March 5th, 2016

C M Y K

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SaturDaY • March 05 • 2016

DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 62 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous

North Korea leader tells military to be ‘ready’ to use nuclear weapons Travel advisory for Mariani-Mkg road DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): According to the DIPR various NGOs of Assam have called for an indefinite bandh starting 6:00am on March 5. Travellers are therefore advised to avoid travelling from Mariani via New Sonowal to Mokokchung. This was informed in an official notification issued by ADC Mangkolemba, Imtiwapang Aier. It further stated that the bandh has been called because of non fulfilment of the assurances

by Border Road Organisation, which had assured last week for improving the dilapidated road conditions in that area. According to additional inputs, the bandh will continue till such time the BRO physically begin on-site work at the said stretch of road.

NSCN (IM) responds to Rahul Gandhi statement DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): The NSCN (IM) today expressed shock at Congress national Vice President, Rahul Gandhi’s statement in Parliament regarding the Framework Agreement signed last year between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India. A press note from the MIP of the NSCN (IM) stated that “the manner in which he expresses his position to the long pending political issue between India and Nagalim is but sadly deplorable.”

Terming Gandhi’s remarks as “avoidable,” the NSCN (IM) stated that the Framework Agreement is a “political document with a set of mutually agreed principles which will act as a guide book in finding the final solution between India and Naga people.” “His self created terminology like Naga Accord is nonexistent and misleading,” it added. Asking Rahul Gandhi to leave aside electoral politics the NSCN (IM) further urged all leaders in India, irrespective of party affiliation to contribute positively and support the ongoing Peace talk so that peace and prosperity will dawn to the Naga people.

Full text on Page 10

Public Information

Press statements, memorandums, articles, reports and news related documents should be sent to

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Editor, The Morung Express

Naga Hoho clarifies Morung Express News Dimapur | March 4

C M Y K

Naga Hoho President, Chuba Ozukum on Friday confirmed that he has received a verbal response from the Emissary to NSCN (K) Chairman SS Khaplang about the latter’s willingness to meet the Naga Hoho officials.

Speaking to The Morung Express, Chuba, however, clarified that he has not received any written reply from Khaplang as reported earlier. “We conveyed the message to Khaplang through his Emissary that he should also respond to us on paper...but I have not received any written letter from Mr Khaplang asking us to meet,” Chuba said.

The Naga Hoho President reiterated that he received only verbal communication from the Emissary about 4-5 days back regarding Khaplang’s willingness to meet the Naga Hoho.

T R u T H

— Confucius

Bowlers beware! World T20 seeks to sate boundary-lust

Our culture is our pride: Yitachu

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o F

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March 5, 1995: The Black Sunday Morung Express News Kohima | March 4

“Everything failed. The government failed and civil society too failed on its part. When the whole society loses confidence in anything they can rely on, they seek for justice in any way they know how,” says Neingulo Krome, recalling the infamous March 5 incident in 2015. When Nagaland was put in an uncomfortable spotlight in 2015, the human rights activist recollects how he was reminded of the other March 5 of 1995.

The tragedy which occurred on March 5, 20 years ago failed to hit the world headlines. Six civilians including two minors in Kohima were killed while 26 civilians were seriously injured by the 16 Rashtriya Rifles (16 RR).

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon for residents of Kohima town when the 16 Rashtriya Rifles were passing through with 50 vehicles and heavily armed personnel. While crossing Hotel Japfü, the tyres of one of the leading vehicles burst which led the soldiers to fire indiscriminately, suspecting the burst to be an ambush, in the whole stretch of Kohima town from BOC area till TCP Gate.

Vandanshan Patton Lotha, Additional Director, Labour and Employment Department, who lost his three and half years old daughter Soyingbeni (Soso) can never forget that tragic day.

He along with his family had gone to Church and later visited his brother-in-law. While returning home (Forest Colony)

A partial view of Kohima town. Photo by Vishu Rita Krocha

around 12:45 noon, the family heard gunshots.

“It was more of a usual thing back in those days. We didn’t bother that much. We could hear five or six explosions and I could make it out that one could be a grenade. I thought it was some police on patrol. Suddenly, something told me the bomb was going to come straight in our house. The children came out along with my mother and my wife. It was so sudden that I could not stop them,” narrated Lotha.

A 52 mm mortar shell struck

where the family was standing.

Soyingbeni died from the many splinter injuries while the rest of the family sustained shrapnel and splinter injuries.

His second daughter who is now 28 years old remains half paraplegic and could not continue her studies after matriculation.

Vandanshan’s mother who is now 82 years was also seriously injured and doctors told her she would not survive unless her right leg is amputated.

However, she was miraculously saved after undergoing opera-

March 5 Inquiry: JIC drawing to a close

Likely to submit final report to the govt on March 11 Morung Express News Dimapur | March 4

Following almost a year-long inquiry, the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) instituted by the Nagaland government to inquire into the March 5, 2015 lynching incident is in the final stages of drawing to a close. The JIC, headed by retired judge of the Gauhati High Court, BD Agarwal with retired District & Sessions judge, Veprasa Nyekha as member, is slated to submit its report by the second week of March.

The JIC was constituted to ascertain the causes and circumstances leading to the incident of vandalism and forcible entry into the Central Jail, Dimapur on March 5, 2015 by a mob and killing of an under-trial prisoner and also the death of another person allegedly in police firing in the violence that ensued.

It was preceded by a short-lived oneman Judicial Inquiry headed by Nyekha, which was instituted on March 6. It did not take off well as anticipated, largely for a lack of clerical staff to assist in documentation of the inquiry. Assistants assigned to the task either did not report to duty or reported long after the government notification informing of the assignment, while

replacements also failed to turn up.

It was subsequently replaced by the JIC headed by Agarwal. With poor public response to the JIC initially, it was extended at least twice by the government. The JIC also had to re-issue notice inviting written statements from individuals, NGOs and family members of the victims after the first notice issued on May 18 failed to generate satisfactory response. It eventually received 47 written statements.

As of now, the JIC has drafted its report pending finalisation. JIC member, Nyekha told The Morung Express that the draft of the final report is complete. Nyekha said, “The JIC will have a seating on some issues (regarding omissions/additions) for finalising the report” after which it will be submitted to the government. According to him, the final report would be submitted to the Chief Minister on March 11. He declined to give any further details.

As regards the police investigation, it was taken over by the CBI. It could not be ascertained how long the investigation is likely to last. According to an official source, the CBI took over sometime in November-December 2015 from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nagaland Police following directives from the Gauhati High Court.

The SIT had arrested as many as 60 suspects during its investigation while no charge-sheet could be filed in court. All the arrested eventually obtained bail.

tion/surgery by Dr. R Kikon.

Medokhul Sophie, former MLA, a victim of March 5 1995 who was then running a computer institute (present Holiday Inn) at BOC area, started hearing gunshots, first at BOC area and then from Mohonkhola and Lerie. “We ultimately had to hide and some even under the bed. However 16 RR Jawans entered the houses and ordered everyone to line up in the National Highway,” states Sophie.

He was shot in the right thigh when they were all made

PA Sangma is no more Morung Express News

press release had warned the Lotha Hoho, which has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the rules and regulations of the Nagaland State government on Petroleum & Natural Gas. He is also alleged to have disclosed that the NSCN (IM) has identified 25 Lotha intellectuals as ‘troublemakers’ and would initiate action against them.

The statement made by the NSCN official was made at the LLRPO meeting at Bhandari on February 12, which the Lotha organizations said, has been confirmed through people who attended the meeting.

Taking cognizance, the Lotha organizations said it had, on behalf of the Lotha people, met the kilo kilonser on February 27 and submitted an ultimatum. It asked the kilo kilonser to give a written clarification giving the detailed list of the alleged twenty

Morung Express News

Former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma died following a cardiac arrest in New Delhi on Friday morning.

He was 68. Sangma presided over the 11th Lok Sabha as speaker from 1996 to 1998. He also remained chief minister of Meghalaya from 1988 to 1990. Sangma was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha from Tura constituency on the National People’s Party ticket, the political party he launched in 2013. Sangma was born on September 1, 1947 in Chapahati village in Meghalaya. After completing his graduation from St Anthony’s College, at Shillong, he went to Dibrugarh University in Assam for his Master’s degree in International Relations. Subsequently, he also received a degree in Law. He leaves behind his wife, a daughter and two sons.

Related news on page 3

Dimapur | March 4

five Lotha intellectual troublemakers and the reason(s), as to why the NSCN (IM) have made these Lotha intellectuals as troublemakers.

The Lotha organisations also warned that “if any untoward misadventure happens to any Lotha individual, the NSCN (IM) would be held responsible.”

The kilo kilonser, on the other hand, apprised the Lotha representatives, who met him that he had no knowledge of such an action plan. He also said the group had no such intention as alleged. A thorough enquiry on the matter and appropriate action would be initiated, he further assured.

In this connection, the Lotha organisations have called for support and cooperation of all right-thinking Naga individuals and organisations in their stand for justice.

personnel of the RR. However, the most deplorable part of the whole incident was the deliberate acts of harassment and shooting by the army personnel for about an hour in presence of their commanding officer who allowed the same to happen.”

On March 28, NPMHR held a procession at Jantar Mantar, Delhi with PUCL and supported by several civil society organizations in Delhi. On the other hand, an inquiry committee was also set up headed by Justice D M Sen. Vandanshan meanwhile was running around for compensation for the families of the deceased. “There was some carelessness on the part of the government where compensation which was to be given to the deceased and the injured was not released. I was running around, but they did not listen to me so I was compelled to take them to Court. Guwahati High court imposed Rs. 5000 fine to the Government of Nagaland for their carelessness,” states Vandanshan.

He said the families of the deceased were given a compensation of two lakhs which they received only after three years.

Vandanshan further mentions that the Justice DM Sen Inquiry Commission gave recommendations for the disbandment of the 16 RR and to give all officers forced retirement.

“Since then we have not heard of 16 RR. So, we consider it is done,” concludes Vandanshan. No further information has been found on the 16 RR.

A Muslim leader’s tryst with peace in Nagaland - remembering March 5, 2015

Dimapur | March 4

Lotha civil society orgs issue 15-day ultimatum to NSCN (IM) DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): Ten organizations of the Lotha community have written to the kilo kilonser, NSCN (IM) to clarify within 15 days (counting from February 27) on the actions of one of its official- secretary in the ministry of internal security of NSCN (IM), who had issued a press release to a Manipur newspaper on February 15, 2016.

The Lotha organizations include Lotha Hoho, Lotha Students’ Union, Lotha Youth Hoho, Lotha Eloe Hoho, Village Councils Chairmen Association, Wokha District Chamber of Commerce & Industries, ACAUT Wokha Unit, Team Metamorphosis, Kohima Lotha Hoho and Dimapur Lotha Hoho.

According to a press statement received here from Lotha Hoho on behalf of all the organizations, the said NSCN (IM) official in the purported

to line up while the Jawans started shooting at their directions.

“Because we were all so shocked that I didn’t know I was shot,” recalls Sophie.

Subsequently, Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) conducted a fact finding in Kohima and filed a writ petition to the Supreme Court of India. The team met a labourer, Sialal one of the eye witnesses who saw the bursting of tyres of one of the leading trucks and who also saw the Jawans jumping down from their vehicles and shooting towards Japfü Hotel. Sialal too was hit by a bullet fired at by the armed personnel.

The petition by NPMHR and PUCL also mentioned how army personnel also forcibly entered houses, threatened and shot people. (The names of the deceased are Soyingbeni, Achunle (8 years old), Tengpangnokcha, Pandhi Sharma and two unknown persons who died on the spot.)The petition also stated that some Jawans entered the Hospital and cut off the electricity within the hospital and threatened not to put on the generator, compelling Doctors to carry operations with the help of candle lamps and torch lights.

The writ petition states, “the indiscriminate firing by the personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles were unprovoked and were panic reaction to the bursting of tyres…..the petitioners did not come across any evidence of any cross firing except the indiscriminate firing by the army

05.03.2015 is a date that Dimapur neither wants to remember, nor can it forget. On March 5, 2015, as Dimapur watched the day go by in horror, a few people were busy making sure that the incidents of the day did not pour out into future communal hysteria and conflict.

Ahidur Rahman, Working President of the Muslim Council Dimapur (MCD), was part of this. For his tireless efforts, Rahman was awarded the Peace Award, 2016 on February 1. Here are extracts from a longer interview (Read full interview on page 6): In 2012, a ‘North East exodus’ began from mainland India. Muslim leaders from Dimapur and Kohima visited Naga students in Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai. “They were so relieved when I started speaking to them in Nagamese,” recalls A. Rahman. “There are more than 6000 Naga students in Bangalore but no Nagaland House; there was no safe space where they could gather and access reliable information from.” He conveyed this message to the then Chief Minister of Nagaland.

Many fears had arisen as a result of rumours. Multimedia Messaging Services were used extensively to spread them. On the mainland, differences between Burmese, Naga, Bodo, Khasi dissolved—everyone from the subcontinent’s north east to beyond became perpetrators and victims at the same time. “We spoke to Muslim leaders in other cities to lay their fears to rest. We told them Muslim people will not be attacked in Nagaland. There is no communal incident in Nagaland and will never happen.” Those were the words Rahman was held accountable for on March 5, 2015.

The MCD’s work began alongside protests on March 4 last year. Rahman’s main work was to contain rumour.

He used social media first—took pictures of the 1906 Jama Masjid, still intact, and posted them on Facebook, asking the community around the sub-continent not to believe in rumours. By March 5, he had already asked the Nagaland State for the protection of religious sites so that no larger problems break forth in case of mob fury. But the actual violence of the day was beyond control.

“Nobody liked the way he was killed but we have to add water to fire, not fuel. We had to consistently tell community leaders from all over India that all Naga people cannot be blamed for the incident, though considerable damage had been done to the Naga image,” Rahman maintained.

Ahidur Rahman, Working President of the Muslim Council Dimapur, is seen here at MP Road. He was awarded the Peace Award 2016 for his tireless efforts to maintain peace and communal harmony.

Rahman and his MCD team’s real work began after March 5. There were rumours spreading through Assam that the Nagaland State Government was considering not sending the dead body back to its parent village. A person claiming to be the victim’s uncle in Nagaland laid claim to the body. “If the body had not been sent back, it would have created permanent enmity between Assam and Nagaland, so we had to somehow trace his village in Karimganj.”

The MCD, moreover, remained concerned for 400-odd Naga students studying in Silchar, asking the Assam State Government to make sure of their safety. On March 7, the Nagaland State Government handed over the body to the MCD, which then cleaned it and wrapped it up in white cloth to be sent back home.

“We got calls from all over Assam to let the vehicle bringing the body pass through their areas—he had become a hero there.

5000 people, alongside media, had already gathered at Khatkhati to see the body. It would have taken 2-3 days for the body to reach and could have created huge tensions, egged on by Assam’s media. So we made a spot decision to fly the body. The Assam Government provided a helicopter, the body was flown out and a major antiNaga wave averted,” narrates Rahman, also acknowledging how many people from Assam had helped resolve the issue.

In its aftermath, nearly 10,000 Muslim people left Nagaland State in three days, mostly on foot, into Assam. Leaders in Assam, many playing vote bank politics, projected that people of the faith were being locked up or being forced to leave. “Some people were even setting up displaced persons camps on the outskirts of Dimapur.

We went and told them there was no need for all this! It would send a wrong message.

There is no threat to people residing in Nagaland,” Rahman reiterated to them.

(Full story on page 6)

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THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Our culture is our pride: Yitachu Our Correspondent Liitsam | March 4

Minister for school education & SCERT Yitachu graced the 5th cultural festival of Phokhungri Area Cultural Society (PACS) on March 3 last at Shilloi Lake, Liitsam under Meluri Sub Division.

“Our culture is our pride and our identity,” he said and called upon the people of Phokhungri to preserve and promote its rich cultural and traditional practices.

He encouraged the PACS to fix a permanent date for this festival and at the same time feature into the calendar of activities in the state.

This, he said, will enhance the prospect of the festival and also attract the inflow of tourists to Phok-

DC Kohima notifies on No Parking zones KOHIMA, MARCH 4 (DIPR): Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, Rovilatuo Mor IAS has informed the following Traffic Regulation Measures in addition to earlier areas/locations to ease the increasing traffic congestion in kohima town: The following areas/ locations are designated as No Parking Zones: Opposite side (hill side) of Lotha Sector Church, Kezieke to Pezielietse Junction (Tin Patti) from 8:00am to 5:00pm; 10 (ten) ft on either side of the electric post in front of new Oking Hospital; and the stretch between Steel Bridge to Naga Bazar Church Junction on NHKPezielietsie (Tin Patti) road from 8:00am to 5:00 pm.

Movement of Medium Commercial Vehicles viz Tata Mobiles, Mini Trucks etc shall be restricted from 10:00am to 12:00noon between AG junction to Pezielietsei (Tin Patti) and from Agri police point to PHQ Junction.

Mezhür Junction to Lower Chandmari road is designated as One Way Entry only for vehicles coming from TCP Point effective from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

Down vehicles shall not be allowed direct entry/right turn except via TCP Point.

Road dividers are to be placed on the following locations: Phool Bari Police Point to Y Junction; Kesa Market (near NST parking) till Rutsa Bakery (near Old NST); and near Razhü Point towards Traders Road.

Minister for school education & SCERT Yitachu during 5th cultural festival of PACS on March 3 at Shilloi Lake, Liitsam. (Morung Photo)

hungri area.

The minister also asked PACS to invite other communities across the border to this festival in the com-

ing years.

Also congratulating all the newly village council chairman within Meluri Sub Division, Yitachu said

their responsibility is wide and asked them to work for the welfare and benefit of the villagers.

Pochury Hoho presi-

dent Penthii Pochury called upon the people of Phokhungri area to unite in God and take the cultural activities forward.

He also urged the people to maintain unity and peaceful co-existence.

Earlier, PACS vice president K. Tsathvii delivered welcome address while PACS president Thimu Feedhu delivered presidential address.

S. Akho Leyri, general secretary, assistant PRO & assistant nodal officer to ECI, NPF Central graced the closing ceremony as guest of honour, which concluded today.

The three day long festival was marked by folk song, folk dance, archery competition, indigenous games, unity dance etc.

Phokhungri EAC James Renbi Kikon, 20th Meluri A/C president T. Kamsang, K. Asetsii, APRO, RD Block Meluri and Deychamthvii Pethiiry acted as patrons of this cultural festival.

Training on Suryamitra skill development prog underway in Kohima Our Correspondent Kohima | March 4

A three month long training on Suryamitra skill development programme got underway here today at YouthNet head office premises under the aegis of the state department of new & renewable energy, National Institute of Solar Energy, 2E Knowledge Ventures Pvt Limited in association with YouthNet Nagaland.

This training programme is sponsored by Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India. Nagaland state has been allotted 200 numbers of “Suryamitras” to be trained. Each training programme consists of 30 participants and the total duration of the training will be 3 months.

NRE director and others with the candidates of three month long training on Suryamitra skill development programme in Kohima on March 4. (Morung Photo)

Gracing the inaugural function here this morning, Er. T.S. Angami, director, new & renewable energy asked the candidates to take this training with seriousness and sincerity.

He also called upon the youth to join the next phase

of the similar training programme.

The eligibility to participate is 12th pass, ITI electrician pass, polytechnic diploma (electrical and mechanical, ECE).

Er. Kavito Chishi, joint director new & renewable

energy and Atul Chimle, senior executive Steinbeis Centre for Technology Transfer India and Hekani Jakhalu also spoke at the inaugural function. This training programme will go on till June 3.

It is pertinent to men-

tion that the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India has taken an initiative to install 100 GW solar project by 2022 in coordination with state nodal agencies.

However there are gaps in the capacity and quality of training infrastructure as well as outputs, insufficient focus on work force aspirations, lack of certification and common standards and a pointed lack of focus on the unorganized sector.

In order to achieve this mission, the Ministry has initiated this Suryamitra skill development program with the intent to create 50,000 “Suryamitras” across the country, skilled in installation, commissioning and operation and maintenance in the field of solar technology.

KVK holds workshop on progressive farming

Participants of the progressive farming workshop held in Kohima.

KOHIMA, MARCH 4 (MExN): A one day training programme for adult progressive farmers was held at Tseminyu village on March 2, organized by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kohima. The Programme started with the topic “soil fertility management in Jhum field” where Zhiete SMS (Soil and water conservation) delivered in length the status of Jhum fields, and the measures to follow in controlling erosion.

This was followed by Imtisenla SMS (Agronomy) who discussed on “Integrated Weed Management (IWM).” She highlighted about Butachlor which could be applied in Jhum field as a substitute to common salt.

Khekali Sema SMS (Horticulture) was the other resource person where she emphasized on “Improved production technol-

ogy of Horticulture crops” with special reference to beet root and broccoli crops as it is very suitable for the district and has the potential to boost the economy.

Later Michael Pienyu SMS (Plant Protection) encouraged the farmers to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) especially in Paddy. He especially mentioned the IPM technique in controlling rice stem borer.

Longma Yanger SMS (Agriculture Extension) also spoke on agriculture marketing where the penetration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is changing and creating market opportunities for the farmers.

The Programme ended with vote of thanks expressed

by Kegwanye (GB Tseminyu village). Earlier the programme started with invoking God blessing by Pekhashe Nseu.

Ear Care Day observed at GMS Naga Bazar

A student of GMS Naga Bazar, Kohima being examined on the occasion of the International Ear Care Day on March 3.

DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): On March 3, the International Ear Care Day with the theme ‘Make Listening Safe’ was observed at Government Middle School, Naga Bazar, Kohima, organized by the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness (NPPCD) under the Department of Health & Family Welfare.

During the program, Dr. R. Zhimatho, ENT Specialist, NHAK delivered a health talk on the causes of ear problems, prevention of hearing loss, the need for early detection and timely

interventions. He said that hearing defect or loss is caused by prolonged exposure to loud noise, inserting objects into the ears, slapping on the ears leading to bursting of ear drums, ear wax, or ear infections leading to discharge from ears.

He advised that listening to loud music should be avoided and those who are involved in occupations with prolonged exposure to loud noise should use a cotton plug in the ears.

Inserting pointed objects like pencil into the ears or cleaning the ears with dirty objects should be avoided.

School teachers should not slap or hit the child on the ear and a doctor should be consulted in case of discharge from the ear.

Highlighting the services available at NHAK in Kohima and in few other district hospitals in the state under NPPCD, he advised the children, school teachers and the community to go for check-up with any ear related problems and prevent hearing loss.

The program was followed by screening and treating of school children for ear and hearing problems as well as raising awareness through use of information leaflets and talks.

Altogether 47 school children with ear related problems from Govt. Middle School, Naga Bazar and Naga Bazar Baptist School were screened and given free medicines. Some of the common cases seen in the camp were ear wax, ear discharge, chronic hearing loss, and ear-ache. Hearing Aids were provided to 3 cases and some cases were referred to higher facility for further treatment. With the support of the colony panchayat, some community elders also availed the services.

MEx File

12 public toilets to be launched in Mon town

MON, MARCH 4 (DIPR): As part of the Swachh Bharat along with “I Love My Mon Town” campaign, a meeting held at the DC’s chamber on March 4 decided to launch 12 Public Toilets in Mon Town. Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mohammad Ali, IAS highlighted on the construction of 12 units of public toilets in three locations which he termed as a golden opportunity. The location must have water availability with proper planning, he added, further stating that maintenance is essential with a proper caretaker for public utility on regular basis. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner, Mon W. Honje Konyak. Government officials and NGOs took part in the site selection of public toilet construction.

Administration of Oath of Secrecy to NPSC member KOHIMA, MARCH 4 (DIPR): The Governor of Nagaland will administer the Oath of Secrecy to Chonta Khiam, Member of Nagaland Public Service Commission on March 16 at the Office chamber of Governor, Raj Bhavan at 11:00am.

Fingerprint conduct conservation awareness prog DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): The FingerprintDesign & Events continuing its Awareness Campaign (Conservation of Wildlife and Environment) of visiting 50 Colleges and Schools in Dimapur visited Nagaland University SETAM and Salt Christian College on March 4. A press note from Fingerprint informed that while presenting its awareness to the students, the team shared that the “chain reaction of what we have done in the past cannot be stopped but the student community who are going to be the future think tank can slow down the chain reaction by pondering more on the conservation.” The campaigners stressed on the “importance of tiny Bees whom we consider only as honey maker but they are critical pollinators: they pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feeds 90% of the world. Interestingly half of our Food market will be empty if the bees stop pollinating.” “No species is less precious than the other including humans; we only consider the usefulness of any species when we directly use its functions and not the indirect use of the species,” they added.

Free anti Rabies vaccination camp DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): The Office of the Deputy Chief Vety&AH Officer (DCVO), Pughoboto will be organising a free ARV Vaccination Camp on March 7 from 9:00am to 2:00pm at Asukiqa Vety.

Health Centre (VHC) for the villages of Asukiqa area under Pughoboto sub division. A press note from the DCVO informed all dog & cat owners of the adjoining villages to vaccinate their animals during the occasion. In this regard, all the VCC Chairman of respective villages are requested to inform the public & avail the opportunity.

NNC (NA) meeting on March 8 DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): The Naga National Council/Non-Accordist (NNC/NA) Kiumukam, has convened an emergency meeting on March 8. A press note from the NNC UT1 Chairman informed that only UT 1 staff under Dimapur district have been requested to attend the meeting positively.

NSWON meeting on March 19 DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): An emergency meeting of the National Socialist Women’s Organization of Nagalim (NSWON) has been called on March 19 at Council Headquarters, Hebron from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Thereafter dinner will be served before departure.

All members are requested to attend the meeting positively, informed a press note from the NSWON.

Phek DPDB meeting postponed PHEK, MARCH 4 (DIPR): The monthly DPDB meeting for the month of March 2016 has been postponed to March 16 due to unavoidable circumstances. The time and venue remains the same. All members have been informed and requested to note and attend the meeting without fail. This was notified by Deputy Commissioner and Vice- Chairman DPDB Phek, Moruho Chotso.

Pink Conference 2016 on March 6

Vehicles pass through a wooden bridge at New Thewati village under Meluri Sub Division of Phek district. Heavy flash floods affected this village in 2015. Morung Photo/Chizokho Vero

District youth convention in Tuensang

TUENSANG, MARCH 4 (DIPR): A District Youth Convention cum cultural programme was held on March 2 at SIRD conference hall, which was organised by the Nehru Yuva Kendra.

In the programme SDO (C) Tuensang, Dr Manazir Keelani Samoon IAS as the special guest called upon the young boys and girls to obtain proper education for the progress of society.

Keynote address was delivered by DYC, NYK Tuensang, John Makhabo where he emphasised on

capacity building of the youth in the field of sports, cultural activities and entrepreneurship. He also encouraged the youth to be the best in every field to change society and the future. He further stated that the most important resource in the world is human resources, therefore the youth today need to realize potentiality in right times and generate one’s skill. He also encouraged the youth to dream and think for a successful life.

A declamation contest on the topic ‘Patriotism in

Nation building’ was held, where Sechumla NYC Tuensang bagged the first prize and Chamcham NYC and Madentangba Sangtam NYC bagged the second and third positions respectively. More than 100 youth participated in the programme. Sports goods were distributed and cultural presentations were presented by the Shangphi cultural club and Vetao sporting club.

The programme was chaired by Madentangba NYC and vote of thanks was delivered by Chamcham.

DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): The Pink Conference 2016, with the theme “Strength and Style” (Judges 6:31) “Rise like the sun in all its strength” will be held on the March 6, 3:30pm at Town Baptist Church, Dimapur.

The Pink Conference is an annual event and is an initiative of the Youth Department of Town Baptist Church.

It seeks to commemorate International Women’s Day with the objective to empower, affirm, inspire and encourage women of all ages. This year, the speakers are Zedino Seyie from PowerComm representing the youth, Sentila Ababe (Former Miss Nagaland and Miss NE Runners Up) who will speak on the topic “Beauty Inside and Out” and Bokali Haralu (Chaplain, Christian Higher Secondary School) will share her insights on “Spiritual Authority of a Mother.” Young upcoming female artists such as Levika, Aloke, Virie and Girls Excess will also be performing for the event.

RNPO meeting on March 8 DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): The Rongmei Naga People’s Organization (RNPO) has convened a Central Executive Body meeting at Imphal on March 8. A press note from the RNPO informed that the meeting will discuss issues regarding election of youth wing, women wing etc. All concerned members have been requested to attend the meeting without fail.

SDPDB Mangkolemba meeting today MANGKOLEMBA, MARCH 4 (DIPR): The monthly meeting of the Mangkolemba Sub Division Planning Development Board for the month of March will be held on March 5 at ADC office conference hall.

ADC, T Imtiwabang Aier has informed all the Board members to attend the meeting without fail.

SaturDaY 05•03•2016

NORTH-EAST

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

3

PA Sangma: Sagacity was the mark of first tribal LS Speaker New Delhi, March 4 (iaNS): It was to the sagacity of his stint as a member of parliament for many years from Tura constituency in northeastern Meghalaya that the 68-year-old veteran parliamentarian Purno Agitok Sangma rose to become the country's first tribal Lok Sabha speaker -- from 1996 to 1998 -- an era when the concept of coalition politics was becoming a reality.

During his stint as the speaker, Sangma had to manage the house with three coalition governments -- headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral.

But he still managed the tenure without any controversy as he could always use his gifted sense of humour. Former prime minister, late P.V. Narasimha Rao once commended him for his "sagacity" in conducting the proceedings of the 11th Lok Sabha.

The tribal leader donned many caps -- of a lecturer, a lawyer and a journalist -- before he was catapulted to national politics. He was also the chief minister of Meghalaya from 1988 to 1990.

Sangma was born on September 1, 1947 to a Garo tribe family in Chapathi

village of West Garo Hills in Meghalaya. He passed away in Delhi on Friday after a brief illness.

A humble politician, Sangma used to mix wit and wisdom to conduct the house with flair even as the new dawn of coalition politics had made the job a bit more difficult with fre-

quent rancour and disruptions.

He was elected nine times to the Lok Sabha to represent his people in the sixth, seventh, eighth, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and the current 16th Lok Sabha. Most members and politicians from across the country have often hailed him for his fairness in conducting the proceedings with transparency and parliamentarian acumen.

"Sangmaji also understood the people's sensitivity. He had disallowed G.G. Swell (Shillong MP) to raise the issue of beef eating in the house more than once," former Nagaland parliamentarian Chingwang Konyak once said.

From 1991 to 1996, Sangma served as a trusted lieutenant of then prime minister Rao and was credited for stewarding ministries like labour and information & broadcasting.

However, critics also

found fault with his "ambitions" when he joined compatriots like Sharad Pawar and Tariq Anwar of the Congress to raise party president Sonia Gandhi's foreign-origin issue in 1999.

He, Pawar and Anwar were later expelled from the Congress, thus bringing an end to Sangma's stint in the party that he had joined as a youth activist in 1972.

Later, the troika floated the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

A graduate from St. Anthony's High School, Shillong, a Don Bosco-run institution, Sangma floated the National People's Party in 2013.

Sangma was also the candidate of the then opposition BJP-led NDA and some regional parties for the 2012 presidential polls when he contested unsuccessfully against his "senior friend" of many years Pranab Mukherjee.

Lobbying begins for Rajya Sabha seats in 3 NE States aGarTala/KohiMa/GUwahaTi, March 4 (iaNS): With the issuance of a statutory notification on Friday for the March 21 elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Assam, Tripura and Nagaland, lobbying has started in the three states ruled by different political parties.

Elections to a total of 13 Rajya Sabha seats from Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Punjab would be held on March 21. Officials said the President of India and the Central Election Commission have issued separate notifications for these elections.

In Tripura, the lone Rajya Sabha seat falling vacant is held by the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). The term of sitting member Jharna Das (Baidya) ends on April 2.

"The CPI-M Tripura state committee will meet in Agartala on Sunday to finalise its candidate for the Rajya

Sabha seat," CPI-M central committee member and state party secretary Bijan Dhar told IANS. A party source said that though there are several aspirants for the post, Das (Baidya) is likely to be renominated.

In Assam, two Rajya Sabha members of the Congress - Naznin Faruque and Pankaj Bora - whose terms also end on April 2, also are keen for the second terms.

Sources in the ruling Congress said some ministers are engaged in a signature campaign in support of nomination for a serving bureaucrat.

According to a senior Congress leader, those vying for the nomination for the two Rajya Sabha seats include state party president Anjan Dutta, former union ministers Paban Singh Ghatowar and Ranee Narah, Dwijen Sarmah, Kirip Chaliha, Bishnu Prasad and Abdul Muhib Mazumdar. According to sources, a prominent me-

dia baron has also been sending feelers to both the Congress and and All India United Democratic Front led by prominent Muslim leader and moneyed trader Badruddin Ajmal. In Nagaland, the Naga People's Front (NPF), the dominant regional party of the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), has choosen K.G. Kenye as the party candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat, which fell vacant following the death of Khekiho Zhimomi.

The Nagaland unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is also an electoral ally of the NPF-led DAN government, said it has three candidates willing to contest the solitary seat. The BJP's Nagaland unit general secretary Eduzu Theluo said his party would also likely field a candidate from among M. Chuba Ao (former state unit president), retired IAS officer H.K. Khulu and former minister T.A. Ngullie.

Assam to go to polls in two NEFIS condemns phases, result on May 19 assault on NE woman GUwahaTi, March 4 (aGeNcieS): The voting will DiMaPUr, March 4 (MexN): The North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) has condemned the assault on a Manipuri woman, who was allegedly spat upon, beaten and dragged by a man in Vakola area of Mumbai on Saturaday.

A press note from the NEFIS said that this incident “highlights the rampant discrimination faced by the North-East community in metropolitan cities. Moreover, this case reveals the insensitive and apathetic attitude of the State Machinery and Police in cases concerning sexual harassment and violence against North-east Women in particular and women in general.”

It termed the “reprehensible attitude” of police in the whole matter as “shocking, as it treated the complaint by the victim, as a non-cognizable offence. Policemen ignored her request for an FIR and merely registered a non-cognizable offence (NC). Even in that complaint, the officer on duty made no mention of molestation, even though the victim showed him her torn clothes.”

Condemning “such racist attacks on the NorthEast people,” the NEFIS demanded that the Maharashtra Government immediately suspend the police personnel involved in the “shameful act of registering this grave matter, as a non-cognizable offence.”

It further asked the government to immediately look into and redress the problems faced by the North-East community in the city.

4 arms dealers nabbed in Churachandpur Our Correspondent Imphal | March 4

Security forces have arrested four illegal arms dealers along with weapons in Manipur’s Churachandpur district.

A PIB Defence Wing release today informed Thamilan Haokip, 35, hailing from D Phailen village under Tuibong, Nongmingthan, 23, resident of Sungotozang village, Thanglen Gangte, 28, resident of Tuilunzang village and Zangam Haokip, 38, resident of Kethengzang village were arrested while a team of 7 Assam Rifles were conducting frisking and checking in Torbung area of Churachandpur on February 28.

They were nabbed by the Assam Rifles personnel after intelligence reports were received by 27 Sector Assam Rifles of Red Shield Division about their presence in the area around 10:30 pm.

One country made 9 mm pistol, one magazine with two live rounds and one used bullet were seized from their possession, the release informed. One Honda Activa scooter and Rs 1,660 in case were also seized from them, it added.

Meanwhile, a member of the National Revolutionary Front, Manipur (NRFM) was also arrested by police yesterday. Moirangthem Gourakesho Singh, 57, resident of Langathel Moirang Leikai in Thoiubal district was allegedly extorting money along with one of his associates from shop owners and businessmen when the police nabbed him.

be held in two phases in Assam for 126 assembly constituencies on April 4 and April 11. The last date for filing nominations for first phase is March 18 and last date for second phase is March 21. The last date for withdrawal of candidature for first phase is March 21 and for second phase is March 26. The counting of votes will take place on May 19.

AGP has tied up with BJP claiming that the assembly election will be a contest between "all indigenous people" led by it on one side and Congress and UDF on the other.

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TRANSFORMATION CRUSADE Theme: “Arise and Shine…”

(Isaiah 60:1)

Date: 5th March, 2016 Time: 4:30 PM Venue: Khouchiezie (Local Ground), Kohima 1. Leader

: Pastor Zelhoutuolie Zumu Touphema Baptist Church, Bawe

2. Pianist

: Miss. Zivi Venuh

3. Conductor

: Miss. Rüvene

4. Invocation & Offertory Prayer : Pastor Nikko Mero Khuzhami Baptist Church Kohima 5. Speaker

: Mr. Rokopra Mekro Asst. Pastor, Koinonia Baptist Church

Seventh Session @ 2PM Spiritual Nurture and Growth (Post Deliverance): Pastor Neibalie Kiewhuo

Service will be in Nagamese This crusade is for all. Come with faith and receive the Blessings of Salvation, Deliverance, Healing and the Confirmation message.

Meghalaya govt declares 2-day mourning ShilloNG, March 4 (PTi): The Meghalaya government declared a 7-day state mourning as a mark of respect to it former chief minister Purno A Sangma, who died today.

Expressing shock over the passing away of the former Lok Sabha Speaker, an emotional Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the state government has declared a seven-day state mourning in honour of the former Union minister whose demise has left an "irreplaceable loss".

Assembly Speaker Abu Taher Mondal broke the news of his demise immediately after the Governor's address on the first day of the Budget session.

"One of the stalwarts of this House, who was a member of Lok Sabha passed away this morning in New Delhi," he said.

The Speaker also cut short today sitting and announced that the House will remain adjourned on the day of Sangma's funeral to facilitate members to attend, a proposal made by the chief minister.

The CM said he is "perturbed and deeply grieved" at the loss of the top lead-

NAGALAND

er. He said that he had directed the Chief Secretary to keep in constant touch with Meghalaya House inDelhi and the family to facilitate all necessary arrangements.

Recalling P A Sangma's contribution, Mukul said, "No leader from this part of the country has achieved such an extraordinary innings in political and public life" and described him as an "incomparable" man who made the state known to the rest of the country.

The Chief Minister is believed to have been groomed by Sangma himself. Both had a long association right from the time when Sangma attended a school where the former's parents were teachers in Ampati in South West Garo Hills district.

Leader of the Opposition and president of United Democratic Party Donkupar Roy said he realised that Sangma was an exceptional leader that the state ever produced when he met him first in 1988.

Roy recalled the contribution made

by Sangma as a Union Cabinet minister, Speaker of Lok Sabha and as the chief minister of the state, besides as a member of the legislative assembly.

UNIVERSITY

(A Central University Established by an Act of Parliament 1989) School of Engineering & Technology D.C. COURT JUNCTION: DIMAPUR-79 112, NAGALAND. NU/SETAM/ESTT/G-1(P-III)/2015-1304

Phone: 03862-234555 Fax: 03862-234561 Dated: 04/03/16

WALK-IN -INTERVIEW

Walk-in-interviews are organised for the following positions in the School of Engineering & Technology (SET), Dimapur on 18/03/16 in the office Chamber of Dean, SET, D.C. Court Junction, Dimapur-797112 as per the details mentioned below. No TA/DA will be paid for the purpose.

Sl. No.

Subject

Qualification

1.

Guest Faculty in Chemistry

M.Sc. in Chemistry

2.

Technical Assistant in Community College

Diploma in Electrical Engineering

No. & Nature of Positions.

Salary `. 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only) per lecture subject to maximum of `.

25,000 per month.

Daily wages as per Nagaland University norms

Time

1 Temporary 11:00 am

1 Temporary

2:00 pm

Sd/-(D. P. CHATURVEDI) Dean, SET

ARCHBISHOP OF CALCUTTA DIOCESE ON EPISCOPAL VISIT TO NAGALAND FROM 5TH MARCH TO 9TH MARCH

H

is Grace Dr. Joseph Mar Dionysius, the Archbishop of Calcutta diocese under the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church will be visiting Nagaland from 5th to 9th March.The Diocese of Calcutta is spread over ten states from Nagpur (Maharastra) to Nagaland. He will be visiting Dimapur MGOS Church, St. Thomas Mission Society, MGM. Hr. Sec. School, MGM College of Teacher Education, Kohima Kerala Christian Congregation during these days.

In a press release, Fr. P.S. Varghese, Vicar and Principal of MGM Hr. Sec. School informed that there will be Holy Communion by Bishop on 6th March 8:00am to 11:00am at Dimapur Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church. Special Great lent prayers and devotional address will be conducted in Kohima Christian Congregation on 6th evening 5:00pm to 6:30pm and in Dimapur on 7th and 8th at 5:30 pm to 6:30pm.

His Grace Dr. Joseph Mar Dionysius, was consecrated as Bishop on 19th February 2009. He was a renowned College professor secured M.Phil, Ph.D degrees from Kerala University and B.D degree from Serampore University. He has bagged 1st Rank in B.Sc and M.Sc from Madras University, a research guide in the University of Kerala has also

been awarded St. Berchmanns’s award for the best university teacher in the State of Kerala. He was also selected as ‘Man of the Year in 2003’ by American Biographical Institute. An eloquent leader, author of more than 18 books ranging from Eco-Spirituality to Environmental Science has published more than 25 research articles in National and International journals.

An academician, under his able leadership there are more than 22 Higher Secondary schools, an engineering college, Christian College of Engineering and Technology (CCET, Bhilai), St. Thomas College (which offers graduation to Ph.D), St. Thomas B.Ed college and more than a dozen mission projects for the upliftment of the down trodden.

ADVERTORIAL

4

saturDaY 05•03•2016

Business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

drugs cheaper by over BMW sees radical new future in world of driverless cars 126 40% as govt fixes ceiling

GeNeva, March 4 (reUTerS): After a century building what it calls the “ultimate driving machine”, BMW is preparing for a world in which its customers will be mere passengers, and the cars will do the driving themselves.

Days before BMW’s 100th birthday, its board member for research and development described plans for a completely overhauled company, where half the R&D staff will be computer programmers, competing with the likes of Google parent Alphabet to build the brains for self-driving cars.

“For me it is a core competence to have the most intelligent car,” Klaus Froehlich told Reuters in an interview at the Geneva auto show.

As a high tech world opens new business opportunities, BMW sees its competitors as including firms like internet taxi service Uber and sales website Truecar, which Froehlich described as “new intermediaries”.

“Our task is to preserve our business model without surrendering it to an internet player. Otherwise

A dealer carries BmW’s promotional cushions at a dealer shop in Beijing, China, September 11, 2015. REUTERS

we will end up as the Foxconn for a company like Apple, delivering only the metal bodies for them,” Froehlich said.

BMW will have to ramp up quickly, striking deals with a new network of suppliers, many from outside the traditional automotive industry.

“We have some catching up to do in the area of machine learning and artificial intelligence,” Froehlich said.

Today, software engineers make up just 20 percent of the 30,000 employees, contractors and supplier staff that work on research and development for BMW. “If I need to get to a ratio of 50:50 within five years, I need to get manpower equivalent to another 15,000 to 20,000 people from partnerships with suppliers and elsewhere,” Froehlich said, adding that German schools are

not producing enough tech engineers for BMW to hire them all in house.

As software becomes as important as hardware, another cultural shift could see BMW free up resources by licensing out technology produced by its own engineers, such as drivetrains for electric and hybrid vehicles.

“Going forward we will sell electric drivetrains,” Froehlich said. “We see many smaller manufac-

turers who cannot afford to create a neutral platto develop a plug-in hy- form where smart cars can brid.” share data on road and traffic conditions.

BrAGGiNG riGHts BMW’s own recent hirGermany’s premium ing included a 200-strong auto makers are at the cen- digital innovation team in tre of the country’s global Chicago, most of whom had reputation for meticulous worked for Nokia, the Finnengineering. Chancellor ish mobile phone pioneer.

Angela Merkel will attend Among the areas BMW’s birthday bash at its Froehlich identified where Munich headquarters on BMW will still need partMonday. ners is in cloud computing, But with the expected the technology of storing shift in focus from a car’s data and software remotely body to its brains, the risk and accessing it over the is that the expertise will internet. Data gathered accumulate in silicon val- from a car’s onboard senley or in China, rather sors will be combined with than Germany’s carmak- remote information, for exing regions of Bavaria and ample about weather and Baden-Wuerttemburg. traffic, using next genera“In the auto industry tion mobile networks, also the battle will be not for known as 5G. horsepower but bragging The ultimate aim rights will be ‘my car is would be to build as much more autonomous than expertise in-house as posyour car’,” said Manuela sible, although there could Papadopol, director, glob- be mutual benefits from al marketing automotive working with new outside for Elektrobit, a software suppliers. company now owned by “The thinking here Continental. is: they too have weakBMW, Mercedes-Benz nesses and there may be and Volkswagen’s Audi are some win win situations,” each making an effort to Froehlich said of potenbuild a hub for automo- tial new suppliers. “Nonetive software and servic- theless I need to build es. They clubbed together our own in-house comto buy digital map maker petence in the next 5 to 6 HERE from Nokia last year years.”

Railways and insurance Budget impact: Honda, Mahindra hike car prices New delhi, March 4 (aGeN- effect. While the petrol model will Mercedes-Benz, GM India, BWM, companies in talks to cieS): Auto majors Honda Cars In- be costlier by 1 per cent, the diesel Renault, Nissan, Honda, and Skoda and Mahindra & Mahindra on Fri- model will be dearer by 2.5 per cent. among others have also announced provide cover to passengers dia Honda has hiked the price of price hikes depending on their exday hiked the prices of their vehicles New delhi, March 4 (PTi): Railways is in talks with seven insurance companies to help provide insurance cover to rail travellers, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

“Railway officials are holding talks with seven insurance companies. Once the decision is taken, then rail passengers can get an insurance cover for rail travel and passengers can buy it by paying an additional premium along with the ticket. Once the decision is taken, the House will be informed,” Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said.

Preliminary discussions have been held with these seven public and private insurance companies on February 9, but no decision has been taken so far, he said.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he provided details of rail accidents in the last three years and said while there were 123 accidents in 201213, 118 in 2013-14 and 135 accidents in 2014-15, besides 100 in the current year 2015-16. He said 579 cases of claims of compensation to victims of rail accidents were still pending with various Railway Tribunals which are quasi-judicial authorities.

As regards grant of compensation provided to victims of rail accidents through Rail Tribunals, he said during 2012-13 a compensation of Rs 318.85 lakh was paid, while in 2013-14 a total of Rs 149.22 lakh was paid and another Rs 127.48 lakh paid during 2014-15. During 2015-16, a total of 115 lakh was paid as compensation to victims of rail accidents, he said.

citing infrastructure cess that was proposed in Union Budget 2016-17.

While M&M announced an increase in prices of its passenger vehicles by Rs 5,500 to Rs 47,000, effective April 1, Honda hiked the rates of its entire product portfolio by up to Rs 79,000 with effect from March 1.

“Though the 1-4 per cent duty hikes are already effective, we have decided to pass on the price increases only from April 1. Prospective customers can still avail of our various passenger cars at the pre-Budget prices all through March,” Mahindra Chief Executive for passenger car business, Praveen Shah told PTI. He, however, added that KUV100, launched mid-January will attract new prices with immediate

its entry-level car Brio in the range of Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000, premium hatchback Jazz between Rs 5,000 and Rs 19,500 and mid-sized sedan City from Rs 24,600 to Rs 38,100.

It has also hiked prices of multiutility vehicle Mobilio in the range of Rs 21,800 to Rs 37,700 and that of its premium SUV CR-V between Rs 66,500 and Rs 79,000, depending upon different variants. The company sells six models in the country, from Brio to CR-V, priced between Rs 4.27 lakh and Rs 25.23 lakh (exshowroom Delhi), according to a statement released by the company.

While Maruti Suzuki India hiked car prices by up to Rs 34,494 to offset impact of infrastructure cess, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Toyota, Honda Cars,

leisure

Advisories Early sowing of maize in March-April escapes the attack of most pests and crop rotation should be carried out with other crops as it reduces the pest infestation by interrupting the continuity of the food chain. Use resistant varieties in consultation with your respective agri department.

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.”

Game Number # 3509

Answer Number # 3508

Propagation through cuttings or seeds should be started before the onset of hot weather for citrus.

For young trees to encourage good growth, a weed free area should be maintained atleast 4 feet diameter around the young trees.

Early sowing of cucurbitaceous crops should be done to reduce infestation of Pumpkin beetle, they are active from the month of March to October and the peak period of activity is April to June.

Shoot and fruit borer cause a serious damage to the fruits. Continuous cropping of brinjal on the same piece of land should be avoided. As soon as the insect is detected, the affected parts should be clipped along with the insect and destroyed. Fruits showing any boring should be picked and destroyed.

Livestock • As the weather gets warmer, make sure your pigs have shade at all times – Keep pens clean to deter flies, provide clean drinking water (a pig will need up to 10 litres of water per day). Keep up-to-date with worming and vaccinations • Animals with disease conditions that have become chronic and require repeated treatments must be culled from the herd.

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I N C h R I S T m A S C L U B S O R N T

5. Persists 6. B.B.king or Jimi hendrix 7. Underwrote 8. Aureate 9. Unbending 10. A long artificial mound 11. Plank 12. Washing machine cycle 13. Not younger 21. In a cold manner 25. Where the sun rises 26. Northern diving birds 27. Radar signal 28. Annul 29. Equivalent 34. Adversaries 36. Away from the wind 37. Thin strip 38. Rabbit 40. Being 42. Savory jelly 45. Lewd 48. Attack by plane 51. The quality of being funny 52. Colonic 53. Flax fabric 55. Roman cloaks 58. Out of control 59. desire 60. Absorb written material 61. Bristle 62. Biblical garden

ACROSS 1. drying cloth 6. Performance bookings 10. River of Spain 14. Sporting venue 15. module 16. drudgery 17. Conducts 18. Small island 19. musical group 20. Comprise 22. Backside 23. Stigma 24. Not the borrower 26. Adjoin 30. Fury 31. Long-haired wild ox 32. Forearm bone 33. Adriatic resort 35. demolish 39. Urinary organs 41. kneecap 43. Blots 44. Spinning toys 46. Close 47. donkey 49. hit on the head 50. French for “head” 51. Protective head covering 54. Hissy fit 56. Pearly-shelled mussel 57. Circuit 63. List of options 64. So be it 65. Lust for money 66. Portent 67. Typeface 68. Onyx 69. deliver a tirade 70. Anagram of “Seek” 71. 4-door car DOWN 1. After-bath powder 2. Chocolate cookie 3. Withdraw gradually 4. Terminates

CROSSWORD # 3522

SUDOKU

WHAt does UNioN BUdGet HAve for cArs? The government has proposed to impose 2.5%cess on diesel vehicles of length not exceeding 4 meter and engine capacity not exceeding 1,500cc while higher engine capacity and SUVs as well as bigger sedans were slapped with a cess of 4% on the value of the car. These are over and above a cess of 1% on petrol/ LPG/CNG driven vehicles of length not exceeding 4 meter and engine capacity not exceeding 1,200cc. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also proposed to collect tax at source at the rate of 1% on purchase of luxury cars exceeding value of Rs 10 lakh.

Daily Cross WorD

Weather based integrated agro advisory for the month of March

Farmers are advised to go for sowing of summer vegetables like ladies finger, cucurbitaceous crops like gourd, pumpkin, ridge gourd, ash gourd, spine gourd etc. and certified seeds should be use to produce good yield.

showroom prices in each state.

g O U V O T N m V E A d k N h F E P I Q

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P E Z P E E J O X B L Q E L R A E E N B

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ANSWER TO CROSSWORd 3521

I A R N O C R T h J I L O B R Y S S C d

duced in the range of 2025%, 43 medicines have witnessed the price reduction in the range of 15 to 20%, he added.

Moreover, 57 drugs saw price reduction of 10-15%, price of 50 drugs were reduced in range of 5-10%. In case of 80 medicines the reduction with respect to maximum price was between 0 to 5%, Ahir said.

NPPA mandate is to fix or revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the country.

It also monitors prices of decontrolled drugs in order to keep them at reasonable levels.

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Metro Hospital: Faith Hospital:

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Shamrock Hospital

228254

Zion Hospital:

231864, 224117, 227337

Police Control Room Police Traffic Control East Police Station West Police Station

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CIHSR (Referral Hospital) Dimapur hospital

242555/ 242533

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

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Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

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New delhi, March 4 (PTi): Government has fixed the ceiling price of 530 essential medicines that has resulted in price reduction of over 40% in case of 126 drugs, Parliament was informed today.

“National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed the ceiling price of 530 medicines, out of 680 NLEM medicines (628 net medicines) that are under the scheduled category of DPCO 2013,” said Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in Rajya Sabha.

Out of 530 drugs, above 40% price reduction has happened in case of 126 medicines, while prices of 34 drugs has come down in the range of 35-40%.

The drug pricing regulator has reduced the price of 26 medicines by 30-35% while prices of 49 drugs have been reduced in the range of 25-30%, Ahir said.

While the prices of 65 medicines have been re-

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SaturdaY 05•03•2016

NAGALAND

GPRN/NSCN inaugurates NPF gives ticket to Kenye for Rajya Sabha polls National Tatar Hoho complex Our Correspondent Kohima | March 4

Dimapur, march 4 (mExN): GPRN/NSCN today inaugurated its ‘National Tatar Hoho complex’ at its designated camp Khehoi.

The National Tatar Hoho hall, which is a standard quality multipurpose building, have facilities for sports activities like badminton, billiards apart from holding important conferences and meetings with superior sound system and lighting, according to a press release from MIP, GPRN/NSCN. It has a capacity to accommodate more than 1000 people.

The Ato Kilonser of GPRN/NSCN, N Kitovi Zhimomi, who inaugurated the complex, declared that the complex “will be a house of the Nagas, a place where both mind and soul, physically and spiritually

The National Tatar Hoho complex of GPRN/NSCN which was inaugurated on March 4.

will re-strengthen and approach towards the destiny of Nagas and to accommodate the aspiration of its upcoming generations.”

In a brief note, the Chaplee Kilonser, also the convenor of Construction Committee, thanked all the well wisher and fami-

lies and individuals who were involved in making the project a success. The foundation for the building was laid in June 2015.

Naga People’s Front (NPF) president Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu today handed over NPF party ticket to KG Kenye for the upcoming election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat of Nagaland.

Election to Rajya Sabha seat for Nagaland has been necessitated after the passing away of MP Khekiho Zhimomi. The election for Nagaland has been scheduled for March 21.

In the ticket distribution ceremony held here at NPF Central office, Dr. Liezietsu said the party had received applications from 11 candidates this time and without any scrutiny it had placed all 11 names before the working committee.

He congratulated Kenye while expecting great things from him. Describing Kenye as a veteran leader who knows the history of the party as well as Naga political movement,

TKM appeals for repair of Mariani- Jacob Zhimomi meets Union Minister Uma Bharati Mokokchung road at the earliest NEw DElhi, march 4 moKoKchuNg, march 4 (mExN): The Tzürangkong Students' Conference (TKM) today appealed for “immediate intervention” of the Officer Commanding, 100 RCC GREF in the repair of Mariani-Mokokchung road.

In a letter to the Officer Commanding, 100 RCC GREF, TKM highlighted that the stretch of road from Tsudapela police check gate to Mokokchung Town (commonly called the Mariani road), which connects Mokokchung to Assam, is in a pathetic condition since the past many years.

The TKM stressed that the stretch of road is considered as the economic lifeline of not only Mokokchung district, but also other districts like Zunheboto, Tuensang in Nagaland.

Most of the commercial trucks ply on the road ferrying essential commod-

ity from Jorhat district in Assam, it stated. Besides, there are thousands of commuters who travel on this road every day.

However, the students’ conference maintained, the pathetic road condition with the “craterlike potholes” is causing a lot of inconvenience to the travelers. It equally expressed concern that after the onset of monsoon season, the condition of the road will further deteriorate and the rains will hamper any repairing works after a few months from now.

In light of this, TKM has urged the Officer Commanding to impress upon the competent authority in the BRO to repair the road at the earliest in the interest of the whole community.

The letter was appended by TKM General Secretarym, Sunep Yaden and President, L Alem Jamir.

(mExN): Nagaland’s Parliamentary Secretary for Irrigation and Flood Control, Jacob Zhimomi, today requested Union Minister Uma Bharati to release Central grant for ongoing minor irrigation projects under AIBP during 201415 and the committed liabilities for completed schemes under FMP taken up in 2014-15.

Zhimomi had called on the Union Minister for Water Resource, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation at her office in New Delhi.

According to a press release from PRO, Nagaland House, New Delhi, Zhimomi briefed the Union Minister on the ongoing schemes under the Ministry in Nagaland. He also submitted a Concept Note to the Minister on Dhansiri River Development and Rejuvenation for consideration under her Ministry.

Parliamentary Secretary Jacob Zhimomi with Union Minister Uma Bharati in New Delhi.

The Union Minister assured the Parliamentary Secretary to release fund for the ongoing projects. She also said that for Dhansiri River, she will take up the matter with the Ministry of Environment, For-

Dimapur, march 4 (mExN): In aid of its Golden Jubilee, Holy Cross Higher Secondary School, Dimapur is organizing a two-day fete in the school campus. The inaugural day was graced

by Col Mahesh Gurung as chief guest today.

Addressing the students, Col Mahesh said school is a place where future of the country is nurtured. He stressed that teachers are most important part of the school, who build the nation’s future and expressed pride to be part of Holy Cross.

Col Mahesh, who is also an alumni of the school, thanked the teachers for all the support and guidance they have provided to the stu- Different handmade products on sale during the two-day fete at Holy Cross Higher dents all these years.

Secondary School, Dimapur on March 4. The fete will continue till March 5 evening.

est and Climate Change as the Conservation of Rivers is under that Ministry, the release added.

Parliamentary Secretary was accompanied by Chief Engineer Irrigation Njilo Kemp.

Reminding the students that they are the future of the country, he told them to have an aim in life and achieve it. “Knowing yourself is true wisdom,” he said and asked them to maintain strength to tread on the right path in their life.

He also told the students that opportunities come only once in their life and they have to grab it when it is in front of them.

Holy Cross Hr Sec. School is celebrating its Golden Jubilee on April 16 next.

Varieties of stalls have been put up by students and teachers for entertainment, besides offering traditional and other delicacies. The fete will end on Saturday evening.

Yitachu for converting Shilloi Lake into international cultural hub Lütsam | March 4

If everything goes well, the tourist destination Shilloi Lake will become international cultural hub one day.

Minister for School Education & SCERT Yitachu said the government will construct permanent structure in the newly developed ground at Shilloi Lake with an aim to convert it into an international cultural hub as once the ongoing road connection between Nagaland and Myanmar opens the route, it will become the gateway to Southeast Asian countries.

He said site levelling and other necessity will be initiated soon.

Shilloi Lake in Meluri sub division of Phek district and bordering Myanmar lies 280 km away state capital Kohima.

Though much has been

achieved during the last 13 years of NPF government and as an elected representative of the area himself, Yitachu said now the biggest concern to be achieved is the road connectivity with Myanmar.

Once it is connected, it will help promote trade and commerce, culture and tourism with other Southeast Asian countries.

It will also promote technological exchanges with Myanmar, he hoped.

Addressing the 5th cultural festival of Phokhungri Area Cultural Society (PACS) here on March 3, he called upon the Naga people to focus on developing the potentials of their own areas and share with other Naga brethren so as to achieve the general aspiration of unity with the Naga family.

He challenged the people of the area to develop the potentials that they

A Pochury man performs during a cultural festival at Shilloi Lake, Lütsam on March 3. (Morung Photo)

possess and share with other Nagas, which should be reciprocated by others too and it will finally result in unity of Nagas in general.

“Unless we do so the much aspired unity within the Nagas cannot be achieved,” he said.

He said that the Pochury area is endowed with potentials of power gen-

Dr. Liezietsu expressed that Kenye will do very well.

Chief Minister TR Zeliang told the gathering that the BJP in-charge of Nagaland and State BJP president had personally

approached him that this time BJP be given a chance.

The Chief Minister said that after the decision of the working committee and followed by DAN coordination meeting, “we are given

Allotment of BSUP flats kept in abeyance

BJP receives application for Rajya Sabha polls

Kohima, march 4 (mExN): In supersession of its earlier notification, Department of Municipal Affairs has kept in abeyance the allotment of BSUP flats under JnNURM “due to certain technical reasons.” However, the approved list of identified beneficiaries will remain unchanged, stated a press release appended by Dr. Maongwati Aier, Secretary to the Government of Nagaland. Further directives in this regard will be issued in due course, the release added.

Dimapur, march 4 (mExN): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nagaland State unit has officially received an application from an aspiring candidate Hurui Zeliang for the lone Rajya Sabha seat. A press release from BJP Nagaland General Secretary, Mathew K Janger informed that Hurui Zeliang was an active member of BJP Nagaland when NC Zeliang was the president. He is presently serving in the following: Member, Human Resource Development (HRD) Nagaland; Advisor, Janjati Vikas Sami ti Nagaland; Patron, Zeliang Heraka Association Nagaland; Visitor, Nagaland University.

DNSU to organize PAN Card Service Camp

Fete underway at Holy Cross Hr. Sec. School

Our Correspondent

Dr. Liezietsu administers oath of pledge to KG Kenye during ticket distribution ceremony in Kohima. (Morung Photo)

eration and encouraged converting the area into an industrially progressive zone. In this, he called upon the people of Meluri sub-division to extend support and cooperation to the Government in generation of Hydro Electric Projects, which can meet the power requirement of the State.

It will not only help rev-

enue generation leading to economic uplift of the area bordering Myanmar but can also get back agriculture products from other potential areas, Yitachu said.

Expressing concern that the people of the area have resolved not to sell their land to outsiders, he said, even if land is available, without investors coming from outside no proper development can take shape with the available resources of the local people.

He, therefore, said that people should be willing to give land so that investors can wilfully come and invest for industrialization and other developmental activities, including rural tourism.

He also challenged the villagers by asking “whether it would be better to remain landlocked or share our potentials with others and be progressive.”

to understand that BJP also endorsed in principle and agreed with the candidature selected by NPF and expressed gratefulness to the coalition partner.”

He also hoped that 8 independent MLAs will also cooperate and extend support to the decision made

by NPF working committee and “hopefully there will be uncontest.”

The Chief Minister also extended best wishes to KG Kenye on behalf of all the elected members of NLA. Zeliang also hoped that Kenye will carry forward his mission to fulfill the aspiration of the Naga people.

Kenye in his acceptance speech promised that he will do his best if he is sent to represent the State in both inside and outside the House.

Dimapur, march 4 (mExN): Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) is organizing a three-day PAN Card Service Camp in collaboration with the UTIITSL (UTI Infrastructure Technology and Service Limited) from March 7 to 9 at the office of DNSU, near Fire Brigade, Dimapur.

DNSU has informed all students above the age of 18 years to avail the service in a government prescribed rate. A press release from DNSU further noted that PAN card has become mandatory for opening bank account, depositing cash (above certain amount), buying property, filling tax returns, getting loans etc. Details regarding documents required for obtaining PAN card can be found on the UTIITSL website.

NRDSA meeting on March 11

Meeting of committee on prohibition, gambling

Kohima, march 4 (mExN): The Rhieo Youth Organization of Kohima Village has issued a ban on burning of jungle, fishing, and hunting, destroying flora and fauna, “employing/ renting/ harbouring of any illegal immigrants” in its jurisdiction. Anyone found violating the mentioned directives will be penalized according to the village customary law, informed a press note issued by Teisovilie Linyü, Vice President and Seyiekhrietuo Suokhrie, General Secretary.

Kohima, march 4 (mExN): A meeting of the Select Committee on Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion and Regulation of Online Games of Skill Bill, 2015 has been fixed on March 8, 11:00 am in the Committee room of the Assembly Secretariat for adoption of the Committee’s report.

Therefore, all the Committee members have been requested to attend the meeting.

Kohima, march 4 (mExN): The Nagaland Rural Development Service Association (NRDSA) will hold its meeting of Advisors, Executives and Office Bearers with regard to the Association’s forthcoming Silver Jubilee Celebration at the conference hall of the Directorate Office on March 11 at 3 pm. A press note issued

by N Kupto Achumi, General Secretary, has requested all to attend the meeting positively.

Rhieo Youth Organization issues ban

Condolences for former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma

Dimapur, march 4 (mExN): Several politicians, officials, and organization in Nagaland today expressed shock and sadness at the demise of Purno Agitok Sangma, former Speaker of Lok Sabha and former Chief Minister of Meghalaya. PA Sangma, born on September 1, 1947 at Chapahati village in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills, died of a heart attack in New Delhi on March 4.

Condolences were also offered to the family members of Sangma.

Governor: Governor of Nagaland & Assam, PB Acharya in a condolence message said late PA Sangma was an astute politician, a social worker and a great leader. “Sangma was a man of many roles. Before joining politics, he started his career as a lecturer and has also been a distinguished lawyer and journalist,” Acharya stated.

Neiphiu Rio: Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio said PA Sangma was a “leader of the tallest order, who inspired the nation with his extraordinary leadership qualities and path breaking achievements.” According to Rio, late PA Sangma was a vibrant leader who hailed from one of the most backward regions of the country and rose to occupy some of the most important offices of responsibility. “His political career gives hope and inspiration to every citizen and it is leaders like him, who renews our faith and confidence in Indian

democracy,” the Nagaland MP maintained.

TR Zeliang: Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang remembered PA Sangma as a brilliant and sharp person who was never at a loss for words or ideas and gave quick decisions and suggestions on various matters.

“His tenure as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha will be remembered fondly by the nation with memories of the smiling Speaker trying to control many a shouting match between the Opposition and the Treasury members,” the chief minister stated. In his passing away, Zeliang said the North East has lost one of its most towering leaders; and the nation has lost a popular political personality.

NLA Speaker: In a condolence message, NLA Speaker Chotisuh Sazo remembered Sangma as a flamboyant and charismatic leader who served the nation in various capacities and made immense contribution for the development of nation. “In the political spectrum, he at all times upheld honesty, probity, humility and the principle of high thinking and simple living. He has contributed abundantly for the development of the North East in particular and the country in general. He has demonstrated greatest concern for the welfare of the poor and downtrodden,” the NLA Speaker stated. “In his death the Country has lost a distinguished statesman in general and particularly

for the State of Meghalaya and for Nagaland a good friendly leader which will be an irreparable loss.”

KV Pusa: Former NPCC president and former State minister, KV Pusa said PA Sangma was “very helpful, optimistic and championed the cause of development and welfare of the northeast. He paid special attention to young people and promoted the interest of women and disadvantaged people. He had time for everybody.”

GSU, Nagaland Zone: Garo Students’ Union, Nagaland Zone described PA Sangma as a visionary leader and a strongman in politics from North East region who worked tirelessly and selflessly for the development and uplift of the region. “In his death, the Garos and the North East region in particular and the nation in general has lost a great leader,” stated GSU, Nagaland Zone in a condolence note issued by its President, Cliff Sangma.

K Therie: NPCC President K Therie said PA Sangma was a veteran Statesman and the voice of not only the people of Meghalaya, but of the nation in general and the Northeast region in particular. “He was the identity of the Northeast. He was a truly elite Parliamentarian and knew how to conduct the House with his wit and humour. His immense contribution in uplifting the Northeast region will be remembered for a very long time.”

6

saturDaY 05•03•2016

PeoPle, life, etc...

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

A Muslim leader’s tryst with peace in Nagaland Morung Express Feature Dimapur | March 4

05.03.2015 is a date that Dimapur neither wants to remember, nor can it forget. On March 5, 2015, as Dimapur watched the day go by in horror, a few people were busy making sure that the incidents of the day did not pour out into future communal hysteria and conflict.

Ahidur Rahman, Working President of the Muslim Council Dimapur, was part of this. For his tireless efforts to maintain communal harmony in the aftermath of March 5, as well as for his work during previous incidents of vulnerability, Rahman was awarded the Peace Award, 2016 on February 1.

To hear his story, The Morung Express met him at his modest business enterprise on MP Road, Dimapur.

Nagaland State A. Rahman’s father and uncle moved to Dimapur from their ancestral village in Karimganj in 1959 for business. Dimapur, then, was a small transit town in Assam for reaching Manipur. Having observed the formation of Nagaland State in 1963, his father became the first enumerator of Dimapur town, preparing its first ever voter’s list in 1964. This makes Rahman’s family one among the non-Naga indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland State.

Born on August 14, 1965, Rahman and his four siblings were schooled first in Kohima and then in Dimapur. Going to Kohima Baptist English School, “I still remember older Naga boys carrying us on their backs as it was difficult to climb the hill,” recalls Rahman of his childhood. With a thin non Naga population in Kohima back then, and even thinner prejudice, their Naga neighbours gave his sister a Naga name.

In Kohima, his father opened the first retail shoe store and only moved to Dimapur when one of the children fell fatally ill.

“There was only one Nagaland State Transport bus plying between Kohima and Dimapur those days.

No taxis, no medical facilities. My brother died due to lack of medical attention,” says Rahman of Nagaland in the 1960s-70s.

He observed that “devel-

opment” came “quickly” to Nagaland much too late, mostly in the past three decades.

The sound of gunshots was a regular feature of life in Kohima then. Sleep, or “the undergrounds are coming,” was a common refrain they heard growing up. “We used to think ‘undergrounds’ were a different breed of human beings who lived in jungles,” laughs Rahman, to whom it surfaced only in college that the Nagas were working on a political cause (after a batch mate was picked up by the army).

“But having studied in Christian schools with Naga people, I came to understand them better.

They are the most peaceful people,” he stresses, time and again, throughout the interview.

In 1977, the family moved to Dimapur—a Dimapur where the highway from Chumukedima to Purana Bazar were lined with sugarcane plantation. From Holy Cross Higher Secondary School, Dimapur to St. Edmund’s College, Shillong to Kohima Science College to Dimapur College (Rail Gate) and even Patkai Christian College, Rahman completed his formal education with a degree in Economics (Honours).

Social work Rahman was into social work throughout his youth. In 1985, he became the founding general secretary of the Dimapur Muslim Students’ Union.

1987 saw him become an office bearer of the Dimapur College Students’ Union. “Social work gives you the appropriate platform to work closely for the welfare of your community,” reflects the wiry tall Rahman. It is through social work that he had the opportunity to visit places outside Nagaland State. From 1992-2000, he was the general secretary of the Nagaland Muslim Youth Federation. “People outside always wanted to know more about the Naga people, and everything I told them about the Nagas would surprise them—the sharing, caring, liberty, peace.”

Through his time as a leader of his community in Nagaland, Rahman has managed to completely renovate the Muslim Burial Ground, established in Dimapur in 1930. Funds

Ahidur Rahman, Working President of the Muslim Council Dimapur, is seen here in front of the Muslim Burial Ground (estd. 1930) which he helped rejuvenate through localised efforts.

were taken only from the old and established Muslim dwellers of Dimapur.

He also managed to convince his community elders to preserve the first religious institution set up in Dimapur in its original form—the Jama Masjid at Hazi Park set up in 1906.

Non Nagas in Dimapur Today, there are particularly three types of non Naga people living in Dimapur—those settled prior to statehood, the semi permanent business persons and the floating population. Among the third category, a new set has emerged of those who work all day in Nagaland but live right outside the Nagaland State border, in Khatkhati, Lahorijan etc. in Assam.

Rahman patiently postulates that as the Naga population in Dimapur increased, so did the population of labour—farm hands, rickshaw drivers, domestic helpers, drivers, cobblers, shopkeepers, mechanics—from outside Nagaland State. As more funds were pooled into Nagaland by the Government of India, most of it was pooled out. Since the 1980s, thus, employment opportunities were created for people from other states which led to the rapid drain of the Naga economy.

“With the Naga population booming, jobs are not easily available and a tough competition has begun,” says the leader of the Muslim Council Dimapur (MCD) which was set up in 2000. “There are many who create problems but we want to show that our’s is a good population. The floating population’s misdeeds and lack of education within our community has been hampering us but we have been trying to change that of late by encouraging education,” he informs.

Of the people who have been here since before statehood, he explains, “Our people came here to earn a living and now there is no way to go back. We have to follow some guidelines when staying in someone’s home.” In 2012, Rahman realised that the police could not trace the addresses of the accused persons in a gang rape in Dimapur, and set up a process for the registration of all Muslim people living in Dimapur at their closest Jama Masjid. He even went up to the extent of asking makaan maliks to rent out houses only after proper document verification. This led to animosity with certain sections of his community—not everyone is permanent and not all want to register.

Peace making 2012 was a turning point. A huge ‘North East exodus’ began from mainland India. Muslim leaders from Dimapur and Kohima visited Naga students in Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai. “They were so relieved when I started speaking to them in Nagamese,” recalls Rahman. “There are more than 6000 Naga students in Bangalore but no Nagaland House; there was no safe space where they could gather and access reliable information from.”

He conveyed this message to the then Chief Minister of Nagaland.

Many fears had arisen as a result of rumours.

Multimedia Messaging Services were used extensively to spread them. On the mainland, differences between Burmese, Naga, Bodo, Khasi dissolved— everyone from the subcontinent’s north east to beyond became perpetrators and victims at the same time. “We spoke to Muslim leaders in other cities to lay their fears to rest. We told them Muslim people will not be attacked in Nagaland. There is no communal incident in Nagaland and will never happen.” Those were the words Rahman was held accountable for on March 5, 2015.

The MCD’s work be-

gan as soon as protests began on March 4 last year. They tried, in vain, to trace the identity of the person who was lynched by a mob in Dimapur the next day. He was not registered with any of the 70 odd mosques around Dimapur. By the evening of March 4, rumours had spread throughout cities in India, particularly Assam, that Muslim people and religious institutions were under attack in Nagaland. Rahman’s main work was to contain the spread of rumour.

He used social media first—took pictures of the 1906 Jama Masjid, still intact, and posted them on Facebook, asking the community around the sub-continent not to believe in rumours. On March 4 itself, legislators from Dimapur, and leaders from NGOs and apex bodies met him to discuss the situation. Word spread and calls poured in from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore. “Though the violence was the work of a few elements, it was difficult to control the media,” the leader observed.

By March 5, he had already asked the State for the protection of religious sites so that no larger problems break forth in case of mob fury—the CRPF was deployed for the purpose.

But the actual violence of the day was hard to predict and rolled like a log down the hill. By evening, the man had been lynched.

“Nobody liked the way he was killed but we have to add water to fire, not fuel. We had to consistently tell community leaders from all over India that all Naga people cannot be blamed for the incident, though considerable damage had been done to the Naga image,” Rahman maintained. The “unresolved issue of illegal immigration,” he predicts, will continue to pose a problem as many young Naga people will grow up thinking that “all Muslim people are Bangladeshi,” thereby fanning the fire of hatred and violence on communal lines.

Rahman and his MCD team’s real work began after March 5. There were rumours spreading through Assam that the Nagaland State Government was considering not sending the dead body back to its parent village. A person claiming to be the

victim’s uncle in Nagaland laid claim to the body. “If the body had not been sent back, it would have created permanent enmity between Assam and Nagaland, so we had to somehow trace his village in Karimganj.”

The MCD, moreover, remained concerned for 400-odd Naga students studying in Silchar, even asking the Assam State Government to make sure of their safety. The MCD had, by then, identified the village and address of the lynched victim. On March 7, the Nagaland State Government handed over the body to the MCD, which then cleaned it and wrapped it up in white cloth to be sent back home.

“We got calls from all over Assam to let the vehicle bringing the body pass through their areas—he had become a hero there.

5000 people, alongside media, had already gathered at Khatkhati to see the body. It would have taken 2-3 days for the body to reach and could have created huge tensions, egged on by Assam’s media. So we made a spot decision to fly the body. The Assam Government provided a helicopter, the body was flown out and a major anti-Naga wave averted,” narrates Rahman, every incident from those few days clear in his memory, and acknowledges how many people from Assam had also helped resolve the issue.

In its aftermath, nearly 10,000 Muslim people left Nagaland State in three days, mostly on foot, into Assam. Leaders in Assam, many playing vote bank politics, projected that people of the faith were being locked up or being forced to leave.

“Some people were even setting up displaced persons camps on the outskirts of Dimapur. We went and told them there was no need for all this! It would send a wrong message. There is no threat to people residing in Nagaland,” said Rahman. When he gave interviews with positive messages on media channels, the media in Assam refused to telecast him. In some pockets, his photos were burnt and he received threatening calls. “They wanted tit-for-tat. We asked them not to disturb us. Naga people are not against us.”

In Pakistan, girls punch through gender barriers

I

Reuters

n a dense and dusty neighbourhood in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, eight young girls lined up against a cement wall, touching their hands to their faces in prayer before boxing practice began.

For the last six months, these athletes-in-themaking have been training at the Pak Shaheen Boxing Club in Lyari, a packed Karachi ward known more for its internecine gang warfare than for breaking glass ceilings.

During the week, a dozen girls, aged eight to 17, go to the club after school to practise their

jabs, hooks and upper cuts for hours in the hope of one day bringing a medal home toPakistan.

"I have been training since I was a child," said Urooj Qambrani, 15. "Inshallah, I will become an international boxer. ... I will make Pakistan's name famous."

Pakistani women have been training as boxers in small numbers and competed in the South Asian Games last year, said Younis Qambrani, the coach who founded the club in 1992.

The growth of the sport for both men and women in Pakistan has been dogged by a lack of equip-

ment and adequate facilities, but the situation is slowly improving, he said.

In Pakistan, a conservative Muslim society, women and girls face additional obstacles - both from Taliban threats for going to school and also violence from family members, including socalled "honour killings" in which male relatives kill girls deemed to have brought shame to the family name.

In October, the Sindh Boxing Association organised a camp for female boxers in Karachi, the first time that a governmentsupported event for women in the sport was held in

the country, according to media reports.

Some of the girls in Qambrani's family, who had taken up practising at home, participated in the camp, and came to Qambrani afterwards to ask why they couldn't train at his club as well.

"A number of girls were keen on training, but due to social pressures, I had been avoiding the issue," Qambrani said.

"Last year a girl came to me, asking why girls couldn't train. I was moved when she said, 'No one teaches us how to defend ourselves,'" he said.

Since then, some of the girls have begun to par-

ticipate in tournaments, at home in the ring in white track suits, head scarves and boxing gloves.

For Anum Qambrani, the coach's 17-yearold daughter, getting the

chance to train formally in the club was nothing short of fulfilling her birthright.

"My two uncles are international boxers, and my father is a coach," she said.

"Boxing is in our blood."

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.

The 10-15 days following the incident, people all over Nagaland remained tense. Through the MCD, messages were sent to all districts for people to remain calm. “Every Naga individual and organisation played their part to maintain peace, as did the media in Nagaland,” says Rahman.

In all this, the Nagaland State Government was often held accountable for its slow response.

But Rahman waves them off. “The Chief Minister and Home Minister called me on March 6 informing me of their decision to suspend the officials concerned. The State Government delegation was constantly in touch with us. The new DC took office on Saturday, and called a meeting with all of us on Sunday,” he lists out of the State Government’s activities.

Peace award and way forward The Muslim Council Dimapur, and A Rahman’s, contributions were not overlooked. For his tireless efforts to maintain communal harmony in the aftermath of March 5, as well as for his work during previous incidents of vulnerability, Rahman was awarded the Peace Award, 2016 on February 1. Being the first non Naga to bag the prestigious award, Rahman joined the peace stalwarts club that include the likes of Niketu Iralu and Dr. Wati Aier.

“This is a great recognition. It is proof that non Naga people are equally valuable in Nagaland,” acknowledges Rahman, who is happy to have received the award at the 2nd National Peace Convention held in Dimapur. It is non Nagas, he believes, who have “taken advantage” of the Naga people but “destroyed their image worldwide.”

“Naga people are always willing to help you.

No Naga household will refuse food and water to you. The churches have done a great job in raising the Naga people, which is why many crimes from the world outside are unknown here till date.

Brand Naga needs to be promoted better and we have to be ambassadors for that,” offers Rahman, eternally grateful for “everything” the Naga people have given him.

SaturDaY 05•03•2016

Morung Youth Express

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The audacity of azadi: Tracking Kanhaiya Kumar's return to JNU Ipsita Chakravarty

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Top 10 quotes of Kanhaiya Kumar’s speech:

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1. We are not seeking ‘azaadi’ (freedom) from India. We want ‘azaadi’ within India.

2. I have many differences with the PM but I agree with his tweet Satyameva Jayate because these words are in our Constitution.

3. They had made promises of bringing black money, reducing black money and of sab ka sath sabka vikas. But they want us to forget these “jumlas”. We will not let people forget it.

4. The more you suppress us we will stand up more. It’s a long fight. We will continue fight without bowing down. We will fight against RSS and BJP. We have created history we will create history. We will fight. We will win.

5. Modiji only says ‘mann ki baat’, but doesn’t listen to it.

6. I come from a village where there are a magic shows. People show magic and sell rings that fulfill all wishes...We have some people like that in our country, who say black money will come back, sabka saath sabka vikas (development for all).

7. We truly believe in democracy and Constitution. We don’t look at the ABVP as an enemy, we look at them like the Opposition.

8. This attack (on JNU) is to delegitimise the UGC protests, to prevent justice to Rohith Vemula (the dalit scholar in Hyderabad who committed suicide).

9. If you speak against the government, their (government’s) cyber cell will frame you using doctored videos and count the number of condoms in your hostel.

10. I salute those soldiers dying at the borders. But what about farmers committing suicides in abject poverty? Those farmers are the fathers of majority of those soldiers. My father is a farmer, my brother is a soldier.

(Source: Hindustan Times)

adenge,” said Kanhaiya Kumar, drawing out each syllable so that the word became a cry. We will fight.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president, who has been charged with sedition, was back on campus after more than a fortnight and addressing students after being released from Tihar Jail on Thursday. No half-jokes or preamble for Kumar. He plunged in.

“Ladke lenge,” he shouted, grinning at the crowd gathered at the JNU administrative block.

“Azadi,” they cried. Freedom.

“Hum leke rahenge,” he shouted. Once more the crowd replied, “Azadi." The whole fortnight had led up to this moment of audacity.

A LONg fORTNIgHT Kumar was arrested on February 12 after the authorities claimed that he had chanted anti-national slogans at an event to mark the hanging of Afzal Guru, the Kashmiri man convicted for his role in the 2001 attack on Parliament. As hyper-ventilating television anchors aired video clips for several nights in a row purporting to prove Kumar's guilt, two other students were also arrested on similar charges.

The case quickly seized the national imagination. When Kumar was produced in court on February 16, a group of lawyers assaulted him, and also beat up journalists, professors and students on the premises, even as the police stood by. Outside the court, a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA was caught on camera punching a bystander to the ground, under the noses of the police. Despite the outrage, the violence was repeated for a second time when Kumar was appeared in court the next day.

As the fortnight dragged on, forensic experts concluded that some of the video clips aired on television had actually been doctored. Across the country, protestors took to the streets to express their support for the young man from Bihar. One of his speeches even got used as the basis for a madly infectious dubstep track.

The case became the subject of a great thrust and parry in Parliament. On February 24, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani made an energetic defence of the government's actions in Parliament, only to have several commentators point out that her speech contained several inaccuracies.

AT gANgA DHABA So a great deal of anticipation hung in the air over the JNU campus on Thursday evening, when it was announced that there would be a march from Ganga dhaba, a well-known landmark on the campus of the seething university in the capital, to the administrative block, starting at 9.30 pm. Students had gathered there early, and Ganga dhaba as well as the neighbouring eatery did brisk business.

Some groups polished off plates of chicken tikkas, while others smoked in dark corners, talking intently. Sitting at the curb, a woman thumped on a drum and sang We Shall Overcome in three languages ‒ English, Hindi, Bengali.

Slowly, the crowd around her began to swell, and the singing turned to chanting. Posters were passed around: a picture of Ambedkar and written below it, “From HCU to JNU, Save Constitution! Save Democracy! Save University! JNUSU.” The reported ban on photocopying pamphlets and posters on campus has clearly not limited their circulation yet. There were other handwritten posters asking for the release of “Comrade Umar, Comrade Ban, Comrade Geelani”.

Council members of the JNUSU addressed the gathering, advising caution. “In the movement ahead, we have to be careful about the slogans we raise,” said Rama Naga, general secretary of the JNUSU and one of the students accused of sedition. “Two of our comrades are still in jail and we won’t chant slogans that will raise more questions for them. We know what our slogans mean but they

are misinterpreted outside.”

But this crowd was in the mood for revolution. “Sangharsh hamaara naara hai,” they shouted. The old classics of the Left were brought out: “The people united shall always be victorious,” “Ho-Ho-Ho Chi Minh,/ We shall fight, we shall win,” and, of course, “Lal Salaam” for all the comrades.

These were twinned with the Dalit slogan, “Jai Bhim.”

If there was celebration that Kumar had returned, there was also anger most of it directed at the government. “Sedition ki yeh sarkaar, nahi chalenge ab ki baar,” the crowd chanted. “Narendra Modi murdabaad, home minister murdabaad, Delhi police murdabaad. Hum apna adhikaar mangte, nahi kisi se bheek mangte.”

And then that last, thrilling slogan, “Hum kya chahte?

Azadi.” What do we want? Freedom.

THE CHALLENgE Through his speech on Thursday night, Kumar articulated the components of this azadi. He spoke, once again, of his faith in the Constitution.

The #StandWithJNU movement, he said, believed in the principles it enshrined: socialism, secularism, equality.

They were demanding azadi in India and not from India, Kumar said. “Is it wrong to ask for freedom from the problems that the country faces?” he demanded. Azadi meant freedom from “jaativad (casteism)” and “Manuvad (the doctrine of Manu)”. It meant freedom for a coalition of the oppressed ‒ Dalits, women, farmers and

minorities. It also seemed to mean freedom from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the “programme set by Nagpur”, where the Hindutva organisation has its headquarters.

Kumar’s speech on Thursday was an open challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party and its student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

“We don’t hate anybody and we certainly don’t hate the ABVP,” he said, pointedly calling them “the opposition” and not “the enemy”.

To the government. Kumar was gratuitously polite. “I particularly want to thank the great personages sitting in Parliament and deciding what is right and what is wrong,” he said at the start of his speech. “I want to thank their police, their media.”

A few minutes later, he started an anecdote with the words, “Our dear, esteemed prime minister”. He explained, “One has to say it, or else they will doctor the tape and call it sedition.”

To the human resources development minister, Kumar had this to say: “Smriti Irani will not decide what is sedition because we are not her children…

Most respected, extremely respected Smriti Irani, we are not your children.”

If he was adversarial towards government, Kumar tried to reach across other institutional faultlines to build a broader coalition of sympathy.

He claimed to have spoken to his jailers, explaining to them what “Lal salaam” (the red salute) and “kranti” (revolution) meant, and to a soldier, discussing what religion meant.

Sympathy stemmed from

points of identification. The soldiers who died in war and the lower echelons of the constabulary came from rural, agricultural backgrounds, just like him. “What about the thousands of farmers who are committing suicide?” Kumar demanded, referring to the recent debate of soldiers versus “anti-nationals”. “Do not create a false debate with this binary.

People are dying at the frontiers and people are dying in the interiors. But who is making the soldiers fight?”

SYMPATHY The Kanhaiya Kumar who spoke on Thursday was radical and defiant. He wore his rural origins proudly and used it to reach out to others. He told anecdotes about magic tricks in his village to make a political point. He even took on jokes made about village people and their pronunciation of English words. And he had a story about his mother, an assistant in an anganwadi, to match Modi’s story about his mother.

In a speech that lasted over 40 minutes, Kumar took his audiences from anger to grief to laughter. It ended with the same slogans ‒ Jai Bheem, Lal Salaam, Azadi ‒ and a euphoria that rose gently into the cool night air. As students started making their way back home, one group stood around a pavement discussing what they had just heard.

“What a speech,” one of them said. “I’ve never heard a speech like this in JNU.” “What JNU?” said her companion. “I’ve never heard a speech like this anywhere.”

Teaching teens about relationships 7 ways to deal with dry, rough skin on your knees & elbows on’t we all hate those pes- main reasons for your skin’s dark nature and is considered to be a can curb dating violence: Study ky dark patches on our appearance. When this happens, natural bleaching agent as it helps

T

eens indoctrinated in relationship issues have lower tolerance for aggression and dating violence, says a recent study which observed that healthier dating attitudes can be acquired after even a brief involvement in an antiviolence curriculum.

Researchers in the US found that even five lessons from a community-based dating violence prevention programme can effect changes in student attitudes and behaviours.

Teen dating violence refers to emotional, verbal, sexual, or physical abuse used by one person over another when one or both of the partners is a teenager.

"Adolescent dating violence is a huge problem in the United States and schools are being urged to address this issue," said Meredith C. Joppa from Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center in the US. "Some states have even legislated this type of training.

Given the limited time available to implement prevention programming during the school day, brief programmes are needed and we tested one such curriculum to gauge its effectiveness," Joppa added in the paper published in the Journal of School Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, nine percent of US high school students in 2012 reported physical dating violence in the previous 12 months.

"Violence ranges from emotional and verbal abuse to physical and sexual abuse," said another researcher Christie J. Rizzo.

In this study, 225 tenth-grade students in a large public high school in Massachusetts, who had their parents' prior consent, were enrolled in the Katie Brown Educational Program which involved five sessions of dating violence prevention curriculum.

Three months later, at the conclusion of the programme, the teens in the programme showed changes in their attitudes, behaviour and knowledge about relationships.

"The good news is that good relationship skills can be taught. The study demonstrates that teens can modify their cognitions and behaviour about dating violence," researcher Rizzo said.

(Source: IANS)

D

elbows and knees? Before we jump to the solution, it’s important to know what causes it. Stress, friction, improper hygiene, sun exposure and a buildup of dead skin cells are some of the most common reasons why you have ashy skin on your elbows and knees. We know at times it can get annoying (especially if you’re wearing anything sleeveless or above the knee).Fear not, because we know exactly how to go about it! Here are 7 ways to deal with ashy skin on your elbows and knees!

1. Never Leave The House Without following THIS Skin Care Ritual The skin on your elbows and knees tend to be more delicate and prone to damage from the harsh UV rays of the sun. That’s why it’s important to protect it by applying sunscreen. You can also apply a tad bit of ointment containing vitamin E as it’s known to repair the skin’s texture too. Don’t forget to moisturize your skin just before you step out. It helps keep skin hydrated and lightens it gradually.

2. Proper Exfoliation Is The Key One of the most effective ways to get rid of ashy skin on your knees and elbows is proper exfoliation. It helps remove dry, flaky and dead skin cells that get trapped in the creases of the elbows and knees. This is one of the

you’ve got to scrub it out! You can either use a pumice stone, a washcloth or a loofah to do this. You can also make your own natural scrub by mixing 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and olive oil. Apply it once a week for best results.

3. Don’t forget To Moisturize After!

Did you know that if your skin is dry, it’s more likely to darken?

That’s why you need to moisturize it often! You can do so after scrubbing, bathing, before going to bed or just before you step out. For best results, pick up a lotion that contains shea butter, jojoba or olive oil. Otherwise, good old Vaseline is perfect. Once you apply it to your elbows and knees, you can use a scarf or a cotton cloth to wrap it around and keep it that way overnight to soak well into the skin.

4. Maintain A Healthy And Rich Diet For maintaining healthy skin, it’s very important to eat right.

Opt for foods like boiled spinach, sweet potatoes, fresh carrots, juicy lettuce and dried apricots, as they’re rich sources of vitamin A and E. The more greens you eat, the happier your skin will be!

5. When Life gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade There’s a reason why people swear by lemons. They make for a great home remedy for dealing with dark patches on your elbows and knees. This tiny fruit is citric in

lighten skin. All you have to do is slice a lemon in half and rub it on your elbows and knees. Leave the juice and pulp to soak in your skin for 3-4 hours. After the wait is over, wash it off with lukewarm water.

Don’t forget to moisturize the area using your favourite lotion after.

Do this religiously every day and the results will be visible after a couple of weeks.

6. Baking Soda To The Rescue!

Consider baking soda to be a natural beauty ingredient. Like lemons, baking soda too has bleaching properties. The kind that can help lighten dark spots on elbows and knees. Mix it with milk, which is super moisturizing.

You can start by adding a teaspoon of baking soda in a small bowl of milk. Stir them well, and gently massage your skin in a circular motion using this paste. Do this every day to get the best results.

7. Aloe Vera Is Your Best friend For giving skin a lighter complexion and a softer texture, aloe vera gel is by far the best. Applying the gel directly to your skin will protect it from sunburns and dirt. Slice a tiny bit of the plant, and scoop up the gel using a metal spoon. Now, gently apply it over the dark spots and leave it to dry for a good 30 minutes. Wash it off using warm water. Once you do, your skin in these areas will instantly feel smooth, soft and bright.

(Source: POPxo)

7

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

TNB advertise for a cause at Rs.500/week Yanfo Kikon: An initiative to help both our entrepreneurs and our students in one shot!!

We are yet to realise the power and impact of Online Ads on businesses. Try it and see. Till date we have been able to generate only Rs.4000 through this initiative. The two companies which blessed the Scholarship program are NAHAN Business Solutions Co. Ltd and NK Square Infotech Pvt. Ltd.! The scholarship/award after the results are declared will be given to the deserving students from under-privileged backgrounds in the name of those businesses which sponsored the prizes.

Since we have had poor response from potential advertisers, we are now bringing down the cost of advertising to Rs.500/week. And yes, WE SHALL NOT GIVE UP! WE ACTUALLY NEVER DO. Entrepreneurs may Inbox the Admins or Comment here if interested to advertise. Please help bring more Ads to contribute to our cause.

'TNB Scholar Award' is a pilot phase of the bigger programme 'TNB Scholarship Programme'.

Thank you and bless you to those who will avail this opportunity to reach your business to a whole new audience and also contribute to a positive vision.

TNB Scholarship Programme

Since 2008, our core objective as a growing online platform has been to ignite little sparks in the minds of our youth to contribute towards positive changes in our society. Over the years, the thousands of discussions, debates, ideation have led to our realisation that if we really want change; the greatest, sustainable and long lasting impact can be brought only through EDUCATION, by giving the best opportunities through education to those who are not financially fortunate to pursue courses which will empower and enable them to become future leaders and agents of positive transformation.

On my trip to Wokha, while deliberating on this issue with a faculty from Mount Tiyi College, I learnt that there was a brilliant student who really wanted to pursue technical degree course in Civil Engineering. His parents sell vegetables for their livelihood and obviously could not get the education loan or any form of assistance to help him realise his dreams. This is just one among the hundreds of cases where brilliant, genuine students are forced to give up their education, give up their dreams of becoming scientists, researchers, innovators, engineers, architects, designers and are forced to settle for courses which limit their true calling and lose their real potential.

After much thought and planning, we have been able to come up with a Ad-Revenue plan which we hope can generate even a small amount to TOP-UP the financial requirements of brilliant students from economically poor backgrounds which will ease the burden on their parents who usually seek loans or even sell their property to provide a decent education to their children.

Unlike newspaper ads, in TNB we offer a unique opportunity where your business will be advertised through the MAIN COVER BANNER of the group which will be visible to THOUSANDS of visitors to the group every single day.

Cost of Advertising on TNB: Rs.500 for One Week. Your business will be advertised for an entire week - 168 hours at a cost of just Rs.500 ONLY! THE SOCIAL IMPACT: 80% of revenue will be used for providing Scholarship to students from economically poor backgrounds which will ease burden on their parents and help them pursue technical courses so that in the future we will have our own scientists, engineers, researchers, scholars, innovators from the educationally deprived sections of our society.

The remaining can be used to seed small fund raising initiatives like printing stickers, T-shirts or other innovative campaigns.

AWARD/SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT: The amount will be 80% of revenue generated through Advertisement on TNB. This amount will be provided to support the beneficiary's admission/ tuition/ hostel fees either partially or completely depending on the Scholarship Amount and the Education Fees.

SELECTION BASE: To make things simpler for us, we shall limit our nominees from all Govt. Higher Secondary Schools in Nagaland and the Government Polytechnic Colleges - i) Khelhoshe Polytechnic Atoizu ii) Government Polytechnic Kohima iii) ICIT Mokokchung which offer Technical Diploma courses. Why only Science Stream Government Higher Secondary? Because these are the students whose parents/ guardians are able to afford only the most economical institutes.

Hence, this leads us directly to the least financially poor section.

SELECTION CRITERIA: The top 10 highest scoring students will be nominated automatically: A. Based on Marks: This will carry 50% weightage in the selection B. Based on family background: This will carry the remaining 50% weightage in the selection The final selection of beneficiary will be tabulated by aggregating A + B.a + B. 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.

SaturdaY 05•03•2016

INDIA

8

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Primary education spending declines, so does quality Chaitanya Mallapur IANS and IndiaSpend

S

arva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) -- a national programme for universal elementary education -- has seen Rs.1,15,625 crore ($17.7 billion) spent on it over the last five years -- but the quality of learning has declined.

For instance, only a fourth of all children in standard III could read a standard II text fluently -- a drop of more than 5 percent over five years, according to the 2014 Annual Status Report on Education (ASER).

The SSA received more than half the money (52 percent) in Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s school-education allocation in the latest budget, but over the last five years, the SSA budget declined 6 percent -- from Rs.23,873 crore ($4.4 billion) in 2012-13 to Rs.22,500 crore ($3.3 billion) for 2016-17.

Education is primarily the responsibility of states, but the central government directly finances 60 percent of education, through programmes such as the SSA. As many as 66 percent of India’s primary school students attend government

schools or government-aided schools -- the rest going to costlier private schools.

Of the money set aside for the SSA during 2015-16, only 57 percent was released till September 2015, according to an Accountability Initiative report.

While presenting his third budget earlier this week, Jaitley said nothing about the quality

of education. The quality declines may be correlated with reduced funding, but they may not be caused only by a lack of money.

Less than one in five primary school teachers is adequately trained, IndiaSpend reported last year. The consequence is a marked decline in learning ability, in government and pri-

Four Indian nurses among 17 killed in Yemen adeN, March 4 (iaNS): Unknown gunmen attacked a care home for the elderly in Yemen's southern port city Aden on Friday, killing 17 people including four Indian nurses, a security official said.

The home was run by Christian nurses and the Missionaries of Charity, Xinhua news agency reported.

A group of well-armed gunmen stormed the home in Sheikh Othman district and opened random fire after killing the building's guards, a security official said.

Seventeen people were killed, including four Indian nurses working there, the source said.

A senior official of Aden's local government told Xinhua that suspected gunmen of the Yemen-based affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) group were behind the terrorist attack.

Aden, Yemen's temporary capital, has been witnessing chaos and lawlessness during the past weeks, resulting in the assassination of Aden's former governor, several high-ranking security officers and judges.

The turbulent and complicated security situation in Aden and neighbouring southern provinces is one of the biggest challenges for the Saudi-led Arab coalition forces operating in Aden.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition has dispatched thousands of soldiers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Sudan and Bahrain into five anti-Houthi southern provinces to support and train local Yemeni security forces.

Yemen has been gripped by one of the most active regional Al Qaeda insurgencies in the Middle East and the affiliate of the IS. The situation in the country has deteriorated since war broke out between the Shia Houthi group, supported by former president Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by the Saudi-led Arab coalition.

President, PM urged to rein violence in educational institutions New delhi, March 4 (iaNS): A group of 232 sociologists has urged President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in violence in educational institutions across the country.

These sociologists from different universities and prestigious colleges and other institutions have written to the president and the prime minister on the issue.

The signatories to the letter brought up an incident at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh on February 23, where Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad activists allegedly disrupted violently an event at which Vivek Kumar of Jawaharlal Nehru University was invited to speak.

“They attacked Professor Vivek Kumar," the sociologists said in the letter to the president.

They said the activists also abused and threatened Professor Rajesh Misra of the Lucknow University for his Facebook post.

“The constitution of India guarantees to all citizens the right to their beliefs and to peaceful expression of these beliefs, but we are deeply disturbed by the ongoing events in the country and feel the urgent need to make a public statement,” they said.

“We are, therefore, deeply concerned at the growing attacks on students, faculty and staff of various universities by organisations which seem to have the backing of the authorities and the police,” the academics added.

The group includes teachers and professors from renowned institutes like the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, St. Xavier’s College, Guwahati University, Mumbai University and many others.

Rohith my icon, not Afzal: Kanhaiya New delhi, March 4 (iaNS): Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar on Friday said that Hyderabad University research scholar Rohith Vemula was his icon and not parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

"If you ask me, Afzal Guru is not my icon; Rohith Vemula is my icon," Kanhaiya told the media here when asked what he thought of Azfal Guru who was executed in the Tihar Central Jail here on February 9, 2013, for his role in the December 2001 Parliament House attack.

Arrested on February 12 on sedition charge, the JNU students leader was released from the Tihar Jail on Thursday evening after the Delhi High Court granted him interim bail for six months.

Condemning the February 9 event on the campus where anti-national slogans were raised, Kanhaiya said: "We strongly condemn what happened at the university on February 9. It's for the court to decide if that was 'raaj droh' (treason) or not. We've full faith in the judiciary."

Kanhaiya also asserted that JNU students could never be anti-national. "I want to tell this to the country's people that we study at the JNU with subsidy generated from the taxes paid by you. I want to assure the taxpayers of this country that a JNU student can never be antinational. Your tax money is not used to fund any anti-national activities in the JNU." Rohith Vemula, 26, a Dalit research scholar, was found hanging in his Hyderabad University hostel room on January 17. He was one of the five research scholars suspended by the university in August last year after an assault on an RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) student leader. The suspension was later revoked.

vate schools.

The learning levels in government schools plummeted to a low of 41.1% in 2013 but recovered slightly to 42.2 percent in 2014, as IndiaSpend reported.

Similarly, with math, a quarter of children in standard III could not recognise numbers between 10 and 99, a drop of 13

percent over five years.

As much as 99 percent new elementary schools have been constructed of the 400,000 sanctioned since the launch of the programme in 2000-01 till September 30, 2015, according to this reply in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament) on December 7, 2015.

About 23 percent of schools surveyed by Accountability Initiative in 2015-16 needed to build at least one classroom in order to meet Right-to-Education norms. However, only 1 percent of schools received money from SSA during the financial year to construct new classrooms.

There are other gaps in the programme. The enrolment of girls has gone up from 48.12 percent in 2009-10 to 48.19 percent in 2014-15 at the elementary level. Many more girls clearly need to be enrolled. As many as 52 percent of boys are enrolled in primary schools.

The good news: Dropouts are down, highest in six to 14 age group A 55 percent decline in dropouts was reported in the age group 6-14 years, from 13.46 million in 2005 to 6.1 million in 2013. The annual aver-

age primary school dropout rate declined from 6.8 percent in 2009-10 to 4.3 percent in 2013-14.

Mid-day meals in schools received Rs 9,700 crore ($1.4 billion), next only to SSA. About 102 million children across India in 2014-15 used the mid-day meal programme, the world’s largest schoolfeeding scheme.

As part of its rural initiatives, over the next two years, the government is also planning to open 62 new Navodaya Vidyalayas (New-age schools) in the districts without them.

The Navodaya Vidayalaya scheme was launched under the National Policy on Education 1986 to educate the best rural talent. There are 591 Navodaya Vidyalayas across India, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha on December 7, 2015.

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, which runs these schools, was allocated Rs.2,471 crore ($400 million) -- an increase of 8 percent over last year.

Focus on higher education to strengthen infrastructure, but enrolments are low. The finance minister proposed setting up a Higher Education Fi-

nancing Agency (HEFA) with an initial capital of Rs.1,000 crore ($146 million) to strengthen infrastructure in higher education.

The HEFA will be a not-forprofit organisation, which will use funds from the market and supplement them with donations and corporate social responsibility funds.

Higher education-including central and deemed universities-received the most money, Rs.7,997 crore ($1.2 billion), followed by the Indian Institutes of Technology (Rs.4,984 crore) and University Grants Commission (Rs.4,492 crore).

About 80 percent students were enrolled in undergraduate programmes, but only 0.3 percent (84,058 students) were enrolled for PhDs in 2012-13, a sign that research is weak and faltering, as IndiaSpend has reported.

Only 21 percent of young men and women aged 18 to 23 are enrolled for higher education. India’s enrolment rate in higher education is 18 percent below the global average of 27 percent and low compared to 26 percent in China and 36 percent in Brazil, a 2014 British Council report pointed out.

Five states to vote in April-May; biggest battle post 2014 New delhi, March 4 (iaNS): Elections to assemblies will be held in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in April-May, it was announced on Friday, in the biggest popularity test for political parties since the 2014 Lok Sabha battle.

Nearly 170 million people will be eligible to vote in the staggered exercise that will see a two-phase polling in Assam, a six-phase balloting in West Bengal spread over seven days, and a day's battle each in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Assam (126 seats) will vote on April 4 and 11, and West Bengal (294 seats) on April 4-11, 17, 21, 25 and 30 and May 5, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi told the media.

Kerala (140 seats), Tamil Nadu (234 seats) and Puducherry (30 seats) will go to the polls on May 16. Counting of votes in all five states will take place on May 19.

Within hours of the announcement, West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress announced its candidates for all the 294 assembly seats.

The key players in the fivestate electoral battle include the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Left, Trinamool, AIADMK, DMK, Asom Gana Parishad, the AIUDF as well as the NR Congress that rules Puducherry.

Although the BJP is a contender for power only in Assam, the outcome in all five states is important to it because of the two major defeats

it has suffered in Delhi in February 2015 and in Bihar later in November.

While the Congress is in power in Assam and Kerala, it faces a stiff challenge in both states.

A resurgent BJP has tied up with regional groups to dislodge the Congress in Assam. The Left is confident of returning to power in Kerala, where the BJP is determined to open its account in the state assembly.

The Trinamool stranglehold has forced the Congress and the Left in the state -- for decades bitter enemies -- to try to close ranks. The BJP is a minor player in the state.

Ranged against the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu is the Congress-DMK alliance. The BJP is also trying to team up

with the DMDK while several other regional parties may float a Third Front in the state.

The Congress is the main opposition in Puducherry.

For the first time in elections in India, the NOTA (None Of The Above) category would be represented by a "symbol" - like party symbols - and photographs of all candidates would figure on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) with their symbols, Chief Election Commissioner Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi said.

He said the Model Code of Conduct would come into effect immediately in all five states.

The April-May polls will be the biggest electoral contest in the country since the Lok Sabha election brought the Nar-

endra Modi-led BJP to power nationally.

The number of voters will be 19.8 million in Assam, 25.6 million in Kerala, 57.9 million in Tamil Nadu, 65.5 million in West Bengal and 927,034 in Puducherry.

"The (Election) Commission has provided a new symbol for NOTA option, which was designed by National Institute of Design. This new symbol will facilitate the voters in casting their votes," Zaidi said.

He said elaborate security arrangements have been made for all the five states to ensure fair and free elections.

Central armed police forces and State armed police drawn from other states would be deployed in the five states during the poll period.

SBI moves Karnataka HC for Mallya's arrest New snake species discovered, beNGaluru, March 4 (iaNS): The condition of anonymity, told IANS here. correctly identified after 144 yrs As a lead bank of the consortium of 17 State Bank of India (SBI) on Friday moved three known species to realise that the Karnataka High Court for arresting industrialist Vijay Mallya and impounding his passport in the multi-crore loan default case of defunct Kingfisher Airline.

"We have filed a writ petition before the single bench of Justice A.S. Bopanna for the arrest of Mallya and impounding of his passport on basis of a statement he made recently that he would move to Britain," a lawyer for the bank, speaking on the

state-run and private banks, which have a combined outstanding dues up to Rs.7,800 crore from Kingfisher, headed by Mallya, SBI moved the high court after the debt recovery tribunal (DRT) here reserved order on its four interlocutory applications filed on Wednesday.

"We have approached the high court as the tribunal had not yet acted upon our applications," the counsel said.

Mehbooba Mufti meets Governor JaMMu, March 4 (iaNS): Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday met Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N.Vohra here.

"PDP president Mehbooba Mufti called on Vohra at the Raj Bhawan and discussed the political and developmental scenario in the state with the governor," a PDP source told IANS. The sources said Mufti had been invited for an informal meeting by the governor and she had called on him in response

to that communication.

The meeting lasted for more than an hour.

Mufti said on Friday that her priority was strengthening the party and not becoming chief.

Jammu and Kashmir was placed under governor's rule on January 8 after Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed passed away on January 7, and the PDP, which was ruling the state in a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party, did not come forward to form a new government.

A political stalemate between the PDP and the BJP over government formation in the state has been continuing for nearly two months now.

Although both parties are saying their alliance is intact, there has been no forward movement to end the deadlock. It is generally believed here the PDP president wants firm assurances from the centre that the agenda of alliance between the two parties would be implemented in a time-bound manner.

MuMbai, March 4 (iaNS): A new species of burrowing snake of the genus melanophidium has been discovered from the Northwestern Ghats and correctly identified after a gap of 144 years, a researcher said here on Friday.

The snake belong to family Uropeltidae, which comprises all species which are burrowers and live mostly underground, said researcher Varad Giri of National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru. The genus Melanophidium, also commonly known as 'Black Shieldtail', is endemic to the Western Ghats and three species were previously known, said Giri.

However, these were wrongly identified as identified as Melanophidium Punctatum, or commonly called 'Pied-bellied Shieldtail' owing to the black white coloration on the belly of the snake.

The discovery is the result of meticulous efforts of last 15 years

by David Gower of Natural History Museum, London and his colleague Mark Wilkinson, Giri, Ashok Captain of Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai and Indian Herpetological Society, Pune.

During his visit to BNHS here in 2001, Gower observed the earlier

the specimens available with BNHS were a distinct species which was proved by fresh field surveys, additional research and taxonomic inputs.

The new species has now been correctly identified and named as 'Melanophidium Khairei' or Khaire's Black Shieldtail, Giri said.

The research team's finding was submitted the sceitnfic journal Zootaxa and the paper was published recently. "We have named the new snake species after Neelimkumar Khaire, the legendary founder of Katraj Snake Park and Indian Herpetological Society, Pune, as a tribute to his knowledge and conservation of snakes in India since four decades," Giri told IANS. However, now much is known about Melanophidium Khairei which is a highly iridescent burrowing snake found in evergreen forests, but rarely above ground in southern Maharashtra, Goa and northern Karnataka. The new discovery has been announced barely two days after another Indian team of researchers discovered a new snake genus and a species from Gujarat, which has been named Wallaceophis Gujaratenisis.

India denies visas to US religious freedom body waShiNGTON, March 4 (reuTerS): India has denied visas for a delegation from the U.S. government agency charged with monitoring international religious freedom, the agency said on Thursday.

The delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom had been scheduled to leave for India on Friday for a longplanned visit with the support of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, but India had failed to issue the necessary visas, the commission said.

"We are deeply disappointed by the Indian government’s denial, in effect, of these vi-

sas," USCIRF chairman Robert George said in a statement.

"As a pluralistic, non-sectarian, and democratic state, and a close partner of the United States, India should have the confidence to allow our visit," he said.

George said USCIRF had been able to travel to many countries, including those among the worst offenders of religious freedom, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, China, and Myanmar.

"One would expect that the Indian government would allow for more transparency than have these nations, and would welcome the opportunity to convey its views directly

to USCIRF.” The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last year, despite a muchheralded fresh start in U.S.India ties under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United States ran into problems arranging visits by the head of its office to combat human trafficking and its special envoy for gay rights.

A U.S. State Department official referred queries on the visa issue to the Indian government, but highlighted remarks

by President Barack Obama on a visit to Delhi last year, in which he made a plea for free-

dom of religion in a country with a history of strife between Hindus and minorities.

In its 2015 report, the bipartisan USCIRF said incidents of religiously motivated and communal violence had reportedly increased for three consecutive years.

It said that despite its status as a pluralistic, secular democracy, India had long struggled to protect minority religious communities or provide justice when crimes occur, creating a climate of impunity.

Non-governmental organizations and religious leaders, including from the Muslim, Christian, and Sikh communities, attributed the

initial increase in violence to religiously divisive campaigning in advance of the country’s 2014 general election won by Modi.

The report said that since the election, religious minorities had been subject to derogatory comments by politicians linked to Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and numerous violent attacks and forced conversions by Hindu nationalist groups.

U.S. law allows for imposition of sanctions on countries the commission terms "of particular concern," but the USCIRF's recommendations are not binding and these are not automatically imposed.

SaturdaY 05•03 •2016

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

9

NKorea leader tells military to be ‘ready’ to use nuke weapons SEOUL, March 4 (rEUtErS): North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his country to be ready to use its nuclear weapons at any time and the military to be in “preemptive attack” mode in the face of growing threats from its enemies, state media said on Friday.

The comments, carried by the North’s official KCNA news agency, marked a further escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula after the U.N. Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the isolated state for its nuclear programme.

North Korea, known for belligerent rhetoric, has previously threatened preemptive attacks on its enemies, including South Korea and the United States.

Military experts doubt it has yet developed the capability to fire a long-range missile with a miniaturised warhead to deliver a nuclear weapon as far as the United States.

Kim made the comments as he supervised military exercises involving newly developed rocket launchers, KCNA reported.

It did not mention the date

of the drills but said the new weapons had South Korea within range.

South Korea’s defence ministry said on Thursday the North launched several projectiles off its coast into the sea, up to 150 km (90 miles) away, an apparent response to the U.N. sanctions.

Kim said North Korea should “bolster up (its) nuclear force both in quality and quantity” and stressed “the need to get the nuclear warheads deployed for national defence always on standby so as to be fired any moment,” KCNA quoted him as saying.

“Now is the time for us to convert our mode of military counteraction toward the enemies into a pre-emptive attack one in every aspect.”

Kim criticised South Korean President Park Geun-hye in his first direct published mention of her by name for acting “in league with the U.S. scoundrels,” adding, “her hysteria will precipitate only her ruin in the long run,” KCNA said.

A spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles rela-

tions with the North, said Kim’s comments were not helpful and may have been intended for the domestic audience, to boost morale in the face of the new U.N. sanctions.

Responding to the report, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman, Commander Bill Urban, said, “We urge North Korea to refrain from provocative actions that aggravate tensions and instead focus on fulfilling its international obligations and commitments.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that given the sensitive and complex situation on the Korean peninsula, China hoped the parties would maintain restraint, and “be careful in their words and actions, and not take any actions that would exacerbate tensions in this situation”.

The latest U.N. sanctions, drafted by the United States and China, the North’s main ally, punish the isolated country following its fourth nuclear test, in January, as well as last month’s satellite launch, which the United States and others say was really a

US urges North Korea to refrain from provocations

test of ballistic missile technology.

Later on Friday, North Korea rejected the Security Council resolution as a “criminal act” masterminded by the United States and vowed to continue boosting its nuclear deterrent and move forward on the path to become a “satellite superpower”.

“Our response will involve the full use of various means and tools including a strong and ruthless physical response,” KCNA quoted an unnamed government spokesman as saying.

POSSIBLE ENGINE TEST EYED South Korea and the U.S. militaries are set to formally begin talks on Friday on deployment of the advanced anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system with the U.S. military in the South.

China and Russia oppose the deployment of THAAD, which has powerful radar capable of penetrating deep into their countries, but South Korea and the United States have said it is needed in

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a ceremony to award party and state commendations to nuclear scientists, technicians, soldier-builders, workers and officials for their contribution to what North Korea said was a successful hydrogen bomb test, at the meeting hall of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) in this undated photo released January 13. (REUTERS Photo)

response to the heightened missile threat from the North.

Johns Hopkins University’s 38 North project, which monitors North Korea, said recent commercial satellite imagery showed new activity in the isolated country, including a convoy of trucks at its satellite launch station that could be preparations for a rocket-engine test.

The site on the North’s west coast is the upgraded rocket station where it launched a long-range rocket on Feb. 7 that put an object into space, but was condemned by the Security Council as violation of past resolutions that ban the use of ballistic missile technology by the North.

On Thursday, South Korean President Park repeat-

WaShingtOn, March 4 (rEUtErS): The U.S. Defense Department has responded to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s order for his country to be ready to use nuclear weapons “at any time” by saying that Pyongyang should “refrain from provocative actions that aggravate tensions.” “We are aware of the reports, and are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula in coordination with our regional allies,” said Commander Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman. “We urge North Korea to refrain from provocative actions that aggravate tensions and instead focus on fulfilling its international obligations and commitments.”

ed a warning to the North to abandon its nuclear ambitions and said she would work to “end tyranny” by its leader.

They were the toughe s t- e v e r c o m m e n t s against Pyongyang by Park, whose recent hard line against the North is a shift from her earlier policy of “trustpolitik” that focused on trying to engage in dialogue.

North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun, the official daily newspaper of the ruling Workers’ Party, on Friday carried three pages of a report and photographs of leader Kim supervising the rocket launch drills.

It also ran a full-page commentary insulting Park as “a wicked woman who does everything evil against the compatriots in the North.”

Eating broccoli thrice a Long campaigns to blame for UN registered 99 sex crime week lowers liver cancer risk rise of extremist politicians allegations against its staff in 2015 nEW YOrk, March 4 (ianS): Consuming broccoli three to five times per week may lower the risk of liver cancer and also prevent the development of fatty liver, finds a new study.

According to researchers, including broccoli in the diet may protect against liver cancer and aid in countering the development of fatty liver or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which can cause liver malfunctioning and lead to liver cancer with a high mortality rate.

“The normal stor y about broccoli and health is that it can protect against a number of different cancers. But nobody had looked at liver cancer,” said Elizabeth Jeffery from the University of Illinois, US. “We decided that liver cancer needed to be studied particularly because of the obesity epidemic in the US. It is already in the literature that obesity enhances the risk for liver cancer and this is particularly true for men,” Jeffery added.

Previous research suggests that broccoli, a brassica vegetable containing bioactive compounds, may impede the accumulation of fat in the liver and protect against NAFLD in mice.

Researchers wanted to find out the

impact of feeding broccoli to mice with a known liver cancer-causing carcinogen.

They studied four groups of mice, some of which were on a control diet or the Westernised diet and some were given or not given broccoli.

“We called this a Westernised-style diet in the study because we wanted to model how so many of us are eating today,” Jeffery says.

The findings showed that in mice on the Westernised diet both the number of cancer nodules and the size of the cancer nodules increased in the liver.

But when broccoli was added to the diet, the number of nodules decreased, but the size was not affected.

The researchers found that the Westernised diet did increase fatty liver, but the broccoli protected against it.

Broccoli stopped too much uptake of fat into the liver by decreasing the uptake and increasing the output of lipid from the liver.

Adding broccoli to the diet of the mice did not make them “thin” or affect their body weight, but it did bring the liver under control, ultimately making them healthier, Jeffery noted.

nEW YOrk, March 4 (ianS): Longer campaign cycles, filled with numerous televised debates and constant news reporting and social media coverage, are to blame for the rise of extremist politicians, says a new study.

Longer campaigns, which offer voters more information on the candidates via 24-hour news coverage and social media, turn voters’ attention more toward a candidate’s character -- such as trustworthiness and how he or she delivers speeches and exchanges debate barbs -- and away from his or her stance on policy, the findings showed.

The findings were published in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. “Our research shows real impact associated with longer, more informative campaigns, and perhaps a reason why we are seeing candidates like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders doing so well within their parties this late in the game,” said Raphael Boleslavsky, assistant professor of economics at the University of Miami in the US. “Candidates base their platforms on how to capture the majority of voters relative to their opponent so our research suggests that extremism is likely something we will see more as campaign cycles continue to get longer and longer,” Boleslavsky noted.

According to the researchers, a shorter campaign cycle with less time for media saturation might allow voters to experience a greater balance of a candidate’s policy positions and character.

This would lead to better informed voters because of more attention on policy issues. Further, increasing the number of debates in an election cycle, according to the study, decreases the incentive for politicians to run on moderate platforms.

For this study, the authors developed a mathematical model of an election in which parties nominate candidates with policy preferences ahead of a campaign that produces information about their overall characteristics independent of policy.

The mathematical model used the tools of game theory, which allowed researchers to describe strategic situations and understand strategic incentives in a mathematically rigorous way.

They then solved the equations generated by the model, resulting in a robust prediction about the level of political extremism that political parties select, and how this level of extremism changes with the length of the political campaign.

UnitED natiOnS, March 4 (rEUtErS): There were 99 new allegations of sexual exploitation or sexual abuse against United Nations staff members across the U.N. system last year, a sharp increase from the 80 allegations in 2014, according to a new U.N. report.

The majority of those allegations - 69 in all - involved personnel in 10 peacekeeping missions, the report said. The military and police personnel accused of sexual crimes while serving for the United Nations involved some 21 countries, most of them African.

The report by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon does not identify the nationalities of the 30 U.N. staff members accused of sexual abuse or exploitation who were not working for peacekeeping missions.

The report, an advance copy of which was obtained by Reuters, came in response to a new U.N. “name and shame” policy for U.N. peacekeepers implemented after a series of allegations of rape and sexual abuse by international troops in Central African Republic (CAR).

Most of the allegations involved peacekeepers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, seven in all, serving in CAR. There were also allegations against several European countries and Canada.

There were allegations against troops and police from Burundi, Germany, Ghana, Senegal, Madagascar,

Rwanda, Congo Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Tanzania, Slovakia, Niger, Moldova, Togo, South Africa, Morocco, Benin, Nigeria and Gabon.

In addition to CAR, the allegations involved peacekeeping missions in places like Haiti, Mali, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ivory Coast.

The report includes recommendations for member states to make it easier to identify suspected perpetrators and prosecute them.

It calls for the U.N. General Assembly and troop contributing countries to allow prosecutions inside the countries where the alleged crimes took place and creation of a DNA registry of all peacekeepers.

One of the problems, human rights groups say, is that it is currently up to U.N. troop-contributing countries to prosecute their soldiers accused of abuse.

When such prosecutions happen, the groups say, they often take place quietly and it is difficult to follow up on the results and punishments, if any.

In December an independent review panel accused the United Nations and its agencies of grossly mishandling numerous allegations of child sexual abuse by foreign troops in CAR in 2013 and 2014.

The idea of prosecutions in theater would likely be unpopular among U.N. troop-contributing countries, U.N. diplomats and officials say, though they suggest it is an idea worth pursuing as a deterrent.

Rivals rip Trump but promise support if he is the nominee DEtrOit, March 4 (rEUtErS): Chief rivals to U.S. Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump assailed him for shifting positions on the issues at a debate, but said in the end they would reluctantly support him if he were their party’s nominee.

Under questioning by Fox News Channel moderators on Thursday, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Governor John Kasich made the promise despite efforts by party elders to build an anti-Trump coalition of Republican voters to pick someone other than the incendiary New York billionaire.

Hours earlier 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney in a speech blasted Trump, a former reality TV show host, as an unelectable fraud whose nomination would ensure victory for Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama.

Tempers escalated quickly at the two-hour debate and, as in previous encounters, the battle descended into schoolyard taunts between Trump, Rubio and Cruz with accusations of lying and even a reference to

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump shows off the size of his hands as rivals Marco Rubio (L), Ted Cruz (2nd R) and John Kasich (R) look on at the start of the U.S. Republican presidential candidates debate in Detroit, Michigan on March 3. (REUTERS

male genitalia.

While Trump’s three rivals followed party dogma, insisting they would set aside their concerns and rally around the ultimate nominee, they said they did so reluctantly if Trump were to emerge as the candidate for the general election.

“Sometimes he makes it a

little bit hard,” said Kasich, 63.

Trump, asked if he would support the Republican nominee if it was someone other than him, seemed startled by the question given the momentum behind him, but eventually said, “Yes I will.” Trump, 69, defended himself from Romney’s blistering rebuke and called

Romney a failed candidate.

SHIFTING POSITIONS With the Florida and Ohio primary votes looming on March 15 as make-or-break for the anti-Trump forces, Trump provided some ammunition to his critics.

Trump shrugged when

questioned Trump’s immigration policy and his use of foreign workers at his exclusive Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Cruz demanded Trump release an audiotape of an off-the-record session he had with New York Times editorial writers on Jan. 5.

Cruz and others have suggested that in the session Trump might have been more flexible on immigration than in public statements insisting he would build a wall between the United States and Mexico and deport 11 million illegal immigrants.

Trump refused to release the tape but said he would be flexible, for instance, on the height of the wall. He also abruptly changed his position on foreign workers, saying more of them who are highly skilled should be allowed to remain in the United States.

Rubio pressed Trump on the foreign workers he has imported to work at his Palm Beach resort, jobs he said could go to Americans. Trump said the workers were for a short November-to-March season.

“People don’t want a shortIMMIGRATION, FOREIGN term job,” Trump said. “So we WORKERS Rubio, 44, and Cruz, 45, bring people in and we send

presented with videotaped evidence from the moderators that he had shifted positions on the Iraq war, immigration and whether to admit refugees from the Syrian civil war.

“You have to show a degree of flexibility,” he said.

Both Rubio and Cruz pounced.

“I hope we don’t see yoga on this stage,” Cruz said. Replied Rubio: “Well, he’s very flexible so you never know.”

It remained to be seen whether the debate would prove to be damaging to Trump.

The runaway front-runner to date has been immune from criticism that other politicians normally face, for instance, over flip-flopping on issues.

While Trump saw the greatest number of overall mentions on social media site Twitter, an analysis showed that 63 percent of the tweets expressing an opinion on him were negative, according to social media analytics firm Brandwatch which separated objective tweets from opinionated tweets in its analysis.

people out.”

‘GIVE ME A BREAK’ Rubio asked Trump why he does not bring his clothing-making operations to the United States from China and Mexico if he is so interested in bringing jobs home, a central tenet of his unconventional campaign.

“This little guy has lied so much about my record,” Trump said in response to Rubio, adding that he had begun bringing some clothing operations home from overseas.

But Rubio persisted: “The answer is he’s not going to do it ... The reason he makes it in China and Mexico is because he can make more money on it.”

Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly, who famously clashed with Trump at the first Republican debate last August, generated a fresh exchange in pressing Trump to explain his involvement with Trump University, a now-defunct online education company that has faced lawsuits from people who feel they paid out money for Trump U and got nothing in return.

“Give me a break,” said Trump. “Let’s see what happens in court.”

10

SaturDaY 05•03•2016

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

bowlers beware! World T20 Messi hat-trick helps barca to record 35-match unbeaten run seeks to sate boundary-lust

NEW DELHI, MARCH 4 (REUTERS): Batsmen will be encouraged to satisfy contemporary cricket's seemingly insatiable lust for boundaries and bowlers reduced to mere cannon fodder when the sixth World Twenty20 gets underway in India on Tuesday.

With 35 matches spread over 27 days, starting with eight "minnows" battling it out for two spots in the Super 10 round, the tournament looks set to illustrate once again just how skewed the 20-overs game is against bowlers.

There is more chance of discovering life on Mars than in the docile Indian tracks, which will be rolled out for a tournament that concludes with the April 3 final at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. While cricket purists may look on it with disdain, there is a growing acceptance that the format is the only way the game can expand beyond its current stagnation in former British colonies.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) last month received a status report on its ongoing dialogue over the game's possible inclusion at Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Like rugby sevens before it, there seems little doubt that cricket's best hope of being given a place at such international multi-

Models take a selfie next to the World Twenty20 trophies after they arrived in Kolkata, February 24, 2016. (REUTERS/Files)

dia but skipper Lasith Malinga must marshal a team in transition since the retirements of stalwarts Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

Australia's spectacular lack of success is one of the most intriguing points in the short history of the tournament, which has seen three Asian champions in the five editions.

The reigning 50-over world champions have responded by putting test and one-day captain Steven Smith in charge of a squad boasting an explosive lineup that also includes David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner.

England will look to the experience of skipper Eoin Morgan, who was part of Paul Collingwood's victorious 2010 team and has been playing in the Indian Premier League.

Few teams can match the flair that a mercurial Pakistan team under Shahid Afridi brings to the table and the 2009 champions have also been boosted by paceman Mohammad Amir's return after a fiveyear spot-fixing ban.

Fellow contenders South Africa and New Zealand will have to overcome a tendency to flop on the big stage if they are to take home the trophy.

CATALONIA, MARCH 4 (REUTERS): Barcelona set a Spanish record of 35 matches unbeaten in all competitions with a thumping 5-1 win at nineman Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Thursday after goal-machine Lionel Messi scored his 35th hat-trick.

Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring, Messi caught up with Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo on 35 trebles in all competitions and Arda Turan completed the rout, with Turkey's captain scoring his first goal for the club since joining from Atletico Madrid.

Barca's victory, which saw them beat the undefeated record Real Madrid had held since the 1988/89 season, restored an eightpoint lead at the top over Atletico with 11 matches to go.

Atletico beat visiting Real Sociedad 3-0 on Tuesday, while third-placed Real Madrid are again 12 points off the pace after a 3-1 win at Levante on Wednesday.

Barca were helped by the fact that Rayo lost defender Diego Llorente to a red card three minutes before halftime for a foul on Rakitic before Manuel Iturra was also sent off in the 67th for bringing down Sergio Busquets in the area.

Busquets was felled from behind going for the rebound after a Messi free kick came back off the bar but Luis Suarez's penalty was saved by Juan Carlos,

Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal. (REUTERS)

Barcelona's ninth miss from 18 penalties in all competitions this season.

"It's a strange situation (missing penalties)," the Catalan side's midfield general Andres Iniesta said.

"We mustn't let it bother us while everything is working as well as it is. "The reasons are many (to explain) why the team continues in this positive dynamic (but) the league isn't over, there are lots of points still to take," he was quoted as saying on the As website (www.as.com).

Rakitic scored in the 22nd minute by tapping the ball home when it fell to him after Juan Carlos spilt a

high cross.

Messi finished off a fine one-two with Neymar a minute later for his first goal and Llorente was shown the red card three minutes before halftime for a foul on Rakitic.

Messi scored his second in the 53rd after a shot by Suarez came back off the post and completed his hat-trick in the 72nd after darting through the defence from midfield. Rayo got a consolation in the 57th through Manucho's header after Bebe, at the far post, nodded a cross from the right into the middle as the two exManchester United players combined.

Agape School Kiphire conducts sports week Jitu wins gold at shooting World Cup

Silver Cup T-20 Cricket tournament

sport events is to push the shorter form of the game.

That Twenty20 has the potential to break new ground was evident in November when "All-Stars" games featuring retired greats such as Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar drew an aggregate crowd of 83,900 to three matches in the United States.

The ICC, who have had little success selling the game in the land of baseball, lauded the All-Stars series, convinced it would "help cricket to reach its significant potential in the

United States".

The format has long proved a smash hit in cricket's traditional heartlands, spawning franchise-based leagues across the cricketing globe. India were the last major team to embrace the format but went on to win the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007.

They top the current rankings and recent series wins over Australia and Sri Lanka suggest they have sorted out their death bowling issues and are a good bet for a second crown.

Students of Agape School, Kiphire participating in the sports week.

Our Correspondent

day at the school campus which starts on Monday.

Unfurling the school The 9th edition of the Agape flag at the inaugural proschool Kiphire annual gram the school adminissports week concluded to- trator asked the students Kiphire | March 4

to be physically and mentally fit to compete in this competitive world and also asked the students to take part in sports positively.

Advising the students,

SAMMY'S CHALLENGE Darren Sammy will attempt to bring a second title to West Indies but the ever-smiling all-rounder will have to inspire a team who just weeks ago were planning to boycott the tournament over a contractual dispute.

The 2012 champions averted the crisis but Sammy is likely to miss spinner Sunil Narine's guile and all-rounder Kieron Pollard's power-hitting down the order.

Sri Lanka will be defending Champions in In-

the administrator also said, no matter the type of games and sports one plays the format and the rules are same and added, one has to learn from very young age so that learning becomes a resource for an individual and also for the society.

Sharing on the importance of sports in the present context the administrator said, there are lots of opportunity where one can find a livelihood in sports and games and asked the students to take up seriously.

Sarah, School chaplain blessed the program while Kakheto, the chief field marshal administered the oath.

Akel and Litsazi, the school captain and vice captain led the program, while various sports and traditional games were also played.

bANgKOK, MARCH 4 (IANS): India's Jitu Rai beat a strong field to win gold in the men's 50m pistol event shooting World Cup here on Friday.

Jitu scored 191.3 points in the final round. Former World and Olympic champion Pang Wei of China took second place with 186.5. Olympic medallist Wang Zhiwei, also of China, finished third with a final round score of 165.8.

India's Prakash Nanjappa shot 549 in the qualification round to be placed 17th.

Jitu reached the final by finishing third at the end of the 60 shot qualifying series with a score of 562. Wei led the field of eight top qualifiers with a score of 564, while Wang followed him in second place with 563.

Former World Champion Tomoyuki Matsuda of Japan was also expected to be a threat in the final given his recent form in the Asian Shooting qualifiers in Delhi.

Jitu did not start as strongly as he would have wanted to in the final. However, the Indian army shooter maintained a top three position throughout.

Wei, who was also having a strong con-

sistent show, finally conceded the lead to Jitu after below par shots in his 13th and 14th attempts. The following two shots also saw a similar pattern for Pang and from then on, it was Jitu all the way as both Chinese challengers had a tame end to the 20-shot final.

Tomoyuki Matsuda was eliminated in fifth place after briefly lying in the top three. Saturday will see the finals of the men's 50m Prone and 10m Air Pistol events. Jitu will aim to increase his medal tally in the pistol event while Gagan Narang and Chain Singh will lead India's charge in the rifle event.

Australians oppose plan to make F1 Grand prix a night race

MELbOURNE, MARCH 4 (IANS): The people of Victoria, the home state of the Australian Grand Prix, have opposed the idea of trying a night race for the annual Formula One (F1) season opener, due to be held on March 20 here.

In a national survey commissioned by the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, around one-third (30 percent) of those polled were against the plan to run the F1 Grand Prix at Mel-

bourne's Albert Park circuit under lights, reports Xinhua.

But there was some support for the idea, with a touch more than one-fifth (21 percent) of respondents in favour of giving the concept a chance.

International leaders of the sport, including F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, have been pushing the idea for several years, looking to shift the start time of the race back several hours to make it more viewer friend-

ly for overseas fans. But on the basis of the new figures, Australian Grand Prix chairman John Harnden said the organisers will stick by Albert Park's traditional day format. "There is always debate about a night race but we're not going to have a night race," Harnden told News Corp in comments published on Friday.

Last year, out-going Australian Grand Prix chairman Ron Walker outlined the body's main issues with changing to a night

setting.

"The (Australian) executives wouldn't come because it's too late, the kids wouldn't come, you would have to illuminate the whole park at a cost of 70 million Australian dollars ($51.5 million)," he said.

"Our TV audience would go up but the legacy would be diminished so we're not going to do that." Australian F1 star Daniel Ricciardo has been totally behind the concept, with

the three-time Grand Prix winner revealing he preferred night races and thought it may lead to an improved atmosphere at his home circuit.

Mirroring Ricciardo's attitude, the survey showed other states were more open to the night-time feature race.

Overall, less than a quarter of the 1247 people surveyed were against the night race, while the regions of South Australia and the Northern Territory were

mostly for the idea (29 percent for, 21 percent against, 50 percent unsure).

Last year, the Victorian government fended off renewed interest from New South Wales to poach the race, signing a new contract to keep the Grand Prix in Melbourne until at least 2023 for an undisclosed fee.

F1 drivers and teams will descend on Melbourne in two weeks time to kick-off their 2016 campaign.

KOHIMA, MARCH 4 (MExN): The forms for the 7th edition of Silver Cup T-20 Cricket Tournament on the theme “Peace and Unity through Cricket” organised by Nepali Baptist Church Youth Department is available at Sports World Kohima. The tournament will commence from March 16 at Jakhama Local Ground. The entry fee for teams and clubs is Rs. 5,000 while church or college can join for Rs. 4,000 each. The last date for submission of forms is March 11, 2016. Interested teams have been requested to contact any of the following numbers of the organising committee for further details and participation in the tournament: 97740396 46,8974984619.9615941696 ,9774294729 & 9774416162.

The champions will receive cash award of Rs 70,000 with glittering trophy and citation while runners-up will be awarded with Rs. 25,000 with glittering trophy and citation. The losing semi-finalist will receive Rs. 5,000 each while individual awards amounting to Rs 1500 each have been set aside for the highest scorer, highest wicket taker and best wicket keeper. The best disciplined team would also receive cash award of Rs 2000.

public discourse

N

agas are shocked to learn that the Vice President of the Congress party of India Mr. Rahul Gandhi could not still fathom the seriousness of Indo-Naga political conflict which has been dragging on for more than 7 decades. The manner in which he expresses his position to the long pending political issue between India and Nagalim is but sadly deplorable. NSCN would like to respond Rahul Gandhi unhealthy jibe to the 3rd August, Framework Agreement (3AFA) signed between the Government of India and the NSCN representing Naga people with a brief recap so that he will be more informed of the peace process.

Nagas have been quietly observing Rahul Gandhi who has been rigorously campaigning against 3AFA wherever he goes by undermining the undefeatable sentiment attached to the long pending political issue. However the latest avoidable remark made in the Lok Sabha on 2nd March 2016 does not augur well with the Nagas and henceforth necessitate responding.

NSCN (IM) responds to Rahul Gandhi Mr. Rahul Gandhi is much expected to know that the ongoing Indo-Naga Talks started during the Congress rule government under Narasimha Rao Prime Ministership.

It was your Prime Minister who came all the way to Paris to meet the Collective Leadership Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah seeking peaceful terms of negotiation and thus NSCN responded positively. Hence started the Cease Fire followed by political negotiation between the two parties.

Late Narasimha Rao is therefore revered and Naga people will continue to remember him as a person who tried to understand Naga political problem in his best way.

Rahul Gandhi should know that major period of the 18 years long political talks between Nagas represented by NSCN and government of India was under congress led govt. His great grandfather Nehru, Grandmother In-

dira Gandhi, his father Rajiv Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi were all part of the Indo- Naga conflict in search for a political solution. How can he feign ignorance? Six consecutive prime Ministers of India have committed on resolving indo-Naga conflict through peaceful means.

Having the political pedigree with his grand mother and father lost to conflict situations, he is expected to work all out for peace. But it is strange how he is opposed to peaceful resolutions as in 3AFA. The Framework Agreement is a political document with a set of mutually agreed principles which will act as a guide book in finding the final solution between India and Naga people. His self created terminology like Naga Accord is nonexistent and misleading.

If Rahul Gandhi has a conscience he would have respected the Framework Agreement as this is the only

workable process to a final settlement that has caused a loss of more than two hundred fifty thousand innocent Naga lives as well as Indian soldier and that it has also immensely dented the image of India in the international forum for its human rights violation, political suppression by employing bloody method to the Naga people movements for self determination.

Naga political issue and movements for self determination is the strongest and longest sustaining movement in South-East Asia. Realising the futility of waging war against each other and for securing a peaceful solution, Cease Fire between NSCN and Government of India was signed in 1997. Under such serious and sensitive situation a man in his stature is expected to understand the basic nature of the case and not resort to childish mockery and amusement to the most serious conflict which is

sacred to both the negotiating party.

How can he fail to notice the presence of Indian officials besides Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of India, the Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Army Chief General. Dalbir Singh, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, RN. Ravi also the Chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) among others witnesses the historic signing of the 3rd August Framework Agreement in 2015 at Delhi.

NSCN and the Naga people strongly condemn and opposed his colonial mindset of bully and denial to the long standing Indo-Naga political issue. Nagas will rather admire young leader of the Indian National Congress party like Rahul Gandhi to reinvent himself towards progressive and accommodative personality.

Trying to resolve the Naga issue through the interest of the neighbouring communities who shared the same

sorry state of colonial space by overlooking the real victim will be a travesty of justice and Nagas will oppose it tooth and nail. Our conflict can only be resolved by genuinely accepting and recognising the historical facts and political rights of the Nagas in the spirit of mutual respect and partnership.

We request Rahul Gandhi to leave aside electoral politics and not take sides with the congress ruling two states of Manipur and Assam but show statesmanship as an upcoming leader of India.

NSCN reiterate our firm commitment to the 3AFA signed between the Governments of India under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and competent interlocutor RN. Ravi.

We request and appeal all the leaders in India, irrespective of party affiliation to contribute positively and support the ongoing Peace talk so that peace and prosperity will dawn to the Naga people.

Kuknalim.

MIP, NSCN/GPRN

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.

Saturday 05•03•2016

EntErtainmEnt

Korean food with a Mission Morung express news

akangchila longchar

I

t’s no news by now that everything Korean sells big in Nagaland. Judging by the number of Instagram photos taken at Korean Uncle’s Café and the busy crowd even on weekdays, the Korean craze is definitely here to stay.

Korean Uncle’s Café or KUC located at 5th mile, NH-29, Dimapur is an unpretentious eatery serving classic Korean dishes. There are many popular Korean dishes priced competitively, which are not only good to eat but healthy too.

Before you even enter the café, there is a waffle counter on the side where the popular Korean street food “waffles” are served with a big dollop of cream!

You could choose to have one on the go or order to compliment your coffee or green tea.

And if you are expecting only star struck Korean drama fans to show up at this café, you are wrong.

Russian bikers on transit to Myanmar, foodies not only from Dimapur, but all the way from Kohima, Mokokchung and even Tuensang were seen gorging on bowls of Korean noodles and rice rolls.

Besides the wonderful food being served at this café, customers remark that the people working at KUC are welcoming and helpful. There is a special reason behind it! What most people don’t know is that besides the regular staff, KUC staff is mostly student volunteers from the Mission International (MI) India located at 6th Mile, Dimapur.

Andrew Park from Korea is the man behind this

Park Andrew remarkable and charming Café. An excellent cook, especially in Korean seafood, Andrew has in the past trained several cooks at the MI India, Dimapur Canteen. With the rising popularity and demand for Korean food at the institute, he decided to set up a stall at the popular Nite Bazaar during the Hornbill Festival which was received successfully. Encouraged, he also set up stalls at the Di-

Indian film archivist P.K. Nair dead

I

ndia's pioneering film archivist and film scholar P.K. Nair, the founder and former director of the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), passed away here on Friday morning following prolonged illness, said filmmaker and film archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.

He was 82. Nair, who was in critical condition since the last 10 days, passed away at 11 a.m. at a hospital here due

to cardiac arrest, Dungarpur told IANS. "Tomorrow (Saturday) his body will be kept from 8 a.m. in the morning at NFAI and the cremation will take place after that," Dungarpur, also the founder director of Film Heritage Foundation, added. Dungarpur directed a documentary film "Celluloid Man" in 2012, which explored the life and work of Nair.

Source: IANS

mapur Nite Carnival which was met with equal enthusiasm from the Dimapur crowd.

With many people expressing love for his food, Andrew was finally convinced in his food endeavour and decided to launch KUC. He says with pride that many people who are familiar with Korean cuisine or who have visited Korea have tried the food and said that the food standard

is what one would get in Korea and even much better.

Andrew reveals that so far, even on a slow day KUC receives around 100 customers and on weekends it goes up to 350! He also reveals that the best selling items are Bulgogi (stir-fried bulgogi pork in a soy sauce marinade served with rice), Tonkatus (pork cutlets with rice), Bibimpap (Rice mixed with vegetables and seaweed soup).

He especially recommends Jokbal (dish consisting of pig’s trotters) which is another delicacy in Korea, and available only on preorder basis. The menu here is limited but amazing. Andrew also shared that KUC menu was fashioned according to café food- easy and tasty food. He has more plans to launch a restaurant solely themed on classic Korean cuisine.

Emma, who is current-

ly helping Andrew manage KUC is also a volunteer. She says that all the students at MI India lovingly call Andrew ‘Samchon’ which in Korean means Uncle.

She attests to the fact that Andrew has trained and helped a lot of young students gain employment.

She also slips in the little fact, which Andrew forgot to share. That the profits of KUC go towards the welfare of the students of MI India.

Celine Dion slashes $30 million off lavish estate

C

eline Dion is consolidating her assets now her husband and manager Rene Angelil has passed. The superstar singer has just dropped the asking price on her lavish Florida estate, that's been on the market since 2013 with no takers. The resort-like home is now for sale for $45.5 million, which is $30 million less than the original listing price she sought three years ago, according to TMZ.com. Celine decided to sell the 5.5 acre estate on Jupiter Island shortly after Rene was diagnosed with cancer.

Originally listed at $75.5 million in Sep-

tember 2013, she dropped the price by $10 million the following April. Now she's dropped it again and with such a steep drop in the price, it's clear that the 47-year-old wants to offload the property as quickly as possible. The Jupiter Island estate boasts three swimming pools, along with a water park and lazy river, and a tennis court. The 10,000 square-feet main house has five bedrooms with five en-suite bathrooms, a formal living room with vaulted ceilings, a media room, an elevator and two kitchens. There are also two four-bedroom guest homes and a

pool house. The website says Celine will live full-time in Las Vegas where she has a residency at Caesar's Palace and where she plans to raise her three sons with Rene: Rene-Charles, 15, and five-year-old twins Eddy and Nelson, . It's also where she devotedly cared for her ailing husband during his long battle with cancer, to which he finally succumbed in January. The Canadian performer made an emotional return to the stage on February 23 as she resumed her concerts following a mourning period.

Also, for sale at KUC are Korean goods like clothes, accessories and footwear.

But the highlight is the Korean make up and skincare products, which is the current rage all over the world.

From face packs, to lip tints and serums, take your pick!

Perhaps, you would love to come and visit Korean Uncle’s Café and see for yourself? KUC is open from 9 am to 7 pm and remains closed on Sundays.

Hillstar NOW SHOWING

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

Source: MailOnline

Bobbi Kristina Brown’s autopsy report to be unsealed

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C M Y K

L A Golden Opportunity

ate singer Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown’s autopsy report will be unsealed eight months after her tragic death. She passed away last July after months of being in a coma.

Her death came almost six months after her partner Nick Gordon found her unconscious in her bathtub at their US home in Roswell, Georgia, back in January. While a Georgia judge granted a motion to unseal the report on Thursday, the Fulton Country medical examiner’s office released a statement saying they had not yet received authorization to release the information to the public, reports mirror.co.uk. "We've not received a signed authorization from the court indicating whether we can release information and, if so, what type of information can be released. If we do receive

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authorization later today, we do not plan to release information until tomorrow, March 4, 2016, at the earliest.”

Meanwhile, the Fulton County DA’s office said it would not appeal despite still wanting to keep the autopsy report - which was originally sealed by prosecutors because of the ongoing criminal investigation out of the public domain. In a statement, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard Jr. said: "It is our feeling that those valid reasons still exist; however, as citizens and officers of the court we must, nevertheless, follow the orders and instructions of the court. "We would hope that news agencies and the media receiving the report would do so with the discretion and dignity a family who has lost a loved one deserves. Our investigation into the death of Bobbi Kristina Brown will

continue." Last August, the conservator of Bobbi Kristina Brown's estate filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing her boyfriend, Nick Gordon, of causing the death. A spokesman for Gordon called the lawsuit "slanderous and meritless".

Bobbi Kristina's death came three years after her Grammy award-winning mother drowned in a bathtub in a Beverly Hills hotel. Cocaine abuse and heart disease contributed to Houston's death in 2012 at age 48, authorities said.

Source: IANS

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

05:00 PM

12

SaturDaY 05•03•2016

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Asia Cup 2016

Sri Lanka cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan plays a shot during the Asia Cup T20 cricket tournament match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on March 4 . (AFP PHOTO)

C M Y K

NEw DElHI, MARCH 4 (AgENCIEs): Pakistan finally broke the shackles with the bat and emerged victorious against Sri Lanka in the ongoing Asia Cup Twenty20 on Friday, being held at Shere Bangla National Stadium Mirpur, Dhaka. Important innings from Sharjeel Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Akmal helped Pakistan chase down the Sri Lankan target pretty convincingly in the end.

They won the game by six wickets.

Sri Lanka, who were put into bat by Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi, managed to score 150 runs from 20 overs.

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Chandimal rode for the island nation, with knocks of 75* and 58 runs respectively.

Dilshan showed flashes of his former self and hit a timely knock as he and Chandimal dictated the proceedings at ease. The Lankans, who were cruising at 110/0 off 14 overs, lost their way from there on after managing to score just 40 runs from last six overs. Wahab Riaz got the crucial wicket of Chandimal and from there on the Pakistan side made inroads to pick timely wickets and dent the Lankan progression.

Mohammad Irfan was the pick of the bowlers with 2/18 of his four overs. Although the Pakistani pacer was guilty of dropping two easy catches in the match including that of Dilshan. Pakistan looked like the second best side for most of the Sri Lankan innings, but the way they came back should be lauded to restrict their opponents for 150 runs.

Interestingly the pitch on Friday looked to assist the batsmen which hadn't been the case so far up till Friday.

In the chase, Pakistan got off to a promising start and notched up 50 runs in the powerplay overs. Despite losing Mohammad Hafeez for 14 runs, Sharjeel Khan and Sarfaraz Ahmed made sure they made the use of the conditions wisely and were positive. Both played a breezy innings which included 11 fours and a six between them.

Pakistan were 94/3 after 13 overs and Umar Akmal alongside Shoaib Malik got into the act and guided the team to victory. Akmal, who hit a stunning six to level scores in the 19th over, was caught out in the deep with a splendid catch by Thisara Perera after going for a big shot again.

Akmal scored a well made 48 runs to ensure Pakistan got through the line. Shaoib Malik hit the winning runs and there were smiles all over for Pakistan who were definitely the better side on the day.

davp 06302/13/0013/1516

Pak trump Sri Lanka to finish third despite Dilshan heroics

25th NWA wrestling meet from March 10

KOHIMA, MARCH 4 (MExN): The 25th Tournament Anniversary of the Naga Style Wrestling & 11th Senior & 3rd Sub-Junior Free Style wrestling of the Nagaland Wrestling Association (NWA) is schedule to be held at Kohima Local Ground from 10th to 11th March 2016.

Nagaland Chief Minister & President, Nagaland Olympic Association (NAO) TR. Zeliang will grace the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest while Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Resources & Sports, State Lotteries and MTF, Khriehu Liezietsu will grace the closing ceremony as the guest of honour.

The champion of the tournament will walk away with a cash prize of Rs 5,00,000 and also decorated with Late Velahu Puro Memorial trophy along with cash award of Rs 30,000. The second position holder will pocket a sum of 3,00,000, the third position holder will be awarded Rs 2,00,000 and the fourth position holder will receive Rs 1,00,000. The group champion will be awarded Rs 25,000.

The pre-quarter finalists and quarter finalists will also awarded a sum of 10,000/- each and 15,000/- each respectively.

The senior free style wrestling champion (both male & female including all categories) will get a cash prize of Rs 15,000 while runner up will fetch a sum of Rs 8,000. The junior wrestlers champion will walk home richer with a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and the runner up will also fetch a sum of Rs 5,000.

A clinic will also be held for referees and judges on March 9 at 1:00PM at Kohima Local ground, with assigned officials failing to turn up for the same will be exempted from the tournament.

A combined meeting of all the tournament officials will be held at the ground on March 9 at 3:00PM and subsequently weight measurement for the free style wrestlers of all the categories will be held on the same day at 2:00PM onwards.

Meanwhile a sum of Rs 10,000 will be realized from each constituent unit as an entry fee while a sum of Rs 2,000 will be realized as an annual membership fee.

For Sub-Junior category, age must be supported by Birth Certificate issued by the competent authority. In case of any dispute arising out of the Naga style wrestling, videography review can be done by paying an amount equivalent to the entry fee of the tournament. The Jury Board review result will be final and binding.

Altogether sixty (60) Naga style wrestlers 20 each from the three constituent units will vie for the coveted title.

The tournament will be organized and hosted by the Nagaland Wrestling Association (NWA while the ground management will be managed by the Chakhesang Baptist Church Ministers’ Hill, Kohima.

The NWA has conveyed special Invitation to all the NWA former champions and also the state level Naga style wrestling champions to be part of the program.

Published, Printed and Edited by Dr. Aküm Longchari from House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur at Themba Printers and Morung Publications , Padum Pukhuri Village, Dimapur, Nagaland.

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