AICC observer arrives, meets rival Cong factions, No comments yet on leadership change
By : A Staff Reporter 12/12/2007 12:43:07 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 11: AICC general secretary, northeast in-charge, Prithivi Raj Chauhan arrived in the state capital Imphal today and met the rebel as well as rival Congress legislatures apart from reviewing the law and order situation and development works taken up under the Prime Minister’s package awarded three years back.
Officially, the Union state minister, who is attached to the Prime Minister’s Office is on a visit to the state in relation to the current law and order situation in the state and inspection and review of the implementation of projects undertaken under reconstruction plan sanctioned by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during his visit to the state three years back.
However, his visit assumes significance as it aims at bringing an end to the crisis within the Congress party over the question of replacement of chief minister O Ibobi Singh as the legislature wing leader as well as chief minister of the state.
Tonight, after his official businesses were performed, the AICC general secretary called on the Congress MLAs including the ministers one by one at a room at Hotel Imphal and took the statements of each MLA. Chauhan noted down the statements given by the MLAs but no comments were given, a source said.
Before this, as soon as he arrived at the Raj Bhavan, Chauhan called on the chief minister, O Ibobi Singh who also arrived from New Delhi today before the Union minister landed.
Chauhan had a long conversation with the chief minister for around 50 minutes at the Raj Bhavan and after that he held a meeting with the MPCC chief separately. What had transpired during the two separate meetings was not officially revealed but sources said that in both the meetings Chauhan was briefed on the prevailing crisis within the state Congress which has been going on for the last around one month.
On the arrival of the Union minister by an Air Deccan flight at the Imphal Tulihal airport, he was received by ministers and state Congress workers led by MPCC chief Gaikhangam.
Except Gaikhangam, the other MLAs who received the visiting Union minister at the airport were MLAs from the pro-Ibobi group like works minister K Ranjit, YAS minister N Biren, PHED minister TN Haokip, veterinary minister Md Allauddin, MLAs E Kunjeshwor, Th Lokeshor and E Dwijamani etc.
Mention may be made that the rebel MLAs are camping at MLA Nandakumar’s quarter at Lamphel after they returned from New Delhi on December 8.
The rebel MLAs are alleging that the present leadership has failed to maintain law and order and has taken up developmental works only in two constituencies from where the chief minister and his wife were elected.
The rebels have claimed support of a total of 18 MLAs on their side.
Chauhan who was accompanied by two officials of his office arrived at Imphal airport at around 2.30 pm, and later as part of his official business visited the telemedicine centre at RIMS.
Afterwards he proceeded to the chief minister’s bungalow and held meetings to review the law and order situation of the state and also the progress of implementation of various projects under the state reconstruction plan taken up in the state with Central funds sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Package.
Apart from the chief minister, top state government officials in charge of law and order and development projects attended the meeting which went on till around 9 pm.
The Union minister first reviewed the law and order situation in the state with the top officials of the state home department and also reviewed the progress of implementation of projects.
In the meeting state officials placed a brief report on the progress of important projects before the Union minister.
The brief note reportedly contained the present status of Jiribam-Tupul railway line construction, progress status of four-laning of National highway, work progess of two power projects, a note on the augmentation of storage capacity and construction of godowns at district headquarters, implementation status of night landing facilities at Imphal airport and a note on the progress status of Capitol project.
The state officials also put down the status report of the projects undertaken in the state with funding from the Non-lapsable Central Pool of Resources, NLCPR and North Eastern Council, NEC, sources said.
The visiting Union minister will leave the state capital on December 13. He is scheduled to call on the state Governor, Dr. SS Sidhu also. Before that he will also hold another round of meeting with the state officials tomorrow.
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Govt releases Rs. 208.40 cr plan funds on a single day
By : A Staff Reporter 12/12/2007 12:42:24 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 11: Manipur government released a huge chunk of plan fund amounting to Rs. 208.40 crores in a day on November 26 from funds available in the budget.
An official source said that the finance department agreed to the authorization of such a huge amount for meeting expenditures for implementation of projects under special plan assistance, in a move apparently related with the effort of the state government to achieve 70 percent plan expenditure by December 31.
The released amount of Rs. 208.40 crores was 14.68 percent of the total outlay of 2007-08. The amount also exceeded the total expenditure incurred during seven months of the fiscal year 2007-08.
Mention may be made that the state government is targeting to incur an expenditure of 70 percent of the total approved plan outlay by December 2007. The expenditure record was detected to be very poor with only 9.30 percent of the approved outlay of Manipur for the current fiscal year spent till October.
The amount was released by the state finance department out of the funds available in the budget for meeting expenditures for implementation of projects under SPA by the respective departments under different heads on November 26 last, the official source said.
Mention may also be made that in the various plan review meetings held during October and November, departments which had not finalized works programme had been advised to have their work programmes finalized at the earliest and asked to expedite expenditure of funds.
The meetings even cautioned the head of the departments that those departments which could not achieve 70 percent plan expenditure by the end of December this year should surrender the funds to other departments which are in need of funds.
The amount that was released on November 26 included a total amount of Rs. 57.50 crores for the construction guest houses at hill district headquarters including at Mao, Jiribam, construction of two floor Manipur Bhavan at Ulubari, improvement of Speaker and Deputy Speaker bungalow and chairman of hill areas committee, HAC, police stations and mini secretariats in the district headquarters.
The state finance department had earlier released only Rs. 7 crores for the above works.
An amount of Rs. 14.25 crores was meant for the completion of the Khwai bridge and Maharani bridge. An amount of Rs. 61.50 crores was meant for the construction of drains on both sides of the NH-39 from Krishna Premi Oil Pump to Kakwa which is an ongoing project.
The total amount of Rs. 5.50 crores for upgradation of the city bus terminus at Imphal and at Churachandpur were also released on November 26.
Amounts for the construction of FCS godowns at Churachandpur, Tamenglong and construction of sports complexes at the district headquarters at Thoubal, Chandel and Senapati district headquarters were also released. The amounts were Rs. 2 crore and Rs. 10 crores respectively.
Under the head of sports and youth services, an amount of Rs. 15 crores for development of water sports complex at Takmu including clearance of water hyacinth and Rs. 10 crores for acquisition of 200 acres of additional land for Manipur University and Rs. 15 crores for acquisition of 300 acres land for the construction of NIT were also released.
The released amount also includes Rs. 30 crores for the development of Loktak lake and another Rs. 40 crores for upgradation of infrastructure of IT park at Mantripukhri.
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Manipur remains the second most conflict ridden state in the NE region
By : Thingbaijam Dhamen/IFP 12/12/2007 12:41:23 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 11: With 361 deaths till November 30, Manipur remains the second most conflict ridden state in the northeast, behind Assam with 388 fatalities, says a report of the South Asia intelligence review (SAIR).
With a month to go before the end of 2007 the figure of fatalities has already surpassed the 311 militancy-related fatalities that occurred in Manipur in 2006. While fatalities among the militants in 2007 have remained more or less comparable to the previous year, it has certainly worsened among the civilians and the security forces.
According to the currently available data, civilian deaths have already increased by over 42 per cent and those of security forces by 39 percent.
According to a report of the Institute of Conflict Management, ministry of home affairs, during the year 2007 upto November 30, out of the 361 deaths, 137 were civilians, 39 were security men while 185 were militants of different outfits.
During 2006, the report added, out of 311 people killed, 96 were civilians, 28 were security men while the remaining 187 were militants.
Fatalities alone, however, do not reflect Manipur’s dire predicament, the reviewed note stated saying that activities of about 10,000 cadres of 15 militant groups of varying sizes and character, compound an endemic collapse of the administrative machinery, taking Manipur to the threshold of a failed ‘state’ within the Indian Union.
The entire nine districts (four in the valley and five in the hills) have been affected by the unending militant violence, severely impacting the very limited local capacities for governance, justice administration, and the provision of minimal security to citizens.
The report based on state police sources indicated that while almost all the 59 police stations have been reporting militant violence, as many as 32 of them have been slotted in the ‘high’ violence category.
The impunity with which militant outfits have carried on their activities in Manipur has been a matter of deep concern among policy makers over a number of years, and the year 2007 was no different.
Regarding the ongoing army operation at the international border with Myanmar in Chandel district, the SAIR report said that since its induction into Manipur in the late 1970s, the Army has led countless synchronized operations against the militants and their areas of domination, loosely described as ‘liberated zones’.
However, the impact of these operations on the capabilities of the militant groups has, at best, been transient. With little help coming from the state police force, the militants have regained their ‘lost’ areas once the Army withdrew to its base areas. The most recent instance of this phenomenon was the campaign to gain control over the New Somtal area in the Chandel district.
Spread over 1,000 square kilometres and located in the south-eastern corner of Chandel district along the Indo-Myanmar border, New Somtal has been a bastion of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) for the past several years.
The inaccessibility of the area and its proximity to the Myanmar border has been cited as the difficulties which have prevented the Army from securing a conclusive victory in New Somtal.
At least two major operations in 2006 (in January and December) had failed to clear the area of UNLF presence. On November 18, 2007 the Army launched a two-pronged operation in New Somtal, targeting the ‘293rd battalion’ of the UNLF. Troops moved in simultaneously from the Khengjoi and Sehlon ridges.
The Army claimed to have pushed the militants into the Myanmar side, but assertions to the contrary were made by the UNLF. Interestingly, no fatalities occurred in the continuing operation, in which the UNLF reportedly resorted to heavy 81 mm mortar shelling.
In fact, while retreating, the UNLF had strewn the area with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) forcing the Army to use bulldozers to detect and detonate these.
The Army’s operations in the state appear to be clearly handicapped by the lack of adequate support from the state police. In 2004, Manipur created the Unified Command Structure (UCS) to coordinate the activities between the Army, the CPMFs and the state police, under the command of the chief minister.
Here, mention may be made that the army launched the operation following an instruction from the Union ministry of home affairs in September this year to flush out the militants from the Somtal area so that the villagers taking shelter in the border town Moreh could return to their respective villages.
The operation was started in the middle week of November this year. So far no exact number of casualties on both the militants and security sides could not be accessed amidst claims and counter claims between the rebel UNLF and authorities of the security forces.
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Letter to the PM
Hon’ble Sir,
Strange things happen in the hills in Manipur. In one previous election, in some Kuki villages, the Hill Chiefs cast all the votes of their villages themselves. The low grade employees of the Government who were sent for polling duties quietly accepted these things and came back without any complaint there, and without informing the Government offices at Imphal, for fear of their personal security.
The low grade employees of the Government who were sent for census duties to the hills where there were 100%, 80% increase in population might have faced such a similar situation; and they might have quietly submitted the report as they were dictated by the hill-men of these hills and for fear of their personal security they did not inform the Government.
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, His Excellency the Governor of Manipur, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India and the Chief Commissioner, Election Commission may kindly study the rate of increase of population in these hills, in the three previous Census Operations in these hills in 1991, 1981 and 1971 and see the rate of increase in population and fix a reasonable rate of growth in population in these hill, and direct and Election Commission to act on that basis.
Yours sincerely,
H Ranbir Singh IAS (Retd.)
Uripok, Imphal, Manipur.
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Source: The Imphal Free Press
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CLP members give their opinion Chauhan starts one to one meet with CLP members
By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 11 : AICC general secretary in charge of the North East and Union Minister of State in the PMO, Prithiviraj Chauhan who arrived at Imphal today to get a first hand account of the revolt raised by some dissident Congress MLAs against the leadership of O Ibobi has started meeting the CLP members individually to hear their opinion.
Chauhan who was deputed as an Observer by the AICC will submit his report on reaching Delhi.
As reported in the previous edition of this paper, Chauhan along with Lok Sabha MP Dr T Meinya and executive member of the MPCC (I) L Manglem landed at Tulihal airport today at 2 pm.
The team was received by a large number of Congress men including MPCC (I) president Gaikhangam, Ministers, MLAs, party workers and members of the Seva Dal.
On his arrival, Chauhan called on the Governor at Raj Bhawan along with Gai-khangam.
After a short break at Raj Bhawan, Chauhan then proceeded to RIMS to look into the development works being taken up there.
Later the Observer proceeded to the official residence of the Chief Minister where he met Congress MLAs loyal to the Chief Minister and Congress workers and discussed a number of issues including the law and order situation.
The drama then picked up at around 7 pm at Hotel Imphal, where the Central Observer started individually meeting the members of the CLP to seek their views and opinion on the present internal clash of the Congress.
During the one to one meeting with the CLP members, Chauhan asked the dissident MLAs to spell out the reason why Ibobi should be replaced and if so who is the man to replace him, informed a source while speaking to The Sangai Express this evening.
The dissident MLAs on their part informed Chauhan that out of the 31 Congress MLAs in the 60 member Assembly, 20 including five Ministers are against the leadership of O Ibobi, added the source.
A one line resolution demanding the removal of O Ibobi will be presented to Chauhan, said some of the dissident MLAs and added that they are positive of a good response from the AICC.
The Ministers and MLAs who are with the dissident group, as claimed by them, include Law and Legislative Affairs Minister Th Debendra, FCS Minister Y Erabot, TD Minister DD Thaisii, Power Minister Phungzathang Tonsing, MOBC Minister Allauddin, Govindas Konthoujam, M Oken, I Hemochandra, L Nandakumar, W Braja-bidhu, T Mangibabu, Man- ga Vaiphei, Y Surchandra, M Hemanta, K Megha-chandra, Gaikhangam, M Manindra, Dr Kh Ratan and Bijoy Koijam.
The Observer is scheduled to collectively meet the CLP members tomorrow at 9 am at Hotel Imphal.
Chauhan will also meet presidents and members of PCC, DCC and frontal organisations of the Congress to hear their opinion and views before he leaves for Delhi tomorrow.
Strategies will also be discussed to strengthen the Congress in the State, said the source further.
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After Dengue, Small Pox in State ? Read on...
Newmai News Network
Imphal, Dec 11: Not long after the confirmation of the outbreak of the dreaded disease Dengue in the border town of Moreh in Chandel district, a malady suspected to be Small Pox has reared its ugly head in the State. However, health doctors’ views on the disease is yet to be known to ascertain the actual disease.
A disease suspected to be that of Small Pox has been sensed at Konthoujam Maning Makha Leikai under Imphal West district, around 12 kilometers away from Imphal city though official confirmation of the disease is awaited.
Three junior school students have been suffering from the disease similar to that of Small Pox or locally known as Laijao. When NNN visited the place where the outbreak of the disease was reported, it has been learnt that the patients were given treatment similar to Small Pox.
Henthoi, Sunila and Leisathoi (names changed) were developing poxes in every parts of their body. Their parents who attended them told Newmai News Network that, all the diet of the three children are strictly maintained for fear that the disease may be Small Pox. They are fed only on dry food items like dry fish, etc. Fluid foods are strictly restrained.
Apart from the three girls, another infant of the same locality has also been reported to have suffered from the symptoms.
Meanwhile, NNN’s efforts to contact related health authorities for necessary comment failed. When the authorities of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences were approached today NNN was told to approach another health official who was absent. As such, medical experts’ views on the subject could not be furnished.
The three children, who are all in standard III, are the daughters of Pebam Tombi and Bimala, Chingtham Purnima and Brojen, Ngangbi Konthoujam and Jugeshore.
It may be recalled here that two cases of cholera, which had visibly vanished, were earlier detected at the Shija Hospitals and Research Institute, Imphal in the mid of November last even if negligible report of the presence of the disease in the country for the last decade is being maintained. The fatal disease dengue was also confirmed to be prevalent in the border town areas of Moreh in Chandel district a few weeks back which had claimed more than 20 lives in the area.
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After the US, IM lands at England on its global drive
Newmai News Network
Dimapur, Dec 11: After its United States of America leg last month, the NSCN-IM has, in quick succession landed in England embarking on a global campaign.
Steering Committee secretary of the NSCN-IM Rh Raising while highlighting the Naga issue at the House of Parliament, Westminster London on Dec 10, appeal-ed to the British people to help in solving the vexed “Indo-Naga problem.”
Steering Committee is the highest decision making body of the NSCN-IM.
Last, month another outfit leader VS Atem was in America for a high level lobby.
According to the MIP of the NSCN-IM, delivering a speech at the International Human Rights Day held at the House of Parliament, Westminster London yesterday, Rh Raising had ex- pressed his resentment saying that perpetual extension of the terms of ceasefire on the pretext of commitment and assurances is cle- arly viewed as a ploy of the government of India to buy time in order to bury the pea-ce process under the wrap of time.
The NSCN-IM leader also stated that the “Divide and Rule” policy of the government of India has made Naga brothers and sisters foreigners in their own land.
“We look forward with renewed hope that the British in particular and the international communities in general would remember the oppressed Nagas and help solve the long drawn Indo-Naga problem,” said Rh.Raising in the House of Parliament in London yesterday.
Commencing his spee-ch, the NSCN-IM leader said, “Respected Chairperson and honourable mem- bers present, I feel extreme-ly honoured for giving me the opportunity to address this august house on the plight of the suppressed Naga people”, according to the outfit’s Ministry of Information and Publicity
Raising mentioned that Nagalim is situated in the tri-junction of China on the north, India on the west and Burma on the south east with an area of about 120,000 sq km and a population of some four million people. The Nagas have been living in their own country running their own government independently for thousands of years. At no point of time, have they ever been subjugated by any alien power.
“It was in 1832 that the British colonial forces intruded into the Naga coun- try. The Nagas put up stro-ng resistance against the aggression for 48 years. The British forces ultimate-ly occupied a portion of Nagalim leaving the rest as free as ever. However, the Nagas, in the British occupied area declared their independence on 14th Aug. 1947 and merged themselves with the free Nagas. The declaration was intimated to the United Nations and all embassies in Delhi,” said the NSCN-IM leader while adding, “In 1950 the Indian Constituent Assembly invited the Nagas to join the Union of India, but it was rejected outright. The Nagas were not a party to the Union of Burma too. As government of India levelled wild allegations stat- ing that the rejection of Union of India was the work of a few Naga leaders and not that of the people, a plebiscite was conducted on 16th May 1951 wherein 99.9% voted in favour of Sovereign Independent Nagalim. Consequently, Indian state invaded on Nagalim with an eye to imposing its will upon the Nagas, which resulted in horrible violation of human rights – massacre, mass rape, and mass detention in concentration cam- ps, mass torture, and destruction of villages, granaries, educational institutions, relics, churches and so on,” he asserted.
The Sangai Express
By : A Staff Reporter 12/12/2007 12:43:07 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 11: AICC general secretary, northeast in-charge, Prithivi Raj Chauhan arrived in the state capital Imphal today and met the rebel as well as rival Congress legislatures apart from reviewing the law and order situation and development works taken up under the Prime Minister’s package awarded three years back.
Officially, the Union state minister, who is attached to the Prime Minister’s Office is on a visit to the state in relation to the current law and order situation in the state and inspection and review of the implementation of projects undertaken under reconstruction plan sanctioned by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during his visit to the state three years back.
However, his visit assumes significance as it aims at bringing an end to the crisis within the Congress party over the question of replacement of chief minister O Ibobi Singh as the legislature wing leader as well as chief minister of the state.
Tonight, after his official businesses were performed, the AICC general secretary called on the Congress MLAs including the ministers one by one at a room at Hotel Imphal and took the statements of each MLA. Chauhan noted down the statements given by the MLAs but no comments were given, a source said.
Before this, as soon as he arrived at the Raj Bhavan, Chauhan called on the chief minister, O Ibobi Singh who also arrived from New Delhi today before the Union minister landed.
Chauhan had a long conversation with the chief minister for around 50 minutes at the Raj Bhavan and after that he held a meeting with the MPCC chief separately. What had transpired during the two separate meetings was not officially revealed but sources said that in both the meetings Chauhan was briefed on the prevailing crisis within the state Congress which has been going on for the last around one month.
On the arrival of the Union minister by an Air Deccan flight at the Imphal Tulihal airport, he was received by ministers and state Congress workers led by MPCC chief Gaikhangam.
Except Gaikhangam, the other MLAs who received the visiting Union minister at the airport were MLAs from the pro-Ibobi group like works minister K Ranjit, YAS minister N Biren, PHED minister TN Haokip, veterinary minister Md Allauddin, MLAs E Kunjeshwor, Th Lokeshor and E Dwijamani etc.
Mention may be made that the rebel MLAs are camping at MLA Nandakumar’s quarter at Lamphel after they returned from New Delhi on December 8.
The rebel MLAs are alleging that the present leadership has failed to maintain law and order and has taken up developmental works only in two constituencies from where the chief minister and his wife were elected.
The rebels have claimed support of a total of 18 MLAs on their side.
Chauhan who was accompanied by two officials of his office arrived at Imphal airport at around 2.30 pm, and later as part of his official business visited the telemedicine centre at RIMS.
Afterwards he proceeded to the chief minister’s bungalow and held meetings to review the law and order situation of the state and also the progress of implementation of various projects under the state reconstruction plan taken up in the state with Central funds sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Package.
Apart from the chief minister, top state government officials in charge of law and order and development projects attended the meeting which went on till around 9 pm.
The Union minister first reviewed the law and order situation in the state with the top officials of the state home department and also reviewed the progress of implementation of projects.
In the meeting state officials placed a brief report on the progress of important projects before the Union minister.
The brief note reportedly contained the present status of Jiribam-Tupul railway line construction, progress status of four-laning of National highway, work progess of two power projects, a note on the augmentation of storage capacity and construction of godowns at district headquarters, implementation status of night landing facilities at Imphal airport and a note on the progress status of Capitol project.
The state officials also put down the status report of the projects undertaken in the state with funding from the Non-lapsable Central Pool of Resources, NLCPR and North Eastern Council, NEC, sources said.
The visiting Union minister will leave the state capital on December 13. He is scheduled to call on the state Governor, Dr. SS Sidhu also. Before that he will also hold another round of meeting with the state officials tomorrow.
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Govt releases Rs. 208.40 cr plan funds on a single day
By : A Staff Reporter 12/12/2007 12:42:24 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 11: Manipur government released a huge chunk of plan fund amounting to Rs. 208.40 crores in a day on November 26 from funds available in the budget.
An official source said that the finance department agreed to the authorization of such a huge amount for meeting expenditures for implementation of projects under special plan assistance, in a move apparently related with the effort of the state government to achieve 70 percent plan expenditure by December 31.
The released amount of Rs. 208.40 crores was 14.68 percent of the total outlay of 2007-08. The amount also exceeded the total expenditure incurred during seven months of the fiscal year 2007-08.
Mention may be made that the state government is targeting to incur an expenditure of 70 percent of the total approved plan outlay by December 2007. The expenditure record was detected to be very poor with only 9.30 percent of the approved outlay of Manipur for the current fiscal year spent till October.
The amount was released by the state finance department out of the funds available in the budget for meeting expenditures for implementation of projects under SPA by the respective departments under different heads on November 26 last, the official source said.
Mention may also be made that in the various plan review meetings held during October and November, departments which had not finalized works programme had been advised to have their work programmes finalized at the earliest and asked to expedite expenditure of funds.
The meetings even cautioned the head of the departments that those departments which could not achieve 70 percent plan expenditure by the end of December this year should surrender the funds to other departments which are in need of funds.
The amount that was released on November 26 included a total amount of Rs. 57.50 crores for the construction guest houses at hill district headquarters including at Mao, Jiribam, construction of two floor Manipur Bhavan at Ulubari, improvement of Speaker and Deputy Speaker bungalow and chairman of hill areas committee, HAC, police stations and mini secretariats in the district headquarters.
The state finance department had earlier released only Rs. 7 crores for the above works.
An amount of Rs. 14.25 crores was meant for the completion of the Khwai bridge and Maharani bridge. An amount of Rs. 61.50 crores was meant for the construction of drains on both sides of the NH-39 from Krishna Premi Oil Pump to Kakwa which is an ongoing project.
The total amount of Rs. 5.50 crores for upgradation of the city bus terminus at Imphal and at Churachandpur were also released on November 26.
Amounts for the construction of FCS godowns at Churachandpur, Tamenglong and construction of sports complexes at the district headquarters at Thoubal, Chandel and Senapati district headquarters were also released. The amounts were Rs. 2 crore and Rs. 10 crores respectively.
Under the head of sports and youth services, an amount of Rs. 15 crores for development of water sports complex at Takmu including clearance of water hyacinth and Rs. 10 crores for acquisition of 200 acres of additional land for Manipur University and Rs. 15 crores for acquisition of 300 acres land for the construction of NIT were also released.
The released amount also includes Rs. 30 crores for the development of Loktak lake and another Rs. 40 crores for upgradation of infrastructure of IT park at Mantripukhri.
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Manipur remains the second most conflict ridden state in the NE region
By : Thingbaijam Dhamen/IFP 12/12/2007 12:41:23 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 11: With 361 deaths till November 30, Manipur remains the second most conflict ridden state in the northeast, behind Assam with 388 fatalities, says a report of the South Asia intelligence review (SAIR).
With a month to go before the end of 2007 the figure of fatalities has already surpassed the 311 militancy-related fatalities that occurred in Manipur in 2006. While fatalities among the militants in 2007 have remained more or less comparable to the previous year, it has certainly worsened among the civilians and the security forces.
According to the currently available data, civilian deaths have already increased by over 42 per cent and those of security forces by 39 percent.
According to a report of the Institute of Conflict Management, ministry of home affairs, during the year 2007 upto November 30, out of the 361 deaths, 137 were civilians, 39 were security men while 185 were militants of different outfits.
During 2006, the report added, out of 311 people killed, 96 were civilians, 28 were security men while the remaining 187 were militants.
Fatalities alone, however, do not reflect Manipur’s dire predicament, the reviewed note stated saying that activities of about 10,000 cadres of 15 militant groups of varying sizes and character, compound an endemic collapse of the administrative machinery, taking Manipur to the threshold of a failed ‘state’ within the Indian Union.
The entire nine districts (four in the valley and five in the hills) have been affected by the unending militant violence, severely impacting the very limited local capacities for governance, justice administration, and the provision of minimal security to citizens.
The report based on state police sources indicated that while almost all the 59 police stations have been reporting militant violence, as many as 32 of them have been slotted in the ‘high’ violence category.
The impunity with which militant outfits have carried on their activities in Manipur has been a matter of deep concern among policy makers over a number of years, and the year 2007 was no different.
Regarding the ongoing army operation at the international border with Myanmar in Chandel district, the SAIR report said that since its induction into Manipur in the late 1970s, the Army has led countless synchronized operations against the militants and their areas of domination, loosely described as ‘liberated zones’.
However, the impact of these operations on the capabilities of the militant groups has, at best, been transient. With little help coming from the state police force, the militants have regained their ‘lost’ areas once the Army withdrew to its base areas. The most recent instance of this phenomenon was the campaign to gain control over the New Somtal area in the Chandel district.
Spread over 1,000 square kilometres and located in the south-eastern corner of Chandel district along the Indo-Myanmar border, New Somtal has been a bastion of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) for the past several years.
The inaccessibility of the area and its proximity to the Myanmar border has been cited as the difficulties which have prevented the Army from securing a conclusive victory in New Somtal.
At least two major operations in 2006 (in January and December) had failed to clear the area of UNLF presence. On November 18, 2007 the Army launched a two-pronged operation in New Somtal, targeting the ‘293rd battalion’ of the UNLF. Troops moved in simultaneously from the Khengjoi and Sehlon ridges.
The Army claimed to have pushed the militants into the Myanmar side, but assertions to the contrary were made by the UNLF. Interestingly, no fatalities occurred in the continuing operation, in which the UNLF reportedly resorted to heavy 81 mm mortar shelling.
In fact, while retreating, the UNLF had strewn the area with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) forcing the Army to use bulldozers to detect and detonate these.
The Army’s operations in the state appear to be clearly handicapped by the lack of adequate support from the state police. In 2004, Manipur created the Unified Command Structure (UCS) to coordinate the activities between the Army, the CPMFs and the state police, under the command of the chief minister.
Here, mention may be made that the army launched the operation following an instruction from the Union ministry of home affairs in September this year to flush out the militants from the Somtal area so that the villagers taking shelter in the border town Moreh could return to their respective villages.
The operation was started in the middle week of November this year. So far no exact number of casualties on both the militants and security sides could not be accessed amidst claims and counter claims between the rebel UNLF and authorities of the security forces.
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Letter to the PM
Hon’ble Sir,
Strange things happen in the hills in Manipur. In one previous election, in some Kuki villages, the Hill Chiefs cast all the votes of their villages themselves. The low grade employees of the Government who were sent for polling duties quietly accepted these things and came back without any complaint there, and without informing the Government offices at Imphal, for fear of their personal security.
The low grade employees of the Government who were sent for census duties to the hills where there were 100%, 80% increase in population might have faced such a similar situation; and they might have quietly submitted the report as they were dictated by the hill-men of these hills and for fear of their personal security they did not inform the Government.
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, His Excellency the Governor of Manipur, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India and the Chief Commissioner, Election Commission may kindly study the rate of increase of population in these hills, in the three previous Census Operations in these hills in 1991, 1981 and 1971 and see the rate of increase in population and fix a reasonable rate of growth in population in these hill, and direct and Election Commission to act on that basis.
Yours sincerely,
H Ranbir Singh IAS (Retd.)
Uripok, Imphal, Manipur.
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Source: The Imphal Free Press
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CLP members give their opinion Chauhan starts one to one meet with CLP members
By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 11 : AICC general secretary in charge of the North East and Union Minister of State in the PMO, Prithiviraj Chauhan who arrived at Imphal today to get a first hand account of the revolt raised by some dissident Congress MLAs against the leadership of O Ibobi has started meeting the CLP members individually to hear their opinion.
Chauhan who was deputed as an Observer by the AICC will submit his report on reaching Delhi.
As reported in the previous edition of this paper, Chauhan along with Lok Sabha MP Dr T Meinya and executive member of the MPCC (I) L Manglem landed at Tulihal airport today at 2 pm.
The team was received by a large number of Congress men including MPCC (I) president Gaikhangam, Ministers, MLAs, party workers and members of the Seva Dal.
On his arrival, Chauhan called on the Governor at Raj Bhawan along with Gai-khangam.
After a short break at Raj Bhawan, Chauhan then proceeded to RIMS to look into the development works being taken up there.
Later the Observer proceeded to the official residence of the Chief Minister where he met Congress MLAs loyal to the Chief Minister and Congress workers and discussed a number of issues including the law and order situation.
The drama then picked up at around 7 pm at Hotel Imphal, where the Central Observer started individually meeting the members of the CLP to seek their views and opinion on the present internal clash of the Congress.
During the one to one meeting with the CLP members, Chauhan asked the dissident MLAs to spell out the reason why Ibobi should be replaced and if so who is the man to replace him, informed a source while speaking to The Sangai Express this evening.
The dissident MLAs on their part informed Chauhan that out of the 31 Congress MLAs in the 60 member Assembly, 20 including five Ministers are against the leadership of O Ibobi, added the source.
A one line resolution demanding the removal of O Ibobi will be presented to Chauhan, said some of the dissident MLAs and added that they are positive of a good response from the AICC.
The Ministers and MLAs who are with the dissident group, as claimed by them, include Law and Legislative Affairs Minister Th Debendra, FCS Minister Y Erabot, TD Minister DD Thaisii, Power Minister Phungzathang Tonsing, MOBC Minister Allauddin, Govindas Konthoujam, M Oken, I Hemochandra, L Nandakumar, W Braja-bidhu, T Mangibabu, Man- ga Vaiphei, Y Surchandra, M Hemanta, K Megha-chandra, Gaikhangam, M Manindra, Dr Kh Ratan and Bijoy Koijam.
The Observer is scheduled to collectively meet the CLP members tomorrow at 9 am at Hotel Imphal.
Chauhan will also meet presidents and members of PCC, DCC and frontal organisations of the Congress to hear their opinion and views before he leaves for Delhi tomorrow.
Strategies will also be discussed to strengthen the Congress in the State, said the source further.
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After Dengue, Small Pox in State ? Read on...
Newmai News Network
Imphal, Dec 11: Not long after the confirmation of the outbreak of the dreaded disease Dengue in the border town of Moreh in Chandel district, a malady suspected to be Small Pox has reared its ugly head in the State. However, health doctors’ views on the disease is yet to be known to ascertain the actual disease.
A disease suspected to be that of Small Pox has been sensed at Konthoujam Maning Makha Leikai under Imphal West district, around 12 kilometers away from Imphal city though official confirmation of the disease is awaited.
Three junior school students have been suffering from the disease similar to that of Small Pox or locally known as Laijao. When NNN visited the place where the outbreak of the disease was reported, it has been learnt that the patients were given treatment similar to Small Pox.
Henthoi, Sunila and Leisathoi (names changed) were developing poxes in every parts of their body. Their parents who attended them told Newmai News Network that, all the diet of the three children are strictly maintained for fear that the disease may be Small Pox. They are fed only on dry food items like dry fish, etc. Fluid foods are strictly restrained.
Apart from the three girls, another infant of the same locality has also been reported to have suffered from the symptoms.
Meanwhile, NNN’s efforts to contact related health authorities for necessary comment failed. When the authorities of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences were approached today NNN was told to approach another health official who was absent. As such, medical experts’ views on the subject could not be furnished.
The three children, who are all in standard III, are the daughters of Pebam Tombi and Bimala, Chingtham Purnima and Brojen, Ngangbi Konthoujam and Jugeshore.
It may be recalled here that two cases of cholera, which had visibly vanished, were earlier detected at the Shija Hospitals and Research Institute, Imphal in the mid of November last even if negligible report of the presence of the disease in the country for the last decade is being maintained. The fatal disease dengue was also confirmed to be prevalent in the border town areas of Moreh in Chandel district a few weeks back which had claimed more than 20 lives in the area.
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After the US, IM lands at England on its global drive
Newmai News Network
Dimapur, Dec 11: After its United States of America leg last month, the NSCN-IM has, in quick succession landed in England embarking on a global campaign.
Steering Committee secretary of the NSCN-IM Rh Raising while highlighting the Naga issue at the House of Parliament, Westminster London on Dec 10, appeal-ed to the British people to help in solving the vexed “Indo-Naga problem.”
Steering Committee is the highest decision making body of the NSCN-IM.
Last, month another outfit leader VS Atem was in America for a high level lobby.
According to the MIP of the NSCN-IM, delivering a speech at the International Human Rights Day held at the House of Parliament, Westminster London yesterday, Rh Raising had ex- pressed his resentment saying that perpetual extension of the terms of ceasefire on the pretext of commitment and assurances is cle- arly viewed as a ploy of the government of India to buy time in order to bury the pea-ce process under the wrap of time.
The NSCN-IM leader also stated that the “Divide and Rule” policy of the government of India has made Naga brothers and sisters foreigners in their own land.
“We look forward with renewed hope that the British in particular and the international communities in general would remember the oppressed Nagas and help solve the long drawn Indo-Naga problem,” said Rh.Raising in the House of Parliament in London yesterday.
Commencing his spee-ch, the NSCN-IM leader said, “Respected Chairperson and honourable mem- bers present, I feel extreme-ly honoured for giving me the opportunity to address this august house on the plight of the suppressed Naga people”, according to the outfit’s Ministry of Information and Publicity
Raising mentioned that Nagalim is situated in the tri-junction of China on the north, India on the west and Burma on the south east with an area of about 120,000 sq km and a population of some four million people. The Nagas have been living in their own country running their own government independently for thousands of years. At no point of time, have they ever been subjugated by any alien power.
“It was in 1832 that the British colonial forces intruded into the Naga coun- try. The Nagas put up stro-ng resistance against the aggression for 48 years. The British forces ultimate-ly occupied a portion of Nagalim leaving the rest as free as ever. However, the Nagas, in the British occupied area declared their independence on 14th Aug. 1947 and merged themselves with the free Nagas. The declaration was intimated to the United Nations and all embassies in Delhi,” said the NSCN-IM leader while adding, “In 1950 the Indian Constituent Assembly invited the Nagas to join the Union of India, but it was rejected outright. The Nagas were not a party to the Union of Burma too. As government of India levelled wild allegations stat- ing that the rejection of Union of India was the work of a few Naga leaders and not that of the people, a plebiscite was conducted on 16th May 1951 wherein 99.9% voted in favour of Sovereign Independent Nagalim. Consequently, Indian state invaded on Nagalim with an eye to imposing its will upon the Nagas, which resulted in horrible violation of human rights – massacre, mass rape, and mass detention in concentration cam- ps, mass torture, and destruction of villages, granaries, educational institutions, relics, churches and so on,” he asserted.
The Sangai Express
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