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SunDAY • JAnuArY 17 • 2016
DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 15 • 12 PAGes • 5
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ESTD. 2005
The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain Taiwan opposition leader Tsai wins presidential vote PAGE 09
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
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Gun shots fired in Shamator town Morung Express News Dimapur | January 16
Peace in Shamator town was disturbed after gunshots were fired in the wee hours of January 16. Though there was no report of any casualty, Shamator police informed that some 50-60 rounds were fired around 5:30-5:40AM. The police added that it could not ascertain the identity of the perpetrators and could not confirm whether the incident, which occurred below the Christian English School, was the result of an exchange of guns shots or was caused by firing in the air. Empty shells, mostly of 7.62 calibre were recovered from the site. The situation in the town tensed following the incident but it was under control, the police added. Meanwhile, the Public Forum Shamator Town, while condemning the incident has urged the Tuensang district administration and the security forces to be vigilant in an already vulnerable situation.
TSU bandh on NH-202
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DIMAPUR, JANUARY 16 (MExN): The Tikhir Students’ Union (TSU) total bandh on NH-202 under Tikhir jurisdiction has been underway since January 15, 6pm onwards. A press note received from the students’ union said the decision was made during an emergency meeting held on January 15 following the State cabinet’s decision to allow Yimchunger Akheru Arehako (YAA) golden jubilee to be held and non fulfillment of their four point charter of demands. It also resolved to boycott the YAA golden jubilee celebration in Shamator. Security forces, police, administration and medical department have been exempted from the purview of the bandh, the press note added.
T R u T H
Passion for sports ignited at Tuli
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challenges UN to easterine Kire wins the India act unitedly on terror Hindu literary Prize 2015
Morung Express News
Public Information
o F
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Young leaders from NE interact with Arun Jaitley
We are ready to take off: Kire on emerging Naga writers and literature If you could make a living out of making promises and excuses, you’d be on the front cover of the leading magazine all the time. Tee he he..kidding sir!
P o W e R
Dimapur/Kohima | January 16
Nagaland’s own - Easterine Kire- poet, story teller and novelist has won one of India’s most prestigious awards on Literature - The Hindu Literary Prize 2015 for her novel ‘When the River Sleeps.’ “We are ready to take off. We are assembling to take off,” were the animated words of Kire during a telephonic interview with The Morung Express hours after receiving The Hindu Prize, 2015. She said this when asked about her view on the current Naga writers and literature in Nagaland. Believing that young Naga writers are writing boldly and confidently now, Kire further encouraged, “write from the heartthat is the most important.” The award was given away by British writer Alexander McCall Smith at the ongoing literature festival, ‘Lit for Life’ initiated by The Hindu at Sri Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, Chetpet, Chennai on Saturday. Easterine Kire was nominated alongside Ami-
Easterine Kire with The Hindu Prize 2015 after being presented the award by Alexander McCall Smith at the Lit for Life, held at Sri Venkata Subbarao Hall on Saturday. Photo courtesy: Lit for Life facebook page
tav Ghosh’s Flood of Fire, Amit Chaudhuri’s Odysseus Abroad, Janice Pariat’s Seahorse, Anuradha Roy’s Sleeping on Jupiter, and Siddharth Chowdhury’s The Patna Manual Style. Kire’s winning novel When the River Sleeps is about a lone hunter seeking a ‘heart stone’ in a faraway sleeping river and fighting all odds to get it. The book was described by K. Satchidanandan, one of the judges, as “a sample of how the mythopaeic imagination can work in our times”. He said Nagaland was almost unexplored in Indian fiction and the book, with its profound symbolism offered an alternative way of life. Susie Tharu, another juror, spoke about the
judging process and how they enjoyed reading more than 40 books to come to a conclusion about the winner. “It was a very tight run,” she said. Smith joked about how “This literary festival is a delightful cake that we feast on over the weekend. The cake has icing, and the icing is the literary prize.” Earlier at the award giving ceremony, Kire read out an excerpt from her novel, describing a scene in which the protagonist and another man escape from a river with the spirits of widow women chasing after them with spears and curses. She described the book as an exploration of the Naga spirit universe. “This is not my book, but our book, because of
the number of people that embrace it,” said Kire. She thanked all her readers who believed in the book. “Some of them were even praying,” Kire added. ‘When The River Sleeps’ is by far the author’s favourite book. She said it took her 2 months to write and almost five months of research. In 2012, Kire was nominated for The Hindu Literary Prize for ‘Bitter Wormwood.’ Published by Zubaan books, ‘Bitter Wormwood’ is a stirring insight on the Indo-Naga conflict, a 70 years’ long freedom struggle that had altogether changed the lives of the common people in Nagaland. Her first novel ‘A Naga Village Remembered’ was
released in the year 2003. Her second novel, A Terrible Matriarchy (2007), was selected by Indian Literature Abroad for translation into the UN languages. ‘Mari’, (Harper Collins, 2010) narrates the true story of a young mother who, after losing her fiancé in the World War II, bravely makes the decision to live on for her child and discovers happiness once again. It also portrays some unknown aspects of the World War II, like a lesser known but ferocious battle fought against the Japanese troops in Nagaland. She has also written several children’s books, articles and essays. Kelhoukevira, Kire’s first book of poetry (1982), was the first book of English poetry in Nagaland. According to Women’s Panorama, Kire’s works reflect the unpleasant realities of life in Nagaland and the complexities around the colonial atrocities and discrimination. It also highlights the in-house rivalry and ideological differences that existed among the Naga brethren who fought for freedom. She brings out poignantly the fascinating and vibrant Naga culture for the rest of the world to see, through her prolific writings that arouse a charm for its age old traditions and scintillating folklores from the deepest corners of the mystic state that Nagaland is.
UNITED NATIONS, JANUARY 16 (IANS): India has challenged the world body to rise above the differences of its members over fighting terrorism and adopt an international convention to unitedly combat the spreading menace. “Every day we are faced with distressing reminders to governments, societies and individuals of the threat held out by terrorists,” India`s Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin said on Thursday after a briefing by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on his priorities for the year. “Are we at the United Nations General Assembly content to remain silent bystanders,” he asked. “Is it not time that we show a common resolve to rise above our semantic definitional differences and work on the long overdue Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism?” Negotiations for the treaty that would provide for unified global action have been deadlocked for over 20 years, despite a renewed commitment to it by world leaders in 2005. Differences in defining what are terrorist organisations and who are terrorists are factors holding up the proposed treaty. Some countries want exemption made for groups they consider to be “national liberation movements” instead of terrorist organisations, and terrorists they consider
to be “freedom fighters”. “We think it is time to have a closer look at what we can do more and do better together to build global norms to counter the common threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism,” Akbaruddin said. “Or are we condemned to allow each society or each Government to battle on its own? If so can we remain relevant to those who are affected by this scourge?” In the briefing on his priorities, Ban did not touch on the languishing efforts for the anti-terrorism convention. “Wellcalibrated, security-based counter-terrorism measures remain essential,” he said. “But human rights must be at the forefront of our response.” Unveiling a plan Friday to combat violent extremism, Ban sounded a note of caution. “Sweeping definitions of terrorism or violent extremism are often used to criminalise the legitimate actions of opposition groups, civil society organisations and human rights defenders.” This seemed to go to the heart of the disputes over defining terrorism in the proposed convention. Ban, however, added, “The international community has every right to defend against this threat using lawful means, but we must pay particular attention to addressing the causes of violent extremism if this problem is to be resolved in the long run.”
All un-metered connections Curb wasteful expenditure of to be replaced: PHED states fossil oil, protect environment Warns of legal actions if consumers found illegally tapping water
DIMAPUR, JANUARY 16 (MExN): Nagaland Public Health Engineering Department (NPHED) informed consumers on Saturday that all existing un-metered connections will eventually be replaced by metering system in the urban sector and administrative headquarters. This decision was resolved at a meeting held among the department officials in the presence of PHED minister and Commissioner and Secretary on September 4, 2015 last and made effective from December 1, 2015 onwards, a press statement from Er P Khetoi Awomi, Executive Engineer, PHED informed. As informed earlier, the department also undertook detailed inspection of water supply system with special emphasis on illegal/unauthorised tapping of water
from Chumukedima (Patkai Bridge) to Nagarjan main reservoir along 300mm diameter DI main pipe line. During the inspection, it detected six individuals from Chumukedima Ward no 1 and 2 illegally tapping water from the main line. In this connection, the department has warned the defaulters that repetition of such act will invite legal proceedings as per Nagaland Water Supply Consumer Rule 1998 (1st Amendment 2011). Further, the department informed that a good number of un-metered/metered connections have been disconnected in order to streamline water supply only through Meter House/Control Box for proper and systematic distribution system. Consumers have also been requested to arrange half inch (1/2 inch) G.I. pipe or PVC pipe from their own end to restore the water supply to their respective residence as per requirement, the release added.
Morung Express News
hazards due to use of Bio mass and appealed to stop the use of Bio Mass Dimapur | January 16 and encouraged use of greener fuels The Oil and Gas Conservation Fort- like LPG in rural areas. DK Pathak, senior divisional night (OGCF) for the year 2016 in the State of Nagaland was launched manager (IOC) cum state level coorSaturday here at Hotel Saramati with secretary for Food & Civil Supplies, Government of Nagaland, T Kiheto Sema, as the chief guest. The chief guest in his address emphasized on curbing of wasteful dinator for Ministry of Petroleum and expenditure on fossil fuel and to re- Natural Gas, Government of India, duce the growing burden on foreign for the State of Nagaland, highlighted exchequer and protect the environ- on the OGCF programme and prement from the adverse effect of green sented some fuel saving tips on the house gases emanating from burn- occasion, followed by circulation of ing of fossil fuels. He also stressed activities planned in the State of Naon creating awareness about health galand in next 15 days
Oil and Gas Conservation Fortnight 2016 launched
‘start-Up’ for entrepreneurs
Modi’s extends tax sops, funding, selfcertification for start-ups
A young boy blowing a ‘pig’s bladder’ (indigenous ball) during the Paong Lung festival at Waoshu village, Tuensang District. Paong Lung festival is a thanksgiving festival of the Chang Nagas of Waoshu village and is celebrated after the harvest in the fields are done. It is celebrated for six days where the villagers belonging to the same field groups gather and make merry by singing songs, dancing and feasting. Photo by Toshi Kichu
Huwoto Sema, senior depot manager of Dimapur Depot, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, explained on the objectives of the conservation fortnight –to create awareness on the need for conservation of hydrocarbons and environment protection for “sustainable development on our inherent strength.” Led by Huwoto, all the participants took a pledge to conserve oil and gas in their respective capacities. Jingles were also played during the ceremony. Among others, the launching ceremony was attended by government officials, district administration and police, officials from oil marketing companies, retail outlet dealers, LPG distributors and school children.
NEw DElhI, JANUARY 16 (IANS): With an income tax holiday for three years and exemption from capital gains levies on venture capital investments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the “Start-Up India Action Plan” here on Saturday with an enabling eco-system to promote and nurse entrepreneurship. A host of incentives unveiled by him for start-ups also included selfcertification and a three-year exemption from inspections, an online portal and mobile app, an 80-percent cut in the patent application fee and a single-point hub for hand-holding. At an event at Vigyan Bhavan conference complex here to launch the “Start-Up India Action Plan”, the prime minister also announced a Rs.10,000-crore fund for new enterprises, equal opportunity in government procurement, a Rs.500-crore credit guarantee scheme and easier exit norms. The list of incentives also in-
cluded 35 new incubators under the public-private partnership mode, 31 new innovation centres at national institutes, seven new research parks, five bio-clusters and a mission with sector-specific incubators, labs, preincubation training and seed money. “We want to ensure that we interfere as little as possible with the startups. For that, we have introduced self-certification. No inspection for three years,” the prime minister told the event to repeated applause from Who’s Who of India’s start-up and Silicon Valley ecosystems. He also said his government intended to club all related legislation involving start-ups and took a dig at the opposition in this regard. The prime minister also said the difference that people will find today with governance in India was that on a Saturday, when it is an official day off, with no question of any activity after 6 p.m., such a grand event as today’s was taking place. The prime minister said he wanted the youth today to transform themselves from job seekers to job givers. “I see that energy in this hall. It reflects the enthusiasm that lies in the
hearts of our youth across the country,” he said, adding he wanted startups to also look beyond IT. During the day-long event, several interactive sessions were held with stakeholders, ministers and mandarins on topics ranging from innovation and funding to promoting women entrepreneurs and mentoring. “Today, it’s been a fascinating experience,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in his address, referring to the day-long interactions. “Not only does it mark a change in the social profile of India, but a change in the mindsets of Indians,” Jaitley added. He also said the government will ensure that it will only be a facilitator for start-ups. “Our only subsequent relation with start-ups will be when they pay their taxes in the year-end and continue to grow.” Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also spoke on similar lines and said discussions were evocative on what start-ups can do for India, if alone the government can understand them. “Start-ups have spoken loud and clear, and we have heard the message.” Related stories on page 4