north east online - north east india news: Aug 31, 2009

Monday, August 31, 2009

Dalai Lama, on prayer visit, says Taiwan, China should have ‘very close and unique links’

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HIAO LIN, Taiwan — The Dalai Lama said Taiwan should have “very close and unique links” with China but also enjoy democracy, as he arrived at a devastated village Monday to pray for victims of Taiwan’s worst storm in 50 years.

Beijing has voiced its opposition to the Dalai Lama’s visit, saying it could have a negative effect on relations between the mainland and Taiwan, which Beijing wants back after the two split six decades ago.

The Tibetan spiritual leader insisted his visit was a humanitarian one and that he had no political agenda, but in his remarks to reporters he encouraged Taiwan to preserve its democracy.

Kneeling on the ground above what was once the farming village of Shiao Lin, the Tibetan spiritual leader offered his prayers for the estimated 500 villagers who died in mudslides triggered by Typhoon Morakot in early August. The village is now an empty stretch of mud and scattered boulders.

Overall, some 670 were killed in the storm, and the Dalai Lama plans to lead a mass prayer ritual for them.

At Shiao Lin, he put his palms together in prayer while a monk next to him recited a Buddhist sutra. He then embraced two weeping relatives of Shiao Lin victims, holding their heads as he knelt on the ground and prayed.

Some 50 former Shiao Lin residents had returned to welcome him, many wearing T-shirts with pictures of the village before the deadly mudslides.

“We welcome him and we’re very happy that he’s here,” said Liu Ming-chuan, 44.

The Dalai Lama also made brief remarks about the tragedy and about the invitation for his visit. He has said he had a moral responsibility to visit the victims.

He said he was not disappointed by President Ma Ying-jeou’s refusal to meet him. “This is a humanitarian visit,” he told reporters. “On my side, there is no political agenda.”

“In any case, Taiwan should have very close and unique links with mainland China, but at the same time Taiwan also should enjoy democracy and prosperity,” he added.

Communist Party-ruled China has long vilified the Dalai Lama for what it claims as his attempt to fight for independence of Tibet, which has been under communist rule for decades.

But instead of criticizing Ma for his visit, the spokesman for China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office blasted Taiwan’s opposition Democratic Progressive Party for its “ulterior motives to instigate the Dalai Lama, who has long been engaged in separatist activities, to visit Taiwan.”

Taiwan’s opposition had invited the Dalai Lama to comfort the typhoon victims.

The invitation came as Taiwan and China have dramatically improved their relations after decades of enmity. Ma has made closer business ties and cultural exchanges a signature issue of his 15-month-old administration.

Beijing has said it “resolutely opposes” the Taiwan visit, and a Chinese official for Taiwan affairs on Sunday night warned the visit “is bound to have a negative influence on the relations between the mainland and Taiwan.”

A Taiwanese official said 70 Chinese athletes have decided not to attend Saturday’s opening ceremony of the international Deaf Olympics in Taipei, but would still take part in the games. Emile Sheng, an executive of the games’ organizing committee, declined to comment on media reports that the group was boycotting because of the Dalai Lama’s visit.

Not all in Taiwan have welcomed the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Earlier Monday, some 20 demonstrators confronted him outside his hotel, saying the visit was short of bringing real disaster relief to Taiwan.

“I love it,” the Dalai Lama told reporters in response. “It’s an indication of freedom of expression. It’s wonderful.”

Sri Lankan court sentences ethnic Tamil journalist to 20 years in prison under anti-terror law

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OLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A Sri Lankan reporter singled out by President Barack Obama as an example of persecuted journalists around the globe was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison on charges of violating the country’s harsh anti-terror law.

J.S. Tissainayagam’s articles in the now-defunct Northeastern Monthly magazine in 2006 and 2007 criticized the conduct of the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels and accused authorities of withholding food and other essential items from Tamil-majority areas as a tool of war.

Tissainayagam’s conviction, 17 months after the ethnic Tamil reporter was arrested, was the first time a journalist was found guilty of violating the country’s Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Rights groups have accused the government of waging a broad crackdown on media freedom that has continued since it routed the rebels and ended the nation’s quarter-century civil war in May.

Tissainayagam, who has been labeled a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was arrested in March 2008 and indicted five months later under the anti-terror law.

During his World Press Freedom Day address in May, Obama highlighted Tissainayagam’s case as an example of journalists being jailed or harassed for doing their jobs.

On Monday, High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundara said Tissainayagam’s articles violated the law because they were aimed at creating communal disharmony. She also found him guilty of raising money for a publication whose articles violated the anti-terror law and sentenced him to 20 years.

“The constitution guarantees media freedom, but no one has a right to deliberately publish false reports that would lead to communal violence,” prosecutor Sudarshana de Silva said in his court filing.

Defense lawyer Anil Silva said Tissainayagam had always fought for human rights.

“He was never a racist and he at no time tried to arouse hatred,” he said in his defense filing. “Now he has been punished for what he wrote as a journalist. This will be a lesson to other journalists too.”

Silva said his client would appeal.

“There is no press freedom in this country today, even after the war is over,” said Sirithunga Jayasuriya, a local media rights activist. Tissainayagam’s conviction would set a bad precedent for media across the country, he said.

International media rights groups say the government has used emergency laws to silence public criticism of its conduct and has failed to investigate violent attacks — and killings — of journalists.

The government has denied the allegations.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said at least 11 Sri Lankan reporters were forced to flee the country in the past year, and Amnesty International said at least 14 Sri Lankan journalists and media workers had been killed since the beginning of 2006.

In June, the government said it would re-establish a powerful press council with the authority to jail journalists it finds guilty of defamation or inaccurate reporting.

Indira Gandhi backed plot to kill Pak Army officials: Brig. Ahmed

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AHORE - Former Pakistan Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director General Brigadier (retired) Imtiaz Ahmed has alleged that former Punjab Governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar had hatched a conspiracy to kill several key Pakistan Army officials, and claimed that the plot was backed by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

In an interview with a private television channel, Brigadier Ahmed said that Khar had chalked out a plan to kill several important commanders of the Pakistan Army in a bomb blast.e said the plan, according to which the Indian intelligence agency RAW would provide arms to Pakistan, was also approved by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

“An Indian official, Joshi, had arranged Khar’s meeting with Gandhi and finalized the plans,” Brigadier Ahmed said.

However, Khar has rebuked Brigadier Ahmed’s allegations saying he never knew any Indian official named Joshi.

He said some elements had hatched conspiracies to diminish his popularity and acceptance with the Armed Forces.

“I had visited to India to visit the graves of saints, not hatch a conspiracy,” The Daily Times quoted Khar, as saying. (ANI)

Pakistan reality TV contestant dies performing task

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ONDON - A contestant on a Pakistani reality TV show died while meeting a challenge for the show, a spokeswoman for the show’s sponsor has revealed.

Fareshte Aslam, the information officer for Unilever Pakistan, said that Saad Khan was swimming across a lake in Bangkok with a 7 kg backpack, when he shouted for help and drowned.

According to Bangkok’s Kom Chad Luek newspaper, his co-contestants and the crew were unable to save the 32-year-old due to the murky waters of the Thai capital, reports Times Online.

Khan’s body was later discovered by divers, and returned to his family in Karachi.

Investigators are probing whether the cause of the death was accidental or negligence.

Khan, after being eliminated, had made a comeback on the programme for a special task to bag a spot in the finals. (ANI)

Indian Army confirms violation of Indian air space by Chinese copters

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EW DELHI - The Indian Army on Monday said that China violated the Indian air space in Leh in Jammu and Kashmir. Army Spokesperson Northern Command, Colonel Kachari said, “It has happened. That is confirmed. But there is nothing alarming in it. I have given a written reply and that is the correct version.”

Two Chinese helicopters reportedly violated the Indian air space in the recent months in Leh.

The helicopters air-dropped some canned food in a barren land at Chumar, northeast of Leh, along the border on June 21.

The MI series helicopters were reported by residents living along the Pangong lake.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has been crossing over into the Indian side in this region quite frequently with August reporting the maximum number of incursions.

In August this year, Chinese patrols have entered into the Indian territory 26 times and walked away with petrol and kerosene meant for jawans of the border guarding forces.

The Chinese Army had made 223 attempts last year and left tell-tale signs.(ANI)

After Satyam and Infy, TCS eyes domestic market

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ew Delhi
, Aug 31: Ater Satyam BPO and Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has set its eye on the Indian domestic market. TCS is reportedly aiming at doubling its revenues from the Indian market to 1 billion dollars in the next 3 to 4 years.

"India has been one of the important markets. We are looking at whether in next 3-4 years we can double our revenue to billion dollars in the Indian market," TCS CEO S Ramadorai said.

"Every mission mode project (government) that would come on the radar, we will certainly bid for them. TCS is in talks for 3 to 4 such mission mode projects as of now," he added.

Pointing out that in the domestic market there are three pillars namely large enterprises, governments (centre and state) and the small and medium businesses which form the parts in overall growth, Mr Ramadorai added that TCS was expecting the large enterprises to contribute followed by the government and the SMB sector.

TCS currently gets 10 pc of its revenue from the domestic market.

Nagaland hospitals asked for flu preparedness

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lthough no swine flu case was found in Nagaland, the district hospitals in the state have been asked to remain prepared to tackle any situation in the event of H1N1 virus outbreak.

After reviewing the preparedness with Chief Medical Officers (CMO) and Medical Superintendents (MS), Directorate of Health and Family Welfare asked them to work out plans if swine flu breaks out.

The state nodal officer for integrated disease surveillance programme (IDSP) Dr Kevichusa Medikhru said the directive was issued to CMOs after a recent review meeting here attended by senior officials of the directorate.

So far all the eight samples of suspected persons in Nagaland sent either to New Delhi or Kolkata tested negative, but another sample collected from Kohima was dispatched to Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh for testing and result were awaited.

Meanwhile, the department has decided to send blood samples to Dibrugrah in Assam through its special messengers since the courier companies in the state refused to dispatch samples of suspected patients.

When a courier service provider in Kohima on Tuesday refused to ferry a sample, the health department dispatched the same through speed post (EMS). But postal consignment go to Dibrugarh via Guwahati, causing unnecessary delay in getting test result, Kevichusa said.

Air-India to open aviation academy in Shillong

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ir-India has been considering plans to operate flights from Kolkata to Shillong and Tura in Meghalaya, besides promoting the hill state as a major tourist destination with national and international air connectivity, the sources said.

Air-India would set up a state-of-art Aviation Training Academy in Shillong.

Air-India CMD Arvind Jadhav informed this to Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang during their meeting in New Delhi on Friday evening, official sources in Shillong on Sunday said.

Also in the pipeline is a call centre for Air-India clients at Shillong.

Elaborating on the Air Indias plans for North-East, Jadav asked the state government to provide 12 acre land for setting up the academy.

"Air-India would like to support tourism development in Meghalaya. We would work out suitable proposals, including that of seamless multi-modal transport," Jadav was quoted as telling Lapang.

The CMD is expected to visit Shillong next month for discussion on the proposals.

Japan opposition takes on economy after landslide

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OKYO -Japan's likely next prime minister rushed to select Cabinet ministers Monday after his party trounced the ruling conservatives in elections and inherited a mountain of problems, including how to revive the world's second-largest economy.
Yukio Hatoyama spoke only briefly with reporters before huddling with party leaders. In a victory speech late Sunday, he said he would focus on a quick and smooth transition and make a priority of choosing Japan's next finance minister.
He has also said he wants to redefine Tokyo's relationship with its key ally, Washington.
Prime Minister Taro Aso, conceding defeat, said he would step down as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
"As head of the party, I feel strong responsibility and it is my intention to resign," Aso told a news conference Monday. His successor as party leader is expected to be named in late September.
Although the nation gave the Democratic Party of Japan a landslide win, most voters were seen as venting dissatisfaction with the LDP and the status quo.
The staunchly pro-U.S. LDP — teaming up with big business, conservative interests and the powerful national bureaucracy — governed Japan for virtually all of the past 54 years. Their election loss has been attributed primarily to frustration with the economy, which is in its worst slump since World War II.
Official results were still being counted, but exit polls by all major media said Hatoyama's party had won more than 300 of the 480 seats in the lower house of parliament. That would easily be enough to ensure that he is installed as prime minister in a special session of parliament that is expected in mid-September.
The Democrats controlled the less powerful upper house of parliament with two smaller allies since 2007, but if they fail to quickly deliver on their promises, the LDP could resurge in elections for that house next year.
The task ahead for the Democrats is daunting.
Japan managed to climb out of a yearlong recession in the second quarter, but its economy remains weak. Unemployment and anxiety over falling wages threaten to undermine any recovery. The jobless rate has risen to a record 5.7 percent. After a rapid succession of three administrations in three years, Japan is facing its worst crisis of confidence in decades.
It must also figure out how to cope with a rapidly aging and shrinking population — meaning fewer people paying taxes and more collecting pensions. Government estimates predict the population will drop to 115 million in 2030 and fall below 100 million by the middle of the century.
The Democrats' solution is to move Japan away from a corporate-centric economic model to one that focuses on helping people. They have proposed an expensive array of initiatives: cash handouts to families and farmers, toll-free highways, a higher minimum wage and tax cuts. The estimated bill comes to 16.8 trillion yen ($179 billion) when fully implemented starting in the 2013 fiscal year.
The party has said it plans to cut waste and rely on untapped financial reserves to fund their programs. But with Japan's public debt heading toward 200 percent of gross domestic product, the Democrats' plan has been criticized as a financial fantasy that would worsen Japan's precarious fiscal health.
Japan's stock market surged early Monday on the news of the election, but then fell back — indicating uncertainty among investors about what the Democrats will bring.
"The key difference is the Liberal Democrats' spending on public projects and infrastructure, but the Democrats spend on family and education," said Martin Schulz, a senior economist at the Fujitsu Research Institute.
"The Democrats have a year to show results," he added, noting next year's elections are looming.
The Democrats are also under scrutiny for their positions on national security and foreign policy.
Hatoyama has been vocal about distancing Japan from Washington and forging closer ties with its Asian neighbors.
He has said he will end a refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in support of U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan, and wants to review the role of the 50,000 U.S. troops stationed across Japan under a post-World War II mutual security treaty.
He is not expected to make any radical departures that would harm relations with Washington, however, and the new U.S. ambassador to Japan said President Barack Obama is looking forward to working with the administration in Tokyo.
"The challenges we face are many, but through our partnership our two great democracies will meet them in a spirit of cooperation and friendship," Ambassador John V. Roos said in a statement Monday.
The Democrats' first task will be to convince a skeptical public that they can actually lead.
The party is made up of an inexperienced group of left-wing activists and LDP defectors. It is just 11 years old, and only a handful have served in top government positions.
But Ichiro Ozawa, co-founder of the party, expressed a quiet confidence.
"We have no fear, and we will steadily achieve our campaign promises one by one," he said.

US Afghan strategy 'not working'

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report by the top US general in Afghanistan is expected to say that the current military strategy is not working, the BBC understands.

General Stanley McChrystal will liken the US military to a bull charging at a matador [the Taliban] - slightly weakened with each "cut" it receives.

His review is also expected to say that protecting the Afghan people against the Taliban must be the top priority.

But the report will not carry a direct call for increasing troop numbers.

Word of Gen McChrystal's report came as further results from last week's presidential election were expected to be released, at 1230 GMT. President Hamid Karzai is leading so far.

The independent Electoral Complaints Commission says that of more than 2,100 allegations of wrongdoing during voting and vote-counting, 618 have been deemed serious enough to affect the election's outcome, if proven.

Crisis of confidence

BBC North America editor Mark Mardell says General McChrystal's bullfighting metaphor is striking because it is not the usual way that US commanders talk about the country's armed forces.

The general's blunt assessment will also say that the Afghan people are undergoing a crisis of confidence because the war against the Taliban has not made their lives better, our correspondent says.

General McChrystal says the aim should be for Afghan forces to take the lead but their army will not be ready to do that for three years and it will take much longer for the police.

And he will warn that villages have to be taken from the Taliban and held, not merely taken.

General McChrystal also wants more engagement with the Taliban fighters and he believes that 60% of the problem would go away if they could be found jobs.

His report is expected to be presented to military chiefs in Washington on Monday.

Hints on troop numbers

More than 30,000 extra US troops have been sent to Afghanistan since President Barack Obama ordered reinforcements in May - almost doubling his country's contingent and increasing the Western total to about 100,000.

This report does not mention increasing troop numbers - that is for another report later in the year - but the hints are all there, our correspondent says.

But when General McChrystal's report lands on President Obama's desk he will have to ponder the implications of increasing a commitment to a conflict which opinion polls suggest is losing support among the American people.

The latest Washington Post-ABC news poll suggests that only 49% of Americans now think the fight in Afghanistan is worth it.

In a recent BBC interview, General McChrystal said that he was changing the whole approach to the conflict in Afghanistan - from what he described as a focus on "body count", to enabling the Afghans to get rid of the Taliban themselves.

On Saturday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised more support for UK troops in Afghanistan, during a surprise visit to the country.

During the visit he met General McChrystal. Correspondents say the pair discussed the need to speed up the pace of training of Afghan troops.

Mission to Mars to be between 2013-2015

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anaji, Aug 31 (PTI) India's mission to Mars will take place between 2013-2015, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief G Madhavan Nair said Monday

"We have given a call for proposal to different scientific communities. Depending on the type of experiments they propose, we will be able to plan the mission," he told PTI

The mission is at conceptual stage and will be taken up after Chandrayaan-2, Nair said

"Once in two years you get an opportunity for the mission," Nair said

ISRO Chairman is in Goa to host the eighth international conference on low cost planetary missions

He said that like Chandrayaan-1, which had cost less than 100 million dollars, the mission on Mars will also be low cost space odyssey.

Chillies can prevent diabetes and heart disease

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ashington, Aug 31 (PTI) Want to stave off diabetes and heart disease? Just eat chilli pepper daily, for a study has revealed that it not only adds zest to flavourful dishes but also health to those brave enough to risk its fiery heat.

An international team, led by Indian-origin researcher Dr Kiran Ahuja, has found that chillies have the potential to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many countries.

The study has found that two active ingredients of chillies, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, have the potential to lower blood glucose and insulin levels, reduce formation of fatty deposits on artery walls and prevent blood clots.

In their study, the researchers have found that eating a meal containing chillies lowered post-meal blood glucose and insulin concentrations. High levels of glucose and insulin are linked to an increased risk for the development of diabetes.

NIA stumbles on international links in NE arms deals

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hillong, Aug 31 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing terror-related cases involving Assam militant outfit Black Widow, has stumbled upon international links as it reached a crucial stage in the investigations.

The agency, probing the first case after its constitution post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has traced links of dealers supplying arms to the insurgent outfit to countries like Myanmar and Malaysia, a top NIA official said today.

"We are still investigating. They may have more international links," the official said.

The anti-terror agency has so far arrested ten people, mostly arms dealers and linkmen. Seven of them have been arrested in Guwahati and North Cachar Hills district, two in Kolkata and one in Mizoram, he said.

A key arms dealer, arrested recently in Mizoram, had confessed to have supplied over seven consignments of arms to Black Widow in Meghalaya on separate occasions.

India 'terminates' Moon mission

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ndia's space agency has abandoned its inaugural moon mission a day after scientists lost communication with the orbiting Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft.

"We don't have contact... and we had to terminate...," said the head of Isro - the Indian Space Research Organisation.

The unmanned craft was launched last October in what was billed as a two-year mission of exploration.

The launch was seen as a major step for India as it seeks to keep pace with other space-faring Asian nations.

Despite the termination of the mission, Isro chief G Madhavan Nair told reporters that the project was a great success and 95% of its objectives had been completed.

"We could collect a large volume of data, including 70,000 images of the moon," he added.

Isro scientists said the agency was in talks with the US and Russia to track the spacecraft, which was orbiting 200km from the surface of the moon.

Following its launch from the southern state of Andhra Pradesh last October, it was hoped the robotic probe would orbit the Moon, compile a three-dimensional atlas of the lunar surface and map the distribution of elements and minerals.

Useful mission?

Last month the satellite experienced a technical problem when a sensor malfunctioned.

An Isro spokesman said at the time that useful information had already been gathered from pictures beamed to Earth from the probe, although the picture quality had been affected by the malfunction.

Powered by a single solar panel generating about 700 watts, the Isro probe carries five Indian-built instruments and six constructed in other countries, including the US, Britain and Germany.

The mission was expected to cost 3.8bn rupees (£45m; $78m), considerably less than Japanese and Chinese probes sent to the Moon last year.

But the Indian government's space efforts have not been welcomed by all.

Some critics regard the space programme as a waste of resources in a country where millions still lack basic services.

KLO No. 2, wife arrested in Assam

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UWAHATI/KOKRAJHAR/KOLKATA: After waging an armed struggle for nearly 15 years seeking a separate Kamtapur state, the Kamtapur Liberation
Organization (KLO) suffered a body blow late on Saturday night when securitymen arrested the outfit's second man in command and his wife following an encounter in Assam's Kokrajhar district.

"Second lieutenant" Dhananjay Barman and his wife, Sumitra Das, had reportedly masterminded serial blasts on Haldibari Passenger Train at Belakoba in north Bengal's Jalpaiguri district in 2006. Eight people had died in the blasts.

Incidentally, Sumitra is the sister of KLO chief and founder Jibon Singha and is the only woman of the outfit to have gone to Bangladesh for training in guerrilla warfare.

Dhananjay, the zonal commander of KLO and number two in its hierarchy after Jibon, had, along with Sumitra, sneaked into the northeastern state two months ago from their Khagracharri hideout in Chittagong, Bangladesh. They were strengthening the banned outfit's base in Assam's Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon districts and various areas in north Bengal.

Police said Dhananjay suffered a bullet injury in the encounter between KLO militants and personnel of Kokrajhar police and Panbari-based 19 Madras Regiment at Part 11 Maoriagaon village near Chandrashila wildlife sanctuary. He was admitted to a nursing home in Bongaigaon, while Sumitra and her son, who was present when his parents were arrested, were brought to the Kokrajhar police station.

Acting on a tip-off, police said, the security personnel raided Part II Maoriagoan village and found Dhananjay and Sumitra taking shelter in the house of Dalim Choudhury. On seeing the police and armymen, Dhanajay started firing at them and tried to flee, but in vain. He was hit in his stomach in the retaliatory firing by the security forces, who arrested the couple.

An Italy-made 7.65 pistol, a magazine, four rounds of ammunition, five SIM cards, including three of Bangladesh, two mobile phones and a note of Taka 100 were found on Sumitra, defence spokesman Col R Kalia said.

Talking to the media at Kokrajhar police station on Sunday, Sumitra said she, along with about 40 KLO members, had gone to Bangladesh during the 2003 offensive launched by the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) to flush out Indian militant outfits holed up in that country.

Dhananjay, who hails from Coochbehar district, was a member of the third batch cadre of KLO and completed training in a Bhutan camp during 1998-1999.

Earlier in March 2009, Dhananjay entered India and tried to extort money from some traders at Barabisha in Jalpaiguri and at Golakgunge in Assam.

Till date, the biggest setback for the KLO was during the Bhutanese offensive when the RBA destroyed its camps along the Indo-Bhutanese border and captured many of its senior leaders. But along with some top Ulfa and NDFB leaders, Jibon had then managed to flee the Himalayan kingdom and took shelter in Bangladesh.

Since 1995, KLO has been waging an armed struggle for a separate Kamtapur state comprising Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Malda, North and South Dinajpur districts of West bengal and four contiguous districts of Assam Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Dhubri and Goalpara.

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