Solidarity Cry For Fasting Irom

By Kim Arora

New Delhi, Jun 23 : On the day Emergency was declared exactly 36 years ago, several civil rights groups plan to hold a candlelight prayer at 6pm at Rajghat on Saturday to support the 10-year-long non-violent protest of Irom Sharmila Chanu.

"The government showed willingness to engage with Baba Ramdev when he landed in Delhi. For Irom Sharmila, they can at least send someone from the National Commission for Women. They can talk and the matter can move forward," said Faisal Khan of the National Alliance of People's Movement, one of the organizers of the event.

Sharmila, now 39, went on fast in Manipur, protesting against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The Act allows soldiers posted in the area to detain any civilian on suspicion. The alleged killing of 10 civilians by Assam Rifles in Imphal in 2000 prompted the fast. It soon earned her the sobriquet "Iron Lady of Manipur".

According to Khan, this is just one of the many campaigns that have been organized to get the AFSPA repealed. "In 2007, 10 people fasted for five days in
Manipur. Ours is just a solidarity campaign," says Khan who was a part of the 2007 fast.

After the candlelight vigil, other activist groups such as Jagriti Mahila Samiti and Sadbhav Mission, plan to write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, requesting them to grant Sharmila an audience. A journey from Srinagar to Imphal is also being planned with the objective to involve the country's youth in this movement. A three-month long signature campaign starting October 2 is also in the works.

Police, Protesters Clash in Assam, 3 Die

EPA

Indian women run for cover as a police vehicle was set ablaze by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) protesters in Guwahati city, northeast India on June 22 2011. The demonstrators were protesting against the mass eviction of unauthorized occupants from government forest lands in and around Guwahati city. The demonstrators set ablaze several vehicles including city buses and pelted stones on number of passing vehicles. According to reports, one girl died in police firing and several others were injured.

EPA

A Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) protester is seen breaking a bus after set it on fire in Guwahati city, northeast India, on June 22. The demonstrators were protesting against the mass eviction of unauthorized occupants from government forest lands in and around Guwahati city. The demonstrators set ablaze several vehicles including city buses and pelted stones on number of passing vehicles.

The AP reports:

protest against squatter evictions turned deadly in a northeastern Indian city on Wednesday as riot police fired tear gas and live rounds into the air to disperse thousands of stone-throwing protesters.

Anti-eviction stir in city turns violent

Guwahati, Jun 23 : Three persons including a child were killed and around 50 people including several policemen injured when police opened fire to quell a protest demonstration that turned violent at Dispur Last Gate today.

The protesters set on fire and damaged a number of vehicles during the mayhem that continued for nearly three hours. They also blocked the GS Road for several hours, leading to severe traffic congestion in the area.

The protesters had gathered at Dispur at the call of Krishak Mukti Sangram Parishad (KMSS) and Brihattar Guwahati Mati Pattan Samiti demanding a halt to the ongoing eviction drive in the city's hills and wetlands besides granting of land patta (settlement rights) to the landless encroaching on those lands.

The injured included several police personnel including City SSP Deepak Choudhury besides a couple of journalists. They have been admitted to the GMCH, GNRC and Down Town hospitals. Two of the injured in GNRC where 17 injured were admitted are stated to be in a critical condition.

Of the 22 injured admitted in the GMCH, Biren Kalita (56) of Panjabari had bullet injuries and was undergoing surgery, a doctor said.

The dead have been identified as Rubul Ali (9), son of Yousuf Ali of Lalmati, Ramen Chandra Barman (32) of Lalmati, and Shiva Kumar Sarma, whose address could not be confirmed till filing of the report.

The scene turned ugly around 1-30 pm when the police tried to prevent the protesters from marching to the State Secretariat. Soon chaos ensued with the agitators pelting stones at police personnel who retaliated with a lathi-charge to disperse the mob. The crowd grew more violent and set on fire a Maruti van and vented their ire even on commuters who had nothing to do with the protest by damaging several vehicles. Later, the protesters set on fire three JNNURM city buses besides a Maruti Gypsy of the police on the GS Road near Down Town Hospital, with the police remaining a silent spectator. A number of other vehicles including a school bus bore the brunt of the mob fury.

The police remained inexplicably restrained during the pandemonium, allowing the protesters to indulge in unprecedented violence.

Cops Free Mizo Girl From Sex Trade Racket in Mumbai

Aizawl, Jun 22 : A Mizo girl, who was forced into flesh trade after being promised a job, has been rescued by Mizoram Police in Mumbai.

The girl was promised a job with a handsome salary by a person whose identity is yet to be ascertained, police said. "She called her parents in Aizawl as soon as she escaped. They in turn notified CID officials of Mizoram Police," an officer said.

After getting the news, the officials rushed to Mumbai and took the girl in their custody on Monday. The person, who took the girl to Mumbai, is suspected to be involved in a flesh trade racket for quite some time. Efforts are on to arrest him.

Last year, two girls were brought to Goa from Mizoram with promises that they would work as beauticians. But when they reached there, they were asked to have sex with their customers and were beaten up when they refused to comply. They were rescued by a Mizo boy working in Goa who contacted a journalist in Aizawl. Later, police, in coordination with NGOs, brought them back.

Scarcity of jobs in the state is compelling many boys and girls to look for work outside. While doing so, they become easy target of flesh trade racketeers. This has forced the state government to set up an anti-human trafficking squad recently.

Cases of human trafficking have been on the rise in Mizoram of late. "t is suspected that several such incidents might have gone unreported. Many victims failed to report the crime while in many cases the victims and the perpetrators of the crime reached agreements and compromises," said Joseph Lalchhuana, SP, CID (Crime) recently.

Jimmy Laltlanmawia, programme coordinator of Aizawl-based Community Health Action Network (Chan), the salvation Army-sponsored NGO, said Chan began its campaign against human trafficking from 2005 when the awareness about crime was extremely low among people of Mizoram. The awareness level about the issue has now increased, he said.

In September last year, police had arrested a Mizo man, Vanlalruati, the main contact person of a Goa-based beauty parlour owner, who allegedly trafficked girls from Mizoram to Goa for sexual exploitation.

Vanlalruati alias Vli Ramhlun, had hired the three Mizo girls, including a minor, to work in the beauty parlour at Porvorim, where they were forced to do sex work.

In their complaint to Mizoram police, relatives of the trafficked girls revealed that Vanlalruati had hired the girls to work in the beauty parlour and they were brought to Goa by one Alex of Manipur.

Shillong Airport's New Terminal Ready To Open

Umroi, Jun 22 : The new terminal building of the Shillong airport in Meghalaya will be inaugurated Saturday, an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said.

The terminal will be inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister Vayallar Ravi , said Shillong Airport Controller V. Mohan.

The airport, formerly known as Umroi airport, is about 35 km north of Shillong, the state capital of Meghalaya.

Mohan said the new terminal, built at a cost of Rs.30 crore, is fitted with latest equipments like explosive trace detectors, baggage x-ray machines, and close-circuit cameras.

"It has been upgraded with six check-in counters, a complete security hold area, and separate blocks have been created for arrivals and departures, and a modern medical inspection room," the AAI official said.

Mohan said the expansion work of the airport has started with the construction of a perimeter wall. The work was earlier delayed due to land acquisition.

"We have acquired 224.16 acres of land for expansion of the airport to facilitate landing of bigger aircrafts. The work has started flowing now," Mohan said.

The new runway will be lengthened to 7,500 feet from the present runway of 6,000 feet and will be realigned with the existing runway.

The new runway will have a strength of PCN 54 (Pavement Classification Number), which means that it can withstand the load and speed of bigger aircraft such as the Airbus 300, he said.

Meghalaya Transport Minister Abu Taher Mondal said the state government has paid around Rs.50 crore in compensation to about 250 land owners for the expansion of the airport to provide better connectivity for the state with the rest of the country.

The land-locked Meghalaya is connected to the country mostly by road at present.

At present, the Shillong airport can accommodate only 50-seater ATR aircraft, serviced every day except Friday from Calcutta.

The Umroi airport was constructed in the mid-60s and became operational in the mid-70s.

Manas A World Heritage Site, Again

By Naresh Mitra

Guwahati, Jun 22 : After nearly two decades, Manas National Park has got rid of the danger tag that was attached to it by the Unesco's World Heritage Committee way back in 1992.

"At its 35th meeting in Paris on Tuesday, the committee finally removed the tag. Manas National Park is once again a world heritage site. It's indeed a great piece of news. The removal of the danger tag proved that all the hard work that went into restoring Manas's status has borne fruits," Assam forest minister Rockybul Hussain told TOI here.

Manas was put in the Unesco's danger list following largescale destruction of wildlife and infrastructure during the height of Bodo insurgency in the late '80s and early '90s. Spread over 500 sq km in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), the park had got the World Heritage Site status in 1985. With the removal of the danger tag, Assam now has two World Heritage Sites, the other being Kaziranga National Park.

"The World Heritage Committee noted that the outstanding universal value for which the property was inscribed on the World Heritage List was recovering from damage sustained during the ethnic unrest in the site. Situated on the foothills of the Himalayas, Manas is home to a great variety of wildlife, including endangered species such as the tiger, the pygmy hog, the rhinoceros and the elephant, Manas was inscribed on the List in Danger in 1992, seven years after it had entered Unesco's World Heritage List," a World Heritage Committee statement said.

Principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife) Suresh Chand, who is part of the Indian delegation in Paris, said, "By ensuring the removal of danger tag, Assam has set an example in wildlife conservation for the entire world to follow. Now that we have been able to achieve this, we need to continue working within Manas and its buffer areas for sustainable security of the unique natural heritage."

The decision on the World Heritage status of Manas was an outcome of voting by 22 member countries to the World Heritage Committee. The turnaround in Manas's fate came about in the early 2000. The improvement of political situation with the creation of the Bodoland territorial Council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution provided the impetus for making a concerted effort in the conservation of Manas. Involvement of the BTC, NGOs, local communities, state forest department have been able to restore Manas to a significant extent.

"Much credit for this goes to the local people, the government and wildlife NGOs who have been working tirelessly to restore Manas's old glory," Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) executive director Vivek Menon said from Paris. WTI and its partner, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), have been espousing the cause of Manas. "WTI and IFAW are proud to be a part of the initiate to regain the World Heritage Site status for Manas," Menon added.

BTC deputy chief Kampa Borgoyari said, "Without the continued support of the people, the danger tag could not have been removed."

The ‘Tom & Jerry’ of Indian Football

“Sir, Please may I come in,” someone politely asks from behind the half-shut door. It’s Jeje Lalpeklua standing on the other side. He hands over a Pen-drive. “Could I have the Match Recording and the pictures? Please, if you can give it to me.” His humility is bound to strike you.

A couple of hours later when you knock at his room, Jeje, Lalrindika Ralte and Lalrozama stayed engrossed in the Video Recording of India’s Pre-Olympic first-leg match against Qatar. Some animated discussions in local Mizo dialect go on; I prefer watching from the stands. And after the final whistle, it’s just silence.


Jeje and Dika: Tom & Jerry of Indian Football

I rewind back to Jeje’s goal. “I should have scored another. I should have converted my second chance,” stays his apology. You begin to ponder. Here you are, lauding him for his strike in an away-match and he apologises for not scoring another!

“That’s Jeje Lalpeklua. He’s never satisfied. He always wants more,” Dika adds. Lalrozama follows: “That’s’ why he is already a star — the next Bhaichung Bhutia.”

Jeje interferes. “I have miles to go. Don’t compare Bhaichung with me. He is a Great Player. But I haven’t been able to speak to him as yet. He is my idol.”

Coach Desmond Bulpin adds: “I don’t believe in comparisons. All I can tell you, this kid is a special one. We need to take care of him.”

The bonding between Dika and Jeje goes back to their childhood as both hail from Hnahthial in Mizoram, almost a five-hour drive from Aizawl. Together they make quite a pair. They are lovable; at times they are naughty but are inseparable. All call them the ‘Tom and Jerry.’

Ask them as to who’s Tom and who’s Jerry, you won’t find an answer. All they do is smile, look at each other and smile again.

“The off-field bonding helps,” Jeje informs. “He’s a midfielder, I’m a striker. Our understanding reflects on the field.” Dika goes on: “Even with my head down, I know where’s he on the field. We connect to each other well.”

“You can attribute it to our society. We love to stay together. We make friends easily,” Rozama completes the triangle.

Back in Mizoram, the boys enjoy a huge fan following, especially among the girls. Jeje smiles hesitantly. “That’s his sex-appeal,” Dika winks.

Jeje blushed and went after Dika – I remember ‘Tom and Jerry.’

“Everyday Dika speaks about a new ex-girlfriend,” Jeje puts Dika on the wrong foot. On a serious note, he puts it straight: “We stay in the Camp for most of the year. We go back only for a fortnight. Won’t our girlfriends curse us?” You stay stumped.

“Back home in Mizoram, football stays the sole sport. People were happy over India’s triumph in the Cricket World Cup. But next day, all went to the football match,” Lalrozama switches flanks. “The support from the Government has helped us to have an artificial turf in Mizoram.”

The three Indian Arrows boys have set their eyes abroad. Jeje has already signed up with an agent; the other two are supposed to do it soon. “It’s hard to get a Work-Permit in Europe. I’m keeping my options open,” Jeje expresses.

The trio goes numb for a moment. They try reflecting on their chances of playing abroad. “We need to have more agents,” Raju Gaikwad’s voice echoed in Jeje’s.

Is the 2022 World Cup a realistic dream? “Why not?” Jeje comes back to life. “We all would love to be a part of that team. Even if we can’t, let the others take us there. It ought to happen someday.”

Dika, by then had started replaying the Recording of the Match. Jeje and Lalrozama asked me to join in. They speak in their local Mizo dialect, I understand little. All I understand is that they speak football. Isn’t that the priority?

Source: sportskeeda.com

No Pension For Mizoram Deficit School Teachers

Aizawl, Jun 21 : Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today made it crystal clear that it is not possible to give retirement facilities to deficit school teachers in the state.

''While the Central government has stopped pension benefits to regular government employees recruited after September 1, 2010, the state government is not in a position to meet the deficit school teachers’ demand for retirement facilities,'' Lal Thanhawla told leaders of Mizoram Presbyterian Synod, who met him today, on behalf of the agitating Mizoram Deficit Mission School Association (MDMSA).

On the demand for regularisation of contractual teachers in the Deficit Mission Schools, the Chief Minister stated that there are a number of contractual employees in different government departments too and the issue of deficit school teachers can not be isolated.

On their demand for entitlement of the sixth pay recommendations, the Chief Minister also pointed out that employees of the different polytechnics were also yet to get the sixth pay salaries.

The matter was being discussed with the finance department and they would get it sooner or later, he assured them.

Lal Thanhawla disclosed that he was disappointed by the school teachers putting pressure on the government without first considering the financial situation.

It may be noted that the deficit school teachers have chalked out a series of agitations and has even set a deadline for the government to fulfill their demands.

''If the government does not fulfill a demand of a group, it is not necessarily the government is unwilling. If time and money allow us, the government is willing to meet all your demands, provided the demands are genuine,'' he added.

Education Minister Lalsawta, who was also present at the meeting, explained about the rules for Mizoram mission deficit schools which were at the draft stage.

''The draft rules aims to give greater autonomy to managing board of each school, which further aim to give better administration without direct control from the government. It does not mean to take away certain privileges being enjoyed by the schools as the teachers have feared,'' he made it clear.

During the meeting, the government officials also highlighted the financial constraints being faced by the government in paying teachers’ salaries.

They informed the Synod leaders that only Rs 2825.6 lakh had been allocated in the budget for teachers’ salaries in 2011-2012 against the actual requirement of Rs 3904.8 lakh.

The government agreed to give 25 per cent DA arrears to the deficit school teachers and asked them to work out the amount required for that.

As Krishna Visits Myanmar, Refugees Recount Plight

By Krishna Pokharel

There are more than 80,000 Burmese refugees in India, most of them of Chin ethnicity. Above, a Chin refugee during a rally in New Delhi on Monday.

Three years ago, on an October morning, David Siang and his wife and two children fled their native town of Falam in Myanmar’s western Chin state. After walking for three and a half days, Mr. Siang says they reached the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram from where they took a train to New Delhi. The journey took a total of eight days.

On Monday afternoon – the same day as India’s foreign minister set off for a visit to Myanmar — Mr. Siang attended a gathering of more than 1,500 Chin refugees in New Delhi’s central Jantar Mantar area to mark World Refugee Day. He recounted what drove him away from his home. “Life was not good in Falam. We could not stay there,” he said. He says life under Myanmar’s military junta was already harsh but it got more difficult after a constitutional referendum in May 2008. “They said military rule is good. You must vote ‘yes.’”

“Chin people are not in favor of military rule,” said Mr. Siang, 42 years old. “The army forces us to work in its farmland for free and arrests anybody it likes.”

According to the Chin Refugee Committee in New Delhi, the Chins started coming to India after the failed students’ uprising of 1988. The committee attributes the flight of the Chins from their homeland to the more than five-decade-long “systematic violation of human rights ranging from arbitrary arrest and killings, rape, torture, political suppression, religious persecution, force[d] labor, force[d] porter and militarization by the military regime.”

The embassy of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, in New Delhi couldn’t be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

Burmese refugee leaders in India say there are more than 80,000 Burmese refugees living in India, over 90% of them of Chin ethnicity. They say the Chins face special discrimination at the hands of the Myanmar’s military junta because of their dominantly Christian religious leanings.

At Monday’s rally, Chin refugee leaders said they wanted a life of dignity for themselves and their children. They said the recent transition from military to civilian rule in Myanmar has failed to produce peace in the country. They encouraged India to ratify the international conventions on refugees and provide them with legal protection.

But such hopes appear unrealistic given India’s abiding and increasing geo-political interest in resource-rich Myanmar with a foreign policy based on its national interest. India in the past has supported the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar and its democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

But now it has been promoting a much more accommodating stance with Myanmar, in part to counter China’s increasing influence there. On Monday, India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna left for Myanmar for a three-day visit to “further vitalize” India’s “multi-faceted relationship” in what an MEA release termed that country’s “new political environment.”
Mr. Siang says he wants third-country repatriation for him and his family. He says he wants his son, 21 years old, and daughter, 19, to go to college. He says they are currently deprived of education in India because of their refugee status. “Life in Delhi is free but living standard is very poor. We are working in the companies here for 2,000-2,500 rupees ($44-$55) a month which is hardly enough for survival.”

A social worker back in his home town, Mr. Siang says he can’t think of going back to Myanmar for fear of arrest and persecution by the army. He says he often remembers his old parents and his sister and her son back home with whom he hasn’t met or communicated for three years.
“We can go to our homes and meet our loved ones when there is democracy in Burma,” he said.

Source: The Wall Street Journal