Month: November 2012

IMPHAL, Nov 30 MNS NNN: In two separate incidents that took place early Friday in Imphal West and Thoubal district of Manipur, a woman was found killed by slitting her throat while a 30-year-old man was shot dead.
In the first incident, a woman about 40 years of age was found dead with her throat slit with a sharp knife around 6:30 am at Iroishemba Langol road which leads to Lamdeng village under Lamphel Police Station in Imphal West.
Police said it appeared that the woman was killed by unidentified persons at the spot by slitting her throat by a knife. The body was found lying in a pool of blood by some morning joggers. A lady bag was also found about a hundred metres from the spot.
Inside the bag, probably belonged to the deceased, a mobile phone charger, a jersey, some vegetables and another red purse were found by the police.
The police have registered a case in connection with the incident. The body has also been brought to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for identification pending autopsy.
In the second incident, a 30-year-old man was shot dead by unknown persons at Nongangkhong Kabolambi in Thoubal district early morning.
The bullet-riddled body of Yanglem Naoba alias Bisheswor, son of Y Basanta, a resident of Thoubal Wangma Taba Sorok Mathak, was found around 6 am on a roadside of Nongangkhong Kabolambi.
He received one bullet in the forehead, police said, adding that one 9 mm pistol, one empty case, another live round and one Nokia mobile handset were recovered from the site.
The police picked up the body and deposited at  s (JNIMS) for autopsy.
Meanwhile, protesting against the killing of Naoba, local residents of Thoubal Wangma Taba Sorok Mathak have blocked National Highway-2 (Imphal-Moreh road) since Friday morning.
A public meeting was also held at the locality following which a Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the killing was formed. The JAC later submitted a memorandum to Superintendent of Police, Thoubal district, Dr AK Jhalajit demanding that the state Government should book the culprits involved in the killing by December 1. The dead body would not be accepted by the JAC until and unless the culprits are booked, the JAC mentioned in the memorandum.
Naoba had left home around 5 am for his shop at Shekpi Khongnangkhong in Thoubal bazaar. The shop mainly deals with fertilizer and cement, according to his family. He leaves behind his wife and two daughters aged 2 and 7.   Naoba was a businessman.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/woman-killedone-shot-dead/

IMPHAL, Nov 30 MNS NNN: Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam observed on Friday that development for the hill districts in Manipur is dragging behind because almost all the village chiefs and leaders are concentrating here in Imphal.
The Deputy Chief Minister made this observation while addressing a function felicitating him organized by Longpi Area Chief Association Nungba, Tamenglong district at Hotel Nirmala, Imphal.
Gaikhangam said the Churachandpur headquarters has become an over-populated area with no more space to live in owing to influx of villagers from other parts of the district and that still all the works of the sub-divisions are being carried out in the headquarters.
This is not a good sign, Gaikhangam said and asked how can development be brought in villages in such a situation. “Therefore, please leave your village only when you think there is necessary to do so.”
Villagers should take part in the implementation of development scheme and programmes sponsored by Government of India which aim to uplift rural areas from the grass root level, Gaikhangam appealed. He said National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) is not an everlasting scheme so it is utmost necessary that villagers look after it by themselves whether it is being implemented fully instead of letting the Central agencies to verify it.
Acknowledging that Longpi area of Tamenglong district is a remote part, the Deputy Chief Minister informed that the state Government is taking steps to develop its transport and communication, electricity and water. He also announced that the state Government has taken initiative to include in the Prime Minister’s Special Package for development of major roads of the area.
At the felicitation function, the village chiefs of Longpi area honoured Gaikhangam by presenting him gifts. Haokholal Singson, Member, Autonomous District Council, Tamenglong, village leaders among others were also present at the event.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/hill-leaders-concentrated-in-imphal-areas-only-gaikhangam/

IMPHAL, Nov 30 NNN: With the starting of December (from first December) the Christmas parties begin with series of advent Christmas programmes.
With this festive month setting in, the tribal organisations who are all busy round the year either blocking the roads or imposing bandhs to draw attention to their cause, have the messages of peace and prosperity for the people.
In a whirlwind touch-of-all-organisation programme initiated by Newmai News Network today, Kuki Inpi, Manipur (KIM) president Thangkhosei Haokip on behalf of KIM has this to say, “Let the coming of Jesus Christ enhance the peaceful co-existence of the communities.
United Naga Council (UNC) president L Adani said, “May the coming of ‘prince of peace’ bring justice to our land through resolution and settlement while Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) president Peter Mate wishes that that love, hope and peace be increased in this coming Christmas.
Naga People’s Organisation (NPO) president Markson wishes this Christmas to bring peace, goodwill and forgiveness to everyone.
All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) general secretary Romeo Bungdon has this to say, “May the prince of peace reign and change the whole people of Manipur miraculously through this Christmas.”
Thangkam Lupheng, general secretary of Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur (COPTAM)
said that let this Christmas bring mutual understanding amongst the communities and also bring reconciliation.
All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) president Kuko Sha said that through this Christmas the respect for each other’s rights is increased.
Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) leader George Guite has this to say, “We wish that this Christmas means hope, peace and love. We request all the Kukis in India and abroad to pray for an early solution of the Kukis in the form of a Kuki State.”
Zeliangriong Baudi chairman Thomas Kamei also wishes peace and love to all.
“The message of the angels on the night Jesus was born is, “Glory to God and peace among men with whom the Lord is please.’ Let us all try to live a life that pleases the Lord. then only there will be peace in our land,” was Rev Prim Vaiphei of the All Manipur Christian Organisation (AMCO) has to say.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tribal-leaders-give-peace-messages/

IMPHAL, Nov 30 NNN: The Kuki National Organizatin one of the two umbrella organisations of Kuki militant outfits on Friday responded to the NSCN (IM)’s statement over Kuki demands for Kuki rights and territory to be recognized.
The KNO said the organisation finds it unfortunate that the NSCN-IM should choose to stick to its brand of baseless propagandizing in its pursuit of exclusivist and communal agenda of grabbing land rights of politically less -organized neighbours, including the Kuki community. It stated that the KNO would like to place on record that its claims on traditional Kuki territory is in fact a sacrificial and compromised claim in recognition of present-day demographic distribution aimed at communal harmony and mutually dignified peaceful co-existence.
“In this context, it is pertinent to mention that in the pre-British era present-day Tamenglong, for example, was the chiefdom of Kuki legendary resistance leaders, Pu Tintong, chief of Laijang and Pu Khotinthang, chief of Jampi. At the time, Tamenglong was known as Laijang. The present-day inhabitants, who belong to the Zeliangrong community were vassals and servants in the court of Pu Tintong of Laijang and Jampi. Likewise, the present-day inhabitants of Ukhrul were vassals and servants of Pu Pache, the great Kuki chief of Chassad and Pu Chengjapao, chief of Aisan. However, since the present demographic pattern shows the once vassal community in majority in the existing districts, which originated as Sub-divisions by design of British colonialists to suppress their enemy, the Kukis, today, we find it reasonable and so generously have decided not to claim the entire territory, which do not include 350 villages (such as Joupi), uprooted by NSCN-IM from 1992-1997, but limit it to areas where Kuki villages live in peace,” the KNO recalls.
“The accusation of the NSCN-IM that the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) circulated a fake Memorandum of Understanding between KNO and NSCN -IM is false. However, KNO would like to place on record the background to the development of the MoU that when Th Muivah, general secretary of NSCN-IM wanted to go to his birth place, Somdal, VS Atem requested TS Haokip, defence secretary of KNO to facilitate the process as from this stage on Nagas and Meiteis were going to be at loggerheads. NSCN-IM also sent members of Naga Students Federation (NSF) to Aizawl to meet members of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) to request Kukis in Manipur, the Mizo people’s brethren’s support. YMA, in response asked the NSF delegation to speak directly to the Kukis. Following this advice, the NSF group met a Kuki gentleman in Aizawl, who in turn spoke to PS Haokip, president KNO. The president replied that should NSCN -IM want mutual support at any given time, a sound basis for a positive and healthy relationship needs to be established. KNO would not ask compensation for the 900 Kukis killed by NSCN-IM from 1992-1997, but would propose a territorial understanding. Hence, only was born the idea of the MoU in question specifically as a proposal. Should the proposal lack acceptance from NSCN-IM,  there is no alternative for a mutual relationship,” the KNO stated today.
The proposed MoU has no connection with the stand of KSDC. KSDC’s stand is based on the land of the Kukis for which our chieftains possess pattas, legal land ownership rights. Ownership of traditional lands by Kukis pre-dates 33 AD, when the first Meitei king Chothe Thangvai Pakhangba’s coronation. As stated in the Meitei Pooyas, two Kuki chiefs Kuki Ahongba and Kuki Achouba helped Pakhangba’s mobilisation to the throne, the KNO claimed.
The KNO then stated that the proposed Memorandum had indeed been authored and given to the NSCN-IM leadership for consideration and in the spirit of amicable and mutually dignified settlement of contentious issues between the two neighbouring communities and cooperation in the march towards welfare of the two peoples. That the NSCN-IM, based on irresponsible press reports should accuse the KNO of claiming the Memorandum as having been signed is unfortunate and unexpected from an organization of their stature, it said.
The KNO would also like to place on record that the KNO is never against the aspirations of the Naga people as long as such aspirations do not infringe on the rights of the Kuki people. At the same time, the KNO will not tolerate any attempt by the NSCN (IM) to forcibly include Kuki inhabited traditional areas into any form of Naga administrative entity, primarily because of the antagonistic and ethno-exclusivist chauvinism of the NSCN -IM ideology, which was manifest in the Kuki genocide that the organization orchestrated between 1992 to 1997.
The KNO also hereby offers free advice to the NSCN -IM leadership to refrain from the shallow and shameful manoeuvre of using captive Kukis in the name of Kuki Tribal Union (KTU) to blow the trumpet on their behalf, because the KNO would like to maintain some respectability for the NSCN-IM as a long standing revolutionary organization.
Finally, the KNO appeals to the Naga people not to be led by the NSCN -IM onto the path of hatred, but to bring sense into the leadership of the NSCN -IM to change track and reciprocate KNO’s sincere overtures for dignified mutual relations and cooperation between the two peoples towards protecting our tribal rights and heritage in the face of neo-colonial threats, towards peace and development for our peoples who have been denied and deprived by people who have no right to meddle in our affairs.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/kno-responds-to-nscnims-statement/