Traffic awareness training in Ukhrul Town

With an aim to regulate traffic and maintain public safety in Ukhrul town, a traffic awareness cum training programme was held at mini secretariat building today, reports our Correspondent Source The Sangai Express

With an aim to regulate traffic and maintain public safety in Ukhrul town, a traffic awareness cum training programme was held at mini secretariat building today, reports our Correspondent Source The Sangai Express

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=13&src=011211

Senapati rallies for Alternative Arrangement

In pursuit of its demand for an alternative arrangement till an honourable solution to the Naga political issue is worked out, Naga people in large number took out a rally at Senapati district headquarters today Source The Sangai Express

In pursuit of its demand for an alternative arrangement till an honourable solution to the Naga political issue is worked out, Naga people in large number took out a rally at Senapati district headquarters today Source The Sangai Express

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=3&src=011211

Chingai Cong meet calls for party unanimity

Close on the heels of the impending State Legislative Assembly polls, election fever has hit the voters of Ukhrul district as hundreds of active grassroot level Congress workers from Chingai Block converged at Ukhrul to attend the one day political co…

Close on the heels of the impending State Legislative Assembly polls, election fever has hit the voters of Ukhrul district as hundreds of active grassroot level Congress workers from Chingai Block converged at Ukhrul to attend the one day political conference at Multipurpose Hall, Ukhrul Mini Secretariat here, today Source The Sangai Express

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=9&src=011211

Ibobi decries bomb attack Raises posers against demand to repeal AFSPA

Denouncing the bomb blast near the main gate of Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival, Chief Minister O Ibobi has questioned how the State Government can repeal AFSPA from Manipur under the prevailing condition Source The Sangai Express

Denouncing the bomb blast near the main gate of Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival, Chief Minister O Ibobi has questioned how the State Government can repeal AFSPA from Manipur under the prevailing condition Source The Sangai Express

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=2&src=011211

Blast rips Sangai festival, one killed Undeterred, tourism fest carries on, draws to a close as scheduled

Just two days before the arrival of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, a powerful bomb exploded in front of the main gate of the Sangai Tourism Festival killing the carrier of the explosive and injuring four people toda…

Just two days before the arrival of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, a powerful bomb exploded in front of the main gate of the Sangai Tourism Festival killing the carrier of the explosive and injuring four people today at 11 Source The Sangai Express

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=1&src=011211

HIV positive children are devoid of assistances, CRY calls for support

IMPHAL, Nov 30: 13-year old Devender Singh lives with his 60-year-old grandmother, Mahima Devi, in… more »

IMPHAL, Nov 30: 13-year old Devender Singh lives with his 60-year-old grandmother, Mahima Devi, in Imphal West. Devender lost his parents to AIDS many years ago, and has been cared for by his grandmother ever since. Mahima has managed to eke out a living for them by selling vegetables in the market, but the recent economic blockade in the State has made survival almost impossible. As prices of petrol skyrocketed and mobility was restricted, Mahima had no customers to buy her wares. The soaring prices of food meant that she could not afford to buy nutritious food like bananas and eggs which are so crucial for Devender, who is frequently ill and currently on Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART). 

Growing up in a conflict zone, children in the north-eastern state of Manipur are often deprived of their childhood; yet it is the children living with HIV who face the toughest struggles. In addition to coping with a life-threatening disease and the social stigmas attached to it, many children are deprived of the life-saving Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) due to curfews imposed, and the sporadic supply of medication to the hospitals and healthcare centres during conflicts.

Atindranath Das, Regional Director, CRY says, “The situation of children living with HIV is particularly disconcerting, since they are infected, and affected by circumstances and actions beyond their own doing. They are, in every sense, innocent victims of the epidemic.”

The absence of a social security system from both, the community and the state force many children living in families affected by HIV/AIDS to be caregiver and engage in economic activity to run the household. Janardhan studies in the 7th standard and lives with his mother Ritika, who is HIV positive and currently on ART.  A single mother, Ritika is often ill and weak, unable to carry out farming chores on a small piece of land which is the only source of income for the family.  As a result, Janardhan frequently misses school to help out his mother by working on the farm and doing the household chores. 

The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) in its Strategy and Implementation Plan 2006 states that the present responses on care given to children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS provide mere short-term benefits and do not cater to their best interests in terms of their right to health, protection, education and nutrition.

In order to effectively address the needs of children, both, infected and affected by HIV, CRY recommends three basic actions: 

(i) Since ART is proven to suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of the HIV disease, the government should make ART freely available and accessible, specially in paediatric doses, preferably at the community level through functioning Primary Healthcare Centres.

(ii Create and enable special corridors for supply of life-saving drugs including ART so that frequent blockades do not take a toll on children living with HIV.

(iii) To combat and end the life-threatening degree of stigmatization of HIV affected children, widespread community awareness programmes are needed, as well as peer-to-peer education, support groups and facilitated workshops.

(iv) CRY calls for the National bodies such as the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the respective Ministries to step in, to resolve the situation while keeping children’s needs at the top.

(v) The long-term conflict has resulted in unprecedented denial of the rights to health, survival and development for all children in Manipur, including the HIV positive children. The government should push for a permanent end to armed conflict that is one of the significant reasons behind poor access to healthcare. The extra judicial powers vested with the army needs to be thoroughly re-examined to ensure that children do not suffer from violence and trauma.

“Any HIV-specific programme must acknowledge and work with the extreme stressors that are a daily reality for children infected and affected with HIV/AIDS,” says Atindranath Das. “State authorities must invest in public facilities, infrastructure and rights-related services such as primary healthcare, provision of Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) for children and schooling. This approach needs to be prioritised above all other approaches to problem-solving in Manipur,” he adds.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/hiv-positive-children-are-devoid-of-assistances-cry-calls-for-support/

Disturbed area declared

IMPHAL, Nov 30: The Governor of Manipur has declared the entire region of the state… more »

IMPHAL, Nov 30: The Governor of Manipur has declared the entire region of the state excluding the Imphal Municipal area as “Disturbed Area” for a period of one year with effect from December 1.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/disturbed-area-declared/

ATDUM appeals

IMPHAL, Nov 30: All Tribal Disables` Union Manipur (ATDUM) has appealed to all concerned not… more »

IMPHAL, Nov 30: All Tribal Disables` Union Manipur (ATDUM) has appealed to all concerned not to call any bandh or general strike on December 3 which will be observed as “World Disabled Day” as per the UN Declaration made on October 14, 1992, stated a release.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/atdum-appeals/

Playground inaugurated

IMPHAL, November 30: A playground was inaugurated yesterday at Shangji village under Nungba a/c by… more »

IMPHAL, November 30: A playground was inaugurated yesterday at Shangji village under Nungba a/c by M Daniel, member ADC Tamenglong, 19-Dolang DCC.

The playground had been constructed under the aegis of the BRGF.

Speaking at the inaugural function, M Daniel alleged that the local MLA had failed to construct the playground earlier and as such the inauguration of the playground has been delayed.

He further stated that the local populace is witnessed that the local MLA has failed to start any developmental work in the region since 30 years.

He further informed that the roads of the area are in deplorable condition during rainy seasons and during other seasons, the road is filled with dust.

Meanwhile, village authority secretary in his address had appealed to the ADC member to extend the playground and make it a more standard ground; water supply, to make electricity supply better. The ADC member further assured the gathered public that he will fulfil all the demands during his five year tenure as member of ADC.

He further charged that the local MLA has failed to bring any development to the area and further added that even though everyone has been complaining against the MLAs of Imphal areas, they have been doing development works in their respective constituencies. 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/playground-inaugurated/

AR apprehends two UG cadres

IMPHAL, Nov 30: Discovering the movement of UG cadres in general area Yumnam Khunou of… more »

IMPHAL, Nov 30: Discovering the movement of UG cadres in general area Yumnam Khunou of Ukhrul district, troops of 23 Assam Rifles of 10 Sector under HQ IGAR(South) launched operation in the area and apprehended one each PREPAK and UNLF cadres on Nov 29. The apprehendees were identified as No 34813, batch no.34(2002), Thangjam Bashan Singh alias Mantrhriba, 23 yrs of PREPAK, s/o Tomal Singh of Yumnam Khunou Maiyai Leikai and No.9632, batch no.51 (2008), Thangjam Rajesh alias Inao Abung alias Sekmaichaoba alias Loungakpa Singh, 20 yrs of UNLF,  s/o Th Sarat Chandra Singh of Yumnam Khunao Makha Leikai. Both the apprehendees were handed over to Heigang Police station stated the released.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/ar-apprehends-two-ug-cadres/

Medical camp

IMPHAL, Nov 30: 27 Assam Rifles of 9 Sector HQ IGAR(S) will be organizing a… more »

IMPHAL, Nov 30: 27 Assam Rifles of 9 Sector HQ IGAR(S) will be organizing a mega medical, dental cum career counseling camp at Kakching Khunao High School in Thoubal District on Dec 4, 2011 for the benefit of the local communities of the area. The primary objective of the camp is to create awareness about the various diseases and their prevention.

The Medical team comprising of diverse specialists from various reputed hospitals will be providing assistance to the population. In addition to the medical and dental aid being provided, the highlights of the event are talks on career counseling for joining the Armed Forces, Assam Rifles Band Display, AIDS Awareness Campaign, Meet for Ex Servicemen and organizing of Immunization Programmes for children of different age groups. General Populace of the. area hereby informed to utilize the opportunity and make the event a grand success, stated the released.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/medical-camp/

State Taekwondo championship

IMPHAL, Nov 30: The medal winners of 27th State Level Taekwondo Championship held at Khuman… more »

IMPHAL, Nov 30: The medal winners of 27th State Level Taekwondo Championship held at Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium are listed as follows.

In sub-junior girls’ U-41 kg, O Khuman Leima of UTA clinched the gold medal while N Konica of CTIS bagged the silver medal. L Veroda of SAI-RC and N Nandita of NSA were the bronze medalists.

In sub-junior girls’ U-49 kg, T Bidyalaxmi of SAI-RC, Th Bicky of SAI-RC, S Abemacha of UTA and H Dolley of UTA bagged gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

In sub-junior girls’ U-57 kg, L Anita of SAI-RC, W Jamuna of SAI-RC, O Wangoleima of UTA and M Sachirani of UTA got gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

In junior girls’ U-52 kg, L Beby of UTA, Ch Shila of SAI-RC, Shek Hashina of PTA and K Elizabeth of SAI-RC bagged gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

In sub-junior boys’ U-23, A Willee of PTA, Th Robert of UTA, Y Beshworjit of CTA and K David of PTA secured gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

In sub-junior boys’ U-27 kg, L Naoboy of UTA, Th Benzamin of CTI, K Suraj of PTA and Ajmir Hussain of NSA clinched gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

In sub-junior boys’ U-35 kg, T Meleiba, Kh Rojen, N Bimolchand and S Limin Luwang secured gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

In sub-junior boys’ U-44 kg, Th Deepchand, A Braing Naoriya, W Anan and M Nandakumar bagged gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

In junior boys’ U-59 kg, S Romesh, Sh Sonal, K Romer and L Ningthem secured the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/state-taekwondo-championship/

Unseen Manipur

It is good news that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi would… more »

It is good news that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi would be visiting Manipur on December 3. Imphal is being done up ahead of their arrival. Besides the wooden railings constructed on the sides of the roads the visiting leaders would be travelling on, the medians are being freshly painted and potholes filled. Something else Imphal which has not seen for the past many decades is becoming a familiar sight too – these roads are actually being swept daily. For the duration of the visit we can also imagine power supply suddenly becoming regular in the Imphal area, traffic made orderly, smartly uniformed traffic policemen and women out on the streets to monitor vehicle movements… We will also not be surprised at all if thousands of green houseplants and flowers in neat flower vases appear overnight along the planter spaces on the medians of relevant roads, only to disappear no sooner than the VVIPs leave the state. This can hardly be referred to as a facelift for Imphal, for the term facelift has a sense of a degree of permanence about it. No this is instead a whitewash Imphal is receiving. The muck below the thin veneer of cheap lime paint would be remaining as they always have been, to ultimately show up again once the veneer wears off.

It is perfectly in place to do a house cleaning to welcome guests, much more so if the guest is somebody who holds the number one job in the country and another who has been listed among the most powerful women in the entire world. This is a way showing respect. Any state would have done it. However, in other states it would have been genuinely about cleaning up the place so that the VVIP guests feel at home and welcomed. The entire operation would have been merely about doing a little extra of what has always been a matter of routine governmental exercise. In the case of Manipur, over and above all this, the other apparent motive is to cover up evidences of lack of governance. Here potholes are allowed to remain and not mended before until expand uncontrolled to sometimes leave entire stretches of roads in total ruins. Likewise, school children learn of very obvious and universal road signs such as the “Zebra Crossing” in school text books only for they never get to see them in their own living environments of their cities and towns. The list of such glaring lacunas would be endless, and since these have become so widespread, everybody has learnt not to miss them, and in fact come to consider these absences as normal.

While as we said the current Imphal cleaning up activities are perfectly in place and necessary, we do hope this was accompanied by a little more open hearted honesty. We wish the visiting dignitaries were also taken along some of the eroding and crumbling, but all the same extremely important roads in Imphal. As for instance, it would have been in perfect honesty to take the VVIPs to the Lamphel area along the RIMS road. Nobody in the Imphal or the state would disagree that this is one of the most important roads in the city for along it are some of the most important health facilities, including the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, RIMS hospital. Everyday thousands rush along it, many of them in desperate emergencies of life and death situations, yet this road has been in totally atrophy for the past many years. They could have also been taken for a short ride along National Highway-53, the second lifeline of the state so that they can have a sense of what Manipur is living through. This is not about inviting humiliating scorns, but of letting the visiting VVIPs get to have a feel of life in the state and what a harsh reality this condition is. But we know we are wasting our words. In all likelihood, the visiting leaders would return to New Delhi impressed by all that they have seen, eager to agree this state is indeed a “little paradise” where the “gods took to dancing”. What probably would not have crossed their minds while the image of Manipur lasts for those few valuable hours in their memories before they fade amidst all their other engaging concerns, is that though they were in Manipur, they may not have seen Manipur at all.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/unseen-manipur/

`Getting to Zero`

By Victoria N Getting to zero would be disheartening if in case of results at… more »

By Victoria N
Getting to zero would be disheartening if in case of results at school or in college. Getting to zero as per the World AIDS Day theme for this year would however pose as a motivational factor for those aware of HIV/AIDS. This years’ theme of the three zeros namely, ‘Zero New Infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS related Death’ in its simplicity covers all aspects of HIV. In the state however, as much as the legislators may raise hue & cry over all the zeros, the fact remains that a new infection(s) is being made this very day while another person is discriminated socially and yet another is being cremated upon due to AIDS related death.

In the socio economic context of our state, the challenges of developing effective response to HIV/AIDS is immense Owing to our social setting, People living with HIV (PLHIV) are kept at safe distance like as if the person exhales spurious gas when around. The fear of getting ‘contaminated’, despite all the awareness programs raised by many organizations, government bodies and NGOs across the state is still not able to reach the public in masses as expected or hoped. A new infection is being made vis-à-vis mother to child, Intravenous Drug User (IDU), blood transfusion or through sexual methods this very moment globally. The effort of reaching out to the masses has helped only to a point when the society or family looks at HIV as something that is not taboo. A new infection can only be stopped through careful propagation of awareness and understanding HIV.

Medical practitioners and health professionals should be made aware of the legal and ethical issues regarding discrepancy for tests, refusal to treat somebody with HIV and even measures about guarding themselves against transmission due to their professions. In many clinics across the state, Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is not given to health professionals. It is disturbing to learn that some of them are not even aware of PEP despite working in a profession that puts them at high risk of getting infected.

It is a need of the hour to adhere to legal bindings around it to an extent that those who do not comply should be made to support a PLHIV in all aspects. Our society should begin by understanding that ‘Zero new infection’ can be achieved only if we are aware of HIV. By shutting ourselves from the so called ‘tabooed disease’ and not discussing it we are risking perhaps our own children from getting infected.

Given the states’ muddled setting of law & order amidst the JAC cultures and the endless climb in the social status, it is only natural why many new infections are being made by just being ignorant. If those sitting idly, or protesting against the many causes are being made aware of how HIV is transmitted and accept PLHIV just as they would accept anybody with a chronic illness, there would be lesser infections and in return lead to more acceptance socially. Many people tend to forget that society is formed by like minded people or groups.

From educational establishments, government departments to healthcare services, discrimination in the form of cautionary alienation to disturbing mental and emotional trauma exists. It is a fact that even though healthcare professionals are ready to treat patients with HIV with their newer knowledge and methodologies, the discriminatory factor still exists. Taking into account the plight of a mother whose son was refused treatment when admitted for jaundice at a local hospital because he was HIV+, it was disheartening to learn that the hospital gave an excuse of being overbooked so as to prevent the boy from checking in since the doctors and nurses were afraid to attend to him. There may be many and worse cases than this and yet no action has been taken up against such establishments. If a child is denied admission in school, the school authorities should be booked, if a person is denied employment, the matter should be taken up, Likewise, if a hospital, medical professional denies treatment or if the facility doesn’t provide substantial precautionary methods such as PEP etc to its staff, the license should be revoked or fined. Many such legal bindings exist and had a case such as the aforesaid occurred in the western countries, it would have made headlines yet it is being overlooked here. More often than not, PLHA’s are often referred from one department to another. It is as if nobody wants to take responsibility or rather, the fear psychosis that plays the discriminatory role.

Recently, there was a case of the locality people spraying a crematorium with phenyl after a person who was HIV + had been cremated. Not only is such an incident insulting but also shows the lack of understanding of HIV in our society. It is indeed appalling that even during death, people discriminate.

After the decades of HIV identification and sensitization, it is high time that we use the varying degree of knowledge available and tackle with targeting multidisciplinary approach by providing knowledge with training, workshop and creating professionals/social models to interact. Reducing its spread requires behavior change by both the infected and the uninfected. Such change cannot happen without a paradigm shift in the values and attitudes that shape individual and cultural behavior, enabling communities to openly address taboo issues around sexuality, social inequality and HIV/AIDS.

It is about time we rose to the cause, our own cause of preventing further spread by understanding HIV and ‘Getting to Zero’.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/getting-to-zero/

Fractured Democracy

By Seram Rojesh Irom Sharmila, 39 year old woman of Manipur has completing her 11th… more »

By Seram Rojesh
Irom Sharmila, 39 year old woman of Manipur has completing her 11th year of her hunger strike on 4th November 2011. She has been fasting to repeal the Armed Forces Special Power act 1958(AFSPA 1958). Against this act, 12 mother of Manipur had challenged the government of India by showing their body without any clothes in public on 15 July 2004. A student’sleader PabemChitaranjan self-emulated himself on the independence day of India, 15 August 2004 to strengthen the movement against AFSPA and the rule by Delhi as he considered “Indian Colonial rule”. People from other state in the region, Nagaland, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir have been strongly opposing this Act. Now, manypeople who believe in democracy in India and around the world have also joined the movement to repeal an undemocratic, draconian and most dangerous act of the world.

One can say, it is only after Anna fast and the India Against Corruption agitation, the issue of AFSPA and Iromsharmila’s fast became part of the public discourse in India. This entire 53 years struggle against this act is quite enough to throw it from India, but the kind of an “exclusive and aggressive nationalism” and its neo-colonial politics by the dominant and majoritarian political class in India, this act is still disturbing, torturing, oppressing, subjugating people living within the territory in India under “Disturb Area”. In fact, one can say that the Indian State is disturbing the life of the people in both sides for those who are receiving AFSPA and also performing AFSPA particularly the personals of Indian armed forces for those who have joined to the armed forces as supposed to protect the citizens residing within the territory from the external aggression and war from any foreign countries. Because of the impunity and enormous power given by the Indian state to the armed forces in the disturbed area, many of them are forced to commit a crime against the people, women, men and children. Many of them become a killer, rapist, molester in the disturbed area. It is mainly because the armed forces in the disturbed area are made above the law of the country, India. It is because of the legal protection of the Indian armed forces are enjoying in disturbed area. The rapist Army Jawans who raped ThangjamManorama in the early morning of 11 July are still free and they are in service with their uniform on the ground. Section 6 of the AFSPA say, “No prosecution suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted, except with the previous sanction of the central Government in respect of anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.” There has not been a single case that Government of India had given“sanction” to a particular case it was demanded in the case of Manipur.On the issue of punishment to the rapist Army in the case of Manorama rape and killed in custody of the Indian armed forces in Manipur, the Home Minister of India, in 2004, Mr. Sivaraj Patel said that “if they are punished than the moral of our armed forces would go down. They are fighting a war from a very far mile ago”. 7 years is passing through since 2004, none of Indian armed forces who were responsible of 11 July have not been punished. So, it is not in a case that some black ship military personals rape women in Manipur or Kashmir or in any other disturb areas. It is the state itself raping, torturing, killing hundreds of thousands of women, men like Manorama. It is the kind of “Indian Nationalism” is raping women in disturbed area. All this criminal acts are done under the name of “Bharat Mataki Jai”. Time has come to be engaged critically to this kind of nationalism in India.The armed forces personals are also victims of “this nationalism”. In the process many of the armed forces personals had been transformed into a killer, rapist, all kinds of criminals in the disturb area where they are made above the law. It is because of the kind of enormous power and legal protection they are provided. When these armed forces came out from the disturb area like Manipur, Kashmir & Nagaland to the other non-disturb area, state and metropolitan cities of India like in Delhi, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Utter Pradesh  or any other places, they can’t even talk to public decently not imagining to rape and torture in uniform. They have no power to do so as they are given in disturb areas. One can recalled an incident in Delhi that an armed forces personal who was part of the security group of the President of India was punished and put him into the jail after he was found for raping a woman in Delhi.

IromSharmila started her fast formally on 5th November 2000 after she saw 10 dead bodies killed byMalom massacre on 2nd Nov. 2000. 10 civilian were gun down by ISF. Among the 10 civilians, one woman was 60 years old and 54 years man who was also a Manipur government employee. Onechildwas the child bravery awardee under 19 years awarded by Persident of India. They were waiting a bus at the Mallom bus stop. They were all gun down by the jawans after they found one bomb wire from 100km away of that bus stop. Jawan have sent a message through the 10 dead bodies to those who planed and put wire to that area as if anyone planed anything which might hurt to them than they would kill the people whenever they found people anywhere. None of the armed forces personal who killed 10 civilian has not been punished in the last 11 years. Iromsharmila is still fasting. She is not only asking particularly to punish the killer armed forces because she knew that until and unless AFSPA is not repealed, Indian Armed forces could not be punished. AFSPA section 4(a) allows shooting to kill people on the mere suspicion, on the basis of the decision of the armed forces. Under this impunity, 14 killed on 18 June 2001, 12 killed at Tabungkhok, Tamenglong in 2000, 9 killed at RMC hospital in 1996, 15 killed in Oinam village operation at Senapati in 1987,13 killed at Heirangoithong in 1984 and many more, not ending the list and many more will be killed in future. If this act AFSPA continues to operate, it will continue to witness the endless massacres. More than 20000 people have been killed in the last 53 years of AFSPA regime in Manipur.

One of the many dangerous part of this act is the power of the executive has in the Distured area. The armed forces have both the executive and judiciary power in the disturb area. They have both the power to arrest and prosecute the people. The institution of judiciary is dismantled in the territory of AFSPA regime in India.There is no institution of Judiciary under AFSPA.

The institution of Judiciary is themselves the Armed Forces. All the basic fundamental rights of being a citizenship provided by the constitution of India are suspended in the AFSPA regime. You can’t imagine a democratic state and society without the functioning of a powerful institution of judiciary. Interestingly, general people in India still claim that India a “largest democratic country” in the world even though these people believe in AFSPA a way of governance for a section of a certain population within the territory of India . One can say that the constitution of India is not applicable in disturb areas. AFSPA is another face of the constitution of India. Manipur, Nagaland, Jammu& Kashmir and any other disturb area is now under the “state of exception”. The well-knownacademician Mr. George Agamben argues in his book that the state of exception is not making a new law but simply the suspension of the constitution for specific reasons.

It is argued by the state and ruling class of India that AFSPA is necessary because of the situation in Manipur or in J&K or any other in disturb area. It is said that if the situation is good than there is no need of AFSPA application. George Agamben clearly said that the discourse of necessary is nothing but the justification of the state of exception.

The very institution of “Army” of a nation is made for war and instituted to defend the country from external aggression from enemy territory or to deal with enemy. It has no place and role in the civilian population, within a territory if the civilian populations are not subjected as “enemy” of the country. After the Dantewada incident anattack by Maoist and killed 76 CRPF personals, the idea of enemy of Indian state became very clear. The Chief of Army and all the political parties in India saying that Indian armed forces can’t be deployed in the central India because it would create more problem rather that solving the problem. Army can’t be deployed to deal with “people of own country”. The same Chief of the Army and all the political parties are saying a different language that without the army and power of AFSPA, it couldn’t rule the people of Manipur, North East India and J&K. The discourse of “our own people and can’t deploy Army never comes” to the discourse of Manipur or Nagaland even though they are living within the territory of India. Practically, it shows that people of Manipur and all the disturb area are considered as the enemy territory within the territory of India. People are enemy of the country that is why they have to be dealt and deployed by the Indian Army and Para-Military forces.

AFSPA is a symbol of fractured democracy in India. It is a manifestation of emerging supper power neo-colonial state of India.  One can understand that Indian state is under undeclared war against the population within this territory of India be it Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir or any other territories who lives under disturbed area.

Repealing AFSPA means ending this undeclared war by the Indian state to people of Manipur and all the disturb areas. It means in once senses giving full citizenship rights to the population of disturb area. It means to end the nature of neo- colonial state of India. It means to integrate the population of disturb area into a more democratic political system if not fully in India. It does mean transforming Indian state from a nature of neo-colonial state to a more democratic state. It does mean applying one rule of law in India. It means fully application of constitution of India in every part of present territory. It does mean not restricting the application of so called democratic practices at least up to West-Bengal, Delhi and Tamil Nadu etc. It does mean the transformation of today’s fractured democracy of India into a more little Democratic India. Most importantly it does mean a big relief for the people who have been living under military occupation in the name of AFSPA in the territories of so called “disturbed areas” and beginning a new life.

Seram Rojesh,
Doing PhD, Delhi School of Economics,
Department of Sociology, University of Delhi

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/fractured-democracy/

Unseen Manipur – KanglaOnline

IBNLive.comUnseen ManipurKanglaOnlineIt is good news that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi would be visiting Manipur on December 3. Imphal is being done up ahead of their arrival. Besides the wooden railings constructed…


IBNLive.com

Unseen Manipur
KanglaOnline
It is good news that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi would be visiting Manipur on December 3. Imphal is being done up ahead of their arrival. Besides the wooden railings constructed on the sides of the roads the
Three-day shutdown call cripples normal life in ManipurNewstrack India
For 20 Rupees, He Paid With His LifeWall Street Journal (blog)
Blast rocks Manipur ahead of PM's visitDeccan Herald
E-Pao.net –Assam Tribune
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Read more / Original news source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNExteLJv_ep-pOvxJiyUN6MLtlxZw&url=http://kanglaonline.com/2011/11/unseen-manipur/

Govt to proposed PM to announced state as `Sports High-tech city`: DD Thaisii – KanglaOnline

Govt to proposed PM to announced state as `Sports High-tech city`: DD ThaisiiKanglaOnlineThe state has been able to absorbed 119 players in recognition of their achievements in various sporting events bringing laurel to the state, stated Chief Minister…

Govt to proposed PM to announced state as `Sports High-tech city`: DD Thaisii
KanglaOnline
The state has been able to absorbed 119 players in recognition of their achievements in various sporting events bringing laurel to the state, stated Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh while inaugurating the newly constructed Manipur Olympic Bhawan at Khuman
Manipur to extend Disturbed Area Status till 2012I Government

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Ten days of tourism extravaganza ends with a blast – KanglaOnline

Ten days of tourism extravaganza ends with a blastKanglaOnline“Nothing can stop the people of Manipur from going forward, God above is there to protect us all” the Governor announced. The Governor further announced that everyone is sons and daughte…

Ten days of tourism extravaganza ends with a blast
KanglaOnline
“Nothing can stop the people of Manipur from going forward, God above is there to protect us all” the Governor announced. The Governor further announced that everyone is sons and daughters of Manipur, and further appealed to all to live together as
'Sangai' Festival hiccupMorungExpress

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Bomb Blast in front of Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival Main Gate :: November … – E-Pao.net

Bomb Blast in front of Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival Main Gate :: November …E-Pao.netOther than the main actors on the stage of terror, an ineffective police force plus an indifferent public provides just the right climate for terrorism to flourish…

Bomb Blast in front of Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival Main Gate :: November
E-Pao.net
Other than the main actors on the stage of terror, an ineffective police force plus an indifferent public provides just the right climate for terrorism to flourish and the situation in Manipur today is just ripe for these terror elements to bloom.

Read more / Original news source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHZxIQw-Zdle-SKG5JJocLF7TZAjA&url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Blast_outside_festival_venue_Nothing_short_of_terrorism_TSE_20111201&ch=news_section&sub1=editorial&sub2=editorial_2011