NESO Questions Rahul’s Visit; NSUI Says Visit Non-Political

With regard to this, the NESO urged Naga students’ federation (NSF) – its member organisation – to take appropriate action towards the proposed visit of Rahul and block his visit to NU headquarters, Lumami if his interest was to promote NSUI movement.

Dimapur, Oct 12 : North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) Tuesday expressed its strong opposition over All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit to Nagaland University Headquarters, Lumami on October 17 next, saying his intention to visit the university was “very questionable.”

Maintaining that NESO, since its inception, has been “non-political” in nature and did not follow any political parties, the organisation special coordinator N.S.N Lotha alleged Rahul’s intention was always to use National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), a Congress students’ wing, and groom the students with Congress ideologies so they, at the later stage, become Congress members. Lotha posed question as to why Rahul was interested to visit only Nagaland University and not other parts of Nagaland, saying that there were other platforms to interact with youths.

Claiming that “mainland students’ unions” were “politically paid” bodies, the NESO special coordinator said that was the basis why NESO did not want such unions to step in to north east region.
Asserting that it was against the politicisation of education institution and universities, the NESO said it also stood strongly opposed to formation of politically affiliated student bodies in school, colleges and universities.

“No political party or political personality should visit educational institution with political motivated interest,” stated the NESO.

Further, questioning the intention of Rahul’s proposed visit, the NESO recalled that All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) had shown black flag and blocked the entry of Rahul Gandhi to Dibrugarh University on September 23, 2010 because of his intention to motivate and encourage the students to join and strengthen NSUI. “This action of ASSU should be a clear message to all political personalities trying to vitiate the atmosphere of educational institutes with political agendas,” said NESO chairman Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharjya and N.S.N Lotha in a joint press communiqué.

Stating that NESO has high respect for the person of Rahul Gandhi as an upcoming young leader of India, the NESO leaders said however if he attempted to pollute the minds of the students with his political ideology the organisation would be compelled to safeguard the interest of the students.

With regard to this, the NESO urged Naga students’ federation (NSF) – its member organisation – to take appropriate action towards the proposed visit of Rahul and block his visit to NU headquarters, Lumami if his interest was to promote NSUI movement.

They contended that educational institutions and universities were not “grazing grounds” for politicians, rather it was a place for learning and that its sanctity should be respected by everyone.
Meanwhile, when contacted, NSUI president Nagaland unit, Hetilo said Rahul’s visit was nothing political as alleged and that the visit was purely to interact with students. He said visionary leaders like Rahul visiting Nagaland would indeed be a moral boost for many youth especially for the upliftment of students’.

When asked about the protest by the NESO he said in a democratic country anyone was free to move about and meet people. Sources also said Rahul’s visit to Nagaland has not been finalized as it all depends on his schedule. There were also speculations going about that Rahul would be visiting either Dimapur or Kohima and not Lumami as reported.

 

source: Nagaland Post

Mizo Society Ideal For Voluntary Organisations

Aizawl, Oct 11 : Mizo society, being a close-knit and classless one, offers a suitable ground for voluntary organisations, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said here today.

Inaugurating a five-day seminar on Harnessing the strength of voluntary sector for enhancing delivery capabilities , co-organised by two Delhi-based NGOs, India Habitat Centre and DevPro and Mizoram University s department of social works, the Chief Minister said that there is a unique relationship between the NGOs and the government in Mizoram hardly seen in other states of India. As India is a welfare state, many government s programmes for development of the people can be implemented with the support of NGOs.

In Mizoram, we have a unique NGO like the Young Mizo Association, the state s largest NGO, which has every Mizo above the age of 16 years as a member. The classless and close-knit society also provides an ideal ground for the activities of such NGOs, he stated.

The Chief Minister also emphasised the need to know the difference between NGOs and voluntary organisations as every NGO is not a voluntary organisation. In Mizoram, the YMA is a voluntary organisation, he said.

Stressing the importance of transparency in the administration, the Chief Minister claimed that his government s performance, as far as transparency and responsibility were concerned, is so far so good .

The series of seminars are run by the Habitat Library Camp; Resource Centre (HLRC) of India Habitat Centre with the support of Irish Aid.

The seminar is aimed to enhance delivery mechanisms and effectiveness for NGOs.

It also aims to strengthen knowledge base for enhancing organisational competence of grassroots NGOs and enabling effective programme delivery, said Raj Liberman, director of India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

The first phase of the seminar will last till October 15, and the second phase will be held during November 8 to 12.

Crime Against Women Rises in Mizoram

Aizawl, Oct 11 : As per record maintained by the Mizoram police, the department has registered 137 cases of crime against women since January to October this year. Police said that the trend is  increasing and alarming. Since 2008 police registered 639 cases of among which 303 are rape cases.

In the meantime, of the total cases of suicide this year, 28.30% of them are females. Police had recorded 563 suicide cases this year. The police also said 196 cases of crime against women were registered in 2010 while 154 cases in 2008 and 152 in 2009. So far, the police has registered 137 cases this year.

Out of 303 incidents of crime against women 156 cases were below 16 years girls while 147 cases were above 16 years.

There have been 5 cases of trafficking during the same period besides 89 cases of molestation cases below 16 years and 140 cases above 16 years old girls.

Regarding the suicide cases, in Aizawl district alone, Mizoram police had recorded 47 cases of suicide cases since January this year. However, as per record maintained by the New Life Charity Society (NELICS) 53 cases of suicide have been registered this year out of which 15 were females.

According to research carried out by experts, the main cause of suicide in Mizoram is due to mental depression. Love affairs and sex problems were the second biggest reasons among the youths in Mizoram.

Mizoram Records 53 Suicides in 2011

Aizawl, Oct 11 : At least 53 people, including 15 women, have committed suicide in Mizoram during this year, from January 1 till day, according to police records.

Of these, 47 cases took place in Aizawl district, the sources said. Majority of those who committed suicide were between the ages of 20 and 30.

The increase in the incidences of suicide in Mizoram, especially in Aizawl district and the capital Aizawl city, was described by the law enforcement officials, social workers and psychiatrists as disturbing and alarming.

Police sources said an average of more than two cases of suicide occurred every week in Aizawl district, having a population of barely four lakh (2011 census).

A majority of those who commit suicide are from Aizawl city, having a population of around 2.5 lakh only, a police official said.

During the past three-and-a-half year, NeLICs had interviewed 1,400 people with suicidal tendency, from which it found that in 31 cases mental depression was the major cause.

There was a recent case of suicide in Aizawl which was caused by extreme poverty.

Love affairs and sex problems was the second biggest reason among the youths, with 23 per cent of the interviewed subscribing to the view.

Failed marriage (17 per cent), drugs and family problem (16) and joblessness (13) were the other problems contributing to the tendency.

About 55 per cent of the interviewed were aged between 10-30, while 35 per cent were aged between 31 and 50, 10 per cent of them aged between 51 and 70, NeLICs statement said.

Speaking at a World Mental Health Day function at Vanapa Hall here today, the Mizo society has much to learn about dealing with mental illness.

In advanced countries a huge budget is allocated for mental healthcare. Due to lack of fund and awareness, we could not move fast in developing mental healthcare centres, the chief minister said.

Mizoram Gets $40m For Reforms From ADB

By Roopak Goswami

Guwahati, Oct 10 : The Asian Development Bank has decided to release $40 million as the second installment of the $100 million loan to carry out fiscal reforms in Mizoram, satisfied with the progress made by the state.

In 2009, the ADB approved a loan of $100 million for Mizoram Public Resource Management Programme. The first installment of $47 million was released in 2009.

The programme’s main objective is to help Mizoram place its fiscal affairs on a sounder footing that can sustain investments for more rapid and inclusive growth and help it have greater access to, and better quality of, services in the education and health sectors.

The progress report of ADB says that the state has made considerable efforts to fulfill all installment release actions.

The release requires compliance with 21 policy conditions under six broad areas — tax and non-tax revenue reforms, debt management, expenditure management, service improvements in health and education, pension reform, and public sector enterprises reform.

Mizoram is a special category state with a population of one million and, like most small states, is constrained by deficient infrastructure.

The report says the programme hinges on the political commitment of the state government to bring about necessary fiscal reforms geared towards meeting the long-term needs of the people, and gradually reduce its dependence on the Centre by mobilising additional revenue from its own sources.

It says the state government has shown strong commitment to initiate critical reforms under the programme.

“Raising the professional tax rates, taxes on land, buildings, shops and others as well as water charges was politically sensitive not just in itself, but also because of exceptionally high inflationary pressures in the country. It was successful in educating a population that had long enjoyed near-zero tariffs for various public services about the need for fiscal consolidation. The state government has moved beyond the programme’s requirements and initiated other reforms to augment its own revenue” the report said.

The report says an important achievement is the implementation of the universal health insurance scheme, which should produce very tangible benefits for the people of the state.

“The voluntary retirement scheme for under qualified school teachers was another area of politically sensitive reform. It required considerable consultation with the stakeholders, especially the teachers’ unions. The state government again demonstrated its strong commitment by accomplishing this reform. Each of these difficult reforms was carried out in a challenging economic environment,” it said.

The state has also introduced water charges based on a proper plan, which is an example of the state’s effort to augment its own revenue and conserve scarce natural resources, the bank said.

The Story Behind Apple Revolution in Nagaland

Kohima, Oct 11 : Three apple saplings gifted to a Naga village guard in the Saramati mountain range in Nagaland by an Assam Rifles soldier back in 1980 have triggered an apple revolution in the area bordering Myanmar.

Hundreds of Naga villagers are now engaged in the cultivation of the fruit on a mass scale, although they are yet to reap commercial gains from the produce in the absence of transportation.

The story began in the late 70s when armed conflicts between Naga insurgents and security forces were at their peak, prompting the Assam Rifles to erect a check post at Thanamir village nestled in the Saramati range.

During this time a government-appointed village guard from Thanamir had befriended a Nepali soldier belonging to the Assam Rifles posted at the check post.

The soldier gifted him the saplings in 1980 which the villager planted in the backyard of his house.

The village guard taught himself to multiply the apple plants through root cutting and distributed them to his fellow villagers.

As the fruits grew in most of the households of the village, the Thalami apples started to spread to other villages around the Saramati range due to its suitable climate where average temperature ranges between two to 20 degrees celsius.

Visiting government officials found the first sapling to be still standing there at Thanamir village - a full grown tree now.

Myanmar President in India This Week

Thein Sein​ is visiting India at the invitation of President Pratibha Patil. The invite was extended during foreign minister S.M. Krishna’s visit to Myanmar in June.

By Elizabeth Roche

Myanmar’s civilian President U. Thein Sein. Photo by Bloomberg

New Delhi, Oct 11 : Myanmar’s new civilian president, U. Thein Sein, will be in India this week, the foreign ministry said on Monday, his first visit to the country since taking office after the November polls that brought limited democracy to the military-ruled nation.

Thein Sein’s three-day “state visit” will start on Wednesday, foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said in a post on his Twitter account, but did not give further details.

Thein Sein is visiting India at the invitation of President Pratibha Patil. The invite was extended during foreign minister S.M. Krishna’s visit to Myanmar in June.

The visit was announced on a day a senior US official said there were “dramatic developments under way” in Myanmar, with Thein Sein’s military-backed government showing increasing signs of political reform.

India, the world’s largest democracy, has been criticized by Western countries for being among the few nations to engage military-ruled Myanmar, making investments in the energy and infrastructure sectors, and opposing sanctions as counterproductive, citing economic and security compulsions.

Since assuming Myanmar’s top job in March, Thein Sein, a former general who shed his uniform for the election, has held talks with pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi​, who was released from detention soon after the 7 November polls. Under the previous regime, she spent 15 of the last 21 years in jail or under house arrest.

Reports say Suu Kyi now has been allowed to travel across the country, meet envoys from the US and the United Nations, and address audiences through video-conferencing.

These moves prompted Kurt Campbell, US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, to say on Monday in a speech in the Thai capital Bangkok that there are “dramatic developments under way” in Myanmar including a “very consequential dialogue” between democracy icon Suu Kyi and the leadership, AFP reported.

Campbell made his remarks as Myanmar government officials said a prisoner amnesty, which would include some 2,000 political detainees, was imminent. Rights groups have long said that the release of political prisoners is essential.

US President Barack Obama’s administration has pursued both diplomatic engagement and continued sanctions against Myanmar.

In another surprise move last month, Thein Sein ordered work on a controversial $3.6 billion (Rs. 17,676 crore) mega dam to stop after rare public opposition to the Chinese-backed hydropower project.

Besides India, China has also been a supporter of Myanmar’s former military regime led by General Than Shwe​, investing millions of dollars in infrastructure and other areas.

India, which shares a 1,640km unfenced border with Myanmar, was a staunch supporter of Suu Kyi, but reversed its policy in the mid-1990s when it realized insurgent groups operating in its North-East were using Myanmar as a springboard to launch attacks.

The engagement has yielded dividends. In July, during a visit to India by military junta chief Than Shwe, India signed a mutual legal assistance agreement with Myanmar through which Indian insurgents held in that country can be deported for trial under Indian law—a pact hanging fire for two-and-a-half decades.

India has also been keen to tap oil and gas fields in Myanmar, and fears losing out to China in the race for strategic space in Asia.

AFP contributed to this story.

elizabeth.r@livemint.com

Manipur Seeks Jobs For Ex-Militants

By Sobhapati Samom

Imphal, Oct 11 : Manipur Government is discussing with the Central authorities to recruit the surrendered militants in the Central paramilitary forces for their rehabilitation.

State Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said this while addressing the media persons in connection with a home-coming ceremony of four cadres of Manipur outfit United People’s Party of Kangleipak (UPPK) here this evening.

Ibobi said the State Government had approached the Union Home Ministry in this regard. He also informed that the priority of the recruitment process will be given to the surrendered militants who fulfil crieria.

Priority will also be given to those surrendered in the recent past. The State Government has taken up the initiative with a view to expedite the rehabilitation process of the surrendered militants, the Chief Minister added.

Welcoming the four UPPK cadres who laid down three sophisticated German made Heckler Koach-33 automatic rifles and Myanmar automatic rifle A-1 along with three magazine and 260 ammunition, he also informed that the State Government is seeking review of existing Centrally sponsored surrendered policy.

State’s police chief Y Joykumar, DGP, who also attended the homecoming function along with his senior police officials also said that some of the surrendered militants have already cleared the recruitment criteria.

Police sources in Imphal said around 240 militants belonging to various armed groups have laid down their arms and joined the mainstream in the last two years. Presently, a verification process of the surrendered militants is on for proper implementation of rehabilitation scheme, it added. So far 106 of them have been verified.