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SunDAY • OctOber 09• 2016
DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 278 • 12 PAGes • 5
T H e
ESTD. 2005
P o W e R
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T R u T H
We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality Hurricane Matthew kills almost 900 in Haiti PAGe 09
Tir Yimyim celebrates 13 years of publication
— Albert Einstein
Careful Kohli steers India to 267/3 in Indore
PAGe 02
PAGE 12
nagas along int’l border seek Amur falcons in nagaland comprehensive development Morung Express News Dimapur | October 8
As many 160 villages falling under 7 border blocks under Nagaland have not seen any progress worthwhile and an unspecified number of the Naga brethren are living in worse conditions on the other side of the international boundary Morung Express News Dimapur | October 8
Sandwiched in a quagmire of ‘national interests’ between giants, Nagas on both sides of the Indo-Myanmar international boundary continue to live amidst untold hardships. Enclosed by rugged jungle terrain and caught in a decades old 3-way cat and mouse game between armed Naga Political Groups, the Indian military and the Myanmar Army, civilians of the border face the proverbial ‘caught between the devil and the deep blue sea’. The result - as many 160 villages falling under 7 border blocks of the state of Nagaland have not seen any progress worthwhile and an unspecified number of the Naga brethren living in worse conditions on the other side of the international boundary. “The people of the border areas are lagging behind in all aspects of development… suffering because of corruption (in governance) and an unending conflict,” said the general secretary
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
A glimpse of one of the many border roads in Wazeho block near the famous Shilloi Lake.
of the International Border Area People’s Welfare Organisation (IBAPWO), Mokshom. At an interaction with the media today in Dimapur, Mokshom said that the neglect has not only rendered the area devoid of even the basic human amenities but also the inhabitants helpless and voiceless, literally. Representatives of the Eastern Naga Students’ Association (ENSA), Myanmar were also present at the interaction. “The people of the border don’t know how and whom to approach to bring development.” The situation demands a comprehensive development roadmap for the Indo-Myanmar border areas that should cover infrastructure development from roads and telecommunication to water and electricity to healthcare and education. According to Mokchom, when the basics are put in place development will automatically
follow. While the Nagaland state government has run several development programmes over the years, Mokchom said that the schemes have not had any significant impact on the border blocks - Phomching, Chen, Tobu in Mon; Noklak and Thunokyu in Tuensang; Pungro in Kiphire and Meluri and Wazeho in Phek. In the education sector, Kiphire district is reported to have highest school dropout rate with Pungro block making up an estimated 75 percent of the total dropouts from the district. “We have 5 international trade centres along the border but these centres have not seen any commercial activity worthwhile,” Mokchom said. A major impediment for this has been the absence of proper road connectivity. As enshrined in the guidelines, the trade centres must be linked to the
district headquarters by 2-lane roads but even the single-lane roads at present are in deplorable conditions, he added. “The border areas has great growth potential only that it has been neglected,” he said, while adding that promoting tourism, skill development and harnessing hydro potential can play a crucial in this direction. According to him, there are several places which can be promoted as tourist hotspots. Naming a few, he said that Wangti in Chen block, Panking in Thunokyu, Pokhongri in Wazeho, Reguri in Meluri and Mimi in Pungro have great tourism potential, further stating that at least 50 tourist hotspots should be developed by 2030. Dedicated skill development centres should be established to tap the traditional knowledge of handicrafts. With hundreds of rivers and streams web-
Our Correspondent Kohima | October 8
The NCS, NPS, NSS & Allied Services (Preliminary) Examination 2016 conducted by Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) today witnessed 13, 593 applicants for a total post of 73.
Kohima | October 8
Shut up on Balochistan or we raise Maoist, NE unrest: Pakistani envoy WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 8 (TNN): Pakistan PM’s special envoy on Kashmir, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed has raised the issue of India’s PM referencing Balochistan, and warned that if he continued to do so, Pakistan would respond by “talking of Khalistan, Nagaland, Tripura, Assam, Sikkim or the Maoist insurgency.” “We do not want to do that because that is interference in the internal affairs of a neighboring country. You are changing the rules of the game. It becomes tit for tat,” he added. Pakistan’s establishment anchors and analysts talk frequently about India’s 17 or 27 or 32 insurgencies, and how Pakistan can exploit it if India does not resolve the Kashmir issues.
Amur Falcons (from the Nagaland Wildlife & Biodiversity Conservation Trust website).
2010 and the Amur Falcon has been reportedly roosting in this conservation area and nearby areas. Yaongyimchen community members safeguarding the Amur falcons during their stay also noticed a strange phenomenon. Nuklu Phom said since the last three years some of the migratory birds have been staying back at the Community Biodiversity Conservation Area instead of continuing their journey to South Africa. “Groups of these migratory birds were even spotted in the month of January, February, March this year around the biodiversity conservation area,” Nuklu Phom informed. Besides, the area was also a witness of a rare “snow white Amur falcon” which was spotted by Dr R Suresh, a scientist from Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, and his team along with
the community members of Yaongyimchen last year. Over a million of Amur falcons come to Nagaland from Siberia en route to their final destination to Somalia, Kenya and South Africa. These migratory birds have one of the longest migration routes of all birds, doing up to 22,000 km in a year. The Amur falcons are also known to roost in Niuland area in Dimapur and at Intangki National Park in Peren district. The first flock of the migratory birds was sighted at the national park in 2015. Once infamous for the indiscriminate and widespread hunting of the Amur falcons, Nagaland, since 2013, has become synonymous with conservation of the migratory birds. With the gradual increase of community reserved forest areas, ornithologists observed that the roosting sites of the Amur falcons are increasing in the State.
Watiyangla Kichu is Nagaland 13,593 applicants appear for 73 posts in NPSC prelims Spelling Bee Champion 2016 Our Correspondent
Hire them for 180 kms.
bing the hilly landscape, these can be used as energy source, he said. “The border areas still have extensive virgin forest cover. The government should undertake conservation programmes by tying up with the grassroots stakeholders.” On the move by the Central government to fence the international border, the IBAPWO was unequivocal in its opposition to the proposal. “We’re not against the national interests of India and Myanmar. All we’re asking is that we should not be neglected.” An estimated 100 Naga villages are said to fall right on the international boundary. As for the Nagas in Myanmar, ENSA’s Reego Shonshei said that the people there are faring even worse. “The people of the border need pen and book. We don’t need the AKs and grenades of the Government of India or the G3s and grenades of Naypitaw and Yangon.”
The winged guests from Siberia are here once again keeping their rendezvous with Nagaland- and with all punctuality. Coincidentally, this year’s first batch of Amur falcons (Falco amurensis), en route to Africa, made their stopover at Pangti area, near Doyang in Wokha district on October 7, 2016, the same date of their arrival in 2015. Pangti villagers reported the sighting of around 50-60 Amur falcons arriving in the wee hours of Friday morning. By Saturday, the migratory birds aggregated in their roosting areas at Pangti had increased to nearly a thousand or more, Zangthungo Shitri, president of Amur Falcon Roosting Area Union told The Morung Express on Saturday evening. According to Zangthungo, in 2015, the Amur falcons had arrived Pangti on the same date-October 7. “This is the beginning to mark the arrival of the million Amur falcons to roost here in Nagaland. Day by day, their numbers will increase. From the last week of October to second week of November is the best time for bird watching,” Zangthungo informed. The migratory birds have also been sighted in Yaongyimchen village area under Longleng district. According to Y Nuklu Phom, Executive Secretary, Phom Baptist Church Association, several thousand of Amur falcon have arrived at the Yaongyimchen Community Biodiversity Conservation Area since two days back. The villagers of Yaongyimchen, Alayong and Sanglu initiated this biodiversity conservation area in
The migratory birds from Siberia spotted at Pangti, Wokha and Yaongyimchen, Longleng
Watiyangla Kichu, a Class 12 student from Model Hr. Secondary School, Kohima won the coveted title of the 5th Nagaland Spelling Bee Championship 2016 on Saturday, at the Capital Convention Centre here. “The preparation was intense. But I won not because of my ability but because of God’s grace. Luck and God’s grace was on my side,” commented Watiyangla after the announcement of the winner. Winning the 5th Nagaland Spelling Bee Championship was no easy task. Watiyangla spent two hours practice and study in school every day for a month and another two hours of further practice at home. During the last few days before the competition, Watiyangla said her school encouraged her and her fellow participant, Shanchobemo Murry (who secured the 3rd position) to devote 3 periods of classes in honing their spelling skills. With an aim to sharpen the minds of the young students and to inculcate proper command of the words, further enabling them in their higher studies, the Fountain Club in collaboration with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Nagaland introduced the Spelling Bee in 2012. Running its 5th edition, the competition has got tougher, according to the champ. “This year was the toughest,” admitted Watiyangla who has been a regular spectator of the Nagaland Spelling Bee Championship. She also participated as student of Class 8 in the first edition of the championship. The next three years, Watiyangla was a regular visitor to the competition cheering and supporting her friends who were participating in the competition. Shanchobemo Murry, who secured the third position, lost the finals after failing to spell the word ‘Clothier’ while Ringa and Watiyangla reached the finals after correctly spelling the words ‘Fructuous’
Watiyangla Kichu is Nagaland Spelling Bee Champion 2016.
and ‘Streptokinase’ respectively. The final round consisted of ten rounds where Watiyangla and Vetho Ringa, who won the second position, had to spell out words such as Pseudepigrapha, Tracasseries, Pappardelle, Bezique, Dachshund etc. From the ten rounds, Watiyangla spelled five words correctly while Ringa could only spell two words. The winning words for Watiyangla were Flugelhorn, Gauche, Braille, Ubiquitous. “It is a platform for students to learn and to showcase their abilities. Participating in this championship enhances a lot of our English usages and vocabulary,” said Kichu adding that the championship has also fostered friendship among the students from various parts of the State. Impressed by quality of the event and the excellent performance of the competitors, Timikha Koza, president Tenyimi People’s Organization (TPO) made a declaration to sponsor the prize money for champion in the 6th edition next year. Referring to the final round performance of the competitors, he said “We are also catching up. By seen your performance, I am so impressed. We can do it.” Koza lauded the organizer for building the mental capacity of the students and extended solidarity to Fountain Club for such activity.
NPSC Controller of Examination, George Kire told media persons that the examination was conducted across 22 centres with 11 centres in Kohima, 7 in Dimapur, 2 in Mokokchung and one each in Tuensang and Mon. Out of the 73 posts, 30 posts are for Secretariat As-
sistant, 15 Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC), 2 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), 1 Assistant Election Officer, 23 Junior Divisional Assistant and 2 Research Assistant. Mobile phones, pagers or any other communication device, handbags were not allowed inside
the examination premises. CCTV were also installed in the exam halls. The result is expected to be declared within two-month time. It may be recalled that there are 70,422 educated unemployed youth registered in the life register of the department of labour & employment in the state.
naga leaders have failed to rise above tribal lines: neiphiu rio
Yimchungrü Students’ Union Dimapur turns 25 Morung Express News Dimapur | October 8
Lok Sabha MP, Neiphiu Rio, today said Nagas should know when to fight, when to divide and when to make peace and unite. The Lok Sabha MP said Nagas have wasted enough time “quarrelling” and “fighting” and that if they continue fighting, then their image would be destroyed and other people instead of coming closer to Nagas would run away from them. “Fighting is our culture. The more you tell Nagas to unite, the more they will divide”, Rio said and added it is high time that Nagas ponder seriously on how to live in peace among themselves and with other neighbours. He lamented that Naga leaders have failed to rise above tribal lines and embrace the spirit of “Nagaism.” Addressing the silver jubilee celebration of the Yimchungrü Students’ Union Dimapur (YSUD), Rio also
said many Nagas are “confused” on the ‘Framework Agreement’ to bring about lasting peace and solution to the Naga political problem. According to Rio, the ‘Agreement’ provides a ray of hope and that Nagas should not miss the opportunity. “I am not propagating for the ‘Framework Agreement’ but the fact is GoI has now recognized the unique history and situation of the Naga people, and that is what we have been all along fighting for,” he said. He said if the Naga ceasefire breaks down, then Nagas would once again undergo sufferings and the lines would be blurred as to who will be on the Indian side, how many Nagas would become informers of Indian agencies and how many patriots would still be on the Naga side. “If we miss this opportunity, we’ll sink further and further and in the end, it will not be our adversaries but Nagas themselves who will be the cause of our own defeat,” Rio said. The former chief minister said Christianity and education have transformed Naga society and placed Nagas on a more or less equal footing
to compete with the rest of the world. Rio however pointed out that Naga society is a nascent society in terms of religion and education. He said education and other quotas given to the backward Naga tribes call for retrospection on how to face challenges and march forward. The Lok Sabha MP said every Naga tribe is an important pillar of the ‘Naga House’ and so each pillar should be strong. While commending the Yimchungrü youth for “progressing very fast”, Rio reminded the students that the benchmark in today’s competitive world is ‘merit.’ Advisor and negotiating team member ENPO, Toshi Wungtung, in his address said education is the manifestation of perfection or the best in a man or woman and that education is also a tool of social movement and positive changes. Exhorting the students to inculcate discipline, devotion and sincerity in the learning process, the ENPO advisor also advised the students not to depend too much on modern gadgets and to cultivate the habit of reading and writing.