Pilot Loan Scheme For HIV-Patients in Manipur

By Esha Roy

Imphal, Feb 27 : In a first of its kind initiative, the United Bank of India and the State Bank of India have decided to provide customised loans for HIV patients in the country. The scheme to “support entrepreneurship” will be launched under the aegis of the Reserve Bank of India on a pilot basis in Imphal East district. It will then be extended to the rest of Manipur and other parts of the country.

The scheme was announced at an outreach programme of the RBI in Imphal East on Saturday, attended by a high-level team from Guwahati and RBI executive director R Gandhi.

RBI deputy general manager Thotngam Jamang said the scheme had been conceptualised to help HIV-positive people gain meaningful economic activity. “Many of them have skilled knowledge and are well versed in traditional economic activities such as crafts etc. But there are few employment opportunities. These loans will support entrepreneurship. We are also looking at facilities like health check-ups etc,” he said.

“We have already received two applications today from HIV-patients for loans to set up embroidery and weaving enterprises. We will consider these applications, the loans may go up to at least Rs 5 lakh. We will also be looking at providing loans to family members of HIV patients to ease their financial burden,’’ said UBI chief regional manager R Bhattacharjee.

Manipur has one of the highest number of HIV-positive people in the country — around 38,000 according to the 2011 figures of the Manipur State Aids Control Society. “Out of these, at least 70 per cent have contracted the disease through injection of drugs, while the rest are sexually transmitted — it is usually the spouse of the drug user who becomes HIV-positive after marriage,” said L Deepak Singh, president of the Manipur Network for HIV Positive Persons.

“Most of them are school dropouts. Even when they are rehabilitated and cured of their drug problems, they cannot find employment. So starting their own business is the only way out. Since most of them come from poor families, the move to provide loans is a welcome step,” said Singh.

Made to work as slave, says Indian housekeeper

A senior government official in Britain kept an Indian housekeeper as a “slave” and fed her leftovers for four years, according to a media report here.

The counsel for 43-year-old Pratima Das, Ian Wheaton, said she was forced to work 15 hours a day while employed as a nanny and cleaner for Shibani Rahulan, 40, the principle legal officer at the Department of Health.

According to The Sun, Wheaton told the court in London that Das claimed her passport was confiscated and she was not paid. Wheaton went on to allege that she was “a victim of human trafficking...”

Walk With The Kings

By Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty


It took him 17 years to translate the royal chronicle of Manipur into English. Meet Nepram Bihari.

Eighty-one-year-old Nepram Bihari can't stop smiling. This is his first ever media interview. The long retired bureaucrat has reason to feel joyous. He has just completed translating Cheitharol Kumbaba, the royal chronicle of Manipur, into English. An effort that took 17 years. It was worth it. What nobody knows is that unlike other royalty, the Manipuri kings had a strong tradition of writing history.

So Cheitharol Kumbaba chronicled each and everything that involved their kings from 33 A.D. till its last Maharaja Bodhchandra's rule that ended in 1955.

“When I saw a packed auditorium at the launch of the book in New Delhi the other day, I really felt that the years I spent on it was worth it; I always wanted to do something worthwhile for the State,” says Bihari, who lives in Imphal.

For a conflict-ridden State where over 20,000 people have fallen to militancy, and counter insurgency operations, in the last five decades, Bihari's work holds significance.

Wrapped in it is a detailed record of the rule of 76 kings spanning 3000 years.

It's a formidable reference point to why the State continues to remain in turmoil.

Cheitharol Kumbaba gives an insight into a protracted bout of cultural imperialism foisted on the people of Manipur. Like, king Pambeiba banning their original religion, Sanamahism, in 1729 after he was converted to Vaishnavism by guru Shanti Das Gosain, from present-day Bangladesh. He ordered the burning of over 123 holy treatises belonging to Sanamahism to help Vaishnavism set root in Manipur. Like proscribing the people's script, Meitei Mayek — in practice till the 18th Century — to bring into use the Bengali script.

Bihari's work in English will help many Manipuris, who were not taught Meitei Mayek in school, to know about their recorded history for the first time.

“Since Bengali was the medium of education during my time, I had to learn Meitei Mayek, from my elders. This is how I translated the chronicle,” says Bihari. (Since some years now, bowing to people's demand to revive the language, Meitei Mayek has been introduced in State-run schools.) What's stupendous about Bihari's effort is that it took him seven years to gather the chronicle.

“Like many other royal kingdoms, the customs and culture of the people were in the hands of the maharaja. As many as 14 pandits had the sole job of recording history. After the privy purse of the maharaja got cancelled in the 1950's, the work of writing history was taken up by the Govindaji Temple Board formed then. This board is the highest authority of Vaishnavism in Manipur. But it was seen as an effort to only record the Vaishnava history of the State. In 1976, due to people's demand, a bill was passed in the State Assembly to form the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board which now keeps a record of the times, particularly from the Meitei point of view,” explains Bihari.

Easy access

He is the vice president of the Sanamahi Temple Board, which he says helped him to get access to the record books. Bihari spent Rs. 5,600 to photocopy them, consulted the notings with historians, bought many dictionaries (From Sanskrit to English and vice versa, from Bengali to English and vice versa, from Manipuri to English and vice versa, from Assamese to English and vice versa) to decipher words mentioned in the records before coming up with a voluminous book of over 500 pages divided into three parts. As Bihari says, “I have translated the original in toto.”

The book is studded with information on how the royal game of polo had its birth in the State; that the art of making Chinese silk and bricks were commonly practiced here. It brings out the historical proximity with neighbouring Burma and yet the king responded to Gandhiji's freedom struggle by sending 30 of his sepoys to Delhi to join the satyagraha.

With a laugh, he says, “I found some notings quite funny, for instance, recording a marriage, a birth and a death in the same sentence. In one such mention, it talks of Pandit Nehru's first visit to Manipur and the following line was: A royal horse died.”

US Keen To Invest in Northeast India

Guwahati, Feb 27 : United States Ambassador Peter Burleigh on Saturday said trade missions from his country will visit the north eastern region soon to explore possibility of investment in key sectors.

"Trade missions of US to India's major cities are going on and we are in the process of expanding it to other areas including the north east," he told reporters here.

"We are learning about increasing business opportunities in the N E region and American companies have shown interest for investments," the envoy, who is on a visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, said.

Climate change and renewal of energy were being focussed on by the USA, Burleigh said his country was, however, open to collaboration in almost all major areas of interest. "We are open to exploring virtually any area for investment."

USA was currently participating in a conservation programme at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, he said and expressed satisfaction at the 'amazing' pace of development activities taking place in the state and its congenial atmosphere for investment.

We Are Indians, Not Chinkies

By KG Suresh

Long time back, a Pakistani journalist on an India visit was asked about the similarities and differences between her country and India. She said while the sounds, sights, attire and language were familiar, one major distinction was that while here, she was referred to as a Pakistani, back home, she was called a Mohajir, a contemptuous term for the refugees who migrated from India post-partition.

In the 60s and 70s, in Delhi and other parts of northern India, any person coming from South of the Vindhyas was called a ‘Madrasi’, an apparent allusion to the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. But people from Andhra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu detested this description which they felt, and justifiably so, was derogatory as they had their own distinct culture and language. How would a Punjabi feel if he is called a Bihari, they countered.

Much water has flowed down the Ganges and Cauvery since then. Now the nicknames are state specific and more confined to college campuses etc. So, a Bengali is referred to as a ‘Bong’ and a Malayalee as a ‘Mallu’, a Gujarati as a ‘Gujju’ and a Punjabi as a “Panju’ or simply ‘Punj’. And not only that nobody takes offence to such dulcet calls but also proudly identify themselves as one.



However, people from one region of the country who have been clubbed together and singled out and that too for their racial features have been our countrymen from the North East. Often, they are mistaken to be Chinese or from South East Asia and referred to even by the educated as ‘Chinkies’ because of their Mongoloid features. Forced to migrate from their idyllic but underdeveloped states for education and job opportunities, these people, mostly women and youngsters, are not only discriminated against but also have often been victims of eve teasing and attempts at outraging modesty. This has led to a sense of alienation among these people, many of who become susceptible and vulnerable to separatist propaganda. They want to be treated like any other Indian citizen. They have hitched their wagon to our common destiny and they have an equal right over our resources.

Not that there have not been efforts to build bridges of understanding between North-East and other parts of the country, but they have been few and far between. Few Gandhians, some Hindi activists, initiatives such as ‘Ekal Vidyalaya’, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Ramakrishna Mission, cultural centres of the Union Government and even state controlled media have been contributing their bit in this direction.

Of late, there have been some citizen driven initiatives such as My Home India, run by Mumbai based social activist Sunil Deodhar, which seeks to bridge the chasm by helping students and others from North Eastern region in Metropolises such as Mumbai and Delhi, in their hour of need. “We not only strive to help the people from the North East but also sensitize locals about the beautiful region”, says Deodhar.

The organization’s activities include running a helpline for medical services, academics, accommodation, hospitality and social justice, creating awareness about the region through programmes at educational institutions, business organizations and community groups across the country as also through media and internet, cultural exchanges and sports involving students from North East and other regions and an annual award for people contributing to the national cause in the region.

The Global Foundation for Civilizational Harmony (India), an Eastern initiative for conflict avoidance, is working on a documentary film in association with My Home India and with the support of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations under its intra country migration video project series, to remove misunderstanding and strengthen the bonds between the people of North East and the rest of India.

There are many more such silent efforts taking place.

It’s all about creating ONE India, ONE standing for Our North East.

Nagas Rally in New Delhi

Kevin Frayer / AP

An ethnic Naga woman wearing traditional clothing participates in a rally, urging the Indian government to expedite the India-Naga political dialogue for a positive solution in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25, 2012. India is offering wide autonomy to the Nagas though it has already rejected the demand of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland rebels' for an independent homeland in northeastern India bordering Myanmar, where most of the 2 million Nagas live. The Naga rebels began fighting more than 50 years ago, although a cease-fire has held since it was signed in 1997.

Kevin Frayer / AP

Ethnic Naga men wear traditional clothing and participate in a rally, urging the Indian government to expedite the India-Naga political dialogue for a positive solution in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25.

Kevin Frayer / AP

Ethnic Naga women wear traditional clothing before the beginning of a rally urging the Indian government to expedite the India-Naga political dialogue for a positive solution, in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25.

Delhi, Dhaka On Trade Train

By Sidhartha & Surojit Gupta

Kotak Mahindra Bank is the latest Indian firm to line up to be part of the growing India-Bangladesh trade and investment story. The private sector lender has sought permission from the authorities across the border to set up a joint venture with Abdul Mehtab Ahmed, a local businessman.

A Kotak Mahindra spokesperson told ToI that the move is in line with the bank's growth strategy. But any banking analyst would tell you that banks typically follow companies to meet their funding requirements. What they leverage is their existing ties.

With over 100 Indian companies already in Bangladesh, it is not surprising that the country is on the banking radar. From Bharti Airtel, which has invested close to $1 billion, to the AV Birla Group, Arvind Mills and Sun Pharma and even smaller players who make fans, plastic products and garments, several Indian players are sensing an opportunity across the border.

After all, trade ties have improved, which is evident in better trade numbers. In the first six months of the current financial year trade has increased to around $1.7 billion from $1.56 billion in April-September 2011. Although exports from India have increased marginally to $1.4 billion, imports have gone up 85% to $290 million from around $160 million a year ago. The target is to increase trade to $1 billion this year.

"The terms of trade are still tilted in India's favour but we expect this to improve significantly in the coming years," says an official.

Within this it is textiles and raw jute imports that have seen a steep rise. Raw jute imports from Bangladesh rose over 500% to $54 million, while readymade garment imports rose nearly three-fold from $8 million in the first half of 2010-11 to $22 million during April-September 2011. Import of made-ups of textiles also increased to $27 million.

India had offered tariff concessions as well as dutyfree import quotas to Bangladesh to boost trade ties. Numbers indicate that cotton fabric and yarn exports from India rose around 22% to $350 million, indicating that ties with garment makers across the border were improving.

The concessions given on export of textiles are beginning to have an impact and there is already a clamour for protection from Bangladesh, which is now among the largest textiles exporters. Indian officials, however, dismissed suggestions that import of textiles from Bangladesh were affecting the local industry, saying the local market was worth nearly $35 billion (Rs 1.82 lakh crore).

But officials from both sides recognize that there are several bottlenecks, starting with the pile-up of trucks at the border.

Anyone who has visited the Petrapole or the Akhaura border with Bangladesh would tell you that a long queue of trucks on either side of the border is a common sight.

"India has worked on improving the border but we need to upgrade the customs facility. There are very few officers to clear the consignments," says a Bangladesh government official. There are other irritants too such as the absence of money changers at the border.

"On both sides, infrastructure is a big issue," adds another official.

While work at Petrapole is underway for an integrated check post, they say often the attitude of the customs officials at the border posts impacts trade. "There are not enough senior officers and often one can find that the officers who are there are not well versed in the latest notifications. This delays trade enormously," said one official. Adding to the problem is the lack of quarantine officers to take care of farm exports and imports. But some progress is visible as ties between the two countries improve.

New posts are scheduled to come up Agartala, Dawki, Hili, Chandrabangha, Sutarkhandi and Kawarpuchiah. Simultaneously, eight land customs stations are also coming up with the two projects together expected to cost over Rs 600 crore.

There are border haats too which permit weekly trade in select local goods. This is a move aimed at building confidence on both sides of the border and increasing peopleto-people contact.

While the bonhomie is visible, there are several decisions that can help bolster ties. For instance, Bangladesh is sitting on proposals to permit Indian companies to get goods and raw material delivered at the Chittagong and Mongla ports and then transport then through the North East. That's linked to the deal on Teesta.

Politics apart, there are trade irritants too, which Bangladesh terms as non-tariff barriers. For instance, both countries have productwise restrictions on entry of consignments at various entry points.

Bangladesh is also willing to open up more to Indian companies. They have said they are willing to offer one or two special economic zones to Indian companies. So far there has been no takers but expectations are that the plan will soon take off.

Bangladesh officials say the potential for raising bilateral trade is immense. Both sides have recognized the potential and it is upto the policymakers to seize the initiative to nurture the relationship which analysts say can accelerate the pace of regional integration in South Asia and transform the lives of people living along the India-Bangladesh border.

Digitizing Endangered Historical Documents in Mizoram

SFU alumnus Kyle Jackson, who graduated in 2007 with a BA in history/political science, submitted this fascinating article about his participation in a global rescue mission to India to digitize some of the world’s most endangered historical documents. While SFU News traditionally publishes articles only about current students, we couldn’t resist sharing Jackson’s story.


By Kyle Jackson

A big bowl of boiled baby bees was being pushed towards me.

It was the generous honour afforded to us dinner guests in a village home in Mizoram, the remote tribal state at the southernmost tip of India's easternmost frontier. 

I wished then that my hosts were less generous. I wished then that the honour was less larvae-related. I cursed the British Library under my breath. And grabbed a grub.

I was in Mizoram as a part of a four-member pilot-project under the Endangered Archives Programme (EAP), a global rescue mission for the world's most endangered historical documents. Administered by the UK's British Library and funded by Arcadia, EAP researchers have in the past seven years fanned out across the globe, armed with little more than high-resolution digital cameras and strong stomachs.

From the crispy Sahara to soggy Amazonia, the Programme selects from a world of possibilities:  twentieth-century Bengali street literature, nineteenth-century Siberian glass-plate photographic negatives, eighteenth-century Tamil palm-leaf manuscripts. Digitization projects operate literally all the way to Timbuktu.

The stakes are high. The princess to rescue is the world's most endangered written heritage; the dragons that threaten her are called climate, conflict, critters and carelessness.

Our own adventure begins in Mizoram's monsoon-soaked capital of Aizawl—a city perched perilously on the cliffs of the towering north-south running mountains that lay like parallel spines across India's northeast.
The Tibeto-Burman language of the Mizo people that live there demands mental gymnastics for any foreigner to navigate. The Mizo word lei can mean “tongue”, “bridge”, “sand”, “unlevel”, or “buy”, depending on the precise tone you say it with. I could only pray that my tongue would never get sand on it as I was trying to buy an unlevel bridge in Mizoram: an impossible story to recount. Plus, I would have sand on my tongue.

I thus stick to the basics:  i dam em? (how are you?), ka dam e (I'm fine), and a nak ah a zuang chungin a pet (flying kick to the ribs). The latter is what I feel like I have experienced after each of our journeys across the rivers and jungles separating Mizoram's rural villages. The winding roads are some of the worst on the planet. It takes nearly eight hours by 4x4 to cover a mere 150 kilometres, like driving for eight hours from Vancouver to reach Hope. 

We arrive battered. Sometimes the historical documents are already long gone. We find a corpus of old diaries shredded into rats’ nests in Saikao village.

We find a 1928 book of hand-drawn maps pockmarked and perforated by little silverfish.

We find books of the Old Testament (works among the earliest ever printed in the Mizo language), chewed through by a rodent. The rat no doubt especially enjoyed Jeremiah 15:16.

Other times we strike pay dirt.

We find the first letter ever written by a Mizo—a chief writing to none other than Queen Victoria, proudly informing her of his patriotic lighting of bonfires all around his village on her birthday.

We find the diary of a lone-ranger British missionary who worked amongst the secluded Mara tribe—a document that could shine new light onto the shadowy history of a sequestered society.

We find an old record of village rainfall—a testament to a staggering 12,491 inches of precipitation (nearly the same height as Burnaby Mountain's prominence) across the last hundred years.

Such documents capture the exceptionally rapid transition of a society uniquely and fundamentally transformed. Mizo historians are fond of reminding each other that in 1901, nearly no one in the Mizo tribe was literate or Christian; in 1961, nearly everyone in the Mizo tribe was literate and Christian; and in 2012, Mizos command the second-most literate state in all of India.

Much digitization work remains. However, across three months our little team preserved hundreds of rare books, diaries, missionary treatises, church and government records, photographs, and personal letters, all totaling some five hundred gigabytes worth of digital images. As the only foreigner, I feel I did well culturally, too, politely eating all my bees in a total of five mega bites.

The documents that have been digitized will soon have the power to revolutionize not only how Mizo history is understood, but also how the craft of history writing in Mizoram is pursued.  Now in the process of being cataloged, they will soon be deposited for easy access for all at universities, libraries and archives across Mizoram state, as well as online through the British Library.

The evil twin hydras of neglect and humidity daily rob the globe of its history. It is time we took a running leap to give them both a serious a nak ah a zuang chungin a pet.

Source: sfu.ca

Election To Village And Local Councils in Mizoram

Aizawl, Feb 23 : Campaign for elections to the 509 village councils in six districts and 52 local councils within the Aizawl Municipal Council area, to be held tomorrow, ended on Wedesday.

An electorate of 4,06,003 would elect 2,115 village council members from 5,364 candidates in the village council polls while 1,74,868 voters would seal the fate of 1,341 in the local councils which has a total of 522 members.

While the ruling Congress and the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) would be the main contenders in the village council as well as local council polls, other parties like Mizoram People's Conference (MPC), Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP), People's Conference (a breakaway group of the MPC) and the BJP also fielded candidates.

The state election commission, which conducted the polls, announced that polling would begin from 7 AM on Thursday and counting of votes would begin after the polling is completed on the same day.