July 24, 2015 – Page 3

JCILPS urge people to continue rallies, sit ins

IMPHAL, July 24: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System has appealed to the people to continue with the democratic forms of agitation in demand for a proper bill

IMPHAL, July 24: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System has appealed to the people to continue with the democratic forms of agitation in demand for a proper bill in the interest of the indigenous people of the State.

It has appealed to the people to continue with organising sit in protests, human chains and rallies.

A statement of the committee urged the people to continue until the government reacts positively to the public resolutions.

It said the government`™s response to the resolution undertaken during yesterday`™s public consultation will show its commitment to the issue.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/jcilps-urge-people-to-continue-rallies-sit-ins/

GPF e-statements uploaded in official website

IMPHAL, July 24: The office of the Accountant General (A&E) Manipur has notified that it had uploaded the annual GPF e-statement for the year 2014-15 with effect from July 23

IMPHAL, July 24: The office of the Accountant General (A&E) Manipur has notified that it had uploaded the annual GPF e-statement for the year 2014-15 with effect from July 23 on the official website of the office.

In a statement the AG office said that all the subscribers can download their annual statement directly from the website hppt://agmpr.cag.gov.in and utilise for their advances/withdrawals/final payment etc.

It said that as PIN for login to the online GPF and OTP for GPF details are to be sent only through SMS to the respective registered mobile numbers, those subscribers whose mobile numbers have not been registered with the AG office will not be able to download their annual GPF e-statement.

It divulged that subscribers who have not been registered with the AG office are required to register their mobile number for which the registration forms can be downloaded from the website hppt://agmpr.cag.gov.in.

It further notified all the DDOs/Sanctioning authorities to download the QR code reader from the same website and install the same to the android smart phone/tablets for verification of the balances shown in the statement submitted by the subscribers at the time of their advances/withdrawals/final payments etc.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/gpf-estatements-uploaded-in-official-website/

Bill drafting committee to meet legal experts today

IMPHAL, July 24: The government constituted Drafting Committee of a new bill in the interest of the indigenous people will be meeting legal experts for the second time tomorrow at

IMPHAL, July 24: The government constituted Drafting Committee of a new bill in the interest of the indigenous people will be meeting legal experts for the second time tomorrow at 4pm.

According to reports received by the IFP, the meeting will be convened at the office of the Revenue, Law and Legislative Affairs and Forest & Environment minister Th Debendra Singh who is also the chairman of the drafting committee.

It is also learnt that the All Manipur Bar Association has formed a drafting committee of its own this evening during an extended executive meeting at its Uripok Cheirap Court complex office.

The AMNA drafting committee team to attend the meeting will be led by its president senior advocate H Chandrajit Sharma who was also appointed as the chairman of the AMBA committee, sources said.

The other members of the AMBA drafting committee are AMBA general secretary advocate B Supriya Devi as convenor, joint secretary AMBA advocate A Neelakumar Singh as assistant convenor, senior advocates S Lakhikant Singh and Khaidem Mani Singh as members.

The AMBA committee will also submit opinions of its members to the bill drafting committee before August 1.

Advocate N Kumarjit Singh who is the chairman of the 11-member core-committee of the High Court Bar Association, Manipur will lead the core committee team in tomorrow`™s meeting.

Sources also informed that the core-committee also convened a meeting this afternoon at 1pm which lasted for more than two hours.

During the meeting the core-committee had discussed at length the legal provisions regarding the five points submitted by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System.

During the meeting, the committee also discussed preparation of a model draft bill, sources said.

Will not budge from village until RR package revised: Chadong villagers

IMPHAL, 24 July: `We are ready die in our village` said Margaret, a villager of Chadong who has till date resisted being shifted from her village even though the water

IMPHAL, 24 July: `We are ready die in our village` said Margaret, a villager of Chadong who has till date resisted being shifted from her village even though the water level submerging the village is rising uninterrupted.

Ever since the dam water of the Mapithel Dam on Thoubal River has been blocked in January this year, water has been seeping slowly and submerging villages.

A mere Rs 14 lakhs compensation for rehabilitation and resettlement does not justify the pains of the villagers, Margaret lamented.

The amount is not enough to buy even a small piece of land, she groaned.

Margaret was speaking to a small team of media persons who had visited Chadong Village yesterday to capture the mournings of the villagers who are being displaced by the rising water.

Chadong Village which had around 1400 villagers is now left with only about 300 who desire to stay back lamenting the RR package of the State government.

To reach the village from the side of Ramrei Village, one has to cross a 4-km stretch of water body in a boat which is propelled by a villager.

From the edge of the water body in Ramrei Village, one can see a view of the Chadong Community hall which seems to be floating on the vast water body.

After more than an hour of rowing, the boat reaches Chadong of which most parts including the school, church and houses are partly submerged.

A yet to be inaugurated school constructed under RMSA is about to be totally submerged. Villagers from the nearby villages are also there trying to help the Chadong villagers dismantle their houses which will soon be submerged and shift to a higher location.

The process is however, made harder by the incessant rain.

An old villager, Achung on being asked about her condition said life cannot be measured with money.

He said they were very happy before the dam with fertile paddy fields and the students attending schools and enough to support their families.

But the dam has changed all equations today, he lamented.

It is a nightmare to even think of the children`™s education, he continued.

Until the demand for a revision of the RR plan is met, they will not leave Chadong Village, he asserted.

During a brief meeting, Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organisation chairman Ks Dominic charged the State government had not notified the villagers about its eviction plan.

Now with the water level already reaching the cattle grazing ground, fields, playground, it wouldn`™t be long before it is fully submerged, he lamented.

He vividly expressed that until amicable solution is not brought, they will not accept any compensation amount from the Government.

He lamented that the recent inspection team led by one Chief Engineer as an expert sanctioned by the National Green Tribunal court only collected information from the government agents and officials and avoided to interact with the affected people.

He said that the government must review and arrange for sustainable survival solutions included in the organisation`™s 26-point demand which also include fishing rights, tourism rights, forest rights etc. Article 21 of Indian Constitution has been totally violated by the government, he maintained.

MDAVO vice chairman Themson Jajo supplementing on the issue said that Mapithel Dam having provision to supply potable water to the Imphal area is funded as loan by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the agreement that the project do not violate any human rights.

He further said that the construction of Mapithel Dam has violated human rights in multiple ways and if JICA continues to fund the Integrated Water Supply Project (IWSP) will only escalate human rights violation.

Themson said that a memorandum has already been submitted to JICA on February 19 and further to follow up another memorandum will soon be submitted to JICA appealing not to fund such controversial and anti-people project.

Villagers of Thawai also known as Thoyee Village are also affected by the construction of Mapithel Dam said Saka Wonraila as their irrigation fields, the only source of their livelihood is submerged. She said that the State Chief Minister should visit the surrounding villages to see and feel the dismay of the villagers. She blamed the State government which created horrifying situation among the villages residing around the Mapithel Dam.

MMTA team rows down Imphal River garnering support for ILPS

IMPHAL July 24: Manipur Mountaineering Training Association organised a rafting rally in two rafts down the Imphal River from Maharabi near Sekmai to Khurai Lamlong Thong demanding ILPS implementation in

The MMTA team during their ILP campaign

They were greeted by thousands of people who watch them from the river banks and shouted slogans supporting the ILPS demand.

Late Sapam Robinson`™s parents also greeted the team and showed support to the endeavour of the MMTA at the river bank.

The team also stopped for a brief moment to visit their home and pay homage to the departed student.

They proceeded further down the river towards passing under Salamthong the Lamlong Bridge and stopped to greet people on the river banks along their course.

They waited for more than an hour without flinching and join the chorus of shouting the ILP slogans.

It was indeed an overwhelming support and solidarity unmatched to any form of demonstration in the ILPS movement so far and appealed to the crowds.

Bridges were loaded with people nearing stampede.

And from each bridge they gathered more supporters to the next bridge.

Meanwhile, residents of Khergao Awang Leikai also staged a sit in protest demanding implementation of the ILPS in the State.

The sit in protest was jointly organised by Khergao Awang Leikai, Khargao Association Women Development, Young Vision Association Khergao Sabal Leikai, Nasikhong Youth Union, Sabal Leikai Youth Development Association.

Wuzu Massacre: Naga Students’ Federation Memorandum against AFSPA Submitted to the Governor of Nagaland on 23rd July 2015

Ref no. NSF/memo-1/15-17

Ref no. NSF/memo-1/15-17 Dated 23/07/15

To,

Shri PB Acharya

Honourable Governor of Nagaland

Subject : Appeal against the ongoing unjust war on the Naga people, demand for the punishment of the personnel responsible for the Wuzu massacre of July 16, 2015 and the immediate repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958.

Sir,

With due respect, we, the undersigned, would like to submit this memorandum, to inform you of the Naga apprehensions and escalation of disturbances to peace and security of our people as a result of an unjust war. We would also like to seek for your kind cooperation with the Naga people and necessary intervention to take up adequate action against the war crimes perpetrated by the Indian army at Wuzu Village on July 16, 2015 and the immediate repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958.

That;

The honourable Governor must be aware of the media coverage about the Wuzu Massacre in Nagaland, on July 16, 2015. which has been misreported as cross firing between the NSCN(K) and the Indian Armed forces by the Indian Media. On that unfortunate day; a convoy of the Assam Rifles and Para Commandos, led by Major Surinder Singh of the 46 AR C Company, indiscrimanately fired upon the unarmed residents of Wuzu Village, who were having a discussion with the Major regarding the customary ritual funeral of the mortal remains of late Captain Puhachu, NSCN(K) who was one of those killed by the Indian Army on the midnight of 15th July 2015. In this massacre Miss Aso (13 years old) and Mr Tiizali (14 years old) were killed; Mrs Esther Jorror(24 years old) was injured, and properties were destroyed by the rampant firing of the Indian Army. The unfortunate victims were meither fired upon by the NSCN(K) nor were there any cross firing. However, the Indian media and the military establishment, as usual, have covered up the massacre with misinformation propaganda. In this regard, we have conducted a fact finding mission, which has now been widely cirulated. The fact finding report is being attached for your kind information (Annexure I).
The honorable Governor must be aware of the fact that India’s unjust war on the Naga people, in the initial stage, was primarily motivated by extra territorial, geo strategic, mercantile capitalist interests of the national chauvinist ruling forces, who in the subsequent period of time have erected local puppet regimes. In the last few decades, India’s capitalist interests to expropriate Naga natural resources and to control trade routes have been rigorously enforced at gun point. Throughout the period since the late 1940s, the Nagas have been bearing with the negative fallouts of this unjust war by India, which have been constitutionally buttressed by the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 (henchforth AFSPA). We, the Naga people, cannot remain silent on this anymore.
The honourable Governor must be aware of the facts that throughout the period, from 1948 to 1957, the AFSPA has been theoretically imposed in all the ‘provinces’ of India. It was repealed in 1957 because it was an ugly blot to the image of a democratic and republican India. However, from 1958 onwards, India’s unjust war on the Naga people has been covered up under this Act. Section 1 of the AFSPA empowers the Governor of a State or the Government of India to construe any area or territory as disturbed and to act accordingly. SECTION 4 of the Act empowers any concerned officer to act on ‘his’ suspicion and consequently arrest anyone without warrant, to search any premise without warrant, destroy and kill. SECTION 5 of the Act empowers the concerned officer to detain any arrested person with the least possible delay and does not stipulate any time frame of the detention. SECTION 6 of the Act defends any army personnel from being held accountable for any violation of human rights inflicted on innocent citizen. Why has the onus of the AFSPA been imposed on us, when we do not want the Indian army to rule over us?
The honourable Governor must be aware of the fact that the Right to Life and justice sanctioned by the Indian Constitution and the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, have been denied to the people affected by the AFSPA. The AFSPA has allowed the Indian Army to unleash a reign of terror, that is, perpetration of war crimes with impunity. This unjust war on the Naga people violates the international standards, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, the Geneva Conventions 1949 (and additional protocols), the United Nations Convention against Torture (1984, signed in India), the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2007). The unjust war is responsible for the killing, torture, sexual disgrace, destruction of property, control of our markets and natural resources by the market forces, trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, deprivation and marginalisation, insecurity, and various forms of disturbances to the Naga people.
The honourable Governor must be aware of the opinions and recommendations that suggests that the Naga struggle is a ‘national liberation movement’ in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Myanmar which is structurally rooted by the constrains of the Indian capitalist political economy. There is a widespread view that upholds that the nationality question cannot be solved militarily. However, the Government of India is acting undemocratically, by investing more in the unjust war efforts, to keep the Nagas permanently under siege. How long should we remain silent to the suppression of democratic voices that are being raised against subjugation and exploitation.

The Naga students’ community and the Nagas are aghast by the Wuzu Masscre. Fully comprehending the dangerous fallouts of the prolonged unjust war, we appeal to your esteemed Office, to hear our democratic voice and to fulfill our immediate demands.

Our immediate demands are:

Publicly condemn the Wuzu Massacre of July 16, 2015.
Punish the war criminals responsible for the Wuzu Massacre.
The Armed Forces both Military and Para Military to be recalled back to their respective camp from their ruthless operation.
Immediate repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

sd/-

Subenthung Kithan

President, Naga Students’ Federation

sd/-

Boveio Poukai Duo

General Secretary, Naga Students’ Federation

Bamboo, cane work generates jobs in Manipur | Business Standard News – Business Standard

Bamboo, cane work generates jobs in Manipur | Business Standard NewsBusiness StandardManipur has a rich and unique handicraft tradition and a large number of people in the state have taken up this work to become self-employed. Today, we meet one such m…

Bamboo, cane work generates jobs in Manipur | Business Standard News
Business Standard
Manipur has a rich and unique handicraft tradition and a large number of people in the state have taken up this work to become self-employed. Today, we meet one such master craftsperson who is doing a good business by making bamboo and cane …

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