Manipur News

IMPHAL, August 17: A 2-hour long general strike called by JCILPS disturbed the general traffic and public activities today.

As there was no clear cut time spelt out by JCILPS for imposing the strike, many commuters faced several grievances due to the hurriedly called unclear agitation.

As strikers came out in the morning and took to the streets, roads were blocked at Sagolband area of Imphal west.

Later, the road blocks spread to many areas in Imphal East and Bishnupur districts.

Public travelling from other hill areas including Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Churachandpur were affected by the bandh. It was complained from various quarters that there was no clear cut time fixed by the JCILPS and people had no idea of when and where the general strike would be imposed.

As sporadic road blocks appeared in Imphal and greater Imphal area, vehicular traffic was hindered inclusive of public transportation. Many people were left stranded due to the strike and had to walk till their destination.

The urban areas inclusive of Thangmeiband area remained closed to traffic, as two hunger strikers are presently undergoing their agitation in the area demanding implementation of ILP system in the State.

As vehicles were forced to turn back from Thangmeiband and Dingku Road, the main route connecting Imphal East and West via the Minuthong remained congested while, the Chingmeirong traffic island was also heavily jammed.

As there was no clear indication about the time when the strike was supposed to start, agitators started from different timings.

There were a lot of arguments between motorists who were going to their work and the unrestrained agitators.

Once a road was blocked, there was no clear cut timing of when it will end and the protestors had a field day disrupting public conveyance.

Many voiced that the JCILPS method of calling a strike for two hours without indicating to the time was a huge problem for the general public. They voiced that there should be a well notified timing when a protest should be held.

Public transportations from other districts too faced the brunt of the unorganized strike. Travels from other districts were particularly agitated especially from Churachandpur area, as protestors butt off the road at Malom area. There were voices of concern raised from the public that the JCILPS need to be more mature in spearheading the agitation.

The unorganized strike also affected those going to the airport and availing taxi services to other districts. Such events and inclusive of medical services, media have been greatly disturbed by agitators despite the JCILPS constant appeal to agitators to give the mentioned free passage.

Later, it is also learnt that the very confusion had led to a confrontation between groups of youth of two adjoining localities of Khagempalli and Kwakeithel areas. It is learnt that both sides indulged in firing catapults and pelting stones reportedly injuring around four people including a meira paibi.

Meanwhile speaking talking to IFP a resident of the area has appealed the JCILPS to be clear on their announcement of their agitation agenda so as to avoid unwanted confrontation which could possibly lead to undesirable consequences.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/jcilps-unclear-timing-of-general-strike-irks-public/

IMPHAL August 17: Reacting to claims of the Democratic Students Alliance Manipur that two of its members were assaulted by volunteers of the JCILPS students`™ wing, the latter has clarified that DESAM`™s position in such a crucial juncture of the peoples`™ movement is unfortunate.

Speaking to media persons at the AMSU office this afternoon, Oinam Nandababu convenor of the JCILPS students`™ wing said DESAM`™s position could mislead the people at such a crucial juncture.

He said the JCILPS SW has been appealing to all not to spread any rumour regarding the present movement for ILPS including in the media or social networking sites.

Going against the appeal, a DESAM volunteer had made certain remarks on a social networking site on the present movement which could mislead the public, he said.

Considering the harm the remarks could do to the movement, the JCILPS SW wrote to DESAM on August 11 and then convened a joint meeting, he said.

During the meeting, he said, the DESAM president assured to bring the volunteer responsible for the remarks within three days time. However, DESAM failed to bring out the volunteer for dialogue, so volunteers of the JCILPS SW went to DESAM office in search of the volunteer, he added.

They entered into a minor scuffle with the DESAM volunteers and later brought two DESAM volunteers along with them so as to find the culprit, he claimed.

On the alleged physical assault of DESAM volunteers, he said `We took them so that they could help us find the culprit who made the demeaning remarks.`

Now, the DESAM president`™s tenure has already ended, he said.

He further claimed that instead of encouraging the students on fast, the DESAM volunteer made mocking comments on them.

He further said that the no group would be allowed to derail the ongoing movement for implementing the ILPS in the State.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/jcilps-student-wing-clarifies-on-desam-allegation/

IMPHAL, August 17: In a welcome news bringing joy to the people of Manipur, Major General Laiphrakpam Nishikanta Singh, Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM ) Bar has been approved for next rank, thereby making him only second officer from Manipur,after Lt Gen K Himalay Singh, to bring such laurels to the state.

According to a press release of PRO (Defence), Maj Gen L N Singh has a wide experience of field service and profession knowledge. A JAKLI Officer, presently commanding a training establishment of the Army, he did his initial schooling from THINGEN LP School, Gurukul Junior High School & Tombisana School and later joined Sainik School Purulia.

He had the distinction of securing first position in Manipur in CBSE`™s Higher Secondary exams in 1975. The General who, having honour of Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), has also been awarded with `Army Commanders Commendation Card`™ three times. He played a key role in the rescue mission, in Afghanistan, in 2010, of Indian Medical Mission, after it was attacked by terrorists.

He joined NDA in July 1975 and was commissioned into the Army (9 JAKLI) in June 1979. He has commanded the prestigious unit in Delhi and he was an Instructor at Army war College for more than two years. He also served in Bhutan on Deputation, it said.

The General Officer is M Phil in Defence studies from Madras University. When he was dealing with Afghanistan, on February 26, 2010, he organized the rescue mission after the Indian Medical Mission in Afghanistan was attacked by terrorists. This mission sent back the body of Late Maj Laishram Jotin, who was later awarded Ashok Chakra.

Married to Sanjenbam Nandita daughter of Sanjenbam Vedajit Singh and Prabha Devi, she is granddaughter of the famous freedom fighter M Koireng Singh who fought as an INA (Indian National Army) worker against the British, the release added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/maj-gen-ln-singh-approved-for-next-rank/

IMPHAL August 17: Following an alleged physical assault on two volunteers of the Democratic Students Alliance Manipur by members of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System Students`™ Wing yesterday, the student body has decided to launch its own parallel campaign demanding implementation of the Inner Line Permit System in the State.

This was stated by DESAM president Angamba during a press meet in their office this morning.

He denounced the physical assault on their volunteers in the strongest terms and demanded a clarification apology, failing which he said DESAM will be compelled to respond in a befitting manner.

According to him, yesterday at around 3 in the afternoon more than 50 members of JCILPS Student Wing stormed the DESAM head office and dragged away two of its members namely Elangbam Musuk and Ronil and brutally assaulted them.

Angamba expressed shock at such conduct of the JCIPSSW and questioned the legitimacy of the action.

He said there was a joint meeting held a few days back over certain statuses/comments made on the social network/ Facebook.

`Similar and more severe comments were also made on me by members of JCILPSSW. However I have not reacted or imposed accountability on such comments.`

So such violent reaction was not anticipated at all, he said.

He disclosed another recent incident where Ashok Kumar, member of DESAM Imphal West of Langthabal Mantrikhong was brutally beaten in his own house by members of JCILPSSW for an unfounded reason.

DESAM considers such actions as a deliberate attempt to tarnish its image in public and of those members in JCILP who share our ideology, he said.

Further we feel such attempts are meant to derail the core purpose of the ILPS movement, he alleged.

Instead of acknowledging DESAM`™s contribution since the inception of the movement for implementing Inner Line Permit, we are framed as a party to the government and supposedly distributing pamphlets, he said.

This is an attempt to belittle our contribution and mark as an opposition to the public movement, he remarked.

Whereas, DESAM has been a forerunner since the beginning of the movement, he claimed.

In fact some of DESAM members are presently partaking in the indefinite hunger strike, he asserted.

Unfortunately, differences in ideology, disrespect and distrust have crept up within JCILPS, he lamented by citing the manner in which he was replaced as a convenor without any prior information to him.

`Yet we continue to show our solidarity and support for the movement.`

Unfortunately JCILPS started adopting several undemocratic approaches, he claimed.

Groups within JCILPS started behaving in their own and also started to give their independent thoughts through the media without the approval of the collective leaders, he said.

For instance AMSU has announced the closure of Moreh route without the mandate of the JCILPS Chandel District Unit, he claimed.

Such action exposes the undemocratic patterns within the collective movement, he alleged.

He also said that such incidents have further brought differences among the people which is aggravated by assaulting two innocent DESAM members.

He narrated, we had immediately informed the JCILPS convenor i/c Kh Ratan and he had assured us immediate release of the two members.

However we waited in vain till midnight when THANIL meira lup and Poirei Leimarol Apunba Meira Paibi brought the two brutally assaulted members of DESAM, he claimed.

It is unfortunate that unrelated mothers are used in this manner, he added.

Hence DESAM demands public clarification for such conduct of assaulting two members, he said.

For all the above difference, DESAM have decided to detach from JCILPS and along with shared ideology groups will renew the movement for implementation of ILPS under `Reconsolidation Campaign for Implementation of ILPS (Phirep Chetsinhanba Khongjang)`™, the president announced.

Public consultations at several places will follow as part of the campaign, he informed.

We will soon convey a peoples`™ convention draw out the line of agitation for achieving the demand of safeguarding the indigenous peoples`™ rights and towards solutions for other issues that confronts the State, he said and appeal to all for support towards safeguarding the Indigenous people.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/desam-cries-foul-demands-jcilps-student-wing-to-apologise-for-alleged-assault-on-volunteers/

IMPHAL, August 17: The Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences may be compelled to close down, if the present trend of disrupting medical staff by bandh supporters continues unchecked, JNIM director Prof L Deben informed media persons today.

Deploring that free movement of staff of the hospital including doctors, nurses, operation theatre staff, attendants, etc have been seriously disturbed by bandh supporters of the ongoing movement in the State, Deben strongly appealed to the public to allow free passage to the medical staff so that they could discharge their duties properly.

Addressing a press conference today at the JNIMS hospital, Prof L Deben informed the media that if such inconveniences and disturbances continue, the hospital may be compelled to shut down or cease operation for some time since the staff are wary of facing the harassments.

He continued on August 16 (Sunday) afternoon around 2, four doctors of the hospital commuting in an ambulance were hurled many verbal abuses and were also detained by bandh supporters at Tiddim Road, Singjamei-Langthabal-Lilong.

A lady doctor was also asked to get down from an ambulance some four days back at Tellipati and walk the distance on foot, he added.

Doctors, nurses and the other staff of the hospital are serving the people, providing 24×7 services and not having fun, he said.

The hospital along with the local organisations has also been operating `Relief Committee, JNIMS` since August 5 especially for those hurt or injured during the public movement, he said.

Meanwhile, the Churachandpur District Students Union in a press release signed by its information and publicity secretary has also strongly condemned an alleged attack on an ambulance of the Kuki Khanglai Lompi GHQ on August 14 by bandh supporters.

It said essential services like media, medical staff, water supply etc are exempted from the purview of the bandh.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/allow-medical-staff-free-passage-jnims-director-appeals/

IMPHAL, August 17: Furnishing details of the status of the preparation and implementation of the Inner Line Permit System Bill or a similar system in the State, the government has appealed to Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) and people to extend full cooperation in passing the new bill at the earliest.

A statement issued by Home department today informed that the first demand put up by JCILPS to issue a permit or pass for migrants as regards their purpose, whereabouts and validity etc of their presence has been included in the proposed new draft bill to be introduced and its subsequent Rules.

Referring to the second demand of the committee which is a cut-off base year of 1951 to all people participating and creating of demographic influx into the State, the official statement said that it is proposed to include the cut-off year of 1951 in the new draft bill to define the people of Manipur whose names are in the National Registrar of Citizens, 1951.

On the third demand which states that no land ownership rights are to be given to all non-indigenous people and necessary procedures be included in the preparation of the bill proposed, the statement said the State government proposes to insert a provision in the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960 by an amendment bill to regulate the land ownership rights to the non-Manipuri people as provided under Article 19 (5) of the Constitution of India.

While on the committee`™s fourth demand which is a full-fledged Labour Department which has outreach in all the districts of Manipur be strengthened in operational matters for registration and regulation of inter-state migrant labourers and its necessary rules be framed, it assured that the demand to monitor and regulate the visitors and tenants has been taken care of by the new draft bill by establishing a separate Directorate of Registration of Visitors and Tenants.

The existing Labour Department will be strengthened for effective implementation of the existing Labour laws of Centre and State government in regulating the inter-state migrant labour, it said.

On the last demand put up by JCILPS which is detection and deportation of illegal migrants or other non-indigenous peoples should be included in the proposed bill and necessary action thereof, the Home Department in the statement said that detection and deportation of illegal immigrants falls under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and necessary steps will be taken under the said law.

Migrants`™ in-terms of visitors and inter-state labourers will be regulated as per the new draft bill and its subsequent rules, it further assured.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/govt-reveals-action-taken-on-jcilps-fivepoint-demands/