July 21th 2014 by The Morung Express

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Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 198

The Morung Express “

www.morungexpress.com

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It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things

Skating instructor of Bangalore school arrested in six-year-old girl’s rape [ PAGE 8]

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Monday, July 21, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4 –Henry David Thoreau

I was on the brink of breakdown following collapse...

Acharya looks forward to building peaceful, progressive Nagaland [ PAGE 2]

Rosberg coasts to first German GP win

[ PAGE 11]

[ PAGE 9]

[ PAGE 12]

Rebels take full control of MH 17 crash bodies

Unrest continues in Dimapur-KA Border

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Exchange of gunfire reported Morung Express news Dimapur | July 20

We all have problems. Let’s take some minutes to pray for each other.

The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn

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Cabinet decides to convene consultative meet on NSDZ KOHIMA, JULY 20 (MExN): A Cabinet meeting, held on July 19 in Kohima, decided that, as envisaged in the Government resolution, a consultative meeting will be convened “shortly” to discuss the proposal to set up Nagaland Special Development Zones (NSDZ). A press note from the Chief Minister’s Office informed that the Cabinet deliberated on the current issues arising out of the representation and objections expressed by various public organizations, NGOs and individuals regarding the NSDZ. The proposed consultative meeting, it informed, will be convened shortly, involving all tribal Hohos, Civil societies including Naga Hoho, ENPO, NSF, ENSF, NMA etc. The Cabinet further informed that in the consultative meeting, the concept of the NSDZ would be “disseminated and discussed, along with the desired framework and modalities for implementation.” It added that any constructive suggestions “will be welcome” from all concerned “in the general interest of the people and the State.”

Young Naga children are seen working the fields before the sowing of paddy plants ensues in Pangsha village, under Tuensang district of nagaland state. Photo by Imti Longchar

Pave way for meeting our rights: AniDfsAJf

DIMAPUR, JULY 20 (MExN): The All Nagaland Inter-Departmental Field Staff Association Joint Forum (ANIDFSAJF) has written to the Chairman of the Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland demanding that “if any suspected corruption relating to work-charge employees is found, then the matter should be brought to the notice of the government referring to the specific division or office…” However it asserted that this must not affect the work charged employees as a whole. The letter, dated July 19, 2014, stated that the salaries of work charged employees in Nagaland state

Appeals withdrawal of ACAUT demand to state government

have not been revised for nearly 25 years and that the concerned employees are “forced” to go on retirement on attaining 35 years of service or 60 years of age “without any personal benefits.” It reminded that the Gauhati High Court had directed the state government to revise the salaries of work charged employees and also to frame schemes for regularization of their services within 6 months. At the request of the state government, it stated, the time frame was extended to another two months.

The letter informed that the state cabinet, on recommendations of the Work Charged and Casual Employees Commission and the Cabinet sub-committee took up the matter. However, it lamented that the same has been “turned down” by the state cabinet “and resorted for verification reportedly on the ground of alleged corruption agitated by ACAUT.” It stated that the matter has been “indefinitely prolonged leading to prolonging of the miserable plight of several thousand work

charged employees and their dependants…” The ANIDFSAJF urged for withdrawal of the demand made by ACAUT to the state government, which it stated “hampers our rights.” This, it stated must be done “at the earliest” so as to “pave the way for meeting our rights by implementation of the High Court’s orders and directions without any further delay.” It demanded that a copy of the letter from ACAUT to the government, “basing on which the government acted,” be made available. It further urged that a copy of the withdrawal letter “as may be addressed to the government,” be also made available.

Situation in the disputed Dimapur-KarbiAnglong (Assam-Nagaland) border continued to remain tense on Sunday, a day after the Assam Police and the Assam Forest department launched an eviction operation on July 19. Sporadic exchange of gunfire was reported throughout the day at Daldali Reserved forest, further heightening tensions. According to reports from sources, the shootings were the result of a stand-off between the Assam Police and some armed people who were evicted the day before. The people had reportedly dug in, taking defensive positions during the night, after the Assam Police retreated following Saturday’s exercise. The shootings started around 7:30 am, Sunday and continued till 5:00 pm when the Assam Police personnel retreated as evening set in. At least three people were injured in the firing, Assam-based media reports stated. A PTI report, quoting an Assam Police official, stated that one Assam Police personnel, a forest guard and a labourer engaged in the eviction exercise were injured in the exchange of fire. No official confirmation from Diphu was available, as neither the Assam Police nor the Karbi-Anglong administration could be reached to comment on the incident. Meanwhile, officials in Dimapur stated that there was no report of any casualty on the Nagaland side.

UNTABA condemns “inaction” of Nagaland state government

Meanwhile, the United Naga Tribes Association of Border Areas (UNTABA) today condemned what it termed as the “inaction” of the Nagaland state government, the Border Magistrates and the District Administration of Dimapur for “failing to provide security to our people in spite of all the laws and regulations safeguarding our lands and its people.” A press note from the UNTABA Chairman, Hukavi Yepthomi and General Secretary, Ejanthung Ngullie stated that “inactions on the part of the Government of

Nagaland all these years has given free hand to the Government of Assam and its administrative machineries inside Nagaland who have been working tirelessly in facilitating thousands of encroachers to settle in the Naga lands along the border.” It appealed for the state authorities to “act promptly in safeguarding our people and its lands so as to avoid more unwarranted situations in the border areas.” The UNTABA further condemned what it termed as the “rampant destruction of houses and properties of Naga people living in and around the Daldali and Rangapahar Reserved Forest areas by Armed Assam Police on July 19.” It termed the incident as an act of “sheer arrogance, arbitrary and high handedness, completely disregarding the various agreements made between the Government of Assam and Nagaland over the border issue.” It claimed that actions of the Assam Police were “unilateral and unprovoked.” UNTABA reminded that the Assam state Government had entered into an agreement with the Nagaland state government to “enforce uniform policy to any encroachers irrespective of the areas or state to which the encroachers may belong (Interim Agreements of 1972) and to withdraw all Assam Armed Police posts from areas predominantly inhabited by Nagas in the Diphu, Nambor and Rengma Reserve Forests which roughly covers an area of more than 4,974.16 Square Miles bordering the present Diphu, Nowgong and Sibsagar Districts of Assam.” It further said that the Assam Government had also agreed to conduct ‘searches in the Naga inhabited areas in the above mentioned areas only in the presence of the Magistrates and Civil Police officials of both the States (Interim Agreement of 1979).” However, UNTABA lamented that instead of evicting encroachers from the Assam side along border areas starting from Dilai gate area to Mon District as per these agreements, the Assam armed Police have indulged in “wanton killings of Naga people inside their own land and random destructions of both movable and immovable properties…”

Listen to people’s voice: KLH

DIMAPUR, JULY 20 (MExN): The Kohima Lotha Hoho (KLH) has objected to the Nagaland state government’s modalities on petroleum and natural gas regulations and rules 2012, and asserted that the said regulation is “against the spirit of Article 371(A).” It stated that the modalities of the regulation are “purely prompted by vested interest at the cost of the legitimate landowners who are not only poor villagers but also vulnerable and easily cheatable innocent public.” A press note from the KLH Chairman, Nchumbemo Tungoe and General Secretary, Thunglamo Ovung lamented that the Nagaland state government, “for reasons best known to it, had gone to allot the work

of extracting oil in the state to a company who had never taken up any oil drilling activity and at the same time is shrouded in bankruptcy and litigation.” It called upon Chief Minister, TR Zeliang to listen to the “genuine

ficient company,” selected through the process of fair and transparent open tender. KLH acknowledged the KSU for “reasoning and working as a watchdog of society in its own right and domain” and expressed hope that the latter would “always live up to its call for honesty, firmness in decisions and uprightness…” KLH objected to the Nagaland state government’s decision to go ahead with oil exploration and exploitation in the state despite being made known on what it said were “serious predicaments surrounding the issue.” “Therefore, any fallout arising of the issue, the Nagaland Government shall be held solely responsible,” it cautioned.

KLH objects to Nagaland state government’s decision on oil exploration and exploitation voice of the people and not succumb to the promptings of immediate selfish gains or vested interest.” The KLH further extended its “unstinted support” to the “legitimate stand of the Kyong Students’ Union (KSU)” on the oil issue and its demand for “a reputed and pro-

NLA session begins on July 22 Our Correspondent Kohima | July 20

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The fifth session of the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) will take place in Kohima from July 22 to 26. In view of the forthcoming assembly session, Chief Minister, TR Zeliang has convened a meeting of DAN legislature parties at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima on July 21 to discuss business before the house. He has requested all DAN legislators to attend the said meeting. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu has

NPF & DAN legislatures party meeting rescheduled KOHIMA, JULY 20 (MExN): The Legislature Party meeting of Naga People’s Front (NPF) and Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) scheduled to be held on July 21 at 10:00 am and 11:00 am respectively have been postponed to 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm respectively. The date and venue of the meeting will remain the same as published earlier. This was informed in a press note from the OSD to the Nagaland state Chief Minister, Ruokuovizo Chipuo. also convened a meeting of the NPF legislature party at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima on the same day. Among the many other issues, the Nagaland In-

vestment Board and the new Nagaland Coal Policy are likely to figure in discussion during the session for introduction, discussion and adoption in the House.

Chief Minister, TR Zeliang, who also holds the finance portfolio will present the state budget for the year 2014-2015 on July 22 and general discussions on the budget will take place on July 24 and 25. According to the revised provisional programme, the assembly session will witness laying of reports/ papers/rules, presentation of committee reports, presentation of Comptroller & Auditor General of India (C & AG) Report for the year 2012-1013, laying of annual administrative reports, introduction of government

bills etc. On July 26, the assembly session will witness business like presentation of assembly committee reports, consideration and passing of private members’ bill, discussion and voting on the demand for grants for the year 201415, introduction, consideration and passing of the Nagaland Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2014 and announcement of Revised Constitution of various Financial and Non-Financial Committees and Panel of Chairmen by NLA Speaker Chotisuh Sazo.

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Monday

Dimapur

LocaL

21 July 2014

Our Correspondent Kohima | July 20

Nagaland’s Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya on Saturday looked forward to working with everyone to build a harmonious, peaceful and progressive Nagaland. “I am not new to Nagaland. I had the privilege to travel length and breadth of the state since 1965 and familiar with people, leaders and its culture,” said Acharya in his message to the people of Nagaland on assumption of office as the Governor of Nagaland on July 19. He assured the people

of Nagaland that he shall uphold the Constitution of India and commit himself to the service of the people of Nagaland. “I consider this responsibly as privilege to serve the people of Nagaland, for it will provide an excellent opportunity for me to understand various diverse cultures that exist in this country, and, in the process, learn more about the challenges that confront our people,” Acharya said. It will be "our" earnest endeavour to empower women, provide promising opportunities to our youth and hardworking farmers, he said. He stated

Nagaland is blessed with natural beauty, splendid landscape, green rolling hills, mineral wealth and pleasant climate. Nagaland is known as the Land of Festivals, and the participation of all Naga tribes in the Hornbill Festivals in Heritage village, Kisama is an added feather for promotion of tourism in the state, he said. The Governor also maintained that the Hornbill Festival has attracted both domestic and foreign tourists, thereby becoming one of the tourist destinations. “The road to development will not be an easy task, but I have faith in the people

and our leaders. No doubt, development deficit exists, which needs to be attended for balanced development," Acharya asserted. "Hence, it leads me to ponder about the reality of our circumstances, which is to say, the importance of Good Governance.” He further stressed on the need to create a conducive environment, for inclusive development. “We also need to ensure the highest standards of governance for delivering goods to the people,” he said while urging every citizen to respect the law of the land so that governance can once again become meaningful and purposeful.

NGHSSEA urges NPGs to show sympathy to teachers

KohiMa, July 20 (Mexn): The Nagaland Government Higher Secondary School Employees Association (NGHSSEA) has decided to stand by the advice of NSF and ENSF with regard to exemption of taxation for school teachers and directed all its officers not to entertain such demands until further notice from the two students’ bodies. The association, in its consultative meeting on July 19, took serious note of the harassment and threats meted to school principals by various Naga Political Groups on the issue of taxation, stated a press release issued by NGHSSEA president

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Kelhikha Kenye and general secretary Chungngam Konyak. It urged its members to report such matters to the Association without delay. NGHSSEA also appealed to all Naga Political Groups (NPGs) to show compassion and sympathy to the teachers “who have been entrusted to mould and educate the future generation of our Nation.” The consultative meeting of NGHSSEA with its senior officers and school representatives was held at TM Government Higher Secondary School Kohima. According to the release, the meeting deliberated on

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Peren, July 20 (Mexn): CANSSEA Peren unit will hold its general body meeting on July 25, 10:00 am at Town Hall, Peren. Therefore, all the office bearers and circle representatives, members from ANSTA Peren, Work-charged Employees’ Association Peren, Dobashis’ Association Peren and 2 (two) representatives from every government department under Peren district and affiliated to CANSSEA have been informed to positively attend the meeting “where important issues will be discussed and resolved.” General Secretary, CANSSEA Peren unit has requested all to bring along constructive agendas for discussion.

KohiMa, July 20 (Mexn): With a view to bring equal growth and improvement in academic results (HSSLC/HSLC) of government schools in Kohima district, a one day interactive session will be held on July 23 at 10:00 AM at DC’s conference hall, Kohima. All the principals and vice principals of GHSSs/HMs/ AHMs of GHS and even head teachers of the newly upgraded GMS and GHS have been asked to attend the same positively with valuable suggestions for remedial measures so as to accelerate the academic result of the schools. This was stated in a release issued by Ruovihulie Angami, Joint Director, School Education & Additional charge of District Education Officer, Kohima. TseMinyu, July 20 (Mexn): The entire Rengma community will be conducting a social work to observe Rengma Cleanliness Day on July 25. Therefore, the Rengma Hoho has appealed to all the Rengma citizens to clean their respective village approach roads, office compounds, town areas, institutions and all public places as well as repair drainages, culverts and footpaths. The Hoho also encouraged plantation of trees and flowers to beautify the village roads and village compounds so others may see nature’s beauty while passing through “our” land. Rengma Hoho president Sewathang Kez Seb further requested all the Village Council leaders, church leaders, head of departments under Tseminyu sub-division, govt. officers, Tseminyu Town Trade Union and general public to extend co-operation for the success of the program.

Rio to inaugurate AMK building KohiMa, July 20 (Mexn): Former chief minister and Member of Parliament Neiphiu Rio will inaugurate the newly constructed building of the Angamimiapfü Mechü Krotho (AMK) on July 23, 11:00 AM at AMK Ki, opposite Congress Bhavan, Kohima. The function will be chaired by AMK president Salhoutuonuo Kruse while building construction report will be given by Theyietuonuo Rutsa, convenor, building committee. Dr. V. Atsi Dolie, executive director, ABCC will pray for the programme, while vote of thanks will be proposed by AMK advisor Marlyn Sale.

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DC Mon presenting a gong to the Head of Mission, MSF Luke Arend and Field Coordinator Beatric Barbot on July 19. (DIPR Photo)

may have encountered during their service at Mon. The NGOs of the district, namely KU, KNSK, KSU and KBBB also thanked and appreciated the MSF for sowing good works in the hospital and infesting the work culture to the people of Mon. They assured to treasure the good relationships they have built and the good deeds done to the people of Mon. They also wished the MSF a bright future in their venture to provide humanitarian service. Dr. Lemnyei Konyak, Medical Superintendent, Civil Hospital Mon presented a brief account of the hospital before and after the intervention of MSF.

On behalf of the department of H&FW and District Hospital, Mon Dr. Lemnyei thanked the MSF for their selfless and valuable service. He also lauded the district administration, NGOs, and civil societies for their support and assistance rendered towards the hospital. Meanwhile, MSF representatives, in their valedictory note said that MSF alone is not responsible for achievement of the hospital, but the joint effort of the hospital staffs, and support rendered by the administration and the civil societies. They thanked the doctors, nurses, staffs, department of H&FW, administration and the NGOs for their cooperation and

support to the MSF during their stay in Mon. They also asserted that without dedication, cooperation, vision and determination to work hard, change and development will never take place even if enough resources are available. Therefore, they appealed to the staffs of the hospital to have a good teamwork and continue to work harder to provide better service to the people. They also highlighted some challenges that still remains, but said, it can be conquered provided the community and the authorities continue taking interest in the constant revival of the hospital.

Phek dist beauty pageant 2014 PheK, July 20 (Mexn): The Phek District Beauty Pageant 2014 will take place on September 12 at Phek town under the aegis of Elite Club Phek. The winner will represent Phek district in the forthcoming Miss Nagaland 2014.

CANSSEA Peren unit general body meet

Rengma Cleanliness Day on July 25

proposed seminar to be held in the last week of September 2014, association registration, service confirmation of regular employees, service regularization of adhoc/contract employees as per government policy, and other pressing issues confronting the department. The meeting also acknowledged the vision and good intention of the Parliamentary Secretary for School Education to streamline the department and re-amend the restructuring process, and resolved to cooperate with the department for promoting quality education in the State.

Mon, July 20 (DiPr): The people of Mon on July 19 lauded the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) or Doctors without Borders for transforming Civil Hospital Mon and providing humanitarian service to the people of the district in last four years during the farewell program organized at Walo Guest House, Mon. The Deputy Commissioner, Mon, Angau I Thou expressed gratitude to the MSF for providing humanitarian service to the people of Mon and transforming the hospital with tremendous achievements. She also acknowledged the quality healthcare services rendered and remarkable improvement in administration of the hospital after the intervention of the MSF. She also lauded the yeoman service of the MSF which has no boundaries, race, religion, creed or political convictions in their service to humanity. The DC stated that Mon has occupied a significant place in the globe after providing humanitarian service by the MSF. Exhorting the people of Mon to have ownership of the hospital, she said transformation of the hospital for better is not the end, but the beginning to groom, to promote quality healthcare and better service to the people. On behalf of the district, the DC also apologized to MSF for the shortcomings they

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Interactive session in Kohima on July 23

Acharya looks forward to building People of Mon acknowledge service of MSF peaceful, progressive Nagaland

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Advocacy meeting on malaria held MoKoKchung, July 20 (Mexn): As part of antimalaria month, an inter-sectoral advocacy meeting was conducted at two detected malaria zones in Mokokchung district, namely Tuli and Mangkolemba on July 16 and 19 respectively. A press release informed that Tarep, DMEIO urged the participants to join hands and fight against the life threatening disease. He also stressed on malaria awareness and stated that it is a collective responsibility to prevent it. The IEC personnel also highlighted important measures on how to prevent malaria. Leaflets and posters were also distributed. Later, a group discussion was carried out on the related issues with great response from the participants, said the note. Public grievances and suggestions were also discussed thoroughly. The meeting Horse cart on the NH-29 between Dimapur and Chumukedima are often seen creating traffic menace. Authorities need to was attended by Village Health Committee, Ashas, repreaddress this concern as soon as possible, as horse carts are not just an obstruction for speeding vehicles on the highway, sentatives from churches, student body, Watsü unit, and administrative officials. but of late, they have become a potential risk for major road disaster. (Photo Courtesy/Rendemo Shitio)

Dimapur to create awareness on ill-effects of tobacco

DiMaPur, July 20 (DiPr): Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur has stressed on the need for mass sensitization on the ill effects of tobacco usage, including its other related products. DC N Hushili Sema emphasized on creating awareness at different levels during the review meeting of Dimapur District Level Co-

ordination Committee of Nagaland Tobacco Control programme (NTCP) on July 19. The awareness programme would be followed by setting up enforcement mobile squads which would include monitoring and checking in and around Dimapur town starting from the first week of August 2014.

PVSU Wokha honours students

WoKha, July 20 (Mexn): Pongidong Village Students’ Union (PVSU) Wokha honoured more than thirty successful students on July 19 at Government Higher Secondary School Wokha. One of them included Tumbenthung Humtsoe (MA Economics), who bagged the Gold Medal for SC/ST at Hyderabad University. Zurenthung Humtsoe, Youth Director, Wokha Town Baptist Church (WTBC) was the speaker at the felicitation cum fellowship programme. A press release informed

that the speaker urged the students to abstain from intoxicants. He reminded that wisdom from God is everlasting and urged them to remember God as “the fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverb 1:7). He also stated parents have great role in the success of their children. Zanbomo Ovung, Chairman, Pongidong Village Council and Zamatson Humtsoe, Chairman, Pongidong Wokha Town Ekhung shared words of encouragement. Meanwhile, Rev. Rapvuo Odyuo, Pastor, Pongidong Baptist Church pronounced special prayer for all the successful candidates of HSLC, HSSLC, Degree, Master and other competitive examinations. The welcome address was delivered by Mhonbeni Tsopoe, President, PVSU. Nzanchumo, Phyobemo and Limhathung enthralled the audience with their song entitled, “Ekhai Ekum” (Students’ life) from their latest album. Lavonshumo Ezung, first general secretary of PVSU (1957) and Nzanbemo Humtsoe, Asst. Headmaster Wozhuro also spoke on the occasion. The union has thanked all those who had supported materially and morally for the success of the event.

District nodal officer NTCP, Dr. Tetseo gave assurance to strictly check selling of tobacco and its related products in the vicinity of school and college campuses to make them tobacco free. He further pointed out the need of active participation from the local media for wide publicity and its effective control in future anti-tobacco

campaigns. In case of any tobacco violation in public places, any person can contact this toll free tobacco helpline (1800110456) for lodging complaints and grievances. He said that tobacco solution center would be soon set up in Dimapur and would involve churches, schools and other institution for effective campaign against tobacco.

Dr. C. Tetseo also agreed to set up an exhibition stall during the forthcoming Independence Day celebration to showcase the side effects of tobacco usage. On the occasion, two schools - St. Stephen Higher Secondary School, Dimapur and St. Mary’s Higher School were awarded Tobacco Free School certificate by the Deputy Com-

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missioner. Other agendas that were discussed included: Information of district level monitoring committee, reconstruction of district enforcement squads (Anti Tobacco Squads), addition of members to DLCC, strengthening of monitoring and enforcement, challan for COPTA, partnership with other organizations.

Capacity building for village functionaries KohiMa, July 20 (DiPr): Capacity building programme for village functionaries under Kohima sadar and Sechu subdivision was held at Zonal Council Hall, Kohima on July 19. The programme was organized by the district administration in collaboration with Kohima District Planning & Development Board. ADC Kohima, Asangla Imti gave a brief note on capacity building for village functionaries, which is meant to equip the village council members with necessary guidelines as many of the functionaries do not have a clear idea about the village council act, rules and guidelines. She stated that the training has already been imparted in Chiephobozou, Jakhama and Tseminyu sub-divisions before culminating in Kohima. SDO (C) Sadar, Kohima, Wennyei Konyak gave an appraisal on the Village Council Act 1978, the council members, conduct and business of the council and its powers and duties. He said that the village council is an auxiliary to the administration and has the power to deal with the

ADC Kohima, Asangla Imti (second right) speaking at the village functionaries’ programme at Zonal Council Hall, Kohima on July 19. (DIPR Photo)

internal administration of the village including maintenance of law and order. P ro j e c t D i re c t o r, DRDA, Kohima, Thungdeno Mozhui highlighted on the VDB Model Rules, MGNREGA, Indira Awaz Yojana (IAY), Grant-in-aid (GIA), and other VDB matters. Funds for villagers are provided to the VDBs by the Rural Department on the basis of number of households of every recognized village, she stated. Meanwhile, IAY is a centrally sponsored scheme for provision of housing to the rural poor. VDB –wise allocation are made to the VDBs and election of beneficiaries are made by the VDBs on the criteria

of BPL and poorest of the poor being given the preference. The beneficiaries undertake construction of houses with community assistance. GIA is a scheme wherein household allocations are provided for the VDBs to develop infrastructure and implement income generation activities. Schemes are selected by the VDBs based on the quantum of the village allocation, she informed. Other topics covered included VEC roles and functions, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhijan (RMSA), which were presented by officers from the School Education Department. RMSA is a com-

prehensive and integrated programme of the Government of India for providing quality and meaningful education to all children in the age group of 14-16 years for Secondary Schools and 16-18 years of age for Higher Secondary Schools. Executive Engineer, PHE, Er. P J Khiamungan, dwelt on Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) matters. SDO, Power, K. Kire spoke on matters related to Village Electricity Management Board. Presentation was also given by the Medical department on Village Health Committees. The closing remark of the programme was given by SDO (C), Estb, Kohima, Kethosituo Sekhose.

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REgional FIR against Tripura health officials for malaria deaths

Monday

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agartala, July 20 (tNN): On Saturday, the Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) filed a criminal case against three senior health officials at the state health department, blaming the institution for an increase in the number of deaths caused by malaria and other vector-borne diseases. Milan Datta, officer incharge of West Agartala Police Station, registered the FIR lodged against the three officials — SR Debbarma, the director of health services, Sandip Nameo Mahatme, the director of the National Health Mission (NHM) and M Nagaraju, the state health secretary.

"Before proceeding against such top officials on cases related to larger public issues, we need to get approval from higher authorities and we are moving according to law," said Datta. In the FIR, Ashok Sinha, physician and Congress spokesperson, accused the health officials of violating the guidelines for regulating the treatment protocol of vector borne diseases provided by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), which he claimed to be the reason for the increase in deaths caused by malaria in Tripura. Although the official

Indo-B’desh coastal shipping trial run to start by October NEW DElHI, July 20 (PtI): India and Bangladesh are set to start coastal shipping by this year and trial runs between the ports in two countries are slated by October 14. "An understanding has been reached between the two countries for commencement of coastal shipping between the ports of Bangladesh and the eastern ports of India... It was agreed that a trial run of Bangladesh/ Indian vessels would be undertaking latest by October 14," an official source said. The two countries have agreed to conform to Indian standards of River Sea Vessels (RSV)-4 for operation of ships. India has agreed to assist Bangladesh through Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) for classification of Bangladesh vessels. The source said in a meeting held last month at

Dhaka, it was also agreed that Bangladesh side would draw a draft agreement and the standard operating procedures on the basis of the decisions reached. Director General Shipping, Gautam Chatterjee last month had said Bangladesh officials had asked Indian officials to get IRS to inspect the vessels to meet the vessel standard protocol and according to them there are some 20 vessels from Bangladesh that can adhere to the Indian standards. Coastal trade with Bangladesh will come huge saving to the industry. The Chittagong port is 150 km off Agartala, the capital of Tripura state, and more than 350 km away from Kolkata via Bangladesh, while distance between Tripura and Kolkata is about 1,650 km through the rugged hilly terrain.

figure of malaria induced deaths is 69 in the last two months, the report formulated by NGOs and private missionaries working on health issues in worse affected areas of North Tripura, Dhalai, Khowai and South Tripura districts estimate the death toll to be 172. According to the NVBDCP, the first generation malaria prevention drugs are not effective enough to control the disease in Tripura because of the genetic transformation of the virus and unsuitable climate of the state. In May 2013, the NVBDCP had requested the health industry to stop the use of ACT-SP, a first

generation drug for Malaria, in the region. The FIR stated that, based on reports of resistance to the drug in the northeast, the NVBDCP had recommended the use of alternative medication which includes the co-formulated tablet of Artemether (20mg)-LumeFanterine (120 mg ACT-AL). The FIR also alleged that on April 5, the state health department procured a fresh consignment of ACT-SP against the strict directives of the NVBDCP. Then, the department administered the medicine to patients suffering from initial stages of malaria in the

Dhalai district, aggravating the situation and resulting in an epidemic situation. Sinha has demanded the stern punishment of these three health officials in accordance with the provisions of the IPC and Drugs and Cosmetics Act. "The Health Department spent only Rs 134 lakh out of a total fund of Rs. 870 lakh sanctioned till December 2013. Because of their negligence, nearly 30,000 people were affected with malaria and 172 persons were killed," he claimed. According to Badal Choudhury, the minister for Health and Family Welfare, over 171,200 peo-

ple have been affected by high fever in the past two months, of which the blood of 29,600 people tested positive for malaria. In addition to villagers in the area, more than 120 personnel of the BSF and Tripura State Rifles have been affected by malaria and other vector borne diseases following the onset of the monsoon since the second week of June, informed officials. Experts from an international medical organization, have planned to visit the malaria-hit regions to extend helpful expertise and provide medicines to contain the malaria outbreak in Tripura.

Guwahati panel to find ways to tackle floods guWaHatI, July 20 (tNN): Even as the Kamrup (Metro) district administration continued its eviction drive to clear river channels and water bodies, chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday asked the additional chief secretary of the Guwahati Development Department (GDD) to constitute a committee to study the flood problem in the city and suggest remedial measures. The Guwahati Metro-

politan Development Authority (GMDA) will provide necessary logistical support to the committee. On Saturday, the eviction drive was carried out along both sides of NH-37. Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner (in-charge) M Angamuthu, who was present during the eviction, said garbage and all other unwanted materials that have created obstruction in the flow of water during the monsoon sea-

son will be cleared from both sides of the road. Meanwhile, the GMDA with assistance from the Guwahati Municipal Corporation will look after areas along the road from Khanapara to Basistha Point. The district administration has also extended its deadline in demolishing walls and other structures in the Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar areas of the city following requests from lo-

Mizo youth held for killing python aIzaWl, July 20 (IaNS): Forest officials in Mizoram have arrested a Mizo youth for killing a python and burning it in a market near the state capital city Aizawl, officials said Sunday. "Lalramliana killed a 13-foot long python near Darkhuang river (near here) and brought it to the Falkawn village market (on the outskirts of Aizawl city) before burning it publicly Friday," a forest

official said. After getting information from people, forest officials rushed to the market and arrested Lalramliana. He was booked under Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and subsequently, presented in a court which sent him to three days' custody. Smuggling of pangolin scales is also rampant in Mizoram, bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh. Ac-

cording to the wildlife and forest officials, endangered pangolin scales are used for making costly garments, medicines and for other purposes in south Asian countries.

cals. The administration will resume demolishing work from July 21. The CM has also ordered an inquiry into the allotment/settlement of land in the Guwahati Metropolitan area, especially wetlands and water bodies. In an order to chief secretary Jitesh Khosla, Gogoi directed retired IAS officer Bhaskar Barua to conduct the inquiry and identify errant officials.

Admission in

CIVIL

Dimapur

Northeast Briefs NSCN (K) cadre apprehended in Tamenglong KolKata, July 20 (PtI): Army troops have apprehended an armed cadre of NSCN (K) in Tamenglong district and also seized arms and ammunition from him, official sources said here today. Troops of Red Shield Division apprehended the cadre yesterday in Nonei III area of Tamenglong district, a defence release said. The 'sergeant' of NSCN (K) was identified as 23-year-old Gairiupou Gonmei. A 9 mm pistol, one magazine, four live rounds, eight rounds of M-16 and one mobile phone was seized from him, it said. Gonmei was later handed over to the local police.

No newspapers today in Manipur IMPHal, July 20 (NNN): No newspapers will hit the stands on Monday (July 21) in Manipur as All Newspapers' Sales and Distributors Association decided not to discharge duties in protest against the arrest and alleged torture of one of its members by the 40th Assam Rifles on unfounded charges. Following this decision of the hawkers' body, media publishing houses closed their offices today (Sunday). One Thongbam Jiten alias Tomba, s/o late Thongbam Mangoljao of Kakwa Lamdaibung, Imphal West district was arrested few days ago from Lilong area when the hawker was returning home after distributing newspapers. AR personnel had charged him of carrying arms and extortion notes.

Arunachal assured of central help for minorities development ItaNagar, July 20 (PtI): Union Minority Affairs Minister Najma A Heptulla has assured Arunachal Pradesh of her department's assistance for overall development of the minorities in the mountain state. She gave an assurance to BJP State President Tai Tagak and General Secretary Dominic Tadar when they called on her in New Delhi yesterday. During the meeting, Heptulla said the Centre was contemplating introducing several new schemes and programmes soon for the development of minorities in the country, a party release said here today.

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Fallout of militancy: Renting houses difficult in Tura SHIlloNg, July 20 (NNN): Militancy has become synonymous with the Garo Hills region with East Garo Hills (EGH) quickly being known as the hub of militant activity. Militancy has kept the entire region on the edge, mainly due to the presence of Over Ground Workers (OGW) of various outfits. These OGWs have been moving through towns and villages and renting space for gathering information which they then provide to the groups for extortion. The police have apprehended many of these OGWs from the town of Tura, most of who were living in rented accommodation. The fallout of these activities has now been that genuine residents of Williamnagar are now being denied rent in the town because of fear that they could to be linked to various outfits. One resident of Williamnagar, who did not want to be named said, “Recently, I went to rent a house in one of the localities of Tura from a doctor who had operated earlier on me. The first question he asked was where I was from. On being told that I belonged to EGH, he made excuses that the

house was not ready and it would take time!” For now only college going boys are allowed rented accommodation, that too after proving that they are genuine students of Tura colleges. “Earlier, even during the time of the ANVC, people would consider EGH to be the hub of militant activity. After the cease fire, most of them were found to be from the town of Tura. Whether, our district’s reputation is deserving or not is another question altogether,” said S N Marak, a resident of the town of Williamnagar. Another resident of the town, Roger Marak feels that residents of Garo Hills always face an uphill task even when trying to rent houses in Shillong as most are turned down due to the problems the regions’ reputation entails. “90% of

the time we have to face uncomfortable questions and then rejection. Seemingly, no one can be trusted and it is better for the landlords not to take a chance. It is an uphill task and only students get the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “I needed a place to stay

AFFIDAVIT Regd.No: 2499/2013 Dated: 17.09.2013 I, Shri. Imnatemjen Changkiri, son of Tsuknungwati, aged about 37 years, resident of cross winds Apartment, Billy Graham Road, Phezoucha, New Secretariat Area, District, Kohima, Nagaland, do hereby solemnly affirm and declare on oath as follows: 1. That I am a bonafide citizen of India hailing from Ao Naga tribe. 2. That the entry of my name in all my academic records, official documents/ instruments my name has been entered and recorded as Imnatemjen instead, of Imnatemjen Changkiri. 3. Whereas, "Changkiri" in my name connotes my Surname. Hence the entry my name be read together as Imnatemjen and/sir in addition to Imnatemjen Changkiri as it correspond the same meaning and are synonymous. 4. That the above names Shri. Imnatemjen and Shri. Imnatemjen Changkiri belongs to one and the same person i.e. me and it is interchangeable and indistinguishable. 5. That this affidavit shall stand as a piece of evidence for any rectification/ correction if any complications that may arise with regard to my surname and that it shall be used for all my future official purposes and correspondence. Henceforth, I shall be known and called as Shri. Imnatemjen Changkiri. Deponent Solemnly sworn before me by the deponent on this the 17th day of September, 2013 at Kohima. Notary Public, Nagaland

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Medical Camp in progress

On 20 Jul 14, the AR organized a medical camp at Molvom village. The benefit of the medical camp was availed by the residents of Molvom & Bungsang villages. The village council of Molvom & Bungsang expressed their gratitude to the IGAR (North), 6 Sect AR and 37 AR for organizing the much needed medical camp at Molvom and providing free medical assistance to the villagers. This noble gesture of the AR assisted in providing medical treatment to over 100 residents of these two villages including women, children and the aged. The event was organized at the Molvom Community Hall. The villagers of Molvom & Bungsang were thankful for the medical help and hoped that similar assistance would be provided to their villages in future as well. This gesture of genuine concern of IGAR (North) towards the locals of this backward area of Dimapur district is another step towards consolidating the harmonious bonding that exists between the people and the AR. By conducting this medical camp, the AR has once again proved itself as the 'Friends of the people of North East' and the 'Sentinels of the North East'. Bikram Singh 37 AR, C/99 A.P.O.

Dimapur

public discoursE

Monday 21 July 2014

Heat Disaster

Introduction: od blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that move upon the earth” (Gen. 1:28). The words of the good book speak of life, fruitfulness and not of destruction or disaster. If you agree with “Where there is smoke, there is fire”, read on. If not, probably you have not verified the facts. A disaster can be natural or induced by human activities. It suddenly disrupts normal life and causes large scale damage to life and property. Disaster becomes a destructive event of large magnitude when it goes on unchecked over a period of time. Disaster disrupts equilibrium which can be repaired by proactive policies. Traditional perception that disaster is beyond human intervention is a misinterpretation. In India, Disaster Management has thus been considered as policy issue. In the 10th Five Year Plan, Disaster Management has been treated as calamity relief under an exclusive chapter. It was included under non-plan expenditure. It is a fact that no one is spared from heat today. Main environmental concerns are indiscriminate and rampant exploitation of natural resources which has led to imbalance between man and nature. Overuse of natural resources and disasters like forest fires and oil leaks cause irreparable damage to the environment. Measures for safety and maintenance of resources must be taken for sustainable development.

Droughts In India: In general, India is vulnerable to cyclones, floods, droughts, earthquakes and landslides. Coastal regions are vulnerable to cyclones, Sub-Himalayan sector and Western Ghats are vulnerable to landslides. Approximately, 55 per cent of its area is vulnerable to earthquakes, 68 per cent of its total sown area is vulnerable to drought and about 4 crore hectare land is vulnerable to floods. About 68 per cent of the country’s total area is affected by an erratic pattern of rainfall. Some of these areas get less than 700 mm rainfall which is considered as low and some areas get 7501125 mm rainfall which is medium. Arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas get 54-57 percent of below normal rainfall. Global Warming And Extreme Climate: Global warming is a major concern for the mankind. It can completely alter the earth. Glaciers are shrinking and sea level are rising because of global warming. India faces floods as well as water shortages since the entire water system is being disrupted due to shrinking glaciers. According to scientific research, the Himalayan glaciers would stop producing the water level in the next 50-60 years. That would lead to tremendous social upheaval. There will be no water downstream. It would be difficult for agricultural economies. Similarly, the coastal area would be inundated

ATM etiquette

and that would cause displaced popula- Civil war, civil conflicts and international tion and loss of properties. Heat and cold war are long-term man-made disasters. waves can cause deaths. Inability to keep the political manifestoes is another political disaster. Division (new Agro-Foresty: denominations) in the name of Christ is The constant increasing population another disaster. and development activities have led to excess use of natural resource resulting in Local Disaster Management: various types of environmental disasters. The heat experienced by Manipur is Rampant deforestation and mismanage- quite a bit of concern. Those in the hilly ment have led to various kinds of environ- terrain do have this share of heat, not as mental degradations such as soil erosion, severe as those living in the valley. The water depletion and global warming. De- 70% or more of the populace living in the forestation is the main factor in increas- valley directly don’t cultivate jhum fields ing the frequency of floods, it also lead to but have the benefit of enjoying the fruits drought and desertification. Increasing through agricultural products and also the demand for food and fodder has led to heat. destruction of forests, mining and other Choices are less for the poor than the human activities have led to over exploi- last recourse to jhumming, devastating tation of natural resources. Degradation acres of land every year. They are helpof the Himalayan ecosystem is a danger to less. The natural resources seem to be the the greenery of the Indo-Gangetic basin only (alternative) way to sustain the Godand thus to the country. given precious life. The president of India Use of land can be diversified to meet had also alerted the nation on the possible various needs, control soil erosion, ensure late arrival of monsoon and expressed the sustainable production on a long-term preparedness of the Government to this basis and reduce risk caused by weather effect. Hope the Central and the State Govaberrations. Agro-forestry is an impor- ernments have Alternative Arrangement tant tool for disaster management. It is a for scarcity of water and unbearable heat. technique of growing food crops along This heat is affecting health, educawith woody perennial. It minimizes the tion, water and environment. Environuse of natural resources and reduces the ment talk shouldn’t be the concern of the requirement of inputs. It can lead to sta- activists. It should be yours and my conbility and sustainability in production to cern. Environment (Protection) Act 1986, provide ecological and economic secu- Water (Prevention and Control of Pollurity. Agro-forestry has been included in tion) Act, 1974 and National Water Policy various developmental schemes in the (NWP) adopted by the National Water Five Year Plans with an objective to pre- Resource Council (NWRC) in 1987, was a vent natural disasters and to help the af- desirable step in the direction of evolving fected people. Some of the programmes a national consensus. that the government has introduced are If democracy is about active participaAgriculture Development Programmes tion and purposeful accountability, then (ADP), Integrated Rural Development some sections of the society can be blamed Programme (IRDP), Forestry Develop- for the lack of nature care. But if their rights ment Scheme and Drought Prone Area and privileges are denied them, then it is Development Programme (DPADP). another story to be explored and correctEnvironmental benefits of agro-forest- ed. Participation in environmental issues ry are: It reduces soil erosion, minimizes should be the main aim. Impulses for dedesertification, controls floods, reduce struction need check as we now feel the drought, reduces groundwater pollution, pulse of the uncompromising heat. Enviimproves bio-diversity, increases food ronmental protection is part of every stratsecurity, checks deforestation, reduces egy of social development. The plethora pressure on forests, reduces carbon diox- of problems due to climate change could ide and other greenhouse gases and helps then be minimized. in disaster prevention. Devlopment Versus Environment: New Disasters: No one can perhaps stop developThe civil war between humans and ment. But development at the expense of heat is going on in many states of India. the environment is destructive-developProbably President’s Rule for better cli- ment. The impacts of disasters are commate and equilibrium could be sought. pounded by human activities intended Communal riots are man-made disas- for development. The scenario of water ters. Post-Babri Masjid demolition vio- logging happened due to poor land use lence, Gujarat riots and the sub-ethnic planning and narrowing down of drains. North-East conflicts are but some of the Highly chemicalized water waste conexamples. HIV-AIDS, common diseases, taminates the groundwater. Dams in food insecurity, dirty water and sanita- many parts of the country have displaced tion, food shortage and uncontrolled ur- millions of people, submerged thousands banization have become disasters in our of forest acreage. Large dams also induce land. When we cannot produce sufficient seismicity in quake rocked areas as in Mafish and eggs for our own consumption, harastra’s Koyna. Destruction of forest and why do we speak of tall things? Transport mountain ecology, excess use of groundaccidents and terrorism are new disasters. water and new cultivation methods are

the cause of recurring floods, drought and landslides in India. Proactive Policies: Identification of the maladies is but one part of disaster management. Ground authentic evaluation and fact-finding coupled with new strategies to combat the phenomena are needed policies for mitigation and preparation of future possible events. Public awareness and the active participation of the government officials are a must for this combat. From the cold files of the offices, the letters and strategies should walk our streets, valleys and mountains for proactive work. First things first. Important things and people oriented works should not be taken lightly. How nice it would be if the voters are given an EVALUATION PAPER to check their respective representatives at the end of every year. Irony: Recently, in some leading newspapers, we saw some timbers being confiscated by security personnel. Interesting to note. All these timbers have to pass through various check posts. The illegal thing becomes legal at the forest and excise check posts with handsome payments in the hands of the Government appointed officials. This is how business goes on. Perhaps the ADP, IRDP, DPADP etc are done in the office itself. The photo studios are busy with photoshop programmes in constructing, painting, inaugurating many community halls, public toilets, schools and the like. Hope the editors have been given due share. This is called transparency in corruption. Conlusion: The opening biblical blessing of God upon mankind was to be “fruitful and multiply” - we have barrened the land and multiplied woes. “Fill the earth and subdue it” – we have filled the earth with man-made disasters and nature has control over us through heat, droughts, floods, earthquakes, etc. “And have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that move upon the earth” – rule is for the welfare of the social-ecosystem. God seemed so aware of nature that He entrusted this key task to mankind who could commune and interact. Socio-economic, the physical environment, the social-physical structures and economic assets determine the quality of life of an individual. Quality of life thus can be improved by reducing the intensity and frequency of disturbances to our existence. Reducing the vulnerability of the community is the key for improving the quality of life. The most important is the achievable actionplan. Your pro-action can change the environment. Your willful neglect can also destruct all of us. Choice is in your hands. Rev Fr Paul Lelen Haokip Principal, Sacred Heart School, Yairipok

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.

LEISURE

Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.”

SUDOKU Game Number # 2942

LINE HORIZONTAL VERTICAL DIAGONAL ZIGZAG CURVY SHAPE TWOD GEOMETRIC ORGANIC FORM THREED SPACE VALUE LIGHTNESS DARKNESS COLOR RED ORANGE YELLOW GREEN BLUE VIOLET PRIMARY SECONDARY TERTIARY TEXTURE REALISTIC

I T O E N R E D Z L L S L T T

E E G G D O F E I A K P J H W

R R V N Z O U G C I N A G R O

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 2948

Answer Number # 2941

U T G A I L H I G E P C L E D

T I J R B T T P E C R E I E R

X A S O N R F R D E N P N D H

E R L E E G G D A R K N E S S

T Y S V C G E L A N O G A I D

G S E U H O I O Y V R U C R Y

L Z A M C S N C M R V A L U E

P I R R T M V D O E A P E K L

H O R I Z O N T A L T M H F L

F K C S H A P E F R O R I A O

Y T A V Z I G Z A G Y R I R W

R K W W R T E L O I V N G C P

ACROSS 1. Melancholy 6. Schnozzola 10. Aquatic plant 14. Female internal reproductive organ 15. Not under 16. Standard 17. About a US quart 18. Roman emperor 19. Brother of Jacob 20. Disarrayed 22. Collections 23. Female chickens 24. Main course 26. Grasped 30. French for “Summer” 31. Comes after Mi and Fah 32. Wings 33. Desserts 35. Discourage 39. Biggest 41. Captive 43. Ceased 44. 365 days 46. Colored part of an eye 47. Excluding 49. Actress Lupino 50. Outlay 51. Movie house

The Morung Express

54. Devil tree 56. Smell 57. A type of craftsman 63. Of higher order 64. A period of discounted prices 65. Dish 66. Shopping place 67. God of love 68. Female demon 69. Away from the wind 70. Focusing glass 71. Construct

DOWN 1. Valuable metal 2. 57 in Roman numerals 3. Horse feed 4. Chocolate cookie 5. Gift of the Magi 6. A person of no influence 7. Supervise 8. Arid 9. Wears away 10. Painkiller 11. Unsuccessful person 12. Grille 13. Entertain 21. Oceans 25. Gestures of assent 26. Fit 27. Distinctive flair

28. Piecrust ingredient 29. Pervert 34. Of questionable legality 36. Tropical tuber 37. Auspices 38. A musical pause 40. Biblical kingdom 42. Give a speech 45. An apparition 48. Anagram of “Steals” 51. Punctuation mark 52. Something to shoot for 53. French for “Our” 55. Enough 58. Container weight 59. Winglike 60. Identical 61. Ear-related 62. Tidy Ans to CrossWord 2947

ith the advent in digitization of money at large extend the privilege of owning the Automated Teller Machine by few elite group of people are no more. Look around you even kids, adults and old possess the so called ATM cards. The landscape of the Indian banking industry has been transformed over the last 20 years by the use of this machine. The ATM industry in India has grown at a CAGR of 26.8% over the period, 2008-2013 and the number of ATM terminals has reached nearly 1,14,000 in 2013 according to KEN research report. From music to video games to tickets to online shopping of the latest gadgets and fashion trends uses the ATM cards for transaction. In a sense ATM is nowhere and everywhere. Therefore, we use ATM on a daily basis to withdraw cash, but because we use them too often, many of us have lost the art of ATM etiquette. Here is some important conduct to help us use the ATM smoothly. Always have your cards ready when you enter inside the ATM booth because searching around our bag or wallet for the appropriate card is quite irritating as it takes extra time and more over tries the patience of everyone who’s waiting behind you in the queue. When we use an ATM, we certainly don’t want anyone behind us breathing down around our neck or looking over our shoulder. It is very important to feel safe and comfortable. In fact, everyone wants to have a little privacy when they are typing a secret code or when they are putting the money into their wallet or bag. However, there are some people who have no notion of personal space or simply unaware of standing too close to someone thereby causing inconveniences. Thus, it is important to know and give a personal space to someone who is using the ATM. In other words, to avoid this mess always follow the instruction written on ATM booth “one person at a time”. In case if the machine has been tampered or has run out of money, and there is a queue of people waiting behind you then do tell them that the machine isn’t working or the cash need to be refilled. It is quite irritating and upsetting to be in queue behind someone waiting for your turn to step up, only to find out that the machine has stopped functioning or that a person in front of you got the last cash and didn’t bother to tell you about the condition of the ATM. In rare cases, if people struggle to withdraw cash, then do take initiative to help him/her out, by doing that you help both one indeed of assistance and yourself too. And it’s always wise to use a dustbin to keep the room clean. Although, all these are very important conduct, yet we often tend to ignore it, as a result, it causes lots of inconvenience to others. So, let’s be more vigilant when we step inside the ATM booth in the near future and thus make the best use of the ATM etiquette for the smooth transaction. It is always good to cultivate the habit of doing it now. As the famous saying “He slept beneath the moon. He basked beneath the sun. He lived the life of going to do and died with nothing done” Huka V Awomi, Satoi Town

The Purpose Of Foothill Road

n view of the ongoing situation between some Govt. officials and Local contractors in lieu of the construction of Foothill road, I would like to share my thoughts. In a year lakhs and lakhs of people from 10 major tribes and even other tribes of Nagaland travel to Kohima and Dimapur through Assam for commercial, educational and health related purposes as most of the better schools, colleges, hospitals, commercial markets as well as the lone Airport and Railway station are located in these two towns. Travelers from the 10 tribes choose this route because at present it is the shortest available route despite a lot of problems being faced from our neighboring state there are unpredictable amounts of bandh most of which are called in very short notice causing delay and cancellation of works and in some cases Death because a patient could not reach hospital in time. The 10 tribes have been facing this sort of problems for the last 50 plus years more over travelers spend crores and crores of Rupees on food and other things which could have been circulated in the state if only we had a different route like Dimapur Tizit (Foot Hill Road) which will be far more convenient and shorter than the other neighboring state route. A particular political party should be concerned for the development of state in all areas especially road connectivity as it is one of the basic need for any human and despite of bringing in development, I am very saddened and disheart-

CURRENCY EXCHANGE CURRENCY NOTES US Dollars Sterling Pound Hong Kong Dollar Australian Dollar Singapore Dollar Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Euro

ened that some party youth wing are knowingly or unknowingly causing issues for the delay of the construction of the foothill road. Our former CM Shri. Neiphiu Rio and former Chief Secretary Shri. Alemtemshi Jamir- lAS in their tenure created a package of Rs.40crores from the Government of India out of which the state roads and bridges department in the first quarter allocated work has been completed. In the second phase table tender was cancelled and open tender was invited wherein the lowest bidder was not given the work and the work order was issued to higher bidder for which the matter was handed to the high court. This issue came up as a result of the concerned Minister asking for commission from the contractors, this is why the foothill road is still incomplete causing hurt to the hearts and sentiments of the 10 tribes and other tribes as well. This issue could have been avoided if the decision taken in the meeting between the cabinet subcommittee and NFHRCC for the work to be allocated to the lowest bidder was upheld. Lastly, the high up authority of the state should take up this issue and end the feud between the concern minister and the contractors so that work resume at the earliest and the funds granted for this project should not be misused by anyone. I feel and wish that this issue will be sorted at the earliest and the pending construction work will be restarted again. N. Hotongse Sangtam, BJP Member BUY(Rs)

SELL(Rs)

59.83 102.22 7.7 55.62 48.01 55.4 58.68

60.25 103.37 7.78 56.41 48.58 56.08 59.39

80.81

81.7

LOCAL

The Morung Express

Rongmei council Nagaland holds general meeting

DiMaPur, July 20 (MExN): Rongmei Council Nagaland held its general meeting at Mhainamtsi Council Hall, Jalukie, Peren district on July 18 with OSD to Government of Nagaland, Disaster Management Authority, Home Department, Johnny Ruangmei as the chief guest. Several representatives from Kohima, Peren and Dimapur Units, senior public leaders and village elders attended the meeting, informed a press release received here. Speaking at the inaugural session, the chief guest encouraged the gathering to be proactive in socio-economic development and to remain well-informed of the global burgeoning markets that are taking place. Outgoing president RCN James Akham and G. Namgai, president, RNPO and Advisor, RCN also spoke on the

occasion. Various cultural songs and dance, and presentation of gifts marked the elaborate event, said the release. During the second session, the meeting deliberated on important issues concerning the performance of the outgoing RCN team - their achievements and failures, and pending works to be continued by upcoming team. Respective annual reports by Rongmei Council Kohima, Rongmei Council Peren, Rongmei Council Dimapur, and Rongmei Students' Organisation Nagaland and Audit Report of RCN were also read out. Agendas by respective district units were also put up and deliberated at length. The meeting however, proposed that resolutions be adopted by the upcoming RCN team as the issues are complicated and need more details and time

for cross-checking. New team of RCN office bearers was also elected during the meeting. The release stated that the electioneering process was strictly conducted in all fairness by senior election commissioners — Alan Gonmei and John Rongmei. It was followed by oath-taking ceremony of elected members which was administered by Alan Gonmei. Following are the new team of RCN office bearers: Chingkhiulung Gonmei (President), T.R. John (VicePresident), Mathew Rongmei (General Secretary), Denish Kamei (Joint Secretary), Ahiam Rongmei (Cultural Secretary), K. Nikodim (Finance Secretary), Athui Gonmei (Treasurer). Advisors: James Akham Maringmei, G Namfai, K Akhang. Auditors: Kidangam, Victor Panmei, Nikhuan Gonmei, Sangke.

Monday 21 July 2014

Dimapur

Rev. DN Soho Refresher course for village animal health workers July 20 passes away DiMaPur, (MExN): A two-day re-

PhEk, July 20 (MExN): Rev. DN Soho, Senior Pastor, Phek Town Baptist Church passed away on July 19 and was laid to rest in Phek on July 20 afternoon. Thousands of people from all walks of life turned up at the funeral service and paid respect to the departed soul. Rev. Soho was also the president of Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC) and also the member of Board of Governors of Baptist Theological College. Parliamentary Secretary for Planning & Co-ordination, Evaluation & Monitoring Cell Neiba Kronu has mourned the sudden demise of Rev. D. N. Soho while describing him as a very humble and God fearing person. In his demise, the Chakhesang Christian fraternity has lost a great visionary and church leader, Kronu said and conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and prayed to God to provide solace to them at this hour of grief.

fresher course for village animal health workers under Dimapur district was held on July 8 and 9 at SAMETI training hall and AICR pig farm, NUSASRD, organized by NEPED-NRTT & AICRPPig, NU-SASRD, Medziphema. Vizonyu Liezie, Dist incharge NEPED urged the 10 trainees from 10 villages to review and recap the previous year’s training so they can render better service to the fellow farmers for economic uplift through piggery rearing. Dr. N Savino, HoD, Department of Livestock Production Management (LPM), SASRD Medziphema pointed out the importance of developing confidence through the refreshers course to tackle the problems in the field condition. Proper handling of animals, administration of medicines, wound dressings, de-worming and minor surgical operations

Participants of the refresher course held for animal health workers under Dimapur district.

were some of the highlights during practical session. Identification mark (ear tag) for livestock insurance, prevention and control of classical swine fever through vaccination, personal health and hygiene for animal health workers were the other topics covered by the resource persons Dr. M. Catherine Rutsa, Asst. Professor LPM, NU SASRD, Medziphema, Dr. Rüüsalie Nakhro JRF AICRPPig, Dr. Atouzo Pienyu and Dr. Vihielie Sanchu,

Subject Matter Specialist, NEPED-NRTT. Meanwhile, Dr. Vilatuo Rutsa, Project Coordinator, NEPED-NRTT stated that Dimapur, being the commercial hub of Nagaland, has easy access to all commodities and encouraged the pig farmers to continue to produce healthy pigs. He said that animals farmer in Dimapur have shown good performance compared to other district villagers. He also pointed out that of 6.9 lakhs pig population in Nagaland, there

are only 220 veterinary doctors, majority doing pen and paper works and only few in the field with 1200 plus villages of Nagaland. Therefore, he said, NEPED-NRTT has framed out the refresher program so the trained animal health workers reach the farmers at their doorstep. He further acknowledged the animal health workers for their fruitful service in 24 villages under Dimapur district with nil report of swine fever cases during 2012-13 till date.

MEx FILE Lower ‘E’ Khel Wokha Zunheboto DPDB discusses developmental issues July the last DPDB meeting regard, the DEO Zunhe- morgue at Civil Hospital Village repairs road ZuNhEboto, 20 (DiPr): The monthly where the condition of boto said they have veri- Zunheboto on which the ATMA Kohima exposure meeting of Zunheboto roads at Zunheboto town fied the school and it meets house decided to forward District Planning and De- was discussed. The chair- all the criteria and it should an application through trip to Arunachal velopment Board for the man said that it was a se- be upgraded. About open- proper channel for setting month of July was held on July 17 under the chairmanship of Parliamentary Secretary, Cooperation and Sericulture and Chairman DPDB, Pukhayi Assumi at DC’s conference hall here. The house reviewed

People of Lower ‘E’ Khel, Wokha village repairing the Wokha-Bokajan PWD road on July 12.

Wokha, July 20 (MExN): The people of Lower ‘E’ Khel, Wokha village conducted its annual social work on July 12 at the Wokha-Bokajan PWD road. Chairman of the khel in a press statement said that that road which passes through the khel is one of the lifelines of the khel people, but has been almost abandoned by the department concerned. Chairman R Phyobemo Tungoe further informed that the khel has been repairing and maintaining the road for the last one decade. Every year, during the onset of monsoon, one member of every household of Lower ‘E’ Khel, Wokha village participates at the social work, he added. This year too, under the supervision of Lower ‘E’ Khel, Wokha village Council Members, the khel/colony people participated and collected cash and kind and hired private excavator to clear the road. The chairman has thanked all the participants and the donors for their valuable services to humanity.

rious issue which will be immediately dealt with, to which, the Sumi Hoho assured to extend its full cooperation. The day’s agenda were recognition/up-gradation of St. Anthony’s School at Amiphoto Colony. In this

ing of Patmos Hostel at Old Town Colony, it was decided that the department concerned would verify the spot of the hostel and see if it meets the criteria. The Superintendent of Police Zunheboto put forward an agenda for setting up of

up the morgue. Parliamentary Secretary Jail & Home Guards, Picto; Deputy Commissioner Zunheboto, L. Akato Sema; ADC HQ, Nungsangmenla; HODs and all the board members attended the meeting.

kohiMa, July 20 (DiPr): ATMA Kohima along with some progressive farmers went on an exposure tour cum interstate training to Arunachal Pradesh (Bomdila, Dirang, and Tawang) from July 8 to 13. Farmers were taken to commercial tomato cultivated area, regional apple nursery, private apple and Kiwi orchard. The tour also incorporated recreational visit to Sela Pass, Jaswant Grah, Tawang Buddhist monastery, Tawang War Memorial and Jung Fall. Altogether eight participants, including ATMA functionaries and farmers attended the exposure tour cum interstate training.

NSEI and SEBI conduct investors’ awareness prog Atomic Dancing Group wins kohiMa, July 20 (MExN): Ne- (SEBI) and Biswadeep Roy, Assistant States. They cautioned the particihru Yuva Kendra, Kohima in collabo- Manager (NSE), Kolkata animated pants to be careful before any investtalent promo competition ration with National Stock Exchange the programme as resource persons. ment is made. Ponzi schemes promises high return and with no risk at all. Before any investment, one should ensure to find out whether the organization is registered or has taken due permission from various regulating authorities or government for raising fund, they cautioned. If doubt arises, one can enquire or verify the scheme through www.sebi.gov.in or call toll free number for queries relevant to securities market. They also shared complaint redressal system available with SEBI and NSE.

tuENsaNg, July 20 (MExN): Atomic Dancing Group won the talent promo competition on singing and dancing held on July 19 at Town Hall, Tuensang. Friends X Crew was adjudged runner-up. There were eight groups of participants, a press release received here informed. The crowd was also entertained by the Jazz band of 23 Assam Rifles and Seven Star Kids of Montessori Kids Care School. The program hosted by Christina Khumba and Apong Chang had Commandant of 23 Assam Rifle as the chief guest. Prize money was sponsored by Noksangkiu Sangtam. Judges of the program were Punam and Khumchong.

Hindi teachers oppose govt's order on salary Pest management training kohiMa, July 20 (MExN): In 13 batch) Convener Kekhrieneilie passed and amount already credresponse to the directive of Finance Tsikhano and Secretary Nelson ited. Moreover, the letter stated, the held for Sungratsu farmers

PfütsEro, July 20 (MExN): Pfütsero Government College (PGC) held its 32nd annual fresher’s meet on July 19 at the college auditorium on the theme ‘Dream it, Achieve it, Live it.’ Nchumbemo Odyuo, ADC Pfütsero graced the occasion as the chief guest. He encouraged the students focusing on personality development saying that it is major goal for all. “Though born with flaws and weaknesses each individual has to study themselves and find out who they really are to know their own strength and weaknesses, qualities, to accept themselves and improve themselves as good personality is more desirable than intelligence and since there is no magic formula,” the ADC said. Dr. Watijungshi Jamir, Principal of the college highlighted on the impact of UGC directives of the college and the importance of NAAC for the development of the college. He announced about the RUSA project implemented by MHRD, Government of India and informed that Pfütsero Government College is also included in the project. Wemeri Ritse and Putolii Tureng were crowned Mr and Ms Ramp Walk 2014. Other highlights of the programme were welcome song by the class XII students, welcome note by Uzhoto Vezhu and freshers’ introduction. Wemeri Ritse presented speech on behalf of the freshers. Kuvethito presented a song. The programme ended with a vote of thanks by Khrolo K. Dolou.

Department regarding release of salary of 1379 Hindi teachers, appointed during 2012-13 under Centrally Sponsored Scheme, for the month of April and May, the teachers concerned have questioned why the government is not including the month of March 2014. In an open letter to the Finance Department and Government of Nagaland, Hindi Teachers (2012-13 batch) stated that their salary has been pending since the month of March 2014. “And how the order is conceded to release the salary for the month of April and May 2014, whereas the fund allotted by the central government is only up to the month of March 2014,” queried the letter appended by Hindi Teachers (2012-

of India (NSEI) and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) conducted investors’ awareness programme at Japfü Christian College, Kipfücha, Kohima district on July 18. John Makhabo, DYC, Kohima in a press release stated that over hundred youth were present at the programme, which was sponsored by National Stock Exchange, Kolkata. The programme was organized for prospective investors. Jagannath Das, Assistant General Manager

Yhokha. It further questioned “why the government of Nagaland is not implementing the 2010 Revision of Pay (6th ROP) when the order and amount of Rs. 58,11.03.690/- is sanctioned by the MHRD till February 2014 and Rs. 48,01,38,430/- has been used for paying the salary of up to the month of February 2014 in 1999 ROP (5th ROP), and after paying the salary of up to the month of February 2014 in 1999 ROP (5th ROP) the balance amount of Rs. 10,09,65,260/-, which is in the state account, is for the salary and arrear of the month of March 2014 with implementing 2010 ROP (6th ROP).” The teachers questioned why the government was again releasing the salary in 1999 ROP when the order for 2010 ROP has been already

The programme aimed to impart basic knowledge on securities market. The role and functions of SEBI and NSE were also discussed. The resource persons educated the participants on company, shares and other investment avenues for investors. They also highlighted the risk involved and return associated with investment options. They also discussed with the participants the Ponzi schemes/fraud schemes running in North Eastern

salary proposal of 1379 Hindi teachers for the year 2014-2015 has been submitted to MHRD on 24/05/2014 in 2010 ROP scale. The letter lamented that despite numerous efforts and continued understanding, the authority is blinded towards the problem faced by the Hindi teachers. It further questioned why their salary has been delayed for four months despite availability of sufficient amount. The letter demanded from the government to release the March 2014 salary with 2010 ROP (6th ROP) and arrear immediately. It also informed the government that no salary will be accepted unless 2010 ROP is implemented, while adding it will seek justice through any possible means.

DiMaPur, July 20 (MExN): In response to the problems faced by farmers at Sungratsu village, under Mokokchung district, regarding the damage of Jhum paddy by pests, ATMA Kobulong Block conducted spot verification of the affected fields and imparted training cum demonstration on Integrated Pest Management on July 16. A press note received here stated that the team was led by BTT Convener Dr. Imsen Jamir along with ATMA functionaries and BTT members from the

Agriculture department. Resource persons for the training were Chaso (AFA) and Maken (AFA) from the Agriculture department. The note also mentioned that the training highlighted on the identification of the causative agent, the symptoms, control measures and its management. Field demonstration was also given on the application and release of Trichogramma Japonicus (Tricho Card) at the affected fields for control measures against the prevalent pest infestation.

PGC annual fresher’s meet

Public SPace Radiant educational society KVK Phek celebrates ICAR foundation day Response to Dihoma to organize art competition Women Society’s Allegation I

am shocked to have come across a local newspaper column wherein my name was dragged by the Dihoma Women Society as having said “it is not enough to just physically harm her but they should write a statement mentioning that whatever harm has been done was rightly earned by her”. It is clarified here that at no point of time I have ever said that statement. In fact, to pacify the situation, I have suggested that a written statement be made. I believe that because of my presence, the angry mob was somehow controlled. Kevileno’s brother was nearly beaten, and for your record I have saved him. This scene was witnessed by the family members of Mrs. Kevileno. Let me also mention here that one woman who had come to take away Kevileno was so scared and was crying, therefore I have told her not to be scared, the matter would be settled amicably. It is very unfortunate that instead of acknowledging my role on that fateful night, the Dihoma Women Society has made unfounded allegations against me which certainly hurts my sentiments and tantamount to character assassination. Let the truth prevails. Dolhoulie Peseyie Jotsoma Village

kohiMa, July 20 (MExN): The Radiant Educational Society, Kohima is organizing its 2nd Art Competition under the theme “Experiencing Children’s world through Art” on July 29 at 9:00 AM at Multipurpose Hall, Rüzhükhrie GHSS, Kohima for age group of 13 to 18 years. The objective of the competition is to promote to the youngsters the role of Art as one of the critical ingredients in the definition of children world and identity and to showcase their inborn talents.

The organizers have extended the last date of submission of form to July 24. Forms can be submitted to the Society Office at KES office, New Secretariat site, Kohima or Dzüvichü’s Shop, New Sectt. Colony, Kohima or at Old RES Office at Pezielietsie (Tinpati to Naga Hospital Road) Kohima, Nagaland or one can post it to Radiant Educational Society, Post Box No 1024, Kohima – 797001, Nagaland. For more information, call 9615246280 / 9856162694 / 9856071451 / 8974433446.

PRIZES First - Rs. 10,000; Second - Rs. 7,000; Third Rs. 5,000; Fourth - Rs. 2,000; Fifth - Rs. 1,000.

Farmers of the NICRA village who were awarded certificates during the celebration of ICAR Foundation Day 2014 at Thipizumi village on July 16.

DiMaPur, July 20 (MExN): Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) celebrated ICAR Foundation Day 2014 at the community hall of Thipizumi village on July 16. A press release informed that Dr. Debojyoti Borkotoky, Subject Matter Specialist (Animal Science), in his welcome note explained the genesis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and its role in

agricultural research, teaching and extension. The participating farmers discussed the issue of low monsoon rain and the tribulations thereof. In this regard, scientist of KVK Liza Baruah Bharali, Subject Matter Specialist (Plant Protection) discussed the alternatives available and most suitable crop that may be taken by the farmers as the monsoon is de-

layed. She also briefed about the possibility of insects in paddy and horticultural crops due to change in climate and suggested prophylactic and curative measures to be followed in case of such incidence. Keniseto Chucha, Horticulturist and Farm Manager KVK-Phek suggested alternative consultative meeting crops namely, french bean, garden pea, soyabean, cabbage, onion etc. and cultivation of offseason vegetables like King chilli and tomato under low-cost polyhouse to mitigate the ongoing problem. Meanwhile, Vemetso Tetseo, Secretary, Climate Risk Mangament Committee NICRA project produced the list of interested farmers for alternative crop and assured to extend cooperation and coordinate the activates with KVK officials at this hour of farmers’ distress. On the occasion, 100 smart farmers of the NICRA village were provided a certificate acknowledging their success and achievements in adopting scientific climate resilient technologies.

The Morung Express is introducing “Public Space” as part of our intention to provide deliberate space for the opinions of the people to be expressed and heard through this newspaper. Nonetheless, The Morung Express points out that the opinions expressed in the contents published in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper or the editor.

IN-FOCUS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express MonDAy 21 July 2014 voluME IX IssuE 198

Dreams

he courage to dream has played a profound role in world history and every culture has been inspired by narratives that have recorded the power of dreams. For instance, it was the bold vision of those men and women who imagined a world without slavery that served as an impetus in finally abolishing slavery in America. It was the power of imagination held by a handful of faithful dreamers to challenge an ideology of exclusion that inspired the peaceful collapse of the Berlin Wall. It was the dream of a nation for a world without discrimination that sustained a struggle against all odds to eventually rise above the policy of Apartheid in South Africa. These significant events of human history could not have occurred without the active involvement of men and women who dreamed, imagined, discussed, organized, educated, mobilized and acted as if such a world was possible and inevitable. Their vision, persuasion and determination paved the way for a future without Slavery, the Berlin Wall and Apartheid. Every generation has dreamers and world history is indeed a reservoir of dreams and imaginations. In this existing culture of war, injustice, poverty, globalism and violence, the greatest casualty has been the loss of imagination and dreams. In today’s context, the few who dream of a world without war, violence or poverty are quickly sidelined as being naïve or idealistic. Yet without the presence of an imagination of a vision based on nonviolence, justpeace and equality, humanity will only spiral further in a downward cycle of destruction and despair. Today’s generation needs to reclaim their power of imagination that begins with dreaming. Today’s generation needs to rediscover their shared humanity and reclaim an imagination based on love, justice, compassion and equality. It implies giving their lives for a future of peace so that every child on this planet has a dignified life where they can grow because they have enough food, clothing, housing, education, and health care. This includes imaging a world free of war and violence within the lifetime of a generation of leaders that has been responsible for the most violent century in human history.

lEfT wiNg |

Nury Vittachi IANS

Why it's sometimes wrong to write balanced news reports

o I get a news report from a young reporter. "A car was in collision with a bath" the other day, it told me. Huh? So why was someone driving a bath down a road? In a follow-up email, she explained that the guy in the bath claimed that the car drove through the wall of his house (this happened in the US city of Oklahoma), but she decided to write that the car and the bath were in collision to "try to be fair and impartial". Good thinking. Life is strange. An investigation might conclude that the car was innocently parked by the kerb when a house came roaring down the road and subsumed it. This actually might happen in New Zealand, where many houses are woodframed and portable, and people drive wood-framed homes around the way normal folk take dogs for a walk. If you've ever wanted to win a road race, go to Christchurch and get aggressive at the traffic lights with a man who has a two-story mansion on his trailer. But the main point is that reporters these days have to be VERY careful, which is why we write things like: "It will allegedly be cloudy with an alleged chance of rain, according to the alleged weather forecast released by our alleged government." Thus we avoid screw-ups. This columnist was recently reminded of one of his worst journalistic mistakes when reader Juanita Joseph sent a news link which said Kim Jong Un had scored 100 percent of the votes in an election. I covered a North Korean election in the 1990s in which his dad was the only candidate. I predicted he would win. I was wrong. The North Korean Electoral College discussed the issue for hours and finally gave the presidency to the corpse of the candidate's father. Losing any election is bad enough, but it must really hurt to be defeated by a decomposing pile of organic matter. In my youth, I lost a student union election to a person who could only be described as a pile of decomposed organic matter, no offence intended to piles of decomposed organic matter. But the truth is, being a reporter is harder than ever, now that news often breaks on social websites. My new golden rule: "Forgive those who sin against you: it's easier than trying to work out how to delete their Facebook posts." Yet sometimes readers do send interesting tales through social media: like the guy who forwarded a report about two dogs who drove away their owner's truck. Apparently true. I guess this could have happened if they were jumping around and accidentally hit the controls. But generally speaking, dogs hate machines. If you want to break into any high security place protected by guard dogs, just carry a vacuum cleaner and make a zzzzhhhhhhhh noise: watch those mutts vanish. Motorists: if you crash into a lamppost going home today, tell people that you swerved to avoid a speeding bath driven by a pair of dogs. With a bit of luck, your story may be covered by a young reporter determined to be fair and impartial.

"Forgive those who sin against you: it's easier than trying to work out how to delete their Facebook posts."

C O M M E N T A R Y

THE EDIT PAGE

Akash Bhattacharya

The stadium of struggle: When capital masquerades as football

An Anti-World Cup demonstrator holds a banner during a protest near Maracana stadium on the last day of the World Cup soccer tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday, July 13, 2014. Protesters criticize that the government should spend money on improvements for education, health and housing, instead of soccer. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

razil has made history at the 2014 World Cup – not on the pitch, but off it. Over a million protested against the human costs of staging the World Cup, even as the game went on inside the stadium, more spectacular than ever. Global football, drastically restructured by capital over the last thirty years, is a site of immense violence. While the machinations of capital have led to a concentration of talent in the elite clubs of western Europe, allowing them to produce football of the “highest quality”, it has maimed other traditions. The top end of the football industry floats in money even as the lower levels remain rife with myriad exploitative practices. Building the empire Football’s links with capital have developed hand in hand with the larger shifts in the global political economy. The era of the welfare state and regulated domestic markets maintained a maximum wage ceiling of £20 in the first division of the English football league, which was the average wage for a British worker at that time. The ceiling remained in place till 1961.The 1960s witnessed a new assertiveness from third world countries – in the United Nations as well as in the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA): the governing body of global football. With their emergence as a voting bloc, Joao Havalange of Brazil launched a successful bid for the post of FIFA President in 1974, with the express agenda of accommodating third world interests and taking the game to new frontiers. Havalange needed money to fulfil his election promises: an expanded World Cup to accommodate 24 teams instead of 16 (as was the case until 1970), and new tournaments like the FIFA Youth World Cup. Coca Cola and Adidas emerged as willing sponsors. FIFA’s expansion plans were tied to that of multinational corporations right from the beginning. With the alliance in place and the reach of television expanding rapidly, the industry was fundamentally transformed. By the 1986 Mexico World Cup, advertisement and television rights had replaced the returns from ticket sales as the mainstay of FIFA’s revenues. The incredible growth of the industry in the 1990s was not the doing of FIFA alone. Around the same time the richest and most successful European clubs forged an alliance to emerge as the centres towards which the best players and coaches from across the globe gravitated. It was the early 1990s when a truly expansive market for football came within sight, as the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the richest European clubs like Real Madrid CF of Spain and AC Milan of Italy, began to work together to maximize their profits by restructuring the European Cup. Up until 1992, the European Cup was a competition between the champions of the European domestic leagues. But in 1992, UEFA rebranded the European Cup as the UEFA Champions League, with major changes. The participating clubs ceded the broadcasting rights of their matches (of the tournament) to UEFA which arranged for centralized broadcasting through its new media partner Team Marketing AG. In return they received fixed payments for participation which increased with qualification for each successive stage of the competition. The new media partner, through aggressive and innovative marketing, maximized the revenues from the competition, vastly improving the prize money, which made participation in the Champions League a profitable affair. UEFA allowed the leading clubs to corner the profits by granting a larger share of the Champions League seats to the leading national leagues: England, Spain, Italy, Holland, France and Portugal. Earlier, each club had to win their domestic league in the previous season in order to gain entry into the European Cup for the next season. By permitting multiple entries from the big leagues (now up to four teams from Italy, England and Spain), UEFA guaranteed the participation of the big clubs. Their almost-guaranteed participation made marketing easier: those “star” clubs (Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC of England, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF of Spain, AC Milan and Juventus FC of Italy) could emerge as the faces of the competition. With huge prize money, they could buy the best playing and coaching talents of the world, regularly finish in the top end of their domestic leagues and repeatedly compete in the Champions League. Their continued presence as “star” teams would in turn help to expand the profits for their sponsors, UEFA and themselves. The domination of the big clubs continues, while a few fortunate to have been bought by millionaires, often from the Middle-East, have entered the elite group. The result: monopoly of the big clubs over the production and distribution of “quality football”, showcased in the Champions League.

International football has been drastically reworked by global capital over the last three decades into a site of immense inequity. The hypocrisies of the recent World Cup urge us to see how the space of football, led by the forces of capital, is now ripe for insurrection Lost arts, myriad exploitation The inequality produced by the concentration of 'quality' in a few European centres has had a detrimental effect on other football traditions, reconfiguring them as the periphery of global football. Whatever the circumstances of initiation in different parts of the world, football has historically allowed different styles – art forms, indeed – to grow and prosper. The styles often shared a deep organic link with the societies that produced them. For example, the compulsion of barefoot football (no money to buy boots!) inspired a specific style. Capital has weakened that organic link and integrated them into new 'global' networks – with western Europe as the centre. Brazil provides an obvious example. The Brazilian tradition appears to have emerged towards the middle of the twentieth century. Most footballers, coming from half-famished families in slums, barely had the strength to play hard-tackle football like the Europeans. Each one of them became the “malandro” of Brazilian folklore – the trickster who breaks the rules without being caught. Through shrewd body movements, clever dribbling, back-heel passes and bicycle kicks, they dazzled their way to victory in the World Cups of 1958, 1962 and 1970. Brazil won the World Cup again in 1994 by playing what some of their countrymen called “bureaucratic football” – more muscular than artistic. There have been sparks and flashes since then, but the “Brazil of old” is a nostalgic term in mainstream football discourse. When Brazil truly displayed the art of “malandragem” on the world stage for the last time in the 1982 World Cup, only one of the 22 member squad played his club football in Europe. In comparison, the star players in the next generation – Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, and now Neymar – have all departed for Europe in their early twenties. Integrating themselves into their club cultures, most players either don’t complete their schooling in the indigenous art form, or play little part in enriching them as practitioners. Latin America, as Tim Vickery puts it, is now a player-exporting country and its people are deprived of watching quality football in their backyards. The organic link between the star footballers and their society is weakened. The former World Bank economist Branco Milanovic argues that when players from different continents play together for the European clubs, poor countries can capture some of their “leg drain” and harness the forces of efficiency and inequality unleashed by globalization for their benefit. This hardly holds true for Latin American players; vibrant football cultures in their own countries have historically enabled them to beat Europeans with ease. But since 1990, African teams, with many of their players based in European clubs, have managed to trouble European and Latin American teams in international tournaments. Memorably, Senegal, with 20 out of 22 in the squad based at French clubs, beat France 1-0 in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup – a defeat that eventually sent France, the defending champions, home after the first round. Has Africa really joined the party? If truth be spoken, since the breakthrough of African football on the global stage with Cameroon in 1990, it has stagnated. African teams reached the quarter final on two other occasions – Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010 – but no African team has reached the semi-final in six attempts since 1990 despite several Africans playing in the top tier of European football. Migrant Africans learning their football in European youth systems often choose to represent the European countries over their native ones, draining Africa of its resources. “Equalization” remains an unfulfilled promise; it happens only on Europe’s terms. In the bottom rungs of the football industry, there exist myriad forms of exploitation – low wages, poor working conditions and cheating contractors. From 2012 to 2013, Zahir Belounis, a French footballer, remained stranded at Doha in Qatar as his club Al-Jaish had refused to grant him an exit permit over a pay dispute. He was a victim of the “kafala system” prevalent in Qatar and Saudi Arabia in which the employers can easily detain their employees by denying them exit permits. Belou-

nis reported after his release that the system engenders severe exploitation and domestic workers are the most abused. Recruitment agencies often dupe migrant workers, including footballers, who are then trapped for years. At the bottom levels, there is great insecurity and low economic and social benefits obtained from contracts with clubs, in terms of wages and social status. The industry today remains largely immune to radical activism through the players’ unions or otherwise. The stadium of struggle The universal popularity of football and its enabling role in identity-formation is appropriated to foster an image of football as something that exceeds the game. Yet the excess is tolerated only so far as it serves, or at least does not harm the interests of capital. Over the last ten years, FIFA and the regional football associations have promoted the use of football for “social development”. In 2007, FIFA and the football governing bodies of North, Central and Latin America signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to jointly invest in projects for “the development of life skills among youth, violence prevention and the improvement of education and employment opportunities.” Such efforts, though valuable in themselves, do help to draw attention away from the culpability of FIFA and the big clubs for unjust labour practices that often create the exact problems that the football powers hope to partially solve through football. While FIFA and the International Labor Organization (ILO) have vowed to wave a “red card to child labour”, Nike and Adidas, widely reported to indulge in such practices, continue to sponsor the industry. Brazil 2014 has exposed the hypocrisy more clearly than ever. We have been told that football must be played even when it stands in the way of wider efforts for “social development”. When the protestors in Brazil argued that the World Cup was taking away the money required for improving health and education facilities, the FIFA President asked them not to use football to voice their protests. While the power brokers promote football as an agent of hope, peace and unification, it remains the site where social divisions are manifested in the most violent fashion. The solution is simple: eliminate the “lower class” fans likely to foment trouble. The “clean up” act shifts the tensions out of the high profile stadium, so that “quality football” in pristine settings can be broadcast worldwide, ensuring safety for the profiteers and credit for the administrators. At the iconic Maracana stadium of Rio de Janerio reconstructed for the World Cup (in line with FIFA directives), the “geral” — the cheap standing area occupied by Rio’s most ardent football fans – has been removed. The reshaping of stadia and the high pricing of tickets has effectively excluded the poor part of the population from attending games. Away from the manicured world of mainstream football, there have been scattered efforts to constitute alternative football cultures in the recent past. Republica Internationale F.C., based in Leeds, UK, calls itself a “socialist football team” and uses only fair trade sports goods, including footballs. In 2005, they vowed never to buy from corporate giants like Nestle, McDonald’s, Nike, or Coca Cola. In 1998, the club participated in an Alternative World Cup that featured ideologically likeminded teams from across Europe, including Germany, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania and Britain. Initiatives like this call for support and imaginative replication. Capital murders the past by inducing passive nostalgia. Those of us in opposition recall the past not to glorify what was but to wonder what might be. We recall the episodes of radical activism around issues both internal and external to football, not least in the top tier of the profession. In 1984, when Brazil was ruled by a military dictator, Sport Club Corinthians Paulista of Sao Paolo witnessed a movement for democracy – both within and outside the game. Some if its members initiated the Corinthians Democracy to undo the authoritarian structures within the club: the democratic practice of employing polls to decide everything concerning the group. Corinthians won the state championship in 1982 with “Democracia” printed on their shirts and before the 1983 state championship final the whole team paraded around the pitch with a banner that asserted: winning or losing, but always with democracy. The movement, calling for democracy both in the football world and in wider society, became a part of the struggle to end dictatorial rule in Brazil. Socrates, one of its leaders, became an icon of democracy. He declared: ““My political victories are more important than my victories as a professional player. A match finishes in 90 minutes, but life goes on.” To cede the space of football to the forces of capital is to let go of an arena of struggle that has a global resonance today.

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The Morung Express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: morung@gmail.com All letters (including those via email) should have the full name and Postal address of the sender. Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.

Monday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

21 JUly 2014

PERSPECTIVE NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE

hatred as politics in myanmar Kyaw Win

them and allowed the extremists to target them without condemnation by the wider public. During a recent attack on Rohingyas, Zaw Htay posted provocative anti-Rohingya propaganda on his Facebook account in Burmese. Exercising scare tactics, he used the Rohingya Solidarity Organization, an organization known to be almost defunct for several decades, as a scarecrow, claiming that RSO members had crossed into Myanmar to invade Rakhine State and threaten the lives of Buddhists. He also warned opposition parties and critics not to oppose government policy towards the Rohingya on the basis of human rights. Anti-Muslim hate campaigns led by the radical 969 movement, including those led by Buddhist monk U Wirathu, have played a significant role in expanding the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya into generalized anti-Muslim violence across the country. U Wirathu has traveled across Myanmar giving anti-Muslim speeches without restriction and expanded an extremist network known as the Race and Faith Defense League, (Ma Ba Tha).

AsiaTimes online

his month's tragic anti-Muslim violence in Mandalay has again revealed that dark forces are alive and well in Myanmar. The violence left two dead and many injured, causing damage to property and generating a climate of fear in the country's cultural and historic capital. In the aftermath of the violence, the government has moved to crack down on hate speech but has also warned the media against making statements that could destabilize national security, saying that "action will be taken against those who threaten state stability." Tellingly, however, no action has been taken against those responsible for triggering the Mandalay violence by spreading false rumors on social media, while journalists reporting on the riots have already been threatened with violence. In addition, some observers have noted that the violence has also had a secondary effect- it has successfully distracted public interest from a signature campaign calling for amendment to the 2008 Constitution. Such patterns are finally leading more and more analysts to ask critical questions about the nature of recent anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar and the real motivations behind it. Outside of Myanmar, reporting has been less critical, with some major media wires referring to the violence as 'sectarian'. Such inaccurate diagnosis is not new, as international diplomatic and public opinion circles have tended to portray Myanmar's anti-Muslim violence as an unfortunate social consequence of transition from authoritarianism to democracy. In this view, it is the uncertainty of transition and the new freedom of expression that have given rise to fear of the Muslim minority and ultra-nationalist Buddhist extremism. This definition, however, is misleading and has resulted in significant confusion both about the form of violence in question as well as its root cause. Indeed, from the point of view of many Myanmar Muslims, it appears to be a case of applying a perfectly sensible theory to the wrong context. Such misconceptions not only ignore the reality of decades-long persecution of Muslims in the country, but they also absolve authorities of their historical responsibility for manufacturing, endorsing and permitting such violence, both directly and indirectly. They also ignore the role played by Myanmar's generals and their cronies in manufacturing BurmanBuddhist nationalist ideology and institutionalizing a culture of fear and distrust of minorities, including the Muslim community. Anti-Muslim violence is, in fact, not a new phenomenon, and has been stirred by the military and its proxies since 1981. The misdiagnosis also ignores the fact that the military deliberately designed the 2008 constitution to maintain sufficient power to protect their interests and have historically exploited identity as a tool to divide and control the country's diverse population. It also ignores the reality that many institutions, including some of Myanmar's Buddhist monasteries, have long been infiltrated by certain military actors and have served as sites for organizing support for the military and their vision of nationalism. That much of the violence has been carried out by mobs that also involve ordinary people does not mean that it is purely a social phenomenon free from any political involvement. Indeed, this form of violence is neither new nor apolitical, as campaigns to spread public fear against Muslims and the mobilization of pogroms have been consistently carried out by Myanmar's military and their proxies throughout the decades of military dictatorship. The reality is that the current anti-Muslim violence is sign of continuity with the past, rather than a break with it. Mask of reform President Thein Sein's government is not the first to employ divide and rule tactics through a variety of proxies, manipulating religion and ethnicity as a means of maintaining power. In the 1960 general election, Prime Minister U Nu published in his manifesto a promise to declare Bud-

A man walks among debris of buildings destroyed during ethnic unrest between Buddhists and Muslim in Meikhtila, about 550 kilometers (340 miles) north of Yangon, Myanmar on Monday, March 25, 2013. Sectarian clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in Meikhtila spread to at least two other towns in the country's heartland over the weekend, undermining government efforts to quash an eruption of violence that has killed dozens of people and displaced 10,000 more. On Sunday, Vijay Nambiar, the U.N. secretary-general's special adviser on Myanmar, toured Meikhtila, where soldiers were able to impose order after several days of anarchy, and called on the government to punish those responsible. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

dhism as the state religion if elected. As a result, he won a landslide election victory. Thein Sein's government now appears to be using this old tactic to kill three birds with one stone- to divert public attention from Chinese interests, to avoid enacting constitutional amendments that would allow opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to become the country's next president and to attract voters ahead of the 2015 elections. Since Thein Sein took office in 2010, he has faced three major challenges: public protests against Chinese projects, public protests to amend the 2008 constitution and public support for Suu Kyi. These challenges have coincided with the re-emergence with anti-Muslim violence across Myanmar. That can hardly be a coincidence. Public opposition to mega-projects, particularly those backed by China, has grown since Thein Sein took office. While he won praise for suspending the Chinese mega-dam project in Kachin State in 2011, this was short-lived. In August 2012, police used white phosphorus against peaceful demonstrators, including monks and villagers at the Letpadaung copper mine. Another major Chinese project is the Shwe gas pipeline, which starts near Kyauk Pyu Township, Rakhine State and provides an important alternative route for China to much-needed energy resources should access through either the Malacca Strait or the South China Sea be blocked in a future conflict. The second challenge is the growing public demand to amend the 2008 constitution, which many in Myanmar view as deeply flawed, undemocratic and designed by the junta to maintain the power of the army. Since early 2012, activists have been raising public awareness against the constitution and several public mass gatherings were organized to protest against the constitution and demand its amendment. The third challenge is the outcome of 2012 by-election, which placed the military-backed ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) on the horns of a dilemma. Although Thein Sein successfully convinced the international community to recognize him as a reformist, even receiving a peace award from the International Crisis Group, his party has not yet convinced his country's own voters. On the contrary, members of the USDP are well known for their record of corruption and it is not sur-

prising that Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won a landslide victory at the 2012 by-election. The poll result was alarming for the ruling party and has created anxiety about the upcoming general election in 2015. The ruling party and its military backers may have thus considered applying political tactics that had already been tried and tested. Political scapegoats As the government came under increasing pressure from these multiple challenges, a new wave of anti-Muslim violence emerged. Violence broke out in Rakhine State in June and October 2012 where Rohingya and Kaman Muslims were targeted. Tensions between Muslims and Buddhists have historically been at their highest in Rakhine, with ethnic cleansing campaigns against the Rohingya occurring in 1942, 1978 and 1991, making it an easy target for igniting anti-Muslim violence. But anti-Muslim mobilization was not limited to Rakhine and was soon followed by hate-speech campaigns in Karen State at the end of 2012 that spread to other parts of the country. In March 2013, anti-Muslim pogroms erupted in Meiktila in central Myanmar. Government and crony-controlled media have also played a dangerous role by portraying Rohingya as intruders from Bangladesh and Islam as a threat to Buddhism. They have succeeded in obscuring real problems such as land grabbing by the army, civil war and the use of rape as a weapon against minorities. The majority of Buddhists are unaware that they are being brainwashed by the powerful cronies' media. It is highly likely that many extremist Buddhist monks are agents of Myanmar's army and part of a vast propaganda machine. In a context where monks are the most revered figures in society, this strategy has proven highly effective and faces almost no opposition. Those who have spoken out against radical monks have been intimidated. During the crisis, the inflammatory rhetoric of Thein Sein and his spokesperson Major Zaw Htay received strong support from Buddhist extremists. In a meeting with the head of UNHCR in July 2012, Thein Sein denied the existence of the Rohingyas, stating that they are the illegal immigrants and should be sent to third countries or kept in concentration camps as refugees. His comments have directly put the lives of Rohingya into great danger, encouraged hatred against

The Morung Express

Bigoted boycotts The biased judiciary, meanwhile, systematically grants impunity to the hate instigators, encouraging further attacks on Muslims. In return, these extremists promote the ruling party as a defender of Buddhism and Buddhist interests. Ma Ba Tha also largely opposes the amendment of the 2008 constitution, particularly the section 59(F) that bars Suu Kyi from becoming president because she was married to a now deceased foreigner. A public declaration of anti-Muslim persecution was made on September 10, 2012 after a meeting between monks from all Buddhist sects in Karen State organized by the Alliance of Buddhism Custodians at Mae Baung Monastery in the state capital Hpa-an. The declaration was mainly intended to segregate Muslims from social and economic activities, including a drive to boycott Muslim-owned shops. In December 2012, the alliance declared it would fine anyone who breached the order and members of Ma Ba Tha began monitoring Muslim shops to implement the order. The declaration openly challenges the rule of law and yet in spite of this there has not been a single response from Thein Sein's government. The President did not fail, however, to swiftly issue a statement defending U Wirathu when Time magazine published an edition with the monk on the front cover calling him 'the face of Buddhist terror'. Tolerance of anti-Muslim violence was also apparent during the Meiktila pogroms in March 2013. Victims said that when police were requested to protect Muslims from deadly attacks they responded that orders were not given to stop the violent mobs. The mystery in that instance is who held the authority to give the orders and why these officials would allow the mobs to target Muslims. At the same time, the organized manner in which the mobs targeted Muslims reveals that at least some among them were well-trained to carry out heinous crimes against humanity, such as the chopping and burning alive of 28 small children at an Islamic orphanage. So far anti-Rohingya and anti-Muslim campaigns have successfully diverted public attention from many issues: Chinese projects, land grabbing, the civil war in Kachin State, corruption, dubious multi-billion dollar property holdings by high-ranking generals, and calls to amend the controversial 2008 constitution. Undoubtedly, the military will plan their every strategy carefully and execute every move deliberately. The result of the 2012 by-election could be used as a parameter to measure the USDP's chance of victory in 2015. The stakes are high, raising the potential for more distractive anti-Muslim mobilization, persecution and violence in the run-up to the polls. While the international community invests millions in government institutions such as the Myanmar Peace Center, more must be done to hold the government accountable for the role it has played in supporting organizations and movements responsible for inciting hatred and violence. Allowing these deadly and divisive trends to continue is morally wrong and threatens to unleash new cycles of fear, violence and vengeance that will undermine the prospects of all of Myanmar's people and jeopardize stability across the wider region. Kyaw Win is a Burmese Muslim scholar and human rights activist living in London.

PoLL RESuLTS

Does the confusion arounD the appointment of nagalanD governor reflect Delhi’s attituDe towarDs nagas? Some of those who • Delhi just does not care about the Nagas. Invoted YES had this to say: • So far most of the Governor for Naga- fact they have no clue land has been former military and po- about Nagaland. They lice men. This time I am so sure that still think of us as savthey will send a pure breed of BJP ide- ages and tribals who ology. See we must understand the are a burden to society. BJP approach, which is different from • Delhi’s real attitude toCongress. The Congress goes for mili- wards Nagas will be tary force, while the BJP goes for cultur- exposed by who they fial force. Let us expect it will be a RSS nally send to be the Naman coming to Nagaland as Governor. galand governor. I bet • Yes. India does not care for people’s you it will be a person welfare. It has eyes only on our God who has studied the Nagiven resources and strategic location. gas in an out and some• Yes, Delhi knows Nagaland corrupted one who knows the region well and to top it off, state • New government new confusion, new a real BJP veteran. This governor new confusion.. confusion ev- will reflect their attitude towards us. erywhere. and "yes" to the question ... • Yes....how great we think of ourselves • India does not care at which let to all this ego clash in every all for the Nagas. All sector of our society, people are watch- they want is for Nagas ing and giving us what we deserve. to be lured by money and to stray away from Nothing more nothing less.

the path of freedom.

65%

20% 15% YES

OTHERS

Some of those who voted no had this to say: • Not really. I think the BJP government is being strategic about the Governor of Nagaland. They want to get their own man to come and take this position and I think this is the reason why there is so much of confusion. • I don’t think so. I think they have some other political motive and that is why they are doing this merry go round with governors. • No. This is not only in Nagaland, but in other Indian states as well. Their interests is different. Maybe their attitude

is to put their own people in different states to make Hindutva happen. • No. They don’t care about the Nagas. This confusion is because our state is nowhere near their list of importance. Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say: • Who cares? Governors come and governors go hoping like kangaroo puppets. A glaring example of lackadaisical attitude of the centre towards Nagaland and North East in general. • The BJP Govt under Modi should in fact ensure that the would be Governor of Nagaland should be a 'Congressmen'. The Bigger in stature, the better! Let him/her come over and have a look at what their Govt at the centre has done for Nagaland during their Congress rule. • The confusion is no one like to be in Nagaland. Delhi is puzzled too as to who will fit in: congress loyalist or a BJP hardcore or a bureaucrat? Yet whoever comes he will have less role to play...

Readers may please note that, the contents of the articles published on this page do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.

Dimapur

The Morung Express NATIONAL Prez rejects mercy petitions of Surinder Koli and 5 others

Monday 21 July 2014

Modi government’s media policy - keep them away?

New Delhi, July 20 (iANS): It has been almost two months since Narendra Modi took charge as India’s prime minister, but the new government is yet to spell out its media and information policy - except by default. All that journalists are able to surmise - in the absence of any official articulation - is that the Modi government wants to keep members of the fourth estate at an arm’s length and feed them information crumbs - only when and what it wants to. Departing from the convention of naming a media adviser, one of the first acts of any new prime minister in a democracy, Modi has appointed 70-year-old veteran aide, Jagdish Thakkar, as only a Public Relations Officer (PRO), an indication by itself that Modi did not feel the need to have “media advice”. Thakkar, a PRO during Modi’s chief ministership

in Gujarat and who is familiar with Modi’s working style, is increasingly becoming infamous in media circles for not answering calls and, simply, just not being available. When a group of journalists cornered him at Parliament House recently, Thakkar gave no assurances and said he would only give them what he was asked to give - nothing more. He also made no promise of answering journalists’ calls or queries, a standard practice of a media or press adviser and part of his job profile. Modi’s council of ministers also believe in evading the media - even those who were earlier friendly with the media and loved chatting with them. Any journalist seeking an interview with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who was known to be media-savvy and always available for a juicy anti-government byte as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, now gets a firm “no” in abrupt and unlikely response. It is widely known that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers have been told “not to speak to the media” unless an official line about the government’s position is to be announced. It was only after he presented his maiden budget July 10 that the otherwise media savvy Finance Min-

ister Arun Jaitley gave interviews, but only to a select few. Only Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar, both former party spokesmen, are the ones who are seen on television and sometimes quoted in print. Senior bureaucrats, who under the previous UPA regime were welcoming to scribes, have been issued a gag order and asked not to “entertain” the media. “I am personally against such an order but cannot do much about it,” an official in the urban development ministry told IANS, while making sure he was not going to be named. In fact, in some ministries, if a mediaperson is seen near a minister’s office, in Parliament House, or in the ministries, they are rounded up and packed off. This was not so during the Manmohan Singh regime. Ministers and secretaries were ready to talk to mediapersons, give bytes and interviews and, in the last months, even against their own government. For the media, all this is new. From being treated as VIPs, mediapersons now suddenly feel they are “pariahs” in the new establishment. With tweets, Facebook and official releases being almost the sole “source” for news stories,

many journalists openly share that getting an “exclusive” would now become difficult. It also means that everyone will get the news at the same time. “No minister is willing to talk. Even taking an appointment to meet the secretary has become extremely difficult. These are not good signs,” a seasoned journalist who did not wish to be identified told IANS. Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani, who was caught in a controversy over her educational qualification, has been meeting journalists in informal groups. On one such occasion, she pulled them up for writing stories that projected her negatively. Like her, many of her cabinet colleagues are yet to call a formal press conference to spell out policies and plans for their ministries. Journalist and commentator Swapan Dasgupta, however, feels it is a “media impression that the council of ministers is avoiding them”. “It is in any case not a public issue. It’s a media issue,” Dasgupta, known to be close to the ruling establishment, told IANS. The only formal interaction of the media with any minister was when Javadekar called journalists for dinner July 16. It was also interesting that on the same day and at the same

place - India Habitat Centre, but in a different venue - Neelam Kapur, principal director general of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), had also invited senior journalists for dinner. However, on reaching the venue, journalists were told that the two events had been merged without giving an explanation. But Kapur did look subdued. Javadekar, when harried by journalists for an interview slot, was evasive. But journalists who hoped he would share information nuggets about the new regime, or the prime minister, were disappointed. The writing on the wall is clear - avoid the media so that they do not have anything to sensationalise or create controversies. Modi, who has stopped taking a large press party on his trips abroad and only takes official or demi-official media, may feel that keeping the media at a distance is the best media policy to have. Veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar, who was the media adviser to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, feels the Modi administration should follow a clear media policy. “The channels of communication should be open. The new government should have a transparent media policy. Media wants some kind of connection,” Nayar told IANS.

NC, Congress divorce in Kashmir after six years in power SriNAgAr, July 20 (iANS): The nearly sixyear-old alliance between the Congress and the regional National Conference

bika Soni and Saifuddin Soz told reporters in Jammu that their party would contest the upcoming state assembly elections without any pre-

ty would not align with the Congress for the polls. At present, the National Conference has 28 legislators, the main opposition

Congress ‘distorting facts’, decision to end alliance conveyed to Sonia 10 days ago: Omar

JAMMu/SriNAgAr, July 20 (PTi): The Congress and the National Conference(NC) have decided to part ways in Jammu & Kashmir and will separately contest the assembly polls due later this year after being in a coalition for nearly six years but their government will continue till the state goes to polls. Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni and Saifuddin Soz announced on Sunday in Jammu that the party will fight the forthcoming assembly elections alone and will not enter into any pre-poll alliance. Simultaneously, chief

minister Omar Abdullah, who is working president of NC, took to social media to announce that he had informed Congress president Sonia Gandhi 10 days ago that there will be no pre-poll alliance in the state, adding that for Congress to state that it took the decision is “complete distortion of facts” and “incorrect”. “I met Mrs Gandhi 10 days ago and thanked her for all her support. I conveyed NC’s decision to fight the elections alone,” Omar said on Twitter. Soni, general secretary AICC and in charge of J&K Congress, told reporters

that “After extensive talks with Congress leaders and workers at all levels, the party has come to the conclusion that we are going to fight the forthcoming assembly elections on our own strength”. “We will put up candidates or support some of the traditional alliance candidates on all the 87 seats in J&K alone,” she said. Omar said he explained the reasons to the Congress president for not entering into a prepoll alliance “but also told her I wouldn’t be making a public announcement because I didn’t want it to look opportunistic.

in Jammu and Kashmir Sunday came to an end with both parties announcing their going separate ways. While Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Am-

poll alliance, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was quick to say on micro-blogging website Twitter that he had told Congress chief Sonia Gandhi 10 days ago that his par-

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 21, the Congress 17 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 11, while others including the Communist Party of India-Marxist

After women, Delhi is the most unsafe for children New Delhi, July 20 (iANS): Delhi has earned the dubious distinction being a city unsafe for women. Now comes another shocker. Among India’s 53 megacities, the national capital is the most unsafe for children as crimes against children have reportedly gone up exponentially all over the country. On an average, crimes against 16 children are reported in Delhi everyday, official data has revealed. The capital is followed by Mumbai, where crimes are committed against three children daily. Srinagar is the city safest for children, as per available data. According to comprehensive data from the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) for 2013, Delhi registered the maximum cases of crimes against children at 6,124, while Mumbai reported 902 cases. Ranchi and Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), and Asansol (West Bengal) did not witness a single crime against a children in the entire year. Jammu and Kashmir capital Srinagar recorded only one such case. All across

the country, crimes against children went up by 52.5 percent in a year. A total of 58,224 cases were registered in 2013 compared to 38,172 cases in 2012. Of the total crimes, 54.2 percent cases were related to kidnappingandabductionof children, 51.3 percent to trafficking of girls, 49.3 percent to abetment to suicide while 44.7 percent cases were related to rapes. Among the states, Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 9,857 cases of crimes against children, while Maharashtra was on the second spot with 8,247 cases. The lowest number of cases were reported from Nagaland (8) followed by Daman and Diu along with Dadra and Nagar Haveli each with 14 cases, Sikkim (39) and Puducherry (47). Sanjay Gupta, director of Chetna, an NGO that works for the rights of children, feels the rapid increase in the capital’s migrant population has led to the increase in crimes against children. “There has been rapid growth in Delhi’s population compared to other cities due to an increase in

the migrant or unskilled workforce coming from other states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Rajasthan,” Gupta told IANS. “This is a vulnerable section and cases of rapes and general crimes against children are witnessed the most among them,” he added. Delhi Police officers said these issues can be reported at the Delhi Police Juvenile Justice Unit. “We have taken this initiative to create awareness in society about issues of children protection. The objective is to create an aware society that responds to the needs of children in various situations,” an officer told IANS. “The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 came into force in November 2012 for the protection of children. The Act defines all types of sexual abuses against children. The punishment ranges from simple to rigorous imprisonment of varying periods. There is also a provision for a fine, which is to be decided by the court,” he added.

(CPI-M), the Panthers Party and Independents have 10 members in the 87-member state assembly. Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are due by the year-end. Omar Abdullah, however, said his government will complete its full term. The Congress and the National Conference had formed the present ruling alliance in 2009 after the 2008 assembly elections. While the term of other state assemblies in India is five years, the Jammu and Kashmir assembly has a six-year term. After the 2002 polls, the Congress and the PDP had formed an alliance government in the state headed by PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as chief minister. Sayeed later handed over the chief minister’s post to Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress in 2005 as per the terms of the coalition agreement. The PDP withdrew from the alliance government after the Amarnath land row in the state in 2008. An agitation started following a land row in which it was alleged that the state government had trans-

ferred forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board that manages the affairs of the annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine. The last single party government in the state was formed by the National Conference after the 1996 elections and was headed by Farooq Abdullah. Fissures in the alliance with the Congress became pronounced after this year’s Lok Sabha elections. Of the six Lok Sabha seats in the state, both parties shared three each. While the Congress lost all the three seats of Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh to the BJP, the National Conference lost the three Kashmir Valley seats of Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag to the PDP. The most shattering defeats for the Congress and the National Conference, respectively, were those of Azad from Udhampur and Farooq Abdullah from Srinagar. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Sunday said his father and National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah will not contest the assembly polls due to ill health.

The mercy petitions that were rejected included one of Surinder Koli, the convict in the Nithari killings case.

New Delhi, July 20 (PTi): Mercy petitions of six death row convicts including Surinder Koli, found guilty in the sensational Nithari serial rapes and killings, have been rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee. Besides Koli, mercy pleas of Renukabai and Seema (Maharashtra), Rajendra Pralhadrao Wasnik (Maharashtra), Jagdish (Madhya Pradesh) and Holiram Bordoloi (Assam) have been rejected following recommendations of the Home Ministry, official sources said. 42-year-old Koli, who brutally killed and later axed children in Nithari locality of Noida in Uttar Pradesh, was awarded death sentence by a lower court which was upheld by the Allahabad High Court and confirmed by the Supreme Court in February 2011. In a case that outraged the nation, Koli was found guilty of serial rapes and murders between 2005 and 2006 at his employer businessman Moninder Singh Pandher’s house in Nithari. Remains of several missing children were found near the house. While 16 cases were filed against Koli, he has been awarded death sentence in four of them so far and others are still under trial. Sisters Renukabai and Seema along with their mother and another accomplice Kiran Shinde, kidnapped 13 children between 1990 to 1996 and killed nine of them. However, the prosecution could

prove only five murders. The two sisters were given death sentence. The case against the mother had to be abated as she died in 1997 while Shinde turned an approver in the case. The two sisters used to kidnap children from localities of poor people in the areas of their operation and force them to commit thefts, lift goods and snatch chains. But when the children grew old enough to understand things, they were brutally killed. Some were found with their heads smashed, strangulated, thrashed with iron rods and thrown on railway tracks. The Supreme Court had confirmed the death penalty of the two sisters on August 31, 2006. In January, the Supreme Court had ruled that “inordinate and inexplicable” delays in hanging are grounds for commuting a convict’s death penalty and had spared 15 death row convicts from execution. The third case pertains to the gruesome killing of a girl child in village Asra of Maharashtra in which the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Wasnik in October 2012 for sexually abusing and murdering the victim. The President also rejected mercy petition of Jagdish who was convicted for murdering his wife and five children (four daughters and a son, all aged between one and 16 years). He was sentenced to death by Additional Ses-

sions Judge of Manasa on April 24, 2006. This was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2009. Jagdish submitted that he was in an unsound state of mind and that his death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment as the capital punishment was not executed for over three years. However, the apex court said that in Jagdish’s case there was not much of a delay from the time of his conviction till the dismissal of his appeal on September 18, 2009. The mercy petition of Bordoloi, whose death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2005, was also rejected. Bordoloi carried out the execution of three men of the same family in a gruesome manner in broad daylight in front of the villagers in an effort to protect his supremacy in the village. On November 26, 1996, Bordoloi, along with 17 others, attacked the hut of Narayan Bordoloi who was staying with his brother, wife and two sons. When Narayan locked the hut from inside, the accused and his men set the hut on fire. Narayan’s brother and elder son tried to escape through a hole in the wall. However, Bordoloi and his men pushed the boy back into the fire. Narayan and his son were charred to death while his wife sustained serious burn injuries. Bordoloi did not stop at this. He later dragged another brother of Narayan, who was staying nearby, and sliced him into pieces in front of the villagers.

Encephalitis deaths in Bengal rise to 47 Siliguri, July 20 (iANS): Two more people died of encephalitis here, taking the death count in West Bengal to 47 in the past 18 days, officials said Sunday. Two patients admitted to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) died since Saturday night, the facility’s superintendent Amarendranath Sarkar said. A concerned West Bengal government has announced a high alert in the seven North Bengal districts. North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb visited the NBMCH here in Darjeeling district Saturday and met the patients suffering from the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. Health officials and ministers will meet at the state government’s branch secretariat Uttar Kanya in neighbouring

Jalpaiguri district Monday to discuss the sudden outbreak of the disease. Sarkar said this year 320 patients have so far been admitted to the NBMCH with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. Of them, at least 80 have died. The figure includes 15 who died of confirmed cases of Japanese Encephalitis. Encephalitis is a disease that results in inflammation of the brain. The patient’s central nervous system is affected. While the lesser symptoms include headaches and fevers, the more severe ones cause the onset of mental issues like seizures, confusion, disorientation, tremors and hallucinations. It can be caused due to bacterial or viral infections of the brain, injection of toxic substances or increased complications of an infectious disease.

Lowering juvenile age to curb offences doubtful prescription New Delhi, July 20 (iANS): Union Minister for Women and Child Development Menaka Gandhi’s suggestion to lower the juvenile age from 18 years to 16 so that those accused of heinous crimes such as rape can be punished instead of being sent to reform homes is an outdated proposition. The minister wants juvenile offenders accused of rape, murder, kidnapping and acid attacks to be tried in regular courts and suffer the consequences of their actions. Child rights activists and judicial pronouncements have opposed the rationale behind the suggestion. This is not the first time that such a suggestion has been made. It first grabbed headlines after the December 16, 2012, gangrape of a paramedic student in Delhi that sparked off a country-wide outrage and even resonated globally. Will stricter punishment be a deterrent? Legal history in different jurisdictions has belied this theory. Gandhi’s other legal plank is equally weak, empirical

evidence shows. Gandhi fell back on statistics to claim that 16-yearolds commit rape because they know that under the Juvenile Justice Act they can get away with just a stay in a reform home and won’t get any deterrent punishment. But, not many 16-yearolds are actually aware of Act or the fact that under its provisions they could get away lightly. Statistics show that 8,392 juvenile accused caught in 2013 were illiterate; 13,984 had studied up to the primary level; 15,423 were between the matriculation and and high school levels and 5,812 were beyond the matriculation level. One could attribute such knowledge possibly to the 137 rapes committed by juveniles in Delhi in 2013, but would it hold true of Madhya Pradesh, which accounted for 347 rapes; Chhattisgarh - 122; Uttar Pradesh - 196 and Rajasthan - 183? The proposal, expectedly, did not find favour with child rights activists. Neither does it find favour

with the Supreme Court, which has twice ruled - in 2013 and again in 2014 against trying juveniles by regular courts. Dismissing a slew of petitions filed in the wake of the Dec 16, 2012 gangrape, a three-judge bench headed by then chief justice Altamas Kabir July 17, 2013 said that the JJ Act was intended to heal and reform children drawn to crime and not turn them into hardened criminals. “The essence of the Act. is restorative and not retributive, providing for the rehabilitation and reintegration of children in conflict with the law into mainstream society. The age of 18 has been fixed on account of the understanding of experts in child psychology and behavioural patterns that till such an age, the children in conflict with law could still be redeemed and restored to mainstream society instead of becoming hardened criminals in future. “There are, of course, exceptions where a child in the age group of 16 to 18 may

have developed criminal propensities, which would make it virtually impossible for him/her to be reintegrated into mainstream society, but such examples are not of such proportions as to warrant any change in thinking, since it is probably better to try and re-integrate children with criminal propensities into mainstream society rather than to allow them to develop into hardened criminals, which does not augur well for the future,” the court said. In another case a threejudge bench headed by then chief justice P. Sathasivam (since retired) on March 28, 2014, justified this differential treatment between hardened adult criminals and juvenile ones on the ground that this was what India had signed up for when it ratified international child rights conventions. The Justice J.S.Verma Committee that was set up in the wake of Delhi gangrape did consider the question of lowering the age, but ultimately rejected it as not viable. “We did consider,

however, a general lowering of the juvenile age. The research and the statistics in this area, as well as our own experience shows that it was not viable. Even women’s organisations, most of them were of the view that it was not desirable. And you see you can’t make a generalisation”, Justice Verma’s report said. The brutalities that accompanied the 2012 Delhi gang-rape rape and recently in Badayun shakes the conscious of the nation but does it warrants changing a law that was enacted on the strength of expert opinion the world over? Shouldn’t Gandhi worry about the general state of lawlessness into which the country seems to be sliding into? Lawlessness egged on by the law-makers themselves? A Tapas Pal (Trinamool Congress) asks his workers to rape women of the CPI-M women and gets away while his Samajwadi Party counterpart Mulayam Singh Yadav describes rape by boys as a ‘galti’ (mistake) and suggests they should be let off lightly.

InternatIonal

the Morung express

Monday 21 July 2014

Dimapur

Indonesia’s Rebels take full control of MH 17 crash bodies democracy faces test as tally comes in

JAKARTA, July 20 (AP): After an ugly presidential election campaign, Indonesia is set to declare the winner on Tuesday — but that may not settle a simmering dispute between the two candidates, both of whom claim victory. Unofficial counts by eight polling agencies of the July 9 vote have given Joko Widodo, the popular and sneakerwearing former governor of Jakarta known as “Jokowi,” a slim lead. But Prabowo Subianto, a former general with a checkered human rights record who has drawn voters with his thundering nationalistic rhetoric, insists he has polling data showing he has won, raising speculation that he might may not accept the results if he loses. The tension could threaten Indonesia’s fragile transition to democracy 16 years after it emerged from the long and brutal Suharto dictatorship. The country of 240 million is experiencing a slowing economy — the largest in in Southeast Asia — and needs leadership to tackle a rapidly crumbling infrastructure. Once the Election Commission announces the winner, it is highly likely the losing candidate will appeal to the Constitutional Court, the country’s highest. Judges there will have two weeks to rule on any complaints before deciding who won. However, some experts worry that Indonesia’s endemic corruption could affect that decision. Last month, the court’s chief justice was sentenced to life imprisonment for taking a bribe to adjudicate in favor of a plaintiff in a case of disputed provincial election. “That will be a challenge for the Constitutional Court, whose image has already been ruined,” said Mohammad Qodari, a political analyst. Subianto, who has declared assets of $140 million and is on his third bid for the presidency, denies any intention to attempt to buy the vote. The results could trigger social unrest such as clashes between supporters of the two men. Indonesia has experienced frequent outbreaks of political, ethnic and separatist violence during its transition to democracy. The security situation across the country’s 18,000 islands has improved markedly in recent years, but the unprecedented rancor of the campaign, the first between just two candidates in the country’s history, means that tensions are running high. There were significant smear campaigns in the run-up to the election, and supporters of both men used social media for personal attacks. “On the Jokowi side there are too many parasites, they are a danger to the country,” Subianto supporter and lawmaker Fahri Hamzah tweeted recently. “After the 22nd we will ‘deal’ with them. Just be patient,” he said, using language that could easily be interpreted as menacing. Widodo, a former furniture maker, is widely seen as untainted by the often-corrupt military and business elite that has run Indonesia for decades. He likes to wear casual plaid shirts, listen to heavy metal music and make impromptu visits to the slums. Subianto, late dictator’s former son-in-law, is seen by some as providing stronger leadership and was endorsed by Islamic-based parties, hard-line Islamic groups and outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s political party. He was trailing behind Widodo for months before the polls but caught up on the back of a well-organized, well-funded campaign that was supported by most of the country’s establishment political parties. Voters for Subianto chose to ignore his links to past human rights abuses. He admits taking part in the abduction of pro-democracy activists during the dying days of the Suharto dictatorship when he was head of the army’s strategic command, saying he was following orders. He was fired from the army as a result, and spent several years in self-imposed exile in Jordan. Unofficial “quick counts,” which tally a sampling of votes around the country, carried out by eight agencies have given Widodo a lead of around 4 percent, or roughly 6 million votes. The counts have been highly accurate in forecasting the results of previous elections. Independent analysts say there is no reason to think otherwise around this time around, and that anything but a Widodo victory of around 4 percent would be highly suspicious.

TOREZ, July 20 (AP): Rebels in eastern Ukraine took control Sunday of the bodies recovered from downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, and the U.S. and European leaders demanded that Russian President Vladimir Putin make sure rebels give international investigators full access to the crash site. “There’s a stacking up of evidence here, which Russia needs to help account for. We are not drawing the final conclusion here. But there is a lot that points at the need for Russia to be responsible,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” television show. The key question of who controlled the collection of evidence at the sprawling crash site in rebel-held territory dominated the day’s rapid-fire developments. International monitors say armed rebels have limited their access to the crash site and Ukrainian officials said armed rebels took the bodies away from their workers by force. Ukraine and the separatists accuse each other of firing a surface-to-air missile Thursday at Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 as it flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur some 33,000 feet (10,000 meters) above the battlefields of eastern Ukraine. Both deny shooting down the plane. All those onboard the flight — 283 passengers and 15 crew — were killed. A wave of international outrage over how the bodies of the plane crash victims were being handled came amid fears that the armed rebels who control the crash site could be tampering with the evidence there. Donetsk rebel leader Alexander Borodai said the bodies recovered from the crash site would remain in refrigerated train cars in the rebel-held town of Torez, 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the crash site, until the

A man gestures next to a refrigerated train loaded with the bodies of victims of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash, 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the crash site, in Torez, eastern Ukraine on July 20. Armed rebels forced emergency workers to hand over all 196 bodies recovered from the Malaysia Airlines crash site and had them loaded Sunday onto refrigerated train cars bound for a rebel-held city, Ukrainian officials and monitors said. (AP Photo)

arrival of an international aviation delegation. “The bodies will go nowhere until experts arrive,” Borodai said, speaking in the rebel-held city of Donetsk. He also said the plane’s black boxes have been recovered and will be handed over to the International Civil Aviation Organization. Borodai said he was expecting a team of 12 Malaysian experts and that he was disappointed at how long they had taken to arrive. He insisted that rebels had not interfered with the crash investigation, despite reports to the contrary by international monitors and journalists at the crash site. Ukrainian government officials, meanwhile, prepared a disaster crisis center in the government-held city of Kharkiv, expecting to receive the bodies, but those hopes appeared delayed or even dashed Sunday. Deputy prime minister Volodymyr Groysman said 192 bodies and eight body parts were loaded onto the railway cars. The leaders of France, Germany and Britain issued a statement demanding that Putin make sure that pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine give full access to investigators at the Malaysian plane crash site or risk the ire of Europe. French President Francois Hollande, German

Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron agreed Sunday to demand that Putin force separatists controlling the site to “finally allow rescuers and investigators to have free and total access to the zone.” A statement from Hollande’s office said if Russia fails “to immediately take the needed measures, consequence will be drawn” at an EU foreign ministers meeting Tuesday. Ukraine says Russia has been sending sophisticated arms to the rebels, a charge that Moscow denies. The U.S. embassy in Kiev issued a strong statement Sunday pointing to Russian complicity in arming the rebels, saying it has concluded “that Flight MH17 was likely downed by a SA-11 surface-to-air missile from separatistcontrolled territory in eastern Ukraine.” It said over the weekend of July 12-13, “Russia sent a convoy of military equipment with up to 150 vehicles, including tanks armored personnel carriers artillery, and multiple rockets launchers” to the separatists. The statement also said Russia was training separatist fighters in southwest Russia, including on air defense systems. The rebels have been strictly limiting the movements of international

monitors and journalists at the crash site, which is near the Russian border, Associated Press journalists saw reeking bodies baking in the summer heat Saturday, piled into body bags by the side of the road or still sprawled where they landed in the verdant farmland in eastern Ukraine after their plane was shot out of the sky. By Sunday morning, AP journalists saw no bodies and no armed rebels at the crash site. Emergency workers were searching the sprawling fields only for body parts. Heavy machinery was seen moving plane debris around. There was no immediate word on the bodies of the 102 other plane victims, but Michael Bociurkiw, a spokesman for monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said some bodies have likely been incinerated without a trace. “We’re looking at the field where the engines have come down. This was the area which was exposed to the most intense heat. We do not see any bodies here. It appears that some have been vaporized,” he told reporters in Kiev on Sunday, speaking via phone from the crash site. Alexander Pilyushny, an emergency worker combing the crash site for

Have smartphones ruined conversation skills?

WAshInGTOn, July 20 (IAns): Too much time with your smartphone may lead to poor conversational skills, says a study. “In their presence, people have the constant urge to seek out information, check for communication and direct their thoughts to other people and worlds,” explained lead study author Shalini Misra, a psychology professor at Vir-

ginia Tech in the US. When people are distracted by their phones, it is easier to miss subtle cues such as changes in facial expression and changes in tone. People are becoming obsessed with cultivating horizontal relationships - “vast networks of shallow relationships with people who are not physically present, with a smartphone acting

as the portal,” Misra noted. The compulsion to check phones and the need to stay tied into the horizontal network can make people withdraw from the present. To test this, Misra and her team divided 200 coffee shop visitors into pairs and asked them to discuss a topic. They found that many visitors sitting in pairs or in small groups checked their

phones every three to five minutes, and usually held or placed their phones on the table in front of them. “When people are staring down at their phones, there is also much less eye contact and this may result in the participants feeling less connected to each other,” researchers added. The study appeared in the journal Environment and Behavior.

Kenyan tradition: Bead work still vital to tribes Emmilyne Victor Associated Press

Susana Daniel Chemakwany sits quietly under a white tent near the U.S. Capitol, stitching tiny, multicolored beads together into a colorful array of necklaces, wristlets and earrings laid out before her on two tables and behind her pinned to a wall. Not far from where Chemakwany sits is another tent, a marketplace where some of her work is for sale. Clothes, shoes and baskets, all with beading incorporated into the design, are available. A price tag hangs from each item, but there was a time when Chemakwany had little need for price tags on her work. Back then, beading was something fun to do during downtime, but things have changed. The traditional pastime of jewelry-making has a new economic significance for Chemakwany, an elder of Kenya’s Pokot tribe, who traveled to the National Mall last month to show her wares and share expertise at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The annual two-week celebration highlights contemporary traditions of specific countries. This year’s event ended July 6 and featured the art, dance, music, food and crafts of China and Kenya.

The “Kenya: Mambo Poa” exhibit brought the traditions of the East African country together in a cultural celebration. Kenyan music enlivened the scene with contemporary sounds. Dancers, after hours of group performances, encouraged visitors to dance. Chefs prepared foods influenced by India, China and Europe, the aromas enticing the public to buy and taste. Musicians, athletes and carpenters shared stories with visitors. And inside the vast, white tents, master artisans practiced basket weaving, hut-building, hair-braiding and beadmaking. Among Kenya’s Pokot, Kikuyu and Maasai tribes, traditional beadwork can provide additional income to support their families “A long time ago, we used to give them for free” Emmah Irungu, a middleaged woman of the Kikuyu tribe, said of the items she makes. But the economy has weakened and the Kikuyu are raising fewer cattle. Many have fallen back on selling traditional bead work. Beads have been integral to Africans for thousands of years. According to the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies website, the earliest examples of manufac-

tured beads were found in Libya and Sudan and date to 10,000 B.C. Bead work remains part of the cultural tradition in several African tribes, including Irungu’s Kikuyu, Chemakwany’s Pokot and Caroline Sengeny’s Maasai. Gathering materials for their craft is not easy, they say. While their ancestors made beads from clay and other local materials, now bead workers must travel hundreds of miles to shops in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. Public trains and buses are only available in major cities, and stops are limited. They can drive, but aside from major highways, many roads are unpaved. Many bead artists stock up on materials to last them for months. To avoid the expense of opening a business, they make and sell the finished products in their villages or from their houses. While the process can be long and difficult, the women remain inspired when they think how the craft can serve a bigger purpose. Through color and design, beads foster feelings of goodwill, harmony and beauty, the women said. Kenya is in turmoil, and many people have lost faith in President Uhuru Kenyatta. Two terrorist attacks on Kenya’s coast killed 87 people in the past two months, and the num-

This photo taken July 2, shows jewelry displayed at the Kenya bead and jewelry making tent at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington. The “Kenya: Mambo Poa” exhibit brought the traditions of the East African country together in a cultural celebration. Beads have been integral to Africans for thousands of years. According to the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies website, the earliest examples of manufactured beads were found in in Libya and Sudan and date to 10,000 B.C. Bead work remains part of the cultural tradition in several African tribes, including Irungu’s Kikuyu, Chemakwany’s Pokot and Caroline Sengeny’s Maasai. (AP Photo)

ber of terrorist attacks has continued to increase since Kenya deployed troops to fight al-Qaida-linked alShabab militants in 2011. “Beads can be a way of creating peace,” the 24-year-old Sengeny said. Beads have meanings based on their colors: yellow promotes peace, white represents milk, green stands for grass, black for skin, red for blood, orange for beauty, blue for the God in the skies. The artists will

often choose colors to convey a message, or that simply appeal to the eye. “Beads are very important, especially for a woman. It signifies beauty,” Irungu said. The women said they learned everything they know from watching older women in the village. As young girls, making jewelry was part of daily life. After working long hours on farms, they would rest and watch their grandmothers,

mothers and aunts work the beads into neck collars, earrings and sometimes clothing. The finished products would be given as gifts or as tokens of appreciation. But now, the profits from selling their works to friends and neighbors help them cover family expenses, like education. “My mother, she sold beads to pay for my high school and college,” Sengeny said.

body parts Sunday, told the AP it took the rebels several hours Saturday to cart away the bodies. He said he and other workers had no choice but to hand them over. “They are armed and we are not,” Pilyushny said. Nataliya Khuruzhaya, a duty officer at the train station in Torez, said emergency workers loaded plane victims’ bodies Sunday into five sealed, refrigerated train cars. Vasily Khoma, deputy of governor of the Kharkiv region where Ukraine has set up a crisis center to handle the disaster, said the Ukrainian state railway company had provided the refrigerated train cars. Kharkiv is 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of the crash site. He said no information was available on when airplane parts would be brought to the city and that the priority now was on recovering bodies. He said a mobile lab to handle DNA analysis was being delivered from Dnipropetrovsk. Residents in Kharkov have been inundating a special call center to offer their services as volunteers. Ten hotels in Kharkiv say they will give free rooms for relatives of the victims. In a blistering article for the Sunday Times, Cameron called the attack a “direct result of Russia destabilizing a sovereign state,

violating its territorial integrity, backing thuggish militias and training and arming them.” “We must turn this moment of outrage into a moment of action,” the British leader wrote. In a coded rebuke of Merkel and other European leaders who have blocked efforts to impose tougher sanctions on Putin for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, Cameron said Europe must now “respond robustly.” “For too long, there has been a reluctance on the part of too many European countries to face up to the implications of what is happening in eastern Ukraine,” Cameron wrote. In the Netherlands, worshippers at church services across the country prayed Sunday for the victims of the Ukraine air disaster and their next of kin, as anger built over the rebels’ hindering of the investigation. At the St. Vitus church in the central city of Hilversum, Father Julius Dresme summed up the nation’s pain. “It’s terrible, and everybody’s hearts are bleeding and crying,” he said. Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans, speaking in Kiev, demanded that the culprits be found. “Once we have the proof, we will not stop until the people are brought to justice,” he said.

Gaza residents flee Israeli tank fire

GAZA CITy, July 20 (AP): A Gaza City neighborhood came under heavy tank fire Sunday as Israel widened its ground offensive against Hamas, causing hundreds of panicked residents to flee, including a woman in a wheelchair waving a white flag. At least 30 people were killed in Gaza’s Shijaiyah neighborhood, and five more bodies were believed buried under the rubble of homes, health officials said. They are the latest casualties in a nearly two-week conflict that has killed some 380 Palestinians and seven Israelis. After daybreak, dozens of wounded from Shijaiyah were rushed to Gaza City’s central Shifa Hospital. Frantic parents carried children wounded by shrapnel and the emergency room quickly overflowed, forcing doctors to treat some patients on mattresses in a hallway. “The gate of hell has opened, and shrapnel came through the windows,” said Shijaiyah resident Jawad Hassanain, speaking by phone. “The house shook, so I took my mother, my children, my brother as well, and we started seeking refuge in a nearby building.” “From 12:30 a.m. until 4 a.m., all you could hear is heavy bombardment, the smell of fire and the smell of death. By 4:30, and after the call for the prayer, we were able to get in an ambulance,” which took them to his sister’s neighborhood, he said. Israeli troops pushed into Gaza late Thursday after more than a week of airstrikes failed to halt unrelenting Palestinian rocket fire that has increasingly targeted major Israeli cities. Israel has said the operation is aimed at halting the rockets as well as destroying cross-border tunnels that militants have used to stage raids into Israel. The military said it has hit more than 2,500 targets in Gaza, including 1,100 rocket launchers, during the 13 days of fighting. It said that some 70 militants were killed and another 13 brought to Israel for questioning. Gaza militants have fired more than 1,760 rockets at Israeli cities since July 8, the military said. Throughout the night, loud explosions shook Gaza as Israeli flares lit up the night sky and fighter jets flew low over the coastal territory. The Hamas military wing said its fighters exchanged fire with Israeli forces in Shijaiyah and a nearby neighborhood. The sound of gunfire could be heard from the center of the city. In a separate confrontation, Islamic Jihad fighters ambushed Israeli troops near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, the group said, adding that Israeli helicopter gunships had joined the battle. The heavy fighting came as U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon headed to Qatar to try to push stalled cease-fire efforts forward. Hamas last week rejected an Egyptian call on both sides to halt hostilities, saying it first wants guarantees that Israel and Egypt will significantly ease their border blockade of Gaza, which has been ruled by the Islamic militant group since 2007. Hamas has sought involvement of other countries, such as Qatar, in any ceasefire negotiations, saying Egypt cannot be the sole mediator. The militant group is deeply distrustful of Egypt’s rulers, who last year deposed a Hamas-friendly government in Cairo. Since the start of Israel-Hamas fighting almost two weeks ago, 378 Palestinians have been killed and 2,700 wounded, according to Gaza Health Ministry official Ashraf al-Kidra. More than one-fourth of the deaths have been reported since the start of the ground offensive late Thursday. Two Israeli soldiers died in the Gaza fighting late Saturday and early Sunday morning, bringing the Israeli military death toll to five in the three days since ground operations began. Two Israeli civilians have perished from Hamas rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli territory.

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SPORTS

Monday 21 July 2014

Steyn, Morkel help South Africa to 153-run victory GALLE, JULY 20 (AP): South Africa pace bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel grabbed four wickets each to lead the tourists to a 153-run win over Sri Lanka on Friday in the first game of their two-test series. Steyn grabbed 4-45 and Morkel 4-29 as the Proteas bowled out Sri Lanka for 216 on Sunday after being set a target of 370 to win. The pace duo swung the ball effectively on a Galle pitch that usually helps spinners rather than pace bowlers. Sri Lanka slipped badly from 110-1 overnight, when a keen contest seemed to be in the offing with Kumar Sangakkara leading the charge. Sangakkara was the highest scorer for Sri Lanka with 76 but after he departed, there was little resistance. Steyn moved the ball late and all his dismissals in the second innings came off edges, with three of them taken by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and one in the slips. He was named man of the match as he finished with a match haul of 9-99 after taking 5-54 in the first innings. Steyn was supported well by Morkel, who did not give away any easy runs, and claimed the last two wickets to ensure a quick end. Steyn and Morkel justified new captain Hashim Amla's decision to declare at tea on the fourth day, giving Sri Lanka a full four sessions to chase the target. "I didn't doubt the dec- South African bowlers Morne Morkel, left, and Dale Steyn cheer each others after defeating Sri laration, we needed a lot Lanka by 153 runs during fifth day of the first test cricket match in Galle on July 20. (AP Photo)

of overs and 370 was good enough I thought," Amla said. "The toss was pretty crucial. It was pretty difficult (to bat) in the third and fourth innings." South Africa, which has not lost an away series since its last tour of Sri Lanka in 2006, will wrest back the No.1 ranking in tests from Australia if it also wins the second test. "The South Africans outplayed us on all five days and that's why they are the No.2 team," Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said. "It was a disappointing performance. I don't mind losing games after playing good cricket, but in this game we were disappointing." Sangakkara, who was dropped by de Kock off Morkel on 65, was out to a loose shot in the first session to effectively signal the end of a fight. He pulled a short delivery from Duminy straight to Hashim Amla at short mid-wicket. Sangakkara, 58 overnight, struck one six and nine fours. Earlier, Steyn had got the early breakthrough when he had Silva caught behind with a superb low one-handed catch by de Kock. The dismissal set the tone for the day as batsmen kept edging the ball behind the stumps with the bowlers getting sharp movement with the old ball. The second test of the series will be played in Colombo from Thursday. South Africa won a preceding three-game oneday series 2-1.

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India look to Sindhu in Saina Nehwal's absence

HYDERABAD, JULY 20 (TNN): The unexpected withdrawal of Saina Nehwal is a cruel blow but India can still have a chance to impress at next week's Commonwealth Games. The nine-member squad, without Saina, left for Glasgow on Fri day with high hopes of winning at least three medals. With Saina, the defending champion in 2010, India could have hoped for a repeat of the four medals they bagged last time around in New Delhi. In the last edition, India had won two gold medals in the women's singles and doubles (Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa), silver in the mixed team event and bronze in the men's singles (Parupalli Kashyap). India's hopes now rest on the promising PV Sindhu. The 19-yearold Sindhu, the only Indian to win a women's singles medal at the World Championships, is seeded second and could have been in the lower-half of the draw to ensure an all-India final had Saina played. If there are any concerns with Sindhu, it is her inconsistency. On her day she beats the world champion with ease but the very next day she loses to a lower-ranked player. However, the field at the CWG is not so strong to threaten Sindhu's consistency. The only players who have a chance to upset the world No.11's plans are No.17 Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland and No.20 Li Michelle of Canada. The other Indian in the fray -PC Thulasi -may not make much of an impact. Though India may rue Saina's last-min-

ute pullout, they will enjoy the similar withdrawal of Malaysia's injured world No.1 Lee Chong Wei, who has a thigh injury. His absence has opened up the field in the men's singles and the biggest beneficiaries will be three Indians in Parupalli Kashyap, Kidambi Srikanth and RMV Gurusaidutt. World No.20 Chong Wei Feng of Malaysia is the top seed ahead of Parupalli Kashyap and Rajiv Ouseph of England. Ouseph lost to Lee Chong Wei in the men's singles final in New Delhi. However, the English shuttler of Indian origins looks a spent force now. Though Feng is in great form, the three Indians are capable of giving him a tough time. While Srikanth is the most unpredictable player in the entire men's singles at the CWG, Kashyap and Guru are in good form. Women's doubles gold medal lists Jwala and Ashwini will need to punch above their weight to repeat their

Delhi show. Seeded third in the event, the Indians need to get the better of top seeds Shinta Mulia Sari and Yao Lei of Singapore, second seeds Vivian Hoo and Woon Khe Wei of Malaysia and fourth seeded English pair of Gabrielle Adcock and Lauren Smith. Even if they don't get the gold, Jwala-Ashwini, who are slowly getting back to their best, may finish on the podium. The prospect of India winning a medal in the men's doubles and mixed doubles are bleak. The format for the mixed team event is best-of-five matches -men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. The 2010 hosts finished runners-up in the mixed event but as the men's doubles and mixed doubles teams are weak, India may find the going tough in this category. However, all will be forgiven if they can make history at Glasgow and win gold in the men's and women's singles events.

Tottenham, Seattle play Bolt, Farah, Wiggins in CWG gold quest entertaining 3-3 draw GLASGOW, JULY 20 (AFP): Olympic champions Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Bradley Wiggins headline a host of star names hoping to bury injury problems and selection snubs to strike gold at the Commonwealth Games. The biggest ever multi-sport event to take place in Scotland will see 4,500 athletes from 71 nations take part across 18 sports. A total of 261 medal events will take place across the 11 days of competition, including the highest ever number of para-sport events with 22 gold medals up for grabs across five sports. The 20th edition of the Games will officially be opened by Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday with a ceremony at Celtic Park. Attention will then turn

to the action itself with Bolt looking to add Commonwealth gold to his six Olympic and eight World Championship gold medals. However, the 27-year-old will only be running as part of the Jamaican 4x100m relay team as he missed the Jamaican championships which served as the selection meeting for the Commonwealth Games due to injury. Bolt said he didn't want to take the place of any athlete who had qualified for an individual event, but would be available for selection as part of the relay team. "I have received lots of requests, invitations and messages of support from my fans in Scotland who are looking forward to a great event," he told his official website.

Double Olympic champion Farah is confident of being fit to run both the 5,000m and 10,000m despite pulling out of the Diamond League event in Glasgow due to abdominal pains. Kenya's David Rudisha is the heavy favourite to claim 800m gold after running the fastest time in the world this year on his return from injury to win the Diamond League meeting at Hampden. With two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also only competing in the 4x100m relay, Trinidad and Tobago's Michelle-Lee Ahye is the strong favourite for the women's 100m as she is yet to be beaten this year. The absence of Jessica Ennis due to the recent birth of her first

child will give fellow English heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson a great chance to claim her first medal at senior international competition. Switching from the athletics track to the cycling track, the Tour de France's loss with be the Commonwealth Games' gain as Wiggins will represent England in the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in the 4,000m team pursuit on Thursday. Wiggins is returning to the track for the first time since winning Olympic gold six years ago in Athens with an eye towards possibly building on his six Olympic medals in Rio two years from now. Fellow Olympic champions Jason Kenny, Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell will also line up for England.

Arsenal start pre-season with win

Seattle Sounders' Clint Dempsey, left, battles Tottenham Hotspur's Lewis Holtby, center, and Ryan Mason for the ball during the second half of a friendly soccer match in Seattle, Saturday, July 19. The match ended in a 3-3 draw. (AP Photo)

SEATTLE, JULY 20 (AP): Osvaldo Alonso scored early in the second half as the Seattle Sounders drew 3-3 with Premier League side Tottenham in a friendly Saturday, the first match for new Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino. Tottenham began its preseason North America tour facing former striker Clint Dempsey and his new club. Dempsey left Tottenham to sign with the Sounders last August. Pochettino left Southampton in May to replace Tim Sherwood, who was fired on May 13 after just five months on the job following Tottenham's sixthplace league finish. "I want to congratulate our players because the conditions to play were very difficult — 1 p.m. and warm and a different field," Ponchettino said. "And we play a very good team." Alonso's goal off a loose

ball zipped beat Brad Friedel and hit the underside of the crossbar before bouncing in the net. The goal gave Seattle a 2-1 lead, but Roberto Soldado converted a penalty in the 55th. Tristan Bowen put the Sounders ahead 3-2 in the 79th minute when he tapped in a cross from Sean Okoli, but United States defender DeAndre Yedlin was called for a handball in the penalty area moments later and Yago Falque converted the kick. The match, played before 55,349, was easily Seattle's most even friendly against Premier League opposition. Seattle lost 2-0 and 4-2 to Chelsea in 2009 and 2012 and was routed 7-0 by Manchester United in 2011. "When we come on these tours we sometimes don't know what to expect," Friedel said. "One thing was for certain when we knew

we were going to expect a good atmosphere and playing against the best team in the MLS right now." Lewis Holtby scored from a header in the 11th minute off a pass from Harry Kane. Gonzalo Pineda's chipped penalty kick beat Friedel in the 33rd minute to pull Seattle level after defender Chad Marshall was taken down in the penalty area on a corner kick. Tottenham played without goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, midfielders Paulinho, Mousa Dembele and Nacer Chadli, and defender Jan Vertonghen, who have been given a break after the World Cup. Gylfi Sigurdsson was dropped from the starting lineup shortly before kickoff. "We've been working extremely hard. Preseason has been very demanding under the new boss and I think that showed," Friedel said.

LONDON, JULY 20 (AP): Arsenal kicked off their pre-season campaign with a hard-fought 2-0 victory against Boreham Wood at Meadow Park on Saturday. Playing their first game since their FA Cup victory at Wembley in May, the Gunners were given a searching examination by a determined and well-organised home side. They had to wait until the 68th minute to open the scoring when Kris Olsson finished confidently from a beautifully-weighted Tomas Rosicky pass. The lively Chuba Akpom twice went close as Arsenal’s fresher legs began to tell on a hot afternoon, and five minutes from the end they won a penalty after Benik Afobe was barged over. The 21-year-old swept the spot kick home himself. The first half had been a more low-key affair, with Yaya Sanogo having the best two opportunities only to be denied by Boreham Wood goalkeeper James Russell each time. In the end it came down to Olsson and Afobe to seal the win on what proved to be a useful opening workout of pre-season for Arsène Wenger’s men. Some 63 days on from their dramatic victory at Wembley, this was a muchanticipated return to action for the Gunners at a balmy Meadow Park. Prior to kick off, the hosts officially

opened the 890-capacity West Stand to the public, while Wenger’s side had a couple of things to unveil themselves - namely their new PUMA away kit and the FA Cup trophy. With Arsenal’s World Cup stars not yet back in training, the manager opted for a mix of youth and experience in his starting XI. Alongside first-team regulars Wojciech Szczesny and Aaron Ramsey, the likes of Gedion Zelalem,Semi Ajayi and Isaac Hayden had a chance to stake their claim. Perhaps most intriguing was the surprise inclusion of precocious teenage winger Chris Willock on the left flank. More experienced cam-

paigners like Kieran Gibbs, Rosicky and Abou Diaby were all on the bench ahead of a half-time reshuffle. Initially Arsenal picked up from where they had left off at Wembley, spraying the ball about confidently and barely giving the hosts a touch in a dominant opening spell. Nine minutes in, Yaya Sanogo was presented with a golden chance to open the scoring after fine work by Jon Toral, but Boreham Wood keeper Russell made a smart stop to deny him. That opp or tunity seemed to spur the Conference South side to life and moments later Matthew Whichelow curled one just

wide after a quick counter. The game soon settled into a natural rhythm, with Wenger’s side on the front foot but up against a wellorganised, compact home side intent on denying them time and space. Indeed, they had to wait until the half-hour for their next real chances of note as firstly Ramsey arrowed a drive just wide, before Toral curled a low effort inches past the post. Sanogo again went close before the interval after pouncing on a defensive error, but Russell was equal to the French striker’s effort once more. An entirely fresh Arsenal side started the second half, with the new-look

backline having something of a Spanish feel with Hector Bellerin, Julio Pleguezuelo and Ignasi Miquel alongside each other. There was also the welcome sight of Diaby patrolling the midfield, the France international hoping for a full pre-season with which to prove his fitness ahead of the new campaign. The 28-year-old would prove an influential presence, and he nearly opened the scoring with a rasping drive that Russell tipped over the bar. In fact, the Boreham Wood keeper’s heroics soon drew chants of ‘Sign him up’ from the travelling fans after he palmed over a fierce Akpom strike moments later. Finally the deadlock was broken in the 68th minute when Rosicky played a delightful through ball to Olsson in the area, and he impudently dinked the ball over Russell and in. The lively Akpom caught the eye with some powerful runs on the left flank, and with nine minutes remaining he came close to doubling Arsenal’s advantage with a curling shot that Russell did well to palm over. Five minutes from the end, the second goal finally came as Afobe slotted home from the spot after being pushed over in the area by Luke Garrard. That proved enough to secure a hard-fought win. Now on to the Big Apple, and a date with Thierry Henry’s New York Red Bulls side.

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Katie Price Punched Jane Pountney in the Face

atie Price says she punched her friend in the face after learning she’d slept with her husband. The former glamour model - whose former lover Kieran Hayler had an affair with her Jane Pountney - has claimed she was so angry she “knocked half her front tooth out”. She told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: “The red mist came down and I marched over and

grabbed Jane by her hair extensions. “I can’t remember everything because it was a blur but I’m pretty sure I landed a punch on her face and knocked half her front tooth out and left it wobbling. I hope so anyway.” Katie - who insisted Jane still hasn’t apologised for the affair - discovered her husband’s cheating during a holiday in west Africa when she caught them kissing on the beach. She added: “It was very dark but as I got closer to the beach I could make out two figures near a pile of stacked sunbeds. That’s when I stood perfectly still for 30 seconds watching my best friend kissing my husband. “I felt physically sick. T h e n the red mist came down. Jane tried to tell me it wasn’t what it seemed ... Kieran looked proper scared. “Jane didn’t say sorry then and hasn’t said sorry to this day.”

21 July 2014

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Cheryl Fernandez

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I was on the brink of breakdown following collapse of marriage to footballer Ashley Cole

heryl FernandezVersini has revealed the collapse of her marriage to Ashley Cole left her on the verge of a mental breakdown. The pop star, 31, opened up about the demons she suffered after her split from the philandering footballer, which left her feeling ‘horribly numb’ and seeking medical help. ‘I was borderline. I was walking crazyville. I had no fire in me belly. I didn’t feel passionate any more, just a bit dead. Getting out of bed was difficult,’ she told The Times Magazine. The singer – who married French restaurant tycoon Jean-Bernard Fernandez Versini in secret a fortnight ago – added: ‘I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat properly. Trying to go to sleep, and suddenly when you’re sleeping, the world gets loud.’ The Geordie singer has taken two years away from the limelight to put her life back on track, and says she is now ‘so over it’ and looking ahead to a huge comeback. She added: ‘You know what I also realised these past years? I refuse to let somebody else’s s***** behaviour change me fundamentally. ‘Because you treat me like s***, I’m not going to become bitter and twisted. I’m going to remain the person I am, with the values and beliefs that I had, and let you deal with

your s***.’ Fernandez-Versini has released a new single, Crazy Stupid Love, and is also set to rejoin The X Factor as a judge for the first time since she was unceremoniously sacked from the US version of the show by Simon Cowell in 2010. On going back to Cowell, she said: ‘It felt like unfinished business, it was inevitable that we worked together again. It never felt like that was it – we’re too compatible.’ Asked about children, she said: ‘We’ll see. It’s not in my plans.’

Lily Allen

Hugh Jackman

Wins Praise for Agreeing to Headline U.k. Festival At the Last Minute

inger Lily Allen won high praise for replacing ill headliners TWO DOOR Cinema Club at England’s Latitude Festival after fans of the indie group targeted her for abuse after she was drafted in at the last minute. Fans of the band attacked festival boss Melvin Benn for choosing to let Allen take over the group’s slot after the band pulled out of the Suffolk event - and many took aim at the Smile singer on Twitter.com. Preparing to take the stage, Allen confessed she was “exhausted by nas-

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adds yet another string to his bow and learns how to master archery

tiness” on Twitter, but she was in good spirits for her performance, even covering Two Door Cinema Club’s Something Good Can Work and telling the crowd, “I’m sorry I’m not Two Door Cinema Club but I’ve promised I’ll give it my best”. Benn later told reporters he was thrilled Allen had agreed to fill in “She’s done a fantastic thing in offering to come and play. It’s a tough thing to find a headline act at the last minute. “She’s not been to Latitude before. I’ve spoken to her, she’s very happy, (but) she’s p**sed off about the abuse from the Twitter cranks”. Allen also performed a brief set on another stage at the festival earlier in the day, and during her main performance, she brought her two-year-old daughter Ethel out with her and allowed the youngster to sing briefly for the crowd. The Black Keys and Damon Albarn will headline the other two nights of the festival.

Child star who played Mel Gibson’s daughter in The Patriot found dead in her home at age 21

ctress Skye McCole Bartusiak, best known for her role as Mel Gibson’s daughter in The Patriot, has died. She was 21 years old. The cause of death of the former child star remains unknown, but it has been reported that she passed away in her sleep in her family’s home in Texas Saturday, TMZ reported. Bartusiak was seven years old when she was cast in the role of Susan Martin, the daughter of Benjamin Martin played by Gibson in the 2000 hit film directed by Robert Emmerich. The cast of the American Revolutionary War epic also included a young Heath Ledger, who played Susan’s older brother. The Australian actor died in 2008, aged 28, from a prescription drug overdose. Bartusiak’s movie credits also included smalls parts in the psychological thriller Don’t Say a Word starring Michael Douglas and Cider House Rules with Charlize Theron. According to Variety, over the

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Monday

Entertainment

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past 14 years Bartusiak also appeared in a number TV shows, including 24, Lost, CSI and House MD. A native of Houston, the 21-year-old actress has recently produced and starred in several shorts, including Frame of Reference and Bushido last year, and Sick Boy in 2012. According to a TMZ report, police were called to the Bartusiaks’ family’s home in Houston at around 9am Saturday after Skye was found unresponsive inside her garage apartment. Police sources told the celebrity gossip site they have not detected any ‘obvious signs’ of foul play or a suicide. An autopsy will be performed to determine a cause of death and a toxicology report is still pending. According to Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, Skye was the daughter of Don Bartusiak, chief engineer with Exxonmobile based out of Houston. The 21-year-old is also survived by her mother, Helen, and her older brother, Steve. Fellow child star Abigail Breslin, 18, sent out a tweet Saturday night eulogizing Skye, whom she described as a very good friend who was like a sister to her.

The Morung Express presents glimpse of cultural presentation by Zeliang, Sangtam, Khiamniungan, Tetseo Sisters, Menguseu, Topeni, Alobo Naga and Nagaland Chamber Choir during the reception programme in honour of Nagaland’s Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya hosted by chief minister T.R. Zeliang at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima on July 19. Morung Photo/Chizokho Vero

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or the role of Wolverine he learnt martial arts and as the pirate Blackbeard Hugh Jackman mastered swordplay. And now it looks like Hugh Jackman is adding yet another string to his bow, literally, taking on the skill of archery. The actor took to social media on Saturday and posted a picture of himself learning how to score the perfect bullseye. He appears to be getting to grips with a bow and arrow while in Europe with wife Deborra- Lee Furness. The 45-year-old captioned the pic: ‘Hey ... you never know what’s lurking around the bend! #bullseye.’ It isn’t known if he was learning the skill for his latest film Pan, which he was recently filming in the UK, or just for fun. Hugh and Deborra have been making the most of their time in Europe - they have paid visits to Italy and are now back in England On Friday Hugh posted a throwback snap with his father - looking fresh faced the actor appears to be in his late teens.

One Direction Are ‘Family’

ne Direction see one another as “family”. The ‘Best Song Ever’ hitmakers - consisting of Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson - feel incredibly lucky to have developed such a strong relationship, which extends further than just friendship, in just three years. Louis said: “I think ‘family’ is probably the best way of describing us. It’s different to friendship.” Niall added: “Yeah, we spend a good time on the road, and, obviously it’s so important that we all get along or it won’t work.” Harry explained: “There could have easily been one person who didn’t get along with anyone; who nobody liked, but it wasn’t like that. “The relationship that’s grown with these four boys that I didn’t even know three years ago is absolutely insane and it’s incredible. I’m very lucky that I get to spend so much time with them.” Meanwhile, Harry, 20, has recently been rumoured to be embarking on a solo career, but he has shot down the speculation and insists he’ll be part of One Direction - who shot to fame after taking part on ‘The X Factor’ in 2010 - until they’re forced to go their separate ways due to old age. He explained to TOTP magazine: “I’m 100 per cent in this band. I still want to be touring with One Direction in ten years. I’ll be doing it until I’m old and people are telling me to stop.”

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Jadeja torments England with bat, ball Rosberg coasts to

lONDON, July 20 (AFP):Ravindra Jadeja proved a thorn in England's side with both bat and ball as India took charge of the second Test at Lord's on Sunday. Jadeja made a dashing 68 before the leftarm spinner struck with his first ball Sunday to have Australia-born opener Sam Robson lbw for seven. At tea on the fourth day England were 18 for one, needing a further 301 runs to reach their imposing victory target of 319. One consolation for England was that captain Alastair Cook, looking to end a run of 26 innings without a Test hundred, was still there on five not out, with first-innings century-maker Gary Ballance unbeaten on one. Only three times in their history have England made more than 300 in the fourth innings to win a Test, most recently when they posted 315 for four against Australia at Leeds in 2001. At lunch, India were 267 for seven, a lead of 243. Three quick wickets early in the second session and England would have been well-placed to end their run of nine Tests without a win. But the first 10 overs after lunch saw Jadeja and seamer Bhuvneswhwar Kumar score 66 runs. Jadeja made a dashing fifty while tailender Kumar was last man out for 52 -- his third fifty in four innings this series. The pair put on 99 for the eighth wicket with Kumar, whose six for 82 in England's first innings was the second time this campaign he'd taken Test-best bowling figures, more than playing his part. India resumed in overcast conditions on 169 for four, with Murali Vijay 59 not out and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni unbeaten on 12. The pair put on 79 before Dhoni fell for a laboured 19, caught by second slip Ian Bell off Liam Plunkett (three for 65) before Stuart Binny holed out off part-time spinner Moeen Ali for a duck. After England took the new ball, James Anderson

No video evidence of Jadeja-James Anderson altercation

lONDON, July 20 (PTI): In a fresh twist to the alleged altercation between James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja, it has come to light that there is no video evidence of the incident for which a preliminary ICC hearing will be conducted on Tuesday. According to a report in 'ESPNCricinfo', "Indian officials have questioned why crucial video footage that could have shed light on the alleged altercation between James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja is not available." The incident occurred during the lunch break of the second day's play in the opening Test in Nottingham. The Indians have alleged that Anderson pushed and abused Jadeja, while the English have also counter-charged the visiting all-rounder. The hearing under the ICC's Code of Conduct will be held over teleconference with Australian Gordon Lewis presiding over it. "While players from both teams are set to provide conflicting evidence, India have requested that footage from a video camera situated just outside the dressing rooms where the incident occurred be made available. "A No t t i n g h a m s h i re spokesman confirmed that a camera had been installed in the relevant area but insisted that it had not been active at the time," the website reported. The Indians are not too amused but the England and Wales Cricket Board and Nottinghamshire have denied tampering with evidence, the report stated.

India's Ravindra Jadeja celebrates the wicket of England's Sam Robson during the fourth day of the second test match between England and India at Lord's cricket ground in London, Sunday, July 20. (AP Photo)

was soon bowling to Jadeja, with both players facing the possibility of being banned as a result of their alleged confrontation in the Trent Bridge pavilion during last week's drawn first Test. But in sight of his second hundred of the series opener Vijay, who made 146 in Nottingham, fell for 95 when he flicked an An-

derson delivery to wicketkeeper Matt Prior after more than six hours at the crease However, the swashbuckling Jadeja drove Broad back over his head for four. Meanwhile Kumar made England pay for when fourth slip Joe Root dropped him on two, also off Broad. Jadeja did to Anderson what he had already

done to Broad before Kumar showed his class by upper-cutting Anderson over the slips to the vacant third man boundary. England were becoming increasingly ragged as exemplified by a wasteful Broad bouncer that sailed down the legside for four byes to give India a lead of 300 runs. Jadeja, dropped on 66, added only

two more runs to his score before his skied pull off Ben Stokes was well caught by Cook, running back from first slip. Kumar reached his fifty in style, driving Stokes down the ground for an eighth four in 65 balls, before the Durham paceman had him caught in the slips by Bell as India were bowled out for 34

Rory in command at British Open

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HOylAKE, July 20 (AP): With a thunderous drive down the middle of the fairway, Rory McIlroy began the final round of the British Open with a commanding lead Sunday and a keen sense of history. McIlroy knew that a victory at Royal Liverpool would give him the third leg in a career Grand Slam. He already won the U.S. Open in 2011 and the PGA Championship in 2012. "I've got a lot to play for," he said beforehand. "This is a huge day for me." Not backing off a bit, he pulled out the driver at No. 1 and rocketed it more than 300 yards, straight as can be. Then, after sticking his approach to 15 feet, he rolled in the birdie putt to take his score to 17 under â&#x20AC;&#x201D; just two shots away from matching Tiger Woods' scoring record for any major in relation to par. Woods won the 2000 Open at St. Andrews with a '19-under total. The 25-year-old McIlroy began the day with a sixstroke lead. Barring an unprecedented collapse, he would head to Augusta National next spring looking to join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen as the only players to win all four of golf's biggest events. Only Woods and Nicklaus won three of the majors at 25 or younger. McIlroy posted three straight rounds in the 60s on the way to a 16-under 200. He

teed off in the final group with Rickie Fowler, knowing that a victory would also mean a big payday for his dad. British media reported that Gerry McIlroy and three of his friends placed a combined bet of 400 pounds (now $680) in 2004 on McIlroy winning the British Open before he turned 26. McIlroy was 15 at the time. The odds were 5001, so they would win 200,000 pounds ($340,000) if McIlroy lifted the claret jug. They had to like their chances. No player had surrendered such a big lead on the final day of the Open. Fowler was at 206, while Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia were another shot back. The only other players closer than 10 shots to the lead were France's Victor Dubuisson (208) and Italy's Edoardo Molinari (209). Storms rumbled through Hoylake after the third round, which the R&A wisely started early off two tees because of the forecast, but there was plenty of sunshine for the early starters Sunday and a freshening breeze off the Irish Sea. Sixty-four-year-old Tom Watson, playing what is likely his next-to-last British Open, showed he's still got plenty of game by shooting a 4-under 68. He finished at 1-over 289 for the tournament. "It was a good day," said Watson, a five-time Open champion who will be the U.S. captain for the Ryder Cup this fall. "I played a real solid round of golf."

Winners and Runner-up teams Blue Star and Khermahal XI along with Chief Guest Babu Engti, Joint Secretary of Karbi Anglong Sport Association and officials pose for a photograph after the final match of the 6th Summer Cup Cricket Tournament at Balijan Ground on Sunday, July 20. The 6th Summer Cup Cricket Tournament was organize by Balijan Youth Club where 24 team participant came from Assam and Nagaland. Blue Star team was the champion of the tournament, which started from 4 May. (Morung Photo)

first German GP win

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg of Germany celebrates with the trophy after winning the German Formula One Grand Prix in Hockenheim, Germany, Sunday, July 20. (AP Photo)

HOCKENHEIM , July 20 (AFP): Mercedes' Nico Rosberg coasted to his first home German Grand Prix win at Hockenheim on Sunday to extend his lead over teammate Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One championship. The pole sitter, cheered on by Germany World Cup winner Lukas Podolski in the Mercedes pits, extended his lead to 14 points over teammate Lewis Hamilton, who charged up to finish third from 20th on the grid. "It's an amazing feeling to win at home. It's a very special day," said Rosberg. Splitting the Mercedes men in second was the Williams of Valtteri Bottas. Rosberg came home a comfortable 20.7 seconds ahead of the Finn at the end of an enthralling 67-laps contest. Hamilton was only 1.8 seconds behind Bottas ahead of defending champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and Daniel Ricciardo, in the second Red Bull. Rosberg's win came after a week in which he had married his long-term girlfriend Vivian Sibold, signed an extended contract with Mercedes and celebrated Germany's World Cup victory. It was his fourth win of the season and the seventh of his career. But even

Hamilton takes 5-place penalty for German GP

HOCKENHEIM, July 20 (AP): Lewis Hamilton has taken a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's German Grand Prix after Mercedes opted to change the gearbox on his car. The Briton, who trails teammate Nico Rosberg by just four points in the drivers' championship, drops from 15th to 20th on the Hockenhim grid. His lowly initial grid spot was a result of a brake disc failure on his Mercedes during qualifying which caused him to spin off the track and into a heavy collision with the barriers, preventing him taking part in the second session. Rosberg starts the race from pole position and is ideally placed to extend his championship lead. such joyful supremacy was overshadowed in an incident-filled race by the bold passing pace of Hamilton, who started at the rear of the grid following his high speed crash in qualifying. The Englishman delivered a thrilling series of dramatic moves muscling his way through the field, but in the end was unable to grab second in the closing laps as Bottas hung on to register an historic podium for the resurgent Williams team. I had great fun," said Hamilton. "I did as good as I could. It was hard to get through the pack safely... it was hard to overtake so I'm glad to get some points today." On one passing move Hamilton's car clipped the McLaren belonging to Jenson Button. "I had a little bit

of a collision with Jenson," he reflected. "I thought he was going to open the door which he has done a couple of times lately but that was my bad judgement." Another German, Nico Hulkenberg of Force India finished seventh ahead of Jenson Button and his McLaren team-mate, Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen, and Sergio Perez who finished 10th in the second Force India. There was drama at the start when the Williams of Felipe Massa, starting from the second row, somersaulted spectacularly. The Brazilian's car came to rest in the safety gravel and he walked away unscathed after the accident triggered when Kevin Magnussen's McLaren clipped the rear of his car.

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