Last and final Bru repatriation seemingly in doldrums as no one turns up for verification on day 1

Thousands of Bru tribals fled Mizoram in 1997 following ethnic violence between them and the majority Mizos following the murder of a Mizo official by Bru militants.



Aizawl, Jun 3 : Not a single internally displaced Bru tribal turned up for the verification process at Kaskau relief camp in spite of officials from Mizoram setting up counters there as the last and final repatriation process began on Tuesday.

Mamit Deputy Commissioner Vanlalngaihsaka said three teams of officials set up a counter at the camp to verify anyone who wants to return to Mizoram as to whether they are original residents of the state.

The officials would, however, remain there for the next two days before moving on to other relief camps.

If anyone who passes the verification process is willing to return to Mizoram, the state government would provide transportation for them to return to the state from Tripura and resettle them in selected villages where they will be allotted land and given compensation packages.

Tens of thousands of Bru tribals fled Mizoram in 1997 following ethnic violence between them and the majority Mizos following the murder of a Mizo official by Bru militants.

They made their way to Tripura where the neighbouring state put them in designated relief camps where they have been lodged ever since. Tripura has repeatedly said Mizoram should take back the tribals.

Six phases of the repatriation process has been organised since 2010, but these have met with limited success, partly because relief camp leaders have rejected the compensation package saying it is too less.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Mizoram and Tripura governments have agreed and told the Supreme Court, which is monitoring the repatriation process, that this would be the last time an effort is made to repatriate the tribals.

Anyone who does not take part would be removed from Mizoram’s electoral rolls (where they have continued to remain after a generation in absentia) and the relief camps disbanded, the sides had agreed.

Mizo Govt Mulling Powers To Police to Prosecute Smokers

Aizawl, Jun 2 : Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today said the state government has been contemplating on giving powers to the police to arrest and fine those who smoke in prohibited places.

Speaking at a function in Aizawl on the observation of the World No Tobacco Day, Lal Thanhawla said the government was mulling giving authority to all ranks of the police to prosecute smokers who smoke in public places.

He lamented that 67 per cent of the people of Mizoram were using tobacco and tobacco products resulting in the state having the shameful distinction of being the highest incidence of cancer in the country.

This year's theme of the World No Tobacco Day was 'Stop Illicit Trade of Tobacco products' and the day was observed today in the Christian-dominated Mizoram as it fell on Sunday.

A Place in The Clouds

By Deepa Gupta


An unprecedented road trip from Assam to Meghalaya and Mizoram turned out to be a heady mix of serenity, sanguinity and spontaneity

“I have booked you on a flight to Guwahati,” said Puneet, my friend, over phone, “And from there we shall be on a road trip across the Northeast right up to Mizoram.” Unbelievable, I had thought to myself then. With bomb threats and terror most of the time, this trip would never be possible. And yet, it started taking shape. I landed at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on a humid afternoon to be greeted by my travel partners. And therein began my fascination with the topographical wonders of the land of the Seven Sisters, of which I was to explore three – Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Dotted by hills, the city of Guwahati appeared quite like any other. It was later, when we decided to explore the city, that the noise, the bustling, the slow crawling traffic, the non-hurried pace of life, all began to unfold. Amidst all this, the saving grace was the quietly flowing Brahmaputra. The serenity of this unfathomable river remains mystical.

On our way to Tezpur the next morning after Kamkhya Temple, the drive in the gypsy began to get beautiful by the kilometre. The plains were spread in a lush green cover and there were no vehicle besides ours. There were strict instructions to not stop anywhere in between (and that meant to not even stop for pictures) and to maintain speed. The occasional huts and thickets of bamboo trees around them were a sight. The open expanse of vast green during the monsoon had wrapped the entire land in a tender fresh hue.

Even as I shut my eyes to capture the immense beauty in my mindscape, the almost magical moments were cut short by the abrupt breaking of the vehicle. Heavy spiked chains were spread on the road at the entry point to Tezpur and then at every short distance throughout the city. A bomb had exploded in a vegetable vendor’s basket just a few minutes before and men in olive greens manned the city, guarding every nook and corner. But the tranquil surroundings of the army mess, the piping hot dal served for dinner and the neat, cool rooms, more than made up for the day long drive.

A quiet, quaint little town, Tezpur has hardly any shops and it appeared to be sparsely populated. As we approached the Dah Parbatia temple, the ruins at first appeared nondescript. The ASI protected monument with sculpted images of goddesses Ganga and Yamuna on its gates with garland in hand and the Shiva linga in the main sanctum stood on a raised platform amidst the silent greens. From there to Agnigarh and the heat had begun to take its toll. The site of romance between Usha (daughter of asura Banasura) and Anirudha (grandson of Lord Krishna) was simplistic and minimal with a panoramic view of the Brahmaputra. A a cool drink from the tiny refreshment centre atop the hillock felt good. As per the planned itinerary, the road trip would now divert towards Mizoram. As we moved from Tezpur back to Guwahati and towards Shillong, the drive became a bit tiring. As the gypsy sped along the NH 40, the nip in the air grew strong and soon Shillong appeared in full view with distinctively flatter hills as compared to the high and mighty mountains in Uttaranchal and Himachal. The army guest house in Shillong provided much warmth with its artistic woodwork and old world English charm.

The next morning was cold and cloudy. We first went to Ward’s Lake, where red lotus bloomed in abundance and then the Rhino Heritage Museum which was all about the history of Shillong; and soon we were speeding towards Silchar. The countryside changed from hills to plains to little hills all along this route. We were also now in a safer zone and taking pictures became easier. When I got off to click the tribal woman as she collected the gladioli, she smiled when she saw the camera in my hand. We were now on NH 44 and Jaintia Hills soon welcomed us. The neatly manicured tea plantations came in full view on both sides of the road. The plains thengave way to rivulets and mountains thickly covered with dense forests with not a single barren one.

And then came a point on this highway from where you got a view of Bangladesh. Suddenly the boundaries ceased to exist. What borders are we talking about when we can see one country from right across our land? All along NH 54 (that connects Aizawl to the rest of the country through Silchar), the lone vehicle in hills with a winding road in the middle of a thicket, did become a bit scary at times. And the hairpin bends seemed unending with a few enchanting sights – a wild gladioli field in the middle of nowhere! The six hour long hill drive had the head spinning and the body tiring. So much for a road trip, I thought. The sun veiled the huge mountain dotted with houses even as the clouds played peek-a-boo in the clear blue sky. Deafening silence greeted us. The beauty of Aizawl was captivating.

Stuffed paranthas with butter made for the perfect late lunch in the verandah and as evening began to descend, the chill forced us inside even as mist enveloped the hills from all sides. What struck me about the kaleidoscopic markets in Aizawl city was that the shops were all, entirely manned by women. Even the security at the mall comprised only women. And not a single readymade clothes shop for women had trial rooms! “Where can I try this on?” I asked. “Right here”, said the woman at the counter. The matriarchal set-up was as intriguing as insightful. At the vegetable market you had everything from pulses to spices to veggies and fruits. And of course, creepy crawlies! Of all kinds, variety, shape, sizes, being sold by the kilo. Most women were dressed in the traditional attire and smoking. A pretty young woman in Levis’ puffed away a Marlboro nonchalantly while selling kidney beans. This could happen only in Mizoram, my friend said.

Later that evening, as I ventured into the verandah, shawl tightly wrapped around, I could hear choir singing in the hills. Music was the lifeline here. The next morning it rained and grew very cold.

Forced to stay indoors, we feasted on the immense beauty of the hills with a bowl of Maggie noodles and coffee as I wondered whether I would ever come back to this lovely side of my country.

Nagaland Second Highest Tobacco Consumer in Country After Mizoram

Kohima, Jun 1 : The Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Nagaland Sukhato A Sema has informed that the state of Nagaland, with 57 per cent of tobacco users, is the second highest consumer of tobacco in the country.

According to an official report on Sunday, Dr Sema was speaking in the observed World No Tobacco Day with a theme Stop Illicit Trade of Tobacco product at the Civil Secretariat Conference Hall, where he said cigarette accounts for 26.3 per cent as the most common form of tobacco consumed in Nagaland followed by other gutkha products.

He also revealed that as per the Nagaland School Oral Health Survey 2014 report, 28.3 per cent of school going children are smokeless oral tobacco users while 14.8 per cent are into smoking habits and 41.2 per cent children are engaged by parents to buy tobacco.

On the district-wise profile of tobacco consumption, Dimapur has the highest number of consumers, followed by Kohima, he shared.  While informing that smokeless tobacco contains 3,095 chemicals, out of which 28 causes cancer and cases of tobacco related cancer are on the rise in Nagaland, Sema informed.

He emphasised on the need for the state government to take serious steps towards enforcement of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) 2003, which prohibits smoking in public places, advertisement of tobacco product in any manner, sale of tobacco product to or by person below 21 years and sale of tobacco product in and around 100 yards of any educational institutions.

Dr Sema said that strict enforcement is critical to the success of implementation of the Act.  He suggested that ban on sale and consumption of any form of tobacco product during public gatherings or meetings, sporting events and state and tribal festivals would surely help towards bringing down tobacco consumption.

Mizoram ranked first with the highest tobacco consumer population in the country where 70 per cent of its people are addicted.

Cries For Withdrawal Of AFSPA Gets Louder

Guwahati, Jun 1 : The Tripura government’s decision to withdraw AFSPA has resonated in Manipur one of the most troubled-hit states in the North-East.

The AFSPA withdrawal has sent a message of confidence and hope to the people of Manipur in their epic fight against Armed Force Special Power Act (AFSPA).

The supporters of Irom Sharmila Chanu, who is on fast since 2000 for total repeal of the draconian law, have once again vowed to launch a massive anti-AFSPA protest in the state and other parts of the North-East.

“This start must become dynamic very soon and governments must try to repeal it from everywhere in the North-East. We also believe that by breaking this inertia, there is a signal of something positive. A start was awaited. We will hit the streets asking for total repeal of the draconian act,” the Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign stated in a statement.

Police Inspector Linked to Militants, Remove Him From Probe into Encounter, Mizoram HM tells Manipur Dy CM

The inspector, the Home Minister has said, is allegedly "hand-in-glove" with the group and even transported several hundred rounds of ammunition for the militants when he conducted a spot visit on May 21.
By Adam Halliday

Aizawl, May 29 : Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana has requested neighbouring Manipur’s Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei’s personal intervention to remove a police inspector tasked with investigating the encounter killing of the HPCD militant group’s “Sergeant” H C Malsawmkima.

The inspector, the Home Minister has said, is allegedly “hand-in-glove” with the group and even transported several hundred rounds of ammunition for the militants when he conducted a spot visit on May 21.

Malsawmkima, a Mizoram Police defector, was the main accused in the April 28 ambush on a convoy of three Mizoram MLAs near the inter-state border. The militants killed three policemen and injured six others, including two civilians, in the course of the attack.

Malsawmkima, who decamped with two rifles from an armed police camp in mid 2014 to join the HPCD, was identified as the leader of the group that waylaid the convoy.

R Lalzirliana’s letter details how the Mizoram Police team that shot dead Malsawmkima at Tiaulian (a village near the inter-state border within Manipur) in a pre-dawn operation immediately evacuated the body and evidences from the spot and later filed an FIR at Sakawrdai Police Station in north Mizoram, and how the FIR was transferred to Manipur Police which handed over the probe to Inspector Tlangthanzuala, the officer-in-charge of the Parbung Police Station.

​”​However, a technical input indicated that Inspector Tlangthanzuala is hand-in-glove with HPC(D) and was instigating them to take reprisal action ​Mizoram Police. ​This fact was conveyed to the Manipur Police but with no appropriate positive outcome.

“It was also revealed that approximately 500 rounds of ammunition supposedly sent by HPC(D) leaders from Rengkai to Vangai command via Tipaimukh road on 21st May 2015 was transported by the same officer in a police Gypsy when he proceeded to Tiaulian village in the aforesaid case and was also apparently accompanied by pro-HPC(D) TV cameraman and journalist on a Mahindra Bolero,” R Lalzirliana’s letter said.

​The Mizoram Home Minister requested the Manipur Dy.CM to “kindly look into the matter personally and initiate investigation” against the inspector and appoint someone else for the probe. ​

​​When contacted, Manipur DGP Shahid Ahmad said the Manipur Police was looking into the matter and awaiting final reports about the allegations before taking action against the inspector.

​”We a​re collecting verification into this. It will be verified and necessary action will be taken as per the verification report,” Ahmed said.

Infant Mortality Rate on the rise in Mizoram's Saiha district

Aizawl, May 29 : Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) increased in southernmost Mizoram's Saiha district despite efforts to bring down the IMR by the state health department, Health and Family Welfare department officials said.

The officials, attending the meeting of Saiha District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee chaired by Lok Sabha MP C L Ruala yesterday, revealed 55 infant deaths have already been reported since January till March this year.

It was also reported that the IMR in Saiha was the highest during 2014-2015 among the eight districts of Mizoram.

Experts from the Centre had earlier conducted a study on high INMR in Saiha district and made several suggestions including change of lifestyle, cleaner drinking water and awareness among pregnant women to approach health facilities including health sub-centres.

John Picks up 95pc Stakes at Northeast United

By Marcus Mergulhao

Panaji, May 29 : John Abraham put money where his mouth is by picking up an astronomical 95 per cent of the stakes at NorthEast United FC.

The Bollywood actor has often spoken of his abundant love for the beautiful game and remains as football-obsessed as they come. More proof was provided when it emerged that he had picked up an overwhelming majority of the stakes at the north eastern franchise of the Indian Super League.

"For all practical purposes, you can call me the sole owner," the Bollywood star said while speaking exclusively to TOI at his office in Mumbai on Thursday.

According to sources, the remaining five per cent of the stakes are owned by two of John's friends.

John's stakes at NorthEast United have risen considerably after Shillong Lajong FC decided to offload its holding to focus on grassroot and youth development in the north eastern region.

"Lajong has decided to sell its stake in NorthEast United to focus on our principal vision of building our youth development programs," said Larsing Ming Sawyan, managing director of the club.

The ISL has eight franchisees and barring Delhi Dynamos, all franchisees have either a Bollywood star or star cricketer providing the glamour quotient. In India where celebrity is king, it's no surprise to see the likes of Sachin Tendulkar (Kerala Blasters), Sourav Ganguly (Atletico de Kolkata), MS Dhoni (Chennaiyin FC), Virat Kohli (FC Goa), Hrithik Roshan (Pune City FC) and Ranbir Kapoor (Mumbai City FC) lending their name and face to the franchise.

None of the celebrity owners, though, have invested in the franchise as much as John. Most have anything between four and 12 percent stakes, while Tendulkar enjoys a considerably larger share -- understood to be 40 percent -- at Kerala Blasters.

"We have a great working relationship and Ming is a dear friend. But we parted ways. Ming needed to continue working with Shillong Lajong and I wanted to focus on NorthEast. We are showing support to each other and still source our players from the club but it's a fact we wanted to reach out to a larger north east," said John.

"NorthEast United belongs to the people of the north east. John is only a facilitator. When people talk about clubs and ownerships, my name is taken first with NorthEast and that's only because of my passion for football. It is my responsibility to build a winning team for the future," he said.

NorthEast United finished at the bottom of the eight-team league table in the inaugural edition but have now set out to correct the wrongs with the appointment of Bruno Satin and Simon Festinesi -- representatives of the London based Base Soccer -- as technical directors.