Manipur News

IMPHAL, February 19: Series of malpractices have been alleged while implementing 165 numbers of Minor Irrigation Schemes for three fiscal years approved by Work Advisory Board and Ministry of Water Resource, Government of India under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP).

In this regard, two separate complaints had been lodged with the Chief Secretary of Manipur to conduct a probe, by a social worker, S Washington of Kasom Khulen, Ukhrul district.

According to the first complaint, the Government of India Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure released an amount of Rs. 17.27 crores for completion of 165 schemes for Manipur State under AIBP. The fund was reportedly released on November 13, 2013 for the fiscal year 2013-14.

It alleged that of the approved work list of 165 scheme serious fraud was detected while implementation and in the mode payment of bills.

In some cases, there was no trace of any work execution. However the allocated amount was allegedly withdrawn.

Meanwhile, in the wake of Government initiative for taking up 99 new schemes under the same funding agency for the fiscal year of 2013-14 a serious flow was found in the work list prepared by the Minor Irrigation Department, Manipur, it claimed.

It pointed out that the department has re-included places where work was left undone during the year 2010-11, 2013-14, putting areas of places with slight changes of names and unspecific places of names etc were also found.

It may be noted that with regards to the 99 new schemes a written petition was also earlier submitted to the Chief Secretary of Manipur to recheck the list prepared by the MI department, a person from Chandel district namely, SK Joseph Lamkang. The individual identified himself as a social worker.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/social-workers-allege-malpractices-in-implementing-minor-irrigation-schemes/

IMPHAL, February 19: Various civil society organizations have strongly condemned the act of unknown gunmen who came looking for Naharolgi Thoudang editor Khoirom Loyalakpa at his residence.

In a press release, the United NGOs Mission Manipur, North East Dialogue Forum, Social Welfare and Development Centre, Women Action for Development, Social Action Development Organization, Social Development Foundation, United Tribal Development Project, Peoples` Platform Secretariat, People Action Development H-37, Life Development Organization, Centre for Social Development and Village Women Coordinating Committee have strongly condemned the incident.

`We are deeply shocked to hear the news of attacking the residence of Khoirom Loyalakpa, Editor, Naharolgi Thoudang, the Local daily newspaper on 17th February 2015 at around 10.30 am at Kontha Khabam Mayai Leikai by four armed persons while he was out of his residence,` the statement said.

`The four masked armed men asked for Loyalakpa in the presence of his 94 years old mother and 97 years old father. Every nook and corner of the residence was searched with an arrogant action by holding a gun in their hands,` it further said.

`94 years old mother of Loyalakpa was mentally shocked after the action of the four masked men, and she is still traumatized,` it said.

`We strongly condemned such act of serious human rights violation,` it said.

`We also condemned the attack on Noren Ningombam along with his cameramen Bipin Sharma, the bureau chief of “Impact TV” on 13th February 2015 at Moreh by the four personnel of 9th Assam Rifles while they were covering a mob gathered at Moreh police station to demand the release of a man arrested earlier,` it further said.

The people in Manipur already experienced the assassination of Konsam Rishikanta of Imphal Free Press and others few years ago, it said.

Attacking civilians, journalists, human rights defenders, women and children are fall under War Crime which has to be obliged by Indian State, it said.

`We urge the Government of India and Manipur to investigate the cases mentioned above by establishing an independent committee and take up legal measures to the perpetrators and punish them under the rule of law,` the statement added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/various-civil-society-organizations-condemn-threat-on-thoudang-editor/

IMPHAL, February 19: The United Liberation Front (UNLF) has said that a Major of the outfit remained traceless after being arrested by a combined team of Indian Intelligence and Bangladesh Police.

A statement issued by the outfit`™s director in-charge, M. Sak-hen said that on February 11 around 10 pm Major Keithellakpam Chilheiba alias Nabachandra (Bangladesh citizen), was arrested by a joint team of Indian intelligence in civies and Bangladesh (black dress) Police from his Dhaka residence under Mohammadpur Police station.

It said that the Major was taken away on the pretext of having some words with the team and assured to released him within three days time. However, four days have passed since his arrest and his whereabouts is not known, it said.

The incident is absolutely against the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights and is an arbitrary arrest and detention depriving natural justice, it said.

Terming the act as uncivilised on the part of the Indian intelligence, it further branded the incident as Trans-National terrorism.

It said that Major K Chilheiba, joined the UNLF`™s revolutionary movement in the year 1992 adding that he is holding the rank of Major in the Manipur Peoples`™ Army (MPA), the armed wing of UNLF.

He was arrested by individuals coming in two vehicles. He was assigned a task of the outfit in Bangladesh.

After his arrest, an eveninger in Manipur `Imphal Times` February 17 edition and Jiribam based daily Manipur Chronicle, reported about the arrest of the Major. Nevertheless, the Indian officials remained silent in the matter.

It appealed to the Human Rights bodies and civil societies of Manipur to extend their cooperation in providing legal aid and deliver justice to the arrested Major of the outfit taking into consideration the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights, arbitrary arrest and detention.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/unlf-claims-its-officer-untraced-after-arrest-in-bangladesh/