Manipur News

Mail News Service and agencies
IMPHAL, March 12: Manipur’s ‘Iron Lady’ Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on fast over 12 years demanding repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) from the state, was released from judicial custody at around 4 pm on Tuesday.
The state Government had time and again sent the social activist to judicial custody charging her with attempting to commit suicide under IPC 309. However, Irom Sharmila is now continuing her fast at Sharmil Kanba Lup (Save Sharmila) office, Porompat in Imphal East district.
She was freed after being produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East District, Alek around noon. However, the anti-AFSPA crusader was brought again to the Security Ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) where she had been lodged with nose-feeding as the police was to prepare the proper document for her release. She was later formally freed at 4 pm from the Security Ward.
Hundreds of her supporters, including members of Sharmila Kanba Lup (SAKAL) who were waiting for her outside the hospital led her to the SAKAL office near the hospital. National Alliance for People’s Movement coordinator, Faisal Khan from Delhi and members of the organization Arvind from Uttar Pradesh and Deepak Joshi from Rajasthan were also among the crowd of supporters.
Calling herself a follower of Gandhi and a mere pursuer of non-violent movement, Sharmila asserted she has no bias on security forces and underground members and said she only wants peace and tranquility in Manipur. Sharmila said even if the belief of incarnation ever comes true, she wished not to be born here in Manipur. The human rights activist further said the police will be after her in the next two-three days to be rearrested her and expressed aggravation against the Manipur Government for arresting her over and over again.
Accusing Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh of trying to appease her by lifting AFSPA from seven assembly segments of Imphal, she further alleged that all the politicians in the state have ignored the idea of bringing development in the land.
She also alleged that most of the ethnic communities in Manipur have demanded separate homelands because the Government fails to take up development projects in the hill. Describing that the crimes against women are committed by uncivilized people, Sharmila advocated for a society where both the sexes share equal responsibility. “I may be re-arrested but it will not deter me from continuing with the hunger strike,” Sharmila said after she was released from jail.
Doctors at the hospital stopped her from nasal feeding around 1.30 pm before the jail authority released her after completing the formality for her release, around 3.30 pm. Members of the Sharmila Kanba Lup escorted her from the hospital to the venue of the one-day fast being staged by jointly by NAPM and SKL at Soibam Leikai near Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science (JNIMS) hospital. A group of women supporters would be keeping vigil throughout the night and remain with her throughout her fasting period. A police team, including female personnel, has been detailed near the strike venue to ensure her safety.
After joining the fast, Sharmila told reporters, “I am not trying to commit suicide. I don’t want to die. But I am ready to die for the cause.” Sharmila began her hunger strike in November 2000 demanding scrapping of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. Her strike was triggered by the incident of killing of 10 civilians by Assam Rifles troops in retaliation to a militant attack on November 2, 2000 at Malom in Imphal West. The court of district and sessions judge Manipur East, is investigating the Malom firing case.
Leaders of the NAPM expressed their wish to remain continue their work against AFSPA and assured their full support to Sharmila. Faisal Khan of NAPM reminded that they had launched nationwide campaign from Srinagar Kashmir to Imphal Manipur against AFSPA while expressing concern over the deteriorating health condition of Sharmila “The condition of Sharmila is not well and lambasted government for ignoring such kind of peace movements which lasting Gandhian legacy in India.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/sharmila-released-from-judicial-custudy/

IMPHAL, Mar 12 NNN: The bomb attack on the chairman of Autonomous District Council (ADC), Chandel by miscreants on Monday has drawn strong condemnations from the Kuki Inpi, Manipur (KIM) and the Kuki Students’ Organisation-General Headquarters (KSO-GHQ). Last evening, unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade at the residence of Lhunkhosei Zou at Moreh Ward No III injuring one Dounglenzou (50), who is said to be the brother-in-law of the ADC chairman. Following the incident, an emergency meeting was held today convened by KIM and KSO at New Lambulane, Imphal.
KIM and KSO speculated that in the last couple of months the border township Moreh has become a victim of perpetual bomb attacks, which have now rendered wide speculations that these attacks could have also been the handiwork of the state agencies.
“Last year, when the state government deployed police commandos in the border town, Moreh denizens had openly resisted the deployment of police commandos in the town saying ‘enough forces, including Assam Rifles, Manipur police and Manipur Rifles are already posted at Moreh, there is no need for police commandos,’” recalled KIM and KSO.
“However, the state government had justified its action by saying it is enhancing the security measurement to contain law and order situation of the town,” the Kuki bodies said while adding, “In fact, things are quite on contrary to the claim of the government and what we have witnessed today”.
The KIM and KSO then demanded that the government and the local authority to leave no stone unturned to nab the responsible for the attack on the ADC chief and also that the police forces should beef up security and intelligence network in the town to maintain rule of law.
“The attackers must be hunted down promptly to get to the bottom of things; and also to get rid of the peoples’ skeptical perception about the capabilities of police forces,” the two Kuki organisations further demanded.
The KSO and KIM also wanted the assailants to spelt out the reasons for the attack on the ADC chairman and his family. “Should this be about monetary demand or dispute, the people or the party involved is advised to stop immediately as this act of injustice has no place in any civilized society,” they stated.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/the-bomb-attack-on-the-adc-chairman/

IMPHAL, March 12 NNN: The “3rd All Manipur Folk Drama Festival 2013” aimed at promoting Manipur’s threatened art form ‘dholak drama’ will be held from March 15 at Manipur Dramatic Union hall, Imphal.
Folk dramas based on old literature and other stories that occurred in the remote past which are difficult to recollect have more or less lost their position in the state, MDU general secretary Thokchom Tangkeshwar told reporters at the union’s office here on Tuesday.
In Manipur, since the introduction of proscenium theatre (stage drama) in 1902, so many dramas were staged in Bengali and after translation of Bengali to Manipuri, he said.
He said MDU is all set to organise the 8-day folk drama festival, informing that it would be opened by honouring noted playwright and theatre director Ratan Thiyam. Folk play “Khoyon Tebi Teshwa” will also be staged on the opening day of the festival, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/3rd-all-manipur-folk-drama-festival/

March 12 NNN: The seven accused, including Defence PRO Col. Ajay Chowdhury in the Pallel drug haul case were produced before the Special Court of NDPS here and the court remanded them to 11 days judicial custody judicial on Tuesday. They appeared in the court with tight security arrangement after completion of five days police custody remand. Around 60 volunteers of Working Groups of Meira Paibi Movement, Manipur stormed the court and shouted slogans against the drug smugglers. They demanded that they be given life imprisonment and also to hand over the accused to them. The women protesters also demanded Manipur Government to make public the real identities of the individuals involved in the recent seizure of huge quantity of illicit drugs at Imphal Airport and Mantripukhri oil pump. After the hearing was closed, the women protesters tried to drag down the accused from the police vehicle outside the court. However, the police managed to control the crowd. Three separate FIRs have been filed at the Kakching Police Station regarding the Pallel drug seizure against the seven accused. As per the investigation report on the case submitted by the Investigation Officer to the court, Col Ajay Chowdhury, the Defence PRO of Manipur Army, Ngairangbam Brojendro and Lunkhohao Haokip alias Haopu Haokip had been successfully transported huge quantity of illicit drugs from M-Sector, Imphal to Moreh in the first week of December 2012 by using the official Gypsy allotted to Col Chowdhury and a Bolero jeep bearing number AS 01BX-8699. The IO then sought 15 days judicial custody remand of the accused for further investigation into the case. Roland Keishing, Judge, Special Court of NDPS decided to send them to judicial custody for 11 days and fixed March 22 as the next hearing date of the case.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/col-ajay-chowdhury-produced-before-the-specialt-court-of-ndps-court-remand-them-to-11-days-judicial-custody-judicial-imphal/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Mar 11 : Dr. Thokchom Meinya while participating in the general discussion on Railway Budget, 2013-14 as presented by Railway Minister, Pawan kumar Bansal, has placed on record his heartfelt congratulations to the Minister for introducing an excellent balanced Railway Budget, 2013-14.
The MP has described this year’s railway budget as inclusive both in content and in quality. In order to improve the overall quality of passenger services, the Railway Minister has started by detailing the Dilemmas & Concerns that Railways are facing today. Hon Railway Minister called for a perceptible improvement in 1) Safety & Security, 2) Passenger Amenities 3) Cleanliness, 4) Quality of Railway catering, 5) Rail Tourism and 6) Punctuality etc. We are extremely happy to note that the Minister is fully committed to bring about a marked change in the level of Railway amenities.
While wishing the Ministry and the Minister, in particular, all the very best, the MP has chosen region specific. He has mentioned that the Railway Minister has set the right tone when he speaks of Projects of national importance and said, “Security of the nation is paramount, and our brave soldiers make immense sacrifices to safeguard our frontiers. Providing need based rail connectivity to border areas is uppermost on Railways’ agenda”.
The MP has expressed his happiness to know that the national project of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla and other projects of strategic importance will be taken up on priority. The MP further added that ‘The North East Region is very sensitive’. The projects in this region are in progress for providing the connectivity to state capitals of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
For the first time the state of Arunachal Pradesh has been brought into the rail network and Harmuti-Naharlagun line will be commissioned this year. It is also informed that works on the new line railway project to connect state of Manipur are in full swing.
The ministry is also fast tracking the gauge conversion works on Lumding-Silchar and Rangia-Murkongselek. For all these, the MP has expressed his gratefulness to the Minister.
The MP further has stated that he comes from the state, Manipur. Manipur along with other states of the Northeast and the state of J&K are categorized as Special Category States of the country. Manipur is one such state where no train has ever run. There are still some elders in the state who has never seen a train wagon forget about traveling in it.
In 2004, for the first time, the UPA Government under the leadership of the Hon Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and Respected UPA Chairperson, Madam Sonia Gandhi sanctioned the Jiribam-Tupul (Imphal) Railways National Project.
The foundation stone was laid at Jirighat by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh in 2004 in presence of the then Union Railway Minister, Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav and a host of other leaders of the Northeast. This project was initially targeted to be completed by 2010, extended to 2012 then to 2014 and now to 2016. We are not very fortunate.
The MP has urged the Union Railway Minister to please adhere to the time frame and complete the project in time without further extension of time.
The reason for this delay as well as the delay in the work of Lamding-Silchar gause conversion are attributed to the adverse law and order situation in these areas. The MP has urged the Union Government more particularly the Home Ministry to maintain a dedicated security each to all the National Projects sanctioned in this Region.
Lastly, the MP has informed the august House that the looks of the people of the Northeast are more akin to those in the East, Far-East and South-East Asia and are allegedly having some genuine difficulties to be identified along with their brethren in the mainland India. This being the actual position, the initiatives of the Union Railway Minister are in the right direction towards achieving the inclusive growth as has been desired in this great country.
It is very encouraging to note that in order to contribute to the national skill development programme of the Union Government, the Railway Ministry is starting to impart skills to the youth in railway related trades in 25 locations across the country including Agartala, Dimapur, Imphal and Lumding from the Northeast. The MP has expressed his happiness about it.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/th-meinya-congratulates-railways-minister-for-a-balanced-railway-budget-2013-14/