Rengma Nagas flee villages in KAAC

Hundreds of Rengma Nagas from over 200 households, had fled from their villages following an ultimatum served  by the Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers (KLPT) to Rengma GBs to  hand over all cadres of the Naga Rengma Hills Protection Force (NRHPF) along with arms and ammunition and surrender to it, on or before June 9; failing which KLPT would kill all Rengmas in Karbi Anglong.

On the day, Western Rengma GBs, pastors and public leaders were summoned by KLPT on June 9 at Nakoitiso village, near Tseguchangri, a Rengma village and  reportedly forced to sign an ultimatum at “gun point”, said Western Rengma People’s Organization, Assam (WRPOA) president A.J. Rengma.

[caption id="attachment_8791" align="alignleft" width="300"] Rengmas at a village in KAAC.[/caption]

According to A.J. Rengma, KLPT also warned the Rengmas not to engage in any cultivation work and that those who decided to stay back would be doing so at their own risk.

In view of the threat,  hundreds of Rengmas have already fled  from their villages and moved to Chokihola area, while some were reportedly taking shelter in make-shift camps inside Nagaland.

The WRPOA president also informed that neither the Assam government nor the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council have provided any relief materials.

The Assam police and KAAC administration were yet to respond said  A.J. Rengma. He informed that  Samson Engti, MCC (I) president of Nilip constituency  donated five quintals of rice and some quintal of potato and fifty kgs of pulses for the victimized people.

A.J.Rengma also expressed fears that if the Assam government failed to act, the situation could only aggravate.

He said Rengmas have been living under “duress and untold agony” for many years at the hands of Karbi militants. He also also alleged that many Rengmas have been “tortured and beaten” by ultras.

The WRPOA president reminded that the Karbis (erstwhile Mikirs) came to Rengma hills from Khasi hills, North Cachar hills, Arunachal Pradesh, Tezpur etc but that Rengma Nagas were the “son of soil” who settled down in the hills long before the arrival of the Ahoms.

He said the Rengmas have now become “slaves in their own land” but was confident that history would speak the “truth”.

He also pointed out that the Rengma hills comprised of the present Diphu and Bokajan sub-divisions and that these areas did not belong to the Karbis.

KAAC administration calls joint meeting
Meanwhile, Police and KAAC administration called a joint meeting of the representatives of civil societies, police, army and paramilitary forces chaired by Karbi writer Rongbong Tereng former president of Assam Sahitya Sabha following the exodus of Rengmas from their villages.

Rengma Naga People’s Council (RNPC) has also submitted a memorandum to DC PK Buragohain in presence of SP, DIG Central range demanding security and safety of the Rengmas.


RNPC president Khenga Rengma and general secretary Chento H Rengma said the indigenous people of Karbi Anglong knew “no communalism or discrimination”.

They said that today, after more than hundred years, Rengmas have been deprived of “legal and legislative rights.”

They said that the long standing demands of the Rengmas were not heard and that the Sixth Schedule Constitutional rights were not implemented for the uplift of the Rengma Naga society.

RNPC also appealed to all to consider whether “such act” by KPLT was justified or not, in the eyes of the law.

It may be mentioned here that NRHPF chairman Keyhang Rengma had told Nagaland Post that KPLT has been carrying out extortions in Rengma Naga villages and villagers have been living in fear with daily harassment meted out to them by Karbi militants. He also alleged Assam government had “intentionally” neglected the Rengmas.

~NP

Apple unveils Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks

[caption id="attachment_8786" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mac OS X Mavericks.[/caption]

SAN FRANCISCO--Apple announced the next version of Mac OS X today at the Keynote for the WWDC. Named Mavericks, Mac OS X 10.9 brings more iOS features into the fold including a quicker way to multitask, the Siri voice assistant, Finder Tabs, and several other features.

Finder Tabs
The new Finder Tabs work much in the same way they do in Safari. A plus sign button on the right lets you open a new tab, and you can drag and drop tabs just like a Web browser.

Full screen apps
Full screen apps were unveiled in Mountain Lion, but users quickly realized the feature wasn't perfect, especially if you use multiple monitors. Fortunately, with Mavericks, the feature works the way it should. You can now put full screen apps on multiple monitors and switch between them effortlessly.

Safari
According to Apple, Safari now uses less GPU, less energy, and is faster than ever before. One of the more interesting new features is the quick launch screen where there's a new column for all your bookmarks. You also can drag a bookmark into your quicklaunch screen to keep it handy.

Notifications
The Notifications system got some tweaks as well. When you return to your Mac when it's in a sleeping state, you'll now get all the notifications you received while you were gone before even unlocking your screen. Mavericks will also update your apps automatically and let you know via notifications when the process is complete.

Pricing and availability
Apple says Mavericks will become available this fall, which is a departure from its release schedule from the last few years. Over the past few years, Apple has followed a fairly regular schedule for OS X releases, with the announcement of a new Mac OS in February, and then the release date announced during the WWDC keynote (with an actual release soon to follow).

This year, there was no announcement in the early part of the year, but a report form Daring Fireball said that Apple had pulled developers from the OS X team to work on the big changes in iOS 7, pushing the Mac OS X release to later in the year.

‘Washington Post’ did not give guarantee to ‘truth-teller’ Snowden

[caption id="attachment_8780" align="alignleft" width="300"] This undated photo provided by “The Guardian” in London shows Edward Snowden, 29, the source of the newspaper’s disclosures about the U.S. government's secret surveillance programmes.[/caption]

When VERAX, “truth-teller” in Latin, approached BRASSBANNER, the reporter, on May 16 the former did not show his hand right away, perhaps because the earth-shaking magnitude of the “truth” he had to share may have evoked a sense of utter disbelief.

Instead, Edward Snowden (29) — the former CIA technical assistant and Booz Allen Hamilton contractor working for the U.S National Security Agency — drip-fed classified data to The Washington Post reporter Barton Gellman over a series of communications, in what has since been described as “one of the biggest leaks in the history of U.S. intelligence”.

His revelations over the course of last week, which coincided with the trial of Bradley Manning, the other high-profile whistleblower in recent history, have shaken the ground beneath the U.S. intelligence establishment and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said, “For me, it is literally... gut-wrenching to see this happen because of the huge, grave damage it does to our intelligence capabilities.”

However, Mr. Clapper, President Barack Obama and some members of the U.S. Congress have, explicitly or implicitly, defended the legality of the mega-scale snooping that the federal government has engaged in, of the servers of major Internet companies such as Facebook, Google and Apple; and also telecom operators such as Verizon; and credit card companies.

Warning

Yet, in passing on top-secret documents to The Washington Post and the U.K.’s The Guardian newspapers, Mr. Snowden revealed his fear of what he described as the routine nature of extra-judicial “killing” that intelligence agents engage in when dealing with such cases.

“I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions, and that the return of this information to the public marks my end,” Mr. Snowden said to Mr. Gellman, prior to their first direct contact, additionally warning that journalists who pursued this story were at risk until they published and the U.S. intelligence community “will most certainly kill you if they think you are the single point of failure that could stop this disclosure and make them the sole owner of this information”.

Seeking protection

When Mr. Snowden sought to protect himself by asking Mr. Gellman for a guarantee that his newspaper would publish within 72 hours the full text of a PowerPoint presentation describing PRISM, a classified surveillance programme for gathering intelligence from the web, Mr. Gellman backed off. He answered that The Post would not offer any guarantee about what it published or when, but nevertheless broke the story two weeks later, last Thursday.

Tensions crept into the conversation at other points in their communications too, Mr. Gellman revealed. Before the publication of the story, Mr. Gellman made contact with Mr. Snowden “on a new channel”. Mr. Snowden responded in alarm, “Do I know you?” Mr. Gellman sent him a note through another channel to verify his digital ‘fingerprint’ — a precaution he says they had been using for some time. “Tired”, he “sent the wrong one”.

Mr. Snowden replied, “That is not at all the right fingerprint,”, preparing to sign off. “You’re getting MITM’d,” he said. He was talking about a “man in the middle” attack, a standard NSA technique to bypass encryption.

Though Mr. Snowden relocated to Hong Kong, he has left behind a nation that may be in need of soul searching on how it balances civil liberties and Internet privacy with authorities’ need for effective counterterrorism surveillance.

Call for review

Underscoring this need, some U.S. lawmakers have reportedly called for a review of the government’s practice of monitoring phone and Internet activities, and Democratic Senator and Intelligence Committee member Mark Udall said he thought “another look at the 2001 U.S.A Patriot Act was warranted... [and] we ought to put some limits on the amount of data that the NSA is collecting”

Parliamentary Board rejects Advani’s resignation

Stunned by party patriarch L K Advani’s decision to quit key posts, BJP’s top decision—making body Parliamentary Board tonight rejected his resignation, insisting that the party needs his “guidance more than ever before“.

The Board held an urgent meeting at the residence of party chief Rajnath Singh hours after Advani resigned from Parliamentary Board, National Executive and Election Committee to protest Narendra Modi being made Campaign Committee chief.

The Board passed a resolution unanimously rejecting Advani’s resignation. Soon after, senior leaders Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar and Ravi Shankar Prasad went to meet Advani to inform him about the Parliamentary Board decision.

“BJP Parliamentary Board has decided to reject the resignation of L K Advani,” Singh said after the two-hour meeting.

“Shri L K Advani, in a letter, sent to me resigned from the Parliamentary Board, National Executive and Election Committee. Ever since the inception of the BJP and the Jana Sangh, he has been there as a leader and guide. That role belongs to him and today the party and nation needs him to be there more than ever before,” the resolution said.

The resolution was read out by Rajnath Singh in presence of Swaraj, Jaitley, Kumar and Prasad.

Singh said only six of 12 members of the Parliamentary Board were present at the meeting. Four members, including Modi, could not come at such a short notice, he said.

Others absent at the meeting were Murli Manohar Joshi, Thavarchand Gehlot and Nitin Gadkari.

“They have also supported the decision taken by the Parliamentary Board to reject the resignation. They have also talked to Advaniji to request him to take back his resignation,” he said.

“As a Party president, I have decided that under no condition, I will accept his resignation,” Singh said

GoI must frame policy for sustenance of UGs: Rio

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio reiterated that his government was totally against all illegal taxes being imposed by various underground groups on various items which have caused harassment on the people, but blamed it on the government of India’s failure to formulate a policy to provide  sustenance for the outfits.

Talking to media persons on the sidelines of the meeting of the Performance Review Committee for north eastern states at Hotel Vivor here Friday, Rio said after signing cease fire agreement, the undergrounds were not provided with any sustenance for their survival and so were compelled to impose various taxes on the people.

He said a central sustenance policy for the undergrounds, who were under cease fire with the government of India, would mitigate the suffering of the people of Nagaland from the unabated illegal taxes imposed upon business.

He appealed to the  Government of India, to come out with a policy to support the underground groups for their survival, as they were under cease-fire agreement with the Centre.

Rio also acknowledged that currently, the common people of the state have spontaneously come out against the economic burden imposed on them  by the unabated taxes and who have asked various underground groups to agree to ‘one tax, one year’ for the factions.

BORDER ISSUE:
On the border conflict with Assam,  Rio said that there were several Disputed Area Belt (DAB) along the Nagaland- Assam border where  a Neutral Force of CRPF have been deployed to maintain the law and order.  However, Rio regretted that these ‘neutral forces’ have been placed under the control of Assam Government.

He said the arrangement has only facilitated encroachers from Assam side to occupy areas under the DAB.

Rio said such encroachments under the nose of the ‘neutral forces’ has become the main concern for the people of Nagaland living along the border as they faced frequent harassments from the other side.

Rio reiterated that the border problem with Assam needs to be resolved at the earliest so as to avert tension in the border areas and conflict with Assam.

‘Nagaland has no national or regional institutions’
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio lamented that though Nagaland is the second senior-most state in the north east after Assam, it did not have any national or regional institute worth the name.

He said this while speaking as chief guest at the meeting of Performance Review Committee on north east states here in Hotel Vivor Friday.

He also cited pending solution to the Naga political issue as a problem for the state since insurgents were demanding share of the PDS and funds meant of development of villages.

Rio also said people of the state had no capacity to start industries  while investors shied away from coming to Nagaland.

On marketing of produce, Rio said items were spoiled for want of marketing network and stressed on need for support from the Ministry of Rural Development for the region  due to frequent disruption of rail, air and road connectivity.

Parliamentary Secretary RD & REPA, C. L said though the state benefited from flagship programmes; yet it still lagged behind other states. Secretary of MoRD S. Vijay Kumar emphasized on the need of Long Term Policy for the region.

CM Ibobi in Delhi to meet PM

IMPHAL, Sept 2: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi left Imphal yesterday to discuss the volatile issues of the state pertaining to the demand and counter-demand of Sadar Hills district with Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi.

Chief Minister has been summoned to table a detailed action plan of the state government on Sadar Hills before the Prime Minister and Home Minister. However, no official information could be obtained regarding the meeting.

Okram Ibobi is reported to be still camping in New Delhi. He will leave New Delhi for an official visit to Tokyo on September 4.

ULFA to sign suspension of operations agreement with GOI

NEW DELHI, Sep 2 (ANI): Leaders of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) central committee arrived in the national capital today to sign the Suspension of Operations agreement with the Central government.

Chitrabon Hazarika, the finance secretary of the outlawed ULFA, is leading the three-member delegation that includes Sashadhar Choudhary, ULFA's foreign secretary, and Raju Baruah, ULFA's military operations head.

Sashadhar Choudhary said that the ULFA members expect to sign the Suspension of Operations agreement with the Central government tomorrow.

Though till now there is no clear information that who all will preside the meeting from the government side, but according to sources it is clear that it will be a secretary level meeting.

The ULFA leaders landed at Delhi airport today, but were not allowed to meet mediapersons and were taken away from a separate gate.

Earlier, in August, the entire ULFA central committee under the leadership of Arabinda Rajkhowa had met Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in the national capital, and presented him with their set of demands.

The ULFA leaders were arrested in Bangladesh and handed over to the Indian government in 2010. They are now out on bail and have been carrying the peace talks.

Currently large number of ULFA cadres has been placed in different camps at Nalbari and Tinsukia and have submitted their weapons to the government.

Now only the elusive ULFA commander in chief Paresh Baruah is left to join talks.

~ifp

Manmohan Singh, Musharraf came close to striking Kashmir deal: WikiLeaks

NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan had through "back channels" agreed to a non-territorial solution to Kashmir under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, reveals a latest WikiLeaks cable. According to the US embassy cable - dated April 21, 2009 - Singh confirmed this to a visiting US delegation, led by then House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman in April, 2009, saying that the solution included free trade and movement across LoC. 

Singh told the US delegation that Delhi and Islamabad had made great progress prior to February 2007, when President Musharraf ran into trouble. "We had reached an understanding in back channels," he related, says the cable, in which Musharraf had agreed to a non-territorial solution to Kashmir. Singh went on to add that India wanted a strong, stable, peaceful, democratic Pakistan and makes no claim on "even an inch" of Pakistani territory.

Singh's comments authenticate Musharraf's assertions last year that India and Pakistan had reached that stage, where they were preparing the final draft for the resolution. He had said the two sides shared drafts through "back channels", and these were in keeping with the four-point template which he had envisaged to resolve the issue. Singh, too, mentions in the cable that the two sides had arrived at the solution through back channels.

Musharraf's four points included demilitarization, maximum autonomy, making border irrelevant and joint management of the area. Later, however, Pakistani government rejected the formula, saying that it was Musharraf's personal line of thinking that lacked endorsement either by Pakistani parliament or cabinet. Singh, though, does not make any direct reference to Musharraf's template in the WikiLeak cable. Musharraf had said, unlike in the case with PM Vajpayee, it was actually with Singh that Pakistan moved towards an agreement over the issue.

Reminding Berman and other US delegates that India had lost more than 150 of its citizens in the Mumbai attacks, Singh said it would be possible to resume dialogue only if Pakistan would "behave as a civilized country and bring the perpetrators to justice". "Now, Pakistani leaders had to stick by commitments made to PM Vajpayee and repeated to PM Singh in 2005 that they would not permit attacks on India launched from Pakistani soil. If so, huge trade opportunities awaited, according to the Prime Minister, who added that a strong Indian constituency favoured normalized relations," the cable says.

Recalling the July, 2008, attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, Singh asserted that it had been carried out "with the active encouragement" of Pakistan's ISI and that he had raised the issue with President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani.

Petra's frontman to perform in Nagaland

John Schlitt, lead singer of Petra would be performing at Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung as a part of his fourth project titled ‘The greater cause’. The event is being organized and promoted by Metro Team in collaboration with Lotha Baptist Church Association Youth department (KBES) to raise fund for KBSE youth rally.

John Schlitt is an internationally known recording artist and a lead singer of Petra, one of the world’s best known and most successful Christian rock bands, with hits like ‘Beyond belief’ and ‘No doubt’; he has also given single hits like ‘Show me the way’, ‘One by one’ and ‘Inside of you’.


With a view to promote and outsource local artists, painters and writers so they can contribute to the economic, social and spiritual transformation of their communities, the Metro team have been creating platform for local artists.

This time around, they are organizing a mega gospel tour concert in ten metro cities in India i.e in Mumbai (Nov, 4), Pune (Nov.5), Bangalore (Nov.6), Chennai (Nov. 9), Delhi (Nov. 11), Kolkata (Nov. 13), Shillong (Nov.15), Dimapur (Nov.17), Kohima (Nov. 19) and Mokokchung (yet to be finalized).

During the concert, local artists like Z. Renbeni Odyu

o Naga Idol 5.10, would be accompanying John Schlitt all through the tour, while Alo Wanth Band, would be performing the opening act at Dimapur concert. Tickets for the concert are available at www.indianstage.com and would be soon made available at www.bookmyshow.com and outlets within a week.

~NP

Argentina beats Venezuela

KOLKATA: Lionel Messi weaved his magic though without scoring as he played full 90 minutes to enthrall the football-crazy fans in Argentina's 1-0 victory over Venezuela in a FIFA international friendly at Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Friday.


The 120,000 capacity stadium did not see a packed house, a common sight during the local Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal derby but it had enough Messi elements for a real treat for the nearly 75,000 spectators at the venue and many more on television across the country and abroad.

Messi sparkled throughout the match, though Venezuela kept the Argentines under pressure.

It was in the second half, a 67th minute goal by Nicolas Otamendi from a Messi corner that sealed the issue for the Argentines.

The Argentine approach was more restrained in the first half as new coach Alejandro Sabella, in his maiden appearance at the helm of affairs for the Albicelestes, gave more stress on the ball possession and passing.

They dominated the midfield, with some magical Messi footwork but failed to translate into goals as the final pass or the shot was lacking.

But the spectators had a lifetime of a treat with some real Messi moments.

Early into the start, the spectators were left mesmerised by a clever Messi footwork off a foul at the top of the box but the FC Barcelona talisman could only found the wall from his powerful left-footer in the fourth minute

Five minutes later, Argentina got the first real chance but the Real Madrid medio Agnel D'Maria nearly put it in the goal before an alert Venezuela defender averted the danger. It also had the Messi element in it as the little genius nearly had it through Di Maria but only in vain.

There were some real Venezuela sparks as well but their inexperience showed with some wasted efforts.

In the 16th minute, Jose Salomon Rondon wasted a golden chance inside the box as he failed to connect a fine pass from the wide without even testing Argentina goalkeeper Romer.

In the 34th minute, Venezuela had a real possibility as Feltscher nearly put them up with a solo effort from the right side of the box.

Messi's second real chance came in the 29th minute, in fact it was a better one. It was a grounder that went straight to the goalkeeper.

Messi kept squatted, regretting what went wrong. But the spectators knew there is more to come as cheers of 'Messi... Messi..." reverberated in the stands.

A little earlier, Messi stole the ball from Amorebieta in the box before a little dash towards the middle, but his low shot was stopped calmly by Romo.

Messi played for the full 90 minutes to enthrall the crowd though the football-crazy spectators could not see a goal from the world's current best footballer.

Chidambaram to revisit AFSPA

New Delhi, Sep 1 : A fresh attempt is being made to build consensus within the Government to amend the controversial Armed Forces Special (Powers) Act (AFSPA), Home Minister P Chidambaram indicated today.

“I am trying to revisit AFSPA but as you know one needs to build a consensus within the Govern- ment before amendments can be brought before Parliament,” Chidambaram said while replying to questions after presenting the monthly report for his Ministry.

“We are trying. You know we have tried in the past,” he said during the press interaction on being asked whether AFSPA could be repealed in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir.

He said in J and K there was a consensus within the Central Government that if the state withdraws the Disturbed Areas Act, AFSPA will automatically go.

“You know that in Kashmir, we have asked the state government to review the application of Disturbed Areas Act and if that act is reviewed, then automatically if the DA does not apply to areas in Kashmir, the AFSPA is not applied to that area in Kashmir.

“So we took that route in Kashmir. In Manipur, the demand is that AFSPA should be repealed. There is a Jeevan Reddy committee report. We have discussed this a couple of times.

“As I said, there is no consensus yet and I am trying to build consensus..I have not succeeded so far. There is a statement of the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) that we will replace the AFSPA with a more humane act. So we are trying,” he said.

The army has conveyed its apprehensions to the Defence Ministry that replacement of AFSPA or any dilution could hamper its operational capabilities to effectively deal with militancy and insurgency.

“On the first route (in JK) there is a consensus at the Centre. Now at the operational level, the JK govt would have to, in the Unified Command, agree to review the application of Disturbed Areas Act.

“If they are able to lift the DAA from, say five places, then AFSPA would not apply to those five places. So that is something which they have to do and I am in touch with the Chief Minister (Omar Abdullah),” Chidambaram said, adding Omar has to “weigh the pros and cons and then decide when to do it, where to do it. That is for them.”

Omar’s government in the state has already constituted a Committee earlier this year to review the DAA. The Committee comprises Director General of Police, Home Secretary and Corps Commander of 15 Corps (for Kashmir) and Corps Commander of 16-Corps (for Jammu).

The Committee has met twice so far and is expected to meet again next month.

The AFSPA gives the Army the powers to detain and, if the situation warrants, eliminate suspected terrorists when they are fighting insurgents without the fear of prosecution.

The Act is only in force in some areas in Kashmir and insurgency-affected states in the north east.

The Second Administrative Reforms Committee had suggested to the government replacing of the Act with an amended law which gives the Centre the right to deploy the Army or para-military forces in situations involving national security.

Sharmila says Anna's movement artificial

Imphal: While Indians seem to be exulting in Anna Hazare's successful fast, far away in Manipur, there is a voice that seems to going unheard. Irom Sharmila has been on fast for 3,763 days today, just short of 11 years. Called the 'Iron lady of Manipur,' she is fasting to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which gives the armed forces wide ranging powers to shoot, arrest and search civilians.

Irom Sharmila was invited by Team Anna to join Anna Hazare's fast at Ramlila grounds in Delhi. But she was not able to go because she is in judicial custody. In an interview to NDTV she expressed disappointment with the Hazare movement saying, "It's (Anna Hazare's movement) somewhat artificial, how can we eradicate corruption? In my case I am a simple woman who wants to reform society. I have no idea about social activists or social workers."

Despite her disappointment with Hazare, Irom Sharmila said that she had no objection to meeting the veteran Gandhian. Reacting to reports that Hazare may come to Imphal to meet her, she added that he was welcome to come, as long as his conscience allowed it.

Irom Sharmila also expressed her disappointment with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for failing to keep his promise of amending the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). "I don't like his (the Prime Minister's) leadership. When he couldn't keep his promise, it is a shame". Singh had made the promise in 2004.

source: ndtv

 

CM summoned by PM and HM

IMPHAL,: Concerned with the complicacies arising out of the demand for Sadar Hills district and its subsequent counter-demand made by some Naga organizations in the state, Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram have summoned Chief Minister Okram Ibobi to give them an explanation on the action plan taken up by the state to address the volatile issue.



According to a highly placed official source, Chief minister Okram Ibobi will leave Imphal for Delhi this morning as per the summon made by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister at Delhi to give explanation on every step and measure taken up by the state government to bring an amicable solution to resolve the ongoing bandh and blockade imposed along the national highways of the state by two major tribal communities on Sadar Hills issue.

It may be recalled that the people of the state in general have been facing problems of scarcity of essential commodities in the state due to prolonged economic blockade imposed along the highways. The matter has become a serious issue for the state at present as it has started affecting the administrative reforms of the state.

Messi arrives in Kolkata

KOLKATA: Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata on a silent, rainy night. His entry - in the wee hours of Wednesday - was far quieter than the one Diego Maradona met with during his visit here three years ago. That time, a crowd of a few thousand had waited patiently at the airport and lined the roads for over a good few hours, simply chanting his name.

Not that Messi would have minded this quiet entry at all. The attention-shunning little big star would have liked it that way, slipping in unnoticed like he does in opponents' territories on the football field. But imagine the tremendous physical strain on a global sport star. Where does he hide, when does he sleep? 

As dusk fell on Kolkata on Wednesday, he was back with the squad, ready for his first training under a new coach-smile on face, spring in step. This was after an emotionally-taxing Spanish League opener against Villarreal late on Monday-where he scored two and generally dictated the 5-0 demolition for FC Barcelona.

A remarkably fresh-looking Messi got off the bus in the hotel lobby after reportedly spending over a quarter of an hour obliging CISF personnel and their cellphone cameras at the airport arrival lounge. Accompanying him was teammate Javier Mascherano, who looked worse for wear, but then that is the same expression he carries to work too. Looking world weary is a part of Mascherano's job-description, just as it is Messi's to look like a happy puppy when there's the prospect of playing football in the near future-it's that crucial difference between destroyer and creator.

But then you can't wish away jet lag. Messi - after ordering a generous round of club sandwiches from the coffee shop at dawn - gave the noon press conference a miss. It left an entire 'world' which had arrived to see, hear, even touch the little genius, disappointed.

But they couldn't dwell on it for long as Alejandro Sabella, Argentina's new national coach, took it upon himself to fill two roles. In a long chat with the press that ranged over a lot of things, he summed up the Messi conundrum best. "Messi is a lot more important than me," he stated simply, and ahead of his first match in charge, Sabella, perhaps recognizing the magnitude of the task he has undertaken, went on to announce the little, big man as his new captain till the World Cup 2014.

Venezuela - who have had to pose as Paraguay in the posters that have lined the city - are enjoying the role of underdogs thrust upon them. A Latin American oddity - in that, they remain the only nation from the region to never have qualified for the World Cup - Venezuela will have to go that extra mile to win over the Kolkata fan, who swears by World Cup glory alone.

Yet, manager Cesar Farias, who joked that he always kept his luggage packed since the axe in South American football came with the job, insisted that the gap, barring Messi, between them and Argentina was decreasing, and it was only a matter of time before they would match them blow for blow.

In a world of non-stop play and ceaseless travel that are proving the demands of the modern-day global football industry, and Kolkata-with its rich traditional legacy of the game-is one of the once-distant outposts suddenly within touching distance. If India is the latest 'market' interest as the global football brands claim, then Kolkata is the first port of call.

This is a city going through its customary seasonal flux. The monsoon's retreating-making the sky a live canvas of crazy cloud play. The pujas are a month away and the pandals-all bamboo and coir skeletons-are already worming their way up. Tuesday was the last day of Eid fasting-and with the accompanying noise of an out-of-schedule Salman Khan release the next day-comes this impending prospect of a football carnival. Chants of "Messi, Messi" are already renting the air.

Assam Rifles Crackdown on supporters of SHDDC

 

IMPHAL, Aug 31: Tension ran high at Gamgiphai today following confrontation between Assam Rifles personnel and supporters of Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee.

Two Assam Rifles officers, who not only led a crackdown against women protestors enforcing economic blockade along National Highway 39 over the Sadar Hills district demand at Gamgiphai were also detained by agitated protestors.

The personnel allegedly molested the women.

The two officers were, however, let off later on.   

According to a senior police officer of Senapati District Police, who was  present at the site of the incident when a media team from Imphal  reached there, two personnel of 43 Assam Rifles in civvies were coming on a motorcycle from Motbung and heading towards Sekmai side when the women blockade supporters stopped them for entry and verification.

But the two personnel started threatening and using abusive words against the women protestors.

The conduct of the two personnel infuriated the protestors all the more leading to a highten tension in the area.  The two personnel, however, managed to escape from wrath of the protestors. One Akim, a woman protestor recalled that not long after this incident, a team of 43 Assam Rifles personnel in uniform led by their post commander arrived in a Gypsy and started chasing the women protestors. They also beat up and molested some of the women protestors, Akim alleged, claiming that at least 8 women sustained injuries while 3 others were molested in the ensuing crackdown of the Assam Rifles.

Infuriated at the conduct of the Assam Rifles personnel, agitated people overpowered two AR officers and attacked some other personnel who rushed in as reinforcement.

Vahchin Haokip, another woman protestor, said ‘we are only demanding district status for Sadar Hills and have no conflict with the Assam Rifles. We don’t hinder the movement of AR personnel in uniform. But  the conduct of the two AR personnel who came riding a motorcycle and flex their muscles apart from using abusive language against the women protestors infuriated the people’’.

According to information received by press, the two AR officers who were detained by the protestors were released late evening after their CO concerned tendered an apology late and gave the assurance of taking up necessary action against the two officers for their rude conduct.

Ex-MP and president of Trinamool Congress, Manipur unit Kim Gangte played a major role in bringing about an amicable solution between the two parties.

Suicide car bomb kills 10 in southwest Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan — A suicide car bomber attacked Shiite Muslims in southwestern Pakistan on Wednesday as they were heading home after morning prayers at the start of an Islamic holiday. The blast killed 10 people, officials said.

The attack occurred in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Baluchistan is believed to be home to many Taliban militants who have targeted Shiites in the past. Extremist Sunni Muslim groups like the Taliban view Shiites as heretics. 

The bomber was apparently targeting a Shiite mosque but could not get close enough because the road was blocked, said Quetta police chief Ahsan Mahboob.

Instead, he detonated his explosives in a parking lot nearby, Mahboob said.

It is unclear how many of the 10 people killed were Shiite worshippers or others who were hit by the blast as they were passing by, said Mahboob. The blast also wounded at least 17 people and damaged nearby vehicles and buildings, he said.

The attack was a somber beginning to Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that comes at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. In Pakistan, the three-day holiday started Wednesday while in many other parts of the Muslim world it began on Tuesday.

Many analysts believe Baluchistan is home to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and fighters have used the province as a convenient gateway to attack foreign troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government has also fought a decades-long insurgency in Baluchistan waged by nationalists who demand a greater share of the province's natural resources

 

Zeliangrong raised strong objection to separate Kuki district

Dimapur, August 31: The Zeliangrong community of Assam, Manipur & Nagaland today had strongly objected the “Kuki demand for ‘Sadar-Hills District’” out from land traditionally held and owned by Nagas. The Zeliangrong Union addressed a representation to the chief minister of Manipur today cautioning that “we cannot tolerate the politics of conversion of our lands into Kuki district or Kukiland.”

The Zeliangrong Union questioned the demand by a community that had migrated from Twelpi of Chin-Hills of Burma, crossed over the southern border of Manipur and settled at ‘Mombi’ (on the south-east of Tengnoupal area), 165 years ago in 1845, during the reign of King Nara Singh of Manipur.
“As before, the Kukis has once again submitted a memorandum to the President of India, for a district of Sadar-Hills.  The Zeliangrong Nagas as well as other Naga groups of Manipur have always been against this Kuki demand for a Sadar-Hills District -- for the reason that the lands (areas) of Sadar-Hills originally belong to the Naga districts of Tamenglong, Senapati and Ukhrul and as such the areas should not be conceded for Kuki political interests which include their aspiration for a Kuki home-land and state,” the union said. Besides, the representation said, the “Kuki demand” will also affect the interest of the Meitei and the territorial integrity of Manipur state itself.
The union also elaborated on the background of the demand for a ‘Sadar-Hills district.’ “It is a historical fact that in Manipur the Nagas in the surrounding hills (including the Sadar-Hills) and the Meiteis in the valley are autochthonous people and have been  living there as owners of the land for thousands of years since time immemorial, even before the founding of Manipur kingdom by Pakhangba in 33 AD. So, how the Kukis who migrated from Burma (Myanmar) into Manipur in the recent history, could claim Sadar-Hills as their home district or home-land,” the union said.

The Zeliangrong Union also referred to the report “Chin Hills-Manipur Boundary Commission, 1894” where , the Kukis (Thadou Kukis), about 1500 in number, migrating from Twelpi of Chin-Hills of Burma, crossed over the southern border of Manipur and settled at ‘Mombi’ (on the south-east of Tengnoupal area), 165 years ago in 1845, during the reign of King Nara Singh of Manipur.
“The then British Political Agent in Manipur Major McCulloch allowed them to settle there on the condition that they (the Kukis) should serve as ‘sepoy villages’ to prevent other immigrants from Chin-Hills from across Manipur border,” the union said in its representation.
The Zeliangrong Union reiterated its demand for restoration of various parts of “Sadar areas” to their respective parent districts of Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Senapati. “This will be the right and lasting solution for the controversial Sadar-Hills issue. The Nagas can live peacefully with the Kukis, Nepalis and other communities of the said areas; but we cannot tolerate the politics of conversion of our lands into Kuki district or Kukiland,” the representation added.

Irom Sharmila looks forward to Anna visit

IMPHAL: Irom Sharmila Chanu, who is on an indefinite fast for the last 10 years seeking repeal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, has expressed gratitude to Anna Hazare for deciding to visit Manipur to support her campaign.

"If he comes to support my stir, it will be really good for the people. It's up to his conscience whether he would fast or not. But I will not insist him to do so," the Iron Lady said. 

A core committee member of India Against Corruption has already said Anna would soon visit the state to support Sharmila's cause. Notwithstanding the media report of the Gandhian's visit, Sharmila also invited Anna to join her campaign against Afspa in Manipur.

Demanding repeal of the army Act that gives sweeping powers to the armed forces to the extent that they can even shoot persons on mere suspicion, Sharmila is on a fast since November 5, 2000. She took the step a couple of days after Assam Rifles jawans mowed down 10 civilians at Malom village in Imphal West.

At present, she is being forced-fed through her nose by the government at the security ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, close to her Konpal Kongkham Leikai residence in Imphal East.

Minutes before being remanded in judicial custody by an Imphal court on Tuesday, Sharmila expressed her desire to call UN Commission of Human Rights to see for itself gross violation of human rights by security forces in the country and Manipur in particular.

"It's up to God's will that AFSPA would be scrapped and for me I'll continue with my mission against the draconian Act," she said.

Earlier, Team Anna's core committee member Arvind Kejriwal had invited Sharmila to join Anna's agitation at Ramlila ground. While supporting Anna's movement, Sharmila had said she could not join him in Delhi as she was in judicial custody and state authorities would not allow her to leave Manipur. She, however, expressed solidarity with Anna's cause from Imphal.

As decided by the Just Peace Foundation (JPF), a trust formed for Sharmila's cause, it sent its coordinator, Seram Rojesh, to join Anna rally on the Ramlila Maidan. Hordes of film personalities, including Amir Khan, civil society leaders and academicians had also extended support to the fight of the Iron Lady.

Last Sunday, Seram quoted Aamir as saying, "The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, should be repealed and I support Sharmila's crusade." On being briefed about Sharmila's condition, the Bollywood actor, who's in New Delhi to support Anna's cause, said, "Let's think what I can do for Sharmila."

Social activist Medha Patkar is also said to have told the JPF that they would support Sharmila's fight against the military act.

Sadar Hills stir to continue

 

IMPHAL, Aug 30 : With the public once again endor-sing that the agitation should go on until the de-mand to upgrade Sadar Hills to a district status is rea-lised, the highway bloc- kade and general strike imposed by the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Co-mmittee is set to continue until the next meeting.

As in the previous public meeting, today's meeting held at Kangpokpi voted for continuing with the agitation until the district demand is met.

Today's meeting was the second following the appeals issued by the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister to call off the stir.

The three MLAs of Sadar Hills, Thangminlien Kip-gen, Haokholet Khongsai and Doukhomang Khong-sai along with the ADC members of Sadar Hills and former MP, Kim Gangte attended the meeting, where the public turned up in droves.

Apart from calling to go ahead with the agitation, those present termed the suggestions of the Chief Minister as another tactics to buy time and keep their demand in abeyance.

The decision to continue the agitation came despite the appeal from the three MLAs, the members of the ADC Sadar Hills and community leaders to suspend the agitation following the appeal from the State Government.

Flatly rejecting the suggestions of the State Government, the public, especially the women folk laid down the rider that they would suspend the stir provided the three MLAs and the members of the ADC assure that they will ensure the upgradation of Sadar Hills to a district within two months time.

With no meeting point established it was agreed that the same issue would be discussed at the next meeting scheduled for tomorrow at Saikul.

According to sources, the Saikul meeting is expected to be followed by another meeting of the three MLAs, the ADC members and social leaders to decide whether the agitation should be relaxed for some time or not.

The first and youngest FIDE rated player in the North Eastern region

Success does not have any age and this has been proved by six year old Embok Khyllep whothe first and youngest FIDE rated player in the North Eastern region became  this year.



Impressed with his skills, the State Government on Monday felicitated Khyllep with a cash prize of Rs 5000 along with a laptop during a function held at JN Sport complex on occasion of National Sports Day.

A student of 1st standard in St Anthony’s school Khyllep has impressed one and all with his brilliant moves and techniques at the game of chess. He secured first position in the under 9 category of the 4th North East Open Chess Championship 2011 and was also awarded the most promising player of the tournament.

The six-year-old also secured first position in the Meghalaya Inter School under 13 chess championship 2011 where he scored 3.5 out of 4.

Besides participating in several other tournaments, Khyllep took part in the National Under 9 Championship 2010 held at Ahmedabad.

Taking pride at the performance of his son, SD Fancon said that Khyllep developed a keen interest in the game when he was a mere three year old.

“On seeing the talent we started coaching him for two to three hours daily,” an elated Fancon added. After being trained for two years by his family, Khyllep, at the age of five started participating in different tournaments held at local and national levels among others.

Fancon is however saddened by the fact that the state lacks professional coaches who could train young kids like Khyllep to make it to the next level.

Meghalaya Chess Association general secretary TH B Singh also rued the fact while adding that negotiations are on and a professional chess coach may soon be in the State in a bid to further hone the skills of local chess players.

Commenting on Khyllep’s feat, Singh said, “He is dong very well and with proper guidance can even be a grand master at a later stage.”

-TST