Manipur Mail – Page 48

Fourth Spices Park in Guna

M. Jacob Abraham ,Deputy Director, PIB, Thiruvananthapuram.
The new spices park set up by Spices Board was commissioned in Guna, Madhya Pradesh. The new park is expected to make a clear impact on the production and processing of seed spices in nearby 11 districts covering the States of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Union Minister of State for Power, Sri Jyotiraditya M Scinida inaugurated the park on March 16, 2013, set up in the village of Mavan in Guna which will cater to thousands of seed spices farmers in the districts of Guna, Ashok Nagar, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Rajgarh, Neemuch, Shivapuri, Morena, Sheopur in the State of Madhya Pradesh and Jhalawar and Baran districts of Rajasthan.
The Guna Park with an investment of Rs. 45 crore is the fourth in the series of Spices Parks set up by Spices Board in various spice growing regions in the country. Spice Board of India has taken steps to establish spices parks at seven locations in the country to provide scientific infrastructure facilities in order to empower the growers of spices and ensure better price realization. Three of such parks are already functioning in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, Puttady, Kerala and Jodhpur Rajasthan. The park is expected to bring in prosperity to Guna and the nearby hundreds of villages where seed spices are grown.
The Spices Park at Guna will ensure that the benefit generating from the park is well distributed among the farmers, processors and other end users as well. There will be backward linkage connecting the processing centre with the farmers to strenghten the total value chain. The farmers after harvesting their raw produce can either store at the park for a very affordable rent or they can sell the produce directly to the spice processors located within the park. The middlemen will have minimum involvement ultimately benefiting farmers in the form of fair price realization. The processors will be assured of supply of good quality raw produce for further processing and value addition.
Thus the park will provide a valuable link with the farmers and will encourage them to increase area under cultivation as well as to strive more for achieving higher productivity.
The common infrastructure facilities include networks of wide roads, uninterrupted power and water, sewerage and drainage network, fire fighting system, weighing bridge, truck terminal, park administrative office, guest house, restaurant, meeting hall, bank counter besides ample opportunities and space for warehousing. Processing facilities include fill line processing for seed spices.
The projects on Spices park are primarily intended to benefit the growing community through quality improvement, grading, packing, warehousing, etc for value addition which would lead to better price realization of their produce. The exporters can also set up their unit in the Parks for processing spices under the terms and conditions of the Board.
The Spices Parks are defined as industrial parks for processing and value addition of spices and spice products which offers the processing facilities at par with international standards.
The regional crop specific spices park is a well-conceived approach to have an integrated operation for cultivation, post harvesting, processing for value addition, packaging, storage and exports of spices and spice products by meeting the quality specifications of the consuming countries.
The basic objective of the concept is to provide common infrastructure facilities for both post harvest and processing operations of spices and spice products, which also aims at backward integration by providing rural employment. All the Spices Parks will have processing facilities at par with international standards in which the products undergo cleaning, grading, sorting, grinding, packing, warehousing etc. Apart from the above facilities, the Board will develop the common infrastructure facilities like roads, water supply system, power stations, fire fighting and control systems, weighing bridges, effluent treatment plants, quality lab for checking basic parameters, bank and post office counters, restaurant, business centres, guest house etc.
Establishment of spices park in the country is a major initiative of the Government as part of its commitment that any growth in the country should be more of agriculture-specific and pro-farmers. The spices park will ensure a better pricing for the products by shortening the channels in the supply chain system currently followed locally. The facilities available in the spices park can be utilized by the farming community for primary processing for improving the quality of their product and thereby they can directly sell to the exporters. Spices park will help render educative services to the farming and trading community. It provides training programmes on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), post harvesting operations, advanced processing practices and global food safety and quality standards and issues etc.
(PIB Features.)
With inputs from Spices Board, Kochi, under Ministry of Commerce.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/fourth-spices-park-in-guna/

CPI lambasts police for involvement in drug case

IMPHAL, April 29 NNN: Communist Party of India (CPI) Manipur state unit Monday lashed out at Manipur Police whose 11 personnel including two officer rank were caught for carrying banned drugs yesterday.
Dr M Nara, secretary, CPI Manipur state unit while addressing the media at Irawat Bhavan here, said the faith of the public will lose if the state police continue to involve in such drug trafficking cases.
The CPI leader alleged that repeated involvement of security personnel in drug smuggling cases clearly indicates the state Government’s administrative mechanism has completely failed.
He demanded that the identities of the 11 Manipur police personnel are uncovered both by the Government and the police department to make them public.
A team of Thoubal police commandos held the 11 police personnel while carrying illicit drugs containing pseudoephedrine hydrochloride composition at Pallel in Chandel district, Manipur on April 28. They were reportedly transporting the drugs in two Maruti Gypsy vehicles. Dr Nara further talked on the issue of appointment of next Chief Secretary of Manipur, urging the Government to appoint the post on the basis of seniority as usual and warned of a possible communal feeling that might create out of the matter among different ethnic groups in the state.
Dr Nara also appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take action against parliamentary secretary (YAS) M Prithiviraj who contested in the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly elections 2012 on Congress ticket from 27 Moirang AC by submitting an erroneous affidavit to the Moirang Returning Officer claiming that he passed MBA from Mysore University in 2003-04.“Prithiviraj can be sentenced to six-month jail term under People’s Representative Act, 1951 of Article 125 (A) of the Constitution for his act of fraudulent,” Dr Nara pointed out.
The Manipur People’s Party (MPP) today heavily came down against Manipur Police Department accusing it of involving in crimes that have not seen or heard in other states of the country.
In spite of being a law enforcing agency, Manipur Police personnel are now involved in a range of crimes such as rape, abduction for ransom, illegal sale of weapons and searching of illegal arm dealers, MPP advisor O Joy accused. He was addressing the media at the party’s office here.
He said it is really praiseworthy that the a team of Thoubal District Police commandos held 11 state police personnel including two officer ranks for carrying illicit drugs in two Gypsies at Pallel in Chandel district of Manipur yesterday.
“This incident has spoiled the sanctity of dutiful police personnel. We have also evidenced that we must not live in a police raj state like ours,” Joy said.
He said everyone is well aware of the fact that top police brass own properties that are not commensurate with their income. “The police have turned out to be the treacherous machinery of the state Government.”
Several persons had been held in different drug trafficking related cases in the state but the people have not seen a single person awarding punishment till date, he said.
He further alleged that there are employees in the Government Departments who cannot move a single office file if they do not take such psychotropic drugs every day and that even some ministers also do the same.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cpi-lambasts-police-for-involvement-in-drug-case/

UNLF claim attack of IED on AR

Imphal Apr 29 MNS UNA: The United National Liberation Front (UNLF) Monday owned up the IED attack on troops of Assam Rifles yesterday (Sunday) in Imphal East district that inflicted injuries to two personnel of the central security force including a subedar.
A subedar was among two personnel of the Assam Rifles who sustained injuries when IEDs planted by insurgents in Manipur exploded in series in Imphal East district.
The IEDs planted near a culvert at Ngariyan village under Yairipok police station of Imphal East district were triggered yesterday around 5.30 pm.
The injured personnel were identified as Subedar Anand Pandey (55) of Uttarakhand and Md Jakir Hussain (36) of Tripura. Jakir Hussain is the driver of ill-fated Gypsy which the Assam Rifles troopers were travelling. The personnel belong to 40 Assam Rifles.
Three IEDs were triggered in series when the convoy of the Assam Rifles was crossing the culvert and hit to the Gypsy vehicle moving in the front. Even though injuries were inflicted to the two personnel no much damaged was caused to the vehicle they were traveling, police said.
The injured personnel were shifted to RIMS hospital, Imphal after administering first aid at a community health centre at Yairipok.
A statement of the UNLF signed by its senior publicity officer Ksh Yoheiba dispatched today claimed that the attack was performed by demolition team of its armed wing “Manipur People Army (MPA). The three IEDs were triggered using remote control devices, it said.
Asserting that its demolition team has been spreading in both hills and valley areas of the state to carry out attacked, the state cautioned the people to stay away from Central security forces.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/unlf-claim-attack-of-ied-on-ar/

Eleven police personnel remanded to police custody till May 6 : Drug case

Imphal, April 27MNS NNN :All the eleven Manipur police commando personnel were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Thoubal district, Manipur at 3 pm today. They are now remanded to police custody till May 6.
The eleven Manipur police commando personnel were caught carrying the banned drugs worth over Rs 3 crore towards Myanmar on Sunday morning.
According to the Thoubal district police, two Maruti Gypsy vehicles of Manipur police department were heading towards the Indo-Myanmar township Moreh on Sunday morning at around 6 am. The occupants of the vehicles were in police uniform. Out of suspicion, the Thoubal district police team manning the ‘Pallel police station new building gate’ stopped them and checked the two vehicles. One of the vehicles bears the registration number MN-01-X-3392 was occupied by police sub-inspector (S.I) identified as one Beishamayum Debson Singh and six others including the driver and the other vehicle did not have register number and was occupied by five other police personnel.
The first vehicle was carrying a white gunny bag inscribed with a tag ‘Golden Singha’ containing 4680 strips of Pseudoephedrine tablets (each strip has ten tablets).
The second vehicle was carrying two air-bags. In one of the bags 5880 strips of Pseudoephedrine were found which was labelled with ‘Scope’ and ‘Indiana’. In the second bag, 35 packets of Pseudoephedrine were found.
According to the police, sub-inspector B Debson was serving in the Imphal East district but recently he was posted at Moreh town.
The drugs in the international market will worth Rs 3, 64, 02, 000.
On being interogated, sub-inspector B Debson said the materials were handed over to them at Khongjom Patpal Lamkhai (Imphal-Moreh road) at around 5 am by one Md Ali, s/o Md Kasim of Lilong (Thoubal district) to be delivered to one of the associates of Md Ali.
Yesterday’s incident came amid hue and cry against the drug trafficking by security force personnel was witnessed in Manipur after one of the biggest drug seizures in Manipur, six persons, including Defence PRO Col Ajay Chowdhry were arrested by Manipur police while carrying pseudoephedrine drugs valued at an estimated Rs 24 crore at Pallel in Manipur’s Chandel district on February 24.
The police in the follow up action later arrested Seikholet Haokip, son of former Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly, TN Haokip in connection with the pallel drug seizure.
The drugs were meant to smuggle into neighbouring Mynamar, police reports had said.
The police personnel were identified as SI Beisamayum Debson, of Imphal East commando unit presently posting at the Moreh police commando, Jamandar H Premananda of 1st IRB, attached to Thoubal Police Commando and presently posted at Moreh, constable N Priyokumar, constable S Opendrajit, constable Ph Bijendro Singh, constable Th Pouthang, constable Henik, constable Ng Premjit, constable N Sukumar and constable S Ranbir.

We need men with vision

Man with vision is the need of the hour. The men with vision will be able to do a lot for the society. There is a saying those, who think more do more. If such men with mission join voluntary organisation the body led by them always grow like the banyan tree. Such men must try luck in electoral politics also because if they win they will think of transforming their dream into a reality. Former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao long before he tried luck in electoral politics was the chairman of a local bank in Andhra Pradesh. The bank under his care had coffer filled with money. What method did he apply none knew it. Similarly when he became Prime Minister of India the face of the country was changed. India became one of the richest nations in the world. Those, who are thinking of becoming public servant must ask themselves what they have in mind and how they plan to bring a change to the state. The question is addressed to all the social organisation leaders. Can they do something to change the colour of the society? Surely leaders of the organisations might be feeling handicapped even in taking decision. They might be facing challenge even from their friends in the organisation in taking decision. But if you are a true leader you will be able to face the challenge bravely and boldly. You must relentlessly carry out the task. Only then a leader will start getting help and support from those around him. Because men, who keep commitment, who have shown willingness for doing something are on demand. If you see an organisation crumbling unable to survive the blame must go to the leaders of the organisation. They might not have been sincerely doing their duty. They might have misused the little fund of the organisation. They might be lazy men, who derive pleasure on seeing others doing the work of the organisation while they sit on chair. Leaders of organisation should be prepared to sweep the floor of the office of the organisation if the situation demands. In Manipur these days even the top leaders, who had once served the state at different level are rejected by voters if they refuse to inspect nullah and roads passing through different areas of the constituency represented by them. Why does an MLA lose in the election when it is held after the term is over? Voters want to be together with their leaders for all the time. But the elected representatives change their nature all of sudden and they forget the promise and commitment made to the voters. Do not forget common men expect lots from their leaders.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/we-need-men-with-vision/

Guinness record holder dies while performing stunt

A performer of stunts, who had entered the Guinness Book of World Records last year, has died of a heart attack while performing a stunt over the Teesta River in West Bengal’s Siliguri District.
Sailen Nath Roy, 45, died while performing a rope stunt over Teesta River at Sevoke.
Roy was crossing the turbulent river by hanging from a pulley tied to his ponytail. He died when his pulley got stuck and prevented him from moving freely.
Spectators helplessly watched him dying as he hung mid-air from the rope unable to move, the police said on Sunday.
There were no safety measures in place. Roy was later pulled ashore by the onlookers, where doctors declared him dead of cardiac arrest.
Roy, a police driver, was a resident of Milan Pally. He entered the Guinness Book of World Records by pulling the heritage Darjeeling Himalayan toy train in September 2012.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/guinness-record-holder-dies-while-performing-stunt/

Manipuri language

A language cannot die. We must not allow Manipuri language to die. At the border areas by speaking Manipuri language business is conducted. This is lingua franca of Manipur. In some districts some persons, minuscule in number, deliberately avoid use of Manipuri language in conducting meeting and also while rendering speeches. But if you hear the speeches made by such persons you will find the English language used by them really funny. The listeners most of them illiterate or half educated remain at yawning without knowing all that was being spoken to them. English is international language, who will not like to master this language. Those who have thorough knowledge of this language are in demand all over the world. But if one speaks English or Hindi among the crowd, who do not know anything more than Manipuri the speech does not serve any purpose. One must feel the delightment of learning even a dialect. Every language has it precinct beauty. Nothing should be done to block development of a language. Hindrances stand in the way of speedy development of Manipuri language. Though Manipuri was included in the 8th schedule of the constitution of India two and half decades back it is not getting the kind of facilities the other scheduled languages have got. Now realisation has dawned. Every single child born in Manipur has to take up Manipuri as a subject. The earlier system of class IX students opting alternative English has been done away. In the UPSC conducted examination a Manipuri can try on Manipuri paper. Lots of work needs to be done for speedy development of Manipuri. Writers can be encouraged to write more books be it fiction or biography. It is really amazing why our writers do not feel the need for writing biographies of big personalities. A biography on noted Manipuri politician or famous artistes will be sold like hot cake. Who will not like to read the biography of noted comedian Oinam Babu. Likewise who will not like to read the biography of seasoned politician Rishang Keishing. How he spent his childhood and teen ager period. That will be interesting to read. Such biography will throw light how a successful man struggles in the early period of life. After reading his story youngsters will think of imitating him. That will help bring a change to the society. Unfortunately none comes out to write such biography. If the concerned authority sanctions money for writing biographies of noted personalities some writers will surely come out. We measure the richness of a language according to its properties. We must have lots of books. The state Government as it introduces awards for literary figures it must also think of giving more financial assistance to the writers. Because when they write the language will be enriched.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/manipuri-language/

Family says Sarabjit critical, want him shifted to India for further treatment

Lahore, April 28 (ANI): Family members of comatose Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh have visited him at Lahore’s government-run Jinnah Hospital, and are reportedly demanding that he be shifted to India for further treatment as he is in a very critical state.
They claimed that they had doubts about the kind of treatment doctors at Jinnah Hospital were providing to him almost 48 hours after he was brutally assaulted and grievously injured in the chest and torso by six Pakistani prisoners inside the city’s Kot Lakhpat Jail.
“We have learnt that Sarabjit is not getting good treatment in Jinnah Hospital. It will be better if my husband is allowed to go back for treatment,” said Sarabjit’s wife, Sukhpreet Kaur, to reporters after entering Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah land border crossing.
Sukhpreet arrived in Pakistan this afternoon along with her daughters, Swapandeep and Poonam and Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur. They were granted visas by the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi yesterday to visit Sarabjit.
Sarabjit’s counsel Awais Shiekh and members of civil society groups received them at Wagah.
Sukhpreet said saving Sarbajit’s life was the most important issue for her family.
She said the Pakistan Government should take action against those who attacked her husband and give them exemplary punishment as the incident had defamed the country.
Television channels in India are saying that intelligence reports have confirmed that terror modules like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Pakistan Taliban were behind the attack on Sarabjit. This, however, is yet to be officially confirmed.
Dalbir Kaur, sarabjit’s sister, said she and other members of her family were visiting the country in sad circumstances.

Kuki bodies condemn bomb attack at minister’s residence

Imphal Apr 28 UNA : The failed bomb attack at the residence of state IFCD minister on April 26 last was strongly condemned by Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and Kuki Students’ Organisation (GHQ).
In a joint statement signed by information and publicity secretary DM Touthang of KIM said “Kukis are generally peace loving citizens” and the two bodies of the Kuki tribe stand for non-communal peaceful co-existence and the justice for all termed the bomb attacked incidence as very unfortunate and the anti-social activity since the attacked is due to wanton/monetary demand or the otherwise.
The statement further appealed to all, particularly to the perpetrator, not to resorts to such terrorist activity/crimes in a public places and the targeting the life of public leader due to wanton/monetary demand as it is against humanity and only creating enmity and disparity among the community which further leading to the loose of irreparable lives/assets in the society and the state as a whole.
On April 26 evening, suspected militants launched a hand grenade attacked at the government allotted quarter of state IFCD minister Ngamthang Haokip. The unexploded bomb was later defused safely and disposed off later by personnel of the state police bomb detection and disposal squad on the same day.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/kuki-bodies-condemn-bomb-attack-at-ministers-residence/

500 pigs die of swine fever in Mizoram

AIZAWL, April 28 NNN : Over 500 pigs have died in Mizoram due to swine fever in the last two months.
According to report from Animal Husbandary and Veterinary department officials, the number of pigs died due to the endemic “Classical Swine Fever” has crossed 500 mark since the month of March.
Officials said, the endemic swine fever caused the death of as many as 465 pigs in Aizawl district alone, while another 11,163 pigs are reported to have been infected with the disease. More than 200 piglets of the New Land Use Policy (NLUP) beneficiaries also had died due to the disease.
The officials however expressed optimism that the ‘Classical Swine Fever’ will be contained soon.
The AH & Vety officials also informed that besides ‘Classical Swine Fever’ another disease is known to be spreading in the neighbouring Burma which is called PRRS (Parcine Respiratory & Reproductive Syndrome), and the same is suspected of spreading in Mizoram too as some of the infected pigs have the symptom of PRRS. However, it is not yet ascertained, as the officials informed that that test is being conducted at Selesih Veterinary College after which they will send the samples to a laboratory in Bhopal for confirmation.
Meanwhile, consumption of pork in Mizoram and Manipur have become less following the outbreak of swine fever.
Imports of pigs from Myanmar to Mizoram has been restricted following the outbreak of the swine flu.
Restriction on selling of ‘affected pork’ by the administration continues in the state capital Aizawl for the past one month and this restriction will continue till May end.
Owing to the spreading of flu among the pigs in Aizawl area in the past one month which has been proved to be ‘Classical Swine Fever’, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Aizawl Sadar Sub Division, Aizawl here has been imposing certain restrictions regarding selling of pork in the market and related activities.
As the news of the spread of pig flu spread, the denizens of Aizawl have started avoiding their delicacy. The sales of pork also dropped rapidly. Chicken and beef have been substituting the menu in marriage feasting these days.
As reported earlier, taking advantage of the situation, the dealers have hiked the price of chicken. Prior to the detection of the swine flu chicken (dressed) was sold at Rs 180 per kilogram but these days it has risen to Rs 250 or more a kilogram in Aizawl.
The ‘Classical Swine Fever’ was detected after examination at Laboratory of College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry in Selesih last month.
Following the detection, vaccine is being administered free of cost to uninfected pigs for prevention of further spread of the disease.
However, butchers shall have to possess Acknowledgement from Local Council/Village Council and Vety Director, along with certificate on the health of their pigs. In case of any death of pig due to swine fever, the owners are to bury immediately with the acknowledgement of their respective Local Council/Village Council.
The restriction is being made following the direction of Director of AH & Vety Deptt. vide No. D. 30017/1/99-DTE (AH&Vety) on March 22.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Aizawl Sadar Sub Division, Aizawl has imposed the restriction in exercise of his power under Section 144(4) of G.P.C. (Act II of 1973).
The restriction will be effective during two months from the date of notification, within which any violator of the restriction shall be punished as per the above-mentioned law.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/500-pigs-die-of-swine-fever-in-mizoram/

Sehlon and AR reach agreement

Imphal, April 28 NNN : More than one year of being victimised on the murder case of an Assam Rifles canteen keeper, the Kuki villagers of Sehlon under Khengjoi block of Chandel district of Manipur in the Indo-Myanmar border got justice on Saturday.
On February 15 last year, one of the two persons manning the canteen of the 36 Assam Rifles under Khengjoi block was found murdered and on the canteen keepers heaped the blame on the villagers of Sehlon Kuki village. The personnel of 36 Assam Rifles pulled up the villagers and thrashed them black and blue including two pregnant women, according to the Sehlon villagers. Ten villagers were critically injured in the incident.
Mangat Ram, 42 years was found murdered. The victim hailed from Rajasthan. The other canteen keeper identified as one Gaendra Singh (18), also from Rajasthan, reported to the Assam Rifles that the villagers of Sehlon had murdered his colleague. Actually, Gaendra Singh had killed his colleague. After the fact was established, accused Gaendra Singh, s/o of Raghuvir Singh was arrested and now lodged in Imphal’s Sajiwa Jail.
One year had passed but the bad blood between the 36 Assam Rifles and the villagers of Sehlon persisted. On April 27, 2013, Kuki organisations and the 36 Assam Rifles authority formally resolved the matter by delivering justice to the villagers who had faced the ire of the Assam Rifles last year. It was resolved according to the Kuki customary law at Sehlon Village Community Hall on Saturday.
Ramakant Sharma, Commandant of the 36 Assam Rifles and three other officers represented the Assam Rifles side while Kuki Students Organisation-General Headquarters (KSO-GHQ) president Peter Mate, KSO-Chandel district president Thangjalet, Jamthong, chief of Sehlon, leaders of Kuki Chiefs Association (Khengjoi Block), KSO (Imphal), KSO (Khengjoi Block) and others represented the other side.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/sehlon-and-ar-reach-agreement/

Sharmila tells Manjoo she believes in non-violent protest

IMPHAL, April 28 MNS NNN: Fast-unto-death hunger striker Irom Sharmila who has been on fast for 13 years on the demand of withdrawal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 and EEVFAM today submitted memorandums to Rashida Manjoo, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (UNSRVAW).
Manjoo is currently in Imphal on a two day-visit to the state. She accepted an invitation sent on March 13 from the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN (CSCHR) requesting her to visit Manipur and the North East region during her mission to India.
Sharmila, who is also known as ‘Iron Lady,’ said in her representation to Manjoo that she believes in collective persistent efforts of a democratic and non-violent protest in a democratic country like ours.
She said that no law is a God sent. Every law is man-made. “We social beings make laws to govern the society in orderly manner,” the memorandum to the UNSRVAW mentioned.
At the same time, the Extrajudicial Execution Victims Families Association (EEVFAM) in a separate memorandum to Manjoo said families of most of the women victims in Manipur face critical livelihood challenges on daily basis, adding young widows with children face the additional burden of giving them proper education.
Against the backdrop of the present armed conflict situation in Manipur, these widows and mothers are just innocent victims of violence on the rebound and that it is most unfortunate that Manipur Government treats them as if they are ‘criminals’ and deprives them of any humanitarian entitlements on the allegation that the victims were terrorists/insurgents’ killed in fierce encounters, the memorandum said.
It said the truth behind the so-called fierce encounters has begun to unravel in the course of a joint petition submitted by EEVFAM and Human Rights Alert (HRA) to the Supreme Court of India in 2012.
A Supreme Court appointed inquiry commission headed by a former Judge of the apex court has conclusively stated in its report that the dead of seven persons in six cases referred to it were ‘innocent victims’ of extrajudicial killings in fake encounters, it added.
The six cases were chosen randomly by the Supreme Court from among 1528 documented cases submitted to it by the petitioners. The writ petition is listed for next hearing on July 1, 2013.
It also requested the Special Rapporteur to recognize that by generating a culture of impunity and immunity, the AFSPA is one of the overarching structural frameworks for violence against women in Manipur.
And, EEVFAM also requested Manjoo to recognize that the recently amended anti-rape law in India did not incorporate an important recommendation of Justice Verma Commission which clearly mentioned the withdrawal of immunity enjoyed under AFSPA by the armed forces personnel who are perpetrators of sexual assault and to treat them as ordinary criminals, saying it is a blatant discrimination, the memorandum added.

UN Special Rapporteur to present report of women’s problems

IMPHAL, April 28 MNS/NNN: Rashida Manjoo, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (UNSRVAW), held a consultative meeting with civil society organizations, women leaders, human rights defenders, victims and other advocates working on violence against women in Imphal on Sunday.
The meeting which was held at Hotel Classic was attended by over 200 delegates and family members of women victims of violence from all over the North East region and West Bengal. International organizations, national NGOs such as International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) and Child Rights and You (CRY) also attended the meeting, said a statement released by Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN (CSCHR).
Manjoo accepted an invitation sent on March 13 from the CSCHR to visit Manipur and the North East region during her mission.
Forty separate depositions were made in the meeting, the largest one convened by the UNSRVAW during her current mission to India. The meeting was moderated by Jarjum Ete, secretary, National Alliance of Women (NAWO) and former chairperson of the Arunachal Pradesh State Women’s Commission, the statement said.
It said the first ever formal visit of a distinguished official of the UN with a human rights mandate to the state of Manipur is an ‘historic occasion.’’ The UNSRVAW was formally welcomed by the convenor of CSCHR, Dr Laifungbam Debabrata Roy. In his welcome address, Roy said, “We place our highest confidence and trust in you today, as you convene this historic meeting in Imphal.”
“Yesterday, our people remembered the day, 123 years ago when the independent state of Manipur lost her sovereignty and the Union Jack was unfurled in the holy citadel and fortress of Kangla Pungmayol in Imphal on April 27, 1891. The sovereignty has never been regained till today. In this context, your historic visit is most significant for us in Manipur,” the UNSRVAW statement quoted Roy as saying.
Introducing her mandate and purpose of her visit to India, Manjoo said, “The death of a woman is not a new act, but the ultimate act in the continuum of violence in the life of the woman.”
Among the deponents was the mother of the late Thangjam Monorama. Breaking into tears during her testimony, she appealed for justice for her daughter, who was brutally tortured and raped by personnel of the Indian paramilitary force, Assam Rifles before she was killed and her dead body abandoned in a field.
“The UN Special Rapporteur openly wept with Thangjam Monorama’s mother,” the statement added.
Babaloo L, exe Director, HRA emphasized the significance of Manjoo’s visit and reiterated the lonely 13 years fast by Irom Chanu Sharmila demanding repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from Manipur.
The draconian law which confers wide impunity has no place in a democracy and it has been widely condemned, the statement cited Babaloo as saying.
Babaloo also said that many UN treaty body mechanisms and other Special Rapporteurs have called for its repeal and added Justice Verma Commission had also recently called for its repeal and accountability of the Indian armed forces personnel involved in rape and other forms of sexual assault, but these recommendations were ignored by the Government of India when it introduced the Criminal law (Amendment) Bill 2012 in Parliament.
Manjoo in her closing remarks said that it was not her mandate to comment on the depositions made before her, and that her report will be based on facts.
She also said that her opinions and conclusions as an independent expert were hers alone that these would not be changed or shaped by any influence whether from government or any others, the statement further added.
The UNSRVAW will be holding a national press conference in New Delhi on May 1 before she wraps up her mission.

Social ailment

There is nothing a man cannot do. Have a will the way will be found. This proverbial phrase is not touching the heart and mind of the young men. Because we have seen lots of young men moving aimlessly as if they have no future. Many of them are very talented. To be frank most of them are lazy men. They wait for someone to come to their help. Like the lazy men waiting for fruits to fall into their mouth by sleeping under the tree these useless youths expect family men to arrange everything for them. They want their parents to arrange even for passing the examination be it matriculation or higher secondary level. How can it be possible? Now crime against women is on the rise all over the country. Gory details of child being done to death after raping that appears almost daily in the newspapers leave a question mark. Who perpetrates such heinous crimes? Has anybody seriously attempted to understand the root cause of such crime? But ours is a conservative society, which does not allow anything foreign to infiltrate our culture. It happens the perpetrators of the crime against child are the ones known to the victim child. So the tormentors think of doing away with the evidence by killing the victim. Parents or guardians are advised to observe with whom their children are living. Surely the perpetrators of the crime are the dullards, who leisure away time. They sit together with friends familiar to them chatting all the time sitting on the roadside or at the secluded places. Parents are also advised to observe their sons. Their lazy sons will one day turn out to be the rapists. For, they continue to mix up with those, who do not want to study, who want to puff away time talking about ludicrous stories of women falling for handsome boys. How do we control useless boys wasting time without doing anything? Parents cannot ask them to go to hotels to wash utensils, nor can they be asked to devote to studies. Number of useless souls is rising daily. That is to be seen in every Leikai. They sit at the roadside and talk the ills of others only. We have heard local women saying they cannot pass through the roads abound with roadside Romeos. They know Roadside Romeos talk nothing about development of society. Their talk focuses on the ills of others only. A change must come. This can be achieved to some extent by clearing the roads and public places of chattering classes. The rumour spread by them is really disturbing. In their wildest thought they even establish sexual relationship between men of high standard with someone known to the families. The listeners take it as gospel truth and rumour machine churns out more stories. Something needs to be done to control the gathering of dullards to bring a change to the society.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/social-ailment/

Ex-servicemen rally at Senapati

Mail News Service
Imphal, April 27 : To fortify close association with ex-servicemen and to address their concerns, an ex-servicemen rally was organized by Red Shield Division, at Senapati district. Over 500 veterans from villages of Senapati and Tamenglong Districts participated in the rally.
The rally was inaugurated by Maj Gen KK Sinha, SM GOC Red Shield Division. Alexander Pao , MLA L Dhikho, MLA Devendro MLA attended the rally.
The GOC fondly recollected the glorious saga and history of courage exhibited by the personnel at various fronts of the Nation. He said that the gallant contribution for the cause of the nation, made by the personnel from the state of Manipur irrespective of the varied cultural diversity, is a glaring example of ethnic harmonization, worth emulating. He appreciated the veterans for having selflessly given the best of their years to the Nation. The General said that he is aware of the difficulties faced by the ex servicemen post retirement and urged that the civil administration must responsibly come forward to alleviate the problems faced by them. The GOC assured the veterans that all assistance will be provided and that their grievances will be suitably attended to.
Various agencies from the Army, Assam Rifles, Territorial Army, Zila Sainik Board, ECHS, SBI and State Government established stalls to render assistance and spread awareness on pension, health, education, banking and insurance to resolve the probelms of Ex-servicemen. Medical and dental assistance were rendered during the occasion. The veterans were also provided conveyance to bring them together to Senapati from far flung villages of Senapati and Tamenglong Districts.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ex-servicemen-rally-at-senapati/

State Award for literature conferred to Kshetri Bira

Mail News Service
Imphal, April 27 : Manipur State Award for Literature, 2012 was today conferred to Kshetri Bira for his work “Nangbu Ngaibada”. The award was handed over to Bira by Governor Gurbachan Jagat Singh during the Fifth Annual Award Distribution Ceremony of the Manipur State Award for Literature, 2012 organised by the Department of Education (S) at Kangla Hall, Kangla here on Saturday.
It carries a cash amount of Rs 200, 000 along with a plaque, a citation and a shawl.Governor addressing the function said , “Manipuri language, one of the 22 scheduled languages under the Constitution of India, with its own script is regarded as the most advanced of the Tibeto-Burmese languages spoken in India.
Though, some scholars contested the classification of Manipuri language as Tibeto-Burmese, most accepted the classification made in the Linguistic Survey of India conducted under the leadership of George Abraham Grierson of the ICS from 1894 to 1928. Incidentally, the LSI describes 364 languages and dialects, while the 1991 Census recorded 1576 mother tongues with separate grammatical structures.
In the fast changing global environment, with English becoming the international language, languages with lesser number of speakers are being wiped out and languages with more speakers are pushing out the smaller ones. It has been assessed that one language or dialect is becoming extinct every two weeks in the world. Hence, for a language with limited number of people speaking it, Manipuri and its sister dialects face tremendous challenges for its survival for posterity.
The richness of the Indian literature is mainly contributed by the works in the different Indian languages, many of which await translation to either English or other languages.
Hence, this richness is left unknown to those who do not know the particular native language. This is true for Manipuri literature also. During the last few decades, Manipuri literature has grown tremendously, with books on different genre available. However, this is almost unknown to the outside world. While appreciating the Department for its initiative in recognizing outstanding creative talent, I would venture to request that efforts need to be made for translating Manipuri works into English and other languages. This will enhance the popularity of the work and I believe, if this is done, many of our creative writers will become household names in both inside and outside India. This will also help in getting publishers for our creative writers who ultimately publish their own work as there is serious dearth of publishers. Manipuri literature as everyone of you is aware is very small, especially with the influence of TV which has taken the younger generation away from reading. Even though our creative writers are second to none, I am sad to mention that the number of creative writers who had got Padma Awards in literature and education from Manipur is still very less being only 8 and the last award was for the year 2000. This is mainly due to the fact that the richness of Manipuri literature is largely unknown to the outside world, though every year there is a Sahitya Akademi Award.
This is not only for the Manipuri language but also for the other tribal dialects. Only the State can provide the needed patronage in a systematic manner for the growth of any language.”

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/state-award-for-literature-conferred-to-kshetri-bira/

Rashida arrives to assess women issues in Manipur

IMPHAL, April 27 NNN: Rashida Manjoo who is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences arrived in Imphal on Saturday on a two-day visit to Manipur. Her visit to the state aims to amass information on violence against women.
She arrived at Imphal Tulihal Airport at 1: 30 pm. Manjoo was accorded a warm welcome by leaders of different NGOs from the North East states, including that of West Bengal, Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN (CSCHR) and several victims.
Shortly after her arrival, Manjoo met with top officials of Home Department and discussed on crimes against women and child in the state of Manipur, official sources said.
She is now staying at Hotel Classic, Imphal. The visiting UN Special Rapporteur will interact with rape victims and representatives of various social organizations during a discussion programme on “Cause and Consciousness” to be held at the Hotel Classic, North AOC on Sunday.
She will also share reports on her India visit with the media and representatives of NGOs.
Manjoo arrived in India on April 22 on an official visit and the primary objective of her visit to the country is to collect information on violence against women in India.
Manjoo will be on the official mission to the country till May 1. She had accepted an invitation sent to her on March 13 from the CSCHR to visit Manipur and the North East region during her mission to India.
The UNSRVAW will address violence against women broadly, focusing on both its causes and consequences according to the mandate and study the different manifestations of violence against women. In order to have a clear picture of the issues in India, Manjoo will be compiling and studying information on recent analyses or surveys on the situation an forms of violence against women in India. Analyses on the criminal or civil provisions that may be applied to cases of violence against women, and whether these are appropriate or sufficient, priority issues/concerns to raise, suggestions for recommendations relate to VAW in the public and private spheres, and any recent and concrete cases of violence against women and girls will also be compiled and studied by the UN Special Rapporteur during her visit to the state.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rashida-arrives-to-assess-women-issues-in-manipur/

Thousands receive body of Phizo’s son

DIMAPUR, April 27 NNN: Thousands of people from different parts of Nagaland braved the scorching heat today and conglomerated at Dimapur Airport to receive the mortal remains of Naga National Council (NNC) leader Kevilevor Phizo, son of legendary A.Z Phizo who passed away in London on April 12.
The coffin of the NNC’s Central Executive Council’ member draped in ‘Naga flag’ arrived Dimapur Airport at 12:55 pm from London accompanied by A.Z Phizo’s eldest daughter Adinno Phizo who is currently the president of the NNC.
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) convenor Dr Wati Aier, writer Kaka Iralu, Congress party leader I Imkong and Justice (retired) W.A Sishak are among the sea of people who received the mortal remains of Kevilevor Phizo.
NNC/FGN, NSCN-K, NSCN-Khole/Kitovi group are among the Naga underground organisations that laid wreaths on the coffin of the late NNC leader while paying their homage.
Dressed in their traditional attires, representatives of various Naga tribal hohos (organisations) also attended the brief programme at the Dimapur Airport. After a brief service, the mortal remains of Phizo was transported to Nagaland capital Kohima.
Born on February 20, 1939 in Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma) Kevilevor Phizo after experiencing the harrowing time in India due to his father A.Z Phizo’s stubbornly resisting Naga national movement, Kevilevor left India and landed in London on May 10, 1966. He was probably the first Naga to have completed an MBA degree. He did his education from Kohima and Shillong. He was known for his humility and strong commitment for the Naga national cause. Ever since, Kevilevor Phizo had not returned to Nagaland.
On April 12, he was reportedly readying to go for a meeting, suddenly Kevilevor Phizo experienced a massive cardiac arrest. He was 74. Kevilevor was the third child but the oldest among the sons of late A.Z.Phozo.
Formal funeral service of the late NNC leader will be held on Sunday (April 28) at Mission Compound, Kohima and then the mortal remains of the late leader will be transported to his native village Khonomo for the burial.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/thousands-receive-body-of-phizos-son/

Two girls missing

The two school girls have been missing. The girls were identified as H. Nanao alias Sumitra Devi 15 years daughter of H. Ranbir and Y. Kabita alias Ichal Devi 18 years daughter of Chaoba of Kumbi Laingoubi. The two girls went out on April 22 at around 10.30 a.m to buy school uniform at Moirang Bazar. They are studying at Sagang high school at class ten standard. A missing report was filed at Kumbi PS on April 23. However no one knows where about them. The guardians of the girls appealed to safe release them.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/two-girls-missing/

India does not want to accentuate situation on Chinese incursions: PM

New Delhi, Apr. 27 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has said India does not want to accentuate the situation in the wake of the recent Chinese incursion in Ladakh.
“We do have a plan. We do not want to accentuate the situation. We do believe that it is possible to resolve this problem,” said Dr. Singh, when asked if the Centre had any plans to resolve the issue.
” It is a localised problem. The talks are going on,” he added, while talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the defence investiture ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Saturday.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony yesterday said that negotiations and consultations are on at various levels to find a peaceful solution to the Chinese incursion issue in Ladakh.
“Negotiations and consultations are going on at various levels to find out a peaceful solution to Chinese incursion issue,” he told mediapersons outside the Parliament in New Delhi.
Chief of Army Staff, General Bikram Singh, had earlier briefed the Defence Minister on the Chinese incursion in Ladakh and the situation along the border.
General Singh had reviewed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control with Pakistan and the Chinese incursions in Ladakh with military commanders in the Northern Command.
The Indian Army has given its inputs to the Government and the National Security Advisor headed China Study Group, which is handling the present situation in Ladakh.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who is expected to go ahead with his scheduled visit to China on May 9, has expressed confidence that New Delhi and Beijing will be able to resolve the situation.
Apparently taking a tough stance on the reported presence of Chinese troops ten kilometers inside Indian territory in the Ladakh region, India had earlier on Tuesday asked China to maintain the status-quo on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said during his regular briefing that ‘New Delhi sees this as a face-to-face situation between border personnel of the two sides due to differences in their perception of the alignment of the Line of Actual Control’.
“We have therefore asked the Chinese side to maintain status-quo in this sector and by status-quo I mean status-quo prior to this incident. The term face-to-face situation is not something that we have conjured up; it is something that is referred to under 205 protocol for the implementation of CBMs in the military field along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas,” he added.
On April 15, a Platoon-strength contingent of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) entered the Indian territory in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector in eastern Ladakh and erected a tented post, setting the stage for a face-off with Indian troops.
Daulat Beg Oldi, which is located in northernmost Ladakh, is a historic camp site. It is located on an ancient trade route connecting Ladakh