Thai ‘gunrunner’ Willy Naru who ‘gave arms’ to N-E rebels set to be extradited to India

In September 2010, since the “ground situation in Bangladesh was not favourable to NSCN-IM”, it was decided to postpone the deal. Before his arrest, however, Shimray had allegedly paid Naru US $800,000.

By Sagnik Chowdhury

Securing Naru’s custody would be a significant breakthrough for the NIA as his interrogation would help establish the chain of Chinese arms supply to North-East insurgent groups.
In a major catch for the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Thai national and gunrunner Wuthikorn Naruenartwanich alias Willy Naru, accused of brokering arms deals between insurgents in the North-East and Chinese suppliers, could be extradited to India from Thailand over the next couple of days.

Securing Naru’s custody would be a significant breakthrough for the NIA as his interrogation would help establish the chain of Chinese arms supply to North-East insurgent groups.

Government sources told The Indian Express that an appellate court in Thailand recently delivered its final verdict, turning down an appeal filed by Naru against his extradition. “Typically, it is quite difficult to secure extradition of a foreign national. Naru’s extradition would be a major catch for an Indian agency,” the source said.

India had secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Naru, 58, after Naga outfit NSCN-IM’s self-styled major general and commander Anthony Shimray, who was arrested in Patna in October 2010, alleged he had paid Naru for a large arms consignment. Based on this RCN, Naru, who ran a spa in Bangkok, was arrested by Thai authorities in August 2013.

On March 26, 2011, it filed a chargesheet against Shimray, T R Calvin, Hangshi Ramson Tangkhul and Naru. On March 31 last year, a Bangkok court ordered his extradition to India, and also allowed him 30 days’ time to file an appeal against the order, which he did before the appellate court.

According to the NIA chargesheet, NSCN-IM regularly procures arms in bulk from China, “mostly from the Chinese Arms Company NORINCO (North China Industries Company)”. In 2007, Azetho Sumi, one of the top leaders of the NSCN-IM, allegedly deserted the outfit and joined NSCN-K with 70-80 weapons. Due to this, the NSCN-IM ran short of weapons, and Tangkul, the self-styled defence minister of the outfit, discussed the issue with the group’s leadership in New Delhi, NIA said.

Shimray allegedly told Naru that he “wanted to procure 1,000 pieces of arms, including AK series automatic rifles, light machine guns, pistols, rocket-propelled grenades, rocket launchers and five lakh rounds of ammunition, and gave him the list of weapons required”, says the NIA chargesheet.

A deal was allegedly fixed for US $1.2 million for 600 AK series assault rifles and 200 other weapons, including 9mm sub-machine guns, light machine guns, pistols and one lakh rounds of ammunition.

Beihei Port in South China near Vietnam was going to be the loading port while the delivery would be made at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

In September 2010, since the “ground situation in Bangladesh was not favourable to NSCN-IM”, it was decided to postpone the deal. Before his arrest, however, Shimray had allegedly paid Naru US $800,000.

She's 13, Female, From Mizoram - And She's Tinkle Comics' Newest Superhero

By Lamat R Hasan

Tinkle Comics has a new superhero. She's a girl. And she's from the Northeast.
That's a spectacular leap, with many in 'mainstream' India still lost in the belief that the Northeast is more China than India.

Mapui Kawlim is a laidback 13-year-old from a middle-class household of Aizawl who would rather play cricket with friends than be a wonder kid. Or Wingstar, as she's called in the comic.
Tinkle is breaking a lot of ground with this series, some of it subtly.

Mapui is a reluctant superhero with gadgets for 'super flight' and "super strength" provided by her father Tashi Kawlim who is - hold your breath - an inventor working for the Space Development Arm of the government.

Despite her reluctance, though, Mapui clearly has a generous dose of her father's genes and learns to use Rocket Thrusters, Iron Fists and Reinforced Robotic Arms.

She also becomes her neighbourhood's unofficial saviour in between attending school, dreading math homework and keeping up with sleepover commitments.

To up her energy levels and to give her a semblance of a normal life, her father decides to give her a super-secret superhero boost.

Overnight, Mapui becomes WingStar

Photo: Tinkle Comics

The new superhero may help dispel stereotypes associated with the people of the eight Northeastern states who have been victims of so many racial attacks in cities such as New Delhi and Bengaluru that authorities had to step in to ban the use of pejoratives such as 'chinky'.

Tinkle Comics' editor Rajani Thindiath doesn't see the new comic, which will be unveilved in November, as particularly pathbreaking. "In Tinkle, we have always had characters who hail from different parts of the country. Mapui aka WingStar may belong to the Northeast but she's also a regular teenage girl."

What she does see as pathbreaking in Mapui is perhaps the "first reluctant superhero".

Tinkle has had two female superheroes previously -SuperWeirdos with Aisha in the lead and Maya headlining the futuristic PsyMage series, set in an era when magic is power.

"We need more iconic female heroes to join the plethora of enduring male comic characters in the country - Suppandi, Shikari Shambu and Tantri the Mantri. Over half of the children in our country are female after all."

Tinkle was launched 35 years ago and despite losing some ground in recent years, still has a dedicated following. In middle class households in satellite India, grandparents reading out comics to their grandchildren or siblings fighting over who reads the comics first is not rare.

This is the segment that Tinkle Comics is trying to target.

Says Nitya Subramanian, Tinkle Brand Manager, "The comic is cherished in the southern and eastern markets. The anchors being Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Trivandrum and Kolkata."

The fact that Tinkle is published in English helps, as middle class India aspires to see its children speak the language fluently. For the rest, it is translated into Hindi, Tamil and Bengali, aimed at readers between the ages of 8 and 14.

There's also the Tinkle ezine, for whose who'd rather read online.

But while the medium has always been trendy - comics are seeing a huge revival, thanks in part to events like Comic Con, and to the rise of graphic novels - what's most welcome is that the messgae is now equally on-point.

Can't wait to meet you, Mapui.

Lengpui Makes News

By Nirendra Dev

Mizo civil societies and youth organisations, especially those attached to non-Congress opposition political parties, will be in the national capital soon. They have a host of issues to protest against and also meet Central ministers and others.

The issue of Bru (Reang) voters has been hanging fire for a long time. Mizo society, by and large, and the political class, irrespective of party affiliations, are unhappy over the political developments in Manipur where the alleged “majoritarian”’ approach of Meiteis has created fear of suppression of ethnic Mizos, Kukis and other smaller hill tribes. Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla rose above party affiliation and flayed Manipur’s  Congress government led by Okram Ibobi Singh for passing three controversial Bills. These would be brought to the notice of the Central leadership.

They have another issue as well. It is about the purported move by the state government to hand over Lengpui Airport, the country’s only state-owned one,  to the Indian Air Force. The opposition Mizo National Front and others have threatened an agitation if their “prestigious” airport is handed over to the IAF.

(It is said that for the construction of the airport the locals themselves cleared  the dense forest and when completed  it was inaugurated by a local person.)

The  youth wings of the Mizo National Front, the Zoram Nationalist Party and the Mizoram People’s Conference  issued a joint press statement in Aizawl  stating that “if the IAF operates warplanes from  Lengpui Airport, the capital Aizawl would be targeted by the enemies in times of war”. Something highly exaggerated but that’s how the tribals look at things.

The general impression about Mizos is that they are a laborious lot. The entire history of Mizo insurgency and subsequent developments after attaining statehood suggests Mizos are also pragmatic and will not unnecessarily give an emotive twist to an issue. But the IAF has a unique historical association with Mizoram and Mizos cannot forget that episode so easily — that is, the bombing of Aizawl in March 1966. It  still haunts Mizos.

Even the Army or military leadership have  appreciated that the insurgency problem in the North- east — barring Mizoram in the 1960s — is being tackled politically by the government(s) after they realised there can be no military solution. And even for the Aizawl bombing, the decision came from higher-ups and was not decided unilaterally by the IAF. But the wounds and the pain remain.
Now for the state to run an airport is a costly affair. It is altogether a different issue that the chief minister’s arch rival, Zoramthanga, has listed “gross mismanagement” as the main reason for the financial mess.

The airport has been with the state government for the past 45 years. In fact, Lengpui is the only airport in the country that is state-owned and is still neither with the Airport Authority of India nor the Indian Air Force.

“The Mizoram government in likely to hand over the airport to the IAF,” Mizoram chief secretary Lalmalsawma said, adding that the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, on 24 June came up with a proposal to the state government. Principal Consultant of the Union civil aviation ministry, Wing Commander (Retd) Lalzawma said if the IAF took over the airport, security and maintenance of the runway would be in the hands of the Air Force while the terminal building would be maintained by the state government. He also said the IAF would construct a new hangar while the existing one would be under the state government. Besides the  financial crunch faced by a cash-starved state government, IAF sources revealed that the proposal had been given keeping in mind the strategic location of Mizoram.

The Union home ministry under Rajnath Singh in one of its routine review meetings took cognisance of the fact that the North-east militant groups were using Myanmar as bases and what prompted the IAF move was the trategic location of the state, sandwiched between Bangladesh and Myanmar and sharing a 722- km international border.

Now the government plans to convert Lengpui airport into a military one with a civil apron like Bagdogra in North Bengal.  According to security specialists, the government could use the airport at Lengpui to install powerful a air defence radar system to keep an eye on “developments” in the jungles of Myanmar. The cross-border exchange of gunfire between security forces and Naga militant group led by SS Khaplang in June 2015 was a pointer, they say.

But the politics over the move is likely to escalate. The opposition parties have warned that they would not take it lying down if the Lal Thanhawla government did not think it over. Lal Thanhawla has his reasons for going to town with the rhetoric that he had bowed out of office as chief minister in order to facilitate tformer rebel leader Laldenga to take over charge.

However, the real credit for the same should go  to the pragmatism of Mizos.

MZP Leaders Urge Tribals To Firmly Protect Rights

Aizawl, Oct 30 : Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) or Mizo student's federation leaders led by its new president Lalsangzuala Ngente today urged tribal people to stand frim to ensure protection of their safeguards and rights.

The leaders were attending a meeting of different organisations on the occasion of launching tribal movement in Manipur at Churachandpur.

11 Mizo Students Held for Assaulting Neighbour, Cops

Mysore, Oct 28 : Eleven youths from Mizoram, also students of a prestigious law college here, were arrested for assaulting a woman and policemen on Monday night. They were partying in their rented house and the woman had told them to reduce the noise.

Thirteen students have rented a house owned by Yogesh near Sanjeevini Park close to Kamakshi Hospital in Saraswathipuram. The students had rented the first floor house while the ground floor was occupied by Vanitha and Pruthivi and the second floor house was rented to a family from Madkeri.

Police said the students would party every night and it was a nuisance for neighbours who warned them they'd call the cops.

On Monday night, the law students threw a party for a friend from Bengaluru. Ten boys and three girls were allegedly drunk and allegedly threw cigarette butts to the ground floor.

Vanitha, who lives on the ground floor, warned the students that she'd complain to the cops. But the students had a verbal spat with her and in the commotion, assaulted her with a beer bottle. They also attacked neighbours who rushed to her rescue.

The injured Vanitha called Saraswathipuram police. Head constable Shantharaju and a constable rushed to the spot. The students assaulted Shantaraju too. Additional policemen were called to the spot.

11 killed, 21 hurt in Mizoram Road Accident

Aizawl, Oct 26 : At least 11 people including two pregnant women were killed and 21 others injured when a passenger bus fell into a deep gorge in South Mizoram’s Lunglei district on Saturday night, officials said on Sunday.

The passenger bus plying between Aizawl and Lawngtlai, headquarter of Lawngtlai district rolled down the deep gorge near Ramlaitui village.

“The bus fell plunged the gorge, when the driver tried to avoid a head-on collision with a speeding truck,” an official of Lunglei district administration said.

11 passengers including four women and the bus driver were killed in the road mishap.

The injured persons including few children and women had rushed to nearest hospital.
 

Kaladan on fast track

Centre clears NE-Myanmar transit transport project

By Nishit Dholabhai

New Delhi, Oct 15 : The Union cabinet today gave its nod for fast-tracking the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project that connects Myanmar to the Northeast, giving a fillip to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East policy. The cabinet revised the cost of the project from Rs 535 crore in March 2008 to Rs 2,904 crore. The funds will be given as grant to Myanmar. The project will provide an alternative access route to the Northeast and is expected to contribute towards the region's economic development. The idea is to have a 225km waterway from Sittwe Port to Paletwa, both in Myanmar, along the Kaladan river. A 62km road will connect Paletwa to the Indian border village of Zochawchhuah (in Mizoram). The road stretch was cited to be 109km till December last year but details made available today said it would be 62km. Three surveys were conducted by a Mumbai-based company for the road. Sittwe is nearly 550km by sea from Calcutta. The interlocking Indian road component in Mizoram includes a 99.83km road from Zochawchhuah to Lawngtlai town, the headquarters of Lawngtlai district. A road of over 250km already connects Lawngtlai to the state capital, Aizawl. "A very good road is being constructed on the Indian side which should be finished in three years. But construction is yet to begin on the Myanmar side," a senior council member of Lai Autonomous Council said over phone from Lawngtlai. A study by a think tank last year had nudged the government on pending infrastructure projects that connect Myanmar and the Northeast. Sources said the Modi government is also looking at fast-tracking the connectivity between the Northeast and its Southeast Asian neighbours. A commercial road link and rail link are also on the cards through Manipur into Myanmar. The Modi government has claimed to have transited from Look East Policy to Act East policy. However, the northeastern states have often asked how the region would be made a stakeholder. The Kaladan project has been in a state of stagnation for some time, apparently because of land acquisition problems in Myanmar. The idea was conceived over a decade ago when in April 2003 a detailed project report was made on the waterways component, followed by a road component project designed by the public sector company, RITES. The project was jointly identified by India and Myanmar to create multi-modal transport for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar as well as to the Northeast through Myanmar. This project, which will connect Sittwe Port to the India-Myanmar border, is expected to contribute to the economic development of the northeastern states, particularly Mizoram, by opening up the sea route to the land-locked territory. It also provides a strategic link to the Northeast by reducing pressure on the Siliguri corridor. A direct access between West Bengal and Tripura through Bangladesh will be established when the Calcutta-Dhaka-Agartala bus service, scheduled for Friday, starts. Dhaka had recently helped transport foodgrains to Tripura in the wake of a mega block because of gauge conversion on the Lumding-Silchar-Badarpur rail link that carried supplies to Tripura and Mizoram. The Kaladan project serves India's economic and strategic interests but also "contributes to the development of Myanmar and its economic integration with India," a government release said today. In March this year, commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Zorkhawthar land custom station in Mizoram and promised that projects connecting India and Myanmar would be expedited. The Zorkhawthar-Aizawl road is called the old India-Myanmar border road.

MNF organises rally in protest against bad road conditions

Representational image (SNS)

Aizawl, Oct : The Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) on Tuesday organised a protest rally in Aizawl city and south Mizoram's Lunglei and Saiha towns protesting bad road conditions across the state.

Former chief minister Zoramthanga alleged non-tribal contractors employed by the Congress government for road construction and maintenance were "taking the government for granted."

The contractors and the people in high places were having nexus on a quid pro quo basis, he alleged.
The MNF chief also accused the state government led by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla of total failure in financial management resulting to bankruptcy.

He said the common people bore the brunt of the extremely bad road conditions, which not only hit them, but also transportation of essential goods to the district headquarters and villages resulting in shortage of food and other essential commodities.

Angry Mob sets Fire To Baptists church in Mizoram

Aizawl, Oct 14 : Last night, in the self-proclaimed Christian state of Mizoram, a church building which belongs to the Baptist Church of Mizoram was torched by a mob in the area of Bawngkawn, Aizawl.

According to reports, the land in which the church was built is currently under dispute between the locals and the church. The church has the LSC while the locals claimed that the land was given to them for building an indoor stadium by one of the legislators of Mizoram.

As the dispute grew larger, the matter was settled in the court and as the church possesses the LSC, the court ruled that the church can continue their services.

Unsatisfied with the ruling of the court, the residents of Bawngkawn Brigade area unexpectedly turned fierce and torched a church building.

As the police gathered to calm the violent mob, an agreement was made which said that the church building should be demolished by the local church members with three days, upon failure of which the locality will take the responsibility of demolishing the said church.

Still, no further actions have been taken up by the Mizoram government.

Cops to be inducted from Northeast

With Delhi Police recruitment teams camping in the eight States in the Northeastern part of the country, the force has inched a step closer to its long discussed plan of inducting personnel from the region in its ranks.

Eight separate teams — one each for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, collectively known as ‘seven sisters’, and Sikkim — left the city in the beginning of October and will stay there till November-end, carrying out the recruitment process.

A senior police officer said that through the drive, the force plans to induct 450 personnel from these States. While Assam has the highest number of sanctioned posts (100), the other States will account for the remaining 350 (50 for each State).

Notifications uploaded on the websites of the respective police forces of these States suggest that male-female ratio in the vacancies is (3:1). For instance, Mizoram has 34 vacancies for men and 16 for women, while in Nagaland the corresponding numbers are 33 and 17.

As of now, these teams have set the ball rolling by uploading the notifications with coordination with the State police forces and posting advertisements in the local newspapers as well as the national ones which have an edition in bigger centres such as Guwahati.

As far as the composition of the recruitment teams are concerned, each one of these teams is headed by either a Deputy Commissioner rank officer or an Additional Deputy Commissioner and comprise an Assistant Commissioner and an inspector rank officer as well.

“Once the responses come, the teams will scrutinise and shortlist the suitable candidates and make another round for the physical training part. We hope that the process would be completed by November and the results will be out the next month,” said the officer.

On the responses and inclination of youth in these States to join the city police force of a place as distant as the Capital, a senior Mizoram Police officer said that on the first day, 100 forms were sold and he sees the number as encouraging.

Once the responses come, the teams will scrutinise and shortlist the suitable candidates and make another round for the physical training part. We hope the process would be completed by November and the results will be out the next month

North-eastern fest to enthral Delhiites from October 16

To showcase art, culture and heritage of north-eastern region

To make north-eastern art and culture a part of Delhi’s ethos, the Delhi tourism department has collaborated with the Northeast Festival, which is to host its 3rd annual event at IGNCA, Janpath, from October 16 to October 18.

Tourism minister Kapil Mishra said, “This year, tourism is the key focus and so in ensuring that, we will make north-eastern art, culture and heritage a key part of Delhi’s ethos. The festival will showcase various facets of the Northeast. We are inviting tour operators across Delhi and many foreign tourists are expected. Various festivals of the Northeast will be showcased during the fest.

Around 60 tribal artisans/textile entrepreneurs will showcase some of the best Northeast handloom & handicrafts. There would be a buyers-sellers meet as well.”

Apart from showcasing the best that the Northeast has to offer, promoting and boosting tourism in the region will be the key focus of this year’s edition of the Northeast Festival.
The “Northeast Festival” has become a brand which is synonymous with the unification of the various stakeholders of the Northeast under one dynamic platform.
The event is expected to be attended by more than three lakh people and will include top Northeast icons, policymakers of the country, senior ministers in the Union Cabinet, chief ministers of various north-eastern states, top bureaucrats, intellectuals, students and tour operators among others.
Besides tourism, the major attraction this year will be the commencement of the Northeast Festival Football Competition, the inaugural edition of which will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium from October 9 to October 15.
Football is a major sport in the Northeast and has produced many of India’s top footballers.
The competition will be a celebration of the association between the people of the Northeast and the wonderful sport.
The competition will feature over 25 teams, comprising of college teams from the NCR region and the Northeast.
The grand festival will have 40 musical bands, some of the best in India, and over 30 dance forms. It will be one of the biggest tourism festivals.
The festival will also feature cuisines from the Northeast and various restaurants in the city, specialising in food from the north-eastern states. Visitors will be able to taste different kinds of food and buy regional groceries too.

Manipur Tribal Leaders Met President and Tribal Affairs minister

The representatives of Manipur Tribals’ Forum, Delhi along with 5 delegates of Autonomous District Council Churachandpur from Manipur today met Mr Pranab Mukherjee, President of India and Mr Jual Oram, minister of Tribal Affairs reiterating Centre intervention to bring political solution to the problems face by the tribals in Manipur State.

The team also submitted memorandum to the President and Tribal Affairs minister highlighting the major concerns of the hill people and history of discriminations and subjugation to the tribals of Manipur State. Both assured the delegations that they will do the necessary follow up.

The delegations requested the President to meet MHA Internal Security secretary Mr Ashok Prasad, who visited Churachanpur today spending about 3 hours with the people of Churachandpur.

The team strongly urged the President that the secretary must be consulted before he makes any decision to the bills, when the bills come to his office for consideration. The president was presented a beautiful traditional shawl brought from Churachanpur which he graciously received.

The team strongly urged the tribal affairs minister to fight for the protection and safeguards of the tribals rights which is recognized by the Constitution of India. The team also requested him to play an advocating role for the suffering tribals of Manipur within his own Government.

For further information, please kindly contact
Manipur Tribals’ Forum, Delhi
E-mail: manipurtribalsforum(aT)gmail(doT)com

MHA Special Secretary Appeals For Early Resolution to Tribal Issues

Churachandpur, Sep 23 : The union Special Secretary, Internal Security, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ashok Prasad visited Churachandpur today to take stock of the situation in the beleaguered township.

Prasad a former DGP of J&K was given a warm reception by the Churachandpur public at Kangvai where he was given a memorandum by the Chief's association of the district.

Around 10 am the central emissary reached the Lamka Public ground packed with womenfolk in black dress.

The JAC Against Anti-Tribal Bills and the Hmar Innpui, Kuki Inpi and Zomi Council together gave a separate memorandum to the Special Secretary while the women`s joint committee presented him with nine traditional shawls symbolising the nine who lay dead for the cause.

The JAC Chief Convenor, Mangchinkhup Hauzel, making known the demand of the committee and of the people, said that the JAC and the people are happy to see an emissary of the Union Ministry of Home.

The crowd in the meantime shouted slogan like “We want separate administration”, `Welcome the Centre Govt”, `Long live Pu Ashok Prasad” etc.

After presenting the memorandum, Prasad in his speech said that he feels and shares the pain that the people are going through, particularly the families of the victims.

“I congratulate the perseverance and effort of the women, the JAC and elders. I appeal to the older people to continue guiding us in the future too,” he said and asked the people to show now that they can find a solution.

Later LB Sona, the leader of the three apexs house presented a memorandum on behalf of the Joint apex body, the Zomi Council, Kuki Inpi and Hmar Innpui.

Sona also said that they were pleased to see the central official since no one from the state government, including politicians, bureaucrats and other dignitaries have bothered to take the trouble to make any spot assessments.

“The stare government tried to portray the incident as a law and order problem only although what is being witnessed is a political problem, and therefore we request the central government to intervene,” Sona further said.

The special secretary later visited the morgue where the nine martyr are kept. He was greeted by emotional scenes from the families of the victims. They told him that they had surrendered their deads to the tribal people for they died for the tribal cause.

In a very touching moment one girl in wailed inconsolably saying in English “I have only one brother. Why did they do this to me?”

After consoling her the official went to meet the JAC and later talked to the press where he said he was sent by the Union Home Ministry to make a direct assessment of the situation here and will apprise the central government.

He also appealed for the dead bodies to be buried and put to rest at the earliest.

“I am convince that this is not just an internal problem but more than that”, Prasad said and further added that he will try his best to do the right thing and report to the centre but the immediate need was to try to resolve the issue and find a solution to the problem.

In regards to the punishment of the culprits for the nine people killed, the official said we must await the enquiry report so action can be taken.

On the question of live bullets being used, he said he will take up the issue to the Manipur State Government.

Shrugging off Chinese ‘concerns’, Modi govt allows US search missions of B-24 aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh

New Delhi, Sep 23 : The eight-member crew of 'Hot as Hell' may get the posthumous honour that they deserve. The US B-24 bomber disappeared in Arunachal Pradesh on a supply run from Kunming, China, to Chabua, Assam, on January 25, 1944, with an eight-member crew on board.

The chances of their remains being recovered have vastly improved with the Modi government allowing the US military to resume search missions in Arunachal Pradesh for the remains of servicemen who died in World War II. That marks a reversal from the position of the United Progressive Alliance regime, which had halted such operations in the northeastern state in 2009 over "concerns" raised by China.

Specialised teams from the US, trained to identify and transport the remains of its soldiers who have fallen in combat throughout the world, are expected to visit several identified sites in Arunachal.

Many American planes crashed in Arunachal Pradesh during the war while on supply missions into China. An estimated 416 aircrew are missing in India from the war. Most are believed to have gone down in Arunachal as transport planes battled bad weather and the Himalayas — a treacherous route known as 'The Hump' — to cross into China in support of the war against Japan.

"Specialised identification and recovery teams from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) will arrive in India shortly to search for Americans that remain unaccounted for from World War II," a US Embassy spokesperson told ET. (POW/MIA stands for prisoner of war/missing in action.) The US has engaged in recovery missions across the world to bring back its war dead but efforts in Arunachal hit a roadblock after the UPA government put a stop to it in 2009, reasoning that the territory was sensitive due to "strategic, internal political, ecological and anthropological reasons". However, recovery missions in other parts of India have continued.

FRESH REQUEST BY US

The Arunachal Pradesh curb was lifted after a fresh request was made by the US to the Modi government. That's come as a big relief to family members of the war dead who have been pushing for this.

"The Embassy of the United States of America and DPAA worked with the government of India to coordinate this opportunity for the agency to work in Arunachal Pradesh, searching for US personnel missing from World War II," the spokesperson said. Officials said the Modi government found the previous administration's reasoning invalid.

China claims the territory of Arunachal Pradesh for itself and several of the crash sites are close to the border. Officials familiar with the matter said operations were halted in 2009 largely due to objections raised by China against allowing US military teams into the state.

Family members of the WW II missing in Arunachal Pradesh had come together to lobby for lifting the ban.

"While this moratorium has been in effect, at least two relatives of the Arunachal missing have died, including a nephew of 'Hot as Hell' co-pilot Sheldon Chambers and a brother of bombardier Robert Eugene Oxford," Gary Zaetz, who leads the grouping, told ET. The B-24's crew included Gary's uncle Irwin Zaetz. The crash site of the aircraft in Arunachal was only discovered in December 2006.

Bnei Menashe Jews Mourn Death of Rabbi in Mizoram

Aizawl, Sep 23 : The Jewish community in Mizoram mourned the recent passing away of Rabbi Eliyahu Avichail, a religious leader who founded an organization, Amishav, to help the Bnei Menashe ('sons of Menasseh') community in the state and neighbouring Manipur get recognition as Jews.

Jeremiah L Hnamte, a leader of the community that claims to have descended from one of the 'lost tribes' of Israel, said condolence services were held across Mizoram and Manipur on Thursday, the day Rabbi Avichail died at the age of 83. Another round of services will be held on September 24.

Hnamte said a minute's silence was observed, words from the Psalms read out and 'Kaddish' or prayer offered for the Rabbi. "We mourned the death of Rabbi Avichail who was instrumental in the acceptance of the Bnei Menashe community, comprising Kuki-Mizo-Chin people, as Jews," he added.

Rabbi Avichail visited Mizoram in 1988-89 and again in 1996 and 2004. He founded Amishav in 1975 to help the Bnei Menashe community. His successors, including Michael Freund, a columnist with the Jerusalem Post, rechristened the name of the organization from 'Amishav' to 'Shavei Israel' ('returners of Israel').

In early 2005, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar in Jerusalem recognized the community as comprising 'descendants of the Israeli tribes'.

According to an estimate by local Bnei Menashe leaders, about 7,000 Jews currently live in the northeast and around 2,000 have settled in Israel.

Nagaland CM Opposes Centre’s Move to Auction Oil Blocks

Kohima, Sep 23 : Nagaland state Chief Minister, TR Zeliang on Monday reiterated his opposition to the auctioning of oil blocks in Nagaland by the Government of India. A press statement from the CMO said that the centre’s action on this would have an adverse effect on the Naga peace process and requested the Government of India to reconsider its decision to auction oil blocks which are located in Nagaland.

Recent reports had cited the Government of India’s decision to put up for competitive bidding the 69 marginal oil fields which have been held by ONGC and OIL, but which have not been exploited.

In a letter addressed to the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, and delivered to him by the Principal Resident Commissioner this afternoon, Zeliang said: “It appears from these reports that there are a few Oil Blocks located in Nagaland which are included in this list of 69 oil fields to be opened for competitive bidding.”

Informing the Union Minister that Nagaland state has framed the Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulations 2012 and the Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules 2012 in accordance with Article 371-A(1) (a) of the Constitution of India, the CM informed that under these Rules and Regulations, the Government of Nagaland has already invited Expressions Of Interest from interested oil companies, and is in the process of allocating the oil blocks in Nagaland. In view of this, the CM said that the opening up oil fields located within Nagaland to competitive bidding by the Government of India is “not appropriate.”
He also said that such a decision by the Government of India at this juncture would have an “adverse impact on the on-going peace negotiations to resolve the Naga political issue, which is in an advanced stage now.”

The Nagaland state CM further stated that a clear definition of the subject matter relating to ownership of land and its resources in Nagaland as mentioned in Article 371 A of the Constitution of India is “one of the key issues to be resolved in the Naga political dialogues.” Therefore, it requested the Union Minister to consider the matter and “exclude the oil blocks in Nagaland from the purview of the proposed competitive bidding.”

The Chief Minister along with Parliamentary Secretary for Geology and Mining Dr Imtiwapang Aier had camped in New Delhi for a week seeking an appointment with the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas. However, the CMO informed that they had to return to Nagaland last Saturday since the Union Minister was said to be busy with elections in Bihar.

Mizoram: Martyr’s Day observed to commemorate those who died during Mizo Insurgency

The rebel force turned political party has been observing Martyr's Day every September 20 since 1980.

The Martyrs’ Graveyard in Aizawl. (Source: Express photo by Adam Halliday) As scores of men and women carrying flowers queued up to lay them at the foot of a 42-feet black-marble monument topped by a white crucifix, C Lalthianghlimi stood in the distance, bent over one of the 1,563 plaques commemorating some of those who died during the two-decades-long Mizo insurgency that ended in 1986.

“At the time, we did not even have a camera. We don’t have a single photograph of him. But I am overjoyed that this plaque carries his name. So I come here often,” the 69-year-old woman said, putting her hand on the plaque that designates it as the final resting place of Zairemmawia, who died on April 1, 1967.

Lalthianghlimi stands near the granite plaque commemorating her brother Zairemmawia. (Source: Express photo by Adam Halliday) She explains Zairemmawia was her brother. He was a teenager when he died, she said, “He had not yet come of age.”

The woman from Hmawngkawn, a village 73 kms from Aizawl, was just one among hundreds of people to attend one of the 17 venues throughout Mizoram where the Mizo National Front observed Martyr’s Day on Monday.

The rebel force turned political party has been observing Martyr’s Day every September 20 since 1980, when its cadres were still living in the jungles fighting for an independent homeland for the Mizos (This year, the observance of the day was postponed since it fell on a Sunday).

When the party was in power for a decade between 1998 and 2008, it built the Martyr’s Graveyard in Aizawl’s Luangmual locality after consultations with local churches and voluntary organisations.
The 2,660 sq mts complex built almost entirely of white marble is large enough to host 2,400 granite plaques designating the names, addresses and date of deaths of those who died because of the insurgency.

Speaking to those who gathered ​there ​on Monday, MNF leader Vanlalzawma, an MLA and former Lok Sabha MP, said, “Mizo Nationalism was embodied by these martyrs, who fought so that the Mizo community did not disappear or was swamped demographically.”

“Unlike regular soldiers, these men and women had no prospects of ex-gratia for their families if they died or pensions for themselves if they lived. But they fought anyway because they were willing to sacrifice everything,” he said.

Elsewhere in Kolasib town, the MNF’s president and former CM Zoramthanga said of the deceased, “They were martyrs because they gave their lives for Mizoram and the Mizo community. The Congress is the principal attacker of these men and women, and praising the Congress as the party that loves Mizoram the most is borne out of shallow thinking.”

In another function at Lunglei town, MNF Senior Vice President and former state Home MInister Tawnluia said, “We are lucky to have thos​e who were martyred for the Mizo community. It is extremely hurtful that there exists some who contemptuously speak of these men and women.”
The MNF and the Congress have been squabbling over the insurgency’s legacy more and more vehemently in recent years, with the Congress leadership accusing the MNF’s then leaders as having begun the insurgency for their personal benefit, causing immense hardship to ordinary people (victims of the Indian Army’s controversial village grouping operations) and singling out the insurgency as a principal set-back for the state’s economy, which remains under-developed with little industry or private enterprise.

The MNF meanwhile maintains the insurgency secured constitutional safeguards for the Mizos of Mizoram and gave birth to the state as it is now (from being a district within Assam before the insurgency years).

​It is not clear exactly how many people lost their lives to the insurgency but besides the 1,563 dead commemorated at the Martyr’s Graveyard, an organisation called the Mizoram Martyr Families’ Association lists out 2,186 victims.

A Meaty Affair: What Makes Smoked Meat So Special

By Hoihnu Hauzel





Food and culture always connect people and places. There are cultural and culinary linkages that exist between different communities across the world. I was happy to discover the culinary nexus between the Laps and the people of India’s Northeast region during a trip to the Arctic Circle a few years ago. I found that the laps lapped up their smoked meat with equal passion as the Northeasterners would do with theirs. Despite the enormous physical distance, the art of smoking meat connected the two communities of people from across the globe.

Smoking – an Ancient Method of Preservation

So I found out that the Laps smoke reindeer meat, which is their staple food, on fire and call it souvas. The Samis too smoke their fish and meat. The Eskimos smoke their food - be it ham, pork, jerky or sausages, apart from seal or whale meat, as it is the only known method of preservation given the extreme cold weather they live in.

Smoking of food is a method which is common to all indigenous people around the world. So, it is not something that is characteristic to the people of Northeast India alone. But surely this method is something that binds them despite the absence of other glaring similarities. All the seven states in the Northeast region started smoking meat long before they were exposed to modern appliances like the refrigerator. And if today, despite all modern home gadgets, they continue to manually smoke their meat, it’s because of that special and delicate smoky flavour and aroma that is so difficult to replicate. Back in the ancient days, our ancestors took to smoking meat after a successful hunting expedition or for grand feasts during special occasions. They smoked the meat as it could not be immediately consumed and found it to be a rather simple and convenient way of preservation.
 

The cultural ethos that revolves around smoked meat is always heartening as it reflects the importance of kinship among certain communities in the region. In most communities of the hill tribes, meat is first distributed among members of household affiliated in a corporate manner which is known as indongta in local Paite dialect or household council. Household council is a concept that is prevalent among some communities in Manipur and this council consists of households of married brothers, sisters, mother’s brothers among others.

Interestingly, there is a concept of communal hunting wherein a group of people from a village goes for hunting expeditions. They equally distribute their share of meat from each expedition. They would go home and cook a small portion and the leftover meat is often smoked and eaten for days and even months.

In the Arctic, when the Laps kill a reindeer they smoke it over a bonfire until the meat is done. Similarly, in the Northeast whenever they feast, the meat is often smoked over fire after following a certain process of preparation.
 

The Art of Smoking Meat

But why is smoking considered an ancient method and what is so special about it? The process was invented as there was no provision for storing food and people then relied on their own wisdom. They smoked their meat essentially to preserve it. In the process, they learned that smoking dehydrates the meat, kills antibacterial properties and even enhances the flavour. Try chewing on a piece of smoked meat and the characteristic flavour will instantly hit you, as the juices slowly ooze out to fill the mouth.

Generally, the technique is to first cut and wash the meat. Then salt is rubbed in good quantity and it is then cooked in a cauldron without water to allow the moist meat to dry slowly. This is a preliminary stage. When the meat is dry and cooled, it is either kept in a mesh basket or needled together in skewers of iron or bamboo and dried in the sun or over the kitchen fire. One of the most interesting features of a primitive kitchen was the shelf over the fire which was an important place to dry or smoke vegetables or meat. Such kitchens are now relegated to the background for a more modern and functional kitchen.
 

The Love for Smoked Meat

Across the Northeast region, smoked meat holds an important place. The Mizos who love their meat call it sarep. And sarep is something every house would have throughout the year. They first chop the meat and after washing and rubbing salt, they put the pieces on skewers called tulthir (made of either bamboo or rod) and keep them over firewood for a night or two.

The Garos of Meghalaya smoke meat which includes pork, chicken, fish, beef and venison. ‘Smoke’ means ripoa or gran. Meat is smoked without salt. It is only after smoking that salt is rubbed over the surface to preserve it for a longer period. Even to this day, they smoke the meat on wood fire, which gives it a delicious smoky flavour.



The Nagas too love their smoked meat. The Sema tribe usually smoke their pork by cutting the pieces, washing them and then rubbing salt onto it. They light fire using good firewood so that chunky coals are produced. They cut the meat into six inches or so, and put them on a steel mesh over the burning coal. The smoked meat is called aakhuho. The process can be a little tedious as someone must keep an eye on the fire to ensure the flame isn’t too high or too low. One has to repeatedly turn the meat to ensure they are evenly done. It should be a bright maroon and when it cools, it is kept in a refrigerator. They called this ashi kipiki. So, smoked pork is called awoshikipiki, which is relished with steamed rice and even added in other dishes of leafy greens just to add flavour. The smoked beef is called amishishi kipiki and this is perfect for preparing a hot and fiery chilli-based dish. Just add pieces of smoked beef into the preparation and mash it. There are very few words to describe that flavour!

Manipur Tribal Groups Intensify Stir Against Anti-tribal Bills

Imphal, Sep 21 : Tribal groups in Manipur have decided to intensify their agitation in the hill districts in protest against the three bills passed by the assembly on August 31. The groups have warned of launching an indefinite economic blockade if the bills are not scrapped.

However, the Okram Ibobi Singh government has repeatedly claimed that there was no clause that would hurt the sentiments and interests of the tribal communities.

A few hours after the bills were passed on August 31, violence broke out in the Kuki-Chin-Mizo-dominated Churachandpur district. At least nine tribal protesters were killed, most of them in police action, in Churachandpur, while residences of eight Kuki MLAs and an MP were torched by the mob, which termed the bills as 'anti-tribal.'

Several tribal civil bodies have been calling bandhs in the hill districts since then and the United Naga Council has imposed a 15-day ban on construction of all national and international projects, including the trans-Asian railway network in Tamenglong district. A committee set up by Kukis in Sadar Hills in Senapati district on Friday decided to kick off a nine-day demonstration at different places in the area from Monday.

Army repairs damaged road and restores connectivity in Manipur

Imphal, Sep 21 : A 12 kilometre stretch of Tamenglong-Azuiram road which was damaged due to heavy rain and multiple landslides and had remained cut off for nearly three months in remote Tamenglong district, has been repaired and restored by the Indian Army.

The repair work was carried out by Army's Tamenglong Battalion of Senapati Bridge under the aegis of Red Shield Division with the help of local people, a Defence press release said on Saturday.

The Tamenglong-Azuiram road which was closed for about three months due to natural calamities like heavy rain and multiple landslides, has been restored connectivity this weekend and people of remote Azuiram village could go to their district headquarters, Tamenglong now, the release added.

People of Azuiram village expressed their gratitude and happiness to Indian Army for such untiring dedication to reach out to local populace, said another press release issued by the Chairman of the village authority of Azuiram.

Mizoram Mulls Action Against Govt Staff Opposing Liquor Sale

Aizawl, Sep 18 : The Mizoram government has warned of taking action against its employees who are participating in an agitation launched by the church and some NGOs against the opening of wine shops in district headquarters across the state.

While the state government 'partially' lifted the prohibition in February this year allowing the Mizos to buy six liquor bottles a month, the churches had been opposing the government's decision.

Secretary for the general administration department, Lalrinliana Fanai, issued an office memorandum on September 14, warning government officials indulging in protests.

The office memorandum said with the implementation of Mizoram Liquor Prohibition and Control Act, 2014, NGOs and church organizations have been organizing protests against the opening of liquor shops/warehouses in their localities, hampering smooth implementation of the MLPC Act, 2014.

"It has come to the knowledge of the government that some government servants are known to have indulged in such protests, which is against the policy of the government," it said. It added that such an act of protesting against government policy is a clear violation of Rule 3(1)(iii) and Rule 9(i) of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964.

The office memorandum said indulging in protests against the government policy was also an act unbecoming of a government servant. The state government has instructed all government employees to refrain from indulging in such kind of protests.

"Appropriate action shall be taken against any government servant found to be acting in contravention of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964," the memorandum said.

The MLPC Act, 2014, enacted by the state assembly last year, was implemented on January 15, 2015. The first wine shop was opened in Aizawl on March 16 amid protests from churches and some NGOs. The new Act replaced the stringent Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1995, imposed in the state since February 20, 1997.

Though the newly-enacted law was still a 'prohibition act', consumption of liquor was no longer an offence as was during the 17-year imposition of the previous dry law. Anyone above the age of 21 who wants to drink has to apply for getting a ration card-like document that would enable him to purchase a maximum of 6 bottles of liquor a month.

The local churches continued to target opening of new wine shops in their jurisdiction till date, resulting in hampering implementation of the MLPC Act.

Sick PSUs under the state government were given wine shop licences to help them tide over their financial problems. Some private parties were also given the same.

Despite strong opposition from churches, about 17 wine shops have been opened in the state till date.

Churachandpur Rallies, Manipur Govt's Silence Slammed

Churachandpur, Sep 16 : It has been fifteen days since the spontaneous protest over the three Bill erupted in Churachandpur and other hill districts of the State and there is still no sign of normalcy returning to the district.

Significantly the bodies of nine people including a minor who were killed in the protest are still lying at the morgue.

Schools and offices have since closed and agitations and restrictions continue to affect public life and yet the political leaders both in the State and centre have shown no will to restore normalcy here, in a stark display of their apathy towards the popular voice in this restive part of the country.

For days, bullets and mob violence have overwhelmed normal life and dharnas, rallies, bandhs and public curfew have crammed people's life. Nine people have been killed and kept in a makeshift-mortuary that has neither a cold storage nor any tool to preserve human remains.

Church bells have stopped ringing to mourn the deaths. Womenfolk, now at the forefront of the protest are draped in black; houses raise black flags and the few emergency vehicles that ply as well adorn black flags. Anything, everything they do symbolise their mourning turning the protest and their protest into a public movement but the State Government and the Centre have so far not done anything concrete to restore normalcy or show concern for the common man.

The State tribals who have been brought together by the Bills like never before have pledged to never let the blood of nine martyrs vanish in thin air, rolling out their agitation plans well ahead for weeks. The Government has shown no sincere and genuine attempt to restore normalcy.

Meanwhile, women groups in hundreds today held a peace rally from their dharna points and converged at Lamka Public ground where the leaders who addressed them took a jibe at the Government’s attempt to still downplay their movement.

Some of the leaders from Mizo Peoples' Convention, Hmar Inpui, Kuki Inpi, and Zomi Council who addressed the rally have even dubbed the present uprising as a political earthquake taking into consideration its magnitude, but the Government seems to think otherwise, in stark contrast to the ground reality.

The call for interminable unity, criticism of the elected representatives to protect the tribal interest and their refusal to own it up, and the need for a separate political administration were repeatedly raised during the rally amidst a highly charged atmosphere.

They also questioned the Central Government for kow-towing to Ibobi’s rhyme, questioning how many BJP leaders have now set their foot in the hill districts, before and after the uprising, despite the iconic announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his his Cabinet Ministers will visit the North Eastern States on rotational basis.

FIR Filed Against Mizoram CM’s Brother

Aizawl, Sep 16 : The Mizo National Front Tuesday filed an FIR with Mizoram’s Anti-Corruption Bureau against Lalthanzara, a former Minister of State and younger brother of Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.

Lalthanzara resigned last month following exposes that he held several lakh shares in a Delhi-based company his brother the CM, through the state PWD, gave several contracts to at the time.

Information also surfaced that a food company owned by Lalthanzara’s family supplied more than Rs 20 crores worth of biscuits to anganwadis for midday meals through the state’s Social Welfare Department since the Congress came to power in 2008.

The MNF’s complaint to the ACB says Lalthanzara owned as much as 21.6% of Sunshine Overseas Ltd’s shares even as he was a Parliamentary Secretary in charge of the PWD which, at the time (2009-12), allotted several construction contracts to the firm.

The opposition party also pointed out that HP Foods, a company owned by Lalthanzara, has also been supplying “high-protein” biscuits to the government while the party he belongs to continues to be in power.

The party’s FIR has invoked various provisions of section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, which deals with “criminal misconduct by a public servant”.

J Lalremruata Hmar, the MNF’s Legal Board chairman in whose name the FIR was filed, said, “Both Lalthanzara and the CM have said Lalthanzara’s resignation means he is ready to face a thorough investigation. We waited for them to institute an investigation, which has not happened.

“We have therefore filed the FIR, and we will now see if the Vigilance Department will give the go-ahead to the ACB to proceed with investigations and subsequently file criminal cases,” he said.

Indian troops never crossed into Myanmar; operation took place in Manipur and Nagaland

New Delhi, Sep 16 : The cross-border strike in June to take down insurgent camps never took place in Myanmar, if the gallantry citations of the crack paratroopers who executed the operation are to be believed

While minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore openly stated after the June 9 operation that Indian forces crossed into Myanmar and raided two militant camps, the gallantry award citations of the heroes of the strike make no mention of the neighbouring nation, indicating instead that the operation took place in Manipur and Nagaland.

ET has learnt that the citations for the eight soldiers, including Lt Col Nectar Sanjenbam who led the operation, give an insight into the carefully carried out raid, while blurring out that it took place in Myanmar. Lt Col Sanjenbam, who has been awarded the Kirti Chakra — the second highest peacetime gallantry award — is learnt to have displayed unusual prowess in taking down the sentries at the militant camps that were raided. The officer is cited to have taken down 6-8 sentries, who were guarding the camps, personally in close quarter combat, before blasting his way through the main installations.

Similarly, Hav Tanka Kumar Limbu, awarded the Shaurya Chakra, is also cited as being instrumental in ensuring that the crack commando team sneaked in undetected before blasting away the main compound.The citations indicate that the Indian Army managed to inflict close to two dozen casualties, even though a precise number is not mentioned.

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

In a statement issued on the day of the operation, the Army was careful to mention that the operation took place "along the Indo- Myanmar border" and that "we are in communication with the Myanmar authorities on this matter".

Bail For Sensational Wildlife Crime in Mizoram

Aizawl, Sep 15 : Three people who were not even on the list of suspects in the theft of 11 bags of seized pangolin scales from a government godown in Mizoram have applied for anticipatory bail after a person known to them was arrested and questioned.

The trio have subsequently been summoned for interrogation in the high-profile theft that occurred 86 kms away, that too in a different district from where they live, Aizawl.

The May-end theft of the seized pangolin scales (weighing 262 kgs with a total value of Rs 1.7 lakhs) from a godown belonging to the forest department had prompted the state Forest Minister Lalrinmawia Ralte to issue a public statement.

Police investigating the theft at Kolasib town had arrested and questioned a man named Lalrinchhana, suspected to be the driver of a vehicle thought to have ferried the stolen pangolin scales from the godown to traffickers further afield.

Police sources said he refused to divulge his alleged accomplices, and had only said he helped deliver the consignment to a woman in Aizawl. The woman has since absconded, with her house locked from outside. Lalrinchhana’s remand has since expired.

Meanwhile, three people — Lalthlamuana (Lalrinchhana’s elder brother), P C Lianzuala and Lalfakzuali — approached a local court in Aizawl and applied for anticipatory bail in the case.

As their bail hearing continued, police got wind of the development and immediately suspected their involvement and were summoned for questioning.

But they have not presented themselves before investigators, and in the meantime secured anticipatory bail from the court, which observed that “there is no copy of summons showing that the petitioners had received the summons”.

Additional Sessions Judge Vanlalenmawia has however laid down strict conditions for their bail, including the suspect’s cooperation with police and orders for them not to leave the state without the consent of the top magistrate at Kolasib.

Tripartite Meeting on Bru Repatriation Remains Inconclusive

Aizawl, Sep 15 : The tripartite meeting between the Union Home Ministry and the state governments of Mizoram and Tripura held in Delhi today on the issue of repatriation of Brus from six relief camps in Tripura was inconclusive, a senior state government official on Monday said.

Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalmalsawma, who led the state government delegation told PTI over phone the meeting agreed that the Union Home Ministry officials should hold talks with the Bru leaders before holding another meeting.

"Home Ministry officials will hold talks with the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF) led by A Sawibunga and Bru Coordination Committee (BCC) led by Elvis Chorkhy," Lalmalsawma said adding, the two Bru organisations were reported to have differences of opinion on the repatriation issue.

While the Tripura government officials insisted that all Brus should return to Mizoram, the Mizoram officials explained that not a single Bru appeared before the officials for identification for repatriation and the state government was trying to implement the Road Map-IV for Bru repatriation between June 2 and August 17 last.

Mizo Party Alleges Land Intrusion

By Nilotpal Bhattacharjee

Aizawl, Sep 14 : The youth wing of the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP), a political party of Mizoram, has alleged that villagers of Lailapur in Assam's Cachar district have encroached into the neighbouring state.

The president of ZNP youth wing, Lalmuanpuia Punte, told this correspondent today that the Lalilapur gaon panchayat in contravention to the agreement had allowed a few villagers to cultivate land inside Mizoram territory. "The villagers from Assam also built farm huts on the land, which belongs to Mizoram. Everything was done under the supervision of the Lailapur gaon panchayat," he alleged.

A delegation of the ZNP youth wing yesterday visited the Assam-Mizoram border and took stock of the boundary demarcation between Lailapur and Vairengte in Mizoram's Kolasib district.

Punte said they met Cachar deputy commissioner S. Viswanathan last evening and discussed with him the prevailing condition on the border and briefed him about the reasons behind the frequent inter-state border conflicts. The delegation also met the liaison officer of Mizoram House here.

The ZNP youth wing submitted a memorandum to Viswanathan and urged him to take necessary steps to prevent the violation of the agreement. The memorandum said Cachar and Kolasib deputy commissioners some years back had signed an agreement according to which no activities are to be carried out on the disputed land.

Sources said tension flared up on Wednesday when the Mizoram environment and forest range officer visited the interstate border and destroyed the farm huts built inside Mizoram territory in Vairengte.

The same day the forest range officer of Dholai in Cachar district also paid a visit to the border.

Later, they held a meeting in which the Assam forest officials said they were not aware of the cultivation being done by the villagers inside Mizoram territory.

High Suicide Rate in Mizoram

Aizawl, Sep 14 : At least 75 people committed suicide in Mizoram since January, chairman of the Aizawl-based New Life Charitable Society Zawmsanga Sailo today said.

Corroborating the high suicide rate in the state, Police CID (Crime) unit officials said that 72 people had committed suicide since January 1 till July 31, as against 41 during the corresponding period last year.

Sailo told PTI that suicide was on the rise in Mizoram, which has barely a population of 10 lakh due to increase in the incidence of depression and other mental problems among youths.

Both police officials and social workers described the increase in suicidal death as alarming in a small state like Mizoram.

Mizoram: Students Demand Separate Administration for Tribals

Aizawl, Sep 10 : Mizo, Zomi, Hmar and Thado-Kuki students assembled in front of the Raj Bhawan in Aizawl to express solidarity with Manipur tribals and demanded a separate administration for the community.

In a memorandum addressed to the President and submitted to the Mizoram Governor’s office, student groups of the four communities demanded the deputation of “central observers to Manipur to assess the situation”, “separate political administration for the tribals of Manipur” and the direct monitoring by the PMO of “all talks on political issues of the tribals of Manipur.”

“We… are seriously concerned with the situation of Manipur … as we are culturally one and same with people living in the hill areas who may be commonly addressed as Zo ethnic tribes though they are often called by different names,” said the memorandum signed by leaders of the Mizo Students’ Union, Siamsinpawlpi, Hmar Students’ Association and Thado-Kuki Students’ Union.

Meanwhile, rights-group Amnesty International (India) called upon the Manipur government for “prompt, full and independent investigations into all allegations of human rights abuses related to protests in the state in the past few months, including the excessive use of police force”.

“Authorities in Manipur must demonstrate their commitment to human rights and the rule of law.

They must ensure that they respect the right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest while maintaining public order and safety,” said Aakar Patel, the group’s Executive Director, adding “Incidents of violence and vandalism by protestors also need to be effectively investigated, and those suspected of human rights abuses brought to trial.”

“Excessive police force cannot be an answer to violent protests. The police must distinguish between persons engaging in violence and peaceful demonstrators or bystanders. Firearms should be used only as a last resort when less extreme means have failed, and intentional lethal force should be used only when strictly unavoidable to protect life,” Patel was quoted as saying by a statement issued on the group’s website.

Mizoram Govt Directs Women Employees to Wear Traditional Clothes

Mizo dance form Chailam. (Photo: Mizoram Tourism)

Based on a decision made in the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl’s (MHIP) 20th General Assembly, the Mizoram government has sent a notice to its female employees to wear the traditional dress Puan, at least twice in a week.

Government circular. (Photo: The Quint)

MHIP is a voluntary organisation run engaged in social welfare work.

Mizo traditional bamboo dance. (Photo: Mizoram Tourism)

The move came as an effort to revive the traditional Mizo attire of a wrap around skirt, according to the notice.

Puan – Mizoram’s traditional attires – are a colorful set of clothes.
The men, however, do not have to follow any such rule.

According to the MHIP website, there are five kinds of Puan:
Puanchei: a wrap around skirt.

Kawrechi: the blouse generally made of cotton.

Ngotekherh: a wrap around originally meant for men but now worn by men and women alike.
Hmar am : A small hand woven cloth of hand-spun cotton and indigo dye.
Cyhna Hno: An embroidered silk cloth of the native inhabitants of Mizoram, Mara’s.

Source: thequint.com

Mizoram: Retired PWD engineer, secretary in dock for Rs 107 lakh Scam

According to an enquiry by the ACB, Liansanga benefited the most from the alleged scam and pocketed almost the entire amount of Rs 107 lakhs while Lianchungnunga is accused of pocketing a little over Rs 42,000.

Aizawl, Sep 10 :  Mizoram’s Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered criminal and corruption cases in a special anti-corruption court against two top PWD engineers and an accountant for allegedly embezzling Rs 107.67 lakhs from a road improvement project in the state’s northern region.

Liansanga (a retired engineer who was the Engineer-in-Chief of the PWD), Lianchungnunga (PHE and Minor Irrigation Secretary and former Chief Engineer of the PWD’s highways division) and Lalthanpuia, a PWD accountant, have been charged under four sections of the Indian Penal Code and three sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

These include criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and misappropriation.
If found guilty, the trio face up to seven years behind bars.

According to an enquiry by the ACB, Liansanga benefited the most from the alleged scam and pocketed almost the entire amount of Rs 107 lakhs while Lianchungnunga is accused of pocketing a little over Rs 42,000.

The accountant has been charged with fabricating documents, forging another official’s signature and cheating a colleague to help cover up the scam.

Liansanga has also been accused of abusing his position to allocate less than two-thirds of Rs 696 lakhs meant for various PWD projects by the state government, which received the money from the 12th Finance Commission.

The retired engineer is also accused of fabricating records to show 75 kms of a road from from Serkhan village in Mizoram’s Kolasib district to Bagha in south Assam’s Cachar district was re-surfaced while in reality only 19.3 kms was actually re-surfaced.

It was because of the condition of this road despite the improvement works that a complaint was submitted to the ACB by a student union leader named Vanlaltlana back in 2011. The complaint led to an investigation and subsequently resulted in the current cases for the trio.

Liansanga also faces a separate graft case in which he and 15 other government engineers are accused of having swindled more than Rs 900 lakhs while building two mini-hydel projects more than a decade and half ago. - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/mizoram-retired-pwd-engineer-secretary-in-dock-for-rs-107-lakh-scam/#sthash.n8x2kaAz.dpuf

Why Indian state of Manipur is gripped by violence

Eight people were killed and dozens others were injured last week in clashes between the police and protesters over tribal rights laws in the restive north-eastern Indian state of Manipur. Subir Bhaumik explains why the state is in turmoil. For the past few months, the majority Hindu Meitei community in Manipur have been holding protests, demanding promulgation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.

The ILP - a system introduced by India's former British rulers and already existent in three north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland - protects tribespeople by preventing "outsiders" from buying land or settling in their area.

The Meitei community wanted the the system to be introduced in Manipur to prevent unrestricted entry of "outsiders" - settlers from other Indian states or neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar - whose numbers have sharply risen between the 2001 and 2011 Census and who now make up a fourth of Manipur's population of 2.8 million.

Upset tribes

During the Meitei agitation, schools were shut for weeks, prices of essential commodities skyrocketed and violence often erupted on the streets.

Then in late August, the Manipur state assembly passed three bills aimed at giving more rights to indigenous groups who accuse "outsiders" of taking land and jobs.

That assuaged the Meiteis, but upset the Nagas and Kukis, the other dominant tribes in the state.
On 31 August, three student organisations representing the Naga and Kuki tribes called a general strike across Manipur, demanding withdrawal of the bills.

Eight people were killed in violence over two days in the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district.
Homes of Kuki lawmakers and one Kuki minister were burnt down by angry mobs who felt they had not protected "tribal interest" by supporting the bills. Additional security forces were deployed and an indefinite curfew was imposed in Churachandpur.

The tribal student groups claimed the new bills, when made law, would allow Meiteis to buy land in the hill districts of Manipur where the Nagas and Kukis live - something that is not possible now.

Pressures over land

But Manipur human rights activist Babloo Loitongbam says the bills have "nothing against the security or interest of the tribes people".

"Rather, the process of buying land by outsiders in the state has been made more stringent by the new laws," he said.

He blamed the violence on the state government's failure to take the Nagas and Kukis into confidence and explain to them the new proposed laws.


"The government should have explained the content in greater detail as the relationship between the tribals in the hills and the Meiteis in the Imphal valley has always been sensitive," Mr Loitongbam said.

"Earlier the permission to buy land had to be sought from a section or subsidiary of the local cabinet, but now the entire cabinet needs to approve land-buying by an outsider. The tribal areas remain protected and are not disturbed under the new amendments," Mr Loitongbam told the BBC.

The Nagas and Kukis have concerns over a clause setting 1951 as the base year for classing residents as indigenous, with those settling in the state before then given land rights - the groups fear that those who have moved into the state after that date would stand to lose.

Women activist Binalaxmi Nephram blamed the federal government for taking no interest in tackling the unrest - first the Meitei agitation and now the tribal unrest against the bills.

She blamed the violence on the pressures over land.

"About 60% of Manipur's population lives on 10% of its land in the plains. So land is a sensitive issue."

Manipur is not new to conflict - Meitei, Naga and Kuki separatists have run long armed campaigns, often targeting Indian armed forces, protesting against controversial anti-insurgent laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which gives the security forces the powers of search and seizure.

But Meiteis, Naga and Kuki militias have also fought one another in the 1990s over conflicting homeland demands.

Now Meiteis, upset with demographic changes, are targeting "outsiders" much as they all continue to fight against the AFSPA.

Unless the authorities take quick steps to defuse the situation, these several layers of conflict could explode into huge violence in Manipur.