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Dimapur VOL. X ISSUE 145
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Friday, May 29, 2015 12 Pages Rs. 4
Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent —Victor Hugo
Indians scramble for heat relief, but many still must work [ PAGE 8]
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
Dimapur | May 28
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[ PAGE 2]
Pressure mounts on Blatter as FIFA scandal widens [ PAGE 12]
nagaland is highest HiV prevalence state Morung Express News
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World No Tobacco Day 2015 — May 31
lower than in 2003 when Nagaland’s general HIV prevalence stood at 1.69. As per the record, the HIV rate fell to 0.66 in 2010-11, but this could not be sustained, with figures rising ever since, and the future trajectory unknown.
to ART centres to buy OI medicines for distribution. As per a new system for the past year, the NSACS is supposed to distribute medicines directly to the centres. “Medicine supplies have not come in a year. Patients are buying their own medicines for OIs,” informs an ART doctor. Another doctor reiterates that OIs are “unlimited” and no amount of medicines would technically suffice. But by not sending anything, “you can imagine the roadblock.” In HIV cases, treatment at the right time is necessary. Many of those who cannot afford medicines meet a dead end.
This infringes upon the right of a child, and a whole new generation, to care and a healthy life.
Nagaland State has become the highest HIV Time bomb Prevalence State in the InWith the delay and dian Union, with a general slash in funds, alongside population prevalence rate lack of medicines and an of 0.88. In other words, one array of other variables, out of an estimated 113 perHIV in Nagaland has besons in Nagaland is living Why high prevalence come “a ticking time Despite this worrying with HIV. bomb,” says HIV specialist Human Immunodefi- trend, the Government of and Senior Medical Officiency Virus (HIV) affects India has slashed funds Times sure have changed... cer at YRG Centre for AIDS to the HIV/AIDS program only human beings, weakWe Nagas now spend half of Research and Education, our waking hours attending ening the immune system by nearly 22 percent this ‘functions’. Dr. Tokugha Yepthomi. He by destroying important year, as reported by Caradoubts if the government cells that fight disease and van magazine in its April is providing the desired infection. When the body issue (the NDA governcounselling to PLHIV. On can’t fight infections and ment slashed allocations the other hand, voluntary diseases anymore, HIV to NACO from Rs. 1,785 testing is still rare. infection can lead to Ac- crore to Rs. 1,397 crore). Is the HIV/AIDS program in Nagaland corroding like this NSACS board? “There are no awarequired Immune Deficiency In addition, Scroll.in reness campaigns anymore, ported in May that HIV in keep the program running der control. Of late, the (from 2010-2015), 8333 Children Syndrome (AIDS). Dimapur, may 28 Between 2010 and 2015, so people think the threat is According to the Na- Mizoram has borne the because they understand Anti-Retroviral Treatment cases of opportunistic in(mExN): There appears tional AIDS Control Organ- brunt of a change in cen- that delay could kill. (ART) centre has been reg- fections (OIs) were report- noted NSACS, there were not there anymore,” highto be no let up in the “Since 2010, this DAP- istering upto, or even more ed in 2014-15 (HIV destroys 734 HIV positive live deliv- lights Imnasenla, junior restand-off between As- isation (NACO), HIV/AIDS tre-state funding pattern. CU gets Rs. 28,000 per than, 100 new HIV patients the immune system of the eries (babies born) in Naga- search fellow at the School This might also be the case prevalence among the gensam and Nagaland over Akochisa Pok, located eral population in Nagaland in Nagaland. Since 2014, month to fund our travel per month. Yet, it has been body that can quickly lead land. It is unclear if the new of Journalism and Menear Yajang ‘C’ in Mo- State stood at 0.88 as against the central government and field visits to raise running without funds to infection of any kind), borns were administered dia Studies, IGNOU, New Prevention of Parent to Delhi. She has long been kokchung district along the all-India average of 0.35 stopped sending funds for awareness or distribute since April 2015 and doc- stated NSACS data. According to one HIV Child Treatment (PPTCT— working on HIV/AIDS in the inter-state bound- (calculated from ANC at- HIV/AIDS directly to Naga- condoms, for stationery, tors have to shell out from ary. Sources from Yajang tendees). Previously the land State AIDS Control So- communication, contin- their own pockets to keep patient in Dimapur, many a medicine called Nevirap- Nagaland. Reiterating the said that Assam Police highest prevalence state, ciety (NSACS). The money gency etc.,” says an offi- it functioning. of them have “not received ine is administered at birth analogy of a “ticking time are preventing villag- Manipur stood at 0.64. This is now routed through the cial at a high prevalence With bottled funding a single tablet” for their OIs. which reduces the risk of bomb,” Imnasenla says ers from cultivating the was stated in NACO’s latest State treasury, or the fi- DAPCU. With delayed re- comes bottled up aware- OI medicines for PLHIVs are transmission from moth- Nagaland is a place where land despite the Jorhat HIV Sentinel Surveillance nance department. lease of payments, some ness programs in a field supposed to be distributed er to baby from 40% to less the fear of violence stops and Mokokchung dis- report, 2012-13. women from receiving “For the past one year, of these crucial activities where HIV is severely af- free by the government. than 4%). trict administration muAn ART doctor in Na- treatment or disclose their “While there been a there have been enormous skip timing. “I borrowed fected by stigma. By risking Those who contract Tubertually agreeing to allow long term significant de- problems,” reveals an HIV/ from my father to keep up delay to the HIV program, culosis get free treatment. galand reported that due status. villagers to do so. While But ART doctors have to the shortage, or total While the cycle of “sithere is documentary cline in all traditionally AIDS specialist and NSACS our activities,” the official the government is calling informs, adding that while for a depleting future. something more worrying lack, of Nevirapine at a high lently infecting” others staffer. Funds for basic runhigh prevalence states, Naevidence of Yajang ‘C’ to report. The patients, ac- prevalence site, as well as continues, four parties villagers having culti- galand and Mizoram have ning of even the District much funding goes to “tarcording to one, had been the market, the doctor has need to wake up before a vated the land till 1995, shown a comparatively AIDS Prevention and Con- geted intervention” NGOs PLHIV People Living with HIV receiving OI medicines been “crushing ART tab- population is engulfed by sources however in- high overall prevalence at a trol Units (DAPCU) come for vulnerable groups, it formed that Assam Po- state level on a year to year in at least three months too is the general population (PLHIV), no doubt, suf- from the government till lets” to make a relevant a rising epidemic: the Govlice on the ground refute basis (2010-11 and 2012- late. Staff in some of these in Nagaland that is at a fer. For instance, among last year. This is because, it dose! The whole purpose ernment of India, NACO, this. On May 28, ‘Black 13),” stated the NACO in offices are borrowing mon- high risk, and the spread the 2012 HIV patients reg- was explained, NSACS was of the PPTCT could be lost Government of Nagaland Cat’ commandos of the its analysis. It is, however, ey from their relatives to in this category is not un- istered for ART in Kohima providing funds directly through this procedure. and NSACS. Assam Police chased some villagers at Akochisa, who were clearing the land for jhum cultivation. While the villagers are being prevented from cultivating, Assam Police are gradu- ShilloNg, may 28 (iaNS): The tions calling for shutdowns and other Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): Finance Secretary of the ally gaining ground as Meghalaya High Court has banned the forms of agitations. with Dr. Imtiwati as the convener. they intrude deeper into media from publishing statements by “We direct that the statements of NSCN (K), Khekaho Rochill was arrested on May 28 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) with cooperaEarlier, the church had appointed traditional Yajang terri- organisations that call for shutdowns HNLC or any organisation, which may a ‘Study Team’ to look into the featory. A portion of Ako- or rallies in the state, resulting in dis- disturb the day-to-day public life and tion from the Assam Rifles. A press note from the NIA informed that the arrest sibility of opening a college. chisa, adjacent to Kaso- ruption of normal life. The order came cause violation of the fundamental Morung Express News The study team in its conjan Tea Estate, has been after Director General of Police Rajiv rights of citizens... shall not be issued by occurred in Dimapur at 1:00pm. According to the NIA, cept note submitted to the completely cordoned off Mehta requested the court to restrain any print and electronic media outlet,” Rochill was arrested “in connection with his alleged asMokokchung | May 28 church stated that “The need for over 3 weeks. Further, the media from carrying statements by the court directed. The bench said that sociation with the NSCN (K) and terror activities.” It was revealed that during investigation Rochill “emerged as The long felt need for a new col- to have another college in Mothe Assam Police are also preventing Nagaland the Hynniewtrep National Liberation violation of the court order would result one of the conspirators in providing financial support to lege in Mokokchung has finally kokchung has been felt for quite government officials Council (HNLC) and other organisa- in charges under the contempt of court. carry out terror activities in the country, including the been fulfilled. Jubilee Memorial some time. The present two libfrom entering the area, firing on Assam Rifles at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Ko- College, established under the eral (or secular) colleges ... has the sources said. So far hima on March 26, 2015.” The NIA recovered “incrimi- aegis of the Mokokchung Town reached saturation point in enAssam Police has intrudnating documents,” a laptop and mobile phones during Baptist Arogo in pursuance of rolment and it may not be possied around 400-500 methe arrest. its Platinum Jubilee resolution ble to expand its capacity more.” ters into Akochisa, the The accused was produced before the Ld Special NIA adopted in 2012, will formally The college envisions to be an sources said. Two Assam Court in Dimapur, which granted 10 days police remand to open on June 15. “influential agency in the field of Police camps have also Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): Na- Aayog needs to come out with posi- enable the NIA to proceed with further investigation. All necessary formalities education, focusing on inter-culbeen set up in the area – galand Chief Minister TR Zeliang on tive suggestions to see that the NE beMeanwhile, inputs from other sources however in- have been observed and com- tural, inter-disciplinary and inteone at Rangkham village Thursday said the decision of the CM’s come full partakers in the good days formed that the arrest occurred on May 26 in Zunheboto. pleted, with the latest being the grative teaching and learning that and the other towards panel to remove the special status of ahead under Prime Minister Modi. The sources stated that Rochill was arrested by the Assam receipt of the ‘letter of permis- offers every student a life-orientLirmen (an Ao village the North East States, along with the He also pointed out that infra- Rifles somewhere between Sataka and Aghunato. sion’ to open the college from the ing opportunity, embedded in neighbouring Yajang). financial benefits and concessions structural facilities in the NE are still Nagaland University on May 27, core moral values.” would come as a great disappoint- in bad shape, and pleaded for larger NSCN (K) notifies Dedicated to the developinformed Dr Imtiwati, convener Central investments in creating inframent for the people of Northeast. The NSCN (K) Chaplee Ministry has informed all “If the Central government is to structure in the NE, so that the “achhe HoDs, directorates, secretariats etc that the function of of the MTBA college committee. ment of informed, articulate, The pastor and the convener sensitive, responsible citizens, discontinue with Normal Central Plan din” promised by the Prime Minister Assistance (NCPA), then all Centrally would become a reality for the people its Finance Secretary, Khekaho Rochill “shall directly be while addressing a press confer- Jubilee Memorial College seeks Dimapur, may 28 Sponsored Schemes (CSS) should be of the NE region. administered by the finance ministry representatives to ence today at the college’s office to integrate moral values with (mExN): The Chief funded 100% by the centre in respect of Meanwhile, speaking for Naga- be appointed by the Chaplee Kilonser Starson.” chambers informed that admis- educational, social and profesElectoral Officer for Na- Nagaland and other NE states,” Zeliang land, Zeliang appealed that the speA press note from the MIP of the NSCN (K) informed galand, Sanjay Kumar stated while addressing the 3rd meet- cial category status of the state should the departments “not to entertain any officials during the sion forms are already being is- sional life and strives to foster today informed that ac- ing of the sub-group of Chief Ministers not be unilaterally abrogated by the absence of the finance secretary except through autho- sued and intake capacity for the personal, intellectual, spiritual current academic year would and social development. cording to the Election on Rationalism of CSS at Bhopal. centre at this juncture, when the Naga rised official of the ministry. Meantime, no such transApart from imparting syllabe only fifty seats, selected on Commission of India, actions or payments are to be made until further order.” The CM also felt that the NITI political issue is yet to be resolved. furnishing of Aadhaar bus-based education, the colmerit basis. number is not mandatoThe college as of now offers lege also aims to look “beyond ry; but only optional and degree course on Bachelor of exams” by offering a number of may be furnished volunArts with Honours in History, ‘Enrichment Courses’ so that tarily, as clarified by the Sociology, Economics and Po- the “disciplined students” after Supreme Court. No elecOur Correspondent pairing, renovating and setting non-functional,” Dr. Khala said. urged everyone to work within litical Science along with Envi- their degrees can go on to lead toral service will be deup new centers which are not re- During the inspection, poor re- one’s limitations. “We have to ronmental Science, Music and successful lives, according to Kohima | May 28 nied to any elector on the ally required....we need to reori- cord keeping was detected, he implement the schemes with the ground of non-furnishing The Nagaland state Veterinary ent ourselves into what we have added. Dr Khala stressed on the little resources we have,” Manen Enrichment Courses, and a the pastor. Meanwhile, it was informed of Aadhaar number. The & Animal Husbandry Depart- to do,” she said while addressing need to streamline record keep- added, and urged that resources Counseling Service. that a ‘site committee’ is on the There is a ten-member facECI further stated that ment is set to review the overall the officer’s conference of the ing, proper assessment of the ac- should not be wasted on areas ulty selected from 98 aspirants lookout for a suitable plot of land non-furnishing of Aad- status of farms in the state and department here. tual work done at the grassroots without productive potential. meeting all UGC norms. The “measuring at least 100 acres” to haar number will not be take necessary steps on non perAdditionalDirector,Dr.IPKha- level and effective veterinary Manen further informed college also has a qualified Li- be the college’s permanent cama ground for rejection forming farms. la also informed that the depart- service to farmers. that the department has identiof application for new ment had carried out a state wide The Commissioner and Sec- fied 5 districts to start dairy de- brarian, Music Teacher and pus. The college is temporarCommissioner and Secretary enrolment/objection for Veterinary & Animal Hus- inspection of 231 veterinary insti- retary meanwhile urged that ani- velopment programmes under trained Counselor. The college ily being housed at the church’s against an application for bandry, LH Thangi Manen today tutes in all 11 districts, manned by mal ethics need to be taken into the Ministry of Agriculture. She further houses a well-equipped UCF building located at Salangnew enrolment. Similar- informed that it is considering 1239 staff. It was revealed that 160 account, and called upon veteri- asked veterinarians to identify computer lab and offers wi-fi tem Ward. It was also disclosed ly, non-furnishing of Aad- shutting down non performing institutes were functional, 50 non- narians to advice people towards prospective dairy farmers for connectivity. that the college in the future aims haar number will not be establishments, while concen- functional, 9 partially functional concentrating on rearing animals successful implementation of Basing on the Platinum Jubi- to offer degree courses in all maa ground for deletion of trating more on ones doing well. and 3 were nonexistent. undersuitableclimaticconditions. this scheme. Sensitization pro- lee resolution for establishing a jor streams. The college also name of an existing elec“We have 40 farms out of Citing a resource crunch grammes for this will start by college, an 8-member commit- plans to become a “fully residen“Every year we keep on intor from Electoral roll. vesting money on building, re- which 3 are non-existent and 7 in the department, she further next month. tee was set up for the purpose tial college.”
Assam Police intrusion into Akochisa continues
Meghalaya HC bans media from publishing niA arrests nscn (K) statements that call for shutdowns & rallies finance secretary
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towards holistic and quality education
Mokokchung finally gets a new college
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Zeliang for continuation of special status of NE states
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ECI clarifies on Aadhaar
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Vet&AH dept considers shutting down non performing farms
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Dimapur
Friday
LocaL
29 May 2015
The Morung Express C
Vety & AH Officers’ conference in Kohima held
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Dept need proper planning mechanism Our Correspondent Kohima | May 28
Nagaland’s Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, additional director Dr. IP Khala while stating that most of the staffs prefer posting at Kohima and Dimapur, said that transfer and posting policy needs to be incorporated in the service rules of both para-vets and officers. Stating that National Animal Disease Reporting System (NADRS) under CSS “is a very innovative scheme,” Dr. Khala, however regretted that its services have not been carried out in all centre. In his keynote address during the inaugural function of Parliamentary secretary for veterinary & animal husbandry S. Chuba Longkumer and others during the officers’ conference of veterinary & animal the officers’ conference of Vethusbandry department cum Rapid Response Team Training on Avian Influenza at Capital Convention Centre, Kohima on May 28. (Morung Photo) erinary & Animal Husbandry Our Correspondent Kohima | May 28
Parliamentary Secretary for Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, S. Chuba Longkumer today said that the first and foremost challenge of the Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Department is to bring awareness and educate the people of Nagaland to utilize the facilities provided by the veterinarians. Some of which are vaccination of pets, proper treatment for animal husbandry, guidance for animal farming as well as proper
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disposal of waste for organic farming. “Veterinarians should conscientise the people to treat the animals humanely and should be available both in the private and government sectors,” Longkumer said while addressing the officers’ conference of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Department cum Rapid Response Team Training on Avian Influenza here at the Capital Convention Centre. He also stated that by taking care of the domestic animals, veterinarians are also
taking care of humans well being too, such as controlling the outbreak of bird flu, swine flu and many other animal related diseases. “Veterinarians also plays a major role in the field of ‘ecosystem health’ by measuring how changes in environment factors affects animal health thereby providing early warnings and prevent many diseases which would possibly affect human inhabitants. The parliamentary secretary said the department plays a significant role as vet-
erinarians specialist checks the food production where it is safe to consume, by checking the meat processing facilities, transportation and production lines to prevent contamination and test livestock for dangerous diseases. Longkumer said veterinarians are in high demand as well as highly rewarding. He said in 2008 the US bureau of labour statistics was of the opinion that 22,000 veterinarians and 29,000 veterinary technicians will be needed by 2016. “This is preciously the rea-
A section of the gathering attending the 45th Tenyidie Annual Seminar-cum-Platinum Jubilee Postlude Celebration of the Ura Academy which began on May 28. (Morung Photo) M Y K
Ura Academy Platinum Jubilee Postlude Celebration underway Morung Express News Kohima | May 28
“Whose culture are we living today?” questioned Sovenyi Nyekha, President, Chakhesang Public Organisation during the 45th Tenyidie Annual Seminar-cum-Platinum Jubilee Postlude Celebration of the Ura Academy which began on May 28 and continue till May 29. Stressing on the modern and foreign cultures invading in the Naga society, Nyekha stated that the idea of culture has become very complex and that Nagas are living in a time of cultural crossroad.
Culture being the basis of one’s identity, Nyekha held the view that while embracing the culture of others, “we should not forget who we are.” Although adopting foreign culture is crucial to overcome the limitations of one’s own culture, Nyekha stressed on the need to understand and value one’s own culture. “We have imitated other’s culture so much, it is time we give back our culture to others.” stated Nyekha who further asked if Nagas have made the effort to study their own justice system, unique traditions while learning and glorifying the culture and history of others. Looking back at the history of the formation of Ura Academy, Nyekha lauded the achievements of the visionary Tenyimi leaders and especially for the development of the Tenyimia
literature. Further revisiting the values and traditions of Nagas, Nyekha opined that Nagas have all the right values to turn their culture into a civilization. However, he also held the view that the invasion of other cutlrues has led to the deterioration of the Nagas. “Our ancestors never compromised on honesty and integrity,” viewed Nyekha. Since the world live in a time where one cannot stop the invasion of other cultures, there is a need to discern and gather wisdom to preserve and protect one’s culture. And to do so, the study, research and analysis of one’s our culture, pursue education to strengthening one’s character and to truly understand one’s faith are very important. Kiyaneilie Peseyie who graced the occasion as the chief guest lauded that
the Ura Academy for its achievements and noted that the Academy has come this far because of the unity of the leaders. Stressing on the importance of sustaining a society and any organization, Peseyie stated that respect and courtesy are crucial elements and urged that Nagas emerge as a respected people. Kiyaneilie Peseyie as the chief guest graced the inaugural session. Chaired by Dao Paphino, the session began with a prayer invoked by Dr. Atsi Dolie and welcome note by Vitshulieü Sekhose. Special numbers were presented y the Jubilee Choir and Dziesekhrienuo Keretsü. During the event, the Neilhouzhü Kire award 2015 was given to Dziesephrenuo Thur, Christ King Higher Secondary School, Kohima for the best performance in Tenyidie in HSLC. The Rüzhükhrie Sekhose Award 2015 was conferred to Rovikhono of Greenwood Higher Secondary School, Dimapur for securing the highest mark in Tenyidie in HSSLC and the A. Kevichüsa Award 2013 was awarded to Kevichalie Neikha for securing the highest mark in BA (Tenyidie Honors). Levi Rengma also released seven books namely: 1. The Major Festivals of Tenyimia by Pudenü Thaprü 2. Development of Konyak Language and Literature by Vesavolü Rhakho 3. Ancestral Culture of the Angamis by Vizomenuo Merlyn Yhome 4. Language and Literature of the Kyong Naga by Nyüngoi Nyekha 5. A Critical Study of Tenyimia Fiction by Seyiechütuo 6. Phonological study of Gariphema and Tuophema Dialect by Vikuosa Pielie 7. Traditional Agriculture of Tenyimia by Khrüvolü Keyho
WORld NO TOBACCO dAY 2015 — MAY 31
Combating Illegal Tobacco Trade
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measures to move ahead in many respects. Some of the suggested measures include: to provide maximum animal health care to the public; save maximum fund resources for channelizing for services to the farmers; save time and energy for services rather than trying to solve avoidable issues of land encroachment, land owners and repairs and renovation of institute by spending huge amounts every year; to earn revenue to the resource crunch government through farms and QCPs; Redeployment of staff from non-functional institute to place where it is most needed and amalgamation and strengthening of some institutes.
scious officers. “Building good rapport with the people will automatically educate and spread awareness among the people about the department,” he said. Further, Longkumer said that veterinarians do not only treat animal illness or proper installment of preventive measures such as bio-security, dewarming, and vaccination but also housing, nutrition, cleaning and disinfection of premises and environmental sanitation. “Thus the department plays a crucial role towards cleanliness, healthy food, and
prevention of diseases in the society,” he maintained. L.H. Thangi Manen, commissioner & secretary for veterinary & animal husbandry also addressed the inaugural function while additional director Dr. I. P. Khala delivered keynote address. The function was chaired by chaired by Dr. R. Thungchamo Ezung, director veterinary & animal husbandry while additional director Dr. Viral Yore proposed vote of thanks. The function was followed by technical session and it will culminate on May 29.
‘Nagas are living in a cultural crossroad’ Jenpu Rongmei: Against all odds
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son why we need to educate the people about the importance of the department, as this can solve the unemployment problem and boost the economy of the state,” he said. He said veterinary services fall into four main categories such as clinical service, preventive service, provision of drugs, vaccines and other products and human health protection. He urged upon the officers to make the department “people friendly’ and at the same time asked them to be honest, approachable and duty con-
Department-cum-Rapid Response Team Training on Avian Influenza here at the Capital Convention Centre, Dr. Khala stressed on the need to have proper planning mechanism to move ahead. He said that many funding agencies are willing to come forward to help the department technically, infrastructural, financially and through entrepreneurship development. He maintained that the department can go ahead in all aspects with central aid through NABARD centrally sponsored schemes and projects and other international funding. He said the directorate officers had put forward many suggestions for corrective
Kohima, may 28 (mExN): “One in every 10 cigarettes consumed is illicit, making them cheaper and more accessible to people from low-income groups, as well as to children,” the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned ahead of this year’s World No Tobacco Day, devoted to combating the illegal tobacco trade. With the theme ‘Stop illicit trade of tobacco product’ for World No Tobacco Day 2015, WHO and partners marking the Day, are calling on countries to work together to end the illicit trade of tobacco products. Every year, on May 31, WHO and partners mark World No Tobacco Day, highlighting the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. Joining the rest of the World, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Nagaland is also celebrating ‘World No Tobacco Day’ on May 30 at the Secretariat Conference Hall. According to Nagaland State IEC Bureau, Directorate of H&FW, “from many angles, the illicit trade of tobacco products is a major global concern, including health, legal and economic, governance and corruption. It aims to keep constant watch on the companies involved in the sell, purchase or
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Tobacco use scenario in Nagaland Tobacco consumption 57% Male tobacco users 68% Female tobacco users 28% School children smoking 37% Male school children 55% Female school children 18%
• School children using smokeless tobacco 41% • Male school children using smokeless tobacco 50% • Female school children using smokeless tobacco 33%
advertisements of tobacco or its products to enhance the consumption of their products.” It is very necessary to ban or stop the use of tobacco on global basis as it leads to many illnesses like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (also called COPD), lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, chronic heart diseases,
emphysema, variety of cancers and etc. Tobacco can be used in many forms such as cigarettes, cigars, bidis, creamy snuff (toothpaste), kreteks, pipes, gutkha, chewing tobacco, and hand rolling tobacco, snuff, water pipes, snus and many more. The State IEC Bureau went further to warn that nicotine addiction is very bad
for health. It is lethal and known as brain “wanting” disease, which can never be cured, however can be fully arrested. “The global tobacco epidemic kills nearly 6 million people each year, of which more than 600 000 are nonsmokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. Unless we act, the epidemic will kill more than 8 million people every year by 2030. More than 80% of these preventable deaths will be among people living in low-and middle-income countries,” it said. “We can control around 100 million of premature deaths of people by reducing the tobacco use by 20-25% by 2020. It is possible by applying all the anti-smoking efforts and measures such as banning the TV or radio advertising for tobacco, launching new and effective public awareness campaigns displaying dangers and necessity to stop smoking in the public places,” it stated further. Nagaland State IEC Bureau, Directorate of H&FW also said that the Government of every country requires taking some effective measures on regional and national level to reduce the effect of this worst condition. It can be done by applying some anti-smoking policies such as raising the tobacco taxes, limiting the sale, purchase, advertisement, promotion and sponsorship of the tobacco or its products, organizing public health checkup camps to evaluate the dangers of smoking and so many.
From an angry frustrated alley lad to a struggling student made bitter by a tragic death in his family, Jenpu has walked life’s thorny path
Under such circumstances, Jenpu joined an NGO-Bethesda Youth Welfare Centre in 2005 where he saw the mirror of his own life and of his brother in the eyes of many struggling youth. “This was an eye opener for me. What I saw there, of young people crying out for help, I realized I had Zhovezo Resu to do something for them.” Jenpu then worked at North Dimapur | May 28 East Drug HIV Training Centre His torrent past is his present day (2009-10), where he came across impetus of looking at life in a dif- similar plight of lost youth and fallen dreams calling out for rescue. ferent light. “When people ask me to forget the past, I reply that I cannot. You see, when I am annoyed or frustrated; I look back into my past. It challenges me to begin new things, see new horizons,” 30-yearold Jenpu Rongmei says with his ever-smiling disposition. From an angry frustrated alley lad to a struggling student made bitter by a tragic death in his family, Jenpu has walked life’s thorny path and through sheer girth and forbearance, Jenpu Rongmei, founder of Community has emerged triumphant. Avenue Network (CAN), a youth-led nonFounder of Communi- profit based in Dimapur, Nagaland in the ty Avenue Network (CAN) Northeast region of India. Youth, erstwhile Young’s Club, an NGO which provides guidance to school drop outs and empowers ommunity Avenue Network under-privileged youth, (CAN) Youth was established in Jenpu is the face and voice memory of the founder- Jenpu of hope to inspire new Rongmei’s late brother David, who was beginnings for scores of under privileged young- a victim to drug abuse at a very young sters and school drop outs age. The NGO work with the young children exposed and bought up in an whose life has derailed. Jenpu candidly admits environment of neglect by parents who he is an amazing trans- are alcoholics, drug users or infected formation, going by the and affected by HIV/AIDS. hardship and wretched Youth voluntarism (young agent) circumstances he had to is one of the key focus of CAN Youth, experience. to work and engage with young people “I didn’t have a happy from different walks of life to engage in child hood. Life was harsh, community service and build personal frustrating and annoying growth by abstaining from anti-social with problems flying all activities and transforming into active around. Initially I started blaming y family, the soci- and productive citizens. Major activities of CAN Youth inety for the fate that had me struggle every step of the clude voluntary blood donation, organizing youth leadership program and way,” Jenpu recalls. Despite the grim sce- events, organizing sports and game, nario, Jenpu intrinsically health camps, residential workshops felt the tug in his heart to on various social issues, drug & HIV/ study, become someone AIDS awareness, child and women and look after his family, program. CAN Youth was awarded relatives and the society. the ‘Nagaland State Best Youth Club To start with, he began Award’ in 2013 from Nehru Yuva Kenearning on his own to pay dra, Nagaland, ‘Most Trusted Partner his tuition fees. 2012’ in relation to voluntary blood “I initially worked in a donation from Model Blood Bank, DisPCO during night shift at the railway station and as part trict Hospital Dimapur. The NGO is aftime for ‘Pacific Smiles’ as filiated to Nagaland Alliance for Child door to door salesman dur- and Women Rights and Dimapur Voling the day,” he says. Howev- untary Blood Donors Association. er, life’s pressure was still folHis experiences with the diflowing him. “At one point, it came to such that I just couldn’t take it any- ferent NGOs and the tragic death more. And I could study only till Pre- of his brother became the driver for Jenpu to start an NGO himself University.” Life dealt a more severe blow in order to reach out to the under with the death of his brother, privileged youth and school drop David who was a victim of drug outs struggling to rise from the deabuse. It changed his perspective bris of their fallen existence and tell of life and death and of the value them that ‘life doesn’t end here.’ of human life. “It was a turning The writer is a student of St. Aloysius College, Mangalore and is point, I didn’t want to see any loss interning at The Morung Express. of life after that,” he confides.
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The Morung Express
Friday
29 May 2015
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NE BJP leaders support Rijiju over 'beef remark', slam Naqvi Activists hail repeal of New Delhi, May 28 (hT): Top BJP leaders from the northeast, including sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal, slammed union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s remark that those who want to eat beef “can go to Pakistan”, even as an audio recording emerged of union minister Kiren Rijiju criticising the statement. Advising open-mindedness on the subject of eating beef, Sonowal, who hails from Assam, told HT, “Our forefathers taught us the wisdom of respecting all customs, cultures and traditions. This is what builds unity amid diversity and that is what we must strive to sustain. Beef curbs in the northeast will sow seeds of dissonance as it is a common staple among many communities.”
DoNER plans security blueprint for North East GuwahaTi, May 28 (TNN): Union minister of state for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh said his ministry would prepare a security blueprint with the help of the Union home ministry. "Security problems do affect development works. We are thinking of preparing a blueprint with inputs from security experts. As the Union home ministry looks after security, we will place the blueprint before it for help," Singh said here on Wednesday. The DoNER minister said his ministry is evolving a mechanism by which MPs, MLAs and prominent citizens of the northeast can together chart the course of the region's development. He added that his ministry is taking measures to ensure proper utilization of development funds.
An audio recording of Rijiju commenting on beef eating practices was posted on the website of the Indian Express after a controversy swirled over the minister claiming he was “misquoted” about criticising Naqvi’s statement. Rijiju could be heard saying in the recording, “I eat beef. I am from Arunachal Pradesh. Can somebody stop me? So let us not be touchy about somebody’s practices.” In Meghalaya, state BJP unit president Khlur Singh Lyngdoh criticised Naqvi's remarks. “Naqvi’s statement is not acceptable. I don’t know why he is saying such things,” he said. "Sometime back, our party president Amit Shah during his Meghalaya visit made it clear that it is the
state’s prerogative to decide what is to be allowed to be eaten.” When BJP chief Shah visited Meghalaya last month to highlight alleged corruption by the ruling Congress in the state, he was greeted with a “beef party” by a pressure group. Nagaland BJP chief Chuba Ao said Naqvi may have made the statement in his personal capacity and this may not be the party's stand. “In the northeast, beef has nothing to do with religion. It is a very cheap source of protein for energy for the largely tribal populace,” he said. “It is a very sensitive issue in Mizoram. Earlier we yielded substantial political ground to opposition parties because of this very issue when rumours spread that BJP will ban
Modi, Hasina may jointly open 'border haat' in June aGarTala, May 28 (iaNS): The fourth 'border haat' (market) along the India-Bangladesh border is likely to be jointly inaugurated next month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina when the former visits Dhaka on June 6-7, an official said here Thursday. The 'border haat' at Kasba in western Tripura is the second in the state and the fourth along the IndiaBangladesh border. It has been established at the Indian commerce ministry's expenditure to boost trade in local produce of areas on the two sides. "The border haat management committee (BHMC) comprising officials of Tripura's Sipahijala district and Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria district held a meeting on Wednesday and tentatively finalised the schedule of the opening of the border haat,"
District Magistrate of Sipahijala, Pradip Chakraborty, told IANS. He said the BHMC has agreed to jointly open the border haat through a video conference system from Dhaka next month by Modi and Sheikh Hasina during the Indian prime minister's trip to Dhaka on June 6-7. "Final confirmation from the external affairs ministries of the two countries, however, is yet to be received." The authorities have also decided that the 'border haat' would be allowed to sell 15 to 16 local agricultural and horticultural products, spices, minor forest produce (excluding timber), fresh and dry fish, dairy and poultry products, cottage industry items, wooden furniture, handloom and handicraft items. The border haat, which would be open for six hours, would run every Thursday from 9.30 a.m. (Indian time).
A doctor's 'jihad' to popularise birth control among Assam's Muslims GuwahaTi, May 28 (iaNS): Any talk of birth control had once been taboo for Muslims, particularly the uneducated Muslims living in remote areas of Assam. This has changed, thanks largely to Ilias Ali, a professor of surgery at the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital, who had launched a kind of 'jihad' (holy war) against the misconceptions about birth control and has thus far carried out a staggering 48,000 vasectomies on Muslim males. Now, Muslim males with two or more children are voluntarily coming out in large numbers to get sterilized and help control the population. "Muslims, particularly the uneducated ones, are opposed to birth control. It is not only in Assam but in many other parts of India as well. They believe children are the blessings of Allah and all births take place as per his wish. They consider it a sin to go against the wishes of Allah," Ali, who conducted his first No Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV), also known as 'keyhole vasectomy' in Assam in 2008, told IANS. NSV is one of the most popular techniques to conduct vasectomy through a single puncture in the scrotum and which requires no suturing or stitches. It causes less pain and fewer post-operative complications. Ali went to China for being trained in NSV by Li Shunqiang, who had invented the procedure in the mid-1970s. However, it was introduced in India only in the mid-1990s. "I have realized that there is ignorance among the people, particularly among the uneducated Muslims over this. The Holy Quran has been misinterpreted by some and the people have taken it to be true due to their being illiterate," he said
while explaining that, in fact, Islam is perhaps the only religion which talks of family limitation methods. "There is a mention about 'azol' in the Holy Book, which means coitus interruptus (ejaculation outside vagina). During the time of Prophet, some of his companions tried to reduce the chances of conception and pregnancy by practising azol. The Prophet was aware of this," Ali said, explaining that this method became widespread during the Prophet's lifetime. "I have been using this and other references from the Holy Book to explain to the people that birth control is not against Islam," he said. One of Assam's bestknown surgeons, Ali said that he also often refers to Chapter 46, Verse 15 of the Quran which says "Wa hamluhu wa fisaluhu salasuna sahran", which means there should be a gap of 30 months between a child's birth and his or her weaning. "Since lactation is understood to act as a natural contraceptive for a mother, this implies that there should be a gap of two-and-
a-half years between two children," he said. Ali said that the total fertility rate (TFR) among the Muslims in Dhubri district, where the number of non-Indigenous Muslims is greater, have come down over the years - from 2.7 percent before 2007 to 2.6 percent at present. "We believe that the population growth will stabilize when the TFR comes down to 2.1 percent. Our target is to achieve this by 2019," he added. For Ali, this success has come after much pain. He had to risk his life for trying to popularize sterilization among the Muslims. In 2009, an Islamic organization issued fatwa against Ali and his programmes were boycotted for being un-Islamic. "I had received several threats in those days. My meetings and NSV camps were boycotted and some organization issued fatwa against me. My family was threatened if I continue my mission. But I do not blame anyone for this. I am happy that I have been able to break the jinx and popularize NSV," he said.
beef,” Mizoram’s BJP president Lalhuna said. “But it is sad that a senior minister like Naqvi is making such a statement. Beef prohibition is simply not possible in the northeast.” “No one can dictate to someone what to eat and what not to eat,” Manipur BJP’s general secretary M Asnikumar Singh said. “Naqvi may have stated his own personal feeling. Tribals across the Northeast have their own traditions and customs related to what they eat. No one should interfere there.” After Rijiju's comments were widely covered by the media, he sought to play down the issue and said on Wednesday: “India is a secular country and food habits cannot be stopped but Hindu faiths and sen-
timents must be respected in Hindu majority states in the same way as the other communities have rights in their own dominant states.” Naqvi, the minister of state for minority affairs, had defended the ban last week. “It is not about loss or profit... it is an issue of faith and belief. It is a sensitive issue for Hindus. Those who can’t do without beef can go to Pakistan or Arab countries or any other part of world where it is available,” he said at a conclave organised by a private TV Enforcement of the ban in several states sparked protests from thousands of butchers and vendors, with their livelihood interrupted while the leather industry too was hit hard. While Prime Minister
fELICITATION
The Kasar Clan of Dimapur heartily congratulates Miss. Faith Mathing Kasar, one of the toppers of AISSCE 2015 (Class XI) from Delhi Public School Dimapur by securing 95% in the Arts Stream. Well done Mathing, you have brought honour to our clan, and we are proud of you. Keep it up. Members of Kasar Clan Dimapur
IMMANUEL COLLEGE LENGRIJAN : DIMAPUR, P.B. No.253.
VACANCY Name of Post Subject Qualification ASST. PROF. HISTORY Post Graduate in History with NET or Ph.D or M.Phil. Handwritten application and resume supported by the documents should be submitted to this office on or before 5th June 2015. Principal : Contact Nos. 03862-248275 / 248212.
JET AIRWAyS INTERvIEW RECRUITMENT FOR CABIN CREW AND GROUND STAFF BY JET STAFF
Narendra Modi attacked the UPA government’s “pink revolution” — the export of cattle meat — during last year’s general election, his administration has not changed its meat export policy. India is the world’s second-largest beef exporter after Brazil, but the BJP and its affiliates have been pushing for a nationwide ban on cow slaughter, as the animal is considered holy by many Hindus. Maharashtra extended a ban on the slaughter of cows to bulls and bullocks in March while Haryana made cow slaughter and beef sale non-bailable offences soon after. Jharkhand and Rajasthan are considering similar legislation. All these states have BJP-led governments.
AFSPA by Tripura govt
New Delhi, May 28 (hT): Rights activists on Thursday hailed Tripura’s decision to withdraw the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), saying it could serve as a precedent for total repeal of the legislation blamed for excesses by security forces. In force in a few states in the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, AFSPA grants special powers to the armed forces, the most controversial being the legal immunity it provides to army officers. The law also gives special powers for detaining, using lethal force and entering and searching premises without warrant. Rights activists have long been demanding repeal of the act but the defence min-
istry has stoutly defended it on the grounds of battling armed insurgents. On Wednesday, the Left Front-led government in Tripura decided to withdraw the law in view of ebbing militancy in the state. The law was imposed in the state in 1997 to battle two militant outfits – All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) – engaged in violent attacks on security forces as well as civilians. Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director of the Human Rights Watch, also told Hindustan Times that though Army deployment may be necessary, “AFSPA should be repealed and replaced with a law that protects human rights and ensures accountability”.
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DIRECTORATE Of WOMEN RESOURCE DEvELOPMENT NO. DWRD/ESTT/EXAM-1/2015
Dated Kohima, the 28th May, 2015
NOTIFICATION The Department regrets to notify all concerned that the Examination for Recruitment to the 4 (four) posts of LDA-cum-Computer Assistant scheduled to be held on 30th May, 2015 has been postponed indefinitely in compliance with latest instructions from Hon’ble Gauhati Court Case No.WA-119 of 2015 before the Hon’ble Chief Justice (Acting) Mr. K. Sridhar Rao and Hon’ble Justice Mr. P.K. Saikia dated 27th May, 2015. All candidates are requested to keep their Admit Cards safely as this shall be required to be produced during issue of fresh Admit Cards as and when the new date for holding the examination is set and notified again. Sd/- (T. Haralu), Director
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Affiliated to Nagaland University (NU) & Managed by the Diocese of Kohima. COURSES OFFERED: Master of Social Work in Youth Development, Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies, Community Development & Diploma in Youth & Peace Studies. ELIGIBILITY: Graduate in any stream (50% marks for general & 45 for ST/SC) Candidates. Application forms are available CONTACT AT: NEISSR, P.B. No 03, Bishop’s House, Circular Road, Dimapur, Nagaland, India, 797112. Contact no: + 910 3862233435, + 918256907195, 8132864885 website: www.neissr.com email: contact.neissr@gmail.com
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TENDER NOTICE INVITING QUOTATIONS Rate quotations are hereby invited from the authorised Firms/Dealers for supply of laboratory instruments for Biotechnology Department under Nagaland University School of Engineering & Technology (SET), Dimapur. Sealed envelope containing the rate quotation should be submitted to the Dean, Nagaland University (SET & SMS), Residential Campus & Administrative Building, Landmark Colony (PWD), Dimapur during office hours on or before 15th June '2015. Terms & Conditions: 1. Nagaland University reserve all rights to accept or reject the quotation(s) in whole or part without assigning any reason. 2. Authorization Certificate from the Manufacturer to participate in the tender must be submitted along with the rate quotation. 3. At least three years warranty period is required from the date of supply from the company. 4. The tender quotation may also be send either through speed post/ registered post. Kindly download the list of instruments/ equipments from the Nagaland University website- http://www.nagauniv.org.in. This tender notice has been issued with the approval of the Dean. SD/- (D.P.CHATURVEDI), Dean
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The Morung Express
India tipped to overtake China in PM Modi’s 1st yr
NEw DElhi, may 28 (rEutErs): When India releases gross domestic product data on Friday that is expected to show the economy growing faster than China for a second consecutive quarter, sceptics could be forgiven for asking: Why does it feel so slow? Celebrating his first year in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has basked in the success of transforming India into the fastest growing major economy. But there are nagging doubts over whether a new way of calculating GDP, introduced by the government earlier this year, has distorted the macroeconomic view. “The economy is not as strong as the GDP numbers might suggest,” said Shilan Shah, India Economist at Capital Economics. “The numbers should not have any bearing on policies and both the central bank as well as the government should look at other activity indicators.” The robust headline growth is hard to square with weak industrial activity, grim corporate earnings and an elusive recovery in bank credit. The median estimate from a Reuters poll of economists put GDP growth at 7.3 per cent in the January-March quarter, slowing from 7.5 per cent in the previous quarter. For the 2014/15 fiscal year ending in March growth is expected at 7.4 per cent, up from 6.9 per cent in 2013/14, using the new series. That is a startling turnaround from the previous data series that showed the economy was still struggling
Workers stand on a crane at the construction site of a residential complex in Mumbai, May 27, 2015. (Reuters Photo)
to gather steam after posting two successive years of growth below 5 per cent - the longest spell of such low growth in a quarter century. If India was doing so well there might be far less need for the central bank to lower interest rates for a third time this year, as analysts expect it to do at a policy review on Tuesday. But, the economy is still suffering from slack. Corporate sales and industrial production are down. Merchandise exports have fallen for five months in a
row. Output of cement and steel, a proxy for construction, has been extremely weak. Growth in bank credit in the fiscal year ending in March was the slowest in two decades. Arvind Subramanian, the government’s chief economic adviser, this week likened the state of the economy to flying on “one-and-a-half engines”. “Bad stuff has stopped happening, but the good stuff is still waiting to happen,” he said. Whereas India’s statisticians changed their calculation of GDP
Maruti Swift - 10 yrs & going strong NEw DElhi, may 28 ( au t o c a r i N D i a ) : May 25, 2005 may not hold particular relevance to the world at large but for Indians with anything more than a passing interest in cars, it was a red letter day. Because on that hot summer afternoon, Maruti launched its most exciting car in its then two-decade history — the Swift. That the car was being brought in mere months after it went on sale in Suzuki’s homeland of Japan promised much. The Maruti Swift was not going to be another lastgen hand-me-down product from abroad but a thoroughly modern one built to the latest international standards. It certainly looked like nothing else on Indian roads and, as an increasing number of buyers found out, drove like little else either. And we mean both in the best possible way. Equipped with the 87bhp, 1.3 petrol engine from the Esteem, the original Swift quickly made a reputation for being somewhat of a hot hatch. Enthu-
siasts simply couldn’t get enough of it. In addition, the chic design, good ride and Maruti-typical excellent fuel economy won it ever more admirers across the cross section of the car buying public. And let’s not forget that it was also our Car of the Year 2006! Soon enough, the Maruti Swift made its entry into the list of best sellers in India, a position it hasn’t let go of in a decade. By January 2007, the Swift found its 100,000th buyer in India. Of course, 2007’s next big moment for the Swift was the introduction of the diesel version. It featured the now ubiquitous Fiat-sourced 1.3 Multijet and just widened the car’s appeal further. Buyers clearly couldn’t have enough of it and Maruti just couldn’t make enough of them. Maruti sold its 200,000th Swift in March 2008, 300,000th Swift in February 2009 and 500,000th Swift in January 2010. 2010 also saw the introduction of the updated model. While the move was
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People opting for pre-cooked items as vegetable, fruit prices rise: Study NEw DElhi, may 28 (thE hiNDu): After pulses, the prices of vegetables and fruits have also skyrocketed by 40-45 %, particularly in metros and major cities, says a paper by industry chamber, Assocham, adding that more and more families are switching over to pre-cooked and ready-to-eat food items to cut down household expenses. About 78% of the female respondents covered in the survey by Assocham Social Development Foundation said efforts to keep the kitchen budget intact had failed and most of them had switched over to pre-cooked and ready-toeat food items to cut down on expenses. The survey found that low-income households, for whom pulses are already out of reach, had cut the amount of nutrients (vegetables and fruits) by 25-30% because they can no longer afford them.
Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched Next Generation Network (NGN), a new technology that offers various facilities similar to mobile technology, to provide better telecommunication services to the esteemed customers in the North-East Region. The Internet Protocol (IP)based technology NGN would provide additional facilities to customers on their landline phones. The New Technology would improve the telecommunication network in BSNL North East Circle – II. The NGN is aimed at increasing the landline usages at a time when everyone is using mobile connectivity for communication. The NGN technology is recently commissioned at Signal Basti in Dimapur and at Kohima city in the first phase. Another eight places, (three in Arunachal
DAILY CROSS WORD
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following cases: • On Transfer of PF from one account to another PF account (EPF A/c) . • On Termination of service due to ill-health of EPF member and withdraws his/her accumulation. • On discontinuation of Business by the Employer or any cause beyond the control of EPF Scheme’s member (Employee). • If PF withdrawal amount is less than Rs 30,000. • If employee withdraws amount more than or equal to Rs. 30,000/-, with service less than 5 years but submits Form 15G /15H along with his / her PAN. A press release issued by the Regional Provident Fund Organisation-I, NE Region, Guwahati further stated that senior citizens (60 years and above) should submit Form No. 15H and other individuals should submit Form No 15G along with Form No. 19 for the purpose of PF withdrawal. Form 15H and 15G are self declaration of having no taxable income. If PF withdrawal amount is more than Rs. 2,50,000 for individual and Rs. 3,00,000 for senior citizen, Form No. 15H and Form 15G cannot be accepted and TDS is not applicable in the TDS shall be deducted.
Naga women are seen here selling locally produced vegetables and food items at the Wednesday Market at MMC Shopping Complex, Mokokchung. Open every Wednesday of the week, the market provides opportunity to the women to generate additional income by selling their produces, an initiative of the Watsü Mungdang since 2010. (Photo by Limalenden Longkumer)
Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.”
SUDOKU
to come into line with global practices, it has left economists inside and outside Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): government groping for a clear interpre- EPFO (Employees Provident tation of the data. Fund Organization) has issued a new circular relating to apHits & Misses plicability of TDS (Income Tax The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deduction at Source) on EPF has warned the new series is clouding withdrawals. These new provithe picture, and reckons growth is still sions are effective from June 1, slow in picking up. Still, the economy 2015. TDS is applicable on EPF is in better shape than when PM Modi withdrawal where accumulatook the reins a year ago with the slogan tion (balance) is more than Rs “good days are coming”. He has been 30,000 and the EPF member helped by a dramatic slide in global (Employee) has worked less crude prices that has cooled inflation than Five years. and helped narrow the fiscal and curAs per EPFO’s circular, “the rent account deficits, giving the RBI lee- Finance Act, 2015 (20 of 2015) way to cut interest rates. has inserted a new section PM Modi’s drive to make it easier to ‘192A’ regarding the payment do business in India has generated opti- of accumulated provident fund mism, and has led to a marked increase balance due to an employee. in foreign direct investment. A massive The provision shall take effect increase in the government’s planned from June 1, 2015.” spending on roads, railways and ports this year is expected to break a persisTDS is applicable in the foltent investment logjam. lowing scenarios: Yet, businesses complain that too If employee withdraws little has changed and are reluctant to amount more than or equal to ramp up investment, as their balance Rs. 30000/-, with service less sheets are already stretched. Banks, than 5 years, then: saddled with mounting bad debt, a) TDS will be deducted @ 10% are also cautious lenders. “So far, not if Form-15G/15H is not subenough has been achieved to suggest mitted provided PAN is subthat India can fulfil its economic pomitted. tential over the medium term,” said Mr b) TDS will be deducted @ maxShah of Capital Economics. imum marginal rate (i.e., 34.608%) if employee fails to submit PAN.
BSNL rolls out NGN in Dimapur and Kohima
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in order to meet more stringent BS IV emission norms, there were no half measures here either. Maruti went ahead to change the petrol car’s engine with Suzuki’s modern K12M 1.2-litre unit. The gearing was revised as well and the suspension was also reworked for better ride quality. The last bit did take away some of the car’s razor-sharp handling but even then, the Maruti Swift remained the car to beat. Come August 2011 and Maruti was ready with the second-generation Swift, another Autocar India Car of the Year awardee. Sales showed no signs of slowing down with the one millionth Swift in India being delivered in September 2013. To keep up the momentum, the Swift was updated in 2014 with more features such as Bluetooth telephone function and keyless go. The updates have certainly done their job because as of April 2015, the Swift’s India sales tally has crossed a staggering 1.3 million units. And it’s still going strong!
EPF Withdrawals: New Provisions and Rules related to TDS
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R A I V D G O R D C D C A L A I U R M L
E I G G O N N L Y O O N A U U J S O P E
T N L R S V L R O N N W B S X Z N P O V
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E U T U Z P A F S G E N Y G P Q O H S E
H I M J I D J U P C I T O I B A C E E L
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N E P L N Z M E L C Y C N O B R A C R W
R B I O G E O C H E M I C A L C Y C L E
P R C P R O D U C E R L F Y Z Q I Z O J
S B I O M A S S D U X O J D D L D P J R
Q Y R A C D D I M A R Y P Y G R E N E F
P C Z A R F H R V O K O A B H N J N N I
STD CODE: 03862 232224; emergency229529, 229474
metro hospital: Faith hospital:
227930, 231081 228846
shamrock hospital
228254
Zion hospital:
231864, 224117, 227337
Police control room
228400
Police Traffic Control
232106
east Police station West Police station
227607 232181
cihsr (referral hospital)
242555/ 242533
dimapur hospital
224041, 248011
apollo hospital info centre:
230695/ 9402435652
railway:
131/228404
indian airlines
229366
ACROSS
1. Sentry 6. Monster 10. Encircle 14. Seaweed 15. By mouth 16. Air force heroes 17. Hitches 18. Area 19. Hazard 20. Someone who is paralyzed 22. Obtains 23. Assist 24. Russian emperors 26. Impassive 30. Moses’ brother 32. Eagerness 33. Truce 37. Hireling 38. Imitate 39. End ___ 40. Sang for somebody 42. The general activity of selling 43. Enticed 44. Truthful 45. Mimicking 47. Petroleum 48. Press 49. Beyond belief
DOWN
1. Shocked reaction 2. Forearm bone 3. Food thickener 4. Indian music 5. Hopelessness 6. Exuded 7. Hot rum drink 8. Hindu princess 9. Exceptionally tense (situation) 10. Elephantine 11. Less friendly 12. Relaxes 13. Sounds of disapproval 21. Cover 25. Mayday 26. Exhausts 27. Tall woody plant 28. Smell 29. Solitariness 30. Possessing a weapon
31. Among 33. Assistant 34. Small island 35. C C C C 36. At one time (archaic) 38. Just barely adequate 41. Religious sister 42. Warrior 44. Hasten 45. Fragrance 46. A flower of remembrance 47. Course around a star or planet 48. Colored part of an eye 50. Not a single one 51. Camp beds 52. Within 53. Whine with snuffling 54. Stow, as cargo 55. Visual organs Ans to CrossWord 3249
KOHIMA: 0370 2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) DIMAPUR: 03862 232201/ 101 (O) 9436017479 (OC)
CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862 282777/101 (O) 9856158740 (OC) WOKHA: 03860 242215/101 (O) 9862039399 (OC)
MOKOKCHUNG: 0369 2226225/ 101 (O) 9436012949 (OC)
nagaland multispe- 248302, cialty health & 09856006026 research centre
PHEK: 8414853765 (O) 9862130954(OC)
KOHIMA
ZUNHEBOTO: 03867 280304/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC)
STD CODE: 0370 100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202 08974997923
TUENSANG: 8414853766 (O) 8414853519 MON: 03869 251222/ 101 (O) 9436208480 (OC)
CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE 56. Lasso 57. Newbie (slang) 58. Dental filling 59. Rapscallions 60. Against 61. Chopin composition 62. Articulates 63. In order to prevent 64. Gowns
FIRE STATIONS
chumukedima Fire 282777 brigade nikos hospital and 232032, 231031 research centre
Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home: Northeast Shuttles
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X E Y E H G E H Q L V P A S C I T O I B
DIMAPUR civil hospital:
Pradesh, three in Manipur and two in Nagaland) NGN technology will be launched in the next few months in phase-II. There would be no change in the telephone numbers and billing cycle and the rate for calls would also be the same except when using other facilities such as video, picture and data through session initiation protocol. The NGN would improve voice quality and offer Broad Band Services, Video Calling, and Nationwide Centrex, seven party conferencing facilities besides increasing the reach, coverage and availability of BSNL’s broadband services. With its multimedia services, the new system allows at least 30 subscribers to interact with one another by video calling, graphics, picture, data and also by multiple video conferencing through Session Initiation Protocol Telephone handsets.
Toll free No. 1098 childline
KipHire: 8414853767 (O) 8974304572 (OC)
WE4WOMEN HELPLINE 08822911011
MOKOKCHUNG: Police Station 1:
STD CODE: 0369
2226241
Police Station 2 :
2226214
Civil Hospital: Woodland Nursing Home:
2226216 2226263
Hotel Metsüpen (Tourist Lodge):
2226373/2229343
TAHAMZAM (formerly Senapati) STD CODE: 03871 Police Station: Fire Brigade
CURRENCY NOTES
222246 222491
BUY(Rs)
SELL(Rs)
US Dollars Sterling Pound Hong Kong Dollar Australian Dollar Singapore Dollar Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen
62.68 96.38 7.82 48.49 46.35 50.37 50.67
65.53 101.08 8.72 50.90 48.64 52.85 53.54
Euro
68.16
71.48
1.79
2.00
Thai Baht Korean Won New Zealand Dollar Chinese Yuan
0.0548
0.061
45.35
47.59
9.77
10.89
5 IVR voiced out against Aadhaar and land encroachment Removal of Special category status will leave Ne States in a lurch: NPcc
LOCAL
The Morung Express
Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): Maintianing that the identity card issued to the villagers by the “competent authority” like the Commissioner office of Dimapur or elsewhere, is ample enough, the IVR council has unanimously decided not to take Aadhaar Card as compulsory but as an “individual choice.” Hence, “To obtain a Aadhaar Card from another department of government is not required at all,” a Industrial Village Razhuphe (IVR) council general session unanimously adopted on May 23 arguing that even the Supreme
Court of India has given its verdict that “Aadhaar Card is not mandatory.” The resolutions of meeting issued to press by the IVR chairman-cumhead GB, TL Angami and Secretary, Keneingulie, further stated that, the session also resolved that the entire land within the IVR falls under the traditional land of Angami village (Chumukedima) and the area was acquired from the village by its Chairman TL Angami in 1968 according to the Naga Customary practices. Thus, after strongly discussing the issue of land
occupied by various departments “by force” it also resolved to approach the Government from any established court for appropriate action. Further, it decided that the Council will not allow any department for further occupation of land without “proper acquisition of land according to law.” Regarding the land allotted by the village to more than 50 former Naga Political Groups (NPGs) cadres under the Government of India rehabilitation policy, the council stated that the NIDC has destroyed most of the their “makeshift shel-
ANSTA welcomes NBSE Compartmental Exam kohima, may 28 (mExN): The All Nagaland School Teachers Association (ANSTA) has expressed its “sincere appreciation” to Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) for introducing compartmental examination for the detained students of HSLC examination. Opining that its in-
troduction by NBSE is a "thoughtful and wise humanitarian measure," the association in a press note issued by its president, Ponchulo Wanth and general secretary, Visato Koso hoped that timely action of NBSE will go a long way in reducing rate of school dropout and its related problem in the society.
Meanwhile, ANSTA further urged those students who are appearing the Compartmental Examination from June 1-06, to seize the “rare opportunity” made possible by NBSE and also reminded them to abide by all the examination rules and regulations set by the Board to avoid any complications.
Dimapur March 5 incident: International Government seeks CBI help Art Edu Week to guwahati, may 28 (tNN): The Nagaland government on Wednesday informed the Gauhati high court that it has sought the CBI's help to probe the March 5 lynching case in which a mob had dragged an alleged rapist out of jail and thrashed him to death in Dimapur.Submitting an affidavit before the court, the DAN government said it had decided to hand over the case to the premier investigation agency. It also enclosed a letter sent by Nagaland home commissioner Neihu C Thur to the CBI director on March 21. "Although the investigation has been going on properly, the matter was discussed in the state cabinet. Considering the widespread attention generated by the incident nationally and internationally and demands from various organizations, the Nagaland government has decided to
be celebrated
hand over the case to CBI. The government also took into consideration the large number of people involved in it and the nature of its complexity before taking the decision," the official letter said. Following the lynching incident, advocate Rajib Kalita had filed a PIL seeking the court's directive for a CBI investigation and proper compensation for the victim's family in Karimganj district of Assam. Special investigation teams (SIT) have already been formed to probe at least 3 cases. So far 58 persons were arrested for their involvement in the incident. Police have also circulated 'look out' notices for another 32 people. A judicial probe is also on. However, the affidavit clearly denied the demand for transfer of non-Naga prisoners to other jails in Assam. It also denied the charges of handing over the victim to the mob.
kohima, may 28 (Dipr): State Council of Educational Research & Training, Nagaland will be organizing the International Art Education Week on the theme ‘Folk tunes of Nagaland’ on May 29 at 2:00 p.m. at the SCERT conference hall. Pro Vice Chancellor Nagaland University, Kohima Campus, Prof. A. Lanunungsang will grace the occasion as the chief guest. Highlights of the programme will include solo, duet, group folk songs, traditional music, poem recitation, traditional parade and display of traditional attires. The International Art Education week has been declared by UNESCO.
Public SPace Rejoinder to Rev. L. Suohie Mhasi “Land dispute over Kezoltsa and Dzükou”
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he Viswema Youth Organisation (VYO) would like to make some observation in connection with the Article written by one Rev. L. Suohie Mhasi with the title –“Land dispute over Kezoltsa and Dzükou” which was published in the local dailies on 28th May 2015. The author knows the fact that Britishers had drawn an arbitrary imaginary boundary line between two states (Nagaland and Manipur) without the knowledge and sans consultation with the Southern Angamis, whereby, Southern Angami people never accepted this artificial boundary. Then, how can the author say “the either side claims that the landscape belongs to their ancestors” when the Mao Council had stated in clear terms that “SAPO were encroaching on Manipur land”? therefore, the author
T
should wear thick glasses to read and understand so that facts and issues are not misinterpreted according to his understanding which will mislead the public. It may be the best or perfect way to settle any matter in the way of Christ as the author expressed, but the author should first know the trustworthiness of Mao people who shift their stand and stories according to their advantage. If the Mao people are Christians let the truth prevail over falsehood in Christ way so that they (Mao) will not fabricate their false stories, as a result, there will be no issue between Southern Angami and Mao people. As a Christian, it is not proper to poke one’s nose on others issue and put fuel to the fire. The author also seems to know the issue of Kezoltsa and Dzükou thoroughly where he had termed the issue as a “dispute”, it is pertinent to mention that when
the Southern Angamis are the undisputed owner of Kezoltsa and Dzükou how can the author courageously called it as a dispute? Further, the author had put the cart before the horse by demarcating the boundary between the Southern Angami and Mao people by sitting at home; you may do this type of exercise when the responsibility comes to you, so kindly wait patiently for your turn. As an elderly respected person, it would be good if you do not damage your high reputation which you had earned throughout your lifetime at your twilight. The Viswema Youth Organisation firmly stands behind SAPO and SAYO on the issue of Kezoltsa and Dzükou. Sd/(PULETO RHUTSO) General Secretary Sd/(EYOSA KIKHI) President
Corrigendum
he Southern Angami Public Organisation would like to issue this corrigendum in regard to the resolution No. 1. of the General Meeting on the Agenda – ‘Mao Council bandh against SAPO Project at Kezoltsa’ on 27th May 2015 held at SAPO Hall, Jakhama, Kohima, Nagaland by adding a word
“(Metei)” after the word “Mainpur land” and shall read as“The Mao Council had offended Southern Angami Public Organisation by levelling baseless allegation that “SAPO were encroaching on Manipur land”. The SAPO states that Manipur land (Metei) does not border with Southern Angami terri-
tory in any corner or area. Therefore, Mao Council should come out with facts where SAPO had encroached Manipur land”. The error occurred due to typing, so the inconvenience is regretted. Sd/(Mhashekhol Tsukru) Gen. Secy. Sd/(Zadeho Rikha) President
ters without any authority” leading to great hardship for them. In this context, the IVR Council has unanimously resolved to “give full protection” to the allotted land and decided to approach the right authority to save them from “encroachers.” While the state government has generously allotted a Government Primary School to IVR and the council has reserved a land for the same, it argued that, “To the dismay of the villagers, the CRPF has forcefully occupied the said area which is yet to be vacated.” The council, thus, decided to approach local district administration to “demarcate and vacate” the said area as early as possible to enable early construction of the school.
kohima, may 28 (mExN): The discriminatory attitude of the BJP government towards the NE states is plainly evident despite their “rhetoric’s and jumla’s” (gimmicks) at every given opportunity, the NPCC stated today, decrying the removal of ‘special category status’ by the centre. The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) in an acerbic press note issued though its Media Cell claimed that, the removal of Special Category status will leave all the NE States in a lurch. “When special category states like Nagaland are unable to even provide 10%
Friday
29 May 2015
matching grant towards 9010 funding ratio and are demanding 100% assistance, removal of special category status will lead to providing 25-70% matching grant that will surely sound a death knell for resource crunch states”, it argued. As a result, it further noted, the centre objective of corporate and FDI investment would be as “farfetched dreams” in NE states as the infrastructure development still in nascent stages and the region is plagued with several political aspiration. Further decrying the Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitely defence of the
removal special category status on the ground of recommendation by 14th Finance Commission (14FC), the NPCC stated that, “The removal of special category status can never be based on technical decision alone but a political decision and therefore the BJP cannot shift blame on the 14FC.” Maintaining that the NPF led DAN government in Nagaland is the only NE state that supports BJP government in the centre, the NPCC further asked the Chief Minister TR Zeliang to withdraw support to the BJP government immediately and extend solidarity with other NE States de-
Dimapur
manding continuation of Special Category Status, if he is “really serious about the condition of the state.” “Restoration of Special Category Status is not the only objective but the need to revise and enhance the provisions to cater for the growth of economy and empowerment of the youth,” it added. It further opined that the brazen display of talks about the majority sentiments is nothing but an “imposition on other minorities of what the majority thinks and acts” and a clear attempt to divide the society that will yield disastrous consequences in the near future.
‘Biz community undergoing extreme hardship’ MMC notifies service providers Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): Sharing the plight of the business community to the concern authorities, the Business Association of Nagas (BAN) has stated that the Business community is undergoing “extreme hardship” due to lack of proper electricity supply and mobile/internet connectivity. BAN, in a press release, claimed that erratic power supply and unstable voltage is forcing a lot of businesses to shut down as the business community not only have to rely heavily on generators and invertors to run their business. BAN maintained that “just running and maintaining” the generators and invertors in itself is costly but having to deal with constant damages to machineries makes it extremely difficult for any business to flourish. In this regard, BAN
asked the Power Department to come out and answer the business community and the public as to why the power situation is going from bad to worse instead of improving after the increase of power tariff effective from April 2015. Wondering if it is another form of extortion from the department, BAN demanded that the commercial tariff levied on business establishment should be stopped as there is no difference between domestic and commercial supply with frequent power cuts and low voltages which is not fit for commercial activity. Further reminding the Chief Minister that the increased revenue collection from business community and public through introduction of online VAT should not be one of many taxations, BAN urged for the revenue collected to be
converted to development in improving power and road conditions “which is critical to business and economic growth.” Stressing that in this age of information and technology all business rely heavily on mobile connectivity and internet service, from as simple as making calls to making banking transactions, BAN stated, “It is unfortunate that when in other places and cities where mobile/Internet connectivity’s are improving by day in Nagaland it is worst by the day.” Hitting out at the rise in frequency of “dropped calls”, “multiple attempts to make calls”, “lack of coverage area”, “providing 3G internet services that is slower than 2G speed of other places”, BAN appealed to the Government of Nagaland and the concern authorities to address these issues urgently and seriously.
SN asks DMC to publish labour rates Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): Survival Nagaland has asked the Administrator of Dimapur Municipal Council to publish the labour wages of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labourers in order to maintain a uniform rate throughout the district. SN in a press release stated, “It is learnt that many labourers are charging rates at their whims and fancies since there is hardly any presence of rate control committee at present of the essential commodities as well rate of daily wage labourers which has not been made public for a very long time.” Lauding its Kohima counterpart, KMC, for
making these rates public from time to time, SN stated that plumbers, painters and electricians charging their own rates cause a lot of inconvenience and hardship to the common public. SN also called for categorising masons, carpenters and helpers in proper price groupings and their rates fixed according to their grades. “Our local Naga youths who are now starting to venture in these avenues after coming to learn the dignity of labour and as government jobs have reached saturation points, they are forced to leave it soon as illegal immigrants mostly the Bangladeshis makes a ploy of charging
much lower rates than the local youths and after making them abandon their newly found professions they again starts making their own exorbitant rates which is very discouraging and demoralizing the young Nagas. Due to the absence of a proper price uniformity, rates are put up and put down by these migrant workers on their own wishes,” SN contended. SN appealed to the mentioned authority to look into the matter and “save our hardworking youths from abandoning their modest professions and make them earn their bread by their own honest sweat.”
Dignity of labour: proving critics wrong
mokokchuNg, may 28 (Dipr): ADC & Administrator Mokokchung Municipal Council (MMC), Bendanglila has informed all sumo and bus service operator and courier service providers to comply the under mentioned directives with immediate effect. 1. Any kind of goods/ parcels/package/cartoon booked by any customers for transportation must be checked to ascertain the contents at the time of booking or before loading into the vehicle for transportation and
proper record must be maintained for ready reference. 2. All sumo services must proceed from the designated sumo parking and unload at the time of arrival. 3. Loading and unloading of passengers in front of the ticket counters or at any other locations along the main town road is not allowed other than the sumo parking at MMC Shopping Complex. It further informed that non-compliance to this Order shall be taken penal action against the defaulters.
Sainik School Cadets Excel in Class X CBSE Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): Sainik School Punglwa has performed outstandingly in the CBSE Class X Examination-2015, declared today, by securing CENT percent pass result along with a perfect 10 CGPA score by one of its cadet, Akung Newmai. He was also the school topper with a 95% marks while Keshav Raj and Cadet Suman Kumar son of Shyam Narayan Singh become second and third highest scorers with 93% and 91% respectively. According to a press note from the school, eight cadets from school scored CGPA between 9.1 to 10 and these achievements
brought immense jubilation to the Sainik School Punglwa family. The School Principal further congratulated the cadets and the parents for the landmark achievement and wished them every success in their future endeavours.
NSCN (K) directs
Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): To streamline financial administration and ensure accountability, the entire financial operation under Zunheboto District has been entrusted to Col. Isak Sumi. Henceforth, a press notification from MIP, NSCN/ GPRN, has directed, every concerned Departments, commercial outlets/business establishments and stake holders co-operate with the appointed officer. “Any other form of transaction without due authorisation of the said officer shall be deemed invalid,” the press note informed.
Nukhu expounds Nagaland higher & technical education Our Correspondent Kohima | May 28
Dimapur, may 28 (mExN): A group of youngsters is working its way to breaking the cliché that “Nagas don’t have dignity of labour.” This group of young students from Supply Colony in Dimapur, according to a press release from Survival Nagaland, had come together to address a severe problem the colony was facing – garbage. A land-locked colony with no proper drain or garbage dumping site nearby, the garbage being accumulated from the many households of the colony was starting to cause a big problem. This was when
a former chairman of the colony struck upon an idea to solve the problem by engaging youngsters from the colony. Under the former chairman’s initiative, the colony council bought a “thelagari,” or a pushing handcart, and with that the young students voluntarily went around collecting wastes from the different households for subsequent disposal at a garbage dump which the Dimapur Municipal Council clears. The youngsters are on duty on alternate days and charge a nominal fee of Rs.50 from around 120 households. “These boys all come
from respectable families but in-order to make an example to our people to practice work culture and instil dignity of labour, they undertook this task, at the same time earning some extra pocket-money and keeping their own colony clean,” the release from Survival Nagaland stated. Further informing of their plan to donate a “thela” shortly for such venture, SN stated, “If our leaders, local authorities and elders show the way then surely many young upcoming people are now eager to ‘Work and Eat’ and prove the critics wrong.”
Sensing the special feature of the Naga tribes, parliamentary secretary for higher & technical education, Deo Nukhu hoped that Nagaland University will develop higher education by recognizing the essence of Naga tribes and its culture. “This is our special feature as Naga Tribes and I hope Nagaland University will develop higher education by recognizing the essence of Naga Tribes and its culture,” he said while addressing XVII campus & cultural & literary meet organised by PG students Lumami. He said with the the fast growth of higher education in all the subjects there is every possibility that wider gap between culture and education may be cropped up.
In the process of pursuing for higher education, students may tend to lose track of their own, it is very important to understand the essence of tribal society in our context. Although the Indian constitution have placed the tribal people in the North–East India as scheduled Tribe, the nature of the tribal people in the mainland India and of the North-East are totally different, and their identities are not the same. Generally the tribal people in the mainland India are by birth whereas the tribes of the North-East are termed as Scheduled Tribes by their culture and historical indent. Unlike other parts of India, there is neither class system nor caste system in Nagaland. Perfect democracy of human equality exists in Nagaland.
The Morung Express is introducing “Public Space” as part of our intention to provide deliberate space for the opinions of the people to be expressed and heard through this newspaper. Nonetheless, The Morung Express points out that the opinions expressed in the contents published in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper or the editor.
6
IN-FOCUS
The Power of Truth
The Morung Express FrIDAy 29 MAy 2015 voluME X IssuE 144 By Dr. sao Tunyi
Google: The end of memory?
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here was a time when people would remember each other’s phone numbers and birthdays. Before that, there was a time when people would remember the date and all the tiny details of events. The Japanese invasion, British expedition, the Indian army operations, and all the important date in the Naga national movement are still fresh in the minds of old folks that leave the Google generation dumbfounded. Whole stories are in memory so that good old story tellers can narrate them like reading out a novel. But we have facebook to remind us of friends’ birthdays and we sometimes forget our own phone number. We look up to Google for any information under the sun. But nothing comes out from memory when the occasion demands. So, we keep our phones/laptops like they are an extension of our brains. Ours is a generation which lives on sound bites. Twitter people cannot bear to sit through a long sermon. We hate narratives. We want our stories in bullet points. We live on news headlines and leave out the details. Perhaps many of the newspaper readers never read the editorials. It is getting worse. It seems like we cannot sit still to read anything in plain text form. If people were moving from reading narratives to bullet points in a power point presentation, the trend now is that even wise-quotes or proverbs have to be put on a picture format or photo background. This restlessness and impatience of our time is making our memories short and shallow. We know a lot more. But when it comes to any specific detail, we have to look it up in Google. No detail is in memory. Because of the ready availability of the internet, there is no push to memorize anything. So, once we have looked up what we are searching for and used it, it is gone again into the cloud. The Bible verses which I memorized and have been using are all from the pre-mobile phone, pre-internet era. It is so hard to memorize new ones. If I want to recollect a Bible verse, I type a familiar phrase in Google and it takes me to the verse, faster than opening a Bible. Next time I need it, I will repeat the procedure. So, there is no incentive to memorize the chapter or verse if I can get what I want from Google at that speed. We then tend to judge a person’s knowledge more by the technical competence (knowing how to use technology) rather than by what one knows in the heart and mind (Someone who is thought to be knowledgeable may be simply spending a lot of time online so that he knows where to get what information). I mentioned in the beginning about old folks remembering the dates in our national movement. The stories of our past are passed down to us through the power of memory. We have the danger of losing them unless we write them down. But even if we fill up libraries, newspapers, and the internet, who will read and remember them? Dr. Sao Tunyi works as an Epidemiologist at Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Kohima. Feedback can be sent tosaotunni@yahoo.co.in, or visit his blog www.thatchhouse.blogspot.in
lEfT WING |
Nishant Arora IANS
Tweak your lifestyle a bit and manage diabetes well
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o you have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Take heart as this is not the end. Just follow some simple guidelines and Title: Understanding Type 2 Diabetes; achieve better sugar Author: Merlin Thomas; Publisher: Pan levels for a longer, Macmillan India; Pages: 277; Price: Rs.350 healthier life. In his book, Merlin Thomas, a clinical scientist at the Melbourne-based Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, has decoded the lifestyle disease in such a way that once you're done reading it, winning over diabetes becomes a lot easier. First the facts. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India will have 80 million people with diabetes by 2030. The world has over 387 million diabetics and by 2035, this figure will rise to 592 million, says a latest report by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Having diabetes is not easy as several factors - from obesity and sedentary lifestyle to genes and ageing - come into play, but its management need not to be complex or complicated, says Thomas. Once diagnosed, manage it well with three easy-to-do steps: physical activity, balanced diet and medication. "Of all the things that can be done to manage your diabetes, getting more physical activity is the most important," Thomas writes. Exercise offsets insulin as muscles take up a large amount of fat and glucose from the bloodstream to replenish their fuel stores. This uptake of glucose by muscles is very useful for people with diabetes as it means less work for insulin and other medication. For example, Type 2 diabetes can lead to reduced blood flow to your feet. "Regular exercise demands better blood flow to the legs to allow the muscles to work better. The blood vessels supplying your legs progressively adapt to regular exercise to improve the blood flow," Thomas explains. So "accumulate" the moderate-intensity physical activity by focussing on everyday tasks such as walking the kids to school, walking or cycling to work, taking the stairs, parking a little farther away from markets and breaking the sitting cycle at the workplace. When it comes to diet, a typical Indian diet consists of food that is rich in sugars (or carbohydrates). "Also, on average, an Indian gets between 10 and 15 percent of the total energy (calories) from added sugars in processed foods but in some people, it can exceed even 25 percent," Thomas claims. What happens in Type 2 diabetes is that there is not always enough insulin to keep glucose under control especially after meals. For this, reduce your intake of carbs. Instead of biryani or dal, take low-fat meat curry or tandoori. Include non-starchy vegetables like okra and eggplant for potatoes or rice. "A good place to start is to limit your carb intake to no more than three or four serves (45-60 grams) in each meal or no more than 10 serves (150 grams) a day," Thomas advises. There is approximately 15 grams of net carbohydrates in one slice of naan, one tablespoon of jam/ jelly/sugar/honey, one piece of fresh fruit, a cup of yogurt, twothree biscuits, one muffin, a cup of rice or a large baked potato. For fibre intake, eat a breakfast cereal that lists "wholegrain" or bran as the main ingredient. Switch white bread for wholegrain or wholemeal bread. Shun white rice and go for brown rice. While making fruit juice, do not get rid of the skin and the pulp. For snacks, instead of processed carbs, eat fruits with edible (whole) seeds. According to Thomas, "for some people with diabetes, changing to a diet with large amount of wholegrain, bran and legumes is a major shift". Most people with Type 2 diabetes will reach a point where some medicines are needed to prevent their glucose levels from rising dangerously. This is simply the nature of the disease. The simple formula is: Coordinate your medications with your diet and lifestyle to ensure the maximum effectiveness of each. "Just remember that medicines are not an alternative to good diet and regular exercise and work better if all are combined," contends Thomas who has written over 250 book chapters and books on diabetes management.
Book Review
THE EDIT PAGE
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Who’s Afraid of African Democracy?
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oor Burundi. Landlocked, tiny, and known mainly for ethnic conflict, it was for years the subject of one of the most intense international peace-building efforts in history. By the time the Arusha Peace Agreement was finally signed in 2003, 300,000 Burundians had died in a civil war rivaling in ferocity that of its neighbor Rwanda. Huge sums had been invested in grassroots workshops, high-level meetings and summits to end the fighting. According to Burundi specialist Peter Uvin, taxi drivers in the capital Bujumbura joke that the per diems received during these protracted negotiations built the poshest neighborhood in the city. Now, a decade after the peace process came to what seemed a successful conclusion, and despite billions of dollars in humanitarian aid, the country appears to be falling apart again. In April, President Pierre Nkurunziza, in power since 2005, announced he’d be running for a third term in elections scheduled for June. Opposition supporters, church leaders, student and civil society groups, much of the international community, and even many in Nkurunziza’s own party say this violates the Arusha agreement, which limits a president to two terms in office. They also accuse Nkurunziza—a former warlord who became a born-again Christian and travels with his own Hallelujah football club and choir—of presiding over a regime of corruption remarkable even by East African standards. Many also claim President Nkurunziza has condoned politically motivated killings of opposition figures and provided tacit government support to an armed militia known as Imbonerakure, which could be deployed to intimidate voters during the election. Thousands of Burundians took to the streets in mid-April to protest Nkurunziza’s plans to run for office again. Hundreds were arrested and perhaps twenty— the number is disputed—were killed. Security forces were split, with some in the army on the side of the people. On May 13, a group of army officers led by former intelligence chief Godefroid Niyombare announced they’d ousted Nkurunziza, to much rejoicing in Bujumbura. Nkurunziza was in Tanzania discussing the crisis with other African leaders, but he quickly snuck back across the border where he was met by his own forces and retook the capital a couple of days later. Niyombare is said to be on the run, and most of his fellow coup plotters have been arrested. Three who were wounded were subsequently shot in their hospital beds by men in police uniforms as horrified nurses, doctors, and other patients looked on. An estimated hundred thousand refugees have fled to neighboring countries. The protestors are continuing their demonstrations, while Nkurunziza seems determined to go ahead with his plans to stand for reelection. On Wednesday, Radio France Internationale reported that police in Bujumbura had cordoned off an entire neighborhood and were shooting at anti-third term activists among their homes. What makes events in this tiny country so important, and so heartbreaking, is that they are part of a recent pattern that actually seemed hopeful. When protest movements swept across the Middle East region—in Iran in 2009 and then in the Arab Spring countries— they didn’t stop at the Sahara desert. In their new book Africa Uprising, Adam Branch and Zachariah Mampilly document more than ninety political protests in forty African countries in the past decade—most in the past six years. Many have had the same aim as those in the Middle East: to force corrupt leaders out of power. Some have been encouraging: after Senegal’s Constitutional Court ruled—under duress, some say—that President Abdoulaye Wade could run for what many maintained was an unconstitutional third term in the 2012 elections, people poured onto the streets in outrage. Police in riot gear fired tear gas and rubber bullets, and a handful of protesters were killed. But the country’s citizens got their point across. Wade lost the election and conceded defeat. There’s also cautious optimism about Burkina Faso. When President Blaise Compaoré tried to strongarm the National Assembly into removing term limits so he could contest the 2015 election, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in front of the building while some forced their way in. He was deposed in October 2014, and an interim military council is now organizing elections to take place later this year. And when demonstrators in the Democratic Republic of Congo took to the streets of Kinshasa in January, they managed to halt President Joseph Kabila’s attempt to
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ersecution can be a twisted badge of pride. Rather than being a comfort to one facing systemic, targeted hostility, the verse quoted above has become certification that one is a true believer. Since we in America don’t face the obvious persecution of so many Christian brothers and sisters around the world, we have to go looking for it. And because we are looking for it, and because we may even want to find it to assure ourselves that we are blessed, we find persecution everywhere. Any act of anger. Any unfair ruling by the courts. Any pushback about Christian values. These negative experiences reassure us that we are among the righteous. It’s no secret Christianity’s role in society is changing. Influence is being lost as our voice is no longer the dominating voice shaping social morality. We are now one voice among many, and increasingly, a quiet voice among louder voices. It might be fair to say that we are a voice asked to be quiet. What does it mean that the values we once helped shape are now being rejected? How should we interpret the increasing marginalization? Persecution. Obviously. Admittedly, saying our pizza parlors and bakers and values are experiencing persecution does bring us comfort. Persecution is evidence of being in the right, and therefore, those who are doing the persecuting being in the wrong. It does make us feel like we are doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing as Christians. After all, Jesus
alter the constitution, which would have extended his term beyond its end date of 2016. Attempts at tyrant-removal are unlikely to end anytime soon. Over two dozen African countries are headed for elections in the next two years, including Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and other countries whose leaders have signaled an intention to remain in office no matter what. Protest movements in some of these countries are gathering force, and army commanders are quietly choosing sides between the autocrats and the people. Why do so many African leaders assume they can ignore their constitutions, cling to power, and get away with it? In order to understand this epidemic of folly, it’s important to appreciate how much influence the West has over these countries—either through foreign aid given bilaterally, via institutions such as the World Bank, or in the form of clandestine military support. For example, Western aid pays for half of Burundi’s budget, roughly 40 percent of Rwanda’s, 50 percent of Ethiopia’s and 30 percent of Uganda’s . All these countries receive an unknown amount of military aid as well. This money enables African leaders to ignore the demands of their own people, and facilitates the financing of the patronage systems and security machinery that keeps them in power. The problems started with the debt crisis in the 1970s. African countries that had borrowed and spent lavishly in the years following independence found themselves unable to repay the commercial banks that had lent them money. The Western nations, via the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, took over and restructured these loans, but demanded large public spending cuts. Huge numbers of teachers, nurses, doctors, and other public servants lost their jobs; programs to expand health care and education, improve roads and bring water and electricity to rural areas ground to a halt; poverty deepened; infant mortality rose. In many cases, the new austerity programs, intended to lead to more efficient government, instead encouraged unprecedented corruption. Those who managed to hold on to government and civil service jobs scrambled to grab whatever they could for themselves and their increasingly dependent extended families. This patronage system helped control dissent, as many African leaders used what Cameroonians term “the politics of the belly”—bribery—to compromise their critics and coopt opposition groups. But it also led to deteriorating public services, as I documented in Uganda, where the maternal mortality rate in the largest referral hospital had increased seven-fold since the days of Idi Amin, according to a World Bank consultant who had worked there in the 1970s. The continent’s foreign aid donors were not oblivious to these problems. They knew that this new loan regime, known as Structural Adjustment, would hurt huge numbers of people. For example, in a notorious 1981 World Bank report about the program , the authors acknowledge that some reforms would be resisted by “consumers and producers, parastatal managers, civil servants and industrialists,”—meaning just about everybody in the nations involved. The state had to be “willing to take strong action on internal problems,” the report continued. As Branch and Mampilly note, many African scholars interpreted this as tacit donor permission for repression in countries receiv-
ing loans. This would be consistent with the donors’ tendency to look the other way when Adjustmentfriendly leaders—like Burkina Faso’s Compaoré, Cote D’Ivoire’s Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Uganda’s Museveni and Kenya’s Daniel Arap Moi—jailed, murdered, or exiled their critics. The donors’ tolerance for human rights abuses may help explain why, when ethnic discrimination and repression escalated into genocide, as it did in Rwanda and Burundi, the international community did nothing until it was far too late. Another reason so many African leaders feel they can afford to ignore their own people has to do with America’s “War on Terror.” During the 1990s, the Clinton administration began securing military ties with African leaders who seemed willing to cooperate in the fight against what Clinton officials saw as the rising threat of Islamic militancy on the continent. These ties have only grown in the years after September 11. According to journalist Nick Turse, the US military has sponsored more than one thousand African missions since 2011, with countries such as Nkurunziza’s Burundi, along with Rwanda, Ethiopia, Chad, and Uganda, deploying troops and guards across Africa and the Middle East at America’s behest. The primary purpose of this seems to be to monitor and prevent the emergence of terrorist groups in weak states. But it’s no coincidence that the US’s military allies in Africa have often used security forces against their own critics at home. As the events in Burundi suggest, providing support to ugly regimes may ultimately undermine the very stability we are supposedly seeking. Now, fed up with decades of lies, plunder and abuse, Africans across the continent are finally rising up to challenge these Western-backed thugs. Some have been inspired by protests elsewhere in the world; some are united in new ways by Facebook, Twitter, and chat programs. Foreign aid has also brought thousands of NGOs into Africa. Not all are effective, but their American and European employees and volunteers have, naively or not, exposed African people to liberal Western attitudes and ideals of human rights as never before. Branch and Mampilly lament that whereas past African protest movements had clear ideologies, like Independence, African Nationalism and Pan-Africanism, the only thing today’s protesters appear to want is the removal of the current leadership of their countries. But this lack of a grand objective may not be such a bad thing, as long as whoever takes over pursues a modest program of obeying the rule of law, eschewing corruption and respecting human rights. This is why this spring’s election in Nigeria, in which incumbent Goodluck Jonathan graciously conceded defeat, was so welcome. Some opposition supporters had threatened violence if it felt the election was rigged, but this proved unnecessary. Though Nigeria’s new leader, former General Muhammadu Buhari, behaved like a tyrant when he briefly ruled the country between 1983 and 1985, he also cracked down on corruption. For two years, Nigerians formed orderly lines at bus stops, the streets were clean, and politicians didn’t steal. Many Nigerians, exasperated with their supremely corrupt country, are hoping for a spell of modest probity, as long as Buhari honors his promise to respect human rights this time. If we’re seeing the dawn of a new movement, let’s forgive it for lacking a glamorous label. Right now, it’s the best hope this beleaguered continent has.
Persecution or Clanging Cymbal? Nate Pyle Sojourners
promised that if we would follow him there would be persecution. Unfortunately, what Christians are experiencing as the culture shifts is not only explained by persecution. There is another way to interpret the quieting of Christians in society, but it is the road less traveled. It is the road that may require more humility than we are comfortable with. At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount we find the famous words of Jesus telling his followers that they are the salt of the earth. But then he gives a warning. “If salt loses its saltiness it is good for nothing and will be thrown out and trampled by men.” Paul reiterates this idea 1 Corinthians 13 when he says that if we have the truth and are uber-spiritual but we don’t have love we will be like a clanging gong. An annoying, loud, obnoxious noise that no one wants to listen to.
This begs the question: Persecution or clanging gong? What if Christians aren’t being persecuted? What if our loss of influence in culture is because we lost our saltiness? What if people are trying to get us to be quiet because we have become a loud, obnoxious, noisy gong? What if the pushback, marginalization, and ridicule we experience is brought about because we have failed to love and, instead, w e’ve treated the world with arrogance, insensitivity, and selfrighteousness? What if we are reaping what we sowed? It’s much easier to cry persecution than it is to confess sin. It’s easier to blame others than to accept responsibility. And when you claim to have the truth, as Christians rightly do, it’s hard to admit you’ve been in the wrong. But that’s exactly what we as a people who preach the importance of confession may need to do. It may be time to con-
WRITE-WING
fess that we haven’t loved others well. We may need to confess that we have been more interested in being right than doing right. Let’s be clear: We do not need to apologize for being Christian, or having beliefs, or even for our beliefs. But we may need to apologize for the way we have approached and interacted with the world around us. Confession and a change of posture isn’t a guarantee we will suddenly be accepted by the world. Jesus was rejected despite the fact that he loved perfectly. Looking at how Jesus loved people actually encourages us to rethink how we have been living. Jesus wasn’t hated because he was so holy. He wasn’t killed because of his moral code. People weren’t hostile towards Jesus because he beat them up with the Bible. Jesus was killed because the way he loved people was scandalous. He ate with sinners. A woman of ill-repute washed his feet with her hair. In public. Lavishly wasting expensive perfume. People hated Jesus because he went to Zacchaeus’ house and not a more dignified religious leader’s house. He was mocked as a drunkard because he was with a lot of drunkards a lot. Jesus was killed because he reoriented holiness away from a moral code and centered it on being like God and sacrificially serving others. If we are loving like that and people are still mocking, ridiculing, marginalizing, and being hostile towards us, then it probably is persecution. Until then, let’s make sure we aren’t a loud annoying cymbal crashing over and over and over and over …
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Friday
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
29 May 2015
PERSPECTIVE NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE
A year of Modi Raj – India in crisis
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N. Jayaram OpenDemocracy
lmost two years ago, in an article for openDemocracy, this writer made a couple of predictions regarding the outcome of the general elections in 2014 that turned out to be wide of the mark. The article made other assertions that, after what came to light later in 2013 and early last year, help explain why the predictions went awry. I had predicted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party, “can hope for a maximum of 25 percent vote share nationally.” In the event his Bharatiya Janata (Indian people’s) Party got 31 percent of the votes polled nationally, resulting (thanks to the first-past-the-post system, as in Britain) in a comfortable majority for the BJP on its own, without having to depend on coalition partners. So the following prediction stood nullified: “Modi will have to make deals with several smaller parties, each claiming bigger pounds of flesh than their strength in terms of seats warrants.” The article concluded that India’s “central government will keep lurching from crisis to crisis as coalition partners of the bigger parties run rings around them”. A year after he was sworn into office on 26 May 2014, there is no crisis threatening Modi and his government. But then India and its people – especially the indigenous peoples who live, unfortunately for them, in mineral-rich forested lands, Dalits (formerly known as “Untouchables”) as well as Muslims, Christians and other marginalised groups – are in acute crisis, thanks to the pro-corporate and majoritarian Hindusupremacist policies the Modi regime is pursuing. This is not to suggest that the crisis in India is merely a year-old: the previous Congress party government, a corporatist and generally supine dispensation, was hardly anything to look back to. Led for ten long years by Manmohan Singh, who not only failed to check massive corruption among his ministers but failed to address massive poverty and destitution on a mass scale while his finance minister and others – especially in the run up to the 2014 general elections – went about dispensing massive largesse to corporate entities, the previous regime disappointed on all counts. Singh, a person of the Sikh faith, went along with the non-prosecution of several members of his party who were engaged in the anti-Sikh pogrom in New Delhi in 1984 that claimed more than 3,000 lives and left thousands of families in dire straits following the assassination of the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards. And this is not a crisis discernible to most mediaattuned people living in India’s cities – chaotic though they may be with traffic problems, power outages, water shortages and so forth. There are vast swathes of India that the Indian media – much less foreign – rarely ever gets around to covering, including in the cities. Indigenous Indians protesting against illegal evictions by government entities backed by paramilitary forces in order to hand over vast lands to corporations are dubbed Maoists and extreme leftists. It is open season on them. Members of police and other “disciplinary” and armed forces in most if not all parts of the world are trained to be ruthless to any quarry pointed out to them. In India the police, the paramilitary forces and the armed forces used for “counter-insurgency” well within the country’s borders enjoy “special powers” meaning impunity. They have done so under the Congress dispensation as they do now. Someone who has been very much a part of the establishment in India – grandson of M.K. Gandhi, former civil servant, former Indian ambassador in South Africa and former governor of the state of West Bengal – sees the country as being in a “state of emergency”: Gopalkrishna Gandhi said while delivering a lecture in March in memory of one of India’s foremost dissidents albeit from a privileged caste-class background, Jayaprakash Narayan, “There is no emergency in force in India today. There is no promulgation of the emergency either in the states or in part of the states or in the country ... but let us examine for a few moments the ingredients of authoritarianism which is what the emergency was, an unashamed exercise in authoritarianism and self-assertion,” he said, alluding to the state of Emergency proclaimed by Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975 which lasted until March 1977. “In a country which has been through the fires of Emergency, we
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our months after becoming prime minister, Narendra Modi stunned Indians by picking up a crude straw broom and, holding it like a dance partner, gently sweeping at a small pile of green leaves on a New Delhi street. Modi, ever the darling of photo ops and grinning selfies, seemed to be calling for a cultural revolution, defying centuries-old hierarchies that make the idea of an official cleaning a street anathema in Indian society. By leading a new campaign called "Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan" or "Clean India Mission," Modi challenged those divisions while dignifying labor and elevating cleanliness as a nationwide goal. That was the first and last time the public saw Modi with a broom. As he passes one year in office, India is as filthy as it ever was with some of the world's most polluted air, rivers stinking with sewage and more than half the 1.2 billion population still defecating in the open. Despite lofty promises of a new pristine world filled with smart cities, sparkling waterways, solar panels and toilets for all, it is a mystery how Modi plans to get there. At the same time, environment experts say, the government is laying the groundwork to dismantle hardfought laws for protecting the environment. With hundreds of millions mired in poverty, many believe economic growth at any cost is the only thing that matters. The latest budget slashed environment funds by 25 percent, with little outcry. And business leaders have been effusive about Modi's leadership, crediting his constant globe-trotting with boosting investor sentiment and raising India's profile worldwide. Modi's approach embodies "the idea that like the West we will grow and clean up later," said historian Ramachandra Guha. "But we don't have access to colo-
Middle and upper class Indians might balk at the idea that their country is in crisis but while they are having it good - the media fails to inform them that more than 75% of the population is suffering neglect at best and in far too many instances, massive state violence do not have a state of emergency today but we have in the air the whiffs of the emergency sentiment, we have strains of the emergency doctrine and palpable pulsations of emergency fear." Gopalkrishna Gandhi went on to say: “Dissent enfeebles the dictator; the absence of dissent enfeebles the common man and woman.” He then turned to the fear gripping the minority communities in India now and said, “in times when there are no riots or riots in real time there has never been a time when fear has been so pronounced in the hearts and minds of the minority communities in India”. Alluding to the Hindu chauvinist groups’ campaign to convert Muslims and Christians to Hinduism under the name “Ghar Wapsi” (homecoming), Gandhi said: “the PM has said nothing against Ghar Wapsi but then the PM has said nothing about so many things and they are happy and they are being justified. Conversion and reconversion have been part of our country’s life for centuries but a political payload that has been put into the matter today is unprecedented … this is the first time so sharp a polarization is sought to be introduced in the trust between communities in India.” Saturation control over the media The article two years ago said, “a virtual army of supporters has been working the internet from within India and abroad: there is a sizeable Gujarati and upper caste Indian presence in North America and Europe and good numbers of whom back Modi.” Crucially, the geographical spread and numbers staffing these call centres in India or elsewhere are difficult to gauge, wrapped as so many of them are in various cloaks of secrecy. However, media had access to one well-run outfit named Citizens for Accountable Governance staffed by hundreds of highly educated and technically qualified individuals and which is credited with masterminding that crucial leap from 25 percent national vote share to 31 percent. Not with a view to hedging bets, the article pointed to some dangers: “Hindutva (Hinduness) forces are trying to recruit adherents from among the Dalits (formerly untouchables) and even indigenous people of India, selling them the idea that Muslims and Christians are their enemies.” Where the article – and many others written by numerous astute observers of Indian politics in 2013 and early 2014 – fell short was in gauging the extent of “saturation control over the media” that Modi and his party had come to enjoy by then. And it was only by early to mid-2014 that the realisation began to dawn on media-watchers in India that there were massive monies ranged behind Modi’s campaign. Opinion polls in India have at times proven completely wrong – albeit at others spot on – and thus there was considerable scepticism over survey results that said Modi’s party and coalition would win. For instance, in the run-up to the general elections photographs began to emerge of Modi campaigning in far off places across the vast expanse of India while flying on jets provided by an Industrialist – Gautam Adani – who has been fattening on Gujarat state largesse. Industrialist Mukesh Ambani now controls significant sections of the media. He and Adani, Ratan Tata as well as numerous other “captains of industry” are now being rewarded for their backing of Modi with tax write-offs, controversial loans and other gestures on a national scale that previously was offered in Gujarat, as Rohini Hensman brilliantly documented in openDemocracy early last year.
Naturally, the government has gone after human rights activists and non-government organisations such as Greenpeace and the Ford Foundation for supporting grassroots activists opposing such government-backed loot of land and resources belonging to the people of India. One of the Modi government’s most controversial initiatives is a law to make it easier to grab farmers’ land that can then be gifted to the moneybags funding the ruling party. Farmers have been committing suicides in their hundreds (both under the current and the previous Congress regimes). India’s already low spending on health has been further cut in the current year’s budget and the government has shut several official programmes, including those covering AIDS, child malnutrition and tobacco control, while healthcare is being increasingly privatised. The government has meanwhile allowed pharma companies to raise prices manifold. Modi’s pre-election claim that he would bring back unaccounted wealth stashed abroad or “black money”, was just a gimmick, the BJP’s current president and the prime minister’s close confidant, Amit Shah, admitted earlier this year. While Modi has spent much time on foreign travels – accompanied by his favoured business tycoons – his foreign minister and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj has been sidelined. In fact there are few foreign ministers around the world whose roles have been as eclipsed by the chief executive as hers. And many others among Modi’s other ministers have rarely been heard from, so centralised has been his manner of functioning. A few ministers and other Hindu supremacist hotheads speaking out of turn and using foul language against the minorities and calling for Muslims to be disenfranchised or to be hounded out of Hindu-dominated housing complexes has gone largely unnoticed by Modi. Just months after he took office, violence engulfed an area named Trilokpuri in the capital, most likely stoked by Hindu chauvinists. Churches have come under attack in Delhi and elsewhere. That Modi, who presided over an anti-Muslim pogrom in his native Gujarat state in 2002 that left more than 2,000 people dead and thousands homeless, is an unreconstructed Hindu fanatic demagogue and fascist needs hardly any corroboration: There are far too many Youtube links and news links testifying to that fact. Trumped up charges of being Maoists Meanwhile, away from media gaze, a war has been mounted on the indigenous peoples living in the central Indian states of Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa. Human rights activists say jails are overflowing with under-trial detainees most of them facing trumped up charges of being Maoists. Education is being under-funded and the directorship of government bodies overseeing it is being handed over to known Hindu chauvinists, most of whom conflate Hindu mythology with history. Meanwhile, 16-year-olds will henceforth be treated as adults if they are charged with heinous crimes, should a bill passed by the lower house of parliament be approved by the upper house. The government has also allowed children as young as 14 to work in family enterprises and in the audio-visual entertainment industry. A former minister and ideologue of the prime minister’s party, Arun Shourie, has criticised Modi for poor handling of the economy. Shourie’s criticism is from a right-wing perspective, but reveals that not everyone even within his camp is buying the hyperbole of economic turnaround under Modi. As he begins his second year in office, there is little hope that Modi will mend his ways. But resistance might be building: a labour group aligned with his party has signalled its impatience with current policies hurting workers and has decided to join a protest to be organised by opposition groups. It is only such resistance from within and without the ruling circles that hold out the hope that India might eventually emerge from the nightmare of Modi Raj. N. Jayaram is a journalist now based in Bangalore after more than 23 years in East Asia (mainly Hong Kong and Beijing) and 11 years in New Delhi. He was with the Press Trust of India news agency for 15 years and Agence France-Presse for 11 years and is currently engaged in editing and translating for NGOs and academic institutions. He writes Walker Jay's blog.
Modi vows a cleaner India, but no clear path to get there Katy daigle aP Environment Writer nies like Europe had," he said. "There is no part of India where no one lives. If you excavate a coal mine, or build a factory on a river, you are depriving someone of land, or clean water, or forests." India has a long record of making plans that come to nothing. Previous governments also vowed better sanitation, cleaner rivers, renewable energy and various anti-pollution measures. Modi's promises on the environment include expanding solar power five-fold by 2022, ensuring everyone has access to a toilet by 2019, and cleaning the Ganges river of sewage and pollutants. The sanitation pledge alone requires building 70,000 toilets per day. The country is still 100 million toilets short of its goal while funds for sanitation were halved in the last budget. Environmentalists worry most about what is to come from Modi's government. They point to a mounting assault on environmental protections meant to check pollution, prevent unfair land-grabbing and establish legal rights for tribal communities to oversee the land they live on. Specifically, the critics object to the loosening of rules such as requiring local consent for mineral prospecting as well as to longer-term plans for overhauling the country's six keystone environment laws. One of Modi's first acts as prime minister was to form a committee that
within three months issued a report recommending a wholesale shift in environmental regulation. The recommendations include eliminating independent pollution regulators and having industries police themselves. All project clearances would be handled by a single government-appointed panel and eliminate the need for forest communities to approve diversion of their lands for industrial use. The Subramanian Committee report also suggests revising the mandate of India's environmental courts so that they consider only existing law and not scientific arguments and other considerations. While it's unclear which recommendations Modi's government will adopt, environmentalists believe it will embrace most of them within legislation soon to be presented in Parliament. "If the laws aren't working properly, you don't just throw them out. You're supposed to implement them, or make them better," said Leo Saldanha of the Environment Support Group, which has campaigned against the report's recommendations. "Most of these changes will have adverse implications for decades. Modi won't even be around to see the consequences of what he's doing." Modi and many of his ministers have made clear they see India's environmental laws as roadblocks to economic development, holding up in-
dustry and halting infrastructure such as dams, highways and railways. India's growth languished between 4 and 5 percent for several years as business confidence and investment wilted under the weight of chaotic bureaucracy, policy U-turns and epic corruption scandals. But economists forecast India to overtake China as the world's fastest growing economy this year with a 7.4 percent expansion. Environmental degradation, meanwhile, is already costing India at least 5.7 percent of its GDP each year, according to the World Bank. Those losses are expected to increase as the compound effects of pollution sicken more people while more of India's forests vanish, soils continue to degrade and aquifers run dry. Past governments have opened debate to communities and activists, but the Modi government has cracked down on groups such as the Ford Foundation, Greenpeace and Action Aid. Critics warn Modi may be courting a backlash by undermining the rights of local communities and by sacrificing decades of environmental laws that required rigorous assessment of industrial consequences, even if those laws weren't always implemented. Fishermen have begun protesting coastal pollution, while tens of thousands of farmers rallied last month against plans to make land acquisitions easier. A decades-long Maoist insurgency continues unabated and with support from forest-dwelling communities who also seek a greater share of the country's natural resource wealth. "I have this feeling that all of this will ultimately go wrong," said Pushp Jain, director of a Delhi-based environment consulting group ERC. "If they take away public hearings, which is where affected people can be heard, then you have a problem."
Subject Matters Zhokusheyi Rhakho
The Gathering Storm: Rumbling in the Hills
M
uch ado about ever multiplying Naga Political Groups (NPG), taxation, burgeoning unemployment, corruption, illegal immigrants, etc, has been gathering storm for quite a while. If the social networking site and Track-II interactions are to be viewed seriously, then Nagaland is deck for revolution though of course in whatever form it transcends is unpredictable. Naga society seems to be at transitional stage where it has not yet broke with the past nor stepped into a new light. Our outward appearance and style portrays ultra modernism but our mindset and outlook have not yet advanced to the same level. Societal change undergoes through various stages in social evolution but Naga society jumped from primitive to modern stage without undergoing step wise due to certain historical forces thus the problem of adjustment. Whether it is the recent inter-tribal conflict in Tuensang or earlier inter-tribal or inter-village conflict or the constant fission within the NPGs, all bears symptom of parochial past and narrow phobias that our society has not yet graduated from. The onslaught of modern politics and unmeasured electoral system has perverted the last bastion of Naga integrity, honesty and values of the past that we always proudly acclaim. Worst form of destructive politics has come to define our polity where ism preceding logic and rationality has come to fore permeating politics without principle, culture without values and beliefs without moral. To dispel parochialism, we have to re-think our core values and re-imagine why and how our culture and ethos have been corrupted. Perhaps one of the major fault line lies in present electoral system where corruption and open play of money has become the norm and aberrated the once pristine traditional institutions. This can be corrected through electoral reforms drawing inference from our traditional election system. To begin with, perhaps the government can, as a trail method, establish a tribal upper house to discuss social and culture issues where election will be held akin to traditional method by which every clan will elect an elector to the village, then village to tribe and tribe to the state with strong mechanism to completely ban play of money with representation from all Naga inhabited areas. In this way emotional, cultural and social integration which precede political integration will be augmented. No society can be peaceful or vibrant when there is no fairness, transparency or justice. Corruption can be mitigated and better politics inculcated if the vicious practice of securing job through politics is completely banned and streamline all jobs, say from GradeIII and above, to a recruiting agency where merit will be the sole criterion. Governance will be much fairer and less rancorous if it is to confine only to developmental things. A society that has so much unemployed youth will never be free of upheaval and constant scheming. The recent Arab uprisings began with a small spark in Tunisia where an unemployed youth immolated himself which set alight not only Tunisia but the whole Arabian neighbourhood too. With such a huge unemployed youth (65,000 as per Employment office record) and no seeming panacea to mitigate the same, a major tremor is bound to occur anytime depending on time and circumstances. Vitiating the situation is the influx of illegal immigrants threatening the very identity and existence of the indigenous community creating demographic tension. If the trend goes unabated, a serious and bloodier upheaval is imminent in the near future more violent than the past and present political conflict because it would then be a fight for survival. Another storm that has been gaining momentum every moment is the unbearable activity of the NPGs in its aberrated form. Pakistan made a deadly embrace by taking terrorism as its tacit foreign policy to wield influence over its neighbours but today the very monster it raised is threatening to swallow the State itself. Nagas by not strongly standing up against factionalism and failing to vouch consistently to abide within the mandate has emboldened factionalism where every now and then new factions are created at the whim and fancies of the self vested person who are fascinated far more by game of manoeuvre and power politics rather than the cause. Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat its tragedies. NPGs instead of learning from history, seems to quite well justify themselves saying division is normal part of the quest. Even their objectives seem to have become blur and ambiguous with NPGs bosses themselves saying sovereignty & integration as mere idealism, then from sovereignty to negotiated settlement and some even saying they are for Nagas of Nagaland or Nagas of the Indian side only. The person who orchestrated factionalism has set a very destructive precedent and created a situation beyond his control. But the million dollar question is, who gave the mandate to form new factions? It is a historical fact that only one mandate was given in all course of Naga history in 1946 to NNC which was cemented by declaration of independence on 14 Aug. 1947 and Plebiscite of 16 May 1951. To speak other way round apart from this historical fact would be intellectual cowardice. Some people started forming new faction on their own accord in gross deviation of the given mandate starting in 1979 in the eastern jungle and forced it down the throat of the unwilling people. Any faction may say anything for their own survival but sooner or later, truth is bound to prevail and history cannot be changed. Just because truth is ignored doesn’t mean truth has failed to exist or just because some people wield the capability to command fear doesn’t mean it posses mandate in anyway. Something as massive as mandate can never be hidden, hijacked or claimed. It was and is never a matter of which faction one like to support, but it is a matter of mandate and legitimacy and this is the only antidote to factionalism. The Shillong Accord of 1975 though is a matter of another debate but to form new government is altogether a different thing and taking this accord as the reason for forming new faction is not a valid ground. Government can be formed only by seeking new mandate. Today, times have changed and our nationalism too needs to transcend with time. Nationalism cannot sustain without heightened consciousness, economic development and peoples’ empowerment. Either let massive development take its course leading to economic boom, empowering people and augmenting the cause in the process or sabotage the same and let people exist in poverty and backwardness where there will be no lesser conflict within but too weak externally. By being an economic hub even if war or confrontation occurs, immediate international attention will be drawn, but in the reverse, we will suffer unseen and unheard like the turbulent days of Indo-Naga war because the world hardly sees what goes on inside the jungle. Meanwhile the burgeoning unemployment, corruption, illegal immigrants, taxation, maddening NPGs, et.etc, people resentment builds every day. Only time will tell whether this gathering storm develops into major cyclone or transforms into showers of blessing. But the rumbling is unlikely to disappear in the near future. Zhokusheyi Rhakho, is an Assistant Professor, Department of History, Phek Government College. Currently as a Doctoral Candidate at the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong he is working on the thesis "Battle of Kohima and its consequences on the Naga society". He can be reached at zhoku.rhakho@gmail.com
Readers may please note that, the contents of the articles published on this page do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
8
Dimapur
NATIONAL
Friday 29 May 2015
The Morung Express
Indians scramble for heat relief, but many still must work Omer Farooq
Heat wave toll goes up to 1512
Associated Press
E
ating onions, lying in the shade and crowding into rivers, Indians were doing whatever they could Thursday to stay cool amid a brutal heat wave that has killed more than 1,400 in the past month. Most of the heat-related deaths so far have occurred in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where temperatures have soared up to 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit), according to government figures. Among the most vulnerable were the elderly and the poor, many of whom live in slums or farm huts with no access to air conditioners or sometimes even shady trees. Officials warned people to stay out of the sun, cover their heads and drink plenty of water, but India's widespread poverty was forcing many to work despite the high temperatures. "Either we have to work, putting our lives under threat, or we go without food," said Narasimha, a farmer in the badly hit Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh. "But we stop work when it becomes unbearable." In the city of Nizamabad, 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of the state capital of Hyderabad, con-
New Delhi, May 28 (PTi): The sweltering heat wave continued to claim lives, with the death toll today climbing to 1512 across the country, most of them in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The death toll in Andhra Pradesh stood 1020 while it was 440 in Telangana. The Met department warned of continuance of the heat wave conditions for the next two days. Heat wave conditions also prevailed in several other states like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Telangana saw the death of 100 people since yesterday. "As per information available till 7 pm today, the toll has risen to 440," said a senior official of the Telangana disaster management department in Hyderabad. Yesterday, the figure stood at 340. Since April 15, Nalgonda district has witnessed 126 deaths, followed by Karimnagar (95),
Khammam (82) and Mahabubnagar (37). The heat has also claimed 35 lives in Medak district, 22 in Adilabad, 17 in Nizamabad, 12 in Warangal and seven each in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts. According to Indian Meteorological Department, `severe heatwave to heatwave' conditions prevailed today over many parts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts, and would continue for the next two days. In Andhra Pradesh, Prakasam district has recorded the highest number of deaths at 202. Guntur district saw death of 130 people followed by Visakhapatnam (112), Vizianagaram (78) and Nellore 74. The toll in other districts was East Godavari-90, West Godavari 10, Krishna 49, Chittore 29, Kadapa 22, Kurnool 17, Anantapur 14, Srikaukulam 25.
Devotees hold umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun during the annual festival of Sufi saint Saiwali Pir Baba at Sangral, near the India-Pakistan international border, about 38 kilometers south of Jammu on Thursday, May 28. Eating onions, lying in the shade and splashing into rivers, Indians were doing whatever they could Thursday to stay cool during a brutal heat wave that has killed more than 1,500 in the past month. (AP Photo)
struction workers were also still on the job. "Our livelihood depends on our work," said Mahalakshmi, who earns a daily wage of about $3.10. She dismissed the warnings to avoid work. "If I don't work due to the heat, how will my family survive?" Those who were able were heeding the government's advice. "With so many people dying due to the heat, we are locking the children indoors," teacher Satyamur-
thy said in Khammam, which registered its highest temperature in 67 years on Saturday when the thermometer hit 48 degrees Celsius (more than 118 Fahrenheit). Meteorological officials said the heat would likely continue for several more days — warping asphalt roads, scorching crops and endangering construction workers, farmers and anyone else laboring outdoors. Cooling monsoon rains were expected to arrive
next week in the southern state of Kerala and gradually work their way northward. Until then, volunteers were passing out pouches of salted buttermilk or raw onions — both thought to be hydrating. People used handkerchiefs and scarves to block searing winds and warm air from their faces. In cities like New Delhi, crowds of office workers gathered around stalls selling cold fruit drinks and iced water, while Sikhs in
the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana distributed free glasses of sugared milky water. Across the country, teenagers flocked to water basins and rivers to cool off, while many adults took refuge lying on rooftop cots in the shade. Forecasting service AccuWeather described this as the most intense heat wave in India in recent years. Thursday's death toll in Andhra Pradesh alone, at 1,360, was already high-
er than in the state's last heat wave in 2003, when 1,300 died in what was then a unified state including both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Doctors were on alert for heat-related illness like sun stroke. "They are also telling people that, if they have to step out during the day, then they should take precautions and use a hat or something to cover their head," said Sarojini, a health officer for the Andhra Pradesh city of
Vishakapatnam who goes by one name, as is common in the region. Telangana's school board postponed the start date for colleges for a week from Monday. Meanwhile, Telangana disaster management official Sada Bharagavi said the state government had opened centers where cold water was being served, publicized the symptoms of sun stroke and changed work times in outdoor areas under rural employ-
ment schemes. One Hyderabad man was doing his daytime newspaper route in the early morning to avoid the hottest temperatures. "It is difficult to do this work in this harsh weather, but I have a family to take care of," said Rajaiah, who goes by one name. Otherwise, Hyderabad's normally jampacked streets were almost deserted Thursday, as market vendors and office workers avoided going out.
Avoided choosing "populist course": Modi CBSE class 10 result 2015: 94,474 New Delhi, May 28 (PTi): with announcements to keep the students scored a perfect 10 CGPA Prime Minister Narendra Modi has people fooled. The latter course is said that he has consciously avoided choosing a "populist course" and had instead opted for a "more difficult path" of correcting the defective government machinery. Looking back at his one year in office, Modi, when asked if there was something which he could have done differently, said that he had two options. "One option was to do things methodically to mobilise the government machinery, correct the many defects and ills which had crept into the system, so as to provide long term benefits to the country in the form of clean, efficient and fair governance. "The other option was to use the mandate to announce new populist schemes and bombard the media
easier and people are used to it. "However, I did not choose this and instead chose the more difficult path of correcting the defective government machinery in a quiet and methodical way. If I had chosen the populist course, it would have been a breach of the trust placed in me by the people," Modi told PTI. Asked to enumerate steps that he had taken to change the way the government works, he said, "we have tried to remind government servants that they are servants of the public and have restored discipline in Central government officers. "I have done a small thing, one that appears small from outside. I regularly interact with officers over tea; it is part of my working style.
Delhi govt moves HC on Centre's notification on LG's powers New Delhi, May 28 (PTi): The AAP government today moved the Delhi High Court challenging the Centre's recent notification giving the Lieutenant Governor absolute powers in appointing bureaucrats in the national capital. The petition was mentioned before a bench of justices B D Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva, saying, "The Delhi government has decided to move against the Ministry of Home Affair's (MHA's) May 21 notification." "As per the notification, the LG would have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public orders, police and land, and...services of bureaucrats...allowing him discretionary powers to seek the opinion of the CM," it said.
The petition was mentioned by Delhi government standing counsel Raman Duggal a day after the Centre moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Delhi HC which termed as "suspect" MHA's recent notification barring the city government's Anti-corruption Branch (ACB) from acting against its officers in criminal offences. The HC had also held that the LG cannot act in his discretion. Duggal also said that he has challenged all notifications issued by the Centre in the past. The bench has listed the matter for hearing tomorrow. The Delhi government, led by the Chief Ministerl, has also challenged the appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary by the LG.
New Delhi, May 28 (PTi): Girls once again outperformed boys in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 10 results today, which recorded a pass percentage of 97.32, about a per cent less than last year. The last year’s pass percentage was 98.87. The pass percentage of girls in the 2015 examination was 97.82% as compared to 96.98 per cent of boys. According to a CBSE statement, Thiruvananthapuram region witnessed highest pass percentage of 99.77 in the country. In all, 13,73,853 candidates were registered for Class X examination this year, an increase of about 3.37% over that of last year. In pictures: CBSE Class 10 Results 2015 announced, pass percentage down A total of 94,474 students scored a perfect 10 CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average), of them 49,392 were boys and 45,082 girls. Chandigarh region fared the best with highest number of students, a total of 15479, scoring perfect ten. The results were delayed by about a week leading to anxiety among the students and their parents.
A woman worships a cow as Indian Hindus offer prayers to the River Ganges, holy to them during Ganga Dussehra festival in Allahabad on Thursday, May 28. Allahabad on the confluence of rivers the Ganges and the Yamuna is one of Hinduism’s holiest centers. (AP Photo)
Rahul says RSS-BJP killing individuality; BJP calls him immature New Delhi, May 28 (iaNS): Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday lashed out at the ruling BJP and its ideological mentor RSS and accused the Narendra Modi government of using its brand of discipline to "kill individuality" among Indians. The BJP hit back, saying his comments showed his "immaturity and foolishness". "Have you seen an RSS shakha? Everyone stands in a straight line. If someone utters anything, he is silenced with a lathi," Gandhi said in a short but power-packed speech in Hindi at a convention here of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI). "Discipline is an excuse
for them to murder individuality. They are attempting to silence the lakhs of voices in India with this excuse of discipline. They want to kill individuality in India," he said. Gandhi, who was clad in a white kurta and blue jeans, compared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's 'dhwaj pranam' (flag salutation) to the Nazi salute. "I don't know how they salute with their hands, but it is similar to how they saluted in Germany. I would never do it," Gandhi said, in an obvious comparison of the RSS with the Nazis. Gandhi said the Congress, on the other hand, respected individuality. "Earlier, I used to think
why we can't have order in the Congress? Now after 10 years, I have realised that we don't have order as our organisation is able to listen to everyone. It is in our DNA. "We imbibe all the complexity in Indians and we can reach a compromise within half an hour. In the Congress, we have internal dialogue. They don't have it in their party and are trying to implement the same in the country." Taking a dig at Modi, the Congress vice president said the prime minister must have taken lessons on how to improve the country's economy from former prime minister Manmohan Singh when they met on Wednesday. He also accused Modi
Need to step up fight against smokeless killer New Delhi, May 28 (iaNS): Wrapped inside betel leaves and placed in the corner of the mouth, chewing tobacco has been a practice in India for centuries. While there is certainly an increased awareness in terms of the harmful effects this could have on health, the medical fraternity is very much concerned about the growing number of cancerous lesions in the mouth. The prestigious scientific journal Lancet has placed India at the second position -next to China - in terms of those consuming smokeless tobacco. Various forms of loose-leaf chewed tobacco are commonly consumed in the Indian subcontinent. Smokeless tobacco use is particularly prevalent in India, Bangladesh and among women in Thailand.
What is less known to most people in India is that more than 4,000 different chemicals have been found in tobacco and over 60 of these chemicals are known carcinogens. Almost 30 percent of the Indian population older than age 15 use some form of tobacco. Men use more smoked tobacco while women are more likely to use the chewed variety. In case of paan with tobacco, the main ingredients of paan are the betel leaf, areca nut (supari), slaked lime (chuna), and catechu (katha). Sweets and other condiments are also added for flavour. The varieties of paan are named for the different strengths of tobacco in it. It is a myth that chewing tobacco with betel leaf is not harmful. The International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC) has rightly established that people who chew both the betel leaf and the areca nut along with tobacco have a higher risk of damaging their gums and having cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus and stomach. Khaini is yet another common chewing tobacco seen mostly among the women folk. Dried tobacco leaves are crushed and mixed with slaked lime and chewed as a quid. The practice of keeping the quid in the mouth between the cheeks and gums causes most cancers of the gums the most common form of mouth cancer in India. Let us pause and take a look at a case study here. Raghav Sharma (name changed) was diagnosed with stage IV mouth cancer. A road-side vendor in Delhi, he earned his living
out of selling vegetables. Sharma underwent surgery and had to get the central portion of his lower jaw removed. For this, he gave away all that he had to save himself. Now, the same man has knocked the door of the hospital again with two marble-sized yellowish lumps in his gums. The ugly dreadful cancer is back again with a vengeance and the doctors have no other options but to go for a second surgery. There is an urgent need for increasing awareness on the ill effects of chewing tobacco. Interestingly, there are misconceptions that tobacco has germicidal compositions that could cleanse the teeth. Mishri is one of the kind which is applied on the teeth like a tooth powder. In due course, the individual gets addicted to the usage and becomes totally
dependent on the product. The user also ends up damaging his teeth and gums. Gudakhu, again used commonly by women, is a paste of tobacco and sugar molasses and involves direct application of tobacco to the gums, thus increasing the risk of cancer of the gums. A campaign that empowers cancer survivors to tell their stories to influence policymakers and raise awareness among other tobacco users about the damaging effects of tobacco on health is the need of the hour. Besides cancer of mouth, use of tobacco, in the smoke or smokeless form, may lead to other serious diseases including heart, lung, circulatory diseases and stroke. Once diagnosed with cancer, the genetic damage is irreversible.
of failing to take care of the country's farmers. "Modi-ji in his speeches had said he would help the poor but the fact is that he has been to France, the US, Japan, China, Nepal and even Mongolia, but is yet to visit the house of a poor farmer," said Gandhi, as the audience cheered and applauded. Modi had promised to bring back black money within 100 days, but it has been one year and he has not done anything, Gandhi said. He also accused the NDA government of trying to saffronise higher education. "The university system is the future of the country. Tell the students that we want that they should think on their
own. Go and spread the Congress ideology." He criticised the 'Make In India' campaign, claiming that the initiative will fail because it had the backing of only a handful of rich industrialists, and not the support of the poor people of the country."'Make in India' will be zero soon," he said. Reacting to Gandhi's tirade, the BJP said his comments showed his "immaturity and foolishness"."The party, which is run by only three members of a family, has no right to give us lessons on democracy," BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narsimha Rao told IANS.The RSS, on its part, said Gandhi's utterances expose his frustration and ignorance about the organisation.
Mere possession of fake notes can’t be termed as offence: HC MUMBai, May 28, (PTi): Observing that mere possession of counterfeit notes cannot be termed as an offence and prosecution is required to prove that the person had knowledge that the notes were fake, the Bombay High Court has set aside the conviction and five year sentence awarded to a man. Justice Anuja Prabhudessai was hearing an appeal filed by one Munshi Mohammed Shaikh challenging a sessions court order of October 2013, convicting him under sections 489 (b) and 489 (c) of IPC for possession of counterfeit notes and sentencing him to five years in jail. According to the prosecution, on December 19, 2011, Shaikh went to suburban Kurla branch of Punjab National Bank to deposit Rs. 9,500 cash. He handed 17 notes of Rs 500 and one Rs 1,000 note to the cashier. The cashier upon examination suspected that some of the notes were counterfeit and asked the accused to wait at the counter and went to the bank manager, who confirmed that the notes were counterfeit. However, when they came out the accused was not there following which they
lodged a complaint. By the time the police arrived, the accused came back and was arrested. The High Court, after perusing the facts and evidence of the case, was of the opinion that the prosecution had not adduced any evidence to prove that the accused had knowledge or that he had reason to believe that the notes were counterfeit. “It is crystal clear that in order to prove the ingredients of the offences under section 489 (b) and 489 (c), the prosecution is not only required to prove mere use or possession of counterfeit notes as genuine but the prosecution is also required to prove that the accused had knowledge or that he had reason to believe that the said notes were forged or counterfeit,” the court said recently. “The evidence adduced by the prosecution does not indicate that the colour and texture of the notes were different or that the difference was so apparent that a mere look at the notes would convince a lay man that it was counterfeit.” Justice Prabhudessai said. The court set aside Shaikh’s conviction and ordered him to be release forthwith.
InternatIonal
the Morung express
Friday 29 May 2015
Dimapur
9
Fleeing poverty, Bangladeshis caught in Asian boat crisis Julhas Alam
Dalai Lama urges Aung San Suu Kyi to help Rohingya Muslims
Associated Press
T
he traffickers spun stories that were unimaginable to their listeners, many who hailed from tiny Bangladeshi villages where almost no one earns more than a few dollars a day. First, there would be the boat: A huge boat where people could spread out comfortably, where the food would be plentiful and delicious. They would be treated with decency while on board and at the end of a week or so they would be quietly dropped off in Malaysia and given high-paying jobs. After that, they would have plenty of money to send home to their families. There would be enough for food and house payments and school fees for their children. Maybe, if they worked hard enough, there would be enough to build monuments to their success. Since my childhood I have dreamed of building a two-story mosque in my area,” said Shafiq Mia, a 23-year-old who spent weeks on one of the traffickers’ boats. Instead they were taken to fetid ships so crowded they could not lie down without touching someone else. They spent weeks at sea. Some were dropped off to fend for themselves in the jungles of Thailand or in Burmese villages they still cannot name. Some never reached dry land at all, and found themselves shuttled from one creaky boat to another, bought and sold by traffickers looking to maximize their profits. In the end, most were taken back to Bangladesh, dumped onto beaches from fishing boats, only after their fami-
In this Thursday, May 21, 2015 photo, children read books inside their makeshift tent at a camp for Rohingya people in Ukhiya, near Cox’s Bazar, a southern coastal district about 296 kilometers (183 miles) south of Dhaka, Bangladesh. As a boat people crisis emerged in Southeast Asia in recent weeks, nearly all the focus has been on the Rohingya: the persecuted Muslim minority fleeing Myanmar. But of the more than 3,000 people who have come ashore this month in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, about half were from Bangladesh, according to the U.N. refugee agency, mainly poor laborers seeking better jobs and a brighter future. (AP Photo)
lies finally paid ransoms to the traffickers. As a boat people crisis emerged in Southeast Asia in recent weeks, nearly all the focus has been on the Rohingya: the persecuted Muslim minority fleeing Myanmar. But of the more than 3,000 people who have come ashore this month in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, about half were from Bangladesh, according to the U.N. refugee agency — poor laborers seeking better jobs and a brighter future. Bangladesh is no longer the economic sinkhole it was in the past. The textile industry has given it a huge boost. The economy is growing at more than 6 percent and the U.N.’s development report now ranks
Bangladesh with countries like India and Egypt. But poverty hangs on. GDP per capita is just over $1,000 a year. Work can be miserable in those textile factories, and many Bangladeshis find themselves only inching up the economic ladder. It’s a situation that leaves many people, particularly young people, susceptible to the sales pitches of fast-talking traffickers paid a bonus for every person they lure on board. So it was for Mia, who was promised what sounded like a leisurely weeklong cruise to Malaysia and a dreamlike life once he got there. His factory job paid only a meager 7,000 takas ($90) a month. “They told me I would be on a ship so big I could play cricket. I would be offered
good and tasty food during my journey,” he said in a recent interview. “But they did not give us food. They beat us mercilessly. They kicked us whenever we wanted food or even talked to someone else,” he said, his eyes filled with tears and his legs covered in bruises from the beatings he endured. After two months spent trapped on a boat and in unknown places in Myanmar, a fishing trawler dropped him this week along Bangladesh’s coastline. His impoverished parents had paid more than $600 as ransom to free him. Such ransoms are commonplace, particularly when crackdowns mean traffickers cannot get their human cargo to Malaysia.
The victims are sometimes given a mobile phone number connected to a bank account so their families can send money electronically, or a series of murky middlemen shuttle ransom money to traffickers. The migrants get little sympathy from their government. Sheikh Hasina, the country’s prime minister and the scion of a powerful political family, says the migrants are tainting the image of the country, labelling them “mentally sick.” She has urged them instead to invest the money they would pay to traffickers — though few poor Bangladeshis have any savings to invest. At a makeshift landing station on the Bay of Bengal, 19-year-old Mohammed Rubel described
NEW DELHI, May 28 (aP): The Dalai Lama has urged Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon and a fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate, to speak out to protect her country’s persecuted Rohingya Muslims amid a human trafficking crisis, a newspaper reported Thursday. The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, told The Australian newspaper that the world cannot ignore the plight of the more than 3,000 desperate migrants who have landed on the shores of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand in recent weeks, often abandoned by human traffickers or freed after their families paid ransoms. “It’s not sufficient to say: ‘How to help these people?’” the newspaper quoted him as saying in an interview in the Indian hill town where he lives in exile. “This is not sufficient. There’s something wrong with humanity’s way of thinking. Ultimately we are lacking concern for others’ lives, others’ wellbeing.” The refugees are a mixture of poor how traffickers transported the terrified migrants to the large boats that carry them out to sea. The passengers, Bangladeshis who arrive at the coast from across the country, are first kept in thatched huts along the shore. “Once you are trapped, nobody can flee. You must go with them,” he said. “Often they are armed with weapons, firearms.” Rubel, who used to work in a steel factory, was confined to an island near Teknaf, which borders Myanmar, along with 12 other people. “They guarded us in a home there. I attempted to flee but they caught me and beat me. Finally I was taken to a fishing trawler with the others and ended up on a
Bangladeshis in search of work and Rohingya Muslims fleeing widespread persecution from Myanmar’s Buddhist majority. The Dalai Lama said he had discussed the Rohingya in earlier meetings with Suu Kyi. “I mentioned about this problem and she told me she found some difficulties, that things were not simple but very complicated,” he was quoted as saying. “But in spite of that I feel she can do something.” Suu Kyi became an international hero during her years of house arrest for speaking out against the generals who long ruled Myanmar. She entered politics after her 2010 release, when the junta handed over power to a nominally civilian government. In a predominantly Buddhist country where there is much animosity toward the Rohingya Muslims, she has remained silent about their persecution. She now says she never sought to be a human rights champion. Critics say that defending the Rohingya could cost her support if she runs for president.
big ship with several hundred people,” he said. “They did not give us food,” he said. “We had to drink our own urine because they did not give us water.” The big ship dropped them off at the Thai coast, where they hiked into the hilly jungle, sleeping out in the open. Along the way, Rubel said he saw at least two men beaten to death. Caught by Thai police, they were taken to a police station, from where they were sold to another group of traffickers, he said. Calls to the Thai provincial police office rang unanswered. However, the discovery of dead bodies at border jungle camps earlier this month did prompt a crackdown in Thailand
that has led to the arrest of 49 people for suspected involvement in human trafficking, and dozens of police are under investigation. Rubel said they got close to Malaysia and waited for two weeks because the traffickers told them the border was tense. They weren’t given any food or water. As he waited, he started to feel hopeless. “I will just die here,” Rubel said he thought. Then Thai police raided the area, and the group of 38 migrants was jailed. Eventually, the Bangladeshi Embassy verified their identities and he was processed for repatriation. A mysterious American, he said, paid for their airfare back to Bangladesh. He never made it to Malaysia.
Thailand: Protest leaders get jail term for anti-govt rally Vatican: Irish gay marriage vote a ‘defeat for humanity’ BaNGKOK, May 28 (aP): Six prominent protest leaders in Thailand were sentenced to two years in prison Thursday for storming the prime minister’s office compound during massive anti-government rallies in 2008. A Criminal Court judge said former media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, former politician Chamlong Srimuang and four other leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy were
guilty of trespassing at the Government House during a 2008 rally. Their lawyer, Suwat Apaipak, said the six were then released on bail because they planned to appeal the verdict. Thousands of protesters, known as the Yellow Shirts, took over the premier’s office and occupied the grounds for weeks, accusing the prime minister of being a proxy of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was oust-
ed in a 2006 coup. “The facts showed that the defendants and the protesters had trespassed into the Government House by climbing the fence and cutting of the locks, which damaged the government’s properties and affected other people’s rights and freedom,” the verdict said. The court said an original sentence of three years in jail was reduced because of the defendants’ cooperation.
The Yellow Shirt protests grew from their visceral hatred for Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon, whose democratically elected government and allied administrations had won consecutive elections. The Yellow Shirts said he was corrupt and that his proxies were running the country after he went into exile following the coup. Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted by a court ruling last May.
Scientists use bacteria to detect cancer, diabetes WasHINGTON, May 28 (IaNs): Two research teams said they have used Escherichia coli (E. coli) as diagnostic tools to detect liver cancer and diabetes. In the first study, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California at San Diego used a harmless strain of E. coli called Nissle 1917, which is marketed as a promoter of gastrointestinal health. The researchers engineered the bacteria to produce a luminescent
signal when they encounter a tumor, which will then be detected with a simple urine test. When fed to mice by mouth, the bacteria do not accumulate in tumors all over the body, but predictably zero in on liver tumors, the researchers found. That’s because the hepatic portal vein carries them from the digestive tract to the liver. The animals that were given the engineered bacteria did not exhibit any harmful side effects, the researchers said. With the E. coli test, the re-
searchers said they were able to detect liver tumors larger than about one cubic millimetre, offering more sensitivity than existing imaging methods. This kind of diagnostic could be most useful for monitoring patients after they have had a colon tumor removed because they are at risk for recurrence in the liver, according to study author Sangeeta Bhatia, a professor of health sciences and electrical engineering and computer science at the MIT.
VaTICaN CITy, May 28 (aP): The Vatican’s secretary of state has called the Irish vote to legalize gay marriage a “defeat for humanity,” evidence of the soul-searching going on in Catholic circles after the predominantly Roman Catholic country overwhelmingly rejected traditional church teaching on marriage. Cardinal Pietro Parolin said he was saddened by the landslide decision, in which more than 62 percent of Irish voters said “yes,” despite church teaching that marriage is only between a man and woman. In comments to reporters Tuesday evening, Parolin referred to remarks by the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, that the results showed the church needed to do a “reality check” since it clearly wasn’t reaching young people with its message. “I don’t think you can speak only about a defeat for Christian principles,
Don’t Delay: Study confirms early treatment is best for HIV Lauran Neergaard
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AP Medical Writer
major international study says HIV patients shouldn’t delay in seeking treatment: Starting medication soon after diagnosis helps keep people healthy longer. People who started anti-AIDS drugs while their immune system was strong were far less likely to develop AIDS or other serious illnesses than if they waited until blood tests showed their immune system was starting to weaken, the U.S. National Institutes of Health announced Wednesday. The findings are preliminary, but the NIH found them so compelling that it stopped the study a year early, so that all the participants could receive medication as researchers continue to track their health. How soon should treatment begin? “The sooner the better,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which funded the work.
The findings support current U.S. guidelines that already recommend early treatment for HIV, but could alter care recommendations in other countries. HIV may not trigger symptoms for years, raising the question of how soon after diagnosis patients should begin taking expensive medications that may cause side effects. Previous studies have made clear that treatment dramatically lowers the chances that someone with HIV spreads the virus to a sexual partner. But there was less evidence that the HIV patient’s own health would benefit. The START trial — Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment — sought proof by randomly assigning still healthy patients either to receive early therapy or to delay therapy until their CD4 cells, a key sign of immune system health, dropped into a worry zone. While the U.S. guidelines back treatment regardless of patients’ CD4 counts, the World Health Organization’s guidelines recommend that HIV-infected people begin treatment when their CD4
levels fall below normal, to 500 or below. But that doesn’t happen in many poor countries, where often people are sicker before they receive treatment and global funding to expand care is tight. Even in the U.S., many people don’t seek or stick with early care: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that only about 30 percent of Americans with HIV have the virus under control. The START trial enrolled 4,685 people in 35 countries, all of whom had CD4 counts in the healthy range — above 500 — and had never taken anti-HIV medication. Researchers tracked deaths, the development of AIDS-related illnesses and the development of serious non-AIDS events such as cancer, heart disease and kidney or liver disease. Over about three years, the risk of serious illness or death was reduced by 53 percent in the early treatment group, NIH said. The actual numbers of bad outcomes in both groups were very low, given that patients were so
healthy when they enrolled in the study: 41 cases in the early-treatment group compared with 86 in the group that delayed treatment until their CD4 count dropped to near 350. The results, once final, will need careful scrutiny to see if they apply to people with the highest CD4 counts, cautioned Dr. Jay Levy of the University of California, San Francisco, who wasn’t involved in the new study. “I’m still concerned about putting everyone on therapy,” Levy said. But Fauci said the study offers “another reason why we should be more aggressive in seeking out voluntary testing” and getting people care. “It tells you that you will benefit from therapy at whatever your CD4 count is.” Fauci acknowledged that expanding early treatment would cost more up-front. But he contended that “there’s no doubt that it’s going to be less expensive to treat people early,” and try to avoid the more expensive care of fullblown AIDS.
but a defeat for humanity,” he said. The Catholic Church in Ireland has lost much of its moral authority following widespread sex abuse scandals and a general secularization of society. Martin himself called the vote part of a “social revolution” that required the church to look at whether it had “drifted completely away from young people.” Pope Francis hasn’t commented directly on the Irish results, but on Wednesday he stressed traditional church teaching on marriage as being between man and woman. Francis has dedicated his weekly general audience catechism lessons to fam-
ily issues, so Wednesday’s remarks about the importance of the period of engagement before a marriage were perfectly in line with the themes he has been stressing for months. Francis said fiancees should use their engagements to really get to know one another, acknowledging that they may know one another “intimately,” and even live together, but don’t truly know one another. During the period of engagement, he said, “The man learns about women by learning about this woman, his fiancee, while the woman learns about men by learning about this
man, her fiance.” Francis’ weekly catechism lessons are part of his two-year study on family issues that will culminate in October when bishops from around the world gather to discuss better ways to minister to today’s Catholics. At their preliminary meeting last fall, bishops stressed the need to better welcome gays into the church, but ruled out gay marriage. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio fought hard, and unsuccessfully, to block Argentina from becoming the first country in South America to legalize gay marriage.
The Morung Express 10 SPORTS Bacca double helps Sevilla clinch Europa League Warriors eliminate rockets Ends 40-year NBA Finals drought Dimapur
Friday
29 May 2015
Sevilla's Carlos Bacca raises the cup after winning the final of the soccer Europa League between FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Sevilla FC at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, May 27. (AP Photo)
WARSAW, MAY 28 (REUTERS): Sevilla retained their Europa League title and lifted the trophy for a record fourth time amid a cascade of tears and ticker tape after securing a 3-2 victory over Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in Wednesday's final. Carlos Bacca claimed the plaudits with a superb double strike, including a late winner to decide a pulsating clash that began
at a hair-raising pace with four goals in the first half. Dnipro had grabbed an early lead from Nikola Kalinic before Sevilla hit back with goals by Grzegorz Krychowiak and Bacca. A free kick from Dnipro captain Ruslan Rotan made it 2-2 just before the break and it looked like the Ukrainians, playing in their first European final, might cause a stunning upset. But
Bacca settled the game for Sevilla and secured the trophy and a precious Champions League place handed to the winners for the first time as they go into the group stage. Colombia striker Bacca, substituted before the end, broke down on the bench with the emotion of it all as the final whistle sounded and the celebrations began. Sevilla are now the un-
disputed kings of the competition, having also won it twice in its former guise as the UEFA Cup in 2006 and 2007, and have moved ahead of Juventus, Liverpool and Inter Milan to stand alone with most wins on the honours board. Within minutes of the kickoff Dnipro landed the first blow. A chip forward found Kalinic and he nodded the ball deftly into the path of Brazilian winger Matheus, whose precise cross was met by the Croatia target man to head low into the net past the sprawling dive of Sevilla keeper Sergio Rico. The Poland international raised the roof off the stadium in his home country when he received Bacca's knockdown, took a touch to get the ball out of his feet and drove his finish through several Dnipro bodies into the net. Within three minutes Sevilla were ahead as Reyes set Bacca clear with a perfectly weighted through ball and the Colombian rounded keeper Denys Boyko before calmly slotting home. That could have proved a devastating psychological blow to Dnipro, but the rugged Ukrainians are made of stern stuff and they equalised before the break through Rotan's superb curling freekick that looped delicately over the wall and into the net. The second half was a much nervier affair, before Sevilla struck the decisive blow. Vitolo's flicked pass found Bacca who stayed onside to turn in the area and drill the ball home.
Williams avoids early upset, Nadal advances
PARIS, MAY 28 (AP): Top-ranked Serena Williams avoided an early upset when she rallied from one set down to beat unheralded German Anna-Lena Friedsam 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the second round of the French Open on Thursday. There was no such trouble for Rafael Nadal who eased into the third round of the men's draw with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 win against countryman Nicolas Almagro. Seeking her 20th career Grand Slam title, and a third here at Roland Garros, Williams dropped her serve four times in her first ever match against Friedsam, ranked 105th.
Williams, the Australian Open champion, set up match point when she launched a huge forehand winner from the back of the court and followed that up with another big, cross-court forehand that flew out of the reach of Friedsam's outstretched racket. Williams' relief was evident as she clenched her fist and let out a yell. She won here in 2013 and her other title was way back in 2002. Although the sixth-seeded Nadal had to save a break point in his opening service game, and was not always at his fluent best with his shot-making, he stepped up a gear in a dominant third set to secure his 13th win in 14
matches against Almagro. Almagro showed admirable defensive qualities, saving three set points in the opening set. Nadal clinched it on serve with a crisp forehand winner and then broke Almagro at the start of the second set. After saving two break points in the ninth game, Nadal hit two clean aces to move 5-4 ahead. Nadal, dressed head to toe in electric blue, stood out on center court in somewhat gloomy and overcast conditions. He sealed victory in 2 hours, 19 minutes when Almagro stretched to return a powerful forehand down the line and swiped the ball out of court.
ebc meeting on May 31
DIMAPUR, MAY 28 (MExN): The Elite Badminton Club (EBC) Dimapur has convened a general body meeting on May 31, 2 PM at the residence of Khekato Awomi, Padampukhuri, Dimapur. All members have been requested to attend the meeting.
shillong lajong ends partnership with isl team North east united
ShIlloNg, MAY 28 (IANS): Shillong Lajong Football Club (SLFC) on Thursday ended its partnership with North East United Football Club, the Guwahati-based franchise of the Indian Super League (ISL). The club has taken the decision to offload its holding in North East United FC in order to focus on the grassroots and youth development in the northeastern region, according to a release.
Shillong Lajong FC and actor John Abraham entered into a partnership last year to successfully bid for the ISL franchise which played its inaugural season with a base in Guwahati. As many as 14 Shillong Lajong players from the various northeastern states such as Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and Sikkim plied their trade for North East United FC. “Lajong has decided to sell its stake in North East United in order to focus
on our principal vision of building our youth development programmes for the north east region by creating tangible assets on the ground and inculcate the best of modern practices for youth development," Shillong Lajong FC managing director Larsing Ming Sawyan said in a release. "We remain committed to supporting the ISL, IMGR and All India Football Federation (AIFF) and shall continue to release our players for the ISL."
saina Nehwal lone indian to advance at Australian open
SYDNEY, MAY 28 (IANS): World No.1 women's singles shuttler Saina Nehwal continued her brilliant form as she stormed into the quarter-finals with a win over China's Sun Yu, while Kidambi Srikanth and the women's doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa were ousted in the second round of the $750,000 Australian Open Superseries here on Thursday. Olympic bronze medallist Saina prevailed over world No.9 Sun 21-19, 19-21, 21-14 to set up a last eight clash with Chi-
na's former world No.1 Shixian Wang, who moved past Thailand's Busanan Ongbumrungpan 21-19, 8-21, 21-13 at the Sydney Olympic Park. Defending champion Saina, 25, has a 6-5 head-to-head lead over 2010 Asian Games champion Shixian. And the Hyderabadi shuttler, who trains in Bengaluru's Prakash Padukone Academy under the guidance of U. Vimal Kumar, will look to further improve her record against the formidable Chinese. In the men’s singles round two encounter, Srikanth got off to a brilliant start pocketing the first game against Chinese Tian Houwei 21-18. However, the world No.4 faltered in the last two games against Tian, who is six rungs below Srikanth in the rankings. Srikanth lost the match 2118, 17-21, 13-21. After a hard fought second game, Tian breezed past his opponent, amassing five consecutive points in the deciding game. With this win, Tian took a 2-0 lead over Srikanth in career meetings. Srikanth had lost to Tian in this year's Malaysia Open. In the women’s doubles match, Indonesian fourth seeds Nitya Krishinda Maheshwari and Greysia Polii beat Jwala and Ashwini 21-14, 21-10 in 32 minutes to proceed to the quarter-finals.
Golden State Warriors players celebrate after Game 5 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals against the Houston Rockets in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, May 27. (AP Photo) Antonio Gonzalez AP Basketball Writer
After a generation of wishing and waiting, the Golden State Warriors have finally arrived on basketball's biggest stage again, booking their place in the NBA Finals with a 104-90 win against Houston on Wednesday. Stephen Curry had 26 points and eight rebounds and Harrison Barnes added 24 points as the Warriors completed a 4-1 series victory and advanced to the Finals for the first time in 40 years. "Why not us?" league MVP Curry said to a roaring crowd after the Warriors received the Western Conference trophy from Alvin Attles, the coach of their prior championship team in 1975. "The Bay Area's been waiting for 40 years," Curry said later. "It's time." The Warriors shook off a slow start and sweated out a shaky finish in Game 5 to close out the Rockets and set up a matchup with Cleveland beginning June 4. Dwight Howard led
Houston with 18 points and 16 rebounds. But MVP runner-up James Harden had a forgettable finale, with a playoff-record 13 turnovers and 14 points on 2-of-11 shooting. "Tried to do a little bit too much and turned the ball over and gave them easy baskets in transition," Harden said. "This isn't where we wanted to end at. It's a really good season for us. Next year we want to be better, and we will." It was a tough way for the Rockets' run to end. They overcame a knee injury that sidelined Howard half the season to finish second in the Western Conference, played without starters Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas in the playoffs and rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round. "The guys fought hard," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "One thing about the team is that they were battlers, and a lot of guys in that room you feel pretty comfortable going to war with." Curry said he
had no lingering effects from his frightening fall in Game 4 that left him with a bruised head and right side. He wore a protective yellow sleeve on his right arm, which he shed in the third quarter after shooting 4 for 12 and the Warriors clinging to a 52-46 halftime lead. Things got tougher on Curry and the Warriors when backcourt mate Thompson faked a shot that drew Trevor Ariza in the air early in the fourth quarter. Thompson absorbed Ariza's knee to the side of his head, sending him to the floor. Thompson, who finished with 20 points, lay on the ground for a minute before walking to the locker room. He came back to the bench after receiving stitches on his right ear. The Warriors said he could've returned, but they never needed him. They started the fourth on a 13-4 run and held off Houston's last-ditch efforts on free throws. Barnes highlighted the decisive spurt with a dunk that gave Golden State an
87-72 lead with 7:10 remaining. Now looms a Final series that will be marketed as Curry versus Cleveland star LeBron James. King James vs. the Baby-Faced Assassin. The four-time NBA MVP vs. his successor. The conference title is the biggest accomplishment yet in what has been a rapid rise for a Warriors team that is beloved in the Bay Area despite decades of futility. New owners turned the franchise into a contender since they bought the team in 2010. General manager Bob Myers, the NBA Executive of the Year, has constructed a talented roster around Curry that has exceeded all expectations. And first-year coach Kerr blended it all together beautifully after Mark Jackson's messy firing last May. "I always think of Pat Riley's great quote when you're coaching in the NBA, 'There's winning and there's misery.' And he's right," Kerr said. "It's more than relief. It's joy. Our players are feeling it. I know our fans are."
public discourse
NGseF on 2009 objection for renaming of retirement Act roads in dimapur district
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fter observing the disproportionate 2009 Retirement Act for the last 5 years in the State the Nagaland Government Senior Employees Forum (NGSEF) was formed in June 2013 and came out with a policy of approaching the government with an open mind for review and amendment of the said Act. Accordingly, a broad-minded working paper with various options or alternatives has been represented to the Govt. since June 2013. To this effect all the three successive respected Chief Secretaries have given their positive comments on this issue through discussions with the NGSEF representatives and lastly with the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland in August 2014 by endorsing the representation to P&AR giving his comment to study and take up the matter. The file had even gone to the Advocate General of Guwahati High Court Kohima Bench seeking legal advice and thereby he gave his comments to the Law & Justice Department telling that “since this has become an Act, the matter should be taken up by the cabinet for approval of the NLA. To make the issue clear to one and all, the Forum even conducted Press Conference at Kohima in September 2014 with the media personnel and since then has been writing about the issue in the local press from time to time and getting support from various corners including some NGOs. But then due to the misleading statement issued by the CANSSEA claiming that the same had taken a Resolution on the 19th September 2014 to support the 2009 Retirement Act from Public Service, which was never a resolution on that day and has been misguiding the Government not to review and amend the Act. Therefore, the present CANSSEA leadership has to step down on moral ground gracefully for such a misleading statement as claimed or be impeached since the welfare of majority employees could not be taken up by it. A copy of the Forum’s Representation to the Govt. is being circulated to all concerned working service Associations, giving the alternatives in short as follows: 1. Remove 35 years length of service like other States and use only 60 years superannuation 2. Keeping 60 years as it is but enhance 35 years to 38 years length of service so that the two conditions become closer otherwise keeping 60 years age superannuation is a false hope to many since 90% employees are retiring by 35 years length of service and only 10% are retiring by 60 years age superannuation creating a big vacuum in the hierarchical order to provide a good governance. 3. If 60 years age superannuation is too high, no harm it may be reduced to 59 or even 58 years but 35 years length of service should never be used as a yardstick which is found nowhere in the country except in Nagaland State. Ruovihulie Angami Co-founder, Adviser & Spokesman Nagaland Govt. senior Employees Forum NGSEF
To, The Deputy Commissioner Dimapur District In inviting reference to the above cited subject, and your District Planning Development Board (DPDB) meeting minute Dated Stn May015 and the following publication in various local daily newspaper, we the Chakhro Angami Kuda Union (CAKU) hereby by issue a strong objection over the proposed renaming ofvarious roads under Dimapur District. That Sir, it is a matter of fact that Nagaland is a tribal land inhabited by a particular tribes in a district having its own distinct historical fact which was also demarcated with an undisputed boundaries since time immemorial, And in the like,
Dimapur District is a tribal land of Angamis since forefather's time. Therefore, in order to name various pockets of colony/ward roads under various persons at this juncture is disapproved by any means. Hence, bypassing this objection letter shall invite further misunderstanding as well as create adverse atmosphere among different communities and for which, the district administration shall fully held responsible for any untoward occurrence. Therefore, we prayed that your good office shall acknowledge this objection letter with sincerity. Luola-o Usou President CAKU Thejangulie Angami General Secretary CAKU
Green campaign for Change Save Paper; Save Tree
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ost of us would like to help save the world by taking green actions, promotes Ecofriendly living, organics, and the environment. In line with its theme of promoting environment-friendliness and Eco consciousness, Ramp e-magazine aims to be a model of Eco-consciousness, wellness and sustainability—through by saving paper and going digital. Many of us are looking for ways to conserve the environment and "go green." Reducing the consumption and transportation of paper can make a big impact. Consider these statistics: 1. one ton of uncoated virgin (nonrecycled) printing and office paper uses 24 trees. 2. One tree makes 16.67 reams of copy paper or 8,333.3 sheets. 3. Every ton of paper recovered saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. Green tips: Make the Switch, Make a Difference. Turn off paper and do your part to go green. According to us, by having your bills delivered electronically and paying them online, every year your household can: 1. Save 6 pounds of paper. 2. Save 23 pounds of wood.
3. Avoid producing 29 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. But don’t take our word for it; practice for yourself what your household impact can be and the cumulative results if more households turned off paper bills and statements. In addition to saving the environment, you can save time. Buying soft copies, receiving and paying bills online each month reduces this chore from hours to minutes. And with the extra time, you could plant a tree! You’ll save money too. Since you won’t be paying bills the old fashioned way — writing checks, licking stamps and mailing — you’ll keep greener in your wallet. “Switch to tree-free billing and pay those bills online with the click of a button or an automatic debit. Approximately one billion trees-worth of paper are trashed each year and hard copy bills alone generate almost two million tons of carbon dioxide. Both you and the planet will be happier without the excess garbage.” Go green – read, send and store digital documents for a Green Planet. Esther Longchar Ramp e-magazine
Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
Entertainment
The Morung Express
Friday 29 May 2015
Dimapur
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Shalom Coffee House Russell BRand to do thRee shows in Musical Nite held T
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halom Coffee House Musical Nite was organized on May 27 where young musician came together and demonstrated their skill with musical pieces and various artists belted out contemporary songs of various genres and mesmerize the good number of audiences. Some of the songs that enthralled the audience were “Lovely day” by Lovely Girl Band, Story of my life by One Direction. What is more captivating in this event was, Life Ministry all the way from Louisiana US where one of the team member brought special song with his living testimony, further he shared his testimony how his life was transformed by Jesus from an addiction to true changing experience in Christ Jesus. Further, the team leader Pastor Solomon encouraged the young and old ones with the word of God based on Ecclesiastes 12.1 “to remember the creator”, he added on to say that God has special purpose and plan in each of our life. The programmed closed with special presentation of musical pieces and songs from young and old talented artist. With an aim to provide platform for the talented young artist and for reaching out to the senior citizen, coffee House was initiated way back in April 14th, 2014, under the banner of the School of music & Art, Purana Bazaar. The brain child behind this movement was none other than Mhonyamo Kikon, the Director and founder of this music institution who felt the need to identify the needs for the young talented and elderly people where they could use their gifts. Since its inception, several events have been successfully held in collaborations with local church as well as different ministries and NGOs internationally and locally.
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eart Attack' hitmaker Demi Lovato has claimed it's ''okay to have a mental illness''. The 22-yearold singer has been dealing with bipolar disorder for several years and has, therefore, launched her own campaign aimed at tackling the negative stigma against mental illness. She said: ''I just think mental illness is something people need to learn more about. ''I want people to know it's okay to ask for help and it's okay to have a mental illness.'' The chart-topping performer - who was diagnosed as bulimic, bipolar and addicted to drugs and alcohol in 2011 - explained
that her father, Patrick, suffered from similar illnesses before he passed away in 2013. She told PEOPLE magazine: ''I watched him live a very unfortunate life because of the lack of access to treatment.'' However, the 'Heart Attack' singer - who's previously spent time in rehab - revealed she's doing well in her own battle against addiction and mental illness. She said: ''I'm doing really well. I'm successful, but most importantly I'm healthy and happy, and I do not let my disease define who I am.'' Demi gave special thanks to her boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama, 35, saying he's been ''so helpful''.
he last time British actor-comedian Russell Brand was in India, he tied the knot with pop-sensation Katy Perry. While the Get Him To The Greek actor may have fond memories of the lavish Hindu ceremony that took place in Jodhpur, the marriage was not made in heaven and the duo split after fourteen months. Three years later, Russell is returning to India, but this time, it is strictly business. A source close to the development told Mirror that a top studio has roped in the ac-
tor-author to do three shows in India across different cities. To be held in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore from June 26 to 28, Brand's performance will be part of the second season of a comedy festival. "He's expected to fly down in the last week of June for the Comedy Central Chuckle Festival. He's a livewire comedian known for his risque humour and that's something he isn't going to hold back on," a source said, adding that the organisers are taking all precautions to avoid a fiasco like the one that
U2's longtime tour manager, Dennis Sheehan, found dead
Cher, 69, revealed as the new face of Marc Jacobs
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hart-topping icon Cher has been signed up by fashion label Marc Jacobs as the face of its upcoming collection. The 69-year-old singer's debut campaign for the brand comes less than one month after Cher attended the Met Gala on the arm of Mr Jacobs, 52, and was unveiled in the newest issue of WWD. It sees the If I Could Turn Back Time singer, whose real name is Cherilyn Sarkisian, posing in a floor-length dress, leather jacket and leather gloves. Cher's appearance in the campaign was met with an overwhelmingly positive response on social media, with fans around the world taking to Twitter to praise the decision to cast such an icon in its campaign. 'Shoutout to Marc Jacobs, this Cher greatness is all I needed to get through this week,' one person tweeted, while another added: 'Cher in the new Marc Jacobs ad is just amazing.' Many people have praised the fashion label for using an older model in its campaign, with some comparing the
move to recent campaigns by Celine and Yves Saint Laurent which starred literary icon Joan Didion, 80, and music legend Joni Mitchell, 71, respectively 'It's so chic to be old these days,' one person noted on Twitter, while also posting images of Joni and Joan's respective campaigns. A second commented: 'Love the move towards older models in ad campaigns!' Shortly after the campaign was officially announced in WWD, the debut ad was posted on the official Marc Jacobs Instagram account, along with the caption, 'The first face of our Fall '15 ad campaign @Cher', sparking speculation that the singer will be joined by several other famous faces when the full campaign debuts later this year. Mr Jacobs himself also shared the image on his personal account, writing alongside it: 'The amazing and beautiful CHER! Photographed by David Sims for our Fall/Winter campaign.. This is just the beginning.... More to come!!'
Jackie Chan opens acting school in China
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artial arts movie star Jackie Chan, one of Asia's most famous actors, has founded a film and television school in China, web portal Sina reported on Wednesday. Chan, whose Hollywood successes include “Rush Hour” and a remake of “Karate Kid”, said in his personal micro-blog that the new school, in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, was his "lifelong dream". The actor attended the
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school's inauguration in the company of Chinese movie celebrities, including director Feng Xiaogang and actor Li Bingbing. The Jackie Chan Film and Television Academy will offer courses in acting, animation and other fields related to digital media. Hong Kong-born Chan, 61, complained recently that Chinese films depend on big budgets and foreign directors and actors for box-office success.
collects $7.03 million in China
ctor Aamir Khan's PK, which hit the screens in China on May 22, has turned out to be biggest international release for an Indian film across 5,400 screens and a collection of a massive $7.03 million. PK had also turned out to be the highest grossing Indian film in Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan,
and the highest grossing foreign language movie in North America in 2014. "We are thrilled with the audience response in China. Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra travelled across China with our marketing team promoting the film at media and audience events and culminated this with a
grand premiere in Shanghai for the film," Amrita Pandey of UTV told IANS. "It was such a warm reception for them in China and now the movie has become a talking point and opened to such phenomenal collections! This is a really proud moment for us, and we are happy to have made this impact in a new market."
lindsay lohan avoids jail with 125 hours of community service
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followed the announcement of Jerry Seinfeld's India visit which was subsequently cancelled. Jaideep Singh, business head of Viacom, the organisers of the event where Brand will perform, confirmed the news. "We believe in the power of comedy and witnessed great success at the first edition of the Chuckle Festival. We are delighted to return with a bang and this time we have a heavyweight from the world of comedy to lead the show Russell Brand," said Singh.
roubled actress Lindsay Lohan avoided jail Wednesday as prosecutors said she has completed more than 100 hours of community service that were required following a reckless driving conviction. Earlier this month a judge warned her she could face prison time if she failed to complete the sentence within three weeks. She had only completed about nine of 125 hours at that time. "I believe she has successfully completed her community service obligation to the court," said Santa Monica prosecutor Terry White on Wednesday. Lohan, who has been living in London, carried out the service in New York at a children`s community center. Last week the 28-year-old posted a photo on Instagram of a castle-like play area built
at the center using large blue blocks, and wrote: "We built this for the kids today! So cute!!" Lohan was sentenced in 2013 to 240 hours of community service after she drove recklessly and lied to police following a 2012 car accident in Santa Monica, California. The court also imposed 90 days of drug rehabilitation and 18 months psychiatric counseling during two years of probation. But in February she was given another 125 hours of community service, after a judge questioned whether she fulfilled the terms of the initial sentence. After rocketing to stardom for films "The Parent Trap," "Freaky Friday" and "Mean Girls," Lohan has been in and out of rehab with drug problems and has had numerous encounters with the law.
or more than three decades, U2's beloved tour manager, Dennis Sheehan, kept the band running on time. Sheehan died early Wednesday, just a few hours after U2 kicked off its latest tour. But promoters vowed the shows would go on in his memory, and they'd be on schedule. "Dennis always got the band on stage, pretty much on time. We're going to make sure we do that tonight, in his memory," Live Nation's Arthur Fogel said Wednesday. "It is absolutely what he would have wanted." Sheehan, in his late 60s, died at a Sunset Strip hotel in West Hollywood on Wednesday, a day after the band kicked off a five-night stint in the Los Angeles area. U2 frontman Bono posted a statement on the band's website in honor of
Sheehan. "We've lost a family member, we're still taking it in," Bono wrote. "He wasn't just a legend in the music business, he was a legend in our band. He is irreplaceable." Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Chris Reade said first responders were called around 5:30 a.m. to reports of a man in cardiac arrest. Sheehan was pronounced dead at the scene. The Irish quartet brought its "Innocence & Experience" tour to the Forum in Inglewood on Tuesday, the first of five nights in the Los Angeles area. "With profound sadness we confirm that Dennis Sheehan, U2's longstanding tour manager and dear friend to us all has passed away," Fogel said. "Our heartfelt sympathy is with his wonderful family." The death in the U2 camp
comes after other recent setbacks for the band. Bono crashed his bike in Central Park in New York late last year, suffering multiple injuries, including fractures to his left eye socket, shoulder blade and left elbow. Doctors called it a "high-energy bicycle accident," and the singer had surgery. Guitarist the Edge took a less serious tumble when he fell off the stage near the end of a concert in Vancouver, where the band kicked of their tour earlier this month. The Edge later joked about the fall. And the band's latest album, "Songs of Innocence," was met with criticism last year when it was delivered for free on iTunes by Apple and weeks later released for sale. It was nominated for best rock album at the Grammy Awards in February.
Sonakshi Sinha to sing at IIFA
“D
abangg” actress Sonakshi Sinha, who will soon be seen as a judge in "Indian Idol Junior", will entertain the audience in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with her voice and sing live at the 16th edition of the three-day International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and Awards in June. Hosted by actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Parineeti Chopra, IIFA Rocks, an exclusive music extravaganza, will see a host of musical performances by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Mika, Ankit Tiwari, Kanika Kapoor, Javed Ali and the Nooran sisters. Sonakshi will also exercise her vocal chords at IIFA
Rocks on June 5. “There will be some exciting first-ever at the IIFA Weekend and Awards. Sonakshi Sinha is going to take the stage as a singer at IIFA Rocks,” Sabbas Joseph, director, Wizcraft International Entertainment, the organisers of IIFA, told IANS over phone from Mumbai. Actresses Jacqueline Fernandez, Aditi Rao Hydari, Lisa Haydon and Lauren Gottlieb will also perform at IIFA Rocks. Joseph shared that Sonakshi will perform on the awards night June 7 as well. “On the awards night, we will see performances by Hrithik Roshan, Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra, Farhan
Akhtar, Parineeti Chopra, Shraddha Kapoor, Sonakshi and Shahid Kapoor. It will be larger than life, big and spectacular,” he said. Established in 2000, the International Indian Film Academy was initiated with the aim of celebrating Indian cinema across the world.
Lawyer offers 50 cows, 70 sheep and 30 goats to marry Obama's 16-year-old daughter Malia
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Kenyan lawyer has offered President Obama 50 cows, 70 sheep and 30 goats in return for daughter Malia's hand in marriage. Felix Kiprono Matagei, who is also a student at Oxford University according to his Facebook profile, offered the livestock in order to fulfil his 'dream' of marrying Malia. He added that he has been 'interested' in Obama's daughter since his first presidential campaign in 2008, when she was just 10 years old. 'I have shared this with my family and they are willing to help me raise the bride price. People might say I am after the family's money, which is not the case. My love is real.' Kiprono says he will propose on a hill near his home village of Litein, and at the wedding will shun champagne in favour of a traditional drink of sour
milk, called mursik. As for life after marriage, Malia can look forward to learning how to milk a cow, cooking ugali - which is a thick maize porridge and -preparing the mursik drink 'like any other Kalenjin woman'. Kiprono said he hopes to put the offer of marriage to Obama when he makes his first presidential visit to Kenya, the country where his father was born, in July. Obama's Kenyan grandmother, who is in her early 90s, still lives in Kogelo, in western Kenya, home to a number of the president's relatives. This is not the first time that Kiprono has propositioned the Obama family either. Earlier this month he asked Kenyan authorities to grant Obama dual American-Kenyan nationality, and present him with his citizenship when he arrives in the country later this year. Speaking to Citizen News at the time, he said: 'Instead of the Kenyan delegation receiving Obama with a banquet of flowers, they should present him with a Kenyan identity card and passport as soon as he sets foot in Kenya. A perfect homecoming to a Kenyan son.' The dowry, or bride
price, is an ancient marriage tradition among Kenya's tribal community and is intended to ensure a strong marriage as the husband's family can demand the payment back if their daughter leaves. The typical dowry size is five years worth of the husband's income, which can either be paid in cash, or livestock, and may be paid upfront or in installments which may stretch over years. Malia is not the first presidential child to be offered a dowry in return for their hand in marriage. In 2009, Kenyan shop owner Godwin Kipkemoi Chepkurgor offered Hillary Clinton 40 goats and 20 cows in return for daughter Chelsea's hand in marriage.
Pressure mounts on Blatter as FIFA scandal widens
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ZURICH, May 28 (REUTERS): Pressure mounted on FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Thursday as the corruption scandal engulfing world soccer's governing body drew warnings from major sponsors and criticism from senior Western politicians. Despite FIFA assertions that it was business as usual following the arrest of seven senior figures on U.S. corruption charges, Blatter kept out of sight on Thursday when he failed to show up at a medical conference. Instead he chaired an emergency FIFA meeting with top soccer officials as the body faced the gravest crisis in its 111-year history, a day before Blatter is expected to be re-elected as FIFA president for a fifth term on Friday. The embattled 79-yearold Swiss national, who rarely misses a FIFA-related event and usually stops to speak to the media, was also conspicuous by his absence on Wednesday when he failed to attend a meeting of African soccer delegates, assembled in Zurich ahead of Friday's FIFA Congress. Swiss authorities also announced a criminal investigation into the awarding of the next two World Cups being hosted in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022. U.S. authorities said nine football officials and five sports media and promotions executives faced corruption charges involving more than $150 million in bribes. Blatter said in a statement on Wednesday: "Let me be clear: such miscon-
duct has no place in football and we will ensure that those who engage in it are put out of the game." Former World Footballer of the Year Luis Figo, of Portugal, said the day the scandal erupted was "one of the worst days in the history of FIFA".
SPLITS IN WORLD GAME With splits opening in the world game, UEFA, the European soccer confederation, called for the FIFA Congress, and the election of a new president, to be postponed amid suggestions it might boycott the event. But the Asian and African confederations backed Blatter and said the election should go ahead. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius disagreed, saying the vote should be delayed in light of the corruption investigation. "It would make sense to take a bit of time, see what is true and not and then the authorities can adjudicate, but for now, it's giving a disastrous image," he said. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said there was "something deeply wrong at the heart of FIFA", while sports minister John Whittingdale said "a change in leadership of FIFA is very badly needed". Prime Minister David Cameron backed Jordan's Prince Ali bin Al Hussein's candidacy to be the next FIFA president. The crisis has also shown up deep divisions in the French football federation. Michel Platini, the French president of UEFA
and a firm opponent of Blatter, is backing Blatter's presidential opponent Prince Ali if Friday's election goes ahead. However, the president of the French Football Association, Noel Le Graet, was backing Blatter as "he did not know Prince Ali". Les Murray of Australia, a former FIFA ethics committee member, called for Blatter to resign as have the FA chairmen of a number of leading European countries including England and Germany. Meanwhile blue-chip sponsors, many of whom have solidly backed FIFA despite nearly 20 years of bribery and corruption allegations, appeared to be growing unexpectedly concerned at events unfolding in Zurich. In an unusually strongly worded statement, Visa Inc said: "It is important that FIFA makes changes now, so that the focus remain on these going forward. Should FIFA fail to do so, we have informed them that we will reassess our sponsorship." German sportswear company Adidas said FIFA should do more to establish transparent compliance standards. Anheuser-Busch InBev, whose Budweiser brand is a sponsor of the 2018 World Cup, said it was closely monitoring developments at FIFA. Coca-Cola Co, another FIFA sponsor, said the charges had "tarnished the mission and ideals of the FIFA World Cup and we have repeatedly expressed our concerns about these serious allegations".
Putin backs Blatter, says FIFA arrests shows U.S. meddling abroad
MOSCOW, May 28 (REUTERS): Russian President Vladimir Putin defended Russia's right to host the 2018 soccer World Cup on Thursday and accused the United States of meddling outside its jurisdiction in the arrest of top officials from world governing body FIFA. Putin said the arrests in Switzerland on Wednesday were an "obvious attempt" to prevent FIFA head Sepp Blatter's re-election this week but that the 79-year-old had Russia's backing. "If anything happened, it did not happen on U.S. territory and the United States has nothing to do with it," he said. "This is yet another blatant attempt (by the United States) to extend its jurisdiction to other states." Putin said FIFA head Blatter, who is standing for reelection to a fifth term at the FIFA Congress in Zurich on Friday, had been pressured to strip Russia of its rights to host the 2018 World Cup and lambasted Washington's extradition requests. Unfortunately, our American partners use such methods to achieve their selfish aims and illegally persecute people," he said, citing former U.S. intelligence conAn activist with a giant mask of FIFA President Sepp Blatter stands in a cage as others hold tractor Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks founder Julian posters during a protest by the Avaaz organization in front of the Hallenstadtion in Zurich, Assange, both of whom have evaded prosecution in the United States by hiding abroad. "I do not rule out that in Switzerland, Thursday, May 28. (AP Photo) the case of FIFA, it's exactly the same," Putin said.
U20 World Cup unaffected by FIFA investigation
WELLINGTON, May 28 (aP): Football New Zealand doesn't expect the arrests of some leading FIFA executives on corruption charges to have any impact on the Under-20 World Cup, which kicks off Saturday. CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb, who chaired the FIFA organizing committee for the Under-20 tournament and visited New Zealand in February for the draw, was among those arrested in dawn raids by Swiss police on Wednesday. Football New Zealand chief executive Andy Martin issued a statement Thursday saying organizers "continue to monitor the situation closely so that we can react appropriately" but "do not anticipate that these events will impact on the tournament." "The event venues, staff and volunteers have been working hard and are ready to stage the biggest football event this country has ever seen." Former New Zealand Football chairman Frank van Hattum, who also served on FIFA ethics committees with responsibility for transparency and compliance, said the country's successful bid for the under-20 tournament was untainted. "I don't think
the corruption tentacles will touch New Zealand," van Hattum told Radio New Zealand. "We are lily white. I have my hand on my heart when I say that." At the tournament's official opening news conference in Auckland on Thursday FIFA officials refused to take questions on the corruption scandal. When journalists persisted for several minutes, FIFA communications officer Monika Huser declared the news conference closed and the officials, including FIFA head of the Under-20 World Cup Marion Mayer-Vorfelder and Project Leader Rhiannon Martin, left the stage. The officials had remained silent as Huser responded to questions about Webb's arrest. "We don't want to talk about it," Huser said. "We cannot, even if we wanted to. We do not have any more information. We cannot comment on that and we are awaiting further guidance." Huser said the tournament was the priority. "I think we're all here to promote this beautiful tournament that is going to kick off in two days," she said. "I might start sounding like a broken record — I apologize — but again I cannot comment at this stage."
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