India 'ready to let China keep Aksai Chin' if neighbour country drops claim to Arunachal Pradesh

By Saurabh Shukla

The boundary talks are currently in the second leg of a three-stage process. The first stage was to establish guiding principles, and the second to reach a consensus on a framework for the boundary

The bhai-bhai days may soon be reborn in bye-bye avatar along the India-China border.

Foreign ministry documents on border negotiations accessed by Mail Today reveal that India has signalled its readiness to let its Aksai Chin region remain in Chinese hands in exchange for recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory.
In other words, India is willing to give up its claims to Aksai Chin if China does the same for Arunachal.

China continues to push for territorial concessions in Arunachal Pradesh, which it has been eyeing for a long time, before moving forward on the long-standing border issue between the two countries.

Publicly, India has been holding to its stated position that there can't be any territorial concessions. But behind the closed doors of the negotiating room, India has told China that it "may not be averse to status quo position".

Simply put, it means that for China to give up its claim on the 90,000 sq km inside Arunachal, including Tawang, India could agree to give up 38,000 km sq of Jammu and Kashmir. That piece of land, called Aksai Chin in the Ladakh sector, has been in dispute since Pakistan annexed it and then illegally handed 5,180 sq km over to China in 1963.

Bargaining point

This contentious formula is not the stated position of New Delhi, but it is being considered a bargaining point, officials privy to the discussions have told Mail Today.

Any such proposal can only be implemented if a new government in New Delhi has enormous political will, because there is an unanimous resolution of the Indian Parliament of 1962 that India will ensure that it gets back all territory illegally occupied by China.

Several documents based on the notes made by Indian officials suggest that even after 16 rounds of boundary negotiations, the talks are effectively deadlocked. China insists it needs substantial concessions on Arunachal Pradesh and the entire disputed Eastern sector before a framework or a formula to resolve disputes in all sectors can be agreed to.

The boundary talks are currently in the second leg of a three-stage process. Both sides signed an agreement on political parameters in 2005, and are now negotiating a framework to resolve disputes in all sectors.

First stage

The first stage was to establish guiding principles, the second included evolving a consensus on a framework for the boundary, and the last step comprised carrying out its delineation and demarcation. This final stage involves delineating the border in maps and on the ground.

The 16th round of boundary negotiations earlier this year between National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon and Chinese Special Interlocutor Yang Jeichi, a former Chinese foreign minister, also ended on a disappointing note, with India contesting the Chinese assertion that the boundary was never demarcated.
Menon has been a tough negotiator, responding strongly to Chinese suggestions of concessions and rejecting its maximalist approach.

The Indian side also says that both sides should, in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual understanding, make meaningful and mutually acceptable adjustments to their respective positions on the boundary question so as to arrive at a package settlement.

The Big Deal

A consensus is building where India and China may agree to territorial concessions. It means that for China to give up its claim on the 90,000 sq km inside Arunachal Pradesh, including Tawang, India could agree to give up 38,000 sq km of Jammu and Kashmir.

That piece of land, called Aksai Chin in the Ladakh sector, has been in dispute since Pakistan annexed it and then illegally handed 5,180 sqkm over to China in 1963.

Mizoram's first re-poll successful with almost 79% turn-out under strict vigil from officials, watchdog

By ADAM HALLIDAY


Re-poll after polling officer was found instructing voters to "press the third button" on election day. (IE Photo)

Aizawl, Nov 29 : The first re-poll in Mizoram's electoral history completed successfully Thursday at the Republic 1 polling station within the Aizawl South 1 assembly constituency, with 869 of the 1104 registered voters turning up to exercise their franchise (turnout 78.71 percent).

Joint CEO H Lalengmawia was present with other officials on the ground to oversee the process while election watchdog Mizoram People's Forum volunteers enforced strict conduct rules, even barring people from shaking hands in the polling area or using cellphones.

The ECI had ordered a re-poll at this particular polling station after a polling officer, Vicky Lalnunthara, was arrested on poll day for instructing voters to "press the third button" on the EVM, a slot allotted to Congress candidate Vanlalvena. An analysis later in the day had also found discrepancies in the number of votes, entries in form 17A and number of voter slips collected.

Besides respective party workers, party leaders including Congress CM Lal Thanhawla, MNF President Zoramthanga and several MLA candidates from different parties were also in the vicinity on Thursday as polling went underway.

Meanwhile, Aizawl DEO Dr Franklin Laltinkhuma and election officials opened the strong room at Pachhunga University College on Thursday morning to re-check an EVM after the presiding officer of Sihphir, within the Aizawl East 1 constituency, confessed Wednesday that he had forgotten to erase the mock-poll entries and proceeded with normal voting. The discrepancy is being sorted using records of the VVPAT but final instructions from the ECI is expected.

Action is likely to be taken soon against the presiding officers of both Republic 1 and Sihphir polling stations, officials said.

Meet Mizoram-Based Band 'Boomarang'

By Kasmin Fernandes

This four-piece 'junk' (jazz, funk and punk) Mizoram-based band thrives on politically charged lyrics and reggae-esque numbers that mash various genres. Boomarang comprises Atea on vocals, Boom on guitars, Joshua on bass and Rsa on drums.

On their a-ha moment: The band was formed in 2005, when Boom jammed with the other members to come up with a few covers of American rap metal act Rage Against The Machine. The name is a deliberate misspelling of 'boomerang', and represents a statement or action that backfires.

"The word 'Boomarang' flashed across our minds a day before our first concert. The next year, we entered a national rock contest in Kohima, Nagaland, and came in third, so it turned out to be lucky for us," says Boom. Their a-ha moment happened a year later, when they won a major rock festival. "That really brought Boomarang focus and attention from fans and people who matter," adds Rsa.

On their brand of music: Boomarang's sound is a little bit of everything. The style varies from song to song; funk to reggae, blues to metal and a little pinch of jazz in some songs ("because all of us love jazz," says Boom). The band often nicknames their music, JUNK. "It's a genre of music where you play whatever the hell you want!" says Joshua.

On their influences: Bands like Rage against the Machine, Tool, Incubus and Led Zeppelin have been a major influence for the band mates, and have been instrumental in shaping Boomarang's music.

On their way forward: "Promoting our band up there in Mizoram is very tough," confesses Boom. Fortunately, they were recently signed on by a major label and are ready to release a studio album. Irrespective of how their future pans out, the members want Boomarang to evolve. "We don't want to stick around doing the same thing," asserts Atea, adding, "We just want to give new music to people."

Barak Valley Corridor Used For Drug Trafficking To Myanmar, China

Silchar, Nov 29 : The inspector general of BSF Mizoram and the Cachar Frontier, AC Thapliyal, said drug traffickers in the sub-continent have settled on the Barak Valley area of Assam as a corridor for trafficking of illegal substances to Myanmar and China.

Addressing mediapersons here on Sunday on the 49th BSF Day celebrations here, Thapliyal said with increase in the activities of traffickers, the BSF has also tightened its vigil across the valley and the border with Bangladesh and Myanmar. The increased monitoring has helped the force confiscate drugs worth Rs 450 crore till now this year. He said the amount is huge when compared to the drug hauls in previous years. In 2010, for instance, drugs worth Rs 43 lakh were confiscated.

The BSF IG also said that an international drug trafficking network has been operating in this part of the northeast and that the BSF, which is working in tandem with other law-enforcing agencies, is out to curb their activities.

"We have stepped up efforts to curb the menace and our success rate in containing drug trafficking is high. The big jump in the value and quantum of confiscated drugs meant for trafficking to Myanmar and China clearly reflects our success. We are hopeful that the menace will be completely stopped with the sealing of the international border with Bangladesh," said Thapliyal.

He said barring some disputed areas, fencing along the 124-km India-Bangladesh border in Assam's Barak Valley is almost complete. Now, work for setting up floodlights is being carried out by the CPWD; this would help BSF personnel maintain easy vigil during night hours. The IG said the floodlighting programme is equipped with generator sets for uninterrupted supply of power during power cuts.

Missing in Mizoram

Deep Mandal, who has gone missing in Mizoram

Aizawl, Nov 29 : A 25-year-old telecom network professional from Calcutta on assignment in Mizoram has been missing for almost a week, leading his family and employers to fear he has been kidnapped.

Deep Mandal, a resident of Shyampukur in north Calcutta, last spoke to a family member on the afternoon of November 22 and said he was at an installation 160km from the capital town of Aizawl.

Mizoram police said on Thursday that a militant outfit might have kidnapped Deep last Saturday while he was returning to Aizawl from Tuipuibari forest, where the Noida-based firm he works for has installed mobile phone towers for a telecom company.

“He and two others missing along with him are possibly being held hostage inside Bangladesh and we have learnt they are unharmed. There has been no demand for ransom so far, but we suspect the hand of the National Liberation Front of Tripura in this incident,” Rodingliana Chawngthu, the superintendent of police of Mamit district, told Metro.

The SP had led a police team to the site where the hired Maruti 800 (MZ08-1308) bringing Deep to Aizawl was found abandoned along with a pick-up truck trailing it.

The two missing drivers have been identified as Sanglianthanga and Lalzamliana. “The kidnapping apparently occurred between 7.30 and 8am on Saturday. We have launched a search for the trio,” the SP said.

Back home in Calcutta, Deep’s cousin Arnab Mandal has lodged a complaint with Shyampukur police station about the suspected kidnapping. His office has filed an FIR with West Phaileng police station in Mizoram.

“Deep had joined the private firm headquartered in Noida five months ago and this was his first official trip outside Bengal,” Arnab said. “He had left home on November 6 for Guwahati en route to Mizoram. We would speak over phone every day but his cell phone has been switched off since our last conversation on November 22.

Vijay Yadav, the company’s project manager in the Northeast, said no militant outfit had yet contacted his office for ransom. “We have been working in the Northeast for the past eight years and this is the first time such an incident involving our company has occurred,” he said.

Mizoram is the tiniest and supposedly the “most peaceful” state of the Northeast despite eight kidnapping cases being registered in 2012 along with 46 official complaints about extortion. This information is available on Mizoram police’s website.

The Young Mizo Association, the most influential youth organisation in Mizoram, and the Mizo Zirlai Pawl, which is the local name for the Mizo Students’ Association, have offered to send search teams to the site from where Deep is said to have been kidnapped.

Deep is the son of a pathology lab employee and did his BSc in Bankura before shifting to his aunt’s place in Shyampukur for a course in network technology.

“Deep is a hardworking boy and was so excited about his first outstation assignment. He vividly described to me over phone the natural beauty of the stretch from Guwahati to Aizawl,” Arnab, a software engineer, said.

Two Calcutta engineers, Debjit Sinha, 25, and his uncle Abhijit Sinha, 55, had been kidnapped in Manipur last August. They were freed after four days in captivity.

President To Address Special Session of Arunachal Pradesh Assembly

President Pranab Mukherjee will address the Arunachal Pradesh assembly on Friday during his maiden two-day visit to the state. File photo: Rajeev Bhatt

President Pranab Mukherjee will address the Arunachal Pradesh assembly on Friday during his maiden two-day visit to the state

President Pranab Mukherjee will address a special session of the Arunachal Pradesh assembly on Friday during his maiden two-day visit to the state, official sources said.

On Saturday, Mr. Mukherjee will deliver the Convocation Address at the 12th Convocation of the Rajiv Gandhi University at Rono Hills, Doimukh, the sources said.

The convocation would confer bachelors, masters, diploma, M. Phil and PhD degree to qualified candidates for the 2011-2012 and 2012-13 academic sessions respectively.

“The President addressing the state assembly would be a historic event. Make it a memorable occasion for the state,” Chief Minister Nabam Tuki told Deputy Speaker Jomde Kena and other officials of the Assembly Secretariat.

IED damages crucial bridge linking Manipur to Assam

Imphal, Nov 29 : A bridge on National Highway 37, used by trucks for transporting essential items to Manipur from Assam, has been damaged in an IED explosion in Cachar district of Assam, officials said here today.

A major portion of Chirpur bridge, built over a river on the Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar highway, was damaged last evening when IED kept along the bridge exploded in Fulartol area in Cachar, the sources said.

“It will take about three months to repair the damage, during which no heavy vehicles would be allowed to ply,” Commanding officer of the 765 Border Road Task Force (BRTF) battalion, Col Binoy Bal, whose battalion maintains the bridge, said. Representational image. AFP Representational image.

AFP The impact of the blast was so severe that glass windows and doors of nearby houses were damaged, the sources said. The bridge is located 10 km from the Manipur border town of Jiribam and about 222 km from here.

Most of the Manipur-bound trucks from Assam, carrying essential items, were using the bridge to reach Imphal since the last few months as the trucks were facing extortion demand from militant outfits on NH 2 (Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati), the sources said.

Manipur is linked with Assam and Nagaland by NH 37 and NH 2. It was being investigated whether the militant outfits, who used to illegally collect ‘tax’ from vehicle owners on NH 2, were responsible for the explosion which would then compel the trucks to use the NH 2, the sources said.

Molestation of Hmar Girl Triggers Tension in Manipur

 Molesters Escorted by Police (Pic Source: Joseph Infimate)

By Iboyaima Laithangbam

Churachandpur, Nov 27 : There has been increasing instances of molestation and harassment of housewives through mobile phones by some migrant workers.

Police in Churachandpur district opened fire in the air on Tuesday night for over 100 rounds to disperse the unruly crowd who had stormed the station demanding the handing over of three persons accused of molesting and trying to rape a 19-year-old tribal girl.

The residents of the town had earlier overpowered and thrashed the three accused, two of whom happen to be migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh.

The two migrant workers identified as Nasir Mallick and Mohammad Terabir, both from Uttar Pradesh had come to the district along with a local contract man Mohammad Thoiba.

Mallick and Thoiba were alleged to have molested the girl inside a kitchen. She ran out screaming for help. Residents rushed out and overpowered all three of them.

They damaged the van in which the three persons came to the district. Besides other stove repairing equipments and spare parts were destroyed.

Police who rescued the three persons from the tribal villagers secreted them to another police station in the district. Later in the night the enraged tribals stormed the police station.

When they were told that the accused persons had been taken elsewhere the residents pelted stone and made preparations to torch the police station. Police fired several rounds in the air to disperse the residents.

Police say that the situation is fully under control but tense. Meanwhile a case has been registered against the three persons. Of late, there has been increasing instances of molestation and harassment of housewives through mobile phones by some migrant workers.