Tension Erupts: Mizoram Rushes Forces To Assam Border

Aizawl, Apr 30 : Tension heightened between Assam and Mizoram after Assam Police personnel dismantled two reconstructed kutcha farm houses at a village near the Mizoram-Hailakandi (Assam) border this afternoon, police said.

Two kutcha farm houses of one Laldawngliana of Buhchangphai village, which were dismantled by Assam Police and Forest officials last Sunday, were voluntarily reconstructed by the Young Mizo Association (YMA) local branch members, they said.

"The construction was completed at around 4 PM today and the volunteers left the farm while the personnel of the first battalion of the India Reserve Police remained in the area for an hour," police said.

The Assam policemen came and dismantled the farm houses after the Mizo policemen left the area in Buhchangphai village, about three kilometres from the farm, they said.

Meanwhile, two platoons of the first battalion IRP were sent to Buhchangphai earlier in the day in connection with the incident.

In fact, state Home Minister R Lalzirliana is scheduled to visit Buhchangphai tomorrow, official sources said.

Two Assam Forest officials, six Assam Armed Police with arms and ten people belonging to the Bru community on April 23 forcibly snatched 50 sawn timbers, one goat and two chickens from the labourers of Laldawngliana of Buhchangphai working in his farm at Ramtharzau, Deputy IGP (Northern Range) Zorammuana told reporters earlier in the day.

A criminal case was registered at the Mizoram-Assam border Vairengte Police Station against those officials and civilians accusing them of committing dacoity inside Mizoram.

Again on Sunday last, 18 Assam Forest officials, eight policemen and six civilians came to the same place, dismantled two kutcha huts of Laldawngliana's labourers - Safiq Uddin and Mandon Sali.

They also damaged irrigation pipes and some crops after before threatening the two families to leave the place within three days.

Mizoram CM's Security To Be Beefed Up

Aizawl, Apr 30 : Security for Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla would be beefed up following "threats" from some opposition leaders, a state minister said today.

"Some opposition leaders were indulging in hate politics targeting the chief minister and I have instructed the police to be more vigilant regarding his security," State Home Minister Lalzirliana told a press conference.

The minister alleged that some of the opposition leaders were fomenting trouble after a Presbyterian Church elder K Chhawnthuama alleged tampering of EVMs against the chief minister.

Lalzirliana also accused opposition leaders of trying to create law and order problems in the state and force the Thanhawla government out if NDA comes to power at the Centre.

Incidentally, Chhawnthuama, popular as Phantom, now in judicial custody after his arrest on April 14 along with his associate K Lalhruaitluanga, has sent SMSes to the chief minister accusing him of rigging EVMs to retain power.

State police officials, however, said though there was a perception of general threat, but no specific threat during the recent days for the chief minister while police were instructed to stay more alert.

Two Manipuri Youth Attacked by Bikers in New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 29 : Close on the heels of the death of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania, two youths from Manipur were beaten up on Sunday in what is being described as another case of racial attack on people from Northeast in the capital.

The youths from Manipur were allegedly attacked with sticks and rods by a group of motorcycle-borne men in Ambedkar Nagar area of south Delhi around 8.30 pm on Sunday.

The victims were rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where one was discharged after first aid while another is reported to be in a serious condition, police said.

Reports stated that Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Monday visited AIIMS and met the aforementioned youth and also the teenage girl who was allegedly raped by her landlord's son in Munirka on Saturday.

Singh also called upon Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde demanding strict action against the perpetrators of hate crimes against people from Northeast residing in the Capital. And Shinde assured him of swift action in the matter.

Mizoram Government Concerned By misuse Of Social Media

Aizawl, Apr 29 : Concerned over the rising trend in misuse of social media by people, the state government of Mizoram has come up with a plan to carry out comprehensive awareness programs in order to sensitize the people of certain legal consequences over misuse of social media.

Alongside the sensitization drive, the people are also to be oriented on the advantages of modern information technology depending on its rightful usage. Departments concerned under the state government will carry out the public awareness campaigns in various forms like seminar, workshop etc.

In connection with the said matter, a meeting was convened today by state’s Chief Secretary L Tochhong which was attended by Police, Home, Information Communication Technology, Information & Public Relations, Law & Judicial Departments, besides representatives from NEILIT and NGOs. The meeting which was held at CS Conference Hall discussed over how to take steps so as to make aware for the people on cautious use of social media and also to instruct them on the advantageous use of the same.

The Chief Secretary of Mizoram said that the meeting was called as being felt necessary to discuss the matter with the Departments concerned.  She added that many awareness programmes over social media are necessary.

The meeting with the Chief Secretary dwelt on the ill effects of Information Technology, particularly of social media. The discussion also included certain law and order relating to Information Technology.

The meeting, which discussed at length over the need to instruct the people to carefully use the social media acknowledging the penalty under IT law, came up with a thought to set up Cyber Security Cell under Police, and also thought it good to organise talk shows, workshops, seminars and other forms of awareness campaign.

Source: Newmai News Network

Mizo Cops on Border after Assam ‘threat’ to farmers

Aizawl, Apr 29 : Phone calls to Assam’s Hailakandi district SP’s office went unanswered, while the Cachar district SP, Diganta Barah, said he was unaware of the meeting at Silchar.

A day after policemen from Assam allegedly dismantled houses and threatened farmers in the Kolasib district of Mizoram, two platoons of armed Mizoram Police officers were dispatched to patrol the border between the two states. A case of dacoity was also filed against the Assam Police personnel on Monday.

According to reports, the group which included Assam police and forest department personnel had, on Sunday, dismantled four houses belonging to two Mizoram locals near Buhchangphai village, and threatened workers at the border area where Mizoram’s Kolasib district meets Assam’s Cachar district to leave within three days.

“Two platoons from the 1st IR battalion have been sent to the area and a delegation led by the SP of Kolasib has been sent to Silchar for talks with senior Assam police officers,” Mizoram’s DIG (Northern Range) Zorammuana told The Indian Express. He added that a case of dacoity against the Assam Police was registered at the Vairengte police station in Mizoram.

Phone calls to Assam’s Hailakandi district SP’s office went unanswered, while the Cachar district SP, Diganta Barah, said he was unaware of the meeting at Silchar.

He said there was no boundary conflict between Cachar district and Mizoram.

Mizoram Govt. finally pays one lakh more to electrocuted victims' families

Aizawl, Apr 29 : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ensured that the Mizoram Government pays an additional amount of one lakh rupees each to the next of kin of nine persons who got electrocuted while travelling in a bus between New Serkawr and New Latawh in Saiha District.

The ill-fated bus got in touch with the live 11 KV line which was hanging low at 3.35 meter above the ground instead of scheduled 4.5 meters. The State Government has submitted a proof of payment to the Commission.

Earlier, the Commission did not accept the contention of the State Government which had held the driver and conductor of the bus responsible for the accident despite the fact that in the report of the Superintending Engineer, magisterial enquiry report and the police report, the gross negligence on the part of the Power Department was clearly made out. A Junior Engineer, P and E Division, Lawngtlai was held responsible.

It also did not accept the state's argument that since a criminal case had already been registered under Section 304-A IPC, the NHRC may not be the appropriate forum to decide the issue of compensation and that a competent civil court as well as human rights court are there to take up and decided the cases for violation of human rights.

The State had also said that in addition to Rs.10000 already paid to the victims' families, a sum of Rs. one lakh each was also being paid as immediate relief.

The Commission observed that the registration and pendency of a criminal case does not debar it from granting appropriate relief to the next of kin of the deceased under Section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. It also said that the amount paid by the State is meager and hence it should pay additional compensation of Rs. one lakh each.

Manipur High Court takes up fake encounter killings case linked to General Suhag

By Gautam Datt and Rezaul Hasan Laskar

Lt-Gen D.S. Suhag is considered the front runner for the post of Army Chief

A petition over the killing of three men in an alleged fake encounter, which names Lt Gen Dalbir Singh, considered the front-runner for the post of army chief, as one of the main respondents, was taken up by the Manipur High Court on Monday.

The Army challenged the High Court's jurisdiction to take up the petition, demanding action against Singh, currently the vice chief, and two other officers for their alleged involvement in the killing of the three men in 2010.

The petition, filed on Saturday by the brother of one of the victims with the backing of the Human Rights Law Network, claimed action should be taken against Singh in his capacity as former head of Rangapahar-based 3 Corps because an intelligence unit of that formation was allegedly involved in the fake encounter.

During the brief hearing, the Army's counsel questioned whether the Manipur High Court had the jurisdiction to hear the case as the killings had occurred at Dimapur in Nagaland. Sources close to the petitioner's counsel Khaidem Mani told Mail Today the court had scheduled the next hearing for Wednesday, when it will listen to arguments on whether it has jurisdiction to hear the case. The court itself had pointed out that the killings occurred in Nagaland and the bodies were found in Assam.

"The petitioner's counsel will attempt to satisfy the court that it has jurisdiction to hear the matter," a source said.

The petitioner's counsel Khaidem Mani is also president of the All Manipur Bar Association. Army sources contested the contents of the petition. They pointed out that the incident took place in January 2010 and Dalbir Singh took over as head of 3 Corps only in March 2011. The Corps was headed by Lt Gen N.K. Singh when the incident allegedly occurred.

Observers have questioned the timing of the case, as it was filed soon after reports suggested that the central government is close to naming Dalbir Singh as the successor to army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who will retire on July 31.

The proposed appointment is at the centre of a controversy after former Army chief V.K. Singh, who is contesting the polls as a BJP candidate, questioned the apparent haste shown by the government to appoint Dalbir Singh as the chief. V. K. Singh contended that the decision should be left to the new dispensation that will be in place after the poll results on May 16.

As Army chief, V. K. Singh had imposed a promotion ban on Dalbir Singh over the alleged "rogue" behaviour of the intelligence unit of 3 Corps.

The killings in Dimapur were cited as one of the botched operations by the unit. The petition against Dalbir Singh surfaced mysteriously in the middle of the ongoing controversy. The petitioner, Phijam Manikumar, claimed his brother Phijam Naobi was abducted from Char Mile area of Dimapur with two others – R K Roshan alias Ronald and Thounaojam Prem alias Romen – on March 10, 2010.

Manikumar claimed the men were abducted by the intelligence unit of 3 Corps but the GOC refused to cooperate with police. He also alleged the commanding officer of the unit, Col Govindan Shreekumar, was behind the killings and cited letters purportedly written by his second-in-command Maj T Ravi Kiran to higher authorities to make this claim.

Dry Spell Leaves Aizawl Thirsty

Aizawl, Apr 28 : Owing to prolonged dry spell, Mizoram is reeling under acute water scarcity with the state capital Aizawl being the worst hit. The nearly three lakhs population of the city largely depends on the greater Aizawl water scheme phase-1, which was started in 1983 and aimed at supplying 10.8 million litres per day to a population of 80,000 at that time.

Under this scheme, water is pumped from Tlawng river to a height of 1,045 m, making it the second highest water supply project in the country after the one in Shimla.

Forget about the less-privileged families, even those who afford water connections from the government's water supply schemes are not getting enough water. "Getting water once a week is a thing of the past.

Sometimes we receive water only twice a month," said Zodinpuii, a resident of Chanmari.

Being a hilly terrain, natural water sources are a far cry for most families in Aizawl. Therefore, when their taps run dry, many families have to buy water that costs Rs 1600-1700 per 4000 litres. People selling water through water tankers that fetch water from places are also finding it difficult to meet the demand.

"We now have long queues of water tankers at all places from where we collect water. It is now a matter of giving two or at the most three trips to the consumers during 24 hours, compared to six to seven trips earlier," said Dina Tlau, a private water supplier. Owing to the dry spell, even spring wells are drying up adding to the residents' woes.

There are long queues of people on a nightlong vigil in places where spring wells still have water. Even if there is enough water from the river, the public health engineering department has occasionally faced technical snags due to the complicated methods involved in pumping water from the river to the top of the hill where water reservoirs are.

It is not only the dry spell that is causing problems for the PHE department but also their pumping set, which is now more than two decades old. According to the officials of the PHE department, the set, which could pump more than two lakh litres per day when it was first installed, can now only pump 80,000 litres daily.

The greater Aizawl water supply scheme phase-II, which construction began in 1998 with an estimated cost of Rs 176.57 crore, is yet to fully function.

The scheme, designed to provide 24.1 million litres of water to the Aizawl residents everyday, has been delayed due to the state government's "whimsically and unsystematic approach". Interestingly, the water supply scheme had been officially inaugurated by then DoNER minister Mani Shankar Aiyer in May, 2007.