Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Hmar outfit suspected behind Mizoram ambush

Aizawl, Sep 3 : A Manipur-based Hmar underground outfit is suspected to be behind the ambush that killed four Mizo police in Mizoram’s Kolasib district yesterday.

”The Hmar People’s Convention(Democratic) or HPC(D) is suspected behind the ambush even though the outfit is yet to claim responsibility,” a police official told UNI here today.

The number of deaths had earlier been reported as six which was later revised to three.

UNI

HC tells Mizoram Government not to expel Plain people

Guwahati, Sep 3 : In what could be termed as temporary respite for non-Mizo settlers in Mizoram, the Gauhati High Court has instructed the Mizoram Government to allow the members of the North East Plain People Traders and Youth Federation (NEPPTYF) to continue their existing business in the State and not to expel them from the State till the process for verification of their citizenship is completed. The NEPPTYF has over two hundred members settled in Mizoram since long to earn their bread and butter, federation sources said.

The NEPPTYF had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) (No 19/2008) against the alleged harassment of non-Mizo traders settled in Mizoram during renewal and issuance of Inner Line Permit (ILP) and trade license. However, the federation has dropped its earlier appeal to repeal the Bengal Frontier Rule, which is in force in Mizoram, due to technical reasons, a legal source said, contradicting the Mizoram Home Secretary’s reported claim that the court has found no merit in the petition.

The division bench of the High Court comprising Justice BP Katakey and Justice Ranjan Gogoi has instructed the Silchar-based NEPPTYF to submit its list of members and all their relevant documents to the competent authorities under the Government of Mizoram for verification before issuance of trade licence and ILP in accordance with the Clause 8 of the administrative guideline issued on September 1, 2006 by the State authorities.

It will be desirable for the State of Mizoram to complete the process of verification as expeditiously as possible and allowing the petitioners to run their existing business, said the court. This interim exercise will be performed by the State of Mizoram on the basis of prima facie proof of the legitimacy of the entry of the person concerned into Mizoram and stay there for the purpose of conducting business, it added.

Senior advocates Abdul Muhib Mazumdar and AK Bhattacharjee stood in the court on behalf of the petitioner association, assisted by Abdul Kashim Talukdar, FKR Ahmed and S Islam, while the Advocate General of Mizoram stood in the court for the State of Mizoram.

Meanwhile, NEPPTYF president Apurba Kumar Paul, when contacted by The Sentinel, said the federation is also against entry of unscrupulous people in Mizoram which may endanger the age-old culture and socio-economic fabric of the State. “We just want justice for the original non-Mizo settlers who are in that State since long,” he added.

Agencies

Mizoram to have 3 more districts

Aizawl, Sep 3 : The Mizoram Cabinet today decided to create three more districts in the State for administrative convenience.

While Hnahthial would come up by dissecting south Mizoram’s Lunglei district, Saitual district would be formed carving out parts of Aizawl.

Slicing off the Mizoram-Myanmar border district of Champhai would give rise to Khawzawl, a State Cabinet meeting decided last night.

Chief Secretary Haukhum Hauzel told PTI today that the demarcation of boundaries of the proposed three districts would be taken up later.

Hauzel said the Cabinet decided to divide Mizoram into two zones – North and South.

A senior IAS officer would be posted at Lunglei to look after southern districts like Lunglei, Saiha, Lawngtlai and the proposed Hnahthial districts.

“The Deputy Commissioners of the districts would have to communicate with the State Government through the Commissioner,” he said.

With the decision of the Cabinet, Mizoram, having an area of 2,087 square kilometres with around ten lakh population, will have 11 districts.

PTI

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