Month: June 2013

IMPHAL, June 28 NNN: The Naga Peoples Front (NPF), Manipur State said the proposed Chakpi Multi-purposed Dam have affected many tribal villages and their lands would be submerged or displaced while ultimate beneficiaries will be non-tribals at the cost of the tribal people.
According to Athuan Abonmai, Manipur chief minister O. Ibobi Singh’s recent announcement to constitute a committee with a retired high court Judge to bring equal development to the hill areas is a blatant lie.
“How can the hill people expect a good thing from the Congress led Manipur government while their fundamental and constitutional rights were denied?” the NPF leader questions.
“Mr. O. Ibobi has stated that the hill people were the ones who misused the development fund of the hill area but we would like to know from the chief minister as to what funds and who had misused them?” the NPF also asked while further posing a question, “Mr Ibobi meant his Congress tribal MLAs or those un-mandated so called district council members?”
Posing a series of questions, NPF, Manipur State secretary Athuan Abonmai said, “What is the quantum of fund allocation for hill districts which is covering 90% of geographical areas of the state? How can a shoe string budget allocation of hill districts do any remarkable achievement in this vast hilly region? Besides,there is a provision of tribal sub-plan in each and every dept. through central funding. Where are all those fund gone? Who has been misappropriating those money? There is no any achievement from any dept. for tribal under tribal sub-plan except Tribal Development department Ibobi may lie but for how long will it last?”
Another discriminatory act of the Manipur government is the recently created/constituted Manipur Rural Development Agency (MRDA), pointed out the Naga party.
“That District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) is a centralised agency whose cannot be diverted/deducted by the state govt. That is why it has deliberately constituted the MRDA so that Manipur state govt. can divert fund meant for hill districts from DRDA. Moreover, it can be facilitating the valley based UGs to deduct DRDA fund of hill districts.
Since the handing over of DRDA to the District Council, the highly reputed agency DRDA is becomes farcical institution. No welfare schemes implemented properly and even the IAY which normally benefited for the poor villagers were totally misused by the so called councillors and distributed to their few selected relatives or dear and near one only. In the name of empowering to the un-mandated ADC Members, 25% of MGNREGS fund is also diverted. It is not empowering but depriving the tribal public in the hill districts of their due share,” the NPF, Manipur State said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/npf-says-low-budget-for-hill-areas/

IMPHAL, June 28 MNS NNN: Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh today admitted some boundary pillars on the Indo-Myanmar border have been misplaced due to being weathered.
Naoria Pakhanglakpa constituency MLA RK Anand from the ruling Congress party moved a calling attention motion in the House when he expressed prudence about the looming
lose of more boundary area in the Chandel district’s commercial hub Moreh that borders Myanmar.
He said the Government needs action with serious introspection to defend the border of Manipur as its boundary area has reportedly been shrunk adding it is not good news.
The construction of integrated check-post at Moreh has come to a halt with the Government of Myanmar telling the India side to stop it by claiming it as a disputed site, Anand said.
He said a risk persists now after Moreh Gate-1and 2 are being located inside the neighbouring country’s area and what’s more there is quite possibility that The Tamil Sangam Temple in the town will be added further into the border of the neighboring country in near future.
Anand said that it is never a right move of the Government to sit idle when the crucial issue of boundary comes up and it should also reveal its policy to address the issue in the interest of the public.
Responding to it, Ibobi admitted that some boundary pillars erected along Indo-Myanmar border have been found missing, saying it must have been due to being seasoned.
He said India and Myanmar has started establishing cordial relations after the Look East Policy.
The countries now are to conduct survey at Boundary Pillar-9 and the remaining are pillars 76, 91, 92 and 94, the Chief Minister informed the House.
The loss of pillars on the border must have been due to being seasoned, he said, adding the boundary dispute between the two countries is caused by pending demarcation on the border area.
The two countries have already conducted joint survey on the border thrice, Ibobi informed clarifying that the question of infringement of the Tamil Sangam Temple does not arise in the border dispute.
Ibobi further clarified that Mynamar has never asked the Indian side to stop the pillar construction works being taken up along the border but it has instead asked for a proper demarcation of the location to continue the works.
The Government is expecting an early settlement of the border dispute, Ibobi assured while affirming that there is no question of compromising the state’s boundary.
Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam today said efforts are on to open a passport office.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/early-solution-expected-over-land-dispute-in-border-areas-cm/

Mail News Service NNN
Imphal, June 28 : Dy Chief Minister Gaikhangam today said there is no formal complain regarding the killing of NSCN K cadres by Assam Rifles. He said as there is no formal complain no investigation is going on . Meanwhile Publicity Secretary. Naga Women’s Union (NWU) condemned the cold blooded murder of six NSCN (K) cadres by the 10 Assam Rifles (AR) at K. Songlung on 22 June 2013. All cadres were dressed in civil clothing and carried no weapons when they were invited for a friendly discussion and taken away by the Major of 10 AR, the merciless killing of the cadres in cold blood is very inhuman and gross violation of human rights it was alleged. “No one is given license to kill – whether army, civil or armed groups”. There is no war in Manipur and NSCN (K) is under ceasefire with the Government of India, as such killing of the six cadres by the 10 AR is against the law of the country. The perpetrators should be booked and given befitting punishment for committing crime against the innocent cadres and also demand concerned authorities to make proper investigation of the incident and deliver justice to the victims and their families at the earliest.
Women’s security and safety is severely threatened in the society today where women are continuously targeted and crime committed against them is on the rise. Women have no security everywhere whether at home, in the markets, learning institutions, offices, jungles, on the road, in the field and so on. NWU denounces crimes against women and strongly condemned the rape of an old aged Tangkhul woman of K. Somrei Village, Ukhrul District by Muhammad Sanayai 30 years son of Ibothem of Mayai Keithel, Heirok, P.O. Yairipok, Thoubal District in the jhum field and robbed her of Rs. 9,000/- which is hardly possessed by a poor farmer like her. Also rape of a 17 years old girl from Yairipok Changamdabi, Mathak Leikai who was abducted from the gate of Universal College, Yairipok, Thoubal District by unidentified persons and gang raped her on 19 June 2013, who went to college to get admission form.
In relation to the cases, NWU urged the Government to do proper investigation of the cases, give befitting punishment to the culprits for the crimes committed, to compensate the victims and deliver justice at the earliest.
There have been several cases of rape and Violence against Women (VAW) and many of the rape survivors were left without any rehabilitation and compensation. NWU further demands the concerned authorities to speed up trail for all pending cases.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/no-formal-complain-regarding-killing-of-nscn-cadres-dy-cm/

Imphal Jun 28 UNA : Several students were Friday injured in police action dispersing them while attempting to storm the state Assembly demanding implementation of inner line permit (ILP) system in Manipur.
Three of them critical injured when they were beaten up by the police in a bid to foil their attempt to storm the Assembly complex today around 11.30 am while the Assembly session was in progress. One of them admitted at a private hospital in Imphal has been referred to JNIMS hospital after his condition becomes critical. He suffered severe injury in his head.
Students of Johnston Higher Secondary School and CC Higher Secondary School were agitating under the banner of the students’ wing of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System in Manipur.
Around 11.30 am a large number of students of CC Higher Secondary School marched towards the Assembly complex from their school campus at Palace gate. Police blocked them in front of Imphal Municipal Council office.
Despite repeated warning of the police, the students marched ahead to break the barricade erected on the police to block them. There was a struggle between the students and police which compelled the police to use force to disperse them. In the struggle, several students injured.
Among them three of them were critically injured and immediately rushed to nearby hospital. Leaders of the joint committee on ILP alleged that the students suffered injuries in police baton charge.
Police further resorted to firing tear gas shells and mob bombs to quell the student. More students injured in the firing.
After their first attempt to storm the Assembly complex was foiled, the students of CC higher Secondary School was joined by the students of Johnston Higher Secondary School and took out another rally targeting the Assembly complex.
Police had to use force once again to foil the rally.
The students’ wing of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System in Manipur has been launching a series of protest pressing the government to translate into action the resolution adopted by the state Assembly regarding the extension of Eastern Bengal Regulation for introduction of inner line permit system in the state.
Yesterday also students who attempted to storm the Assembly from four directions were foiled by the police by using tear gas and other mob dispersion devises.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/students-injured-in-police-action-ilp-stir-2/