Aizawl Set To Enter New Year With A Bang

Aizawl, Dec 31 : The state capital of Mizoram is all set to ring in the new year with a bang-boom-bang, not of fire crackers but of musical treats.

The state government had set aside Rs 60,000 each for New Year concerts in five strategic locations within the city where the state’s top singers and musicians will entertain the exciting New Year revelers.

Rs 50,000 each had also been sanctioned to the other seven district capitals of Mizoram for the same purpose.

The concerts, to be simultaneously kicked-off at 1300 hours on December 31, will be organized by the concerned branch of Young Mizo Association, the state’s largest NGO, in collaboration with district magistrate and police officials.

“The concerts aim to give entertainment to the youths and prevent them from indulging in anti-social activities like taking drugs, alcohol and drunken driving,” a government official source said today.

Such events had been organised on New Year’s eve last year and they proved to be successful.

Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies, with the help of the local NGOs, have been taking measures to ensure New Year celebrations free of fireworks and crackers like the last two years.

Fireworks and crackers had been part and parcel of New Year celebrations in Mizoram for decades till the last two years. A complete change took place in 2009 when the state government announced prohibition of fireworks and crackers and sought the assistance of the local NGOs in enforcing the prohibition.

The prohibition was a complete success as virtually not a single sound of crackers was heard and no more flickering lights of fireworks travelling the skies above.

And for the first in many years, asthma patients and people with heart problem were able to enjoy New Year celebrations in peace.

“Thanks to the good cooperation of the police and local NGOs, we are hoping to enjoy peaceful celebration of New Year without noise and air pollution this time too,” said state home minister R Lalzirliana.

No Force Can Stop Nagas From Living Together- Dr Shurhozelie

Kohima, Dec 31 : Naga People’s Front President Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu has stated that no force can stop Nagas from living together, while calling upon the United Naga Council (UNC) to come out openly and extent its support toward the fight for the rights of the Naga people.

Dr Shürhozelie, who is also Nagaland Minister of Urban Development and Higher and Technical Education and now on a campaign tour for the forthcoming Manipur Assembly elections, said the forthcoming assembly elections in Manipur in January 2012 would be a referendum on whether Nagas live united as a family.

Speaking at an interaction with various tribal hohos and United Naga Council(UNC) at the NPF Manipur unit office at the district headquarters of Senapati in Manipur, he said no one could stop Nagas from living together and reminded that the forthcoming assembly election was an opportunity for Nagas in Manipur to decide, according to NPF party sources at Kohima today.

He stressed that NPF was for good relationship with various communities, political parties and organisations both underground and over ground but asserted that no one would be allowed to dictate terms upon Nagas.

Dr Shürhozelie revealed that the main purpose of the NPF was to defeat incumbent Okram Ibobi Singh. He urged all Naga organisations and church of Manipur to support NPF candidates in the forthcoming polls.

He said NPF in Manipur has received applications from candidates for 14 assembly seats while there was no ticket aspirant from Kuki dominated areas.

He however said NPF could make some seat adjustments with other political parties in Kuki dominated areas.

Dr Shürhozelie also asserted that it was not necessary to always talk about being suppressed by the Meiteis and challenged the Nagas in Manipur to work in such a way that they exert themselves as a force.

Stating that this time they are contesting in only 14 constituencies, he however pointed out that the hill area has 20 seats and if all can come together and work together then 20 people in a 60 member house will become a formidable force. They can make their presence felt in the Assembly, their voice will be heard and that is all we want, the NPF president said.

Altogether 55 out of the total 56 aspiring candidates including two women who had applied for NPF party ticket from 14 different assembly constituencies of Manipur attended yesterday’s function.

All aspiring candidates made a public pledge to remain loyal to the NPF party’s ideologies and support those who would eventually get party tickets.

High Court Rule In Favor Of Indigenous Land Owners In Mizoram

Guwahati, Dec 30 : The Gauhati High Court, Aizawl Bench gave order to the Deputy Commission of Lawngtlai to gave the remaining compensation of Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project Phase 'A' and 12% interest to the land owners within 3 months and solatium of 30% within 4 months.

The project has been a part of India’s' Look East Policy and under the Land Acquisition Act the land has been taken. The compensation has been given under the guidance of the Deputy Commissioner Lawngtlai and a total amount of Rs. 2,77,65,142/- has already given to the land owners.

Some of the land owners approached the Gauhati High Court, Aizawl Bench for not giving the Award Copy and also not giving the 12% interest as well as 30% solatium, a case WP (C) No 68 of 2011 was registered and delivered a judgment Order (Oral) dt. 13.12.2011 was made and ordered the Deputy Commissioner Lawngtlai to give 12% interest to the land owners within 3 months and solatium of 30% within 4 months. The court also ruled that if they are not satisfied with the compensation they can appeal in the court also.

Kaladan Multi Modal Transport Project is a Million Dollar Project that connects Burma through Mizoram State, earlier Zo Indigenous Forum organised Consultation on Kaladan Multi Modal Transport Project in Aizawl and schedule to be held in Lawngtlai on the Second half of January 2012.

Source: Zo Indigenous Forum

Moreh: The Gateway To Southeast Asia

By Akshat Kausha



Moreh Dec 30 : As India and Myanmar explore the feasibility of cross-border road and rail networks, local traders here say their potential is being underutilised due to various restrictions.

The rickety single-lane road from Imphal to Moreh neither resembles a national highway nor a border road. However, the four border check-posts of the Assam Rifles make the approach of India’s easternmost frontier obvious.

Now, as India looks towards the East for trade, this small-town, 110-km south-east of Imphal, looks forward to regain its long-lost reputation of being the gateway for trade with Southeast Asia.

CROSS-BORDER TRADE THROUGH MOREH There is a huge market for Indian textiles and cycle parts in Myanmar and Thailand. Chinese electronic goods and Myanmar’s gems are also in good demand there India-Myanmar trade
	2009-10	2010-11	% growth
Myanmar	207.97	334.42	60.81
(% Share)	-0.11	-0.133
India’s total export	178,751.43	251,135.89	40.49
Values in $ million Source: Ministry of Commerce

Moreh may have long lost its former glory, but in Manipur the town still enjoys its reputation; made obvious by how the locals expand its name — Millions of Rupees Enter Here (Moreh).This reputation of Moreh for big money comes from the Southeast Asian trade, which traders here have been indulging in for decades, both legal and illegal.

Trade here is driven by a close-knit group of around 700 Tamil and another 15 Sikh and Marwari families, that have the reputation of knowing southeast Asia like the back of their hand. This select group of traders are able to successfully conduct trade with countries as far as Thailand, China and Vietnam.

“This trade can only be done by a select group of people who work in coordination with local groups in Myanmar,” says R K Shivachandra, who has written a book on his travels through Myanmar to China by road. “Even now, I have seen a lot of traders bring goods from Southeast Asia for the markets of Kolkata.”

Traders usually bring goods for Indian markets from Thailand and China through the road that cuts through the whole of Myanmar. Only a few traders take the complete journey. The rest, however, trade goods with traders based in Mandalay. According to local traders here, journey till China takes more than 36 hours by bus. For China, the route followed is: Moreh-Tamu (Myanmar border)-Kalaymyo-Kalewa-Mandalay-Hsipaw-Lashio-Muse. Muse is on the Chinese side of the Sino-Burma border. This route further becomes part of the Burma Road that goes till Kunming in China. For Thailand, the route remains same till Mandalay after which traders travel through Chang Rai-Chang Mai to reach Bangkok.

“There is a huge market for Indian textiles and cycle parts in Myanmar and Thailand. Chinese electronic goods and Myanmar’s gems are in good demand here,” said S Ravichandran of the Moreh Tamil Sangam.

Recently, during the four-month long economic blockade, the Manipur government requested the Central government to allow it to import petrol and diesel from Myanmar. The request was, however, turned down by the Central government stating that the quality of fuel in Myanmar was not suited for Indian automobiles. Despite the Central government’s gag-order against import of petrol/diesel, local shops in Moreh are seen openly selling petrol and diesel that are bought from across the border.

This route is also notorious for drug trafficking. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, medicines are smuggled from Kunming into Myanmar and then proceed from Monywa near Mandalay to Tamu/Moreh on the Indian border. The report says that from here the consignments go to exporters in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

This route is also used for trade in wildlife products such as the Rhino horn, which is smuggled from Assam’s Kaziranga National Park. Concerned over the increasing instances of cross-border trade, the government has now started installing border fencing at Moreh, but there are many porous locations from where locals make easy entry into Myanmar.

Traders here say their potential is being underutilised, as various restrictions are imposed on them. “There is a bus service between India and Pakistan, when relations between the countries are much worse than they are between India and Myanmar. Why can’t we have a cross-border bus service? We have often requested the government to increase the list of items which can be traded, but we have received no response,” said Surinder Singh Patheja, secretary, Border Trade and Chamber of Commerce. There is a feeling of injustice, too. “Even after so many years, we are still sometimes called smugglers,” said Patheja.

In recent years, with the improvement of diplomatic relations between India and Myanmar, trade between the two countries have seen a rapid increase. And the government is looking at Moreh as an important part of its relations with Myanmar and Southeast Asia. In 2010-11, India’s export to Myanmar saw a growth of more than 60 per cent against the overall export growth of 40.49 per cent.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also indicated that Moreh would be made a hub of cross-border trade with Myanmar. In October, during the visit of President of Myanmar U Thein Sein to India, both the countries discussed the feasibility of cross-border road and rail networks. Manmohan Singh was reported to have discussed with the U Thein Sein the possibility of a road linking Moreh-Mae Sot that would connect India and Thailand via Myanmar.

In October 2006, the Indian government had also proposed to build a railway-line from Jiribam to Imphal and Moreh. This railway line is part of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Initiative. According to the assessment of Rites Limited, construction of rail-link between Jiribam-Imphal-Moreh would cost of Rs 2,941.08 crore. Construction of rail link would also be required in Myanmar between Tamu-Kalay-Segyi at a cost of Rs 1,339.02 crore and rehabilitation of existing line from Segyi-Chaungu Myohaung at a cost of Rs 283.959 crore. So far, the Indian Railways has only begun work on the Jiribam Imphal line, expected to be completed by 2016.

Hunger Strike in Silchar Against Tipaimukh Dam

Silchar, Dec 30 : Members of CPI (ML) and other organizations on Thursday observed a 12-hour hunger strike in Silchar in protest against the pre-dawn police crackdown on anti-dam activists on Ranganadi Bridge when they were opposing construction of big dams, including the Lower Subansiri hydro-electric project at Gerukamukh and Tipaimukh project on the Barak River.

Hundreds of protesters sat on a 12-hour hunger-strike in front of the office of the CPI (ML) district committee at Trunk Road locality of the town in the morning. They raised slogans against the police action and demanded that big dams projects should be stopped for the sake of human, economic and environmental interests.

CPI (ML) Cachar district secretary Haidar Hussain Chaudhary said they have full support of activists and organizations, including the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), which is opposing the 2000-MW Lower Subansiri hydro-electric project at Gerukamukh along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Haidar said they will launch a similar agitation if the government doesn't stop construction of the Lower Subansiri project, he said.

The CPI (ML) leader said they have also been opposing the proposed 1500-MW Tipaimukh hydroelectric project in Manipur bordering Assam and Mizoram. The project will bring about a catastrophe in the Barak Valley areas of Assam and parts of Manipur where tribals stay in large numbers. It will also affect people Sylhet division of Bangladesh, he added.

Cheaper Varieties Sucking Meghalaya Orange Dry

By Samudra Gupta Kashyap 

Shillong, Dec 30 : Meghalaya is not only the abode of the clouds but also home to one of the tastiest and best oranges in the country. But all is not well with Khasi Mandarin (Citrus Reticulate), which is currently facing two major problems — one of pests and the other of invasion by cheaper varieties of orange saplings from outside the state.

While fruit-sucking moths (Othresis fullonica) have been destroying oranges and making cultivation economically non-viable in some parts of the state, stem-borers have also started damaging the orange plantations across Meghalaya.

“The Department of Horticulture is taking every step possible to help orange-growers tackle the pest menace through timely intervention, and various pest-control measures are already on,” said C O Rangad, Director, Horticulture.

However, what is more alarming is that several cheaper varieties of oranges — cheaper at the sapling stage — have been making rapid inroads into the state. “The Khasi Mandarin variety of orange is definitely under threat due to the arrival of a large number of saplings from outside the state which are generally cheaper than the original Khasi Mandarin saplings,” said Rangad. Orange saplings grown in Assam are available even at Rs 5 per piece, and ignorant farmers are being generally attracted to these, not knowing that they would not be as productive as Khasi Mandarin is,” he said.

While the northeastern region as a whole is home to a wide variety of citrus species, orange and pineapple cultivation together occupy about 80,000 hectares of land in the seven states. Of them, Meghalaya accounts for about 17,000 hectares, and this, in turn, produces about 40,000 tonnes of oranges per annum.

Scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) centre at Barapani near Shillong have described the eastern Himalaya region as one of the primary gene centres of citrus worldwide and a large variability in the germplasm has been noted in the region. They have also suggested that the northeastern Himalayan region is distinguished by its rich source of diversity of Mandarin orange and may be treated as a centre of the origin for this crop.

With farmers in the state opting for saplings available at cheaper rates, Meghalaya’s premium variety is definitely under threat. “Meghalaya’s homegrown saplings are priced at around Rs 7.50 per piece, and the price difference is causing a major threat to the identity of our own Khasi Mandarin oranges,” said Rangad. It is, however, not suddenly this year that Meghalaya has faced this problem. “A team of scientists from the Nagpur-based National Research Centre for Citrus that visited Meghalaya two years ago was the first to alert us on preserving the exclusiveness of our orange species. It recommended setting up special nurseries for Khasi Mandarin, apart from suggesting other measures to boost production,” Rangad said.

Funds, meanwhile, do not appear to be a problem. The 13th Finance Commission has earmarked Rs 30 crore for horticulture development in the state, and orange being a major produce is likely to get a sizeable portion of this fund for research and development and other measures. The Horticulture Department has decided to establish two planting material hubs — one each in East Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills district — for various types of horticultural products, orange being the most important among them.

The authorities, meanwhile, have started promoting orange festivals across the state to encourage farmers and at the same time popularise Khasi Mandarin orange among the consumers. “I strongly feel there is a need to preserve the Khasi Mandarin since this variety of orange is available only in our state, and orange festivals like the one in Sohra (Cherrapunji) last week can play a major role in boosting the image of this variety,” Rangad said.

Orange festivals, incidentally, are increasingly being held in various states of the Northeast in the recent years.

Blurring Boundaries in Smoke & Dirt Of Cars

By Yana Bay

Indo-Myanmar Friendship Car Rally will be flagged off on January 29 from Guwahati and will cover a distance of around 5,000 km

For motorsport buffs, next mo­nth brings a car rally with several interesting features — the fo­remost one being the itinerary. The Indo-Myanmar Friendship Car Rally will be flagged off from Guwahati in Assam and travel to Yangon in Mya­nmar before returning to Guwahati.

En route, the rallyists will see Kaz­iranga, the famed home of the Indian rhino, Kohima and Imphal before crossing the border at Moreh on the Indian side and Tamu on the My­anmar side. In Myanmar, the rally will pass through Kalemiyo, Monywa and Mandalay. This city, made famous by writers such as Rudyard Kipling and John Masters, is not only a night halt for the rallyists like the other places but has also been given its due status by having an entire half-day until lunch set aside for sightseeing.

Then it’s on to Naypyitaw, the capital of Myanmar and Yangon. Form­erly known as Rangoon, this is another historic place and a city tour has been scheduled. After that the caravan will pass through Piyay and Ba­gan before heading back to Monywa and retracing the route back to Guwahati.

The total distance covered will be around 5,000 km. The cavalcade will set off on January 29 and return on February 9. This is the inaugural edition of the rally and it will hopefully become an annual feature.

The rally is being organised by the North East Federation on Inter­national Trade (NEFIT) and the Assam Speed and Adventure Club (ASAC). It is supported by the ministry of development of north eastern region, the ministry of home affairs, the ministry of external affairs, the ministry of commerce, the ministry of tourism, the government of India and the governments of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland. It also has the support of the government of Myanmar, the Myanmar embassy in New Delhi and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI).

While the event is an attempt to retrace and revive the ancient trade route between the people of India’s northeastern states and erstwhile Burma, it also provides a rare opportunity to see some of the most remote and pristine parts of our country as well as Myanmar. The route will take participants through almost the length and breadth of Myanmar. Apart from discovering historical links, the trip will also be a cultural feast. While the advantages pertaining to trade and tourism are obvious, there is also much to reap by way of culture, the arts and cuisine.

There will be special business sessions and cultural programmes at the Myanmar International Convention Centre in Naypyitaw and in Yangon. The rally is being held with a theme: “Mapping connectivity in the perspective of North East India and Myanmar, focusing on building bilateral relations, culture, tourism and trade.”

Participants must form four-member teams and each team must travel in an SUV. The total number of participants is going to be 225, with 75 per cent being Indians and the rest foreigners. There will be a total of 55 vehicles. The cost is Rs 1 lakh per person. The organisers will provide food, accommodation and fuel and also pay the visa fee and any other charges. Another crucial requirement is passport validity — until July 31, 2012. Entries close on December 31.

Contact the rally organising committee at +919435016512, 9859984254, 9435045561, 9854079997 or indomyanmar.carrally@gmail.com

60 Seats, 300 Candidates For Manipur Polls

Imphal, Dec 29 : Over 300 candidates are likely to contest in the January 28 election to the 60-seat Manipur Legislative Assembly as political activities in Manipur is heating up, with political parties busy in holding meetings for pre-poll alliance and preparing list of candidates to be fielded in the election.

A preliminary analysis prepared by the political section of the CID (Special Bureau) from security point of view shows that 306 political personalities including seating MLAs and nominees of different political parties are preparing for contesting the election with their election rally already started months back.

The analysis indicates Naga People Front (NPF) fielding to at least 11 seats of the Assembly from the Naga dominated hill districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel district. The analysis further indicated maximum number of contestants in no. 1 Khundrakpam Assembly constituencies in Imphal East district while a minimum of only two candidates in 17-Lamshang Assembly Constituency in Imphal West district.

The Congress who secured 29 seats in the 2007 election is projecting to contest in all the 60 seats. A source from the party office Wednesday said that over 130 intending candidates have applied for party tickets till date.

Some opposition seating MLAs were also seeking party tickets, source said. Chief minister O Ibobi Singh, who addressed at Congress foundation day celebration held Wednesday at Imphal Congress Bhavan asserted that the party was ready for pre-poll alliance with other like-minded parties. “Congress is ready for ally with like-minded parties if approach,” he said.

CPI, the ruling partner of the Congress in the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government with only three MLAs in the present Assembly, is considering to field over 20 candidates.  The party has announced a list of 19 candidates today.

Announcing the list of 19 candidates, CPI state secretary, Dr M Nara Singh said that it was the first phase of party candidates. He hinted that list of other candidates would be announced before the issue of election notification, January 4 next.

BJP is working hard to declare the list of party nominees. So far, the party has confirmed a list of 12 candidates to be fielded, according to a party source.

The party is expecting to field its candidates in over 20 constituencies.

The party is also considering for joining the MPP-NCP alliance, which was formed recently with an objective of defeating the Congress in the upcoming election.

The matter of joining the opposition alliance will be finalized after BJP national spokesperson, Prakash Javedkar, who is also the election in-charge of election in Manipur hold consultation with state unit leaders, the party source hinted.

He is likely to arrive in Imphal on December 30, for discussion about the party election strategy with state unit leaders, sources added. 

After the Janata Dal (United) had joined the alliance, Rashtrya Janata Dal (RJD), having three seating MLAs in the present assembly, has also announced joining the pre-poll alliance.

The party is currently extending support to the SPF government from outside. Party president while announcing the joining of the opposition alliance said that it would severe all ties with the ruling government.

For the MPP, having five MLAs in the current Assembly, none could say about the candidates to be fielded as some of the seating MLAs are seemed to remain far from the party and seeking Congress tickets.

NCP who secured four seats in the last 2007 election is projecting to field at least in 30 Assembly constituencies. So, far 11 intending candidates have applied for party tickets, a party source said. Other parties like the Trinamool Congress, National People’s Party (NPP) and others were also working out to field their candidates.

January Transfers: The good and the bad

By Pulasta Dhar

Nemanja Vidic is one of the successful January signings of the English Premier League. Getty Images

When the season starts, everyone is on an even footing.

After a couple of gameweeks, some clubs surprisingly find themselves at the top of the table, with fans hoping for the fairytale to continue.

Probably 10 matches into the league, you may find Newcastle United fighting for a Champions League place, breaking defensive records on the way.

But by the 1st of January, every club knows where their season is heading….and more importantly, whether they need re-enforcements.

And in order to pump up their squads, sometimes because the team really needs a player and sometimes because the club’s owner has an unrealistic ambition, they dip their beaks into what we know as the Transfer Window.

The summer break is well known for protracted sagas ala Cesc Fabregas which either work or do not, but the winter market was introduced only in 2002-03, as an ideal opportunity for teams to make some wild decisions- which either end up as a business deal of genius proportions or end up in the club’s history as one of the greatest flops.

Here are some of the best and worst signings of the January Transfer Window-

THE TEN BEST WINTER DEALS-

Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra (₤12.5 combined): Sir Alex Ferguson does not really buy a lot of players in the January market unless he really needs them. Availability is also an issue with Manchester United not known to chase unless they are absolutely sure of a player. But with Chelsea winning titles under Mourinho, Fergie decided to shore up his defence with the double purchase of the relatively unknown Vidic (₤7 million from Spartak Moscow) and attacking midfielder Evra (₤5.5 million from Monaco), who was transformed into a wing-back.

Today, both players wear the armband on a regular basis.

Luis Suarez from Ajax to Liverpool (₤22.8 million): He was already a scoring sensation for Ajax, where he racked up 111 goals in 159 appearances and following Fernando Torres’ sale, Liverpool couldn’t have signed a better player. In his first season currently, he has scored 12 times in 33 appearances and has 11 assists to his name.

Javier Mascherano from West Ham to Liverpool (₤18.6 million): In one of the most complicated transfers which involved West Ham, Corinthians and Mascherano’s third party owners, Liverpool finally got their hands on one of the most highly rated defensive midfielders of South America. He rightfully became a fans’ favourite, winning Man-of-the-match awards in the big games and also when Liverpool lost to AC Milan in the Champions League final. He now plays for Barcelona.

Brede Hangeland from FC Copenhagen to Fulham (undisclosed): Roy Hodgson made the move for him in spite of the tall Norwegian being linked to bigger clubs. The Fulham manager had been in charge of him even at FC Copenhagen. He is now captain of the team and links to bigger clubs have not stopped.

Nicolas Anelka from Bolton Wanderers to Chelsea (₤15 million): Much has been said about him in the recent past and he surely features in any transfer feature a football writer may think of. His move to Chelsea was hugely successful as he partnered Didier Drogba up front, often cutting in from either flank and helping Chelsea’s many managers with his versatility. He just completed a transfer to Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.

Theo Walcott from Southampton to Arsenal (₤9 million): Bought as a youngster touted as the brightest prospects in English football at that time. The winger/forward has gone on to make 131 appearances for the Gunners, and all at the age of just 22. Still a lot more from him to come.

Daniel Agger from Brondby to Liverpool (₤6 million): When he was bought, he was the most expensive defender that Liverpool brought in. After a tipsy-turvy start to his career, which was also marred by injuries, he is now regarded as one of the finest centre-backs in the EPL. He has a lethal left-foot and can score from distance too.

Emanuel Adebayor from Monaco to Arsenal (₤7 million): Say what you may about him, but Adebayor is surely a world-class striker and has delivered at all stages. He did come under fire from Arsenal fans at the end of his stint, but he scored tons of goals for them. It is sad his time at Manchester City has been uneventful, but loan moves to Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspurs have seen him continue hitting the back of the net.

Clint Dempsey from New England Revolution to Fulham (₤2 million): Probably one of the most consistent attacking midfielders in the EPL, Clint Dempsey’s current form overshadows even that of Frank Lampard. He has been deployed as striker and winger and has not failed with his eye for a pass, presence in the box and a fine shot. Quality player and very committed to his club.

Gary Cahill from Aston Villa to Bolton Wanderers (₤5 million): He might well feature in next year’s list with a Chelsea move on the cards in the New Year. His time at Bolton has seen him transform into a world-class defender who is now first choice even in the English set-up.

THE TEN WORST WINTER DEALS-

Fernando Torres from Liverpool to Chelsea (₤50 million): Was there any doubt about this? An unbelievable striker who was on fire at Liverpool before an injury made him a sulking, mood strutting Red, the player had a goal-less World Cup and Chelsea bought him in a desperate bid to win the Champions League. Turned out to be a sad move as they were knocked out by Manchester United from Europe and he has thus far scored only five goals in 37 appearances.

Fulham's Clint Dempsey is in fine form this season. Reuters

Eric Djemba-Djemba from Nantes to Manchester United (₤3.5 million): Probably Sir Alex’s worst signing in 26 years at United, it is also reported that he once joked, “He was so good he was named twice.” Shipped off after two years to Aston Villa, and they shipped him off in a short while too. And to think of him being the man bought to replace Roy Keane.

Franco Di-Santo from Audax Italiano to Chelsea (undisclosed): His appearances for Chelsea were highly anticipated, but it turned out that he was highly ordinary. With his 6 foot 4 inch frame, he was physically ready for the Premier League but never got a chance to impress. He cannot use that as a defence though, as he had a lot of opportunity at Blackburn, where he was equally…let’s say, bad.

Jean-Alain Boumsong from Rangers to Newcastle United (₤8 million): If you have Titus Bramble and Boumsong as your first-choice defenders, then you are doomed. Newcastle came upon exactly that idea and they did eventually get relegated in the future. He now plays at Panathinaikos after a stint at Juventus. Surprising.

Wayne Bridge from Chelsea to Manchester City (₤10 million): Ashley Cole’s arrival at Chelsea meant Bridge had to take a backseat and he was not ready to do that. A move to City followed and it turned out to be a nightmare, especially after he snubbed a handshake from England captain John Terry when they two clubs met (Terry apparently had an affair with Bridge’s girlfriend). Since then, he has been farmed out to West Ham on loan.

Andy Carroll from Newcastle United to Liverpool (₤35 million): Too much money for a player who had scored a handful of goals for the Magpies, this was Liverpool’s version of a desperate buy. Still a bit unfair to have him in this list, but five goals in 28 appearances is not a good return for 35 mill.

Afonso Alves from Herenveen to Middlesbrough (₤12.7 million): Averaged more than a goal a game for Herenveen (47 goals in 39 games), and scored 10 goals in 42 appearances in England, getting his team relegated in the process. Enough said.

Scott Parker from Charlton to Chelsea (₤10 million): Do not get this wrong, he is currently the best holding midfielder in England, but his move to Chelsea simply didn’t work out. He managed just 15 appearances and that was all.

Fernando Morientes from Real Madrid to Liverpool (undisclosed): He was top quality in Spain with the Los Meringues, but England was another cup of tea. Managed a lot of starts in his only season for Liverpool, but scored only eight goals. Result? Sold immediately.

Luis Saha from Fulham to Manchester United (₤12.8 million): Had a good first season with United, but spent a lot of time with Owen Hargreaves on the injury table. After that, he was never the same. Has shown glimpses of quality with Everton at times.

Albert Riera from Espanyol to Liverpool (₤8 million): Another Liverpool misfit and it did not go down well with the fans after they decided to give him the no.11 shirt. Very skillful in his 40 appearances, but that is as good as it got.

With the transfer window opening in a few days, this list is sure to grow.

Donna Feldman

Anna Stops Fast, Mumbai Blamed

NGO India Against Corruption's estimates of hosting 50,000 people on Day One of Anna's fast at MMRDA ground seemed over the top, after not more than 5,000 showed up

He came. He saw. And by what he saw, it was apparent he hadn't conquered. Not on Day One at least.

In the days prior to the Anna Hazare's fast, extensive media coverage set the tone to give the impression that the activist would take the city "by storm". But if there is any truth in numbers, a rumbling was all that the inaugural day of Hazare's 3-day protest fast saw.


Wait and watch: Team Anna's supporters are expecting the crowds to
swell on the last day of the protest at the MMRDA ground in Bandra-Kurla
Complex. PIC/Sayed Sameer Abedi

While Team Anna expected a crowd of about 50,000 to be present at MMRDA ground, BKC on day one, there was not more than one tenth of that number on the grounds. At any given point, there were no more than 4,000-5,000 people throughout the day.

Did Mumbai disappoint Team Anna? The India Against Corruption (IAC) members claim they had nearly 16,000 people yesterday. One of the NGO's spokespersons said, "It's the heat that has kept the people away. We are sure people would come back."

At 4 pm, the NGO said they had nearly 16,000 people registered who promised their support and presence, but not even half that number was present at the ground.

Why they left
What kept the anti-corruption champion's supporters away? "I had come to mark my attendance and after it was done, I decided to leave," said Babli Mohite, who had bunked office to attend the rally and left by 4.30 pm.

A group of youngsters who had come to participate in the agitation left around the same time, citing work. Another attendee, Bhavesh, said, "I was here for some time, then I got some urgent work and had to leave."

Unforeseen circumstances, emergency, urgent work, prior engagement -- the response from followers beating a retreat from the ground had the same undertone when they were posed the question.
Some got impatient when asked if they would come back the next day. A woman who didn't give her name said with knitted brows, "I came to have a look and the moment I did that I decided to leave," she said.

Rekha Udar spent a few hours on the ground with her husband but decided to leave by evening. Asked whether she was coming again the next day, she said, "I was here for the first day, we haven't yet decided about coming tomorrow."

A TV journalist said that in the morning she had zeroed in on some potential interviewees for her show in the evening. But by then, none of the chosen candidates were seen at the venue.

Expect more on Day 3
But IAC members are hopeful that people would show up in huge numbers on the last day. Anjali Damani, one of the IAC coordinators, said, "In the evening, the crowd has grown in size. There are nearly 15,000-16,000 people at the ground now. We are sure there will be a heavy turnout on the last day of the protest as the movement will gain momentum."

One of the protestors, on her way out, summed it for her fellow citizens. "We Mumbaikars cannot afford to spend the entire day at the ground. It is far away for most of us, and it takes a long while to return home. We will have to leave early if we are to get a spot on the crowded trains back."

Told you so
Munna Tripathi, who has dragged Anna Hazare to court claiming that his agitation is unconstitutional, said, "This shows the lack of the common man's trust in Anna's agitation. Many have realised that he isn't fighting for a cause. That is why Mumbaikars aren't turning up."

Every 60 Seconds: Apple Sells 925 iPhones, 2 Million People Watch Online Porn, More

By Zach Epstein

Apple sold 925 iPhone 4S handsets each minute during the device’s debut weekend, and it sells 81 iPads every 60 seconds on average. Research In Motion sells 103 BlackBerry phones, Amazon sells 18 Kindle Fire tablets and Microsoft sells 11 Xbox 360 consoles every minute. More than 700 computers are purchased around the world every 60 seconds, and 232 of them are infected by malware. That malware stat seems surprisingly low, however, when you consider that 2 million people watch online porn every minute. Read on for more.

Website design firm GO-Globe recently spread a variety of technology-related stats out across an infographic and the result helps us put a lot of things in perspective. Beyond the scary amount of Internet porn watched around the world, we can see just how entrenched various consumer electronics and digital goods and services have become in modern life.

Eleven million conversations take place using various instant messaging platforms every 60 seconds, 2,100 people check in using foursquare and 1,100 acres of virtual land are farmed in FarmVille. Thirty-eight tons of e-waste is generated around the world every minute, though we’re not sure if that stat includes all of the virtual land in FarmVille.

Every minute, $219,000 worth of payments are made using PayPal, $10,000 of which is sent from mobile devices. EBay is used to purchase over 950 items each minute and more than 180 of those purchases are made using mobile phones or tablets.

Surprisingly, perhaps, physical media maintains a huge presence in our lives despite the advent of the digital age. Four hundred and fifty Windows 7 discs are sold, 1,400 Redbox DVDs are rented and a staggering 2.6 million CDs containing 1,820 terabytes of data are created each minute. Four thousand USB devices are sold every 60 seconds as well, along with 2,500 ink cartridges.

It’s amazing how much happened every 60 seconds in 2011 and as the year draws to a close, we can’t wait to see what each minute will hold in 2012.

India's Love For The 'Missed Call' Phenomenon

By Rati Chaudhary

Mumbai, Dec 26 : The new phenomenon of missed calls has been gaining popularity. It was used in popular forms of protest during the Anna Hazare movement as well. Stingy or not, we Indians love giving missed calls.

A missed call can be a pre-arranged signal or pre-arranged message to mean something specific like, "I have left the office and headed home," or "could you please bring the car to where you dropped me off?"

There are 900 million mobile phone users in India,but the average revenue per user is only Rs 150 because when it comes to getting the message across, missed call is our first choice. In fact, so profound is our love for missed calls that a Bangalore based company called ZipDial has actually used missed calls to generate business.

ZipDial Chairman Sanjay Swamy said, "Instead of using texts we now make people convey the message by a missed call. Say our client will send you a message asking if you liked their service or not. You can give missed calls on specific numbers to convey a yes or a no."

According to a study from the Learning Initiatives on Reforms for Network Economies a couple of years ago, over half of Indian cellular subscribers made missed calls to convey a message.

Manipur Gets Into Election Mode

By Sobhapati Samom

Imphal, Dec 27 : Election-related activities of political parties in Manipur has begun with the launch of house-to-house poll campaign yesterday.

The State has suddenly gone into election mode after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the poll schedule for Manipur on January 28 next.

Chief Electoral Officer PC Lawmkunga told the media today that Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) will be used in the forthcoming Assembly poll.

So far, more than 98 per cent of the voters have been issued the EPIC, he said and appealed to those who are yet to get the EPIC to submit their photographs within January 5.

The officer also informed that besides the existing State forces, around 325 companies of Central paramilitary forces will be deployed during the ensuing polls.

Street junctions here have been decorated with flags, etc., of the political parties as the aspiring candidates began to open their election booth offices.

The last date for filing nominations is January 11 while the scrutiny and last date of withdrawal of candidatures is January 12 and 14 respectively, as per ECI notification.

With 30 MLAs in the house of 60, Congress is steering Manipur’s Secular Progressive Front Ministry in its second innings with CPI as its lone partner.

Manipur People’s Party President Dr Nimaichand Luwang said the party will release a 10-page brief history of the party today.

Meanwhile, the People’s Campaign for Assembly Election with an objective to hold the political class accountable to the electors will hold a day-long public deliberation on “Towards Public Issue Based Election” at Manipur Press Club hall here on December 26.

A total of 16,77,270 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 2,325 polling booths. The counting will be done on March 4.

PTI adds: Unlike in the past, expenditure of candidates for the Manipur Assembly elections would be closely monitored by the IT department, officials said today.

About 55 officials from Directorate of Income Tax would arrive here in the next few days to oversee expenditures and excesses of poll candidates.

The officials would work in groups and shall be deployed at all district headquarters to do their monitoring work.

Chief Election Commissioner S Y Qurashi had directed candidates to open new bank accounts for making all poll- related payments.

Bribe And Rip-Off Barb Over Mizoram Fence

By Kumar Rakesh

National Building Construction Corporation executive director R. L. Mehra.

New Delhi, Dec 26 : A huge chunk of the government's money, which is being poured into the north-eastern states for fencing the Indo-Bangladesh border, is apparently being siphoned off by corrupt officials.

A Mizoram contractor, assigned with fencing a section of the International Border, has accused a top official of the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) of continuously harassing him for bribe. The contractor quit the project midway after suffering huge losses.

N. Joshua of J. R. Construction on November 23 lodged an FIR against NBCC executive director R. L. Mehra for "cheating and misappropriating funds" amounting to over Rs.5 crore. The FIR was registered in Aizawl under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by a government official) and 420 (cheating). Investigating officer inspector O. U. Majumdar said Mehra escaped jail after getting interim bail from a local court.

Mizoram shares over 318 km of border with Bangladesh, of which only 68 km has been fenced. To check smuggling and the influx of illegal immigrants, including terrorists, the government has been trying to fence as much area as possible along the border, but the lack of official and public scrutiny in this remote region has resulted in the siphoning off whopping amounts of public money, an official said.

Some NBCC officials have faced corruption charges in the past and this is not the first time that the name of Mehra - the senior-most corporation official in the north-east - has figured in a corruption case. His premises were raided last year by the CBI after his name cropped during a probe into a National Projects Construction Corporation scam related to some works on the Indo-China border. After his questioning, the CBI officials said he had been evading them since. The then joint secretary (border management), Sadakant, was repatriated to his cadre prematurely after his name appeared in the probe, but Mehra continued unscathed.

An NBCC spokesperson claimed that Joshua's complaint was "motivated" since his contract had been foreclosed for failing to fulfil his contractual obligations. On the CBI probing Mehra, he said no action was required since the agency had not informed them of any adverse report.

Mehra said Joshua stopped working on the fencing project three years ago after losing money in other enterprises. "I spoke to him several times but it did not work. When we realised there was no way for him to fulfil his obligations, we acted against him. He is being vindictive now," he said.

Regarding Joshua's complaints to the Mizoram governor and the CM, Mehra said he had already replied to the governor and would file a reply to the CM too "in some time". About the CBI probe, he said: "It had nothing to do with me. A CPWD official took my name to justify the money found on him and the CBI had questioned me in this regard. I am in the clean."

But Joshua alleged that Mehra, who has been in office in the region for over nine years, was "very powerful" and had developed a "nexus" with the contractors and others. "He manipulates the system… Crores of rupees are being pumped in here for fencing and other works," he alleged.

J. R. Construction was awarded the contracts in 2006 for fencing two stretches along the border, totalling over 15 km. The works were for Rs.12.37 crore each, Joshua said. He claimed that Mehra wanted three per cent of the commission on the payments made to his firm. "I gave him the money but the problem started when my bills piled up and I had to spend from my pocket. The bills were finally paid after heavy deductions, sometime more than 60 per cent… and so I could no longer work on the project," he told MAIL TODAY over phone.

"My contract was then foreclosed because it suits the NBCC officials to bring in new contractors and make more money from them," he added. Joshua said the government should order an audit of the "real work" done in the region to discover how public money was being looted in the name of "sensitive border work".

 

Naga Dream Still Distant

By Pradip Phanjoubam

December is an auspicious festive month for most of Christian Northeast. In the Christian states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and to a great extent Manipur, red ‘Star of David’ lanterns on numerous rooftops light up the cold evenings in the streets of Kohima, Aizawl, Shillong and Imphal, setting the mood for celebrations and soul cleansing, and much reflections on the year that was. In trouble torn Nagaland and Manipur, however, the celebratory mood is subdued.

Hanging in the backdrop is the 11-year itch of the unsettled peace negotiation underway between the underground Naga group, NSCN(IM) and the Indian government. Ceasefire between the two entities began in 1997, and peace negotiations followed but the talks are still in dreadful stalemate, though each side continues to claim approaching a breakthrough and then blame each other for it not happening.

The reasons are not far to seek. One, the Naga insurgent movement is badly fragmented, with factional fights consuming much of the energy and public patience. A reconciliatory move commendably brought some of these factions together this year, but not every issue is settled and internal strife and sporadic bloody mayhems still mark the scenario. But the second reason should be much more frustrating for those pursuing a happy reconciliation to a problem that is as old as the Indian state. It speaks of a looming shadow of doubt of a possibility of the Naga dream if it is not moderated by an acceptance of modern realities.

Equally, at this moment, this moderation and the compromise called for seems too much for the Naga underground leaders to accept. The Naga leaders’ foremost goal is the creation of a greater Naga homeland that they have christened ‘Nagalim’ by merging territories of other states neighbouring Nagaland (and Myanmar) that they believe traditionally belonged to the Nagas. Once this is done, the degree of autonomy ‘Nagalim’ is to enjoy within the Indian Union is to be negotiated.

However, the shadow falls at the very outset on this very notion of territory. This could not have been spelled out louder and clearer than in the tussle over the creation of a new administrative district called SADAR hills (Special Area Demarcated as Autonomous Region) in Manipur. This new district is Kuki tribal dominated and is to be carved out of the Naga dominated Senapati district. The Kukis want it and the Nagas think the idea itself is an aggression on the Nagas. Friction between the two over the matter led to a 121-day blockade of Manipur recently.

The issue is too entangled to present an easy solution. The principal GoI negotiator, a retired bureaucrat, RS Pandey, did give it a shot with a recommendation he purportedly made, as was exposed by a Guwahati-based English daily. His proposal of a ‘Supra State’ status for the Nagas created quite a flutter.
Although the intent to bring to a closure the Naga problem is admirable the pertinent question is has the model taken care of existing realities, some of which can cause extreme strife in the Northeast’s ethnic cauldron? What exactly was the Supra State meant to be, if this proposal exists? Home minister P Chidambaram has since denied any knowledge of the proposal.

Even if his statement amounts playing his cards close to the chest, it does still indicate he too thinks the proposal is problematic.

The ‘Supra State’ in this context in all probability is a non-territorial solution of the nature so many intellectuals, including BK Roy Burman of the Centre for Study of Developing Societies, have advocated in reference to the Northeast’s many ethnic problems, and in particular the Nagas. The model conjures up the Sami parliament in the Scandinavian countries. The Samis are formerly nomadic indigenous reindeer herders living in Scandinavia and the Russian Federation before the region came to be dissected by political boundaries. They now find themselves living in different countries, though their traditional world never had any conception of such national boundaries, precisely because nation consciousness dawned on them late. An arrangement has now been made so that they can call themselves one people and nation but with no territory earmarked for their ‘nation.’

The NSCN(IM) leadership and their supporters everywhere have been maintaining a deafening silence on the proposal. Perhaps it was unilateral, put up by the negotiation interlocutor and not one on which there was a consensus amongst the negotiating parties. For indeed, if the proposal is modelled on the Sami Parliament, the NSCN(IM) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah had in the past rejected it and it is unlikely he would have had a change of heart now.

Even if Muivah agreed, two considerations would have been deterrents. One, if ‘Nagalim’ is not to be, the solution would leave a major section of the NSCN(IM)’s top leadership and cadres out of the core of the solution, as they belong to Manipur and not Nagaland. Two, any solution that does not address the question of sovereignty, even if notionally, would have to be after intense negotiations with the Naga public first, especially in the core Naga territory of the former Naga hills of Assam (now Nagaland), who have had to undergo tremendous hardships and losses for over half a century precisely because of their dream for Naga sovereignty.

While one hopes a solution to the Naga problem comes about soon, as of now, it is difficult to see such blueprints. The reported ‘Supra State’ definitely does not seem to offer one.

The writer is editor, Imphal Free Press

Manipur Christian body appeals for free and fair polls

Imphal, Dec 26 : With the ECI announcing January 28 as the date for the tenth Manipur assembly election, poll fever has gripped the state amidst Christmas frenzy.

Amid the sounds of hymns and church bells, the All Manipur Christian Organization (AMCO) appealed to all voters and candidates to ensure a free and fair election without indulging in proxy voting, booth rigging and bribery.

Of the total sixty seats in the Manipur assembly, twenty are from the five hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel and Churachanpur, which have a predominantly Christian population.

"On the way to the church and back, everybody was discussing the coming polls in the hills," said Peter M, a resident of the Naga-dominated Senapti district headquarters.

A conglomerate of all Christian bodies of the state, AMCO, has already organized a series of campaigns in the hills for advocating pastors and church leaders to remain neutral during the election period.

"Today is a sacred day for all Christians. Houses and churches are decorated and people pray for the coming of the Lord on this day. We appeal to the almighty to cleanse our hearts and ensure a bright and prosperous future. We appeal to all Christian brothers to ensure free and fair polls," AMCO president Prim Vaiphei said.

"As the church is one of the most powerful institutions for the Christians, we carried out advocacy meetings urging the church leaders to act impartiality during the polls. We also asked the Christian fraternity not to indulge in proxy voting and booth rigging during polls," he added.

Clarifying that AMCO is a purely non-political organization and has nothing to do with politics, the religious leader said the apex church body stands apart from any political parties.

"During the prolonged economic blockade, we could not carry out our advocacy meeting at Saikul area in Senapati district, but we will soon conduct it there," Prim added.

Social Networking Websites Asked To Screen Content By February

New Delhi, Dec 24 : In a major blow to 21 social networking websites including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and YouTube, a Delhi court on Saturday asked them to remove derogatory content by February 6, 2012.

All the 21 defendants have to submit an order of compliance to the court that they have received the court order and have to remove the derogatory content from their respective websites as directed by the court.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sudesh Kumar took cognizance on a private criminal complaint and had directed the Centre for taking "immediate appropriate steps" and also file a report in the court by January 13.

Earlier, another court in a civil case had restrained these sites including Facebook, Google and YouTube from webcasting any "anti-religious" or "anti-social" content promoting hatred or communal disharmony.

In the fresh case, the court said, "It appears from a bare perusal of the documents that prima facie the accused in connivance with each other and other unknown persons are selling, publicly exhibiting and have put into circulation obscene, lascivious content which also appears to the prurient interests and tends to deprave and corrupt the persons who are likely to read, see or hear the same."

"It is also evident that such contents are continuously openly and freely available to everyone who is using the said network irrespective of their age and even the persons under the age of 18 years have full and uncensored access to such obscene contents," the court said.

The magistrate had summoned the accused companies to face trial for allegedly committing the offence punishable under section 292 (sale of obscene books etc), 293 (sale of obscene objects to young person etc) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.

The magistrate noted that in the website material submitted by the complainant, Vinay Rai, a journalist, contained obscene picture and derogatory articles pertaining to Prophet Mohammad, Jesus Christ and various Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

The magistrate said that as per the records placed before the court by the complainant, there are defamatory and obscene articles pertaining to various Indian political leaders which are being webcasted by these sites.

"The contents are certainly disrespectful to the religious sentiments and faith and seem to be intended to outrage the feelings of religious people whether Hindu, Muslim or Christian.

"There are certain degrading and obscene photographs of various political leaders belonging to different political parties and photographs pasted and the language used is also obscene, filthy and degrading," the court said.

It said that prima facie the accused are also liable to be summoned for offences of promoting enmity between classes and causing prejudice to national integration but due to an embargo under the Code of Criminal Procedure, the court can not summon them under these offences without prior sanction of the Central or state government or district magistrate.

"I find prima facie that the accused persons are liable to be summoned for offences under section 153-A (promoting enmity between classes), 153-B (assertion prejudicial to national integration) and 295-A (insulting religion or religious belief of any class) IPC.

"However, owing to the embargo under section 196 of the CrPC which prohibits taking of cognizance under the said provisions except with the previous sanctions of central government or state government or district magistrate, the accused persons are not summoned for the said offences," it said.

Rai, in his complaint filed through advocate Shashi Tripathi, had said that contents hosted on these were "inflammatory" and seek to create enmity and communal violence among various religious communities.

The complainant alleged that the contents on these sites were obscene and may lead to "creation of obscene books, pamphlets, papers which can easily be downloaded from these social networking websites affecting the minds of children and were harmful for social harmony and may lead to increase in crime against women also".

The court also examined four witnesses during the hearing on Rai's complaint to ascertain the veracity of the materials produced as evidence and said, "from the testimony of these witnesses examined on record belonging to three different religions along with the material produced on record, it is evident that the same promotes enmity between different groups and religions, which is certainly prejudicial to the maintenance of peace and communal harmony."

The court had earlier sought response from the Delhi police regarding the authenticity of documents filed by the complainant as the addresses of most of the respondents (website companies) were beyond its jurisdiction.

On December 20, Additional Civil Judge Mukesh Kumar, in an ex-parte order, had directed the social networking websites to remove the objectionable content in the form photographs, videos or text which might hurt religious sentiments.

Northeast Leaders Are Apathetic

Only one MP participates in debate on ST amendment bill

By NISHIT DHOLABHAI

New Delhi, Dec 24 : A bill related to the Northeast was passed by the Rajya Sabha yesterday, with just one MP from the region participating in the debate that was not to be held by “agreement”.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2011, which was passed yesterday, amends Part 10 of the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order of 1950, giving individual recognition to indigenous communities that were so far grouped. Thus Kabui, Inpui and Rongmei have emerged from Kabui; Kacha Naga, Liangmai and Zeme from Kacha Naga, and Koirao and Thangal from Koirao.

It also confers Scheduled Tribe status on the Mate community and amends Part 18 of the order by substituting the name Galo for Galong. These may seem simple changes but they have a far-reaching impact on the aspirations and the way tribal communities in the Northeast view themselves.

In 2008, the cabinet cleared the amendment to the 1950 order to satisfy the aspirations of the Nyishi community regarding removal of the term Dafla and insertion of Nyishi in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.

Dafla was perceived by the community as derogatory and thus, it was not a matter as simple as that of a mere spelling change. The Galo tribe’s demand for change of name is said to be for similar reasons, but there was no one to explain that in Parliament.

Just one of the 14 MPs from the eight northeastern states in the Rajya Sabha — Biren Baishya of AGP — participated in a debate on the bill. The performance of the Northeast MPs has left much to be desired, as few of the 39 MPs from the region in both Houses have displayed enthusiasm to bring the region into focus. During the session, there was not a single starred question posed to DoNER.

A starred question gets oral answers in addition to a written reply from the minister concerned, while an unstarred question only gets a written reply. Ironically, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam. There are three other ministers from the region — Vincent Pala (water resources) and Agatha Sangma (rural development) from Meghalaya and Paban Singh Ghatowar (DoNER) from Assam.

On the other hand, those like Pyarimohan Mohapatra (BJD) from Odisha and S.S. Ahluwalia (BJP) from Jharkhand participated to press for fulfilment of demands from their respective states. D. Bandopadhyay from Trinamul Congress and Tariq Anwar (Maharashtra) also addressed the House.

At the end of the debate, the sense of the House was to get a comprehensive bill with regard to communities, which have Scheduled Tribe or Scheduled Caste status in one state but do not enjoy in other states. In this important debate, however, there was little contribution from Northeast MPs.

Last week, the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha and there, too, there was an attempt to “stall” it, alleged Congress MP from Arunachal Pradesh, Takam Sanjoy.

The nonagenarian Congress MP from Manipur, Rishang Keishing, said he had been unwell and could not attend this session.

Mukut Mithi, the Congress MP from Arunachal Pradesh, who is also the convener of the North East MPs Forum, was probably not even on the list of Congress participants. Mithi could not be contacted for comments.

“Big parties like the Congress and the BJP give little space to MPs from the Northeast to participate,” said Assam MP in Rajya Sabha, Biswajit Daimary, of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF).

But then, neither did tribal affairs minister V. Kishor Chandra Deo nor deputy chairman K. Rahman Khan insist on a discussion that could have unravelled the region’s diversity and identity complex.

At the outset, Khan even said there was an “agreement” that there will be no discussion on the bill, as there were “minor” changes.

Every ministry attracts several questions from MPs in both Houses, but DoNER is an exception. “Only three or four unstarred questions were asked in this entire session and no starred question was asked,” Ghatowar told The Telegraph. The tea tribe leader seemed to have played down the unenthusiastic performances. He should have added that among these three-odd questions to DoNER, two were from outside the Northeast, including one from a Jharkhand MP.

There are answers to this also, though.

Daimary argued that when DoNER was not even a full-fledged ministry what questions could one ask. In fact, DoNER does not have a standing committee to discuss bills affecting the northeastern states.

This does not augur well for the region, said Keishing. “The parties are not as strong as before (in the region) and there is deterioration among nationalistic forces. If anything happens, we will regret it,” he added, sounding a warning against neglecting the area. The Manipur MP and former Manipur chief minister called upon younger people to participate more.

Anti-Dam Protests Choke Arunachal

By Rahul Karmakart

Guwahati, Dec 24 : Economic blockade of the Manipur kind has changed lane to now trouble Arunachal Pradesh, thanks to a marathon anti-dam protest.
Several Assam-based organizations had from December 16 enforced a blockade on NH52 to prevent turbines and construction material from being carried to a major

dam site straddling Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The blockade in Lakhimpur district of northeastern Assam, though dam-specific, spilled over to all vehicles to and from three districts in Arunachal Pradesh.

The dam on river Subansiri at Gerukamukh is for the 2010MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project (LSHEP) under the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC). The project is scheduled to be completed by 2015, but has undergone cost escalation because of frequent protests.

“We extend our moral support to any democratic movement including this one against mega dams, but fact is East Siang, West Siang and Upper Siang districts of our state, dependent on NH52, have been facing acute shortage of fuel, medicine and other essentials since the blockage began,” All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (Aapsu) president Takam Tatung told HT from Itanagar.

Tatung said an Aapsu delegation met the anti-dam protestors on Friday requesting them not to harass the common people of Arunachal Pradesh. “They agreed after we told them that even vehicles carrying pregnant women for delivery have not been spared,” he added.

Because of its mountainous terrain and lack of proper healthcare facilities in the districts, people in Arunachal Pradesh have to use highways in Assam to reach state capital Itanagar.

The meeting between Aapsu and anti-dam protestors followed an appeal by a group of ministers constituted by Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi for calling off the blockade. “Our movement is not against the people of Arunachal Pradesh and so we have ensured their people don’t suffer. But mega dams such as LSHEP are against the greater good of the people and not desirable in a highly seismic zone,” Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti leader Akhil Gogoi said.

The anti-dam protestors also referred to a report by an expert committee comprising scientists from IIT Guwahati and universities in Assam. The report, submitted to the government a year ago, advised against mega dams in a tectonically unstable region.

Arunachal Pradesh has at least 140 hydroelectric projects, big and small, in various stages of construction. New Delhi is banking on these projects totaling more than 35000MW to take care of India’s power problems.

Is The Next Bhaichung Bhutia Just Round The Corner?

By Pulasta Dhar

Sunil Chhetri rightfully won the AIFF Player of the Year with his stellar performances for India in international tournaments, but while he was banging in the goals, there was another player who was stealthily making a mark in Indian football, forcing pundits to term him as the next Bhaichung Bhutia.

Jeje Lalpekhlua may not be a household name at the moment, but if he continues his prolific start, proving to be a lurking danger for every defender, then he might well be the person stepping up to fill the gap left behind by the ex-India captain.

When one mentions that the media is hailing him as the next football prodigy, Jeje laughs it off with candour followed by silence which says a lot about his respect for Bhutia and the amount of pressure that could already be playing on his mind.

It just gets confirmed when he says, “My favourite player in India is Bhaichung Bhutia.”

This will probably be the most common answer if you asked the same question to a million Indian football fans.

Jeje Lalpekhlua in action. Reuters

But Jeje knows he still has a long way to go before he could achieve that stature. “I still need to concentrate on my practice everyday. I need to improve my performance for both my club side and the national side.”

His current overall record is sensational considering he is just 20 years old. He led the Under-19 team to the South Asian games in Sri Lanka and scored a hat-trick in the last group-stage match of the tournament.

But all those achievements are put into the shade by his senior record of scoring four goals in his first three appearances for India.

But the player, who has scored eight goals in 16 appearances for India says that it all started in Mizoram when he was spotted in the region’s most famous championship. “I was 16 when I played in the Wai-Wai tournament in Mizoram and got picked for India Under-19.

“That was also the time when Pune FC spotted me and I signed for them immediately.”

Since then, Jeje has been a regular in the squad, but it took him an impressive run of scoring 14 goals in 16 caps on a loan spell at Indian Arrows to prove his mettle.

Since then, he has been touted as the brightest prospect in Indian football.

Jeje credits most of his success to a family culture of playing sport. “My father played for the club for which I made my debut and my brother also plays football. I have had no problems in convincing them to let me take up the game as a career.”

In a country where education and degrees often act as a hindrance, Jeje and his family set an example to let youngsters excel in their field of interest.

But even though he had the skill and the penchant of playing the Beautiful Game, his coach Benjamin (Ari Academy in Mizoram) says that he was very raw when he first came to him.

“We had to work a lot on his receiving and agility — two factors which are very important for a striker but he was hard-working, determined and very healthy and that gave me confidence that he could go on and make it to the national team.”

His international career looks set to continue as India step up their efforts to make a mark in Asian football and if he keeps banging in the goals, then a bigger club may come calling very soon.

“He is at the right place right now and should not move to Kolkata before he is 23-24 years of age because it is a big city and there is a lot of pressure there,” said Benjamin.

Talking about big cities, Jeje is said to be particularly shy about his surroundings and his coach remembers how he was surprised when he first visited Aizwal.

“He was from a small town and had no knowledge about city life. But he did his best to cope up with it!”

Knowing big places may not be his forte, but Jeje’s excellence took him to one of the most famous football cities — Glasgow.

Along with Sunil Chhetri, he went for a trial at Scottish club Rangers FC and was awestruck with the facilities there. “They have eight pitches for practice! Eight pitches! And we find it hard to get even one ground here to practice.”

Surely Scotland made a great impression on him and they have apparently promised the Indian that they will keep track of his record.

But can Indians really play in Europe? “There is not much difference in the skill and technique, but they play very fast football and they are physically very strong. I still think it will take time for someone to adjust to those rigours.”

He is also of the view that Indian players need better agents to make inroads into international leagues like those in Qatar, China and Japan. “The problem also comes down to whether you have a well connected agent. We don’t have that here and it restricts our opportunities to go abroad,” he said.

How To Set Up Your Facebook Timeline

Facebook Timeline: Tips For Setting Up Your New Profile

By ANICK JESDANUN

NEW YORK -- I've often joked that if something's not on Facebook, it didn't happen. Facebook's new Timeline feature makes that adage even more apparent.

Timeline is Facebook's new way of presenting you to the world. It replaces your traditional profile page – the one with your headshot and a smorgasbord of personal musings, photos and other items to share with friends. Instead of just a snapshot of you today, Timeline is supposed to be a scrapbook of your whole life.

But these highlights are culled from what Facebook sees as important – the stuff you and your friends have chosen to write or post photos about over the years. So it's crucial to spend time curating it, so your life doesn't come across as vain. If you're not careful, you also might reveal skeletons from your past to more recent friends.

Once you're ready for Timeline, you have a week to airbrush your life before it replaces your current profile. That's not a lot of time when you have (cough, cough) years of your life to go through. I suggest focusing on the years since you joined Facebook. You can always add photos from childhood later.

MAKING A SPLASH

Start by choosing a cover photo, the image that will splash across the top. You can choose a sunset, your dog, a hobby, anything that reflects who you are. Keep in mind the dimensions are more like a movie screen than a traditional photo. A close-up portrait of your face won't work well, but one of you lying horizontally will.

Your old profile photo will still be there, but it'll be smaller.

If you haven't done so already, you can add where you've worked, lived and went to school. If you specify years – such as when you started a job – those items will be added to Timeline's stream of life events, even if they took place before Facebook's founding in 2004.

You can also add other life events to the stream, such as when you broke your arm and whom you were with then, or when you spoke your first word or got a tattoo. By adding them to Facebook, you signal that those things really did happen.

MORE ON THE STREAM

The timeline stream is your life on Facebook in reverse chronological order.

At the top are your recent status updates, comments from family and friends, photos you're in and events you've attended. As you scroll down, you'll get highlights from last month, then earlier in the year. Scroll down even further for last year, the year before that and so on. Click one of the "Show" links to get all posts from a particular month or year.

Posts will be more sporadic the further you go back. You'll see when you joined Facebook and the first post you ever made – mine was "Anick Jesdanun is wasting a lot of time on facebook."

Beyond that, you may see details about high school or college. A colleague even saw the birth of her younger brother listed, after having told Facebook which of her friends were her siblings.

The bottom simply says "Born" with your birth date and birthplace, if you've chosen to share that.

This may come across as a big privacy breach, but keep in mind that people could have seen many of those posts before by continually hitting "Older Posts." The difference is most people wouldn't bother. With Timeline, you can jump more quickly to older posts.

Another thing to consider: Although your privacy settings remain the same, your list of friends has likely grown over the years, and your definition of friends has probably broadened to include parents, bosses and random flings at weddings. Someone you didn't know in 2008 would suddenly have easier access to something you posted then.

CURATING YOUR LIFE

You can change who has access to which posts. Perhaps you'd want to narrow an embarrassing photo from Thanksgiving to family members who were there. You might want to delete other posts completely or hide them so that only you can see them.

You can change the date on a post. For example, if you had waited a week to tell the Facebook world that you broke up with someone, you can change the date to reflect when all the screaming and crying took place. You can also add where you were, retroactively using a location feature that Facebook hadn't offered until recently.

For major events in your life, you can click on a star to feature them more prominently.

You'll likely feel overwhelmed when you see your Timeline for the first time. Years-old posts made by people you're no longer friends with are still there. Musings on a trip or a long-forgotten event suddenly lack context. Your life may also come across as duplicative, such as when multiple friends post similar photos from the same party.

Here are a few tips:

_ Start with your older posts. You were probably experimenting with Facebook then, and most of those could go into hiding. Plus, those are the ones you'd need to be most careful about because you had reason to believe only a few friends would see them.

_ Find the button for Activity Log. Click that to see all of your posts at a glance and make changes to them one by one. Open Facebook in a new browser tab first, though. Every time you switch between the log and the timeline stream, Facebook resets to a default view rather than let you return to where you were. So have one tab for the log and the other for the stream.

_ Think carefully about what you want to highlight when people scroll through your past. Facebook has a secret formula for determining which items are included in your highlights, using such factors as how many friends commented on a post. That may not necessarily be what you want to showcase.

Unfortunately, getting the stream to look right is difficult.

There's no easy way to highlight something Facebook's formula didn't pick, without starring it such that it gets splashed across the page. I also couldn't find a good way to remove something from the highlights without hiding or deleting it completely. There are events I wouldn't consider major, but would want people to see if they took the time to browse through my past.

There also ought to be a way to star or hide posts in batches.

And oddly, Facebook includes stuff posted by others, but it doesn't include items you've posted on other profiles. Older posts come across as one-sided without the back and forth for context.

MOVING FORWARD

Overall, I like the concept behind Timeline. I got a nice stroll down memory lane, and I enjoyed stalking my friends and uncovering their pasts, too.

I just wish it were easier to customize, and I don't appreciate being rushed. Facebook spent months developing Timeline and rolling it out to its 800 million users. Why give us just seven days?

If you're not ready to start Timeline, you can still view Timelines your friends have already activated. Just keep in mind that Facebook eventually will force you to switch, so you might as well do it now if you have the time.

You might also want to take this as an opportunity to clean up your presence on Facebook. Review your privacy settings and get rid of friends who don't need to be there. That will be the topic of next week's column.

___

Anick Jesdanun, deputy technology editor for The Associated Press, can be reached at njesdanun(at)ap.org.