Day: November 4, 2015

KANGPOKPI, November 4: A democratic and peaceful rally of various private school students within Sadar Hills was organized here today to press forward the demand for revocation of a State cabinet resolution on language issue.

The rally was organized by Sadar Hills Private Schools’ Association (SHIPS) as per the executive meeting resolution of Hill District’s Recognized Private Schools Association (HIDIPSAM) to lodge their discontentment over the alleged insensitivity of BOSEM towards the grievances of the Hill district recognized private schools and draw the attention of Chief Minister to immediately addresses the various grievances of hill recognized private schools in the State.

Students from various private schools within Sadar Hills congregated this morning at around 10:30 am at Brig. Thomas Ground, Kangpokpi for the democratic and peaceful rally.

The rally began at around 11 am from Brig. Thomas Ground and proceeded towards ZEO office via Autonomous District Council, Sadar Hills and further advance towards ADC, Complex and submitted a memorandum to SDC (HQ) to be forwarded to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and later culminated at Brig. Thomas Ground.

The rallyists holds placards which reads, “BOSEM change your system”, “Don’t trample our rights”, “Retain Additional Language”, “Don’t impose language”, “Give us free choice of subjects”, “We don’t want Meitei Mayek”, “Make education a free zone”, “Appoint regular Chairman of BOSEM”, “ Separate Board for the Hills”, “Respect tribal rights”, “Resign Education Minister”, etc.

SHIPS general secretary, NG Haokip said that scrapping of Additional English from the syllabus is a mistake on the part of the State government since it will contemplate on imposing of two or more languages to a student while adding that, “When it is very difficult to learn two languages learning many languages will be a burden on the students”.

Even when the Government cannot provide language teachers to Government schools, how can private schools manage or employ language teachers in all language subjects? asked NG. Haokip and added that there are more than 32 tribes in Manipur and only few of them have textbooks.

He also lamented that until the State government create a separate Hill Board exclusively for the hill districts or bifurcate BOSEM into Hill and Valley section the hill students will extremely suffers on various issues.

Meanwhile, SHIPS memorandum said that hill districts school have continuously highlighted the issue of Additional English and demanded the subject to remain status-quo like CBSE and other State Boards due to numerous setbacks and disadvantages of scrapping Additional English and rendering the students to take their mother tongue or Manipuri.

It is impossible for a private school or even a Government run school to appoint language/mother tongue(MIL) teachers for all subjects and also for other states languages since more than 13 different communities from all over the state coupled with students from neighbouring state like Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, etc comes to study in the private schools in the hill districts, the memorandum claimed.

It further said that making Meitei Mayek compulsory in the Board’s syllabus is viewed as an agenda to propagate language of a particular community in the name of education, which the Hill District Recognized Private Schools Association will never allow to happen.

While Meitei Mayek is open to all students, students of recognized tribal languages are restricted from taking language subjects of their choice said SHIPS memorandum and added that student of recognized tribal languages shall be given freedom to choose from any of the recognized languages including Additional English.

It also alleged that BOSEM permits transfer of students from hill to the valley schools while transfers of students from valley schools to hills schools are restricted.

Apart from other various misery hill districts recognized schools also continuously face numerous hardships in transacting official works in the BOSEM office even for a minor issue and the principals or heads of the schools have to spend in terms of thousands of rupees for travelling depending on the distance in a volatile situation in the state, it further alleged.

Therefore, we demand creation of a separate Hill Board exclusively for the hill districts or immediate bifurcation of the BOSEM into Hill and valley sections and immediate appointment of more tribal to make the institution proportionately represented and issues handled more efficiently, it added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/private-schools-in-hill-districts-rally-against-deletion-of-additional-english/

IMPHAL, November 4: Reiterating its long standing demand for the creation and declaration of the ‘Tongjeimarin District’ in the middle south west of the State, the Tongjei Marin District Demand Committee (TDDC) has asserted that the proposed district to be named after the famous old Cachar Road and first life line known as ‘Tongjeimarin’ has attracted support from all in view of the genuine objective to strengthen the State’s integrity and development.

A statement of TDCC reminded that the demand was mooted since decades ago and public view had been invited through media in 1990s during the regime of the then Chief Minister RK Ranbir Singh and after long struggle and public mobilization, the first ever memorandum for the grant of Tongjeimarin District was submitted to W Nipamacha Singh on July 11, 1998 with a sketch map of the proposed district of 951 sq km and 75, 000 population (150 villages).

It demanded that the Tongjeimarin District be bounded by Lower Lukhambi (NH-37) in Tamenglong district in the north, Tuangtu and Taiphai (Thalon) Nungsai Khullen, Chothe Munpi of Henglep and Bijang of Churachandpur district in the south, Keithelmanbi and Chinikon, Saitu A/C of Sadar Hills, Senapati district in the east and Gularthol Police Station and Kaiphundai, Taosem Sub-Division, Tamenglong district in the west.

Stating that the committee has met different leaders and voluntary organizations recently to mobilize together for the movement on the demand, the TDDC in the statement said during the consultative meeting held on October 21 last at Langol Laimanai, leaders of the committee decided to convene a public meeting at Khoupum Valley and Noney areas to revamp the future course of action programme including the expansion of the committee.

The TDDC appealed to all to extend co-operation and support to the demand for the sake of speedy growth and integrity in this falling State from communal ambiguity and trust deficit.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/tddc-sticks-to-tongjeimarin-district-demand/

Chandel, November 4: Chandel District Private Schools Association organized a Protest Rally against deleting Additional English from the syllabus of Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BOSEM) at District Headquarters today.

The rally commenced from Maha Union Government Higher Secondary School’s Ground and proceeded toward DC Office Complex where a memorandum address to the Chief Minister of state was handed over to S. Sambhunath Singh, ADC Chandel.

Students from different schools of the district took part in the rally by holding several placards inscribed with “Revoke Cabinet decision on deletion of Additional English, No language imposition, appoint a regular chairman for BOSEM, Make Education a Free zone, etc.

Speaking at the sideline, Reverend RD Joykumar Anal, president of Chandel District Private Schools Association told that the rally was organized in protest against the deletion of Additional English from the BOSEM syllabus. And since the BOSEM started implementing the 3 tier language policy, the Hill Districts Schools have been continuously demanding the issue of Additional English to remain status quo like other state Board and CBSE, he added.

Rev. Joykumar further maintained that it is impossible for schools authorities to appoint language teachers of each community as many students from different communities were enrolled in the School. As such, the Additional English subject should not be deleted from the BOSEM Syllabus rather it should remained status quo so that students from minority communities who doesn’t have text books in their own dialect can opt for it, he added.

While demanding immediate appointment of BOSEM Chairman not below the rank of IAS Officer and more tribal staff, the association’s president also urged the State Government for creation of a separate Board exclusive for Hill Districts or bifurcation of the BOSEM into Hill and Valley section.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/chandel-joins-protest-against-additional-english-deletion/

IMPHAL, November 4: BJP is unsuitable to Manipur and if they come to power, the State will once again be in chaos, deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam said at a bye-election campaign for Thoungju Constituency today.

An election campaign for Congress candidate of Thongju Constituency Bijoy Koijam was held today at the Khongman Mangjil Primary School ground today.

Addressing the campaign, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president said the BJP is good only in talks and not in actions.

They will only keep on talking without actually doing anything, he added.

If the BJP is brought to power in the State, it is certain that the party will distort the State’s boundary, he alleged.

If the people don’t want another eruption like that of June 18, they should know who to vote for, he said.

It’s not been even a year since the BJP came to power in the Centre, and now everyone can see that they have already signed another agreement with the NSCN (IM).

Their failure to divulge the details of the agreement can only mean that the accord contains agendas which would disturb the State’s integrity, Gaikhangam said.

He said if the BJP Manipur Pradesh wanted it would have tried to raise its voice against the accord, however, they are not doing so and this could only mean that the BJP Manipur is also a part of the conspiracy.

Their silence and blaming the Congress for everything is regrettable, he observed.

The people would atleast respect them if they act for the State rather than just blaming the Congress for everything, he added.

He said the November 21 bye-election would be crucial for both Thongju and Thangmeiband constituencies.

The campaign was also attended by Education, CAF & PD minister Moirangthem Okendro, Sugunu MLA Kangujam Ranjit, PHE minister Irengbam Hemochandra and other officials of the party.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/bjp-can-only-harm-manipurs-interest-says-gaikhangam/

IMPHAL, November 4: The High Court of Manipur today directed the State government to provide adequate security for movement to the vehicles stranded due to the economic blockade and that adequate steps should be taken up by November 6.

A double bench of Chief Justice of Manipur High Court LK Mohapatra and Justice N Kotiswar Singh had passed the interim order today regarding a PIL moved by one Raj Kumar Joysana Singh of Moirangkhom Sougaijam Leikai.

The court further directed the case to be put up after four weeks.

The PIL was filed against 10 respondents namely The Union of India, Ministry of Home Affairs through secretary home; Chief Secretary of Manipur; DGP of Manipur; IGP law & order and IGP Intelligence government of Manipur, GOC Mountain Division, IGAR (South) BRO Commandant 83 RC Lamphel, United Naga Council through its secretary S Milan and the All Manipur Working Journalist Union through its president W Samjai.

The petitioner said that the PIL has been made against the unconstitutional and illegal 10-day economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council Manipur from the midnight of November 2 on the National Highways protesting against actions of the Government of Manipur regarding the three bills and two resolutions passed by the Assembly.

He had further urged the court to direct the All Manipur Working Journalists Union Manipur not to publish/ broadcast such news of calling bandhs, economic blockades by any organisations, associations and unions.

The petitioner further prayed for an appropriate interim order directing the State government and the Union government machineries to take up immediate appropriate actions to prevent illegal and unconstitutional economic blockades, bandhs, general strikes on the two National Highways passing through Manipur.

And if required appropriate order be issued to shoot at site order against person or persons who prevent or obstruct while imposing economic blockade or bandh or general strike on the two highways, he prayed before the court.

In his prayer, the petitioner further urged the court to direct the State and Central governments to declare or announce the said UNC as unlawful council in view of their frequent criminal acts of crime against humanity and unlawful activities against the people of Manipur.

It further urged to direct the government machineries to safe guard the life and liberty of the people of the state by taking up adequate and appropriate action for preventing the economic blockade, bandh, general strike on National Highways 2 and 37.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/hc-passes-interim-order-on-blockade-directs-state-to-provide-adequate-security-to-stranded-vehicles/

IMPHAL, November 4: Centre’s interlocutor in its talks with the NSCN (IM) RN Ravi who had arrived on a two day visit yesterday has left the State today.

Soon after landing at the Imphal Airport yesterday, Ravi had held talks with several CSOs from both the hills and the valley and officials of the State government.

Ravi had also met a seven member delegation of the newly formed Citizens Committee, Manipur led by its chairman Radhabinod Koijam and assistant convenor Roshan Maisnam today at the Hotel Classic Grande.

The meeting which began at around 9am and concluded at around 11 am was also attended by senior advocate Khaidem Mani, Prof W Nabakumar Singh, BB Sharma, Khelen Thokchom (correspondent, The Telegraph) and Ksh Santa.

Speaking to IFP after the meeting, Mani said on being questioned about the details of the framework agreement signed between the Centre and the NSCN (IM), the Centre’s interlocutor maintained that it is not feasible to divulge the details at present although, it will not include anything which will affect the geographical boundary/ territorial integrity of Manipur.

Ravi however, expressed desire to accord ‘some sort of autonomy’ inside the Indian Constitution under the Framework Agreement, although the type of autonomy is yet to be settled, he said.

Stating that he had wanted to consult the people of Manipur before any finalisation, Ravi had told the team that his second visit to the State was to seek public opinion, Mani said.

He further said that RN Ravi during the meeting also categorically expressed that there is no more demand for sovereignty from NSCN (IM).

During the meeting, the CCM team apprised the interlocutor about the extortion and atrocities committed by NSCN (IM) along the National Highways even after entering peace talk with the Government of India, Kh Mani said, adding that Ravi was also informed on the frequent imposition of economic blockade in the State.

Mani also said that the interlocutor gave assurance that he will try his level best to pressurize the concerned organizations not to impose economic blockade along the NHs and that Central leaders will be apprised of the outstanding issues pertaining to the State.

The CCM team cautioned interlocutor RN Ravi against bringing any agreement and development based on ethnic line as the State is inhabited by 40 different ethnic communities.

During the important meeting, the team viewed that it will be a right step to bring an amicable settlement to the framework agreement after seeking opinion from the different communities, he said.

Kh Mani went on to say that the team also expressed desire to convert the framework agreement or bilateral talk into multi-lateral system.

As stated by RN Ravi, it may prove to be the right decision to opt for ‘Re-Packaging’ the system of Autonomous District Council (ADC) in the State, he said.

Though RN Ravi hinted for ‘some sort of autonomy’ under the framework agreement to solve the long standing Naga issue which the Government of India has not finalized yet, the interlocutor made it clear that there is no clause of 6th Schedule in the agreement.

Through the team, the visiting interlocutor appealed to the people to hold talk with other UG groups operating in the State.

According to Kh Mani, RN Ravi also categorically mentioned that there is no three-month time frame or countdown to meet the framework agreement signed between GOI and NSCN (IM).

The interlocutor reminded the team that the framework agreement is on its consultation process.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/rn-ravi-hints-at-some-autonomy-for-nscn-im-framework-agreement/

IMPHAL, November 4: BJP candidate for Thongju Assembly Constituency Th Bishwajit filed his nomination paper for the bye election today at the office of the returning officer SDO Porompat.

Bishwajit submitted two nominations at around 11:08am and 11:14am.

Soon after the filing of nomination, BJP Manipur president Th Choaba who accompanied the candidate exuded confidence of Bishwajit’s win in the November 21 bye-election.

He elaborated, Bishwajit had emerged winner among five candidates from different political parties in the last election.

The people of Thongju had defeated the Congress party then, he said.

He continued this time the muscle and money power of the Congress will be unable to mislead the people of Thongju.

BJP, he said is on a mission to eradicate corruption from the State and focus only on development.

The 13 long years of the Congress has only resulted in widespread corruption, he added.

There has been no development in the hill districts creating a large gap between the hills and the valley, he claimed.

Candidate Bishwajit said the Congress has ruled the State for more than a decade however, there is no development in any field in the State.

He said during his brief tenure as the MLA of Thongju for three years, he had utilised his MLA Local Area Development fund properly.

On the other hand, Bijoy Koijam who was the local MLA for more than 10 years has done nothing, he claimed.

Bishwajit also said that he wants to be the first to open BJP account in the State by defeating the Congress.

He was also accompanied bby BJP Manipur Pradesh general secretary (Administration) M Asnikumar, general secretary (Media) L Basanta Sharma and former minister Moirangthem Hemanta.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/chaoba-confident-of-partys-win-in-byeelection/

Imphal, November 4: The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), United Naga Council (UNC), Coordination Committee ATSUM (All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur), Kuki Senior Citizen and All Bible Christian Forum convened a consultative meeting at Kuki Inn here in Imphal today under the initiatives of Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the anti-tribal Bills.

The consultative meeting was held after the Government of Manipur on November 2, 2015 carried out a tribal customary law called ‘Hemkham’ (seeking forgiveness) before the JAC and families members of the nine persons who were killed during the agitation on August 31and September 1, according to sources.

During the meeting a pre-condition for talks with the State government was discussed, as the government has proposed November 7 for the first round of talks with the JAC and civil organizations, even though the JAC is yet to confirm whether they will attend the meeting on the day fix by the government or not, informed the sources.

The joint consultative meeting decided, that the JAC and various Inpis and Councils of Churachandpur will be entrusted to decide the conditions for talks with the government.

Only after the talks with the Govt. of Manipur, the JAC and Inpi’s/Council will decide to whether claim the bodies of the nine tribal martyrs or not.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/kim-unc-and-atsum-discuss-conditions-for-talks-with-govt/