November 13th 2014

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The Morung Express

Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 313

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At ASEAN, Modi pushes for connectivity [ PAGE 08]

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We do not remember days, we remember moments

Thursday, November 13, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4 –Cesare Pavese

Nagaland observes National Education Day

Yangertoshi to participate in The Global Rockstar Finals

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[ PAGE 2]

Rebel armies an unsolved Myanmar puzzle

Sarita Devi facing long ban: AIBA [ PAGE 12]

[ PAGE 09]

[ PAGE 11]

50% VVIP shares questioned

A woman selling bee larvae, yam and wild fruits in a roadside shed near Zaphumi village. The village falls under Zunheboto district and is situated along the Mokokchung-Lumami road. (Photo by Limalenden Longkumer)

BJP has ‘nothing’ to do with any religion: Oram Our Correspondent Kohima | November 12

Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram today dismissed the notion of the BJP as a fundamentalist religious party as nothing but propaganda by the opposition.

The Union Minister, who arrived in Kohima today, appealed to the unit chiefs to clarify this to the people.

He further asked the people to remember the regime of Atal Behari Vajpayee, where he claimed that people of all religions

received equal development. He stated that every individual has the right to choose his path of life and religion. The BJP, he stated, has nothing to do with any religion or individual.

Addressing the workshop on the BJP Primary Membership Drive for 2014 to 2020 here, Oram called upon BJP workers in Nagaland state to extend their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the purpose of nation building, and for the welfare and development of people.

He then claimed that the BJP is the only party strictly following the democratic norms of the country. He stated that the party endeavors to provide a good and corruption free governance to all sections of people. Oram further stressed on the need for development in Nagaland, particularly in the areas ofeducation,air,railwaysand road communication. While assuring that development is on the way, Oram however stated that it will take time.

Earlier; BJP National Sampark Convener Cell,

Sunil Deodhar appealed to the party workers to remove misconceptions about the BJP and claimed that the party works hard for the development of minority communities. Parliamentary secretary for transport P. Paiwang Konyak; Nagaland BJP president Chuba Ao, and Dr. TM Lotha also addressed the gathering.

Meanwhile, Oram also met the Nagaland Chief Minsiter and endorsed the decision of the BJP and the NPF to strengthen the ties between the two parties.

DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation today questioned the Nagaland state government on “50 percent VVIP shares,” under the MNREGA scheme, which it stated has “snatched off the poor men’s share at the rural level.”

A press note from the ENSF alleged that “shocking discoveries on corruption” were unearthed during the federation’s ‘Wheel Tour 2014.’ It informed that Village Development Board (VDB) Secretaries were “asked to sign on a blank cheque and sometimes even after signing on the amount, the actual amount or fund is never sanctioned.” The central guidelines were never implemented, it added. The ENSF further said that villagers “were deprived from keeping their personal job cards with them…”

It also “discovered” that fund received from the center at the block level gets “bounced back to the state directorate after hitting the bank account of the respective stakeholders.”

“A duplication of checked and receipt is being prepared systematically and genuinely. The sanctioned report of fund in those blocks does not tally with the developmental activities that exist in reality,” revealed the ENSF. The ENSF pointed out that “10% state share happens to be the contribution of those 60 elected members and not from the state government’s exchequer.”

“In return, half of the total fund received from the

ENSF reveals ‘shocking discoveries on corruption’ under MNREGA ENSF 5 POINT DEMAND FOR CHANGE • Revoke the system of 50% VVIP share.

• Concept of all centrally sponsored schemes should be thoroughly disseminated, judiciously executed and implemented.

• All funds received from center should be invested in the concerned block without any political bias.

• Social Audit be conducted at various levels and be open to all agencies (Village, Block, DRDA and Directorate).

• All centrally sponsored schemes under RD are people oriented programmes that need to be “Planned and Executed” at the grassroots locally.

• Responsibility and the Authority over rural funding system & management should be left at the local level. centre is being set aside as the VVIP share,” it alleged. The federation questioned under which act is such VVIP share being mentioned/authorized/ sanctioned. Apart from these “so called 50% shares which never gets invested in the concerned blocks,” the ENSF said that funds which reach the villages are not even 30% of the total funds received from the centre. “Investment of 10% state shares do not legitamize anyone from enjoying the lions share that is meant for the poor,” the ENSF asserted.

The federation called for the abolishment of the VVIP share and demanded that “50% of such shares or the 30% of the total fund received at the villages level should be immediately rectified before the matter gets serious.” It further appealed to the Eastern VDB Association to reform the

system.

It called upon the Nagaland state government to investigate every district/ block for mismanagement of the RD schemes/fund and urged that the “blame game within the government, directorate, DRDA and the block should be immediately rectified.” It further demanded that the Nagaland state government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the equitable distribution of funds from the scheme.

In order to weed out corruption, the ENSF appealed that various issues need to be dealt with. It lamented that taxation is being imposed at the directorate level, upon the elected members, DRDA level, Block level, Village level and “finally the most common house tax from an individual.” “Such taxation at every level should not be entertained upon

the same schemes or fund,” it stated and appealed to all the Naga political groups to “abstain from such practices.”

The Churches, it stated have a vital role in rooting out corruption and urged them to not be involved in deducting the shares of development in the name of religion. “Instead, the church in the region should preach the gospel for judicious implementation of all the schemes,” it said.

The federation further directed all its federating units to ensure that village level students’ union within Eastern Nagaland conduct social audits on the management of funds at the village levels with the concerned authority. It informed that if any anomalies or irregularities are detected, the concerned village level students’ office should report it to the federation through their respective tribal students’ bodies. The federation then informed all units to set up RTI cells in their respective areas. The RTI guide cell, it said, shall be attached to all the concerned federating units at the respective tribe levels.

It also demanded that an open public debate be held and requested the concerned department and Minister to convene a meeting before November 20, especially for the four districts of Eastern Nagaland. Failing which, the federation might be compelled to take up the matter with the central government for intervention, it cautioned.

‘We are responsible for what we are’ Our Correspondent Kohima | November 12

Governor of Odisha and former Nagaland state Chief Minister, Dr SC Jamir today lamented that negative forces have demolished the socio-political system, including governance, in Nagaland state. He said this at the launching of the Leaders Arise Nagaland (LAN) in Kohima on November 12, in the presence of Nagaland state Chief Minister, TR Zeliang at de Oriental Grand, Kohima.

“Democratic ideas

and transparent principles should have been the edifice on which modern Nagaland should have built her future. Yet the reality points exactly at the opposite,” said Jamir who admitted that “we are responsible for what we are today.” Jamir also pointed to how over-indulgence and obsession over politics has pushed everything to the backseat and Nagas instead of developing the land has forgotten and neglected the ideals associated with a civilized society such as academic activity,

social regeneration and rejuvenation, infrastructure building, economic activity, discipline and good governance.

“We need to dethrone hate and coronate love, dethrone hypocrisy and coronate truthfulness, dethrone violence and coronate peace and dethrone ill-will towards others and coronate compassion in our hearts,” concluded Jamir.

While pointing out the ‘I, Me, Myself’ syndrome has penetrated Nagaland, Chief Secretary Toshi Aier

stated that more exposure has led to individualism and the obsession on selfpreservation has made the Nagas’ approach very microscopic. Aier urged upon the people for introspection and the need to learn from the mistakes that have been committed. He further emphasized for a clear strategy and understanding of the economic, social and political spectrum. We have more problems than the population itself, said Aier while lamenting that hard work, consistency and discipline have thinned out

among Nagas.

Adding that Nagaland requires pro-active leaders with vision, Aier said, “a society without a pride would be a future with a big question mark.”

While former NLA Speaker, Z. Lohe pointed out that extravagant events are draining the state’s economy, Naga Hoho President, Chuba Ozukum stressed on the need to arrive at a political settlement. Earlier, Apostle Rev. Luoliehu Yimsung, also spoke, and shared LAN’s visions and goals.

Nagaland Govt gears up to tackle Ebola

• Dimapur district hospital identified as nodal hospital • Tourists to fill up health cards for thermo detector checkups

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KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 12 (DIPR): A state level meeting was held on November 11 to deliberate on Nagaland state’s preparedness to prevent any outbreak or spread of the Ebola virus, especially during the upcoming Hornbill festival, where tourists from around the world arrive in the state.

The meeting, held in the office chamber of the Principal Secretary and Home Commissioner Nagaland, was convened under the co- chairmanship of the Principal Secretary, Home, Pankaj Kumar and the Commissioner and Secretary, Medical Department, Sentiyanger Imchen.

It was informed that the Inte-

grated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) has been made the nodal agency for dealing with the Ebola Virus Disease (EBVD). As per instruction of the Government of India, District Hospital Dimapur was identified as the nodal hospital for management of suspected EBVD cases.

According to IDSP officials, preparedness plan for EBVD has already been submitted to the government. Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) stock received during H1N1 outbreak from the Government of India is checked and kept ready for use in case of emergency. Procurement of hand held thermal scan is under process including the repair and renovation for isolation ward at the nodal hospital (Dimapur district hospital). It was further informed that 100 sets of PPEs have been received from the Government of India. An official directive has also been sent to all the Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents and other of-

ficers and members for preparedness measures. In addition, three officers are scheduled to attend workshops on EBVD at the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata from November 17 to 19, as per the direction of the Government of India.

Nagaland Commissioner & Secretary for Health & Family Welfare has suggested that the Medical department tie up with Information and Public Relations department to spread information and awareness among the people. He further advised that the state Tourism department tie up with hotels and lodgers by distributing health information cards for guests and visitors. Imchen informed that 80 tourists are already present in the state capital.

The meeting also decided that tourists from abroad will be sent to Dimapur Superintendent of Police to fill up health cards for thermo detector checkup. Anyone found with

high fever will forwarded for further investigation. Meanwhile, all visitors including Nagas who have been abroad in the past one month will undergo the same investigation.

Tourists visiting via Mon and Mokokchung to Kohima, will undergo the same procedures, with thermo detectors already installed in the SP offices of the concerned districts.

Imchen also urged all frontal government departments and organizational set-ups such as the police, medical, IPR, tourism, Airport Authority of India Dimapur, Indian Railways Dimapur etc. for full cooperation with the State government.

Persons displaying symptoms of EBVD have been informed to seek medical help from the nearest Health Units or Hospital. For further queries one can email atnlssu.idsp@ nic.in or contact the 24x7 helpline number: 8413095255 and also contact all the District Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents.

Details on Page 4

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Dimapur

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13 November 2014

The Morung Express C

Nagaland observes National Education Day

Seiyhama, November 12 (mexN): A programme commemorating the National Education Day with the theme, “Clean Classroom, Healthy Education” was held on November 11 at Seiyhama Village under Chiephobozou Block, Kohima District, which is one of the pilot villages of the Mission Poorna Shakti (PSK).

A press note on the event stated that Nagaland State Social Welfare Board (NSSWB) and the State Resource Centre for Women (SRCW) – Nagaland Chapter, in collaboration with the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Nagaland (SCERT), the Department of School Education and Department of Art and Culture, Government of Nagaland organised the programme.

The programme opened with a brief introduction on the theme of the day by the Assistant State Coordinator of SRCW, Juliana Medom, who chaired the program. This was followed by the Chairperson of the NSSWB, Bano Vinito’s speech, in which she highlighted the signifi-

cance of National Education Day, and the importance of education in the Naga context. Touching on the significance of the day’s theme, she said that cleanliness has to begin in the home, the school and all around us – impacting the overall environment of the village and community.

Pointing out the competitive nature of the day and age in which we live, Vinito said that it is only through education, that Nagas can compete with the rest of the world. She continued that, with education comes clarity and strength of thought, wider vision, life perspective, and the ability and confidence to compete. Otherwise, one’s mind becomes narrow and petty, lacking confidence, becoming nervous, not competitive, and eventually burdening one’s parents. She said that no one is born in this world, to be a burden to his or her parents.

Pointing the fact that education cannot be overemphasized, she encouraged the students to give their undivided attention to their studies, that they should develop study hab-

its because once habit is formed, it becomes a lifestyle. Challenging the village elders and leaders present, she said that they should motivate the parents, the teachers and the students, thereby ensuring proper functioning of schools in the village.

Placing high value on the hard working life of the ancestors, Vinito said that to be hardworking is nothing to be ashamed of; instead we should take pride in it.

Concluding her speech, the Chairperson of the NSSWB encouraged the young people to enjoy life and live wisely and well, and be determined to become somebody in their future.

The SRCW had initiated a book donation drive and had collected some books for the villages in order to support and encourage reading habits. Following her speech, the NSSWB Chairperson handed over the books to the Seiyhama Village Council Chairman, Guolhou. Guolhou thanked the Chairperson and the NSSWB and Childline team, for showing their concern for their village, and for the books.

The vote of thanks was pronounced by District Coordinator, Mission Poorna Shakti, Ajabu Tungoe. Tungoe, on behalf of the NSSWB and the SRCW, thanked the collaborating Departments for their cooperation and support, all the book donors, and all those present for making the program a grand success.

Juliana Medom later introduced the IEC material developed by the SRCW in Tenyidie Naga language, “Thenunuoyobumhasilie, di kijüukedilie,” which, translated, means “Educate a girl, change the world.” She also informed the audience about the Childline number – 1098, which is now operational in Kohima and Dimapur.

The day came to a successful close with the painting of the wall of Seiyhama Government Primary School and Government Middle School by the NSSWB and Childline team, taking forward the Government of India’s Campaign Clean India (Swachh Bharat) mission, and in concurrence with the day’s theme, “Clean Classroom, Healthy Education.”

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In this image, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram and Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang along with Home Minister Y Patton and others at the Chief Minister's Official Residence. Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram was in Kohima on November 12 to address the BJP massive primary membership drive workshop organized by Nagaland State BJP.

NPF Longleng div elects new office bearers

DimaPur, November 12 (mexN): Naga People’s Front (NPF) Longleng division in a joint meeting with the party workers on November 6 at Longleng town has unanimously selected new office bearers led by A. Bushi as president. In a press release, convenor nomination committee Nyemli Phom stated that B. Nyapong and Meilo has been elected as vice presidents, Angai and P. Chingan as general secretaries, Aniam, Emei, Shahlang and Bongshin as secretaries, Toshi as treasurer and Bulong as assistant treasurer. The advisors are MLA S Pangnyu, ex minister Metpong, ex parliamentary secretary Nyemli while N. Pange would head the women wing as president, L. Imti as youth wing president and Lakmei as farmer wing president. Further, the division has also selected new office bearers for various posts of 50 A/C Longleng unit and 49 A/C Tamlu unit.

Joint verification team visits mining area in Mon

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moN, November 12 (DiPr): A joint team compressing of the District Administration, NGOs and department of Geology & Mining and Forest visited the mining areas of Naginimora and Tiru on November 11. The team held meetings with the contractors, miners, village councils and the public to ensure that mining is done legally in a systematic way under the supervision of the department concerns.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mon Angau I. Thou while sharing about the purposed of the joint inspection, said that it is not to find false but to encourage mining legally and in a

systematic way for sustainable social economic development and at the same time to protect the lives and environment without hazardous to health. Mining legally under the department concern would benefit the people, earn revenue to the Government and adopt refilling and re-plantation in the mining area without hazardous to health and environment, she added.

She appealed the Geology & Mining and the Forest department to check and stop illegal mining with immediate effect and take measures to refill the areas and adopt plantation under Green seeds policy of the Forest department.

Naga girl represents India in Youth Exchange programme

She also urged the department concern to give awareness to the people, to create stockyard within Naginimora and Tizit, to have weighting Bridge, and proper collection of Government revenue.

She also called upon the miners and the villagers to make opportunity of coal mining for the betterment of the future generation. “Coal is a black Gold” It is a wealth of Mon district and an important source of development, which would boost social economic development of the people, she added. She also appealed to the contractors to stop mining near the road and thanked them for

maintaining the roads near the mining areas.

KU President, Manlip informed that visit of joint verification team is to give awareness regarding illegal mining and its consequences for the future generation of the people.

He informed that the joint team has great concern for the miners, the landowners, the villagers and their land, and the purpose of the visit is to stop illegal mining and protect their land from becoming a barren land in the future.

He appealed to the department concerns, the administration, the KU unit, the contractors and the village council to actively

Kohima, November 12 (mexN): Senior Under Officer (SUO) Peheilusile Haisobe was given the honour to represent India in a Youth Exchange Programme (YEP) to Russia.

The proud SUO Peheilusile Haisobe who hails from Peren District and is presently studying at St. Joseph’s College Jakhama was selected on her merit from amongst thousands of aspirants throughout the country.

In a felicitation ceremony held on November 11 at the Nagaland Secretariat, Menukhol John, commissioner & secretary for youth resources & sports in presence of Brig. M Shri Kumar, Group Cdr, NCC commended the outstanding achievement of SUO Peheilusile and said that she has indeed set a shining example for others to emulate.

The YEP contingent to Russia included 7 girl cadets and 18 boy cadets se-

ment for encouraging illegal mining by imposing a double fund to the miners.

Former President KU & Member PAC Hoka, President NPF Mon Dist.

Tingthok, Former MTC Chairman Wanglong also spoke and exhorted the people to stop illegal mining. The Contractor Coal Mining union also spoke and shared their views and problems.

The village councils and the landowners of Tiru also spoke and share their views. They appealed to the Administration and the Konyak Union to deploy Police outpost in Tiru to maintain Law and order in the area.

AUD celebrates Silver Jubilee cum Ahuna Festival

DimaPur, November 12 (mexN): The Aotsakilimi Union Dimapur (AUD) celebrated its 25 years of existence coinciding with Ahuna Festival on November 11 at Er. Vihokhe Shikhu’s residence in Dimapur with the theme “Küsükidikulu Jukuchho” (The foresight of Unity).

Hundreds of people including 80 plus Aotsakilimi households residing in Dimapur, in-laws of Aotsakilimi living in Dimapur, cultural troop from native Aotsakili village, descendants of Aotsakilimi living in Dimapur area, Aotsakilimi Union Zunheboto, Aotsakilimi Union Kohima, and well wishers participated in the grand celebration, informed AUD chairman, P Tokugha Achumi and secretary, N Kughaho Achumi.

Inashe Achumi, GB, Aotsakili and Viniho Shikhu, Hd. GB, Hovukhu village exhorted the gathering, Tovishe Achumi, the first Chairman of AUD chronicled how the Union started.

Jubilee Souvenir was released by In this image, SUO Peheilusile Haisobe is seen with Menuk- Rev. Khuvihe Wotsa, Pastor, Aotsakili hol John, commissioner & secretary for youth resources & Baptist Church. Nikhevi Achumi, sports in presence of Brig. M Shri Kumar, Group Cdr, NCC. lected based on their merit from across the nation.

The 15 day tour from August 17 to September 1 included visits to Moscow and scenic Perm Krai region where the cadets visited the Kremlin, several important museums and other places of tourist and historical importance.

The cadets were given an opportunity to interact with the Russian Cadets and participated in joint training.

SUO Peheilusile Haisobe said that she was greatly inspired by the warmth and love shown by the Russian Youth and by their motivation and strong determination to excel in their respective fields. SUO PeheilusileHaisobe is a highly motivated cadet and one day dreams of joining the Indian Army as an officer.

This was stated in a release issued by Lt Col E Musavi, PRO (Defence).

discharge their respective roles and responsibility to ensure that mining is done legally to protect the lives and environment. He further appealed to the village council to refrain from issuing of NOC blindly and urged them to make an agreement with the contractors to refill and replant the mining area.

The General Secretary KU, Hosea reiterated the resolution adopted by the Union and its constitution.

He informed that as per the Article 30 of the Constitution, the Konyak Union shall strive and enforced to protect the land and its resources and its integrity. He blamed the concern depart-

Dimapur DBs annual meeting

DimaPur, November 12 (mexN): The Dimapur District DBs Association has convened its general annual meeting for the year 2014 at Dhansiripar on November 21, 11:00 am onwards, informed a release from the Association general secretary, Akangtemjen Lkr.

ENPUW annual general meeting

WoKha, November 12 (mexN): The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Union Wokha (ENPUW) has convened its 27th annual general meeting on November 15, 10:00 am at the residence of its treasurer Likhaba Sangtam at Etsutchukha colony, Wokha. Therefore, ENPUW president, Er. N Nyaksham Phom has requested all the members to attend the meeting alongwith annual membership/ new registration fees.

HIM director celebrates 25 years ministry

DimaPur, November 12 (mexN): Rev B Amos Kaushal, director of Himalayan International Mission (HIM) celebrated twenty-five years of gospel preaching ministry station in Dimapur to NE India, Himalayan regions, Nepal, Singapore and USA. In gratitude to God for His faithfulness, a three-day gospel and healing crusade was held from October 17 to 19 at United North Block-B, Burma Camp Dimapur. The speakers included Dr Biju John from Noida, Rev Kevi Meru from LA USA and Rev Subash Lyngdoh from Shillong.

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KMC on annual inter-ward competition

Kohima, November 12 (mexN): The Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) informed all the wards under the jurisdiction of KMC that the annual inter-ward competition prize money for best performance on sanitation, cleanliness, beautification, illumination and nativity will be as follows; Ist- Rs. 50,000, 2nd- Rs. 30,000, 3rd- Rs. 15,000. All the panchayat chairman, GB/ youth organizations, sanitation committee have been requested to continue with the cleaning of the wards for the forthcoming festive season. This was stated in a release issued by Kovi Meyase, administrator, KMC.

Kohima college cultural day

Kohima, November 12 (mexN): The Kohima College, Kohima will be holding its cultural day- cum - prize distribution under the theme “Back to our roots” on November 13 at 10:00 AM at the auditorium hall. The programme will be marked by cultural display, folk song, folk dance etc.

Kohima dist admin informs

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Kohima, November 12 (DiPr): With a view to keep Kohima, the State Capital clean and to ensure free flow of traffic, Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, W. Honje Konyak has prohibited dumping of construction materials or wastes/earth along the road side within Kohima Town including Kisama Heritage Village. Materials dumped on the road side in the said area, without prior permission, will be confiscated and disposed off as deemed fit and defaulters penalised as per provision of the law with effect from November 17 (Monday) 2014.

Kohima DPDB ‘day out’ on Nov 15

Aotsakilimi Students’ Union performing folk dance during the celebration.

Rtd. Deputy Secretary shared the significance of Ahuna and its relevance for posterity.

The celebration was marked by rich cultural extravaganza, which included folk song, folk dance, top

spinning, fire making and other indigenous items.

In commemoration of Silver Jubilee, the Union also honoured the toppers amongst Aotsakilimi offsprings in various exams.

First Aid and Search and Rescue demonstration at Senkalemba GMS Our Correspondent

Kohima, November 12 (DiPr): The Kohima District Planning & Development Board Day Out programme will be held on November 15 at Chiethu (proposed Airport), Chiechama at 11 am. Departure for the venue will be at 9 am from IG stadium Kohima.

All the DPDB members have being requested to attend the programme without fail.

NAGC children’s day cum pre-Christmas postponed

Kohima, November 12 (DiPr): The Nagaland State Social Welfare Board Secretary and Mission Director Daisy Mezhur in a notification informed that the NAGC Children’s Day cum Pre-Christmas has been postponed due to circumstances beyond their control for which they sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused

National education day

Kohima, November 12 (mexN): IGNOU Regional Centre Kohima- 20 in collaboration with Modern College Kohima jointly organized National Education Day on November 11 with Dr. Kazhiihrii Eshuo, tutor, Theta Tutorials as the guest speaker. The speaker focused on true education as various developments of the physical, mental, social and spiritual powers. Dr. Imnainla, assistant regional director IGNOU Kohima also exhorted the gathering. Essay competition was conducted on the topic “Right to Education” and the winners were awarded with cash prize and certificates.

Mokokchung | November 12

Department of Civil Defense & Home Guards, Mokokchung conducted a demonstration on ‘First Aid and Search and Rescue’ today at Senkalemba Government Middle School Arkong Ward, Mokokchung.

Watilemba, Deputy Controller Civil Defense and District Commandant Hoe Guards, Mokokchung said that the department would be conducting similar demonstrations in schools, wards and villages for the students and public. He said that different kinds of disasters could occur anytime and therefore the

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NCF Pune jumble sale Personnel of Civil Defense & Home Guards demonstrating First Aid and Search and Rescue operation methods at Senkalemba Government Middle School, Arkong, Mokokchung, November 12. (Morung Photo)

people should be aware of first aid and search and rescue methods. “This is necessary for the safety of the people during emer-

gencies before arrival of qualified medical practitioners,” he explained.

He further informed that his department is at the

service of the people and that interested people can contact him for information and queries at 9436006976/8575160969.

Kohima, November 12 (mexN): Naga Christian Fellowship Pune is organizing a jumble sale in aid of Church Building/Naga Community Hall Pune at Local Ground Kohima on November 21 and 22. The results of the raffle draw will also be announced at the venue on November 22. Alumni and well-wishers who wish to contribute items towards the jumble sale can contact the following numbers: Kohima: 8575721948, 9436070697, 8729801057, 8413825378, 9089387062, 8731887347; Dimapur: 9862822515, 9436210725, 8414070357, 9612886745, 8731887347.

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REgional

The Morung Express

3 Mizoram: New Bill to give women right to property Thursday

13 November 2014

aizawl, November 12 (Pti): The Mizoram Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance of Property Bill-2014 which gave right to the share of family property to the wife in the strictly patriarchal society.

Introducing the Bill in the Assembly, state law minister Lalsawta said the state government and experts found it extremely difficult to codify the Mizo Customary Law and how the courts would try cases on divorce and inheritance of property.

According to the Mizo Customary Law, a wife does not have any right over the property in case of divorce, whatever might be the cause of sepAssamese women perform Bihu dance during the second North East Festival 2014 in New Delhi. The festival was organised by Trends MMS, Guwahati in aration or divorce and the husband can divorce his association with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) from November 7 to 10. Nine arrested for torturing Assam woman as 'witch'

Nine arrested for torturing Assam woman as 'witch' Guwahati, November 12 (iaNS): Nine people were arrested Wednesday in Assam's Sivasagar district for torturing a woman and branding her a 'witch', police said. The incident took place Tuesday evening in Gorbhanga village.

Police said an elderly woman was singled out as a witch and the nine people incited others to torture her.

The woman was rescued by police after being informed by villagers and later admitted to a hospital. Her relatives filed a police complaint, based on which the nine, including seven women, were arrested, police said.

Assam has recently seen a spike in cases related to 'witch-hunting'. A veteran athlete in Karbi Anglong district was tortured last

month, while three other women were tortured in Tinsukia district. Over 140 people have been killed in the name of witch-hunting while several hundreds have been tortured in various places since 2002. Although about 500 people have been arrested, investigation into many cases is pending due to shortage of police officials with detailed knowledge of the issue.

The practice of witchhunting is common among some communities in Assam. Although various steps have been taken both by government agencies and NGOs to remove the social stigma, very little success has been achieved. Assam Police had launched 'Project Prahari' for participatory development and people

Assam NGOs under police scanner over jihadi link Guwahati, November 12 (iaNS): The Assam Police and NIA have intensified their search for absconding Burdwan blast suspect Shahnur Alom, and police Wednesday said they were also probing some NGOs for their probable links with Islamist terror networks.

"Terror networks or outfits propagating jihadi ideologies may take help of anything like madrassas, various organisations and NGOs," Director General of Police Khagen Sarma told journalists. "We have put the activities of some NGOs under vigil

and we are scanning some NGOs to find out if they had received unaccounted donations or donations from unauthorised people," he said.

Asked about Shahnur Alom -- fugitive activist of the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) who was involved in the Oct 1 Burdwan blast, the DGP said investigations were on to trace him.

"We have got some information by interrogating his wife Sujina Begum. It is difficult to say where he is right now but we have received some leads and we hope to nab him soon," he said.

Craft of northeast resembles that of Latin America: Study New Delhi, November 12 (iaNS): Pottery, textiles and spiritual exercises prevalent in India's northeast closely resemble that of the equally forested interior belts of Latin America, a research paper said here Wednesday.

"The coiling techniques employed in moulding mud pots have been identical in both the regions, so is the back-strap loom used in the making of clothes," research scholar Shubha Banerji said at a session at the ongoing Indian Art History Congress (IAHC) here. The 23rd IAHC is being organised by the National Museum in association with the National Museum Institute.

Banerji said two years of intense research had led her to conclude that the "commonalities between the practices in the two continents trace to batches of major inter-continental population shifts theorised by international ethnologists". In her paper "CrossCultural Assimilation: A Comparative Study of Indian and Pre-Columbian Art", the Delhi-based researcher tracked some of the pre-his-

torical migration routes and noted unmistakable resemblances in certain areas of human activity in the northeast and Latin America.

According to a statement, a variety of traditional clay pots (Leimarombi Chaphu Leibak) Manipuri people use have their moulding techniques and eventual shape much like what some Peruvian communities employ at religious ceremonies.

"The simple loom which has the warps stretched between two bars is common to both the peoples," said Banerji, who is an assistant curator with the Pre-Columbian and Western Art section at the museum.

Another aspect where the two cultures meet are "magico-spiritual" practices found within the ethnic religions of certain communities in the two geographies. "In both cases, the practitioner is believed to contact spirits, including healers and prophets, through a string of rituals that each would claim are unique to them," she said.

The conclave at the National Museum will conclude Nov 14.

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friendly policing to fight social maladies and deprivation. Under the project, police have launched an awareness drive against 'witch-hunting'.

Please contact: 9856070308

wife just by saying "Ka ma che" or "I divorce you".

The new legislation provided that divorce could only be granted by the court and women could now have share in the family property.

The new legislation provided that if a man divorces his wife on ground of adultery or deprivation of his conjugal rights, she would have a share over the acquired property not exceeding 25 per cent along with her personal

Dimapur

property brought in at the wedding.

Women's groups like the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP) or the Mizo Women Federation hailed the new law and Vanlalhlimpuii Chawngthu, the lone woman legislator in the 40-member state Assembly, thanked Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and law minister Lalsawta for initiating the law emancipating the Mizo women.

CIRCULAR

This is for the information of all the members of the Board of Directors of Nagaland State Agricultural Marketing Board(NSAMB). The 1st meeting of the Board of Directors for the year 2014-2015 which was scheduled to be held on 13th November 2014 is now postponed due to unavoidable circumstances.

(N.TEKATUSHI Ao) Secretary & CEo NSAMB Dimapur

LOST NOTICE I, Shri. MHIESISATo VÜPRÜ am applying for a duplicate copy of Smart Card of Vehicle No.AS-01H-6950 Santro (Zip Drive) as I have lost the original Smart Card.

RAJESHWARI KARUNA SCHOOL TULI (CBSE) WATIYONGPANG AREA, WAMAKEN VALLEY 8TH MILE ( A PROJECT OF COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL CENTRE SOCIETY )

JoB VACANCy

Applications are hereby invited for recruitment to the following posts: Sl.no Post 1 Headmaster (1 nos) 2 Teachers (8 nos) 3 Hindi Teacher (2 nos) 4 Clerk (1 nos) 5 6

Hostel Wardens (1 male & 1 Female) IIT Teacher (1 nos)

Pay Scale 7500-15450 6000-12600 6000-12600 4500-9750 4500-9750 6000-12600

Qualification PG/Graduate, B. Ed with experience Graduate & Above preferably with B.Ed B.A /PG (Hindi) B.Com & Above with Diploma in Computer Applications Graduate & above (BA/ BD/M.Th) Diploma in Computer Applications / PG Diploma CA

• All the above mentioned posts will be residential (Tuli posting), Staff quarters and common mess available (Family/Single).

• All Applicants must submit detailed resume along with passport photograph by E-mail to rkschooltuli@yahoo.com.

• The Applicants must be committed to their respective jobs, have Excellent Communication skills and good academic records.

• Yearly increment for all post and additional amount for B. Ed. • Last date of submission of application 25th Nov 2014.

• Short listed Candidates will be informed over the phone for interview.

• For further information please contact (From 9:30 am- 4:30pm):Ph: 03862-232747/8014683930 Website: www.cecsociety.org

AHUNA MUSICAL FIESTA Featuring the best of Sumi Artistes -

Ms. Topeni Chishi Mr. Abel Assumi Mr. Aron Assumi Mr. Bokato Kiho Kashito Kiba,

Ms. Ilitoli Aye Ms. Lino K.Awomi Ms. Omegali Chishi Mr. Canato Jimo Alobo Naga &The Band

Chief Guest :

Shri. Khekaho Assumi, Honourable MLA, Govt. of Nagaland.

Date: 14th Nov. 2014

Time : 04:00 Pm

Place : DDSC Stadium Tickets will be available on Ahuna Day at the Venue !!! a) Donors . Rs.1000/- (Admit two) b) Normal : Rs.100/-

4

Dimapur

businEss/public discoursE

Thursday 13 November 2014

The Morung Express

diesel prices likely Banking operations in India hit by staff strike Petrol, to be cut this weekend

MuMbai/Chennai/ new Delhi, noveMber 12 (ianS): Banking operations in India were hit Wednesday as more than 800,000 employees went on a day’s strike to seek a salary hike and other benefits, union officials said.

The strike was total in some 75,000 branches of 27 state-run banks, as also the 25,000 branches of 18 private and eight foreign banks across India, said Vishwas Utagi, senior vice president of the All India Bank Employees Association.

But some branches of private banks were seen open.

“No bank-related activity started anywhere in the country, including the early morning clearing operations.

All other sectors connected directly or indirectly to banking will be down for the day,” he said.

Utagi, also the Maharashtra convenor of United Forum of Banking Unions, the umbrella organisation of the unions, estimated that over 10 million cheques will not be cleared Wednesday, and could be delayed for up to five days in view of the

A branch of one of India’s nationalized bank wears a deserted look during a day long strike by employees demanding better wages among other things in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 12. (AP Photo)

day-long strike.

Citing official figures, he said that the total volume of the Indian banking industry is more than 155 lakh crore ($2.5 trillion), which has been completely blocked by the day-long strike.

“My bank (the State Bank of India, the country’s largest), had told me that there would be a strike today. I

could withdraw money from an ATM. But I’m not quite sure if I can transfer money using net banking,” said Anand Iyer, a software consultant in Mumbai.

The ATM machines that have emerged as the major source of withdrawing monies at least in cities and towns, were working. But in some areas, bank customers were

Tattoo mark a sign of occult Dedicated to the young people of Nagaland

L

iving in a fast technology world and with the rise of technology inventions, the tattoo marks on the body have become a popular occult practice spreading fast among the young people in Nagaland. It is capturing the young people’s mind with the first encounter through the influence of advanced foreign countries confusing the minds of the youth today. Many young boys and girls exchange their bodies with tattoo thinking that tattoo mark on the body is just for fun, without knowing the fact that it is a sin and destroying the body physically and spiritually.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you know that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore, honour God with your bodies.”

We all have to be aware of the nature of the world we live in, specially young people growing up in a seductive world.

Occultist practices like tattooing the body influence many of the things that surrounds us, but remember whatever you do ur body is the temple of God’s spirit which is written clearly in the Bible, both n Old and New Testaments.

Let me share a recent instance: Recently, many young boys who have come for interviews in Home Guards department for undergoing basic training were rejected due to tattoo marks on their bodies. It does not matter whether qualified or not but were rejected due to tattoo marks on their bodies. So if it happened to be rejected even in earthly life then what will happen if we do not have a Biblical respect that our body is the temple of God’s? Basing on this small instance, I urge the young boys and girls of Nagaland to be aware of tattoo marks on the body as the Bible clearly says in Leviticus 19:28 “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on your bodies. I am the Lord.”

Watilemba Dy. Controller Civil Defense & District Commandant Home Guards, Mokokchung, Nagaland

complaining that the money in some ATMs had exhausted.

“The money in ATMs will not be replenished till Thursday morning,” Utagi said.

This is the first strike by bank employees since the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government took over in May this year. The banking industry had seen a crippling strike over two days in the sec-

E

bola Virus Disease is a serious, usually fatal disease for which there are no licensed vaccines or treatment. But for people living in countries outside Africa, it remains a very low threat. Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretion, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals like chimpanzees, gorillas, bats, monkeys, forest antelopes, migratory birds and porcupines.

How does it spread among people?

People can become infected with the Ebola virus if they come in contact with the blood, body fluids or organs of an infected person. Most people are infected by giving care to infected person, either by directly touching the victim’s body or by cleaning up body fluids (stools, urine or vomit) that carry infectious blood.

What are the symptoms?

An infected person will typically develop a fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, sore throat and intense muscle weakness. These symptoms start suddenly, between 2 and 21 days after becoming infected, but usually after 5-7 days. Diarrhoea, vomiting, rash, stomach pain and impaired kidney and liver function follows. The patient then bleeds internally, and may also bleed from the ears, eyes, nose or mouth.

Ebola is fatal in 50-90% of cases. The sooner a person is given medical care, the

Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.”

SUDOKU Game Number # 3054

new Delhi, noveMber 12 (PTi): Petrol and diesel prices are likely to be cut by close to Rs. 1 per litre this weekend on the back of sliding global oil rates.

This would be the seventh reduction in petrol prices since Au-

tre, while diesel costs Rs. 53.35 a litre.

Diesel price was for the first time in more than five years cut on October 19, by Rs. 3.37 a litre, when the government decided to deregulated the fuel. This was followed by an-

Signs that OPEC members are reluctant to reduce supply even as prices slumped deeper other cut on November 1.

Prior to the October 19 reduction, diesel rates were last cut in January 2009.

Sources said oil firms revise rates of petrol, which was deregulated in June 2010, and diesel on 1st and 16th of every month based on average international oil price and rupee-US dollar exchange rate.

Brent crude fell for a third day amid signs that Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members are reluctant to reduce supply even as prices slumped deeper into a bear market. It declined by 82 cents to $80.85 per barrel.

Brent has lost almost 30 per cent since its June peak amid speculation that global supply is outpacing demand.

gust and the third in rates of diesel since its decontrol last month.

Following their fortnightly review practice, state-owned fuel retailers Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) are due to revise rates of petrol and diesel on Saturday.

In all probability, rates will be reduced if the current trend of declining international oil prices continues, industry sources said.

Petrol price was last cut by Rs. 2.41 a litre on November 1. On the same day, the price of diesel was also reduced by Rs. 2.25 per litre. Since August, petrol price has been cumulatively cut by Rs. 9.36 per litre.

At present, a litre of petrol in the national capital costs Rs. 64.25 a li-

Know more about Ebola virus disease better the chances he/she will survive.

How is it treated?

There is currently no specific treatment or licensed vaccine for Ebola, although potential new vaccines and drug therapies are being developed and tested.

Patients are managed conservatively.

How is it diagnosed?

Ebola can be diagnosed definitively in the laboratory. Presently test for diagnosis is done at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi.

What you should do if you get similar symptoms?

Seek timely Medical help from the nearest Health Units or Hospital Dž For further queries one can email atnlssu.idsp@nic.inor Contact 24x7 Helpline No. 8413095255and also contact all the District Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents.

Travel Advisory: 1. Avoid all contact with suspect/confirmed cases of EVD and blood and body fluids of infected people or animals.

2. Do not handle items that may have come in contact with body fluids of diseased person or infected animal.

3. If you have been exposed to a suspected/confirmed Ebola cases, self-monitor health for occurrence of symptoms ( like fever, weakness, muscle pain,

_

LEISURE

ond week of February.

According to C.H. Venkatachalam, the general secretary of the All India Bank Employees Association, the unions are demanding a wage hike of 23 percent, but the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), the association of managements, has offered only 11 percent.

The revision has been due since November 2012.

The forum members said the worst hit state was Maharashtra, since it alone accounts for one-third of business volumes of banks. The state has some 200,000 bank employees with the bulk of activities concentrated in commercial capital, Mumbai.

The forum is an umbrella organisation of nine unions of bank employees and officers.

It includes the National Confederation of Bank Employees, Bank Employees Federation of India, Indian National Bank Employees Federation, Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress, National Organisation of Bank Workers, All India Bank Officers Association, and National Organisation of Bank Officers.

4.

5.

•

•

headache, and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, rash and red eyes) for 30 days.

In case you suffer from any such illness, immediately isolate yourself from other family members and report to the designated health facility for prompt management.

Follow simple public health measures (also when accidentally exposed) like: Hand hygiene: Wash hands with soap and water for at least 30 seconds after assisting ill travellers or coming in contact with body fluids or surfaces that may be contaminated.

An alcohol-based hand cleaner is an al-

• • • 6.

7.

ternative to hand-washing but will not be effective if hands are visibly soiled.

Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, and nose with unwashed or gloved hands.

Staying away to avoid close contact.

Use of tissues or face mask to prevent contact with respiratory secretions.

Early detection, isolation of cases, contact tracing and monitoring of contacts and rigorous procedures for infection can prevent further outbreak.

In view of the prevailing situation it is advisable to avoid/defer travel to countries affected with outbreak of Ebola Virus disease.

Source: DIPR

Do’s & Don’ts to prevent ebola Do’s

Don’ts

Make sure fruits and vegetables are washed and Avoid contact with patients who have symptoms or peeled before eating and cook your food properly. have died of the virus.

Always wash hands frequently using soap and Avoid having sex with people in risk areas; use water (rub alcohol on the hand when soap is not condom if you do. available), as this destroys the virus.

Go to health facility anytime you have headache, Don’t eat ‘bush meat’ like bats, monkeys, fever, pain, diarrhea, eye rashes and vomiting. porcupines and squirrels.

Tell everyone you meet about Ebola so that they Don’t touch clothes & bed cloths of people who can be informed. have died of Ebola.

Don’t touch vomit, saliva, urine, blood and excreta of people who have signs and symptoms of Ebola.

Don’t play with monkeys and baboons.

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 3061

Answer Number # 3053

DIMAPUR civil hospital:

STD CODE: 03862 232224; emergency229529, 229474

metro hospital:

227930, 231081

Faith hospital:

228846

shamrock hospital

228254

Zion hospital:

231864, 224117, 227337

police control room

228400

Police Traffic Control

232106

east police station west police station

227607 232181

cihsr (referral hospital)

242555/ 242533

dimapur hospital

224041, 248011

apollo hospital info centre:

230695/ 9402435652

railway:

131/228404

indian airlines

229366

nagaland multispe- 248302, cialty health & 09856006026 research centre

W

O Winter Fun sledding skating skiing snowman snowballs hotchocolate icicles snow outside holiday newyear mittens cold snowmobiles toboggans hills slick coats boots hats scarves play shovel

R

D

U K C N D Y F O E D J Z K H A K B Y X T

R O R L P D S L I I B P N Q P R W U P L

S

Y G O J Q N A U S N O W M A N X I Y T J

C V O E P E A S A Y O N G O E Q S N O W

E

V G G H L V M S U J T Z S Q W A E X O R

I J M Y A D I L O H S J N B Y S L L I H

C L F G Y X T L X J K K A H E Y I N Y F

V E F G N I T A K S L O G O A E B N L I

A

E A V R D K E B P I G J G T R Q O F L O

D A P K V V N W Z J N N O C H I M T H S

I W Z F U P S O D Z I W B H A S W Y F H

R

G U G A J R B N I Q D J O O Z X O S R O

L R D R X N Y S C Q D R T C S J N L B V

C

P V F H F W F G I N E F A O U T S I D E

Y W C R Z N A S C B L I D L O C R C H L

R N K G L L J D L K S C O A T S X K N S

H

Z D P V U P A B E G T A B T O T I X K V

I Z N X O O P I S C A R V E S K I I N G

K I P T Y O I V H I H O I Z I F M R Y U

T H P B G F G P A D E Q L U G U Y O L M

ACROSS 1. Seraglio 6. Delight 10. Laugh 14. Got up 15. Magma 16. African antelope 17. Tropical vine 18. Send forth 19. Cut back 20. Deplorable 22. Historical periods 23. Hotel 24. Unwind 26. Coming 30. Ancient Roman magistrate 32. Fetch 33. Racer 37. Breathing organ 38. Prisons 39. Achy 40. Coming forth 42. Blockages 43. Exudes 44. Livestock pen 45. Hindu social division 47. Letter after sigma 48. Helps 49. Cogitate

56. 57 in Roman numerals 57. Acquire deservedly 58. Bicker 59. Bearing 60. Mortgage 61. Sad song 62. Strike heavily 63. Kill 64. Excrete

DOWN 1. Corridor 2. Diva’s solo 3. Wander 4. Feudal worker 5. Connotation 6. Gather 7. Young sheep 8. Wicked 9. Diners 10. Dispiritedly 11. A kind of macaw 12. Coney 13. Chopping tools 21. Explosive 25. A late time of life 26. Competent 27. Percussion instrument 28. A climbing plant 29. Fascinating 30. Long stories

31. Expunge 33. Rational 34. Anagram of “Loot” 35. Therefore 36. A musical pause 38. Female schemers 41. Snagged 42. Campaign 44. A tribe of Israel 45. Polite 46. French farewell 47. Of very poor quality 48. Charity 50. Train track 51. District 52. Trigonometry (abbrev.)

53. Monster 54. Carpets 55. Encounter Ans to CrossWord 3060

Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home: Northeast Shuttles

STD CODE: 0370 100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202 08974997923

CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862 282777/101 (O) 9856158740 (OC)

MOKOKCHUNG: 0369 2226225/ 101 (O) 9436012949 (OC) PHEK: 8414853765 (O) 9862130954(OC) ZUNHEBOTO: 03867 280304/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC)

MON: 03869 251222/ 101 (O) 9436208480 (OC) KipHire: 8414853767 (O) 8974304572 (OC)

Toll free No. 1098 childline

Police Station 1:

DIMAPUR: 03862 232201/ 101 (O) 9436017479 (OC)

TUENSANG: 8414853766 (O) 8414853519

CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE

MOKOKCHUNG:

KOHIMA: 0370 2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC)

WOKHA: 03860 242215/101 (O) 9862039399 (OC)

chumukedima Fire 282777 brigade nikos hospital and 232032, 231031 research centre

KOHIMA

FIRE STATIONS

STD CODE: 0369

2226241

Police Station 2 :

2226214

Civil Hospital: Woodland Nursing Home:

2226216 2226263

Hotel Metsüpen (Tourist Lodge):

2226373/2229343

TAHAMZAM (formerly Senapati) STD CODE: 03871 Police Station: Fire Brigade

CURRENCY EXCHANGE CURRENCY NOTES

222246 222491

BUY(Rs)

SELL(Rs)

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

61.18 97.03 7.87 52.8 47.34 53.91 53.39

61.61 98.13 7.96 53.56 47.91 54.56 54.04

Euro

76.17

77.01

Danish Krone

10.23

10.36

Norwegian Krone New Zealand Dollar Swedish Krona

8.99

9.09

47.35

48.06

8.26

8.35

LOCAL

The Morung Express

Thursday 13 November 2014

Dimapur

5

Hindi teachers’ agitation Education dept refutes ACAUT’s allegations ANHTU clarifies continue; no solution in sight Teachers affirm to submit representation to govt today DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Aggrieved Hindi Teachers’ picketing of district education offices and boycotting of classes entered its second day today with no solution in sight.

As reported earlier, the teachers are demanding the immediate release of their six months pending salaries, implementation of 6th Revision of Pay (RoP), 24 months arrears and regular payment of monthly salary.

While they remained adamant with their demands, the aggrieved teachers maintained that they are open for any negotiation with the government to bring about a peaceful solution. In this context, the con-

ANCSU appeals for release of Hindi teachers’ salary KO h I M A , N O V E M B E R 1 2 (MExN): The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) has appealed to the Nagaland State government and department concerned to release the six months pending salaries of the Hindi teachers. A press statement from ANCSU Grievances Committee member, Mughato V Yepvenor of the Aggrieved Hindi Teachers, Tionato told The Morung Express that, under the initiative of All Nagaland Hindi Teacher’s Union (ANHTU), a coordinated meeting of all agitating units was held this evening to pursue an amicable solution to the present situation.

Consequently, it was decided that the office

MEx FILE NPA enrolment drive DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Nagaland Press Association (NPA) in its general meeting held on November 11 at Press Point, Dimapur decided to go for immediate enrolment of new members. Interested journalists and non journalists working in registered media houses and agencies have been asked to collect the prescribed form and other necessary information from H. Chishi, Vice President, NPA and Dilip Sharma, Finance Secretary, NPA. The last date for submission of form will be December 20, 2014. A total number of 43 new ID cards were issued during the general meeting, informed a press release from NPA general secretary, Along Longkumer.

YTC to boycott ENPO meeting, activities TUENsANg, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Yimchungru Tribal Council (YTC) and its tribal organizations, namely Yimchungru Legislators, Yimchungru Women Organization, Yimchungru Akheru Arihako, Yimchungru Gazettee Officers’ Organization, have resolved to abstain from attending any meeting and activity of Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) from November 13. This was decided during the emergency meeting of YTC held in Kohima on November 12. Every organization under YTC has been informed to strictly comply with the directive till further order is issued.

NSCN (IM) cadre apprehended DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): Based on specific information about extortion activities in Ward No 7, Chumukedima, troops of 37 Assam Rifles and 18 Assam Rifles launched a joint operation on November 8 and apprehended Kossam Konyak (43), Razao Peyu of NSCN (IM) alongwith several “incriminating documents,” including extortion slips and demand letters of NSCN (IM). The apprehended individual alongwith recovered items was handed over to Diphupar Police Station, Dimapur, a press release from Assam Rifles informed.

E&WSCU appeals for supply of water WOKhA, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Electricity and Water Supply Consumers’ Union Bhandari Town, Wokha has expressed concern citing that despite several requests made for proper maintenance and supply of water, the condition at Bhandari Town is becoming from bad to worst. E&WSCU chairman T. Thungjamo Yanthan and General Secretary Benrithung Kikon in a press release stated that, “the department in-charge itself exempted water tax from the consumers for a period of one month (June 2013) for irregular supply of water to the consumer. The Union has earnestly requested the Department in-charge to take up adequate steps at the earliest possible to restore the water supply.

Longla Baptist Church celebrates Platinum Jubilee DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): Nagaland Home Minister, Y Patton attended Longla Baptist Church Platinum Jubilee celebration on November 12.

Recalling his days when he had visited Longla back in 1970s, he expressed his belongingness to the village and urged upon the people for a change in lifestyle - to live in a Christian way. He expressed that Jubilee celebration is a time to exalt and acknowledge the Almighty God for all his good works and a time to forgive each other for the misadventures and misgivings that had taken place in day-to-day affairs.

Patton sought advice and prayer support from the church members so God will enable him to work for betterment of the area people in particular and the Nagas in general, said a press release issued

by Hachio Patton, PS to

Minister (Home). He also called upon the people of Nyiro Range to live together in unity and be an agent for peace and development.

Meanwhile, Patton brushed aside the rumours of leadership change in the NPF led DAN-III Government, stating that the leadership of TR Zeliang, Chief Minister and Dr. Shürhozelie, President, NPF remains undisputed. He acknowledged that it is not possible to satisfy every member and therefore, there may be discontentment somewhere.

However, all the legislators in the DAN-III government under the “able leadership” of TR Zeliang are intact and exerting all efforts to work for the people in spite of the government being in a tight financial situation thus the question for change of guard does not arise, he stated. He urged upon the people not to be confused or swayed away by such “false propaganda.”

tho, expressed that if the government and department concerned fail to address the “genuine grievances” of the teachers at the earliest, the students will be victimized at large. Therefore, the ANCSU has appealed to the State government to speed up the matter for the welfare of the students and the betterment of our society.

bearers from all the agitating districts will gather at Kohima tomorrow (November 13) and submit a memorandum to the Directorate of School Education (DSE) stating their position on the issue.

“The future course of action depends upon the outcome of the meeting,” stated Toinato.

On the other hand, while maintaining that they are ready to even temporarily “postpone” their agitation if the DSE offered feasible solution, the aggrieved teachers affirmed they are ready to go any “length of time” if the outcome is otherwise.

The agitation will enter its third day on Thursday.

AME Nagaland seeks CM’s intervention Sets November 29 as deadline KOhIMA, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Association of Mechanical Engineers (AME), Nagaland, in a memorandum to the Chief Minister TR Zeliang, has demanded that requisition for the two posts of vacant Asst. Mechanical Engineers be sent to NPSC for “open competitive exams in truth and in spirit.” The memo appended by AME Nagaland general secretary, Er. Joyson Pfithu and president, Alemtoshi Imsong further demanded cancellation of nine contract junior engineers (Mechanical) posts and the resultant posts be filled up through NPSC. Further, AME Nagaland reminded the CM of its earlier memorandum submitted on May 15, 2014 and October 17, 2014 to the

commissioner and secretary, works and housing (PWD), where the Association had demanded that the criteria for recruitment or promotion of various posts according to Nagaland Engineering Service Rule (NESR) be strictly followed, i.e., for selection of Asst.

Mechanical Engineers, 60 % should be through direct recruitment and 40 % through promotion. Meanwhile, for Junior Engineers, 90% should be through direct recruitment and 10% through promotions.

The AME Nagaland has appealed for the intervention of the CM in the above highlighted issues by November 29. The Association has decided to stage a protest on November 29 if there is no reply.

KOhIMA, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): In response to the allegation of Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland that the education department “duped” Hindi teachers by collecting an amount of Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 2,000 from Hindi graduate and undergraduate teachers respectively, the Directorate of School Education (DSE) has asked ACAUT Nagaland to substantiate the “daylight robbery” with proof and evidence so that disciplinary action may be initiated against the erring officer(s). A statement from School Education director, Zaveyi Nyekha, however, stated that DSE had never issued such order to collect the said amount of money nor collected the same from any teacher at any point of time.

On the allegation that

The All Nagaland Hindi Teachers’ Union (ANHTU) has also clarified that the amount deducted from the Hindi Teachers of 2012-13 batch – Rs 2000/- from Under Graduate Hindi Teachers and Rs 2500/- from Graduate Hindi teachers – was never given to Directorate of School Education, but was a “willingly contribution” to ANHTU for expenditure regarding release of salary for 1379 Hindi teachers from the Ministry of Human Resource And Development, New Delhi. This resolution was adopted on July 20, 2012 general meeting and August 2, 2013 district representatives and executive meeting, informed Kekhrieneilie Tsikhano, Convenor, 2012-13 batch and Nelson Yhokha, Member Secretary in a release.

As per the statement given by ACAUT, the contributed amount was Rs 27 lakh, however, the release informed that some of the districts did not contribute. “It was purely on freewill contribution and should not be an issue at all,” it added.

DSE siphoned off more than 4.5 crore from aggrieved Hindi teachers, 10% monthly deduction under New Pension

Scheme, which has not been deposited into the teachers’ PRAN card, the DSE clarified that the New Pension Scheme (NPS) is

a nationwide scheme for every employee appointed after January 1, 2010, where 10% of the Basic Pay and Dearness Allowance of an employee is deducted as a contribution towards their pension. These deductions are made through Treasury Challans and then deposited into the government’s account for the matching contribution to be made by the State government, it informed. Records of “sick and daring” deductions as alleged by ACAUT are available at the Directorate, the director said, and welcomed ACAUT to verify the matter any time.

Further, DSE requested ACAUT Nagaland to refrain from “slander and public accusations” before ascertaining the facts from departments concerned “lest it loses its credibility.”

AKSSA asked to be agent of change MOKOKchUNg, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): Change is the desire of every Naga in the State today, said Alemtemshi Jamir IAS (Rtd.), while addressing the Ao Kyong Sumi Students Association (AKSSA) general conference as the main speaker here today.

Speaking on the topic ‘Moving towards a self reliant and exuberant society,” the former Nagaland chief secretary said that Nagaland needed ‘reforming and restructuring’ and suggested that AKSSA could be an agent of change, citing that about 60% of the gazetted officers in the State’s various departments are from the three communities. Digging out the ‘disadvantages’ of the tribal nature of Naga society in the present context, the speaker suggested AKSSA to ‘bridge the gap’ in dispelling the confusion Naga society is faced with. Taking cognizance of divisions proliferat-

ing within Naga society, he observed that AKSSA should produce the think-tank and the forum to bring Nagas together.

“We are gathered here for the good of the Nagas, we should be part of the solution,” he observed. While expressing happiness at the number of students and scholars Nagas have produced, he lamented that there was no scope for employment for these students whose number runs into lakhs. In the light of this, he requested the people to ponder deeply on the proposed NSDZ plan, adding that a society cannot move towards self reliance and exuberance without economic reforms.

Day two of the AKSAA conference witnessed a cultural exhibition, exhortation by chief host Dr. Sangyu Yaden, president of Ao Senden, Vitokhe Assumi, adviser, Sumi Hoho and Hokiye Yeptho, presi- Indigenous bamboo pole climbing competition during dent of Central Nagaland the cultural exhibition of the AKSAA general conference, Tribal Council.

November 12.

National seminar at Sazolie College On Tokhu Emong, Lothas in Kma resolve for peace, truth, unity KOhIMA, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): National seminar on politics of location with special reference to North East India will take

place from November 14 to 15 at Sazolie College, Phezhu, Jotsoma. The inaugural function will start at 10:00 am.

Meeting held to discuss PM’s visit to Nagaland KOhIMA, NOVEMBER 12 (DIPR): A meeting regarding the Prime Minister’s visit to Nagaland from December 1 to 2 was held at the Office of Principal Secretary, Home, Pankaj Kumar on November 11. The meeting was held to discuss arrangements to be made. The meeting was chaired by Principal Secretary, Home. It was decided that the transport, reception, accommodation and communication team (TRAC) will be set up to be manned

by Commissioner & Secretary, Youth Resources and Sports, Menukul John and Special Secretary, Home, Singsit. They will co-opt the other members of the team.

The transport department shall requisite 50 government vehicles for the visit. The department of IPR has also been informed to write to Doordarshan Guwahati for live telecast of the Prime Minister’s visit. The next meeting will be held on November 17 at 11:00 am.

KOhIMA, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Kohima Lotha Hoho celebrated Tokhu Emong at Solidarity Park, Kohima with great joy and satisfaction on November 7. The festivity saw a weeklong football matches among the various colo-

nies, tug-of-war, cock fights and cultural items, a press release from the Hoho vice chairman, Jonas Yanthan and general secretary, Thunglamo Ovung informed.

The Tokhu Emong was marked by unanimous res-

olution to stand for peace, truth and unity for all times to come in the interest of the Naga society and the tribe, the release said. Further, it informed that as a gesture of Tokhu spirit, Rhonthungo Tungoe and Loyule, the oldest Lothas

in Kohima were honored with tokens. On November 7, CR Lotha, Dr P Ngullie and other senior citizens exhorted the gathering.

The Kohima Lotha Hoho further applauded the extension of Tokhu Emong celebration to two days.

Lothas in Mkg, Alichen celebrateTokhu Emong MOKOKchUNg, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Kyong Hoho Mokokchung and Lotha Hoho Alichen jointly celebrated Tokhu Emong on November 7 at Electrical Rest House, Aolijen, with YE Ngullie, Commandant 2nd NAP Alichen, as ‘Tokhu Chief’.

Addressing a large gathering of Lotha community from Mokokchung Town and Alichen, YE Ngullie

urged them to retrospect where “we” have gone wrong and make a corrective measure. Lamenting on the decreasing trend of honouring and respecting elders, he impressed upon the gathering to extend due respect and honour to the elders so “we get blessings in return.” He also urged the community not to shy away from their responsibilities, but to be sincere

and dedicated in whatever things they pursue in life.

He called upon the Lothas to learn to co-exist with different community and to be an ambassador of peace and unity with various sections of people.

The programme was chaired by C. Ngangshithung Shidio, Asst. Labour Commissioner, Mokokchung, while welcome address was delivered by

Nyamo Z. Yanthan, Chairman, Kyong Hoho Mokokchung. Lemlila Ezung, SDO (C) Mokokchung, exhorted the gathering, while xhairman, Lotha Hoho Alichen delivered Tokhu greetings and Dr. Athungo Ovung pronounced vote of thanks.

Presentation of folk songs, special number and indigenous games marked the daylong celebration.

Toluvi village and SRPUD celebrate Ahuna BJP and NPF affirm DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): People of Toluvi village and Satoi Range Public Union Dimapur (SRPUD) today celebrated Ahuna – the post harvest festival of Sumis, separately.

Members of SRPUD gathered at the residence of the celebration host, Vikiye Zhimo, Deputy Superintendent of Excise at Thilixu village and witnessed colorful cultural presentations and competitions. Dr. H. Inato Jimomi, Deputy Director, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry graced the occasion as chief guest.

Dr. Inato in his address said, change and progress according to time is important, but one should not forget the practices and traditions of our forefathers.

“We would lose our identity if we lose track of our roots,” he maintained. He urged the youngsters to have a

to strengthen ties

Officials and members of SRUPD with chief guest of Ahuna celebration Dr. Inato Jimomi.

sense of respect and regard for elders, which was the practice of the forefathers He challenged the members of the union to strife to bring about a change in the society with a realization of what each and every individual could contribute towards the good cause of the society.

Stressing on the importance of education, Dr. Inato also stated education with sincerity and hard-work is a road to success for anybody.

Tokugha Yeptho, JE, Roads & Bridges spoke on the significance of the festival.

Meanwhile at Toluvi, hundreds of villagers gathered to witness a colorful cultural programme organized at the village ground with Er. Kahoto Sumi, Additional Director, Industries and Commerce gracing the occasion as Ahuna Papuh (Ahuna Father).

Villagers, representing their own khel/colony competed with each other

in cultural competitions featuring Amikukula, Aphilo Kuwo, Thishole, Lezhole, Atunananu Kupu, Angu Kupusu, Akhetsu Tsukuxu and Puxa Kuxu.

Er. Kahoto Sumi exhorted the gathering stating that peace and unity was vital for the making of an advanced and strong society. Rev. Shitovi Swu, pastor, prayed for the commencement of the celebration, while Kitoho Aye, pastor, NCRC said the benediction prayer.

KOhIMA, NOVEMBER 12 (MExN): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Naga People’s Front (NPF) have decided to strengthen the ties between the two parties and work closer for peace and development of Nagaland. The decision was arrived at a meeting held between the BJP Secretary, Organization and In-charge of Nagaland, Prashant Arora; Dr. Chuba Ao, President, BJP Nagaland; Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu, President, NPF and State Chief Minister, TR Zeliang on November 9 at Hotel De Oriental Grand, informed a press release from Karaibo Chawang, Media Officer to Chief Minister.

Both the BJP and NPF, while agreeing to keep aside all past differences also decided not to let any individual interest disturb

the decade old coalition and reaffirmed commitment to strengthen the DAN Government in Nagaland.

This decision was endorsed by Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram, when he called on the Chief Minister today at his official residence, according to the release. The Union Minister who held a brief close door meeting with the Chief Minister was accompanied by BJP National Convener, Sampark Cell, Sunil Deodhar, BJP Nagaland In-charge and Secretary, Organization, Prashant Arora, State BJP President Chuba Ao, State BJP General Secretary, K James Vizo, State BJP Treasurer, Bimal Sheti and Parliamentary Secretary of Transport, Paiwang Konyak.

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IN-FOCUS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express THursDAy 13 NovEmbEr 2014 volumE IX IssuE 313

Guest editorial

Resources for Combating Corruption: What Can Christians and Churches Offer?

Pangernungba Kechu any good citizens, committed believers and Church leaders view their participation in the ongoing people’s movement against corruption as a moral opportunity which the church should capitalize in developing a strong Naga theology of stewardship and social justice. The reality of corruption in Nagaland presents two serious and indispensable dilemmas for the institutional church: theological and historical.

The theological dilemma can be conceived in the form of a question: is the Bible silent about social and economic injustice in history? Truly, Jesus testifies strongly against the deadly forces of mammon (exploitative form of domination, greed and accumulation; worship of wealth) when it says that “you cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Economic and political corruption is a monstrous manifestation of mammon as it works against the very character of God’s justice and tramples the gospel of truth. Likewise, Christians are admonished to follow what is observed in the book of proverbs, “honest balances and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his work” (Proverbs 16:11). For the church, corruption must be viewed as a test of her theological identity. That is, if Christians worship God it must categorically denounce the forces of mammon as we see them reflected in the different faces of corruption. Of course, it should not be mistaken that the Bible is against wealth and blessing. However, it is against wealth and power accumulated through crooked and exploitative means.

The historical dilemma of the church in regard to corruption is a simple one: what kind of pastoral hope and spiritual message can the church offer to a big number of its members who are sympathetic toward the cause of ACAUT? What spiritual food can churches offer to her sheep that are out there in the streets shouting anti-corruption slogans?

There is an urgent need for addressing the condition of “institutionalized moral hypocrisy” which appears to be the dominant frame of “misplaced ethical paradigm” among the Nagas.

Moral hypocrisy is a condition where contradictions between beliefs and actions, and public and private conduct are socially and morally accepted as normal and unproblematic. An atmosphere of moral impunity (irresponsibility) and ethical relativism “norms” most of our socio-economic transactions and this appears to be one of the major causes of corruption.

Here are some examples of how Christians and churches can exercise their moral leadership in the task of overcoming corruption. A) If the church believes that the struggle for justice in the society constitutes a recurring theme in the Bible then it should develop a sound Biblical theology. Every Christian should be taught about these values and how they can practice them as part of Christian discipleship in the public square. B) Churches should not only teach how corruption goes against the fundamental character of Christian faith but also “charge” its members to embody Christian principles of truthfulness, service and love in all spheres of life. C) A sound biblical theology of struggle against injustice will not only provide a sense of spiritual basis and theological clarity to its members but it will also guard the ongoing people’s movement from political manipulation and the sin of self-righteousness. D) The church can show how even the best intentions and beautiful historical projects of economic development, statehood, Naga nationalism, and even Christianity can go wrong and morally bankrupt if it is not based on sound ethical foundations.

Corruption is an undeclared WW III. What distinct contribution can citizens in Nagaland make for transformation of their society and the world?

M

This is the final editorial of a three-part series on Corruption (Feedback can be send to pangerandren@gmail.com)

lEfT wiNg |

Anurag Dey IANS

Intriguing tales from a 16-year-old student

W

hen others of his age were busy decoding geometry theorems or connecting with friends on social networks, this 16-year-old was quietly weaving intriguing tales of crime and punishment.

Meet Arkopaul Das, a Class 10 student who has already penned two crime thrillers and is working on a third. Inspired by reading the likes of Agatha Christie, Sidney Sheldon, Jeffery Archer and Arthur Conan Doyle, he has created his own detective - New York Police Department officer Alan Smith - who relies on his deductive reasoning to solve the most complex of crimes. But why NYPD? "I have never been to New York but the city has always captivated me and I relish watching movies or reading and surfing about it. So it had to be the place where my stories are set," Arko told IANS with a smile.

Having extensively read about New York and its police department, Arko asserts that he is more a New Yorker than a Kolkatan. A self-confessed 'loner', Arko aspired to become a cricketer, but his obsession for books, especially crime fiction, brought out the writer in him as he authored "The Dead Veteran" and its sequel, "The Insomniac". "Since childhood I was fascinated with crime thrillers and spent hours gobbling them up. Steadily this urge grew to create a detective of my own who seems more realistic and uses his brains to solve the cases," says the Sherlock Homes fan but insists his Alan Smith is not modelled on his favorite detective.

"Smith prefers to be a loner like me, but as a cop he walks the last mile to ensure the criminals meet their end and his favourite city New York remains safe," Arko said. Much like Holmes' Dr. Watson, Smith has detective Alex Hartley to partner him in picking up clues in their pursuit for the murderers as the gripping whodunit unfolds with shocking twists and unexpected turns.

Products of Amazon's Create Space incubation programme, the oeuvres in e-book and paperback formats have attracted mixed reviews. If his intriguing works delighted some, others panned the 'amateurish' treatment.

"Thought about trying out the new author and the result is great. This book has everything one would love to have in a mystery book. Good dose of twists and turns makes the story feel smooth...reads one of the many positive reviews "The Dead Veteran" has received onAamazon.in, where it is available. After his first release, in January, "The Insomniac" came out in October.

"I feel bad when my work is criticised, but at the same time I am learning to accept criticisms. They will help me grow as an author and as a human being," said Arko who, intrigued by forensic science, also dreamt of becoming a scientist. Having lost his parents at an early age, Arko found solace in books, and credits his paternal aunt and elder sister for bringing out the writer in him.

"I don't like socialising; I am at ease being alone. I wanted to be different, do something creative and that is how it all began. Starting with short stories, I gradually developed the plot for my first novel. "Surfing through the internet, I came across Amazon's incubation programme under which young writers' creations are promoted. They instantly liked my book and agreed to publish it," Arko said.

The dreamer in Arko hopes to see his Detective Smith vying for space among Holmes and Miss Marples some day.

THE EDIT PAGE

C O M M E N T A R Y

John Feffer Foreign Policy in Focus

south Korea and the Politics of Patience H In the "fast-fast" political culture of South Korea, some leaders are patiently— and effectively— making strides for democracy, clean energy, and maybe even peace

orse Avoiding Alley is almost gone. For more than half a millennium, this narrow alleyway in the heart of Seoul stretched for several kilometers parallel to and just half block north of the major thoroughfare of Jongno Street. Its name, Pimatgol in Korean, refers to the route that commoners took to avoid constantly bowing to the aristocrats on horses on the main boulevard. When I first visited Seoul in the late 1990s, it was truly breathtaking to walk through the hypermodern city and then duck, suddenly, into this Chosun-era back alley of pungent restaurants and teashops.

Today, only a tiny stretch of Pimatgol remains, along with a commemorative placard and a wooden gate that leads into a half-block of modern storefronts.

The fate of Pimatgol reflects the forward-looking trajectory of South Korea. It is constantly leapfrogging over itself, with barely a backward glance, in an effort to keep pace with early adopter Japan and latecomer China. This is a country not of narrow back alleys but of global firsts: cellphones with the first curved touchscreen, the world’s largest rooftop solar power plant, the world’s biggest tidal power plant, and what will likely be the first 5G wireless system.

South Korea is, as all of its PR materials proclaim, a thoroughly dynamic country, but that ergy use by the equivalent of two reactors, as well sometimes means a regrettable lack of interest in as cut the energy consumption of municipal operapreserving parts of its own past. tions in Seoul by 30 percent by 2020. As the chair of World Mayors Council on Climate Change, Park Seoul’s “Occupy” Mayor Won Soon has travelled to other cities around the Not far from Pimatgol is Seoul’s City Hall, and world to export these best practices. here Korea has made an interesting compromise beIn a region of territorial clashes and heated rhetotween the past and the future. The original building, ric, Seoul’s mayor has also pursued a vigorous mua stately neo-classical building constructed in 1926, nicipal foreign policy. He wants to build bridges with has a problematic history. The Japanese colonial the mayors of Beijing and Tokyo. With the notoriousauthority ruled the city for nearly 20 years from this ly nationalist Shintaro Ishihara having finally ended structure. Other colonial era buildings have suffered his 13-year reign over Tokyo, the new man in the pothe same fate as Pimatgol—most notably the Gov- sition, Yoichi Masuzoe, is open to city-to-city coopernment-General building in the Gyeongbok Palace eration. Meanwhile, with North Korea—a harder nut complex, which fell to the wrecking ball in 1995. to crack—Park is pushing for a resumption of a tradiBut in 2012, Seoul’s mayor presided over the tion that last took place in 1946: the annual soccer transfer of the Seoul Metropolitan Library to the old tournament between Seoul and Pyongyang.

City Hall. A Korean architecture firm created a new When I met with the mayor on my visit to Seoul postmodern municipal building in the shape of a last week, he told me that the city and the country huge glass wave that looms over but stops short of face many urgent problems. But he has learned from crashing into the old City Hall. Inside the new build- the cautionary example of former South Korean ing are energy-saving features, plenty of natural light, president Roh Moo-Hyun that it’s important not to a large wall of greenery, and the mayor’s new office. try to do everything at once. Although it’s true that This glass-enclosed City Hall perfectly suits Park Won Soon is currently near the front of the pack the style of Seoul’s current mayor, Park Won Soon, for the 2017 presidential race, he reminded me that for he has focused on transparency, sustainabil- he can run for another mayoral term after his curity, and innovation. When Park won his first term rent one ends. If he resists the siren call of the presiback in 2011, I called him the first mayor of the Oc- dency and stays in office until 2022, the mayor could cupy Wall Street era. After winning a second term indeed address a range of issues in a timely manner. by a large margin in June, he continues to bring the It would be a refreshing change from the usual ppalispirit of participatory activism into high places. ppali (fast-fast) approach to political and economic In the new City Hall, for instance, Park set up a development in South Korea. large room where he convenes two types of gatherings: of ordinary citizens and of experts. “In a total of A Peace Park in the DMZ? 46 sessions of listening to people’s opinions concernAt the national level, meanwhile, the debate ing municipal policy, 6,224 people have taken part,” continues to be focused, as it usually is, on North the mayor wrote in an August 2013 blog. “Likewise, Korea. Human rights activists have been sending in a total of 60 deliberation sessions of experts, 1,188 balloons into North Korea carrying leaflets, movpeople have participated. Based on our experience, ies on USB drives, bibles, and even coveted sweets. a couple of hours’ discussion usually yields a nice Because North Korea has threatened to start a war solution. That’s why we make it a rule to hold more over these balloons, however, the South Korean than 100 sessions of discussions before formulating government has tried to discourage this activity. As an important policy. In other words, we are putting I write in Korea’s Balloon War, these activists should the idea of deliberative democracy into practice.” reconsider their tactic, given the risks the balloons The Seoul mayor has directed much of this civic pose to Koreans on both sides of the DMZ. energy into figuring out a new policy on none othI had a chance to spend an evening with a North er than civic energy.

Korean defector and talk for three hours over seaIn 2012, the city embarked on a plan to cut en- food pancakes and makkoli (a kind of rice wine). ergy consumption within two years by the equiva- He told me that the regime’s stability derived from lent of an entire nuclear power plant’s annual pro- its multiple levels of surveillance, with three sets of duction (Korea currently relies on 23 reactors that watchers from the Party, the secret police, and the supply about 22 percent of the country’s overall regular police all keeping tabs on each other and evgeneration). Now, the city is trying to reduce its en- eryone else. Given this nearly impregnable structure,

M

ANY people think that the key to success is to cultivate and doggedly maintain an optimistic outlook. This belief in the power of positive thinking, expressed with varying degrees of sophistication, informs everything from affirmative pop anthems like Katy Perry’s “Roar” to the Mayo Clinic’s suggestion that you may be able to improve your health by eliminating “negative self-talk.”

But the truth is that positive thinking often hinders us. More than two decades ago, I conducted a study in which I presented women enrolled in a weight-reduction program with several short, open-ended scenarios about future events — and asked them to imagine how they would fare in each one. Some of these scenarios asked the women to imagine that they had successfully completed the program; others asked them to imagine situations in which they were tempted to cheat on their diets. I then asked the women to rate how positive or negative their resulting thoughts and images were.

A year later, I checked in on these women. The results were striking: The more positively women had imagined themselves in these scenarios, the fewer pounds they had lost.

My colleagues and I have since performed many follow-up studies, observing a range of people, including children and adults; residents of different countries (the United States and Germany); and people with various kinds of wishes — college students wanting a date, hip-replacement

he didn’t expect North Korea to change from within, not until a new generation took over the political scene. He left behind a number of friends who had much the same worldview as he. But they stayed in the Party. In another decade or so, they would have more power within the system—but would they also have power to change the system?

The balloonists want to precipitate the collapse of the regime up north. But others still hold to the promise of inter-Korean cooperation. They believe that it’s possible to engage pragmatically with North Korea. But that requires listening to what North Korea wants.

Once it gets beyond its anti-balloonism, North Korea has two demands to improve inter-Korean relations. It wants to reopen the Kumgangsan tourism project—which once brought more than a million South Koreans to the Kumgang mountains on the east coast of North Korea—and it wants a repeal of the May 24 sanctions that South Korea imposed after the sinking of the Cheonan vessel. These are not easy demands to meet, since North Korea hasn’t admitted responsibility for sinking the Cheonan, much less apologized for it, and the Kumgang project ended because North Korean guards shot a trespassing South Korean tourist.

Still, there might be some interesting workarounds to these problems, as North Korea analyst Kim Changsoo told me in Seoul last week. The prohibition against economic interaction with the North has some important exceptions, including the Kaesong Industrial Complex and foreign joint ventures. Posco and Hyundai Merchant Marine are teaming up with Russian and North Korean partners in Najin to connect the rail between North Korea and Russia. It would be interesting for Chinese and South Korean companies to join up to invest in various projects in the North. Rather than push for a repeal of the May 24 measures, investors could simply focus on multiplying the exemptions.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye, meanwhile, has talked about turning the DMZ into a peace park, and the government has even set aside $37 million to put the idea into practice. Kim Changsoo suggests establishing a park between the two mountains of Kumgang in the North and Sorak in the South that would take advantage of the Kumgang facilities and serve as an indirect way of reopening the tourism complex. The 70th anniversary of the division of the two Koreas is coming up next year and would be a perfect time to hold an inter-Korean summit to announce such a venture.

A More Patient Approach Much depends on North Korea’s willingness to engage with its richer, more modern neighbor. In many ways, North Korea is one big Pimatgol—a back alleyway where 25 million people avoid kowtowing to the global economy and the international community. It is stubbornly old-fashioned in so many ways: its rigid class structure, feudal political structures, and traditional social customs. It styles itself as the “pure” Korea compared to the hybridized South.

There are some in South Korea who would like to subject the North Korean Pimatgol to a thorough urban renewal as part of reunification through absorption.

But this Pimatgol, unlike the largely defenseless Seoul alleyway, has a big army, a nuclear arsenal of unknown size, and an uncompromising attitude. The balloon activism of these regime changers makes for splashy headlines and good photo ops. But it only makes the North Korean Pimatgol strengthen its defenses.

The more patient approach of politicians like Park Won Soon and analysts like Kim Changsoo, on the other hand, is more likely to produce a workable compromise between north and south, modern and traditional, and the back alley and the global thoroughfare.

the Problem With Positive thinking Gabriele oettingen NYT patients hoping to get back on their those in the control group. As we later feet, graduate students looking for documented, they also went on to aca job, schoolchildren wishing to get complish less during that week. good grades. In each of these studies, Positive thinking fools our minds the results have been clear: Fantasiz- into perceiving that we’ve already ating about happy outcomes — about tained our goal, slackening our readismoothly attaining your wishes — ness to pursue it.

Some critics of positive thinking didn’t help. Indeed, it hindered people have advised people to discard all hapfrom realizing their dreams.

Why doesn’t positive thinking work py talk and “get real” by dwelling on the way you might assume? As my col- the challenges or obstacles. But this is leagues and I have discovered, dream- too extreme a correction. Studies have ing about the future calms you down, shown that this strategy doesn’t work any better than entermeasurably reducing systolic blood pressure, taining positive fantabut it also can drain you sies.

What does work betof the energy you need ter is a hybrid approach to take action in pursuit of your goals. that combines positive thinking with In a 2011 study published in the “realism.” Here’s how it works. Think of Journal of Experimental Social Psy- a wish. For a few minutes, imagine the chology, we asked two groups of col- wish coming true, letting your mind lege students to write about what lay in wander and drift where it will. Then store for the coming week. One group shift gears. Spend a few more minutes was asked to imagine that the week imagining the obstacles that stand in would be great. The other group was the way of realizing your wish.

This simple process, which my coljust asked to write down any thoughts about the week that came to mind. The leagues and I call “mental contraststudents who had positively fantasized ing,” has produced powerful results reported feeling less energized than in laboratory experiments. When par-

wRiTE-wiNg

ticipants have performed mental contrasting with reasonable, potentially attainable wishes, they have come away more energized and achieved better results compared with participants who either positively fantasized or dwelt on the obstacles.

When participants have performed mental contrasting with wishes that are not reasonable or attainable, they have disengaged more from these wishes.

Mental contrasting spurs us on when it makes sense to pursue a wish, and lets us abandon wishes more readily when it doesn’t, so that we can go after other, more reasonable ambitions.

In a recent study on healthy eating and exercise, we divided participants into two groups. Members of one group engaged in mental contrasting and then performed a planning exercise designed to help them overcome whatever obstacles stood in their way. Four months later, members of this group were working out twice as long each week as the control group and eating considerably more vegetables. In other studies, we found that people who engaged in mental contrasting recovered from chronic back pain better, behaved more constructively in relationships, got better grades in school and even managed stress better in the workplace.

Positive thinking is pleasurable, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for us.

Like so much in life, attaining goals requires a balanced and moderate approach, neither dwelling on the downsides nor a forced jumping for joy.

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The morung Express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: morung@gmail.com All letters (including those via email) should have the full name and Postal address of the sender.

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.

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Thursday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

13 November 2014

PERSPECTIVE NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE

Five People Who Changed the World Weighing history in China

By Taking Compassion to the Extreme T Kerry Brown

Want to learn to change the world with empathy? Get ready to learn from the masters roman Krznaric

E

Yesmagazine

ver heard of “empathy marketing”? It’s the latest business buzzword. The idea is that if companies can look through their clients’ eyes and understand their desires, they will be better able to tailor their offerings and gain a competitive advantage.

To me, this is stepping into someone else’s shoes just to sell them another pair.

I believe that the best use of empathy is not in the commercial world but in the social one, where it allows us to challenge prejudices and create political change.

And if you look through history, there are some extraordinary figures who have harnessed this power by engaging in what I think of as “experiential empathy.” This is where you don’t just imagine someone else’s life (a practice technically known as “cognitive empathy”) but try to live it yourself, doing the things they do, living in the places where they live, and knowing the people they know.

You might also call an experience of this nature an “empathy immersion.” It’s like empathy as an extreme sport—one far more exciting and adventurous than ice climbing or sky diving.

So here is my top-five list of people who took empathy to the extreme, showing how it can transform the social and political landscape. If you like these characters, you’ll find more on each of them in my new book Empathy: Why It Matters, and How to Get It. 1. St. Francis of Assisi: Learning from beggars In the year 1206, Giovanni Bernadone, the 23-year-old son of a wealthy merchant, went on a pilgrimage to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He could not help noticing the contrast between the opulence and lavishness within—the brilliant mosaics, the spiral columns—and the poverty of the beggars sitting outside. He persuaded one of them to exchange clothes with him and spent the rest of the day in rags begging for alms. It was one of the first great empathy experiments in human history.

This episode was a turning point in the young man’s life. He soon founded a religious order whose brothers worked for the poor and the lepers, and who gave up their worldly goods to live in poverty like those they served.

Giovanni Bernadone, known to us now as St. Francis of Assisi, is remembered for declaring, “Grant me the treasure of sublime poverty: permit the distinctive sign of our order to be that it does not possess anything of its own beneath the sun, for the glory of your name, and that it have no other patrimony than begging.”

2. Beatrice Webb: From comfort to the sweatshop In the early 20th century it became popular for writers and would-be social reformers— among them Jack London and George Orwell—to spend time living down and out on the streets of East London to experience the realities of poverty among the homeless, beggars, and unemployed.

The forgotten figure who started this tradition was the socialist thinker Beatrice Webb.

Webb was born in 1858 into a family of well-off businessmen and politicians. But in 1887, as part of her research into urban poverty, she stepped out of

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any novels written by authors with an Indian background and those who live abroad have been inspired by incidents and anecdotes from Indian history and mythology. Some of these authors have creatively turned history and mythological stories from India into works of creative art—in the form of written fiction. To read the new spin and be in the know-how of the original narrative is to understand the extent to which the authors have been successful in creatively shaping valuable antique into precious new work.

What has frequently been known by citizens of India over the years as something extraordinary in their original form, because of their broadcast through televised productions and regular information channels—have become creative firecrackers and expansive narrations in the hands of fiction writers.

Two such books inspired, wholly or in parts, by rich Indian history and even myth are ‘The Palace of Illusions’, written

by Indian-American author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and ‘The Enchantress of Florence’, written by Salman Rushdie.

They are examples of how, when fiction meets history—they precipitate into creations that cause literary surprise, giving readers a chance to refresh their memories about stories they had seen on television channels in their youth, read in publications, or heard about from their elders.

An epic worth remembering The Palace of Illusions is based on the original epic tale of the Mahabharata, said to have been written by sage Ved Vyas—a story about prominent dynasties and royal relationships; about brothers at war, about the dishonour of a queen; it is about unusual palaces, forests, battlefields; it is a story of courage and honour; of humiliation, defeat and victory; it is a tale about love, friendship, karma, dharma, and varied other nuances and details whipped up in a narrative of these proportions. In the Mahabharata—blood must spill, for the sake of dharma or duty—for evil to be overpowered, everything must be done.

The five Pandavas, the five brothers, born to mothers Kunti and Madri and fa-

her comfortable bourgeois life and dressed up in a bedraggled skirt and buttonless boots to work in an East London textile factory. The account of her adventure, Pages From a Work-Girl’s Diary, caused a sensation. It was unheard of for a member of respectable society, especially a woman, to have firsthand experience of life among the destitute.

“My own investigations into the chronic poverty of our great cities opened my eyes to the workers’ side of the story,” she wrote in her autobiography. Her empathy immersion inspired her to campaign for improved factory conditions and to support the cooperative and trade union movements. She later became a leading figure in the socialist Fabian Society and co-founded the London School of Economics.

3. John Howard Griffin: Crossing the racial divide In 1959, the white, Texas-born Griffin decided to get a taste of what reality was like for an African American man living in the segregated Deep South.

He dyed his skin black with a combination of sun lamps and pigment-darkening medication, and then spent six weeks traveling and working in Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina. Nobody ever suspected his deception.

It was an eye-opening experience. Working as a shoeshine boy in New Orleans, he was struck by how white people stared through him without acknowledging his presence. He experienced the everyday indignities of segregation, such as walking miles to find a place to use the toilet, and was subject not just to racist verbal abuse but to the threat of physical violence.

He wrote about his experiences in the monthly magazine Sepia, which had sponsored his experiment, and later in his best-selling book Black Like Me. Today it might seem condescending or unethical for a white man to speak on behalf of other racial groups, but at the time most African American civil rights activists saw his work as necessary because it was so hard to get their own voices heard. Griffin gained widespread attention for the cause of racial equality, and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. At the heart of his book is a resounding message about the value of empathy: “If only we could put ourselves in the shoes of others to see how we would react, then we might become aware of the injustices of discrimination and the tragic inhumanity of every kind of prejudice.”

4. Günther Walraff: Two years as an immigrant worker In 1983 the German investigative journalist Günther Wallraff embarked on what may be the most extreme empathy immersion of the 20th century when he spent two years undercover as a Turkish immigrant worker.

Wearing dark contact lenses, a black hairpiece,

and having perfected a broken German accent, he threw himself into a succession of backbreaking jobs, such as unblocking toilets on building sites that were ankle-deep in urine and shoveling coke dust at a steel factory without a protective mask, which left him with lifelong chronic bronchitis.

What struck him most, he later wrote, was not the 19th-century working conditions but the humiliation of being treated as a second-class citizen by “native” Germans.

His book about the Apartheid-like conditions experienced by foreign workers in Germany, Lowest of the Low, sold more than 2 million copies in 30 languages. It led to criminal investigations of firms using illegal labor, and resulted in improved protection for contract workers in several German states. Walraff’s work demonstrates the unique power of experiential empathy for uncovering social inequality—an approach followed by later investigative reporters such as Barbara Ehrenreich.

he hand of history lies heavy in China. No one disputes that. For all the zealous modernisation of the whole narrative of "what it is to be Chinese" promoted by the current government in Beijing, from time to time voices, images and shocks about the past appear through the cracks.

Very few Chinese leaders now mention the ten-year era now catagorised as the cultural revolution. And yet for Xi Jinping and Yu Zhengsheng, colleagues on the standing committee of the politburo of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC), this period marked their lives profoundly. They would not be the people they are today without the experience of those times. Xi worked on a pig farm in the early 1970s, did not see his father for over a decade. Yu probably lost his sister through suicide then. They may not choose to speak about this time. It is impossible that they should forget it.

People can glibly talk about the horrors of the era from 1966-76, the cultural revolution years. It is hard though to see into the heart of this period, to understand exactly what its trauma was - particularly for Chinese intellectuals and elites.

After all, they took the brunt of its populist campaigns. They were the ones who were dragged up in front of people in struggle sessions and humiliated. What was this experience like for them? How did it frame their view of the world?

One of the most powerful and moving accounts of this era is contained in the memoires written about Zhang Guangren, better known under his penname Hu Feng, by his wife Mei Zhi. Originally issued in 1989, these have now been superbly translated into English by the scholar Gregor Benton. Anyone who wants to hear the unmediated voice of one of the true victims over this period, though a person who finally survived and emerged from it, should read this book. It is not comforting reading.

Hu Feng had impeccable credentials. A close associate of the great writer Lu Xun in the 1930s in Shanghai, he was profoundly connected with the progressive urban literary world of the time. After a period studying in Japan, he returned to China and took up the party's invitation in 1956 to offer some constructive self-criticism. As Mei Zhi makes clear many times in the book, Hu Feng subscribed to a personal and moral vision of integrity. Like George Washington, he was unable to tell a lie. This trait was to cost him dear.

He was at first imprisoned for a decade, during which he was placed in solitary confinement. Hu was finally partially released in the mid-1960s, to be looked after by his wife, whose tales of their simple life together in internal exile in Chengdu are profoundly moving. It seemed he would be able to serve out the rest of his sentence in open confinement. But the cultural revolution was to end this interim. Taken away again, Hu was not to emerge until 1973, when Mei Zhi's descriptions of him are searing. Barely in touch with his sanity, overwhelmed by years of relentless enforced self-inspection, Hu was literally no longer himself. But it is clear that her care restored him at least in part. With the fall of the radical leadership in 1976, Hu was reinstated. He had, after a fashion, survived. The system at its most extreme and relentless had not broken him. But as Mei Zhi’s words imply, the price he had paid was simply staggering.

5. Patricia Moore: A product designer from all ages Today, one of the leading exponents of experiential empathy is the U.S. product designer Patricia Moore, whose specialty is using empathy to cross the generational gulf. Her best-known experiment was in the late 1970s when, aged 26, she dressed up as an 85-year-old woman to discover what life was like as an elder. She put on makeup that made her look aged, wore fogged-up glasses so she couldn’t see properly, wrapped her limbs and hands with splints and bandages to simulate arthritis, and wore uneven shoes so she hobbled.

For three years she visited North American cities in this guise, trying to walk up and down subway stairs, open department store doors, and use can openers with her bound hands.

The result? Moore took product design in a completely new direction. Based on her experiences, she invented new products for use by elders, such as those thick rubber-handled potato peelers and other utensils now found in almost every kitchen, which can easily be used by people with arthritic hands.

She went on to become an influential campaigner for the rights of senior citizens, helping to get the Americans With Disabilities Act enacted as law.

Her latest project is designing rehabilitation centers for U.S. war veterans with missing limbs or brain injuries so they can relearn to live independently, doing everything from buying groceries to using a cash machine. Her whole approach, she says, is “driven by A terrible price empathy, an understanding that one size doesn’t fit all.”

One thing is clear in this wonderful account. For anyone to survive as Hu Feng did, life had to be slowed down. Hu spends a whole day reading a single article, and weeks devising and How to be practice experiential empathy What lessons should we draw from such inspir- then remembering a single poem. His world with his wife when ing lives? Few of us are going to dress up as an 85-year reunited is one where the wonder of a single tree blossoming old or spend years masquerading as an immigrant can take up a whole afternoon. Even a blade of grass growing in worker. But we can all practice experiential empathy his prison yard gave something for Hu to latch on to and watch. in other ways. You could take part in Live Below the These more than anything else kept him alive.

It is striking that Hu’s managers over this period, from varLine, an anti-poverty campaign where tens of thouious prisons or reform-through-labour camps refer to themsands of people each year live for five days on $1.50 selves as "humanist revolutionaries". Of course, humanist is a day, which is the amount that more than 1 billion precisely the opposite of what they come across as being. But people on the planet have to live on. Next time you go Mao Zedong’s imperial grand framework was all they had to go on a two-week vacation, sure, spend some time lying on, and the price for standing in its way was terrible. on the beach in Mexico the first week, but why not volNone of the current Chinese leaders has undergone an exunteer as a teacher at a local school in the second one? perience as extreme as Hu Feng's. But they would certainly And if a “wealth swap” isn’t your thing, try a “God know the costs of high-Maoism, and the unruly outcomes swap”: If you believe in a particular religion, spend of populist, zealous politics in their country. So while these a month going to the services of different religions, leaders attempt now to stir the hearts and minds of their main including a meeting of humanists. audiences, they would also harbour some reservations about These are all ways of getting a little experiential how they keep control their efforts were truly to take fire. Perempathy into your life. Doing so will not only ex- haps that lies at the heart of their curious current strategy to pand your own worldview and imagination, but en- concede on some areas, and enforce in others. Their experiable you to use empathy to create social justice. And ence teaches them the true challenges of dreaming too hard, that’s a whole lot better than allowing this powerful of how volatile idealism can be. And for China today, includform of human understanding to become just an- ing members of the elite, if the future is a dream, some parts of the past are a nightmare to which they never want to return. other tool of the marketing industry.

When fiction embraces history ther Pandu, are true heirs to the Kingdom of Hastinapur. On the other hand, the hundred brothers, also known as the Kauravas, younger than the Pandavas, are sons of Gandhari and father Dhritarashtra, who is Pandavas’ older uncle. The Kauravas during the course of the story, do not want to give away the kingdom to their elder brothers, born before them, and hence resort to vile ploys and strategies to destroy them.

A very important person in the story is Draupadi, also known as Panchali, who is wife to all the five Pandavas. Through the course of events leading up to the mammoth Kurukshetra war, she acts as a catalyst.

The Mahabharata is mainly about the build up to the epic war, the site of the war and the actual war that ensues—where justice needs to be had and a righteous settlement to varied disputes must be brought forth.

Plans are made and executed; battles are fought, so that the Pandavas, the rightful owners to the massive territory, with Lord Krishna on their side, are able to retrieve their land from the Kauravas. Incidents that ensue from the beginning to the end—are a series of episodes, which set in motion, a larger-than-life-war and its ultimate denouement. The epic has innumerable other poetic descriptions of other relevant cities and characteristics, and this complete story could be entirely true with respect to actual happenings, or perhaps the original also borrowed much from myth and fiction.

A woman’s perspective The new-spin in the novel The Palace of Illusions is the intricate setting of lyrical language and poetic descriptions, which charge the atmosphere in the story with a feminine air. Creatively imagined, the point of view in this epic narration is placed upon the proud and angry shoulders of Draupadi, beloved wife of the five Pandavas.

Starting from her father’s house, to how she is, under odd circumstances, married to

Trisha Bhattacharya Contributoria.com the five brothers, and to how entanglements in the shape of deceit, treachery, mocking and revenge lead to the war—her point of view in all of this, becomes a source of inquisitiveness, balance, happiness, and sadness for the reader. Through her eyes—her kinship, her family before and after her marriage are delineated and emphasized. Her relationship with her five husbands, her in-laws and other family members is also expressed with clarity in this elegant and creative novel.

Another intriguing facet of this novel is the unusual love story between Draupadi and Karna, the sixth brother of the Pandavas.

What was once a simple narrative of war, battles, intrigue, family feuds, the victory of right over wrong, becomes, in the hands of a fiction writer, a delicate delayering of perceptions. Enlarged and detailed episodic narrations too, through a woman’s eyes— one who is wronged and humiliated, who seeks protection in Krishna, whose stubbornness and rightful anger, become the cause of grave denouement—find a literary expanse to occupy.

Tale of a King and a Queen The Enchantress of Florence has varied intertwined story-lines and plots and only certain portions of the story are linked to Indian history. The original story which partially inspires the novel the Enchantress of Florence is yoked to the grandeur of one of the mightiest Indian Mughal emperors known as Akbar, under whose rulership his empire and his subjects flourished.

As is popularly known, perhaps not factually correct though, Akbar married a beautiful Hindu princess known as Jodha, even though she was of a different religion.

Their story of love and companionship is quite well-known, for even in the context of their dissimilar backgrounds, their togeth-

He is shown as the ruler as he was and so are those aides who were close to him.

However, interestingly, Jodha, his most important wife is shown in the story as an apparition that gains prominence and form, whenever she is in King Akbar’s heart and in his imagination. For a period of time in the book—as another woman, with exquisite beauty, gains affection in Akbar’s heart, Jodha’s presence in his vicinity begins to fade. Jodha, who was once envied by every other queen of Akbar, shrivels into nothingness. This fascinating creative rendering of the life of Jodha-Akbar is a transformation of history into fiction, with subtlety and a mystical touch, alongside other enchanting connected stories.

Akbar’s presence and his importance are portrayed in many ways throughout the book.

His foibles too, come to fore, in this artistic depiction. However, the main characters in the story are not truly associated with history—as moves the plot, they too move into uncharted territories and along with threads from India’s elaborate and ornate history, build something remarkably fictive and creative. The emperor’s ancestry and stories evolving from them also become part of the novel’s storyline and hasten its progress.

What was once a charming rendition of the original story of Akbar—his rule and also his beautiful wife Jodha—become a comingtogether of creative imagination coupled with portions of past events, which cause in the reader a sense of familiarity; and builds a position from where to understand and feel familiar about the other unfamiliar, strange and distinct story-lines and characters.

erness and affection after marriage, brought about many positive changes within the kingdom and furthered the empire of Akbar.

This great king’s dominance, powerful ruling, philosophies had a vast mass appeal, and he always remained a mighty king. The story of Jodha and Akbar is looked up to as a source of inspiration, for overcoming religious differences through bonds of love. Akbar’s ministers, his coterie of advisers, those who influenced him, his musicians, his subjects, his family, are all part of the original descriptions found in writings and creative visual presentations and dramatized renderings of his onceupon-a-time presence as one of the most influential and affluent rulers of his time.

“Akbar the Great,” is the name given to the King, who sought to achieve success through intelligence and bravery. Ironically and historically, however, Jodha’s name is not mentioned anywhere as the Hindu princess married to Akbar; but a Rajput princess called Hira Kunwari, or Harka Bai, a Rajput princess, was known to have married Akbar.

She later acquired the title of Mariam-uzZamani, a name that finds mention in the novel written by Salman Rushdie.

Jodha Bai’s name may not evidently invade a lot of actual historical evidence and texts, but her character lives on in fiction and is considered as real as real can be. It is also quite possible that she did exist and was one of Akbar’s many wives in fact as well.

There could be other contentious matters When fiction and history meet pertaining to the historical truth of Jodha These two novels are evidence of how and Akbar, however, popular opinion en- any work of fiction can be inspired by the sures their story continues to inspire belief. history of any country. Fiction and history combine together to not only create artisA labyrinth of storylines tic facts, but also allow authors to inquire, Creatively, on the other hand, the au- perceive and articulate; whereas, readers thor of* the Enchantress of Florence* makes find passages into the past. Creative writers known Akbar’s presence in many parts of continue to carve through literature, works the book. The king is not the protagonist of of art, which completely or partially conthe story, but a firm pillar in the novel, upon strue what once was part of the foundations whose shoulders rests the arch of the plot. of our civilizations and cultural progression.

8

Dimapur

NATIONAL

Thursday 13 November 2014

The Morung Express

At ASEAN, Modi pushes for connectivity NAy Pyi TAW, NovEmbEr 12 (PTi): While asserting that India and ASEAN have “no irritants” in their ties and can be “great” partners, Prime Minister NarendraModi today said there will be “major improvement” in India’s trade policy and environment and proposed a special facility for speedy implementation of connectivity projects with the 10-nation bloc.

Inviting the 10 southeast Asian nations to be part of his country’s “new” economic journey, Modi laid out his vision at the ASEAN-India summit here explaining how India will be open for business without any hurdles and how it was willing to go beyond what has been done so far in creating a stable current business environment.

The prime minister’s strong “Make in India” pitch also had its echo at the deliberations and got the support of the ASEAN grouping. The prime minister in his interaction in Hindi at the round table said that a “new era” of economic development, industrialisation and trade has begun in India and and that the rapidly developing country and ASEAN can be “great partners” to each other.

Noting that India’s ‘Look East’ policy has become ‘Act East’ policy, Modi assured the ASEAN

‘India my second home’, Suu Kyi tells PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, fourth from left, poses for a group photo with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the 12th ASEAN-India summit at Myanmar International Convention Center in Naypyitaw, Myanmar on Wednesday, November 12. Leaders from left, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Modi, Myanmar President Thein Sein, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. (AP Photo)

leaders that he will give his “sustained personal” attention to India’s relations with the regional bloc.

“We have embarked on a new economic journey in India, we invite you to this new environment in India,” the prime minister said.

ASEAN plans to become one economic community by the end of next year.

Modi’s comments came at a time when India seeks to deepen its engagement with the bloc of 10 small and medium economies.

“We have no irritants in our relationship. We see

encouraging opportunities and challenges in the world in similar ways,” he said.

At the same time, Modi said the potential for IndiaASEAN ties is much higher than where they are at the moment. “To deepen our connectivity, I am considering establishing with your cooperation, a special facility or special purpose vehicle to facilitate project financing and quick implementation,” he said.

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of China’s raging maritime disputes with some southeast Asian

countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said all nations have a responsibility to follow international law and norms on maritime issues and hoped for an early conclusion of a code of conduct to resolve the matter.

After making a passing reference to maritime disputes in general and the need for following international norms in his opening remarks at the 12th India-ASEAN summit, Modi delved on the South China Sea dispute in a little more detail in his closing statement.

“For peace and stability in South China Sea, everyone should follow international norms and law. This includes the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We also hope that you will be able to successfully implement the Guidelines to the 2002 Declaration on Conduct and that the Code of Conduct on South China Sea can be concluded soon on the basis of consensus,” he said at the end of the summit deliberations.

“We (India and ASEAN) are both keen to enhance

our cooperation in advancing balance, peace and stability in the region,” Modi said. “And, in this world, maritime trade and passage, and therefore, maritime security has become even more important.

We all have the responsibility that we all follow international law and norms on maritime issues, as we do in the realm of air passage. In future, we will also need this in space,” he added.

Though Modi did not name any country but the comments may be seen as targeting China which is

NAy Pyi TAW, NovEmbEr 12 (PTi): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Nobel laureate and Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi who described India as her “second home”, recalling her years spent in the country. It was Modi’s first interaction with the 69-year-old pro-democracy icon.

The Prime Minister referred to Suu Kyi as a “symbol of democracy”, referring to the enormous efforts made by her for restoration of democracy in Myanmar long ruled by military junta. After the meeting, spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, Syed Akbaruddin tweeted that the Myanmarese leader had told Modi that India was her “second home”. He told reporters that Suu Kyi was effusive in her praise of India.

Suu Kyi told Modi that India was the first country to which she travelled from Burma, which was the old name of Myanmar. The opposition leader also underscored the importance of stability going hand in hand with democracy. Asked whether the prime minister had extended an invitation to the Myanmar leader to visit India, the spokesperson said, “the invitation to Aung San Suu Kyi to visit India is always available as no one invites one to her second home”. engaged in maritime territorial disputes with a number of its neighbours, including Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

During his recent U.S. visit, Modi and President Barack Obama had pledged to intensify cooperation in maritime security to ensure freedom of navigation in comments that came against the backdrop of China’s expanding maritime ambitions.

They had stressed the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of naviga-

tion and over flight throughout the region especially in the South China Sea. During his Japan visit as well, Modi had deplored the “expansionist” tendency among some countries which “encroach” upon seas of others, in oblique comments against China which also has a maritime dispute with Japan over islands in the East China Sea. ASEAN comprises 10 countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Kashmir killings: Army apology Madrasas not spreading has not dampened public anger jihad in India: MHA report sriNAgAr, NovEmbEr 12 (iANs): The recent killing of two people, including a teenager, by soldiers of the Indian Army has renewed calls for the revocation of the law that gives special powers to the armed forces in the insurgency-hit Jammu and Kashmir.

The man on the street views the incident, for which the army has issued an unusual apology, as a manifestation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that gives sweeping powers to the armed forces in the state that is inching towards peace after decades of Pakistan-sponsored proxy war.

But the apology has done little to defuse the anger among the people in the Kashmir Valley over the killings, particularly in Nowgam area in Srinagar peripheries where the two belonged to.

Faisal Bhat, 14, and Mehrajuddin Dar, 21, were killed early this month when soldiers of the counter-insurgency 53 Rashtriya Rifles opened fire at the car in which they were travelling in Chattergam village, some 20 km from Srinagar. Two of their friends, Shaker Bhat and Zahid Naqash who were also in the car, were injured in the shooting, described by the army as “mistaken identity” in their chase for “terrorists”.

Crowds in the Nowgam area have been holding protests, albeit peacefully, barring a couple of incidents of stone pelting over the weekend. They want the government to punish the “guilty” soldiers.

And to stop such incidents from recurring, they said, the dreaded AFSPA in place since 1990s, should go. Showkat Ahmad, 38, a businessman in Srinagar, said the incident in not a “one-off”.

“There is nothing new in it. This has been going on from years and will continue to happen in the future if the special

powers the army enjoys are not revoked,” Ahmad told IANS. Shabir Ahmad, 23, a young journalist who has been reporting the conflict for the last couple of years, said that probes into past civilian killings allegedly by the Indian Army are yet to be completed and the “recent case will only add to the lot”.

“No doubt the army has admitted the wrongdoing. But history has a long list of probes still pending. I doubt that the justice can be done,” said Shabir.

Qazi Mudasir, 25, a social activist from Srinagar, said that by official admission of the state and central governments, the circumstances that forced the implementation of the draconian law no longer exist in the Muslim-majority state of some 10.25 million people.

The state government took the army’s help after police and paramilitary forces failed to curb the reign of terror unleashed

by Pakistani and Pakistan-trained militants, including foreign mercenaries, who were growing in numbers and strength.

But the governments have admitted that the situation is no longer that dangerous and militants are present few in numbers, and that too scattered around in rural or forested areas.

Mudasir, like many others whom IANS spoke with, was of the view that military presence has to be reduced in areas insurgency has been eliminated, including in cities and towns. “Until there is the presence of army here, such incidents will continue to happen,” said the social activist.

But the army, which has announced Rs.10 lakh compensation to the kin of each of the deceased and Rs.5 lakh each for the injured, says that the AFSPA has nothing to do with the killing of the two people in the recent incident.

NEW DElhi, NovEmbEr 12 (AgENciEs): At a time when the activities of madrasas are under increasing scrutiny, the Ministry of Home Affairs has found that majority of such institutions don’t subscribe to jihadi ideology or play a part in its spread.

An internal report of the MHA says majority of madrasas not spreading jihadi or indulge in anti-national activity. However, the report has red-flagged some madrasas operating in the border areas of West Bengal and Assam.

These madrasas are the one where the teachers are foreigners,

mainly from Bangladesh, and they have been found to be involved in anti-India activities. Even in those areas, Indian madrasa teachers are not involved in jihadi activities.

The report is based on probe into madrasas aligned to Deobandi, al-Hadis, Jamat and Barelvi school of thought. The activities of madrasas, especially those in West Bengal, came into focus after the Burdwan bomb blast.

The NIA probe into the case had unearthed a deep rooted transborder terror machinery that was at work through some of the madrasas in the state.

Women employed on temporary basis nationwide to cook midday meals for students at government run schools break a police barricade as they protest to seek permanent employment benefits and better wages in New Delhi on November 12. (AP Photo)

‘India must lead in global war against black money’ brisbANE, NovEmbEr 12 (iANs): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit here for the G20 Summit, a leading global coalition against corruption has said India must take the lead in addressing black money, that affects the poor and developing countries the most.

“Prime Minister Modi made addressing black money one of his first priorities on taking office,” said the Financial Transparency Coalition, a global network of over 150 civil society organisations, 13 governments and dozens of experts on illicit financial flows.

“India has a powerful role to play in the debate around developing country inclusion in systems for the cross-border exchange of financial information and country-

by-country reporting for multinational corporations,” it said.

“Modi has made bringing black money home a national priority.

Now it’s time for India to do the same on the global stage,” said the coalition, which has the New Delhi-based Delhi’s Centre for Budget Governance and Accountability as a member.

The Indian prime minister had left New Delhi Monday on a 10day, three-nation tour and will be in this west Australian city Nov 1516 for the G20 Summit.

According to the coalition, an estimated $1 trillion leaves developing nations every year by way of illicit financial flows -- money that is illegally earned, utilised or transferred, thereby depriving funds for projects to end poverty and push

development.

This money should be generating economic growth, upping tax revenues, and funding new roads, schools, and hospitals. Instead, this capital is finding its way into bank accounts in tax havens, often inside G20 countries, it said.

“While the G20 may represent 85 percent of the global GDP, financial transparency standards to be adopted in Brisbane cannot forget the world’s poorest countries, whose economies are losing billions to black money each year,” said the coalition’s Porter McConnell.

“The G20 may not provide a proper seat at the table for the world’s poorest, but that doesn’t mean its policies shouldn’t take them into account.” The coalition

said even as some troubling international crises in places like Syria and Iraq continue to fester, the G20 leaders should not forget the link between global instability, economic growth and black money.

Bolstering economic growth and creating jobs will require the commitment of G20 leaders to tackling loopholes and secrecy in the global financial system and the Brisbane summit holds the key to bring transparency to an opaque global financial system.

Pooja Rangaprasad, of the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, said one has seen progress on issues around financial transparency through the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Sterilization deaths show India’s health care ills

NEW DElhi, NovEmbEr 12 (AP): The women were poor, from villages in central India where the promise of a few dollars is all but impossible to resist. Many had babies so young they were still nursing at their mothers’ breasts.

The deaths of 13 women after they underwent sterilization procedures this week have raised serious ethical questions about India’s drive to curb a booming population by paying women who get sterilized. The deaths also exposed the dangerous lack of oversight in India’s $74 billion health care industry.

“We really are not paying enough attention to the quality of care in the public health system,” said Jay Satia, an adviser to the Public Health Foundation of India.

The surgeon who performed the operations at the government-run “health camp” in Chhattisgarh state plowed through more than 80 surgeries in six hours — a clear

breach of government protocol, which prohibits surgeons from performing more than 30 sterilizations in a day, a top medical official said Wednesday.

The surgeon, Dr. R.K. Gupta, was honored by the state government in January for performing over 50,000 laparoscopic tubectomies, said Dr. S.K. Mandal, the chief medical officer in Chhattisgarh.

“He’s a very senior and respected surgeon,” he said. Mandal said he believed Gupta was under pressure to meet government-set targets for sterilizations.

“The people from the health department set up some targets and we have to achieve them by 31st March,” Mandal said.

A spokeswoman for the federal health ministry said she was not aware of sterilization targets for states. India’s government had said it stopped setting targets for sterilizing women in the 1990s. But doctors and human rights workers have alleged for years that tar-

gets exist — which would lead to inevitable coercion in villages where most people have very limited access to both education and health care.

“The government of India denies that there are targets but they’re clearly set and when it goes down to the district or village level that’s a real problem.

Extreme pressure is the crux of the problem,” says Sona Sharma, joint director for advocacy at the New Delhi-based Population Foundation of India.

Mandal said that his state had a target of 220,000 sterilizations this year and Bilaspur, the district where the botched surgeries took place, had a target of about 15,000 surgeries.

Sterilization targets have a troubled history in India. In the 1970s, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a policy of forcibly sterilizing men who had already fathered two children. Opponents at the time said the program targeted unmarried and poor men, with

doctors given bonuses for operating on low-income patients.

Still, many experts caution that the sterilization surgeries can be a lifeline for poor women who are tired of multiple pregnancies or who want to take control of their fertility. “It is convenient for many women.

It’s not ideal, but it’s a one-time surgery and then you’re done,” says Sharma.

But she said incentive payments and government quotas make doctors pressure patients into surgery rather than advising them on contraception. “Women are not informed about the choices in contraception they have. It’s their right to know that other methods exist,” she added.

Women in most Indian states are promised 1,400 rupees ($23) when they chose to have laparoscopic, or “keyhole,” sterilization surgeries like those conducted in Bilaspur. The procedure is one of the most commonly performed minimally invasive surgeries,

and is usually done under a local anesthetic.

India has one of the world’s highest rates of sterilization among women, with about 37 percent undergoing such operations compared with 29 percent in China, according to 2006 statistics reported by the United Nations. About 4.6 million Indian women were sterilized in 2011 and 2012, according to the government.

In comparison, less than 1 percent of men choose to undergo vasectomies even though the cash incentive is higher at about 2,000 rupees ($33), says Sharma. “They’re worried about losing their virility. No amount of compensation will draw them to vasectomies.”

A total of 83 women had the operations Saturday as part of the free sterilization campaign and were sent home that evening. But dozens later became ill and were rushed in ambulances to private hospitals in Bilaspur city. By Wednesday

at least 12 women were dead.

Dozens more are hospitalized, and at least 13 are fighting for their lives.

Outside the hospital, the relatives and young children of the dead women wailed or looked frozen in shock.

“The families of at least 10 women said that they had young babies, most of them under 6 months old, and were still being breastfed. Now the mothers are dead,” said Kamlesh Pandey, a local journalist based in Bilaspur.

One man told The Indian Express newspaper that his sister-in-law had just given birth and did not want to sterilization surgery but was bullied into it by local officials. “They said nothing would happen. It was a minor surgery,” Mahesh Suryavanshi said.

Yet Gupta, the surgeon, was performing operations in a private clinic that wasn’t even registered with the government and in an operating theater that

Mandal says should never have been used.

The apparent cause of death was either blood poisoning or hemorrhagic shock, which occurs when a person has lost too much blood, state deputy health director Amar Singh said. The Chhattisgarh state government sent a plane to New Delhi to pick up seven doctors to help treat the patients.

“Whatever treatment is being provided to the victims is good,” said Dr. Anjan Trikha of the Delhi-based All India Institute of Medical Science, speaking with reporters at one of the hospitals in Bilaspur. He declined to say anything more until the results of autopsies are released.

The government has also started a criminal investigation into Gupta’s conduct and said that the victims’ families would each receive about $6,600 in compensation. Four government doctors, including Gupta and the district’s chief medical officer, have been suspended.

InternatIonal

the Morung express

Thursday 13 November 2014

Dimapur

9

Rebel armies an unsolved Myanmar puzzle BANGKOK, NOvemBer 12 (AP): The first time President Barack Obama visited Myanmar, two years ago, the Southeast Asian country’s leaders were trying to broker a nationwide cease-fire with ethnic rebel groups amid unprecedented hope that real change was afoot.

As Obama prepares to return for a pair of regional summits this week, Myanmar’s leaders are still trying to secure a truce, but prospects for an end to the armed conflicts that have plagued the country for half a century have dimmed. Skirmishes have spread into new areas, more than 120,000 people remain displaced by clashes in the north, and hundreds of thousands of refugees remain abroad, too fearful to return.

It’s a far cry from the year that led up to Obama’s initial, ground-breaking trip. Back then, a nominally civilian government comprised of retired generals surprised the world by opening the country and spearheading what they vowed would be a transition to democracy. The West applauded the moves by lifting most economic and political sanctions.

“The hope and optimism we had in 2012 is just gone. It’s been squandered,” said Aung Zaw, a Myanmar journalist based in the Thai city of Chiang Mai who founded the independent Irrawaddy news journal.

The government, he said, “lacks political will to implement more reforms.

In this Sept. 26, 2014 file photo, representatives of Myanmar government peace making group, right, shake hands with their counterparts of armed ethnic organizations, left, during their cease-fire talk at Myanmar Peace Center in Yangon, Myanmar. The first time President Barack Obama visited Myanmar, two years ago, the Southeast Asian country’s leaders were trying to broker a nationwide cease-fire with ethnic rebel groups amid unprecedented hope that real change was afoot. As Obama prepares to return for a pair or regional summits this week in mid-November, Myanmar’s leaders are still trying to secure a truce, but prospects for an end to the armed conflicts that have plagued the country for half a century have dimmed. (AP File Photo)

They’ve got the West to ease pressure and lift sanctions.

They’ve got foreign investment coming in. They figure they’ve done enough.”

Analysts say the generals outmaneuvered their former foes — in particular opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was allowed to win a relatively powerless legislative seat but who remains barred from running for president in 2015

because the junta-era constitution contains clauses designed to block her. Ultimate power still rests with the army, and much of the economy remains under the control of active or retired military officers and “crony” businessmen who support them.

So far, the government has been unable to reach durable political agreements with the dizzying

Learn lessons to quit smoking during sleep

New YOrK, NOvemBer 12 (IANS): Some of our brain regions remain active even during slumber and researchers have found that certain conditioning during sleep can change behaviour such as quitting smoking or giving up other addictions.

Certain kinds of conditioning applied during sleep could induce us to change our real life behaviour, the findings showed. “Conditioning can take place during sleep, and this conditioning can lead to real behavioural changes. Our sense of smell may be an entryway to our sleeping brain that may, in the future, help us to change addictive or harmful behaviour,” said Anat Arzi from Weizmann Institute.

The researchers exposed smokers to pairs of smells - cigarettes together with that of rotten eggs or fish - as the subjects slept, and then asked them to record how many cigarettes they smoked in the following week. The results revealed a significant reduction in smoking following conditioning during sleep. The current study was performed on 66 volunteers who wanted to quit smoking, but were not being treated for the problem.

The scientists noted that the group with the best results - an average of 30 percent fewer cigarettes - was comprised of those who had been exposed to the smells during stage 2, non-REM sleep. The researchers noted that some of these regions not only remain active when we sleep, the information they absorb may even be enhanced in slumber. The study appeared in The Journal of Neuroscience.

13.6 million displaced by wars in Iraq & Syria: UN

GeNevA, NOvemBer 12 (reuterS): About 13.6 million people, equivalent to the population of London, have been displaced by conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and many are without food or shelter as winter starts, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday.

Amin Awad, UNHCR’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, said the world was becoming numb to the refugees’ needs. “Now when we talk about a million people displaced over two months, or 500,000 overnight, the world is just not responding,” he told reporters in Geneva.

The 13.6 million include 7.2 million displaced within Syria - an increase from a long-held U.N. estimate of 6.5 million - as well as 3.3 million Syrian refugees abroad. In Iraq, 1.9 million have been displaced this year by tribal fighting and the advance of Islamic State, adding to 1 million previously displaced, and 190,000 have left the country to seek safety.

The vast majority of Syrian refugees have gone to Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq or Turkey, which Awad said “are putting us all to shame” with their support for homeless Syrian families.

“Other countries in the world, especially the Europeans and beyond, should open their borders and share the burden.”

The U.N. World Food Programme has cut rations for 4.25 million people and lack of funds could force a break in its supplies next month for refugees, spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs told Reuters. WFP recently received new pledges that may have averted immediate cuts, Byrs said, although it still needs $325 million to cover its operations for Syria and the region for the rest of 2014.

“Until these pledges are confirmed, WFP’s actual funding situation remains dire, with cuts in assistance anticipated during the upcoming winter,” she said. UNHCR says it is short of $58.5 million in donations to prepare 990,000 people for winter, forcing it to prioritise help for people at higher, colder altitudes and for more vulnerable cases, such as newborn babies.

U.N. figures show that leading donors include the European Union, United States, Japan, Norway and some Gulf Arab countries. The data show Russia and China have each provided just 0.1 percent of the total humanitarian funding raised by donors this year for Syria.

Awad said they should do more. “Politically they cannot really be indifferent, therefore humanitarian (aid) is an imperative and it has to be put first and foremost if there is no (political) settlement ... They need to contribute one way or the other, like the others do,” he said.

array of small rebel armies who have demanded more autonomy for decades.

Pursuing such a deal was one of the 11 key commitments announced by President Thein Sein’s government when Obama last visited, and it is hugely important. Ethnic minorities make up about 40 percent of the population, and ethnic insurgent groups still control a vast patchwork of

private fiefdoms along the country’s eastern borders with Thailand and China that are rich in jade, gold, rubies, timber and opium.

Thein Sein’s administration has pushed harder to secure a general cease-fire than any other Myanmar government has in decades.

It has held repeated talks with opponents and signed truce deals with 14 armed groups, including the Karen

National Union, which until 2012 had waged one of the world’s longest-running rebellions. Liaison offices have been set up across the country to facilitate the peace process, and rebel officials and civilians have been allowed to move more freely than they have in years.

But deep disagreements remain — over how much autonomy ethnic groups should retain in a federalist system, how to form a national army, and how and when rebels might lay down their weapons, if at all. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities who fled the country because of violence have yet to return. At least 140,000 of them live in refugee camps in neighboring Thailand.

“There have been many reforms in Myanmar, but nothing has changed regarding the ethnic armed organizations,” Gen. Sumlut Gun Maw, a leader of the Kachin Independence Army, told The Associated Press. He said that although both sides are negotiating, “fighting keeps breaking out, making it difficult for us to trust each other.”

In October, skirmishes erupted in Karen state between the army and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, forcing 2,000 villagers from their homes, according to a local advocacy group, Karen Rivers Watch. Activists have also reported an upsurge in fighting in neighboring Shan state between government forces and the Ta’ang National Liberation

Army, as well as continued clashes involving units of the rebel Shan State Army.

The most serious fighting has taken place farther north in Kachin state, where more than 120,000 people have been displaced. Human Rights Watch says most people have been unable to return home, their villages abandoned and full of land mines.

In a report last week, the advocacy group Fortify Rights accused the army of shelling and razing civilian homes, attacking displaced camps, opening fire on unarmed villages and carrying out extrajudicial killings.

While the sides accuse each other of starting the violence, Fortify’s director, Matthew Smith, said abuses have overwhelmingly been committed by the army, and “the romantic narrative of change is inconsistent with the situation of ongoing war crimes and widespread impunity.”

Information Minister Ye Htut, a spokesman for Thein Sein’s administration, did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

A truce in Kachin state had held for 17 years before it broke down a few months after Thein Sein assumed the presidency in 2011. Fighting intensified shortly after Obama’s 2012 visit, with government forces launching a major offensive around the rebel headquarters in Laiza, on the Chinese border.

Sporadic clashes have continued, and tensions have risen dramatically

around the governmentheld jade-mining town of Hkapant since the army issued an ultimatum to rebels last month to pull back 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the town’s perimeter.

David Mathieson, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch who visited the Kachin region in October, described the situation there as “bleak.”

International aid to the area is dwindling, he said, overshadowed by the grim situation of minority Rohingya Muslims in western Rakhine state, where more than 140,000 Rohingya are held in camps they cannot leave and over 100,000 have fled by boat in the face of repeated attacks and persecution in a largely Buddhist nation.

The Rohingya pose little threat to government authority because they have no rebel army and no weaponry. They also are the only ethnic group in Myanmar not officially recognized by the government, which considers them to be migrants who came there illegally from Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, in Kachin state, rebels “are rearming, Burmese (government) troops are moving in, and confidence in the peace process is almost zero,” Mathieson said. “The government, which spent decades ignoring the political aspirations of the ethnic people, is slowly realizing it’s going to be very difficult. There is a lot of anger on the ground.”

ASEAN to pressure China to stick Biggest recall in UK medical to diplomacy on maritime disputes history as 22,000 dental patients face tests for HIV

NAYPYItAw, NOvemBer 12 (reuterS): Southeast Asian leaders will welcome China’s Prime Minister Le Keqiang with fanfare on Wednesday but behind closed doors will push their giant neighbour to take a less bellicose approach to overlapping claims in the South China Sea. Myanmar hosts summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) followed by the East Asia Forum, which U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will attend.

China, Taiwan and four ASEAN nations have competing claims in the sea where concern is growing about an escalation in disputes even as the claimants work to establish a code of conduct to resolve them, Le Luong Minh, ASEAN secretary-general, told Reuters in Myanmar’s capital. “We are seeing a widening gap between the political commitments and the actual actions, the real situ-

ation at sea,” he said.

In May, China sent an oil drilling rig to waters claimed

by Vietnam leading to weeks of cat-and-mouse manoeuvres by both sides. Vietnam and the Philippines have sought closer U.S. ties to counter what they see as China’s aggression.

Philippines President Benigno Aquino has said he would address what was a pressing security issue in Myanmar, but indicated some progress on Tuesday during a “meeting of minds” with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at an Asia-Pacific summit in Beijing. The 10 ASEAN members held a plenary session on Wednesday but officials declined to comment afterwards.

China should focus on resolving disputes through international law and dialogue, U.S. deputy national security advisor for strategic communications Ben Rhodes said on Tuesday. “There cannot be a situation where a bigger na-

tion is simply allowed to bully smaller nations,” he told reporters in Beijing, where Obama attended the summit.

Singapore sees the maritime disputes as one of the region’s biggest threats to security, Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam told reporters. Singapore will push for progress on a code of conduct that will reduce the potential for disruption to trade, he said. Obama will use talks with Myanmar President Thein Sein to push for changes to the apartheid-like living conditions of Myanmar’s ethnic Rohingya minority, as well as democratic reform.

Myanmar’s military-drafted constitution bars opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president.

Obama will meet Suu Kyi in the city of Yangon on Friday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw on Wednesday, a member of the Indian delegation told Reuters.

LONdON, NOvemBer 12 (AGeNcIeS): More than 22,000 patients are to be recalled for tests to see if they have been infected with bloodborne viruses, including HIV, amid concerns over a dentist who treated patients in the Nottingham area.

The dentist has been named as Desmond D’Mello and the practice concerned is the Daybrook Dental Surgery, which is now under new ownership and no longer connected to D’Mello.

NHS England said the “significant patient recall” of people believed to be the biggest ever in UK medical history - will be screened for blood-borne viruses including HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. The recall was sparked by concerns D’Mello, who treated patients in Nottingham over a 32-year period, did not follow proper procedures, The Mirror reported. In a public appeal

launched to trace the patients, NHS England said Mr D’Mello was suspended in June this year and the NHS launched an immediate investigation into “apparent multiple failures in cross-infection control standard whilst undergoing dental treatment”.

Health chiefs launched an investigation after viewing the footage and concluded patients may have been placed at risk of infection, the newspaper reports. The dentist is understood not to be HIV positive or have any blood borne viruses.

Based on clinical advice, Public Health England has recommended screening for all patients who have been treated by D’Mello at the former Daybrook Dental Practice in Gedling. Dr Doug Black, medical director for NHS England in Nottinghamshire, apologized to the thousands of patients caught up in the recall.

US, China unveil ambitious climate change goals

U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping drink a toast at a lunch banquet in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Wednesday, November 12. Obama is on a state visit after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. (AP Photo)

BeIJING, NOvemBer 12 (AP): A groundbreaking agreement struck by the United States and China is putting the world’s two worst polluters on a faster track to curbing the heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming. With the clock ticking on a worldwide climate treaty, the two countries are seeking to put their troubled history as environmental adversaries behind them in hopes that other nations will be spurred to take equally aggressive action.

The US, a chief proponent of the prospective treaty, is setting an ambitious new goal to stop pumping as much carbon dioxide into the air. China, whose ap-

petite for cheap energy has grown along with its burgeoning economy, agreed for the first time to a self-imposed deadline of 2030 for when its emissions will top out.

Yet it wasn’t clear how either the US or China would meet their goals, nor whether China’s growing emissions until 2030 would negate any reductions in the US. Still, the dual announcements from President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping, unveiled Wednesday in Beijing, came as a shock to environmentalists who had pined for such action but suspected China’s reluctance and Obama’s weakened political standing might interfere. In Washington, Re-

publicans were equally taken aback, accusing Obama of dumping an unrealistic obligation on the next president.

In fact, the deal had been hashed out behind the scenes for months. US officials said US Secretary of State John Kerry floated the idea during a visit to China in February, and Obama followed up by writing Xi in the spring to suggest that the world’s two largest economies join forces.

Obama pressed the issue again during a meeting with China’s vice premier on the sidelines of a UN climate summit in September, and the two countries finally sealed the deal late Tuesday — just in time to announce it in grand fashion at the Great Hall of the People as Obama’s trip to China was coming to an end.

“This is a major milestone in the USChina relationship,” Obama said, with Xi at his side. “It shows what’s possible when we work together on an urgent global challenge.” Under the agreement, Obama set a goal to cut US emissions between 26 and 28% by 2025, compared with 2005 levels. Officials have said the U.S. is already on track to meet Obama’s earlier goal to lower emissions 17% by 2020, and that the revised goal meant the US would be cutting pollution roughly twice as fast during a 5-year period starting in 2020.

China, whose emissions are growing as it builds new coal plants, set a target for its emissions to peak by about 2030 — earlier if possible — with the idea being that its emissions would then start falling. Although that goal still allows China to keep pumping more carbon dioxide for the next 16 years, it marked an unprecedented step for Beijing, which has been reluctant to be boxed in on climate by the global com-

munity. “This is, in my view, the most important bilateral climate announcement ever,” said David Sandalow, a former top environmental official at the White House and the Energy Department.

World leaders who have been pressing for a global climate treaty heralded the deal, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging all other nations to follow Obama’s and Xi’s lead by announcing their own emissions targets by early next year.

Former Vice President Al Gore, a prominent environmentalist, called the Chinese move “a signal of groundbreaking progress from the world’s largest polluter.”

Scientists have pointed to the budding climate treaty, intended to be finalized next year in Paris, as a final opportunity to get emissions in check before the worst effects of climate change become unavoidable.

Each nation is supposed to pledge to cut emissions by a specific amount, although negotiators are still haggling over whether those contributions should be binding.

Last month, the European Union said it would cut its emissions 40% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Taken together, the US China and the EU account for more than half of global emissions, and there were already indications that the world’s next-biggest emitter — India — might be feeling the pressure. “The international community will now expect India to make some firm commitments,” said Jairam Ramesh, the former head of India’s Environment Ministry. Developing nations like India and China have long balked at being on the hook for climate change as much as wealthy nations like the US that have been polluting for much longer.

The Morung Express 10 LOCAL/SPORTS Nagas Tohanba graces CASA Students trained on applied aspects of bioinformatics Christo Club at Interstate Youth Exchange silver jubilee meet Dimapur

Thursday

13 November 2014

Parliamentary Secretary for Economics & Statistics and CAWD R. Tohanba with others during the unveiling of the silver jubilee monolith of Chessore Area Sports Association on November 11.

The tournament will conclude on November 18. (DIPR Photo)

kohima, November 12 (mexN): Parliamentary Secretary for Economics & Statistics and CAWD R. Tohanba graced the inaugural function of the silver jubilee meet of Chessore Area Sports Association (CASA) on November 11 last.

Speaking on the occasion, Tohanba said that today, sports plays a vital role and brings the entire world together as a global village through World Cup, Olympic Games etc.

He said any individual or team who became champion of any discipline brings good name to the state and the country of its own no matter how big or small the country they are.

She cited Mary Kom (Boxing) who has brought good name for Manipur and the country and also Chekrovolu Swuro (Archery), the second Naga Olympian who has won the hearts of many Nagas and Indians.

Stating that all the participants cannot be a winner, he said their participation makes a great difference and motivates the spirit of oneness in the area as well as in the community.

Tohanba also insisted that every individual should play with the spirit of forgive and forget, unity and tranquility.

The tournament will conclude on November 18.

LoyeM troPhy:

Kongkai San enters final

Dimapur, November 12 (mexN): A hands on training was organised at ICAR National Research Centre on ‘Bioinformatics: A tool for better understanding biological Sciences’ for the undergraduate students of Patkai Christian College Dimapur from November 1 to 10.

The inaugural programme was graced by Professor Dr. Aleminla Ao, Dean, SASARD, Nagaland University. She delineated the importance of bioinformatics in today’s research and opined that the knowledge of different tools of bioinformatics would definitely improve the understanding of biological sciences and will increase employment opportunities for the students.

The programme was organised at the Bioinformatics Cell of National Research Centre of Mithun, established in 2011 under the aegis of Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. The aim of the bioinformatics cell is to impart trainings to the graduate and undergradu-

The participants with resource person and others during the training on ‘Bioinformatics: A tool for better understanding biological Sciences’ organised at ICAR National Research Centre on Bioinformatics.

ate students as well as academicians in the region about the basic and applied aspects of the bioinformatics and their applicability in biological research.

The training covered various basic and applied aspects of bioinformatics, which included prediction of proteins structures, elucidation of Genomic sequences, designing of primers, analysis of partial and complete genetic

sequences and establishment of their phylogenetic relationships among the sequences reported from different regions and species etc. The students were trained to use various online databases available for the study of genetic diversity among various flora and fauna in the region.

The students were also provided with printed manuals and various bioinformatics software required

for biological research and analysis Dr. Prabodh Borah and Dr. DJ Kalita sensitized the students on the basic and applied tools and techniques of bioinformatics in the area of biological sciences and their usefulness.

They also explained about various career opportunities available in the area of bioinformatics. The programme was co-ordinated

by Dr. KK Baruah, Co-ordi-

Monthly Phek DPDB meeting held

phek, November 12 (Dipr): The monthly Phek District Planning and Development Board meeting was held on November 10 at Chokriba under Chozuba sub-division under the chairmanship of DPDB Chairman and Parliamentary Secretary, Yitachu.

At the outset, the chairman welcomed all the members with special mentioned of the presence of Speaker, Chotisü Sazo and Parliamentary Secretary, Deo Nukhu. First, the meeting started with one minute silence prayer in remembrance of the member of BDO Chizami, Pfukiya Kath.

Speaker, Chotisü Sazo in the meeting extended his thanks to DPDB Chairman and Deputy Chairman stating that through their initiatives the DPDB meeting was held at Chokriba.

Highlighting the profile of Chozuba constituency, he informed that the constituency has four circle sub-division covered by 23 villages spread over 45-48

kms from Phek to Chozuba and Chokriba area. Phusachodu is one of the biggest voters bank among villages in Nagaland. There are two different climate zones Terhudzuza cold zone and Sidzu river hot zone. Rice production is the main prominent product at this area which was the most advanced traditional practiced in the world. Kiwi is a popular fruit product at Chokri area and requested any department not to neglect this area but to concentrate every corner of the district to improve the products with available schemes and funds.

The board reviewed the last meeting minutes and discussed the agenda for upgradation of Police Station at Meluri and Chozuba Sub divisions, D.C Phek, Meruhu said that whenever problems raises in Meluri sub-division the administration faced difficulties to control the situation due to shortage of police personnel. Geographically Meluri

covers half of the district bordering Myanmar and Manipur which creates problems such as smugglers, black market and infiltration etc. he therefore said that Meluri sub division needs full strength of SP Police personnel to cover three administrative divisions. The house also deliberated on the deployment of Police personnel to Chozuba and Meluri sub division and decided to take up with the higher up to the concerned department and also to remind the previous DPDB approval for creation of SDPO Police Station at Chozuba and Meluri Sub divisions.

CMO Phek highlighted the problems faced at Phek hospital for conducting post mortem and informed that in near future if post mortem is to be conducted at the district it may be referred it to Kohima or Dimapur.

In this meeting District Transport Officer, Phek, Tsuknungmeren and SDO

PWD (Housing) Phek Chabalepshi Jamir presented power point presentation of its department activities.

The agenda on upgradation of JE Power to SDO Power, creation of Irrigation and Flood control office (SDO) at Sub division at Phek District, Fishery department office, creation of Inspector of Excise, creation of JE Mechanical, JE National Highway, the DC Phek asked the concerned departments to present it in the next DPDB meeting for discussion.

The house also deliberated on the topic of Right to Education and the present education policy prevailed in the state. Many members pointed out the advantages and disadvantages of non-detention systems and communitisation systems of various departments. Horticulture department was entrusted to give power points presentation in the next DPDB meeting. The meeting concluded with vote of thanks

by Chairman.

Lions Clubs International competition held

The winners were awarded a cash and international rounds of competiA Khulio King FC player maneuvers the ball as a Nigerian na- Dimapur, November 12 tional from Kongkai San FC tries to stop him. (Morung Photo) (mexN): Three students from Di- prize of Rs. 3,000/-, Rs. 2,000/-, and tion if any one of them is to be declared TueNsaNg, November 12 (mexN): Kongkai San FC today edged upon Khulio King FC in an exciting match to enter into the XXII Loyem Memorial Senior Soccer Open Championship final. Attempts by both the teams in the first half could not be converted into goals. Hemphing (4) and Kingiudi (8) from Khulio King FC were cautioned in the first half for foul play. Nythung (8) from Kongkai San FC who was also shown a yellow card scored the only goal of

the match in the 81st minute ensuring the defending champions a place in the final match. Meren (7) and Jerry (21) from Kongkai San FC were also cautioned with the yellow card in the second half of the match.

Kongkai San FC was the winner and the Khulio King FC runners-up in the previous edition of the tournament. The second semifinal of the tournament will be played tomorrow between Chongpho Vikings FC and Friends Sporting Club, Lokhung at 1 p.m.

Peren Dist inter-department badminton tourney underway

mapur have taken the first step to becoming internationally recognized artistes by winning a local drawing competition jointly sponsored by the Lions Club of Dimapur and Lions Club of Dimapur Blue Vanda on October 26, 2014.

The three winners - Sangita Lishram (1st) & Raina Dutta (3rd) of Livingstone Foundation Hr. Sec. School and Diksha Hazarika (2nd) of St. Mary’s Hr. Sec. School, all in the age group of 11 to 13 years, were selected from the best 60 contestants from 23 Schools of Dimapur who participated in the drawing contest.

Rs. 1000/- respectively along with certificates at NIIT Dimapur Center, Jain Temple Road on November 10.

Lions Clubs International sponsored the contest to emphasize the importance of World Peace to young people everywhere. The posters were judged based on originality, artistic merit and portrayal of the contest theme, “Peace, Love & Understanding,” informed a press release from the contest chairpersons, Lion Ajay Sethi and Lion Asha Agarwal.

All the three winners’ posters will advance to face stiff competition through the district, multiple district

the international grand prize winner.

One grand prize winner and 23 merit award winners will be selected. The grand prize includes a cash award of US$ 5,000 plus a trip for the winner and two family members to the awards ceremony. The 23 merit award winners will each receive a certificate and a cash award of US$ 500. International grand prize and merit award winners may be viewed at www.lionsclubs.org.

All the winners have been requested to contact Chairpersons Lion Ajay Sethi & Lion Asha Agarwal at 96121-71341/ 94368-30885 for any further details.

Bankers from Nagaland visit Andhra Pradesh

Dimapur, November 12 (mexN): An exposure visit for the branch managers and senior officials of SBI, NSCB, Bank of Baroda and Bank of India from the Resource Blocks of National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) in Nagaland was organized from October 28 to November 3.

The trip to Andhra Pradesh, organized with an objective of sensitizing the bankers on Self Help Group Bank linkage and how Financial Inclusion plays a

pivotal role in poverty reduction, was facilitated by Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM) and its National Resource Organization partner OMPLIS of Orvakal Block, Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh.

The bankers during the visit discussed the processes of credit flow from Financial Institutions to the poor households through SHGs and their Federations. They also met their counterparts in the Blocks and discussed issues and

challenges relating to credit linkage with the poor community. They also attended SHG meetings, interacted with the members and witnessed case studies of members who came out of poverty through the Community Institutions and the support of Financial Institutions. The participants were also briefed on NRLM, the initiation of the 10,000 strong SHG members of Orvakal Block Federation by Vijaya Bharathi, the Senior Advisor of the Federation.

According to a press release received here, the Nagaland bankers felt that the success stories of SHG Bank Linkage witnessed at Orvakal Block could be replicated in Nagaland State with the SHG nurturing support from NSRLM and they offered to extend support to help the poor community in the State.

Altogether, 13 members undertook the exposure visit led by Sentinaro Longkumer, State Program Manager for Financial Inclusion (NSRLM).

nator, Bioinformatics Cell, NRC on Mithun. Various scientists of the Institute contributed in the training programme and delivered different lectures as well as practical classes.

The training concluded with a valedictory function on November 10, which was presided by Dr. Chandan Rajkhowa, Director, NRC on Mithun and Dr Angel, Dean, Patkai College and Dr. Sanjeev Vaidya.

phek, November 12 (mexN): The Christo Nagas Club, Zhavame from Phek district represented Nagaland state in the 10 days Interstate Youth Exchange and Home stay programme organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Ganganagar, Rajasthan under the sponsorship of Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Sriperumbudur. The programme, which started October 29 and ended November 7, was attended by all the eight North East states of India with 86 delegates. The 10-member delegation from Nagaland was led by Ngapunyi Albert Krocha. The delegates showcased their culture and tradition in different parts of Rajasthan, a press release received here said. They were also given a chance to learn the real lifestyle of the people of Rajasthan through three days Home Stay Programme, where the delegates were divided into groups of 3-4 members and placed with a family each.

SDO (C) Chessore gets office-building complex

TueNsaNg, November 12 (Dipr): Parliamentary Secretary for CAWD and Economics & Statistics R. Tohanba inaugurated SDO (C) office building complex at Chessore on November 11. The dedicatory prayer was pronounced by Dokoi Allen Associate Pastor Kiussor Village Baptist Church. The function was attended

by Shangyung Phom NCS ADC Shamator; B. Yanthan SDO (C) Chessore; Er. Sangtiba CAWD Kohima and host of officers, public leaders and staff. The Parliamentary Secretary also inaugurated the welcome gates of Huker village, Aiponger village and Chessore town which was constructed under LADF 2013-14. He expressed his satisfactory and congratulated the persons/leaders who took part in erecting the welcome gate. The Head GBs of the villages and leaders of the area also thanked R. Tohanba for various developmental activities and added that a visible changes took place in the area since 2008 and wished him good luck in his endeavor for better development in the area and the state.

Monthly meeting of Kiphire DPDB conducted kiphire, November 12 (Dipr): The monthly meeting of Kiphire District Planning & Development Board for the month of November 2014 was held on November 5 at DC’s conference hall under the chairmanship of SDO (C) Sadar, Dr. Tinojongshi Chang. The house welcomed the new members EAC Kiusam, Wanmei C. Phom; DPRO Kiphire Gwanilo Lieso and BDO Kiphire and T. Hongtan Chingkhong. The house discussed the up-gradation of Mount Horeb Baptist School Pungro from Class 8 to Class 10. The board verified the documents of the school and found that it fulfilled all the criteria and recommended the matter to the government for necessary action.

The house also discussed on the induction of two members in the DPDB, which was submitted by ward presidents. The matter could not be approved by the board as the members of the DPDB are appointed by the government. Meanwhile, the CMO presented an appeal on the use of “iodine” which is essential for producing two vital hormones in the body - thyroxin and Tri-iodothyronin - that are responsible for normal growth and development of both brain and body. Superintendent of Police, Kiphire gave a PowerPoint presentation on the set up and activities of the DEF. The meeting decided to hold its next meeting on December 5.

Noklak SDPDB meeting held

Noklak, November 12 (Dipr): The monthly meeting of SDPDB Noklak was held on November 5 at the ADC’s Conference Hall Noklak. The in the meeting: In the meeting the following agenda were discussed: On Construction of resting house at Government Higher Secondary School Noklak, the meeting approved and forwarded the matter to the higher up for necessary action. Proposal for construction of rostrum at public ground Noklak was discussed and forwarded to the department of Youth Resources & Sports for allotment of fund for the matter.

The house also agreed to remind the chairman and the elected member of 57 A/C on the earlier assurance of the 25 April 2013 to provide ambulance to IRCS Noklak subdivision. The house also appraised that the earlier proposal for reconstruction of paid and used toilet at Noklak town was under consideration. Proposal for establishment of APMC at Noklak was accepted which was initiated only after due consultation with the SDAO Noklak. The Sub-Divisional Soil & Water Conservation Noklak presented a documented presentation of its departmental activities being carried out in the sub-division. In conclusion, ADC Noklak Jamithung gave the vote of thanks to the members.

Zanupu and Chozuba ranges affirm to protect forest

phek, November 12 their respective resolution and reaffirmed to strictly implement the same. EAC Chozuba and EAC Chethtive programme on wild- eba exhorted the gatherlife conservation at Cheth- ing to firmly put their forest eba Town on November 8. resolution practically and DFO Phek Rongsenlemla cautioned that non-comImchen stressed on the pliance will lead to cancelimportance of a concerted lation of VDB fund.

The program was atand collective effort of the village community to pro- tended by all the 24 village representatives under tect wildlife and forest.

The program mostly Chozuba Forest Range and revolved around hunting Zanupu Range, District and jungle burning where- administration, Police dein all the 24 villages under partment, local functionChozuba Range and Za- aries, student unions and Phek Forest Department officials with village representatives at the awareness cum consultative programme held at Chetheba Town on November 8. (DIPR Photo) nupu Range came up with women societies.

DC Peren, Peter Lichamo, speaking at the 1st Peren Inter-de- (Dipr): Phek Forest Departmental Badminton Tournament at Indoor Stadium, Peren partment organized an on November 12. (DIPR Photo) awareness cum consulta-

pereN, November 12 (Dipr): Deputy Commissioner Peren, Peter Lichamo inaugurated the 1st Peren Inter-Departmental Badminton Tournament on November 12 at Indoor Stadium, Peren town.

Speaking on the occasion, the DC appreciated the organizing committee for taking up such events which bring different Departments together, to get to know one another and

foster mutual relationship and understanding among the players. Furthermore, he exhorted the participants to play fair with spirit of games. He added that, this tournament would be a platform for all the departments to usher friendship and understanding between one department with others.

An exhibition match was played between DC Peren and SP Peren.

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Yangertoshi

to participate in The

Finals G

ood news for the people of Nagaland…..Our very own Yangertoshi from Nagaland has won the National Preliminary and will be now be representing India in the finals of the world’s largest online music contest- “The Global Rockstar.”

Yangertoshi who hails from Dimapur and presently serving as Assistant Commandant ITBP at Dibrugarh will now compete

11 Randy to exit from American Idol again

Entertainment

The Morung Express

against all the other National winners from around the world.

In the National Preliminary there were more than 100 artists from India and Yangertoshi has made India and Nagaland proud by reaching the Global Rockstar finals. That was a huge step closer to the grand prize of 25000 US Dollars.

Now all the 140 artists will be competing in the next level wherein only 64 will qualify basing on votes.

People of Nagaland can definitely make Yangertoshi the ultimate Global Rockstar by voting for him and extending their prayer support.

You can vote for Yanger by visiting the site…..http://www. globalrockstar.com/artists/ yangertoshi.

Voting has already started since 6th November and will go on till20th December 2014.

R

andy Jackson announced on Tuesday that he's leaving American Idol after being with the singing competition show since its first season in 2002. The 58-year-old musician and record producer was an original judge on the show along with Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell. 'After 13 seasons, I felt now was the perfect time to leave American Idol,' Randy said in a statement to Deadline.

'I'm proud to have been a part of a series that discovered some incredible artists and will go down in history as one of the most successful television shows ever. A true origi-

Thursday

13 November 2014

nal, Idol started it all. Onto what's next,' he added. Randy back in May 2013 also said he was leaving the Fox show after 12 seasons as a judge, but returned for its 13th season as a mentor replacing Jimmy Iovine. His return brought some stability to a show that had seen a revolving door of judges as the one-time ratings juggernaut tried to keep viewers.

Randy was known for greeting singers with his catchphrase 'Yo, dawg' and also for his regular criticism of singers for being 'pitchy' while serving as a judge. Fox and American Idol's producers lauded Randy for his contributions. 'Randy has been such an integral part

Dimapur

of American Idol since day one, both as a judge and as a mentor. He’s provided great advice and support, shaping the success of so many Idols we have discovered over the years,' they said in a statement.

'We wish him all the best in his next chapter. Randy will always be part of our Idol family, and we hope he’ll visit from time to time,' the statement added. Randy's departure makes host Ryan Seacrest, 39, the only remaining key member of Idol's original team. The fourteenth season of American Idol will premiere on January 14, 2015 with Ryan as host and Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr as judges.

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Kerala Blasters, Mumbai Qatar to World Cup critics: We're no vampires City play out goalless draw

Nicolas Anelka of Mumbai City FC and Raphael Romey of Kerala Blasters FC in action during match 29 of the Hero Indian Super League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi on Wednesday, November 12.

KOcHi, NOvembeR 12 (iANS): Kerala Blaster FC and Mumbai City FC cancelled each other's goalscoring threat out to settle for 0-0 draw in an Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here Wednesday.

The point obtained after the stalemate though kept both teams at their previous positions in the standings with hosts Kerala down at the sixth spot, managing nine points from eight matches. Mumbai drew level on 11 points with third-placed FC Pune City but remained below them on inferior goal difference.

The first half ended goalless with both team's showing willingness to go forward but chances created were few and far between. Both teams were keen to keep possession and wary of getting exposed by a swift opposing counterattack.

Mumbai goalkeeper Subrata Pal was the pick of the players in the first session, pulling of several saves to deny Kerala. The home team looked certain to score early through an

ISL ranks among best attended football league

NeW DeLHi, NOvembeR 12 (PTi): The Hero Indian Super League, inching closer to its halfway mark, has achieved the rare milestone of having registered the highest average stadium attendance for any football league in Asia.

At the completion of match 27 on November 9, the inaugural edition has had an average stadium attendance of 22,639, positioning ISL as the best attended league across Asia, ahead of competitions such as China's CSL, Japan's J-League and South Korea's KLeague. The attendance in stadia across the country has also made India score globally amongst the best football Leagues. ISL ranks the fifth highest football league in average attendance around the world, behind only Bundesliga, EPL, La Liga and Serie A. The average attendance ranks ISL as the 11th best attended Leagues across any sport around the world.

The ISL is already the most watched non-cricketing sport in India with 275 million viewers tuning in over the first three weeks alone. accurate header from Nigerian midfielder Penn Orji only for Paul to effect a brilliant diving save.

After the breather, both teams went for the win with coaches summoning attacking players to the pitch.

And Paul remained Mumbai's saviour as he continued to thwart Kerala with his superb athleticism and judgement.

The closest both sides

came to opening the account was when Mumbai midfielder Tiago Ribeiro's shot hit the post. The Swiss player took a first-time shot, only to see his effort rebound off the right post. That pretty much summed up the proceedings of the match.

Kerala take on Delhi Dynamos away Nov 16 while Mumbai entertain FC Goa Nov 17 in their next fixture.

DOHA, NOvembeR 12 (AP): Qatar's sports minister says the 2022 World Cup will set a benchmark of excellence that will be "almost impossible to beat" and promised in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press that the Gulf nation will implement labor reforms in the next few months.

Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali also insisted that Qatar wouldn't jeopardize its hosting of the World Cup and ambitions of being at the front and center of sports by funding terrorism.

He was vague on whether alcohol will be sold inside World Cup stadiums and how gay fans will be welcomed at the 2022 tournament.

The minister left no doubt that Qatar wants its World Cup — financed with vast oil-and-gas wealth — to stun the world.

He said the Middle East "needs something like this.

It's hope. It's giving the youth in this region really a positive event that can change a lot of their hopes and dreams."

Qatar's name is now "a brand related to quality, to luxury. We will not jeopardize this brand (by) holding a World Cup that is not successful," the minister said.

He anticipated that on opening night in 2022, he'll be saying to himself: "God help the country that will host the World Cup after us."

"Really. I will stick to that. You will see that we will put a benchmark that is going to be almost impossible to beat."

On allegations that Qatar supports the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and other extremists, al-Ali insisted it would make no sense for "a country that wants to hold the World Cup and big events almost every year" to be financing terror.

"This is ridiculous," the minister said. The country's ruling emir has also said Qatar doesn't support terrorists, but the minister expanded on the reasoning for that.

Citing the example of Afghanistan, which became an al-Qaida and Taliban stronghold after the United States armed and financed anti-Soviet fighters there in the 1980s, the minister said: "If you support any terrorist group it will not bring you

FILE- Advance to go with story slugged Qatar Labor Rights. In this Jan. 3, 2011 file photo, a worker cleans the road outside Khalifa sport complex in Doha, Qatar. Amnesty International said Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014, that 2022 World Cup host nation Qatar is lagging behind on addressing concerns about the abuse of migrant workers six months after it laid out plans for labor reforms. Like other energy-rich Gulf nations, Qatar relies heavily on migrant workers drawn mainly from South Asia to build its roads, skyscrapers and stadiums. (AP Photo)

any good. It is only going to haunt you one day."

"So we don't believe in that, we don't do that," he said. "We are not ready anyway to take that risk because we know it's dangerous for us." But it was al-Ali's vigorous insistence that Qatar will tackle the illtreatment of migrant workers which stood out most in the 90-minute interview in a luxury hotel overlooking the Aspire sports academy in Doha, the capital, where young players who will make up Qatar's 2022 squad are being hot-housed.

Qatar qualifies automatically for the tournament as hosts.

The minister said his own father worked as a 12-year-old laborer in the oil industry in "very hard conditions" that today "would be like child abuse."

"We understand this problem. For us, it's a human question," he said. Qataris aren't "vicious people who are like vampires," he added. "We have emotions, we feel bad." Human rights groups have documented ill-treatment in Qatar of migrant workers from Asia and Africa and conditions they say amount to forced labor.

Critics accuse Qatar's government of being slow to act and warn that laborers flooding into the coun-

try to build World Cup stadiums, rail networks, roads, hotels and other massive public works will be vulnerable to abuse if Qatar doesn't change and better enforce its laws. Such problems aren't unique to Qatar and have long been an issue across the Gulf, but the World Cup has shone the spotlight on the 2022 host.

"We are under focus now which, OK, it's tough," al-Ali said. "It is something that really needs big, big work from us. But we are really tackling this problem face-to-face. We are not hiding."

Although World Cup organizers introduced mandatory welfare obligations for contractors in the last year, changes to the labor law were only proposed by the Qatari government in May. Al-Ali said those reforms have now been through cabinet and will get final approval in "the next few months."

Critics say the changes don't go far enough. But alAli said Qatar's measures could drive change across the Gulf, perhaps even upsetting some neighbors.

"It is going to be good for not only the laborers in Qatar but in the whole region, which might upset some people."

On other issues: • Al Ali said "creative" solutions can be found to allow alcohol sales to visiting World Cup fans. For now, alcohol is only sold in selected Doha hotels and visitors must show their passports to enter these bars. Residents with a license to shop there can also buy alcohol in a government-run store. But World Cup organizer FIFA has a sponsorship deal with a brewer and it leaned on Brazil, the last tournament host, to allow beer sales in its 2014 World Cup stadiums. Asked specifically about alcohol in 2022 stadiums, the minister offered no guarantee.

"In the hotels and many areas we have alcohol but we have also our own system that people need to respect," he said. "As we bid for 2022, we will respect all the rules and regulations

by FIFA. We can study this and minimize the impact on our people and tradition. I think we can be creative, finding solutions for all of this. But we respect all the rules and regulations."

• —Asked how gay people will be welcomed in 2022, al-Ali replied: "It's exactly like the alcohol question."

He said Qatar doesn't

want to create "this impression, illusion that we don't care about our tradition and our ethical values ... We are studying all these issues. We can adapt, we can be creative to have people coming and enjoying the games without losing the essence of our culture and respecting the preference of the people coming here. I think there is a lot we can do."

• —The minister minimized the impact of an apparent sports boycott by two of Qatar's neighbors, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

They are pulling teams from the men's World Handball Championships that Qatar is hosting in January. This follows the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Doha in March. They and Saudi Arabia, which also withdrew its ambassador, are unhappy with Qatar's support of Islamist groups across the region.

Still, al-Ali insisted that the handball tournament "is going to be very successful" and said sports should unite nations. "It makes me happy when people use sports to solve differences and get together and away from politics."

Sarita Devi facing Raptors rally to beat Magic again long ban: AIBA Chris Lines

AP Sports Writer

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L. Sarita Devi, the Indian boxer who refused to accept her Asian Games bronze medal in a protest over the judging can expect a heavy punishment, the head of the sport's governing body AIBA said Wednesday.

Sarita Devi lost in the semifinals of the women's lightweight competition at Incheon, South Korea, in September, and tried to give her medal to her opponent at the presentation ceremony as a protest. Devi and three coaches received indefinite bans — taking in the current women's world championships in South Korea — pending a final ruling of a disciplinary commission.

AIBA president CK Wu told The Associated Press that the commission will make its ruling "very soon" and forecast a strong penalty. "She will be heavily punished, there will be zero tolerance," Wu said in a telephone interview from Jeju, South Korea, ahead of the AIBA congress.

Sandeep Jajodia, president of Boxing India, last month urged AIBA to revoke Devi's provisional

suspension, saying "It was purely an emotional reaction and not pre-planned."

But Wu said there can be little forgiveness. "I said to them, that (apology) doesn't matter, you need to think before you act," Wu told the AP. "She probably will be banned for some time because we want to consider the case that all the referees and judges' decisions need to be respected."

Wu said the controversies over scoring at the Asian Games and allegations of impropriety were possibly caused by a misunderstanding of the new scoring system and heightened measures to prevent influencing of judges. The new scoring method is a 10-points system like that used in professional boxing, rather than the previous method of counting scoring blows. Judges are now randomly selected from a pool of officials just prior to each bout. And while there are five judges for each bout, only three of the scorecards are randomly chosen by computer to contribute to the result.

"This prevents any possible manipulation because you don't know who are (going to be) the judges," Wu said.

TORONTO, NOvembeR 12 (AP): Toronto erased an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter and overran Orlando 104-100 on Tuesday, notching their ninth-consecutive win over the Magic and opening a two-game lead atop the NBA's Atlantic Division.

Among other games, Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki set a career scoring record as he helped the Mavericks come back from an even bigger deficit to beat Sacramento, and Memphis' underperforming reserves lifted to help the Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Lakers.

Toronto's Kyle Lowry scored 19 points and Terrence Ross had 17 as the Eastern Conference leaders won their fifth straight game and improved to 7-1. The Raptors have won their first five home games of a season for the first time in 11 years. Evan Fournier scored 24 for Orlando.

Dallas' Nowitzki became the highest-scoring NBA player born outside of the United States, helping the Mavericks rally from 24 points down to beat Sacramento 106-98.

Nowitzki passed Hakeem Olajuwon for ninth place on the all-time scoring list.

The 7-foot German finished with 23 for 26,953 career points, seven more than the Nigerian-born

Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (41) of Germany celebrates after sinking a basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings on November 11, in Dallas. (AP Photo)

former star of the Houston Rockets. Monta Ellis scored 10 of his 16 points in the third quarter when the Mavericks snatched back the lead. They have won 21-straight regular-season home games against Sacramento. Rudy Gay scored 26 to lead the Kings.

Memphis extended its home-court dominance with a 107-102 win over the Lakers. Mike Conley scored 23 points for the Grizzlies, who have won 17-straight regular-season home games. Six Grizzlies finished in double figures.

Kobe Bryant led the Lak-

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ers (1-6) with 28 points, but shot 10 of 26 from the field and surpassed Boston Celtics great John Havlicek for the most missed field goals in an NBA career.

Milwaukee held off a late rally by Oklahoma City to beat the Thunder 85-78, with O.J. Mayo scoring 19 points for the Bucks.

Portland came back from a 23-point deficit in the first half to beat Charlotte 102-100, thanks chiefly to 29 points from Damian Lillard. San Antonio beat Golden State 113-100, with Tony Parker contributing 28 points and seven assists.

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