July 11th, 2015

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The Morung Express

Dimapur VOL. X ISSUE 188

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Saturday, July 11, 2015 12 Pages Rs. 4

The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service —Mother Teresa

BLAME GAME: Iran Nuclear talks turn sour [ PAGE 9]

NPSC requests departments to submit requisition

Clinical Djokovic crushes Gasquet to reach final

[ PAGE 2]

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

[ PAGE 12]

Pope apologizes for church ‘crimes’ against indigenous

We accept the apologies … It’s time to turn the page and pitch in to start anew.

We indigenous were never lesser beings – An indigenous leader C M Y K

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If I buy 2 kilos, will you at SANTA CRUZ, JUly 10 least give me 1 kilo?

Miscreants fire shots at Parl Secretary’s residence KohIMA, JUly 10 (MExN): Unidentified gunmen fired two shots at Upper Forest colony, Kohima, reportedly targeting the Parliamentary Secretary for Geology and Mining, Dr Imtiwapang Aier’s wife’s residential quarters.

The incident occurred at around 11:15pm. According to the Kohima police, two empty shells of .32 calibre were recovered from the site. One of the shots hit the “extreme corner” of the gateway leading to the residence. The police said that the Parliamentary Secretary was in the residence at the time, while adding that motive was yet to be ascertained. It could not be ascertained whether the legislator has filed a complaint but the police informed that investigation was underway. Meanwhile, the Kohima Asetkong Senso Telongjem (KAST) the Sungratsu Senso Telongjem Kohima (SSTK) and the Ao Kaketshir Mungdang (AKM) have condemned the incident and called upon law enforcing agencies to identify and arrest the culprits responsible.

Assault on Naga farmer points to ‘larger issues’

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DIMAPUR, JUly 10 (MExN): The Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) while condemning the assault on its members Sanyi Dukru on July 1 at Murgi Patti Dimapur, today pointed out the incident has raised “larger issues.” A press note from the CPO President and General Secretary termed it an “open secret that there is an organized force at work from behind and so the loud voice of protest and condemnation is not simply due to the non-local factor.” It further expressed concern at “those covered forces which patronize such anti-social elements.” Dimapur being a cosmopolitan city and the commercial hub of the Naga people, the CPO said that Naga farmers, whose economic activities are now tied up with market forces in Dimapur, will continue to bring their products from different parts of “our homeland.”

However, it questioned: “if the organized forces, so called middlemen, who do nothing and yet become the main beneficiary of market activities, how are we going to improve the economy of the local farmers and traders in particular and Naga society in general?” Simply bringing to book the culprits responsible for the July 1 incident would not solve the problem unless the system of the trading syndicate is checked, the CPO maintained. It expressed hope that the Nagaland state government as well as the local bodies concerned would look into and address this aspect “before this particular case is closed.”

(AP): Pope Francis apologized Thursday for the sins, offenses and crimes committed by the Catholic Church against indigenous peoples during the colonial-era conquest of the Americas, delivering a powerful mea culpa on the part of the church in the climactic highlight of his South American pilgrimage.

History’s first Latin American pope “humbly” begged forgiveness during an encounter in Bolivia with indigenous groups and other activists and in the presence of Bolivia’s first-ever indigenous president, Evo Morales.

Francis noted that Latin American church leaders in the past had acknowledged that “grave sins were committed against the native peoples of America in the name of God.” St. John Paul II, for his part, apologized to the continent’s indigenous for the “pain and suffering” caused during the 500 years of the church’s presence in the Americas during a 1992 visit to the

Pope Francis talks to Indian leaders and social workers at the second World Meeting of Popular Movements in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Thursday, July 9. During his speech at the meeting, history’s first Latin American pope apologized for the sins and “offenses” committed by the Catholic Church against indigenous peoples during the colonial-era conquest of the Americas. (AP Photo)

Dominican Republic.

But Francis went farther, and said he was doing so with “regret.” “I would also say, and here I wish to be quite clear, as was St. John Paul II: I humbly ask forgiveness, not only for the offenses of the church herself, but also for crimes committed against the native peoples during the socalled conquest of America,” he said to applause from the crowd.

Then deviating from his prepared script, he added: “I also want for us to remember the thousands and thou-

sands of priests who strongly opposed the logic of the sword with the power of the cross. There was sin, and it was plentiful. But we never apologized, so I now ask for forgiveness. But where there was sin, and there was plenty of sin, there was also an abundant grace increased by the men who defended indigenous peoples.”

Francis’ apology was met with wild applause from the indigenous and other grass-roots groups gathered for a world summit of popular movements whose fight against injustice and social

inequality has been championed by the pope.

“We accept the apologies. What more can we expect from a man like Pope Francis?” said Adolfo Chavez, a leader of a lowlands indigenous group.

“It’s time to turn the page and pitch in to start anew.

We indigenous were never lesser beings.”

The apology was significant given the controversy that has erupted in the United States over Francis’ planned canonization of the 18th century Spanish priest Junipero Serra,

who set up missions across California. Native Americans contend Serra brutally converted indigenous people to Christianity, wiping out villages in the process, and have opposed his canonization. The Vatican insists Serra defended natives from colonial abuses.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said that Francis wrote the speech on his own and that the apology for the sins, offenses and crimes of the church was a “particularly important declaration.”

Campesino leader Amandina Quispe, of Anta, Peru, who attended the grass-roots summit, said the church still holds lands it should give back to Andean natives. The former seat of the Inca empire, conquered by Spaniards in the 16th century, is an example. “The church stole our land and tore down our temples in Cuzco and then it built its own churches — and now it charges admission to visit them,” she said.

Francis’ apology was not the first. After his 1992 apology, John Paul II issued a sweeping but vague apology for the Catholic Church’s sins of the past during the church’s 2000 Jubilee. A year later, he apologized specifically for missionary abuses against aborigines in Oceania. He did so in the first ever papal email.

Rijiju bypassed over declaring Nagaland as disturbed area?

Kiren Rijiju says he was not aware about any decision for extending disturbed area in Nagaland

NEw DElhI, JUly 10 (PTI): Minister of State Kiren Rijiju, who looks after the Northeast division in the Home Ministry, seems to have been bypassed in recent decision to declare entire Nagaland as ‘disturbed area’ under the AFSPA with clear indications emerging of his unhappiness.

Sources said the Home Ministry file related to the extension of ‘disturbed area’ in Nagaland for one more year never reached Rijiju’s desk even though he is technically head of the Northeast division.

The file was never put before Rijiju, notwithstanding the fact he has been playing a key role in issues related to the Northeast and has been continuously travelling to that part of the country, they said.

When contacted, Rijiju said he was not aware of any decision on extending ‘disturbed area’ in Nagaland. “I am not aware about any decision of extending disturbed area in

Nagaland,” he told PTI in a huff, indicating his displeasure.

There have been reports of discontentment in Nagaland over the decision and civil society groups have reportedly expressed their anguish.

On June 30, the Centre declared entire Nagaland as a “disturbed area” stating that a “dangerous condition” prevails in the state and armed forces should assist the civil administration in maintaining law and order.

In a gazette notification, the Home Ministry said that it was of the opinion that the whole state of Nagaland is in such a disturbed or dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary.

“Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958, the central government hereby declares that whole of the said state to be a disturbed area for a period of one year with effect from June 30, 2015 for the purpose of the Act,” the notification said.

But the sources stressed that Rijiju continues to have good working working relations with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and enjoys his “complete trust”.

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AICC rejects Nagaland Congress coming soon at theater near you: MLAs reply to show cause notice A wholesome family entertainer

DIMAPUR, JUly 10 (MExN): The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has rejected the reply furnished to its show cause notice by the eight Congress MLAs in Nagaland.

A press statement from V Narayanasamy, AICC In charge of NE termed the reply to the notice as “hollow” and said “there is no word that is consistent with AICC directives which is their final authority and original political party.” “Even the directive of the Congress President has been purportedly misinterpreted and misled the party

CNC declares July 12 to 18 as ‘National Prayer Week’ DIMAPUR, JUly 10 (MExN): The Council of Nagalim Churches (CNC) has announced July 12 to 18 as a ‘National Prayer Week for the Nation and the Collective Leadership.’ A press note from the CNC informed all national workers and “every nation loving family” to “take time and pray wherever they are.” It further requested every army unit and regional church to keep the Church door open for 24 hours. The CNC further informed that it will conduct the Sunday Worship Service of July 12 with a special prayer programme at CHQ Church, Hebron. It also declared July 18, Saturday as a ‘National Fasting and Prayer Day,’ and urged all unit churches to conduct programmes “with all earnestness.”

rank and file by SI Jamir and Tokheho, who met the Congress President with me,” stated Narayanasamy.

He informed that after the BJP MLAs were inducted on April 27, 2015, he called on former NPCC President, SI Jamir to convey that the Congress President Sonia Gandhi had “specifically directed Congress MLAs not to join the government.” The AICC, he said, has also directed the new NPCC President, K Therie to “make known the stand of the Congress to the people and restraint Congress MLAs from

joining a BJP conglomerated government.”

Lamenting that the eight Congress MLAs in Nagaland state have “wilfully violated the directives of the AICC,” Narayanasamy stated “sufficient evidences have been displayed that they have given up their party allegiance and membership.”

Informing that the concerned MLAs are liable to “disciplinary proceedings,” he notified that the suspension order for the MLAs will continue to stand during which they are “prohibited from all party functioning.”

NSCN (K) reaffirms resolve to continue its ‘struggle’ DIMAPUR, JUly 10 (MExN): The NSCN (K) today asserted that any attempt to “forcefully contain our struggle unlawfully shall only cause to inflame our determination further.”

A press note from Lt General Niki Sumi of the NSCN (K) said that “away from the notice of the modern free world,” the Government of India has for the last six and half plus decades “terrorised the Nagas with all her military might, as a result thousands of innocent Naga lives have perished and billions worth of properties and assets have been destroyed.”

The Nagas however, it stated, have managed to survive the onslaughts “by leaps and bounds” and continue to “sustain their daily lives simultaneously without giving up her struggle for sovereign birth right.”

Any property or asset that any Naga nationalist posesses or may have acquired, the

NSCN (K) claimed, is “derived solely from the God endowed indigenous resources of her country and not a single inch of land has forcefully been encroached from a single Indian citizen.”

Similarly, it added that the Nagas have “never purloined any riches from India, on the contrary, thousands of Indian citizens has amassed billions from Naga soil and at the expenses of the Naga people since India’s forceful occupation of Naga country till today.”

“India may through enforcement of inhuman and illegal enactment outlaw Naga nationalist and also seize and dispose off their properties as illegally acquired but the inherent patriotic zeal fostered by the blood and lives of thousands of Naga pioneering patriots can never be demoralised or suppressed under any circumstances,” the NSCN () affirmed.

Moa Jamir

Dimapur | June 10

What do you usually do for fun on a weekend or holidays? I ask a group of young working professionals.

For the lack of any other viable alternative, most answer that they usually spend time playing card for ‘time-pass,’ a euphemism for gambling, some frequent ‘lounges’ or play pool and other games.

It’s usually a movie marathon for many others.

For families, apart from gettogethers, it is usually a visit to food joints that have increased exponentially in recent years, especially in Dimapur and Kohima.

Everyone rues the apparent lack of clean and wholesome entertainment in their midst.

However, they do not have to wait for long, at least in Dimapur.

For the erstwhile, Hillstar Cinema Hall, located near Deluxe Point Dimapur, which closed down for business 4-5 years back, will be back in its brand new avatar.

The theatre, which began its renovation last December, will open for business shortly, offering audiences a movie viewing experience similar to the ones in metros across the country. “We were targeting a July opening and relentlessly working towards the same,” informed the owner.

Aboli Dina Yepthomi, who along with her husband Hukheto L Yepthomi is overseeing renovation works, told The Morung Express that, being movie buffs themselves, when opportunity came knocking and observing the general lack of a clean general entertainment outlet in the state, immersed themselves wholeheartedly into the project.

“Whenever I go out of the state, I make a point to catch 2-3 movies. Watching a movie in the

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The Hillstar Cinema Hall near Delux Point, Dimapur is undergoing a complete makeover and promises to provide quality entertainment for people in the state.

big screen with grand ambience is an entirely different experience and I want people to enjoy the grandeur of movies in true cinematic scale,” she added.

Aboli recounts falling in love with the medium as a child, when she watched her first movie at a theatre. She and her husband are now living the dream to begin an enterprise incorporating their passion and providing a source of entertainment for people in the state.

The theatre started in 1988 but it was literally in ruins and closed for business after the onslaught of cable television and the coming of pirated CDs and DVDs. In its new avatar, while retaining its classic ambience, the hall has been made into 350-400 seater – divided into three sections – platinum, gold and silver- with all the modern amenities. ‘It has been divided so as to cater to all section segment of the populace,” said Aboli.

For starters, the fully-air conditioned theatre, among other things, will feature reclining chairs, backup generator as well as well-trained staff and security.

Technically, it will be an ultimate viewing experience, she claimed, featuring the best technology existing in the industry. Be-

sides, high definition digital surround sound system, the theatre will have facilities for 3D viewing.

Instead of the previous analog projector, the theatre will also use a digital projector, enhancing picture quality as well as enabling movie screenings at the same time as the rest of the world. “We have already tied-up with leading content provider for this,” she informed.

Gastronomical needs will be catered through food outlets – both in upper and lower stallsselling popcorns, coffee, sodas and other amenities found in a regular theatre. Besides, understanding that a clean surrounding and toilet is a big issue for many, the theatre will have hygienic washrooms and surroundings, she maintained adding that strict maintenance will be observed to ensure the same.

While, they are getting lots of encouragement as well as curiosity, right now they are keeping their finger crossed and hoping that the theatre will receive positive feedback and the audience will appreciate their efforts.

So get ready for to enter the celluloid world and immerse in its magic.

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Dimapur

Saturday

LocaL

11 July 2015

are to be replied by the Government. Therefore, the Administrative Heads of Department are responsible in preparing the papers and briefing the Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries with copies endorsed to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary. He also noted that Rules of the Department are administrative functions of the Administrative Head of Department and should be notified after Cabinet Approvals. Such notifications on Rules should be tabled in the Assembly in its next sessions. Pankaj further advocated e-governance.

The committee set up to examine the issues of newspaper/ magazine/ entertainment allowances/ POL submitted its

report to discontinue subscription of newspaper and magazine for offices. However, as suggested by Commissioner & Secretary, FP Solo, the Finance Department will examine the case in respect of national newspapers and magazines. The entertainment allowances will be discontinued whereas POL allowances for officers will remain, it was said.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner & Secretary of IT&C, KD Vizo made a brief observation on the IT status in the State. Vizo viewed that some of the departmental websites are outdated and that the IT Department is in

a position to extend help in updating and creating websites at a much cheaper cost compared to private companies. He also stated the benefits of the websites in facilitating e-tendering and e-procuring. He opined

of work-charged and bogus appointees, conduct of biometric and studying of guidelines on Cabinet memo preparations, conduct of trainings on Service and Disciplines Rules.

The meeting also saw presentations on salient activities by the departments of Motor Vehicle, Transport and PHE. The chief secretary advised the Transport Department to conduct an overview of the performance opinion poll of the public on the Transport Department vis-a-vis the private transport operators.

The Secretary, Law expressed that often land dis-

Meeting of AHoDs and HoDs held in Kohima that the websites will greatly reduce RTI queries.

During the meeting, the chief secretary reminded the officers to act on the following issues of administration: Right sizing of departmental manpower, verification and regularization

State portal provides single window access to info & services

Kohima, July 10 (DiPR): All departments have been informed that the Nagaland State government portal www.nagaland.gov. in is providing a single window access to information and services in the State.

The IT&C department observed that many departmental websites are very outdated; the main reason being non-

Dhobinalla-Senjum auto fare fixed at Rs. 30 per passenger C Y K

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NPSC requests departments to submit requisition

Kohima, July 10 (DiPR): The Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) today said that advertisements to various posts have already been done for some departments and it is in the process of compiling vacancies. Informing this during the meeting of the Administrative Heads of Department (AHoDs) and Heads of Departments (HoDs) here today, it requested all departments to submit their requisitions at the earliest.

In the meeting, Nagaland Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar enquired about the government public interface programme through the sign board at the Secretariat complex. He also clarified to the officers that Assembly Starred questions

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The Morung Express

DimaPuR, July 10 (mExN): Dimapur District Auto Drivers’ Union (DDADU) has informed that autorickshaw fare from Dhobinalla to Senjum village has been fixed at Rs 30 per passenger with effect from July 11. The decision was made after consulting the Senjum Village GBs and other organizations, informed a press release from K Hokaito Zhimomi, president, DDADU. The DDADU also informed that an auto parking has been opened and functional at Senjum village for the benefit of the citizens.

The Union has directed all Autorickshaws plying in this route to charge only the fixed rate per passenger. Passengers being charged more than the fixed rate can report the matter to the Union office, it stated. Meanwhile, observing that many autorickshaws are plying with black hood in Dimapur town, DDADU said it is against the rules. It directed all concerned to immediately change their hoods to yellow colour, otherwise a fine of Rs 250 will be imposed on defaulters.

¬availability of dedicated personnel to update the websites. Many departments are also yet to launch their own website, as such, all Administrative Heads of Department and Heads of Department have been reminded to launch their own departmental website and also ensure that Web Manager is nominated along with mobile number

and email ID at the earliest.

The Department of IT&C has its own team for development of websites and any technical assistance relating to development of new website and other details. The following officers may be contacted in this regard: Asono Mor, Sr. Programme Officer, phone number - 9862668288; Akumla Aier, Project En-

gineer, phone number – 9612168836. Both can also be reached through ditngl@nic.in and stateportalngl@negp.gov.in.

Meanwhile, all the government notifications, circulars, news may be henceforth sent to IT&C department for uploading on the official State Portal of the State government.

A release from the IT&C

department further informed that Public Grievance Redressal System is now in place on the State portal and requested all departments to avail the facility. In case any department has difficulty in using the Public Grievance Redressal System, they may send their IT Nodal Officer/Web Manager to the IT&C department on any working day.

putes come in the way of developmental activities such as the problem faced by PHE over Kohima Town water supply.

He suggested that the government exercise and invoke the Nagaland Land Acquisition Act to cross such hurdles of land issues. He also cautioned the department officials of facing High Court orders by failing to provide opportunity of representation by the staff before issuing of showcase notice and taking disciplinary actions.

The Additional Chief Secretary & Development Commissioner, RB Thong reminded the departments to submit their respective plan outlays positively to the Planning Department on July 11, 2015.

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Further, the Finance Commissioner, Temjen Toy informed that there has been a change under the new Niti Ayog in the financing pattern to the State.

Stating that all Plan Budget are not purely Capital Budgets, he requested the departments to submit their sectoral outlays to the Finance Department to enable preparations for the Budget Session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. He also pointed out that some departments are yet to rectify the employees’ database prepared and circulated by the Finance department for resubmission to Finance Department and P&AR. He also asked all departments to strictly scrutinize and enforce income tax and VAT and all financial transactions.

Fazl Ali College welcomes Freshers

Kohima DPDB Action Committees reach out to villages, wards

Kohima, July 10 (DiPR): The Kohima District Planning & Development Board (DPDB) has constituted Adoption Committees involving all the district departmental head. Each committee consists of nine officers with the concerned elected member as the Advisor of a team and is to adopt a village/ward in each area constituency.

The following villages/ wards were selected for adoption by the Board and are being headed by an engineer in each team during the year 2014-15: Thekrezouma, Naga Bazar, Bayavu, Tsiemekhu Bawe, Pfuchama, Khuzama.

The Board provides a meager amount to each committee to defray their necessary expenditure while on

their visit to the villages. The main objectives of adopting these villages/wards are to identify the needs in economy, education, sanitation, health and social of each village/ ward and to assist them in whatever way they can within the team. It also aims to chip in resources from available sources and recommend the fit cases to the concerned authority.

The Adoption Committees have already made series of visits to their assigned villages /wards and there is sincere competition amongst the teams.

The best two teams are to be awarded with cash and certificates by the Board after being assessed by a High Power Committee at the end of the year.

The following benefits are expected to be derived through the imple-

NYKS Nagaland to observe ‘World Skill Day’

Kohima, July 10 (mExN): Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Nagaland will be observing World Skill Day in collaboration with National Skill Development Corporation, NSS, Don Bosco Tech Society, Dimapur etc on July 15 at APO Hall, Kohima.

According to a press release from Zonal Director Jackie Ruivah, NYKS Nagaland Zone, the programme will highlight skills development to draw attention to the critical need for marketable skills. It will focus on six areas all aimed at raising the profile and recognition of skilled people, and showing how important skills are in achieving economic growth and personal success.

Youth looking to build their skills have been requested to come and register themselves in the trade of their

respective choices. NYKS, NSDC and Don Bosco Tech will fit them into their training programmes for job markets, the release said.

Youths were requested to come to Angami Public Organisation (APO) Hall, Kohima (Opposite Oking Hospital) on July 15 by 12:30 pm to register and listen to the speeches on entrepreneurship by imminent resource persons. Parliamentary Secretary Mmhonlumo Kikon will address the youth at 3:00 pm and the prime minister of India will address the youth through video conference from 4:00 pm onwards.

The release further informed all the Youth Clubs affiliated with NYKS under Nagaland Zone to send youths representing their clubs.

mentation of the programme: • To let members get to know other members better while having brain storming sessions which create better co-operation while serving in the district.

• To let members come to know the condition of the village which will help/ serve the village/ ward better.

• To give opportunity to the individual member to analyze different aspects and how to find out resources to help the needy people.

• To let each team leave legacy to the village/ward after the event making a memorable moment later.

• To create impact on the existence of the District Planning & Development Board to the people of the district which will go a long way.

Ninth NLA session from July 21 Kohima, July 10 (mExN): The Business Advisory Committee of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) has finalized the provisional programme for the ensuing ninth session of the Twelfth Assembly. The session will be held for four days between July 21 and 27. This was decided during the committee’s meeting held on July 9 in the Assembly Committee Room under the chairmanship of Chotisuh Sazo, Speaker, NLA. A press release from Commissioner & Secretary N. Benjamin Newmai informed that during the session, the following business would be taken up: Governor’s Address, Obituary Reference, Election of Deputy Speaker, Laying of Reports/Papers/Rules, Discussion on Naga Political Issue, Presentation of Budget Documents for the year 2015 – 2016, and Composition of Assembly Committees 2015 – 2016.

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(From L-R) FAC Principal Chubayangla, Miss Fresher Yangerjungla, Mr Fresher Chingai P and Vice-Principal Arenla pose for a photo after the Freshers’ Day programme at the college auditorium on July 10.

Morung Express News Mokokchung | July 10

Fazl Ali College, the oldest college in the state, welcomed a host of new students into the college at a grand programme which was attended by Mokokchung Deputy Commissioner, Sushil Kumar Patel (IAS) as the chief guest here today at the college auditorium.

The chief guest challenged the students “to have higher goals, to challenge their limits, broaden their opinions, to learn from others and never to forget that honesty is the best policy.”

Comparing young minds to a ploughed field, the Mokokchung DC said that it is the role of the teaching community to guide the students in the right path where they will succeed according to their liking and ambition. “I encourage you all to think about the next ten years of your life as in, where you want to be? And who you will be? A person, who fails to plan, plans to

fail and this I have personally seen in many contexts,” said the IAS officer.

Stating that great minds are not born but made in the course of time, the DC said that the young students still have time to undo the things which did not serve them in any cause. He encouraged the students to develop good habits, radiate positive energy wherever they go and have a good band of friends.

“One’s personality is developed through several highs and lows. Don’t be afraid of failures, as they will make you a better person which you will appreciate at the end of your days.

Life’s learnings are permanent and is better than what the books tell you,” said the DC. Earlier, the principal of the college, Chubayangla, in her welcome speech, expressed deep happiness to welcome the freshers into the big Fazl Ali College family which comprises of 853 members. Stressing on the

college motto - Academia Nulli Secundus – Chubayangla exhorted the students to maintain a balanced life, manage their time properly and give priority to their studies so they can be ‘second to none’ in their academic as well as professional life in the future.

The general secretary of FACSU, Mendanger also delivered a welcome address while a Fresher, Nokentemla spoke on behalf of the fresh students.

A special song was presented by Imlipenla while Dr Lanurenla, Asst Professor (English) invoked God’s blessing at the programme. The Evangelical Union of FAC presented the college song.

In the second session, there were different entertainment activities presented by the students. The main attraction was the selection of the Mr & Miss Fresher. Chingai P (BSc 1st Semester) and Yangerjungla (BA 1st Semester) were selected as the Mr and Miss Fresher respectively.

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1443 out of 3365 pass HSLC (compartmental) exam

Kohima, July 10 (DiPR): Result of the High School Leaving Certificate (Compartmental) Examination 2015 which was held from June 1 to 6 in 28 centres was declared on July 10.

3365 candidates appeared the Compartmental Examination, out of which, 1443 candidates (738 girls and 705 boys) passed with a qualified percentage of 42.88. The passed students are eligible to go for higher studies in this academic year itself. All concerned Centre Superintendents of the Compartmental Examination have been informed to collect the Marksheet/ Marksheet cum Certificate within July 15 positively.

- Plan your family and give your children a bright future.

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Avail FREE Family Planning Services from Govt Hospitals across the State during the Population Stabilisation Fortnight from 11th to 24th of July 2015 in the form of-

- Permanent Family planning methods (vasectomy for men and Tubectomy for Women) - Temporary Family planning methods ( Copper-T, Condom, Oral Contraceptive) - Get compensation of ` 600/- for Tubectomy and `1100/- for Vasectomy - Counselling and information materials on various Family Planning Methods.

World Population Day to be observed today

Kohima, July 10 (mExN): Along with the rest of the country, Nagaland is observing World Population Day on July 11 under the theme “The Key to a Happy Family, three years spacing between two children.” Apart from that, Population Stabilisation Fortnight will also be observed all over the State from July 11 till 24, during which host of Family Planning methods will be given for free in all the government hospitals. A press release from Dr. Sukhato Sema, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Nagaland informed that the Family Planning methods will be in the form of Temporary- condom, IUCD (copper-T) and oral contraceptive pills and Permanent methods- Vasectomy for men and Tubectomy for women. Compensation of `600/- for Tubectomy and `1100/- for Vasectomy will be given to the beneficiaries, it added. Counselling and information materials on various family planning methods will also be available in all the government health units during the fortnight.

NIT informs JEE cleared students

Kohima, July 10 (mExN): All the students who have cleared JEE (Main)/JEE (Advanced) and registered online through JOSAA for NIT/IIIT/GFTI or IIT/ISM have been informed that the first round of reporting and seat acceptance is underway (July 8 to 12) at NIT Nagaland Reporting Centre, Chumukedima. The Reporting Centre will be open on Saturday and Sunday too if it falls under any of the dates given by JOSAA for reporting by students, according to a press release received here. For more details visit the website josaa.nic.in

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REgional

The Morung Express

Mapithel Dam: Tangkhul bodies lament representatives’ apathy UkhrUl, JUly 10 (MExN): The Tangkhul Shanao Long (Tangkhul Women’s League) and Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (Tangkhul Students’ Union) visited some of the villages affected by Mapithel Dam, a component of the Thoubal Multipurpose Project, on July 5 with an objective to check on the current situation brought about by the sudden blocking of the dam which has unprecedentedly begun submerging vast areas.

A joint press statement from TSL and TKS stated that the plight of the tribal community affected by the commissioning of the dam in Manipur is “deplorable to say the least.”

According to the statement, the project when fully commissioned will destroy 1215 hectares of land and will adversely affect the lives of 8000 tribals across 22 villages. “Adversely affecting the lives of the tribal community and causing

Members of Tangkhul Shanao Long and Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong protest against commissioning of Mapithel Dam at Ukhrul Mini Secretariat on July 10.

negative imbalances in the ecology of the entire area (Mapithel range) is of serious concern,” the note appended by TSL president SC Ringluiwon and TKS president Joel Angkang said. “Irrigating and providing drinking water to the valley is of prior impor-

tance to the Government of Manipur rather than protecting the rights and land of the tribal people.”

It mentioned that an order to survey the damage to be caused by the dam was issued in 2012, but no survey has been carried out to this very day while the dam

has begun submerging the areas which were to be surveyed for damage assessment by the same aforementioned order.

The organizations further stated it is “extremely saddening and disheartening” to know that the elected representatives

Manipur: Curfew to be relaxed for 5 hrs today Our Correspondent Imphal | July 10

Curfew will be relaxed for five hours in violence-hit Imphal East and Imphal West tomorrow, Saturday even as ILP agitation continued unabated today in many parts of Manipur.

Two protesters were seriously hurt when police resorted to batoncharge to control demonstrators in Imphal East’s Khurai area on Friday.

Clashes between protesters and police were reported from many parts of the state as the ILP agitation intensified. Stone-pelting protesters clashed with police and roads were blocked by throwing burning tyres, boulders and wooden logs even as the indefinite curfew imposed in Imphal East and Imphal West continued for the third consecutive day.

The curfew was clamped in the

Arunachal moves SC against Assam NEw DElhi, JUly 10 (PTi): Arunachal Pradesh, fighting a 26-year-old law suit filed by Assam, today moved the Supreme Court alleging that certain constructions were being raised by its neighbouring state within the disputed areas.

A 3-judge bench headed

by Justice T S Thakur sought a response from Assam government within 2 weeks on the interim application of Arunachal Pradesh.

During the brief hearing, the counsel for Assam assured the bench that in the meantime, it would not continue with the construction work in those areas.

Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have been embroiled in a boundary dispute along a 792 square kilometer area they share.

Assam had filed the law suit on the boundary dispute way back in 1989 and recently, the apex court has framed the issues to be decided in the case. "Whether the plaint does not disclose a cause of action? Whether the present suit for determination and/or demarcation of the boundaries between the two disputing States, is barred by Article 3 of the Constitution of India?..," the bench, which also comprised justices R K Agrawal and R Banumathi, had said.

"Whether the boundary, delineated in the Survey of India map published in 1984 and as delineated in greater detail in 29 topographical maps prepared

by Survey of India set out in Schedule I to the plaint represents the true Constitutional boundary between the State of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh...

"In case Issue No.1 is found in the negative, what is the true Constitutional boundary between the two States of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh?," the court said.

two districts by the Government since 4 pm of July 8 following the killing of Class XI student of Ananda Singh Higher Secondary School, Imphal in police crackdown during ILP agitation which turned violent.

The curfew in Imphal East and Imphal West will be relaxed from 5 am to 10 am tomorrow, said Imphal West Deputy Commissioner Ningthoujam Geoffrey in an official release.

Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit (JCILPS) has been spearheading the agitation. The committee is demanding the Manipur Government to withdraw the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants & Migrant Workers Bill 2015 (MRVT & MW Bill 2015) passed by the state assembly.

It has demanded that the Manipur Government implement a strong Inner Line Permit system to regulate the flood of non-locals into the state.

Sources said JCILPS Women Wing convenor L Nganbi has been detained by Bishnupur Police. Six leaders of JCILPS have already been detained by police in the wake of the intensified ILP agitation despite intense crackdown against protesters.

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh convened an emergency meeting at his official residence to review the current law and order situation. All legislators, top police and civil officials were present during the meeting, according to official sources.

On the last day of the monsoon session, the Chief Minister told the House that the MRVT & MW Bill 2015 was yet to get the consent of the Governor who had reserved it for consideration of the President. He stated that certain amendments could be made to the bill already passed by the state assembly after the Governor’s consent.

have not made an effort to empathize with the wishes of the common people.

Meanwhile, they lamented that no mention was made of the issue in the just concluded Assembly session on the plight of the people who elected them; instead “some were more bothered as to why newly elected Autonomous District Councillors have not been sworn in.”

“If swearing in 24 elected Councillors and problem of insufficient fundings to respective constituencies and departments are more important than the destruction of 8000 lives that are being endangered by the commissioning of the Project, they are not worthy to be called our mandated representatives,” the statement asserted.

Though a case related to the project is ongoing with the National Green Tribunal court, the TSL and TKS asked the higher authorities for immediate intervention on the negativities of the project’s implementation “which the state government has decided to ignore.”

The apex women and students' organizations of the Tangkhuls had also shut down Ukhrul Mini Secretariat on July 10, and staged a sit-in protest in front of the entrance. A memorandum requesting immediate intervention from the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs was submitted through the Deputy Commissioner with a copy to the Governor of Manipur and the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur. The Deputy Commissioner assured of immediate necessary steps to address the grievances put forward by the apex bodies and that the concerned Ministry and authorities will take necessary action at the earliest, it was added.

Saturday

11 July 2015

Dimapur

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Rajnath Singh to chair meeting of North East chief ministers today NEw DElhi, JUly 10 (PTi): Home Minister Rajnath Singh will chair a meeting of Chief Ministers of the Northeastern states on Saturday in Guwahati to discuss various issues, including strategy to deal with insurgents based in Myanmar.

Security related issues like counter insurgency operations, suspension of operations pacts, effective functioning of anti-extortion cells and strengthening and equipping of state police forces of the region will be discussed in the day-long meeting.

The participants will also discuss effective guarding of international borders adjoining Northeastern states. In addition, important development projects and flood and landslide situation in the region will also be reviewed, an official statement said.

This comes a month after Indian Army conducted a surgical strike on the camps of NSCN-K and oth-

er militant groups inside the territory of the neighbouring country after insurgents killed 18 Army soldiers in an ambush in Manipur.

Chief Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim will take part in the meeting.

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern

Region Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Union Home Secretary L C Goyal will also participate in the meeting.

Ongoing infrastructure projects of roads, bridges and railways will also come up for review in the meeting which is expected to stress on time-bound completion of all development works.

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Saturday

11 July 2015

The Morung Express

With funds & people power, charities globally face govt crackdown

NEW DELHI, JuLy 10 (THomsoN REuTERs FouNDaTIoN): Vinuta Gopal, acting head of Greenpeace India, has had more than a few sleepless nights over the past year worrying about the future of her organisation. The Indian government labelled the group “anti-national” for its campaigns against coal mining, genetically modified crops and nuclear power, and blocked its bank accounts, deported foreign workers and stopped Indian staff from overseas travel.

The situation reached crisis point in May when a funding crunch pushed the charity to the brink of closure and Gopal and her 250 or so colleagues made the decision to work for free. But Greenpeace India is not alone in facing a crackdown by governments which see the growing affluence and influence of charities backed by social media as a threat, say experts.

Thousands of foreign-funded non-government organisations from Latin America and Africa to the Middle East and Asia have come up against authorities imposing or drafting laws which put a squeeze on their foreign donations, jeopardising their work. “It’s been a tough year ... where one has felt that this could well mean the end of Greenpeace in the India,” Gopal told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“The signal that they are sending by making a case out of Greenpeace to larger civil society is that if you challenge our policies then we will come after you.”

Over 60 countries in the last three years have sought to curb the ability of non-profit groups to receive or use overseas funds, using justifications which range from labelling them as “foreign agents” to allegations of financial misconduct, says the International Center for Not-forProfit Law (ICNL).

These include Russia, China, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Uganda, Israel, Ethiopia, Angola, Honduras, Venezuela and Egypt amongst others.

gender rights.

This has prompted governments to impose various restrictions including tougher financial reporting rules, stemming funding through counterterrorism laws, forcing funds to be routed through governments, placing caps on funds and using laws such as treason to pursue criminal charges.

“Citizens are seeking to work together to improve their everyday lives, but many governments find this threatening. They don’t want to be questioned or to be held to account by their citizens,” said Douglas Rutzen, president of U.S.-based ICNL. “Some governments target NGOs that seek to engage in advocacy or groups they don’t like.

But in many countries, restrictions apply across the board, including groups that help battered women, run orphanages, or provide public health services.” In Cambodia last week, security forces prevented hundreds of activists, unionists and charity workers from protesting against a proposed law which requires them to report their activities. NGOs say it is a move to silence criticism.

While last month, dozens of Pakistani police turned up at the Save the Children office in Islamabad, padlocked the gates and ordered the charity’s foreign staff to leave the country.

Although the decision was reversed after criticism from

SHIFT IN FOCUS The move comes following a surge in funding - and a shift in focus for many non-profit groups that has made governments edgy.

Civil society groups received $17.7 billion from developed nations in 2013, up from $2.7 billion in 2004, according to humanitarian data researcher Development Initiatives.

Alongside this, they have shifted from traditional work in basic service provision to advocacy and campaigning, mobilising public support through Facebook and Twitter on issues ranging from corruption and conservation to religious and

western nations, Pakistan has ordered all foreign non-profits to re-register within three months and is drafting a law allowing officials to stop overseas funded charities from operating. Greenpeace India’s woes began in June 2014 when a leaked report from India’s Intelligence Bureau claimed foreign donors were paying charities to sabotage key industrial projects with Greenpeace India the most prominently mentioned charity.

FORD, GATES FOUNDATION UNDER SCRUTINY Officials accuse the charity of not accounting for 60 million rupees ($943,000) in its financial statements and the group’s seven bank accounts were frozen in April. In January an Indian staff member was barred from going to London to talk to UK lawmakers about a coal project in central India while last month an Australian staff member with a visa was stopped by immigration and deported without explanation.

Greenpeace, which is locked in a legal battle with the government and has now been granted access to two of its bank accounts, denies its activism is hurting economic development. But in the world’s largest democracy, where there are at least two million non-profits working in various areas, the crackdown goes well beyond Greenpeace India.

In the last three months, the home affairs ministry has cancelled the licenses of more than 13,000 organisations, saying they have violated a law on foreign funding. Big donors are not immune. The U.S.-based Ford Foundation faces a probe into funding a group run by a prominent rights activist and critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and auditors are investigating the finances of charities funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Charities welcome regulation and transparency, aware of the need to keep the booming sector in check, but say the law is being abused to the detriment of those they are trying to help - the poor and marginalised.

“It seems that ‘compliance’ is serving as a garb to actually target those organisations and individuals whose views the government disagrees with, and indeed to monitor and stifle disagreement itself,” said an open letter to Modi in May which was signed by over 170 charities.

“Several NGO projects have shut down, donors are unable to support work, and there is an overall atmosphere of state coercion and intimidation in India’s civil society space.” Government officials deny trying to muzzle opposing voices, saying they are enforcing the law and national security.

“There are many good activists who think in a good way,”

Indian environment minister Prakash Javadekar told Indian news station NDTV last month.

“I don’t say that there are good NGOs and bad NGOs. I say there are certain people with an agenda.”

SHOOTING THE MESSENGER Western donors say what is happening in India is part of a broader global trend where governments are using various methods to increasingly suppress non-government groups including limitations on financing, size, travel or registration. “(Other methods include) cracking down on communications technologies that connect civil society groups and in some cases physical harassment including jail and torture,” said Chanan Weissman, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour.

In 2014, the non-government sector was active in crises such as the West Africa Ebola outbreak, Nepal earthquake and in conflicts such as in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan and Gaza.

They also contributed to mobilising people in anti-austerity protests in Europe, prodemocracy protests in Hong Kong and anti-graft demonstrations in Brazil.

CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society groups, says it documented 96 countries in

2014 where there were serious violations to freedom of expression, association and assembly of non-profit groups. From 2010-2013, CIVICUS tracked serious threats to civil society in roughly 75 countries a year.

These included Ethiopia and Egypt where journalists and bloggers have been jailed, Kenya where over 330 NGOs suspended and Azerbaijan where the bank accounts of at least 50 charities have been frozen.

Mandeep Tiwana, CIVICUS’s head of policy and research said charities, like every sector, had their problems, but generally people were driven more by passion than profit.

“Because of the nature of their work in exposing governance failures and grave rights violations several governments have created a bogey to demonise and stigmatise, in public eyes, NGOs and activists uncovering abuse,” said Tiwana.

“Questioning the messenger’s credentials is a common tactic that helps deviate the argument from the real issues and muddies the public discourse.”

In countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Bahrain, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Eritrea and Bangladesh, laws require charities to get approval to receive foreign funds, leading to an Egyptian court in 2013 imposing jail terms on 43 NGO staff.

BRICS countries to maintain upward trend despite difficulties BEIJINg, JuLy 10 (IaNs/XINHua): Despite recent difficulties, BRICS, a bloc that groups some of the world’s largest emerging markets, still has enormous potential and will maintain the upward trend that it has enjoyed over the past decade.

As the BRICS countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- are facing temporary difficulties in their economies, voices from those who have rooted for the failure of the bloc from the beginning are becoming louder and even sound plausible.

But those people are wrong.

Some of them are short sighted, unable to recognise the enormous potential of BRICS behind the current problems.

The others, however, harbour ulterior motives and are not glad to see a unity of emerging markets grow stronger, which they believe is a threat to their dominance of the global economy.

Facts speak louder than words.

Statistics and facts nowadays have proven that the bloc as a whole is

still the powerhouse of today’s world growth despite economic difficulties facing its member states.

The five countries have contributed about 50 percent of global growth over the last decade. And trade among them in 2013 totalled $350 billion, making up about half of the world’s total.

Blessed with relatively complete infrastructure and stable society, the BRICS countries are still the forerunners of the emerging markets. Their economies may falter for a time against the backdrop of a sluggish global economy, but certainly will not fall at all.

More importantly, closer cooperation within BRICS can unleash even greater potential, as the five countries share a common ground for many major interests and their economies are complementary to each other.

The BRICS countries, which are located in four different continents and are vastly different from each other in geology, demography and

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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.”

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culture, each have their comparative advantages. Strengthening cooperation within the bloc will help each country to make better use of those advantages.

The just concluded BRICS summit in the southwestern Russian city of Ufa is scheduled to chart a course for future collaboration as well as to discuss the establishment of another financial tool, the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement, which shows the world BRICS’ endeavours to improve their economies.

The difficulties for the bloc are true. But as Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the Ufa summit: “The more difficulties we face, the more confidence we must have.”

He also noted that any progress is not made along a straight line, but with twists and turns.

The BRICS countries enjoy abundant natural and human resources, vast domestic markets, huge development potential, and plenty of policy space, so the upward trend of Colombian soccer player James Rodriguez of Real Madrid, right, poses with a Tokyo Sienta during a promotional event by BRICS will not change, Xi said. the Japanese automaker in Tokyo on July 9. (AP Photo)

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N O H T U R A I J J N J S O B A H R P N

E O A O B X N O S I D A M Q T B A X Q Y

STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474

Metro Hospital: Faith Hospital:

227930, 231081 228846

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228400

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232106

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227607 232181

CIHSR (Referral Hospital)

242555/ 242533

Dimapur hospital

224041, 248011

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

230695/ 9402435652

Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

229366

1. Religious fathers 6. Crazes 10. Barbed comments 14. Filter 15. French cheese 16. Salt Lake state 17. Organized 19. Mongolian desert 20. Orb 21. Alien Life Form 22. Secluded valley 23. String 25. Solidifies 26. Abominable Snowman 30. Ambrosia 32. Maroon 35. Twister 39. Plaster 40. Ski race 41. Smiled contemptuously 43. Mollify 44. Sell again 46. Adolescent 47. Burn with hot water 50. Thicket 53. Buckeye State 54. Former boxing champ 55. Swallow 60. Speech disorder 61. Vilify

63. Doing nothing 64. 1 1 1 1 65. Expert 66. Bambi was one 67. Used to be 68. Highly skilled

DOWN

1. Charity 2. Horn sound 3. Shower alternative 4. Dull pain 5. Not tall 6. A law enforcement agency 7. Mysterious 8. Language variant 9. Consciousness 10. A massive inexorable force 11. Coral island 12. Biblical tower 13. Front parts of human legs 18. Morning moisture 24. Hotel 25. Ancient English chiefs 26. Sweet potatoes 27. Black, in poetry 28. Container weight 29. Intruder 31. Throw

33. Acted presumptuously 34. Mining finds 36. Wings 37. Venician magstrate 38. Portent 42. Grow worse 43. European peak 45. Hang around 47. Not fluid 48. Scold 49. Passageway 51. Take in slowly 52. Colonic 54. Affirm 56. Alumnus 57. Overhang 58. Stair 59. Canvas dwelling 62. Utilize Ans to CrossWord 3292

KOHIMA: 0370 2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) DIMAPUR: 03862 232201/ 101 (O) 9436017479 (OC)

CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862 282777/101 (O) 9856158740 (OC) WOKHA: 03860 242215/101 (O) 9862039399 (OC)

MOKOKCHUNG: 0369 2226225/ 101 (O) 9436012949 (OC)

Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre

PHEK: 8414853765 (O) 9862130954(OC)

KOHIMA

ZUNHEBOTO: 03867 280304/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC)

STD CODE: 0370 100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202 08974997923

TUENSANG: 8414853766 (O) 8414853519 MON: 03869 251222/ 101 (O) 9436208480 (OC)

CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE

ACROSS

FIRE STATIONS

Chumukedima Fire 282777 Brigade Nikos Hospital and 232032, 231031 Research Centre

Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home: Northeast Shuttles

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Y L K N G A A J B F S J K S I Q P T L M

DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:

Toll free No. 1098 childline

KipHire: 8414853767 (O) 8974304572 (OC)

WE4WOMEN HELPLINE 08822911011

MOKOKCHUNG: Police Station 1:

STD CODE: 0369

2226241

Police Station 2 :

2226214

Civil Hospital: Woodland Nursing Home:

2226216 2226263

Hotel Metsüpen (Tourist Lodge):

2226373/2229343

TAHAMZAM (formerly Senapati) STD CODE: 03871 Police Station: Fire Brigade

CURRENCY NOTES

222246 222491

BUY(Rs)

SELL(Rs)

US Dollars Sterling Pound Hong Kong Dollar Australian Dollar Singapore Dollar Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen

62.14 96.58 7.76 46.43 45.91 49.19 50.42

64.95 101.26 8.64 48.72 48.17 51.61 53.26

Euro

68.49

71.82

Thai Baht Korean Won New Zealand Dollar Chinese Yuan

1.78

1.98

0.0534

0.0595

41.43

43.50

9.68

10.79

LOCAL CM on deducting 13% departmental charges

The Morung Express

Our Correspondent Kohima | July 10

Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang today stated that the cabinet had discussed about the pros and cons of deducting 13% departmental charges on all capital works, which is now being done at source by finance department at the time of issuing of drawal authority.

“Actually, deduction of 13% departmental or agency charge is to be done by the works divisions that execute the works. But it was observed in the past that the works divisions often fail to deduct this 13% departmental charge at their end, resulting in pil-

ferage of state revenues,” stated the chief minister in a speech that was read out at the 14th general conference of Nagaland Finance & Accounts Service Association here today. The chief minister did not attend the conference due to urgent engagement in Delhi.

Zeliang stated that it was the reason why finance department had to deduct 13% departmental charges at source. He added that it was the duty of the officers of the department to ensure that the 13% departmental charges are deducted correctly at the time of effective payments.

Referring to internal audit, Chief Minister stated that with the computeriza-

Condemnation

kOHIMa, JULY 10 (MExN): The Upper Forest Colony Forum, Kohima has condemned the firing incident on July 9 at around 11:40 p.m. at the residence of Dr. Imtiwapang, Parliamentary Secretary, Geology and Mining by miscreants. UFCF, in a press note, demanded the government authority to book the culprit at the earliest.

YUK on domestic helps kOHIMa, JULY 10 (MExN): The Yimchungrü Union Kohima has informed all concerned who have employed or wishes to employ domestic helpers from Yimchungrü tribe in lieu of giving education, training etc., to register their names with YUK along with Rs. 100 as registration fee in order to so as to avoid future complications. According to a press note from YUK, this directive

was necessitated after incidences on harassment and torture of domestic helpers in an around Kohima surfaced. The directive is also in compliance with the resolution of the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Union Kohima. The Union warned that it would not bear any responsibility if the directive is not complied with. For detailed information, one may contact 9862043255/9862767068.

tion of accounting works in the treasuries and accounts and in the directorate, a new system of internal audit will be conducted like “on-line audit, contemporary audit and social audit which will ensure more transparency in the sound financial administration of the state.”

He stated that audit observations should not be seen as simply pointing out discrepancies or errors.

They are supposed to be a mechanism to correct our mistakes and help us improve our functioning. “Audit should be looked upon as a positive tool to improve the system and not as harassment,” Zeliang stated.

He also stated that the

audit reports or the report of C&AG should be used as a learning process, “so that we do not repeat our mistakes.”

Zeliang stated that to improve the state financial position, the best way available to state is containing its revenue expenditure to the barest minimum possible.

In this, he stated that finance and accounts service officers have a very important role to play. “The thumb rule is to ensure that all the prescribed rules and procedure are strictly followed, so as to ensure that there is no undue charge on the government, and also to see that all wasteful expenditure is avoided,” he stated.

The finance and account service officers

should give particular attention to the rules relating to acceptance of tenders/ quotations as well as other rules relating to procurements and supplies, he stated adding that proper classification of charges and accurate accounting are of paramount importance.

Earlier, treasuries & accounts, relief & rehabilitation advisor Dr. T.M. Lotha said that almost all the district treasury offices are being run with poor/outdated furniture and without even providing enough computers.

He also stated that most of the treasury office buildings are without proper security fencing and security guard room.

The treasury officers are using very old and outdated vehicles, some even running for 15 -16 years, he stated.

Also stating that some treasury offices and most of the sub treasury offices are being run in a rented building, he stated that the training centre at Dimapur is in a very pitiable condition and there is acute shortage of faculty members.

Meanwhile, the NFASA has elected its new team of office bearers with R.N. Yanthan as president, vice president- Aboto, general secretary- Temsu Longkumer, joint secretary- Imti Chang, finance secretaryAdi Naleo and Imtimengdang as treasurer.

ENSF slams ‘insincerity’ of DoSE and state govt DIMaPUr, JULY 10 (MExN): The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) today accused the Department of the School Education for non compliance to the agreement signed with the federation regarding appointment and posting of 302 posts under RMSA, 200 PT and 161 Math and Science teachers.

It may be noted that the ENSF, following a meeting on July 8, had served a 15 day ultimatum to the School Education and RMSA for complete appointment and posting of the concerned posts. The ENSF, in a press note today, further reminded that the ENSF-Government agreement dated November 26,

2013, which had envisaged that all those posts would be appointment posted in the schools on day-1 of the next academic session (i.e. 2014). However, it lamented that both the state government and the department had shown “total insincerity in upholding its commitment.”

The ENSF said that the department “should be held responsible for dismantling the dreams of thousands of students” by depriving them of teachers. The ENSF further alleged that the Nagaland state government had “manipulatively adulterated the Right to Education Act in the state.” Many schools in eastern Nagaland, the ENSF lamented,

produced zero pass percentage, “which ultimately is no doubt but a direct impact of such attitude and treatment of the department...” It urged that the department comply with the agreement and cautioned that failure to do so would compel the federation to take its own course of action.

Meanwhile, the ENSF, while acknowledging the Home department for fixing the date for recruitment, however cautioned that “delay tactics shouldn’t be inflicted upon the ongoing process of recruitment.”

“With much to the anticipation, the struggle for justice in the field of employment had been won

but still yet to be delivered and materialised,” it stated.

The ENSF expressed concern that “many anomalies and irregularities that had inculcated in the department over recent months,” and sought to “reason out the differences in delivering justice upon those legally hard acquired posts and to those that are being casually executed in silence.”

In pursuance to a reported “verbal agreement made with the Director General of Police,” the ENSF informed that its delegates would act as an “observing agent” in all level or process of recruitment during the forthcoming constabulary recruitment really which is being scheduled on July 18 and 27.

‘Aspiration of Naga Hoho is to ensure peaceful co-existence’ kOHIMa, JULY 10 (MExN): The Naga Hoho has extended “deepest appreciation” to Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) and Southern Angami Youth Organization (SAYO) for keeping the evacuation notice which was served to the Mao community on June 5 “un-

der suspension”.

“The Naga Hoho expresses its happiness for responding its directive and the subsequent resolution passed by the Consultative meeting on 1st July, 2015 positively,” a press communiqué from the Communication Cell of the Naga Hoho stated.

“It is to be noted that the aspiration of the Naga Hoho has been to ensure peaceful co-existence among the two neighboring Naga communities of SAPO and Mao Council in line with the Naga people’s desire of one family one nation,” Naga Hoho further maintained.

Wrong to declare entire Nagaland as Disturbed Area, asserts NPC kOHIMa, JULY 10 (MExN): The Nagaland Peace Centre, Kohima has stated that “It is wrong to declare entire State of Nagaland as Disturbed Area and bring in Armed Forces Special Power Act in full swing.”

“The Naga political problem can be solved only with Gandhian approach of non-violence and democratic principles,” a press

release from NPC stated adding, “The policy in this regard is a sign of frustration and failure.”

“On one hand, India is regarded by all other countries as the biggest democracy of the world. On the other hand, many unfair and harsh laws continue to oppress the people in place like Nagaland. The Armed Forces Special power Act being one such law,” NPC

maintained.

As peace talks are ongoing with armed groups like - NSCN (IM), NSCN (Unification), Federal Government of Nagaland, NSCN(R) etc, NPC argued that the dialogue was helping the peace process, and further maintained that all such harmful laws which put the peace process in jeopardy should be dismissed.

ANSTGA informs district units DIMaPUr, JULY 10 (MExN): The All Nagaland Small Tea Growers Association (ANSTGA) has informed that the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Association (CISTA) Executive meeting and national seminar which was scheduled to take place on July 14 and 15 has been postponed and

the date for the same has not been finalised.

In a press release, ANSTGA informed presidents and secretaries of the 8 tea growing districts of Dimapur, Zunheboto, Mokokchung, Wokha, Mon, Phek, Kiphire and Tuensang to nominate or arrange 15 delegates from each districts to attend

the National Seminar as and when the dates would be finalised which would be intimated through the dailies.

Earlier in a meeting held on June 30, Imna Ao of Changtongya, and Yesumong Sangtam of Kiphire were inducted as executive members of ANSTGA, the release informed.

‘Clean & Green Kikruma’ launched DIMaPUr, JULY 10 (DIPr): A “Clean & Green Environment Drive” programme was organised jointly by Phek Forest Division and Kikruma Village Council at Kikruma village on July 9.

PCCF Nagaland M.L. Rao, IFS, speaking on the occasion as the Chief Guest, stressed on the importance of Green Theology and the involvement of all the local institutions for forest conservation.

He appreciated the village community for their active participation in the conservation effort. DFO Phek, Rongsenlemla Im-

chen, highlighted on the importance of water management in relation to Forest conservation and livelihood security. She exhorted the gathering to conserve and rejuvenate the forest in order to preserve the traditional water harvesting system (Zapo system) for which Kikruma is popularly known for.

Village Council Chairman in his welcome address appreciated the Department for their active and sincere participation in raising environmental awareness in the village.

Meanwhile, the PCCF also inaugurated a Wild

Life Water Tower to the village community. The theme of the programme was mainly to regenerate the degraded forest with green plantations to circumvent water scarcity in the village and also for a cleaner Kikruma. To mark the occasion plantation drive was organised in the village and waste bins were distributed to the community which was sponsored by Phek Forest Division. All the local functionaries, church leaders, women society, student, youth, NGOs and others participated in the programme.

Saturday 11 July 2015

Dimapur

5

MEx FILE Orgs condemn AR ‘highhandedness’ ZUNHEBOTO, JULY 10 (MExN): The Zunheboto Town Youth Organisation (ZTYO) has alleged that personnel of the 5th Assam Rifles (AR) arrested one Mudosayi Hurie, District Consultant for the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) in Zunheboto “without any rhyme or reason.” A press note from the ZTYO said that Hurie, who is also General Secretary of the Tenyimi Union Zunheboto, was apprehended by the AR on July 7 at 12:20pm at the SBI main branch, Project Colony Zunheboto, while on his way to deposit cash in the bank. On being “arrested,” according to the ZTYO, Hurie produced his government employee ID card. It further stated that a malaria inspector had intervened and “showed them proof but their request was flatly denied and he was whisked away to the camp along with his vehicle.” The ZTYO along with the CANSSEA Zunheboto Unit and the Tenyimi Union Zunheboto have vehemently condemned the “highhandedness” of the AR personnel. The organisations further condemned the AFSPA, which empowers security personnel to engage in such arbitrary arrests of civilians.

Bamsiakilwa village renamed as Hebamlo PErEN, JULY 10 (MExN): Bamsiakilwa village in Peren district has been renamed as "Hebamlo village" with consensus of its village council duly approved by the Deputy Commissioner Peren vide letter No. REV/ ESST/VILL-1/2005/827 Dated 15th June 2012 in the interest of the settlers. Henceforth, chairman of Hebamlo Village Council Pungrilak informed that the name "Hebamlo" will be used for all official matters and purposes instead of the former 'Bamsiakilwa'.

CMO Mokokchung informs MOkOkcHUNg, JULY 10 (DIPr): Chief Medical Officer, Mokokchung, Dr. S.S. Akaba Longchar, has informed that the Medical Board for the Service Confirmation and invalidation for Grade III & IV under Mokokchung District will be conducted on July 22 and 23 from 10:30 a.m. in the Office of the District Programme Officer (UIP &RCH) near Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital, Mokokchung. In this connection, all the Department Heads have been asked to forward and submit the names of all Grade III & IV staff who are willing to appear the Medical Board well in advance.

Dimapur DC informs DIMaPUr, JULY 10 (MExN): All Administrative Officers and Heads of Departments under Dimapur District have been informed that a meeting is fixed on July 14 at 2 p.m. in the Conference Hall of the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur to chalk out programmes for the ensuing Independence Day celebration on August 15.

A press release from the officiating Deputy Commissioner, Elizabeth Ngully, has requested all concerned to attend the meeting positively.

Dimapur SDEO informs DIMaPUr, JULY 10 (MExN): The office of the SubDivisional Education Officer (SDEO) Dimapur has informed all Head teachers/teacher in charge of schools under the establishment of SDEO Dimapur to submit photocopies of first appointment, regularization, transfer, redeployment, and latest extension order of all grade III and IV in their respective schools to the SDEO office, Dimapur, on or before July 24 for onward submission to the Directorate of School Education.

The Catholic Youth Association (CYA) of Mhainamtsi, Jalukie, celebrated its Silver Jubilee on July 8 under the theme, “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth... (Eccl 11:9)”. Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima, was the main celebrant, while 6 other priests concelebrated with him at St. Thomas Church Campus.

Khedi Baptist Church Kohima village organised a voluntary blood donation camp on July 5 at the church premises. In line with NBCC youth Sunday, young people came forward to donate blood. Voluntary Blood Donor Association of Kohima, NSACS and blood bank NHAK assisted in organising the camp.

GSKSK to celebrate Acharya’s birth anniversary kOHIMa, JULY 10 (MExN): The Gorkha Sahitya Kala Sanstha, Kohima is celebrating the 201st Birth Anniversary of Aadi Kabi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya at the Gorkha Public Panchayat Hall, Chandmari, Kohima on July 13, Monday, at 4:30 p.m. with B.B. Rai, NPS, Deputy Commandant ( Retd.) as Chief Guest. During the programme, the Sanstha will felicitate Gorkha Students of Kohima who topped in HSLC, HSSLC under NBSC and also students securing A+ in subjects of HSLC and distinctions in HSSLC, a press release received here informed. Deserving students are requested to contact D.N. Pradhan, Literary Secretary, GSKSK @ 9856259470. The President and executives of the Sanstha has invited all executives of Gorkha NGOs, GBs, leaders and the Gorkha public to the celebration.

NERPAP special camp at Changtongya cHaNgTONgYa, JULY 10 (DIPr): In connection with the National Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP) special camp, a meeting was held on July 10 at DB Customary Court Changtongya. AERO and SDO (C) Changtongya, Chumlamo Humtsoe, gave a briefing on NERPAP special camp and appealed to all to give cooperation and assistance to the BLOs to make it a success. He also said that the final NERPAP special camp will be held on July 18. The meeting was attended by all the Ward Chairman Changtongya town and Village Council Chairman under 22 Arkakong A/C.

UTNA Kohima meeting on July 14 Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Resources & Sports, Music Task Force and State Lotteries Khriehu Liezietsu, Land Resources Director Mhathung Yanthan and others during the inauguration of Kohima District Self Help Groups Sales Day cum Inauguration of Marketing Shed constructed under EPA, IWMP Batch- III, Project-V, Kohima Village, L Khel, chahechu (opposite Kohima College) on July 10. This market will operate daily by selling organic vegetables and fruits from July 10. (Morung Photo)

KDCC affirm to unite for welfare of society kOHIMa, JULY 10 (MExN): The Kohima District Congress Committee (KDCC) has resolved to “stand united for the welfare of the society in any given situation.” In its office bearers’ meeting held on July 9, KDCC also decided to tour all the seven constituencies of the district to apprise and understand the genuine grievances of the people. Further, the meeting adopted to carry out whole heartedly the direc-

tive of the NPCC in regards to enrollment drive.

A press release from Abalie Medoze, General Secretary (Adm), KDCC informed that during the meeting, Kevi Vizo, KDCC president, spoke on the prevailing political instability in Nagaland. Stating that “the government will fall will fall into its own trap at any time,” he challenged the Congress workers, specially the office bearers, to be prepared for any given situa-

tion. He also requested the member to co-operate and work together to strengthen the party. He also requested to leave the past differences and march forward in unity, understanding and to utilize the positive value of each member.

Other senior members also spoke in the meeting with consensus opinion to re-dedicate oneself for the benefit of the party in particular and the society in general.

kOHIMa, JULY 10 (MExN): The Unemployed Trained Nurses Association (UTNA) Kohima Unit has convened an emergency meeting on July 14 at 12 noon at the Auditorium Hall, NHAK Kohima. All concern members are asked to attend the meeting positively without fail. Important issues relating to the forth coming UTNA agitation and other related matters pertaining to the last poster campaign will be discussed, a press release informed.

ANIEF general meeting kOHIMa, JULY 10 (MExN): The All Nagaland Industrial Entrepreneurs Federation (ANIEF) has convened a general meeting those industrial entrepreneurs whose unit has been selected under Central Transport Subsidy and Central Capital Investment for the year 2007, but have pending cases with State Department of Industries and Commerce. The meeting which will be held at Red Cross Complex Conference Hall, PR Hill Kohima, on July 15 from 10 AM will discuss the latest position of the payment under the scheme. A press note from ANIEF president, Povotso Lohe and general secretary, Shepong W Konyak has informed all the state office bearers of ANIEF and selected beneficiaries of the schemes for the year 2007 to attend the meeting without failure. All the selected beneficiaries are also requested to extend financial support by way of “good-will” contribution to pursue the matter to achieve a positive result at the earliest.

6

People, life, etc...

Saturday | 11 july, 2015

The Death of the Hippies

Jennie Rothenberg Gritz

I

n 1967, just after the Summer of Love, The Atlantic published “The Flowering of the Hippies,” a profile of San Francisco’s new youth culture.

“Almost the first point of interest about the hippies was that they were middle-class American children to the bone,” the author noted. “To citizens inclined to alarm this was the thing most maddening, that these were not Negroes disaffected by color or immigrants by strangeness but boys and girls with white skins from the right side of the economy ... After regular educations, if only they’d want them, they could commute to fine jobs from the suburbs, and own nice houses with bathrooms, where they could shave and wash up.”

A middle-class boy from the right side of the economy: That was my mother’s cousin Joe Samberg. When they were growing up, she spent every Thanksgiving at his family’s home in the upscale Long Island suburb of Roslyn Heights. His father was a successful businessman who, somewhat incongruously, had far-left sympathies. Throughout the 1960s, Joe and his four brothers became more and more radical. Two of the Samberg boys eventually went down to Cuba to cut sugar cane for Castro’s revolution.

In 1969, when Joe was 22, he moved out to California. By then, the HaightAshbury scene described in the Atlantic article had mostly migrated across the bay to Berkeley’s Telegraph Avenue. Rents were a little cheaper there, and for those who couldn’t pay rent at all, the weather was

a little warmer. The college town was also more sympathetic to the long-haired kids who crowded the sidewalks day and night— talking, protesting, kissing, dancing, fighting, and taking lots and lots of drugs.

Joe was part of it all, but he was also slightly outside of it, watching everything through the lens of his camera. Years later, when he was a highly regarded professional photographer—after he’d settled down and raised three children (including the comedian Andy Samberg)—he showed me some of his early portraits from Telegraph Avenue.

They’ve been in my mind’s eye ever since, a counterpoint to all the popular images of peace signs, daisy chains, and Aquarian circle dances. The reality Joe saw was very much like the one the Atlantic author described: hordes of kids who had been lured to California by utopian ideals and then settled into a life of sex, drugs, and lethargy.

Joe often quips that he headed out west for the same reasons as Jojo in theBeatles song: “for some California grass.” But like most kids who landed in the San Francisco area during the late 1960s, he had very personal reasons for leaving his old life behind. In 1965, his college girlfriend was killed in a car accident just as they were starting to talk about marriage. Six months later, his mother died of cancer.

“I really started to sink,” he says. “I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t find anything about school that would hold my attention for very long.”

So he dropped out of Emerson College and moved down from Bos-

ton to Manhattan, where he found work at a color lab in midtown. He spent his free time in Harlem, seeing James Brown and other R&B singers at the Apollo Theater, or in the rough alphabet streets of the East Village, hanging out in Andy Warhol’s orbit.

He watched the Velvet Underground play at the Exploding Plastic Inevitable, then went back to dilapidated apartments to snort meth. “What I was doing was grieving,” he says now. “But I was too young to understand that. All I knew was I was desperate to feel good again.”

In 1969, just after he got laid off from his job, his youngest brother, Frank, came to town. Frank had been living out in Berkeley, and he persuaded Joe to head back there with him. The drive took three or four days, almost all of it through dreary, frozen fields. They crashed on a floor somewhere in Ohio. In Wyoming, after they locked themselves

out of their car, the local sheriff let them in, looked them over, and then told them never to come back to town. They crossed the Sierras during a blizzard, barely able to see the road.

Eventually, they felt their car heading downhill instead of up.

“And then,” says Joe, “all of a sudden, we found ourselves in this lush valley. It looked like a firstgrade primer. The hills were rolling and green, all soft and curved like the beautiful body of a young woman. The sky was perfectly blue. And the clouds were all puffy, you know?

Pure and white and glowing. I almost wondered, ‘Did we run off the road and fall into paradise?’”

When they pulled into Berkeley, the hippies were everywhere— standing on every corner, lining every avenue. Joe had never seen anything like it. “People don’t really understand this now, but at that time, in most of the country, you couldn’t

have long hair and not be in danger of being beaten up,” Joe explains. “In Boston, cars used to come screeching to a halt and guys would jump out and want to kill me. I’d have to run.” Even in New York, whenever he left Greenwich Village, “I was continually harassed, spit on, and shoved around.” And Joe wasn’t even really a hippie. “I was hip,” he says.

“That meant boots, black jeans, a black t-shirt, a leather jacket—the kind of thing you’d maybe see the Rolling Stones wearing.”

In California, the flower-child style was at its apex. “People had really developed their individual looks,” he says. “They were no longer trying to figure out what being a hippie meant. I found that really stimulating. It made a great subject for a photographer—even though, by any middle-class standards, these people were living totally miserable lives.”

Joe found a place to

live and began spending his days out on the sidewalk. “I didn’t really own any clothes other than the ones I had on,” he says. “I hardly ever ate. Whenever I had money, my priorities were drugs, film, and food—in that order.”

There were two types of drug users on Telegraph Avenue. One group unapologetically shot heroin. The other group took mind-altering drugs but believed that opiates were a sinister way for The Man to keep poor people from climbing out of the ghetto.

At first, some of the kids put up signs declaring, “No heroin dealers here.”

Over time, Joe says, those signs came down and more and more people started using hard drugs.

“All that stuff about consciousness was just sort of dropped.”

Looking at Joe’s pictures, it’s clear how young some of those addicts were. One group of junior-high-aged girls, known as the Mini Mob, often showed up in Mickey Mouse t-shirts. “There were people there who had those young kids very much in their thrall,” says Joe. “They told them, ‘Listen, you don’t need to go to school. Everything you need to learn in life is right here on the street.’”

A lot had changed in Berkeley since 1964, when thousands of students— many of them wearing suits and ties—gathered at Sproul Plaza to champion civil rights and demand free speech. Campuses had been the sources of the counterculture’s boldest ideas, the places where young activists mobilized to fight segregation and the Vietnam War, taking classes in political theory and Eastern philosophy.

Now, college dropouts were congregating with misfits and runaways on the other side of Sather Gate. The outrage was still there, but the issues were murkier. While Joe was hanging out on Telegraph Avenue, his brother Paul published an anthology of underground newspaper diatribes called Fire!

Among other things, the book ridiculed the whole idea of higher education.

Even at the time, though, Joe says he was “too sarcastic” to fully buy into the radical agenda.

“The average person on the avenue was almost completely ignorant politically,” Joe says. “All they really cared about was drugs, drugs, drugs. They were nihilists and hedonists. They just supported anything that was against the establishment. There was no intellectual foundation. The spirit everyone had talked about—the feeling of love and new age and progressive politics— was dying a miserable death.”

Joe eventually got married, started a family, and settled into a middle-class existence, but he never moved away from Berkeley. There are still homeless people hanging out on Telegraph Avenue, but as Joe points out, they barely even pretend to be hippies anymore. The movement itself is dead, and so are many of the people who used to frequent the strip.

“That was my problem with the whole thing,” says Joe. “There’s no growth for people if they’re continuously on drugs. It started out with all this higher thinking—expanding your mind to become more conscious of what’s really going on in the universe.

But once the drugs took

What's up, doc, or should that be Whatsapp, doc?

Nishant Arora

W

IaNS

hen you fall ill or want to seek medical advice, who do you turn to? Your family doctor or the neighbourhood medico, of course. But, say experts, you may have now another possibility: social media.

As more Indians join social media platforms, WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook, among others, are helping to reach out to patients, guide them for treatments, provide counselling post-surgery and create close-knit support communities.

"We are frequently using WhatsApp, Skype and Viber to reach out to patients. Currently, we have over 180 patients connected via WhatsApp and over 30 through Skype who are receiving online rehabilitation training," says Dr H.S. Chhabra, medical director and chief of spine service at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in New Delhi.

At present, there are 143 million social media users in India, including 25 million in rural India. By 2020, India will have at least 1.4 billion mobile subscribers, according to a latest report by Swedish communication technology and services provider Ericsson.

The medical trend has been catching up fast with the Indian health providers.

Take the case of Anil Kalra (name changed), 27, who was diagnosed with a severe spinal cord injury in December 2012. After the surgery at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, he underwent rehabilitation for four months.

While recovering, doctors provided him health tips post-surgery via skype for 45 minutes daily for six weeks.

After the online counselling period, Kalra is a happy man now. "Kalra's case dem-

Now, WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook to the rescue when you are ill

onstrates the importance of internet and social media platforms," Dr Chhabra told IANS. Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj, gynecologist and obstetrician at New Delhi-based Nurture IVF Centre, has been using social media platforms for patients' benefit. "I use Twitter, FaceBook and YouTube to have a constructive dialogue with my patients.

Social media is enabling collaborations in the context of health care which is essential in promoting awareness via sharing testimonies, providing support and advocating best health practices," Dr Bajaj said.

The power of social networking in medicine should not be underestimated. "Many patients are joining us via social media. Many of them have received key knowledge about their ailments and pos-

sible treatments on Facebook and WhatsApp," says Dr S.S. Sibia, medical director at the Sibia Medical Centre in Ludhiana that is famous for noninvasive treatments for various diseases.

This has saved many lives, he adds.

At Max Super Speciality Hospitals in New Delhi, WhatsApp has connected several breast cancer patients with specialists who are available for counselling round the clock.

"We have radiation oncologists and onco-surgery specialists on the WhatsApp group. So if a patient posts a query, whichever expert is available to answer at that time, addresses the query," said Dr Anupama Hooda, director (medical oncology) at Max Hospitals.

At times, patients share general health tips, anecdotes

and organise activities like yoga with group members.

"We have more than 75 active members on WhatsApp and are strict about the content being posted. It is not an entertainment group - it's only for support purposes," Dr Hooda emphasises.

In a recent survey involving 2,250 people in the US, nearly 57 percent said they were interested in using Facebook and e-mails to reach out to doctors for managing health better.

Nearly 46 percent of patients wanted to use e-mail to track their health progress, said the survey from Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

"We do use social media to counsel our patients and take queries from post-surgery long-distance patients to

resolve their concerns," comments Dr Deep Goel, director (department of bariatric and gastrointestinal onco-surgeon) at BLK Super Speciality Hospital.

"We also have a WhatsApp group of our bariatric patients who remain in touch with surgeons and dietitians," he informs.

Social media's use in health care is limited in India, though.

"Social media can be a double-edge sword for health experts because communication over e-mails and instant massaging may not provide the complete profile of the patient," Dr Hooda emphasises.

"Drug prescription and final diagnosis should be done only after a through physical examination," Dr Goel stresses.

Social media, however, is a great platform to understand the epidemiology of diseases.

Moreover, social media can play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between doctor and patients.

"Facebook and Twitter can play a major role in mending the increasing distrust between the patients and their doctors," say the experts.

According to Dr Samir Parikh, director (mental health and behavioural science) at Fortis Hospitals, social media is helping provide emotional and practical resources to patients and creating awareness about other health-related issues.

"Social media is also breaking stereotypes, giving lifestyle and health tips, facilitating behaviour changes and, ultimately, helping people lead healthier and safer lives," Dr Parikh says.

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.

over, all of those big ideas disappeared.”

The author of the Atlantic article, Mark Harris, reached a similar conclusion. He was a generation older than the Baby Boomers, but as a white New Yorker who wrote for Ebony and The Negro Digest, he was highly sympathetic to the youth activism of the 1960s. He just didn’t think the hippies, in particular, were bringing about any meaningful change.

Drugs had stunted their emotional development, leaving them at the mercy of “their illusions, their unreason, their devil theories, their inexperience of life, and their failures of perception.” Instead of promoting brotherhood and equality, they’d taken over public spaces, picked all the flowers in Golden Gate Park, and refused to turn their music down to let their hardworking neighbors sleep.

And as they begged for money and frequented free clinics, these children of the suburbs siphoned resources away from the urban locals who needed them most.

Still, the hippies did end up having a lasting impact on American culture— even if it wasn’t quite the one they’d intended. “After a while, I started to notice something,” Joe says. “All those people who used to want to beat the hell out of me because of my long hair—now their hair was long!” In the mid-1970s, when Lynyrd Skynyrd sang “Sweet Home Alabama” at the OaklandColiseum against the backdrop of a giant Confederate flag, they looked oddly similar to the hippies of Telegraph Avenue. “So, yeah,” Joe concludes: “I guess there was a revolution.”

Morung Youth Express

Saturday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

11 June, 2015

7

Tseminyu and other cloud covered havens

U

nder cover of darkness the stories began to unfold: Once upon a time, there was a stone in the village of Tseminyu. It was sacred to the Rengma people. After the harvest and just before the new year began, the villagers would conduct a ceremony similar to a sanctification rite. All the menfolk in the village would leave their houses on an appointed evening and spend the night outside the village, away from their families. Early the next morning, they would each fetch water and proceed to the sacred stone and take turns in washing it. The stone would predict how the coming year would turn out for the community.

How did it do this? Well, when the men washed the stone, unusual marks would appear on the surface of the stone. For instance, on some occasions, ash markings would show on the stone. This meant that destruction by fire would occur in the coming year. Sometimes the colour green would appear prominently, and the villagers interpreted that as an indication that there would be abundant growth of weeds and grass in

the agricultural year. If the colour red appeared, it meant that natural calamities or wars would claim lives. The villagers always performed the ritual with the utmost reverence, careful to pay heed to the stone’s accurate prophetic powers.

One year, when the villagers were all at work in their fields, the village was attacked by seven enemy villages. The only people remaining in the village were the old and infirm and young children.

As the enemy warriors slaughtered all those they found in the village, the stone began to “make a great sound.” The noise made by the stone was so loud that the field-goers heard it and hastened back home. From afar they surmised what had happened, and they surrounded their village, managing to avenge themselves on some of the warriors. This was how the sacred stone helped the villagers to defeat their enemies.

I have recently travelled to Tseminyu and spent one and a half days in that serene ham-

let. In the evening, clouds intermingled with mist and hovered over the valley. The night was quiet and undisturbed even though the relations between the Indian army and the local populace had undergone an upheaval when an army major was killed by one of the Underground factions in the 90s. It is still a peaceful place with the Assam Rifles occu-

pying the best ridge in the old town area. Driving past the camp brought us to the Nagaland Prayer Centre where the oldest occupant of the Centre, a 92-year old man, was slicing vegetables for his blackened pot. His leathered skin covered frail bones, and I felt twinges of guilt at disturbing his afternoon. But as it turned out, he didn’t mind sharing his thoughts with us. The man sat on a very low stool, and bent over the fireplace as he narrated the beginnings of the Naga Club and the Naga movement.

“God gave a rainbow to the Nagas,” he said. “He gave three rainbows to Phizo and Azuto on the way to Lakhuti.

That is why the Naga flag has that design which was given

by God. The last rainbow was a symbol of peace between man and God. It means, ‘no more war.’ It means the whole world will be at peace.” Part of his narrative included a reference to the Genesis story of creation. “God said fill the earth with people. But the people will be killed by war.

Victory is won by much destruction.” What a profound statement from a man who seemed to be more spirit than human.

He concluded by saying, “In Bethlehem Jesus was born in a small place. The Nagaland Prayer Centre is also put in a small place in the Rengma region so we can pray for the people. The word of the spirit is spoken daily. If we don’t listen we will perish.”

The seamless manner in which both the oral narrators allowed biblical narrative and folklore to mingle, and become applicable to the Naga

situation was fascinating. Everything could be related to a Naga context and nativised in their understanding. At the same time, the best oral narrators have their own logic when it comes to explaining mysteries. Their capacity for connecting seemingly unrelated realities is admirable.

They do this with story, both in the shape of folktale and village lore. And they do it with childlike faith. Tseminyu’s story tellers had a generous share of both.

In the morning the sun came out and shone down on neat and identical hedge rows and modest houses. Concrete structures have predictably become part of the landscape but here and there, a beloved ancestral household has been preserved. I wish it would never change. We drove past these hospitable people with their gentle ways, and each one greeted us. Made me think how we have lost the art of greeting each other in the towns. How precious that they still do that, and still make time to tell stories and pass them on to those who don’t know. Their stories embraced me into their culture: what a wonderful gift to pass on.

Everyone in India thinks they are 'middle class' and almost no one actually is Rohan Venkataramakrishnan Scroll.in

I

n a country quite as large as India, it's hard to identify anything that actually counts as being in the "middle." Yet most of us claim we are middle-class, no matter where we fall on the spectrum, whether compared to the rest of India or the globe. As far as the Pew Research Center is concerned, all those stories about India's burgeoning middle-class have little to do with reality: India is, as it has always been, woefully poor.

A Pew Research Center study looking into the break-up of income levels across the world released last week offers a wake-up call for those familiar with headlines in the English press touting the promises of India's massive middle-class. The study, which looked at changes in income levels across the world's population, points out that the first decade of the 2000s saw a dramatic, historic reduction in global poverty. Yet, despite this, the actual number of people who could be considered middle-income remained under 15%.

The study divided the population in each country into five groups based on a family's daily per-capita consumption or income. The thresholds are based on various things, with $2 being the daily per capita income level under which people are globally considered poor, and $2-$10 fitting people in under the low-income category.

As per this measure, the middle-class falls into those who earn between $10 and $20 a day. (As a reminder of how low this still is, the study reminds us that the poverty line in the United States, comes in at around $16 – on the upper end of what this report considers middle income).

A look at India's break-up, based on these parameters, would leave you asking where that celebrated middleclass actually is.

Up to 95% of India still qualifies as poor or low-income, the vast majority of India's 1.2 billion citizens. For the globe, the equivalent proportion is 71%. As far as middle-income Indians go, only 2% of the country actually falls into this zone, compared to 13% of the globe, which is itself a disappointing number.

"Although the poverty rate in India fell from 35% in 2001 to 20% in 2011, the share of the Indian population that could be considered middle income increased from 1% to just 3%," the report said. "Instead of a burgeoning middle class, India’s ranks of low-income earners swelled. Many of these were people hovering closer to $2 than $10 in daily income, and thus still a way from the transition to middle-income status."

Most of the Indians who left the poor category travelled into the lowincome zone, but the mobility into higher classes proved to be much smaller. Indians are clearly some way away from achieving higher standards for the vast majority of the population, and have been completely eclipsed by its northern neighbour China, which saw its middle-income proportion go up from 3% in 2001 to 18% in 2011.

What makes it slightly more ironic is the share of Indians who call themselves middle class. Middle income and middle class aren't the same thing, of course, but one would expect a fair amount of overlap between

the two categories. Yet research done

by Devesh Kapur and Milan Vaishnav based on a multi-year panel survey by the Centre for Advanced Study of India suggests that about half the Indians in practically any bracket – urban, rural, lowest-income, highestincome – all self-identify as middle class.

The Pew Research Study points out the essential problem with having such a broad definition for middleclass. Although we keep hearing about India's massive middle class, probably because so many Indians think they fall into the category, the reality is that only a tiny amount of Indians qualify to be in a very conservative middleincome category, and the gap in living standards between economically advanced nations and developing ones is not narrowing.

"The first decade of this century witnessed an historic reduction in global poverty and a near doubling of the number of people who could be considered middle income. But the emergence of a truly global middle class is still more promise than reality," the report said.

The Cognitive Benefits of Doodling

Steven Heller

W

The Atlantic

hen computers entered the mainstream, some art schools abandoned drawing classes to make time for the new software they had to teach. The arrival of state-ofthe-art programs prompted backlash among those who’d argued for years that drawing is integral to literacy. “When you draw an object, the mind becomes deeply, intensely attentive,” says the designer Milton Glaser, an author of a 2008 monograph titled Drawing Is Thinking. “And it’s that act of attention that allows you to really grasp something, to become fully conscious of it.”

Anyone who has put pen or pencil to paper knows exactly what Glaser is talking about.

Two new books tout the benefits of drawing, sketching, and doodling as tools to facili-

tate thinking. While a spate of branded and bespoke blank sketchbooks, journals, and pads meant for drawing are also sparking something of a renewed interest in the practice. Perhaps it’s a kind of artistic rebellion over the supremacy of computers and digital media. Or, maybe the need to draw is simply hardwired into human brains. Arguably, making graphic marks predates verbal language, so whether as a simple doodle or a more deliberate free-hand drawing, the act is essential to expressing spontaneous concepts and emotions.

Drawing with pencil, pen, or brush on paper isn’t just for artists. For anyone who actively exercises the brain, doodling and drawing are ideal for making ideas tangible. What’s more, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, doodlers find it easier to re-

call dull information (even 29 percent more) than non-doodlers, because the latter are more likely to daydream.

While drawing is definitely the artist’s stock and trade, everyone can make doodles, bypassing the kind of refinement demanded of the artist.

Drawing, even in a primitive way, often triggers insights and discoveries that aren’t possible through words alone.

Just think of all those napkins (or Post-Its) on which milliondollar ideas were sketched out.

“I give no points for the aesthetic quality of a doodle,” says Sunni Brown, author of the recently published The Doodle Revolution, about developing concepts through pictures, “because the perceived skill has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the learning experience for the doodler.” A picture that’s utterly hideous may still have taught the creator something significant. Learning, not aesthetic sophistication, is the goal.

Brown isn’t keen on “highly skillful doodlers” because she thinks visual language should be open to those who lack the talent or ability. In her role as doodle advocate, Brown believes that to make the practice into something that requires savvy would be as dangerous as suggesting that only people who excel at writing should ever compose sentences.

Brown’s own relationship with doodling came later in life. Growing up, her doodles

showed up mostly in the margins of notebooks. But while working at a consultancy firm called The Grove, in San Francisco, she “was re-introduced to simple, applied visual language as a form of thought.”

After launching her own creative consultancy in 2008, she used the term doodling for this form of applied visual language and referred to it as an “act of cognition.” And she’s right—doodling actually changes one’s state of mind.

It’s a calming activity that can help people go from a frazzled state to a more focused one.

“You can use doodling as a tool ... to change your physical and neurological experience, in that moment,” she says.

If lay people can experience nirvana from doodling, artists who make a living drawing every day must naturally be in heaven. But as the award-winning children’s book illustrator

John Hendrix, who wrote the recently published Drawing is Magic, told me, a weird thing happens when artists grow older: “We stop having fun.

As a kid you draw without any thought to enjoying it. Enjoying it is assumed! Then we get to art school and learn there is a right way and wrong way to make images. We must all learn how to craft light, space, composition, form, line and shape. But, then after that, we have to be trained to learn to play again.” For Hendrix, finding enjoyment is an essential first step to finding good ideas.

For most people, the big question isn’t “when did you start drawing?” but “when did you stop drawing?” Virtually everyone drew and doodled at one point in their lives. For artists and non-artists alike, drawing is about more than art—it’s about the very art of thinking.

The Naga Blog is a forum on facebook where Nagas from Nagaland and around the world network, share ideas and discuss a wide range of topics from politics and philosophy to music and current events in Nagaland and beyond. The blog is not owned by any individual, nor is it affiliated to or associated with any political party or religion. The only movement it hopes to stir is the one raised by the voices of the Nagas every step of the way, amassing perhaps to mass consciousness one day. www.facebook.com/groups/ thenagablog

Support Acaut by Action, Not by Words Yanpvuo Kikon: The people of Nagaland have spent Crores and Crores of Rupees in enjoyment, Jubilees, foreign goods & products BUT WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED ONLY Rs.27,000 to Acaut! Let’s have a moment of SILENCE for OUR SHAME! ACAUT was what the people of Nagaland always wished and dreamed of. OUR DREAMS have come true as they are selflessly working towards fighting CORRUPTION which has infested our society to the core!!! WE ALL STOOD THERE AT THE ACAUT PUBLIC RALLY beside one another among thousands of people who witnessed the birth of the NAGA SOCIAL AWAKENING! IF WE ARE ABLE TO AFFORD FOREIGN PRODUCTS like those fancy Samsung Galaxies, the Apple Laptops, Nike Shoes and wasting all our money in contributing towards making RICHER COUNTRIES EVEN RICHER, WHY NOT CONTRIBUTE A SMALL AMOUNT TO THOSE WHO ARE WORKING TOWARDS ONE OF THE MOST NOBLE INITIATIVE WHICH NONE OF US HAVE BEEN ABLE TO??

Our NSCN's and all those organisations, unions, corporations etc COLLECT TAX FROM PUBLIC BUT WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR THE GOOD OF OUR PUBLIC AND OUR CITY WITH THE TAX THEY COLLECTED INSTEAD OF HARASSING AND THREATENING IF WE DO NOT PAY? Instead those at ACAUT have been silently and voluntarily working without demanding anything, but rather requesting people to help them through any means!!! THEY ARE THE REAL FREEDOM FIGHTERS!!! THEY ARE GOING TO LIBERATE US FROM THE MESS WE ARE IN! TODAY WE CAN ALL MAKE A PLEDGE TO CONTRIBUTE A SMALL AMOUNT FROM OUR SALARY EVERY MONTH TOWARDS ACAUT.... TNB bloggers can also carry out fund raising campaigns and even others can PLEDGE to contribute even Rs.10, because if everybody contributes that would make a huge difference!!!!

The amount of time & money they invest in running post to pillar filing RTI, hiring lawyers, dodging threats...They recently splashed out the BACKDOOR APPOINTMENTS in Rural Dept. Isn't this what we all have been shouting about all these years?

We may not be able to sacrifice our jobs, family and work to dedicate our lives towards building a brighter Nagaland....But those at Acaut are sweating it out for our future while we sit, chill at home & point our fingers at others.

OUR HOPES DREAMS OF HAVING A BRIGHTER FUTURE, Free from CORRUPTION, ILLEGAL TAXATION, COLONIAL BUREAUCRACY and all the ILLOGICAL MEANS of leadership and governance by ushering a new era of a BRIGHTER, BETTER NAGALAND FOR EVERYONE TO COME AND THRIVE TOGETHER HAPPILY! To maintain highest level of transparency ACAUT will not accept any contribution in the form of hard cash. So to those who wish to make contributions to the cause of ACAUT, the details of the Bank account are given below. Thank you.

STATE BANK OF INDIA ACCOUNT NAME : Acaut Nagaland ACCOUNT NO : 348 548 40151 IFS CODE : SBIN0010762.

I request all bloggers to pledge starting from me. I pledge to donate to ACAUT every single month till the day they fight for making Nagaland a Corruption and illegal Taxation Free State!

Sashiren Aier: It is amazing and touching how much they have and are sacrificing for us, even to the extent of putting their lives at risk. No amount of money contributed can measure up to what they do for us. God bless ACAUT and let's all start supporting ACAUT morally, physically and financially.

Forced Recruitment of Naga children as soldiers is Terrorism Luiz Xexel: It is learnt through reliable source that Brig. Kurichu and Y. Asang, the commander and Chairman of the Tisary Region, NSCN K has forcefully kidnapped and recruited 13 youths from Phokhungri Village (Pochury) under Phek District. It is learnt that 2 youths who were government school teachers were later released after imposition of fines. Sources said that more youths would be recruited from the area insisting that it is a direct order from the Chairman SS Khaplang.

The youths of the area have fled to towns fearing these barbaric acts of the Tisary Region, NSCN K. The parents, village leaders and area leaders are now afraid to raise their voices as they were threatened of dire consequences when they appealed to the faction to unconditionally release the youths.

Peter Rutsa: Pochury people have confirmed that NSCN K is forcefully separating young boys from their family to be recruited as Child soldiers.

Hope the media, the government, and the NGOs take note of this shameful human rights violation. Forced recruitment= Terrorism.

Vero Khrukroku: Why are the public leaders feel so scared of these terrorists? Coward leaders must step down and hide under the bed. Voice out loudly against such human rights violation. The present government is one of the most coward authorities that Nagaland has ever produced when it comes to dealing with underground factions. No voice can be heard from any minister on the issue of NSCN K criminal activities.

What a shame diverting public funds to these undergrounds in order to please them?

Irang Hau: This is toooo much! Outright violation of human rights! The civil society leaders and NGOs like Naga Hohos and Tribal Hohos should voice out their concerns and objections regarding this issue.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Naga Blog.

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

Saturday 11 July 2015

The Morung Express

Modi-Sharif discuss terror, skirt Kashmir

U fa / N ew D e l h i , JUly 10 (iaNS): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on Friday agreed to eliminate terror and expedite the trial of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, but steered clear of the Kashmir issue during their bilateral talks that took place after a year.

The much-awaited hour-long talks on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Ufa gave a tangible push to normalcy in ties between the two countries.

The foreign secretaries of both countries, India's S. Jaishankar and Pakistan's Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary, said that the Modi-Sharif meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.

The joint statement said: "The two leaders exchanged views on issues of bilateral and regional interest". Both the foreign secretaries refused to take questions after taking turns to read out the joint statement.

"They agreed that India and Pakistan have a collective responsibility to ensure peace and promote development. To do so, they are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues. Both leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms and agreed to cooperate with each other to eliminate this menace from South Asia."

The joint statement said that Nawaz Sharif reiterated his invitation to Modi to visit Pakistan for the SAARC Summit in 2016 which

India to help build infra in Central Asia: Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi listens during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Ufa, Russia on Friday, July 10. (AP Photo)

the Indian prime minister accepted.

They two leaders also agreed to hold a meeting in New Delhi between the two National Security Advisors (NSAs) to discuss all issues connected to terrorism and have "early meetings of DG Border Security Force of India and DG Pakistan Rangers followed by that of the Director Generals of Military Operations".

Decision for release of fishermen in each other's custody, along with their boats, within a period of 15 days as well as a mechanism for facilitating religious tourism was also taken.

India and Pakistan "agreed to discuss ways and means to expedite the Mumbai case trial, including additional information like providing voice sam-

ples".

As many as 166 people, including foreigners, were killed in the November 2628 Mumbai terror carnage unleashed by 10 Pakistani gunmen. The Modi-Sharif meeting is believed to have steered away from the contentious Kashmir issue.

Modi and Sharif met in November last year during the SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, but they did not hold any bilateral meeting.

The two had held a bilateral meeting on May 26 last year during the swearing-in of Modi.

For Modi, who has accepted Sharif's invite to attend the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in 2016, it will be his first visit to Pakistan after becoming prime minister, and will provide another opportunity for

Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif listens during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Ufa on July 10. (AP Photo)

both leaders to hold talks.

Modi and Sharif, who arrived here on Thursday, met informally at a dinner hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday night. Both leaders had exchanged pleasantries.

Responding to questions on his meeting with Modi, Sharif said the "foreign secretaries have made a draft".

Asked if he was happy about the meeting, he said: "Yes". In New Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party leader M.J. Akbar described the talks as a success and said: "The meeting was a breakthrough, the reason for this is very clear as for the first time Pakistan has accepted our definition of terrorism."

"For the first time Pakistan has accepted to combat terrorism in 'all

its forms'," he said, while pointing out that Pakistan had, for long, tried to play a nuanced game on this subject by trying to differentiate between good terrorism and bad terrorism.

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the joint statement by India and Pakistan is a "step forward" in normalising bilateral relations.

He said the proposed meetings between Border Security Force (BSF) of India with Pakistani counterparts will help to stabilise the situation at the IndiaPakistan border. "The engagement at different levels will hopefully open new possibilities," the home minister said in a series of tweets. The home minister also welcomed decision to expedite Mumbai terror attack trials. The opposi-

tion Congress criticised the Modi-Sharif meeting and questioned what were the "circumstances" that the meeting had to be called.

"Pakistan killed an Indian soldier during ceasefire... and Prime Minister Modi is meeting Nawaz Sharif.... This is the government that made tall claims that they will teach a lesson to Pakistan," Congress leader Meem Afzaal told reporters in New Delhi.

"Today the PM is meeting Nawaz Sharif without any reason... We would like to know what were the circumstances that Modi had to invite Sharif for the meeting," he said. The US had welcomed the meeting between Modi and Sharif, saying the tension between the two South Asian neighbours is not in anyone's interest.

Ufa, JUly 10 (iaNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India will help develop infrastructure in the Central Asian region. "Our ties with Central Asia are very old," Modi said while addressing the 15th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit here.

"India will be pleased to contribute to the development of infrastructure in the region," he said. The prime minister noted that India has been "actively participating in SCO activities that are open to observers".

"Our membership of SCO is a natural extension of these relationships and mirrors the region’s place in India’s future,” he said. SCO leaders are set to pass a resolution on starting the procedures to grant India and Pakistan full membership of the organisation.

Founded in 2001, the SCO has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members. Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan are observers while Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka are dialogue partners. Modi said India would “support efforts to create an environment that eases barriers and facilitates trade and investments in the region”.

Observing that the SCO region is characterised by a rich diversity of cultures, Modi said: “ Our association with SCO will seek to advance our shared vision to reconnect and integrate Eurasia’s different regions.” He also called for promoting deeper understanding and exchanges, saying that these, “especially among our youth, will promote greater unity in the region and beyond”. “The future of prosperity rests on the foundation of peace. India will contribute to advancing peace and friendship in the region,” the prime minister said.

He said India would join SCO in the fight against terrorism. “We will work with SCO to combat terrorism and extremism.” Assuring India's full cooperation to the SCO, Modi said: “For the past few centuries, we have all looked away from the centre of this great landmass, towards the sea and other regions. The time has come reach out to each other across the region.”

He said India looked forward to lending its support to “building infrastructure, easing barriers of trade, expanding connectivity”. The prime minister said India would deepen its engagement with SCO member-states in human resource development, information and communication technology, pharmaceuticals and health, banking and capital markets, micro- small and medium enterprises (MSME), micro-finance and food security.

PM chooses silence as opposition attacks New Delhi, JUly 10 (reUterS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a skilled orator and prolific on social media, so his studied silence about allegations of corruption and influence trafficking affecting his party has set other tongues wagging.

At rowdy election rallies last year, Modi used Hindi to deride his reserved predecessor Manmohan Singh as Maun-mohan, or

Silent-mohan, when the then leader slipped from the public eye as his government was engulfed by scandal.

Now headline writers have started to splash "Maun-Modi". The prime minister is never far from the public eye, churning out dozens of tweets and Facebook posts between public events, even when abroad, such as on his trip to a summit of developing world

leaders in Russia this week.

But he has yet to utter a word on controversies surrounding his BJP in the past three weeks - namely help Rajasthan's chief minister and the foreign minister gave to cricket tycoon Lalit Modi, and a spate of deaths linked to an exam cheating scandal.

The opposition is calling for resignations and is likely to use the issues later this month to disrupt a session of parliament Modi

hopes to use to pass major tax and land reforms. Swapan Dasgupta, a political analyst with links to the BJP, said the reticence should not surprise seasoned Modi-watchers, since the premier has a record of avoiding inconvenient issues.

"He likes to do battles in an arena of his own choosing," Dasgupta said. "There is a risk to this strategy, but in the past it has worked."

Modi famously walked

out of a television interview in 2007 after five minutes of questions about his role during religious riots in 2002 that killed more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, while he was chief minister of Gujarat.

He then avoided the subject for years and managed to replace a reputation as a hardline Hindu nationalist with a positive image as an economic reformer.

‘Police reforms not possible if politicians interfere' New Delhi, JUly 10 (iaNS): Reforms in the country's various police departments cannot be effective until political interference in their work is stopped, security experts said here on Friday. According to the experts, despite several efforts being made to modernise police force, political leaders continue to interfere even in police officers' recruitment process.

"The technology and all other advancement cannot be functional if the political class keeps interfering in the works of police.

It is very sorrowful," said former Mumbai police commissioner J.F. Riberio while participating in the round table conference on Smart Policing - India's Growth Imperative organised by business chamber FICCI here.

He said most of the police offi-

cers joining the force were intelligent but lacked the interest to serve people and solve their problems.

"People joining police force nowadays are definitely intelligent but they lack the interest to serve people and deliver justice. There is a need to change their mindset," he said. He said that a lot of people, despite becoming victim of various types of crimes, do not approach police just because many a times, police do not act strongly in spite of knowing everything.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, every year Rs.500600 crore is distributed among the states for modernistation, which police officers say, is very less and doesn't even fulfills the fundamentals required for the upgradation.

Prakash Singh, chairman of Police Foundation and Institute, on

this occasion said India was trying to build up a global image without paying heed to the internal rifts in the internal security. "Today, the situation is such that Indian police forces are in a bad condition. India is trying to build up a global image but ignoring the internal rifts and problems, which cannot be successful," he said.

Prakash Singh, the ex-police chief of Uttar Pradesh and Assam, said there was a need of systematic reforms in the Indian police departments and those should be implemented without anybody's hindrance.

"There was also a need for the government to amend the constitution and make the required changes to improve the police forces of the country," he added.

Jaideep Govind, the additional

secretary, Left Wing Extremism at Ministry of Home Affairs, said there were a lot of works being carried on including the upgradation of the police stations across the country.

"The government is trying hard to modernise the police control rooms and the police stations. We are also sensitising the police personnel in the police stations in remote areas so that people do not hesitate in approaching police. It is not that government is ignoring the problems," he said.

Govind said government was also going through the inputs from the state police departments on best practices in community policing, deployment of technology, modernisation of control rooms and transparency in police recruitment process.

Time to deal with population explosion in India Rajat Arora

T

IANS

o gauge the mammoth rise of the Indian population, the most ideal places to visit are Metro stations, airports, malls, railway stations and bus stands. As we prepare to observe the World Population Day, a road-map to expand healthcare access across the nation has become a critical priority for the policymakers.

As per the Indian census carried out in 2011, the population figure was 1,210,193,422 - well above the one-billion mark. India, the second most populous country in the world, is projected to surpass China by 2025.

The poignant fact is that the figures are rising by the day despite the population-control policies, family planning and welfare

July 11 is World Population Day programmes undertaken by the government.

The mortality rate is on a decline thanks to the advancement in the field of medicine, but there has been no significant success in terms of bringing down the birth rate.

Much of population increase is among the poorest socio-economic strata.

Relatively, socio-economically advanced Indian states displayed a fertility rate of less than 2.1 in 2009, which is less than the level needed to maintain a stable population following the infant mortality standards in developed nations.

Though the one-child policy in China was criticised as against human dignity and rights, it has

helped China to control its population by a possible 400 million people.

There is a distinct possibility of irreversible and unsustainable population growth and big question marks remain over how India will provide nearly 1.7 billion people with their basic minimum needs.

As of 2013 statistics, the number of private hospitals and private doctors had shown a multiple-fold increase at 7,500+ and 300,000, respectively. Similarly, the private sector has enabled an increased availability of medicines by setting up pharmacies/chemist shops. There are more than 105,000 chemists who are providing medicines in 120 cities in the country.

Nevertheless, a disproportionate increase in the population has raised fears of an alarming shortfall in terms of the doctor-patient ratio and the corresponding accessibility to quality healthcare.

Increasing the welfare and status of women and girls; imparting education; enhancing awareness for the use of contraceptives and family planning methods; sex education; encouraging male sterilisation and spacing births can be some of the ways to curtail the escalating population.

It would be ideal for a country like India to be more progressive in outlook and shed inhibitions when it comes to free distribution of contraceptives

and condoms among the poor.

As the government seeks to expand its expenditure on healthcare, it must select a strategy that provides significant healthcare access benefit to the Indian population.

Sustainable policy solutions to healthcare financing, infrastructure and human resource challenges are critically needed.

Overall, while there are pockets of improvements, significant healthcare access challenges continue to exist for the Indian population. The longer India delays acknowledging the severity of these problems and dealing with them head on, the graver the consequences are likely to be.

Dr Rajat Arora is MD, MRCP (UK), DM, Interventional Cardiologist and Medical Director at Yashoda Hospitals in Delhi.

An Indian vendor takes shelter under a tree as it rains in New Delhi, India, Friday, July 10, 2015. India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September, bring rains that are vital to agriculture. (AP Photo

Funding crunch affects India's fight against TB, says report New Delhi, JUly 10 (reUterS): ndia's programme to fight tuberculosis is in disarray due to a shortage of funds and the government has failed to meet annual targets to control spread of the nation's most fatal infectious illness, a leaked assessment report said.

India records more than 300,000 tuberculosisrelated deaths and 2.2 million new cases of TB each year, resulting in an economic loss of $23 billion, the government says.

The report was drafted by several experts includ-

ing those from the government's TB division and the World Health Organization. The draft is not in the public domain but was leaked on the Internet by health activists late on Wednesday.

Reuters could not verify its authenticity.

"There is a growing gap between the allocation of funds and the minimum investment required to reach the goals," according to the report that was seen

by Reuters.

"As a direct result, while bold policies are in place, many planned ac-

tivities have not been implemented."

Under the plan, India failed to achieve the projected increases in detection of those suffering from the disease. In the year ending March, 1.42 million TB patients were given treatment, compared to the target of 1.65 million patients.

The report warned if the funding trend continues, spending on the plan would drop to about 30 billion rupees ($472 million) by 2017, only two-thirds of the minimum amount required.

Missing Coast Guard aircraft found, black box recovered CheNNai, JUly 10 (iaNS): A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft, missing for over a month now, has been found on the sea bed off the Tamil Nadu coast and its flight data recorder recovered, an official said on Friday. There is no information about its three crew members though family members were still hopeful.

"The Dornier aircraft has been found in the sea at a depth of 900 metres off Chidambaram. There is no information about the crew members," Coast Guard Commander East Region, Inspector General Satya Prakash Sharma told IANS. The Dornier aircraft with pilot, Deputy Commandant Vidyasagar, co-pilot,

Deputy Commandant Subash Suresh and navigator/observer M.K. Soni went missing on the night of June 8 while returning to the base after a regular surveillance sortie along the Tamil Nadu coast and Palk Bay. The announcement sparked some hope among the family of the missing crew members. Padma Suresh, mother of co-pilot Subhash Suresh, told IANS that they had heard that the black box or data recorder of the missing flight had been recovered but there was no information about the crew.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed... we are praying," she said in a shaky voice.

InternatIonal

the Morung express

Saturday 11 July 2015

BLAME GAME: Iran Nuclear talks turn sour

VIENNA, JULY 10 (AP): The Iran nuclear talks turned Friday from talk of progress to a blame game, with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accusing the United States of shifting its demands. He dismissed a warning that the U.S. is ready to quit the negotiations as counterproductive.

The sense of drift grew, along with expectations that the talks could continue through the weekend.

Diplomats told The Associated Press that the sides would extend to Monday, a temporary deal that allows the present talks to continue — in effect setting a fourth new target date for an accord that initially was supposed to be sealed by June 30.

The diplomats demanded anonymity because talks are still ongoing.

Hours after his comments, Zarif met again with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for another attempt at resolving differences standing in the way of a landmark deal that offers Iran sanctions relief in exchange for long-term and verifiable curbs on nuclear programs which Tehran could turn to making weapons.

The tougher rhetoric mirrored the frustrations by the sides as the current round of talks entered its 14th day. After blowing past two extensions, negotiators

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif gestures to journalists from a balcony outside of the current round of Iran nuclear talks, being held in Vienna on July 10, . US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Iran to make the “tough political decisions” needed to reach an agreement but Iran’s Zarif accused major powers on Friday of backtracking on previous pledges and throwing up new “red lines” at nuclear talks. (AP Photo)

had hoped to wrap up the talks by Friday, but Zarif’s comments cast doubts that agreement was near.

The sides had hoped to seal a deal before the end of Thursday in Washington in attempts to avoid delays in implementing their promises.

By missing that target, the U.S. and Iran now have to wait for a 60-day congressional review period during which President Barack Obama cannot waive sanctions on Iran. Had they reached a deal by then, the review would have been only 30 days. Iran is unlikely

to begin a substantial rollback of its nuclear program until it gets sanctions relief in return.

“If you drive the talks into a dead end then it will be you who will be committing a strategic mistake,” Iran’s parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani said at Friday prayers following the rally in Tehran, addressing the U.S. “And its outcome will not benefit you since Iran’s nuclear staff are ready to accelerate nuclear technology at a higher speed than before.”

The talks are formally between Iran and six world

powers but have devolved into U.S.-Iranian negotiations over recent months, with diplomats saying the other nations were ready to accept terms agreed to by Tehran and Washington.

Zarif’s critical comments were thus seen as mostly directed against Washington.

Still, disagreements also have surfaced recently between the U.S. and Russia. Moscow supports Iranian demands for at least a partial lifting of the conventional arms embargo as part of any deal. That’s something Washington op-

poses — and an issue Zarif appeared to touch on in his comments to Iranian state television.

Beyond “witnessing a change of stances” from the other side, Zarif noted a “different stand” on some issues among the six nations. “This situation has made the work difficult,” he said.

Kerry had warned on Thursday that the Americans were ready to leave, declaring “we can’t wait forever for a decision to be made.” Zarif, in contrast, said his side was ready to stay and work for a “dignified and balanced deal.”

Foreign ministers or top deputies of all seven nations are expected to join the talks before any impending deal. But while Germany’s foreign minister remains in Vienna, the Russians and Chinese left days ago, and their French and British counterparts followed Friday, reflecting the lack of substantial advances.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond spoke of “painfully slow” progress, telling reporters ministers planned to re-group Saturday “to see if we can get over the last hurdles.”

Even jokes meant to dispel tensions reflected the raw nerves after two weeks straight at the negotiating table, relieved only by brief breathers on the balcony of the ornate man-

or-turned-hotel venue for the talks.

“We’re pushing,” said Kerry when asked if there would be a deal this weekend. “Off the balcony,” quipped Federica Mogherini, the top EU diplomat convening the talks, prompting a smile and a wave of the finger from Kerry.

The scope of access to U.N. inspectors monitoring Iran’s nuclear program remains one of the sticking points. The Americans want no restrictions, whereas Iranian officials say they are concerned that unrestricted monitoring could be a cover for Western spying.

Diplomats say Iran’s negotiators have signaled willingness to compromise on the issue, but hardliners in Iran remain opposed to broad U.N. inspections. In a message directed to “negotiators on both sides,” Iran’s military spokesman, Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, toldIran’s Fars news agency that “access to the military sites will not be allowed under any circumstance.”

Anti-American sentiment remains strong in the country, though Iranians overwhelmingly welcomed the preliminary accord in April.

On Friday, tens of thousands of Iranians taking part in an annual pro-Palestinian rally marched in Tehran, chanting “Down with America” and “Death to Israel.”

Dimapur

9

Study links Prozac, Paxil use with birth defects Ellen Wulfhorst Reuters

A

sweeping government study of thousands of women has found links between the older antidepressants Prozac and Paxil and birth defects, but has cleared other popular treatments in the class, including Celexa, Lexapro and Pfizer’s Zoloft, which is the subject of a major lawsuit over birth defect claims.

Earlier studies had raised questions about antidepressants in a class of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2005 to issue a safety warning about use of the treatments during pregnancy.

In the current study, published on Wednesday in the British Medical Journal, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wanted to see if the birth defect risk affected the entire class of drugs, or only select treatments.

For the study, the researchers asked nearly 28,000 women if they took Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft any time from one month before conception through the third month of pregnancy and analyzed which women bore children with birth defects.

They found that many popular antidepressants - Celexa, Lexapro or Zoloft - are not associated with birth defects. Only two in the study, Prozac, sold generically as paroxetine, and Paxil, sold generically as fluoxetine, were implicated.

In women who took those two drugs early in pregnancy, birth defects occurred 2 to 3.5 more frequently compared with women who did not take them. Prozac use was associated with a birth defect in which a baby’s skull is misshapen. Paxil use was associated with a defect in which a baby’s intestines protrude outside the body and with anencephaly, in which a baby is missing parts of the brain and skull, the study found.

Both Paxil and Prozac were linked to a heart defect.

The study’s authors noted that the risks appeared to be small. For example, in women who took paroxetine early in pregnancy, the risk for anencephaly rose from 2 cases per 10,000 to 7 per 10 000. The analysis was only able to show links between the drugs and birth defects, but could not prove that the drugs caused the deformities.

The authors called the findings about Zoloft “reassuring” because the drug was used by some 40 percent of the women in the study who said they had used an antidepressant in early pregnancy.

Twenty-three killed in Bangladesh stampede Civil rights group leader presses for more Donald Trump fallout

DhAkA, JULY 10 (IANS): At least 23 people -- all women and children -- were killed in a stampede in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district, about 120 km north of capital Dhaka, as they crowded outside a donor’s house early on Friday morning to receive zakat clothes, distributed during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, police said.

Dozens more were injured in the crush as thousands of people packed a narrow side-street in the central Bangladesh district headquarter town, Xinhua news agency reported.

Since Thursday night, poor people gathered near the house of Md Shamim, a local businessman dealing in chewing tobacco, to collect zakat,

residents of the area and police said.

“Too many people came and they were afraid they wouldn’t be able to get the clothes so they pushed each other. That’s why the stampede occurred,” said Kamrul Islam, a Mymensingh police officer. But one zakat clothes seeker, Zamila Khatun, alleged that workers of Shamim’s factory, where he pays poor wages, had swooped down on them with batons and triggered the stampede. She also alleged that the businessman stages this show every year in the name of zakat. Eight people, including Shamim, have been reportedly held in this connection.

A three-member probe body has been formed and asked to sub-

mit its findings within three days.

The incident took place at around 5 a.m. A doctor at the hospital where the dead and injured were taken said all the victims were women and children. Farhad Hossain, at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, confirmed that 23 bodies were in the hospital and said the cause of death was suffocation and stampede. Television images of the incident showed women crying out in pain and fear as the crowd packed into a fenced area outside the family’s house, with those at the back apparently trying to push their way to the front.

Authorities concerned have expressed “regret” over the loss of life and blamed the organisers.

Chinese journalist for German newspaper freed BEIJING, JULY 10 (AP): A Chinese journalist who helped cover the Hong Kong democracy protests for a German publication was freed without charge Thursday following nine months in detention.

Zhang Miao and three artists who were detained along with her last October also were released, their supporters said.

However, on Friday morning, Zhang’s lawyer, Zhou Shifeng, was taken by force by three unidentified men from a hotel after

he picked up Zhang from the detention center in a Beijing suburb, a business partner said. It raised concerns that Beijing is targeting rights lawyers who have lent strong legal support to activists, artists and journalists.

Zhou’s whereabouts were not immediately clear, although his supporters believe he was taken away

by Chinese authorities.

Zhou, who spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday, said he had argued to prosecutors that the evi-

dence against Zhang was obtained through coercion and torture, and should be considered illegal.

“We had expected her release because we believed the evidence was invalid and could not be used,” Zhou said.

Zhang, a news assistant for German weekly Die Zeit, was initially detained on a disturbance charge.

Zhou said she was subject to sleep deprivation and intimidation during the detention.

Zhang’s detention

highlights the precarious situation for Chinese nationals working for foreign media, as they often become targets of police harassment and intimidation. Angela Koeckritz, the Beijing correspondent for Die Zeit, left China after she also felt pressure from authorities following Zhang’s detention.

Die Zeit’s deputy editor-in-chief, Moritz Mueller-Wirth, said Koeckritz was informed on Thursday morning of Zhang’s planned release.

UNIVERSAL CITY, JULY 10 (AP): The head of a Latino civil rights group called on more organizations to follow NBC’s example and cut business ties with Donald Trump. Alex Nogales, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said Thursday that the PGA of America’s decision this week to move a golf tournament from a Trump-owned course was a step in the right direction.

The PGA and other major golf organizations should agree to keep tournaments off Trump properties in response to his comments about Mexican immigrants, Nogales said. Trump’s representative didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The PGA said it relocated its Grand Slam of Golf in agreement with Trump.

Nogales’ comments followed a Q&A with NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt, part of a conference on Latinos in entertainment sponsored by the advocacy group.

NBC ended its partnership with Trump on the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants after the celebrity

Atop military heap, spotlight feels bright, power seems dim Robert Burns AP National Security Writer

T

he man often called America’s top military officer, the most powerful person in uniform, actually commands nothing. No tanks, no planes, no ships, no troops. His voice carries great weight, but he gives no combat orders.

He is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — adviser to presidents, advocate for troops, strategic thinker, and occasionally a political punching bag. He stands atop the military heap, and the role has grown in influence and public prominence, yet it remains arguably one of the least understood.

In the view of some who have held the job, this disconnect has made the chairman more vulnerable to political swipes from all sides.

With the Joint Chiefs of Staff officially established after World War II, 18 men have held the job since 1949.

Nine were Army generals, four were Navy admirals, four were from the Air Force and one was a Marine.

Pending an expected Senate vote to confirm him this month, Gen. Joseph Dunford will be the next chairman. The commandant

of the Marine Corps sailed through his confirmation hearing Thursday and is expected to take over Oct. 1 for Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, who will retire after a 41-year Army career.

The chairman is the public face of the military, but he is not in the formal chain of command linking the president to his commanders in the field. Dempsey, who is completing four years in the job, has said it reminds him of entering the Army as a lowly second lieutenant.

“I felt like I had enormous responsibility but I didn’t have very much authority; that’s kind of what it’s like being chairman,” he said in January 2014. Today, as he looks back, Dempsey says he grew into the role, not fully realizing at the outset just how brightly the public spotlight would shine. “In those early days that was very uncomfortable space for me. I navigated it because it is part of the job,” he said.

By law, the chairman presides over the Joint Chiefs of Staff — the top officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, and since 2012, the National Guard. Collectively they form a sounding board for commanders of key combat organizations such as U.S. Central Command, and for the president

and the secretary of defense. The position of Joint Chiefs vice chairman was added in 1986.

The chairman advises the president and the defense secretary on military threats, risks and options, but he bears no obligation to toe the political line of the White House.

Yet this proximity to power is what sometimes makes the chairman a ready target of partisan political attacks. Republican Sen. John McCain, for example, has accused Dempsey of being the Obama administration’s lapdog. Dempsey brushes off such criticism, calling it wrong-headed but not surprising.

“It has happened to every chairman since I’ve become aware that there was a thing called the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” he said in the interview. He attributes the jabs partly to a misunderstanding of the role of the chairman.

Dempsey says the chairman is supposed to be an adviser, not an advocate for any particular strategy or policy that the president may be considering. He sees his role as explaining to his civilian bosses — and to members of Congress — which military options are feasible and assessing their risks and costs.

But it’s up to civilian leaders to set

policy goals and to decide whether to undertake any military option in pursuit of those goals.

At times his advice is rejected, and Dempsey sees that as reflecting a basic feature of American democracy: civilian control of the military. In 2013, for example, he acknowledged under questioning

by McCain that he had supported a proposal by then-CIA Director David Petraeus to arm rebels against the Syrian government. President Barack Obama rejected it, although last year he initiated a $500 million plan to train and equip Syrian rebels to fight Islamic State militants.

Peter Pace, the retired general who was the first Marine to hold the job, said he never shaped his advice to President George W. Bush based on politics. But politics shaped his term as chairman. Pace is seen by some as a political casualty of the war Bush started in Iraq in 2003 while Pace was the vice chairman.

Bush’s defense secretary, Robert Gates, announced in June 2007 that he advised Bush not to re-nominate Pace to a second two-year term as chairman because it would create a “divisive ordeal” in the Senate over the decision to invade Iraq and the mistakes that followed.

In this Tuesday, June 30, 2015 photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves as he arrives at a house party in Bedford, N.H. Alex Nogales, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said Thursday, July 9, 2015, that more organizations need to follow the example of NBC and cut business ties with Trump.

(AP File Photo)

billionaire, in announcing his presidential campaign, said some Mexican immigrants to the U.S. bring drugs and crime, and some are rapists.

No gales thanke d Greenblatt, then moved on to a discussion of Hispanicoriented shows planned by NBC. Among them: a drama in development about the settlement of California. The Miss USA pageant that was to air on NBC will be carried Sunday instead by the Reelz cable and satellite channel, which has said Trump won’t profit

from the telecast.

More fallout from the GOP candidate’s June remarks include the Macy’s department store chain decision’s to stop carrying an exclusive line of Trump menswear ; Univision dropping its Spanish-language telecasts of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, and the end to a project that OraTV, a company backed by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, said it was developing with Trump.

Trump has fought back with a $500 million

lawsuit against Univision that claims breach of contract and defamation and says Univision turned on him because it supports Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton for president.

Regarding Macy’s, Trump said he’d decided to end his relationship with the chain because of pressure put upon them by outside sources. “Both Macy’s and NBC totally caved at the first sight of potential difficulty with special interest groups who are nothing more than professional agitators,” he said.

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAN D

NAGALAND STATE TRANSPORT DRIVERS' TRAINING INSTITUTE VIRAZOUMA, (7TH MILE) DIMAPUR: NAGALAND

NO: NST/DTI/TRG-5/2015-16/2288

Dated:- 10/7/15

First of its kind 'Drivers' Training Institute" in North-East India A joint venture of "Nagaland State Transport and Tata Motors" High Lights: - 1. Trainees are First made to proceed on Electronics Simulator.

2. Separate Driving track provided for Male/Female Trainees.

3. Dual Steering for Trainees.

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Conditions & Eligibility Criteria 2. The age of candidate must be 18(eighteen) years and above on the date of admission.

3. Seats are limited and Admission will be on First Come First Basis.

4. Hostel Facility is available for Male Trainees.

5. Application Form will be available at Drivers’ Training Institute Virazouma (7th Mile) Dimapur from the date of Publication of this Advertisement.

6. Last date of receipt of application Forms: - 31st July 2015.

7. Training Classes will commence w.e.f. 03/08/2015.

8. For enquiries and application Forms contact the Institute Office on all working days or Call:- 09436417130.

Sd/(BENDANGTOSHI) Dy. General Manager, Nagaland State Transport Drivers' Training Institute Virazouma (7th Mile) Dimapur, Nagaland

10

The Morung Express public discoursE Process of democratization in Myanmar An Appeal to NBCC Dimapur

Saturday

11 July 2015

and its relation to Naga politics – Part III N

M

yanmar transition in its own localized form has moved on in its fifth year now since President Thein Sein was appointed to power in 2011. In this first phase of reform, the Thein Sein Government gained more confidence and legitimacy from the international community though internal crises and conflicts which are promised for early solution remain unchanged. The year 2014 marked Myanmar popularity in the region with the successful hosting of ASEAN Summit in Naypyidaw and by securing the chance to chair the session. Myanmar also could obtain a safe passage on the issue of South China Sea, which was considered crucial in the region. Though the international community gave much applause to the Thein Sein administration, it failed to pass a democracy test conducted by the students in the form of demonstration concerning the education reform bill in early 2015that led to subsequent arrests of several student leaders.

Although Myanmar is floating with conflicts and imbroglios, the international community seems optimistic and assumes that it needs gradual change to do away with the age-old regime in the country. Yet some are concerned that the military generals who now run the government in civil uniform will eventually emerge as smart dictators with the support and recognition gained from the international community. On the one hand, it is also strange to see certain radical changes within the system that portray a sharp rift and power struggle among the top leaders of USDP – Union Solidarity and Development Party, the ruling party in the country and squabbling among themselves.

Experts observe that President Thein Sein and Shwe Man, House Speaker are in serious and open competition for the next presidential position – the former backed by the military power and the latter from the Parliament. The constitutional reform attempt proposed by Shwe Man, the House Speaker in June 2015miserably failed to come up to the level people expected. Strong opposition, from military representatives who occupy 25% of the Union Parliament that turns down the proposed bill, clearly proves that the unelected representatives have more power than the so-called elected ones in the parliament and that the path toward genuine democracy still lies shrouded under chaos and uncertainty. The much longing desire of the world to see Aung San Suu Kyi becoming the president in the next term is shattered as the closed promises between Thein Sein and Suu Kyi before the by-election in 2012 became void of reality. However, the Myanmar people are in election mood and in serious preparation though the future is vague. Some experts are of the opinion that the military backed government would

not let the power go off even if they lose the election like done in 1990.

Though Union Election Commission announces November 8 for the election date, people having experienced their mischievous practices still remain doubtful about their secret plan because the voters' list is filled with errors and the Commission is not serious enough to address the issue. It is also weird that USDP is pin-drop silent though the list is full of errors across the country. Many in the country assume that USDP itself is involved in this ploy to manipulate free and fair election.

While election mood is in its full swing, armed conflicts between the ethnic armed groups and the government troops get from bad to worse. Unending clashes in Kachin state and in Northern Shan state between the government troops and ethnic armed groups viz. KIA/ KIO – Kachin Independence Army/ Kachin Independence Organization, TNLA – Ta'ang National Liberation Army and Kokang armed group are totally opposite of the government's promise tosign Nationwide Ceasefire Accord. New clashes between the government troops and a Karen ethnic armed group DKBA – Democratic Karen Buddhist Army along the Asian Highway in Karen state are another serious matter to be looked into whether the government is genuine toward peace in the country. Though the government blows its trumpet, the ground reality is more of rhetoric than what is said. Pangsang Conference held at Wa region in early May and Lawkhila Conference in June 2015 in Karen state of the ethnic armed groups have come out with a unified voice that ethnic armed groups are for federalism which is, however, a hot potato for the military-backed government. There are two serious issues that the ethnic armed groups and the government have to hammer out – federal army and boundary redemarcation. These issues are going to be the deciding point in the political dialog after the so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement though the path to ceasefire is getting blur more and more with the renewed clashes across the country. Given the fact that the conflict-ridden Myanmar will not be able to move toward genuine peace as long as the military rogues ignore the ethnic peoples' concerns in the country. Also, it may not be appropriate on the part of international community to give much support and legitimacy to the Thein Sein Administration instead of upholding the ethnic armed groups.

Continued support for the militarybacked government will further worsen the situation and genuine democracy will remain a long way to be achieved. On the one hand, the ethnic armed groups also need to look at their own position where they stand in their struggle to achieve their rights. For more than 60 years

by now the ethnic peoples could not achieve their political, economic, social and cultural rights because they have not been serious to correctly position themselves in dealing with the Burmese who think that ethnic peoples are subservient to them or a subject. In order to achieve the status the ethnic peoples look for, the ethnic peoples need to restructure the whole system starting from use of terms and terminologies.

Nagas in the Myanmar side still remain less untouched with changing scenarios taking place in the mainland. However, Myanmar occupied Nagaland has three mainstream-based political parties: USDP, NLD – National League for Democracy and NUP – National Unity Party (almost defunct) that are preparing for the upcoming election. On the contrary to the other ethnic armed groups, Naga armed groups seem having a good relation with the government of Myanmar under ceasefire agreement signed in 2012. Yet the effect of ceasefire abrogation between the government of India and NSCN/GPRN is not just confined in North East, India but also causing concerns on the Nagas in Myanmar. The border situation gets worse after the combined forces of NSCN-K and North East armed groups' umbrella front known as United National Liberation Front of West South East Asia launched attack on Indian Army on 4 June causing 22 deaths with the highest casualty for the second largest army in the world in the recent years. In retaliation, Indian Army pronounces fake claims that they have conducted trans-boundary strike which has caused more than 50 casualties and further claimed a joint operation with Myanmar has been conducted.

But the Myanmar President's Office denied the claim. Though India did not carry out the actual strike on the Naga troops in reality, India wanted to give out a message to Pakistan and China that it would not leave anyone who challenges its territorial integrity and go beyond its boundary to defend it. But the innuendo was well absorbed by Pakistan replying a hard warning message that Pakistan's nuclear warheads are not for celebratory purpose but to defend her territory and sovereignty at any cost. If India were successful with her fake propaganda, she would have succeeded making the Nagas the culprit of nuclear tension in South Asia and defaming Nagas in the midst of the international community. However, the propaganda got reverse and mainland Indian media that spread fake information rather lost credibility from the readers across the globe. In solving the Indo-Naga political conflict, India should come to a realization that it is a political conflict that needs political solution, not military solution.

The more India tries to solve the problem through military means,

it will worsen the situation and create more enmity between the two peoples who need a good neighborhood. While the past hostilities still remain fresh, India should not inflict pains anymore on the Nagas.

Undermining the Naga People and their cause on the part of India will not serve better if India is looking for a genuine peaceful environment in North East, India. Though Nagas are a tiny nation, Naga People has the right to self-determination to decide their own future, which is also a legitimate right approved by the international community. So with mutual respect and trust only, the two nations will find a lasting peace in the region. Israel corner at the trijunction of India, China and Burma has stood against the mighty military powers for more than 60 years in its struggle to gain freedom from its occupiers and so it will not hesitate to stand another 60 years until its right to self-determination is delivered.

The longer India keeps this conflict ignored, undesired conflicts will emerge more and more not only in Naga inhabited areas but also across the whole North East to which India will only be held accountable. Nagas are deeply concerned with the countless casualty of Indian Army at the hands of Naga Army because India is indoctrinating her own innocent soldiers with a wrong propaganda and letting die for an unjust war with the Nagas. Spending a huge amount of budget for military purpose on Indo-Naga conflict itself has raised a huge concern for India though India being the largest democratic state in the world turns dear ear and blind eye to it. NISC, Amsterdam based human rights organization based on their informal survey, stated that India has spent more than USD 23 billion. But India thus far doesn’t declare officially its expenditure on Indo-Naga conflict, which shows that India lacks accountability and transparency to her own citizens. India, instead of blaming Nagas or China or Pakistan with regard to Indo-Naga conflict, should find a peaceful means for amicable solution in the region. It is not only China or Pakistan but also every country in the world has the right to support peoples who have been oppressed with unfair military means.

Instead of playing blame game, India needs to reaffirm her political will in solving Indo-Naga political conflict and the solution should be brought about based on and reflect the "Uniqueness of History and Situation of the Naga People" which was officially recognized by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister of India on11 July 2002 at Amsterdam. Only then, the Indo-Naga political conflict will find its own way to amicable peace and pave the way to peace and stability in North East, India and lead a path to peace in India.

Athong Makury Observer to Myanmar-Naga politics

“Vulnerable Populations in Emergencies”

World Population Day 11th July 2015

I

nstituted in 1989 as an outgrowth of the Day of Five Billion, marked on July 11, 1987, World Population D ay has gained much popularity with support from organizations and masses around the world today. It focuses on challenges presented by world of 7 billion people. Reproductive Health services, is one of the main targets set

by UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) by 2015. The theme of this year's World Population Day is “Vulnerable Populations in Emergencies”. During conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies, sexual and reproductive health needs are easily overlooked – yet these needs are often staggering. In crisis situations, one in five women of childbearing age is likely to be pregnant. Without access to reproductive health services, these women face an increased risk of life-threatening complications. Many women lose access to family planning, exposing them to unwanted pregnancies in perilous conditions.

Women and young people also become more vulnerable to sexual violence, exploitation and sexually transmitted infections including HIV infection. And the hygiene needs of women and girls are often neglected. There are 1.8 billion young people ages of 10-24 in the world today, representing a staggering amount of human potential.

Too many of these young people see their potential hindered by extreme poverty, discrimination or lack of information. As these youngsters are entering to their reproductive years and it’s very necessary to call their attention towards the primary part of the reproductive health. Sexuality related issues are very necessary to get solved among youths especially between 15 to 19 years of age.

With proper investment in their education and opportunities, these young people’s ideas, ideals and innovations could transform the future.

There are 7 billion people in the world today and there will probably be 8 billion by 2030. With a population of more than 7.3 billion as of July 9, 2015, it is very important for people on earth to realize and act on healthier lives and importance of small families. Currently in India there are about 51 births in a minute. India, with 1,289,391,256 (1.28 billion) people is the second most populous country in the world, while China is on the top with over 1,371,453,688 (1.37 billion) people. The figures show that India represents almost 17.31% of world’s population, which means one out of six

people on this planet live in India. With the population growth rate at 1.58%, India is predicted to have more than 1.53 billion people by the end of 2030. More than 50% of India’s current population is below the age of 25 and over 65% below the age of 35. Nagaland has a demographical area of 16579 sq km with a density of 199 per sq km. According to 2011 census the Population in Nagaland is 1,980,602 against 1,990,036 in 2001 census. The population growth since the last ten years was -0.47 percent and the population of the state forms 0.16 percent of the entire population in India. Nagaland ranks 25th in India total population as per 2011 census.

Today as we observe this great event with rest of the world, it is important to realize and be acquainted with various population issues such as; importance of family planning towards the increasing population, gender equality, maternal and child health, poverty, human rights, sexuality education, use of contraceptives method, reproductive health, adolescent pregnancy, girl child education, child marriage, sexually transmitted infections, other sexual reproductive related health issues and the impact of large population has on the environment and development. Upholding the main goal of World Population Day, each and every human is responsible to determine the number and timing of children. Access to safe, voluntary family planning is a human right. Family planning is central to gender equality and women’s empowerment, and it is a key factor in reducing poverty. When couples can choose the numbers, timing and spacing of their children, they are able to adequately feed and educate their children, potentially ending poverty. Hence to ensure the quality of service for all contraceptive methods, as well as the availability of a full range of modern contraceptives, which must always be chosen freely by fully-informed men and women, without any forms of incentives or coercion. Yet million of women and girls who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe and effective family planning methods, for reasons ranging from lack access to information or services to lack of support from their partners or communities. Education is one key to stabilizing the world population. Collective responsibilities will enable the globe to respond to the rights and needs of women and girls, helping them maintain their dignity, securing their safety, and restoring their access to sexual and reproductive health care ensuring opportunities that open the future

to all young people do we create a better future.

Family Planning Association of India (FPA India) strongly advocates on issues of rights-based family planning, enabling women and men to decide freely the number and spacing of their children without any form of coercion or discrimination. The Association founded in 1949 in Mumbai is a national level non-governmental organization working with communities for improving their sexual and reproductive lives. FPA India pioneered family planning movement in India. FPA India runs 41 comprehensive SRH static clinics - Reproductive Health and Family Planning Centers (RHFPCs), 124 mobile facilities, and has a network of 3656 community-based distributors. It also works with private practitioners and other agencies to promote access to SRH information and services related to family planning, safe abortions, HIV and AIDS and sexuality to poor, marginalized, and vulnerable populations including young people. FPA India in most states work closely with stakeholders such as government functionaries and public health officials with effective partnership. FPA India, Nagaland Branch was initiated in 1977 and registered in 1978 started working on primarily on maternal health, Child Immunization and family planning. However, in due course of time with the health care needs demand, Nagaland Branch today focuses on strategic Goal 5A’s namely; Access, Advocacy, Adolescents, Abortion & HIV/ AIDS concentrating on the poor, marginalized, socially excluded and underserved population in the state of Nagaland.

On account of World Population Day 2015 and in observance of population fortnight, FPA India, Nagaland Branch shall be conducting special family planning camp at its Reproductive Health & Family Planning Clinic (RHFPC), Daklane in collaboration with technical support by Dr Kevi Linyü of GIIV Hospital, Peraciezie colony, Kohima. During this special family planning camp, Focus on permanent sterilization like Laparoscopic Tubal Ligation and Vasectomy besides a host of other contraceptive choices shall be provided free during the 11th – 24th July 2015. Family Planning saves lives, improves health, contributes to healthier children, and prevents abortion. Let us all deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every child birth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

Ms. Ville Rhetso, Counselor RHFPC, FPA India, Nagaland Branch – Kohima

BCC's "Clean Election" campaign is greatly appreciated and such initiation needs to be taken seriously by the Mass. However, I see a flaw and it has to do with the timing of the campaign. It is not effective to start the campaign only on the eve of elections.

It doesn't make much difference.

Why not start the campaign years before the election? A simple direction given to the pastors of the Churches to

preach on the wrongs of multiple votings, selling of votes, booth capturing, the village council's autocratic decision on which candidate the village should vote for, etc... such a simple direction will go a long way in having a clean election. NBCC Youth department can visit schools and colleges and educate students on clean election years before the elections.

I hope my suggestions will be considered.

Kevitho Kera

Awareness on Coal mining and its effects on Environment

T

he Geology and Mining Department, being one of the highest revenue earning for the state of Nagaland, it is high time that our policy makers give a serious thought over the entire activities of coal mining in the state from all aspects. A land locked as well as a mountainous state in the case of Nagaland which always depend upon the friendly Government at New Delhi for financial assistance with hardly any internal revenue resources must pay topmost concern to the areas where generation of revenue is available, one such area in Nagaland is coal mining and oil exploration. If these two sectors is properly taken care of by the state government, it is obvious that the state financial burden will be lighten to a great extent. However, it is learnt that due to lack of proper management and streamlining of coal mining and revenue collection, serious anomalies resulting in siphoning of huge amount of revenue money is taking place.

According to sources, the Government rate for License Holders in coal mining is Rs. 290/- per tonne (Royalty Challan). The concern royalty challan issuing authority issue the same to the license holders on cash payment (which is not proper) where each challan is entitled for nine to ten matric tonne only which means a six tyre truck is only employed /engaged for lifting and transporting the coal to any other part of the country. Whereas in reality coal buyers or traders employed ten, twenty and above tyres of LPT truck which can carry not less then thirty mt. But the Assam police and CRPF never allow such vehicles to enter inside Nagaland for loading of coal since such a big truck is not needed for nine and ten mt challan. The hard reality is that the Nagaland coal are stocked in the neighbouring Assam to enable such heavy LPT trucks to load the coal consignment to its full capacity. Further, the concern officials stationed at the exit gates are charging Rs.435/- per mt from the non-licensee miners which shows that the illegal miners are legalised instead of checking and penalising them. This development is *it directly encouraging the illegal miners. And this issues need to be seriously checked into it and see if these revenues are really getting deposited in the state treasury.

According to the quantum of coal extracted from all coal mining areas the revenues collected and deposited by the geology and mining department should not be less than 40 crores in a year, as reported.

Another important point to be noted is that the officials of Assam forest department on behalf of the Assam State Govt. issue Road Permit to all the coal laden Trucks with specific quantity of either nine or ten MT per truck without which no coal laden truck could ply in Assam roads, but the staring question is that they are not entitled to issue the quantity since the coal belongs to the State of Nagaland, it is solely the prerogative of the State Govt. particularly the officials of Geo & Mining department to issue through the means of Royalty Challan.

The end result is that the coal traders had to pay them heavily.

One of the biggest loopholes where the state govt. is heavily loosing its coal royalty is the random mining by the illegal miners who stock their coal directly in Assam due to porous borders all along Assam. The fact is that all our coal bearing districts are bordering with Assam and there is no mechanism to check this. According to our sources some of the coal bearing and mining areas (districts) did not have coal designated stock points (which is mandatory). Hence the coal that is stocked in Assam do not require state's royalty challan. It is also learnt that this practice is continuing for years having tacit under-standing with some of the department officials who in return are getting huge commission from the coal traders. Once our coal is stocked outside, it is easily dispose off without using our royalty challan, the possession of VAT & CST and road permit from Assam is enough document to transport their consignments.

Here are some points which may help the legal coal miners and the state govern-ment so that especially the state government can keep themselves updated on revenue be-

ing earned by the mentioned department.

1. Streamlining is required in licensing. License should be issue on selective basis and not randomly.

2. In regard to unlicensed miners it should be restricted or controlled.

Because in a situation where mining is allowed unrestricted to the illegal miners, the question of issuing mining license is meaningless.

Moreover the licensing policy in Nagaland is somehow not peoplefriendly having lot of obstacles on the way, because some-how in deposition of coal, when illegal mining is allowed for mining, there is absolutely no relevant at all in respect of licensee. Where siphoning of earning revenue is done because unrestricted mining.

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The only way to check the porous border trafficking of coal from Nagaland will be early completion of Foothill road which will completely stop stock-pilling of coal from Nagaland to Assam.

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Insist on coal designated stock point in every coal bearing districts. In this regard the officials of the Geo & Mining should be taken to tasks for strict implementation.

5. Since state government is earning lots of revenue, this fund can be utilised in in-stalling weight bridge to prevent under load and overload of trucks in every effected districts.

6. Immediately stop issuing challan to illegal miners at an exorbitant rate.

7. Practice the issuing of royalty challan through revenue challan so that revenue money is directly deposited in the state's exchequer.

8. In order to ensure the sincerity and competitiveness amongst the officers, let there be change of guards in the department by way of reshuffling of district in charges.

9. It is also suggested that some concern and conscious NGO's particularly ACAUT take up surprise checking and survey to dig out more truth about coal mining.

10. Also suggest that state government wakes up from its slumber and conduct some seminars where prominent local coal traders and miners are also invited for inter-actions 11. People should be certainly concerned about the environmental issues because in any kind of mining we are also partially deforesting, soil erosion and specially Nagaland not having firm soil condition a correct step should be taken up for protection. And also in mining area where felling trees and digging of earth is taking place, this earth should be dumped in a area where rehabilitation of any kind of plantation can be done. The second area where water pollution is talked about, all the environmental related issues should be checked properly and controlled be-cause any mining spoils the air, water and environment.

According to some sources, the citizen of Khar Village under Mokokchung district is going to check the coal mining within their village jurisdiction because this operation has completely polluted the water, so in order to check all these issues a proper stream-lining system should be taken because any mining operation cannot be totally banned. So in order to do this, the area should be examined thoroughly, and also the coal contractor, streamlined the transportation in mining, extraction of coal need to controlled and proper collection of revenue should also need to be done because in any kind mining system ability is taken care of, in regard to environmental damage and rehabilitation of mining area is taken into account.

At the moment this kind of provision has been discussed at the geology and mining directorate but it is more of rhetoric than the real. There is no proper streamlining of regulatory measures. So regulative measurers need to be thought about, and then proper licensing policy and a controlled Act in matters relating to mining should be regulated. At the moment it is very disappointing to see the absolute misuse or rather illegal mining taking place at a very rampant manner and there is no collection of revenue of such. The department should discuss all these issues for the benefit of the people.

Lima Jamir, Vice President North East Welfare Organisation

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.

Entertainment

The Morung Express

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here's not long to go now until Fantastic Four blast back on to the big screen - and it really has taken many a year to get this group of superheroes back.

Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, and Michael B Jordan have taken over the roles of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm and they come together for this great group poster: Director Josh Trank is back in the director's chair and is rebooting the Fantastic Four franchise and putting his own stamp on these terrific characters. Teller, Mara, Bell and Jordan are no strangers to the big screen with a wide range of film roles between them but this is set to be the biggest role and film of their careers to date. Toby Kebbell is the other big name on the cast list as he is set to take on the role of Victor Domashev.

Fantastic Four sees Jordan reunite with director Trank - the rest are working with him for the first time - as they teamed up for Chronicle back in 2012. Chronicle marked the feature film directorial debut for Trank and Fantastic Four is his first film since making that debut. Trank has also teamed up with Simon Kinberg and Jeremy Slater to pen the screenplay. Fantastic Four, a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel's original and longest-running superhero team, centres on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy. Fantastic Four is released 6th August.

New Poster Elvis Presley Songwriter Roy C. Bennett Dies

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evered Songwriter Roy C. Bennett, Who Penned Hits For Elvis Presley And Frank Sinatra, Has Died, Aged 97.

With his partner Sid Tepper, Bennett published over 300 songs, including over 40 for Elvis.

They also wrote tunes that were recorded by The Beatles, Carl Perkins, Perry Como and Eartha Kitt.

Their hits included Red Roses for a Blue Lady, Dean Martin staple Naughty Lady of Shady Lane and most of Presley's Blue Ha-

'reclaimed' career

Little Boots

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ittle Boots is happy to have ''reclaimed'' control of her career. The 31-year-old singer - whose real name is Victoria Hesketh - parted ways with her record company after the release of her second album 'Nocturnes' and though she admits it is ''hard'' to go it alone, she is relishing the chance to make her own creative decisions. She said: ''It was hard, but after go-

ing to through the whole business of being in the pop world and not entirely in control of what was out there, it was really important to reclaim that. ''I wanted to build myself as an artist and do it my way.''

And the 'Remedy' hitmaker admits being her own boss requires a lot more work than she expected. She told LOOK magazine: ''It's great, because I'm totally in charge, but it's a lot

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ond with 27% of votes. The Kick hottie Jacqueline Fernandez got 23% of votes as she grabbed the third spot whereas Heropanti lassie Kriti Sanon ended last with 21% of votes, closely following Jacqueline. Now that fans have chosen Shraddha to be a perfect onscreen match for Ranveer, we think it wont be too long before a filmmaker casts the two together in one helluva movie.

ill Ward Has Risked Fuelling His War Of Words With Ozzy Osbourne After Confessing He Volunteered To Tell The Frontman The Band Had Fired Him In 1979. The two old rockers have been at loggerheads ever since drummer Ward pulled out of a Black Sabbath reunion in 2012 over contractual issues.

Ozzy subsequently insisted his old pal wasn't fit enough for a planned tour, which has prompted Ward to demand an apology.

And now it seems the feud may date back to 1979, when Ozzy was dismissed from Black Sabbath. Ward tells the Quietus, "It was one of the worst things I've ever done in my life, to be honest with you. I didn't want him to leave the band, but I could understand the reasons why. That was a tragic day. That was the day the band imploded."

toria has seen their boys grow up so fast, now she and David make a point of enjoying downtime with each other and the kids. ''They've been making it a priority to hang out as often as possible, whether that's doing a workout with Brooklyn and then pick-

Dimapur

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FOR FAME - 5 KIDSFirst elimination round on July 18

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he first elimination round for the Kids For Fame-5 will be held on July 18 at Town Hall Dimapur Super Market at 4:30pm. All the selected contestants have been informed to reach the venue at 4:00pm for preliminary sound check and rehearsal with the mentor. The contestants will be asked to perform with the accompaniment Music Track of their own choice.

Selected contestants will showcase their talents live on stage and based on their performance the judges will choose the best contestants to go through the next elimination Rounds to win the title of Kids For Fame Season 5 with the cash Prize, Amount of Rs 3 Lakhs with one year Free Music Course at School Of Music & Art Purana Bazar Dimapur.

All finalist will also be provided free music course and a chopper ride to witness an aerial view of Nagaland. The show will be hosted by Mhonjan and Asenuo as the show mentor. Special Make- up Artist for the contestants in all the shows will be managed by Zareni Kikon from Perfection Hair & Beauty Unisex Studio Dimapur free of cost.

After all the elimination rounds, The Grand Finale will be held in the month of October, 2015. After the first elimination round, the judges will select the best contestants to go for Public Voting to choose their favourite contestant to push through the next round along with the judges’ points and the best performer in every contest will be offered a free music course.

The show will be free entry.

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as these hotties got entangled in a fierce battle. But it was ABCD 2 sensation Shraddha Kapoor who had the last laugh, narrowly beating her contemporary Alia Bhatt by just a meager margin of 2% of votes. According to fans, Shraddha Kapoor will look best opposite Ranveer as she received 29% of votes closely followed

by Shandaar beauty Alia Bhatt, who finished sec-

11 July 2015

Best friends David and Victoria Beckham

waii soundtrack. Bennett's partnership with Tepper in the 1970s after the latter suffered a heart attack and retired to Florida, but Benavid and Victonett went on to publish the ria Beckham are popular Choral Singer's ''best friends''. The Handbook. Tepper died in couple - who have chilApril (15), aged 96. dren Brooklyn, 16, Romeo, 12, Cruz, 10, and Harper, three, together - recently celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary and the key to their lasting relationship is how well they still get along. A source said: ''They're best friends They've become so close over the years that neither one can imagine living their life without the other, and I think it's changed them both for the better.''

Another source added: ''I think they've both realised they can only trust, rely and count on each other.

And that's their biggest secret really - they can still make each other laugh after years of being together.''

Despite Victoria's busy more work that I'd imagined. fashion career, she and her ''I kept telling myself, 'Fake it retired soccer star husband til you make it' - and it worked! believe it is vital to spend ''I joke that I'm a CEO nowa- quality time with all of their days because it's kind of true.'' children.

As well as focusing on her own The source said: ''Viccareer, Little Boots is also looking for new artists to sign to her label. She said: ''I've been trying to find some new artists to sign to my label, and there's an American one called Tinashe who I really love.''

Shraddha Kapoor NOT Alia Bhatt should Bill Ward: 'I be paired opposite Ranveer Singh, say fans! Volunteered To Tell Ozzy He Had Been Fired'

n the occasion of Mr Spontaneous Ranveer Singh’s 30th birthday, we asked you fans to choose the perfect onscreen partner for the crazy star for his future films. We pitted four irresistibly gorgeous women of Bollywood - Alia Bhatt, Shraddha Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez and Kriti Sanon to be paired opposite Ranveer. And then the votes started pouring

Saturday

ing Harper up for a juice in Notting Hill. ''There are no phones at dinner and they try to do a big Sunday lunch at the table with the TV off at weekends.'' And the couple make a point of never arguing in front of the kids.

A source told LOOK magazine: ''David and Victoria

d to Davi y e k e Th toria and Vic lasting m's Beckha nship is relatio hey are t the fact iends. best fr

both need to be strong as a couple to raise the kids so they're happy and healthy. ''They're also very mindful that if they bicker, the children will too. ''So they encourage everyone to be thoughtful, kind, and look after each other - just like they do.''

Clinical Djokovic crushes Gasquet to reach final

lONDON, July 10 (rEuTErS): Clinical top seed Novak Djokovic crushed Frenchman Richard Gasquet's hopes of a first grand slam final with a 7-6(2) 6-4 6-4 victory in their Wimbledon semi-final on Friday.

Gasquet offered fans on a sun-baked Centre Court plenty of "oooh" moments with the stylish single-handed backhand that helped him beat French Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka in the last eight, but Djokovic was unmoved.

Despite needing treatment on his shoulder during the second set, defending champion Djokovic's place in a fourth Wimbledon final never really appeared in jeopardy.

It looked ominous for 21st seed Gasquet when he lost his opening service game but he hit back

immediately with a rasping backhand winner and earned himself a tiebreak.

Some untimely groundstroke errors from Gasquet rather gifted Djokovic the breaker 7-2.

Djokovic dominated the second set but offered the Frenchman a glimmer of hope at 5-4 when he went 0-30 down, only to slam the door shut with some pinpoint serving.

With an inevitability about the outcome hundreds of fans left their seats at the end of the second set to revive themselves for the blockbuster Andy Murray v Roger Federer semi-final later on Centre Court.

Djokovic did not keep them waiting too long, closing out a 12th win in 13 matches against the gallant Gasquet with a single break of serve in the third set.

Sania enters maiden Wimbledon final

WimblEDON, July 10 (iaNS): Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza entered her maiden final at the prestigious Wimbledon with Swiss partner Martina Hingis by earning a straight sets victory in the women's doubles semifinals at the All England Club here on Friday. The top seeds needed only 56 minutes to overcome American fifth seeds Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears 6-1, 6-2 in their semifinal match on No.1 Court to enter the summit clash. This is Sania's first final here across all formats in seniors though she had won the girls' doubles title here 12 years ago with Russian Alisa Kleybanova. Martina, on the other hand, has Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot to Richard Gasquet two doubles (1996, 1998) of France, during the men's singles semifinal match at the and one singles title (1997) All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, to her credit that she won at London on July 10. (Adrian Dennis, Pool Photo via AP) the lone grass court Major.

UFC 189 Interim Featherweight Title Fight Chad Mendes vs Conor McGregor MGM Grand, Las Vegas Sunday, July 12 Sony Six/Six HD/ Kix Coverage start 7 AM

Faith In Action to participate in Taekwondo c’ship in Jorhat

ISL auction: Chhetri, Lyngdoh become one-crore picks India beat Zimbabwe in 1st ODI

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mumbai , July 10 (pTi): India football captain Sunil Chhetri and exciting central midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh led the bidding war at the first-ever player auction of the Indian Super League, with both being bought in excess of Rs one crore by Mumbai City FC and Pune City FC respectively, here today.

Star striker Chhetri, who missed the first season of ISL as he was not released by his ILeague club Bengaluru FC along with other club mates, was bought for Rs 1.2 crore by Mumbai City FC, Rs 40 lakh over and above his base price of Rs 80 lakh, in a surprisingly low-key bidding involving only two out of the eight teams - Mumbai City FC and Delhi

Dynamos. This was immediately preceded by an intense bidding war among six teams for I-League's top performer Lyngdoh, whose base price of Rs 27.50 lakh appeared to be far less than what he would fetch at the auction and it became true as he was bought for Rs 1.05 crore by Pune City FC, at more than three times his base price.

Goa FC, Kerala Blasters, North East United, defending champions Atletico de Kolkata, Mumbai City FC and Pune City fought for the right to bag the top midfielder before Pune clinched it with their winning bid. Three other players went under the auctioner's hammer in the first part of the process involving a total of 10 domestic players.

TRANSFER TALK Palace sign Cabaye for club record fee

Crystal Palace have signed France midfielder Yohan Cabaye from Paris St Germain for a club-record fee of 10 million pounds ($15.44 million) on a three-year deal, the Premier League club said on Friday. The 29-yearold has signed for a fee that could rise to around 13 million with add-ons, easily surpassing the club's previous transfer record of seven million pounds paid to Wigan Athletic for Scottish midfielder James McArthur.

(REUTERS)

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Dimapur, July 10 (mExN): The Faith in Action Taekwondo Academy has selected 75 players from their academy to represent the State in the 2nd Northeast Open Taekwondo Championship in Jorhat, Assam on July 11 and 12.

According to a press release received here, the championship is organised by

Taekwondo Association of Assam in association with Faith in Action Foundation.

The Players from Nagaland will compete in Kyurogi, Poomsae, Pair Poomsae and Group Poomsae in Pee-Vee, Sub Junior, Junior and Senior divisions in both Boy and Girl categories during the two day mega Taekwondo Championship.

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MDBA tourney underway

Man Utd 'offer Schweinsteiger two-year deal'

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HararE, July 10 (iaNS): Riding on Ambati Rayudu's unbeaten 124, India eked out a four-run victory despite Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura's inspiring unbeaten knock of 104 runs in their first of the threematch One-Day International (ODI) series at the Harare Sports Club here on Friday. Rayudu registered his second century and shared a 160-run partnership with Stuart Binny (77) to take India to 255 for six in 50 overs against Zimbabwe, who were driven by Chigumbura's second ton. Chigumbura almost took his side to a momentous upset, only to falter in the final over as Zimbabwe scored 251 for seven in 50 overs. For Zimbabwe, Chibhabha was the best bowler as he picked up two wickets for 25 runs in 10 overs. Tiripano also bagged two wickets for 48 runs and Vetori got one wicket. For India, medium pacer Stuart Binny and left-arm spinner Axar Patel picked up two wickets each, while Harbhajan Singh, Dhawal Kulkarni and Bhuvneshwar bagged a wicket apiece. The second match will be held on Sunday.

Manchester United's attempt to lure 30-year-old Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich, after 17 years with the Bavarian giants, looks to be getting serious. He is reported to have been offered a two-year contract to join and a salary of around 10 million euros ($11.1m) per year -- what the Bayern vice captain currently earns in Munich.

(AFP)

mON, July 10 (Dipr): The Mon District Badminton Association Tournament cum Selection got underway on July 9 at the Indoor Stadium, Mon. BDO Angjangyang Block, Grace, was the Chief Guest at the inaugural programme. After exhorting the participants and wishing them good luck, the Chief Guest declared the tournament open. This was followed by an exhibition match between the Officers Club of Mon (OCM) and Mon District Badminton Association (MDBA). Earlier, invocation was proposed by Pastor Tongpang, New site fellowship Church followed by welcome address by Poangba Konyak, Presi- Players in action during the second day of the King’s Summer Challenge Volleyball Tournadent MDBA. The program was chaired by Monya, Wom- ment at the State Stadium, Dimapur, on Friday, July 10. The tournament will conclude on en Coordinator.

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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.

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