Mizoram Govt To Decide on Village Councils in Sinlung Hills

Aizawl, Oct 16 : With the state election commission cancelling proposed elections to village councils, Mizoram's Local Administration Minister P C Lalthanliana today said that the state government would soon decide on the formation of village councils in 15 villages within the Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC).

Lalthanliana told PTI that there were a number of choices before the government, including appointment of advisory bodies in the villages and the final decision would be made by the chief minister.

"Let the state election commission submit its report to the government and we will make a decisions soon," he said, however ruling out the possibility of extending the terms of the village councils any further.

Elections could not be held in the 15 villages along with the other village councils on February 23 due to intimidation by the Manipur-based Hmar People's Convention - Democrats militants.

The state election commission's efforts to hold village council polls in October failed.

No nomination paper was filed even after extension of last date of filing nominations three times.

State police officials said that the HPC-D militants sent threat smses to political party leaders in the area not to file nominations.

500000 Cyber Warriors For India? What A Stupid Idea

I was reading the Times of India 5 lakh cyber warriors to bolster India's e-defence. I just wondered. What does National Security Advisor thinks of Cyber warriors? Does numbers count or skills?

One person with enough skills can do more than thousands of these so called cyber warriors. This takes back into focus - the Indian system of education, the lack of the out of the box thinking. everything...

Its a useless effort. Build up skills is my suggestion...


Indrani Bagchi & Vishwa Mohan

Recognizing the threat of cyber attacks from a host of hostile entities — ranging from domestic saboteurs to foreign rivals — a new initiative intends to train five lakh cyber warriors in the next five years to meet a critical gap in India's defences.

NEW DELHI: Recognizing the threat of cyber attacks from a host of hostile entities — ranging from domestic saboteurs to foreign rivals — a new initiative intends to train five lakh cyber warriors in the next five years to meet a critical gap in India's defences.

A government-private sector plan will look at beefing up India's cyber security capabilities in the light of a group of experts reckoning that India faces a 4.7 lakh shortfall of such experts despite the country's reputation of being a IT and software powerhouse.

Efforts to draw a strategic plan for India, being overseen by National Security Advisor ( NSA) Shivshankar Menon, may need to be speeded up as India lags the research and planning leading western and Asian nations have already undertaken.

Cyber warfare has emerged a top threat to national security with India's systems subjected to an increasing number - and more sophisticated — cyber attacks. India faced a severe test during the 2010 Commonwealth Games when cyber attacks from Pakistan and China sought to damage information systems.

Most of the attacks India deals with originate from countries like the US, China, Russia, a few east European countries and Iran. Chinese hackers have targeted a large number of institutions, even stealing data from schools run by the armed forces.

A Canadian investigation in 2010 revealed that Chinese hackers had reached Indian missions at Kabul, Moscow, Dubai, Abuja, US, Serbia, Belgium, Germany, Cyprus, the UK and Zimbabwe. A machine at the National Security Council secretariat was tapped as were computers at military engineering services (MES).

China-India 1962 War: Arunachal Pradesh Will Benefit By Developing Trade & Friendship Links

New Delhi needs to move closer to Beijing. And Arunachal Pradesh will benefit a lot if we develop trading links by land

By Mukut Mithi

Let me make the first statement: Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. But over the years it has remained isolated from mainland India, mainly because it is located in the eastern-most corner of India. It is incidentally the largest North-Eastern state in terms of area, and it shares a 1,680 km-long border with three foreign nations: China, Bhutan and Mynamar.

With China alone, Arunachal shares a 1,080 km-long border. To stretch the introduction a little further, it is India's land of the rising sun and home to 26 major tribes and over 100 sub-tribes who speak different dialects. Apart from abundant forest resources and huge hydro-power potential, the state has mineral resources like oil and gas, dolomite, graphite, coal, quartzite, limestone, marble etc.

When students from the north east were targeted in Bangalore in August via hate SMSes, the population from Arunachal Pradesh was mostly unaffected. Yes, there were anxieties, but they did not leave the city in fear. Maybe they are too small a number to be noticed by those who were spreading rumour.

We need to devise institutionalised ways to make the integration of the north-east with the rest of India more meaningfully. Currently, central government employees are given a little more incentives in their LTA if they choose to visit the north-east.

The government also sponsors youths from various parts of India to visit the north-east to get first-hand experience. I suggest, both the Centre and state governments must devise more schemes whereby people from the rest of India are encouraged to visit the north-east and understand the region better.

On China, my views are straight and simple. China is an economic giant and we need to enhance trade ties further. But Arunachal Pradesh will benefit if we develop trading links by land. So far the only border trading point between India and China is located near Nathu La in Sikkim.

I suggest we must work towards converting the 1962 war routes as trade and friendship routes. In October 1962, Chinese soldiers occupied Tawang located in the western part of Arunachal, then called North East Frontier Agency, or Nefa. On east Arunachal, Indian and Chinese soldiers fought at Walong. We all grew up with stories around those battles.

I strongly believe that after 50 years, both New Delhi and Beijing must enter into a serious dialogue to make Tawang-Bum-La and Walong-Rima trading routes a reality. Let those be named as friendship routes. Once those land routes are opened for legal trade, entrepreneurs from Arunachal will be able to export products such as rice, oranges, orchids and handicraft items to China.

In recent years, the connectivity to those border towns has improved, making it easier for them to handle goods coming from Assam plains too. The Rupai-Walong and road to Tawang are being widened. Tawang has always been a popular tourist spot. Let it also be known for serious business with China.

(The writer is member of Parliament & ex-CM, Arunachal Pradesh)

Mainstream Accord For Naga Rebels

The NSCN’s commitment to the Constitution may end one of the oldest insurgencies in the Northeast...
The Naga insurgency, almost as old as the Union of India itself, might be nearing its end.

While it may be premature to hope before the deed is done, the written commitment from the Nscn (IM) that it is going to accept the India Constitution — in other words, offer its allegiance to the Indian Union — is a significant breakthrough. The NSCN(IM) is reportedly also amenable to the idea of not redrawing state boundaries in the Northeast for the sake of peace.

The ball is once again in the Centre’s court, as the NSCN will wait for the deliberations with the governments of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur by which New Delhi will try to work out a special set of rights for Nagas in these neighbouring states.

While this is a major development towards peace and stability in the Northeast, the NSCN(IM)’s decision is only the logical outcome of a long insurgency in a large and democratic nation-state.

India’s history of dealing with insurgencies proves the expediency of the right combination of armed action and political outreach, exploiting the cracks in even the most sanguinary militancies, which allow room for democratic reconciliation. That has been the story in Punjab and Kashmir, in Assam and, hopefully, one day with the Maoists.

Diplomatic channels that reach out to the more moderate amongst extremists — along with force — keeps a finger on the pulse of an insurgency and ultimately ends up mainstreaming the militants.

If a solution can be framed before next year’s assembly polls in Nagaland, and the NSCN — which was formed in opposition to the Shillong Accord of 1975 and subsequently split — participates in the same, that mainstreaming would be near complete.

The benchmark settlement remains the Mizo Accord of 1986, an object lesson for tackling insurgencies across India.

Whether imitable or not, the Mizo Accord ended 30 years of the Mizo insurgency, and by 2008, Mizoram was recording 70 per cent turnout in elections.

If the Naga issue resolves in peace in the near future, it would positively impact neighbouring states too, particularly strife-torn Manipur, and speed up infrastructure and connectivity projects in the Northeast vital to economic growth in the landlocked and underdeveloped region.

India Express Editorial

Cancer: A Rising Threat in Mizoram

Aizawl, Oct 15 : With the number of cancer patients rising in Mizoram, the Lal Thanhawla government is seriously putting its effort to establish a cancer hospital and research institute in Mizoram.

The rising cases of cancer patients in Mizoram has been caused by the excessive use of tobacco products by the people, according to Dr Kuddus Ahmed, secretary of Association of Oncologist of North East India who had commented this earlier in the year in Aizawl.

On Saturday, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla conveyed a meeting in connection with the setting up of a cancer hospital in Aizawl. Member of Parliament (MP) C.L. Ruala, S.Laldingliana, T.P. Khaund, Principal Adviser, L.R.Thanga, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Esther Lalruatkimi, Secretary, Health and Health department officials, discussed on the project of establishment of a cancer hospital in Mizoram.

The state government of Mizoram has been prompted to set up a cancer hospital and research institute to address the growing number of cancer patients in the state.

Mizos have the habit of using tobacco products excessively, according to Lal Thanhawla. Among various diseases that claim lives in Mizoram, cancer claims more lives than any other diseases if the reports made by Mizoram Economics & Statistical department are to be based. In the book, ‘Statistical Abstracts of Mizoram 2009’ prepared by the said department cancer had claimed more lives than other diseases like malaria, cholera, TB etc. The book highlighted numbers of death during the year 2004-2008.

During the year 2004, 593 died of cancer which is 12.72% of death while in 2005, 618 persons died due to cancer which is 13.18% of the total death on that year. The book further revealed that during 2006, 2007 and 2008, cancer had claimed 12.82%, 13.08% and 11.71% of the total death.

Meanwhile, according to Mizoram Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) report, stomach cancer is the most common cancer where 23.1% of cancer patients have suffered from this cancer. It is followed by lung cancer and then throat cancer followed.

On the other hand, malaria comes next to cancer in killing more number of people in Mizoram. During the same period from 2004-08 malaria had claimed, 500 lives (10.72%), 621 (13.25%), 653 lives (13.95%), 333 (6.80%) and 474lives (8.49%) out of the total death in year wise.

He had also said that the Mizos’ habit of smoking and consumption of other tobacco products was their main weakness, which even makes the Mizo sports persons lagging behind others; and also it has a negative impact to our economic condition.

India's First Glass Mosque in Shillong

Shillong: India will have its first glass mosque - in the country's northeast. Madina Masjid, an imposing and resplendent structure of glass dome and glass minarets, will formally open doors to the devotees on Thursday in Meghalaya's capital. "It is an architectural marvel," Congress legislator Sayeedullah Nongrum, who helped in the mosque's construction, told IANS.

"It took us one and a half years to complete the only glass mosque in India and the largest one in the northeastern region," said Nongrum, who is also general secretary of the Shillong Muslim Union (SMU).

The four-storey building - 120 feet high and 61 feet wide -- stands inside an Idgah Complex in the city's Lahan area and is close to the garrison grounds along the Umshyrpi river. At night, the mosque's glasswork glows and glitters.

The mosque houses a new orphanage named Meherba, a library and a 'markaz'-- an Islamic theological institute. Madina Masjid has a capacity of around 2,000 people and has separate space for women to offer prayers.


Nongrum said the new theological institute would impart Islamic teachings and the library there would have books on comparative religious studies. "This place will be open for everyone, but one should maintain the mosque's sanctity," Nongrum said, adding that the mosque was set to become a tourist attraction. Around Rs 2 crore was spent on the building, with fund from SMU and well-wishers, he said.

Nongrum said most of the people who built the mosque were Hindus. The mosque was completed in July and SMU will maintain it. Union Law and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid is scheduled to inaugurate Madina Masjid, along with Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Vincent H. Pala, on Oct 18.

Nongrum said 51 boys and girls are already in an orphanage in the complex and go to a primary school in the Idgah complex established in 1942. The complex also has a minority co-educational institution, Umshyrpi College, set up in 1994. In 2008, the Idgah was the first in the region to open doors to women devotees.

"I have seen Muslim women offering prayers with great difficulty in the absence of space and privacy, especially while at work or out of home. When our women go to market, which is considered to be the worst place for a Muslim women under Sharia, we men do not object.

So, why can't women go to a 'masjid' and offer prayers? Why fanatics object to it?" he said, adding, "I don't believe in the interpretation of fanatics. 'Purdah' means inner shyness of women. If the shyness is retained, she can go anywhere. There's nothing forbidden in going to a place and offering prayer.

The Shillong Muslim Union was formed in 1905 in erstwhile East Bengal, which stretched from Siliguri to Cox's Bazar and Chittagong to Dibrugarh. After India's partition in 1947, SMU narrowed down its activities to Assam.

Since Meghalaya's formation in 1972, its activities have been limited to the state. India has about 165 milllion Muslims, the third largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia and Pakistan.

10,000-30,000 Child Drug Addicts in Mizoram

Aizawl, Oct 15 : Child drug addiction and easy accessibility to drugs is an area of major concern in Mizoram, a National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) advisor said.

NCPCR representative Dr L Mishra, who is its advisor, guessestimated that the figure of child drug addicts could be as high as 10,000 to 30,000 after his meetings with several State officials and NGOs. He said that he had asked the State to conduct a survey to get a clear picture. He urged the government to immediately notify the State Level Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Dr Mishra said that Mizoram’s children are in dire need of protection from the evil of drugs, which are easily available and made more accessible by the existence of internet pharmacies which cater to them here.

He was in the city for two days to follow-up on the State Action Plan for implementation of child rights in the Northeastern States during which he had a number of meetings with the officials of various concerned departments and NGOs including the chief secretary. Before Mizoram, he had taken up similar exercises in the states of Assam, Tripura and Manipur.

“When we find that a child of 10 years has started injecting drugs, it is not a good sign for the society as a whole,” he said. He was not really impressed by the fact that there are more than a dozen centres for drug rehabilitation as this only proved the point that addiction is rampant.

He called for more preventive measures to stop children from getting drawn into these habits. “Rehabilitative treatment might not really be the answer to the problem as treatment after addiction has set in is not really a cure,” he said. He urged the State Government to give more emphasis to social counseling, youth and children projects, build on the local strengths such as music and sports, and create more facilities for children.

“Being a hilly State I understand that there is not much space for playgrounds, but the government has to create these facilities for the spirit of the children to grow,” he said.

He said that the sero-positive ratio of children here is also a grey area. The State needs to bring down the incidence of HIV+ rate among child and adolescents. He was told that there are 120 HIV+ kids in different homes.

He was critical of the State Government for hiring 3,000 untrained teachers for the primary schools. Their training should be completed urgently or else the children would suffer. He also asked the State to ensure that the 7,400 drop-outs are back in school. The NCPCR’s role is to ensure that there is no child labour, strict implementation of right to education laws, protect the rights of HIV+ kids and drug users among other child rights issues.

National Highways in Northeast To Be Upgraded

Agartala, Oct 15 : To improve road connectivity in the country's mountainous northeastern states, over 10,100 km of national highways in the region will be gradually upgraded, a top official said Saturday.

"The central government has accorded importance to improving connectivity in the land-locked northeastern region," Road Transport and Highways Ministry Secretary A.K. Upadhyay told reporters here.

"Over 10,100 km of national highways in the northeastern region would be further developed in a phased manner," he said.

"Northeast in general and Arunachal Pradesh in particular have been accorded the highest importance for development of road and bridge infrastructure.

"Around 2,770 km of roads, including those in the areas bordering China, are in various stages of construction by BRO (Border Roads Organisation)," Upadhyay said.

Arunachal Pradesh shares 1,030 km of unfenced border with China.

He said the extension, development and widening of National Highway-44 up to Sabroom in Tripura were crucial after Bangladesh allowed India to access the Chittagong port, about 75 km from the border town of Sabroom.

The central government has also started building a 150-metre-long bridge over the Feni river in Sabroom for better connectivity with the Chittagong sea port.

Upadhyay said that an additional director general from the ministry with higher technical and financial powers would be appointed soon to accelerate works on the national highways in the northeastern states.

Additional chief engineers from the BRO would also be posted in the region for the same purpose, he added.

The official also said that due to topographical and other limitations, the cost of Rs.3.5 crore per km applied to building roads in other parts of the country was not sufficient for the region.

"As the growth prospect is enormous in the region, infrastructure development, specially building of roads, is very essential," he said.