December 7th, 2015

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www.morungexpress.com

MonDAY • DeceMber 07 • 2015

DIMAPUR • Vol. X • Issue 333 • 12 PAGes • 4

T H e

ESTD. 2005

The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world Air, train services resume, but Chennai is angry PAGe 8

P o W e R

SA stonewall at Kotla after Rahane ton

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PAGE 12

naga sovereignty remains central stand

By Sandemo Ngullie

NNC joint statement calls for neighbours India & Burma to ‘normalise relationships’ with Nagas

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For now they’re giving us attentions, food, blankets and medicines...but what happens when things get back to normal?

The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion

Vote on www.morungexpress.com sMs your answer to 9862574165 Is the annual Hornbill Festival benefiting the ordinary people of Nagaland? Yes

no

others

If you consider Nagaland to be a Christian State, is it upholding secular and inclusive values? Yes

30% 44%

no others

26%

Details on page 7

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Men’s brains decline faster than women’s: Study

T R u T H

— Reinhold Niebuhr

PHED Minister assures to provide clean water in rural areas

reflections

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o F

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A naga man watches the performance on the fourth day of the annual Hornbill Festival at Kisama, some 15 kms away from Kohima, nagaland. Photo by Caisii Mao

Judiciary will protect india’s core values: chief justice

New Delhi, December 6 (iaNS): A strong and independent judiciary was capable of protecting people from attacks on the inclusive values of Indian society, Chief Justice T.S. Thakur said on Sunday. “As the head of the institution that upholds the rule of law and protects the constitution, the right of all sections of people will be protected,” Chief Justice Thakur said in his first media meet after assuming charge of the Supreme

Court. “Our existence is itself based on tolerance,” he said, wondering how some political people can twist it to their advantage. Assuring that judiciary was there to protect and safeguard their rights, the chief justice said: “We are capable of protecting the rights of all sections of the people. It is our responsibility. Rule of law and constitutional guarantees are enshrined (in the constitution). “What to talk of citizens, rights of all the people will

be protected. There is nothing to fear.” He added: “The rule of law is even for noncitizens.” Chief Justice Thakur said: “Itna badha desh hai, kuchh awaaj to uththi hai” (It is such a big country. Some discordant notes will be there.) So long there was rule of law, constitutional guarantees and an independent judiciary, “tab tak kisi baat ka dar nahin hona chaiye” (till then one should not fear anything).

loNDoN, December 6 (aNi): A team of scientists at the University of Szeged has found that men’s brains age faster than women. The researchers drew their conclusions from scanning the brains of 53 men and 50 women, with an average age of 32. The study found that men lose more matter than women in the caudate nucleus and the putamen volume, the part of the brain that deals with movement and emotional processing. They added that changes of sub cortical structures have been consistently related to several neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. Parkinson’s disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, etc.). Understanding these changes might yield further insight in the course and prognosis of these disorders. Researchers noted their work may be able to inform treatment of other neurological disorders like ADHD. The study is pub- Helloween at a press conference held in Kohima on December 6. They will perform in Kolished in the journal Brain hima on December 7. (Morung Photo) Imaging and Behaviour. Morung Express news We have never been in In- lots of new subjects when dia, never before,” said the the band comes back from Kohima | December 6 band, for which India is one a world tour, the band One of the world’s power of their “biggest places” to members asserted that the main focus of their songs metal trailblazers, Hellow- visit on their list. “It’s kinda cute and are on everyday lives, eveen, from Germany, is all set to perform their first show funny coming here. We eryday politics, one’s opinNew Delhi, Decem- in India on December 7 at had no idea what it will be ions and fantasies. Despite new sounds ber 6 (PTi): Opposition is the Hornbill International like here,” noted the band a key component of democ- Music Festival of Nagaland. members, adding that the around, the band has reThe show which will idea of a place that one tained its originality and racy without which it cannot survive, Home Minister be held at IG Stadium, receives from the main- now has two generations Rajnath Singh said today. Hockey ground, Kohima stream media of what peo- in the audience. The band “In a healthy democracy, is expected to draw one of ple are supposed to be like is also critical of computwhere there is a role and rel- the biggest crowds in the are not often true. It is dif- erized music which in toevance of the government, music scene in Nagaland. ferent when one actually day’s time has forced metal there is also an important Addressing a press confer- visits the place. The band music to produce more role for the opposition. Op- ence at De Oriental Grand also admitted their sur- straight and tight music position is important for at Kohima on December 6 prise because India was which then restricts the a healthy democracy. De- with the six member band, not in their list of metal mu- artist to play music that can mocracy cannot survive Michael Weikanth, (Gui- sic. It makes our lives much bring life to the listener. With a positive aspect without opposition,” Singh tarist and backing vocals), more interesting when we said at an event to mark the Markus Grosskopf (Bass get to visit new places. “It to their songs, the band death anniversary of BR Guitarist), Andi Deris will be a dream come true hopes to give their fans Ambedkar. “Babasaheb (Lead vocals), Sascha Ger- if we get to play four or five something positive to take Ambedkar understood that stner (lead guitarist, back- shows in the future all over back in their lives. The band members the economic system need- ing vocals), Daniel Loble India,” said the members. Interacting with media thanked fans for having ed both capital and labour. (drummer), the band inHe established many insti- formed that they will per- persons, the band shared them in Nagaland. Tickets are available at tutions for distribution of form a ‘nice mixture of 30 their views on their songs, capital and worked a lot to years of Helloween’. Hel- lyrics, the new generation the price of Rs.1000, 3000 address the issue of the la- loween was formed in 1984 and new music in today’s and 10,000. There will be bourers,” he said, adding it and comes under the genre era. On their journey from lucky winners for each catwas because of Dr. Ambed- of Power metal, speed met- Dimapur to Kohima, the egory where the winner band found it ‘quite an expe- will get the chance to take kar’s efforts that issues relat- al and heavy metal. “It is an adventure for us rience’ and also hard travel. picture and autographs ing to the working class have Stating that there are with the band. to finally say hello to India. gained importance.

Pointing to the long, rich and all-inclusive traditions of India, he said: “This country has been a home for all religions of the world. People who were persecuted in other places have come here and flourished.” Describing it as “our heritage”, Chief Justice Thakur gave the example of Parsis who came from Persia saying they gave India the best industrialists and “finest legal minds” -referring to Nani Palkiwala and Fali Nariman.

Kohima, December 6 (mexN): The Naga National Council (NNC) today has called for its neighbours, India and Burma/Myanmar, to “normalise their relationships” with the Nagas as the latter have spent seven decades of an “extremely costly struggle” to “get our legally indisputable political status and history understood” by the two Asian nations. This was stated today in a joint statement by various leaders of the NNC in the backdrop of the Framework Agreement signed between the NSCN (IM) and the Interlocutor for the Government of India (GoI) in New Delhi on August 3, 2015. “The issue of Naga sovereignty remains NNC’s central stand,” asserted the NNC. “We expect them (India and Burma) to act in a manner that will be worthy of them who understand from their own history what freedom and human dignity mean,” they said. While recognising GoI’s “extreme difficulties” with recognising Naga sovereignty, the NNC leaders reminded that Nagas are “not asking India or Myanmar to grant them sovereignty as the Nagas had never given it away to them. They are only waiting to be recognized as their honourable neighbour.” However, the 16-Point Agreement, the first Ceasefire of 1964 ending in the abrogation of the Rounds of Talks, the Revolutionary Government, the Shillong Accord, and now the next awaited settlement from the Framework Agreement, have “revealed India’s inability to discuss sovereignty with the Nagas.” The joint statement reiterated that the present and future generation of Naga people will continue to “uphold the cherished dream” of “sovereignty given to them by their history” with “clarity and

persistence without resorting to violence.” “If India is not in a position to discuss Naga sovereignty, it is India’s problem inherited from the British. It is not a problem for the Nagas. It is not the Nagas, but India that has not been able to discuss sovereignty. If the Government and its thinking people will understand this reality negotiation for a settlement honourable to both sides will become possible. The Nagas are waiting for India to understand and respond,” the NNC leaders noted. The leaders found it “sufficiently clear” that the Framework Agreement will “essentially be another Accord signed by the GoI and some Nagas that also will not be recognition of sovereignty” as the negotiation terms are known only to the two parties. “Whatever the outcome may turn out to be,” they maintained, “it should not weaken but strengthen and consolidate whatever Nagas have achieved so far.” “It should meet the immediate needs of the Naga People and India as well, for healing and growth preparing them better for a final settlement which will be honourable and acceptable to the Naga people and India.” The NNC, the leaders reminded, believes in the “unity of the Nagas to be the paramount responsibility of all Nagas regardless of the tragic differences that have divided the Nagas.” “The gradual coming together of the Naga tribes to become a people and a nation grew out of a deep need felt by them for survival and security as changes in the world started to impact them in their isolated mountain homeland,” noted the joint statement. It reminded of the memorandum submitted by the Naga people to the Simon Commission in 1929. The declared position as a “sovereign people and nation” revealed the “amount of thinking the Nagas had given for their future.” NNC’s declaration of Naga sovereignty on August 14, 1947 reaffirmed the position stated 18 years earlier to the Simon Commission followed by the Naga Plebiscite on 16 May, 1951. Full text on page 10

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Get set for Helloween on Dec 7 Naga timber traders face the saw

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Opposition key component of democracy: HM

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Former ministers, MLAs, high ranking State and non State officials in timber bandwagon Morung Express news Dimapur | December 6

In a startling revelation, the list of names allotted to railway wagons for transportation of teak and moulding beats for the quarter December 2015 - February 2016 contains former ministers and MLAs, top functionary of a Naga political group, high-ranking Forest Department officials and non-Naga timber dealers and businessmen. Once again, genuine Naga timber traders and tree farmers faced the saw as their names did not figure in the list of 40 individuals and moulding units allotted wagons for the present quarter. The list of allottees was disclosed to the media by members of Nagaland Timber Traders’ Union (NTTU) and other timber unions who submitted a representation to the Chief Minister through the office of the DFO Dimapur on Friday. NTTU in the memorandum to the Chief Minister demanded immediate re-allocation of wagons for the present quarter and alleged that the allocation was “made by one man” and preference given to non-Naga timber traders as well as Naga persons who are not involved in timber business, thereby depriving many genuine Naga timber traders. Terming the present allocation as “gross injustice” and “not acceptable” under any circumstanc-

Members of nTTu and other timber communities holding a meeting in the DFo Dimapur office complex on Friday, December 4. NTTU submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through DFo demanding re-allocation of wagons for teak and moulded beats. (Morung Photo)

es, NTTU appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene in the matter and to reallocate wagons based on the recommendation of the Committee set up by the Government for allocation of wagons. Prior to submission of the memorandum, members of the timber community under the aegis of NTTU also held a meeting in the DFO office complex and reiterated the demand for re-allocation of wagons. NTTU President, Kevise Sogotsu, said NTTU had earlier on numerous occasions, submitted representations to the State Governor, chief minister and others demanding for setting up of a committee to oversee allocation of wagons for “fair play and justice to genuine timber traders and framer.” “Now the government has set up the committee but why is it non-functional so far? The present system of allocation is total manipulation by some vested individuals and against the interest of genuine local timber traders and farmers,” the NTTU President said. President of Western Chakhesang Hoho (WCH),

Vekhosayi Nyekha, who also attended the meeting, shared his experiences as a timber trader in the past and how he gave up timber business after incurring heavy losses. Sympathizing with the genuine Naga timber traders and farmers, the WCH President said it is high time to correct the present system of allocation of wagons and to give opportunity to genuine Naga timber traders and farmers to avail the wagon scheme. Nyekha also pointed out that though Phek district has the maximum number of timber traders and farmers, yet none from Phek district was included in the present list of allottees of wagons. President of Peren District Timber Traders’ Union, N John Zeliang, also said that allocation of wagons is meant for all districts and insisted on districtwise allocation. President, Dimapur Timber Traders’ Union, Husca Zhimomi, said instead of the committee, a few vested individuals are allotting wagons to nonNagas. “They are taking away our plate of food. It is

high time for genuine local timber traders to rise and fight for our rights,” Zhimomi said. President, Phek District Timber Association, Sanyi Dukru, the present system of allocation was “pure daylight robbery” of the genuine timber traders trying to eke out a living through the sweat of their brow. He added the manipulative action of some vested individuals and corrupt government officials who are “blinded by money” cannot be tolerated anymore. President, Chumukedima Timber Traders’ Association, H Khutovi Awomi, also expressed resentment over manipulation in allotment of wagons and demanded fair play and justice. He appealed to all genuine local timber traders to come under the umbrella of NTTU to jointly fight for their rights. NTTU secretary, Vedayi Nyekha, who chaired the meeting, said the meeting was held in the DFO office complex to show resentment against the inaction of the State Government in delivering justice to “genuine local timbers traders.”

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