Day: August 20, 2012

Mail News Service
Imphal, Aug 20: A student from Manipur Sarid Ahmed of Lilong Turel Ahanbi was among those killed at New Jalpaiguri on Aug 18 last. His body will be brought to Imphal by air tomorrow.
Stepping up its drive against “erring” portals, government has ordered blocking of more than 250 websites in which morphed images and videos were uploaded to incite Muslims leading to exodus of people belonging to the northeast from Karnataka and some other states.
Home ministry officials said more than 130 websites have been blocked till now while the rest will be blocked shortly.
“We are planning to block some more sites,” an official said.
Government is also contemplating to take up the CERT-In (Computer Emergency Response Team-India) findings at the international forum as it has turned out to be the biggest instance of cyber warfare on India in recent times.
A Pakistan-based hardline group is suspected to have been involved in doctoring images and spreading them across social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and You Tube to incite Muslims and create scare among people of northeastern region living across India.
Most of the online content started getting posted from July 13 and fake profiles were created for spreading morphed pictures, according to a Home Ministry report prepared in the wake of mass exodus of people belonging to the north east from Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and Mumbai following rumours about possible attack on them.
India is readying evidence on the alleged Pakistan-origin of morphed pictures of Assam violence which sparked an exodus of northeastern citizens from other states and plans to present it when External Affairs Minister SM Krishna goes to Islamabad next month for talks, sources said on Monday.
Krishna goes to Islamabad on a three-day visit on September 07 for talks with his counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar that will focus on reviewing the second round of dialogue that was revived early last year following a hiatus after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
The talks are expected to encompass all bilateral issues, including terrorism and Kashmir, but with recent disclosures about the role of Pakistan-based elements in using morphed internet images that triggered an exodus of northeastern people from other states, the issue is set to figure in the discussions.
Krishna is expected to take up the issue of morphed pictures as such incidents show that elements engaged in anti-India propaganda have continued to be active in Pakistan, said sources.
During the talks, India is also set to highlight the activities of Hafiz Saeed, the alleged 26/11 mastermind, who continues to spout anti-India rhetoric with impunity.
Such anti-India campaigns were not conducive to creating a healthy atmosphere for improved relations, said sources.
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday said that the government would soon provide Islamabad with evidence of the involvement of Pakistan-based groups in whipping up panic that led to the exodus of Indians from North East in the country.
“India will give proof to Pakistan very soon on the involvement of Pakistani websites,” Shinde said.
Mizoram health minister Lalrinliana Sailo and Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president and John Siamkunga who is also an MLA left Bangalore today in connection with the prevailing situation.
The Mizoram health minister and the Congress party chief of the state were sent by state chief minister Lal Thanhawla to stock of the situation and to render possible assistance to the Mizos there.
Lalrinliana Sailo and John Siamkunga, MLA will meet officials of Karnataka government and discuss on the problem that triggered the exodus of the Northeast people.
They will also meet Bangalore Mizo Welfare leaders and other organisations.
Meanwhile, Union Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has reportedly asked Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla over telephone to let the restriction of sending SMS by cell phone users to just 5 messages a day in order to curve the rumours doing the round. It is not confirmed whether the same has been directed to other state chief ministers.
Meanwhile, Mizo Students’ Association (MSA), Bangalore, Pune Mizo Welfare Association (PMWA) and Mizo Students’ Union, Pune (MSUP) in a joint press communique have expressed unhappiness over the insecure situation in the southern cities saying that the governments both the states and the Union are not doing enough to thwart the perceived threats.
On the other hand, Mizo leaders in Pune informed that the newly formed North East Community Forum had a meeting.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/manipur-youth-among-those-killed-at-new-jalpaiguri-govt-orders-blocking-of-250-websites/

Imphal, August 20 NNN: The All Manipur Students Guardians’ Organisation (AMSGO) has on Monday appealed the state Government to look after the exodus of Northeast students fleeing Karnataka and Maharashra because of fears of attacks there.
We are really unhappy over such incidents,” N Chaoba, president, AMSGO told media persons at the organisation’s office here. He said, “It is time to give up enmity among us and concentrate on building up unity with feeling of oneness instead. Such move will help us in taking part in the global development pace,” Chaoba stressed. Saying that all the students who have fled the states are not all from well- to- do families, he said among them some are not in the condition to further pursue their education owing to the attacks on Northeast people in Bangalore, Pune, Hydrabad, etc.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/guardians-want-ne-people-protected/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Aug 20: All India Catholic Union National President Mr. Eugene Gonsalves has denounced efforts by some organisations which have sought to create divisions among the people in India and have, by spreading hate through rumours and using the social media, almost brought the country to the brink of a national catastrophe.
The All India Catholic Union was founded in 1919, and reflects the aspirations of India’s 1.6 crore Catholic Laity active in more than 160 dioceses spread across the country. Catholics constitute about 60 per cent of the total Christian population, which is about 2.3 per cent of the national population.
In a press statement released at the end of the two day Annual General Meeting at Seva Kendra, Kolkata, Gonsalves said the AICU congratulated the national and state governments, including those of West Bengal, Andhra and Karnataka, political parties and civil society for moving quickly to stop the mischief. The AICU appealed to students and working people of the North East living in various metropolitan cities not to be misled by rumours. The nation assures them of their safety and security and calls upon them to return to their homes and institutions in Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
The AICU also called upon the national government and the government of Assam to urgently create conditions so that the 4 lakh internally displaced Bodos and Bengali speaking people could return to their homes in their villages. The government must address the root causes that led to the conflagration. The state must also ensure compensation to the kin of the dead and people who have lost their homes and their livelihood. Lessons must be learnt from this great human tragedy so that it is not repeated in Assam or elsewhere. This calls for great wisdom and good governance, as also deep understanding and toleration among the people.
The Catholic Union demanded justice to the tribal and Dalit Christians of Kandhamal in Orissa. Four years after the violence against Christians in August 2008, there were many without homes and jobs. Justice had been denied to many victims of violence. In the case of Christians murdered in the 2008 violence, the state had failed to punish most of the guilty.
The AICU also urged the Government of India to expedite the setting upon a committee on the pattern of the “Justice Sachar Prime Minister’s committee for Muslims” so as to correctly assess the needs of the community across the nation, and specifically among the Dalits, Tribals, Fisherfolk and landless peasantry. The government must also ensure justice to the Dalit Christians who have been struggling to regain their scheduled caste rights which were robbed from them in 1950 by an unconstitutional Presidential Order.
The AICU annual general meeting earlier unanimously elected Mr. Eugene Gonsalves, a management expert and well known Kolkata entrepreneur, as its National President for a two-year term. Mr. Lancy D Cunha a young businessman of Mangalore, Karnataka, was elected the National Vice President. Mr. Gonsalves succeeds well known mathematician Prof Remy Denis of Gorakhpur University who served a four year term. The AGM was attended by delegates from all states and union territories, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Past National Presidents Dr. Maria Emilia Menezes and Dr John Dayal also attended the AGM and felicitated Mr. Gonsalves and Mr. D Cunha on their unanimous elections.
A major task was the nurture and training of new leaders from among the youth in the parishes and dioceses, the constituent blocks of the church in India. The AICU runs training programmes to empower the Laity. Special programmes are now being formulated for young men and women. A special focus will be on economic and political empowerment of the community, Mr. Gonsalves said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/catholic-union-expresses-solidarity-with-people-of-ne/