Manipur News

IMPHAL, April 8: The North East Dialogue Forum has said that large scale energy and infrastructure development projects in Manipur have failed to adhere to several International human rights and development standards.

According to a release of the forum, several energy projects and allied infrastructure projects are tacitly supported directly and indirectly with the financing of the International Financial Institutions in Manipur.

The Asian Development Bank is directly involved in Energy sector in power sector reforms and in preparing to finance several road infrastructures that will facilitate the construction of such large scale energy and allied infrastructure projects. The Asian Development Bank has several safeguard policies, which provides limited protection and safeguard for indigenous communities, wherever its projects are financed. The implementation of the energy sector related projects led to violations of several safeguard policies of these financial institutions.

ADB`s policy principles and scope of environmental safeguards focus on the commitment to technical assessment and mitigation measure to an emphasis on developing and implementing a Comprehensive Environmental Management Plan (EMP). The key elements of EMPs are mitigation measure, monitoring programs. cost estimate. budget etc.

The construction of Mapithel dam has been continuing for the last 30 years. This has caused much destruction of more than 100 hectares of forest land and agricultural land mainly at the Upstream. The blocking of ThoubaI River for completion of Mapithel dam led to complete drying of the river in downstream portion, with severe water shortages. There has been absence of strategic plan for mitigation, monitoring, budget etc and no participatory and holistic environment impact assessment which is a clear violation of these ADB policies.

The Asian Development Bank policy on indigenous people included recognition of Indigenous Peoples` cultural identity and rights to their ancestral lands and resources, fair sharing of development benefits among affected Indigenous Peoples communities and the rest of society and meaningful and culturally appropriate consultation with Indigenous Peoples communities in planning and implementing projects that are likely to affect their lives. India has the International Commitment to strictly follow this safeguard policy, it said.

However, the construction of Mapithel Dam violated all these safeguard policy. There is no any mechanism for fair share of the benefit of the dam. Indigenous Peoples safeguards 20 conclude that the policy is relevant to ADS and its borrowers/clients like Govt. of India and Manipur. There is no effort to respect the right to free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples. The call for resumption of expert review committee by affected communities to fully assess the implications of Mapithel dam has not been responded favorably by Government of Manipur, it said.

ADB`™s policy on Involuntary Resettlement stated that ADS-financed projects need to avoid or mitigate any adverse impacts which has largely been a result of Implementation of resettlement plans and environmental management plans. ADS recommended to integrate Indigenous Peoples` issues in resettlement plans where risks to Indigenous Peoples are primarily related to resettlement or to environmental damage, develop a plan for implementing the safeguard policy on Indigenous Peoples. However, the dam is fraught with multiple violations concerning the rehabilitation and resettlement. The first agreement in 1993 was violated. It was agreed that payment or land compensation was to be made in two installments i.e. 1993-94 and 1994-95 but was started only in 1996. Interest to be paid for not fulfilling the agreed terms @12% is ignored and final payment to 94 land owners is not done till date, it said.

The objectives of ADS`s safeguards are to avoid adverse impacts of projects on the environment and affected people, minimize and/or compensate for adverse project impacts on the environment and affected people when avoidance is not possible and help borrowers/clients to strengthen their safeguard systems and develop the capacity to manage environmental and social risks. ADS`s SPS sets out the policy objectives, scope and triggers and principles for three key safeguard areas which are environmental safeguards, involuntary resettlement safeguards and Indigenous Peoples safeguards.

Given the multiple violations, ADS should not finance all energy and infrastructure projects which has failed to comply with its safeguard policy statement and other human rights standards, in particular the U Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, it said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/large-scale-energy-and-infrastructure-development-projects-flop-nedf/

IMPHAL, April 8: The Janata Dal United JD(U) has demanded a white paper on the promise made in the run up to the LS poll 2104 on three issues before people of Manipur, said Moirangthem Tombi Singh President JD(U).

Addressing the media at the office of JD(U) Babupara, he further said that the three promises made by the BJP were boldly included in their election manifesto. These are settlement of the controversy over the Indo-Myanmar border, Inner Line Permit issue and Indo-Naga peace talk issue.

JD(U) demanded a white paper on this matter before the upcoming ADC election on May 30 to be placed before the people of Manipur.

He said that JD(U) welcomes the peace talk process but there will never be any compromise on the state`™s territorial boundary. He said if the promises prove false, Manipur will fight till end for its integrity.

He further lamented that though the BJP Manipur unit promised to people before the Lok Sabha Poll that if the BJP came power in the Centre, the iron lady Irom Chanu Sharmila`™s fast will end as the AFSPA 1958 would be repealed from the state.

The BJP government is due to complete one years now, however, instead of repealing the AFSPA it is preparing to reject the Jeevan Raddy Commission`™s recommendation on the AFSPA.

`Our state has no rule of law except AFSPA, the state government needs restructuring of the police system, it has to take seek cooperation from the people, various department or office of the state are today unable to open without security deployment. Because of all this, there is a huge lack of developmental work in the state in all departments,` he said.

He said the JD(U) assuming the role of the opposition in earnest is vital now. He added it is now time to insist the BJP government at the Centre and the Congress government in the state to place their progress report before the people.

Meanwhile, Len Gangte General secretary JD(U) said that JD(U) has strongly condemned the barbaric act of the 8th AR personnel at Noney, inhumanly torturing an alleged ZUF cadre violating all norms of International Humanitarian Law.

He further said that even if the cadre had conduct outlaw activities, AR authority cannot resort to taking the law into their own hands.

The inhuman act of stripping a person and parading him before the public has demonstrated the draconian nature of the AFSPA, he said.

Such barbaric act is an insult on the Zeliengrong women community. Hill districts peoples are being assaulted by the AR personnel at will and such act must be put a halt to immediately, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/jdu-demands-white-paper-on-bjp-promises-in-ls-poll-manifesto/

IMPHAL, April 8: In all 13 farmers from Samushang Yangbi Mamang Patta Taba appealed for non-violence in the aftermath of an altercation on the March 9 and the continuing mounting tension in the area, during a press meeting held at the Press Club today.

`These patta lands were bought from the Oinam villagers in the 80s and 90s and we have been paying revenue tax till date.` Naorem Rabi one of the affected farmers explained.

He narrated that the forcible encroachment in their farms with JCB crane destroying their yields and digging a canal on the March 9 sparked off the trouble.

`Sub Divisional Magistrate Wangoi had directed SDC/Mayang Imphal to demarcate the boundaries via order dated 20/9/2014 but nothing has happen till date` he further alleged.

Recently Oinam Tangleirada Okshoi Grazing Gound Protection Committee with other groups like Oinam Meira Paibi Lup had contested the ownership claims of these 13 farmers on a total of 15 acres farmland, he said.

The disputed farmland is about 18 kms from Imphal under Wangoi Block, Imphal West, he added.

Oinam Ushoipat land dispute case is still pending in the Tribunal Court for eight months now he said. In this regard, the concern DC has also imposed 144 CrPC since April 2 to maintain peace in the area, he further said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/farmers-appeal-for-nonviolence-in-settling-farmland-dispute/

IMPHAL, April 8: In yet another instance of poor-quality maintenance in construction of buildings, ceilings of several rooms of residential quarters at the Western Block Type II, Manipur University where non-teaching staffs of the university are staying collapsed on Wednesday.

On hearing the news, members of Manipur University Students`™ Union (MUSU) rushed to the area to enquire the incident. An engineer employed by the university, Sanasam Rajen also arrived at the site and assured the residents that the quarters will be repaired at the earliest.

Talking to this daily, one of the residents staying in the quarters lamented that the concerned contractor entrusted with the construction was already urged to look into the poor-quality maintenance in the construction as parts of the quarters may collapse any time.

However, he said, the contractor has failed to repair the quarters which are in dilapidated condition citing non-release of funds by the concerned authority.

He appealed to the concerned authority to arrange an alternative means as the quarters are no longer safe for staying.

General secretary of MUSU, RK Pritamkumar said that failure of the concerned authority to repair the quarters in time has led to the incident while adding that quality was not maintained in the construction of the residential quarters.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/quarter-rooms-at-mu-collapse/

IMPHAL, April 8: At three persons including two children suffered grievous injuries when a lethod shell exploded suddenly inside a residential house at Hauailong village Ward no 4 in Tamenglong district today around 2.30 pm.

The injured children are identified as Sumgailung Panmei, 10 son of Jessy Pamei and Peiduanliu, 14 daughter of Ganguangliu of Hauailong village Ward no 4. Ganguangliu was also hurt in the explosion.

Reports said the lethod shell was come across by family members of Jessy Panmei while cutting trees after which they brought it to their residence. The shell suddenly blasted when children in the house took out to take a glance of it.

The two injured children were rushed to Tamenglong District Hospital. After their condition worsened, they were shifted to a hospital based in Imphal. Both of them are students of Gadailong Government Primary School, the reports added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/three-hurt-in-lethod-shell-explosion/

IMPHAL, April 8: The underground UNLF, in a press release today said it has finally resolved the case of fraud played by Diana and family using the party`™s name.

Following the bomb warning the party served to Lourembam Jiten of Sagolband Tera Yengkhom Leirak, notified to the public through newspapers on March 21, Jiten, his wife, Pramo Devi and daughter Diana contacted the UNLF and confessed their crimes, the release said.

According to their statement, in June 2013, Lourembam Diana, 23, with the consent of her parents, was admitted to SK College nambol for studies, the release said.

There she met R.K. Bonium, 24, son of R.K. Bapu and Thaballei Devi, of Ningthoukhong Radha Madhop Leikai, and soon was in a relationship with him, it said.

Diana, in the course of time wins the confidence of the family of Bonium, and begins to spend time at her boyfriend`™s house, tending to his parents, it said.

It was then that Diana began to play her game and falsely tells Bonium and his parents that her father is an influential leader of the UNLF and that he can help Bonium get a job in the police as ASI. She convinced the family that Bonium should have a job so they can marry, and accordingly Rs. 2 lakh was given to her so her father can start working to have Bonium selected for the job, the release said.

She then took Rs. 1.5 lakhs from the family again so that a sister-in-law of Bonium too can land a government job in the Social Welfare department. Bit by bit, she squeezed a total of Rs. 9,11,000 from the family.

On Jan 8, 2014, the two young couple marry quietly. She did not even inform her own family and the marriage was solemnised at the groom`™s place, the release said.

She then took Rs. 5 lakh more from Bonium`™s family so that her father who she said was UNLF leader can be assassinated, for it was likely he would object to their marriage, it said.

Bonium`™s family begin to have financial problem, but this notwithstanding, they take leave and go to Delhi for some time.

When they return from Delhi, they bid farewell at the Imphal airport and each head for their respective homes. However, when Diana ditched Bonium, the latter complained to the UNLF of Diana`™s deceit in the name of the UNLF, and the party took up the case, the release said.

Since all the concerned parties have confessed their part in the sordid game, the UNLF worked out a verdict acceptable to both, and the matter has been allowed to be treated as resolved, the release said.

The release said such cases are normal in a colonial situation in which a once proud people, living out of their own enterprise and genius have been robbed of their inner strength by the colonial system.

It appealed to all the people to revive the inner strength of the society by instilling in themselves Manipur`™s once proud work culture, and in this the UNLF will extend whatever help within its command.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/unlf-resolves-fraud-case-after-diana-and-family-confess-to-party/

Despite the all the brinkmanship and the worries that things may go wrong, the talks between the Government of India and the NSCN(IM) continues to hold. Sadly though, the NSCN`™s other major faction, the NSCN(K) led by SS Khaplang, has walked away from its own ceasefire agreement with the Government of India. Khaplang`™s NSCN however continues to be in a peace agreement with the Myanmar Government. As also widely speculated, his organisation is set for yet another split, roughly along the international border that divides India and Myanmar. He will be at the head of the faction that has support base on the Myanmar side of the border and NSCN(K) leaders from the Indian side of the border, the other. There was always an inevitability about this split, after all, how exactly was the Government of India to reach a negotiated settlement with rebels who were technically Myanmar citizens, just as it could also well be asked, how exactly was the Myanmar government to reach an agreement with rebels who were technically Indian citizens. In many ways, Khaplang`™s abrogation of the ceasefire agreement was a confirmation and admission of a status quo that revolutionary rhetoric could not move, and therefore nothing too much to worry for the governments of India and Myanmar, despite all the hypes by the media. This was quite clearly indicated by the Government of India`™s response of extending its ceasefire with the NSCN(K) unilaterally. The gesture almost seemed like a warm send off. With Khaplang retreating to his base in Myanmar, the NSCN(K) base on the Indian side would have become marginalised and manageable for the government of India, leaving it to focus its attention entirely on the NSCN(IM) which has a dominant presence on the Indian side of the border, and therefore a much bigger problem from its point of view.

However, the NSCN(IM) problem is not going to offer easy solutions either. Besides the known oppositions to one of its main campaign plank of a united homeland for the Nagas, there are other formidable problems ahead. As for instance, even if this united homeland were to be agreed upon, if this arrangement is to be within the Union of India, which now obviously it will have to be, besides opposition from neighbouring states, there will be myriad internal dissentions on matters of competition for resources under the Government of India`™s dispensation. Government jobs, education quotas etc, would be just some of these. It is a fact that there is a strong lobby within Nagaland which is interested in consolidating Nagaland rather than dilute its core interests by incorporating more people within it. What works as idealistic slogans, often does not when it comes to putting them into actual practice. Moreover, the uneasy question before any settlement plan would be, if this settlement is not anything radically different from what was offered by the Shillong Accord of 1975, why had the Naga agony been prolonged so unnecessary when it could have been put to rest in 1975. Forty more years of blood and tear would have to be accounted for by something substantially more for the Nagas in general and not just those in the extra territory to be acquired. Unfortunately, for the moment, greater Nagaland seems so much like a Manipur problem than a Nagaland problem, and if the forty extra years of bloodshed comes to be for a solution of a Manipur problem, it is only to be expected that many eyebrows in Nagaland would be raised. The NSCN(IM) leadership surely must be realizing this and that that the longer the stagnation remains, the deeper its problems would become. In fact, it may already be in a deep crisis. The matter is getting palpably urgent with the BJP government at the Centre, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, keen to have the matter resolved once and for all without further delay. In tricky situation like this, sometimes it is doubtful if pushing for a quick solution is the solution at all. Quite paradoxically, and unenviable though it may be, a ceasefire that continues on might have already begun to appear as the best solution. At least overt hostilities would be avoided, just as has been the case for the last nearly 18 years in the case of the Nagas.

Leader Writer: Pradip Phanjoubam

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/dreary-peace/

IMPHAL, April 8: The United NGOs Mission Manipur (UNMM) has strongly condemned the degraded statement “Come out Women Folk. Now the WAR has begun. I command 2000 soldier” during the stand- off between public and AR troops at Noney made by the present CO (Commanding Officer) of 8th Assam Rifle, Rajiv Choudhury posted at Noney (Longmai).

According to a release of UNMM, such act by the CO is violation of the International Convention on Elimination of All Forms Discrimination Against Women. He should be tried under Violence Against Women Act at the first Track Court. The statement declaring war against the civilians with strong term was done under the shadow and influence of the Special Power of Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958(AFSPA). UNMM also strongly condemned the inhuman and degraded treatment and harassing of the innocent civilians at Noney Bazar on April 6 by team of 8th Assam Rifle posted at Noney (Longmai). The harassment and ill-treatment of any actors/ individual after arrest in custody is a war crime, it said.

The Assam Rifle has the allegation that they arrested one of the cadres of ZUF from Noney which led to the arresting and the harassing of innocent people is a crime against law of the country (without proper reason and investigation). The Court has to decide whether the person is a member of the armed Group or not. It also clearly proved that people of Manipur are under the army rule, not under Democracy.

India has kept the people of North East India under the AFSPA for the last 56 year. It also deeply understand as to what kind of relationship are established between Indian Armed Forces and armed groups at Noney area. UNMM also condemned the arresting of the civilians and harassing them with ill-treatment like wild animals.

The 24th AR posted at Khudengthabi along Imphal-Moreh highway has been harassing passengers of every vehicle with detention like under military rule. On February 9, 2015 even the Rural Development Minister, Francis Ngajokpa and MLA OK Korungthang were also detained several minutes by 24 AR Posted at Khudengthabi under the command of Maj. Rockey. Now, AR posted at Khudengthabi and Tengnoupal have disallowed vehicle movement along National Highway (Now Asian National Highway)-2 along Imphal-Moreh Highway in the night, it said.

Moreover, KBS. Maniam, a community leader was detained and harassed for 2 hrs from 10:30 PM -12:30 AM by troops of 9th AR posted at Moreh, Chandel, Manipur (Indo-Myanmar border) led by Colonel Anand Atreya on the night of November 26. Those officers involved in such crimes against humanity are still posted in their respective post without initiating any trial.

The UNMM has demanded punish Officers/soldiers of the Assam Rifle who committed heinous crimes against humanity and bring them under trial as per law of the land, to terminate all officers of Assam Rifle who committed crimes to innocent people, to stop the harassment, torture and detention of the civilians in the National Highways, to remove the posts of AR, which are being posted unnecessarily and stop harassing innocent people, to remove AFSPA for some months on trial basis in some districts, to review the special power given to Security Personnel. They are responsible for carrying out various crimes against humanity and crimes against International Law (India being one of the largest Democracies in the World) and to compensate appropriately the victims of the incidents, it said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/unmm-condemns-noney-ar-co-statement/