Manipur goes without newspapers

Imphal, Aug 7 : Newspapers were not published in Manipur on Thursday in view of a 48-hour shutdown called in support of an inner line permit (ILP) system for the state.

The ILP is a special pass or permit required to enter the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram.

It originated during the British rule and is now essentially used as a mechanism to safeguard tribal people and culture from outsiders.

"The media fraternity in Manipur regrets to announce non-publication of daily news and electronic media on August 6 due to the intense nature of the bandh," said a statement by the Editors Guild of Manipur and the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU).

The protest was called by the student wing of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System.

"The decision was arrived at after a meeting of editors and members of the AMWJU," it said.

It said journalists and non-journalists could not reach the press. Similarly, reporters and cameramen could not gather news.

The 48-hour shutdown began at 6 p.m. Tuesday after police cracked down on students demanding an ILP system the previous day.

The demand for an ILP to check the unregulated entry of non-Manipuris into the state -- mostly in the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley -- has been simmering since the 2011 census came out.

According to figures, of the over 2.7 million population in Manipur, one million have their roots outside the state.

General Strike Affects Life in Manipur, Clashes, Violence Reported

Imphal, Aug 6 : A 48-hour general strike imposed by Joint Committee of Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS ) students wing affected life in the state for the second day today.

Reports of clashes between strike supporters and police are pouring in from all parts of the state.

All main roads and by-lanes were barricaded to stop movement of vehicles.

The state has been witnessing turmoil since July 7 following demand to pass a Bill to check influx of immigrants by introducing Inner Line permit system which is prevalent in other neighbouring states.

Due to massive influx of immigrants from neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and other parts of the country, the population of tribals has been exceeded by outsiders.

It was feared that within the next few years, the indigenous population will become a minority like it happened in Tripura and Sikkim.

As protesters came out in large numbers stopping movement of vehicles and people, police resorted to heavy firing to disperse them.

In spite of the firing by police, protestors continued to come out in hundreds shouting slogans.

The police used water cannons, tear gas shells, rubber bullets to control the stir. Sounds of firing were being heard since last evening.

All streets looked like a war zone. Educational institutes remained closed since the first week of July due to the crisis. Human chains were also formed shouting slogans for punishment of killing a student Sapam Robinhood in police firing.

They also shouted slogans demanding punishment to police men for allegedly beating up girl students.

Police officers were allegedly involved in brutally beating up girl students who took part in the stir.

Meanwhile, the state government has prepared a Bill to be introduced in the state Assembly. It was likely to be discussed by the state Cabinet soon.

Autonomous Councils Key To Naga Deal Success

By Vijaita Singh & Anita Joshua
A day after the Naga peace accord was signed, a senior government official said here on Tuesday that the creation of “autonomous councils for Naga people outside Nagaland is under consideration.”

A similar peace agreement failed in 2011 as States with a sizeable Naga population such as Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh put up a stiff resistance to the formation of such councils. Though the Centre is yet to release the terms of the accord signed with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), government sources said a “redrawing of the internal boundaries of the States is not on the cards”, but the Naga people would have sovereignty. Autonomous councils are locally appointed governments that function in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

The NSCN has been demanding a “Greater Nagalim” comprising all contiguous inhabited areas.

Two months to fix ‘nuts and bolts’ of Naga deal

R.N. Ravi, negotiator for Naga peace talks, told The Hindu that the deal struck on Monday was not only a “framework agreement but indeed a peace accord” and once all the modalities were finalised, it would be sent to the Parliament for ratification.

Sources said the government has fixed a two-month limit for the “nuts and bolts” to be fixed.

Explaining the procedure involved, an official said the interlocutor has to prepare a draft note and send it to the Home Ministry, which would circulate it to the concerned ministries and the state governments. Based on their comments, a final Bill will have to be prepared and if agreed upon by all the stakeholders it will be presented before the Cabinet. Once the Cabinet gives the nod, the Bill is presented before the Parliament for ratification.

In the present case, no such steps have been taken till now and only the contours have been defined, an official explained.

Senior Congress ministers said a similar exercise was done in 2011 but it could not be signed due to opposition from the then Congress chief minister of Manipur, Ikram Ibobi Singh who opposed changes in status quo.

A similar deal was arrived at between the then interlocutor R.S. Pandey and Mr. Muivah, in a low key affair held at the Border Security Force (BSF) mess in Hazrat Nizamuddin area of Delhi on July 20, 2011.

Mr. Pandey told The Hindu: “There was a breakthrough earlier as well but it could not materialise due to differences of state governments. It would have been better had the other two groups — the KK and Reformation factions also come on board. Though the terms of agreement have not been released this is definitely a step towards the peace accord. This government was decisive enough to do it.”

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said: “What are the details of the Naga Accord? The Government has given the Opposition no opportunity to even discuss it. Normally, a statement is made by the Minister in the House before making such an announcement when Parliament is in session. They may take the plea that making a statement was not possible since proceedings are being disrupted. In that case, they could have at least tabled it.”

Anticipatory bail to Zirsanga, six others in education funds Scam

Aizawl, Aug 5 : The Aizawl Bench of the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Chief Executive Member of Mizoram’s Lai Autonomous District Council, V Zirsanga and six others in a Rs 1.5 crores education funds scam.

Justice L S Jamir granted anticipatory bail to the accused, which include the District Education Officer, a high school teacher attached as cashier to the DEO and two teachers who head the main teachers’ body there.

They have been told not to leave Lawngtlai town (headquarters of the LADC) without prior permission, cooperate with investigators and not try to influence witnesses.

The men had earlier been granted interim bail by the same court on July 23, a day after the Aizawl District Court rejected their anticipatory bail plea after the investigating officer, an Anti-Corruption Bureau Inspector, said the court prosecution witnesses were turning hostile or were less enthusiastic about giving testimony.

The IO said he suspected it might be because the accused remained at large and lived in the same town as the accused.

LADC CEM V Zirsanga and the others are accused of illegally amassing about Rs 1.5 crores from the education scam.

According to the ACB, they did this by issuing fake pay certificates for 41 teachers, drawing salaries of some teachers more than once while apparently pocketing the salaries of several others.

Day after Naga peace accord: No crackers, no festoons, it’s cautious optimism in Nagaland

In Dimapur, the state’s business centre, students attended schools and colleges, shops and offices remained open.



It was life as usual in Kohima Tuesday.

A day after the NSCN(IM) signed a historic “framework agreement” with the Centre moving a significant step closer towards ending an armed separatist movement, nobody in the state seemed ready to make any specific comment on the outcome without knowing the exact details of the agreement.

There were some who saw the scope of creating political space for the NSCN(IM) leaders. But most political leaders here did not see any immediate possibility of Muivah and his associates seeking political space within the framework of the Constitution.

Chief Minister T R Zeliang refused to hazard such a guess so early. “It’s difficult to make any observation without looking at the details of what the agreement has,” Zeliang said.

“It is too early to talk about creating political space for Muivah and his team. Moreover, going by what government interlocutor RN Ravi has said ( about “shared sovereignty”), we will have to wait for the details of the agreement that was signed on Monday,” Chuba Ozukum, president of Naga Hoho — the apex body of all tribal communities of the state said.

Meanwhile, there was no celebration or bursting of crackers, no banners or festoons to mark the occasion. In Dimapur, the state’s business centre, students attended schools and colleges, shops and offices remained open.

NSCN (IM) cadres seek transit help from Mizoram

Aizawl: Around 50 NSCN(IM) cadres holed up in the jungles of eastern Bangladesh have told Mizoram authorities that they might need transit assistance.

The shortest route from their Bangladesh base to Nagaland goes through Mizoram.

Sources said “Colonel” Apum,  NSCN(IM) commander in Chittagong region, contacted authorities Tuesday to intimate them of a possible return to India through Mizoram. 

NGOs & Churches To Collect Donations To Help Myanmar Flood Victims

Aizawl, Aug 5 : Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and churches will be collecting donations to help flood victims in the neighbouring state of Manipur and ethnic Mizo inhabited areas of Myanmar.

Zo Re-unification Organisation (ZoRO) leader R Zamawia today said the ZoRO convened a meeting of major NGOs and political parties yesterday and agreed to collect donations from the people of Mizoram for helping the flood victims in the Mizo inhabited towns of Kanan, Khampat, Halkha, Falam, Tahan and Kalemyo in Myanmar and several villages in Manipur.

Association of singers and musicians - the Mizo Zaimi Insuihkhawmpawl (MZI) and People United to Promote Music (PUMP) would also organise charity concerts on the streets of Aizawl this week to help the flood victims.

The Presbyterian Church's Mizoram Synod issued a circular to all local churches asking for donation to help the flood victims in Myanmar and also appealed to the church members to hold special prayer services for flood victims.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla sent a condolence message to his Manipur counterpart Ibobi Singh as several died in Chandel district due to the floods.

Lal Thanhawla said the people of Mizoram were praying for the people of Manipur at this time of disaster and grief.

12 New Railway Lines Being Constructed in Northeast India

New Delhi: Work on 12 new railway lines with a total length of 1,248 km is being taken up in the northeast, an official statement said on Tuesday.

"Against a national average of 20 km per 1,000 sq km railway network density, the northeastern states have an average railway network density of 10.1 km per 1,000 sq km," Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday.


Work on 12 new railway lines with a total length of 1,248 km is being taken up in the northeast, an official statement said on Tuesday. "Twelve new line works have been taken up in northeastern region having a total length of 1,248 km at a total cost of Rs. 38,416 crore (Rs.384 billion)," he said.

According to the minister, Rs.2,279 crore was allocated in 2012-13, Rs.3,392 crore in 2013-14 and Rs.5,200 crore in 2014-15 for new lines, gauge conversion and doubling the existing lines in the region.
"An increased outlay of Rs.5,338 crore has been provided in 2015-16 for speedier execution of projects in the northeastern region," Sinha said.

Watching porn: Mizoram Tops List; Delhi at 2nd Spot, Maharashtra 4th

New Delhi, Aug 4 : While most of us don't openly talk about porn and sex, the words itself attract the attention of almost everyone across the globe.

Condemning the culture, the government of India has recently ordered blocking of more than 800 porn websites in the country.

The government's move has been criticised harshly with some even calling it 'Talibanisation' of India.
According to a survey, the northeastern sate of Mizoram is marching ahead of other Indian states on internet porn access.

Delhi occupied the second spot whereas Maharashtra stood at number four in watching porn websites.

Apart from Mizoram, three other Northeastern states- Nagaland, Meghalaya and Assam are in the list that lead in watching porn sites.
On a world wide basis, it is said that India ranked at the fifth spot in number of visitors to the porn website.