significant security hazard. Massive transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich. Operationally muddled. Blatantly undemocratic. Devoid of legislative support. Violation of fundamental rights. Foolish. Criminal move. Cruel joke. Economic/Monetary illiteracy. Irresponsible.

Completely mindless measure.

The latest issue of Frontline magazine (December 10-23, 2016, Vol. 32, No. 25) has dedicated more than 100 pages to a gargantuan exercise in journalism that goes through the impact of demonetisation on urban and rural India. The first paragraph of this editorial highlights words from some of the conclusion drawn by Frontline on what demonetisation of 86% of people’s cash has meant for the Indian citizen. The publication stated that the leaders who were at the forefront of its implementation—Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel—are the ‘blundering troika’ behind the policy that has caused huge devastation to a majority of the Indian economy, the unorganised sector.

On November 14, an activist from the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative filed an RTI application with the Department of Economic Affairs of the Government of India “seeking copies of the Cabinet Note that was approved by the Union Cabinet regarding the decision to demonetise currency notes of Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500 denomination.” Additionally, he asked whether “the government had sought people's views on the issue of demonetisation prior to making the decision.”

No response has come to date.

The activist filed another RTI application with the RBI to seek information on the Board meeting minutes and recommendations it made prior to approving the decision for large scale demonetisation. The RBI rejected access to the information sought.

So, while the government has amassed the small income that most workers of the Indian Union make through cash and made the banking sector its stooge in rationing what belongs to the people—amounting to mass burglary under the shadow of majoritarian rule—it has refused to keep its end of the promise made to the people in a democracy of transparency and accountability.

Meanwhile, during recent election campaigns, leaders of the ruling party have claimed through unknown forms of research that “terror funding, human and drug trafficking” have been “destroyed.”

As we approach the December 30 deadline for the unfair and forcible exchange of currency, it is important for people to wake up from the stupor and oppression the ruling government has piled on us by using a democratic machinery to its political advantage. As the latest issue of Frontline has competitively argued, the move has contributed to breaking down of the social contract between the State and its citizens.

If people take this opportunity to examine how the system has allowed for this, can we then begin to think of a new social contract?

Comments can be sent to moitramail@yahoo.com

lEfT WING |

Easterine Kire

So was it Merry Good Governance everyone?

I

have a limited circle of friends, but in that circle I did not notice anyone wishing the other person ‘Merry Good Governance!’ on the 25th December or before or after that. And thank God for that. One would have thought that after the dismal failure of observing Good Governance Day last year, the idea would have fizzled out. It is disappointing that attempts were made again this year to observe it. It has made one thing very clear. In spite of our factional differences and irreconcilable denominational paths, we Nagas are quite agreed on one thing: we are Christians, we celebrate the birth of Christ on the 25th December, go to church, feast, and spend the rest of the day with family or friends. That pattern has not been interfered with since we came to the light a hundred and fortyfour years ago. Not very likely things will be modified before the second coming. Yes? No? All of the above? Call a friend?

At this season, we can also celebrate a prominent characteristic of the Naga personality: our steadfast and stubborn devotion to a tradition. Although a high degree of immovableness indicates inability to change (for the better) this time it has done us good. Suddenly our faith became stronger when it came under subtle threat. There has been no outward persecution or martyrdom. But the determined attempt to transform Christmas day to Good Governance day and declare it a working day equals religious persecution. It puts the government above faith. Faced with that kind of choice, most people would choose faith over governmental diktat. Examine history.

What a very misguided route to take. It is one bound for ridicule and disaster. In many ways, the Naga community is like a sleeping giant, unmoved by continuous abuse until it awakes roaring and itself brings semi-Armageddon. I write that by way of warning. Christianity is a peaceful religion.

Its history shows repeated martyrdoms, pogroms, and the creations of modern-day saints who have endured all kinds of persecution – believers have been stoned, thrown to the lions, burnt alive, crucified, you name it, at some point in history somewhere a believer would have suffered it. Yet persecution has always ended in producing adverse results: instead of snuffing out faith by using fear tactics, it ends in building up faith so that the resistance is even stronger than before. This is what makes Christianity beautiful. It makes it so much more than a religion. I guess it shares something of the fundamental element with Islam in this area.

Having said all that, let us consider what good will good governance on Christmas day do in Nagaland? Not much good but certainly a lot of harm and unnecessary resentment. It will make the people suspicious of the government and its representatives. It will create otherness and interfere with trust. It has definitely made the people very cautious about what the centre is up to next. It keeps people on their guards against what they can or cannot say in public. Behind closed doors, they speak the truth.

In public, they are very likely to show duplicity. Is that what the centre really wants? To rule by fear and intimidation and stepping on the rights of religious minorities and dictating how they should observe their religious days? I don’t question the politics of it as politics has become the new eight-letter word whose initiatives are always suspect. But any right-thinking citizen should question the humanity of it. Can the world’s biggest democracy really hope to create better citizens by interfering with their holy days? I doubt it very much. It is in line with ‘water-cannon policy’ even if it is not being applied as aggressively. A good government has the grace to accept that every time a citizen writes or talks about it, it is not necessarily an anti-national action. The citizen is exercising his or her democratic right and fundamental right as set out in the Fundamental Rights of the Indian constitution. To see a real change, how about working with the desires and aspirations of the people instead of against them?

C O M M E N T A R Y

Janey Stephenson

When resting is resistance Activists fixate on the future: impatient for the world we want to see.

But falling into the capitalist trap of ceaseless productivity leads to burn out

A

lthough a lot of activism is anticapitalist, we are not yet postcapitalism. Even as activists seek to build a world beyond capitalism, we still fall into its traps.

One of these traps is the need for ceaseless productivity.

Without meaning to, activists transpose capitalist definitions of ‘success’ onto social movements. We’re either winning or losing, with nothing in between but targets and growth. Within capitalism, if you're not growing and improving, you're failing. This also applies to political struggles, but the danger is that when we don’t see the progress we want, we start to feel like we’re screaming into the wind.

We aim high because we have to and because there is so much to do: we feel the pressure to make up for other peoples' complacency. Some of us fight because our lives depend on it, and safe survival is hinged on change. When we're faced with violence, resistance is not a choice. So we tell ourselves we can fix anything.

We tell ourselves we’re powerful, even when we don’t quite believe it. When the odds are so stacked against us, it’s all we’ve got to keep going.

So that’s what we end up doing: keeping going. For sustained periods of time. Activism knows no weekends or boundaries. We give our whole selves to our struggles. Rest days are spent at protests and fundraisers; evenings are for meetings. Injustice won’t wait, and so we spend our lives racing it. We give insurmountable energy and unpaid labour, and often don’t see the results we want. Amid all of this, our very own hearts can drift away from us, anxietyfilled and future-focused.

We’re constantly talking about self-care, but rarely practising it. We know we should take more breaks, and they’re only ever just past the next direct action, protest or meeting. But we don’t always get there. Gradually and then suddenly, we can find we just cannot keep going. Both mentally and physically, we stop.

Resistance is our speciality. We’re so used to resisting that we resist warning signs from our own minds and bodies.

Eventually, we have to learn the tough lesson that we can’t push through when our health is floundering, no matter how desperate we are and no matter

how urgent or important our struggle is.

Even if your life depends on your struggle, when these times strike, you can't force yourself better.

In a capitalist culture of pace, progress and unending to-do lists, where growth is fetishized and everything is urgent, trying to push yourself into a "better" place seems like the logical, sensible thing to do. Sometimes it feels like the only thing to do because anything else feels like defeat. But doing this only compounds and perpetuates, instead of relieves, the pain.

When we burn out, our first instinct can be to run away, hole up and switch off from everything, because we know our default is to jump straight into reacting and fighting. And taking a solid break is often desperately needed. But what mechanisms do we have in place for when we do ‘return’? If we don’t change the structures we operate within, we make the mistake of switching off until we’re feeling revitalised and invincible, then returning to fall into the same trap again.

Yet there is a hidden middle ground between feeling powerful and powerless, and it is one of holding. When it feels like there’s so much to fight, and you’re running out of the energy to fight it, or when you’re burned out and sick and can’t leave your bed, sometimes holding yourself is all you can do. Not physically, but psychologically.

Holding is the most basic form of reassurance; we hold babies to calm them. When it’s physical, holding is the

acceptance, valuing and validation of someone’s stillness, their very being.

Holding allows us to just be; it gives us sanctuary. When it’s psychological, it fulfils the same function. We can provide this same feeling for ourselves.

When we feel crushed and exhausted, it’s important to hold ourselves in still acceptance, without pushing ourselves onto one side of the powerfulpowerless binary. When there’s so much to fight, our hearts are pushed and pulled in several directions at once.

By holding yourself, you reclaim your heart and remind yourself that you are not an output: you are a human.

We must remember this within activism more generally, and restructure our organising to avoid capitalism’s pitfalls: we are not outputs, and an individual’s value to a movement is not contingent on how much they can produce. This in itself not only perpetuates capitalist values, it reinforces ableism, ironically within movements that strive for a better and more equal world.

It aches when our sore, heavy hearts are deeply connected to external situations that we cannot control. When our government is going to war in Syria and are cutting domestic violence support services, we know we must fight.

And we do fight. And we should fight.

But when we hold ourselves, we undergo the radical realisation that we do not have to place ourselves within everything to have purpose. It’s easy to over-

look the power in acknowledging atrocity. However, recognition is the bedrock of resistance. When we are overwhelmed, sometimes all we can really do is take stock and bear witness to the devastation going on around us. Sense making and constructing truth are the foundations of social justice. Without this, our struggles have nothing to stand on.

We are not able to fight everything, and even when we do fight, we are not able to win every time. Some things are bigger than us. That is not our fault. Contrary to capitalist logic, that does not make us flawed or unproductive. Within our movements, it does not make us lazy or weak or failures. It makes us human.

Activists fixate on the future: impatient for the world we want to see.

We know time is a finite commodity, so we pressure ourselves to make the most of it. But we commodify ourselves in the process.

Within this context, the worst thing about burn out is that you don’t know how long it will last.

Once you burn out, you can’t make any promises for when you’ll be back in action. But health does not run to a timer, forcing only causes frustration and we do ourselves more harm by living to deadlines.

It is only by holding, not forcing, that we can find our feet again and secure solid ground when everything else is shaking. In a world where productivity rules, this in itself is true resistance.

Threats to Freedom of Expression in the Social Networks Franz Chávez

E

Inter Press Service

mail surveillance, blocking of websites with content that is awkward for governments, or the interruption of services such as WhatsApp are symptoms of the threat to freedom of expression online, according to Latin American activists.

Representatives of organisations in the region participated this month in Zapopan, on the outskirts of the Mexican city of Guadalajara, in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2016), an initiative promoted by the United Nations Organisation since 2015. They discussed the problems facing freedom of speech on the social networks.

A total of 12 Mexican civil society organisation highlighted the situation in their country, which is similar to that of other countries in the region.

In a statement they denounced the interception of communications and the use of malware “to silence journalists and political opponents”.

“Mexican authorities intercept private communications” and 99 percent of the geolocalisation and obtaining of people’s digital identity (metadata) ”are done without a judicial order,” they stated in the document, issued by the Mexican branch of Article 19, a Paris-based international organisation for the defence of freedom of expression.

“Civil society actors are very worried” with regard to the surveillance that the new technologies allow “and the possibility of intercepting our computers and telephones, where we leave a digital fingerprint when we look for news or use our email,” Edison Lanza, special rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter American Commission on Human Rights, told IPS. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in force since 1948, states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and ex-

pression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

“Three years ago, someone hacked into my email account and made my list of contacts public,” Martha Roldos complained to IPS. She is executive director of the Ecuadorian Foundation 1000 Pages, which researches and promotes accountability of civil servants towards the community.

She described challenges faced by activists, including espionage or interception of email messages, and mentioned government actions such as employing facial and voice recognition equipment for people involved in journalism or environmental activism.

In Brazil, the mobile text messaging app WhatsApp was interrupted on four occasions over the last two years by judges who demanded that conversations be revealed as part of investigations – a measure that was condemned by Artigo 19, Articulo 19’s local branch.

“The court ruling is disproportionate and is a direct attack on freedom of expression. The measure represents a blatant violation of principles and of the proportionality that judicial rulings should have,” said Artigo 19 in defense of millions of Brazilian citizens who use the popular app.

Ana Ortega, the head of the Freedom of Expression Committee (C-Libre) in Honduras, told IPS that among the many incidents against freedom of expression was the arrest of and prosecution against Elvin Francisco Molina for allegedly spreading false information on his Facebook page about the country’s banking system.

Accused of causing “financial panic in the social networks,” Molina was investigated by order of the Nation-

al Council of Defence and Security.

C-Libre expressed concern over the “criminalisation” of the use of social networks in the draft of a new Criminal Code which is being debated by the National Congress.

In Honduras, “there is no law to protect internet users and we take refuge under the right to freedom of expression and the 2006 law on access to information,” explained Ortega.

The report “Surf Freely”, carried out by the Venezuelan Press and Society Institute in several of that country’s states before and after the December 2015 parliamentary elections, concluded that web pages that were blocked belonged to companies that had provided information about the exchange rate of the dollar.

It was also established that other blocked websites were media outlets and blogs critical of the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela and the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

Yvana Novoa, a lawyer for the Peruvian organisation Anti corruption and Freedom of Information (Liber), documented cases in which users were blocked from accessing the Facebook account of the city of Lima. Also, “some public officials such as ministers have blocked users who criticise them on Twitter,” she told IPS. Article 2 of Peru’s constitution recognises the right to freedom of information, opinion, expression and dissemination of thought through written or oral means, or images, through any social means of communication, without previous authorisation or censure.

But “there is no criminal penalty when a user is blocked by official social networks accounts,” said Novoa.

The blocking of sites as a form of censorship on the Internet is not very effective because the message will just

WRITE-WING

be multiplied over the social networks, said Javier Pallero, an Argentine analyst for the international digital rights defence organisation, Accessnow.

Beyond that, it represents an action that stifles the debate needed to strengthen democracy, he told IPS. Censorship on the internet “is a deplorable act by people who fear the power of information,” said David Alonso Santivañez, a Peruvian expert on digital legislation.

In any case, in his opinion, the capacity of social networks to multiply a message some 60 million times in a minute calls into question the possibility of true censorship of people’s communication.

What is needed, the expert told IPS, is to create laws that guarantee the use of the service, offer security and are the result of teamwork between civil society, legal experts and governments.

“Judges and prosecutors are the ones that have to investigate these kinds of abuses and interference in the private lives of journalists, activists and political leaders. If they detect illegal interference with no judicial order, without any legitimate objective, they must sanction this kind of offence,” urged IACHR rapporteur Lanza.

In a world dominated by the information society, the paradigm of self-regulation makes it necessary for “multi sectoral stakeholders to establish an informed and intelligent dialogue in order to define approaches, methods and techniques to face the challenges of an increasingly digitalised society,” J. Eduardo Rojas, a Bolivian expert who heads the Networks Foundation, told IPS. “There are no hegemonic standards or models of legislation for the information society. Every region, country, government and key actor makes decisions in accordance with their own financial and technical possibilities, political will and digital culture, which it is necessary to work on,” he said.

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

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

Thursday 29•12•2016

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

7

The Morung Express POLL RESULTS

Do you think ACAUT Nagaland can provide an alternative political party and contest in the elections? Why?

Some of those who voted YES had this to say: • Yes. If the Acaut leaders are prepared to abide by clean elections and not buy votes, then they should absolutely jump into electoral fray and given an alternative party to the Naga people.

• Unfortunately all the political parties in Nagaland irrespective of National and Regional despite their good policies and election manifestos for the welfare of state and its citizens their leaders are all being enveloped by the corruption system prevailing in the state since midseventies. Besides, there is hardly any political party in practical but candidate party that determines the fate of its citizens with money and muscle powers. And to eradicate corruption system, it requires strong political decision which can be made by fresh blood (younger generation) and new faces and therefore Acaut with committed leaders by conviction can and should provide an alternative political party and contest election.

• Yes. Please finally. We can fight the system from inside. Shouting from outside is like talking to a wall.

• Yes to Acaut party. Think corruption free think Acaut.

• It’s a thumping Yes. Unless Acaut enters electoral fray, Nagas should be prepared to elect the same politicians who will continue to water cannon us. Instead we should be asking what should be the appropriate name of the new political party?

• Yes. They should to be a moral compass, to be a better society we need Acaut.

• Yes. Acaut is the only answer to the misery of our Nagaland state affairs.

• Yes to Acaut governance.

• Yes. Anti corrupt party will govern without corruption.

• Yes, as the rest of the other existing political parties has failed Nagaland miserably, even to acknowledge that corruption exists. Acaut is the only hope and light for the people of Nagaland to lift them out of the Gutters of Corruptions.

• Yes. All Political Parties In Nagaland Have Always Looted, Acaut With Its Principled Stand Against Corruption Stands Out And Is The Best Possible Alternative.

• Yes, an alternative party, definitely!! Corruption can best be fought from inside the system.

• Yes, we need to get rid of the plague that’s facing our society.

Acaut is the only answer.

• Yes and yes. We need to root out corruption and only Acaut can take it a higher notch. We all need to support this.

• Yes to Acaut. Corruption equals potholes, load shedding, water problems, no ration, no nrega, no everything! If we want these problems gone then support Acaut as a political group.

• Yes. Acaut Nagaland can provide an alternative political party and contest in the elections because

Angela Mcrobbie

I

present government they are the principles of clean Nagaland. corrupted and there is no change • No. Some where or the other, so I should say Acaut can change some member or the other will Nagaland in a better way. be carried away in lust for mon• Yes, if they maintain the same ey, nepotism and compromises spirit as now and don't change especially in the setting of naga with time political power balance between • Yes if ACAUT wants to fight elecdifferent govt. and non govt. Org tion .it would be repeating the AAP Better they continue to fight for like situation in Delhi assembly the rights of people as it is now • No harm if ACAUT members with high moral, head held high join active politics; let them put • ACUAT should not become a pointo action what they profess litical party. It should remain the .... But ACAUT should remain same and continue the good fight.

ACAUT and not a political party.

• No!!!! ACUAT can encourage caYES NO OTHER • Yes the only hope for the Nagas pable candidates. Its peoples lies with ACAUT movement and ACUAT itself is cal pressures from other parties, but corrupted local leaders, who • Yes. ACAUT can and should definot political party..... Let Acuat it will lose sight of its noble objecare ever ready to betray their own nitely participate in elections as be guardian to underprivileged, tives. ACAUT cannot form a mapeople for personal aggrandisean alternative political party to voiceless and downtrodden for jority government by winning a ment. The larger population beprovide solutions to the endemic decades!!!! not another mere refew seats. In that case their voiclow, the common men, are virtugovernance vacuum created by gional political party like NPF!!! es will fell on deaf ears. It is better ally powerless and their voices the present crop of politicians.

• Is politics the only way to solve the for ACAUT to work hand in hand and aspirations trampled upon Activism-politics can be a powcorruptions of naga's. I say NO so with the masses. with impunity. Policy is hardly erful alternative, especially in a be revolutionaries be an ACAUT influenced by public welfare or • No. Better to stay away from corruption ridden state like Na• My Suggestion, ACAUT please politics interests any more. A functiongaland. It has potential to help don't pollute yourself in with • I don't agree to ACAUT forming ing democracy require a socially built a political system, where Politics!!!! Be the way it is or all any political party for now they & politically conscious populace elected governments has a high Your Credibility and Respect should remain as it is "a Preswho are aware of their rights and regard for ethical standards as it ...... Gone....... sure Group" and through this responsibilities. A vibrant deexecutes it policies and agenda way they will always be the peomocracy need citizens with highfor the common man. Only caSome of those who ple's movement. But again there ly developed moral sensibilities, veat is that any political party is no denying that there are voted OTHERS had this to say: those that harbour extreme averparticipating in electoral poliSome tall leaders in ACAUT who • Its better they stick to their sion to all unjust government actics runs the risk of diluting its principle as a movement or else should start contesting elections tions, to enter active politics and moral principles due to estabwhatever majority of people by 2018 for the people of Nagarid the present system of it delished systemic constraints. Naare predicting may come true. land. Our land needs Revival. structive elements. ACAUT can galand is still largely a primitive Many of us say against ACUAT be the moral voice. ACAUT can • We need new leaders. but for tribal society, where politics is an behind their back but none that, acaut is not the answer. they fill the leadership gap and make inter-tribal competitive affair, in dare to say on their face nor shod not get involved in politics. politics not a refuge of scounwhich, unfortunately, one’s tribcorrect them their wrongs. We • No, this might be a bad idea... if drels but a sanctum sanctorum al interest’s trumps any moral nagas are way too good wearACAUT stand off Politics it can for people with integrity and apprinciples, democratic ideals or ing masks hence we cannot be the only way to at least comtitude for social service. economic imperatives. It is char- • Ofcourse! And why not? Bedisplease others esp those in bat to some extend the corrupacterised by a unique political power /limelight. So many of tion in not so extreme. cause, in the long run, acaut us are being overly diplomatic / arrangement where tribal pres• The day ACAUT becomes a is just another political party hypocrites too. Whatever ACUsure groups dictate government political party, it will become and another acaut-like vigilant AT is fighting for is for good actions, severely jeopardising FCAUT (F=For). Let ACAUT be group shall rise and immediatebut still we all have a second all policies and goals of a govACAUT. Let us learn from AAP. ly MEx shall provide the same thoughts and many raised their ernment. Nagaland’s economic • NO. It is too premature for ACAUT terrible suggestion. eyebrows too coz none of the issystem is also maximally depen- • Yes. If the citizen unites for to join the mainstream politics or sues get results. Whatever hapdent on government activities at least not until the era of present a clean election and honest pened cannot be undone but I and since the system is already corrupt leaders dies out naturally. younger people takes over. believe that from now onwards monopolised by private individAlthough We all desire a Progresif each one of us retrospect ouruals and tribal groups, it is fre- Some of those who sive and Vibrant Nagaland free selves and correct our wrongs quently tweaked to suit private voted NO had this to say: from injustice, the devil's temple than so many good things will interests and to fuel internecine • No. ACAUT itself is not politihas become too huge to bring happen and good movements inter-tribal competitions, sabodown very soon here. The concally free in the first place. Mem/organisations will also grow taging any attempt of taking Nacept of AAP in Delhi will never bers are seen allegiance to a postronger.

With the epic PDS galand towards development. materialise in our State where litical party. Lack of HONEST peaceful rally nightmare expePoliticians also tend to dole out corruption and malpractices LEADERSHIP to look-up. Some riences hope we all Nagas unite government’s largesse preferenhave already found a comfortmembers are proxy to some pofor good cause. tially to the tribe he belongs to, able space in our society. ACAUT litical leaders and the truth will • ACAUT is not a political party. further limiting space for good should continue their fight as a come out sooner or later. governance and developmen- • No. All organisations necessarily Peoples' Movement until a right • It's not till now..but it has been the objective right from the tal activities to take place. Given moment comes. does not have to end up fighting start..the very reason I don't necsuch social and political con• They can but they shouldn't. the elections. ACAUT is playing essarily subscribe to ACAUT.. straints, it is doubtful, if any politIts better they remain peoa beneficial role as it is now. ical party can transcend narrow • No. Lest it get itself embroiled ple's movement, individually • It will become political party in near future. Right from beginsectarian interests and temptaif needed public can set them in further corruption which it ning it's what they are like AAP tions for personal aggrandiseup as their candidate but they professes to stand against. They in Delhi ment and deliver politics that is shouldn't drag in the name of should rather fight for a change • Acaut should stick to wat it is now.. honest, efficient, and strategic in ACAUT.. Just my thoughts of the system. Otherwise it will outlook; one which is beneficial remain "a holier than thou" or- • ACAUT should not involve in • If they jump into politics, that would be sad. Do some good, for the common man. As presforming political party. Politiganization just for namesake. earn a good name, popularity and ent, Government is largely con- • ACAUT must not become a pocal party and mass movement people's support and then jumps trolled by kleptomaniacs & pluare two very different entity and litical party. It should continue to into politics and the movement tocrats (contractors, corrupted mass movement supersedes pobe one with the common people. against corruption and unabatand rich government officials litical party in reforming a sociLet us be pragmatic. ACAUT caned taxation dies. I don't know if and big businesses), those at ety. I would like ACAUT to renot be as active or as effective as that is a good strategy but this is a top of the income scale, dictatit is today once it becomes a pomain a mass movement. democratic country. ing how the government’s pie is litical party. With all the party • No. ACAUT should not join polito be distributed. Government is meetings, engagements and aptics as ACAUT but prepare intend- • As of now they should be what they are, yet I am optimistic one also held hostage by influential pointments, dealing with politiing candidates who will uphold

46%

35%

19%

day they should be there in the decision making body to lead and to guide n fight for the common man because at the present level of fight, they can do only little. When people are in position n power they have the best chance to do of what they want to do (especially here in nagaland). Long live ACAUT • Assembly constituency election are dirty, money plays a big part and the MLAs and Parl. Secy has towering influence. In my opinion, Khekiye Sema should fight in Lok Sabha election where he will have a good chance of winning by getting votes from all over the state and not confining to a particular A/c.

• ACAUT spearheads joining politics will bring forth accusations of the kind that are directed at NSF and other student leaders.

I believe ACAUT core members has some understanding amongst themselves regarding this matter.

• WATER have its own properties to fight against FIRE.. like wise ACAUT should be ACAUT with their own motto and propaganda to fight and support the people of nagaland against all corruptions.

• Question is not relevant..

• ACAUT is apolitical and let it remain so..

• We perhaps can't have a political party going for election on the basis of 'unabated taxation' alone. It has been an initiator for reforms in our society and those who have been motivated by the movement should in due time take on the next step.

• At first I thought ACAUT should really kick the ass of corrupted people and the system as watchdog. Over the years, I feel pity on ACAUT .Unless one enters the system, the system cannot be changed just like that. Wish we have them everywhere, be it politics, judiciary or executive.

ACAUT should be everywhere.

With greater power will come greater responsibility and wish they have more power to shoulder more responsibilities. Otherwise, the pocha bura bura corrupted ones only will get elected and come in power over and over again unless they have good candidates to beat them down.

• Once ACAUT enter into politics definitely it will lose its objectives • Let ACAUT remain a people's centred organisation. Allow them to serve the need, not the greed. Let social issues be given to social workers/ activists to bring about desirable changes. Enable ACAUT so as to enable VOICELESS TOOTHLESS NAGAS through social action and not by political gimmicks.

• Because the naga public still votes on the basis of village and clan, not issues.

Judith Butler on the future of politics

Open Democracy

t is impossible to under-estimate the exceptional contribution to political understanding provided in the writing of Judith Butler. Her work, which is never loud, bombastic or self-aggrandising, has for over quarter of a century played a major role in the re-imagining or re-inventing of a leftist politics of non-violence.

Emerging out of feminism and queer theory, this form of politics has the human body at its core, and therefore our common state of dependency on each other as human beings, our vulnerability to injury, and our need for protection and care even when there are such cruel disparities between those who can afford to inure themselves against the prevailing forces of insecurity and precarity on the one hand, and those men, women and children at the other end of the spectrum who find themselves pitching in the inflateable dinghies in the desperate hope of making it to the shore.

Sometimes Butler’s texts are difficult and protracted. They require a lot from the reader who accompa-

nies the author in her dense arguments with figures including, in her most recent volume entitled “Notes Towards a Performative Theory of Assembly,” the social and political philosophers Emmanuel Levinas and Hanna Arendt. In this book we find Butler undertaking three interrelated tasks.

First, as though in response to an often answered question, she wants to explain to her readers how she can connect her earlier writing on gender’s performativity— the way it comes into being during the processes of being enacted as a matter of enforced repetition— with her last decade of writing on precarious lives. She also explores how our rituals of mourning and grieving that manifest most in times of war and conflict tell us as much about those whose lost lives remain un-grieved or un-grievable.

That is to say, at the heart of her inquiry is a consideration of contemporary ‘biopolitics’ and the management of populations, including the awarding or withholding of various forms of statehood and their attendant protections.

The second task Butler sets herself in this set of essays is to offer

a series of reflections on what she calls “spaces of appearance,” and on what it means to gather and assemble in the ways we have seen from the Occupy movement to the uprisings of the Arab spring to the often silent gatherings that have occurred in places such as Gezi Park in Turkey.

Finally she asks us to consider the possibilities that new publics can come into being by means of concerted actions such as these and others including, for example, the spontaneous vigils which took place in London last week following the Orlando shooting and the murder of the Labour MP Jo Cox. How are these three tasks related to one another? Butler makes the link explicit between the performativity of gender and the increasing precarity of many people’s lives. If the designation of seemingly fixed gender categories renders those who fail to inhabit these new spaces somehow unintelligible, then they become socially disenfranchised.

Impoverished, they find themselves unprotected by the kinds of provisions which are allocated as a matter of fact to those who are capable of comfortably recognising them-

selves within the gender binaries of male and female.

In her 1993 book “Bodies That Matter,” Butler provided a compelling analysis of a documentary by Jennie Livingstone entitled “Paris Is Burning,” which focused on the voguing balls and fashion shows enjoyed by impoverished and mostly Latino transgender people—a subculture which, as is well-known, provided Madonna with a good deal of material in the early days of her career. However as later came to light, most of the dancers were dead just a few years after the film was made, either through violent attacks or from untreated HIV. What does Butler mean by “spaces of appearance?” The ways in which gatherings and assemblies offer a critique of contemporary political culture lie precisely in their transience, their sudden appearance and disappearance. Such spaces inaugurate modes of opposition which have a prefigurative role, but they don’t necessarily rely on words and speech. They can be silent performances of lying down in the street as in the Black Lives Matter demonstrations or in Turkey, when young people, on being

refused the right to assemble, stood at a sufficient distance from each other to evade the charge of being part of a crowd.

Often these improvisational comings together are inflected in their critiques against the values of the neoliberal order, which requires of populations such untenable degrees of self-responsibility and which denigrate the very idea of dependency or the need for support. Butler emphasises that these are not necessarily physical spaces so much as lines which function to permit new social relations to be established between the bodies that are gathering together, and which in so doing are able to “make a call for justice” as she puts it in her book.

The publics which have the potential to be formed through these assemblies are defined precisely by the non-violence of the actions— things like hand holding, lying down, and public gay kissing as in the demonstrations that took place in Turkey last week. Without necessarily saying so out loud, these actions speak of ways of doing politics that make a claim on our vulnerability. In so doing they bring into view the everyday violence of contempo-

rary culture which nowadays is so normalised and quotidian as to be easily tolerated or overlooked.

The Black Lives Matter campaign, for example, foregrounds the seeming disposability of racialised populations that are deemed surplus to the needs of neoliberal societies. This point could not have been made more clear to me on a recent trip to Portland, Oregon—a liberal city with a left leaning population that has embraced Obamacare rather than seeing it as a good reason to vote for Donald Trump in the November US Presidential elections.

Yet thousands of ‘street people’ of overwhelmingly African American origin live in states of abjection, clustered under bridges and alongside the waterfront, while joggers in their lycra carefully skirt round the trolleys of these dispossessed persons. Do these people have papers? Who in officialdom or in the social work department knows who they are?

And who buries them when they die?

Angela McRobbie is Professor of Communications at Goldsmiths College, London, and the author of Be Creative: Making a Living in the New Culture Industries (Polity Press 2015)

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

8

ThursDAY 29•12•2016

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

days of demonetisation: Modi Over 60 injured in UP train accident 50 continues to face opposition fire Kanpur, December 28 (IanS): Over 60 passengers were injured, some seriously, when 15 coaches of the Ajmer-Sealdah Express derailed on Wednesday morning near this Uttar Pradesh city -- the 87th train accident in India this year -- casting a shadow over safety measures in one of the world's largest railway networks.

The accident occurred when 13 sleeper and two general coaches of the train derailed as it was crossing a bridge over a dry canal near Rura station, some 50 km from Kanpur, railway officials said.

At least two coaches with passengers stuck inside fell into the canal. Inspector General of Police Zaki Ahmed said there were no casualties. "But 61 people were injured.

Ten seriously injured passengers have been shifted to the Kanpur Medical College and Hospital," Ahmed told IANS. The other injured were treated at the Community Health Centre in Rura.

The injured included a

A man cuts an iron frame in front of a damaged coach of a passenger train after it derailed near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, India. (Reuters Photo)

four-year-old girl. The officials said they were ascertaining what caused the derailment of the Ajmerbound train around 5.20 a.m. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered a "thorough investigation... to ascertain the cause".

This is the second major accident in a little over one month in In-

dia. On November 20, 14 coaches of the PatnaIndore Express derailed near Pukhraya station in Kanpur. The accident left nearly 150 passengers dead and over 300 injured.

A medical train was sent from Lucknow to the accident site, a Northern Railway (NR) official told IANS. Rescue operations

led by the local administration, railways and the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) were called off in the afternoon, hours after the accident that caused heavy disruption of railway traffic on the route.

At least 32 trains were diverted, North Central Railway official Amit Malviya told IANS. The

railways also arranged 12 buses to bring passengers to Kanpur and five buses to take passengers to Agra.

The Railway Minister and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister separately announced ex gratia of Rs 50,000 each for passengers receiving serious injuries and Rs 25,000 for those with minor injuries. Meanwhile, Railways Member Traffic Mohammed Jamshed in Delhi said the number of train accidents in 2016 was 87 so far. Last year they stood at 88.

"The number of (train) derailments in 2016 so far is 68," Jamshed said. Last year, it was 51.

India's creaky railway system has long been a safety concern for the over eight billion passengers it carries annually. The network runs around 11,000 trains daily of which 7,000 are passenger trains. Last year, the government announced investments of some Rs 1.27 lakh crore over five years to expand the safety of India railways that serves nearly 13 million passengers every day.

new DelhI, December 28 (IanS): Fifty days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the scrapping of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, he continued to be in the firing line of the opposition on Wednesday. If the Congress demanded a White Paper on the November 8 note ban, the CPI-M said Modi had a lot to hide.

On the 50th day of the dramatic announcement on demonetisation, the government on Wednesday approved an ordinance to make possession of demonetised notes beyond March 31, 2017, a criminal offence. The move attracted flak from the opposition.

Daring Modi to disclose the quantum of black money seized after demonetisation, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi put forth a charter of demands and sought a White Paper on the currency ban.

"Modi ji should reveal how much black money has been recovered since November 8," he said.

"How many jobs and liveli-

hood have been lost since this policy has been announced? How many lives have been lost due to demonetisation? Why has the government not paid any compensation to the families of the deceased?"

The Congress leader sought to know when Modi will reveal in Parliament the list of names of Swiss bank account holders that the Switzerland government had provided.

"Why were experts, economists or the Reserve Bank of India not consulted before unleashing this draconian policy upon the people?" he said.

"We want to know who is the thief? Modi ji has performed demonetisation 'yagna' for 50 families and 1% super-rich people of the country," Gandhi said.

On Tuesday, Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had taken the Prime Minister to task on the issue.

Banerjee's Trinamool Congress will undertake a protest campaign 'Modi hatao, desh bachao' cam-

paign in West Bengal from January 1.

On Wednesday, saw Bihar's ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal also held sit-ins in state capital Patna and district headquarters against demonetisation, with party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav accusing Modi of cheating the country's people.

Assailing Modi over demonetisation, Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the Prime Minister "has a lot to hide". "Why is Modi so scared of questions?

One, he clearly doesn't have answers. Two, he has a lot to hide," said the Left leader.

Yechury also slammed the Centre for its "ordinance raj".

Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called Modi "anti-people" and asked him to take responsibility for the people's hardships.

AAP leader Ashutosh said over 100 people had lost their lives and hundreds of thousands lost their livelihoods over the last 50 days since demonetisation.

Poaching at all-time high, Rise in baby trafficking cuts adoption numbers & fuels trade but tiger numbers still rose

new DelhI, December 28 (IanS): Its not been a great year for wildlife. More tigers and leopards were poached in 2016 than in any year of the previous decade, pangolins were killed in the hundreds while thousands of marine animals perished -- this, due to the debiliating effect of climate change. Yet, the good news is that the number of tigers still rose.

"Tigers have increased but in the sphere of protection, this year has been worse for animals, including pangolins," Shekhar Niraj, Head of TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network in alliance with the WWF, told IANS. Interestingly, an RTI application revealed that the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has no information of poachers arrested or shot, the weapons used by them, or the numbers poached.

However, IANS managed to piece together information from different independent sources.

The records of the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) show that at least 129 tigers and 419 leopards died in 2016 as compared to 91 tigers and 397 leopards in 2015. Of these, at least 50 tigers and 127 leopards were poached, a record in the last 10 years.

"These numbers are not accurate, these are only those reported or caught. The actual figures would be higher," WPSI programme manager Tito Joseph told IANS. Over 20 elephants, 18 rhinos, multiple bears (sloth, Asiatic brown and black), two snow leopards and several sea-cucumber,

which are highly soughtafter in Southeast Asia, were either caught being poached or their harvest such as skin and claws was seized till November 2016.

"Fifty leopards, mostly from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and at least eight elephants died in road or train accidents alone," Joseph said. He added that a large number of animals had died not just because of poaching but due to negligence in the absence of proper management plans.

Also, nature's wrath, inspired by man-induced climate change, played its part, killing at least 1,800 endangered aquatic and marine animals in first three months alone.

The year, in fact, had begun with the washing ashore of the carcasses of 74 short-finned pilot whales in the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu, a Bryde's whale in Mumbai, hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles in Odisha and several Gangetic and ocean dolphins. This apart, over 250 animals, including 20 rhinos, perished in Assam's Kaziranga National Park due to floods in August.

Ironically, all this happened in the year when India hosted "Third Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation", where Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to protect the country's feline population. The good news here is that India is now home to 2,226 tigers -- 70 per cent of those in the wild in Asia.

Prakash Javadekar, then the Environment and Forest Minister, was quoted at the conference as saying that the number could be

as high as 2,500.

Meanwhile, the "17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CoP17 CITES)" held in South Africa in September barred tiger farming (or breeding) and listed pangolins in CITES Appendix I for their protection, considering that the species is now threatened with extinction.

For the pangolin, a nocturnal animal hunted for its expensive scales used in Chinese medicine, the year was ugly. Over 20 instances of the seizure of several kilos of its scales were reported across the country. In New Delhi alone, the CBI, in October, seized 86 kg of pangolin scales.

An adult pangolin produces 2-3 kgs of scales a year while the young produce about 500 gms.

Thus, it's little wonder that WWF's Living Planet Report released in October said the world may lose 68 percent of its wildlife by 2020 -- the possible prelude to "the sixth mass extinction".

The report says that about 41 per cent of mammals, 46 per cent reptiles, 57 per cent amphibians and 70 per cent freshwater fish are "threatened with extinction" in India.

Four of the 385 species of mammals are already extinct in India.

The United Nations Environment Programme and Interpol in June reported that the environmental crime industry -worth $258 billion -- was the fastest-growing among crime syndicates.

mumbaI, December 28 (reuterS): An increase in baby trafficking in India is reducing the number of children available for adoption and fuelling the lucrative trade as more couples wait to adopt, government officials said on Wednesday.

Government figures show currently 1,700 children are available for adoption in India, the world's second most populous country with 1.25 billion people, while some 12,400 families want to adopt.

About 3,010 babies were adopted in 2015/16.

Government officials overseeing adoptions said an increasingly long wait to adopt was closely linked to a rise in human trafficking in

the country, with two baby selling rackets busted in India over the past two months.

"There are more such rackets (of baby trafficking)," said Deepak Kumar, chief of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), India's main body to monitor and regulate adoptions.

"In India, we expect the pool of children available for adoption should outnumber the number of waitlisted parents, but there are touts and in some cases even agencies that sell children to childless couples."

Under Indian laws children who have been surrendered by their birth parents or brought in by the police are declared le-

SP announces 325 assembly candidates, key Akhilesh aides dropped lucKnow, December 28 (IanS): In a swift development, the ruling Samajwadi Party on Wednesday made public a list of 325 candidates for in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections early next year, saying the remaining 78 candidates would be announced later.

Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav announced the list at a press conference at the party office in the presence of brother and party leader Shivpal Yadav.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was not present in the press conference.

What is likely to trigger a fresh round of feud in the party is the fact that 53 sitting legislators have been denied tickets. They include senior minister and close Akhilesh Yadav aide Arvind Singh 'Gop', whose ticket has been given to Rakesh Verma, son of senior party leader

UP CM Akhilesh Yadav (File Photo)

Beni Prasad Verma.

Ayodhya legislator and a close aide of Akhilesh Yadav, Pawan Pandey, has also also been denied a ticket, while 176 incumbent legislators have been re-nominated. Party leaders informed that a staggering 4,200 persons had applied for party tickets.

Mulayam Singh Yadav did not speak of a prospective alliance for the polls.

The Samajwadi Party has 224 seats in the present assembly.

gally free for adoption after various legal processes are completed.

This includes giving birth parents up to 60 days to reconsider their decision.

To ensure transparency, the adoption process in India went online last year with waitlisted families and the children available for adoption featured on a website.

But Kumar said traffickers often tried to get hold of these babies before the parents - often unwed mothers - made it to the government department to surrender the child.

Last week, police in Mumbai arrested a gang that was convincing single mothers - who can face social stigma or ostracization

in India - to part with their babies then selling them to childless couples in various states across the country.

In West Bengal, police found babies were being stolen from women who delivered at clinics, with medial staff telling them their child was stillborn.

Some were even given the bodies of stillborn babies preserved by the clinics to dupe them.

Officials said monitoring the waiting list for adoptions was one way to try to identify and track down the traffickers but they were aware that "bypass mechanisms" were taking root.

One adoption agency owner, who did not wish to be identified, said he often

received calls from waitlisted families saying they had been offered a child from an unwed mother at a price and wonder if they should go ahead.

Two agencies in the western state of Maharashtra were recently shut down for selling babies for amounts ranging between 200,000 and 600,000 rupees ($3,000$9,000), Kumar said.

Adoption experts suggested that problem areas of the country should be identified.

"It would help check the malaise if low adoption figures in certain states of India are analysed," said Sunil Arora, president of the Federation of Adoptive Agencies.

Corruption rampant, Church will guide voters: Goa's Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao

panajI, December 28 (IanS): With assembly polls just a couple of months away, Goa's Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao on Wedesday said the influential Roman Catholic Church will guide its faithful to vote for genuine candidates.

The guidance to voters, according to the Archbishop, has become necessary as Goa has witnessed extensive environmental and social damage, which has led to rampant corruption and even weakened governance.

"Elections to the Legislative assembly of the state are approaching and the Church leadership in Goa will take up once again this duty-bound task. We do issue guidelines to our faithful on how to exercise their franchise and thus fulfil one of their sacred civic duties.

"These guidelines are

read out in our churches, but they never mention the name of any candidate or any political party. The people are sovereign, they decide," Ferrao said in his annual post-Christmas address at a simple function at the Bishop's Palace here.

Top dignitaries in the state, including Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, senior politicians as well as businessmen from the state were present at the function.

"It is for this and other reasons that the Church takes upon herself, all in the name of genuine service to human beings and to the land, the task of guiding her members in the process of electing the right kind of individuals to the local and national governments," Ferrao said.

Ferrao also said that there is a need to follow the principle of inter-generational eq-

uity vis-a-vis mining, adding that rampant mining has resulted in degeneration of the state and its people.

"But what we see is an extensive environmental and social damage to Goa, which has generated rampant corruption and even weakened governance. It has been an assault on our community and our natural wealth.

"More distressingly, it has been a loss to our children and future generations.

Are we not answerable to them? Or, are they going to remember us as an irresponsible generation that has squandered natural wealth for the benefit of a few?" the Archbishop said.

Roman Catholics account for nearly 26 per cent of the 1.5 million population of Goa, a former Portuguese colony.

The state is expected to go to polls early next year.

2016: 5 reasons for India to feel more (and less) secure Abheet Singh Sethi IANS/IndiaSpend

A

worsening of the security situation in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), the signing of a $8.9-billion (Rs 60,520 crore) deal for French Rafale fighter jets and new deals for artillery were among the top five determinants of Indias uncertain security situation in 2016. India made many high-profile defence purchases in 2016 and carried out much-publicised surgical strikes against Pakistan-based terrorists, but an IndiaSpend examination of defence data revealed gaping security holes.

India became the world's fourth-largest defence spender in 2016 with a military budget of $50.7

billion (Rs 3.4 lakh crore) -nine times the health budget for the same year -- an increase of 8 per cent over 2015 ($46.6 billion or Rs 3.2 lakh crore), according to the 2016 Jane's Defence Budgets Report, released by the UK-based research firm IHS Markit.

India's 2016 military budget was around a quarter of China's $191 billion or Rs. 13 lakh crore.

Here are the five top reasons that made India feel more (and less) secure in 2016: 1. J&K security situation deteriorates after surgical strikes The Indian Army conducted surgical strikes -as the government called them -- against terrorists within Pakistan-adminis-

tered Kashmir on September 30, 2016. Since then, at least 33 Indian securitypersonnel have been killed in J&K, according to data collated by IndiaSpend from various news sources.

As many as 71 Indian security forces personnel were killed this year by terrorists in J&K, as of November 27, 2016, up 82 per cent since 2015, when 39 soldiers were killed, according to data tabled by the Home Ministry in the Lok Sabha.

Injuries among security personnel doubled since last year to 208. Incidents of terrorist violence in J&K increased 47 per cent to 305 in 2016, from 208 in 2015.

The data indicates that terrorist activities increased over 2016 in J&K compared to 2015, IndiaS-

pend reported on Novem- portedly looking to buy up to ber 25, 2016. an additional 200 single-engined fighter aircraft (10 to 11 2. 36 new Rafale, 120 Te- squadrons) of foreign origin jas jets cleared; Indian Air to be produced in India.

Force currently short of 200 aircraft 3. India buys 250+ artillery India signed a $8.9 bil- guns, needs at least 3,000 The Defence Ministry lion (Rs 60,520 crore) deal with France to purchase 36 approved the production of Rafale fighter planes, form- 114 Dhanush howitzers in ing two squadrons of the June 2016, the first artillery system purchased by India Indian Air Force (IAF).

The IAF is down to 32 since the Swedish Bofors fighter squadrons, the gun in the mid-1980s, a deal lowest in a decade, NDTV that was embroiled in much reported on February 26, controversey and lost then 2016. It should have 42 Prime Minister Rajiv Gansquadrons or around 670 dhi the1989 general elections. The Dhanush is based to 750 aircraft.

The IAF also inducted on the Bofors gun.

India also signed a deal two indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to purchase 145 ultra-light (LCA) and hopes to add on M777 howitzers from the US six squadrons (120 aircraft) for $737 million (Rs 5,000 of the Tejas by 2022. crore). The M777 is, in fact the The government is re- successor to the Bofors gun.

The Indian Army requires Nirbhay tests, three failed.

3,000-3,200 howitzers of variIndia's entry into the ous calibres, as envisaged un- Missile Technology Control der a 17-year-old plan.

Regime -- an international agreement which will al4. Missiles: A major hit low New Delhi to trade in and a major miss high technology -- in June India successfully test- helped pave way for India ed the 5,000-km range Agni and Russia to extend the V (Fire) on December 26, range of the jointly devel2016, bringing it one step oped supersonic BrahMos closer towards being for- missile beyond 300 km. mally deployed by the Strategic Forces Command.

5. Submarine modernisaThe nuclear-capable tion inches forward, IndiAgni V is an interconti- an Navy requires 20 more nental ballistic missile, The much delayed INS capable of reaching all Kalvari, the first of the six parts of Pakistan and Chi- French Scorpene-class na, IndiaSpend reported submarines being manuin May, 2015. factured in India, is underHowever, on December going sea trials and might 21, 2016, a test of the 1,000- be commissioned early km ranged subsonic nucle- in 2017. India now has 14 ar-capable Nirbhay (fear- operational submarines, less) land-attack cruise according to Indian Navy missile failed. Out of four data, and requires 20 more,

as IndiaSpend reported in July 20, 2015.

The Scorpene project suffered a setback after nearly 22,000 classified pages explaining the submarines' combat and performance capabilities were leaked by an Australian newspaper in August. The Navy said the leak was not critical.

India reportedly attained a nuclear triad -- the capability to launch nuclear weapons from land, air and sea -- by quietly commissioning the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant in October.

The Indian Navy commissioned INS Chennai, the third and last of the Kolkata class destroyers. India also signed a deal with Russia to purchase four guided-missile stealth frigates.

thursdAY 29•12•2016

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

9

Abe pledges Japan will never wage war again PEARL HARBOR, DEcEmBER 28 (REutERs): Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a symbolic visit to Pearl Harbor with President Barack Obama on Tuesday, commemorating the victims of Japan's World War Two attack and promising that his country would never wage war again.

The visit, just weeks before Republican Presidentelect Donald Trump takes office, was meant to highlight the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance amid concerns that Trump could forge a more complicated relationship with Tokyo.

"I offer my sincere and everlasting condolences to the souls of those who lost their lives here, as well as to the spirits of all the brave men and women whose lives were taken by a war that commenced in this very place," Abe said.

"We must never repeat the horrors of war again.

This is the solemn vow we, the people of Japan, have taken."

Japanese forces at-

tacked Pearl Harbor with torpedo planes, bombers and fighter planes on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, pounding the U.S. fleet moored there in the hope of destroying U.S. power in the Pacific.

Abe did not apologize for the attack, a step that would have irked his conservative supporters, many of whom say U.S. economic sanctions forced Japan to open hostilities.

"This visit to Pearl Harbor was to console the souls of the war dead, not to apologize," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference in Tokyo, adding the trip had showed that the allies would contribute to world peace and prosperity.

Obama, who earlier this year became the first incumbent U.S. president to visit Hiroshima, where the United States dropped an atomic bomb in 1945, called Abe's visit a "historic gesture" that was "a reminder that even the deepest wounds of war can give way to friendship and a

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) and U.S. President Barack Obama (L) bow their heads during a wreath-laying ceremony aboard the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, U.S., December 27, 2016. (REUTERS PHOTO)

lasting peace."

Abe became the first Japanese prime minister to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, built over the remains of the sunken battleship USS Arizona, although three others including his grandfather had made quiet stops in

Pearl Harbor in the 1950s.

The two leaders stood solemnly in front of a wall inscribed with the names of those who died in the 1941 attack and took part in a brief wreath-laying ceremony, followed by a moment of silence.

"In Remembrance,

Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan" was written on one wreath and "In Remembrance, Barack Obama, President of the United States" on the other.

They then threw flower petals into the water.

After their remarks, both leaders greeted and

Abe embraced U.S. veter- for Trump, but he made his ans who survived the Pearl opposition to the RepubliHarbor attack. can's policies, including his proposal to ban Muslims DISPLAY OF temporarily from entering ALLIANCE STRENGTH the United States, clear durJapan hopes to present ing the 2016 campaign. a strong alliance with the "It is here that we reUnited States amid con- member that even when cerns about China's ex- hatred burns hottest, even panding military capability. when the tug of tribalism is During a meeting at its most primal, we must ahead of the Pearl Har- resist the urge to turn inbor visit, Abe and Obama ward," Obama said at Pearl agreed to closely monitor Harbor. "We must resist the moves by China’s aircraft urge to demonize those carrier, recently spotted on who are different." a routine drill in the WestAbe met with Trump ern Pacific for the first time, in New York in November and to strengthen the U.S.- and called him a "trustJapan alliance, Japan’s Ky- worthy leader." odo news agency reported.

Obama called for a The leaders' get-togeth- world without nuclear er was also meant to rein- arms during his visit to force the U.S.-Japan part- Hiroshima. Trump last nership ahead of the Jan. week called for the United 20 inauguration of Trump, States to "greatly strengthwhose opposition to the en and expand" its nuclear Trans-Pacific Partnership capability and reportedly trade pact and campaign welcomed an internationthreat to force allied coun- al arms race. tries to pay more to host Some Abe critics noted U.S. forces raised concerns the Japanese leader’s visit, among allies such as Japan. and the reconciliation with Obama has sought to the United States that it provide a smooth transition symbolized, underscored

the stark contrast in its relationship with China and South Korea, where the bitter wartime legacy still plagues ties with Tokyo.

Abe's cabinet minister for reconstruction of disaster-hit regions, Masahiro Imamura, paid his respects later in the day (Wednesday, Tokyo time) at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine for war dead, seen in China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, Kyodo news agency said. Abe angered Beijing and Seoul and upset Washington with his own visit to the shrine three years ago this month.

"A symbolic gesture of contrition to your closest ally is easy," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University’s Japan campus in Tokyo.

"If he (Abe) really is sincere about reconciliation diplomacy and overcoming lingering enmities he needs to visit similar symbolic sights (in China and Korea) ... and make similar remarks of remorse that are more specific about Japan's responsibility."

Israel pulls back from approving new East Jerusalem homes Quoting Mao, China says Taiwan, Hong Kong JERusALEm, DEcEmBER 28 (REutERs): Jerusalem's city hall cancelled a vote on Wednesday on applications to build nearly 500 new homes for Israelis in East Jerusalem, a municipal official said, plans that had drawn U.S. criticism in a raging dispute over settlements.

The proposed settlement is part of building activity that the U.N. Security Council demanded an end to on Friday, a resolution that a U.S. abstention made possible.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested the decision be put off, said Jerusalem Planning and Housing Committee member Hanan Rubin, hours before U.S. Secretary

of State John Kerry is to give a speech laying out his vision for ending the IsraeliPalestinian conflict.

A spokesman for Netanyahu had no immediate comment.

Rubin said 492 permits for construction of homes for Israelis in the urban settlements of Ramot and Ramat Shlomo, in areas that Israel captured in a 1967 war and annexed to Jerusalem, had been up for approval.

The United States on Friday broke with a longstanding approach of diplomatically shielding Israel and abstained on the Security Council resolution, which passed with 14 countries in favour and none against.

Kerry will discuss the abstention when he speaks at the State Department at 11 a.m. ET (1600 GMT), a senior State Department official told reporters on Tuesday.

The speech will also address what the official called "misleading" accusations by Israeli officials that the Obama administration drafted and forced the resolution to a vote.

Voting on the new building permits was removed from the committee's agenda for the session "because of Kerry's speech at 6 p.m.

(1100 GMT). The prime minister said that while he supports construction in Jerusalem, we don't have to inflame the situation any

further," Rubin said.

The committee meets regularly, and it could consider approving the permits at a future date.

Israel has for decades pursued a policy of building Jewish settlements on occupied territory Palestinians seek for a state.

Most countries view the settlements as an obstacle to peace. Israel disagrees, citing a biblical, historical and political connection to the land, as well as security interests. Washington considers the settlement activity illegitimate.

Some 570,000 Israelis live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem among more than 2.6 million Palestinians.

independence supporters will fail 'like flies'

succeed," spokesman An BEIJING, DEcEmBER Fengshan said.

28 (REutERs): Quot"It's just like that saying a poem by the founder ing 'On this tiny globe, a of Communist China Mao few flies dash themselves Zedong, China's governagainst the wall'," An said, ment said on Wednesday quoting a 1963 poem by that the efforts by Hong Mao, lines usually taken to Kong and Taiwan indepenmean that China does not dence supporters to link fear its enemies. up were doomed to fail, as "In the end they'll they would be dashed to find themselves broken the ground like flies. and bleeding," he added, Chinese leaders are without elaborating, usincreasingly concerned ing words that are not in about a fledgling independence movement in Souvenirs featuring portraits of China's late Chairman the poem.

The comments come the former British colony Mao Zedong and China's President Xi Jinping are seen of Hong Kong, which re- at a shop near the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, Sep- amid renewed tension over Taiwan, following turned to mainland rule tember 9, 2016. (REUTERS PHOTO) in 1997 with a promise of She says she wants further at a routine news U.S. President-elect Donautonomy, and recent pro- peace with China, which conference by China's pol- ald Trump's telephone call tests in the city. considers the island an un- icy-making Taiwan Affairs with Tsai that upset Beijing.

China has never reChina is also deeply ruly, breakaway province. Office. suspicious of Taiwan PresBeijing has already "A small coterie of Tai- nounced the use of force to ident Tsai Ing-wen, elected warned about indepen- wan independence forces bring the island under its and at doses that are ac- earlier this year, who Bei- dence activists in both are trying in vain to link control after defeated Natually not toxic to normal jing suspects is pushing places linking up - Hong up with Hong Kong inde- tionalist forces fled there at cells", Benjamin said. for the self-ruled island's Kong activists have visited pendence (forces) to split the end of a civil war with "And the effect was ex- independence.

Taiwan this year - and went the country, which cannot the Communists in 1949. clusively confined to cancer cells, as the blood cells from healthy donors were insensitive to the treatment," Benjamin noted.

In mice with malignant liver cancer, enlargement of LAIZA, DEcEmBER 28 (AP): Eth- political analyst. "There must be ne- retary of the Joint Monitoring Comthe liver was reduced after nic Kachin rebels long at war with gotiation between ethnic parties, mittee on Ceasefire, defended the the therapy. Also the number Myanmar troops say the government armed groups, the military and the army's actions at a committee meeting Thursday. of tumour nodules was less -- has only escalated fighting since government."

"We are only fighting in the ethnic Ethnic Burmans form a majority in some animals the tumours Aung San Suu Kyi took over as leader, crushing the hopes that had led many in Myanmar, also known as Burma, region to protect our own country," he disappeared completely.

The researchers found ethnic minorities to support her party but ethnic minorities make up about said. "We want to unite the country. I that the drugs interrupt the and leaving them with no confidence 40 percent of the population. Some of don't think we have lost trust." He said vital processes which provide in the peace process that Suu Kyi has those groups have fought for greater the army "always welcomes everyone for peace," but that "the fighting hapautonomy for decades. identified as a priority. energy for the cancer cell.

Suu Kyi held a peace conference pens because it is necessary."

Rebels and observers say governConcerns about the prospects ment offensives including airstrikes in late August attended by represenhave increased since Suu Kyi and tatives of 17 of the 20 major ethnic for Myanmar's peace process were her National League for Democracy groups, including the Kachin. The heightened further after the newly party took control in March. Suu Kyi's conference was intended to build formed Northern Alliance, comprised government has said little about the on a ceasefire agreement that ethnic of the KIO's Kachin Independence attacks, and the Kachin Indepen- groups insist include a political solu- Army, the Myanmar National Demodence Organization accuses her of tion to their longstanding demands. cratic Alliance Army, the Ta'ang NaEthnic leaders have asked for politi- tional Liberation Army and the Araand Mining, likened Zorig's cooperating with the military.

"Suu Kyi tried so hard to gain this cal dialogue, but the peace confer- kan Army, began a joint offensive in murder to Kennedy's 1963 power for many years and she needs ence met few of their expectations, response to military attacks in the ethassassination.

"There are a lot of unan- to make deals with the military in and some may drop out of the next nic regions of northern Myanmar.

These attacks are part of more swered questions," he said order to sustain her power," said La round, expected in February. The on Tuesday. "I think today's Nan, the chief spokesman of the KIO. conference was dominated by short widespread increase in fighting Rebels say they have been hit with speeches from a wide range of stake- since the Thein Sein government court ruling did not answer airstrikes in areas of northern Shan holders, leaving little time for more launched the peace process in 2011. all these questions."

According to Bertil Lintner, a longPolice detained sever- and Kachin states including Mongo, significant discussion. a Shan town that was heavily bombed time Myanmar political analyst, "There was really no substance at al people for questioning during the investigation, and suffered an unknown number of all," said David Mathieson, a senior fighting is now the heaviest that it has including Zorig's widow, civilian casualties. Other fighting has researcher of Human Rights Watch been in decades. The heavy fighting, Bulgan, who is alleged to occurred in Hpakant, center of Myan- who has been researching civil con- combined with a stalled peace prohave witnessed the murder. mar's lucrative jade-mining region, flict in Myanmar for a more than a cess, has created fears among some Zorig's murder, though and Laiza, headquarters of the KIO. decade. "How can Suu Kyi expect to that the prospects for Myanmar's Suu Kyi, who serves as state coun- bring peace if she is not sitting down peace process are dim. not widely known outside "If Suu Kyi can't start a discussion Mongolia, was central to the selor and foreign minister but effec- with Kachin and Shan leaders and arrest of intelligence official tively rules Myanmar, faces high ex- when she is not taking the grievances with the ethnic leaders soon enough, the tension between the military and Bat Khurts in London in pectations from ethnic groups and of human rights abuses seriously?"

Suu Kyi's peace negotiator, Dr. Tin the ethnic armed groups will go high2010 after a warrant was is- the international community. As sued by German authorities. opposition leader, the Nobel Peace Myo Win, did not return phone calls er and the possibility of ceasefire and peace process will be less," said Yan Khurts was detained for laureate was held under house arrest from The Associated Press.

Khin Maung Myint, an NLD upper Myo Thein, the analyst. his involvement in the 2003 by the former junta for years, but her Linter said, "It should be evident abduction and forced repa- landslide election victory in Novem- house member of parliament from a triation of Mongolian dis- ber 2015 ended more than half a cen- constituency in Kachin state, blamed to anyone that an entirely new apthe military and army commander Se- proach is needed" that would "insident Enkhbat Damiran, tury of military control.

Though she has called the peace nior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. clude a genuine political dialogue, said by Mongolian authori"Min Aung Hlaing is doing what- not just meetings with dozens of ethties to be a suspect in Zorig's process her top priority, many local murder. Enkhbat eventually and international political analysts ever he wants. ... They are just try- nic representatives." do not see significant achievements ing to make NLD look bad," he said.

Rebel groups are not died in police custody.

Khurts was released by since the NLD came to power, and say "They are bullying ethnic people as optimistic."We ethnic people are not Germany in 2011 shortly she has failed to cooperate enough well. The main problem with the mil- very happy even though there is a soitary is that they don't want a federal called democratic government. The before a visit to Mongo- with ethnic leaders.

"National reconciliation cannot system. ... This is just the bad inheri- new government is trying to hold, gain lia by Chancellor Angela Merkel, and is now the be built only between the govern- tance from the bad dictatorship. The and sustain power and to get that they make deals together with the military," head of Mongolia's General ment and the military," said Yan military doesn't want to change."

Col. Wunna Aung, second sec- said La Nan, the KIO spokesman.

Myo Thein, a prominent Myanmar Intelligence Agency.

Cocktail of diabetes and hypertension drugs kills cancer cells LONDON, DEcEmBER 28 (IANs): A combination of drugs for diabetes and hypertension may offer an effective new way to combat cancer, suggests a new research.

In their experiments, the researchers found that the combination of the diabetes drug metformin and the antihypertensive drug syrosingopine drives cancer cells to programmed "suicide".

"We have been able to show that the two known drugs lead to more profound effects on cancer cell proliferation than each

drug alone," said study first author Don Benjamin from the University of Basel in Switzerland.

"The data from this study support the development of combination approaches for the treatment of cancer patients," Benjamin noted.

Metformin is a widely prescribed drug for the treatment of Type-2 diabetes.

Besides its blood sugar lowering effect, it also displays anti-cancer properties. The usual therapeutic dose, however, is too low to effectively fight cancer.

At higher doses, the an-

tidiabetic drug inhibits the growth of cancer cells but could also induce unwanted side effects.

The new research published in the journal Science Advances showed that the antihypertensive drug syrosingopine enhances the anti-cancer efficacy of metformin.

The study showed the cocktail of these two drugs is effective in a wide range of cancers.

"For example, in samples from leukemia patients, we demonstrated that almost all tumour cells were killed by this cocktail

Closed Mongolian court jails three for 1998 murder of democracy hero uLAANBAAtAR , DEcEmBER 28 (REutERs): A closed court in Mongolia has convicted three men of the 1998 murder of Sanjaasuren Zorig, a politician remembered for leading the East Asian country's peaceful transition to democracy.

Nicknamed the "Golden Swallow of Democracy", Zorig was credited with saving lives during anti-government protests in Mongolia in 1990. His murder has been likened to the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and sparked a manhunt that involved authorities in Britain and Germany.

Zorig was Mongolia's minister of infrastructure and was widely expected to become prime minister of the fledgling democracy in 1998 when he was assassinated in his home at the age of 36.

Mongolian media identified the three suspects as B. Sodnomdarjaa, Ts. Amgalanbaatar and T. Chimgee, and said they had been found guilty of murder by a panel of judges on Tuesday

Sanjaasuren Zorig

after a hearing held behind closed doors since October.

They were each given prison sentences of between 24 and 25 years.

Reuters was unable to reach the courts responsible for the verdict. The Ministry of Justice also did not respond to requests for comment.

It was not known how the three men had answered the charges, how they were represented in the court, or when they were arrested.

Mongolian deputy prime minister Tsend Nyamdorj questioned the decision to hold the trial behind closed doors.

"This is very a danger-

ous practice, in which a court reaches a verdict of murder in secret," he told parliament on Tuesday.

"To me, it looks as if you are trying to hide the fact that you are being repressive."

Zorig's sister, Oyun, who heads the pro-democratic Zorig Foundation and is a former government minister, said in a statement sent to Reuters she and her family did not think justice had been done.

"We also requested that the case is de-classified and the court is open," she said.

"Unfortunately, the request was not accepted."

Dale Choi, an analyst with Mongolian Metals

Kachin rebels see more Myanmar attacks

thursdAY 29•12•2016

SPORTS

10

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Chorus grows for Kalmadi, Azhar, Chautala's removal from IOA

Warner run-feast illuminates Melbourne test

Abhay Singh Chautala

New Delhi, December 28 (PTi): A defiant Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sought to brazen it out even as the clamour for a rollback grew louder today after the scam-tainted duo of Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala were elevated to life Presidents of the sporting body.

The aftershocks of the IOA's decision, which was heavily criticised by Sports Minister Vijay Goel in a hurriedly-called press conference last night, became stronger in intensity today.

The IOA top brass was incommunicado after the shocking move even as Chautala came out to defend himself by launching an attack on Goel.

However, that did little to douse the fire and Goel was joined by Ajay Maken, the Sports Minister in the previous government, in criticising the move and calling it "sad and painful".

"As a former Sports Minister and sports enthusiast, the IOA's decision to appoint Kalmadi and Chautala as Life Presidents of IOA is sad and very painful. This decision is not

Suresh Kalmadi

good for sports and India's image," Maken told reporters here today.

"I request the Sports Minister not only to convey his reservations but take strong actions to reverse the decision.

All the National Sports Federations are funded by the Sports Ministry, so the government should exercise its full powers to reverse the decision. If they do so there is no reason the matter can't be resolved," he added.

Chautala, on the other hand, wondered what the fuss was all about, going to the extent of ridiculing Goel for expressing pain on his appointment.

"I was surprised by the reaction of Sports Minister Vijay Goel. He was claiming that there are criminal and corruption cases against me. The case against me is not a criminal case, it is a political case," a livid Chautala said.

"Goel has failed in his responsibility as a Sports Minister. I would advise him to fulfil his responsibility as Sports Minister because if he does that, our

medal count will increase manifold and he will get credit for that. Instead of getting into a controversy without knowing full facts, he should focus on his job," he added.

Chautala also said that he had done enough for Olympic sports in India to deserve the IOA Life President's post.

Maken, meanwhile, also questioned BJP MP Anurag Thakur, BJP-ally Shiromoni Akali Dal MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and IOA sitting vice-President Tarlochan Singh for not opposing the appointments being a part of the AGM. "Today when we are talking about eradicating corruption and graft from the country we are bringing back such tainted individuals. What is message the IOA is giving?" he asked.

"Anurag Thakur, Dhindsa and Tarlochan Singh were all part of IOA Executive Committee and were there at the meeting yesterday. I request them all to take back the decision for the image of the country," Maken added.

melbOUrNe, December 28 (reUTers): Two days of rain dampened the Boxing Day test between Australia and Pakistan but sunshine returned to the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday as a pair of opening batsmen ignited day three with over 300 runs.

Azhar Ali's epic unbeaten 205 raised Pakistan's hopes of a series-levelling victory after lunch before David Warner crushed them ruthlessly with an exhilarating run-a-ball 144 after tea.

Warner, who shared in a 198-run partnership with Usman Khawaja, propelled Australia to 278 for two at stumps, having slashed the deficit to 165 runs after the tourists declared their first innings at 443 for nine.

Although both players enjoyed reaching a string of milestones, their innings shared little else in common.

Right-hander Azhar had to grind through six rain in-

Azhar Ali finished undefeated on 205, a record for Pakistan batsmen in Tests on Australian soil. (Shutterstock Photo)

terruptions over the course of his nine-and-a-half hour knock and marched off unbeaten after 364 balls.

Left-hander Warner had to labour in sapping heat and humidity, but only for 48.5 overs before being caught behind feathering an edge off Wahab Riaz.

Warner, when on 81, was bowled with a no-ball from Wahab, one of the 10

committed by the errant paceman.

The 30-year-old also survived a string of edges to complete his 17th ton, his first in nearly a year and first at the MCG, which had been a conspicuous void in his burgeoning resume.

Warner also raced past 5,000 test runs during the innings to join an honour roll of Australian batsmen

including Don Bradman, Ricky Ponting and the Chappell brothers Greg and Ian. "A childhood dream, it is one I hadn't really ticked off," Warner told reporters, having celebrated his maiden Boxing Day ton with his customary jump and fist-pump.

"I was a bit emotional. It was a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders."

Gritty Azhar's double hundred was another endorsement of a late-blooming career and the highest by a Pakistan player in Australia.

He also became the first from the south Asian nation to surpass 200 twice in a year, having struck an unbeaten 302 against West Indies in Dubai in October.

"You get a bit itchy when you're out there in the field and you're coming off and on and off and on," said Warner.

"That's credit to Azhar Ali, the way he played, to switch on and off like that and score 200 runs on the MCG is fantastic."

Azhar's leap for joy after reaching 200 rivalled Warner's for exuberance and he was thrilled to stamp himself at the iconic stadium.

"It certainly is a big achievement," he said. "It's a big, big tour for our team.

So I was very focused and really wanted to get there."

Russian officials acknowledge doping 'conspiracy' - report

New YOrk, December 28 (AFP): Russian anti-doping officials have acknowledged a massive doping conspiracy in their country, but still reject claims of government involvement in the affair that rocked world sport, The New York Times reports.

"It was an institutional conspiracy," Anna Antseliovich, the acting director general of Russia's national anti-doping agency, told the newspaper in an article datelined from Moscow. However, Antseliovich and others interviewed continued to reject the characterization of the doping scheme as "state-sponsored," telling the

Times that top government officials were not involved.

Investigator Richard McLaren said in a new report for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) this month that more than 1,000 Russian athletes in some 30 sports took part in a plan for Moscow sports ministry officials to use banned drugs at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, the 2012 London Summer Games and other global events.

Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko told TASS news agency on December 9, when the report was released, that McLaren's claim of an "institutional conspiracy" had not been proven. The Kremlin

cautioned Wednesday that it was necessary to "check the accuracy" of the report in The New York Times to understand the context of the interview, and repeated earlier denials of state involvement in doping.

"From the very beginning we have denied any involvement by the state or state institutions or services or agencies in the possible use of doping by sportsmen," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. Russia's sport minister also cast doubt on the report, insisting that Moscow had not changed its line on the doping. "Our position in relation to this

situation remains unchanged," Pavel Kolobkov told TASS, adding that The New York Times likely "misinterpreted" the comments.

The allegations by Mclaren were another body blow to Russian sport, which was still trying to shrug off the damage from his initial findings and the exclusion of its track and field athletes from international competition. The affair reverberated through the 2016 Rio Olympics and has continued to be felt as winter sports events such as next year's bobsleigh and skeleton world championships and biathlon and speed skating World Cup stops have been withdrawn from the country.

public discourse

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego of ACAUT And the Future Challenges!

Dr. S. Temjen Imchen

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he ultimate-release of ACAUT leaders from SubJail in Dimapur, Nagaland on December 16(2016) was morelike the biblical heroes Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegocoming out of the fiery furnace unburned!Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, ordered the three brave Hebrew young men to worship the idol that he created but they refused the king’s command and so were imprisoned. But miraculously they came out unscathed! Not even a single tinge of their hair was burned!

In the present Naga socio-political context, the three ACAUT leaders - Joel Nillo Kath, Simon Helio and Hukiye Yepthomi may be exemplified as the Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were imprisoned but came out unscathed! Of course, we have great leaders like KK Sema, T. Solo, a host of leaders from various NGOs and the Church. As given in the above caption, a quick reading of Daniel chapter 3 (from the Christian Scriptures) reminds usthat the three young Jewish men were thrown into the fiery furnace by king Nebuchadnezzar and his men for not worshipping the idol promoted by the king.

As we read this favourite story from the Hebrew Bible, it reminds us of the “Faith and the Furnace.” Just because these three Bible characters refused to bow before “the golden statue” (v.14), they were bound and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. But,strangely enough, the king and his satraps saw “four men” walking in the middle of the fire (v.25).

Visibly shaken and moved, the king ordered them out from the consuming fire. Once they came out, the king and his courtiers were in for another shock as none of their hair and bodies were burned and “not even a smell of fire came from them” (v.27).Finally, they were delivered from the blazing furnace. At this point, Nebuchadnezzar revered the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Now in Naga context, since December 15 episode in Khermahal police point, I as a conscious Naga citizen have been seriously thinking about what I

could do about the socio-political rejuvenation that every right thinking Naga soul wants to bring about today.

I have chosen to contribute my short treatise in support of the ACAUT movement and togive a challengeto my beloved Naga public of today to continue appreciating and supporting the movement spearheaded by ACAUT for a better Naga society tomorrow – free from the present corrupt regime and vicious cycles of rampant corruption.

The Present Stage on Which the Scene is Played The present state of corruption in Nagaland is massive and deep-rooted.

Fortunately, for the larger Naga public, there is a new Naga civil movement called “ACAUT” supported by a host of organisations. Having obtained sufficient information on the “pilferage of supply goods,” the ACAUT and CCN members on December 9 (2016) went to see the repackaging process of rice bags from “bigger (jute) to smaller (synthetic) bags” before sale at R.Z.LothaGodown and M/S Lotha Trading Agency. Now, this action by the rights-activists was taken as an offence by the corrupt rice-dealers who happened to be the local and nonlocal businessmen, as we now know them.In the aftermath of go-downs fiasco, we also reliably learnt that there was a first information report (FIR) from the ACAUT and counter-FIR filed in the court from the ACAUT’s opponents. Things took an unexpected turn as the three ACAUT leaders were arrested on December 12 and imprisoned. When it was examined on which ground the three rights-activists were arrested, it appears that they were detained on flimsy grounds so as to shield the corrupt persons.

Because ACAUT’s objectives is allout war against corruption and illegal taxation, including unwarranted use of force by the state govt, the ACAUT led by its advisor KhekiyeK.Sema and other office bearers and peace-activists wanted to demand the release of the three leaders unconditionally from the prison.

So, when our Naga brothers & sisters assembled that winter afternoon (December 15) in Khermahal

police pointto raise the voice against the PDS rice scam and demand the freedom of the innocent three, TR’s Govt machinery once again unleashed violence on the unarmed protesters. Instead of going after the PDS rice scammers, the peace-activists were instead forcefully poured with water cannons, tear-gassed, and lathi-charged for theirdissenting voices! It is now crystal clear that the peaceful activists were stopped mainly because the present Govt. did not want the corruption in F&CS department to be exposed. Instead of listening to ACAUT’s voice in pointing out the dishonest practices in F&CS and other high offices, the Nagaland CM helped by his honchos wanted the non-local rice dealersnamely:TinkuSethi&Nirmal Jain, and the local stockist R.Z.Lotha to be shielded from public shame, ridicule and possible punishment, if at all there is a punishment for these culprits! It is believed that more than two decades, the Naga public was deprived of the essential commodities such as wheat, kerosene, sugar, rice, and others. In other States of India, the PDS schemes are closely monitored and strictly implemented, but it is only in the Christian state of Nagaland, the PDS schemes are largely if not completely misused. What the other Governmental agencies like the State Vigilance Commission cannot do has been uncovered by ACAUT members. More than revealing the PDS rice scam, the aforementioned Naga civil movement has asked for a CBI inquiry. This is in the right direction. My only hope and humble appeal to my Naga public is that the Naga reformation started by ACAUT and exemplified byNaga Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoagainst PDS rice scam and all other scams should prevail. There is a demand for CBI Inquiry presently but we should not let the momentum slow down!The ACAUT’s movement is very much established according to the Christian principles such as: faith and courage, love and honesty, light and truth, justice and peace over the evil.

The light and truth shall prevail over the darkness! We are all united in our fight against the “Naga Behemoth”

(“a huge and monstrous creature”), ACAUT has kept the faith of our ancestors – both in traditional and biblirepresented by corruption. cal sense – and continues to fightthe “Naga Behemoth.”The ACAUT is a A Quick Recap of the Naga movement that thrives on the adage Reformation Period To me, the “Naga Reformation “Honesty is the Best Policy.” It has Period” of the 21st century was born the courage and faith to bring about on October 31, 2013 through the a transformative change today for ACAUT’s Public Awareness Rally our better tomorrow. Realistically held in Dimapur, Nagaland. It was speaking, corruption has deprived a massive Naga protest rally which us Naga public so much so that we was spearheaded by a civil body now did not get our rightful share of equal popularly known as the “Against opportunities, and benefits of progCorruption and Unabated Taxation” ress and development, and sadly (ACAUT) under the aegis of Naga giving us only the“bad public road” Council Dimapur (NCD) and was at- – the archenemy for Nagas’ progress tended by representatives from vari- and development. ous Naga and non-Naga organisations based at Dimapur as well as the The Future Stage on Church. Many enlightened speakers Which the Scene Will be Played The future of ACAUT Nagaland as gave their heart-rending speeches against corruption and to “streamline a civil movement surely depends on the tax system so as not to overbur- realizing the demands put forwardden the common people.”Of all the by it on the one hand and delivering public wishes on that rally day, the the promises made by the State Govt major demand was for “One Govern- on the other. But the answer from ment, One Taxation!” that should be the “Powers-That-Be” is not the end enforced on all Naga National Politi- in itself. Even if the government/s cal Groups (NNPGs) with effect from will come and go, yet the Naga civil that day. So, a charter of demands society will remain forever! The variincluding the above clause was for- ous activities of ACAUT will never be mulated and put forward before the erased from the minds of the peoState Government of Nagaland by ple and the aspirations of the Naga ACAUT. As a result, a “High Powered people led by this movement must Committee” (HPC) headed Justice only be kept alive through frequent HK Sema, a retired Supreme Judge seminars and rallies if the “powerswas constituted in August 2014 by that-be” fail the public. The ACAUT the state government. Subsequently, has encountered the “Naga BeheACAUT demanded that the “find- moth” in the form of Illegal Taxation, ings & recommendations” of HPC Job-Scam/s, Kerosene Adulteration be implemented, as on July 2015. At Racket,PDS Rice Scam. All the conthe moment, only the State Govern- scious Naga citizens are looking forment can tell whether the reports ward to seeing the light of day to all and recommendations of the HPC these forms of “Naga Behemoth.” In other words, the conscientious Naga have been implemented.

The “Naga Conscience Move- public is hungry with a renewed ment”/ACAUThave come a long vigour for the development benefits way since 2013.The Naga civil soci- of the Nagaland State even after atety and peace-activists have walked taining 53 years of statehood. Let us a long torturous way of fighting cor- not be weary and fatigued while fightruption which has in it - nepotism, ing with the Naga Behemoth! The day bribery, unequal distribution of for our victory is surely coming!

However – there is still a far greatessential commodities, misuse of public or Govt funds, debauchery, er challenge for ACAUT and progreslies, bad public roads, including re- sive Nagas. Even while waiting for ligious apostasy/namesake Christi- the fulfilment of these demands as anity, lies, lust of flesh, and all forms mentioned above – there lies a topof sin. Realizing this sorry state of af- most challenge before the ACAUT, fairs in Nagaland and beyond, the which is to demand for a GOOD PUB-

LIC ROAD in Nagaland. To me, the “Bad Public Road” as we have been provided with by our Government so far is the “Single Impediment to Nagas’ progress and development.”

Can we remove this obstruction before us? I believe we can! Provided we are positive, faithful, unwavering in our efforts, we can overcome this obstruction to our rightful living.

The innocent Naga public deserves better! We the Naga people deserve good public road in the cities, towns and villages. But where do we begin?

The answer is simple. Remove corruption, Period. Our State Govt has failed us to provide us good public roads unlike many progressive states in India. Let us take one fine example of public road development.

For instance, my recent research trip to the United States of America showed me that all the American roads (both their Interstate and Country roads) are so good and spacious enough that even an Aeroplane can land on their public roads anytime! This is not an exaggeration. They know better. All those of you who have been to that Christian country can testify it to my narration.

Back in India, even the neighbouring state governments of Nagaland have realized that the only sure way to progress and development is having “good public roads.” Good Public Road. Period. If we remove corruption, we can be a “Model Christian State” like we claim. As I conclude, let me state it clearly: let us rise up from our slumber and build our dear home state, that is, a Nagaland free from Naga Behemoth!The points that I have raised and discussed in the foregoing paragraphs have arisen out of my genuine desire for faith and honesty in times of corruption in public and high offices in our State of Nagaland; reposing our faith on our Naga Shadrachs, Meshachs, and Abednegos. They are the ACAUT Nagaland leaders. In the present Naga generation, the ACAUT is the harbinger of hope, progress and development. May God bless our beloved Naga people and a prosperous Nagaland in the coming years, Amen!– (The writer of this article can be reached with: temjenba@gmail.com).

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.

Thursday 29•12•2016

EntErtainmEnt

Star Wars’ actress Carrie Fisher dies at 60

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arrie Fisher, the actress bestknown for playing Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” franchise, has died aged 60, four days after she suffered a cardiac arrest on a flight. Her daughter Billie Lourd said the actress passed away on Tuesday morning after be-

ing taken ill travelling from London to Los Angeles, reports telegraph.co.uk.

She is survived by her mother, the veteran Hollywood star Debbie Reynolds, who has been by her side along with her close family over Christmas. Post her cardiac arrest, fans of Fisher had hoped for her

recovery following reports that she was “stable”, with her uncle disclosing the family had believed there would be a positive outcome.

But a spokesman for the family said: “It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Car-

rie Fisher passed away at 8.55 a.m. She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly. Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers.”

“Thank you to everyone who has embraced the gifts and talents of my beloved and amazing daughter. I am grateful for your thoughts and prayers that are now guiding her to her next stop. Love Carrie’s Mother,” said 84-year-old Reynolds.

Fisher had been in hospital since December 23, when she fell ill on a United Airlines flight. Said to be initially “unresponsive”, she was rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles where she was treated in an intensive care unit but did not regain consciousness. Four days later, after spending Christmas in hospital, Fisher’s daughter confirmed she had died.

Her uncle Bill Reynolds, brother of Debbie, said: “The family all had

hope. That’s what the doctors told us, that she would recover. On Christmas Eve we all had dinner together at my sister’s house and said prayers. Everything looked positive and everyone seemed pretty upbeat.” He added: “We don’t have enough details yet.

But the family is all gathering. We all loved her and no one expected anything like this.”

Fisher was expected to make her final appearance on screen as General Leia Organa, after completing filming on “Star Wars: Episode VIII.” Her death has already sparked speculation over how the franchise would proceed without her. She had recently been undertaking a book tour for her autobiography, “The Princess Diarist”, making headlines with her mischievous confessions about her youthful affair with Harrison Ford.

Pentatonix celebrate Christmas by topping Billboard 200 chart

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entatonix celebrated the holidays by taking the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart, thanks to the a cappella group’s “A Pentatonix Christmas,” according to figures on Tuesday from Nielsen SoundScan.

The group from Texas sold 206,000 units for the week and also saw its 2014 holiday release, “That’s Christmas To Me,” notch up another 77,000 units to take the No. 5 spot on the Billboard 200.

The Billboard 200 album chart tallies units from album sales, song sales (10 songs equal one album) and streaming activity (1,500 streams equal one album).

In a week with few new releases, R&B singer Bruno Mars rose to No. 2 with his latest album “24K Magic” while Canadian rapper The source: IANs Weeknd held onto third

place with “Starboy.”

The two singers also dominated the digital songs chart, which measures online song sales. The

single “Starboy” climbed back to No. 1, while Mars’ title track “”24K Magic” took the No. 2 spot. source: reuters

‘xXx...’ to release in India Daniel Radcliffe is now worth Cowell’s company suffers £11million first: Deepika Padukone an eye-watering £64MILLION fall in profits as record sales plummet

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he action-packed film “xXx: Return of Xander Cage”, which will mark actress Deepika Padukone’s Hollywood foray, will release in India “before anywhere else” in the world on January 14, 2017.

“Thrilled to announce that ‘XxX: Return of Xander Cage’ will release in India first! Before anywhere else in the world! January 14,” Deepika tweeted on Wednesday. The actress plays a character named Serena Unger in the upcoming international film, which features Hollywood actor Vin Diesel in the lead role. Directed by DJ Caruso, “xXx: The Return of Xander Cage” is a sequel to the 2002 film “xXx” and “2005 film xXx: State of the Union”. The film also stars Ruby Rose, Samuel L Jackson, Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa. source: IANs

Rihanna unfollows Jennifer Lopez on Instagram

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&B star Rihanna no more follows singing sensation Jennifer Lopez on photo-video sharing website Instagram. There are rumours doing the rounds that Lopez is romancing Drake, who was previously reported to be dating Rihanna. Earlier this year, the 28-year-old singer gifted Lopez, 47, with a pair of navy boots from her design collaboration with Manolo Blahnik. In a handwritten note to the “On the Floor” singer, Rihanna called Lopez “the baddest,” adding, “Because I know you’re gonna wear them better than me!!!” The rapper and Lopez sparked relationship speculation earlier this month when after attending two of her Las Vegas concerts backto-back. Drake also hosted a super exclusive gathering that Lopez happened to attend.

C M Y K

T

W

hen the 11-yearold schoolboy Daniel Radcliffe was cast as Harry Potter, little did he know he would end up as one of the wealthiest figures in show business. Now 27, Radcliffe has conjured up a staggering £64 million in savings, it can be revealed.

Accounts published yesterday by his company, Gilmore Jacobs, disclose that it’s now holding £63.9 million. That’s £4.5 million more than 2015, suggesting he was Britain’s biggestearning actor this year.

Turnover is not reported in the accounts, which also omit to disclose pay to Radcliffe, who is understood to have invested most of his earnings in property and stocks and shares.

This year he appeared in the thrillers Now You See Me 2 and Imperium, as well as the comedy drama Swiss Army Man. The accounts report that the business holds £19.8 million in fixed asset invest-

ments, £22.9 million in current asset investments, £3.3 million in tangible assets; as well as holding £8.7 million in cash and being owed £10.2 million.

Radcliffe’s canny parents — Alan, a literary agent, and Marcia Gresham, a casting agent — set up the company in 2000, a year before their son played the boy wizard in the first film in the series, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone.

The privately educated actor admitted earlier this year that he didn’t spend his cash. ‘I don’t really do anything with my money,’

he said.

‘I’m very grateful for it, because having money means you don’t have to worry about it, which is a very lovely freedom to have.

It also gives me immense freedom career-wise.’

He explained that his wealth enabled him to appear on stage and in low-budget, experimental movies: ‘For all the people who’ve followed my career, I want to give them something to be interested in, rather than just make loads of money on c**p films for the rest of my life.’ source: Mailonline

he company of The X Factor boss Simon Cowell has suffered an £11million fall in profits – a cut of almost a

third.

Falling record sales were blamed for the plunge in takings for Simco, a banner company that includes his music and TV businesses.

Profits fell from £33.7million to £22.7million in the year to March 31, accounts show. It is the latest blow for the music mogul, 57, who has seen audience figures for ITV show The X Factor fall by 10million since 2010 to their lowest ever levels.

This year the final was watched by just 7million viewers, easily beaten by Strictly Come Dancing’s semi-final on BBC1, which drew in 12million viewers.

Overall turnover for Cowell’s company, which also includes Britain’s Got Talent, fell 14.9 per cent from £47million to £40million.

Just two years ago, it made almost £60million. Turnover for the UK – which is largely drawn from licensing artists from Cowell’s Syco label as well as from the TV shows – took the biggest hit, tumbling 28 per cent from £25.7million to £18.4million. This year Syco released fewer records, and income from royalties fell 65 per cent to £3.5million.

But revenues from the rest of the world – with versions of The X Factor made in 53 countries – rose 15.3 per cent to £14.3million.

Despite falling audience figures in the UK, Cowell, who is worth an estimated £340million, has signed a deal with ITV to produce The X Factor, as well as Britain’s Got Talent, for the next three years.

A Syco spokesman said the fall in takings was due to ‘slippage in record releases’ as they released albums than planned, adding: ‘Syco would never try to influence an artist to rush material.’

Avril Lavigne plans album comeback for 2017 Amitabh Bachchan is working

source: Mailonline

source: PTI

at son-in-law Nikhil’s factory

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mitabh Bachchan is a megastar but his love and support for his family members is no secret to the world. The man knows how to keep a balance between his professional and family life. Recently, Big B took a break and came down to Delhi. Why? Well, to become a factory worker as he revealed on Twitter. Amitabh Bachchan took to Twitter to reveal that he was in Delhi to ‘work’ at his son-in-law Nikhil Nanda’s factory. The megastar also shared pictures of his spending time with daughter Shweta Nanda’s kids Navya Naveli and Agastya. Amitabh updated his blog, also known as the Bachchan Bol, with his experience at his son-in-law’s factory. Amitabh’s son-inlaw Nikhil Nanda is the managing director of Escorts Limited, an engineering company that manufacture agricultural machinery, machine construction and material handling equipment, railway equipment and auto components. source: The Indian express

T

he Complicated hitmaker was sidelined by the tick-borne illness in the autumn of 2014, but it took doctors months to diagnose her with the bacterial infection, which can cause general weakness, joint pain, rashes, and flu-like symptoms.

She has slowly been adjusting to life with the condition, and told fans last year (15) she was finally “on my way to good health”.

Avril, who was left bedridden for five months by the health problem, returned to the stage to perform Fly at the Opening Ceremony of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles in July, 2015, and on Monday (26Dec16), the singer revealed she is gearing up to make her full chart comeback in 2017.

“Hi Everyone!!” she wrote beside a colourful photo of herself sitting at a piano. “I wanted to first thank my fans for your patience & support during my time away throughout my battle with Lyme Disease over the past 2 years. It hasn’t just been a hard battle but it’s also been enlightening and will reflect

in my new music, artistry, life, and personally...

“I’m really happy to announce that I am now working on new music and I will be releasing a new album in 2017.

“I can’t wait to open up and share my heart with you! I’m excited for you guys to hear the new songs. It’s going to be an amazing 2017!”

Avril also used the post to promise to continue raising awareness for Lyme disease through her self-titled charity foundation.

The singer’s next album will serve as the follow-up to her selftitled 2013 release, which featured a series of songs co-written with her now-estranged husband Chad Kroeger. The couple confirmed its separation after two years of marriage last year (15). source: Contactmusic

I like leading a healthy lifestyle: Salman Khan

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uperstar Salman Khan says he likes to live a healthy lifestyle and tries to stick to a balanced diet.

The star, who turned a year older yesterday, launched his personal app to be in touch with his fans and opened up about his workout regime on the same.

“I cycle, swim, go to the gym, eat the right kind of food, and sleep late, as I don’t get sleep easily. The kind of food you eat is as important as your workout.

I like leading a healthy lifestyle, and avoid processed and sugary food,” says Salman.

The “Sultan” star says his diet is high in protein and yellow dal cooked by

his mom is his all time favourite.

“My all-time favourite will remain the Yellow Dal that my mom cooked. My favourite dishes include rajma, chawal, and roti, very simple food.

“As far as my diet is

concerned, for breakfast, I eat four egg whites and some low-fat milk. Preworkout, I have a protein shake, and two egg whites.

Post workout, it is a protein bar, oats, almonds and three egg-whites.

Lunch is largely meat, and

includes mutton, fried fish, salad and lots of fruit.

Dinner could be anything - chicken, fish, vegetables, or soup.”

Salman is known for starting the trend of having a fit physique and the actor says he religiously workouts to maintain a healthy body.

“I work out daily and follow a disciplined regime that consists of weight training and cardio. I usually focus on only few body parts - biceps, triceps, abs, legs and back. I can do multiple sit-ups, push-ups or crunches at a time.”

The superstar ringed in his 51st birthday at his Panvel farmhouse with his close friends and family. source: PTI

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Liverpool roar back to demolish Stoke

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LIverPOOL, DecemBer 28 (AFP): Liverpool chalked up an emphatic 4-1 win over Stoke City on Tuesday that left manager Juergen Klopp purring with delight after they fought back from an early deficit to keep their Premier League title challenge on track.

Goals from Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino put the home side ahead by halftime and they romped to victory with a Giannelli Imbula own goal and Daniel Sturridge strike after Stoke threatened an upset with a Jonathan Walters header.

The victory took Liverpool to 40 points from 18 games and back into second place, six points behind league leaders Chelsea, a point above Manchester City, who are in third spot, and three in front of fourth-placed Arsenal.

"It was a very difficult game," Klopp said. "The result doesn’t show it but it was difficult because it was the third or fourth time we've played Stoke with (ex-Liverpool striker Peter) Crouch on the pitch and that is a sign of how they want to play.

"We scored a wonderful goal and then the second one. We regrouped again and told the players that the movement was not as good as it could be and we (then) controlled the game.

Liverpool's midfielder Roberto Firmino (L) scores Liverpool's second goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Stoke City at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 27. (AFP Photo)

"It was pretty clear Stoke could not play the same (sort of) half again. It was intense for them, they pressed high and were aggressive.

We did better with the ball and deserved this result.”

Asked about Liverpool's chances of a first league title since 1990, Klopp added: "We watch football and know the results but this is not when the season will be decided.

If Chelsea win all the games they will be champions and they will deserve it."

The hosts cancelled out Walters' 12th minute opener when Lallana equalised in the 34th with a neat finish after an error by ex-Liverpool defender Glen Johnson before Firmino fired

Football federations back expanded World Cup DUBAI, DecemBer 28 (reUters): Football federations are backing plans to expand the World Cup beyond 32 teams, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in Dubai on Wednesday.

The global football federation boss wants to increase the number of teams playing in the World Cup final tournament to 48, arguing that it can be done in the same time frame as the current tournament.

Global football federations are "overwhelmingly in favour" of expanding the tournament, said Infantino, who has also suggested a 40-team World Cup. Infantino, speaking at a sports conference, said a 48team tournament was the most financially appealing structure.

The FIFA boss has previously suggested a 48-team tournament but with a one-off preliminary round involving 32 teams, with the 16 winners going into a 32-team group stage and joining 16 teams who would receive a bye.

When he was elected in February, Infantino had promised to expand the tournament from the current 32 teams to 40.

Infantino later told reporters it would be up to the FIFA council members to decide in a "democratic process" on the expansion.

them ahead with a crisp shot that went in after hitting both posts.

Having dominated possession throughout, Liverpool sealed the points after the break following more sloppy Stoke defending.

Imbula gave the ball away and then compounded his error for the third goal when he turned a sharp low cross by Divock Origi into his own net before Sturridge put the icing on the cake.

Having come on as a substitute, the England striker pounced on a dreadful back pass by Ryan Shawcross and coolly slotted the ball home after rounding goalkeeper Lee Grant.

Westbrook triple-double lifts Thunder over Heat

LOs ANgeLes, DecemBer 28 (AFP): The seemingly unstoppable Russell Westbrook produced his 15th triple-double of the season Tuesday to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 106-94 NBA victory over the Heat in Miami.

Westbrook's 52nd career triple-double was his 30th of 2016 -- a total spanning the latter part of last season.

He joined Oscar Robertson as the only players to notch 30 triple-doubles in a calendar year -- furthering his chances of matching Robertson's 1961-62 feat of averaging a triple-double over an entire season.

"He's a unique player," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said of Westbrook, who reeled in a rebound to wrap up a triple-double with 6:40 remaining in the third quarter.

He finished with 29 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists.

"When you see him going up above guys to get rebounds, it's really remarkable," added Donovan, who noted that Westbrook's rebounds, all of them on the defensive end, ignited the Thunder's offense.

"That was 17 times where we could generate a fast break just through him," Donovan said. "(Westbrook) has it, the

Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives on Josh Richardson (R) and Rodney McGruder of the Miami Heat during their NBA game at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, on December 27. (AFP Photo)

team sees it, and now we can get out and run."

Oklahoma City had a 16-4 advantage in fast break points and outscored Miami 58-32 in the paint.

Westbrook connected on 11 of 22 shots from the floor and seven of 10 from the free throw line.

But Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the lasting impression left by Westbrook was the way he gave it all he had for all 37 minutes he spent on the floor.

"From my perspective, some of the most impressive plays he made were diving in front of our bench, taking the charge at the end

when they were up 12," Spoelstra said. "Every single possession is the most important possession to him.

"It's a great lesson to our young guys. What defines greatness is consistency."

- Rockets ease past Mavs In a testy all-Texas tussle, the Houston Rockets used a 16-0 scoring run in the second quarter to take control en route to a 123107 victory over the Mavericks in Dallas.

With the win, the Rockets have swept all four of their regular-season games against the Mavericks for the first time since the

1997-98 campaign.

James Harden led the Rockets with 34 points, 11 assists and five rebounds as Houston improved to 24-9.

For Dallas, the defeat spoiled the return of Australian center Andrew Bogut, who missed the Mavs' prior 11 games with a bone bruise on his right knee.

Both Bogut and Mavs veteran star Dirk Nowitzki played limited minutes after their recent returns from injury.

Nowitzki finished with seven points and three rebounds in 15 minutes but like Bogut -- who had zero points but six rebounds --

sat out the second half.

Harrison Barnes led Dallas with 21 points, while Wesley Matthews had 19. The Mavericks fell to 9-23.

The teams combined for eight technical fouls and two Flagrant One fouls, with Houston forward Trevor Ariza tossed in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets jumped out to an 18-4 lead in the first quarter, but the Mavericks rallied and briefly took a 2926 lead on a three-pointer

by Matthews at the 1:23 mark of the first quarter.

But the Rockets had knotted the score at 31-31 by the end of the first and pulled away in the second.

Harden made the final five points of their 16-0 run. That included two free throws after Bogut was whistled for a flagrant foul and a three-pointer that put the Rockets ahead 53-37. They were up 66-47 by halftime.

In Boston, Gerald Green came off the bench to score a season-high 19 points in less than 19 minutes on the floor as the Celtics beat the Memphis Grizzlies 113-103.

Avery Bradley scored 23 points and pulled down seven rebounds and Isaiah Thomas had 21 points and seven assists for the Celtics, who beat the Grizzlies for the second time in eight days.

Cook’s ton sees South Africa build large lead POrt eLIZABetH, DecemBer 28 (reUters): Opener Stephen Cook scored an unbeaten century to help South Africa build a potential matchwinning 302-run lead over Sri Lanka despite rain delays on the third day of the first test at St George’s Park on Wednesday.

South Africa went to tea 221 for two wickets as they sought to put the game beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.

Cook reached his third test century off 152 balls and was 108 not out at tea, at the conclusion of an extended second session after lunch had been taken early following an unusual lightning storm.

Dean Elgar top edged an attempted pull shot and

was caught at mid-on off Suranga Lakmal in the first success for the visitors on a track supposed to favour the seamers but dominated by the home batsmen.

Elgar departed for 52 to end an opening partnership of 116 runs with Cook.

Hashim Amla, who has struggled with form in recent months, showed aggressive intent when he came to the crease but was trapped leg before wicket

by Nuwan Pradeep with the last ball before tea, out for 48 runs off just 53 balls.

It was the 10,000th lbw decision in test history. Cook, who also got a half century in the first innings, offered a chance to Dhananjaya de Silva at gully off Lakmal when he was

on 62 but was dropped.

It was not a day to remember for Sri Lanka as earlier Vernon Philander completed a five wicket haul in the opening over of the day to help dismiss Sri Lanka for 205, leaving them 81 runs adrift of South Africa’s first innings score.

De Silva, who had stood resolute on the second day, failed to add to his overnight score of 43 when he was removed with the first ball of the day, edging Philander to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. Lakmal was dismissed five balls later but Sri Lanka added 20 runs for their last wicket before Dushmantha Chameera was taken in the slips by Amla off Kyle Abbott's bowling.

Men’s volleyball players in action during Day 2 of the 42nd Kiruphema Youth Organisation Sports Meet at Kiruphema Ground on Wednesday. Kekhrie Club will clash with Kezekevi club in the volleyball (Men) final while Nourhe Club will play defending champion Kekhrie Club in the women’s final. The tournament will conclude on Thursday.

Hornbill, 28 AR enter WCC quarters

Gascoigne taken in hospital after hotel row Swansea City sack coach Bradley

LONDON, DecemBer 28 (reUters): The former England footballer Paul Gascoigne was involved in a fracas in a London hotel, several witnesses said, and taken to hospital after sustaining a head injury.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to a disturbance at London's Ace Hotel in Shoreditch on Tuesday night before a 49-year-old man was taken to hospital.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "The man has been taken to an east London hospital where he remains in a stable condition."

Witness Alvin Carpio said Gascoigne, who has faced a long struggle with alcoholism, was kicked down the stairs after an altercation with another guest.

Another witness posted on Facebook that it was "a shame" to see Gascoigne in such a state.

Gascoigne's spokesman, Terry Baker confirmed to the Daily Mirror that Gascoigne was treated in hospital for a head wound. Mr Baker added: "He hasn't been arrested. He's about to be released and sent home."

In September Gascoigne was fined £1,000 after pleaded guilty to racially aggravated abuse at his one-man show.

LONDON, DecemBer 28 (reUters): Swansea City sacked manager Bob Bradley on Tuesday less than three months after the American took charge, with the January transfer window looming and the Premier League's second-bottom club desperate to get out of relegation trouble.

Swansea were thrashed 4-1 at home by West Ham United on Monday and stand level on 12 points with basement side Hull City after 18 games, four points adrift of the safety zone.

"We are sorry to lose Bob after such a short period of time," said Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins. "Unfortunately things haven’t worked out as planned and we felt we had to make the change with half the Premier League season remaining.

"With the club going through such a tough time, we have to try and find the answers to get ourselves out of trouble."

Bradley, 58, saw his Swansea side pick up just two wins and two draws in his 11 games in charge, during which they conceded 29 goals, after he replaced Francesco Guidolin on Oct. 3.

"I knew exactly what I was getting into when I came

to Swansea and realised the hardest part was always going to be getting points in the short run," Bradley was quoted as saying on the Twitter feed of Sky Sports presenter Jim White.

"But I believe in myself and I believe in going for it.

"That's what I've always told my players.

Football can be cruel and to have a chance, you have to be strong.

"I wish Swansea the best and look forward to my next challenge."

Former Manchester United and Wales winger Ryan Giggs is the early favourite for the job among the bookmakers, followed

by Wales manager Chris Coleman, who used to play for Swansea.

Swansea's first team coaches Paul Williams and Alan Curtis will take charge while the club start

looking for a replacement just days before the opening of the January transfer window.

American businessmen Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan brought a controlling stake in the Welsh club in June and Bradley was appointed after the sacking of Italian Guidolin, who had joined in January to replace ex-Swansea player Garry Monk.

Former U.S. national team coach Bradley became the first American to manage a Premier League club when he left French club Le Havre to take over at Swansea.

Having worked in American club football as well as in Norway and France, Bradley arrived with a wealth of experience but he was unable to turn the Welsh club's fortunes around.

WOkHA, DecemBer 28 (mexN): Hornbill CC, Kohima and Shoorveer 28 Assam Rifles entered the quarterfinals of the ongoing 21st Winter Cricket Challenge, played at Local Ground, Wokha.

Hornbill CC edged Hurricanes CC by 9 runs while 28 AR humbled Forest CC by a margin of 128 runs.

In a closely contested match between Hornbill and Hurricanes, Hornbill electing to bat set a target of 117 runs losing 6 wickets in the reduced 15-over match. For Hornbills, Barjish Boroh led the scoring with 28 runs and was as-

sisted by Tapitu (22 runs), and Janti Koch (19). Renben was the pick of the bowlers for Hurricanes claiming 2 wickets.

In the run chase, a quick-fire 37 runs from Mhachamo brought some hope for the Hurricanes.

Moyithung (24 runs) and Thungbenshan (14) also had their share of runs with the bat but at the end of the stipulated overs, Hurricanes fell short by 10 runs scoring 107 runs and losing 5 wickets. Tieso of Hornbill who claimed a wicket while bowling was adjudged the Man of the Match.

In the second match, 28

AR electing to bat set up a huge total of 178 runs losing 4 wickets. Man of the Match Amar Thapa scored 66 runs while Parveen chipped in with 54 runs.

Forest CC were bowled out in just 12.2 overs for a paltry 50 runs. Nyanbemo and John were the only two batsmen who reached the two figure with 15 and 13 runs respectively. Narender led the wicket takers with 3 wickets while Amar Thapa and Parveen both grabbed 2 wickets each.

Thursday Matches: GAPYOCC vs Imperials Renegades vs Rising Stars

FIFA to pressure Qatar over human rights DUBAI, DecemBer 28 (reUters): FIFA will continue to "put pressure" on Qatar about the treatment of migrant labourers building World Cup stadiums in the Gulf Arab country for the 2022 tournament, its President said on Wednesday.

The world football governing body in the past admitted it was slow to act over concerns about the abuse of labourers in Qatar.

It has since said human

rights would be factored in to future World Cup host bids and on April 22 announced plans for a special group to monitor working conditions.

Positive progress had been made "in terms of the treatment of workers" but more needed to be done, Gianni Infantino told reporters at a sports conference. "We will put pressure, we will continue to do that."

Qatar is spending billions of dollars on infra-

structure related to hosting the World Cup in 2022 and has imported hundreds of thousands of construction workers from countries such as India, Nepal and Bangladesh for building projects.

Qatar has announced some changes including replacing its controversial "kafala" or sponsorship system that forces foreign workers to seek their employer's consent to change jobs or leave the country.

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