Manipur News

IMPHAL May 16: The respective families of M Dayananda Singh and M Premananda Singh, who were killed by the Kuki Revolutionary Front, have taken their bodies today following the agreement reached between the JAC formed in connection with the incident and the government today.

Post mortem of the bodies was conducted today at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences.

The bodies have been lying unclaimed in the morgue since May 12 last.

Family members of Semngam Haokip who was killed during the bandh in the aftermath of the killing of the two labourers have also claimed his body today after post mortem was conducted at RIMS morgue.

Police escorted the families to ensure that no untoward incidents happen during the journey from the morgue to their respective residences.

Their last funeral rituals were conducted peacefully later.

It may be recalled that M. Dayananda Singh and M. Premananda Singh were working as labourers at Mapao Khullen and allegedly murdered by KRF cadres at Thingshat village.

Later after the arrest of 8 KRF cadres, the two dead bodies were exhumed from two different locations and deposited at RIMS morgue.

Several civil society groups across communities had denounced the gruesome incident of killing innocent laborers and torturing a minor student by KRF cadres. The State was gripped in a protest bandh and counter curfew by the government for the last four days.

In the unfortunate violence that followed, a church at Patsoi lamkhai was set ablaze, four vehicles were set aflame and a shaktiman driver Semngam Haokip was beaten to death and three others were left injured.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/families-accept-bodies-of-two-killed-by-krf/

IMPHAL, May 17: `Wealth or success in life is not happiness, true happiness comes from within when one learns to appreciate and understand the meaning of life`™s journey said Works minister Dr Kh Ratankumar Singh today.

He was speaking as the chief guest at `Easy Rajyoga for a Healthy and Happy Society` at GM Hall, which was organised by Prajapita Bhrama Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwas Vidyalaya.

He further said that Rajyoga in the present situation is very relevant as it helps one to have peace of mind and see the positive aspects in life.

Moreover it will also help in bringing peace and making the world a better place to live in, he added.

He also said that only reading spirituals books will not help, but one should imbibe the lesson learnt from the books practically in their day to day life.

Speaking as the special guest of the function, Rajyogini Bhrama Kumari Sheela, director, Brahmakumari NE, Guwahati, Assam stated that mind really matters in changing oneself.

Highlighting her own experience she said that before she join Rajyoga all her concern and worries is her own life, own people and own community and she had not much worry for the people.

But soon after joining Rajyoga she learnt to appreciate and love all human kind, she added.

She said she learnt to feel that all living creature on earth are God`™s greatest gift.

The function was also attended by I Lalitkumar Singh, senior advocate, High Court of Manipur as the president, Robita Sorakhaibam, professor, Manipur University department of Commerce as the guest of honour.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/true-happiness-comes-from-inner-self-works-minister/

IMPHAL, May 17: The Manipur Mahila Kalyan Samiti today staged a sit in protest demanding the immediate and safe release of two students who have been alleged kidnapped on May 9 by unidentified miscreants.

The sit in protest was organised jointly with the Democratic Students`™ Alliance of Manipur in front of the MMKS compound.

Yaikhom Kumdamba, 11, son of Angomcha Singh of Sekta Maning Leikai and Moirangthem Shakhenba, 13, son of (L) M Premananda Singh of Kangra Ching both studying in Lila Singh Khongnang Khong School have been feared kidnapped after they failed to return home from school on May 9. They were staying at the children`™s home run by MMKS.

Speaking to the media persons MMKS general secretary N Jamini said the kids failed to return to the children`™s home after they went to their school on May 9.

When the two children failed to return till the dawn of the next morning, children`™s home authority informed the families of the two boys, she said.

MMKS also held a meeting the next morning and a missing report filed with the concerned police station, she added.

According to N Jamini, one of the missing students is undergoing medication as he is suffering from night blindness.

On behalf of Manipur Mahila Kalyan Samiti, N Jamini further appealed whoever is responsible for the missing children to release them at the earliest.

She said they are still in such a tender age that they have no understanding of the outside world.

She further said that MMKS and other student bodies will launch stronger forms of agitations if the two children are not released by whosoever are concerned before May 25.

Expressing with much sorrow and sadness, the grandmother of one of the children appealed to the concern authority to help find the two children.

She also appealed to all those concerned to safely release the two children.

She also said that the children are from poor families and still innocent.

DESAM vice president, A Thoithoi said that the incident is really unfortunate.

There is still no confirmation of who is responsible for the missing boys till date, he said.

The government has also been remaining silent, he added.

Children are our future and are considered to God`™s greatest gifts to a family, he said appealing to all concern to release the boys at the earliest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/sit-in-protest-staged-demanding-release-of-young-students-feared-kidnapped/

IMPHAL, May 17: Construction of a Cultural University in the State will be started soon, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said addressing the 57th Foundation Day celebration of the Cultural Forum, Manipur today.

The function was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy auditorium.

He said Manipur is a small State, but there are countries which are much smaller than our State and at the same time doing well economically, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said

It is not the size, but the efficiency to work on the available resources which matters, he continued.

With determination and commitment of the people, Manipur although a small State can excel in economic growth, he continued.

Ibobi said the cultural talents of the State`™s artists is an asset for the State and should be protected and preserved.

Our culture is like our looking glass, reflecting our own image. It is not only respected and recognized in the country but throughout the entire world, he asserted.

Manipur is dependent on the Centre, and funds are allocated according to the need of the State, he said.

Funds, as such, need to be utilised according to the priority, he said adding that setting up of a Cultural University in the State is one such top priority.

Construction for the university will be started soon without any delay, he said elaborating further that the setting up of the university was already passed during the State Assembly session and the Governor has already given his assent.

This university will be set up on 250 acres of land which has already been identified, he continued.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also released a book entitled `Ritu`™ 161-162 issue during the function.

The function was also attended by State Works minister Dr Kh Ratankumar Singh and The Cultural Forum, Manipur president Prof Naorem Khagendra Singh.

Sahitya Akademi and National Awardees were felicitated by the Chief Minister and the cultural forum lifetime achievement award was also handed over to the awardee during the function.

Earlier in the day, a symposium on Manipuri Waree Machagi Khutee was also held which was attended by PDA chairman T Mangibabu Singh and The Cultural Forum, Manipur president prof. Naorem Khagendra Singh.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/construction-of-cultural-univeristy-will-start-soon-ibobi/

By Alex Guite

LAMKA, May 17: In a rare act of showing appreciation and solidarity to the Khuga battalion, Churachandpur under 27 Sector, three village chiefs today erected a stone plaque naming the Khuga Dam-Singat Road junction as `Mohan Junction`™.

Following the formal inaugural function, Mata Village chief Kampu Vaiphei flanked by fellow chiefs of Bualian Village N Vaiphei and K Gamnuam Village Lamthang spoke to media persons and said the three village chiefs endorse the naming of the road junction and any kinds of vandalizing the plaque will be considered as an act against the three villages.

He continued the public can contact the village chiefs in case of any act of vandalism to the plaque so that action can be taken up against the miscreants with the help of law enforcing agencies.

He also asserted that the three village chiefs had themselves asked the CO of the Khuga Battalion as to how they can reciprocate good deeds of the battalion taken up under the Civic Action programmes as which the CO asked them to name the Khuga-Dam-Singat Road junction as `Mohan Junction`™ in honour of the battalion`™s soldier who was killed in an IED explosion near the Myanmar border village of Theigotang in the month of May last year.

It may be recalled that (L) Havildar G.Mohan Kumar was killed on the onset of the 25th Madras Regiment taking over from the Gorkha Regiment last May. He is survived by his wife and infant son.

The inaugural plaque is inscribed with the words, `Mohan Junction named after Late Havilder G.Mohan Kumar who laid his life for the people of Manipur and for the country`

It may also be mentioned that a school boy from Tuilaphai Village of Henglep who was bitten by a snake was saved by the Khuga Battalion medical team last night by administering anti-venom injection.

The boy identified as Manggoulian son of (L)Hauthang is a Class X student of Vumhao Govt Hight School located at Tuilaphai Village of Henglep.

According to his brother, Manggoulian was bitten by a snake around 9:30 last night and was first rushed to the Churachandpur District Hospital but was told that there was no anti-venom injection in the hospital.

However, the boy was injected with an antibiotic, he continued.

Later on the family called on the sitting member of ADC, Churachandpur Grace Zamnu who is a family friend for long, he said adding that the ADC member called on the 35th madras Regiment following which the CO of the battalion send his medical team, he continued.

It is also learnt that on May 14, the battalion had saved another snake bite victim from Mualbem Village.

Meanwhile, Tuilaphai villagers on being asked said there was a government dispensary in their village, however, the doctor comes only occasionally and on rare occasions.

They said the boy was lucky that he had the means of transport and was saved.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/ccpur-road-junction-named-after-soldier-killed-in-ied-attack/

IMPHAL, May 17: The Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) has resolved to ban The Sangai Express and ISTV in the State with immediate effect charging of being bias.

A statement issued by Seiboi Haokip, general secretary of the organisation, stated that the decision to ban the newspaper and the local television news channel was taken in view of the partiality in reporting practiced by the two media with respect to the Haorang Kairel killing incident and Thingsat killings.

It is fully evident from the news reporting that the newspaper and television news channel have prejudiced the Kuki people by resorting to ignore the Haorang Kairel killing incident while giving exclusive and undue coverage to the Thingsat killing incident, it said.

The two leading media have totally ignored and neglected due coverage on the Haorang Kairel killing incident or the crime as a whole. On the other hand, the Thingsat killing incident has been exhaustively reported inciting communal tension in the valley, it continued.

The KSO considers this manner of news reporting as unethical and unfair adding that the lopsided reporting and partiality has tinted the innocent victims of Haorang Kairel incident in a poor light as if the incident that happened was not a crime or newsworthy, it said.

Recalling the incident it said that on May 14 at around 11am, four innocent villagersof Kangchup Songlung viz. Shaktiman driver-Semkhongam Haokip and three workers- Nehminthang Haokip, Lunminhao Haokip and Thangminlun Khongsai, who were called to work by the Shaktiman owner were waylaid by a group of about 40 men at Sanjenbam Lamkhai. After they were dragged down from the truck, they were whisked away in two auto rickshaws and brought to Haorang Kairel, where they were subjected to fatal thrashing with rods and knives it alleged.

On seeing the crime elders of the locality intervened to save the victims and called the police. In the process the police snatched three victims away from the clutch of the mob and were brought to RIMS. The missing Shaktiman driver who was found in the field later was declared brought dead at RIMS.

But this incident has been deliberately ignored and censored by the two leading media in their news reporting, It said.

While in RIMS, the newsmen interviewed the survivors and gathered the details of the dead driver and the three survivors and also the circumstances of the crime. But, they failed to report the crime in their newspapers and feigned ignorance of the incident, it added.

The KSO and the valley based student organizations had also called a press conference condemning the Haorang Kairel incident particularly. But the Haorang Kairel incident has not been reported even though its details or circumstances were given to the reporters in the press interview, it lamented.

Not only the killing of Semkhongam Haokip has been censored in the news, the statements of the KSO and KIM were also distorted. The KSO cannot accept this unfairness without an apology from the two media, it claimed.

The Sangai Express and ISTV are widely subscribed and held in esteemed regard by the Kuki community. But, the two leading media is engaging in biased and lopsided reporting thereby hurting the sentiment of the community. As such the KSO has resorted to take this drastic action of banning the two media from circulating, it concluded.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/kso-bans-sangai-express-and-istv-for-partial-reporting/