C M Y K
DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 190• 12 PAGes • 5
www.morungexpress.com
ThursDAY • JulY 13 • 2017
T H e
ESTD. 2005
All great truths begin as blasphemies
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
P o W e R
o F
T R u T H
— George Bernard Shaw
Bridge collapse: the Day After Orgs demand Minister’s immediate resignation and ‘thorough probe’
Hey, Ref, stop the match. We’re not the government, we can’t play soccer in a waist deep slush, OK?
Political Crisis Deepens: 3 Ministers, 3 Advisors, 1 Chairman and 20 PS resign DimApur, July 12 (mExN): The current political turmoil in Nagaland further deepened as three Ministers, three Advisors, one Chairman and twenty Parliamentary Secretaries tendered their resignations with immediate effect to the Chief Minister of Nagaland. The resignation letters dated July 9, 2017 were copied to the Nagaland Governor and sent to media houses late Wednesday night. The legislators who tendered their resignations are: G Kaito Aye, Y Patton, C Kipili Sangtam, Benjongliba Aier, Kejong Chang, Imtikumzuk, Longrineken, S Hukavi Zhimomi, S Chuba Longkumer, LK Khumo Khiam, E Eshak Konyak, YM Yollow Konyak, Pukhayi Sumi, BS Nganlang, Picto Shohe, Levi Rengma, Toyang Changkong Chang, EE Pangteang, Tovihoto, Vikho-o Yhoshü, Amenba Yaden, Shetoyi, SI Jamir, C Apok Jamir, Deo Nukhu, Nuklutoshi, Naiba Konyak. Incidentally, the Chief Minister had sacked most of the legislators from their responsibilities on July 9.
A concerned citizen, Rev. Yankey Patton offering a prayer at the bridge on Wednesday. (Morung Photo)
PWD (R&B) claims river mining caused bridge collapse Morung Express News Dimapur | July 12
also suggested that mining should be banned at a distance of at least 1 km each both upstream and downstream. Limadongdang said that the Department along with the district administration, Naga United Village Council and Dhansiri River Flood Control Board inspected the site in February 2015 and observed that necessary precautionary measures needed to be taken up since the bridge was not safe for commuters. He added that the Department’s Engineer also issued press release in April 2015 that unless some strengthening works of the bridge were taken up, the Department’s Dimapur Division would not be held responsible for any situation. After that the State government pursued for construction of a new bridge and accordingly the sanction came under CRF from the Ministry of Road Transport. The ACE informed that work order for the same was issued in 2016 and the contractor on his own initiative made a temporary sub-way by laying “hume pipes” and started camping labourers and procuring materials for new bridge. However, even the temporary subway was washed away owing to early monsoon and sudden burst of rain thereby stalling the works. He said since there was no other road for the public, the authorities in consul-
A day after the bridge over Chathe River near CIHSR, Dimapur collapsed on Tuesday, officials of the PWD (R&B) who visited the site on Wednesday have confirmed that sand gravel and stone mining caused the bridge to cave in. Speaking to this reporter over the phone, Additional Chief Engineer (ACE), PWD (R&B), Limadongdang Jamir who visited the site with other technical officers informed that they noticed sand gravel mining which gradually exposed and eroded the mid tier foundation of the RCC Steel Girder Bridge. “The sand mining was done both upstream and downstream and the activity has affected the foundation,” he said. The ACE pointed out that the Department’s Dimapur Division Engineer submitted a report to the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur in February 2015 1 dead & 4 injured as that the bridge was not safe for comvehicle plunges off road muting since it has been weakened owing to mining activities in the river and DimApur, July 12 that mining should be restricted. It was (mExN): One person was killed and four others injured after the vehicle they were traveling in skidded off the road and plunged 100-metre from NH 29 near Piphema early Wednesday morning. The ill-fated Morung Express News advice of the Council of Ministers passenger vehicle- a Tata headed by the Chief Minister,” he had Winger carrying seven ocDimapur | July 12 stated. cupants including the drivThe same evening, the State er was heading towards Di- The Nagaland Legislative Assembly mapur from Imphal when Speaker today asked the Chief Min- Cabinet also resolved that “there is the accident occurred. The ister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu to take no justification for summoning an traffic police identified the a call on the Governor PB Acharya’s emergency session of the Assembly deceased as one Zubrata direction to prove his majority in the to discuss or to resolve the internal afDev (57 years). The injured Assembly by July 15. fairs of the NPF party.” passengers were identified However, in the letter, the Speak“Kindly take a call in the matter in as Sumit Dev, the son of the consultation the Governor without er said that the Governor’s summon deceased; Keiphelnanvi involving the Office of the Speaker,” was according to the “constitutional Haokip, a CRPF Havildar stated a letter from the NLA Speaker provisions” and was issued as there from Imphal West; Rani , a Dr. Imtiwapang to the Chief Minister. have been a claim by TR Zeliang that resident of Nepali Basti DiThe letter assumes significance as Dr. Shürhozelie’s Ministry “has been mapur; and Sandeep, the it comes a day after the Chief Minister reduced to minority.” driver of the vehicle. All the turned down the Governor’s directive “In view of the above, we have injured, the police added, for a floor test before July 15. made the proposal and put up to you were admitted to the DisThe Chief Minister’s response rout- on July 11,” the Speaker added. trict Hospital, Dimapur. It further asked the Chief Minister ed through NLA Speaker, cited previous legal precedence, and argued that “The kept out Office of the Speaker in the Kekhrie Yhome Supreme Court has clearly laid down current issue as it was needed to be that the Governor has no authority on “kept above the partisan ends.” files nomination With the support of 44 MLAs, TR his own to summon, prorogue or disZeliang on Sunday has staked claim KohimA, July 12 solve the Legislative Assembly.” “He can only do so on the aid and to form the government. (mExN): Academician and Social Activist Kekhrie Yhome, who had earlier announced his intention to contest against Nagaland Chief Minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, today filed his nomination paper for 10th Northern Noose on corruption being tightened, claims CMO Angami-I A/C by-election scheduled on July 29. Ac- DimApur, July 12 (mExN): per media reports.” cording to a DIPR report, It further informed that in the isYhome during his nomi- The Cabinet today directed the sue relating to irregularities in Pubtermination of the consultancy nation at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office Kohima service of MKR Pillai “with imme- lic Distribution System in Nagaland, the Cabinet was briefed by the desaid that his main target diate effect.” “It also directed that a report be partment of Food & Civil Supplies to contest the by-election was to “spread the gospel of sought from the Income Tax Depart- and the Director General of Police, youth in advocating Clean ment with regard to the irregulari- Nagaland. In the fuel adulteration case, Election.” While announc- ties reported in the media,” stated a ing his candidature for press release issued by Media Cell, two criminal cases were registered, investigation completed, chargethe by-election on June 1, Chief Minister’s Office, Nagaland. Claiming that the steps can be sheet filed and trial was in progress, Yhome told media that he was contesting as a “whiff seen as a sincere attempt to clean the release noted. “In the other case of repacking of fresh air is needed to end up the system and tightening the the corrupt politics and noose on corruption, the release of food grains, the Cabinet noted governance in Nagaland.” further said that the Cabinet also that investigation was in progress “It is the united task of one ordered the PHQ to submit a “re- and directed that the investigation and all to assert for our col- port on the presence of a Nagaland should be completed at the earlilective good and future,” he Police truck noticed in Kerala as est,” it added. had added.
tation with district administration and Naga United Village Council, agreed to allow only light vehicles to ply one way at a time over the bridge without midway stoppage and that violators would be doing so at their own risk. Limadongdang said the ‘notice board’ was still intact over the bridge. He informed that the Department will immediately initiate destruction of the old bridge built in 1988 designed for Class B loading single lane. The ACE also informed that villagers of Seithekiema A and C were undertaking some improvement works in their areas for the approach road which serves as an alternative road connecting Niuland and many other villages. The Department, he said, has also deployed an excavator for the improvement works along the route. PWD (R&B), Chief Engineer, K. Rhetso and Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur, Kesonyu Yhome IAS also visited the site separately on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the State Disaster Response Force (H&CD) carried out search and rescue operation at the site. The operation was carried out under the guidance of District Disaster Management Authority to see if there was any deceased or injured under the collapsed bridge on July 11 evening.
DimApur, July 12 (mExN): Several organisations have called for thorough probe as well as the resignation of PWD (R&B) Minister Vikheho Swu over the incident. Western Sumi Hoho (WSH) today demanded “immediate resignation” of the R&B Minister Vikheho Swu on “moral grounds”. It also demanded the police to take action against those responsible for “negligence of duty” and misappropriation of funds meant for construction of the bridge. A decision in this regard was made during a meeting of WSH and its frontal organizations on July 12 in Chekiye. WSH president, Zheshito Swu and general secretary, Vikato K Achumi in a statement asserted that the bridge, which serves as the lifeline of more than 120 villages, collapsed due to the Minister's negligence. “No amount of justification would make up for his misdeed and misappropriation of the amount sanctioned for the bridge to let him hold the office anymore.” Further demanding answer from the R&B Minister on the Rs. 37 crore sanctioned in 2015 for construction of the bridge, it questioned why the work has not started till date. Meanwhile, the Hoho cautioned the engineers and contractors that it will not hesitate to resort to its own course of action if immediate restoration of the Seithekiema-Patkai road is not done and work is not carried out with good workmanship. Where has the fund disappeared? The Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) has also demanded thorough probe into the collapse of the bridge and befitting action taken on all those responsible. In a statement issued by its Media Cell, CNTC also inquired where the Rs. 37.66 crore sanctioned by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways under Project Zone-8 on July 28, 2015 for the construction of a new bridge has disappeared and why the construction work has not started even after two years. “Mere owning of responsibil-
ity in the media is not sufficient enough. The works which were supposed to begin within a period of four months after the amount was sanctioned and completed within twenty-four months was never started,” it alleged, adding an amount of Rs. 49 lakhs was also sanctioned to repair the columns of the collapsed bridge, but no repair works were done. Unless an emergency bridge for the commuters is provided immediately, CNTC cautioned, it will take its own course of action. The public were also advised to be aware of their rights and keep themselves updated on the funds allotted in their respective areas and keep tab on public properties. Further, CNTC asked the elected representatives to be fully responsible for their actions and respective portfolios. Book those responsible: NTC In another statement, Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) rued there was no sign of undertaking the bridge construction even after sanction of funds in 2015. It further alleged that the State PWD (R&B) during the 11 months from May 6, 2016 to March 31, 2017 had drawn 62 payments under demand No. 58 a whopping amount of “Rs. 342 crores 22 lakhs and 8 thousands.” Maintaining that Nagaland is “facing the worst road condition in the history of the State,” the Council stated the Minister in charge is answerable to all the questions. “When the general public in Nagaland has been facing immense hardship and challenges every day due to the absence of basic amenities and infrastructures,” it lamented, “the MLAs are enjoying feasting and merry making at Kaziranga leaving their citizens to face death in the trap set by their Govt. is highly condemnable.” The NTC urged upon the State government to have thorough and urgent probe into the incident and book those who are responsible for the loss of lives. Related News on Page 5
Take a call on Governor’s directive: Landslides destroy over 20 houses in Kohima July 12 slides at many places in the Thejangulie Zao, DDMO, tion office and urged them NLA Speaker reacts to Nagaland CM KohimA, (mExN): The incessant rains vicinity has resulted in these Victor Yhome DPA and to take precautionary mea-
Cabinet orders immediate termination of Pillai’s services
C M Y K
pouring throughout the state in the last few weeks has caused massive landslides besides severely damaging over twenty houses in Peraciezie Colony, Kohima. Sinking of land located near Gref Camp, High School, Peraciezie Colony and occurrence of land-
damages, informed DDMA Kohima in a press release. As per reports from Disaster Management Authority, (DDMA) Kohima, nine houses were fully damaged and the rest being severely damaged. The DDMA, Kohima led by Moa SDO(S) Kohima,
Khrietuo Pienyii from DC’s office interacted with the affected families and gave away monetary reliefs to twenty-one (21) families, it added. During the interaction, the SDO(S) also assured them of every possible assistance from the Administra-
sures and remain calm, the release said. As a standby mechanism, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), led by Sub-Inspector Vingutuo, Platoon commander SDRF, Kohima was called in to inspect the site and provide possible aid, it added.
A Failed State: Citizens, the collateral damage in leadership ‘power struggle’ Morung Express News Kohima | July 11
Just when a semblance of normalcy was returning to Nagaland, barely four months after the February ULB election uproar, the State woke up to yet another political drama enacted by the Nagaland legislators, almost akin to a ‘coup d'état on July 8. In the wake of the political drama continuum, Nagas, especially the young, are left disillusioned and bitter by the actions of their leaders whom they elected. The crisis has created an atmosphere of trust deficit, indifference and complete loss of hope in the leaders among the people. “Honestly, I don’t see any leaders. It has become a shame to even say that they are the person we voted as our democratic representatives,” says Atuno Hiekha, a young citizen in the Capital. With the elected representatives chasing power instead of working for the public’s welfare, Hiekha views that they are not capable of running the State.
For Kezhosano Khikhi, Advocate, and Coordinator, Human Rights Law Network, Nagaland Unit, the current political crisis in Nagaland indicates the inefficiency of the leaders in running the machinery of the State. “It is unfortunate that the political scenario has become more a ball game of personal interest rather than public interest which have witnessed constant break down and fissures,” the young advocate lamented. Checking into the State affairs, addressing the core issues of the perpetual State deficit, working for the welfare of the citizens and communities in providing the basic amenities cohesively by the leaders have become a topic too mundane to be addressed, Khikhi pointed out. Khikhi also predicts that the lack of staunch political ideologies, moral principles, accountability and lack of responsibility for the welfare of the public among the leaders will eventually lead to their own collapse. Academician Lhütü Key-
ho opines that the elected representatives have not been performing their duties with roads, schools, jobs, and other crucial sector left for gradual deterioration. “Our leaders are neither poets nor philosophers. No, they don’t even know what legislations or being a leader is,” exclaims Keyho. While the Naga society is confronted with innumerable threats and challenges, Hiekha believes that the political scenario will foment collateral damage. A Naga public leader who did not wished to be named asserts that the present Nagaland situation cannot be considered a rift simply for the fact that the issue is not about ideological diversity but mere greed for power. “The people’s representative – I cannot call them leaders as they lack leadership principle and character – are literate yet uneducated and lack knowledge of what they should do as people’s representative. They are inefficient power mongers, seeking opportunities to suck the people
dry of their vital essentials,” says the leader. Kikhi warns the danger of such crisis- it has the tendency of influencing the young generation. The continuing unrest among the public due to the unaddressed political issue, social injustice and economic disparity can trigger a revolution or even the outbreak out of a civil war, she apprehends. Meanwhile, a dismayed students’ rights activist, Vilapa feels that such event will influence the youth, who will further continue the cycle of deceptive and unprincipled leadership. “The people chose them to be legislators but as far as leadership is concerned, our leaders have failed the people big time.” The constant political drama has led many to label it a ‘joke’, a ‘comedy show’ and a ‘mockery’ for Nagaland. As legislators keep changing affinities - bridge collapses, road turns into stream, children walk miles to go to school while teachers remain unpaid - the innocent always pay the price.
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NAGALAND
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
DIET Chiechama wins national Sensitization workshop award for Innovative Practices on cluster development KOHIMA, July 12 (MExN): The District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) Chiechama won the ‘All India Competition on Innovative Practices and Experiments in Education for Schools and Teacher Education Institutions’ for its project titled, ‘The School Organic Garden Project.’ DIET Chiechama was earlier shortlisted as one of the 10 finalists from across the country for the competition which received about 100 proposals. It is also the first time such an award has been won by the state team. The 10 shortlisted institutions later gave presentations at the National Seminar held at CIET, NCERT, New Delhi on June 27, 2017. Athe Agnes Krocha, Lecturer DIET Chiechama & Project Coordinator gave the presentation on behalf of the Nagaland Team. The Project headed by Kerüüpfeü Rüpreo, Principal, DIET as Team Leader, Athe Agnes Krocha, Lecturer as Project Coordinator, and Mhaphruovinuo, Lecturer and Leelama Nyusou, Lecturer as team members, was awarded in the category of ‘Teacher Education Institutions at Elementary Levels.’ ‘The school organic
The team leaders of ‘The School Organic Garden Project’ which recently won the ‘All India Competition on Innovative Practices and Experiments in Education for Schools and Teacher Education Institutions.’
garden project’ is an innovation for hands-on approach to learning. With the inspiration drawn from the traditional home gardens of Nagaland, the project emphasizes that
school organic garden can be an experiential learning tool that teachers can use and adopt to support academic achievement, social and behavioral development, and environ-
mental awareness and appreciation. It also implied that it can further be set up in a variety of ways- in used containers outside the classroom or in a plot of land in the school.
Aims and objectives of the project The aims and objectives of the project are to create awareness of organic gardening practices in the community and provide a model of a ‘school organic garden’ for the community; to enable student trainees to enjoy gardening in a safe and sustainable way using organic methods and improve agricultural literacy; to improve the school environment and enable student trainees to have respect for and develop interest in their school/ institute environment; to ensure environmental care by reuse of materials in the garden; to facilitate social and personal development by enhancing communication skills, work, life and entrepreneurial skills, attitudes of cooperation, responsibility, self-esteem and selfconfidence in the student trainees; to support academic achievement of students by providing teachers with a resource for outdoor learning in a relaxed way enabling real life applications of math, science, social studies, language and reinforcement of ideas and concepts in the different subjects taught; and to educate students to make lifelong healthy food choices.
Officials from central and state IIE at the ‘Sensitization workshop on cluster development’ organized by Regional Resource Centre on Cluster Development (IIE) at ‘Bookmarc’ conference hall, Wednesday. (Morung Photo) Morung Express News Dimapur | July 12
A ‘Sensitization workshop on cluster development’ organized by Regional Resource Centre on Cluster Development (IIE) and sponsored by Development Commissioner of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise, was held here at ‘Bookmarc’ conference hall on Wednesday. The workshop focused on discussion on cluster development issues of wood carpentry cluster in Dimapur district, preparation of detail project report (DPR) and setting up of CFC. Officials of IIE and various stakeholders including entrepreneurs also deliberated on collaboration and convergence with state government and other
agencies for implementation of identified clusters in Nagaland. Head, CIE, IIE, Dr. Sriparna Baruah, in her address on the topic ‘Cluster development in NorthEast – the way ahead’, highlighted on significance of cluster development in NE in the context of the ‘Act East’ policy where the country was eying South East Asia market through the NE. Baruah said the objective of the workshop is to validate cluster development in NE and also to identify new clusters in Nagaland. She informed that so far 21 clusters have been implemented in the North-East by IIE Deputy Director, DIMSME Nagaland, Tali Longchar, dwelled on experience of DI-MSME on cluster development in Nagaland and MSE-CDP scheme. Longchar said
cluster development is relatively new to Nagaland state and said though seven sub-interventions have been conducted in the state, but DPR of these have so far not been prepared. He also informed that norms for cluster development in NE including funding pattern have been relaxed and added Nagaland has prospects in cluster development of organic tea and rubber plantation. General Manager, DIC Dimapur, Tokugha, and senior project officer, Hemanta Rabha, also shared his suggestions on cluster development in Nagaland. Managing director, NHHDC, Hokishe Assumi, chaired the programme and state co-coordinator, IIE Dimapur, Sani Pongen, led the initiation and felicitation of the guests and officials.
LRD Secretary visits rubber CCEM holds consultative plantation in Wokha district meeting on Clean Election
Secretary, Land Resources, Y. Kikheto Sema IAS during rubber tapping demonstration in Pongidong village on Wednesday. Morung Express News Dimapur | July 12
A team of Land Resources Department officers led by its Secretary, Y. Kikheto Sema IAS is on a visit to various districts in connection
Duncan Bosti informs residents DIMAPuR, July 12 (MExN): The Duncan Bosti Council (DBC) has informed all the residents and business establishment to carry out a mass social work on July 15 from 6:00 am to 10:00 am. “They are to particularly clean road sides, drainages and respective houses to keep surrounding clean and manage garbage properly,” a press release from the DBC Chairman Roben Tungoe stated. Further all shops and business establishment have been directed to remain closed on the above mentioned time and date or face penalty as per DBC resolution.
District Control Room for by-election KOHIMA, July 12 (DIPR): Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Kohima, Rajesh Soundararajan, IAS, has in a notification and informed that a District Control Room has been set up in the office of the Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Kohima for the byelection to the 10 Northern Angami-1 AC. The notification further informed that the control room has been set up for any grievances, complaints or enquiries. The control room can be contacted at 0370-2291249.
with the culmination programme of Batch II Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY). On Wednesday, the team visited rubber growing villages including Totsu, Meriyan, Khumtsu,
Pongidong, Phiro and Shaki all under Wokha district. The objective of the visit by the officers was to see the ground reality in the field and get first hand information on the success of PMKSY. It was informed that there were about 350 lakh standing rubber trees out of which 98, 000 tress are being harvested in the area. Leaders of the villages expressed gratitude to the LRD department for assisting them. Even as the rubber market fluctuates, the turnover targeted this year is about Rs 5 crores on rubber. Kikheto also expressed satisfaction about the villagers being actively involved in rubber plantation and betel nut farming. The Secretary was accompanied by LRD Director, Hoto Yeptho, Additional Director, Renben Lotha and District Project Officers of Peren, Wokha and Dimapur.
Leaders from 22 villages with CCEM representatives and others during the consultative meeting held at Chozuba Town Baptist Church on July 12.
P H E K , J u ly 1 2 (MExN): A consultative meeting was held at Chozuba Town Baptist Church on July 12, organized by the Chakhesang Clean Election Movement (CCEM). Leaders including the VCC, VDB Secretaries, Head GB, Student, Youth, Women leaders, BLOs, Pastors, Youth Directors, Women Pastors etc from 22 villages, numbering to more than 200
attended the meeting. Kekhwengulo Lea, President Chakhesang Public Organization, Dr. Küzhopoyo Tünyi, Convener CCEM, John Lohe, Co-Convener CCEM, Colo Mero, Member, Clean Election Core Committee NBCC and Rev. Vevozo Khamo, Executive Secretary, Council of Chakhesang Christian Revival Churches were the speakers during the meeting.
Rev. Dr. Vezopa Tetseo, Executive Secretary CBCC led the devotion and the meeting was concluded with a prayer led by Vekusa Lohe, Pastor, Chozuba Town Baptist Church. CCEM Media secretary Kupelhi Losou in a press release stated that the house unanimously decided to support and uphold the 18 points Guideline given by Images of major landslide which occurred in High School the CCEM and NBCC after area of Kohima on July 11. Several houses were destroyed thorough deliberation. and also damaged the link road.
Arrests of govt officials on corruption charges in Nagaland soon, says BJP state organising secy
Section of the gathering attending the meeting held at Aongza Ward as part of the BJP tour programme in Mokokchung.
MOKOKcHuNg, July 12 (MExN): The State Unit of BJP is presently conducting a tour programme in Mokokchung District. The team led by the state organising secretary, Ananda Narayan Mishra and other state unit officials visited the 27th Town Assembly Constituency today where a programme was held at Aongza Ward. Delivering the keynote address, the state organising secretary assured the gathering that “some arrests of government
officials on corruption charges in Nagaland will be made soon and that would just be the beginning of the Party’s initiative to rid Nagaland of corruptions.” He blamed the Congress Party of spreading anti-BJP propaganda in the state and reiterated that BJP was not against any religion or minority group. He also expressed his confidence that the party will come to power in that state by all means. According to a press release received here, he de-
liberated on the 10-point programme of the party and stressed that BJP is intolerant towards indiscipline even within the party set-up and that the party also will not offer any quarters to corrupt practices or personnel. Welcoming the gathering, Mandal President, Tiakumzuk opined that the 27th AC happens to be one of the most neglected constituencies in the state as no traces of the various promises made by the MLAs elected from the constitu-
ency can be found. State Vice-President of the party, Er Sengathung Jami reiterated that BJP is not against any party or religion rather it is one party which has its primary focus on the holistic development of the nation starting from the grassroots. Jami also assured the gathering that the BJP will come to power in the state in the next election. Dr. Temsuwati, who is “intending to contest from the constituency”, also addressed the gathering. He stated that the manifesto of BJP convinced him not only to take up primary membership in the party but also to contest, as he found out that the party was all about uplifting the economically poorer section of the society and ensuring equal development to all while also, empowering the people irrespective of caste or creed. Dr. Temsuwati also expressed his desire to have a clean election and stated that he was strongly with ABAM and NBCC on that stand. President of the BJP Mokokchung Unit, L. Temsu Jamir and State BJP Executive member, Limawati also addressed the gathering.
Three-Day summer camp on the theme ‘Love’ was held for the students and teachers of Hope Academy, Dimapur from July 10 to 12 with worship team and resource persons from the Sinai Ministry. The highlights of the summer camp included praise and worship, craft, games and activities and learning sessions. (Morung Photo)
Three houses were destroyed and several families were affected when a fire broke out on the night of July 11 at South Point West Colony, Zunheboto. According to Vihoi Xukhepu, a victim, the cause of the fire was due to electric short circuit. Properties worth several lakhs were destroyed, however no loss of lives have been reported. Fire brigade from Fire and Emergency Services provided help in dousing off the houses from being destroyed completely. (DIPR Photo)
Thursday 13•07•2017
nagaland/nORTH-EaST 3
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Government functioning normally, Vikheho clarifies on CM offer to Zeliang has full quorum: Minister Yitachu Morung Express News Kohima | July 12
Despite the present dissidence among the Naga People’s Front (NPF) legislators, the Party, as well as the State Government, is intact, the Minister of School Education & SCERT Yitachu claimed today. Both the NPF Party and the State Government are functioning normally, maintained Yitachu, who is also the ‘Spokesperson of NPF Party.’ The Government in a State means Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers and since the maximum number including the CM in Nagaland is 12 and out of this, 8 are being occupied, it forms the full quorum, he added.
“Constitutionally and legally, the Chief Minister of Nagaland still enjoys the confidence of 58 Members i.e. 47 NPF MLAs, 4 BJP MLAs and 7 Independent MLAs, because the 4 BJP MLAs are in the Government, and even the 7 Independent MLAs have not withdrawn their letter of support,” the Spokesperson further maintained. He further said that the present crisis is purely NPF internal Party affair and the issue of leadership in the NPF Party is “different from the leadership in the Government i.e Chief Minister.” “When it comes to leadership in the Party, it has to be decided in the Party Forum, and the issue cannot be taken to the Governor’s office or in the
Assembly” Yitachu pointed out in an apparent dismissal of the call for a floor test in the Assembly. “If T.R Zeliang claims to have the support of the majority NPF Legislature Party, he should take up the issue with the NPF Party first, but asking Governor to resolve the internal affairs of the NPF Party is illegal and unconstitutional,” the Minister further stated. “Trying to resolve internal Party problems in the Assembly is not in accordance with democratic and Parliamentary practices. That is why it is an established law that a NoConfidence Motion cannot be tabled in the Assembly by the Legislators of the ruling party.” While arguing that there
is always a room for innerparty democracy, Yitachu alleged that the movement of MLAs at the present dissident camp in Kaziranga “are being restricted, and they are kept under forced confinement.” “This is undemocratic, as it undermines freedom of movement and freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution.” As the Independent MLAs, or for that matter, the MLAs of BJP or other political parties have no role to play in the issue of deciding the leadership of the NPF Legislature Party, it is expected that such established democratic practices and parliamentary procedures should be within the knowledge of MLAs, he added.
Dimapur, July 12 (mExN): The Minister of PWD (R&B), Y Vikheho Swu today said that TR Zeliang was offered the seat of Chief Minister on July 8 without any “pre-condition whatsoever.” “It was a clear and sincere conversation offering him back the post of Chief Minister,” Vikheho said in a clarification refuting Zeliang’s allegation on July 10 that he was offered the seat with certain conditions. “The major condition is that some of the MLAs have to be left behind, and a reunion with Dr. Shürhozelie effected,” Zeliang had claimed. Narrating the chain of events in a clarification to keep the “records clear and clean,”, the Minister said that when the news of a gathering of some legislators at Zeliang's residence was
conveyed on July 7 evening, “few of us who were aware of this and were taking preemptive measures to work out an understanding between the Chief Minister and the former Chief Minister rushed to Kohima to take stock of the situation.” Reaching Kohima midnight, they met Dr. Shürhozelie Liezitsu the next day. The sole intention of meeting the Chief Minister on July 8, Vikheho claimed, was to “resolve the differences that had came up.” For the party and Naga people, Dr. Shürhozelie wholeheartedly expressed his concern and told us that “he will agree to anything to restore back normalcy in the Government and in the party,” he further maintained. “The Chief Minister gave us the power to as-
sess the situation, act on it and act with authority,” he added. Thereafter, based on the “authority given to the members,” they took the decision and requested the Chief Minister to give back the post to Zeliang, which Dr. Shürhozelie agreed, Vikheho said. “After the collective decision was made, I was asked by the members to speak to TR Zeliang and I spoke to him over my cell phone in the presence of all the members,” he further maintained. During the call, the Minister conveyed to Zeliang that “Dr. Shürhozelie will resign from the post of Chief Minister and give back the post of Chief Minister; he will not contest in the by-election, in his place Khriehu Liezietsu will file the nomination and con-
test the 10 Northern Angami I, by-election.” Zeliang responded that he cannot take the decision alone and will get back after discussing with the members at a meeting at 2:00 pm to discuss the same, Vikheho said. Around 6:30 PM on July 8, Zeliang called back and said that “a majority of 33 NPF Legislators have signed to stake claim to form a Government through the Governor and declined the offer,” the Minister further said. “This clarification is being made to preserve and uphold the sanctity and integrity of the NPF Party in general and we as responsible elected members (legislators) in particular,” he maintained adding that, “No further argument is anticipated with regards to this offer.”
Azo expresses regret for present political crisis Recommend PR: NPCC urges Nagaland governor Our Correspondent Phek | July 12
The newly appointed Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) chairman Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu today expressed regret for the present political crisis which is taking place once again in the state, disturbing the minds of the people and bringing development to standstill. Addressing the monthly meeting of Phek District Planning & Development Board here today, Azo, who is also chairman of DPDB Phek, said this 12th NLA is one of the most disturbing assemblies ever in history of NLA. “It has brought shame, disgrace and belittled the legislators.” Referring to Nagaland’s governor PB Acharya directing the Chief Minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu on July 11 to obtain Vote of Confi-
dence on the floor of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on or before July 15, he said no confidence motion as per the constitution and rules should be moved by opposition leader and if opposition leader is not there the 10 opposition MLAs through writ petition can move the assembly/speaker for no confidence motion. Also addressing the DPDB meeting, Minister for PHED Chotisuh Sazo stated that the Governor yesterday had asked Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of the House saying he received three letters from TR Zeliang that he commands support of 34 NPF and other 7 independents. “But this is the political party internal affairs so within the party they cannot move for no confidence motion also and this can be sorted out within the party it-
self,” he said. Sazo claimed that all government activities are functioning normally, and will function as it is and told the officers not to be worried but function as usual with more sincerity and regularity in discharging their duties. Earlier, Azo called for judicious use of LADF fund for overall development. “This fund should go to all the villages/towns and it should be community based scheme,” he said, adding it should benefit every village and distributed equally amongst all the villages and towns. This money should not be used only for pocketing or as party fund, it should be judiciously used for developmental activities for benefit of the masses, he said. “We should change our mindset and aim at community based development.”
Kohima, July 12 (mExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has urged the Governor of Nagaland to immediately intervene by “dismissing the minority government” of Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu and recommend imposition of President’s Rule (PR). A statement from the NPCC’s Media Cell maintained that PR is warranted “since the state is faced with an extra ordinary situation of political instability with crumbling infrastructures all around that shows no signs of abating”. “The full blown internal power struggle of the NPF has made the continuance of the NPF-BJP government untenable even for the next few months before facing assembly elections,” it added.
Darjeeling incident-free on 28th day of strike
A group of people who claimed to be concerned and like-minded members of the society gathered in a silent protest on July 12 afternoon at 2nd half Mile, Dimapur and voiced out their resentment over the current scenario in the tussle of the chief ministership in Nagaland.They urged the leaders to stop taking the public for granted. Placards were also seen pasted on the vehicles. Following the intervention of police officials, the group was dispersed from the area.
DarJEEliNg, July 12 (pti): Darjeeling was incident- free today as the indefinite strike for a separate state of Gorkhaland entered its 28th day. Police and security forces patrolled the streets of the hills and kept a tight vigil at entry and exit points. Internet service remained suspended for the 25th day. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) will hold rallies in various parts of the hills later in the day, party sources said. An Army column, comprising around 50 personnel, was deployed in Kalimpong on Monday night, defence sources said. Two columns of the Army have already been positioned in Darjeeling and Sonada on Saturday.
The NPCC also took exception to the absence of the Governor during such “crucial” times. “The continued absence of the state Governor during crucial occasions is becoming more of a rule than exception,” it stated. ‘NPF has failed Nagaland’ Meanwhile, the NPCC charged the NPF of having “failed Nagaland and its people”. “After more than 14 years of blatant misrule, their failures are manifesting in every spheres of governance in which the people have started paying a heavy price,” the NPCC stated adding, “Nagaland is now in state of utter ruins.” It argued that the government has collapsed with majority of the legislators lodged
in Kaziranga while roads are vanishing, bridges collapsing and people dying as a result. “The silence of the people all through the years had emboldened the party in power to indulge in their own power struggle and aggrandizement without any inhibitions,” the NPCC insisted before questioning, “How long can the people of Nagaland tolerate this utter nonsense and whimsical attitude of the NPF government?” “All NPF leaders are directly responsible for the past 14 years of misrule,” the NPCC maintained before insisting that the “internal power struggle” of the NPF especially during the present term has dealt a “final blow to the already battered state”. “The NPF or its apolo-
gists through print and social media will always find ways to put up ‘circular argument’ against NPCC, but that will not wish away the present state of sordid affairs that has engulfed the entire state,” it added. ‘Supreme sacrifice’ Meanwhile, the NPCC took a sarcastic dig at Khriehu Liezietsu thanking him for making the “supreme sacrifice” of declining to accept the post of Advisor to CM with cabinet status after more than a fortnight “drama”. It also extended thanks to the NPF dissidents lodged in Kaziranga for “substantiating and vindicating” their charge of “nepotism” against the Chief Minister in appointing his son as Advisor.
Journalists apprise welfare issues to Manipur govt
Journalists in Manipur discussing welfare issues of journalists' community with Manipur Information and Public Relation (IPR) Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh in Imphal on July 12. Newmai News Network Imphal | July 12
Representatives of the Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) and Manipur Hills Journalists’ Union (MHJU) apprised welfare issues of the journalists' community to Information and Public Relation (IPR) Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh today. The EGM and MHJU representatives led by president A Mobi, MHJU presi-
dent Sothing Shimray and EGM General Secretary Yumnam Rupachandra called on the Minister at his office in New Secretariat. During the meeting, representatives of MHJU feted the Minister with a traditional shawl and memento. EGM and MHJU team also submitted a memorandum to the Minister. The memorandum includes identification and acquisition of land for a
press park, respective offices for EGM and MHJU and accommodation for journalists coming to the capital from the hill districts, one time exemption and enrolment for journalists who had been left out from the pension scheme for journalists. The EGM and MHJU also expressed the need for the government to adopt a Manipur Government Advertisement Policy where
every programs/policies/ achievement of the government is advertised to the media as part of a helping hand of the government as the Supreme Court has made it compulsory for implementation of the Majithia Wage Board recommendations. The memorandum also include consideration of the longstanding demand for subsidy for power and transport subsidy for newsprints and other printing material and amendment of accreditation card rules of DIPR. EGM and MHJU also requested prompt clearance of government bills through DIPR within two months of submission of the bills so as to enable media houses to function smoothly. IPR Director Kongbam Meghachandra also attended the meeting.
UNC asks Nagas in Manipur IPFT demands talks to end blockade in Tripura to prepare for any eventuality
‘A party engaging in tripartite talks intentionally trying to sabotage ongoing dialogue’ Newmai News Network Senapati | July 12
While informing the Naga people in Manipur “to remain alert to face any eventuality,” the United Naga Council (UNC) has alleged today that “a party engaging in the tripartite talks is intentionally trying to sabotage the ongoing dialogue on district creation issue.” However, the UNC did not specify further on it. Irked by the alleged development, the UNC expressed it can no longer remain mute over such development. The Naga body then warned that the Naga people “cannot be held responsible in the event of any unfortunate development cropping up because of the attempts by the engaging party to sabotage the tripartite talks on the district creation issue.” The UNC also informed that it had taken a decision in an emergency meeting held today to inform
all the Naga people in Manipur to remain alert so as to face any eventuality that can happen any time. “The Nagas should remain fully prepared to thwart measures which undermine the aspiration of the Naga people,” said the UNC. The Naga body also said that it will announce any time regarding measures adopted in today’s UNC meeting to thwart any detrimental move of “our adversaries”. The UNC asserted the decision of the Naga people taken on December 12, 2016 on the district creation issue cannot be changed. The UNC also said that it had expressed its appreciation to the new government but “if anyone is trying to take due advantage of our gesture then the Nagas will not remain silent.” It further said that the Naga people want to settle any issue through dialogues. “But if anyone is testing our patience and also ignoring our sincerity then things may
go haywire,” the UNC cautioned, adding, “We cannot be blamed in the event of such a farce situation cropping up.” It may be noted here that the tripartite talks involving the United Naga Council (UNC), the Central Government and the State Government of Manipur on district creation issue scheduled earlier to be held on July 10 at Ukhrul was postponed. According to the UNC, Central Government had "fervently requested" the Naga body for the postponement of the talks for few more days saying the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had "other urgent matters" to be attended, and that, its representatives would be finding hard to make it for July 10 talks. The UNC leaders had obliged to the “fervent request” of the Central Government in this regard. Meanwhile, the date for the next round of tripartite talks is yet to be finalized.
agartala, July 12 (iaNS): A Tripura tribal party, which has blockaded the national highway and the lone railway track in the state to push its demand for a separate state, has sought tripartite talks with the central and state governments over its demand. "We have sought the Governor's intervention and a tri-partite meeting between us, the Centre and state governments to resolve the matter," Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) President Narendra Chandra Debbarma said. The IPFT has been blocking a national highway and a lone railway line in the state to press for its demand for the third day Wednesday. Debbarma told the media: "In Delhi, the National Federation for New States took up the issue with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Home Ministry. We also submitted a memorandum to the Tripura Governor (Tathagata Roy) demanding his intervention." The senior IPFT leaders on Wednesday held a review meeting but they refused to
divulge its outcome. Roy, who was in the national capital to attend a dinner of outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee, told IANS over phone: "I cannot do anything now as I am in Delhi. After returning to Agartala I would look into the issue." The IPFT, which for years has been agitating for the creation of a separate state, carved out by upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) area, organised blockade on the NH-8, the life line of the state, and the lone railway line to the state at Khamting Bari since Monday morning. The politically important Council constitutes twothirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, which has 12,16,465 (mostly tribals) of the state's 37 lakh population residing in it. The Left Front government led by Manik Sarkar, which is strongly opposed to both the demand and the stir, has taken unprecedented security measures in and around the Baramura hill ranges, through which the NH-8 and the railway line passes.
"The agitators, comprising men and women, are peacefully blockading the roads and railway line. No unpleasant incident has been reported so far. We are closely supervising the situation since Sunday, a day before the blockade was started," West District Police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told IANS from the blockade area, 35 km north of here. Some women agitators were taken ill and were treated by government doctors. Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma said that in view of the blockade, all trains including those bound for New Delhi and Kolkata, were cancelled in Tripura. Debbarma said: "In support of our demand, we would continue the blockade for an indefinite period until the central government gives a positive assurance towards our demand." A rally would also be organised in Agartala on the same issue on August 23, the IPFT chief said. He said: "We had a meeting with Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office
(PMO) Jitendra Singh on May 17 in New Delhi where we discussed our demands." "The Minister told us that the government would consider our demands. If Tripura police want to arrest us they can do that," Debbarma said. Singh is also Minister of State for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER). Most of the political parties, including the ruling Communist Party of IndiaMarxist (CPI-M), Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have rejected IPFT's demands. Blaming the BJP for the blockade, CPI-M's West District Secretary Pabitra Kar, said the saffron party did a similar thing in Manipur before the state assembly elections there. The BJP, however, denied the allegations. Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Bhanulal Saha while talking to the media said: "The state government once again urged the IPFT to call off the blockade considering the sufferings of the people and possible crisis of essentials, food grains and fuels."
4
ThursdaY 13•07•2017
business
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
‘WhatsApp policies too weak to GSTN helpdesk gets 10,000 calls/ protect users from surveillance’ day; to double manpower to 400 New Delhi, July 12 (PTi): The GSTN helpdesk is inundated with calls, 10,000 a day to be precise, with queries ranging from “how do I register?” to the age old problem of forgotten passwords even as the government is on overdrive to create awareness about the new GST regime. Such is the load that GST Network is looking to double its call centre strength to 400 agents in two weeks to help it handle queries related to filing returns, which is scheduled to commence from September. GST Network (GSTN), the company building the IT backbone for the biggest indirect tax reform, had on June 25 opened a call centre and publicised the 01204888999 helpline number to help tax payers with enrolment related queries. While over 69 lakh excise, VAT and service tax payers had already migrated to the GSTN portal earlier, as many as 4.5 lakh new tax payers have come on board. The Goods and Services Tax took effect
from July 1. The GSTN expects more businesses and traders to register or migrate to the GSTN platform. “We are getting 10,000 calls per day at the call centre from tax payers. We plan to double the number of agents manning the call centre to 400 within 2 weeks so that we are
in full strength at the time of return filing,” GSTN Chairman Navin Kumar told PTI. The most common problems which are being addressed by the Noida-based call centre pertain to enquiries on registration with the GSTN or logging to the portal, password recovery and problems
relating to uploading of documents. Besides, many businesses want to know how to generate the Temporary Reference Number (TRN) as well as the process for uploading digital signature certificate. In case the agents are unable to handle a query, it is referred to a supervisor. For very complex enquiries, experts from GSTN step in to resolve the problem. Kumar said the issues are mostly local and sometimes relate to the computer of the caller. The helpdesk also provides assistance by sharing video and tutorials with businesses or traders. “We are now hiring agents who are adept in both tax and technology. These agents mostly have a finance or tax certification degree. Also they are being trained so that they know the GST law,” Kumar said. GST has simplified a complex web of indirect taxes in the country by unifying 17 different taxes including excise, VAT, octroi and service tax.
SAN FrANciSco, July 12 (iANS): Despite WhatsApp’s move to adopt end-to-end encryption by default for its billion users around the world, the policies of the instant messaging app are too weak to protect user privacy from governments, says a digital rights group’s new report. Even tech giants such as Apple, Facebook, and Google can do more to fully stand behind their users, said the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s annual report entitled “Who Has Your Back”. “WhatsApp does not explicitly state that it prohibits third-party access to its user data, nor does it say that third parties are prohibited from allowing WhatsApp user data to be used for surveillance purposes,” the report released this week said. “Our reading of WhatsApp’s public-facing poli-
cies would not prohibit it from sharing data to be used for surveillance,” the report added. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) digged into the ways many technology companies are getting the message about user privacy in this era of unprecedented digital surveillance. The data stored on our mobile phones, laptops, and especially our online services can, when aggregated, paint a detailed picture of our lives -- where we go, who we see, what we say, our political affiliations, our religion, and more. “This information is a magnet for governments seeking to surveil citizens, journalists, and activists. When governments do so, they need to follow the law, and users are increasingly demanding that companies holding their data enact the toughest policies to
protect customer information,” said EFF Activism Director Rainey Reitman. EFF evaluated the public policies at 26 companies and awarded stars in five categories. Ni n e c o mp a n i e s earned stars in every category in 2017 -- Adobe, Credo, Dropbox, Lyft, Pinterest, Sonic, Uber, Wickr, and Wordpress. But two tech companies lagged behind in the industry -- Amazon and WhatsApp - both of which earned just two stars. Online retail giant Amazon has been rated number one in customer service, yet it has not made the public commitments to stand behind its users’ digital privacy that the rest of the industry has, EFF claimed. AT&T, Comcast, T-Mobile and Verizon scored the lowest, each earning just one star, according to the report.
SBI waives charge on IMPS fund transfer of up to Rs 1,000
Railways to launch new app that lets Motorola brings 4th generation you book flight tickets, taxis, and more ‘Moto E’ series to India
New Delhi, July 12 (PTi): Country’s largest bank SBI has waived charges for fund transfer of up to Rs 1,000 through its IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) to promote small transactions. State Bank of India had been charging Rs 5 along with the applicable service tax for IMPS fund transfer of up to Rs 1,000. IMPS is an instant interbank electronic fund transfer service through mobile phones as well as internet banking. “In order to promote small ticket size transactions, SBI has waived off IMPS charges for transfer up to Rs 1,000,” the bank said while informing about the revised IMPS transfer charges under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. For IMPS, charge will be Rs 5 along GST for fund transfer in the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 lakh. The charge will go up to Rs 15 for transactions of Rs 1-2 lakh. GST at the rate of 18 per cent is applicable on all financial transactions.
New Delhi, July 12 (AgeNcieS): A new mobile app from the Indian Railways will now let you book flight tickets, among other things. The app, which is set to launch this week, will offer users options like booking a porter, retiring room, or ordering food apart from booking train tickets, of course, in an effort to create an integrated Railways app. According to a senior Railway Ministry official, the app looks to provide an easier way for passengers to find what they are looking for when travelling, PTI reports. There are multiple apps of the Railways that offer specific services, but the official said that most of them are limited to a single service, and that there was a need for an app that offers multiple services in a single window interface. In addition to train-related features, the app can also be used to book taxis, hotels and notably, even flight tickets. The Integrated Railway Mobile App project was first announced during the Rail Budget 2016-17. It is being developed by the CRIS, the Railways’ software
Deposited demonetised notes still being counted: RBI Governor New Delhi, July 12 (iANS): RBI Governor Urijit Patel on Wednesday told a parliamentary committee that the amount of junked notes deposited after demonetisation was still being counted. Patel gave this information at a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance when a member specifically asked him to give details of the value of the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes which were allowed to be exchanged till December 30. He said the total money in circulation in the country now was Rs 15.4 lakh crore against Rs 17.7 lakh crore at the time of demonetisation in November last year, according to sources. At the meeting, Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party is understood to have demanded the names of 12 industrialists whose outstanding loans amounted to 25% of the non-performing assets in the banking system.
leisure
CROSSWORD # 4001
SUDOKU
Answer Number # 3997
Suresh Prabhu had said in his budget speech. Separately, the Indian Railways on Wednesday will be launching RailCloud, a virtual server with an inbuilt security system that promises to provide faster connectivity at lower cost. This is being developed by PSU RailTel at an estimated cost of about Rs. 53 crores. std code: 03862
DiMaPUR ACROSS 1. Pear variety 5. Damage 9. Writing fluids 13. “Do ___ others...” 14. A part of the small intestine 16. Ark builder 17. Flower stalk 18. Devilfish 19. Wicked 20. Overly sentimental 22. Strolled 24. Plunder 26. Hawaiian veranda 27. Quantify 30. Chuckles 33. Issuing commands 35. 8th Greek letter 37. What we sleep on 38. Willow 41. 59 in Roman numerals 42. Smell 45. An edible sunfish 48. Wound 51. Fundamental or central idea 52. Utilizing 54. “Darn!” 55. More important 59. Barb 62. Carve in stone 63. Master of ceremonies 65. Corporate image 66. Cooking fat 67. Purposes 68. Type of sword 69. Neat 70. Garret 71. D D D D DOWN 1. Kiss 2. Savvy about 3. Folding portable ladder 4. Write 5. Not her 6. “What a shame!” 7. Kidney-related
Simple Rules - Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.
Game Number # 3998
arm, at a cost of Rs. 7 crores. “Presently we have different digital solutions for ticketing, grievance redressal and other issues. We intend to integrate all such facilities into two mobile apps, one dealing with all ticketing issues and the other for receipt and redressal of complaints and suggestions related to all our services,” Railway Minister
8. Bilateral 9. Complain 10. French for “Black” 11. Cabbagelike vegetable 12. Outbuilding 15. Bread from Heaven 21. Not mine 23. Tight 25. Threesome 27. Gangs 28. Construct 29. N N N N 31. Green chalcedony 32. Supporting column 34. A castrated tomcat 36. Spindle 39. Antlered animal 40. Regretted 43. Risqué 44. Backside 46. Tropical American wildcat 47. Twisted into deformity 49. Specks 50. Beast 53. Small lizard 55. Toward sunset 56. Decorative case 57. Frozen 58. Coral barrier 60. Curved molding 61. Troubles 64. Eastern Standard Time
Answer to Crossword 4000
W Allow bAses bloCk bouquet ChAnCe Close CombinAtion demAnd deuCe drAwn exACt fenCe first fresh hAmmer luxury obtuse pAniC poCket psyChe
report sCore serve shApe shirt slid stArt steAl stone stud sweep swipe terminAte these thorn three weAl whole yogurt
D
std code: 03871
(formerly senapati)
232224
emergency
229529 229474
mh hospital
227930 231081
fire brigade
2222952
faith hospital
228846
naga hospital
2222916
shamrock hospital
228254
oking hospital
2243339
Zion hospital
231864 224117 227337
bethel nursing home
2224202
northeast shuttles
08974997923
police Control room
228400
Police Traffic Control
232106
east police station
227607
west police station
232181
Cihsr (referral hospital)
242555 242533
dimapur hospital
224041 248011
police station fire brigade
north ps south ps Zubza ps
Chiephobozou ps 8575045506 Officer-in-Charge 8575045516 tseminyu ps
8575045507
Officer-in-Charge 8575045517 khuzama ps
8575045505
Officer-in-Charge 8575045515
nikos hospital and research Centre
232032, 231031
kezocha ps
nagaland multispecialty health & research Centre
248302, 09856006026
women Cell
248722 /248288, 9615945510
C
8575045508
Officer-in-Charge 8575045518
229366 242441 225212
R
8575045502
Officer-in-Charge 8575045520
Airport indian Airlines
A
8575045501
Officer-in-Charge 8575045510
131/228404
E
std code: 0370
kohimA ps/oCs Contact numbers
railway
S
222246 222491
KOHiMa
Apollo hospital info Centre 230695/ 9402435652
eden medical Centre
R
TaHaMZaM
Civil hospital
Chumukedima fire brigade 282777
O
New Delhi, July 12 (iANS): Extending its ‘Moto’ series in India, Lenovo-owned Motorola on Wednesday launched ‘Moto E4’ and ‘Moto E4 Plus’ smartphones. The Rs 9,999 ‘Moto E4 Plus’ will be available as a Flipkart exclusive from 11.59 p.m. of July 12, with launch offers including data plans from Jio and Idea. The Rs 8,999 ‘Moto E4’ will be available across all major retail outlets from July 12. “Already being a dominant smartphone player in the ecommerce segment, the company intends to strengthen its retail footprint for the consumers who want to get a touch and feel of the devices,” Sudhin Mathur, Managing Director for Motorola Mobility in India, told reporters here. The key feature of ‘E4 Plus’ is its massive 5,000mAh battery that can run for long hours and supports fast charging. ‘E4 Plus’ comes with a three-slot design to accommodate dual 4G/VOLTE support and expandable storage up to 128GB. ‘E4 Plus’ is powered by MT6737 quad-core 1.3GHz quadcore processor and comes with 3GB RAM/32GB ROM. It features a 5.5-inch HD display, sports 13MP rear camera and single-LED flash support and 5MP front camera with ‘Party flash’. ‘E4 Plus’ also comes with a home button which doubles as a fingerprint sensor. ‘Moto E4’ runs on an MT6737 quad-core 1.3Ghz processor and is powered by 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM with expandable storage upto 128 GB. It comes equipped with a 2,800 mAh battery. ‘E4’ comes with a 5-inch HD display and is equipped with 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 5MP front camera with selfie flash. Both devices run on the latest Android Nougat 7.1.1 and sport the consumer favourite ‘Moto Display’.
H
8575045549
Officer-in-Charge 8575045538 8575045509
Officer-in-Charge 8575045519 Control room
8575045500 (Emergency No. – 100)
FiRE STaTiONS
kohimA south: 0370-2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) kohimA north: 7085924114 (O) dimApur: 03862-232201/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC) ChumukedimA: 7085982102 (O) 8732810051 (OC) wokhA: 03860-242215/101 (O) 8974322879 (OC) mokokChung: 0369-2226225/ 101 (O) 8415830232 (OC) phek: 8414853765 (O) 8413822476(OC) Zunheboto: 03867-280304/ 101 (O) 9436422730 (OC) tuensAng: 8414853766 (O) 9856163601 (OC) mon: 03869-251222/ 101 (O) 9862130954 (OC) kiphire: 8414853767 (O) 9436261577 (OC) peren: 7085189932 (O) 9856311205 (OC) longleng: 7085924113 (O) 9862414264 (OC) we4 women helpline 08822911011 WOMEN helpline 181 CHiLD welfAre Committee Toll free No. 1098 childline
MOKOKCHUNG
std code: 0369
police station 1 police station 2 police station kobulong police station tuli police station Changtongya police station mangkolemba Civil hospital
9485232688 9485232689 9485232690 9485232693 9485232694 9485232695 2226216
woodland nursing home
2226263
hotel metsüpen (tourist lodge) 2226373/ 2229343
CURRENCY NOTES buy (rs) sell (rs)
us dollars sterling pound hong kong dollar Australian dollar singapore dollar Canadian dollar Japanese yen euro thai baht korean won uAe dirham (Aed) Chinese yuan
63.04 80.26 7.82 47.88 45.38 47.6 56.12 70.86 1.79 0.0537 16.61 8.91
65.88 84.14 8.71 50.22 47.60 49.91 59.28 74.29 2.00 0.0598 18.50 9.92
Thursday 13•07•2017
NAGALAND
WSKH serves 15 days ultimatum for R&b Minister to resign
DiMapur , July 12 (Mexn): The Western Sumi Kukami Hoho (WSKH) has served a 15-day ultimatum to Roads & Bridges Minister Vikheho Swu to step down. It also demanded payment of all compensation and to start the construction work of the new bridge failing which, the hoho cautioned, “would resort to its own course of action.” The WSKH blamed the department of PWD (R&B) for the collapse of the bridge over the Chathe River near 4th Mile, wherein four people were killed and five others injured. A statement issued by WSKH president, S. Vihuto Yepthomi stated that the department was fully aware of the condition of the bridge but did not take any measure to prevent the collapse. The WSKH recalled the meeting with R&B Minister when the minister had visited the bridge along with district administration in 2015. Officials of the Hoho had apprised the Minister about the condition of the bridge, the hoho stated and added that it had also submitted a memorandum to the minister during his visit. Maintaining that the negligence of the department has resulted in the loss of lives, the WSKH demanded that the de-
Bridge Collapse: NPCC and NLC demand R&B Minister resignation DiMapur, July 12 (Mexn): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and Nagaland Congress (NLC) today demanded the resignation of Roads & Bridges Minister Vikheho Swu over the collapse of the bridge near CIHSR (Referral Hospital) in Dimapur. Four people were killed in the incident which happened on July 11. “Accepting full moral responsibility without budging from his ministerial position is just an eyewash and lip service that is insulting especially to the memory of those killed in this tragic bridge collapse,” the NPCC stated in a press statement. “If the R&B Minister understands the real meaning of full moral responsibility, he should immediately resign
from his post rather than give feeble explanations to absolve himself or the department since warning signs of imminent dangers of using the bridge was being highlighted since 2013.” A separate statement from NLC asserted if the R&B Minister “is sincere and man of his word he should resign immediately for what he owns- moral responsibility.” It maintained that the Cabinet decision to pay ex gratia to deceased family and conduct enquiry into what is rather “too late, too little” is “pathetically a cosmetic make up just to appease the widespread public protest and condemnation.” The incident, it stated, is the worst in recent time besides many other reported
and unreported cases of road accidents over past few months, “but ruling elite are so obsessed on holding position, power and money making at any cost, they remain deaf, dumb and blind to the hue and cry of public over worst ever road condition in the State.” Further, Nagaland Congress claimed that every ruling elected member, whether capable or not, wrestle for Roads & Bridges portfolio “despite the fact that practically there is no road, no difference between road and drainage/ streams in the State and no action plan to improve road condition either.” And when tragedy strikes, it stated, “all done is enquiry, apology and politely owning responsibility.”
partment compensate for not only loss of lives but for the injured and the vehicles damaged in the accident.
on Parliamentary Secretary for Irrigation and Flood Control, Jacob Zhimomi, for, what it alleged, “neglecting his constituency”. Pointing to the problems Seeks intervention for faced by the villagers of Yeveto Yeveto and Hakhizhe villagers and Hakhizhe villagers due to Meanwhile, the WSKH has the swelling Zubza River, the also expressed “dissatisfaction” WSKH asserted that Zhimomi
cannot claim to be representing the people “when he has not done anything for the public of the constituency”. The hoho rued that more villages are likely to be affected if precautionary measures are not taken immediately and in this regard, requested the
prompt intervention from the that it would resort to serious agconcerned department to help itation if its demands are not met the affected villagers. by the end of this month. The office bearers later visDimapur GBs Assn ited the site of the collapsed The Dimapur District GBs' bridge after the meeting. Association (DDGBA) also deMeanwhile, the GBs' assomanded that Minister for PWD ciation has also urged the PWD (R&B) Vikheho Swu step down (R&B) to note that two bridges on moral ground and that the on Balijan River - one between Executive Engineer, PWD Hoito and Suhoi villages on (R&B) Dimapur Division be im- Kuhuboto road and the other mediately suspended. between New Showuba and Blaming the department of Vihokhu village on Niuland PWD (Roads & Bridges) for the road are on the verge of being collapse of the bridge, the asso- washed away. ciation maintained that the deThe meeting also voiced partment could have prevented concerned for people of Yevethe accident. Normal lives for to and Hakhizhe villages who people in 116 villages have been have been badly affected by the badly affected, the association flooding waters of Zubza river. added. The association in this regard In a statement issued fol- urged the government and the lowing an emergency meeting concerned department to take held on July 12 in the associa- stock of the situation and help tion office, the GBs resolved to the villagers. demand the resignation of the Minister and suspension of the Nagaland Indigenous Executive Engineer. Peoples Forum The GBs also passed a resoJoining the growing cholution demanding the depart- rus, the Nagaland Indigenous ment furnish a white paper of Peoples Forum (NIPF) also the release of the payment for demanded that the Minister of construction of the new bridge. Roads & Bridges immediately The meeting further demanded resign “on moral ground”. compensation to the kin of all The Forum in a press release those who died in the incident informed that an emergency besides those injured and all the meeting of the Governing Body vehicles which have been dam- was held on July 12 following the aged. The association cautioned collapse of the bridge and ex-
pressed shock at how the state authorities have been managing roads and bridges in Nagaland. The Forum also sought appropriate actions on Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Dimapur district “for their lack of proper dispensation of the public authorities”. It also sought the immediate suspension of the present Executive Engineer, R&B, Dimapur Division “for his irresponsibility in supervising the roads and bridges work activities”. The Forum also demanded that the firm allotted with the work for dismantling of the bridge and construction of a new bridge be immediately black-listed. Further, the Forum informed that it is contemplating on approaching appropriate authority/Court of Law in the matter of drawal of Rs. 342.22 crores by the Department of Roads & Bridges vis-a-vis the collapse of said bridge and present roads condition in the state of Nagaland. Meanwhile the Forum also conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. It also expressed serious concern that the collapse of the bridge will adversely affect the surrounding villages, schools and institution, particularly students.
ASUD infuriated by recent events Stop playing musical chairs:
The Motorcycle Response Team (MRT) of Dimapur Police was launched on July 10 by Limasunep Jamir, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Dimapur. Comprising of 6 motorcycles with a two-member team for each motorcycle, they will be deployed in strategic locations to enable quicker police response and action. Currently, 3 motorcycle teams each have been allotted to the East Police Station and West Police Station as a pilot experiment. The project aims to cover other Police Stations in the coming days.
RejoindeR In connection to the news item ‘Health Department draws flak for sending ailing medical officers to District Hospital Kiphire’ published on July 11, the staffs of District Hospital in a rejoinder stated that the correspondent “never interviewed any staffs from any section officially for the press release.”
MEx FILE Tuensang receives Disaster Response Fund Tuensang, July 12 (Mexn): Tuensang District has received the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the year 2016-17 from NSDMA, Home Department, a press release from Tuensang Deputy Commissioner & Chairman, DDMA, L. Jamithung Lotha informed adding, the list of beneficiaries is made available at the office of the DC. In this regard, the DC directed beneficiaries to collect the amount from the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Tuensang on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays during office hour from July 17 to August 17. The beneficiaries have been asked to produce any of the following documents for identification purpose: Aadhar Card/EPIC/Service ID/PAN Card.
David Mero is new MIP of NSCN (IM) DiMapur, July 12 (Mexn): The Ministry of Information & Publicity (MIP) of the NSCN (IM) got a new Kilonser with David Mero assuming charge on July 12. The charge was formerly held by V. Horam. A press release from the MIP informed of the change of guards but provided no explanations except stating that Horam had “relinquished” charge on the same day. “All concerned are therefore, requested to address all matters connected with MIP as per the change of guard,” the MIP stated.
NPGN/NNC recovers stolen vehicle DiMapur, July 12 (Mexn): The NPGN/NNC has informed of the recovery of a stolen Maruti car. A press release from the MIP, NPGN/NNC informed that the grey coloured car bears Chassis No. SB-318-IN-1777279 and Engine No. F8B-976CC93CC. In this regard, the NPGN has asked the rightful owner to claim the vehicle by bringing all the original documents within a period of one week w.e.f. July 10; contact – 8131924597.
GSKSK to celebrate 203rd birth anniversary of Bhakta Acharya KohiMa, July 12 (Mexn): The Gorkha Sahitya Kala Sanstha Kohima (GSKSK) will be celebrating the 203rd birth anniversary of Aadi Kavi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya on July 13, 4:00 pm at the Gorkha Public Panchayat Hall, Chandmari, Kohima with Dr. Arjun Kumar Rai, Founder President, All Nagaland Gorkha Student’s Union and Former Principal, Khelhoshe Polytechnic, Atoizu as the Chief Guest. Santu Thapa, President Gorkha Public Panchayat Kohima will be the Guest of Honour. A press release in this regard has invited presidents and executives of all Gorkha NGOs, GBs, Public Leaders, students and well wishers to the programme.
DiMapur, July 12 (Mexn): The Ao Students' Union Dimapur (ASUD) has expressed strong indignation at the recent series of events in the state and the utter negligence on the part of the government. “As a student community, we are deeply concerned at the way in which our leaders have ignored the calamities that have befallen the state and people while pursuing selfish political gains in the most undignified manner,” ASUD stated today. The students’ union lamented that in addition to floods and multiple landslides in various pockets of the state and the ongoing tussle involving the members of the state legislature, the unfortunate collapse of the bridge at 4th Mile (Dimapur) is proof that the state
government is not in a position to neither prevent and mitigate disasters nor handle political conflict through consensus. “It is disheartening that the cabinet has directed the setting up of an enquiry committee to ascertain ‘the circumstances leading to the collapse of the bridge’ when it is clear to all and sundry that the only circumstance was the lackadaisical behaviour on the part of the government itself. The mandate of the public has been insulted and mocked at through the display of insouciant attitude by our leaders,” ASUD stated in the press release issued by its Information and Publicity Secretary, Sentimeren Pongen. While the ASUD has no predilection towards any political party or coalition, it feels that
the common people have suffered enough injustices at the hands of corrupt leaders whose only ideal appears to be that of amassing wealth and possessions for their own gains. Reiterating their stand to remain committed to the Clean Election Campaign, the ASUD also appealed to all young Nagas not to get caught in the vicious cycle of unclean political practices. “The office hopes that all right thinking citizens and civil society organisations will come together and not only make our voices heard but also ensure that we exercise our franchise in support of upright leaders,” it stated. Meanwhile, the ASUD extended its deepest sympathies to the family and relatives of the victims of Tuesday's mishap.
Stop damaging, obstructing public roads: KMC KohiMa, July 12 (Mexn): The Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) has informed all concerned to immediately stop “damaging and obstructing” public roads and highways. The directive comes pursuant to the order of the Deputy Commissioner Order No. DCK/SDR/CRD/2015/374 dated June 28, 2017. Washing of vehicles by the roadside, random dumping of materials like stones, sand, bricks, firewood, bamboo and excavated earth etc. on the roadside, which is also resulting in blockage of drainage and
water ways, are among the list of activities which have been prohibited by the KMC. “For safety of the general public and property under the Nagaland Highway Act.1967 & Public property Act, 1984, any individuals/ party found involve in such activities is liable to be prosecuted as per the relevant sections of the law,” a press release from the KMC maintained. In this regard, the Kohima Municipal Council directed Panchayat Chairmen/GBs of all the 19 wards under the council to strictly implement or report such activities to the KMC Administrator Kethosituo Sekhose.
JUSTICE DAY: Nagaland government college teachers extend support DiMapur, July 12 (Mexn): The All Nagaland Government College Teachers’ Association (ANGCTA) has extended support to the ‘Justice Day’ protest called by the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organization (AIFUCTO) on July 12. The AIFUCTO is demanding, among other things, immediate publication of the report and implementation of 7th UGC pay revision recommenda-
tions in consultation with AIFUCTO and other teachers’ body, 100% financial assistance for uniform & simultaneous implementation of 7th pay scale, abolition of anomalies in the 6th RoP, stopping budget cut in education, immediate withdrawal of Higher Education Financing Agency and Higher Education Empowerment Regulation Act, and strengthening UGC and AICTE. According to a state-
ment from ANGCTA, despite appeals made by AIFUCTO for the publication of 7th RoP, the MHRD is “deliberately dilly-dallying by making empty promises.” Therefore, ANGCTA urged the MHRD to immediately fulfil the demands of the teaching community to avoid bitter confrontation. Further, it assured full cooperation to the AIFUCTO’s “struggle for the welfare of the teachers of higher education in the country.”
WSH calls on Parliamentary Secy to look into plight of villages submerged by Zubza River DiMapur, July 12 (Mexn): The Western Sumi Hoho (WSH) has demanded that Parliamentary Secretary for Irrigation and Flood Control, Jacob Zhimomi “immediately intervene” and look into the plight of the villages Yeveto, Hakhizhe, Kiyezu, Hetoi and Zuheshe which have been submerged by the waters of Zubza River. “The affected villages lie under his constituency for which he is responsible and accountable,” the WSH stated in a press release while informing that paddy fields, plantations and many other properties have been damaged. “The Parliamentary Secretary has made some tall promises and assured that
good flood control measures will be built, but it has not matched up with his words,” the WSH stated and further demanded proper compensation for the damaged properties. The unfortunate villagers have to undergo through such hard times every monsoon, it added. ‘Be responsible representatives’ Meanwhile, the WSH called on its elected representatives to be “responsible” towards the electorates as they have been elected by the people. “Mere holding of a portfolio and shrugging of the responsibility bestowed on them have only brought disgrace to the community and misery to the people,” the WSH maintained.
NLSF tells Nagaland legislators
DiMapur, July 12 (Mexn): The Nagaland Law Students’ Federation (NLSF) on Wednesday made a strong appeal to the 60 legislators to “stop playing musical chairs” and requesting them to instead “look for the welfare of the people of Nagaland”. Questioning the legislators on the mandate and the oath taken, the NLSF maintained, “so far we the people of Nagaland do not see any principles and ethics in your activities.” Insisting that Nagaland is suffering due to wounds created by the legislators, the federation argued that the curse of the legislators was revealed with the collapse of the vital bridge connecting Nuiland sub-division and Dimapur wherein four were killed and several others injured. Had the warnings from the concern department on the impending danger been heeded and the bridge
repaired in time, it would have prevented the tragic incident, the NLSF maintained. The Federation also sought to highlight the condition of the over bridge/flyover near Golaghat Road, Dimapur and stated that it is on the verge of collapse. In this regard, the NLSF strongly appealed the legislators to team up and work for the welfare of the public instead of being divided and camping in different camps “bringing shame to the state”. “We appeal the legislators not to test the patience of the public any longer.” The Federation also appealed to all the citizens of Nagaland to exercise their voting franchise wisely in the forthcoming elections and elect the right person who will be devoted towards the welfare of the people “instead of playing musical chair on the mandate of the people”.
CWS issues ultimatum to F&CS Assistant Director Kiphire, July 12 (Mexn): The Kiphire based Citizens’ Welfare Society (CWS) today issued a 20-day ultimatum to the Assistant Director, Food & Civil Supplies, Kiphire over alleged anomalies detected in a utilization certificate forwarded by the latter. In a letter addressed to the Assistant Director, CWS through its president, Tsili Mongzar and general secretary, Hotingkiu Sangtam, the CWS pointed out that the Department of Food sand Civil Supplies, Kiphire had stated at a co-ordination meeting on October 3, 2016 that Kiphire district receives 100 MT
of food grain under APL and 150 quintals of sugar per month instead of 200 MT of food grain and 900 quintals of sugar. “Whereas in the utilization certificate forwarded by the Assistant Director (F&CS), Kiphire, it was stated to have received 200 MT of APL (food grain) and 900 quintals of sugar in respect of Kiphire which is found to be false and fabricated,” CWS stated. It mentioned that the Society has received clarification from the Directorate of Food & Civil Supplies that the full quantity received is 200 MT food grain and 900 quintals of sugar and the same was
shown in the utilization certificate furnished by the Assistant Director to the Directorate. “Now that the CWS has found misappropriation from the office of the Assistant Director, Food and Civil Supplies Kiphire and the CWS is left with no option but to resort to serve this ultimatum to your department for recovery of the same to the public at the early date,” the letter stated. The CWS demanded response within 20 days from the date of receiving the ultimatum. “Failing which, the CWS will be compelled to take its own course of action,” it warned.
Public SPace Minister’s statement on collapse of bridge
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am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of 4 lives and many injured in the collapse of the bridge near the CIHSR (Referral) Hospital at Dimapur-Niuland road on the 11th July 2017. On taking up the responsibility of Minister In-Charge of the Roads & bridges Department, I had personally inspected the bridge twice along with the officials of the department in order to get a first hand information of the state of the bridges and issued necessary instructions to the departmental officers for its strengthening. Some funds were also provided during 2015, and rehabilitation works were carried out. In view of the deteriorating condition of the bridge, a new RCC T-Beam bridge was sanctioned and work order issued for constriction which was to commence after the monsoon. It is a very unfortunate turn of event that has caused loss and injury of
precious lives and caused so much of inconvenience to the public and the road users. As the Minister of the Department, I own moral responsibility for the debacle and express my personal apology to the public for the unpleasant incident. A departmental inquiry shall be initialed in order to find out the details of the failure of the bridge. I convey my heartfelt condolence to the family members of the deceased and pray for speedy recovery of those injured. I also appeal the public to bear with the department till the new bridge is constructed for the said road to become fully operational. Y. Vikheho Swu Minister Public Works Department (Roads & Bridges) Nagaland: Kohima
The Morung Express “Public Space” is to provide space for diverse opinions to be expressed and heard. The opinions in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper nor the editor.
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Thursday 13•07•2017
IN FOCUS
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
The Power of Truth
The Morung Express volume Xii issue 190 By Rev. Dr. ellen Konyak Jamir
The Naga Family Crucible
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systemic perspective involves understanding the human condition, the relatedness of human beings with each other, and the physical and contextual world in which they live (F.A. DiBlasio). An individual’s concern is understood by accounting for social and environmental influences. What one does, affects the other and vice versa. Over the years of existence as a people group, the Nagas have come a long way, with evidence of progress in many areas. For instance, the younger generation is making a niche in various fields, working in and traveling to many parts of the world. Urban towns and cities appear to grow in terms of large buildings sprouting up everywhere. Businesses that were once non-existent have come up. However, when we look deeply into our society and talk about issues, there is negativity, hopelessness, and apathy. Political unrest and poor governance affect ordinary people on many levels. Amidst all this, our “growth” and our wellbeing seem to be disconnected. Among the many entities that have been affected by this dysfunctional system, directly or indirectly, is the family system. Our present family system is flawed with inadequacies, non conducive to healthy growth or nurturance of healthy relationships. There are many ‘stressors’ that affect relationships and human development. For example, an 18 year old once said that he was abusing alcohol, and suffering in school and family functions. His parents’ perception was that they were giving him the best education they could. Yet the child’s lived experience reflected other realities. He found no meaning in daily activities. He felt disconnected from his present reality. Apart from a few fortunate groups of people, a majority of Naga families are living hand-to-mouth, hoping for something new, something better. Pervasive uncertainty gives rise to fear and anxiety among many adults, which adversely affects younger people. While the focus is on meeting the physical or immediate needs of the people, there seems to be lack of care for the individual’s emotional, spiritual, and psychological health. Individual problems are trivialized in the face of larger systemic problems in our society. On the other hand, our society is not informed enough to cater to the needs of the people. Going to a counselor or a mental health professional is the least desirable option sought by people mainly due to stigmatization or ignorance. Our society being communal and family-oriented, these relations are often the source of help and encouragement but also, at times, discouragement. Just as there is need for collective reasoning and healing, there is even greater need for individual soul searching and nurturing family relationships that allow individuals to build their self-concept in a way they find meaning in life and the vocation they are engaged in. Exploring our internalized issues and hopes in a healthy way is a need. There are many dormant issues such as loss, grief, and anger, which emerge out of sadness, frustration, and hopelessness. These emotions need a safe space to be expressed, and understood. Family is the bedrock of a society and Nagas need to provide proper and effective attention to the crucible of our family system. This is part of a series of ‘Guest Editorials’ run by The Morung Express. Comments can be sent to ellenkonyak@yahoo.co.in
lEfT WING |
IANS
Of murders and unpredictable twists: Ravi Subramanian on thriller writing
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look at the top 10 highest-selling "Crime, Thriller and Mystery" writers on Amazon India introduces us to the likes of Agatha Christie, Dan Brown, Sidney Sheldon and James Patterson. The only two Indian writers in the list are Ashwin Sanghi and Ravi Subramanian. While a larger chunk of Sanghi's works draws upon Indian mythology and targets readers who also read the likes of Amish Tripathi and Devdutt Patnaik, Ravi Subramanian is perhaps the only true practitioner of the art in the Indian "Crime, Thriller and Mystery" space. A banker by profession, Subramanian has written popular thrillers about banking and bankers, including an awardwinning trilogy -- "The Incredible Banker", "The Bankster" and "Bankerupt" -- and is now back with a fast-paced novel, "In the Name of God" (Penguin/ Rs 299/ 405 Pages). So what are the rules for a successful thriller? "Have a murder in the first page of the book. It always hooks the reader. Ask a question at the end of the first chapter. Do not reveal too much in the mid-chapters but build on your characters to keep the interest of the reader intact, and end with a powerful twist," was the author's answer during an interview at the IANS office here. "I can come and kill you but that is not enough. What if after stabbing you I begin to twist and turn the dagger inside your body? It is the final twist which makes a thriller -- 'Oh damn! What a book'." Subramanian also believes that a thriller is an overall experience. A reader would not want to finish it in 20 days; he wants to read it now and would be happy to finish more chapters in a day. "So we keep the chapters very short. The reason for that is most people read books before going to sleep and normally they tend to think that I will sleep after finishing a chapter; if you are able to end that chapter on a high note and raise the curiosity of the reader, he is going to turn the pages and see that the next chapter is only three-pages long. And so the pages turn by themselves; without realising it, the reader is almost through 200 pages," he added. Subramanian clearly practices what he preaches -- there are a whopping 121 chapters in the 400 pages of his latest novel. On the process of writing, Subramanian said It is a matter of deciding the subject of the book; once he has decided on that, the intuitive writer takes over without a set plot in mind. The plot gradually builds up as more and more chapters keep coming. "In this book, for instance, even when I had finished 90 per cent of it, I had no idea who the villain was going to be," Subramanian revealed. While this surely lends a layer of unpredictability to the plot of the novel, isn't it a painful task for the writer? "Of course it is, but it is an advantage nonetheless," he opined. "It's painful because you often have to go back and rewrite a lot of stuff as, when I ultimately decide the villain of the novel, I may have to change something somewhere earlier in the novel. The advantage is that if I do not know who the killer is, there is no way that the reader will have the slightest idea about it."
C O M M E N T A R Y
Lori Hinnant Associated Press
IS built in staying power with global jihadis
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he Islamic State group’s mix of a local insurgency and digitally-connected global jihadis gives the group staying power and the means to relaunch its future, from small cells of extremists escaping the war zone in Iraq and Syria to those who never went there in the first place. The impending loss of Mosul and Raqqa cuts out the urban heart of its self-proclaimed caliphate, but the extremist organization has built-in plans to endure and has shown a degree of flexibility that will be difficult to counteract. For more than a year, Islamic State has acknowledged the possibility of losing the territory that propelled it to the forefront of the global jihadi movement — and drew thousands of foreign fighters. Islamic State’s goal since then has been to maintain its local and global support base in the face of overwhelming defeat. Whether it succeeds depends on what happens well after today’s battles are over. ESCAPE CELLS A first group of Islamic State fighters from Syria and Iraq numbering more than 100 arrived in Afghanistan at the beginning of February, followed by a smaller group, around 20, at the end of March, according to a U.N. report released last week. The group is unpopular among average Afghans, but shows traction among the young and, most importantly, receives ample funding from Islamic State’s central command to pay new fighters triple what the Taliban offers — $500 to $600 a month. The U.N. report said Islamic State has warned its Afghanistan contingent that it will soon need to be selffinancing, an ominous sign for the organization that once pulled in millions of dollars in oil money, ransoms and extortion. Other groups of foreign fighters are feared to be trying to make their way back to Europe or North Africa, to ether plot attacks there or simply await orders. In Europe, this has fed fears of extremists hiding among the influx of migrants, while North Africa is “really unstable. ... It’s awash in weaponry,” said Colin Clark, an analyst with the RAND think tank. Islamic State is “a global group but it’s more regionally anchored. I don’t see them taking up and traveling wholesale to another place. They’re going to go where they have roots. They’re going to seek out these weak states. They’re going to insinuate themselves in local conflicts,” he said. HOSTILE TAKEOVER Al-Qaida and the Islamic State group split in 2014, driven apart less by ideology than by a dispute over timing and tactics. Now known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in its latest rebranding effort, alQaida is on the rise in some parts of Syria and in recent days has begun targeting what it calls “organization cells” of the Islamic State group in Idlib and other Syrian provinces.
In this June 23, 2014 file photo, fighters from the Islamic State group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle down a main road at the northern city of Mosul, Iraq. The Islamic State group’s mashup of local insurgency and digitallyconnected global jihadis gives the group staying power and a launchpad for its future. The impending loss of Mosul and Raqqa will still urban heart of its self-proclaimed Caliphate, but the extremist organization has built-in plans to endure, a blueprint for supporters and the flexibility to bide its time away from airstrikes. (AP File Photo)
The two groups have considerable crossover — and both claim the mantle of Osama bin Laden. The al-Qaida campaign could be a precursor to demands for a merger or hostile takeover, complete with a choice of death or repentance from rank-and-file defectors. “The differences between these groups are more in style and tone than in substance,” said Bruce Hoffman, the head of Georgetown University’s security studies program and author of “Inside Terrorism.” Many of Islamic State’s foreign fighters, especially those from Europe, headed to Syria with the expectation of joining al-Qaida’s branch there, then switched to what they believed was the winning side. Changing back will not be very difficult, Hoffman said. “Al-Qaida has been waiting in the wings and been letting ISIS take all the heat,” Hoffman said, using an alternative acronym for IS. FIGHTING — OR HIDING — IN PLACE Iraq and Syria themselves offer plenty of safe havens for local extremist fighters biding their time. At its height, IS held vast stretches of territory by promising not just brutality, but a religious government beyond corruption that would protect against arbitrary punishment, theft and graft in the service of a global movement for Sunni Muslims everywhere. The promises tapped especially into the grievances
of Iraqi Sunnis, who felt abandoned by the Shiite-led government in Baghdad and were suspicious of the Kurdish government in Irbil. Many in the U.S. have called on the Iraqi government to ensure that Sunnis share in the country’s gains going forward — a step that will prove especially complex given that Sunni areas have seen widespread destruction in the fight against the extremists. Block after block of shattered homes line the roads of Mosul, Fallujah and Ramadi. “It’s almost at a new level of divisiveness and an unrelenting decade of bloodletting has made any sense of rebuilding a civil society unbelievably challenging,” Hoffman said. Islamic State retains a powerful presence in Iraq’s Anbar province and in the city of Tal Afar. Islamic State’s leadership still has a core of leaders from Saddam Hussein’s Baathist organization, known for their survival skills and the support networks they built — something the group’s spokesman, Abu Muhammad Adnani, noted in a message before he was killed last summer in a U.S. airstrike: To survive “whether Allah blesses us with consolidation or we move into the bare, open desert, displaced and pursued.” REVENGE ATTACKS A major aspect of Islamic State’s propaganda narrative has been to offer a haven to Sunnis worldwide and
until recently its videos and photos made a point of tempering extreme brutality with images of abundant harvests, children at play and efficient, free medical care. Recently, however, its videos have depicted airstrikes destroying the caliphate, providing a powerful new message — vengeance. Last month’s attack at London Bridge was claimed by Islamic State as revenge against the U.S.-backed coalition, and the group pledged more violence to come. With supporters from around the world linked by social media and thousands of pieces of propaganda, security officials in Europe and the U.S. fear similar attacks are in the offing. At its height, Islamic State had tens of thousands of fighters at its disposal, though estimates varied widely. Airstrikes killed a vast percentage, the streams of Europeans heading to the war zone have dried up, and new recruits from the region are growing scarce, but its survival may not depend on numbers alone. “The numbers may never be their 60,000 fighters or whatever, but the attraction of terrorism is the disproportionate effect a few people can have on the enemy societies and that’ll be enough to keep it alive,” Hoffman said. “The most visceral emotion we know is revenge. It is cathartic and self-satisfying and it becomes a duty.”
1997 Asian Crisis Lessons Lost Jomo Kwame sundaram
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Inter Press Service
fter months of withstanding speculative attacks on its national currency, the Thai central bank let it ‘float’ on 2 July 1997, allowing its exchange rate to drop suddenly. Soon, currencies and stock markets throughout the region came under pressure as easily reversible short-term capital inflows took flight in herd-like fashion. By mid-July 1997, the currencies of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines had also fallen precipitously after being floated, with stock market price indices following suit. Most other economies in East Asia were also under considerable pressure. In November 1997, despite South Korea’s more industrialized economy, its currency also collapsed following withdrawal of official support. Devaluation pressures also mounted due to the desire to maintain a competitive cost advantage against the devalued currencies of Southeast Asian exporters. Blind spot Mainstream or orthodox economists first attempted to explain the unexpected events from mid-1997 in terms of orthodox theories of currency crisis. Many made much of current account or fiscal deficits, real as well as imagined. When the conventional wisdom clearly proved to be unconvincing, the East Asian miracle was turned on its head. Instead, previously celebrated elements of the regional experience, e.g., government interventions and ‘social
capital’, were blamed for the crises. The media emphasized ‘cronyism’, i.e., government favouritism for particular business interests, and poor corporate governance. These were real problems, but irrelevant to explaining the crisis. Increasingly, blame was put on poor sequencing of financial liberalization, but not on capital account liberalization itself. This blind spot has helped ensure that the most important lessons from the crisis have been largely lost. Other currency and financial crises from the 1990s make clear that key lessons have not been appreciated. Instead, erroneous lessons drawn by orthodox economists, financial analysts and the media have muddied the policy discourse. Also, the policies and policymakers responsible for the crisis need to be identified and addressed as they have come back, albeit in different guises. Wrong lessons have diverted attention away from the intellectual and ideological bases of the erroneous thinking, analyses and policies responsible for the crises. Such ideas are largely, though not exclusively associated with Washington Consensus’ advocacy of economic liberalization at both national and global levels. Thus, drawing critical lessons would undermine the intellectual, analytical and policy authority of the interests and institutions involved. Finance rules Although there was analytical work
critical of East Asia’s ‘miracle’ before the crisis, none actually anticipated the debacle or saw its roots in financial liberalization. Meanwhile, transnational dominance of industry in Southeast Asia facilitated the ascendance and consolidation of financial interests and politically influential rentiers, later deemed ‘cronies’ after 1997. This increasingly powerful alliance successfully promoted financial liberalization in the region, both externally and internally. Southeast Asian financiers were quick to identify and capture rents from arbitrage and other opportunities offered by international financial integration. Little caution was urged in the face of greater foreign capital flows in Southeast Asia, which became more pronounced in the 1990s. Washington Consensus policy advocacy of financial liberalization from the 1980s had uneven consequences and implications for the region. This eventually led to new kinds of currency and financial crises due to easily reversed capital inflows, including foreign bank borrowings and portfolio capital flows. As the interests of domestic financial capital did not fully coincide with those of international finance, the impact of financial globalization was partial and uneven. For instance, both Malaysia and Thailand wanted capital inflows to finance current account deficits. This was largely due to their service account deficits, mainly for
WRITE-WING
imported services and investment income payments abroad. Such deficits grew with imports for consumption and construction, as well as greater ease of investment, including speculation, abroad. There is no evidence that such capital inflows contributed significantly to accelerating the growth of export earnings. Instead, they blew up asset price bubbles, which inevitably burst with devastating economic, social and political consequences. Lessons not learnt Two decades later, there is apparently still no consensus on the East Asian crises and their causes. But contrary to the impression conveyed by the Western media, most serious analysts now agree that the crises essentially began as currency crises of a new type, different from those previously identified with current account deficits, or fiscal profligacy, or even macroeconomic indiscipline more generally. They also agree that the crises started off as currency crises and quickly became more generalized financial crises, before affecting the real economy. Reduced financial liquidity, inappropriate official policy responses and ill-informed, ‘herd’like market responses then exacerbated this chain of events. Jomo Kwame Sundaram, a former economics professor and United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, received the Wassily Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought in 2007
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thursday 13•07•2017
PERSPECTIVE
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Despite winning freedom, ex-fishing slaves struggle
7
Margie Mason
Vigilante politics and failure of ‘rule of law’
Associated Press
Pushkar Raj
n the day they were freed from slavery, the fishermen hugged, high-fived and sprinted through a stinging rain to line up so they wouldn’t be left behind. But even as they learned they were going home, some wept at the thought of returning empty-handed and becoming one more mouth to feed. Two years have passed since an Associated Press investigation spurred that dramatic rescue, leading to the release of more than 2,000 men trapped on remote Indonesian islands. The euphoria they first felt during reunions with relatives has long faded. Occasional stories of happiness and opportunity have surfaced, but the men’s fight to start over has largely been narrated by shame and struggle. Some of them are lucky to find odd jobs paying pennies an hour in cramped slums and rural villages in Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. Others must travel far from home for back-breaking labor. Some suffer night terrors and trauma from the years or even decades of physical and mental abuse they endured on boats run by Thai captains. Others have fought their demons with drugs and alcohol. At least one Cambodian tried to hang himself. Another Thai fisherman went back to work on a different boat at home, only to have his arm ripped off by a net. He says he was offered about $3 and a few packets of instant noodles as compensation. The men left their impoverished homes years ago full of hope and headed to neighboring Thailand, promising to send money back from good-paying jobs. Instead, they were tricked, sold or even kidnapped and put onto boats that became floating prisons. They then were trafficked thousands of miles away to the isolated Indonesian island village of Benjina, where the AP first found hundreds of captive fishermen, including some locked in a cage simply because they asked to go home. They were beaten and routinely forced to work up to 22 hours a day. The unluckiest ones ended up in the sea or buried in a company graveyard under fake names — their bodies will likely never be recovered. The AP story prompted the Indonesian government to initiate a rescue. It also traced fish tainted by forced labor back to the supply chains of many major U.S. companies and pet food brands, including Wal-Mart, Sysco, Kroger, Fancy Feast and Iams. “What happened in Benjina has opened everybody’s eyes,” says Indonesian fishing minister Susi Pudjiastuti, who oversaw the rescue and is pushing for improved human rights at sea globally. Despite all the suffering following their homecomings, there are stories of inspiration. Some of the men borrowed money, enrolled in trade school or found decent work, saving what little they could. Others are opening small businesses, or have married and started families. A few have gone to court to challenge their former captains, receiving a small portion of the pay they were owed. In rare instances, some even helped send their traffickers to jail. Many say time has helped soften the pain, but most remain angry about the money and years lost to Benjina. Still, they are thankful to be home, living as free men. They are slaves no more.
Asia Times
O
SICK AND UNEMPLOYED MON STATE, Myanmar — Myint Naing sits outside the flimsy thatch shack he shares with five other family members. He stares silently at a computer alongside his mother and sister, watching flickering images of their extraordinary reunion two years ago. The memories are still raw of Myint collapsing into his wailing mother’s arms on the same dusty road just feet away from where they sit now in southern Myanmar. That day was tinged with both joy and sorrow for all the time lost — ending 22 years of separation after Myint was taken to Indonesia and nearly beaten to death by a captain who refused to let him go home. His mother blots her eyes and briefly looks away from the screen. Myint’s younger sister sees herself embracing her brother and screaming, “We don’t need money! We just need family!” She never realized just how much those words would be tested every day in the harsh reality of poverty. Myint, now 42, desperately wants to work, but he’s simply not able. He tried doing construction and other manual labor, but the muscles on the right side of his body were weakened by a stroke-like attack in Indonesia. He can’t even steady a smartphone with one hand long enough to take a selfie. He dreams of opening a little snack shop to contribute to the family’s income, but there is no money to start it. “Half of my body is suffering, and it’s very challenging for me to get a job anywhere,” he says, as his nieces dance around him on a rickety porch. “I don’t really know how to keep going like this.” He’s also stressed. He and his sister moved out of their mother’s house soon after he returned, partially because Myint didn’t get along with his new stepfather, who is about his age. His sister, Mawli Than, and her husband together earn less than $5.50 a day to feed three children and three adults. But she has kept her promise to love and care
H
afiz Junaid, a 16-year-old boy, was killed on June 22 on a train by a mob because he was a Muslim. The youth had been returning from Delhi with his brother and two friends after shopping for Eid, the Muslim festival immortalized by India’s foremost Hindustani writer, Munshi Premchand, in his story Idgah, celebrating the “joy of living”. But what happened on that train was the “joy of killing”. This was not an isolated incident. Vigilante terror is sweeping parts of India, legitimizing violence and causing a failure of the rule of law in the country. According to a recent Human Rights Watch report, since May 2015 at least 10 Muslims, including a 12-year-old boy, have been killed in seven separate incidents of mob violence related to the Hindu radical cow-protection campaign. Hindu cultural groups inspired by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and supported by its political face – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – have formed thousands of cow-protection brigades across the country, beating and killing Muslims, who are associated with the cattle trade and beef consumption, which is considered sacrilegious by a majority of Hindus.
In this April 8, 2017 photo, Myint Naing looks out from his sister’s house in Mudon, Mon State, Myanmar. Naing, one of the enslaved fishermen who was freed more than two years ago, have been forced to travel hundreds of miles to find back-breaking labor that pays only a few dollars a day. He dreams of opening a little snack shop to help contribute to the family’s income, but there is no money to start it. (AP Photo)
already in university. The baby was just a year old, and the family was struggling to survive because Sriev Kry never sent the money he was promised. But his wife, Khan Srin, encouraged him to hold on. To focus on staying alive. When he was finally rescued, Sriev Kry was done being silent: He volunteered to testify against his captain. He saw it as his duty to speak out to prevent others from facing the same fate. He is still waiting for his day in court. Today, at 44, he earns about $10 a day farming the field that rings a one-room shack perched on stilts overlooking the few acres of land he owns. He sleeps here sometimes, away from his nearby village, to stand watch over his crops. He also sells mangoes from his beat-up motorbike just across the border in Vietnam and harvests catfish from a lake — the only fishing he says he will ever do again. It’s not much, but it’s enough to pay his debts and feed his family. His captain in Benjina swore more earnings would be sent, but Sriev Kry says nothing ever came. He remains angry and is still haunted by the image of the dead crewman’s passport being thrown into the sea. But he’s happy to be home and vows he’ll never leave his family again. HAPPY ON LAND “I was just rescued from hell,” he says, PREK TATIENG, Cambodia — A gas- shaking his head. “Why would I go back to powered pump growls on Sriev Kry’s back hell again?” as he walks barefoot, spraying a stream of pesticide on pink lotus blossoms that will STILL A FISHERMAN YANGON, Myanmar — Phyo Kyaw’s soon be ready for harvest. The work is hard and unforgiving. He father wept when he heard his son was doesn’t wear a mask or other protective returning to Thailand to board another gear, and there aren’t any trees in the sur- fishing boat. But there was nothing he rounding rice paddy to shield him from could do. After the 31-year-old was rescued the blistering sun. But this is Cambodian soil, and it belongs to him. It’s a freedom from Benjina, he worked a few months he says he never really understood until on the gritty outskirts of Yangon drivbeing trafficked and enslaved in Benjina. ing a bus and a motorbike taxi, but the The wiry rice farmer never wanted to money wasn’t good and his bike soon be a fisherman because the ocean’s roil- was stolen. Several of Phyo’s friends from Benjina ing waves had always sent him running to the side of the boat to vomit. So when a already had gone back to Thailand to find cousin asked if he was interested in leav- better-paying work, and they encouraged ing his rural Cambodian village to find him to get a passport and join them on anhigher-paying work in Thailand, he re- other fishing boat. They had heard good fused until he was promised a factory job stories about the company, and they all had legal working documents this time. or something else on land. Unlike most migrant workers who They were convinced their papers would cross the border illegally, Sriev Kry and protect them from exploitation. Phyo left Myanmar without telling two of his cousins waited to receive passhis father. He went to the same port town ports before leaving in 2014. They were immediately taken to a boat where he was initially trafficked and got and ordered to get on board after receiv- on a trawler with 13 other Burmese men. After being beaten and spending more ing $880 advances. They were told they wouldn’t be at sea long. But it was all a lie. than two years on Benjina with no pay, he Just as their trawler reached the Ma- was scared of being trafficked again but laysian border, Sriev Kry says he woke up decided to take a chance. As he prepared to learn a Burmese fisherman was miss- to leave, he met other fishermen who had ing. They didn’t stop to search for him, just docked — they had been at sea for and no calls were made for help. Instead, three years without touching land. “I don’t think it’s fair, but it’s my choice Sriev Kry says the Thai owner told the workers that “life on the boat doesn’t mat- to go,” Phyo says. “My father is the only financial provider here for the moment ter. No one cares about missing people.” He says the men then watched as the so at least if I go to Thailand, I can bring crew member’s passport was tossed into some money back.” Phyo didn’t know where his boat was the sea, destroying the only record of his going or how long he would be gone. He existence. “The other workers just saw that life is also had no idea if he was fishing legally very cheap,” Sriev Kry recalls. “It is cheap- or poaching, a common but dangerous practice that can land an entire crew in a er than the bodies of dogs.” He tried not to cause problems and foreign jail. The days were still long but, this time, worked nonstop on the boat, sorting mountains of fish. He saw other crew he got a few more hours of sleep — four or beaten or scalded by water tossed on five a night — and he wasn’t beaten. After six months at sea, the trawler them when they were too sick to work. “It’s like a slave’s life. It’s even worse returned to Thailand. Phyo should have than a slave. Slaves can sometimes com- made nearly $1,600 for the trip, but was plain or challenge the owner,” he says. “If left with just $350 after deductions for we refused, if we complained, the Thai fees, food and supplies. owner always asked: ‘You want to live? He could have earned nearly double You want to have a life? Or do you want that amount driving the motorbike taxi to die?’” back home. Still, he’s thinking about goSriev Kry was only able to contact his ing out to sea again with another group of wife a few times from Benjina. He told Benjina guys. her he wasn’t sure he’d ever make it back His father, an electrical engineer, can home to the emerald green rice paddies only shake his head with disappointment. “As parents, you are always worand lotus fields they tended together. Two of their four children were study- ried about your children,” Aye Kyaw, 67, ing in the capital, Phnom Penh, with one says inside the family’s small, sweltering for him no matter what. She wishes she could afford to get Myint the long-term medical care he needs. Her voice cracks when she talks about not being able to give him a proper ceremony before he left to study as a Buddhist novice, a custom that every devout Burmese male tries to fulfill. “I feel really sad and guilty that I wasn’t able to do that,” she says, sobbing, as he listens quietly in the doorway. “My brother is like a father to me.” Myint’s freshly shaved head reveals two large scars he received during his years in Indonesia. One is from a motorbike helmet, the other from an iron rod — both blows from angry fishing captains. He eventually escaped his captors and lived in the jungle for years, farming vegetables with help from sympathetic local families. He insists life is better now that he is home. But his mind often drifts to the past. If his former Thai captains would just pay him what he’s owed for all the time he worked on the boats, he could buy his own house and help his sister instead of making her life harder. “I’m very angry at them. I can’t even find words,” he says. “If I ever saw them again, I might kill them.”
apartment. But Phyo just shrugs. Fishing is what he knows. “If I can get a better job here, I won’t go,” he says. “But if I don’t have anything, I will go on a fishing boat.” FORGIVENESS AS A MONK SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand — Wrapped in flowing saffron robes with a shaved head, Prasert Jakkawaro speaks calmly and softly as he looks back on his lost life. He spent eight years fishing the Arafura Sea’s rich waters off Benjina. If he was lucky, his boat docked twice a year. He worked around the clock, but says he was never paid what was promised. The memories still cut like razor blades, but he does not show it. His voice remains steady, his fingers laced loosely across his lap. The rage that once sent him searching for solace at the bottom of a bottle has died. He now finds comfort praying in a monastery as a Buddhist monk and helping others who have lost their way. “I feel that I have to give forgiveness and kindness back,” he says, his robe concealing tattoos from his former life. “I have another chance. There’s no point in dwelling on the past. The anger will only follow me in this life and into the next.” Finding peace wasn’t easy: He was first forced to confront all of the evil he saw. Even though the captains were Thai like him, he says he was treated just as badly as his fellow fishermen from Myanmar and Cambodia. They rarely had vegetables or meat to eat — just fish and rice for every meal, and even that wasn’t guaranteed. Those who got sick were forced to work anyway, and he saw one crew member die due to a lack of medical attention. Sleep was a luxury. “If you don’t get up, the metal rod will be used to bang on your door and beat on your legs,” says Prasert, 53. “The rule is that if you can eat, then you have to work.” When he asked to go home after just one year on his trawler, he was told he first had to find a replacement, an impossible request on a remote island with hundreds of other enslaved men just as desperate to leave. Once, after coming ashore, Prasert asked his captain for more money. As punishment, he says he was tossed into a tiny, muggy cell with about 20 other men. The security guards then used the imprisoned fishermen for a twisted form of entertainment — forcing them to beat each other up. “You would get hit so hard that you could see the handprints on your face,” Prasert says. Over the years, he lost hope and rage festered inside him. He talked about attacking the captain, but the other fishermen always managed to calm him down. After he was finally rescued and returned home to Thailand, he received a settlement of about $2,250 from the boat owner. It was far short of the nearly $9,000 he says he was owed, but he knows most of the other men received nothing. The anger continued to swell, and he wallowed in alcohol and slept anywhere he could find, including on a bathroom floor. Staff at the local nonprofit Labor Rights Protection Network, which has long assisted trafficked fishermen, pushed him to seek help. With encouragement from his sister, Prasert spent three months studying at a Buddhist temple. Slowly, the hatred began to melt. “When I attend ceremonies, people really look at me as if I can shine a light on their life, and it makes me feel that I am useful again,” he says. “I feel like I can have real happiness at last.” Information for this story came from interviews with nearly 15 former fishermen in Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand along with nonprofits in Cambodia and Thailand.
Muslim minority suffers hostility The perpetrators were not punished in any of the cases because of their belief in the ideology of Hindutva, which advises exclusion and hostility toward Muslims, a 180-million-strong religious minority in India, whose total population is 1.3 billion. The ruling BJP ministers have either denied or played down the killings, while the prime minister made a passing note of the grave matter. For a couple of decades, Hindutva, a predominant form of Hindu nationalism, has grown. Its first major vigilante act was the 1992 demolition of the Babri Mosque in Uttar Pradesh state by several RSSaffiliated parties and groups such as the BJP, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, some of whom are currently being prosecuted in court. The BJP benefited from the Babri demolition and subsequent riots, which polarized the country’s Hindu majority and led to a coalition government in 1998. Yogi Adityanath, a BJP member of parliament, founded a vigilante group, Hindu Yuva Vahini, in eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP) in 2002 to confront Muslims on so-called “love jihad“, beef, and conversion. Unrest helps boost BJP By 2014, Adityanath’s organization had spread vigilante terror through relentless attacks against Muslims for their cultural and religious practices. Aided by riots elsewhere in UP, the BJP won 71 of 80 parliamentary seats, paving the way for Narendra Modi to become prime minister. Modi had faced allegations of collusion in the 2002 Gujarat riots while he was chief minister of the state. Yogi Adityanath became the chief minister of UP in March when the BJP secured a three-fourths majority in the state assembly elections. He continues to be the chief patron of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, which faces criminal charges related to lethal riots in Gorakhpur in 2007 and Mau in 2005. Vigilantism against Muslims seems to be aimed at the subjugation of minorities. With Yogi Adityanath becoming chief minister in UP, India’s largest state, Hindu vigilante politics has been legitimized, with serious implications. Leaders emerging out of vigilante politics tend to be authoritarian because they are the product of hate, anger and violence and need to appear tough and decisive. They realize that they are in power despite the Indian constitution and therefore need not care for it more than it suits them. Personal freedoms under threat Beginning with UP, people across the country are unable to enjoy personal freedoms such as where to go, whom to befriend and marry, or what to eat and say. Under the present regime, people are being prevented from being normal adult human beings. In a press briefing, UP police claimed that under the anti-Romeo campaign they questioned nearly 700,500 people and warned nearly half that number in a one-month period. After assuming power, the new chief minister of UP closed slaughterhouses, causing a domino effect across the Hindu heartland and leading to new rules by the central government under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The new rules have in effect wiped out the meat industry, depriving millions of Muslims and Dalits of a means of livelihood and a cheap source of food. In other words, neither culture nor constitution but an elected leader from the majority community has been able to determine citizens’ diet and nature of work. One major difference between an authoritarian and a totalitarian regime is that in the former some institutions are beyond the control of the government. In India, the judiciary, economic institutions, and media may fall into this category. However, the present government has tried to emasculate all of them. Independence of high court challenged The government rejected 43 of the 77 names that the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended for appointment to various high courts. The government is battling for control of the appointment of judges after the Supreme Court struck down the National Judicial Appointment Commission Act asserting its independence and autonomy under the constitution. On November 8, without consulting the Reserve Bank of India, Modi declared 86% of country’s currency frozen, causing hardship, chaos and the deaths of more than 150 people across the country in what economist and philosopher Amartya Sen called a “despotic action”. The government raided a prominent TV news channel, NDTV, after the ruling party’s spokesman accused the media outlet of bias in a live news program. Noted constitutional expert Fali Nariman termed the raid an act to delegitimize the media further. In a society where violence is legitimized to achieve political ends, totalitarian tendencies emerge at the expense of rule of law, order and civility. However, given India’s long tradition of pluralism and the Gandhian legacy, these aberrations are likely to be fiercely challenged, drawing additional battle lines in the country.
8
ThursDAY 13•07•2017
INDIA
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Amartya documentary row: Bengal civil society reacts with anger, cries 'fascism' KolKata, July 12 (IaNS): Up in arms against the CBFC's move to red flag a documentary on Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen because of some words uttered by him in the film, West Bengal's civil society on Wednesday minced no words in terming it "fascism" and a "shameful example of audacity" of the powers that be. Writers, thespians, historians, film makers were univocal in their condemnation after the Central Board of Film Certification raised objections to four words and expressions - "Gujarat", "Hindu India", "Hindutva" and "cow" - used by the renowned economist and writer in the course of an interview that was part of an hour long documentary by Suman Ghosh. With Ghosh refusing to mute even a single word, the documentary "An Argumentative Indian" has not been cleared by the censor authorities. "It is utter foolishness. If people can't express their views, then how can India be called democratic? And the person saying these words in the documentary is globally acclaimed and respected," said thespian Soumitra Chatterjee who was present at a special screening of the documentary on Monday. "It is not grief, its anger. What else can you expect from those who are dictating what food to eat? This is a form of fascism," he said. Octogenarian writer Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay urged the director to move the highest judiciary on the issue.
NATION brief SC gives Centre four weeks to decide on regulating NGOs
BJP supports CBFC move to red flag documentary
"There is no question of muting those words as they are not at all objectionable. I feel the director should challenge the CBFC's move in the Supreme Court to teach them a lesson," said Mukhopadhyay, a Sahitya Akedemi awardee. "The people who cannot take the words of a world famous person like Amartya Sen are not just idiotic but also the flag bearers of a certain political ideology. Everyone should condemn it," he said. Jnanpith awardee poet Sankha Ghosh was equally severe in his criticism. "This is a shameful example of the extent to which their audacity has gone," said Ghosh. Claiming that none of the four words in the film that has triggered the dispute are "obscene", veteran Bengali writer
Nananita Deb Sen said by censoring these words the Centre is trying to censor the freedom of speech of Amartya Sen. "These four words are not obscene or objectionable from any angle. They are used in common conversations all the time. The CBFC is trying to curb freedom of speech without bothering about the logic," claimed Deb Sen, also the first wife of the economist. Historian and academician Sugata Bose said such form of censorship was "undesirable". "In the present disturbing times, we need to attentively listen to every word that Amartya Sen says. He always gives the message of unity and amity. "I heard objection was raised about his use of the word 'Gujarat'. But it is a his-
toric truth. Why only Amartya Sen, we all have the right to mention it and criticise it." Bose, a parliamentarian and Harvard university teacher, also rubbished the CBFC view that use of the words would sully the country's image. "People are being killed now. I feel people who are orchestrating such incidents are damaging India's image worldwide. But if a message goes out that there are protests and resistance against these vile acts, this will prove that there is still freedom of expression in our country. This will in turn enhance our image worldwide". The documentary has been structured as a free flowing conversation between Sen and his student and Cornell economics professor Kaushik Basu.
New DelhI, July 12 (IaNS): The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the central government four weeks' time to decide how to regulate the funding and functioning of the NGOs and voluntary organisations -- a large number of which are found to be functioning in breach of the rules. The bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud sought a response from the government as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that a decision on whether to enact a law or frame guidelines for regulating the funding and functioning of the NGOs would be taken at highest level at the earliest. Making it clear that it would not like to push the government on the course it may adopt for regulating the NGOs -- overwhelming number of which are flouting the norms, the bench said it would be appropriate if government took a call on the matter. Telling ASG Mehta that misuse of public funds by the NGOs could not be allowed, the court said it was not the absence of law on regulating the funding and functioning of the NGOs and voluntary organisations that prevented in initiating proceedings against errant NGOs. The top court in the last hearing in the matter on April 26 had asked the Centre to consider putting in place a statutory regime to regulate registration, funding, compliance and audit of the NGOs getting state support. The court said this during the hearing of a PIL by Advocate M.L. Sharma, who has sought probe into the alleged misuse of funds given to NGO Hind Swaraj run by anti-corruption crusader Ana Hazare. However, later the scope of the PIL was expanded to look into the funding of the NGOs by the state and their accountability mechanism. Following a direction by the top court, a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found that of the 32 lakh NGOs, only three lakh submitted their audited accounts to the authorities.
KolKata, July 12 (IaNS): Supporting CBFC's decision to red flag director Suman Ghosh's documentary on Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday said the board had the power to pass a movie or stall it based on its evaluation. "The board has the right to decide which film to censor and which to pass. I do not think any film should be passed just because someone special has appeared in it," Ghosh said. "I was also a member of the board. There can be many controversial aspects of a film. The importance and significance of certain things can change depending on the situation and context. The reactions to them might also vary," he added. The Central Board of Film Certification has stalled the release of the documentary, objecting to four words used by Sen -- cow, Gujarat, Hindu, and Hindutva. According to the documentary's maker, officials verbally asked him to mute those four words to get a U/A certification. The director opposed the suggestion, stating it would kill the essence of the documentary. The hour-long documentary titled 'The Argumentative Indian', shot over a span of 15 years and featuring several notable economists like former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is primarily structured as a freewheeling conversation between Sen and his student and Cornell Economics Professor Kaushik Basu. It has already been screened in New York and London. A special screening was held in Kolkata on Monday and the documentary was scheduled for release at a number of theatres on Friday.
SC chides EC for going back on life time ban on convicted lawmakers
Suspect in Reliance Jio data PM should own responsibility for endangering leak arrested from Rajasthan national security: Cong on Amarnath attack JaIpur/NavI MuMBaI, July 12 (IaNS): A team of police from Navi Mumbai on Wednesday formally arrested a man in Rajasthan's Churu district in a case relating to alleged Reliance Jio data leak and questioned him for a few hours, a police official said. "The prime suspect, Imran Chimpa, was questioned for few hours by a police team from Navi Mumbai. Later, he was placed under arrest. He will be taken to Mumbai for further investigation," a police official from Sujangarh police station in Churu told IANS on phone. He said the Navi Mumbai police will seek a transit remand from the local court before taking the accused, an engineering student, to Maharashtra. The Navi Mumbai and Maharashtra Cyber police teams zeroed in on the prime suspect in Rajasthan late on Tuesday, cracking the Reliance Jio data breach case within 24 hours. Maharashtra Cyber Superintendent of Police Balsing Rajput said that following an FIR lodged by the Navi Mumbai Police, the cyber sleuths got a lead which was thoroughly analysed to pinpoint information on the culprit. Rajput said with the help of Rajasthan Police, a man was arrested from Churu district and investigation was on. "A team of Maharashtra Cyber, Navi Mumbai Police and Reliance Jio officials are in Rajasthan conducting raids with the help of Rajasthan Police, while a team from QuickHeal is providing technical help in the probe," Rajput said. The accused had posted a message on an online message board on July 5, claiming to offer personal user details of anybody having a Jio SIM card and said it was available from the customer's original details. This raised apprehensions that Jio customers' data may have been compromised, but the company has made it clear that subscribers' data was safe and maintained with highest security.
New DelhI, July 12 (IaNS): The Congress on Wednesday attacked the NDA government for "grave security and intelligence failure" over the death of seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should own responsibility for endangering national security. The party also said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is grim and the BJP-PDP government was "unwilling" to accept its gross failures in plunging the state into a "situation of no return". "Nearly 36 hours have passed but neither Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh have come forward to either admit the grave security failure or to assure the nation on decisive action," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters here at a press conference. Lashing out at Modi, Singhvi said, "We have not even heard a single syllable on the momentous failure on the part of the Prime Minister." "After every terrorist attack, be it the Uri or the Pathankot Air force camp similar platitudes are offered by government with Prime Minister refusing to come forward," he alleged. Singhvi further said: "No amount
CBI raids 23 locations, books senior I-T officer raNchI/New DelhI, July 12 (IaNS): The CBI on Wednesday conducted raids at 23 locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand in connection with a graft case registered against the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax and others, an official said. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took the step against Principal Commissioner Tapas Kumar Dutta, posted in Ranchi, and three of his colleagues -- Arvind Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Income Tax; Ranjeet Kumar Lal, an Income Tax Officer and an Income Tax Officer (Tech) identified only as Ganguly -- following allegations of criminal conspiracy. The four officials of Income Tax department, along with five businessmen and a Chartered Accountant have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal misconduct and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
During the search operation, the CBI seized Rs 3.5 crore in cash, five kg gold and some incriminating documents from the premises owned by Dutta. Searches were on at several
a Kolkata-based chartered accountant Pawan Maurya, and some unidentified persons," the official said. The CBI officers questioned Dutta at the IT office in Ranchi. Sources said the raids were related to hawala transactions. "Dutta during 2016 and 2017 had entered into a criminal conspiracy with other Income Tax officials, the businessmen, infamous entry operators and the Chartered Accountant for getting Income Tax assessment files of different assessee companies transferred from Kolkata and Hazaribagh to Ranchi for providing undue favour to those who have been charged with heavy tax liability, in lieu of huge bribes," the official said. The official further said that Dutta had issued favourable orders in the case of private companies, who had already paid a huge bribe, which was allegedly stashed with a private person.
Rs 3.5 crore in cash, five kg gold seized locations. Dutta and his colleagues were accused of favouring five Kolkata-based businessmen -- identified as Biswanath Agarwal, Santosh Chowdhury, Aakash Agarwal, Vinod Agarwal and Arvind Agarwal -- and their companies in the matter of taxes and for taking illegal gratification. The CBI raids took place at 18 residential and office premises of the accused in Kolkata and five places in Ranchi in Jharkhand, a CBI official said. "It is alleged that Dutta and three other Income Tax officials conspired with six private persons, including
of condemnation is enough to heal the wounds and scars of the Yatris in that fateful bus, which was the subject of this mindless act of terror." "Attack on Amarnath Yatra and killing of Yatris happened on account of gross and grave intelligence failure, despite specific inputs as early as on June 27," he added. "The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is grim. The BJP-PDP government is unwilling to accept its gross failures in plunging the state into a situation of no return. How many times do we need to remind BJP-PDP of their Constitutional obligations to govern and provide basic security to the people?" Singhvi asked. Hitting out at the government, he said: "Merely tweeting on Kashmiriyat and replying to a troll will not absolve Home Minister Rajnath Singh of the primary responsibility to maintain peace and tranquility. Since the past 38 months, India only has a part-time Defence Minister, which is a sad commentary on the state of affairs that are endangering our national security. "Should Prime Minister Narendra Modi not own responsibility for endangering our national security?"
Singhvi asked. Congress also accused the government for contradictions in the statements by two junior ministers after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security. "MoS Home Hansraj Ahir said 'we will look into the security lapses and will fill in the gaps', while MoS PMO Jitendra Singh showered praises on the Prime Minister and said that 'he is personally monitoring the situation...'," said Singhvi. "Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Nirmal Singh is conceding that 'there was definitely a lapse in security', while BJP General Secretary in-charge of the state Ram Madhav sharply contradicted them and said 'there was no security lapse'," he remarked. "Why is the BJP speaking in multiple contradictory, antithetical and discrepant voices?" asked Singhvi. "We want to ask the BJP government why no concrete preventive steps were taken even after a specific intelligence tip off," Singhvi asked. The Congress cautioned that the situation was all the more grave with lumpen terrorist outfits operating from Pakistan, speaking about use of rogue chemical weapons.
New DelhI, July 12 (IaNS): The Supreme Court on Wednesday chided the Election Commission for retracting its earlier position supporting a plea for lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers from contesting elections. "It is within the domain of the Election Commission... if you don't want to be independent, (and remain) constrained by the legislature, (then) say so," said a bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Navin Sinha as counsel for the poll panel told the court it was supporting the cause of the petitioner to decriminalise politics. "When a citizen comes to the EC seeking lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers, is silence an option? Either you can say 'yes' or 'no'. Can you afford to be silent?" the bench said as it read a paragraph from the response of the EC which supported the plea for lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers on contesting elections. However, counsel told the bench that the said paragraph should not be read in isolation and should be read as a part of the entire response of the Commission. "We are supporting the cause of the petitioner for decriminalisation of politics and there should be framework for decriminalisation of politics," counsel said, but the court retorted hat the EC wanted the court to read in between the lines, and there was no reason why they should do so. The court's response came in the course of the hearing of a PIL by BJP leader Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay seeking lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers and setting up of special courts for trying lawmakers accused of criminal offences. Earlier appearing for one of the interveners, senior counsel Siddharth Luthra said that the principal point is when a lawmaker is disqualified following his conviction, then can the disqualification be limited to a point of time. The court directed further hearing on August 18.
China offers help on Kashmir, says situation has drawn global attention BeIJINg, July 12 (IaNS): China on Wednesday said it was ready to play a "constructive role" in improving India-Pakistan ties over Kashmir, where the "situation has attracted the attention of the international community". Beijing, which said conflict along the Line of Control (LoC) was not conducive to the South Asia region, however did not say anything on Monday's terror attack on Amaranth Yatra pilgrims in Kashmir. "Situation in Kashmir has attracted a lot of attention (of the) international community," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said here. "The conflict near the Line of Control (LoC) of Kashmir will not only harm the peace and stability of both the countries but also the peace and tranquillity of the region," he added. "China is willing to play a constructive role in improving relations between India and Pakistan." "We hope that relevant sides can do more things that are conducive to peace and stability in the region and avoid escalating the tensions." China has publicly maintained neutrality over the Kashmir issue and talked about its "constructive role" earlier too. However, the state-run media and Chinese think tank experts have suggested that Beijing could help its ally Pakistan in disputes with India over Kashmir. This week a Chinese expert said the way India was helping Bhutan in Doklam, China too can help Pakistan by sending its army in Kashmir. Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a stand-off in Doklam in Sikkim sector which has led to rise in tensions between both sides.
3 militants killed, Srinagar clashes injure many SrINagar, July 12 (IaNS): Security forces shot dead three militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district, sparking street clashes in Srinagar which injured several civilian protestors and security personnel on Wednesday, officials said. Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed after a gunfight with security forces in a village that began the previous day, the officials said. The battle started on Tuesday evening after security forces laid a cordon around Radbug village, some 30 km from here. The militants opened fire when the cordon around the house in which they were hiding was tightened, a police officer said. The operation, carried out jointly by the police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Army, was halted after it got dark
overnight. The exchange of fire resumed on Wednesday morning. The militants rushed out of their hideout firing indiscriminately in a bid to escape. The security forces returned the fire and killed all the three, the officer said. The slain men were identified as Javed Sheikh, Dawood and Sajad Ahmed Gilkar. Sheikh was the Hizbul district commander. Dinakaran said an AK56 assault rifle, a Self Loading Rifle, a pistol and seven magazines were recovered from the shootout site. During the fighting, the security forces came under attack from villagers who hurled stones at them in a bid to help the militants escape. "Villagers resorted to heavy stone pelting at the security forces to disrupt our operation. However, they were chased away,"
Dinakaran told IANS. Clashes broke out in Nowhatta in Srinagar's Old City area on Wednesday after stone pelters clashed with security forces as news of Gilkar's death in Badgam became known. Gilkar belonged to Nowhatta. Authorities then imposed curfew in the areas of Rainawari, Nowhatta, M.R. Gunj, Khanyar and Safa Kadal in Srinagar. Several protestors and security personnel in addition to a photo journalist were injured in the clashes. Meanwhile, scores of people offered funeral prayers for Javed Sheikh in Sadpora village of Badgam district, reports reaching here said. Authorities have suspended mobile Internet services in Badgam and Srinagar districts to check the spread of militant propaganda.
ThursdaY 13 •07•2017
WORLD
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
9
Trump’s son connects the dots on Russia probe
WASHINGTON, July 12 (AP): The president’s son connected the dots. Until Tuesday, the questions about whether Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia have largely centered on revelations from secret sources and suspicious connections that may ultimately be just eyebrow-raising coincidences. There’s been plenty of smoke, but no fire. Then suddenly — there in black and white — was the president’s son eagerly accepting a meeting with a purported Russian government lawyer who dangled the promise of damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton. The type of coordination with Russia that Trump has long denied, the emails seem to show, was being embraced by his namesake. “If it’s what you say I love it,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote in a June 2016 email to a music publicist who was acting as an intermediary with the Russian attorney. In the four pages of emails published Tuesday, Trump Jr. also appeared unfazed when his associate stated that the information “is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.” The meeting took place in New York’s Trump Tower a few days later. It’s unclear if the meeting breaches election laws barring campaigns from receiving “anything of value” from foreign nationals. Nor does it clarify whether there was broader cooperation between the Trump team and the Russian government. Sorting through those questions will fall to special counsel Robert Mueller and congressional investigators, and an answer may not be known for months, or even years.
Julian Assange ‘urged Trump’s son to publish Russia emails via WikiLeaks’ WASHINGTON, July 12 (IANS): Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has claimed that he contacted US President Donald Trump’s son to publish via WikiLeaks the emails about setting up a meeting with a Russian lawyer who claimed to have damaging information on Hillary Clinton. Instead, the US President’s eldest son did so via Twitter, igniting a firestorm of criticism around his apparent willingness to work with the Russian government against his father’s Democratic rival, the Guardian reported. “Contacted Trump Jr this morning on why he should publish his emails (i.e with us),” tweeted Assange, who is based at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. “Two hours later, does it himself.” Trump Jr released the
emails on Tuesday after The New York Times told him they had the documents and would be reporting on them. Assange said he told Trump Jr to release the documents “because his enemies have it -- so why not the public?” “Better to be transparent and have the full context,” he continued, “but would have been safer for us to publish it anonymously sourced. By publishing it himself it is easier to submit as evidence.” It was not clear whether Assange’s use of the word “enemies” was the reference to the media or political rivals, the report said. The emails reveal correspondence between Trump Jr and his acquaintance Rob Goldstone as they set up a meeting with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya,
who promised to share incriminating evidence on Clinton to help the Trump campaign. “This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Trump,” Goldstone wrote in one email. “If it’s what you say I love it,” Trump Jr said in one reply, referring to the information about Clinton. Trump Jr said that nothing came out of the meeting and that Veselnitskaya only wanted to talk about a US policy on Russian adoptions. He denied any wrongdoing in taking the meeting, but lawmakers were vying to get him to testify before House and Senate committees. US President Trump said in a statement that Trump Jr “is a high-quality person and I applaud his transparency”.
But Trump can’t distance himself from his own son. He’s extremely close to his adult children, all of whom worked with him in his real estate business before the election. Though the Trump children did not have formal campaign roles, they were by their father’s side throughout the election and intimately involved in the operation. Trump Jr., along with younger brother Eric, have taken the reins at the Trump Organization while their father serves as president and their sister Ivanka works in Washington as a senior White House adviser. The restrained response
Tuesday from White House aides — who have otherwise followed the president’s lead in aggressively condemning the Russia probes — underscored the increasingly personal nature of the latest developments. Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders read a brief statement from Trump calling his son a “high quality person” but largely avoided answering other questions. The president has held no public events this week as the revelations about Trump Jr.’s meeting unfolded and his high-octane Twitter account has been notably silent on the matter. The latest disclosures left
some Republicans grappling for the right balance between backing a president whose broader agenda they still support and talking tough on Russia, a country many view as an adversary. Several GOP lawmakers followed the president’s lead and largely avoided the topic. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah called the matter “overblown” and showered praise on the president’s son. “He’s a very nice young man,” Hatch said. “One of the things that endears the president to me is how nice his children are. And they all love him. He divorced their mothers, and they love him.”
Donald Trump Jr. thrusts his fist after speaking at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio US. (REUTERS File photo)
But the stunning email exchange immediately bolstered the legitimacy of those investigations, and undercut Trump’s efforts to dismiss the probes as a “hoax” and a Democraticdriven “witch hunt.” Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, said that while Trump may have fired FBI Director James Comey, who previously led the Russia probe, “He didn’t fire the FBI. He didn’t fire the Senate intelligence committee. The FBI is going to get to the bottom of all this.” Trump Jr. released the emails just moments before they were published by The New York Times. In a statement,
he downplayed the encounter, saying the Russian lawyer ultimately “had no information to provide” and only wanted to discuss a disbanded program that allowed for U.S. adoptions of Russian children. Regardless of what transpired in the meeting — which was also attended by then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, as well as Trump’s son-in-law and current White House adviser Jared Kushner — the disclosure pushes the collusion questions uncomfortably close to the president. For months, Trump has vigorously denied that his campaign coordinated with Moscow and said he has no
knowledge of contacts between his team and the Russian government during the election. When the attention on some of his advisers has gotten too hot, he’s quickly distanced himself from them. Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, for example, was fired after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the United States. And as questions about Manafort’s Russianlinked business clients continued to mount this year, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the campaign chairman played only a “limited role” in the election.
Where North Korea stands after ICBM launch China says no forced relocations after UNESCO listing of Tibetan area TOKyO, July 12 (AP): North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is on the cusp of having something his father and grandfather could only dream of - the ability to unleash a nuclear attack on the United States. For anyone paying attention, the test launch of his country’s first intercontinental ballistic missile on the Fourth of July came as little surprise. He has been racing to develop better and longerrange missiles and vowed this would be the year of the ICBM in his annual New Year’s address. He made good on that vow with the launch of the “Hwasong-14.” But that isn’t all he’s been doing. Here’s a quick primer.
CLOSING THE GAP: North Korea’s newest missile is called the Hwasong-14. Hwasong means “Mars.” Experts believe the two-stage, liquid-fuel missile gives Kim the capability of reaching most of Alaska and possibly Hawaii. Some experts add Seattle and San Francisco. North Korea’s missiles aren’t very accurate, so big, soft targets like cities are what they would be aimed at. Big caveat: Kim’s technicians still have a lot of work to do. It’s not clear if this missile could be scaled up to reach targets beyond Alaska, like New York or Washington. Reliability is also a big issue that requires years
Western diet may up risk of chronic liver inflammation in males: study
of testing to resolve. And that liquid fuel makes the missile a sitting duck while it’s being readied for launch. DIVERSIFYING THE ARSENAL: Along with a record number of tests, 17 this year alone, Kim has revealed a surprising array of missiles - Harpoon-style anti-ship missiles, beefed up Scuds, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and missiles that use solid fuel, which makes them easier to hide and harder to destroy. David Wright, with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said heightened activity over the past 18 months suggests Kim decided a couple of years ago to speed up and diversify. The takeaway: North Korea is well on its way toward a fine-tuned arsenal of missiles that can strike South Korea, Japan and the United States.
NEW yORK, July 12 (IANS): Males who regularly con- PUSHING sume a western diet -- high in fat and sugar -- may be at risk THE ENVELOPE: of developing chronic inflammation of the liver, a study What’s next? cautioned. More sanctions, almost The study, conducted in mice, revealed that liver in- certainly. US President flammation was most pronounced in Western diet-fed male mice that also lacked farnesoid x receptor (FXR), a bile acid receptor. STORES E-PROCUREMENT “Gut and liver health are linked. It is clear that micro- Tender Notice No. S/31/2017. 10-07-2017. bial imbalance and dysregulated bile acid synthesis are Dtd.: (1) All tenders have been inseparable, and they jointly contribute to hepatic in- uploaded on Indian Railways flammation via the gut-liver axis,” said lead investigator E-Procurement Portal (IREPS):www.ireps.gov.in. For details & Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan, Professor at the University of Cali- necessary guidelines for quoting against e-tender, please visit IR-Efornia, Davis. Portal. Tenders are Further, these FXR deficient mice also developed ste- Procurement due to be opened on 10-08-2017 atosis or fatty liver, which was more severe in males than and 16-08-2017. (2) The prospective tenderers females. are advised to get them registered In addition, gut microbiota and bile acid profiles may on the website http://www.ireps. online. This registration explain gender difference in liver disease as liver cancer isgov.in mandatory for participation in incidence is much higher in men than women. e-tendering and is free of charge. (3) Offers are to be submitted “Our data shows that diet, gender, and different antionline only. Offers sent/submitted biotic treatments alter the gut microbiota as well as bile against such e-tenders through acid profile and have different effects on liver inflamma- e-mail, post/fax or in person will be rejected summarily without any tion,” Wan added. consideration. (4) This notice is for information Introducing antibiotics to reduce inflammation also initial phase only. In future, had different effects based on the diets the mice received, noduring such notice shall be published. Vendors are requested to get the researchers said. with IREPS and visit portal For the study, reported in The American Journal of Pa- registered www.ireps.gov.in for future tenders. thology, the team used an FXR-deficient mouse model, (5) Please submit offers online for because patients with cirrhosis or liver cancer also have the following stores: Description, PL NO., Quantity, low FXR levels. Tender no. respectively. PVC They found similarities between Western diet intake insulated armoured unscreened, 5611NS01, 128.50KM, 50/15/5029/ and FXR deficiency. OT/134/17. Portable plasma cutting The adverse effects of Western diet on the liver may be machine, 6590N001, 6590N002, 6590N004, 6590N005, explained in part by the persistence of a pro-inflammato- 6590N003, 2 Nos, 4 Nos, 2 Nos, 2 Nos, 3 Nos, ry bacteria as well as the reduction of an anti-inflamma- 60/17/5082/OT/135/17. Bearing Kit for EMD Loco, 17480358, 96Set, tory bacteria in the gut. 10/17/4513/OT/136/17. Cylinder low The liver receives 70 per cent of its blood supply from pressure, 17380078, 66 Nos, 10/16/ the intestine, thus understanding how the gut contrib- 3758/OT/137/17. Controller of Stores utes to liver disease development may help develop treatNORTHEAST FRONTIER RAILWAY ments, the researchers said. Serving Customers With A Smile
Donald Trump claimed “severe things” could be in the offing. The US has circulated a new list of sanctions in the UN Security Council and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley put the world, and especially China, “on notice” if it doesn’t toe Washington’s line. China, North Korea’s economic lifeline, has reduced its imports from the North, including a cutoff of coal purchases. It appears to still be selling lots of goods to North Korea, which may anger some sanctions advocates but generates a huge trade deficit that could spell destabilizing inflation for the North if left unchecked. North Korea, meanwhile, needs to improve its nuclear warhead technology. Its Punggye-ri underground nuclear test site has been on standby for months. So a test is fairly likely. And there will be more launches. As Kim put it, expect lots more “gift packages, big and small” for Washington.
BEIJING, July 12 (REuTERS): China’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday there have not been and will not be any forced relocations from a high-altitude plateau in a heavily Tibetan area granted world heritage status by the United Nations, after concern by Tibetan groups. The groups have argued the UNESCO designation would allow Chinese authorities to remove residents from the area, known as Hoh Xil, in Qinghai province, and threaten its environment and nomadic culture. The ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters, said the awarding of world heritage status by the U.N. cultural organisation last week represented the international community’s “full approval” of the government’s success at protecting Hoh Xil’s environment. The government’s application documents for the status for the site showed its resolve to fully respect the wishes, traditional cul-
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ture, religious beliefs and lifestyles of the nomadic people who live there, the ministry said. “The Chinese government has not, is not and will not in the future do any forced evictions in the Hoh Xil nominated area,” it said. Qinghai government regulations and plans also include no requirements for forced relations, the ministry said. The area has an eleva-
tion of more than 4,500 metres (14,764 feet) and is home to several endemic animal species as well as the entire migratory route of the endangered Tibetan antelope. Tibetan rights groups argue the UNESCO designation could accelerate Chinese efforts to move nomads into settled villages. China routinely rejects criticism from rights groups and exiles who
accuse it of trampling on the religious and cultural rights of the Tibetan people, saying its rule has brought prosperity to a once-backward region. There have been periodic bouts of anti-Chinese unrest in Tibetan areas, with rioters torching shops and turning on residents, especially majority Han Chinese, who many Tibetans see as intruders threatening their culture.
GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ZUNHEBOTO NO.JUD.21/2017-18/61
Dtd. Zbto. the 01/06/2017
Notice calling objection for the issue of Succession Certificate
Smti. Kutoni Sema of Shotomi Village, Dist. Zunheboto has applied for the issue of Succession Certificate declaring that her husband Late Ghotozu Sema has expired on 15/01/2017. It is hereby notified that if no objection to issue this certificate is received from anyone within a period of 30 (thirty) days w.e.f the date of publication in press, the Certificate shall be issued, and no further complaint will be entertained for issue of the same. Sd/- Deputy Commissioner Zunheboto: Nagaland
GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER NAGALAND STATE TRANSPORT DRIVERS' TRAINING INSTITUTE VIRAZOUMA VILLAGE, (7TH MILE) DIMAPUR: NAGALAND NO: NST/DTI/TRG-5/2017-18/155-57
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sports
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
History women Konta, Venus into Wimbledon semi-finals
London, JuLy 12 (AFP): Johanna Konta became the first British woman to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for 39 years on Tuesday, while five-time champion Venus Williams also made history as the oldest semi-finalist since 1994. Konta thrilled the patriotic Centre Court crowd with a pulsating 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 victory that ended second seed Simona Halep's bid to become the new world number one. In a potentially classic semifinal on Thursday, Konta faces American star Venus. Williams had her own landmark moment on Centre Court with a 6-3, 7-5 win over French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko that made her the oldest semi-finalist at the All England Club since Martina Navratilova 23 years ago. Halep's defeat means Czech Karolina Pliskova, who lost in the Wimbledon second round, will replace Angelique Kerber on top of the WTA rankings. Konta, 26, is the first Briton since Virginia Wade in 1978 to make the women's semi-finals. Wade, the last British woman to win Wimbledon in 1977, was watching from the Royal Box as Konta reached the second Grand Slam semi-final of her career, the other ending in a 2016 Australian Open defeat against Kerber. "Right now it's a little bit surreal just because it's quite incredible how quickly things go in tennis. I'm definitely digesting things a little bit still," said Konta, who was ranked outside the top 150 two
Vishü Rita Krocha
G
iven the deplorable road condition in Nagaland, one can imagine the joy when any stretch of road is being repaired. Just a few months ago, we were elated at the sight of blacktopping in our colony. Good roads- such a basic right and need of the citizens, but we still take delight in watching the roads being repaired after years and years, or even decades. In between, we just choose to remain silent and patiently
Venus Williams (AFP Photo)
Johanna Konta (AFP Photo )
years ago. "I knew Simona was not going to give me much for free. I had to be the one to create my own chances. I feel fortunate enough that I took a few of them." Born in Australia to Hungarian parents, Konta didn't move to England until she was 14, switching her allegiance from the country of her birth to Britain when she gained citizenship in 2012. Adapting to the grass courts of south-west London hadn't been so easy for Konta, who won just one match in her previous five visits to Wimbledon. Those failures will seem a lifetime ago to Konta now.
tolerate the bumpy rides while some of us complain away amongst ourselves. Either way, our dissatisfaction ends there. And then, a fresh sign of development for better roads shows up after a really really long time and we are happy and excited as if somebody is doing us a very special favour. Whereas that’s a basic right we ought to have. But that’s us! Citizens who have become used to so manyeveryday-problems and we just let them be.
If she wins Wimbledon it will be the first grass-court title of her career, coming just two weeks after she feared her participation in the tournament might be ruined by a back injury suffered in the Eastbourne warm-up event. Standing in Konta's way is world number 11 Williams, who was beaten in this year's Australian Open final and is chasing a first major title since winning Wimbledon in 2008. Williams, who reached the last of her eight Wimbledon finals in 2009, has now equalled her sister Serena's total of 86 main draw match victories at Wimbledon, the most among any active player.
- Beautiful game "I love this game. That's why I put in the effort and the time. It's a beautiful game. It's been so good to me," said Venus, who is bidding to break Serena's record as Wimbledon's oldest champion in the Open era. "The competition keeps you growing. You have to get better if you want to stay relevent. I love the challenge." Having stunned the tennis world by becoming the first unseeded player to win the French Open last month, Ostapenko was riding an 11-match winning streak at the majors. But the 20-year-old was the
Pathetic Roads
The road repair in my colony that I mentioned earlierwell, I wasn’t surprised the workmanship didn’t last. Our happiness was so shortlived. Just a few months since the beautifying and there are potholes everywhere now. Just a few months! And yet, this is the Nagaland I know. It’s a shame that several pockets of the state capital still have no access to good roads. If this is the case with Kohima, one can only imagine the road condition in
other parts of the state. I know they are terrible! Especially during this time of the year, the plight of every citizen whether as a pedestrian, a driver or a passenger, is immense as far as roads are concerned. In most pockets of the town, there are no footpaths. You wonder why there is so much traffic jam. Pedestrians are also compelled to walk and occupy a little space in the already narrow road meant for cars. A little hindrance here
“The spirit is willing, but the body is weak”
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arely three weeks lapsed since seven political parties entered into an 18-point understanding signed into a formal agreement with the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) on June 22, a fissure had cropped up encroaching the sacred agreement well ahead of election process scheduled in early part of 2018. Point no 14 of the said agreement between the parties of interest conditioned that no false propaganda should be employed for personal gain. The preferred use of words by our esteem leaders should, at best, be left to the thinkers to weigh the degree it had impinged the above point. Oft repeated “people’s needs” and “national principle”, therefore, emerged as two perfect phrasal-riders ripping apart our floating civilisation. Many Nagas coveted for building a stable economy and a simultaneous tapping of underutilised human resource. This resulted in switching over of allegiance to mainstream politics by subscribing to a view that playing ‘underground’ politics to give birth to an independent nation state was costing us of economic and human capitals. The transition was a rough patch. Mistrust had unleashed the disruptive games of ideology amongst the rivals of the projected divergent (non-state actors) and the directed allegiant (state actors). Until recently, political defection was relatively confined to groups belonging to non-state actors in an apparent move to shield oneself from being hunted down by the rival group(s). Then, killing took place in the open streets, in kitchens, in undisclosed locations unleashing wraths of vengeance by chasing the targeted rival members. Families were
Voice of the below 30s Nukhosa Chuzho, Kohima
rendered ‘factional refugees’ in our own land where they sought refuge at their next doors’ house, sons and daughters were rendered fatherless while many housewives were made as uncared widows. And the scars remain. Far from being recovered, yet our society is being plagued by a new wave of political game to cling on power. Set off in 2006, the game persists till 2014 which prolongs to 2017 with no sign of relenting still. In between, loss incurs attributable to poor governance as a result of political instability may round up to few crores (of monetary value). The estimated sum, when accounts and channels to normal developmental streams, is huge enough to repair a road, to renovate a drainage, to hire a youth for a specific job, to sponsor a student for higher studies, or to promote a public park where public can relax (for we the common men may never have an opportunity to catch a glance of Kaziranga). In all sense of human judgment, it is not the retiring but the inheriting generation that will take care of our future, including the ones who wickedly adulterate the foundation upon which the inheriting generation is volatilely grounded. Bequeath to us with a diagonally fragmented society - appearing beyond repair - along with a corrupted version of political practice on both fronts of state and national (NPGs) politics, the fast approaching future seems so bleak to inherit leaving much a space for socio-political backlash. In a situation where a mother first satiate herself in drinks and funs withhold-
ing the essential nursing / tendering that her child is desperately in need, we cannot be expected to develop into a fully matured kind by a simple fact that we would either be undernourished to perform a specific task or too adapted to the vile of the present to think out of the box. We struggle but we have to exercise restraint for lack of political will in competing with the rest of the world in a given infrastructure and learning environment which, thus far, is ostensibly limited. Four years running after celebrating its 50 years of existence, our state has prematurely developed syndromes of physical agility though, the trend is advancing in reverse in the application of its mind and spirit. What was once regarded a moral turpitude had evolved over time to portray itself as a new political standard enticing those hunting for lucrative locus, fame and personalised benefits. A concordance on party re-unification that collapsed in a span of 4 months speaks more about the loose moral principles than the highly politically correct rhetoric that crushed along with them. Many may prefer to view the latest political development as news. They may keep on expecting reports on shift of loyalty of political members from one camp to another, counting their numbers necessary to form the next regime. However, the young alike takes the imbroglio as not news but a historical conundrum on the part of the political members committing against the posterity. It is a farce, it plays cheap, it lacks responsibility & accountability, it bypasses all moral standards and it
brings ignominy to each and every Naga sans partisan politics. People may forgive and forget; but history will linger on. We can no longer afford to waste time at the turn of every rift of cynicism by staking claim over the ‘majority’ monologue. Playing powerpolitics for accumulated loss of a couple of weeks may handsomely pay political dividend which is not so in matters of public importance thriving at the edge of means and ends. Thousands of youth suffers from emotional withdrawals in the absence of proper employment measures. Old-aged community is fast disappearing for lack of healthcare and basic amenities. Highways supplying essential commodities to the public are snapped. Flow of traffic in the state is stressed. Fuel, primary food items, contingent works appears to be its first victims. Outdated machineries / infrastructures cause loss of lives. Heavy precipitation results in landslides - damaging residences, crops and threatening the survival of the small and marginal populace. Nature, at the moment, seems cease to care. It is believed that an inner spirit propels a person to be a leader; hoping to bring about change by seeing the things around. It is also an established fact that a spirit in us that sustains our movement for self-determination. But as the Gospel of Mark reads “the body is weak”, it perilously overpowers the willing spirit. We are willing like you do, but our political environment is too weak to support us. Is it not time to show the pseudonationalists and pseudo-regionalists an exit door? For us, we are sandwiched. National workers promise us freedom, (state) party workers pledge for development; both are poles apart from its sworn principles.
and there adds up to all the traffic that we endure everyday and take it as a way of life here. It’s not Kohima if there is no traffic jam. On rainy days, I always feel for young students who have to carry such heavy schoolbags- bags, even adults feel the weight sitting on your shoulders (can something be done about the bags?) - and walk home through the rain. Worse still, having to walk through muddy roads, dirty car splash-
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ot how close we tread disaster but how we walk on it, can at the least describe what happened to the bridge to Niuland over river Chathe. There are instances of our bridges being washed away in the past too. At river Tapu (upper reaches of Doyang in Zunheboto district), on the way to Phek, Peren etc. About 10 years back an RCC pier was erected to support the bridge at Jharna pani towards Jalukie-Peren road. It got washed away. No one was/ is accountable. The bridge still stands today, for how long, only another incident like this may happen then. Likewise, all our other bridges might be hanging on precariously for all we know. Till then, periodical inspection and official report can be submitted for
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youngest player left in the tournament and Venus has scythed through the draw by dispatching a series of opponents almost half her age. Twenty years after making her Wimbledon debut, Venus was playing in her 100th singles match at the All England Club, while Ostapenko was in only her eighth. That gulf in experience was apparent as Venus cruised through in serene fashion. Garbine Muguruza powered into her second Wimbledon semifinal in the last three years with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Russian seventh seed Kuznetsova. Since winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open last year, Muguruza has struggled to return to the top and this is her first major semi-final since that Roland Garros triumph. "I played good. I'm trying not to think a lot, just go for it and play my game. I'm happy it worked out," Muguruza said. Muguruza, beaten by Serena in the 2015 Wimbledon final, faces Slovakian world number 87 Magdalena Rybarikova in the last four. Rybarikova became the lowest ranked woman to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for nine years as she shocked American 24th seed Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-3. The 28-year-old, who had lost in the first round in eight of her previous nine visits to Wimbledon, said: "I would never ever believe I could be in the semi-final before this tournament. "I'm really speechless. I'm so happy and grateful."
he recent tragedy of the collapsed bridge which has cost the lives of four persons is unacceptable to the people. The people have for long managed to bear with the inefficiency of the elected leaders in governance and it has reached its zenith. This is not just about the broken bridge and the lives lost, this is about the negligence and poor attendance of the government to oversee all round of management, which have always been their responsibility, since the day they assumed their positions; politicians and bureaucrats alike. This tragedy is not the first and sure won’t be the last, if the same system of ignorance continues… both the government and the public. Time has more than past for each of us to assume responsibility in building a protective future and to prevent such grievances at the cost of the in-
Premier League and Football League clubs post record revenues PAris, JuLy 12 (AFP): The 92 Premier League and Football League clubs recorded combined revenues in excess of £4.4 billion ($5.7bn, 4.9bn euros) in the 2015/16 season, according to consultants Deloitte. English topflight clubs generated record revenues of £3.6bn, a 9% increase, in the final year of the league's 2013-16 broadcast cycle, the firm said in its annual review of football finance. Revenues will continue to rise in the 2017/18 season, the review forecast. Wage costs rose to 12% to £2.3bn and the Premier League showed little sign of austerity, with its 20 clubs recording a third consecutive season of operating profits in excess of £500m in the 2015/16 season. Dan Jones, partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group, said top clubs did well out of European competition. "In the 2015/16 season, the 'big six' clubs participated in the group stages of UEFA competitions and benefitted from improved UEFA broadcast rights deals, which resulted in an increase in distributions to participating English clubs of around £100m," he said. Deloitte forecasts "total Premier League clubs' revenues to rise to over £4.5 billion in 2017/18." Newly-promoted Huddersfield Town will benefit from the windfall "with clubs standing to earn a revenue uplift of at least £170m from promotion to the Premier League, rising to over £290m if they survive one season." The Premier League continues to boom after competition between Sky Sports and BT drove the overall value for domestic TV rights for the 201619 cycle to more than £5.14bn over three seasons. In other findings, the review said the size of the European football market reached nearly €25bn in the 2016/17 season, a 13% increase from 2014/15, with the aggregate revenues of clubs in the 'big five' European leagues topping €13bn, a 12% increase.
es (a result of potholed ridden roads) on some unlucky days, and ending up with dirty school uniforms and shoes. Even the rich with their best cars cannot have the best rides. Us, commoners always have it worst in respect of everything. But the point here is, these pathetic roads affect all of us in different ways. But isn’t it sad we become accustomed to all these inconveniences? Especially when it’s a basic right we, as citizens can claim.
I see limitless possibilities if we have good roads across Nagaland. Imagine how much more we can do, how much more our state’s economy can grow, how much more beautiful and cleaner our state would look, how much more time we can save, and how much more energy we can save for greater pursuits. But we can only daydream about all these and more, so long as you and I are content with our pathetic roads.
Bridge across River Chathe Alo Kent R, Sovima
accountability. About 2 years back due to safety issues the bridge was made 1-way and no entry to heavy vehicles. But it is to be noted that safety of beam and girders were not the reason. It was the supporting pier along with the foundations which were the primary concern. And simply reducing the load on it would not have prevented the river from gnawing at its foundations. We had 2 dry seasons to take remedial measures (like mass concrete underpinning or auxiliary reinforcement to the existing piers). We did not. Sometime back, about 200 feet downstream near this bridge Hume pipes were laid all across the river to perhaps facilitate the
traffic congestion at the bridge. Please do not take it personal, but looks like the concern engineer simply forgot the basic laws of buoyancy and pressure of water. All said and done, when the rains came the inevitable happened. You can see its remnants alongside the river banks like the "Ozymandias of Egypt". With my thoughts to friends and colleagues in the department concern, 1 ask why, we have been so inept at every turn. Projects are simply drawn on the table or simply photo copied without verifying the actual local/site conditions. You know better, the glaring examples on 2-lanning of road in Longleng, Chazouba-Zunheboto. The project reports were in
The price of inefficiency Press Bureau Liberal Democratic Party Nagaland
nocent people. The LDPN appreciates Vikheho Swu, Minister of PWD (R&B) for accepting full moral responsibility of the tragedy. However it is also questioned whether upon his twice personal inspection with the officials from the department, were there experts, engineers and mathematicians, who could have estimated the final hours of the ill fated bridge, and would have come up with alternative scientific measures to have diverged the losses incurred? And if the engineers had already assessed the feeble condition of the bridge, then why couldn’t they have had informed the general public about the condition of the bridge?
And aside from the attempt to construct a pass way, which was filled up with rubbles and sand; boldly/ naively in the course of the river itself; which was washed away by the summer rapids nevertheless, did they have other plans in mind to allocate traffic and communication/ transportation for those on the other side of the river? Or was it that the officials from the department had full faith with the local firm who supposedly had guaranteed it would last for 75 years? We urge the Minister to fulfill his statement as to ascertain the cause of the tragedy and lay out the concrete facts as to whose incompetence it would have been: Mother Nature’s
tune of being copied from another project, and the discrepancy in estimates and actual conditions were mind boggling. Other factors like 10% commission to all concern, National Worker tax etc compounded the problem and finally, The project being abandoned altogether. Back to the bridge, probably a HPC would be set up, headed by MLA/ Minister, controlled by a jack of all bureaucrat, processed by incompetent technocrat and executed by a 1st class contractor with 10% loyalty. Like the 1962 India-China war (according to Gen. Henderson & Brig. Bhagat report) the exercise/project is doomed before it even began. But are we willing to listen and correct our mistakes from the past? That question remains unanswered. or unheeding authorities’? This is essential for the people so that we would face the facts and act accordingly and more cautiously in the future and so we urge our Minister, Vikheho, to stand by his commitment and not to deprive the people of the vital information at the least. We also urge the officials of the department to come up with a way to build a temporary bridge, to ensure the continuation of transportation and communication of the people starting from United Village, 4th mile. A suggestion is that they could build a plank modeled bridge, with high quality materials, for light vehicles, which could be done quickly, until the completion of the real bridge. The incident is unfortunate but a long due lesson has been taught to every Naga, that…not knowing does not pay after all.
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.
Thursday 13•07•2017
EntErtainmEnt
02:00 PM
Vivien Leigh’s
08:00 PM
11:00 AM | 05:00 PM
Nate Deezy to perform in Dimapur
‘Gone With the Wind’
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ate Deezy, a renowned Christian Electronic/Hip-Hop Artist from Cleveland, Ohio, USA will be performing in Passion Crusade 2017 on July 15 and 16 at Urban Haat, Dimapur organized by Pathways Church in Association with Nagaland Christian ministry fellowship. Deezy played together with internationally renowned Christian recording artists and bands like Trip Lee, Flame, V. Rose, City Lights, Project 86, Ascend The Hill, and Aaron Carter. Deezy had also performed at many events including one of the largest Christian music festivals in America “The Alive Festival”. “The Movement” EP. He has recorded few of his Album especially "Hope is Coming" which was very successful in America. His full-length album “Turn My Dreams Up” are available on itunes and his originally produced music video “Hope is Coming” is available on youtube.
script up for auction ivien Leigh’s copy of the “Gone With the Wind” script is going up for auction alongside dozens of items from the late star’s personal collection. Sotheby’s is offering paintings, jewelry, clothes, books and more belonging to Leigh at a Sept. 26 auction. Leigh won an Academy Award for playing Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind.” The sale includes Leigh’s copy of the original novel, inscribed with a poem from author Margaret Mitchell. Also on offer is the wig Leigh wore to play Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Sotheby’s U.K. chairman Harry Dalmeny said Tuesday that the collection offers a glimpse at the private Leigh, “a fine art collector, patron, even a book worm.” The collection is being sold by the family of Leigh, who died in 1967.
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Source: AP
The Beauty of your dream: (left) Mengu Suokhrie, talented singer, songwriter, vocal teacher on July 12 released the music video album ‘The Beauty of your dreams’ which was written and composed by Neivizonuo Pienyü. The event was held at Bambusa Express, Kezehol complex, Razhü point, Kohima. The video album will be available on YouTube, “The Beauty of your dream.”
‘Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen’ and the UN have a new rhyme
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apanese comedian Pikotaro has adapted his catchy song to promote the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. The original went viral last year after pop star Justin Bieber tweeted that it was his favorite video. Pikotaro, in his trademark leopard-lizard design outfit, was a bit reserved at an appearance Wednesday alongside the more conservatively dressed Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. The PPAP star beamed at the invitation to accompany the diplomat to New York and pledged to do his utmost for the awareness campaign. They’ll debut the U.N. version, “SDGs,” on Monday. The U.N. action plan sets goals in fighting poverty, climate change and other global challenges. Kishida says he needs to boost awareness for the project in which every citizen needs to help. “Piko-
'No Acting Required': Harry Styles and his co-stars on the terrifying realism of 'Dunkirk'
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he Battle of Dunkirk remains one of the most legendary and terrifying moments of the 20th century, and the cast of Christopher Nolan's World War II drama 'Dunkirk' got to experience just what that might have been like firsthand thanks to the immense detail of the set. Director Christopher Nolan is well known for the astounding scope of his movies, and also that he never does big action scenes by halves. As it goes, 'Dunkirk' is very much one enormously intense action scene for the majority of the running time - and with real World War II spitfires flying around, thousands of extras and genuine explosions, acting wasn't necessary. 'It's not 'pretend there's an explosion happening over here', it's actually going on', says Harry Styles, who plays Alex in the movie in his first ever acting role. 'That just means you get natural reactions to stuff.' Co-star Fionn Whitehead, who plays Tommy, couldn't agree more. 'Any reactions you have are just a response to what's going on around you. It's honest',
he insists. It actually got to the point where the stars were thinking more about shielding themselves from the chaos that the production team was causing, than about trying to stay in character - indeed, their fear and panic was real a lot of the time. 'I never actually felt like I was thinking about acting', says Tom Glynn-Carney, who plays Peter. 'Because everything was there for you, there was no acting required in many situations.' Needless to say, these young actors never thought they'd find themselves empathising so closely with the young soldiers who found themselves trapped on that French beach in 1940. 'You can never really put yourself there but that is I think the closest you can come to putting yourself in that situation', says Fionn. Also starring in the movie are Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Jack Lowden and Kenneth Branagh. 'Dunkirk' is set to be released in theatres on July 20th 2017. Source: Contactmusic
taro-san’s popularity would be extremely effective to boost public recognition,” Kishida told him. Pikotaro says it would be a challenge to achieve all the goals, but he is happy to accept the Foreign Ministry’s appointment to the promotional role and to help by doing what he does best. “Something easy that encourages people to watch and follow example.” He also gave Kishida a brief posing lesson, demonstrating hand gestures showing 17 development project areas as the minister struggled to copy Pikotaro. There was no dancing lesson, however. In the PPAP song, Pikotaro mimics stabbing a pen into an apple and a pineapple while singing simple English lyrics and dancing to a catchy beat. Source: AP
Book of Michelle Obama photos coming in October
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en Speed Press told The Associated Press on Tuesday that a collection of White House pictures of Michelle Obama is coming out Oct. 17. “Chasing Light” will feature 150 color shots by White House photographer Amanda Lucidon. The book also will include commentary by Lucidon, who in a statement issued through her publisher called the former first lady an “inspiration” and “mentor.” “Chasing Light” arrives three weeks before “Obama An Intimate Portrait,” a book of Barack Obama pictures by White
Madonna welcomed in Malawi as ‘daughter of this nation’
House photographer Pete Souza. Souza has built a wide following on Instagram by posting shots of Obama that contrast dramatically with images from Donald Trump’s administration. Source: AP
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adonna was welcomed in Malawi on Tuesday for the official opening of a hospital children’s wing funded by her charity and named after one of the four children the pop star has adopted from the impoverished southern African nation. “You started by adopting four Malawian children, now we are adopting you as the daughter of this nation,” President Peter Mutharika declared at the ceremony. “There are so many things I never imagined I will do. I never imagined one day I will build this kind of a hospital,” said Madonna, who explained that she grew up without a mother and wanted to give the best to Malawian children. “Never give up on your dreams,” she added. The Mercy James Institute for Pediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, located at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in the city of Blantyre, was built in collaboration with Malawi’s health ministry. It has already started some activities, and Madonna said last week that the institute
had completed its first surgery. The four children she adopted from Malawi are David Banda, Mercy James, Stelle and Estere. The children’s wing was named after 11-year-old Mercy. Madonna’s charity, Raising Malawi, was founded in 2006 to address the poverty and hardship endured by the country’s orphans and other vulnerable children. It has built schools and funded the new pediatric unit, which began construction in 2015 and includes three operating rooms dedicated to children’s surgery, a day clinic and a 45-bed ward. Madonna, 58, visited the site last year. “When you look into the eyes of children in need, wherever they may be, a human being wants to do anything and everything they can to help, and on my first visit to Malawi, I made a commitment that I would do just that,” Madonna said in a statement to The Associated Press last week.
Hilary Duff hints at new music in 2018
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ctress-turned-singer Hilary Duff has hinted she'll release new music next year, having not released an album since 2015. The 29-year-old star has not launched an album since 2015's 'Breathe In. Breathe Out.' and while she doesn't intend to release anything this year, Hilary has suggested she may be working on something for 2018. The blonde beauty explained to BuzzFeed: ''I don't have any plans for new music this year. But there's always next year.'' Hilary first achieved international stardom as an actress, playing the lead role in the teen sitcom 'Lizzie McGuire', which ran from 2001 until 2004. But she combined her acting career with music, launching her debut album, 'Santa Claus Lane', in 2002 and then releasing subsequent albums in each of the next two years. Despite this, Hilary recently admitted that her five-year-old son Luca, who she has with her former husband
MIKE COMRIE, has no idea why she's famous. Hilary explained: ''Luca has seen me on the cover of a magazine before in the grocery store, but I think he thinks that, like, the next day, it's the next mummy's turn to be on it. Like, he has no clue.'' The singer-turned-actress also claimed she's ''not ready'' for her son to know everything about her celebrity status. She shared: ''Luca came home from school - I picked him up from school - and when we got home, he's like: 'I know. I know your name.' ''I was like: 'I know.' And he's like: 'No, no. Your name's Hilary Duff.' And I was like: 'Caught!' Like, I didn't know how to respond. I'm like: 'Yeah, that is my name.' ''But he said it with, like, a little glint in his eye, like somebody told him something that I haven't, and I was like: 'No, I'm not ready for this yet!' You know?'' Source: Contactmusic
Source: AP
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Thursday 13•07•2017
SPORTS
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Mayweather, McGregor press G. Rio School enters final tour kicks off with a war of words
Boxer Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor square off. (Reuters Photo)
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LOS ANGELES, JuLy 12 (REutERS): Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor traded barbs during a lively press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday, delighting a rowdy crowd ahead of their Aug. 26 fight in Las Vegas. The media conference was the first in a four-day international tour promot-
ing the bout. The contrasts between the two was immediately apparent as McGregor, wearing a navy pinstriped suit and tie, danced around the stage smiling while Mayweather, wearing a track suit with American flag details, looked on stonefaced. As is expected in the bout, McGregor was the aggressor, wasting no time
Nagaland Police are champions of State Badminton Championship KOhimA, JuLy 12 (mExN): Host Nagaland Police today emerged as team champions in the senior category at the 41st Nagaland Inter District and State Open Badminton Championship 2017 held at Chumukedima Police Complex. Kohima District
claimed the runners-up berth. In the junior category, Mokokchung edged Wokha district to claim the team championship title. The Inter District and Open Badminton tournament got underway on July 11 and will conclude on July 14.
bringing up reports that Mayweather earlier this month asked the IRS for more time to pay his 2015 tax bill. "He's in a track suit," McGregor told the crowd of more than 11,000 people, who largely cheered the Irishman and booed the American. "He can't even afford a suit anymore." Later when Mayweather, whose nickname
is "Money" and who frequently uses cash as a prop, pulled out a $100 million cheque on stage, McGregor told him to "give it to the taxman". When asked about the tax issue, Mayweather said his attorneys were working on it and did not worry him. "I just showed you all a $100 million cheque that I haven't even cashed yet, so we ain't tripping on that,"
morning to participate in the 13th International De France Sepaktakraw Championship scheduled to be held from July 13 to 16 at Strasbourg, France. Meanwhile, the Nagaland Sepaktakraw Association has extended heartfelt congratulations to the player and coach for being selected to the Indian Team among the tough competition and also acknowledged the constant support of the Government.
1st Kohima District Inter School Football Tournament Our Correspondent Kohima | July 12
G. Rio School edged Ministers' Hill Baptist Higher Secondary School (MHBHSS) 3-2 in an exciting 1st semi-final match here on Wednesday. With this win, G. Rio entered into the final of the 1st Kohima District Inter School Football Tournament and will play the winner of the 2nd SemiFinal Match to be played between Mt. Sinai HSS and Riizhiikhrie Govt HSS.
Playing a closely contested match in front of capacity crowd, G. Rio School took the lead when Captain Wanmei converted a spot kick in the 10th minute after the referee penalised MHBHSS for a hand ball off Avilotho Nyuthe in the penalty area and cautioning him with a yellow card. But the celebrations was cut short when Jimuhie Kajiri of MHBHSS equalised in the 27th minute after goalkeeper of G. Rio School parried Chingnon Konyak shot to Jimuhie who only had to tap the ball in as the first half ended 1-1. In the second half, Sangti broke the deadlock in the 76th minute to give
G. Rio School the lead. Three minutes later, Keneisetuo added the third goal for G. Rio. MHBHSS fought back hard and found the net through Captain Gideon Leo in the 87th minute with a brilliantly struck free kick. However, there would be further comeback as the match ended 3-2 in favour of G. Rio School. MHBHSS had to be content with a cash award of Rs. 20,000 as losing semifinalist. JuLy 13 MAtcH 2nd Semi-final match Mt. Sinai Higher Secondary School vs Riizhiikhrie Govt Higher Secondary School @2:00 pm
Carrick succeeds Rooney as Atletico secure Vitolo deal despite FIFA ban Manchester United captain
Two Naga girls selected for Indian Sepaktakraw team DimApuR, JuLy 12 (mExN): The Department of Youth Resources and Sports has achieved a milestone in producing outstanding coaches and players in the game of Sepaktakraw, the latest being the selection of women player Menenu Tsükrü and Puleno Neikha into the Indian Sepaktakraw Team. According to a press release, the Indian team left New Delhi on Wednesday
he told reporters. The cheque appeared to be the $100 million he earned for his victory over Manny Pacquiao two years ago. Mayweather was more subdued than the fiery 28-year-old, reminding reporters that even though he is a heavy favourite, he is 40 years old and that anything can happen in a fight. He said he expected McGregor, who has never fought a professional boxing match, to try to pummel the defensive-minded Mayweather, who is putting his perfect 49-0 record on the line. "He's upset, I've seen it before," Mayweather said. "And when these fighters get upset with me they come out and they try to kill me," he said with a laugh. "My job is to do what I do and keep my composure." The crossover fight has been criticised as a publicity stunt by boxing purists who give McGregor no chance. But UFC president Dana White said the fight is one that fans of both sports have wanted. "When two guys get in there and start throwing punches, anything is possible," White said. "If you are a fan of combat sports, there has never been a better time."
LONDON, JuLy 12 (REutERS): Manchester United's long-serving midfielder Michael Carrick will replace the departed Wayne Rooney as captain,
the Premier League club said on Tuesday. Former England skipper Rooney's return to his boyhood team Everton left the armband vacant, with
35-year-old Carrick, whose testimonial was held at Old Trafford last month, taking over. “It feels great and it is such a huge honour to captain such a great club,” the long-serving Carrick told MUTV. “It is my 12th year now and I came as a 25 year old. I never thought I could be here for so long and achieve so much. “I will just be myself, you can’t change and it is wrong to come into the role and then suddenly change, shouting and screaming at everyone, telling them what to do. "I will speak when I need to speak, but I am quite laid back and chilled out really. I will try to lead by example.” Carrick has made 459 appearances for United, scoring 24 goals, and penned a one-year contract extension in May to keep him at Old Trafford for the coming season.
mADRiD, JuLy 12 (AFp): Atletico Madrid said Wednesday they had signed Spanish international Victor Machin Perez, know as 'Vitolo', from Sevilla but immediately loaned him to Las Palmas to comply with a FIFA recruitment ban. "Atletico de Madrid has reached an agreement with Víctor Machín Perez, Vitolo, for the next five years after the football player re-
scinded his contract with Sevilla," Atletico said on their website. The 27-year-old winner of three Europa Leagues and 11 international caps will initially join Las Palmas on loan until January 1, 2018, when Atletico's recruitment ban expires. The ban was imposed after the club had broken strict rules on the recruitment of youth players.
Sevilla president Jose Castro had said on Monday he had offered the player a new five-year deal at the club as the struggle for the gifted midfielder's services heated up. But Spanish sports daily Marca reported that Atletico has now met the Sevilla release clause for Vitolo of 37.5 million euros ($43 million) and that the player passed his medical on Wednesday.
Juventus sign Douglas Costa on loan ROmE, JuLy 12 (REutERS): Juventus have signed Bayern Munich winger Douglas Costa on loan until June 2018 for a fee of six million euros ($6.9 million), the Italian champions said on Wednesday. The Brazil international, capped 21 times, could make his move permanent if the Serie A club exercise an option to pay 40 million euros by the end of the loan.
Douglas Costa
"Technique, acceleration, unpredictability and talent... features that the green and gold talent will now make available to Juventus," Juventus said in a statement. Costa, 26, spent five years at Ukrainian toptier club Shakhtar Donetsk before joining the Bundesliga champions in 2015, making 23 league appearances last season and scoring four goals.
Shastri named India's head coach Federer reaches semis; Murray, Djokovic out
mumBAi, JuLy 12 (REutERS): Former all-rounder Ravi Shastri has been handed the job of India's head coach until the 2019 World Cup, a year after the 55-yearold was left disappointed at being pipped to the post by Anil Kumble. Shastri will replace former captain Kumble, who stepped down as coach last month after falling out with captain Virat Kohli despite enjoying a successful run during his year in charge. The Indian cricket board (BCCI) also named former India seamer Zaheer Khan as the team's bowling consultant, while former batting great Rahul Dravid was appointed as batting consultant for overseas test series. Shastri, also a renowned TV commentator, was appointed India's team director in August 2014 with Duncan Fletcher as head coach. Fletcher's term came to an end following In-
dia's semi-final defeat at the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Last year the BCCI formed the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising former players Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, who chose Kumble for the head coach position ahead of Shastri, who had also applied. "Shastri has been the team director in the past, and brings with him a wealth of experience, both as player and as coach," the BCCI said on Tuesday.
"Khan is a contemporary cricketer who assumed the mentoring role to a young fast bowling unit even during his playing days with India. His inputs will be of immense value to our young fast bowlers, who have shown tremendous potential in the last couple of years. "As the Indian team is to play test cricket overseas in the next two years, Rahul Dravid’s expertise as batting consultant will be immensely helpful for youngsters." Kumble's original contract expired with
India's Champions Trophy campaign, but the former leg-spinner had been tipped to get an extension after leading the country to 12 victories in 17 tests with one loss. The BCCI invited applications for the role last month and Kumble, India's most successful bowler, re-applied. He later stepped down saying his partnership with Kohli was "untenable". Shastri had not initially applied for the position but put in his name once Kumble was out of the equation. He was among five candidates interviewed by the CAC on Monday to fill the vacant position, along with Indians Virender Sehwag and Lalchand Rajput, Australian Tom Moody and Englishman Richard Pybus. The first challenge for the new coaching setup will begin later this month when India tour Sri Lanka to play three tests, five one-dayers and one Twenty20 international.
Roger Federer celebrates winning the quarter final match against Milos Raonic. (Reuters Photo)
LONDON, JuLy 12 (REutERS): Roger Federer turned his 100th Wimbledon match into an exhibition as he outclassed Milos Raonic 6-4 6-2 7-6(4) on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals for a record 12th time while three-times Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic retired injured during his quarter-final against Czech Tomas Berdych. Earlier, Andy Murray's Wimbledon title defence evaporated on Centre Court in a painful five-set demise to
Sam Querrey as the hip injury that has dogged the world number one throughout the tournament finally got the better of him. Murray's hopes of becoming the first Briton to retain a grand slam title since Fred Perry in 1936 were shredded as he hobbled helplessly to a 3-6 6-4 6-7(4) 6-1 6-1 quarterfinal defeat. Second seed, Djokovic had just lost the opening set and was down a break in the second when he walked to
Andy Murray during his quarter final match against Sam Querrey of the U.S. (Reuters Photo)
the net and shook Berdych's hand, having received a medical timeout. He appeared to be struggling with an arm injury. Gilles Muller's unlikely Wimbledon run came to an end when he was beaten in five sets by Croatian Marin Cilic in their quarter-final. Cilic, who triumphed 3-6 7-6(6) 7-5 5-7 6-1 will now face Sam Querrey in the semi-finals after the American upset home favourite Murray. Federer, who turns 36 next
month, played his best tennis of the tournament to dismantle the big-serving Canadian who knocked him out at the semi-final stage last year. Federer has yet to drop a set in the tournament this year and with defending champion Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal all out he is a huge favourite to become the first man to win the Wimbledon title eight times. He will play Czech Tomas Berdych, the 11th seed, in the last four.
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