January 29th, 2017

C M Y K

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SunDAY • JAnuArY 29 • 2017

DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 26 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones

Trump’s unpredictability troubles US allies PAGE 09

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Border Fence: ‘Repeating a historical wrong upon Nagas’

Itanagar, January 28 (IanS): Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was on Saturday sworn in as Acting Governor of Arunachal Pradesh by Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh at the Raj Bhavan here. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his council of ministers, members of the state assembly, Chief Secretary in-charge Satya Gopal, and senior officers were present when Acharya was administered the oath of office. Acharya was given the additional charge after V Shanmuganathan, who was holding additional charge of ArunachalPradesh,resigned on Thursday night following charges of inappropriate behaviour against him.Shanmuganathan’s resignation came after nearly 100 employees of the Raj Bhavan in Shillong on Wednesday sent a five-page letter to the Prime Minister’s Office and Rashtrapati Bhavan, demanding recall of the Governor for what they alleged was “turning the Raj Bhavan into a Young Ladies Club”.

Corrigendum Apropos the press statement of Phom Peoples’ Council (PPC) regarding bandh which was published on January 28, PPC President has issued a corrigendum stating that “the PPC empowers all youths for ensuring total compliance in implementing the resolution of PPC for imposing bandh” and not as published. The statement had mentioned PPC empowers Phom Students’ Conference (PSC) and Longleng Town Students’ Union (LTSU) to ensure implementation of the bandh.

Jan 28 bandh ends; uncertainty remains

Bandh volunteers threaten ‘free movement’ of the press

An overcast sky aptly summed up the mood in Dimapur today – gloomy and uncertain. Deserted streets, downed shutters, the occasional drone of police vehicles and cars bearing stickers of bandh supporters, passengers stranded at the airport and the railway station marked the first day of the bandh called by the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) in Dimapur.

While most denizens preferred to stay indoors in the vicinity of areas manned by bandh volunteers, pedestrians walked without hassle on unmanned streets. Small shops well within colonies and far from the watchful eyes of volunteers opened.

The day passed off without any major untoward incidents reported save an episode at the Dimapur Government College late morning. Volunteers alerted of a poll related training to be conducted at the college premises during the day barricaded the entrance. The incident, which occurred around 10:00 am, saw trainees prevented from entering the premises and asked to turn back.

Volunteers manned the major intersections of the town, strewing their zones with boulders and burning tyres across streets.

Similar cases were spotted at the NH 29 stretch from Purana Bazar till Chumukedima. Except for occasional sightings of ambulances, police and para-military vehicles and some vehicles bearing small black flags indicating funeral duties, vehicular movement was nil.

Commuters taking the chance to take out vehicles were stopped and asked to turn back while some unfortunate few were forced to

Morung Express News Dimapur | January 28

Phek Dimapur

Kohima

Mokokchung

Kiphire

face unsympathetic remarks before being turned away. Media persons covering the day’s happenings were also at the receiving end of unsavoury remarks.

All signs of the State and governance either disappeared or police remained in hidden corners observing the events.

The Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) today lauded the conduct of “allpartiesconcern(ed)”forcompleting the bandh’s first day. The Council, in a press statement expressed optimism that there will be more “participation” from the public in the remaining days of the bandh.

without incident. Business establishments downed shutters, while pedestrian and vehicular movements restricted. The AYO, in a press release, stated that there will be no further bandh under Kohima Municipal Council, Medziphema Town Council and Chumukedima Town Council areas until further notice. It however added that bandh in Medziphema and Chumukedima “could be necessitated depending on the developments” in Dimapur.

Bandh at Phek In Phek, the bandh called by the Chakhesang Youth Front from Kohima: No more bandh 9:00 am to 4:00 am went off with no until further notice untoward incident reported with The 9:00 am to 4:00 pm bandh the town was completely shutin Kohima called by the Angami down. It was also observed in PfutYouth Organization (AYO) was sero, Chozuba and Chetheba.

Mokokchung bandh passes, to resume from January 31 onwards The ‘total bandh’ imposed by Ao Senden in Mokokchung district today passed without any untoward events. The Ao Senden informed that there will be no bandh in Mokokchung on January 30 and 31 with the bandh will resume indefinitely from January 31.

Kiphire bandh In Kiphire, bandh was enforced by the Kiphire District Joint Coordination Committee (KDJCC), comprising United Sangtam Likhüm Pümji, Tikhir Tribal Council and Kiphire District GB’s Association. Bandh volunteers reportedly halted state government assigned Booth Level Officers from distributing voter slips.

48-hr bandh in Wokha NBCC asks churches to dedicate from Jan 31 onwards January 29 to pray for ULB crises

Wokha, January 28 (MExn): Lotha Hoho has called a 48-hour bandh in Wokha district from January 31 (starting 6:00 am) to February 2 (6:00 am) in protest against the elections to the Urban Local Bodies (ULB). This was informed today during a meeting called by Lotha Hoho at Local Ground here.

To enforce the bandh, Lotha Hoho also informed the youths of 39 and 40 Assembly Constituencies to be at Bhandari and youths of 37 and 38 A/C to be at Wokha Town by January 30.

In the meeting, the Lotha Hoho Chairman asserted that Lothas are not against the ULB formation, but will oppose the polls unless necessary corrections are made to the Nagaland Municipal Act, according to a

press release from Thungdemo Kyong, Secretary (Media), Lotha Hoho Joint Action Committee. The Chairmen of Longsa Village and Wokha Village also assured the Lotha Hoho of total cooperation as per the joint village meeting’s resolution dated January 27, 2017 and sought cooperation from the general public for the same, the release added.

Meanwhile, Lotha Hoho Joint Action Committee asked all the public as well candidates not to participate in the ULB elections.

Leaders and representatives from Lotha Hoho Kohima and other places too spoke in the meeting. A car rally to protest the elections was also carried out today from Local Ground to Zero Point and to Longsa Village, where more than 200 cars participated.

kohIMa, January 28 (MExn): Concerned by the crises unfolding over the ULB elections, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) today called upon the churches to dedicate January 29 (Sunday) to pray for “our” land.

This, the NBCC said is “a time for Christians to sincerely pray in earnest for God to intervene in the worst situation we all can imagine.”

In a press statement, the Council urged to pray for the leaders in the State government “whom we hope to deliver the right decision at this crucial time in our history.” “Pray also for our tribal leaders who represent us.

Let us pray that God will intervene, soften the stance, mindset of all the parties who have in their hands to save the situation. Let us

Commuters stranded at railway station & airport Morung Express News Dimapur | January 28

C M Y K

Serena wins Australian Open for 23rd grand slam crown PAGE 12

Dimapur | January 28

Nagaland Governor sworn in as Arunachal Acting Governor

T R u T H

— John Cage

PAGE 05

Morung Express News

You don’t have supporters, true, but don’t panic, you and I,we’re going to win this thing unopposed.

o F

At the Dimapur Railway Station, a man sat under the gate giving out paan (betel leaf) and tamul (betel nuts) for free. He had bought the whole load to sell at his shop but landed up giving them out to people stranded at the rail station due to the ongoing bandh in Dimapur.

“It is a loss but how can I charge these people?” asked the paan-tamul shopkeeper. With bandh supporters and volunteers showing little compassion towards commuters stranded at Dimapur Railway Station and Dimapur airport, people decided to come to each other’s rescue.

“We have been travelling for three days.

Our children are hungry, we have no money in our pockets and we have no way to go home,” said one of the many stranded commuters who had to spread themselves out at the railway station platform, or outside it. They were traveling in a group of ten, including women and children.

Long, and mostly clueless, discussions ensued among commuters who found no help even from some of the traffic cops who gathered at the railway station taxi stand. Instead, the cops skimmed off some of the ‘free’ paan and tamul being distributed to hungry passengers.

“How much puri can I possibly have from the station?” wondered a sevenmonth pregnant woman who reached Dimapur in the Kamakhya Express and

Passengers stranded at the Dimapur airport due to the bandh on January 28 seen here walking with their luggage towards the highway. (Morung Photo)

was slated to reach Ghaspani today.

At the Dimapur airport, similar scenes ensued. Thirsty passengers who arrived this afternoon walking with their luggage towards the highway showed how the bandh left little difference, at least momentarily, between the poor and the rich.

“We have just returned from Thailand. We have no water and we are trying to walk to a friend’s house at 5th Mile,” said one woman traveling in a group of three.

Not all hope was lost though. Bandh volunteers at the airport-highway junction were among the few with humanity enough to organize passing vehicles to get tired passengers home.

Opportunists, on the other hand, found a way to cheat passengers and bandh enforcers alike in some way.

“Some private taxis offered to take us to Kohima for an absurd charge of Rs. 30004000,” said another woman.

Meanwhile, outside the airport, a calm looking group of people walked around the airport compound. “We are bird watchers!” they said gleefully, when asked about their calm demeanor given the situation. Their group of eight bird watchers arrived today from Mumbai, Chennai and Pune to go to Khonoma as their first bird watching pit stop.

Not a good time for watching birds, alas.

“I dropped the first batch of bird watchers and picked this group up. Some of them also plan to go to Peren, Mon and Mokokchung,” said the organizer of the group who had to plead with several bandh enforcers to get the first batch on their flight out.

This is their first visit to Nagaland.

also pray for forgiveness and humility so that God in His mercy will forgive us and show us the way to reconciliation, which will pave the way towards a viable future,” it appealed.

Expressing regret that the negotiations did not result in desirable outcome, it further requested to stop blaming each other “because we are all aware that by doing that we have found ourselves in the present predicament of fear and apprehension.”

The NBCC urged all stakeholders to exercise restraint, patience and understanding “for the larger interest of the people and to salvage from the situation we are in.” It stated that, “Common people were anxious and yet hopeful thinking that wisdom will prevail.”

In what could be termed as several bulls in a China shop, bandh volunteers today restricted the coverage of their own protest by restricting the free movement of the press.

Journalists reporting on the unfolding events in Dimapur came under threat as they continued to be intimidated by unruly bandh volunteers throughout the day.

Among many other incidents, a woman reporter today said that she was ‘hooted’ by the all-male volunteers at every pit stop she visited while covering the bandh in Dimapur. Local leaders justified this as boys “joking” around.

“I had to make it clear that harassment of media personnel has to stop. Only then did leaders restrict volunteers and gave serious interviews,” she said.

Several inebriated and ill-informed volunteers attempted to stop even paramilitary vehicles. In one location, volunteers halted an ambulance and asked the driver to turn back.

Media persons going about their duties were halted and checked at different stops. At a barricade in Dimapur, when one newspaper’s vehicle with reporters in it was passing by, a volunteer threatened to ‘burn down’ the press vehicle. “ You press-w al a should be careful,” a volunteer commented as a car carrying reporters was passing by a barricade.

At several other barricades, slurring volunteers questioned the free movement of the press, while absurdly asking media personnel to take their pictures to prove press credentials.

pressed “deep shock and anguish” over the “unruly behaviour” of some volunteers who used “abusive language” on media persons on duty and threatened their movement during the bandh organized by Joint Coordination Committee on January 28.

While condemning the “dishonourable act against the media persons,” the NPA hoped that the “responsible leadership” of the JCC will be “able to discipline their own volunteers with sense of great responsibility and maturity.”

DPC condemns intimidation; appeals for safety of Journalists The Dimapur Press Club (DPC) has flayed the “actions of some volunteers” monitoring the imposed bandh in Dimapur town for “intimidating Journalists on duty covering the bandh occasion” and appealed for their security.

The DPC condemned prevention of journalists from performing their duties even after clear announcement from the JCC exempting Press from the bandh, the DPC said in a statement issued by its President Moa Longkumer and General Secretary Henlly Phom today.

It was reported that Journalists on duty, even after producing identify cards to the volunteers, were warned not to cross by the main road frequently.

“Some volunteers were not willing to allow the journalists to pass by the road even threatening to burn the Press vehicle,” it informed.

In this connection, the DPC appealed the organisations concerned to ensure that security of Journalists on duty in the future.

Without free and safe NPA anguished over movement, the media’s ‘unruly behaviour’ The Nagaland Press ability to fulfill its duties Association (NPA) has ex- will be hampered.

KDJCC says all intending candidates agree to abstain from ULB elections

kIphIrE, January 28 (MExn): The Kiphire District Joint Coordination Committee (KDJCC), comprising United Sangtam Likhüm Pümji, Tikhir Tribal Council, and Kiphire District GB’s Association, today claimed that “all the intending candidates” in Kiphire District have “agreed in letter and spirit to abstain from ULBs elections 2017 in the interest… of Naga customs and its traditions.”

Drawing attention to a ‘Deed of Agreement,’ the KDJCC in a letter to the Returning Officer, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Kiphire, Nagaland, KDJCC appealed for “prompt and necessary action” from the latter and stop “all the related activities for the conduct of ULBs election 2017.”

“All the intending candidates signed an Agreement Appeals organisations to sound mind, health and body in the presence of KDallow ‘free and fair’ election in JCC,” stated the letter released to the media here by PresikohIMa, January 28 (MExn): The Joint dent USLP K. Tsilise, President TTC Topan and President Action Committee on Women Reservation KDGBA Sepitong.

(JACWR) will now take up “necessary measures” to withdraw the Special Leave Petition from the Supreme Court of India before the elections to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are conducted on February 1. As decided in a meeting on January 26 at Hotel Japfu, the JACWR stated that it will honour the ‘Assurance Letter’ it received from the Government of Nagaland (Chief Minister’s Office) on January 28 to hold the ULB elections on schedule.

“In the interest of peace in the society, and taking due cognisance of appeals by various Naga Organisations,” the JACWR will make the “necessary legal preparation” to withdraw the SLP before the elections, stated the Committee’s Convenor Abeiu Meru and CoConvenor Dr. Rosemary Dzuvichu in a press release today.

The JACWR also appealed to all “respected Organisations” to “allow the democratic process of a free and fair election to be held, for electing the respective Town councils in the state without any hindrance.”

It also appealed to the Nagaland State Government to “consider an early second phase of polls for those towns and candidates who were unable to file or had to withdraw their nominations.”

JACWR to take necessary measures to withdraw SLP

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

UNESCO team Villages at Naginimora area visits Nagaland receive subsidized LED bulbs Kohima, JaNuary 28 (mExN): Dr Ram Boojh, Programme Officer for Natural Sciences & Secretary, SACAM (South & Central Asia MAB Network) UNESCO and ML Rao, Advisor UNESCO were on four days visit to Nagaland starting from January 22. The UNSECO representatives met TR Zeliang, CM Nagaland on January 24 to apprise him of the progress of UNESCO initiatives being undertaken in Nagaland and requested the support of the State Government. The meeting was also attended by Dr Nicky Kire, Forest Minister and Chotisuh Sazo, Speaker NLA besides other Senior Officers of Forest Department and the CMO. Temjenyabang, IFS Conservator of Forest in a press release mentioned that pre-feasibility studies had been undertaken in 2016 for designating Dzukou Valley and Doyang Valley as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. The feasibility report submitted to UNESCO also included Saramati Range, to be taken up at a later stage.

These areas have been identified taking into consideration the uniqueness, the rich biodiversity and also the initiatives shown by the community in conserving biodiversity, which can be a model for the rest of India and the world.

The Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is taking this initiative in collaboration with UNESCO, recognising the role of the communities in conserving biodiversity in Nagaland and bearing in mind that many such areas in Nagaland are owned by the communities. The next stage is to prepare a dossier with concrete plans in collaboration with Government of Nagaland, Government of India and UNESCO. Besides bringing recognition and strengthening the conservation efforts in Nagaland, the objective is to also link conservation with sustainable development of the local communities.

Foundation stone laid for WSBAK Resource Centre Morung Express News Dimapur | January 28

Officials with public during the distribution programme of providing subsidized eco friendly LED bulbs held at Naginimora Range Office premises.

NagiNimora, JaNuary 28 (mExN): The Nagaland State Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change took up the initiative of providing subsidized eco friendly LED bulbs to Chingphoi, Changlang, Chingdang, Wanching, Wakching, Wakching Chingla, Namthai, Shiyong, Hotahoti, Kongan and Naginimora residents under the Naginimora Forest Range, Mon Forest Division.

The Energy Efficient Nagaland programme under the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme was earlier launched by the Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Neikiesalie (Nicky) Kire in October 2016.

A distribution programme was held at Naginimora Range Office premises where Lepzuk Jamir ACF, Range Officer Naginimora explained in brief the benefits of these bulbs to the residents present. The public enthusiastically received the high quality 9W LED bulbs provided by Energy

Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) - a JV under the administration of Ministry of Power, Government of India. These bulbs are being provided at a distribution cost of Rs 65 each (against a market price of Rs 350). The residents and consumers will benefit immensely by these LED bulbs which are increasingly becoming popular because they use lesser electricity, last longer, emit more light and are part of the latest trend in “green” technology.

A press release received here stated that Suman Sivachar IFS, ACF Mon Division congratulated the residents and consumers in taking a small step forward for a brighter tomorrow. He acknowledged the support of Aochuba IFS, DFO Mon Division, Reny Wilfred IAS, AC Kohima Administration and the EESL team.

Owing to the remoteness of the villages, the Naginimora Forest Department staff expects the distribution to span over the few days, the release stated.

Western Sumi Baptist Akukuhou Kuqhakulu (WSBAK) has laid a foundation stone for its resource centre at Nihokhu village on Saturday.

Speaking about the purpose of the resource centre, Executive Secretary WSBAK, Rev Dr Hevukhu Achumi said that the centre would be used for conducting conferences, mass gatherings, Church leaders’ training etc. He said that the land measuring 70 acres was acquired from Nihokhu village at a nominal rate and thanked the landowners for their understanding the need of the Church.

Also speaking after unveiling the foundation stone, Secretary, Land Resources, Y. Kikheto Sema IAS spoke about the three institutions set by God namely; family, government and the Church that forms a society.

He said that the positive and effective functioning of the latter two depended on the family since members of the government and

Secretary, Land Resources, Y. Kikheto Sema IAS seen with WSBAK staff after laying the foundation stone at Nihokhu village on Saturday. (Morung Photo)

Church first comes from a family. “If a family is good then the other two institutions would also be good and so we should go back to our family and start positive changes from within,” he added.

Drawing references from Romans 13:1 of The Bible, Kikheto said people need to respect the government. In the same way, the government should also respect the views of its people for whom it is being institutionalized.

Talking about the current scenario between the state government and civil

societies, Kikheto said in such a confronting situation the Church could have played an important role of bridging the gap and uniting the odds. He lamented that the role of the Church was found wanting in this situation. He said prayer alone was not enough if one does not act upon prayers.

Kikheto who is also the Chairman, Board of Deacons, Sumi Baptist Church Kohima referred to the Naga society as the Biblical Tower of Babel with so many differences and contradictory views. “Even Article 371 (A) is being in-

terpreted differently by lawyers of separate entities.

We do not know which one is correct and confused,” he added. He was of the opinion that men and women should come together and sort out the issue in a positive manner by understanding each other.

Stating that a nation without a vision perishes, Kikheto appealed the people to continuously pray for quality leaders for the Nagas.

The foundation stone laying programme was attended by a host of WSBAK staff, GBs and leaders of the area.

Financial literacy camp for women held

Promoting sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development

KhoNoma, JaNuary 28 (mExN): One day financial literacy camp was held on January 27 at Khonoma Village for the women organized by the Nagaland State Social Welfare Board, NMDFC and SRCW supported under FIF managed by NABARD. The camp was organized to equip the women folk with the various help enabling them to improve and promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development, informed a press release received here.

Resource person Bendang Aier, AGM NABARD shared on importance of financial planning and said

that proper financial planning helps to set short and long term financial goals which helps in proper utilization of finance and in setting their goals which clarify their ideas to focus on their wants and needs. He emphasized on digital payment and cashless transaction and encouraged the participants to use SMART Goals for financial goals. He further highlighted on Social Security Schemes and its benefits. Kevi Hibo, Assistant Branch Manager, IC, Nodal centre Kohima NSCB Ltd. gave a talk on the significance of banking and shared that banking sector is the best channel to give awareness on various Government scheme to the rural areas and the various Loans provided by the bank with low interest for development of the agricultural sector.

Bano Vinito Chishi, Chairperson,

NSSWB, shared on the topic “My concern for women Self Help group and entrepreneur”. She cited some successful stories of how women were able to improve their Socio-Economic status and their increasing income.

She encouraged the women to continue Self Help Group and to avail loans in establishing their own enterprise.

The programme started with invocation prayer by president of Khonoma Women Union. A keynote address was delivered by Asalie A Kruse, Project Manager, NSSWB, highlighting about National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and Cerina Belho gave brief introduction on Women Help Line 181 One Stop centre and Child Line 1098. It culminated with vote of thanks pro- Sumi cultural troupes presenting traditional dances and songs at the silver jubilee celebration of Diphupar ‘B’ Village held at the village ground on Saturday. (Morung Photo) nounced by Kenei Mezhur, NSSWB.

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THE MORUNG EXPRESS

PM Modi urged to defer Manipur polls Newmai News Network Imphal | January 28

Manipur Democratic People’s Front (MDPF), a Manipur-based regional political party, today urged Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to defer the Manipur assembly polls slated to take place in two phases on March 4 and 8 in view of the prevailing situation.

In a letter to Modi, MDPF president Dr Gurumayum Tonsana Sharma requested the Prime Minister to review the election dates fixed by the Election Commission in view of the current volatile situation in Manipur.

Expressing doubts on possibility to conduct a free and fair election due to the protracted blockade on the two National Highways connecting the state which has caused repercussions, the letter also urged the Prime Minister to intervene to bring about an amicable and lasting solution.

It further urged Modi to postpone the election dates for Manipur until the 'social atmosphere' becomes conducive to holding a free and fair election.

The plans of the Manipur Government to create Sadar Hills and Jiribam districts and the subsequent creation of seven new districts “without consulting the Nagas” have triggered troubles in Manipur.

Owing to the prevailing situation, the electioneering for the 60 Assembly seats is moving at a slow pace. The campaigning of different political parties is expected to pick up steam in the coming days, that is, closer to the election.

On top of the district creation issue, the state has yet to recover from the impact of demonetisation policy of the Centre. With fuel crisis still persisting, the state has been facing immense problem caused by acute shortage of other essential commodities.

The district creation issue as well as demonetisation is expected to have an impact on the ensuing state assembly election. So far, only the BJP has been able to announce its first list of candidates for the crucial polls.

Sikkim: Locals fight to save their community and the environment from hydropower projects Athar Parvaiz

thethirdpole.net

While the government of Sikkim is determined to convert its rivers into so-called “white gold” by exploiting its vast hydropower resources, indigenous Lepchas of the state in India’s Northeastern Himalayas hope their opposition will halt construction of the proposed 520 MW Teesta Stage IV hydropower project.

If successful, this will be the fifth project the community has successfully stopped in Sikkim – part of a growing wave of anti-dam movements across Northeastern India where hydropower developers are struggling with angry protesters and falling profits.

India’s National Hydro Power Corporation got clearance to build the dam on the Teesta River near Chandey village in Dzongu in 2012.

Since then, Lepchas have challenged its construction in various forums including the National Green Tribunal. So far they have succeeded in putting it on hold, though the Sikkim government continues to try to win over other local people.

Lepchas, who are recognised as a “particularly vulnerable tribal group” and protected within the Dzongu community reserve, are at the forefront of anti-dam protests in Sikkim because they worship mountains and rivers.

understanding over the past decade, the Sikkim government has signed letters of intent or MoUs with the government-owned and private power production companies for the construction of 27 small and large power projects, with a total capacity of 5,494 MW on the River Teesta and its tributaries. Four of these projects have been scrapped following sustained protests from the Lepcha community.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Sikkim on January 17 to launch the largest of these power projects in North Sikkim near Dzongu – the 1,200 MW Teesta Stage III – but he could not make it.

This project will be the country’s second-largest dam and a government official in Sikkim said that the formal Future powerhouse Considered the “future power- inauguration of the project will now house” of the country, Northeast- take place in February or March. ern states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh have witnessed a lot of hy- Don’t desecrate our homeland Buoyed by their previous sucdropower activities in recent years.

While Arunachal Pradesh has cess of sustained protests and signed over 150 memorandums of hunger strikes, the Lepchas have

Bhutan Consulate General Office to be set up in Guwahati

guwahati, JaNuary 28 (Pti): The Assam and Bhutan governments have decided to share intelligence inputs between them at a meeting here on Friday, as they discussed mechanism for vibrant entry-exit mechanism to give an impetus to industry and commerce.

The state further agreed to a proposal for setting up of a Consulate General Office of Royal Government of Bhutan in Guwahati and conveyed willingness to the Ministry of External Affairs. Vowing to share intelligence inputs between Assam and Bhutan to put a tab on terrorist activities, the meeting

between state government officials and officials from the Department of Law and Order, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs of Bhutan also pitched for a vibrant entry-exit mechanism to give an impetus to industry and commerce between Assam and Bhutan, an official statement said.

In the meeting which aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two neighbours, Assam government ratified the proposal of the Bhutan government for setting up of a Consulate General Office in Guwahati and conveyed its decision to the Ministry of External Affairs.

The five-member delegation from Bhutan discussed a wide spectrum of issues with the senior officers of the state government's Home and Political Department, it said.

The two sides further discussed the existing boundaries that Assam shared with Bhutan and exchanged inputs on missing boundary pillars and vowed to take immediate steps to address the issue, the release added.

The officers also decided to carry forward the strong connection between Assam and Bhutan and work for strengthening the mutual ties between them.

R-Day parade: Arunachal wins best tableau award

New Delhi, JaNuary 28 (iaNS): The Arunachal Pradesh tableau was adjudged the best tableau in this year's Republic Day parade while Madras Engineer Group and the CISF won the first prize as top marching contingent, under different categories.

According to a Defence Ministry release, of a total 23 tableaux, including six from Union Ministries/Departments that took part in this year's Republic Day Parade, the first position was bagged by Arunachal Pradesh tableau for depicting the Yak dance. The Yak dance is one of the most famous pantomimes of the Mahayana sect of Buddhist tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.

In the category of tableaux representing Union Ministries/Depart-

ments, the first prize was given to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship which depicted the theme 'Transforming India through Skill Development'. The tableau presented by the Central Public Works Department depicting the concept of 'Green India-Clean India' was selected for a special prize by the jury. Tripura's tableau based on 'Hojagiri' dance, depicting the magnificent Reang tribal dance was adjudged the second best, while the third position was shared by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

In the competitive category of school children items, the dance presented by Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pitampura, Delhi has been adjudged the best children item for their perfor-

Purohit sworn in as M'laya Acting Governor itaNagar, JaNuary 28 (iaNS): Assam Governor Banwarilal Purohit was on Saturday sworn in as Acting Governor of Meghalaya by Shillong High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari at Raj Bhavan.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, state Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh and Health and Family Welfare Minister Roshan Warjri besides government officials and defence officials were present when Purohit was administered the oath of office.

Tripura CPI-M begins stir against demonetisation agartala, JaNuary 28 (iaNS): The ruling CPI-M in Tripura on Saturday launched a five-day statewide agitation to protest the demonetisation of high value notes. "The Central government must vacate all restrictions in banking transactions including withdrawal of money by the people," Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) central committee member Bijan Dhar said elaborating the issues of the agitation, which is a part of the party's nationwide stir. "We are also demanding to compensate the revenue loss of the state governments due to demonetisation of old notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500. The Central government must announce compensation for those families whose members were due to the step of demonetisation," he added. The other issues to be highlighted during the agitation include waiving of farmer loans, withdrawal of restrictions relating to cooperative banks, no forceful imposition of cashless transactions and continuation of public distribution system with the old method.

mance to express how our National Flag has been a witness to the glorious tales of our freedom fighters, establishment of Indian democracy, the endless affection of Indians, women's empowerment and such countless achievements. A consolation prize has also been awarded to South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur for their performance of the 'Saila Karma' dance.

Madras Engineer Group won the first prize in the services category, while the CISF was adjudged the best marching contingent under the category of Para-Military Forces and other auxiliary marching contingents. As in previous years, this year also Ministry of Defence had appointed three panels of judges for assessing the participants.

resolved to fight against the implementation of Teesta Stage IV, one of a series of projects planned in the state’s main river and its tributaries.

UNESCO protection UNESCO’s recognition of Khangchendzonga National Park as a world heritage site in July has bolstered the case of the protesters.

“Located at the heart of the Himalayan range in northern India, the Khangchendzonga National Park includes a unique diversity of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers and spectacular snow-capped mountains covered with ancient forests, including the world’s third highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga,” states the UNESCO website.

“Mythological stories are associated with this mountain and with a great number of natural elements (for example caves, rivers, lakes, etc.) that are the object of worship by the indigenous people of Sikkim,” it continues. The Lepchas argue that this recognition shows the Environ-

North Sikkim are being ignored as the projects steam ahead, according to Gyatso. “For example no one cares whether we have desirable road connectivity and health facilities. Just look at the pathetic condition of our roads,” he said. “They are only interested in constructing the power projects at the cost of the destruction of our environment and disrespect to our religious beliefs.”

Government’s justification Sikkim government officials say the new power projects will bring development to the remote and scarcely populated state and prosperity to the people.

Namgyal Tshering Bhutia, secretary of Sikkim’s Energy and Power Department, claimed that the government has the support of some gram sabhas (elected village committees). “Some sections of people are in support of the power project and we are hopeful that all will agree in the end,” Bhutia said.

Lepchas say that their religious beliefs are at the core of their opposition to the power projects in Dzongu. “Dzongu is the place where our race (Lepcha) was created and Khangchendzonga is our mother mountain where our souls ultimately get salvation,” said Sonam Lepcha, a farmer in Dzongu.

“Our religious belief is that our souls, following our death, are taken to Khangchendzonga along the Rongyo (River Teesta). And they are telling us that they are constructing the project on this river.”

The environment is also under threat, said Sonam: “What is going to happen to fish and other small creatures when they divert the river?”

CJNCSD questions Manipur CBSE BASE SCHOOL AT CHUMUKEDIMA govt’s move to outlaw UNC Wanted the following posts New Delhi, JaNuary 28 (MexN): Reacting to Manipur Government’s move to declare United Naga Council (UNC) as “unlawful organization”, the Committee for Joint Naga Civil Societies, Delhi (CJNCSD) today questioned whether “the State Government is propounding a new definition of the term ‘unlawful organization’ to facilitate gagging and curbing of dissenting voices at the whims of the State Government.” CJNCSD in a press release issued by its Secretary, Information & Publicity Wing, Sira Kharay asserted that “dissent” and “democratic protest” are not “unlawful” and “UNC by observing peaceful partial suspension of commercial vehicular movements along the National Highway in protest against the most undemocratic formation of seven new districts does not become unlawful.”

UNC, CJNCSD clarified, is the customarily mandated apex traditional body of the Nagas in Manipur with a democratic set-up of grass-root level and institutional support, participation and representation from all the Naga tribal bodies and village traditional authorities and thus, the legitimacy and mass-based organizational structure of UNC cannot be put to question.

It further affirmed that the Naga people and their “endearing organization” UNC cannot be distinguished and separated as UNC constitutes the Naga people themselves and any move on the part of the State Government to declare UNC as “unlawful” would amount to declaring the entire Naga people as “unlawful”. Meanwhile, the Committee slammed Ibobi led Congress Government’s “relentless attempt to vilify the sacred cause of the Nagas by painting UNC as a terror organization” and vouched that UNC by voicing the interest of the Nagas does not make it a mouthpiece of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM). Reminding that NSCN (IM) is not a “terrorist” or “unlawful” organization within the purview of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, it termed the “hyper-acrimonious stance of Ibobi led Congress Government against NSCN (I-M) in the name of advancing Meitei chauvinism at the cost of Northeast common aspiration for peace in the region” as regrettable.

I will not resign: M'laya Home Minister

ShilloNg, JaNuary 28 (iaNS): Meghalaya Home Minister Horju Donkupar Roy Lyngdoh on Saturday said that he will not resign in connection with the rape of a minor girl in his son's guest house here.

"I have not done wrong. I did not run the guest house. The guest house is run by the management," Lyngdoh said reacting to the demands from several quarters, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for his resignation.

"I have given the police a free hand to investigate to find out the truth. If need be they (police) can interrogate me in this matter. Therefore, I will not resign as a minister," the Home Minister told IANS. Four people had separately raped the 14-year-old girl at the Marvelene's Inn, the guest house which is run by Lyngdoh's son Nathaniel Osbert Rymmai.

Lyngdoh's statement is significant in the wake of V. Shanmuganathan resigning as Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh Governor on Thursday night after he was accused of inappropriate behaviour and hurting the decorum and prestige of the Raj Bhavan.

Meghalaya police have arrested 16 people, including Independent legislator Julius Kitbok Dorphang in connection with the sexual abuse of the 14-year-old girl at various guest houses and a government-owned resort.

"The investigation into the case (sexual assault of minor girl) is in full swing. We have questioned the Home Minister's son and if need be we will also summon the Home Minister for questioning," Mariahom Kharkrang, the district police chief of East Khasi Hills, told IANS. However, BJP's Secretary in-charge Meghalaya Nalin Kohli questioned the ruling Congress-led government for turning a deaf ear to the demands of civil society groups, who were demanding the resignation of the Home Minister to ensure a free and fair investigation.

mental Impact Assessment report as well as Expert Appraisal Committee report, which cleared the Teesta Stage IV project, have ignored the sacred nature of the Kanchendzonga and its importance in the culture and value system of indigenous groups in Sikkim.

“We are now waiting for the government to announce the scrapping of Teesta Stage IV against the backdrop of UNESCO’s observations and on the basis of rejection of the project by the Lepcha community of Dzongu and the elected gram Panchayats of Dzongu in all their meetings with the government so far,” Gyatso Lepcha, general secretary of Affected Citizens of Teesta , told thethirdpole.net.

“If we feel that the government is dilly-dallying, we will submit a written representation to UNESCO to convey how its listed sites are being treated in India,” Gyatso said.

The people of North Sikkim have already suffered a lot of environmental damage from two other mega projects on the Teesta (Stage III and Stage V) which produce over 1,700 MW of energy, even though Sikkim only needs around 112 MW, said Gyatso. Under the project agreement for Stage IV, Sikkim will get 12% of the electricity for free and the remaining power will be exported to the rest of India.

Lepchas also see the construction of power projects, which bring a lot of new workers flooding into the remote area, as a demographic threat. “We Lepchas are like tigers; an endangered species in India,” Gyatso said. There are only about 4,000 remaining Lepchas living in Dzongu.

The needs of local people in

"With what face is the Congress party politicising this (inappropriate behaviour of former Governor V Shanmuganathan). They should first answer why is the Home Minster still in office and what action is being taken against him.

After all a 14-year-old girl was repeatedly raped in a guest house owned by him and various complaints exist already," Kohli told IANS. "Shanmuganathan resigned to ensure the dignity of the office and institution has been maintained. Let's not forget no statement or complaint exists from any lady against him (Shanmuganathan)," the BJP leader stated.

On the other hand, Leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy said that Chief Minister Mukul Sangma should relieve Lyngdoh of his Home portfolio to ensure a free and fair probe into the alleged sexual abuse in the guest house owned by his son. "There is a growing demand for the resignation of Home Minister on this issue and the Chief Minister should have relieved him from the Home portfolio since he is the overall head of the state police department even if he does not sack him from his ministry to ensure free and fair probe," Roy told IANS. On the other hand, civil society groups Thma U Rangli (TUR) and Civil Society Women's Organisation - reiterated their demand for the resignation of the Home Minister.

"He (Lyngdoh) should immediately quit. The Home Minister cannot be so stubborn in such a sensitive case and he cannot say he is not interfering and giving a free hand to police to investigate when he is still the Home Minister," TUR leader Angela Rangad said.

"He has to step down since there is no free flow of investigation. We don't care if he is BJP or Congress legislator. He has been elected by the people. We are demanding a free and fair investigation to ensure justice to the victim and security to the people of the state," she added.

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SunDAY 29•01•2017

nagaland

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Nagaland legal agencies observes Republic Day Dimapur, January 28 (mExn): Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) and the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) celebrated India’s 68th Republic Day in all the eleven districts across the State.

The day was celebrated by reaching out to the masses gathered at the ceremonial venue to spread legal literacy and rendered free legal services by setting up free legal literacy stall, exhibition stall and legal camps. Officials of the District Legal Services Authorities visited district Jail, orphanage and shelter homes and conducted legal literacy programmes.

At the legal literacy stall and legal aid camps, legal literacy booklets, pamphlets, flyers, leaflets and simplified law books on various legislations and provisions of law were distributed at free of cost. The legal literacy booklets, pamphlets, flyers covering various

subjects, targeting children, senior citizens, women, consumers etc were distributed at the legal literacy stall as a measure to ensure legal awareness and educated the common people at large. Booklets translated into local dialects were also released and distributed for the first time.

In Kiphire, NSLSA in collaboration with Kiphire District Legal Services Authority led by Nino Iralu, Member Secretary, NSLSA celebrated the ceremony at the local ground, Kiphire. C Kipili Sangtam, Minister for Power released a legal literacy book on Nagaland Village Council & Area Act, 1978 translated in Sangtam dialect.

The Tuensang District Legal Services Authority set up a legal literacy camp at the local ground, Tuensang. Legal literacy booklets, flyers, leaflets and pamphlets were distributed to the public. Booklets written in local dialect was

introduced, which was much appreciated by the visitors of the camp.

The Mokokchung District Legal Services Authority with legal aid counsels, panel lawyers and para legal volunteers setup a free legal aid camp at the Imkongmeren sports complex. Free legal literacy booklets on various provisions and law were distributed. MDLSA officials also visited Mokokchung District Jail and inspected the legal aid clinic setup within the premises of the District Jail along with the Jail authorities.

The panel lawyers assisted by para legal volunteers of Zunheboto District Legal Services Authority mustered up and rallied around the venue of the Republic day celebration by distributing free legal literacy booklets, pamphlets and flyers at free of cost to the public gathered for witnessing the celebration of Republic day event.

The Longleng District

Demonstration prog conducted at Chenwetnyu mon, January 28 (mExn): A demonstration programme was conducted at Chenwetnyu, Mon ATMA on the cultivation of pea and its effect on soil health using picco projector on January 27.The programme was chaired by Mhachamo (ATM).

Functions of SHG, CIG in the block were explained to the farmers by Asangla Ozukum (BTM). She also stressed on the economic development of their villages through the setting up of such groups.

The resource person for the demonstration was Nokho Konyak (ATM). He explained about the production technology of pea (Pisum sativum) and the improvement of the soil health after the crop has

been harvested. He also stressed on the intercultural practices and said that such timely practice improve the production in a large scale. Staking of the crop during fruiting was demonstrated. Pictures of different methods of Staking and identification of different insect pest and their management were shown with the help of picco projector.

The farmers gave their feedback about the demonstration using picco projector that such innovative initiative by ATMA will make the farmers understand and learn more in the days to come. Altogether 52 farmers attended the demonstration. Inputs were distributed among the farmers.

Legal Services Authority observed the day by setting up legal literacy stall at the venue where the ceremonial function was held. The public were provided with free legal literacy booklets and lessons in basic law.

The Republic day was observed by setting up legal literacy stall at the main ceremonial venue of Mon District by Mon District Legal services Authority. The stall was chaired by panel lawyers and para legal volunteers who rendered free legal assistance and legal advice along with free distribution of legal literacy print materials to public visiting the stall.

The Legal Literacy stall setup by the Peren District Legal services Authority to celebrate the Republic day was well visited by large number of public. The visitors received free legal literacy booklets, pamphlets and flyers on the occasion. Later, officials of

Kiphire prepares for immunization programmes

KiphirE, January 28 (mExn): To ensure successful implementation of Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI), National De-worming Day (NDD) and Mission Indradhanush (MI) Phase-4 in Kiphire district, District Task Force meeting was held on January 27 at DC office, Kiphire.

The meeting, chaired by Sedevikho Khro (DC), was attended by Dr. Tsenthungo Patton (CMO), Dr. Rebecca Y Sema (DPO, RCH-UIP), Herole Y (VCCM), Sumit Sharma (UNDP PO-IT), Ylutiule (UNDP PO-CM/ ME), L. Kipitong (SIS), L. Meshu (SS NST) and Z. Tsangkhuchu (CDPO) Dr. Rebecca gave an overview of IPPI, NDD and MI to sensitize the attendees on the objectives and various activities chalked out for the programmes. The target of IPPI will be to administer two drops of life-saving oral polio vaccine to children from 0-5 years in the district. The 1st round of IPPI will be conducted from January 29-31, 2017; the first day focussing on administering the drops through booth activities and the the John 3:16 society, an specialized adoption agency in mon received materials from the other two days on house to house sumi baptist Church mon. the visiting church members also offered special prayers for visits by the medical team. children and staffs in the home on the eve of republic day 2017.

NDD will be conducted on

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Peren District Legal services Authority visited the District Jail to ensure the welfare and rights of the Prisoners.

Phek District Legal services Authority set up Legal Literacy Stall at the ceremonial venue. The Panel Lawyers and Para Legal Volunteers distributed free books on laws, Leaflets and Pamphlets on Legal Provisions. Huge crowd visited the stall for availing the Literacy books and free legal advice and counseling was also provided to the common man. Phek District Legal services Authority visited orphanage Home.

Wokha District Legal services Authority setup a Legal Literacy clinic on the occasion and witnessed huge turn up of people at the stall.

The main activities were free distribution of legal literacy Booklets, Pamphlets and Flyers. Free Legal counseling and advices were also rendered to the public.

February 10, where the schools and anganwadi workers will play a major role in distributing Albendazole tablets to children of 1-19 years, informed a press release from District Media Officer, CMO office, Kiphire.

Along with the rest of country, Mission Indradhanush (MI) Phase-4 will also be launched on February 7 to strengthen routine immunization. This immunization drive will be carried out for seven consecutive days in a month for four successive months – February to May 2017.

The first round which will be conducted from February 7-13 will cover 19 session sites district which are hard to reach areas, places where there are no health centres, and areas where migratory population is present. The target beneficiaries are 0-2 years, 5 years and pregnant mothers.

Apart from the agenda, Dr. Rebecca also briefly spoke on Effective Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN), which has been introduced recently into the healthcare management system. This application enables any coldchain handler or pharmacist to effectively manage inventory and supplies of materials such as vaccines and health products.

DiMaPUR

ACROSS 8. Way out 1. 3rd Greek letter 9. Twin or double 6. Implored 10. Decorative 10. Probabilities 11. Birthing coach 14. Extraterrestrial 12. Noblemen 15. 71 in Roman numerals 13. Views 16. Debauchee 21. Caviar 17. Aspect 25. Autonomic nervous system 18. Keen 26. Gumbo 19. Microwave (slang) 27. Not hot 20. Brotherhood 28. A dog wags one 22. Beers 29. A moderately quick tempo 23. Excluding 30. Devoutness 24. Mommies 31. “Where the heart is” 26. A hydrocarbon in petroleum 33. Pinnacle 30. Communication device 34. Tropical American wildcat 32. Australian “bear” 35. Smudge 33. Piety 36. A few 37. Agitate 38. Traditionalists 38. Considers 41. Animal doctor 39. Misprint 42. Half man and half horse 40. Assuage 44. To make a fool of (archaic) 42. Billiards bounce 45. Clearing 43. Nerdish 46. Classical Greek 44. Accuse (archaic) 47. Abounds 45. Circumference 48. Hurried 47. 2,000 pounds 50. Casino game 48. Blackthorn 51. Snare 49. A delayed flavor sensation 52. Skin disease 56. Breathe hard 53. Fizzy drink 57. Unusual 54. Snip 58. Fruit of the oak tree 55. Terminates 59. Modify Answer to Crossword 3840 60. Apothecary’s weight 61. Reversed 62. A style of design 63. Absorbs 64. Units of paper DOWN 1. Spike 2. Winglike 3. Flexible mineral 4. Encounter 5. Aerial 6. Flora 7. 66 in Roman numerals

SUDOKU

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neepCo doyang hydro electric plant conducted medical camp at lakhuti village on January 25 under the Csr scheme 2016-17. more than 200 people availed the free medical examination and medicines provided during the camp.

The new office bearers and executive members of Imkonglenden Youth organisation (iyo) selected during the 14th general session of the organisation.

AtmA tseminyu organised demonstration programme on potato cultivation on January 27 at tesophenyu with kevineituo bier, Atm, AtmA tseminyu as the resource person. the resource person demonstrated on the package of practices on potato cultivation. 16 farmers attended the programme and potato seeds were distributed to them.

Class 12 students of mgmhss after the parting social programme held at the school ground on January 27. principal rev. fr. p.s. varghese bid farewell with words of encouragement for successful life to the outgoing students. this was followed by special presentations from both the classes and speeches delivered by representatives of the classes.

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police Control room

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kohimA ps/oCs Contact numbers

Police Traffic Control

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east police station

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

Game Number # 3836

std code: 03871

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Answer Number # 3835

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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

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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

66.51 82.65 8.3 50.27 46.81 49.99 58.26 71.4 1.82 0.0552 17.52 9.44

69.51 86.63 9.24 52.78 49.09 52.44 61.56 74.86 2.03 0.0615 19.52 10.51

Sunday 29•01•2017

NAGALAND

Maturing through education: 67th SaSu biennial conference underway Ketholeno Neihu Phesama | January 28

‘Embrace learning, nature and life’

The Southern Angami Students’ Union’s (SASU) 67th Biennial General Conference got underway on January 27 at St. Paul School, Phesama under the theme “Be an asset not a liability.”

Speaker at the introductory session, Khrupi Sothu, Secretary, Nagaland Public Service Commission, in his address underlined the need for maturing through education. “Our education should be accompanied with a vision and the sensible farsightedness while doing away with our mentality of seeking and appreciating only governmental jobs,” Sothu said.

Stating that the event was organized as a seminar for the hundreds of civil service aspirants, Sothu lamented that only 86 youths attended and remarked, “Laziness, shyness and ignorance are impediments to educational societies.”

Sothu cited an all India Survey of 2014 which states that mobile, internet and gaming have contributed to a reduction in quality education in the country, and asserted that “attaining knowledge through educa-

Phesama, January 28 (mexn): Addressing the inaugural session of the conference on Saturday as one of the speakers, former MLA Dr. Diethoo Yhoshü implored students to brace themselves to cherish, embrace and celebrate three things- “Learning, Nature and Life”.

“Short and simple, yet profound…All great men have done that. The love for these three can usher in balance, order, rhythm and harmony in your lives,” a press release quoted Dr. Yhoshü as saying.

Maintaining that learning is a life-long process with no ‘age bar’ and that it is life’s greatest opportunity, he called upon all to try to learn something new each day. On loving nature, Dr. Yhoshü said nature is everything there is in the heavens and on earth, and people are to take care of it as one in charge.

According to the release, Dr. Yhoshü also highlighted the need to love life and to live it well by taking care of its four dimensions- physical, mental, social and spiritual. The important thing is to take heart and make midway or mid-course corrections; we have to learn to gird up ourselves and walk on, he added.

“In you, the past and the future meet. Love learning, love nature, love life and make your world better for having come this way at this time. When you do, our future is in good hands,” he told the gathering.

SAGOK President, Nosazol Charles sent out a strong message that the people, including students, need to start thinking and planning for sustainability.

Angami Students’ Union President, Dievi Yano while delivering greetings, called upon the student community to uphold the mother tongue and identity. SASU president Teisovi Thorie highlighted that the organization has set up a new vision to bring positive changes in the society and that the conference was being held on the call to its members “To become assets, not liabilities”.

A section of the gathering attending the Southern Angami Students’ Union (SASU) 67th biannual general conference began with the introductory session held on January 27.

tion is a prerequisite,” adding, “skills and ability utilization is the need.”

Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) Treasurer Virul Kikhi also attended the programme as session guest.

An executive of the conference meanwhile sought to highlight the pros of having such conferences. “Student conferences are a conglomerate of intellect. With very good speakers it is a learning experience which is an important part of ev-

ery student life,” the executive expressed.

Guest speaker of the academic session, Dominic Meyieho, Senior Asst.

Prof. Assam Don Bosco Uni. stressed on the importance of “Inter-culturality” in Naga Society and lamented on the negative denotation caused by identity politics. Drawing attention to the multiple cultures existing in Naga society, he insisted that the differences can become a fellowship of unity through mutual dialogue and criti-

cism, further enriching and purifying our culture.

A debate on the topic, “Demonitization of Indian Currency” was also held with Asano Zashii as the Critic.

Around 300 delegates from the 13 villages of Southern Angami region and guests from various areas and organizations are taking part in the conference which concludes on Sunday.

(The writer is currently an intern with The Morung Express)

Gov mourns KT Border Fence: ‘Repeating a historical wrong upon Nagas’ Thomas’ demise DimaPur, January 28 form” and “encroachment or dis- garded... Today, the joint forum is declared that Nagas along with (mexn): The joint forum of In- affiliation of its land was totally shocked to see the self made in- their inherited land “is an unde-

kohima, January 28 (mexn): Nagaland Governor PB Acharya has mourned the demise of State Tourism Director K T Thomas.

Terming late Thomas a “sincere, dedicated and disciplined officer with vast experience” Governor Acharya in a message credited him for the “significant progress” the Tourism Department made including Nagaland figuring in the International tourism map. “His demise is a great loss to Tourism Department and people of Nagaland.

His contributions will be remembered by all,” the message read.

Conveying heartfelt condolences to the family, Acharya prayed to the Almighty to grant strength and solace to overcome the grief.

dia based Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) and Myanmar based Naga Students’ Organisation (NSO) has expressed “utmost resentment” at the construction of border fence at Pangsha and declared it “repeating a historical wrong upon the Nagas.”

The student bodies have appealed to New Delhi and Naypyidaw to immediately stop such “cruel move” of building a fence in the border and expedite governmental talks for peace and development through investment in all the Naga inhabited areas.

A release from T. Mankhat Konyak, President, NSO and Honang M Jessuhu, General Secretary, ENSF stated that “since time immemorial, every single Naga village had survived self independently.” The code of law that governed the villages, it said, “was purely in a republicanism

unthinkable.” The Naga villages at the border, the forum added, inherited their land and the land can neither be encroached upon nor seceded through any “treacherous force.” It further demanded

sincere attitude and its doctored consequences/situation as fingered upon,” it lamented.

Further, ENSF and NSO termed the move to segregate the Naga families through the border

‘Naga villages at the border inherited their land and the land can neither be encroached upon nor seceded through any treacherous force’ that New Delhi and Naypyidaw should immediately reconsider the imaginary line that “runs through the heart and the soul of the Nagas.”

The ENSF and NSO also pointed out they had appealed to the Governments of India and Myanmar as well as the NSCN/ GPRN (Khaplang) to be sincere in delivering peace and tranquillity. “However, to our utmost dismay, the pleas were totally disre-

fencing initiated by the Myanmar Government as “undemocratic act of cruelty.” On the other hand, it questioned, “Can New Delhi declare its uncontaminated mind on this issue when after huge funding have been plunged at Naypyidaw?” The joint forum opined that if at all such move had been included in the diplomatic talks between India and Myanmar, it should be rectified at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the joint forum

niable ‘natural barrier’ that had stood firm safeguarding the sovereignty of both India and Myanmar.” Thus, such barrier should be honoured and “the concept/ question of concrete wall or even imaginary line should not be diluted upon it which might endanger its own sovereignty instead.”

The release also noted that the border fencing is a mockery to the Act East Policy of Government of India.

“Though the joint forum temporarily admits its political segregation, it cannot compromise on such infliction that permanently segregates its land and its people.

Instead, funding or investment on either side should be primarily focused or be invested on the development of road infrastructure, health, education and economy of the Nagas living on either side,” it added.

MEx FILE 'Banking system very poor in rural areas' Our Correspondent Kohima | January 28

The Nagaland Vision 2030 document stated that the banking system is very poor in the rural areas of the state.

“In fact they are non-existent in large pockets of the state.

Along with the fast changes envisaged on IT sector, there should be concerted efforts to provide 100 per cent banking coverage of all rural areas within the next ten years,” the Vision document emphasized. It stated that this is imperative with the recent policy of the Government of India for direct benefit transfers in Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). The banking facilities, apart from facilitating their adaption to a money economy, will also prepare the ground for the introduction of many welfare schemes including the insurance systems and the ‘Social Security Net’ that is envisaged in the Vision, it added.

DC Wokha notifies Wokha, January 28 (mexn): Deputy Commissioner of Wokha, Wezope Kenye has informed that in view of the ensuing ULB elections in the State, carrying of any kind of arms/explosives and lethal weapons has been banned with immediate effect till election process is over. Failure to comply with the said notice shall invite stringent action as per the relevant Act, he warned.

Dimapur Bangali Samaj informs DimaPur, January 28 (mexn): The Dimapur Bangali Samaj has informed all its members to assemble at Sri Sri Ramtakhur Sevashram Railway and Netaji Colony Dimapur on Sunday, January 29 at 3:30 pm for distribution of study materials and financial help provided to poor and needy students for admission into different schools in Dimapur.

NSCN (IM) recovers bike DimaPur, January 28 (mexn): The Operation Acceleration Dimapur Town (OATD) of the NSCN (IM) has informed of the recovery of one Bajaj Platina without registration number. The bike bearing Chasis No. MD2DJKZZRPDO3591 and Engine No. JKUBTD30383 was recovered on January 24 at 4th Mile, Dimapur. A press release stating this informed the owner to claim the said vehicle within seven days by producing relevant/authentic documents. Contact – 7085833728/9862764904.

IHRN to spread awareness on Human rights kohima, January 28 (mexn): The International Human Rights Nagaland (IHRN) board during its State level board meeting held at Hotel Vivor Kohima on January 24 decided that it will work harder to educate people and spread awareness on Human rights from the grass root level itself. State PRO Nagaland Kenny in a press release stated that it also resolved to try and bring talents and skills to the Human Rights campaign to make people understand their rights better. The board decided to strengthen its core and work closely with all sections of society to give opportunities and multidisciplinary internship programme to recognise the right people, offering their ideas and expertise, and a platform.

NCRC Thanksgiving Service on Feb 5 kohima, January 28 (mexn): The Nagaland Christian Revival Church (NCRC) will be organizing a Thanksgiving Service for the successful conduct of the Revival and Healing Convention. Towards this, the Organising Committee has invited all Churches, families and individuals who have generously contributed their wealth, time, prayer and moral support to be part of the thanksgiving service at CRC, Kohima Village on February 5 at 3:00 pm. The Revival and Healing Convention was held from January 19-22 at Rüzhükhrie Govt. Higher Secondary School ground, Kohima.

Rengma GBs to Governor pays tribute to Rani Gaidinliu NNC 71st anniv Public SPace kohima, January 28 on February 2 boycott ULB elections Know The Wonderful Creator (mexn): The birth anniversary of Rani Gaidinliu kohima, January 28 DimaPur, January release.

Of All Wonderful Things was observed at Raj Bhavan, (mexn): The Naga NationAsserting that it shall 28 (mexn): In the wake al Council (NNC) is observ-

of the unrest emerging out of the proposed Municipal Elections, the Rengma GB Association has expressed strong support on the decision of the Rengma Hoho to Boycott ULB election 2017 “as this has gone against the will of the people”.

“The Rengma GBs as the guardian of the Rengma Naga customary law shall not compromise with its right at any cause,” the association stated in a press

Kohima on January 26 with floral tributes. Piyush Goyal, Commissioner & Secretary to Governor gave a brief account of Rani Gaidinliu’s life and activities, a press release informed. Governor PB Acharya along with Raj Bhavan staff paid floral tribute to Gaidinliu. He also recounted their first meeting in 1965, during late P. Shilu Ao’s government, when Gaidiliu was kept under house arrest in Minister’s Hill, Kohima.

continue to uphold Rengma Naga customary and Traditional practices, the Association asked all its members to remain committed to its responsibility as guardians of the Law. Any bona fide member going against the wishes and will of the Community shall invite serious disciplinary action as deem fit according to our customary Law, the association warned.

KDDMA quarterly meeting held kohima, January 28 (mexn): The quarterly meeting of the Kohima District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) was held at DC’s Conference Hall under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, Rajesh Soundararajan, IAS. The meeting reviewed the last meeting minutes and discussed the following agenda: On forest fire agenda, the DC felt that involvement of Village Council and administrative officers is required to pass on strict instructions to the villagers and the public especially during this windy season in order to prevent occurrence of forest fire which mostly happens to be man-made

disaster. He also said that the district administrative officers would be asked to inform their respective Village Councils to monitor in their own jurisdictions.

The District Forest Officer also informed that during fire incidences, the Inter-Departmental convergence have been assisting in whatever ways possible in the past years. The department had also been able to mobilize the resources and people and manages the fire successfully however he expressed that prevention has to be made in practice as experienced with some serious fire incidences that occurred in the past years.

On the agenda of Disaster Mitigation activities, the DC requested the members

T

he earth on which we live, is wonderful but it is created by God. The sun, the moon and the stars are wonderful but all these are created by God. Rain, wind or air dew are wonderful but all these are created by God. Oceans and seas are wonderful but these are created

by God. Fountain of water, rivers and lakes are wonderful but all these are created by God. Animals which live in land and those which live in water are wonderful but all these are created by God. Trees, plants, vegetables, grasses, flowers and fruits are wonderful but all these are created by God. Minerals on the surface and below the surface of the earth are wonderful but all these are created by God. Technologies made by man are wonderful but both man and all of the materials are created by God. The physical body of man constituted by different organs is wonderful but it is the workmanship of God. All lives are wonderful but all are created by God who alone is the LIFE. Behind a breathing in and out of air, a heartbeat, and a cup of water, there is the eternal living Almighty God! Cycle of day and night caused by rotating of the earth within 24 hours to serve lives on the earth is wonderful but it is God’s plan and creation. How beautiful His creation of timely turns day and night is!

Cycle of seasons of the year caused by revolution of the earth to serve lives on the earth within a year is wonderful but it is God’s plan and creation. How beautiful His creation of the seasons of the year is!

The existence and systematic rotations and revolutions of the planets, stormy blow of wind, torrent of rain, solar power, lightning and thunder are wonderful and all these are God’s creation.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” In your religious, social and political life, are you striving for reputation, prestige, praises of men and glory?

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoWith most citizens choosing to remain indoors and vehicles off the road aftermath the ever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mat.23:12) ing the 71st anniversary of NNC formation on February 2, 10:00 am at Peace Hall, Chedema Peace Camp. NNC Joint Secretary Acüyi Vadeo through a press note has invited all Nagas to attend the programme. All Regional Presidents of NNC have been requested to make wide publicity in their respective regions to observe the National Day.

to identify the area where mitigation activities can be taken up in their concerned area of working. In this connection, he also said that the district administration would write a request letter to allot some money for mitigation activities which will be used only for mitigation activities for any development especially during the monsoon season.

Administrator KMC, Kovi Meyase, in response affirmed that it would be a positive initiative if certain fund could be used to mitigate natural disaster particularly landslide and mudslide in Kohima district. The meeting was also attended by DDMA members from various departments including the of- bandh given by JCC, a herd of cows enjoy a leisurely walk in Dimapur's Tajen Ao Road. ficials from NSDMA. (Morung Photo)

Rev. L. Suohie Mhasi

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.

6

The Chalkboard

SunDAY 29•01•2017

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

_____________________________ Because Children Matters

A child’s commandments to parents Author: Unknown

Crossword

1. My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture or throw a ball.

2. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.

3. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely; don’t restrict me unnecessarily.

4. Housework will always be there. I’m only little for such a short time — please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.

5. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs; don’t nag me all day long. (You wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness). Treat me as you would like to be treated.

6. I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.

7. I need your encouragement and praise, but not your criticism, to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember, you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

8. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I’ll be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me.

9. Please don’t do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations. I know it’s hard, but please don’t try to compare me with my brother or my sister.

10. Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids.

11. Please take me to church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning more about God.

The Wolf and the Crane

Word Puzzle

A

Wolf had been gorging on an animal he had killed, when suddenly a small bone in the meat stuck in his throat and he could not swallow it.

He soon felt terrible pain in his throat, and ran up and down groaning and groaning and seeking for something to relieve the pain.

He tried to induce every one he met to remove the bone.

“I would give anything,” said he, “if you would take it out.”

At last the Crane agreed to try, and told the Wolf to lie on his side and open his jaws as wide as he could.

Then the Crane put its long neck down the Wolf's throat, and with its beak loosened the bone, till at last it got it out.

“Will you kindly give me the reward you promised?” said the Crane.

The Wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: “Be content. You have put your head inside a Wolf's mouth and taken it out again in safety; that ought to be reward enough for you.”

Moral: Gratitude and gre e d go not together

Do You

Know Spot the differenceS

• The Australian billygoat plum contains over hundred times Vitamin C more than an orange.

• Tuesday is considered as the most productive day of the week.

• In human body the right lung takes in more air than the left one.

• The sun is 330330 times larger than the earth.

• Bill gates house was designed using Macintosh computer which is a brand of the microsoft’s rival company.

• Almost all varieties of breakfast cereals are made from grass.

• In the 1930’s America track star Jesse Owens used to race against horses and dogs to earn a living.

• There is a great mushroom in Oregon that is 2,400 years old. It Covers 3.4

Dot to Dot

FAITH LEAF

SunDAY 29•01•2017

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

INSPIRATIONAL STORIES, MESSAGES, POEMS & SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

7

Loving Your EnEmiEs

In this sermon written from jail, King shows and a new beginning. It is the lifting of how the loving empire of Jesus can overwhelm a burden or the cancelling of a debt.

The words “I will forgive you, but I’ll the bitter empire of Man never forget what you’ve done” never Note by Dr. Cornel West: Convicted in July explain the real nature of forgiveness.

1962 for participating in Albany movement Certainly one can never forget, if that demonstrations the previous December, Dr. means erasing it totally from his mind.

King and his close friend and movement But when we forgive, we forget in the colleague Ralph Abernathy refused to pay sense that the evil deed is no longer their fines and announced instead that they a mental block impeding a new relawould serve five-day jail terms. After spend- tionship. Likewise, we can never say, ing two nights in a jail that King described “I will forgive you, but I won’t have as “dirty, filthy, and ill-equipped . . . [the] anything further to do with you.” Forworst I have ever seen,” the two men were giveness means reconciliation, a comunexpectedly bailed out by an unidentified ing together again. Without this, no black man. When he was again jailed, later man can love his enemies. The degree in July of that year, King used his two weeks to which we are able to forgive deterof imprisonment to revise one of his favorite mines the degree to which we are able sermons, “Loving Your Enemies,” for inclu- to love our enemies.

Second, we must recognize that sion in the sermon book Strength to Love, the evil deed of the enemy-neighbor, published in 1963. the thing that hurts, never quite exYe have heard that it hath been said, Thou presses all that he is. An element of goodness may be found even in our shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your worst enemy. Each of us is something of a schizophrenic personality, tragienemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for cally divided against ourselves. A persistent civil war rages within all of our them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be children of lives. Something within us causes us to lament with Ovid, the Latin poet, “I your Father which is in heaven.

—Matthew 5:43–45 see and approve the better things, but follow worse,” or to agree with Plato robably no admonition of Je- that human personality is like a charisus has been more difficult oteer having two headstrong horses, to follow than the command each wanting to go in a different dito “love your enemies.” Some rection, or to repeat with the Apostle Paul, men have sincerely felt that “The good that I would I do not: but the evil its actual practice is not pos- which I would not, that I do.” sible. It is easy, they say, to This simply means that there is some love those who love you, but how can one good in the worst of us and some evil in the love those who openly and insidiously seek best of us. When we discover this, we are to defeat you? Others, like the philosopher less prone to hate our enemies. When we Nietzsche, contend that Jesus’ exhortation look beneath the surface, beneath the imto love one’s enemies is testimony to the fact pulsive evil deed, we see within our enemythat the Christian ethic is designed for the neighbor a measure of goodness and know weak and cowardly, and not for the strong that the viciousness and evilness of his acts and courageous. Jesus, they say, was an im- not quite representative of all that he is. We practical idealist. see him in a new light. We recognize that In spite of these insistent questions and his hate grows out of fear, pride, ignorance, persistent objections, this command of Je- prejudice, and misunderstanding, but in sus challenges us with new urgency. Up- spite of this, we know God’s image is inefheaval after upheaval has reminded us that fably etched in his being. Then we love our modern man is traveling along a road called enemies by realizing that they are not totally hate, in a journey that will bring us to de- bad and that they are not beyond the reach struction and damnation. Far from being of God’s redemptive love. the pious injunction of a Utopian dreamer, Third, we must not seek to defeat or huthe command to love one’s enemy is an ab- miliate the enemy but to win his friendship solute necessity for our survival. Love even and understanding. At times we are able for enemies is the key to the solution of the to humiliate our worst enemy. Inevitably, problems of our world. Jesus is not an im- his weak moments come and we are able practical idealist: he is the practical realist. to thrust in his side the spear of defeat. But I am certain that Jesus understood the this we must not do. Every word and deed difficulty inherent in the act of loving one’s must contribute to an understanding with enemy. He never joined the ranks of those the enemy and release those vast reservoirs who talk glibly about the easiness of the of goodwill which have been blocked by immoral life. He realized that every genuine penetrable walls of hate. expression of love grows out of a consisThe meaning of love is not to be content and total surrender to God. So when fused with some sentimental outpouring.

Jesus said “Love your enemy,” he was not Love is something much deeper than emounmindful of its stringent qualities. Yet he tional bosh. Perhaps the Greek language meant every word of it. Our responsibility can clear our confusion at this point. In as Christians is to discover the meaning of the Greek New Testament are three words this command and seek passionately to live for love. The word eros is a sort of aesthetic it out in our daily lives. or romantic love. In the Platonic dialogues I eros is a yearning of the soul for the realm of Let us be practical and ask the question, the divine. The second word is philia, a reHow do we love our enemies? ciprocal love and the intimate affection and First, we must develop and maintain the friendship between friends. We love those capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the whom we like, and we love because we are power to forgive is devoid of the power to loved. The third word is agape understandlove. It is impossible even to begin the act ing and creative, redemptive goodwill for of loving one’s enemies without the prior all men. An overflowing love which seeks acceptance of the necessity, over and over nothing in return, agape is the love of God again, of forgiving those who inflict evil and operating in the human heart. At this level, injury upon us. It is also necessary to realize we love men not because we like them, nor that the forgiving act must always be initi- because their ways appeal to us, nor even ated by the person who has been wronged, because they possess some type of divine the victim of some great hurt, the recipient spark; we love every man because God of some tortuous injustice, the absorber of loves him. At this level, we love the person some terrible act of oppression. The wrong- who does an evil deed, although we hate the doer may request forgiveness. He may come deed that he does. to himself, and, like the prodigal son, move Now we can see what Jesus meant when up some dusty road, his heart palpitating he said, “Love your enemies.” We should be with the desire for forgiveness. But only happy that he did not say, “Like your enethe injured neighbor, the loving father back mies.” It is almost impossible to like some home, can really pour out the warm waters people. “Like” is a sentimental and affecof forgiveness. tionate word. How can we be affectionate Forgiveness does not mean ignoring toward a person whose avowed aim is to what has been done or putting a false label crush our very being and place innumeron an evil act. It means, rather, that the evil able stumbling blocks in our path? How act no longer remains as a barrier to the re- can we like a person who is threatening our lationship. Forgiveness is a catalyst creating children and bombing our homes? That is the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start impossible. But Jesus recognized that love

P

is greater than like. When Jesus bids us to love our enemies, he is speaking neither of eros nor philia; he is speaking of agape understanding and creative, redemptive goodwill for all men. Only by following this way and responding with this type of love are we able to be children of our Father who is in heaven.

II Let us move now from the practical how to the theoretical why: Why should we love our enemies? The first reason is fairly obvious. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.

So when Jesus says “Love your enemies,” he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition. Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies—or else?

The chain reaction of evil—hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars—must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Another reason why we must love our enemies is that hate scars the soul and distorts the personality. Mindful that hate is an evil and dangerous force, we too often think of what it does to the person hated.

This is understandable, for hate brings irreparable damage to its victims. We have seen its ugly consequences in the ignominious deaths brought to six million Jews by a hate-obsessed madman named Hitler, in the unspeakable violence inflicted upon Negroes by bloodthirsty mobs, in the dark horrors of war, and in the terrible indignities and injustices perpetrated against millions of God’s children by unconscionable oppressors.

But there is another side which we must never overlook. Hate is just as injurious to the person who hates. Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man’s sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.

Dr. E. Franklin Frazier, in an interesting essay entitled “The Pathology of Race Prejudice,” included several examples of white persons who were normal, amiable, and congenial in their day-to-day relationships with other white persons but when they were challenged to think of Negroes as equals or even to discuss the question of racial injustice, they reacted with unbelievable irrationality and an abnormal unbalance. This happens when hate lingers in our minds. Psychiatrists report that many of the strange things that happen in the subconscious, many of our inner conflicts, are rooted in hate. They say, “Love or perish.” Mod-

ern psychology recognizes what Jesus taught centuries ago: hate divides the personality and love in an amazing and inexorable way unites it.

A third reason why we should love our enemies is that love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. We never get rid of an enemy by meeting hate with hate; we get rid of an enemy by getting rid of enmity. By its very nature, hate destroys and tears down; by its very nature, love creates and builds up. Love transforms with redemptive power.

Lincoln tried love and left for all history a magnificent drama of reconciliation. When he was campaigning for the presidency one of his arch-enemies was a man named Stanton. For some reason Stanton hated Lincoln.

He used every ounce of his energy to degrade him in the eyes of the public. So deep rooted was Stanton’s hate for Lincoln that he uttered unkind words about his physical appearance, and sought to embarrass him at every point with the bitterest diatribes.

But in spite of this Lincoln was elected President of the United States. Then came the period when he had to select his cabinet, which would consist of the persons who would be his most intimate associates in implementing his program. He started choosing men here and there for the various secretaryships. The day finally came for Lincoln to select a man to fill the all-important post of Secretary of War. Can you imagine whom Lincoln chose to fill this post? None other than the man named Stanton. There was an immediate uproar in the inner circle when the news began to spread. Adviser after adviser was heard saying, “Mr. President, you are making a mistake. Do you know this man Stanton? Are you familiar with all of the ugly things he said about you? He is your enemy. He will seek to sabotage your program. Have you thought this through, Mr. President?” Mr. Lincoln’s answer was terse and to the point: “Yes, I know Mr. Stanton.

I am aware of all the terrible things he has said about me. But after looking over the nation, I find he is the best man for the job.”

So Stanton became Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of War and rendered an invaluable service to his nation and his President. Not many years later Lincoln was assassinated.

Many laudable things were said about him.

Even today millions of people still adore him as the greatest of all Americans. H. G. Wells selected him as one of the six great men of history. But of all the great statements made about Abraham Lincoln, the words of Stanton remain among the greatest. Standing near the dead body of the man he once hated, Stanton referred to him as one of the greatest men that ever lived and said “he now belongs to the ages.” If Lincoln had hated Stanton both men would have gone to their graves as bitter enemies. But through the power of love Lincoln transformed an enemy into a friend. It was this same attitude that made it possible for Lincoln to speak a kind word about the South during the Civil War when feeling was most bitter. Asked by a shocked bystander how he could do this, Lincoln said, “Madam, do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

This is the power of redemptive love.

We must hasten to say that these are not the ultimate reasons why we should love our enemies. An even more basic reason why we are commanded to love is expressed explicitly in Jesus’ words, “Love your enemies . . . that ye may be children of your Father which is in heaven.” We are called to this difficult task in order to realize a unique relationship with God. We are potential sons of God. Through love that potentiality becomes actuality. We must love our enemies, because only by loving them can we know God and experience the beauty of his holiness.

The relevance of what I have said to the crisis in race relations should be readily apparent. There will be no permanent solution to the race problem until oppressed men develop the capacity to love their enemies.

The darkness of racial injustice will be dispelled only by the light of forgiving love. For more than three centuries American Negroes have been battered by the iron rod of oppression, frustrated by day and bewildered by night by unbearable injustice, and

burdened with the ugly weight of discrimination. Forced to live with these shameful conditions, we are tempted to become bitter and to retaliate with a corresponding hate. But if this happens, the new order we seek will be little more than a duplicate of the old order. We must in strength and humility meet hate with love.

Of course, this is not practical. Life is a matter of getting even, of hitting back, of dog eat dog. Am I saying that Jesus commands us to love those who hurt and oppress us?

Do I sound like most preachers — idealistic and impractical? Maybe in some distant Utopia, you say, that idea will work, but not in the hard, cold world in which we live.

My friends, we have followed the socalled practical way for too long a time now, and it has led inexorably to deeper confusion and chaos. Time is cluttered with the wreckage of communities which surrendered to hatred and violence. For the salvation of our nation and the salvation of mankind, we must follow another way. This does not mean that we abandon our righteous efforts. With every ounce of our energy we must continue to rid this nation of the incubus of segregation. But we shall not in the process relinquish our privilege and our obligation to love. While abhorring segregation, we shall love the segregationist. This is the only way to create the beloved community.

To our most bitter opponents we say: “We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering.

We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you. We cannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws, because noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good.

Throw us in jail, and we shall still love you.

Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our community at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you. But be ye assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory.”

Love is the most durable power in the world. This creative force, so beautifully exemplified in the life of our Christ, is the most potent instrument available in mankind’s quest for peace and security. Napoleon Bonaparte, the great military genius, looking back over his years of conquest, is reported to have said: “Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I have built great empires. But upon what did they depend? They depended on force. But centuries ago Jesus started an empire that was built on love, and even to this day millions will die for him.”

Who can doubt the veracity of these words?

The great military leaders of the past have gone, and their empires have crumbled and burned to ashes. But the empire of Jesus, built solidly and majestically on the foundation of love, is still growing. It started with a small group of dedicated men, who, through the inspiration of their Lord, were able to shake the hinges from the gates of the Roman Empire, and carry the gospel into all the world. Today the vast earthly kingdom of Christ numbers more than 900,000,000 and covers every land and tribe. Today we hear again the promise of victory: Jesus shall reign where’er the sun Does his successive journeys run; His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, Till moon shall wax and wane no more.

Another choir joyously responds: In Christ there is no East or West, In Him no South or North, But one great Fellowship of Love Throughout the whole wide earth.

Jesus is eternally right. History is replete with the bleached bones of nations that refused to listen to him. May we in the twentieth century hear and follow his words — before it is too late. May we solemnly realize that we shall never be true sons of our heavenly Father until we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

Excerpted from The Radical King by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Edited and Introduced by Dr. Cornel West. (Beacon Press, 2015). Reprinted with permission from Beacon Press.

The cosmic importance of Children’s Sunday School Russell Moore

A

friend of mine, an amazingly effective Bible teacher, once told me that he was turned down by his church to teach children’s Sunday school. The reason, he said, wasn’t that the church didn’t think he was gifted to teach but that he was too gifted. They wanted him to teach adult discipleship classes, so they didn’t want to “waste” him on children’s Sunday school.

That statement was one of the saddest and most self-destructive things I’ve ever heard from a church.

How Sunday School Transformed Me I’ve often said that I wouldn’t want to have to choose between my seminary education and my childhood years in Sunday school, but if forced I would choose Sunday school each time. Now that’s saying something since I believe so strongly in seminary education, and gave most of my ministry to it. I’d never want to give that up. But as important as theological education was for

me, Sunday school was more so.

There was nothing about my Sunday school experience that would be commended by a seminar on children’s development or Bible teaching. My teachers weren’t theologically trained, and probably not one of them could have explained the hypostatic union or the Pauline doctrine of election. They also weren’t pedagogically equipped.

Some just had us go around the room taking turns reading, monotone, from the curriculum shipped from the denominational publishing house. Sometimes the biblical text was incomprehensible to us, since we were, at the time, a King James Version-only church (not out of some theological conviction but because we didn’t know about other translations).

And yet, Sunday school transformed my life.

What I needed was the slow repetition, over years and years, of the Word of God. What I sometimes find among Christians is knowledge of systematic theology in one tribe or of biblical moral principles in an-

other—without knowing the narrative of the text itself. Some Christians know how to argue their view of whether Romans 7 describes preor post-conversion experience but don’t know the difference between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, between Abigail and Michal. We would all— as gospel Christians—affirm the entirety of the Bible as necessary and profitable, but still might, if we’re honest, think that knowledge of the text’s details—rather than the theology or life principles arising from it—is more about Bible trivia than the Christian life. If so, we are wrong.

Love the Lord Your God with All Your…Intuitions We can sometimes assume the Bible is profitable to us since we know how to search it for the right passages at the right moment. Someone in the church is teaching that sinless perfection is possible? Well, we know how to get to 1 John 1. We feel guilty for sin?

We know how to find Psalm 51. We are depressed and discouraged? We can go to Jesus in Gethsemane. That’s all good and valuable, but it’s not as important as having our intuitions shaped by the whole Bible.

When Jesus is tempted by the Dev-

il in the wilderness, his response— with biblical texts—isn’t a matter of proof-texting. His biblical responses aren’t just propositional but narrative.

When Jesus responds to the temptation to turn stones into bread with “man shall not live by bread alone,” he’s doing more than finding an applicable truth to counter an error. He recognizes he’s standing where Israel had stood before him, in the wilderness, tempted to question God’s fidelity to his people. When Jesus cries out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” he isn’t merely quoting an isolated text on vicarious atoning suffering. He sees himself in the warp and woof of Psalm 22. So it isn’t just a cry of dereliction but ultimately a cry of victory too: “For kinship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations” (Ps. 22:28).

It’s good to find a word from God when we need it. But God usually prepares us with his Word before we know we need it. Jesus tells his disciples ahead of time he will be crucified. He tells them ahead of time they will experience persecution, “that when their hour comes you may re-

member that I told [these things] to you” (John 16:4). What a blessing to have a conscience shaped by the story of Peter’s restoration years before you wonder after a terrible sin if Jesus will receive you back. What a blessing to know how to inhabit the story of Elijah years before you wonder if you’re alone and abandoned.

If you’re walking through a time of fear and anxiety, you may scan the whole Bible to find relevant words, but I’ve found the best way is to have intuitions so shaped by the rhythm and flow of the text that most of it lies there submerged, poised to rise to the forefront at just the right time.

That’s why children’s Sunday school is not just another program.

It can be a matter of life and death.

Dr. Moore is the Dean of the School of Theology and Senior VicePresident for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as a preaching pastor at Highview Baptist Church. Moore is the author of several books, including “The Kingdom of Christ,” “Adopted for Life,” and “Tempted and Tried.”

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

SunDAY 29•01•2017

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Ram temple back in BJP manifesto

lUcknOw, JAnUARy 28 (PtI): BJP President Amit Shah today released the party's manifesto for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections promising to make efforts to ensure construction of Ram temple under constitutional provisions if voted to power.

The manifesto, called 'Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra' (Pledge for People's Welfare), also promises to press for taking forward its view on the triple talaq in the Supreme Court.

"The party is firm on the Ram temple issue...efforts will be made to ensure that Ram temple is constructed under the constitutional provisions," Shah said.

On the contentious issue of triple talaq, Shah said the party, on coming to power, will take views of women and present its opinion before the Supreme Court.

On exodus of people due to communal tension, he said a special team would be formed to check it at district level.

DMs will be held responsible for mass exodus, he said.

Shah also said all mechanised slaughter houses will be closed in the state.

Taking a cue from ruling Samajwadi Party, Shah promised to upgrade the Dial 100 of the state police to ensure police help in 15 minutes all over the state.

Stressing that if voted to power, his party will

take one step ahead of the Samajwadi Party's laptop distribution scheme by providing 1 GB free data for one year besides free wi-fi in universities.

To ensure the safety of college girls, innovative anti- Romeo squads will be set up near colleges to check eve- teasing. Besides, three women battalions will be raised for security of women, the document said.

While releasing manifesto, the BJP president said the party will form government in Uttar Pradesh with a two-thirds majority.

He attacked Samajwadi Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party which have ruled Uttar Pradesh for the last 15 years, accusing them of doing nothing to develop the backward state.

BJP, he said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would turn UP into a developed state, the way it has developed the other states it rules. BJP is going hammer and tongs to return to power in UP after 15 years.

In 2012, it had won only 47 of the state's 403 seats, but in the 2014 national election, it swept 71 of the state's 80 Lok Sabha seats and hopes to repeat that performance in this year's assembly election. Elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases from February 11 to March 8.

UP polls: Rahul, Akhilesh to hold road show in Lucknow lUcknOw, JAnUARy 28 (IAns): Congress VicePresident Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav would jointly address a press conference here on Sunday after which they will take out a road show, a minister said.

"The events would be to show we are coming together and display ourselves as a united force for the state assembly elections," Cabinet Minister in the Uttar Pradesh government and Samajwadi Party (SP) spokesman Rajendra Chowdhary said.

The roadshow will begin from the GPO Park, near the Gandhi state, will

go through the Mayfair roundabout to Lalbagh, Novelty roundabout and then weave its way to Qaiserbagh through Muslim dominated areas like Aminabad and old city.

The Gandhi scion and the National President of the Samajwadi Party will then go to Nakkhas, Chowk, Ghantaghar where the road show will conclude.

Adequate security arrangements are being made for the high-profile road show. This would be the first outing of the two leaders after the alliance between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party was announced.

The Congress is contesting 105 seats while the ruling Samajwadi Party is contesting 298 seats. Uttar Pradesh will be voting for a new state assembly in a seven-phase election, voting for which begins on February 11 and concludes on March 8.

BJP will withdraw reservation if voted to power, warns Mayawati lUcknOw, JAnUARy 28 (IAns): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday accused the BJP of "deceiving" the people through its "false promises" and warned that if the BJP was voted to power in Uttar Pradesh it would withdraw caste-based reservation.

"With its Lok Sabha poll promises yet to be fulfilled, the BJP has no moral right to release its manifesto for Uttar Pradesh. The BJP has been in power for almost

three years at the Centre now but it has not even fulfilled one-forth of its promises," Mayawati said.

Accusing the Narendra Modi government of coming to power riding on "false promises", Mayawati said the Centre has been indulging in theatrics one after the other.

"Sometimes in the name of surgical strikes and sometimes in the name of fighting black money, the government has been doing drama one

after the other," she said within hours of BJP chief Amit Shah releasing the party manifesto at the state capital here.

"Unable to divert the people's attention from its failures, this government suddenly demonetised Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

People especially farmers, daily wagers and economically weaker sections of the society are yet to overcome the sufferings of demonetisation," she said.

Dubbing the BJP mani-

festo as "nothing but deceit", the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister warned the people against voting for the BJP. "The BJP has absolute majority at the Centre and if they come to power in Uttar Pradesh, they will enact laws withdrawing reservation for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes.

"People should never forget the incidents Rohit Vemula or the burning of Dalit children in Faridabad," added Mayawati.

Amartya Sen rues lack of Fake currency racket busted, three held "Manoj is known to a Delhi-based surveillance has been mounted on the good healthcare in India Three nEw DElhI, JAnUARy 28 (PtI): persons have been arrested for hawala dealer. Azad and Manoj have li- basis of leads procured by secret sourc-

MUMBAI, JAnUARy 28 (IAns): Although India has made great progress on the economic front, our progress in healthcare has so far been extraordinarily limited, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen said at an international conference here on Saturday.

"It is disconcerting to note that despite being the world's largest democracy, we are far from achieving reasonably good standards of healthcare delivery in India even today," Sen said in his keynote address at the Tata Memorial Centre's threeday "Platinum Jubilee Conference" on the theme "Healthcare: A Commodity or Basic Human Need".

There is a complete and total lack of public discussion on the subject and the issue has not been raised by any political party during the elections, he rued.

"Our neighbouring countries -- Bangladesh, China and Nepal, with similar or even lower income levels than India, have better health and social indicators, including lower infant and maternal mortality rates, better percentage in girl education and improved sanitation facilities," Sen lamented.

While privatisation of health sector may play a great role, it cannot be our solution, as it has caused exploitation of poor, ignorant patients at the hands of private doctors, which needs to be stopped, he said.

Further, the "moral hazard" involved in subsidising private hospitals for unverified treatments also needs radical reforms, he added.

"No country has ever successfully provided universal health coverage without the strong support and commitment of the public health sector," he continued.

Thus, public healthcare should include the social determinants of health, such as nutrition, sanitation and social equity.

"A higher proportion of GDP in healthcare, more recognition for the central role of public healthcare, better work ethics, along with the urgent need for efficient, sustainable initiatives can be the only way to bring about a change, Sen suggested.

allegedly running a fake currency racket and Rs 18 lakh in the form of counterfeit Rs 2000 notes was recovered from their possession. Accused Azad Singh (36), Manoj (37) and Sunil (27) were arrested by a team of Special Cell at around 11.25 PM from Singhola village in Narela near NH-1, said DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

The trio have been found involved in scanning, printing and circulating fake new currency, police said today.

Azad, the kingpin of the racket used to get the currency notes scanned and printed, while Manoj and Sunil used to circulate them to customers, said the officer.

es, he said.

Yesterday, on the basis of an information, a Scorpio car was located in Narela at about 11.25 PM, said Yadav.

"Azad was seen occupying the car alone. After a while, Manoj and Sunil reached there on a motorcycle. Azad stepped out from the car and delivered two packets, one each to Manoj and Sunil. "The raiding party overpowered the trio after a brief scuffle. Both the packets were found containing fake currency worth Rs 8 lakh each whereas Azad was found in possession of Rs 2 lakh of fake currency," said Yadav.

The recovered money was in the denomination of Rs 2,000.

Shehla case: Interior designer Zahida get life term InDORE, JAnUARy 28 (PtI): Over five years after RTI activist Shehla Masood was shot dead in Bhopal, a CBI Court here today convicted interior designer Zahida Pervez and three other accused for the murder, and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

Judge B K Paloda, presiding over the Special CBI Court, pronounced Zahida, the prime accused, and three others --her friend Saba Farooqui, Saqib Ali alias `Danger' and Tabish--guilty in the high-profile case probed by the CBI.

However, the Court pardoned another accused Irfan, a Kanpur resident who later turned approver.

According to the agency, Zahida, who is married, approached Saqib Ali, who had criminal record, to eliminate Shehla as she was jealous of the latter's growing ties with former BJP MLA Dhruvnarayan Singh with whom the interior designer shared a close camaraderie.

Saqib Ali, in turn, hired professional shooters Tabish and Irfan, to kill the 38-yearold RTI activist, it said.

Zahida, her friend Saba,

No fresh report on Pushkar's mysterious death: Delhi Police nEw DElhI, JAnUARy 28 (IAns): Delhi Police on Saturday denied that it had received any fresh report from a medical panel that was tasked to examine the findings of a probe by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and AIIMS into Sunanda Pushkar's mysterious death.

"We have not received any such report, so far, from the medical board," Deputy Commissioner of Police Ishwar Singh told IANS. Singh heads the Special Investigation Team into the death of Pushkar -wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor -whose body was found under mysterious circumstances in a luxurious Delhi hotel on January 17, 2014.

The medical board of four doctors from Delhi, Chandigarh and Puducherry was constituted in June last year and to provide final opinion on FBI and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) reports on Pushkar's viscera.

There were reports that the SIT probing the death had received an "inconclusive" report two weeks ago from the medical board. But Singh denied the report, saying: "We are still waiting for the report by the medical board."

The police officer said that the probe panel was also awaiting Pushkar's Black-

aison with various 'bookies'. Huge cash transactions are being done in both these illegal trades and a sizeable amount of fake currency notes can easily be adjusted in big cash transactions," Yadav said.

Manoj and Azad were in touch with such elements and used to charge Rs 40,000 in real currency for supplying a lakh in fake currency, he said.

In the wake of demonetisation, the accused took it as an opportunity to fool people by trying to circulate fake high-value new currency notes, taking advantage of the inexperienced general public, said Yadav. The Special Cell is trying to get information about people involved in such rackets and technical

berry messenger transcript for any hints that would solve one of the high profile whodunit murder mysteries in India.

Pushkar's viscera samples were sent to the FBI lab in Washington in February 2015 to determine the kind of poison that killed her after an AIIMS medical board alleged that poisoning was the reason behind her death.

The AIIMS medical board had however did not specified the poisonous substance.

Head of the Forensic Department at AIIMS, Sudhir Gupta told IANS that by merely examining the documents, any "conclusive report" in Pushkar's case was not possible.

"It is not possible for a new panel to give conclusive report just by investigating the case on the basis of documents only," Gupta, who had performed Pushkar's autopsy along with two other doctors, said.

Gupta also raised question on the need of getting the case probed by another panel and said: "When we had already submitted the conclusive report after performing the autopsy of Sunanda Pushkar then what is the point of getting it investigated by another panel."

"This is just to twist the case and let people remain confused about Pushkar's death," Gupta told IANS.

Tabish and Saqib were convicted under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), among others, and awarded life term.

"The prosecution convinced the Court that Zahida, out of jealousy, hired the killers to get rid of Shehla due to the latter's growing intimacy with the then BJP MLA from Bhopal Dhruvnarayan Singh," CBI Special Public Prosecutor Atul Kumar told reporters here.

The Central agency had produced 80 witnesses in the Court during the trial that

lasted for five years.

Shehla was shot dead in broad daylight on August 16, 2011 close to her house in Koh-e-Fiza area of Bhopal.

Unhappy with the Court's judgement, Zahida told reporters, "I am surprised at the verdict."

A large number of people were present outside the Special Court where tight security was made.

Meanwhile, defence lawyers Sanjay Sharma and Sunil Shrivastava said they are going to challenge the verdict against their clients in the High Court.

India launches fresh anti-polio drive nEw DElhI, JAnUARy 28 (IAns): President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday launched the Pulse Polio Programme for 2017 under which about 17 crore children of less than five years age will be immunised.

The drive is a part of the government's efforts to sustain polio eradication from the country.

Launching the programme on the eve of National Immunisation Day, Mukherjee administered polio drops to children less than five years old at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who was also present, said: "Polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region, including India, is a huge accomplishment in the history of public health."

The World Health Organisation on March 27, 2014 declared India polio free. The last case of polio was reported on January 13, 2011 in the country.

Nadda said the risk of importation from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria -- three countries where the virus is still circulating -- still persisted.

The country needs to maintain the population immunity and sensitive surveillance till global polio eradication, the Health Minister said.

According to the Health Ministry, the government is conducting continuous polio vaccination at the international border with Pakistan.

"An advisory has also been issued for vaccination of all travellers between India and eight other countries," Nadda said.

"An Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (EPRP) is also in place in all states/union territories for urgent response to any importations of polio virus," he said.

Stating that there is a need to provide double protection to children, Nadda said: "The government has also introduced the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) into its routine immunisation programme.

India has reduced under-five mortality rate from 75 per 1,000 live births in 2005 to 45 in 2014," Nadda said.

The second phase of the programme will be conducted on April 2.

5 army personnel rescued alive from under snow in Jammu & Kashmir sRInAGAR, JAnUARy 28 (IAns) Five Indian Army soldiers trapped under snow were rescued on Saturday near the Line of Control (LoC) in Machil sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, three soldiers were pulled out in Machil sector of Kupwara district. Later the two missing soldiers were rescued.

All the five, of a Rashtriya Rifles (RR) patrol party, are being treated for hypothermia, officials said. The soldiers were trapped after the snow track on which they were moving caved in on Saturday near the LoC. The incident comes just days after two avalanches hit a military post and a patrol along the Line of Control, killing 15.

The RR party was on routine counter insurgency duties when the mishap occurred, the sources said. A massive rescue operation was started by the army and police immediately.

Kashmir has seen heavy snow this week and authorities had warned of the "high danger" of avalanches. Power and communication lines are also down in some areas.

Officials evacuated dozens of residents from high-risk areas after authorities issued an avalanche warning in many parts of the region.

India ranked 79th in the Corruption Perception Index 2016 nEw DElhI, JAnUARy 28 (BUsInEss tODAy): India has been ranked 79th among 176 countries in the Corruption Perception Index 2016 released by the Transparency International organisation. Its score marginally improved from 38 in 2015 to 40 in 2016. India had a score of 36 in 2012.

The organisation has used the World Bank data, the world economic forum and other institutions to rank countries by perceived levels of corruption in public sector. The score runs from zero to 100, from highly corrupt to 100. Belarus, Brazil, & China shared the same ranks as India.

The list was topped by New Zealand and Denmark with a score of 90 each. Higher-ranked countries tend to have higher degrees of press freedom, access to information about public expenditure, stronger standards of integrity for public officials, and independent judicial systems.

Somalia was ranked the most corrupt country with a score of 10. Other countries with lower rankings were South Sudan, North Korea, Syria, and Yemen. The lowerranked countries in the index were plagued by untrustworthy and badly functioning public institutions like the police and judiciary.

India snake charmers struggle to survive as tradition slowly dies out JOGI DERA (UP), JAnUARy 28 (REUtERs): Buti Nath flips the lid of a basket and a cobra slowly emerges. The deadly reptile begins to sway as Buti plays his gourd flute.

He is a member of an ancient tribe of snake charmers known as saperas, who over the generations have thrived on catching venomous snakes and making them dance to their music.

“More than seven generations of our families have been doing this and so are we,” Buti Nath, 65, said in his dusty village of Jogi Dera in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state.

“We are called upon whenever there are dangerous animals coming into your houses or in your fields — we go and catch them with courage,” he said.

Snakes are revered by Hindus in India and snake charmers are considered the followers of Lord Shiva, the blue-skinned Hindu

Binu Nath poses for a photograph with a snake in Jogi Dera (snake charmers settlement), in the village of Baghpur, Uttar Pradesh. (REUTERS File Photo)

god who is usually portrayed wearing a king cobra around his neck.

Snake charmers were once a regular fixture at Indian bazaars and festivals, mesmerizing crowds of onlookers with their ability to control some of the world’s

most venomous creatures.

They would often be the main source of medicines if someone suffered from a snake bite.

The snake charmers of Jogi Dera say their centuries-old tradition is slowly dying out as authorities

seek to enforce wildlife protection laws, and after an outright ban on the practice in 1991.

Modernity is also doing its part to elbow out tradition and these days, saperas don’t earn much as there are plenty of other enter-

tainment options available.

“There is no place in civilized society for people to go around catching snakes and taking them and doing some kind of an entertainment show with snakes,” said 30-year-old Mangal Nath, cradling his infant son in his arms.

In Jogi Dera, a snake charmer earns about 200 rupees ($3) a day, not enough to support a family. Young villagers who had dreamed of a life of snake charming are leaving to find work on construction sites or as rickshaw drivers.

Kuldip Nath, a 14-yearold snake charmer recalled how he joined his father in searching for snakes, and said he regrets not going to school.

“Sometimes, I also feel that I should study, get a proper job or get into some business and work, so that I can take care of my responsibilities for my family and children,” he said.

SundAY 29•01•2017

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

9

Trump’s unpredictability troubles US allies WASHINGTON, JANuAry 28 (reuTerS): New U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” rhetoric and confrontational negotiating style have sparked frantic calls to the White House and Congress from diplomats and lobbyists concerned the United States no longer has their back.

When word swirled through Washington on Thursday that Trump might be preparing to ease U.S. sanctions on Russia, worried European diplomats began calling the National Security Council and asking if the rumours were true, said a former U.S. official familiar with the situation.

The White House officials could not answer their questions because they, too, have been kept in the dark, said the former official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Trump’s new United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley, sent another shiver through America’s allies on Friday, warning them that if they do not have Washington’s back, she is “taking names” and will respond.

“Trump’s foreign policy is totally unpredictable,” said a senior official of the 28-nation European Union, which Trump has said is bound for a break-up.

Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson “have said all the right things,” the EU official said. “But this could be like the Iraq war policy all over again, when we saw how a segment of government decides policy, not the secretary of state.”

‘US will prioritize Christian refugees’

WASHINGTON, JANuAry 28 (IANS): US President Donald Trump said persecuted Christians will be given priority over other refugees seeking to enter the US, saying they have been “horribly treated”.

Speaking with the Christian Broadcasting Network on Friday, Trump said that it had been “impossible, or at least very tough” for Syrian Christians to enter the US, CNN reported.

“If you were a Muslim you could come in, but if you were a Christian, it was almost impossible and the reason that was so unfair -- everybody was persecuted, in all fairness -- but they were chopping off the heads of everybody but more so the Christians. And I thought it was very, very unfair. So we are going to help them.”

Trump did not name a reason or offer any evidence about why the U.S. President Donald J. Trump speaks during the 2017 “Congress of Tomorrow” Joint Re- agencies that vet refugees, including publican Issues Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. January 26. (REUTERS) the Department of Homeland SecuAnother Western diplomat said foreign ambassadors were explaining their countries’ positions to Congress in the hope that they would find their way to the White House.

Other countries are expanding their lobbying efforts.

At the end of last year, Ukraine signed a $50,000-amonth lobbying contract with Haley Barbour, a former Republican chairman and Mississippi governor.

In January, the government-run China Council for the Promotion of International Trade hired Husch Blackwell LLP, to lobby about the importation of stainless steel, according to records filed with the Department of Justice.

Some uncertainty is normal when a new U.S. president finds his footing

and voice on foreign affairs and installs his people in policy-making slots.

But in the week since his inauguration, Trump has sent a blizzard of conflicting signals, and key slots at the State and Defense departments and the NSC remain vacant.

“We’re trying to figure out who is who,” one European diplomat said, referring to efforts to determine whether long-standing tenets of U.S. foreign policy still apply.

One of President Trump’s first major meetings, with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, was cancelled due to Trump’s demand Mexico pay for a border wall he plans to build. The two spoke by telephone on Friday after the cancellation.

Trump said Wednesday he would back safe zones for refugees in Syria, but gave no indication how he would coordinate this with Turkey, Russia and allies in Europe and the Middle East.

Presidential spokesman Sean Spicer’s suggestion the United States would stop China from taking over territory in the South China Sea and Trump’s Jan. 2 tweet that a threatened North Korean test of an intercontinental ballistic missile “won’t happen” could raise the chances of a military confrontation, Asian officials said.

Some commentators say it’s too soon for allies to panic.

“It is not appropriate to be too worried, but it is not appropriate not to worry at all,” said Fumiaki Kubo, a

professor of American government history at the University of Tokyo.

A senior official from a member of the Five Eyes nations that make up the world’s leading intelligence-sharing network said it was still important to keep intelligence channels open with Washington. The grouping comprises the United States, Australia, Canada, Britain and New Zealand.

“We will continue to share intelligence with the Americans, who supply the majority of information that circulates among the Five Eyes. If we hold data back from them, they could decide to do the same to us, and then we would suffer much worse consequences.”

But others suggested that the greater the un-

rity and the State Department, would have prioritized Muslim refugees over Christians.

According to a report by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, however, 99 per cent of the nearly 12,600 Syrians granted refugee status last year were Muslims. Less than 1 per cent were Christian. Syria’s population is 87 per cent Muslim and 10 per cent Christian, according to the CIA World Fact Book.

Suspends entry from seven Muslim-majority countries Also on Friday, Trump signed an executive order freezing refugee applications from seven Muslimmajority countries in the Middle East and Africa, including Syria. It’s unclear how his pledge to help persecuted Christians from those countries will accord with that plan.

The US admitted a record number of 38,901 Muslim refugees in 2016, ac-

certainty and the longer it lasts, the greater the chances of miscalculations by other nations that could harm U.S. interests.

ASIAN NERVES The high geopolitical anxiety is most evident in East Asia, where China’s ambitions are colliding with longstanding U.S. dominance in the Pacific.

During his presidential campaign, Trump suggested Japan and South Korea, which rely on a U.S. security umbrella, should defend themselves or pay Washington more to do so.

Defense secretary Mattis will make his first overseas trip next week to the two countries, a choice intended to send a “reassurance message,” a Trump administration official said.

“This is for all of the people who were concerned during the campaign that then-candidate, now President Trump was sceptical of our alliances and was somehow going to retreat from our traditional leadership role in the region,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Yet Mattis has voiced sharply different opinions from Trump on key questions, including the value of the NATO alliance and the threat from Russia, and that has led officials in Tokyo and Seoul to wonder who speaks for U.S. policy.

Trump took a call from President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a rogue province, and has questioned Washington’s decades-old adherence to the “one China”

NASA unveils spaceship hatch 50 years after fatal Apollo 1 fire

CAPe CANAVerAL, JANuAry 28 (reuTerS): NASA on Friday marked the 50th anniversary of its moon program’s fatal Apollo launchpad fire with the first public display of the scorched hatch that trapped three astronauts inside their spaceship during a routine prelaunch test.

NASA astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee died when thick smoke filled the crew module of the Apollo 1 capsule on January 27, 1967, in what was the first deadly accident in the space agency’s early days.

The men were unable to open the capsule’s three-part hatch before being overcome by smoke. Emergency rescue teams rushed to battle the fire at the launchpad, located at what is now Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, but were too late.

The hatch has now been taken out of storage and incorporated into a new display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to honor the fallen astronauts and serve as a reminder of the risks of spaceflight.

“Had that accident occurred in space, FILE PHOTO: Astronauts, from the left, Gus Grissom, Ed White II and Roger Chaffee stand near Cape Kennedy’s we’d have never known exactly what had Launch Complex 34 during training for Apollo 1 in Janu- happened,” former Gemini and Apollo astronaut Tom Stafford said at a ceremoary 1967. (REUTERS/Files)

No time to create walls between nations: Iran

DuBAI, JANuAry 28 (reuTerS): Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday it was no time to build walls between nations and criticised steps towards cancelling world trade agreements, without naming new U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump on Wednesday ordered the construction of a U.S.-Mexican border wall, a major promise during his election campaign, as part of a package of measures to curb illegal immigration.

“Today is not the time to erect walls between nations.

They have forgotten that the Berlin wall fell years ago,” Rouhani said in a speech carried live on Iranian state television. “To annul world trade accords does not help their economy and does not serve the development and blooming of the world economy,” Rouhani told a tourism conference in Tehran. “This is the day for the world to get closer through trade.”

The protectionist-minded Trump formally withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal on Monday, fulfilling a campaign pledge to end American involvement in the 2015 pact.

Rouhani, a pragmatist elected in 2013, thawed Iran’s relations with world powers after years of confrontation and engineered its 2015 deal with them under which it curbed its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from sanctions. For Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, the agreement was a landmark foreign policy achievement but the new president has threatened to annul it or seek a better deal. The other five powers party to the deal have reaffirmed their commitment to it.

Rouhani said earlier this month that Trump could not unilaterally cancel the nuclear deal and that talk of renegotiating it was “meaningless”. Since sanctions were lifted, Iran has signed major deals with Western firms, particularly with planemakers Airbus and Boeing.

Rouhani said on Saturday: “Today is the time for peaceful co-existence, not the time to create distance among nations.” Rouhani made no direct reference to Trump’s order on Friday curbing the entry of refugees into the United States and temporarily barring travellers from Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries. Trump said the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks.

ny to mark the exhibit’s opening.

The deaths of these “three great heroes ... helped save at least one other in flight, maybe two,” he added.

Investigators discovered several problems with the Apollo capsule design that led to the fire, including an electrical wiring issue, a pure-oxygen environment and flammable materials throughout the crew cabin.

NASA made dozens of changes and resumed flying in October 1968, setting the stage for the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing in July 1969.

Grissom, aged 40 and one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, became the second American in space in a suborbital flight that preceded John Glenn’s landmark first U.S. orbital space flight. White, who was 36, became the first American to walk in space as pilot of the Gemini 4 mission in June 1965. Chaffee, 31, was a rookie astronaut with no previous spaceflight experience.

Friday’s ceremony was one of several events this week in which NASA also paid tribute to the Space Shuttle Challenger crew, killed during launch on Jan. 28, 1986, and the Shuttle Columbia astronauts, who died when that spaceship

cording to a study conducted by Pew. But nearly the same number of Christians, 37,521 were also admitted.

Many religious groups have denounced Trump’s proposed ban on refugees from Muslim-majority countries.

At the same time, many Christian groups that resettle refugees in the US decry the persecution of their brethren overseas but said the country should not give favour to fellow Christians or bar Muslims.

“We would resist that strongly,” Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals and one of nine agencies that partner with the federal government to resettle refugees. “Some of the most vulnerable people in the world right now are Muslims. If we say no Muslim should be let in, we are denying the humanity and dignity of people made in the image of God.”

broke apart as it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere on Feb. 1, 2003.

At twilight, the families of the Apollo 1 astronauts gathered at the base of the seaside launch complex where Grissom, White and Chaffee had been testing their capsule when the fire broke out.

“It’s really important that we come together and we don’t forget who they were and what they sacrificed. Even more important we remember that we don’t ever want to have it happen again,” Kennedy Space Center director and former shuttle astronaut Bob Cabana told the families.

Cabana said the new exhibit was intended to highlight the importance of a work culture where people feel free to voice concerns. Management and communications problems contributed to both space shuttle accidents, investigators found.

NASA is preparing to turn over crew flights to the International Space Station to privately owned SpaceX and Boeing Co as early as 2018.

“The lessons learned from Apollo 1 are critical to our future success and I don’t ever want them forgotten,” Cabana said. “We got to the moon not in spite of Apollo 1, but because of Apollo 1.”

principle.

“China’s attitude at the moment is very cautious, but that does not mean weak,” said Shi Yinhong, who heads the Centre for American Studies at Beijing’s Renmin University and has advised the government.

Allies, though, worry that instead of being based partly on shared values such as democracy, free trade, and the rule of law, their dealings with the United States might become transactional and start to resemble Trump’s real estate deals.”We are business people. We are not going to govern this country with diplomatic niceties; we are going to govern this country as a business,” said a Western diplomat, quoting a Trump advisor.

Sleep deprivation leads to weakened immunity: Study

NeW yOrk, JANuAry 28 (IANS): People who are deprived of sleep regularly are likely to have a weak immune system, a study has found.

The findings showed that chronic short sleep shuts down programmes involved in immune response of circulating white blood cells. Seven or more hours of sleep is recommended for optimal health, thus the immune system functions best when it gets enough sleep, the researchers said.

“The results are consistent with studies that show when sleep deprived people are given a vaccine, there is a lower antibody response and if you expose sleep deprived people to a rhinovirus they are more likely to get the virus,” said lead author Nathaniel Watson, University of Washington in Seattle. For the study, published in the journal Sleep, the team took blood samples from 11 pairs of identical twins with different sleep patterns and discovered that the twin with shorter sleep duration had a depressed immune system, compared with his or her sibling. They used identical twins because genetics account for 31 to 55 per cent of sleep duration and behaviour and environment accounts for the remainder. “Modern society, with its control of light, omnipresent technology and countless competing interests for time, along with the zeitgeist de-emphasising sleep’s importance, has resulted in the widespread deprioritisation of sleep,” the researchers noted.

Fear in interrogation room, death in the street: Iraq roots out Islamic State

MOSuL, JANuAry 28 (reuTerS): The boy’s fear was palpable as Iraqi soldiers brought him blindfolded before an intelligence officer in a house on the northern edge of Mosul.

“How long were you with Daesh (Islamic State)?” colonel Amer alFatlawi asked the boy in front of him. “Twenty days, sir,” replied the 17-year old submissively. The boy appeared harmless, but Fatlawi, the head of intelligence for the 16th division of the Iraqi army, suspected he may pose a latent threat after Islamic State’s days of ruling over vast swathes of territory come to an end.

More than two years after the militants took over Mosul and proclaimed a caliphate for all Muslims, Iraqi forces backed by a U.S.-led coalition have retaken the eastern half of the city, and now have the west in their sights.

Although thousands of militants have been killed since the start of the campaign three months ago, Islamic State is expected to live on, going back underground and reverting to its insurgent tactics of old.

That means the enemy will be less visible to Iraqi forces, and the fight against

it more covert.

“They have planted him as a sleeper cell,” Fatlawi said when the boy was out of earshot. “He will be a secret informant for Daesh.”

Slight and wearing jeans, the boy said he was one of a group of some 150 men who gathered at a local mosque around one year ago and were taken to a training camp nearby.

The daily routine involved waking at dawn for prayer, followed by breakfast, physical exercise, lessons in Islamic doctrine and how to use a kalashinkov.

After three weeks, the recruits were allowed to go home on break: “They told us to come back, but I didn’t. I was scared,” said the boy. Fatlawi was not convinced: “They all say they quit,” he said, sceptically. “We will interrogate him and get information. If you know your enemy, he is easy to find.”

As Iraqi forces rout Islamic State from the east, they are learning more about the workings of the militant group, which left behind a formidable paper trail.

On Fatlawi’s desk was a stack of documents recovered from Islamic State bases in northern Mosul, including diagrams for

Iraqi army soldiers detain a person suspected of belonging to Islamic State militants during a battle with Islamic State militants in Arabi neighborhood in Mosul, Iraq. The boy’s fear was palpable as Iraqi soldiers brought him blindfolded before an intelligence officer in a house on the northern edge of Mosul. “How long were you with Daesh (Islamic State)?” colonel Amer al-Fatlawi asked the boy in front of him. “Twenty days, sir,” replied the 17-year old submissively. The boy appeared harmless, but Fatlawi, the head of intelligence for the 16th division of the Iraqi army, suspected he may pose a latent threat after Islamic State’s days of ruling over vast swathes of territory come to an end. (REUTERS)

making unmanned aircraft and two Russian passports from which the pages containing personal details had been torn out.

The passports appeared unused, except for a single stamp upon entrance to

Turkey in 2013.

There were also internal communications sent from senior Islamic State members to mid-ranking commanders, with instructions not to use earphones whilst on duty, and to smile and

speak nicely to their sub- who trimmed their beards. jects in order to “increase “Why haven’t you affection amongst all”. shaved your beard?” asked Captain Aras angrily, ig“DYING OF FEAR” noring the man’s protest Iraqi forces have relied that he was a devout Muson locals to inform on those lim. “Shave it all off!” Anwho collaborated with Is- other soldier knelt down, lamic State as they enter un-tucked the man’s troueach new district, but the sers and cut the elastic botsecurity apparatus is be- toms with a knife. ginning to conduct more As the army advanced, systematic checks. the militants forced some In one of the last neigh- residents out of their bourhoods to have been homes, using the dwellings cleared on the eastern side to mount a futile defence of of the river, billboards still the area, and torching them welcome visitors to the Is- as they withdrew. lamic State, and the corps“They were dying of es of militants lying in the fear,” said Abu Malek, deroad have not been rotting scribing how a small group for long enough to smell. of fighters had threatened “He is called Abu al- him to get out of his house Harith,” said captain Aras, at gunpoint. “They were all identifying a militant who young children”. In the endrew his last breath near a trance to Rakan Abu Omar’s dumpster as Yemeni before house, which was also octurning away to retch. cupied and then torched by One resident still had Islamic State, the blood of a a full beard and wore his mortally wounded fighter trousers tucked into his who was dragged in off the socks, in keeping with the street has yet to dry. Locals dress code imposed by Is- said they saw the militants lamic State -- modelled on put his body in a white plasthe way the Muslim Proph- tic bag and ferry it across the et Mohammed is thought river by boat. It was a hopeto have dressed in 632 AD. less end. The young prisonThe rules were enforced er’s fate is not yet so certain. by the Hisba or vice squad, “Don’t be afraid,” Fatlawi which cut people’s trousers said, patting him reassurif they fell below the ankle, ingly on the back. The boy and whipped or fined those could not see him wink.

sundAY 29•01•2017

SPORTS

10

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

is there life after roger and rafa? Arsenal coach Wenger given

[LEFT] Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a shot during his Men's singles semi-final match against Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka.

[RIGHT] Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during his Men's singles semi-final match against Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov. (Reuters File Photo)

MELBOURNE, JANUARY 28 (REUTERS): The performances of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal in reaching the final of this year's Australian Open have served a timely reminder as to what men's tennis was missing when both were sidelined last year.

But the efforts of the 17-time and 14-time grand slam champions, at least one of whom featured in all but nine of the 44 grand slam finals from 2005 to 2015, have also shown just how much the game will miss them when they're gone.

"I was already prepared in the last couple of majors and I have to say ... I didn't miss them that much," said former world number one Mats Wilander, now a commentator for Eurosport.

"Now they're back I realise, wow, how much they add. They made it look so easy, Federer's way of playing

and Nadal's way of being, it's just so natural they're going to win.

"Now it's like going to see the (Rolling) Stones every night. For me it's unbelievable."

Federer, who missed the second half of last year with a knee injury, is through to his 28th grand slam final and victory on Sunday would give him a record 18th grand slam title.

Nadal, who pulled out of the French Open last summer with a left wrist injury which also forced him to miss Wimbledon, will be on the other side of the net.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, at 29 a year younger than Nadal and with fewer injuries, may be around for a while but Federer and Nadal, who have contested eight grand slam finals, are by far the most popular players on tour.

The ATP's chairman and chief executive, Chris Kermode, believes the tour is strong enough to cope.

"Roger and Rafa are two of the most iconic stars to have ever played our sport," he said by email.

"It's hard to quantify precisely how much of the growth in the sport we have seen in the last 15 years or so should be attributed directly to them but their contributions have been immense both in terms of captivating audiences worldwide on the court, as well as leading by example away from the court.

"There will inevitably come a time when their careers come to an end and the sport will miss them.

"But no player is bigger than the sport, and men's tennis has an uncanny ability to consistently produce global stars that transcend the game."

FUTURE STARS Kermode pointed to the likes of German teenager Sascha Zverev, Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, Kei Nishikori of Japan and the Australian, Nick Kyrgios, as players the tour can showcase in years to come.

Mike Bryan, one half of the most successful doubles partnerships of all time with his twin brother Bob, believes it will be almost impossible for Federer and Nadal to be replaced.

"They are mega A-list celebrities anywhere they go in the world so it's going to be tough for the game once they retire," he said.

"There's always someone who comes up and takes over ... but these guys have done so much for the game and they're just class acts."

The impact of their eventual departure is also likely to be felt by television companies, whose ratings soar when they are playing.

"The global television viewership for the ATP World Tour has grown by more than 100 percent since 2008," Kermode said, pointing to a number of structural changes.

"Of course, the players have played a huge part in that (but) we remain confident in the future of our product.

"The reality is that the sport is not going to lose the so-called Big Four from one year to the next. There will be a gradual process that will likely span 4-5 years, and that's a long time in our sport."

Wilander said the pair may be sticking around for a while yet in any case.

"I think we still have potentially some of the greatest matches between the two of them," he said.

"They both know more now and they look fit and healthy and they move as well as they've ever done. Life after them is way down the road."

four-match touchline ban

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger clashes with fourth official Anthony Taylor before being sent to the stands. (Reuters File Photo)

LONDON, JaNuary 28 (reuters): Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been given a four-match touchline ban after admitting a Football Association (FA) misconduct charge for appearing to push the fourth official during their Premier League win over Burnley on Sunday.

Wenger was charged by the FA on Monday after he was sent to the stands by the referee for allegedly using abusive or insulting language towards fourth official Anthony Taylor after an injury-time penalty was awarded to Burnley.

"It was further alleged that following his dismissal from the technical area, his behaviour in remaining in the tunnel area and making physical contact with the fourth official amounted to improper conduct," the FA said in a statement on Friday.

"The Arsenal manager, who was also fined 25,000 pounds ($31,342), admitted the charge and requested a personal hearing which took place before an Independent Regulatory Commission today (Friday)."

Wenger reacted angrily after

Burnley were awarded a 93rd-minute penalty at the Emirates Stadium, one they scored to level at 1-1.

He was sent to the stands by referee Jon Moss, but stood in the tunnel entrance and refused to move as he tried to watch the remainder of the game.

Taylor appeared to encourage Wenger to move away, but the Frenchman was seen pushing back against him.

Arsenal snatched a winner at the death when they were awarded a penalty of their own, which was converted by Alexis Sanchez.

Arsenal travel to face Southampton in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday, before they host Watford in the Premier League three days later.

The other matches Wenger will miss are league encounters away to Chelsea on Feb. 4 and at home to Hull City a week later.

He will return to the dugout should Arsenal reach the FA Cup fifth round or for their Premier League trip to Liverpool on March 4.

public discourse

THe coNTiNuiNG debATe oN WoMeN reserVATioN Kakheto Sema Sr. Advocate & Sr. Addl. Advocate General, Nagaland

I

n the first instance the debate was the infringement of Article 371A on account of Women’s reservation. In my earlier opinion I expressed my view that the argument that Women’s reservation violates Article 371 A is foundationally erroneous. Thereafter the argument has now shifted to the applicability of Article 243T vis-a vis Article 243ZC. This argument has now been advanced by none other than certain members of the legal fraternity purporting to be acting in the name of the Nagaland Bar Association (NBA). They acknowledge that Civic elections do not violate Article 371A. However they argue that in terms of Article 243ZC, the State is exempted from the ambit of Article 243T. This argument put forward has made it necessary for the debate to continue, So that there is no confusion in the minds of the people.

At the very outset, I must say, it is regrettable that a few members of the bar, including some office bearers, have resorted to publishing their individual opinion in the collective name of the Nagaland Bar Association. As a collective body, the NBA discusses issues of Public importance and only then, a consensus opinion, if any, is published in the Public domain. Le-

Rev. Dr. Rabi Pame

N

agaland is Christian dominated land. We are considered as God fearing nation by the world. I want to share my view regarding the present issues in the light of God’s words which we Christians believe to obey in all matters of our faith and practices.

The Bible says in Romans 13: 1-7, that we are to summit ourselves to the governing authority. All the governments, whether God fearing or non God fearing government are ordained and appointed by God. There is no authority under the sun which is not appointed by God. With a purpose God has placed them in Power.

“Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God. So that the one resisting the authority resists the ordinance of God; and the ones who resist will receive judgment to themselves.

For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire to be not afraid of the au-

gal issues are complicated and a consensus opinion is rare. I can only assume that the members concerned have taken the course adopted for their personal agenda. The bottom line is that the opinion expressed in the name of the NBA is not the opinion of the NBA. For the argument that Article 243T is not applicable in view of the exemption contained in Article 243ZC and that the Government has erroneously interpreted the aforesaid Article, the relevant portion of Article 243ZC is quoted here under: Article 243ZC “Part not to apply to certain areas- (1) Nothing in this Part shall apply to the Schedule Areas referred to in clause (1), and the Tribal areas referred to in Clause (2), of Article 244.”

In relation to the aforesaid Article, Article 244 is also quoted hereunder.

Article 244 “Administration of Schedule Areas and Tribal Areas(1) The provisions of the Fifth Schedule shall apply to the administration and control of the Schedule Areas and Schedule Tribes in any State other than [the States of Assam [, [Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram]]].

(2) The provisions of the Sixth Schedule shall apply to the administration of the Tribal areas in [the States of Assam [, [Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram]]].

Article 243ZC (1) states that part IXA shall not apply to Schedule areas

referred to in Clause (1) and Tribal areas referred to in Clause (2) of Article 244. We are concerned with the Schedule areas referred to in Article 243ZC. The tribal areas are in relation to the provisions of the 6th Schedule of the Constitution and irrelevant for the State of Nagaland. In interpreting the Statutes a fundamental principle is that the language used should not be taken out of context. Therefore, Article 243ZC is specific in its reference to Schedule areas in Clause (1) of Article 244. Article 244 (1) falls under part X of the Constitution of India and states that the fifth Schedule of the Constitution shall apply to the administration and control of the schedule areas and Schedule tribes in any State other than the State of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Fifth Schedule provides for the powers of the Central Government and the State Governments in relation to Scheduled area in States. Clause 6 of the Fifth Schedule defines Schedule areas as such areas as the President may by order declare to be Schedule areas. Therefore Article 243ZC, Article 244 and the Fifth Schedule must be read together to arrive at an understanding of the exemption from Part IX A mentioned in Article243ZC. Just because Article 244 mentions that the Fifth Schedule shall apply to the administration and control of Schedule areas and Schedule tribes in any State, Article 243ZC

and the Fifth Schedule cannot be expanded to mean Schedule tribes in general. The provision of the aforesaid Article read with the Fifth Schedule would make it crystal clear that the exemption is for Schedule Tribes living in Schedule areas in the States declared by the Presidential orders.

At the cost of repetition the Fifth Schedule referred to in Article 243 ZC and Article 244 is applicable solely to Schedule areas declared as such by Presidential order. Therefore, by relying on the use of the phrase “……….and Schedule tribes in any State………” it is erroneous and absolutely without any legal basis to opine that Article 243T does not apply to the State of Nagaland, a tribal State, in view of Article 243 ZC, Article 244 and the Fifth Schedule.

Reference has also been made to the Schedule Tribes order wherein any Naga tribe is included. This order is relied upon as the basis for exemption under Article 243ZC, Article 244 and the Fifth Schedule. The Schedule tribes order is simply a list of the Schedule tribes recognized by the Government of India inhabiting the States. Its co- relation to the Articles and Schedule aforesaid is limited to the corresponding Presidential orders declaring Schedule Area, if any. If we are to accept the argument that part IXA does not apply to the Schedule tribes it would lead to the absurd conclusion that Part IXA does not apply to any States

in India. Each State in India is inhabited by Schedule tribes in addition to the general populace. The further argument with regard to numbers i.e. majority and minority is self defeating, in as much as, it is in the interest of minorities that Parliament in its wisdom brought in Article 244 and the Fifth Schedule for the protection of Schedule tribes through Schedule area. In our context the State of Nagaland, is a full fledged State. It is inhabited by Nagas who are tribals. However, this does not mean that the State of Nagaland is a Schedule area and therefore exempted from the preview of the Part IXA of the Constitution of India. To reduce ourselves to a Schedule area, without a Presidential order, that too, in derogation of our Status as a State, is nothing short of self mockery, a bad joke. Also it has been urged that Article 243T applies to SC, ST a nd Women in States where they are in minority. This assertion has no Constitutional and/ or legal basis. The reservation contemplated is for SC, ST and women as distinct groups and not based on their status as minorities or otherwise. Further reservation is provided for SC, ST and women as separate and distinct group and the reservation for one group in any State is not dependent upon the existence of the other, as sought to be made out.

Much confusion has been created

in the minds of the people. I suspect that some responsibility for this situation falls on the members of the legal fraternity. Having said this as citizens of the State, it is incumbent upon all of us to understand the letter of the law. We are no more living in the dark ages and the course of action we have adopted thus far, is a poor reflection on our society. Having women’s reservation and civic polls is the stimulus for our present circumstances, however the larger issue for all of us is our capacity to grow and develop and be public spirited citizens, informed acquainted and acting in adherence to the Rule of Law. In conclusion it is my humble opinion that Constitutional provisions and enactments thereunder have been misinterpreted in the pursuit of personnel agendas. The legal position in relation to women reservation is clear. Article 243T enforced since 1993 is a Constitutional mandate. The exemption contemplated in Article 243 ZC, Article 244 and the Fifth Schedule is not available to the State of Nagaland. Also, once the electoral process has been set in motion, Article 243ZG mandates that the election process must be completed and can only be questioned after the conclusion of the election process.

The organizations and individuals opposing the election, in all fairness, must understand the legal imperatives for the Government in holding the Municipal election.

OBEY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE LORD thority? Do the good and you shall have praise from it.

For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil.

Therefore you must be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

Forbecauseofthisyoualsopaytaxes. For they are God's servants, always giving attention to this very thing.

Therefore give to all their dues; to the one due tax, the tax; tribute to whom tribute is due, fear to whom fear is due, and honour to whom honour is due.” (MKJV).

As the Bible says, anyone who opposes God ordained Government opposes the authority of God, and they will receive the judgment on themselves.

Apostle Paul himself knew perfectly that Roman Government is doing so much harm to himself and his Gospel ministry as well as the church of God by torturing and persecuting the Christians, but knowingly, he exhorted the Christians

in Rome to summit themselves to the Roman’s Government because it was ordained and appointed by God. The Bible says in Psalms 75:67, “For lifting up comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; He puts down one and sets up another.” (MKJV).

The Rulers, political parties who is in power or Government in the past and present, whether good or bad, strong or weak are all installed and appointed by God. Let us therefore, accept and submit to the God ordained authority.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers - This is a very strong saying, and most solemnly introduced; and we must consider the apostle as speaking, not from his own private judgment, or teaching a doctrine of present expediency, but declaring the mind of God on a subject of the utmost importance to the peace of the world; a doctrine which does not exclusively belong to any class of people, order of the community, or official situations, but to every soul; and, on the principles

which the apostle lays down, to every soul in all possible varieties of situation, and on all occasions. And what is this solemn doctrine? It is this: Let every soul be subject to the higher powers.

Let every man be obedient to the civil government under which the providence of God has cast his lot.

For there is no power but of God - As God is the origin of power, and the supreme Governor of the universe, he delegates authority to whomsoever he will; and though in many cases the governor himself may not be of God, yet civil government is of him; for without this there could be no society, no security, no private property; all would be confusion and anarchy, and the habitable world would soon be depopulated. In ancient times, God, in an especial manner, on many occasions appointed the individual who was to govern; and he accordingly governed by a Divine right, as in the case of Moses, Joshua, the Hebrew judges, and several of the Israelites kings. In after times, and to the present day, he does that by a general superintending providence which he

did before by especial designation. In all nations of the earth there is what may be called a constitution - a plan by which a particular country or state is governed; and this constitution is less or more calculated to promote the interests of the community. The civil governor, whether he be elected or hereditary, agrees to govern according to that constitution. Thus we may consider that there is a compact and consent between the governor and the governed, and in such a case, the potentate may be considered as coming to the supreme authority in the direct way of God’s providence; and as civil government is of God, who is the fountain of law, order, and regularity, the civil governor, who administers the laws of a state according to its constitution, is the minister of God. It is therefore, always good and right to obey the law of the land. We Christians must be a responsible and law abiding citizens as the salt and the light of the earth.(Mat.5:13-16) Believers of Jesus Christ who is the giver of all authorities and governments on earth, we have to support, cooperate

and pray for our governing authorities, unless the authority that introduces someone or something to worship or serve in place of the Almighty God like in the case of Jewish boys Shadrach,Meshack and Abed-Nego (Daniel 3:8-18) or something that is so harmful to our Christian faith.

Here the Bible says in 1Peter 2:13-17 “For the sake of the Lord submit yourselves to every human authority: to the Emperor, who is the supreme authority, and to the governors, who have been appointed by him to punish the evildoers and to praise those who do good.

For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do. Live as free people; do not, however, use your freedom to cover up any evil, but live as God's slaves. Respect everyone, love other believers, honor God, and respect the Emperor.” (GNB) God will bless us as we follow and obey God’s desire which he has instructed for His children. Let us be a good and responsible citizen of the land and community God has placed us.

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.

sunday 29•01•2017

EntErtainmEnt

Bafta winner John Hurt dies at 77 Jacqueline Fernandez joins mixed martial arts league

Veteran British actor Sir John Hurt, Oscar-nominated for his star turn in "The Elephant Man" and his supporting role in "Midnight Express", has died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, the BBC reported on Saturday.

He was 77.

(Reuters Photo)

J

ohn Hurt, the widely-admired Bafta-winning English actor who's known for his roles in "Alien", "The Elephant Man" and "Harry Potter" died aged 77, a media report said.

Hurt's agent, Charles McDonald, confirmed his death on Saturday, the

BBC reported. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015, the Oscar nominated actor who rose to fame playing flamboyant gay icon Quentin Crisp, died on Friday, McDonald said.

Hurt was given an all-clear in October 2015, but in 2016 he pulled

0

W

ith the increasing number of theatre performers and lovers, the art has gradually picked up a growing phase in Nagaland. Different

groups and team have been representing the State and performing plays in various regional as well as national levels.

Recently, the Hill Theater, Nagaland performed the play ‘Jina & Etiben’ directed by Ben-

dang Walling on January 25 at the North East Theatre Festival 2017 organised by NEZCC, GOI in collaboration with Bhabikal, Silchar.

Receiving much appreciation from the viewers, the play is about two lovers Jina and Etiben.

Source: IANS

Now ShowiNg revIseD TICKeT rATes (silver) : `.120 (Gold) : `. 200 (recliner) : `. 400

Hillstar

Source: IANS

‘Jina & Etiben’ touches heart at Theatre Festival

Morung express News

CEO and Principal Founder, said in a statement.

Jacqueline says she is happy to "be able to support so many things in this one opportunity" "There's the family aspect, this thrilling team sport as well as the woman competing that demonstrates woman empowerment. I really admire the discipline it takes to compete and the courage and confidence it inspires in others," she added.

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez has been announced as the brand ambassador of Goa Pirates for the Super Fight League (SFL), a mixed martial arts (MMA) league.

Jacqueline along with her brothers, Ryan and Warren, has also become the new coowner of the team.

The league, which began on January 20, already has celebrities like Ajay Devgn, Arjun Rampal, Salim and Sulaiman, Tiger Shroff and Randeep Hooda co-owning Mumbai Maniacs, Delhi Heroes, UP Nawabs, Bengaluru Tigers and Haryana Sultans teams respectively.

"It is with great pride that I welcome Jacqueline to the Super Fight League. I have always believed Indian MMA needs an innovative and experimental format to bring the fans to the stadiums and in front of television," Bill Dosanjh, SFL's

out of play "The Entertainer" due to ill-health. "Sir John decided not to perform as Billy Rice in Sir Kenneth Branagh's production on the advice of his doctors," McDonald said.

No cause of death was, however, immediately known. "I can't say I worry about mortality, but it's impossible to get to my age and not have a little contemplation of it," Hurt had told the Radio Times after the diagnosis.

Hurt had famously said: "We're all just passing time, and occupy our chair very briefly." Hollywood director Mel Brooks described Sir John as "cinematic immortality", as tributes poured in for the star.

Brooks paid tribute to Sir John, who had starred in Brooks' comedy Spaceballs, saying on Twitter: "No one could have played The Elephant Man more memorably." Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood said: "It was such an honour to have watched you work, sir."

British actor Alfred Molina said Sir John was "a gloriously talented actor, one of the best, of this or any era."

Hurt was born on January 22, 1940, in Chesterfield in Derbyshire. Over six decades, he appeared in more than 120 films as well as numerous stage and television roles.

In the second Aso (in Ao "Aso" means "generation") after the people settled at Longmiasang (now called Mopungchuket) Jina and Etiben lived in the 12th century. That is an era which is still remembered in the history

of Mopungchucket village. Unlike Shakespeare composition of Romeo and Juliet, this is a true story that touches the hearts of every lover of all ages. The most destructive factor towards the downfall of a being, "Ego & jealousy", Love has always been taken towards a different direction because of these two things. Apart from the love story between Jina & Etiben, here the supernatural power of the maid which brought up the tragic love story has captivated the Ao (Naga) oral tradition.

Appreciating the production, Rahul Das Gupta shares that viewers got to experience a different taste of the indigenous culture and treatment of body language.

“As an activist of theatre, I am personally grateful that I could reach to witness the play,” he added.

For Drohadeep Bhattacharya from Silchar the drama was “truly fantastic” and he adds, “even though language created problem, still it passed through the heart.”

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Power House.

02:00 PM | 08:00 PM

C M Y K

Food Security is your Right ENSURING EVERY CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO FOOD SECURITY IN NAGALAND National Food Security Act, 2013 implemented in Nagaland from July, 2016.

COST SHARING ON RICE - NAGALAND

79.83 % of rural and 61.98 % of urban population i.e. about 14.79 lakh persons in the State entitled for highly subsidized foodgrains.

Cost borne by beneficiary (`/Kg.), 3.00

Rice at ` 3/- per kg

Rice

35 kg foodgrains per family per month to Antyodaya Anna Yojana households and 5 kg per person per month to priority households.

Subsidy share of Government of India (`/Kg.), 29.67

Central Government bears 75% of the expenditure on intra-state transportation and lifting of foodgrains and fair price shop dealers' commission.

Provision for District Grievance Redressal Officer and State Food Commission for redressal of grievances and monitoring of implementation of the Act.

For any complaints and suggestions call at the toll free

No. 1967, 1800-345-3704 and 1800-345-3705 ET

I BACHA O

Emphasis on cashless transactions

The detailed list of beneficiaries is available at

http://164.100.128.97/NAGALAND_PDS

B

Food Security Allowance to beneficiaries in case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains.

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SUNDAY 29•01•2017

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Serena wins Australian Open for 23rd grand slam crown

MELBOURNE, JaNUaRy 28 (REUtERs): Serena Williams pushed sentiments aside in an emotion-charged 6-4 6-4 defeat of sister Venus to win the Australian Open on Saturday and a record 23rd grand slam title in the professional era.

Tortured by nerves in a tense family affair, Serena had to produce some of her best tennis to overcome Venus who won the crowd at Rod Laver Arena by scrapping hard to the end.

The American's seventh title at Melbourne Park was won with an aggressive charge to the net and a desperate defensive backhand from Venus that floated into the tramlines.

Williams slumped to the ground, with hands in the air and eyes wide with joyous disbelief, before congratulating her sister for inspiring her run in Melbourne.

"She's an amazing person, there's no way I would be at 23 without her," the second seed Serena said, cradling the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at the trophy ceremony.

"There's no way I would have anything without her.

"She's the only reason the Williams sisters exist, so thank you for inspiring me to be the best that I can be."

The win moved her past Steffi Graf on the list of all-time slam winners and she now sits just one shy of Margaret Court's long-standing record of 24.

Serena Williams of the U.S. holds her trophy after winning her Women's singles final match against Venus Williams of the U.S. .(Reuters Photo)

The victory also wrested back the Kerber, like a number before her, world number one ranking from An- may yet be remembered as another gelique Kerber who swiped it away caretaker for the ranking before its reduring her winning run to the U.S. turn to its rightful owner.

Open championship.

Venus was oldest finalist in Mel-

bourne in the professional era and won huge admiration for her unlikely run to the final.

"Serena Williams, that's my little sister, guys," she said beaming.

"Congratulations Serena on number 23, I've been right there with you, some of them I've lost with you.

"Your win has always been my win, you know that.

"I'm enormously proud of you, you mean the world to me."

At 35, an age at which most former champions have enjoyed life after tennis for several years, Serena's powers appear undiminished and she will now train her sights on Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 major titles.

Rightly or wrongly, many will feel Serena's top ranking in history is already assured, with Court's haul split between the amateur and professional eras and the American's silverware amassed despite numerous physical setbacks.

In the ultimate throwback tournament, Serena met her sister on the same Rod Laver Arena court where 14 years before she had edged her in three sets to claim her first Melbourne Park crown.

Eight years had passed since their last grand slam decider at Wimbledon in 2009, and their combined ages in Melbourne added up to the 'oldest' major final ever contested.

They walked down the corridor silently prior to the match, with Serena tuned into headphones and Venus focusing only ahead.

It was a tense start and neither

player was able to hold serve until Venus took the fifth game.

Serena was the worst afflicted by the nerves, and she smashed her racket in a rage in just the third game after she slipped behind the baseline when chasing down a ball.

She double-faulted three times to be broken a second time, causing a gasp from the crowd.

But galvanised by her serve, Serena soon settled and the blistering groundstrokes from the baseline began to find their mark as she surged to a 5-3 lead before sealing the set by thumping a pair of aces.

With Serena renowned as one of the best front-runners in the game, Venus showed her readiness to scrap, and she saved three break points to hold in the third game.

But she was never on safe ground, with Serena feasting on her second serve.

Serena pounced in the seventh game, firing a searing backhand return to break and served out to love to come within a game of the title.

Having dragged Serena to 15-30 at 5-4 on her serve, Venus dropped her racket in despair as she hammered a forehand into the net to give up match point.

Serena needed no further reason and after a furious exchange of shots, she charged in to the net swinging to claim yet another major title.

Harden making habit of triple double nights

C M Y K

Wrestlers in action during the 55th meet of Southern Angami Sports Association (SASA) recently at Jakhama Local Ground under Kohima district. Morung Photo

Blind Football Kigwema emerge champs of 55th SASA Meet Orientation KOhiMa, JaNUaRy 28 (MExN): Kigwema vilCamp cancelled lage was adjudged group

LOs aNgELEs, JaNUaRy 28 (aFP): James Harden became the first player in history with multiple 50-point triple doubles in a season, scoring 51 points in the Houston Rockets 123-118 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden has had more than his share of big nights this season. His point total was two off his season and career high of 53, against the New York Knicks on December 31.

Harden said he "just tried to be aggressive" and be in "attack mode" all night. Harden also tallied 13 assists and 13 rebounds as he posted his 14th triple double of the season and the 18th time he has accumulated over 30 points and 10 assists.

It might be hard for others to notice when he has an off night, but not Harden. He felt the need to pick things up after scoring just 30 points in the Rockets' loss in Boston on Wednesday night.

"I had to get back in the gym yesterday and put extra shots up and get my confidence up a little bit," he said.

He went 16-of-28 from the floor, six-of-11 from the arc and 13-of-14 from the foul line against the Sixers.

Sixers coach Brett Brown said his players were hesitant to double-team

Harden and leave the Rockets' many three-point shooters open.

"You have to pick your poison," Brown said. "You say, 'What sword are we going to die on?' And you saw it.

"You saw an NBA All-Star. You saw a gold medalist. You saw a legitimate candidate for MVP. Harden notched 17 of his points in the final 8:19, after 76er rookie Joel Embiid scored 11 points in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter that helped Philadelphia cut a 12-point deficit to five points.

Nene added a season-high 21 points for the Rockets, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Center Embiid, back after missing the three previous games with a bruised left knee, topped the Sixers with 32 points -one shy of his career high.

Elsewhere, Paul George scored six of his 33 points in overtime, and the Indiana Pacers rallied to defeat the Sacramento Kings 115-111 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

George's basket with 31 seconds remaining broke a 111-111 tie after Sacramento's Garrett Temple and Darren Collison each missed potential game-tying shots with seven and two seconds remaining. Pacer guard Jeff Teague made two game-clinch-

ing free throws with less than a second left to play.

"That was a hard-fought game," said George. "We were tired and sluggish at times, but we knew we had to battle back. We knew how physical the Kings are.

"Every possession was tough down the stretch. I'm feeling good and getting my game back to where it needs to be."

Indiana improved to 24-22 on the season and 3-18 when trailing after three quarters.

CJ Miles added 18 for the Pacers, Jeff Teague had 17 points and eight assists and Myles Turner scored 14.

George made six free throws during the final 2:30 to force overtime tied at 104-104. George missed a potential game-winner with 0.6 seconds left, and then Cousins missed a tip at the buzzer that would have given the Kings a victory.

The Kings grabbed a 64-55 halftime lead helped in part by sinking 11 of 16 shots beyond the arc during the first two quarters.

In Toronto, Kyle Lowry scored 32 points and added six assists as Toronto ended a season-high five-game losing streak with a 102-86 victory over Milwaukee.

th POLIO SUNDAY 29 Jan th POLIO SUNDAY 29 Jan 2017

DiMaPUR, JaNUaRy 28 (MExN): The Special Olympics Nagaland (SON) has informed that Blind Football Orientation Camp scheduled to be held on January 30 at Dimapur stands cancelled due to the present situation. A press release stating this informed that the camp will be held in a few months time. NGOs and social workers may visit www. blindfootball.in for updates on the matter and may also contact the National Coach and Sporting Director of IBFF Sunil J Mathew at 9447132363, for training camps.

champions of the 55th Southern Angami Sports Association (SASA) Meet.

Phesama village came second with a medal tally of 27 medals with 11 gold, 10 silver and 6 bronze medals.

Champions Kigwema bagged 14 gold, 10 silver and 2 bronze medals.

Viswema village bagged third place with a total of 8 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze medals each.

Liverpool suffer shock home defeat by Wolves in FA Cup

th POLIO SUNDAY 29 2017 POLIO SUNDAY 29th Jan Jan 2017

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Jon Dadi Bodvarsson shoots at goal. (Reuters Photo)

LONDON, JaNUaRy 28 (REUtERs): Liverpool suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, handing manager Juergen Klopp a third home defeat in a row.

Wolves winger Helder Costa turned in a virtuoso performance with a hand in both his team's firsthalf goals to leave Anfield stunned.

The visitors went ahead in the first minute when Costa swung in a free kick from the right and Richard Stea-

rman headed the ball past a flailing Loris Karius after wriggling free of his marker at the far post.

The Championship team, whose last visit to Anfield in the FA Cup was 65 years ago, extended their lead five minutes before halftime with a sublime breakaway after Liverpool lost possession in the Wolves penalty area.

The ball came to Costa, who raced towards the Liverpool box before evading Alberto Moreno's despairing challenge and playing in Andreas Weimann, who took one touch to get

past the onrushing Karius and another to slot home.

Liverpool, fourth in the Premier League, had won only one of their seven games in 2017 and Klopp threw on Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and Emre Can to try to spark a revival.

Divock Origi grabbed an 86thminute consolation for the hosts to ensure a frenetic end to the match, but Wolves defended grimly and threatened constantly on the counter-attack.

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