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The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 266
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www.morungexpress.com
Saturday, September 27, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4
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In a sane, civil, intelligent and moral society, you don’t blame poor people for being poor Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan resigns [ PAGE 8]
Harmonic Surge underway in Dimapur
Kareena’s reaction to India Mars mission, a real facepalm moment
[ PAGE 2]
Islamic State plot to attack US, Paris subways
[ PAGE 11]
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[ PAGE 09]
–Andrew Young
Sejwal gives India maiden swimming medal [ PAGE 12]
‘come and Make in nagaland’ Modi sued in new York Chizokho Vero
Kohima | September 26
A committee will be set up to take note of various suggestions and views on Nagaland Special Development Zones (NSDZ) and Nagaland Investment Board (NIB) put forward by NGOs and individuals at a consultative meeting held today, and the door for submission of suggestions and views to the planning department will be open for another 30 days. The recommendations of the committee will then be brought to NGOs and public for rectification or review before it is taken to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Chief Minister TR Zeliang declared this at the marathon consultative meeting on NSDZs, NIB, and Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act held here involving political parties, all legislators, Naga Hoho, Eastern Naga People’s Organization, Naga Students’ Federation, Eastern Naga Students’ Federation, Naga Mothers Association, Eastern Naga Women Organizations, intellectuals. With regard to NLTP Act, majority of the NGOs and individuals either suggested reviewing/ amending the Act or lifting the prohibition. The meeting decided that the state government may set up an expert committee to study in detail the entirety of the issue relating to the implementation of the Act and submit its findings and suggestion to the government within 30 days. The meeting unanimously viewed that the NLTP Act
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
• Consultation holds discussion on NSDZ, NIB and NLTP • Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act to be reviewed has failed to achieve its objectives and that the Act and its implementation need to be reviewed. Chief Minister TR Zeliang also asserted that Nagaland should no more be identified as Naga fighting only for their political rights, adding Naga must also fight for their economic rights which has already begun. “Article 371 (A) facilitates us to win this economic battle and thereby assuring us our cherished political goals.” He affirmed that time has now come for Nagas to join the economic journey, call investors to “Come and Make in Nagaland,” while pointing out that Nagaland has been substantially dependent upon the Centre for finance since its creation. Referring to NSDZ, he said the basic concept is that Nagaland needs investment and industrialization in order to catch up with others in this increasingly globalized and competitive world. “Without industrialization, our incomes and our revenues cannot grow significantly, and we cannot create enough employment opportunities for our Naga educated youth, who have to go outside the state in search of jobs and where they face various problems, including racial discrimination.” Further, asserting that the ex-
isting townships and district HQs located on the hill tops are not suitable for industrial growth and development, he informed the State government is in the process of constructing Nagaland Foothill roads from Tizit in the north to Khelma in the south. Chief Minister said the core purpose of the resolution on NSDZs and NIB is to build an economic infrastructure in an imaginative way, adding that the resolution is merely an announcement of the policy. “We will bring out details in rules and regulations after consultation with the Hohos, civil societies, land owners and all other stakeholders. We are prepared to modify the words in the resolution so that we achieve our common goals of economic empowerment,” he said. As far as land is concerned, he stated, land cannot be sold to outsiders. All investors may be allowed access to land on payment of land access fee. He assured that the rights of land and resources will continue to vest in the Nagas. “We are going to have a thorough and comprehensive relook at all land laws, rules regulation of the state, in consultation with you all, so that this position of inalienability of land to outsiders is reiterated. The idea of conducting cadastral survey
of the land is just to enable the landowners to mortgage their lands to banks etc for obtaining loans, or to sell it to other Nagas, who may want to settle or to do business in the NSDZ area,” he said. Touching on NSDZ resolution about relaxation of ILP, he said, “We should not be too apprehensive of people from outside coming to our state for genuine business and investment purposes. We have to facilitate the presence of outsiders and other connected with economic operations from outside in Nagaland in slight modification of the ILP Rules as it best suits our economic interests. The relaxation will not be blanket, but conditional to creation of wealth in favour of the state.” The chief minister stated that NIB is also proposed to be set up under his chairmanship to provide mechanism, for single-window clearance of investment proposals received by the State government. “It is essentially to avoid red-tape normally associated with project clearance in India, both at the Centre and in the state. This is part of overall strategy to promote and facilitate investment environment in Nagaland, both in the proposed NSDZ, as well as in other parts of the state,” he said. He added that this mechanism is necessary in view of the fact that no substantial investment has come to the State despite the attractive incentives provided under the state industrial development policy as well as the central government’s north east industries and investment policy.
‘Bee-coming’ a spelling champ Pekriivikho Chakre is 2014 Nagaland Spelling Bee Champ Our Correspondent Kohima | September 26
Help from the Church, nGOs, the government? Hah. They`ve forgotten us completely. We are just another abandoned project.
The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your answer to 9862574165 Can Nagas live without “non-locals” in Nagaland? Yes
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Pekriivikho Chakre from Model Higher Secondary School Kohima today became the winner of the 3rd edition of Nagaland Spelling Bee Championship 2014 held here under the aegis of Fountain Club in association with SCERT Nagaland. Chakre received a cash prize of Rs 60,000. Uto X Zhimomi from Christian Higher Secondary School Dimapur, Radetolu Ringa from Kohima Science College Jotsoma and Moakumzuk Jamir from St. John Higher Secondary School Dimapur
FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, file photo, Indian Prime Minister narendra Modi addresses business leaders as he launches his “Make in India” initiative, in new Delhi, prior to his scheduled departure to the United States. A human rights group has sued Modi in new York for what it says was his complicity in sectarian violence in his country in 2002. (AP Photo)
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 26 (AP): A federal court in New York has summoned India’s prime minister to respond to a lawsuit accusing him of human rights abuses, casting a shadow over the Indian leader’s first trip to the U.S. on Friday as head of government. The lawsuit against Narendra Modi stems from long-standing allegations that he didn’t do enough to stop devastating religious riots in his home state of Gujarat in 2002, when he served as chief minister there. The human rights group American Justice Center filed the suit Thursday in Manhattan federal court on behalf of two unnamed survivors of the violence. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary and punitive damages and a judgment that Modi’s conduct amounted to genocide when he was chief minister of Gujarat. The legal case will be an annoyance to Modi but is unlikely to have a significant impact on his visit. Milan Vaishnav, an associate on South Asia at
the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said from his understanding it’s a “pro forma” summons, and there’s no judge’s ruling of prima facie evidence on complicity in the Gujarat violence. He said U.S. courts also issued summons against previous Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former ruling party leader Sonya Gandhi when they visited the U.S. — in response to cases filed by another U.S.based rights group that have not gotten anywhere. “There’s no question it’s precisely the wrong foot on which to begin Modi’s visit to the United States,” Vaishnav said, but predicted it would just get a brief flurry of attention. “I don’t expect it in any material way to affect any of his engagements in the United States, either with private citizens or private industry in New York or in Washington with the U.S. administration.” Modi was elected prime minister in May. He was scheduled to arrive in New
York on Friday with a welcome normally reserved for rock stars — a sold-out appearance at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Modi’s five-day trip is tightly packed: He will be meeting President Barack Obama and a slew of top American officials, addressing the U.N. General Assembly and interacting with the heads of major U.S. companies and influential Indian-Americans. Modi has denied any role in the violence, and India’s Supreme Court said there was no case to bring against him. But suspicions were enough for the United States to refuse him a visa in 2005. As it became clear that Modi would become prime minister, however, the U.S. made it clear that there would be no issue with travel to the United States. Bizay Sonkar Shastri, a spokesman for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, criticized the lawsuit, saying Modi has been cleared of suspicion in India. “Our court and our public have given clean chit to (Modi) and he became prime minister,” Shastri said. “So how is it possible that another country’s’ man or authority is issuing a summons?” The lawsuit says, “There is evidence to support the conclusion that Minister Modi committed both acts of intentional and malicious direction to authorities in India to kill and maim innocent persons of the Muslim faith.” The plaintiffs said the suit was filed in a U.S. court because “it is clear that justice for the plaintiffs cannot be had in India because of the condoning of this genocidal act of state-sanctioned terrorism against the Muslim people.”
Winners of the nagaland Spelling Bee Championship 2014 along with the guest of honour, organizers, and judges. (Morung Photo)
won second, third and fourth places respectively. They were awarded with cash prizes of Rs. 40,000, Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 15,000. Quarter finalists Rahu Venuh from G. Rio School Kohima, Longesener Longkumer form Libemo Memorial School Wokha, Washipong Longkumer from Model Higher Secondary School Kohima and
Rama Thapa from Kohima Science College Jotsoma were awarded with cash prizes of Rs. 5000 each. Kesonyü Yhome, Additional Secretary for Health & Family Welfare graced the closing function as the guest of honour and presented the awards to the winners. Altogether, 102 ( 49 boys and 53 girls) participants representing 57
schools of Kohima, Tuensang, Peren, Phek, Zunheboto, Longleng, Wokha and Dimapur districts joined the competition. The vote of thanks was proposed by Er. Seyievizo Tsükrü, chairman, Fountain Club. Judges for the competition were Ayo Jajo, Akala Kin, Narola Longkumer and Dr. Theyiesinuo Keditsu.
Tening remains ‘far away’ but not forgotten
Morung Express news Tening | September 26
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Described by many as one of the oldest towns in Nagaland, Tening and its surroundings remain frozen in time. Though strategically located and overlooking both Manipur (Tamenglong district) and Assam (Haflong), yet Tening town has not seen much progress or development. As Lungtingban Newmai, a native of Tening village puts it; Tening town should have been at par with places like Mokokchung. According to him, both towns started around the same time. But, compared to Mokokchung there has been no progress at all, says Lungtingban. For instance, the Civil Hospital at Tening was among the first to be set up and the illustrious Dr Imkongliba Ao served there. However, this facility has been downgraded to the status of a Primary Health Centre by the government
The once famous Civil Hospital in Tening town now functions as a Primary Health Centre.
of Nagaland, laments Kedipi Nrak, a private school teacher and student leader in the area. When further queried, citizens of Tening pointed out that, opportunities have been far and few for them including what they pointed out was the political marginalization of the area. The people The Morung Express spoke to expressed how they have been hindered by the lack of political voice in Kohima. As one student leader points out, while Tening Constituency sends one
MLA to the State Assembly, it is often the case that even their representative finds it difficult to compete with the other more powerful politicians from other districts or tribes. However, there is now greater expectation following the elevation of TR Zeliang to the post of Chief Minister. “We are really hopeful now because our CM should understand our problems and do something for the area”, says another citizen. Most people that The Morung Express
approached say that good roads with proper connectivity along with water supply is the most important for all round growth of the area, to boost the local economy and ensuring quality of life for its people. Like most interior areas in Nagaland, Tening and its people may have concerns due to the lack of development. Nevertheless, its traditional way of life is quite remarkable. Unlike those who migrate to places like Jalukie, Dimapur or Kohima, most villagers in Ten-
ing have remained rooted to its soil. “We have been like this right from the time of our forefathers”, says Kedipi and points out that they have never felt the need to move out and it is always in their ‘wisdom’ to stay rooted to where you belong. Kedipi himself has returned after studying outside and is now serving the community with zeal. Another notable feature is the ‘self sufficiency’ of the community. People here rely on their own food cultivated by them. Each household cultivates either on their own land or in the community land. There are very few items procured from outside. People here are by and large self sufficient, without dependence on ‘foreign markets’. “The only thing we are asking the government to provide is electricity, repairing the water supply lines, access to healthcare, telecommunication and good roads”, says a resident.
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