Manipur News

IMPHAL, Sept 13: After the official announcement that Hiyanglam Assembly constituency by-poll will be held on October 15, the State unit of BJP has geared up to open its account in the constituency with an all-out effort.

Sources said an executive meeting of the party was held this morning to prepare for the upcoming poll.

They said many resolutions were taken regarding the poll preparation. Two persons are under consideration of the party for proposal as the party candidate. One is Maibam Dhanabir Singh, son of the late MLA M Kunjo and Dr Y Radheshyam, an ex-candidate of CPI, who contested in the last Assembly election.

However, the name of the candidate will be announced on September 15 after getting approval from the party central committee, they added.

The sources also revealed that in the meeting, election management committee, election campaign committee and election management committee with preparation of micro management strategy have been formed.

The election management committee include Th Chaoba, the party president as chairperson along with former president Sh Shantikumar Sharma, M Borot, Borbabu, three State secretaries, four vice-presidents, RK Ranjan and Gangumei Kamei etc., said the source.

The sources continued that election campaign committee will consist of 32 members from Hiyanglam.

They added that names of BJP heavyweights like Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitaraman, Radhamohan, Prakash Javadekar, Gen VK Singh, Dr Jitendra and S Kohali are to be proposed to the central leaders for the poll campaign.

It may be mentioned that the demise of MLA M Kunjo had left vacant the seat of Hiyanglam Assembly constituency.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/bjp-gears-up-for-hiyanglam-assembly-by-poll/

IMPHAL, Sept 13: The grazing ground of Oinam Tangleihada Oksoi under Bishnupur District has been encroached allegedly by some individuals for their vested interest.

This was stated by Sunil Nongmaithem, secretary in-charge of Oksoi Grazing Gound in a press meet held today at the Manipur Press Club Imphal. He said the  grazing ground, which is of 320 acres had been reserved as grazing ground in 1954 by the then chief commissioner of Manipur.

He further expressed that the said grazing ground is encroached by some individuals for their own benefit by installing temporary fencings. He said that the villagers while grazing their cattle, encroachers often treated them inhumanly as if the land belongs to them.

The villagers numbering more than 1000 led by senior citizens after serving notice to the encroachers destroyed the illegal farming on August 3, 2014 added the secretary in- charge.

He said that sub-inspector of Wangoi Police Station, Atom Debala telephoned the Nagar Panchayat Chairperson Oinam Kubudhi telling him to stay away from the grazing ground, adding that the Wangoi SDM has imposed 144 CrPC in the said area, and the order note is with her.

He charged that SI A Debala even used security personnel to drive away the villagers who were grazing their cattle in the grazing ground. Sunil further said that on the same day, the villager conducted a meeting to clarify the confusion in the presence of the Nagar Panchayat Chairperson.

He asserted that Nagar Panchayat Chairperson who is also holding the post of President of Oinam Tangleihada Oksoi Grazing Ground Protection Committee telephoned SI A Debala to clarify the confusion. But the SI retracted her earlier statement regarding the imposition of CrPC in the area that the imposition will be from the 20th of this month.

He further appealed to the authority concerned to give clarification regarding the confusion at the earliest time, or else agitation will follow.

At present, out of 17 encroachers, 10 have already withdrawn from the grazing ground area, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/oinam-locals-fume-against-oksoi-grazing-ground-encroachers/

KANGPOKPI, Sept 13: Observed as Kuki Black Day or Sahnit Ni – in local dialect, annually on September 13 since the past several years by the Kukis all over the globe, this year too according to the cabinet meeting resolution of Kuki Inpi Manipur Kuki community at Sadar Hills also observed the day in memory of the Kuki victims who were killed during the Naga-Kuki ethnic clashes that took place during 1990s.

The Black Day observance at Kangpokpi brought all business establishment and educational institutions as well as Govt. administration completely to a stand-still.

Every households in the town hoisted black flags and everyone were seen clad with black cloths while daily activities were suspended even though vehicular movement was witnessed with black flags fixed in all the vehicles.

Early in the morning every church held mass prayer for the victims’ family.

At noon many people mostly women clad with black clothes gathered at the memorial site where a monument had been erected last year in front of Inspection Bungalow, Kangpokpi to mourn and pay homage to the victims listed in the monument.

Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills General Secretary N. Sehjalien Gangte lamented that on September 13 in 1993 more than 100 innocent Kukis were mercilessly killed which remained the highest number of Kukis killed in a single day, in the NSCN (IM) ethnic cleansing in Manipur.

The Black Day is observed on September 13 every year in memory of the innocent Kukis killed on this day in 1993 and on other days during the tumultuous period of the ethnic clash continued Gangte.

While referring the Kukis as peace loving people the Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills General Secretary further said that the observation is not against anyone but to commemorate and mourn the victims and also to pressure the government in taking specific measures to deliver justice to all the victims as well as compensate and resettle the displaced Kuki villagers.

A candle light service was also held at the memorial site later in the evening at 6 O’clock under the leadership of Kangpokpi Town Churches Fellowship where a mass prayer was held.

The Kuki Black Day was also observed at Gelnal along the Imphal-Tamenglong road in the presence of Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills President Seikhomang Khongsai where after a prayer session, people observed two minutes’ silence in honour of the ethnic clash victims.

Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills President Seikhomang Khongsai said that the commemorative function is being organized to restore peace, unity and integrity among different communities of Manipur, particularly between Nagas and Kukis.

While urging other communities not to interpret the observance in the wrong sense, the KISH supremo prayed that such painful, ugly incidents should not recur in future.

The Black Day was also observed at Laikot in Sadar Hills in remembrance of the 106 innocent men, women and children murdered on September 13, 1993.

During the observance various CSOs leaders, Church leaders and elders spoke on the need for reconciliation and restoration of peace and normalcy in the State where they also prayed for the departed souls.

In the meantime, Kangpokpi Town Committee Secretary Haokholun Chongloi said that the term Kuki-Naga ethnic clash used by some people is totally wrong before adding that it was a coordinated attack on the innocent Kukis, including small children and women, by the NSCN (IM).

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/kuki-community-observes-sahnit-ni-black-day/

IMPHAL, Sept 13: The 6th Annual Exhibition of Art was held today at the Manipur State Art Gallery, Palace Compound organised by Nongmeibung Nambam Chuthek, Imphal.

The annual exhibition will continue till September 17 starting today.

The function was graced by Dr R K Nimai Singh IAS, Retd., and Koolchandra, chairman, Arts Society Manipur.

Speaking at the function R K Nimai said that the standard of paintings have improved as the exhibition includes different genre of painting. Not only painting but also including photography in the exhibition give encouragement and motivated to the young aspirant of photography he added.

After seeing the exhibition it clearly shows the new artists are experimenting well in the field of painting he said.

He also continued that people in the State are still ignorant about the importance of painting and added that there is need to disseminate regarding the importance of painting to the public.

He also stated that painting competitions are needed to be organised in the schools and colleges more often to bring out the creativity of the individuals.

Presentation of Arts Society Manipur Annual Art award 2013-2014 was given to Sarangthem Boby Singh from Palace Compound, who did his MFA (Painting) from Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh.

Sarangthem Boby also received several awards such as Research grand award Garhi, Ministry of Culture government of India, New Delhi, 2006 and Padamakar Yasowantarav Bakshi Gold Medal, 2006 from Khairagarh University.

Oinam Ibotombi Singh from Kakwa Nameirakpam Laikai was also honoured, who did his diploma in sculpture from Imphal Art college, and who also participated in other State level exhibition such as 4 state level exhibition of Art 2002 by Arts Society Manipur and AIFACS, New Delhi, comtemporary Art Exhibition of Manipur at Swabhumi, Kolkata and state exhibition of Art 2002, 2003, 2004 by MSKA.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/annual-exhibition-of-art-gets-underway-with-new-genres-of-painting/