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The Morung Express

A Daily Publication of Morung for Indigenous Affairs & JustPeace

Dimapur VOL. III ISSUE 301

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A Call for Shared Sovereignty

Special Correspondent

Morung Express News | New Delhi

Vishwanathan Anand celebrates winning the Chess World Championship after the 11th game against Vladimir Kramnnik in the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Repblic of Germany in Bonne on Wednesday. (AP Photo)

Body recovered KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): Police on Wednesday recovered a highly-decomposed body of a male at around 12.30 PM at lower Bye-pass, a few kilometers from Kohima. Police said the deceased was identified by his brother, by the clothes, as one Suresh Kumar Yadav, 35 years, a businessman from Motihari district in Bihar and presently residing in Midland in Kohima. He was reported missing since earlier this month. Police said the body was taken to Dimapur by his family members.

Road toll for Wednesday

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DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): Early this evening in Dimapur around 5:30 PM, a speeding lorry hit a cyclist at Circular Road. The unidentified cyclist, a local probably in his thirties, was hit by the side front of the truck. The lorry, a Tata, roared off after mowing down the cyclist.

The victim was hit while negotiating a turn at an outlet to the next lane, by the oncoming speeding truck. A pair of bystanders ran to help the motionless man away from the raging traffic. Interestingly, an unidentified local youth in a silver Hyundai, a Santro, who was trailing up from behind took off after the fleeing truck, following frantic directions given by the bystanders helping the injured cyclist. The Santro intercepted the fleeing lorry right at the Duncan tinali junction. It is not clear whether the driver was apprehended, as the lorry was seen empty. The Santro was seen reversing and driving back to the direction it came from. However, there were several occupants in the Santro who were observed to be the driver or handyman of the culpable truck. No further details could be had.

A CALL for shared sovereignty based on Greater Kashmir, cross border Regional Council or Senate, Economic Integration across the Line of Control, Native Governor (not imposed from Delhi), Local bureaucracy vis-a-vis doing away with the All India Services (IAS/IPS) and demilitarization (abrogation of AFSPA) are the centre piece of a ground breaking document “The Self-Rule Framework for Kashmir Resolution” unveiled last week by the Peoples Democratic Party.

Although the national media in the country has not given the importance that it deserves, the document should be seen as a major departure from mainstream political discourse what with the PDP—an ally of the UPA government at the Centre—having gone to the extent of advocating what it clearly states as “shared sovereignty” without the “need or commitment to political merging”. “We have to find ways and means of “sharing sovereignty", the document states and for this purpose calls for “constitutional restructuring that ensures sharing of sovereignty without compromising political sovereignty of either nation state” i.e. India and Pakistan. Specifically on the question of “Constitutional Restructuring”, the document calls for an end to application in Jammu and Kashmir of Article 356 of Constitution of India under which the Centre can dissolve State Assembly and implement Governor’s rule. It also seeks roll back of Article 249 of the Constitution from Jammu and Kashmir.

The aim says the PDP document, is to limit Parliament’s legislative jurisdiction over a matter that falls in state jurisdiction and restore the nomenclature of governor and chief minister to Sadr-e-Riyasat and Prime Minister respectively. On an “Elected native Governor”, the document states that the Head of the State should be elected and he should be a native of the state. It

Self-rule demand for Kashmir resurfaces

An Indian paramilitary soldier standing guard near a check point is seen through barbed wire at a deserted market during a strike in Srinagar on Monday. Shops, businesses and government offices closed across Indian-administered Kashmir on Monday as separatists called a general strike to mark the anniversary of the day Indian troops took control of the region in 1947. (AP Photo)

states that the Governor should be elected for six years from regions of Jammu and Kashmir on rotational basis. On the issue of “Local civil services”, the self rule document calls for rolling back of All India Service Act, 1951 and Article 312 arguing that this could provide clear and unhindered opportunity to local human resource to develop their full potential and it should

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): The Election Commission on Wednesday rescheduled the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram to November 27 and December 2 respectively to provide more time for deploying security forces. “After reassessing the time required for proper demobilisation and transportation of the police forces for elections in Madhya Pradesh after the elections in Chhattisgarh are over on November 20, the commission has now decided to re-fix the poll date in Madhya Pradesh on November 27 instead of Nov 25 announced earlier,” the poll panel said in a statement. It said the Mizoram election date was changed since November 29, the previously announced date, was a Saturday, which “has some special significance” for a segment of people and it would be “inconvenient” for them to vote that day. The statement said the other stages of elections in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram remain unchanged.

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tion that transcends borders and as mentioned already, constitutional restructuring that ensures sharing of sovereignty without compromising political sovereignty of either nation state.

As far as the “New political structure or regional council”, the document states that the regional council of Greater Jammu and Kashmir would replace the exist-

Continued on page 3

‘Poor people are corruption’s first victims’

Mizoram poll dates changed

Pakistani villagers look at children who were killed by the earthquake in Ziarat, Pakistan on Wednesday. A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.4 struck before dawn Wednesday killing at least 150 people, injuring scores more and leaving an estimated 15,000 homeless, officials said. (AP Photo)

Rio to technocrats: Get asset-minded

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be trusted to manage state affairs.

Describing self-rule as a political philosophy centred on the conception of federalism and confederation, the document states that a comprehensive formulation of self-rule has three subcomponents i.e. a new political superstructure that integrates the region and empowers sub-regions; a phased economic integra-

ing Upper House or Legislative Council of Jammu and Kashmir state legislature, a “kind of Regional Senate” whose members would be from both Jammu and Kashmir and AJK. It will have nominees of the governments of India and Pakistan as well and would serve as a major cross border institution to ensure long-term coordination in matters of the state.

With regard to “Economic integration”, the document states that depending on the political will, this can be pursued in different degrees, deepening the process as we go along and as the system adapts to change. “The process can be started by declaring the intention to establish common economic space and sign an agreement with a roadmap which envisages establishing common economic space; instituting a dual currency system and coordinated economic policy, harmonization of economic legislation and synergistic regulations.”

In many ways what sets apart the latest proposal of the PDP is on making a clear distinction between self-rule, which it espouses and autonomy, which has its currency in Delhi’s powerful establishment. According to the PDP document, self-rule refers to autonomy from the nation-state of India, whereas autonomy connotes relative autonomy from the Government of India. “The two are vastly different in substance and style.

The change -- from “autonomy” to selfrule” -- means is a fundamental shift in the terrain of political discourse and the existing status of the Kashmir issue”.

Further, it makes out the case that autonomy is for an institution of governance while self-rule is for a region, or geography. “Therefore, while autonomy doesn’t have a territorial element to it, the concept of self-rule has an element of territoriality to it. This is a reasonable compromise between demanding a new state and redefining the existing one”, the document states.

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today urged contractors and engineers to do a little ‘soul-searching’ so that qualitative development can take place. Rio said liabilities and inferior works should be done away with. He was addressing a meeting of technocrats in Kohima today.

“Let me state that I have initiated this meeting to throw a challenge on our engineers and contractors, who I am sure, are not inferior to any other engineers and contractors in other parts of the country. I want you to do soul-searching and serious introspection, to find out what needs to be changed, what needs to be improved, so that the quality of assets we created are real assets, and not inferior quality or liabilities” Rio told the meeting.

Rio said assets of the state like buildings, system of governance and quality of human resources are important indicators and factors that makes up the health and image of the state. “But the ‘face of the state are the roads’, I think all of you will agree with me that our roads do not present a pretty picture. In that case, what will be the first impression that a visitor will have about the state?”

Rio remarked in his query.

The magnitude of works being taken up under the roads and buildings sectors over the past 4-5 years of the DAN ministry has been tremendous, with the Nagaland PWD taking up most of the major works, Rio said. “It is, therefore, expected that there should have been a sense of achievement and satisfaction amongst the general public and the users of these assets. However, I am constraint and sorry to state that in spite of spending Crores of rupees in the roads and building sectors, the quality of these works has left much to be desired. This is one area which needs to be addressed very seriously” he said.

Fully being convinced about the need to improve constructions, the CM said, the government had recently taken a decision to set up a quality control board in the state. “It may become necessary to set up quality control laboratories in every district head quarters, manned by trained personnel so that the facility is available to all the project implementing units, and a uniform control on the quality control aspects can be enforced” he said. continued on page 3

KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): Nagaland Governor K. Sankaranarayanan and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today pitched anti-corruption rhetoric that the poor and the needy are the first victims and the worst-hit for corruption.

In their Vigilance Awareness Week Messages, the two leaders sounded a clarion against corruption to “eliminate this virus amongst us”.

In his message Governor K. Sankaranarayanan said corruption is a menace that has come to strike at the very foundation of the society and the economy. “It manifests itself in various forms like favoritism, nepotism and financial corruption. We need to take proactive steps to eliminate this virus from amongst us,” said the governor. He reminded that one needs to dedicate oneself to public service and to take steps for eradication of corruption from public life.

Legislations like Right to Information Act and Prevention of Corruption Act has helped to control corruption to some extent, he said.

Still in order to regain the trust of the society, public servants will have to make a conscious effort to ensure that directly or indirectly they do

not indulge in corrupt practices, Sankaranarayanan. The governor reminded that society will also have to ensure that the honest are rewarded and respected while the corrupt is duly punished. Stating that the Vigilance Commission of Nagaland has taken steps in this regard, Sankaranarayanan was hopeful that the support of all and observation of Vigilance Awareness Week will “make all of us aware as also better equipped in tackling this problem”.

Vigilance Awareness Week coincides with the birth anniversary of Sadar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the first Home Minister of India. He was the man behind integration of all Indian states as also founder of the civil service and administrative set-up in India. Also, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in his message said “the week is meant to remind us of the need for greater resolve to fight corruption at all levels by one and all”.

“War, it is said, is too dangerous, because it destroys lives and properties. Corruption is equally dangerous, because it destroys the moral fiber and sanctity of human society.

Anti-corruption measures are like medicines, which not only cure the ailments, but prevent the spread of

the disease”, the chief minister said.

During the Vigilance Awareness Week, Rio requested, all the heads of departments and heads of administrative departments to seriously discuss with their officers, ways and means to ensure that resources meant for development are not misused.

They should see that the resources are strictly utilized for purposes for which the money has been sanctioned. “Every effort should be made to utilize the limited resources of the government judiciously, and in a propoor manner. Let us also remember that the worst victims of corruption are the poor people,” he said.

Rio also appealed to the public in and Government servants in particular, to rededicate themselves towards checking and removing corruption from the society.

“I would also appeal to the public at large to bring instances of corruption to the notice of the concerned authorities for necessary action. I also request my colleagues and all government servants to co-operate with State Vigilance Commission in curbing corruption thereby helping to shape a better tomorrow for the present and future generations,” Rio added.

Red-Tape strangles Mizo girl’s last wish

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN/AGENCIES): In a heart-wrenching marriage of tragedy and typical bureaucratic insensitivity, a 22-yearold HIV-positive Mizo girl — counting her last breaths — tried desperately to reach home to see her parents, but the wish was never to be – the country’s (in)famous red-tapist obsession strangled the dying girl’s last wish. Mawii died at Kolkata airport on Tuesday after being turned away by Air India officials on Monday.

Mawii was being treated at Bangalore’s Bowring Hospital and had taken a fit-to-fly certificate from there, said former Bangalore police commissioner and ex-MP HT Sangliana. But in Kolkata, Air India officials wanted another fitness certificate when she tried to catch the connecting flight to Aizawl. “I tried to reason with the airline of-

ficials, but to no avail. I again got a medical fitness certificate and faxed it to them, but they still refused to relent,” said Sangliana.

Mawii was booked on a Kolkata-Aizawl Kingfisher flight on Tuesday, but died before she could board the plane. AI officials maintained that they could not bend rules laid down by the Director General of Civil Aviation. According to Sangliana, who had made Mawii’s travel arrangements, she boarded a flight from Bangalore without hassle at 6 am on Monday. The connecting flight from Kolkata to Aizawl was at 11 am. But Air India officials wanted a fitness certificate taken in Kolkata before she could board the flight.

She went back disheartened.

On Tuesday morning, Mawii returned to take a Kingfisher flight. She was sitting in the domestic lounge, when she suddenly seemed to fall asleep.

When she could not be roused, two family members called a doctor, who declared her dead.

Her body was taken to Mizoram House and is likely to be flown to Aizawl on Wednesday morning.

AI officials in Kolkata said the wheelchair-bound woman was “fit” when she traveled from Bangalore to Kolkata but fell ill later on Monday morning. “Mawii had a through boarding pass and went to the security hold but fell ill. Doctors at Kolkata airport refused to issue her a fit-to-fly certificate and referred her to a nursing home. We took her to a private hospital, where she was advised to take admission. But her family refused and shifted her to Mizoram House instead,” said a spokesperson. The spokesperson also claimed that Mawii possessed only a paper that stated “she is ill and be kindly permitted to fly”. “It was not a valid

certificate as the doctor’s registration number was not mentioned. If she had to fly, a doctor should have accompanied her.

We acted as per DGCA norms.”

A Kingfisher Airlines official in Kolkata said Mawii’s relatives had not declared that she was a patient. “If we had found her unwell during boarding, we would have demanded a fit-tofly certificate as well,” he said.

A furious Sangliana lashed out at the airline officials, saying it was “inhuman not to grant a person her last wish”.

“Now, the body has to be embalmed and sent to her parents, the cost of which they cannot afford. All these inconveniences could have been avoided if the officials had shown a little understanding,” he said. India is (in)famous for its exhaustive, not to mention complex, bureaucratic predisposition that regulate working systems.

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LOCAL

Thursday 30 October 2008

The Morung Express

Contractors protest bias in awarding of work Accuse govt servants of indulging in contract and supply works

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Nagaland Government’s Registered Class-I Contractors’ Union (NGRC-ICU), while pointing out loopholes in the system, today demanded greater transparency in the allotment of the floating of tender for departmental works. Exasperated by the numerous works allotted through “table tender” in the various departments of the state such as Medical, PHO, PHE, Power, Soil Conservation, Agriculture, Irrigation, Veterinary & Animal Husbandry and Tourism, the union has come out with specific demands to streamline and make transparent the dealings of the departments in matters of work tenders.

In a representation to the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the union stated that ever since the NPWD & CPWD

Code had been enforced in the state, allotment of contract works in Nagaland was not being done in compliance with the formalities of the Code. It stated that except for the Urban Development Department and a few PWD works, no other department in the state was as transparent in its execution of works, regarding either construction or supply. The contractors cautioned that it would soon be seeking documents in exercising the Right to Information Act, 2005 for further action.

Meanwhile, the union resents that open tender was not done in almost all the works despite the union having made several appeals to all departments to float tenders in local media so that equal privileges are given to every contractor. It demanded that the criteria, terms

MEx File ICON ’08 releases today DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): Grace Production Music Company, Northeast India, will be releasing ICON ’08, one of Nagaland’s biggest gospel music video projects, on October 30. The video will be launched at Gospel Sound Studio, Nepali Kashiram, in the presence of Christian artists and music directors.

Kohima College parting social today KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The 42nd annual prize distribution-cum-parting social of the Kohima College, Kohima, will take place on October 30 in the college auditorium at 10:00 am. MLA Dr. Nicky Kire, chairman, KVIB, will grace the occasion as the chief guest. Keynote address will be given by C Khalong Ao, Principal, Kohima College. Annual report, prayer for ongoing students, dance, special number, and prize distribution will also mark the occasion.

Name of dead persons to be deleted: EC MON, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): A meeting to discuss summary revision of electoral roll 2009 was conducted today at the DC’s conference hall, Mon. Deputy Commissioner Mon, Dinesh Kumar, IAS, outlined certain instructions and rules given by the Election Commission. Due to policy change by the Election Commission, it has framed certain annexure to be filled up by Booth Level Officers (BLO), which includes not only inclusion of, but also deletion of the names of dead persons.

Also new inclusion is restricted beyond 3% of the existing Electoral Rule. Assistant Election Officer, Mon, Tali chaired the function where officers, BLOs and supervisors attended the meeting.

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Encounter

index. They said that even the earnest money of the non-local contractors did not comply with codal formalities and that escalation of rates was always allowed for non-locals. Therefore, the union demanded that the rates, terms and conditions of contract, including escalation as per RBI price index, be given without bias to all contractors under the same terms and conditions for all the works.

However, above all else, the union divulged that most government servants were indulging in contract works and supplies. It stated that they were enjoying 70% of the state’s budget by way of salaries and facilities received by them, and therefore urged the government servants to perform their duty and not indulge in contracting and supply works.

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The 16th General Conference of the Tenyimi Central Union (TCU) will be held on November 5, 2008, at 11 am at Maram Khullen village, located about 50kms away from Kohima via Maram town, under Senapati District in Manipur. The General Conference, which is being hosted by the Maram Hoho, will have Minister for Planning, Coordination, V&AH and Evaluation, Nagaland, T R Zeliang, as the chief guest.

The highlights of the session, to be chaired by Thomas Hingba, President of Maram Hoho, are flag hoisting by the TCU President and folksong by the Maram Marehangsü, among others. In the second session, Minister T R Zeliang will administer the oath to the newly selected office bearers of the TCU nominated for the tenure 2008 to 2013. Maram elders

and conditions for ‘Notice Inviting Tender’ should be consistent for all the departments and all departments should bring out a standard tender NIT format with similar terms and conditions. The contractors also requested that this standard format become a binding document that cannot be tampered with by any individual department since, at present, there existed gross violation on the rights of the citizens.

The contractors also brought to the notice of the Chief Minister that at the moment, the tax deductions they faced was 4% for contract work by finance department from total bill, 3% contingency, 2% work charge establishment, and 13% departmental charge deducted from the sanctioned amount. Besides these tax deductions, the union added the deduction

for Royalty and NST and the 1% deduction for the Planning Department’s charge.

The Contractors continued that besides these, they also faced deductions of huge amounts “for so many other reasons” and admitted that they could not give the desired quality of work or even finish the work. The other problem was the release of the payments, which was irregular, and that there was no rate escalation possible despite the huge escalation of cost of materials in the market.

“Some of our contractors are still working at 1995 schedule and 2004 schedule of rate of NPWD where non-local contractors are safe because they are covered by the escalation clauses awarded to them,” stated the representation. The union requested that the contract clause – “Payment shall be made as and when fund is

National Rededication Day on Oct 31

Mechanized boat for Doyang reservoir

KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): Along with the rest of the country, Nagaland shall observe October 31, 2008, as National Re-dedication Day in the state capital, Kohima. All heads of departments and central government offices in Kohima have been directed to organise functions in their respective offices at 12 noon. Notifying this in an official memorandum, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Lalthara, added that similar functions are to be held in all District Headquarters and other important towns in a befitting manner. The programme will include administering of the National Re-dedication Pledge. All the government employees including those of the central government in Kohima are to attend the function positively, the notification added. In the Secretariat, the function will be held in the Conference Hall.

Equip

Empower

WOMEN’S CONFERENCE & SEMINAR Venue Date Theme

: IMC (Old Lapa Loma Theater) : November 3-5, 2008 : Daughter of Zion, Women of Worship Time : 9:00 AM – Seminar, 4:00 PM – Open Services Praise & Worship: Sinai Ministry, Dimapur.

Speaker : La Vetta Williams and Team USA.

Features of the Program

Morning – Evening –

available” – be cancelled, stating that it was an arbitrary and discriminatory clause and not tenable for any contract work anywhere in the country except Nagaland.

The union declared that they were working under abnormal situation and had not received their bills for the last 6-7 months, which was affecting the workers very badly. It requested that government to take punitive action against those errant officials who resort to tactics to strangulate the contractors’ bills so that they could deliver the work of the state.

The union also pointed out that in the past, almost all the departments of the state were biased in awarding works to non-local contractors over local, as nonlocals were awarded at 7.5% enhancement per year along with escalation as per RBI

TCU to hold General Conference on Nov 5

There will be powerful teaching sessions for women Prophetic messages, Healing & Deliverance (Entire program will be interpreted in Nagamese)

How to get forms?

Forms are available at Christian Literature Centre, Word of Christ Literature Center, Bethany Hostel and Nan’s Viand, below Co-operative Bank.

Contact : 9436261011, 9436003140, 9862145043, 9436013859, 9436072990

“Come and be transformed in the renewing of your mind.

Rekindle your calling, reclaim your destiny, and rebuild your altar in your life and family unto the Lord!”

(Right) Director of Fisheries Nagaland, Senli Ao, addressing the fishing community of Doyang reservoir at Doyang, on October 24. (Left) The mechanised boat meant for the Doyang reservoir being dedicated, October 24. (DIPR)

KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): A meeting between the Director of Fisheries, Nagaland, Senli Ao, and the fishing community of Doyang reservoir, was held on October 24 at Doyang. The meeting was held in connection with the starting of a Fishermen Co-operative Society at Doyang. The fishing community was represented by the Village Council Chairman, leaders, elders and fishermen. The Director was accompanied by Joint Director, Fisheries, and the District Fisheries Officer, Wokha.

A report from the DFO Wokha, Ketusielie Angami, stated that the department officials ap-

praised the fishermen on the benefit of having a joint cooperative society, which would facilitate better marketing, market linkages, infrastructures, transport, control of fishing rights and regulations, etc. The concept was well accepted by the fishermen community for which necessary follow-up actions for initiating the cooperative society would be taken up in the next meeting, the report informed.

The Department dedicated one mechanised boat for Doyang reservoir on the same day, while lifejackets were distributed to the fulltime fishermen of Doyang reservoir, the report added.

will also present a folksong.

In this regard, all constituent units are to bring two flags each of their respective units. All the constituent units/unions/organisations are to arrange their own transportation.

Z M Sekhose, President of TCU Kohima, in a release has informed that all Unit Presidents along with five delegates, all Chairmen of the branch offices along with five delegates, President and Secretaries of the students union, youth/women organisations and GBs’ Association of all the units, and all Presidents of the various Tenyimi Union/ Organization of all units in Kohima Town along with two delegates, and Chairman/ President from each district HQ along with two delegates, are to attend the General Conference without fail. All delegates are also requested to reach the Conference venue by 10:30 am positively, the release added.

Music Safari grand finale today KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Music Safari will witness its grand finale on October 30 at the State Academy Hall Kohima. A total of 11 bands and 22 solo artists will be vying for the prestigious first Music Safari 2008 title. A total of 178 solo artists and 106 bands have so far participated in the Music Safari held in all the districts of Nagaland. The Safari, having provided a platform for 611 musicians so far, will see a total of 71 finalists battle it out for the title.

All the band and solo artist contestants are to register themselves at the reception at the Academy Hall at 10:00 am and collect their TA and DA. They are to further report at 1:00 pm for the competition.

The first and second position winners at the finale, in the band category, will participate in the upcoming Hornbill National Rock Contest to be held during the Hornbill Music festival in the first week of December.

The winning musicians will feature in the State inauguration day along with the achievers.

The concept is the brainchild of the Nagaland Chief Minister. In fact, the term Music Safari was coined at the Chief Minister’s office. This Safari has been initiated by the Music Task Force (YRS) which has invited NSACS to partner the event, with a view towards creating awareness on HIV/ AIDS. The event is being managed by XL.

New APO team takes oath of office

Our Correspondent Kohima | October 29

THE NEW office bearers of the Angami Public Organization (APO), for the tenure 2008-2011, took the oath of office in a ceremony here this morning at the APO Complex, Kohima. Keviletuo Kiewhuo, convenor of APO Nomination Committee and president of the Naga Hoho, administered the oath to the new team.

The new team, to be led by president Kekhriengulie Linyu, has Visosel Nyekha and Kruzolie Zhale as vice presidents, Keneingunyu Sekhose as general secretary, Ruokuhe-u Miachie-o as assistant general secretary, Savilie Angami as secretary (administration), K Seyie as finance secretary, Vithepfulie Kehie as treasurer, Medo Yhokha as information & publicity secretary, and Mhiesizokho Zinyu as advisor.

Earlier, the outgoing APO president, Mhiesizokho Zinyu, in his speech expressed gratitude to each and every individual and different frontal organisations for extending their support and helping hand, ensuring the team a “successful tenure.”

Terming Naga history as one, Zinyu said, “There cannot be two versions of our history because we are one people.

History is like a relay race, and we

Keviletuo Kiewhuo administering the oath to the new office bearers of the APO, in Kohima on Wednesday.

have come this far because our elders had played their part during their own time. As such we cannot rewrite our history in a different version.”

He also stated that the APO was pained that the Naga national movement was splintered into many political groups. But we have great hope in the wisdom of the Naga people that our people will be re-united one day, he stated. “We only have to find out what went wrong and set it right again. Our situation is not who is wrong or who is right, but what is wrong and what is right,” he said adding, “Nagas as a people have a collective future. So all the Nagas

must have a say in their future and together heal our land.”

Zinyu stated that we stand opposed to violence and senseless killing of one another because such policies weaken our unity and blur our vision. Reconciliation is the only way open for the Nagas to realise re-unification of the Nagas. The need of the hour is unification of all the Nagas, based on the principles of reconciliation, and respect for each other’s traditional territorial integrity. “Only if the Nagas are united, we can live with pride and dignity and hold our heads high among other nations.” Therefore, he said,

the political groups should express their willingness to sit down and sort out their differences in the larger interest of the Naga people.

“We strongly felt that the Government of India also must show greatness of Indian civilization at this time by accepting and recognising the political and economic rights of the Nagas instead of attempting to divide the Nagas and rule over them,” Zinyu said. The deep aspirations of a people cannot just be trampled, he said adding, “They neither disappear. So the best way to find a solution is to recognise the truth. The APO has conveyed this feeling to the Government of India.”

Also welcoming the new team of APO members, Zinyu hoped that the new team would carry on the traditions and mantle of the APO with firmer determination to new pastures and greater heights.

Earlier, T L Angami, vice president of APO, chaired the ceremony, while Rev. L Suohie Mhasi pronounced the dedication prayer for the new team. Z M Sekhose, president of the Tenyimi Central Union, and Vipose Zao, ex-president of APO, also exhorted the gathering. The ceremony concluded with vote of thanks tendered by Kho-o Pfukha, secretary (finance), APO.

LOCAL 3 sensitized STARTING LINE-UP ‘Groom personal life, Mkg on child labour Thursday

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put nation in order’ Good Shepherd School celebrates Parents’ Day

Lipichem Kiphire | October 29

THE GOOD Shepherd School, Kiphire, celebrated its parents’ day today with the Deputy Commissioner of Kiphire, L Yantsowo Lotha, as chief guest. Speaking at the occasion, Lotha said, “To put nation in order, we must put our family in order; and to put the family in order, we must groom our personal life.”

While also stressing that “to mould the life of a student it is the joint responsibility of the parents as well as the teachers,” the chief guest asked the parents present there to be responsible enough to make their children “a complete human.”

Focusing on areas other than teaching, the chief guest said, “Teacher should know the psychology of a child and inculcate the spirit of competition so that if a child aims

for the sun, and even if he fails, he may reach the stars at least.”

Addressing the teachers, Lotha said that in an era of science and technology, a teacher should update oneself with new teaching equipments to become a role model for the students as well as for the institute. Children are our future citizens and to build future society and to have suitable society, children have more responsibilities, the chief guest said, and asked the children to obey their parents.

Earlier, the Principal of Good Shepherd School, while welcoming the gathering gave a brief report and spoke on the aims of the school. Others who spoke on the occasion were L Tsipise, landowner, and Litsapa, Jt Secy of the Nagaland GB AsL Yantsowo Lotha, DC Kiphire, addressing the gathering sociation. The program was at the Parents’ Day celebration at Good Shepherd School, compered by C Lipisela and P Lelumla.

Kiphire, on Wednesday. (Morung Photo)

Your daily Meetings, Appointments, Information and Reminder column

NVFAA GM October 31

MOKOKCHUNG, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): A one-day seminar on ‘Sensitization for Tracking of Child Labour’ organised by the Labour Department was held on October 29 at Longkumer Kilem, Mokokchung, with DC Mokokchung, Bendangkokba, as the chief guest. In his address, the Deputy Commissioner stated that ‘man is born free but is chained everywhere’ due to the various discriminations that prevail in our society. He also stressed on the practice of child labour in Nagaland, especially with regard to children engaged as domestic helps, saying that this practice “should not be encouraged, rather we must make an effort” to provide the children decent education.

Earlier in the programme, the welcome address was delivered by the chairperson, Longritemjen Ao, Labour Officer. Presentations on ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Child Welfare’ were made by Y Lanutemjen, DEO Mokokchung, ‘Child Welfare with special reference to the Juvenile Justice Act’ by T Imkong Longkumer, District Welfare Mokokchung, ‘Child Labour – Abolition and Prohibition’ by Imlisashi Jamir, Assistant Labour Commissioner Mokokchung, and ‘Labour Department on Child Labour – A Highlight’ was made by Chubayanger Aier, Project Officer, JLC Office Nagaland, Kohima. Later, a discussion session was held with Takuyuba, Advocate, as the moderator.

KU happy with sanction for Mon road DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Konyak Union (KU) has conveyed appreciation to the Minister of Roads and Bridges, G Kaito Ayeh, for sanctioning an emergency fund of Rs.75 lakh towards the maintenance of the Sonari– Mon road. While expressing appreciation to the minister for heeding the appeal of the union, the president of KU, Khoiwang, also thanked the PWD staff led by the PWD engineer for beginning work along the said road for the benefit of the district.

NCSU appreciates CM, R&B Minister CPO condemns killing of ‘Maj.’ Kusalie

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Nagaland Contractors & Suppliers Union (NCSU) Head Office Kohima today expressed deep appreciation to state Roads & Bridges Minister, Kaito Aye for organizing a joint interactive meeting of PWD Engineer & Contractors with the chief Minister at Hotel Japfu in Kohima on October 29.

A press release issued by the NCSU president Pele Khezhie and secretary John Kath expressed profound gratitude to Chief Minster Neiphiu Rio, Parliamentary Secretary Er. Saku, Addl.

Chief Secretary, Lalthara, Commissioner & Secretary (W&H), special Secretary to Chief Minister, Engineer-inChief and Chief Engineers for sparing their valuable time in spite of the busy schedule.

“The Union also gratitude to Hon’ble Chief Minister for bringing tremendous development programme of our State for the past 5 ½ years,” the release stated adding that, “He also encouraged the Engineers and contractors to work together and bring the quality of workmanship in the state.”

Besides, the NSCU also expressed gratitude to Roads and

Bridges Minister for encouraging engineers and contractors to maintain quality control as per specification of work order. The Union also extended gratitude to Neibu Nagi, Hukato Naga and Chuba Ao, elder contractors for sharing the grievances of the Union and encouraging the members during the interaction.

“The Union has a strong conviction towards serving the uplifting the people of Nagaland …The Union assures to give full co-operation to the Government for all round development in the state,” the release stated.

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Chakhesang Public Organisation vehemently condemns the killing of ‘Maj.’ Kusalie at his residence at Khuza Village on October 26 last by unidentified armed cadres. The CPO had earlier reached all factions with their resolution to stop killing amongst factional cadres, to which they responded positively. “While the Nagas, otherwise Chakhesangs are yearning and working towards peace and reconciliation amongst

the national workers, such anti-Naga elements have divested the situation.

The intention of those, to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the region is highly condemnable by one and all,” CPO president Yesonu Veyie stated in a condemnation note.

He further, appealed on behalf of CPO to every village leaders including the national workers in Chakhesang region to identify the culprits who are working ‘against the interest’ of Naga society.

PDJFPMC condemns killing DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Joint Forum Peace Monitoring Cell Phek District has strongly condemned the killing of ‘Major’ Kusayi Tetse-O of FGN (Non Accordist) on October 26 at Khuza Village. PDJFPMC Convener while condemning the incident expressed great shock and appeals to all group of the Naga national workers to stop the fratricide killing in the days to come.

Train Engine derailed Capacity of field work essential for development Morung Express News Dimapur, | October 29

A LIGHT RAILWAY engine derailed early this morning at around 4:00 am in Dimapur near Sargam Hotel, opposite to Dimapur Railway Gate. Railway officials when contacted said the presence of garbage on the rail tracks which are dumped on to it by residents of the locality near Sargam Hotel, could be the reason for the derailment of the train engine.

Officials further informed that at around 10:00 am staff from the Engineering wing from Lumding Relief team came and repaired the engine. There were no reports of casualty from the incident and no train timings were either disrupted.

Zeliang to grace Liangmai Chaga Gadi festival

KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): Minister for Co-ordination, Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, Evaluation and Parliamentary Affairs, T R Zeliang, is to grace the Liangmai Chaga Gadi festival as chief guest on October 31 at ‘The Heritage’, Old DC Bungalow, Kohima. The Liangmai Chaga Gadi Organization Committee has requested all the heads of departments, offices and institutions to grant two days’ casual leave to all the Liangmai employees and students as Restricted Holiday (RH) granted by the state government on October 30 and 31 of every year. Meanwhile, all the Liangmai community members around Kohima have been requested to attend the function positively and in full traditional dress.

Thunder Youth Club meeting on Nov 2

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Thunder Youth Club, Dimapur, has called an emergency meeting on November 2 at 3:00 pm at the residence of the Club president, Watitoshi Jamir, for a discussion on the music training institute. All members are to attend the meeting without fail, a note from the Club stated. Watitoshi, in the note, added that an absentee member would be fined a sum of Rs.200.

CMO Mkg informs on medical board

MOKOKCHUNG, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): The Chief Medical Officer Mokokchung, Dr. Sutsungkokba Ao, has notified all the heads of offices in Mokokchung district that the Medical Board for service confirmation, invalidation for grade III and IV under Mokokchung District, will be conducted on November 4 and 5, 2008 from 10:30 am in the Office of the Medical Officer, Family Welfare Branch, near Civil Hospital Mokokchung. All the department heads are to forward and submit the names of grade III and IV staffers for medical Board to the Office of the CMO Mokokchung in advance, the notification added.

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Cooperative Training Centre, Medziphema in collaboration with the Nagaland State Cooperative Union (NSCU) Dimapur conducted three days training on ‘Audit and Inspection of Cooperative Societies’ for the JICS of Cooperation Department which began on October 22 last. The training was inaugurated by M. Imtila Jamir, RCS, Nagaland as Chief Guest.

While speaking at the function, Imtila explained how to increase the capacity of field work which is very essential for the development of grass root level cooperatives and for the socio eco-

nomic development of cooperatives in the state. She also conducted a class on ‘capacity building.’ NCSU President N. Niza Angami in his speech asked the trainees to take advantage of the training as they are the backbone of development of cooperative sector of the state.

Imo Longkumer, Jt. RCS (Audit) and Renchamo Lotha DRCS (Audit) also conducted classes. They were also supported by lecturers from CTC and NSCU. Participants were from all the districts Cooperative departments. Earlier, the invocation was pronounced Imtila Jamir speaking at the inaugural day at the ‘Audit and

by Pastor Parmenas Jamir, Inspection of Cooperative Societies’ training held at the CFC Dimapur.

CTC Medziphema on October 22.

A Call for Shared Sovereignty

From page 1

Another interesting feature of the “Self-rule document” is the suggestion for setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in and for J&K. This it states will help discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government, in the hope of resolving conflict left over from the past. “Anybody, who felt they had been a victim of violence could come forward and be heard at the TRC. Perpetrators of violence could

also give testimony and request amnesty from prosecution. The TRC, if set up with honesty and sincerity, can be was a crucial component of the transition to civil strife towards harmony”, it states.

As far as setting the stage for resolution, the document calls for “Demilitarisation” i.e. to reduce not only the physical presence of the armed forces in the state but also their influence in the decision making at a political and administrative level and

that “democratic and civil society institutions are now given full charge of the situation to consolidate the peace process”. Another interesting point made in the document is for an interim kind of solution. “In view of the past history, the stated positions and the emotional surcharge a one-point-one-time solution for resolution of the conflict is a near impossibility. What is required is a sequence of measures, which would resolve the situation”.

LFA-UNAIDS workshop October 30

A one day workshop is being organized by LFA-UNAIDS Nagaland in collaboration with PLHA Network, Nagaland at Dimapur in the Tourist Lodge on October 30, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Dr. Vinito L. Chishi, State coordinator LFA-UNAIDS Nagaland in a release said that the meeting will mainly focus on role of PLHA and GIPA, Reduction of Stigma & Discrimination and Response of Government.

United Colony social work November 1

Residents of United Colony are informed of a mass social work on November 1 at 6:00 am until 9:00 am within ‘20 ward’ jurisdiction for cleanliness drive. All business establishments will remain closed during this mass social work. GBs and Council members are responsible for the cleanliness of their respective sectors.

ESSU joint meeting November 1

Eastern Sumi Students’ Union (ESSU) has convened a joint meeting with all the Former Presidents and Executives of ESSU on November 1 at 10:00 am at We2 Haven, New NST Bus Stand, Dimapur to deliberate on the forth coming Golden Jubilee. The Union President in a release issued, requested all present and former executive members, advisors and senior leaders to attend the meetingpositively.

CLCUD freshers day November 1

City Law College Students’ Union, Dimapur will have the Annual Freshers’ cum Parting Social on November 1 at 11:00 am at Hotel Saramati. Financial Investment Consultant, Nagaland, Isaac Zhimomi will be the chief guest. All present and ex-students of CLC are requested to attend the freshers’ day while the volunteers are requested to report at the venue by 10:00 am.

Kitsubozou Youth Society new team KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The Kitsubozou Youth Society, Kohima has elected its new team of office bearers for the tenure 2008-2010. The new elected members are Keyhosel Rhutso as President, Neivizo C – vice president, Aziebu Theyo – general secretary, Ruben Nyekha – assistant general secretary, Vizokholie Suohu – treasurer, Sarhunyi Shupao – finance secretary, Vekhoto – information & publicity secretary, Ruduseyi – games & sports secretary, Joseph Sachu – social & cultural secretary, and Keneilhoulie Solo as property secretary. It may be recalled that the new team was elected at the meeting held at the Panchayat Hall on October 25 last. Meanwhile, the Kitsubozou Youth Day will be held on November 1 at the Panchayat Hall at 11:00 am where the handing over of charges and files will take place.

Army Recruitment Rally in Kohima KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): An Army recruitment rally will be held in Kohima at the Indira Gandhi Stadium from November 22 to 30 for all male candidates from all districts of Nagaland, and male candidates from all the North Eastern States.

For details of qualifications, selection procedure and the schedule, one may contact Lt.Col. Nirupam Bhargava, Public Relations Officer (Ministry of Defence), Opposite 26 Assam Rifles Main Gate at Kohima, or call at 0370-2290171, and Lt Col N K Sharma, Officiating Director Recruiting,

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The ATI Kohima is organising two Human Rights trainings, with support from the NHRC, for uniformed personnel in the Police, Prison, Excise, and Forest departments, including the district administration, on November 3 and 4, 2008. For non-uniformed personnel like government officers, NGOs, CSOs, media, etc., the training will be conducted on November 10 and 11. Departments and organisations, NGOs, media, etc. are requested to send their nominations/representatives to the ATI, Kohima for the above two courses. Course Coordinator at ATI Kohima, W Ezung, in a release further informed that renowned resource persons from outside the state would be conducting the courses.

Moral foundation of students is Important

KIPHIRE, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): The ward for paying cabins at the district hospital in Kiphire was dedicated and inaugurated in a ceremony on October 23. Chairman Kiphire Town Council, Joshua, graced the occasion as the chief guest.

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): All self-help groups under Medziphema Block, Dimapur, are informed that the SHG Federation has established its office at Shan Complex, 1st floor (attached to City Spring), opposite Metro Hospital, Dimapur. The SHG Federation’s Joint Secretary, Avono Zao, in a notification reminds unregistered SHG’s to get registered every Wednesday between 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

In addition, registered SHGs may collect their registration card on the specified working days, the note added.

Nagaland Veterinary Field Assistants’ Association (NVFAA) will hold its general meeting on October 31 at the residence of S. Tokhivo Swu (General Secretary), Burma Camp at 10:00 am. Further, all the District are requested to send at least 5 (five) representatives along with membership fee of Rs 100/only per head for the year 2008. All the eleven district presidents are requested to attend the meeting without fail.

NHRC, ATI Kma to conduct HR training

District Hospital Kiphire gets paying cabins

SHG Federation informs

Dimapur

30 October 2008

Army Recruiting Office, Rangapahar, Dimapur, or call at 03862-256916.

All possessing the requisite qualifications for enrolment can apply for the recruitment.

The notification also advised all candidates to stay away from touts. Stressing that the Army Recruitment system does not leave room for any tout to influence the recruitment procedure which is absolutely clean and corruption free, in which no recommendation works, the notification added that selection for all the existing vacancies is done purely on merit.

Rio to technocrats: Get asset-minded From page 1

HesaidtheDANGovernment is trying to maintain transparency in all matters as a policy. “Therefore, sign boards, indicating all mandatory details of on-going projects should be displayed in all important construction sites.

Further, road furniture, which include KM costs, cautionary signs, informatory signs, informatory signs etc should also be provided and deployed in all the important highways,” he added.

ANDTA meet held

KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (MExN): The executive members of the All Nagaland Drawing Teacher’s Association (ANDTA) held its emergency meeting on October 28 last at Kohima and unanimously retained V Hetoi Swu as the association’s general secretary. In this connection, all the ANDTA members have been requested to contact the executive members at 9402003063 or 9856292683. The meeting minutes have been dispatched to all the members and the same can be obtained from the office of their respective Deputy Inspector of Schools, a release received here informed, adding that in case of any clarification, the numbers as mentioned above may be contacted.

CORRIGENDUM

Students of Wholistic school, Toulazouma participating at the Parents’ Day celebration held on Wednesday.

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 29, (MExN): Kutoli Khulu, Sub-Inspector School (SIS), Dimapur, said that the moral foundations of students are very important, and therefore asked parents to cooperate with the schools for the growth of students. She was

speaking as chief guest at the “2nd Parents’ day” of Wholistic School, Toulazouma, Dimapur here today. She also acknowledged the dedication of teachers committed towards the welfare of students. While stressing on the moral foundations of students, she said

that teaching from the Bible can be a medium towards this end and must be added in the curriculum as one of the subjects. Khulu also emphasized the need to have more ‘Parents-Teachers’ interaction to check the progress of their wards and which would also

help understand the needs in specific areas for the student.

Other highlights of the day included an introduction of the school by the administrator, cultural presentations, welcome song and parents’ speech, which is followed by entertainment program.

In the news item that appeared on the 23 October 2008 issue of the local dailies with regard to State Advisory Committee under the aegis of the Nagaland Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Kohima, the names of members contained in Sl. 3 to Sl. 5 are missing. These include: Sl.No.3. M. Bendangnukshi Longkumer, President, Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mokokchung, Nagaland Sl.No.4. Er. Khriesito Savino, Managing Director, Kuda Wood Products Ltd, Dimapur Sl.No.5. Rose I. Jamir, Managing Director, NIDC, IDC House, Opp. Supermarket, Dimapur.

(Issued by DIPR)

C M Y K

4

Dimapur

BUSINESS

Thursday 30 October 2008

No fuel price cut for now: Oil Ministry

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): Government is not considering reduction in prices of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG despite crude falling to its lowest-level in 15 months as prices have to stablise at this level to wipe out the current revenue losses on fuel sales, an oil ministry official said.

"There is no proposal to reduce fuel prices. We have to watch (the) situation for a few more weeks," said S Sundareshan, Additional Secretary in the Oil Ministry at New Delhi on Wednesday. The basket of crude India buys on Tuesday averaged at USD 56.72 per barrel, a level at which staterun Bharat Petroleum, Indian Oil and Hindustan Petroleum would break even if global prices were to stabilise for a month.

"Price reduction cannot be on the basis of price of one or two days. Yesterday it was at USD 56, today it has gone up (again) by two dollars. We need prices to stabilise before we can think of a price reduction," he said. The three firms, which in April-September reported a Rs 92,853 crore revenue loss (audited figure) on sale of petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene, are likely to post bad results when they report on quartely earnings over the next two days. "Prices need to stabilise for four weeks (at current level) for us to consider a price cut," Sundareshan said.

A sharp depreciation in the value of Indian rupee against the US dollar has wiped away some of the gains from falling

international crude oil prices.

The three firms were to break even on fuel sales at USD 67 per barrel crude oil when one USD was equivalent to 41 Indian rupees.

However, with rupee at the 50 mark, the break even point has now shifted to USD 57 per barrel. Retailers sell petrol at a loss of Rs 2.85 a litre, diesel at Rs 7.26, kerosene at Rs 29.19 per litre and domestic LPG at a loss of Rs 333 per cylinder. IOC, BPCL and HPCL in April-September lost Rs

92,853 crore on fuel sales (audited figures) and are projected to lose Rs 1,47,486 crore in the full fiscal.

Another Petroleum Ministry official said cutting fuel prices at this stage would widen the revenue loss of state-run firms."I do not see a trigger, unless political, for a reduction in fuel prices."

"For a price cut to happen, international oil prices have to sustain at levels lower than the break even point, for at least a month. We cannot be

seen lowering the prices on one day's fluctuations. Tomorrow, if the prices go up, will the oil companies be allowed to raise prices," he said.

Deora is believed to have met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue last week and had been advised to wait for global oil prices to fall further before taking the issue to the Cabinet. Every time the US dollar becomes dearer by one rupee, the revenue loss on fuel sales jumps by Rs 8,500 crore.

The Morung Express

Microsoft unveils India to be major satellite manufacturer WINDOWS 7 CHENNAI, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): India can become a major player in the emerging small satellite manufacturing industry. The country's space agency has estimated a market potential of 50 satellites over the next decade, worth around $1.5 billion, says a space official.

Keeping this in mind, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has already formed a special team to manufacture small satellites. ISRO will launch two such satellites in 2009 and 2010, both having overseas payloads.

The small satellites are now in demand because its "mass and volume are low, thereby reducing the cost of carriage by rocket.

Further, the cost of building the satellite as well as the time required to build it are less," D.V. Raghava Murthy, ISRO's small satellite projects director, told media. "The satellites give a good performance owing to miniaturisation, and simultaneous launch of several satellites is possible if the orbit is same," he added.

ISRO has two small satellite variants - micro and mini. The micro satellites weigh 100 kg with a payload capacity of 30-40 kg while the mini satellites would weigh 400 kg with a payload capacity of 200 kg. ISRO is also making communication satellites - INSAT series. Its INSAT-4 series satellites weigh around four tonnes and cost about Rs.3 billion. In April this year, ISRO shot its first mini satellite - Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) - weighing 85 kg on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C9). "The cost of IMS-1 was around Rs.500 million. The value of each satellite would vary depending on its payload - the instruments it would carry," Murthy said. "The mini satellite has two high performance payloads - multi-spectral camera and hyper-spectral camera. Injected into polar sun-

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 29 (AP): Microsoft released key details of the next generation of software that it hopes will run the world’s computers. The software giant, whose dominance is under threat, said Windows 7 will replace the disappointing Windows Vista in January 2010. Microsoft said the new operating system was designed to function like a tighter version of Vista, which launched in 2006 but was widely derided as a “system hog” that slowed down computers with features that most users never accessed. Speaking to participants at a Microsoft developers’ conference in Los Angeles, Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president of Windows, said Microsoft was learning its lessons from Vista, by making sure that Windows 7 would be fully compatible with all relevant devices and applications on launch. Among the innovations unveiled by Microsoft was a touch-screen capability that will allow users to select folders and control programmes without using a mouse.

Windows 7 will also feature faster boot-up times, an updated task bar that includes previews of open windows, a new desktop look and a set of features optimised for laptops. The new operating system also makes it easier to coordinate and access files over networks and to automatically configure settings for different networks.

The new software will ditch some prominent features included in Vista including Calendar, Windows Mail, Movie Maker, Contacts and Photo Gallery, which will now be available for free download from the Microsoft website. Microsoft operating systems still power some 90 percent of the world’s personal computers, though Vista has only racked up an 18 percent share since its launch. Microsoft has been hit by the growing success of Apple’s Mac computers and by the long-term switch of many computing functions to mobile phones and the internet. Google is threatening Microsoft’s cash cow, the Office Suite of programmes, with online word processors, spreadsheets and presentation programmes.

Microsoft Tuesday said it would launch free online versions of Office that would be supported by advertising. Many analysts fear that offering an online version could cannibalize Microsoft’s most profitable line of products. But Rob Helm, a senior analyst at research firm Directions on Microsoft, said that both Windows 7 and Office Online should work out well for the company. “Both are good improvements,” he said. “Windows 7 will help Microsoft overcome the weakness of Vista, while Web-based Office is a direct response to Google.

Many businesses will like it because they have lots of users who don’t use many of the Office features.”

synchronous orbit, the satellite is providing good data," said the 52-year-old Murthy, who was the project director for Cartosat I and IMS-1 satellites. The mini satellite too has advanced features.

"We will also launch SARAL, a mini satellite with French payload some time in 2010," Murthy said.

Speaking of the application potential of small satellites, he added: "It is mind-boggling.

They can be used in remote sensing, atmospheric monitoring, gas detection, pollution monitoring, ionospheric tomography, ocean monitoring and studies, low earth orbit communications, stellar monitoring, space physics experimentation, data collection and others." The small satellites will initially be flown as "co-passengers" in the Indian rockets PSLV and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). According to Murthy, many space agencies are now involved in making small satellites.

ISRO will be crossing swords with the Britain-based Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, OHB Germany, Canada's MDA and Comdev, Israel Aerospace Industries, Orbital Sciences in the US, Thales Alenia in Europe among others. The Indian space agency, having the necessary expertise in making big communication satellites, hopes that it can supply satellites to overseas players. ISRO has built and delivered a 32 transponder satellite, W2M, weighing 3,200 kg for the Paris-based Eutelsat Communications. The order is from Europe's leading satellite system specialist EADS Astrium.

The transponders supplied by a European manufacturer were assembled at ISRO's satellite centre in Bangalore. ISRO has won another contract from Avanti Screen Media, again through EADS Astrium, to make a highly adoptable satellite.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T77 in India

C M Y K

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): Sony has launched its 10.1 megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-T77 camera in India. Sony Cybershot DSC-T77 packs 4x optical zoom, a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, optical image stabilisation as well as 11 scene modes and in-camera image management. The camera has a 3-inch touchscreen LCD. The shooting features include intelligent scene recognition technology, smile shutter and face detection technologies with child and adult priority. The camera also has a ‘anti-blink’ technology. The camera also sports slideshow function with background music. The camera can also be connected to HD television. It also People pass by an advertising billboard depicting US actor Johnny Depp in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, October 28. The billboard urges people to “find their place in the world in difficult times”. The after effects of the global financial features a BIONZ proces- RAW Noise Reduction and Optimiser ensures balance Rs 15,990, the camera comes turmoil that Ukraine is suffering from, has caught many Ukrainians unawares, forcing them to try and extricate them- sor, high sensitivity (maxi- Dynamic Range Optimiser between bright highlights in two colours options -mum ISO 3200) and clear (DRO). The Dynamic Range and deep shadows. Priced at Black and Silver. selves from sudden difficulties. (AP Photo)

DAILY CROSS WORD

LEISURE W

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A R Q U E B E C G D S X L W Y B T Q X S N Y U U K N B B R Q Z D J P P B X P N T Q F A Y E U J G Q B W L D M Z C A Q L R

SUDOKU

The Morung Express number game

Sudoku # 1122

CROSSWORD # 1138 1

3

2

6

4

5

7

R O R T Q U A D R A N T I G E J S W Q Q E X T I T U E Q L O E A W T P J L Z W U 8

V B Z L I G A F U B E H I X Y A Z O R A

9

10

I H I A N O G D F B U U Y F R O Q T I L

11

12

13

U U O U O D X M R H Q K L E E U U Q G M

14

Q M Y Q G M R W B U F U T M I N A E V O

15

D Z J U A N J K G V P A A E V Q L R R Z

17

T B O O C B Q T W N L L T C M J I A I U

16 18

19

S Y Y T E U B B Y I I L E E K S F N D E L Z T I D L N A R J Y N X H U S Y W N C

20

22

23

Q U J I Q U A R T E R B A C K S F U C X G M G J U U U D Y D V W Q H U R E S I Z G J I E I T I U T O C I Q K L N W U U U E J W R Z Y G T Y O S S E N K C I U Q B

QUACK QUADRANT QUADRILATERAL QUADRUPLE QUALIFY QUALITY QUALM QUART QUARTER QUARTERBACK QUARTZ QUEBEC QUEEN QUEST QUESTION QUESTIONING

QUEUE QUICK QUICKNESS QUICKSAND QUIET QUIETLY QUILLS QUILT QUINDECAGON QUIT QUITE QUIVER QUIZ QUOTIENT

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.”

Yesterdays answer Sudoku #1121

ACROSS

STD CODE: 03862

232224; Emergency- 229529, 229474 227930, 231081 233044, 228846 228254 231864, 230889 232201 228400 232106 227607, 228400 232181 242555/ 242531

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

STD CODE: 0370 2244279 2244923 2242897 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202

CAR MODEL

K C N I K A B G V L C Y I O K K T S U

U L S T U U E B E R U Q J N T B Y R K E

Civil Hospital: Metro Hospital: Faith Hospital: Shamrock Hospital Zion Hospital: Fire Service: Police Control Room Police Traffic Control East Police Station West Police Station CIHSR (Referral Hospital)

CHEVROLET CAR PRICE LIST

21

L H R E N B H D Q E W C O A M Q M U A F I

DIMAPUR

DOWN

1. Ineffectual (6) 1. Country bordering Spain (6) 2. Felony (5) 3. Approval (6) 4. Antitoxin (5) 6. River shared by Turkey, Syria and Iraq 5. Score (6) (6) 9. Sewage pipe (5) 7. Rugged [anag] (6) 11. Cameo gemstone (4) 8. Gatehouse (5) 12. Sky-blue (5) 10. Small but sturdy (7) 13. Wimbledon men’s champion in 1975 (4) 14. Henry VIII’s 3rd wife (4, 7) 15. Song, - - - in the sky (6) 17. Black, unspotted leopard (7) 16. Type of script (6) 19. Considerable (5) 18. Intutive guess (5) 20. Temporary monarch (6) 19. Type of Dutch cheese (5) 21. Short club (6) 22. Trained (6) 23. Textile (6)

Answers to CROSSWORD #1137 Across:1. Craft, 7. Bastille, 8. Tudor, 10. Tabernacle, 12. New World, 14. Open, 16. Fury, 17. Asteroid, 20. Australian, 23. Renal, 24. Acapulco, 25. Filer.

Down: 1. Cotton, 2. Foot, 3. Wage, 4. Stunt, 5. Blackpool, 6.

Severn, 9. Razor, 11. Swordsman, 13. Les, 15. Cedar, 16. Fracas, 18. Dealer, 19. Proud, 21. Loch, 22. Nell.

SPARK 1.0 BASE SPARK 1.0 PS SPARK 1.0 LS SPARK 1.0 LT U-VA 1.2 BASE U-VA 1.2 LS U-VA 1.2 LT SRV 1.6 OPT. PACK AVEO 1.4 BASE AVEO 1.4 LTD EDI AVEO 1.4 LT OPT.PACK TAVERA 2.5 LT 9S BS3 TAVERA 2.5 SSD1 7S (C) BS3 OPTRA ROYAL 1.6 LT (PETROL) OPTRA MAGNUM 2.0 LT ACC (DIESEL) CAPTIVA 2.0 LT VCDI

PRICE

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Thursday

REGIONAL

The Morung Express

30 October 2008

Dimapur

5

Floods kill six in northeast, thousands homeless

GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 29 (REUTERS): Floods and landslides caused by three days of incessant rain killed six people and left thousands homeless in India’s remote northeast, one of the country’s most flood-prone regions, officials said on Wednesday. A sudden wave of flood waters swamped hundreds of villages in the region, destroying houses, farmland and roads, forcing thousands of people to take shelter on high ground, in government buildings and schools.

Three people, including one child, were buried in mudslides and three others were washed away by fast flowing waters in two northeastern mountainous states of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, police said. In the oiland tea-rich state of Assam, around 70,000 people have been affected by flash floods, as authorities called rescue workers to evacuate stranded people. Officials said heavy rains and later the release of excess water from dams by power generating companies in Arunachal Pradesh and neighbouring Bhutan caused flooding in the region.

“It all started overnight

‘Outside’ water floods Assam Flood waters recede in Assam

Villagers wade through flood waters on a highway in Puthimari, about 60 kilometers (38 miles) west of Guwahati, Tuesday, October 28. Two days of continuous rains caused a flash flood to break an embankment and submerged Puthimari Monday night. (AP Photo)

and we are trying to shift the people to safer places,” said Hemkanta Pegu, a local civil servant in Assam’s Lakhimpur district. Though officials set up temporary shelters for the homeless in schools and government buildings, many people have camped on highways under plastic sheets with

Sun TV to launch FM stations

CHENNAI, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): The citybased television major Sun TV Network Ltd, through its subsidiary South Asia FM, will launch FM radio stations in Gangtok and Aizawl, the respective capital cities of Sikkim and Mizoram, a company official said.Holding licences for 45 FM stations in the country, the Sun TV group has launched 43 so far, the latest in Siliguri of West Bengal Tuesday. Once the Gangtok and Aizawl stations go live, the group will be one of the largest FM radio station operators in the country. Asked about the likely launch date, the official said work was on but a specific date could not be committed now. The company is also entering into movie production through a separate division, Sun Pictures.

Cyclone Rashmi destroys crops in Mizoram

AIZAWL, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): The cyclone, “Rashmi”, which lashed some parts of the north-east on Sunday and Monday, destroyed paddy crops in two districts of Mizoram.

Champhai district bordering Myanmar was the worst hit. Reports reaching here today said 40 families out of around 200 jhummias in the district, lost all paddy crops before ready to harvest in Champhai district’s Hmunhmeltha village. Thirty other families in South Sabual village of Mamit district bordering Tripura also lost all standing paddy crop. Another 26 families lost more than half of their paddy due to the rain and cyclone, the village council president H C Kaptluanga said, adding that the villagers thought they would be self-sufficient this year. The cyclonic storm also caused landslides and road blockades in many parts of the state, reports added.

whatever little they had salvaged of their belongings. The regional weather office warned of more showers in the next 48 hours in the region.

Floods and landslides are common in the mountainous northeast during the annual monsoon season that normally begins in June and contin-

ues through September. In India, more than 200 people have been killed in rains in this year, 30 of them in the northeast. Assam accounts for about 55 percent of India’s tea production and also produces oil. Officials said the rains had not affected tea trade or oil exploration.

GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 29 (THE TELEGRAPH): Thousands of gallons of water from overflowing dams in Arunachal Pradesh and neighbouring Bhutan gushed down to the plains of Assam late last night, affecting thousands of people. Diwali was a washout in the central districts of Lakhimpur and Sonitpur and Kamrup district in Lower Assam.

Lakhimpur and Sonitpur were buffeted by water from an overflowing dam in Arunachal Pradesh, while Kamrup was flooded after Bhutan released excess water from the Kurisu dam. The Arunachal dam belongs to the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (Neepco). The low-lying areas in north Lakhimpur sub-division, Nameri tiger reserve in Sonitpur district and Puthimari in Kamrup district were the worst hit.

Lakhimpur circle officer Hemkanta Pegu said 40,000 people were affected in 35 villages. Two wards of Lakhimpur town were also flooded. “It started around 8 last evening. Heavy rain over the past three days and the water released from the Neepco dam in Arunachal Pradesh caused the flash floods.

We are trying to help the people as best as we can,” he said.

The floods have worsened the

breaches in the embankments caused in the June rainfall, mainly in Ujani Pohumara, Ujani Thamti and Bogolijan. “Repair of the breaches was supposed to start in December,” Pegu said. Jatin Bora of Thamti said their Diwali was ruined. “What can we do?” he asked.

M.S. Jyrwa, general manager, Neepco, said the spill from the pondage (water held in a reservoir for a short period to supply to a hydel plant) at the 405MW Ranganadi project at Yazali in Lower Subansari district of Arunachal Pradesh, started around midday. Speaking over phone from the project site, the official said there was no control over the excess water in such schemes. “The design of the pondage is such that the gates will automatically open to drain out water in excess of the capacity of the reservoir,” he said.

A similar disaster was unfolding in Puthimari in Kamalpur subdivision of Kamrup district around 11.30pm after Puthimari river overflowed following heavy rainfall and release of water from the Kurisu dam in Bhutan, bordering Baksa district. Traffic went haywire on National Highway 31. This is the third wave of floods this year to have hit Puthimari, where work is on to repair breaches in embankments.

GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): The flood waters in Assam’s Kamrup (rural), Baksa and Lakhimpur districts were receding and the submerged NH 31 that connects the north eastern region to the rest of the country was reopened to traffic today, official sources said. They said though the waters were receding, houses along the NH31 were still under water and the affected people continued to stay in the two relief camps, set up by the authorities.

The BSF and the National Disaster Response Force, called in yesterday by the district administration, continued their operations today to rescue marooned people by pressing eight motor boats into service, the sources said.

Incessant rains for the last three days at Puthimari area and upper reaches of the surrounding mountains in Bhutan caused an embankment to be breached on Monday night.

The flood waters also engulfed the villages and damaged standing paddy crops ready for harvest, they said.

Traffic movement on NH 31 came to a standstill yesterday due to the flash floods, the sources said. The embankment at Puthimari that had earlier been breached on August 31 developed cracks within five days of its maintenance at a cost of Rs 19 lakh, resulting in breach by the rain waters, they added.

Bus strike leaves scores stranded

IMPHAL, OCTOBER 29 (THE TELEGRAPH): Inter-state buses in Manipur remained suspended for the fifth day today, forcing people living outside the state to take expensive and circuitous routes to return home for Diwali and Ningol Chakouba.

The All-Manipur Interstate Bus Association suspended services indefinitely on October 24 after cadres of the Kuki Liberation Army/ Kuki Liberation Organisation set ablaze a Guwahatibound bus from Imphal in Karbi Anglong a day earlier.

The outfit said it set fire to the bus because the All Manipur Inter-state Bus Association had failed to pay the annual “tax”. Robart Gonmei, a soldier, and his mother-in-law, Ginthailiu Gangmei, were burnt alive in the bus while 10 others suffered injuries.

Since Friday, 300 buses, which carry nearly 3,000 people to and from Imphal every-

day, have stopped operations.

The alternative options are train and taxi which are way too expensive for daily travel.

From Guwahati, one first has to reach Dimapur by train and then take a taxi to Imphal.

While a bus ride from Guwahati to Imphal costs Rs 600, the taxi fare from Dimapur to the Manipur capital is Rs 800.

Add to that Rs 149 for a sleeper class reservation from to Guwahati to Dimapur. Even those who do not mind the pocket pinch face the reluctance of Nagaland taxi drivers to drive to Manipur for its “law and order problems”.

With Diwali being the busiest travel season, the strike is affecting both commuters and the transport business.

The president of the All Manipur Inter-state Bus Association, Budha Luwang, said until and unless steps were taken to ensure safety of buses, the services would remain suspended. The as-

sociation today submitted a memorandum to chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

The demands include financial relief for the next of kin of the two who were charred to death in the arson and also for the injured. Ibobi Singh assured the delegation that he would discuss the security issue with the state police and security forces soon.

The five-member delegation said they were not satisfied with the chief minister’s response and that they would call a statewide bandh tomorrow as a mark of protest against the arson. On October 26, representatives of various citizens’ groups, transporters and leaders of the Zeliangrong and Kuki communities gathered in Imphal to condemn the arson and demand a protection force along the Imphal-Guwahati Road on National Highway 39 and the Imphal-Silchar Road on National Highway 53.

A city bus on the way to Tynring Village overturned at Letshyrwat leaving more than thirty passenger injured on October 29 at around 4.30 PM. All the injured passangers have been taken to North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute Medical Sciences (NEIGRIMS) hospital, Shillong. (UB Photos)

Zoramthanga’s inning under threat? Rebels & police face public

Newmai News Network Aizawl | October 29

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi flagging off a new machinery for the Guwahati Muncipal Council (GMC) at the inauguration of “Integrated Solid Waste Management Project” for Guwahati city at Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati on October 29. (UB Photo)

IF THE POWERFUL Women Welfare Front (WWF) of Mizoram has their way and the statistics of the electorates fall on the gender basis during the November 29 poll, the colourful inning of chief minister Zoramthanga in politics will face a hiccup this time.

In the backdrop of the influential Women Welfare Front (WWF)’s extensive campaigns for more seats for women in the Mizoram Legislative Assembly and the good response from the general public coupled with the outnumbering of female voters over males, a charismatic and dynamic young and unmarried Mizo woman is going to take on chief minister and Mizo National Front (MNF) candidate Zoramthanga in the November 29 assembly election.

32-year-old H Lalhmingthangi, a highly qualified Mizo woman working currently in a church organisation in Shillong has come back to Mizoram few days before and she has been finalised as the Zoram National Party

(ZNP) candidate for the Champhai assembly constituency, the ‘traditional’ constituency of Zoramthanga.

ZNP is a constituent unit of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a newly formed platform of Mizoram Peoples’ Conference (MPC), Zoram National Party (ZNP) and a powerful farmers’ union called Zoram Kuthnathawktu Pawl (ZKP) under which banner these three political parties of Mizoram will face MNF and the Congress party.

A report in Aizawl speculated that the WWF is fully putting its weight behind H Lalhmingthangi. This report is significant as more than half the total number of voters in the whole of Mizoram are females. Mizoram has little over six lakhs voters.

Meanwhile, a reliable source said today that chief minister Zoramthanga may switch over to some ‘safe’ constituency if Miss H Lalmingthangi is fielded in the Champhai assembly constituency against him.

This report suggests that the WWF’s campaign for more seats for women in the state assembly has been creating wave and the chief minister and MNF leader has become panicky.

ire over Imphal blast

IMPHAL, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): Separatists as well as the police in northeastern India’s Manipur state were facing public ire over the Oct 21 blast near here that killed 17 people and injured about 30, with protests and demonstrations gaining ground.A rag-tag rebel faction called the Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council) claimed responsibility for the explosion at Ragailong, on the outskirts of capital Imphal, saying the attack was aimed at the police who were “encouraging gambling” in the area as well as the gamblers.

Protesters from the bomb-hit area took out a march Tuesday wielding placards, some of which read “Killing innocents is not an act of revolution” and “Don’t kill innocents to show your power”. The slogans in the placards were clearly directed at the militants. The state police also came in for criticism with the protesters blaming them for not paying heed to their call to crack down on gambling in the area, which was the reason cited by the rebels for their murderous attack. “We have been calling upon the police for quite sometime to take steps to check gambling in the area, but no one bothered to take action,” said Kambui Lunglu, a woman activist from Ragailong. The protesters took out a march from the blast site to the chief minister’s office. They later met Chief Minister Ibobi Singh and submitted a memorandum. “We have demanded a judicial enquiry into the incident and have sought relief for the families of those killed and injured,” said a member of the delegation that met Singh.

The protest against the action by the militants is significant here because killings and rights violation by separatists usually go unprotested, at least publicly. Militant groups in Manipur has been donning the role of moral police, cracking down against malpractices during examinations, corruption and drug abuse. The state, bordering Myanmar, has at least 19 active militant groups pushing demands ranging from autonomy to secession.

Gap between cops Rape increases after Demand for security along NHs and bureaucrats evident recent riots in Assam Newmai News Network Imphal | October 29

Newmai News Network Shillong | October 29

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN top police functionaries and the Meghalaya Home Ministry is evident after state deputy chief minister (Home) H.S.Lyngdoh stopped the scheduled deployment of the Meghalaya police fourth battalion which is also known as the Indian Resrve Battalion (IRB).

Few days after the police headquarters asked for a pull out of the IRB from their area of posting for a standby to be deployed in Chhattisgargh and Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya deputy chief minister H.S.Lyngdoh today issued the notification ordering to halt the deployment on the basis that these police personnel are needed for law and order duty in the state.

The IRB (4th battalion) is supposed to be the second Meghalaya police force to be moved out of the state in respond to the Union government’s call for the duties in New Delhi after the five

companies of another IRB were recently deputed to New Delhi for guarding VVIPs residence. The 4th IRB battalion, it is learnt, had been asked to be ready for a departure for Chhatishgarh and Madhya Pradesh in central India.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Bijan Dey Sawian informed NNN over phone on his way to New Delhi today that the deployment of the third IRB in New Delhi and the proposed deployment of the fourth IRB in Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh is after the government gave its approval.

Justifying the deployment, Sawian said, “There is nothing unusual in the decision because the centre is under serious constraints because of the incidents in Orrissa, Udalguri, the Amaranth controversy and others”, stated Sawian. The DGP is now in New Delhi to oversee the fooding and lodging grievances of those 3rd battalion police personnel already posted in New Delhi .

GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): Assam’s Udalguri district has been on the boil since August 2008 with charges of rape after riots. More than 70 people have died and a lakh have been displaced. Two middle-aged women have been, allegedly, raped by security personnel. Volunteers of Bodo Women Justice Forum staged a dramatic protest against alleged rape on the two women in riot hit Udalguri.

The two women have alleged that CRPF personnel deployed during the recent Bodo-Muslim riots raped them. One of them, a Bodo lady, is in her mid 50s and the other a Koch Rajbonshi in late 40s.

“I have told the truth. If they don’t believe, what can I do? I was grazing cows when the incident happened. We came back traumatised and sad. We bathed after which we resumed our household chores,” said one of the victims.

However, medical examination conducted at Mangaldai Civil Hospital say it’s difficult to establish a rape after a lapse of 24 hours and after washing away all evidence. The women have now iden-

tified the three CRPF men. Police sources, however, claim that the said men were not even on duty on the day of the rape.

Other women organisations have also now joined the demand for justice.

“If the government doesn’t pursue the matter, we would be forced to take our agitation forward,” said Rita Boro, general secretary, All Bodo Women Welfare Federation. “Identification has been made and investigation is going on. Identified persons are under interrogation,” said Tiwari, Superintendent of Police, Udalguri. The government is not convinced of the rape charges yet, but has decided to go ahead with the investigation.

The recent tension and violence in Udalguri, which spread to neighbouring Darrang district, is the result of several overlapping issues. Pressure on land, issue of illegal migration, which is always a political and emotive issue of Assam, and the politics among the Bodo factions, one which is an ally of the Congress government and the other on a ceasefire.

AMIDST REPORTS of rampant criminal activities occurring along National Highway 53 and National High 39, both leading to Manipur, chief minister O. Ibobi Singh has said that the state government has been pressing New Delhi to provide adequate security for the two national highways leading to Manipur. The chief minister said that the state government alone is not capable of providing full security to the national highways.

Ibobi Singh however, added that at present the Assam Rifles is heading in taking care of the security of the two national highways.

The chief minister was talking during his visit to a hospital for a survey in Imphal today. Meanwhile, O.Ibobi Singh then assured an ex-

gratia for the two deceased of the Zeliangrong community who were charred to dead in the passenger bus burning incident and also to the injured victims of the fateful event that occurred on October 23 near Lahorijan under Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

Talking to the media during his visit to the Jawahar Lal Nehru (JN) hospital, in Imphal for the upgradation of the hospital to a medical institute, Ibobi Singh informed that exgratia would be paid for the deceased of the unfortunate incident including those injured then.

Regarding the upgradation of the JN hospital to an institute of medical sciences, the chief minister informed that a team of the Medical Council of India (MCI) would be visiting the JN hospital sometime

after November 10. He also conveyed there were plans to upgrade the hospital to a medical institution by 2009-10.

Further, while inspecting the defunct Urban Family Medical Centre (Family Welfare) for the administrative block including the class rooms and the hostels for repairing, Singh stated that temporary arrangements would be made at Porompat in Imphal East.

Visiting the Gyane wards and the emergency department of the hospital with Ph. Pharijat, health minister along with K. Ranjit, work minister and other officials of the PWD health department, the chief minister assured that the PWD hot mixture plan along with the m orning s chool would be a formative part for the upgradation of the hospital to a medical institution.

6

IN-FOCUS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express THURSDAY 30 OCTOBER 2008 VOL. III ISSUE 301

Beyond Newspapers

o

n the occasion of the 125th anniversary of The Tribune, - a Chandigarh based English daily I grew up reading as a schoolboy, the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh raised some critical issues relevant for all newspapers and the media in general. He stated “They (newspapers) must serve a larger purpose. Above all they must contribute to a nation’s intellectual vibrancy.” He stressed that media has a crucial role to play in shaping public opinion, attitudes and reinforcing values.

While these issues reflect yearnings of universal intent, its applicability does get influenced by the perceived and existential realities unique for each particular situation. And perhaps some of these essential values do get submerged when the ‘wants’ shape the perceived realities, leading to indulgence, and inevitably the parameters on how a newspaper defines the positions and purposes of its existence.

In my short involvement in the endeavors of a newspaper, it has exposed me to new perspectives and provided a different lens of Naga society. It’s in times such as this that I am reminded of my friend Chamba who revealed, “The war conditioned us not to tell the truth, it conditioned us to worry about things that have nothing to do with living.” While the statement in itself is true, it’s the latter part which I find terribly worrying.

Indeed, how often do we find ourselves worrying about things that have nothing to do with living?

Situated in this diabolic situation of contradictions, we witness the extremeness of ‘feeling’ consume the idea of reason. Feelings are an important and essential form of human communication and cannot be ignored or suppressed. Nevertheless, feelings when internalized and arising out of fear and insecurity fails to recognize all other aspects of human emotions and is reduced to clinging on to self-preservation, where truth becomes the first casualty. Dr. Ravi Zacharias cautions “We seem to have come upon a time where truth does not matter anymore; our feelings is all that count. We need to get to the truth of the issue that surrounds us and uncover the truth before we get to address our feelings. Truth has to be prior to our feelings.”

However, ‘reason’ on its own is reduced to mathematical derivation. Life, however is much richer and if we are to find purpose in our existence we are compelled to seek an interdependent relation between ‘feeling’ and ‘reason.’ The result of this interdependence may possibly be called ‘consciousness.’

Imbalance between ‘feeling’ and ‘reason’ leads to a vacuum filled by self-absorption and self-importance. Unfortunately, it is the feeling of self-importance and self-absorption that is fuelling the culture of press-releases and finally the machines of media in Nagaland. Tragically, the Naga media as a generalized entity continues to struggle; and the burdens of self-preservation is weighing on its calling to facilitate and empower ‘consciousness.’ Ironically, unless the media is able to withstand the culture of press-releases, party and power politics, the very vacuum caused by the imbalance of ‘feeling’ and ‘reason’ will push the relevance of media as a medium of transformation to oblivion.

The Naga media therefore must lead the way in transforming ‘feeling’ and ‘reason’ as interdependent entities into a living ‘consciousness,’ which guides and shapes public opinion by reflecting the power of truth as an embodiment of self-determining dignity.

LEFT WING |

Source: IHT

As China Goes, So Goes...

A

s the world tips into recession, China's economic decisions could affect how other countries fare in the downturn. Over the last 30 years, China has hitched its economy to the industrial world, exporting cheap goods to the United States and other developed nations, building up an enormous trade surplus that will hit about $400 billion this year. As those industrial economies sputter, China is in a position to pick up some of the slack: selling more of its own goods at home and buying more from the rest of the world.

To get China's consumers to spend, the government will need to spend more at home, investing in public works projects and providing more social benefits - including health insurance and pensions - so its citizens don't feel they have to save so much. This is clearly in Beijing's interest, though China's leaders are still clinging to the old export strategy.

China is already feeling the impact of a slower world economy. Both economic growth and export growth have braked sharply. The slowdown threatens job creation, direly needed to absorb millions of rural Chinese seeking employment in the cities.

Over the summer the Chinese central bank put an end to its short-lived policy of allowing the yuan to gradually appreciate against the dollar, a policy aimed at reducing inflation that would also raise the price of Chinese exports. Last week, the Chinese government announced that it would increase its rebates on taxes charged to exporters - giving them a further boost.

But trying to capture a bigger share of shrinking markets in the United States, Europe and Japan, just as they tip into recession, won't provide China much of an economic lift. What it will do is contribute to the slowdown in the rest of the world by hogging demand.

China would get much more bang for the buck if it focused on stimulating its own domestic markets for goods and services.

Given the desperate mess Washington has made of its own financial system, few countries are eager to take American advice these days. Still, it is in China's interest to change. China has grown 13-fold over the last 30 years, thanks to hyper-charged exports and white-hot investment. But its economy is lopsided. Consumer spending amounts to little over a third of economic production, probably the lowest share in any country in the world. And its overwhelming dependence on exports has made it overwhelmingly vulnerable to changes in world demand.

The government in Beijing, which is running a huge budget surplus, also has money to spare.

The government has announced some measures to fuel domestic spending -including a tax cut on home purchases to revive an ailing housing market and a vague plan to invest in public works. But it must do more to unlock the savings of its citizens and encourage them to spend.

To do that it needs to rebuild the system of social insurance that fell apart when state-owned industries collapsed and were replaced by the private sector. Government investment in things like health care, education and pensions would help develop China's middle class and its domestic market.

A boost to consumer spending would undoubtedly help China weather the economic storm. But by raising Chinese imports and reducing its dependence on exports, it would also help the rest of the world.

THE EDIT PAGE

C O M M E N T A R Y

Henry A. Kissinger

What Vietnam Teaches Us

F

or America, the Vietnam War was the traumatic event of the second half of the last century.

Entered into with a brash selfconfidence after a decade and a half of creative and successful foreign policy, our engagement ended with America as divided as it had not been since the Civil War. As a result, Congress cut off aid to Vietnam two years after the troops had been withdrawn, and the last Americans left Saigon by helicopter from the roof of our embassy.

No account of that period adequate to the emotion and drama of the time has yet appeared. The dwindling number of witnesses of the period remains traumatized by its passions or divided by their own pasts. For younger leaders, an understanding of the controversies of their fathers has proved elusive, obliging them to slide into the same dilemmas in their contemporary policies.

"Lessons in Disaster: McGeorge Bundy and the Path to War in Vietnam" does not fill that vacuum. It does, however, illuminate the five years (1961-1966) during which the defense of South Vietnam was Americanized. Tracing the efforts of one of the most prominent public servants of the time, it seeks to come to terms with America's entry into its tragedy. Brilliant and fiercely articulate, McGeorge Bundy was a warm and thoughtful human being behind the Boston Brahmin crust. He had had a spectacular academic career, becoming the dean of the faculty at the age of 34.

He was the dean when I was at Harvard.

In 1961, John F. Kennedy appointed Bundy (a Republican) as National Security Adviser. Bundy created the modern portfolio of that position. Since the flow of memoranda from various departments concerned with national security had become too vast, Bundy's office turned into a clearinghouse.

Ever since, the National Security Council has prepared the range of options among which the president chooses. For five years, Bundy performed his duties with articulateness and deftness. This included the Berlin crisis, the Cuban missile period and the nuclear test ban agreement. His grip loosened with the decline in the fortunes of the Vietnam War, whose public advocate and, to some extent, co-manager he had become.

Bundy became the target of David Halberstam's "The Best and the Brightest," which used him to illustrate the thesis that the cream of the establishment led America astray in Vietnam. The book set the tone for most of the subsequent assessment of the war. Bundy bore the opprobrium with dignity, never answering the criticisms directly and perhaps privately agreeing with some of them. He retired in 1966, never to hold public office again.

Toward the end of his life, he began, with a research assistant, to assemble materials for reconstructing the events that had pushed America from hope to despair.

He died before he could begin the manuscript. Bundy's researcher, Gordon M. Goldstein, has now turned their collaborative effort and some fragments of Bundy's writing into "Lessons in Disaster." It's his own effort, representing the researcher's view, not authorized by the Bundy family.

It is also a strange yet fascinating book.

No one is said to be a hero to his valet; this book permits one to extend the truism to research assistants. "Lessons in Disaster" is relentlessly hostile to its subject - not so much to Bundy's person, whom it treats respectfully, as his policies. The book is an illuminating window into a seminal time.

It is also further evidence of the inability of America to transcend the debates that tore it apart a generation ago.

Bundy successfully managed the legacy of America's postwar policy in Europe and towards the Soviet Union. Where he failed was in extending to Southeast Asia the policies that reconstructed Europe and eventually won the Cold War. The difficulty was that Southeast Asia presented a different strategic problem. In Europe, governmental institutions had survived the ravages of the Second World War. The threats they faced were to their economic expectations, compounded by the Soviet troops along their borders.

The Marshall Plan took care of the first threat; NATO addressed the second.

None of these conditions existed in

South Vietnam. The dividing line in Vietnam was technically a demilitarized zone never accepted as an international frontier

by Hanoi, attempting to undermine governmental institutions by guerrilla warfare.

In this war without front lines, military containment took on a different meaning. In Europe, the basic challenge was territorial integrity; in Southeast Asia, it was governmental legitimacy. The new Kennedy administration paid lip service to this distinction, but never solved how to act on it.

The administration accepted the conventional wisdom regarding the issues. Like its predecessors of both parties, it assumed containment to be indivisible and the domino effect of the collapse of South Vietnam to be a kind of natural law. It even added a philosophical refinement: Vietnam was no longer treated as one of many fronts in the global Cold War but as the central front.

Conventional aggression having been stymied by NATO, guerrilla warfare needed to be similarly frustrated in Vietnam.

With the perspective of nearly four decades, it is possible to challenge these assumptions. Communism has proved not to be monolithic; the dominos did not fall with the collapse of South Vietnam (though 10 years of effort may have helped steady them); the problem of how to deal with guerrilla warfare has grown worse, not better. Goldstein argues with some justice that Bundy should have raised these possibilities. But one must remember that governments run by addressing conventional wisdom, not by challenging it. Caught between established convictions and his premonitions, Bundy concentrated on managing the crises in terms of familiar patterns. The administration slid into a series of ad hoc decisions that preempted Kennedy's strategic choice.

Reading the book, one is struck by the informal, almost conversational, tone of the process as Bundy was feeling his way. Thus, in November 1961, Bundy wrote to the president: "The other day at the swimming pool, you asked me what I thought, and here it is. We should now agree to send about one division when needed for military action inside Vietnam." Goldstein reports no accompanying options paper, no definition of the meaning of "about one division" no desired strategic outcome.

Goldstein leaves little doubt that Kennedy was opposed to sending combat troops to Southeast Asia. It was more the result of a visceral reluctance than a strategic judgment. In fact, on the formal level Kennedy was ambivalent, torn between considering the survival of South Vietnam essential for national security and being loathe to achieve this goal with American combat forces.

That decision could be postponed in

1963, but it became unavoidable in 1965 when Lyndon B. Johnson was president and Vietnam was on the verge of collapse.

As it happened, Johnson's options and his dilemmas were made more acute by a decision taken in the last weeks of the Kennedy presidency. On a weekend when both Kennedy and Bundy were out of town, the assistant secretary of state, together with an NSC staffer, contrived an instruction to the U.S. ambassador in Saigon that was used to trigger a military coup. President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother were assassinated and a series of coups. Hanoi saw in this turmoil an opportunity to introduce regular combat troops into the South.

Kennedy was assassinated three weeks later. The decision to send combat troops became Johnson's. Goldstein traces the evolution of the debate, in which the principal advisors - Dean Rusk, Robert McNamara and Bundy - and the Joint Chiefs of Staff strongly advocated a significant build-up of combat forces.

Goldstein argues that Kennedy, while accepting the domino theory, would have lived with its consequences, including the Communization of all of Southeast Asia, rather than send a large expeditionary force to Southeast Asia. But we cannot know his reaction had he been presented with the united views of his principal foreign policy and security advisors.

When America goes to war, it should be able to describe to itself how it defines victory and how it proposes to achieve it.

Or else how it proposes to end its military engagement and by what diplomacy.

In Vietnam, America sent combat forces on behalf of a general notion of credibility and in pursuit of a negotiation whose content was never defined. The credibility point was reflected in an amazing Bundy statement quoted by Goldstein: that it would be better for America's credibility to lose after sending 100,000 men than not to have resisted Hanoi at all.

Another self-inflicted handicap was the reluctance to view Indochina as a single strategic theater. Eisenhower was almost certainly right when he described a defense of Laos as essential to the defense of Vietnam. But Bundy resisted that proposition with the argument to Kennedy, according to Goldstein, that "Laos was never really ours after 1954.

South Vietnam is and wants to be." This distinction produced the anomalous situation in which half a million Americans fought to achieve a stalemate in Vietnam, a military objective rendered nearly impossible by enemy bases in Cambodia and supply lines through Laos.

As for negotiation, Bundy argued that once Hanoi's efforts to dominate South Vietnam were thwarted, an undefined compromise would emerge through diplomacy - in

effect, a strategy seeking stalemate, not victory. But stalemate violates the maxim that the guerrilla wins if he does not lose. The effort required to bring about a compromise was indistinguishable from the requirements of victory - as the administration in which I served had to learn from bitter experience. A reviewer cannot pretend to sum up a generation's travail in a book review.

A few observations will be in order: When the president is asked to consider going to war, he must be presented, above all, with an analysis of the global strategic situation on which the recommendation is based.

The purpose of war is victory. Stalemate is a last resort, not a desirable strategic objective. Victory needs to be defined as an outcome achievable in a time period sustainable by American public opinion.

There has to be presented to the president a sustainable diplomatic framework. Diplomacy and strategy must be treated as a whole, not as successive phases of policy. Authority for diplomacy and strategy must be clearly assigned. The administration as well as critics should conduct their debates with the restraint imposed by the knowledge that the unity of our society has been the hope of the world.

Should Bundy have come to conclusions such as these earlier? To do so, Bundy would have had to abjure the views of a generation avowed since Truman's disputes with MacArthur 15 years earlier, that force should be applied in minimum increments; that strategy and diplomacy were separate spheres to be conducted consecutively; that American principles applied in an undifferentiated manner globally were established maxims of a successful policy.

These principles were implemented in Vietnam in the early 1960s by the best, not the worst, of their generation. If the policymakers lacked perspective, their critics lacked compassion. Throughout history, every problem America had recognized had proved soluble by the application of resources and idealism. Vietnam proved obdurate. Mourning the assassination of a president with whom it had identified, and perplexed by an impasse to which its own theories had contributed, the intellectual establishment ascribed its traumas to a failure of the American experience and the moral inadequacy of its leaders.

This turned the national debate from an argument over feasibility into a crusade increasingly settled by confrontations designed to demonstrate a moral indictment. In that sense, Bundy was victim as much as cause of the forces unleashed as America was obliged to adapt its history to a changing world.

Henry A. Kissinger served as national security adviser and as secretary of state in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

Letters to the Editor

The Khiamniungans in 1980 Tug of War (A Reconciliation Perspective)

T

he first ever crises in the history of Naga National Movement for Freedom had taken place in 1980 in Khiamniungan Region we do not remind the world often about how we volunteered service in those darkest days does not reflect an un-conversant of the community for those sensible people. For we believe in the philosophy of ‘Truth never die”.

Based on genuine historical bed-rock and with the co-operation and support from the outside world like China and East Pakistan, those days, Naga movement as such was a strongest force in South East Asia perhaps.

But with the coming of 1980, the issue turned paralyse and procrastines for indefinite period of time. The Naga Leaders, found enemy within dropped the promised and the original issue (International) to domestic chaos.

People, especially like us who faithfully believes in the restoration of brotherhood through ‘movement’ turned hopelessness. Now we dare even to dream of going back to Egypt to start a new beginning and we are confound to take further journey as our leaders are divided. We are left in the darkness far away from the departure country.

While in the making way back in 1980, they were two

parties/groups threatening and serve warnings to the inhabitants for allowing the other group in the localities and shortly, the famous factional clash gave birth. Forget about the workers but civilians that were heavily crushed down between NNC/FGN-NSCN 1980 ‘Tug of War’. Many Ranapeyus (Head G.B), President (2nd G.B) and representatives to Government whom they (Govt) has appointed were awarded so call “Capital Punishment’ by saying they are ‘Intelligent Agency’. Several lives had been lost in cross-fire and houses and granaries turned into ashes. The brotherly killings began as the Towel of Babel collapsed.

The innocent civilians then began to flee their homes for the fear of their own Govt. Most of the villagers fled towards Burma to safe from their own brothers and leaders.

It was something like ‘deer that pursuit protection from men when fox attacks’. Some of the villagers died of starvation in the wilderness. Some of them died of sickness due to climate differences. As a human community, there are rough times and miserably remembering the gravity of the tears, bloods and the lives of those five hundred innocent children, men and women who were honestly working hard according to their inability for the cause of the Naga Nation by serving their leaders and carrying the cross of the nation. Too much have been paid and that the issue be-

come the most expensive for us. We feel no wrong/guilty to raise a voice ‘bearing the cross of this nation ain’t easy but where the crown is’. However, we bury all the questions for years by putting out trust and hope in the future.

Above all, the prime objective of this debate aims on ‘reconciliation bi forgiveness’. Having believe that every peace loving individuals agree upon when I say, to obtain genuine reconciliation, we need to be qualified in humility and humbleness by being champion over pride and self righteousness. Genuine reconciliation is not from someone else or forceful means and it can not be separated from forgiveness. Now, is the right time to realize the unforgiving mind which is full of suicidal activities.

No matter how stormy we have gone through, for the sake of common goal and the Nagas long cherished dreams, the people of Khiamniungan do not recount the past trauma and we are ever ready as we always are to march on unitedly till the war is won. Let the disaster of 1980 upon national workers and the Khiamniungans be an example and the last in the history of Nagas fight for freedom. And let the brethren of the land reconcile by forgiving and forgetting all the past bitterness we’ve committed against one another and against God. Y. Khomong Khiamniungan

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The Morung Express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: editor@morungexpress.com.

All letters (including those via email) should have the full name and Postal address of the sender.

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

THURSDAY

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

30 OCTOBER 2008

7

PERSPECTIVE NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE

LEARN FROM PAST mistakes and move on

A man watches stock prices on a screen on the facade of the Bombay Stock Exchange in Mumbai, India, Monday, October 27. India's benchmark Sensex index plunged to its lowest in nearly three years on Monday amid fears that the worst of the financial crisis is not yet over. The Sensex fell 528.62 points, or 6.08 percent, to 8,172.45, its lowest since November 2005.

(AP Photo) Shashi Tharoor

THE RECENT convulsions in the international financial markets have provoked an unseemly amount of gloating on the part of many in the developing world. That presidents Fidel Castro and Mohammed Ahmedinejad should pronounce themselves vindicated by the crisis in global capitalism is hardly surprising, since capitalism has over the years been so strongly identified with America that both see the problem through the lens of their own anti-Americanism.

What worries me, though, is the number of people in India who are saying similar things. "See, we were right in opposing all this liberalisation," one told me, stressing that our intrusive regulatory system had saved India from a similar fate much earlier. Another approvingly quoted rightwing rants in the US about the dawning of a "Socialist Republic of America" and added, "We should nationalise the banks again - after all, even the Americans and Brits are doing it!"

They are wrong, and it's

important to say so before too many people in our political classes find themselves persuaded by this lapse into historical amnesia.

The debate between capitalist globalisation and self-reliance is hardly new, but a few months ago one would have been justified in assuming that it had definitively been resolved. Yet, in India it had required a huge paradigm shift. Whereas, in America, most people axiomatically associate capitalism with freedom, India's nationalists associated capitalism with slavery - because the British East India Company had come to trade and stayed on to rule. So from 1947, our nationalist leaders were suspicious of every foreigner with a briefcase, seeing him as the thin edge of a neo-imperial wedge.

Instead of integrating India into the global capitalist system, as only a few developing countries like Singapore so effectively were to do, India's leaders were convinced that the political independence they had fought for could only be guaranteed through economic independence. So self-reliance became the slogan, the protectionist barriers went up, and

India spent 45 years with bureaucrats rather than businessmen on the "commanding heights" of our economy, wasting the first four and a half decades after independence in subsidising unproductivity, regulating stagnation and trying to distribute poverty. This only goes to prove that one of the lessons you learn from history is that history sometimes teaches the wrong lessons. It would be tragic if recent events in the world of finance led us to learn the wrong lessons again.

The reactionaries today seem quickly to forget that it took a humiliating financial crisis in 1991 (one in which the nation had to physically ship its gold reserves to London as collateral for an IMF loan) to prompt India to change course. And change course we did, for the better. A measure of the extent to which the globalisation debate had turned came for me a few months ago in Kolkata when I heard the chief minister of West Bengal, Buddhadev Bhattacharya, say: "Some people say globalisation is bad for the poor and must be resisted. I tell them that is not possible. And" -

the emphasis is mine - "even if it were possible, it would not be desirable." When a Communist chief minister speaks that way about global capitalism, one can argue that debate is largely over.

For decades, the theory of development economics had suffered from two intertwined historical circumstances - the experience of the Great Depression in the 1930s, when only robust government intervention saved a number of economies, and the fight for freedom from colonial rule, which involved the overthrow of both foreign rulers and foreign capitalists (though few nationalists could tell the difference). The development gurus firmly believed in the wisdom of top-down rule and government planning by all-knowing, allseeing economists, of whom India suffered from a superabundance.

Our rulers, in turn, mistrusted what ordinary people could achieve for themselves when they were freed to pursue their own prosperity within a framework of government-supported structures that ensured a level playing field, fair regulation and social justice

(the model that came to be adopted in the western democracies, though increasingly dismantled in Republican-ruled America).

Instead, they created a license-permit quota raj that denied Indian businesses the opportunity to prosper and grow.

The result was what was derisively called the "Hindu rate of growth", at which India chugged along at three percent while much of the rest of Asia shot ahead. Resources that the state could have spent on infrastructure development, education, health and agricultural reform went instead to massively inefficient public-sector projects that employed many and produced little.

It is sadly impossible to quantify the economic losses inflicted on India over four decades of entrepreneurs frittering away their energies in queuing for licenses rather than manufacturing products, paying bribes instead of hiring workers, wooing politicians instead of understanding consumers, and "getting things done" through bureaucrats rather than doing things for themselves. The disastrous inefficiencies of the system

were masked by subsidies from the national exchequer, and a combination of vested interests - socialist ideologues, political opportunists, bureaucratic managers, self-protective trade unions and captive markets - shielded it fiercely from economic reality, as millions of Indians languished in poverty. Is this really what we want to return to?

In the last 15 years, India has pulled more people out of poverty than in the previous 45 - averaging some 10 million people a year in the last decade. The country has visibly prospered, and despite population growth, per capita income has grown faster and higher in each of these years than ever before.

The current financial crisis, far from prompting us to retreat, is an opportunity to safeguard those gains and to build on them. For more than four decades India suffered from the economics of nationalism, which equated political independence with economic self-sufficiency and so relegated us to chronic poverty and mediocrity. Let us not condemn Indians again to repeating the mistakes of that unlamented past.

'Does India's education system encourage questioning?'

While globalisation is forcing change in the way knowledge is imparted, no real change can take place unless teachers are better qualified.

P V INDIRESAN, Former Director, IIT Madras

‘When a large share of teachers are themselves poorly qualified, you cannot possibly expect them to en-

experience in the field of engineering education that, of the 2,500-odd colleges that impart engineering education, just around 100 of them will be encouraging students to question what the teachers are saying or writing on the board — the ones encouraging a serious degree of questioning will be a fraction of even this. In other words, just around 4,000 or so teachers of the 100,000 that teach in various engineering colleges across the country will be encouraging some sort of

today, many of the teachers have come from smaller colleges and many of them don’t even have a masters degree. Naturally, then, most of them will not be very good in their work and they will not encourage students to ask them anything, for the very simple reason that they may not know the answer to a question being asked. I know of a lot of teachers who don’t even give lectures but just go and write out their lectures, so where is the question of them encouraging students

been able to get other jobs.

Once again, the result is the same, an intellectually lower level of teachers as compared to the situation 20 years ago.

So, for these reasons, unless you’re studying in one of the few prestigious colleges like the IITs or IISc, the teachers will have low intellectual abilities and will naturally encourage students to remain at their levels, if not lower.

While I’m not sure the Shanghai University kind of rankings (in which just two or three Indian universities figure in the list of the top 500 global ones) are the best way to judge universities, it is a fact that our levels of research work in universities is very poor; and teachers who do not encourage their students to think cannot be expected to be doing good research either. In any case, it is also true that apart from the top few universities/ colleges, none of the others even have facilities for research. The fact that India has a poor record in terms of filing patents is, once again, a symptom of the same low intellectual level in universities and the lack of facilities for research.

(As told to Sunil Jain)

courage students to ask questions’ On the whole, it’s difficult not to agree with the view that India’s colleges and universities do not really encourage questioning from students, preferring instead to get students to learn by rote. I can say from my

intellectual query.

The reasons for this sad state of affairs has to do with the background of the teachers that are now coming in.

Till 1986 or so, a large number of the teachers in the better engineering colleges in the country were masters or doctorates from the IITs;

to look at things differently?

A related reason stems from why the teachers are in the jobs they are in right now. Unlike in the past where there was a passion to educate that drove us into the teaching profession, many of those teaching today are there because they have not

REV VALSON THAMPU, Principal, St. Stephen’s College

‘Globalisation is changing the old teacher-is-right mindset but it is unfair to expect that all knowledge has to be imparted only by the teachers’

Rahul Gandhi was e

ssentially comparing the two contrasting paradigms of education eastern and western when he said that our education system does not encourage us to question. From ancient times, the guru shishya concept went by an approach where the student accepted what the teacher said. The western liberal notion of intellectual freedom was not a natural concept here.

Freedom to acquire knowledge was also limited to the socially and economically elite. We are also bogged down by the sheer weight of numbers. In the west with fewer people, it is easier to have interactive sessions. The inadequate promotion of higher education, which I feel is part of a silent conspiracy to exclude the majority from education and hence employment, is responsible for these overcrowded classrooms.

But fortunately we are going through radical changes. From a closed society we are moving to a globalised world. Now our comparisons are not between institutions within the country but with institutions outside the country. So there is nothing surprising in what Rahul Gandhi said. It is something which should have been said ten years ago, underlining the need for radical rethinking of our higher education.

Ideally the goal of education should be enlightenment and not employment. Only if this goal is accepted will the classroom transform.

But today the shrinking of the world, through technology and access to the outside

world, is creating avenues for intellectual growth if they are missing in the classrooms.

Today the dependence on teachers has come down in higher education and that is a positive change for the better.

Learning is too precious to be left to teachers alone.

In Indian philosophy, it is said that we learn a fourth from books, one fourth from friends , one fourth from teachers and one fourth from experience. So the role of teachers is only as important as that of other sources of knowledge. Even in the past, our college used to encourage dialogue and interaction. I used to take children for a walk or have two hour sessions for a discussion. Today if I were to have that, no one will turn up. For most of them would be doing this or that course or are already fixed on the corporate world.

But our goal is still finding ways to enrich the experience of learning, so that it goes beyond employment.

You can ask three kinds of questions, one to embarrass, the other to know and the third, which very few ask, is to bring about change.

What Rahul Gandhi asked seems to be the latter. Most powerful questions are those which are aimed at bringing about change from which millions benefit. The very fact that he raised this question of possible far-reaching consequences means that St Stephens did some good to him after all.

(As told to Sreelatha Menon)

A Story Untold

Reflection on the Current Trend Achan Ramsan

FOR BETTER or worse, we are married to our destiny, as the sweet marriage vow: …in sickness and death... till death do us part. The destiny of a nation fragmented, the destiny of factionalism is our painful heritage.

Down the memory lane, the good old days of chivalry in the conduct of our national heroes still glows in the distance of the hallowed ground. Our spirit is ennobled by those countless braves. A true sacrifice without any expectation in return for their acts fills our hearts with nostalgia.

Now, Time has changed and along with it the situation. Infidels roamed and roared the street, silencing all voices of sanity. The sanctity of the conscience of revolutionaries for service, for reform, for the ideal, for the people, for the land …….to live or die with and for the cause so dear is the hallmark of their ilk; but no longer anymore.

A shallow mentality has crept in. Their ego, their false façade, their fabricated mind and their mind-set, all entrenched in anything but revolutionaries’ thoughts – just drawn to a booty without any sweats - makes the battlefield desolate. They endeavor factionalism above national interest to savor their own ego and self-interest. If only they would have swallowed their pride, our plight would be less and our future bright. But here we are – gangs of extortionist, toting AKs in the garb of ‘national workers’ working for their selfish ends. The end is near, disaster is imminent.

In the heartland of the otherwise solid and power packed turf of the NSCN (IM), the Tangkhul country too, hodgepodge of undergrounds has spawned. There is the ‘Wishful’ group, the ‘Aleng’ group and more recently the little known pseudo-underground and mafia type known as the ‘Republic of Cobra Gang’ have sprung up as unearthed recently. As far as this ‘Republic of Cobra Gang’ is concerned the NSCN (IM) is tracking out these delinquent teenagers spread across the district. From its inception last year, their existence came to light only this year when some of their boys were caught stealing computers. The NSCN (IM) is cracking the case before it could entrenched itself into the status of acquiring arms. However concerning the other two underground outfits, so far there has been no known encounter. But skirmishes of words have been exchanged through mobile phones taunting and daring one another, it is learned. Popular support to the outfit may be absent, but the spare of extortion rackets have been well entrenched. Only their want of ideological stands and their alliance with the valley based insurgents make them force not much to be reckoned yet.

Though their activities are little known, the use of explosives in 3-4 instances to drive home their point and create fear psychosis have successfully carried out.

Some months back, in a series of such incidents, the sound of explosion reverberated in the heart of Ukhrul town in Viewland locality. A bomb planted beside the house of Collective Leadership’s Emissary, V Atem’s brother exploded at night. The motives could not be ascertained except the statistical evidence of the incident – some pock mark on the RCC building and some flower pots. Queries to establish the truth revealed nothing. All were tight lipped. Some said that Atem arrived that day and may probably have lodged there.

However, the family flatly denied this, nor his presence at Ukhrul could be established. But their objective was well established: to create fear, threaten, establish their credentials and capitalize on this to demonstrate the reach of their power.

It is unfortunate that when the taxpayers are reeling under the weight and wary of the various taxes from the undergrounds, all these elusive elements have sprung up. On anonymity an NGO leader who had to cough out a substantial amount of money told this writer, ‘What (money) will be left there for us (NGOs) to do, if we have to pay to all these groups?’ The situation as such, any dedication, devotion and service to honestly execute their work become half-baked and half-done.

Blame it on the NGO? Blame it on all the departments!

And let all the departments blame the undergrounds.

But what about the general public? Whatever be the situation, the people are milched high and dry. So what is left? BLAME, FLAME…Till Kaboom!

We Interrupt This War Cappy Hall Rearick

We interrupt this war for doctors to heal the sick, poets to write a sonnet, and ministers to teach us how to love one another.

We interrupt this war for economists to find a way to balance the national budget, for people to find jobs, for authorities to rid us of drug lords, and for minorities to find their equal place in the world.

We interrupt this war to find our future.

We interrupt this war for soldiers to hug their children, for family reunions, for more time to find a lasting peace for our world.

We interrupt this war for artists to paint and sculpt, builders to clean up slums and writers to create unforgettable plots and characters.

We interrupt this war so that we might feed the hungry, save the whales and find a cure for cancer and AIDS. We interrupt this war for the Special Olympics.

Girl Scout Cookies. The World Series.

For newborn babies.

We interrupt this war to care for the aged, to be kind to animals and to share with others.

We interrupt this war to clean up the environment, to find homes for the homeless, and to defend the weak and defenseless.

We interrupt this war to marvel at a sunset, to enjoy a child’s laughter, and to sing a love song.

“THOU SHALT NOT KILL”

Source: Business Standard

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.

C M Y K

8

Dimapur

30 October 2008

The Morung Express

NEWS FILE UP migrant lynched on Mumbai local train BJP, Shiv Sena seek dissolution of Goa government

PANAJI, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena here have requested the state Governor to dissolve the government in view of deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Shiv Sena met governor S Sidhu with its memorandum yesterday, while the BJP delegation is likely to meet him today or tomorrow pressing for the same demand. “The Governor can use his powers to dissolve the government as the law and order situation is turning grave in the state,” BJP Legislative Wing Spokesman Damodar Naik told PTI. Miscreants are on idol desecration spree in the state with the police failing to nab the culprits, he said. Goa government has constituted a special team to probe the trend of desecration which might spark off communal tensions in the state, he said. Naik said the increasing desecration of idols, rampant corruption and increasing incidents of violence is an indication that nothing is well in the state. The Shiv Sena in its memorandum to the Governor has said that it is for the first time that several temples, statues and religious structures have been destroyed by miscreants and police have failed to arrest the culprits. “We briefed the Governor about our demands.

He was concerned about the law and order situation,” Shiv Sena Goa Chief Upendra Gaonkar said.

Hearing against Scarlett’s mother postponed to Nov 5 PANAJI, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): Goa’s Women and Child Development (WCD) department on Wednesday postponed to Nov 5 the hearing of the case against British mother Fiona Mackeown, who faces charges of neglect against her dead teenaged daughter Scarlett Keeling. The WCD had earlier threatened to proceed ex parte against Fiona if she failed to appear for the hearing scheduled for Wednesday. Fiona is presently in Britain. The notices to Fiona followed a complaint by advocate Aires Rodrigues who had charged Fiona of neglecting her daughter under the Goa Children’s Act. Aires claimed that Fiona had left her minor daughter in the care of a stranger, while she herself was vacationing with friends in Gokarna, Karnataka. After Fiona failed to attend preliminary hearings at the WCD, the director had then issued a show cause notice warning her of an ex parte decision if she failed to turn up again. Fiona had earlier led a campaign against the state administration, claiming that her daughter had been allegedly murdered by the drug mafia operative in Goa. She had named the son of a top politician in the state as one of the accused.

Scarlett was found dead in controversial circumstances on Goa’s Anjuna beach in February this year.

Kashmiri group in US endorses Obama

C M Y K

NATIONAL

Thursday

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): A US-based Kashmiri group has endorsed Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama saying he has better plans to fight terrorism across the globe. Kashmir Solidarity, which strongly opposes separatist forces in Jammu and Kashmir, said, “Obama will be able to better manage both economy and foreign relations and Indo-US relations will further strengthen under his leadership.” “Though our outfit prefers the trade policies of Republican candidate John McCain, it feels that Sarah Palin as a running mate is too risky to be one step away from the White House,” Chairman of the Solidarity Surinder Zutshi told reporters here. The endorsement comes as polls show that Obama has wide support among Indian-Americans.

No packed food, its now hot meal for children NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29 (CNN-IBN): The debate seems to be settled once and for all, and hot cooked meal is the chosen food for children till 14 years of age in the country to provide supplementary nutrition. Minutes of a cabinet meeting earlier this month clearly states that government would expedite switch over to hot cooked meals from Ready to eat food. This is under the rupees 44 thousand crore Integrated Child Development Scheme despite objections by the Women and Child Development Ministry. The Planning Commission had earlier intervened opposing any such move however, later the PMO had intervened insisting the Supreme Court guidelines on the issue be followed. But this decision of the union cabinet comes at a time when the Comptroller and Auditor General has raised serious questions over the implementation of a similar program to increase nutritional levels in children. The Mid Day meal scheme which provides hot cooked meals to children at primary and upper primary level CAG says that no assessment so far has been made on the impact of the program in terms of enrollment, nutritional and retention levels of children. The two schemes together cover more than 15 crore children in the country. The government has decided what is best to increase nutritional levels in them without assessing how good the present system is.

Seven injured in two major fires in Delhi

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): Two major fire broke out in the national capital, injuring seven people, following Diwali festivities. Seven people, including four firemen, were injured when a fire broke out in a slum cluster in Jehangirpuri area of north-west Delhi at around 10:30 last night, gutting several hutments, fire brigade officials said.

The injured were admitted to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital, they said, adding there were no reports of any death. “I was one of the first officers here. We were about to enter when we heard that the mob was attacking fire trucks. So we waited for police protection and then we went in,” says T S Sharma.

According to the fire brigade officials, the firemen were injured in the stone-pelting by angry mob. Around 25 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire. The fire

broke out in the E-block of the locality which also houses a Delhi Jal Board office, they said. The cause of the fire is yet to be known, they added.

In another incident, a fire broke out at a paint factory in Azadpur at around 0430 hrs IST on Wednesday morning, engulfing three floors of the building. Fire officials said 12 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire and it was brought under control at around 0800 hrs IST. No one was injured in the fire, they said, adding the cause of the incident was not yet known. Some minor incidents of fire were also reported from various parts of the city. The Fire Department said they received 199 calls till 7:00 am today. Most of the calls were fire crackerrelated incidents, the official said. Last year around 150 calls were received by the Fire Department on Diwali

MUMBAI, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): In a shocking incident, a group of unidentified men beat to death a 25year-old migrant labourer from Uttar Pradesh in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon.

Dharam Dev, along with three other labourers from UP, were travelling to Kurla on a Mumbai local train from Khopoli to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus when the group started beating them up after a brawl.

Following the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has written to the Prime Minister, seeking the Centre’s immediate intervention and a probe into the case. She has also written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. The UP and Maharashtra governments have meanwhile announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the family of the deceased. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil too spoke to Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy CM R R Patil over the migrant’s death and demanded a report on the incident. R R Patil said that his government takes full responsibility of security for migrants and added

that stern action will be taken against the accused involved in yesterday’s incident.

Dev, who worked as a helper at a construction site, was occupying the window seat in the train, when a group of eight to 10 commuters, who appeared to be local villagers, forced them to vacate the seat, police said.

The local group who spoke Marathi then asked Dev and his friends if they were ‘bhaiyyas’ after which they started abusing them, according to police. According to the statement given by the victim’s friends, the four were slapped and kicked, thus rendering Dev unconscious.

The local group got off the train at Karjat, while Dev and his friends remained in the train. The victim’s friend then called up the Railway Protection Force (RPF) control number. Officials from the RPF then boarded the train at Badlapur and Dev was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead. A postmortem was conducted on Dev and the report showed he died of injuries to the liver.

Dev, who hails from Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, had been staying in the financial capital for the last few months.

Government Railway Police Commissioner A K Sharma said that they have registered a case of murder and rioting against the accused. According to police, a hunt has been launched for the accused and their sketches are being pre-

pared. The police have detained 12 men in connection with the attack and are questioning them. However, no arrests have been made so far.

The attack is being seen as part of the campaign against North Indians in Maharashtra.

The shocking incident came just days after another youth from Bihar, Rahul Raj, was shot dead by the Mumbai Police on Monday after he allegedly tried to hijack a local BEST bus at Kurla, claiming he wanted to take revenge

against Raj Thackeray. The two incidents follow Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists’ attack against North Indian students who were appearing for a railway recruitment examination in Mumbai.

10 MNS workers held in UP youth lynching

MUMBAI, OCTOBER 29 (CNN-IBN): The Government Railway Police have detained 10 activists of Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) from Khopoli in connection with Tuesday’s killing of an Uttar Pradesh youth in a Mumbai local train.

Dharamdev Rai, a 25year-old labourer from UP, was beaten up on board a local train from Khopoli to Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station and later succumbed to his injuries. The Maharashtra government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for Rai’s family.

Meanwhile, the MNS said that three of their supporters have already been released and added that all those detained are all being held for no reason. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister

Mayawati has already asked the Central Government to control the ongoing violence against North Indians in Maharashtra. She also announced Rs 2 lakh as compensation for Uttar Pradesh youth Dharamdev Rai, who was beaten to death by a group of Marathi-speaking youth inside a Mumbai local train on Tuesday afternoon.

Samajwadi Party, too, seems keen to join hands with Mayawati on the North Indian versus Maharashtra divide. Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh said that if the Bahujan Samaj Party chief agrees, then a joint delegation of UP politicians could meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue. The Union Home Ministry has also sought details from Maharashtra government on the

killing of the UP youth.

Rai and three other labourers – Vijendra Rai (35), Satyaprakash Kaushal Rai and Shiv Kumar Verma (both 25) – from UP were on their way to Kurla on Tuesday afternoon when they were beaten up on the running train by 8-10 people. Rai’s friends have alleged that they were beaten by Marathi-speaking youth, after they learnt that the labourers were North Indians. “After the train left the station, some people entered our compartment. They asked us where we were from.

When they learnt we are from UP they made us sit separately.

Then they first verbally abused us and then started beating us up,” Dharamdev Rai’s friend Virendra Kumar Rai claimed.

The youths started beating all the four as the train approached Karjat. While his friends managed to es-

cape with minor injuries, Rai was beaten up brutally. Rai was admitted to the Dubey hospital in Badlapur but succumbed to his injuries. The incident happened at around 1412-1415 hrs IST on Tuesday and rain was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Badlapur at about 1530 hrs IST. The post-mortem report confirmed death due to puncturing of the liver at about 2200 hrs IST. Rai, who hails from Sant Kabir Nagar in Faizabad in UP, had been working in Mumbai for the past few months.

Government Railway Police (GRP) Commissioner AK Sharma told CNN-IBN that a case has been registered for murder and rioting.

“Post-mortem report confirmed that he was beaten up.

He died because of injuries to his liver,” Sharma said.

Pilot, co-pilot killed in aircraft crash in Ludhiana CAG punches holes LUDHIANA, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): A six-seater aircraft of Punjab government today crashed here killing its pilot and co-pilot, who prevented damage on ground by steering the plane away from a crowded industrial area after it developed a technical fault.

The Beechcraft C-90 King Air plane, purchased by the state government in 1978, had taken off from Chandigarh airport at 10.50 AM on a test flight “before a VIP trip” when it developed some technical fault before it could land at the Sahnewal airport, two km from Jugiana, police and officials said.

The badly mutilated bodies of the two crew – Dalip Kataria and co-pilot Manjit Singh Khokar – were recovered from the wreckage of the plane which burst into flames soon after after it crash-landed on the premises of Thapar Agro – a closed unit in Jugiana industrial area after nosediving, Senior Superintendent of Police P K Jaiswal told reporters.

The pilot appears to have chosen the closed unit for

in IAF training of pilots

Police and officials inspect the wreckage after a Beechcraft C-90 King Air plane crashed in Jugiana village near Ludhiana in Punjab state October 29. A six-seater aircraft of Punjab state government Wednesday crashed killing its pilot and co-pilot, who prevented damage on ground by steering the plane away from a crowded industrial area after it developed a technical fault. (AP Photo)

landing in order to save other working units where a large number of employees worked, he said at the crash site. Eyewitnesses told the police that the aircraft hovered over the

industrial belt for some time apparently looking for a safe landing spot to avoid minimum damage on ground.

Fire tenders from the Sahnewal airport and Ludhiana

immediately reached the spot to douse the flames. Police had cordoned off the area and the aircraft’s black box would be retrieved to ascertain the cause of the crash.

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilots may have outshone their US, British, South Korean and French counterparts in recent air war games, but a CAG report has pointed out that they have to hone their skills despite the constraints of obsolete trainers, dysfunctional simulators and outdated training programmes. A Comptroller and Auditor General finding, submitted to Lok Sabha this month, has punched holes in the IAF’s training of its pilots, citing that it has not formulated any long-term training plan for pilots of fighter and other streams in line with its desired force levels and technological changes.

“The interim training plans for short periods of two years have led to short-sighted decisions impacting quality of pilot training,” the CAG performance audit report said.

It said the number of pilots trained in various streams during 2001-06 was much lower than planned targets indicating that either the training tar-

gets did not take into account constraints or IAF failed to ensure adequate intake of pilot trainees through an effective recruitment strategy.

The IAF’s requirement of trained pilots will substantially increase during 2008-18 to meet expansion needs of the IAF squadrons, and fill up backlog vacancies and also vacancies arising from high attrition rates in recent years. “IAF has not implemented any effective training strategy for meeting the increased intake requirements by addressing problems related to limitations of air space/runaway occupancy and other infrastructural constraints,” the report added.

Noting that the number of pilots failing to complete their training successfully was significantly higher than the assessed average wastage rates in 45 per cent of courses, the report said there was also lack of continuity in the transition of a pilot from initial training to intermediate and advanced stages of training in terms of quality, technology and avionics of the trainer aircraft used.

Top Hizb militant killed in J&K Parties gear up for J&K elections

SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): A self-styled district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday afternoon, official sources said.

Abdul Rashid alias “Majid”, one of the most wanted militants of Hizbul Mujahideen in south Kashmir, was killed in a nearly fivehour-long gun battle with Special Operations Group of local police and Rashtriya Rifles at Nayan-Batpora village, the sources said.

The encounter broke out at around 7 am when a police party assisted by troops of Rashtriya Rifles raided a

house adjacent to a school in the village following specific information about presence of the top Hizbul Mujahideen militant there, they said. The joint search party asked the hiding militant to surrender but he opened fire and in the ensuing encounter, the selfstyled district commander was killed, they said. His halfburnt body along with some arms and ammunition was recovered from the debris of the house which was gutted during the gunfight, they added.

Terming the killing of the top militant as a “major breakthrough”, the sources said Rashid was evading arrest for the last several years and was wanted in a number of militancy-related incidents.

Arms and ammunition SRINAGAR, OCTOBER be one issue. We will press for overturning certain central recovered from Poonch 29 (CNN-IBN): Jammu and intra-Kashmir dialogue too,” references,” says Mehbooba

Several arms and ammunition were recovered by the security forces during search operations in different areas of Poonch district today, official sources said. On a tip off, the army troops and police launched a joint operation in Kamathiya Dhok area of Mandi sector of the border district last evening and recovered one AK-56 rifle with its magazine and three rounds, they said.

In another search operation at Khanetrian area of the Poonch district, the forces found two blankets and some biscuits. The militants had already fled from the area before troops arrived, the sources said.

Kashmir goes to polls from November 17 to elect its new 87-member Legislative Assembly. With the poll process starting, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has also decided to join the fray.

In another major development after almost 25 years of political wilderness, former Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah, too, has decided to contest polls. But this time it will be his son Mazaffar Shah who will be holding fort for his party Awami National Conference (ANC). “We will contest in 65 to 70 seats and resolution of Kashmir will

Residents display saffron flags to save life in Kandhamal KANDHAMAL, OCTOBER 29 (AGENCIES): Madhuri Dalbehara was stringing flowers under a saffron flag quite assured that no one would torch her house in anti-Christian violence-hit Kandhamal – a telling indication of the fear that Hindu fundamentalists have spread across the district.

“We have displayed these flags to ward off any attack on us,” said Dalbehara, who is a Christian.

“There is Hindu-Christian violence in our region. This flag is an indication that we are Hindus.

No one has attacked our house so far,” she smiled, asking a visiting correspondent if he had “come from abroad to do research in the district over the violence.”

“It is a sensitive area and by hoisting the flag, we have made sure no one does any harm to us,” she added. Thousands of houses across the district display saffron flags to give the impression that the residents are Hindus while, in fact, they are Christians. “It’s better to protect your house and if a flag can save our

lives then there is nothing wrong in displaying it,” said Nabghan Chinara, a resident of the G. Udaygiri neighbourhood, pointing to the tiny flag fluttering on the roof. “There is no animosity between tribals and Christians here. We were all living happily but outsiders are spreading hatred. They might have some political motive,” said Rajesh Pradhan, another resident.

Anti-Christian violence has been boiling in Kandhamal ever since the Aug 23 killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, a Hindu religious leader, and four of his supporters.

While the Maoists have claimed responsibility for the murders, Hindu fundamentalists insist that Christians were behind the murder. “I am not branding Hindus as criminals or fundamentalists but activists of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are trying to bring in fascism in Orissa. We won’t allow Orissa to become another Gujarat,” said Swarupanand Patra, president of the Orissa Minority Forum, while referring to the anti-Muslim pogrom in the west-

says Muzaffar Shah, ANC General Secretary, about his party’s election plank.

With PDP also contesting, most of the political parties have based their agendas on soft-separatism. The PDP is hoping to outwit its bitter rival, the National Conference (NC) which has given concepts like shared-sovereignty and making Kashmir an “approachable” trade hub in South Asia. “We are for joint council for this Jammu and Kashmir and other Kashmir. We also want certain amendments like electing governor besides

Mufti, PDP President.

And out of power for last six years, the NC expects to bank on the anti-incumbency factor. With greater autonomy still at the heart of its manifesto, the NC hopes to capitalise on the mishandling of Amarnath land row by the previous PDPCongress coalition. “We will fight on local issues at some places and at other just highlight the failures of the last coalition government,” reveals NC President Omar Abdullah. But which party will eventually hold out the candle for people will be decided by the year-end.

ern Indian state following the Feb 27, 2002, Godhra train burning.

“They are asking our Christian brothers to convert into Hinduism or else face death. Is this democracy?

Why is the state government so slow in punishing the culprits?” asked Patra, who is also president of the Orissa YMCA. True to his allegation, there are posters and wall writings in Kandhamal asking Christians to convert to Hinduism. One such in Gadar Gaon read: “If Christians want peace, then they must adopt Hinduism...if you will not adopt Hinduism then the district will continue to boil”.

“This is a Hindu country and only Hindus will stay here,” said a message inscribed on a torched house. At least 38 people, including a Central Reserve Police Force trooper, have lost their lives in communal clashes in the district following Saraswati’s killing.

While over 3,000 houses, mostly belonging to Christians, have been gutted or vandalized in Kandha- Kashmiri women carry dried leaves on their head to be burnt for coal mal, over 23,000 people have fled and used in firepots during winter, on the outskirts of Srinagar Octofrom their villages, fearing death. ber 29. (AP Photo)

INTERNATIONAL

The Morung Express

Thursday 30 October 2008

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Obama leads race to White House

Editor’s Note: The Associated Press is no lon format. Please make the necessary adjustme Only Adobe Illustrator and PDF files will be

Political crystal ball calls Obama the winner

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., waves at a rally at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Va., Tuesday, October 28.(AP Photo)

WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 29 (REUTERS): Democrat Barack Obama has a steady 5-point national lead over Republican John McCain with six days left in the grueling race for the White House, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/ Zogby poll released on Wednesday. Obama leads McCain by 49 percent to 44 percent among likely voters in the three-day national tracking poll, inching up from his 4-point advantage on Tuesday. The telephone poll has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.

"The daily numbers were essentially unchanged from yesterday, with just a slight improvment for Obama," pollster John Zogby said.

"The race is frozen in place for now." The Illinois senator still holds a solid lead

with several crucial blocs of swing voters -- he is ahead by 15 points among independents, 10 points among women, 8 points among Catholics and 5 points among voters above the age 65. The race is essentially tied among men and McCain moved into a slight 2-point lead among self-described blue-collar workers as the two candidates push toward next week's vote.

"Obama is holding steady," Zogby said. Obama has held a lead of between two and 12 points every day since the tracking poll began three weeks ago. McCain, an Arizona senator, has not been able to push his support above 45 percent in that time, while Obama reached a high mark of 52 percent a week ago before drifting back. About two

percent of voters remain undecided in the race, which still has time for some lastminute shifts.

The 5-point margin for Obama is the same lead then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush held in the tracking poll over Democrat Al Gore with six days left in the 2000 race. Gore closed fast and narrowly won the popular vote, but Bush won the Electoral College and the presidency after a disputed Florida recount. With six days to go in the 2004 race, Bush led Democratic challenger John Kerry by one point before winning reelection by 3 points.

McCain and Obama campaigned in Pennsylvania on Tuesday as they turn their attention to about a dozen battleground states that will decide the race.

All except Pennsylvania are states won by Bush in 2004. Independent Ralph Nader received 2 percent in the national survey, and Libertarian Bob Barr was at 1 percent. The rolling tracking poll, taken Sunday through Tuesday, surveyed 1,179 likely voters in the presidential election. In a tracking poll, the most recent day's results are added, while the oldest day's results are dropped to monitor changing momentum.

The U.S. president is determined by who wins the Electoral College, which has 538 members apportioned by population in each state and the District of Columbia. Electoral votes are allotted on a winner-take-all basis in all but two states, which divide them by congressional district.

WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 29 (AFP): US history professor Allan Lichtman believes he has the secret to predicting who will win the vote in any US presidential election and he has the record since 1984 to prove it. “The 13 Keys to the White House” -- a system he developed 27 years ago with mathematician Volodia Keilis-Borok -- has proven right in every White House race since then, he told AFP. The “13 keys” are a set of variables which will tell whether the presidency will change party hands in the quadrennial contest, which takes place this year on November 4.

The true-or-false statements assess the conditions facing the incumbent party -- this year President George W. Bush’s Republicans -- on issues such as the candidate’s standing, the party’s legislative power, security and the economy, and the level of charisma of the two major party candidates. Using these metrics, Lichtman, who lectures on the history of US presidential elections at American University in Washington, called the 2008 race two and a half years ago.

Before Barack Obama was even in the running, he told Foresight magazine in February 2006 that the Democrats would retake the White House. “I could see the winds of change were blowing, based on the keys,” he said. “Long before the nomination contest unfolded, the Democrats could take a name out of a phone book and still win.” For the party holding the presidency to lose it, Lichtman says, six or more of the 13 keys have to be false.

In early 2006, Bush and the Republicans had eight falses. Today, Lichtman said, there are “at least” eight falses. To him, Republican candidate Senator John McCain hasn’t had a chance since as far back as 2005. The keys give no weight to the candidate’s vice presidential

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Among likely voters, Barack Obama averages an eight point lead in presidential preference over John McCain in eight battleground states.

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Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Mohamed Nasheed, right, shakes hands with longtime ruler President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom at a press briefing in Male, Maldives, Wednesday, October 29. Nasheed, a former political prisoner, won the Maldives' first democratic presidential election, defeating Gayoom and sending euphoric opposition supporters pouring into the streets Wednesday in celebration. (AP Photo)

lenged since 1978, and had repeatedly thrown Nasheed in jail over a period of six years. There was no immediate comment from Gayoom or his aides to the results. Thousands of Nasheed supporters drove around the capital Male waving their yellow flags as others hugged each other at a beachfront promenade where young people had camped for days to drum up support for his campaign. "This is spontaneous joy," said one, Aishath Aniya. Fathimath Niusha, a 27year-old school teacher, said she was thrilled with the change of leadership. "I want to see how it will be under a new president," Niusha said. "All my life, it had been under Gayoom." Gayoom had failed to win an outright victory in the first round of voting three weeks ago, prompting the run-off against the charismatic Nasheed, 41, a former Amnesty International "prisoner of conscience."

Nasheed, a political moderate, has promised to root out corruption, improve health care and communications to remote islands, cut state spending and turn the lavish presidential palace into the first university in the country. The Maldives, a liberal Sunni Muslim nation of 1,192 coral islands and some 300,000 people, has never had multi-party elections before.

Until a few years ago, anyone declaring an intention to seek high office would be banished to an uninhabited island.

The elections followed Gayoom's promise to bring political freedoms to the archipelago in the wake of pro-democracy protests and mounting international pressure. Despite its popularity as an exotic holiday destination for the rich, the country is beset with corruption, an acute housing shortage and a serious drug problem said to affect one in three youngsters. Forty per-

Which presidential nominee do you trust more to …

over-valuing financial assets," said Leape. "But a more fundamental crisis looms, an ecological credit crunch caused by under-valuing the environmental assets that are the basis of all life and prosperity."

The report shows that more than three quarters of the planet's population live in nations that are ecological debtors -- countries where consumption outstrips biological capacity. Produced with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Global Footprint Network (GFN), the bi-annual study measures the ecological footprint of human demand on natural resources, and assesses Earth's ability to remain a "living planet." The 2008 edition shows a drop off of nearly 30 percent since 1970 in some 5,000 monitored populations of 1,686 different species.

Declines are closer to 50 percent in tropics, which contain the highest concentration of biodiversity in the world and serve as a brake on global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Deforestation, land conversion, pollution, over-fishing and climate change are the

main drivers of environmental degradation. "We are acting ecologically in the same way as financial institutions have been behaving economically -- seeking immediate gratification without due regard to consequences," said the Zoological Society's Jonathan Loh. "The consequences of global economic crisis are even graver than the current economic meltdown." Carbon emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation are the biggest drain on the natural economy, underlining the threat of climate change, the report concluded. The Earth needs on average 2.1 "global" hectares per person to produce our resources and capture emissions, but humanity's perperson footprint is already 2.7 hectares, it calculates.

"Continued ecological deficit spending will have severe economic consequences," argued GFN head Mathis Wackernagel. "Resource limitations and ecosystem collapses would trigger stagflation with the value of investments plummeting, while food and energy costs skyrocket," he cautioned.

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running mate, how his wife cession during the camheroically in a war, but to looks, or how the campaign paign: Technically true, win that key you have to be goes. “The basic theory bebut Lichtman counts this a leader in war like (1953<AP> ELN BATTLEGROUNDS 102908: Grap hind the whole system is that as a false because of the 61 president Dwight) inches; 96.3 mm x 83 mm; with BC-AP Poll-B American elections are basideep financial crisis.

Eisenhower.” cally a verdict on the perfor- 6: Real per-capita economic 13: The challenging-party Editor’s Note: It is mandatory to include all sources that acco mance of the party holding growth during the current candidate is not charisthe White House,” Lichtman president’s term equals matic or a national hero.

NOTE: The basic Associated Battleground State growth Polls on the False.

2008 presidential, Senate and gubern said. “The thesis Press-GfK is it is or exceeds mean &governing, Media from Oct. 22-26, 2008. Theduring polls were by landline telephone with state-wide represen not campaigning, the conducted previous two Lichtman acknowledges voters; margin of error ± 3.9 percentage points or ± 4 points.

That means no more than one time in 20 sh that counts. It’s why you can terms. False. that as an African-American, percentage from thebeanswers that incumbent would be obtained if allObama’s adults in each state were poll. make thesepoints predictions 7: The governcandidacy is “an fore you even know who the ment brings about major unprecedented situation” in nominees are.” changes in national policy US presidential showdowns.

For the outgoing Bush that improve the people’s However, he said, 2008 will administration, Lichtman lives. False. resemble 1980. Under Demcounts nine false keys spell- 8: There is no sustained so- ocratic president Jimmy ing failure on November 4 cial unrest during the Carter, who lost the race to for the Republicans: term. True.

Ronald Reagan, “You had a 1: After midterm elections, 9: The incumbent admin- bad economy, difficulties in the incumbent party istration is untainted by foreign affairs, with Iran hosholds more seats in the major scandal. True. tages crisis, the invasion of House of Representatives 10: The incumbent admin- Afghanistan by the Soviets, than it did after the preistration suffers no major the boycott of the Olympics. vious midterm elections. failure in foreign or mili“The same thing with False tary affairs. False.

Bush. You have a got a bad 2: There was no serious con- 11: The incumbent admin- economy and you have diftest for the incumbent istration achieves a major ficulties in foreign affairs party nomination. True. success in foreign or mili- with the ongoing, unresolved 3: The incumbent party cantary affairs. False. war.” Using the 13 keys, he is didate is the current presi- 12: The incumbent-party also willing to predict the dent. False. candidate is charismatic size of victory over McCain.

4: There is no significant or a national hero. False -- “I predicted two and one-half third-party or indepenLichtman says “John Mc- years ago an eight-point mardent campaign. True.

Cain ... is a national hero gin. It could be pretty close 5: The economy is not in rein the sense he performed (to that), maybe bigger.”

cent of the population earns less than a dollar a day, and social discord led to religious extremism and an attack on tourists last year, which in turn prompted a tough crackdown on suspected Islamic extremists.

Anti-government protests erupted into riots in 2003 following the death in custody of a young man held on a drug charge. The unrest galvanized pro-democracy activists to rally around Nasheed. In the cramped island capital Male, most voters said they simply wanted to see a new face in charge. Local journalist Ibrahim Mohamed, 20, said he campaigned for two years to topple Gayoom as young people were fed up with his autocratic rule.

"It is really the young people who made this happen," Mohamed said. "I was arrested and locked up three times in the past two years. I was determined to work for a change."

World threatened by ecological 'credit crunch'

PARIS, OCTOBER 29 (AFP): Reckless borrowing against Earth's exhausted bounty is driving the planet toward an ecological "credit crunch", the World Wildlife Fund warned on Wednesday. Growing demands on natural capital -such as forests, water, soil, air and biodiversity -- already outstrip the world's capacity to renew these resources by a third, according to the WWF's Living Planet Report. "If our demands on the planet continue to increase at the same rate, by the mid-2030s we would need the equivalent of two planets to maintain our lifestyles," said James Leape, the green group's Director General, in releasing the study. The cost of bailing out financial institutions during the economic meltdown, while huge, pales in comparison to the lost value caused every year by ecological damage to the environment, experts say.

A European Union study calculates that the world is losing between two and five trillion dollars in natural capital every year due to the degradation of the ecosystems. "The world is currently struggling with the consequences of

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Former political prisoner wins watershed Maldives vote Powerful earthquake MALE, OCTOBER 29 (AFP): Aformerpoliticalprisonerswept to victory in the Maldives' first democratic presidential election, officials said Wednesday, unseating Asia's longest-serving leader and sparking scenes of celebration. Supporters of Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed hugged each other and drove around the capital of the Indian Ocean atoll nation from shortly after dawn waving flags representing his party, as the scale of his victory became clear.

The election commission said that with all votes now counted from Tuesday's watershed poll, Nasheed had won 54.21 percent to 45.79 percent for incumbent leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. "I want a peaceful transition," Nasheed told reporters during a visit to a mosque as results were coming in. "I want my supporters to be calm." Gayoom 71, has ruled the tourist paradise islands unchal-

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An environmental activist holds a poster that reads in Spanish "No to deforestation" to protest an open-pit gold mining project at the Ministry of Energy and Environment in San Jose, Monday, October 27. Costa Rica's highest court ordered Industrias Infinito, a local subsidiary of a Canadian company Infinito Gold Ltd., to stop the construction of an open-pit gold mine near the border with Nicaragua, upholding an injunction filed by environmentalists who say the project violates Costa Rica's constitutional rules on the environment. (AP Photo)

strikes Pakistan QUETTA, OCTOBER 29 (AFP): A powerful earthquake in southwest Pakistan killed at least 160 people early Wednesday, destroying mud homes and sending survivors screaming into the streets in panic. At least eight villages were badly hit in the 6.4-magnitude quake, police said, warning that the death toll could climb still higher as rescue workers reached villages in the remote region bordering Afghanistan.

It struck just after 5:00 am (2300 GMT Tuesday) and left scores more people injured, local authorities said.

“Around 160 people have died so far,” said Khushal Khan, spokesman for Zamarak Khan, revenue minister of gas-rich Baluchistan province. Residents in the region around the historic hill town of Ziarat, about 50 kilometres north of the provincial capital Quetta, told him about 6,000 people have been displaced. “The toll may go up. The dead included 29 members of the same family,” Khushal Khan added.

Most of the deaths were in outlying villages, as mud houses were destroyed and the tremors triggered landslides of rocks and boulders while people slept in their beds. In Quetta, the nearest big town, witnesses said people fled screaming from their homes. Television footage showed many outside in the streets, wrapped up against the early morning chill. Six people were killed in the nearby district of Pishin, police there said. Mohammed Sultan, from the town of Sanjawai, told AFP the first tremor shook him awake from his deep sleep shortly before 5:00am, before he felt a larger shockwave about 10 minutes later.

In Ziarat buildings had collapsed and communications had been cut, he said, adding: “The town looks devastated. Parts of it are badly damaged. “My relatives live in Ziarat but I can’t contact them to find out how they are.” The US Geo-

logical Survey said the quake struck at 5:09 am and measured 6.2, later revising that magnitude up to 6.4. The Pakistan Meteorological Office put it as 6.5. The epicentre was located some 70 kilometres north of Quetta in Baluchistan province, about 185 kilometres southeast of the Afghan city of Kandahar, they added.

A Pakistani military spokesman said some 250 troops and two helicopters had been sent from Quetta to Ziarat, while an aerial assessment of the damage was also underway. Immediate medical help was also dispatched.

“The destruction is heavy, people need immediate help and we are providing assistance to the affected people,” Colonel Mohammed Babar, who flew over the region, told AFP. After-shocks were still being felt in the region throughout the morning, the Pakistan Meteorological Office said.

In Kandahar, provincial police chief Mutihullah Khan Qatah said people had felt the quake, “but we don’t yet have any reports of casualties or damage to buildings”. Officials were trying to contact their counterparts in outlying areas, he added.

Ziarat is a historic hill resort famed for its juniper forests.

It receives visitors from all over Pakistan in summer who come to see the holiday home of the country’s founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

Most of the casualties were from two villages on the outskirts of the town which were built on steep ground and badly damaged in landslides triggered by the quake, which struck at a depth of 10 kilometres, officials said. Local government officials said they had asked for paramedics and rescuers. A 7.6-magnitude earthquake in northwest Pakistan and Kashmir killed 74,000 people and displaced 3.5 million in October 2005. In 1935 a massive quake killed around 30,000 people in Quetta, which at the time was part of Britishruled India.

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SPORTS

Thursday 30 October 2008

The Morung Express

MARADONA POISED to become Argentina coach

1st Annual Tennis Ball Cricket Tournament

L-R: The cricket players running in the finals as the “1st Annual Tennis Ball Cricket Tournament” ends, which is being organized Ravel Club, Toulazou. A cricketer batting between “Rangapahar” “Thaheku” cricket teams on October 29, 2008. (Morung Photos)

The final match between Rangapahar and Thaheku cricket teams in progress at the “1st Annual Tennis Ball Cricket Tournament” on October 29. This tourney was organized

by Ravel Club Toulazou. (Morung Photos)

Argentina's Diego Maradona, holding up the trophy, is carried on shoulders as he celebrates at the end of the World Cup soccer final game against West Germany at the Atzeca Stadium, in Mexico City, in this June 29, 1986, file photo. Argentina won 3-2. Maradona and Argentinean coach Carlos Bilardo have been asked to lead Argentina by Julio Grondona, head of the Argentine Football Association, Tuesday, Octobre 28. (AP Photo/file)

BUENOS AIRES, OCTOBER 29 (AFP): Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona capped a remarkable comeback from a near fatal heart attack four years ago to be named coach of the national side here. Maradona, who will be 48 on Thursday and who has no top level coaching experience, said Tuesday he hoped to repeat the success of the 1986 World Cup when as a player he in-

spired them virtually singlehandedly to the title.

He will be assisted in that mission of winning the 2010 World Cup in South Africa by another integral member of the 1986 set-up coach Carlos Bilardo, who will be the director of football. Their respective roles were rubberstamped at a meeting with Argentinian Football Association president Julio Grondona.

"During the conversation with Grondona and Bilardo it became clear that I was to coach the team," said Maradona, whose international playing career came to an ignominious end when he failed a dope test at the 1994 World Cup finals. "However, I am going to listen to everything Bilardo has to say.

He is going to help me as we can't leave someone with the success, experience and

knowledge he brings on the sidelines.

"Grondona's ideas are the same as mine and Bilardo's. My job will be to go and watch the players as often as possible. The idea is to return the squad to the spirit of 1986." Maradona - who also was part of the Argentinian side that muscled its way into the 1990 final only to have two players sent off as they lost 1-0 to then West

Germany - won crucial support last week in his bid to become coach when the man charged with finding Alfio Basile's successor threw his weight behind the World Cup winning skipper.

"I'd like Maradona to be the next coach," said Noray Nakis, the president of the Argentina Football Association (AFA) selection commission. Basile resigned a fortnight ago after a World

Cup qualifying defeat to Chile which left them in third place after 10 matches, seven points adrift of leaders Paraguay. Maradona faced competition for the job from Carlos Bianchi, the former coach of Boca Juniors, whom he led to four national league titles, San Lorenzo coach Miguel Angel Russo and Sergio Batista who took the Under-23 squad to Olympic gold in Beijing in August.

Nagaland Sports Coalition officials, volunteers of Kingdom Stewards from Jalukie and Nagaland Thang-Ta Association cleaning the NEZCC surroundings for the upcoming Church Sports Conference to be from October 31 to November 2 with the theme "Sports for holistic Growth". (Morung Photos)

5th Kilenkaba Memorial TT Tournament gets underway

‘Quitting should be left to individuals’ Symond’s omission puzzles Moody MELBOURNE, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): With Australia struggling to keep their domination in world cricket intact, their reluctance to call on Andrew Symonds for the ongoing India tour puzzles Western Australia coach Tom Moody, who feels there is more to the "gone fishing" story than meets the eye.

Moody wondered why Symonds, whose explosive batting and part-time off-spin have helped Australia in the past, was left out of the fourmatch Test series in India and that too for an offence like missing a regulation team meeting to go fishing in Darwin in August.

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29 (PTI): Hitting back at critics suggesting that ageing seniors quit the game, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has said it should be left to individuals and felt "not enough respect" is shown to players who have made major contributions. .

"We all know when to move away from the sport.

But people have their opinions. Sometimes these opinions are not correct. But still

one is made to believe that yes this is the right opinion and all kinds.

"I think this should be left to an individual. Having said this, we have played enough to know exactly when to move away from the game. The individuals will take their decisions when feel it's the right time," he told NDTV when asked about speculation over retirement of some players.

Tendulkar said not only him but a lot of others felt that

there was not enough respect shown to the players who had made major contributions.

"And this is extremely important". I think there should be some respect shown and it doesn't happen in any other country. I feel it's extremely important that you show respect. "I am not saying you cannot criticise them. But you got to figure out in which direction you are going. And then, if it is a constructive criticism, then it's fine," he said.

"Without knowing the actual details of what the discipline is, the only thing we know as the public is that Andrew Symonds went fishing and missed a meeting," Moody was quoted as saying by the 'Australian Associated Press'. "So if that's the case he's serving a pretty long penalty. Obviously there must be more there.

That's why he's playing for Queensland and not Australia," said the cricketerturned-coach.

"There's obviously underlying reasons why Symonds is still here in Australia but I think if you put aside all the issues that may

be underlying and pick your best Australian team to play in the third Test match in Delhi, Symonds would probably be one of the first guys you would pencil in.

"He's one player that can take away the game from the opposition with the bat, and his off-spin has proven to be invaluable given the lack of experience we have in that department." Though the 33-year-old Symonds has apologised for the fishing incident, he was not considered for the series against India even after spinner Bryce McGain and opener Phil Jaques were forced to return home due to injury.

FIA says Ferrari misinformed over engine MILAN, OCTOBER 29 (REUTERS): Ferrari's board was misinformed when it threatened to pull out of Formula One if standard engines for all teams were brought in from 2010, the sport's governing body said on Tuesday. Ferrari's board said on Monday it would review the team's presence in Formula One if the plans went ahead as they "would detract from the entire raison d'etre" of

the sport where technological competition is key. Toyota have also suggested they would consider pulling out if the proposal was adopted.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) tried to calm worries. "It seems the Ferrari Board were misinformed," a statement read. "The FIA has offered the teams three options, one of which is the socalled standard engine, and

another that the manufacturers should jointly guarantee to supply power trains to the independent teams for less than five million euros ($6.26 million) per season."

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, also head of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA), recently met FIA chief Max Mosley to discuss cost-cutting measures brought on by the global financial crisis.

The 5th Kilenkaba Memorial Table Tennis Tournament organized by Mokokchung District Table Tennis Association (MDTTA) held on October 28, at Badminton Indoor Stadium, Imkongliba Sports Complex Mokokchung. District Public Relations Officer Mokokchung, L. Chubalepzuk Ao is getting introduced to the players. (DPRO Mokokchung)

MOKOKCHUNG, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): The 5th Kilenkaba Memorial Table Tennis Tournament organized by Mokokchung District Table Tennis Association (MDTTA) was held on 28th October 2008 at Badminton Indoor Stadium, Imkongliba Sports Complex Mokokchung. District Public Relations Officer Mokokchung, L. Chubalepzuk Ao graced the inaugural function as the Chief Guest.

In his inaugural speech the Chief Guest extended his appreciation to the organizer for providing a platform for the energetic youths

to expose and develop their hidden talents. He also said that till recent past Games & Sports was merely an entertainment but with the pace of time it has grown into one of the most lucrative professions the world over. He further maintained that in order to achieve success in life, one needs to keep in mind the three Ds, that is Discipline, Dedication & Determination.

Earlier in the programme Youth Evangelist, MTBA, Yanglu pronounced the invocation and President MDTTA Lipok delivered the welcome address.

DDTTA felicitated

Jones tells Oprah Olympic memory will be tarnished CHICAGO, OCTOBER 29 (REUTERS): Using banned drugs and being sent to jail for lying about it had tarnished her Olympic memory, disgraced U.S. sprinter Marion Jones has admitted in a tear-filled interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey. Jones, who was released from prison last month after serving six months for lying to federal prosecutors about her steroid use, was stripped of her three gold and two bronze Sydney Olympic medals by the International Olympic Committee.

"It wasn't as difficult to give back the medals because it's not about the hardware," the 33-year-old told Winfrey in a taped interview, which will be

broadcast in the United States on Wednesday. "But it's the memory that will be tarnished." Jones admitted last year to lying to prosecutors about her steroid use and was also found guilty of misleading investigators about a cheque fraud case involving her ex-boyfriend, former 100-metres world record holder Tim Montgomery.

Jones said she remembered the moment she decided to lie about her drug use -- when prosecutors showed her a sample of tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), which was also known as "the clear." "I knew that I had taken that substance, I made the decision that I was gonna lie and I was gonna, you know, try and cover it

up," she said. Jones broke down in tears while reading from a letter she wrote to her children while in prison. "I truly believe that the reason I made the awful mistake and a few thereafter was because I didn't love myself DIMAPUR, OCTOBER enough to tell the truth."

29 (MExN): The Dimapur District Table Tennis AssoIn this photo released by ciation (DDTTA) today feHarpo Productions, Inc., for- licitated the Dimapur team mer Olympic medalist Mariof Table Tennis (TT) players on Jones, left, is shown with talk-show host Oprah Win- who took part and won in the frey during taping of the "The recently held Inter-districtOprah Winfrey Show," in Chi- cum Nagaland Open Table cago on Oct. 24, 2008. Jones' Tennis Championship held appearance on the show air- at Kohima. A 16 member ing Wednesday, Oct. 29 will team represented Dimapur be the disgraced track star's district and for the first time first interview since she was emerged the overall champireleased Sept. 5 from a Texas federal prison after complet- ons. District Sports Officer, ing most of her six-month Nizheto Awomi, said that sentence for lying about ste- the win is a small step but a great one while urging the roid use. (AP Photo)

players not to let “success get into their head.” The DSO assured that the Nagaland Table Tennis Association is doing everything within its reach to revive and promote the sport and mentioned that the association has brought coaches from outside the state to develop the game.

President of DDTTA while applauding the players for their performance at Kohima, said that DDTTA is dedicated to uplift sport particularly TT. “We want to uplift youths through sports.

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Ent/Tabloid 11 Warner Brothers to Produce Live-Action Ninja Scroll Brangelina Wedding PRIME TIME & Adoption Details!

Thursday

The Morung Express

30 October 2008

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Dimapur

06:00 - Fashion House; 07:00 - Friday Night Lights; 08:00 Seinfeld; 08:30 - Friends; 09:00 - Hope And Faith; 09:30 Grey’s Anatomy; 10:30 America’s Got Talent; 12:00 Bones; 13:00 - Jimmy Kimmel; 14:00 - The Ellen Degeneres Show; 15:00 - Fashion House; 16:00 - General Hospital; 17:00 Grey’s Anatomy; 18:00 - Friday Night Lights; 19:00 - Friends; 19:30 - Seinfeld; 20:00 - Less Than Perfect; 20:30 - Scrubs; 21:00 - Are U Smarter Than 5th Grader; 22:00 - Ghost Whisperer; 23:00 - Jimmy Kimmel; 00:00 - FRiends; 00:30 - Seinfeld; 01:00 - The Simpsons; 01:30 - My Wife And Kids; 02:00 - Grey’s Anatomy; 03:00 - The Ellen Degeneres Show; 04:00 - General Hospital; 05:00 - Creflo Dollar; 05:30 - Kenneth Copeland

eonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way to produce with Watchmen film scriptwriter The Variety entertainment news source reports that Warner Brothers and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way production company have acquired the live-action adaptation rights for Yoshiaki Kawajiri's Ninja Scroll action anime film from the Madhouse anime studio. Kawajiri wrote this tale about a wandering ninja fighting a conspiracy of demons, and he also directed the original anime with ultraviolent yet fluid animation. Alex Tse (Watchmen, The Illustrated Man) is slated to write the live-action version, but DiCaprio himself is not planning on acting in the film. Appian Way's Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Mike Ireland will produce with Madhouse itself.

Warner and Appian Way have already acquired the rights to produce two live-action films based on Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira manga. Killoran is also planning to produce the Akira project as well. Manga Entertainment released the original 1993 Ninja Scroll anime film in North America, while Urban Vision helped produce and later released the 2003 television series adapation.

The American publisher WildStorm created its comic book take on the story in 2006. Madhouse revealed at Anime Expo 2008 that it was still planning a sequel to the original anime film.

06:00 - Kingdom Of The Elephants; 07:00 Teleshopping; 08:00 - All New Planet’s Funniest Animals; 08:30 - Lords Of The Animals; 09:00 Life Of Mammals; 10:00 - All New Planet’s Funniest Animals; 10:30 - Lemur Street; 11:00 - Max’s Big Tracks; 12:00 - Way Of The Warrior; 13:00 - Corwin’s Quest; 14:00 - Kingdom Of The Elephants; 15:00 - Planet Wild; 15:30 - Up Close And Dangerous; 16:00 - Oryx, Antelope Of The Desert; 17:00 - Life Of Mammals; 18:00 - All New Planet’s Funniest Animals; 18:30 - Lords Of The Animals; 19:00 - Max’s Big Tracks; 20:00 - Natural Born Sinners; 21:00 Planet Wild; 21:30 - Up Close And Dangerous; 22:00 - The Crocodile Hunter; 23:00 - Jules’ Most Dangerous; 00:00 - All New Planet’s Funniest Animals; 00:30 - Lords Of The Animals; 01:00 Teleshopping; 02:00 - Petsburgh Usa; 03:00 - Monkey Business; 04:00 - Petsburgh Usa; 05:00 - Monkey Business

04:30 - Phir Lahraya Lal Dupatta; 07:40 - Star Box Office.Com; 07:45 Aaa Gems; 08:00 - Subah Ho Gayi Mamu; 08:55 - Star Box Office.Com; 09:00 - Subah Ho Gayi Mamu; 10:00 - Jajantaram Mamantaram; 12:55 Star Box Office.Com; 13:00 - Hello Brother; 16:15 - Vijaypath; 19:55 - Star Box Office.Com; 20:00 - Star Gold Special; 23:00 - The House On Terror Tract; 01:15 - Narsimha; 05:15 - The Mistress Of Spices

Celina set to star with Sean Connery, Orlando Bloom

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ure, it's only been a few months since Angelina Jolie gave birth to twins Vivienne and Knox, but the actress and her babydaddy Brad Pitt are not only already plotting the next addition to their family — they're talking about getting hitched!

“Angelina has always toyed with the idea of getting married to Brad,” a family friend reveals in the new issue of OK!. “She’s always followed her gut instincts in life, love and family. As the kids get older and they add to their brood, they want to make as few complications as possible.”By

E

rstwhile James Bond star Sir Sean Connery has signed up to star in ‘Quest of Sheherzade’, based on the legendary 1001 Arabian Nights tale, alongside Orlando Bloom, according to reports. The 78-year-old, who had turned his back on acting in recent years, has been missing from the big screen since 2003''s ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’.

However, now the actor is back with a bang, and the news was revealed by the film's female lead, Bollywood actress Celina Jaitley, who will play an Iranian princess. "Sean Connery is there in the film and recently Orlando Bloom was also signed,” Contactmusic quoted her, as telling British publication The London Paper. “They are planning to start the shooting from January next year,” she added.

Angie’s own admission, the kids are beginning to wonder when their parents will walk down the aisle. “We’ve done everything backwards,” she confessed recently to the Italian edition of Vanity Fair.

As for the nuptials themselves, the insider tells OK! "Don't expect some lavish Hollywood wedding. And neither of them are religious, so it will be simple."

Another thing to be sure of is that the spontaneous couple won't be giving everyone a huge heads-up on the date. “They’ll wake up one morning and know it’s the right time,” adds the pal.

“With everything that they do, the decisions they make are for the greater good of the children and the family.”

Aniston’s hot date... and it’s not with John!

06:00 - Telebrands; 07:00 - Animal Camera - Surveillance On Survival; 07:30 - Amazing Baby Videos; 08:00 - Raw Nature; 09:00 - Journey To The Center Of The Earth; 10:00 Michael Wood: The Story Of India; 11:00 - Mega Builders 2; 12:00 Jeremy Piven’s Journey Of A Lifetime; 13:00 - Anacondas With Nigel Marven; 14:00 - Michael Wood: The Story Of India; 15:00 - Guge : The Lost Kingdom Of Tibet; 16:00 - Snow Leopards - Beyond The Myth; 17:00 - Mega Builders 2; 18:00 - Natural World; 19:00 Meerkats With NigEl Marven; 20:00 - Wildest South America; 21:00 - Life In Cold Blood; 22:00 - World’s Most Dangerous Sports Events; 23:00 - Extreme Machines Ii; 00:00 - Hunters; 01:00 - Telebrands; 02:00 - Extreme Machines Ii; 03:00 - Natural World; 04:00 - World’s Most Dangerous Sports Events; 05:00 - Extreme Machines Ii 06:00 - Seva Ganga; 06:30 - Vignan Shashwat Sukh Ka; 07:00 - Sangam; 07:30 - Raja Ki Ayegi; 08:00 - Kyunki Saas Bhi; 08:30 - Kayamath; 09:00 - Kumkum; 09:30 - Kahaani Ghar; 10:00 - Grihasti; 10:30 - Hamari Devrani; 11:00 - Kayamath; 11:30 - Raja Ki Ayegi; 12:00 - Bidaai; 12:30 - Jahan Pe Basera Ho; 13:00 - Kumkum; 13:30 - Hamari Devrani; 14:00 - Karam; 14:30 - Grihasti; 15:00 - Kyunki Saas Bhi; 15:30 - Kis Desh Mein; 16:00 - Sangam; 16:30 - Santaan; 17:00 Jahan Pe Basera Ho; 17:30 - Raja Ki Ayegi; 18:00 - Bidaai; 18:30 Hamari Devrani; 19:00 - Sangam; 19:30 - Santaan; 20:00 - Raja Ki Ayegi; 20:30 - Kis Desh Mein; 21:00 - Bidaai; 21:30 - Kasturi; 22:00 - Kahaani Ghar; 22:30 - Kyunki Saas Bhi; 23:00 - Kayamath; 23:30 - Jahan Pe Basera Ho; 00:00 - Kasturi; 00:30 - Kumkum; 01:00 Bidaai; 01:30 - Kis Desh Mein; 02:00 - Grihasti; 02:30 - Kayamath; 03:00 - Hamari Devrani; 03:30 - Kahaani Ghar; 04:00 - Kyunki Saas Bhi; 04:30 - Raja Ki Ayegi; 05:00 - Disney Time 05:00 - Surviving Christmas; 06:35 Jurassic Park Iii; 08:30 - Running Free; 10:20 - Fist Of Fury; 12:30 - Die Hard 4.0; 15:00 - Just My Luck; 17:05 - Fierce People; 19:10 - Penguins A Love Story; 21:00 - The Invisible; 23:05 - Pearl Harbor; 02:30 Rising Sun; 04:35 - Thank You For Smoking 2:30 - Sportsnight; 3:00 - Us Pga High Lights - Fry Com Open; 4:00 - Atp Tennis; 4:30 - Hockey Classics 2007; 5:00 - Asian Festival Of Speed; 6:00 - Wwe Specials:cyber Sunday; 9:00 - Icl Hls - Dhaka V Hydrabad; 10:00 Mutv; 13:00 - Gillette World Of Sports; 13:30 - Hockey Classics 2007; 14:00 - Great Centuries :- Jacques Kallis ; 14:30 - Icl Hls Dhaka V Hydrabad; 15:30 - Fifa: Futbol Mundial; 16:00 - Simply The Best; 16:30 - Wwe: Raw; 18:30 - Icl 20-20 - Preview: Delhi V Mumbai; 19:30 - Icl 20-20 : DelhI V Mumbai; 22:30 - Icl 20-20 Review: Delhi V Mumbai; 23:00 - Sportsnight; 23:30 - Wwe: Raw 03:45 - Ransom; 06:15 - The Fever; 08:00 - Fortress 2; 09:45 - Chameleon Ii - Death Match; 11:30 - Hollywood’s 10 Best; 12:00 - Queen Of The Damned; 14:00 - The Making Of Blades Of Glory; 14:15 Flushed Away; 16:00 - Hollywood One On One 13; 16:30 - Chasing Liberty; 18:45 - Bad News Bears; 21:00 - Enter The Dragon; 23:00 - Ultraviolet; 00:45 - Grendel; 02:30 - Once Upon A Time In China V; 04:30 - The Adventures Of Brer Rabbit

J

ennifer Aniston has enjoyed a date with Gerard Butler - at the same venue she was seen dining with John Mayer days earlier.

The former ‘Friends' actress - who recently fuelled rumours she had reconciled with the ‘Gravity' singer afKenei Chalie NSACS Naga Idol 3.08 contestant No-01 performs during the inaugural func- ter they were seen together several times - dined at the tion of 8th Open Basketball Championship 2008 at Kohima Local Ground on Tuesday.

Tower Bar with the ‘300' actor, less than a week after she was seen "being intimate" at the Los Angeles venue with ex-boyfriend John.

A source revealed to a New York newspaper: "Jennifer and Gerard were very affectionate to each other.

There was another man at the table, but he looked like he was a chaperone - or just

there to stop tongues wagging. They basically ignored him."

Gerard, 38, recently denied he was dating the 39-year-old actress, saying: "This came from a sevenminute conversation that we had at the Toronto Film Festival at a big party. And the next minute it's in all the papers."

Cheryl and Ashley Cole planning to renew wedding vows

I

t's been just over two years since their 500,000 Pounds wedding, but Cheryl and Ashley Cole are already planning to renew their vows. The couple's marriage was rocked earlier this year when hairdresser Aimee Walton claimed she slept with the Chelsea defender last December. After working through their problems over the year, Cheryl, 25, and Ashley, 27, have finally put their troubles behind them and looking forward to the future. After getting their marriage back on track, sources tell OK! magazine the pair are planning to renew their vows in a low-key secret ceremony. Unlike their original wedding which was sold in an exclusive photo deal to the publication for G1million, this time the press will not be invited.

Cheryl tells the magazine: 'We're a work in progress. We're going to build our married life together, not thinking about what if it ever ends. 'I wasn't looking for a relationship when I met Ashley and certainly not a long-term one.

But pretty soon after I met him I knew something was different and I knew I had never felt that before. He does little things now that he doesn't even know he's doing. My heart goes and I just think, God you're so perfect.'

The couple are yet to set a date for their renewal, but it is expected they will 'wed' again in the New Year after Cheryl's work on The X Factor is completed. Cheryl and Ash-

ley originally married in a star-studded ceremony at Wrotham Park in Hertfordshire in July 2006 - 21 months after they started dating.

The singer's Girls Aloud bandmates were her bridesmaids and the music was provided by U.S. soul singer John Legend. Despite standing by her husband following the allegations, Cheryl stopped wearing her wedding ring and only put it back on again last month. Appearing on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross last month, she said: 'I was tempted to put it [the ring] back on - in his head.'

In Girls Aloud's new autobiography Dreams That Glitter, Cheryl revealed her unusual approach to marriage: 'People make mistakes, stuff happens. I believe everyone should be a free spirit. Even in my marriage, Ashley's a free spirit. I'm not his keeper. I believe in letting people live their lives and be free, so Ashley can have time with his friends when he wants, he can go out when he wants. I'm not the type of person to ring him and be like: "Where are you, who are you with, what's happening, what time will you be in, why haven't you answered your phone?" I've been that person in the past and I don't like it. I won't let anything change me and make me revert to being that type of girl, because it's not me.'

Meanwhile, Girls Aloud were celebrating their first number one in four years when The Promise entered at the top spot on Sunday.

06:00 - Sant Nirankari; 06:30 - The Faith Show; 07:00 - Enjoying Everyday Life; 07:25 Exposure Ek Nazar; 07:30 - Sales Slot; 07:55 - Exposure Jhalak; 08:00 - Teleshopping; 08:25 - Exposure Ek Nazar; 08:30 - Jai Ganesh; 09:00 - Ramayan; 09:30 - Naaginn; 10:00 Vivaah; 10:30 - Betiyann; 11:00 - Maayka; 11:30 - Saat Phere; 12:00 - Dulhann; 12:30 Kasamh Se; 13:00 - Saath Saath; 13:30 - Rakhi; 14:00 - Teen Bahuraaniyaan; 14:30 - Jhoome Jiiya Re; 15:00 - Dulhann; 15:30 - Maayka; 16:00 - Saat Phere; 16:30 - Kahani Ab Tak; 17:00 - Teen Bahuraaniyaan; 17:30 - Betiyann; 18:00 - Kasamh Se; 18:30 Waaris; 19:00 - Vivaah; 19:30 - Parrivaar; 20:00 - Dulhann; 20:30 - Maayka; 21:00 - Kasamh Se; 21:30 - Saat Phere; 22:00 - Betiyann; 22:30 - Ranbir Rano; 23:00 - Waaris; 23:30 - Kasamh Se; 23:55 Exposure Ek Nazar; 00:00 - Asian Sky Shop; 00:55 - Exposure; 01:00 - Asian Sky Shop; 02:00 - Khana Khazana; 02:30 - Namaste Cinema; 03:00 - Rakhi; 03:30 - Kahani Ab Tak; 04:00 - Vivaah; 04:30 - Urja; 05:00 - Ramayan; 05:30 - Narseva Narayan Seva 06:00 - Madhur Jaffrey’s Flavours Of India; 06:30 - Uttaranchal; 07:00 - Food Paradise ; 08:00 - Travel Spies; 09:00 - Adventures Of The Ladies Tailor; 09:30 - Feast India; 10:00 - Shear Genius; 11:00 - Trading Spaces 4; 12:00 - Street Customs; 13:00 - Nigella Express ; 13:30 - Madhur Jaffrey’s Flavours Of India ; 14:00 - Chhattisgarh - The Tribal Planet ; 14:30 - Madhur Jaffrey’s Flavours Of India ; 15:00 - Monster House; 16:00 - Food Paradise ; 17:00 - La Ink ; 18:00 - Project Runway 2 ; 19:00 - Indian REndezvous ; 19:30 - Finest Hotels In The World ; 20:00 - Seven Wonders ; 21:00 - Luxury Yachts ; 22:00 - Dream Hotels; 22:30 Feast Bazaar Year 2006; 23:00 - Vegas Bikefest; 00:00 - Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations; 01:00 - Luxury Yachts ; 02:00 - Travel Spies; 03:00 - Take Home Chef 2 ; 03:30 - Cooking It; 04:00 - Shear Genius; 05:00 - Superhomes 2; 05:30 - Amazing Vacation Homes 06:00 - Shararat; 06:30 - Exotica; 07:00 - Body And Soul; 07:30 - Tvc Sky Shop; 08:30 - Instant Khichdi; 09:00 - Shaka Laka Boom Boom; 09:30 - Son Pari; 10:00 - Mum Tum Aur Hum; 10:30 - Shararat; 11:00 Hatim; 12:00 - Ssshhhh Phir Koi Hai; 13:00 - Paani Puri; 14:00 Dill Mill Gayye; 14:30 - Mile Jab Hum Tum; 15:00 - Gulebhakavali Katha ; 18:30 - Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai; 19:00 - Dill Mill Gayye; 19:30 - Mile Jab Hum Tum; 20:00 - Anu Ki Ho Gayi; 20:30 - Dill Mill Gayye; 21:00 - Mile Jab Hum Tum; 21:30 - The GReat Indian Laughter Challenge Iv; 22:30 - Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai; 23:00 - Dill Mill Gayye; 23:30 - Mile Jab Hum Tum; 00:00 - Siddhanth; 01:00 - The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Iv; 02:00 - Mile Jab Hum Tum; 03:00 - The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Iv; 04:00 Ssshhhh Phir Koi Hai; 05:00 - Mile Jab Hum Tum 06:00 - Hum Ladkiyan; 06:30 - Meet Mila De Rabba; 07:00 - Telebrands; 07:30 Teleshopping; 08:30 - Ramji Londonwaley; 12:00 - Hum Ladkiyan; 12:30 - Aathvaan Vachan; 13:00 - Waqt Batayega Kaun; 13:30 - Sujata; 14:00 - Meet Mila De Rabba; 14:30 Hum Ladkiyan; 15:00 - Aathvaan Vachan; 15:30 - Waqt Batayega Kaun; 16:00 - Babul Ka Aangann; 16:30 - Sujata; 17:00 - Meet Mila De Rabba; 17:30 - Aathvaan Vachan; 18:00 - Hum Ladkiyan; 18:30 - Babul Ka Aangann; 19:00 - Jai Hanuman; 19:30 - Sujata; 20:00 - Meet Mila De Rabba; 20:30 - Hum Ladkiyan; 21:00 - Aathvaan Vachan; 21:30 - Babul Ka Aangann; 22:00 - Sujata; 22:30 - Waqt Batayega Kaun; 23:00 - Indian Idol 4; 00:00 - Telebrands; 00:30 Teleshopping; 01:00 - Sujata; 01:30 - Waqt Batayega Kaun; 02:00 - Babul Ka Aangann; 02:30 - Aathvaan Vachan; 03:00 - Hum Ladkiyan; 03:30 - Meet Mila De Rabba; 04:00 - Devi; 04:30 - Jai Hanuman; 05:00 - Babul Ka Aangann; 05:30 - Aathvaan Vachan

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Morung

SPORTS

Gambhir hopes back-toback 100s a turning point

India's Gautam Gambhir, center, is congratulated by Australian Brett Lee as Indian V.V.S. Laxman, right, looks on as they return after end of play on the first day of their third cricket test match in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, October 29. Gambhir scored his second hundred in consecutive matches with an unbeaten 149 Wednesday. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29 (AP): Back-to-back centuries have led India opener Gautam Gambhir to hope this test series against Australia is the turning point of his career. Gambhir struck an excellent and unbeaten

149 on the first day of the third test to put India on track for a huge first innings total after reaching 296 for three at stumps.

The century - the third of the 27-year-old's career – followed Gambhir's double

of 67 and 104 in the 320-run win over Australia in Mohali last week. Before the series Gambhir, who is playing his 20th test, was under pressure for not converting regular half-centuries into big scores. "The important

thing was I knew it was just around the corner," he said.

"If I could just get one hundred maybe that would be the turning point in my career. The hundred in Mohali really worked and I'm much more relaxed."

Gambhir scored freely after lunch and brought up his 100 with a six off paceman Shane Watson - with the milestone coming from 190 balls with 15 fours.

He also engaged in regular arguments with the Aus-

tralians and was convinced they could not get him out.

Gambhir played his first test against Australia in 2004 and after scoring just 3 and 1 used the failures as motivation to fight back. "At that time I had a dream to score against Australia and that dream is coming true," he said. "My debut was not a great experience, now things are going my way."

Vice-captain Michael Clarke said it would be crucial to Australia's chances to remove Gambhir on the second morning. "He played very well and he's been in good touch the whole series," Clarke said. "We need to bowl well with the new ball and get him out early."

The visiting attack struggled again for impact and a key disappointment was the legspin of Cameron White, who was preferred ahead of rookie offspinner Jason Krejza.

White, in his third test as a bits-and-pieces allrounder, was struck for 27 runs from four overs in the middle session and was not used again - adding to Australias problems with the over-rate and containing India. "The way me and Sachin (Tendulkar) played against Cameron White, I don't think they had any option to continue with him," Gambhir said. "The only option was to get some other bowler."

Gambhir said spin would play "a major role" over the remainder of the match and if he's right that will only add to Australia's concerns.

Lewis Hamilton poised DAN govt. sharpening sport skills to become youngest champ KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (DIPR): The inaugural programme of the state level tournament 2008 of government higher secondary and high schools was held on October 28, 2008 at Indira Gandhi Stadium Kohima with Speaker, Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Kiyanilie Peseyie as the chief guest.

Addressing the gathering Kiyanilie Peseyie said that participating in different forms of games and sports gives abundant exercise not only to body but also to mind, talent, psychology which is the key factor for success in life. He encouraged the students to take sports and games as a suitable vocation instead of looking for other alternatives and appealed to the students’ community to embark upon the field of games and sports with dedication and determination.

The Speaker added that the present DAN government is trying its best to give proper training and opportunities to all the youths to sharpen their gifted sporting skills to emerge as leading

Speaker, Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Kiyanilie Peseyie speaking as the chief guest at the state level tournament 2008 of government higher secondary and high schools on October 28, at Indira Gandhi Stadium Kohima. (DIPR Photo)

sports personalities to excel in the arena of games and sports. He also added that he has great expectations that this tournament will provide ample opportunity to all the students to demonstrate their talents and the quality of sports and excellence in the field. The chief guest declared the tournament open and wished good luck to all the students.

The programme was

chaired by Additional Chief Secretary, School Education, Banuo Z. Jamir. Welcome address was delivered

by Director, School Education, Nagaland, Nipusilie Angami. Special number was presented by Government Higher Secondary School, Kohima, while oath taking was administered by chief marshal of the tournament, which was followed by light refreshment.

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8th Open Basketball C’ship enters second day Our Correspondent Kohima | October 29

THE 8TH Open Basketball Championship 2008 under the aegis of Nagaland Basketball Association and Suncity, Kohima entered second day today here in the Kohima Local Ground. The second day witnessed nine league matches.

Meanwhile, the first match on October 30 will start at 8:00 between St. Joseph College and Evergreen Club.

RESULT OF 2ND DAY LEAGUE MATCHES Doberman defeated Hoopers 34-09 Air Hoggs defeated Wolfhounds 30-13 Hill Knights defeated Taurus 26-14 Dorians defeated Mezhurium (MHSS) 32-12 Evergreen Club defeated Underdoggs 22-12 Werewolves Junior defeated Hoopers 35-18 Point 12 defeated Phezhu Boyz 27 -26 Taurus defeated Stallions 36-06 Chandmari HSS defeated Blazing Raiders 22-21

Basketball match

State Level Inter District Higher Secondary & High school tourney KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29 (OUR CORRESPONDENT): The Ist State Level Inter-District Higher Secondary and High Schools Tournament 2008 entered the second day here today at the Indira Gandhi Stadium.

DAY ONE RESULT 1500 mtrs race (Boys): Ist- Keviselhou, Kohima, 2ndLongche, Kohima, 3rd- Nuzu, Phek.

Long Jump (Boys): Ist- Vesatha, Phek, 2nd- Seketoukho, Kohima, third- Nzauhutbo, Peren.

Discuss throw (Boys): Ist- Partho, Dimapur, 2ndThejasetuo, Kohima, third- Seketoukho, Kohima.

800 mtrs race (Boys): Ist- Keviselhou, Kohima, 2nd- Dziesezotuo, Kohima, third- Benchunyapan, Mokokchung.

Discuss throw (Girls): Ist- Denise, Kohima, 2ndBendangrenla, Mokokchung, 3rd- Bendangliba, Mokokchung.

Long Jump (Girls): Ist- Imtilemla, Mokokchung, 2nd- Aloly, Zunheboto, 3rd- Kezhasale, Kohima.

Shot Put (Girls): Ist- Awan, Dimapur, 2nd- Bendangrenla, Mokokchung, 3rd- Bendanglila, Mokokchung.

DAY 2 RESULT 100 mtrs race (Boys): Ist- Vesatha, Phek, 2nd- Kulakan, Dimapur, 3rd- Jonathan, Tuensang.

100 mtrs (Girls): Ist- Ngulieneinuo, Dimapur, 2ndMedohunuo, Dimapur, 3rd- Songsetola, Tuensang.

200 mtrs (Boys): Ist- Kulakan, Dimapur, 2ndVesatha, 3rd- Tsuyimtong, Mokokchung.

200 mtrs (Girls): Ist- Ngulieneinuo, Dimapur, 2ndMedohunuo, Dimapur, 3rd- Dziesesanuo, Kohima.

800 mtrs (Boys): Ist- Keviselhou, Kohima, 2nd- Dziesezotuo, Kohima, 3rd- Benchunyapan, Mokokchung.

800 mtrs (Girls): Ist- Ngulieneinuo, Dimapur, 2ndKeneilenuo, Dimapur, 3rd- Songsetola, Tuensang.

High Jump (Boys): Ist- Yupong, Tuensang, 2nd- Vehuto, Phek and Sunie, Tuensang.

High Jump (Girls): Ist: Kuvevolu, Dimapur, 2ndMuleshelu, Phek and R. Kamjila, Tuensang.

Shot Put (Boys): Ist- Seketoukho, Kohima, 2nd- Thejasetuo, Kohima, 3rd- Partho, Tuensang.

After that the matter is not SAO PAULO, OCTOBER to seventh place.

This time Formula in my hands and we will 29 (REUTERS): England expects Lewis Hamilton One's first black driver is de- have to wait and see exactto become Formula One's termined to make amends ly what and how much we youngest world champion and show he has learned have won." Raikkonen won in Brazil on Sunday at the from the past by playing it in Brazil last year, with help same circuit where last year safe. "I remember last year, from Massa, and he will be he buckled under pressure going into the final race, I called on to secure the oneand blew his chance. Brazil was really on the back foot," two unless Massa is out of hopes Ferrari's Felipe Massa he told Britain's Observer the reckoning. With the concan somehow upset the odds newspaper. "I felt the whole structors' title still to be deand, with his home Interla- country, the whole world ... I cided, Ferrari lead McLaren gos crowd roaring him on, just felt this huge weight on by 11 points with 18 still to be crowned the country's my shoulders. I went in and be won, Hamilton's team first champion since the late made several mistakes and mate Heikki Kovalainen Ayrton Senna in 1991. After we dropped back. This year, must go for victory. "I want to last year's astonishing fina- because I've experienced it, be able to help the team and le, with Ferrari's Kimi Rai- I'm much better prepared."

Lewis wherever necessary. kkonen clawing back a sevMassa will be favourite The easiest way to do that is en-point deficit to prevent to win the race but, even if by running at the front," said Hamilton becoming the first he ends up with six victo- the Finn.

Hamilton will also need rookie to take the title, any- ries to Hamilton's five this thing could happen. season, it could all be in vain to keep an eye out for ReThe only certainty is for a driver who has success- nault's Fernando Alonso, there will be a first-time fully shrugged off his im- his former team mate who champion. Hamilton, 23, age as a supporting act at favours Massa, and BMWis back with another seven- Ferrari. Previously one of Sauber's Robert Kubica as point advantage while Mas- the more under-estimated potential trouble. Double sa must win and hope the competitors on the starting world champion Alonso, hand of fate favours him. All grid, Massa has shown he is winner in Singapore and Jathe McLaren driver has to a serious contender. "I have pan, has been in the top four do, to become Britain's first a tougher job than Lewis in in his last five races and also champion since Damon terms of the points situation on the podium in Brazil in Hill in 1996 and his team's but my own objective for four of his five previous visfirst since Mika Hakkinen the weekend is much more its. Kubica, a title contender in 1999, is finish fifth. That straightforward than his," he until the penultimate race, proved beyond him at Inter- told Ferrari's website (www. needs to score enough points to prevent Raikkonen from lagos last year, despite start- ferrariworld.com).

C ing alongside Massa on the "The only thing I am snatching overall third place M front row, when he struggled thinking about is winning. from him.

Y Published, Printed and Edited by Aküm Longchari on behalf of Morung for Indigenous Affairs and JustPeace from House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur at Themba Printers and Telecommunications, Padum Pukhuri Village, Dimapur, Nagaland.

K Email : editor@morungexpress.com/newsdesk@morungexpress.com, morung@gmail.com. RNI No : NAGENG /2005/15430. House No.4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur 797112, Nagaland. Phone: Dimapur -(03862) News Desk- 281043, Admin -236871, Fax: (03862) 235194, Kohima - (0370) 2291952 For advertisements and circulation, please contact: (03862) 236871, Fax-235194 or email : morungad@yahoo.com

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