345 People From 8 Villages Flee to Tousem Sub-Division in Tamenglong

Tamenglong, Mar 30 : As many as 345 Zeliangrong people from eight villages of Haflong force fled and are camping as refugees at Tousem sub-division of Tamenglong district of Manipur. The incident took place after the recent violence in Haflong areas of North Cachar Hill district in Assam in which five persons were killed and another three persons were injured by armed cadres of DHD (Jewel) faction few days back. Out of 345 Zeliangrongs who are taking shelter at Tousem sub-division as many as 220 people are sheltered at Mandeu village, 55 at Tousem headquarters, 50 at Njunkuak village and 20 more at Zenning village. They are staying at their relatives, a source said. Many Zeliangrong organizations, communities, NGOs and relatives have condemned the incident. Among the Zeliangrong organizations, the Zeliangrong Students Union Manipur (ZSUM), Zeliangrong Students Union Tamenglong District (ZSUTD), Zeliangrong Students Union Tousem Area (ZSUTA), Zeliangrong Pui Baudi and Zeliangrong Baudi Tamenglong today condemned the incident of killing of five Zeliangrong men. While speaking to the IFP, Ramning, secretary of the Zeliangrong Pui Baudi said that the lands belong to Nagas and Nagas are originated from there. “We deeply share the hardship faced by Zeliangrong communities and we are trying hard to help,” she added. The Zeliangrong Students Union also stated that due to bamboo flowering and rodent menace the people were really facing a tough life and the burden of Zeliangrong community had been doubled. For victims and refugees at Tousem areas the Zeliangrong Students Union, Tamenglong district also mobilized a relief. ZSUTD also appealed to one and all to reach out a relief in cash or in kind for the victims for which the following mobile phones may be contacted: 9436444124, 9436080912, 9402080038 and 9436444115. The district administration teams will be leaving the district headquarters tomorrow to open the relief camp at Tousem area for the refugees, an official source informed the IFP tonight. As the Zeliangrong Baudi, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland and the Zeliangrong Students Union Manipur requested the Nagaland chief minister, he also granted 10 trucks loaded with relief rice for the refugees at Tousem area, GH Newmeih, chairman of ZSUM informed the IFP. The Naga Hoho is entrusted to monitor the relief rice at Tousem area, he added. The Nagaland chief minister also issued an order for construction of a road from Prent district of Kohima to Tamenglong district of Manipur, the source further said.

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Human Trafficking Cases in Northeast Alarming

Guwahati, Mar 30 : The Director General of Assam Police GM Srivastava today stated that neighbouring countries, especially Bangladesh, continue to fuel the growth of human trafficking cases in the Northeast, particularly Assam. “There have been many instances where we have seen that professional human traffickers from Bangladesh after marrying a girl from a remote area in the State elopes back home and after keeping her in the neighbouring country for some time, finally sells her to brothels in metros of India,” said Srivastava, adding that the number of duped girls, who are being duped by this racket of human traffickers, is increasing in the State. “The rate of such cases is more in areas where prevalence of social evils like dowry system is more prominent,” the DGP reiterated. Attributing the rise of human trafficking cases in the region to poverty and the simplicity of the people here, the Assam Police chief stressed on the need for an attitudinal change amongst the people to wipe out the menace from the society. The DGP was speaking at the valedictory function of a three-day workshop on ‘Training of Trainers on Anti Human Trafficking’ organised by Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, the Bureau of Police Research and Development, and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the aegis of the Criminal Investigation Department. Resource persons representing various non-government organisation (NGO) imparted training to 35 police personnel from Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal during the training course. “We speak a lot about the theoretical aspects but when it comes to practising those on the ground level, we are found wanting. We employ minors in our house and at the same time miss no chance to speak against issues like child labour. This is sheer double standard that we follow,” the DGP rued. “The basic component of human compassion is missing and no law can be effective under such a scenario,” he pointed out. Subhash Goswami, ADGP (CID), while addressing the gathering, urged the men in uniform to lay traps to nab the human traffickers, which at the same time would also enhance the conviction ratio. “This is how the CBI functions and we too need to adopt that methodology,” Goswami asserted. Earlier, Dr Geeta Sekhon, legal expert, UNODC, said that the organisation would plead before the Ministry of Home Affairs to act upon the needs in infrastructure, finance and manpower fronts. She also maintained that laws relating to human trafficking are not complex provided one tries to understand it in the right earnest. IGP (CID) Dilip Borah was also present on the occasion.

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World cities begin big switch-off

M illions of people worldwide are being urged off lights for an hour, in what is described as the biggest climate change protest ever attempted. The initiative, Earth Hour, was begun in Sydney two years ago by green campaigners keen to cut energy use. Correspondents say the aim is to create a huge wave of public pressure to influence a meeting in Copenhagen later this year to seek a new climate treaty. Critics describe the event as a symbolic and meaningless gesture. The switch-off is expected to take place in more than 3,400 towns and cities across 88 countries, at 2030 in each local time zone. Earth Hour was launched in 2007 as a solo event in Sydney, Australia, with more than two million people involved. Last year's event claimed the participation of 370 cities. This time Sydney was one of the first places to switch off. The BBC's Nick Bryant described a city where skyscrapers were hard to make out against the night sky. Locations taking part this time include Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing and the Egyptian Pyramids. Fast-food giant MacDonald's has pledged to dim its "golden arches" at 500 locations, while celebrities such as actress Cate Blanchett and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have promised support. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon backed the initiative in a video posted this month on the event's YouTube channel. "Earth Hour is a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message," he said. "They want action on climate change." People are invited to provide blogs and short video clips on how they spend their time.

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US warns Pakistan on Taleban link

T he US military says it has evidence elements within Pakistan's military intelligence, the ISI, continue to provide support for the Taleban. Officials said that this support for militants had to end. The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said the ISI had links with militants on both Pakistan's borders with Afghanistan and India. US President Barack Obama has announced a new strategy for the "increasingly perilous" situation in Afghanistan. He said an extra 4,000 US personnel would train and bolster the Afghan army and police, and he would also provide support for civilian development. Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he was "in full agreement" with the US review. 'Very damaging' Two senior figures in the US military have spoken about the links they believe exist between elements in Pakistan's Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Taleban and al-Qaeda militants. "There are certainly indications that's the case," said Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a CNN interview. "Fundamentally that's one of the things that has to change." In another interview, the head of the US Central Command, General David Petraeus, said some of the militant groups had been established by the ISI and that their links continued. He said there was evidence that "in the fairly recent past" the ISI had tipped off militants when their positions were in danger. "It's a topic that is of enormous importance, because if there are links and if those continue and if it undermines the operations [against militants], obviously that would be very damaging to the kind of trust that we need to build," said Gen Petraeus in a PBS interview. Wearing thin American officials, speaking anonymously to the New York Times, have given more detail. They said the strengthening Taleban campaign in southern Afghanistan was being made possible by military supplies from Pakistan. The newspaper said electronic surveillance and informants had shown that the level of co-operation was deeper and more extensive than earlier thought. Pakistani leaders have publically denied any links with the militants. The BBC's Charles Scanlon says patience in Washington appears to be wearing thin. 'New strategy' On Friday US President Barack Obama said growing radical forces in Afghanistan and the border area in Pakistan posed the greatest threat to the American people and the world. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said it would strengthen democracy in his country, while the Afghan government said Mr Obama had recognised that the al-Qaeda threat came mainly from Pakistan, and that it was a regional problem. President Obama said his "comprehensive new strategy" was an outcome of a "careful policy review" in which military commanders and diplomats, regional governments, partners, Nato allies, NGOs and aid organisations were consulted. He painted a bleak picture of the situation, with insurgents increasing their control of territory in the region around the Afghan-Pakistan border - which he termed "the most dangerous place in the world" for the American people - and attacks rising. He said American strategy must relate directly to the threat posed to the Americans by al-Qaeda and its allies - who, he reminded his listeners, were behind the 9/11 attacks on American soil eight years ago. But he said targeting al-Qaeda was not only in the interests of American people, but populations around the world and Afghans themselves. "This is not simply an American problem. Far from it," Mr Obama said. "It is instead an international security challenge of the highest order." In Pakistan, Mr Obama said American help would be needed to go after al-Qaeda, which Mr Obama admitted was "no simple task".

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Pankaj to be questioned

IMPHAL, Mar 26 : In connection with the brutal murder of Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Thingnam Kishan, Mondal Yumnam Token and Driver Aribam Rajen by NSCN (IM) cadres, Ukhrul District Police will be quest-ioning suspended Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pal. However, a team of Ukhrul District Police could not meet Pankaj Kumar Pal when they came to Imphal to question the suspended DC in connection with the triple murder case earlier. Moreover, Ukhrul District Police have also incorporated legal sections and other relevant sections related to criminal conspiracy as applied to the murderers to the FIRs registered against the four individuals currently under judicial custody of police, informed a police source. Notably, report of the enquiry conduc-ted by Agriculture Commissioner O Nabakishore and IG LM Khoute into the triple murder case has been already submitted to the Govt.

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Campaigning for Lok Sabha polls gains speed

I MPHAL, Mar 26: With the 15th Lok Sabha election for the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency fast approaching, electioneering in the tribal dominated Constituency has gained momentum in a calm manner unlike for the Inner Manipur Parliamentary seat. Since the Government is observing Suspension of Operation with almost all underground outfits based in the hills, there have been no reports of violence incidents in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency covering hill districts like Senapati, Chandel, Ukhrul, Tamenglong , Churachandpur and parts of valley districts of Thoubal and Imphal East. So far, major political parties like Congress, BJP, NCP and the regional People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) have fielded their respective candidates for the Outer seats. While the ruling Congress party has nominated Thangso Baite as its candidate for the Outer seat, BJP has fielded Loli Adanee to contest for the same seat. NCP and PDA have also followed suit with nomination of LB Sona and sitting Independent MP Mani Charenamei as their respective candidates. While NCP’s candidate LB Sona, who is being supported by Manipur People’s Party (MPP), Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) and National People’s Party (NPP), filed his nomination papers yesterday, PDA has opened its district unit offices. Talking to The Sangai Express, general secretary of PDA Gaidon Kamei, who is also the party spokesman said “So far no interference have been made from any underground group in the hills in the electioneering activities. We are campaigning in a very peaceful manner. The main factor for this, we believe, is their (UG groups) entry in the peace process with the Government”. “With tranquil prevailing , we hope that the election to the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency scheduled on April 16 will be free and fair,” Gaidon added. He, however, conveyed that the official election campaign of Charenamei will be kicked off in a fitting manner at Senapati district headquarters next Wednesday. “Besides the eight Independent Naga MLAs who are supporting our candidate, thousands of people drawn from the district and beyond will attend the function,” he informed. In similar manner, election meetings will be held at the district headquarters of Tamenglong on April 2 , at Ukhrul on April 4 and at Chandel and Churachandpur on the following days, he said while expressing optimism that Charenamei will be victorious in the election. It may be noted here that the eight Naga Independent MLAs in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, namely Marung Makunga , Khashim Ruivah, K Raina, Danny Shaiza, Wungnaoshang Keishing , Awangbow Newmai M Thohrii and Khangthuanang Panmei, who have recently set up the Independent Legislature Forum (ILF), have already resolved to support Charenamei. With exception to Thohrii and Panmei, the other six Naga MLAs have been elected with the support and backing of United Naga Council (UNC) which is spearheading the Naga integration movement.

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