January 31, 2016

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sunDAY • JAnuArY 31 • 2016

DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 28 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong Race for Zika vaccine gathers momentum as virus spreads PAGE 09

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Changs in Kohima celebrate Poanglüm

DIMAPUR, JANUARY 30 (MExN): Former Governor of Nagaland, General (Retd) KV Krishna Rao passed away on Saturday in New Delhi. He was 92. General KV Krishna Rao (Retd) PVSM, who was also former Chief of Army Staff, served Nagaland as Governor along with the States of Manipur & Tripura from 1984 to 1989. He was also the Governor of Jammu & Kashmir and Mizoram. In a condolence message addressed to his son KV Narayan Rao, Nagaland Governor PB Acharya said, “We have lost a great soul who was the beacon of soldiering and iconic figure for not only for the Army and our Nation. His contributions towards the Nation will be remembered for ever.” Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang said Nagas remember KV Krishna Rao as a Governor who was very clear of his role-a custodian of the Constitution and a fatherly figure whose advice and suggestions to the State government was most valuable.

ASTD renounce ‘chief guest’ culture

C M Y K

DIMAPUR, JANUARY 30 (MExN): The Ao Senso Telongjem Dimapur (ASTD) has renounced what it termed as the ‘chief guest culture’ prevailing in Nagaland today. ASTD president, Supu Jamir told the media that the decision to this effect was endorsed at an ASTD general body meeting convened on January 30. Terming the supposedly dignified nomenclature as being misconceived and reduced to that of a position solely fashioned to extract benefits either in cash or in kind, the ASTD stated that it will no longer encourage the practice among unions or forums affiliated to the ASTD. “This ‘culture’ will not be entertained anymore,” Jamir said, adding that following the January 30 resolution no ASTD units will be permitted to categorise and invite any individual as ‘chief guest’ in any social function that the members may organise. According to Jamir, this misconceived materialistic notion of expectation more often than not induces an accomplished but not financially well off person to decline invitation to social gatherings the position of ‘chief guest’ notwithstanding. “It is no longer about what the chief guest has to contribute in his or her intellectual capacity rather it has become how much he or she pays.” The ASTD further reaffirmed its decision on not to endorse any ‘fund-raise’ related activity amongst its units without its permission and its resolution to stand by the Nagaland Foothill Road Coordination Committee.

Kerber stuns Williams to win Australian Open title PAGE 12

Peace through peaceful means NPCC pained over delay in finding

solution to Naga political problem

Dimapur | January 30

Former Nagaland Governor is no more

T R u T H

— Voltaire

PAGE 02

Morung Express News

Let’s open a clinic before Zika arrives. Degrees? No need, I know the names of nearly all the medicines.

o F

68 years after Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi was assassinated, his great grandson, Tushar Gandhi, became witness to a tribute paid to the Mahatma in Nagaland on January 30, 2016. The tribute came during the 2nd National Peace Convention that began today with peace prayers, and a moment’s silence for peace, at Hotel Acacia. The Convention, to be held from January 30-February 1 in Dimapur, has been organised by the National Peace Movement (NPM) in collaboration with Rotary International Dist. 3040 & 3240, NEISSR, Peace Channel, Universal Solidarity Movement and other NGOs. In attendance are 60 delegates from Nagaland, 42 from Madhya Pradesh, and 36 from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, who are attending the Convention for the second time.

Essence of peace & development

The essence of peace has always been an integral part of the development of human civilisation. C Apok Jamir, Nagaland State’s Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, said this while speaking as Chief Guest at the inaugural session of the 2nd National Peace Convention today. “Where there is peace, there is more development and growth of the society and country,” he said, explaining how peace needs to be har-

Allege NPF government is siphoning off funds of Centrally Sponsored Schemes Morung Express News Dimapur | January 30

Leaders of Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu faiths light a lamp at Hotel Acacia on Saturday evening to mark the beginning of the 2nd National Peace Convention being held in Dimapur from January 30-February 1, 2016. (Morung Photo)

nessed in a world where many factors have made peace more difficult to attain. In Nagaland, for instance, peace has been far for a long time given economic disparity and alienation from the Centre, observed Jamir. Other factors like illegal immigration have led to demographic changes. The formation of Nagaland State saw immense hardship and bloodshed, creating a suspicious relationship with governments in India. While the ceasefires signed with various Naga national groups laid a basis for peace, the signing of the historic peace accord with frameworks for a political solution inclusive of all has furthered the cause for peace in the region, he noted. This has been the result of decades of sacrifices made by people who have played a proactive in the movement. However, “peace without development is a stop gap so-

lution,” noted the Parliamentary Secretary. “Without economic development, a nation cannot sustain peace.” Thus, calling for the establishment of “concrete avenues” for lasting peace, Jamir affirmed that the present understanding of the “uniqueness of Naga history” by India should be taken further to usher in every lasting peace where the “rights and honour of the people are not trampled upon in the name of peace.”

Beyond conflict resolution

Tushar Gandhi, sharing stories of his great grandfather, noted how we must analyse not just acts of ‘active violence’ but also acts of ‘passive violence’ emanating from us so as to cope with future reactions to a situation. Thoughts of hatred or prejudice of gender, caste, physique, or thoughts of revenge or superiority, classify as acts of ‘passive violence’ that

need to be addressed when talking about peace. Without this, the much preached-about term, ‘tolerance’,he said, is of finite quantity. “Beyond a point, our tolerance bursts, we get irritated and then we explode,” he observed. Gandhi called for our conscience to be awakened without people having to sacrifice their lives for justice, as in the case of Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, MK Gandhi or Martin Luther King. Gandhi reminded that we live in a “global village” today, where one incidence of violence anywhere affects peace everywhere. “Peace is not just conflict resolution,” he asserted. If there is environmental degradation, we must be able to face and resolve those issues too in order to create peace. Similarly, internal elements of ego and seeking retribution must also be shed in order to create an environment for peace.

Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has expressed pain over the delay in finding an amicable solution to the prolonged Naga political problem. “Given the opportunity, we shall play effective mediatory role to secure political and economic solution for the Naga people,” NPCC president, K. Therie said during a press conference at Congress Bhavan, Dimapur on Saturday. The press conference was also attended by other NPCC members who had toured all 11 districts of the state under the mission, “NPCC Mass Contact for ‘Change’.” Having heard the voices of the people in all districts, Therie maintained that “darkness has covered all over Naga people” who were complaining on the delay in finding solution to the Naga political problem. “We believe that respecting the will of the people should be the way and agenda to solve the Naga political problem,” he added. Taking a dig at the Central Executive Committee of the NPF party which had reiterated its commitment to work for finding an honourable and acceptable solution to the Naga problem, Therie said that the NPF was clueless about the content of negotiations for the Naga issue. “Instead of bluffing the Naga people, they (NPF) should

admit that they are clueless to the political solution,” he added. The NPCC President accused the NPF Government of siphoning off funds from Centrally Sponsored Schemes meant for poor sections of the people. Therie said that the government has paid for only three days’ wages under MGNREGA during the current year. He also said that in many of the places that the NPCC toured, the VDBs have admitted that the State government has taken 50% of the funds. He said there were 4, 15, 000 job card holders in the state and if it were to be multiplied by 100 day wages of Rs 167 per day, the amount totals to an approximate Rs 693 crores. “Where has this money gone? This money has been missing for the last three years,” Therie questioned. He said that in some districts, the 50% of the fund under MGNREGA was converted into MLA’s fund. Therie said that the Old Age Pension Scheme has also not been paid since it has been “looted” by the State government. He added that the Food and Civil Supplies Department was receiving enough commodities but that it was not reaching the grass root people. Appealing the Naga people to join a political system if they want to change governance, Therie said the NPCC has brought out a ‘Roadmap’ for change in the form of a booklet which envisages administrative reforms, good governance, welfare schemes, minority participation, poverty reduction, economy of the state etc among several other areas of concern.

Nagaland may get separate flag Aam Admi Party youth wing launched in Nagaland

NEw DElhI, JANUARY 30 (hT): Nagaland may be given a separate official flag under the final accord expected to be signed soon by the Union government and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), sources said. The issue of giving the northeastern state its own flag is almost decided, the sources familiar with developments in the ongoing negotiations told HT. A separate flag is one of 33 demands made by the NSCN-IM, which has been engaged in talks with the central government since a truce was finalised in 1997. The NSCN-IM’s demand for a separate currency has been ruled out. VS Atem, an emissary of the NSCNIM’s central leadership and a key figure in the talks, had told HT earlier: “If Kashmir can have a separate flag, why not Nagas? China also has separate flags for Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan.” Other demands include a separate constitution, dual citizenship and the creation of “Nagalim” by integrating all Naga-inhabited areas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland, but the last demand is expected to be put on the “backburner for now” because of opposition from the other states. Under the final agreement, certain

items are expected to be transferred from the Central and Concurrent list of the Constitution to the State list, which would imply greater powers for Nagaland. The peace accord is expected to figure in the forthcoming budget session of Parliament as the document will have a few clauses requiring parliamentary sanction. They include the concept of “shared sovereignty”, special constitutional privileges to safeguard the traditional rights of Nagas with recognition of the “uniqueness of their history”. The central government and the NSCN-IM inked a “framework agreement” in August last year to pave the way for a final accord to end one of the longest running insurgencies in Asia. Nagaland is presently governed under Article 371 A of the Constitution, which confers the right over land and resources to the Nagas. The negotiations have been a closely guarded secret since August 3, 2015. According to sources, even the home ministry and the Intelligence Bureau are not privy to the discussions, with the National Security Council assuming a vital role that is steered by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Joint Intelligence Committee chief RN Ravi.

Morung Express News Dimapur | January 30

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched the Youth Wing of AAP Nagaland on Saturday at Saramati Hotel, Dimapur in the presence of AAP National Executive Committee member and Observer of North Eastern States, Habung Payeng. Addressing media persons during the launching programme, Habung Payeng stated that with the objective to bring change in the system especially for a corruption free country, AAP is launching its unit in the entire country. The motto of the youth wing is ‘No to corruption, Uproot corruption, Rebuild Nagaland.’ Speaking on the context of Nagaland, Payeng was confident that AAP will be a vibrant movement for Nagaland political system since the people of the State is fed up of the present system of governance which is festered with corruption. Citing the political crisis of the State, he claimed that other than AAP there is no other political party which can be an alternative party in the State. “I hope Nagaland state will

AAP National Executive Committee member Habung Payeng and officials of AAP Youth Wing Nagaland at its launch on Saturday. (Morung Photo)

embrace the principles and ideology of AAP,” he stated. Imti Jamir, who was appointed AAP Nagaland Youth Wing president, said it was high time to wipe out corruption from the State through change in the political power. For this he asserted that AAP is dedicated to bring the desired transformation. The AAP Youth Wing Nagaland will be headed by Imti Jamir as president, Peto Swu as vice president (also in charge Kohima & Zunheboto), Imlinochet (spokesperson and in charge of Mokokchung), Amongla Jamir (administration and in charge Longleng),

Viccato S.Aye (finance and i/c Dimapur and Peren) as general secretaries, Trijungliba Sangtam (co-ordination and i/c Tuensang), Zato Awomi (publicity and in charge of Wokha and Phek), Michael A.Sangtam (public relation and in charge of Mon & Kiphire) and Sambea Jeevan Rai (minority affairs) and Kihikali Y. Yeptho (student affairs) as joint secretaries. Later in the evening, AAP also launched the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) a student wing of the party. The active membership drive for the AAP will start from January 31, officials of AAP informed.

A Cancer odyssey: Nothing short of a miracle Dr Tsusennaro shares how her battle with cancer unleashed a new purpose to life and career Morung Express News Dimapur | January 30

Dr Tsusennaro has gone through a roller coaster in her 15-year challenge with Nasopharynx cancer or nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NCP). Beating cancer after undergoing a grueling and painful treatment of chemotherapy and radiation at the age of 16 put her on the mountain top. After passing the MBBS entrance exam and qualifying to be a doctor in the midst of an ongoing battle against cancer makes her achievement more than extraordinary. Every cancer survivor’s story is unique and special. This is Dr Tsusennaro’s story, which, she

says is nothing short of a miracle. In December 2002 when Dr Tsusennaro (also called Dr Naro Imchen), then only 16 years, was diagnosed with cancer, and doctors silently gave here four years to live as her parent sat white knuckled at the doctor’s office. Armed with an indomitable spirit and the will to live - she utterly proved the doctors wrong and successfully survived the battle. Currently pursuing postgraduate degree in Community Medicine in King George Medical College, Lucknow after completing her MBBS, she recently celebrated her 30th birthday on December 28, 2015 with her family in fully recovered health. The occasion was a time of tearful reflection. Understandably, because at one point of time no one actually thought she would survive - above all her parents. “We never expected her to survive the chemo and radia-

Cancer is not an end to life has given me this second chance

Some consider cancer to be the end of life. Dr Tsusennaro chose to fight it out. “During my treatment at AIIMS, Delhi, it seemed like the longest 3 months. I became all bones and skin that I would look in the mirror and think to myself- how could someone become so thin…? She recalled of her suffering. “Yet despite my failing health, I never envisioned I was going to die. Even though I was almost dead, whenever the doctor asked how I was, I would always reply I am fine,” she said. To her, the stage to recovery was Cancer survivor Dr Tsusennaro with her parent KT Wapang and Imti- the most agonizing period she yala outside their home in Dimapur. (Morung Photo) faced, far worse than the initial tion treatment. She was all skin was a heart wrenching experi- period of treatment. and bones, all her hair was gone, ence to see her-our daughtershe had lost her voice, couldn’t dying in front of us and not be- Career at time of recovery Before her diagnosis, Dr Tsueat or drink anything,” an emo- ing able to do anything. Yet there tional Imtiyala, mother of Dr she was, comforting us, telling sennaro wanted to be an engiTsusennaro recalled of their tor- us that everything will be alright. neer - just like her father. The exmenting experience. It was as if God gave her miracu- perience with cancer changed According to her father re- lous will power and determina- her perspective on the value of life and career. “I realized God tired engineer KT Wapang, “It tion.”

to live for a purpose. I decided to pursue career in the medical stream so that I can be useful to him and try to help people in my own small ways,” she explained. Besides her current postgraduate studies in Community Medicine, Dr Tsusennaro has clinched another prestigious achievement. She is one of the selected doctors at the recently declared results of the 2015 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Combined Medical Services examination (CMS).

Lessons

Cancer is always a teaching experience. Dr Tsusennaro shares some important lessons she gained. “Never underestimate the power of prayer- there is so much power in prayer than we can imagine. Learn to appreciate the simple things in life, never forget to tell your loved ones you love and care for them and always be thankful to God,” she sums up.


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