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SunDAY • june 05 • 2016
DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 153 • 12 PAGes • 5
T H e
ESTD. 2005
Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening
PAGE 02
By Sandemo Ngullie
o F
T R u T H
— Mahatma Gandhi
India will stand by Afghanistan despite all odds: Modi
Nagaland celebrates World Environment Day
reflections
P o W e R
Paes, Hingis complete full set of doubles titles with French win
PAGe 08
PAGe 10
WED 2016: Go WilD for lifE ‘illegal wildlife trade pushing many species towards extinction’
No one showed up. That’s ok, but oh this food what a waste!
Muhammad Ali is no more SCOTTSDALE, JUNE 4 (REUTERS): Former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, whose record-setting boxing career, flair for showmanship and political stands made him one of the best-known figures of the 20th century, died on Friday aged 74. Ali, who had long suffered from Parkinson’s syndrome which impaired his speech and made the once-graceful athlete almost a prisoner in his own body, died a day after he was admitted to a Phoenix-area hospital with a respiratory ailment. Even so, Ali’s youthful proclamation of himself as “the greatest” rang true until the end for the millions of people worldwide who admired him for his courage both inside and outside the ring. Related story on page 10
NSCN (K) defense secretary arrested DIMAPUR, JUNE 4 (MExN): The Assam Rifles on Saturday said it has apprehended the ‘self-styled’ defense secretary of NSCN (K), Kughato Chishi, during an operation at Molvom area, Dimapur on June 1, 2016. The operation, which was carried out jointly by the 37 and 33 Assam Rifles, was launched on obtaining “accurate information regarding movement of the target NSCN (K) cadre on Jharnapani-Molvom road,” the press statement said. According to the AR press statement, the NSCN (K) defense secretary was tasked by ‘self-styled’ brigadier Akaho Jumah, finance secretary of the group, to carry out ‘extortion’ from government departments based in Kohima. He had distributed approximately 20 notices to various government departments demanding payment of 24% tax of employee within two weeks, the AR claimed. The AR press statement further claimed that Chishi was also tasked to carry out ‘extortion’ on NH-29 at Kohima, from trucks plying towards Manipur.
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DIMAPUR, JUNE 4 (MExN): Nagaland Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, M. Lokeswara Rao on Saturday said the illegal trade in wildlife (ITW) is pushing many species of animals and plants toward local or global extinction and robbing us of our natural heritage. “The loss of any species, even at a local level, is an erosion of the biodiversity that underpins the natural systems upon which we all depend for our food security, medicines, fresh air, water, shelter and a clean and healthy environment,” Rao, said on the occasion of the World Environment Day, 2016 in a press statement. This year slogan for WED is “Go Wild for Life.” “Slaughtered elephants lying in the African savannah with their tusks hacked off by poaching gangs; tiger skins with embalmed heads roaring silently from market stalls in Asia; the shells of giant sea turtles impounded by customs agents before they reach their Western buyers. These highlight how the booming illegal trade in wildlife products is eroding Earth’s precious biodiversity, robbing us of our natural heritage and pushing whole species toward extinction,” the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests stated. The killing and smug-
illegal poaching, logging and mining worth up to $258 billion
BRUSSELS, JUNE 4 (REUTERS): Illegal logging, mining, poaching and other environmentally destructive trade earned criminal gangs up to $258 billion last year, the United Nations said in a report published on Saturday. The scale of crimes ranging from illegal gold mining by drug cartels in Columbia to pillaging forests by rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo is expanding two to three times faster than the global economy, the study by the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) and Interpol found. “Environmental crime is growing at an alarming pace,” Interpol Secretary General Juergen Stock said in a statement. The amount spent by international In this file photo a forest police shows two eviscerated body of Sumatran tigers found in agencies on combating environmentally a cool box after it was confiscated from villagers at the Deli Serdang district in Indone- damaging crime - $20-30 million - is just sia’s North Sumatra province. (REUTERS/Files) a fraction of its estimated value of $91-258 gling of wildlife is also undermining economies, fuelling organized crime, and feeding corruption and insecurity across the globe. The trade endangers iconic elephants, rhinos, tigers, gorillas and sea turtles. Lesserknown species include helmeted hornbills, pangolins and wild orchids. Efforts to protect them have scored some successes. However, these and many other species remain at risk despite international campaigns to influence policy and considerable investments in conservation and law enforcement, Rao noted.
He pointed out that illegal wildlife trade has evolved into a complex activity and India being one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots has emerged as a potential source country. The porous borders of India along with various gaps in wildlife law enforcement allow various protected species of wildlife and their parts to be trafficked. On the scenario of illegal wildlife trade in the North East Region, Rao said it is a thriving business in the Northeast with the Dimapur - Imphal corridor an important route
ANSTA, NSSFOF suspend cease-of-work following assurance from Chief Minister DIMAPUR, JUNE 4 (MExN): All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) and Nagaland Secondary Schools Field Officers Forum (NSSFOF) has temporarily suspended their indefinite cease-of-work following assurance by Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang that a High Power Committee headed by the Nagaland Chief Secretary will be constituted within two weeks to “sort out” their demands. This assurance was given by Zeliang in the presence of Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) at a joint meeting
held at the residence of the Chief Minister on June 3, a press statement from the two association informed. The associations however cautioned that in the event of failure on the part of the government to address the issues within the stipulated time as assured and with NSF team as witness, the two associations asserted it would resume the agitation in an intensified manner without any further information. The two associations have therefore informed all its members to resume their duties from June 6 onwards.
Peren water supply issue: Angry public lock up PHED, SDO office
DIMAPUR, JUNE 4 (MExN): Agitated public of Peren town took hammer, nails and wooden planks and shut the office of the Executive Engineer, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Peren at DC Complex, Peren New HQ and office of the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), PHED at Peren town due to failure of the department to respond to its 15-day ultimatum. Informing this, a press statement received from Azeu Namcyn Hau, secretary, Joint Action Committee for Restoration of Water Supply in Peren Town said the public, in its first phase campaign against the department, had undertaken a ‘silent public procession’ from Peren town main bazaar to the office of the ADC, Peren on May 20, 2016. In the ultimatum submitted to minister for PHED, through the ADC, Peren, the public had demanded constitution of a ‘special investigation team’ to study and consider the matter with outmost urgency for restoration of clean water supply to Peren town, failing which the public would be forced to close down the department indefinitely. However, the department ignored the issue except for temporary repair works and a press release in the form of clarification issued by the Chief Engineer, PHED in the local dailies, the press statement said. Closing down the office of EE,
for smuggling wildlife to Myanmar and ultimately to South East Asia and China. Citing instances of wildlife trafficking in recent days, Rao highlighted how pangolin scales, Star tortoises, 62 in number and consignment of elephant tusks were seized by authorities from Kohima and Dimapur from wildlife smugglers. In order to turn this tide, Rao expressed that more people need to understand the damage this illicit business is doing to the environment, economies, communities and security adding, “We must also change our
habits and behaviour so that demand for wildlife products falls.” He said more awareness means increased pressure on governments and international bodies to introduce and enforce tougher laws and combat those still willing to break them. In an appeal to the people of Nagaland on WED, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests said it is everyone’s duty to protect the wildlife so people should refrain from purchasing wild meat and inform the Forest Department officials and Police when they get information
billion, it said. Trafficking products from endangered wildlife, including tusks harvested by the decimation of one quarter of the world’s elephant population over the last decade, is worth between $7 to $23 billion a year, the report said. Pointing to the mismatch between poachers’ profits and government measures to fight them, ivory traffickers in Tanzania reap five times the size of the country’s wildlife budget, or an estimated $10.5 million per year, it said. An average 3,000 elephants were killed per year there over the last decade, the data showed. “The vast sums of money generated from these crimes keep sophisticated international criminal gangs in business, and fuel insecurity around the world,” UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said.
about wildlife trafficking. “Make Nagaland abuzz with sound of birds and allow wild animals, which are born free to roam free and live free,” Rao urged.
Governor urges for participation in cleanliness drive on WED, 2016
Nagaland Governor PB Acharya has urged all concerned to give time to participate in the cleanliness drive organized by the Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) in the State to mark the World Environment Day, which is on Sunday. A press note from the office of the
Governor said WED is observed every year to know the vital importance about environmental issues and make sure that people around the world enjoy healthy environment and protect the earth natural resources from further deterioration. On the occasion, the Governor said the cleanliness drive organized by NPCB could be carried out around the vicinity of homes, offices, surroundings, schools, colleges so as to make Nagaland a cleaner state and thereby facilitate the National mission of Swacch Bharat.
‘Democracy is nothing to fear’
TAIPEI, JUNE 4 (REUTERS): On the anniversary of China’s bloody crackdown on student-led protests in and around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, Taiwan’s new president told China on Saturday that democracy is nothing to fear. Tsai Ing-wen said in a Facebook post on the 27th anniversary that Taiwan could serve as an example to China. Tsai said in the run-up to Taiwan’s elections earlier this year that she had seen people from China, as well as the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau, mixing with crowds in Taiwan. “These many friends, after experiencing things for themselves People take part in a candlelight vigil to mark the 27th anniversary of the crackdown of pro-democra- can see that in fact there’s nothing cy movement at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989, scary about democracy. Democraat Victoria Park in Hong Kong June 4. (REUTERS) cy is a good and fine thing,” wrote
Tsai, who took office last month. China sent in tanks to break up the demonstrations on June 4, 1989. Beijing has never released a death toll but estimates from human rights groups and witnesses range from several hundred to several thousand. The subject remains all but taboo in China, where President Xi Jinping is overseeing a broad crackdown on rights groups and activists. Tsai also said in her Facebook post about the Tiananmen crackdown’s anniversary that nobody could deny the material advances China had made under the Communist Party. However, China would win even more respect internationally if it gave its people even more rights, wrote Tsai.
‘Welcome to no concern Zone’
RSZ launch poster campaign along the stretch of Tseminyu and Wokha for want of good roads Our Correspondent Tseminyu | June 4
Office of EE, PHED Peren locked by the public of Peren town.
PHED and office of the SDO, PHED is not the end of the agitation. The next phase campaign for permanent restoration of water supply will be taken up and untoward incidents, if any, arising out of the situation will be the sole responsibility of the Department of PHED, the press statement cautioned.
In support of Rengma Hoho and Lotha Hoho call for indefinite bandh of NH-2 on failure of the Nagaland Government to respond to the ultimatum submitted by them, the Rengma Selo Zi (RSZ) today launched a poster campaign within the stretch of 40 km to 72 km between Tseminyu and Wokha. Calling its campaign as ACT (Action Changes Thing), according to the RSZ, it is a democratic cry against the injustice meted out to the public. On Saturday, members of RSZ put up more than 40 banners, posters up along the 30-kilometer stretch of the highway to express the pathetic condition of the road and register their protest against the government for their inaction. Some of the banners which was put up read - Please wear helmet inside your car; NH-2 awaiting revival for the last 13 years, Welcome to ‘no concern zone, Do not travel through NH2 if you do not know how to swim, Planning to
A banner put up by RSZ as part of its poster campaign on Saturday express the pathetic condition of the NH-2 road stretch between Tseminyu and Wokha. (Morung Photo)
buy a new car, buy a Monster Truck, etc. RSZ president Kenneth Rengma, briefing reporters said NH-2 highway has remained abandoned by the State government and the Ministry of Road Transport &Highway, for more than a decade. “We started this poster campaign to question the motive for abandoning the road and highlight the government’s apathy over the issue,” Rengma said while adding that the protest is not against the department or the contractors, but for want of good roads. The RSZ, while citing police registered report, highlighted that since 2004 until date, around 46 death cases due to accidents were reported from the said
stretch of road. Many accidents have gone unreported too, they said. Rengma Hoho president, Kenyuseng Tep said their decision to call for indefinite bandh of NH-2 from June 10 onwards still stands. However, if the concerned department and government respond positively to their demand, the proposed bandh may be reviewed, he added. The two Hohos are calling the bandh as consequence of the failure of the National Highways Authority of Nagaland (NHAN) to implement the widening of NH 2, Tseminyu and Wokha sectors after waiting and appealing for several years.