World's Largest Family Meets Governor

Aizawl, Jan 19 : The largest family in the world on Wednesday received a guest in Mizoram Governor Vakkom Purushothaman at their home in Baktawng Tlangnuam village.

Purushothaman and his wife had photographic session with Ziona Chana, his 39 wives and children and grandchildren altogether numbering over 160 but staying under one roof.

Ziona, head of the family, which is considered the largest in the world, is also the chief of the Chana religious sect.

C. Lalrinthanga, a leader of the sect, said Ziona also invited the governor for a typical Mizo tea session and organised a cultural show performed by the members of the sect and students of the village.

"The governor was in the village for around two and half hours and seem to enjoy the visit to this picturesque village, known throughout the world due to Ziona," an official accompanying Purushothaman said.

The governor was at Baktawng Tlangnuam during the last leg of his travel through Serchhip district of the state.

Politics Still Male Dominated in Manipur

Imphal, Jan 19 : Manipuri society may be predominantly woman but politics has remained a male bastion for ages. Women voters have outnumbered men since the 1990 polls. But, they have not been able to make their presence felt in the political scenario of this picturesque state in northeast.

Out of a total of 17,40,819 eligible voters, 8,89,497 are women who will decide the fate of 279 candidates, including 14 women aspirants, in the Assembly elections slated for January 28.

Poll officials said there are 14 women candidates of whom 10 are from the four valley districts and the remaining four from the hill districts.

The lone woman legislator O Landhoni, who is the wife of Chief Minister M Ibobi Singh, is contesting as a Congress nominee from her native Khangabok seat in Thoubal district.

In contrast, there were just six women candidates in the last Assembly elections.

L Mema, president of Manipur Keithel Phambi Apunba Lup, a woman vendors' body in IMA Keithel, the biggest of them managed by the fair sex in the region, says women have not dominated politics as they have done in the society because of lack of proper financial support and heavy social responsibilities.

"The women unlike their men counterpart do not resort to muscle and money power to fight the poll," she said.

"There are chances of women winning the poll if there is free and fair poll without the use of money and muscle power," says Mema, leader of Meira Paibi, an anti-liquor body.

So far the Assembly has just seen four women MLAs including sitting member Landhoni with the other former MLAs being Keisham Apabi Dev, Hamingla Shaiza, and Wahengbam Leima Devi.

Except the constituencies of Karong, Tadubi, Kangpooki and Thanlong, female voters outnumber males in all the 60 seats.

"The male dominance in politics apart, the fate of the candidates in the January 28 poll will be decided by women only," says T Nenie Haokip, a woman activist.

This time 14 women candidates including three from Congress, two from Manipur State Congress Party, one each from BJP, CPM and Trinamool Congress, are in the fray against the six in the previous 2007 polls.

Japanese Team Digs Assam’s WW II Cemetery For Remains Of 11 Soldiers

By Samudra Gupta Kashyap

Guwahati, Jan 19 : A three-member delegation of the Japanese government on Wednesday started digging a special site in the Guwahati War Cemetery to exhume the remains of 11 of its soldiers who perished in World War II in order to take them home for a formal official burial before a reunification with their respective families.

“We have got some data from the Commonwealth War Grave Commission that the Guwahati War Cemetery has graves of 11 Japanese soldiers who died in Northeast India during the Second World War. We propose to take whatever remains we find here for an official burial in our country,” said Ken Miyashita, Deputy Director in the Japanese Foreign Affairs Ministry in Tokyo, who is leading the team.

Half-a-dozen labourers provided by the local administration here dug the whole row of 11 graves up to four feet depth, but no significant remains could be located till sunset on Wednesday. The Japanese officials, however, collected some remains, but refused to comment.

J N Pathak, a local magistrate supervising the digging said nothing can be ascertained unless confirmed by the forensic laboratory. Officials from the archaeology department and forensic science laboratory were also present during the digging which will continue on Thursday too.

The Guwahati War Cemetery, established in 1952 by shifting graves, mostly of soldiers who had died in different hospitals during the War, has 521 graves, 11 of which belong to Japanese soldiers. Others buried or cremated here include 324 British, 143 Indian, 24 Chinese, four Canadian, four South African and one from New Zealand and two unidentified soldiers. This is also the first time that a CWGC cemetery in India is being dug up for relocating a grave.

“We do not have any details about the Japanese soldiers except their names and dates when they died. But, most importantly, the Guwahati War Cemetery is the only Commonwealth War Cemetery in India that has graves of Japanese soldiers,” said Salew Pfotte, regional manager of Commonwealth War Graves Commission. There are altogether nine war cemeteries in India maintained by the CWGC, five of which are in Northeastern India.

The Japanese government had started the process of taking back the graves in November 2010. It was then that a three-member delegation of the Japanese Embassy in India came to Guwahati to inspect the cemetery.

Northeast Emerges As Major Human Trafficking Hub

New Delhi, Jan 19 : Taking advantage of their Mongoloid features, tribal girls from the North-east are trafficked as foreigners at a higher rate, while Assam has emerged as a major source State of the region.

These startling facts have emerged in a day-long review meeting organised by Home Ministry with Anti-Trafficking Nodal Officers of the State to review the progress of anti-human trafficking initiatives taken by the States. Officials from Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram participated in the meeting.

The hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao and the tea gardens have emerged as hot spots for trafficking of young boys and girls.

Minor girls from Karbi Anglong were rescued from Apollo Circus. Another batch of minor girls was rescued from Moonlight Circus, said SP Juliet Barua, who is the State’s Nodal Officer.

Nodal officer from Mizoram said that they have managed to rescue four girls from a brothel in Mumbai, where they were sold as foreigners at a higher rate. The kingpin of the racket has been detained and is now serving term in a Mumbai prison.

Sleuths have also managed to rescue four Mizo girls from a spa in Goa along with seven Naga girls, where they were trafficked.

Instance of girls hailing from Myanmar and Bangladesh being trafficked through the North-east have also come to light, said officials.

Additional Secretary, B Bhamthti said a comprehensive scheme ‘Strengthening Law Enforcement Response in India Against Trafficking in Persons Through Training and Capacity Building’, was sanctioned.

It has been proposed to establish 330 Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) throughout the country and impart training to 10,000 police officers through training of trainers component.

The Home Ministry released Rs 8.72 crore as first installment for the year 2010-11, to all the State governments for establishing 115 Anti-Human Trafficking Units. 101 AHTUs have become functional. In 2011-12 110 AHTUs are to be established, she said.

Bird Flu Fears May Make Eggs Cheaper

By Anindita Dey

Mumbai, Jan 19 : Cautious exports due to bird flu fear in Orissa and Meghalaya may result in softening of egg and poultry product prices in the domestic market.

According to industry sources, India has just started receiving orders from West Asia and Saarc countries after the export ban was lifted a month before. However, orders were suspended after bird flu was confirmed in Orissa and Meghalaya. Both states have now put a quarantine procedure in place and started bird culling.

Some hatcheries have reportedly stopped selling in the north-eastern states as a precautionary measure.

As a fallout, industry sources say domestic prices may soften a bit due to an artificial increase in supply in some parts of India, while demand remains the same. “The first impact is that people just stopped buying eggs and poultry on such news. Besides, egg is a perishable commodity. Even if the shelf value is bit longer due to winters, except for very cold places, many parts of India, especially in central western and southern parts, it needs to be sold fast,” added sources.

However this may bring some relief to retail customers, who have witnessed a sharp surge in egg prices in the last few months. From Rs 2 per egg in the beginning of 2011, prices have doubled to Rs 4. In some places, it is even available at Rs 5-6 per egg. In Chennai, reportedly, prices have already been slashed from Rs 3.20 to Rs 2.95 per egg, due to resistance from buyers.

In December, the National Egg Coordination Committee, besides raising prices, had also raised the prices for layer birds to Rs 43 a kg (Rs 38), while the Broiler Co-ordination Committee’s rate for cull birds is up by Rs 9 a kg to Rs 50. According to egg producers, the sharp increase in prices is attributed to the cold wave in north India and cyclone in the south India, which is a hub for poultry. These two factors have led to a decline in production.

In 2008-09, following the outbreak of bird flu in northeast India, the West Asian countries banned poultry products from India and it led to a fall in egg exports, especially from the Namakkal zone in Tamil Nadu, otherwise dubbed as an export hub for poultry.

Currently, while there is no export ban from India, importers are holding back orders and watching the situation, said an egg exporter from India.

Mizo Woman’s Murder Trial Reopens Debate: Live In Relationship

New Delhi, Jan 18 : Terming live-in relationships as an ‘infamous western cultural product’, a city court has observed that these are largely perceived to be immoral and are a ‘fashion statement’ visible only in urban areas.

The observation of the court can largely be seen in contrast to the Supreme Court ruling that legitimised the live-in relationship.

Additional Sessions Judge Surinder S Rathi remarked, “Traditionally speaking, live-in relationships were alien to our nation till late. Even today it is fad which is visible only in urban areas.”

The judge made the remarks while sentencing to a prison term a woman from Mizoram for killing her live-in partner in North Delhi area over three years ago. The court also slapped a fine of Rs seven lakh on Zarzoliani, 28, for stabbing her Nigerian live-in partner to death.

The judge noted, “Lately, not only the Honourable Supreme Court gave a legal cover to this infamous western cultural product but our Parliament also accorded it some degree of protection by including the live-in relationship under the definition of domestic relationships in Section 2 of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act.”

The ASJ further said, “Despite all developments granting a level of legal legitimacy to the live-in relationship, it is largely perceived to be an immoral relation in our society.” Zarzoliani had killed Victor Okon Efflong, also 28, as she did not approve of him withdrawing money from her bank account. Zarzoliani once worked in an orphanage in Manipur and had moved in with Victor in his rented apartment in north Delhi near Delhi University.

The court also raised doubts on the approval of live-in relationships by families. Citing an example in this case, the court noted, “There is nothing on record to show if the family of the convict had consented to or was even aware of her having a live-in relationship with the deceased Nigerian national, Victor.”

Zarzoliani was convicted of the unintentional killing of Victor as the court said the act was not premeditated and was executed a fit of rage as it is not known if they had any regular income and Victor’s act of withdrawing money from her account was a ‘spark on a mound of explosives’.

The ASJ also ordered a departmental inquiry by the DCP Central against Kishan Lal, the Investigating Officer of the case for sharing its details with the media during the trial and getting it published like a story in a crime magazine with his photograph which the court said was a move “aimed at self glorification”.

The court has called for an action-taken report within two weeks. The judge ordered that the fine of Rs seven lakh will be remitted to the family of Victor in Nigeria.

Same Story from Hindustan Times:

‘Live-in relationships an urban fad’

Despite legal legitimacy, live-in relationships are largely perceived to be immoral and it is a fad visible only in urban areas, a Delhi court observed on Tuesday while dubbing it as “infamous western cultural product”. In remarks that may stoke a controversy, Additional Sessions Judge

Surinder S Rathi said, “Traditionally speaking, live-in relationships were alien to our nation till late. Even today, it is fad which is visible only in urban areas.”
The judge made the observations while handing down a seven-year jail term and a fine of Rs 7 lakh to a woman hailing from Mizoram for killing her live-in partner, a Nigerian national, in north Delhi over three years back.

“Lately, not only the Supreme Court gave a legal cover to this infamous western cultural product but our Parliament also accorded some degree of protection by including live-in relationship under definition of domestic relationships as defined in Section 2 of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act,” he noted.

Rathi also said that “despite all the developments granting a level of legal legitimacy to live-in relationship, it is largely perceived to be an immoral relation in our society.”

The case pertains to 28-year-old Zarzoliani stabbing her live-in partner Victor Okon Efflong, 28, to death in 2008 as she did not approve his withdrawing money from her bank account.

Zarzoliani once worked in an orphanage in Manipur and had moved in with Victor in his rented apartment in north Delhi near Delhi University.

The court noted that “there is nothing on record to show if family of the convict had consented to or was even aware of convict having a live-in relationship with the deceased Nigerian national Victor.”

Zarzoliani was convicted for unintentional killing of Victor as the court said the act was not premeditated and was executed in heat of the moment as it is not known if they had any regular income and Victor’s act of withdrawing money from her account was a “spark on mound of explosives”.

Rathi also ordered a departmental enquiry by DCP Central against the Investigating Officer of the case, Kishan Lal, for sharing the details of the case with the media during the trial and getting it published like a story in a crime magazine with his photograph, which the court called a move “aimed at self glorification”.

The judge directed that the fine of Rs 7 lakh will be remitted to the the family of Victor in Nigeria. In case, she does not pay, she will have to undergo simple imprisonment for another one year.

RBI Extends Banking Facilities To Remote Areas of Northeast

Agartala, Jan 18 : The Reserve Bank of India, recently conducted a financial outreach camp in remote villages of Tripura.

For the people of Bagmara village in Tripura's Dhalai District, banking facilities was just a dream till some years ago, but today, hundreds of them are a part of it, thanks to the financial outreach programme that has been initiated by the RBI.

They villagers are happy, as more than 725 of them got their zero balance accounts and for the first time they will have a passbook.

325 soft loans were also disbursed mainly among the women self help groups of the region.

Apart from Reserve Bank, State Bank, NABARD, United Bank of India and Tripura State Cooperative Bank had also set up stalls.

The main aim behind organizing this camp was to aware and educate people and prevent them from putting their money in the unauthorized non banking financial companies and institutions in hope of hefty returns.

"Education on financial literacy is one of the most important areas that require focus and our officials are working in collaboration with the local bodies. They are very active in educating people on various facilities available to the people from the bank," said S Karuppasamy, Executive Director, Reserve Bank of India.

This was the 18th camp organized by RBI in Northeast since 2009 for enhancing banking facilities.

Through these camps, the central bank has included more than 1000 villages and spread awareness on various banking facilities and security features of currency notes in northeast.

Reserve Bank aims to improve the credit-deposit ratio, increase the agri credit flow and the number of branches would increase to stimulate growth of industry, trade and commerce in region.

"We have received a soft loan of Rs 12,000 at very low interest rate from a bank during this camp. With the money, there will be rise in our income and it would enable us to run our families better and educate our children," said Sima Narang, member, Self Help Group.

"We have received loan from the bank to cultivate mushroom. We hope to make good profits now and also expect similar co-operation from the bank in future," said Ratna, another member of Self Help Group.

These facilities will not just help people keep their money safe but also pave way for the economic development of the region.

Extending banking facility in the northeast is a huge challenge for the banks because of the regions difficult terrain, lower population densities, poor infrastructure and communication facilities and law and order problems.

Mumbai International Film Festival To Get A Taste Of The Northeast

Kolkata, Jan 18 : With increased entries from the north-east, this year’s edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) will have a major representation from the region.

Besides a special package of 10 films from the North-East, 6-7 other films from the region will be screened in the India’s largest documentary, short and animation film festival from 3 to 9 February.

“We were pleasantly surprised this year as we got 32 entries from the north-east. This shows that the quality and the quantity of films have improved in the region,” MIFF director Bankim said.

Manipur alone has representation of around 10 films. Imphal-based journalist Borun Thokchom’s The Silent Poet and Romi Meitei’s Rock and Egg (14 minutes) will be competing in the international section while Chandam Netraj’s April 6th (10 minutes) will be competing for the best documentary in the Indian section.

Besides, Saikhom Ratan and RK Suresh’s SOS will also be screened at the 12th edition of the MIFF.

The Silent Poet shows 15 minutes of unused footages of Iron lady Irom Sharmila’s life under custody and how she continued her 11-year-long hunger strike against AFSPA.

It also reveals the poetic side of the human rights activist, who is nose-fed to keep her alive.

SOS, on the other hand, is a brief but detailed illustration of Sharmila within 21 minutes. Manipuri filmmaker Haobam Paban Kumar’s Mr India, which had bagged the best non-feature film award on social issues in the 57th National Film Awards for 2009, will also be screened.

The 47-minute documentary chronicles the life of an HIV patient who overcame all odds and barriers to win Mr India title.

Besides few films from Assam, one film each from Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh will be shown at the film carnival.

MIFF has received a record 791 entries from all over the world with 37 countries entering the festival. From this year, the award money has been enhanced significantly and the Indian competition section has also been
revived to promote national talents.