Manipur News

IMPHAL, Aug 29: The Centre for Social Development and Women Action for Development jointly condemned the alleged sexual assault on a minor by a 20 year old identified as Salam Arun, son of Salam Lala Singh of Laphupat Tera Khunou.

Volunteers of CSD and WAD today visited the place of the alleged incident and strongly condemned the incident which occurred on August 13.

The main accused has been apprehended by the Mayang Imphal Police Station and a case has been registered.

During medical examination of the girl victim today, signs of sexualt assualt were found, informed a source.

WAD further called the intervention of the Child Welfare Committee to do the needful without delay.

Mention may be made that yesterday the locals of Laphupat Tera Khunou along with local Meira Paibi have already demolished the house of the culprit and the remaining family members are expelled from the locality as unanimously resolved by the locals.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/csd-wad-condemn-alleged-rape-of-minor/

IMPHAL, August 29: Sit in protests and hunger strikes continued in the State today demanding implementation of the Inner Line Permit System or a similar Act in the State.

The number of individuals who have launched hunger strikes during the ongoing movement including students and senior citizens has reached 147 today.

Imphal West District alone has seen 85 hunger strikers, while 38 hunger strikers have come out from Imphal East. Altogether 11 volunteers from Thoubal district have undergone hunger strikes demanding the ILP while four from Bishnupur and seven from Yairipok have also undergone hunger strikes.

Meanwhile, 10 new volunteers of the DESAM including two girl students have started their hunger strike in front of the student body`™s office today after the earlier seven volunteers were picked up by the concern authorities around 11:30am.

The new hunger strikers are identified as Imphal West District Council DESAM secretary KC James, 20, son of Taorem Ibomcha Khuman; BA 5th semester student of Manipur College, Jimbrown Achom, 19, so of A Muhindro; secretary Culture and Affairs DESAM head quarter, Leimapokpam Herojit, 20, son of L Ranjit; Imphal East district council DESAM publicity and propaganda secretary, Leishungbam Rajesh, 17, son of L Kanhai; BA 5th semester student of Modern College, Chanamthabam Nandita, 17, daughter of Ch Tomba; class XII Sc student of N Tomchou Higher Secondary, Meisnam Luwangsana, 17, son of M Nipamacha; class XII Sc student of N Tomchou Higher Secondary, Salam Surjakanta Singh, 17, son of (L) S Santa; class XII Sc student of Biramangol College Yaikhom Victoria Chanu, 17, daughter of Y Tomba; Imphal West Disrict Council DESAM president, Longjam Robin Singh, 20, son of L Ibocha and class XII Sc student of Wangoi Higher Secondary School, Thounaojam Somol Singh 17, son of Th Ibomcha.

At the Thangmeiband Waiting Shed opposite to the THAU ground, three new volunteers Nongmaithem Rani Devi, 60, wife of N Ghanashyam Singh; Phamdom Bimola Devi, 36, wife of Ph Kanta Singh and Okram Tombi Devi, 32, wife of O Dhanabir Singh came out to continue a relay hunger strike.

All three are from Thangmeiband Hijam Diwan Leikai.

Sagolsem Mangalsan, 20, son of S Radhe of Takyel Kolom Leikai launched his hunger strike at the Takyel Waiting Shed, after the concern authority arrested the earlier hunger striker this evening around 2:40.

Sinam (o) Khomdonbi Devi, 52, wife of (L) Sinam Rabi Singh and Asem (o) Gomti Devi 50, wife of A Romesh of Chingmeirong Maning Leikai continue to fast at Chingmeirong today.

A medical team also conducted a health check-up today.

Meanwhile, locals have decided to close down all shops until August 31 evening 5pm and form human chains on a daily basis till then.

On the other hand, menfolk from nine local clubs – ESC, Nongmeibung; Citizens`™ Club Soibam Leikai Wangkhei Khunou; UYLA Thawanthaba Leikai; EYC Soibam Leikai Khnaglabung Leirak; SAYC Soibam Leikai Ayangpalli Road; NCYC New Checkon; PYC Nongpok Ingkhol; WAL United Youths Club Wangkhei Angom Leikai and LCP Wangkhei Ningthempukhri staged a sit in protest today in front of Ananda Singh Higher Secondary Academy.

The sit in protest was organize by Fasting Students Protect Committee of Nongmeibung Club of Ananda Singh Higher Secondary Academy.

The protestor came out in their traditional dresses and later took out a rally in the Nongmeibung area.

Octogenarian Aribam (o) Shamurailatpam Sanahanbi Devi continue to fast at the Singjamei Wangma Kshetri Leikai Waiting Shed.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/sitin-and-hunger-strikes-continue/

IMPHAL, Aug 29: Rendering good Samaritan work, Social Warrior, Manipur has distributed eatable items including cereals and pulses to the people of Moreh, who have been affected by the August 18 incident in which several people were injured and properties belonging to a particular community destroyed.

Speaking to media persons, convener of Social Warrior, Manipur Kaminikumar Keisam said that the incident had taken place between the two communities due to misunderstanding which could have been avoided.

He made a fervent appeal to all the communities to avoid such unfortunate incidents not only in the border town but in any other part of the State in the future.

He said that the organization had donated financial assistance to the family of Sapam Robinhood and those who were injured while taking part in protests demanding introduction of Inner Line Permit System in the State.

Maintaining that the organization had also distributed relief materials to the villages in different districts which have been hit by the recent flood, the convener said that medical camps were also organized in different parts of the districts for the affected people.

He expressed gratitude to those who extended assistance in the form of money and relief materials to the organization for the flood-hit people.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/eatable-items-distributed-to-victims-of-moreh-incident/

IMPHAL, August 29: The Community Health Centre, Mao and Primary Health Sub Centre, Pudunamei were upgraded yesterday with the inaugural of a labour room each.

Mao MLA L Dikho inaugurated the labour rooms, with the Director State Health Services Dr O Ibomcha and Senapati DC Jacintha Lazarus in attendance.

The Labour Room at the CHC Mao has been installed with a new Born Stabilisation Unit Room and other equipment.

Speaking on the occasion, Jacintha Lazarus said the new equipment seem user friendly and would make it easier for the medical staff in dealing with the patients and the new born babies.

Lauding the staff of CHC, Mao which has already been decorated as the best CHC of the State, she mentioned that considering their sincere approach to their duties, she has submitted a report pressuring the authorities concern to upgrade the CHC into a district level hospital.

Speaking as the guest of honour, Dr Ibomcha said specialists doctors will be made available in the area soon and help in providing proper health facilities in the area.

However, upgradation of the CHC to a district level hospital has to be initiated by the State cabinet, he said, and added that he is hopeful the government will do the needful.

He continued that the building structure of the CHC needs a full scale repairing.

Dr O Ibomcha also assured a gynaecologist for the CHC at the earliest.

Chief Guest Dikho lauded the Directorate of State Health Services for its initiative to upgrade the CHC Mao.

He further expressed that sincere officers in the Directorate will bring development to the whole State.

Health is the main agenda of humans, said MLA L Dikho.

He continued that the State`™s health care system could be improved to the level of being a health tourist spot. This will boost the State`™s economy, he added.

Medical tools like infant warmer, X-Ray machine, Dental X-Ray and other medicines supplied to the CHC were sponsored by the State Health Society.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/mao-chc-gets-new-labour-room-with-full-equipment/

KANGPOKPI, August 29: The Kuki Students`™ Organization GHQ (KSO-GHQ) and All Naga Students`™ Association Manipur (ANSAM) have expressed refusal to accept the agreement between the State government and leaders of JCILPS on the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 and Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015 today.

A joint press statement signed by Seiboi Haokip and Alexander Huten, general secretary of KSO-GHQ and ANSAM respectively said that any provisions in the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 that affect the rights of the Hill people should be removed.

`The Act cannot be extended to the whole State of Manipur as stated in Sub-Section (2) of Section1 of the Act`, asserted the two tribal student apex students.

Questioning the intention of the Government of Manipur (GoM) in using terms such as `small hill states` to define the state of Manipur as mentioned in the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 the two student bodies lamented that there has always been a distinct demarcation between the valley and the Hill Areas in administration even before the inception of the Manipur State and therefore, the term `hill` should be omitted in the Act.

While maintaining that the Hill Areas comes under the purview of Article 371C of the Constitution of India KSO and ANSAM stressed that the status quo of the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960 should be honoured and maintained.

Calling upon all the legislatures from the Hill Areas to stand up and assert the rights of the Tribals as empowered by Article 371C of the Constitution of India the student bodies also impressed upon all the members of Manipur Legislative Assembly to appreciate the situation of all the communities living in the present State of Manipur.

Meanwhile, the two tribal student apex bodies also warned to take up their own course of action in case the Government of Manipur fails to respond positively to their call while holding responsibility the Government of Manipur for all the consequences.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/kso-and-ansam-disapprove-gom-and-jcilps-agreement/

IMPHAL, August 29: Asserting that the introduction of the three bills in the Assembly by the government yesterday to pave way for implementation of an effective law in the State to safeguard its indigenous people is an outcome of the relentless efforts of the people in pursuance of the collective demand, the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has said that the people still need to be cautious till the bills are converted into Acts to do the needful.

In a statement, the JCILPS which is leading the mass movement said that staging of sit-in-protest, human chain formation, launching of hunger strike and taking out rally in different parts of the State are continuing as part of the people`™s movement.

It lamented that Sapam Robinhood was killed and scores of others suffered injuries while some were lodged in jail and detention centres in the ongoing movement.

All the supreme sacrifices made will not go in vain as the people`™s demand is very much legitimate and reasonable, it stated.

The statement said that the people also need to be aware of the steps taken up and to be taken up in the future by the government to protect the indigenous people from the huge inflow of outsiders into the State.

Admitting that there is a need to monitor every development arising out of the agitations being launched by the people with the firm belief that it has to be continued towards the right direction, the JCILPS in the statement observed that time has come for the people to come up with other form of agitations rather than sit-in-protest, human chain formation, hunger strike and rally with the changing times.

It called upon the local clubs, women folk and civil society organizations to chart out future course of steps to be initiated after the bills passed in the Assembly are converted into an act.

It also appealed to the people to stage mass sit-in-protests on August 31 from 10 am to 4 pm in every localities, pray for passage of the three bills in the Assembly and shout slogan `Pass an acceptable bill to safeguard the indigenous people and give approval to the bill`™ every hour from 11 am onwards.

The JCILPS further called upon the people to take active participation in the last rites performance of Sapam Robinhood after the bills are passed in the Assembly and end staging sit-in-protest, forming human chain, taking out rally, launching relay-hunger strike and fast unto death agitation after the passage of the bills.

Time has come for the people to have meaningful discussion amongst each other along with the committee on future course of steps to be taken up after the bills are converted into an act which is the wish of the people, the JCILPS said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/jcilps-calls-for-shift-in-agitation-mode-as-passage-of-bills-anticipated/