Manipur News

IMPHAL, August 10: All sportspersons from the State who have brought laurel to the State with their medal winning performances at the recently concluded XX Commonwealth Games at Glasgow will be received at the Raj Bhawan on August 12, said parliamentary secretary YAS and Tourism M Prithiviraj.

He was speaking at the reception ceremony of Gold medal winner in women’s weightlifting 48 kg category K Sanjita Chanu of Umathel Awang Leikai at the local community hall.

Prithiviraj said out of the 224-strong Indian contingent at the CWG, 14 were from the small State of Manipur.

He added what is even more impressive is that of the 14 sportspersons, eight brought home medals including a Gold.

Some of them have government jobs, and now the government is trying to provide government jobs to the other remaining medal winners, he said, adding that as the parliamentary secretary of YAS, he will try his level best to appoint them in government jobs.

The August 12 reception of the medal winners will be attended by the State Governor VK Duggal as the chief guest and the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh as the president.

Local MLA K Ranjit said he was excited when the name of a Manipuri girl was announced to have won a Gold, opening India’s medal account at Glasgow.

Soon after, he started inquiring about the girl’s background, and found that the girl was from his own constituency, he said.

Ranjit said he is very fortunate to have such a girl in his constituency.

Sanjita has brought laurel to Sugunu and Umathel village, he asserted.

The world is to be conquered through sports and not through war, he said before adding that it is a privilege for him to acknowledge that a girl from his constituency has become the pride of Manipur and made her mark in the international arena.

During the reception ceremony, Moirang MLA M Prithiviraj donated Rs 20 thousand while six special contractors donated Rs 10 thousand each for Sanjita.

Local MLA Ranjit announced Rs 50 thousand and a tracksuit for the CWG Gold medal winner.

Ranjit also announced Rs 20 thousand and a tracksuit for Ranjan who was Sanjita’s first coach.

The local MLA also asserted that Sugunu has a vast sports talent.

Dronacharya awardee boxing coach Ibomcha who has been selected as one of the panel members for the selection of Dronacharya Award is also from Umathel, he said. 

Ranjit, who was the works minister in the previous Congress led government of the State said road connectivity in Sugunu has seen much development in the past few years under the guidance of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

He said construction of the eight and a half km long Wangoo-Umathel road has also been included in the PMGSY scheme and the earth levelling work of the road has been completed already. 

Rs 14.55 crore has already been sanctioned for the development of the Kakching to Kalika road, Ranjit said. 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/08/state-considering-jobs-for-cwg-medal-winners-prithiviraj/

NEW DELHI/IMPHAL, August 10 (NNN): Just 12 days before the expiry of the present term of Suspension of Operation (SoO) of the United People’s Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) with the government, uncertainty hangs whether the two umbrella organisations of tribal underground groups will sign for extension of SoO for another term. 

“So far nothing positive has developed in this regard,” KNO leader Dr Seilen Haokip informed Newmai News Network this evening. 

“We will however continue to observe the situation for the next 10 more days,” he added. 

Dr Seilen Haokip had told NNN on several occasions earlier that ‘there is no point extending the Suspension of Operation (SoO) every time it expires if there is not going to be political dialogues. 

Similar view has been expressed by another umbrella body of the tribal underground group UPF. 

It said that there should be a meaning to the signing of SoO. The UPF leaders are also not happy the way things are happening. 

The current SoO term ends on August 22 for both UPF and KNO. 

Meanwhile, the civil society leaders camping in New Delhi since August 4 to press for the early commencing of political dialogue with the United People’s Front (UPF), are returning to Manipur on August 11. 

The UPF along with the civil society leaders will begin series of consultative meetings from August 12 whether to extend the current SoO term after its expiry. 

“There is no point extending the Suspension of Operation (SoO) every time it expires when political dialogue is not held,” said a prominent leader of the community when Newmai News Network enquired on the development. 

It can be recalled here that a leader of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) had told NNN earlier that they were still observing the situation.

“We have not decided whether to extend the SoO term or not,” the top KNO source disclosed Newmai News Network, adding, “We are closely observing the situation and we are also observing what the Government of India’s initiative is regarding our position.” The source also said that the KNO is yet to fix a date for the outfit’s meeting in connection with the SoO expiry issue. “Signing the SoO pact just for the sake of signing every time it expires is a futile exercise,” stated the KNO source. The KNO however, expressed hope that the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be better than the previous Congress led UPA government. 

Both UPF and KNO are engaging in political struggle with similar ideologies. The KNO, however, in recent time is widening its political advocacy and perspective. 

Early this year, KNO president PS Haokip had mentioned it in his message on the KNO Raising Day on February 24 in Churachandpur district of Manipur that stretching from Kachin state of Burma covering up to Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh and Tuensang and Mon districts of the Konyak and Khimniungan region in the present day Nagaland in India, as well as the land of the Heimi people in Myanmar (Burma) to which tribe SS Khaplang, leader of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K), including Upper Chindwin and Kale Kabow valley in Sagaing Division are entirely ethnic Kachin-Kuki inhabited.The Kachins have always maintained their link through folklore connections with the Kukis, the KNO chief had added. 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/08/uncertainty-hangs-over-soo-extension/

IMPHAL, August 10: Former deputy CM of the State Dr L Chandramani has stated that the future of the State is with the regional party. There is no hope for comprehensive development unless regional party comes to power, he said. He stressed that regional party can only understand the real need of the people.

Speaking on the one-day political conference of the MPP at Mayeng Lamjao Hiyanglam today, Chandramani took jibes on the Congress Government of the State that under its rule there is no proper governance. He alleged that the Government has failed in providing essential commodities such as water, electricity, adding that the roads are in a pathetic conditions and corruption has been rampant.

He further appealed to the people of Hiyanglam to support the cause of regional party like MPP. The conference was graced by N Sovakiran, president MPP; Dr L Chandramani, chief advisor of the party; Y Thambal, Ex MLA O Jugindro, and other important functionaries of the party were present in the conference.

N Sovakiran, who also spoke on the occasion, said in the past, people used to say that politics is the last resort of the scoundrels, but in the present reality without politics nothing is possible. He added that MPP is not interested only in winning elections, but the party’s bigger objective is to groom leaders, so that good leaders can fulfill the desire of the people and uplift the society. 

He further appealed to the people to support MPP, and said that the party can only understand the problem of the State. MPP supports the implementation of the ILP in the State to safeguard the indigenous culture and custom of the peoples, he added. 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/08/future-of-the-state-is-with-the-regional-party-dr-l-chandramani/

IMPHAL, August 10: A combined team of the Imphal East District Police commando unit, 30 Assam Rifles and 40 Assam Rifles arrested an active member of the proscribed PLA/RPF in a counter insurgency operation at Kongba, on August 9, said a PRO Police press release.

The arrested person has been identified as Md Nawaj Ahamed alias Naz alias Anil, 27, son of Md Rahaman of Yairipok Changamdabi Mathak.

The statement said a mobile handset was seized from him and a case has been registered at Porompat Police Station.

It said, in another search operation on August 8, a team of Imphal East District Police commando unit arrested an active member of PLA/RPF from his residence at Ningthembam, Jiribam and a mobile handset was seized from him.

The arrested person has been identified as Thangjam Saratkumar alias Naoba, 21, son of Th Singabi Singh, and a case has been registered at Jiribam Police Station and further investigation is going on, said the press release.

Meanwhile, Thoubal police conducted a search and combing operation at Tekcham area today from 4 to 6 am ahead of the August 15 Independence Day celebration.

The police team was led by Dr S Ibomcha, additional SP (ops) of Thoubal Police, Th Desworjit, DSP Commando Thoubal and Anandkumar, OC Commando Thoubal, conducted a combing operation from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. at Tekcham.

All males in the area above the age of 15 years were lined up at the Tekcham Laibung for individual verification.

Six persons were picked up for lack of proper identification proof.

Two other suspects identified as Ramesh Tamang, 34, son of Sartar Singh Tamang of Ukhrul and Tekcham Ibotombi Singh, 58, son of Ahong Singh of Tekcham were also taken to Kakching Police Station for verification and interrogation.

On the other hand, troops of 6 Dogra of 26 Sector Assam Rifles apprehended a cadre of the proscribed outfit UNLF at a vehicle check post of Pallel, on August 9.

A PRO IGAR (s) statement has identified the cadre as No 2268 Lance Corporal Ninthoujam Thoithoi Meitei alias Veera alias Kangleikhomba, 26, son of N Samungou Meitei of Waiton, Imphal East district.

It said one 7.65 mm pistol with four live rounds ammunition and a mobile handset were recovered from him and the cadre along with the recovered items was handed over to Kakching Police Station.

In another incident, troops of 24 Assam Rifles of 26 Sector AR apprehended another cadre of the UNLF in a vehicle check post of Tegnoupal.

According to the statement, the cadre has been identified as self-styled No. 2400, self-styled private Naorem Manganba Metei, 19, son of (L) Naorem Shanti Meitei of Langol Game Village Zone – 4, Imphal West district, said the press release.

It said, the cadre was apprehended along with a white colour Maruti car bearing registration number MN 01S 4827.

The cadre has been handed over to Imphal West police, it added..

In yet another incident on August 10, troops of 22 Assam Rifles of 28 Sector AR along with Thoubal District police apprehended a cadre of the proscribed PLA in a joint operation from the general area of Tangjeng Khunou.

The cadre has been identified as No 030 Nongmeirakpam Engo alias Athouba, 37, son of Nongmeirakpam Ibomcha Singh of Khulakpat Makha Leikai, Bishnupur district, said the press release.

It said, in another joint operation in the general area of Sugnu, 22 Assam Rifles and Thoubal District police apprehended a cadre of PREPAK (VC) identified as Khundrakpam Badanta Singh, 41, son of Khundrakpam Dhaka Singh of Chairel Khongnang Leikai, Thoubal district. 

Both the apprehended cadres were handed over Sugnu Police Station, said the press release. 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/08/security-forces-step-up-ci-ops-ahead-of-i-day-observation/