Manipur News

IMPHAL | Aug 29

Blue Moon restaurant was closed down today by a local club, Star Volunteer Corps (SVC), Heirangoithong Awang Maibam Leikai for allegedly smuggling of heroin number four.

According to general secretary of the club, Maibam Stellon, club members have been on vigil at the locality following information of drug smuggling in the locality. While the club volunteers were waiting for catching smugglers, some juveniles were seen entering the restaurant in a suspicious manner.

When the club volunteers entered the restaurant they found smuggling of heroin in the restaurant premises at around 8 am this morning. When the volunteers interrogated they were found to be juveniles and the seller and the owner of the restaurant were also found to be juveniles.

He said the seller hails from Kakwa Khonang Feidekpi. About 40 grams of heroin powder was found by the club volunteers from the possession of the seller. Seller of the drug told the club volunteers that the drug was procured from Lilong area and sold it to the said restaurant.

Kakwa police came to the spot but as the culprits were juveniles SVC handed over the juveniles to their respective guardians.

Stellon further warned that any types of intoxicant cannot be sold in the area and if one is found ignoring the warning, the club will take stern actions against them. Bluemoon restaurant has been closed permanently from today, he added.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL |Aug 29

Reacting to a news report in the IFP that a 78 year old patient was refused free laboratory test facility made available as a policy of the government, the doctor in charge of the laboratory at the Churachandpur District Hospital and the laboratory technician, clarified that the patient was not denied the facility but only asked to return with OPD ticket which is mandatory for availing the facility.

The clarification said the patient came to the Bio Chemistry laboratory and sought to avail of its facility only on the strength of the recommendation of a lady doctor doing private practice, but had not gone through the procedure of first registering and getting an OPD ticket of the hospital.

The lab technician, also a lady, had advised the patient to return the next day after going through the due process of acquiring the hospital’s OPD ticket, and also to come in the morning during the hours reserved for blood sample collection.

The patient party however turned up at the laboratory in the afternoon, and also without the hospital OPD ticket again, and hence the lab assistant was constrained not to allow the use of the laboratory facility.

She was however willing to do the test even though it was late, but only if the patient party first acquired the OPD ticket, they said.

Instead of doing the needful, the patient party went to the press and made unfair allegations against the management of the laboratory, they lamented.

They said they had clear instruction from the top that no patient without proper OPD ticket should be entertained, as this would lead to doctors doing private practices misusing the government facilities for their private ends.

On the charge that the doctor in charge of the Biochemistry laboratory not being always present at the laboratory, they clarified that because of shortage of staff, the doctor in question had been handed additional responsibilities of heading two other OPDs, that of NCD (Non Communicable Diseases) and that of ART (Antiretroviral Therapy), besides being made the nodal officer of NPCDCS (National Programme of Prevention of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke).

This being the case, the concerned doctor could only be present at the Bio Chemistry laboratory for a certain time only during the day, but the lab assistant is always present during duty hour, they further clarified.

IMPHAL | Aug 29

There is need to showcase the State’s rich art and culture to the rest of the country. We need to show what wealth we have in our culture and dance to the outside world, said governor Najma Heptulla.

The governor was addressing the Sakalp Parva “Sankalp se Siddhi” function organised by the song and drama division, Imphal Centre, under the ministry of information and broadcasting, government of India. The function, based on the New India Movement, was held at the Raj Bhawan, here today.

She observed that observed that dance and music is still very much active in Manipur and other parts of the Northeast. “I love Manipur. There is so much of dance and music here. That’s life”, she said.

She further encouraged and suggested the artistes of the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy and the Manipur University of Culture to perform more frequently outside the State.

The governor said that Sankalp Parva is such an important function as it is being heralded as 360 degree programme to make India modern by 2022.

She said Sankalp Parva is an initiative under the ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi’ movement which is the dream of the Prime Minister for reforming the nation under the “New India Movement by making – poverty, filth, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism Quit India.”

Today’s youth should understand what price our forefathers’ had paid in achieving freedom of India, the governor said.

Lauding an artiste who performed the song “Ae mere watan ke logon” during today’s function, the governor said she became nostalgic during the rendition of the song. She expressed that she was reminded of the time when renowned singer Lata Mageskar performed the same song at National Club, New Delhi in the presence of the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, during which she herself was present as a child.

Arts and culture minister L. Jayentakumar who also spoke on the occasion said the reasons for establishment of a culture university and Manipur State Film and Television Institute in the State is the unique cultural identity of Manipur despite its limited size and resources.

He also said that Manipur needs helping hands from the Union Ministry of finance in order to exploit the talents of our youths.

During the function, the governor along with the other dignitaries and the participants pledged for building a New India- clean, free from poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism.

As part of the function, artistes of the Song and Drama Division, Imphal Centre performed several cultural items including a group song Vande Mantaram, Lai-haraoba, Cheirol Jagoi, Lavani Dance and Dhol Chollom.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 29

Money cannot buy achievements in sports, arts and culture, said arts and culture minister L. Jayentakumar during the 13th foundation day celebration of Film Forum Manipur. The celebration was held today at the auditorium of Manipur State Film Development Society, Palace compound.

Addressing the celebration, Jayentakumar said once Manipur was a champion of Santosh Trophy but now the team fails to give good performance in the tournament. Not only in the field of football but also in many disciplines, the state was once on the top in the entire country.

He said Manipur is known to the world for its beautiful arts and culture. Due to lack of a vibrant film industry and improper functioning of Arts college, the state of our arts and culture is at a deplorable stage.

However with the establishment of cultural university in the state the fame for arts and culture can be regained in the near future, the minister exuded confidence. 

Jayentakumar said the state has lots of creative people in many fields, but if there is no proper administrator to support their skills then in some decades the famous arts and culture of the state may become a history.

Director of arts and culture K. Sushila Devi, who was the guest of honour of the function, expressed confidence that Manipur’s film society will shine in the future. Chairman of film forum Manipur, S. Mangoljao Singh also attended the function as the president.

As a part of the function Film Forum Manipur felicitated former chairman of the forum, former general secretary of the forum, present advisor of the forum and present president of the guilds. A website of film forum, www.filmforum.com was launched by the minister.

IMPHAL | Aug 29

Manipur Home Guard Employees Welfare Association today withdrew their month-long fast to death protest and decided to start a new agitation from October 2.

Speaking to the media today at Manipur Press Club, Imphal, the association’s president, Y. Mangi claimed that the statement given by additional director general of police, Christopher Doungel that home guard association is misleading all the home guard personnel is “totally false.”

The members of association are all home guard personnel except the president and the association is agitating for the welfare of the home guard personnel. There is no question of misleading the personnel, he added.

Mangi said though allowance of home guard is given through their account. The five battalion commander of home guard keep the bank passbooks of the home guards along with them who never perform their duties but share our allowance, he said.

The president asked the government to select a police officer, not among the five battalion commander to investigate the home guard personnel who never attended their duty.

He appealed to the home special secretary and finance commission to submit their counter affidavit to the High Court of Manipur at the earliest so that the court can take the decision regarding the increment of their monthly allowance.

Mangi said the home guard personnel will take the matter to the Union home minister, Rajnath Singh and BJP national president, Amit Shah.

The association expressed hope that the government will give positive response to their demands within October 2.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL |Aug 29

A top ranked Manipur Police officer while agreeing that the police department was indeed mobilising fund to meet the legal expenses to fight the CBI cases against many of its personnel for alleged fake encounters they were involved in, clarified there was no question of the department levying “taxes” through its ranks or forcing them to pay.

The officer said on phone that the fund was being raised through voluntary contributions by willing police personnel to aid their colleagues.

The telephonic rebuttal of the news about the fund raising drive of the police carried by the IFP, requested the media to be more discerning so that no harm to reputation or the morale of the police force is caused unfairly.

It may be recalled that a Supreme Court ruling last month had directed the CBI to investigate 98 of the 1528 cases of fake encounter against which an organization called Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association, EEVFAM, moved the SC. Manipur based human rights watch group, Human Rights Alert, took up the SC case on behalf of the EEVFAM.

IMPHAL | Aug 29

The 7th Review and Monitoring cum Mentoring Meeting of the department of biotechnology (DBT), sponsored by Biotech Hubs in Northeastern India will be held during August 30-31at Hotel Imphal.

This high level conclave will be an enabling forum for exchange of ideas among DBT officials and experts, and coordinators of 6 state level and 120 institutional biotech hubs.  The meet will also monitor the progress made by these hubs so far and suggest plans for future course of action.

The biotech hubs scheme of DBT is aimed at developing skilled and trained manpower, establishing biotech labs in universities and colleges in NER and stimulating locally relevant biotech research.

Manipur has one state level and 26 institutional level biotech hubs, out of which six have been upgraded to advanced level biotech hubs recently. The chief minister N. Biren Singh, the vice-chancellor of Manipur University, Prof. Adya Prasad Pandey, Madhan Mohan, adviser, DBT, deans of Manipur University, B. Ravindran, former director, ILS, Bhubaneswar, and Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo, director, IBSD will attend the inaugural function of the summit on August 30 at 9 am. On this occasion, a proceeding incorporating the progress of 126 hubs would also be released.

Biotechnology is a powerful discipline that integrates biological sciences, engineering and social sciences. It would provide useful products for humankind such as drugs for resistant superbugs, biofuels as alternatives to fossil fuels, microbial strains as biologicals and biostimulants for stress-tolerant agriculture, probiotics for enhancing human health and ecorestoration solutions for sustainable ecological health.

Manipur and the rest of NE India falls in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and is home to rare and endemic medicinal plants, endangered animal species, and underexplored microbial wealth.

From Our Correspondent

TAMENGLONG |Aug 29

The 86th martyr’s day of Haipou Jadonang was held at Haipou Jadonang park, Tamenglong district with great pomp and gaiety under the theme “Daring to Rise”. Hundreds of people attended the programme despite the bad weather condition.

The governor of Manipur, Najma Heptulla, the chief guest of the observation could not turn up due to unavoidable circumstances. Her message was, however, read out to the gathering by Ramkung Pamei, editor of ‘The Cham’, and who is also the organising secretary of the observance is also.

Heptulla in her message appealed that we must remember the sacrifices made by Haipou Jadonang and follow his value for peaceful and prosperous society, adding that he was a model youth who bore an individual integrity, honesty, gentle bearing and generosity.

Further her message stated, “Jadonang established the Heraka religious movement, and he was referred as the ‘messiah king’ of the Nagas. His movement was widespread in the Zeliangrong territory before the switch to Christianity”.

Hailing the leader, the governor continued that Zadonang took up the cause of delivering his people from the clutches of needless rituals and also from the political dominion of the foreign rule in his motherland.

Zadonang also envisaged an independent Naga kingdom, which brought him into conflict with the British rulers of India, the message read, adding resistance movement started in the hill areas in 1925 also known as anti-colonial movement.

In the occasion a two-minute silent observance was held in honour of the departed leader. Wreaths were also offer by various social leaders at the memorial stone.

Namsinrei Panmei, chairman ADC Tamenglong and Armstrong Pame, deputy commissioner Tamenglong attended as guest of honour. Ramning Pame, chairperson Education Board ADC Tamenglong, Micah Panmei, members ADC, Pouhotlung Panmei, member ADC, Lungniliu Panmei President Zeliangrong women Union, SP Athui, Chairman Zeliangrong Union, Kachamthai Pheiga Gangmei, SDO Tamenglong, and Guangphun president Rongmei Naga Youth Organisation shared the dais.

 Transformation Centre Church presented the welcome song. In his guest of honour Namsinrei Panmei, urged all Zeme, Liangmai, Rongmei, Inpui tribe to stand united leaving behind all differences.

 Extra extravaganza programme was held in the evening entertainment.

Zeliangrong community observes Haipou’s 86th martyr’s day

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 29

The ideology of oneness proposed by Jadonang is still relevant today and should be endorsed by all, said Gaidon Kamei, UNC president at the observance of 86th martyr’s day of Jadonang at Koirengei Zeliangrong village.

The programme was organised jointly by Zeliangrong Baudi and Zeliangrong Youth Front, Manipur.

Today marks the day of hanging of Jadonang by the Britishers in 1931 at the age of 26 in Nambul river, present day Imphal Jail for waging war against the British empire.

Gaidon added that he was a man of intellect even if he was not an educated man. He saw the future when no one had and laid a foundation of Naga Raj movement and fought for it.

Soso Lorho, convener of Naga Political Leaders’ Forum (NPLF), chief guest of the function emphasised that this day is a platform to discuss his ideology and achievements and also to be more practical and bring back to life the ideology he propagated 86 years ago.

Jadonang worked hard not for his interests but for the Naga people as a whole, he reiterated.

One minute silence was observed to pay tribute to the freedom fighter. Professor of history, Lanbilung Gonmei, Imphal village talked on “Haipou Jadonang as freedom fighter; India or Naga freedom fighter”.

The programme was attended by D. Athuibou former MLA and Ashinpou Gangmei, chairman of Committee for Alternative Arrangement, UNC as guest of honour and president respectively. Many other social and political leaders also attended the programme.

This special day was also observed in his birth place, Kambiron, organised by Haipou Jadonang Memorial Trust at Haipou Jadonang community hall, Puiluan (Kambiron) village.

Nungba SDO, Ganguiliu Gangmei, former ADC member Aphang Gonmei and village chairman Kakaodai Gangmei attended the function as chief guest, guest of honour and president respectively.

Solomon Kamei, read out the detailed history of Jadonang from his early childhood days to the day he was martyred.

“The freedom fighter’s ideology and teachings should be preserved and promoted by us, the villagers and his integrity should be preserved as the true local men of a great leader like Jadonang”, said the chairman of the village.

A memorandum was submitted a few months back to CM Biren and he had given positive response but work has not started yet to beautify the village, said the chairman.

The day was widely celebrated today even at Silchar, Assam organised by Zeliangrong Students Union Silchar under the theme “Heralding the heroic sacrifice for unity”.

ZUF echoes Jadonang’s dream to unite his people

The Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) today observed the 86th Martyrdom of Haipou Jadonang today at its general head quarter, in Tamenglong district.

A statement issued by James Kamei, the “home secretary” of the outfit, said the observance was attended by Jenchui Kamei, ZUF chairman and Nickson Thoitak (Arei) chief of army Zeliangrong Tiger Force (ZTF) as the chief guest and guest of hounour respectively.

The programme began with three minute silence prayer paying homage to the legend for his supreme sacrifices for the freedom of the Zeliangrong people and its kindred tribe in particular  and Nagas in general from the British empire, it said.

Today, Jadonang is remembered for his courage, and vigor that fought against the British colonial forces, cultural imperialism and his campaign to protect and preserve traditional or indigenous culture of his people, it continued.

The statement further said ZUF chairman in his chief guest speech, recollected that Jadonang was not only a freedom fighter but also a spiritual guide, prophet, healer and preacher.

Despite of so many attempts to take his life by the British forces, he was not disheartened with all the threat but continued to work for the cause of his people and strive to bring peace, understanding and bridging the gap between different communities in the state, it said.

It said Jenchui further pointed out that Jadonang dedicated his life for the progress and upliftment of his people and it was his dream to unite his people and strive for progress and live fearlessly. Though his dream was not interpreted into reality during his lifetime yet he left his footprints to follow by his fellow citizen.

“As we remembered our true hero and recollect his heroic deeds, chairman appeals to Zeliangrong people to reaffirm ourselves to pass on this rich heritage to the younger generation to continuing striving for excellence and unity of Zeliangrong people living across the globe to interpret his dream into reality” it quoted.

The ZUF also extended its heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation to all the Zeliangrong frontal organizations, schools/institutes, villages for observing this very occasion to our true patriotic hero and social reformer.

It further appealed to all the Zeliangrong citizens to extend its support to the outfit in days to come.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 29

Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR) today urged the state government to immediately arrest the culprit involved in the rape and attempted murder of a minor girl in Senapati district within 48 hours failing which it will impose different forms of agitation.

Speaking to media persons in a press meet held at the Manipur Press Club, Imphal, NK. Job, president LNKR strongly condemned the crime meted against the minor girl and said that the LNKR take the matter very seriously.

He informed that the victim girl after having undergone treatment for nearly a month was finally discharged from the hospital.

Job revealed that the victim after having regained consciousness her statement has been recorded by the magistrate concerned. In her statement the victim has identified the culprit who attacked her to the magistrate, he said.

Despite the identity of the culprit having been established the government has failed to act, he contended.

The LNKR president alleged that the failure of the home department to act tantamount to concealing the culprit.

He demanded the government to arrest the rapist and reveal the identity to the public within 48 hours failing which different forms of agitations will be launched.

He also urged the government to award befitting punishment accordingly.

On August 1 evening, the 15-year-old minor girl was found in unconscious state at Viewland Colony Senapati district headquarters.

It was later established that she was raped and abandoned to die after being brutally assaulted.