Day: July 2, 2013

The Hmar Students’ Association (HSA) is gearing up to mark its platinum jubilee next year and the main event will be held at Ngurte village in Churachandpur,
“It may be noted that 29 years after the advent of Christianity (2010) in Hmar areas, the leaders of the community felt the importance of education and the need to have an association for the student community. The HSA was thus born to serve the students and also to promote a sense of integration among the people,” HSA said in a statement.
It was under the initiatives of some Hmar students studying in Imphal, HSA was formed in 1939 and the first General Assembly of the association was held at Ngurte village that same year.
HSA has three governing bodies – The General Assembly, The Executive Council and the General Headquarters. The General Headquarters is based at Rengkai in Churachandpur district of Manipur. Besides the General Headquarters, there are Joint Headquarters, branches, blocks and units spread across different states. “To commemorate the jubilee celebration, HSA is also organising a platinum jubilee logo design, masthead design, platinum jubilee theme and choral song writing and singing competitions,” HSA statement added.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/hmar-students-association-platinum-jubilee/

Imphal Jul 2 MNS/UNA : In a ghastly crime, an uncle allegedly raped his minor niece of 12-year. The incident came to light Tuesday when villagers caught the alleged rapist and handed over to the police on Tuesday.
The 12-year-old victim girl, a resident of Salam Khul village in Imphal West district has been admitted at RIMS hospital for treatment after a medical check was conducted at the forensic department of the institution today.
The man who raped the minor girl has been identified as Irom Bobo (40) son of I Kameshore Singh of Tharoijam Maning Leikai. He is the husband of younger sisters of victim’s mother where the girl stayed to assist her aunt in her domestic work.
The victim is the eldest children of a day to day bread earning mother who has been staying at her parental home after divorced with her husband around seven months ago. She is currently studying at class-IV and staying at the house of her aunt for the last 10 days.
Her uncle Bobo allegedly raped her last (Monday) night after dinner of the day, around 8 pm. She left the house fearing the repetition of the crime against her and on the way to her mother’s house at Salam Khul, around 8.30 pm, she intercepted with some womenfolk who inquired about the reason for her crying and going alone in the darkness.
After hearing the heinous crime committed to the minor girl, the women took her at the house of pradhan of the area where a large number of villagers gathered after hearing the news.
Led by the pradhan Dwijamani Singh, the villagers went to the house of alleged rapist, Irom Bobo, where he confessed of committing the crime.
Later, he was taken to the Patsoi police station and handed over him. Police took him to their custody after registering a FIR case based on the compliant lodged by the pradhan.
The raping of the minor girl was amidst the agitations demanding booking of culprit(s) involved in the recent alleged rape of an 18-year student at Yairipok of Thoubal district after kidnapping from a school where she went to obtain admission form and gang raped of a 14-year old rape victim girl from Imphal by six persons after abduction.
Residents of the Yairipok had even imposed a 24-hour statewide bandh demanding booking of the culprit(s) behind the rape of the student.
The bandh had concluded peacefully this morning at 5 am. The rape incidents were taken place amidst the demand of the women based civil bodies demand for a debate on increasing crime against women and children in Manipur.
A massive rally decrying the increasing crime against women in Manipur was even marched on the streets in Imphal on last Saturday demanding befitting punishment to the culprits arrested in connection with recent rape cases and booking of those, who were still at large.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/girl-raped-by-uncle/

IMPHAL, July 2 NNN : Talks between the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Students’ Union (IGNTUSU), Regional Campus Manipur and the University authority could not break ice on Tuesday.
Following this development, the tribal students’ body has decided to continue its agitation which has been going on since June 25. The Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Students’ Union (IGNTUSU), Regional Campus, Manipur strongly condemned the University Headquarter for not addressing the demands and needs of the students even after one week of their agitation.
Meanwhile. the tribal students’ body warned that it will be the sole responsibility of the varsity authority for any untoward incident.
The students’ of the varsity also once again appealed to all the student organisations, student leaders, intellectuals, social activists, politicians and other like-minded people to extend full support to the IGNTUSU, sidelining any difference if any, in order to rescue this only institution for higher studies in the name of tribals in Manipur.
On June 27, the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Students’ Union (IGNTUSU), Regional Campus, Manipur had strongly condemned the university authority headquarter
Amarkantak (MP) for non-compliance to the legitimate needs and demands forwarded through the Regional Director in charge.
“The students’ have time and again, demanded for immediate implementation of approved written ordinances and separate budget for the Regional Campus of the varsity. However
to the grief of the students’ the university headquarter has been trying to appease the students by sending draft ordinances, and budget which does not have its final approval. The
University Authority had failed to comply unfortunately till date. Therefore, the students of the varsity are compel to close down the university campus indefinitely with effect from
today, the 25th of June, 2013 until the incompetent Vice- Chancellor is removed from his post and the legitimate demands of the students’ are fulfilled. The University Authority
should be solely responsible for any untoward incident during the course of agitation,” had IGNTUSU warned.
Reasons why the students of IGNTU-RCM took the extreme step of closing down the university campus at this critical juncture from June 25 when important works like admission
process and many other is going on are that the University Act has a vague reservation policy. The Students’ had sought clear cut reservation policy in terms of recruitment/appointment and admission since it launched its first agitation in 2010 and till date. Unfortunately, nothing concrete policy in this regard has been made.
The students’ body then said ordinances of both Regional Campus & Regional Director (RC & RD) has never been approved, but the university authority keeps fooling the students in this regard saying that it is already approved. “If it were already approved, why it was not implemented,” it had asked.
It also stated that separate Budget ordinances too remained un-approved till date. If the authority there (headquarter) remain the same, the students have nothing to hope for. So we demand immediate removal of the VC Prof. Chandra Deo Singh and in no circumstances should his tenure be extended nor re-instated.
Staffs, both teaching and non-teaching, hardly meet the needs of the varsity. For this, the demands of the students to regularized part-time employees remained un-answered. Apart from its refusal to regularize the part-timers, there is no step for fresh recruitment till date. So, any recruitment without clear cut reservation policy will be opposed tooth and nail from now.
Books and other study materials were never made available as per the syllabus provided by the university. A university with only few hundred books and publications will not serve the needs of the students and scholars.M.Phil course for Political Science was started with just one year in 2009 .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/no-agreement-between-igntusu-and-students/

IMPHAL, July 2 NNN : The people of Manipur is all set to take up strong movement against the Manipur cabinet decision of taking over the Royal Palace of Manipur (Sana Konung).
On Tuesday, Sana Konung Semgat-Sagat Lup and Sana Konung Royal Council have warned of going to the President of India to intervene.
The two organisations had submitted a joint lengthy memorandum on June 27 to President Pranab Mukherjee urging him to intervene.
“The Royal Palace should not be made into a historical monument as the king still exists and very much the activities of the Royal Palace are there,” said Puyam Tomcha, legal advisor to the Sana Konung Royal Palace Council while adding, “If the state government does not review its decision, the royal family will occupy the Kangla Fort which is now been maintained by the state government of Manipur after the Assam Rifles had left the fort.
“In the Merger Agreement, it is clearly mentioned that the Royal Palace is the private property of Maharaja of Manipur. The king has been living in the Palace and performing all customary rites and rituals as the sole authority. It is a fundamental right of the King which has been enumerated in Article 26 of Indian Constitution. So, the decision of the State Cabinet to take over Royal Palace is in violation of the fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of India,” Tomcha reiterated. Puyam Tomcha then asked to abolish the Kangla Fort Board.
Few days ago, the Tangkhul chiefs’ body and the Federation of All Tribal Youth Clubs, Manipur (FATYCM) had said they condemned the ‘hasty decision’ of Manipur Cabinet to ‘take over’ the sacred Royal Palace saying the state Government is appeared to be acting like the title-holder of the historical site.
It is the onus of the state Government to refurbish the palace through ‘funding’ and then handing over the task to the Sana Konung Semgat Sagat Lup or other bodies working for preservation of the palace, FATYCM said.
It said the Government should honour the Sana Konung and take care of it by means of backing only and flayed the former for purportedly being ‘acquisitive.’On June 22, the Manipur cabinet had resolved to take over 12 to 13 acres of the Royal Palace area in the heart of Imphal and develop it to retain the glorious era of Manipur’s existence as an independent nation in the past.
Ever since this decision of the state government, people including Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba have been carrying out sit-in-protest in front of the Palace.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/body-against-taking-over-of-palace/

Mail News Service
Imphal, July 2 : The Manipur University Teachers’ Association (MUTA) is likely to launch series of agitation against the University Authority for the following reasons:
Manipulation in the selection of three teachers in the 3rd Executive Council of Manipur University,
• Non-appointment of statutory posts such as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Finance Officer, Controller of Examinations as well as other officers such as Director, Academic Staff College; Director, College Development Council, etc. for the last more than two years,
Non-implementation of HAG scale, long pending scheme for senior professors,
• Non-holding of selection committees for promotion/appointment of faculty members, etc. —-
Presently the University is being run on ad-hoc basis centralizing all the powers in an autocratic manner by destroying all the democratic norms, as there are no statutory officers on regular basis except the Registrar.
At present, the honourable Vice-Chancellor is also looking after the office of the Finance Officer, Manipur University. And under these circumstances, the general public may allege that there is ample possible room for misappropriation of fund as he himself sanctions and signs cheques as the Finance Officer.
Considering all the facts, MUTA in its general body meeting held on May 28, 2013 took a number of resolutions to implement within some specific datelines, with an endorsement to take any appropriate actions to the Executive Committee. As a result, the agitations are to be launched in order to streamline the functioning of the University, and for overall healthy growth of this institute of higher learning.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/muta-to-launch-agitations/

Imphal Jul 2 MNS/UNA : An alleged bid to ambush an inspection team led by state works minister was Tuesday foiled by a team of Manipur police commandos who engaged in a brief gun fight with the militants at Senapati’s Gopibung area under Kangpokpi police station. Police suspect the cadres of Kuki National Front (KNF) who engaged in the brief gun fight with the police commandos today, around 11 am. No casualty was reported on both sides.
However, a highly reliable local source said that the police commandos escorting the VIPs on inspection tour at Kangpokpi area of Senapati district opened fired when they spotted around six armed militants in combat dress on the way the inspection team was about to travel, apparently taking position to lay ambush on the inspection team.
The inspection team led by state works minister Kh Ratankumar included MLA from Kangpokpi A/C Nemcha Kipgen, social worker O Henry and additional chief engineer of PWD, Pradeep Mukherjee and the team was inspecting the condition of inter village roads in the area.
Police source said that suspected KNF cadres numbering around six were spotted by the police team escorting the VIPs after traveling two kilometers from Persian village near Gopibung. When the police commandos spotted the cadres just 60 meters away and sensing the situation opened fired to the cadres in which the cadres also retaliated with automatic weapons.
Personnel of the Manipur Rifles escorting the minister, MLA and officials also joined in the exchange of fire with the cadres. After a brief exchange of fire the police and security force backed from the area as the cadres were leaving the spot.
The spot of firing was not far from the designated camp of KNF maintaining tripartite suspension of operation with the state and Central government and there was high possibility of KNF cadres engaging in the gun fight. There is no any report of casualty in the exchange of fire.
The inspection team led by the works minister backed to Imphal without suspending further inspection to the progress of road improvement works being taken up in the area by the state PWD.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/militants-ambush-works-ministers-convoy-none-hurt/