Assam Implements Right to Education

Guwahati, Jul 7 : The Right to Education (RTE) Act has become a reality in Assam from today with the state Cabinet approving the Rules needed for implementing the Act.

With this, Assam became the 19th state in the country to implement the RTE Act of 2009.

Informing this at a press conference here, Education Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma said, ''The Cabinet has approved the Rules needed to implement the RTE Act and from now on elementary education will be ensured for every child by the state.

''The Rules were approved unanimously after extensive discussions for two hours in the Cabinet,'' he added.

The state government has already set in motion measures to implement the RTE Act.

''Under the Act, there must be a lower primary school within every 1 km and middle school within every 3 km. For this, the Sarba Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) will complete satellite and road mapping within three months,'' the minister said.

He added 300 people will be employed for the work and the list will be published in newspapers for the general public to make claims and objections.

There are currently 35,000 lower primary and 7000 middle schools in the state.

Militants Rejoining Mainstream of Manipur Society

Imphal, Jul 7 : Militants in Manipur are realizing the futility of carrying on with the armed struggle and are rejoining mainstream society.

On June 27, 33 militants surrendered their arms before security forces in Manipur.

Twenty two surrendered cadres were from Pakhan Reunification Army, 10 from the National Socialist Council of Nagalim both Isak Muivah and Khaplang faction and one from the Naga Nationalist Council laid down their arms at a formal ceremony organized at the Red Shield Auditorium at Leimakhong Army headquarter.

"In my opinion, I do not think I have surrendered. But I think I have come back home. I hope both the centre and the state governments will work together and come up with a solution," said Molum Anal Mate, commander-in-chief, PRA

The surrendered militants will be provided assistance in their rehabilitation process, officials said.

"This is again a landmark towards peace in the state. PRA is an important group and with their homecoming the districts of Churachandpur and Thoubal will be more peaceful than ever," said Y Joykumar Singh, Director- General of Police (DGP), Manipur

Over 170 militants have surrendered their arms in 2011.

The mass surrenders of the PULF (Umar Farooq faction) and KCP MC (Lallumba faction) and PRA have set an example for other outfits to find peaceful solutions and avoid violence.

Mizoram People's Conference Party On Verge Of Split

Aizawl, Jul 6 : The 36-year-old Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) founded by Brig (Rtd) T Sailo is on the brink of split with its veteran leader and former finance minister quitting it.

Lalhmingthanga, who is ousted from the MPC party he co-founded in 1975, today claimed that he has the support of 80 per cent of the party members across the state.

"About 80 per cent of party members are on my side. In Lunglei sub-headquarters, about 98 per cent of party members are ready to quit the party once the party president accepts my resignation," Mr Lalhmingthanga told a press conference here today, a day after he tendered his resignation to the MPC president.

Claiming that he remained loyal to the party through thick and thin during those 36 years, the former finance minister said, "The party has gone through difficult times. When the party was at the rock bottom and many of my colleagues left for greener pasture, I remained with the party." Lalhmingthanga recalled that he was the founding chairman of Lunglei sub-headquarters of the Human Rights Commission founded by retired Army brigadier T Sailo in 1974 to mitigate the army atrocities during the peak of Mizoram insurgency.

"I was again elected president of Lunglei sub-headquarters when the Human Rights Committee was transformed into a political party christened People’s Conference in 1975," he said.

''Despite my loyalty for 36 years, the PAC (political affairs committee) has forced me to quit the party which I loved and cherished most,'' he added.

On the recent party elections, which was the rootcause of his alleged anti-party activities, Mr Lalhmingthanga alleged that supporters of president-elect Lalhmangaiha Sailo, who was nominated from the floor, employed electoral malpractices to ensure that Sailo, the just retired bureaucrat, got elected.

"They transported about 160 non-MPC members from the rural area to cast votes in the presidential elections. It was the first time that such malpractice took place in the party elections," he alleged. When these 'non-party voters' could not arrive on time, Mr Lalhmangaiha’s supporters postponed the voting to 1400 hrs from the scheduled 1230 hrs, with lame excuses, he said.

Mr Lalhmingthanga, who was official candidate for the president post, was defeated by floor candidate Lalhmangaiha Sailo, son of MPC patriarch Brig T Sailo.

According to Mr Lalhmingthanga, the incident angered a large number of MPC loyalists who threatened to quit the party. "I have tried effort to calm them and pleaded them to remain loyal to the party. Ironically, I have been accused of hatching a conspiracy against the president-elect," he fumed.

"They served me a showcause notice. Even after I gave an explanation and proved that the allegations levelled against me were baseless, the PAC still decided to strip me off the party membership,'' he stated.

Mr Lalhmingthanga also expressed shock over the leaking of the showcause notice to the media which was supposed to be kept confidential.

He had allegedly convened a meeting of party leaders who disliked the newly elected president. That was the reason he was served the showcause notice. "As a politician, I am supposed to have visitors who would come to my house. Do I have to ask for the party’s permission to have visitors," he asked and maintained that he has not violated the party’s constitution.

Mr Lalhmingthanga, however, remained tightlipped over floating a new party. Sources have said that he is floating a new party which he has christened People’s Conference.

MNF Cries Gross Fund Misuse in Chakma Area

Aizawl, Jul 7 : The Chakma district Mizo National Front today alleged gross misuse of public money by the Congress-ruled Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in southern Mizoram.

Addressing a public meeting at CADC headquarters Kamalanagar, MNF district headquarters president and member of district council (MDC) Rasik Mohan Chakma accused CADC chief executive member (CEM) Kali Kumar Tongchoya and his younger brother and MDC Hiranand Tongchoya of siphoning off crores of rupees meant for development of the Chakma area.

According to Rasik Mohan, Rs 3.40 crores had been released against construction of a cultural hall-cum-museum at Kamalanagar whereas the works done by the contractor can hardly be of Rs 60 lakh.

''The materials used were of substandard and even before commencing the works, the contractor was made to purchase 15,000 bricks locally manufactured by Kali Kumar Tongchoya, which was a clear misuse of power and position,'' Rasik Mohan alleged.

Moreover, the CEM allegedly diverted Rs one crore against the work, which was actually sanctioned for payment of arrear to the CADC employees. '' It is surprising that this contractor has been given undue favouritism by the CEM even at the expense of his own employees,'' he said.

The MNF leader further alleged that since 2008-2009 fiscal, Rs 103.8 lakh has been spent on maintenance and blacktopping of Kamalanagar town road. However, hardly half a km of road has been blacktopped during the last three years, he said.

It was also alleged that the K K Tongchoya-led Congress government in CADC has sanctioned since 2008 Rs 200 lakh for procurement and distribution of fish breeds, Rs 50 lakh for coconut seedlings, Rs 80 lakh for areca seedlings, Rs 10 lakh for orange seedlings and Rs 200 lakh for potato seeds. He alleged that gross violations of rules have been committed in these procedures and the state planning board and district council affairs of the state government were also involved.

The district MNF also rapped the Congress-led Chakma council for remaining a 'silent spectator' to encroachment on government lands such as Kamalanagar Children Park and teak plantation at Kamalanagar by private parties who fell trees against the Supreme Court order.

Israel To Allow Immigration Of Jews From Northeast India

Israel is again ready to welcome Jews from north-eastern India, commonly referred to as Bnei Menashe, after a ministerial committee on immigrant absorption decided "in principle" to let them in to undo the "historical injustice" suffered by them.

Some 1,700 Bnei Menashe have already immigrated to Israel, but the process was halted in 2007 after questions were raised on their "Jewishness".

However, Israel's Ministerial Committee on Immigrant Absorption, led by foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, recently decided to appoint an inter-ministerial team of director-generals to prepare an operative plan of action to
bring all Bnei Menashe members, living in parts of Manipur and Mizoram, to Israel, Ynetnews reported.

It has reached an "in principle" decision to resume the process and the plan is likely to be brought to the government's approval this month.

Lieberman and Immigrant Absorption Minister Sofa Landver have now decided to undo the "historical injustice" suffered by the Bnei Menashe community and bring all of its members to Israel, the report said.

"This is clearly a Zionist issue," Lieberman told Hebrew daily, the Yedioth Ahronoth recently.

"Even those of Bnei Menashe who have already immigrated have proved to be Jews and Zionists for all intents and purposes," he added.

"Even Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar has ruled that they belong to the people of Israel. I hope we can bring them here in a move which will benefit both them and the State of Israel," the Israeli foreign minister stressed.

The ministers were briefed by Michael Freund, Chairman of Shavei Israel organisation, which has been instrumental in bringing Bnei Menashe to Israel.

All the participants in the ministerial meeting are said to have supported the move to resume the community's immigration to Israel.

The Bnei Menashe community practices Judaism and claim to be descendents of the tribe of Menashe, which was one of the 10 lost tribes of the kingdom of Israel and was exiled to Assyria in the eighth century BCE.

Reopen Stilwell Road As Gateway to SE Asia: Northeast CMs

By Zarir Hussain

Guwahati, Jul 6 : Regional heads in India's northeast have urged the central government to reopen the historic World War II Stilwell Road, linking the region with China via Myanmar to boost trade with southeast Asia.

"There is no second opinion among the regional heads of the northeastern region to allow this legendary road to reopen," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS in an interview.

"We hope the central government takes steps to make this dream of the people turn into a reality which in turn would boost trade and commerce."

The 1,726-km-long Stilwell Road was a vital lifeline for the movement of troops of the Allied Forces during World War II to free China from Japanese occupation. It starts in Assam and cuts through the Pangsau pass in Myanmar to Kunming in South China. It touches almost all the important Southeast Asian capitals.

The road was built by Chinese labourers, Indian soldiers and American engineers, and named after American General Joseph Stilwell who led the task and completed it in 1945 after three years of hard work.

The Stilwell Road on the Indian side is about 61 km. The major stretch of 1,033 km lies within Myanmar, while the Stilwell Road in China is 632 km.

China has completed constructing its stretch of the Stilwell Road. "The road on the Assam side is in good shape and the only hindrance is from Myanmar as the road on their side is not complete. The Indian government needs to convince Myanmar to help rebuild the road on their side," Gogoi said.

"Myanmar is keen to rebuild the road but the major hindrance for them is funds and other resources," an Indian foreign ministry official told IANS, not wishing to be identified.

The state governments in the northeast agree that the Stilwell Road would bring economic prosperity to the underdeveloped region.

"Free trade with Southeast Asian countries and India's northeast would be possible only with the reopening of Stilwell Road," Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh told IANS.

"Our region would then have the potential to become the hub of business activities and the gateway to Southeast Asia."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had earlier said his government was keen on furthering the country's 'Look East Policy' aimed at allowing border trade with Southeast Asian nations.

Indian automobile components, fruits, grain, vegetables, textiles and cotton yarn find a strong demand in almost all these countries.

In the other direction, Indian traders are strongly interested in importing electronic gadgets, synthetic blankets, teak, gold, and semi-precious stones. Assam, the gateway to the northeast, is about 2,000 km from New Delhi and some 3,000 km from the country's biggest commercial centre, Mumbai.

Yangon, Bangkok and even some Chinese cities are much closer to most northeastern states than Delhi or Mumbai. For instance, Kunming in China is only 1,726 km from Ledo in Assam where the Stilwell Road begins.

Pushing for road links to Southeast Asia, the northeastern leaders have pointed out that only 250 km out of the region's 5,000 km outer perimeter touches India. The remaining 4,750 km represents international boundaries with China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China and Nepal.

2 More Mizo Girls Rescued From Mumbai Brothel

Aizawl, Jul 4 : Mizoram police has rescued two more Mizo girls from a brothel in Mumbai.

The four-member police team led by Joseph Lalchhuana, SP CID (Crime) and officer in-charge of police’s anti-human trafficking unit brought home the two girls on Saturday.

The police team was accompanied in the rescue operation by Jimmy Laltlanmawia, coordinator of Salvation Army-sponsored Community Health Action Network (CHAN), an organisation working against human trafficking in Mizoram since 2005.

These two girls were among the four girls, who had been allegedly transported to Mumbai by a Mizo woman Zodingliani(27) alias Tedingi and Rosy, in April last with a promise of getting them jobs in beauty parlours and modelling agency.

The incident was exposed after one of the victims called up her relatives in Mizoram and explained what had happened to her, an FIR was immediately filed at Kolasib police station under which jurisdiction the accused’s claimed address Vairengte falls.

The Mizoram’s home department promptly formed a rescue team, which reached Mumbai on June 19 and rescued two girls on June 20 from a prostitution racket in a place called Jung Santacruz in Mumbai.

According to the victims’ statements, the accused, who worked with her Nepali husband Shodit Hasta Thapa, threatened to defame them if they expose the incident.

In fear of being exposed in the public, they remained silent, sources said.

After they were arrested from Mumbai, the alleged trafficking couple were being incarcerated in Kolasib district jail.

Sources said the couple, who usually posed as employees of Godrej Company, had suspectedly sold more than just four girls to prostitution racket in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the couple’s alleged accomplice, identified as Gopal Dhokal Mandal, 32, was arrested in Mumbai by the Mizoram police team on June 27.

The Mizoram police has sought his custody which a special court for PITA in Mumbai has granted, sources said, adding that he would be brought to Mizoram on July 7.

A Corridor For Northeast’s Prosperity

A robust economic strategy and a tie-up with East Asia will make India a competitive alternative to China

By Akshay Mathur

In May this year, the Congress party won its third straight victory at the hustings in Assam. By itself, the event is liable to be dismissed as another victory in a far-away state. But this win has a different complexion: It is for the first time in three decades, that the Congress is presiding over the fate of Assam that is at peace.

This is a historic opportunity for the country to launch a bold peace-time initiative in the North-East that will provide an economic, diplomatic and security boost not just to India’s eastern flank, but to our global ambitions to be a relevant Asian player and a competitive regional alternative to the Chinese juggernaut.

What’s needed is a robust regional economic strategy coupled with new international trade relationships for the North-East that will provide a viable option to the limited trade and travel opportunities through the expensive “Chicken’s Neck” route to the rest of the country.

One such option could be a “Seven Sisters Corridor” modelled on the Rs4 trillion Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), which is already dramatically changing the landscape of India’s western hinterland. In the North-East, a similar mega infrastructure project —requiring a basic investment of Rs11,000 crore (not including land and power)—will link the Seven Sister states of the region to each other and to multiple border points with contiguous neighbours such as Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan. Like DMIC, an exemplary foreign-policy initiative with Japan as a 50% partner with the Union government, the corridor could partner with Thailand, a country with which India is in the process of signing a free trade agreement (FTA), and whose government has expressed interest to partner with India. Major Thai companies such as Italian-Thai Development PCL and the CP Group have the necessary expertise to develop infrastructure and small-scale industries such as food processing. At $85 million, it is already one of the largest South-East Asian foreign direct investors in India, even topping China, and the potential is many times greater still.

The plan (see map) will provide high speed road, rail, and air connectivity, land for industrial regions and complementary housing needs, access to ports for trading goods, financing for start-up entrepreneurs, broadband and telecom access for businesses, and security to people.

To accomplish this, the North-East region must first be stabilized using the triumvirate of diplomacy, development and policing—a winning strategy that brought peace to Assam. While most of the insurgencies there are winding down, Manipur is still troubled. Repealing the despised Armed Forces Special Powers Act where the corridor would run, will help.

India must then use the diplomacy of mutual interest to draw its neighbours. There is already a base to build on. The Kaladan Multi- Modal Project connecting Sittwe Port (Myanmar) to Lawngtlai (Mizoram) is under way, and this has prompted Bangladesh to open its Chittagong, Ashuganj and Mongla ports to India. In India, integrated checkpoints are being developed at various border points, and the east-west highway from Porbander (Gujarat) to Silchar (Assam) is almost complete.

The corridor’s success will depend on thriving industrial activity developed around it—not just big private firms feeding off the region’s lucrative natural resource base, but small and medium value-added businesses. Food processing, for instance, remains untapped even though the region produces large quantities of rice, sugar, ginger, pineapple, potato, millet—products essential for food security. The corridor will enable building smaller food parks and processing units closer to tier II or III cities and to the farms—a boon to small entrepreneurs and marginal farmers, creating a base of skilled labour and business entrepreneurs. It will also harness the talent of the region’s literate, English-speaking youth who are migrating to other parts of India in droves, manning the front desks of the hospitality business across the country.

The corridor is the ideal place to productively direct the vast subsidies allocated to the region by the Centre and the states, few of which are successful. The Rs70,000 crore committed to the North-East by the 11th Plan will certainly get a better return if blended into the Seven Sisters Corridor budget rather than expecting piecemeal efforts to add up to a grand economic strategy. But banking on the government for financing is neither practical nor appropriate. The initiative needs stakeholders that can invest for the long term. This means private Indian business, and a reliable foreign country partner such as Thailand.

This is a good time for the Congress government to introduce this as its flagship initiative. A new corporate entity to manage the project must be created and the North-East Industrial Policy must be revised to support enterprises on the corridor. The Central Industrial Security Force, which provides security to airports and oil refineries, can also cover the corridor. Finally, the ministry of external affairs must make the corridor an integral part of the Look East Policy and prioritize the completion of the FTA with Thailand.

The Assam elections showed that the North-East is not only a robust participant in India’s democracy, but with imagination, it can play a role in leading an economic transformation from the east.

Akshay Mathur is the geoeconomics fellow at Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations, Mumbai.

Graphic by Ahmed Raza Khan/Mint