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Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 187
The Morung Express
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www.morungexpress.com
Amit Shah is new BJP president
[ PAGE 2]
–Plato
US, China vow to improve cooperation [ PAGE 9]
[ PAGE 11]
By Sandemo Ngullie
Thursday, July 10, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4
Kronu makes call for overall development of Pfütsero
J.K. Rowling Releases ‘Harry Potter’ Short Story, Detailing...
[ PAGE 8]
reflections
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A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers
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Germany routs Brazil to reach WCup final [ PAGE 12]
India’s fiscal situation worse than it appears Economic Survey urges strong steps to contain fiscal deficit economic survey highlights
Don`t you read newspapers? All the ministers are in Delhi!
The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your answer to 9862574165 Are you concerned by the intensity in which issues of public interest are being politicized and defined along lines of tribalism and groupism? Yes
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Dikshit to be appointed as nagaland Governor? NEW DELHI, JuLy 9 (ZEE NEWs): In the backdrop of speculations that Kerala Governor Shiela Dikshit may be shifted to Nagaland by the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, former Delhi chief minister met Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday. According to the sources, Home Secretary asked her to quit as Governor after NDA government took over from the UPA. Dikshit has so far remained defiant, refusing to quit within months of her being appointed as Kerala Governor in March earlier this year. Furthermore, Dikshit has also sought appointments with President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, Dikshit may be transferred to Nagaland as former Mizoram Governor Vakkom Purushothaman has refused to take up the post and could soon resign. Purushottaman was transferred to Nagaland to make way for Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal, as per reports in an English daily. Nagaland Governor Ashwani Kumar’s resignation was accepted by the President on June 27. He was the third UPA appointed Governor to quit within a week. On the other hand, despite vocal resistance by the Congress, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh’s Governors BL Joshi and Shekhar Dutt resigned last week. However, Dikshit has till now made no formal statement on the issue.
NEW DELHI, JuLy 9 (REutERs): India’s fiscal situation is worse than it appears, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government said in an economic report on Wednesday that called for tough measures to shore up public finances and reduce inflation. The report’s tone will increase speculation that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in presenting his first budget to parliament on Thursday, will give a higher, more realistic fiscal deficit target for this fiscal year than the 4.1 percent of gross domestic product the previous government set. India risks losing its investment-grade sovereign rating if it fails to get its finances into shape. Many economists believe the last government’s accounting understated the size of the deficit, and Jaitley will need to present a credible recovery plan to keep the ratings agencies onside. The newly-released Economic Survey “shows the gravity of the economic situation that needs correction,” Jaitley said. “Inflation needs to be moderated further. The fiscal deficit needs downward correction over the next two years,” the former corporate lawyer and career politician said. Seen as a blueprint for the government’s medium-term economic plan-
Laborers carry a load of vegetables at a wholesale market in Kolkata on July 9. India’s new government presents its inaugural budget this week in the first substantive test of whether narendra Modi will deliver on ambitious promises to revive stalled economic growth. (AP Photo)
ning, the report forecast GDP growth of between 5.4 and 5.9 percent in 2014/15. It warned that weak monsoon rains, which are essential for farming, could keep
growth closer to 5.4 percent. In June, India’s central bank forecast growth of 5.5 percent in the financial year that ends in March 2015. Jaitley’s predecessor set
the 4.1 percent fiscal deficit target in an interim budget before the new government took office. That may already be unrealistic, because the previous govern-
ntc urges nagaland ‘Rework MGNREGS’ Economic Survey suggests urgent state govt to ‘wake up’ revamp to prevent its misuse and to
KOHIMA, JuLy 9 (MExN): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) today stated that it is “astonished by the apathy” of Nagaland state Chief Minister, TR Zeliang towards the effects of the proposed Nagaland Special Development Zones (NSDZ) and stated that the latter had made “non-committal statements in the media without realizing the ramifications and sensitivity of the issue.” It stated that the NSDZ “is a paramount economic issue that will have long term damaging effect to the future generations to come if allowed unopposed and the NTC is definitely conscious on its implications.” The NTC, in a press note, from its acting President, Lendinoktang Ao and I&P Secretary, Theja Therieh apprised the Nagaland CM that the representation submitted by the NTC to the state government is “loud and clear about our apprehensions that the threat of forfeiting the hard earned status and privileges of the people of Nagaland state is not with the Government of India, but our own Government whom we voted to power.” It assured that the NTC
has read the contents of the Assembly resolutions and the concept paper “through lenses of the protective laws and provisions and beyond the text” in order to understand the “extent of damages that can be caused to the people in the guise of development and urbanization, once this utterly careless resolution is translated into reality.” It urged the Nagaland state government to “wake up and take responsibilities” over the rights and privileges of the people and to look beyond “short-term benefits.” “Breach of such fundamental duties would make the state responsible and liable for all the damages that has far reaching consequences,” it cautioned. The NTC further maintained that the people of Nagaland “at no point of time have given its mandate to the State Government to review the status and privileges of Article 371(A).” It further said that the Chief Minister’s statement that “Article 371(A) is hindering developmental processes in the state is indicative of shallowness of a leader and therefore self-defeating and unqualified statement.”
create meaningful infrastructure
NEW DELHI, JuLy 9 (IANs): The Narendra Modi-led NDA government may restructure the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which offers minimum-wage employment for the rural jobless. The Economic Survey 2013-14 presented in parliament said there was an urgent need to revamp the scheme to “prevent its misuse” and create “meaningful” infrastructure. Though the scheme is Panchayatcentric and demand-based, there is lack of principal role in planning, execution and monitoring by the panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), especially the Gram Sabha, said the survey. Also, awareness level in PRIs is very low, resulting in lack of ownership, ill-conceived planning and shelf of projects, and weak or no social audit. And the need for community projects is becoming less important as probably such works have already been completed or are on the brink of saturation, or on account of lack of common interest in public works, it said. Lack of technical staff has led to delayed measurement of works completed, resulting in delayed payments. In some places, only female workers are interested in availing of work as market wages for males are much higher, resulting in small works of lesser utility being undertaken instead of big and tangible projects. There is also a need to avoid projects with single or small number of beneficiaries and the use of MGNREGS funds in supply-driven mode. “So, there is an urgent need to revamp MGNREGA to prevent its misuse and make it more development oriented programme creating tangible and meaningful assets and infrastructure,” said the Survey.
Dimapur Police bust vehicle lifting gang
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DIMAPuR, JuLy 9 (MExN): Dimapur Police have made significant breakthroughs in busting a vehicle lifting operation, arresting two persons in the process and also recovering two stolen vehicles and several vehicle registration plates. A press note from the PRO, Dimapur Police informed that the two persons, identified as Ghotoka Zhimo (32) and Inuka Achumi (30), were arrested while investigating into a vehicle theft case, which was reported on June 25. The vehicle, bearing registration number NL07C/1842 (Bolero SLX), chassis number MA1PS2GHKA5M93371 and engine number GHA4L77458 was stolen from the Supermarket area. An operation led by the SDPO
Dimapur was launched in “suspect places” and the two members of the gang were arrested. On interrogation, the two accused disclosed that the stolen vehicles were handed over to a person identified as one Mossai Tangkhul, who acts as the receiver as well as dispatcher of the stolen vehicles. Police informed that after receiving the stolen vehicles, they were concealed in a location at Pudampukhuri, Dimapur. On the disclosure of the accused, a search operation was conducted to recover the vehicles. “The place where the vehicles were concealed reportedly belongs to one Livi Tzimi, who is suspected to be a member of the NSCN (IM),” informed Dima-
pur Police in the press note. During the search operation, two stolen vehicles and registration plates of a number of vehicles reported stolen were recovered along with a .22 rifle belonging to the accused. The two recovered vehicles include a Bolero SLX (NL07C/1842) and a Bolero pick up (NL-01K/7320). During the course of investigation, it was ascertained that the seized Bolero SLX bearing a fake registration number NL07/9600 was actually the vehicle reported lost at East PS on June 25, 2014 from supermarket area. Its original registration number is NL-07C/1842. On checking the engine and chassis number of the recovered
Bolero pick-up, it was discovered to be originally bearing the number NLOIK/7320 and that the vehicle was reported stolen on June 18, 2014 from Murgipatti, Dimapur. The vehicle was found with a fake registration bearing R/ No.NL07A/3162. A total of seven registration plates were recovered from the location. They included two plates bearing R/No NL-O7C/1842, two plates bearing NL-O1C/9338, two plates bearing AS-O3M/5962 and another two bearing NLO1K/7320 and NL-O7/9600 respectively. Police are investigating the cases and are making all efforts to nab the other accused involved, who are “evading arrest.”
ment left a stack of unpaid bills to state oil companies that have eaten into this year’s finances. D.K. Joshi, the principal economist at the Indian arm of Standard & Poor’s, CRISIL Ratings, said he would welcome a higher deficit goal, as the number set by the last government was always under a cloud of doubt. “If 4.5 percent is credible and arrived in a correct manner, then it shouldn’t be a problem. It should be a feasible target,” he said. “But if the fiscal deficit target is aggressive, it would again be a question mark. Wednesday’s report recommended tackling food and fertiliser subsidies to lower spending while broadening the tax base. India’s tax collection is less than 9 percent of GDP, a quarter of the average in the OECD group of developed nations. “It is better to achieve fiscal consolidation partly through a higher tax-GDP ratio than merely through reduction in the expenditure-to-GDP ratio, in view of the large unmet development needs,” the report said. Asia’s third-largest economy has been stuck in its longest rut in a quarter of a century - with growth below 5 percent - while Modi’s government has been dogged by a food-price spike in its early weeks.
• Economy likely to grow 5.4-5.9 percent in 2014-15. • Both Wholesale and Consumer Price Inflation expected to go downward • Balance-of-payments position improved dramatically in 2013-14. • Sharp fall in trade deficit by 27.8 to $ 137.5 billion. • Exports grew 4.1 percent over negative growth of 1.8 percent in 2012-13. • Imports dropped by 13.2 percent. • Industry grew by just 1 per cent in 2012-13 and slowed further in 2013-14. • Policy focus now needs to target key growth drivers in the short term. Crucial drivers can be revival of private corporate sector investment, pushing ahead with critical reforms and removing infrastructure bottlenecks. • Near-term industrial outlook is conditional on continued improvements in the policy environment and quick return to peak investment rate. • Industry is expected to revive and growth can accelerate gradually over the next two years. • India has second fastest growing services sector with Compound Annual Growth Rate of 9 percent, just below China’s 10.9 percent during 2001-2012 • India ranked 12th in terms of services GDP in 2012 among the world’s top 15 countries in terms of GDP. • FSLRC, in its report, has given wide-ranging recommendations, in the nature of governance enhancing principles for enhanced consumer protection, greater transparency in the functioning of financial sector regulators in terms of their reporting system, greater clarity on their interface with the regulated entities and greater transparency. • New Pension System (NPS), now National Pension System, represents a major reform of Indian pension arrangements, and lays the foundation for a sustainable solution to ageing in India by shifting to an individual account, defined-contribution system. Till May 7, 2014 67.11 lakh members have been enrolled under the NPS with a corpus of Rs. 51,147 crore. • Fiscal consolidation remains imperative for the economy.
rush for rubber in Wokha Ashikho Pfuzhe Wokha | July 9
While the huge reserve of “black gold” (petroleum) in Wokha district remains untapped due to differences between the state government and land owners, people of this district have already started prospecting for “”white gold” or rubber. And the rush for “white gold” (so called because of rubber’s valuable properties) is endemic as 103 villages out of 129 recognized villages in Wokha district have taken up rubber plantation in earnest. By 2020, it is estimated that the district would generate a staggering income of around Rs. 111 crore from rubber alone. According to the status report of State Department of Land Resources (LR), till April 2013, the district had 2121 hectares under rubber plantation with 10, 61,335 standing trees. With a rubber tree yielding approximately 4.5 kg dry rubber per year after tapping, the total yield of dry rubber in Wokha district in 2013 stood at 2,84,062 kgs. Taking the average market price of rubber at Rs. 185 per kg, the total income of the rubber farmers stood at Rs. 5.25 crores in 2013. “As per our latest survey (2014), the area under rubber cultivation in Wokha district is 2961 hectares and number standing tress is 13,32,587. This year too, the department has distributed 11,90,000 rubber stumps to the farmers”, said district project officer (DPO), LR Wokha, Tepunol Yore. The DPO said the area under rubber plantation and standing trees would be more as the department had only taken into account plantations of LR department beneficiaries. Yore also said that going by the present trend, by 2020 Wokha district is expected
By 2020, Wokha district is estimated to generate Rs 111 Crores from rubber alone
A woman tapping a rubber tree in Serika village under Wokha district.
to produce at least 59,96,061 kgs rubber worth Rs. 111 crores. “The huge income generated by Wokha rubber farmers will certainly be a turning point in the economy of the local people as well as set a bench mark for other districts on the road to economic self-sufficiency”, said parliamentary secretary for Women Development and Border Affairs, Thomas Lotha, during the inauguration of a Rubber Board of India (RBI) field office at Sanis town on June 30 last. Most of the rubber plantations in the district are concentrated in villages under 39 Sanis assembly constituency. Thomas, who represents Sanis assembly seat, also said the increasing demand for rubber in global market and lucrative income being generated by pioneer rubber farmers
in Wokha district have encouraged poor farmers to shift to rubber cultivation from traditional shifting/ jhum cultivation. Thomas also informed RBI officials that he had distributed around 5 lakh rubber stamps to villagers over the last couple of years before requesting the RBI to open a field office at Sanis. According to the International Rubber Research and Development Board, Malaysia, about 20 million people directly depend on rubber as their primary source of income. As per the survey of the Land Resources Department, out of a total geographical area of 162800 hectares of Wokha district, rubber can be successfully cultivated in 1,16,546 hectares. Rubber was introduced as a cash crop in Wokha in 2000.
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Kronu makes call for overall development of Pfütsero Our Correspondent Pfütsero | July 9
Parliamentary secretary for planning & coordination, monitoring cell and evaluation Neiba Kronu said that he wanted to make Nagaland’s highest altitude town- Pfütsero as the cleanest town in Nagaland and sought the cooperation of the administration and civil societies in achieving such target. Stating that Pfütsero is the biggest sub-division in Nagaland, he also stressed on the need to put a concerted effort for all round development of the sub division. He was speaking at the coordination meeting of all head of departments and civil societies here on July 8. Kronu also fired at the BRO for not attending to collapsed bridge between Chakhabama and Pfütsero for almost 7 years and at the same time questioned the credibility of the workmanship of BRO, which he said is going from bad to worse. On desire expressed
Kronu addressing coordination meeting of all head of departments and civil societies at Pfütsero on July 8. (Morung Photo)
by the denizens to have Pfütsero Sub Division Planning & Development Board, Kronu said he had conveyed the matter on earlier occasions to the government and assured to pursue it again. He also informed the meeting that more procedural is required for opening of Sub Treasury office at Pfütsero
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ASU second Union Assembly on July 19 C M Y K
kohiMa, July 9 (MexN): The second Union Assembly of the Angami Students’ Union (ASU) (Tenure 2013-2015) is slated to be held on July 19 at WAPO Hall, Sechü-Zubza, at 11:00 am, to be hosted by Western Angami Students’ Union. All Range and Unit Presidents/ Representatives are requested to attend the Meeting Positively. Agendas if any must be addressed to the Speaker U/A 48 hours before the commencement of the Union Assembly. For Queries kindly contact: +919089434865, +919856200353.
Capacity building prog at NU Meriema
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kohiMa, July 9 (DiPR): The Department of Education is organizing a three-day capacity building of national level on the theme ‘Translating Policy into Practice’ at Nagaland University Kohima Campus Meriema from July 14 to 16. The workshop cum seminar will include session plan for Right to Education (RTE) module are Introduction and Session Overview, Baseline Case Study Quiz on RTE, Historical Background of the Act, How to read the Act, Group Activity, Video, Overview on Right to Education Act, Orientation on Field Visit, What to do in field (Activity Based)?, Field Work in School/ Villages, Presentation on Field Visit Guidelines, Groups work on compiling data and deciding what to present and how?, and Feedback. The resource persons and participations of the workshop will be from across the country.
Longleng DPDB meeting held loNgleNg, July 9 (DiPR): The Longleng District Planning & Development Board meeting was held on July 7 at DC’s Conference Hall Longleng. The meeting was presided by Deputy Commissioner and Vice Chairman DPDB Longleng. At the outset, the Chairman warmly welcomed all the members present in the meeting. Reviewing the last meeting minutes, the DC Longleng informed the Board members on land acquisition for 123-33 KV Sub-station at Pongo village as discussed in the last meeting. The board also discussed on NAP Post camp at Naga junction Hukphang village, and opening of Fire department in Tamlu ADC HQ. The RD Department agreed to part their office for opening of SBI branch at Sakshi village. Other agendas such as drainage system in the district HQ and posting of Science and Maths Teachers at Sakshi High School were also discussed.
Rotary Club Kohima Installation Program kohiMa, July 9 (MexN): Rotary Club Kohima will be holding it 11th Installation Program at Hotel Japfü on July 10 at 6:00 pm. District Governor Elect Rtn Chandu Agarwal will be gracing the occasion as the chief guest. The welcome address will be delivered by Rosemary Dzüvichü, outgoing President Rotary Club, Kohima while a brief exhortation will be given by Rtn. SP Dutta, Assistant Governor. A speech will also be presented by Dr. Viketoulie Pienyü, incoming President.
ZSU executive meeting on July 12 kohiMa, July 9 (MexN): All the Zhavame Students’ Union executives are informed that there will be an executive meeting on July 12, 12 noon at Tho-o Shupao’s residence. Therefore, all the union office bearers are requested to attend the meeting positively. This was informed in a press release issued by ZSU Publicity & Information Secretary Derhü Pohena
Anti Malaria Health Camp at Sechü C M Y K
kohiMa, July 9 (MexN): As part of Anti Malaria Month Observation, a health camp was held at Sechü PHC on July 3. Patients from neighbouring villages also attended in good numbers. Free health check up and free medicines were provided to them. Pamphlets in local dialects were also distributed for malaria prevention awareness. The District Vector Borne Officer (DVBO) Kohima, ZLO Kohima and SMO Sechü did clinical management and the MTS and Lab Technician carried out free blood test for malaria. This was informed in a press release issued by Kohima Chief Medical Officer Dr. Avino Metha.
and assured to take up the matter with urgency. On the other hand, he said effort was on to bring some private banks to Pfütsero. Kronu also called for early resolution of Government College Pfütsero new site. He said the students would suffer if the same issue is continued. “The government will take decision,”
he said. He also stated that a multipurpose hall is coming up soon in Pfütsero. Kronu, an elected representative of 16th Pfütsero A/C, also stressed the need for improving drainage system. He said pay & use toilet will be coming up soon. In view of the mushrooming urbanization in recent years, Kronu said proper
road connectivity is required for extensive growth of the town. In this, Kronu said the existing town road needs expansion as well as construction of link roads is the need of the hour. He sought cooperation and support from the public and landowners for such development. Touching on dumping site, he was appreciative of the prompt action taken by the administration in shifting to the new site. He said the present dumping site on National Highway gave a dismal picture to passer-by. The parliamentary secretary asked the government servants to be regular in attending offices so as to enable the public to access their services. He also cautioned those irregular officers and staff. “It is time for us to rectify the system and put things into order,” he said. Meanwhile, the meeting unanimously resolved to have coordination meeting once in a month. Pfütsero ADC, T Nchumbemo Odyuo, chaired the meeting.
The Morung Express C
NSDMA continues Disaster Management Awareness prog
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Karen R. Koza State Media Officer SDMA speaks during the Disaster Management Awareness programme held at Tuensang on July 9. (DIPR Photo)
TueNsaNg, July 9 (DiPR): Disaster Management Awareness programme was held at Tuensang on July 9 at Town Hall initiated by SDMA. The programme was lead by EAC HQ Tuensang, Kikato K. Chishi. Addl. Deputy Commissioner, Robert Longchari gave the welcome address. Several District Office representatives, school students, fire and emergency services, police and VG of Tuensang District, attended the programme. The main speaker was State Media Officer SDMA, Karen R. Koza who shared on the awareness tips, Do
& Don’ts during disaster. The programme was also enlightened by a drama on disaster management campaign presented by the Dreamz Unlimited. The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) conducted an awareness programme on disaster management at Longleng on July 8 at DC’s office complex Longleng. In the programme, Deputy Commissioner Longleng K. Libanthung Lotha delivered the welcome address. The CBO NSDMA Kohima who was the team speaker said that everyone should know
how to save one’s own life and how to help others, in case of Disaster strike in their respective places. She said that disaster is not only fire accident, but also like earthquake, flood, landslides etc. She also stated that the importance of disaster management awareness campaign in Schools, Colleges and even in Churches should be highlighted in order to create awareness to the people. The function was attended by all Head of the Officers, DDMAC, NGO, PSC, GBS, DBS all Village Council Chairman, NVGS, Police, Students, representative from schools and colleges.
KDLSA organizes extempore speech competition Our Correspondent Kohima | July 9
With an objective to spread awareness on the legal services, the Kohima District Legal Services Authority (KDLSA) organized an extempore speech on the theme ‘Fundamental Duties under Article 51 A of the Constitution of India’ at the Little Flower Higher Secondary School (LFHSS),
Kohima on July 9. Total 26 students from LFHSS participated in the event. Watiyangla Kichu who spoke on the importance of defending the country bagged the first prize where she stated that defending one’s country has to be felt in flesh and blood. Under theme, the participants spoke on the importance of safeguarding public property, preservation of the
country from violence, importance of national flag, protection of harmony and spirit of brotherhood, protection of environment, fundamental duties, protection of the constitution and its law, protection of women and the importance of defending the country. The second position was secured by Kivi Swu and Tolino Chishi secured the third position where she spoke
on the importance of safeguarding public property and highlighted the need for maintaining cleanliness. The event was graced by Justice Nitshitendu Chaudhary, Judge, Gauhati High Court and Executive Chairman, Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA). Justice Chaudhary stated that it is fallacious to take the constitution as only an embodiment of rights
because with rights also comes duties. He further focused on climate change and asserted that environmental protection is fundamental to India. Mezivolu T. Therieh, Secy, KDLSA and Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kohima chaired the event where she also gave the opening remarks. The welcome address was given by Sr. Anna Molly, Principal, LFHSS while a short
speech was presented by Mayang Lima, MemberSecy, NSLSA and Registrar, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench. The panel of judges for the competition was Kezhokhoto Savi, Advocate & NVCO, Ashiphri Zho, Advocate & Gen. Secy Kohima Bar Association, Zheviholi Advocate, Neizokhotuo Belho, Social Activist & Juvenile Justice Board Member.
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Tragopan Club donates Blyth’s Tragopan kohiMa, July 9 (MexN): The Tragopan Club, R Khel, Viswema donated three Blyth’s Tragopan birds to the Blyth’s Tragopan Breeding Centre, Kohima on July 8. A press note said that this was done to create awareness to the public about the need to conserve fauna and more so the Blyth’s Tragopan knowing well that if steps are not taken, the day is not very far away for it to become extinct. Tragopan club members appreciated the initiatives taken up by Keneikrul, Officer Incharge of the Blythes Tragopan Centre, Kohima for taking keen interest in the project and bringing it up to the present position. It hopes that with the full support of the Government he will take the A rusted electric pole broke in half and ramped on an auto-rickshaw after a truck plying on project into newer heights. The Officer Incharge the National Highway - 36 tugged on low-lying wires near the Nagaland Post Office in Circular Road, Dimapur. The driver of the auto-rickshaw suffered head injuries and was rushed to thanked the Tragopan Club, R.Khel, Viswema for Metro Hospital, while a passenger suffered minor injuries. (Morung Photo)
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Tragopan Club, R Khel, Viswema members and others donates Blyth’s Tragopan birds to the Blyth’s Tragopan Breeding Centre, Kohima on July 8.
its generous contribution to the Centre and acknowledged that the club’s gesture will go a long way in creating awareness for the public and also for the growth of the Blyth’s Tragopan Breeding Centre, Kohima. The Tragopan Club, R Khel, Viswema of Kohima district, came into being on 27-02-1987 with “Strength
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lies in Unity” as its motto. The club was formed with an aim to foster unity, to help the society and to bring about change in the mindset of Naga people towards wild life. Since its inception, it has been involved in many welfare programs for humanity and creation of awareness for the people.
Wokha and Kohima DPDB joint coordination meeting held
kohiMa, July 9 (DiPR): Wokha and Kohima District Planning and Development Board joint coordination meeting was held on July 9 at Deputy Commissioner Conference Hall, Wokha under the chairmanship of DC & Vice Chairman DPDB Wokha Vyasan R. IAS. Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Dr. TM Lotha also attended the meeting. The chairman introduced two new members DEO
Marius and SDEO Chumbenthung to the house. During the meeting representative from DPDB Kohima, ADC (Planning) Ketoho Luho and Assistant Director, Urban Development Department, Kohima Tarachu Fithu highlighted on the concept on Village Vision Cell and activities of Kohima DPDB. Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Dr. TM Lotha, speaking during the meeting expressed
appreciation to members of Kohima DPDB for sharing their experiences and activities. The step taken is very encouraging which will motivate other members to take active interest for the progress and development of our State maintained Dr. TM Lotha. The following agendas were discussed and approved by the board, construction of EAC Official quarter, GA rest house and repair and renovation of office
building at EAC headquarter Aitepyong, change of nomenclature of St. Paul Area Baptist School to Chukitong Area Baptist Mission School. General Manager, DHEP, NEEPCO, Doyang, requested the board to look into matter and explore possibility in order to raise the Reservoir water Level from 324 meters to its actual target level of 333 meters, in this regard the board after deliberation request-
ed the District Administration, Kyong (Lotha) Hoho, effected Land Owners and NEEPCO officials to sit together to solve the issue. SDO (C), Sanis, Nchumbemo highlighted the Inter-Departmental co-ordination meeting held at SDO (C) Sanis headquarter. During the meeting, Wokha DPDB felicitated HSLC topper 2014 Thungrhoni M.Patton (Rank 41st).
Azo addresses PAPO general meeting Season long IPM training
Phek, July 9 (MexN): The Phek Area Public Organization (PAPO) general meeting was held at the conference Hall of SIRD, Phek on July 8 with Minister for PWD (R&B), Parliamentary Affairs, Nagaland, Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu as the guest speaker. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister has urged the people of the area to maintain a cordial relationship from among them thereby rendering unflinching support to the PAPO for a healthy pursue in all aspects. Congratulating the new team to be headed by Vezhiehu Vero, the Minister who is also the Convener of the Nomination Committee expressed con-
fidence that drastic changes will prevail under the leadership of the new team. He further appeals the new team to carry forward the plans and aspiration of the people in good spirit and under good teamwork. The house also unanimously adopted three resolutions for firm implementation: To promote the human resources development within the PAPO jurisdiction; To promote, peace, unity and tranquillity from among the PAPO constituent units; and To maintain peaceful co-existence and communal harmony with the PAPO neighbouring villages. The house also endorsed the new team to constitute the Organization Constitution drafting
Committee at the earliest time. The house further expressed its profound gratitude to Minister Azo Nienu for sponsoring the entire activities of the PAPO and thus wished him a prosperous get through in endeavours. Meanwhile, a new team of PAPO Executive Council for the tenure 2014-2018 was nominated and approve with President-Vezhehu Vero; Vice Presidents- Nekhuzo Khamo and Niekhusa Venuh; General Secretary-Zhechete Mekrisuh; Joint Secretaries- Husucho and Rakhusu; Finance SecretaryShevohu Nienu; Publicity Secretary-Khuvohu Rhakho; Press Secretary-Veposü; PAPO representative to CPO- Vejoyi Vero and Chekhutso Rhakho.
on Paddy launched
kohiMa, July 9 (MexN): The District Agriculture Officer, Kohima launched the season long IPM training programme on Paddy at Tora for Kezoma, Kezo Basa and Kezo Town farmers on July 8. The APPO on his keynote address stressed on the need to minimize the use of chemicals and tackle insect pests problems through integration of cultural, mechanical & Biological method. He emphasized on winter ploughing which our fore fathers used to practice and said that this cultural method will greatly reduce pest problems. The greatest enemy is grasshopper, borer and leaf folder and he cautioned the farmers to be vigilant about these insects
and disease of paddy crops which is already posing problems to the farmers in their fields. Due to grass hopper and leaf folder infestation in the fields, the department introduce ducklings in the fields to counter these problems. The life cycle of Stem borer, leaf folder, grasshopper were discussed in detail. The farmers were made to identify insect pest and defenders in their fields. Finally, demonstration on use of sprayers and necessary precaution to be taken while handling Roban were discussed. Roban and Furadan along with IPM Kits by the District Agriculture Officer, Kohima were issued to the farmers.
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Thursday
10 July 2014
Trains to chug into Meghalaya soon SHILLONG, JuLy 9 (TNN): With railway minister Sadananda Gowda promising to commission the Dudhnoi-Mendipathar railway link soon, Meghalaya will soon be placed on India's railway map. A line between Dudhnoi-Deepa was proposed in the Railway Budget of 1992-93. Later, Deepa was changed to Mendipathar in 2007 due to local opposition. "Assam and Meghalaya completed the land acquisition process only in March 2013. Mendipathar is Meghalaya's first railway station," said a railway official. A trial engine chugged into Mendipathar station in the Garo Hills for the first time on March 31 this year. The 19.47-km broadgauge railway line originates at Dudhnoi in Assam to Mendipathar in the East Garo Hills. Of this, 9.75 km fall in Assam and 10 km in Meghalaya. The alignment includes 53 minor bridges, three major bridges, seven railway underbridges and two station buildings.
‘Train service to boost economy’ SHILLONG, JuLy 9 (PTI): A day after Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda announced the first passenger train in Meghalaya, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the introduction of rail-head in Meghalaya would boost the economy of the landlocked state. "The introduction of the train is an opportune time for the people to derive maximum benefits in terms of goods and services transportation and this should generate interest in other parts as well," Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told PTI. "I foresee a positive effect for the economy as well as transportation in the entire state is dependent on roads. I expect changes in the mindset of the people in the near future after this," he said. Gowda also introduced Bullet and other premium trains for the The Dudhnoi-Mendipathar project was built to link Meghalaya's Garo Hills with Assam. "With the integration of the Dudhnoi (Assam)-Mendipathar (Meghalaya) line in the national grid, Meghalaya
country through his new list. The train would connect Mendipathar in North Garo Hills region of the state with Guwahati in Assam on a daily basis. The distance between the two destinations is 131 km. Meghalaya has been without any rail-head since it attained statehood in 1972 in the wake of stiff opposition from local pressure groups for fear of influx of outsiders. In this regard, the Chief Minister assured that necessary steps will be taken into account to ensure that the rail services do not have an adverse impact on the entry of outsiders. "Necessary checks and measures will be put in place to ensure that the concerns of the groups and all are addressed in right earnest and we are hopeful that a proper mechanism and effective structure will be put in place," he said. The Chief Minister also said that
has found a place on India's railway map. The new track had to be connected to Dudhnoi's lines through an interlocking and signaling arrangement. This will allow trains to enter and leave Dudh-
he would soon move the Centre to explore the possibility of having railway - tourism in the state to cater to high end tourists and boost the economy further. The proposal for creating a railway link to connect Meghalaya with the rest of the country was announced in the 1992-93 Railway Budget even as its completion took time due to several issues like land compensation and forest clearances. The train engine had completed its test run after the construction of railway tracks, stations and completion of all railway amenities ahead of the April 1 deadline, a railway official said. "As of now we are waiting for the safety inspection which will be carried out by the Kolkata-based Central Railway Safety Inspection teams which will be carried out within this month," North East Frontier Railway (construction) PRO D C Borah said.
noi station by using signals from the Mendipathar end and vice versa. Non-interlocked systems were started on February 25 and integration was completed on February 27. Thus, the first step to-
Disappointment in Tripura over rail budget AGArTALA, JuLy 9 (IANS): Political parties in Tripura Wednesday criticised the central government for neglecting the state in the rail budget and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of appeasing the corporate sector. The Left-ruled state accused the Narendra Modiled central government of ignoring it in allocation of funds for the ongoing railway projects, including the proposed rail link between state capital Agartala and Bangladesh's Akhaurah city. "We would raise our strong protest in both houses of parliament for neglecting Tripura and other northeastern states
UNRC institute inaugurated SHILLONG, JuLy 9 (NNN): The United Nations Resource Centre’s (UNRC) Institute of Vocational & Entrepreneurship, Tura, was inaugurated on Wednesday at Tura, by Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul M Sangma. The institute will offer various skill development programmes. At the moment the centre will be starting with courses in Carpentry, Masonry and Apparel Designing. Speaking at the function, Dr Sangma said that the programmes of the government are designed to bring socio-economic and transformative changes. He urged the youth to partner with the state and stressed on imbibing dignity of labour.
in the Railway Budget," Tripura's three MPs - Jitendra Chowdhury, Sankar Prasad Datta (both Lok Sabha) and Jharna Das Baidya (Rajya Sabha) - said in a joint statement. They belong to the state's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government to appease the corporate lobby by this Railway Budget further burdened the common people by not taking any steps which could ease the problems of general citizen." The statement said there was no mention in the Railway Budget about the ongoing railway schemes, declared as national projects,
being implemented in the state. "The much awaited project of rail link between Agartala and Bangladesh's Akhaurah city found no mention in the budget," the statement noted. "Though there are proposal to increase allocation of funds for some of the railway projects in the northeastern states, but there is no specific reference about many ongoing projects in the region," it added. Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, in the budget presented in parliament Tuesday, said the railways have allocated an outlay of Rs.5,116 crore for projects in the northeastern region. This is 54 per-
cent jump over allocations in the last year, he added. Meanwhile, Ashish Saha, the working president of the Congress party's state unit, said the BJP-led central government was trying to make the corporate sector happy. "The BJP earlier opposed foreign direct investment in railways and other sector. Now the party in power has proposed FDI in the railways," Saha told IANS. "We are yet to see the detailed allocation of budget for the railway projects in the northeast region. If there is no specific allotment of funds in the budget for the railway projects in Tripura, it would be most unfortunate and frustrating."
Nabam Tuki eyes uplifting rural poor ITANAGAr, JuLy 9 (PTI): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has exhorted the rural development and Panchayati Raj departments to integrate all its programmes for the targeted rural populace to derive maximum benefits. Beginning his series of week-long pre-budget review-cum-consultation meetings with departments here yesterday, Tuki advocated concerted efforts in implementing various flagship programmes like MGNREGA, Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), integrated watershed management programme (IWMP) transparently with the active involvement of the masses for uplifting the life
of the rural poor. He insisted that the work proposals should be approved by the gram sabhas but labour-oriented, income-generating agri/ horti/irrigation activities be given priority while the DRDAs, BDOs and panchayats should converge to ensure the MGNREGA funds are judiciously spent, a release from the CMO said here today. He directed the BDOs for timely uploading of MIS and timely submission of utilisation certificate for obtaining maximum funds from the Centre and advised the department to introduce the system of disbursement of wages through banks in other districts by
tying up with banks. While reviewing the IAY scheme, he asked to help the beneficiaries to construct permanent and user-friendly house to make a visible impact under the rural housing sector. He advised professional approach in IWMP involving the local populace besides reconstituting the local management committee to achieve its objectives. On the district planning committees, the CM directed to take corrective measures for effective implementation of decision taken and called for proactive role of the DCs in mentoring and nurturing to make the grass root level democratic institutions serve their purpose.
wards integration of the Dudhnoi-Mendipathar line with India's railway network is complete," a senior official of North East Frontier Railway said. On the other hand, the long-pending proposal
to connect Shillong with the rest of the country has been stalled for years now, with Khasi Students' Union (KSU) strongly opposing it on the grounds that introduction of railways will lead to unabated influx of ?outsiders' into the predominantly tribal state. Even the proposal for a railhead for goods trains in Byrnihat, along the Meghalaya-Assam interstate border, has been pending for over two decades for similar reasons. Chief minister Mukul Sangma, however, focused on the need for the railways, saying it would make the essential commodities affordable. He said the introduction of railways would boost tourism and expressed hope that the rail network would be extended up to Byrnihat and Shillong. Allaying fears of possible influx and immigration with the introduction of railways, he said a directorate of infiltration already exists to deal with such issues.
Dimapur
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CAG slams Mizoram's Home & Social Welfare departments AIzAwL, JuLy 9 (PTI): A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has slammed Mizoram's Home and Social Welfare departments for parking crores of rupees under civil deposits for months. The CAG report, tabled in the state legislature today, said that the Home department parked Rs 36.51 crore in civil deposits and retained Rs 13.04 crore in cash. The report also said that the state Social Welfare department drew Rs 37.21 crore from the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Schemes and parked the same in civil deposits for periods ranging between two and eleven months. Funds parked in the civil deposits by the home department included earmarked funds under the Modernisation of Police force and Rehabilitation of repatriated Brus, the report said adding that parking funds in civil deposits
were done to avoid lapse of budget grants. Drawing of funds without any requirement for immediate disbursement and retention of the same in civil deposits was irregular and bound to have an adverse effect on the implementation of the scheme, the report said. Retention of large amount of cash was fraught with the high risk of misappropriation, the report said. The CAG report also pointed out that under the ICDS scheme implemented by the state Social Welfare department, there was moderate disruption in feeding days in the Anganwadi centres ranging between 15 and 192 days during 2011-12. "The department failed to distribute most of the items purchased during 2012-13 which resulted in severe disruption in feeding days in the Anaganwadi centres," the report added.
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AFFIDAVIT/CHANGe oF NAme Regd.No: 673/14 I, Mrs. Tasneem Zeliang, W/o Mr. Diwang Zeliang, Resident of Lungwiram, Full Nagarjan, Dimapur, Nagaland do hereby solemnly affirm and declare on oath as under: 1. That the names Tasneem Zeliang, Tasneem M Rangwala & Tasneem Mushtaqe Rangwala are one and the same person, but my correct name is Tasneem Zeliang and I shall be known as TASNEEM ZELIANG for every and all purposes. 2. That the content of this declaration are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and nothing is concealed thereof. Deponent Solemnly declared before me by the deponent District Session Judge, Dimapur: Nagaland
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public discoursE
Thursday
Dimapur
10 July 2014
Private tuition vis-a-vis “Students’ Code” given by Angami Students’ Union
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eading an article under the caption “Students’ Code” written by the Angami Students’ Union on 26/05/2014 in a local daily deserved to be praised by one and all especially poor parents and students. ASU have done a good thing which will give great relief to the poor parents. They have rightly pointed out that some private institutions are managed by individuals for profit and business instead of having a motive to mould poor and weak students. Their fixture of fee structure for private tuition with terms and conditions given as below are really appreciable: (a) Class X (ten) and below Rs.300 monthly with five classes a week of one hour duration for class. (b) Class XI & XII Rs.400 monthly with five classes a week of one hour. (c) Rs.200 per student monthly for alternate days, ie, three classes in a week. (d) Rs.1000 for Home Visiting tuition. (e) The ratio of teacher: students for a single tuition batch should be 1:5. Now it has passed more than a month, poor parents were expecting that those private tutors would follow the directives given by the Angami Students’ Union. But to my surprise, the tuition fee remains the same, still they are charging the same amount which is more than the fee prescribed by the ASU. Still some private teachers are giving tuition to a batch of 10-15 students in a single batch which is very contrary to ASU’s directives. I am not targeting a particular tutor but speaking in general for the benefit of the common people. Now a days, people who are speaking the truth has become the scapegoat. Let me be the scapegoat sacrificing for the good cause. We know that some teachers instead of following the direc-
tives they reacted in a negative way neglecting to those students whose parents used to oppose them for enhancement of high fees. I therefore, on behalf of the concerned parents would like to request those private tutors to at least follow the directives given by ASU in the interest of the common people and for the welfare of students. Now a days, private tuition has become a fashion in our society. There is no household/family where at least a child is not taking tuition. There are many students taking private tuition for the sake of the companion of his/her friends. Yes, definitely the aim of taking tuition is to improve one’s weakness in studies and it has really happened to many students securing better results, but to many again remains the same after taking private tuition after tuition. And we the parents never deny the request of our children because we love them, in a very exceptional cases hardly one/two parents may deny their children’s request. One interesting thing on the part of the parents is that, if a child is taking private tuition most of the common parents feel quite happy that the child is certain to get Qualified Result without ascertaining the ground reality of the child’s performance during tuition time. Ultimately, we the parents simply allowed our children to let them go for private tuition so that the child is also happy because his/her request is accepted, and on the other side, the parents are also feel happy expecting that taking tuition will certainly bring better result. But as I have mentioned earlier, taking private tuition will not bring the same result to all the students, it depends on one’s effort. As a result for many common parents and stu-
poETry
dents, the ultimate outcome in one way is that “taking private tuition also at least brings something which you and me experience” One more interesting rumour parents talking about just after class X Selection Test is that, those failed students in the selection test has to deposit a sum of money ranging from Rs.5000 to Rs.20,000 per subject with a bond agreement with the condition that if he/she is qualified in the final Board result the money is refunded, but if fails the money is forfeited. The amount varies from school to school. What a pity for those failed students as well as parents. On top of his/her sadness because of failed results a financial loss is also added to that unlucky family. May I take this opportunity to request ASU and NSF to take this matter seriously and talk to those institutions in a right perspective and in the right forum so that better educational system is brought about. There may be merits for introducing this Bond Agreement System, but as far as my understanding is concerned demerits are more than the merits. What strike my mind is that today’s educators/institutions have become so money minded. Is this the only way to earn money? At the cost of the student in the name of pressurising the poor and weak students through money power hoping to get positive results is not logical at all. A weak student is a weak student. He/she is weak in studies, that’s why failed in the selection. Can that money make him/her from weakness in studies to brilliant in studies within two months time? There are so many ways and means to make him/her better in studies instead of pressurizing through money power. Hardly one or two may get qualified results
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In this life we live There is much of unwieldy routes, Deteriorating and destructive by nature; Our random pursuit of peace Has withered away by war. Our life ought to beLike a hazy morn in spring That confers its natural shower; Like a flowers swaying in the breeze. Brethren! Let the bloodbath scene be gone And envisage for integrity That would blend us To make our living world a bliss. Niekhoyi Rhakho Stephen
NG.Yangya Kohima Town
When to use, when to discard?
ad it not been relevant, I would have ignored it too as the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland chose to ignore my question as to how Art 371(A) has been a blockade to developments in Nagaland. While not expecting reaction from the Head of the State, I am only interested to highlight how the Chief Minister of Nagaland has lost consistency in his use of the Art 371(A). As we all know the importance of this Art as to the very existence of Nagaland State, it becomes a matter of concern when the Head of the State has incoherent usage of the said constitutional provision. For the sake of those who might have forgotten of what I am posing question not to the personal but to the person who is occupying the Chair of the Chief Minister of Na-
LIKE A SPRING
but it is not because of depositing money, it’s because of his/her more devotion in studies. My opinion is that, if the student is very weak why allow him/her to sit for final Board exam, because the concerned subject-teacher knows about the mental ability/capability of that student very very well. Supposing, if an average student who unluckily failed due to his/her carelessness during selection, in that case he/she can be taught in a proper way encouraging him/her to devote more time in studies. But a very weak and dull student has to continue the same class there is no other way out. In this way a child can be moulded, otherwise going for Money Bond Agreement is to think parents suspicious of that school loving money nothing else. Education is a life-long process, he/she cannot be made educated an overnight. I want to request the parents and students to come forward and report the matter to the knowledge of the competent Students’ Organisations, such as ASU/ NSF/ENSF any time without any hesitation because these students’ bodies are our protectors in the field of education protecting us from malpractices which has become a regular feature by those selfish private tutors/institutions in our Naga society. I hope, the Students’ bodies may also have their own section of Students’ Welfare Cell in their respective Office. I therefore, would like to request the apex Students’ Organisations to provide the contact Ph.no /e-mail id/postal address so that any grievances faced by a student / parent can be brought to the knowledge of the competent authority.
galand. That on 22.6.2014 local papers carried about the statement of the Chief Minister of Nagaland that the Art 371(A) “...should not be an obstruction for any infrastructural development that takes place in the State”. Therefore, I demanded further clarity on the expressed contention from the Chief Minister. He remained silent. Meanwhile, within 16 days, the Chief Minister of Nagaland stated “Further, he (CM) said the module drafted by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas(PNG) safeguarded by Art 371(A) was in the best interest of the landowners and the State Government, not found in other parts of the country” which appeared in Nagaland Post on 8.7.2014. Both the statements were made in his felicitation
functions at Hotel Vivor, Kohima and at Jalukie respectively. In June 2014 the Chief Minister branded the Art 371(A) to be a barrier and pre-cautioned that it should not be allowed to be the stumbling block to developments. In July 2014 the Chief Minister expressed his confidence on the framed rules on Oil and Natural Gas exploration in Nagaland as those are insulated by Art 371(A). Is that not self contradictory? How an ‘obstruction’ can be ‘safeguarding’? Are both the statements correct? The Art 371(A) is not a plant that sprouts during monsoon and vanishes during winter. If my discernment is wrong, we are in the safe hand. Z. Lohe New Ministers Hill, Kohima
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.
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LEISURE
Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.”
SUDOKU Game Number # 2932
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ALLIGATOR BEAR BIRDS BUNNY CAMEL ELEPHANT FLAMINGO GIRAFFE GOAT HIPPOPOTAMUS KANGAROO KOALA LION MEERCAT MONKEY PANDA PARROT POLARBEAR RHINOCERUS SHEEP TIGER TORTOISE TURTLE WOMBAT ZEBRA
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I J O P A D N P J I E U J L J L S F Y Y
CROSSWORD # 2939
Answer Number # 2931
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DAILY CROSS WORD
V E M N H U V O P F R T O R R A P B R T
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ACROSS 1. 4-door car 6. Website addresses 10. Taxis 14. Overweight 15. Exploded star 16. Type of sword 17. Parts of eggs 18. Thrust with a knife 19. Tardy 20. Painkiller 22. Historical periods 23. Cover 24. Bass horns 26. A three-legged metal stand 30. Soft swishing sound 32. Angered 33. These tie overshoes 37. Not under 38. In a weak manner 39. Container weight 40. Adroitness with the hands 42. Ringworm cassia 43. Iniquities 44. Anagram of “Steals” 45. Yokels 47. Assist 48. Unit of pressure 49. A type of semiconductor
56. Largest continent 57. 53 in Roman numerals 58. Tint 59. Fluff 60. Cocoyam 61. Novices 62. Leg joint 63. Adolescent 64. Athletics
DOWN 1. Kind of bean 2. Black, in poetry 3. Expunge 4. Requests 5. Snuggled 6. Hungry 7. Part of a plant 8. 57 in Roman numerals 9. Holiness 10. Commemorates 11. 3-banded armadillo 12. Test versions 13. Views 21. Best seller 25. Website address 26. Stepped 27. Rend 28. Holly 29. Having a backbone 30. Habits
31. Sacred 33. Get-out-of-jail money 34. Tins 35. Sea eagle 36. Secure against leakage 38. Wrist band 41. Night before 42. They love to inflict pain 44. Contraction of “It is” 45. Kino gum 46. Pee 47. Charged particle 48. Chat 50. Go on horseback 51. Assistant 52. Transport commercially 53. Tropical tuber 54. Smell 55. A musical pause Ans to CrossWord 2938
The Morung Express
Inserting a stick to the old wound
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have no intention to give a response to anyone of the factional groups, but with intolerance I have to raise some questions in the interest of our people, because the NSCN-IM group arrogantly released a statement saying: “It is a fact that factional clashes had happened many a time but NSCN does not target civilians and tribes” which appeared on 9th July 2014 in Morung Express and Nagaland Post under the heading “NSCNIM responds to GPRN/NSCN”. If truly the NSCN says, it does not target civilians, who then had killed Khiamniungan people? Lainongs and Kukis? Their villages including Churches and granaries were burned down to ashes, their domestic animals had been completely consumed, more than five hundred Khiamniungan, more than eight hundred Lainongs and nearly one thousand kukis civilians were killed in the history of NSCN after its formation. If the NSCN-IM says, it does not commit such crime against humanity; it should explicitly mention who had committed such heinous crimes. Does NSCN think, what it had committed in the history can be denied and concealed? The statement is an insult to bereaved people, inserting a stick to the old wound and inciting the wrath of the people. Releasing such statement is taken as intent to make the old wound bleeding again and therefore the wound in mind will never be healed. The wound can be healed when the perpetrators admit their wrong doing and apologize to the people in Christian manner or in human dignity. But the arrogant statement of the perpetrators cannot be tolerated by the people and will neither lead the Nagas to reconciliation. Thomas, NNC Member
Promote Uniqueness of Nagaland
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nlike any other parts of the world, Nagaland is distinct in its setting, awakening, formation, belief, dream, and destiny. The retrospect of every right thinker of Nagas will agree with the following dimensions and will put our future on the proper orbit to rotate the present and future course of our land. Socio-Cultural Foundation Interestingly, equality was the basis of social and cultural foundation of the Nagas. There is no emperor-worship system either. Nagas have not objectified or dignified human personality in history of our religion. Thus, there is no such record of human-worship. Our history proves that Nagas are culturally and socially equal without any status of high-low caste system. Some became richer because they worked harder; but they also shared with their neighbors in a reciprocative system. We migrated from an origin of social and cultural equality and egalitarianism. We must promote the value of our origin. Political Foundation of Patriotism Blood of thousand patriots is our foundation. Our nationalistic movement was preceded by a consciousness of national unification in 1918 while the Nagas were in Europe as aides at front. They united to rise above tribal differences that fractured values of Naga solidarity, and to protect and promote common interests. Subsequently, vigorous national movement was underway for self-determination even far before 1947. The Union government tried to restore order by deploying army which further infuriated the situation resulting in heavier arm conflict. A series of diplomatic talk reached a political accord in 1960 with a result of inauguration of statehood in 1963. But the race for national identity and freedom still continues, and a permanent solution is the current agenda of the IndoNaga process based on Naga uniqueness. Our people in general and leaders in particular must be aware of the fact of our uniqueness. The vision with sacrifice of our pioneering architects is above and beyond a state government. However, as it is now, it has become like what the Bible said: “Others labored and you have reaped the benefits of their labor” (John 4:38). Therefore, the chief agenda of our people must be broader and for a better future. This means we must not fossilize our uniqueness by means of mere petty issues. We must rise above division with a deeper dedication towards a lasting stability. Spiritual Foundation of Truth The early teachers in our respective schools have been non-Christians who talked about their religions in process of teaching from the text books. But there is no record, in history, showing a single Naga accepting another religion other than Christianity. It is so simple to unveil that the Nagas believe in a true God without a distinct name even before the advent of biblical faith. In fullness of time, the Nagas began to accept the message of true God revealed in the Bible. We now believe in God who personally understands us, loves and cares for us, and offers us eternal hope. We inscrutably become Christians in a prescient movement. We must hold on to the Truth that we have received under any circumstance. Principle of Promotion We have gone bad and wrong in many ways and fallen short of the standard of God. Yet we are still correctable and redeemable if we are willing to change. Nagaland can shine and make a difference if the people of the land can return to the following principles to make our home a Land of Dignity - Are you aware that your life begets dignity? Land of Honesty - Are you practicing your election manifesto and promises? Land of Trustworthiness – Are you promoting credibility and integrity? Land of Dependability - Are you loyal to yourself, family and society? Land of Vision – Where are our generations heading to? Land of Present and Future – What foundation are we laying for our children and youth? What our land needs today is Conscience which means ‘sense of right and wrong.’ Nagaland is just beginning and it is too early to die. Commonly, people think “It’s not me. There are others who will bring about change and transformation.” May I urge you to include yourself in the top list of people of transformation today? How to go about it? Let us speak one positive thing and do one good thing everyday. The greatest law the Bible gives us is relevant for us to put into practice when it says: “Love your neighbors as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other’ (Gal 5:14, 15). In this, you need a basis to promote our uniqueness. And the basis is your spiritual conviction. If you can be honest with God, certainly a new shape of Nagaland is not far. Phuveyi Dozo
The Morung Express
local/Public SPace TR Zeliang inspects Nagaland House in Kolkata and Mumbai
Kohima, July 9 (mExN): Chief Minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang has suggested measures to make Nagaland House in Kolkata more guests friendly. A press release from the Media Cell, Chief Minister’s Office informed that TR Zeliang visited Chief Minister T.R Zeliang inaugurated the Jalukie town Nagaland House at Salt Lake, gate on July 7.The gate was constructed under SDF Kolkata on July 8. The Chief Min2013-2014 by the Jalukie Students’ Union. ister and his team also inspected a plot at Rajarhat which will soon be handed over to Government
of Nagaland by the West Bengal government. Meanwhile, on July 9, the Chief Minister along with his team visited Nagaland House at Navi Mumbai. The Chief Minister interacted with CIDCO officials and requested them to assist in obtaining the clearance at the earliest. The Nagaland House building is yet to be handed over to Government of Nagaland as the Coastal Regulatory Zone is
still awaited. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Y. Patton, Home Minister; Dr. Nicky Kire, Minister of Forest, Environment & Wildlife; Torechu, Parliamentary Secretary for Housing & Excise; Temjen Toy, Principal Secretary Home; Er. Chanbemo Lotha, Chief Engineer, Housing; Bendang Longchari, Secretary Geology & Mining; and other officials.
Thursday 10 July 2014
Dimapur
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BIRTHDAY GReeTINGS
Dearest Ipuza GhutolI! God has truly blessed our family with you, Grandma. You are so perfect in everything that you do. You love us unconditionally and for that we are grateful too! You're amazingly wonderful. You're amazingly kind. You're amazingly sweet, Oh Grandma Happy Birthday! Your’s Loving Evity & Hosheto.
SHG leaders in Shamator and Chessore trained
Dimapur Sumi Baptist Church staff and Programme Committee members with Guest Speaker Kuputo Achumi with the 300-year-old legendary spear of Inakha of Shenakusami village on the last night of the recently concluded cultural fest organised by DSBC Youth Department with the theme 'Our Culture Our Identity'.
NFSM on SRI (2013-14) for 2014, under SDAO Office Tseminyu was launched by Vikhweno Meratsu, ADC Tseminyu on June 27.
TuENsaNg, July 9 (mExN): Three days training on book keeping was held for leaders of Self Help Groups (SHGs) at Shamator from June 22 to 24 and at Chessore town from June 25 to 27. The training was organized by Shekinah Christian Foundation and sponsored by NABARD, informed a press release. General Manager, NABARD, V.Chelladurai attended the training in both places as special guest. He stressed on the importance and concept of SHGs formation and the role played by NABARD in improving rural economy. The trainees were optimistic that with the formation of SHGs and various activities carried out by the groups, their livelihood would be improved and their economy stabilized. The leaders of the area and the trainees also thanked the GM, NABARD for showing his concern for
the people of the remote areas by visiting Shamator and Chessore and hoped that NABARD would also extend help to the people of the area in whatever areas possible. Further, they opined that the need of the hour in the area, particularly Chessore was to have a bank and proper road maintenance. They also thanked Shekinah Christian Foundation (SCF) for organizing such training for the benefit of the people in the area, especially women and lauded the organization’s contribution for the welfare of the people in Shamator and Chessore blocks through the World Bank funded project NERLP. The resource persons for the training were Surojit Deori, Branch Manager, SBI Shamator, Amongba Janger, Block Coordinator PFT (NERLP), and Hanji, Accountant, Shamator.
Kaito Aye calls for new vision in Industries & Commerce dept
Members of Naga Gaon colony, youths and volunteers during the social work organised by the Naga Gaon Village Council on July 5.
Additional Director of Department of Land Resources and Supervising Officer, Dimapur Hoto Yeptho visited the office of Land Resources, Dimapur on July 9 and interacted with the staff and field officers as part of “Workshop on Best Practices”. Field officers apprised the additional director about various projects that are being undertaken in the district. Seen in the picture are Hoto Yeptho, (2nd from right) and Hekato N. DPO Dimapur (3rd from right) along with staff and field officers.
ATMA Kohima block launched organic vegetable farm school at Jotsoma on July 4. Seen here are ATMA functionaries with the Farm School Teacher, Vithato and other farmers.
Parliamentary secretary for planning & coordination, monitoring cell & evaluation Neiba Kronu and his wife with school education director Zaveyi Nyekha, fisheries director Chizu Kapfo, art & culture joint secretary Kevekha Mero, Pfutsero ADC T. Nchumbemo Odyuo and others during the inauguration of Government Higher Secondary School Pfutsero on July 8. (Morung photo)
Kohima, July 9 (mExN): Minister for Industries & Commerce, G. Kaito Aye today told the officers and staff of Department of Industries and Commerce to be accountable and sincere in realizing “we are working for the people.” He was speaking at the departmental officers and staff meeting held in the conference hall of the Directorate of Industries & Commerce, Kohima. Kaito stated Industries & Commerce is the only department to help the entrepreneurs in the State, but expressed regretted that now “we are almost helpless because we have destroyed the raw materials before the actual industries are set up in the state.” Nonetheless, he expressed hope that “we” can take new steps for the new generation by venturing into new vision. To fulfill this vision, he said, the department needs a good team guided by the government policies and rules. He suggested, “Let us not make postmortem of the past but work unitedly to improve the department, making it presentable and shine for the people.” He challenged the officers to clean the house first to create success stories. The minister lauded the department for organizing the interactive meeting. The programme was chaired by Keneilel Angami,
Director of Industries & Commerce, and welcome address was given by Additional Director Er. Kahoto Sema. M.K. Mero, Commissioner & Secretary to the Govt. of Nagaland, Department of Industries & Commerce also gave a short speech. All the 11 District Industries Centre & PSUs presented reports of activities under their respective districts. Vote of thanks was proposed by Er. S. Temsulong Jamir, Joint Director & President of NICGOA.
The AG Church Chukitong, Wokha held its second Vacation Bible School (VBS) from June 23 to 29 with the theme “You are special”. The pastor and deacon board have thanked all the teachers, volunteers, and church members for their participation and prayers.
BJP Phek unit assures to work steadfastly phEK, July 9 (mExN): The BJP unit of Phek district has pledged to work steadfastly under the leadership of State unit president Dr. M. Chuba Ao and assured to gift him with BJP legislatures in the days to come. The BJP Phek unit had a meeting on July 8 in Kohima with all the Mandal presidents and special invitees to deliberate and interact with all the constituencies under Phek district. A press release from BJP Phek informed that the Mandal presidents of all the constituencies at the meeting lauded Er. Vekho Swuro for taking up the responsibility of Phek district BJP unit president and resolved to stand by him. Er. Vekho Swuro was also congratulated for being appointed as the National Executive Special invitee member of the ST Morcha. The meeting also accorded warm welcome
to Dr. K. Hoshi, former INC candidate from Phek constituency and Kupota Khusoh, former Phek Town Council Chairman and former general secretary of NPF Nagaland. The meeting further informed the members who have registered their primary membership through online to contact their respective Mandal presidents for smooth functioning of the office as well as for better coordination in the district. New members have been informed to contact the Mandal presidents. It also stated that the door is open for all likeminded people to join and strengthen the party. While welcoming new members to the party, which the release said, is going on overwhelmingly in all the constituencies, the meeting thanked the new members and urged them to work harder for the party.
NSF informs MBBS, allied degree courses candidates Kohima, July 9 (mExN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has informed all the candidates who have cleared MBBS and other allied degree courses through All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) 2014 to report to the office of the NSF during office hour along with photo copies of class 12 Marksheet, Indigenous, Schedule Tribe Certificates and AIPMT Marksheet along with one recent passport photo from July 10 onwards. This verification is being carried out as a reaffirmation of the principle stand of NSF on “Nagas by blood and not by adoption,” a release received here said today. Bangdi Chawang, secretary education NSF in the release has asked all the students to come personally for the verification along with the necessary documents before leaving for their respective institutions. Any students failing to report to the office of the Federation shall be dealt with necessary action, Chawang added.
26 NNC (Non-Accordist) members join NNC
Dimapur, July 9 (mExN): The Naga National Council under the leadership of President Temjenyanger Aier, Vice-President Bendry Yanthan, and General Secretary Dr. Amento Chishi, has warmly welcomed the 26 NNC (Non-Accordist) members, who have joined its fold. NNC in a press release appended by its general secretary appreciated their “right decision” and stated that their joining will strengthen its Nagas political affairs. Following are the names of the members: Civil Wing: Vizheto Chishi – Steering Committee Member; Holuto Awomi and Avi Achumi – Deputy Kilonsers; Shotovi Chophy, Ghoshito, Aviho, Yeshito, Ghohevi, and Hukheto Chishi – Tatars; Sukhali Chishi – Leacy. Naga Army wing: LXK Achumi – Brigadier; Moa Yimchunger – Lieut. Col.; Iheto Aye, Jethro Chishi, Hovito, and Hoito Chophy – Major; Samuel Chishi, Shikato, Angukavi Achumi, and Yeghoto Achumi – Captains; Vinito Achumi – Lieutenant; Wapang Ao – 2nd Lieutenant; Pikato – Sergeant; Gideon, Nitovi Yeptho, ries and a certificate each and Akashe Achumi – Privates. will be given to the winners. Tee Shirts with cus- ASOTN convenes general meeting tomized band photos will also be given to the finalists Kohima, July 9 (mExN): All the members of the (to all the band members). Association of the Subordinate Officials of Treasuries Winning band will also get Nagaland (ASOTN) have been informed that there will free recording (the origi- be a general meeting on July 16 at Red Cross Confernal song) from Infinite Re- ence Hall, Kohima at 11:00 AM. The meeting will discuss matter pertaining to election/nomination of new cords. Details can also be office bearers for the next term and other service matdownloaded from Face- ters. All the executive members and representatives book group ‘Contempo- from district treasuries and sub treasuries have been rary Christian Music’. The asked to attend the same positively. This was informed contest is being organized in a release issued by ASOTN president Vike Koza and by King’s Sound, Infinite secretary Khoto Rhakho. Records, Jimmy Lotha Photography, and Kingtton En- DCCI & business frontal orgs meeting terprise. Dimapur, July 9 (mExN): All the executive memFor more details con- bers of Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry tact : +918729932987, (DCCI) and Business Frontal Organizations have been +918257849698, and informed that there will be an emergency meeting on +9199402821986. Saturday, July 12 at 11:00 am in the Office at Anna Ki Complex, Khermahal, Dimapur. Therefore, DCCI president Hokivi Chishi has requested all to attend the meeting without fail.
Rock for the King: Contemporary Christian music contest in Wokha Dimapur, July 9 (mExN): To promote Christian music, Wokha based entrepreneurs will be organizing battle of the bands in Contemporary Christian Music called ‘Rock for the King’. Through this project, the organizers plan to take Christian music to a higher and more professional level, stated a press release received here. In this regard, a oneday advanced workshop on modern music and positive living will be held with some of the best and senior musicians in the state, the note added. Further, it informed that status of the per-
forming bands will be determined through 50% marks from the judges and 50% through votes. “Always There for you” by Stryper has been chosen as the common song for the contest. At the grand finale, bands will be performing their original song based on the theme ‘Rock for the King’. Prizes for the contest are entirely raised by the organizers without any sponsors. The winning band will walk away with a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, the runner up will win Rs. 20,000, and the 2nd runner up Rs. 10,000. There will also be cash prizes in individual catego-
Nagaland BJP unit expresses hope in newly appointed party national president
Dimapur, July 9 (mExN): The Nagaland State BJP unit has congratulated the new national BJP president Amit Shah. The State BJP held an emergency meeting at the Head Office in Dimapur on July 9. “The party is of the view that Amit Shah is the right person with a vast organizational skill which was exhibited in the recently concluded parliamentary election in UP, where out of 80 seats, BJP won 71 seats under his able leadership,” stated Nagaland BJP general secretary and spokesman
MEx FILE
K James Vizo in a release. Speaking at the meeting, Prasant Arora, general secretary (Org.) informed that Amit Shah is the 10th BJP national president. “BJP is the only political party in the country that allows anyone with a National caliber to become the National BJP President on merit, it does not believe in family line or dynasty,” he stated. He recalled that Amit Shah started his political career from ward level in Gujarat. Referring to Nagaland State, he asserted, people
want development without giving up anything. “It is time that we change our attitude,” he said. “Political and economic development has to move forward simultaneously.” He further appealed to all the district and mandal functionaries to work sincerely as expected by the party, as active district units and mandal units are the backbone of the party. While expressing his congratulations on behalf of the BJP Nagaland, national executive member K. Medom Angami said
that BJP will be strengthened under the able leadership of Amit Shah. He challenged the party workers of the state to cohesively work harder at all levels. The meeting was chaired by Yangkose Sangtam, Vice President, while invocation prayer was said by R. Sopu Angami, Vice President. Short speeches were given by Imsu Yaden, Secretary, K. James vizo, Spokesman, Lachit Kachari, Office Secretary, Khuvishe, District president Zunheboto and Avi Zeliang, Vice President.
Dept. of history & archaeology, NU informs Dimapur, July 9 (mExN): All candidates who are seeking admission to M.A. in the Department of History & Archaeology, Nagaland University, Kohima Campus, Meriema are informed that there will be entrance test on July 16 at 10:00 am in the Department. The names of all eligible candidates have been placed on the Department’s notice board, informed a press release issued by head of the department Dr. Ketholesie.
Seminar for Mao drivers Kohima, July 9 (mExN): A seminar for Mao drivers residing in Kohima will take place on July 13 at 10:00 AM under the aegis of Mao Union Kohima and cosponsored by Nehru Yuva Kendra at Ungma Kiti near Hotel Cimorb, Old Ministers’ Hill, Kohima. In this connection, all the Mao drivers residing in Kohima have been requested to attend the seminar compulsory. This was stated in a release issued by Mao Union Kohima general secretary D. Neli Koso.
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IN-FOCUS
The Power of Truth
The Morung Express THursDAy 10 July 2014 volumE IX IssuE 187 By Chingya luithui
BEING NAGA – VOICES FROM THE MARGINS
I
am a 12 years old boy from Shinyu village, Mon District. I look after my five younger siblings, we are compelled to live in a small thatched bamboo hut 30 kms away from home, away from our parents so that we can attend school because we do not have one in my village. I am the now forgotten old man who sometimes irritatingly gets in your way and mutters unintelligibly; the relic of a boy who walked two days to give his ‘aye’ thumb print that day long ago on 16 May 1951. All these years later, I carry the weight of my nationalism on my bent back which our foes broke over and over again and yet here I still stand with hope for justice and peace. I am an old woman whose memory of her own children fails but the lines on my face should tell you the story of surviving so many years with, and despite, the guns, the rapes, the violence, the bloodshed, the hunger, the humiliation. I am a young wife with two children in an abusive marriage. I suffer violence everyday but I am afraid to talk openly about it because women like me are expected to be silent sufferers. Nagas often talk proudly of respect for women, but where is the respect when experiences like mine abound? I am your unwanted neighbour, the one you shun, the sexworker, but most importantly a mother who strives and struggles every minute every day through untold humiliations to give her daughter a better dignified life. I am a farmer who tries to live an honest life but everywhere I look around there is so much corruption. Just yesterday, I had to bribe an officer to get fertilizers the government had allocated for poor farmers like me. I am a social pariah. I sell and do drugs. I steal. I cheat and I lie. I also have a Masters degree from a reputed college which has not been of much help in getting gainful employment. Our society is not one that functions based on merit but on privilege based on ones wealth and power. I am a girl and because of my gender my opinions and efforts are not welcomed. My skills and capabilities are seen as secondary to my gender, and therefore I am denied equal opportunities. I am an entrepreneur who is finding it difficult to do business righteously. In every corner and level of transaction, I get extorted. Do not get me wrong, I do not mind paying my just dues; it is when there is no accountability and transparency, when individuals or groups undeservedly profit from my sweat that I am forced to protest. I am a daily wage labourer. I once owned a huge swathe of land but they said it was needed for a development project. My family and many others were relocated forcibly under the shadow of guns, our houses razed to dust. Without my land, who am I? And now look at me, I have become a refugee in my own land among my own people. We are NAGAS. We are the PEOPLE. We are the NATION. But where is the vision for us? Where is the space for us? For feedback and comments, the writer can be reached at chinxwrites@gmail.com
lEfT wiNg |
Howard Fendrich AP Tennis Writer
Djokovic's pep talk swept aside 'fear'
N
ovak Djokovic knew all along that his game was good enough to win more Grand Slam titles. It was his mind that was the problem. And so after failing to convert a match point against Roger Federer in the fourth set of the Wimbledon final, and after losing five games in a row to get pushed to a fifth set, Djokovic left the court for a bathroom break so he could give himself a pep talk. What Djokovic needed right then, he explained Monday, was "positive encouragement," a way to confront the "disappointment that is bringing with itself the fear and the doubt and all these different demons inside." It worked. "I managed to have my convictions stronger than my doubts in this moment," he said, "and managed to push myself the very last step and to win the trophy." Djokovic's 6-7 (7), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-4 victory over Federer on Sunday earned the 27-year-old Serb his second Wimbledon championship and his seventh major title overall, matching the career totals of John McEnroe and Mats Wilander. It pushed Djokovic back to No. 1 in the rankings after a ninth-month absence. What it also did, more importantly for the future, was restore his self-belief. Entering Sunday, Djokovic had lost three major finals in a row, and five of his last six. That included a defeat against Andy Murray at Wimbledon a year ago, and a defeat against Rafael Nadal at the French Open a month ago. In what is supposed to be the prime of his career, Djokovic went 1 1/2 years without winning a Grand Slam tournament, the sort of drought that makes it hard to gain on the guys whose company he wants to keep: 17-time major champion Federer and 14-time major champion Nadal. What Djokovic really wanted to avoid was becoming only the fourth man in the Open era, which dates to 1968, to lose four consecutive Grand Slam title matches. As the tennis circuit shifts to hard courts ahead of the U.S. Open, which begins in late August, Djokovic once again can confront on-court difficulty in peace. He said he feels more mentally prepared than ever, and gave some credit for that to Boris Becker, the three-time Wimbledon champion who joined Djokovic's coaching staff at the start of this season. More than any sort of tactical improvements, Becker was hired to provide counsel so Djokovic could deal with hard times during the biggest matches. "That's what we talked about most — and trying to prepare myself psychologically for what's (awaiting) me on the court in the critical moments, if they come. And there were many, many yesterday. We pushed each other to the limit. We both played some top tennis," Djokovic said Monday. "And, of course, having Boris on the side in the box ... was definitely helpful." Against Federer, Djokovic was less animated — and agitated — than usual, and he said that was a result of a conscious decision to keep his emotions in check, in part to not let his opponent see signs of frustration. After wasting a break point at the start of the second set when a forehand clipped the net and flew wide, Djokovic looked skyward and clasped his hands together, as though praying for a little assistance. Away from the court, all is well for Djokovic. He is about to get married to his pregnant fiancee, and they're expecting their first child later this year. "Some really exciting times," Djokovic said, "and a new chapter in our lives that we are looking forward to."
C O M M E N T A R Y
THE EDIT PAGE
Robin Temsu
Primeval Sentiments And Nagas: Thinking Outside The Box
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galitarian in outlook and fiercely independent in social moorings, the Nagas set themselves apart from their neighbours on various counts. Casteless society; distribution of wealth in the form of ‘feast of merits’; honour and respect for elders, women, clan, village and tribe; absence of theft (doors were never locked. But don't do that now); common ownership of land and resources; village republics; democratized village councils are some traits unique to the Nagas. Often these distinctive "cultural markers" have been eulogised and celebrated by writers writing on the Naga way of life. And rightly so. OUR INDIVIDUAL-COLLECTIVE STORY But on the flip side, Nagas have failed to address or transcend the myopic cultural sentiments of "thinking and acting beyond one's community." The discrepancy is evident from social realities that confront the Naga society today: Schism within Naga political movement (division on the ground of region, tribe and personalities); toothless bureaucracy (failure to impose rule of law); visionless political leadership (ideological poverty); egotistical NGOs and pressure groups (above law); voiceless public (too scared to stand for truth beyond one's comfort zone); nonchalant spirituality (worldly systems in the church, and no longer salty enough for the world); non-visible judiciary (subordinate to customary laws). Or the lack of cooperation amongst communities (fractured identity), as witnessed in the Foothills Road Project fiasco. And we wonder or complain as to why Nagaland does not have any project of national importance? Or why the Naga question is not resolved even after half a century? Or why mundane challenges such as roads are neglected? Or why general condition of life in Nagaland has not improved over the years? (besides people in power or those related to the ruling elite) FOSTERING A GREATER STORY-NARRATIVE Stories that are being told or songs that are being sung in the Naga society, are individual stories (of one's greatness) or songs of a clan-community greatness (the first settlers and hence, absolute ownership of power and resources) and not the “Greater Story” or “Song” of a “Nation.” Perhaps, the most glaring example is seen in the absence of a common anthem for all Nagas (no agreement so far, or if we have one, has not become part of our mental makeup), symbols that would become point of convergence for the Naga family. Deprived of socio-psychological acculturation (pan-Naga mindset) due to inter/intra headhunting practices, compounded by the question of survival, challenges of space and resource, did play detrimental role within the Naga society. Historical reality reinforces the lacuna of a “shared experience” or the lack of a “collective conscience”. Whatever little the Naga society witnessed or experienced in these areas (specifically in the 19th century with the advent of colonialism, and in the 20th century with the controversial amalgamation of Naga Hills into the Indian union) was visa-vie against the Indian state. The danger today is, with the common enemy gone (our general idea of India), withers our fragile sense of nationhood and nationalism. Nation building projects therefore must address these drawbacks within the Naga society, juxtaposed with the greater dream of being a people, without which civil wars and fratricidal killings will become the order of the day. HISTORY AS REFERENCE POINT Intellectuals within each Naga tribe must access ideas and draw lessons from history to see how national identity and nation-state have evolved, and find suitable models that is applicable to Naga context. The greatest achievement of the socio-religious movement that took place in India in the 19th century was perhaps the fostering of pan Indian identity, which, hitherto was divided on the bases of race, caste, region, religion and language. Intellectuals such a Ram Mohan Roy (Bengal: considered as the father of modern India); Joti Rao Phule (Maharashtra: a low caste who is credited for initiating renaissance among his people); Pandita Ramabhai (a story of a high caste Brahmin lady whose conversion to Christianity set the tone for social transformation); Sir Sayid Ahmed Khan (founder of Aligarh Muslim University, who championed reason over blind faith), are some of the few intellectuals among the pantheon of social reformers India has produced. Their intellectual intervention within their own respective communities brokered sociological barricades, historical wrongs, and build a super structure upon whose foundation the idea of a "new India" took shape. Naga society with much lesser geographical size, population or non-existent religious diversity, can definitely rewrite our greater Story narrative. Our greatest strength Christianity, must not become our Achilles’ heel, rather it should be our primary glue/clue for social reconstruction.
to naught due to unsolved internal contradiction and not so much because of external aggression. The enemy most often is within not without. What then would/should be our collective response? THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX Perhaps, the time has come for Naga society to think outside the box. A new paradigm if you like, where each member of the Naga family submits to a level playing field. A parameter on whose eyes all are equal - rich or poor, tall or short, educated or illiterate, female or male, this or that tribe. A Rule of Law! This is not a negation of our rich customary laws but about embracing an over-arching common denominator that is agreed around the civilized world as the best way forward. Customary law in Naga society is not yet codified. Besides the challenges of codification whose customary laws to adhere to? Tribalism will again rear its ugly head in our primeval search for individual story. Of course it’s do-able, but for that Nagas must attain certain decorum of civilized state. The best option available is, the not so new paradigm, which actually is as old as the human race. Rule of Law! Tried and tested democratic form of governance with independent judiciary, legislative and executive, assisted by a vibrant conscientious opposition bench and a public that thinks, acts, in democratic principles. The utopian Greek City state model where each Naga village acts more or less sovereign prove to be anachronistic in this days and age. However good it falters to meet modern challenges. One example would be seen in the way we impose customary laws to modern dilemma such as motor accidents. Instead of traffic rules coming into the picture, the guilty had to shell out a new car (what then is the use of motor insurance?) and face the brunt of the village council for causing loss or injury. These incidences most often than not tend to take tribal colouring and village/tribes see it as an affront to its very own existence. The demerits far outnumber the merits due to our primeval sentiments. The way forward A PROACTIVE GOVERNMENT The government cannot effort to turn a blind eye to injustice, corruption and anarchy, nor abscond from the role of a welfare state. The onus of reining in the state lies with the government of the day. The enforcing arms of the government, the police, must go outside the four walls of their battalion to maintain law and order. The judiciary as the custodian of law must employ fair play, and see the sacrosanct lives of citizens are protected or punished for their commission and omission. The legislature with upright boldness must plan, debate and legislate programs for all round socio-economic growth of the state. The opposition bench should support progressive ideas and programs and desist from playing to the gallery, besides playing the role of a conscience keeper. The state should not bow down to all sundry and intimation of, "we will recourse to our own course of action". However the state must first win over the prevailing "trust deficit" accrued since the inception of statehood. Firm in matters of law and benevolence in social welfare programs, cutting across party politics is what Naga society is deprived of. There is no dearth of young talents entering the government service today, but the state should provide conducive working environment to harness and exploit new ideas. Collaboration with scholars, universities and civil societies especially on matters of social engineering is a way forward. The list is not exhaustive but exhilarating to see the opportunities that lie before Naga society. Developmental plans should be people oriented and not community specific. The benefit of all Nagas ought to be the central focus. The government must apply wisdom and political will and not succumb to greedy intentions of tribalism. Article 371(A) is being misused to illogical conclusions to support individualism in Naga society. At the moment the Naga society jealously guards, refuses to share resources, water, minerals with others. The greater Story must emerge from the rights enshrined in the act. A CONSCIENTIOUS PUBLIC On matters of public conduct citizens must play a conscientious role. They must become the backbone of proactive governance. Respect for law, others and self in that order is paramount. The government is only as good as its citizen. At present the state is reflective of our public and private lives and not the other way around. The present tendencies of blame game must end. As citizens, introspection of our choice of leader, the way we dispose garbage, our refusal to queue, throwing litter from vehicles, cutting corners, showing favouritism, championing bribery, dishonesty in social transactions, must be crucified. Non Christian cultures have done better in matters of civility than the Naga society. Ethics must take precedence in collective living. Only then can the public have moral authority to question leaders and governance. Stories of great nations are stories of citizens coming of age. The populous must realize the power they wield to break or make government. Sadly, primeval allegiance would not allow Nagas to side with the truth. The examples of popular protest movements in China, Syria, Egypt and India must serve as pointers for Naga society. Only a public that enthusiastically participates to nurture a just and charitable community of conscientious individuals, acting in parts to weave a common tapestry, can enable our greater Story emerge.
THE ENEMY WITHIN EACH MEMBER OF THE NAGA FAMILY The litmus test for Naga society today will be seen in the way we react and respond to contradictions that present themselves in our socio-cultural milieu. Tribalism is perhaps our greatest enemy towards fostering the “greater” Naga Story. There is the need to stifle tribalism and converge on a higher plane of being part of a greater family-humanity. Nagas must realize that they are just a speck in the sea of humanity. Other cultures have marched towards “thinking for the world” and in the process have discovered them- A VIBRANT CIVIL SOCIETY selves. Unless, Naga society transcends its primeval There is no dearth of civil bodies in the Naga sentiments, we are looking at the end of a great race. society, from colony panchayats to Hohos. But the History is strewn with examples of great race brought bigger problem is, nobody is listening to nobody.
Our ideas are skewed. The essence of civil society is diametrically opposite to what we practice. For a population of two million we are up to our ears with presidents and organizations. Most are obnoxious (politicians in waiting) and public good (for paper visibility only) is never part of their psyche. This is seen in their (civil society) lack of camaraderie in denouncing crimes or supporting movements that are attempting to write the greater Story. Instead of supporting movements such as ACUAT, like ‘India Against Corruption’ amongst civil societies in India, ACUAT has become an orphan, which everyone talks about but shies away from adopting. According to World Bank civil society “refer to a wide array of non-governmental and non-profit organisations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations”. Naga society must embrace such a framework in all our social activism. The icing in the cake will be when Naga society witness people such as Medha Patkar, Anna Hazare, Baba Amte, Arvind Kejriwal (before he joined politics), and Irom Sharmila. It’s time to do “civil society” differently to knit a greater Story. A FEARLESS ECCLESIAST And in our predominant Christian state there is a crying need for fearless men and women of God, who will call ‘a spade a spade’ in love and not in acrimonious terms. Of course it’s easier said than done. But what's important here is the bigger picture and not so much the illustration. Elisha the prophet of old, not only made Naaman (commander of Syria) wait outside his door when he came visiting, he did not even meet him but send his message through his servant. Of course Naaman felt insulted and took off. But when sense prevailed Naaman obeyed Elisha’s instruction and was healed. Yahweh’s name was glorified and Naaman’s thankfulness could be seen in the gifts he sends to Elisha. Elisha of course refused the gift (II Kings 5). Such fearlessness in matters of spirituality and conduct is expected of the clergy. With a vibrant ecclesiastical order acting as the conscience of the people and the state, the spiritual health of the community is not lost. The world must not invade the church rather the church in love and grace must confront the world. "The congregation will only rise up to the level of their spiritual leader" is not out of context for the Naga society. Need man and women of God who are salt and light of the world. There are several godly men and women of God in Naga society who are silently fulfilling their calling. But for the bad to triumph only the good has to keep quiet. The church must hoist an even greater Story, the banner of Nagaland for Christ. A GLOBAL MINDSET The Reputed national paper The Hindu, commenting on journalism in Nagaland remarked, "In a close-knit society like Nagaland, journalism can get personal and is like a village diary". This aspect of mindset is seen in the way we advertise every promotion, exam passed, death, birthday and announces threats to each other lives. Our attempt to write individual stories is too evident. Nagas need to compete nationally and internationally instead of, "see my family, son, daughter, clan, tribe is doing better than yours" attitude. Utter disregard for government property also depicts our limited mentality. Or the way in which we have imbibed Koreanization minus their hardworking culture and educational ambition. Samsung, Hyundai, did not, just happen! When the world is grappling with the idea of human survival, the Naga societal preoccupation with overt self-preservation is shameful. The correct perspective ought to be, think global and act local. Extremity of both ends will prove disastrous. But yes, our mental makeup has to change for the better to pen our greater Story. Our parents never had access to a world outside their villages but for today's generation the world has become the village. A REVIVAL OF NAGAISM Any revisionist movement in Naga society must don a healthy respect for global culture (Here the emphases are knowledge capital, work ethics, technological advances, environmental challenges, and other human concerns and NOT crude imitation of modernization/westernization). Only then can the Naga society successfully revive Nagaism without negation of what other cultures have to offer. But on the other hand the danger would be to reduce the essence of Nagaism into political idealism only. The fear was vividly expressed as far as 1953. To quote “The political leaders speak frequently about Nagaism, which is a social and economic way of life for the Nagas, to be embroidered within the political frame of Nagaland” (Civilization: The Naga: vol.3.No.3, 1953.p355). And Ahelie Moitra reporting on electioneering campaign in Manipur writes, “Neiphiu Rio, in his speech to Ukhrul, asked Southern Nagas to “give up individualism, tribalism and villagism to take up Nagaism” instead. What is “Nagaism” if not the polity of the village and cultural context of the tribe? He was talking about not letting those lines divide the political whole.”(The Morung Express: February 08, 2012) Here the framework for Nagaism is essentially character virtues. Values those are intrinsic to the Naga way of life, such as honesty, truthfulness, respect for elder, women, clan, village, language, and tribe; fiercely independent yet egalitarian; individualistic but accommodating; simple but prudent; brave but discerning; upright but charitable; self-sacrificing but self-respectful. They are to become the rubric for internal reformation and external transformation within the Naga society. This is the GREATER STORY!
Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The morung Express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: morung@gmail.com All letters (including those via email) should have the full name and Postal address of the sender. 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.
PERSPECTIVE
7 When the Right To Information Why nukes keep finding becomes a fight for information trouble: They're really old Thursday
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
10 JUly 2014
NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE
amit Ganguly
T
T
robert Burns AP National Security Writer
he nuclear missiles hidden in plain view across the prairies of northwest North Dakota reveal one reason why trouble keeps finding the nuclear Air Force. The "Big Sticks," as some call the 60-foot (18-meter)-tall Minuteman 3 missiles, are just plain old. The Air Force asserts with pride that the missile system, more than 40 years old and designed during the Cold War to counter the now-defunct Soviet Union, is safe and secure. None has ever been used in combat or launched accidentally. But it also admits to fraying at the edges: time-worn command posts, corroded launch silos, failing support equipment and an emergency-response helicopter fleet so antiquated that a replacement was deemed "critical" years ago. The Minuteman is no ordinary weapon. The business end of the missile can deliver mass destruction across the globe as quickly as you could have a pizza delivered to your doorstep. But even as the Minuteman has been updated over the years and remains ready for launch on short notice, the items that support it have grown old. That partly explains why missile corps morale has sagged and discipline has sometimes faltered, as revealed in a series of Associated Press reports documenting leadership, training, disciplinary and other problems in the ICBM force that has prompted worry at the highest levels of the Pentagon. The airmen who operate, maintain and guard the Minuteman force at bases in North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming came to recognize a gap between the Air Force's claim that the nuclear mission is "Job 1" and its willingness to invest in it. "One of the reasons for the low morale is that the nuclear forces feel unimportant, and they are often treated as such, very openly," says Michelle Spencer, a defense consultant in Alabama who led a nuclear forces study for the Air Force published in 2012. She said in an interview that the airmen — they're called Missileers — became disillusioned by an obvious but unacknowledged lack of interest in nuclear priorities among the most senior Air Force leaders. Spencer's study found that Air Force leaders were "cynical about the nuclear mission, its future and its true — versus publicly stated — priority to the Air Force." Several key leadership posts have since changed hands, and while Spencer says she sees important improvements, she's worried about the Air Force's commitment to getting the nuclear forces what they need. This is no surprise to those responsible for nuclear weapons policy. An independent advisory group, in a report to the Pentagon last year, minced no words. It said the Air Force must show a "believable commitment" to modernizing the force. "If the practice continues to be to demand that the troops compensate for manpower and skill shortfalls, operate in inferior facilities and perform with failing support equipment, there is high risk of failure" to meet the demands of the mission, it said. Robert Goldich, a former defense analyst at the Congressional Research Service, said the ICBM force for years got "the short end of the stick" on personnel and resources. "I honestly don't think it's much more complicated than that," he said. "When that happened, people lost sight of how incredibly rigorous you've got to be to ensure quality control when nuclear weapons are involved." That may be changing. Air Force leaders are making a fresh push to fix things. When Deborah Lee James became Air Force secretary, its top civilian official, in December, she
This photo taken on June 25, 2014 shows an inert Minuteman 3 missile in a training launch tube at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. The nuclear missiles hidden in plain view across the prairies of northwest North Dakota reveal one reason why trouble keeps finding the nuclear Air Force. The “Big Stick,” as some call the 60-foottall Minuteman 3 missile, is just plain old. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
quickly made her way to each of the three ICBM bases and came away with a conviction that rhetoric was not matched by resources. "One thing I discovered is we didn't always put our money where our mouth is when it comes to saying this is the No. 1 mission," James told reporters June 30 during a return visit to F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. James says the fixes will require money — and a lot more. They will take more people and a major attitude adjustment. "I happen to think the top thing that really drives an airman is feeling like they're making a difference ... protecting America," she said earlier in June. Missileers ought to feel that way, she said, but she is not convinced they do. "And so, over time, we've got to change that around." James said the Air Force will find $50 million in this year's budget to make urgent fixes, and will invest an additional $350 million in improvements over the coming five years. Even that, she said, is unlikely to be enough and more funds will be sought. Her words are resonating with some, including Maj. Steve Gorman, a maintenance operations squadron commander at Minot. He already is seeing signs of change. He points to a recent decision to add 13 new maintenance positions here. "That's a huge thing for us," Gorman said. Since its initial deployment in 1970, the Minuteman 3 missile itself has been upgraded in all its main components. But much of the rest of the system that keeps the weapon viable and secure has fallen on hard times. One example is the Huey helicopter fleet, which escorts road convoys that move Minuteman missiles, warheads and other key components. It also moves armed security forces into the missile fields in an emergency, even though it's too slow, too small, too vulnerable to attack and cannot fly sufficient distances.
REAL-ILLUSION
Our ‘headhunting’ dictates Lima Longchar
W
Thekhro Mero
Diphupar, Dimapur
hen the news item appeared in one of the local Dailies on the consequences of water or the lack of it; it was a refreshing read. Mostly because the piece was slanting towards investigative journalism away from the usual reporting or storytelling, and in doing so highlighted scenarios for improvement that could be made. So it was unexpected to see a rejoinder to the news item ‘NU Lumani: Residents affected by scarcity and poor quality of water’, dated 3rd July 2014. It is common sense to us that there are none or very few state of the art facilities or infrastructures in Nagaland for many reasons. And if we have to aim for such excellence, the accomplishment would be through collective effort and along the way confronting many criticisms and hurdles. So what was expected, since the media has highlighted the plight, was that the student fraternity seizing the opportunity would demand the enhancement of the facilities whatever is available. Media could have been a medium to bring about some positive changes, create space for expression and not only used as a mean of exchanging paper wars as it usually is done here. There was no response from the public and the only response had turned out to be a rejoinder. But if we look from a larger perspective such responses are not surprising in a sadly parochial Nagaland. To thrive as a society it is essential to encourage and appeal to reasoning and to critically analyse but perhaps it is inbuilt in us to assert and defend our weakness when it’s pointed out. Our various institutes, our unions, our associations despite the many good activities it’s involved with, promptly flares to any criticisms and throw blanket statements threatening the detractors and this has stunted the growth of Nagas as a thinking society. And our young post-graduate intellectuals, the anticipated cream of our society is not giving us any vision to aspire. We seemed to have progressed; we are inundated with information and bombarded with knowledge but we lack the wisdom to know what is right for us; our buildings are taller, our cars are foreign imported, our styles and fashion are Korean and Hollywood inspired, our lounges hinge on the red-light streets of Amsterdam and Bangkok, our gadget are getting slimmer and sleeker, our education are foreign imparted, but our thinking continues to circle around the small box of ‘headhunting’ dictates which is positively stone-age!
It's also old — Vietnam War old. The seven Hueys flown daily at Minot were built in 1969. The yearly cost of keeping them running has more than doubled over the past four years, according to Air Force statistics — from $12.9 million in 2010 to $27.8 million last year. "Obviously we need a new helicopter, based on the mission," said Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein, who as commander of 20th Air Force is responsible for the operation, maintenance and security of the full fleet of Minuteman missiles. That's what the Air Force has been saying since at least 2006. A 2008 Air Force study cited a "critical need" to replace the Hueys "to mitigate missile field security vulnerabilities" and said this need had been identified two years earlier. In an Associated Press interview June 25 while visiting Minot, Weinstein said he was trying to persuade his superiors to buy a new fleet of more capable helicopters, but he said it was unclear whether that would happen before 2020. Weinstein is more optimistic about other opportunities to fix his missile corps. He is implementing a "force improvement program" that was developed from hundreds of recommendations by rank-andfile ICBM force members. It is intended to begin erasing the perception that the nuclear mission is not a top priority, and to give the nuclear missile corps more people, money, equipment, training, educational opportunities and financial incentives. Lt. Col. Brian Young, deputy commander of the 91st Maintenance Group at Minot, said he senses a turning point as top brass reach out to enlisted airmen and non-commissioned officers to solicit ideas about how to fix the force. "This feels completely different than any initiative I've been associated with in my 22 years" in the Air Force, he said.
I
OTS, Dimapur
t looks like Nagaland is in the brink of total declivity. After so many struggles by the civilians and the innocents, Naga’s are in the transition of whether it should or would progress or decline in civilization. The headline carries, “BJP Nagaland terms NH 29 as worst in NE”. In normal cases, the citizens should be ashamed of such compliments, yet this time it is not so for me. I am fascinated by the very fact that it took so many months and years for them to realize this. As a common citizen, I nearly began to accept this putrefaction as a way of life. In reality, many of us are living a life of illusion. An illusion that ‘one-day’ everything will be good and alright. The hard truth is that that ‘one-day’ is today of yesterday, and yet still now nothing is alright and well. This illusion has captured the minds and blurred it from the harsh reality. Unless we ourselves are liberated from this illusion, the sufferings and struggles is a never ending process. The question then remains, “How then are we supposed to be liberated from this illusionary world?” The answer is a simple yet powerful element: by being realistic in our reality. This calls for a solemn retrospection of our past realities. What have we achieved in our words? What have we improved in our vision? What reality have we created? Where have our action taken us? Along with this retrospection, we also need a future introspection. All our efforts would have been useless unless we have a future prospect. Our hope of the future propels us to put our word into action, or else it would have being a hope-less life just working for the present. This is the reason we need to realize the reality of the life we are living. The moral putrefaction of our society has come to a vertex where we are forced to realize that our own human essence is at stake. And this is not realized by all, but only by some elites. All may have a knowledge of it, but the actual realization is never realized by the whole. This is why it is very important for those who are gifted with this realization to carry out the necessary implementation and thus move the whole. Until and unless the elites come together to form the greater good there can be no value by an individual. Unity becomes an important factor in this aspect and it have to be maintained by all means. Unpleasant situation should be dealt with mutual understanding and respect. Thus the whole intersection is united by common hope.Until this is realized, it is futile to change the system or go against it. The terminal point is the melioration of the pres-
ent. This may cause unpleasant to the ruling government, but it is necessary. The plight of the suffering man has been silenced for too long. The oppression has to be dissolve and both the oppressed and the oppressor have to be liberated from their bondage of self-desire and self-slave. Only then can we think out of the box, even to the extent of appreciating a different system of government in our situation. This would not have been necessary if our tomorrow dreams has been attained. Yet what we see know is the repetition of the past history with the same mistakes. History has to be a lesson, not a repetitions. Our whole perception of the future seems to be overshadowed by fear. The uncertainty of securing individual future seems to have forced people to try to secure their future from the present at the cost of others. This resulted in the competition of some few people resulting in the suffering of the greater community. Unless they are extirpated of their power to do such harm, the suffering people is unable to stand on their ground. We need a united elites who realized the need to be liberated from the oppressors. These elites can be irrespective of age and gender. There is no distinction in it as long as they have the sense of realization of the reality. Some few elites have realized this and use it to their advantage leaving the others confused and immobilized. This is the very reason why the elites need to come and unite immediately before the cock crows. Each of the elites need to recognized the distinctiveness of the other and bring it together. This could lead to the nearness of that ‘one-day.’ People need to understand the power of their words. It should not be limited to the four walls of our screen. It needed to be projected in homes, streets, society, etc. Words need to be taken out of the box. It need to be converted to action. This is the whole reality of the confused illusionary world. Once the people began to act on the reality of life, the whole picture of suffering and struggle within oneself comes out. The past of Naga’s seems to be drawing back towards itself instead of the future. While the world move forward, we are stuck in the glory of our antiquity. This choice depends on the people as a whole. Either we move forward together or be annihilated of our distinctiveness and lose our identity. We are in the transition where the choice and action of the people will completely determine the fate of the Naga’s. There is no more time to act innocent and ignorant. We can’t grasp the time more than we can hold the future in our hand. But the unity of the people would mean there is hope in the future however blur it may appear now. The unity in love and in respect will give hope to our now hope-less future.
Source: Reuters
he Congress party-led government that drafted the Right To Information (RTI) Act in 2005 touted the law as one of its success stories for the average Indian in the last election. Whether it played any role in the election’s outcome is difficult to say, but activists who specialize in RTI requests throughout India say that government workers have found many ways to frustrate their attempts to get responses to their questions. Filing an RTI is easier than it used to be, but extracting information is getting harder each year, said Neeraj Goenka, an RTI activist in Sitamarhi, a town in the state of Bihar. “Bihar government brought a number of amendments to the RTI act to discourage people from asking questions. Bureaucracy is totally dominant here also like in any other state,” he said. “From top to bottom, everyone knows how the information can either be denied or delayed, and the application keeps moving from one authority to the other for months.” An RTI works like this: a citizen files a request for information to a state office, and the office is required by federal law to respond in 30 days. The trouble is, a lax attitude toward enforcing the turnaround time coupled with an overburdened bureaucracy can lead to slower or absent responses. A report this week said 66,000 RTI complaints and appeals are pending. Goenka said that he filed a request in 2012 to find out what kind of penalties bureaucrats received for various mistakes on the job, and has received no information. “I filed a first appeal also, but in vain. If this is the situation with the information commission itself, which is supposed to be the guardian of RTI, you can easily imagine the rest of the scenario,” he said. D P Choudhary, secretary of Bihar’s information commission, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. T Bala Gangadhar Rao, an RTI activist who lives in Andhra Pradesh, said bureaucrats respond to RTIs slowly because they know that they probably will not be punished for not moving more quickly. Pradeep Rapria, a lawyer in Haryana who had served as a legal adviser in the Central Information Commission, said that it is hard to expect quick responses from bureaucrats who concealed information throughout their career and now “have been entrusted to provide information.” Prateek Pandey, a freelance consultant in the state of Chhattisgarh who trains government employees on RTI, said bureaucracy has a habit of overcoming attempts to seek straight answers to people’s questions. “If you want information from the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly, the application fee is as high as 500 rupees ($8),” Pandey said. The usual fee is 10 rupees (less than 20 cents). Southern Chhattisgarh is one of the centres of India’s armed Maoist rebellion. In that part of the state, government officials often refuse to honour RTI requests because of an exemption in the name of national security, said Pandey. “During training, an officer told me that someone had sought travel details of his department through RTI, but the information was not shared as this would have put them in risk because the information can reach to the Naxals. This cannot be a reason for denial, for the detail sought was about the travelling you had already done,” he said. Chhattisgarh Information Commissioner Serjius Minj said he did not know who denied that information, but acknowledged that the government can withhold information for certain reasons. On the fee, he said that the state assembly “is free to decide the fee for the information sought. If anybody finds it a violation of constitutional provisions, he can always challenge it in courts.” In West Bengal, the state information commission said it received 11,464 applications between 2005 and 2013. Only 3,413 cases – or 30 percent of the total — were closed, according to Amitava Choudhary of the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI), and a resident of Howrah. A senior officer of the West Bengal Information Commission, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to reporters, said resources are limited. “Assume that the strength of the office is to dispose of 10 applications a day, but if it receives 100 applications, then what can be done?” Barely 10 percent of the applicants who file in Gujarat get replies in 30 days, said Vinod Pandya who lives in Surat and says he filed an RTI for information on charges that in 2009, the Gujarat government, then led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, illegally put a woman under surveillance. The controversy cropped up earlier this year when the UPA government decided to set up a judicial commission to investigate the matter. “People are sick and tired,” he said. Pandya said it took more than two years for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in Gujarat to provide a reply on illegally built buildings in the city. Ashutosh Tripathi, who lives in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, says the law has exposed corruption in villages and panchayats in the state, but still “the rate of disseminating information is very slow.” “I know how RTI helped in exposing wrongdoings in the construction of a village road in the district. There are a number of examples like this but it is still tough to get hold of the big fish,” Tripathi said. Despite shortcomings and loopholes, the act is one of India’s best, and has brought change to the country, said Nikhil Dey, who campaigned for the law along with activists such as Aam Aadmi Party founder Arvind Kejriwal, Aruna Roy and others. “This law has worked better than almost any other law. The person who never talked to you, who never let you get into his office, is forced to give you the information. Somewhere in the back of their minds, they know they have to answer your queries,” Dey said. “I can tell you thousands of stories of problems about RTI, but nevertheless, what was the situation before?” When Reuters contacted India’s former Chief Information Commissioner Sushma Singh and asked for her view, she said the states have their own information commissions like the Central Information Commission, and the CIC “doesn’t exercise any jurisdiction on them.” Congress general secretary and spokesman Shakeel Ahmad said the law was passed by the UPA government, which showed its intention to ensure transparency in the system, but in a federal structure, power lies more with the state governments and the public should understand this. “We have passed the law, but the implementation depends on state governments. Central government cannot even send a policeman in any state without their consent. People should understand that Congress and the UPA wanted clean governance which is why RTI was passed. State governments want to hide their wrongdoings, and they misuse their rights,” Ahmad said.
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
Dimapur
NATIONAL
Thursday 10 July 2014
The Morung Express
Ruckus in parliament over railway budget
New Delhi, July 9 (iANS): Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were disrupted in the first half Wednesday, as opposition members created a ruckus over the Railway Budget. In the Lok Sabha, as soon as the question hour began Wednesday morning, angry Trinamool Congress members shouted slogans and disrupted the proceedings of the house, protesting the Railway Budget and also against the alleged misbehaviour of some BJP MPs in the house Tuesday. The house was adjourned for a brief period as the MPs protesting against the railway budget went near the speaker’s podium and shouted slogans. Carrying placards, the Trinamool members led by Kalyan Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee shouted slogans demanding “justice” for West Bengal in the Railway Budget and condemning the alleged attack on a woman party MP Tuesday. The protesting members also raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP. The lower house saw an ugly spat between Trinamool and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members during protests over the
Lok Sabha discusses price rise
Commuters struggle to board an overcrowded train at a railway station in Mumbai on Tuesday, July 8. India’s new rail minister Sadananda Gowda on Tuesday proposed allowing foreign investment to modernize the country’s cashstrapped state railways. (AP Photo)
Railway Budget. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan objected to display of placards inside the house and warned the protesting members. Some Kerala MPs were also seen protesting the alleged discrimination against their state in the rail budget. As the ruckus continued, Trinamool leader
Kalyan Banerjee was seen making some objectionable remarks against the speaker, which led to the entire ruling coalition standing up and protesting. Soon the house was adjourned till noon. When the house assembled again, Banerjee apologised to the speaker, after which the Lok Sabha resumed a discussion on
Congress stakes claim for Leader of Opposition post
New Delhi, July 9 (iANS): The Congress Wednesday formally staked claim to the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The party’s leader in the house Mallikarjun Kharge met Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and submitted a memorandum on the issue containing the signatures of 60 Lok Sabha members of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). The Congress is keen on the post of Leader of Opposition, saying it was the
second largest party in the lower house and was the main party in the UPA. The Congress has 44 members in the Lok Sabha. However, its strength is less than 10 percent of the total strength of the house, which stands at 545. “We have submitted a memorandum containing the signatures of 60 UPA MPs. It is for her (Mahajan) to take a view on the matter,” Kharge told reporters after the meeting. Deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Amarinder
Singh, along with party chief whip Jyotiraditya Scindia accompanied Kharge to the meeting. “Representative of the party which has the largest number in the opposition should be recognised as Leader of Opposition,” Kharge said. Kharge’s meeting with the speaker came a day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with party parliamentarians on the issue. Gandhi Tuesday met President Pranab Mukherjee over the same issue.
AgustaWestland scam: CBI questions Andhra governor
hyDerAbAD, July 9 (iANS): The CBI Wednesday questioned Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan in Hyderabad in connection with alleged graft in the procurement of AgustaWestland VVIP choppers for 556.262 million euros (Rs.3,726.96 crore), officials said. Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned the governor at Raj Bhavan for nearly two hours. The CBI team, which flew in from Delhi, recorded Narasimhan’s statement under section 161 of Code of Criminal Procedure. It also questioned him to gather information about the controversial deal. Officials said
Narasimhan was questioned as a witness in the case as he was heading the Intelligence Bureau in 2005 when the chopper deal was finalised. The deal was struck in 2010 but was cancelled last year following allegations of graft in the purchase of 12 choppers for the use of VVIPs. Narasimhan is currently serving as the governor of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states. Narasimhan, 68, is the third governor to be quizzed in the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which previously questioned former Goa governor B.V. Wanchoo and former West Bengal governor M.K. Narayanan.
price rise. Sumitra Mahajan pulled up the MPs for their misbehaviour. “The undignified conduct of some members since yesterday is extremely unfortunate. We all have been hurt by disruptions in the house during the last few days,” she said, deprecating the use of “unbecoming” language, rais-
ing slogans and displaying placards in the house. The lower house then took up a debate on price rise. In the Rajya Sabha, the question hour was disrupted by protests over the Railway Budget. As soon as the house assembled for the day, Trinamool Congress members led by Derek O’Brien start-
birth, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling and even the per capita income,” it said. According to an official statement, Jaitley said “massive efforts” were needed in the form of investment in social infrastructure, skill development and empowerment of women. The survey added that the outlook for India on the human development front could be positive given the large demographic dividend waiting to be tapped. “This demographic dividend will benefit India if its population is healthy, educated and adequately skilled... This calls for massive investment in social infrastructure,
New Delhi, July 9 (iANS): Amit Shah, a Narendra Modi confidant who led the BJP to a spectacular electoral win in Uttar Pradesh, was Wednesday named its new president, with colleagues expressing confidence that he will take the ruling party to greater success. Prime Minister Modi, who counts the 49-yearold Shah as a close confidant, said Shah’s elevation would help the Bharatiya Janata Party to expand its influence and become stronger in the country. “Amit Bhai started his (political) journey as an ordinary ‘karyakarta’ and has repeatedly proven himself through tireless hard work and determination,” Modi said. A former home minister of Gujarat, Shah -- presently a general secretary -- succeeds Rajnath Singh, the home minister in Modi’s government. Rajnath Singh made the widely expected announcement about Shah after a meeting of the BJP’s parliamentary board. Once this was done, a beaming Shah -- a share trader by profession -- accepted sweets and bou-
India average. The survey shows some interesting results of inter-state comparisons of socio-economic development of select states based on available indicators and furnish some clear policy pointers. While some states have done well in terms of growth indicators, they are poor performers in terms of other human development. “Human development dimensions needs
skill development and empowerment of women,” the survey said. One of the challenges, the survey said, was to deal with multiple and sometimes overlapping programmes and that a mere mark up each year in the budget for existing programmes or starting some new ones would not suffice. “What needed is ‘zero budgeting’ approach with a revamp, reorganisation and convergence of social-sector schemes with a minimum size prescribed for the schemes,” the survey said. The survey added that the outlays for different schemes have not often fully translated into outcomes owing to
to be taken into account in formulating and implementing social sector programmes and arriving at criteria for development of funds to states,” suggested the survey. According to the survey, Maharastra and Haryana are at the top in terms of the absolute values of GSDP and per capita income. The survey also said that Kerala is the best performing state in terms sex ratio and is
sembled for the zero hour, Communist Party of IndiaMarxist MP P. Rajeev said over 1.5 lakh files of historical importance in the home ministry were destroyed by the new government, and slammed the NDA regime for trying to change the nation’s history. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad denied the allegation, but opposi-
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, second from right, with Bharatiya Janata party or BJP outgoing party president Rajnath Singh offers sweets to newly appointed BJP president Amit Shah, at the party’s headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 9. Shah, a close aide of Modi has been appointed chief of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. (AP Photo)
quets from party colleagues including Modi, Rajnath Singh, L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. “Amit Shah is the new president,” Rajnath Singh told the media as Modi and Shah looked on. Rajnath Singh said Shah had been chosen for the post for his “organisational and management skills” which he said were seen in Uttar Pradesh dur-
the poor delivery mechanism and said that leveraging modern technology can help create better delivery mechanisms. The survey also called for the greater degree of accessibility to information for the public, especially about the role, rights and entitlements of the panchayati raj institutions. “Focused attention on raising the awareness levels and capacity-building activities at gram sabha level and devolution of powers in real terms will lead to better and more effective planning, execution, monitoring and social audit of panchayat centric programmes.” the survey said.
Bihar best performing state in terms of growth rate New Delhi, July 9 (iANS): Bihar is the best performing state in terms of gross state domestic product (GSDP) and per capita income growth, the Economic Survey for 201314 has said. Presenting the Survey in parliament, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley saida few states, including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala, have also performed well above the all
ed protests over the Railway Budget. Congress members alleged that the budget was leaked even before it was presented and displayed a newspaper clipping. Members of other parties were also seen on their feet. Amid the din, the upper house was first adjourned briefly and then till noon. When the house reas-
AIADMK’s M. Thambidurai said: “At least now the Congress has realized that the people are suffering and they have given a notice to discuss the matter.” “Now it is your (BJP) time to tackle this problem,” he added. Rejecting opposition charges, BJP’s Anurag Thakur said the UPA government couldn’t control prices in their 10 years of rule. “In the last 10 years of UPA rule, 17 discussions took place on price rise and during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime only one.” “It hurts when UPA talks of corruption and price rise,” he said, adding: “The UPA has not left behind anything. The coffers are empty.” Trinamool Congress’ Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said: “Something should be done on the packaging of food grains as every year we lose huge amount of grains due to storage problems”. B. Mehtab of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said the central government needs to work in tandem with the state governments to control inflation. He called for improvement of cold storage facilities. tion continued to protest, demanding a clarification from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the din, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the house till 2 p.m. At 2 p.m. the upper house resumed normal business and took up a discussion on deficient rainfall.
BJP appoints Amit Shah as party president
India lags in human development index New Delhi, July 9 (iANS): India continued to perform below the global average in most human development index (HDI) indicators, including life expectancy at birth and per capita income, the Economic Survey for 2013-14 said Wednesday. The Survey, presented in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, said unleashing the time-bound potential of demographic dividend was India’s biggest challenge. “India’s performance continues to be below global average in most of the human development index indicators like life expectancy at
New Delhi, July 9 (iANS): The opposition Wednesday attacked the government on the issue of price rise in the Lok Sabha and questioned the steps taken to control the increase in prices of essential commodities. Congress deputy leader in the house, Amarinder Singh asked “where is the achche din (good days)” promised by the BJP during the election campaign and slammed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s statement that food prices are under control and there is no need to panic. He demanded a complete ban on onion exports to control the vegetable’s soaring price. Singh said the farmers who produce vegetables, including potatoes, onions and tomatoes were selling their produce at a low price and hoarders and middlemen were responsible for the prices of essential commodities shooting up. The discussion on price rise was held under a rule that does not entail voting. The opposition had initially demanded a discussion under an adjournment motion which would have entailed censure and voting.
well ahead of other states. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu is distant second and third. Bihar has the highest decadal growth of population and Haryana has the lowest sex ratio. The survey also states that in terms of poverty estimates Bihar, which had the highest poverty headcount ratio (HCR) in 200405 moved to first place in 2011-12 with the HCR at 33.7 percent relegating Od-
isha to second place. “Kerala (7.1 percent) had the lowest poverty followed by Himachal Pradesh(8.1 percent) and Punjab(8.3 percent)”, said the survey. “Infant Mortality rate (IMR) in 2012 was the lowest in Kerala (12) and the highest in Madhya Pradesh (56) followed by Assam (55), Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh (53 each) against a national IMR of 42”, said the survey.
ing the Lok Sabha election. In an extraordinary performance that stunned foes and friends alike, the BJP bagged 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state after Shah spearheaded the party campaign like a warrior possessed. Two other seats went to a BJP ally, Apna Dal. The Congress was left with just two seats, the Samajwadi Party got only
five (with Mulayam Singh winning two of the seats) while the Bahujan Samaj Party was wiped out. Ever since, Shah -- who rarely interacts with the media -- was widely seen as the front-runner for the top party post. First elected to the Gujarat assembly in 1997, Shah describes his hobbies as cricket, reading and social service. Over
the years, he emerged as Modi’s most trusted political aide in Gujarat. Once Modi was named the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, he ensured that Shah was made the election campaign chief in Uttar Pradesh, realizing that without a sweep in that state the party’s future would be bleak. In his tweets, Modi also thanked Rajnath Singh “for his great leadership, under which the party scaled new heights of success”. “With the blessings of party elders and selfless efforts of karyakartas, (the) BJP’s mission of creating a strong and developed India continues.” Other BJP leaders also paid glowing tributes to Shah. “He is a very good organiser, a very committed worker... His elevation will help the BJP in social expansion and gaining organisational strength,” party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS. Balbir Punj, a BJP vice president, told IANS: “He is a very inspiring leader, very hard working. He knows all the ‘karyakartas’ (functionaries). The party will touch new heights under his leadership.”
‘Pure news is passe, now ideology shapes news’
New Delhi, July 9 (iANS): Senior journalists rounding up their assessment of media coverage of the 2014 general election said that “pure” news has more or less disappeared and that the personal ideology of the editor or proprietor often shapes news. At a panel discussion chaired by NDTV Group Editor Barkha Dutt Tuesday evening on “Media and the political process”, most journalists observed that reporters today are in greater contact with their news consumers and that has impacted the coverage of news. “We have made media far more personal. During elections, large part of the media gets criminalised, in that we report/ show what people want,” said senior journalist and political commentator Swapan Dasgupta at the discussion held at the India International Centre here. Siddharth Varadarajan, former editor of The Hindu, seconded the thought, noting this process has also led to media losing its credibility among people. “TV events are impregnated with personal views of either the reporter or the anchor or the channel... You can clearly see on Twitter and other social media that attitude for mainstream journalists is very much negative,” Varadarajan asserted. On the coverage of news in Hindi heartland, Mrinal Pande, former newspaper editor and chairperson of Prasar Bharti, said vernacular press often caters to what people want to read as news.
“Journalists are now more connected to their consumers. Readers of vernacular press have a certain political ideology, and media is quite happy to allow certain political parties to influence their reportage,” Pande said. She added that the fact that a newspaper is sold at Rs 5, even though the cost of its publication runs up to Rs 16 per copy, has led to media’s dependence on subsidies or advertisements. “The money comes from adervertisements from political parties, and hence there is a temptation to take political parties on board,” Pande argued. Varadarajan added that media today lacked “professional” editors. “There are no professional editors today. This means that there are no editors who can dictate the coverage of news without second guessing of what the proprietor wants,” Vardrajan claimed. Dasgupta opined that even though a reporter would like to include different voices in his or her story, the end product is determined by the ideology of the channel. “The decisions are taken internally based on the belief, calculation etc. of the channel or paper. Most reporters are helpless,” he said. There was more or less unanimity amongst the panelists who believed that in the last leg of the election campaign, then BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was given preference in terms of coverage.
US, China vow to improve cooperation BEIJING, July 9 (AP): The United States and China vowed Wednesday to improve their economic and security cooperation, saying they wouldn’t let persistent differences over maritime claims, cyberhacking and currency hamper a relationship critical to global peace and prosperity. Opening this year’s “Strategic and Economic Dialogue,” Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to avoid confrontation between nations accounting for a quarter of the world’s people and a third of the global economy. His theme was largely echoed by Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, leaders of an American delegation that also included Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and three other Obama administration Cabinet members. Nevertheless, the next two days are a test of whether the annual highlevel talks can produce tough compromises or just serve as a venue to talk about greater cooperation. Washington hopes to secure closer coordination with China against climate change, an end to Chinese industrial cyberespionage against American companies and stricter rules governing territorial claims in Asia’s contested, resource-rich seas. Xi made clear China wouldn’t be pushed around. “The vast Pacific Ocean has ample space to accommodate our two great nations,” he said through an interpreter. Differences between the U.S. and China, he said, were “natural.” Yet he said the only path forward was respect for each other’s sovereignty and to “refrain from imposing your will or model on other side.” And in a reference to China’s territorial disputes with its neighbors, he said the U.S. must respect Chinese “territorial integrity.” American allies Japan and the Philippines, as well as Vietnam, have become increasingly worried by Chinese efforts to drill for oil or assert authority in waters they consider their own. China also has tried to enforce control over contested airspace. For its part, the U.S. says it takes no sides on whose claims are valid.
Thursday
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The Morung Express
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and China’s President Xi Jinping sit next to each other as they participate in a joint opening session of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue known as the “S&ED” at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China Wednesday, July 9, 2014. (AP Photo
But its effort to establish rules for settling the disputes has gained no ground with Beijing. From Washington, President Barack Obama released a statement hailing the 35th anniversary of U.S.-Chinese diplomatic relations and referenced a pledge he made with Xi at a summit last year in California to establish a “new model” of superpower cooperation. In Beijing, in the Diaoyutai guest house where former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s secret talks in the 1970s laid the groundwork for today’s relationship, Kerry emphasized “a new model is not defined in words.” “It is defined in actions,” Kerry said. “The new model will be defined by the choices we can make together.” All told, U.S. and Chinese officials will canvass 60 topics through Thursday. Economic friction centers on the valuation of China’s currency and claims by American companies of unfair market restrictions in China — issues raised by Lew in his opening remarks. Strategic discussions
include the threat posed by nucleararmed North Korea. On climate change, the world’s two biggest carbon emitters announced eight new projects aimed at capturing and storing carbon, and setting up more efficient energy grids. They also agreed to stronger fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks and to study gas use in industrial boilers. U.S. and Chinese officials repeatedly declared friction in their relationship unavoidable. The U.S. has the world’s biggest economy and strongest military, but China’s economy is set to surpass the U.S. in the coming decades and its armed forces are rapidly gaining strength. It’s a recipe, Xi and Kerry both acknowledged, that has consistently led to conflict in the past. Both said careful management of their differences could avert a similar fate. Human rights didn’t appear to be a focus of the first day’s talks. In a snub to Washington, a wellknown Tibetan writer and recipi-
ent of a State Department award for courage, Tsering Woeser, was placed under house arrest along with her husband late Tuesday. Tsering Woeser said she was invited to a U.S. Embassy dinner Wednesday, but now couldn’t attend. No U.S. official on Wednesday explicitly mentioned the cyberhacking dispute between Washington and Beijing that has simmered since the U.S. indicted five Chinese military officers on charges of stealing trade secrets from American companies’ computers. China demands the charges be withdrawn; it has no plans to extradite the men. And it has refused to allow a U.S.-Chinese working group on cybersecurity to hold any further meetings until the issue is resolved. “We both depend on an open global trading system in which workers and companies can compete on a level playing field,” Lew said. He stressed the need to protect intellectual property and see China move toward a market exchange rate for its currency.
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Israel hits key Hamas targets in Gaza offensive
JERuSAlEM, July 9 (AP): The Israeli army on Wednesday intensified its offensive on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, striking Hamas sites and killing at least 8 people on the second day of a military operation it says is aimed at quenching rocket fire against Israel. The offensive has set off the heaviest fighting between Israel and the Islamic militant group Hamas since an eight-day battle in November 2012. Militants unleashed rocket salvos deep into Israeli territory, and Israel mobilized thousands of forces along the Gaza border for a possible ground invasion into the Palestinian territory. Since the offensive began Tuesday, Israel has attacked more than 400 sites in Gaza, killing at least 32 people. The strikes from air and sea came after militants fired more than 160 rockets at Israel, including one that reached the northern Israeli city of Hadera for the first time. The city is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Gaza. The army said it attacked more than 160 sites in Gaza early Wednesday, including 118 concealed rockets launching sites, six Hamas compounds — including naval police and national security compounds — 10 militant command centers, weapons storage facilities and 10 tunnels used for militant activity and to ferry supplies in from Egypt. The border between Gaza and Egypt has effectively been closed for months.
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Gaza health official Ashraf Al-Kedra said Wednesday’s airstrikes killed one militant in south Gaza, as well as an Islamic Jihad operative, his mother, and four siblings in northern Gaza. Another man was killed on a motorcycle, but his identity was not immediately known. Only four rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel overnight, the army said, a significant decline from the large number that hit Israeli cities the night before, setting off air raid sirens in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other areas of the country. By early Wednesday, air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Israel’s south early Wednesday, and the army said two rockets were apparently intercepted above the central Israeli city by an anti-missile battery. Lerner, the army spokesman, told reporters that the military’s aim was to take a “substantial toll” on Hamas and to
Smoke and debris rise after an Israeli strike on the Gaza Strip seen from the Israeli side of the Israel Gaza Border, on Wednesday, July 9. (AP Photo)
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deplete its rocket capabilities. He said the army would gradually ramp up its strikes on Gaza. “The organization is going to pay for its aggression. It is literally holding us hostage with its rockets,” Lerner said. “The country is not willing for this situation to continue.” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called from the West Bank on the international community and the United Nations to “provide international protection for our people.” He said in a televised statement late Tuesday that Hamas leaders in Gaza want to restore calm. “I have been in contact with the regional and international parties in the last few days, particularly Hamas leaders in Gaza, and everyone I’ve talked to expressed his willingness to restore the truce and stop the escalation,” Abbas said. He called the Israeli offensive on Gaza an “orchestrated and brutal aggression.”
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LOTHA GAZETTED OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION HQ. Wokha- 79711, Nagaland
An Executive Meeting of the Lotha Gazetted Officers' Association (LGOA) will be held on: Date : July 15,2014 Venue : Heritage, Kohima Time : 4.00 PM All the Executive Members i.e Under Secretary & Assistant Director and above for Kohima based Officers and the Executive Members/Representatives from all the Districts are requested to attend the meeting without fail. In this June 23, 2014 photo, a worker marks a shape of footwear on a slice of a warn out tire, at a suburban tire reutilize shop in Yangon, Myanmar. Rubber, thong slippers that are by far the most popular footwear in the rural areas, are among the biggest sellers for tire recyclers. They are especially popular among farmers. (AP Photo)
yANGON, July 9 (AP): The air in the dark, dingy room is thick with the acrid smell of rubber. Aung Nyunt and a half-dozen other workers toil away there day and night, turning discarded tires into flip-flops, buckets and hard-to-find spare parts for used cars. Their country may be undergoing one of the most remarkable transformations the region has seen in generations, but the trade they learned from their fathers decades ago appears to be as relevant today as ever. Though military rulers handed over power to a nominally civilian government three years ago, paving the way for political and economic reforms, the vast majority of the country’s 60 million people remain desperately poor. For them, nothing is without value. Old truck tires are transformed into rubber washers and bushings for cars and rice mills. Machine parts, buckets and flip-flops — the most popular footwear in the rural areas — are among the biggest sellers for tire recyclers like Nyunt. They are especially popular among farmers, the 63-year-old says proudly as he chisels away at the thread of a discarded tire, soon to be a sandal’s sole. “When most flip-flops get stuck in the mud, the straps just snap off,” he says. “But these lift out in one piece.” Another worker, Thwe Oo, nods. The 47-year-old
has been at this job since he was 15. “City folk” may think the flip-flops are ugly, Thwe Oo says, but they are cheap — 1,500 kyats ($1.50) — and sturdy. That’s what matters. During Myanmar’s half-century of dictatorship and self-imposed isolation, the country went from being one of Southeast Asia’s richest to the poorest. Businesses were nationalized and everything from toothpaste to rice rationed. Only a few cars — all belonging to the ruling elite — bounced along the potholed roads, but they went through plenty of tires. And getting spare parts was next to impossible. Kyi Thein Win’s late uncle — known as Bo Taya, or Boss of Tires — saw a need and filled it, turning tire recycling into a family business. Today their shop is among nearly a dozen lining the streets on the suburbs of the country’s biggest city, Yangon. As the economy opens up, factories are springing up faster than ever, said Win, 39, but it’s still hard to get spare parts for machinery. That’s true, too, of the 300,000 cars, most of them secondhand, now on the roads. They need rubber bushings and washers. Win’s shop gets most of its most raw material — primarily huge tires from heavy trucks, tractors and backhoes — from government departments and private companies.
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World Cup entangled with Mideast conflicts
BEIRUT, JUly 9 (AP): With the World Cup in faraway Brazil coming at a time of unprecedented sectarian violence and soaring tension in the Middle East, some Arab football fans have been reduced to watching matches in secret or even — and this is where it gets complicated — on a TV channel owned by Israel. Since the World Cup kicked off three weeks ago, Sunni Muslim extremists have seized territory in Iraq and Syria and declared an Islamic state. Lebanon has been hit by a spate of suicide bombings. Israelis and Palestinians were pushed to full conflict after the murders of four teenagers. Egypt's political divide grew wider as hundreds of people charged with supporting the ousted Muslim Brotherhood group were convicted of terrorism-related crimes — including three journalists for Qatarowned Al-Jazeera network. Many accuse the Doha-based network of editorial bias in favor of the now banned Islamic group in Egypt and of Sunni insurgents fighting Shiitedominated governments in Syria and Iraq. Qatar's media conglomerate owns broadcasting rights to the World Cup in the Middle East, charging viewers from $110 to $320 for a threemonth subscription that includes the 64 World Cup matches — a tournament that should have been a welcome escape for millions of football fans. Most fans can't afford to pay for the satellite
broadcasts of the World Cup, which was previously shown around the region on state free-to-air channels. Some Egyptians refuse to subscribe to Qatar's channel for political reasons. Watching a recent match in a cafe in downtown Cairo, 21-yearold student Mohammed Mostafa said his family is boycotting Al-Jazeera and instead tunes in to an Israeli channel that has been broadcasting the World Cup for free, with commentary in Hebrew — a foreign language to most Arabs. "My parents refuse to give money to the Brotherhood," Mostafa explained. That kind of attitude has outraged officials in Egypt, where state media has lashed out at Israel by saying it has opportunistically barged into the Arab broadcasting market. "Israeli media penetration into the Arab community is more devastating than its missiles," said Mohammed Shabana, the director of Egypt's Sports Writers Association. But he also criticized Qatar, saying the oil-rich Gulf state should have dismantled Israel's plot to win over Egyptian fans, and offered a subsidized deal to the Cairo government that would air the World Cup to its citizens for free. Israel "is our biggest enemy," Shabana said. "If the only way (to avoid Israel's channel) is to give money to Qatar, then we should do it." For Raaouf Sobhy, a cafe owner in Cairo's upscale Heliopolis district, choos-
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ing which channel to watch was a simple decision. "I hate Qatar more than Israel," Sobhy said. "I don't think Israel is harming us as much as Qatar." In south Lebanon near the frontier with Israel, some turn on the Israeli broadcast, even though Israeli TV channels have been banned since 2000 when Israel withdrew its troops following 18 years of occupation. Israel's arch enemy, the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, dominates south Lebanon and its fighters have fought on the Syrian government side. Qatar is not popular there, though, because of its support for Sunni rebels in Syria. In the village of Ein Ibil, a man watching the Israeli channel with Hebrew — a language he does not understand — commentary blasting away said he neither cares about the ban nor the country broadcasting it to him. "I just want to watch the game," he said on condition of anonymity for fear of harassment. "You don't need subtitles to watch football."Israel welcomed viewers in neighboring countries, saying it was part of the Jewish state's diplomatic outreach to the Arab World. Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for the Arabic Media in the Israeli Prime Minister's office, posted on his official Facebook page a dictionary of Hebrew soccer terms translated into Arabic. "Reactions were mixed, but a lot of people appreciated the gesture," Gendelman said. "I do find it fasci-
In this Monday, June 30, 2014 photo, soccer fans watch the World Cup match between Germany and Algeria at a cafe in Cairo, Egypt. Politics and conflict are never far from soccer in the Middle East, but this year's World Cup has been entangled with unprecedented sectarian violence and soaring tensions between Arab countries, pushing fans to watch matches in secret or even on a channel owned by region's number one enemy _ Israel. (AP Photo)
nating that millions of Arab viewers are now watching the World Cup on Israeli TV while learning soccer terminology in Hebrew." Few would dare tune into an Israeli channel in Syria, where Israel remains the primary enemy despite a raging civil war which pits predominantly Sunni Muslim rebels against the forces of President Bashar Assad,
who belongs to a sect in Shiite Islam. As residents of the capital enjoyed a temporary lull in mortar attacks during the World Cup, fans seem to ignore the fact that Qatar — a country on top of Assad's black list for supporting the opposition — owns the tournament broadcasting rights that were obtained in Syria by two private companies. There has been no World
Cup viewing in public in Raqqa, a city in eastern Syria under control of a Sunni extremist group that considers most TV stations to be heretic, an opposition activist, who goes by the name Abu Ali, said in an interview over Skype. At home, the activist said, some have watched World Cup matches on a Turkish channel. In the Iraqi capital Baghdad, fans have
watch the World Cup, despite escalating violence in Gaza. Hudaifa Srour, who lives in the West Bank village of Naalin, said most people don't care what language the commentators are speaking. "Our people are eager to escape the political problems, so even those who are not interested in sports, watch the World Cup," Srour said.
Brazil's image shattered, says Maradona Mandzukic set to
BElO HORIZONTE, JUly 9 (REUTERS): Germany's 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in the World Cup semifinal was a "hammer-blow" that has damaged the hosts' image around the world, Argentine great Diego Maradona said. The astonishing reverse was Brazil's record World Cup defeat, their first loss at home in 64 competitive matches since 1975, and the first time they had lost by six goals in any match since Uruguay beat them 6-0 in the Copa America in 1920. "I said Germany were better than Brazil, I didn't like Brazil from the start, but I didn't think Germany were going to be so imposing, so devastating, so decisive," the former World Cup winner said
on a chat-show late on Tuesday. "Brazil just didn't turn up and I think the worst thing for Brazil is that they gave an extremely poor image. OK, Germany were strong but the Brazil players simply weren't on the pitch." Maradona knows what it is like to be humiliated by Germany: he managed Argentina at the World Cup four years ago where the Germans beat his team 4-0 in the quarterfinals. That, he argued on the Venezuelan-based TV network Telesur, was different, because Argentina fought harder and let in three late goals rather than capitulate from the start. "I'm sorry because Brazil was so proud of its team, they wanted to reach
the final, but football gives you these hammer-blows," Maradona added. Though respectful in his comments on air, some media reported that privately Maradona was mocking the Brazilians, who are Argentina's traditional rivals. Those reports said that just before going on air, the always controversial Maradona had sung an Argentine fans' song, "Brazil, how does it feel?", but adapting the word "siente" which means feel in Spanish for "siete" which means seven. On the programme, he criticised how Brazil's midfield and defence seemed to melt away at every German attack in the game on Tuesday night at Belo Horizonte's Mineirao stadium.
"LIKE FIVE-A-SIDE" "Brazil didn't stop anything in the midfield, anyone could get through. The defenders, Dante and David Luiz, had no coordination," Maradona said. Dante stood in for suspended captain Thiago Silva while striker Neymar was out inured. "It was like five-a-side. You give it to me, I give it you, and you shoot," Maradona added of the ease with which Germany's strikers stroked the ball around in the buildup to the goals. Had Germany converted a great chance, just prior to Brazil's consolation goal, and gone 8-0 up, it would have been a "global catastrophe," Maradona said.
Brazil tries to come to grips with big WCup loss
Brazil soccer fans cry as they watch their team lose 7-1 to Germany at a World Cup Brazil supporters react after the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Gersemifinal match on a live telecast inside the FIFA Fan Fest area on Copacabana many at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Tuesday, July 8. Germany won the beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, July 8. (AP Photo) match 7-1. (AP Photo)
RIO DE JANEIRO, JUly 9 (AP): Catastrophic. Suffering. A Historic Humiliation. Those were just some of the apocalyptic headlines Brazilian newspapers used online to describe the national soccer team's stunning 7-1 drubbing by Germany in a World Cup semifinal match Tuesday. Tears smudged the faces of children painted in Brazil canary and green colors. Brazil coach Felipe Scolari buried his face in his hands. Fans at watch parties across the country wailed in anguish. In the hours after the shellacking seen by hundreds of millions of TV viewers around the globe, Brazilians struggled to come to grips with the unthinkable: Brazil suffered its worst
shunned cafes as a World Cup viewing option. Cafes have become favorite targets for Sunni extremists of the armed group that has declared an Islamic state in northern Iraq and in eastern Syria as it advances to Baghdad, the seat of the Shiitedominated government. Back in the West Bank, Palestinians flipped onto Hebrew-language channels to
World Cup loss ever — and it happened on their home turf, with the nation hosting the tournament for the first time in 64 years. Dreams of a sixth championship were shattered. "I couldn't believe my eyes! It was like the game was on replay," said Valeria Mazure, a 67-year-old retired teacher drinking beer in Rio, and sporting Brazil's colors in a green tunic and yellow scarf. "I'm feeling disappointed, sad, but more than anything I'm feeling embarrassed. It was embarrassing to watch." Some fans in the Belo Horizonte stadium for the game exited at halftime, with Germany already leading by a numbing 5-0. Some tore up their tickets and gave the thumbs down
to TV cameras. "Five to zero is so embarrassing, we're not going to stay any longer," Ribeiro Franca said. "One to nothing is fine, one-one, two-one, twotwo, but five to nothing is shameful for a country that has a tradition of soccer." President Dilma Rousseff, who is facing an October election that many think could be made tougher by the soccer team's poor showing, took to Twitter to try to rally the nation. "Like many Brazilians, I'm very, very sad because of this defeat," she tweeted. "I feel bad for all of us — for fans and for our players. But let's not be broken. Brazil, 'get up, shake off the dust and come out on top.'" A widely shared "photo" on Twitter portrayed
German President Angela Merkel, arms raised in victory, standing atop the mountain overlooking Rio, replacing the iconic Christ statue. "Watching the Brazil team play in earlier matches, I thought there was a possibility that Brazil could lose — but I never imagined it could lose so terribly," said Ricardo Azevedo, a fan in Rio. "I feel an immense sadness, but not only that, I feel annoyed at the blackout that happened on the pitch. We just blacked out." In Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest city, thousands gathered to watch the match in the Bohemian neighborhood of Vila Madalena, the streets carpeted with yellow, green and blue — the colors of the Brazil-
ian flag. Afterward, Samir Kelvin clung to a street pole and loudly cried: "I have nothing left! I am Brazilian and humiliated I want to kill myself!" A woman shouted "What shame, what shame!" as a man nearby banged his head against a bar table. With Brazil tossed out of its own World Cup in such rough fashion, "you are going to have the most depressed country ever," fan Pablo Ramoz said. Brazil spent billions of dollars preparing for the tournament, and the high cost ignited intense anger and protests against the World Cup over the past year. Demonstrators complained so much was being spent when the nation is saddled with woeful public
services. Few thought Brazil's humiliating loss would spark renewed mass protests, but it is sure to put a severely sour taste back into the mouths of the nation's fans. Many were already strongly questioning whether it was worth it to hold the event, a bad omen for Rousseff as she looks ahead to the election. "I hope this can make people wake up and start thinking with their heads and not their emotions and that people translate the anger they are feeling at the ballot boxes," said Antonio Hipolito, who works at a bookstore in a wealthy part of Rio but lives in a distant, hardscrabble neighborhood. "Soccer is just an illusion and we need to wake up to reality," he said.
join Atletico Madrid
MUNICH, JUly 9 (AGENCIES): Mario Mandzukic is set to join Atletico Madrid's quest to defend the La Liga title after Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer revealed a deal is in place between the two clubs, per the German side's Twitter account: The Croatian forward is said to be valued in the region of £17.5 million, as reported by Simeon Gholam of the Daily Mail. Atletico have certainly uncovered a capable replacement for Diego Costa if this proves to be the case, as Mandzukic's dominance in the air and ability to lead the line will likely see him succeed in Spain. The 28-yearold has a challenging task ahead of him at the Vicente Calderon. Costa's 27 La Liga goals played a major role in DiegoSimeone side's ascension to the Spanish title and Champions League final, but the club are used to replacing big-name players. Prior to Costa's transfer to Chelsea, Atletico coped excellently with the departures of Radamel Falcao, Sergio Aguero and Fernando Torres, all of whom were replaced by the name to their left. Mandzukic will aim to replicate such a smooth transition when he gets to work at the club who destroyed Real Madrid and Barcelona's dominance. Mandzukic posted a successful, yet frustrating season with Bayern. He netted 21 goals and provided six assists across 40 appearances in theBundesliga and Champions League, perWhoScored.com. Often overlooked by Pep Guardiola—11 of his appearances were from the bench—his physically direct way of playing didn't complement the style of the Spanish manager. Guardiola's teams maintain possession, move quickly and rotate while ushering control over their opponents. Mandzukic's pass completion rate of 72.8 percent was the lowest of any Bayern player who made more than one start and was only more efficient than the 71.9 percent posted by 20-year-old substitute goalkeeper LukasRaeder, who understandably punted many balls up the pitch.
India misses deadline for 2019 Asian Games bid NEW DElHI, JUly 9 (AP): India is out of the running to host the 2019 Asian Games, with the sports minister saying the country could not put together a proposal in time to meet the bidding deadline. The Olympic Council of Asia had relaxed the bid deadline of July 1 by a couple of days but the IOA could not arrange government clearances in time. "We were waiting for a proposal from the Indian Olympic Association," Sarbananda Sonowal told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday. "That could not come in time but we are hoping to host to host a big event in the future." Bidding for the event was reopened after Hanoi — which had initially been awarded the games — pulled out as host. India's bid was initially delayed due to uncertainty about bidding following the strife-torn hosting of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Once Indian Olympic officials found the government was open to the idea of hosting the games, they decided to pursue a bid. However, they are reported to have had a difficulty getting the requisite approvals and clearances from various ministries of the new government, which came to power in May this year. India held the inaugural Asian Games in 1951 and also the 1982 edition, both in New Delhi. It also put up an unsuccessful bid for the 2014 games which will be held in the Korean city of Incheon.
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The Morung Express C M Y K
Happy 6th Birthday to the smartest kid!
Imchalong, you are now another year older and a year cooler! SIX stands for Spectacular Incredible X-man - You are a super hero!! Have lots of fun with your friends! We love you!!! Morung Express Family
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J.K. Rowling Releases 'Harry Potter' Short Story, Detailing Adult Lives of Famous Trio
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The British author wrote a 1,500word long short story about Harry, Ron and Hermione reuniting at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, all aged 34 years-old.
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he author of the teenage wizard book series, J.K. Rowling, has given a sneak peak into the adult lives of Hogwarts's favourite characters after the final isntalment ended. Rowling wrote a short story, 1500 words long, on her Pottermore website that depicts the adult lives of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, many years after their storied adventures. The British novelist wrote the piece as a Daily Prophet article through the eyes of gossip columnist Rita Skeeter, detailing the famous trio reuniting at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, all aged 34. Skeeter describes seeing "a nasty cut over his right cheekbone" of Potter, but when she asked the Ministry of Magic about his injury, their response was: "We do not comment on the top secret work of the Auror department, as we have told you no less than 514 times, Ms. Skeeter." Harry now works as an Auror, a member of a special unit of elite officers trained to apprehend Dark Wizards. Ron's famous ginger locks "appears to be
thinning slightly," while he runs a joke shop, but he still remains married to Hermione, who has achieved a "meteoric rise" to Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. They duo are parents to two children, Hugo and Rose. Skeeter describes the three friends, who are guests in a VIP tent, as "a certain gang of infamous wizards. no longer the fresh-faced teenagers they were in their heyday, but nevertheless recognisable." This short tale is the first time fans have heard from the characters in seven years, since Rowling published 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow' back in 2007. As for the other recognizable characters, Neville Longbottom is an immensely popular Herbology teacher at Hogwarts, married to Hannah. Luna Lovegood is married to Rolf Scamander, "swarthy grandson of celebrated Magizoologist Newt," and they have twin sons. There is no word yet if this will make its way onto the big-screen, but this is very doubtful due to the story being so short.
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Germany routs Brazil to reach WCup final Brazil fans in shock after 7-1 loss
Brazil's Oscar lies on the pitch after Germany defeated Brazil 7-1 to advance to the finals during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Germany at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Tuesday, July 8. (AP Photo)
BELO HORIZONTE, JuLy 9 (AP): With Neymar out injured, just about everyone in Brazil knew it would be tough against Germany. Nobody ever expected this. The Germans tore apart Brazil's porous defense time and time again Tuesday, routing the hosts 7-1 in the World Cup semifinals, the largest margin of defeat at this stage in the history of the tournament. "We wanted to make the people happy ... unfortunately we couldn't," said Brazil defender David Luiz, who had scored in each of the last two matches. "We apologize to all Brazilians." The astounding scoreline is sure to overshadow Miroslav Klose's record-setting 16th career World Cup goal. The strike pushed Klose past Brazil great Ronaldo, who was at the Mineirao Stadium on Tuesday as the Germans advanced to their eighth World Cup final. Germany will face either Argentina or the Netherlands on Sunday at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro with a chance to win for the fourth time. Brazil was playing without Neymar, the team's key player and the poster boy for the World Cup. He scored four goals in the group stage, but Brazil's attack seemed to get weaker and weaker as the tournament progressed. The Barcelona striker was ruled out of the tournament with a broken vertebra after getting kneed in the back in the quarterfinal win over Colombia, weakening
Scolari apologizes for World Cup failure
BELO HORIZONTE, JuLy 9 (AP): Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari apologized to fans for failing to lead the host to the World Cup final, saying the "catastrophic" defeat to Germany on Tuesday marked the "worst day" of his professional life. "I have to apologize for the negative result, for not being able to reach the final as we all wanted," Scolari said, speaking calmly after the humiliating 7-1 loss. Scolari took full responsibility for the drubbing, and said he knows that it's very likely that his career may be defined by what happened at the Mineirao Stadium — even though he also led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title. "Naturally, if I think about my life as a player and as a coach, I think this was the worst day of my life," Scolari said. "I know I'll probably be remembered for losing 7-1 to Germany, for Brazil's worst loss. But it was a risk I knew I was taking. I have to take responsibility for it. Life must go on for everybody." The coach said he has to find a way to learn from the "catastrophic loss" in front of the home crowd. He said there are "no excuses" for what happened, not even the absence of star striker Neymar, who was ruled out of the tournament because of a fractured vertebra sustained late in the match against Colombia in the quarterfinals. the sputtering attack even more. With Neymar sidelined and captain Thiago Silva suspended, the collective hopes of a nation remained high even if expectations were lowered. The atmosphere at the start of the match was spine-tingling, but the euphoria of the yellow-shirted thousands soon turned to tears as the Germans scored five goals in the first 30 minutes — four of them
"They (Germany) probably would have done it with Neymar playing," Scolari said. "I don't think there's any reason for us to suppose that with Neymar it would have been different." He said the "very high quality" of Germany was the reason for Brazil's disappointing elimination at the home tournament. "They took advantage of their chances, they are very good," he said. Scolari was vivid on the sideline as Brazil pressured Germany in the first few minutes. After Brazil conceded the third goal, he kept asking players to be calm, but as the Germans scored for the fifth time, the coach sat down on the bench and only sparingly came back to the sideline. "It was one after the other, I think everyone blanked out," Scolari said. "There was nothing we could do. We panicked." Scolari declined to discuss his future, and the president of the Brazilian football confederation has always said that Scolari would remain as head of the national team no matter what. However, the coach is unlikely to remain with Brazil after Saturday's thirdplace match in Brasilia. He had said in the past that he would like to retire after coaching in the World Cup, but recently said it's still possible he would extend his career outside of Brazil. "I don't think I have any debts to pay," he said about his time with Brazil. "I did my job, as always."
in a seven-minute span. "It was very important to stay calm, cool and courageous in facing Brazilian passion," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. The loss matched Brazil's most-lopsided defeat ever, and it's the first time the team has lost in an official competitive match on home soil since 1975, when Peru won 3-1 at the very same stadium in the Copa America. Its
last loss at home came in a friendly with Paraguay in 2002. Previously, Brazil's biggest World Cup loss was 3-0 to France in the 1998 final. In the 1920 the South American championship, the predecessor of the Copa America, Brazil lost 6-0 to Uruguay. "The responsibility for this catastrophic result is mine," Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said.
"I was in charge." It was Germany's biggest World Cup win since routing Saudi Arabia 8-0 in a group match in 2002. On Tuesday, with Bernard playing as the third striker in the place of Neymar, Brazil attacked from the start. But they failed to get any solid chances, and it wasn't long before the Germans opened up the defense and started the rout. Toni Kroos and Andre Schuerrle scored two goals each, while Thomas Mueller and Sami Khedira added the others. Oscar pulled a late goal back for Brazil. "Brazil was shocked after the goals, they did not expect that. They did not know what to do," Loew said. "Their defense was not organized. A little humbleness would not hurt now." Klose scored his record goal in the 23rd minute to make it 2-0. The German had his original shot saved, but he followed up as Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar spilled the ball, easily scoring from the rebound. Kroos scored his first goal in the 25th minute, knocking in a cross from Philipp Lahm that bypassed Mueller in the middle. He made it 4-0 a minute later, beating Cesar after a defensive mistake from Fernandinho left the ball on the feet of Khedira. Mueller scored the first goal, one-timing a corner from Kroos past Cesar in the 11th minute. Khedira made it 5-0 in the 29th, taking a pass from Mesut Ozil and again beating Cesar.
England halt India's progress in first test
NOTTINgHAM, JuLy 9 (REuTERs): England took two quick wickets after lunch to halt a new-look India's progress on the opening day of the first test at Trent Bridge on Wednesday, the visitors reaching 228 for four wickets at the time of filing this report with Murali Vijay (110*) and Captain Dhoni (32*) in the crease. India started in emphatic fashion on the first day of the five-match series,
with Murali Vijay hitting three boundaries off the first over bowled by James Anderson. It was a sign of things to come from Vijay as he brought up his 100 after being stranded on 99 for almost two overs. This is his fourth Test hundred and it came off 214 balls. The onus is now on Vijay to anchor the rest of the innings. On a flat morning England's pace attack had struggled to impose themselves against an aggres-
sive India batting display, with Anderson taking the solitary wicket of Shikhar Dhawan (12) before lunch when an outside edge was well-taken by wicketkeeper Matt Prior. The hosts came out a different side after lunch and took two wickets for one run in the first three overs of the afternoon session. Anderson removed the impressive Cheteshwar Pujara (38), who had shared a second-wicket stand of 73
with Vijay, when Ian Bell took a brilliant one-handed diving catch at silly mid-on. Stuart Broad then had Virat Kohli (1), widely considered India's biggest threat with the bat in hand, caught at second slip by Bell. Ajinkya Rahane who resumed the evening session with Vijay, was bowled out in the first over after tea as Plunkett struck. Rahane had batted doggedly for his 32 to stitch a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket Rah-
ane tried to pull a short ball but he was too early into the shot as the edge off the bat went to Cook at silly point. India, who have not won a test away from home since 2011, handed a debut to all-rounder Stuart Binny while England recalled Ben Stokes in place of Chris Jordan. The visitors have not played a five-test series on English soil since 1959 and their last visit in 2011 resulted in a 4-0 whitewash by the hosts.
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Nagaland MMA team excels in Mumbai C M Y K
DIMAPuR, JuLy 9 (MExN): The Nagaland Mixed Martial Arts team bagged one gold medal and four bronze medals at the Evolution Grappling Indian Open II (EGIO) Tournament held in Mumbai. A team of ten Mixed Martial Arts competitors from The Combat Academy, Nagaland took part in the Evolution Grappling Indian Open II (EGIO) Tournament that was held in Mumbai on June 5 and 6. The Nagaland Team won a Gold Medal in the Under-18 category and 4 bronze medals in the above 18 category in their respective weight classes for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Wrestling. A press note informed that the team has been training intensively under Team Relentless and American professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter Superman J.J. Ambrose. Following the successful tour, The Combat Academy Nagaland has expressed its appreciation to their well wishers and sponsors, including the Northeast India Academy of Performing Arts (NIAPA), KKG Blocks & Pavers, Design Stash and Print Shop.
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A member of the Nagaland MMA team in action at the Grappling Indian Open II (EGIO) tournament in Mumbai. Published, Printed and Edited by Aküm Longchari on behalf of Morung for Indigenous Affairs and JustPeace from House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur at Themba Printers and Telecommunications, Padum Pukhuri Village, Dimapur, Nagaland. RNI No : NAGENG /2005/15430. House No.4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur 797112, Nagaland. Phone: Dimapur -(03862) 248854, Fax: (03862) 235194, Kohima - (0370) 2291952
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