September 17th, 2015 by The Morung Express

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thursDAY • september 17 • 2015

DIMAPUR • Vol. X • Issue 254 • 12 PAGes • 4

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No man can terrorize a whole nation unless we are all his accomplices — Edward R. Murrow Ending child labour by 2025 farcical as India plans to allow family work pAGe 8

Nagaland to celebrate World Bamboo Day

For the strength to forgive & live together

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Goi bans nscn (K) for 5 years nagas are a chosen people!

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NEw DElHI, SEPTEMBER 16 (IANS): Over four months after the NSCN-K carried out an ambush in Manipur that left 18 security personnel dead, the Centre on Wednesday declared the outfit as an unlawful organisation for a period of five years. “The government today (Wednesday) decided to declare National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) (NSCN-K) as an unlawful organisation for a period of five years, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention), Act 1967,” the home ministry said in a statement. “The decision was taken considering the continued hostility and violence on part of the NSCN-K against the Indian security personnel, from their bases in Myanmar,” it added. The NSCN-K abrogated a ceasefire entered into with the Indian government in 2001 with a series of incidents begining from March 2015. The ban comes after the central government signed a framework peace agreement with the NSCN’s IsakMuivah faction on August 3 and a ceasefire agreement with the newly formed Reformation faction under Wangtin Naga on April 27. After the NSCN-IM entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Indian government in 1997, NSCN-K led by Shangwang Shangyungi Khaplang followed suit in 2001. At the alleged instigation of United Liberation Front of AsomIndependent (ULFA-I) leader Paresh Baruah, the NSCN-K carried out

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

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Naga political & social leaders shocked over ban on NSCN (K)

NEw DElHI, SEP TEMBER 16 (IANS): Expressing shock over the ban of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) by the central government, leaders from Nagaland’s political and social arena said the faction deserved opportunities to be allowed to “negotiate” and not be banned. They said it was important for each and every factions of NSCN-K and other stake holders to be part of the negotiation, without which reaching out a political solution for the Naga conflict was incomplete. “This is a shock to us, can’t say why the government has done this specially after giving the clearance to us to hold talks with NSCN-K leaders in Myanmar. We are not happy with the government’s decision,” Chuba Ozukum, president of apex Naga civil society group Naga Hoho, told IANS. He said Naga civil societies, indulged into the task of persuading all the factions to jointly accept the Naga Peace accord, was not able to understand the way central government was dealing with the Naga issue. The ban of NSCN-K came after a series of exchange of fire between secua shootout in Nagaland’s Kohima on March 26 and a bomb blast in Wokha on March 27. Following this, two close aides of Khaplang, Wangtin Naga and P. Tikhak, who had come to Dimapur for peace negotiations with the Indian authorities, expressed surprise at the ceasefire abrogation by their group and formed another faction called the NSCN-Reformation and entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Centre. According to Wednes-

rity forces and the militant group in the last couple of weeks, causing death of 15 cadres of the militant group. The ban was also a clear indication that the government was not going to indulge in any more talks with the NSCN-K specially after the later had involved into a series of attacks on the security forces after abrogating the 14-year-old ceasefire on March 27. Khekiho Zhimomi, lone Rajya Sabha member from Nagaland, told IANS: “To my view this decision by the Indian government is too early. NSCN-K should have been given more space for dialogues, so that they could have entered into the ceasefire once again.” He said the government’s decision to ban the NSCN-K was contradictory to what it had said earlier regarding persuading NSCN-K to rejoin the peace process by coming into ceasefire . The government had tasked the Naga civil societies to persuade the NSCN-K to rejoin the ceasefire. Speaking on the issue, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told IANS: “This decision has been taken by the government so, I cannot say anything about it. I will speak on the issue later.”

day’s home ministry statement, the NSCN-K has carried out a series of violent attacks on the Indian armed forces from their bases in Myanmar. Apart from the March attacks, it carried out two improvised explosive device (IED) explosions on April 15 and 16 at Lerie Colony, near CRPF Camp on the National Highway 29 in Kohima district of Nagaland. “Ambush of a party of security force personnel at village Changlang Shu, under Tobu police station of

district Mon (in Nagaland), killing eight security forces personnel,” the home ministry statement cited as another reason. The final straw was an ambush the NSCN-K carried out on June 4 in Chandel district of Manipur that left 18 security personnel dead. The home ministry’s statement on Wednesday comes a week after the National Investigation Agency declared Rs.700, 000 and Rs.100,000 rewards for the arrest of S.S. Khaplang and Niki Sumi.

Naga Missionary Conference begins; to be held from Sept 16-18

Morung Express News Dimapur | September 16

Naga churches are becoming more magnificent but God’s kingdom is becoming smaller and neglected. General Secretary of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, said this in his message on ‘The Commission Lives,’ the theme of the Naga Missionary Conference (NMC) that began today. Organised by the Nagaland Missions Movement (NMM), the Conference will be held from September 16-18 at the Thilixu Baptist Church. “If Nagas have made an impact on our neighbours, it is not through development but through building God’s kingdom,” said Rev. Keyho, while addressing hundreds of participants at the conference (organised every 5 years), which included Naga missionaries and sponsoring church members. Reminding the congregation that “God is not done with the Nagas,” he said that the one thing Naga churches can do is mission work—“Mission brings churches together. It unifies the people of God.” “If building our own kingdom comes in our way, then God’s kingdom cannot be made,” he maintained. “Nagas are a chosen people!” asserted the General Secretary of NBCC. American missionaries who were on their way to China in the 19th century met with the Naga people when “no

tion of armed tensions, and the build up of militarisation by Indian armed forces in towns and villages of the state, the NMA asserted that women’s right to peace and security must be respected and adhered to by the Government of India and all efforts must be made to initiate a peaceful solution. It reiterated the demand for withdrawal of AFSPA; withdrawal of all Indian Armed Forces from the state and re deployment of Naga IRBs within the state, who are presently posted in Kashmir, West Bengal, Delhi etc. The NMA affirmed its commitment to bring the NSCN (K) into a Ceasefire with the GoI and main-

tained: “we will continue to reach out to the other Naga political groups, in the hope that we ensure a peaceful future and destiny for our younger generations.” Referring particularly to the recent killings at Wuzu and Pangsha, the NMA demanded a high level Inquiry to investigate into the ITC, Dan, Pangsha civilian killings by the 23rd Assam Rifles and due punitive action to be taken thereof. It urged the GoI to “seek peace with honesty and stand by the International Conventions signed by the country, with true commitment.” Full text on Page 10

across puddles.

lONDON, SEPTEMBER 16 (IANS): Exposure to pesticides can increase risk of developing diabetes by 61 percent, with different types of pesticides showing varying levels of risk, an analysis of 21 studies has warned. Environmental contaminants, including pesticides, may play important role in pathogenesis of diabetes. In this study, researchers performed systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that assessed association between exposure to pesticides and diabetes. In the 12 studies analysing only Type 2 diabetes, the increased risk was 64 percent for those exposed to pesticides. The researchers are now performing additional analyses of the data and doing a further meta-analysis of pesticide exposure in relation to the other outcomes. The findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

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The Naga Missionary Conference, which began today, will be held from September 16-18 at the Thilixu Baptist Church, Dimapur. The Conference is organised by the Nagaland Missions Movement, the missions department of the NBCC, once every 5 years. (Morung Photo)

one knew of a people group called Nagas needing salvation.” This meeting was not without reason. “We have now become God’s treasure—he has called us from darkness to light so that we can become his missionary to the world. Nagas must become carriers of the Great Commission virus to the world. Mission must come alive in our churches today in Nagaland because the Commission still lives,” Rev. Keyho stated. While acknowledging that “we have neglected our missionaries,” he reiterated that “Churches must pledge ourselves anew till our missionaries accomplish the task given to them.” Churches—the body of Christ—have the power to unlock the ‘commission.’ “Our receiving of the Holy Spirit” must not be

“confined to ourselves.” “Unless we believe in the authority of God and receive the Holy Spirit, we will just be looking at ourselves, expanding our churches every 30-40 years to accommodate a growing population and become kings of our colonies. Don’t stay at home and compete with each other. Go out. When we believe...we will go beyond our comfort zone because the commission lives. The commission lives because we are God’s people and the world is ready for harvest,” Rev. Keyho stated, lauding the work of the Naga missionaries. Earlier, President of NBCC Rev. Dr. Mar Atsongchanger, in declaring the conference open, explained how Christianity came to the Nagas 146 years ago through Rev. Dr. EW

Clark, who lived among the Naga people for 40 years. Today, Naga missionaries have taken the gospel to many North East states, but also to West Bengal, Odisha, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana and many other states in the Indian subcontinent. Beyond this, they have reached a host of international shores including Ethiopia, Thailand, Japan, Nepal, Uzbekistan, South Sudan, and even the USA. The NBCC president prayed for God to “make us one so this congregation may glorify your name alone.” Today’s opening ceremony included Praise and Worship sessions, as well as greetings from the Western Sumi Baptist Churches Association (WSBAK) and Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI), among others.

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Vengeful killings is not the solution: NMA Divide Manipur into two union

DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 16 (MExN): The Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) today submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, stating that “seeking vengeful killings for the unfortunate deaths of Indian armed soldiers is not the solution or answer to peace in this war torn land.” The NMA, in its memo said that neither “will bounties on the heads of the NSCN (K) leaders or a ban on the group, work as a solution for peace, because no matter what, they are also freedom fighters, and our sons and What flood, what river? brothers, and not terrorists.” Expressing concern at the escalaThey`re ferrying people

Pesticide exposure puts people at high diabetes risk

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Airlines urged to end “unreasonable” fares

NEw DElHI, SEPTEMBER 16 (REUTERS): India’s government will consider capping the price of air tickets if airlines cannot find a way to end “unreasonably high” fares on some of the routes they fly, a move likely to anger carriers operating in one of the world’s cheapest markets. Airlines in India fight to get seats filled in a market which is enjoying 20 percent annual growth in passenger numbers, but where repeated “price wars” and high operating costs have left most major operators struggling to make a profit. Low-cost carriers, which include SpiceJet, IndiGo, GoAir and AirAsia India, have offered tickets for less than $10 a flight for travellers that book early, with prices then rising as seats are reserved. But India’s civil aviation ministry officials held a meeting with airline executives this week to ask them to devise a mecha-

nism to stop fares jumping on certain routes during busy holiday periods when demand surges, a ministry spokesman said. “We know it is a free economy, but we have suggested to them that it (high fares) is giving a bad name. The government will exercise all options to ensure fares are capped and is determined to do so. We will initially try to do that by mode of consensus,” junior civil aviation minister Mahesh Sharma was quoted by the Times of India on Wednesday as saying. Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said he had asked airlines to ensure fares were not “unreasonably high” and that further discussions were scheduled for later this month. Millions of Indians are flying for the first time each year as the country becomes wealthier, but the price of the average air ticket still remains out of reach for the vast majority.

Gov asks rMsA teachers to call off their agitation KOHIMA, SEPTEMBER 16 (MExN): Nagaland state Governor, PB Acharya today appealed to the RMSA teachers in Nagaland to call off their agitation “for the benefit of the students.” A press note from the Governor has also directed the state government to address the grievances of the teachers expeditiously by releasing their pending salaries to perform their duties without further delay. The RMSA teachers in the state launched their agitation on August 21 by boycotting classes as they have not been paid for the past several months.

one killed in bike accident DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 16 (MExN): One person was killed in a motorbike accident, while two others riding pillion were injured at Purana Bazaar, Dimapur on September 16, Wednesday. The deceased, a class XI student, along with two of his friends were on their way to appear for their exams when the driver lost control of the motorbike. Sources informed that the three were students of Eastern Christian College. The deceased, reported to be the rider, was killed on the spot, while the two pillions were seriously injured and admitted to Zion Hospital with head injuries. Meanwhile, the NPF Minority Wing has extended condolences to the family of the deceased. A press note from the NPF Minority Wing President, Bishnu Bhattacharjee “prayed to almighty God to rest the departed soul in peace and also prayed for speedy recovery of the injured students.”

territories: MPs from North East

‘Creation of two union territories out of Manipur definitely can be a possible solution’

NEw DElHI, SEPTEMBER 16 (IANS): As Manipur continues to simmer over the passing of three landmark bills by the state government in a special assembly called by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, tribal parliamentarians from the Northeast have suggested that the “creation of two union territories” out of existing Manipur is the only solution for the prevailing impasse that has claimed the lives of eight civilians in the recent clash. The parliamentarians, who are considered to be veteran tribal leaders of the Northeast, have also stated that if the governor gives the assent to the bills, then the clashes that Manipur will witness will be far more extreme than what it has witnessed in recent times. “It has been proven that the tribals and the Meiteis of Manipur cannot co-exist peacefully in the same state. If the governor gives the assent for the bills that have been passed, the tribals, including Kukis, Hmars and Nagas, will start revolting, which will be far more extreme than what Churachandpur has witnessed recently. However, if the government doesn’t give the assent for the bills, then the Meiteis will go on hunger strike and commit suicide. So, it’s a complete deadlock for the government,” Khekiho Zhimomi, veteran Naga leader and the lone Rajya Sabha member from Nagaland, told IANS. The 70-year-old leader who has fought for the cause of the Naga tribes residing in the northeastern states has asserted that by creating two union territories out of Manipur the central government can look after both the territories directly. “In the form of good neighborhood the three laws can be appreciated or else the three bills will become the bone of contention in case the two communities are asked to stay together. This is for the satisfaction of both the groups. The solution needs to be balanced and concrete,” Zhimomi said, and added that the tribal communities and the Meiteis being compelled to stay together would be an artificial solution. The tribal belts of Manipur compris-

ing five districts -- Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel and Churachandpur - constitute 75 percent of the state’s area and have a population of 500,000 to 600,000, while the valley part of the state dominated by the Meiteis has a population of more than 1.4 million and an area of only 5.5 sq km. The rift between the Tribals and the Meiteis has existed for decades. However, it intensified on August 30 after the Congress-led Manipur Government passed three bills -- Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Bill, 2015, and Manipur Shops and Establishments Bill, 2015 - of which the tribal population has taken exception to the Manipur Land Reforms Bill which ostensibly brings all land under the Manipur government and makes sale to outsiders difficult. Even if the dominant Meitei community of Manipur has been demanding the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to restrict the entry of outsiders or “mainland Indians”, the tribal population of the state has not been a part of this agitation considering that the ILP agitation is a Meitie ploy to gain Scheduled Tribes status, setting the already marginalised tribal population back further. The fear is also that the land will be taken away by the state, that the chieftain’s power (the custodian of tribal land) will be eroded and made redundant, and that the tribal population will be pushed out and marginalised further. Speaking over the issue, Thangso Baite, MP from Manipur, told IANS: “Creation of two union territories out of Manipur definitely can be a possible solution; however, the sequence of events happening in the states needs to be observed a bit more closely before making the final decision.” “I will take up the issue with the central government very soon and let’s see what the central government has to say about it. Commenting on all this at such an initial stage might be problematic for the state, but let’s see how things can be taken up,” Baite told IANS. Baite, who happens to be a Kuki, became a victim of the recent violence when his house in Churachandpur was burnt by the protesters after the three bills were passed.

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thursDAY 17•09•2015

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Advocacy Campaign on Nagaland to celebrate World Bamboo Day HIV/AIDS held at Sitimi

A section of the gathering attending the Advocacy Campaign on HIV/AIDS held at Sitimi Village, Kiphire District on September 11.

Kiphire, September 16 (mexN): One day Advocacy Campaign on HIV/ AIDS was held at Sitimi Village 59th Assembly Constituency under Kiphire District on September 11. Gaonburas, dubashsis, village leaders, church leaders, youths, women groups and students attended the advocacy programme. A press note stated that altogether 250 people attended the programme and 49 people underwent HIV testing through ICTC Mobile Van. L. Sangtam, Private Secretary to Kipili Sangtam

Minster for Power was the guest speaker on behalf of the Minister. While addressing the gathering the guest speaker highlighted the importance of working towards AIDS free generation and encouraged the Simiti Village to be the torch bearer for the cause. He laid emphasis on bringing about a change by working together towards any social issues including HIV/AIDS and also to take up the responsibility of listening, learning and disseminating of the information to one and all. Dr. Vinito L. Chishi (State Consultant LFA-

Nagaland) gave the keynote address and spoke on the topic “Community & Church Response on HIV/ AIDS”. Other Resource person on the programme was District AIDS Programme Control Unit (DAPCU): Tuensang gave the HIV Scenario pertaining to Kiphire area, and Hukatoli Choppy (LFA-Nagaland) spoke on “Stigma & Discrimination” in relation to HIV/AIDS Advocacy Programme was organised with the initiative of Kiphire District Sumi Students’ Union and was supported by Legislators’ Forum on AIDS (LFA).

Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): World Bamboo Day is a day of celebration to increase the awareness of bamboo globally held every year on September 18. Where bamboo grows naturally, bamboo has been a daily element, but its utilization has not always been sustainable due to exploitation. The World Bamboo Organization aims to bring the potential of bamboo to a more elevated exposure – to protect natural resources and the environment, to ensure sustainable utilization, to promote new cultivation of bamboo for new industries in regions around the world, as well as promote traditional uses locally for community economic development. Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency joins the rest of the World Bamboo Organization on this day of natural celebration, with the objective of promoting a lifestyle called bamboo and empowering the bamboo craft persons in the State. The celebration will be for two daysSeptember 18 and 19, 2015 at the

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Bambusa Tulda

Mon doctors sensitize on non-communicable diseases

PTCSU detect negligence in GHSS and SDEO Edu Office

pheK, September 16 (mexN): The Phek Town Chakhesang Students’ Union (PTCSU) while conducting a surprise checking had detected “habitual irregularities and negligence of head master in performing his official duties.” PTCSU President Kudukhoto Tetseo said in a press release that the Union while interacting with the school authorities learnt, “the head master had attended the school once since February 7 till date i.e. September 14, 1015.” The Union while expressing its anguish over the irregularities of Head Master (GHSS) Phek said, “His irregularities and negligence clearly manifests that he don’t spare a thought for students quality education as well as career while at present the students are facing lots of hardships due to shortage of teachers at GHSS.” The Union has also alleged “SDEO Education Office for several irregularities, negligence and out of station in most of the occasion and failing in performing his official duties.” The Union stated that this creates hardships and inconveniences to the people of Phek Town and especially people coming from far-flung villages just to seek, avail necessary signature, forwarding and other official works. Therefore, the Union appeals to the concerned higher authorities to take disciplinary actions against the defaulters as per the Government Service Rules Act. “The Union will never hesitate to pursue its course of action and shall not be held responsible for any untoward incidents, if the concern department fails to redress the grievances of students and public at large,” it added further.

moN, September 16 (Dipr): Mon District Planning & Development Board meeting for the month of September was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, Mon, W. Honje Konyak at DC’s conference hall, Mon. The meeting began with welcome note by the chairman followed by self introduction by the new DPDB Members. The doctors of Mon District Hospital led by the Medical Superintendent enlightened the house with power point presentation on awareness campaign on non-communicable diseases. Dr. K. Sophire Medical Superintendent (MS) briefed on the risk factor of smoking; Dr. T. Ezung, MO spoke on risk factor of Alcohol and Nutrition; Dr. Ngamba MO presented on risk factor of Physical inactivity and Obesity; Dr. Wungyong, MO spoke on Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose and Blood Lipids and while Dr. Yanang MO spoke on the Kayakalp proDelhi Public School students present an item during the commemoration event of Hindi gram under Swaadh Bharat. Pakhwada (fortnight). Dr. Yanang informed that guest of honour Dr. Bharat Dimapur, Septem- ics etc competitions. The commemoration Singh, Director, Hindi Shikber 16 (mexN): Delhi Public School celebrated culminated on Septem- shan Sansthan, Dimapur Hindi Pakhwada (fort- ber 14 which is widely cel- and the chief guest Hezanight) from September 1 ebrated as Hindi Diwas to Sumi, Principal, Hindi mumbai, Septemto 14 with spectrums of ac- with an inter school extem- Shikshan Santhan, Dima- ber 16 (mexN): Naga tivities. Students, teachers pore speech competition pur who also spoke on the Student Union Mumbai and other staff zealously wherein students from five occasion emphasizing the (NSUM) proposed entook part in the fortnight schools of Dimapur took importance of Hindi in the hancement in education long program. The whole part and exhibited their present scenario. in a meeting convened beThe successful par- tween PB Acharya, Govschool got into the mood of skill, wit and humour in ticipants were given away ernor of Nagaland, Assam competitiveness and cel- their speeches. The day also witnessed prizes and certificates for and Deo Nukhu, Nagaland ebration as all the students took part in essay writing, a myriad cultural activi- their achievements in vari- Education Minister and debate, elocution, dramat- ties in the presence of the ous competitions. members of Chambers of Commerce (Mumbai) held at Iskon Conference Hall, Juhu on September 13. Presiding at the meeting Naga Student Union Mumbai members with Nagaland Governor and Education Minister during the meeting held at Iskon were NSUM Advisor N. Tali Conference Hall, Juhu on September 13. Jamir, NSUM Executives and bai, which was moved a by NSUM General Sec- ern community was con- nical Education Office, Kothe students and youths. The year back in collaboration retary I. Aolemla Jamir. veyed. In addition, greater hima, Nagaland is urged meeting was held for provid- with the Naga community Therefore, Governor and emphasis was laid on the by the NSUM for an urgent ing a reflection on the educa- in Mumbai and Indian Na- Education Minister invit- problems faced by the En- look into the matter. As a resolve, Deo Nukhu tional advancement of Na- tional Fellowship Centre, ed the Chambers of Com- gineering students who on gas and the benefit of future Mumbai that is patronized merce to visit Nagaland to qualifying for the entrance suggested ‘NSUM to review by the Governor himself. be aware of the state and exams and being placed the colleges or universities posterity. Another focus of the “It became impertinent to to extend the frontiers of under the state quota were in Maharashtra’ to cater to not accorded the facilities students applying in Mahameeting was the introduc- be attentive of various Na- knowledge. Access to facilities ex- guaranteed to ‘A’ category rashtra. This will bring certion of additional Naga gas extended in the states dialects as a subject in the of Manipur, Arunachal tended by the Central Gov- college in line with the pro- tainty to a relative number of Universities of Mumbai & Pradesh and Myanmar,” ernment with subsidized vision of HRD. In view of students who up until now SNDD University, Mum- stated a press note issued fares for the North East- this, the Higher and Tech- have been marginalized. Lt. L.J. Toshi Sangtam Born on the 12th June 1932 Died on the 11th Sept’2015 under Kayakalp program the best hospital in the state will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs. 50,00000 (Fifty Lakhs). He apprised the board that the best hospital will be judge based on hospital facilities upkeep, sanitation & cleanliness, waste management, infection control, hospital support service and hygiene promotion. The doctors, nurses and staffs of the hospital are working round the clock, he added. Dr. K. Sophire MS, District Hospital, Mon urged upon the members to visit the hospital to give suggestion and view for development of the hospital and at the same time he also sought support, cooperation and voluntary donation in kind or cash towards the hospital. A signature campaign was done on non-communicable disease by the board members. While reviewing the last meeting minutes the Deputy Commissioner urged upon the DPDB members to be the patrons of the mission “I Love My Mon Town” which is scheduled to be launched on October 2, 2015. He informed that

DPS Dimapur celebrates Hindi Pakhwada M

Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre (NBRC), 6th Mile, Sovima, Dimapur, and will feature exhibition and sale of various bamboo products including handicrafts, furniture, bamboo shoot pickle and the newly launched BBQ bamboo charcoal briquettes. Other recreational activities will include ‘Fun and Games’, bouncy castle for children, free Wi-Fi zone, food courts and music by DJs. Inaugural programme will be held at 1:00 PM on September 18 at the ‘Green Circle’ bamboo amphitheatre (NBRC). The inaugural programme will feature a celebration song by the Patkai Higher Secondary School choir, awards for various sections of people involved in the bamboo industry and speech by the Team Leader of NBDA. The Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency extends its invitation to the public in general to come and be part of this celebration on these two days. This was infirmed in a press release issued by Dr. Tolto Metha, Member, NBM-IT, Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency.

action plan of the mission will be submitted by the respective sub-committee and urged all the DPDB members to mandatorily attend the launching program and extend full cooperation and support to the mission to achieve its target. The board recommended upgradation of Little Angel School, Naginimora. The house also had discussion on improvement of Mon-Namtola roads which is in a debilitating condition. The DC appraised the house that immediate attention is required to drain out the potholes and filling it up with boulders as a temporary measure in the worse affected places and urged the department concerned to intervene. Responding to the Deputy Commissioner, the Executive Engineer PWD (R&B) briefed on the financial position of the department for renovation of the road and assured the house to take care of the road for temporary measures. The Principal Wangkhao College will present the activities of the college in the next meeting.

NSUM calls for ‘enhancement in education’

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

“The lip of truth shall be establishe d forever“ Proverbs 12:19

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You have lived a life of truth and honesty. You have contributed to the world, the best you could. As the days go by we will miss your presence and your love, but we know this is the will of God. We convey our special thanks to: 1. Shri. P. B. Acharya the Governor of Nagaland 2. Shri. T. R. Zeliang the Chief Minister of Nagaland 3. Shri. Chotisu Sazo the Speaker Nagaland Legislative Assembly 4. Dr. Surhozolie Leizetsu President NPF Nagaland 5. Shri. Kejong Chang Parliamentary Secretary & his Lady wife 6. Shri. Toyang Chang Parliamentary Secretary 7. Shri. C.M. Chang MLA 8. Shri. Imtilemba Sangtam Adviser Co-operation 9. Shri. H. Chuba Chang Ex-Minister 10. Eastern Naga Legislatures Union (ENLU) 11. Shri. Alemjongshi DC Tuensang 12. Shri. Alun Hansing Director Food & Civil Supplies 13. Shri. Ghukhato Chishi Director Music Task Force 14. Dr. Pangjung CMO Tuensang 15. The Sangtam Likhum Pumji 16. The Sangtam Union Tuensang Town 17. The Tsaru Union Tuensang Town 18. The Tsaru Village Council 19. The Sangtam Baptist Lithro Tuensang Town 20. The Bazar ‘B’ Sector Tuensang Town 21. The Tsaru Suru Ashimekong 22. The Tsaru Lithro Though we may have failed to mention each and every individual, our heart goes out to the host of individuals and Societies who stood by us and extended support during the prolong illness and the sad demise of Lt. L.J. Toshi Sangtam. May our Almighty God bless each and everyone of you abundantly. Loving Family Members

Minister Paiwang visits IT&C ASHA training at Wokha directorate construction site

Minister Paiwang Konyak along with others during his visit to the ongoing construction site of the IT&C directorate building Kohima held on September 16. (DIPR Photo)

Kohima, September 16 (Dipr): Minister for IT&C and Transport & Civil Aviation, Paiwang Konyak visited the ongoing construction site of the IT&C

directorate building Kohima, near Thizama gate, on September 16. He inspected the building and interacted with the contractor and officers of

the department. The Minister expressed his desire for the ground floor and 1st floor of the new building to be completed by November 2015 so as to commission the Software Technology Park which will house the first call centre of the state. He also sought the cooperation of the office and staff of IT&C and also assured his support to the department. The Minister also expressed his vision to make the department a ‘single window’ for all departments in the state for the benefit of the people of Nagaland. The construction of the building commenced on October 2012 and is expected to be completed by March 2016.

Participants with the resource persons and others during the ASHA training conducted at Wokha district.

WoKha, September 16 (mexN): The 4thround on 6th and 7th module ASHA training was conducted from August 11 to 29 at Wokha district in 6 blocks Chukitong, Sanis Wozhuro/Ralan, Bhandari I & II and Wokha Sadar. Total 147 ASHAs were trained. The resource person were GNMs, BACs, and vertical Programme Officers. Topics covered include

violence against women, and non-communicable diseases, TB, Malaria, Leprosy, RBSK, and HIV/AIDS. Chubala State ASHA Nodal Officer visited during the training and interacted with the ASHAs on various activities to be undertaken and discussed the HBNC reporting format. The ASHAs were given thermometer, weighing scale, sling, and bag.

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ThursDAY 17•09•2015

NORTH-EAST

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

re-empower traditional Forum for refugee status to Indian troops never crossed into Myanmar; Ordinance strikes took place in Manipur and Nagaland institutions & headmen tabled victims of religious persecution Guwahati, September 16 (iaNS): A forum in Assam on Wednesday has suggested that the victims of religious persecution in Bangladesh and Pakistan may be given refugee status instead of citizenship. While saying that the minority communities from Bangladesh and Pakistan, who had fled the countries due to religious persecution and entered India may be given refugee status, the citizens' forum - Patriotic People's Front, Assam (PPFA) said that the central government should not burden Assam alone with all the asylum seekers. The political parties and civil society organisations in Assam are opposing the central government's recent move to exempt the minority communities of Bangladesh and Pakistan from the provisions of rules and order under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and

the Foreigners Act, 1946. The central government's decision has seemingly stirred a hornet's nest in Assam with several organisations already calling shutdowns and holding demonstrations in the past few days. The central government issued notification recently saying that it is further considering the issue of regularisation of entry and stay of such Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals in India, who escaped from the respective countries due to religious persecution, on humanitarian ground. "The central government must clarify its stand at the earliest over the issue," said PPFA secretary Rupam Barua. "The PPFA also demands a concrete refugee policy with a legal framework to be adopted by New Delhi and urged the people of Assam not to get carried over by the ongoing debate of 'granting citizenship to

these minority communities from Bangladesh and Pakistan'," he said, adding that granting mere refugee status does not mean granting citizenship to those asylum seekers. "Even though a refugee in a country is legally allowed to enjoy some basic rights for life, liberty, equality, healthcare, primary education, work, they are not entitled to have the status permanently," Baruah said. The PPFA further argued that the process of providing asylum to these minority communities including the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Sikh, Parsee nationals from Bangladesh and Pakistan should be temporary and that New Delhi must continue to pursue with the authorities in Dhaka and Islamabad diplomatically to help those refugees to return to their respective countries when the situation normalises.

New DeLhi, September 16 (et): The cross-border strike in June to take down insurgent camps never took place in Myanmar, if the gallantry citations of the crack paratroopers who executed the operation are to be believed. While minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore openly stated after the June 9 operation that Indian forces crossed into Myanmar and raided two militant camps, the gallantry award citations of the heroes of the strike make no mention of the neighbouring nation, indicating instead that the operation took place in Manipur and Nagaland. ET has learnt that the citations for the eight soldiers, including Lt Col Nectar Sanjenbam who led the operation, give an insight into the carefully carried out raid, while blurring out that it took place in Myan-

mar. Lt Col Sanjenbam, who has been awarded the Kirti Chakra — the second highest peacetime gallantry award — is learnt to have displayed unusual prowess in taking down the sentries at the militant camps that were raided. The officer is cited to have taken down 6-8 sentries, who were guarding the camps, personally in close quarter combat, before blasting his way through the main installations. Similarly, Hav Tanka Kumar Limbu, awarded the Shaurya Chakra, is also cited as being instrumental in ensuring that the crack commando team sneaked in undetected before blasting away the main compound. The citations indicate that the Indian Army managed to inflict close to two dozen casualties, even though a precise number is not mentioned. On the eve of Independence Day, the government conferred gallantry awards

to eight soldiers of the 21 Para who took part in the strike but kept the citation — or record of the operation — classified. This was an unusual move as in the past, gallantry citations are made public, even for actions in foreign lands. When asked about the citations, an Army spokesperson said: "Please refer to the statement issued on June 9 that says the Army engaged two separate groups of insurgents along the Indo-Myanmar border at two locations, along the Nagaland and Manipur borders." It may be recalled the Indian Army never officially said its troops carried out a cross-border strike. In a statement issued on the day of the operation, the Army was careful to mention that the operation took place "along the IndoMyanmar border" and that "we are in communication with the Myanmar authorities on this matter".

ShiLLoNG, September 16 (pti): Amidst protest from several quarters, Congress-led government in Meghalaya today tabled an ordinance which seeks to re-empower traditional institutions and headmen whose powers were clipped by the High Court last year. The notification on the Meghalaya Local Administration (Empowerment of Traditional Institutions, Traditional Bodies and Headmen in Governance and Public Delivery System) Ordinance, 2015 was tabled by the Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Law Department, Rowell Lyngdoh, on the first day of the autumn session, which began here today. Leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy sought clarification on the next move of the state government after the ordinance was tabled. According to him, as per convention, the ordi-

nance has to be brought in the form of a bill if it has to continue or be implemented in the state. In reply, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "We have laid the notification relating to the ordinance and the next move of the government is that it is trying to have consultation with various political parties in the state on the matter." Giving more clarity on the proposed move of the government, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma added, "In fact, we have invited all political parties for discussion on the issue recently in which only few political parties responded." Referring to the telephone conversation he had with the Leader of Opposition on the matter, Sangma said, "I had spoken to Donkupar where we have abundantly made it clear that the government does not intend to introduce a regular bill, in view of the circumstances before us.

AR nabs 1 KCP (MTF) cadre JCILPS urges governor to give assent to three bills

Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): A combined team of 12 BIHAR of 9 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (South) and 7 Assam, acting on specific intelligence regarding movement of a UG cadre, arrested one one KCP (MTF) cadre from general area Sagolfang September, 15. An AR press note identified the cadre as No. 09118, Herojit alias Tomba alias Nabha (36 yrs),

North East Briefs Assam Govt to consider if Paresh Baruah wants to see his ailing mother Guwahati, September 16 (pti): Assam government would consider on humanitarian ground if ULFA (Independent) 'commanderin-chief' Paresh Baruah desire to come to the state to see his ailing mother in his native place, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said in a press statement today. Baruah fled India in 1990 after the security forces' drive against ULFA codenamed "Operation Rhino" and has been outside the country ever since. 85-year old Miliki Baruah was hospitalised last week following complaints of respiratory prroblems.

Tripura facing scarcity of essentials goods aGartaLa, September 16 (iaNS): Tripura is facing a severe shortage of essentials and transport fuel as the Assam-Agartala national highway -- the only surface link between Tripura and the rest of country -- has been damaged following incessant rainfall. According to state government officials, the highway has been badly damaged and oil tankers and goodsladen trucks have been stranded. Food and Civil Supplies Department Director and Sp Secretary Soumitra Bandopadhayay said: "The government is in touch with the union road transport and highways ministry as well as the Assam to ensure plying of goods laden trucks and oil tankers." As the rail service has been stopped since October last year due to gauge conversion works in southern Assam, surface transport is the only mode to carry the essentials.

LOST NOTICE I, VILIBO. S am applying for a duplicate copy of Class-9 (failed) registration Card as I have lost it. Name: VILIBO .S F/Name: SHEKHAHO Roll No: 1489462 Trinity School, Thahekhu Lost Date: 15/09/15

and a resident of Utlau Nambol. The apprehendee revealed that he had fired 15 rounds of AK-47 on the house of Pradhan of Meijrou, Imphal West and village panchayat member and injured one councillor of Irom Meijrou, Imphal West and also fired 5 rounds of 9mm pistol on Police Commandos in Utlau in 2012, it added. He was handed over to the Nambol Police Station.

imphaL, September 16 (pti): A team of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) led by its convenor Kh Ratan today met Governor of Manipur Syed Ahmed and urged him to give his assent to three bills passed by the Assembly on August 31 last. The three bills, the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill,

AFFIDAVIT Dated: 16th September 2015

Registration No. 905/15

2015 and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 would not affect the rights of the tribal people, but would protect them, Ratan told reporters. The present movement launched by the tribal people in Manipur was due to a communication gap, misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the bills, he said.

Regarding Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) leader of Bihar Rajesh Rajan alias Pappu Yadav's 'Chaka Jam' on September 6 last halting trains in search of Manipuri passengers in protest against alleged violence against Bihari migrants in Manipur, Ratan said such things would only incite communal enmity and should be condemned by all.

GREENWOOD SCHOOL KUDA VILLAGE: DIMAPUR

VACANCY

I Alihtumen Changkiri previously called Alihtumen Changkija doing private business, and resident of H/No 150, Blk III Ward No. 7, Lane 10,Chumukedima, solemnly declare that I wholly renounce/relinquish the use of my former surname of Changkija and assume from this date, the surname Changkiri so that I may hereafter be called, known and distinguished not by my former name/surname, but assumed name/surname of Alihtumen Changkiri.

Applications are invited for: 1. M. A. (Education) 1 post Salary – `. 16,000/- p.m. Kindly submit hand written application along with a passport photograph and Photostat copies of the original documents on or before 25th Sept. 2015. There will be written test, class demonstration and oral interview on 28th Sept. 2015 at 9 a.m. Contact no:- 9436261009/8974425485

SUMMON FOR SETTLEMENT OF ISSUE

ZION HOSPITAL & RESEARCH CENTRE

(ORDER – V, RULE – 1,5,20)

In the court of Shri. Inalo Zhimomi D.S.J./C.J. (SR.DIV, JR.DIV) Dimapur Nagaland

Suit No: Civil Suit No. 87/15 Plaintiff: Z. Obed Defendants: T. Sepipa Sangtam & others To, Shri. Tseihu Obed 2 1/2 Mile, Darogapather Dimapur: Nagaland Whereas the plaintiff has instituted a suit against you for declaration of the rights and interest over the suit Land. You are hereby summoned to appear before the Court in person or by pleader duly instructed and able to answer all material questions relating to the suit on 16.10.15 at 10:00 A.M. without fail. Take notice that in default of your appearance on the date mentioned the suit will be heard and determined in your absence. Given under my hand and the seal of the Court 16th day of September 2015. D.S.J. /C.J. (Sr. Div, Jr. Div) Dimapur Nagaland.

Director

CANCER SURGEON FOR CONSULTATION

Dr. GANESH DAS MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh), DNB, FMAS, FAIS, Trained Cancer Surgeon from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai will be available for consultation on 19th Sept. 2015(Saturday).

UROLOGIST FOR CONSULTATION/OPERATION Dr. JOY N. CHAKRABORTY MS, DNB (Surgery), DNB (Urology), FRCS renowned Endourosurgeon from Guwahati will be available for consultation on 30th Sept. 2015 (Wednesday). Patients requiring Consultation/Operation for Urinary problems, Prostate, Kidney & Bladder Stone may contact the Reception for Registration. For Registration, Please contact:  03862-231864, 227337, 224117 For more information, visit our website: www.zhrc.in

NAGALAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION KOHIMA

NO.NPSC/CS-EXAM/2015

Dated, Kohima, the 16th September, 2015

NOTIFICATION

In continuation to the Commission’s Advertisement No. NPSC-3/2015 dated 29.07.2015, this is to inform all concerned that the Nagaland Public Service Commission will be conducting the Preliminary Examination for NCS, NPS, NSS & Allied Services, 2015 to be held on 26th September 2015 (Saturday) from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon in 5 (five) centres at Kohima, Dimapur, Mokokchung, Tuensang & Mon. The distribution of exam venue and roll number is as given below: KOHIMA CENTRE NAME OF INSTITUTION Little Flower Hr. Sec. School Modern College Mt. Sinai Hr. Sec. School Fernwood Hr. Sec. School Mezhür Hr. Sec. School Mt. Olive College Baptist High Rüzhükhrie Govt. HSS Don Bosco HSS Kohima College NPSC (Exam Hall) DIMAPUR CENTRE Livingstone Foundation Hr. Sec. School Christian Hr. Sec. School Govt. Hr. Sec. School Greenwood Hr. Sec. Sc Dimapur Govt. College Little Star Hr. Sec. School Patkai Christian College, Chumukedima MOKOKCHUNG CENTRE Mayangnokcha Hr. Sec. School Queen Mary Hr. Sec. School TUENSANG CENTRE St. John’s Hr. Sec. School MON CENTRE Don Bosco School Grand Total

ROLL NOS. ALLOTED TOTAL 10001-11000 1000 11001-11600 600 11601-12100 500 12101-12550 450 12551-13750 1200 13751-14250 500 14251-14850 600 14851-15550 700 15551-16250 700 16251-17050 800 17051-17605 555 20001-20700 20701-21500 21501-22254 22255-23454 23455-24254 24255-24864 24865-25713

700 800 754 1200 800 610 849

30001-30509 30510-31009

509 500

40001-40484

484

50001-50385

385 15196

Sd/- SARAH R RITSE Secretary, Nagaland Public Service Commission, Kohima

ThursDAY 17•09•2015

BUSINESS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

India is considering allowing state pension funds to invest more in equities NEW DELHI, SEptEmbEr 16 (rEutErS): India is considering allowing state retirement funds to invest more in equities and opening them up to private-sector management to improve returns, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks to expand the country’s tiny pensions net. Hemant Contractor, head of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), told Reuters he was pushing for state pension funds to be allowed to invest up to half of their funds in stocks, up from the cur-

rent 15 percent. “We have taken it up very strongly with the government,” Contractor said in an interview. “The moment the government accepts it, we will increase to 50 percent.” The pension plans handle mostly state employees’ funds. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who wants pension and insurance funds to invest more in equities and infrastructure, could make a decision soon, a ministry official said. The pension savings of about $15 billion overseen

by Contractor’s agency are about just 1 percent of the Bombay Stock Exchange’s $1.5 trillion market value. But asset managers expect them to grow four-fold over five years, mainly driven by higher deposits following tax exemptions this year. Jaitley introduced a tax break this year on annual pension contributions of up to 50,000 rupees ($750), a step that could boost enrollments by 40-45 percent in this fiscal year, Contractor said. Modi has also urged the $100 billion state-run Employees’ Provident

NEW DELHI, SEptEmbEr 16 (ptI): India has become home to 11th largest population of millionaires with 1.98 lakh such high networth individuals, as falling oil prices and “constructive” election results helped the country post the biggest gains in terms of their number and total wealth during 2014. India recorded the largest gains -- for the region and globally -- for HNWI (high networth individuals) population (26.3 per cent) and wealth (28.2 per cent). “The election of a popular reform minded prime minister helped to boost investor confidence and contributed to strong performance in the stock market, with a 21.9 per cent increase in the MSCI Index. Lower oil prices helped reduce country’s budget deficit and retail inflation fell considerably,” the report said. “All these events helped India moved up to third place for HNWI wealth across Asia Pacific, displacing Australia, which suffered from a significant 7.6 per cent decline in equity markets,” it added. According to the ‘World Wealth Report 2015’, released by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management, there were 1,98,000 HNWIs in India in 2014, while in 2013 the figure stood at 1,56,000. India has been ranked 11th in the list of countries with highest number of HNWI population. The US topped the chart with 43,51,000 millionaires, followed by Japan 24,52,000, Germany (11,41,000) and China (8,90,000) in the second, third and fourth place respectively. The top four countries account for 60.3 per cent of the total worldwide HNWI population. Globally in 2014, strong economic and equity market performance helped to create 920,000 new millionaires. The number of High Net Worth Individuals grew to 14.6 million, while their collective wealth surged to $56.4 trillion. Since 2006, Asia Pacific dominated HNWI growth and of the $7.4 trillion of HNWI wealth added in Asia Pacific since 2006, India and China accounted for an impressive 43 per cent. “Continued growth is expected to result in India and China holding over 10 per cent of all global HNWI wealth by 2017,” the report said.

NEW DELHI, SEptEmbEr 16 (ptI): The premium and well appointed Suzuki Baleno is ready to roll. Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2015, the Baleno will hit the Indian market in time for the festive season. Contrary to speculation, the car will be called Baleno in India too. It will compete with the Hyundai i20, and will be retailed at Maruti Suzuki’s pre-

NEW York, SEptEmbEr 16 (IANS): The United States is the best partner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” campaign as the two nations seek to reinforce their strategic interests through commerce, a senior US government official said Tuesday. Under Secretary of Commerce Stefan Selig said that because the US produces “the best manufacturing exports” India will have “no better partner” in its bid to make the country “an elite manufacturing hub on the global stage.” Briefing reporters here on the US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue (S&CD) to be held in Washington next week, he said the meeting “will examine how achieving our commercial goals can advance our mutually reinforcing strategic interests, including those under President Obama’s rebalanced Asia and Prime Minister Modi’s Act East policy.” Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, will address the US-India Business Council’s (USIBC) 40th anniversary celebra-

COOkiNg measure eggs milk bakingpowder sugar degrees sifter salt temperature mixer spoon bake timer pans waxpaper pothoder water vanilla flavoring zest spice dishes stove chop peel chocolate

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and climate control. Built on the new generation platform, the Baleno gets a ground clearance of 170mm, 355-litres of luggage space, and a turning radius of 4.9m. The fuel tank will take 37-litres of fuel. The company will offer both, 15- and 16-inch wheels on the Baleno hatchback. Expect the car in the next few weeks, and our drive review by mid-October.

logue, Selig said, will concentrate on four areas: • Building tomorrow’s smart cities in India and the related infrastructure; • Participating in strengthening India’s business climate to the benefit of both Indian and American businesses; • Harmonizing product standards to increase trade and further deepen our industries’ integration into global supply chains; and • Developing best practices around innovation and entrepreneurship. Reacting to a reporter’s comment that critical reforms were taking place at a slow pace, Selig said, “Let’s not forget the prime minister has been in office since just May of last year, and these are difficult, complicated issues and are going to take time. And the notion that all of these things would be addressed or fixed in that short period of time I think is both unrealistic and somewhat naive.” He added, “There has been, in fact, steady progress. But there’s also room for growth and room for continued improvement and lots of work to be done.”

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 3361

Answer Number # 3347

E J I S R D O N A D R E G Z Q A Q Y T C

kitty, the car will be a good challenger to the Honda Jazz, which, along with the Nissan Micra, also offers CVT. This will be Maruti’s first CVT. The Baleno will also sport Apple Car Play - a first for the Indian market, and a great USP to have, especially in this segment. Besides this, expect connectivity and interface options like steering mounted controls

tions ahead of the dialogue next Monday in Washington. US Secretary Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal, along with business leaders from both countries, will be among the participants in the dialogue. Selig, whose portfolio is international trade, said the most important goal in India-US long-term collaboration is increasing fivefold the annual bilateral trade from the current $100 billion to $500 billion. Stressing the role of the private sector, Selig said, “We are intensely committed to engaging directly with business leaders through our expanded US-India CEO Forum.” The forum which will precede the dialogue “will feed into the government-to-government discussions,” he added. It “will also ensure that business leaders play a central role in crafting policies.” The overall focus in this year’s dia-

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

game Number # 3348

next two to three months. Awards would be based on the most competitive fees bid by asset managers. “We are very positive,” said S. Bandyopadhyay, CEO of LIC Pension Fund, which manages $4.4 billion. He forecast that PFRDA-regulated assets could grow by three or four times to $60 billion over the next four years. Still fund managers say there is long way to go as low awareness of pension products, adverse tax rules and a lack of confidence in the stock market deter many potential investors.

US is best partner for ‘Make in India,’: US official

LEISURE

mium dealerships - Nexa. The Baleno for India will be available with a K12M petrol and the D13A diesel engines. One must know, the engines are almost identical to the powertrains you see in the Maruti Suzuki Swift in India. The diesel Baleno will be retailed only in the Indian market for now, and will not be offered in Europe for starters. With a CVT option in its

SUDOKU

Funds overseen by the PFRDA have returned more than 10 percent a year since it was set up in 2004. That beats the 8.5 percent earned by the EPFO, which invests mainly in government bonds, but barely beat inflation over the same period. Private players see an opportunity in the pension savings of the 60 million state employees who contribute $13 billion of the $15 billion in assets overseen by the PFRDA. The PFRDA plans to invite bids to manage more pension funds in the

Maruti Suzuki Baleno ready for India

India home to 1.98 lakh millionaires; 11th largest globally

Fund Organisation (EPFO) to start buying stocks to lift its returns. “There is a broad agreement that state employees should have an option on a par with private workers to invest in equity markets,” said a finance ministry official, who is involved in the policy process and spoke on condition of anonymity. But most of India’s workforce is employed in the cash economy and has no formal retirement cover at all. Only about 12 percent of those in work actually have a pension plan.

W A X P A P E R S U G A R K N H S O O R

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M E C D E D E T P B E J D J A O X Y L D

I A R F T M G P H I D M J N L Z J A L E

G A O C F S Y O P O H C P A B S V X L G

L W O K I P D O I V D I T E I O T N H R

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Y R A N F C E F A P L J R I L A U F K E

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Z R E G G S X S O E T G M W H G B U B F

I E R P R V K B A K I N G P O W D E R I

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NEW DELHI, SEptEmbEr 16 (ptI): Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today launched three mobile based services – a Mobile Application, SMS-based UAN (Universal Account Number) Activation and Missed Call service – for the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members. “The members would be able to activate their UAN accounts from the comfort of their mobile phones and can also access their accounts for viewing their monthly credits through the passbook as well as view their details available with EPFO. “Similarly the EPF pensioners have been given the facility to access their pension disbursement details through this mobile app… the employers can also view their remittance details,” the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employmenta said, according to a government release. The app can be downloaded from the EPFO (EPF Organisation) website, it added. EPFO has already in place a Short Code SMS service through which the members can find out contribution and PF balance, etc. As an extension, now a missed call would provide all these details. This facility is available only to the UAN activated members, so it is expected to promote the UAN activation process. Dattatreya informed that these services will help nearly 3.54 crore contributing members, 49.22 lakh pensioners and 6.1 lakh employers. Nearly 1.80 crore UAN are activated, 58.72 lakh UAN are seeded with AADHAAR and 1.82 crore UAN are seeded with bank account, the minister added.

SBI card launches credit card for online shopping NEW DELHI, SEptEmbEr 16 (ptI): SBI Card today rolled out an online specific credit card --SimplyCLICK --in association with seven partners including Amazon India, BookMyShow and Cleartrip. “We wanted to launch a card with special benefit meant for online purchases. In this card, whatever the spending be, we will offer a five times more reward than in case of normal cards,” Vijay Jasuja, CEO SBI Card told reporters after the launch of the new product. Other online partners for the initiative are Ola Cabs, LensKart, Food Panda and Fab Furnish. “And for the seven online partners, spending on those platform will attract ten times more reward. So the consumers will get 15 times more reward (points),” he said. SBI Card said the company is focusing on online shopping across diverse categories as the e-commerce sector in India is growing at an exceptional pace. “With this new product, SBI Card is poised to leverage the popularity of online shopping and e-commerce in India,” it said. Also, the Card will reward loyal customers by offering them with up to Rs 4,000 worth of vouchers if they spend Rs 2 lakh via online medium annually. For possessing a card, customers will have to spend a one time fee of Rs 499. But they will also get an Amazon e-gift welcome voucher worth Rs 500. However, the cardholders will receive a reversal of the renewal fee on crossing annual spends of Rs 1 lakh, the company said. “Amazon is focused on transforming the way India buys and sells and are continually looking for ways to provide customers the best experience. We look forward to SimplyCLICK customers...experience an easy and convenient access to over 22 million products across hundreds of categories,” said Kishore Thota, Head of Consumer Marketing, Amazon India. Ashish Garg, Cofounder, FabFurnish said: “e-commerce is changing the way people are shopping these days and SBI Card’s latest offering catches the pulse of its audience and gives them exactly what they are looking for.” DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:

G N V H X Z R B G U S B P A Z A X O L U

STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474

Metro Hospital: Faith Hospital:

227930, 231081 228846

Shamrock Hospital

228254

Zion Hospital:

231864, 224117, 227337

Police Control Room

228400

Police Traffic Control

232106

East Police Station West Police Station

227607 232181

CIHSR (Referral Hospital)

242555/ 242533

Dimapur hospital

224041, 248011

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

230695/ 9402435652

Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

229366

ACROSS

1. Light gusts of air 6. Anagram of “Star” 10. Head 14. Coral island 15. Masterstroke 16. Cut down 17. Chocolate source 18. Carry 19. Jewelry 20. A very small amount 22. Balm ingredient 23. What we sleep on 24. Pariah 26. Belonging to the peerage 30. Ruffle 32. Aromatic solvent 33. Pillager 37. Breezed through 38. Beside 39. Stare 40. Steepness 42. Monetary penalties 43. Crucifixes 44. A short coat 45. Different 47. Indian bread 48. Chocolate cookie 49. Easy

DOWN

1. Agreement 2. Salt Lake state 3. Central points 4. Deception 5. Drool 6. Performed 7. Top of a house 8. Ballet attire 9. Correct letter order in a word 10. Someone who is paralyzed 11. Axial 12. Adult male singing voice 13. Border 21. Directed 25. A late time of life 26. Popular hot beverages 27. Skin irritation 28. You (archaic) 29. Leather shorts

30. Clean between teeth 31. Flows 33. Implored 34. Relative status 35. Type of sword 36. A musical pause 38. An eating disorder 41. Caviar 42. Imagination unrestricted by reality 44. Glass container 45. Heavenly hunter 46. Pace 47. Clamor 48. Killer whale 50. French for Finished or Done 51. Discover 52. Easy gait 53. Makes a mistake 54. Anagram of “Ties” 55. Droops Ans to CrossWord 3360

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

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

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

Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre

PHEK: 8414853765 (O) 9862130954(OC)

KOHIMA

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

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

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

CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE 56. Edges 57. 13 in Roman numerals 58. Heart artery 59. Make do 60. Hotels 61. Bit of parsley 62. Nameless 63. Assistant 64. Affirmatives

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

T I M L R J V V U A A Q L R O R W Y N O

Mobile app for EPF members launched

Toll free No. 1098 childline

KipHire: 8414853767 (O) 8974304572 (OC)

WE4WOMEN HELPLINE 08822911011

MOKOKCHUNG:

STD CODE: 0369

Police Station 1:

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

Thai Baht Korean Won New Zealand Dollar Chinese Yuan

222246 222491

BUY(Rs)

SELL(Rs)

64.93 100.16 8.11 46.00 45.94 48.93 53.63

67.86 105.06 9.03 48.27 48.20 51.33 56.66

73.59

77.14

1.74

1.94

0.0532

0.0592

40.93

42.96

9.81

10.93

ThursDAY 17•09•2015

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

VDb association demands USSC laments negligence of govt high school in Kiphire HQ release of MGNReGa fund

Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): The Nagaland State VDB Association has urged the finance department of Nagaland to release money to the MGNREGA job cardholders before the end of September 2015. The association said MGNREGA fund is the only money that is directly reaching the people at the grassroots level for development. However, due to nonrelease of the fund by the state finance department the villages are facing untold hindrance in terms of development. The VDB Association represents 1184 villages and 4, 25,000 job-card holders of the state. A delegation of the as-

sociation led by its president Tohoshe Awomi along with representatives of the 11 districts met Temjen Toy (IAS), Finance Commissioner and Kikheto Sema (IAS), Secretary Finance in Kohima on September 8 and apprised the two officials for release of the fund. In a statement, Tohoshe Awomi stated the association met the two top officials to press for release of Rs. 53 crores sanctioned for MGNREGA in Nagaland on June 10, 2015, which is yet to be released to the MGNREGA job card holders in the state. Awomi also mentioned that as per the guidelines of MGNREGA, after the central government releases the

fund into the state exchequer, the state government should release the same to the concerned department within three days. And, the department should reach the money to the job-card holders within 15 days. Tohoshe asserted that the state finance department has not followed the MGNREGA guidelines and has not released the fund till date. However, the association said it received positive feedback from Temjen Toy and Kikheto Sema. Further, the association said that the Ministry of Rural Development, GoI, in its letter dated July 7, 2015 said that MGNREGA performance review of all the states will be conducted by September

2015 end and there will be reallocation of unutilized fund by states to other states as per demand. In this, it questioned how a performance review of Nagaland can be conducted if the money is not duly released to MGNREGA job-card holders. The association further said the central ministry will not come to the state to inquire about the non-utilization of Rs. 53 crores, but will deduct the same in the next phase of allocation and reallocate the fund to performing state which will be a huge loss to the people of Nagaland. The state government, finance department and the two officials will be answerable to the people of Nagaland, it stated.

Kiphire, September 16 (mexN): The United Sangtam Students' Conference (USSC) visited the lone Govt. High School (Yangphi) in district headquarters Kiphire on September 11. It held a meeting with the school authority, teaching staff and resolved to seek the department’s intervention on the condition of the school. The school, which has the largest enrollment of students among government schools in the district, shares same campus with Govt. Primary School. A press release from USSC maintained that in terms of development (infrastructure and other facilities), both the high school and primary school are beneath the standard. Besides, there is no fence to either

safeguard school property or avoid land encroachment. USSC expressed resentment at the authority concerned for neglecting the lone high school. The conference further urged to implement distribution of free textbooks, uniforms and midday meal according to the guidelines. Further, pointing out that the school has been running without assistant headmaster after the last one got transferred, it appealed to the directorate of school education to immediately depute the same. It also demanded that one science teacher who was transferred with post be retained at the earliest as the number of teachers is inadequate. With regard to the

TUD questions AR raid at pastor’s house US ambassador meets governor Acharya Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): The Tangkhul Union Dimapur (TUD) has expressed displeasure over the raid carried out by Indian security forces at Pastor Rev. Judson Rungsung's house on September 15. “Rev Judson Rungsung dedicated active years of his life teaching in the Patkai Christian College and retired as principal of the college,” said TUD president Lungmi Kasar in a release. “After retirement

from the college he is again serving as Pastor, spreading the love of Christ and the love for one another.” The union stated that such an act on a pastor and much respected member of the union has deeply hurt the sentiments of the members. “If such a respected gentleman and a pastor (shepherd) who is regarded for his exemplary life of a good law abiding citizen is treated like a criminal, warranting a raid

in the wee hours of the morning, then the motive remain questionable and condemnable.” The union urged the Indian govt to restrain its agencies from unwarranted acts which hurt the sentiment of the people and to respect religious leaders and innocent law abiding Nagas, especially at this juncture when India and the Nagas are trying to solve the long eluding conflicts through mutual respect.

IGNOU entrance tests to various prog Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is conducting entrance tests for Management Programmes (Openmat-xxxviii), B.Ed., and B.Sc.N (pb) for January, 2016 session on September 20 (10:00 am to 1:00 pm). The tests are being organized at 186 Examination Centres spread all over the country and accommodating 51,816 candidates. In Nagaland, the test is being organized at Modern College, Kohima and Dimapur Government

College, a press release received here informed. The hall tickets have already been uploaded on the university website and the candidates have been informed through SMS to download the hall ticket. The candidates of B.Ed and B.Sc.N are to affix a recent passport size photograph duly attested by a Gazetted Office on the hall ticket. In case candidates are unable to download the hall ticket, they can contact the Regional Centre and obtain the information of Examination

Centre allocated and report to the Examination Centre with a proof of submission of Entrance Test application form along with recent passport size photograph. In such case they have to submit an undertaking at the Examination Centre stating in the event of information furnished by them found to be incorrect, their candidature will be cancelled, the release stated. Candidates must report at the Examination Centre 45 minutes before commencement of the Entrance Test.

Kohima, September 16 (mexN): Richard Rahul Verma, US Ambassador to India, New Delhi and Craig L. Hall, Consul General of USA, Kolkata visited PB Acharya, Governor of Assam & Nagaland at Raj Bhavan, Guwahati on September 1. Richard Verma is the first Indian origin American to become an Ambassador of US to India. A press release from the OSD to governor of Nagaland said that Verma had a discussion with the Governor for about 50 minutes about the socio-economic situation and how both can be partners in the development of the area. The governor, it said, emphasized on three important sectors – Education, Electricity and Organic Agricultural products. He maintained that industries should be based on solar energy, hydro, coal and other natural resources which are aplenty in North East. He also pointed out that there could be partnership in IT industries, cooperation, healthcare sectors. Meanwhile, the Gov-

RMSA teachers’ agitation, USSC stated that it is not only affecting Govt. High School, Yangphi, but also Govt. High School, Longmatra and Amahator EAC Hqs. It blamed the government’s attitude towards the teaching fraternity, which compels them to agitate for their right. The USSC stated that failure to solve such issues in time by the government has hampered the career of the school students and it is also one of the factors for poor HSLC result in govt. high schools, especially in Kiphire district. In this light, USSC urged the authority concerned to resolve the issue of the teachers so students are not deprived of their right to education. Meantime, it extended solidarity

towards RMSA teachers on their demand. It further informed that with the RMSA teachers’ agitation, government schools are left with number of syllabus to cover in all the subjects, especially the HSLC students. Therefore, the conference has set up free coaching classes in Mathematics, Science and English at Cambridge English High School till the RMSA teachers call off their agitation, the release said. The conference also appealed to all the teachers of Govt. High School, Yangphi to extend their best service for the welfare and development of the school by being regular in their duties. It also resolved to press for the genuine demands of the school to the authority concerned.

MEx FILE YSUD general meeting Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): The Yajang Students’ Union Dimapur (YSUD) will hold a general meeting on September 19 at its office in Kashiram village from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. All the members from Class and above have been asked to attend it without fail.

WDGBA meeting on September 18 WoKha, September 16 (mexN): The Wokha District GB’s Association (WDGBA) has informed all its office bearers and executive members that there will be an important meeting on September 18, 9:00 am at GB’s Court, PWD Colony, Wokha town.

NPCC meetings in Kohima PB Acharya with Richard Rahul Verma, Craig L. Hall & others.

ernor highlighted that the present government at the Centre has the political will to solve the problem of insurgency without any trust deficiency, according to the release. “The recent peace agreement with NSCN (IM), the oldest insurgent group in the North East has signed peace agreement is a honest beginning for permanent peace by the Central Government,” he said. “The Government as

Kohima, September 16 (mexN): The NPCC Executive Committee meeting has been fixed on September 23, 2:00 pm at Congress Bhavan, Kohima. Meanwhile, NPCC will celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar-cum-launching of NPCC Road Map on September 24, 11:00 am at Congress Bhavan here. Narayanasamy, General Secretary, AICC and Dr. Jayakumar, Secretary, AICC will attend the function. Both the AICC leaders will meet the Frontal Chiefs on September 23 at 4:00 pm and DCC presidents on September 24 at 2:00 pm. All PCC members, DCC presidents and ACCC presidents have been requested to attend the meeting on September 24 positively.

well as the people of Nagaland is fully confident that all the other Naga groups will understand the need of the hour and will join and strengthen the peace efforts.” Ambassador Verma also had meetings with the Chief Minister of Assam and his colleagues, media, cham- Missing children found ber of commerce etc. He assured to come back again pereN, September 16 (mexN): A day after they to North East to experience went missing from Peren town on September 14, Wimun Zeliang (10) and Perangwang Zeliang (7) have its vibrant cultural life. been found by the Peren Police at Tepuikie River bordering Nagaland and Manipur. The children were found on September 15 around 12:00 noon, according to a press release from Superintendent of Police, Peren. The release said that Chamtin, mother of Perangwang Zeliang of Peubear the loss and comfort kwaram colony, Peren had earlier lodged a missing compliant at Peren Police Station. The children were handed them. In a separate note, Ra- over to their parents after completion of legal formalities, zeba Public Organisation the release added. expressed sorrow at the death of Wetso Chirah, who Meeting of Committee was also former chairman and Area Council Mem- on Subordinate Legislation ber. The note acknowl- Kohima, September 16 (mexN): MLA and chairedged that Chirah served man, Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Dr. TM as a leader with sincerity Lotha has convened meeting of the committee on Sepand dedication. The orga- tember 21, 11:00 am at the committee room of the Naganization prayed that God land Legislative Assembly secretariat. All members of the receives his soul and give Committee on Subordinate Legislation (2015-16) have him eternal rest. been requested to attend the meeting positively.

Hunting banned indefinitely in Sendenyu Condolences for Wetso Chirah tSemiNyu, September 16 (mexN): With the three years ban on hunting in Sendenyu village land coming to an end this month, it has been decided that the ban will continue indefinitely. The decision was made during a public meeting called by the Sendenyu Community Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation Committee (SCBWCC) on September 12 at Sendenyu Village.

A release from Gwasinlo Thong, chairperson, SCBWCC stated, “Despite the immense pressure to lift the ban from pro-hunting group and farmers whose standing crops were destroyed by wild animals, the 6 hours marathon meeting unanimously decided to continue the ban on hunting in Sendenyu Land for an indefinite period of time.” The release stated that as a result of bio-diversity conservation and wildlife

protection activities by the village community for the past 14 years and last 3 years of complete ban on hunting in Sendenyu area, there has been visible increase in wildlife population. Meanwhile, the release pointed out that sustainability of community conservation is at risk due to humananimal conflicts. To redress this issue, a committee headed by the Head GB of Sendenyu was constituted.

pheK, September 16 (mexN): The NPF 17th Chizami Assembly Constituency has expressed sorrow at the demise of its president Wetso Chirah on September 13 after a brief illness. In a condolence message, the party said that Chirah served as the president of the party since 2004 till his last breath. He worked towards the growth and development of the party with sincerity and

ANHTU, Kohima unit observes district level Hindi Day Our Correspondent

First: Tumchabeni T. Shitiri- Mount Hermon Higher Secondary School; Kechangulie Chielie- Khedi Baptist Higher Secondary School Second: ChangjilanMount Hermon Higher Secondary School Third: Ahmed RayzaCharity School Kohima; Limainla- Dainty Buds School Kohima

Kohima | September 16

All Nagaland Hindi Teacher’s Union (ANHTU), Kohima unit today observed 22nd District Level Hindi Day here at Ura Academy hall with parliamentary secretary for youth resources& sports, music task force and state lotteries Khriehu Liezietsu as the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, Liezietsu expressed happiness over the activities of the Union and hoped that their activities will encourage young people to know more about Hindi language and the prospect and opportunity it offers. He said the efforts of ANHTU have popularized Hindi language. “Now we find that beyond the inclusion of Hindi as a compulsory subject till elementary education, students, many of them Nagas, opt for Hindi even in secondary and higher secondary sections and it is heartening to see that many of those students excel in the subject,” said Liezietsu. He also stated that hundreds of candidates appearing Hindi teachers’ recruitment exams show that the younger genera-

Parliamentary secretary for youth resources & sports, music task force and state lotteries Khriehu Liezietsu handing over prizes during 22nd district level Hindi day celebration in Kohima on September 16. (Morung Photo)

tion has now come to learn the importance and scope of Hindi language. The parliamentary secretary also maintained that conducting competitions like essay writing, debate, recitation etc during Hindi Diwas will go a long way in developing and promoting the Hindi language among the participants as well as the students. Later, Liezietsu handed over prizes to the winners of various competitions. Kohima SDEO Rokovolhulie Nagi and Tseminyu SDEO Watilo Magh also spoke on the

ESSAY: HIGHER SECONDARY LEVEL First: Khwehile KentRashtrabhasha Sansthan Tseminyu Second: Vihuli Tukku- Rashtrabasha Prachar Samiti Kohima

dedication and also served in various other social organizations as a leader, the note added. “His sudden demise is not only a great loss to the NPF 17th Chizami A/C but for the general public.” The message appended by general secretary Sapunyi Zholia further conveyed condolences to the wife Aselie Chirah, children and family members and prayed that God give them strength to

Corrigendum Apropos to the report on loss of Rs 3,87,000/belonging to the Khar Union Mangkolemba in the fire that gutted the house of Taliwati on September 5, a corrigendum has been issued stating that “the money was retrieved later on having misplaced.”

The corrigendum issued by Taliwati of Satihit Ward, Mangkolemba expressed regret at the error committed during reporting to the police and the media. “I take full responsibility for my action committee in the melee during the fire incident,” he said.

Public SPace

down-to-earth!

occasion. ANHTU KohiStop being antagonistic, ma unit president KekhriFor woe may be an upshot; eneilie Tsikhano delivered SONG Hold yourself secluded from tittle-tattle, welcome address. First: Lanurenla- RBPS That folks may label you Kohima Very down-to-earth. COMPETITION Second: Mezanuo WINNERS Ngukha- Charity School POEM RECITATION Kohima When the world is tainted, First: Richel ChishiThird- BendangmonBring to light the virtue; Mount Hermon Higher gla- Nagabazar Baptist When the hungry wanders for food, Secondary School Kohima School Be one to satiate their hunger Second: KesesanuoMount Hermon Higher DEBATE And you are in blissfulness. Secondary School Kohima First: Tokhumla QuThird: Shanjothung inger- Dainty Buds School Be amiable to every you encounter Ngullie- Dainty Buds Kohima That graciousness may surmount your malady; School Kohima Second: Ayala- Dainty Comprehend that you’re second-to-none, Buds School Kohima ESSAY: HIGH SCHOOL You can be down-to-earth. Third: Chewe-ii - RBPS LEVEL Niekhoyi Rhakho Stephen Kohima

DEO Dimapur informs on CEAF exam Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): The District Education Officer (DEO), Dimapur has informed that the Children Education Assistant Fund (CEAF) exam will be held on September 26 at GMS Nagarjan (Kuda). The exam will start at 10:00 am, according to a release from DEO office. Admit card will be issued from the DEO office during office hour.

Congress consultative meeting Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): A consultative meeting of the Congress party workers of Dimapur - II A/C and Dimapur - III A/C will be held on September 19, 11:00 am at Congress Bhavan, Dimapur. Therefore, all concerned have been directed to attend the meeting.

Ex-PAN expresses grief Dimapur, September 16 (mexN): The Ex-Parliamentarian Association of Nagaland today expressed grief and shock at the demise of former minister Toshi Sangtam on September 11. Born in 1934, Sangtam was elected to the NLA from 52 Longkhim-chare Assembly Constituency in 1974, said a message issued by Ex-PAN president T Khongo. “A well known public leader and one of the political pioneers of Tuensang district, he served the people in various capacities.” The Association extended condolences to the bereaved family and prayed that his soul rest in peace.

300 kg of ganja seized Kohima, September 16 (mexN): Kohima Police manning Peducha check gate recovered 300 kg of ganja from a truck bearing registration no. NL-07A-4359 on September 16 around 1:35 pm. The contraband is worth Rs. 15, 00,000/- in the national market, according to a press release from PRO, Kohima Police. One person identified as Siddique Ali (27) was arrested for possession and transportation of the contraband. A regular case vide Sechü (Zubza) P.S Case No. 0032/15 U/S 20 (b) (c) NDPS Act was registered against him in this connection, the release said.

The Morung Express states that the opinions expressed in the contents published in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper or the editor.

ThursDAY 17•09•2015

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express X issue 253X issue 185 Thursday 9volume July 2015 volume By aheli moitra

A ‘common platform’ for the people

here is a lesson for many quarters to learn from the ‘Common Platform’ arranged by the Against Corruption And Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland at the Dimapur District Sports Complex on September 12. The program followed close on the heels of the August 3 ‘framework agreement’ signed between the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) and the Government of India (GoI). It intended to draw opinion from Naga people on a ‘peaceful settlement.’ With representation drawn from people residing in the present State of Nagaland (and returnees to the State), the platform was a clear reaction to the lack of clarity on what the agreement means for the Naga people. So, who has clarity in the first place? While the GoI has done little to share details of the agreement with the people, the NSCN has done a number of ‘consultations’ with Naga apex bodies. In these meetings, they have shared and clarified as much as is possible within the walls of a peace process. To state the obvious—the apex bodies should have communicated to the people in a transparent manner the contents of their consultation with the NSCN. These consultations provided an opportunity to express their views (whether they would have been considered or not is not known) but very few seemed to have attended with precise questions or suggestions. The follow-up with people was left undone by the civil society organisations. In the vacuum created by existing structures, ACAUT Nagaland seemingly found itself obliged to fill the space. This knight, its armoury still shining, is exemplary of transcending politics and addressing corruption on a broad based level. Here, however, showcasing the kind of high pressure society Nagaland has become, the ACAUT Nagaland slumped into the pull of the vacuum. Instead of taking time to bring on board the Naga Hoho, Naga Students’ Federation and associated civil bodies, and together draw voices of the people, it became its own voice. The ‘Common Platform’ faltered on representation. The peripheries of the Naga lands—east, west, north, south—were absent. An essence of the urban remained in force (would you find a Naga jhum farmer asking how the peace process can be made horizontal from vertical? Or the conceptual differences between a ‘framework agreement’ and ‘peace accord’?). Women’s perspectives remained missing (the program was chaired by a woman but that does not count for representation). Even as some panellists spoke about lending support to each other by speaking the truth, through love and diplomacy, the inevitable politicisation of the space occurred. While most speakers seemed to have come with the intent of sharing ideas on a shared Naga future, they found themselves in the thorny position of answering questions about the framework agreement, reducing their fine tuned worldviews to an exercise in justification. Notwithstanding all this, the ACAUT platform hopefully woke Naga apex bodies up to their responsibilities towards the people. Today, the Naga voice consists of much more than pre existing structures, and these voices are well capable of organising themselves along creative lines. Everyone has an equal ownership over the Naga future and it cannot be bottled up in closed door consultations. The NSCN, on the other hand, can ill afford to ignore or silence such platforms—by encouraging voices to come out through such initiatives, it only stands to strengthen the peace process. If people are being asked to help and support the peace process, the same regard must be reserved for the people to enhance their understanding of the issues. Finally, the biggest lesson is for all people involved to realise that stage managed high level consultations, no matter who manages them, do not work. It would do well for the Naga political groups as well as platforms like ACAUT Nagaland to remind themselves that they are results of grassroots mobilisation—while the former brought people from all corners to the movement, the latter took the movement to the people. One can easily remember how ACAUT members toured Nagaland State collecting the voices of the people by taking the process to the people. By having no centre, with each unit as powerful as the other to address an issue plaguing everyone (corruption), ACAUT Nagaland began the modern Naga’s journey to asserting justice. Today, at this critical juncture of the peace process, ACAUT can use the same wisdom and combine it with the wisdom of the existing Naga civil bodies and Naga political groups to help Naga people in general get a foothold on a shared future. Let the people in their own space take the stage on this one through requisite guidance. It does not matter if this process takes a little longer. This will bring alive the meaning of the term ‘sovereignty lies with the people’—a mere ‘settlement’ with GoI cannot bring this sovereignty. It is time, thus, for all these bodies to take the bittersweet walk together to realise Naga historical and political rights. The ‘next gen’ Naga journey can then begin. Thorns and roses may be directed to moitramail@yahoo.com

lEfT wiNg |

IANS

Play time must for kids to prevent risk of obesity

oung children in three to five age group with no access to green and open places are at a higher risk of developing obesity by the time they turn seven, researchers report. A study of 6,467 children from England found that no garden access for lower educated households (children age three-five years) increased the odds of obesity at seven years by 38 percent. There was also a 38 percent increased risk of overweight/ obesity at seven years for children of higher educated households living in disadvantaged neighourhoods. Being overweight or obese in childhood is an important risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes in adulthood. “We showed that limits on access to outdoor space is associated with future childhood overweight/obesity although moderated by education level. More research is needed to see how we can deploy these findings in preventing Type 2 diabetes,” said Annemarie Schalkwijk from VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The analysis used the Millennium Cohort Study: a nationally representative study of around 19,000 children born in Britain between 2000-2001 who are followed over time. Data were taken from England, with the surveys carried out at age nine months, three years, five years and seven years. After adjusting for parental influences and socioeconomic status (SES), the authors found that no garden access for children increased the odds of overweight/obesity. The authors are currently planning a further study on the influence of the environment on risk of overweight/obesity. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Stockholm recently.

C O M M E N T A R Y

Joan Costa Alegret

Catalan anxieties The upcoming regional elections in Catalonia will be divisive. Convinced of the need to get the upper hand, secessionists are ready to take a few shortcuts

ver the last thirty years across both the European continent and the United Kingdom the diffusion of power has been the driver of unprecedented political decentralisation. This process of redistribution of competencies has brought about many positive consequences. The Treaty of Lisbon recognised this fact and expanded to the regional and local levels the principle of subsidiarity, which refers to the method whereby policy action is taken by the level of governance most suitable and able to do so. Subsidiarity brought overall cohesion, at least at a legal and administrative level, to the European Union and yet, from the 2008 economic crisis onwards, many European governments have been bound (and in some cases keen) to apply recentralisation policies. This has been done, in part, to be able to cope with very strict fiscal deficit control instructed by the communitarian authorities in Brussels. Whilst the process of devolution in Europe has brought about many benefits, it has also had some unintended consequences, among which is the renewed predicament of a number of secessionist movements that now feel powerful enough to make their case. Particularly strong are those (usually from affluent regions) that have evolved from a combination of nationalist ideology, patriotic sentiment and economic liberalism. Their narrative is anchored in a reinterpretation of a people’s rights, including the right of internal self-determination that goes beyond both state constitutions and international law. The paradox in some advanced European democracies today is that secessionists are taking advantage of the increasing redundancy of the Nation State. This redundancy, triggered, amongst other things, by the transfer of sovereignty to supranational bodies, by a NATO-led defence umbrella and by an increasing economic and institutional integration has led secessionists to want to build precisely what is otherwise in decay: a Nation State of their own. While declaring to embrace the principles of the European Union, they claim that the broader political structure in which they currently find themselves embedded is too dysfunctional, too costly and too aggressive, thus making it a threat to the people’s identity rights and economic interests. By building an external enemy as the cause of their internal problems, secessionists overlap in many aspects with the Eurosceptic narrative, now very much on the rise across the European Union. At the same time, they tend to forget that the European project was built precisely to overcome acute nationalism, which destroyed the continent twice during the 20th century. And yet, in a 21st century that tends, at least in Europe, to lean towards posnationalism in many aspects, the case of Catalan nationalism is a paradigm. It is a paradigm of the many contradictions and shortcuts of a narrative that, overtly or not, has its roots in the 18th century Nation State construct and the romantic ethnocentric ideas of the late 19th century and depicts an epical and millenary nation as a source of “historical” rights. A country from scratch On the eve of the upcoming early Catalan regional elections of 27 September, Catalanists have been able to assemble a bizarre coalition. Under a joint list of right wing nationalists and opportunistic national-republicans, peppered with some local celebrities

and leaders of secessionist grassroots associations, this mish-mash group have united in the pursuit of power. Local extractive elites, along with their numerous clients, have come to the conclusion that secession is good business. Over the last few years, they have managed to channel the unprecedented mobilisation of a substantial part of a society shaken by crisis, uncertainty and unrest. They have brought people out into the streets in their hundreds of thousands; everybody aligned and festively disciplined under one flag and one slogan. Yet, lost in the illusion to grasp what they see as a unique historic opportunity to build their own republic, they seem to overlook fundamental republican values such as equality and fraternity with the other peoples of Spain, with whom they have shared a common fortune for centuries. By doing so, they alienate their fellow citizens who do not embrace the cause. Some analysts see political fair play being hampered in the name of the prospects of a brand new Catalan State that is to be set up swiftly, should the nationalists prevail. “We will build a new country from scratch”, they promise. The current president of the Catalan government, Mr Artur Mas, and his fellow candidates of the joint list, conceive the forthcoming elections as a substitute for a self-determination referendum, the one the current Spanish constitution (likewise any other constitution in Europe) simply does not allow. We are going to count parliamentary seats, not votes, they declare. This, they repeat at every occasion, they are compelled to do because the Spanish government has denied their “right” to a referendum. This is being considered an illegal shortcut, if not a “putsch”, by many observers. A favourable vote of only 43 or 44 percent (depending on voter turnout) could deliver an absolute majority of seats. Here, critics argue, replacing direct democracy by representative democracy hardly looks democratic at all. On top of this, the existing Statute of Autonomy (just renewed in 2007) establishes that any fundamental reform of the Catalan self-government needs a two thirds majority in parliament. Yet, for Mas and his partners, an absolute majority of only one seat should be good enough to go ahead with secession. That’s the closest to gerrymandering you can get. Anxieties Apart from the internal power struggle and the complexity of Spanish politics, which is undergoing an intense reshuffling as a consequence of the deepest crisis since the end of the civil war, there are wider elements that can explain the current Catalan anxieties. These are shared with many European citizens. To put it in Europe’s post-war historian Tony Judt’s words (2010): “We have entered an age of fear. Insecurity is once again an active ingredient of political life in Western democracies. Insecurity born of terrorism, of course; but also, and more insidiously, fear of the uncontrollable speed of change, fear for the loss of employment, fear of losing ground to others in an increasingly unequal distribution of resources, fear of losing control of our daily life. And,

perhaps above all, fear that it is not just we who can no longer shape our lives but that those in authority have lost control, to forces beyond their reach”. How these anxieties play out in the different European countries has some local nuances, but they share the recognisable pattern of acute nationalism. Hungary might be an extreme case, but the current territorial and institutional tension in Spain is no exception. Pragmatic nationalism has been hegemonic in the Catalan institutions for most, if not all, of the years since the recovery of democracy in Spain. Yet, after more than three decades in power, and a dedicated if piecemeal project of nation building through education, media and cultural policies, this hegemony has taken over self-governing institutions. The partisan use of such institutions is quite remarkable. The fact that President Mas has been holding the negotiation meetings to build his personal candidacy in his official offices at the Generalitat (the Catalan government’s headquarters) speaks for itself. The biased use of bloated and well funded public media to foster the secessionist agenda is another telling example of the ugly side of a project which, according to official propaganda, is “on the right side of history”. As the narrative goes, the fact that the upcoming election campaign starts on September 11, Catalonia’s national day, is just a coincidence. The organisation of a mega-march on that day under the slogan “Free way to the Catalan Republic”, fully backed by both the Catalan government and the public media, has nothing to do with the elections, but is the normal celebration of a national festivity. The fact that Election Day coincides with a long weekend in Barcelona and in some significantly populated parts of its metropolitan area, where a non-nationalist urban vote might be considerable, is only an unfortunate coincidence. At the end of the day, the more abstention in Barcelona’s circumscription, where a seat usually costs nearly double the votes than in the other three Catalan circumscriptions, the better it is for the pronationalist vote, typically overwhelming in smaller towns and rural areas. Over the decades-long hegemony of nationalists in government and parliament, the legislative body has not been able to pass a fairer electoral law. Bad luck, if you know what I mean. And, most importantly, they argue that holding the Catalan early election (the third in five years) just under three months before the Spanish general elections, is not pushing things too far, too quickly. The nationalists argue that, even in a context of an incipient macro-economic recovery and the possibility of some light at the end of the tunnel, where the current conservative majority is likely to vanish in favour of a potential progressive coalition, ready to open a negotiation to draft a more federal constitution, they cannot wait. It is high time to seize the momentum. To tear apart the five hundred year-old Spanish State and to finally enjoy…unilateral independence: the perfect answer. “If we have learned nothing else from the 20th century, we should at least have grasped that the more perfect the answer, the more terrifying the consequences”. Again, the words of Tony Judt can be illuminating.

The Biblical Meaning of Clothing

efore becoming a PhD candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary, I served for 12 years at a church in Long Beach, California. A number of my congregants worked in the fashion industry. From them I learned that programs on fashion—fashion design, merchandising, and a body of literature called fashion theory—were popping up all over. When I looked for a Christian response to the fashion industry, I didn’t find anything. There are books on Christianity and film, Christianity and literature, Christianity and psychology, but I couldn’t find anything on Christianity and fashion. Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper famously said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’ ” Like Kuyper, I want to understand every aspect of human life in relationship to Christ. This set me on a quest to understand the fashion industry and emerging fashion studies. The Bible doesn’t directly address fashion, which today refers to the rapid interplay of clothing in consumer societies. But the Bible has a surprising amount to say about clothing. Right from the beginning, after the Fall, Adam and Eve became aware of being “undressed.” Then God provides for them in their nakedness. Theologians call this a protoevangelium—literally a “first gospel.” The gift of clothing reveals a God who meets us in our shameful, sinful condition and covers us through a sacrificial death. Clothing takes on special signifi-

It takes on special significance throughout the arc of Scripture robert Covolo Christianity Today

cance in the story of Joseph; in the way the prophets Samuel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah delivered their message; and at the Transfiguration, where Jesus appeared in clothing that “became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them” (Mark 9:3). Luke 12:27–28 tells us God dresses the flowers of the field, more splendorous than Solomon in his fine dress. If that is how God clothes the fields, how much more does he care about clothing us? The Bible also addresses modesty, and therefore, we must seriously consider it. But modesty is not the locus of biblical teaching on clothing. After all, Esther won a beauty contest to rescue her people. Conversely, any of us can wear modest clothing and still lack the generosity that Paul puts forward as the end game of modesty (1 Tim. 2). So here’s a test to see if we are practicing biblical modesty: Do we reserve resources to bless those less fortunate? Or do we spend all of our resources on ourselves? Further, as we are obligated to care for others, we might spend more money on high-quality clothes, as

cheap clothing notoriously relies on sweatshops and child labor. And consider the elaborate nature of the priestly clothing detailed in Exodus 28; the celebrated gold-laced bridal gown in Psalm 45:13–14; and the Proverbs 31 woman, who dresses her household in scarlet. From these and other texts, we learn that the Christian story embraces the festive, fine, and elaborate dress associated with fashion. To truly engage fashion as Christians, we need to move beyond explicit verses about dress and examine the underlying values that are reinforced by fashion. Some of these values are good. It is no accident that modern fashion has arisen alongside suffrage and other aspects of democracy. The two cities known best for fashion— New York and Paris—are major cities in countries that have had powerful democratic revolutions. If we all get to choose what to wear, we are already practicing a form of voting for the public decorum. But not all values put forth by fashion are reconcilable with Christian-

wRiTE-wiNg

ity. One of the parasites that feeds and fuels fashion is late-modern expressionism. I’m talking here not about the value of expressing yourself, but about making self-expression into an entire way of life. As Catholic philosopher Charles Taylor pointed out, selfexpression has become the highest good for many people, pursued with a religious zeal. This new form of latemodern Romanticism teaches us that to not “follow your heart” is to diminish our humanity. Clearly such expressionism is at odds with the Christian faith. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, not pursue ourselves (Matt. 16:24). Selfdenial, not self-expression, is at the heart of Christianity. Again, here is an opportunity for Christians to look beyond concerns about scanty dress to consider how we might make sacrifices in our choices for the sake of others. Beyond this, Thomas Aquinas provides one more model for engaging clothing. He believed we have a moral obligation to compose our outward manners—including our dress—in light of the person we are addressing, the company we are with, the business we are pursuing, and the place we are in. He claimed that a truly virtuous life includes the art of savoir faire—“a sense of occasion discerning differences of situation”—and that this should inform the clothing we wear. May we rise to the occasion. Robert Covolo is an ordained pastor and a dual PhD student at Fuller Theological Seminary and VU University–Amsterdam. His dissertation (under William Dyrness) is on fashion theory and theology.

thursDAY 17•09•2015

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

A New & Hopeful chapter in West Papua’s 50-year freedom struggle

Jason MacLeod Waging Nonviolence

arkus Haluk’s eyes are moist. We are standing inside a portside warehouse in Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands. Haluk carefully unwraps the first of five large 60 pound packages encased in hessian. Inside each parcel are two large A4-sized books, parts of a massive paper petition. Each book is around 16 inches thick — they make a dictionary look like a comic book. Haluk was the lead organizer tasked with collating the hefty tomes and getting them safely out of West Papua. Yosepa Alomang, a 50-something-year-old stalwart of the West Papuan independence movement, worked alongside him and she is also now in the warehouse. Alomang reaches out and touches the books. Turning to me she says, “These are the blood and bones of our people.” Alomang means what she says. During the signature-raising campaign which took place between March and May 2015, Indonesian security forces shot dead 32-year-old Obangma Giban, a village chief from Yahukimo. In the month of May, alone, 487 activists were arrested for participating in the campaign. Some of those were tortured. Officers from the Mobile Police Brigade in Manokwari, part of a national Indonesian paramilitary police force, stubbed out cigarettes on Alexander Nekenem’s body while the head of the Manokwari Regional Police, Tommy H. Pontororing, denied him and his compatriots access to lawyers. Police also demolished communication posts at places like Cendrawasih University, where people could go to sign the petitions. Countless scores were savagely beaten. The petitions are the latest nonviolent tactic in a struggle that spans more than 50 years. It is a fight that pits blackskinned, curly-haired Melanesians against their brownskinned straight-haired Asian neighbors. Different people, different cultures and different histories forced together in an inequitable and unstable political arrangement. West Papua is the Pacific’s Palestine; greener and bluer, but occupied by the Indonesian military since 1963. It is a secret struggle, hidden by the Indonesian government, ignored by the international community, sold out by the United States and its allies. West Papuans were locked out of discussions over the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch, West Papua’s former colonial ruler, to the Indonesian government by the Kennedy administration. The rights of the West Papuans were sidelined. It was Cold War politics with a silver lining for the United States. The deal delivered the world’s largest gold mine to Freeport-McMoRan, a private U.S. company, overseen by people like Henry Kissinger who sat on the board. Seven years later, in 1969, the Indonesian government and United Nations colluded in a violent political fraud, the Act of Free Choice, involving 1,022 West Papuans intimidated into signing a document stating that they wished to join the Unitary Republic of Indonesia. Back then the world turned away. But now, in 2015, West Papuans are finding their voice, insisting their Melanesian neighbors in the Pacific recognize them as a nation-in-waiting, separate from Indonesia. The paper petition is in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua’s campaign to become a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, or MSG — an important sub-regional forum, part of the Pacific Island Forum, and with status at the United Nations. MSG leaders were meeting in Honiara in June 2015. Gaining membership of the MSG is an important first step towards bringing the issue back to the United Nations, the organization that created the problem in the first place. Unsurprisingly, independence for West Papua, or even any discussion of the rights of West Papuans in an international forum, is vigorously resisted by the Indonesian government. There is a lot at stake: Indonesia’s reputation, West Papua’s massive resource wealth and the fate of a million and a half people. While Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was trying to reassure Melanesian leaders that Indonesia was a new democratic country, Indonesian police were undermining him. As West Papua seethed in unarmed insurrection, the security forces were desperately trying to violently pacify the population. But because of the Indonesian government’s ban on foreign media virtually no news of the petition campaign reached an international audience until the packages were carefully unwrapped in Honiara. The Indonesian government had tried to stop the petition from leaving the country, seizing copies at the airport as Papuan leaders attempted to take them to the Solomon Islands in their luggage. But Haluk, Alomang and the team had made several duplicates, sending them by different routes to Honiara. This package arrived by international courier. There are five copies, one for each Melanesian leader. Haluk tells me it cost a small fortune. At a time when digital petitions land in our inbox every day, 55,555 signatures may not sound like much. But don’t be fooled. This is no collection of easy Facebook “likes.” Organizers with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, or ULMWP, traveled the length and breadth of West Papua — by ship, plane, car and on foot — to collect the signatures from each of West Papua’s seven regions. The petition not only includes the names, addresses and signatures of the petitioners, but people’s state-issued identification cards were also copied and included as further proof of authenticity. In addition to radical pro-independence Papuans, many Indonesian migrants also signed. Those who could not sign their name supplied a fingerprint. In addition, West Papuan leaders from all the mainline churches signed letters of support. So too did the National Council of Customary Chiefs in West Papua, or DAP, women and student groups, Papuan intellectuals, armed guerrilla groups and individual civil servants and politicians working for the Indonesian government. The petitions, letters and the presence in Honiara of nearly 20 West Papuans from inside the country clearly demonstrate that ULMWP has deep and broad support inside the country. Papuan citizens may not have a country but they are the engine that is driving the ULMWP forward. And still there are tens of thousands of more petitions that did not make it to Honiara because they could not get them to the ULMWP work team in time to send the documents out of the country. When ULMWP International Spokesperson Benny Wenda sees the petitions, he is emotional. “In 1969, the Indonesian government deceived the international community with 1,022 people who were forced to say they supported Indonesia,” he explained, referring to the fraudulent Act of Free Choice. “Today we have over 55,000 signatures.” West Papua’s desire for freedom is the Indonesian government’s nightmare unraveling. That is why the police and military responded with such ferocity to the petition, a political act that has become routine and blasé in many countries. The rest of Indonesia may be a democracy, but in West Papua freedom of expression is prohibited. To the security forces, signing the petition is tantamount to sedition. A herculean task The ULMWP’s decision to focus on the MSG was important for external and internal reasons. Internally, the intermediate objective of securing membership in the MSG immediately became a vehicle for collective action — glue that bonded the newly formed organization together. Ex-

ternally, West Papuan leaders knew there would be little international support for their cause unless their Melanesian kin and neighbors stood up for them. But gaining membership of the MSG was a herculean task. Not only did the ULMWP need to demonstrate massive support from inside the country, they also had to organize their efforts across five countries: Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Kanaky, or New Caledonia. Moreover, they only had six months to do so. This was not a level playing field. On one side was the Indonesian state with deep pockets, hard power at their disposal and the backing of the Papua New Guinean and Fijian governments. On the other was the ULMWP with limited financial resources, but increasingly organized people, with the support of the Vanuatu government, the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front, or FLNKS, and the people of Melanesia. What was uncertain at the beginning of the campaign was how the government of the Solomon Islands would respond. There was sympathy from people within the Solomon Islands government, but political representatives were starting with little knowledge about the reality of the occupation. Moreover, the previous Solomon Islands government had been courted by Indonesian officials eager to present a raft of economic development opportunities in return for political support. As the campaign progressed, the ULMWP was hindered by repression within West Papua, as well as externally by climatic disruption. Tropical Cyclone Pam devastated Vanuatu in March, leaving nearly half the country homeless. It completely destroyed the ULMWP’s administrative office and made it more difficult to draw on Vanuatu’s assistance to lobby other Melanesian leaders. Around this time Obangma Giban was shot dead as he organized a ULMWP fundraiser for humanitarian relief in Vanuatu. Then there were the political challenges. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill from Papua New Guinea said a lot of nice words. He called West Papuans “brothers” and “kin,” but refused to meet with both Wenda and ULMWP General Secretary Octovianus Mote. In late March, O’Neill even went as far as deporting Wenda. In a somewhat embarrassing move for many Fijians, former military strongman, Prime Minister Voque “Frank” Bainimarama, pronounced on the front page of the Fiji Sun, his government’s mouthpiece, that the Indonesian government did not need to worry about their position on the ULMWP’s application: “Indonesia, we’re with you,” crooned Bainimarama. Public records reveal that the Indonesian government invested $20 million to derail the ULMWP’s campaign. Fiji benefited handsomely. So too did Papua New Guinea. In the months before the MSG Leaders’ Summit, the Indonesian president and foreign minister criss-crossed Melanesia in their private jet. What deals were made behind closed doors is not known, but there was no way the Indonesian government wanted the ULMWP in the room. That is why they shot ULMWP activists dead in West Papua. It is why they jailed over 500 activists even as President Widodo announced he was freeing five, trying — and failing — to demonstrate that all was fine in West Papua. As far as the Indonesian government was concerned, West Papua was part of Indonesia. End of story. Political machinations It was always going to be a tough campaign. Then in the week before the leaders’ meeting in Honiara things got tougher. The pro-West Papuan government of Joe Natuman in Vanuatu was deposed in a no-confidence motion, ushering in Sato Kilman, a pro-Indonesian politician, whose previous election campaign was allegedly funded by the Indonesian government. The mood on social media in Vanuatu was ugly. The ULMWP leadership team met with representatives of the Vanuatu government. With less than a week before the Leaders’ Summit they were still unsure who would be representing that government in Honiara. The balance of power was shifting in the Indonesian government’s favor. Mote immediately embarked on an emergency diplomatic mission to Port Vila. Although he was assured that the Vanuatu government’s Wantok Blong Yumi Bill 2010 tethered governments of all stripes to enduring support for the liberation of West Papua, Prime Minister Kilman was unavailable to meet. Then there were internal challenges. At a meeting in Port Vila in December 2014, when the ULMWP was formed, three large West Papuan coalitions of resistance groups came together: the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation, the National Federal Republic of West Papua, or NFRWP, and the National Parliament of West Papua. Immediately after the Port Vila meeting the President of the NFRWP, Forkorus Yaboisembut, withdrew his support for the ULMWP. As a parallel government pushing for international recognition of West Papua as an independent state, Yaboisembut argued that all groups should instead unite under the NFRWP. According to Yaboisembut, the NFRWP was both more representative and, as a government-in-waiting, had greater political authority than the ULMWP, which was formed as an umbrella organization. I was part of a small delegation that met with Yaboisembut at his home in West Papua in February 2015. The three of us tried to explain what occurred in Port Vila, including the clear message that the MSG would not support an application for membership from a “government,” but there was no changing his mind. Yaboisembut announced that he would submit a new application for membership. The decision caused the NFRWP to split. The overwhelming majority of the NFRWP, including the West Papua National Authority and DAP, united under the leadership of Edison Waromi, who reiterated his support for ULMWP. Political machinations continued. The Indonesian government, in an ambitious act of numerical contortion, announced that after years of criminalizing Melanesian identity, including killing West Papuan songwriters like Arnold Ap and Eddie Mofu for simply singing Papuan songs, that Indonesia was suddenly a Melanesian country. In fact, the Indonesian government boldly claimed they were the most Melanesian country in the world, with 11 million Melanesians — more than the entire population of the other five Melanesian countries combined. As a result, the Indonesian government argued, they needed to have their status as an observer of the MSG elevated to associate membership. To facilitate this they proposed that the five governors of Indonesia’s easternmost provinces would represent Indonesia at the MSG and duly submitted an application for associate membership. Franzalbert Joku masterminded the plan and O’Neill enthusiastically backed it. The overwhelming majority of the population from the Indonesian government’s three recently discovered Melanesian provinces — North Malukus, South Malukus and Nusa Tenggara Timor provinces — are Muslim Malays, not Melanesian. I met the rather large Indonesian delegation in Honiara. There were only two Melanesians in the delegation, Franzalbert Joku and Nicholas Messett, and both are former pro-independence fighters now induced to travel the world as enthusiastic ambassadors for the Indonesian government. The rest of the delegation were Malay Indonesians. Interestingly, the proposal that the five governors of eastern Indonesia represent the Indonesian government was not even supported by the governors of Papua Barat and Papua provinces, Indonesia’s only real Melanesian

provinces. In a stunning act of non-cooperation, when President Widodo tried to meet with Lukas Enembe, the governor of Papua province, Enembe switched off his phone for three days. He told a trusted insider, who declined to be named, that “the MSG has nothing to do with me.” Both he and the Papua Barat Gov. Abraham Atururi refused to attend the MSG Leaders’ Summit. These two facts — the non-attendance of the West Papuan governors and the lie that Indonesia had a sprawling population of Melanesians — were quietly ignored by Papua New Guinea and Fiji. They embraced the governors’ application and argued against the ULMWP becoming full members, no doubt looking to benefit from the hundreds of millions of dollars of trade the Indonesian government promised. A wave of solidarity builds Meanwhile, Mote kept traveling while Wenda and the other three members of the ULMWP Secretariat kept meeting MSG officials and leaders. In June 2015, the governments of both Samoa and Tonga expressed support for freedom in West Papua and the ULMWP. West Papua was rapidly becoming a cause célèbre across the Pacific. While diplomacy with governments continued, it was grassroots support that created the incentive for political leaders to take a clearer position. And still a wave of solidarity was building. In Fiji, where the Pacific Conference of Churches had its head office, the proliferation of support for the ULMWP required the formation of a solidarity council. The Pacific Conference of Churches also helped reignite solidarity in the Solomon Islands. In March they brought church and secular civil society leaders together in Honiara. The local solidarity group, Solomon Islands in Solidarity for West Papua, suddenly went from a group with half a dozen individual members to an organization of organizations. Churches, local non-government organizations who provided essential services, artists, journalists, chiefs and the Young Women in Parliament Group — one of the members included Christina Sogavare, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s daughter — all got involved. When the MSG meeting started on June 17, Honiara’s two newspapers, the Solomon Island Star and the Island Sun, enthusiastically followed the story. On each day between June 17 and June 27, the day after the decision, the front pages of both papers — and often the second, third and fourth pages — were devoted to some aspect of the ULMWP’s campaign for membership; there were over 140 separate newspaper articles in the space of 20 days. For many in the Solomon Islands it was not just an issue of solidarity with their Melanesian kin. They saw their government’s position on West Papua as a litmus test on an independent foreign policy. Local activists felt that the willingness of the police and local civic authorities to allow people to freely march and protest in support of West Papua was a sign of the health of local democracy, 10 years after ethnic tensions threatened to tear the Solomon Islands apart. It was not just the population in the Solomon Islands that was growing restless. The leaders of the Melanesian countries began to express concern too. In an article in Vanuatu’s Daily Post, Vanuatu Prime Minister Kilman referred to comments from ordinary people circulating on Facebook and declared that Port Moresby, Honiara and Port Vila could easily riot if Melanesian leaders were seen to be backing away from supporting West Papua. The door is pushed ajar On June 26 the decision was made. West Papua represented by the ULMWP was granted observer status and the Indonesian government represented by the five governors of the country’s easternmost provinces, associate membership. The MSG leaders tried to offer something to both West Papua and Indonesia, disappointing both. They recognized Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, but they also rebuffed the Indonesian government’s diplomatic efforts to deny the ULMWP entry. In their 20th Communique, MSG leaders referred to the ULMWP as an organization “representing Melanesians living abroad,” presumably to reassure the Indonesian government that they respected the country’s territorial integrity. At the same time MSG leaders acknowledged West Papua as separate from Indonesia. The door has been pushed ajar to some kind of political negotiation and it won’t just be the central government in Jakarta that does all the talking. The ULMWP will have a seat at the table. The five governors of eastern Indonesia will also have a voice. And some of them, like Enembe, have shown independent thinking and a willingness to propose creative solutions. The Indonesian government was less than pleased. For years Jakarta vigorously resisted calls for dialogue by West Papuans or any suggestion that causes of conflict were political in nature. In the words of Englebert Surabut, the head of the Lapago Council of Customary Chiefs, “The Indonesian government is allergic to dialogue.” For years Jakarta has wanted to avoid any suggestion that Jayapura, the capital of West Papua, was either equal to Jakarta, or that a discussion of independence was on the table. But when Jakarta closed down the space for dialogue they left West Papuans demanding political freedom with no domestic avenues left for talking about why they wanted freedom. So they took their concerns to the Pacific, to Melanesians with a shared identity who would thus resonate with their cause. Internationalizing the West Papua issue like this is exactly what Jakarta was trying to prevent. Suddenly a Jakarta–West Papua dialogue that Papuan Peace Network founder Rev. Neles Tebay and others had been pushing for the better part of 10 years might look moderate. On the other hand, the elevation of the ULMWP might cause hardliners within the Indonesian government to push harder. But there is no going back. For the time being, at least, the political dynamics have gotten much more complex and unpredictable — full of possibility. Sogavare was particularly explicit, telling the Island Sun that “a forum where the two political groups can engage in dialogue” has now been created. Whatever the case, the Indonesian government will have to respond. Relentless unarmed resistance inside West Papua and unprecedented solidarity outside the country — in West Papua’s Melanesian neighbors — has turned West Papua’s long-running struggle for freedom into a cause célèbre in the Pacific. The MSG has become West Papua’s first international forum for dialogue. West Papua and Indonesia will sit across the table from each other. Vanuatu and the FLNKS have confirmed their support. The Solomon Islands government has emerged as a stronger ally. Papua New Guinea and Fiji will have to deal with sustained and organized domestic discontent and the other Pacific Island countries are beginning to stir. On June 26, the MSG finally brought West Papua back to the Melanesian family. As Benny Wenda said, “With the region firmly behind us we will now take our message to the world.” Haluk and Alomang have since returned to West Papua resolute in their commitment to nonviolent resistance. They and the other members of the ULMWP are now preparing for the Pacific Island Forum, a meeting of 16 Pacific Island nations that will gather in Port Moresby in September. The ULMWP have already secured West Papua as one of five priority agenda items, along with climate change. “We have to finish this,” Haluk told me. “Freedom will come.” This article is an edited excerpt from the author’s forthcoming book “Merdeka and the Morning Star: civil resistance in West Papua.”

Innovation Economy: Creating a Better World

n 1798 economist Thomas Malthus made a famous prediction that world population would level off due to food shortage. At that time the world population was just under 1 billion people. Unfortunately for Malthus, he didn’t properly take into account the impact of the Industrial Revolution and the Agricultural Revolution in expanding the food production capabilities of the 19th and 20th centuries and advancements in medical science,which greatly lengthen life expectancy. Today, I find the same pessimism repeating. There are those who believe that the problems of the world are uncorrectable. Others are possibly paying too much attention to all the bad news often reported by all mass media agencies. Obviously, these pessimists aren’t considering the fact that we’re entering a new Innovation Age which will be led by young people who possess unique potential and talents in technology. As an optimist, I do believe that we now live in the most exciting time in human history. Let me share a few top trends that will affect every business and individual in the 21st century. The Future of Population& Life Expectancy: For thousands of years, the human population was stuck at under a billion people. But as we hit the Industrial Era around 1800, we started to see the beginning of a rapid increase from about 1 billion to 7.3 billion people today. And by 2050, the world population is expected to reach 9.7 billion. This is because of the fact that life expectancy is increasing and infant mortality is decreasing as more people have access to improved healthcare and food supplies. Although more population means more consumption, this doesn’t necessarily imply that the world will run out of food. We must assume that more people means more minds and more talents which will hopefully lead to discovering news ways of feeding everyone and meeting every conceivable need. The Future of Income & Poverty: In June 2013 the Economist carried a report that the number of people in the world living in abject poverty has fallen by more than half in the last 100 years, even though the number of people on the planet has increased by 4 times. The average income per person in 1900 was $2000; in 1980 it was $5911; and today it is $10,880. And if we extrapolated this trend, the projected income per person could go up to about $20,000 in current US dollarsby 2050. While per person income has gone up, poverty has been rapidly declining also. According to The World Bank, extreme poverty in the world is on the decline: 68.7% in 1900; 42.6% in 1980; and about 15% today. This, too, could easily go under 6% by 2050. All this suggests that people in the coming years will be much better off economically. The Future of Education: A few years ago, UNESCO reported that there were still around 900 million people globally who couldn’t read or write. But that is changing as today people everywhere are getting better educated. In terms of college completion, globally it is around 7%. But the percentage of people with college degrees over the next 40 years is projected to be over 40% of the population. Since education is about preparing for future careers, students have become increasingly particular in their selection of courses. More than any other segment, they will value the development of math and science skills, computer and technology skills, and leadership skills. For those who are interested in self-directed learning, they can have access to educational tools such as Khan Academy, EdX, Wikipedia, Coursera, Skill share, and iTunes University. For example, Khan Academy’s YouTube has tutorial videos on more than 2000 topics, ranging from Algebra to Zoology, drawing in 2 million views a month from online students around the world. In other words, the 21st century is going to have an educated population in the workforce. The Future of Technology: Today more people have access to a cellphone than a toilet, and more than 35% of the world has the Internet, creating an interconnected web of community which no national boundary can stop. Many of the young people born between 1980 and 1914 intuitively know how to use the Internet to gain information online and exchange ideas, which has the potential to bring exciting new perspectives to replace the Industrial-Age thinking of the past. What this means is that they can get online anywhere and anytime to do anything. Also, with the invention of Facebook, Twitter, and internet-enabled smartphones, today young people are creatinginterconnections that increase better understanding across cultures and reduce the likelihood of armed conflicts. So, imagine what will happen when more than 80% of the world gets high-speed Internet access combined with microcomputers in their hands by 2050. At that time, I believe, amazing things will undoubtedly come to pass and our world will be very different. The Future of Government: With social media, we’re entering a world in which societies are going to demand more government transparency, better access to public services, and stronger protection of property rights. So, governments will have to adapt to the new world. Leaders who don’t listen to their populations are more likely to be overthrown as today we have technology that enables anyone to easily communicate with massive groups of people, en masses, and create change as in the case of the Arab Springs of 2011. This means that rulers must be willing to be transparent, if they want to lead. A Lot More Changes Coming: First, we must be aware that new challenges and threats will keep emerging, particularly with global security, nuclear proliferation, carbon dioxide output, and climate change. Other challenges will include attacks on privacy, religious fanaticism, and suicide, to name a few. But the future is will be much more positive and exciting. We’re going to see nations working together more than ever before to combat global threats while trying to ensure equal rights and equal protection under the law, regardless of nationality, race, religion, or culture. Indeed, nations will increase their efforts to create an environmentally sustainable world in which everyone has access to food, water, shelter, and education. In terms of innovation, we will see things such as artificial intelligence, synthetic life, infinite computing, ubiquitous broadband networks, digital manufacturing, nanomaterials, clean renewable energy, and private space travel. In light of all these developments, both Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler, in their book Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think, argue that “humanity is now entering a period of radical transformation where technology has the potential to significantly raise the basic standard of living for every man, woman, and child on the planet.” Butthe biggest hurdle, of course, is not scientific or technological but political. There are still too many corrupt rulers and backward-looking governments keeping millions under their repressive rule. But as more young people are now increasingly asserting their rights for freedom, perhaps we can be confident that the future will fall into their hands. This demands that they must step up, rather than passively waiting, and embrace the Diamandis motto: “The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.”

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.

ThursDAY 17â&#x20AC;˘09â&#x20AC;˘2015

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Ending child labour by 2025 farcical as India plans to allow family work

New Delhi, September 16 (thomSoN reuterS FouNDAtioN): Thirteenyear-old Sumaila has no time to go to school. From six in the morning until 11 at night, she works with her mother in their one-roomed home, painstakingly pasting tiny fake gemstones onto fabric for the garment factory nearby. "I don't much like doing this work. It hurts my eyes and my fingers get sore," said Sumaila, sitting cross-legged on the floor of a centre for child workers run by a charity in the south Delhi slums of Madanpur Khader. "But if I don't do it, my mother gets angry. She says if we don't finish all the work, we won't be able to eat." Sumaila's plight is one faced by millions of child workers across the world and one that global leaders will this month pledge to end by 2025, as part of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve the lives of the poorest. But the promise to end child labour has been slammed as farcical by activists in India, who say plans by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to allow children under 14 to work for their families will make achieving such a goal impossible. "We are making an important pledge to end child labour on the international stage, but back home, we are saying that

children who work in family businesses are not part of that deal," said Prabhat Kumar, Save the Children India's head of child protection. "We cannot achieve this target as part of the SDGs, as this change to the law contradicts it." PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP India has made considerable progress in curbing the economic exploitation of children over the last decade. It has introduced laws to protect children and ensure their schooling, as well as a range of social welfare schemes. Census data shows there were 4.35 million labourers aged between five and 14 in 2011 against 12.66 million a decade ago - although activists say the figures are under-reported. A February report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) puts the number of child workers in India aged between five and 17 at 5.7 million, out of 168 million globally. More than half are in agriculture, toiling in cotton, sugarcane and rice paddy fields where they are often exposed to pesticides and risk injury from sharp tools and heavy equipment. Over a quarter work in manufacturing - confined to poorly lit, barely ventilated rooms in slums, embroidering clothes, weaving carpets, making matchsticks or rolling beedi cigarettes.

Trees in West Bengal municipality get ID cards KolKAtA, September 16 (iANS): A West Bengal suburb has probably become India's first municipality to assign identity cards to trees in a move that that will help educate people about significance of going green in the wake of climate change, according to an official. As many as 28 species of trees were mapped for their ability to sequester carbon dioxide in Hooghly district's Konnagar. Following this, around 3,000 trees belonging to these species were issued Id cards that display the common name, scientific name, the geographical location and the amount of carbon dioxide they can absorb. "The identity cards are hung on the trees. This way the children will develop an understanding about the importance of each variety. We will extend this to as many trees as possible," Konnangar municipality chairman Bappaditya Chatterjee told IANS. Scientist Abhijit Mitra is leading the project which will be extended to map other species. Some of the common species in the area are 'neem', 'krishnachuda' and 'peepal', said Chatterjee. Chatterjee claimed this is the first such venture in India and informed a database is being created on these trees which will be uploaded online soon.

Court orders filing of FIR against Mulayam Singh lucKNow, September 16 (pti): A local court today ordered police to file an FIR against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly threatening an IG-rank officer Amitabh Thakur and probe the incident that triggered a massive row. Chief Judicial Magistrate Som Prabha while accepting Thakur's application under 156(3) IPC directed SHO Hazratganj to file the FIR under relevant sections and probe the matter and also apprise the court. Section 156(3) IPC empowers a magistrate to direct police to file an FIR. The court observed that after going through facts provided by Thakur, it appeared to be a case under 506 IPC (punishment for criminal intimidation). "According to report of SHO, Hazratganj, the application was moved for gaining publicity. However, he did not inform whether the FIR was registered in the matter or not," it observed. Thakur had approached the court after Uttar Pradesh police had rejected his plea for an FIR against Mulayam for allegedly threatening him on phone with dire consequences, saying the allegations have not been substantiated. Inspector of Hazratganj police station Vijay Mal Singh Yadav in his letter of July 17 stated that the complaint presented by Thakur against Mulayam was inquired into and it was found that the allegations have not been substantiated and hence it was being rejected. The letter was handed over to Thakur's wife Nutan at their residence on July 23. The IG-rank officer had completely disagreed with the enquiry conducted by police into the purported phone call by Mulayam and said the letter did not mention any reason for the conclusion it had reached. The letter "seems to have been drawn superficially, quite visibly under pressure," he had said. After no FIR was registered by Hazratganj police, Thakur had sent an application to SSP Lucknow on July 22. In his application to the SSP, Thakur had said Mulayam's statements were "definitely criminal intimidation", which is a cognizable offence and hence he had sought registering of FIR. The UP government had suspended Thakur on July 13, hours after he approached the Union Home Ministry seeking a CBI probe into the rape case slapped against him. Thakur, who has ever since been locked in a tussle with the state government, was served a 200-page charge sheet and a vigilance inquiry was initiated against him. Thakur had stirred a political storm by releasing the text and audio of the purported phone conversation with Mulayam on the night of July 10.

Children also work in restaurants and hotels, washing dishes and chopping vegetables, or in middle-class homes, cleaning and scrubbing floors. In May, Modi's cabinet approved measures to tighten a three-decade-old law which prohibits children under 14 from working in 18 hazardous occupations and 65 processes including mining, cement manufacturing, gem cutting and hand-looms. If passed by parliament, the changes will prohibit child labour in all sectors and stiffen penalties for offenders. But there are some exceptions. Children who help their family or family businesses can work outside school hours, and those in entertainment or sports can work provided it does not affect their education. The government said the exceptions are aimed at striking a balance between education and India's socio-economic reality. "In a large number of families, children help their parents in their occupations like agriculture, artisanship etc, and while helping the parents, children also learn the basics of occupations," the government statement said in May. The cabinet also approved tougher punishment of employers, with jail terms of up to two years and a fine of 50,000 rupees for a first offence. But the changes would scrap penalties for parents for

first-time offences. A labour ministry official, who declined to be named, said the reforms would promote dying traditional occupations and encourage entrepreneurship. "Families can take help from their children in family work only after school hours," the official said. "Allowing children to help parents in family work also provides skills development for the child and succour for the child as well as the poor parents." HIDDEN WORKERS On the first floor of a rundown building in the maze of narrow lanes that make up Madanpur Khader slum, around 30 child workers aged between six and 14 gather for maths, English and Hindi lessons in a centre funded by Save the Children India. The children, largely from migrant families who moved to the capital over the last decade, are part of a hidden workforce for the scores of small-scale clothing factories in Okhla Industrial Area, a few kilometres away. Most have never been to school, instead staying at home with their mothers and siblings, embellishing collars and cuffs with plastic stones or cutting loose threads from jeans and dresses. The children talk excitedly of their dream of going to school, and shout out a host of jobs from army officer to police

A boy carries coal at an open cast coal field at Dhanbad district in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand. (Reuters File Photo)

woman as their preferred occupations. But some also speak of the long hours they work and the back pain, poor posture, sore fingers and failing eyesight it causes. "My parents don't force me to do it. I do it because I have to help them to look after me and my brothers and sisters. If I don't help, who will?" asks a girl with messy bobbed hair, who looked around 11 years old. According to the ILO, 54 percent of India's child labourers aged between seven and 14 work without pay within the family unit in jobs like these. This creates a de facto loop-

hole in the law that risks excluding more than half India's child workers from its application, activists say. It could also push more children into the informal economy and encourage small-scale industries to outsource work to home-based units, they warn. Not only will it be impossible to monitor the hours and type of work children do at home, but the unclear definition of "family" will be exploited by employers because many children are migrants and do not have identification documents, they add. Even if children do go to school, research shows a large

proportion of those who work and attend full-time education later drop out, too exhausted to continue, experts say. Panudda Boonpala, the ILO's India director, said more debate about permitting child work in family enterprises was required. "If light work is allowed, it is very important to monitor the application of the law. Any child labour law has to be set in the context," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "If there is a possibility of abusing the clause, then very likely, it may be abused, and such an amendment will not work in favour of children."

Congress condemns decision to discontinue Indira, Rajiv stamps New Delhi, September 15 (iANS): The Congress on Tuesday condemned the Centre's decision to discontinue two postal stamps on Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, saying people "will not let the government get away with lowly politics of revenge." In a statement, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Right to Information replies and news reports have revealed that the government has decided to discontinue postal stamps that were issued in memory of the two prime ministers. "The distastefully brazen manner in which the government has decided to discontinue the postal stamps depicts that hatred of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government in

seeking personal vendetta has reached its zenith," he said. "How low can Modi government stoop in its sinister attempt to erase the memory of the two martyr prime ministers?" he asked. The spokesperson said the Modi government had also changed names of two awards - 'Indira Gandhi Raj Bhasha Purushkar' and 'Rajiv Gandhi Rashtriya Gian-Vigyan Pustak Lekhan Purshkar' by removing names of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. "Coming on the heels of blatantly partisan move of diluting the essence of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, this is yet again a black-hearted attempt to sidestep and expunge a powerful legacy of sacrifice and selfless nation building that is alien

to BJP-RSS," Surjewala said. He said the Congress would take to the streets against the "blatantly partisan revisionism". An RTI query by the Indian Express has revealed that the stamps featuring the two prime ministers launched by the Department of Posts in December 2008, as part of its series `Builders of Modern India', has been discontinued. A Communications and IT ministry official told IANS that "omissions and additions" from an old series of stamp was a process and "nothing political" should be read into the move. The news report also said that the Department of Posts was launching another series 'Makers of India' which will have 24 stamps

on former prime ministers -- and Congress leaders -- Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, the union government on Wednesday said the Centre wanted to expand the list of leaders to be so honoured. "The Congress wants to see the world through a single glass, (but) we do not," union Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters after a cabinet meeting here. He said India was a symbol of diversity and the government aimed to increase the number of leaders that should be so honoured. Prasad clarified that the government had Need to broaden list not discontinued any stamp on of leaders: Government Standing firm on its decision India's first prime minister Jawato discontinue two postal stamps harlal Nehru. featuring prominent personalities and a stamp on yoga. It said that only four personalities - Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mother Teresa and B.R. Ambedkar, who featured in `Builders of Modern India' series will be part of the new series. The Congress spokesperson said like other great nation builders, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, B.R. Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad, Subhash Chandra Bose and Lal Bahadur Shashtri, both Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi shall always live in the hearts of people of the country.

HeIgHt of joblessness: 23 lakh applications for 368 peon jobs in UP lucKNow, September 16 (tNN):What could be the height of unemployment? The answer to this lies in UP where more than 23 lakh persons have applied against 368 posts of peon in the state secretariat. The number is almost half the population of Lucknow, which is 45 lakhs. What is even more shocking is that over two lakh applicants are at least graduate with BTech, BSc, MSc and MCom degrees. India's Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari (2nd L) inspects the honour guard as he is accompanied by Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen before a meeting at the Prime Minis- Applications also include 255 candidates with a PhD ter's office in Phnom Penh on September 16. (REUTERS Photo)

degree in hand. The figures come from department of Sachivalaya Administration which would be conducting the appointment. Prabhat Mittal, secretary, informed that candidates had to apply online against the advertised posts. "We were shocked to see the response," Mittal said. The recruitment was to be done through direct interview which may take a couple of years. Candidates have their reason for applying. "It's

better to work as a peon than to roam without a job," said Alok, an applicant who holds a PhD degree. Graduate Ratan Yadav added, "there is nothing wrong in taking up menial work." Rekha Verma, another applicant, said that it was better to serve water to officers than to lead a life of dependency. "If you are jobless, you eventually seek help from relatives and friend... but for how long can one survive on the kindness of well-wishers," she said.

India's acid attack victims face long wait for justice loNDoN , September 16 (thomSoN reuterS FouNDAtioN): India has one of the highest rates of acid violence in the world, yet a backlog of criminal cases means it can take up to a decade for courts to reach a judgment and most victims receive no compensation, legal experts said on Wednesday. Globally, there are as many as 1,500 recorded acid attacks each year with more than 1,000 cases estimated to occur in India alone. However, many attacks go unreported because victims are too afraid of reprisals to come forward, they said in a report. The majority of victims are women, attacked over domestic or land disputes, a rejected marriage proposal or spurned sexual

advances, the report said. Attackers frequently target the head and face to maim, disfigure and blind, said Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI), which commissioned the report. Victims are left with lifelong physical and psychological scars. Despite the severity of the crime, acid remains easily available in India where it is used in manufacturing and the processing of cotton and rubber, despite a 2013 Supreme Court order to curb sales. "Acid is still very, very easily available and a litre of acid can be purchased for as little as 50 pence ($0.75)and can be bought in most towns and villages in India," ASTI Executive Director Jaf Shah told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

India made acid attacks a specific criminal offence in 2013, and the Supreme Court this year ruled that victims should receive free medical treatment and minimum compensation of 300,000 rupees ($4,500). Analysing 55 cases of acid violence in India, the report, based on research done in 2014, found that on average it takes between five and 10 years for a legal case to be concluded. "(This) is in itself pretty astonishing, and damning in terms of how the judiciary and investigation procedures work in dealing with acid attack cases in India," Shah said. Compensation was awarded in only nine cases, and ranging from 50,000 rupees ($750) to 5 million rupees ($75,000).

CHOKING WITH CASES The study facilitated by the pro bono legal service of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, TrustLaw, examines laws relating to acid violence in Britain, Cambodia, Colombia and India. Besides India, the highest rates of acid attacks are in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Pakistan, Nepal and Uganda. Poongkhulali Balasubramanian, pro bono coordinator at J. Sagar Associates, which compiled the study, said problems in India prosecuting acid violence cases were related to a creaking justice system rather than the nature of the crime. "They are problems which ail any large jurisdiction or country with a large

population, which is choking with the amount of cases," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "The fact that these cases are prosecuted through the same system means they end up suffering from the same kind of delays and poor investigation." The solution is for more courts to be set up, particularly courts specialising in violence against women, combined with stronger witness protection programmes, Balasubramanian said. Faster justice would also lessen the chance of evidence being tampered with and out-of-court deals struck between victim and the accused, she added. The report recommended that countries should consider adopting

a system used in Britain, which allows victims to sue for compensation independent of the criminal prosecution system. In response to the scale of the violence in India, the group, "Make love not scars", has launched a campaign to raise awareness of acid violence. It has posted a makeup tutorial with Reshma Bano Qureshi, who local media say was left severely scarred and missing an eye after her brother-in-law threw sulfuric acid on her face. In the YouTube video, viewed more than 1 million times since being uploaded a week ago, Qureshi demonstrates how to get "perfect red lips" before pointing out that red lipstick is as easily available as concentrated acid.

ThursDAY 17•09•2015

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

As refugee crisis grows, UN faces questions GeNeVA, SepTemBeR 16 (ReuTeRS): It took a photograph of a drowned toddler washed up on a Turkish beach to achieve what a United Nations agency with 9,300 staff and a budget of $4 billion could not: soften European views on the refugee crisis. The chief of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees Antonio Guterres conceded as much on Sept. 4 when he described a fundamental shift in European attitudes that enabled him to push for the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of refugees across the European Union. “Thanks to the actions of the media, the public is getting mobilised in a way that I would say is unique in recent times in solidarity with the victims,” he told reporters. But even as Guterres welcomed the change, he faced criticism that he and his agency had not done enough to tackle the crisis. Critics, who include former UNHCR staffers and humanitarian policy experts, said the refugee agency should have been more assertive in opening doors in Europe, as it has done in past crises, such as the exodus from Hungary in 1956 and the plight of Vietnamese boat people in the 1970s and 1980s. “If that could be done in the past, it can be done again for the Syrians,” said Karen Koning AbuZayd, a member of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry into human rights in Syria and a chief of staff to Sadako Ogata when she ran UNHCR in the 1990s. Sylvana Foa, who was recruited by Ogata in 1991 to

senior U.N. human rights official and a lead author of a recent review of humanitarian protection for the United Nations, said that UNHCR has “too little forward thinking, and that’s what the European crisis shows.” But UNHCR spokesman William Spindler said the crisis in Europe was caused by “the chaotic way Europe has responded,” not a failure to foresee the numbers making the trip. “We are not in the forecasting business,” he said. UNHCR said last week it believed 400,000 refugees would cross the Mediterranean this year – a figure which has already been eclipsed – and 450,000 next year. The agency refuses to warn of greater numbers coming to Europe. “What that can create is panic and apprehension that millions of people are on their way. We don’t believe that millions of people are on their way,” said SpinA group of migrants walk on the Serbian side of the border near Sid, Croatia on September 16. (REUTERS Photo) dler. But the regional head overhaul UNHCR’s image, UNHCR rejected criti- countries. Those figures While it has added law- of another UN agency said thinks Guterres has been too cism of its part in the Euro- include 4 million Syrians yers and humanitarian it made sense to think in weak. Governments have pean crisis, saying Guterres now registered in Jordan, experts, it has failed to de- such terms. been telling the U.N. “suck has been pressing Euro- Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq velop new, more creative your thumb, and we’re go- pean governments to take and 7.6 million displaced ways of “unlocking politi- FAILED MISERABLY? One reason for the lack ing to find a nice negoti- more refugees for years. within Syria. cal solutions,” said Alexated diplomatic solution,” “Frankly we’ve been Despite a trend of in- ander Betts, professor in of bold early action in Syria said Foa, who also served making these very similar creasing government do- Refugee and Forced Migra- may have been a belief that as a spokeswoman for U.N. proposals in the last two or nations, all the U.N.’s hu- tion Studies at Oxford Uni- the conflict would be over quickly. Joel Charny, Vice Secretary-General Boutros three years,” said UNHCR manitarian work remains versity. Boutros-Ghali in the 1990s. chief spokeswoman Me- underfunded because of A March 2015 evalua- President for HumanitarThe heads of U.N. agen- lissa Fleming. a series of crises in recent tion by the U.N.’s internal ian Policy and Practice at cies with “well-nourished years, and the $5.8 billion audit arm said the agency InterAction, an alliance of careers” prefer to “put out “WHAT THE EUROPEAN the UNHCR has raised for was hampered by being too U.S.-based relief and develcutesy heart-warming vid- CRISIS SHOWS” its Syria appeal is thinly focused “around an emer- opment organisations, said eos” about individual refuUnder Guterres, a for- stretched. gency response model” too much faith was placed gees rather than criticise mer prime minister of PorThe agency has moved and was failing to get gov- in the peace effort led by governments, she said. tugal who took over as head with the times – commis- ernments to see the ben- former U.N. Secretary“They want another U.N. of UNHCR in 2005, the sioning flat-pack refugee efits of integrating refugees General Kofi Annan. “Complacency might job ... And they won’t get it if agency looks after a global shelters from furniture into their own economies they piss governments off. refugee population of al- chain IKEA, for example – – the only option for long- be a little bit too strong, but You have to start shaming most 20 million and speaks but has lost some of its po- term refugees who aren’t until mid-2012 there was a sense that clear heads governments. That’s how out on behalf of 40 million litical clout, U.N. insiders resettled or repatriated. things get done.” displaced within their own and critics said. Norah Niland, a former would prevail (in Syria),”

he said. In 2015, nobody in the U.N. is “sitting on their hands,” said U.N. spokesman Ahmad Fawzi. Annan’s successor as U.N. Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, is “underlining to all member states how vital it is that they unite and come together to find a way out of this mess,” Fawzi said. Even so, UNHCR should have done more to turn the crisis into a development opportunity, said Betts, the Oxford professor. Just 15 minutes from Jordan’s huge Zaatari refugee camp, Betts said, is a special economic zone operating at 10 percent capacity that could be “an incubating space for Syrian businesses that could no longer operate in Syria.” Get it right, and such a project could help both Jordan and the refugees, who could receive training and “be empowered so that when they return they haven’t been impassive for years or decades.” UNHCR has tried such projects in Lebanon, but struggled to win the financial support it needs from other institutions such as the World Bank. An independent evaluation of UNHCR’s response to the refugee influx in Jordan and Lebanon published in January said such ideas had not yet succeeded. “We have talked about humanitarian reform since 2005. We have failed miserably in bringing the financial institutions closer to the humanitarian system,” said one former senior UNHCR official. UNHCR rejected that criticism, saying the World Bank had been involved

very early in the Syrian civil war, although its engagement was constrained because the countries involved were not eligible for concessional lending. Guterres had been “very active” in pushing for changes in the World Bank’s lending criteria, said UNHCR spokeswoman Ariane Rummery. WHO’S TO BLAME? Others said Guterres should have spoken more loudly, and stood up to donors and to Syria. Formerly a frequent visitor to Damascus to promote the interests of Iraqi refugees, Guterres has not visited Syria since the war started more than four years ago. Ogata, who was UNHCR head as Yugoslavia disintegrated, would visit every six weeks or so and did not mince words in criticising governments, one former colleague said. The most critical U.N. voice on Syria has been Valerie Amos. Last year the then-humanitarian aid coordinator said the Syrian government and the rebels were guilty of “flagrant violations of humanitarian laws.” “There was a point at which they just stopped giving her visas,” the former senior UNHCR official said. But Peter Sutherland, U.N. Special Representative for Migration and Development, said criticising UNHCR was unfair. “I think a great deal has been done by UNHCR,” he said. “You have to blame politicians. They’ve got the figures of the numbers that have died over the past 10 years in the Mediterranean. They shouldn’t need a photograph to galvanise them.”

Child among 4 killed in Nepal Land degradation can create 50 Lack of exercise can in police firing at charter protest million migrants in one decade increase eye disorder risk BIRATNAGAR, SepTemBeR 16 (ReuTeRS): Police in Nepal fired rubber bullets into a crowd of demonstrators killing four people including a four-year-old boy, officials said on Wednesday, the latest in a series of clashes over a plan to set up a federal system. More than 40 people, most of them protesters, have been killed since a draft of a new constitution was presented in August, with members of minority groups in the southern plains rejecting the plan that would divide their homeland. Proponents of the long-awaited charter say it will bring much-needed political and economic stability to a nation recovering from years of civil war and, more recently, two devastating earthquakes. But fierce opposition continues to the plan, which would set up a federal system that would break up a belt of the southern plains, known as the Terai, and merge it into larger provinces with other ethnic groups. Protesters in the southern district of Rupandehi threw stones and petrol bombs at a convoy of trucks being escorted by police on Tuesday evening, said chief district officer Bishnu

Prasad Dhakal. “The police fired tear gas to try and disperse the crowd, but were unsuccessful. Then they resorted to rubber bullets,” said Dhakal. A 4 year old boy was killed in the clash and three protesters later died of their injuries, he said. Five protesters and 20 police were injured. An official at Universal Medical College, who declined to be identified, confirmed 5 civilians were undergoing treatment for bullet wounds in the hospital, but declined to say whether the wounds were inflicted by live or rubber bullets. The US and India have both called for security forces to exercise restraint in responding to the protests. This week, lawmakers have met in the capital, Kathmandu, to vote on each clause of the draft constitution, including one that was rejected on Monday that proposed to make Nepal a Hindu state.If the document is endorsed by a 2/3 majority of the legislature, the president could enact the constitution as early as Sunday. The government invited protest leaders from the Terai to Kathmandu for talks last week, but the agitating groups have rejected the overtures.

1 in 3 of global population malnourished LoNdoN, SepTemBeR 16 (IANS): A third of the global population is malnourished, a report said. “When one in three of us is held back due to malnutrition, we as families, communities, and nations cannot move forward,” Lawrence Haddad, lead author of the Global Nutrition Report said. One in three members of the global population is malnourished, and the problem exists in every country on the planet, Xinhua cited the report to be released on September 22 in New York City. “Too often people think of malnutrition as just a problem of hungry kids in the poorest countries, but this report shows that malnutrition has many forms and affects all countries, rich and poor alike,” said Corinna Hawkes, co-author of the report on Tuesday. “The coexistence of nutritional problems associated with extreme deprivation and obesity is the real face of malnutrition.” Even if the global present situation may be worrying, China has made a great progress in overcoming malnutrition, Haddad, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said on Tuesday.

Haddad said the five “C” would resolve the problem -- Commitment, Coherence, Coverage, Cash and Collection of data, which need governments, businesses, donors, NGOs and citizens to cooperate closely. Governments should play an important role in the course to make commitments, lead coherence, spend funds, make sure the utmost coverage of programs and monitor the welfare. “Businesses can regard health and transparency as a market defining and leading proposition and make health something they put centrally in their products.” Haddad said. The timing of the report is particularly important as UN member states convene to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals later this month. Malnutrition is tied to many of the proposed goals - and when 45 percent of all deaths of children under five are related to malnutrition, it is critical that leaders keep nutrition policy at the forefront of their decision-making. IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries, established in 1975, headquartered in Washington.

ToRoNTo, SepTemBeR 16 (IANS): An estimated 50 million people may be forced to seek new homes and livelihoods within 10 years due to land degradation, a study has estimated. That many migrants assembled would constitute the world’s 28th largest country by population, the study said. Effectively addressing land degradation could help avert that humanitarian crisis and add $75.6 trillion to annual world income, according to a report published on Tuesday by The Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative. “This study by ELD shows the immediate and global impact of land degradation and highlights that actions to tackle it pay off. Increased land degradation is also one of the factors

that can lead to migration and it is being exacerbated by climate change,” said Karmenu Vella, European commissioner for environment, fisheries and maritime affairs. The researchers found that land cover changes since year 2000 are responsible for half to 75% of the lost ecosystem services value. They estimated the value of ecosystem services worldwide forfeited due to land degradation at a staggering $6.3 trillion to $10.6 trillion annually, or the equivalent of 10-17% of global GDP. With guidance by United Nations University’s Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health, the report culminates a four-year collaboration involving 30 renowned international research and policy institutes. The report

found that one third of the world is vulnerable to land degradation and one third of Africa is threatened by desertification. Some 52% of world agricultural land is moderately or severely degraded, the study noted. “Adequate management of agricultural and forestry land uses are amongst the lowestcost actions that can reduce global warming, and most actions are either neutral cost or of positive net profit to society, requiring no substantial capital investment,” the report said. The report calls on countries to recognise the huge value of improved land management and to enhance institutional capacity and knowledge in the area, together with national policy, economic, legislative and regulatory frameworks.

New YoRk, SepTemBeR 16 (IANS): Heavy smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise can put you at increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), especially if you have a family history of the blinding eye disorder, says a new study. The findings suggest that genetic and lifestyle factors may contribute to AMD in a synergistic way. “If you have a family history of AMD, the good news is that the study findings suggest that there are things you can do to potentially lower your risk of developing AMD yourself,” said one of the lead researchers Julie A Mares from University of Wisconsin-Madison. It studied the risk among women aged 50 to 79 years and evaluated the diet and exercise patterns of 1663 women and categorised them into lowest, moderate and highest-risk groups. They also evaluated whether the women smoked and, if so, how many years they smoked a pack of cigarettes or more each day and also assessed genetic data from the women to determine whether they carried known genetic risk factors for AMD. 337 women in the study developed AMD, of whom 91% had early-stage disease. Among women with stable diets, those who had genetic risk, smoked at least 7 pack-years, and were in the highest-risk diet and exercise categories were more than 4 times more likely to have AMD compared to those women who did not have genetic risk factors and who ate a healthy diet and got at least 10 hours/week of light exercise or at least 8 hours of moderate activity such as brisk walking.

UN calls for special court to prosecute Sri Lanka war crimes GeNeVA, SepTemBeR 16 (ReuTeRS): Sri Lankan state forces and Tamil Tiger rebels “most likely” committed war crimes including mass killings of civilians during their conflict that should be prosecuted by a special court with international judges, the United Nations said on Wednesday. Despite pledges by the new government of President Maithripala Sirisena to prosecute perpetrators, the criminal justice system was not up to the huge task alone, said the long-delayed report by the U.N. human rights office. It called on Colombo to remove from office military and security personnel and any other officials “where there are reasonable grounds to believe that they were involved in human rights violations” in the 26-year war that ended in 2009. The report named no suspects, saying it was a “human rights investigation, not a criminal investigation” and that individual prosecutions should be left for the new court. “We hope ... that the security services will understand there must be a sort of reckoning with the past and there must be accountability,” U.N.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad AlHussein told reporters. The inquiry documented “the years of denials and cover-ups, the failure to carry out prompt investigations, stalled investigations and reprisals against the family members of victims and others who have advocated for justice,” Zeid said. Sri Lanka promised on Wednesday to deliver justice after the U.N. report was issued, but the Foreign Ministry statement stopped short of directly addressing the U.N.’s proposal to set up a special court. On Monday it said it was setting up a South Africa-style truth and reconciliation commission to look into atrocities. The U.N. report, delayed from March to give the new government time to address concerns, found “patterns of grave violations” between 2002 and 2011. “NO FIRE ZONES” Government security forces were implicated in “unlawful killings carried out in a widespread manner against civilians” including ethnic minority Tamil politicians, aid workers and journalists, it said. They allegedly executed LTTE (Tamil Ti-

Civilians stand behind the barbed-wire perimeter fence of the Manik Farm refugee camp located on the outskirts of northern Sri Lankan town of Vavuniya May 26, 2009. U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon toured Sri Lanka’s largest war refugee camp, located on the outskirts of Vavuniya called Manik Farm and home to 220,000 refugees, on Saturday, pressing for wider humanitarian access to the camps which have become overcrowded since the government declared victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels in a 25-year war. (REUTERS File Photo)

ger) cadres on May 18, 2009, “some of whom were known to have surrendered”. The report said the security forces used torture and rape, especially when former LTTE members and civilians were detained after fighting ended. “Not a single perpetrator of sexual violence related to the armed conflict is so far known to have been convicted.” Many attacks in the war’s last phase appear to have violated international law, espe-

cially “repeated shelling by government forces of hospitals and humanitarian facilities in the densely populated ‘No Fire Zones’”, the report said. Sri Lanka’s army surrounded the LTTE in a 300-square-km slice of jungle in the northeast where 250,000 people were trapped. “Witnesses gave harrowing descriptions of the carnage, bloodshed and psychological trauma of bombardments in which entire families were killed,” it said.

“The LTTE caused further distress by forcing adults and children to join their ranks and fight on the front lines.” The LTTE assassinated public officials and dissenting Tamil political figures, and killed civilians in suicide bombings and mine attacks, the report said. According to a U.N. panel report in 2011, up to 40,000 Tamils were killed in a final offensive ordered by then-president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who crushed the insurgency.

thursDAY 17•09•2015

public discourse

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Gaidinliu: Queen of India Historical perspective in view

istory rejected is people denied. The history of Gaidinliu; Queen of India is a story of freedom struggle, religious reformation and a conflicting personality reflected as sandwich between true and false about her. She bore a complex personality trait yet a pious lady upon whom rested the lot of liberation movement to free the Nagas from the mighty colonial hand of tyranny; the British. Nagas need to make their history straight from the start to the destiny. Rani Gaidinliu is one among other whom India put on historical record straight. Denying her is denying the History of the Nagas’ struggle for independent/freedom. India recognized, respected and regarded the Nagas as a distinct people living on the hilltops of the Northeast India in the south east Asia Region.

has awakened the Nagas today. Thanks God that she was born as a Naga and fought as a Naga freedom fighter for India in which Nagaland is one accounted and born as an Indian state. It was Gaidinliu whom Nehru favored and considered for her Naga state in one hand and it was also to end the Naga National insurgency (NNC) on the other hand, Nehru wanted to deal and settle it by armed force or political measure. When state demand was placed on the table in Indian parliament in 1960, the word “Nagaland” to be given name for the Naga state, an air of denial and debate argument took hard time. Nehru resolved it to be given as Nagaland with special status. He in his word, “ A large autonomy limit” to the Nagas. Nehru was the creator of Nagaland state. It was Nehru who aired Gaidinliu to be stationed at the state capital as the recognized Queen of the Nagas of India. Gaidinliu as an influencer and Nehru as the mastermind pillar of the creation of the present Nagaland state. When Rani Gaidinliu moved a memorandum for a separate Zeliangrong statehood in the Congress Planery Session Culcutta in 1977, Indira Gandhi with a sort of surprise told her, “Nagaland state is already given. If you had such a vision and plan, you should have told my father during 1950s”. She did not live to see Her dream home land neither got a sense of comfort of hope assured by the Naga people. She has gone down to her grave in sorrow with heavy burdens unloaded. Nagas today are still tormenting her spirit with bitter resentment and rejection. India with all sense of humanity has paid a deserving homage and royal honor to her and the Nagas in general by act of inscription of Gaidinliu in Indian currency. Regretted to state also that, the early Rongmei Christian public has put many wrong allegations and false or imaginary make-up propagandas against Jadonang and Gaidinliu. The fact has spread far and near reaching the shore of the whole Nagas society. she was alleged by the Rongmei Christian community to have practiced human sacrifice, drink human blood, practice witchcraft, possessed with evil spirits and many more so. Nagaland state and the Nagas therein may need to live out secular Christianity by realizing the purpose of being a Christian in the world of pluralism.

Rani Gaidinliu as Icon: Gandhiji and Gaidinliu endearingly called by Indian as Bapu and Ranima turned icons of India in a way unique. In every society there are always promoters and destroyers of human dignity and good deeds from among the common people. Nevertheless, nature has so shaped that raging storm smoothen man. Therefore, opposing current is naturally a refining force to perfection. This must continue in the nature. Man proposes God dispose. Proposal and disposal is the natural phenomenon of the universe. The name Gaidinliu becomes an Icon/idol and a common household name, at the same time the most controversial personal identity among the Nagas. To India and the world, she outstands as a worthy soul. She was uplifted to the height of world admiration for her courageous deed well recorded in the history of the country. She is also rejected to the root and dust by critics at Naga-home. Historically and politically, She deserved to be honored by one and all. Hence India did it to a Naga lady freedom fighter. She has created the record of being called/ entitled the admiral Queen of India by her noble and admirable deed of heroism. Posthumously India lately but deservingly enthroned her to the highest seat of Indian Royalty by inscribing her image/idol in the Indian coin and currency. Such a scaling and soaring height of honor and recognition rendered her is the model status of Indian culture of humility and humanity. Nagas’ reign has come as come the time of Rani Gaidinliu clarified: opportune for the Nagas to sing and shine with It is well and true that dreamers, planners, a shout of triumphant entry into the world of patriots, reformers, writers are the shapers and the third millennium. makers of human civilization and makers of their afterworld civilization. They faced critics’ Gaidinliu as Queen of India: blows and bruised yet their names bloom bright The wind of change over the Nagas is blow- in the pages of the world history. Critics always ing to flare up the flame of fame to both Nagas find scars and spots in others of what they are and Indian. Unfortunate to state that, many Na- blind to see in themselves. So also Gaidinliu was gas are ignorantly still questioning and reject- hated by critics and skeptical Christian. Quality ing Gaidinliu’s credibility to be called the Rani of a nation is the character of its citizens. Citizens (Queen) without realizing the political and his- reveal the character of the nation. torical logic of the title bestowed upon the Naga According to her own statement, she said, lady by time tested wisdom of India. Reasoned “ I am a simple illiterate woman, I pleased no that, her unique and charismatic personality; spirit and worship none except Almighty God. Charming, valiant, virtuoso, genius, visionary Human blood is pious to me as to anybody insight, noble hearted patriotism, and high else” she also said, “I regard only that omniposense of humanity that Nehru had observed, tent God who is the protector of all. Why would perceived, admired and concluded of her as I sacrifice the human beings just to please the a Queen fighter of India from Naga hills like souls?”-Rani interviewed by Kusumlata nayyar that of Laxmi Bhai of Jhansi the Queen fighter p-58. Nagas must not continue to live in specof India from Jhansi native. She was a woman ulative knowledge. “Can you imagine that a of integrity. However Nagas did not recognize man would ever drink a man’s blood?” Was her as Rani or even not willing to accept her as her response to Chakravatri a journalist. When a Naga freedom fighter of India much to the asked whether she was a black magic, she said, disadvantage of Nagaland. Nagas’ mentality if I were it, “I would do all with it in Delhi to take seems to have a civic deficiency. Had Gaidinliu all that I want from Delhi.” not been born to a Naga family in such a time when Nagaland state was not yet conceived, Heraka is a reformed Religion: Naga Hills might still be Assam Hills District or All religion rooted from animism to orgasomething else differently unimaginable might nized faith through process of reformations. have shaped the Nagas. The Nagas have not developed their own indigenous religion/faith. The originality of the Nagaland a Christian state or secular state? Nagas with their ancient culture and religion Nagas’ pride and greed, brute and blunt are lost in obscurity by embracing Christianare revealing and reflecting in Medias and so- ity. Nagas are people who lost their history of cial life. Naga Christianity is appearing more origin. Naga are fading the flavor of true Chrisof anti-Naga and anti-Naga National than tianity to the near raw culture of head hunting Rani Gaidinliu was alleged or implicated and re-emerging in the modern form of gun culreflected to be by some Naga Christian critic ture. Sense of humane Morality in Christianwriters. Many Nagas are still mentally living in ity is deadened. Therefore, Naga Christian is their world of isolation and ignorance and are cruel heretics who suppress their own ancient adverse and strange to outside world of diver- practice of faith. Heraka is a reformed religion sity and pluralism. The issue of Rani Gaidinliu of the Zeliangrong Nagas which is the only re-

formed religion of the Naga indigenous faith to be preserved and promoted to substantiate the History of the Nagas. The notion that, Heraka is anti Christian as Christian also to be anti-Heraka in equal measure. The word Heraka simply mean Holy God whom Christian called God of heavens. Intellectually both must respect each other’s faith in the spirit of Indian constitutional secularism. Many times Christians are extreme in the condemnation or conversion of Heraka religion. Ranima was a spiritual religious leader of Heraka’s faith as much as any Christian leaders in their own respective faith. During the later part of her movement, the NNC leaders from Zeliangrong region played a policy of double edged sword to finish the Heraka reformed faith in 1959-1960 with the support of the Christians and let loosed the tyranny of converting the remnant preservers of the fading ancient Naga faith/religion by brute force and persecution upon the little remnant group who still thought and determined to keep the history of the Naga ancient root and origin of the Naga people alive. since then NNC Zeliangrong region was recognized as the arch enemy of the Naga indigenous remnant faith now called Heraka. It is wonder struck to know the twist and blame upon the Defending force of Gaidinliu called Khampai/Riphian that the NNC offensive operation was considered to be right and defensive measures to protect the Naga historical legacy and heritage was termed and branded as anti-Naga. It might have extremely hurt and angered Gaidinliu. Christians were heretics attempted to rid of indigenous faith when it was trying to reform the faith in the light of the flooding Christian faith that was sweeping in the whole of Naga hills. The social aim of this movement was to preserve, and practice the rich and highly evolved Naga culture and religion. Erection of Monumental in honor of Rani Gaidinliu: The Greek ambassador Heliodoros set up a pillar in honor of Vishnu near Vidisa in Madhya Pradesh, the famost Greek ruler Menander was converted to Buddhism. The Kushan rulers worshipped both and Budha and the images of these two appear on the Kushan coins. Sufism was a reformed religion out of Muslim and no rejection meted to them, India is a multi religious country where Nagaland in one of Indian states having Christian majority. Setting up of Rani Gaidinliu library cum Memorial museum at Kohima have nothing to do with Religious matter. It is purely of historical purpose and developmental perspective. It is too surprise to know that, many Nagas are apprehensive and fearing the project would turn to religious oriented politic of India against Naga Christian society. It simply tells that Naga Christian fear of being dominated by Hinduism. No fear is needful in such a world of religious liberty and inter-multireligious tolerance and understanding. Naga Christians are expected to practice inter-religious tolerance and understanding and feel part of great India on mutual term of secular principle. Nagas In time past were converting Non-Christians at the same time rejecting and restricting other to practice as they do. What morality is such mentality do the Nagas have? Nagas should have been grateful for preserving the Nagas’ indigenous way of faith and culture in the name of Heraka (the Holy God) whom Christian too believe the same God of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac of Israel‘s indigenous faith. It is surprise to know that some Naga Christians leaders are provoking Church leaders to speak out their resentment from their religious platforms against Ranima’s faith in utter rejections. It is immature on the part of Naga Christian society to oppose their own indigenous way of life which is equal to rejecting their own origin and history. It is imperative and essential that Nagas learn how to appreciate, acknowledge, and respect each other dignity of human person, identity, culture irrespective of tribal and national differences. It is my humble appeal and desire that Nagas make a paradigm shift of mental outlook to intellectual realm of reasoning and discernment that we may be the model humanity the world will respect, follow and be blessed. G. Gwangphun Social and peace activist

An open letter to the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur

hope this letter finds you in good spirit and in sound health. While I’m sure that everyone, including me, appreciates your initiatives in the successful implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission across various areas of Dimapur, I must point out to the fact that we have a much bigger problem at hand. Dimapur is a city that is fast growing. It is the face of Nagaland as much as it is the gateway of Nagaland. Despite the unending problems in various forms which we the people have faced and are still facing, we have courage, determination and will for this city to develop and grow, which leads us to the most pressing problem, i.e., the issue of garbage. Garbage is strewn everywhere in Dimapur, in every nook and corner. It is but a pitiful sight. Garbage is literally everywhere that roads are also blocked many a time, if not most times. Especially in the mornings, Dimapur looks no less than a pile of garbage and rubbish. In times of floods and other such calamities, such a situation can easily lead to spread of diseases on an endemic level. The stench itself is enough to put one off and cause the person to have an uneventful day. While I’m not saying that garbage magically appears just like that, I want to convey the fact that we can and we must do something about the dire situation which threatens to spill out of control. The first step would be to naturally start with the public by way of conducting awareness campaigns in collaboration with civil soci-

eties, NGOs, Youth organizations and associations etc.; the district administration may even impose fine/penalties on localities with regard to non-compliance of orders and directives, and also conduct competitions among the localities from time to time in choosing the cleanest locality, so as to keep the spirit of cleanliness and cooperation high and alive. Having said that, we come to the central problem of the issue: how do we manage this? I think a novel idea would be the manufacture of dustbins or garbage bins in the first step towards realization of this endeavor which would also help facilitate the many unemployed Naga youths to take up this negligible but significant job, so as to sustain themselves, even if for a short while. This would at least give them some pocket money and importantly, encouragement in the coming days, through the sale of garbage bins and dustbins albeit minimal amount. Every house in every locality ought to have a garbage bin so that garbage is not strewn here and there. This also makes sense since it is much simpler and easier to collect garbage. This suggested step is, however, purely optional; the administration may take alternative suitable measures. The main town area of Dimapur also requires garbage bins in larger numbers. Also, the collection of garbage must be carried out regularly and strictly, a most crucial remedy in keeping Dimapur clean and green, if I might add. The public must be dissuaded from throwing garbage on the roadsides, which I’m sure

the administration under your leadership will find a way to tackle this particular menace. Most importantly, as mentioned earlier, the public must be enlightened. Here in Nagaland, almost everyone wants to be spoon-fed which is obviously an obstacle in truly realizing who we are, among other issues. You see, nobody wants to do the dirty job or get his/her hands dirty when it comes to doing the right thing, but I’m sure you’re all too well aware of this fact too. I must restrain myself here now, so that it doesn’t get awfully too long which would result in you getting bored. Sir, the administration has the resources to carry out this endeavor; it doesn’t require the spending of resources on a large scale anyway. Also, under your able and reasonable leadership, I have no doubt that this will be complete success. You are one leader who can actually connect to both sections of the society, young and old. While my suggestions and ideas might seem to be utopian and unrealistic, I have also no doubt on my part when I say I am making the feelings of the citizens of Dimapur well known publicly, on my behalf. Provided the administration undertakes various measures and steps in the positive direction, I am sure that the citizens of Dimapur will come out in good numbers to back the administration. Looking forward to better days. Yours faithfully, I Longkumer

Naga Mothers’ Association to PM Modi

he Naga Mothers’ Association places on record our strong protest against the dual policy of the Government of India on the unwarranted killings of NSCN K unarmed cadres, including its Chaplain, civilians and women in the recent ambush carried out by the 23rd Assam Rifles at the International Trade centre, Dan in Pangsha area of Tuensang District. This horrifying killing took place in the midst of hectic missions of peace building efforts by the Nagas, and happened when the Naga peace talk interlocutor Mr. R. N. Ravi was just on his way out after meeting a cross section of the Nagas at the capital Kohima. The fact that this ambush was premeditated and planned knowing very well the presence of women and civilians, makes it highly questionable, the very presence of the peace talk Interlocutor from the Prime Minister’s office on one hand and the meticulous planning that seems to have been done by the Armed forces to target the women and civilians on that fateful day. May we bring to your notice, that the four member Naga Mother’s Peace Team was on its way to a meeting with the Leaders of the NSCN (Khaplang), on the very route when this ambush took place. As eye witnesses to the gory aftermath ,when we reached the spot two days later on the 30th August, 2015, we are hereby submitting proof and photographic evidence of the random killings that took place in the wide open area in the compound of the International Trade Centre, Dan, Pangsha area for your perusal and intervention. What is most tragic is that several local civilians from the other side of the Myanmar border had taken lifts on the Bolero pick up to reach home, only to be condemned to their deaths by the ruthless guns of the Indian armed forces. Two civilians carrying baskets of salt were gunned down as they stood on the back of the Bolero pick up. Their baskets of salt, which is hard to get in these remote villages, on the other side of the border, were still standing on the back of the truck when we reached the spot two days later as is visible from the photograph enclosed. An unarmed, simple villager on his way to his village, along a footpath above the ITC was gunned down in cold blood, the only traces are his small sling bag made from rough gunny sack, his torch and small things scattered on the grass, seen in the photo enclosed. A young wife of one of the cadres was on her way to visit her young husband when she was killed on the spot by the Indian forces, as well as her husband who had come over near the border to receive her. Another young girl, not yet twenty years of age, was splattered with bullets, and yet lived to tell the tale as she now lies in a hospital in Kohima, not sure if she will ever walk .Enclosed is photos of her blanket that saved her life, but riddled with bullet holes. Another young mother of three children, who had been invited by her husband to come and supervise the hosting of the Naga Mothers team and had come laden with food items on the Bolero pick up from her hometown, was grievously injured in both her legs with splinters from the grenade hurled at the Bolero pick up, in its first phase of attack. She now lies in a hospital bed in Mokokchung fearing for her life and her family as she recounts the horrors of that day. A young man identified as a civilian, was gunned down in cold blood and shot through the head right in front of the injured. Her brother who helped her drive her car till Noklak town, which was parked outside the Noklak Police Station, and another civilian who survived were captured by the Armed forces and had false FIRs filed against them after this terrible outburst of vengeance by the Assam Rifles. The unarmed Chaplain’s bike lay in front of the ITC Guest House, his sandals neatly left beside his fallen

bike, as he too became a target of relentless killing. As mothers and women of the land, we grieve the loss of every death of our children, whether they be cadres, civilians or women and children. In the midst of so much of efforts for peace, it is unacceptable that the Government of India is using two languages to speak on peace, while pursuing peace through the Interlocutor and at the same time ,using the Indian Army to flout all forms of international conventions on human rights by targeting civilians, women and children. The NMA team had also called on the Inspector General Assam Rifles back in the capital Kohima to register our strong protest on the killings and targeting of civilians. However, it is shocking the Major General showed no remorse for the civilians deaths or the injured women. Which leads us to ask the question – has the GOI declared a war on the Naga civilians as well? We are a people born out of wars since our forefathers, and with thousands who have lost their lives at the cost of freedom, we are at a point in history where its women seek desperately for measures to bring peace among our brothers as well as with India. Therefore, the NMA reiterates that seeking vengeful killings for the unfortunate deaths of Indian armed soldiers is not the solution or answer to peace in this war torn land. Nor will bounties on the heads of the NSCN (K) leaders or a ban on the group, work as a solution for peace, because no matter what, they are also freedom fighters, and our sons and brothers, and not terrorists. Sir, therefore, In the face of escalations of armed tensions, serious build up of militarisation by Indian armed forces in towns and villages, including the capital of Kohima, we seek to draw your immediate attention to the security issues in the state and also fragility of the peace process. Women’s right to peace and security must be respected and adhered to by the Government of India and all efforts must be made to initiate for a peaceful solution. We reiterate our demand for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the light of the Wuzu killings of children and the Pangsha ambush on civilians where precious lives have been lost. We demand the withdrawal of all Indian Armed Forces from the state and re deployment of thousands of our own Naga IRBs within the state, who are presently posted in Kashmir, West Bengal, Delhi and so on. This is a measure that will bring down the continuing conflict and give a breather for peace initiatives. The NMA is committed to bring our brothers in the NSCN (K) into a Ceasefire with the GOI, and we will continue in our peace initiatives. We will continue to reach out to the other Naga political groups, in the hope that we ensure a peaceful future and destiny for our younger generations. We therefore, seek your co-operation and immediate intervention into indiscriminate killings and militarisation by the Indian Armed Forces in the state of Nagaland. We demand justice through a high level Inquiry which must be immediately constituted to investigate into the ITC, Dan, Pangsha civilian killings by the 23rd Assam Rifles and due punitive action be taken thereof. May we remind you, Sir, that as Mothers we also share the pain and grief of every Indian family whose sons have lost their lives in the line of duty but, it must be acknowledged that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and its impunity and immunity does not bring us peace nor to the Indians. We urge the Government of India to seek peace with honesty and stand by the International Conventions signed by the country, with true commitment. Yours sincerely, Mrs. Abeiu Meru , President, NMA Dr. Rosemary Dzuvichu, Advisor, NMA

WORLD OZONE DAY "30 Years of Healing the Ozone Together"

ince time immemorial man became different from other animals inhabiting the Earth, he has been making a lot of progress using all the resources he came across with during his existence. For ages, he treated nature as a vast storehouse of resources without paying any heed to the fact that his unscrupulous use of natural resources might pose a danger to all other species co-existing with him. He considers himself the only creature on this planet entitled to all the riches. Ignorant of the evil consequences of his ever increasing and never quenchable thirst for pleasure, he subjugated every other species and treated himself as the sole supreme dictator. He destroyed habitats of innumerable species to make room for avenues that provided him convenience and pleasure. Inevitably, the loss of habitats caused large scale extinction of many organisms. Over the last 30 years, since the inception of International Ozone Day brought about by the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol, the World celebrates one of the most successful environmental treaty the United Nations ever brokered. A remarkable track record of gradually reducing down the Ozone depleting substances to 98 percent is by itself an achievement of the highest order. For those people who doesn't understand, let me brief out the issue here. Folks, a fragile layer of Ozone 25 km above Earth surface is all that stands between us and some of the harsh rays of the Sun called, the Ultra-Violet (UV) radiations. The Ozone absorbs UV radiations and prevents them from reaching the Earth surface. If these radiations are allowed to reach our Earth's atmosphere, they will increase the temperature of lower atmosphere to such an extent that it will be impossible for any life to survive. At this point, one must be thinking, "So, why to celebrate if we are protected in the first place". Scientist in the 1970’s discovered that the layer was thinning as a result of the release of CFC’s, consequently, the Ozone hole developed. Down the years NASA (2006) also reported that some of the biggest Ozone holes have been reported in Antarctica. Ozone hole or Ozone depletion is caused by certain man-made chemicals primarily Chlo-

rofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Nitrogen Oxides used mainly in aerosol propellants, refrigeration, air-conditioning, plastic foams, solvents from cleaning electrical components and byproducts of aircraft exhaust. Thus, the story in a nutshell is that, Ozone is our vanguard against the mighty sun that is bombarding Earth with harmful UV radiation which would otherwise burn our skin and cause cancer and even extending to the food chain of the ecosystem, ergo, needs to be protected. The protection of the Ozone layer and our precious earth can be achieved by limiting our uses and reducing the production of air conditioners and refrigerators, cleaning solvent, automobiles, banning the use of dangerous Nitrous oxides and other industrial activities. The initiatives have been taken and thankfully our Ozone layer is on the process of healing, but, despite that, we need to reassure our stance to cooperate in dispelling the dangers posed by the global threat from ozone depletion in the stratosphere and ozone production near the Earth’s surface. In our present Naga Society, be it young or old, we can start doing on individual level, all we need is a little bit of tweak in our approach of day to day life chores. For example, it is not really necessary to keep the refrigerator switched on the whole day, or use of air conditioner efficiently, we can make a time table or a time frame per day, sort of, and try to stick with it at all times. Some of us might even think what's the use of saving if others don't follow but remember changes come from an individual level. International Ozone day is a moment where every citizen of this planet has a reason to celebrate and perhaps also a moment to think about how we can make sure that the successes in International cooperation continue in the future and it becomes a global concern only when you and I take it to the next level i.e. by having a feeling of "Oneness with Nature". Remember "Protecting the Ozone layer is protecting Ourselves" "EARTH WITHOUT OZONE IS LIKE A HOUSE WITHOUT A ROOF, SAVE OZONE LAYER" FORESTRY GRADUATES ASSOCIATION OF NAGALAND (FGAN)

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.

Thursday 17•09•2015

Photo exhibition in Dimapur Inter-school choral Park Shin Hye competition in is returning Mokokchung to college

ark Shin Hye recently returned to college to complete her educational pursuits. On September 12, the Korean outlet Sports Donga reported that the 25-year-old actress is in the process of completing her senior year at Chung-Ang University. A spokesperson for S.A.L.T Entertainment provided a statement regarding her decision to go back to school. "Park Shin Hye has returned to school," said a representative for S.A.L.T Entertainment. "For now, she will be focusing on her studies." The actress initially enrolled in Chung-Ang University in 2008 to study Theater and Film. Her collegiate career stalled after her fame increased exponentially in 2009. While she gained notoriety with her role in the 2003 drama, "Stairway to Heaven," her popularity dramatically increased with her portrayal of Go Mi Nam in "You're Beautiful." In 2015, Park received positive attention for her portrayal of Choi In Ha in the SBS drama, "Pinocchio." She followed with a role in the starpowered arthouse flick,"The Beauty Inside," which premiered in North America on September 11. Her reinstatement in the university comes on the heels of a recent casting announcement involving the high-profile film, "Hyung." Park will continue to pursue her studies in Theater and Film. She is scheduled to graduate in February 2016. Other notable alumni of the Film Industry department at Chung-Ang University include Kim Soo Hyun, Hyun Bin, Jang Na Ra and Yoon Eun Hye.

rogressive Coaching Centre, Mokokchung will be organizing the 1st Inter-School Choral Competition at Town Hall on September 18 where eight schools from Mokokchung town will be participating on the theme ‘Fight for Peace’. The three best choirs will be presented with trophy, cash and certificates, informed the organizers. Highlighting on the theme of the competition ‘fight for peace’, the organizers informed that

they chose the theme keeping in mind the conflict in the society and the need to strive for peace in a positive manner through music. The competition is also being organized because most of the young students today are not interested in hymns and choral music, and therefore they should be encouraged to learn choral music as it is the foundation of good music and singing, they informed. On the grand night, besides the choral presen-

tation, there will be special appearances by Blue Kettle, Shillong, Naga Orpheus Hunt 2002 winner Wapang Longkumer and Neikou Khezie from Coloured Keys. The Progressive Coaching Centre was established in April 2015 by three young educated and enterprising youths in Mokokchung. The centre imparts coaching to students of Class X – XII in all the subjects; and to all the streams to students of Class XI – XII.

Morung Express News

he photography Club of Dimapur will be organizing a photo exhibition on September 19 and 20 at The Republic of Hiyo and The Garden respectively in Dimapur. The exhibition will be inaugurated by entrepreneur and a founding member of XL Nagaland, Ababe Ezung. Briefing media persons in Dimapur on Wednesday, the organiz-

ers informed that altogether, 36 photographs with multiple themes would be exhibited by 19 photographers. This is the first photo exhibition to be organized by Photography Club of Dimapur. Northeast Window will be the media partner for the event while Creative Printers and Synergy Systems would be supporting the event. Entry is free for the ehixbition.

Victoria slammed for superskinny models at NYFW

inger-turned-designer Victoria Beckham is at the receiving end of backlash for casting 'tooskinny' models for her runway show at the New York Fashion Week. Many social media users have slammed the 41-year-old for her choice in models. She has also been criticised for cast-

ing 17-year-old Peyton Knight, who is just one year older than the minimum age of a model, reported Aceshowbiz. "@victoriabeckham's #NYFW underweight models trigger and exacerbate #eatingdisorders [I speak from experience]," a user named Janet tweeted. "Shame on @victo-

riabeckham! Those models were terribly miserable and way too thin. You have a daughter now! Inspire her!," wrote Lucky Schwartz. "All the models walking for Victoria Beckham's collection look dead. #eatsomechicken." wrote another user.

Asha Bhosle-inspired ‘Twilight’ special edition to be released for 10th anniversary $1.5m Indian restaurant to open in Britain

o mark the 10th anniversary of the va mp i re n ove l , Brown Books will release a special edition of “Twilight” next month along with exclusive bonus content. It has been a decade since Stephenie Meyer introduced the world to an extraordinary story of a vegetarian vampire, who falls in love with a human, reported Ace

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Showbiz. The new edition will include exclusive bonus content and will come in audio version as well as hardcover, ebook, and large print formats. Meyer will participate in various events, including New York Comic-Con, where she’ll be signing autographs and discuss-

ing the book. “It’s amazing to me that ten years have passed since ‘Twilight’ was first published,” said author Stephenie Meyer in a statement. “For me, this anniversary is a celebration of the fans, with all of their incredible passion and dedication. I’m excited to get to spend time with them again.”

Since it was published in 2005, “Twilight” has become a best-seller and has spawned a blockbuster film franchise starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. The series, which featured sequels “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn”, has sold over 100 million copies worldwide. “I felt the same thrill reading this special an-

niversary edition as I did when I read the manuscript a decade ago,” Megan Tingley, Executive Vice President of “Little”, Brown Books said. “I’m pleased we have this opportunity for devoted fans to relive the extraordinary Twilight experience, as well as for a new generation of readers to discover it for the very first time.”

Willing to wait a lifetime for Deepika: Ranveer Singh

ant to taste "Rahul Dev Burman chingri chaap"? Head to a new Indian restaurant -- inspired and coowned by legendary singer Asha Bhosle -- that is set to open for food lovers in Manchester this week, a media report said on Wednesday. The restaurant at the Peter Street displays portraits of Bhosle and her family, along with beaded fringing inspired by her stage costumes and jewellery, Manchester Evening News reported on Tuesday. Bhosle, 82, will be among the guests at the VIP launch party scheduled on Thursday and the restaurant will officially open its doors on Friday. The restaurant wears a simple look with purple as accent colour. It is decorated with booths clustered along one wall and lighting hanging from the ceilings. The restaurant is a 170-year-old building and it cost two million pounds ($1.5 million) for its renovation. The bar on the first floor has been transformed into a big dining space. “We have

tried to develop a contemporary atmosphere but the building is around 170-years-old, so we have tried to make sure we have restored it sympathetically,” Sue Potter, managing director of the restaurant’s parent company, was quoted as saying. “We have used purple as an accent colour but otherwise we have kept to a quite neutral palette,” he added. “The ochre is quite an important part of our identity, referencing the saffron in Indian cookery and the burnt orange colours you see in a lot of Indian art work,” Potter noted. The menu is traditional Indian cuisine with many of the dishes has been named as a tribute to the singer’s connections and career. Apart from special curries like “bharwan tandoori aloo”, “tandoori jhenga” and “murg masala”, the menu includes “Hare baingnan ka bharta” (one of Bhosle’s mother’s favourite dishes) and “Rahul Dev Burman chingri chaap” (a tribute to her late husband).

anveer Singh may not have officially made public his love for Deepika Padukone yet but there is no denying that the actor is absolutely smitten by his gorgeous co-star. At the song launch of ‘Bajirao Mastani’ held at a stadium in Pune today, Ranveer proudly declared that he is willing to wait a lifetime for Deepika. When we quizzed Deepika later about whether she too would be willing to wait a lifetime for Ranveer, a blushing Deepika replied, “Please ask him in what

context. If it is in context of waiting to board a train or meeting at a restaurant.” Ranveer Singh, on his part, tried to play safe when put in a spot by Deepika. Explaining what he meant, Ranveer Singh said: “It was one of those random, smart wisecracks which I cracked by saying, ‘She is so beautiful that I will wait all my life for her.’ You guys (media) waited since morning for us. So, if you ask me I would say she is so gorgeous that I would wait all my life for her.”

Matt Damon wants to take a space trip

att Damon has expressed his desire to go into space. The Martian star would not want to be one of the first to explore life on other planets, but he'd like to go on an intergalactic adventure at some stage, reported Contactmusic. Asked if he would go into space, he said, "I think so down the line. I'm not one of these guys who wants to go colonise mars in the first wave of people. I think we have to get off the planet so we can protect the species from one extinction level event." In The Martian, the 44-year-old actor - who raises daughters Alexia, 16, Isabella, nine, Gia, seven, and Stella, four, with wife Luciana - plays an astronaut who gets left behind on Mars alone, and he had to spend five weeks shooting with no other actors on set. And Damon admitted he would love to get a little bit more alone time in his personal life."I love being with my kids but you can attest to the fact that you would take a day alone now or then if you could get it. I wouldn't want to be alone for more than a day or two... I think a day would be good. You kind of re-set , re-charge."

Hillstar

Now ShowiNg Timings: 11:00 AM || 5:25 PM || 8:25 PM

Star Cast: Sooraj Pancholi, Athiya Shetty

Timing: 02:00 PM

Star cast: Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka, Tamanna, Nassar.

thursDAY 17•09•2015

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

NSF Martyrs Trophy begins For the strength to forgive & live together Under the theme, “Goal for Peace”, the NSF Martyrs’ Trophy-one of the biggest football tournament in Nagaland- is organised by the Angami Students’ Union (ASU) annually in the memory of Lt. Vikhozo Yhoshü and Lt. Kekuojalie Sachü

Barak FC down Boyz United FC Our Correspondent

Kohima | September 16

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The 16th edition of the prestigious NSF Martyrs' Memorial Trophy 2015 in memory of Lt. Kekuojalie Sachü & Lt. Vikhozo Yhoshü kick started here today at the Kohima Local Ground under the theme “Goal for Peace” under the aegis of the Angami Students’ Union (ASU). Barak FC Peren registered a win in the inaugural match today against rival Boyz United FC Chiechama 6-0. Salu Kulim opened the account for Barak FC in the 10th minute and latter scored 6th goal for the team in the 66th minute. Nzauhutbo Nbung, Nyithung Magh, Aloumei Panmei and Kekrusato Angami contributed a goal each for Barak FC in 15th, 50th, 61st and 64th minute respectively. From September 17, the tournament will witness four matches till September 24. The prize sponsors for 16th edition of NSF Martyrs' Memorial Trophy 2015 include: champions - Rs. 1, 60,000 by Naga Students’ Federation; runnersup- Rs.1, 00000 by Akho Neikha, proprietor Theja Service Station NH 29; losing semi finalist- Rs.20, 000/- each by Er. Kevisekho Kruse, chief engineer PHED Nagaland. Individual prize sponsors include: best keeper by Kelhou Suohu, proprietor Touch Enterprises; best midfielder by Alezo Kense;

DAY 2 MATCHES: September 17 Ist Match (9:30 AM): Phezhu Boys Club Jotsoma vs Yhome FC Kohima 2nd Match (11:00 AM): 10th NAP (IR) XI vs ICFAI University FC Dimapur 3rd match: (12:30 PM) Sechii-Zubza Youth Org. Vs Naga Boys Club (Ist batch).

Minister for roads & bridges Y. Vikheho Swu, minister for environment, forests and climate change Dr. Neikiesalie (Nicky) Kire, parliamentary secretary for youth resources & sports, music task force and state lotteries Khriehu Liezietsu, NSMDC chairman Dr. Neiphrezo Keditsu, NSF & ASU officials and organizing committee members pose for camera with players and match officials of the inaugural match of the 16th edition of NSF Martyrs’ Memorial Trophy 2015 in Kohima on September 16. (Morung Photo)

4th Match ( 2:00 PM): Billy Graham FC Kohima vs Country Boys FC

Morung Express News Kohima | September 16

Players in action at the inaugural match of the 16th NSF Martyrs Trophy which began today in Kohima.

best defender- Er. Puthoto Natso; and highest scorerZhavito Rhutso. For the first time in the history of NSF Martyrs’ Memorial Trophy, the organizer (ASU) is providing

24X7 free ambulance service during the tournament sponsored by Altrura Society (AuS) Chumukedima. Altogether, 63 teams with 1134 have registered for the coveted champion-

ship this year. Kohima has 49 teams, Phek- 2, Dimapur- 6, Peren- 3, Tuensang1 and 2 teams from the state of Manipur. The tournament will go on till October 15.

“We still need to search within ourselves to find the strength to forgive others for the purpose to live together as a people,” said Vipopal Kintso, Convenor, Organizing Committee, while reflecting on the NSF Martyrs’ Trophy theme, ‘Goal for Peace’ during the 16th NSF Martyrs’ Trophy which began on September 16 at the Khuochiezie Ground, Kohima. Vikheho Swu, Minister for Road and Bridges was the Chief Guest. Paying homage to the Lt. Vikhozo Yhoshü and Lt. Kekuojalie Sachü, Kintso recapitulated the incident of March 20, 1986 where the two martyrs were killed and several students injured during a protest by NSF. The protest was held against the induction of IPS Cadres in

Spanish clubs make impressive Champions League start MADRID, SEPTEMBER 16 (REUTERS): Spanish clubs gave another demonstration of their efficiency in Europe when Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla began their Champions League campaigns without conceding a goal in convincing victories on Tuesday. Real, the record 10-times winners and 2014 champions, crushed 10man Shakhtar Donetsk 4-0 at the Bernabeu, Atletico won 2-0 at Galatasaray and Europa League holders Sevilla thumped Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-0 at the Sanchez Pizjuan. Champions Barcelona and Valencia, back in the continent's elite club competition after a two-year absence, can make it five wins out of five for La Liga sides when they play at AS Roma and host Zenit St Petersburg respectively later on Wednesday. The success of Spanish clubs marked a sharp contrast with their rivals

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from the English Premier League, with Manchester United and Manchester City both surrendering their lead in 2-1 defeats at PSV Eindhoven and at home to Juventus. Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to reach 80 Champions League goals when he netted a Group A hat-trick against Shakhtar, who had midfielder Taras Stepanenko sent off five minutes into the second half. Portugal captain Ronaldo, who hit five past Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday, moved three clear of Barca forward Lionel Messi on the all-time scoring chart. Afterwards, the 30-yearold hit back at critics who had suggested he might be past it after he failed to score in Real's opening two La Liga games of the campaign. "Before I was bad and now I am good because I score eight goals," Ronaldo told Spanish television. Antoine Griezmann

struck twice for Atletico, the 2014 runners-up, as Diego Simeone's side made light of what can be a intimidating trip to Galatasaray's stadium in Istanbul. The France forward said the Group C victory would help the team put Saturday's 2-1 La Liga defeat at home to Barca behind them. "We knew the importance of starting the group phase with a win," he told reporters. Sevilla coach Unai Emery said his side's Group D performance against Gladbach, when they missed one penalty but scored from two others, would help boost confidence as the Andalusians try to get their stuttering La Liga campaign going following a defeat and two draws in their opening three matches. "Today we found the identity we are looking for this season," Emery told a news conference. "It gives us confidence to help turn around our results in La Liga."

Nagaland and the extension of Disturbed Area Belt from 5 km to 20 km along the international border by the Indian government. “We need to remember the reason for the Martyrs dies for- To live in dignity as a people,” noted Kintso. Stating that the tournament is one of the most coveted and biggest sport events in Nagaland, Swu congratulated the ASU and NSF for successfully organizing the Martyrs’ Trophy year after year. “Sports bring people togetherbringing together a team and its own set of supporters. Sports help to promote competition, comradeship and most of all it teaches us about our responsibilities and about dealing with failure and success,” stated Swu, further adding that sports knits closer relationship with other communi-

ties. Swu also assured that the State Government is making every effort for development of sports and games in various disciplines in the grassroots to support and nurture talent of the youth. The state is working for the improvement of infrastructure to create more opportunities for Sportspersons to compete at the national and international level, under the department of Y R & S, he said. “Once again I call upon the society to re- commit ourselves to our greater goal for peace through sports and through this tournament,” added Swu. Subenthung Kithan, President, NSF who delivered the solidarity message, thanked the ASU for shouldering the responsibility in organizing the trophy every year. Kithan also

encouraged the players to participate with the true spirit of sportsmanship. “We honour our Martyrs’. They still live in us and they shall grow in us. With them in us we shall grow to achieve our goal,” Kintso concluded with a quote by Soren Kiergaard: “When a tyrant dies his rule is over; when a martyr dies his rule begins” The inaugural function was chaired by Neizokhotuo Belho, Former General Secretary, NSF. A prayer was invoked by Kedo Peseyie, Pastor, City Church, Kohima while the welcome address was delivered by Dievi Yano, President, ASU. Special numbers were presented by students of Baptist High Kohima and Mezhür Hr. Sec. School. The oath taking was conducted by Vizokho Zashümo, Secretary, Games and Sports, ASU.

India to play Pakistan on opening day of 2015 SAFF Cup NEw DElHI, SEPTEMBER 16 (IANS): Six-time winners India were drawn to play against Pakistan on the opening day of the 2015 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) tournament amidst an ongoing diplomatic logjam posing a major obstacle in sporting ties between the two nations. The 12th edition of the tournament will be held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, from December 23 to January 3. Nepal will play Sri Lanka in the opening match of the competition followed by the India vs Pakistan match on the same day. The tournament draw,

held here on Wednesday, clubbed India with Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka in Group A while Afghanistan, Bhutan, the Maldives and Bangladesh will constitute Group B. India' next two group matches are against Sri Lanka on December 25 and Nepal two days later. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals to be held on December 31, followed by the final on January 3, next year. SAFF president Kazi Md. Salahuddin of Bangladesh hoped that the tournament will continue to develop the game in the region. "Today, football in

South Asia is developing rapidly and we are proud that the SAFF Championship is South Asia's top football event," he said. All India Football Federation (AIFF) secretary Kushal Das said he was hopeful that India, the most successful team in the regional tournament, will produce a creditable display. India lost to Afghanistan in the final of the 2013 edition. The defending champions will make its final appearance in the tournament after deciding to be part of another regional football organisation -- the Central Asia Football Association -- from next year.

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A night of pain for United as Shaw breaks leg

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EINDHOVEN, SEPTEMBER 16 (REUTERS): PSV Eindhoven's Luciano Narsingh struck a second-half winner as they fought back to claim a 2-1 victory against a Manchester United side who lost Luke Shaw to a double leg fracture in the Champions League on Tuesday. Left back Shaw was taken off on a stretcher with an oxygen mask strapped to his face after suffering the injury to his right leg in the early stages of the Group B game. The match looked to be heading United's way and their close-season signing from PSV, Memphis Depay, reminded fans at the Philips Stadium of his prowess with a superb 41stminute opener. The hosts, however, caught United napping at a corner in first-half stoppage time as Hector Moreno, whose crunching tackle had forced Shaw to leave the pitch, equalised before a swift breakaway set up the 57th-minute winner. United took the game to PSV with the 21-year-

old Depay, warmly welcomed back by the home supporters, and newlysigned former AS Monaco forward Anthony Martial looking dangerous in a two-pronged attack. Depay’s pass set up

Martial, the world's most expensive teenager, for what should have been a tap-in from close range after seven minutes but the French youngster failed to put enough force into the effort. Shaw’s injury came

after 15 minutes when a burst of acceleration put him through on goal before he was halted by Moreno’s poor challenge, which went unpunished. The match was halted for eight minutes as med-

ics put Shaw on a stretcher and took him off the pitch. Depay’s goal was a breathtaking display of footwork, set up by fellow Dutchman Daley Blind, who was jeered throughout the game because of his previous connection to Ajax Amsterdam. As the match went into a lengthy period of stoppage time at the end of the first half, Moreno rose to head home a corner, with Blind helping the ball into his own net. United dominated the exchanges in the second half but were caught out by a sucker punch early on as they pressed high up the pitch. A searching pass from Andres Guardado in midfield found Maxime Lestienne out on the left and his perfect cross eluded the visiting defence to allow Narsingh to stoop and head home. Juan Mata should have equalised for United just after the hour mark but let a brilliant lofted pass from Bastian Schweinsteiger slip under his foot with the goal begging.

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