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The Morung Express
Dimapur Vol. X issuE 84
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saturday, March 28, 2015 12 pages Rs. 4
Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it Centre puts brakes on India’s universal health plan
Dreamz Unlimited delivers the act [ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 8]
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Strange Country My experience in Naga Nationalism
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– Howard Zinn
Gavrilova beats Sharapova at Miami Open
[ PAGE 2]
Saudi airstrikes in Yemen target rebels in north [ PAGE 9]
[ PAGE 12]
Ceasefire with GoI will continue, says NSCN (K) Morung Express news Dimapur | March 27
An indian boy takes bath under a roadside public water supply tap on a hot afternoon in the eastern indian city of Bhubaneswar on March 27. Heat wave conditions prevailed as temperature rises in costal parts of eastern india. (AP Photo)
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
Nagaland urged to observe Earth Hour
DIMAPUR, MARCH 27 (MExN): The Nagaland state Department of New and Renewable Energy today urged people in the state to join the rest of the world in observing Earth Hour on March 28 from 8:00pm to 9:00pm, in order to show solidarity towards the mitigation of Climate Change. Earth Hour is observed globally on the last Saturday of every March to remind us of Global Warming and Climate Change and its impact on us, stated the department in a press note. Global warming and climate change, it said, has been talked about in many regions for more than a decade now “but we consider it as an alien entity.” However, the department cautioned that “of late, slowly and surely, it appears to have reached the shore of our land.” “Unseasoned and erratic rain, exAbout that incident? Ah cessive rain or no rain etc are some of the yes, i have already mailed a letter to the local papers expressing my shock.
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ACAUT for probe into toilets built in Nagaland
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DIMAPUR, MARCH 27 (MExN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland today called for a “thorough probe” into the figures released by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, whereby Nagaland and Goa have constructed zero toilets out of 4.3 million toilets countrywide during the financial year 201415. A press note from the ACAUT Nagaland termed the report as “shocking” and called upon the PHED to “clarify as to how much amount was sanctioned for this Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) during the financial year 2014-15; and if sanctioned as per the report, why there was no construction of even a single toilet.” ACAUT further demanded that “name/s of the contractor and the supplier/s of the commodes be made public.” “The report in national media is very serious since this is 100% non-implementation of the scheme with high possibility of large scale misappropriation of funds. The ACAUT is in the know that commodes apparently for such schemes have already been procured, for which the implementing department, the PHED needs to make immediate clarification,” it added.
few manifestations of climate change, which is directly effecting the agriculture productions and in turn, affecting all of us,” it added. Informing that Global Warming is mainly caused by carbon emission, the department said that 66% of carbon emission is due to production of energy and out of which 45.45% is mainly due to electricity generation. While acknowledging that development activities require electricity, it however urged people in the state to use less electricity, thereby helping cut down carbon emissions. Alternative sources of non fossil energy, it added “are been resorted to in the form of renewable energy.” As a token of personal contribution towards this end, an hour of shutting non essential appliance can hugely contribute to reduction of carbon emission, it encouraged.
In midst of apprehension over recent developments, Supervisor of the Ceasefire Supervisory Board, NSCN (K), Wangtin Naga has maintained that the Ceasfire with the Government of India will continue. Wangtin told media persons on March 27 that the ongoing Ceasefire, which expires on April 26, will be extended. The March 27 CFSB meeting took place as scheduled at the NAPTC, Chumukedima. Wangtin, who was proceeding to Dimapur to attend the scheduled CFSB meeting, was detained by the Assam Rifles at Sonari, Assam on March 26. The detention at Sonari was preceded by the firing incident in Kohima earlier in the morning, in which four Assam Rifles personnel were wounded. “The security forces might have felt that the attack was carried out at my or somebody’s command and that was how I was arrested,” Wangtin said. He informed that he was detained for almost five hours, while stating that he was questioned on the recent news report which hinted at abrogation of ceasefire between
No compromise with ECI directs NPF to Assam border: Assam CM settle dispute internally
GUWAHAtI, MARCH 27 (PtI): The Assam government on Friday asserted that there would be no compromise with state borders even if the Centre agreed to demand by NSCN (IM) regarding formation of ‘Nagalim’ (Greater Nagaland) during ongoing discussion with the group. “There will be no compromise regarding boundary of Assam even if the Centre says so in the talks with NSCN (IM). We’ll intimate our stand to the Centre,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rockybul Hussain said in the Assembly. He was responding to a query from former Chief Minister and AGP MLA Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.
“Reports are saying that the tripartite talks with NSCN (IM) have reached the final stage. The reports are quoting sources from the Union Home Ministry. So will there be any compromise of Assam land if the Centre agrees to Nagalim demand?” Mahanta said. Mahanta cited reports that the talks with NSCN (K) was also progressing well with the Centre. “Will Assam be leaving some of its land to Nagalim? What will be Assam government’s stand in this regards?” Mahanta asked. Earlier during the Zero Hour, Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi raised the issue of repeated violence in areas of Assam along its border with Nagaland.
Morung Express news as per Article 14 of the NPF constitution. The proviDimapur | March 27 sion demands that such The Election Commis- a dispute would need to sion of India has report- be resolved by holding a edly given the onus to the general convention and NPF party to settle its on- that decision is to be made going dispute regarding with a two-third majority. Sources further inthe party’s leadership and formed that the ECI has symbol. Sources informed that found that the party did the ECI has directed both not “exhaust or even atgroups to follow Article 14 tempt” to solve the present of the NPF constitution to dispute by using the said resolve the dispute at the Article in its constitution. earliest possible time and As such, the ECI reportthat a report of the same be edly stated that it would be submitted to the commis- premature to pass orders sion. Both groups (Noke on the issue. It was further and Shurhozelie) of the informed that the ECI’s inNPF have been informed terim directive vide a notiby the ECI that the party fication dated February 4, already has the provi- 2015 continues to stand till sions to settle the dispute the dispute is resolved.
Peace Rally held at Wokha Town
WokHA, MARCH 27 (DIPR): Lotha frontal organisations today held a peace rally in Wokha Town to protest against illegal activities that have been occurring in the district resulting in loss of life and properties. The rally comes in the aftermath of a bomb blast, which injured four people on March 26. A three point memorandum was submitted by representatives from the Lotha frontal organisations to the Governor of Nagaland through the Deputy Commissioner, Wokha. The memorandum, while condemning the recent explosions in the district, called for immediate intervention from the government. It lamented that the state government has till yet not acted on the passenger bus bomb blast of
Participants of the Peace Rally held in Wokha Town on March 27. DiPR Photo
2000 and the February 24, 2015 explosion. It further called for a thorough probe by a central agency. The rally was led by Lotha Hoho, Eloe Hoho, Kyong Students Union, Lotha
Youth Hoho, Wokha District Chambers of Commerce & Industries, Commercial Vehicle Association, ACAUT Wokha Unit, Wokha Bar Association, Wokha Circle Students Union, Wokha Town
Colonies Union, Wokha Town GB’s Union, Team Metamorphosis, Kyong Youth Initiative, Wokha District Entrepreneurs Association and Village Councils Chairman Association.
ENPO appeals for extension of ceasefire
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he Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) today appealed to the NSCN (K) and the Government of India (GoI) to “extend the cease fire which is due to expire on April 27, 2015.” A press note from the ENPO President, S Khoiwang Konyak and General Secretary, Manlang Phom informed that an emergency executive meeting was held on March 27 at Dimapur, where the ENPO resolved to urge both the GoI and the NSCN (K) to “honour the sentiments and desires of the people of eastern Nagas in particular and the Naga in general for peace.”
the Government of India and the NSCN (K). The allegation that the NSCN (K) mightt be behind the attack on the AR personnel might have arisen because it occurred right after the Suruhoto camp was abandoned, he said. Asked on the outcome of the day’s meeting, Wangtin termed it as neither “fruitful nor bad.” The abandoning of Suruhoto camp, the attack on the Assam Rifles personnel, the blast in Wokha and cordoning off its designated camp in Mon by security forces were the main topics, he said. Incidents happening somewhere else should not be misconstrued as “abrogation of ceasefire”, he added. On the possibility of a “disconnect” between leaders of the NSCN (K), he said that it does not arise as “SS Khaplang is still the undisputed leader.” Chairman of the CFSB, Lt Gen (Retd) NK Singh, in
a separate interaction said that the recent incidents have created a “fluid situation in Nagaland.” “It has cast a shadow on the prevailing situation in Nagaland while there has been some clarification given by the Supervisor about who would have done these things. But irrespective of who has done, it obviously does create a lot of uncertainty and insecurity amongst the people,” Singh said. Singh said that Wangtin Naga has assured the NSCN (K)’s commitment to continue the Ceasefire. Singh however said that Wangtin admitted that there might be people who may be either in favour or against it. With regard to the reoccupation of Suruhoto camp by the NSCN (K), Singh said that it is a “little too early” to comment and would depend on how things unfold over the next few days. He
confirmed that Suruohoto camp is under the control of the Assam Rifles at present, while the NSCN (K)’s designated camp in Mon was also vacated. According to Singh, abandoning of Suruhoto camp started on March 17 or earlier. He did not specify the reasons however. The abandoning of the designated camp in Mon district, Singh said was “directly linked” to the firing in Kohima. “Perhaps the cadres had got worried that there might be some retaliation so they vacated that camp (Mon).” On the linking of NSCN (K) to the firing in Kohima, Singh said that there is no concrete evidence as of now “in a legal sense.” Wangtin Naga also maintained that he was not aware of the firing in Kohima until he was informed of it while he was proceeding to Dimapur on March 26.
‘Nagaland govt is an agent in bartering land,’ says UNTABA Morung Express news Dimapur | March 27
The United Naga Tribes Association of Border Areas (UNTABA) has alleged that successive governments in Nagaland, since inception of statehood, have not shown any interest in resolving the border disputes. “Instead of safeguarding the land of the Naga people, the Government of Nagaland had become an agent in bartering the land of its people,” said UNTABA chairman, Hukavi T. Yepthomi, in his introductory remark at the ‘Nagaland tribes consultative meeting on border issue’ organized by UNTABA here at Hotel Acacia on Friday. The UNTABA chairman said the interim agreements of 1972 and 1979 with the Government of Assam were the “most give away agreements” where the Assam Forest Department was given authority to administer all the reserve forests adjoining the present Nagaland state. Hukavi said taking these agreements as an excuse, the Government of Assam had systematically established hundreds of townships, villages, industrial centres and tea estates well with the Naga territories even though these reserve forests are yet to be de-notified. “Again in 1985, the Government of Nagaland agreed with the Assam Government in identifying certain areas in the border areas and declared all the Naga-inhabited areas as ‘Disputed Area Belts’ (DABs), thereby completely negating the traditional, historical and political history of the people of Nagaland. Today, these so-called DABs are being contested as theirs by the Assam Government in the Supreme Court,” he said. Even while the land of the Nagas are being systematically encroached upon, the UNTABA chairman said the Nagaland Government, instead of addressing the issue in its entirety and ascertaining the actual length and breadth of Naga land, has been issuing licenses randomly for exploration and extraction of mineral resources. On the state government’s announcement of special development zones (SEZs) and construction of Foot Hill Road connecting the proposed SEZs and foothill areas from Khelma in Peren district to
Tizit in Mon district, Hukavi said it is ironic that the Foot Hill Road itself falls under the “infamous” DAB areas. He also commented that the unabated influx of illegal immigrants into the state was a direct outcome of non-settlement of the border issue. “When we have no boundary, how can we expect ourselves to adopt appropriate mechanism to check such influx?” He asked. The UNTABA chairman said some pertinent questions the Naga people should seriously deliberate upon are - Can Naga people accept the likely outcome of the arbitration process currently under active litigation in the Supreme Court? Can Nagas allow further bifurcation of Naga lands before the final political settlement is arrived at between the Naga political groups and Government of India? What pragmatic steps should be taken for those transferred Naga lands that are still in Assam? The UNTABA chairman said that it was high time for Naga people to set aside petty differences and seriously ponder on how to bring about a “broad consensus on the likely step or steps we may need to adopt with all the tribes of Nagaland on board.” Earlier, he commented that the objective of the consultative meeting was to discuss the need for an immediate demarcation of the inter-state boundary between Assam and Nagaland in accordance with the 9 Point Agreement and 16 Point Agreement vis-àvis on traditional and historical facts. The meeting also entrusted the ENPO and NTC to organize a consultative meet on the same issue in consultation with UNTABA immediately. Representatives of various tribe Hohos and Naga civil society, who shared their views, favoured an out of court settlement to the border dispute between Assam and Nagaland based on the traditional and historical perspectives. Some representatives said that even as Nagaland is the only state in the Indian Union to be created out of a political agreement, the final demarcation of the state’s boundaries should also be done not outside the court, taking into account the political creation of the state. K Temjen Jamir and Theja Therieh were the moderators of the meeting.
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Strange Country
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My experience in naga nationalism
82-year old Zapuvisie Lhousa writes Naga history book
Morung Express News Kohima | March 27
Coinciding with the BritishNaga Peace Treaty of 1880, the book ‘Strange Country: My experience in Naga Nationalism’ written by Zapuvisie Lhousa was released on March 27 at APO Conference Hall, Kohima. During a brief introduction of the book, 82 years old Zapuvisie Lhousa stat-
ed that the book was written keeping in mind the sufferings of the Nagas. “I am not capable of writing the Naga history but the old ones have all died, and most leaders in the initial movement are all dying,” said the author who further pointed out the many distorted stories written by outsiders about the history of the Nagas and the biased and prejudiced ideas it has created to malign the Nagas. “Our people have gone through so much of suffering and torture. Our story will disappear if we don’t write it,” adds Zapuvisie Lhousa. Peace and Social Activist, Niketu Iralu in his speech stressed on the
importance of the book and how history is important for the development of the Naga people. “The past must be looked at. The many mistakes must be accepted without any manipulation,” asserted Iralu. At a time when Nagas are showing signs of their inability to struggle with the new situation, Iralu stated that the time has come when the generation of the freedom fighters must tell the Naga people that they have achieved something and that the young generation should be made to understand and feel proud of what the leaders have achieved. “The coming generation must be given that cer-
tainty, we must stop blaming and accusing for what has not been achieved,” concluded Iralu. Retd. Gen Thinoselie M Keyho who also spoke during the release said that the book is crucial a reminder to the Nagas about the importance of the Naga National Movement. He stated that “if there were no Naga National Movement for free and independent Nagaland or Naga national politics the fate of the Nagas would have been doomed” and because “many people are enjoying the fruits of the labour of the Naga Freeedom fighters but do not know or care about the sufferings and sacrifices.” Keyho further hoped
Zapuvisie Lhousa (middle) along with Rev. Kari Longchar, Niketu Iralu, TM Keyho and other friends during the release of his book held on March 27. (Morung Photo)
that the book would open the minds of young people and encourage them to write about the inalienable rights of the Nagas for the future. Rajuselie Lhousa chaired the event with
prayer invoked by Rev. Tsolie Chase. Rev. Kari Longchar released the book. The vote of thanks was delivered by Hupun Zeliang and the benediction pronounced by Y Imti
Sangtam. Strange Country meticulously chronicles the history of the Nagas struggle for independence seen through the eyes of the author who himself was part
of the movement in its initial stage. Strange Country: My experience in Naga Nationalism is available in leading bookstalls in Kohima at the rate of Rs. 1150.
State achieves 91% tB cure rate Finance department website launched
Districts TB Officers during the Annual Review Meeting 2014 of Revised National TB Control Programme, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare held on March 27. C M Y K
Kohima, march 27 (mExN): The Revised National TB Control Programme, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Kohima held its Annual Review Meeting 2014 on March 27 at IDSP Conference Hall with the Districts TB Officers. A press note stated that Dr. KT Lotha, State TB Officer (RNTCP) Nagaland,
reviewed the State Performance. During the year, the state has achieved 91% cure rate and case Detection rate of 81%, which is well above the National Target of 85% and 70% respectively. TB/HIV cross referral activities is 83%, which is good. However, the programme officer urged the Districts to put more ef-
forts to achieve above 90 %. MDR-TB identification and testing were also reviewed districts wise. Nikshay online registration of TB Patients is also 72%, which is good. However, some districts are lagging behind to update the online registration. Programme officer stressed on the need to expedite the update.
Various issues regarding budget, PPM, Trainings, Extension of Contractual services etc were discussed at length. The meeting concluded with vote of thanks by Dr. Swuduvelu Ngully Medical Officer State TB Cell. Dr. John Sweyievisa, Additional Director, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare chaired the Programme.
Kohima, march 27 (DiPr): Principal Secretary & Finance Commissioner, Temjen Toy in the conference hall of Finance Department on March 26, formally launched the website of the Finance Department. Officers and staff of the Finance Department attended the launching programme. A brief presentation on the background and technical details of the website was made, in which it was explained that the website was developed by M/s SHIBA Infotech and that the website had been tested and cleared by STQC Kolkata, Ministry of Communications & IT, Department of Electronics and Information Technology. The process had taken about a year, in which all aspects of the website were audited and tested for security flaws
Principal Secretary & Finance Commissioner, Temjen Toy launches the website of the Finance Department in the conference hall on March 26. (DIPR Photo)
and thereafter clearance given. It was explained that the new website is an interactive website that is user friendly, and is intended to help all departments get access to important infor-
NIELIT Kohima continues cyber security campaign
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Kohima, march 27 (mExN): The first state level inter-school quiz competition on cyber security was organised and conducted by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology NIELIT, Kohima in association with the Department of School Education, Government of Nagaland, on March 27. The quiz competition is attuned to the Cyber Security Project of NIELIT Kohima, launched under its capacity-building programme, stated a press release received here. The programme, funded by the Department of Electronics & IT, Government of India was held at NIELIT Kohima with Zaveyi Nyekha, Director, Directorate of School Education, Government of Nagaland as the chief guest. The chief guest, Zaveyi Nyekha spoke on how cyber security has become one of the most important national security priorities. He highlighted the increasing dependency of
Zaveyi Nyekha, Director, Directorate of School Education with the participating schools and others during the state level inter-school quiz competition on cyber security held on March 27.
the masses on digital facilities and services for many activities, the risks involved thereby, and exhorted the audience saying, “We all have a role to play” for staying secured in the cyber space. Er. Lanuwabang, Deputy Director, I/Cof NIELIT Kohima delivered the keynote address, with a detailed appraisal on the visions of NIELIT Kohima and enunciated the prem-
ise upon which the Cyber Security Awareness Campaign has been implemented both at a conceptual and practical level. He elucidated on how the Cyber Security Awareness Campaign Project, which had its inception in 2012 has helped encompass within its vast realms. It has helped delivery of cyber security awareness programmes to 25 schools and 15 colleges, Govern-
“Use less grid electricity to mitigate climate change” Join the world to Observe on March 28, 2015 from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm Department of NRE
FUNERAL SERVICE DATE : 28/03/2015 TIME : 11.00 AM C M Y K
LT. SHRI BANGDI IHEILUNG EX. MINISTER
VENUE LT. Shri Bangdi Iheilung Residence Jalukie Town, Peren District, Nagaland
ment employees and Cyber forensics training to law enforcement agencies of the state and the services of a fully-operational Cyber Forensics Lab and Training Facility (first of its kind in the state) at NIELIT Kohima. The campaign was also made though various media like talk shows on Doordarshan Kohima and AIR, and translations of Cyber Security Hand-
book into two languages of Nagaland – Tenyide and Ao that are available for download at NIELIT website (http://kohima.nielit. gov.in/TranslatedBooks. aspx). According to him, as the project culminates towards the last phase, the State Level Inter-School Quiz Competition has been organized to assess how successful the project has been in information dissemination.
The chief guest was accompanied byBendangla, Assistant Director, Directorate of School Education. Er. A. Morimenba Amer, Assistant Director, NIELIT Kohima said the vote of thanks. The compere of the inaugural programme was Sashirenla Aier, Teaching Faculty, NIELIT Kohima and Bendangakum Jamir, Teaching Faculty, NIELIT Kohima presided over as the Quiz Master of the competition. Little Star Higher Secondary School (Dimapur), Bethel Higher Secondary School (Kohima) and Ruzhükhrie Government Higher Secondary School (Kohima) were placed in the first, second and third positions respectively. Altogether, there were ten participating schools. The first, second and third position- holders received prizes worth Rs.25000, Rs.15000/- and Rs.10000 respectively. Consolation prizes and participation certificates were also distributed.
mation such as budget documents, fund placements and important circulars and notifications. The website is being hosted on the State Data Centre (NSeGS) under the
Department of Information Technology & Communication, Government of Nagaland. It may presently be accessed at http:// finance.nagaland.gov.in. The process of design and updating of the website will continue for some time. While appreciating the efforts made by the officers, Computer Cell and the developers, the Finance Commissioner expressed the view that its value would ultimately be measured by how useful the website is to the users as well as to the hosts – the Finance Department. He expressed satisfaction that the new website will help reduce human interface and enhance convenience for all the departments as well as Finance Department by helping reduce physical efforts as well as the volume of paper communications.
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Special task Force to review nagaland building bye-laws
Kohima, march 27 (DiPr): The Urban Development Department in a notification NO.UDD/7GEN/203-BBL/2011 (Pt) dated 19th of March, 2015 stated that in pursuance to the decision of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) meeting dated 17.12.2014, a Special Task Force (STF) has been constituted to review the Nagaland Building Bye Laws, 2012. The Special Task Force (STF) constituted with the following members: Secretary, Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority as Chairman; Joint Secretary, Urban Development Department as Member Secretary and Chairman, Nagaland Quality Control Board; Chief Conservator of Forest; Director, Geology and Mining; Director, Urban Development; Chief Engineer, PWD (Housing); Chief Architect, PWD (Housing); Deputy Commissioner, Kohima; Addl. Director, Municipal Affairs Cell; Member Secretary,
Nagaland Pollution Control Board; Administrator, Kohima Municipal Council and Nodal officers, Dist. Disaster Management Authority, Kohima as Members. Mandate of the Special Task Force (STF) includes the Special Task Force will review sections in Nagaland Building Bye Laws 2012 and will recommend specific amendments/ additions to: (a) Chapter 1 section (1) & (2) sub-section (i) regarding the extend and the competent authority. (b) Section 47 on Structural Engineer on Record/Structural Agency on Record for certification regarding structural safety in design. (c) Section 48 on Constitutional Safety to be certified by the Construction Engineer on Record/ Construction Agency on Record. The STF with the help of Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) trained engineers will undertake RVS of tall/ big buildings and structures in and around Kohima and suggest remedial measures to be take n by the concerned Authority/Agency/ Private Owner.
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CYF launches bio- diversity conservation campaign Our Correspondent Phek | March 27
The Chakhesang Youth F ro nt ( C Y F ) t o d ay launched Bio- Diversity Conservation Campaign at Phek in the presence of Phek deputy commissioner Murohu Chotso and District Forest Officer (DFO) Ronsenglemla Imchen, IFS. This campaign, in the form of poster, carried messages on the ban on hunting of wild animals, ban on use of chemicals, electrical and explosive devices for fishing, ban on burning of jungle/forest, ban on import of pork to Chakhesang jurisdiction and ban on extraction of forest products for commercial purposes. The CYF warned that violation of the above would invite serious action. Imchen formally flagged off the campaign.
Phek DFO Ronsenglemla Imchen, IFS flagging off Bio- Diversity Conservation Campaign at Phek on March 27.
She was appreciative of the effort of the CYF in conservation of bio-diversity and hoped that it would touch all sections of the society. She told the gathering that Nagaland is the most important bio-diversity hot spot in the world. She said the effort of the environ-
ment conservation in Nagaland is gaining momentum and further called for the continuous support and cooperation of each and every individual. Phek DC informed that the gathering that the district administration will strictly enforce its order
on banning of jungle/forest burning in the district. He lauded the effort of the CYF towards bio-diversity conservation and wanted to see that it reach the grass root level. CYF president Zhopayi Nakro said the campaign will cover all the villages
under Chakhesang areas. He also stated that the CYF will continue to propagate the message of biodiversity conservation through interaction with village elders and concerned agencies. Earlier, CYF advisor Niesucho Keyho chaired the function.
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‘Human trafficking - a serious problem in our society’ Morung Express News Ukhrul | March 27
“Human trafficking is a problem in our society, in our church and we have to take this seriously,” K. Ela, Director, Prodigals Home, Dimapur, stated on Friday. Ela was speaking at a workshop on ‘Women and Child Trafficking’ as part of the Manipur Baptist Convention’s Quinquennial Congress in Ukhrul. Sharing her experiences with victims of human trafficking, Ela cited the case of a young girl in a village who was taken away from her parents with the promise of free education and job. The girl ended up being sexually exploited.
She was later rescued, but post the rescue, the victim suffered immense trauma. The family also underwent their own share of trauma, not being able to take the victim back to the village fearing ridicule from villagers, she recollected. Ela stated that the whole of North East is facing huge problem with various forms of human trafficking. With children being easily taken away from their parents on the promise of free education and youths being led away on the pretext of providing jobs, it is not surprising that studies point to the Northeast as a big supplier for traffickers. Some of the forms of traf-
ficking that Ela highlighted include: Sexual exploitation, Street begging, Organ trade, Illegal adoption, Labour (domestic/ factories/industries), Entertainment, false marriage etc. According to Ela, many of the Naga Christian mothers are human traffickers. “They fit the definition of human traffickers,” she said. She added that she is witness to a number of “Christian families” who abuse children, make them “work like donkeys” and not letting the children enjoy their childhood. Even in the name of adoption, trafficking happens, Ela maintained. She revealed that in Nagaland, there have been instances
where guardians change the names and religion of the child they adopt and forbid the biological parents from visiting. “A child has to be legally adopted through adoption centres and not through hospitals or relatives,” she added. Highlighting the factors responsible, Ela pointed to lack of awareness or ignorance, low socio-economic status or poverty, unemployment, demand for domestic work (child labour), poor education system in the village, particularly government schools, and misuse of modern information technology. Also pointing to gender discrimination as a factor, Ela stated, “If we give equal
opportunities to our girls, then trafficking will reduce.” Further, she stated, “When governance is not effective or if police is not doing their job, it makes the job of traffickers easier.” Ela also blamed dysfunctional homes and the weakening of community spirit contributing to human trafficking. Stating that anyone can be trafficked but women and children are the most vulnerable, Ela opined that traffickers can range from employment agencies to local criminal groups to migrants, friends, relatives, parents, husbands etc. Victims or women involved in prostitution can also be involved in trafficking, according to Ela. “On
many occasions, victims become perpetrators because they know the contacts,” she said before adding, “Victims should be given extra care so that they do not fall back or become penetrators.” For Ela, “Most of us are guilty of enabling human trafficking because we have not bothered to learn about it and even if we have learned, we have been indifferent.” To tackle the menace, Ela stressed on the need for the Church to remain vigilant. She suggested creating intensive awareness on human trafficking at all levels; creating livelihood alternatives to the youth especially the needy; ensuring safe migration whether for ed-
Train on new Assam line MBC Quinquennial Congress underway in Ukhrul carries Bengal potatoes Morung Express News Ukhrul | March 27
Guwahati/new delhi, March 27 (ians): Assam's underdeveloped Barak Valley was brought on the broad gauge rail map on Friday, with the inaugural goods train carrying about 2,300 tonnes of potatoes from West Bengal. Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated the landmark Lumding-Silchar line by flagging off the goods train over video-conference from New Delhi, bringing cheers in the valley, officials said. Passenger train services on this 210-km route will start soon. Northeast Frontier Railway spokesman S. Lahiri said in Guwahati that the train chugged into the pristine Barail Hills. The line is expected to change the landscape of the Barak Valley. It will later be extended to Tripura. The line, a lifeline for the entire region, is crucial for the supply of foodgrain, fertilizers, petroleum products and other essentials from the rest of India. The line has 21 tunnels and 79 major bridges. While the longest tunnel is about 3.2 km long, it has the magnificent Dayang Bridge - 54 metres tall. The Lumding-Silchar connection is a milestone in the northeast region and one of the largest gauge conversion projects of Indian Railways. It cost Rs.3,500 crore. The minister said Friday was a historical day. The line will speed up development as it is the "lifeline of Barak Valley and the states of Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram", Prabhu said. The project was completed despite difficult hilly terrain, geologically unstable hills and law and order challenges. A number of railway employees died while working on the project. The Guwahati-Lumding route became a broad gauge line in 1994. The Lumding-Silchar project was sanctioned in 1996-97 and declared a National Project in 2004. The project was hit by insurgency from 2006 to 2009. The Territorial Army was deployed to take on the insurgents. The Lumding-Silchar metre gauge line was commissioned in 1904 to connect Barak Valley with the rest of India.
The Manipur Baptist Convention Quinquennial Congress started on a high note at the Tangkhul Naga Long Ground in Ukhrul Thursday with approximately 9000 delegates from different church associations of Manipur. With the theme, "Called to Holiness," the Quinquennial Congress - being hosted by the Tangkhul Baptist Churches Association - will conclude on March 29. Speakers for the quinquennial include Rev. Dr. Benjamin L. Chang, Area Director, East Asia & India, International Ministries, American Baptist Church, USA; Rev. Bonny Resu, General Secretary, ABPF; Rev. Dr. Solomon Rongpi, General Secretary, CBCNEI; Rev. Dr. Anthony Yeoh, Council Chairman, Singapore Baptist Convention; and Rev. Dr. Andrew Kim, Director, Global Connections for Advancement, Seoul, South Korea. Approximately 9000 delegates from 26 church associations from all over
Brig Sailo. (File Photo)
Conference in April 17, 1975 and it won the Mizoram union territory elections in 1977 and he became the second chief minister of the state. He was elected to the state assembly in 2008 for the last time and quit active politics at the age of 92 after his term ended in 2014.
GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND KOHIMA::NAGALAND
NO.GP/CDTP-1/2014
Dated, Kohima, the 26th March,2015.
ADVERTISEMENT Interested candidates are invited for undergoing FREE training in the following courses under Community Development Through Polytechnic (CDTP) Scheme based on Modular Employable Skills (MES) courses at Government Polytechnic, Kohima, sponsored by MHRD, Delhi. SL NO
PROGRAM TITLE & CODE
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION
DURATION OF TRAINING
INTAKE CAPACITY
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Computer fundamentals, MS-Of- 8th passed fice & Internet (ICT-101)
1 month
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Mobile repairing (ELC207)
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NB: 1. Applications can be collected from the office of the Principal Government Polytechnic, Kohima, near IG stadium, Kohima, on all working days w.e.f. 30th March, 2015, from 9:30am - 4:30 pm. 2. Selection of candidates shall be based on the basis of first come first submission of duly filled application form with all required documents. 3. Booking of seat through phone call shall not be entertained. 4. Declaration of selected candidates 8th April 2015. 5. Date of commencement of training 14th April, 2015. (Er. Vipulhou Lhoungu) Principal
Luhevi Village Student Union and Village Council extends its heartiest congratulation to Miss. Daina Achumi of Luhevi Village on her promotion to the post of Tourist Officer, Department of Tourism, Govt. of Nagaland. Union and public of Luhevi Village wishes her good health and grant success in serving the Govt. in the interest of the people. Miss. Akani Zhimo President Luhevi Student Union Luhevi Village
Dance performed during the inaugural session of Manipur Baptist Convention Quinquennial Congress on March 26.
Manipur have registered for the quinquennial and about 10,000 people attended the inaugural session. Rev. Dr. Chang brought the message and spoke on the theme "Called to holiness." Highlights of the inaugural session included a special number by the Mao Baptist Churches Association and a musical play by the host association. On the second day of the convention Friday, Rev. Bonny Resu, General Sec-
Guwahati, March 27 (the indian express): Ten years after a man was awarded death sentence for killing his wife, two minor sons and a neighbourhood woman in upper Assam, President Pranab Mukherjee has commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment. This is a rare case where the President has accepted the mercy petition of a person convicted for gruesome murders. Earlier, Mukherjee had rejected mercy petitions of 22 death row convicts at a stretch. Man Bahadur Dewan alias Tote Dewan, now 63-years-old and lodged in Jorhat Central Jail, rarely had a visitor all these years as his surviving son and daughter had shunned him after the crime. According to the prosecution, Dewan, a resident of Sessapukhuri Nepali basti under Moranhat police station in Sivasagar district, nearly 420 km east of Guwahati, had picked up a quarrel with his wife Gouri (35) on September
OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KOHIMA
in churches be innovative and creative, do aggressive youth outreach. She challenged the gathering to “be aware, be concerned, be involved and participate in combating this crime of human trafficking.” Ensure that related government departments like social welfare, education, police, legal, women dept, youth resources etc. function effectively for the benefit of women, youth and children, Ela said. “If education department is not providing good education to children, raise your voice.” Hitting out at the menace of “substitute teachers,” Ela urged, “Let us stop being compromising Christians.”
FELICITATION
Sd/Hokugha G.B. Chairman Luhevi Village
retary, Asia-Pacific Baptist Federation, spoke on the theme “Called to Holiness – a youthful life” in the morning session. Rev. Resu stated that “We are chosen by God.” Mentioning Paul’s challenge to Timothy stating, “If you want to be useful to God, you must make yourself holy,” he challenged the gathering to “set ourselves apart.” The noon sessions comprised of workshops on Mission Concern, Youth Concern, Pastoral Ministry:
Its challenges, Church & the Poor, and Women and trafficking. Also during the day, delegates were taken around places for sightseeing by staffs of the host association, the Tangkhul Baptist Churches Association. In the evening session, Rev. Dr. Andrew Kim, Director, Global Connections for Advancement, Seoul, South Korea, spoke on the theme “Called to Holiness – family life.”
Former Mizoram CM Brig Sailo dead Prez Pranab commutes death penalty of Assam man aizawl, March 27 (pti): Former Mizoram chief minister Brig Thenphunga Sailo died here today, family sources said. Sailo (93) was rushed to the hospital at around 10 am and died there at 11.50 am after heart failure, its authorities said. He is survived by wife Thansiami, sons, daughters and grandchildren. Born on January 1, 1922, Sailo had joined the British Indian army in 1942 as a junior officer. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier of Indian army in 1966, the year the erstwhile Mizo National Front (MNF) declared independence from the Union. When he retired from the army in 1974, he had formed the Human Rights Committee to ease the lives of Mizo people reeling under insurgency and alleged army excesses. Sailo had formed a political party called Mizoram Peoples
ucation, training, job etc.; addressing factors leading to social disintegration of families and communities; identify and mobilise local resources to help poor children; check on new people coming into the locality (background check). Ela also suggested forming vigilance committee at district and village level, for instance, under Integrated Child Protection Scheme, every village must have a Child Protection Committee. She also suggested that the Sunday School curriculum of churches include modern day children related issues/challenges to equip them with coping skills, youth dept
29, 2002. That night, though the quarrel came to an end with his wife preferring to remain silent, Dewan remained restless, until he woke up around 4 am, picked up a dao (machete), and hacked her to death. He then also hacked his two sons Rajib (10) and Kajib (who was just about eight months old) and started looking for his another son Raju and daughter Jyotimaya. Raju and Jyotimaya, however, had already run away the previous night on seeing their father getting violent during the quarrel, and were sleeping in the house of a relative. Dewan, who came out of the house with the dao first knocked at the door of Prasad Dewan and Bijoy Dewan, but as the two did not open the door, he proceeded to the next house which belonged to one Raj Kumar Dewan. There he found Raj Kumar’s 60-year-old mother Bidhimaya in the compound, and even without uttering a word simply inflicted two blows
with the dao on her neck. Dewan then returned to his house, picked up the severed head of son Rajib, put it in a plastic bag and proceeded to Moranhat police station where he surrendered. While Dewan was awarded death sentence by the then Sivasagar Sessions Judge B D Agarwal on December 26, 2003. Later the Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court rejected appeals against death sentence. He then filed a mercy plea before the Assam governor on September 2, 2005, who rejected it on December 23, 2013. He then sent the plea to the President on February 10, 2014. The President is believed to have relied upon the opinion of the Home Ministry which had advised him to take a lenient view of the case. The Ministry is learnt to have advised Mukherjee that Dewan is from a poor background and murdered his wife, sons and a neighbour due to abject poverty and unemployment.
NAGALAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION KOHIMA
OFFICE OF THE
VILLAGE COUNCIL CHANGKI MANGKOLEMBA SUB DIVISION MOKOKCHUNG DISTRICT B.P.O. Changki P.O. Mokokchung, Nagaland Date: 26-03-2015
NOTICE
1. It is hereby made known to all concerned, especially members of Changki Village, bona fide or otherwise, that in connection with any historical or customary issues relating to Changki village, circulation or publication of any written material which is not authenticated, certified or permitted by the Village Council, Changki, shall be viewed most seriously as an attempt to foment communal disharmony among Changki villagers. 2. In connection with the false claims made by Mr. Imtajenba Emremchangki and group through a declaratory order dated 08/09/2006, if any such materials cited as above are used by anybody, not authenticated or permitted specifically by the Village Council Changki, Mr. Imtajenba Emremchangki and group shall be held responsible and befitting customary proceedings shall be initiated against them for attempting to aggravate communal disharmony within Changki. 3. In the event of use or publication of such materials by nonChangki individuals/groups not authenticated by the Village Council Changki, the same shall be considered as null and void, and the Council may be compelled to move for initiating necessary legal proceedings for attempting to disrupt communal harmony among Changki villagers. Sd. Sd. LENDIMENBA AMRI IMODANGBA PONGEN Chairman Secretary Village Council Changki Village Council Changki
NASTEC
Dated Kohima, the 27th March 2015
INVITATION TO ONE DAY SEMINAR ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (IPR)
ADDENDUM
NO. NPSC/ADVT-1/04 :: With reference to the Nagaland Public Service Commission’s Advertisement No. 1/2015 dated 13th March 2015,and addendum dt. 24th march 2015, the following post shall be added: Item No. 18 : 1 (One) post of Motor Vehicle Inspector (Class-III Non-Gazetted) under Transport Department. Educational Qualification: Item No. 18: 1.Minimum general educational qualification of a pass in X standard, and a Diploma in Automobile engineering(3 years course) Or a diploma in Mechanical engineering awarded by the State Board of Technical Education (3 years course); and working experience of at least one year in a reputed automobile workshop which undertakes repairs of both light motor vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and heavy passenger motor vehicles fitted with petrol and diesel engine, and must hold a driving licence authorizing to drive motor cycle, heavy goods vehicles and heavy passenger motor vehicles. Scale of pay: Item No. 18: Pay Band- Rs. 5200-20200 GP-2800 Elective subject to be opted: Item No. 18: Automobile Engg.( Diploma)/Mechanical Engg.( Diploma). Candidates who have already submitted their application forms may give option for addition of posts in order of preference after declaration of written result while submitting documents by writing an application in plain paper addressed to Secretary, Nagaland Public Service Commission, Kohima. Application forms can be filled up for Item No.18 from 28 -03-2015 onwards. The last date for submission of application forms for item No. 1 to 18 is 10TH April 2015. Other terms and conditions of the advertisement remains the same. (SARAH R. RITSE) Secretary, Nagaland Public Service Commission Kohima
Nagaland Science and Technology Council Department of Science and Technology Government of Nagaland
The Patent Information Centre (PIC) under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Nagaland is organizing a one day seminar on "Intellectual Property Rights" where an eminent patent attorney will be the resource person and speaking on topics which are very relevant to our state. Our state is rich in traditional knowledge systems and has many endemic plants and crops which need protection and we hope that this seminar will be helpful to all concerned. We therefore invite researchers, innovators, artists, writers, armors, entrepreneurs, legal bodies etc, in the state to attend the seminar. For further query, contact @ 9856311664 or 8415068942 Time Date Venue
: 10:00AM : 30 March 2015 : Zonal Council Hall, Kohima
Resource Person : Dr. Arvind Chitra, M. Sc, Ph.D, L.L.B, Patent Attorney, Rajeshwari & Associates, New Delhi Topic-I : Preservation and Protection of Traditional Knowledge Topic –II : Opportunities and Challenges of Geographical Indication (GI)
4
Dimapur
businEss
Saturday 28 March 2015
The Morung Express
India turns to ‘satellite god’ for crop mapping
‘Apple’s Tim Cook will give away all his money’ New York, March 27, (reuters): Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook is joining the roster of the very rich who are giving away their wealth. Fortune magazine cited the head of the world’s largest technology corporation as saying he planned to donate his estimated $785 million fortune to charity - after paying for his 10-year-old nephew’s college education. “You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripples for change,” Cook told the magazine. Fortune estimated Cook’s net worth, based on his holdings of Apple stock, at about $120 million. He also holds restricted stock worth $665 million if it were to be fully vested. The 54-year-old CEO’s revelation in Fortune’s lengthy profile of him is an example of the increasingly public philanthropy of the world’s richest people. Billionaire financier Warren Buffett is encouraging the very wealthy to give away at least half their worth in their lifetimes through the “Giving Pledge,” whose website lists such luminaries as Microsoft Corp’s Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook Inc and Oracle Corp’s Larry Ellison. While Cook’s largesse could not begin to approach the scale of a Gates or Zuckerberg, both worth billions of dollars, the Apple CEO told Fortune he hopes to make a difference. Cook, who is not listed on the website, is known as an intensely private person who shuns the spotlight on philanthropy. In recent years, however, he has begun speaking out more openly about issues ranging from the environment to civil rights. Cook, who recently revealed he was gay, spoke out against discrimination of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual communities during his induction into the Alabama Academy of Honor last year. He told Fortune he has started donating money to unspecified causes quietly and is trying to develop a more “systematic approach” to philanthropy that goes beyond writing checks.
New Delhi, March 27 (reuters): Sher Singh, a farmer from Rajasthan, prays to Varuna, the Hindu god of water, for a bountiful harvest. Now, he is also looking to the heavens for satellite imaging to boost his crop. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to promote a “per drop, more crop” approach to farming to make better use of scarce water, and aims to have a new satellite crop monitoring system working in time for the peak of this year’s monsoon in July. Using remote analysis to assess soil moisture and crop development has the potential to cut input costs and raise yields, say experts, in a country of 1.25 billion where half of workers make a living from agriculture. Under the scheme, farmers would be able to access advisories on their mobile phones to help them to choose seed varieties, apply the right fertilisers or time irrigation ‘shots’, though some are sceptical about how effective the plan will be given natural or other obstacles. “I hope to cut at least a tenth of input cost with
The approach seeks to apply ‘precision’ farming methods pioneered in North America that use geolocation technology to help farmers micro-manage exactly how much seed, fertiliser or pesticide they apply to their fields. In countries such as the United States and Canada unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are also used to overfly farms to map soil and crops accurately. The next-best option is satellite analysis, more affordable for India, that uses a method called Normalized Vegetation Difference Index assess how well a crop is developing. Chattopadhyay said the analysis can be provided to farmers on a near real-time basis and could also be used for impact assessment after natural hazards like floods. India can use its own geostationary satellites, but some see obstacles to its plans including a need to check findings on the ground or the risk of cloud obscuring images. “Don’t be under any illusion that the remote sensing based crop mapping techPrecision farming, Indian nique will be a penance for all problems in the farm secstyle the help of the ‘satellite god’,” said Singh, 55, who farms less than a hectare of rapeseed and hopes to use savings to educate his two grandchildren. By his own admission, Singh doesn’t know how much to water his crops, the right fertiliser mix - or even the right crop to plant given the land’s soil type. After last year’s landslide poll victory, Modi’s government rolled out a national Soil Health Card scheme modelled on an initiative he launched as chief minister of Gujarat to help farmers plant crops suited to their farmland. In addition, satellite analysis can assess vegetation cover down to field level, helping to determine how a crop is developing and whether it has been harmed by pests or needs more water. “The idea is to integrate information under the Soil Health Card with satellite images to raise productivity,” said N. Chattopadhyay, a weather department official who is involved in the project.
R N Sahoo, a senior scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), prepares to install a high resolution remote sensor used for crop mapping in a wheat field at IARI in New Delhi, March 20. (REUTERS Photo)
tor,” said B.C. Barah, a New land. Just over half of India’s Delhi-based agriculture nearly 200 million hectares economist. of arable land is rainfed, leaving farmers at the merFrom the top cy of an often uncertain the India’s top bureaucrat monsoon. The remaining Ajit Seth has urged wider arable is under irrigation, use of remote sensing to which the government benefit farmers, many of plans to expand by a tenth whom live a precarious over three years. The loss existence on tiny plots of of more than half of a crop
can trigger government payments to farmers, of $72 per hectare for rainfed areas and $144 for irrigated lands. India is also preparing to use satellite based crop forecasts to develop insurance for farmers. Currently, insurance products cover primarily crop loans and exclude farm activities.
Now capable of providing 4G pan-India Review: Made-in-India Range Rover Evoque ‘High wages in China offer ued long-term commitment post spectrum auction: Reliance India chance to be to the Indian market.” Talking about the prodNew Delhi, March 27 in Assam, North-East, Odisha uct, the locally assembled global manufacturing hub’ (Pti): Telecom operator Reli- and West Bengal where it lost Range Rover Evoque continance Communications today said it has gained capability to provide 4G services across the country on the back of spectrum won by it in the recently concluded spectrum auction. “Reliance Communication becomes India’s first and only operator with nationwide footprint of contiguous 800/850 MHz spectrum. Reliance Communication operations now future-proofed across all circles for most advanced LTE technology at most optimal cost,” the company said in a statement. It made bids worth Rs 4,299 crore and is required to make an upfront payment of Rs 1,106 crore. The company won 800 MHz spectrum in 11 service areas but could not defend its 900 MHz spectrum holding in 5 out of 7 circles expiring in 2015-16. Reliance Communication retained its 900 MHz holding in Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh besides acquiring 800 MHz spectrum afresh
900 MHz band spectrum holding. The mobile signals transmitted in 800 MHz and 900 MHz cover almost equal area. The area covered by signals in these bands is almost double than the area covered by signals transmitted using 1,800 MHz band frequency, widely known as 2G spectrum. Thus, telecom operators are required to install less number of mobile towers in 800 MHz and 900 MHz band as compared to high frequencies which helps them in saving capital and operational expenses. The auction included 900 MHz spectrum held through licences of Idea Cellular in 9 telecom circles, Vodafone and Reliance Communication in 7 each and Airtel in 6 service areas, expiring in 2015-16. The company acquired 1,800 MHz band spectrum in Odisha, North-East, Karnataka, Punjab and Haryana which in coming days can also be used for 4G services.
PuNe, March 27 (ageNices): TataMotorsowned Jaguar Land Rover today rolled out the locally assembled Range Rover Evoque in India at a starting price of Rs. 48.73 lakh. Though the deliveries will commence from early April 2015. The Range Rover Evoque has become the fourth vehicle that JLR assembles at its Pune factory. Other three are Freelander 2, Jaguar XF and XJ. The
company also reveals that the production at the Pune plant has tripled since its inauguration in 2011. Rohit Suri, President of Jaguar Land Rover India, said: “We believe that India is a market that offers significant opportunities for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. I am pleased to announce the broadening of our locally manufactured portfolio, with the introduction of the Range Rover
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LEISURE
Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.”
SUDOKU Game Number # 3178
Evoque. It is already very popular with Indian customers and we will now offer this SUV at an even more competitive price point starting at INR 48.73 Lacs. This will enable us to access a wider audience which consists of discerning and premium Indian customers who have always loved the brand, aspired to own this SUV and be seen in it. Our investment in the Pune facility demonstrates our contin-
ues to feature a 2.2-litre SD4 diesel engine that is good for 188bhp and maximum torque of 420Nm. The car is available in 3 trim levels: Pure, Dynamic and Prestige. Key Features * 9-Speed automatic transmission * Front and rear parking sensors with rear view camera * Navigation system * Fixed panoramic sunroof * Land Rover’s state of the art Terrain Response System. Ex-Showroom Mumbai (Pre-Octroi) prices 1) Range Rover Evoque SD4 (188bhp), 5 Door Pure : Rs. 48.73 Lakh 2) Range Rover Evoque SD4 (188bhp), 5 Door Dynamic : INR 52.40 Lakh 3) Range Rover Evoque SD4 (255bhp), 5 Door Prestige : INR 56.21 Lakh
DAILY CROSS WORD
CROSSWORD # 3188
Answer Number # 3177
New Delhi, March 27 (Pti): Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said higher wage cost in China presents the best opportunity for India to turn into a global manufacturing hub. “Wages in China have gone up. That part of the world is now becoming costlier. Can we, therefore, create a world class infrastructure in India,” he said while addressing the Annual Day celebrations at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) here. India is already armed with good human resources and institutions of various kind, making the cost of capital reasonable, he added. “Can the cost of our capital not be reasonable... All these issues of efficiency, quality improvement, that’s where the opportunity awaits us in creating mass jobs and that is the best possibility of India (in) removing poverty,” he said. The government has launched ‘Make In India’ initiative to increase manufacturing in the country. At present, the share of manufacturing in GDP is very less as compared to developed nations. On conferring of Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Jaitley said he is a “stalwart leader of the country”. “This a proud moment for the country and all of us. He (Vajpayee) is a stalwart leader of country. He is a leader par excellence who worked tirelessly in the interest of nation,” the Finance Minister said.
DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:
STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474
Metro Hospital:
227930, 231081
Faith Hospital:
228846
Shamrock Hospital
228254
Zion Hospital:
231864, 224117, 227337
Police Control Room
228400
Police Traffic Control
232106
East Police Station West Police Station
227607 232181
CIHSR (Referral Hospital)
242555/ 242533
Dimapur hospital
224041, 248011
Apollo Hospital Info Centre:
230695/ 9402435652
Railway:
131/228404
Indian Airlines
229366
Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre
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Disney DISNEY WORLD ORLANDO FLORIDA MICKEY MINNIE HAUNTEDMANSION ITSASMALLWORLD BUS CRUISELINE CASTLE CINDERELLA BEARREVIEW DOLEWHIP SPORTSCOMPLEX MADHATTER DUMBO CHIP DALE GOOFY PLUTO TRADINGPINS TALLONE DONALD DAISY MONORAIL RESORT ELECTRICPARADE FIREWORKS FANATASIA FANTASTIC WISHES SCORCERERMICKEY MAGICKINGDOM EPCOT ANIMALKINGDOM HOLLYWOODSTUDIOS DOWNTOWNDISNEY
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ACROSS
1. Arguments 6. Wail 10. Back talk 14. Log home 15. Being 16. Send forth 17. A drama set to music 18. Mimics 19. Eat 20. A pungent herb 22. Food thickener 23. Nonclerical 24. Get 26. Dethrone 30. Explosive 31. Born as 32. Dwarf buffalo 33. Exam 35. Jittery 39. Urinary organs 41. Restoration 43. Statistics 44. Travel on water 46. Location 47. Autonomic nervous system 49. Wander aimlessly 50. Flower stalk 51. Protective head covering
54. Bit of gossip 56. Pearly-shelled mussel 57. Hard coal 63. List of options 64. Genuine 65. Deadly snake 66. Portent 67. Quash 68. Assumed name 69. Deliver a tirade 70. Biblical garden 71. Very slender
DOWN
1. . Flat-bottomed boat 2. Dad 3. Assist in crime 4. Rubber wheel 5. Entangle 6. Fatigue 7. Distinct features 8. Applications 9. A unit of instruction 10. Solemnity 11. Girlfriend (Spanish) 12. Egyptian peninsula 13. Strict 21. Bitchy 25. Legume 26. Trees of the genus Quercus 27. Module
28. Fizzy drink 29. Equivalent 34. Swim, run and cycle race 36. Blockhead 37. Satisfy 38. The original matter (cosmology) 40. Feudal worker 42. Church officer 45. Provoke 48. Go without food 51. The quality of being funny 52. Colonic 53. Flax fabric 55. Long-tailed parrot 58. Require 59. Soft drink 60. Nile bird 61. Snare 62. Not difficult Ans to CrossWord 3187
Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home: Northeast Shuttles
STD CODE: 0370 100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202 08974997923
CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862 282777/101 (O) 9856158740 (OC)
MOKOKCHUNG: 0369 2226225/ 101 (O) 9436012949 (OC) PHEK: 8414853765 (O) 9862130954(OC) ZUNHEBOTO: 03867 280304/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC)
MON: 03869 251222/ 101 (O) 9436208480 (OC) KipHire: 8414853767 (O) 8974304572 (OC)
Toll free No. 1098 childline
Police Station 1:
DIMAPUR: 03862 232201/ 101 (O) 9436017479 (OC)
TUENSANG: 8414853766 (O) 8414853519
CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE
MOKOKCHUNG:
KOHIMA: 0370 2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC)
WOKHA: 03860 242215/101 (O) 9862039399 (OC)
Chumukedima Fire 282777 Brigade Nikos Hospital and 232032, 231031 Research Centre
KOHIMA
FIRE STATIONS
STD CODE: 0369
2226241
Police Station 2 :
2226214
Civil Hospital: Woodland Nursing Home:
2226216 2226263
Hotel Metsüpen (Tourist Lodge):
2226373/2229343
TAHAMZAM (formerly Senapati) STD CODE: 03871 Police Station: Fire Brigade
CURRENCY NOTES
222246 222491
BUY(Rs)
SELL(Rs)
US Dollars Sterling Pound Hong Kong Dollar Australian Dollar Singapore Dollar Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen
60.80 90.27 7.59 47.13 44.20 48.44 50.44
64.02 95.84 8.52 50.31 46.97 51.51 54.45
Euro
65.64
69.83
Thai Baht Korean Won New Zealand Dollar Chinese Yuan
1.81
2.03
0.0532
0.0598
46.24
48.34
9.46
10.61
LOCAL
The Morung Express
Saturday 28 March 2015
Organisations condemn bomb blast, attack on AR personnel kohima, march 27 (mExN): The Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) has expressed shock and dismay at the series of violent incidents taking place in Nagaland. While condemning the March 26 bomb blast in Wokha, where three women and a child were injured, NMA demanded the administration to seriously probe into the crimes and bring the persons responsible to book. “This kind of repeated attack on civilians, particularly women and children is a crime against humanity,” NMA stated in a release. Meanwhile, NMA also condemned the attack on security personnel of the 19 Assam Rifles in Kohima by unidentified miscreants. It wished for speedy recovery of the injured Assam Rifles jawans and those injured in the bomb
explosion in Wokha. It further sought immediate attention of the State government to make stringent laws against using unauthorized arms and bombs and to swiftly investigate the attacks and ensure that those responsible be held accountable in consonance with law. NMA also appealed to the Naga political groups for commitment, respect and understanding between the factions to resolve the Naga political issue. “As mothers we want peace to prevail in our land and we must recognize that every person has the right to live in peace and security,” it added. Naga Hoho: The Naga Hoho has condemned the bomb blasts in Dimapur and Wokha on March 25 and 26 respectively. The Hoho also condemned the firing incident that
took place at Kohima IG Stadium where four personnel of 19 Assam Rifles were wounded. While appealing to all Nagas to abstain from such “ugly and unwanted situations”, the Hoho reiterated its stand to maintain peace and tranquility in the region. Further, urging the law enforcing agencies to be more vigil and deliver investigation report at the earliest, the Hoho appealed to all concerned to adhere strictly to the Cease Fire Ground Rules. NTC: The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has condemned the bomb blast in Wokha Town on March 26. Stating that such “mindless and barbarous act is alien to Naga Culture,” NTC in a press statement urged upon “those sadists to shun violence henceforth for the sake of our survival as a people.” The
NTC further appealed to one and all to refrain from “polluting the atmosphere with reckless and senseless activities causing tension and insecurity in the minds of the peace loving people of Nagaland.” Sumi Hoho: The Sumi Hoho has also condemned the bomb attack in Wokha Town on March 26 and also the attack on security personnel of 19 Assam Rifles in Kohima. Maintaining that the incidents are “senseless and an act of cowardice”, the Hoho urged upon the law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned to nab the culprits so as to curb such activities in the society. The Hoho further prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured patients.
also condemned the bomb blast in Wokha. Terming the act “beastly” which had no concern and respect towards humanity, the Union in a release appealed to the district administration and law enforcing agencies to nab the perpetrators at the earliest. The union also appealed to the perpetrators to eschew from such kind of “devilish deeds.” It further prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Lotha Pressure Group: Condemning the March 26 bomb blast in Wokha, the Lotha Pressure Group has urged the government to explore all possibilities and unearth the intention of the “antisocial” at the earliest. A press release issued by the Group convenor, MhatZuvotong Colony hung Ngullie lamented Union: Zuvotong Colony that so far the State governUnion (ZCU) Wokha has ment and its agencies con-
cerned have “failed miserably” to bring any result in regard to the bomb explosion that ripped apart a public passenger bus where many were killed and scores injured on December 18, 2000. The second bomb explosion happened on February 24, 2015 killing many and injuring scores, it reminded. “With all these happenings how can the public trust the state government for either public safety or any result oriented investigation?” it questioned. The group further expressed support to the Lotha frontal organizations and Lotha public demanding for a CBI probe into all of these “anti social” incidents. “In order to be able to repose faith on the state government and its agencies, the government has to bring satisfactory result and show it to the people,” it added.
Dimapur
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MEx FILE Sumi Council Dimapur condoles Dimapur, march 27 (mExN): The Sumi Council, Dimapur has expressed sadness at the demise of V Pitoli Zhimomi, wife of Er. Vikiye Zhimomi, on March 21. In a condolence message, Sumi Council, Dimapur chairman, Kuhoi Zhimo said Pitoli was a pioneering figure among the entire Naga community and more particularly to the Sumis. “She was the first lady graduate from the Sumi tribe and led a simple and humble life dedicated to both her family and the society. Her lifestyle needs to be emulated by the younger generation and to become a lady of substance,” he added. Acknowledging that the void created by her demise will be felt, the Sumi Council, Dimapur prayed to God to give strength to the family members to overcome the grief.
DAKK Meeting Dimapur, march 27 (mExN): The Dimapur Ajiqa Kughuko Kuqhakulu (DAKK) has convened a general body meeting on March 29 from 1 pm at the residence of its president, Asheto in I.V. (LRC) Colony here. The general secretary of DAKK, Akito in a press note has requested all the members to attend the meeting without failure.
SDO Jalukie informs on trade permit JalukiE, march 27 (Dipr): SDO (C) & Administrator Jalukie Town Council, Rhosietho Nguori in an order informed all shops/business establishments under Jalukie Town Council to renew their respective Trade Permits for the year on or before March 31, 2015. The order also stated that late fine shall be imposed upon those failing to renew within the stipulated time/period, which may further lead to cancellation of permits.
Meeting for peace and unity of Chakhesang phEk, march 27 (mExN): A three-day meeting for the peace and unity of Chakhesangs (Divine Revelation) through Naga Shisha Hoho entered the second day today at the Losami Baptist Church, near Phek. Rev. Puduhü Khüsoh, pastor, UBC Diampur acted as the speaker in the morning service. Chakhesang Public Organization (CPO) president Sovenyi also deThe 19th Ao Baptist Pastors' Conference, which got underway in Delhi on March 24, is being attended by around 140 pastors. A seminar was held on March 25 and 26 where livered short speech. The service was led by Kesowe the resource persons spoke about expository preaching on the theme ‘Study the Word, Practice the Word, Preach the Word’ based on Ezra 7:10. The seminar was insightful Mekrisuh, pastor, Losami Baptist Church while bible and thought provoking, it was informed. On March 27 and 28, the pastors were scheduled to go on educational tours. reading and prayer was led by Edechoi Rose, director, Children Ministry. Kiitsapo Mother’s group, Thiiyephuyi and Chizami group presented special song. The meet will go on till March 28.
Learn, Lead and Serve – CAN Seminar on intellectual property rights Youth holds interaction with youth
kuhuboto, march 27 (mExN): CAN Youth organized an interaction programme on social and community development with the youth of Kuhuboto at Kuhubto Town on March 27. The programme entitled ‘Learn, Lead and Serve’ was supported by Nehru Yuva Kendra, Dimapur. CAN Youth secretary, Samuel Walling in a press release said that Jenpu Rongmei, founder of CAN Youth was the facilitator. Stressing on the importance of appreciation and support among the community, Jenpu stated, “We Nagas can also progress a lot if we develop such culture.
Leader is the one that lead people for a better cause rather than leading people in for wrong purpose.” In the second session, two groups presented topics after much deliberation on youth’s responsibility towards political development and quality education. The first group highlighted the importance of imparting political knowledge among the rural youth. It was suggested that using of intoxicated substances should be avoided and use of various media to act as a pressure group to the government should be encouraged. They were of the view that youth can be the best to bring a change
in the society and that can be done best by the youth and aware people on politics for development, not for money. The second group stressed on quality education. They maintained that the government schools do not progress much due to proxy culture by the government teachers. Much was amplified on the pros and cons of RTE Act, the release said. One of the participants shared that RTE Act has completely failed in Nagaland. There are not even different toilets for both boys and girls in schools which in fact supposed to be under the Act, it was pointed out.
CBCC ordains four church leaders chozuba, march 27 (mExN): The Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC) ordained four church leaders during the CBCC pastor’s fellowship held at Chozuba Town Baptist Church on March 26. Dr. Chekroveyicho-o, Asst Professor, Appliedtheology, OTS Bade; Dr. Kevekhalo Lasuh, Pastor, CBCK; Dr. Suluveyi Rhakho, Director, Harvest Ministry; and Vekuso Swuro, Director, Oasis Training Centre were ordained by 29 ministers. The ceremony was administered by the chairman, Ordination Commit-
kohima, march 27 (mExN): The Patent Information Centre (PIC) under the Department of Science & Technology, Nagaland is organizing a one day seminar on “Intellectual Property Rights” on March 30, 10:00 am at Zonal Council Hall, Kohima. “Our state is rich in traditional knowledge systems and has
many endemic plants and crops which need protection and we hope that this seminar will be helpful to all concerned,” a release received here said today. Dr. Arvind Chitra, patent attorney, Rajeshwari & Associates, New Delhi will be the resource person. Topics to be covered during the seminar include “Preservation
(mExN): The enforcement officers and flying squad officials of Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) Kohima comprising District Administration, Police, Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) and Health and Family Welfare Department conducted surprise checking at the shops located near educational institutes in Kohima Town on March 27. Altogether 22 shopkeepers
kohima, march 27 (mExN): The public has been informed not to purchase the land above the link road in western side of Government Polytechnic, Kohima near IG stadium as it belongs to government and allocated to the Department of Technical Education for setting up of technical institution, stated a press note issued by Er. Vipulhou Lhoungu, Principal, Government Polytechnic Kohima.
sum of Rs. 3970/- were imposed against them for selling tobacco products at the vicinity of educational institutions, informed Sub–Divisional Police Officer & PRO, Kohima police, Atu Zumvü in a press release. Meanwhile, varieties of tobacco products were also seized from their possession and the seized articles were forwarded to the court of CJM Kohima alongwith a report.
kohima, march 27 service was held at the directorate conference hall on ficers, and staff of the De- March 27 in honour the department of Soil & Water parted soul. Director M. LiConservation, Nagaland mameren Ao, who chaired has expressed shock at the the programme, highlighted sudden demise of ST Hang- Hangshing’s contribution shing, retired director, SLUB, to the department, it added. Nagaland on March 26 in Di- The department further conmapur. A press release from veyed heartfelt condolences joint director of the depart- to the bereaved family memment, Temjen Longkumer bers and prayed that the deinformed that a condolence parted soul rest in peace.
The ordained church leaders during the CBCC pastor’s fel(mExN): The director, oflowship held at Chozuba Town Baptist Church on March 26.
ruo. Rev. Dr. Vezopa Tetseo presented the ordinance to the congregation on behalf of CBCC. Meanwhile, the CBCC ordained minister’s fellowship has congratulated and welcomed all the four newly ordained ministers into the fellowship.
Info on govt polytechnic land
Shops around educational Lotha Mhonka Okho gives aid institutes checked in Kohima to Feb 24 Wokha blast victims kohima, march 27 were issued challan and a
Soil & Water dept condoles tee Rev Dr. N. Chiero while Ordination sermon was delivered by Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho, General Secretary, NBCC. The Service was led by Rev Dr Vevosayi Phesao, Bible reading by Rev Khrotso Mero followed by invocation led by Rev Khrutsoi Lu-
and protection of traditional knowledge” and “Opportunities and challenges of geographical indication.” CM Tsanglao, secretary to Government of Nagaland, department of science & technology will deliver welcome address while Dr. Zavei Hiese will chair the function. The seminar will be followed by field visit to Pfutsero.
Members of Lotha Mhonka Okho handing out financial assistance to the victims of bomb blast which occurred on February 24 in Wokha Town.
Wokha, march 27 (mExN): Lotha Mhonka Okho, a non-profit organisation working with the objective to improve the overall social development of the Lotha community, visited the victims of February 24 Wokha Town bomb blast on March 19 and provided financial assistance to as many as 26 families.
A press release informed that Lotha Mhonka Okho had initiated an online donation to help the victims of the blast which completely destroyed three buildings and rendered more than twenty five families homeless. The organisation received donations from well-wishers all over India and from as
far as Spain and Dubai, the release said. The Lotha Mhonka Okho has expressed gratitude to all the well-wishers and donors for their love and sympathy towards the victims and their families. It also lauded the District Administration Wokha for their co-operation and advices.
World Glaucoma Week observed in Peren district Condolences for former minister Bangdi Iheilung pErEN, march 27 (mExN): The seventh World Glaucoma Week was observed at District Hospital Peren from March 8 to 27. The District Hospital Peren extended the eye camp till March 27 though the actual time frame was from March 8 to 14. The District Health Society, National Program for Control of Blindness (NPCB) Peren District, organized the programme. District Media Officer of CMO Peren Pezanguno Celine Secü in a press release said that World Glaucoma Week is observed to create awareness amongst the public about the prevention and control of Glaucoma. Glaucoma has been
Dr. Hedungkiebe, District Nodal Officer, NPCB, Eye Surgeon & medical staff along with patients who were operated at District Hospital Peren.
called the ‘Silent thief of sight’ because the loss of vision often occurs gradually over a long period of time, and symptoms only occur when the disease is quite advanced, she informed, adding once lost, vision cannot normally be recovered, so treatment is aimed at preventing further loss. Worldwide, Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness after cataract. If condition is detected
early enough, it is possible to arrest the development or slow the progression with medical and surgical means, it was informed. Dr. Hedungkiebe, District Nodal Officer, NPCB, Eye Surgeon District Hospital Peren along with his team also conducted awareness campaign on Glaucoma with the general public at Sports Complex Indoor Stadium Jalukie town on March 13. Infor-
mation was also given using the Church platform. The month long eye camp witnessed a total of 117 patients who were screened. All the patients who availed the service were given free medication and eye operation. A total of 7 cases were operated out of which 2 cases were Trabeculectomy with Iridotomy, 2 cases were cataract with Iridotomy and the rest 3 cases were cataract.
kohima, march 27 (mExN): The Naga People’s Front, Central HQs Kohima with grief today announced the passing away of Bangdi Iheilung, a veteran Zeliang leader, around 6:00 am of March 27 at his residence in Jalukie Town after prolonged illness. In a condolence message, NPF press bureau informed that born March 16, 1946 at Benreu Village in Peren district, Bangdi Iheilung did his early schooling at Benreu Private U.P School, matriculated in 1966 from Government High School, Kohima and graduated from St. Edmunds College, Shillong in 1972. Further, it said that Bangdi, known as a good
footballer, served the people in different fields starting as an Assistant Teacher at a private ME School in Jalukie town from 1974 to 1975 and later, in 1976, as the first Headmaster of Jalukie Town High School. Late Bangdi Iheilung was elected to the Nagaland Legislature Assembly in his maiden contest from Peren Constituency as NNDP candidate in 1987, and won subsequent elections as well and rendered his service to people of Nagaland, holding different portfolios as Minister and Cabinet Minister, the message said. Acknowledging that his passing away has left a vacuum that will be difficult to fill up, the president, Dr
Shürhozelie Liezetsu and all rank and file of the NPF Central, conveyed heartfelt condolences to Iheilung’s wife Aniuliu, daughters and sons and the bereaved family members. NPF Peren: The president of NPF Peren division, Haigam Kauring, has also expressed grief and shock at the demise of former minister Bangdi Iheilung. On behalf of NPF Peren division, Kauring in a condolence message stated that Iheilung was a staunch regionalist throughout his life and was a leader “who could feel the pulse of the grassroots people.” Terming Iheilung’s demise as a huge loss to the Zeliangrong community in particular and Nagas in gener-
al, the NPF Peren division further conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members. Tenyimi Union Jalukie: The Tenyimi Union Jalukie has conveyed heartfelt condolences to the family of former minister Bangdi Iheilung. A condolence message from the Union president, Suloni Semy, acknowledged that Bangdi was a very capable and efficient leader. “His service rendered to the Union particular will forever be cherished.” Admitting that the death is a great loss not only for the Zeliangrong and Tenyimi people, but all the Nagas in general, the Union prayed for strength and solace of the bereaved family.
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People, life, etc... Saturday | 28 March, 2015
BBC's Hypocrisy Shifts into 'Top Gear'
J
Marc Champion
eremy Clarkson, the star presenter fired this week from the globally popular TV show Top Gear, is a jerk. An investigation found he had punched his producer in the face for arranging cold cuts to eat instead of steak and fries (the hotel kitchen had closed), so the insult is more than warranted. Clarkson's boorishness, though, is why so many people watch his show. Top Gear -- which Clarkson developed, often scripted and co-hosted with two others -- made for strangely compelling viewing. It was supposed to be about cars, but was really about playing with toys and doing the kinds of pointless and ridiculous things most grownups stopped when they were teenagers. This isn't the first time Clarkson has been in trouble. After apologizing for a co-host calling Mexicans "lazy" on the show, he wrote that the country had no Olympic team "because anyone who can run jump or swim is already across the border." Later, he had to apologize for using the N-word on the show while reciting "eeny, meeny, miny, moe" to choose between two cars. He also punched the British journalist Piers Morgan in the head three times at an awards ceremony in 2004 for, as Morgan puts it, publishing compromising pictures of Clarkson "and a lady who wasn't Mrs. Clarkson." ("It was, frankly, like being slapped over the face with a wet Cod," says Morgan.) But that's the thing
From bouffant hair to controversial remarks
F
about talented people like Clarkson. On TV, flouting political correctness and behaving badly can be funny; it's what he's paid to do. Move to reality, however, and his bullying, foul-mouthed ways are less amusing. BBC Director General Lord Hall said he had no choice but to let Clarkson go, despite a petition from more than 1 million Top Gear fans asking for his reinstatement: For me a line has been crossed. There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations. I want to agree, but Hall's claim of equality be-
fore the rules is untrue, even hypocritical. Screen talent has always been allowed to abide by different rules. Stars who can command audience numbers are outrageously spoiled, their tantrums absorbed and delinquencies forgiven in ways that would never be allowed to anyone else. In addition, the BBC profited from Clarkson's persona, earning 50 million pounds ($74 million) a year from syndication around the world. It can hardly claim hurt and surprise when his loutishness gets acted out off camera. (Admittedly, punching a co-worker hard enough that he needed treatment is a step up from his previous offenses.)
Everyone is equal before the law, though, so Clarkson should be prosecuted for assault. He'll no doubt confess. It was he who reported himself to BBC managers; he also tried several times to apologize to Oisin Tymon, the producer he pummeled. So he knows what he did. The BBC, for its part, should discipline him (again), force him to make a public apology, and dock his pay. Clarkson was clearly ready for that. If Tymon didn't want to work with him anymore, he should have been found a better job and replaced with an even bigger lout than Clarkson (the BBC surely has a few to choose from among its 20,000 full-
The hipster as fashion icon is under threat
time staff). Instead, "Auntie," as the Brits call their publicly funded broadcaster, will probably try to resurrect Top Gear with new hosts. (Clarkson's two copresenters have indicated they may leave with him.) If they do try, it will probably fail, unless they are as effortlessly puerile in the way they talk about cars. Meanwhile, Clarkson and his fellow Top Gear presenter are likely to find wide open doors if they want to continue their show, under a different name, at another TV channel. The entertainment world, after all, isn't fair -which is precisely why it's home to quite a number of highly paid jerks.
H
I
am a hipster sympathiser. Even though it’s a word I can’t say out loud, I can only type. And then only if I la-la-la over the clicking of the keys. But I am probeard, pro-vintage cardies, pronail art with faces on, because I believe the hipster to be on the side of good. On the side of inclusiveness and outsiderness, and ethics, and “investing in the arts” and all of that sort of general niceguy decency. Except the hipster is no more. Despite reports in this very magazine that thehipster’s “flat white economy” is the future of British prosperity, its visual identity is floundering. As a word it has been swallowed by a stamp of a moustache, chewed up in its own teeth in a terrible accident of signifier/signified, and as a concept it has been destroyed by the brands that took this aesthetic mainstream. Hour by hour, the “hipster” fashion companies that have come to define it have declined ever further, another beanie unsold, another worn-in band T-shirt left another day. Urban Outfitters, with its stores like the set of New Girland its clothes rails like the end of an Essex pool party, has seen sales fall steadily since 2011. American Apparel has lost so much money it hasn’t made a profit since 2009; last year it was nearly “delisted” from the
New York Stock Exchange. And on an even more basic level, the clothes just no longer look… cool. Those who have aligned themselves the tightest with this trend sound practically mournful when discussing it, in eulogies to lost youths, to 12in covers yet unframed. Others find it hard to get the facts out through their noisy glee. Of course, part of these brands’ decline is in their ubiquity, in the way they’ve made it too easy for us to pretend we crawled more than 50 good charity shops to get to one stone-washed jacket. But could it be simpler even than this? Simpler even than “fashion” or “marketing”. Simpler even than: “I’ve got enough swallows now, ta. All set for swallows.” Could it be that we’ve collectively decided we’re sick of their crap? It was with Urban Outfitters’ third or fourth controversy – the women’s T-shirt that read “Eat Less”, maybe, or the time they ripped off a young jewellery designer’s collection, or their Navajo accessory line, including hip flask and knickers, or the pink-triangled tapestry the Anti-Defamation League claimed was “eerily reminiscent” of concentration camps, or the $100 T-shirt with a badge that looked quite a lot like the Star of David that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany – that it became clear Urban Outfitters was thriving on the outrage.
Was trading on its “edginess”. Similarly, a few years ago the well-documented sleaze of American Apparel’s founder Dov Charney seemed to help the marketing of the brand. “Sex is inextricably linked to fashion and apparel,” said Charney. “And our clothing is connected to our sexual expression.” In their adverts, typically featuring girls bending over naked but for a pair of socks, they traded on their fair-labour practices, oblivious to claims that having a CEO who was said to have perpetuated a “reign of sexual terror” illustrated quite the opposite. “I am a bit of a dirty guy,” Charney told a journalist in 2004, before masturbating in front of her, “but people like that right now.” Yeah, not any more, pal. Eleven years on, as labels and magazines refuse to work with Terry Richardson (a hipster fashion brand all of his own) following his own misogyny and downfall, it is clear that people have changed their minds. Dov Charney was finally fired just before Christmas. The hipster look is dying because of the failures of the fashion brands that supported it. It is dying because the things the companies do has crept too far from the lifestyle they sell. It is dying because, even in business, it is no longer acceptable to be a dick. This, too, I am pro.
Big hair, don’t care: Clarkson sporting a bouffant look for an early Top Gear appearance, in a photo believed to have been taken in the 1980s. He has transformed the motoring show into a worldwide phenomenon and viewers have grown to love his quick-witted comments
Egg on his face: Not everyone at Oxford Brookes University thought Jeremy should get an honorary degree in 2005. Road protester Rebecca Lush gave him a custard pie. ‘Good shot!’ he told her. Clarkson was nominated by the School of Technology for his championing of high standards in engineering, but green campaigners attacked the move, saying he had a poor stance on the environment
Not exactly Poldark: The costume department clearly enjoyed themselves with this Top Gear episode on the north Cornish coast
At the Box Office, It’s No Longer a Man’s World Brooks Barnes
Eva Wiseman
rom bouffant hair and tight, white shorts to fast cars and controversial remarks, Jeremy Clarkson has grown from a young boy into an outspoken man in front of our eyes. The 54-yearold star, who was dramatically dropped from the BBC after launching an assault on a producer, started his Top Gear career as a smartly-dressed twenty-something with a background in journalism. Over the years, he has transformed the motoring show into a worldwide phenomenon and viewers have grown to love his quickwitted comments and sarcastic jibes. However, the television presenter hasn't endured a career without controversy, and has been at the centre of numerous rows on a range of subjects including allegations of racism. Now, as his BBC career finally comes to an end, we take a look in pictures at how the opinionated star's career - and personal life - has developed over the years.
eading into the allimportant summer moviegoing season, two converging box-office trends are startling studios: Women are driving ticket sales to a degree rarely, if ever, seen before, while young men — long Hollywood’s most coveted audience — are relatively AWOL. With the release of “The Divergent Series: Insurgent” over the weekend, women have delivered the three biggest live-action openings of the year. The audience for “Insurgent,” which took in an estimated $54 million from Friday to Sunday, was 60 percent female. The opening-weekend crowd for “Fifty Shades of Grey” was 67 percent female, and women made up 66 percent of the audience for “Cinderella.” It would be easier to dismiss those percentages as a fluke — three big femaleoriented movies just happened to arrive in proximity — if a parade of movies aimed at young men had not bombed over the same period. Among the carnage: “Jupiter Ascending,” “Seventh Son,” “Hot Tub Time Machine 2,” “Chappie” and, over the weekend, Sean Penn’s “The Gunman.” The shift has been noticeable enough to prompt movie executives and producers to ruminate about the causes and consider whether the big film factories should recalibrate their assembly lines. Counting on the stability of young men, studios have nearly 30 superhero movies on the way by the end of 2015, each costing well over $100 million to make. But young men are more easily distracted by other forms of entertainment, and women may now be the more reliable opening-weekend audience. “You can never put your finger on it entirely, but you have to ask the questions,” said Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. “Is this just the
cyclical nature of the movie business? Or does it point to a more serious shift in habits?” The uncertainty comes as Hollywood tries to bounce back from a terrible 2014. Admissions fell 6 percent at North American theaters last year, to 1.27 billion, compared with the previous year; ticket sales declined 5 percent, to $10.4 billion. Ticket sales are up about 4 percent so far in 2015, but the high-risk summer months — packed with male-centric movies like “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Terminator: Genisys” and “AntMan” — usually set the pace for the year. Studios awoke to the power of female ticket buyers in 2008, when the “Twilight” action romances became a global phenomenon. Since then, women have turned films like “The Hunger Games,” “Bridesmaids” and “Frozen” into smash hits. But the muscle of women at the multiplex has recently gone “from sporadic to continuous,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior analyst at Rentrak, which tracks box-office data. Young men used to be Hollywood’s most reliable audience, in part because they tended to be less discriminating than women. “No story? No problem! As long as people got blown up, guys showed up,” Mr. Dergarabedian said. But studio research executives say young men are the most likely to be lured by alternative activities like video games, sports and YouTube comedy clips. Research indicates that teenage boys in particular do not want to be told when and where they have to consume entertainment, which makes herding them into a movie theater difficult. In contrast, “teenage girls still seem to want the experience of going to the movies as a group,” said Terry Press, president of CBS Films, which recently hit
specialty film pay dirt with “The DUFF,” an $8 million comedy about a high school pecking order that is closing in on $35 million in ticket sales, overwhelmingly because of female moviegoers. The recent box-office gyrations also expose a flaw in studio strategy, analysts say. At a time when so many movies turn themselves inside out trying to attract everyone (a plan that could be summed up as “wide and shallow” in industry parlance), it is clearly possible to fill a big tent by picking a couple of demographics, in particular underserved ones, and superserving them (“narrow and deep”). “Cinderella,” for instance, was not aimed at everyone. But by being a perfect version of something narrower — a costume romance aimed at mothers and girls — “Cinderella” has sold a stout $122 million in tickets in the United States and Canada in just two weeks. (“Empire,” aimed initially at often-ignored African-American viewers, offers a corollary example from television.) “What has been happening at the box office sends a message loud and clear that you don’t need four quadrants to be a massive hit,” said Phil Contrino, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. In movie jargon, a fourquadrant movie is one that attracts men and women, young and old; Hollywood considers anyone over 25 to be old. When it comes to the male-female divide, the recent overreliance by studios on visual effects may play a role. The bar for visual effects has been raised so high, experts say, that nothing less than a prolonged smackdown between a raging Hulk and a supersize Iron Man has much hope of turning male heads. “You used to be able to go to movies and see something that you never saw before — a giant shark, di-
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.
nosaurs,” said Allison Shearmur, a producer of “Cinderella” and a former senior executive at Lionsgate, Paramount and Universal. “But spectacular visual effects have become routine.” Ms. Shearmur continued: “So what does that mean? It means that we’ve got to make more movies that have a compelling core story. The audience still comes when the story is strong, when we can laugh or cry or be afraid in a theater together.” Mr. Fellman of Warner Bros. predicted that boys would return en masse for coming PG-13 event movies like “Furious 7” and “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.” “Outside of ‘American Sniper,’ which started older and got younger, and ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service,’ there has been a noticeable lack of young men,” Mr. Fellman said. “But a lot of the so-called guy movies recently have been rated R, and you lose a lot of tweeners that way,” he noted. Warner will add another R-rated comedy to the mix on Friday with “Get Hard,” which has been generating solid interest from men in prerelease surveys. But the success of Hollywood’s summer box office may well rest with women. Nestled among the superheroes and action movies are an unusually large number of pictures aimed at a female audience, including “Pitch Perfect 2,” an estrogenheavy musical comedy; “Spy,” an action comedy starring Melissa McCarthy; “Pan,” a splashy adaptation of the Peter Pan story; and the male stripper sequel “Magic Mike XXL.” “The whole notion of the summer blockbuster has always been built around young men,” Mr. Dergarabedian said. “I think we’re about to see that change. The clout and importance of the female audience has never been bigger.”
Morung Youth Express
Saturday
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
28 March, 2015
Honest bureaucrats are seen as cranks reining in India's great surge forward Harsh Mander via Scroll.in
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he mystery surrounding the death of DK Ravi, the Karnataka cadre IAS officer who was found hanging in his home on March 16, underlines the perils to life and reputation faced by those whom fight corruption while pursuing their duties with conscience and integrity. Ravi, who was an additional commissioner of enforcement in the commercial taxes department, had taken on the sand mafia in the state's Kolar district. The police said they found him hanging from a ceiling fan and said they suspected it was suicide, but the Opposition in the Congress-ruled state wants the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the case. Regardless of what police investigations finally establish, there is little doubt that this charismatic young officer, raised in a disadvantaged family, fought from the front with verve and courage against what he believed was wrong and unjust. He made many powerful enemies along the way. These reportedly included real-estate builders who encroached on lake beds and forest lands with impunity to make runaway profits, sand and stone mafias, cinema owners who evaded more than Rs 100 crore in taxes, doctors who never attended public hospitals, revenue officials who would not amend land records without rent-seeking, and senior politicians and officials under whose protection these diverse criminal and corrupt constituents thrived. Greater risk Nothing in the system protects, supports or guides such conscientious officers. It never has, for a long time. It was very rare even in my years of service to hear of senior officers who encouraged and guided such officers or resisted political dictates to punish upright but inconvenient younger officers, and even less of superior officers who put their own careers in peril to uphold righteous, if foolhardy, actions of their honest subordinates. What is new is the scale of the risks to life and reputation that
In the era of crony capitalism, the huge stakes have greatly increased the risks for officials who spurn corruption such officers face, and how indifferent their superior officers are even to their safety, let alone to protecting their reputations. When we observe an incontrovertibly courageous and honest dead officer being maligned by systematic official rumours, sly insinuations and leaks, even as independent police investigations are resisted, this underlines how lonely and treacherous are the battles against the criminally corrupt even by those who the system officially depends on for controlling this malfeasance. Fighting corruption has always been a high-risk enterprise in India. For ordinary people working outside the system to identify, prove, speak out against and fight corruption, has always required enormous courage, and attacks on their person and reputation were not uncommon. The fate of whistle-blowers within the system was also always fraught, and India has still not developed an adequate legal framework to protect informers who covertly fight corruption in the system from within. But the situation was never as dangerous as it is today for people at the apex of the country’s administration, namely members of the higher administrative and police services, those whose job is to prevent, control, investigate and prosecute the corrupt. In nearly two decades of service in the Indian Administrative Service, I knew well the consequences of frontally battling official corruption. Your career was always on the line; you would be transferred within months, often to inconsequential postings, and seniors and some peers would describe you as inconvenient and impractical. But I don’t recall in those years that threats to one’s life were as grave as they are today. Higher stakes What indeed has changed in the official fight against corruption? The first is the astronomical rise in the rewards and stakes
of corruption in the era of crony capitalism born of neo-liberal economic policies. It was earlier believed that rent-seeking would automatically decline when official regulations of the notorious licence-permit raj would be dismantled. But what happened instead was that public wealth such as coal, minerals, power, and infrastructure, along with new public wealth like the telespectrum, were all privatised and became available for official distribution, usually with enormous and opaque discretion, for massive private profit. The Bofors’ kickback scam in the 1980s involved total bribes amounting to Rs 80 crore. Today estimates of scams sometimes run into dizzying trillions of rupees. The scale of illicit profits that can be made has risen many-fold, even as the Sensex and the country’s growth graphs peak. What also changed was the idea of the good state. At the time I entered the civil services in the 1980s, the idea still survived that the primary duty of the good state was to defend the rights of the most oppressed and defenceless, and in Gandhi’s words, to wipe every tear from every eye. An officer who led an opulent lifestyle and kept company with wealthy businesspeople was still stigmatised as probably corrupt. The officer who defended the poor was already part of a rapidly shrinking minority by then, but was still respected as fighting the good fight, even if unwise from the perspective of a mainstream career. All of this is history. Today, an officer who advocates for the poor is seen as not just an oddity and a crank, but also a deadweight on India’s great surge forward. The good state is no longer one that sides with the poor, but one which supports big private business. The officer who now befriends and benefits the rich and super-rich is no longer stigmatised as corrupt; he can claim to be ‘nation-building’,
whereas it is his occasional colleague still battling for the poor who is holding India back from its shining future vested in unrestrained market-led growth. The latter battles alone, with a modest lifestyle, marginalised career and sometimes risk to reputation and life. The former enjoys all paid-for overseas vacations, "scholarships" for one’s children to study overseas, besides properties on many shores. Precarious path The wonder then is that there are still officers who choose the hard and precarious path. Unknown at most times to the rest of the country, uncelebrated in the national media, unsupported and often isolated in their own fraternities, they fight solitary and dangerous battles for what they understand to be truth and justice. In Chhatisgarh, I meet district heads who side with displaced tribals against politically connected powerful coal and power czars. In Manipur and in the Maoist forest lands of central India I encounter officers who abandon security to ensure that poor people trapped between militant violence and the state are able to access their basic development needs. In Gujarat, I know police officers who stood tall against the communal carnage in 2002, offered crucial evidence against powerful political leaders who participated in the carnage and independently investigated the high-profile alleged police encounters of Sohrabuddin and Ishrat Jehan, exposing them to be extra-judicial killings. As a result, these officers face numerous charges and investigations, and their careers are in shreds. These are India’s unknown heroes and heroines. In rare moments, like the massive emotional public demonstrations after Ravi’s death, we recognise briefly their contributions. But for the most part, we let them fight for truth and justice without any protection or support, from within the system or outside it, ever in real and present danger to their reputations and their lives. I wonder if India’s democracy deserves its unsung warriors.
The story behind the world's most famous photograph
Jake Wallis Simons
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CNN
hree decades ago, Steve McCurry took arguably the most iconic picture of all time. Yet even after all this time, the pre-eminent photographer brims with enthusiasm when he talks about "Afghan Girl." "I knew she had an incredible look, a penetrating gaze," he recalls. "But there was a crowd of people around us, the dust was swirling around, and it was before digital cameras and you never knew what would happen with the film. "When I developed the picture, I knew it was special. I showed it to the editor of the National Geographic, and he leaped to his feet and shouted, 'that's our next cover'." Not only did "Afghan Girl" become the magazine's next cover, but the most successful in its distinguished history. The striking portrait of 12-year-old Sharbat Gula, a Pashtun orphan in the Nasir Bagh refugee camp on the Afghan-Pakistan border, was taken in December 1984 and published the following year. The woman, now in her forties, has recently been found to be living in Pakistan. When McCurry reflects upon its popularity, what excites him most is the impact that this single image has had on the real world. "People volunteered to work in the refugee camps because of that photograph," he says. "Afghans are incredibly proud of it, as the girl is poor but shows great pride, fortitude and self-respect. "It drew attention to their plight, and inspired a lot of people." It also led the National Geographic to set up the Afghan Children's Fund -- and meant that to this day, McCurry is never charged a fare by appreciative Afghan taxi drivers.
Themes and connections The portrait forms the centerpiece of a major retrospective exhibition of McCurry's work, which opened recently in Monza, Italy, and will run until 6 April. "It's great to look back on my work and see how themes and connections have emerged. But I am never even remotely thinking of retiring," the 64-year-old tells CNN from his studio in New York. "I believe that when you find something you love, you should do it your whole life. Why would you retire from doing what you love? It's just not what we do." The famous photograph is just one of thousands of extraordinary pictures that McCurry has taken over a 40-year career, during which he has won dozens of awards. One which is displayed prominently in his retrospective exhibition was taken in Kuwait in 1991, during the first Gulf War. It shows three camels silhouetted against an explosion of fire and smoke. "Saddam Hussein had blown up 600 oil wells," he recalls. "It was an environmental catastrophe. Lakes of oil were leaking all over the country, and seeping into the Gulf. "Half of it was on fire. There were geysers of oil spurting out of the earth, making it like midnight during the day." He spotted the camels running along the edge of an oilfield, and followed them in his jeep. But they had been blackened by the oil, and there was no way to capture a picture of them against the black cloud behind. "Suddenly they ran in front of a burning area, and they were illuminated by fire," he says. "I took the shot, and then realized I had driven into a minefield. "I had to carefully back out, following the tire tracks I had made on the way in to avoid getting blown up." Getting caught up in the story For many years, frontline war photography like this was McCurry's stock in trade. Indeed, it enabled him to make his name. Born in Pennsylvania in 1950, McCurry -- whose right hand was permanently damaged when he fell down some stairs at the age of five -- studied theater arts at Penn State University. Two years after graduating, he moved to India in search of a freelance photography career. His big break came in the late 1970s, when he disguised himself in Afghan clothes
and crossed illegally into Afghanistan, just before the Soviet invasion. There he took a set of searing photographs of people who were being attacked by their own government. "As soon as I crossed the border, I came across about 40 houses and a few schools that were just bombed out," he says. "They were literally destroying whole villages with helicopter gunships. "This was a profound situation that really needed to be told, and few people could get access to it because it was too remote. "I got completely caught up in the story. That's when I knew that this was what I did -- this was me." A story written on their face McCurry's portfolio is far broader than his war photography, however. He has worked all over the world, from the jungles of central Africa to the mountains of Tibet, each time seeming to capture the soul of the people he photographs. "My camera acts as a shield when I'm photographing something horrific, as it's easier to look at distressing sights through a viewfinder," he says. "But when I'm not in a war zone, having a camera helps me talk to people, interact, and get involved. "To take a good picture, you need to spend time with people until they trust you and forget that you're there to photograph them. "I try to make eye contact when I take a portrait, as it seems to allow you to understand the person, to see their story written on their face." The advent of the digital camera, he says, has made his job easier. "I'm not one of those photographers that hankers after the good old days," he says. "Digital photography is better than film ever was." Although everybody is taking pictures with camera phones, he says, this is "just noise", and doesn't "dilute the value" of a truly great photograph that will endure and be memorable." "There has to be an emotional component to the picture that you connect with on a profound level," he says. "Once you see it, you can't forget it, and it is so compelling and powerful that it becomes part of the cultural landscape." Like "Afghan Girl"? He pauses. "Yes, like that."
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The Naga Blog is a forum on facebook where Nagas from Nagaland and around the world network, share ideas and discuss a wide range of topics from politics and philosophy to music and current events in Nagaland and beyond. The blog is not owned by any individual, nor is it affiliated to or associated with any political party or religion. The only movement it hopes to stir is the one raised by the voices of the Nagas every step of the way, amassing perhaps to mass consciousness one day. www.facebook.com/groups/thenagablog
An Appeal to Sumi Hoho Atsung Imchen: Esteemed elders of the Sumi Tribe, lately there has been lot of statements in the media and Social Networking sites of a word called “SUMIA’s” to be honest I’ve never heard of it until the recent unfortunate incident in Dimapur. As a concerned citizen even though I am walking on thin ice of Tribal lines, I wanted to share my concern and my doubt on the whole idea of who are these SUMIAS? And it is without any ill intentions, rather with a purpose to bring to your attention a widely circulated term, currently even used by Non-Nagas outside our boundary to describe a group that has no social stand in our society, which may be a hindrance to the Nagas as a whole in the future. Why am I addressing directly to the Sumi Hoho is because the word “SUMIA” is incorporated with Sumi and as per the widely spread understanding “SUMIAS” are those people mainly from Assam who are employed by Semas in Dimapur due to cheap labor and to oversee their farms, adopted as Foster Sons, given a Sumi surnames and even allowed to marry Sumi Women and their Sons and daughters end up with the a genuine Sumi surname, with every benefit as any other genuine Naga citizen. Ours being a tribal society with population fairly stagnant or steadily increasing, it is of great concern on the widely spread term of “SUMIA” and it should be of greater concern for the Sumi Tribe as a whole. The Social system which the Nagas follow in general is the Patriarchal Social system where the male leads the dominant role (not on the note that women are any far lesser to men) where the lineage is followed on the lines of the male. The system in which the word “SUMIA” works is a major loophole in our social system and there is an urgent need to plug those loopholes. Below I would like to genuinely ask these two questions, purely on the term of “SUMIA”:1. Is the word “SUMIAS” actually a term recognized and acknowledged by SUMI HOHO? 2. Are Sumi surnames given to those offspring whose father is from a different identity and the mother belonging to the Sumi Tribe? If the answer to the first question is “NO” I sincerely urge the SUMI HOHO to analyze the situation urgently and take up measures to stop any further spread of this word “SUMIA” because it won’t be long before the demand to recognize them will be showered upon your doors and if that happens, that will be one of the saddest days in the History of Nagas. If the answer is “yes” it’s about time the SUMI HOHO publicly come out and share this information to the rest of the Nagas. If the answer to the second question is “Yes” the need to stop such practices is as important as the air we breathe, the need to stop adopting and giving Sumi titles to those people outside the original circle is a must as well as a major threat to our lineage and the practice of giving Sumi surnames to mix breeds is as wrong as it can be. These should be stopped and controlled without any further delay. My Sincere request to the elders of SUMI HOHO, do not take this threat lightly as it has every implication of becoming a reality and down the line when the Nagas open the pages of History and try to find out where the loophole was, the question of, why no actions were taken and why was it allowed to happen will ultimately fall upon your shoulder, by then it will be too late to retrospect. Now it’s just an assumption and “Widely believed” notion, better to dig out the seed before it blooms. In General, today its “SUMIA” used by an outsider so boldly tomorrow it will be “AOMIA, LOMIA(Lotha), ANGAMIA, KONMIA (Konyak)“etc. the risk and responsibility of our leaders will become more and crucial every passing day. If one fails, we all fail. Prevention is better than cure but at times there is no CURE, and I hope it does not come to that. Peter Rutsa: "To be a Naga your Father has to be a Naga. Doesn't make any difference whether the clan, the village, the tribe consider you as one of its own. You are not a Naga and will never be, even if you write a tribal identity one hundred and twenty times after your name! Be sure about this.. If your father is a banana and your mother an orange. You are A BANANA. Doesn't matter even if you have some orange flavour in you. A banana which claims to be an orange just because it was allowed into a basket full of oranges is utterly disgusting and totally unacceptable!" However, when Nagas and even non Nagas can live in peace and harmony, surely Nagas and those people who are related to Nagas from the maternal side can love each other and coexist. We must respect each other’s identity. Work and live together. But please do not aggravate things by claiming to be a Naga when you are not! Do not encroach onto political and social benefits that you are not entitled to. Most of all STOP throwing your weight around and opening your mouth like a Naga! A women, whose father was a Naga will always be a Naga till her death even if she marries a non Naga. But she loses her customary rights as and when she marries outside the community. Be she a Sema lady married to an IBI, an Angami lady married to a Bihari, or an Ao lady married to an American. Children of such people can never and will never be a Naga. A person cannot become a Naga just because they have some pints of Naga blood in them. Nagas and tribals have a distinct identity and custom. Respect it! Contrary to the above, a non Naga lady who marries a Naga will earn full benefits and customary rights as any other Naga women. However, this may differ from village to village and tribe to tribe. Non Nagas or those of mixed Naga parentage of the maternal kind can become CITIZENS of Nagaland or Manipur, or Arunachal Pradesh, Assam or of Eastern Nagaland (Burma) where Nagas live and own the land. These categories of cocktailed Nagas have every right to live amidst us as long as their presence is not ILLEGAL. But all those who live in Nagaland are not Nagas and cannot be labelled as a Naga no matter how much love they might have for Nagas! Live happily in Nagaland whether you are a non Naga or a half Naga. Everyone deserves respect and should be given respect. But please do not start claiming yourself as a NAGA and attract unwanted attention and ridicule. If you Know your status and maintain your space. Everything will be fine! Heka Ilito Assumi: I do appreciate the constructive appeal made against Sumi Hoho (represents Sumi in general).As stated by the Post master, SUMIA's is a concerned issue for Sumis and Nagas as a whole. Though I'm hearing this for the first time, may be of my ignorance or less updates. Here it's totally about NAGAMIA's, inter connection with illegal immigrants like inter cast marriages, re- modified titles, adoptions and all anti- customary laws practices, has to be seriously viewed. Perhaps a majority of such practices are happening inside the kitchen of my own tribe but then the fact is everywhere we could see the same process inside your kitchen too..... In Zunheboto like any other districts has an indigenous tribal dominancy (excluding Dimapur) and such mixtures with outsiders are rarely found. Dimapur city as we all know is a commercial hub and belongs to every people of Naga. The early settlers in Dimapur knows nothing about illegal immigrants, where collective people from every corner settled in and around. There are 6 recognized Sumi villages in Assam, established by our forefathers around early 90's as they were employed, as a labour corps during the Britishers. The hd. GB of Longtong sumi village is the president of All Assam GB Association and Longtong village was inaugurated by ex president APJ Abdul Kalam on 16th Jan, 2003. We’re unaware of the fact of Sumi in Assam. It's obvious about the relevant inter related process in upper Sumi areas. My point is due to such presence, may be an outsiders input the word Sumia's. Some said the recent 5th March controversial incident is also indirectly related to Sumi's issue and now Sumia's, But I'm sure many bloggers won't agree with these cheap propaganda. We Sumis are all against illegal immigrants (miyas) so let’s tackle the issue together. No doubt I believe that the Sumi Hoho will take this seriously and clarify to the PM personally and to the Naga people very soon. Kampong Konyak: Even in Konyaks, I have seen many Konyakmias....Our ignorant and semi illiterate village council has patronized them and many now have all documents like ST, Indigenous and Backward certificates. This is a threat not only to Konyaks, Aos, Semas etc but a threat to Nagas..This post has nothing as such tribalism. I pity those who view it from tribalistic angle.. Hugs Aye: Atsung Imchen now you nailed it. Things need to be written and rewritten to make it meaningful. Analyst by profession, critics is my nature!!! The best we can do is to call on Delhi. We have lost Tripura, Assam is almost gone so is Mizoram and Meghalaya and now Nagaland and Manipur is under threat. Why politicize only Kashmir?? India is fast losing North East. I meant we have better and acceptable platform to agitate or raise our issue. Our nation has proper set up of ministry to tackle such issue. The difference lies on how we present our grievances. This is an alarming issue indeed, but way beyond tribal body/ies. With this post I hope the issue will change the table from district to a state at least and eventually goes national until we get the border sealed! Ohito Rochill: Whether the postmaster has any other intention or not is not the concern here....In fact we Sumis should thank him for boldly bringing up this important issue while we ourself can’t because we are bound by this. It’s time we swallow our pride and wrong ideas. Leave about Sumia (because it is not an official word inducted by Sumi- it’s a bazar word) kala miya whatever but what we have to do is stop harboring the miyas because we know very well what is happening. Before we become like other states we need to eradicate the result this issue is creating. And all Nagas are to give your hand not simply shout from your chair or bed...we need to wakeup all Nagas, especially Sumi (miya lovers) including moi. Good day all. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Naga Blog.
Readers may please note that, the contents of the articles published on this page do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
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Dimapur
NATIONAL
Saturday 28 March 2015
Land bill unacceptable, Sonia Gandhi tells Centre
neW DeLhi, MarCh 27 (ianS): Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday lashed out at the "myopic" Narendra Modi government over the land bill which she said was an "unabashed display of half truths". Accusing the government of "bending over backwards" to favour select industrialists, Gandhi said her party would never support any law that harms farmers. "Regrettable that anyone championing the voice of the distressed farmer and needy farm labourer is being branded 'anti-national' by a myopic (Narendra) Modi government bending over backwards to favour select industrialists," Gandhi said in a letter to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. She was responding to Gadkari's letter seeking the opposition's support for the land acquisition bill. The government introduced a new bill to replace an ordinance which was promulgated in December last year to amend the 2013 law. The new law has come under criticism from opposition parties as well as activists who have termed it as anti-farmer and pro-industrialist. The Congress chief also noted that the "fundamental difference" between the Congress and the BJP was in the way the two parties understand "farmers' distress and loss of livelihood" by acquiring land without safeguards. "Being pro-farmer is not being anti-growth," she added. "Farmers are the backbone of our country, and it is imperative that their interests be protected at any cost. This is non-negotiable for the Congress party. We shall never endorse any law that will break the backbone of this nation," she added. Gandhi said: "In your letter you have sought to justify the changes you propose in the land acquisition legislation on the grounds that it promotes the interest of villages, the poor, farmers and labourers, and that it facilitates irrigation, employment, industrial corridors and the defence industry." "Regrettably, all that you have said is without any foundation whatsoever. The UPA's and Congress Party's record on all these issues is second to none. And, it is now being widely recognized that your government is blatantly anti-farmer and anti-poor, compromising the rights of the weaker sections of society to benefit a handful of private parties." Gandhi listed the fundamental differences which the party had with the new land bill, the prominent ones out of which were removal of consent clause and social impact assessment. "Your attitude to these matters and your proposed legislation make a mockery of your claim that you stand for the interest of farmers," the letter said. "Your government's position on defence, irrigation and electrification issues is a blatant attempt to divert attention from your anti-farmer amendments," the Congress president said. She said the overall reality is that the amendments brought forward by the government "negate" the 2013 law in letter and spirit. The government, which managed to get the bill passed in the Lok Sabha, faces an uncertain future in the upper house and is now banking on a joint session to get it passed.
The Morung Express
Centre puts brakes on India's universal health plan neW DeLhi, MarCh 27 (reUTerS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked for a drastic cutback of an ambitious health care plan after cost estimates came in at $18.5 billion over five years, several government sources said, delaying a promise made in his election manifesto. Modi has had to make difficult choices to boost economic growth - his government's first full annual budget, announced last month, ramped up infrastructure spending, leaving less federal funding immediately available for social sectors. The health ministry developed a draft policy on universal health care in coordination with the prime minister's office last year. The National Health Assurance Mission aims to provide free drugs, diagnostic services and insurance for serious ailments for India's 1.2 billion people. The health ministry proposed rolling out the system from April 2015, and in October projected its cost as $25.5 billion over four years. By the time the project was presented to Modi in January the costs had been pared to 1.16 trillion rupees ($18.5 billion) over five years. That was still too much. The programme was not approved, three health ministry officials and two
other government sources told Reuters. Three officials said the health ministry has been asked to revamp the policy, but work is yet to start. "The constraint on India's financial resources was conveyed to health officials, and even to those from other ministries," said one government official who is not from the health ministry but attended the meeting where Modi was present. The meeting was held in January and the discussions were not made public. All of the sources declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the discussions. Officials at the prime minister's office and the finance ministry, as well as the health ministry, did not respond to requests seeking comment. Modi's manifesto ahead of the election that brought him to power last year accorded "high priority" to the health sector and promised a universal health assurance plan. The manifesto said previous public health schemes, that have been mired in payment delays recently, had failed to meet the growing medical needs of public. (Read about payment delays, click here) Modi has another four years left in his first term to fulfil the promise. India
In this Reuters file photo, an Indian Gynaecologist conducts an ultrasound examination on a pregnant woman at a government run hospital in Agartala.
currently spends about 1 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on public health, but the badly-managed public health system means funds are not fully utilised. A health ministry vision document in December proposed raising spending to 2.5 percent of GDP but did not specify a time period. So health experts were dismayed when the union budget for the full-year starting April raised the allocation for the country's main health department only by about 2 percent
from the previous year, less than inflation. The meagre increase dimmed prospects for the massive health plan, they said. "How can it happen when you have truncated resources?" one health ministry official asked. REWORK, DISAPPOINTMENT The health plan was drafted in consultation with Modi's office and an expert panel, including an expert from the World Bank. The proposal included insurance to cover more
expensive and serious ailments such as heart surgeries or organ failure. Two government officials said this benefit will be withdrawn. The health ministry was also asked why the new plan could not be simply combined with existing health schemes. The decision to slash the level of insurance coverage will have an impact on India's thriving private health sector, which would have seen huge business growth as the programme channelled millions of new
patients into private hospitals. Currently only 17 percent of India's population has some form of health insurance. Anjan Bose of NATHEALTH, a group that represents such private firms, said the delays in the programme would disappoint both the industry and the public. "Greater availability of funds for public health care under this programme would have further boosted growth of the private medical industry," Bose said.
'India needs to be energy independent: PM Narendra Modi neW DeLhi, MarCh 27 (ianS): Stressing on energy security, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India will have to be independent in this area and seek new avenues to replenish existing sources in a bid to serve the growing appetite of the people. "We need to be independent when it comes to providing our people with energy," Modi said, while inaugurating the "Urja Sangam - 2015" conference on energy security at the Vigyan Bhavan conference complex here. He also pitched for people who are well-off to surrender their fuel subsidy entitlement. "People who don't need LPG subsidy and those who are capable of managing without it should give it up. I ask you to join this movement. Give up gas
Need to cut oil imports: Jaitley neW DeLhi, MarCh 27 (ianS): Pointing out how decreasing oil prices helped control inflation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said the government required to pay attention to oil exploration to reduce the country's energy imports. "Need to look at our oil exploration programme, acquisition of assets overseas to cut dependence on energy imports," Jaitley said at the "Urja Sangam - 2015", an international conference here on energy security. Underlining the importance of coal for industry and power generation, he said the recent coal auctions were a "huge initiative" in this regard. "Revenues from these auctions will all go to states with tribal areas, which they can spend on development. Minerals will now be available on a more transparent and rational basis," Jaitley said. He also said that the government is taking steps for long-term financing in infrastructure projects. "We've given budgetary support for long-term financing of infrastructure. An infrastructure fund has been created where government makes the initial contribution, and in which pension and other funds are going to join in," he said.
subsidy. Create a record. The subsidy that you will give up will go a long way in benefitting the poor people." People are already giving up their subsidy, Modi said and added that "over 2.8 lakh consumers have surrendered LPG subsidy, resulting in a saving of Rs.100 crore to the exchequer". He called for bringing down oil and gas imports to 67 percent by 2022, and lower it further to 50 percent by 2030. "We will be celebrating 75th year of our independence in 2022. Today, we import 77 percent of our oil and gas. Can't we target to lower import at least by 10 percent by 2022 to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their life for our freedom," Modi said. Twelve crore bank accounts opened under the Jan Dhan fi-
nancial inclusion scheme are being used for transferring subsidies directly to the consumers, which has permitted plugging of leakages and effectively fighting corruption, he added. "To fight corruption, if institutional mechanism, transparent mechanism, policy driven system can be put in place then we can prevent leakages. And this has been proved by cash transfer," the prime Minister said. According to Modi, energy corridors need to be developed between India and Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. The international energy conference "Urja Sangam 2015: Shaping India's Energy Security" is being attended by cabinet ministers, policy makers, global chief executives (CEOs) of energy firms and academia.
Bhushan, Yadav flay Kejriwal, say they want to save AAP
Tibetan artists in traditional costumes sing a welcome song for their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on his arrival at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in Dharmsala on , Friday, March 27. The Dalai Lama watched the first day of the ten-day “Shoton” festival, or the yogurt festival, during which Tibetans eat yogurt and enjoy traditional opera performances. (AP Photo)
neW DeLhi, MarCh 27 (ianS): Saying they were trying to save the AAP, dissident leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav on Friday accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of suppressing democracy within the party that now rules Delhi. The duo also said they were willing to give up all posts in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) if their five demands -- including transparency within and autonomy to local units -- were
met by Kejriwal, whose loyalists have accused the two of conspiring to oust the chief minister. Bhushan and Yadav addressed a press conference after Kejriwal supporters hit out at the two overnight, claiming they had resigned from the AAP National Executive, which is set to meet here on Saturday. Both denied this. “We have never made any attempt to dislodge Kejriwal from his position in the party. The allegations..
that we wanted Kejriwal to be removed from the post of national convenor of the party, are all feeble and baseless,” said Yadav, a founder member of AAP. The main grouse of Bhushan and Yadav was that Kejriwal acted in an autocratic manner and refused to pay heed to dissenting voices in a party that was born in 2012 to give a new kind of politics to India. “Yes, we have warned and alerted Kejriwal
against ill-advised and hasty moves and had qestioned him. Is that a crime for a party built on the principles of Swaraj? ” asked Yadav. A Supreme Court advocate and an AAP founder, Bhushan alleged that Kejriwal wanted to form a government in Delhi with Congress support last year though the latter had been decisively rejected in the Lok Sabha elections. He said five of the nine leaders who attended a
meeting of the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the highest decision making body, opposed the idea. "Arvind said that as the national convener, he had the right to take the final decision and (that) he had decided to take Congress' support to form the government in Delhi," Bhushan said. "But we protested and the issue went to the National Executive. There too the majority rejected the
idea," Bhushan said. "Arvind said he (had) never worked in an organisation where his writ didn't run." “We sought time from Kejriwal to hold talks and settle the issues but to no avail. We were not given an appointment to meet him to present our side,” said Bhushan. Yadav, a known political pundit, said he and Bhushan were fighting to "save the soul of the struggle" that gave birth to the AAP.
India may launch two more navigation satellites this year Chennai, MarCh 27 (ianS): India is expected to launch at least two more navigation satellites this year and one more in 2016 to offer satellite navigation services by the middle of next year, Indian space agency officials said. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) officials deny any diversion of focus is delaying the operationalisation of navigation satellite system. The three satellite launches will be in addition to the one that India is expected to put into orbit on March 28 evening. "We will surely be launching two more navigation satellites this year apart from tomorrow's (March 28) launch. At the end of the year we will have six navigation satellites up
in the sky out of the constellation of seven such satellites," senior officials of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told IANS preferring anonymity. According to officials, the seventh and the last one of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) in all probability would go up early part of 2016. The full navigation services are expected to be offered from mid 2016 onwards, according to the officials They said the countdown for Saturday's rocket launch is progressing at a good pace in a smooth manner and all the activities are geared up for the 5.19 p.m. blast off of the rocket.
The Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C27) is expected to blast off from Sriharikota rocket port carry the country's fourth navigation satellite IRNSS-1D. As things stands today, there is already one year delay in the realisation of the satellite navigation system which ISRO officials agree. And time is also running out fast. Out of the seven satellites that comprises the IRNSS each having a life span of 10 years, three satellites have already been launched. The first one-IRNSS-1A is now two years old and has a remaining life span of eight years and the second one is around one year old with a remaining life span
of nine years. And when the whole system comes into play sometime in May 2016, IRNSS-1A will have a remaining life of seven years and IRNSS-1B eight years. The first satellite IRNSS1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014 and the third on October 16, 2014. Curiously all the seven navigation satellites and the rockets used to put them into orbit are also identical. With two launch pads at its rocket port, ISRO could have focussed on realising its satellite navigation system while putting other futuristic launches for the future date, is one view expressed by officials. ISRO had earlier said the navigation system
would be ready by middle of 2015 with three launches in 2014 and 2015. But that did not happen. The navigation system was conceptualised in early 1990s and got the sanction in 2006. Officials at the space agency now say that all the remaining navigation satellites are on different stages of production and would be launched to offer the services middle of next year. The full system comprises of nine satellites seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by. Each satellite costs around Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket costs around Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs.910 crore.
"ISRO and its activities have grown and work has to be done simultaneously at several fronts. It is not the question of diversion of focus," an ISRO official said. However, he agreed that at times priorities change and focus and resources do get diverted. "That is short term phenomenon and would not delay other projects," he said. The official said IRNSS1D could have been launched last year but was postponed due to the experimental launch of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII and the revamping of launch pad infrastructure. Speaking of IRNSS-1D satellite, an ISRO official said after putting it into the intended orbit, it would
be raised to its home slot which would take around eight days. Following that characterisation of the navigation and ranging payloads would be done and later the satellite will be integrated with the ground stations. The three satellites launched earlier have all been integrated with the ground stations and are working well. "From four navigation satellites up in the sky, we will get the signals which would prove the concept on which the whole IRNSS has been designed. While the full range of services may not be available with the constellation of four satellites, a user would be able to locate his position," he said.
Queried about the ground segment infrastructure, he said a good part of that is in place and the balance would be ready soon. He said the IRNSS system is unique as it consist only seven satellites while other systems have more than 20 satellites. However, while other systems are global, Indian system is of regional in nature. Nevertheless, ISRO official claims that India can replace the US GPS with Indian system when full fledged operations begin. The fully operational system is expected to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.
InternatIonal
the Morung express
Saturday 28 March 2015
Dimapur
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Saudi airstrikes in Yemen target rebels in north SANAA, MARCH 27 (AP): Saudi Arabia bombed the northern stronghold of Yemen’s Shiite rebels and key military installations on Friday as a coalition led by the Gulf kingdom carried out airstrikes for a second day. The strikes hit at least six provinces, including an eastern area rich in oil and gas. The military action is turning impoverished and chaotic Yemen into a new front in the rivalry between Sunni heavyweight Saudi Arabia and Shiite power Iran, which supports the rebels known as Houthis. In recent months, the Houthis have swept out of their northern strongholds and taken over Sanaa and other parts of Yemen. U.S.-backed President AbedRabbo Mansour Hadi fled the country earlier this week. Heavy airstrikes early Friday targeted Saada, the stronghold of the Houthis, focusing on locations where rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi might be, military officials said. The grave of al-Houthi’s brother Hussein al-Houthi, founder of the rebel group, was demolished in the strikes. Saudi warplanes also bombed the al-Sana army camp in the Arhab region northeast of Sanaa, run by commanders loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. An autocrat who ruled Yemen for more than 30 years until he was ousted after a 2011 Arab Spring popular uprising, Saleh enjoys the loyalty of some of the country’s strongest military units, who now fight alongside the Houthis. Military officials said other strikes targeted army camps outside Sanaa in al-Dhale and Lahj provinces, including alAnnad base, where about 100 U.S. military advisers had been based but were forced to withdraw last weekend due to dete-
Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, hold up their weapons to protest against Saudi-led airstrikes, during a rally in Sanaa, Yemen on Friday, March 27. Saudi Arabia bombed key military installations in Yemen on Thursday, leading a regional coalition in a campaign against Shiite rebels who have taken over much of the country and drove out the president. (AP Photo)
riorating security conditions. Strikes hit at least six provinces including Marib, an area of oil and gas wealth. The attacks there targeted and destroyed radars that the rebels could use to track Saudi warplanes. The military officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief reporters. In the capital of Sanaa, heavy airstrikes came in waves overnight. Explosions rocked the city and anti-aircraft guns were heard returning fire. At least 18 civilians, including six children, have been killed and the casualty count was expected to rise. Saudi Arabia and fellow Sunni-led allies in the Gulf and the Middle East view the Houthi takeover as an attempt by Iran to establish a proxy on the kingdom’s southern border. Iran
and the Houthis deny that Tehran arms the rebel movement, though it says it provides diplomatic and humanitarian support. Iran has denounced the Saudi-led air campaign, saying it “considers this action a dangerous step.” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said in a statement Friday that Tehran was “ready to cooperate with its brothers in the region, to make it easier for different groups in Yemen to have dialogue to protect the integrity and facilitate restoration of stability the security in that country.” The comment came after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview that his country could provide logistical support for the Saudiled military operation. Zarif noted that Iran respects its strategic
relations with Turkey. In the air assault codenamed “Operation Decisive Storm,” Saudi Arabia deployed some 100 fighter jets, 150,000 soldiers and other navy units, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported. Also involved were aircraft from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan and Egypt, though it was not clear which carried out actual strikes. A high-level delegation from Pakistan was traveling to Saudi Arabia on Friday to hold talks on Yemen, following a meeting in Pakistan chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to assess the situation. “If the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia is threatened, Pakistan will defend it,” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif
told the country’s parliament in remarks carried live on staterun television. He said there had been no decision to take part in the Yemeni conflict. According to defense officials in Washington, the U.S. is providing refueling tankers and surveillance flights for the Saudi operations, and there are several U.S. troops working in the operations center to help with coordination. The White House has said the U.S. was not joining with direct military action. Rebel leader al-Houthi has accused the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel of launching a “criminal, unjust, brutal and sinful” campaign aimed at invading and occupying Yemen. “Yemenis won’t accept such humiliation,” he said in a televised speech Thursday night, calling the Saudis “stupid” and “evil.”
Pakistan on Yemen: Won’t join a conflict that splits Muslim world
ISlAMAbAd, MARCH 27 (IANS): Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday that the country will not take part in any conflict that would divide the Muslim world, in an apparent reference to Pakistan’s possible participation in the conflict in Yemen. “We will not take part in any conflict that could result in differences in the Muslim world, causing fault-lines present in Pakistan to be disturbed, the aggravation of which will have to be borne by Pakistan,” Asif asserted, according to a Dawn online report on Friday. Asif’s reference to “fault-lines” hints at Pakistan’s widespread sectarian conflict, as a result of which Shia and other religious minorities are targeted in tit-for-tat killings by extremist groups. The defence minister elucidated Pakistan’s role in the Yemen conflict in the National Assembly, saying that no decision to participate had been taken and that Pakistan had only pledged to safeguard the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia. “Instead of aggravating the situation by participating in it, Pakistan should do what it can to prevent it -- for the alliance and unity of the Muslim world,” the defence minister said. He stressed on Pakistan’s role as a “facilitator” to end the conflicts in the Muslim world. “Pakistan is ready to adopt whatever role is needed in order to facilitate the termination of conflicts in the Islamic world,” Asif said. The request from Riyadh to participate in the joint operation against the Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen comes at a time when the Pakistan military is engaged in an operation against terrorists in North Waziristan. Asif’s statement comes a day after Saudi Arabia said that Pakistan would join the operation against the Iran-backed Houthis. The conflict in Yemen is rapidly escalating into a murky civil war. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had asserted that any threat to Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity would evoke a strong response from Pakistan, according to an earlier report. Asif’s announcement apparently rules out Pakistan’s immediate participation in the Yemen conflict. “We want this issue to be resolved in a common forum where the Muslim world or Arab League is involved,” said the defence minister. “The need of the hour is alliance and solidarity, not division,” he said. “Division on the basis of religion or sect is rising in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Instead of conflagration or proliferation... It should be contained,” he added. “I reiterate, this pledge is for the protection of KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)... if the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia is threatened then Pakistan will defend it.”
New York fire, building collapse injures 19 people Nigerian military claim to destroy Boko Haram HQ
In this photo provided by the NYPD Special Ops, smoke rises from the scene of a large fire and a partial building collapse in the East Village neighborhood of New York on Thursday, March 26. (AP Photo)
NEW YoRK, MARCH 27 (AP): An apartment building collapsed in a fiery burst of rubble on Thursday and flames spread to nearby buildings in what officials said appeared to be a gasrelated explosion, injuring 19 people and scattering
debris across surrounding streets in the heart of Manhattan’s fashionable East Village. Orange flames billowed and smoke could be seen and smelled for miles after the blaze, in an area of old tenement buildings that
are home to students and longtime residents in an area near New York University and Washington Square Park. About 250 firefighters converged to fight the flames, and the fire department’s commissioner said a second building was “in danger of possible collapse” and four buildings were affected in all. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the blast appeared to have been caused by plumbing and gas work inside one building. A plumber was doing work connected to a gas service upgrade, and inspectors from utility Con Edison had been there to check on a planned meter installation about an hour before the fire, company President Craig Ivey said. But the work failed the inspection, partly because a space for the new meters wasn’t big enough, and the inspectors said gas couldn’t be introduced to that part of the building, Con Ed said. Firefighters said 19 people were hurt, four critically, some with burns to their airways. De Blasio
Myanmar army commander pledges successful elections NAYPYITAW, MARCH 27 (AP): Myanmar’s powerful military commander pledged Friday to support the holding of successful elections in November, calling them “an important landmark for democracy,” and warned that the army will not tolerate instability or armed threats. The national elections will be the first held by the semi-civilian government that swept to power after a 2010 vote widely seen as rigged in favor of the militarybacked rulers. “The general election which is going to be held in the early days of November 2015 represents an important landmark for democracy implementation in our country,” commander-in-chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said in a speech to more than 10,000 troops on Armed Forces Day, which commemorates the day the army rose up against Japanese occupiers during World War II some 70 years ago. “Any disturbance to stability of the state and prevalence of law, any armed pressure or any threats against voting won’t be allowed,” he said. Critics say that even under the
best circumstances it will be difficult to view the upcoming polls as free or fair. The constitution guarantees the army 25 percent of all parliamentary seats and other special political powers. And the most popular politician, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, is barred from running for the presidency because her late husband and sons are foreign citizens. Meanwhile, the government has been unable to reach a conclusive peace agreement with armed ethnic minority groups fighting in border regions. And members of the long-persecuted Rohingya minority — labeled illegal migrants by the government — will most likely not be allowed to vote. Min Aung Hlaing said the army is “risking the lives and limbs” of its officers and troops to achieve stability in border areas. Ongoing clashes with ethnic Kokang rebels in Myanmar’s northeast, close to China, have killed hundreds of government troops and caused tension with neighboring China after stray shells reportedly fell into Chinese territory and killed five people.
said it didn’t appear that anyone was missing. “We are praying that no other individuals are injured and that there are no fatalities,” he said. De Blasio said no one had reported a gas leak to authorities before Thursday’s blast. Con said it had surveyed all the gas mains on the block Wednesday and found no leaks. The fire happened a little over a year after a gas explosion in a building in East Harlem killed eight people and injured about 50. De Blasio noted that no one had reported a gas leak to authorities before Thursday’s blast. The area was evacuated, and the city’s health department advised residents to keep their windows closed because of the smoke. Adil Choudhury, who lives a block away, ran outside when he heard “a huge boom.” “Already there was smoke everywhere” when he saw the building, he said. “The flames were coming out from the roof. The fire was coming out of every window.”
AbUJA, MARCH 27 (AP): Nigeria’s military claims it has destroyed the headquarters of Boko Haram in northeastern Gwoza town and driven the insurgents from all three northeastern states that had been an extremist stronghold. It was not possible to verify Friday’s victory that comes the day before critical presidential elections. Nigerian officials have said a multinational offensive aims to wipe out
Boko Haram. Analysts and diplomats say that is overly optimistic and that they expect that Boko Haram will be dislodged from territory but still will be able to perform hit and run attacks and suicide bombings. The military has been pursuing “a final onslaught” that has dislodged the insurgents from towns and communities in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states, defense spokesman Maj. Gen.
Chris Olukolade told a news conference Friday. The first news came from the official Twitter account of the Nigerian Defense Headquarters. Olukolade said several fighters were killed, many captured, and a “massive cordon and search” operation has started to hunt down fleeing insurgents and any hostages. Defeated fighters are believed to be heading to the borders,
where troops from a multinational force are preparing to engage them, he said. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau declared Gwoza the capital of a new Islamic caliphate after he seized the town in August. There was no mention Friday of the Sambisa Forest, where Nigeria’s home-grown Islamic extremist group is believed to have several camps. Warplanes have been bombing the area for weeks.
Racial, gender bias results in more anti-social behaviour WASHINgToN, MARCH 27 (IANS): A new study carried out by a team of US researchers has identified the psychological roots of certain social deviant behaviours, pinpointing them as caused by discrimination due to race, gender or belonging to a certain group. In the study published in the Personality and Psychology Bulletin, the team of Stanford University researchers noted that anti-social behaviour can stem from feelings of negative perception certain groups can experience from an early age.
“We observed that students can feel negative emotions if they think that others are going to prejudge them based on their belonging to a certain race or gender,” Rodolfo Cortes Barragan, a psychology graduate student who co-authored the study, told Xinhua news agency on Thursday, Barragan and his colleagues found that African American students worry much more than their Caucasian peers about how their abilities would be judged by others and whether they would be stereotyped, while women fear being pi-
geonholed at work because of their gender. And if a person believes he is being judged on pre-established negative feelings, his or her attitude becomes anti-social. Researchers recruited 1,280 participants from across the US to join a series of online surveys about race, gender, social status, perceptions and feelings. Almost all of the respondents answered that they would far more likely engage in counterproductive and deviant behaviour if they felt submitted to preconceived stereotypes.
No sure way to prevent pilot Suicides, say psychologists SYdNEY, MARCH 27 (REUTERS): As investigators probe why a young German pilot deliberately crashed an Airbus A320 passenger jet into the French Alps on Tuesday, pilots and psychologists warn there is no foolproof way to prevent similar incidents in the future. All 150 people on board Germanwings flight 4U9525 died after 27-year-old first officer Andreas Lubitz locked the cockpit door, took control of the plane and veered it down from cruising altitude at 3,000 feet per minute. German tabloid Bild reported on Friday that Lubitz received psychiatric treatment for a “serious depressive episode” six years ago, and the crash has prompted calls for more rigorous mental health and stress tests for pilots. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the U.N. body that sets global aviation standards, recommends that someone with depression should not fly a plane. But it also states in its Manual of Civil Aviation Med-
vices, the airlines added. These may not be enough, analysts and pilots say. “People are afraid they won’t be able to resume their jobs” if they self-report, said Gail Saltz, a professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.
Investigators carry boxes from the apartment of Germanwings airliner jet co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, in Duesseldorf, Germany, Thursday March 26. On Thursday, French prosecutors said Lubitz, the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525, “intentionally” crashed the jet into the side of a mountain Tuesday in the French Alps. (AP Photo)
icine that psychological tests of aircrew are “rarely of value” and not “reliable” in predicting mental disorders. Asian airlines including Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qantas Airways and Singapore Airlines said potential
pilots undergo a rigorous medical that includes a psychological test. Pilots must then pass a medical checkup, which includes some psychological tests, at least once a year. They also have access to confidential counselling ser-
COCKPIT SNITCH An experienced captain with an Asian airline added: “They ask about your mental health, about events that could affect you psychologically. But who willingly admits to anything that could lead to a suspension of their license? I won’t. I need my job.” Pilots are encouraged to assess colleagues during flights and simulator training sessions, and speak up if they spot any potential issues, said an A320 captain with an Asian carrier. But he added that this is a delicate issue. “Do you want to work in an office where your colleagues are snitching on you? That’s why this happens so rarely,” he said. “Everyone has problems
and some deal with it better than others. Not everyone will deal with it by crashing a plane. That’s an extreme reaction and nobody can predict it.” David Powell, an aviation medicine specialist in New Zealand, said there were only 10 air crashes involving medical issues in an ICAO study of 20 years of global incidents. “Could you reliably ensure that you’ll never have an airline pilot suddenly, deliberately crash aircraft?” he said. “Pilots are a highly screened population and highly scrutinised, but who can totally predict the behaviour of human beings?” Several airlines have responded by requiring a second crew member to be in the cockpit at all times - already compulsory in the United States. “Never leave a person alone - that’s probably the most effective suicide prevention technique there is,” said Tony Catanese, a clinical psychologist at Glen Iris Psychology in Melbourne.
The Morung Express 10 SPORTS Martial arts training imparted at Pranabananda Women’s College Cornerstone school kicks off sports meet Dimapur
Saturday
28 March 2015
School children participating during the annual sports meet of Cornerstone Higher Secondary School, Dimapur.
DIMAPUR, MARCH 27 28 under the theme ‘Faster, The all day activities kicked Higher, Stronger.’ The occa- off with the opening cerMeet of Cornerstone Higher sion was graced by Dr. Hoto- emony at 9:00 am, followed nal Basti, Dimapur with a Secondary School Dimapur ka Hesso, SMO ART Centre by lighting of the torch by the hostel facility. They have was held on March 27 and District Hospital, Dimapur. bearers. their branches spread in Assam and Tripura. Recently, Faith in Action Taekwondo Academy has become the first from Kohima Village Ground Ziekiezou Nagaland to be recognized March 28 FIXTURE (Starts 7:00 am) by the World Martial Arts 1st Match – RS Challengers vs High School Daredevils Council from United King2nd Match – Kenuozou Wolves vs P. Khel Eagles dom as an official taekwon3rd Match – Lower Bayavü Giants vs Upper Bayavü Sixers do academy.
Students of Pranabananda Women’s College, Dimapur posing for lens during one-week martial arts training, imparted by Faith in Action Taekwondo Acad- (MExN): The Annual Sports emy, at the college campus.
DIMAPUR, MARCH 27 (MExN): The Faith in Action Taekwondo Academy imparted one week free Taekwondo training camp from March 23 to the students of Pranabananda Women’s College, Dimapur for the self defence girl students. Narola Ao, Vice Principal, Pranabananda Wom-
en’s College said that the college may introduce martial arts as a full time course for all the students in future. “I think it (compulsory martial arts for girls) has become necessity this days as the crime against women is increasing day by day”, Ao said. Expressing gratitude to Faith in Action Taekwondo
Academy for providing free training to her students, Ao said she will talk to the college management for regular martial arts classes for her students. Faith in Action Taekwondo Academy will be imparting another training camp to SD Jain College after Easter holiday. The free training may most prob-
ably begin from April 7. It may be worth to mention that the academy has been giving course to Hope Academy, St Thomas, St. Mary Higher Secondary School, Honili Memorial School. Besides, they have clubs at Dimapur Club, PWD Colony and main head quarter at Immanuel Hall, Y Zhimo Colony, Sig-
NORTHERN ANGAMI -1 T20 BASH 2015
public discourse
Rubber Farmer/Plantation in doldrums On developmental works undertaken by DMC
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happened to be at Kerala for a fortnight in the month of February in connection with the 35th National Games Kerala 2015 where I travelled between Trivandrum, Kochi/ Ernakulum, Thrissur and Kannur to meet our team officials and Athletes to see their well beings. As I took night travel by road I came across good number of fully laden truck carrying round logs. On enquire from our Liaison Officer, I was told that these logs were all felled Rubber tree. On further conversation I was shocked to learned that all the large scale commercial rubber farmers in Kerala are felling all the rubber trees and supplying it as timbers for making high class furniture and shifting their plantation to other species of high value trees as rubber production has become costly due to high labor costs that do not commensurate the market price after the natural rubber prices in the international market plummeted to Rs. 95 per kilogram from peak Rs. 260 per kilogram. In Kerala only the small and marginal farmers are still keeping the rubber trees which they manage by themselves without employing any labor. Ironically the price of tyre has not come down in spite of the steep fall in the price of raw material. The price of Natural rubber has nosedived to Rs. 95 from Rs. 260 in various global markets today on account of poor demand. According to expert the steep fall in prices of natural rubber is due to poor off take by China which is the world’s largest consumer and the European nations. There is now hike in demand of synthetic rubber in European market due to its cheaper price. International expert says the price of rubber is likely to be on a lower state till 2018 and a slight improvement might be seen by 2020 only. The grade of natural rubber is classified into Ripped smoked sheets grade RSS-1, RSS-2, RSS3, RSS-4, RSS-5 where the top grade RSS1 is used in pharmaceutical industry and the other grade for automobile tyre and other product. It is heartening to note that Dr. Hiddle P Smit, former Secretary General of International Rubber Study Group and rubber market analyst suggested “tree felling and reduce tapping” in order to slow falling rubber prices as he predicted that the low price regime could continue for the rest of the decade and even beyond. He said intensive rubber planting done now could lead to a glut in natural rubber market after six years bringing the prices down further. I have also done a small rubber plantation that may start tapping from next year and had made plan to expand the farm but now after deep pondering the future market of natural rubber is seen in great jeopardy as the international trend of cheaper
synthetic rubber replacing the natural rubber is fast catching up. The demand of natural rubber will have a small demand for pharmaceutical usage only and ultimately the investment will go waste. I wonder whether the Rubber Board has better idea and future plan for the use of natural rubber to counter the prediction of Dr. Hiddle P Smit but as of now the RSS4 grade natural rubber price at Kochi and Kottayam is Rs. 132.00 per kg only and the future is not bright. The natural rubber price at Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok is Rs. 95 per kg. Thailand is at present the world’s largest natural rubber producer. In Thailand Govt. has turn broker and buys up the surplus rubber from the farmers and directly sells the stockpile to China to prop up prices. Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had set aside 12 billion bhat to purchase domestic rubber at above market price then sell to China. Since the beginning of the programme last November they have already bought 1,30,000 tonnes. India is expected to become self-sufficient in synthetic rubber by 2017 as its production capacity triples. For the last many years Indian demand was way above production capacity, but now with the new plants coming on stream suddenly India will become self-sufficient in synthetic rubber production says Stephen Evans, Secretary General of the International Rubber Study Group. India, according to HIS Automotive is expected to jump three places and become the world’s No. 3 Car market by 2018, that has fuelled a domestic rush to produce more of the synthetic rubber that is mixed with natural rubber to make tyres. Relliance Industries of billionaire Mukesh Ambani has begun production at a 1,50,000 tonnes per year (Tpy) styrene butadiene rubber plant. Indian Synthetic Rubber Ltd (SRL) a joint venture of Indian Oil Corporation, Taiwan’s TBRC Corporation and Japan’s Mrubeni Corporation has started a 1,20,000 Tpy plant. The combine production of these plants is expected to meet the country’s synthetic rubber requirement of 45,00,000 tonne annually. A small stake holder I am at a lost whether we are going to land up with the same feat like Ginger, Turmeric, bamboo etc. Can we hope to see a savior like the Thailand Prime Minister to turn broker for the farmer and buys up the produce above the market price to pop up the natural rubber farming in the State? Under the prevailing scenario I would cautions all would be rubber planters to think twice before you take up any plantation as the nodal department has not yet come out with an advisory although the plunge in the International market began from November 2014. T. Meren Paul, Kohima
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express my appreciation to the State Government under the Chief Minister TR Zeliang for giving the opportunity to the Municipal Councils particularly the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) leaving its hand free for all round development. Besides that, the Government has deputed the right and energetic administrator in the likes of H.Atokhe Aye, Executive Officer under whose able administration the present development policy have been carried out. It may not be out of place to state here that, the state Government has granted three months for the civic body to levy toll taxes. And the present administrator have judiciously invested its meager resource for developmental works as witnessed by the public.
Further, it is learned that similar developmental works such as repairing of roads, drainage and sanitation etc. under Dimapur city is projected through ward wise. I therefore, through this statement appeal the state government to allow the civic body to continue with its earlier practice of levying toll tax which can be further utilized for developmental works in the near future. In the meanwhile, I would also like to place a suggestion before the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur and Superintendent of Police, Dimapur for utilization of the Old Dhansiri bridge both for to and fro for the commuter as was been done earlier. As traffic congestion has become a daily hazard in the town, operating the Old Dhansiri bridge for to and fro for emer-
gency entrance and exit for VIP and general public travelling in a light vehicle will be more convenient. It is therefore, highly proposed that the said bridge be used by both to and fro commuters by deputing a traffic police on both end of the bridge so as to manage the interchange of the vehicle smoothly. Further, it is suggested that, the traffic police and the law enforcing agency be stringent in enforcing traffic rules and regulations against the drivers of any vehicle while overtaking other vehicles. And in doing so numerous untoward accidents may be averted. Let us not wait for that ONE big accident/incident lest we regret losing one of our own. D.P ANGAMI, Former Dy. Chairman DMC, Vice President, Naga Council Dimapur, Nagaland
Common ground of world’s belief in one God
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here is a kernel of truth in the practice of God-man relationship in every religion. The original knowledge of the truth of God fainted away and cooled off in process of human split from Babel. Difference of world religions is caused by cosmic forces, natural challenges, animistic consciousness, and a spiritual hunger and thirst in migratory process through plains and terrains, hills and mountains, and oceans under blue sky. In order to establish the truth, one must know the fact that Judaism is the result of historically revealed God-Abraham relationship, Animism is a religious form of an imminent spiritual conscience, Islam became a religion with a transcendental view of God codified by Mohammed in his Koran, Hinduism is a formulation of an abstract view and idolization of God (Brahma), Buddhism is the result of deification or objectification of a religious founder while other worldviews such as gnosticism, skepticism and atheism took a religious form called Secular humanism. True God Revealed Theories were in existence about God. We guess about God by a spiritual mind, mental imagination, a speculative philosophy, our tradition and folklore, and theologizing. Everyone believes that there is one supreme God who created the universe. And every religion claims to be the true one. As speculation leads to causes, so religions are the result of speculative guessing of God con-
sciousness in human mind. But the absolute truth must be established on the basis of historic authenticity. There is no historicity and authenticity about Krishna who was believed to be the 8th incarnation of Vishnu. Gautama Buddha, a prince, formulated his religious principles in flight in search of a solution to human impasse. Prophet Mohammad, born only in AD570, developed a sense of spiritual ecstasy in his mountain of recitations which became Koran with Allah as God. Thus, different names are employed to designate God. Certainly the Old Testament or human history proves that migration took place from a point of origin. Logically and theologically, there were proliferation of religions along the way. The Father God, Creator, has not forgotten His children. He expects all His children to be a part of His big family. But many children deliberately denied Him and refused to come back to Him. No one has seen God and can never see God through religious efforts till He is revealed Himself. God took incarnational initiative to come to restore the lost God-man relationship. In this, the adherents of all religions can meet together again. In other word, all those who are in search of a true God can now meet Him not by law, ritualism or formalism but by heart. The Bible calls this ‘God loves the world so much that came in human form to save us on the basis of our acceptance ’ (John 3:16). As a legitimate child sees who his or her father is from a biological perspective, so
those who accept Him to be their God can find Him in Father-son perspective. The Lord Jesus did not attack any religion of his time; He neither introduced or created any new religion. He talked about rebuilding of our new relationship with Heaven. The interest of God is not Christianity, Hinduism, Muslim, Buddhism or West or East. His interest is a changed HEART. That means, as a Hindu, one can receive Jesus Christ, as a Muslim, one can find Christ, and as a Christian, one can accept Christ; all in order to become true children of God. Our human world should have a faith in only one true God. But we are divided by our pioneers who resorted to swords, fighting and killing over territorial expansion under the pretext of religion. A key factor of religious distance is fabrication of human greed and psychological imagination. Peter, a closest friend of Jesus denied him while Judas, one disciple led him to his arrest. We must not repeat those century old games now. A New Perspective Some theologians claim that Jesus, Krshna and Allah are all identical and interchangeable. But the Bible uniquely reveals Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word. As we accept Jesus, God accepts us. God welcomes the heart of everyone. His manifesto is “Change of human hearts to transform humanity.” With confidence, we can come to Him in white cap, yellow robes, Naga attire, red color on forehead, and as we are. Our hearts matter
and not a religion per se. The issue is our total (100%) allegiance to Jesus. He came to invite the world to eternal life which is for all people of the world. Before we travel to that heaven of peace, we must begin it here in our planet, earth. The need is global peace and human harmony. And this Hope can come only from God, the only one God. The Bible calls this Prince of Peace. God’s interest is not annihilation or harming each other but restoration of relationship by reconciling to Him and with each other. Hurting each other as religious communities will never bring God’s blessing. He is not a revengeful God. His wrath is directed towards sins. A church building for celebration or a mosque for worship or a mandhir for meditation is not an evil structure that we should wipe out. Why should there be fight and killing or pernicious act among the children of God? Right thinking people and people bound by the love of God must stand together to protect the beauty of unity in diversity. We should rather unite and work together to regain the lost human value of love, harmony, honesty and truth, and integrity. The need is a joint-effort to unitedly eradicate corruption, terrorism, global challenges, and subversive schemes that intend to destroy humanity. Our world is a place for us to live together in healthy co-existence. In you I see God but only if you have God in you. Phuveyi Dozo Dr. Phuveyi Dozo, Naga United Village, Dimapur
Open letter to the Principal Director, Health and Family Welfare Dept
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ith reference to the above cited subject, we the undersigned, on behalf of the “Aggrieved Medical Employees Union” have the honour to state the following for your kind perusal and necessary action. That the members of the aforesaid Union were appointed under your esteemed establishment in the office of CMO Wokha on different dates and year to various grades. By virtue of the appointment orders, the employees were diligently serving your establishment and for which in due course of time their service were regularized and respective service books were opened where GPF were deducted and per existing norms. That in due course of time, a flash message from your good office dated 31st October 2008 was transmitted to CMO Wokha directing the CMO to submit the list of employees and a
copy of the appointment order issued ees under the same establishment members of the aggrieved Union w.e.f. from January 2008. To this effect, were also appointed by the same continues to draw their salary unthe then CMO submitted the list of emauthority with the ‘same nature der 6th RoP without impunity, the ployees as asked upon, including those of appointment’ as the aggrieved salary of the rest of the members of appointed prior to January 2008, which members during the same period. the aggrieved Union has been withwere not called by your office, i.e, emYet these 32 employees were never held since 2012. Such impugned ployees appointed from 2000 to 2007. questioned nor issued any show act of discrimination by the authorThereafter, show cause after show cause notice even though their naity is a violation of the basic core of cause notice were served to the agture of appointment were similar human rights to live and equality. grieved employees, who had on all with those of the members of the 3. That the members of the aggrieved occasion diligently replied. But to our aggrieved Union. Whereas, the salUnion were also appointed by utter dismay, your good office failed ary of the members of the aggrieved competent authority like hundreds to take cognizance of the justification Union were withheld on the ground of other appointees in the departsubmitted and address our grievances that the service is a non sanctioned ment. Mentioned is to be made as sought for. post. The usage of different yardthat the members of the aggrieved As such, the members of the agsticks by the department indicates Union were not appointed on grieved Union is constraint to place that the department is prejudiced Contract or fixed period where the before your esteemed authority the against the members of the aggovernment can terminate their following discrepancies and unethical grieved Union, which is in total conservice at will; but are appointed conclusion and observation made by travention of the democratic prinas regular employee of the deyour office which we feel are against the ciples of fair justice and equality. partment. By normal convention, the government cannot appoint a ethos of natural justice and equality. 2. Whereas, 5 (five) employees who candidate on regular basis with1. As per the documents available to were also issued show cause notice out having a sanctioned post. As the Union, 32 (thirty two) employby your good office in line with the
such, by virtue of the appointment letters, the service books and GPF account were opened and normal GPF deductions were made as per the existing norms. Members were also discharging their duties diligently and drawing their salaries, some for more than ten years. In course of time, these members had also availed loans from financial institutions. Now that their salaries were withheld, the members of the aggrieved Union are surviving on borrowed money leave alone repay the loans. Due to the inhuman act of the government in withholding our salaries, the aggrieved members are living in constant stress and mental trauma. As such, if any members take drastic steps that lead to loss of life, the department shall be held sole responsible. Therefore, in view of the above
facts and circumstances and the glaring injustice meted to the aggrieved members, the Aggrieved Employees Union request your esteemed authority to kindly take cognizance of this petition and :1. Allow your petitioners to serve the people to which they were appointed in the first place. 2. Release our pending salaries at the earliest with arrears. In the event of your Office failure to take cognizance of this petition, the undersigned shall take leave of your esteemed authority to seek for their rights and pursue for justice in an appropriate forum till justice is delivered. Thank You Yours Faithfully, Lumdemo Lotha, Secretary AMEUW Thungchibeni Kithan, President AMEUW
Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
Entertainment
The Morung Express C M Y K
Saturday 28 March 2015
Hill Theatre artists perform street play titled "The Scavenger" supporting the cause and awareness of "Swacch Bharat Abhiyan" (Clean India Mission) in Mokokchung.
Dreamz Unlimited stages a play on sanitation on the occasion of World Theatre Day in Dimapur on Friday. (Morung Photo)
Violence against Women. Strengthening its message in the plays, the actors used several inspiring words of renowned leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and quoted him, “Sanitation is more important than independence.” Maple Tree School students staged a play of popular bollywood movies of the 80’s such as Sholay. DC Dimapur, Kesonyu Yhome who was the chief guest called upon every citizen to be a part
of keeping the city neat and clean. “Let us all join the cause to keep our city clean,” he appealed. He urged young people to come out of the traditional thought of only pursuing government jobs and said it was high time that youngsters explore other options too. The DC encouraged the students saying that nothing was impossible if they had the will and spirit to walk the extra mile.
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ommemorating the World Theatre Day, ‘Hill Theatre’ Dimapur, conducted street play at Canan School, Town Higher Secondary School and Mayangnokcha Higher Secondary School, Mokokchung.
Addressing the people at Mayangnokcha Government Higher Secondary School, Mokokchung, SDO(C) Mokokchung, Limlela Sangtam mentioned that observing the day is an opportunity to recognized the creativity
of theatre artists and communities around the world thereby giving awareness to the people. Bendang Walling, alumni of National School of Drama, New Delhi 2009, founded ‘Hill Theatre’ in 2012. As the founder Ar-
tistic Director of the group, he has directed noteworthy productions of street plays, one act plays, dance ballets, mimi plays and a few full-length plays. For his achievement in theatre, Bendang Walling has been awarded with NEZCC Young Talented Artist Award (2008-09) and Ao Students’ Union Excellency Award (Theatre). (DIPR News)
No more wardrobe malfunctions for Hulk
(Morung Express New)
The Valentino wedding gown Sophie Hunter wore to marry Benedict Cumberbatch
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uperhero Hulk will be wearing a special set of stretchy pants under his clothes to avoid a wardrobe malfunction as he grows many times his size in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The high-tech pants with the micro fi-
bre fabric are capable of getting as big as the giant, thus averting any future accidents, read a statement. The much-anticipated sequel in the Avengers franchise, Avengers: Age of Ultron is set to hit Indian theatres April 24 in 3D, a week before its release in the US. With the Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions releas-
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Dreamz Unlimited Hill THeaTre sTages creaTive sTreeT play delivers the act
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Bradley Cooper to make directorial debut
World Theatre Day Celebrated or the first time in the state, World Theatre Day was celebrated in Dimapur on Friday organized by Dreamz Unlimited under the sponsorship of North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur. Naga theatrical talents were galore at IMC Hall as a team of Dreamz Unlimited and students from Maple Tree School, Dimapur took the stage to enthrall a gathering comprising mostly of students. Through their plays, actors from Dreamz Unlimited sent across a powerful message with humorous touch on Sanitation- Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and Eradication of
Dimapur
ing simultaneously along with the English version, the film is touted to be the biggest blockbuster this summer. In the film, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans will reprise their roles as Thor, Black Widow and Captain America, respectively. Directed by Joss Whedon, Avengers: Age of Ultron will release on May 1 in US.
arner Bros is negotiating with its American Sniper star Bradley Cooper to make his feature directorial debut on the remake of A Star Is Born. The hope is for Cooper also to star in the film. Once his deal is done, their first stop will be to Beyonce, who was once positioned to play the role of the young woman whose dreams of stardom are helped by a self-destructive icon whose best days are behind him. She was circling when Clint Eastwood was going to helm the remake, and the director discussed that male lead role with Cooper. She hasn’t yet been reapproached formally. Cooper will take a pass at the script with Will Fetters, who wrote the most recent draft, and the hope is that he can get into this wholeheartedly when he finishes performing The Elephant Man in its London transfer from Broadway. He also will become a producer on this through Warnersbased 22 Green, the banner he shares with Todd Phillips. Jon Peters, Billy Gerber and Basil Iwanyk also are producers.
Shruti haaSan in legal trouble
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Kim BUm
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This photo taken by Annie Leibovitz for US Vogue shows Sophie Hunter at a fitting for her bespoke Valentino wedding gown.
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f you're a diehard 'Cumberbitch' who can't bear the thought of Benedict Cumberbatch saying 'I do' to a statuesque brunette with brains and beauty then look away now. The stunning gown worn by his new wife, the theatre and opera director Sophie Hunter, has been revealed. But rather than an OK! magazinestyle 'We're chuffed to bits!' spread, the bride was captured by legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz in luxury couture label Valentino's Rome atelier for the hallowed pages of US Vogue magazine. Captured atop the famous maison's cutting table, Hunter is pictured in the intricately embroidered, long sleeved gown alongside its creators, Valentino creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli. The pictureperfect tableau is topped off with the couture label's 'petites mains' (the French name given to the seamstresses who work in the ateliers) hard at work in the background and a rail stacked with more fairy tale frocks. Hunter's dress featured an empire silhouette to accommodate her growing baby bump and a high neck. 36-year-old Hunter married Oscar-nominated actor Cumberbatch on Valentine's Day this year at a church on
the Isle of Wight after a short engagement announced in The Times in November 2014. As The Imitation Game's Oscars promotional duties swiftly took the couple straight to Hollywood, the newly-weds enjoyed a honeymoon in California. The luxury fashion house has created bespoke gowns for numerous celebrities and royals since its inception in 1960, including Elizabeth Taylor, Anne Hathaway, Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece. The photo, shared by Valentino on its Instagram feed, teases to a larger spread in the new issue of US Vogue, cementing the relationship between Hunter and the magazine's British editor-inchief, Anna Wintour. The two women were pictured seated together at the brand's haute couture show in Paris in January - with Hunter telling WWD of Wintour: "She can take all of the credit. That's the reason I'm here." Hunter follows in the footsteps of recently married Amal Clooney, who had her wedding dress fitting with the late Oscar de la Renta captured for US Vogue ahead of her marriage to Hollywood actor George Clooney.
im Bum is back. After an absence of two years from the small screen in Korea, the actor has taken a role in "Hide Your Identity," an upcoming tvN drama. According to the actor's agency, King Kong Entertainment, Kim Bum has signed on for the role of homicide detective Cha Gun Woo. "It's been a while since I last met my domestic fans so I'm very happy and excited," said Kim. "I found Cha Gun Woo as a very charming and interesting character. I'm really looking forward to working with the production crew and cast members. I will work hard during the filming." Cha Gun Woo is a Yongsanbased detective assigned to Investigative Team 5, which hunts criminals using underground investigations. So, the title refers to the fact that criminals can run
from the law but ultimately not hide their identify forever. Investigative Team 5 is not a team that anyone can join but then Cha Gun Woo is not just any police detective. He was a top student at the police academy but left to enlist in the Naval Special Warfare Brigade. After his discharge, he joined the SWAT team, which deals with very dangerous criminals. The detective drama is set to air in June, following the foodfocused drama "Let's Eat 2." Kim Jung Min III, the Director of "Bad Guys," will direct "Hide Your Identity." Kang Hyun Sung, who wrote "Chosun Police Season 3," has written the screenplay. Kim Bum's last drama was the saeguk "Goddess of Fire: Jeonji" with co-stars Moon Geun Young and Lee Sang Yoon. Before that he appeared in "That
Winter The Wind Blows" with Jo In Sung and Song Hye Kyo." He is best known for his roles in the dramas "East of Eden," "Boys Over Flowers" and "Padam Padam: The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats." During his absence from the Korean small screen Kim Bum did appear in a Chinese drama "The Micro Era of Love." The drama was described as the Chinese version of "Gossip Girls." His co-stars were Yang Mei, Zhou Bu Chang, Tang Wei, and Li Xi Rui. Kim's appearance as a perfectionist restaurant owner in "The Micro Era of Love" made him even more popular with Chinese fans and generated plenty of endorsement and promotion deals. In 2015 he can also be seen in the film "Lovers and Movies."
icturehouse Media, a leading media and entertainment house, has initiated legal proceedings against actress Shruti Haasan, who pulled out of its yet-untitled TamilTelugu bilingual project citing the issue of dates. "Shruti Hassan after entering into a contractual agreement to be the female lead in a bilingual starring Nagarjuna and Karthi directed by Vamsi Paidipalli has reneged on her contractual obligations. She has arbitrarily pulled out of the project citing dates clash as a flimsy excuse," read a statement. "The dates were mutually discussed with her and schedules were planned around her convenience. The said movie has commenced its shoot and first schedule
was completed and unexpectedly Shruti conveyed through an email that she wanted to exit the project,a added the statement. The company claims that the unethical and unprofessional act of Shruti has resulted in heavy loss in time, reputation and finances. "With an intention of ensuring that such unprofessional attitude is not repeated and to protect the interests of its various stakeholders, Picturehouse Media has initiated both civil and criminal proceedings against Shruti Hassan," the statement read further. According to the company, an injunction order restraining Shruti from signing any new movie has been passed.
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'i can’t do that anymore, it’s not real to me' Z ayn Malik has spoken for the first time since announcing his departure from One Direction, admitting it wasn't "real" to him anymore. The singer claimed that he wanted to be a “normal 22-year-old” but has given an interview after leaving the biggest boyband in the world, admitting he wasn't happy "for a while". It comes after Zayn quit earlier this week halfway through his world tour. “It is crazy and wild and a bit mad," he told The Sun, “but at the same time I’ve never felt more in control in my life. Zayn says he's made the right decision, and he's happy he did it now. The star also took the opportunity to slam any claims of a rift between him and his bandmates, saying he expects them to carry on for a long time to come. The star, who was filmed crying on stage in his last performance recently, revealed he hadn't been happy for "a
while", but had carried on to make other people, including his fans, happy. He added to the newspaper: "I’m only upset (because) I feel like I may have let them down in some sort of way. “That’s the main thing that I don’t want to happen. “It’s not that I’ve turned my back on them or anything, it’s just that I just can’t do that
anymore because it’s not real to me.” Referencing other band splits in the past after one member left, such as Geri Halliwell's exit from the Spice Girls, Zayn said his departure has been unique because his bandmates have remained supportive, and they are still good friends. And despite
rumours it could have been over troubles with his fiancée Perrie Edwards, Zayn quickly quashed those as he gushed about his Little Mix other half, saying: "She’s a good girl.” Perrie has apparently supported him throughout the difficult decision. But while he's been spotted heading back into the recording studio this week, Zayn said he's not rushing into a solo career, and wants to "chill" for a while first. It came after we revealed Zayn told his bandmates his decision just before they took to the stage in Jakarta, Indonesia. In a heartfelt statement, Zayn said: “My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. "But, after five years, I feel it is the right time for me to leave. I’d like to apologise to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. “I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able
to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. “I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.” One Direction said in a statement: “We’re really sad to see Zayn go, but we totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future. "We’re looking forward to recording the new album.” Simon Cowell, who assembled the group when they each auditioned for X Factor as solo artists in 2010, added: “I would like to say thank you to Zayn for everything he has done for One Direction. "Since I first met Zayn, I have grown very, very fond - and immensely proud - of him. "I have seen him grow in confidence and I am truly sorry to see him leave. Fans can rest assured Niall, Liam, Harry and Louis are hugely excited about the band’s future.”
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Neymar and Willian shine as Brazil beats France 3-1 PARIS, MARCH 27 (AP): Striker Neymar scored his 43rd international goal and midfielder Willian set up two as Brazil beat France 3-1 on Thursday in another step in rebuilding its credibility. It was France's first defeat since last year's World Cup, where it lost to Germany in the quarterfinals. Brazil remains unbeaten since hosting that tournament, where it lost 7-1 to Germany in a semifinal shocker and was humbled 3-0 by the Netherlands in the third-place match. "I'm trying to give the players confidence after the World Cup, and I'm trying to find a balance," Brazil coach Dunga said. "We played well and played with speed. We kept our shape well, we were compact. We made some mistakes, but once we got our balance right we were able to win." Neymar latched onto Willian's clever pass behind the defense before rifling a quick and powerful shot into the roof of the net nearly an hour in. The fine finish was far removed
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from his sloppy shooting for Barcelona in Sunday's clasico, where he squandered chances, including one from four meters out. After defender Raphael Varane headed France ahead in the 21st, midfielder Oscar equalized just before halftime with a crisp shot. With Brazil pouring forward, midfielder Luiz Gustavo made it 3-1 in the 69th when he headed in Willian's corner. "It was a tough defeat. They punished us for our mistakes and they're very quick up front," France coach Didier Deschamps said. "We knew we were up against a good side. We need to be sharper, more efficient." The Brazilians are preparing for the Copa America in June, and have one remaining friendly, against Chile, on Sunday. France, as host of next year's European Championship, is already qualified, and has only friendlies until then. "Brazil is preparing for the Copa America, but our objectives are further away. It's good to be put in a dif-
ficult situation, we'll learn from it," Deschamps said. "We fought hard against a quality side. We struggled to get our game going in at-
tack, although we did well from set-pieces. We could have done better, especially in terms of our passing." France striker Karim
Benzema should have scored in the seventh minute when he was left unmarked at the back post following a corner, but his
Brazil’s Miranda, center right, challenges France’s Captain Karim Benzema, center left, during the international friendly soccer match between France and Brazil at the Stade de France, north of Paris, France, Thursday, March 26. (AP Photo)
powerful header from three meters out was somehow clawed away by goalkeeper Jefferson. Neymar went close in the 20th when his
curling strike from the edge of the penalty forced a fine save from Steve Mandanda. A minute later, Varane timed his run perfectly to
meet Mathieu Valbuena's corner from the left with a powerful downward header that Jefferson could not get a hand to.
Gavrilova beats Sharapova at Miami Open
KEY B I S C AY N E , MARCH 27 (AP): Maria Sharapova is 0-5 in Key Biscayne finals. This year her loss came at the start. Seeded No. 2, Sharapova was upset in her opening match Thursday night by wild-card Daria Gavrilova, 7-6 (4), 6-3. The 21-year-old Gavrilova, who was born in Moscow and is based in Australia, earned her first victory over a top-10 player with a poised, aggressive effort before a near-capacity stadium-court crowd. Sharapova said she went into the match knowing little about Gavrilova. But Gavrilova was well acquainted with the Siberiaborn Sharapova.
"I have been dreaming about beating Maria since I was probably 12, when I saw her win Wimbledon," Gavrilova said. "She was my idol. She was just huge in Russia." Sharapova lost serve four times, struggled with her return and found herself in a succession of long rallies, thanks to the 5-foot-5 Gavrilova's defensive skills. "She runs a lot of balls down," Sharapova said. "I was committing a lot of errors off of those balls, and not really staying patient and just going for too many winners." Venus Williams began her 16th appearance at Key Biscayne by beating qualifier Urszula
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Radwanska 6-3, 6-2. Radwanska's sister, Agnieszka, won, as did former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. Juan Martin del Potro, playing for the first time since Jan. 15, lost in the first round to Vasek Pospisil, 6-4, 7-6 (7). Del Potro had been sidelined with a lingering left wrist injury. "I don't feel frustrated," del Potro said. "I have to take the positive things on my comeback. The score doesn't matter for now." Sharapova trailed in the first set, rallied and again fell behind in the tiebreaker. She looked back ruefully on an easy overhead she Daria Gavrilova of Russia, celebrates after upsetting Maria netted on the next-to-last Sharapova of Russia, 7-6 (4), 6-3, at the Miami Open tennis point of the set. tournament on March 26 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo)
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