Manipur Explores Air Connectivity With Myanmar

By Raymond Kharmujai

In what could serve as a boost to India's 'Look East' policy, the Manipur government is exploring the possibility of direct flights operating to Myanmar, even as private carrier Golden Myanmar begins operating flights Nov 21 to the Tulihal airport here.

"We are exploring the possibility of a direct flight to Myanmar after the civil aviation ministry elevated Tulihal as an international airport," Principal Secretary (Commerce and Industries) O. Nabakishore Singh told IANS.

"We are already in a dialogue with (private Indian airline) Indigo to start a service between Tulihal and Yangon," Nabakishore Singh told IANS. Indigo was, however, yet to respond.

"If we cannot operate direct flights with our neighbouring country then declaring Tulihal as an international airport would be just in name," Nabakishore Singh said, while stressing that connectivity would help the people of Manipur and Myanmar in trade, medical treatment and tourism.

"With Guwahati international airport already having direct flights with Bhutan and Thailand, I am sure Manipur will soon become a significant regional hub for international flights to Southeast Asian countries," Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said.

Moreover, he said, introduction of flights between Imphal and Monywa, Imphal and Mandalay, Imphal and Yangon and Imphal and Kalemyo would promote trade, tourism, business and investment.

Ibobi singh said that the flights would facilitate movement of people round the year.

The silver lining is that a Golden Myanmar A-320 from Mandalay will land at Tulihal Nov 21 on a trial run with the Mandalay Region Chief Minister Ye Myint and his Sagaing Region counterpart Tha Aye on board.

The 24 delagates from Myanmar would attend Manipur's Sangai Festival, an annual cultural event.

"It will be a trial operation for Golden Myanmar to Tulihal airport. We are all keeping our fingers cross and hoping that our dream of connecting Manipur with Myanmar by air would be a reality," Ibobi Singh said.

India and Myanmar share a 1,643-km unfenced border.

(Raymond Kharmujai can be contacted at rrkharmujai@gmail.com)

Batman Son of Suparman Goes to Jail

SINGAPORE (Nov 11, 2013): A Singaporean whose superhero-sounding name turned him into a social media celebrity was jailed for nearly three years today for theft, housebreaking and drug offences.

Batman bin Suparman, an unemployed 23-year-old whose name translates to "Batman son of Suparman", was arrested on Aug 19 after security videos showed him sneaking into a store at night on two separate occasions.

He stole a total of S$500 (RM1280) from the store, court documents seen by AFP showed.

Batman also pleaded guilty to various other charges, including stealing his brother's ATM card to make withdrawals amounting to S$650, and consuming heroin. He was sentenced to a total of 33 months in jail.

Batman became a social media sensation after an image of his identity card with his unusual name was circulated online.

A "Batman bin Suparman Fan Club" page on social networking site Facebook has garnered nearly 11,000 likes so far. – AFP

Mizo Film Debut At International Festival in Goa

Guwahati, Nov 12 : The 44th International Film Festival of India, Goa, 2013, will go down as a watershed for Mizo cinema when the film Khawnlung Run makes its debut in an international festival circuit. The film, directed by Mapuia Chawngthu, has been selected as the opener for a separate section, Focus: North East.

The festival, which will be held from November 20 to 30, will highlight the Northeast, with the organisers planning to screen over 20 films from the region between November 22 and 27.

Khawnlung Run tells the story of a star-crossed couple against the backdrop of petty feuds between the Pawi and a Lusei villagers in the late 1850s.

This had led to the plunder of Khawnglung village by Pawi chiefs, marked as the bloodiest and cruellest attack in the entire history of the Mizos.

Sources said Seema Biswas and Adil Hussain will be the special guests at the opening ceremony.

Naga folk fusion band, Purple Fusion from Dimapur, will perform on the opening day.

The films from Assam to be screened are Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Aru Joymoti directed by Bhupen Hazarika, Panoi Jongki directed by Dilip Doley and Narayan Seal in Mising language, Papori directed by Jahnu Barua, Hagramayo Jinahari directed by Jwngdao Bodosa in Bodo language, Agnisnaan directed by Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Baibhav — A Scam in Verse directed by Manju Borah and Wosobipo directed by Gautam Bora in Karbi language.

Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Aru Joymoti is a documentary on the making of Joymoti (1935), the first film in the Northeast made by Jyoti Prasad Agarwala.

The films from Manipur to be screened are first Manipuri film Matamgi Manipur (1972) directed by Deb Kumar Bose, Haobam Paban Kumar’s documentary The First Leap (on making of Matamgi Manipur), Aribam Syam Sharma-directed Ishanou and Oinam Doren’s Songs of Mashangva.

Ahsan Majid’s Sonam in Monpa language from Arunachal Pradesh, Prashant Rasailly-directed Kathaa from Sikkim, Dondor Lyngdoh and Gautam Syiem-directed Ka Lad from Meghalaya, Tianla Jamir’s Going the Distance from Nagaland and Joseph Pulinthanath-directed Yarwng in Kokborok language from Tripura will be the other films set for screening.

Arup Manna’s Assamese film Aideu, a biopic on Joymoti’s heroine Aideu Handique, will be screened at the closing ceremony of the Northeast section on November 27. It will also have a special performance of Manipuri martial arts thang ta.

The special section will pay homage to Hemendra Prasad Barooah by screening Ek Pal, produced by him.

In the musical section on Indian cinema, Bhupen Hazarika’s Chameli Memsaab, which won the National Award for Best Music in 1975, will be screened.

The Northeast section has been curated by national award-winning film critic Utpal Borpujari, who will also moderate a panel discussion on the region’s cinema.

Among the participants in the discussion will be Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi from Arunachal Pradesh, Aribam Syam Sharma, columnist Patricia Mukhim from Meghalaya, actress Meena Debbarma from Tripura, Manju Borah from Assam, Mapuia Chawngthu from Mizoram, Prashant Rasailly from Sikkim and Tianla Jamir from Nagaland.

The festival’s overall art director is veteran Assamese film director and painter Pulak Gogoi.

There will be performances of northeastern folk dances every evening, apart from handicraft exhibitions and a northeastern food stall.

These are in addition to Manju Borah’s Mising language feature film Ko:Yad and documentaries Manipuri Pony by Aribam Syam Sharma, Resonance of Mother’s Melody by Dip Bhuyan and By Lane No. 2 by Utpal Datta, which are part of the Indian Panorama section.

Politicians Should Improve Our Lot, Say Mizoram’s Jews

By Rahul Karmakar

Aizawl, Nov 12 : Minorities are almost invisible in Mizoram where Christians account for 87% of the population. The ones that want to be noticed this assembly election were lost for 3,000 years.

Mizoram and adjacent Manipur have some 7,500 Jews who trace their origin to Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph. They call themselves B’nei Menashes, one of the lost tribes of Israel.

The Jews constitute only 0.10% of Mizoram’s population — not a number to influence the outcome in any of the 40 assembly constituencies. But the descendants of Ephraim want their representatives to improve the lot of the Jews so that no one feels the need to relocate to Israel.

 Israeli rabbis connected with the B’nei Menashes 20 years ago after Jewish scholars traced the route the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim’s had taken via Afghanistan and Tibet before vanishing.

A DNA study by Kolkata’s Central Forensic Science Laboratory in 2002 found the genetic sequence code of some Mizo Jews to bear resemblance to that of the Jewish community of Uzbekistan. This led to conversion of locals through a dip in the Mikveh or holy pond to go to the Promised Land.

“Mizoram is our home, and we want to make her our Promised Land if the political masters ensure greener pastures for us,” said Lalthlamuani, president of Chhinlung Israel People Convention and a leader of the Ephraim community.

 The convention is an umbrella organization of all Jews of Mizoram, Manipur, Myanmar and Bangladesh and has 300,000 members.

Mizo Brothers Keep Congress' Hopes High

Aizawl, Nov 12 : The two boys from Mizoram grew up together. They played and fought together, the younger following the footsteps of the elder.

Siblings chief minister Lal Thanhawla and Lal Thanzara spent their lives doing similar things and now both are members of Mizoram legislative assembly.

Lal Thanzara has traced his elder brother's footsteps as the president of the Mizoram Football Association and as an MLA. He was also a parliamentary secretary.

Now, another set of siblings is tracing their footsteps. State sports minister Zodintluanga and his brother Chalrosanga will, for the first time, contest the state assembly election together. Zodintluanga is seeking election from the Thorang constituency and Chalrosanga from the Lunglei West constituency. Both are contesting on Congress tickets.

Lal Thanhawla and Lal Thanzara will try their luck again from Serchhip and Aizawl North-III respectively - the same constituencies from which they were elected last time. The chief minister, however, has the luxury of running for the election simultaneously from Hrangturzo constituency.

While Zodintluanga has the upper hand in Thorang constituency, his sibling Chalrosanga will face an uphill battle in Lunglei West. Chalrosanga will be up against Mizo National Front (MNF)'s number two man R Lalthangliana, a former minister and the sitting MLA.

Chalrosanga, however, is confident and said his perseverance and tireless effots would be blessed. "I'm thankful that the Lal Thanhawla-led Congress party has chosen me as a candidate and that they believe in the power of youth," he said.

"I want to be a part of the community that is helping to build the community. So far this constituency has been neglected by its elected legislator. I wanted to make sure that the constituency gets what it rightly deserves," he said.

Moreover, their sister Rosy Chalrotluangi - also the daughter-in-law of chief minister Lal Thanhawla - is busy attending to her father-in-law's second constituency - Hrangturzo.

Mizoram District Council Members Can Contest Polls Without Quitting From Posts

Aizawl, Nov 12 : The Gauhati High Court has allowed members of district council (MDCs) to contest assembly polls without first resigning from their posts.

This has come as a welcome relief for veteran Congressmen like former Mizoram assembly speaker Hiphei, who is also the Mara Autonomous District Council chairman, and chief executive member (CEM) of Lai Autonomous District Council C Ngunlianchunga.

State joint chief electoral officer H Lalengmawia said on Friday the election department has received a copy of the judgment that was pronounced on Wednesday.

According to the Mizoram State Legislature Members (Removal of Disqualification) (Amendment) Act, 2006, an MDC has to resign before filing nominations. The high court declared the act ultra vires and against the provisions of the Constitution.

Mizoram Election Update: Nov 12

Last day for withdrawal of nominations in Mizoram

Monday is the last day for candidates to withdraw their nominations for contesting assembly polls in Mizoram.

Elections in Mizoram will be held on November 25.

In Mizoram, over 11,000 Bru voters will exercise their franchise through postal ballots. Some of them are currently staying in relief camps in neighbouring Tripura.

Mizoram Chief Minister P.U. Lalthanhawla, who leads the Congress Party in the state, expressed confidence about achieving a victory in the polls.

The race for securing the Serchhip constituency in Mizoram would be keenly watched as the four-time chief minister is expected to face tough competition from C. Lalramzauva, an advocate and a nominee of the opposition Mizoram Democratic Alliance (MDA).

But, Lalthanhawla, who is contesting from Serchhip and

Hrangturzo, said he is confident about securing a win for the Congress Party in the state again.

In all, 32 sitting Congress MLAs have been given tickets for the November 25 elections. The Congress is contesting all 40 assembly seats.

Presently the Hrangturzo seat is held by Lalthansanga of the Mizoram’s People’s Conference.

The Congress which bagged 32 seats in the 2008 assembly polls re-nominated all its MLAs except former minister Nirupam Chakma.

Lathanhawla had contested and won six times from this seat and lost only once in 1998 to a retired engineer K Thangzuala of the Mizo National Front (MNF).

This time, MDA, the three-party alliance of the MNF, Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) and the Maraland Democratic Front (MDF) is trying to repeat the 1998 debacle of the chief minister.

In 2008, Lalramzauva, who contested the polls from Serchhip constituency on a Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) ticket, lost to Lalthanhawla by a margin of 952 votes. He lost by a margin of 1,399 votes in 2003.

Lalthanhawla told media in Aizawl that he is fighting the elections on the development plank.

142 candidates in fray for Mizoram polls

Both ruling Congress and Opposition front Mizoram Democratic Alliance have fielded candidates in all the 40 seats

A total of 142 candidates are in the fray for the 40-member Mizoram Assembly election as the last day of withdrawal of nomination papers passed today, Joint Chief Electoral Officer H Lalengmawia said.

Both ruling Congress and Opposition front Mizoram Democratic Alliance (MDA) have fielded candidates in all the 40 seats.

The MDA consists of Mizo National Front (MNF), Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and Maraland Democratic Front (MDF).

The Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) is contesting in 38 seats while the BJP has fielded nominees in 17 seats.

Four women are in the fray with Congress, MDA and BJP fielding one woman candidate each while B Sangkhumi, retired chairperson of the state Public Service Commission, is contesting as an independent.

Elections to the state Assembly would be held on November 25.

A brief profile on Pu Zoramthanga

Pu Zoramthanga, the former Chief Minister if Mizoram, was known for never losing elections until 2008. He was the Chief Minister of Mizoram from December 1998 to December 2008.

His party Mizo National Front (MNF), won from the Champhai constituency for four consecutive terms until he lost the seat in 2008 Assembly elections to the Indian National Congress (INC). He tendered his resignation to Governor MM Lakhera on 8 December 2000.

Zoramthanga served as the fifth chief minister of the state. The veteran leader started his political career in 1966 when he joined the underground movement. In 1969, he became the secretary of the president - Pu Laldenga for the next seven years.

When the Mizo National Front came to power in 1987, Zoramthanga was appointed as the in-charge of the Finance and Education Departments.

He was subsequently promoted as the party's president after the death of Laldenga.

In 1998 Assembly elections, the party won the polls under the leadership of Zoramthanga, who became the chief minister of the state.

Mizoram all set for the elections

Mizoram is all set to conduct the elections as the Election Commission said that it is fully prepared for the upcoming polls to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly scheduled for 25 November. The security has also been beefed up along the international border in the state so that any untoward incident can be avoided.

Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath also said that the 100 per cent updated photo electoral rolls and 100 per cent Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) by the state election department was highly commendable.

Sampath further said 94 out of the 1,126 polling stations are critical and special measures have been taken to keep a watch on them. “Security has been beefed up in these critical areas and along the border areas with Myanmar, Bangladesh and neighbouring states of Assam, Manipur and Tripura,” he said.

Response teams and flying squads would also be deployed with executive magistrates in these areas. It was decided that damaged roads due to heavy rains in many places, especially in the southern districts, should be repaired on war-footing, the CEC said.

Alternate communication network for interior villages where mobile network is absent would be arranged, he said, adding concerned officials have been instructed to take strict action to curb flow of illicit liquor to prevent electoral malpractices. Sampath also urged the voters to come out in large numbers on the day of polling. 

Can Mizoram’s Unique Campaigning Model Be Replicated Elsewhere?

By Vishant V Agarwala

Aizawl, Nov 11 : The fervour of two events driving the country crazy — Sachin Tendulkar's swansong Tests and the upcoming assembly elections — is missing almost entirely in Mizoram.

Being in a football-crazy state, it is understandable that most television sets are tuned in to mundane Hindi soaps, films dubbed in the local language and western music videos even as the Maestro turns out at Kolkata's Eden Garden. But the absence of any din related to polls — barely a fortnight away, is conspicuous, more so for a state that recorded an impressive 82% voter turnout in 2008.

There are no posters to be seen anywhere in the city, while the handful of banners are within the size stipulated by a local NGO. Candidates are barred from distributing footballs and party workers are not allowed to wear caps, T-shirts or badges with the election symbol printed on them.

Though political analyst Vanlalruate expects the chatter to get louder as campaigning - heavily monitored by the Church and its vigilante groups like Mizoram People's Forum (MPF) — picks up after Monday's deadline for withdrawal of nominations, he is sure that it would never reach the fever pitch associated with elections elsewhere in the country.

"Mizoram has always been an unusually quiet place - even in the capital city of Aizawl you barely ever get to hear any honking," he says. "Though things will pick up with Rahul and Sonia Gandhi visiting the state next week, it will never become even a fraction of the circus that it does elsewhere."

Among the MPF's diktats - prohibiting door-to-door campaigns, feasts, separate rallies and slandering rivals — that make electioneering a colourless and low-key, if utopian, affair, the one that has riled youngsters most is the ban on musical road shows.

"This is beyond the polling norms issued by the EC and it does no good for anybody. Not only does it stop musicians from earning their livelihood during this festival of democracy, it also takes away the one thing that attracts Mizo youth to politics," says Lalfengmawia, a senior functionary of the MZI, a federation of musicians and singers. "Even in the US, reputed bands like U2 and Pink Floyd perform for Republicans and Democrats and nobody makes a big deal about it."

Emanuel Lalhriazual Ralte, a 31-year-old entrepreneur, agrees: "Narendra Modi may be dividing opinions across the country, but he does not have much traction in Mizoram, and Rahul is known more as the son of Rajiv Gandhi, who is held in high regard by locals for the 1986 peace accord, ending years of brutal insurgency. I can assure you, more Mizos would turn up for music concerts than for rallies by either of the two."

Some believe that the campaigning structure in Mizoram is a model that could be replicated elsewhere in the country. Hoping that the turnout beats Tripura's record of 90%, chief electoral officer Ashwani Kumar says: "Campaigning in Mizoram works very differently. There are a very few violations of the code of conduct — candidates here actually call us to inform us about their canvassing plans and ensure that their strategy does not flout EC guidelines."

Lalthlamuana Ralte, an assistant professor at Aizawl's Pachhunga University College, says: "I am in favour of third-party controlled campaigning as it ends bribing for votes and provides a level playing field, but I do not believe it will work in other parts of the country. Religious organizations interfering with politics will not be taken kindly in other places."