C M Y K
www.morungexpress.com
MonDAY • FebruArY 27 • 2017
DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 55 • 12 PAGes • 5
T H e
ESTD. 2005
P o W e R
o F
T R u T H
The purpose of today’s training is to defeat yesterday’s understanding — Miyamoto Musashi Numbers show: ‘God’s own country’ is unsafe for women
‘No dream is too big or no dreamer too small’
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The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion
Vote on www.morungexpress.com sMs your answer to 9862574165
PAGE 02
no
‘Take steps to avoid further turmoil’
Yes
67%
no
11%
others
DVC says Zeliang might have stepped down but solution yet to be found
others
Is the lack of independent, informed and objective information creating more confusion and division?
22%
Details on page 7
NSSATA Peren demands release of salary & arrears DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 26 (MExN): The Nagaland SSA Teacher’s Association (NSSATA), Peren Unit has reminded the Nagaland State Government and the concerned authority of the written assurances given on November 2, 2016 to take necessary steps and measures for timely release of SSA teacher’s salary. A press note from the unit stated that payment of regular salary became ineffective from the very month of signing in the agreement.” It lamented that the agreement “proved to be a failure as the entire SSA teachers were yet to get their salaries and arrears since November 2016 in spite of discharging their duties diligently.” Our salary is the only source and means of sustenance for children education and livelihood, it said, while adding that “after so many years of facing the same issue the government should also realize that this kind of failures on its part to bring about permanent solution to this particular problem of timely payment of salary every month has adversely affecting in the delivery of quality education in the state.” The NSSATA Peren appealed to the new government to release the pending salaries and arrears at the earliest.
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Will not rest till all demands are met: JCC/NTAC
Do you think the ideological divide is overshadowing the commonalities within Naga society? Why? Yes
Stage set for ASA Golden Jubilee tournament
DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 26 (MExN): The Diphupar Village Council (DVC) today issued an open letter to the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) asking the latter to initiate appropriate steps “to avoid further turmoil and chaos in the state for which the public of Diphupar shall not be held responsible.” The letter reminded that “in response to the call of the The candle light service held in Diphupar today in memory of the two youth killed during the January 31 fir- Nagas spearheaded by the JCC, against election of ULB, ing incident. Photo by Manen Aier Morung Express news Dimapur | February 26
A candlelight service in memory of late Khriesavizo Metha and late Bendangnungsang Lkr, the two youths who died during the January 31 police firing incident in Dimapur, was held Sunday, February 26 evening at the Diphupar village local ground. Hundreds of citizens and
well wishers from different villages and colonies under Dimapur district attended the service. Co-convenor, JCC, Vekhosayi Nyekha, who spoke during the service, said that the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) would not rest till the government fulfills all demands made by the Naga public with regard to the protest against 33% wom-
Memorial service held for two youth killed in January 31 Dimapur firing incident en reservation in the ULBs. Nyekha said though the government had fulfilled the primary demand for TR Zeliang to step down as the Chief Minister, two other demands including suspension of former Dimapur Commissioner
of Police, Liremo Lotha, and IRB personnel responsible for the killing of the two youths and, amendment of the Nagaland Municipal Act, were yet to be acted upon. The Diphupar Village Council, DYNO and DNSU also
the public of Diphupar with its youth participated.” In the process, two youth from Diphupar were killed. The DVC reminded that consequent to this, three demands were placed, which included resignation of TR Zeliang as Chief Minister; suspension of the Dimapur Commissioner of Police and termination of service of the personnel involved in the firing incident; and nullification of the ULB elections held on February 1. While appreciating TR Zeliang for stepping down as CM, the DVC however expressed concern that the “portfolio and status he has been given by the present
echoed JCC/NTAC commitment that they would not rest till all demands of JCC/NTAC were fulfilled. The family members of late Khriesavizo and late Bendangnungsang in their speeches meanwhile appealed to the Naga public that their deaths should not go in vain and that the two youths had sacrificed themselves for Naga unity and oneness.
Chief Minister Dr Shurhozelie is appeared to be an eye wash, as the blood of our most precious sons/brothers have not yet dried and that justice will not be delivered as long as he enjoys his current status.” “He may have stepped down, but the solution is not yet found,” the DVC said, while cautioning that if he is elected as CM in the future “that shall be tantamount to betrayal and shall lead to more bloodshed.” The DVC further stated that in order to enable delivery of “fair justice, the Minister of Home and Parliamentary Secretary of Municipal Affairs of the TR Zeliang ministry should also be reallocated.”
Leaders and representatives from various organizations including JCC/NTAC, Diphupar Village Council, Diphupar Naga Youth Organization (DNYO), Diphupar Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), Diphupar Naga Women Organization (DNWO), in their solidarity messages reiterated that the sacrifices made by the two youths for the common Naga cause should not go in vain.
Bank strike likely on Feb AssAm-NAgAlANd Border Issue 28, may dent services UNTABA urges Chief Minister to take prompt action
NEw DElhI, FEBRUARY 26 (PTI): Operations at public sector banks may be hit on Tuesday as most unions under the aegis of UFBU have threatened to go on strike to press for various demands, including accountability of top executives in view of mounting bad loans in the banking sector. Most of the banks, including SBI, PNB and BoB, have already informed their customers that functioning of branches and offices will be impacted if the strike takes off. The functioning of private lenders like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank is expected to be normal except delay in cheque clearances. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) is an umbrella body of 9 unions, but two of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh affiliates -- National Organisation of Bank Workers and National Organisation of Bank Officers -- are not part of the stir. The conciliation meeting before the chief labour commissioner on February 21 failed to break the logjam as the bank management represented by the Indian Banks Association did not agree to demands and
put conditions, All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam told PTI. All attempts to find solutions to the demands raised by the unions yielded no results and hence, UFBU decided to proceed with the proposed strike on February 28, he said. Unions are also opposed to the proposed labour reforms of the government and outsourcing of permanent jobs in the banking sector. Some of the demands include compensation of employees and officers for extra hours of work put in following demonetisation in November and early initiation of process of next wage revision of bank employees. They have also demanded adequate recruitment in all cadres, stringent measures to recover bad loans and accountability of top executives. Besides, they have pitched for criminal action against wilful defaulters. UFBU, who claims membership of nearly 10 lakh across banks, also requested the government for cost reimbursement of demonetisation to banks. As many as 27 public sector banks control 75 per cent of the total business.
DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 26 (MExN): The United Naga Tribes Association of Border Areas (UNTABA) today submitted a memorandum to the Nagaland State Chief Minister, Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu to take action in bringing about a resolution to the vexed boundary issue between the states of Nagaland and Assam. The memo demanded that a resolution be adopted seeking Parliament to consider for amendment in the State of Nagaland Act, 1962, Section 3 & 4 in the August House of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. It asked that the implementation of points 12 and 13 of the 16 Points Agreement of 1960 be vigorously pursued so as to “amalgamate the traditional and historical Naga lands in Assam to the present state of Nagaland. The memo also called for consideration of appeal of the concerned Naga citizens to file a suitable petition on the
Supreme Court praying for the implementation of the 9 Points Agreement of 1947 for the amalgamation, vis-à-vis “bringing back the traditional and historical Naga lands in Assam to Nagaland as agreed between the then Emissaries of the Government of India and the Naga people (NNC).” It further urged the Chief Minister to direct the concerned department to maintain clear Naga-Ahom traditional and political boundary in all official documents “since the stand of the Naga people is no more or less than its historical records of time immemorial.” The UNTABA meanwhile reminded that it has been exploring all possible initiatives towards resolving the border issue. Towards this, the UNTABA informed that it has held extensive consultations with all stake holders including central and state leaders, other agencies, legal luminaries etc.
It claimed that the Naga people are “convinced that the boundary issue needs to be settled by political decision since Nagaland as the 16th state in the Union of India was created on political agreement keeping in abeyance the boundary demarcation to be undertaken in due course of time in accordance to the Constitutional provisions of Article 3 & 4 of the Constitution of India.” While expecting prompt action from the new CM towards this end, the UNTABA also asked him to consider allowing the Department of Law and Justice to directly be involved with the Border Affairs Department to pursue the ongoing litigation process in the Supreme Court. It meanwhile urged that the CM also appoint a “pro active Naga veteran” as Advisor for proper functioning of various agencies on the border issue. Meanwhile, in a separate
press statement, the UNTABA informed that it had conducted extensive campaign with the Government of Nagaland including the Chief Minister, Members of the Cabinets, Members of the Parliament, Chairman DAN and President NPF of the previous Government. “However, in spite of our sincere efforts, the Government of Nagaland is yet to act upon the demand of the UNTABA,” it lamented. “Now, as the new dispensation had taken over the Government of Nagaland having more or less the same leadership, we strongly urge the Government of Nagaland to take up the proposed Resolution in the scheduled Assembly Session to be held on March 21, 2017 adopt the same so as to pave the way for resolution of the protracted boundary issue between the Government of Nagaland and Assam,” it urged. UNTABA proposal on Page 5
Jaitley claims ‘alliance of subversion’ in some campuses 17 killed, 62 injured in Meghalaya accident
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loNDoN/NEw DElhI, FEBRUARY 26 (IANS): Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said there is an “alliance of subversion” on certain Indian campuses and that the ultra-Left and separatists are speaking the same language. They must also allow others with different opinions to speak, he said while delivering a talk at London School of Economics on Saturday. The minister said it was his personal belief that “free speech” in society needs to be debated, adding that “violence is however not the method”. The comment comes days after a violent clash outside Delhi University’s Ramjas college between activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad -- the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s students wing -and other students groups on February 22 during a march against forced suspension of an event a day earlier. “I personally believe that free speech in India, and in any society, has to be debated.
If you believe you have free speech to assault the sovereignty of the country, then be ready to concede free speech to counter that,” Jaitley said. “Violence is not the method; no group can and should use violence... there is an alliance of subversion which is taking place. The separatists and the ultra-Left are speaking the same language in certain university campuses. So, they must be willing to allow others with a different opinion to put a counter viewpoint,” he said. “I find this absolutely strange that an argument is being raised that I have free speech to advocate that India should be broken into pieces and those who oppose me are hindering that right to free speech. Well, they too have a right to free speech,” Jaitley said. Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh, speaking on similar lines to a news channel in New Delhi, said the groups advocating freedom of speech were
not allowing others to speak. He said abusing the sovereignty of India had become a “fashion”. “If this is a sample of the kind of tolerance practised by this lobby, one wonders, one shudders, what kind of tolerance do they expect from others,” Jitendra Singh told Times Now news channel. “Every nation, including some of the liberated democracies of the world like the US and UK, observe and also follow certain bottom lines which do not tend to question the integrity of the republic.” “Those who tend to do so, are possibly doing so to gain some kind of publicity and this has, off late, become a fashion in India, including among the so-called intellectuals who try to gain some headlines by abusing the sovereignty of Mother India,” he said. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said Jaitley was “scared” of the situation as he understands students’ politics.
“Jaitley has been involved in students union activities; he understands the situation and he is scared... he believes what is happening today in Ramjas is more than what was happening in the 1970s,” Dikshit said. “Unlike his Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) who has never had any role in students politics, Jaitley has some idea and, therefore, Jaitley is scared,” Dikshit told a news channel. Delhi University’s Ramjas college witnessed violent clashes on February 22, after ABVP members allegedly disrupted a march against forced suspension of an event to be addressed by Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid a day earlier. Khalid was one of the students at the centre of a controversy on the JNU campus last year, and was also jailed on sedition charge along with Anirban Bhattacharya and then JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar.
The truck that rammed into a concrete barricade killing 17 people in Meghalaya on February 26. (ANI Photo)
ShIlloNg, FEBRUARY 26 (IANS): At least 17 people were killed and 62 others critically injured on Sunday when a truck they were travelling in rammed into the concrete barricade along a road in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district, police said. The overcrowded truck with over 70 people travelling in it was proceedings towards Nonglang village to attend the synod of Presbyterian Church. “The fi-
nal count of bodies from the accident site at Jadohkroh village and those who succumbed to injuries in hospital is 17 and those critically injured is 62,” Sylvester Nongtnger, district police chief of West Khasi Hills, told IANS. The toll could increase as most of the injured were in critical condition, he said. Nongtnger said preliminary investigations indicated that the accident occurred due to overspeeding, which led to the truck
ramming against the concrete barricade -- and hurling the occupants of the carrier into the gorge along the road. “We have registered a case against the driver under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicles Act,” the police official said. Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the accident, state Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh promised action against those involved as per provisions of the law.
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MonDAY 27•02•2017
NAGALAND
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
‘No dream is too big or no dreamer too small’
Zuboni Humtsoe, selected for Nari Shakti Puraskar for outstanding contribution to women’s empowerment, attributes success to hard work, persistence, team effort Morung Express News Dimapur | February 26
Heralding a new age of next-gen entrepreneurs in Nagaland, Zuboni Humtsoe has been selected for the prestigious “Nari Shakti Puraskar 2016” by the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India, for outstanding contribution to women’s empowerment. A cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh along with certificate will be presented to her by the President of India in a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on March 8
KMC office relocated Kohima, February 26 (mexN): The office of the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) has been relocated to the old Kohima Arts College site, near the northern gate of Kohima Local ground (Khuochiezhie), informed KMC Administrator, Kovi Meyase in a press release. It may be mentioned that the KMC office was burnt down on February 2 by mob. In a separate note, KMC Administrator informed that renewal of trade licences will commence from March 1, 2017. In this regard, all people concerned have been requested to renew their trade licences within the given period.
DBS condoles Dimapur, February 26 (mexN): The members of Dimapur Bengali Samaj (DBS) today stated they were “shocked and traumatized” by the “untimely” demise of Dr. Ashit Baran Choudhur y, popularly known as ‘Shibu Da’. Besides being a member of noble profession, Dr. Choudhury was a noted social worker from the Bengali community in Nagaland, stated the Samaj in a condolence note. “His death has caused a vacuum and irreparable loss to the community, which cannot be filled and compensated in any manner,” it added. DBS further extended deepest condolence to the bereaved family, particularly his wife Madhumita Choudhury and daughter Dr. Prerona Choudhury, and prayed to God to give them solace to overcome the grief.
KDTODU repairs road Kohima, February 26 (mexN): The Kohima District Truck Owners’ and Drivers’ Union (KDTODU) organized a social work from T. Khel Agri Link Road to IG Stadium on February 25. Members of the union repaired roads and filled potholes with stones and soil through their own contributions, informed a press release from Rü-ünguso Kuotsu, Legal Advisor to the union. KDTODU has also installed its new office bearers for the tenure 2017-2019, headed by Megobizo Kuotsu as President, Sabu Keditsu as Vice President, Kevethi Puro as General Secretary, Medo - Joint Secretary, Tuolie Rüpreo as Treasurer, and Rü-ünguso Kuotsu as the Legal Advisor.
on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Paving the way for many to pursue and succeed in their entrepreneurial dreams, Zuboni Humtsoe, an inspiring young entrepreneur is the founder of Preciousmelove (PML), a brand that celebrates fashion, femininity, creativity and freedom. The company based out of Dimapur is a small home based setup, and has received numerous press mentions and recognition for her innovative concepts like promoting talented young models, photographers, stylists,
From left to right: Rinku, Kiren Rijiju, Mukul Sangma, Smriti Irani, and Zuboni Humtsoe at the recently concluded 1st Northeast Investors Summit in Shillong.
seamstresses, doll-makers from Nagaland. Started in 2011, PML with an all-girls team is an online fashion
brand selling premium NaAccording to Zubogaland designs for women, ni, entrepreneurship is a accessories, vintage cloth- mindset and an attitude ing and handicrafts. that one should keep build-
ing and growing. “It is a very challenging and lonely road. It has extremely highs and depressing lows, suc-
cess is never guaranteed. It takes time but the rewards do come and when they do, you realize anything is possible,” she said. This award, she stated, is a result of all the sleepless nights, the tears, the hard work, the sacrifices and the persistence. Sharing her experience, she said, “Building Precioumelove has been a great team effort and we are so lucky we have had the best of love and support regardless of gender, tribe, caste, creed, religion, and race. My girls have really pushed me and it’s because of the PML team, the company has reached to the position it is today, otherwise many times I almost gave up. So this award is for my girls and everybody who has supported us.” When asked who her favorite entrepreneur was,
she said she cannot decide between Ratan Tata and Walt Disney. “I wish Ratan Tata would personally mentor me so that I can create great industries for our people and become a philanthropist like him,” she expressed. She also wished to meet Mark Zuckerberg and personally tell him how Facebook changed their lives and empowered dreamers like them to not give up no matter what. Zuboni also believes that being self-empowered and being able to empower more people is one of the most beautiful feelings. “If we could do it anybody could do it. Start now. I have big dreams and I feel if people can change the world then why not us because no dream is too big or no dreamer too small.”
Couples for Christ: 4th national conference held National BJP general secretary
Bishop of Kohima with others at the 4th national conference of Couples for Christ held in Kohima on February 25.
Kohima, February 26 (mexN): The 4th national conference of Couples for Christ (CFC) was held at SIRD auditorium, Kohima on February 25 with the theme ‘Be Strong & Faithful.’ Representatives from St. Luke’s Church, New Secretariat, Kohima, St. Stephen Church, Rüsoma, Mary Help of Christian, Cathedral, Kohima, St. Francis de Sales Church, Kohima, St. Maria Goretti Church, Zubza, St. Peter’s Church, Kiphire, St. Paul Church, Pungro, St. Francis Church, Lazami, Holy
Cross Church, Dimapur and six CFC office bearers from Philippines, totaling 110 members took part in the programme. Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima while exhorting the participants said, “What we eat, so we become.” Eating of junk and genetically modified food, he reminded, leads to obesity and bad health, according to a press release from Fr. Thomas Toretkiu, the Bishop’s Secretary. He noted that natural and organic food keeps one healthy. “The food one eats has
a bearing on one's state of mind and health. So also in our spiritual, mental, emotional life and family life when one is fed with healthy thought, positive thinking, wholesome relationship, one builds integral and wholesome personality and family life,” the Bishop said. “When a family is fed with Word of God, personal and community prayer, the sacraments, open and frank sharing and communication, time spent together chatting, relaxing and sharing, we build up
healthy family, which in turn build up healthy society,” he added. Rev. Fr. Carolus Neisalhou, Vicar General of the Diocese of Kohima officiated at the Holy Eucharistic celebration. During his homily, he said that fidelity gives strength of family life. “Fidelity means holding on to God, who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Holding on to God is made possible through one’s parents, who are created in the image and likeness of God and who continue to transmit the same image and likeness to their children by the power of God,” he said. Rev. Fr. Carolus added that couples’ life is distinguished by love, which in turn produces its fruits: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, even in the midst of unbearable circumstances that family faces. “These fruits make family life joyful and healthy.” The special rosary prayer, worship songs were conducted during the programme.
calls on dr. shurhozelie liezietsu
The BJP leaders with Chief Minister Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu and DAN Coordination Committee Chairman and Advisor (Finance) TR Zeliang on February 26 in Kohima.
Kohima, February 26 (mexN): National BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav and Assam Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma paid a courtesy call on the new Chief Minister of Nagaland, Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu on February 26 afternoon at the latter’s private residence at Ruleizou, Kohima. The BJP leaders, according to a press release from Chief Minister’s Office, con-
gratulated Dr. Shurhozelie on taking over the helms of affairs of the State. Meanwhile, Himanta suggested that the entire North East be made a single tourist circuit to promote tourism in the region and revealed that the annual Hornbill Festival of Nagaland has been included in the tourism promotion programme of the Government of Assam. He suggested that further discussions
be held in the next meeting of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) to ensure all-round development of the entire region, the release added. The visiting leaders of the BJP left for Guwahati later in the afternoon. Also present at the brief meeting was former Chief Minister and DAN Coordination Committee Chairman and Advisor (Finance) TR Zeliang.
PledgiNg to cleaNse electoral Process
ABAM churches conduct Clean Election themed Sunday service
Members of Changtongya Town Baptist Church taking out procession in support of Clean Election campaign Sunday on February 26. Morung Express News Dimapur | February 26
Through the initiative of the Ao Baptist Church Council (ABAM), the apex body of the Ao Baptist churches, its constituent churches conducted Clean Election themed Sunday service on February 26. ABAM
had earlier sent out pledge cards in line with Clean Election Campaign and the Clean Election themed Sunday service was held in its constituent churches across the state. The pledge card, among others, read: ‘I will not enter wrong date of birth in e-roll’, ‘I will only use only one voter identity card
during election’, ‘I will not go against the teaching of Christ during election’, ‘I will not use might and power during election’, ‘I will neither use money to buy voter nor sell my votes to other’, and ‘I will vote for a leader who has a vision for the people and whose character is good.’ The individuals then have
Cultural presentations, traditional games mark Sekrenyi in Phevima
A young man climbs greased bamboo pole, a traditional game, during the Sekrenyi festival at Kacharigaon (Phevima), Dimapur on February 25.
to append their names and signatures below a note which says, ‘I love my country/land and God. Therefore, I pledge to do above obligation in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.’ According to a report received here, the election themed Sunday service was held in every church under ABAM, where the congregation either verbally or in writing pledged to uphold the vows given in the pledge card. The Pastors’ sermons for the day were also based on the campaign. In some churches, the congregation also took out procession in support of the Clean Election campaign while in some churches, the day was observed by highlighting several issues related with the campaign through different performances. It was learnt that the pledge cards will be delivered door to door to the church members in many churches to append their Images of the ongoing construction of the four lane highway between Kosignatures. hima and Dimapur. (Morung Photo)
NMYO gets own office building
Dimapur, February 26 (mexN): Kacharigaon (Phevima), Dimapur celebrated Sekrenyi, a premier festival of Angami community, on February 25 at Kacharigaon Phevima Panchayat ground with fervour and gaiety. The festival, organised by Kacharigaon Phevima Youth Organisation, was marked by cultural presentations by womenfolk and youths. Traditional games such as climbing of greased bamboo pole, fire making etc. were other highlights of the programme, stated a press release received here. The celebration also witnessed the rich traditional attire of Angamis. Village council members, women organisation, youths and children of the village participated Nino Iralu, Member Secretary, NSLSA pose for lens with others after the in the celebration. inauguration of NMYO office building on February 26.
Kohima, February 26 (mexN): The office building of New Market Youth Organization (NMYO) was formally inaugurated on Sunday by Nino Iralu, former President of NMYO and Member Secretary, Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA). In her address, Nino Iralu said that New Market is one of the best and centrally located areas in the state capital and is a blessed colony. Over the years, she added, the colony has produced many outstanding personalities in various fields. She also congratulated the NMYO for establishing a new office building and urged upon its officials to conduct more activities for the children in the form of various competitions, so that
the children gain confidence. Stating that the youths of today are the future leaders of tomorrow, she felt that the youths can do a good thing daily, which would also inspire and help others in shaping their destiny. NMYO President Sedevizo Nakhro in his welcome address said that it was a dream come true for the NMYO to have a building. NMYO Building Committee Convener Apao Rhezhu thanked all the people who had contributed generously towards the construction of the building. Earlier, the dedicatory prayer was said by Zhabu Kuotsu, Pastor, UCRC and the function was chaired by Khriesavizo Rame, General Secretary, NMYO.
Monday 27•02•2017
NORTH-EAST 3
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Strange predicament for turncoats in Manipur polls I m p h a l , F e b r uary 26 (pTI): They were known to be die hard supporters of their respective parties but just ahead of Manipur elections they switched sides and were now faced with a strange predicament of explaining their stand to the voters. The turncoats contesting on tickets of either Congress or BJP, for the forthcoming Assembly polls, were facing a peculiar situation, with party workers in certain parts unwilling to work for them in the polls. "Why should we work for a person who has come from Congress? We have been fighting all our life against the Congress and its misrule," a BJP leader from Lamlei constituency said. The Congress too was facing such a situation in some of the seats where they have fielded former BJP leaders. They also have leaders from TMC and oth-
Congress plays polarisation game in Manipur Imphal, February 26 (The New INdIaN express): As Manipur goes to polls on March 4 and 8, the Congress has virtually whipped up an anti-Naga mood in the Imphal Valley, which accounts for 40 of the 60 seats and where the Meiteis (Manipuris) are in large numbers. By making it Meiteis versus Nagas, the Congress is trying to polarise voters. The party is on an aggressive campaign on two issues—the ongoing over-100-day economic blockade that is enforced by Manipur’s apex social organisation of the Nagas’ United Naga Council (UNC), and the Centre’s signing of the “Framework Agreement” with the Isak-Muivah faction of Naga insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) in 2015. The Congress is trying to convince the er parties in their list. A section of leaders, both in the Congress and BJP, echoed, that a section of masses were apprehensive about the turncoats as till a few days back, they were busy beating trumpets in favour of their par-
voters that the blockade was BJP-NSCNIM brainchild. “They wanted to create unrest so that President’s rule is imposed in the state. The people of Manipur are no fools; they know their design,” Manipur Congress chief TN Haokip said. CM Okram Ibobi Singh said Manipur has suffered every time BJP came to power in the Centre. Given the NSCNIM’s demand for the creation of “Greater Nagaland”, the Meiteis are concerned over the state’s territorial integrity. If the Centre accedes to the demand, Manipur will be reduced to less than one fifth of what it is today. Union minister Kiren Rijiju said, “A final decision on the Naga issue will be taken after consulting all stakeholders.” The BJP also rubbished the allegations over blockade.
ent party. Both the candidates list of Congress and BJP, two arch rivals in Manipur elections, have several turncoats in their lists who were earlier either with Congress or BJP or some other parties, but had
switched sides just months before the forthcoming Assembly polls. The BJP list has the names of the highest number of defectors from other parties and Congress ranks second in terms of giving tickets to turncoats.
Meghalaya's most wanted militant Norrok killed shIlloNg, February 26 (IaNs): Meghalaya's Special Force-10 (SF-10) commandos have shot dead a militant leader, wanted in killings of two Meghalaya jail officials and seven Assam tribesmen, a police official said on Sunday. Singbirth N. Marak alias Norrok X. Momin, a former military wing chief of the United A'chik Liberation Army (UALA), was killed and four or five of his followers were injured in a fierce gunfight on Saturday, a police official said. One AK-rifle, one pistol and a grenade were recovered from the gunbattle site. Based on intelligence inputs, the commandos raided Matronggre forested area, 11 km of Resubelpara, the
headquarters of North Garo Hills district, about 315 km west of Meghalaya state capital of Shillong. "The gunfight began when the armed militants fired at the commandos and refused to surrender," Dalton P. Marak, the district police chief of North Garo Hills, told IANS over phone. Norrok, who earlier surrendered before Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, was on the run after the government decided to take action against him for the killings of two Williamnagar prisons officials in East Garo Hills in 2010 and of seven Rabha tribesmen in Assam's Goalapara district in 2013. In fact, the UALA was formally disbanded after Norrok and the outfit's chairman Novembirth Marak and 68 cadres surrendered with their
weapons and ammunition to the Chief Minister on June 10 last year. Police officials said that the death of Norrok is the deadliest blow to his newly formed United A'chik National Front (UANF) militant outfit, which operates in Meghalaya and Assam border areas. "Norrok's death in the gun battle was a major achievement for us (Meghalaya Police) as he along with William Sangma, a hardcore criminal, was trying to raise the ugly head of militancy in the bordering areas with the help of NDFB (National Democratic Front of Bodoland) militants," Dalton said. The police official said that the combing operation is on to nab the fleeing militants.
Assam state reports highest CEO Manipur encephalitis cases in Northeast office informs guwahaTI, February 26 (TNN): The state reported 3,391 Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases from 2010 to 2016 - the highest in the region. It also reported 779 JE deaths within the same period - also the highest in the region - despite the previous government having rolled out initiatives like introduction of vaccination programmes for adults between 2012 and 2014. Between 2010 and 2016, Manipur reported 108 cases and six deaths, Nagaland 41 cases and five deaths, Meghalaya 150 cases and 15 deaths, Tripura 152 cases and five deaths, and Arunachal only 64 cases and five deaths. In 2010, Assam reported 142 JE cases with 40 casualties. The following year, the number of cases shot up to 489 and 113 people died. In 2012, even as JE cases came down slightly to 463, the casualty figure was still an
alarming 100. Ironically, in 2014, 761 JE cases were reported and 165 deaths. The scourge continued in 2015 when 614 cases and 135 deaths were reported, as well as last year with 427 cases and 92 deaths. The state health department plans to roll out a vaccine campaign for adults between the ages of 15 and 65 in four districts considered endemic to JE and AES from the second week of March. This campaign was supposed to be initiated by the second week of February. "It is true that Assam has the maximum number of JE cases when compared to other states in the northeast. This is due to the state's terrain and its agricultural background. Paddy fields are strewn across the length and breadth of the state," said an official of the state chapter of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).
Kolkata Mizos celebrate Chapchar Kut Theme
Imphal, February 26 (mexN): Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manipur has informed that Election Commission of India has in view of the election in Manipur directed that no political party or candidate or any other organization or person shall publish any advertisement in the print media on March 3 and 4, 2017 unless the contents of the advertisement proposed to be published got pre-certified by the political parties, candidates, etc from the Media Certification & Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at the State/ District Level, as the case may be. This information was released to the media by NG Uttam Singh, State Nodal Officer (Media/Communication), Chief Electoral Officer’s office, Manipur.
Transformation Crusade
aIzawl, February 26 (NNN): Mizos living in Kolkata celebrated Chapchar Kut today graced by Parliamentary Secretary for School Education Joseph Lalhimpuia as Kut Pa or Father of the Festival. Speaking on the occasion, Joseph Lalhimpuia lauded the Mizos in Kolkata for organizing an important festival of the Mizos like Chapchar Kut. It is from Kolkata, one of the big cites in India, that the early educated Mizos had received their education, Joseph said, adding it is one important centre of education and business. “The Mizos living in this place therefore have high responsibility,” the Parliamentary Secretary said, asking the gathered youths to have missionary mindset. “There are some who help others in need but expect something in return, which is not typical of the Mizos,” he added. The Chapchar Kut celebration in the day was organized by Kolkata Mizo Welfare at Ballygunge Mizoram House.
Date Venue Time
-
“Arise, Shine.....” Isaiah 60:1 15th - 26th March 2017 Khuochiezie, Local Ground, Kohima 4:30Pm (Every Evening)
There will be healing and Deliverance every service. All are welcome. Organizing Committee
TheTa TuTorials Lower P.R. Hill, Kohima, Nagaland
admission noTice
1. Coaching for NEET-UG (AIPMT) 2017 2. Coaching for JEE Main 2017 Issue of Form & Prospectus : In progress Admission : In progress Commencement of Classes : 06-03-2017 (Monday) Contact No. (0370) 2226005/2244814/9436410403
RECRUITMENT NOTICE THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
(THE HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Kohima Bench Applications are invited from eligible candidates for filling up 1 (one) post of Private Secretary (Stenographer Grade-I) and 2 (two) posts of Judicial Assistant in the Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima, Nagaland. For details please visit the website of the High Court, Kohima Bench at www.kohimahighcourt.gov.in Sd/- Registrar Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, Kohima, Nagaland
THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT AT GUWAHATI
(THE HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Kohima Bench Website: www.kohimahighcourt.gov.in
No.HC(K)3/2014/Estt/197-198
adVerTisemenT
Dated Kohima, the 23rd February 2017
1. Applications are invited from the citizens of India as defined in Article 5 and 6 of the Constitution of India for filling up the following vacant posts in the Registry of Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, Kohima, Nagaland. Reservations would be as per existing Rules. Last date for submission of application is 18.03.17 till 5.00 pm. SI. No Description of post Pay No. of Posts 1 Private Secretary (Stenographer Grade-I) Rs. 15600 — 39100/- with Grade pay of Rs. 5700/- PM 1 (one) 2 Judicial Assistant Rs. 9300 — 34800/- with Grade pay of Rs. 4200/- PM 2 (two) Total 3 (three)
2. Age: Category wise age limits for the posts, as on date of advertisement, will be as under: Sl. No. 1 2 3 4
Category General (including OBC/MOBC and all others) SC ST(P) & ST(H) PWD
Minimum age Maximum age 18 38 18 43 18 43 18 48
3. Eligibility for the post of Private Secretary (Stenographer Grade-I): Graduate from a recognized University along with a Diploma/Certificate in Stenography / Shorthand in English with minimum speed of 120 words per minute in shorthand & 50 wpm typing speed on a computer. Due weightage will be given to Law Graduate. 4. Eligibility for the post of Judicial Assistant: Graduate from a recognized University having knowledge of working on computers. 5. Selection processes: (1) Selection process for the post of Private Secretary Stage 1: Written Examination of objective type. (English Language Proficiency) 50 marks (1 hour) Stage 2: Stenography test (Dictation and transcription) 90 marks Stage 3: Viva voce / Interview 10 marks Grand Total 150 marks Sl. No. 1 1 2 3 4
Description Marks/ Duration Written examination of objective type (English Language Proficiency) A written examination (objective type) of 1 (one) hour duration on English language proficiency 50 Marks Stenography Test Voice testing before dictation 2 Minutes Speed test in shorthand at a speed of 120 words per minute (Duration 7 minutes) [840 words] 90 Marks Time to be given to the candidates for testing the computer 3 Minutes Time for transcription of the dictated portion in computer 20 Minutes Viva voce Candidates in the ratio of 1:3 (Three candidates against one vacancy) from the rank wise 10 marks mark sheet of the Written examination and Stenography Test will be called for the viva voce. The Gauhati High Court reserves the right to fix cut off mark in the Written Examination and Stenography Test.
(2) Selection process for the post of Judicial Assistant The selection test will consist of a written examination of one paper (100 marks) and viva voce (15 marks). Written examination: The written examination (objective type multiple choices) will be of 2 hour duration on OMR answer scripts and the same shall contain questions on General English, General Knowledge and General Aptitude. There will be 100 objective type questions. For every correct answer, the candidate will be awarded 1 (one) mark. There will be no negative mark for a wrong answer. Viva voce: On the basis of marks obtained in the written examination, candidates, equal to 3 (three) times the number of vacancies (1:3), in order of merit, will be called for viva voce. The Gauhati High Court reserves the right to fix cut off mark in the Written Examination. On the basis of the total marks obtained in the written examination and viva voce the final select list will be prepared. Where more than one candidate obtains same total marks (marks of written examination and viva voce), the candidate who obtains more marks in the written examination will get preference. Where the marks obtained by such candidates in the written examination are also same, the candidate who is senior in age will get preference.
6. How to apply: I. Candidates are first required to go to the website www.kohimahighcourt.gov.in download and take printout of the "Advertisement & Common Application Form". II. Candidates shall fill the Application Form and paste his/her recent passport sized coloured photograph in the given space of the application form and shall sign across the photograph. Four copies of the same photograph should be stapled in the top right corner of the application form and the candidate should write his/her name on the reverse of the stapled photographs. III. The envelope containing the application form and documents should be super scribed as "APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF (Name of the post applied for)" and the same should be addressed to "The Registrar, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, Kohima, Nagaland, PIN - 797001. The duly filled-in application form in the prescribed format along with all relevant documents/testimonials should reach the Registrar, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, Kohima, Nagaland, PIN - 797001 on or before the last date of submission of applications. IV. Envelope containing application form and documents can also be dropped in the respective DROP BOXES kept in the precincts of the Kohima Bench, Gauhati High Court, Kohima, Nagaland or the same may be sent by post to the address mentioned above so as to reach on or before the last date. V. Applications submitted in any other mode, except as indicated above, will be summarily rejected without any communication. VI. No application shall be entertained after the last date of submission. VII. The list of the candidates, with allotted Roll Nos. will be published on high court website for reference of the candidates in due course. 7. Fees: Indian Postal Order (IPO) of Rs. 200/- (Rupees Two Hundred) only for General (including OBC/MOBC and all others) candidates and Rs. 100/- (Rupees One Hundred) only in case of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/ PWD candidates, payable to Registrar, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, Kohima, Nagaland should be enclosed with the application form. 8. Application Forms: Application forms will be available in the official website of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, Kohima, Nagaland (www.kohimahighcourt.gov.in) 9. Terms and Conditions: I. Candidates applying for more than one post should fill up separate application form for each post. II. Mere satisfying the eligibility criteria does not entitle a candidate to be called for the written examination/skill test/interview etc. III. Candidates who are already in Government service shall have to produce "No Objection Certificate" from his/ her employer. IV. The certificate for claim of reservation must be issued by the competent authority. V. No person, who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living or who, having a spouse living, has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person, shall be eligible for appointment to the said posts. VI. The admission of candidates at all stages of the selection process will be purely provisional and subject to their satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions by way of furnishing documentary evidence in support thereof. If on verification at any time before or after the selection process, it is found that a candidate does not fulfil any of the eligibility condition, his/her candidature shall stand cancelled without any notice. Mere calling of candidates to written examination / skill test/ interview etc. and mere issuance of admit card/ call letter etc. does not necessarily mean acceptance of candidature of any candidate which shall be further scrutinized at every stage and Gauhati High Court reserves the right to reject the candidature of any candidate at any subsequent stage. VII. The High Court may decide not to issue admit card/ call letter etc. to the candidates individually and may decide to call candidates to written examination/skill test/ interview etc. by publishing a notification in the official website of the Kohima Bench and notice board of the High Court, Kohima Bench. Hence, candidates are advised to regularly check the website of the High Court, Kohima Bench for the latest updates. VIII. The High Court reserves the right to cancel the advertisement, alter or modify any terms and conditions of the advertisement at any stage. IX. All other matters which are not specifically provided herein shall be as decided by the High Court.
(Y. Longkumer) Registrar, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, Kohima
4
MonDAY 27•02•2017
Business
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Will mix of nostalgia and tech help iconic Nokia 3310 make a comeback?
new deLhI, February 26 (IanS): Born in the year 2000, it had a dark blue body, emitted a deep green light from its tiny screen, and housed a charming game called “Snake”. And an entire generation grew up loving the iconic Nokia 3310. Then came the Nokia 1100 in 2003 -- a sturdy affair with an inbuilt torch -- which quickly became the best-selling consumer electronics device of its time. It was the Golden Age of Nokia -- with hardly a competitor in sight. Inevitably, though, the age passed, and Nokia devices, with their “indestructible” bodies and long-lasting batteries, disappeared after ruling the Indian market for several years. But they left behind two key legacies: a brand with great recall value, and a wide and surviving sales network. With market buzz suggest-
ing that the 3310 is set to make a comeback -- perhaps as early as May -- the brand recall and sales network can only help. The relaunch will be accompanied by some Android-based phones like the Nokia 6 -- to be launched in China on February 26 -- and the Nokia 8, to be showcased at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which begins on February 27. Are the ever-evolving, 4Gconscious Indian smartphone consumers likely to embrace an upgraded 3310, which is expected to cost a little over Rs 4,000? “We have to understand that, in India, we still have people who don’t have a mobile phone.
And if Nokia, with its adequate distribution network, is able to tap that near-edge market, the 3310 has the potential to do wonders and become a leading handset,” Faisal Kawoosa, Principal Analyst, Telecoms, CyberMedia Research (CMR), told IANS. “ There is still
Now, scanned copy of Rs 2,000 note dispensed from UP ATM
Microsoft soon realised it had made a huge mistake and sold off the company’s phone-making business to Apple’s supply-chain partner Foxconn. Nokia announced last year that it had licensed Finnish company HMD Global to produce Nokia-branded mobile phones and tablets. HMD has reached agreements with both Microsoft and Nokia for the use of the Nokia brand and some design rights. HMD is planning to spend some 400 million euros to market the Nokia brand for the next three years. When it comes to smartphones, people would expect the same reliability from Nokia as they did with their feature phones. Nokia has to keep it simple. It’s known for its hardware and that is where it should be playing, the experts said.
enough of India that can consume it. After all, in India, three of the top 20 handsets that are deployed are still from Nokia,” Kawoosa added. Mobile handset shipments touched 265 million in 2016 with feature phones making up about 59 per cent of the overall market. “Two-thirds of the Indian market is still feature phones, and among feature phones, 3310 was the king. It is going to be a niche product but we have no reason to believe it cannot be successful,” Jaideep Mehta, Managing Director, IDC South Asia, told IANS. A f t e r acquiring Nokia for $7.2 billion in 2013,
States free to supply coal to power plants Allow small shops to open all days: Assocham The landed cost of power shall be inclusive of the transmission charges and losses new deLhI, February 26 (PTI): The power ministry has finally framed new rules to get electricity supply from independent power producers in lieu of dry fuel, which is aimed at offering more freedom to states to use their allocated coal. The new arrangement will replace the rigid practice of allocation of coal to state-owned generation plants. The decision to give more freedom to states to use coal assigned to them was taken in a Union Cabinet meeting last year in May. “In continuation of the ministry’s letter dated June 2016 wherein it was suggested that the methodology for use of transferred coal in independent power producer (IPP) generating stations will be done separately, the same has now been finalised after detailed discussion with all the stakeholders to bring in further efficiency in utilisation of domestic coal. According to the new rules, the energy generated under this arrangement will be treated as transfer of coal. It is provided that the landed cost of power from IPP generating station at the buyer’s periphery should be lower than the variable cost of the
state generating station whose power is to be replaced by that of IPP. The landed cost of power shall be inclusive of the transmission charges and losses. Under this arrangement, the IPP will make its own assessment about the availability of transmission corridor for the quantum of power offered and the period of supply before submitting price bids during e-reverse bidding. The rules provide that any restriction imposed by RLDCs/SLDCs (regional/states load dispatch centres) on scheduling of power due to breakdown of transmission and grid constraints shall be treated as force majeure without any liability on either side. The force majeure also includes any of the events or circumstances, or combination of events and circumstances such as act of God, exceptionally-adverse weather conditions, lightning, flood, cyclone, earthquake, volcanic eruption, fire or landslide or acts of terrorism causing disruption of the system. It said the contracted power will be treated as deemed reduced for the period of transmission constraint. The non- or part-availability of transmission corridor should be certified by the RLDC and SLDC concerned. During the force majeure, no coal transfer shall be made to the seller, the new rules stipulated.
new deLhI, February 26 (IanS): Industry chamber Assocham on Sunday urged the central government to ask states to enact laws to allow small and medium level shops to stay open all 7 days. Noting that large shopping malls remain open through the week, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India said small traders should also be permitted to similarly keep their shops and outlets open. “Only Rajasthan has so far initiated an exercise for bringing in legislative provisions in sync with the model (Shops and Establishments) Bill pro-
new deLhI, February 26 (PTI): Railways will on Monday announce a new policy for its catering services which shall separate the functioning of its cooking and food distribution onboard. The new catering policy to be announced by Railway minister Suresh Prabhu envisages fulfilling aspirations of public regarding healthy and hygienic food as it was flooded with complaints against food quality. While the food will be prepared at the stateof-the-art base kitchens, it would be distributed through service providers from the hospitality industry, according to the new policy which aims to attract reputed food-chain players from the mar-
CROSSWORD # 3870
new deLhI, February 26 (PTI): Country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has stopped selling one of its popular hatchbacks Ritz in both domestic and international markets. Launched in 2009 in both petrol and diesel versions, the Ritz sold a total of around 4 lakh units. Confirming the development, MSI spokesperson told PTI: “As part of refreshing our product portfolio, we continuously review our portfolio and introduce new models.” Stating that Ritz has been one of MSI’s successful models in its portfolio, the spokesperson said it played a role in strengthening the company’s presence amongst the modern compact cars. “Maruti Suzuki is committed to ensure availability of spare parts and service for next 10 years,” the spokesperson added. The company now sells the newly-launched Ignis, Swift, Celerio, Dzire and Baleno in the compact segment, which witnessed 25.2% growth in sales to 55,817 units last month as against 44,575 in the year-ago month. The car market leader had also recently discontinued sales of lower variants of premier crossover S-Cross featuring 1.6 litre diesel engine, due to low demand. The company is now selling only the top-end Alpha variant of the vehicle featuring 1.6 litre diesel engine, priced at Rs 12.03 lakh, from its premium retail channel Nexa. MSI, however, continues to sell all the three variants of the crossover powered by a smaller 1.3 litre diesel engine.
Secretary General D.S. Rawat said. The industry body also said the interests of the workers employed in the shops and small outlets should be protected and they should not be made to work in double shifts without additional benefits. “Besides, safety and security of the staff working late hours, particularly women, should be ensured,” it said. According to Assocham, the measure would boost the traditional bazaars, helping them modernise their systems of stocking and sale. “Moreover, getting them into the formal sector would be a great new deLhI, February 26 (PTI): With hundreds of booster to the economy,” it said. employees being handed out pink slips by companies such as Snapdeal and Stayzilla, rival e-commerce firm Paytm is walking into the ring by offering generous job offers to laidoff staffers. Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma tweeted: “Hello, Tech/Product people in Delhi NCR, feeling heat of business restructuring? We welcome you @ ket. The new policy replacing the 7-year-old one gives back the IRCTC, a railways PSU, onboard Paytm and @Paytm-Mall with open arms.” While the tweet did not mention any names, it may catering responsibility for majority of trains including all the new ones. The Railways PSU was be noted that last week Softbank-backed e-commerce relieved from the responsibility through the cur- firm Snapdeal announced laying off 500-600 employrent policy effected by the then Railway minister ees across verticals while homestay-booking platform Mamata Banerjee in 2010. Railway catering pol- Stayzilla shut shop. Snapdeal co-founder Kunal Bahl adicy-2017 also empowers the IRCTC to fix menu mitted to having made mistakes in growing much before and tariff in consultation with Railway Board. In it could figure out the right economic model. Struggling to raise fresh capital, Snapdeal will stop all order to achieve the social objective, the policy allows 33% sub-quota for women in allotment non-core activities, reduce costs drastically and cut down of stalls at all stations. The new policy, which en- staff strength to turn profitable. Similarly, the Chennai-based courages e-catering system, was finalised after online hotel room aggregator Stayzilla also decided to wrap taking suggestions from all stakeholders. up operations because of intense competition in the market.
Paytm throws lifeline to Snapdeal, Stayzilla ex-staffers
Answer Number # 3864
std code: 03862
DiMaPUR ACROSS 1. Rabbit 5. Lava 10. Dirty air 14. Chills and fever 15. Tapestry 16. Melody 17. A sport involving a ball and a net 19. Killer whale 20. Mineral rock 21. Clothes washer in Asia 22. More peculiar 23. A large warship 25. Mooch 27. A high alpine meadow 28. Hampered 31. Compel 34. Owl sounds 35. Large flightless bird 36. Greeting at sea 37. Anklebone 38. Dry 39. Do it yourself 40. Anagram of “Sneer” 41. “Beau ___” 42. Lather 44. Chief Executive Officer 45. Optical maser 46. Social deportment 50. French for “Our” 52. Quickly 54. C 55. Diva’s solo 56. Gem of the month 58. Marsh plant 59. Winged 60. Winglike 61. An amount of medicine 62. Heretofore (2 words) 63. Mousses DOWN 1. Mayhem 2. Ancient Greek marketplace 3. King 4. Snake-like fish 5. Tumult
Simple Rules - Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.
Game Number # 3865
Maruti stops selling Ritz hatchback in domestic, international markets
New rail catering policy to separate cooking, distribution
leisure
SUDOKU
posed by the Centre over a year ago,” an Assocham statement said. “The state has begun work on bringing amendments in the Rajasthan Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, to permit small traders to keep their shops and retail outlets open throughout the week,” it added. “While the Labour and Employment Minister and other senior officers have written to the states for adoption of the model bill, the states too need to realise importance of the measure for promoting retail trade which is the largest sector employer in the country,”
Lucknow, February 26 (IanS): Days after fake notes of Rs 2,000 were dispensed from a State Bank of India TM in the national capital, an ATM in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur gave out a scanned copy of the high-denomination note, police said on Saturday. The incident came to light when Puneet Gupta sought to withdraw Rs 10,000 from the ATM. Of the five Rs 2,000 notes that were dispensed, one was a scanned copy of the new currency, he told police. As soon as the counterfeit currency was discovered, angry people in the queue outside the bank brought it to the notice of the bank officials. Gupta has since filed a police complaint and an official said a probe was underway on how a scanned copy of the high denomination note found way into the ATM.
6. Leafy shelter 7. Seize 8. Malevolent 9. American Sign Language 10. Heavy and filling food 11. Killers 12. A single time 13. Equipment 18. Ancient Roman magistrate 22. Probabilities 24. Risqué 26. Picnic insects 28. Gaps 29. Send forth 30. Guy 31. Crazes 32. Buckeye State 33. Copyright payments 34. Bannisters 37. Not false 38. Many millennia 40. Being 41. Segments of DNA 43. A ceremonial procession 44. Seal of approval 46. Not glossy 47. French school 48. Kidney-related 49. Clairvoyants 50. An aromatic ointment 51. Chocolate cookie 53. Beseech 56. Bleat 57. Children’s game
Answer to Crossword 3869
AFter CLerK CLose Coroner CUstoM enABLe FArMs FLoor Foes HostAGe InQUest InternAL InterVIew JUnCtIon KneeL KnIFe LooK MAnAGe Meow
O
R
MontH otHer PerMIt PoUnd Power reVIew soon stAFF storM tAKen tArt teLeVIsIon tHroUGH todAY VILe wHILe wIndow wInter YeAr
D
std code: 03871
(formerly senapati)
Police station Fire Brigade
222246 222491
Civil Hospital emer
232224
MH Hospital
227930 231081
Fire Brigade
2222952
Faith Hospital
228846
naga Hospital
2222916
shamrock Hospital
228254
oking Hospital
2243339
Zion Hospital
231864 224117 227337
Bethel nursing Home
2224202
northeast shuttles
08974997923
Police Control room
228400
KoHIMA Ps/oCs Contact numbers
Police Traffic Control
232106
north Ps
229529 229474
KOHiMa
east Police station
227607
west Police station
232181
south Ps
CIHsr (referral Hospital)
242555 242533
Zubza Ps
dimapur Hospital
224041 248011
131/228404
Airport Indian Airlines
229366 242441 225212
Officer-in-Charge 8575045516 tseminyu Ps
8575045507
Officer-in-Charge 8575045517 8575045505
Kezocha Ps
nagaland Multispecialty Health & research Centre
248302, 09856006026
eden Medical Centre
248288
C
Chiephobozou Ps 8575045506
Officer-in-Charge 8575045515
232032, 231031
R
8575045508
Khuzama Ps
nikos Hospital and research Centre
A
8575045502
Officer-in-Charge 8575045518
railway
E
8575045501
Officer-in-Charge 8575045520
Apollo Hospital Info Centre 230695/ 9402435652
S
std code: 0370
Officer-in-Charge 8575045510
Chumukedima Fire Brigade 282777
W
TaHaMZaM
8575045549
Officer-in-Charge 8575045538
H
women Cell
8575045509
Officer-in-Charge 8575045519 Control room
8575045500 (Emergency No. – 100)
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) we4 woMen HeLPLIne 08822911011 WOMEN HeLPLIne 181 CHiLD weLFAre CoMMIttee Toll free No. 1098 childline
MOKOKCHUNG
std code: 0369
Police station 1 Police station 2 Police station Kobulong Police station tuli Police station Changtongya Police station Mangkolemba Civil Hospital
9485232688 9485232689 9485232690 9485232693 9485232694 9485232695 2226216
woodland nursing Home
2226263
Hotel Metsüpen (tourist Lodge) 2226373/ 2229343
CURRENCY NOTES BUY (rs) seLL (rs)
Us dollars sterling Pound Hong Kong dollar Australian dollar singapore dollar Canadian dollar Japanese Yen euro thai Baht Korean won UAe dirham (Aed) Chinese Yuan
65.26 81.27 8.14 50.17 46.12 49.56 57.39 68.77 1.8 0.0554 17.19 9.2
68.38 85.42 9.09 52.78 48.51 52.10 60.78 72.28 2.02 0.062 19.20 10.27
Monday 27•02•2017
NAGALAND
ScHe celebrates annual alumni meet
Dimapur, February 26 (mexN): Salesian College of Higher Education (SCHE) organized its Annual Alumni Meet on February 25 at the Fr. Paul Bernick Auditorium. Peter Lichamo, Additional Secretary, Municipal Affairs and Director, Bamboo Resource Centre, Dimapur was the chief guest. He was a student of the first batch of the college. Fr. Dr. C.P. Anto, Principal of North East Institute of Social Science and Research and Founder Director of Peace Channel, and Fr. Dr. TC Joseph, Principal of Bosco B. Ed College were other dignitaries present at the event. Lichamo, in his speech, encouraged the students to use all the available resources to equip intellectually, mentally, spiritually and emotionally so as to become good and responsible citizens.
Participants with guest during the Salesian College of Higher Education annual alumni meet held on February 25.
While sharing his experience, Fr. Anto admitted that he learned how to organize things and work them out effectively from his teachers. Both the speakers thanked the principal, faculty, and students of the college for the well organised programme. Earlier, Fr. Dr. Policarp Xalxo, Principal of SCHE extended warm welcome
to the invited guests and all the students and staff of the college. He mentioned that the college is headed and run by most of its alumni. “We take different paths in life. No matter where we go, we take a little of each other wherever we go,” he remarked. Fr. Tom Karthik, Rector of SCHE, also welcomed the gathering and sang a song that cheered the
crowd. Meritorious certificates for the 2016 toppers in English and Philosophy honours were awarded to Sr. Joram Yajo and Br. Robin respectively. In the election for the new officer bearers of the alumni body, Fr. Policarp and Innocent Gangmei were selected as the President and General Secretary respectively.
In her vote of thanks, Assistant Professor Ashuli Kaisa thanked the heads of the institution, alumni, staff, students and Assistant Professor Kevirienuo Angela, who coordinated the programme. The event was enriched by prayer song, video presentation on the history of the college, songs, instrumental and college anthem.
WoKha, February 26 (mexN): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wokha District has informed all party workers of the district that the District Party Office has been shifted to PWD Colony near Gas Agency. All party official correspondence and work will be functional by February 27 from the new office, a press release from the party’s Wokha unit informed and requested all to avail the same. Meanwhile, the ranks and file of the district unit has expressed its profound gratitude to Chief Minister Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu for inducting BJP legislators Dr. TM Lotha, Paiwang Konyak and Imtilemba Sangtam to his newly formed Ministry.
Western Yimchungru Women mourn
One NSCN (K) cadre held Kohima, February 26 (mexN): The Changlang Battalion under the aegis of DAO division apprehended one NSCN (K) on Sunday morning during an operation in Mulong village. A press release from the Press Information Bureau (Defence) identified the cadre as Machow Ngaimong. He was apprehended based on specific intelligence about presence of a cadre “trying to terrorize and carryout extortion” in Mulong village, the PIB release claimed. The battalion swiftly launched an operation and apprehended the Cadre with a pistol and live ammunition, it added. Post interrogation, the arrested cadre admitted allegiance to NSCN (K) and further divulged that he has been an active part of the banned outfit for last seven years, the release further claimed.
pheK, February 26 (mexN): The Phek Town Chakhesang Students’ Union held its 1st Union Assembly on February 25 at Phek Town Council Conference Hall where all the executives of the council, senior members and colony representatives were present. According to a press release, the Union Assembly Speaker Shurhosheyi Soho presided the meeting and highlighted the redrafted and amended constitution which was passed by the house with two-third majority. The release further informed of the resignation of the union vice president, general secretary, assistant general secretary and treasurer which was accepted by the house. President Thuputo Venuh inducted the newly elected office bearers on the vacant posts, it added. Finance Secretary Vese
Rhakho later presented the finance report to the house while Nukuto Shijoh, Social and Cultural Secretary of the Chakhesang Students Union, delivered a short speech on behalf of the CSU. Meanwhile, the release informed that the house during the Union Assembly “unanimously agreed” to adopt the fol-
lowing agenda for the year 2017: to organise an inter school tournament within Phek town; to organise an intensive free coaching class for Class 10 students; to organise a seminar on women welfare; to conduct surprise checking on educational institutions and government offices at any given point of time.
acYa mission tour to Kidima
BJP Wokha office shifted
Dimapur, February 26 (mexN): The Western Yimchungru Women Association (WYWA) has conveyed sadness at the untimely demise of Rev. M. Hankiu Joshua, former Mission Secretary of the Yimchungrü Baptist Borü Amukhungto (YBBA) on February 24 due to a fatal car accident. Late Hankiu was a dedicated and humble servant of God who served in different capacities relating to church ministry and was referred to as "Mission Hankiu”, the WYWA stated in a condolence message. Remembering his 16 years of service to YBBA, the association conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members and the YBBA and prayed that the Almighty grant strength and peace to cope with the sudden loss.
PTCSU holds first Union Assembly
Niveditha Foundation and A.R. Foundation, New Delhi have jointly awarded Humanity Achievers Award 2017 to Linda Newmai from Nagaland for her dedicated humanitarian services. Linda Newmai was selected from social workers’ category. She has been helping people, especially North East people in Delhi, for the last 10 years tirelessly, according to a press release.
Kohima, February 26 (mexN): Angami Catholic Youth Association (ACYA) went on a mission tour to Kidima on February 26. Reverend Father Thomas Muttathil, Parish Priest was the main celebrant at the programme. In his introductory speech, Reverend Father Thomas asked the faithful to ask pardon and mercy from God before the celebration of Eucharist, informed a press release from P. Tepekrovi Kiso. The Priest also emphasised the gospel reading of the day that people cannot serve both wealth and God. “Wealth has the natural tendency to forget God,” he stated. Reverend Father Thomas also thanked the ACYA leaders for coming all the way to the village to meet the community and called it a privilege for the members of the parish. Medoneisa Marcus, President of ACYA also convened
Central Executives Committee (CEC) at St Francis Xavier’s Church Kidima on the day of the mission tour. The ACYA CEC consists of five region - Chakro (Dimapur district), Kohima Town, Northern, Southern and Western Angami. Kekhrieneino Regina, General Secretary of ACYA read out the meeting min-
utes, Pechovinu Veronica and friends presented welcome song. ACYA leaders also presented a special number, while Keyolevo Augustine, President of KCU pronounced word of gratitude. Earlier, Franciscan Sisters of Saint Mary of the Angels (FSMA) also joined in the sacred ceremony.
aR medical camps GHSS Jalukie AR promotes career in defence pereN, February 26 (mexN): Troops of 36 Assam Rifles conducted a medical camp at Pedi village of Peren district on February 25 with an aim to provide basic medical treatment to the villagers residing in the interior areas of the region. A team of Assam Rifles medical staff comprising one doctor, one nursing assistant, two BFNAs and two assistants provided treatment to a total of 121 people - 33 males, 35 females and 53 children - of Pedi and neighbouring villages and distributed medicines for various illnesses, informed
a press release from Assam Rifles. Meanwhile, 35 Assam Rifles conducted medical camp at Wakching village in Mon district on February 24. Capt Tejesh BS, Medical Officer and paramedical medical staff of 35 Assam Rifles treated 240 patients comprising 37 men, 169 women, and 34 children and distributed medicines to the patients for free. People from around 7-8 villages attended the medical camp. According to the AR, the villagers conveyed gratitude to them for conducting the medical camps.
treks to Mt Paona
JaluKie, February 26 (mexN): 40 students and two teachers from Government Higher Secondary School, Jalukie are participating in a trekking expedition to Mt Paona, the third highest peak in Nagaland. The expedition which commenced today is being organized by the 36 Assam Rifles under aegis of HQ IGAR (N), a defence press release stated. According to the release, participants will trek from Benreu village to Mt Paona and will be introduced to issues covering environmental protection, forestation and protection of wild life. The event is aimed at fostering a spirit of adventure and to create awareness about the natural beauty of Nagaland amongst the local children, the release added.
Kohima, February 26 (mexN): 41 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (N) conducted a lecture cum awareness programme at Goverment High School, Piphema on February 24 to “educate” the students on vari-
ous career avenues available in defence and paramilitary forces, a defence press release informed. Further, 41 AR is currently conducting a registration cum prerecruitment training at Medziphema, the release added.
Public SPace Proposed Resolution to be adopted in the NLA Demand/request for amendment in Section 3 and 4 of the State of Nagaland Act, 1962
T
he First Schedule of the Constitution of India, in entry No. 16 with reference to the State of Nagaland, refers to “The territories specified in SubSection (1) of Section 3 of the State of Nagaland Act, 1962.” The above mentioned Sub-Section (1) of Section 3 with reference to the formation of the State of Nagaland provides that: “As from the appointed day, there shall be formed a new State to be known as the State of Nagaland comprising the territories which immediately before that day were comprised in the Naga Hills-Tuensang Area and thereupon the said territories shall cease to form part of the State of Assam.” Section 2(e) of the State of Nagaland Act, 1962 Act provides that: “Naga HillsTuensang Area” means the
Naga Hills-Tuensang Area specified in Part B of the Table appended to paragraph 20 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution, comprising the areas which at the commencement of the Constitution were known as the Naga Hills District and the Naga Tribal Area. Points No. 1, 12 and 13 of the 16 Points Agreement of July 1960, between the Naga Peoples Convention and the Government of India for the establishment of a separate Naga State provides that: “The Name: The territories that were hitherto known as the Naga HillsTuensang Area under the Naga Hills-Tuensang Area Act, 1957, and any other Naga areas, which may hereafter come under it shall form a State within the Indian Union and be hereafter known as the Nagaland.”;
“Re-transfer of Reserve Forests: All the Reserved Forests and other Naga areas that were transferred out of Naga area will be returned to Nagaland with a clearly defined boundary under the present settlement.”; “Consolidation of Contiguous Naga Areas: The other Naga tribes inhabiting the areas contiguous to the present Nagaland be allowed to join Nagaland if they so desire.” The First Schedule of the Constitution of India, in entry No. 16 with reference to the State of Nagaland, refers to “The territories specified in Sub-Section (1) of Section 3 of the State of Nagaland Act, 1962.” The above mentioned Sub-Section (1) of Section 3 with reference to the formation of the State of Nagaland provides that: “As from the appointed day, there
shall be formed a new State to be known as the State of Nagaland comprising the territories which immediately before that day were comprised in the Naga Hills–Tuensang Area and thereupon the said territories shall cease to form part of the State of Assam.” Section 2(e) of the State of Nagaland Act, 1962 Act provides that: “Naga Hills– Tuensang Area” means the Naga Hills–Tuensang Area specified in Part B of the Table appended to paragraph 20 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution, comprising the areas which at the commencement of the Constitution were known as the Naga Hills District and the Naga Tribal Area. Points No. 1, 12 and 13 of the 16 Points Agreement of July 1960, between the Naga Peoples Convention and the Government of India for the establishment of
a separate Naga State provides that: “The Name: The territories that were hitherto known as the Naga Hills– Tuensang Area under the Naga Hills–Tuensang Area Act, 1957, and any other Naga areas, which may hereafter come under it shall form a State within the Indian Union and be hereafter known as the Nagaland.”; “Re-transfer of Reserve Forests: All the Reserved Forests and other Naga areas that were transferred out of Naga area will be returned to Nagaland with a clearly defined boundary under the present settlement.”; “Consolidation of Contiguous Naga Areas: The other Naga tribes inhabiting the areas contiguous to the present Nagaland be allowed to join Nagaland if they so desire.”
The State of Nagaland was created of the territories under the NHTA Act without the inclusion of any other Naga areas as claimed in Point No. 1. With reference to Points No. 12 and 13, during the deliberation on the 16 Points Agreement, as the Central Government expressed its inability to decide nor accept them at that moment, on the insistence and wishes of the Naga delegates, it was placed on record representing as follows: No. 12: “The Naga delegation discussed the question of inclusion of Reserve Forests and of contiguous areas inhabited by the Nagas. They were referred to the provisions in Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution, prescribing the procedure for the transfer of areas from one State to another.” No. 13: “The Naga lead-
ers expressed the view that other Nagas inhabiting contiguous areas should be enable to join the new State. It was pointed out to them on behalf of the Government of India that Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution provided for increasing the area of any State, but that it was not possible for the Government of India to make any commitment in this regard at this stage.” The facts that the Naga delegates were referred to Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution of India for transfer of areas from one State to another, namely the Reserved Forests and the contiguous areas inhabited by the Nagas, and that it was not possible for the Government of India to make any commitment in this regard at that stage immediately prior to the formation of the State of Nagaland,
the Government of India remains obligated to the wishes of the Naga people to give effect to the relevant Points No. 1, 12 and 13 of the 16 Points Agreement. In the light of the above facts, the Government of India may be requested to act as per its own commitment and enact necessary amendment in Section 3 and 4 of the State of Nagaland Act, 1962 by invoking the Constitutional provisions of Article 3 and 4 of the Constitution of India to effect re-transfer of Reserve Forests and amalgamate all the Naga territories back to the State of Nagaland and fulfill the above mentioned clauses of Agreements in letter and spirit. Submitted by the United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas Representing the tribes of Nagaland
The Morung Express “Public Space” is to provide space for diverse opinions to be expressed and heard. The opinions in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper nor the editor.
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MONDAY 27•02•2017
IN FOCUS
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
The Power of Truth
The Morung Express VOLUME XII ISSUE 55 By Moa Jamir
C O M M E N T A R Y
Sudha Ramachandran The Diplomat
The India-Bangladesh Wall: Lessons for Donald Trump
The one with the trump card Border fences are not particularly effective, but they are enormously expensive
E
ven as more than 40 NPF legislators reportedly left his camp and traveled to their favorite haunting place Kaziranga for the Nagaland version of ‘Games of Thrones,’ the Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) patriarch Dr Shurhozelie Liezitsu, on February 18, took a defiant stand and assured its party functionaries that "we still hold the trump card” and “the present Kaziranga episode will flop like the failed Coup d'état of 2015.” True to his word, Liezitsu, on February 22, was sworn in as the 17th Chief Minister of Nagaland, seemingly suggesting am return to normalcy of the state of affairs in Nagaland, which witnessed widespread chaos and violence, over election to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) holding the state machinery in limbo for more than three weeks with loss of lives and burning down of invaluable public properties. The game of musical chairs that followed afterwards culminated in a casual ‘swapping of chair’ between the current Chief Minister and the former Chief Minster TR Zeliang. While, the protests reflect widespread disillusion with political institutions and its actors in Nagaland, yet the populace have to simply resign to their fate as the ‘peoples movement’ transcend into usual games of power politics, pertinently highlighting a paucity of leadership that plagues the system. It is swamping with fidgety politicians, devoid of any ideology and constantly biding for an opportune moment to board the ‘gravy train’ of politics. This in the third instances on which NPF have been wracked with big internal tussles for leadership. Going where the wind blows, goes a clichéd idiom referring to move without planning or thinking. In Naga politics, it’s a clearly calculated political gamble and the only ideology that governs the lot is political survival and hankering for a share in the ‘gravy’. In politics, there are no permanent friends or an enemy, only permanent interests goes another cliché. In such circumstances, one is not surprised to witness a politician, who was spewing venom on the Government during the crisis, comfortably back as a Minister in the present dispensation after an “unconditional apology” while another former ‘rebel’ turncoat took the ‘highway’ to ministership. Nevertheless, if one does not learn to adapt to changing circumstances, can one be called a politician? Clear conscience, thus, has become a luxury, which a politician can hardly afford to indulge in. Most importantly, the drive for social justice and empowerment quietly sunk amidst the din of musical chairs losing out to parochialism and power politics which regularly threatens to usurp any endeavour towards progressive policy. Where does that leave the people of Nagaland, languishing in poor governance and with what recourse or future? In this jamboree, the one holding the trump card is not only the present Chief Minister, but all the elected representatives who, time and again have been known to take the citizens for a ride. ‘Choose your leader wisely’ - demands the situation - a maxim the Nagas must earnestly adopt with added urgency. It is our duty to elect the right set of people to govern and articulate our priorities, not for privilege and power. Cynicism over the present state of affairs must cede to active participation and support towards any drive to cleanse the system. An initiative by an apex church council on Sunday, taking forward an initiative started by Nagaland Baptist Church Council is a right step in right direction. For any comment, drop a line to moajamir@live.com
LEFT WING |
Magdalena Mis Thomson Reuters Foundation
Major famines of the last 100 years
T
he U.N. children's agency UNICEF said on February 21 nearly 1.4 million children were at "imminent risk" of death in famines in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. Famine was formally declared on February 20 in parts of South Sudan, which has been mired in civil war since 2013. People are already starving to death in all four countries, and the World Food Programme says more than 20 million lives are at risk in the next six months. The United Nations defines famine as when at least 20 percent of households in an area face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition rates exceed 30 percent, and two or more people per 10,000 are dying per day. Here are details about some of the major famines around the world in the last 100 years: SOMALIA: In 2011, Somalia suffered a famine that killed 260,000 people in south and central regions. The famine was declared in July, but most people had already died by May. Years of drought, that have also affected Kenya and Ethiopia, have hit harvests and conflict has made it extremely difficult for agencies to operate and access communities in the south of the country. U.N. declared Somali famine over in February 2012 following an exceptional harvest after good rains and food deliveries by aid agencies. NORTH KOREA: From 1995-1999 between 2.8 million and 3.5 million people died because of a combination of flooding and government policy in the reclusive state. ETHIOPIA: The Marxist policies of Mengistu Haile Mariam, which he began abandoning in 1990 with some economic reforms, left a country ravaged by economic decline, famine and regional conflicts that consumed half the state budget. In 1984-85, in the famine, up to one million Ethiopians starved to death. For months in 1984, Mengistu denied the devastating famine in Ethiopia's north. Aid workers later recalled he flew in planes loaded with whisky to celebrate the anniversary of his revolution, as hunger deepened. Bob Geldof, after watching pictures of the famine, organised Live Aid in 1985 to try to alleviate the hunger. Watched by 1.5 billion people, it raised $100 million for Africa's starving.
CAMBODIA: Up to 2 million died of famine following a decade of conflict, first during the 1970-1975 civil war, then during the brutal Khmer Rouge era until 1978 and finally in the aftermath of the Vietnamese invasion that ended Khmer Rouge rule in 1979. CHINA: Between 10 and 30 million people died as a result of Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward in the late 1950s. His plan involved modernizing agriculture and increasing grain production however officials often exaggerated the size of harvests, and in many places the entire grain harvest was seized. China's leaders appeared to have been unaware of the severity of the famine as from 1958 until 1961, China doubled its grain exports and cut imports of food. SOVIET UNION: Up to 8 million people died as a result of Josef Stalin's massive industrialisation programme in the Soviet Union in the early 1930s, during which the government seized grain for export. It needed the hard currency to buy industrial
U
nited States President Donald Trump’s plans to build a “great, great wall” along the United States’ 3,200 kilometer long border with Mexico to keep out what he calls “criminals, drug dealers, [and] rapists” is hardly a new idea. Several other countries, many motivated by Islamophobia, have fenced their borders with their neighbors to keep out illegal migrants, terrorists, and criminals. Trump would do well to learn from the experience of these countries. Not only are their fences not particularly effective but also, constructing and managing them are enormously expensive in terms of money and human lives. Take India, for instance, which has border fences with two of its neighbors, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The fence along its border with Bangladesh is aimed primarily at keeping Bangladeshi migrants from entering India. The decision to build a fence to keep them out was made in the 1980s when the issue of Bangladeshi migration turned politically explosive in the northeast Indian state of Assam. A powerful mass agitation and armed insurgency in Assam drew attention to the impact of migration on the state’s demography, identity, voting patterns, employment, etc. And in a bid to placate Assamese passions on the subject, the Indian government agreed to put in place a slew of measures, including the construction of a fence to keep out “illegal migrants.” India and Bangladesh share a 4,097 km long porous border, which snakes through plains, rivers, hills, and paddy fields. This borderland is densely populated; the people inhabiting it have numerous cross-border connections, some going back several centuries and others new. An eight-foot-high fence of barbed wire, electrified in some stretches, runs along roughly 70 percent of this border. It is an intimidating structure but it hasn’t deterred Bangladeshi migrants anxious to cross into India to visit relatives or in search of livelihood security from making the perilous journey. Smugglers, drug couriers, human traffickers, and cattle rustlers from both sides of the border too continue to cross the border to ply their trade, often with the connivance of Indian and Bangladeshi border guards. “Border fences rarely work to stop migration,” observes Reece Jones, associate professor at the University of Hawaii and author of Violent Borders: Refugees and the Right to Move. Most borders, he points out “are too long and too lightly guarded to have an impact on people moving through that space.” The fence is not “water-tight,” a Bangladeshi lawyer based in Khulna, an important source of out-migration, told The Diplomat. Where the border runs through rivers (roughly 1,116 km of the border is riverine), for instance, there is no fence. Some 44 km of Assam’s boundary with Bangladesh passes through the Brahmaputra River, a river which changes course every year. Construction of a permanent fence along this stretch has not been possible here and although patrol boats are deployed, “crossings are harder to monitor here,” allowing people to slip across
Female personnel of India's Border Security Force (BSF) patrol along the fencing of the India-Bangladesh international border at Dhanpur village in India's northeastern state of Tripura.
between the two countries. Besides, the fence has “several crossing points where people with fake documents or bribes can cross the border,” says Jones. Thus while a border fence “changes [population] movement patterns, it does not stop movement itself,” he points out. As for its efficacy in keeping out terrorists from India, Jones says that the India-Bangladesh fence “likely has no impact.” A terrorist, he points out, “typically has the funds to pay for fake documents and simply cross the border at checkpoints or travel with valid documents.” Not only is the fence “largely ineffective” in keeping out migrants and criminals, but also much violence is unleashed to enforce it. Several people who have attempted to make their way through it have been brutally gunned down by border guards. The killing of Feleni, a 15-year-old Bangladeshi girl in 2011, when she was returning home to Bangladesh, by India’s Border Security Force evoked outrage worldwide. According to a 2010 Human Rights Watch report, between 2001 and 2010 BSF personnel gunned down an estimated 900 Bangladeshis as they attempted to cross the border. “Many of these victims of the violence are people who go near the border fence to cultivate their lands nearby,” the Bangladeshi lawyer said. Several of those killed were returning home after spending a few days with kin living on the other side. Just as disturbing is the impact of the fence on families and communities. In the past people could visit their relatives across the border easily. But with the fence coming up “they have to pay smugglers [to cross the border] and risk their lives with the BSF,” Jones says. Why, then, are fences so popular with governments especially those that thrive on narrow nationalist, even xe-
nophobic appeals? Border fences are “nationalist symbols,” points out Jones. They represent “the idea of excluding another population” — Muslim Bangladeshis, in the case of the India-Bangladesh fence, or Mexicans in the case with Trump’s planned wall. They make a government “look tough, like it is taking strong action to protect its people from so-called ‘illegals’ and ‘outsiders,’” the lawyer observed. According to Jones, what fences do in effect is to “make the lives of migrants more precarious within India or the United States.” Indeed contrary to keeping out migrants, fences “often cause people to stay for longer periods of time, in effect changing temporary labor migrants into permanent undocumented residents.” India’s fence-building has had negative impact on its otherwise warm relations with Bangladesh. It has enhanced India’s image as a bullying big brother in the eyes of the Bangladeshi people. The fence-building is seen as a step that is far from friendly. On the contrary, the fence is viewed as a symbol of the distrust that underlies mutual perceptions. It has been widely criticized in Bangladesh and the rest of South Asia. As an editorial in the South Asian newsmagazine Himal pointed out in 2008, the fence “flies in the face of the historical movement of peoples of South Asia across the landscape, and creates a rigid frontier that is incongruous with both our past and present.” In recent years, India has been reaching out to its neighbors, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar with plans to enable seamless travel between these countries with a view to boosting interaction, trade, and cooperation among the peoples of this region. Proposals to build transnational roads and rails linking them are in the works.The fence goes
against the spirit and substance of this effort toward greater regional cooperation. In the long term, the fence is only going to worsen problems facing the region in general and Bangladesh in particular. Bangladesh is a low-lying country. A fifth of Bangladesh’s territory is likely to go under water if sea levels rise by one meter. This is expected to happen by the end of this century. There is concern over the fate of Bangladesh’s population. India surrounds the country on three sides and the fence is boxing its people in. Some of the most vulnerable coastal districts in Bangladesh are Khulna, Satkhira, and Bagerhat, which lie along India’s border. Where will the people go when their homes and crops go under water? India cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the problem. Not only would that approach be inhumane but also, the impact of rising sea level on India could be as devastating as it is predicted to be on Bangladesh. Indeed, some studies have listed India along with Bangladesh as among the countries at “extreme risk” from climate change. Rather than distance itself from Bangladesh on the climate change issue, India should cooperate with it. Taking down the fence is an important first step that Delhi must take. But dismantling walls is more difficult than building them. It requires political will and a change in mindsets. Most of all, it requires recognizing that the IndiaBangladesh fence has brought little security to the people of these countries. Rather it is a source of insecurity. The question is whether Trump will understand the writing on the wall? Dr. Sudha Ramachandran is an independent journalist/researcher based in Bangalore, India. She writes on South Asian political and security issues.
Resilience is all about "small victories" on the ground Zoe Tabary Thomson Reuters Foundation
W
hat do free movement of livestock across Africa’s Sahel region, droughttolerant seeds in Niger, and climate-smart technologies in Nepal have in common? They all help local communities cope with worsening weather and climate extremes. "Resilience" - generally understood as people’s ability to anticipate, adapt to and absorb shocks - features in global policy agendas like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals. But local efforts can be just as - if not more - effective than top-level visions and targets, experts told a London event hosted by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) for the Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED) programme. “People have been experiencing challenges like climate extremes for a long time,” said Melq Gomes da Silva, BRACED coordinator in South Sudan, where 4.6 million people are in need of humanitarian aid. “So they’ve already come up with ways to adapt, such as swapping crops in times of drought or, more drastically, leaving their homes,” he said. “In plac-
es like South Sudan, resilience isn’t about big ambitious programmes – it’s the small victories.” Helen Young, a research director at Tufts University, said extreme rainfall variability was “the norm” in places like Chad and Sudan, “so people there plan according to that unpredictability”. “Instead of hoping for rain that might not come, they’ll instead maximise their productivity for when there is rain – we could learn a lot from these local practices,” she said. Resilience programmes should take a long-term approach if they are to achieve lasting change, in contrast to humanitarian assistance “which tends to think in the short term”, she added. John Twigg, principal research fellow at ODI, argued that resilience efforts are most effective when they help communities make their own decisions by facilitating their access to information and resources.
particularly bad from a weather perspective in Chad, said Isaac Gahungu, BRACED coordinator for Concern Worldwide in the Central African nation. “Prolonged drought has led not only to more deforestation but also higher levels of malnutrition,” he added. Yet despite tough living conditions, there is a big demand for training among communities, the panel noted. “Locals in Chad want to help, but they just don’t know how,” said Gahungu. To help fill this gap, a i d ag e n cies need to put extra people on the ground, rather than generating more research, argued one audience member.
WRITE-WING
CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS Experts at the discussion acknowledged that operating in unstable countries with poor governance significantly slows efforts to build resilience. “Conflict is a perennial challenge in Chad and Sudan,” said Young. To make things worse, 2016 was
ASK THE COMMUNITY Experts agreed that resilience and development programmes should strive for greater involvement of those they are meant to benefit. People actually receiving support rarely get a say in setting the indicators that measure whether that support is working, for example. “Those designing resilience programmes should ask communities from the outset what they think the programme’s impact will be,” Young said. “For a livestock project, that
might be ‘I expect to have x times more milk for my children’.” Resilience work should also take into account structural inequalities that can affect women in particular, such as a high proportion of femaleheaded households or low land ownership among women, experts said. LEARNING FROM BUSINESS More broadly, the public sector should not shy away from partnering with business to build resilience, panelists said. “We have a lot to learn from the private sector in terms of taking more risk but getting higher rewards,” said David Howlett, senior policy adviser at the Global Resilience Partnership. “The challenge from a donor’s perspective is that it’s tricky to measure resilience, and yet we need to demonstrate better value for money with these programmes,” he added. Young noted that when it comes to humanitarian action, there is a wealth of expertise, but described resilience as “a relatively new area”. Given its newness, ODI’s Twigg warned against the temptation for development agencies to “depoliticise the debate”. “We often talk about resilience as if it were value-neutral – it isn’t. There will be winners and there will be losers,” he said.
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MONDAY 27•02•2017
PERSPECTIVE
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
7
Palestinian Rejection Underscores Limits of the United Nations Secretary-General Powers Thalif Deen
Inter Press Service
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ointing out an example of the hierarchy of political power at the United Nations, a former Nigerian ambassador once told a group of reporters of an encounter at an international gathering in Africa when he ran into one of his friends who had returned from a visit to New York. “I met your boss,” he told a perplexed Nigerian envoy. “What boss?”, he asked his friend. “I don’t have a boss in New York.” When his friend explained that he really meant the UN SecretaryGeneral (SG) whom he had met during his visit to the UN, the envoy shot back: “He is not my boss. I am his boss.” And the Nigerian envoy was dead on target. But most outsiders, however, do not realise the limitations and restrictions under which a Secretary-General operates. A creature of the world body’s 193 member states, the Secretary-General is really the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the United Nations and has to do the bidding of member states— particularly on politically sensitive issues and on senior appointments. And he rarely, if ever, defies the five veto-wielding permanent members (P-5), namely the US, Britain, France, Russia and China, whose nationals traditionally hold some of the most senior positions in the UN Secretariat— jobs doled out mostly under political pressure.
The current SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres, who took office in January, was a two-time Prime Minister of Portugal (19952002) and the first and only UN chief who was a former head of government. And Prime Ministers, protocol-wise, are known to exercise vast political powers in their home countries – and rarely known to take orders from others. Still, one of Guterres’ early appointments – of the former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad as the Secretary General’s Special Representative in Libya – was unceremoniously shot down by US Ambassador Nikki Haley, purely because he was a Palestinian. A visibly disappointed Guterres told reporters last week: “I think it was a serious mistake. I think that Mr. Fayyad was the right person in the right place at the right time, and I think that those who will lose will be the Libyan people and the Libyan peace process.” “And I believe that it is essential for everybody to understand that people serving the UN are serving
in their personal capacities. They don’t represent a country or a government – they are citizens of the world representing the UN Charter and abiding by the UN Charter,” he said pointedly directing his answer at Haley. Asked to comment on the issue of limits of power exercised by a SecretaryGeneral, Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury of Bangladesh, a former UN High Representative and Under-Secretary-General, told IPS that “essentially there are four main constraints to the effectiveness of the Secretary-General”. Firstly, veto and vetowielding members of the Security Council, which influences matters in all areas of UN system’s work; secondly, promises and commitments made by the Secretary-General as a candidate to secure his election; thirdly, aspiration to get re-elected for a second term from day one of the first term; and, fourthly, the labyrinthine UN bureaucracy, said Chowdhury, who was one of the senior UN officials in former Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s cabinet and management team.
The late Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt, who had a running battle with senior US officials, and particularly with US Ambassador Madeleine Albright, was the only Secretary-General who was denied a second fiveyear term. At a Security Council meeting, 14 of the 15 members voted to give him a second term. But the US cast the single veto punishing him for his defiance, and making a mockery of the concept of majority rule– and an overwhelming majority in this case– which it preaches to the rest of the world. The right course of action for the US would have been to abstain on that vote and respect the views of the remaining 14 members. But it never did. Martin Edwards, Associate Professor in the School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University, told IPS: “I think this is a learning process for Guterres in how to work with the new administration.” The storm over Fayyad will blow over, and it’s clear that the party that loses most here isn’t Guterres, but the White House, which now looks petulant, said Edwards whose expertise includes International Organizations and International Political Economy. He pointed out that the more intriguing development lies in the appointments announced last Tuesday. Both Jeffrey Feltman of the US (renewed mandate as Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs) and Jean-Pierre Lacroix of
France (Under-SecretaryGeneral for Peacekeeping Operations) are one-year appointments, setting up potential jockeying with the US and France over these offices next year. “So these are early days as Guterres seeks to build his team,” he noted. Asked if the nomination of Fayyad was based on consultations with all of the members of the Security Council, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters last week: “We do consult broadly in the course of make appointments, and based on the understanding he had at the time, he believed he could go forward.” Asked if Guterres spoke personally with Ambassador Haley regarding this nomination, he said: “I can’t characterize the full range of discussions he had. Like I said, he did… he and the Secretariat did consult prior to this, and we believed we had the understandings in hand. We… but we did not.” Clarifying further, Haq said the Security Council is consulted on all appointments having to do with senior officials who report directly to the Security Council or carry out its mandates. “So, that is part of the standard procedure in which all of the 15 members of the Security Council have a say. Regarding where we go forward from here, the Secretary General will continue his consultations. We’ll let you know of an appointment once something is decided.” Asked if Guterres’ power or reputation — is diminished by the Fayyad incident, and whether it
Shrinking and Darkening, the Plight of Kashmir’s Dying Lakes Kitty Stapp Inter Press Service
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udasir Ahmad says that two decades ago, his father made a prophecy that the lake would vanish after the fish in its waters started dying. Three years ago, he found dead fish floating on the surface, making him worried about its fate. Like his father, Ahmad, 27, is a boatman on Kashmir’s famed Nigeen Lake, located north of Kashmir’s capital, Srinagar. He says the lake has provided a livelihood to his family for generations, but now things are taking an “ugly turn”. The gradual algae bloom in the lake, otherwise known for its pristine beauty, led to oxygen depletion. Fish began to die. Environmentalists termed the development the first visible signs of environmental stress in the lake. But no one was more worried than Mudasir himself. “We have been rowing boats on the lake for centuries. My grandfather and my father have been fed by this lake. I also have grown up here and my livelihood is directly dependent on the lake,” Ahmad told IPS. He believes the emergence of rustcoloured waters is the sign of the lake dying a silent death, and he holds everyone responsible. “We have built houses in an unprecedented way around its banks. The drainage from the households directly drifts into the lake, making it more polluted than ever,” Ahmad said. Blessed with over 1,000 small and large water bodies, the landlocked Kashmir Valley, located northern India, is known as the land of lakes and mountains. However, due to large scale urbanization and unprecedented deforestation, most of the water bodies in the region have disappeared. A recent study by Kashmir’s renowned environmentalists Gowher Naseem and Humayun Rashid found that 50 percent of lakes and wetlands in the region’s capital have been lost to other land use/land cover categories. During the last century, deforestation led to excessive siltation and subsequent human activity brought about sustained land use changes in these assets of high ecological value. The study concludes that the loss of water bodies in Kashmir can be attributed to heavy population pressures. Research fellow at Kashmir University, Aijaz Hassan, says the Kashmir Valley was always prone to floods but several water bodies in the region used to save the local population from getting marooned. “All the valley’s lakes and the vast associated swamps played an impor-
tant role in maintaining the uniformity of flows in the rivers. In the past, during the peak summers, whenever the rivers would flow high, these lakes and swamps used to act as places for storage of excessive water and thereby prevented large areas of the valley from floods,” Hassan said. India’s largest freshwater lake, Wullar Lake, is located in North Kashmir’s Bandipora area. It too is witnessing severe degradation due to largescale human intervention. Wullar Lake, which claimed an area of 217.8 sq. km in 1911, has been reduced to about 80 sq. km today, with only 24 sq. km of open water remaining. Environmentalist Majid Farooq says large areas of the lake have been converted for rice cultivation and tree plantations. According to him, pollution from fertilizers and animal waste, hunting pressure on waterfowl and migratory birds, and weed infestation are other factors contributing to the loss of Wullar Lake’s natural beauty. The fish population in the lake has witnessed a sharp decline due to depletion of oxygen and ingress of pollutants. Another famed lake known as Dal Lake has shrunk by 24.49 per cent in the past 155 years and its waters are becoming increasingly polluted. The lake, according to research by the University of Kashmir’s Earth Science Department, is witnessing “multiple pressures” from unplanned urbanisation, high population growth and nutrient load from intensive agriculture and tourism. Analysis of the demographic data indicated that the human population within the lake areas had shown “more than double the national growth rate.” Shakil Ahmad Ramshoo, head of Department of Earth Sciences at University of Kashmir, told IPS that the water quality of the lake is deteriorating and no more than 20 percent of the lake’s water is potable. “As the population increased, all the household sewage, storm runoff goes into the Dal Lake without any treatment — or even if there is treatment done, it is very insufficient. This has increased the pollutant load of the Dal Lake,” he said. According to Ramshoo, when the study compared the past water quality of the lake with the present, it found ingress of the pollutants has increased and the lake water quality has deteriorated significantly. According to the region’s tourism department, over one million tourists visit Dal Lake annually and around 300,000 people are directly and indirectly dependent on the lake for their livelihood. The multimil-
lion-dollar handicrafts industry of Kashmir, which gives employment to over 200,000 people, is also heavily dependent upon the arrival of tourists in the region. A study on the Impact of Tourism Industry on Economic Development of Jammu and Kashmir says that almost 50-60 percent of the total population of Jammu and Kashmir is directly or indirectly engaged in tourism related activities. The industry contributes 15 percent to the state’s GDP. However, Mudasir Ahmad, whose livelihood is directly dependent on the lake, says every time he takes tourists to explore the lake in his Shikara (a boat), he is asked about the murkier water quality. “My grandfather and even my father used to drink from this lake. The present situation is worrisome and if this goes unabated, tourists would cease to come. Who would spend money to see cesspools?” Ahmad said. Fayaz Ahmad Khanday, a fisherman living on Wullar Lake, says the fish production has fallen drastically in the last three years, affecting both him and hundreds of other fishermen. “Fish used to be present in abundance in the lake but now the scarcity of the species is taking toll. Every day we see dead fish floating on the lake’s waters. We really are concerned about our livelihood and the fate of the lake as well,” Khanday lamented. The fisherman holds unplanned construction around the lake responsible for its pollution. Aabid Ahmad, a research scholar in Environmental Studies, says Kashmir has become vulnerable to natural disasters as region’s most of the water bodies have either disappeared or are shrinking. “The floods of September 2014 wreaked havoc and caused heavy loss to property and human lives. That was the first signal of how vulnerable have we become to natural disasters due to environmental degradation,” Ahmad told IPS. But, for Shakeel Ramshoo, it is still possible to restore the lakes and water bodies of Kashmir. “Don’t move the people living on these water bodies out. You just allow them to stay in the lake. We have to control the haphazard constructions that are taking toll around these water bodies,” he said. “Hutments in the water bodies should be densified with STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) installed in every household. Land mass can be removed and the area of the water bodies would increase. Also, the sewage treatment mechanism should be better so that the ingress of pollutants is ceased,” Ramshoo said.
was embarrassing for him personally and a blow to his credibility, Haq said: “I don’t think it should be a blow to his credibility. I think it’s really suggested there is a problem where people’s perceptions should not blind them to the actual qualifications of a person for the job.” In a wide-ranging IPS oped piece before the election of Guterres last year Chowdhury said: “Like any leader of an organization, the UN leader’s success or absence of it depends on his team. That is another area I belief needs a total overhaul in UN. It is long overdue.” As in the case of any new corporate Chief Executive Officer, each time the UN’s Chief Administrative Officer – that is how the S-G is described in the UN Charter – gets elected or re-elected, interested quarters wonder whether he will introduce any new guidelines on senior appointments, and will he be subject to pressure from the big powers — as it happened with his predecessors? In that context, he said, it is strongly felt that the UN’s so-called political appointments of Assistant-Secretaries-General (ASG) and Under-Secretaries-General (USG), should be more transparent and open. The pressures from Member States and personal favoritism have made the UN Charter objective of “securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity” (article 101.3) almost impossible to achieve, he added. It is also to be kept in
mind that for his own appointment, the incoming Secretary-General makes all kinds of deals – political, organizational, personnel and others. And those are to be honored during first years in office, said Chowdhury, a former chairman of the UN’s Administrative and Budgetary Committee that approved Kofi Annan’s first reform budget. “That then spills over for the second occasion when he starts believing that a second term is his right, as we have seen in recent years.” The tradition of all senior management staff submitting their resignations is only notional and window-dressing. The new Secretary-General knows full well that there is a good number of such staff who will continue to remain under the new leadership as they are backed strongly by influential governments. In the process, merit and effectiveness suffer, said Chowdury, initiator of Security Council resolution 1325 underscoring women’s equality of participation. It is a pity that the UN system is full of appointments made under intense political pressure by Member States individually or as a group. Another aspect of this is the practice of identifying some USG posts for P-5 and big contributors to the UN budget. “What makes this worse is that individuals to these posts are nominated by their governments, thereby violating article 100 of the UN Charter which says that “In the performance of their duties the SecretaryGeneral and the staff shall
not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority external to the Organization.” “The reality in the Secretariat does not reflect the Charter objectives – I believe it never did.” One way to avoid that would be to stop nomination and lobbying – formally or informally – for staff appointments giving the S-G some flexibility to select senior personnel based on “competence and integrity”. Of course, one can point out inadequacies and possible pitfalls of this idea. But, there the leadership of the S-G will determine how he can make effective use of such flexibility being made available to him. A very negative influence on the recruitment process at the UN, not to speak of senior appointments, has been the pressure of donors – both traditional and new ones – to secure appointments of staff and consultants, mostly through extra-budgetary resources and other funding supports. This has serious implications for the goals and objectives as well as political mission and direction of the UN in its activities, he noted. “No Secretary-General would be willing or be supported by the rest of the UN system to undertake any drastic reform of the recruitment process for both the senior management or at other levels. Also, at the end, he has to face the Member States in the General Assembly to get their nod for his reforms,” he declared.
The Morung Express POLL RESULTS
Is the lack of independent, informed and objective information creating more confusion and division? Why? Some of those who voted YES had this to say: • Yes. The amount of rumors and unverified information floating around is misleading and creating more confusion. We are all drunk with false information and like a drunkard we are following it. • Yes. There is a so much of ignorance and lack of awareness in our society. There may be literacy, but there is no education and this is why without understanding our people will just emotionally jump in without thinking. This is why good leaders are needed in Nagaland. • Yes. More debates should be encouraged, starting from high school level. • Yes. I am sorry to say that we Nagas are uninformed, biased and confused with what is happening. We are blindly following the directives of a few individuals who are equally confused and mis-informed. We are more divided now. • Yes, when we are not aware and there is less objective information, we do not even know when we should reject and say No.It means we do not know when our leaders are misleading us. • Yes, lack of independent. • Yes, very much. Most of the public are not aware of the contents and meaning of Article 371A, or for that matter ULB election. Most people have just gone with the wind which is being led by few individuals. If our people were aware of their rights, this present situation would not have occurred. • Yes. Just reading the newspapers and the social media is proof that a lot of people dont know what they are talking about and the more funny part is that people believe them. We have ill-informed leaders and very ignorant followers. • Yes. People are so polarized because we don't think beyond our opinions floating within our own small circles. Each one is living in bubbles. • Yes. Some of the people including the tribal bodies is not well informed of the law of the land and the state govt. is bounded
to obey the constitution to represent and run the state. Well little learning is dangerous at least for some people here. • Yes. Yes. This is so obvious. Everyone is writing only for their own interest and group. No one is trying to reason. The discussions in the social media are so concerning because most of the writers dont even know their own history and cant even get their facts right. Dis-information campaign is destroying us. • It is obvious, isn’t it. We are drowning in a pool of misinformation. India must be having a good laugh at the Nagas. How rumors, lies, deceit and arrogance is destroying the Nagas. In this situation two lies is equal to truth!
creating confusion • Our Naga DNA of opportunism is creating more division and confusion and not lack of as you mentioned. • No. How can the people be informed when the government in the last 10 years has done nothing to educate the masses on the municipal act. This is ridiculous.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say: • Our Naga Brain cannot digest and interpret the present ISSUES ASSOCIATED with ULB. Because the issue is beyond Nagas everyday life. If from both side provide space to our own brothers and sisters living in other cities to explain the problem associated with such Act, government will not be 67% able to survive even a day. The problem we are facing now is, like two friends who have never saw and experienced train and train travel 22% explaining about it. 11% • yes and no. yes because no matter what, Nagas are still far behind other comYES NO OTHER munities of other world and thus ultra slow to com• Yes. lack of proper informaprehend and read the signs tion leads to insecurity for of the times. No, because our which people starts to gang action/s and reaction is alup as org. unions and mobs in ways in tribal line. even at the the name of democracy. This present juncture of ULB chaos, trend is becoming dangerous some tribal groups are not vofor our state. all this unlawful cal just because they are exgroupism should be BAN for pecting/assured CM post if good. he resign. Nagas can read the • Yes, very much. For the ignosigns of the times only in line rant mind, their interest does with our narrow tribal and not go beyond the present mocommunity line. ment. Their ignorance accuses • We still have a long way to go. everything beyond the immeNagas have jumped from A to diate as idealistic. Z and because we have missed • Yes. We need 'local news chanout all the letters between A nel', to keep official real time to Z, there is so much of coninformation. fusion and distrust. With electronic and social media beSome of those coming so powerful, we have who voted NO had this to say: • Not necessarily, if elected become exposed to so many new things and without havmembers are moral beings, ing proper information we are by now the probs in Nagamaking a lot of decisions based land should have been reon speculations. This is leading solved but these are punch of us nowhere. AMORAL MLAs so very difficult to deal with any moral • I don’t know whether is it beissues. Public are not misincause of selfish leadership or formed but ism created by because of ignorance of the these mlas and some opporpublic that we have landed up tunistic tribal communities is in this most regretful situation.
Readers may please note that, the contents of the articles published on this page do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
8
MOnDAY 27•02•2017
INDIA
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
UP election 2017 Modi hails iSRo's achivements, Dimple Yadav has rebuttal to PM Modi’s ‘bhedbhav’ remark interceptor missile success
New Delhi, February 26 (ageNcies): Addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav on Sunday launched a fresh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming that over the last three years his monthly radio programme ‘Mann ki baat’ reeked of discrimination based on caste and religion and was fraught with talks of Shamshaan-Kabristaan (graveyard-cremation ground). “Jo 3 saal se mann ki baat kar rahe they, unke mann ki baat mein thi bhedbhaav, jaati-dharm, Diwali-Ramzan, ShamshaanKabristaan ki baat,” Dimple was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Jaunpur, along with Varanasi, the constituency represented by the prime minister, goes to polls in the last phase of elections in the state. Dimple’s remark was in response to PM Modi’s election rally in Fatehpur last week, in which he had said, “Gaon mein agar kabristan banta hai, to gaon mein shamshaan bhi banana chahiye. Agar Ramzan mein bijli milti hai, to Diwali mein bhi milni chahiye. Agar Holi mein bijli milti hai, to Eid par bhi bijli milni chahiye. Bhedbhav nahin hona chahiye (If a village gets a graveyard, it
Anyone who wants to break India is antinational: Rijiju New Delhi, February 26 (PTi): Union minister Kiren Rijiju today said nobody has the “absolute right” to define nationalism but anyone who wants to break India and supports terrorists can be called an “anti-national”. He also said under the guise of freedom of expression even some students “fantasize” about “breaking” India. “Nobody has the absolute right to define nationalism but anybody who wants to break India, supports Afzal Guru and terrorists is anti-national,” he said in a tweet. The remarks came amidst the ongoing row over the clashes between the Left-affiliated AISA and the RSSbacked ABVP in Delhi University’s North Campus. Guru was hanged after his conviction in the 2001 Parliament attack case. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said he was born in a border village which was occupied by China for a few days (in 1962). “I grew up with the pledge to defend India as every Arunachalee is doing. If India does not remain united as a strong nation, what is the meaning of freedom,” he said. On Thursday, Rijiju had said freedom of expression in the country does not give right to make college campuses a hub of anti-national activity and no anti-India slogans will be allowed in the name of freedom of speech. Tension prevailed in DU’s North Campus in the wake of Wednesday’s incident even as members of students’ groups protested at several places, including at the Delhi Police headquarters, seeking action against the ABVP members. Rijiju is an alumni of Delhi University.
should get a cremation ground too. If there is electricity during Ramzan, there should be electricity during Diwali too. If there is electricity during Holi, there should be electricity during Eid too. There should not be any discrimination).” Dimple, the wife of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, further asked the audience whether they had any idea that the prices of cylinders have gone up from Rs 400 to Rs 700 while the prime minister continued with his Mann ki baat radio show over the last three years. “3 saal ‘mann ki baat’ karte karte kab humari behano,maataon ka cylinder Rs 400 se Rs 700 ka hogya aapko pata chala?,” she was quoted saying by ANI. A total of 51 constituencies, spread over 11 districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, will go to polls on Monday in the fifth phase of the crucial assembly elections. The highdecibel campaigning for this phase had ended yesterday evening. It was marked by ‘war of words’ among rival parties with many political observers considering it as touching a new low following a free flow of scornful words like donkey, Kasab and ‘kabootar.’
New Delhi, February 26 (iaNs): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday heaped praise on Indian scientists for launching 104 satellites into space in one go and for carrying out test of Ballistic Interceptor Missile. In the 29th edition of his radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi said: "India has created history by becoming the first country to launch successfully 104 satellites into space in one go on February 15. It is a day of immense pride for India. "Our scientists have brought laurels to the nation, witnessed by the whole world. Over the last few years, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has accomplished various unprecedented missions with flying colours." Modi also said the test of the Ballistic Interceptor Missile gave India a "cutting edge competency" in the area of security. "During its trial, this missile, based on interceptor technology, destroyed an enemy missile at an altitude of about 100 km above the earth and thus marked its success. "This is a significant, cutting edge competency in the arena of security. And you will be happy to know that hardly four or five countries in the world possess this capability," he said. On February 11, India successfully test-fired a Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) interceptor missile designed to intercept and destroy hostile ballistic missiles in space even
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses an election campaign rally in Allahabad. (REUTERS)
before they re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. "India's scientists have demonstrated this prowess. Its core strength lies in the fact that if, even from a distance of 2,000 km, a missile is launched to attack India, our missile can preemptively destroy it in the space itself," Modi added. In the test, an incoming missile was successfully intercepted at a height of 100 km with a direct hit by an interceptor missile. The PDV can reach even higher altitudes. About the launch of 104 satellites, the Prime Minister said the cost effective,
efficient space programme of ISRO has become a marvel for the entire world. "The world has wholeheartedly admired the success of Indian scientists," he said. Modi described one of the 104 satellites, Cartosat 2D, as extremely important, particularly for farmers. "Cartosat 2D is India's satellite and the pictures clicked through it will be of great help in mapping resources and infrastructure, evaluating development and planning for urban development. "For farmers, this new satellite will be immensely
helpful on a whole lot of subjects, such as knowing how much water is there in our existing water sources, how this should be best put to use, what things to keep in mind in this regard," he said. In his radio programme, Modi also said that there is a need to give more importance to women with increased awareness and sensitivity. "The whole world celebrates March 8 as Women's Day. In India, more importance needs to be given to our daughters." Modi also congratulated the women's team for winning a silver at the
Asian Rugby Sevens Trophy this month. "Be it in the field of sports or science, the women of our country lag behind none. They are moving ahead shoulder to shoulder and are bringing glory to the nation with their commendable achievements." The Prime Minister said the "Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao" movement had brought about a change in people's attitude towards traditional beliefs, and was no longer a government programme but had become a "campaign of societal empathy and public education". Appreciating citizens for their efforts towards a clean India, Modi said: "The government, society, institutions, organisations, citizens and in fact everyone is making some or the other effort towards cleanliness." He exemplified various events and activities across the country vis-a-vis cleanliness. The Prime Minister then described the toilet pit emptying exercise carried out in Hyderabad on February 17 and 18. "Toilet pits in six houses were emptied and cleaned and the officers personally demonstrated that the used-up pits of twin pit toilets can be emptied and then re-used. In these new technique toilets, there is absolutely no inconvenience or hesitation in emptying or cleaning these toilets and even the psychological barrier does not come in."
IS militant Mumbai richest Indian city with total wealth centre frames infrastructure policy Keralite killed in Afghanistan of $820 billion, Delhi comes second: Report to check challenges of urbanisation drone attack
New Delhi, February 26 (PTi): India’s financial capital Mumbai, which is home to 46,000 millionaires and 28 billionaires, is the richest Indian city with a total wealth of USD 820 billion, says a report. According to New World Wealth, Mumbai is the richest city in the country followed by Delhi and Bengaluru in the second and third place, respectively. Delhi is home to 23,000 millionaires and 18 billionaires with a total wealth of USD 450 billion, while Bengaluru with a total wealth of USD 320 billion houses 7,700 millionaires and 8 billionaires. The list also includes Hyderabad with a total wealth of USD 310 billion. Hyderabad is home to 9,000 millionaires and 6 billionaires. Kolkata home
to 9,600 millionaires and 4 billionaires has a total wealth of USD 290 billion, Pune (total wealth of USD 180 billion, has 4,500 millionaires and 5 billionaires), Chennai (USD 150 billion, 6,600 millionaires, 4 billionaires) and Gurgaon (USD 110 billion with 4,000 millionaires and 2 billionaires). Some of the other emerging cities in terms of total wealth include, Surat, Ahmedabad, Visakhapatnam, Goa, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Vadodara. The total wealth held in the country amounts to USD 6.2 trillion (as of December 2016) and the country is home to 264,000 millionaires and 95 billionaires in total. “Over the next decade, India is expected to benefit from strong growth in the local financial services, IT,
real estate, healthcare and media sectors. In particular, the local hospital services and health insurance sectors are expected to grow strongly. Hyderabad, Pune and Bangalore are expected to lead the pack in terms of wealth growth,” the report said. Millionaires or High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) refer to individuals with net assets of USD 1 million or more. The report also jotted down some of the affluent suburbs in the country. In Mumbai localities like Bandra, Juhu, Goregaon, Parel, Worli, Palm Beach Road were named as the richest, in Delhi it was (Westend Greens, Dera Mandi, Greater Kailash, Lutyens), in Kolkata (Ballygunge, Alipore) and in Chennai (Boat Club Road, Poes Garden).
New Delhi, February 26 (iaNs): To address the emerging urbanisation challenges, the government has come out with an infrastructure policy to promote living close to mass public transport corridors like metro, monorail and bus rapid transit, an official statement said on Sunday. The Urban Development Ministry has formulated a "National Transit Oriented Development Policy" which will be discussed with the states and union territories at a National Workshop on Tuesday, it said. This policy seeks to promote Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), a type of infrastructure development which enables people to live within walking or cycling distance from transit corridors. This new urban design and planning in the form of TOD, is being incentivised by the ministry under two more initiatives - Metro Policy and Green Urban Mobility Scheme. "City densification will be promoted along mass transit corridors through vertical construction by substantially enhancing FARs (Floor Area Ratio) backed by promotion of Non-motorised Transport Infrastructure for walking and cycling to transport stations, development of street networks in the influence
zone of transit corridors, multi-modal integration, effective first and last mile connectivity through feeder services to enable people access public transit in 5 to 10 minutes from home and work places," the statement said. The Ministry said that If these schemes are properly executed, TOD could emerge as a means of financing mass transit project, for which the demand is growing. The initiative comes in the context of over 300 km of Metro lines being operational in seven cities, another 600 kms of metro line projects under construction in 12 cities and over 500 km projects under consideration. TOD will be financed by channelising a part of increases in property values resulting from investments in transit corridors through Betterment Levies and Value Capture Financing tools. Increased private sector participation will result in economic development and employment generation. TOD Policy also aims at inclusive development by ensuring mixed neighbourhood development in the form of a range of housing choices including affordable housing and ensuring spaces for street vendors.
KasaragoD (Kerala), February 26 (iaNs): Hafeesudin, one of the 21 Keralites reported to have joined the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan, has been killed in a drone attack, his relative said on Sunday. Rehman told the media here that he had received a message via a social media app from another relative Ashfaq, who is also in Afghanistan, that Hafeesuddin, 26, died in the drone attack on Saturday. He said Ashfaq also said that Hafeesuddin's last rites had been held, adding that he had also informed local police of the message, and they, in turn, informed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had told the assembly last July that 21 persons, including children, had left the state for Afghanistan to join the IS. Out of these, 17 were from Kasaragod district while four belonged from Palakkad district.
numbers show: 'God's own country' is unsafe for women New Delhi, February 26 (PTi): The state was recently rocked by the alleged abduction and harassment of a noted actress by a gang near Kochi. According to the state police's provisional crime statistics, of the total rape cases, women were victims in 1,644 incidents while children in 924 reported cases across the state in 2016, compared to 1,263 and 720 in 2015 respectively. Of the total crimes against women and children, 14,061 were against women and 2,899 against children, it said. The number of cases registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO) during the period was 2,093, it said. Besides rape, other crimes against women, including molestation, kidnapping, dowry death and cruelty by husbands/relatives, also showed an upward trend last year. Expressing concern over the alarming figures, Minister for Social Justice and Health, K K Shylaja said the state government was committed to taking stern action against those who attack women and children. "The government will act tough in the cases of atrocities against women and children and do all possible things to ensure justice to victims and award stringent pun-
ishment to culprits," she told PTI. "The state home department is already making strong interventions to report and register such cases at the earliest. The cases will be framed in a flawless manner to ensure utmost punishment to the culprits," the minister said. Efforts would also be taken to improve facilities at courts to ensure speedy trials in such cases, she said. The minister also said the Department of Social Justice is getting ready to launch a 24x7 helpline for the support of women in view of increasing atrocities and harassment against them. "We are planning several programmes to empower women and equip them to fight against harassment. As part of this, the Kerala State Women's Development Corporation under the Department of Social Justice will soon launch a helpline. Its operations will begin at IT hub Technopark here first and will be extended to other parts later," Shylaja said. Detailing other programmes of the government to help harassment victims, the minister said it has already announced interim relief for sex crime victims, both children and adults, and steps are already on to induct more women in the police force to make the investigations more women-friendly.
A total of 16,960 cases of crime against women and children, including 2,568 rapes, have been reported in the last one year in Kerala.
Governor P Sathasivam, in his policy address in the state Assembly last week, had announced a slew of women-friendly measures of CPI(M)-led LDF government including launch of a 'sex offenders register', a first such in the country which would contain all identification details of sex offenders. According to the statistics, the highest number of crimes against women, including rape, was reported last year from northern district of Malappuram, where there were as many as 1406 cases under various categories. The total number of rape cases reported from Malappuram was 160, followed by Thiruvananthapuram rural (138) and Ernakulam rural (112), it said. Malappuram also witnessed highest number of cases in terms of molestation (275) and cruelty by husbands and other relatives (436), the statistics added. The police figures also showed a steady increase in the crimes against women and children in the state in the last nine years. The total number of crimes reported against women was 9,381 in 2007, 9,706 in 2008, 9,354 in 2009, 10,781 in 2010, 13,279 in 2011, 13,002 in 2012, 13,783 in 2013, 13,880 in 2014 and 12,383 in 2015, it said. As many as 549 crimes against
children were reported under various heads in the state in 2008, which rose to 589 in 2009, 596 in 2010, 1,452 in 2011, 1,324 in 2012, 1,877 in 2013, 2,286 in 2014 and 2,394 in 2015, it said. On the alleged abduction and molestation of the actress, Shylaja said mere awareness classes and campaigns would not bring any change in the mindset of people but the need of the hour is the involvement of men and women in social activities. "Films and television programmes influence people to a large extent. Visuals and dialogues, ill-treating women, should be regulated in such media. Public and civil society should take the responsibility to check the insulting of women and children in films and TV serials," she said. People should also be ready to report every minute incident of harassment of women and children to the law enforcers, the minister added. The incident of abduction and alleged molestation of the young actress had evoked widespread condemnation. The prime accused in the case, 'Pulsar' Suni and his accomplice V P Vijeesh were arrested following high drama in the premises of a local court complex in Kochi on Thursday.
MondAY 27•02•2017
WORLD
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Wary of Trump unpredictability, China ramps up naval abilities BEIJING, FEBruary 26 (rEutErs): The PLA Navy is likely to secure significant new funding in China’s upcoming defence budget as Beijing seeks to check U.S. dominance of the high seas and step up its own projection of power around the globe. China’s navy has been taking an increasingly prominent role in recent months, with a rising star admiral taking command, its first aircraft carrier sailing around self-ruled Taiwan and new Chinese warships popping up in farflung places. Now, with President Donald Trump promising a U.S. shipbuilding spree and unnerving Beijing with his unpredictable approach on hot button issues including Taiwan and the South and East China Seas, China is pushing to narrow the gap with the U.S. Navy. “It’s opportunity in crisis,” said a Beijing-based Asian diplomat, of China’s recent naval moves. “China fears Trump will turn on them eventually as he’s so unpredictable and it’s getting ready.” Beijing does not give a breakdown for how much it spends on the navy, and the overall official defence spending figures it gives - 954.35 billion yuan ($139 billion) for 2016 - likely understates its investment, according to diplomats. China unveils the defence budget for this year at next month’s annual meeting of parliament, a closely watched figure around the region and in Washington, for clues to China’s intentions. China surprised last year with its lowest increase in six years, 7.6 percent, the first single-digit rise
China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier with accompanying fleet conducts a drill in an area of South China Sea, in this undated photo taken December, 2016. (REUTERS File Photo)
since 2010, following a nearly unbroken two-decade run of double-digit jumps. “Certainly, the PLA Navy has really been the beneficiary of a lot of this new spending in the past 15 years,” said Richard Bitzinger, Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Military Transformations Programme at the S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. “We don’t how much they spend on the navy, but simply extrapolating from the quantity and the quality of things that are coming out of their shipyards, it’s pretty amazing.”
erations, has developed rapidly under President Xi Jinping’s ambitious military modernisation. It commissioned 18 ships in 2016, including missile destroyers, corvettes and guided missile frigates, according to state media. Barely a week goes by without an announcement of some new piece of equipment, including an electronic reconnaissance ship put into service in January. Still, the PLA Navy significantly lags the United States, which operates 10 aircraft carriers to China’s one, the Soviet-era Liaoning. Xu Guangyu, a retired major general in the People’s LiberaRAPID DEVELOPMENT tion Army now senior adviser to The Chinese navy, once the government-run China Arms generally limited to coastal op- Control and Disarmament As-
sociation, said China was keenly aware of the U.S. ability to project power at sea. “It’s like a marathon and we’re falling behind. We need to step on the gas,” Xu said. Trump has vowed to increase the U.S. Navy to 350 ships from the current 290 as part of “one of the “greatest military buildups in American history”, a move aides say is needed to counter China’s rise as a military power. “We’ve known this is a 15-20 year project and every year they get closer to being a blue-water navy with global aspirations,” said a U.S. administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “What you have seen this last year and what I think you will see
with the new budget is that they are moving ahead with the shortterm goal of being the premier naval force in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, with the mid-term goal, of extending all the way to the Indian Ocean.” In January, China appointed new navy chief, Shen Jinlong, to lead that push. Shen has enjoyed a meteoric rise and is close to Xi, diplomatic and leadership sources say. “The navy has gotten very lucky with Shen,” said a Chinese official close to the military, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Now they know for certain their support goes all the way to the top.” Recent PLA Navy missions have included visits to Gulf states, where the United States has traditionally protected sea lanes, and to the South China Sea, Indian Ocean and Western Pacific, in what the state-run website StrongChina called Shen’s “first show of force against the United States, Japan and Taiwan”. Last month, a Chinese submarine docked at a port in Malaysia’s Sabah state, which lies on the South China Sea, only the second confirmed visit of a Chinese submarine to a foreign port, according to state media. The submarine had come from supporting anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, where China has been learning valuable lessons about overseas naval operations since 2008. Chinese warships have also been calling at ports in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, unnerving regional rival India. “It’s power projection,” said a Beijing-based Western diplomat, of China’s navy.
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Taliban leader urges Afghans to plant more trees
Taliban new leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada is seen in an undated photograph, posted on a Taliban twitter feed. (Social Media/File Photo)
KaBuL, FEBruary 26 (rEutErs): The Taliban group in Afghanistan on Sunday used a rare public statement in the name of its leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, to call on Afghans to plant more trees for worldly and other-worldly good. Official Taliban outlets released the “special message” under Akhundzada’s name, an uncommon move for the group that has recently published unsigned statements on a range of issues such as civilian casualties, upcoming military operations, and the anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops in the 1980s. Akhundzada, a cleric, is believed to have been in hiding since becoming Taliban leader in May 2016 following the death of his predecessor in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan. In the statement, he urged Afghan civilians and Taliban fighters to “plant one or several fruit or non-fruit trees for the beautification of Earth and the benefit of almighty Allah’s creations.” The Taliban has been waging an insurgency against the government in Kabul and its NATO coalition backers since being ousted from power in a U.S.-led military intervention in 2001. Since the withdrawal of most foreign combat troops in 2014, the Taliban has made slow but steady gains, now controlling or contesting more than 40 percent of Afghanistan. While the Taliban is mostly known for its insurgent attacks, it has political aspirations and has often worked to provide basic services and assert connections in communities in areas it controls. Akhundzada, who was reported to have spent 15 years teaching at a mosque in Pakistan, interpreted verses of the Koran in his call for more trees in the arid country.
Islamic State planning Iran’s Rouhani chides critics as Vitamin in milk could prevent attacks in Britain - aide says he will seek re-election pain caused by chemotherapy NEw yOrK, FEBruary cancer patients,” said study first FEBruary 26 (rE- same day as a top aide said he deanti-terrorism lawyer tEHraN, 26 (IaNs): A vitamin found author Marta Hamity from UniutErs): President Hassan Rou- cided to run for re-election.
LONDON, FEBruary 26 (rEutErs): Islamic State militants are planning “indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians” in Britain on a scale similar to those staged by the Irish Republican Army 40 years ago, the head of the country’s new terrorism watchdog said. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph published on Sunday, Max Hill, the lawyer tasked with overseeing British laws on terrorism, said the militants were targeting cities and posed “an enormous ongoing risk which none of us can ignore”. “In terms of the threat that’s represented, I think the intensity and the potential frequency of serious plot planning – with a view to indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians of whatever race or colour in metropolitan areas – represents an enormous ongoing risk that none of us can ignore,” he said. “So I think that there is undoubtedly significant ongoing risk which is at least as great as the threat to London in the 70s when the IRA were active on the mainland.” The IRA abandoned its armed struggle for an end to British control of Northern Ireland and unification with Ireland in a 1998 peace deal. More than 3,600 people were killed, including more than 1,000 members of the British security forces, during a sectarian conflict that began in the late 1960s. British security officials have repeatedly said that Islamic State militants, who are losing ground in Iraq and Syria, will target Britain.
hani on Sunday accused his hardline critics of wanting to deprive Iranians of the basic joys of life and isolate the country, as an aide said he had decided to run for a second term, state media reported. Iran will hold a presidential election on May 19, but Rouhani, a moderate who is eligible to seek a second four-year term, has stopped short of saying he would run to push ahead with reforms resisted by powerful hardliners. “Soon it’s the (Iranian) New Year, so let the people have some joy,” Rouhani, who has advocated greater social freedoms, said in a speech carried live on state television. “How come crying a lot is halal (allowed under Islam) and if we laugh it’s haram (banned),” Rouhani said, in an apparent reference to hardliners who control the police and security bodies and promote an austere interpretation of Islam. Rouhani’s remarks at a meeting on public health came on the
“In recent weeks, Mr. Rouhani has reached the conclusion to take part in the presidential election,” said vice president for parliamentary affairs Hosseinali Amiri, quoted by the state news agency IRNA. In his speech, Rouhani said his government stood for opening Iran up to the outside world while his opponents sought confrontation and isolation. “We are a government that says we should use foreign capital,” said Rouhani, a pragmatist who was elected in 2013. Rouhani also hit out at hardline critics who have accused officials of going on a “luxury” buying spree as Iran made deals with Airbus and U.S. rival Boeing last year to purchase about 180 passenger planes. “We say if our aircraft fleet is in need of new planes we should buy them. But some say it’s honourable to use old equipment,” he said. The purchases were the first direct deals by Tehran to buy Western-built aircraft in nearly 40 years to revamp its ageing fleet.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. (REUTERS File Photo)
“We are steadfast in our principles and we don’t compromise on them, but we should talk to the world, engage and cooperate with it,” said Rouhani, rejecting accusations that his policies amounted to selling out the principles of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Rouhani struck a deal in 2015 with world powers on curbing Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for relief from sanctions and has sought to open Iran’s economy to foreign investors and improve relations with the West.
in milk may be useful for treating or preventing nerve pain caused by chemotherapy drugs, says a study. For the study, the researchers tested the effect of nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3, in female rats that were treated with paclitaxel, a chemotherapy commonly used to treat breast and ovarian cancer. Although chemotherapies have improved cancer survival rates, many of these drugs also cause debilitating side effects that decrease the quality of life of patients and survivors. In particular, many anticancer drugs cause chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) -- nerve damage and pain. “Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy can both hinder continuation of treatment and persist long after treatment has ended, severely affecting the quality of life of
Malaysia declares airport safe for travel after nerve agent attack dul Samat Mat, the police chief of Selangor state who is leading the investigation, told reporters at the airport. The location of the assault was cordoned off during the sweep but the rest of the terminal remained open.
A Hazmat team conducts checks at KLIA2 airport terminal in Sepang, Malaysia on February 26. (REUTERS Photo)
KuaLa LuMPur, FEBruary 26 (rEutErs): Malaysia on Sunday declared its international airport a “safe zone” after completing a sweep of the terminal where the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was assaulted with a deadly chemical last week. Kim Jong Nam died on Feb. 13 after being smoth-
ered at the airport’s budget terminal with VX nerve agent, classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction. Since then, tens of thousands of people have passed through the terminal, with the location of the assault remaining accessible. The police forensic team, fire department and Atomic Energy Licensing
Board swept the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2) at 1 a.m. on February 26 (1700 GMT on Feb. 25). “We confirm, number one, there is no hazardous material found in KLIA2, number two, KLIA2 is free from any form of contamination of hazardous material and thirdly, KLIA2 is declared a safe zone,” Ab-
ASSAULT Security camera footage released by Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV showed the moment two women assaulted Kim Jong Nam with a cloth authorities suspect was laced with the nerve agent. In later clips Kim is seen asking airport officials for medical help. Airport authorities said he complained of dizziness and died on the way to hospital. Authorities have said there have been no anomalies in medical cases reported at the clinic since the incident. They also said medical staff at the clinic are in good health. The two women - one Indonesian and one Vietnamese - have been detained, along with a North Korean man.
Seven other North Koreans have been identified as suspects or are wanted for questioning, four of whom have since left for Pyongyang, police said. Police are also sweeping other locations in Kuala Lumpur that suspects may have visited. Police chief Abdul Samah said on Saturday authorities raided an apartment in an upscale Kuala Lumpur suburb earlier this week in connection with the death, and were checking for any traces of unusual chemicals in the apartment. “SERIOUS PARALYSIS” Kim Jong Nam, who had been living in exile with his family in Macau under Chinese protection, had spoken publicly in the past against his family’s dynastic control of the isolated, nuclear-armed state. South Korean and U.S. officials said he was assassinated by North Korean agents. North Korea has not acknowledged his death. Malaysia’s health minister Subramaniam Satha-
sivam said at a press conference on Sunday that autopsy findings were consistent with police reports. The minister said the chemical caused “serious paralysis which led to the death of the person in such a short period of time.” The Indonesian attacker, Siti Aishah, was reported to be unwell, possibly due to contact with the chemical. Subramaniam said authorities were running tests to ascertain whether Siti was affected by the chemical. At another event Subramanium said Kim Jong Nam would have died within 15-20 minutes after VX was applied on his face. He added that identifying the body officially is still a challenge. “Best would be to have the next of kin, bloodrelated kin, where we can do a DNA profiling...so that is the challenge,” he said. No next of kin has claimed the body. While Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister has confirmed Kim Jong Nam’s identity, official confirmation is pending.
versity of Iowa in the US. “Our findings support the idea that NR could potentially be used to prevent or mitigate CIPN in cancer patients, resulting in a meaningful improvement in their quality of life and the ability to sustain better and longer treatment,” Hamity said. The findings, published in the journal Pain, lay the groundwork for testing whether this nutritional supplement can reduce nerve pain in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Nicotinamide riboside boosts levels of an important cell metabolite called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Previous animal studies have shown that increasing NAD+ levels with NR can protect against many types of nerve damage. The new study found that the NR supplement increased levels of NAD+ in the rats’ blood by about 50 per cent.
Trump decides to skip White House press dinner wasHINGtON, FEBruary 26 (rEutErs): U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he would not attend the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, a high-profile event that draws celebrities, politicians and journalists. “I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!”, Trump wrote on Twitter. On the campaign trail and in the White House, Trump has had a strained relationship with the press, calling journalists “the enemy of the people” and frequently criticizing outlets and individual reporters whose coverage he does not like. The reporters’ group said it would go ahead with its April 29 dinner despite Trump’s absence. The Washington event typically draws movie stars, politicians and business leaders to hear a humorous speech by the sitting president. The dinner “has been and will continue to be a celebration of the First Amendment and the important role played by an independent news media in a healthy republic,” said Jeff Mason, a Reuters White House correspondent who heads the association this year. Ronald Reagan was the last president to sit out the event after he was shot in 1981. Some news outlets such as Bloomberg News and the New Yorker have said they will not host the lavish afterparties that have been a fixture of past events. The event occasionally makes news: in 2011, President Barack Obama delivered a scathing evisceration of Trump, joking that the mogul, who sat stone-faced in the audience, would move on from questioning Obama’s citizenship to figuring out “did we fake the moon landing.” Critics say the event encourages journalists to cozy up to politicians they should cover aggressively.
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MONDAY 27•02•2017
SPORTS
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Chelsea 11 points clear, Leicester into bottom three LONDON, FEBRUARY 26 (REUTERS): Chelsea's processional march towards the Premier League title continued at Swansea City's expense on Saturday as reigning champions Leicester City dropped into the bottom three. Antonio Conte's side were not firing on all cylinders against a resolute Swansea side managed by their former assistant coach Paul Clement but second-half goals by Pedro and Diego Costa made sure of a 3-1 victory. They are 11 points ahead of Manchester City who have 13 games left and while Italian Conte is too cagey to start preparing the Prosecco yet, only a monumental loss of form looks like denying him the title in his first season in charge. Tottenham Hotspur, the only other top-four Diego Costa scores from close range. (Getty Images) side in league action this weekend, could trim Chel- City on Sunday. points to be sure of winChelsea's victory made them as they are 42 points sea's lead to 10 points if "It's important to con- ning the league," Conte it mathematically impos- behind the leaders going they win at home to Stoke tinue this way. We need 29 told reporters. sible for Leicester to catch into their home clash with
Liverpool on Monday their first fixture since the sacking of manager Claudio Ranieri. Leicester will start that game third-bottom after Crystal Palace's 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park on Saturday took them out of the relegation zone. Patrick van Aanholt's 34th-minute goal was enough to lift Palace to 17th place with 22 points, one ahead of Leicester and Hull City, who drew 1-1 at home with Burnley. "The three points are important as it puts us in amongst the pack, out of the bottom three and a bit closer to Bournemouth," Palace manager Sam Allardyce said. Boro also have 22 points but are sliding towards the drop zone after nine league games without a win. Bournemouth, too, are being sucked into the relegation battle after a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion despite taking a fourth-minute lead
through Josh King's penalty. Craig Dawson and Gareth McAuley replied for West Brom, who are eighth. In-form Everton continue to harbour hopes of catching the top four and beat bottom club Sunderland 2-0 to move within six points of fourth-placed Arsenal. Romelu Lukaku made the points safe for Everton with 10 minutes remaining, taking his tally for the season to 17, level at the top of the scoring charts with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez. Sunderland's fourth defeat in six left them on 19 points. "There is a gap between us and the teams above us but there are still 12 games to go," Everton manager Ronald Koeman said. "You need to continue and get the momentum." Watford host West Ham United in the day's late kickoff. Chelsea were made to work hard to dispatch
a much-improved Swansea side despite taking a 19th-minute lead when Cesc Fabregas scored on his 300th Premier League appearance. Fernando Llorente scored from Swansea's first real chance on the cusp of halftime, heading in after Gylfi Sigurdsson found him with a quickly-taken free kick. Swansea were denied a penalty midway through the second half when Cesar Azpilicueta got away with a clear handball. "That was a big moment. Who knows what would have happened?" Swansea boss Paul Clement, returning to the club where he was assistant coach, said as he reflected on the defeat. Shortly afterwards Pedro's shot squirmed past keeper Lukasz Fabianski before Diego Costa, the fourth Spaniard of the day to hit the target, made the points safe with a volley for his 16th league goal of the season.
PUBLIC DISCOURSE
N
N.O.K. Naga
agaland heaves a great sigh of relief. This relief however, as we all know is only interim. The larger and transcending issue still remains unresolved. The logical step to follow could be a series of consultations and discussions. Threadbare discussion can only be meaningful when there is clear understanding and enlightened awareness among the stakeholders. The spell of agitations in the past few weeks witnessed enthusiastic mass participation transcending across age, tribe, and gender. However there still seems to be a distinct confusion over the participants’ level of awareness on the gravity of the issue, even as life returns to normalcy with the impasse diffused and dispersed. As a concerned citizen, I seek to present my personal views and opinion through this write up concerning those core issues identified. The contentious Act I am most certain many would agree that a cursory glance at the said act reveals more potentially troublesome provisions in addition to those on taxation. Some of which are as under, a) Section 2(30) defines “nuisance” which includes “annoyance or offence to the sense of smell”. Silly and frivolous though it may appear, this definition may well be misused to meddle with the cooking pot of any Naga by anyone with a mischievous intent. b) Section 123 talks about the rate of tax on land and buildings. Despite the 3rd amendment Act of 2016 omitting sub-clause 1(a) of Section 120 and anything related to it, this particular section which saw only a word being substituted only leads to confusion. c) Section 444(1) provides for regulation of places for public bathing. On skimming through the sub-clauses there-under, it does appear that this particular provision has been designed to suit the needs of a Hindu ritualistic bathing which are quite common in other parts of the country dominated by Hindus. As far as the Nagas are concerned, pardon my ignorance but except for the community fishing and the practise of bathing by the relatives of a departed on a river bank, I don’t think we have any such ritual involving public bathing. And even the aforementioned rituals are rarely practised today. Almost all the churches have a tank in their premises for baptism. d) Section 200 provides that the government can exempt any person/property or class of person/ property from paying any kind of tax. In addition to nepotism this can be misused to induce feeling of segregation and hatred. Say for instance, the powers that be mischievously decide to exclusively exempt the Ao in Mokokchung, Lotha in Wokha, Sumi in Zunheboto, Angami in Kohima and so on; thus triggering a feeling of alienation and providing grounds to divide and rule. e) Section 456 provides for “cattle ponds”. Though a Gandhian directive principle, ponds for cattle may not be necessary here in Nagaland where one would rather consume the beef! f) Section 460(1)(a) ii prohibits
The present crisis
carrying of meat exposed to public view. Already in place at most parts of the country including the metro cities; might be in the interest of public hygiene but this provision is an insult to the Nagas to say the least. Meat and its possession hold a symbolic significance in our Naga culture. Some Nagas are even known to be very particular about how the meat pieces should be displayed in public on any given occasion. This provision only serves to fulfil the Hindu mindset of purity and profanity. Even in the UK, the Hindu Diaspora has been successfully rallying against the alleged use of animal fat in the manufacture of Bank of England’s polymer notes. Such is the hypocritical disposition to take undue advantage of liberal civility. g) Section 460(1)(d) this provision prohibits burial/burning of corpses at places other than the designated places for that purpose. Many Nagas are known to bury the remains of their loved ones in their own premises. h) Section 460(1)(f) provides that one cannot store cow dung manure without the written permission from the executive officer of the concerned municipality. This could definitely offend the flower enthusiasts and the kitchen gardeners. I believe there will be more such provisions that not only portend to bring misunderstanding and chaos, but could also provide avenue for corruption and monopolistic practice to any conniving opportunist. It indicates that the NMA, 2001 is the product of a shoddy act of plagiarism, drawn from a one designed for a society definitely alien to the Nagas. Law can be considered mechanical, prone to be manoeuvred; we come across many instances where the provisions of laws are invoked in order to cause harassment even over frivolous matters - and only leading to wastage of time, money and peace of mind. The incumbent commissioner of Dimapur police upon taking up his assignment remarked “all the laws are products of social requirements and exist to serve the people, to maintain peace and order in society.” Indeed it is, but in a heterogeneous nation like ours, regional and ecological constraints also need sincere consideration. Thus for a law to be in consonance with a particular society, it is expected for the intellectuals therein to provide the heart and soul, the bureaucrats and technocrats to provide the flesh and bones, and finally for the legislators to breathe life into it through the process of enactment. Looking beyond our state borders It is my speculation, considering the wave of thought driven by a spirit of misplaced nationalism that currently prevails at the centre and across the country. The present circumstances indicate a precarious situation where we're looking at a political dispensation driven by right wing ideology laced with cut throat motivation for profit out of a water tight resource consideration. Ecologically constrained laws and safeguards are being looked at as bottlenecks on the way to economic progress and global invincibility. Unity in diversity is being attempted to be replaced by enforced uniformity. Some may try to dismiss this as frivolous but the con-
stitutional safeguard over ownership of land and property is very much a huge bone of contention for those investors with profit in mind. Ownership over land is perhaps the basis of our identity as a distinct society. Not only the cultural and traditional but also the day to day practices has always been an exotic irritation to the mainstream majority who would be more than happy to rid us all off, the recalcitrant lot. The central government’s agenda to relocate the Hindu refugees from neighbouring countries is another major concern for a region already reeling under threat of socio-economic annihilation at the hands of ever increasing Bangladeshi immigrants. The neglected NorthEast has always been a soft target for majoritarian interests, much of which is also attributable to the local leaders with questionable character and integrity. Also as an afterthought, say for instance, by virtue of the legal doctrine of precedent, dilution of Article 371-A can be used as the precedent to meddle upon the more juicy issue like Article 370. The dramatic run up in the Parliament leading to the enactment of the Aadhar Act, 2016 is a classic example of the present dispensation’s determination to execute its agenda, which can be both progressive and regressive.
Engendering a relook on the Naga social narrative And finally regarding what has been nationally projected as the crux of the present crisis - gender and patriarchy. It is interesting to note that we already have 25% gender based reservation in the VDBs, which of course is very much an internal arrangement outside the purview of PRIs. This shows that there is very much a scope for a gender sensitive institutional arrangement at different levels well within our traditional domain as well as within the constitutional safeguard. Having said this, the lack of space for gender dimension in our social narrative cannot be discounted. There is indeed a terrible paradox of equality, an impenetrable glass ceiling as is remarked. Union of individual man and woman has been solemnized as a single entity by the institution of marriage; such a union hasn’t happened yet at the collective level. Voices and aspiration of women have either been choked or filtered in varying degrees. Some provision in the Nagaland Municipal (First Amendment) Act, 2006 has been looked as a window of opportunity for the women to break this abstract social barrier. Maybe this explains the pseudo feminist response by the Delhi based Naga scholars to the present crisis. And therefore, the Naga society also need to take this crisis as an opportunity to identify and realise the significance of gender dimension and to accord its due space in our social narratives. It is said that we need to know our past in order to understand who we are; also to appreciate where we are headed towards. It is important that we hold on to the values of our tradition and culture. We also need to introspect from time to time where we stand as a civilisation in the changing sands of time and blend accordingly while retaining the distinct flavour. Naga society as a whole can no less
empathise than anyone how it feels to be voiceless, ignored and dominated. We need to look at things from each other’s perspective in order to better understand one another; in order to understand why we’re angry with one another or how we’ve wronged each other. However we must also remember that we’re first a Naga, and then a man or a woman or a Lotha or a Yimchunger or an Ao or Khiamnungnan or Sumi or Phom and so on. Universalism is a luxury for a marginalised society under constant threat from majoritarianism. The preceding lines appear contradictory, but we’re living in an era that believes “honesty with common sense is the best policy”. Our identity is the sole premise of our uniqueness which must be collectively preserved, as long as distinctions exist in this world.
A perilous revelation Skirmishes over political and administrative irregularities in the recent past, including the most recent fall out reiterates the despotic tendency of our political leaders. In the pursuit of self aggrandisement by all and sundry, a harried Nagaland stands just a step away from being reduced to an absolute dystopia. Breakdown of the tenacity over Chief Minister’s chair appears as a battle won, but we already are witness to the developments happening around. It is the professional requirement of a seasoned politician to find opportunity in any eventuality; the motivation in our case however is hopelessly parochial. Even as the change of guard happens, public discourses are rife with apprehension. And very rightly so considering the callous, disconnected and elitist attitude of the individuals supposed to be representing the masses. However, I also believe that it is high time for us to stop victimising ourselves in the political rhetoric. We must move beyond our self perception of naivety and be mature enough to acknowledge our shortcoming. We must realise that this crisis of leadership is our own undoing. These legislators with severe public trust deficit are the very same ones whom we put there in the first place to represent us, to be our voice. Throughout the democratic history of Nagaland under the constitution of India, the Naga perception of electioneering has entirely been on the premise of pork, rum, guns, girls, tribal\range\village\clan diktats, money, and of late, harboured immigrants. The exercise of voting and election ought to be understood with great pride and solemn privilege. It is supposed to be an exercise to voice and determine the vision of the people, as a poignant commemoration of those generations of struggle to break free from the shackles of colonialism - of the body and the mind. But unfortunately we Nagas have a very parochial understanding of it, and so elections for us means nothing different from a wholesale market where we sell ourselves to the highest and most forceful bidder. And these "chosen ones" like a shrewd trader, consider themselves entitled having bought themselves their position and power. This is why even during the present crisis we never saw any of the legislators even bothering to visit his constituency to consult with the people whom he represents. All these could
have been prevented had we been a little chaste with our right to exercise the universal adult franchise. Why, I believe it would be a virtuous initiative for the churches to sincerely adopt the clean election campaign much in line with the "true love waits" campaign for the youth, emphasizing on the significance, importance and responsibility of the individual right to vote. We already have realised the importance of the immense responsibility bestowed upon a member of the Nagaland legislative assembly by virtue of Article 371-A of the constitution. We now must understand our responsibility as voters to ensure that we choose responsible individuals of integrity with determined vision for the welfare of the Nagas. Individuals wise enough not to dance to the tune of external forces. Individuals of impeccable character bold enough to own up responsibility for one’s undoing instead of cowering behind hapless subordinates operating under the ambit of rules and procedures. Enlightened individuals to control and rebuke the rent seeking self aggrandising unethical public servants.
I believe the opinion on the issue for reservation is still largely polarised. If at all it matters to anybody, as has been illustrated and indicated earlier in the preceding paragraph, I don’t think there should be any problem with institutional reservation for Naga women in Nagaland, albeit with certain conditionality – that of identity. Such a provision would indeed be absolutely a window of opportunity; but we also need to ensure that this opportunity is not hijacked by non Nagas. Hijacking of a woman’s authority and responsibility by the husband is a matter of another debate, the stress here is on the Naga identity. Choosing a partner is a very personal choice which ought to be duly respected. However it should be the responsibility of the individual as well as the community to ensure any repercussion that threaten to pollute and annihilate are avoided. A thorough study of how the 59 ST Nagaland legislative assembly seats have been systematically divided amongst the indigenous Nagaland tribes may help to give a formula to ensure only genuine Naga women, by blood and marriage, avails the opportunity of reservation. No doubt, I personally have met and known many Naga women of indomitable spirit, both young and old, for whom I have the most sincere respect and admiration. I must honestly admit that I cannot even imagine myself being even as half as what a woman is capable of. At this point, I really wish I was a progressive minded urban mainstream Indian from a nuclear family – rooting wholeheartedly for unfettered gender equality. As Nagas however we’re just not populous and sufficient enough as yet to over look and tolerate a Sonia Gandhi; so Nagaland needs to have conditional women reservation in my opinion. Lastly, conveying my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those who have been selflessly working to keep the issue alive even as the crowd disperses. I don’t know about the rest, but I for one am earnestly hoping that the movement will be the catalyst for that transformation which most have been yearning for. May this event be the unfolding of a new chapter in the annals of the Naga society, a chapter towards a better tomorrow! Thanks for bearing with me thus far, and as I sign off here’s quoting a few couplets from “The Present Crisis”, a poem by James Russell Lowell.
Another suggestion amidst the crowd Much has been suggested already regarding the need of an institutional mechanism to check the conscience and sanity of the beholders of power and authority. If I may also suggest, I believe we need to provide ourselves a pan-Nagaland tribal organisation constituted by the already existing apex tribal organisations, and duly formalised by virtue of Article 371-A. The Naga legal luminaries can explore the constitutional provision for such a possibility. Such a body could not only be the conscience keeper but also could be a potent platform to promote and ensure inter tribal harmony. If this is of any significance, the February 17th deadline ultimatum to legislators announced under the aegis of the tribal committees, and its subsequent reaction, can also be understood as a potential for an umbrella of apex tribal organisations to act as an effective pressure group. As a consultative body it could also potentially, along with the legal bodies, be instrumental in systematically codifying the Naga customs and traditions. We already have the institution of Dobashi courts as formal custodians of Naga customary law at the elementary level, however there definitely seems to be a vacuum beyond Once to every man and nation this level. With the complexities comes the moment to decide; arising out of the changing nature of Naga society and settlement pat- In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or evil side; terns, I believe there would be many untold instances already, of admin- Some great cause, God's new Messiah, offering each the bloom or istrative and legal confusion arising blight, out of such ambivalence. Such an inParts the goats upon the left hand stitution could prove to be more efand the sheep upon the right, fective, potent and democratic than a Legislative Council, which by its And the choice goes by forever 'twixt that darkness and that light. design may only lead to more nepotism and elitism, quite like a rag of tiger skin, if not the toothless tiger. Hast thou chosen, O my people, on whose party thou shalt stand, However, in this case also the onus of responsible individuals as represen- Ere the Doom from its worn sandals shakes the dust against our land? tatives ultimately falls on the people. Thus, as highlighted earlier, the fate Though the cause of Evil prosper, yet 'tis Truth alone is strong, of our society is entirely upon our own hands. A radical transforma- And, albeit she wander outcast now, I see around her throng tion of our mindset only can ensure Troops of beautiful, tall angels, to an honourable contract of authority enshield her from all wrong. with responsibility accountability.
Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
MONDAY 27•02•2017
Logan Preview: In the Comic Books
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olverine has always been awesome. This bad-tempered, foul-mouthed, Canadian killing machine has been a fan favorite for decades. But what happens when Wolverine trades in his claws for the life of a pacifist? The Wolverine: Old Man Logan storyline began in Wolverine #66 and concluded in the Wolverine Giant-Size Old Man Logan special. The plot in the comics is as brilliant as it is heartbreaking: Mysterio, Spider-Man’s master of illusion who’s often accused of wearing a fishbowl, made Wolverine see pretty much every major villain that the X-Men have ever fought raiding the Xmansion. Unsure of where the other X-Men were or what the villains had done with them, he fought his hardest to try and save his friends. It wasn’t until it was too late that he realized the scents were wrong. It wasn’t super villains he was cutting through – it was the X-Men themselves. This is what led to Wolverine sheathing the claws and becoming nothing more than Logan in the comic. The memory haunted him, and he swore that he’d never pop his claws again. Wolverine — Logan — drops his superhero moniker and costume for a farmer’s life complete with two children and a wife. Taking place 50 years in the future, almost all of the superheroes were wiped out in a single night. Several super villain masterminds banded together to take down all
All you need to know before watching the Logan movie this weekend
of the crime-fighting masked vigilantes, and then divide up North America for themselves. Old Man Logan was a story of Logan’s fall and redemption, told largely through a cross-country road trip that saw Logan teamed up with a blind Hawkeye. And so their journey begins and we see the extent of the devastation around North America, what happened when the heroes died out, and why the X-Man known as Wolverine no longer exists. If you’re a familiar with George Miller’s Mad Max series, or even post-apocalyptic media in general, you’ll be right at home with Wolverine: Old Man Logan. While it may be clichéd in its utilization of dust bowls, dilapidated
structures, and the scourge that live in the wasteland, it is the way in which the story is told. Mark Miller is a master of words and brings characters to life in ways that will not only surprise readers, but make you fall in love with the insanity of the villains… or what’s left of them. As far as the upcoming Logan movie goes, it is obvious from the trailers that the movie is loosely based on the comic book. The mutants are gone, Logan is mostly alone, and the world seems to have seen better days. Any hope and optimism that the good guys would overcome in the previous films seems to have been lost by the time Logan takes place. At the moment a direct movie
adaptation of the Old Man Logan comic can’t be made by any film studio due to rights issues; several major characters who appear in the comic (including Hawkeye and the Incredible Hulk) are part of Marvel’s Avengers film franchise, and therefore aren’t available to be used as part of the XMen movie franchise. The movie seems to center around one last act of heroism for Logan and Professor X: trying to save a young female mutant (Dafne Keen) from being hunted down and captured or killed. It has now been confirmed that Dafne Keen will play as Laura Kinney a.k.a. X-23. Who is X-23? She is a clone of Wolverine. Like Wolverine, X-23 has a regenerative healing factor, senses, speed, and reflexes. She also has retractable adamantium-coated bone claws in her hands and feet. Cloned from a damaged copy of Wolverine's genome, X-23 was created to be the perfect killing machine. For years, she proved herself a capable assassin working for an organization called the Facility. What we’ve seen of Logan so far suggests that there may be a similar tragic back-story to what was featured in the comics, but beyond that it’s telling its own story. There are elements from the comics that we catch glimpses of in the trailer, and some of the overall themes of Old Man Logan seem very much in place in Logan, even if different characters are involved. Logan will miss some of the bigger action scenes from the comics, but will certainly supply
EXO wins big at 6th Gaon Chart Music Awards
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any of South Korea's talented bands and singers recently converged to honor some of the industry's most talented musicians in the 6th Gaon Chart Music Awards. EXO was one of the event's big winners with the Kpop group receiving five awards. EXO even brought home some of the major prizes during the 6th Gaon Chart Music Awards. Held
on Feb. 22, Wednesday, the Kpop group nabbed two of the quarterly Artist of the Year awards for best album sales for the second and third quarters of 2016, according to Korea Herald. Other boy bands who received the same honor included GOT7 who landed the first quarter Artist of the Year award, while BTS grabbed the fourth quarter prize. Apart from said award, EXO was also recognized as
the fans' Artist of Choice for a Kpop group. Meanwhile, fans chose the said group's band member Sehun as their Artist of Choice in the individual category. Lastly, the band's writer Jo Yoon Kyung was also awarded the Songwriter of the Year honor. EXO may have received the most number of awards during the 6th Gaon Chart Music Awards although Kpop groups such as BTS, TWICE and BLACKPINK
also nabbed several honors. In total, BTS brought home four awards, while TWICE and BLACKPINK landed three honors each. In other news, EXO was name dropped by a British band as the Kpop group that they would like to collaborate with. Clean Bandit recently visited South Korea and held a special interview with Warner Music Korea, as cited by All Kpop, where they gushed over the said boy band. When the British trio was asked if they had any singer or band they would like work with for a future project, they mentioned EXO and even extended an informal invite to the Kpop group. Clean Bandit singer Jack stated, "Maybe we can do a collaboration with those guys if they were interested." At this time, it is unclear if the said British band and EXO will indeed work together on a collaborative piece. Neither of the two group's agencies or representatives have commented on the said news. Source: Koreaportal
its own to replace them; given its R rating, the action will likely be much more brutal than what we’ve seen in previous X-Men films. Even though we won’t see him kill the Red Skull with Captain America’s shield, the action should still be what you would expect from a tired and angry Wolverine. There’s no word yet on whether we’ll see another Wolverine at some point in the movies, though after 17 years the character could certainly use a break. Until he’s recast or otherwise brought back, Logan will stand as the final Wolverine story. Old Man Logan is the perfect inspiration for that, since it gives the character a sense of closure and lets him finally feel the age of all of his adventures. Given how hit-or-miss some of Wolverine’s appearances have been, this is how Hugh Jackman’s take on the character needs to go out: Not as The Wolverine, but as Logan. Watch the video on Logan Origins at: www.youtube.com/theskidreviewer Find the Skid Reviewer at: www. youtube.com/theskidreviewer www.facebook.com/theskidreviewer And at Instagram at the_skid_reviewer (The Skid Reviewer is a YouTube channel run by two comic book fans from Nagaland who make videos about anything that catches their fancy)
How and where to watch the 89th Academy Awards live in India
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he 89th Academy Awards will be held at Dolby Theatres, Los Angeles on February 26. To watch Oscars 2017, tune in to Star Movies, Star Movies HD, and Star Movies Select HD channels depending on your subscriptions. Time: The live show will be broadcast on Monday, February 26, 2017, at 5.30 am (yes, that is before the sun rises). There is also a repeat telecast at 9 pm for those who would love to see the winners collect their Oscars but would love to skip the red carpet shenanigans. This time, the show will be hosted by the veteran late night show host, Jimmy Kimmel. He has also hosted the Emmys twice and the VMA as well. The attendees look forward to quite a gala time with this comedian and his all time enemy Matt Damon (more like all time friend) in the same room. Presenters include Dwayne Johnson, Leonardo Di Caprio, Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and Dakota Johnson. John Legend will be performing the popular numbers “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” and “City of Stars” from La La Land. Justin Timberlake
OSCARS 2017
Source: Indian Express
NOW SHOWING REVISED TICKET RATES (Silver) : `.120 (Gold) : `. 200 (Recliner) : `. 400
Tuden’s EP titled 'Seconds' released
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Indie musician Tuden has released his EP titled 'Seconds' along with his music video for the track 'See'.
agaland based indie musician, Tuden, released his much anticipated EP titled 'Seconds' along with his music video for the track 'See'. Tuden, nominated for VIMA Awards in Malaysia for his first album 'The Renaissance Man', is widely recognized for his hit music videos such as 'About a Hat' and 'Bubbleheads' on YouTube. Tuden's original songs as some relate to as geeky or nerdy are animated by ironic cognition of everyday musings or maybe sometimes based on his own avatar and his lyrics are new age poetry drawing metaphorical situations which anyone can relate to, according to a press release. “His sense of artistic imagination filled with quirky and cartoonish fantasies enable Tuden to conceptualize colourful, animated yet filled with deep philosophical undertones in his original songs.” The EP comprises of 4 tracks - Bubbleheads, Something Beautiful, See, and Bold Love - and is available for free download on www.indihut.com. The cover art of the EP was made using real food. In the music video for 'See', Tuden uses the concept of shadow play in his beautifully melancholic original. It is available on YouTube.
Pamela Anderson addresses Julian Assange dating rumors
Louis Tomlinson: There's no bitterness with One Direction bandmates
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ouis Tomlinson insists that's not as relentless and explorthere is no ''bitterness'' ing solo projects.'' between him and his It comes after Niall promised One Direction band- fans a reunion would ''definitely'' be happening, mates. The 'Just Hold On' hitmaker He said: ''It will definitely hapand his former bandmates - pen, of course! As I've said many Harry Styles, Liam Payne and times, we'd be stupid not to. It's goNiall Horan - are all com- ing to be good when it happens ... pletely supportive of each when it happens I don't know. ''[Being in One Direction] other's solo projects. He said: ''When I was changed our lives, it was the bigon 'The X Factor', it was gest part of our lives.'' Niall is busy working on his really nice all the boys came to support me solo music, whilst Liam Payne and I think that's - who is expecting a baby with what it's all about. Cheryl - is also working on his People love to write solo album whilst Harry has been filming for war drama 'Dunkirk' what they want to with Tom Hardy and Mark Rywrite but there's no lance. bitterness.'' Niall said of his own solo reAnd the 25-year-old cord: ''I am taking my time on singer says the group are it. I don't want to rush it. I said it enjoying taking their time away would be out at the start of the from the band but hasn't ruled summer but I might push it back out a reunion happening at some now a small bit. ''I don't really have an idea. point. Pushed to give a date of when I'll keep writing until it's there they would be getting back to- and when it's there I'll let everygether as a band, he added to one know. It's not going to be all Rolling Stone magazine: ''No one singles.'' knows the answer right now. EvSource: Contactmusic eryone's just enjoying a schedule
will perform “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” from Trolls. The others performances include Auli’i Cravalho and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana and Sting’s “The Empty Chair” from Jim: The James Foley Story. As of February 12, 2017, Hidden Figures which has been nominated under three categories has had a good run at the North America Box Office, in fact, even better than Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone’s La La Land. The musical has been nominated under 14 categories. Moonlight, the film that stands second, with 8 nominations, however, stood last when it came to collection.
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amela Anderson has visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange multiple times in London, causing a fury of speculation that they're a couple. Assange has been living in London's Ecuador embassy for four years amid allegations of rape in Sweden, and Page Six reported that Anderson visited him at least four times there. The former Playboy model addressed the rumors on The Kyle and Jackie O Show. "I've spent more time talking to Julian than all of my ex-husbands combined!" she joked with the Australian radio hosts. But they weren't will-
ing to let it go at that. They pressed her for more details, so she said, "It was never the intention to become romantic, it was just to join forces to do something important." "It naturally happens," Jackie O said. "Things happen, for sure," Anderson teased. Assange reciprocated Anderson's feelings on the same outlet, telling the radio hosts, "She's an attractive person with an attractive personality. She's no idiot at all! Psychologically, she's very savvy." Anderson recently spoke out in support of Assange on the rape charges against him on the Russian television show The Under-
ground. "Sweden has these very progressive laws against sexual crimes," Anderson explained. "It's almost too progressive, it's almost paralyzing. I'm going to actually start campaigning for men who have been victims of being accused of rape when they haven't actually done anything." The Baywatch alum, a famous animal-rights activist, is also fighting for Buckingham Palace to stop using real black bear fur for its guards' hats. She teamed up with Russian company Only Me to send samples to the palace to try the faux fur as a substitute. Source: Eonline
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MONDAY 27•02•2017
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THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Stage all set for ASA's Golden Jubilee tournament
Officials of Angami Sports Association (ASA) practice the ASA theme song with Methaneilie Jiitakhrie on February 26. The theme song will be presented during the inaugural function of ASA golden jubilee tournament starting from February 28 at Kohima Local Ground.
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KOHIMA, FEBRUARY 26 (MExN): The stage is all set for Angami Sports Association (ASA) Golden Jubilee tournament from February 28 to March 4 at Khuochiezie (Kohima Local Ground) and Indoor Stadium, Officers Hill, Kohima. Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio will grace the inaugural function as the chief guest on February 28. He will unveil the golden jubilee monolith at Old MLA Hostel Compound, Phoolbari, Kohima. It will be followed by inaugural function at the
Kohima Local Ground. The inaugural day will witness bamboo stilt walk competition and track and field events. Track and field events will continue till March 1 along with indoor games. Marathon race will take place on March 2, to be flagged off by chief patron Vilelie Khamo from at 6:00 AM at Kohima Science College, Jotsoma and culminate at Kohima Local Ground. Football, volleyball and indoor games will take
Bulls roll over James-less Cavaliers
CLEVELAND, FEBRUARY 26 (AP): Dwyane Wade scored 20 points and Jimmy Butler recorded a triple-double, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 117-99 victory Saturday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who played without LeBron James. James missed the game with strep throat, and coach Tyronn Lue said he wasn’t sure how long the Cavaliers would be without the four-time MVP. Cleveland struggled as it often does without its star — they are 4-19 without him since he returned to Cleveland in 2014, including 0-4 this season. Chicago has won all three games against Cleveland this season. It took advantage of James’ absence to win its fourth straight overall. Wade was 9 of 18 from the field and had 10 assists with eight rebounds. Butler had 18 points, including 13 in the third quarter, to go along with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Kyrie Irving led Cleveland with 34 points, hitting 13 of 25 from the field. Kyle Korver scored 14 points before limping to the locker room after taking a hard fall late in the fourth quarter.
place on the same day and continue till March 3. Wrestling will take place on March 4 at Kohima Local Ground with the valedictory function and fireworks scheduled on the same day Meanwhile, ASA General Secretary Er. Zale Neikha has informed all tournament officials, ASA former champions, unit contingents, all participants of opening ceremony to come for rehearsal on February 27 at 2:00 pm at Kohima Local Ground. HEAT 113, PACERS 95 Hassan Whiteside scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, Dion Waiters added 22 points and red-hot Miami pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Indiana. Goran Dragic added 21 points and James Johnson had 15 for Miami, which outscored Indiana 30-16 in the fourth. The Pacers played most of the second half without All-Star forward Paul George, who was ejected after getting two technicals on sepa-
Pacquiao to fight Khan in 'super fight'
Dwyane Wade scored 20 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
streak. Derrick Rose added 18 points and Justin Holiday had 14 for the Knicks, who won for just the third time in 11 games. They played without starters Kristaps Porzingis (sprained right ankle) and Joakim Noah (sore left hamstring). Okafor had a seasonhigh 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the 76ers nearly pulled out the victory after beating Washington on Friday. Dario Saric had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Covington KNICKS 110, 76ERS 109 finished with 20 points and Carmelo Anthony 10 boards. made a jumper with 0.3 seconds left to give New MAGIC 105, HAWKS 86 York a victory over PhilaTerrence Ross scored 24 delphia 76ers. points, Nikola Vucevic had The Knicks blew a 16 points and 14 rebounds 17-point lead and fell be- and Orlando beat Atlanta hind by one when Jahlil to snap a two-game skid. Okafor scored with 9 secRoss played his second onds remaining. But An- game with Orlando afthony dribbled left after a ter coming over from Totimeout, pulling up over ronto in a trade for Serge Robert Covington to cap Ibaka and gave Orlando his 37-point performance. the shooting touch it has The Knicks then inter- lacked all season. He hit cepted the 76ers’ inbounds 10 of 15 from the field, inpass to hold on and snap cluding 4 of 7 from 3-point their two-game losing range. rate plays early in the third quarter. Myles Turner scored 18 points and Jeff Teague added 16 for Indiana. George had 10 points in 19 minutes. It was the 16th win in the last 18 games for the surging Heat, who moved within 1 1/2 games of idle Detroit for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. Miami also topped 100 points for the 16th consecutive game, extending the franchise record.
Orlando also got double-digit production from Aaron Gordon (18 points) and Elfrid Payton (15). Payton was just short for his fourth career triple-double with nine rebounds and nine assists despite not playing at all in the fourth quarter. Tim Hardaway Jr. led five Hawks in double figures with 15 points. Atlanta was playing the backend of a back-to-back and dropped its third straight. The Hawks are trying to remain in the top five in the Eastern Conference. HORNETS 99, KINGS 85 Frank Kaminsky had 23 points and 13 rebounds and Charlotte beat Sacramento to end a five-game losing streak. The Hornets went ahead late in the first quarter and led the rest of the way for their second win in 14 games. The Kings never got going offensively, and Charlotte led by 23 points in the second half while ending their 12-game road skid. Marvin Williams scored 16 points and Nicolas Ba-
tum had 15 for the Hornets. Ben McLemore led the Kings with 18 points and Buddy Hield had 15 in his second game since being acquired from New Orleans in a trade for DeMarcus Cousins. Anthony Tolliver and Tyreke Evans had 11 points each. MAVERICKS 96, PELICANS 83 Harrison Barnes scored 19 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 18 points and nine rebounds as Dallas ended a three-game losing streak by beating New Orleans. The Pelicans fell to 0-2 since trading for DeMarcus Cousins and pairing him with Anthony Davis. Davis had 39 points and 14 rebounds but scored only 12 in the second half. Cousins finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Seth Curry scored 10 of his 13 in the fourth quarter to help Dallas pull away. His 3-pointer with 4:49 to play gave the Mavericks an 84-72 lead, and the Pelicans never got closer than six after that.
Leicester's Vardy denies role in Ranieri sacking Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan have come to terms over a 23 April fight at an as-yet undecided venue. (PA Photo)
MANILA, FEBRUARY 26 (REUTERS): Multiple world champion Manny Pacquiao has agreed to fight Britain's Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan on April 23, both boxers said on Sunday. The 38-year-old Pacquiao had said four days ago that he and Khan's management were in discussions for the fight, despite an earlier announcement the Filipino's next bout would be against Australia's Jeff Horn in Brisbane. Pacquiao, however, had
said that Horn was one of many possible opponents. "Negotiations between team Pacquiao and team Khan have come to terms for the April 23 bout as this is what the fans wanted," Pacquiao tweeted. The 30-year-old Khan, who won silver as a lightweight at the Athens Olympics, has not fought since last May when he moved up two weight classes to fight middleweight Canelo Alvarez. The much bigger Mexican proved too powerful and the Briton was knocked
out in the sixth round and he is likely to drop back to welterweight to fight Pacquiao, who holds the World Boxing Organisation title at the weight. "My team and I have agreed terms with Manny Pacquiao and his team for a super fight," Khan said on his Twitter page. Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight title last November against American Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas with an unanimous decision. No venue for the fight was announced.
LONDON, FEBRUARY 26 (REUTERS): Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy has denied he was involved in the sacking of manager Claudio Ranieri nine months after the Italian led his team to the Premier League title. After guiding Leicester to one of the most unlikely title victories last year, Ranieri was fired on Thursday with the Foxes mired in a relegation battle. They are now 18th in the table, two points above bottom side Sunderland. "There is speculation I was involved in his dismissal and this completely untrue, unfounded and is extremely hurtful!" Vardy wrote in an Instagram post
on Saturday alongside a photo of Ranieri. "The only thing we are guilty of as a team is under-achieving which we all acknowledge both in the dressing-room and publicly and will do our best to rectify," he added. Vardy scored 24 Premier League goals last season to spearhead Leicester's extraordinary triumph after starting the campaign at odds of 5,0001 to win England's topflight title for the first time in their history. "Claudio has and always will have my complete respect! What we achieved together and as a team was the impossible! He believed in me when
Leicester City's Jamie Vardy and Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri during the press conference. (Reuters Photo)
many didn't and for that I owe him my eternal gratitude," Vardy said. "I wish Claudio the very very best in whatever the future holds for him. Thank You Claudio for everything."
Vardy's post came after goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel also denied reports that players led a revolt against the 65-year-old Ranieri who said goodbye to the Leicester squad on Saturday morning.
"There's absolutely no truth in that whatsoever," The Dane told the BBC. "We are players, we can only affect on the pitch and we haven't done that." Leicester are owned by Thai businessman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha who is the club chairman. "What I can say is our owners are very hands on. They are in and around the club. They've been here all the time, they come to practically every game and they speak to all the players regularly," Schmeichel said. "They're successful businessmen and they're not going to allow themselves to be influenced by any players."
India hope Pune rout acts as wake-up call Smith retains top
PUNE, FEBRUARY 26 (REUTERS): India will be hoping that by the end of March their Pune capitulation can be viewed from the lofty heights of a seventh consecutive test series triumph as an aberration that acted as a brutal wake up call to the world's number one side. The shell-shocked hosts have a week to regroup before they again engage an Australian touring party which made Virat Kohli and his team of world-beaters look quite ordinary in a 333-run first test rout inside three days. As they head south to Bengaluru, Kohli's team will be forced to ponder the end of their hard-earned 19-test unbeaten run and what their captain described as their worst batting performance in two years. "I would say that we needed something like this for us to get a reality check and understand what are the things we need to work on and keep persisting with it, not take anything for granted at any stage, especially at the test match level," Kohli told reporters after the defeat.
Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Umesh Yadav during the First Test. (Reuters Photo)
Australia might be just below their hosts in the test rankings but arrived in the country earlier this month having lost their last nine tests in spinfriendly conditions in Asia. They were swept 4-0 sweep the last time they played a series in India and had not won a test since 2004 in what former captain Steve Waugh once called Australian cricket's "Final Frontier". There were many predictions of a result inside three days on the turning track dished out at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium,
which was making its debut as a test ground, but none had India ending up on the losing side. That was unsurprising, considering India possess the world's top two ranked bowlers in spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and a batsman in Kohli who recently became the first to score four double hundreds in as many series. But Ashwin and Jadeja managed only a dozen wickets between themselves in the match, the same number that Australia left-armer Steve
O'Keefe alone bagged in the two innings. Kohli blamed the Indian batting for the humbling after they scored 105 and 107 in their two innings and the image of the captain frozen in a crouch with his bat in the air as an O'Keefe delivery shattered the wickets behind him will not fade fast. "Even a part-timer can get four wickets if you don't apply yourself. And I certainly would like to think that that was the case with our batting line-up in this game," he said. "It rarely happens that
four or five batsmen make errors in judgement in both the innings, especially with the way we batted in the last few months. "I would say this was our worst batting performance and we need to accept that." India's shoddy performance with both bat and ball translated to their fielding too as they dropped numerous catches to compound their problems. Australia captain Steve Smith was dropped four times and he made India pay dearly with his 18th test hundred in the second innings. India were also found wanting in their choice of referrals in the match, losing all four reviews while fielding and managing to overturn one decision from the umpire out of three while batting. Kohli promised his side will come back stronger next week in the second of the four tests, as they did after their last defeat, against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2015. "The last time we had a performance like this, we had the most outstanding run after that," Kohli said.
spot in ICC rankings DUBAI, FEBRUARY 26 (IANS): Australia captain Steve Smith has consolidated his position at the top of the ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen following his outstanding batting effort in the opening Test against India. Smith scored 109 during Australia's second innings to help his team win by 333 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. The 27-year-old right-hander reached a career-high 939 rating points which is the sixth best ever after Don Bradman (961), Len Hutton (945), Jack Hobbs and Ricky Ponting (both 942) and Peter May (941). Gary Sobers, Viv Richards and Kumar Sangakkara all had careerhigh ranking points of 938, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Sunday. Smith, who scored 27 and 109 in Pune to gain six points, now leads Indian captain Virat Kohli by 66 points while England batsman Joe Root is 91 points behind him at third place with 848 points. Australian opener Matt Renshaw has moved up 18 places to a career-best 34th position scoring 68 and 31 while Indian opener Lokesh Rahul has climbed 11 spots to reach
a career-best 46th position. In the ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, Australia's left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe has rocketed up 33 slots to a career-best 29th place after figures of 12 for 70 over two innings which earned him the Player of the Match award. O' Keefe's figures are the cheapest 12-wicket haul in Test cricket, beating ICC Hall of Famer George Lohmann's 12 for 71 against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1896. India's Ravichandran Ashwin remains at the top of the bowlers' rankings with 878 points after taking seven wickets. His spin partner Ravindra Jadeja now has company at the second spot as Josh Hazlewood has caught up with him with 860 points. Indian fast bowler Umesh Yadav's six wickets in the match have seen him gain four slots to reach the 30th spot. Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc has moved up three slots in the list of all-rounders to fourth position after his fighting knocks of 61 and 30. Starc, ranked 10th among the bowlers, has also moved up 27 places in the list of batsmen to a careerbest 61st rank.
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