March 22nd, 2016

C M Y K

www.morungexpress.com

tuesDAY • MArch 22 • 2016

DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 79 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

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T R u T H

The welfare of the people is the ultimate law — Cicero Barack Obama meets Raul Castro in the heart of revolutionary Havana PAGE 09

IoFC conduct educators workshop at Kiphire

Wasteful Barca held 2-2 at Villarreal, Real down Sevilla

PAGE 02

PAGE 12

‘time to build bridGes, not walls’ naga movement cannot be washed away: GPrn/nscn

NSCN (IM) Chairman Isak Chishi Swu says Framework Agreement will guarantee rights of the Nagas and address India’s security concern Morung Express News Dimapur | March 21

NSCN (IM) Chairman, Isak Chishi Swu, today said the August 3, 2015, ‘Framework Agreement’ upholds the “recognition of unique history of the Nagas by the Government of India” and would guarantee the rights of the Nagas.

The NSCN (IM) chairman said the Agreement affirms the universal principle of democracy that sovereignty lies with people and that sovereignty of the Nagas and Indians lie with their respective people.

“However, it (Agreement) says that there will be ‘shared sovereignty of the two equals’ in some areas. It also speaks about ‘co-existence of the two entities’ based on the principle of interdependent relationship”, Swu said in his speech, which was read out by Convenor, Steering Committee NSCN (IM), Qhevihe Chishi Swu, on the occasion of the Naga Republic Day celebration at Council HQ Hebron.

Swu also said both the parties have agreed in principle to “building bridges between the two people, not walls.” The NSCN (IM) Chairman said since GoI has now recognized the “sovereign right” of the Nagas, including ownership of land and resources, unique history and identity.

“India and Nagas will be closely interrelated. We will be exercising maximum power for maximum development in all fields.

This agreement will guarantee the rights of the Nagas and also address the security concern of India to a large extent”, Swu said.

He also said that both parties agreed that the Indo-Naga conflict

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Yea, yea. I know. your son is innocent ! As innocent as our politicians!

President of the GPRN/NSCN, General Rtd MB Neokpao speaking on the occasion of the Naga Republic Day at Khehoi Headquarter on March 21.

NSCN (IM) cadres march during the Naga Republic Day celebration at Council Headquarter Hebron, Dimapur on March 21. Photo by Caisii Mao

is highly political and that it should be solved politically. “Fighting and killing did not solve the problem; rather they hardened the hearts of the oppressed Nagas. Physical oppressions and persecutions never touch the heart of man. Government of India should address to the hearts of the Nagas. We highly appreciate the bold step taken by the present leadership of India”, he said.

On the protracted Naga problem and search for peace and Naga political settlement under successive governments at the Centre, Swu said he believed that all MPs of the Indian Parliament, ruling and opposition, are well informed of these hard realities.

The NSCN (IM) chairman said the national Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi, cannot feign ignorance of what successive Indian Governments have done visà-vis the Indo-Naga peace process.

“This is too big an issue to be overlooked”, he said.

NSCN (IM) Kilo kilonser (Home minister), Rh. Raising meanwhile said since the peace process has entered a crucial stage, it is time for Nagas to build bridges among themselves and with In-

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Prohibitory orders imposed in Doldoli Reserved Forest area

C M Y K

DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): The District Magistrate of Dimapur, Kesonyu Yhome has imposed prohibitory orders in the Doldoli Reserved Forest area on the Nagaland side of the AssamNagaland border. An order from the District Magistrate informed that there are reports of developmental activities being carried out by certain groups of people in the reserved forest, which may lead to law and order problem.

from our rural mindset to that of the urban. We must move out of the land of scarcity and un-productivity to greener pasture. Urbanization of people is the beginning of development...Let us rebuild our psychology, our faith, our land and our economy”, Raising said.

Supplementing the NSCN (IM) Chairman’s speech on “shared sovereignty and co-existence of the two equals/entities”, as reportedly contained in the Framework Agreement, Raising said, “We are Nagas and that is our natural as well as our political identity…Naga is now a recognized entity.”

Further, Raising said Chairman Swu has “proclaimed jubilee, stating that we have forgiven the past mistakes committed against the nation and us by others; let them also forgive our past mistakes.” He also said Swu had appealed to all groups to get on board the Framework Agreement. “Let us move forward together to finish the historic task”, the Kilo Kilonser added.

Representatives from various tribe hohos and NGOs, including the Naga Hoho, United Naga Council, NSF, GBs and others attended the celebration.

Banks to remain shut for four-days from Thursday

NEw DElHI, MARCH 21 (PTI): Customers won’t be able to conduct bank transactions at various bank branches for four days in a row this week as all the banks will remain shut from Thursday. However, the lenders have assured that they will load the ATMs fully for meeting people’s cash needs.

Thursday will be a holiday for celebrating the Holi festival, followed by Good Friday and the weekend.

Banks are closed on second and fourth Saturdays every month. Hence, it will be four continuous day offs for bank employees.

Banks are trying to ensure that ATMs remain operational during these days so that people don’t have any cash problem, a senior public sector bank official said.

They are trying to put higher denomination notes in ATM machines to ensure meeting the cash demand, the official added.

Morung Express News

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s (CAG) investigation into the Nagaland School Education Department on the implementation of Mid Day Meal Schemes has revealed various inadequacies in the National Program on Nutritional Support to Primary Education, MDM. The performance audit of the scheme covered 120 schools among the 1034 schools in Nagaland State.

Excess projection of number of students

Records revealed that in the preparation of the Annual Work Plan & Budget (AWP&B), the department projected the children enrolment on the basis of information from District information System of Education (DISE)/ Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) provided by SSA, instead of independently compiling from the information maintained at school levels.

The enrolment of children from class I to class VIII (20102015) as per the MDM AWP&B was 12,79,792, while the report as per DISE/UDISE–SSA was 9,28 934. Thus, the inflated enrolment figure amounts to 3,50,858

excess projection.

The department stated that the enrolment projections were inclusive of pre-primary and National Child Labour Project.

However the CAG informed that the pre-primary children are covered by the Supplementary Nutrition Program implemented by the Social Welfare Department and are not eligible to be covered under the MDM program. The CAG highlighted that “the State Government during 2010-2015 inflated the number of children enrolled by a total of 3,50,358 over the figures of SSA to avail funds under the MDM scheme.”

Inadequacies in enrolment, retention and attendance

Meanwhile, the enrolment figure of children in government schools has decreased from 2,96,061 in 2010-2011 to 2,08,121 in 2014-2015. The department reasoned that decrease in enrolment in government schools was because of increased enrolment in the private schools. The CAG however noted that this indicates that the government schools were unable to attract the students despite a number of welfare measures such as MDM. Further, the department was found not to have any system of

He asserted that “the movement and the legacy that we have today cannot be just washed away with mere propagandas or fancy utterance; it is purely the right of every Naga who has sacrificed enough of blood, sweat and wealth.” The GPRN/NSCN President claimed it is the “will of the people that governs and

Naga rights will not change: FGN

DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): Brigadier Retd S. Singnya, Kedahge of the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) today stated that Nagas are “divided in defining who we were and what we must be now.”

In his message on the Naga Republic Day, he stated that Naga nationalism is in “danger because we seem to be losing the spirit that gave birth to our nationalism.”

“We are cowed down by modernism and ideology that says the world is changing and we too must change,” he added.

He however termed this as the “language of those who play the politics of convenience and adaptation.” Knowledge and adaptation is important as a nation, he conceded while asserting that Nagas must not import knowledge that may “destroy the very fabric of our nationalism.” “Rights,

whether it be birth right, historical right, political right or any other will not change.

Thus our nationalism at the threshold of losing its identity and the fear of evolving into a nationalism of convenience stands before us as our greatest challenge. We have to realize the danger of attempting to popularize our national issues in the same plane as existential knowledge.”

He stated that “we must travel back to the past to reclaim our rights that was declared in unity and trust and struggle forward together with pride and dignity. We must continue to show the world that we have the moral strength and power to suffer for truth and not allow our oppressors to use civilization and advancement as tools to suppress our rights to live as a free nation.”

Full text on Page 10

Power comes from you - The People

IDBI Bank may be closed for an extra day if the strike call given by a section of officers and employees of the bank on March 28 (Monday) materialises.

The staffers, belonging to the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA), have given the strike call to protest against the government Ajit Singh with government representatives and village move to privatise IDBI Bank. The Justice heads during the opening of the Legal Aid Clinic held on March 21 government owns around 80% at Kohima village. (Morung Photo) stake in the bank. dition of settling disputes within the community, marginalization and poverty continue to persist in the society. Therefore, Justice Chaudhur urged capturing daily attendance of the people of the village as well children in primary/upper prihas the authorities to tackle the Morung Express News mary schools covered under the problem of marginalization and Kohima | March 21 MDM scheme. Neither did the oppression through legal servicDepartment have any system es. “Power comes from you-the A legal aid clinic was opened of data capturing on retention/ people,” said Justice Chaudhuaon March 21 at Kohima village, dropout rate of students.

The CAG examination of re- jointly organised by the Kohima ry encouraging the people to cords and physical inspection District Legal Services Author- question the anomalies in leadof selected 120 schools reveals ity and the Nagaland State Legal ership and governance.

Neivor Rutsa, Chairman, a stark trend of the increasing Services Authority with Justice number of children (Class 1 to Ajit Singh, Chief Justice, Guwa- Kohima Village Council who 8) who could not be retained on hati High Court of Assam, Naga- also spoke at the occasion menpromotion from lower class to land, Mizoram and Arunachal tioned that 90 percent of cases are settled inside the commuhigher class. This resulted in 722 Pradesh as the chief guest. children leaving school in 2011Referring to the significance nity/village by village heads 2012 and 2,633 children leaving of Naga Customary laws and while only 10 percent goes to school in 2015-2016. settling disputes, Justice Nishi- the court. Rutsa, thus appealed The investigation also re- tendu Chaudhury, Executive to the higher courts, to treat the vealed that in 101 schools, teach- Chairman, Nagaland State Le- cases not only from the legal ers were found engaged directly gal Services Authority & Judge point of view but to give imporin cooking or supervising cook- Gauhati High Court who gave tance to traditions and customing of food which may have im- the keynote address stated that ary ways of life. pact on quality of teaching.

Khriehu Liezietsu, Parliathis tradition of settling disThe Commissioner & Secre- putes within the community is mentary Secretary for Youth tary to the Government of NagaResources & Sports, Music Task land, Education Department is a lesson to the modern world.

Force & State Lotteries appreciJustice Chaudhury also menthe head of the MDM program ated the presence of Chief Justioned that it is the first time in in the State while the Director of School education is the State the history of the village that tice Ajit Singh to the state and level Nodal officer responsible Chief Justice has come in the other North Eastern regions for planning, implementation second largest village in the which was an indicator of his strong sense of justice and also and monitoring of the program. country.

The basic idea of the Legal willingness to work with the The CAG further states that there were delays in transmis- Clinic Aid, according to Justice local people and taking stock sion of funds through hierar- Chaudhary was, “If you cannot of the situation from the grass chical chain to implementing go to the court, the court will roots in delivering justice. Furagencies and short releases of come to you.” thering thanking the Kohima state share.

Despite the remarkable tra- District Legal Services Authori-

CAG find discrepancies in MDM scheme in Nagaland Kohima | March 21

CITIZEN UMBRELLA

dia and neighbours. “Let us give thanks to Him (Lord) who has given us an era. It is now the era of the Nagas”, the Kilo kilonser said.

Alluding to the NSCN (IM) Chairman’s comment of “building bridges between the two people, not walls”, the Kilo Kilonser in his address said Nagas cannot stay divided for long and that building bridges among the broken Naga family is “inevitable.” Raising also said building bridges between India and Nagas and with neighbouring people is a matter of “political necessity.”

“We cannot keep fighting our enemies; we must make peace with them through dialogue. We cannot say we have nothing to depend on others; we have many reasons to depend on others…We cannot keep criticizing each other; we must also learn how to cooperate and appreciate each other”, he said.

He said the Naga issue has reached a crucial stage- from confrontation to negotiation and presently to “nation building.”

“The Nagas have now come to the stage of building material, mental and spiritual developments. This demands us to change

DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): Observing the Naga Republic day at its Khehoi Headquarters, President of the GPRN/ NSCN, General Rtd MB Neokpao said that the “Naga freedom movement is very sensitive as well as a blessing destiny that every Naga had endured and struggled.”

the decision of the people that will destine the future of Nagas.”

“Leaders and workers may keep running from one camp to another basing on their personal needs and requirements, every human being ambitious social animal, weaker person or less determined person may be seen changing their colours but it’s the problem of individuals,” he maintained, while stating that the nation gains nothing but steps into more confusion when “such people try to cover their own weakness and misadventures.”

He urged all Nagas to “build a nation of our own and try to solve the problem that we face and safeguard the future of every Naga.”

Legal Aid Clinic launched in Kohima village

ty and the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority, Liezietsu said that the initiative in bringing basic and inexpensive legal service to our doorsteps is significant and highly commendable.

Legal Aid clinic has been set up to provide legal services to the poor, marginalized and weaker section of the society in rendering legal services of basic nature like legal advice, drafting legal documents and also for resolving the dispute of the local people by making the parties to see reason ad preventing the dispute reaching courts.

“Not only are court cases expensive but most times it is slow and time consuming, further the litigants faces lots of hardships and mental torture and thus pettier cases it becomes a lose situation for the contesting parties. With the setting up of legal aid clinics, hoped that the local people will be educated and at the same time their basic legal needs will be provided,” stated Liezietsu.

Chief Justice Ajit Singh in his speech mentioned that the purpose of the legal aid clinic is to ensure access of justice to all which is enshrined in Article 39A of the Indian Constitution mandating the operation of legal system on the basis of equal opportunities. The legal aid clinic will be a law centre for facilitating legal awareness, informed Justice Singh which will be an effective machinery to provide accessibility, affordability and free legal aid to all.

“The poor and marginalized of the rural population are neither aware of legal aids, as well as legal schemes available to them nor do they have the capacity to avail,” pointed out Justice Singh, adding that the legal aid clinic shall cater towards the needs.

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tuesDAY 22•03•2016

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Gorkha Union Darogapathar recognized under DGU Morung Express News Dimapur | March 21

G orkha Union Darogapathar with its motto "Prosper Through Unity" has been recognized as a unit of Dimapur Gorkha Union (DGU), an apex body for the Gorkhas of Di-

mapur District.

The recognition programme was held on March 19 at Government Middle School Darogapathar, Dimapur. The main speaker was President of DGU Kumar Subba who declared the Gorkha Union Darogapathar as

the 22nd unit of Dimapur Gorkha Union.

Pastor, Jiwan Chamling of G.C.C, Darogapathar pronounced the invocation during the programme which was chaired by Jeet Badhur Bariely.

A host of leaders including Head GB Darogapathar

IoFC conduct educators workshop at Kiphire

Village, other GBs, leaders from various Gorkha Union units, Chairman of Gorkha Public Panchayat Purana Bazar, Tiatemsu Member ACAUT, Ao Union Morung Express News Darogapathar, Gorkha Kiphire | March 21 Pariwar Darogapathar and Gorkha Elders Forum at- Educators from private tended the programme. schools attended the educators workshop organized by the ‘Initiative of Change’ (IoFC) Asia Plateau, Panchgani which was organised by the Kiphire District Private Schools Society at Agape School Kiphire. The workshop was inauguratGovernment or any of its ed by Benjamin Longkup, SDO(C) on Friday last. agencies.

Inaugurating the proDr. Chubatola Aier Convenor, CECLDC C-Edge gramme, the SDO (C) enCollege Dimapur high- couraged the teachers to lighted the importance of take one’s profession with bi-lingualism, with English pride and serve the socias the necessary medium, ety with commitment and and mother tongue as an dedication. Sharing his exintegral component, in the perience as a teacher once upon a time, Benjamin context of Nagaland.

The four organisations also said, “one has great agreed to collaborate further responsibilities as a teachon mother tongue develop- er and the joy one find is ment and promotion. The when ones student excels session came to a close with in one’s life.”

He added that salaries vote of thanks from President of C-Edge College and and incentives may not members expressed looking be much in private sector forward to having a joint pro- but when one has comgram at the College, during mitment, money becomes the next International Moth- secondary and the love in one’s profession and serer Language Day.

Interactive session on promotion of mother tongue languages held

Dimapur, march 21 (mExN): Members of four organisations namely, All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE), Campaign for Language Equality and Rights (CLEAR), Ao Senden Literature Board (ASLB) and C-Edge College Language Development Cell (CECLDC) had an intensive interactive session on promotion of mother tongue languages on March 20 at C-Edge College Dimapur.

A press note stated that several pertinent issues pertaining to the prevailing language situation in Nagaland were discussed. Prof. Joga Singh founder Member of CLEAR, shared of the many

positive impact in the learning process of a child, if the child is taught in his mother tongue. If the child develops a grasp of the grammar of his mother tongue, it can be easily replicated for learning any other second or third language, including foreign languages.

Prof. Lanunungsang Ao, Chairman ASLB, also shared about the low rate of science students in Nagaland which constitutes only about 5% of the total number. He viewed that such low abilities in science and maths were largely attributable to learners not having proper grounding in their mother tongue while such subjects were taught

at the school level.

Prof. Madhu Prasad, P re s i d i u m Me mb e r, AIRFTE expressed the need to map the linguistic history and structure of Nagaland.

She was of the view that no language should be imposed by any agency on any people. The Delhi Demand for Language Rights (February 2016) also demands the same that the Union Government or any of its agencies should not impose any language or script on any people, either through direct or indirect incentives.

Moreover, that the language community has the right to decide which script or scripts to use without any interference from the Union

Two women engaged in conversation over tea at Tuensang. (Photo by Imojen Jamir)

‘Society needs educators not teachers’

Dimapur, march 21 (mExN): Peace channel on conducted ‘district level orientation for the teacher’s coordinator’ at North Eastern Institute for Social Science Research Hall for sixteen teachers representing seven schools from Dimapur on March 19.

Rev. Father C.T. Varghese Sdb the rector of Don Bosco Hr. Sec School Dimapur while addressing the teachers as resource person pointed out that today society needs educators not teachers. He further goes on to say that effectiveness in teaching comes only when there is innovation and creativity. He encouraged the participants to manage their class a student’s centre and captivate their minds. The strength of the teacher lies not in the power to control and maintain silence in the class but in being able to inculcate the values of sympathy, empathy, attention and love in education. He concluded his session by explaining the seven principles of success Steve Jobs.

Rev. Dr. CP Anto, Director Peace Channel addressed the teachers present with the magic of Positive Thinking. He asserted as educator one should have positive thinking and possibility thinking. Emphasizing on classroom management with reference to peace education he said, people perception in the present scenario has change; today people do not want information but solution. He further added that educators are endowed with the responsibility to bring up the weaker one and teacher has the ability to break or make.

He guided the participants with the Peace Channel strategic approaches and methodology of Peace education.

The programme ended with evaluation and action plan for peace education in the institutions. Janthuiyang, RK John Project Coordinator Peace Channel gave the concluding remark and draws a framework for peace development programmes.

Participants with the guest and resource persons during the educators workshop organized by ‘Initiative of Change’(IoFC) Asia Plateau, Panchgani and held at Agape School, Kiphire. (Morung Photo)

gratulated the teachers for attending the workshop and said that it is blessing to be a teacher and also asked the teachers to love the profession and not just perform duty. He also said that the strength of the nation and the society depend n the strength of the teachers and asked the teachers to be answerable to ones responsibilities.

Raguram IPS, SDPO

Kiphire gave away the certificates to the participants.

Open forum, inner governance, India I care, the train of life, communication skill, life balance sheet, emotional intelligence, relationship etc were some of the topic discussed during the three days workshop.

The facilitators of the workshop were Asha Varma and Fatima Rashid from IoFC.

CEO Nagaland calls meeting for SVEEP and NERP

Graduate Teacher requested to pay court fee

Kohima, march 21 (mExN): The Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland has convened a meeting with the State level NGOs for Systematic Voters' Education & Electoral Participation (SVEEP) on April 1 at Hotel Japfu at 11:00 AM in connection with the Election Commission of India's recently declared National Electoral Roll Purification (NERP), 2016 programme.

The president of the following organisation and the NGos are requested to attend the meeting: Naga Hoho, Nagaland Baptist Churches Council, Catholic Association of Nagaland, Nagaland Christian Revival Churches Council, Pentecostal Church, Naga Mothers' Association, Naga Students' Federation, Eastern

Naga People Organization, Eastern Naga Students' Federation, President, Eastern Naga Women Organization, Yanpfuo Kikon, Founder, The Naga Blog, Hekani, Youth Net, President, Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights.

Meanwhile, another meeting is convened on April 2 at the official residence of the Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland at 4:00 pm (followed by Dinner) in connection with the Election Commission of India's recently declared National Electoral Roll Purification (NERP), 2016 programme and the Systematic Voters' Education & Electoral Participation (SVEEP).

The following State Level Political parties and the NGOs are called for

vice to society as teacher becomes important.

Commenting the private institutions for producing better result in the district, Benjamin lauded the teachers present and encouraged to keep up the spirit to do better so that the district moves ahead in the field of education.

Setricho ADC, SSA Kiphire who was present at the valedictory function con-

the meeting: President, Bharatya Janata Party; President, Indian National Congress; President, Nagaland Peoples' Front; President, Janata Dal (United); President, Nationalist Congress Party; President, Beauty & Aesthetics Society of Nagaland (BASN).

Sanjay Kumar IAS Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland in a press release informed that the NERP 2016 is an intensive drive which was launched on March 1 and is to be completed on or before August 31, 2016. The meeting shall deliberate on issues pertaining to this drive with the main objective being, to improve the health of the Electoral Rolls (ER) and to rationalize the Polling Stations (PSs) boundaries and location.

The NERP 2016 will also include enrolment of all eligible citizens and removal of repeated and multiple entries; entries of dead, shifted & absent voters, correction of errors in EPIC and removal of other data errors.

During this drive, repeat images will also be corrected, missing photographs will be collected; poor quality of images will be replaced by good quality photographs.

All the members are therefore, requested to cooperate and attend the meeting positively, with highlights of any action taken, if any, since the last meeting and Action Plan for the current purification drive. Each group may be represented by 1 or up to 2 members.

NRB Financial Literacy campaign underway Morung Express News Dimapur | March 21

Nagaland Rural Bank, Purana Bazar Branch conducted a Financial Literacy Camp (FLC) at Naharbari village, Dimapur on March 21. The camp was part of a series of FLCs to be conducted by the NRB supported by the NABARD under the Financial Inclusion Fund.

The primary objective of the camp, which was attended by Naharbari residents, is to sensitise citizens on the benefits of banking and the various financial services (assistance) provided by the banks.

Senior Manager, NRB, Aokeyi Ao stated that the NRB as a financial institution is to reach out to people and its activities are at par with other nationalised banks. While highlighting the various schemes of the NRB, he urged citizens to come

NRB officials alongwith the members of the Naharbari village council during the FLC organised at Naharbari village on March 21.

forward and avail its services.

He also highlighted the various Central government sponsored life insurance and pension

schemes such as the PMSBY, can be availed through banks.

PMJJBY, APY and other credit faThe NRB offers an array of cilities, which people can avail, deposit schemes such as savings including SHGs. These schemes accounts, recurring deposits,

special term deposits etc. its loan schemes include Kisan Credit Cards, Agri. Term Loan, SHGCredit Linkage, personal loan and car loans. “Different priority sector lending as per the Government of India / NARARD guidelines has already been launched and we are regularly financing to the deserving entrepreneurs.”

Working in close liaison with its sponsor State Bank of India, the NRB besides its primary banking services encourages the formation of Farmers Clubs and Self Help Groups by way of credit linkage specially is rural and semirural and even unbanked areas.

While informing of the NRB’s fully computerised facility with Core Banking solution, it was added that plans are afoot to open more NRB branches in blocks and district not covered thus far.

It was further informed that the next FLC will be organised at Burma Camp on March 23.

Kohima, march 21 (mExN): The third meeting of the district, sub-divisional and regional conveners of Graduate Teacher Seniority list was held on March 18 at LCS Building Kohima which was attended by all the concerned conveners.

The house had an indepth deliberation of the ongoing court case of GT Seniority and court fee collection of Rs. 3000/per head. The house after due deliberation particularly on non-submission of court fee collection by some members decided that since Graduate Teachers seniority list is now being streamlined and prepared as per the direction of Hon'ble Court, all the concerned GTs should pay court fee collection i.e Rs. 3000/- per head.

Any Graduate Teacher who does not pay court fee shall be excluded from the present seniority list of GTs and the last date for submission of court fee has been extended to April 15, 2016.

All the concerned GTs is requested to pay court fee to the respective area conveners within the stipulated date so as to avoid exclusion of the name from the list. The above unanimous decision shall be strictly followed & firmly adhered to by the members as decided in the meeting.

For seeking further detail information contact district/Sub Divisions/ Areas/School convenors of Incharge. This was informed in a press release issued by GTs Seniority List Preparation Convener Kekuolhouthie and Secretary Temjenyapang.

Training on ‘General Awareness on Duties of Citizens’ Mithun farmers of Tuensang dist attend awareness prog

Participants with others during the training programme on ‘General Awareness on Duties of Citizens’ on March 15 at ATI for the wards/colony leaders in Kohima.

Kohima, march 21 (mExN): Administrative Training Institute, Kohima conducted a one day training programme on ‘General Awareness on Duties of Citizens’ on March 15 at ATI for the wards/colony leaders in Kohima.

ATI Joint Director (M) &Course Director, Leto Savino in a press release said that the resource persons were Pheluopfelie Kesiezie, Administrator Northfield, S Among Ao, (Rtd Secy, Home to the Government of Nagaland) and Mezivolu T Therieh, NJS Chief Judi-

cial Magistrate, Kohima.

The topic discussed in the sessions are Role of a citizen, Care for Public Property/Public Utility, Respecting Government Rules and Regulations, Neighbourhood Relation, Legal Rights of citizen. During the sessions some of the negative issues prevailing in the wards/colony and how to tackle them were also shared and discussed by the respective wards leaders.

Altogether 36 participants from 12 wards attended the programme.

TuENsaNg, march 21 (mExN): Technology injection-cum-farmers awareness programme at three villages namely Waoshu, Yakor and Sangphur of Tuensang district, Nagaland was organised

by ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun, Jharapani in association with the Mithun Rearing and Women Welfare Societies of these villages from March 17 to 19.

The scientists from ICAR-NRCM comprising Drs. N. Haque, S. Mukherjee and M. H. Khan apprised the farmers about the mandate of the Institute and stressed about scientific mithun rearing for the socio-economic development.

More than 300 mithun farmers attended the camps along with their mithun. Scientists of ICAR-

Scientists from ICAR-NRCM conduct technology injection-cum-farmers awareness programme in Tuensang district.

NRCM demonstrated the method of ear tag and microchip-based animal identification and apprised the farmers towards the benefit of feeding mineral mixtures and adopting health care and vaccina-

tion for better economic returns.

Various inputs including commonly used medicines, vaccines and piglets were distributed to the farmers under Tribal Sub Plan. Stationary items like

copies, pencil etc were also distributed among the school children.

The enthusiasm and keen interests shown by the mithun farmers of these remote villages are very encouraging.

TuesDAY 22•03•2016

NORTH-EAST

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

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Demand for Tongjei Mizoram in India’s railway map, Maril district resurfaces first broad gauge train enters state Our Correspondent

Guwahati, March 21 (iaNS): In a historic development in India's northeastern region, the first broad gauge freight train to Mizoram rolled into the Bhairabi station on Monday, officials said.

The train -- comprising 42 wagons loaded with food grain -- was received at 1 p.m. at Bhairabi station

by Mizoram's Transport, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs minister John Rotluangliana and state government and Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials.

NFR chief public relations officer (CPRO) P.J. Sharma said inspection by the commissioner for railway safety would be completed soon and passenger trains would thereafter start plying regularly on the route.

The Katakhal-Bhairabi gauge conversion project is part of the Lumding-Silchar project.

Rain to continue over North East for another 24 hours DiMapur, March 21 (MExN): The North-Eastern States which has been subjected to light to moderate rainfall for past two days will continue to receive rain next 24 hours, Skymet informed today.

According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, light to moderate rain will continue over Northeast for another 24 hours as the trough extending from East Assam to North Bay of Bengal persists and will give more rain over the region. "An upper air cyclonic circulation over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and adjoining areas, a trough from East Assam to have resulted in good rains across NE.", The intensity of rain will reduce from the region significantly thereafter, it maintained adding that areas including Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will receive some rain for another day or two.

The private weather forecaster added that areas including Upper Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh have recorded good amounts of rain during the last 24 hours.

Silchar gets first direct train to National Capital Tripura, Manipur come under Broad Gauge network

People gathering to see the first broad gauge train at Bairabi. (Photo: CPRO/NF Railway)

The line starts from Katakhal station in Hailakandi district of Assam and continues for 82 km before entering Mizoram.

With Monday's train to Bhairabi, Mizoram becomes the third northeastern state after Tripura and Manipur to have broad gauge connectivity this financial year.

The NFR is targeting

broad gauge connectivity to all capitals of the northeastern states by 2020.

"Work is going on in full swing for the new broad gauge track from Bhairabi to Sairang near Aizawl which is scheduled to be completed by March 2019," Sharma said.

NFR officials said there are 10 stations on the stretch between Katakhal

Tongjei Maril District Demand Committee (TMDDC) has on Monday threatened to launch an indefinite bandh along the Old Cachar Road, also known as Tongjei Maril if their long-pending demand is not fulfilled at an earliest. TMDDC chairman Abon Kamei told a press meet at the Press Club here that their demand for creation of a Tongjei Maril district was legitimate and said the government had given the assurance a long time ago.

He said the committee would impose an indefinite bandh along the route beginning March 25 midnight in the event of failure of the Government of Manipur to take immediate steps to grant creation of the proposed district at the earliest.

Tongjei Maril connects Imphal with Cachar district of Assam via Bishnupur and Tamenglong districts of Manipur.

On July 11, 2011, the

freight trains to Agartala (Jirania) in Tripura and Jiribam in Manipur bringing the two states into the broad gauge railway map of India, a N.F.Railway press release informed.

The NFR release further said that while Manipur got BG line today, new line would be completed upto Tupul and Imphal within 2017-19.

“The line between Arunachal and Jiribam is of considerable importance as it is the feeder route of food grains & other essential commodities to the state of Manipur from Jiribam station,” it added.

The work of New BG railway line from Kumarghat – Agartala was sanctioned 1996 – 97 and covers 109 Kms with 4 Halt stations excluding Kumarghat.

Manipur police commando pleads for fresh probe into killings NOTIFICATION

iMphal, March 21 (iaNS): Thounaojam Herojit, a former Manipur Police commando accused of killing two people in a staged gunbattle, on Monday appeared in court and pleaded for a fresh investigation.

Then head constable Herojit is accused of killing two people -housewife Thokchom Rabina and unarmed former insurgent Chungkham Sanjit - on July 23, 2009 in Imphal city. Herojit had earlier confessed that he shot dead Sanjit on the orders of then additional police superintendent Akoijam

Jhalajit.

Appearing in the court of the chief judicial magistrate in Imphal East, he said: "The court should order an inquiry into my role and that of the superior officer as well. I do not want any investigation into the case itself but only our roles." His counsel also pleaded for admission of his affidavit.

He said he and the superior officer, who allegedly gave him orders to shoot the unarmed and overpowered former insurgent, should be subjected to further investigation.

However, the counsel for the

Need more security along border in North East: Rajnath ShilloNG, March 21 (iaNS): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday admitted that there was a need to strengthen security along the international border in the northeastern region to curb smuggling of arms."We are trying to ensure border security through all possible means and to curb cross-border terrorism in the region," Rajnath Singh told journalists while replying to a query on Maoists getting arms through Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The home minister arrived in the Meghalaya capital on a two-day visit to attend

the 181st Raising Day of Assam Rifles, the oldest paramilitary force in India. "We (central government) will discuss with chief ministers of the northeastern states to check the smuggling of arms from across the international border and to other states in the country," he said.

On holding talks with militant groups, Rajnath Singh said the Centre was ready to hold talks with any militant group if they shun violence unconditionally. "We are ready for talks with anyone provided they shun violence unconditionally," he stated.

Assam: Gogoi, wife worth Rs.99,83,739 Guwahati, March 21 (pti): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his wife have movable assets worth Rs.99,83,739, while BJP chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal, a bachelor, has movable assets worth Rs 70,44,919.

Gogoi, contesting for the fourth consecutive term from Titabor Assembly constituency as Congress chief ministerial candidate, has movable assets worth Rs.49,95,022, while his wife Dolly Gogoi's assets are worth Rs 49,88,717 with investments including bank deposits, insurance policies, postal savings, shares among others according to his affidavit filed during his nomination.

Sonowal, contesting from Majuli Assembly constituency, has movable assets worth Rs.70,44,919 which includes among

others bank deposits worth more than Rs 12 lakh and shares in Oil India Limited of Rs 8,77,500, according to his affidavit.

The chief minister and his wife own immovable assets worth Rs 4,25,00,000 with property in Guwahati and New Delhi while the BJP aspirant has immovable assets worth Rs 1,15,00,000 with inherited and property received as gift in Dibrugarh and Guwahati respectively.

Both Gogoi and his wife own non-agricultural land in Borsojai area in Guwahati valued at Rs 75 lakh and his wife's at Rs 30 lakh. Gogoi, his wife and Sonowal do not possess any vehicle of their own and they also have not been convicted or have any cases pending against them and not been accused of any offence punishable with imprisonment for two years or more.

Meghalaya mom hands ‘rapist’ son over to police, saves victim’s uncle

Guwahati, March 21 (ht): A mother in Meghalaya did not let her son get away with alleged rape and murder of a neighbour after he confessed his role in the crime.

In the process, she saved the victim’s uncle who was arrested by the police on suspicion of having sexually assaulted and stabbed the 17-year-old girl.

Upper Shillong resident Dlet Syiemlieh grew suspicious when her son Vicky, 22, seemed edgy after he came home on Thursday, less than an hour after the girl went missing around 7.30pm.

Members of the girl’s family located her in a jungle near the locality around midnight. She was taken to a civil hospital, where she

to Bhairabi -- Algapur, Hailakandi, Monacherra, Lalabazar, Mahamadpur, Katlicherra, Manipur Bagan, Jamira, Ramnathpur and Bhairabi.

Built at an estimated cost of Rs.326.51 crore, the track has 52 curves -- the sharpest being seven degrees -- besides 16 major bridges and 161 minor bridges.

MaliGaoN, (aSSaM) March 21 (MExN): The people of Barak Valley got its first weekly train connecting Silchar directly with New Delhi today when the Minister of Railways, Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu flagged off 05601/05602 Poorvottar Sampark Kranti Express at a function in Silchar.

The train will leave Silchar every Monday at 6:30PM and reach New Delhi at 1PM on Wednesday. During return journey, it will leave New Delhi at 11:45PM every Thursday and reach Silchar at 7:45 on Saturday.

The minister also flagged off two commercial

committee submitted a memorandum to the then Chief Minister of Manipur, Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh to push for their demands and also a reminder of the same memo on August 30 the same year, Kamei recalled.

The projected new district encompasses an area of 952 sq km within Lower Lukhambi of Tamenglong in the north, Churanchandpur district's Tuangtu and Tuiphai, Thanlon-Nungsei Kolhen Chothe Munpi of Henglep subdivision to the south, Senapati district's Sadar Hills' New Keithelmanbi and Chini-Inkhol to the east and Imphal East's Jiribam's Gularthol and Tousem subdivision's Kaiphundai to the west, comprising of 150 villages.

Controversies have already developed over demand for conversion of Jiribam and Sadar Hills under Senapati district into fullfledged revenue districts.

Several tribal social organisations have shown stiff opposition to the two demands.

Imphal | March 21

was declared brought dead.

Local police later arrested Pyrshan Kharrymba, the girl’s uncle, who was the first to have spotted the body.

Soon after the news of her death, Vicky broke down and told his mother that he was involved in the crime. On Friday morning, the mother went to the Lumdiengjri police station seeking her son’s arrest.

“The police arrested Vicky within 24 hours of the rape and murder. His fiveday police remand is till Tuesday,” Shillong City superintendent of police Vivek Syiem said. He also said Dlet’s statement helped release the victim’s uncle.

“He deserves punishment for the ghastly crime.

But the police should also catch three others who my

son said were involved too,” the mother said.

Activists have appreciated Dlet’s uprightness, particularly as her community, Khasi, is matrilineal and mothers are socially powerful enough to shield their children.

“She handed her son over to the police, but the audacity of the latter in claiming credit for getting to one of the suspects so fast is disgusting,” Agnes Karshiing of Civic Society Women’s Organisation, an NGO, said.

“The woman is poor and cannot afford to bail her son out. Cases of crime against women in Meghalaya usually take a long time to be solved because many buy their way out or feel the law cannot touch them,” Kharshiing said.

Central Bureau of Investigation strongly objected saying that since the matter was now pending in the high court, such an investigation will amount to prejudice. Herojit was directed to appear before the court again on March 29.

On the fateful day of July 23, 2009, a bullet killed Rabina while she was walking on the street with her minor son. The police version is that Sanjit killed her and that in the follow-up police action, he got killed.However, media reports said an obviously unarmed and unsuspecting Sanjit was accosted, pushed inside a

pharmacy and later his body was dragged out.On January 25 this year, Herojit told the media that he was ordered by a superior officer to kill Sanjit who was overpowered inside the pharmacy.

Meanwhile, Apunba Lup, the apex body of over 30 civil organisations in Manipur, also demanded a re-investigation into the killings of Rabina and Sanjit.

Sanjit's mother Taratombi has petitioned the court to order a fresh investigation into the incident in the light of the head constable's confession.

This is to notify all the drivers and owners of the All Nagaland Taxi Association, H.Q,Kohima that the Renewal of Vehicle Registrations and Identity Cards for all Taxis/Commercial vehicles will commence on 23rd March 2016’ till 2nd April 2016’.

All the concerned Drivers and Owners are requested to kindly stick to the schedule as per the given dates and Register their vehicles without fail.

(Ketsusielie Khruomo) General Secy.

ANTA H.Q. KOHIMA

NOTE OF APPRECIATION

NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DRAMA National School of Drama ( An autonomous Institution under Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India )

We the family members of Mr. Tzusa Jamir, S/o Dr. Tiatoshi Jamir and a Class-IV student of St. Mary’s Cathedral Higher Secondary School, Lerie extend our deepest appreciation to the CRPF jawans on duty at the Office of the Deputy Inspector General, Central Reserve Police Force, Lerie colony for their timely rescue attended to our son who met with a near-death fatal accident from a high voltage power transformer at Lerie CRPF Junction on Friday morning, 11th March, 2016. Because of the prompt artificial respiration administered to the unconscious child by the jawans and their immediate effort to take our son to the nearest hospital without delay, a gut-wrenching tragedy was avoided that fateful morning. We also wish to express our utmost gratitude to the Principal and faculties of St. Mary’s Cathedral Higher Secondary School, members of Lerie Panchayat, staffs at Bethel Hospital, well wishers, relatives and friends for their unceasing prayers and gracious support.

(T.I.E. WING) TRIPURA

One Year Certificate Course in Theatre-In-Education (2016-17)

ADMISSION NOTICE

National School of Drama [T.I.E wing] Tripura, in collaboration with Dept. of Information & Cultural Affairs and Higher Education, Govt. of Tripura, invites applications for admission to its residential one year certificate course in Theatre in Education from the candidates of North-East States only.

The course will begin from 20th July'2016 and aims at preparing theatre teachers for schools and Artists for TIE activities.

NO OF SEATS: 20 MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION: Hindi/English ELIGIBILITY: Essential Qualifications: [i] Graduation in any stream from a recognized university in India or abroad. [ii] Experience in theatre or formal/non-formal teaching at school level. [iii] Working knowledge of Hindi and English.

Preferable: Graduation from a recognized theatre training institute OR a degree in education/child development/psychology from a recognized institution OR experience in working with children in theatre and ability to relate to children.

AGE LIMIT: Minimum 21 years and maximum 40 years, as on 20th July'16 FORMS AVAILABLE AT:The application form can be downloaded from the School website www.nsd.gov.in from 22nd March'2016 onwards.

It is also available at National School of Drama (T.I.E Wing) Tripura, Nazrul Kalakshetra complex, Dhaleswar, Agartala-799007, Tripura, between 10 am to 5pm.

HOW TO APPLY: Attested copies of certificates and testimonials must be attached with the application form along with a demand draft of Rs. 100/- drawn in favour of Camp Director NSD (T.I.E Wing) Tripura.

FORMS TO BE SENT ON THIS ADDRESS: Camp Director NSD (T.I.E Wing) Tripura, Nazrul Kalakshetra Complex, Dhaleswar, Agartala-799007, Tripura. Ph: 0381-232-8797, by post or can also be submitted by hand.

THE LAST DATE: The last date for submitting the duly-filled application form is 30th April'2016. No applications will be entertained after this date.

SELECTION PROCEDURE: After scrutinizing the applications, the shortlisted candidates will have to appear for the final selection through a 2-4 days workshop at Nazrul Kalakshetra Complex, Dhaleswar, Agartala-799007, Tripura. Candidates must produce original certificates and testimonials during the workshop.

Candidates participating in the final workshop at Agartala (Tripura) will not be provided any TA/DA & accommodation.

An expert committee constituted by National School of Drama, New Delhi, will assess the aptitude and talent of the candidates and the committee's decision will be final.

Any CANVASSING in this regard will be treated as a ground for disqualification.

SCHOLARSHIP: Finally selected Candidates for the course will be given scholarship of Rs. 4500/- per month for the academic year.

PHYSICAL FITNESS: All selected students will have to undergo a medical test for physical fitness. Their final selection is subject to clearance of the fitness test.

NOTE: After scrutinizing their application form by office, the candidates will be informed about the dates for the workshop at Agartala. For further inquiry please on phone no. 0381-2328797 or email-nsdtripura@gmail.com

(Viba Solo) President ANTA H.Q. KOHIMA

LOST NOTICE I, Neichuranuo Kire am applying for a duplicate copy of Matriculation Admit Card as I have lost it.

Name - Neichuranuo Kire Father’s name – Zeno Kire Name of exam & year – HSLC, 2000 School –Mt. Mary School, Chumukedima, Dimapur Contact no. - 9856751254

ST. JOHN COLLEGE

Permanent Affiliation to Nagaland University and recognized by UGC under Section 2(f) & 12(B) of the UGC Act 1958

Diphu Road, Dimapur- 797112: Nagaland

ADMISSION NOTICE

B.Sc. 1 Semester ► For Both Boys & Girls Elective Subjects: Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Maths & Physics.

Honours Offered in: Chemistry, Botany & Zoology, (Physics) Applied for.

B.A. 1st Semester ► For Girls only Elective Subjects: History, Political Science, Philosophy, Economics, Sociology & Education.

Honours Offered in: English, Economics, History & Political Science (Sociology & Education) Applied for.

• Prospectus and forms will be available from the college office in between 9:00 am and 1:00pm. Starting from 30th March 2016.

• Admission will start soon after the declaration of HSSLC result.

• Free admission for Top Ten position holders. st

Principal

GOVERMENT OF NAGALAND

OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KOHIMA KOHIMA:: NAGALAND

NO.GP/CCS-1/2014/

Dated: Kohima the 21st of March 2016

ADVERTISEMENT Interested candidates are invited for spot admission to the following Modular Course/Programs based on National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF) under COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCHEME approved and sponsored by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) at Government Polytechnic, Kohima.

Sl. No.

Course Sector

Specialization

Eligibility Criteria

Duration

Intake Capacity

1

Information Technology

Software Development

Cl-X Passed

1Year

30

2

Apparel & Textile

Fashion Design

Cl-X Passed

1 Year

30

Important Instructions: 1. Admission will be on first come first basis.

2. Admission/Tuition/Examination fee is Free.

3. Raw materials for practical class/exam will be provided all FREE of Cost.

4. Registration fee of Rs. 100/- will be charged (one time) 5. Attested copy of Class-X Admit card & Mark sheet will be submitted during admission.

6. Admission starts from 22nd March to 31st March, 2016.

7. Students will also undergo Industrial training 8. Based training (IBT) at reputed institutes relating to specific Specialization 9. Bus service will be provided from High school junction to Polytechnic Campus and to Industry based institute for training.

10. Hostel Facility for girl’s students will be provided subject to the availability of vacancy with payment of fees at par with other regular students/hostellers.

11. 1st batch students already working in reputed companies, opened own firm and some opted for Level-IV. For more details contact: Mobile Phone : 9436001378 (Coordinator) E-Mail ID : principal_gpk@yahoo.com 8794669970 (Office Assistant) (Er. Vipulhou Lhoungu), Principal

4

TuesDAY 22•03•2016

Business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Eyeing India and China, Apple may unveil smaller, cheaper iPhone SaN FraNciSco, March 21 (iaNS): Amid the battle with the US government over encryption to unlock an iPhone used by an attacker in a mass shooting in San Bernadino last year, the company may unveil a new range of products - including a smaller and cheaper 4-inch iPhone SE as reported by the media - on Monday.

The announcement at a packed auditorium at its Cupertino, California-based headquarters is aimed at making further inroads into the emerging markets like India -- that has a huge smartphone base of 160 million plus users and is likely to surpass the US smartphone user base in a couple of years -- and China.

The iPhone SE is reported to be a replacement for the iPhone 5s series. Leaked photos suggest that the device will be similar to iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

According to media reports, Apple can also unveil a new iPad Pro with features like detachable keyboard and stylus specially designed for business use.

“Apple routinely schedules

New Delhi, March 21 (iaNS): PTC India Financial Services (PFS) on Monday announced that it has sanctioned loans worth around Rs.1,100 crore as financial assistance to the power sector.

“PTC India Financial Services Ltd. has sanctioned loans aggregating about Rs.1,100 crore for providing financial assistance to power/infrastructure sector in India,” the

exploited by the government and criminals.

If rumours are to be believed, Apple is also coming up with a 5.8-inch iPhone that will feature a tough AMOLED display panel and may launch it in 2018 or even earlier in 2017.

The AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display is a thinner and more power-efficient display as compared to the current LCD screen and has more depth in colours and clarity.

According to a pre-publication report in DigiTimes as cited

by Motley Fool, the company may move as many as 50 million devices in their first year of availability.

DigiTimes is a China-based daily newspaper and The Motley Fool is a US-based multimedia financial-services company. Apple is reportedly planning to release two variants of its large-screen iPhone 7 Plus this year -- one with a single-lens camera and one with a dual-lens camera. The dual-lens variant has been rumoured to be marketed as the iPhone Pro.

Customers are silhouetted inside of an Apple store in Sydney. (File Photo)

product events in March and September, so the juxtaposition of a product premiere on Monday to a high-profile court date is coincidental,” a USA Today report said.

Apple is expected to appear in a federal court in California on March 22 to fight the order and has accused the US Department of Justice (DoJ) of trying to “smear” the company with “des-

PTC India extends Rs.1,100 crore loans to power sector

perate” and “unsubstantiated” claims.

The US government has been fighting Apple over access to information on the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino killers, Rizwan Farook, in December. Apple says the demands violate the company’s rights. Apple has argued that the government is asking for a “back door” that could be

Reckitt Benckiser, Piramal Enterprises, Alembic Pharma and Procter and Gamble (P&G) had moved the Delhi High Court against the government order.

The full impact of the ban would be Rs 3,800 crore a year on the Indian pharmaceutical industry. The government had constituted a panel under Professor Chandrakant Kokate to review the fixed combination drugs.

The government has argued that there is not much data available on drug-drug interaction and side-effects in fixed dose combination drugs. And at the same time most of these drugs are sold without proper approvals and this may also lead to weakening of the immune system. The government also says that most developed countries do not allow these drugs in their market.

Though the ban on fixed combination drugs was welcomed by the doctors, the pharmaceutical companies are up in arms against the government order.

sons from Madhesi blockade of India trade points that caused acute fuel shortage, Nepal on Monday signed a transit and transportation treaty with China for its third-country commerce -- a move that is likely to end New Delhi’s monopoly over the landlocked Himalayan nation’s trade through Haldia port in Kolkata.

The two countries signed the agreement along with nine other treaties in Beijing, a day after Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli began a week-long trip to China. Oli’s maiden visit as the Nepal prime minister comes at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang.

The visit is significant in the light of Nepal’s efforts to reduce its decades old dependence on India after Madhesi protestors in southern plains, agitated over the the new Constitution, blocked supply trucks coming in from the southern neighbour.

The five-month long block-

Jewellers divided on calling leisure off strike; Delhi shops still shut New Delhi, March 21 (PTi): A section of jewellers and bullion traders continued their strike for the 20th day here today, demanding rollback of the proposed 1 per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery, even as major associations called off the stir after meeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Most jewellery shops and establishments in the national capital remained shut today despite Government’s assurance that there will be no harassment by excise officials. Some jewellers kept their shops shut in Mumbai as well.

All India Sarafa Association Vice-President Surinder Kumar Jain said the strike in the national capital will go on for an indefinite period until the government rolls back the proposed excise duty. Jewellers, bullion traders and artisans are organising ‘dharna’ at Chandni Chowk here to intensify the agitation, he added.

Meanwhile, major jewellery associations, including All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF), India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBBJ) and Gems Jewellery Export Promotion Council called off the strike on Saturday after a meeting with Jaitley.

Govt withdraws recognition of Delhi Stock Exchange New Delhi, March 21 (PTi): The government has formally withdrawn the recognition of Delhi Stock Exchange, more than a year after capital market regulator Sebi derecognised the bourse citing “serious irregularities” in its functioning.

DSE was among the few bourses that were given permanent recognition by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), as per information available on the regulator’s website. In a notification dated March 16, the Finance Ministry said the recognition granted to the Delhi Stock Exchange Ltd “stands withdrawn”.

Under certain provisions of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, the recognition to a recognised stock exchange can be withdrawn if it “has not been corporatised and demutualised within the specified time”.

In August 2005, Sebi had notified DSE Ltd (Corporatisation and Demutualisation) Scheme, 2005. The bourse was to be demutualised on or before the August 28, 2007. Under demutualisation, management and trading at a stock exchange are separated while corporatisation refers to running a bourse like a company.

After finding “serious irregularities” in its functioning, Sebi had earlier decided to withdraw recognition granted to the exchange. “I note that serious irregularities have been found in the functioning of Delhi Stock Exchange at the time when DSE was taking steps for demutualisation,” Sebi Whole Time Member Prashant Saran had said in an order dated November 19, 2014.

“It is seen that for completing the demutualisation process the erstwhile board of DSE had overlooked the due transfer of shares in demat accounts and receipt of funds by the appointed date,” the order had said.

up. Kathmandu blamed New Delhi for supporting the protestors but the allegation has been denied. The blockade halted for months Nepal’s third-country trade, apparently prompting the Nepalese government to look for an alternative to the Haldia port.

The transit agreement with China gives Nepal an option to use the next nearest Tianjin port in China that is 3,000 km from Nepal border. India’s Haldia port is 1,000 km away. However, there are concerns that Nepal cannot immediately use the Chinese port as infrastructure in the tiny country is poor and the Chinese side is located at a higher altitude.

Other important agreements signed during Oli’s visit on Monday include an accord on the construction of a bridge in Hilsa, far west Nepal, that will connect the republic with Tibet.

Hilsa was a traditional trade route to Nepal.

New Delhi, March 21 (iaNS): A total of 337 villages in 12 states were electrified during last week, ending March 20, under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna, an official statement said on Monday.

“Of these electrified villages, 67 are in Odisha, 49 in Jharkhand, 66 in Uttar Pradesh, 30 in Arunachal Pradesh, 41 in Bihar, 49 in Assam, 12 in Chhattisgarh, 9 in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Rajasthan and one each in Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir,” said a power

SUDOKU

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Game Number # 3526

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for construction of a regional airport in the second largest city of Pokhara, some 200 km from Kathmandu.

The two neighbours also signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to boost the bilateral trade.

China has also agreed to explore oil and gas resources in Nepal and will provide all technical and economic support for it.

One of the commercial banks in China has also agreed to open its office in Nepal. Similarly, Nepalese banks can also open their branches in China. China has also agreed to help in installation of solar panels in 32,000 Nepalese households.

Agreements in the fields of science and technology, sistercity relations between various Nepalese and Chinese cities, and establishment of Nepal’s Consular General Office in Chengdu, China, were also signed, said Gopal Khanal, foreign relations expert to Prime Minister Oli.

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newable energy projects in India,” PFS chief executive Ashok Haldia said in the statement.

Last year, the International Finance Corp (IFC), the private financing arm of the World Bank, subscribed to $35 million worth of 10-year non-convertible debentures issued by PFS to boost long-term financing for renewable energy projects in India.

337 villages electrified last week

You can still buy Vicks Action 500 India’s monopoly to end as Nepal gets trade point in China China has also pledged KaThMaNDu, March 21 ade caused huge crises as fuel Extra, Corex: No ban for now: Court (iaNS): Stung by the bitter les- and medicine supplies dried $216-million soft loan to Nepal

New Delhi, March 21 (ageNcieS): The government ban on over 300 drugs will remain on hold till the next hearing on Monday, the Delhi High Court said today. Popular drugs D’Cold, Vicks Action 500 Extra, Corex and Benadryl are among the 6,000-odd brands have been impacted by the government move to ban 344 fixed dose combination drugs. Many pharma companies had moved court against the government order and had earlier won an interim stay against the government ban.

The Health Ministry through a notification on March 10 had banned these drugs, citing health reasons. The government decided to prohibit manufacturing, sale and distribution of fixed drug combinations, saying that these drugs have “no therapeutic justification” and are likely to “involve risk to human beings”.

Last week, leading pharma companies including Glenmark, Pfizer, Abbott India, Macleods,

company said in a stock exchange filing.

The loans include four projects for renewable sector and two for transmission of power.

“The company continues to expand and reinforce its presence in financing of clean energy projects and other emerging areas of power sector.

This shall help consolidate PFS’ position as a leading institution financing re-

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A

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ministry statement, adding that a total of 6,816 villages have been electrified during 2015-16 till date. The government has decided to electrify the remaining 18,452 unelectrified villages by May 1, 2018, it said.

“Out of the remaining 11,636 villages, 7,976 villages are to be electrified through grid, 3,205 villages are to be electrified through off-grid, where grid solutions are out of reach due to geographical barriers, and 455 villages are to be electrified by the state governments,” the statement added.

STd COdE: 0369

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CURRENCY NOTES

222246 222491

BUY(Rs)

SELL(Rs)

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

65.13 93.01 8.12 49.69 47.88 50.2 58.06

68.11 97.56 9.05 52.17 50.27 52.69 61.36

Euro

73.46

77.07

Thai Baht Korean Won UAE Dirham (AED) Chinese Yuan

1.81

2.02

0.0537

0.0599

17.16

19.13

9.7

10.81

TuesdAY 22•03•2016

NAGALAND

Honour rights of Nagas, NISC to Modi Free medical camp underway at NHAK DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): The Naga International Support Center (NISC) has written an open letter to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, asking the latter to “honour the rights of the Naga Peoples and also to look into how their rights can be restored in practice.” In the letter, Dr FAM Welman, Secretary, NISC stated that the question of repairing damages inflicted upon Nagas by the Indian armed

forces should also be discussed and determined.

It hoped the Prime Minister would “agree that justice should be done to those who have been treated unjustly since 1947.” The NISC viewed that “many lives could be spared on both sides if you let your wisdom prevail.”

It further informed that the NISC has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom asking the latter to provide the

Naga Peoples with conclusive evidence that indeed the British Government had transferred all of Nagaland to the Union of India and to what was then Burma.

“We asked that because we know that around 65% to 75% of all Naga lands were never colonized by Great Britain and so even if Nagaland was officially transferred; papers to that effect should show this beyond doubt, still the rest of Nagaland, termed by Britain as

‘un-administered areas of the FREE Nagas’ or Excluded areas, could not have been transferred and so were free when the British decolonized,” the NISC said.

The NISC apprised the UK Prime Minister of how the National Naga Council declared independence a day before India, “and although this was ignored

by India and all other nations, the United Nations received the declaration.”

“However, possibly be-

cause Great Britain did not react by providing papers, Nagaland was not recognized as a sovereign nation,” it presumed.

Asserting that the Naga Peoples have “every right to determine their own future,” the NISC further stated that former Indian PM, Jawaharlal Nehru and U Nu, the former leader of Burma “had no right to draw the border through Nagaland thus separating them internationally.”

Finance Dept clarifies on alleged discrepancies in budget documents KOHIMA, MARCH 21 (DIPR): Principal Secretary & Finance Commissioner, Temjen Toy in a press release has issued a clarification regarding the reported difference of more than Rs. 10.00 crores between the figures appearing in the Nagaland

Appropriation Bill (No. 2), 2016 and the figures appearing in the budget papers presented to the House on March 17, 2016.

He clarified that the vote of the Legislature is obtained for the whole of the gross expenditure proposed against each De-

mand for Grants, while the Annual Financial Statement shows the net expenditure against each Major Head after adjusting the recoveries of Departmental Charges under each Demand for Grant. This is the reason why the Nagaland Appropriation Bill (No. 2), 2016

totals to a gross amount of Rs. 13,658.74 crores while the Annual Financial Statement shows the total net disbursement from the Consolidated Fund as Rs. 13,645.98 crores, a difference of RS. 12.76 crores.

This difference represents the ‘recoveries’ contem-

plated in the Budget by way of Departmental charges, Agency charges, etc.

The Finance Commissioner said that the apparent discrepancy is on account of the form of presentation of different budgetary documents as per the established procedure.

SD Jain HSS excels at Ekakrithin 2016 Cyclist on mission to raise cancer awareness reaches Nagaland

students of sd Jain higher secondary school who won at the ekakrithin 2016 with Principal reji abraham.

DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): SD Jain Higher Secondary School, Dimapur emerged as the educational institution with highest number of points at the Ekakrithin 2016, a technocultural event organized by National Institute of Technology on March 18 and 19 at its sprawling campus in Chumukedima.

A team numbering about 70 students from

the school participated in different competitions.

The school had a total of 14 first winners and 12 second winners in competitions ranging from literary, cultural, games and techno craft. All the prize winners in the competition were felicitated during the school morning assembly.

Principal Reji Abraham congratulated all the stu-

KOHIMA, MARCH 21 (DIPR): A young cyclist from Kolkata who has embarked on a multi-nation cycle journey with a mission to raise awareness on cancer reached Kohima on March 20. Anirban Acharya, who wanted to do something challenging since his schools days, has undertaken a pledge to create cancer awareness on bicycle and plans to cover more than 100 countries by 2020.

Talking to an IPR official, Anirban said that his mission is to spread the message that “cancer is preventable and curable but it needs awareness” as the primary goal of such awareness is to significantly reduce the illness and death caused due to the dreadful disease.

dents from the school for their spirited performances in the competition. He exhorted the students to make full use of every opportunity that comes their way to showcase their talent. He also said that the school will not leave any stone unturned in pursuit of providing ample opportunity to students to hone their skills in differKOHIMA, MARCH 21 ent fields.

(MExN): Kohima Police manning inter-state check gate at Khuzama recovered 519 kilograms of contraband ganja worth 8:00 am on Holy Saturday, Rs. 25,95,000/- in the nawhile on Easter Sunday, tional market on March the Morning Prayer and 21, 4:00 am. A press reEaster services will start lease from PRO, Kohima Police informed that the at 5:30 am.

MGOS Church is the contraband was found only Orthodox Syrian concealed inside a special church in Nagaland un- compartment in a truck der the diocese of Kolkata. (NL-03A-2412) designed The church is also running for transporting illegal MGM Hr Sec School, MGM items. In this connection, Hostel, and MGM College two persons identified as of Teacher Education in Suresh Kumar (25) and Dimapur under the regis- Karaiba (37), both from tered ‘St. Thomas Mission Manipur, were taken into Society’, the release added. police custody and a regular case vide Khuzama P.S Case No. 0011/2016 U/S 20 (b) (ii) (c) NDPS Act was registered against them for conducting further investigation.

Starting his journey from New Delhi on June 6, 2015 with a motto ‘Around the world on bicycle for a cause of cancer awareness’, Anirban has covered a distance of 1,40,000 kilometres till date covering Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa, Chennai, Kerala, Kanyakumari, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam before reaching Nagaland on March 19, 2016. After covering the seven North Eastern states, he will set out for South East Asian countries and Europe.

Before embarking on this mission, Anirban was working as a Marketing Executive in an MNC in Kolkata and also undertook training at the Indian Cancer Society, New Delhi.

KOHIMA, MARCH 21 (DIPR): After successfully conducting free medical camp last year through the initiative of Governor of Nagaland PB Acharya, a team of doctors from Mumbai headed by Director Prof.

(Dr) KC Mohanty has arrived here in Kohima for a health camp which will be held for four days from March 21 to 24 at NHAK. The free multidisciplinary medical camp is organized by Environmental Medical Association Mumbai and Indian National Fellowship Centre to promote interstate relationship as part of national integration and to serve the people of Nagaland.

Dr. Mohanty informed that the team will conduct free surgery on the needy patients and also distribute free medicines to deserving patients. He further informed that there will be open house discussion on March 22 with the local doctors, nurses and interested persons on medical education at Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima.

The medical specialists include Prof (Dr.) KC Mohanty- Chest Specialist;

A press release from Fr. PS Varghese, the parish priest, informed that during the Passion Week, there will be prayer at 5:30 pm every day. On Maundy Thursday, midnight prayer will start at 5:3 am followed by Morning Prayer pass over service.

On Good Friday, Morning Prayer will be held at 5:30 am followed by Holy Mass and Good Friday services. Morning Prayer and Holy Mass will start at

PEREN, MARCH 21 (DIPR): Deputy Commissioner of Peren, Peter Lichamo in a notification has informed all the arms license holders of Peren district that the Ministry of Home Affairs has launched National Database of Arms Licenses (NDAL), an online web category of arms license, which is being implemented. The data is required to be fed online each time a license is issued or renewed and the system generates a Unique Identification Number (UIN) for each license holder which

Ganja worth around Rs. 3 lakh seized

GMS Settsu building inaugurated

Highway robbers arrested In another incident on March 20, Kohima South Police Station personnel apprehended one person identified as A Sumi (34) for “extorting” from Manipur bound truck at Lerie junc-

(Left to right) s. sari Pongen, takomeren, Limatoshi, i sademmenla (deO Mokokchung), i Wati Lkr, and J. Moa Jamir.

MOKOKCHUNg, MARCH 21 (MExN): The new building of GMS Settsu, which was constructed under SSA sanction 201213, was inaugurated by I Sademmenla, District Education Officer (DEO), Mokokchung as the chief guest on March 19.

The inauguration of the building was followed by a short programme chaired

by Takomeren, Head Teacher of the School. In the programme, the chief guest lauded the effort of the VEC and the Village Council in completing the building even though the full amount was not released by the department. She also endorsed the account given by Limatoshi, who had earlier informed that the building was the third to complete under

the programme. The DEO also exhorted the teachers of the school to teach with renewed passion in the new building.

Short speeches were delivered by the VEC Chairman, I. Wati Lkr, S. Sari Pongen, Village Council Chairman, Limatoshi, Junior Engineer, SSA District Mission Authority, Mokokchung.

Free medical camp held in Pfütsero Under the initiative of Governor of Nagaland PB Acharya, free medical camp was held in Pfütsero on March 21 with Prof. Dr Salil Bendre, Chest Phy-

sician and Bronchoscopist, Head of Department of Chest Medicines and Prof. Dr. RM Sundrani, MD (BOM), Department of Pulmonology, G.T Hospital Mumbai, organized

by Environmental Medical Association Mumbai and Indian National Fellowship Centre.

The camp was assisted

by Medical Officers of Pfütsero Community Health Centre, where hundreds of patients from nearby villages availed the services including medicines which were provided free of cost.

will be subsequently pasted on the license and in the office record. The target date for completion of the exercise has been extended to March 31, 2016.

Therefore, holders of arms license issued and registered by the DC office, Peren have been requested to do the following: Arms license holders who have not renewed are to renew and update it before the last date; Those have renewed and have not submitted for sticker paste are to deposit the licenses to the office for the same; License holders

who have deposited and have not collected are to come to the office along with two passport photos of the license holders; Multiple arms license holders are to deposit their licenses with a request letter for consolidation of multiple licenses into a single license.

Failing to comply with the directives, the DC said the office will not entertain any complaint and queries after the last date and the license shall stand invalid as per the implementation of NDAL.

Blood donation camp today DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): Rotary Club of Dimapur in association with Shree Shree Durga Mandir Trust, Dimapur will organize blood donation camp on March 22, 10:30 am onwards at Shree Durga Mandir Hall, Old Daily Market. The organizers have requested the voluntary donors to attend the camp and donate blood towards the greater cause of humanity. The blood units collected will be used for Mega Rotary Rahat Medical cum Surgical Mission, which will be held in Dimapur from March 28 to April 5.

Benreului Baudi general meeting PEREN, MARCH 21 (MExN): The Benreului Baudi Nagaland has convened its general meeting on March 26, 11:00 am at Benreu village. Therefore, the President, Heikim Meru has requested all the members to attend the meeting without fail.

Excise seize 700 bottles of liquor DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): Excise Mobile Squad personnel manning the New Field Excise check gate seized 700 bottles of assorted liquor on March 21 the two accused arrested with ganja by Kohima Police from the possession of one Aram Hussian. A press release from Superintendent of Excise (Mobile Squad) Kaon March 21. toho Sumi informed that the accused has been booked tion in Kohima. According plice fled from the scene, under the relevant section of the NLTP Act, 1989 and the to the PRO, Kohima Police, the release said. During seized articles kept at the unit Malkhana. the Kohima South PS re- further investigation, the ceived information around absconding accomplice 6:30 am that some persons identified as M. Letro (26) GBs Union Dimapur were extorting from Mani- was apprehended from the requests for more LLINs pur bound truck at Lerie town on the same day, it junction. Following that, added. In this connection, DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): GBs Union Dimapersonnel from the South a criminal case has been pur today informed that only about 70% of the population Police Station rushed to the registered at Kohima South in Dimapur has received the free Long Lasting Insectispot and apprehended A. PS Case No. 0010/2016 U/S cidal Nets (LLINs) so far. Therefore, it has requested the Sumi. However, his accom- 392/34 IPC against the two. department concerned to distribute more nets to those who have not been given the nets. The request was made through a press release issued by the Union Chairman, MY Ngullie and General Secretary, Yeheto Zhimomi.

MTLT demands CBI inquiry into CAG report

MOKOKCHUNg, MARCH 21 (MExN): The Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem (MTLT) today expressed concern at the “various anomalies and rampant corruption in various government departments” as per the CAG report for the year 2014-2015.

The MTLT in a release issued by its Media Cell also supported the statement made by ACAUT with regard to the matter. It specifically referred to the 4-point demand made by ACAUT in its press release: Immediately suspending the officials implicated/alleged on corruption in the CAG report; Immediately seizing moveable and non moveable assets of those who have been implicated in the CAG report so as to recover

Dr. Varsha Phadke- Paediatrician; Dr. Satish Vaidya- Cardiologist; Dr. Agam Vora- Chest Physician; Dr. IS Gilada- Dermatologist; Dr. M. Sundrani- Chest Physician; Dr. Satil Bendre- General Physician and Prof (Dr.) Geeta M. NiyoniGynaecologist.

DC Peren informs arms license holders

MGOS Church observes Passion Week DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): MGOS (Mar Gregorios Orthodox Syrian) Church in Dimapur celebrated Palm Sunday on March 20, where Morning Prayer, Holy Mass, and special Palm Sunday services were held in the morning.

Palm Sunday procession and blessings on palms and special prayers were also held. This week, special Passion Week prayers will be conducted in the church.

One of the doctors from Mumbai examines a patient during the free medical camp held at naga hospital authority, Kohima on March 21.

the funds misappropriated; Prosecuting those implicated of corruptions stringently as per the law; Considering the scale and severity of corruption the Government of Nagaland should bring in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in order to have an impartial inquiry.

The MTLT also demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry be made accordingly to convict the guilty with the resultant suspension/termination of their services.

MTLT further expressed concern that the CAG of India Report on Public Distribution System (PDS) in Nagaland shows the level of “cryptic crudity” in the Department of Food and Civil Supplies. “It is known

that anomalies have been detected in this Department since 2011,” it said.

Stating that it had earlier pointed out the long-drawn issues of the PDS rice scam in Mokokchung and that it was ‘just a tip of the iceberg’, MTLT demanded that all the files in the department since 2011 till date be thoroughly checked by the CBI. The organisation also said the CAG report mentioned that “the misuse of 5069 ration cards were pointed out as issue of excess ration cards to district offices without any requisition.” The MTLT questioned whether the Nagaland government has done anything to make the corrections thereof and what constitutes the latest report on this.

KSUD social work on March 24 DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): Khiamniungan Students' Union Dimapur (KSUD) is organising a social work on March 24. It is compulsory for all student members from classes 8 to degree to join in the programme, according to a press release received here, which added that strict attendance will be maintained. Participants have been requested to obtain further details from colony in-charge or by contacting 9615863879.

Birthday GreetinGs Dear boka!!

On this special day, i wish you all the very best, all the joy you can ever have and may you be blessed abundantly today, tomorrow and the days to come! May you have a fantastic birthday and many more to come...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

From loved ones, wife & children

TuesDAY 22•03•2016

IN FOCUS

6

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express volume Xi issue 79

Beyond the Monologue The monologues in Naga society are characteristically reactive, competitive, defensive and self-righteous

O

ne reason why Nagas find themselves in a constant state of stalemate is because of the manner in which the ‘monologue’ has become so embedded into our daily life. Indeed the healthy and dynamic practice of dialogue which was central to the Naga traditional way of conducting human affairs has, over time, become a dialogue between monologues.

The monologues have had the effect of only widening the divides, while at the same reducing possibilities of understanding because people are no longer listening to each other’s point of view. Consequently, since other voices are tuned out because no one listens to each other, each monologue only hears its own voice. This means that no one is able to share ideas, understand or appreciate each other and find common ground. Is this not the reality of today’s time?

If only Nagas could respond outside the insular definitions of clan, tribe, religion, factions, organizations and other categorizations, and sincerely listen deeply to one another, perhaps a fluid and meaningful exchange could take place.

Instead, the normative practice of monologue effectively prevents any process that resembles genuine dialogue.

The culture of monologue represents a position rather than being reflective as it feeds into the cycle of power where each voice asserts itself to drown other voices. The monologues in Naga society are characteristically reactive, competitive, defensive and self-righteous. This practice of monologues is eating away at the root of our common understanding, as it undermines the ethos of democratic participation, inclusiveness and harmonious coexistence.

The culture of monologue is prevalent in all spheres of Naga activity, and has been institutionalized in most forms of human organization throughout Naga culture. Because Nagas have stopped dialoguing with each other, the mind-numbing monotone and bankruptcy of ideas and staleness of thoughts are setting into the psyche and blunting the creative realization of what humans can achieve in agreement with each other and the natural world. No wonder one finds that we are constantly repeating ourselves and actually have little or nothing new to say or do anymore.

The need to shift from a monologue to a dialogue is imperative. This requires a dialogue which brings to public expression an understanding, which embraces the understanding and acceptance of differences. The existing monologue must be confronted and transcended so that the destiny of a people’s existence focuses on a shared future with purpose and hope.

Nagas need to break out of this monologue with a renewed sense of purpose in order for our culture to reclaim its vibrancy. While building on the legacy of what the elders have handed down to the present generation, the new generation needs to reexamine this rich legacy for its relevancy and application in today’s context with the future in mind.

Transitioning away from the practice of this monologue asks for a new consciousness and a way interacting, relating which is reflective, inclusive and participatory to ensure holistic new ways of being emerge for conducting Naga affairs.

We are constantly being invited to begin dialoguing with each other. Nagas, as a people, have the ability to search deeply within themselves, to restore and renew our lives as a dynamic and creative political entity.

lEfT WING |

Paola Totaro Thomson Reuters Foundation

Mind the gap

U

ganda's constitution of 1995 is known worldwide for pioneering and gender-sensitive provisions to protect women and their rights.

However the reality on the ground, even two decades later, is an entirely different story, according to a report presented on Tuesday at a World Bank Conference on Land Rights and Poverty.

A yawning gap exists between official legal frameworks to protect property rights and their implementation and cultural acceptance on a practical level in Uganda, where some 80 percent of the population holds land under customary tenure without formal recognition, said researcher Francis Birungi.

"There is a great disparity between the protection enshrined by the law and women's lives and experiences, and land security for millions of women and their children remains tenuous," he said.

According to Birungi's research project, led by Uganda Community Based Association for Women and Children's Welfare (UCOBAC), land is by far the most productive asset in the country.

Agriculture accounts for 43 percent of gross domestic product, 80 percent of employment and 85 percent of export earnings, he said. "Women represent 80 percent of the agricultural labour force and are the backbone of Uganda's economy, producing up to 60 percent of cash crops and 80 percent of food crops," Birungi said. "However even the strongest legal foundations often do little to help women if they are not communicated well or do not reach women in affordable and systematic ways."

He described the experience of a 65-year-old widow in northern Uganda who struggled to defend her right to a piece of land that her late husband had inherited. She lived peacefully on the land until her brother-in-law's son decided he wanted it for himself. "She had nothing legally binding to prove that she had a right to stay on the land, leaving her completely exposed to the whim of her late husband's nephew," he said.

"She attempted to negotiate terms for sharing the land with him, but to no end."

She sought redress from the local council and clan leaders who intervened, but the situation remains unresolved because she has no proof of ownership, he said.

It is, however, before a court - though the woman had almost given up because she could not afford the transportation costs of getting to court, he said.

Ethiopia, too, is a nation where the equal rights of women in marriage and property ownership are enshrined in law but not in practice, said Negasa Derassa Sima of the Responsible & Innovative Land Administration (REILA) Project.

Structural and socio-cultural factors prevent women from realizing the land rights conferred on them by customary or formal laws, and many women are not aware of their rights to land - rights that are typically controlled by men, he said.

While national law is codified, Islamic law is not, leading to "inconsistent and discriminatory decisions" in settling disputes, especially those filed by women, he said.

Moreover, if a women claims a right to land, this can result in household conflict, and the loss of support from her family are social and economic costs she may be unwilling or unable to bear, he said. "Even when women are prepared to assert those rights ... they often lack the financial or educational resources to exercise their rights through, for example, a court of law," he said, "and they face barriers in travelling to those institutions or are intimidated, given their under-representation in the courts or customary dispute-resolution bodies."

Uganda, Ethiopia show good laws don't always work in practice

C O M M E N T A R Y

Rev. John Dear CommonDreams

Building New 'Nonviolent Cities'

L

ast year, I was invited to give a talk on peace in Carbondale, Illinois. I was surprised to discover that in recent years, activists from across Carbondale had come together with a broad vision of what their community could one day become—a nonviolent city. They wanted a new holistic approach to their work, with a positive vision for the future, so that over time, their community would be transformed into a culture of nonviolence.

They created a coalition, a movement and a citywide week of action and called it, “Nonviolent Carbondale.” They set up a new website, established a steering committee, set up monthly meetings, and launched “Nonviolent Carbondale” as a positive way to promote peace and justice locally. In doing so, they gave everyone in Carbondale a new vision, a new idea, of what their community could become.

I think “Nonviolent Carbondale” offers a positive example of a new way forward for every community and city in the nation. Every city should become a nonviolent city. That should be the goal and vision of every local community, as Gandhi and Dr. King taught long ago. Activists and people from across the spectrum should come together locally to envision their community as a place of nonviolence and start organizing to make that goal come true.

With all the violence, hatred, and warmaking these days, we need to help one another imagine what our local communities would look like if they were nonviolent, and systematically plan a long term course of action to make that vision come true.

From the start, the Carbondale activists held their local organizing meetings occasionally before city council meetings, which they then attended together as a group. At city council meetings, they started suggesting and lobbying ways their city could become more nonviolent. Their movement eventually became based out of the main Carbondale Library. Over the years, they have done positive work with their police department, local schools and school system, religious communities, the library system, and local non-profits. As grassroots activists, they have lifted up a positive vision of their community and brought it into the mainstream.

Over the years, they put their energies into their “11 Days” program--11 days in March filled with scores of actions and events for all ages across the city. Twice their 11 days focused on peace; twice on compassion; and last year on food. One of the outcomes from last year’s 11 Days, for example, was a new organic food market started in the poorest neighborhood in town.

“Nonviolent Carbondale” offers a model for activists, movements and cities across the country.

With their example in mind, the group I work with, Campaign Nonviolence, is launching the “Nonviolent Cities” project using “Nonviolent Carbondale”

J

effrey Goldberg, writing in the April 2016 issue of The Atlantic, teases out the Obama Doctrine through a series of conversations and interviews with U.S. President Barack Obama spanning several years.

The article is extremely interesting and worth a read because it articulates, for the first time ever, a complete and clear picture of the American president’s intellectual premises on foreign policy and the United States’ role in the world. There are now many follow-up articles that highlight, discuss, or critique Obama’s views or policies in relations to many parts of the world such as Russia, the Middle East, and East Asia, but the careful reader may note one glaring omission: India hardly seems to figure in the Obama Doctrine. The Atlantic article itself has no direct mentions of the Indian state or relations with India, except for a vague concern of Obama’s that climate change could lead to famine and displacement in the Indian subcontinent.

For a president as aware as Obama of the geopolitical calculus in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the strategic consequences of the rise of China in Asia, it is unlikely that he simply neglected to think about the role of a country as large and powerful as India. In short, Obama has neither forgotten nor found the time for India: his relative disinterest in it stems from just that–general indifference. India is simply not important enough in the Obama view of America’s national interests: both its long-term ones in the Asia-Pacific, and the quagmires it constantly gets bogged down in in the Middle East and North Africa.

But this should be no surprise when considering Obama’s overall views as well as the trajectory of Indo-American relations, both of which determine that India will always be a secondary American interest. This is not due to any per-

as an organizing model for other cities.

Taking the lead from friends and activists in Carbondale, Campaign Nonviolence invites activists across the U.S. to organize a similar grassroots movement in their city, to put the word “nonviolent” in front of their city, and to help others envision, organize and work for a new more disarmed local community, town, or city. As far as we can tell, this organizing tool has never been formally tried anywhere in the U.S., except in Carbondale.

This movement is a new next step in the visionary, organizing nonviolence of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Perhaps the key aspect of “Nonviolent Cities” is that each city will be summoned to address its violence in all its aspects, structures, and systems; to connect the dots between its violence; and to pursue a more holistic, creative, city-wide nonviolence, where everyone together is trying to practice nonviolence, promote nonviolence, teach nonviolence and even institutionalize nonviolence on the local level, to really build a new nonviolent community for itself and others. We want not just to undermine the local and regional culture of violence, and end all the kill-

ings, but to transform it into a culture of nonviolence.

That means that “Nonviolent Cities” organizers would promote the vision, teach nonviolence, and inspire people at every level in their community to work together for a new nonviolent community and a new nonviolent future. That would include everyone from the mayor and city council members to the police chief and police officers, to all religious and civic leaders, to all educators and healthcare workers, to housing authorities, to news reporters and local media; to youth and grassroots activists, to the poor and marginalized, children and the elderly. Together, they would address all the issues of violence and pursue all the angles and possibilities of nonviolence for their city’s transformation into a more nonviolent community. The first goal would be a rapid reduction in violence in the community and an end to killing.

Nonviolent cities would work to end racism, poverty, homelessness and violence at every level and in every form; dismantle housing segregation and pursue racial, social and economic nonviolent integration; end police violence and institutionalize police nonviolence; organize to end domestic vio-

lence and teach nonviolence between spouses, and nonviolence toward all children; work to end gang violence and teach nonviolence to gang members; teach nonviolence in every school; help get rid of guns, gun shows and local weapons manufacturers; pursue more nonviolent immigration programs and policies; get religious leaders and communities to promote nonviolence and the vision of a new nonviolent city; reform local jails and prisons so they are more nonviolent and educate guards and prisoners in nonviolence; move from retributive to restorative justice in the entire criminal justice system; put up signs calling for nonviolence everywhere in the community; address local environmental destruction, climate change, and environmental racism, pursue clean water, solar and wind power, and a 100% green community; and in general, do everything possible to help their local community become more disarmed, more reconciled, more just, more welcoming, more inclusive, and more nonviolent.

If Carbondale, Illinois can seek to become a nonviolent city, any city can seek to become a nonviolent city. This is an idea whose time has come. This is an organizing strategy that should be tried around the nation and the world. The only way it can happen is through bottom up, grassroots organizing, that reaches out to include everyone in the community, and eventually becomes widely accepted, even by the government, media and police.

Tw o i nt e rnational groups pursue a similar vision--International Cities for Peace and Mayors for Peace, which has 6965 cities committed in 161 countries—but, as far as I can tell, no U.S. group has ever attempted to invite local communities to pursue a vision of holistic city-wide nonviolence or organize a grassroots movements of nonviolent cities.

On our website, we have posted “Ten Steps Toward a Nonviolent City,” a basic initial list of organizing tasks for local activists which includes: creating a local steering committee; finding a mainstream institution that can serve as a base; organizing a series of public meetings and forums; studying violence in the community; meeting with the mayor and the city council; and organizing a city-wide launch.

Gandhi once remarked that we are constantly being astonished by the advances in violence, but if we try, if we organize, if we can commit ourselves, he declared, we can make even more astonishing new discoveries and advances in nonviolence. With the example of “Nonviolent Carbondale” before us, we have a way to organize every local community and city in the nation, a way to envision how we can all one day live together in peace with justice, and the possibility of new hope. If we follow the example of Nonviolent Carbondale, we can help transform our culture of violence into something completely new---a culture of nonviolence. That should always be our goal.

Does obama Care About india?

The Obama administration might not have cared deeply about India, but that’s not by design Akhilesh Pillalamarri The Diplomat sonal antipathy from either end, but a function of the fact that both countries have drastically different interests and priorities. At the core of the Obama Doctrine is the assertion that due to the nature of the world, the United States has to be selective in choosing where to engage: “And in order to advance both our security interests and those ideals and values that we care about, we’ve got to be hardheaded at the same time as we’re bighearted, and pick and choose our spots….” And India is not a spot that has been chosen, in particular, for engagement.

While it is evident that Obama recognizes Russia and China as poles that could potentially play roles in world affairs similar to that of the United States, this consideration does not extend to India. Partially this is because India itself has refused to be drawn into the complex politics of the greater Middle East or the balancing schemes of the Asia-Pacific; for example, India

turned down an offer to jointly patrol the South China Sea with the United States. India’s diplomatic contributions to important world issues, such as Iran’s nuclear program or the Syrian crisis, have been paltry and minimal, even under the more active premiership of Narendra Modi. Of course, the Indian government cannot be entirely blamed for this, since India’s political structure incentivizes focusing on domestic politics.

Seen in this light, the policies of the George W. Bush administration, such as the civil nuclear deal, that sought to build up India as a counterbalance to China were an aberration rather than the rule. The Bush administration failed to appreciate India’s commitment to avoiding alliances or seeming as though it was allying with any of the other great powers.

It can even be argued that the Indian government milked the Bush administration for the nuclear deal without really giving much back strategically.

Of course, the Obama administra-

WRITE-WING

tion has not completely neglected India. It recognizes that India, with its population and economy, could soon potentially be a major player and that India in particular likes to be treated as a global power and fêted on the world stage. Obama was the special guest for India’s 2015 Republic Day Parade, a first for a sitting American president, and Modi paid a visit to the United States in 2014 where he reportedly “bonded” with Obama.

There are many advocates of stronger Indo-American ties from all major American and Indian political parties, but ultimately the most they are likely to achieve are better trade deals or increased peopleto-people and cultural ties.

The limits of the United States really caring about India and its interests are evidenced by the actions of the Obama administration. For example, Obama cut short his Republic Day visit to India to attend the funeral of Saudi King Abdullah in 2015. It is impossible to not draw the message that Saudi Arabia, a country with less than 5 percent of the population of India, is more important to American interests that India. And sadly for Indian policymakers, there may well be a legitimate basis for this to be the case, because Saudi Arabia, despite its low population and lack of non-petroleum resources, is somehow more intensely involved in global and regional geopolitics than India is.

Ultimately, it is clear that in practice, the Obama Doctrine has a limited place for India, since there is not much the United States can achieve in its relations with India and because there are no pressing security issues that involve India. This is true even with regard to Afghanistan’s stability, where the roles of Pakistan, China, and Iran are more vital. Indian policy-makers should take note of all this, accept it as a fact without feeling hurt or insulted, and conduct policy accordingly.

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TuesDAY 22•03•2016

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

7

Berta Cáceres, Presente!

RECONCILIATION I Beverly Bell

Foreign Policy in Focus

began writing a eulogy for Berta Isabel Cáceres Flores years ago, though she died only this month.

Berta was assassinated by Honduran governmentbacked death squads on March 3. Like many who knew and worked with her, I was aware that this fighter for indigenous people wasn’t destined to die of old age. She spoke too much truth to power — for indigenous rights, for women’s and LGBTQ rights, for authentic democracy, for the wellbeing of the earth, and for an end to tyranny by transnational capital and U.S. empire.

Berta cut her teeth on revolution. She was strongly impacted by the broadcasts from Cuba and Sandinista-led Nicaragua that her family listened to clandestinely, gathered around a radio — with the volume turned very low, since those stations were outlawed in Honduras. Always a committed leftist, Berta’s mother raised her many children to believe in justice. Doña Bertha — the mother made her youngest child her namesake — was mayor of her town and governor of her state back when women were neither, in addition to being a midwife. She was Berta’s life-long inspiration. As a young adult, like so many others from the region who shared her convictions, Berta went on to support the Salvadoran revolution. In 1993, Berta — a Lenca Native — cofounded the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras, or COPINH. At that time in Honduras, there was little pride and even less power in being indigenous. Berta created COPINH to build the political strength of Lencas, campesinos, and other grassroots sectors to transform one of the most corrupt, anti-democratic, and unequal societies in the hemisphere.

A Political Force Berta loved to say, “They fear us because we’re fearless.”

The fearlessness paid off over the years. COPINH has successfully reclaimed ancestral lands, winning unheard-of communal land titles. They’ve stalled or stopped dams, logging operations, and mining exploration — and not to mention free-trade agreements. They’ve prevented many precious and sacred places from being plundered and destroyed.

In addition to Berta’s remarkable leadership, COPINH’s victories have come through their size, strength, unity, and fierce commitment. Communities have participated in hundreds of protests, from their local mayors’ office to the steps of the national congress. They’ve occupied public spaces, including several of the six U.S. military bases in their country, and refused to leave. They’ve shut down the road to Tegucigalpa, strategically blocking goods from moving to the city. They’ve declared a boycott of all international financial institutions on their lands. They’ve helped coordinate 150 local referendums to raise the stakes on democracy.

Here’s one of many tales that Berta told of strategies and actions.

The backstory is that Honduran farmers — which most COPINH members are — wear thick work boots made of unventilated rubber. Over their course of containing sweaty feet, they come to smell horrendously, so bad that their owners often refer to them as bombas, or bombs. Early in COPINH’s history, a team went from La Esperanza to Tegucigalpa to negotiate with the government on a land titling law. The discussions went on for days. Berta recalled that, during lunchtime, the government received lavish, catered meals; the COPINH members had no money, and so their side of the table stayed empty. Far less connected in those days, the group had nowhere to sleep or shower, and spent the nights in the streets.

At one point, the negotiations were tense and the members of COPINH’s team were shaky on their strategy. They asked for a recess, but the government refused. So someone on the COPINH side gave a discrete signal, and altogether the farmer-activists pulled off their bombas. The smell was so toxic that the government officials fled the room.

COPINH was able to regroup and develop a stunning strategy. The indigenous radicals won the law.

The most recent campaign — which yielded a partial victory — was likely the proximate cause of Berta’s death: stopping the Agua Zarca dam project on a sacred Lenca river. The COPINH community of Rio Blanco — everyone: men, women, elders, toddlers, nursing mothers — formed a human barricade and blocked construction of the dam. Meanwhile, Berta, other members of COPINH, and national and international friends pressured the World Bank and the largest dam company in the world, Chinese state-owned Sinohydro, to pull out. Rio Blanco didn’t just blockade the construction for an hour or for a day, or even for a week. They did it for more than a year. They did it until they won. They got the most powerful financial interests in the world to abandon the project.

Tragically, because other financial interests are always waiting in the wings to plunder for profit, the dam is still under construction. Forty-eight more are either planned or underway on their lands. Berta’s belief in participatory democracy extended profoundly to her everyday practice. As the unparalleled leader of COPINH, and with a large gap between her own level of education and political experience and that of all but a few in the group, it would be have been easy for her to act on her own. Yet she always made herself accountable to the communities she worked for.

I saw the degree of this commitment in action one night when Berta called in to Utopia, COPINH’s rural community meeting center, and asked to speak to everyone. Fifteen or so people quickly gathered around the cell phone on the shaky

A

few numbers begin to reveal why Honduran indigenous leader and global movement luminary, Berta Cáceres, was assassinated on March 3, 2016.

According to the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), more than 300 hydroelectric dams are planned for Honduras, of which 49 are on COPINH lands. Eight hundred seventy-two contracts have been handed out to corporations for mining alone, with many others created for mega-tourism, wind energy, and logging projects. The majority of these are planned for indigenous lands. Of those, all are in violation of International Labor Organization Convention 169, to which Honduras is a signatory, allowing free, prior, and informed consent by indigenous peoples before development may take place in their territories.

The many planned extraction projects – in a country slightly larger than the state of Virginia - add up to the need of the Honduran and US governments to subjugate the population. Quiescence and compliance are essential for the national elite and multinational corporations to make their profits. So here are a few more relevant numbers. Honduras has 12,000 soldiers – one for every 717 people, for a county not expected to go to war. Its 2013 “defense” budget was $230 million. Since 2009, the US has invested as much as $45 million in construction funds for just one of those bases, Soto Cano, commonly known as Palmerola.

Last year, US taxpayers footed $5.25 million in direct military aid, and much more in training for 164 soldiers at the School of the Americas/ Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Op-

Berta Caceres and COPINH community members staging a blockade against dam construction in Rio Blanco. (Photo: Goldmanprize.org)

der is an attempt to put an end to the struggle of the Lenca people against all forms of exploitation and expulsion. It is an attempt to halt the construction of a new world.

“Berta’s struggle was not only for the environment, it was for system change, in opposition to capitalism, racism, and patriarchy.” Back in 2013, after the Honduran government dropped sedition charges against Berta — one of its countless attempts to silence her — someone asked her mother if she was scared for her daughter. Laughing, Berta quoted her mother’s response: “Absolutely not. She’s doing exactly what she should be doing.”

Berta’s humor was legend. A joke from her, and her soft up-and-down-the-scales laugh, punctuated the most tense of moments and kept many of us going, even as she never strayed from the gravity of the situation. One of her jokes was recirculated recently by radical Honduran Jesuit priest Ismael “Melo” Moreno. He once accompanied her to Rio Blanco, where someone snapped a photo of them together. As she peered at the picture, Berta laughed and said to Melo, “Let’s see which of the two of us goes first.”

When Berta saw a performance of the Raging Grannies, a group of elder women who dress up in outrageous skirts and joyously sing protest songs at rallies and events in Albuquerque, she told me, “I never wanted to live to be an old woman. Now I do.”

That chance was just taken from her.

wooden table next to the only light, that of a candle. Berta explained a fairly pro forma request that had come to her from a government office, and proposed a response. When she was finished, she asked the almost exclusively illiterate group, “¿Cheque sí, o cheque no?” All raised their thumbs toward the little cell phone and called out, “Sí!” No joint decision had been required, and yet she’d sought consensus.

Repression in the Wake of Berta’s Death That’s accountability.

One person witnessed Berta’s assassination: Gustavo Castro Soto, coordinator of Otros Mundos Chiapas/Friends The Woman Behind the Myth of the Earth Mexico, coordinator of the Mesoamerican Berta was unflappable. She was calm in the face of chaos and strategic in the face of disaster. She got right in the face Movement against the Extractive Mining Model (M4), and of soldiers and goons when they showed aggression toward co-founder and board member of Other Worlds.

A close friend and ally of Berta, Gustavo slept in her house her or others, and told them what was what. on the last night of her life to provide accompaniment in the Berta was indefatigable, working around the clock with no complaint. When not traveling around Honduras or the hope of deterring violence — something dozens of us have world to raise support for the struggle, she would wake early had to do for her over the years. Gustavo was shot twice and and go straight to her desk to receive updates, often on the feigned death. Berta died in his arms. Gustavo was immedimost recent attacks on COPINH members, and in those cas- ately detained in physically and psychologically inhumane es to write condemnations — all even before a cup of coffee. conditions by the Honduran government, and held for sevShe would then jump into her yellow beater truck to pick eral days for “questioning.” The subsequent days have resemup other members of COPINH and head off to wherever ac- bled a bad spy movie, with Gustavo finally given permission tion or investigation was needed. I was amazed that Berta to leave the country, only to be seized at the migration checkdrove that noteworthy truck everywhere without protection, point at the airport by Honduran authorities, then placed and that she lived in a house secured by only a small bolt into protective custody in the Mexican Embassy — only to and a couple of friendly dogs. Then I realized that it made no be handed back to the Hondurans once more, who took him difference how much security she had. Though Berta also back to the town of La Esperanza for more “questioning.” The spent periods in deep hiding, the government and the com- Honduran government has declared that Gustavo must stay panies she opposed almost always knew where she was — in Honduras for 30 days. He is being “protected” by the Tigers, vicious U.S.-funded and trained “special forces.” and how to get her when they were ready to kill her.

Chillingly, according to the State Department, the United Berta took two small breaks in her life. The first was a two-week vacation with a friend in a neighboring country, States is cooperating with the Honduran investigators. A note the second a three-month semi-repose at my house in Al- from a close colleague, from outside Gustavo’s place of detenbuquerque — though even then, she spent most of her days tion, said that a team of U.S. “FBI types” were actually in the building a continent-wide boycott of the World Bank and interrogation room. The role of the U.S. government in the atInter-American Development Bank. Even as she served her tempted destruction of social movements in Honduras is vast.

One can draw also draw a straight line from Washington community, Berta rose in the past decade to become an into Berta’s death. But that’s the topic of another article. ternational people’s diplomat. She was a heroine to many Gustavo continues to be in terrible danger in Honduglobal movements, a critical player in many struggles, a keyran custody, as what he witnessed is an impediment to the note speaker at many venues. She was someone consultgovernment’s deceptive attempts to pin Berta’s murder on ed by government officials, by international networks, and COPINH itself.

In a note to some friends on March 6, Guseven, a few months ago, by Pope Francis.

As we watched Berta’s rise as a global leader, our close tavo wrote, “The death squads know that they did not kill me, friend and colleague Gustavo Castro commented to me, “I and I am certain that they want to accomplish their task.” The hope she never loses her humility.” She never did. I once Honduran government also imprisoned COPINH leader Auasked Berta how to say “integrity” in Spanish. She translated reliano “Lito” Molina Villanueva for two days just after Berit coherencia — coherence between one’s stated principles ta’s murder, on “suspicion in a crime of passion.” Authorities and actions, coherence amongst all parts of one’s life. Berta are interrogating COPINH leaders Tomas Gomez and Sotero Chaverria as well, while denying them lawyers. This is part of had coherence.

She was highly critical of U.S. Americans for our lack of an effort to criminalize COPINH members. Now, COPINH that coherence. She once led an anti-oppression training for needs more than ever to be protected, to be supported, and an organization I was running, in which she asked us to exam- to carry on the legacy that Berta helped to build. ine whether we were Caesars or artisans. She meant whether our practice — and not just our statements — aligned us with ¡Berta Lives!

Berta touched everyone she met, and even countless the oppressors or with the oppressed, and whether we were promoting the grassroots or ourselves as leaders. For a long ones she didn’t.

My young daughter is one of those. The morning of Bertime after, the refrigerator that Berta and I shared held her line ta’s death, she wrote this: “I was shocked, because how can drawing of a thonged Roman sandal. She commented to me somebody kill someone who was only trying to do what’s once that the problem with U.S. Americans is our attachment right?

Then I remembered they killed Martin Luther King to comfort. Berta herself eschewed comfort. She lived in the and Malcolm X. If I die for doing the right thing, that would modest house in which she was raised, where she cared for let me know that I did my part in this world. Just like Berta.” her elderly mother. She slept in a bare cement room, more When Berta received the 2015 Goldman Prize, the most than half of which had been converted to her office, housing her desk with its mountain range of documents and small prestigious environmental award in the world, she dedicatcomputer table. Her trademark style — regardless of with ed the prize to rebellion, to her mother, to the Lenca people, whom she was meeting — was jeans, sneakers, and a cotton to Rio Blanco, to COPINH — and “to the martyrs who gave shirt. She didn’t shop, go to fancy restaurants, or take a plane their lives in defense of the riches of nature.”

Now Berta is one of these martyrs. when a bus was available.

Berta, Gustavo, and I co-founded the grassroots network Besides COPINH and the struggle for justice, Berta had Convergence of Movements of the Peoples of the Americas another profound commitment: to her mother and her (COMPA) in 1999.

Early on the horrific morning of March 3, a four children. I recall watching the deep pride on Berta’s face when one of her daughters, then only 7 or so, recited a COMPA listserv note blasted the news of Berta’s assassination. poem, “Las Margaritas” (The Daisies), for a group of foreign Reading that message, I spotted the posting just prior, dated visitors; it was a very different expression from any other I’d February 24. It was from Berta. It read simply, “Aqui!” I am here!

She is here. Long may Berta live, in the hearts, minds, pasever seen from her. She grew prouder as her three daughters and son grew older, all of them holding the flame for justice. sions, and actions of all of us. May all women and men comthemselves to realizing the vision of transformation, digFollowing Berta’s murder, her children and mother is- mit nity, and justice for which Berta lived, and for which she died. sued a statement in which they said, “We know with com¡Berta Cáceres, presente! plete certainty that the motivation for her vile assassination Beverly Bell is an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies was her struggle against the exploitation of nature’s comand Coordinator of Other Worlds. She has worked with indigenous monwealth and the defense of the Lenca people. Her murmovements in Honduras for over 15 years.

Why Was Berta Cáceres Assassinated?

Beverly Bell

CommonDreams eration. Three hundred seventy-two US mili- the danger he, like all those organizing in the tary personnel are in the country.

Bajo Aguan region, face. Berta did, too. ProtecGiven that state control is often attained tive measures have the weight of toilet paper through violence, a few more figures become rel- with the Honduran government. Despite the evant. One hundred one environmental activists ongoing violence, COPINH, MUCA, and othwere killed in Honduras between 2010 and 2014, er Honduran organizations and movements making it the most dangerous country anywhere – workers, campesinos, feminists, and more – in which to try to defend the Earth. Nine land de- have resisted the attempts to subdue them. As fenders were attacked just yesterday, March 15, Berta loved to say about the movement, “They between the time we began writing this article fear us because we are fearless.” and when we completed it. COPINH member Of the countless Hondurans who put their Nelson Garcia, who had been helping recover bodies on the line every day, no individual has lands on Rio Lindo, was assassinated in his home more prominently encouraged or strategically on March 15 while the Rio Lindo community organized dissent than Berta. No Honduran has was forcibly evicted. This brings to 14 the num- more visibly spread the message of rebellion ber of COPINH members who have been mur- to the Americas, nor more audibly urged that dered since the group was founded in 1993. A rebellion to spread throughout the Americas. member of COPINH’s coordinating committee, “Our call to this continent is that we really push Sotero Echeverria, was threatened with capture the need to unite ourselves and to create strateby police. Echeverria is one of the 3 members of gies between social movements and left governthe group who have been framed by the govern- ments,” Berta told a large international gatherment for Berta’s murder. ing of prominent leftists in Havana in 2009.

Also yesterday, early in the morning, police Berta’s last stand was against a dam being agents arrested 7 members of United Campesi- illegally constructed on the sacred Gualcarque no Movement of the Aguan (MUCA by its River in the community of Rio Blanco. In addiSpanish acronym), including the president, tion to the internationally financed company Jose Angel Flores. Flores and six other MUCA DESA, behind the dam was the World Bank, activists, including his family members, were and the largest dam company in the world, arrested and taken to the police station. Flores Sinohydro, which is owned by the Chinese has protective measures from the Inter-Ameri- government. For more than a year and a half, can Commission on Human Rights because of the villagers of Rio Blanco were able to halt the

dam construction with nothing more than their bodies, a small trench and fence across the road leading to the river, and their political militance.

Berta and others, meanwhile, took the case to the world, building worldwide alliances which brought enough pressure to force the World Bank and Sinohydro to pull out. Adding insult to injury to those seeking to control water, minerals, forests, and lands, for her work in stopping the dam Berta won the 2015 Goldman Prize, the equivalent of a Nobel for environmental defense. With the award, Berta’s prestige skyrocketed, further threatening domination by the political and economic powers that be. In her acceptance speech, knowing that behind her stood tens or hundreds of thousands of other Hondurans toiling for justice, Berta dedicated her prize in part, to “rebellion.”

This was too much for DESA and the Honduran government. The multi-year efforts to eliminate Berta - through threats, kidnaping attempts, charges of sedition, and more – finally succeeded in the form of a bullet piercing her flesh. Who hired the assassin is unknown.

What is known - given very explicit statements and actions of the company and the government in the days and weeks preceding her assassination – is that both were behind the act.

Yet even death cannot subdue Berta. In the days since her murder, the notoriety of her person and her message has multiplied exponentially around the word. The current level of global action against Honduran government impunity, US government’s support for it, and pillaging by transnational capital has reached heights that Berta could only have dreamed of.

Click here for actions you can take in solidarity.

“Arena of Mind” portrays a space for idea germination, a field where ideas from multi-disciplinary viewpoints fertilize the world of intelligence. The writers aspire to envision a new future by exploring the mind, discovering new seeds of insights and unleashing them to enlightenment.

Sr. Annie CMC

Department of History St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama

R

econciliation with God and ourselves: The word “reconcile” means to change, to change thoroughly; to exchange; to change from enmity to friendship; to bring together, restore, ect. To be reconciled is to be restored to the original relationship, harmony or friendship. From the part of humanity reconciliation begins by examining ourselves. This includes not only our actions but also our attitudes, motives, acts and omissions, because it helps us to see where we need to change.

Now we make the decision to mend or re-pair the broken bridge, chain, relationship. The culprit makes the first move. Mahatma Gandhi in his autobiography narrates one such event: “The other theft was committed when I was fifteen. In this case I stole a bit of gold out of my brother’s armlet. This brother had run into a debt of about twenty-five rupees. He had on his arm an armlet of solid gold. It was not difficult to clip a bit out of it. Well, it was done, and the debt cleared. But this became more than i could bear. I resolved never to steal again. I also made up my mind to confess it to my father. But I did not dare to speak. Not that I was afraid of my father beating me. No I do not recall his ever having beaten any of us.

I was afraid of the pain that I should cause him. But I felt that the risk should be taken; that there could not be a cleaning without a clean confession.

I decided at last to write out the confession, to submit it to my father, and ask his forgiveness. I wrote it on a slip of paper and handed it to him. In this note not only did I confess my guilt, but I asked adequate punishment for it, and closed with a request to him not punish himself for my offence. I also pledged myself never to steal in future.

I was trembling as I handed the confession to my father. He was then suffering from a fistula and was confined to bed. His bed was a plain wooden plank. I handed him the note and sat opposite the plank.

He read it through, and pearl-drops trickled down his cheeks, wetting the paper. For a moment he closed his eyes in thought and then tore up the note. I also cried. I could see my father’s agony. If I were a painter I could draw a picture of the whole scene today. It is still so vivid in my mind.

Those pearl-drops of love cleansed my heart, and washed my sin away. Only he who has experienced such love can know what it is. As the hymn says: ‘Only he, who is smitten with the arrows of love, Knows its power’... This sort of sublime forgiveness was not natural to my father. I had thought that he would be angry, say hard things, and strike his forehead. But he was so wonderfully peaceful, and I believe this was due to my clean confession. A clean confession, combined with a promise never to commit the sin again, when offered before one who has the right to receive it, is the purest type of repentance. I know that my confession made my father feel absolutely safe about me, and increased his affection for me beyond measure.”

During the French revolution a youth by name ‘Tiboth’ was in prison facing a death sentence. Few days before his execution the prison authorities asked him what his last wish was. “I want to spend the last night of my life with my dad” was his reply. The wish was granted. His dad was called in. Both were talking of their long gone happy days; and prayed together.

“Dad I want to sleep on your lap” Tiboth asked. Dad made Tiboth sleep on his lap and stroked his hair as Tiboth went to sleep. At about 6AM there was a knock on the cell Tiboth woke up with a jolt. He was shocked to find that his dad is not in the cell; the prison authorities were equally shocked to see that Tiboth is alive.

What really happened will freeze everyone’s blood! At 2.30 AM there was a knock on the cell. Tiboth was fast asleep. His dad got up and went with the guards. Without knowing, who they were hanging, the guards hanged Tiboth’s dad! Whenever we look at the crucifix the memory of Tiboth’s dad should come to our minds. Jesus has taken upon himself the place we deserve to be.

Our attitude towards each other is a reflection of how in- line with God our thoughts and heart are. If we’re conformed to God, our love of others will show it. One of the principles of Christian living is recognizing the way we treat our neighbour is the evidence of our feeling towards our God. There are many of us who want to be reconciled with the others, but it is not easy to do it. There may be several seasons for it, such as: The deeper the bonds of love and intimacy, the sharper the pain is because intimacy presupposes vulnerability. There is a sacred bond of love in friendship, whether in the world or in a monastery. When this sacred bond is purposely broken by the other, reconciliation is hard – but it is infinitely sweeter when we reconcile with someone we deeply love. Let’s recognize the worth of every human person among us. Let’s be reconciled. Do it today. We may not have yet another tomorrow.

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

8

TuesdAY 22•03•2016

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Those who did nothing spread lies on reservations: Modi

New Delhi, March 21 (iaNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said those who did nothing for the country since Independence spread lies on the issue of reservation whenever the BJP came to power at the Centre or various states.

The Congress hit back, asking Modi as to who raked up the reservation issue in the first place and put the blame at the RSS' doorstep.

Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony of B.R. Ambedkar National Memorial here, Modi said, "Those who did not do anything for 60 years often spread lies. When (Atal Bihari) Vajpayeeji became the prime minister, they started saying that reservation will go. He was the prime minister for two terms. Nothing of that sort happened, but lies were still spread."

In Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, where the BJP has been in power for many years, "nothing has ever happened to end reservation for Dalits and tribals", but lies were still spread to mislead the people, he said.

Modi said such "misinformation campaigns" were carried out by people who only wanted to do politics on reservation.

"There are misgivings

Paswan calls for reservation in private sector

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah at the BJP’s national executive meeting in New Delhi on March 20. (PTI Photo)

against us. But the truth is, we in the Bharatiya Janata Party have always had the utmost respect for Ambedkar," the prime minister said.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari flayed Modi for his comments on reservation.

"The question to the prime minister is: Who raised the issue of revisiting reservation. Was it raised by the Congress?

Was it raised by anybody

in the opposition? The issue was raised by the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), by its chief Mohan Bhagwat.

"So, the prime minister would be well advised if he directs these queries with regard to revisiting reservation to its or to their ideological mentor," Tewari said.

Meanwhile, former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who belongs to the Mahadalit caste in

Bihar, advocated a review of the reservation policy that sets aside quota for the weaker sections of society in government jobs and educational institutions.

"I strongly feel that the reservation policy must be reviewed because otherwise those who actually require reservation are not benefitting," Manjhi said in Patna on Monday.

Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha is part of

ahMeDabaD, March 21 (iaNS): Amid a controversy over the issue of reservation for weaker sections in the country, union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday demanded such quota in the private sector too and linked it with the Maoism menace in the country. The central government should come up with reservation in the private sector for scheduled castes and tribes, he told the media here.

"Government jobs cannot be for everybody. The government can only create an environment for job creation," he said, and added that if a private sector firm avails of funds from the government, they should adopt its reservation policy too. The minister said that his Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government, had made this demand earlier also.

Paswan said he was concerned over taking away of land from those from the backward class, forcing the youth from this section to take to activities like Maoism. He, meanwhile, praised the Modi government's efforts in setting up a memorial to Babasaheb Ambedkar at his birthplace Mhow in Madhya Pradesh.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in his native state Bihar, the LJP chief said reservation should be for the uplift of backward classes and not for political gains. "The present government in Bihar is a result of caste-based politics," Paswan, a parliamentarian from Hajipur in Bihar, said. The minister said the National Food Security Act will be implemented in 10 more states from the coming fiscal. Already, 11 states have implemented it, Paswan said, and hinted at total computerisation of the public distribution system.

the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Paying glowing tributes to Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, Modi compared him with American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. "If Martin Luther King Jr is seen as an image of fight against injustice, Ambedkar should also not be seen as second to anyone," he said, adding that the Dalit leader was a 'vishwa manav' (world leader).

"Babasaheb was the voice of the marginalised," the prime minister said, adding that the founding father of the Indian constitution should not be seen as a leader of any particular caste.

"Rather he was a protector of all human values.

We should not limit him to our borders."

"To call Ambedkar the messiah only of the Dalits is a great injustice to him.

He raised his voice against

all injustice," Modi said.

The BJP and the Modi government have come under attack following the death of Dalit student Rohith Vemula in the Hyderabad University and alleged pressure from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to dilute the reservation policy.

At the end of the twoday national executive meet on Sunday, the BJP central leadership charted out a detailed roadmap to

reach out to the Dalits.

The thrust of Ambedkar's teachings for the people to get educated because education followed by organising the people can lead a community on the road to success and prosperity, said Modi.

"The struggle, as emphasised by Ambedkar's teachings, can only come after these," he said.

The prime minister said that his government was trying to realise Ambedkar's dreams by providing electricity to 18,000 villages in a fixed time frame.

"When you get power supply in these villages, do not give credit to Modi.

Give credit to Ambedkar."

"These all are his ideas; only some people in between sabotaged these works," he said in a veiled criticism of the Congress.

He lamented that even after 60 years some villages in India remained in darkness.

Modi said farmers' welfare figured prominently in Ambedkar's economic philosophy.

"In order to realise one of his dreams, I will launch a technology on April 14 (birth anniversary of Ambedkar) that will help enable farmers get updated information about market rates of farm products," the prime minister announced.

Young minds need to Trinamool stung again, new videos of sting operation out find solutions to India's problems: President NEW DELHI, March 21 (PTI): President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said young minds need to be sensitised to find creative solutions to important socio-economic problems of the country so India can achieve the goal of inclusive development.

India needs to leverage its technological ingenuity to address social needs, an official spokesperson said quoting the President, who was addressing students at the closing of the week-long Festival of Innovations at Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday.

India may have reached a certain level of technological advancement and promoted the development of a scientific bent of mind and temperament amongst its citizens, especially young ones, but unless they are driven by commitment, devotion, empathy and sensitivity, a just social order envisaged in our Constitution will remain elusive, he said.

"If we are able to leverage ingenuity to address social needs, it will result in social innovations beneficial to the society," he said. The President said such festivals will inspire young talented individuals to contribute to social change.

"The agenda and the themes of the Festival of Innovation have attempted to build inter-linkages amongst various stakeholders essential for an inclusive society based on inclusive innovations and technologies," the spokesperson said.

Right to Education Act remarkable achievement: Ansari

New Delhi, March 21 (iaNS): The Right to Education Act was a "remarkable achievement" despite its shortcomings, Vice President Hamid Ansari said on Monday, even as he lamented that government financing for education was insufficient.

"Despite the shortcomings in its implementation, the Right to Education Act remains a remarkable achievement," Ansari said addressing the National Stocktaking Convention organised by the Right to Education Forum.

"While concerns regarding privatisation of education remain, the Act offers a first step towards an educational system in India that provides access, equity and inclusion for all children," he said.

He also expressed concern over the decline in state funding of education.

"The decline in state funding in the key social sector programmes, including education, is of particular concern. Public services like education are the key to nurture participatory growth. Financing for Right to Education remains inadequate," Ansari said.

"Total public expenditure for education, at less than 3.5 percent of GDP, is well below the 6 percent commitment made in the National Education Policies," he said.

Ansari said that at 52 percent, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) received more than half the money under school education allocation in the latest budget, but over the last five years, the SSA budget has declined by 6 percent, from Rs.23,873 crore ($4.4 billion) in 2012-13 to Rs.22,500 crore ($3.3 billion) for 2016-17.

He also pointed out that large gaps remain in implementing the scheme.

"Critical appraisal of the functioning of the Right to Education reveals that large gaps exist in its implementation.

"Even with the increasing primary enrolment rates, India has the largest number of out-of-school children in the world which is more than the out-of-school children in whole of sub-Saharan Africa.

"There is a huge disparity between the urban and rural education and rich and poor children have radically different schooling experiences," he said.

KolKata, March 21 (iaNS): In what could cause further embarrassment for the Trinamool Congress, Narada News on Monday published a new set of videos of its sting operation in which two prominent leaders of West Bengal's ruling party were purportedly caught on tape -one of them accepting money, and the other seeking a "benami" stake in a project.

The news portal on March 14 had published the first video in which as many as 11 Trinamool leaders were shown accepting bundles of cash in return for favours to a fictitious company.

In the latest videos, the web-

site claimed Trinamool Lok Sabha member from Arambagh Aprupa Poddar accepted money, while former party state general secretary Shanku Deb Panda sought a "benami stake" in the fictitious company in return for his help.

The authenticity of the videos could not be ascertained by IANS. Incidentally journalistturned-politician Panda had carried out a sting operation in 2008 in which then CPI-M legislator from Nandigram Muhammad Illyas was seen accepting money.

Panda has also been in the news for his grilling by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the multi-crore-rupee Saradha scam.

The Trinamool has rejected the allegations claiming the videos to be "doctored" and "manufactured" and threatened to take legal steps against the news portal. Neither of the two leaders could be reached for comment.

Deluge of supporters at Mamata's Kolkata walkathon Meanwhile, thousands thronged the streets of Kolkata to get a glimpse of their favourite leader, Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as she undertook yet another walk-

athon, smiling, waving and interacting with people.

Amid the raging controversy surrounding some of her party leaders allegedly caught in a sting operation while taking bribes, Banerjee has been undertaking processions across the city and the adjoining districts canvassing for her party ahead of the assembly polls.

Sporting her usual saree and rubber sandals and flanked by party leaders -- Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Aroop Biswas and Firhad Hakim -- Banerjee waved, smiled and greeted people with folded hands as thousands of party supporters followed her,

waving party flags and chanting catchy slogans.

Mobile cameras clicked incessantly, as men and women, young and old, came out in the streets or stood atop rooftops and balconies of their houses waving frantically, hoping to get a reciprocation from their 'Didi' (elder sister).

Egging on the people to bring the Trinamool back to power again, party activists chanted catchy slogans as people standing across the roads joined in.

"This way or that way, Trinamool is the only way," shouted the workers as chants of "Didi, Didi" reverberated all across.

Is PM Modi god's gift or oligarch's gift to India: Cong New Delhi, March 21 (iaNS): A day after a union minister's praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as god's gift, the Congress on Monday took a potshot at Modi and asked if he was god's gift or oligarch’s gift to India. "Whether he (Modi) is god's gift or the oligarch's gift to India, the jury is still out," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday dubbed Modi "god's gift to India" and a "messiah of the poor" and said India is recognised and respected everywhere because of him. “What happened to Rs.15 lakh which you were supposed to get back and deposit in everybody’s bank account in 100 days. Why are food prices going through the roof?

Why is it that the common man is not able to afford even the basic food items,” the Congress leader asked

while referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party's promises in the run-up to the 2014 general elections.

Tewari also flayed Modi for his comments on caste-based reservation, which he made earlier in the day. “The question to the Prime Minister is: Who raised the issue of revisiting reservation. Was it raised by the Congress? Was it raised by anybody in the opposition? The issue was raised by the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), by its chief Mohan Bhagwat.

"So, the prime minister would be well advised if he directs these queries with regard to revisiting reservation to its or to their ideological mentor,” Tewari said. The Congress leader was referring to Modi's speech at the foundation-laying ceremony of the B.R. Ambedkar National Memorial here.

A rag picker collects recyclable material as smoke billows from the burning garbage at the Deonar dumping ground in Mumbai on March 21. A fire in one of Mumbai's three rubbish dumps on Saturday has triggered a fall in air quality to "poor", the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board said and raising concerns that Mumbai will start to resemble Delhi, which has taken measures to restrict the use of private cars in a city. Fires at dumping grounds occasionally lead to spikes in pollution in Mumbai, which traditionally has had better air quality than Delhi. (REUTERS Photo)

'40% people in India may not have water to drink by 2030' New Delhi, March 21 (iaNS): Forty percent of India's population may not have drinking water by 2030, if the water crisis in country is not met seriously, a study has warned.

With the country facing a grave water crisis and lack of water conservation, the availability of potable water and ground water has decreased over the years which would result in severe situation in the country after a decade, said an activist for water conservation on the eve of World Water Day (March 22) observed to create awareness about water related issues and for action to deal with the global water crisis.

"By 2030, 40 percent of the total population in the country will not have drinking water if situation remains same," Jal Jan Jodo Abhiyan's national convenor Sanjay Singh told IANS, quoting a research published recently by the 2030 Water Re-

March 22 is World Water Day source Group (WRG).

"The ground water is depleting, the small tributaries have dried up to 90 percent and the flow of rivers has reduced by 60-65 percent. This will lead to a severe situation in the coming years reducing water availability to a great extent," he added.

He also said that the per capita demand has increased whereas the availability is very less. In fact, a report on ground water published by PRS Legislative Research --a non-governmental organisation -- says: "Due to increasing population, the national per capita annual availability of water has reduced by 15 percent from 2001 to 2011."

It also said that India uses almost twice the amount of water to grow crops as compared to China and the US.

"The gap between the availability and demand is increasing at a greater pace. Cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and other metropolitan cities consume water in huge quantities due to changed lifestyle of people. This must be looked into," Singh told IANS. He also said that the efforts done by the government were not enough to meet the crisis.

South Asia Network on Dam, Rivers and People coordinator Himanshu Thakkar says water crisis in the country is multidimensional and is aggravating fast because of various factors including mismanagement of the resource.

He anticipates big problems based on the water crisis looming large in the country, if the situation continues.

"Ground water is the lifeline of the country which is depleting very fast. Water is part of ecological system as every living thing on earth needs water so if not dealt with properly the perennial water crisis may lead to more serious problems like food crisis, livelihood crisis, social conflicts," Thakkar told IANS. He said that social conflicts based on water crisis have already started in the country.

Tension between Haryana and Punjab over Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal project and conflicts in Marathwada region of Maharashtra over water are the latest examples.

"In terms of water crisis in India things have now come to such a pass that a district collector in Latur district in Maharashtra had to implement section

144 to avoid clashes between people due to water crisis," Thakkar told IANS. Blaming the government in general being the major contributor towards the crisis, Thakkar said the government machinery was solely responsible for failing in water management.

"Government is responsible for water crisis in terms of mismanagement. The government does not involve people in the management of water. This year is a drought year so the problem has increased manifold but the efforts of the government does not seem sufficient to deal with the crisis," he said.

About the water crisis in Delhi, he said that mismanagement on part of governments can be seen easily as in February, Jat protesters took over Munak canal in Haryana stopping water supply to the national capital and it took over a fortnight to deal with the consequences.

TuesdaY 22•03 •2016

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

9

Obama meets Castro in the heart of revolutionary Havana haVaNa, March 21 (reuTers): U.S. President Barack Obama was received by Cuban President Raul Castro in Havana on Monday at the start of historic talks where the U.S. leader will press his counterpart for economic and democratic reforms while hearing complaints about U.S. sanctions.

Obama arrived in Cuba on Sunday on a trip that comes 15 months after he and Castro agreed to end five decades of Cold War-era animosity and work to normalize relations.

On the first full day of his visit, he went to the heart of Cuba’s Communist system, laying a wreath in Revolution Square at the memorial to independence hero Jose Marti.

He moved on to the nearby Palace of the Revolution, where Castro and his predecessor, older brother Fidel Castro, have led Cuba’s resistance to U.S. pressure going back decades. A U.S. presidential visit to the inner sanctum of Cuban power would have been unthinkable before Obama and Raul Castro’s rapprochement in December 2014.

Marti was a 19th century poet and writer whose activism was key to winning Cuba’s freedom from Spain and whose legacy was later adopted by Fi-

US President Barack Obama and Cuba’s President Raul Castro shake hands during their first meeting on the second day of Obama’s visit to Cuba, in Havana on March 21. (REUTERS Photo)

del Castro’s revolutionaries as a symbol of anti-imperialism.

Obama and Castro have met three times before, but Monday’s meeting was set to be the most substantial. Obama and Raul Castro have deep differences to discuss as they at-

tempt to rebuild the bilateral relationship.

As Castro and Obama stood shoulder to shoulder before their talks, a military band played the Cuban anthem and then the U.S. anthem. After the music, the two leaders walked

past a military honor guard with fixed bayonets.

The formal ceremony contrasted with Obama’s lower key arrival by Air Force One in Havana on Sunday. Castro did not meet the plane and there were no military honors.

The U.S. president is under pressure from critics at home to push Castro’s government to allow dissent from political opponents and further open its Soviet-style command economy.

His aides have said Obama will encourage more economic reforms and greater access to the Internet for Cubans.

Ahead of his talks with Castro, Obama announced a deal that Google has reached with the island.

“One of the things that we’ll be announcing here is that Google has a deal to start setting up more Wi-Fi and broadband access on the island,” Obama told ABC News in an interview that aired on Monday. He gave no other details, and representatives for Google could not be immediately reached.

His administration hopes changes might also come at a Communist Party congress next month but doubts any political opening will be forthcoming.

Still, Obama has promised to talk about freedom of speech and assembly in Cuba. “I will raise these issues directly with President Castro,” he told the Cuban dissident group the Ladies in White in a March 10 letter.

Castro has said Cuba will not waver from its 57-year-old

revolution. Government officials say the United States needs to end its economic embargo and return the Guantanamo Bay naval base to Cuba before the two nations can enjoy normal relations.

Cuban police backed by hundreds of shouting pro-government demonstrators broke up a Ladies in White march on Sunday, detaining dozens of people just hours before Obama landed.

EMBARGO DISPUTE Obama has urged Congress to rescind the 54-year-old embargo but has been rejected by the Republican leadership. He now has both Democratic and Republican elected officials with him on his Cuba trip and hopes Congress may act after the Nov. 8 presidential election.

One Cuban yelled “Down with the embargo!” during Obama’s tour of Old Havana, and the president responded by raising his right hand.

Asked about the potential for U.S. companies to lose out to other countries in the Cuban market, Obama told ABC: “There’s no doubt that we still have some work to do, and part of that is bringing an end to the embargo that is currently in place.” While it may not happen during his final year in office

given the U.S. presidential election, “it is inevitable,” he added.

Thwarted by Congress on the embargo, Obama has instead used his executive authority to loosen restrictions on trade and travel with the Caribbean island.

Cuba has praised those measures but Castro will likely use the meeting on Monday to press Obama to go further.

“We think the U.S. government can take more steps to send clear and direct signals in this direction,” Foreign Trade Minister Rodrigo Malmierca told reporters on Sunday.

Obama and Castro met for half an hour during a regional summit in Panama last April and they also had brief encounters at Nelson Mandela’s funeral in 2013 and at the U.N. General Assembly last September.

Traveling with his family, Obama was greeted by cheering crowds on the road from the airport and while on a walking tour of Old Havana on Sunday.

Besides meeting Castro, he also plans to visit a state-owned micro brewery and attend a state dinner on Monday.

On Tuesday, he will deliver a speech on live Cuban television and attend an exhibition game between Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays and Cuba’s national team.

China vows crackdown on Suu Kyi unlikely to take formal role in new government fake vaccines amid scandal shaNGhaI, March 21 (reuTers): Chinese authorities have pledged to crack down on the black market sale of vaccines after a case was made public involving nearly $90 million worth of illegal vaccines that are suspected of being sold in dozens of provinces around the country.

The drug regulator in Shandong, the province at the heart of the scandal, said on Monday it would work with police forces and the health ministry to inspect vaccine stocks to ascertain where 570 million yuan ($88 million) worth of vaccines had ended up.

The case, which involves vaccines against meningitis, rabies and other illnesses, underlines the challenge the world’s second-largest drug market faces to regulate its fragmented supply chain, even as Beijing looks to support homegrown firms.

“We will thoroughly investigate all clues in the case and once we get to the bottom of it then we will severely punish those found to have violated the law,” the Shandong food and drug administration said in a statement posted on its website.

Local police said a mother and daughter in Shandong had illegally bought vaccines from traders and sold them on to

hundreds of re-sellers around the country, according to a notice from the Shandong Public Security Department.

The vaccines, which police said were made by licensed producers, were not kept and transported in the required cold chain conditions, which could mean that patients taking them could suffer severe side effects or even death.

China’s national food and drug regulator also called on other regions which might have bought the illegal vaccines to investigate the issue in a statement posted online on Sunday.

The case also points to frustrations aired by some doctors and patients within China, who say access to some drugs is limited due to red tape around approvals, creating demand for medicines through unapproved channels and the black market.

Pfizer Inc shut its vaccine sales business in China last year after a licence for its Prevenar vaccine, the only vaccine it sold in the country, was not renewed. Prevenar protects against pneumococcal disease, an illness that can lead to pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.

The mother - a former doctor - and daughter were detained last April, but the case was not widely publicized until now.

NaYPYITaW, March 21 (reuTers): Myanmar democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi is unlikely to take a formal position in the incoming government of her National League for Democracy (NLD), a senior official said, and will control the administration through her position as party leader. The Nobel peace prize laureate led the NLD to a landslide win in a historic election in November, but a constitution drafted by the former junta bars her from the presidency because her two sons are British citizens, as was her late husband.

“Taking positions is not that important any more...

In the United States there are many famous lawmakers in the parliament who are very influential, but they don’t take any position in the cabinet,” Zaw Myint Maung, the NLD’s spokesman and one of its leaders, told Reuters late on Sunday. “It’s the same here.

Trump candidacy stirs alliance angst in Japan

Campaign buttons for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump are shown outside a campaign event in Tucson, Arizona on March 19. (REUTERS Photo)

TOKYO, March 21 (reuTers): U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump’s portrayal of Japan as a free-rider on security is stirring worries in Tokyo about damage to its U.S. alliance, and could embolden hardliners keen to bolster Japan’s military in the face of a rising China.

The U.S.-Japan alliance has been the lynchpin of Tokyo’s security policy for decades, but worries have simmered in recent years as to whether Washington will continue to be willing and able to defend its key Asian ally.

Comments from the Republican Party frontrunner have done little to allay those fears.

“If somebody attacks Japan, we have to immediately go and start World War III, okay? If we get attacked, Japan doesn’t have to help us,” Trump said at a campaign speech late last year. “Somehow, that

doesn’t sound so fair.”

Trump has also accused Japan of stealing jobs and criticised the U.S.led 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact that Tokyo sees as vital for strategic as well as economic reasons.

“If you listen to his comments (on security), the United States would become isolated so I think there is great anxiety for allied countries,” Itsunori Onodera, who served as defence minister under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, told Reuters.

Last year, Abe spent considerable political capital enacting controversial legislation that allows Japan’s military to defend friendly countries under attack, a major reinterpretation of the country’s pacifist constitution.

“It is incumbent on Japan to protect itself and its defence is necessary for the alliance to be maintained

in the best possible pos- have they begun taking ture,” said a source close to Trump’s chances seriously Abe. and are now scrambling to find out who is advising OUTDATED VISION him on security, another Abe also wants to for- government source said.

Japanese policymakers mally revise the post-war charter to further loosen have not geared up specifilimits on military action cally to counter what they overseas. see as his misleading rhet“Most people consid- oric, which seems to hark er Trump bad news, but back to an outdated 1980s for those who want to re- vision of Japan, the source vise the constitution and close to Abe said. strengthen the military, it “I think it’s too early. actually provides a boost Number one, he has not for their position,” said a made it known even to the former Western diplomat American voters whom he still in touch with Japanese counts on as far as foreign policymakers. policy goals,” the source As host to around said, adding they expect50,000 U.S. troops, Japan is ed Trump would change vital to Washington’s “re- if elected. “We are fully balance” of its economic aware campaign rhetoric is and security focus to the dramatically different from Asia-Pacific region. real policies pursued by inTrump did not respond cumbents.”

For now, though, Japato requests for comments about the U.S.-Japan alli- nese government insiders ance. say they are betting that if Both Washington and Trump becomes the ReTokyo are alarmed by Chi- publican nominee and na’s increasing assertive- goes on to win the Nov. 8 ness in the South China presidential election, he Sea, where Beijing has ter- would surround himself ritorial rows with several with experts who would Southeast Asian nations. draft more realistic poliJapan has a separate dis- cies.

Publicly, Japan is playpute with China over tiny islands in the East China ing it politely. Asked about Sea. Trump’s candidacy on Like many Trump ob- Wednesday, Japanese servers around the world, Chief Cabinet Secretary YoJapanese policy makers at shihide Suga told reporters: first watched with amuse- “We are of course watchment and then disbelief ing this because of the imas the reality TV star and pact such a large country property tycoon garnered has, but we cannot otherwise comment on another growing momentum.

Only in recent weeks country’s election.”

She will lead the party, so she will lead the government formed by that party,” said Zaw Myint Maung, in the most detailed remarks from the NLD so far on how Suu Kyi plans to wield power.

Other top-level NLD politicians, including Win Htein, her confidant, have likened Suu Kyi’s role to that of Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born widow of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. As leader of the Congress party, she dominated the government of Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh before it fell from power in 2014, but held no ministerial position.

NLD leaders have derided the constitution as “ridiculous”, and Suu Kyi has pledged to run the country through a proxy president. Last week, the NLD-dominated parliament elected Htin Kyaw, a close friend and confidant of Suu Kyi, for that role,

making him the first head of state since the 1960s who is not a serving or recently retired senior military officer. In the run-up to the November poll, Suu Kyi had made clear she intended to lead the government regardless of whether she was president, but said the Sonia Gandhi comparison was “not quite” accurate. She has not elaborated since.

MAKING SAVINGS On Monday, Htin Kyaw made his first public speech since being elected, pledging job security for public servants even as the parliament cut the number of ministries by about a third to 21. He said the reforms would save Myanmar more than $4.1 million and those savings would be spent on healthcare, education and rural development. “There is no reason for causing unemployment if the government employees take jobs in accordance with exist-

National League for Democracy (NLD) party leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrives at the Union Parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar on March 15. (REUTERS Photo)

ing laws, rules and regulations,” he said. He did not go into the details. Most military MPs, who hold a quarter of seats in the parliament, also voted in favour of the changes, results showed.

“I think the military also understands that they (some ministries) are not necessary. Their collaboration is an improvement in the parliament,” said

Aung Hlaing Win, a lower house NLD lawmaker. Despite public messages of support and collaboration, behind the scenes tensions between the army and the NLD have simmered in the run-up to the handover of power. The NLD government’s term starts on April 1. A parliamentary agenda showed the speaker would unveil the make-up of the cabinet on Tuesday.

GOVT. OF NAGALAND

NAGALAND EDUCATION MISSION SOCIETY RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA ABHIYAN NAGALAND : KOHIMA

RECRUITMENT OF TEACHERS UNDER RMSA NO.RMSA/EXAM/2013-14: Applications in plain paper are invited from Naga indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland for filling up of the following posts for secondary teachers under the establishment of RMSA Nagaland.

Name of Posts

Ao

Sumi

Lotha

Math

No. of posts

16

04

06

74

Minimum prescribed educational qualifications for the different posts are as follows: 1. For MIL: Graduate in any discipline with 45% or equivalent grade from UGC recognized university/ institute and should have passed class 12 or equivalent with respective language for AO and Sumi and passed class 12 or equivalent with Lotha as a subject in respect of Lotha.

2. For Mathematics: Only candidates having a minimum qualification of B.Sc /B.A. with Mathematics from UGC recognized university may apply.

3. Preference will be given to candidates having professional qualification/B.Ed. for teaching secondary education.

4. All appointments shall be on contractual basis only with a fixed salary of Rs. 31315/- only per month.

5. The minimum age of a candidate shall not be less than 21 years and shall not be more than 30 years of age as on 01-01-2016. The upper age limit is relaxable by 5 (Five)years for candidates belonging to ST/ SC. Age relaxation for serving Govt. employees will be allowed a maximum of 5(Five) years.

6. Upper age limit for physically challenged will be relaxable by 10 (Ten) years.

7. 3(Three) % post reservation for the physically challenged will be maintained as per Govt. Notification NO.AR-3/GEN/9/97 Dated 16-01-2008. Such candidate/s should produce proper documents in support of their case from concerned authority during submission of application form and during interview if successful in written exam.

8. The candidate should be willing to serve anywhere in the state of Nagaland.

9. The following documents duly attested by a competent officer should be submitted along with the Application Form: i) HSLC/HSSLC/PU/Degree Admit Card, Mark Sheet, Academic and Professional Certificates ii) Proper papers from concerned authority in support of physically challenged. (For physically challenged only) iii) Indigenous Inhabitant Certificate. iv) Schedule Tribe/Caste Certificate. v) Employment Exchange Card. vi) 2 (two) colour copies of recent passport size photographs.

10. Incomplete applications shall be summarily rejected without information.

11. Application in plain paper with detail Bio-data supported by attested copies of testimonials and certificates accompanied by a fee of Rs. 100/- (Rupees one hundred) should be submitted to the office of the undersigned on or before 30th April 2016.

12. Nagaland Education Mission Society (NEMS) reserves the right to reject all or any of the applications.

13. It shall be the prerogative of Nagaland Education Mission Society (NEMS) to recruit more or less teachers than the vacancies indicated herein.

Sd/- (THEJAO VIHIENUO), State Mission Director, RMSA: Kohima

10

tuesDAY 22•03•2016

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

rashford's heroics illuminating Manchester united dressing room

LONDON, MARCH 21 (REUTERS): Sometimes it takes just a touch of youthful, untamed pace and panache to quite transform the feeling in a football changing room.

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal's unusually upbeat tones after the latest match-winning heroics of 18-year-old Marcus Rashford in Sunday's Premier League derby suggested that the Dutchman had discovered his own young mood-changer.

"Their (the players) reaction was fantastic to see in the dressing room," Van Gaal enthused, after Rashford's lovely 16th minute goal in his first game against Manchester City sealed what the manager seemed to feel was a victory worth more than three points.

"We fight every match of course but now we have a big result. It's a long time since we have won here and it's fantastic for the fans too."

The provider was again young Rashford, who some pundits had been suggesting perhaps needed a break after his startling introduction to the big-time had seen him score twice in both his debut in the Europa League against Midtjylland and on his Premier League bow against Arsenal.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal celebrates with Marcus Rashford at the end of the match. (Reuters)

Yet the local lad's appetite for 'firsts', it turned out, is not sated. Having become United's youngestever scorer in European competition, he now becomes, at 18 years 141 days, the youngest to score in the derby in the Premier League

era. It was no ordinary goal, either, as he sped past City defender Martin Demichelis -- making the Argentine, as Van Gaal noted of his old Bayern Munich defender, look every one of his 35 years -- before side-footing coolly past Joe Hart.

Nagaland Tennis Association informs

DIMAPUR, MARCH 21 (MExN): The Nagaland Tennis Association (NTA) has informed that the 27th All Nagaland Tennis Tournament will be held from March 28 to 31 at Chavino Indoor Stadium, Kuda A Village. The various categories for the competition include Junior Boys and Girls, Men’s Singles and Doubles. Interested players may contact 8413087643.

Djokovic crushes Raonic, wins fifth Indian Wells title

INDIAN WELLS, MARCH 21 (REUTERS): World number one Novak Djokovic produced sublime form to clinch an unprecedented fifth men's title at Indian Wells with a 6-2 6-0 demolition of big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the men's final on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Serb broke his out-of-sorts opponent twice in the first

set and three times in the second to wrap up victory in one hour 17 minutes on a blazing hot afternoon at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California.

Au st ra l ia n O p e n champion Djokovic improved his stellar record for the year to 22-1 as he tied Rafa Nadal with a record-equalling 27th ATP Masters 1000 crown.

Djokovic, who beat

long-time rival Nadal 7-6(5) 6-2 in the semi-finals, also maintained his perfect record against Raonic as he won their sixth career meeting.

The Canadian was sidelined in February because of a groin injury that helped end his run in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, where he lost to Andy Murray in five sets.

United should have been awarded a penalty too just before halftime when Demichelis, finding him too difficult to handle, got away with bundling over Rashford in the box.

"It is so refreshing to see a young kid like Marcus run

at defenders like that," said United's admiring England defender Chris Smalling, noting that he would not fancy facing him as a centre-back.

"It was a great goal from Marcus, an unbelievable finish," added Michael Carrick, giving an indication of the impact the youngster's contributions had on his teammates once again.

United needed a boost after their exit from the Europa League against Liverpool on Thursday and to hold on so gamely to their early lead while so obviously tiring and under considerable City pressure at the Etihad provided just that.

Van Gaal reckoned he was "a very proud manager" after a performance that put United sixth, behind West Ham United on goal difference and just a point behind fourth-placed City in the increasingly tough battle to earn Champions League places.

Yet the likelihood of Rashford playing a key role in that final push was obvious after Van Gaal declared: "He is a real striker and that's why I let him stay in that position. "He can score goals but he's also an attacking point and runs the channels. I like him very much. He's just 18 so we have to wait and see how consistent he is."

The Annual Sports 2016 of St. Paul Hr. Sec. School, Dimapur began on March 21 with Francis Pelevituo Solo, Commissioner and Secretary, School Education and SCERT as Chief Guest and R Amongla Jamir, Deputy DEO, Dimapur as the Guest of honour. The event saw March Past and colourful Drill Display. Various cultural dances were also performed.

Meldonium tests reignite doping scandal in russian athletics

Government Middle School Bayavü, Kohima annual sports began from March 21. Seen in The picture are the four houses taking oath at the inaugural function.

Kohima hornbill ‘b’, street boys Wokha and sparks cc move to QF

KOHIMA, MARCH 21 (MExN): Kohima Hornbills-B, Street Boys Wokha and Sparks CC Dimapur registered win and moved to quarter final after defeating their respective rivals on Monday matches during the ongoing 7th edition of Silver Cup T-20 Cricket Tournament organized by the Nepali Baptist Church Kohima Youth Department on the theme ‘Peace and unity through cricket’ at Jakhama Ground.

In the first match played between Kohima Hornbills-B and Sechu Zubza students’ union. Sechu Zubza won the toss and decided to field. Kohima Hornbills scored 200 runs at 18 overs with the loss of 2 wickets (in 18 overs match). Kohima Hornbills –B won the match by 68 runs. Anga of Kohima Hornbills –B was declared man

of the match for scoring 111 runs not out. Nobin also scored 51 runs for his team. Sechu Zubza Aja scored 5o runs Vinod scored 42 runs not out.

In the second match, Steet Boys and United CC played, United CC won the toss and decided to bat. United CC was all out at 19.5 overs scoring 98 runs. Ruchenlo and Zuchobemo took 2 wickets each for their team United CC. For street Boys Wokha chasing the target of 99 runs and managed to achieved the target in just 13 overs losing 4 wickets. Mhonyamo of Street Boys was declared man of the match for scoring 29 runs not out.

In the third match played between Hindu temple CC Kohima and Sparks CC Dimapur where Sparks CC won the toss and decided to bat first. Sparks CC scored

161 runs in 20 overs at the loss of 7 wickets. Toni and Dipangkar contributed 47 runs and 40 runs respective for their team Sparks CC. Satyajit of Hindu temple CC took 3 wickets for his team. Hindu temple chasing the target was bowled out at 18.5 overs scoring only 89 runs. Rakesh of Hindu temple scored 39 runs for his team and Jiten of Sparks CC took 3 wickets. Toni Chishi of Sparks CC was declared man of the match for scoring 47 runs for his team.

Tuesday matches 1st match Missionshires Kohima vs Renegades Wokha @ 7am 2nd match Sky Lark CC Mokokchung Vs Diphu 2 10am 3rd match Bluestar Dimapur Vs Royal Tourniquet Kohima @ 1pm

MOSCOW, MARCH 21 (REUTERS): Four Russian track-and-field athletes have tested positive for the banned drug meldonium, Russia's athletics chief said on Monday, a disclosure that further undermines Moscow's efforts to overturn a doping ban in time for the Rio Olympics.

At least 16 Russian sportsmen and women, including world tennis star Maria Sharapova and speed skating Olympic gold-medallist Semion Elistratov, have been caught using meldonium since it was banned by the World AntiDoping Agency on Jan. 1.

Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told Reuters on March 11 that meldonium had nothing to do with athletics in his country. But Dmitry Shlyakhtin, head of the Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF), said on Monday four athletes had now tested positive.Shlyakhtin did not name the athletes and it was unclear whether Russian sprinter Nadezhda Kotlyarova, who revealed on Sunday she had taken meldonium, was included as one of the four.

The burgeoning scandal will complicate Russia's campaign to prove it is compliant with anti-doping standards.

public discourse

NNC appeals to all NPGs to unite Naga rights will not change: FGN

Speech of Z. Royim Yimchungrii the Acting President of Naga National Council on the occasion of 61st year of Naga Republic Day of 22nd March 2016

Dear Naga people, Once again, we the Nagas are observing and celebrating our Republic Day of 22nd March as our National Day. This is the 61st year of our declaration as a Republic and of the Government of Nagaland as the living God's creation. Therefore we praise and thank God Almighty for His purpose for the Naga people.

We the NNC also remember our beloved martyrs on this 61st year of observation of Naga National Day because they were our heroes in the National struggle for freedom.

Today, I on behalf of the NNC must say that we the National workers have come this far and have reached a crucial stage of our political struggle for recognition. Unitedly, we must take a decisive step for our future as we are facing immense pressure from people far and near as the present situation demands for political settlement.

Therefore, the NNC once again appeals to all the Naga National Political

Groups to unite on one and only one political agenda for a solution in the interest of all the Naga people and future generations in consultation with all the stakeholders in the homeland.

The present talk between the Government of India and NSCN IM is exclusive and without clarity, leaving behind the majority of Naga National Political Groups and stakeholders. Therefore, the mainland majority will never accept a piece-meal solution of the seven long decades political struggle of the Naga people for freedom.

The NNC must disclose that Government of India is politically interested in the Naga affairs of self administered areas of Sagaing Region of Eastern Nagaland and the Naga people knows their policy but without the mainland people of that area nothing can be done politically or geographically. And this is the reality they (GOI) must face and do as the mainland people have the final say in political matter.

Lastly the Naga National Council will say once again on this occasion that the Government of India will always apply "divide and rule" policy to destroy Naga politics but it will never be possible as the spirit of Naga Nationalism is from our living God the defender and protector of the downtrodden Naga people. KUKNALIM.

‘Love your Nation and Nation will never leave you’ Dear countrymen Its been long enough, we're now much mature to speak and fight for our rights, Nagas as brave hearted and peace loving people, deeply in search of our destiny and truth, Today fail to achieved, due to lack of unity among us, Nagas issue can be solve by Nagas not others, the pain & suffering face by our leaders in the past, bear fruits, slogan to the world as " Nagaland for Christ" supported by the countries, declared ourselves as Children of God, Holding back to the past and movement shall always take us back to 50s, but today we're in modern period, taking advantage of this technolo-

gies, communications etc, our nation spirit must keep alive to the world till inherit. We should step forward together towards our destiny, which is in our hand, Today on this special occasion as 60th Naga Republic day, we salute our leaders who gave their lives sharing untold suffering for cause of our Nation, praying to God of Creator, God of Israel, the same living God be God of Nagas.

"Love your Nation and Nation will never leave you" Kuknalim Ministry of Information & Publicity NNC/PGN

Speech of BRIG. (RETD.) S. Singnya, Kedahge, Federal Government of Nagaland

My beloved Country Men and Women, I am deeply honored to address you on this historic occasion of the 61st Republic Day of our Nation. I thank our Almighty God for His Guidance, Sustenance and Protection. I honour with gratitude our pioneers for laying a firm political foundation because of which we are able to stand up today with pride and dignity.

On this momentous day, I salute and pay my homage to our martyrs who have made the supreme sacrifice for the Naga Cause and the many freedom fighters for the vision and their selfless services. May their unyielding spirit and selflessness continue to inspire, guide and strengthen us.

Nagaland became a Republic on 22nd March, 1956 when the Naga National Council convened the First Tatar Hoho Session which brought together the Free Nagas represented by the Hongking Government and the Naga National Council representing the then Naga Hills District to establish the Federal Government of Nagaland. With the National Mandate immutably entrusted to them in 1951 and acknowledging that the Almighty God alone is the Supreme Sovereign over this whole world, and the authority of the people to be exercised on the territory is a sacred trust from God, our leaders established our National institution based on the modern principles and ideals of Democracy, Justice, Liberty and Fraternity.

Our pillar and strength lie on the historic Declaration of Independence of August 14th, 1947 and the Plebiscite of 16th May, 1951 for a Sovereign Nagaland. The momentous Declaration and the irrevocable pledge created the foundation giving birth to and also shaping the political course of our people. Nagas as a people have an ardent desire for peace and for cessation of hostility among the Naga National Workers. We also prescribe to this desire of our people. While recognizing the right of every Naga to desire for peace and the need of the Naga National Workers to reconcile and unite, there is also the need to be watchful so that the aspirations of our people is not betrayed nor

forget the sacred pledge made by our people.

We are unique as a people and as a Nation.

We chose to determine, forge and shape our own destiny with dignity, integrity and freedom and we have withstood the tides that sought to weaken and destroy our spirit. Right from the beginning till date, our Nation has been facing powerful forces opposed to our Cause who have sought to weaken us by adopting the policy of Divide and Rule and sowed the seed of animosity and suspicion. But the Federal Government of Nagaland will never bow down to any internal or external pressure. We also reaffirm our commitments to uphold the Covenant of Reconciliation based on the historical and political Rights of the Nagas initiated by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation.

The Federal Government of Nagaland stands committed and steadfast in our resolve to uphold the pledge of our people to be a Sovereign Nation, free from the interference of any foreign power to decide, determine and shape our own destiny. The Federal Government of Nagaland regards the 16th Point Agreement and the Shillong Accord of 1975 as total betrayals of the Naga Cause, the stumbling blocks in the attainment of our long cherished dream.

We have to always be vigilant and constantly be on our guard so that such acts of treachery to the Naga Cause are not committed again.

Our Republic has been instituted along linguistic lines based on the concept of the Federal system of Governance but as a Sovereign Nation, we have no tribe, native or indigenous persons, we are all citizens of the Republic of Nagaland. As we commemorate the 61st year as a republic, we take time to celebrate the lives and courage of those who have guided us with their vision and rededicate ourselves to the same path without losing our national identity.

To achieve our goal we must move forward. The choices before us is to talk about our past and reminisce with regret and avoid following the path charted for us or to place ourselves within the historical framework of the past by placing ourselves in it and follow the path till our historical rights become our rights expressed in full freedom and zest.

In today’s modern world we have become divided in defining who we were and what we must be now. Our nationalism is in danger be-

cause we seem to be losing the spirit that gave birth to our nationalism. We are cowed down by modernism and ideology that says “the world is changing and we too must change.” But this is the language of those who play the politics of convenience and adaptation. Knowledge and adaptation is important as a nation but we must not import knowledge that may destroy the very fabric of our nationalism. Rights, whether it be birth right, historical right, political right or any other will not change. Thus our nationalism at the threshold of losing its identity and the fear of evolving into a nationalism of convenience stands before us as our greatest challenge. We have to realize the danger of attempting to popularize our national issues in the same plane as existential knowledge.

The Federal Government of Nagaland has hope in the fact that we must travel back to the past to reclaim our rights that was declared in unity and trust and struggle forward together with pride and dignity. We must continue to show the world that we have the moral strength and power to suffer for truth and not allow our oppressors to use civilization and advancement as tools to suppress our rights to live as a free nation. In the midst of opposition and distrust from others we must be strong and free ourselves from our greatest enemy within ourselves which makes our minds captives of our actions. I believe that there is a future before us and that future is waiting for those who are morally strong, determined and resolute to make it their own.

The Federal Government of Nagaland remains strong and committed to what our leaders of yesterday had enshrined for us as a nation. Our history is our inheritance and to sell out this would mean a total sell out of our rights!

May it be known to one and all that we do not live in other people’s space and time, our land belongs to us and our history is our history.

What is ours cannot be crushed by might. Our strength lies in this and it will forever be until such time when we can all say, the end has come and a new beginning has begun.

May God give us the grace to help us to be patient and the wisdom to guide us in difficult times as we journey forward.

God Bless My Nagaland.

Kuknalim.

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.

Tuesday 22•03•2016

EntErtainmEnt

Taylor Swift helps to open

children’s hospital

Nagaland - a rich land brimming with a culture that is exotic, mysterious, beautiful and enigmatic. A hidden jewel that has mesmerized and fascinated many a travelers!

P

op star Taylor Swift surprised sick fans by helping to open a new children's hospital studio in Nashville, Tennessee. The 'Blank Space' singer joined US radio and TV presenter Ryan Seacrest to launch his foundation's new state-of-the art media centre for kids at the Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, and the youngsters couldn't contain their excitement at the appearance of the pop superstar, reported People magazine.

Swift made the event all the more thrilling by heading into Seacrest Studios to christen the space with a first celebrity interview. It was thrilling to have Taylor surprise the patients, which made the day of our first broadcast at Vanderbilt even more special, Ryan said. She infused so much joy into the entire hospital community. The children showed their appreciation for the star's visit by staging a performance for Swift, who happily signed autographs, posed for photos, and gifted patients with bags of merchandise.

The multi-media hospital centre, which enables sick kids to test their radio, TV and new media skills as part of their healing process, is the 10th such facility the 'American Idol' host has unveiled via his Ryan Seacrest Foundation in recent years, during which he has invited the likes of Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Nick Jonas, and Selena Gomez to surprise ailing fans.

anupamaa dayal

A

s Indians we are used to being called ' exotic'. To the western eye our looks, dress, traditions, food, religion, philosophy... all feel unusual and mystical. As an Indian who has spent her childhood and adult life all over this fascinating land, all our diverse cultures are still riveting, but there is one culture that even for us, and for the rest of the world tops all charts on 'exotic'. The Nagas!

Head hunting, frighteningly aggressive and completely mysterious Nagas.

Many tribes, one people sometimes at war with each other, but also known for their fierce resistance to

Source: PTI

British rule.

A couple of months back I finally visited Nagaland. I made friends with many tribes.I tried many types of unusual food... bees, hornets, the dreaded Naga chilli, had a chance to closely examine the tattoos of proud headhunters...One tattoo per head taken? And of course there is the whole cultural wealth of textiles, basketry, ornaments, weaponry and more.

What did I come back with? A sense of having touched something raw and timeless; tattooed forever in my senses, inked with love. It was not my head but my heart that was hunted. And now, I share my Naga stories with you.

Hillstar NOW SHOWING

NY premiere attracts Hollywood A-listers

S

tars of the highly anticipated ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ including Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck showed for the movie's premiere, along with several celebrities like Will Smith and ‘Glee’ alum Matthew Morrison. Other cast members Gal Gadot, Diane Lane, Holly Hunter, Jesse Eisenberg and Amy Adams were also in attendance at the event at Radio City Music Hall in New York, reported Variety.

Affleck and Cavill put aside their on-screen rivalry to show bromance while posing together on the black carpet. The former looked dapper in a dark green suit and the latter opted for a three-piece suit. They were also joined by director Zack Snyder in a group picture. .Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Harry Lennix and Tao Okamoto were among other cast members supporting the premiere. The night also saw presence of 'Gotham' stars Erin Richards, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova, Robin Lord Taylor and Sean Pertwee, among many others.

In 'Batman v Superman', Gotham City's own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis's most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it's ever known before. The action superhero movie will open in theaters on March 25.

C M Y K

Ticket Rates PlaTinuM - `320 Gold - `150 SilveR - `80

11:00 am | 2:00 pm 8:00 pm

05:00 PM

Source: PTI

Gwen Stefani's new album inspired by Gavin Rossdale split and new love Blake Shelton faced during the songwriting process.

One of her major priorities was protecting her three sons Kingston, nine, Zuma, seven and Apollo, two, whom she shares with ex Gavin Rossdale, 50. 'I needed to protect the children,' she said.

Gwen's marriage broke up last year amidst reports that her husband Gavin had been cheating on her with their children's nanny. And while she has 'nothing to hide', she insists, 'when you're a public mum, it is mine to know how much to talk about, that's why I don't talk about them too much'. 'I don't want them to look back and be embarrassed.'

Gwen and Gavin split their time with their children, and the No Doubt star says it's a struggle to be away from her kids, but it does give her an opportunity to focus on her craft.

Source: MailOnline

Adele's personal photos stolen by hacker

S

everal personal photographs of the singer Adele were stolen and then distributed online by a hacker, leaving the 27-year old celebrity furious, according to a report.

The major security breach occurred after her boyfriend Simon Konecki's email was allegedly hacked into. From here, photos of her five-month ultrasound scan, a selfie of the singer while pregnant, and an image of her then-newborn son Angelo swaddled in blankets are said to have been circulated on Facebook, reported Daily Telegraph.

Adele is incredibly protective about her family, including her three-year-old son, which makes the leak of her personal photos even more upsetting for the

star. A representative for Adele is yet to comment but it appears the leaked photos have since been taken down from Facebook, the Daily Telegraph added.

Aside from these photos, another image stolen is from Adele's childhood, which shows her at the bottom of a slide, sticking her tongue out. There was also a more recent photo of the singer, lying on a bed with a champagne bottle and a cigarette. News of this latest celebrity hack attack emerged mere hours after One Direction singer Harry Styles, and model Kendall Jenner, had their intimate holiday photos leaked on Twitter, after Styles' mother had her iCloud account hacked.

Source: PTI

davp 28101/13/0036/1516

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he split from her husband of 13 years Gavin Rossdale last year before finding love with fellow musician Blake Shelton. And given the eventful months Gwen Stefani has experienced as of late, it's no surprise the singer has drawn from her personal life when penning the tracks for her latest album ‘This Is What The Truth Feels Like’. Speaking to Sunday Style magazine, the 46-year-old revealed she 'was going through the craziest time' in her life when working on her first solo album in a decade, but had to be mindful of her children when opening up about the men in her life through song.

'It's impossible to explain how hard it was, to get into a room with people you don't know - who don't know your story - and you can't say what's going on,' Gwen explained of the challenges she

12

tuesDAY 22•03•2016

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Wasteful Barca held 2-2 at Villarreal, Real down Sevilla

needed 75 games to eclipse BARCELONA, MARCH former England striker 21 (REUTERS): BarceloLineker, who hit 42 goals na squandered the chance in 103 games for Barcelona to go 11 points clear in La from 1986 to 1989.

Liga on Sunday after blowBenzema opened the ing a two-goal lead in the scoring in the sixth minute space of six minutes in a 2-2 with a brilliant half-volley draw at Villarreal that was while Keylor Navas preovershadowed by a controserved the lead by saving versial penalty.

Kevin Gameiro’s penalty A 62nd minute own before the break, the third goal by Barcelona substispot kick the Real goaltute Jeremy Mathieu, who keeper has stopped this turned a corner into his season. own net, ended Barca's Ronaldo also missed a hopes of a 13th successive penalty -- for the third time La Liga win after Villarreal this season -- in the second striker Cedric Bakambu rehalf before Gameiro had an duced the deficit. effort harshly ruled out for Ivan Rakitic gave Baroffside. ca the lead after 20 minRonaldo pounced from Children participate at the inaugural day of the Annual Sports Week 2016 of Vineyard School, Kohima held today with MLA Vikho utes from close range and close range after 64 min- O Yhoshu as the chief guest. Competition in various disciplines of sports including football, volley-ball, marathon race and some Neymar made it 2-0 in the utes to wrap up the points indoor games were played today. The second day will be marked by competition in athletics in different categories.

41st with a chipped penand made a gesture of apolalty as goalkeeper Sergio ogy to the home fans, while Asenjo, who looked to have Bale netted two minutes touched the ball before later and substitute Jese felling Neymar in the box, added a late fourth for a went the wrong way.

Barcelona are nine Barcelona's Luis Suarez and Villarreal's Bruno Soriano in scoreline that somewhat flattered the home side. points clear of nearest action. (REUTERS) challengers Atletico Madrid, who suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Sporting Gijon on Saturday. Third-placed Real Madrid beat Sevilla st 4-0 to stand 10 points off the pace and one behind 23rd March 2016 their city rivals.

Real Madrid's attacking trident of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano DDSC Stadium, Ronaldo were all on target Golaghat Road in a 4-0 win over Sevilla that took Zinedine Zidane’s side within a point of secondplaced Atletico Madrid.

Chief Guest: Bale converted from Shri. Zhaleo Rio close range for the third Hon’ble MLA and his 43rd league goal Govt of Nagaland for Madrid, surpassing exBarca forward Gary LinekGuest of Honour: er to become the all-time Shri.

Kesonyü Yhome top scoring British player DC Dimapur in La Liga. Welshman Bale, who also hit the woodwork against Sevilla and had a goal wrongly ruled out Official Media Partner The Morung Express for offside in the first half,

DIMAPUR DISTRICT WRESTLING ASSOCIATION

C M Y K

Date:

1 MeeT

Venue:

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