Rising Trafficking Worries Naga Cops

Dimapur, Aug 10 : The rising social menaces of human trafficking and child labour were thoroughly discussed and deliberated upon on Thursday at a state-level anti-human trafficking seminar-cum-workshop, organized by police.

The problem of human trafficking and child labour in Nagaland may not be very visible on the surface, but a deeper look reveals these two social menaces have already crept into Naga society.

The recent cases of trafficked young boys and girls, who were lured by agents promising them job opportunities, being rescued from different parts of the country, speaks volumes about how fast and wide the trafficking racket has spread in the state.

Also, the rising employment of minor boys and girls in Naga homes for doing domestic chores amounts to trafficking and child labour to some extent, as per law.

L Thechamo Lotha, ADG (Ops), who participated in the seminar, said poverty is the main cause of human trafficking, which, he said, is destroying the fabric of Naga society. He observed that most Nagas are lazy and want to make easy money, thus, they fall into the trap of unscrupulous people involved in trafficking.

Exploring Northeast’s Rich Heritage, Through Fashion

New Delhi, Aug 9 : Yana Ngoba and Raj Singh, husband-wife designer duo from the northeast, have showcased the rich tribal heritage of Arunachal Pradesh through a fashion show in the capital.

‘Our tribal attire is rich in terms of weaves, colors, designs and patterns. It’s a tad unfortunate that no one has attempted a fusion on it before. We are very hopeful that the tribal-western fusion collection shall find many takers in metros as well as international markets,’ Yana said here Sunday.

‘It’s time that our age-old tribal heritage gets the place on world map it truly deserves. This and our forthcoming shows are an endeavor in this direction,’ she added.

Organised by Yanaraj Desizns, the event saw tribal attire inspired from the interiors of Arunachal. The collection presented the tribal attire with western styles to produce a range that’s ethnic yet contemporary. Accessories like headgears and exotic ornaments added to the charm.

The highpoint of the fashion show was dresses made of polythene and plastic waste like packaged water bottles, noodle packets and pan masala sachets, an attempt to promote the message of a clean and green Arunachal.

Also present on the occasion was Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin, who is also Yana’s brother.

‘We express our gratitude to the state government for supporting the cause and especially to the chief minister for his interest in promoting the rich heritage and tourism potential of Arunachal Pradesh. Promotional events like these shall set the stage for increase in tourist traffic and export of our tribal produce,’ Raj said.

He added that the couple was in the process of finalizing participation in Paris Fashion Week next year.

‘We are planning for Paris Fashion Week. We have already got one approval and the second approval will be made clear by Aug 27. There is one international designer under whom there will two northeast designers — one of them will be Yana and other will be from Mizoram,’ added Raj.

Clear The Mizoram Border Issue: MPC

Aizawl, Aug 9 : A powerful regional political party of Mizoram is demanding an expeditious and permanent settlement of the decades-old boundary dispute between Mizoram and Assam.

Sources in the 35-year-old Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) today said in Aizawl that their party, which formed the government twice in the state — June to November 1978 and again between 8 May 1979 and 4 May 1984 — with Brig. (Retd.) T. Sailo as chief minister, again pressed for fresh demarcation of the boundaries between the two states last week in a bid to find a lasting solution to the boundary tangle.

In a recent statement in Aizawl, the MPC said, “The party was deeply pained that its repeated pleas to the Centre for reintegrating the original landmass of the Mizo district as defined under the Northeast Bengal Frontier (Inner Line Regulations) Act of 1875 with the mainland Mizoram has fallen on deaf ears.”

MPC sources said the existing boundary between the two states was drawn under the Section 6 of the North Eastern Areas Reorganization (NEAR) Act in 1971.

The MPC made it clear that that this redrawn boundary was nothing but an “imposed boundary” and was incorporated allegedly at the behest of the Assam government.

According to MPC leader Zosiama Pauchau, the problem had escalated because both states keep failing to reach a consensus on the issue. While Assam demands demarcation on the basis of a map drawn on March 9, 1933, which was signed by the then chief secretary of Assam W.A. Cosgreve, the Mizoram government was pushing for re-demarcation on the basis of a map drawn on August 20, 1875, he said.

Senior leaders of the party also alleged that as many as 46 boundary pillars were set, as defined by the Inner Line Regulations Act, 1985, but in course of time, Assam forest officials had usurped as much as 509 sq km of lush jungle areas by gradually removing these pillars.

They said the border problem continues to sour the relations of the two states and unless this imbroglio was settled amicably it might snowball into a “great crisis”.

According to a MPC leader Zosiama Pauchau, the wrangles between the Mizoram government and Assam government continues to occupy the centre-stage between these two states with Assam consistently pitching for the demarcation of the two state’s boundary at their borders on the basis of a map drawn on 9 March 1933, and it was signed by the then chief secretary of the Assam government W A Cosgreve, and the Mizoram government plumping for the re-demarcation on the basis of a map drawn on August 20, 1875.

The map of the 1875, under the provisions of the section two of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, drew the border lines of the then Lushai hills district of the Mizo tribe with Assam along the security outposts’ signposts, set up during the Lushai expedition by the British colonial government in the 1871—72 period.

The former chief minister of Assam Hiteswar Saikia and the present chief minister of Mizoram Lalthanhawla met at least twice to solve this border tangle during the eighties, but they could not bring about any breakthrough in this connection.

The DIG’s of both the states police force had also met a few times to clam the tensions that were generated in the borders of these two states in the wake of the allegations of .3 the encroachment as well as the trespass by the Mizoram’s police and forest departments in Assam’s border areas in Cachar and Hailakandi areas.

Sadar Hills Strike His Life, Spikes Prices in Manipur

Manipur torn between district demand and UNC stand

Sadar Hills District Demand Committee supporters at Kangpokpi during the indefinite general strike demanding the upgrade of Sadar Hills subdivision to a full-fledged district. Picture by UB Photos

Imphal, Aug 9 : Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh is torn between the Kuki demand for Sadar Hills district and the Naga warning against creation of the district without their consent, as the state reels under the impact of an indefinite strike called by the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee.

While the demand committee has set August 15 as the deadline for announcing the district, the United Naga council (UNC) has cautioned the government against creating it without consent of the Nagas.

As the tussle goes on, supply of essential commodities to the state has been disrupted since July 31, when the committee launched its agitation.

Both supply lines of the state — the Imphal-Dimapur and Imphal-Jiribam highways — pass through Sadar Hills, which lie in Senapati district. Strike supporters have totally blocked all traffic along these routes.

The disruption of supply has hugely impacted the residents of the state.

“As there has been no fresh supply of essential commodities, the prices have gone up. One kilogram of potato, which used to cost Rs 15 earlier, is now being sold at Rs 25 to Rs 30 a kg. Onion, garlic and edible oils are costlier by Rs 10 to 15 per kg,” trader P. Kesho Singh said.

Health services, too, are feeling the heat.

While authorities of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, both based in Imphal, reported low stocks of oxygen, drug dealers said the state would face scarcity of medicines if the supply lines were not restored within the next four days.

“The most affected are the poor people like us with a hand-to-mouth existence. The government should restore normal supply and check the price-rise,” Pukhrambam Mani, a construction labourer from Imphal West, said.

As there is no mechanism to check prices, shopkeepers are selling essential commodities at varying prices, traders and consumers said.

The situation is likely to get worse, as a discussion between a delegation of the demand committee and chief minister this afternoon failed to arrive at an agreement.

The delegation included Paokai Haokip, former MP and two Kuki legislators from Sadar Hills, Thangminlien Kipgen and Haoklholet Kipgen.

After the discussion, Haokip said they had not arrived at any agreement and that the committee had rejected an appeal by Ibobi Singh to call off the strike.

“We demanded that the government should declare Sadar Hills district by August 15. The chief minister, while agreeing that the demand was justified, said he could not give any commitment. We will continue the strike until the demand is met,” Haokip said.

On the other hand, the UNC today said it would not accept bifurcation of “Naga areas” without the their consent and warned that they would oppose creation of the Sadar Hills district without consulting the Nagas. The council said it had signed an MoU with the state government in 1998, which said resolution to the Sadar Hills issue would be brought about through consensus of the Kukis and Nagas.

It demanded free passage for emergency cases, including patients, and cautioned the government that it would be blamed if there was any casualty because of lack of medical attention.

Government spokesperson and food and civil supplies minister N. Biren Singh said the government was working on a plan to resume supply along the Ukhrul-Jessami road, which connects Imphal with Senapati through Ukhrul district, in the next few days.

Buses and smaller vehicles have already started using this route. Altogether 33 vehicles, including 11 loaded buses, arrived in Imphal yesterday through Jessami road and more vehicles are heading along that route.

Climate Change To Take Toll in Northeast India

Imphal, Aug 9 : Climate change is going to take its toll in the North East India region soon. If the revelation from the studies are to be based, there is going to be a near catastrophic impact in the region. A warning has been sent out from two distinct studies particularly for the Northeast and the Western Ghats: prepare for 45 per cent change in forest vegetation by 2100 and fall in rice, sorghum and maize production by 2030. The studies were published in the latest issue of Indian science journal ‘Current Science’ that focuses on various impacts of climate change.

The forest impact study is by a four-member team of scientists from Bengaluru-based Centre for Sustainable Technologies (CST), Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Divecha Centre for Climate Change. The crop impact report is by a six-member team from the New Delhi-based Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and International Water Management Institute.

“The assessment of climate impacts, based on the dynamic global vegetation model, showed that 45 per cent of forest grids across India would undergo change. The concentration of vulnerable forest grids is higher in the upper Himalayan stretches, parts of central India, northern Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. Low tree density, low biodiversity status as well as higher levels of fragmentation, in addition to climate change, contribute to the vulnerability of these forests,” said NH Ravindranath of CST, who led the forest impact study.

On the brighter side, southern Western Ghats and the forested areas of eastern India are estimated to be least vulnerable. This, though, cannot stem 77 per cent and 68 per cent shift in forest types across India (under two different scientific scenarios) and their impact on the livelihoods of people living in 173,000 forest villages in the country.

Climate change, the study points out, is one of many stresses forests in India undergo. The others are over-extraction of forest produce, insect outbreaks, fuel wood collection, livestock grazing and forest fires besides anthropogenic pressures. “There is a need to develop tropical forests or India-specific dynamic global vegetation models,” they study concluded as one of the measures to counter climate change impact.

In the other study headed by S Naresh Kumar of IARI’s division of environmental sciences, climate change is expected to hit rice, sorghum and maize production in the Western Ghats and maize, wheat and mustard yield in the Northeast and coastal regions. But, it adds, climate change could help up coconut production in Western Ghats, rice in eastern coastal region and rice and potato in the Northeast.

According to the study, “The Western Ghats, one of the 24 global hot spots of biodiversity, comprises 63 districts in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu… By 2030, Western Ghats is likely to lose kharif crop yield by 4 per cent and rain-fed rice yield by up to 10 per cent”.

Relax MBBS Eligibility For Northeast Tribal Students

Agartala, Aug 8 :The Tripura government and opposition parties have urged the central government and the Medical Council of India (MCI) to further relax eligibility criteria for admission to medical colleges for Northeast's tribal students.

"Both the center and the MCI are yet to communicate their decisions on more cut-off marks relaxations for the tribal and the Scheduled Castes (SC) community students seeking admission to MBBS courses," Tripura's Health and Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty told reporters Sunday.

He said the relaxation will facilitate backward community students to obtain professional education.

Besides Chakraborty, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and opposition Congress leader Ratan Lal Nath have written separate letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and MCI chairman K.K. Talwar on the issue.

According to the MCI guidelines, a general category MBBS aspirant will have to secure at least 50 percent marks in both Class 12 and entrance examinations. The cut-off for students of tribal and SC communities is 40 percent.

Various political parties and tribal organizations have been agitating for the past one month in Tripura on the issue.

Some individuals and organisations have also filed cases in the Gauhati High Court, seeking directives for further relaxation of cut-off marks.

Tribals constitute over 27 percent of the northeast India's total population of 45.58 million (2011 Census).

Demand For District in Manipur Turns Violent

By Samudra Gupta Kashyap

Imphal, Aug 8 : Life in Manipur’s Senapati district has remained crippled for the past few days with supporters of an agitation for creation of a separate Sadar Hills district turning violent. Those taking part in the agitation have set afire government offices and vehicles on the national highway.

While the current phase of the agitation had begun on August 1, the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) has blocked National Highway 39, which links Manipur to the outside world through Nagaland, for the past four days. Several trucks and other vehicles have been set afire, as also a number of government offices.

The SHDDC also blocked portions of the NH-53 and warned of extending the blockade if the government failed to accede to its demand by Sunday night.

The SHDDC is primarily calling for a separate district with those areas under Senapati district that have a dominance of the Kuki community.

The All Naga Students’ Association of Manipur has said that the government would have to take the views of the Naga tribes of the district before taking any decision on the separate district demand. “We would like to remind the government that creation of a separate Sadar Hills district will not be allowed by carving out portions of the Naga-dominated Senapati district,” the student body said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, reports from Imphal said supporters of the agitation have set afire several government buildings, including the office of additional deputy commissioner, district inspector of schools, a post office and primary health center in the past few days.

Efforts by the state government to resolve the crisis have hardly had any impact. While Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh held discussions with a delegation of the SHDDC on Friday, agitators blocked the highway at several places by placing boulders, felling trees and digging pits.

At least 92 km of NH-39 passes through the district.

Committee To Intensify Agitation in Manipur

A local committee today said that they would intensify their agitation to press their demand for conversion of Sadar Hills area in Senapati district into full fledged district in Manipur, a committee spokesman said.

The spokesman of the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) told local media that they have been blocking the national highway 39 (Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati) for some days to press their demand but authorities were quite ignorant of their demand.”

Official sources confirmed that some offices and vehicles were destroyed during the economic blockade on national highway 39 for the past some days and added that security personnel have been deployed in the area to bring trucks with essential items coming from Guwahati to bring back to Imphal.

Kuki-majority Sadar hills area in Manipur's Naga-majority Senapati district wants to form a separate full fledged revenue district.

All Naga Students Association Manipur and some Naga civil organizations said that they would not allow Sadar Hills area become a full fledged revenue district before consulting Naga civil organisations, reports from the district said.

However, SHDDC sources said Sadar hills should be converted into a full revenue district because people residing in the area faced problems while going to district headquarters.
Sources said Manipur government had earlier decided to convert Sadar Hills into a full fledged district but withdrew their decision in the last minute.

ASI Seeks To Declare Site Near Mizoram-Myanmar Border Of “National Importance”

By Adam Halliday

More than 170 menhirs with different carved figures that lie near India’s border with Myanmar in Mizoram have caught the attention of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and a proposal to declare Vangchhia (a village hosting the site) of “national importance” has been floated by S S Gupta, Superintending Archaeologist at ASI’s Guwahati Circle.

“The menhirs at Vangchhia in the border district of Champhai are unique to India’s north-eastern region,” Gupta said, “They carry carved or embossed figures of human beings and animals. We see similar carvings from the historic period in Central and South India, and hope to study these (in Mizoram) further, once they are protected.” No one is certain what these carvings are supposed to represent, but Gupta said they may be akin to the “heroic stones” found elsewhere in the sub-continent—commemoration stones that carry images of game or warriors hunted or killed by chiefs or warriors of a particular clan, tribe or community.

He estimates the menhirs must be about 300 years old “looking at their state of preservation and features”, but that would be clear only after further studies, he said. Gupta and his team have also found “neolithic implements” like stone axes, vessels and bowls on a nearby hill called Dungtlang, where stone foundations of up to 3500 ancient houses have been discovered and preserved already. But whether this settlement and the menhirs are related, remains a question.

For the Mizo experts who directed the ASI’s attention to these sites, the menhirs in themselves are a wonder. “It seems to me these carvings were not the work of our ancestors. The style—the figures are raised from the stone, most of the rock is chipped away to make these figures—is quite unique. So the question is, was there an older civilisation that lived here?” asked Rohmingthanga Pachuau, a retired IAS officer who is now the Convener of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage’s (INTACH) Mizoram chapter. Having visited the site several times, Pachuau recalls the largest of them is up to 15 feet tall, perhaps four feet wide and about two feet thick—“Did Mizos have the technology to transport and erect such massive stones since they seem to have been taken from the bed of the Tiau river (which forms the present-day border with Myanmar)?”

The Mizos have no script of their own and the Mizo language uses the Roman script (“Even the menhirs have no inscriptions,” Gupta pointed out), and Mizo historians believe the community—of Tibeto-Burman descent like most other north-eastern communities, migrated into their present hilly home no more than 400 to 500 years ago. Even their history was not documented in writing, and the British were the first to document it from what they heard from the locals. Later, Mizo historians took it further, but most Mizos agree that even today their own history remains a subject of speculation rather than recorded fact, and their origins remain an enigma.

In a recent state government-sponsored documentary about the state’s landmarks and monuments, noted writer-historian-politician Chawngkunga explained Vangchhia and the hills of Mizoram in general may have hosted what the Mahabharata and the Vedas refer to as Kirata —migrants from the east who moved into the hill tracts from Burma during their unending wars with the Shan people about 2000 years ago. The actual site where these 171 menhirs stand is known locally as “Kawtchhuah Ropui” (literally translated as the ‘Great Entranceway’), and C Laitanga, former Joint Director of the state’s Art and Culture Department, said in the documentary that this entranceway is connected with a stone pathway that runs all the way till the Tiau river.

“After the Sailo Era, no one practices these carvings” (Sailo is the chieftain clan that ruled over most of present-day Mizoram in the stretch of history most well-known about the tribe), Laitanga said.

Whatever the origins of the menhirs, Mizos have interpreted them into their folktales—a group of menhirs with similar carvings erected in another village in the same district are locally called Chhura Farep . (It refers to one of the many adventures of a comic Mizo folktale hero who, in one of the stories, smokes the children of an Ogress.) Gupta said while the folktales cannot be ruled out as a starting point, he and his team are keen to “excavate further, especially the original sites,” he said. Keeping in mind the Tibeto-Burman descent of the Mizos, he said the ASI would explore if there are other sites and monuments in South-East Asia, Myanmar and China that show similar markings.