November 9th, 2015

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www.morungexpress.com

monDAY • november 09 • 2015

DIMAPUR • Vol. X • Issue 305 • 12 PAGes • 4

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

The opinion which other people have of you is their problem, not yours Only democracy can decide future: Taiwan opposition PAGe 9

The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion

Vote on www.morungexpress.com sMs your answer to 9862574165 Will you be willing to provide your private land towards road construction and development in your area?

Yes

no

others

Has Naga civil society groups (Hohos, students, mothers, etc) been compromised by the Nagaland state government? Why? Yes

63% 23%

no others

14%

Details on page 7

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Public Information

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

morung@gmail.com

Editor, The Morung Express

Investigators “90 percent sure” bomb downed Russian airliner C M Y K

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CAIRO, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): Investigators of the Russian plane crash in Egypt are “90 percent sure” the noise heard in the final second of a cockpit recording was an explosion caused by a bomb, a member of the investigation team told Reuters on Sunday.

The Airbus A321 crashed 23 minutes after taking off from the Sharm al-Sheikh tourist resort eight days ago, killing all 224 passengers and crew.

Islamic State militants fighting Egyptian security forces in Sinai said they brought it down.

“The indications and analysis so far of the sound on the black box indicate it was a bomb,” said the Egyptian investigation team member, who asked not to be named due to sensitivities. “We are 90 percent sure it was a bomb.”

His comments reflect a higher degree of certainty about the cause of the crash than the investigation committee has so far declared in public.

Lead investigator Ayman al-Muqaddam announced on Saturday that the plane appeared to have broken up in mid-air while it was being flown on auto-pilot, and that a noise had been heard in the last second of the cockpit recording. But he said it was too soon to draw conclusions about why the plane crashed. Confirmation that militants brought down the airliner could have a devastating impact on Egypt’s lucrative tourist industry, which has suffered from years of political turmoil and was hit last week when Russia, Turkey and several European countries suspended flights to Sharm al-Sheikh and other destinations. It could also mark a new strategy by the hardline Islamic State group which holds large parts of Syria and Iraq.

Asked to explain the remaining 10 percent margin of doubt, the investigator declined to elaborate, but Muqaddam cited other possibilities on Saturday including a fuel explosion, metal fatigue in the plane or lithium batteries overheating. He said debris was scattered over a 13-km (8-mile) area “which is consistent with an in-flight break-up”.

‘Work for the good of all’

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T R u T H

— Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Aston Villa hold Man City to scoreless draw

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Bihar’s ‘Grand Alliance’ defeats Modi wave Nagas are a people & a nation

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered a heavy defeat on Sunday in an election in Bihar, India’s third most-populous state, signalling the waning power of a leader who until recently had an unrivalled reputation as a vote winner.

Modi’s second straight regional election setback will galvanise opposition parties, embolden rivals in his own party and diminish his standing with foreign leaders amid concern he may not win a second term as prime minister.

“This is a clear indication that Modi’s popularity may now have peaked,” said Satish Misra, a political analyst at the Observer Research Foundation.

The loss in Bihar will also hamper Modi’s push to pass economic reforms, because he needs to win most state elections in the next three years to gain full control of parliament.

Investors are already fretting over the speed of change in Modi’s India, and worries over an additional stumbling block will likely knock financial markets on Monday.

In the most significant vote since he won power 18 months ago, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost in Bihar after running a campaign that sought to polarise voters along caste and religious lines.

It was the most expensive state election ever fought by the BJP, with more than 90 top party figures addressing 600 rallies over the last six weeks, party officials said.

“The Bihar election was

— The UN is not the final word Morung Express news Dimapur | November 8

supporters of Congress party celebrate after learning the initial results outside the party headquarters in new Delhi, november 8. (REUTERS)

a very important battle for us.

We will have to analyse each and every aspect of the result,” said Ram Madhav, a BJP general secretary.

“There are lessons to be learned.” An anti-Modi alliance led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was ahead in 179 seats in the 243-seat regional assembly, an overwhelming majority, tallies compiled by the election commission showed.

Modi tweeted that he had called to congratulate Kumar, whose regional “grand alliance” could now become a template for politicians seeking to prevent Modi’s march

towards untrammelled power under India’s federal system.

The defeat could also dampen the mood as Modi heads to Britain for the first bilateral visit by an Indian leader since 2006. Modi is due to address a crowd next week at London’s Wembley stadium.

Modi’s BJP-led alliance was ahead in 58 seats where trends were clear. Some regional party leadersexpressedbitternessover a campaign that thrust Modi into thespotlight-headdressedmore than 30 rallies - turning the electionintoareferendumonhispersonal leadership.

Analysts said a prime min-

ister has never before invested so much time in a state election. “The role of the prime minister is to govern the country, and not become the lead campaigner in a state election,” one senior BJP state leader said, asking not to be named.

Bihar is one of its biggest electoral prizes and the most pressing challenges of India prevail there, including widespread poverty, corruption and poor infrastructure. If independent, its 104 million people would be the world’s 13th-largest nation, more populous than Germany.

Related News on Page 8

Membership to the “elite club” of the United Nations (UN) is “not the final word on the stories of peoples and nations.”

Peace activist Niketu Iralu said this while paying a ‘tribute to our people’ during the inauguration of the Naga Archives & Research Centre (NARC) at Toulazouma on November 7.

“To limit the status of nationality only to those who have become members of the elite club of the UN is a conceptual construct made by a few old nations in a hurry. Membership of this Club is not the final word on the stories of peoples and nations,” he said while speaking to a gathering of intellectuals, political leaders, elders, youth, including from the neighbouring Meitei and Asom communities.

The world and mankind are going to discover possibilities for societies and communities to live together than what have prevailed thus far, he reiterated.

Conscious of the course the Naga movement has traversed, with its rights and wrongs, Niketu Iralu believed that “the pioneers of the Naga struggle did the right thing in launching their struggle.”

“I do believe that by taking their stand to desperately defend their identity based on the facts of their history, the Nagas have achieved something, they have covered some distance, namely, that they are a people and a nation.”

Iralu defined the “toughest challenge for all mankind” today to be the “feeling for one’s own iden-

tity and defending it, at the same time accepting joint responsibility by all to help one another to learn to live together in mutual trust and goodwill.” Yet, this will be the way wherein “we will be able to grow safely together on this planet earth, our common shrinking, threatened sanctuary.”

The NARC is an ‘almanacmuseum’ for the Naga national struggle—curated by a group of researchers led by Rev. Dr. VK Nuh, the museum has records from the heydays of the Naga struggle that include official documents on ceasefire, imposition of draconian laws, speeches, biographies, photographs, audio files, artefacts etc.

The peace activist and ardent social worker emphasized on the need for Naga people to “know ourselves correctly without fear or pretence.”

Making a simple analogy, he reflected, “If compared to others we have discovered we have completed only up to Upper Primary School level, we do not need to waste our time and resources and damage ourselves by regretting we are not able to do what others who are University graduates are capable of doing and achieving! We need to discover what we have achieved and know that we are not more than what we really are.

But we need to rejoice and find confidence in the fact that we are not less than what we are.”

In that, Nagas today, noted Iralu, should be “humble, compassionate towards one another, realistic, responsible, and intelligent enough and build on the foundation your grandfathers and pioneers have achieved and passed on to you.”

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BJP in mood of denial: NPCC Repaying a ‘Debt of Honor’ to the Nagas

DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 8 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today stated that the Bihar election result has “truly demonstrated the inner mind and prayer of the nation which was under siege by intolerance.” “Electorates of Bihar have sent a strong message to the nation and the world by defeating the communal forces of BJPRSS despite high voltage campaign by Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah,” said a press note from the NPCC. The NPCC further said that the Nagaland state BJP leaders are “still in a denial mood...justifying their existence by arguing that it does not mix with any religious body.” It termed this as “akin to a murderer pleading innocence despite getting caught red handed while committing the act.” “Nagas are not

fools to be easily taken for a ride as RSS apologists mistakenly believe,” it said.

The NPCC stated that intolerance has become the “order of the day” and that “human life particularly those of religious minorities and oppressed castes like the Dalits and Adivasis have no value in the new order that is being dictated by the RSS...” It advised that the state BJP leaders “should break their silence on intolerance and minority bashing...”

On BJP’s claim that “many congress workers have joined their communal bandwagon,” the NPCC said: “we know that some disgruntled congress workers have strayed away to hitch a ride with them, but realizing that it has no political destination for the Nagas, they are repenting and are looking forward to join back to where they truly belong.”

Morung Express news Kohima | November 8

During World War II, a British pilot named Ray Jackson was shot down in Phek. He was rescued by two Chakhesang men, who took care of him and brought him back to safety. Since then Jackson carried with him a debt of gratitude towards the Nagas, and in 2010 he helped build a basketball court for the children of Phek.

Ray Jackson’s story is but a fraction of the British gratitude towards the Nagas, whose help during WWII was immense and crucial.

“The whole concept of Kohima Educational Trust (KET)/Kohima Educational Society (KES) came about because of the gratitude of the British soldiers towards Nagas who fought in the battle of Kohima,” says Dr. P Ngully, Chairman of the KES. President of the KES Charles Chasie states that the “emotional bond” between the Nagas and the Bristish “bridges across the seas.”

Remembering the Battle of

Kohima, WWII veterans converge every year at a memorial in York Minster, England, which bears a famous epitaph to commemorate the battle and remember fallen comrades. The last such meeting was held in 2004 during the 60th anniversary of the Battle, where some veterans decided to travel to Kohima to commemorate the anniversary.

This was the beginning of the Kohima Educational Trust (KET), an idea by Gordon Graham, as a means to build relationship with the Nagas and to pay back a ‘Debt of Honour,’ as the veterans put it.

The KET began with funds raised from the pensions of the veterans, focusing on the future of the Nagas, with special attention to education. Gradually, the children and grandchildren of the veterans also started contributing to the Trust.

The Kohima Educational Society (KES), the KET counterpart in Nagaland was set up in 2007. Since then, the KET/KES have provided scholarships to students from Class 8 to 10 and in 2014 it was ex-

tended to class 11 and 12. So far, 162 Naga students have been beneficiaries of the scholarship. The criteria for receiving this scholarship are based on the socio-economic status of the student, the association of any relatives with the WWII veterans and the commitment of parents towards the child’s education. The scholarship covers the whole of Nagaland with most students hailing from Eastern Nagaland.

Apart from scholarships, the KET/KES has also set up a reference library at the State Library Kohima with rare books on the battle of Kohima signed by the authors. Recently, the trust has also constructed a 30 bedded hostel at Pangsha for students of that area, who often seek education from nearby villages without proper accommodation.

The KET/KES is also involved in a health education program, which was instituted in the name of Dr. Keath Halnan, a founding member of KET. The programme provides basic health training,

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particularly for women in remote areas.

The KES Concert

The KES concert, to be held on November 11 at RCEMPA, Jotsoma, is a fundraiser towards the trust’s activities. While the British veterans have contributed much to the Nagas, their Nagaland counterparts in the KES, also felt the need to raise funds to contribute their part of the goodwill.

All the money made from the concert will go to the KET/KES scholarships for Naga children.

Each KET/KES scholarship is given out in the name of a particular contributor, with the aim to strengthen the relationship between the student and the sponsoring family. Similarly, the scholarships enabled by the concert will be given out in the name of the performing artists.

The concert will feature renowned artists including the Euphony choir, Alobo Naga, Tetseo Sisters, Tali Angh, Methaneilie Jütakhrie and Purple Fusion.

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Myanmar holds first free election in 25 years

YANGON, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): Voting unfolded smoothly in Myanmar on Sunday with no reports of violence to puncture a mood of jubilation marking the Southeast Asian nation’s first free nationwide election in 25 years, its biggest stride yet in a journey to democracy from dictatorship.

The party of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to win the largest share of votes cast by an electorate of about 30 million, who chose from among thousands of candidates standing for parliament and regional assemblies.

But a legacy of military rule means she cannot become president after the election, even if her Na-

tional League for Democracy (NLD) wins a landslide. Concern arose about the fairness of the election after activists estimated that up to 4 million people may be unable to cast a ballot. And on the eve of the poll, the NLD said a suspiciously large number of extra voting tickets had been issued in some areas, with one family in Yangon getting 38.

Religious tension, fanned by Buddhist nationalists whose actions have intimidated Myanmar’s Muslim minority, marred the election campaign.

Among those excluded from voting were around a million Rohingya Muslims who are effectively A Kayan woman, from one of Myanamr’s ethnic minority groups, shows her ink-stained stateless in their own land. finger after she voted, in front of a polling station in Panpet village, Demoso township, Still, there was excitement Kayah state november 8. (REUTERS)

among voters about the first general election since a quasi-civilian government replaced military rule in 2011, which is widely regarded as a referendum on the country’s unsteady reform process.

“I’ve done my bit for change, for the emergence of democracy,” said 55-year-old former teacher Daw Myint after casting her vote for the NLD in Yangon.

Suu Kyi’s car inched through a scrum of news photographers outside the Yangon polling station where the 70-year-old Nobel peace laureate came to vote. She was stony-faced as bodyguards shouted at people to move aside.

Most of the well-wishers gathered there were lucky to get more than a

glimpse of the garland in her hair. A cry of “Victory!

Victory!” went up from the crowd as she went inside.

Many voters voiced doubts the military would accept the outcome of the vote if Suu Kyi’s party is victorious.

But in the capital, Naypyitaw, military Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing said on Sunday there would be no re-run of the last free vote in 1990, when Suu Kyi won but the army ignored the result. She spent most of the next 20 years under house arrest before her release in 2010. Asked how he would feel if the NLD won this time, Min Aung Hlaing told reporters: “If the people choose them, there is no reason we would not accept it.”

Related News on Page 9

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monDAY 09•11•2015

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

‘Work for the good of all’

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Pfutsero, November 8 (mexN): Baptist Theological College (BTC) observed ‘Widow’s Oil-cumRetreat’ from November 7-8 under the theme “Work for the good of all” (Gal.6:10). The Widow’s Oil is a project established by BTC on November 7, 2014 to help needy people.

The faculty, staff and students buy basic necessities like soap, detergent, tooth-brush and tooth paste, pens, etc. to keep in Widow’s Oil Room.

This room is opened 24 hours and any students who are in need collect any item according to his/ her needs, a press release informed.

Besides, used clothes are also donated towards this project so those who need clothes collect from it. The clothes are also given to needy people outside the community through students. The college community also Deputy Director, NEZCC, D Vashum, releasing ‘Morom Janibi’, a digital film in Assamese directed by Ajay Kumar and produced gives free will donation in cash and kind towards the project and prays for

by Pooja Film Production, at Hotel Acacia, Dimapur on November 8. Also seen are the director of the movie, actors and others.

Career guidance for high school students

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Students attend the career guidance programme.

ZuNheboto, November 8 (mexN): As part of its Golden Jubilee celebration, office of ADC, Satakha organised a career guidance programme for high school students in association with 111 Bn BSF on November 7 at Headquarters 111 BN BSF. Around 350 teachers and students of Government Higher Secondary School, Hillboto School, Merry Vale School, Evergreen School, New Horizon

School and Highland School of Satakha participated in the programme. Nitin Gupta, Second-In-Command, 111 Bn BSF elaborated the job opportunities in uniform services.

He spoke about various entrance exams and his experience through presentation.

Meanwhile, Nockpai Konyak, EAC Satoi addressed issues concerning career in civil service to the students through lecture cum presen-

tation. The programme was marked by series of activities like solo song performed by Ever Green School, comedy show by Merry Vale School, and choreography by Highland High School, Satakha.

The teachers stated that it was an initiative to guide the students towards a planned career so they may remain motivated and effective during their most challenging years of school, according to a release.

Gwanilo Khing, Principal, Mt. Terogvu Theological College, Tseminyu.

all the donors and needy people.

Gwanilo Khing, Principal, Mt. Terogvu Theological College, Tseminyu, graced the occasion as speaker. He was accompanied by Peter, Youth Pastor, Tseminyu Town Baptist Church. Khing challenged the

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community that in order to work for the good of all, one has to accept the divine calling and adapt to the context. One has to take the given opportunity to serve needy people. He also commented that today the shepherds are not working for the benefit of the sheep rather they are exploiting the sheep. Many people are pursuing their own benefit, but Christians are called to work for the good of all, he stated.

Pointing out that there are about 6400 people groups in India who have not heard the Good News of Salvation, he said, very important task has been given to theological students to carry out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. “God has blessed His believers so that they become a channel of blessing to others.”

The Bible study was led by Medovolu Swuro, lecturer, BTC from the text 1 Thess. 4:1-12 - Living to please God.

Kohima inter-ward Students give relief materials to fire victims solo competition kohima, November 8 (mexN): The Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP) is organizing Kohima interward solo competition during Hornbill Festival on December 9 at Kisama.

The competition is being organized with a view to encourage the talented youth and to give them platform to expose their talent, according to a press release from the organisers. Kohima being the capital of Nagaland and home to all tribes and other communities, the competition is open to all, irrespective of tribe, caste or religion, but the participants should be a resident of a particular ward of Kohima Town, the release added.

The competition will carry a cash prize of Rs.1,24,000/- only along with certificate.

Only two contestants from each of the Kohima Municipal Wards will be selected to participate in the competition. Two registration forms for each ward have already been handed to all the ward panchayats and the last date for submission of forms is fixed for November 26.

The forms may be submitted at the office of AKMWP, 2K Hotel Building, Lady Mills Road, Officers' Hill, Kohima. Screening audition will be held on November 28 at RCEMPA, Jotsoma, where 12 people will be selected for the final round to be held at Kisama on December 9. The competition is sponsored by tourism department, Government of Nagaland.

For further queries and detail information, one may contact the following numbers: 9436609989, 8794000133.

Students of NEISSR and The Maple Tree School give out relief materials to the fire victims on November 7.

DimaPur, November 8 (mexN): Students of North East Institute of Social Sciences & Research (NEISSR) distributed blankets to the victims of October 25 inferno at KK Angami Colony, SP Colony and K. Kire Colony, Half Nagarjan on November 7.

Dr. CP Anto, Principal, NEISSR appreciated the effort of the social work trainees. “Social workers are called to tackle and handle

the problems and woes of the people. This effort of the students in alleviating the sufferings of the fire victims is a small initiative towards the bigger call of helping the humanity,” he expressed. The relief materials consisted of 220 blankets and other toiletries.

The social work trainees collaborated with the Peace Channel and the National Social Service (NSS) of The Maple Tree School in

distributing the relief materials. The toiletries distributed were financed by the funds raised by the NSS students of The Maple Tree School through the sales of crafts made by their own hands. The students of The Maple Tree were accompanied by Joy Kumar Singh, Nenem. Nenem expressed gratitude to the 50 Coy Sup, ASC Dimapur for donating relief materials to the students for the fire victims.

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Independent merges St. Michael Church, Kigwema inaugurated Cleanliness drive in colleges with NPF in Tuli

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mokokchuNg, No vember 8 (mexN): The Independent of 21 Tuli A/C has been merged with the NPF party. The merger was held on November 7 at Tuli Town.

Imtiolem, the president of NPF Tuli division welcomed all the members and supporters of the Independent and congratulated the NPF Mokokchung division officials headed

by President Moasangba Jamir.

He also thanked Amenba Yaden, Parliamentary Secretary for Industries & Commerce, for his moral support towards the members of the two parties.

As a mark of bond between the members of the two parties, the house resolved to adopt a resolution that the office of the

Independent of 21 Tuli A/C shall be dissolved and the members shall abide by the rules and regulations laid down by the constitution of the NPF, a press release from general secretary, NPF 21 Tuli A/C, Aomeren informed.

The house also resolved to support the leadership of NPF led DAN government headed by Dr. Shürhozelie, President and TR Zeliang, Chief Minister of Nagaland for stronger governance. It also decided to stand together with Nuklutoshi, minister in-charge of NPF Mokokchung division and Moasangba Jamir, president, NPF Mokokchung division to strengthen the NPF unit of Mokokchung district in particular and the NPF (Central) in general.

kohima, November 8 (mexN): The newly built St. Michael’s Church, Kigwema was blessed and inaugurated by Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima, on November 7 in the presence of a large crowd and village officials.

Representatives from various churches, associations and parishes were also present.

Bishop, in his homily, said that church is also a sign of the Christian presence and closeness of God. Every church is a grace from God and God dwells in it in a very special manner, particularly if the Eucharist is preserved in it, he said. At the same time, the physical church is only the manifestation of a real and true Church, i.e. every Christian. Stating that every Christian is Christ bearer and should manifest Christ to others, he reminded that St. Paul tells

Diwali greetings

DimaPur, November 8 (mexN): President and members of Dimapur Bengali Samaj (DBS) have greeted each and every citizen of Nagaland on the occasion of festival of light, Dipawali, which will be celebrated on November 11. “May this Dipawali lead everybody towards prosperity & progress,” wished KK Paul, president, DBS.

HoDs meeting in Medziphema

kohima, November 8 (mexN): A coordination meeting of Heads of Department under Medziphema subdivision will be held on November 10, 11:00 am at ICAR NEH Region Jharnapani, Medziphema.

PMK silver jubilee

kohima, November 8 (mexN): Pfuchatsumiapfü Mechü Krotho (PMK) will celebrate its silver jubilee on December 12 at Christ King Higher Secondary School, Kohima.

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ATMA-Dimapur, Dhansiripar block conducted training and demonstration on detergent making at Selopuhe village on October 31 with Janet, Deputy Project Director, ATMA as the resource person. Altogether, 31 participants attended the programme. Winter vegetable seeds and mushroom spawns were also distributed to Self Help Group under Saansad Adharsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) in the village.

The newly built St. Michael Church, Kigwema.

that each of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit. “The real Church, therefore, is us and we should be living temple of God to manifest and witness to God’s closeness and presence to his people in and through us.”

The Bishop also urged to make the church a living church that worships

the living God and to build themselves as true temple of God. The Church was named after St. Michael, the archangel. In the catholic tradition, all churches are named after saints to show communion with them and their special patronage and protection for the com-

munity. The name Michael in Hebrew means, “Who is like unto God”. He is pictured as a strong warrior for God and known as the prince of the heavenly host, who continues to defend the Church and Christians against the onslaught of the devil, according to a press release from Fr. Thomas Toretkiu.

Rev. Fr. Jerome Veigas, parish priest of Jakhama Parish thanked all the benefactors and others who spiritually and physically contributed to build the church. He also acknowledged late Methodius, a church leader for his work to build the church and prayed for him.

Vibelie Peter Sale anchored the programme. The choir consisting the youth of the community enchanted the audience with their melodious voices. Zakievotuo Zakaria briefed about the church history.

kohima, November 8 (DiPr): All the colleges in Nagaland will observe 'Cleanliness drive in education sector' under Swachh Bharat Mission from November 1-15. All colleges have been directed to observe the same by cleaning the college areas, including the toilet facilities within the college campus. Colleges may select a specific date to come out together and clean their compound walls and even paint different arts depicting the theme. An action taken report from the colleges with a photograph is to be sent to the directorate email at dir.highedu@ gmail.com. The three nominated members under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the colleges have been requested to supervise and monitor the proposed activities.

As part of the drive, a poster painting competition is scheduled to be held on November 9 at Kohima College, Kohima under the theme “Cleanliness drive in Education Sector”.

All secular colleges within Kohima district have been requested to depute one student to the competition at Kohima College, Kohima on November 9 at 10:30 am. The prize money for the competition are: First - Rs.5,000/-, Second - Rs.3,000/-, and Third Rs.2,000/-.

There will also be an inter-college cleanliness competition in Dimapur and Kohima districts and the cleanest college will be awarded a cash prize of Rs. 25,000/-. The District Administration has been requested to visit the colleges and announce the best college by November 15.

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Nagaland Bharat Scouts & Guides celebrates Foundation Day

kohima, November 8 (mexN): The Nagaland State Bharat Scouts & Guides (NSBS&G) celebrated its Foundation Day/ Flag Day on November 7 at the State Headquarters Life Members’ Building, Bayavü Hill, Kohima. Scouts and Guides from Alpine Open Troop, St. Joseph Guide Company, Little Flower Hr. Sec. School Guide Coy, Christ King Hr. Sec. School, Chandmari Hr. Sec. School attended the programme with 20 officials from the district headquarters & state headquarters.

Khyomo Lotha, former MP and State Chief Commissioner, NSBS&G highlighted the genesis of Scouting & Guiding. It was in the year 1909, when Captain TH Baker established the first Scout Troop in Bangalore and got it registered with imperial Headquarters, London. Subsequently, Scout Troops were formed in Bangalore, Kirkee and Ja-

Scouts and Guides and officials during the celebration of Foundation Day/ Flag Day.

balpur. These three troops increased to nine different Boy Scout Organisations in early 1911 in Shimla, Calcutta, Jabalpur, Allahabad, Bangalore, Poona, Kirkee, Saidpur, and Madras as its Headquarters.

Efforts were made for unification of different Scout groups existing in In-

dia during the visit of Lord Baden Powell to India but failed. However, after India’s independence, efforts were made for unification of the Scout & Guide Associations functioning in India. Serious efforts were by national leaders like Pt. Jawaharlal Nerhu, Maulana Abdul Kalam, Mangal

Das Pakwasu and Scout leaders like Dr. HN Kunzur, Pt. Ram Bajpai, Justice Vivian Bose, Lotha said.

Dr. Tara Chand, Education Secretary, Government of India made significant contribution in finalizing the merger deed.

The final merger took place on November 7, 1950 and

the unified organization came into existence under the name “The Bharat Scouts & Guides”. Therefore, from that day, The Bharat Scouts & Guides observes November 7 as its Foundation Day /Flag Day signifying the unification of one Nation and one Organisation, it was added.

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MondAY 09•11•2015

NORTH-EAST

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

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MTFD organises indefinite mass rally at Jantar Mantar New Delhi, November 8 (mexN): More than two months since nine tribal people were killed in a protest against the three land bills in Manipur on August 31, Manipur Tribals Forum, Delhi (MTFD) has started an indefinite mass rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi from November 4 with nine symbolic coffins. The rally, held from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm every day, will continue until necessary remedial measures are taken to address the issues and grievances of the tribal people in Manipur, according to a release from MTFD convenor, T. Romeo Hmar and co-convenor, Maivio J Woba.

The rally is being organised with an aim to sensitize the Indian public about the human tragedy revolving around the nine tribal “martyrs” who re-

main unburied till today, and to pressurize the Central government to address the political crisis in Manipur, and to show solidarity and support to the families of the nine killed.

The release stated that during the last two months, MTFD along with tribal organizations in Manipur have met all concerned central ministers, including the Home Minister, the MoS (Home), Minister for Tribal Affairs, DoNER, to apprise them of the situation and have submitted memorandums demanding remedial measures for the tribal. MTFD has also met all the bureaucrats concerned to apprise them of the inflamed situation in Manipur tribal areas.

MTFD has especially been seeking the Centre's inter-

North east Briefs

AI flight returns after mid-air technical snag Guwahati, November 8 (iaNS): A Kolkatabound Air India flight returned to the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) airport of Guwahati minutes after take-off after developing some technical snag. An army officer on board the flight AI 730 told this to IANS on Sunday, adding that the flight took off around 11:45 am from the LGBI airport of Guwahati. «However, minutes after the take-off, the pilot announced that they are taking the plane back to LGBI as they have detected a fault in the landing gear of the plane,» he said. There was, however, not much panic and the plane landed smoothly at the airport, the officer said.

More than 200-year-old Goddess Kali idol stolen in Assam raNGiYa, November 8 (Pti): An idol of Goddess Kali, which was more than 200-year-old and made of gold worth nearly Rs two crore, was stolen from a temple here in Assam’s Kamrup (Rural) district, police said today. Unidentified miscreants broke open the doors of the Jayantipur Kali Temple and stole the idol along with the gold ornaments adorning it last night, Rangiya police station Officer-in-Charge Jogendra Burman said. A massive search operation has been launched and a dog squad pressed into service to nab the culprits. The idol was gifted by Ahom King Lakshmi Singh to Ratneshwar Buzarbaruah, a resident of the area, in 1770 and whose descendants later donated it to the temple which is managed under the aegis of the state government.

NNC cadre apprehended imPhal, November 8 (mexN): Troops of 12 BIHAR of 9 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (South) along with Imphal West Police Commandos apprehended one cadre of Naga National Council (NNC) on November 7 at Konthoujam in Manipur. A press release from PRO, IGAR (S) informed that the apprehended person has been identified as Lt Poujianiung Kamei (25), resident of Marangjing, Tamenglong district. One mobile phone alongwith SIM card was recovered from his possession. The apprehended along with the recovered items have been handed over to Patsoi Police Station.

Girl trafficked from Myanmar rescued ShilloNG, November 8 (Pti): A minor girl trafficked from Myanmar was rescued in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district and the accused, also hailing from that country, was arrested, police said today. The 13-year-old girl was rescued by the police from an eatery on Friday and she was since lodged in a shelter home in the district. "We have arrested a person, Solomon Ram Penga of Myanmar and a minor girl he trafficked was rescued," a senior district police officer said. He said Solomon brought the girl to India through Nagaland in a passenger vehicle on the pretext of getting her proper education. Their co-passengers including some para-military personnel accosted Solomon at the eatery after the girl, who was in a disturbed state, told them of her story. Solomon admitted to the police that he had gone to the girl's house in Myanmar's Yangon on October 31 where he met her parents who agreed to a deal that she would be working as a maid and also attend vocational classes. Both left Yangon on November 2 and the following day, according to the girl's statement, Solomon tried to rape her in a hotel. A local court remanded him to three days' police custody.

Poachers kill another rhino in Kaziranga Guwahati, November 8 (tNN): Poachers managed to kill a rhino at Assam's Kaziranga, a world heritage site about 250km from here, on Sunday barely a week after the national park was opened to visitors. Kaziranga divisional forest officer SK Seal Sarma said the poachers were however unable to take away the horn, following prompt retaliation from the forest guards. The latest poaching that took place at Bagori forest range of the park has increased the death toll of rhinos to 14 this year so far. Kaziranga has 2,000-plus rhinos, and has been bearing the brunt of poaching with the soaring demand of rhino horn in the international grey market especially in China, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. Poaching pressure is always there round the year, but it increases during festive time Park authorities also gunned down 18 poachers, while 62 were arrested this year so far.

But despite anti-poachers in place, there has been no letup in poaching at Kaziranga. Forest department officials said involvement of militants from adjoining Karbi Anglong district in poaching has emerged as a big challenge to park authorities. The last poaching took place on October when poachers armed with sophisticated night-vision enabled riflescope killed one rhino at Burapahar forest range of Kaziranga.

Then also poachers were unable to chop off the horn as forest staff retaliated with heavy firing. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)'s rhino task force report said that rhino poaching is an organized crime and has components of arms smuggling, money laundering, cross border smuggling, terrorism and international illegal wildlife trade.

The task force report has emphasized on the need for institutionalizing the inter-departmental coordination between different enforcement agencies as one of the strategies for tackling rhino poaching cases in Kaziranga national park.

vention because the Centre is constitutionally vested with a special power with regard to Manipur Hill Areas, it said. Despite numerous memorandums and meetings, however, no positive and serious initiative has been taken on the part of the Central government to resolve the issues, the Forum lamented. “The Manipur Government's inherent biases against the tribal people have been long known and well chronicled.”

It further highlighted that the nine bodies are kept in the Churachandpur District Hospital in a room designated as make-shift morgue without any proper facility with the hope that satisfactory solution to bring justice to those who were killed will be coming forth. “This issue of keeping

a body unburied is something that never happens in a tribal society, where it is customary practice to bury the dead as per rituals and with respect on the very same day itself,” it said. “Till the dead are buried, the entire community is bound by customs to suspend their daily activities and keep vigil and mourn with the families of the dead. The fact that the nine martyrs are kept unburied in a make-shift mortuary till today testifies to the deep hurt and sense of injustice felt by the tribal people towards the Manipur Government.”

With regard to the land bills, the Forum said the bills have infringed the protection mechanism provided to the tribal by Article 371C of the Indian Constitution. The three

bills, it said, had opened up tribal land to outsiders, as a result of which the indigenous tribal peoples rose up in protest across the hills of Manipur. Churachandpur town had eventually become the epicentre of the protest movement. As their representatives in the Assembly had not defended them in the Assembly, the protesters attacked the houses of their MLAs. The Manipur state government immediately sent its “Commandos” to suppress the mass protest. “They freely used the live bullets to disperse the protesters. This resulted into the death of nine tribal people and more than 50 of them were seriously injured,” it added.

The Forum stated that it was not the first time the Manipur government had used its

brute forces against the indigenous hill tribes. “Killing tribal protesters with live bullet at Ukhrul (in 2014), Mao Gate in Senapati District (2010) and at Moreh (2007) are some cases of brutality of state security forces against the tribal.”

It further said the three land bills are only the latest in the long history of subjugation and discrimination faced by the tribal people in Manipur. The Constituent Assembly of India recognized the precarious situation of the tribal people which resulted in the inclusion of the Fifth and Sixth Scheduled in the Constitution for the protection of the interest of the tribals throughout the whole India. However, the tribals of Manipur were left out of such schema and their situation has become precarious and

volatile as they are neither protected under the Sixth Schedule nor Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Manipur tribal area is the only tribal area in the Northeast which has been denied 6th Schedule status, it said.

The only safeguard they have is under Article 371C of the Indian Constitution, based on which the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) was constituted. But, time and again, the Government of Manipur undermine the HAC and bypass this Committee to promote the interest of the dominant community at the cost of the tribals, it claimed.

In the passing of the controversial three bills also, the procedure laid down by the Constitution was bypassed, and the bills were passed without the concurrence of the HAC though the bill affected the hill areas, the Forum added.

Grand Alliance win in Bihar makes Assam Congress jubilant Guwahati, November 8 (iaNS): With the Congress playing a significant role in the Grand Alliance's victory in the Bihar assembly elections, the party unit in Assam was in a jubilant mood on Sunday, even as the BJP said there will be no impact of the poll result in the northeastern state.

Assam is going to the polls in April next year, and Congress leaders said the victory of the Janata DalUnited led Grand Alliance in Bihar will rejuvenate the Congress camp, which has been seeing debacles in Assam since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

"The grand victory of Nitish ji, Lalu ji and Sonia ji is a verdict of the people of Bihar against communal, divisive and anti-poor forces. The victory of the Grand Alliance has come at a time when intolerance is on the rise. It is a victory of secular, progressive forces," tweet-

People of Bihar have defeated intolerance: Arunachal CM Guwahati, November 8 (the iNDiaN exPreSS): The Bihar election result has shown that the people of the state had defeated forces that were promoting intolerance in the country, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki said on Sunday.

Congratulating Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Arunachal Pradesh chief minister also said that the people of Bihar had reposed their faith on the secular alliance of JD(U), RJD and INC under the banner of Mahagatbandhan. “The people of Bihar have shown the country that divisive and communal forces coupled with intolerance will not be accepted in a secular country like India,” he said. Tuki also sent separate letters to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar of JD(U), AICC President Sonia Gandhi, AICC Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad of RJD, and praised their leadership in leading the grand alliance to a landslide victory in one of the most challenging elections after 2014. ed Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) spokesman and former minister Ripun Bora said the victory "has motivated the party leadership, including the grassroots workers, against the propaganda of the BJP".

"Today, the victory of the Grand Alliance in Bihar proved that the communal forces are not going to work in India," he said.

Another APCC spokesman, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharyya said the Congress has been in power in Assam for the last three terms.

"So, there will be some complaint against the party and the government. There is some discontent as well, but this only means that people have more expectations from the Congress.

This does not mean that people have started disliking the Congress," he said.

However, a BJP leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said there will be no impact of the Bihar polls on Assam.

"The situations in Assam and Bihar are different and so there will be no impact.

However, the results of the Bihar polls are a lesson and we are surely going to rework our poll strategy for Assam in the days to come," he said.

The Congress, which has been winning the assembly elections in Assam

since 2001, however, fared badly in the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and could secure only three seats against the seven of the BJP. After the Lok Sabha polls, the ruling Congress suffered due to dissidence by a section of party leaders, who revolted against Gogoi demanding a change in the leadership.

Although senior All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders rushed to the state and quelled the dissidence, the party suffered as former health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the BJP earlier this year, leading nine other Congress legislators to join the BJP a few days back.

Gogoi recently floated the idea of joining hands with forces like the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Left parties to keep the BJP away from Dispur state capital in the 2016 polls.

Tea sector seeks inclusion under Children's film from Assam bags Chicago award easily. The film basically Novem- eral schools in India.

Union agriculture ministry Guwahati, The film traces the life teaches schoolchildren ber 8 (tNN): Writer and Guwahati, November 8 (tNN): The state's tea sector has raised questions about its classification and asked if it should be put under the Union agriculture ministry, as opposed to remaining under the commerce ministry, to best serve the industry's needs and help earn good revenue. The issue was raised at North Eastern Tea Association (NETA)'s biennial meeting recently.

The NETA, which represents medium-sized tea plantations, argued that though tea is now under the commerce ministry, the Centre should take a fresh look at the classification as small growers contribute significantly to the total tea production in the country.

Many in the industry have proposed to include the tea sector in the agriculture ministry. They maintain that if it is brought under the agriculture ministry, small growers will be able to access bank loans at lower interest rates than that fixed for industries.

Tea is governed by a central legislation, Tea Act, 1953. Representatives of the sector said the industry

could well be classified under the agriculture ministry.

"Though traditionally Indian tea is produced by the organized sector, which has a huge corporate presence, in the last 35 years more and more small growers have come to the fore, making a huge contribution to overall production. At present, onethird of the tea produced in India is from the green leaf of small tea growers," NETA adviser Bidyananda Barkakoty said. Assam alone has nearly 1,00,000 small tea growers contributing to about 45% of the state's total tea production. India's production in 2014 was 1,207.31 million kg, of which 610.97 million kg came from Assam.

Barkakoty argued that as an agricultural crop, tea is subject to the same limitations that characterize the agro sector, like dependence on nature and climatic conditions, among others. "Therefore, we appeal to the Centre to give a serious thought to whether the tea sector should be brought under the Union ministry of agriculture or continue under the Union ministry of commerce and industry," Barkakoty added.

filmmaker Kenny Basumatary's short film 'Myna and Asterix', based on the influence of materialism on children, has bagged the second prize at the prestigious Chicago International Children's Film Festival 2015. The film won an award in the live action short film category at the festival held between October 23 and November 3.

Produced by EduMedia and part of its School Cinema Project, the film is an initiative aimed at propagating the art of making films and infusing moral values among children across sev-

of schoolgirl Myna, whose desire for an Xbox 360, a gaming console, sets her in pursuit of cash.

Basumatary, who authored a book 'Chocolate Guitar Momos' a few years ago, shot to fame two years ago with his cult Assamese film 'Local Kung Fu'.

'Myna and Asterix' is an English language film shot in a village in the state's Udalguri district.

"It's about a girl named Myna who desperately needs an Xbox. She sets out in search of money. In her journey, she realizes that money doesn't come

about the value of money and the difference between needs and wants," said Basumatary.

The film's cast comprises young Assamese actors. While it was shot in five days, post-production work took over five months.

"We are involved in making films that project social and moral values.

This is an initiative involving many schools in the country. It is good that this film has got recognition. It will be shown at different festivals. It will compete at other venues as well," said Neha Jain of EduMedia.

Tuki should resign on moral grounds: BJP

itaNaGar, November 8 (tNN): Expressing concern over the functioning of the Arunachal government, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said on Saturday that the Nabam Tuki-led Congress government had lost the moral and democratic right to continue.

Speaking to state BJP leaders, Madhav said, "No normal development can take place in the present scenario and the continuation of the state government will be very dangerous for the people of Arunachal Pradesh."

He was reacting to the political crisis after 21 Congress MLAs, opposing Tuki's leadership had decided to skip the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting convened on Sunday.

Madhav said an alternative stable government should be in place in the state soon for speedy development. All matters related to the state are under the radar of the party, he added.

The senior BJP leader said the party is opening its northeast cell at the party headquarters in New Delhi soon to deal with all matters related to the NE states.

Ulfa seeks China help for 'sovereign' Assam Guwahati, November 8 (tNN): Years after reports of anti-talks United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) leader Paresh Baruah's close proximity to China surfaced, the outfit on Saturday sought China's 'friendship' to help attain 'sovereignty' in Assam for the first time.

The outfit's chairman, Abhizeet Asom, who the National Investigation Agency (NIA) believes to be a London-based general practitioner named Mukul Hazarika, told TOI in a statement on Saturday, "China is our next-door neighbour. Despite Indian occupation of Nan Zang (south Tibet), China is trying to maintain status quo

for the sake of peaceful coexistence. At the same time, it remains ambivalent on the plight of indigenous Assam, except occasional voicing by Chinese citizen in support of Assam's legitimate claim in print," the militant leader said.

Referring to the 1962 India-China war, the militant leader said the People's Liberation Army had not set foot on Assam soil and he is amazed at China's respect for Assam. "Since then, I have been observing China closely and, in my best judgment, I have not seen any enmity towards Assam yet. In absence of enmity, building friendship should be easy. But, without taking a first step, there

won't be any progress. The watershed moment has arrived for indigenous Assam to prompt us to build that friendship with China with confidence. We sincerely hope that China will put forward the hand of friendship towards Assam without hesitation."

The militant leader said his outfit had taken note of the fifth All India Tibet Support Group meeting in the state on November 2 and 3.

"In the past, we had issued statements against any activity for Tibetan independence in Assam as the Dalai Lama had not spoken out against the gross human rights violations by the Indian state in Assam over the past 25

years, let alone supporting the inherent sovereignty that Assam possesses. We are intrigued by Indian nationals supporting an independent Tibet, as it is on record that on June 24, 2003, the then Indian Prime Minister AB Vajpayee formally accepted Tibet as an integral part of China. If this is not sufficient, we can refer readers to the 17 Point Agreement of May 23, 1951, Jawaharlal Nehru's statement on October 25, 1953, and the Panchseel of 1954 that the Republic of India has been accepting Tibet as part of China all along," the militant leader said.

He added, "Despite India's position on Tibet being unambiguous, why is

India interfering with the internal affairs of China? Is it in the name of free speech that Tibetan dissent has been not only been tolerated but encouraged?"

Garo Hills Progressive Alliance expresses strong opposition to AFSPA ShilloNG, November 8 (Pti): Garo Hills Progressive Alliance which enjoys the support of 16 of the 29 members of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, one of the tribal councils in Meghalaya, has expressed its opposition to the likely imposition of the 'dreaded' Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the Garo Hills region.

"We feel that imposition of AFSPA is not the way forward in such situations and feel that such draconian acts should be completely scrapped," GHPA leader and present chief executive member Denang T Sangma said in a letter to Minister of state for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju.

Stating that military action is not a viable solution, the GHPA which is led by the ruling National Peoples' Party, said that one of the major cause of insurgency, in any region, is the socio economic conditions that prevail in the area.

The newly-elected members opposed the likely imposition of AFSPA citing the instances of states and regions where AFSPA has been in place.

Besides militanc y growing from bad to worse, Sangma said, "There have also been many instances of human rights violations that have taken place and, instead of targeting militants, sometimes the common innocent citizens have become the target, which is very unfortunate."

A full bench of the High Court had on November 2 asked the Centre to consider imposing AFSPA in militancy-hit Garo Hills region to help the administration restore the rule of law where nearly 90 kidnappings had taken place in this year alone, several of whom were killed.

Meanwhile, Union minister Kiren Rijiju who was here last night remained tight-lipped on the issue when queried by media persons.

Rijiju who attended India's biggest festival of the indigenous people said, "It is not the right time to talk of negative things."

So also Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma, who chose not to respond when asked.

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BUSINESS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

‘Bihar results setback for Centre’s GST agenda’ New Delhi, NoveMber 8 (iaNS): The Bihar assembly elections result is a setback for the BJPled central government’s plans to pilot the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill through parliament, an expert said on Sunday.

“The opposition parties will become emboldened with the Bihar elections result, which will make it more difficult for the (Narendra) Modi government to go through with the GST Bill,” economist Arun Kumar, till recently a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University here, told IANS. In Bihar, the Grand Alliance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress was poised to win 161 seats in the 243-member assembly.

The GST seeks to create a single Indian market by subsuming most indirect taxes levies of the central and state governments, such as excise duty, service tax and value-added tax that is seen as facilitating tax compli-

Corporate India extends hand of support to new Bihar govt MuMbai, NoveMber 8 (PTi): India Inc on Sunday pledged its support to the Nitish Kumar-led group, which swept the Bihar elections, saying it will work closely with the new government to ensure investments and execution of bigticket projects.

The industry chamber said the focus will be on agri and food processing, infrastructure, manufacturing and MSMEs, ICT and egovernance, tourism, healthcare, education and skill development, and power and energy.

Congratulating Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the leadership of the Grand Alliance on an impressive victory, Assocham said the industry looks forward to “a new beginning” in the state, which needs a renewed vigour for economic development.

“Nitish Kumar is greatly focused on the kind of governance which touches the common man, whether they are women, girl children or ance, and curbing inflation through better supply chains.

The central government has set the target for its implementation from April next year, but

those at the bottom of the pyramid.

His emphasis on social indicators have helped him re-win the confidence of his people,” said Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat. In a statement, CII too committed itself to working with the new government in furthering the development agenda of the state.

“Our best wishes go to the incoming government, and I am sure the new government will dedicate itself to fulfilling the aspirations of the masses by leading Bihar to a new era of industrial development, economic growth and prosperity,” said CII President Sumit Mazumder.

The chamber suggested that the new government leverage the PPP model, including FDI participation, to boost delivery of services and improve efficiency.

Chairman and MD of Biocon Kiran Mazumdar Shaw tweeted: “With Bihar elections behind us, the Modi govt can now give undivided attention to the economic

it is currently stuck in parliament, especially over the cabinet’s nod to some changes recommended by a parliamentary panel, notably an extra one percent levy to

agenda... Hope the Opposition aligns with the government and the electorate.” She added that the Congress also “needs course correction. Vitriolic rhetoric and opposing economic Bills is alienating the party from the electorate”.

Meanwhile, Mahindra Group CMD Anand Mahindra in a tweet said: “What’s wonderful about this country is that election vote-counting still attracts a larger audience than Bollywood or a cricket match.”

British financial services major Barclays said Indian financial markets were cautious ahead of the election results, and a result against the BJP should lead to market weakness.

“We feel that today’s results -the BJP’s big defeat -- could be a material sentiment dampener in Monday’s early trade as this might be perceived as an additional stumbling block to the central government’s reform agenda,” it said in a release.

compensate the states for potential tax losses.

“The Bihar results will also be a shot in the arm for dissenters within the BJP, while the government would henceforth be less

one-sided and more willing to compromise on GST and other contentious legislation,” Arun Kumar said.

Pointing out that differences on the GST bill were less over funda-

mentals and had become more a matter of scoring political points, Arun Kumar said a compromise was possible.

“The government will be willing to compromise, even on other major economic legislation like the Whistleblowers Bill for protecting informants, which the government was trying to dilute protection provisions.

This is better from the governance perspective,” he said.

The opposition has been against the extra 1 percent GST levy as they feel this would not only push up prices, but also have a cascading effect.

In this regard, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has appealed to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to withdraw the proposed additional tax.

“Levy of 1 percent additional tax on inter-state trade will certainly lead to distortion in GST and will have cascading effect,” CAIT president B.C. Bhartia and secretary general Praveen Khandelwal have said in a joint statement.

SBI’s Bhattacharya again tops list of most powerful biz women New Delhi, NoveMber 8 (PTi): Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairperson of country’s largest bank SBI, remains the most powerful woman in the Indian business sector, according to Fortune India. ICICI Bank’s Chanda Kochhar and Shikha Sharma of Axis Bank follow Bhattacharya at the second and third place, respectively.

Besides, HPCL Chairperson and Managing Director (MD) Nishi Vasudeva has bagged the fourth position, while AZB & Partners Co-Founder Zia Mody and Aruna Jayanthi Chief Executive of Capgemini India shared the fifth rank. Interestingly, all the top-five rank holders retained their positions from the previous year barring Jayanthi who was at seventh position last year.

Moreover, there are only two debutantes in the Fortune India list of 50 most-powerful businesswomen for 2015. Meena Ganesh MD and CEO at Portea and Jyoti Deshpande Group MD and CEO at Eros International have made their debuts at 43rd and 50th positions, respectively.

On SBI chief, the magazine said: “SBI’s financials tell the story of her successful tenure, but it is Bhattacharya’s drive that has strengthened her position at the top.” “In her short career as first woman heading one of the oldest commercial banks in the region, Bhattacharya was instrumental in pushing several reforms, including revision of terms for infrastructure loan,” Fortune India noted.

These powerful women represent various sectors such as banking, finance, energy, healthcare, media, fashion and entertainment. These women are in the age group of 40 to 71. The other women who figure in the top 10 are Preetha Reddy MD Apollo Hospital Enterprise (7th), Mallika Srinivasan CEO of TAFE (8th), Yasmin Hilton Chairperson Shell India (9th), and Chitra Rama Krishna MD and CEO at NSE (10th).

Maruti Suzuki Alto overtakes M800 Flipkart sets out to be Government looks at more taxes, as best selling model in India more mobile-centric dividends to meet deficit target New Delhi, NoveMber 8 (PTi): Maruti Suzuki India’s entry level car Alto has become the best ever selling model in India with a cumulative total of more than 29 lakh units sold over a period of 15 years, overtaking its now phased-out M800.

Launched in September 2000, the model touched cumulative sales of 29,19,819 units in October, 2015. This was even better than what M800 — the once bread and butter

model of the company — had achieved.

Commenting on the milestone, Maruti Suzuki Executive Director (Marketing and Sales) R S Kalsi said, “Over the years, Alto has brought happiness to 29 lakh families to become India’s largest selling single brand car.

“With its success, Alto continues to remain the first choice for personal mobility solution for Indian customers.”

Explaining why the model has been a success story, he said, “Alto has redefined the automobile landscape in the country. It has been the car of choice for a generation of Indians for its high fuel

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hyDerabaD, NoveMber 8 (PTi): E-commerce giant Flipkart will become more mobile-centric in the next two years through adoption of newer technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and social networks, its Chief Product Officer Punit Soni said today.

He said heavy discount on online purchase may not earn consumer loyalty and help build user base in the long run.

“In the next two years, Flipkart will become a very mobile-centric company. It will probably build two or three things based on some of the things you talked about like data and social (network) that will actually allow people to connect even more deeply,” Soni said on the sidelines of the Leadership Summit organised by the Indian School of Business.

The company has already made a beginning in adopting newer and advanced technologies to become more user-friendly and is gearing up to meet demand of the evergrowing mobile phone user base in India.

To a query on heavy discounts being offered by e-commerce portals using the funds by venture capitalists, he said finally only those companies which have and offer real value to consumers will survive.

New Delhi, NoveMber 8 (PTi): Government is likely to step up efforts to mop up additional resources by hiking duties and seeking higher dividends from PSUs to make up for the anticipated shortfall in disinvestment and direct tax proceeds in its bid to meet the fiscal deficit target.

The Finance Ministry had last week raised excise duty on petrol by Rs 1.60 per litre and the same on diesel by 40 paise, which is expected to fetch the exchequer an additional revenue of about Rs 3,200 crore during the rest of the fiscal.

This will help the government in partly meeting the shortfall in disinvestment and direct tax realisation.

Due to volatile market conditions, the disinvestment department could garner Rs 12,600 crore so far this fiscal.

It has a target of Rs 69,500 crore to be garnered from minority stake sale in PSUs as well as strategic stake sale.

With 7 months of the current fiscal already over, the Department of Disinvestment has already indicated to the Finance Ministry that it would not be possible to meet the ambitious target.

As regards dividend, the govern-

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efficiency, low cost of maintenance and acquisition.”

While the M800 took 29 years to achieve the total sales milestone, Alto took 15 years to achieve the feat.

Along its journey of 15 years, Alto, which is powered by an 800 cc engine, has witnessed upgrades and refreshes.

Maruti had introduced the AltoK10 powered by a bigger 1,000 cc engine in 2010-11.

Later in 2012-13, the company launched a completely new version of the Alto 800.

Maruti’s small car M800, which had redefined personal transportation in India when it was launched in December 1983, had clocked over 28 lakh units cumulatively before the company stopped its production in January 2014.

The company commenced phasing out of the model in April 2010 with the advent of stricter BSIV emission norms in 13 cities in India.

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U S S R O I R R A W S Z E N N

N B U L L S E C L I P P E R S

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T I M B E R W O L V E S O O S

S T A C B O B A S P U R S H T

I S I X E R S K C I N K G P N

DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:

STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474

Metro Hospital: Faith Hospital:

227930, 231081 228846

Shamrock Hospital

228254

Zion Hospital:

231864, 224117, 227337

Police Control Room

228400

Police Traffic Control

232106

East Police Station West Police Station

227607 232181

CIHSR (Referral Hospital)

242555/ 242533

Dimapur hospital

224041, 248011

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

230695/ 9402435652

Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

229366

1. Run away to wed 6. Fourth sign of the zodiac 10. Salt Lake state 14. Last 15. Sit for a photo 16. Not 17. Pretended 19. Remain 20. Afternoon nap 21. Explosive 22. Nameless 23. Nosed (out) 25. Extreme 26. Friends 30. Black Sea port 32. Snob 35. Brusquely 39. Extreme cruelty 40. A type of beauty treatment 41. Adulteress 43. The combining power of atoms 44. Smooth, in music 46. Consider 47. Baby beds 50. Pandiculations 53. Hubs 54. Boxer’s punch 55. Nuclear

60. Smell 61. Mandatory 63. Left 64. Hemorrhaged 65. Novices 66. Snack 67. Bristle 68. Smell

DOWN

1. . F F F F 2. 53 in Roman numerals 3. A single time 4. Taps 5. High society 6. Consumer Price Index 7. Absolutely still 8. Apart 9. Finest 10. Deranged 11. Corrupt 12. Eagerness 13. Doglike nocturnal mammal 18. Little bit 24. Snagged 25. Normal 26. Annoyance 27. Winglike 28. Adriatic resort 29. Spontaneous abortion 31. Couch

33. Small islands 34. Dirty air 36. Eat 37. Shoestring 38. Anagram of “Lyme” 42. Due 43. Solemn promise 45. Pill 47. Jester 48. Cowboy sport 49. Graphic symbols 51. Henpeck 52. Statistics 54. Chores 56. Ear-related 57. Not less 58. Weightlifters pump this 59. Vesicle 62. Actress Lupino Ans to CrossWord 3411

KOHIMA: 0370 2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) DIMAPUR: 03862 232201/ 101 (O) 9436017479 (OC)

CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862 282777/101 (O) 9856158740 (OC) WOKHA: 03860 242215/101 (O) 9862039399 (OC)

MOKOKCHUNG: 0369 2226225/ 101 (O) 9436012949 (OC)

Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre

PHEK: 8414853765 (O) 9862130954(OC)

KOHIMA

ZUNHEBOTO: 03867 280304/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC)

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

TUENSANG: 8414853766 (O) 8414853519 MON: 03869 251222/ 101 (O) 9436208480 (OC)

CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE

ACROSS

FIRE STATIONS

Chumukedima Fire 282777 Brigade Nikos Hospital and 232032, 231031 Research Centre

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

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Z S R E K A L R O C K E T S E

ment is pushing blue-chip PSUs to either step up their capex or pay higher dividends and not sit on cash pile.

The government had budgeted to collect Rs 36,174 crore by way of dividend from the public sector enterprises, higher than last year’s realisation of Rs 28,423 crore.

It has already received a dividend of Rs 65,896 crore from RBI, which is higher than this year’s budget projection of Rs 64,477 crore. Making up for the shortfall in disinvestment through other sources is essential for meeting the fiscal deficit target of 3.9% of GDP. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already delayed the fiscal consolidation programme by a year in order to fuel growth. Jaitley has proposed to bring down the fiscal deficit to 3% of GDP by 2017-18 as against the earlier target of 2016-17.

Fiscal deficit in the first half of the current fiscal stood at Rs 3.78 lakh crore or 68.1% of the Budget estimate for the whole year. As per government estimates, the total tax revenues are likely to fall short by Rs 50,000 crore from the budget estimates in the current fiscal.

Toll free No. 1098 childline

KipHire: 8414853767 (O) 8974304572 (OC)

WE4WOMEN HELPLINE 08822911011

MOKOKCHUNG: Police Station 1:

STD CODE: 0369

2226241

Police Station 2 :

2226214

Civil Hospital: Woodland Nursing Home:

2226216 2226263

Hotel Metsüpen (Tourist Lodge):

2226373/2229343

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

CURRENCY NOTES

222246 222491

BUY(Rs)

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

64.07 98.67 8.00 46.12 45.88 49.01 52.57

66.96 103.43 8.12 48.40 48.12 51.42 55.54

Euro

70.06

73.45

Thai Baht Korean Won New Zealand Dollar Chinese Yuan

1.75

1.95

0.0549

0.0612

42.59

44.69

9.77

10.88

MondAY 09•11•2015

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

lFHSS Dimapur launches Gorkhas celebrates pre- launched Swachhta campaign Tihar with pomp & gaiety

Dimapur, Novem- missions, including the and importance of cleanliber 8 (mexN): Living- Swachhta Abhiyan. He was ness to make India a develstone Foundation Hr. Sec. of the view that India can oped and healthy nation.

All the leaders of the School, Dimapur launched succeed in the noble misSwachhta Campaign sion through the coopera- four Houses at LFHSS have been appointed as on November 7. It was tion of all citizens.

Andrew Ahoto spoke Swachhta Monitors to aslaunched by Andrew Ahoto, chairman of the school. about the importance of sist the teachers and to coThe co-ordinator of the honesty in a person’s life ordinate and monitor the campaign, Pauly Varghese which in turn would help students during the camled the programme with the person to realize his paign, where various activthe Swachhta pledge taken goals and accomplish suc- ities will be undertaken to by the students. Varghese cess. He was optimistic inculcate values of cleanlihighlighted the purpose of that the students would be ness among the children the campaign which will honest in their endeavors who in turn will propagate lead to all round cleanli- in making the Swachhta the noble mission to their ness beginning from the Campaign a success and family, village or neighschool itself. He also said would imbibe in them- bourhood. The various acthat a clean India was the selves the value of keeping tivities would include postdream of Mahatma Gan- themselves and their sur- er making competition, skit competition and cleanlidhi, the Father of the Na- roundings clean.

A press release from ness drives within and outtion, who was of the view that complete cleanliness the school informed that side the school campus. of an individual is achieved Swachhta Campaign is Apart from these activities, only when a person is clean launched by the Central the school has also taken both mentally as well as Board of Secondary Educa- the initiative of reaching physically. The present tion (CBSE) in all its affili- out to the neighbouring Indian government has ated schools all over India to areas to create awareness Sanju Pandey during pre-Tihar celebration in Kohima on November 8. (Morung Photo) thus taken the initiative to create awareness among the about the campaign, the Our Correspondent dey also extended festive Sanstha Kohima president launch various cleanliness students about the essence release added. greetings and best wishes Chandra Kr. Lama proKohima | November 8 to the people. posed vote of thanks.

The Kohima Gorkha comGuest of honour, Dy SP The main highlights of the stakeholders concerned, a press remunity today celebrated PHQ, Jibon Pradhan ex- the program were dramatic lease received here informed. pre-Tihar (Diwali), the pressed hope that peace act on Tihar, Gorkha tradiThe assessment process formally confestival of lights under the will reign the society with tional fashion show, culturcluded with the Exit Meeting at the colaegis of Gorkha Public the celebration of Tihar. al dances, performance by lege auditorium chaired by Dr. HP Singh, Panchayat (GPP), Kohima Earlier, the guests also Tashi Dolma Lama, final- Kohima, November 8 (mexN): Principal. The Peer Team chairperson within its complex. lighted the Diwali lights ist of Dancing Stars of Na- The UGC NAAC Peer Team visited Mod- gave the remarks and formally handed Gracing the celebration along with GBs and presi- galand, Kamal Chettri, 1st ern College, Kohima from November 5 over the report to the principal. as the chief guest, munici- dents of various Gorkha runners-up and Kezevinuo -7. The team comprised of Prof. S. Chanpal affairs department OSD NGOs in the state capital.

Sogotsu, finalist Amazing drashekar, former vice-chancellor, Central Sanju Pandey expressed Assistant General Sec- Voice of Nagaland, bands University of Karnataka as the chairperthe hope that the celebra- retary of GPP Chanda Rai of Gorkha NGOs and indi- son, Dr. Shirish V Chindade, former printions would spread the delivered the welcome vidual artists. cipal, MU College Pune, Maharashtra as Dimapur, November 8 (mexN): message of brotherhood address while Tihar greetTihar (Diwali) is a five- member co-ordinator and Prof AV Singh The Tamlu Buhu Students' Union and oneness amongst all ing was extended by GPPK day Hindu festival celebrat- Madnawat, HoD, Department of Educa- Dimapur(TBSUD) has convened its 11th the community. president Santu Thapa. ed by Nepalese/Gorkhas tion and Psychology, Director, PG School general meeting at its union treasurer B He also appreciated Significance of Tihar was that honors different ani- of Humanities Rajasthan as Member. The Phongshak Phom residence at Purana Bathe GPP for organising the shared by GPPK general mals on successive days. visit officially came to an end after a gru- zaar on November 10, 9 AM onwards. The celebrations with a view to secretary Suresh Kumar The third day of the festival, eling and meticulous round of physical Union, in a press note urged all its memuphold the cultural identi- Lama. Special number was Lakshmi Puja, dedicated verification of the general infrastructure ber, especially semester students, Parents, ty and also pass it on to the presented by Samir Thapa to the goddess of wealth, is and facilities along with a series of inter- seniors and well wishers to attend the younger generation. Pan- while Gorkha Sahitya Kala known as Diwali. actions conducted by the Peer Team with meeting positively.

UGC NAAC Peer Team visits Modern College

TBNSUD meeting

5

anytime Fitness completes 1 year

Parliamentary Secretary, Mmhonlumo Kikon speaks at the first Anniversary of Anytime Fitness in Dimapur on Sunday. (Morung photo) Morung Express News Dimapur, November 8

Anytime Fitness Dimapur Club, a franchise of US based gym chain on Sunday celebrated first anniversary at its premises located at DC Court junction, Dimapur.

Mmhonlumo Kikon, Parliamentary Secretary for Labour and Employment (Skill Development) & Border Affairs graced the occasion as the guest of honour. Talking about fitness as a necessity in today’s lifestyle, Kikon also stressed on the need for attempts to address fitness as a culture for a healthier living.

He pointed out that the Naga society as a whole is not really active in fitness issues and encouraged the people to cultivate the interest to keep their health fit. Kikon encouraged all members of Anytime Fitness to continue in their endeavours and create more awareness on health issues.

Specials guests, Limasunep Jamir (IPS) DIG Kohima and Ananta, Physical Education Promotion Officer, Education Department, Government of Manipur also spoke briefly during the programme.

Public SPace

Thinking beyond the Peace accord Solution Or civil War?

H

ow does one appreciate and understand changes in the language of politics? Can we situate the Naga political imagination in the fold of such changes? And, make no mistake—even if you judge!

First thing first! The 03 August, 2015 Peace Accord between the Government of India and NSCN-IM is both historic and vibrant with political hope. Opinions will differ. But it is not everyday that such events are announced.

Why should anyone oppose the Peace Accord—unless one is jealous or is destructively against peace for the land? There is also no reason why a cacophonic series of support should be publicly displayed—unless it is opportunism or sycophancy from bounty hunters.

For, the Peace Accord is firstly a principle. It is also a process. Urgent debates challenging the Framework Agreement’s content, no sooner was the Accord inked, is a dismal ignorance about processes in political arbitration. Tasking the public with a vitriolic demand to know—by a recently formed organization—is rather spurned with cultivated insecurities. For sure, we know, there is no agreed content insofar. The Accord is not the Agreement.

An Accord is a priority in any pre-negotiation process.

Contractual negotiations are yet to begin. Measures likely to be the Agreement’s contents are mutual to the negotiating parties alone.

Similarly, public disclosure of any content of the talks prior to signing the Agreement (that is, if it happens) is also a prerogative matter.

Political deals, as history reveals, are often not so public friendly. A closed or secret diplomacy, moreover, is one amongst many procedures—engaged specifically to conditions necessary for negotiations situations.

So, within the framework of the current Peace Accord, it is important to

ask two questions: What do the Naga people want? Will the Naga people decide the outcome of the Agreement, or will it rest solely with the negotiating parties, i.e., Government of India and NSCN-IM? There is no history without people. The politics of history however do not need the people. The politics of memory has become the basis of political imagination, rather than a conciliation tool for political benefits. The idea of “an honourable and peaceful solution,” which stems from this culturalideological manifest, is also a grim reminder of a ‘toxic past’, a history or culture constricted by trauma, and a longing to return (‘leave us alone!’)! Friedrich Nietzsche calls this as ‘ressentiment’— a “disillusionment born out of misfortune.”

How does one convert ‘politics of regret’ into an active engagement for ‘political legitimization’? The past cannot be re-lived. Yet we try to live the past, as it was. Therefore, there will be liars and, equally, geniuses, attempting to decode the past. The past is an illusion.

It is unreal. “Illusion,” says Oscar Wilde, “is the first of all pleasures.” The allure for the past therein remains because it is a site of pleasure.

In the machinic structure of desire, there is no difference between the political and the pleasurable. Both are rule-encoded with power and authority. Knowing the past is an act of defiance; the knowledge in knowing is an act of control. Unfortunately, the politics of enacting memory and recreating the past, in modern times, with messianic proclivities, have seen more uncivil violence and deaths, than accrued in the entire history of humanity. Whether it is the cultural or the historical, the political manufacturing and circulating of this nostalgic illusion about one’s given past produces intense pleasures, i.e., a sense of difference and also identity. Nothing is wrong or right with it. A

consciousness for historicity is always inevitable, for we are trained to think in mathematical linearity. But when this ontology finds subversive utility, by linking it to an intellect of aesthetics, or an ethos or pathos of politics, really bad things do happen—through emotive entrapment in the politics of memory.

How many Nagas would believe that ‘sovereignty’ (in the absolute term) is possible today? What are the hopes tied to this memory of a political concept? Nationalism, like love, is blind.

But—as subjective feelings and identity pride—nationalism and patriotism are two different issues. You are unhappy. You felt betrayed. You are angry. Your feelings were too strong.

More so, your reasons were irreconcilable. Nobody, actually, forced you to become a Naga nationalist!

Especially, a Naga nationalist (with a gun)! Nationalism is dangerous when you think you’re entitled. Or, the farce in patriotism is when you start to act as the only true Patriot left standing on the ship’s burning deck. Political movements are therefore also factional moments of grave emotions.

One’s identity feeling is different from connecting one’s feeling to a territorybased political-power identity. Dream but be consistent—a blind person cannot afford to realistically invest his dreams on becoming an F-16 jetfighter pilot—not until the technology of its time arrives! So, let us wait! But, most importantly, end this bloody holier-than-thou attitude and bickering! Don’t limit dreams, or hopes, but, also, don’t enforce a personal righteousness as a collective burden. Respect feelings—especially if you intend to start preaching, all over again! Stop the selfadulatory logic of accusing X Group to legitimize Z Group! Fight your own war, if necessary, without using blame games as the foundation of your struggle. For-

get the paternalistic task of freedom fighting for others, or saving the future! For, the mourning for Naga National Project has not ended either.

And the future always last forever.

Look at NSCN-IM today!

A glorious sense of accomplishing a historic step with Government of India pervades. (No pun or sarcasm intended here!). Seriously, will they take the Naga people into confidence—before signing an Agreement, as assured? What do the Naga people want today, which is different from yesterday, or will be for tomorrow? Will the Naga people decide the outcome of the Agreement, or will the Agreement decide the outcome of the Naga people, once again, as is the politicohistorical conjunction?

Allow a soft reminder on how the undivided NSCN was formed in 1980. It was solely premised on the issue that the NNC had compromised the question of Naga sovereignty. The labeling of the 1975 Nagaland Baptist Churches mediated Shillong Accord as a “complete sellout” brought acrimonious resurgences and fratricidal feuds. The faith of betrayal has not change since then! The angry perception of history has not deviated since then!

Will the Peace Accord promise happy endings, a reconstitution that all is not in vain?

Therefore, notwithstanding universal political virtues that freedom and liberty is non-negotiable or inalienable, and also trusting the fact that every generation shapes its own future—the political imagery of the Nagas, then and now, may have to test the realities of its own limits! The politics of “integration” is louder today than yesteryears’ politics of “sovereignty.” It does not matter! Sometimes it is better to just leave things after a particular point of trying—and that time is now!

Or, will the Peace Accord need to wait for a bloodier opportunity? Or, wait for a new ownership from those who don’t offer discounts

E

ver since the recent political developments took place, many Nagas had phoned me or come to my house or invited me to seminars to express my opinion as to what the outcome might be.

In some cases my reply has simply been “I don’t know”-because like all other Nagas,I too really don’t know. In some other cases, I have said, it may turn out like this or like that-because though I am not sure about the authenticity of the information I have received so far, I do have some few fans and informers who out of concern and undeserved faith in me have very often conveyed to me confidential things that they know and are worried about the possible repercussions. I am therefore, even in spite of the sinister silence, still not totally ignorant of what is going on behind our backs.

Then there are those cases, where groups who I know knew our history very well but have all along been pretending not to know so that they can pursue their own happiness in the here and now wanted to know my opinion.

When these Naga opportunists ask me, I have simply replied that the Naga solution is now beyond any redemption because of their long silence and indifference. After all, how can there be any solution when three generations of educated Nagas have turned their backs to the unfinished tasks their fathers have started. Their own fathers laid down their lives yesterday for our today and our children’s tomorrow. But these groups of people have only been voicing their opinions from within the safety zones of various civil societies and tribal organizations or even cozy government jobs for the past three generations.

To be very honest, I would not mind at all if all the accumulated wealth of these first class indifferent opportunist who have built their mansions at the expense of Naga blood and sacrifices would be blasted to smoldering heaps of ruins. This could quite well happen when the sound of gunfire and exploding bombs suddenly irrupts again and wake them up from their deep slumbers and snoring.

Whatever the case may be, personally I do not at all believe that Nagas are very soon going to wake up one fine morning and discover to their great delight that the Indo Naga conflict had finally found a beautiful solution with no further problems. If this were to be so, then Nagas would have proven the whole of human history and experience to be wrong. If this were to be true indeed, then Nagas would have proven that indifference and running away from inescapable problems ends in happy endings. And in such a case, law Kekhrie Yhome and justice would have no meaning at

on Dream Sovereignty? Will it also mean, preposterous to mention, closure as a beginning, or a radical continuity?

The cornerstone of Naga political imagination is set in the violent standards of decolonization era. Such standards, despite the massive political changes occurring globally, particularly the market-driven liberalisation, continue to remain fossilized in the politics of memories. Hurt memories and wounded pride! Leaders of ‘freedom fighters’ have also played along the lines of public expectations—despite the given realities. Survival politics of a politician rather than the thinking politics of a statesmanship has been driving the bloody body of Naga Peace Politics.

To sum up: what do Nagas want from the new Accord? Is it peace, which is not something new for any society? Is it peace as the pre-condition for aspiring the good life, which is, again, a boringly repetitive idiom?

Otherwise, it is the interpretation of peace that is central to the future of the current Peace Accord, rather than the Agreement-to-come that is already fearful, suspicious, secretive, and unilateral. Is Mr. Th. Muivah, or Mr. Isak Swu, shrewd enough—capable of crafting a worthy bargain to condone NSCN’s formation? Or, capable of expressing magnanimity, by looking beyond their organization? Or, capable of statesmanship, by publicly pleading forgiveness for a deal that might fall short of the in-glory of 16-Point Agreement or Shillong Accord? Or, will they enigmatically fade away with aggrieved egoism, behind smokescreens of silence, as was the case with Mr. A.Z. Phizo? Or, like any other petty politicians, will they frantically attempt to justify dogmatic acts of omissions and failures through a need to understand and appreciate changes in the language of politics?

all in God’s universe of God given laws and rights.

Far from any such a Utopian fantasy which is untrue to all historical and political facts of life, cowardly and irresponsible Nagas may soon be drinking the bitter cup of the consequences of their evil political deeds and also their indifference to such political horrors committed in our own lands among our own brothers. This will be so, because thousands and thousands of pages of human political history bear witness to the fact that at the end of repeated perpetration of evil actions, there is always a day of reckoning at the end of the road. For too long-NO, FOR FAR TOO LONG- some Naga tribes led by some self appointed leaders have been on a rampage of a killing and butchering any fellow Naga who stood on the way of their pursuit for political power and tribal domination. For far too long, the Naga public has also been subjected to this form of extortion and that form of extortion in the name of this faction and that faction-all in the name of Nagaland for Christ. Do these people really think that Nagas do not know that Jesus is not an extortionist or a murderer of his fellowman?

Woe to such leaders and people!

To those people who have been guilty of such crimes, I would still warm— “When the decades of pent up Naga anger irrupts, if you are not within the safety of your own tribal boundaries, then flee into the mountains or the plains of neighboring states of India because not even the power of the Indian army or the Nagaland police forces would ever be able to control the explosion of Naga vendetta.” I warn them – that not to talk of guns, when even daws and spears begin to swing to severe heads that have been hated for far too long, it might then be too late for them to flee.

Remember this- you power mongers-The Naga soldiers who have died believing in your fiery political speeches based on distorted Naga history and facts are not Naga national martyrs. They are tragically victims of your political egos and ideologies and their young lives have been sacrificed for your half baked political distortion of Naga history. By their sacrifices you are today standing on your political pedestals’. But Nagas know and Nagas can never be forever intimidated by glittering A.K 47’s. Their fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters and clansman will never forget these heinous acts of yours but avenge their deaths when the political fortresses that you have built for yourselves finally crumples into the sandy grounds on which you have built your citadels.

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.

Kaka D Iralu

MonDAY 09•11•2015

IN FOCUS

6

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express X issue 305X issue 185 Thursday 9volume July 2015 volume By aheli moitra

Time travel

T

here are two bright autumn days that come to mind as Bihar and Arnab Goswami go cacophonic on the television next door.

One is November 3 when Nitin Gadkari came visiting. That morning, newspapers in Nagaland carried vehement opposition of Rani Gaidinliu by organisations, of projects related to her in Nagaland, disowning any cultural and political movements she had led. By the time Gadkari had reached the Patkai Bridge, however, the tone had turned on its head.

‘Bharat mata ki jai!’ shouted Naga followers even before Gadkari could set foot outside his car. As the audience was asked to “stand on their feet,” a band on the corner of the pandal began to play the Indian national anthem. The compère started singing the anthem out loud on the mike, SanskritBangla words dipped in the accent of an unfamiliarly sweet Naga dialect. No one else in the audience sang along. Some took phone calls and others tipped their toes to see if they could catch a glimpse of this union minister guy.

The minister of the Indian union went ahead and declared some numbers on which it was difficult to imagine the zeroes. Not only was the audience moved to vehement claps, the gathering decided to sing the Indian national anthem once again! Bharat mata ki jai!

Eventually, Gadkari landed up in Peren and celebrated Rani Gaidinliu’s birth centenary—he announced a few more crores here and there. Henceforth, all voices of dissent came to a standstill. It was a complicated day to say the least.

The other autumn morning is that of November 7. 91-yearold Rev. Yankey Patton recollected stories as a young boy. On the morning of February 2, 1946, he remembered running to a local ground somewhere in Wokha to attend a meeting on the Naga national question taking shape. “It was 9:00am,” he clarified for the benefit of our imagination.

It had rained slightly and a rainbow appeared on the sky.

“This is how the Naga national flag came to be,” said Rev. Patton, while explaining the genesis of the design of the national flag. It has changed colours since 1946—from a light green background to blue—but the pattern—David’s star and a Rainbow—is something all Naga political groups accept with a single voice.

The event that Rev. Patton was attending had no zeroes, only heroes. It was the inauguration of the Naga Archives & Research Centre, a first and splendid collection of material on the Naga national movement for self determination. In a simple building, the simple story of a people, a nation, which has been reiterating its position for more than half a century, came together. Jadonang and Gaidinliu smiled from their photo frames in the same room as Phizo. Little rocks and ‘minerals’ found in the Naga areas sat in a steel cupboard alongside international momentos gathered by Naga peace teams—huddled up together in black and white pictures.

Kuknalim! The words poured out from every heart like a healing of the spirit. Here, people cried without fear and old men participated despite creaking bones. There were no shiny promises, only bright hopes.

Within the capsule of a week, Nagaland had travelled its reality—the distance between the present and the past.

Where does that take the Naga people?

Share your thoughts at moitramail@yahoo.com

lEfT wiNg |

Bhavana Akella IANS

The land of chopsticks and its theatrical Chinese food

T

he land of chopsticks holds a surprise for anyone who believes in the notion that Chinese food is greasy, rather bland for some, and rather too spicy for others. For eternal love for Chinese food I possessed, I noticed the authentic variety has some theatre to it - right from the way it is served to how it is eaten.

Authentic Chinese food has a language to it - like theatre.

It sizzles, crackles and pops in the mouth, slides as the chopsticks land close to your mouth. Even the street food is so dramatic - the way each of the meats or vegetables react when treated to the fire on the kerbs.

Famished, yet excited about my first meal in Beijing, as I set my foot on a line of restaurants at around 9 p.m., surprisingly many restaurants were downing their shutters. On a normal day, the locals in Beijing, I was told, start their dinner by 5 p.m. and do some exercise before they go to bed by 9 p.m. No wonder, they are all so petite!

Wandering around the restaurant, one can see how orderly and religiously a Chinese man was eating his noodle soup.

After food and a few drinks is when one can spot the Chinese in their right form - loud and open.

So, late eaters like us were left with very few options - some restaurants, street food and pubs. As we took our seats in a restaurant which operated 24x7, there soon appeared some happy Chinese waitresses who started getting us salads and starters. No waiting at restaurants in Beijing. Impressive!

Interestingly, the waitresses also held high-tech devices, placing orders soon after we pointed at something on the menu, to avoid any language misunderstandings.

Each of the dishes was placed on our table in a dramatic way - some on sizzler platter - among them a plain soy-glazed Peking duck and some vegetable dishes.

There was also the traditional seaweed, lotus root and bell pepper salad, stir fried Chinese bok choy, steamed duck feet, tofu in a butter sauce, squid and shrimp dumplings et al. All one needed to do when at the table was be open to what was coming.

The true Chinese food seemed so healthy and so unlike the greasy takeouts the world knows of - packed in paper bags turning transparent due to the oil they carry.

As I gathered my chopsticks, a Chinese friend began to explain how kids would pick up raw eggs with their sticks, nailing them perfectly. As a fellow Indian friend laid his chopsticks in a bowl, the Chinese got nearly offended, and said to have the sticks standing in a bowl of rice is an offering to dead.

Who knew there was also a whole language behind these narrow wooden sticks!

The food, very unique in its taste and texture had minimal use of spices. There was majorly soy, garlic and chili, together sometimes, to make a pungent dish. The food used very little oil and the majority of the dishes were steamed or stir-fried.

This very aspect is probably why the Chinese food has so many adaptations in the world. The Indian version with a little too much chili sauce, the western one a little too bland.

The street food was the liveliest of all. The Wangfujing street, a popular snack street, can have people either completely excited or entirely appalled by it - for the number of insects one can find there - not crawling, but being roasted on spit-fires.

China certainly does change one's perception of Chinese food or the people.

C O M M E N T A R Y

Michael T. Klare CommonDreams

Are Resource Wars Our Future?

Why the Paris Climate Summit will be a Peace Conference

A

t the end of November, delegations from nearly 200 countries will convene in Paris for what is billed as the most important climate meeting ever held. Officially known as the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP-21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (the 1992 treaty that designated that phenomenon a threat to planetary health and human survival), the Paris summit will be focused on the adoption of measures that would limit global warming to less than catastrophic levels. If it fails, world temperatures in the coming decades are likely to exceed 2 degrees Celsius (3.5 degrees Fahrenheit), the maximum amount most scientists believe the Earth can endure without experiencing irreversible climate shocks, including soaring temperatures and a substantial rise in global sea levels.

A failure to cap carbon emissions guarantees another result as well, though one far less discussed. It will, in the long run, bring on not just climate shocks, but also worldwide instability, insurrection, and warfare. In this sense, COP-21 should be considered not just a climate summit but a peace conference --perhaps the most significant peace convocation in history.

To grasp why, consider the latest scientific findings on the likely impacts of global warming, especially the 2014 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). When first published, that report attracted worldwide media coverage for predicting that unchecked climate change will result in severe droughts, intense storms, oppressive heat waves, recurring crop failures, and coastal flooding, all leading to widespread death and deprivation. Recent events, including a punishing drought in California and crippling heat waves in Europe and Asia, have focused more attention on just such impacts.

The IPCC report, however, suggested that global warming would have devastating impacts of a social and political nature as well, including economic decline, state collapse, civil strife, mass migrations, and sooner or later resource wars.

These predictions have received far less attention, and yet the possibility of such a future should be obvious enough since human institutions, like natural systems, are vulnerable to climate change. Economies are going to suffer when key commodities -- crops, timber, fish, livestock -- grow scarcer, are destroyed, or fail. Societies will begin to buckle under the strain of economic decline and massive refugee flows. Armed conflict may not be the most immediate consequence of these developments, the IPCC notes, but combine the effects of climate change with already existing poverty, hunger, resource scarcity, incompetent and corrupt governance, and ethnic, religious, or national resentments, and you’re likely to end up with bitter conflicts over access to food, water, land, and other necessities of life.

sure of rising temperatures and increasingly fierce droughts, the southern fringe of the Sahara desert, for example, is now being transformed from grasslands capable of sustaining nomadic herders into an empty wasteland, forcing local nomads off their ancestral lands. Many existing farmlands in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East will suffer a similar fate.

Rivers that once supplied water year-round will run only sporadically or dry up altogether, again leaving populations with unpalatable choices.

As the IPCC report points out, enormous pressure will be put upon often weak state institutions to adjust to climate change and aid those in desperate need of emergency food, shelter, and other necessities. “Increased human insecurity,” the report says, “may coincide with a decline in the capacity of states to conduct effective adaptation efforts, thus creating the circumstances in which there is greater potential for violent conflict.”

A good example of this peril is provided by the outbreak of civil war in Syria and the subsequent collapse of that country in a welter of fighting and a wave of refugees of a sort that hasn’t been seen since World War II. Between 2006 and 2010, Syria experienced a devastating drought in which climate change is believed to have been a factor, turning nearly 60% of the country into desert. Crops failed and most of the country’s livestock perished, forcing millions of farmers into penury. Desperate and unable to live on their land any longer, they moved into Syria’s major cities in search of work, often facing extreme hardship as well as hostility from wellconnected urban elites.

Had Syrian autocrat Bashar al-Assad responded with an emergency program of jobs and housing for those displaced, perhaps conflict could have been averted. Instead, he cut food and fuel subsidies, adding to the misery of the migrants and fanning the flames of revolt. In the view of several prominent scholars, “the rapidly growing urban peripheries of Syria, marked by illegal settlements, overcrowding, poor infrastructure, unemployment, and crime, were neglected by the Assad government and became the heart of the developing unrest.”

A similar picture has unfolded in the Sahel region of Africa, the southern fringe of the Sahara, where severe drought has combined with habitat decline and government neglect to provoke armed violence. The area has faced many such periods in the past, but now, thanks to climate change, there is less time between the droughts. “Instead of 10 years apart, they became five years apart, and now only a couple years apart,” observes Robert Piper, the United Nations regional humanitarian coordinator for the Sahel. “And that, in turn, is putting enormous stresses on what is already an incredibly fragile environment and a highly vulnerable population.”

In Mali, one of several nations straddling this region, the nomadic Tuaregs have been particularly hard hit, as the grasslands they rely on to feed their cattle are turning into desert. A Berber-speaking Muslim population, the Tuaregs have long faced hostility from the central government in Bamako, once controlled by the French and now by black Africans of Christian or animist faith. With their traditional livelihoods in peril and little assistance forthcoming from the capital, the Tuaregs revolted in January 2012, capturing half of Mali before being driven back into the Sahara by French and other foreign forces (with U.S. logistical and intelligence support).

Consider the events in Syria and Mali previews of what is likely to come later in this century on a far larger scale. As climate change intensifies, bringing not just desertification but rising sea levels in lowlying coastal areas and increasingly devastating heat waves in regions that are already hot, ever more parts of the planet will be rendered less habitable, pushing millions of people into desperate flight.

While the strongest and wealthiest governments, especially in more temperate regions, will be better able to cope with these stresses, expect to see the number of failed states grow dramatically, leading to violence and open warfare over what food, arable land, and shelter remains. In other words, imagine significant parts of the planet in the kind of state that Libya, Syria, and Yemen are in today. Some people will stay and fight to survive; others will migrate, almost assuredly encountering a far more violent version of the hostility we already see toward immigrants and refugees in the lands they head for.

The result, inevitably, will be a global epidemic of resource civil wars and resource violence of every sort.

The Coming of Climate Civil Wars Such wars would not arise in a vacuum. Already existing stresses and grievances would be heightened, enflamed undoubtedly by provocative acts and the exhortations of demagogic leaders. Think of the current outbreak of violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories, touched off by clashes over access to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (also known as the Noble Sanctuary) and the inflammatory rhetoric of assorted leaders. Combine economic and resource deprivation with such situations and you have a perfect recipe for war.

The necessities of life are already unevenly distributed across the planet. Often the divide between those with access to adequate supplies of vital resources and those lacking them coincides with long-term schisms along racial, ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines. The Israelis and Palestinians, for example, harbor deep-seated ethnic and religious hostilities but also experience vastly different possibilities when it comes to access to land and water. Add the stresses of climate change to such situations and you can naturally expect passions to boil over.

Climate change will degrade or destroy many natural systems, often already under stress, on which humans rely for their survival. Some areas that now support agriculture or animal husbandry may be- Water Wars come uninhabitable or capable only of providing Most of these conflicts will be of an internal, civil for greatly diminished populations. Under the pres- character: clan against clan, tribe against tribe, sect

against sect. On a climate-changed planet, however, don’t rule out struggles among nations for diminished vital resources -- especially access to water.

It’s already clear that climate change will reduce the supply of water in many tropical and subtropical regions, jeopardizing the continued pursuit of agriculture, the health and functioning of major cities, and possibly the very sinews of society.

The risk of “water wars” will arise when two or more countries depend on the same key water source -- the Nile, the Jordan, the Euphrates, the Indus, the Mekong, or other trans-boundary river systems -- and one or more of them seek to appropriate a disproportionate share of the ever-shrinking supply of its water. Attempts by countries to build dams and divert the water flow of such riverine systems have already provoked skirmishes and threats of war, as when Turkey and Syria erected dams on the Euphrates, constraining the downstream flow.

One system that has attracted particular concern in this regard is the Brahmaputra River, which originates in China (where it is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo) and passes through India and Bangladesh before emptying into the Indian Ocean. China has already erected one dam on the river and has plans for more, producing considerable unease in India, where the Brahmaputra’s water is vital for agriculture. But what has provoked the most alarm is a Chinese plan to channel water from that river to waterscarce areas in the northern part of that country.

The Chinese insist that no such action is imminent, but intensified warming and increased drought could, in the future, prompt such a move, jeopardizing India’s water supply and possibly provoking a conflict. “China’s construction of dams and the proposed diversion of the Brahmaputra’s waters is not only expected to have repercussions for water flow, agriculture, ecology, and lives and livelihoods downstream,” Sudha Ramachandran writes in The Diplomat, “it could also become another contentious issue undermining Sino-Indian relations.”

Of course, even in a future of far greater water stresses, such situations are not guaranteed to provoke armed combat. Perhaps the states involved will figure out how to share whatever limited resources remain and seek alternative means of survival. Nonetheless, the temptation to employ force is bound to grow as supplies dwindle and millions of people face thirst and starvation. In such circumstances, the survival of the state itself will be at risk, inviting desperate measures.

Lowering the Temperature There is much that undoubtedly could be done to reduce the risk of water wars, including the adoption of cooperative water-management schemes and the introduction of the wholesale use of drip irrigation and related processes that use water far more efficiently.

However, the best way to avoid future climate-related strife is, of course, to reduce the pace of global warming. Every fraction of a degree less warming achieved in Paris and thereafter will mean that much less blood spilled in future climate-driven resource wars.

This is why the Paris climate summit should be viewed as a kind of preemptive peace conference, one that is taking place before the wars truly begin.

If delegates to COP-21 succeed in sending us down a path that limits global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, the risk of future violence will be diminished accordingly. Needless to say, even 2 degrees of warming guarantees substantial damage to vital natural systems, potentially severe resource scarcities, and attendant civil strife. As a result, a lower ceiling for temperature rise would be preferable and should be the goal of future conferences. Still, given the carbon emissions pouring into the atmosphere, even a 2-degree cap would be a significant accomplishment.

To achieve such an outcome, delegates will undoubtedly have to begin dealing with conflicts of the present moment as well, including those in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Ukraine, in order to collaborate in devising common, mutually binding climate measures. In this sense, too, the Paris summit will be a peace conference. For the first time, the nations of the world will have to step beyond national thinking and embrace a higher goal: the safety of the ecosphere and all its human inhabitants, no matter their national, ethnic, religious, racial, or linguistic identities. Nothing like this has ever been attempted, which means that it will be an exercise in peacemaking of the most essential sort -- and, for once, before the wars truly begin.

Michael T. Klare is the Five College Professor of Peace and World Security Studies at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. His newest book, The Race for What's Left: The Global Scramble for the World's Last Resources, has just recently been published.

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.

MonDAY 09•11•2015

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Education versus Learning

I

magine you are a government primary school teacher in India and you have been transferred recently to a remote rural locality. Chances are that 9.9 out of 10 times you will not bat an eyelid before you will leave your school going child behind in the private school they are studying and join your place of posting post-haste. You are sure that the facilities in the schools around will not guarantee any sort of learning to your children. Teachers do not want to send their own children to schools they themselves teach in. This paradox is at the heart of the government school system not just in our state but in the entire country.

We take it for granted that children go to schools to learn. But do they really learn in school? The need to focus on quality of education was slowly picking up in development literature with a lot of scholars emphasizing on the need for monitoring quality of education instead of on school buildings and attendance rates.

Research showed that improving quality of education has a positive impact on economic growth and also for reducing inequality in the economy. The first assessment on education quality in India was conducted by the Public Report on Basic Education (PROBE) 1999 which looked at the state of elementary education in the country. This PROBE report initiated a lot of discussion and this led to the introduction of programmes like the SarvaShikshaAbhiyan and the RashtriyaMadhyamik Suraksha Yojanamuch later by the Government of India aimed at universalising elementary education and secondary education.

Performance of Class III students The National Achievement Survey is conducted by the NCERT in government primary and secondary schools under the SSA. For students in class III,the National Achievement Survey 2012-13, measured their scores for both language and mathematics. In both categories the scores of children in Nagaland were less than the national average. The difference in scores is roughly about the same in both language and mathematics streams at 3 points.

Rural-Urban Learning outcomes 270 260 250 240 230 220 210

Rural

policy

District-wise performance of students

papers

Performance over time To examine how student quality has progressed over the years we look at a different set of numbers released by PRATHAM, an education NGO in 2014. It was they who started looking at various indices of quality of education by measuring them using sample surveys conducted all over India. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) which started in 2005 has since carved a niche for itself in the education sphere not only in India but also in other parts of the Asian sub-continent.

The above figure gives the percentage of children who can do division spread across different classes and across years. The trends with respect to ability for division are not very encouraging as we see that there is a falling trend in the % of children who can perform division sums has been decreasing over the years 2010-2014. Whereas in 2010 80% of students in Std. VIII could do division sums in 2014 this fell to 70%. Thus over a period of 4 years the learning quality of students in 8th standard actually fell 10 percentage points. This decreasing trend is worrisome as it roughly coincides with the implementation of Right to Education Act in Nagaland.

Figure 1: Learning outcomes over the years

Urban Nagaland

Natl Avg Language

Nagaland

Natl Avg

Maths

In a state like ours a lot of parents from the villages send their children to urban areas to the towns and to either Kohima or Dimapur to give them quality learning. However, children in rural areas have better scores than their counterparts in urban areas for Maths and Language. This implies that the learning outcomes in mathematics are better for children in rural government schools than in urban government schools.

Figure 2: District-level learning outcomes

Resilience requires diversity—not only to weather a storm or disturbance, but also to cultivate and build new solutions. So how can we go from violent or even non-violent resistance to non-violent resilience?

Std III-V Learning outcomes

“W

Kohima Kiphire Peren

Subtract

Dimapur*

Read

Zunheboto Mon 0

20

40

60

80

100

120

We look at the learning quality of students between the ages of 6 and 14 in figure 2 above. We measure the education quality by the % of students in the above age groupwho can read a standard one text book and % of students who can do subtraction across districts. We find that on an average about 63% of the students can read a standard one text and about 60% do subtraction without mistakes.

The surprising take away from the above statistics is that students in Mokokchungand Zunhebotodistricts show reading outcomes that are lower than the state average. Only 52% of students in Mokokchung and 47% students in Zunheboto pass the reading test. This shows a shortfall of more than 10 and 15 percentage points for the individual districts respectively.Mon, Dimapur, Kiphire and Tuensang perform worse than the state average in quantitative skills. This graph therefore is in some senses a reflection of the strides in education that the eastern districts of Nagaland have taken towards improving education quality. To determine whether these advances have been because of state policy greater research needs to be done. However, these differences in learning quality will later translate as performance or lack of it in NBSE and other exams.

In a couple of months’ time another cohort of students would have progressed on to their next levels in schools. We need to seek and find a suitable education policy that lays as much emphasis on quality as on regular promotion.The greatest asset of our state is our people. Quality education will provide us the necessary fillip for future development.

(The author is an IAS officer of Nagaland cadre.

The views expressed in his column, featured every Monday, are personal. Feedback can be emailed to vyasan_r@yahoo.com)

The Morung Express

POLL rESuLTS

Has Naga civil society groups (Hohos, students, mothers, etc) been compromised by the Nagaland state government? Why? Some of those who voted YES had this to say: • It is crystal clear that our Naga community that the Naga Hoho and NMA are hand in glove with the State government because in most of the issues instead of speaking for the people they speak favouring the government. They should resign instead of making a fool of themselves.

• Yes, State politicians use money to get these bodies into their own pockets. And, the unprincipled leaders of Hohos and unions just buy in.

• Yes, All for monetary benefits.

• Yes. They are all trying to lick the boots of the govt. to get incentives for their own personal gain that they forgot for what purpose these so call civil society groups were form in the first place. Also there are so many localised branches of these groups that the main body becomes obsolete. Because what are they doing now for the society they represent?

Nothing! just mingling with the politicians saying to all and sundry hey look I am with this so so ministers which won't bring much changes or help to the deprive lower section of the people who really needs their voice to be heard.

• Yes, They are following all the way to Govt with the money.

• Yes because they do not know their civil society constitution • YES because the Group leaders are been bribed ever now and then they come with the issues.

• Yes....lack of vision for upcoming generation. Leaders with no solid vision • yes, and people have lost their confidence in them.

• Yes, because for the love of money every one is suffering in Nagaland.

• Massive yes. Because the state govt. Knows that these leaders are self centered people seeking for opportunities for themselves in the name of various organization and lacks vision of a leader. And I called them opportunist at all cost.

• Yes, its very sad thing. They've all become addicts and loves tripping on Indo- Naga politics...

• Yes, Do we have a civil societies worth at this hour when Nagaland needed them the most?

They are all in payroll of the Government.

• Yes. Because no one can't run before money and nowadays joining/inducting/participating in Civil societies is a way/source of earning.

• All the apex naga body led by naga hoho is cooped

by state gout. Clear example instead of understanding the tribe hoho grievances like Lotha hoho on oil exploration they supported govt contract to mopg which is blacklisted by SEBI. and also attending controversy rani gaid in lui program held in government complex in new perennial hq. Even stage was set on new district complex stone cover it n put rani gaid in lui photo. Hoho and NMA was part of it.

• Yes, because they do not speak the truth. I

63%

and NMA who have in the past stood against government exploitation of natural resources are now taking a very questionable stand on this issue.

• No, To be honest I dont know who is using who. Is the State government using the civil society or is the civil society using the government. It has become a game of convenience for both the sides but as a result it is the public that is suffering. This is a big lesson for the public. During the next state elections and the next hoho and student elections, the people should elect the right people.

• Not necessarily because they are friends with benefits. They are both gaining out of the confusion that we Nagas are in.

• No, govt. not able to handle state problem

Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say: • Not all but Yes. Because some civil society leaders considers their position as one time opportunity to mint money.

• As long as the dog has its bone in its mouth it won't bark even if its in chain....

• At this time when Nagas are going through many challenges it is very sad to see that our Naga civil society groups led by the Naga Hoho are at the weakest point. Lets hope they will wake up from their slumber • I dont think the civil society groups have compromised, but what is happening is that the Government is trying to pit one against the other. They are responsible for creating divisions within and between Naga civil society organizations. The Naga Hoho and ENPO were supposed to go Eastern Nagaland to meet Khaplang, while preparations were underway, who send NMA to Noklak. Because of all this, more confusion is being created.

Naga NGOs are blindly doing things and they dont realize they are being used against one another. There is no coordination and unity among the various NGO groups.

YES NO OTHER • The only ones standing between the politicians stand for what I have written here. Needs thor- and their complete domination over the people are the hohos, students and churches. So it is obvious that ough debate. the politicians and bureaucrats will do everything to Some of those who voted NO had this to say: weaken and compromise the Naga NGOs. • NO. I will say it is not the Government that has com- • Any civil societies should maintain distance from promised the local Naga NGOs, but it is the NGOs the Government and maintain neutral, should themselves who have allowed themselves to be ma- voice out for the masses. nipulated and used by the Government. It is surpris- • NGOs Cannot be Govt. and Govt cannot be suing to read that organisations like NSF, Naga Hoho perior to NGOs.

23%

14%

From non-violent resistance to non-violent resilience Leena Al Olaimy

By Vyasan R

Comparing the national average and our state average another interesting statistic presents itself. In mathematics, rural students in our state score marginally more than the average student in the whole country however the urban student in our state gets 15 points lower than an average urban student in the country. This gap between the urban students in the state and the country as a whole is also seen in language scores.

This implies that urban students in Nagaland are slightly more disadvantaged than rural schools when we compare to the respective national averages. Our students have to compete with students from the rest of the country and the sooner we bridge this disadvantage the better it would be for our students as a whole. It may be mentioned that these differences in test scores are not statistically significant either but it is nevertheless a useful pointer for future education policy.

7

hat happens after isqat al netham – the downfall of the regime? What would you do?” I asked a 20-something youth activist, shortly after Bahrain’s uprising in 2011.

He stared; assessing me, and the question I had just asked him. I don’t think it had ever occurred to him. After a very long pause he replied triumphantly, “I would run for parliament.” He folded his arms and leaned back.

“What would you change if you were in parliament?” I prodded. Another uncomfortable but shorter silence. “I don’t know…” he shrugged, his arms still folded. “Education?” he said hesitantly, almost seeking my approval. “What would you change about education?” I continued.

I was retelling this story at a session on “Youth, Economics and Violence: Implications for Future Conflict” at Salzburg Global Seminar, Austria, in April.

During periods of social upheaval—and amidst the Arab awakening—a lot of energy is invested into violent and non-violent resistance. How to go from dictatorship to democracy; deposing leaders and dismantling regimes. Comparatively less energy and thought is given to the necessary development that must take place thereafter—and preferably in tandem.

My intention is not to discredit non-violent resistance, but is this the (only) type of activism we need in the (Arab) world? In some cases it has been successful in achieving a political transition and greater accountability. But in all cases it has been unsuccessful in achieving other desired social outcomes. What are we revolutionising? Education? Healthcare? Housing? Or has revolution become both the means and the end?

In fact, some of the same youth activists have begun to intimidate the villages in which they live. Threatening with punitive measures, such as molotovs, should someone dare violate a “work strike” to try to earn an already meagre living; or keeping the door to their home locked at night— incidentally preventing the activists from rotating their hiding places from the security forces. The irony is that in fighting oppression, marginalisation, and economic inequality, they have perpetuated and deepened this very injustice.

During the session in Salzburg we—some 50 program officers, activists, university professors and experts from diverse fields as anthropology, economics, political science, education, psychology and law enforcement—debated whether or not violence is a necessary tool for youth to employ in creating peace. I believe that in everything that we do, the process and intentions must mirror the outcome. We must “be the change” and have the patience and fortitude to go through the inner transformation required to create the external change we seek.

Seeds of violence, mistrust, fragmentation and exclusion are unlikely to provide a fertile soil for peace, equality and social cohesion. Indeed it is a long road to Damascus…

At the 2011 Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University—the ‘Davos’ of social innovation—my cofounder and I had an insightful conversation with those working with the Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

They said that one of their biggest regrets was waiting for so long to focus on development while fighting for freedom. It meant that even postApartheid, generations of South Africans still went through broken systems—a sentiment that was echoed on my recent trip to South Africa, a country ranked among the highest on the Gini index for income inequality.

US inventor and visionary Buckminster Fuller said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” I love this quote. This is very much how the natural world operates.

Resilience requires diversity and inclusion of all parts of a system—not only to weather a storm or disturbance, but also to cultivate and build new solutions. So how can we go from violent or even non-violent resistance to non-violent resilience?

When I look at the way youth activists in Bahrain perfectly synchronise a tire burning operation to disrupt roads; or strategically place old bathtubs and giant teddy bears as blockades to prevent entry into their villages; or shoot cut up metal rods out of fire extinguishers, I am both impressed and optimistic.

I am impressed because I see innovation and bootstrapping. I see risk-taking and courage; teamwork and brotherhood; commitment and conviction. I am optimistic because I see a yearning for a life of purpose and meaning.

All of these qualities and competencies are valuable in any entrepreneurial venture, but especially in social entrepreneurship. Embedded with a different set of values, there is an unsurpassable opportunity to mobilise this energy into a new kind of activism: one that builds new models.

Having developed various youth trainings on social entrepreneurship and values-based leadership through my own social enterprise, I have seen first-hand the power that just two days can make: stimulating cognitive empathy; empowering and inspiring; and fostering more collaborative relationships between youth on opposite sides of political, religious and socio-economic spectrums, as they rethink and reclaim the future they will jointly inherit.

No government in the world can or should be expected to solve all of society’s problems. And while social entrepreneurship is not a panacea, it should be an integral component of resilient activism.

After winning a small grant from UNESCO, we are now developing a beneficiary-led fellows program and toolkit that is specific to the issues facing the Arab world. We have high hopes that this program—How to Reimagine the Middle East—will mobilise an activism of the heart. An activism that is for, not against.

One that is inclusive and collaborative. One that engineers hope and dignity, as youth confront the most pressing challenges ever facing a human generation.

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

8

MondAY 09•11•2015

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Lalu makes Grand comeback as kingmaker

PATNA, NOVEMBER 8 (PTI): RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday rose like the proverbial phoenix from his ashes as he helped script a resounding victory for the Grand Alliance in Bihar and revived the fortunes of his moribund party.

On the verge of being written off as also ran after his party’s dismal performance in the 2010 Assembly polls when it was restricted to a humiliating 22 seats in the 243-member Bihar House, Prasad pulled off an emphatic victory for the RJD, which was all set to emerge as the table topper.

Ousted in 2005 after a 15-year stint in power, the 2010 poll defeat sent the man who once lorded over Bihar virtually to the doghouse.

The once seemingly invincible RJD, with its massive Muslim-OBC vote bank, was not even eligible to claim the Leader of the Opposition post as the NDA under Nitish Kumar won an astounding fourfifths majority in the Assembly, winning 206 seats and restricting the RJD to a paltry 22, the latter’s worstever tally.

Prasad’s conviction in a fodder scam case in 2013 came as a personal blow to him as it led to his disqualification from the Lok Sabha and a ban from contesting an election at least for six years.

The 2014 Lok Sabha election was a crucial test for the backward class leader which he was to lead as a non-playing captain for the first time.

The results came as another jolt to the RJD and Mr.

Grand Alliance victory proves quite a few exit polls wrong

Nitish Kumar (L), a leader of Janata Dal (United) and Chief Minister of Bihar, and Lalu Prasad Yadav, chief of Rashtriya Janata Dal, gesture after addressing a news conference in Patna, November 8, 2015. (REUTERS Photo)

Prasad, with the party managing to win only four of the State’s 40 seats.

The successive defeats, however, carried seeds for a future reunion with friendturned-foe Kumar, whose JD(U) had also been humiliated in the 2014 election, managing to win just two seats after parting ways with 17-year-old ally, the BJP, in June 2013 over Narendra Modi’s anointment as the party’s campaign spearhead for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Acutely aware of Modi’s personal charisma and the BJP’s growing popularity in the State, they started moving closer after the Lok Sabha debacle.

With Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav playing the role of a peacemaker, the two backward class heavyweights

resolved their differences and decided to contest the 2015 Bihar polls in tandem.

Prasad, the wily practitioner of realpolitik, after initial reluctance, agreed to accept Mr. Kumar as the Grand Alliance’s chief ministerial candidate.

With he himself not eligible to contest elections, his wife Rabri Devi unwilling to return to the hurly burly of politics, and sons Tejaswi and Tej Pratap too young to handle the pressure that comes with the hot seat, Prasad declared Kumar will be the Chief Minister even if the RJD won more seats than the JD(U).

When RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat suggested a review of the reservation policy in an interview to Sangh organs Organiser and Panchjanya, Prasad, one of the

most enduring mascots of post-Mandal politics, was quick to pounce on it and raise an alarm about a move by the Modi government to scrap quotas.

Prasad repeated the charge, rally after election rally, and Modi’s counteroffensive about the Grand Alliance favouring a dilution of quotas for Dalits, tribals and OBCs to give 5 per cent reservation to Muslims failed to cut much ice with the electorate.

After the Dadri lynching incident, Prasad made the controversial Hindustoo-eat –beef remark, which the Prime Minister tried to use to the hilt to ensure alienation of the RJD’s Yadav vote bank, still largely engaged in cattle rearing in the State, from him.

However, Modi failed to make any substantial dent

NEw DElhI, NOVEMBER 8 (IANS): As has been the case many a time in the past, quite a few exit poll surveys that predicted victory for the BJP and its allies in the Bihar assembly elections were proven wrong.

Today's Chanakya, which gave maximum seats to the BJP and its allies -- 155 to BJP and its allies and 83 to the Grand Alliance of three opposition parties -- apologised for its "mistake".

"We sincerely apologise (to) all our friends and well-wishers for not (being) able to predict Bihar.

Congratulations to the winning alliance," it said in a tweet.

The winning marker in the 143seat assembly was 122 seats.

Axis Ad-Print-Media (India) Ltd. was the only exit poll survey agency that gave 58-70 seats to the BJP-led in Mr. Prasad’s Yadav support base.

While there was an apparent consolidation of backward class and Muslim voters in Grand Alliance’s favour, the beef talk by the leaders of the NDA, particularly the BJP, including Modi, failed to bring about a consolidation of Hindu votes in the favour of the centre’s ruling alliance.

Prasad promptly declared the poll as “Mandal Raj Part II” and a fight between the “backwards and forwards”, ensuring a rapid polarisation along caste lines, something which had kept the RJD in power for 15 years in the politically volatile State.

With the JD(U)-RJDCongress Grand Alliance’s victory, the man who once ruled Bihar like a king, will now be the kingmaker.

combine and 169-183 seats to the Janata Dal-United and its allies in the Grand Alliance.

According to a NDTV poll, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was poised to win 120130 seats in the 243-member assembly, while the Grand Alliance comprising the Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress was poised to win 105-115 seats.

Dainik Jagran survey gave 130 seats to the BJP combine and 97 to the JD-U and its allies.

Predicting similar trends, the ABP News-Nielsen predicted 130 seats for the BJP and allies and 108 for the Grand Alliance.

India Today-Cicero predicted 120 and 117 seats to the BJP and Grand Alliance respectively.

On the other hand, former Aam Aadmi Party leader and psepholo-

gist Yogendra Yadav and a few other poll survey agencies forecast a clear majority for the Grand Alliance led by Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav.

"I think the Grand Alliance is headed for a clear, perhaps even comfortable, majority. If my reading is correct, its tally could go well beyond the highest forecast of 130 seats," Yadav wrote on Facebook.

Similarly, Times Now-CVoter (111 seats for BJP+, 122 seats for JDU+), News Nation (117 BJP+, 122 JDU+) and the NewsX/CNX (95 BJP+, 135 JD-U+) predicted a majority for the Grand Alliance.

Ironically, a day before the Bihar vote count, the BJP cadres were in a celebratory mode at the party's 11 Ashoka Road headquarters here despite sharply divided opinions on the election results.

Bihar outcome significant nationally: Nitish PATNA, NOVEMBER 8 (IANS): The BJP combine’s defeat in Bihar is significant nationally, Chief Minister and JD-U leader Nitish Kumar said on Sunday.

“From the national perspective, the result is significant,” Nitish Kumar said in his first comments after his Grand Alliance triumphed in the battle for the 243seat Bihar assembly. He said this was the only reason why the Bihar polls, although a state election, evoked so much interest across the country.

“It is now clear that people want a strong and united opposition (in the country),” said the JD-U leader who is poised to take oath for a third straight time as the chief minister of Bihar. “There will be a national impact (of the Bihar verdict),” he said. “In the national context, Bihar understands its responsibility.”

At the same, the chief minister said he and his allies will respect the opposition in Bihar -- a reference to the vanquished Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies.

“We have no malice in our hearts. We

will never make fun of the vanquished...

We will work without any ill-will towards those who opposed us in the election. We have no hatred.

“Whatever may have happened during the election, now that the Grand Alliance has won, we hope to get the support of the central government.” He said the BJP’s attempts to divide the society in a bid to polarize the voters had been foiled by Bihar’s electorate.

“The people have given a decisive mandate.” Nitish Kumar described the sweeping win of the Grand Alliance, which also includes the RJD and the Congress, as "a victory for Bihar's self respect".

"We have got the support of all sections of the society... Women, youths, minorities, Dalits, Mahadalits, backward castes, extremely backward castes, adivasis, upper castes." He pointed that in the face of an aggressive campaign by the BJP, his JDU, the RJD and the Congress worked in a united fashion. This unity, he said, would be maintained.

Justice still not accessible Separatists strike call disrupts normal life in Kashmir Centre notifies on OROP scheme, veterans reject it to poor: Law minister Gowda NEw DElhI, NOVEMBER 8 (AgENcIES): The Union government notified the one rank, one pension (OROP) scheme on Saturday, but exservicemen were quick to reject it.

“The Government Order by the Ministry of Defence, which could not be issued [earlier] because of the model code of conduct [for Bihar elections], has been issued today,” said a government statement.

Same conditionS The government seems to have stuck to the conditions announced by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in September. The veterans had rejected them then, and last weekend, announced plans to step up protests.

“The notification will not be acceptable,” Maj.Gen. (Retd.) Satbir Singh, chairman, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, told a news agency.

Personnel who henceforth get discharged on their own request under Rule 13(3)1(i)(b),13(3)1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule 1954 or the equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to OROP benefits, the government said. The ex-servicemen, however, want no distinction between retirees, and exclusion of such personnel will become a major point of friction.

The two sides had not reached a con-

sensus on the concept of premature retirement. Earlier, the government stated that those opting for it would not be eligible for the OROP. After protests by exservicemen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said everyone was eligible. However, the notification said those opting for it in future would be out of the scheme.

The notification says “in future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years”.

The ex-servicemen have been demanding more frequent revisions. They have argued that revision after every five years, which means five different pensions for the same rank, will not be in the spirit of the OROP. The government announced that the pension of past retirees would be revised on the basis of the pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective from July 1, 2014. This is not acceptable to the veterans, sources said.

The notification said arrears would be paid in four equal half-yearly instalments. However, family pensioners and gallantry award winners would be made the payment in a single instalment, it said.

The OROP implies uniform pension for the armed forces personnel retiring in the same rank and with the same length of service, regardless of their date of retirement.

NEw DElhI, NOVEMBER 8 (TNN): Expressing concern over the rising cost of litigation, Union law minister Sadananda Gowda on Saturday said justice remains inaccessible to the poor as they cannot afford to approach the courts.

Speaking at a function of National Legal Services Authority, he said that economic barrier coming in the way of justice had to be shattered by providing quality free legal aid to the poor. He said the fees charged by leading advocates in the Supreme Court, high courts and district level courts are unaffordable for large sections of the society.

"First and foremost concern and barrier to access to justice is that of economic barrier. Cost of litigation consisting of cost of advocacy and court fee is a major obstacle for majority of the litigants in India," the minister said.

"This problem gets pronounced when the poor litigant is pitted against a very rich and mighty opponent. In such scenarios, the result of the adjudication might go against the poor litigant."

He said that quality of free legal aid given to poor litigants was not up to the mark as well established lawyers did not volunteer to provide their services and fate of those litigants was decided by inexperienced lawyers.

"It is common knowledge that not many senior advocates volunteer for the legal aid services and even if some of them are entrusted with this work either by the court or by the legal services authority, they do not effectively handle the case as these cases are not economically attractive for them," he said.

"This is a major challenge, and we must debate and come out with creative solutions so that adequate number of efficient and senior advocates do volunteer for legal aid services in the country," he said.

SRINAgAR, NOVEMBER 8 (PTI): Normal life in Kashmir was on Sunday disrupted due to a strike called by separatists to protest the death of a youth in police action at Zainakote even as authorities imposed restrictions in seven police station areas of the city as a precautionary measure. Shops and business establishments remained closed in most parts of the city due to the strike call given by both factions of the Hurriyat Conference and

T

IANS

he ear-splitting burst of crackers may be celebration for humans but on Diwali spare a thought for pets and strays which cringe at the pain that the deafening noise creates, say veterinarians and animal activists.

Families with pets have a tough time tackling their furry friends due to crackers and pollution, which tends to scare and sometimes even traumatise them.

An average human ear can hear sounds between 20 and 20,000 hertz but animals, which totally depend on their senses to survive, perceive sound almost twice that of a human ear. So, just imagine the sound of crackers -- it can almost be deafening for them.

"Pets and homeless animals are at your mercy; so kindly don't burn loud bombs," veterinarian Ajay Sood told IANS. "Children should not play pranks by tying crackers to their tails. Also, cats and dogs can burn their whiskers by sniffing the diyas. Keep them indoors and don't leave them unattended. You can increase the sound of television or radio which they are accustomed to daily. This will help them to be calm during the Diwali celebrations," Sood suggested.

Homeless animals are the most affected. They go into hiding and only come out once the festivities are over. There have been numerous incidents where children tie crackers to the tails of animals for their source of entertainment, but this is torturous for these helpless beings.

"People should be a little considerate and try to avoid loud crackers. Due to Diwali celebrations, cats and dogs don't even search for food; others suffer burn injuries that go untreated as they have no owners, and open and untreated wounds get infected, causing other severe problems for these homeless animals," Swati Tandon, owner of Whatspup, a pet store, told IANS. A little consideration can help.

Sachin Bangera, associate director, Celebrity and Public Relations, PETA India, said: "During fireworks displays, many animals become frightened by the loud noises and run away from their homes.

The lucky ones end up in animal shelters and are reunited with their families, but others are never found, and some suffer serious in-

juries or even die as they try to escape the noise.

"One should take care by keeping cats and dogs indoors during fireworks displays and if possible, stay with them."

Even celebrities are rallying for the cause.

A c t r e s s e s Na r g i s Fakhri and Jacqueline Fernandez have asked their fans to avoid crackers to provide a safe environment for pets, while Anushka Sharma, an ardent dog lover who has a pet labrador named Dude, has urged everyone to celebrate the forthcoming festival of Diwali without noise and fire crackers for the sake of animals.

Through social media campaign "Pawsitive", the "Dil Dhadakne Do" actress has encouraged people to reduce the use of crackers, especially in residential areas.

injuries at a hospital.

Dar’s death led to more protests in Zainakote and adjoining areas which continued till late in the night.

Authorities, apprehending more law and order problems today, imposed restrictions on the movement of people in seven police station areas. The areas put under restrictions include Parimpora, Maisuma, Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safa Kadal and Maharajgunj.

'Today's generation living in a cruel world' AJMER, NOVEMBER 8 (TNN): Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said that today's generation is living in a "cruel world" vis-a-vis growing competitiveness and high standards of excellence. "You are living in cruel society that is because of growing competitiveness. I was associated with Sriram College of Commerce, where admissions almost stop at 98%. There are parents who come to me with 97, 96 per cent but they know that putting a word does not matter now," Jaitley said here as the chief guest of the annual function at Mayo Girls' College.

He said that standards of excellence are very very high and 70% to 80% is no longer

For animals' sake, celebrate a cracker-free Diwali Durga Chakravarty

JKLF to protest the death of Gowhar Ahmad Dar yesterday, officials said.

While public transport service were mostly off the roads, few cabs and private vehicles could be seen plying on the roads, the officials said.

Dar, an engineering student, was hit by a tear smoke shell as police fired tear smoke shells to disperse a stone-pelting mob near his Zainakote residence last evening. He succumbed to

For those who want to avoid the hassle of putting their pets through the sounds of the crackers, take them out for their walk early, and make sure your animal companion is wearing a collar and an updated identification tag. Also, keep hospital numbers in visible places so that it is easy to reach out in case of emergency.

"Ensure that your supply of pet tranquilizers is ready for some pets are so terrified that they need to be sedated. If there is a burn, wash with running water not ice. Apply a burn cream and try and contact a 24x7 vet hospital," Gautam Unny, another veterinarian, told IANS. Also, according to Unny, the most common "emergency seen is when pets steal Diwali sweets or drink lots of ghee"! So, don't forget to keep a close watch!

excellence. "In sports, playing for school or district is no more excellence. For that one has to strive for higher levels and that is the cruelty of the world where modernity is lost in the crowd, he said.

He asked students to fight for excellence on top. "Try to achieve that excellence. Nothing will matter but the ability to emerge from the bottom and reach on top. Family or place to which you belong will not matter," he said.

He said that India is becoming extremely aspirational and no longer satisfied with what they have. "Indians want to achieve higher standards and killer instinct has emerged among them, which is a positive sign," he added.

Make sex education compulsory in schools: Activists BENgAluRu, NOVEMBER 8 (IANS): Like girls, boys are equally at risk of abuse and there is a need to make sex education compulsory in schools with a focus on what constitutes child abuse, rights activists said on Sunday.

A petition signed by 3,000 parents from across India would be submitted to union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi this month to demand that the boys too need sensitisation on their rights, child rights activist Kumar V. Jahgirdar said here.

"Our society doesn't believe that the boys can also be sexually abused. This needs to be corrected through awareness programmes of the government," he said.

"There is need for strict implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) of 2012 by creating awareness at the grassroots," Jahgirdar, who is president of Child Rights Initiative for Shared Parenting (CRISP) that is fighting for shared parenting in case of divorce, told IANS. The POCSO defines a child as anyone below the age of 18 years and protects them from physical offences.

The petition demands to make sex education compulsory and take steps to promote boys' safety along with the girls'.

Women's rights activist Sudha Rajashekar demanded inheritance and succession-like law that would ensure grandparents' rights to be with their grandchildren in cases of marital discord and breakdown between couples. "We are receiving a number of complaints from the elderly people that there is no law that protects their rights as grandparents in case of matrimonial discord of their children," Rajashekar, who is based here, said.

Rajashekar heads the grandparents' wing of CRISP. Quoting the Women and Child Development Ministry figures on child abuse cases, Jahgirdar said those in the age group of 5-12 years have reported higher levels of abuse. He has already demanded a separate union ministry for child development as they constitute more than 40 percent of the population.

The activists demanded setting up of a countrywide child helpline to report cases of abuse, and to train schoolchildren how to use it without revealing the name or identity of the victim and their family.

MOndaY 09•11•2015

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

‘Only democracy can decide future’ TAIPEI/BEIJING, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): Only the people of Taiwan can decide its future and will do so in elections in January, the island’s opposition leader and presidential frontrunner said on Sunday, as China’s top newspaper warned peace was at risk if it opted for independence.

A day after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan President Ma Yingjeou held historic talks in Singapore, Tsai Ing-wen, leader of Taiwan’s independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said the leaders’ meeting had done nothing to make Taiwan’s people feel safer.

“Only the majority public opinion on Jan. 16 can decide Taiwan’s future and cross-strait relations,” Tsai wrote, referring to ties with the mainland.

At the meeting in neutral Singapore, the first gettogether of leaders of the two sides since China’s civil war ended in 1949, Xi told Ma they must not let proponents of Taiwan’s independence split them.

Ma in return called for mutual respect for each

Activists protest against the Singapore meeting between Taiwan’s President Ma Yingjeou and China’s President Xi Jinping outside the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taipei, Taiwan, November 7, 2015. REUTERS

other’s systems and said Taiwan people were concerned about mainland missiles pointing their way.

Tsai said Ma’s performance had angered many people in Taiwan, and what he did was not a representation of mainstream public opinion.

“As a nation’s leader, President Ma did not make his people proud or feel safe. Instead, he created more anxiety,” she wrote.

China’s Nationalists, also known as the Kuomintang (KMT), retreated to Taiwan after losing the civil war to the Communists, who are still in charge in Beijing. Both agree there is “one China” but agree to disagree on the interpretation.

Beijing views self-ruled and proudly democratic Taiwan as a renegade province, to be bought under its control by force if necessary, and has warned that moves

towards formal independence could stoke conflict.

Speaking to reporters on the flight back to Taipei late on Saturday, Ma said while he was not satisfied with Xi’s response on security and military issues, at least a dialogue had now begun.

“This gathering today, if you want to speak about achievements, the most important achievement is that the leaders across the Taiwan Strait finally met

and were willing to discuss have blossomed - particurelated issues,” he said. larly since Ma and his KMT took power in 2008 - there ‘FIERCE AND is deep suspicion on both FRIGHTENING’ sides and no progress has In a commentary, the been made on any sort of Communist Party’s offi- political settlement. cial People’s Daily said the One source with ties to two leaders sitting togeth- the leadership in Beijing said er showed a desire not to China was not counting on let the “tragedy of history” the meeting to help the Narepeat itself nor to let the tionalists win the presidenfruits of peaceful develop- tial elections, but hoped it ment be lost. would at least prevent them Progress over the past from disintegrating. seven years - referring “If the DPP controls the to the rule of the China- legislature and amended the friendly Ma - has been pos- constitution (formally) desible due to a joint political claring independence, the will to oppose Taiwan inde- mainland would be in a very pendence and accept there difficult position,” the source is “one China”, albeit it with said. In 2005, China enacted different interpretations, an “anti-secession law” that the paper said. allows it to use force on Tai“If this ‘magic cudgel’ wan if deemed necessary. did not exist, the boat of Previous Chinese atpeace would encounter tempts to influence Taia fierce and frightening wan’s elections have storm, or even flip over backfired. In 1996, thencompletely,” it wrote.

Chinese President Jiang “Compatriots on both Zemin ordered missile sides of the Taiwan Strait tests and war games in the must join together and res- seas around Taiwan to try olutely oppose the Taiwan to intimidate voters not to independence forces and back Lee Teng-hui, who their separatist activities,” China believed was moving the newspaper added. the island closer to formal While bilateral trade, independence. Lee won by investment and tourism a landslide.

9

Iranian leadership plans to attend next round of Syria peace talks DUBAI, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): Iran will attend the next round of Syria peace talks, a top advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying on Saturday, a week after Tehran threatened to withdraw from the process.

World and regional powers including Iran met in Vienna on Oct. 30 to discuss a political solution to Syria’s civil war. Days later, Iran threatened to pull out of the next round of talks, blaming the “negative role” played by regional rival Saudi Arabia.

“Iran will be actively present in (Syria peace) talks, while announcing its standards and preserving its red lines,” Ali Akbar Velayati, Khamenei’s top foreign policy advisor, was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

“We will support our ally, Syria, not only in defence field, but also in political arena,” he added. Iran supports Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad against rebels backed by regional powers including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.

Diplomats have said the next round of international talks is likely to begin later this week.

The Oct. 30 talks, which failed to reach a solution, marked the first time Iran and Saudi Arabia were at the same table to discuss Syria’s civil war, which has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced millions over nearly five years.

The war has evolved into a wider proxy struggle between global powers, as Russia has joined the Assad-Iran axis and Western powers have stepped up support for Gulf Arab-backed rebels.

Iran has said it could support Assad’s departure only if he is ousted in elections held after a ceasefire. Western and Gulf Arab powers say the Syrian strongman, whose crackdown on initially peaceful protests in 2011 triggered the war, must leave power as part of any credible peace process.

US navigation moves in South Cameron to give strongest warning over possible EU exit to leave the EU if he failed to seNOVEMBER 8 agreement, and if Britain’s con- such as barring in-work benefits “DISHONEST GIMMICK” China Sea will continue: Carter LONDON, The Vote Leave campaign, cure any agreement, the tone of (REUTERS): British Prime cerns were to be met with a deaf for EU migrants for four years,

SIMI VALLEY, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): The United States will conduct freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea again, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a speech on Saturday, although he gave no timeline for any such actions.

Carter’s comments, delivered at a defense forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, came at the close of a trip to Asia, where he cruised on a U.S. aircraft carrier operating in the South China Sea and blamed Beijing’s island-building for rising tensions in the region.

In October, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, the USS Lassen, challenged territorial limits around one of China’s manmade islands in the Spratly archipelago with a so-called freedom-of-navigation patrol.

“We’ve done them before, all over the world,” Carter said, in reference to the operation. “And we will do them again.”

A rising and more ambitious China and a Russia intent on flouting the international order mean the U.S. military must adapt its strategies and operations, he said.

“How China behaves will be the true test of its commitment to peace and security,” Carter said. “This is why nations across the region are watching China’s actions in areas like the maritime domain and cyberspace.”

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims.

“China has reclaimed more land than any other country in the entire history of the region,” Carter said.

The United States is “deeply concerned” about the extent of land reclamation and the prospect of further militarization there, which could lead to a greater “risk of miscalculation or conflict,” he said.

The United States is responding to China’s moves by putting its “best and newest” assets in the Asia-Pacific and investing in space, cyber, missile defense, and electronic warfare, he added.

Another challenge for the United States is Russia’s “provocations,” including in Europe and the Middle East, Carter said, adding that Russia has violated the sovereignty of Ukraine and is trying to intimidate Baltic states.

He also criticized Russia for prolonging Syria’s civil war, although he said it was possible Russia could play a constructive role in ending the conflict.

Yemen fighting kills more than 50 CAIRO, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): More than 50 people were killed in Yemen in the past two days in fighting pitting an Arab coalition against Houthi fighters backed by troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, medical sources and residents said on Sunday.

In Taiz, medical sources told Reuters 29 people including eight civilians were killed in clashes in Yemen’s third largest city, where relief workers have said fighting has blocked food supplies and left thousands of people in extreme hunger.

About 30 people were killed in fighting in Damt district in Dhalea governorate in the south, residents said.

At least 5,600 people have been killed in seven months of war in Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, and the United Nations says the humanitarian situation, exacerbated by the Arab coalition’s blockade of Yemeni ports, grows worse every day.

The conflict pits the Iran-allied Houthis and army units loyal to Saleh against armed groups who support exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi alongside a Saudi-led Arab coalition.

The coalition is fighting to restore Hadi to power following the Houthis’ seizure of control of much of Yemen in late 2014 and early 2015, and reverse what it sees as an expansion of influence by Iran, the regional rival of Riyadh.

Several residents said the Houthis and the forces loyal to Saleh had taken control of Damt district, and of al Qabbayta district in Lahej governorate.

Other residents said without elaborating that anti-Houthi fighters had made a tactical withdrawal from those locations, and were receiving air support from the coalition.

Peace efforts have made only limited progress. All major combatants have publicly agreed to implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 2216, which calls on Houthi and Saleh forces to withdraw from the country’s main cities and surrender arms captured from Yemeni government forces.

But while Hadi and the coalition have previously demanded that this happen before talks begin, the Houthis and Saleh want talks to address the mechanism for implementing Resolution 2216.

Minister David Cameron will this week give his strongest warning yet that he might back Britain leaving the EU unless other European leaders agree to his demands for reform of the bloc.

Cameron is due to outline British demands for renegotiation of its European Union membership terms in a letter to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, to be published on Tuesday.

In a speech the same day, he will say that if no deal can be reached, he could back a British exit when an in/out referendum is held before the end of 2017.

“If we can’t reach such an

ear, which I do not believe will happen, then we will have to think again about whether this European Union is right for us,” Cameron will say, according to advance extracts of his speech.

“As I have said before -- I rule nothing out.” Cameron has faced criticism both at home and abroad -- including from his own eurosceptic backbenchers -- for not spelling out details of the concessions he is seeking from other European leaders with detailed discussions expected to accelerate before a summit next month.

Cameron’s letter to Tusk is expected to include demands

an exemption from any closer EU integration, and more powers for national governments to block EU legislation.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the letter would draw together changes the government has previously said it is seeking but would not demand specific legislative measures. “We don’t want to be excessively prescriptive at the beginning of a discussion,” Hammond told the BBC, saying that there were a range of ways to achieve most of Britain’s objectives. “This letter is not the end of the process, it’s the beginning of the process,” he said.

which wants Britain to exit the bloc, said Cameron’s reform agenda lacked ambition, calling it a “dishonest gimmick”. “We expect Cameron to get what he’s asking for, but what he’s asking for is trivial,” the campaign’s director, Dominic Cummings, said.

Cameron’s office said that Britain will begin a fresh round of meetings as the renegotiation enters a new “intensive” phase, with senior representatives of member states invited to Brussels to discuss the letter along with European Council officials. While Cameron has never ruled out campaigning

the speech will be his strongest assertion to date that the status quo is unacceptable.

However, Cameron will also repeat that he wants Britain to remain in the 28-nation bloc, which it joined in 1973, and is confident a deal can be struck to satisfy Britain and its partners. He will also deliver a strong message to those on both sides of the debate over a British exit.

“Those who believe we should stay in the EU at all costs need to explain why Britain should accept the status quo. I am clear that there are real problems with this,” he will say.

Palestinian driver shot dead in Pope deplores Vatican leaks, vows reforms will continue documents to the authors of two CITY, NOVEMWest Bank after injuring four VATICAN new books.

BER 8 (REUTERS): Pope

JERUSALEM, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): A Palestinian driver was shot dead after ramming his car into a bus stop in the occupied West Bank, injuring four people, police said on Sunday, the latest in violence that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will discuss in White House talks. Since Oct. 1, 11 Israelis have been killed in street attacks by Palestinians motivated in part by Muslim agitation at stepped-up Jewish visits to a contested Jerusalem holy site, and by deadlocked U.S.-backed peace-making efforts.

Israeli forces have killed at least 72 Palestinians, including 43 who Israel says were carrying out or about to carry out attacks with knives, guns or cars. Palestinians question whether all of those killed posed a lethal threat and have accused the Israelis of excessive force.

On Sunday, a Palestinian man rammed his car into a bus stop near the Jewish settlement of Tapuach in the West Bank, injuring four people, an Israeli police spokeswoman said. Paramilitary police troopers shot the man dead, she said. At the entrance to another settlement, Beitar Illit, a Palestinian woman stabbed and lightly injured a security guard who then shot and wounded her, an Israeli military spokeswoman said.

Francis on Sunday condemned the recent leak of sensitive Vatican documents as a deplorable crime but said it would not distract him from forging ahead with reforms at the Holy See. Making his first public comments about the leaks since the arrest last week of two people suspected of giving the documents to Italian journalists, he asked the faithful not to be disturbed and to continue praying for the good of the Church.

“I also want to tell you that this sad fact will certainly not distract me from the work of reform that is moving ahead with the help of my aides and the

support of all of you,” he told tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square for his Sunday blessing.

Last week the Vatican arrested two people - a high-ranking Holy See official and an Italian woman who is a public relations expert - for allegedly leaking the

Both were members of a commission Francis set up several months after his election in March, 2013 to advise him on financial and administrative reforms in the Holy See. “Stealing those documents is a crime, it is a deplorable act that does not help,” he said, adding that some of the reforms suggested by the commission were already starting to bear fruit.

The two new books which are based on the leaked documents depict a Vatican plagued by mismanagement, greed and corruption and where Francis faces stiff resistance from the old guard to his reform agenda.

In Myanmar, a festival of democracy tinged with doubt YANGON, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): As polls closed on Myanmar’s historic election day, diplomats and other observers said the vote was largely free and fair, with no reports so far of violence or major fraud, just a solid turnout from a lively and informed electorate.

“From the dozens of people we have spoken to since 6 a.m. today, everybody feels they have been able to vote for whoever they wanted to in security and safety,” said Durudee Sirichanya, an international observer with the ASEAN Secretariat.

Factory manager Shein Win and his wife, Khin Myat Maw, arrived holding hands to cast their votes in Yangon in Myanmar’s first credible general election in 25 years. Both now 46, they took part in a 1988 democracy protest that brought Aung San Suu Kyi to prominence.

“We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” said Khin Myat Maw as they stood in line.

There were cheers from crowds of well-wishers, who held up ink-stained fingers to show they had voted, as Suu Kyi made a whistle-stop tour of polling booths in her constituency near Myanmar’s commercial capital.

A woman is seen at a polling station while casting her vote in the capital Naypyitaw November 8, 2015. REUTER

Roughly 30 million people were eligible to vote on Sunday, many expressing joy at the milestone their country had reached after nearly half a century of dictatorship, and a sense of duty to be part of it. One man who works as an accountant in Singapore said he had flown home just to vote and would head back the next day.

In a downtown neighbourhood of Myanmar’s northern city

of Mandalay, Myint Myint, 95, was perched on a plastic chair carried by three men along a dirt path and past a snaking line of voters to the local polling station.

“A vote is a vote,” her granddaughter, Phyo Kyaw explained. “Come on, this is our responsibility.”

FEAR AND ANGER But there was anxiety, too, as many voters recalled the election

of 1990, when a landslide victory for Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party was brushed aside by military rulers.

Khin May Oo, a 73-year-old doctor who voted in Yangon, said the election may have brought Myanmar to a turning point, but added nervously of the generals who retain significant power: “I’m not sure whether they will accept the election results.”

The military’s commanderin-chief told reporters on Sunday the outcome of the vote would be respected, even if - as is widely expected - Suu Kyi’s NLD emerges as the winner.

Indeed, at a military base in the capital, Naypyitaw, Captain Wai Yan Aung said when his duty shift ended he would change from his uniform into traditional dress and cast his vote. “It’s a big and exciting day for our country,” he said.

Dampening the celebration was the cancellation of voting in areas of the country affected by ethnic violence, which activists estimate has cut some 4 million people out of the electoral process.

In Mandalay, about 100 people were stopped from voting after election officials discovered

they were outsiders who had been added to the voter list by a third party and then bussed in to vote.

“It was an attempt at fraud, that’s why we didn’t let them vote,” said Hla Soe of the Union Election Commission.

There was also indignation about voter lists riddled with errors.

Linn Htet Aung, 25, who works for an environment NGO in Yangon, said he was excited about the potential for change in the country but disappointed because his name was omitted from the voter list in a slum area on the outskirts of the city.

“I am angry,” he said. “All my friends are voting today but I can’t. I want to choose the government I like but I can’t.”

Aung Than Htun, an NLD official monitoring a polling station in the slum, said he had discovered dead people on the voting list. But other than that “it seems fine”, he said.

Behind him, small white voting slips sat in piles on a table, with rocks and pebbles serving as paperweights. A sudden gust of wind blew a handful off the table and election officials had to scurry to collect them.

10

MOnDAY 09•11•2015

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

relentless bayern march AASA meet concludes, Hozukhe on, Wolfsburg drop points village wins football title

Munich, noveMber 8 (iAnS): Front-runners Bayern Munich cruised to a 4-0 victory over Stuttgart in the southern derby as Mainz upset third placed Wolfsburg 2-0 in the 12th round of Bundesliga.

After crushing Arsenal 4-1 in the Champions League, Bayern Munich continued with their goalfest as Josep Guardiola's men swept Stuttgart with four first-half goals to seal the deal before the break on Saturday, reports Xinhua.

The German record champions needed only 11 minutes to open the scoring as Arjen Robben completed a counter-attack thanks to the build-up by Douglas Costa following a Stuttgart corner. Costa got his name on the scoresheet

only seven minutes later as he made use of Thomas Mueller's square pass to slot home from 17 metres.

The 'Swabians' were unable to put up resistance allowing the 'Bavarians' to triple the lead through Bundesliga top-scorer Robert Lewandowski, who tapped in Mueller's pinpoint cross into the box (37th minute). The hosts weren't done with scoring as Mueller rounded off his performance with two assists and one goal to put the game beyond doubt moments later.

After the restart, Bayern retracted while Stuttgart's consolation goal was denied by referee Bastian Dankert due to a supposed offside position by Timo Werner.

With the result, Bayern increase their advantage atop the standings while Stuttgart slump into the drop zone after suffering their eighth loss.

Third placed Wolfsburg suffered a setback in the hunt for Bayern and Dortmund as Dieter Hecking's men lost 0-2 to Mainz.

The 'Wolves' were in search for their fourth win in row but things did not go as expected as Julian Draxler saw a straight card for an unintentional but heavy foul to Mainz's Gonzalo Jara, who met Draxler's high leg in the face with 14 minutes played.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors as Diego Benaglio's parry landed in the path of Pablo de Blasis, who had no prob-

lems to tap home the opener (31st). Ten-men Wolfsburg were unable to fight back thus Mainz's Yunus Malli made the game safe by scoring his seventh goal of the season (75th).

Mainz's fifth win move the 'Nullfuenfer' to ninth place while Wolfsburg stay third, five points adrift of Dortmund who step into contest on Sunday.

Cologne reaped a 2-1 victory over rivals Leverkusen at the 57th Rhine derby by courtesy of Dominic Maroh's brace.

Cologne started aggressively and broke the deadlock with 17 minutes into the game as Marcel Risse's free-kick crossed into the box and found Dominci Maroh. Leverkusen responded and restored parity thanks to Javier Hernandez, whose header, following a cross by Admir Mehmedi, found the back of the net (33rd).

The second half started with a blow for Leverkusen as Kyriakos Papadopoulos was sent off for a foul to Anthony Modeste (53rd). The visitors took advantage of their superior number as Dominic Maroh wrapped up his brace and the 2-1 victory for Cologne.

After suffering the second straight loss, Leverkusen slumped to eighth place as Cologne climb to seventh. Elsewhere, Monchengladbach and Ingolstadt as well as Hoffenheim and Frankfurt shared the spoils after goalless 90 minutes and newly promoted Darmstadt held Hamburg to 1-1 draw.

Football champion Hozukhe village and runner-up Nihokhu village pose for lens along with the guest of honor of the closing function on Saturday.

DiMAPur, nobeMber 8 (Mexn): Hozukhe village lifted the Ato Area GBs’ Football Trophy for four successive years defeating Nihokhu village by a solitary goal in the final that was played on the concluding day of 30th session of Ato Area Sports’ Association (AASA) at Nihokhu village ground on Saturday last. Khehoi village finished in third place. H. Khehovi Awomi who graced the closing function of the session as guest of honor witnessed the exciting final match and gave away the prizes to the winners.

Speaking on the occasion, the guest of honor outlined the important global role that games and sports play in the present day. He also stressed on the need for all concerned to put in more effort in the development of games and

18th ANpsA sports Meet concludes

DiMAPur, noveMber 8 (Mexn): The 18th Annual Sports Meet 2015 of the All Nagaland Private Schools Association (ANPSA), Dimapur Unit came to a close on November 7at Carmel Hr. Sec. School, 4th Mile, Dimapur. There were 18 member schools which participated in the event. The twoday Sports Meet which was organized under the theme “Excellence through Sports” showcased various sporting events including field and track events.

The inaugural function which was held at Carmel Hr. Sec. School on 6th of November was graced by Rev. Dr. Anto. Leo David, General Secretary of ANPSA, Dimapur Unit was the Chairperson of the function which began at 9:00 AM. The

Warne, Ponting help Warriors beat Blasters new York, noveMber 8 (iAnS): An unbeaten 48-run innings from former Australia captain Ricky Ponting and some inspired bowling by spin legend Shane Warne helped Warne's Warriors beat Sachin's Blasters by six wickets in the first T20 All Stars clash.

Sachin's Blasters, put into bat, posted a score of 140/8 in their 20 overs on Saturday.

Tendulkar-Sehwag put on 85 in eight overs with the latter hammering six sixes and three fours in his 55-run innings off just 22 balls.

Shane Warne was named man-of-the-match for figures of 3-20 from four overs at the Citi Field ground. Warne picked up the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar (26), Brian Lara (1) and V.V.S. Laxman (8) to turn the match his side's way after Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag (55) had got the Blasters off to a rapid start. The target was comfortably chased down by the Warriors with 16 balls and six wickets to spare with Ponting leading the way in run chase with an unbeaten 48 from just 38 balls, including three sixes. Ponting was assisted by Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara, who contributed 41 runs in front of a crowd of 36,000. The AllStar series moves to Houston and Los Angeles in the next week. This series in America, conceptualised by Tendulkar and Warne, is aimed at generating a greater supporter base for the game in America.

opening prayer was led by Rev. Fr. K.C. James, Principal of Carmel Hr. Sec. School, while the welcome note was given by Andrew Ahoto, President of ANPSA Dimapur Unit.

This was followed by the Flag hoisting and parade inspection by the Chief Guest. Around 13 parade contingents from various schools took part in the March Past. After the March Past, the 18th ANPSA Annual Sports Meet 2015 was formally declared open by the Chief Guest after which the participating teams from all the member schools took the oath under Dr. R. Francis, Sports Secretary of ANPSA, Dimapur Unit. Other highlights of the Opening Ceremony were the Torch Run, Gospel Choreography by students of Bethesda School,

Lotha Dance by students of King David School and a Choral Presentation by students of Lima Aier Hr. Sec. School.

The Closing Function on 7th October 2015 was marked by distribution of Prizes in various categories and events. Christian Hr. Sec. School and Livingstone Foundation Hr. Sec. School were declared as the Overall Champion and Runners-up in the Higher Secondary Section while in the High School Section, Pilgrim School and Christian Hr. Sec. School were adjudged the Overall Champion and the Runners-up respectively.

In the March Past event, Eden Hr. Sec. School, Thilixu got the 1st position while Pilgrim School and Lorna’s School got 2nd and 3rd

positions respectively. Moalong of Christian Hr. Sec. School and Vitsonino of Carmel Hr. Sec. School won the best boy and girl athletes in the Higher Secondary Section.

The best boy and girl athletes in the High School Section were won by Pulovi of Christian Hr. Sec. School and Hamsainli of Little Daffodils School respectively.

The programme came to a grand close with the bringing down of the Flag by Leo David, convenor of the 18th ANPSA Annual Sports Meet 2015 and the Flag March by the NCC Cadets. The closing prayer was said by Dr. R. Francis, Sports Secretary, ANPSA Dimapur Unit. Earlier, the vote of thanks was proposed by the Convenor, Leo David.

Djokovic advances to Paris Masters final, faces Murray

PAriS, noveMber 8 (iAnS): Serbian World No.1 Novak Djokovic lost his first set since the US Open final but recovered to beat fourthseeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 to advance to a showdown in the Paris Masters final against Scotland's Andy Murray.

Wawrinka showed again that he can trouble Djokovic when playing at his peak, although the outcome of the day's second semi-final made it clear how difficult it is to maintain that level for an entire match here on Saturday, reports Efe. Djokovic easily won the first set and broke serve in the opening game of the second, but from 0-2 down Wawrinka lifted his game to dizzying heights to reel off five straight games

and frustrate the Serb into breaking one of his racquets. But in the third set the match quickly slipped away from Wawrinka, who had played into the early hours of Saturday in defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals of this indoor hard-court event and had little recovery time before the semi-finals.

With the win, Djokovic advanced to his 14th consecutive tournament final, a feat unmatched by another male player since reliable statistics began to be kept. He will square off on Sunday against the second-seeded Murray, who cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 semi-final victory over Spain's David Ferrer. The Serbian has had one of the greatest years in tennis history, winning the Australian Open, Wimble-

don and the US Open, as well as five Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour Masters 1000 titles.

The 10-time Grand Slam champion has failed to reach the final of only one tournament this season an Australian Open tune-up event in January in Dubai, where he fell to big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic in the quarter-finals.

Wawrinka handed Djokovic his only loss in a Grand Slam event in 2015 when he defeated him in the final of Roland Garros, the only major tournament that has eluded the Serb in his illustrious career.

On Sunday, Djokovic also will be seeking to become the first player to win six Masters 1000 titles in a single season.

We face long road to redemption, says IAAF chief Coe

LonDon, noveMber 8 (reuTerS): World athletics president Sebastian Coe said he reacted with "shock, anger and sadness" to this week's allegations of bribery, extortion and doping cover-ups and said the sport faces a "long road to redemption". Coe, elected as the president of the sport's IAAF governing body in August, has been dealing with the latest crisis to hit athletics after French authorities this week placed his long-serving predecessor Lamine Diack under formal investigation on suspicion of corruption and money laundering.

Senegalese Diack, 82, is alleged to have received more than one million euros in bribes in 2011 to

cover up positive doping tests of Russian athletes.

Briton Coe told BBC Radio Five Live on Sunday: "I was in clear shock and a great deal of anger and a lot of sadness. These are dark days for our sport, but I'm more determined than ever to rebuild the trust in our sport. "It's not going to be a short journey and the day after I got elected I started a massive review, and understandably in light of the allegations that were made this week that review has been accelerated.

"I'm determined to rebuild and repair the sport with my council colleagues, but this is a long road to redemption." The IAAF this year vigorously defended itself against allegations

of widespread doping in the sport and that it had failed to properly investigate thousands of dubious drugs test results between 2001 and 2012 Coe's comments came as one of the three co-authors of a report by the World Anti-Doping Agency into wrongdoing within athletics said that the sport is dealing with a "whole different level of corruption" to that which has plagued world soccer's governing body FIFA. Richard McLaren, a Canadian law professor and sports lawyer who is one of three men investigating allegations of widespread and systematic drug-taking and malpractice in athletics said: "Here you potentially have

a bunch of old men who put a whole lot of extra money in their pockets -- through extortion and bribes -- but also caused significant changes to actual results and final standings of international athletics competitions.

"This is a whole different scale of corruption than the FIFA scandal." Soccer's world governing body FIFA has been in turmoil since 14 officials and sports marketing executives, including two FIFA vice-presidents, were indicted by the United States in May. FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his European counterpart Michel Platini have since been suspended while Swiss authorities investigate the Zurich-based federation's activities.

sports in the area.

He encouraged the youngsters to take up games and sports in the true dedication and hard-work for it provide avenues for sportspersons to earn name and fame for themselves besides enhancing their economic stability. He reminded them to also give equal importance to education.

Kimiye of Hozukhe bagged the best player award while Hokuto of Nihokhu and Himaka of Hozukhe were named best goalkeeper and best defender respectively. Kavi of Hozukhe who also scored a hat-trick remained the highest scorer.

In the other events, S. Hetoyi village lifted Nikhekhu Memorial Volleyball Trophy (men’s) defeating Loyir village in the final.

Sukhato village had to be contended in third spot.

Yimto Yim of Loyir was named best player. Women volleyball team of Hozukhe won the champion title of Nikhekhu Memorial Volleyball Trophy (women’s) and Nikhekhu village bagged the runner-up trophy followed by Toshiho village in the second runner-up spot.

Esther Rochill of Hozukhe emerged as best women’s volleyball player.

In Shekuto Suu Memorial Badminton Trophy, Nihokhu village team showed dominance winning both men and women event. Nikhekhu and Toshiho finished 1st & 2nd runners-up respectively in men’s badminton. Anato of Nihokhu was the best player. Hozukhe and Toshiho finished 1st & 2nd respectively in women’s badminton while Rosy Zhimo of Nikhekhu was named best women shuttler.

Closing function was attended by host dignitaries including members of various sports associations of Western Sumi. Kaviho Yeptho, president AASA who spoke on the occasion acknowledged the valuable contribution all concerned in making the 30th AASA meet a successful event.

Hokishe GB and secretary AAGBA welcomed the dignitaries to the closing the function while Ato Yimchunger did the introduction of the players of the final football match.

Hozheto Yeptho GB and advisor AASA proposed the vote of thanks while H. Atoho Chophy, secretary AAPF pronounced the benediction.

Members of Dimapur District Football Referees’ Association led by Ivuto Wotsa, officiated the football matches.

bangladesh pM assures icc of foolproof security for u-19 Wc

DhAkA, noveMber 8 (iAnS): Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has assured the International Cricket Council (ICC) that her government will provide foolproof security for the forthcoming Under-19 World Cup. The prime minister was talking to a four-member ICC team, headed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dave Richardson, at Ganabhaban on Saturday evening. The ICC had in October said that Bangladesh would host the U-19 World Cup from January 22 to February 14, reports bdnews24.com.

The prime minister's press secretary Ihsanul Karim later said Hasina underscored Bangladesh's capability to provide worldclass security for a sport the people are fascinated with. "The ICC team appreciated the cricket stadium at Cox's Bazaar," he said. The 56-year-old Richardson said the purpose of his visit to Bangladesh was to assess the security scenario by meeting relevant agencies.

"You are aware that Australia postponed their tour of Bangladesh because

of some security concern. So we wanted to visit Bangladesh and meet all the relevant security agencies and high commissions of the member countries," he said.

He added that it was mandatory for ICC to inspect a host country to study the risk factors and ensure the safety of players, umpires, match officials and their friends and relatives. "Security has become more challenging in recent times but that does not mean we cannot hold any event in a particular places," Richardson said.

The inspection team would be submitting its security assessment report by the end of this month.

Questions have been raised on the security scenario since a series of attacks on bloggers and publishers besides the killing of two foreign nationals -- Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella in Dhaka on September 27 and Japanese farmer Kunio Hoshi in Rangpur on October 3. Islamic State (IS) militant group later claimed responsibility for the murders of Tavella and Hoshi.

public discourse

in Need of True leaders

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umorously, yet paradoxically it is said of the Nagas that every single person we pass through in the street isin one way or the othera leader of some organizations, offices, student body, tribal community, Churches and administrator of some kind. I sensed that these platforms are enabling the youngsters to develop their leadership qualities and personality. It hasalso polished many to become better responsible citizen and servants. No doubt about that. But sadly, can we find true leaders among us?

Although leadership trainings are conducted on rampant rows,the VVIP culture is so strong that it seems the principles of leadership are simply to be noted down for speeches, sermons and write-ups.All the rhetoric and sugar-coated words are equivalent to nothing unless practical evidence is attached to the speaker. Our society has become a place where most VIP and bureaucratshave the authority to show off even on roads and offices.

The publics have to beg them to get things done. Although there are exceptions to that, most have to be pleased with bucks by the publics to get their jobs done. Very, very sad, isn’t it? This virus is also slowly infecting the churches as well. The idea of lording over the flock and not shepherding is apparent in many church leaders. The secular idea of leaders exploiting the subordinates for one’s own advantage, prosperity and fame has taken a hold of many so-called godly leaders. But who am I to judge? Time will reveal all hidden things.

Our identity and status seems to be defined by our fancy cars to latest phones, gadgets and clothes. Only when we look around our towns and neighbourhood do we realize that we are all stuck together in a huge mess. The status conscious-

ness is really killing all of us. Can we realize that our clothes, gadgets, cars or our big palaces do not define our status rather it is our attitude towards people that truly defines who we really are! Not how big our house is but how big our heart is to accommodate people in our homes and in our lives! Not how much we have amassed but how much we have given for philanthropic works.

This menace of ego, selfishness, and the I-problems are eating up our societal system from top to bottom. Therefore, let us examine ourselves for the God whom we serve and worship has shown us His great model of what true leadership is. He did not set an example by which He did not follow. He chose to tread upon the roads of self-emptying, self-denial, and selfless sacrifice for the good of his followers. In simple words, He walked the talk.

Leaders of history have come and gone but true leaders still lives in people’s heart and lives. There is a need for true leaders in our society. A leader who is not only concerned about his own family, acquaintance or tribe, but is willing to forgo his own interest for someone else’ welfare, a leader who loves his people more than money, a leader who is godly to stand for truth and justice, a leader who is willing to release the funds without any reservation, a leaders who has the consciousness of moral accountability, one who delivers his promise and a leader who honours God and his office.

Our people are praying and crying out for true leaders in every profession. May God raise true leaders in our land and pull the false leaders down for His glory and for the good of His people, Amen.

Vebu Khamo Kohima Bible College

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.

Monday 09•11•2015

Leonardo DiCaprio visits Haryana village to see the catastrophic impact of climate change

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n a visit to India in his role as a climate activist, Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio held discussions here on how the world should work together to combat catastrophic climate change and also went to a Haryana village to see the impact of unseasonal weather on farmers.

The star of such films as Titanic and The Departed, DiCaprio was in the country last week. During his visit, he held extensive discussions on energy poverty and use of renewable energy as the way forward.

The Hollywood actor took part here in a sitdown interview on climate change with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

"DiCaprio visited India last week for a sit-down interview on climate change with CSE. He wanted to understand our perspectives on the issue and discuss how the world should work together to combat catastrophic climate change," the environment NGO said in a release here.

During the meeting, top CSE officials, including its DG, Sunita Narain, discussed that what the world needs is an ambitious and

equitable agreement on climate change.

"But that cannot happen unless we are willing to discuss the issue of consumption and lifestyle - US lifestyle has to be negotiable," CSE emphasised.

The discussions took place even as the world is gearing up to reach an agreement on climate change at the Paris Climate meet be-

tween November 30 to December 11 with the goal of keeping global warming to below 2 C. CSE officials later accompanied DiCaprio to Kheladi village in Mewat district of Haryana.

"We wanted DiCaprio to see the impact of unseasonal weather on farmers of our country. In this village, he saw acres of pro-

ductive farmland that was still under water because of extreme rain that had hit the district in mid- September. "Farmers said they did not know if this was climate change, but they told DiCaprio, in no uncertain words, that their experience of over 50 years in farming was telling them that there was something new and catastrophic

afoot," CSE said.

According to reports, the superstar's visit was part of an upcoming documentary film on climate change.

Noting that it was a "fascinating and enriching" day for them, CSE said that DiCaprio's deep commitment to environmental change was "evident".

"But what was also clear is that DiCaprio is a celebrity environmentalist with a difference - he is willing to confront difficult and contested questions because he knows only then can we jointly find the resolution to the coming challenge of a climate-risked world," CSE said.

During his visit to the village, DiCaprio also saw women cooking using cow dung and firewood.

"Even in households which had LPG connections, it was too expensive to use and so women continue to cook using these polluting sources," CSE said. Narain and the superstar also discussed at length the issues of energy poverty and how renewable energy could be the way ahead, but only if the world accepted that it needed to provide funds to make the transition to a clean energy future.

After Basic Instinct, no one wanted to pay me: Sharon Stone

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C M Y K

ollywood star Sharon Stone is the latest star to voice her opinion on gender and wage gap issue in Hollywood. She said she was paid much less than any man even after her breakthrough role in Basic Instinct. “After Basic Instinct, no one wanted to pay me,” Stone said on Friday night at a fashion event to honour her sister Kelly Stone at The Setai in Miami, reports People.

“I remember sitting in my kitchen with my manager and just crying and saying ‘I’m not going to work until I get paid’. I still got paid so much less than any man,” she added. The 57-year-old actor, an advocate for women’s rights,

recalled the time she had difficulty landing an acting job after starring in the 1992 erotic thriller, further said that the issue extends beyond the movie industry in Hollywood, saying that change, “has to start with regular pay, not just for movie stars, but regular pay for the regular woman in the regular job.”

She recalled being a struggling actor and working the tables as waitress early in her career. “I waited tables and scrubbed floors and everything else on the way up, and you must make the same, and it’s not cool that you don’t. “More than 50 per cent of marriages end in divorce and the women are working and taking care of their kids and that’s how it goes and you have to say ‘Yes’ because you have to feed your children. It’s a sort of economic blackmail.” Stone also added that the issue extends beyond the movie industry in Hollywood, saying that change “has to start with regular pay, not just for movie stars, but regular pay for the regular woman in the regular job.”

Selena Gomez to Radio hosts: find me an Australian Boyfriend

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elena Gomez hasn't found herself a new b oy f r i e n d s i n c e breaking up with Justin Bieber. In an interview with KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O on Thursday, November 5, the 23-year-old singer/ actress declared that she's single and would love to date an Australian guy.

"Obviously the tour has been taking up my entire life but yeah I am single and enjoying it," the "Same Old Love" songstress said. She added, "You need to find me an Australian." Host Kyle Sandilands responded, "As soon as you get here we will go for a drive around Bondi beach. You point and I will get them in the car." Selena's declarations come just days after Justin admitted that he's "never going to stop loving her." He told Access Hollywood about their breakup, "It was really tough. I don't know if I'm over it yet.

I think that I'm definitely in another place and I think we've definitely went our separate ways. I love her and I want her to be awesome, but there are things that remind me of her." He added of Selena, "[She] is someone I love dearly. I'm never going to stop loving her. I'm never going to stop checking in on her. I don't think if you end a relationship, you should end that, unless it was super toxic and you guys were hurting each other physically or mentally. We always respected each other and we still respect each other." In a new interview with Billboard magazine, the Canadian superstar also said about his former girlfriend, "When you love someone that much, even if something comes between you, it's a love that never really dies," adding, "I'm proud of the woman she is today."

Vidya Balan stands up against her false quote

Elvis Presley tops UK album chart again, 40 years on

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early 40 years after his death, Elvis Presley is back at the top of the British album charts with his 12th UK Number 1 -- "If I Can Dream," a collection of Elvis classics featuring orchestral reworkings by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

This means Elvis now has more Number 1 albums in the UK than any other male solo artist, and puts him level with Madon-

na in second place for the most chart-topping LPs, behind the Beatles, who have 15, the Official Charts Company said on Friday.

Elvis claimed top spot with 79,000 chart sales, it added, giving him the second-fastest selling album of the year behind Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' "Chasing Yesterday."

Rod Stewart landed his 34th Top 10 album with "Another Country," new

at Number 2, while Elbow frontman Guy Garvey was third with his first solo release "Courting The Squall."

In the singles charts, Adele was top for a second week with "Hello," Britain's fastest-selling record of 2015, keeping Justin Bieber's "Sorry" down in second spot.

Sam Smith's James Bond theme "Writing's On The Wall" climbed back up one place to Number 3.

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he actress comes clean on Twitter, after some mischief monger posted a false statement in her name!

Every day, we are reading about top film-makers and writers returning their awards and honours to protest against the growing intolerance in the country. Last week, almost 24 celebs, including Dibakar Bannerjee, returned their awards, including National awards. While this form of protest has its share of admirers, there are many others who feel this is just an over-reaction, and awards should not be returned as it

is the people who chose to give them to the select few in respect of their admirable work. However, this has also made opportunities for a few mischief mongers to create distrust and infighting among celebs, after planting false statements against a few. Vidya Balan was one such victim.

Apparently, someone had put a quote against her, where she had allegedly said that all those are returning awards are the ones who bought them in the first place, and she will never return her National award (which she had won for her role as Silk in The Dirty Picture).

One Direction releases new He Named Me song as ‘closure’ before hiatus Malala Review

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oy band One Direction has released a new song titled "History", as a dedication to its fans, ahead of its fifth album "Made in the AM" on November 13 followed by the group's announced hiatus. The hand-clapping, sing-along song is about all the band has been through and accomplished alongside the One Direction fans for the past five years, reported Aceshowbiz. The lyrics include, "You and me, we got a whole lot of history/ We could be the greatest thing the world has ever seen/ This is not the end/ We can make it, you know it, you know." One Direction also shared a video of Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson talking about the new track.

Harry Styles wrote on Twitter, "You've got to help me, I'm losing my mind," along with a link to "History". Horan, meanwhile, tweeted, "Loving the trend again today.. Love

Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) creates a riveting portrait of the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai. And it's her amazing story and magnetic personality that holds the attention, rather than the way Guggenheim reorders her life to punch the emotional buttons. Malala is a genuinely inspirational figure who has spent her entire life trying to make the world a better place. And amid threats of violence. she's still only 18.

And the Taliban responded how u are responding to history.. It's one our by trying to kill her. She was favourite songs we've ever done.. So this he film explores her shot in the head, but surmakes me happy. Loving the trend again tochildhood in Swat vived and fled to England day.. Love how u are responding to history..

Valley, northern with her family, where she It's one our favourite songs we've ever done..

So this makes me happy." Liam Payne de- Pakistan, where she was recovered and continues scribed "History" as a "modern version" of named by her father Zi- to travel the world speak"You've Got a Friend in Me". "More than any- auddin after a 19th century ing eloquently about issues thing, the song is about the way the fans and Afghan heroine who led the relating to education and everyone have created this massive thing - Pashtun fighters against refugees.

In its fly-on-the-wall One Direction - over the past five years," he British interlopers and was shared, "Out of ('History') comes a little bit of shot in the process. As a segments in England, the closure for this chapter of One Direction." He school teacher, Ziauddin film reveals Malala to be a said bringing fans to the recording studio for instilled in Malala a love of fairly typical teen, engagthe chorus of "History" was actually his idea, education, so when the Tal- ing in cheeky rivalry with but he wasn't able to go himself. "That was iban began to close schools her younger brothers Kusactually my idea. It's really great because ob- to girls, she began speaking hai and Atal, who tease her viously that song is mainly about the fans and out, first anonymously in a about her crush on Roger what they've done. I think it was important blog and then bravely ex- Federer. And she also has a that they were a part of it, to close the album. pressing herself in public very strong bond with her

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father and her mother Toor, who has a moving story of her own. Intercut with this are scenes of Malala meeting world leaders including Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II, plus journalists like Jon Stewart. Clearly this young woman was a gifted speaker even before she was propelled onto the global stage, passionately discussing the right to education and the truth about her faith. "Islam teaches me humanity, equality and forgiveness," she says. "The Taliban aren't Muslims.

They're not about faith, but power."

Guggenheim assem-

bles this with a terrific range of footage, stills, interviews and some lovely animated sequences. Oddly, he shuffles the chronology around.

Rather that telling Malala's story in a straightforward way, he cuts back and forth, and only in the end gets to the hideous attack that propelled her into the global stage. This feels rather manipulative, especially with Thomas Newman's tearwrenching score. But the story would have been just as powerful without this cinematic tinkering. And Malala has a lot to teach us about what it means to be part of a global community.

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SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Aston Villa hold Man City to scoreless draw

21ST CLASSIC CUP 2015 Kohima Local Ground NOVEMBER 9 FIXTURE

Ist Match (10:00 AM): School Education FC vs Mt. Youth Club 2nd Match (11:40 AM): Nokmei FC vs Head Hunter

FIFA to formally give India U-17 World Cup hosting rights

NEw DELhi, NOVEMBER 8 (iANS): World football governing body FIFA will later on Sunday entrust with India the right to host the third most important event on the FIFA calendar -- the Under-17 World Cup India 2017 -- at the closing ceremony of the 16th U-17 World Cup in Chile. The final of the 2015 U-17 World Cup will be played between Nigeria and Mali at Viña del Mar at 3.30 a.m. on Saturday. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) looks upon this as an important step towards building the sport in India. With 24 countries playing 52 matches, the tournament is scheduled to be played across six world-class FIFA certified venues in India. "We are proud to host the third most coveted international football tournament in the world and the biggest ever in Indian history," AIFF general secretary Kushal Das said. "This is a matter of national pride as we help create world class infrastructure, bring in professional planning and execution and deliver the best possible tournament to India's football lovers. We see this as the onset of a 'Football Revolution' in India." AIFF president Praful Patel said: "This is historic. Hosting a tournament of such stature will help galvanise the face of Indian football among the masses and youth of the country."

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LONDON, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): Former world number one Venus Williams scraped past Karolina Pliskova to win the WTA Elite Trophy on Sunday, the American claiming her third title of the season as she secured a return to the top 10 for the first time in four years. The top seed was forced to dig deep into her vast reservoirs of experience to stave off Pliskova's challenge and emerge a 7-5 7-6(6) winner against the gutsy Czech. "Seven weeks here in Asia and now I feel like it's my home," Williams told the WTA website (www.wtatennis.com). "I'm so excited to win the first trophy in Zhuhai. All the players felt so welcome here and we appreciated all of the enthusiasm. To see every seat filled for every match, that's all the players and tournament could hope for." The seven-time grand slam champion started well and raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set before Pliskova won the next three games to level scores but the American would not be denied.

The roles were reversed in the second set with Williams trailing 4-2 and by the same score in the tiebreak before she raised her game and unleashed back-to-back forehand winners to seal the contest. For the first time since 2008, Williams won three titles -- at Auckland, Wuhan and Zhuhai -- in a season and the 700 points she earned on Sunday helped the 35-year-old jump four places to world number seven in the new WTA rankings. Williams was last in the top 10 in 2011

LONDON, NOVEMBER 8 (AGENCiES): Aston Villa have avoided defeat for the first time in eight matches in the Premier League, sharing a goalless draw with Manchester City at Villa Park.

In their first match under new manager Remi Garde, the home side made a bright start, with Idrissa Gueyemaking the most of a strong spell of possession to launch a 20-yard strike towards the City goal, but the finish was just wide.

The league leaders soon started to see more of the ball, but Brad Guzan was on hand to deny Aleksandar Kolarov, while Fernando missed the target moments later. Manuel Pellegrini's side continued to look the more likely as the first half progressed, with Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling both using their pace to get forward, but the Villa defence limited their chances. There was a blow to City's striking options before half time though as Wilfried Bony was forced

off with an apparent hamstring injury, but Jesus Navas almost made an immediate impact after replacing the Ivorian, before seeing his cross cleared.

The visitors were on the attack again early in the second half as Kovarov curled the ball in from

a free kick, but Guzan parried the ball clear, before making a diving save moments later as Sterling tried to head in from a Navas delivery. City continued to dominate possession, but the Villa back four did enough to keep them out as the hour mark approached,

as Jordan Amavi and Scott Sinclair got back to scramble the ball away.

The visitors got forward again with 25 minutes remaining as Navas slipped the ball though to De Bruyne, but the Belgian scuffed his shot wide at the near post. There were

further efforts from Pellegrini's men as the final 10 minutes approached, but Sterling and Kolarov both failed to test Guzan, before Villa started to see more of the ball.

Leandro Bacuna looked to play the ball in for Jordan Ayew, but Joe

Hart rushed off his line to beat the winger to the ball. Ayew was replaced

by Rudy Gestede moments later as Villa sensed a chance to push for a late winner, but it was City who continued to threaten with Sterling and De Bruyne linking up again. The home side forced a controversial corner inside the final five minutes as Hart spilled a throw back from Gestede behind, resulting in the two sides clashing, but Villa could not make the most of it, with Gestede heading over. The home supporters were given a late scare as City forced a corner in stoppage time, but the crossbar denied Vincent Kompany with the header, before Fabian Delph drilled the ball just wide of the right post on the rebound. City continued to pile forward in the final moments, desperately seeking a late winner, but Guzan managed to grab a high ball into the box, ensuring that the home side claimed the point.

Forward Pato to join Liverpool, Vijender destroys opponent for second pro win reveals Corinthians chief

SAO PAULO, NOVEMBER 8 (iANS): Corinthians forward Alexandre Pato will sign for English Premier League (EPL) side Liverpool in January, the Brazilian football club's president Robero de Andrade has revealed.

The 26-year-old, once tipped as the next big Brazilian star, is currently on loan at Sao Paulo from Corinthians until December but Pato revealed this week that he will not be extending his stay.

The former AC Milan forward moved back to his country from Italy in 2013

and is said he is hoping for a move to England or Spain in the new year.

And if De Andrade is to be believed, Pato, who has not played for Brazil since 2012, will get his wish and is set to play a part in Jurgen Klopp's Anfield revolution once the winter window opens in January.

The Corinthians chief claimed that the deal is close to being agreed, admitting that there are still "a few missing details".

"There is an agreement in principle with Liverpool for the transfer in the coming weeks. Pato had

long expressed a desire to return to Europe," De Andrade was quoted as saying by dailymail.co.uk on Saturday.

"Liverpool await, there are a few missing details, but Klopp will have a new reinforcement and for Pato the Premier League will be a new springboard."

Klopp is short of fire power at the moment with Daniel Sturridge still struggling to shake off a persistent knee injury while summer signing Danny Ings has been ruled out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

DUBLiN, NOVEMBER 8 (iANS): Star Indian boxer Vijender Singh knocked out Dean Gillen of England in the opening round to register his second consecutive victory at the professional level at the National Stadium here on Saturday.

Vijender, who had scored a Technical Knock Out (TKO) victory over another Englishman Sony Whiting within three rounds in his debut bout was even more impressive in his second outing at the professional level.

The former Asian Games champion was more defensively solid than his first bout and put his opponent under pressure with

power packed blows to the body. Saturday's four-round bout against the 33-year-old Gillen was expected to be a tougher contest as the British boxer had won both his earlier fights.

But the contest turned out to be a total mismatch as the Haryana pugilist moved well in the ring, showcasing some nice footwork and put his opponent under pressure right from the start with powerful punches. The Englishman was visibly struggling to withstand Vijender's blows and was sent crashing to the canvas when the Indian caught him on the jaw with a straight punch.

Vijender - who entered

the ring to loud drum beats, Punjabi music and colourful dancing by a group of bhangra dancers - continued his brutal assault and even knocked over the referee at one point when he mistakenly caught the official with his elbow.

Vijender soon sent Gillen crashing to the ropes for a second time shortly before the end of the opening round and the Nottingham lad could not recover from the blow as the Indian fans among the sparse crowd in the arena erupted in joy.

Gillen, who turned pro in May this year, won gold at the 2013 World Police Games during his amateur career.

Chelsea crisis after defeat 18th Loyem Memorial Trophy in Jose Mourinho's absence

LONDON, NOVEMBER 8 (REUTERS): Jose Mourinho's future at Chelsea was pushed further under the spotlight on Saturday when the manager, absent through a stadium ban, may have watched in solitary misery as the champions lost yet again at Stoke City.

On a day when Jamie Vardy kept his amazing scoring exploits going for Leicester City to help Claudio Ranieri's side join Manchester City and Arsenal on 25 points at the top of the Premier League, the latest crisis for Mourinho still eclipsed all else.

The Portuguese had said his one-match suspension might force him to watch the match on a street corner on his iPad but, if media reports that he saw it at a nearby hotel are to be believed, Marko Arnautovic's 53rd-minute volley in Stoke's 1-0 home win will have made for wretched viewing.

It meant Mourinho was left surveying the wreckage of his worst-ever season in management, an unprecedented seventh league defeat in 12 matches being sealed by Arnautovic's acrobatic close-range effort.

Mourinho, who received the FA ban for making abusive comments to referee Jon Moss during last month's defeat at West Ham United, will have gone through agonies after Pedro hit the post with a curling shot as Chelsea piled on late pressure.

The defeat dropped Chelsea to fifth from bottom, astonishingly hovering three points above the relegation zone and placing further question marks over the manager's future at the club he led to championship glory just six

TUENSANG, NOVEMBER 8 (MExN): On the 18th day of the 23rd Loyem Memorial Senior Soccer Open Championship in Tuensang, Friends Sporting Lokhung decimated Blue Fraternity FC by scoring three goals to nil today.

Meren (11), Alem (13) and Wati (9) netted a goal each for Friends Sporting Lokhung while Blue Fraternity FC could not get pass the opponent custodian in the match. Bitsa (8) of Blue Fraternity FC was cautioned with a yellow card for foul play.

The second match of the day was played between Chongpo Vikings FC ‘A’ and Keshang XI. In the 13th minute, Mongko (11) easily converted a penalty kick into a score Fans with a cardboard cut-out Jose Mourinho before the match. (Reuters) that was awarded from a months ago. al Leicester penalty taker, penalty after Gareth McAu- hand ball. Anyak S (7) conGoalkeeper Asmir Be- handed the ball over when ley was sent off for hauling tributed another goal for govic, who was back at his Vardy was brought down by down Anthony Martial. former club Stoke on Sat- keeper Heurelho Gomes West Ham United urday, said Mourinho re- and the home crowd bayed missed the chance to close mained the "right man" for for the striker to be given on the leaders after Romelu Chelsea. the chance.

Lukaku scored against the "We are behind the "Of course Jamie want- Hammers at Upton Park manager, you can see that ed to score, that's normal," to earn Everton a 1-1 draw from our performances," Ranieri said. "Van Nistel- after on-loan Argentine said Begovic. "His spirit rooy was a fantastic striker Manuel Lanzini had put and his presence is always and, like him, Jamie has ev- the home side ahead. there. We wanted to get a erything to achieve at the Lukaku has now netted result for him." highest level." in all seven games he has Leicester became unThe Italian manager's played against the London likely bedfellows with gi- surprise packages, who outfit. ants Manchester City and spent last season strugSunderland's strugArsenal at the top as Vardy gling for survival, had gone gles at the foot of the table hammered home a 65th- ahead when midfielder continued as Southampminute penalty to score N'Golo Kante was amazed ton earned a deserved 1-0 for the ninth consecutive to see his weak 52nd-min- triumph at the Stadium of league match and secure ute effort roll under acci- Light, Dusan Tadic hama 2-1 victory over Watford. dent-prone Gomes' hands. mering home a 69th-minRanieri's Leicester are Troy Deeney's 75th- ute penalty. third on goal difference be- minute penalty for Watford Newcastle earned an hind City and Arsenal who proved in vain. important and highly imboth play on Sunday.

Manchester United probable 1-0 victory at kept up the pressure on the Bournemouth, scoring VAN NISTELROOY RECORD pacesetters when a terrific completely against the run Vardy needs to find the goal from youngster Jesse of play thanks to a 27thtarget in his next game at Lingard helped them to a minute Ayoze Perez goal.

Newcastle United to equal 2-0 home win over West Norwich City pulled the record of Manchester Bromwich Albion, putting clear of the danger zone United's Ruud van Nistel- the Old Trafford club with- with a 70th-minute Jonny rooy who netted in 10 suc- in a point of the leaders.

Howson header clinching cessive matches in 2003.

Juan Mata sealed the a 1-0 win at home to SwanRiyad Mahrez, the usu- deal with a stoppage-time sea City.

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Goal keeper of Chongpo Vikings FC ‘A’ tries to unsuccessfully save a penalty shoot as the ball flies behind him. Photo by Imojen I Jamir

the Chongpo Vikings FC ‘A’ in the 19th minute making the final score 2-1. The solitary goal for Keshang

XI was netted by I. Somba (10) in the 36th minute from a penalty kick awarded due to foul play. Yellow

cards were given out to Manya (8) and Khomong (6) of Chongpo Vikings FC ‘A’ in the match.

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