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The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 281
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[ PAGE 8]
Angelina Jolie receives honorary damehood [ PAGE 11]
The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your answer to 9862574165 Does the proposed Nagaland Special Development Zone (NSDZ) infringe upon the rights in Article 371 (A)? Yes
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Eastern India braces for Cyclone Hudhud hYDerabaD, october 11 (aP): Indian authorities were evacuating hundreds of thousands of people Saturday as a powerful cyclone swept through the Bay of Bengal and headed toward the country’s east coast. Officials were stockpiling emergency supplies and rescue workers were on standby along the coastlines of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa states, with Cyclone Hudhud expected to make landfall near the port city of Visakhapatnam around noon Sunday. The India Meteorological Department described Hudhud as a “very severe” storm that could pack winds of 195 kilometers per hour and cause torrential rains when it makes landfall. About 150,000 people had been evacuated by late afternoon, with around 400,000 more expected to be relocated by the end of the day. Officials said four naval ships and nine air force helicopters were on standby for relief and rescue operations, while army soldiers and federal rescue workers were also on hand. The Indian Ocean is a cyclone hot spot. Of the 35 deadliest storms in recorded history, 27 have come through the Bay of Bengal — and have landed in either India or Bangladesh. Related story on page 8
Giant leap towards diabetes treatment
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WashiNgtoN, october 11 (iaNs): In pioneering work, researchers from the Harvard University have produced billions of human insulin producing beta cells - taking a giant leap forward in the quest to find a truly effective treatment for Type 1 diabetes. “We are now just one preclinical step away from the finish line,” said Doug Melton, Harvard professor and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. “We have given these cells three separate challenges with glucose in mice and they have responded appropriately. This was really exciting,” he added. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune metabolic condition in which the body kills off all the pancreatic beta cells, which produce the insulin needed for glucose regulation in the body. Thus the final pre-clinical step in the development of a treatment involves protecting the approximately 150 million cells, that would have to be transplanted into each patient being treated, from immune system attack “There have been previous reports of other labs deriving beta cell types from stem cells but no other group has produced mature beta cells suitable for use in patients so far,” Melton pointed out. A report on the new work has been published by the journal Cell.
Sunday, October 12, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4
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Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you India, Pakistan exchange gunfire
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–Roger Ebert
96 motor vehicle accident claims cases settled in lok adalat Brazil beats [ PAGE 2] Argentina Ebola News Guide: [ PAGE 12] Deaths keep rising [ PAGE 09]
‘We have real peace of mind now’ Peace & reconciliation between two clans: Lessons from Noswe-Sothu kenouwhe Vibi Yhokha
Steps towards reconciliation taken by Noswe and Sothu clans of Viswema village:
Kohima | October 11
“We have real peace of mind now,” says Dr. Hovithal Sothu, when asked about what was gained from the reconciliation between two clans, Noswe and Sothu, of Viswema village. On October 11, the two clans held a common feast at Kithozwü, Viswema village, commemorating the day as ‘Noswe-Sothu Kenouwhe’ where forgiveness and goodwill were ushered in. Kenouwhe in Viswema dialect can be translated as ‘being in the state of agreement and compromise.’ A forest in exchange for a cow was how the century old dispute between the Noswe and Sothu clans of Viswema village began. Although the details of the origin could not be completely traced, the dispute was taken to a British court in 1925 when JP Mills heard over the case but a settlement never came about. Over the years, one of the clans filed a case against the other while the other clan retaliated to the extent that the case went to the Supreme Court twice. In due course of time, the case came back to the village where committees were set up for almost twenty years, albeit without a solution. In the mean time, forests were destroyed by both clans in protest, and fights oc-
Zakiho Sothu and Vikechüho noswe - the two eldest men of the two clans from Viswema village - asking for forgiveness and blessing each clan, in order to resolve an age-old conflict between the two clans through reconciliation. (Morung Photo)
curred. “It is human tendency to have conflict, it is human tendency not to give up or give in to each other. All communities and societies have conflicts,” said Eyongol Neikha, Chairman Rachümi Panchayat, while expressing joy over the reconciliation and how without a proper settlement, the dispute had bothered both clans. Finally in the summer of 2013, the two clans sat together with a few ‘clear headed’ people and talked about the dispute. Both
clans wanted a solution. After numerous dialogues, another committee was set up consisting 6 members from each clan. “Our parents and grandparents must have suffered immensely. It saddens me that they had to harbor so much hatred and suffering in the course of the dispute,” said Khrüpi Sothu, while giving out a brief history on the dispute to the clan members at the event. Exhorting the audience, Medochol Sothu, an elder, stated that restora-
tion has come with truth. “The road is broad for a liar in today’s world but the path of the one who speaks the truth is often narrow,” said Medochol, hoping that the value of truth and reconciliation is passed down to the children and may be the beginning of peace and happiness that lasts their lifetime. After the committee was set up, interactions were held on the dispute, first within families, elders were consulted, trips made to the forest and measurements
taken to set up boundaries and divide the land equally among both clans. But most important of all, there was forgiveness. On the ‘NosweSothu Kenouwhe’ day on October 11, the two eldest members of the clans, Zakiho Sothu and Vikechüho Noswe stood together, asked for forgiveness and blessed each clan. “For almost a century, we misunderstood each other. Today we have made a start and let us hope that we live together with the words of the Bible (Ruth
• Family to family interactions: There was much intermarriage between the two clans. Using these connections, the families were made to talk on disputes. • Talking to elderly people: Elders were consulted. • Agreement in the spirit of Christianity: Upholding the principles of Christianity, the clans decided to forgive each other. • Working out modalities: The clans took four to five trips to the forest to check the area, set up boundaries where the clans were allotted equal shares. Thus, measurements were taken and boundary posts set up and shares finalized.
1: 16), ‘Your people will be my people and your God my God’,” said Those Kraho. While admitting hiccups in settling the dispute, Dr. Hovithal Sothu said that the reconciliation has taken place because both the clans decided to push aside their pride and ego, and make some sacrifices. “Most of the conflicts in Naga society do not get settled due to our ego problem. In any conflict, neither party wants to budge. If you don’t budge and I don’t want to budge, we don’t come to a
settlement. Let’s lower a little bit of ourselves, sacrifice a little, that’s what makes a better society. Let’s forgive, let’s say sorry,” concludes Dr. Hovithal Sothu. It has been said that much was spent on the court cases by both clans during the disputes but on Kenouwhe day, both clans pooled in money for the feast to celebrate together the restoration of a broken relationship. Hands were shaken, smiles exchanged. And ‘real peace of mind’ indeed achieved.
School headmaster assaulted in Kiphire LLRPO and CLOU call Morung Express news Kiphire | October 11
In what can be defined as losing moral responsibility towards the teaching community, a parent of a student from Saramati High School Kiphire assaulted the school’s headmaster, Benny Thomas, on October 10 inside the institution. The parent, also a cadre of one of the Naga political groups, attempted to pull his pistol’s trigger too but did not fire, presumably, due to the presence of students inside the classroom. The incident happened
when a student of Class IX of the Saramati High School Kiphire, daughter of one Shikato, was sent out of the class for disobedience by the headmaster. In retaliation, she went home and brought her father to the school leading up to the untoward incident. In response to the incident, the Kiphire district Private Schools Society, of which the Saramati High School Kiphire is a member, sent a written request to the United Sangtam Students’ Conference (USSC) to take up the issue. Taking serious note of
it, USSC officials, following a marathon meeting, came up with a notification which was appended by the president T. Pithrongse Anar and general secretary Achum Thonger. The USSC asked the GPRN/NSCN to terminate the service of ‘Maj. Shikato’ from ‘National service’ within 15 days from October 10. “However, if any untoward incident happen to Benny Thomas or to any one in relating to this case, Maj. Shikato shall (be) held sole responsible,” stated the notification. The Conference also notified all
Naga Political Groups/Factions to “decline the joining of Maj. Shikato in any condition.” Failing to comply with this notification will lead to the declaration of ‘noncooperation’ against the ‘group or faction’ by the USSC, it said. Meanwhile, various other students and teaching organizations are taking up the matter seriously in Kiphire and meetings are being convened for the same in various capacities. Law enforcing agencies are also taking necessary steps in this regard.
DEO Kohima reprimands private school
Kohima, october 11 (mexN): In light of the news report regarding the management of Little Flower Higher Secondary School, Kohima, “imposing compulsory” contribution of Rs.1000/- and above per student for constructing the School’s Golden Jubilee Memorial Children’s park, the District Education Officer (DEO), Kohima has issued a statement so “no such high amount is compulsory collected” from the students of any educational institution, be it government or private, in the district. In the press statement, DEO Kohima, Ruovihulie Angami stated that any contribution on “free-will basis” from the present students or alumni of the
Be ‘considerate’ to parents/ teachers, DEO Kohima tells private schools
school for such project is “somehow tolerable but a compulsory contribution with a fixed amount ‘as per your possibility and generosity’ seeking God’s blessing to the Students’ families is somehow ridiculous or unbecoming on the part of school management.” The DEO recognized private schools for providing quality education in the State; however, he requested them to be “little considerate” to the problems of the parents/ teachers “for their comparatively low pay and the down-trodden
people in the society.” The release cited that All Nagaland Private Schools Association (ANPSA) on one hand has been objecting to collect Rs. 2/- per student or open sale of the Teachers’ Day token flag on free will basis “which is of National importance,” while at the same time, “they are collecting big amount of money from their students which are all contradicting to their own stand of imposing fees to their students for their school level Teachers’ Day Celebration.”
Further, stating that the private schools are running with the permission and recognition granted by the Department of School Education, Nagaland, the DEO advised private schools to abide by the norms undertaken by themselves so “healthy relationship prevails between the Department, parents, teachers and students community lest education become too expensive within our own state.” Also, before the ACAUT intervenes, the DEO urged the private schools/ hostels/ clinics to be “little humane” in collecting “servicing fee as taxes in another form/ approach for which the Naga public is keeping silent all these years.”
for withdrawal of PIL Morung Express news Dimapur | October 11
Lotha Lower Range Public Organization (LLRPO) and Changpang Land Owners Union (CLOU) today said the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by chairman of Kohima Lotha Hoho (KLH), Nchumbemo Tungoe, and two others, was against the interest of the ‘Wokha public’ and an infringement on the rights of landowners. Addressing media persons at Hotel Theja Fort here today, LLRPO and CLOU representatives said the PIL relating to exploration and extraction of oil and gas in Changpang area filed by KLH chairman in the Gauhati High Court, was a direct challenge to the rights of Naga landowners, which are safeguarded under Article 371 (A) of the India Constitution. In the PIL, the petitioner has prayed to set aside and quash the permit granted to Metropolitan Oil & Gas Pvt. Ltd., (MOGPL) and to direct the Nagaland State Government to issue a fresh process of selection through any other eligible Expression of Interest (EoI). LLRPO and CLOU said the PIL is a “direct violation” of the resolutions of the last joint meeting of Lotha legislators and Lotha civil bodies, which included KLH and Kyong Students’ Union, held on
September 20, 2012, for final discussion on Nagaland Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulation 2012. The two organizations said that on the basis of recommendations made in the last joint meeting, the State Government had framed modalities on oil exploration and extraction. “But after appending their signatures to the resolutions adopted in the last joint meeting, some people like KLH chairman are now retracting from their commitments and filing PIL for their own vested interests,” a LLRPO representative said. “This PIL is not a public interest litigation but a political interest litigation,” another member added. LLRPO also reminded that under initiative of the apex Kyong Hoho Wokha, No Objection Certificates (NOC) was obtained from all villages of Lotha Lower Range and handed over to the Nagaland Government, which indicated that the public of the range has ‘no objection whatsoever’ for exploration of oil and gas in the area. Asserting that any issue within the jurisdiction of Lotha Lower Range shall be “exclusively handled” by LLRPO, the organization requested Nchumbemo Tungoe to withdraw the PIL in the greater interest of the people and “to avoid mistrust and undesired situations in the near future.”
LLRPO cautioned that it would be compelled to file a counter affidavit if the PIL is not withdrawn, and that Nchumbemo Tungoe would be held solely responsible for any untoward incident arising due to cessation of oil exploration works. CLOU representatives also said the rights of landowners can never be jeopardized by “vested interests and outsiders” and that CLOU members are not “tenants” but legitimate landowners of their own land. CLOU said that after oil activities were abandoned in 1994, villagers of Changpang and Old Tssori have been undergoing immense hardship as they cannot cultivate their lands for various reasons including oil spillage. The villagers are apprehensive as the whole area may be engulfed in fire if they resume jhum cultivation. “But some vested interests from Kohima, without knowing the ground reality are trying to sabotage oil activities in our area not for any other reason but to bring their own chosen oil companies to operate in the area,” a CLOU representative said. LLRPO president Yiphyolumo Mozhui, general secretary, Kemerio Yanthan and CLOU president, M Odyuo and general secretary, Y John Kikon, addressed the press briefing.
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