Manipur News

New Delhi, Nov 2 NNN: Kuki National Organisation (KNO), an umbrella organisation of more than 10 Kuki militant outfits has asserted today that it demands a separate Kuki state in Manipur under the Constitution of India. The KNO then said it had taken a decision to abrogate the Suspension of Operation (SoO) if the government does not hold dialogues with it by November 22.
Addressing a strong posse of journalists today at Press Club of India, New Delhi, spokesman of KNO Seilen Haokip said that the lands of the Kukis are never under the Meitei kings, and the land ownership system has always been under the Kuki chiefs. Until there is a political solution for the Kukis in Manipur, the chieftainship system should not be abolised,he KNO leader asserted. Seilen Haokip then said that the KNO has already taken a decision to abrogate the SoO if the government does not begin political talks by November 22, 2012 to find solutions to the Kuki political issues in Manipur. “If there is no political dialogue even after signing the SoO, then there is no point in staying at the designated camps set up on the basis of the SoO agreement. The KNO will have no other options but to go back to the jungle and continue its armed struggle against the state government and the government of India”, the KNO spokesman stated.
When asked about the demands of the KNO, Haokip said that the KNO’s demand is for a separate State for Kukis in Manipur under the Constitution of India. He further added that KNO demand confined only those of the lands and areas inhabitat by the Kukis and doesn’t demand areas of the Meiteis or the Nagas. “We want peaceful co-existence with other communities, and we do not want any to exploit the other”, he said.
When asked whether sections of people Manipur will allow the territorial disintegrity of Manipur, Seilen Haokip said that the valley-based Meiteis do not own the hills in Manipur. “It is not for the love of the hill people that they opposed the territorial disintegrity but due to their enjoyment of dominance over the hill people. They don’t own the hills or the tribal people. We hope they are sensible enough and do not claim what is not theirs. We are asking only what is rightfully ours”, Haokip said.
On the ongoing talks between the NSCN-IM and government of India, the KNO spokesperson said that the KNO is not opposed to any peaceful solutions reached between the two, provided the Kuki interests are not affected.
Chronicling the event, Seilen Haikip said in response to the call of the Prime Minister to abjure the path of violent and come forward for talks, the KNO signed the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Government of India (GoI) in 2005. “However, this was objected by the Manipur state government. So, in 2008, KNO signed a tripartite SoO with GoI and the State Government of Manipur. Even after seven (7) years of the signing of the SoO, during which peace prevailed in the Kuki hills of Manipur, the Government is yet to initiate any political dialogue”, the KNO spokesperson said.
Accusing the government of dictating terms, Haokip said that on August 31, 2012 the government unilaterally decided on a three-month extension of SoO, rather than the usual yearly basis. “It appears the government does not appreciate the peace dividend of the SoO”,he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/kno-demands-separate-state/

Imphal, Nov 2 MNS : Appointing Gaikhangam as Deputy Chief Minister by the CM O. Ibobi Singh, clearly indicated unrest among the Congress itself, when Congress commands absolute majority said BJP Zonal secretary in-charge Manipur P. Chandrashekher Rao. The Zonal secretary was speaking in the reception programme of M. Ranjit son of M.Manihar Singh former minister who joined BJP today. The Ibobi- led Congress Secular Progressive front (SPF) Government is neck deep in corruption and scandals, Rao accused and further said that the BJP thinks that because of fear the Chief Minister has chosen Deputy Chief Minister in his Government for the sake of his chair. The State Government is looting the welfare programme of the people, the BJP leader alleged and said that all the PDS items of the State are not reaching to the beneficiaries but now being sold abroad like Burma (Myanmar) and Bangladesh. The BJP will rise up strongly against such corrupt Government, Rao said while seeking support from all the non-Congress political parties in Manipur in its fight. Large number of BJP backed candidates turned out to be successful in the Panchayat elections and, Rao said leaders from other political parties are relentlessly joining the party. A National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government will see again at the Centre after the upcoming 2014 Lok Sabha election and the 60-member Manipur assembly will be all from the party if the NDA returned to power, the Secretary of the BJP NE Zonal Organisation said. Former Union Minister Th Chaoba said rank of BJP in the State has been propping up due to the bad conduct of the Congress. Chaoba also lashed out at the SPF Government accusing it of swindling crores of rupees. Chaoba charged that in the name of cleaning pumdis (floating biomass) in Loktak Lake work is being taken up in the lake using the name of K-Pro Company by hiring machineries from Loktak Development Authority under the supervision of one of the sons of Chief Minister Ibobi.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bjp-lambasts-government/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Nov 2 : Today, the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench has issued a notice of motion returnable within 4 weeks to the State Respondents namely (1) The State of Manipur through the Commissioner (Health & Family Welfare) to the Government of Manipur (2) The Director, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, Porompat (3) The State Mission Director, State Health Society, National Rural Health Mission, Manipur and (4) The State Nodal Officer (JSSK), State Health Society, National Rural Health Mission, Manipur in consideration of a Writ Petition filed by one Lukram Ongbi Pratima Devi thereby claiming to avail her of the benefits and entitlements guaranteed under the scheme namely Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) launched in the State of Manipur on 15th August 2011 by the State Health Society, National Rural Health Mission, Manipur in pursuant to the launching of the same scheme on 1st June 2011 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), a scheme initiated by the National Rural Health Mission for providing free and cashless services to pregnant women and also covered the treatment of sick new born in all government health institutions, was launched in the State of Manipur with effect from 15th August 2011.
Lukram Ongbi Pratima Devi is at present a pregnant woman who has been attending the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences for prenatal check ups. As she wanted to get herself avail of the entitlements guaranteed under the said scheme, she had submitted a representation dated 5th September 2012 to the Respondents for making arrangement of all necessary drugs and consumables entitled under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram for the delivery of her child at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital which is expected to fall on 15th December 2012. However, as her representation was not answered after lapse of two months, she finally decided to approach the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench for seeking appropriate relief and therefore filed the said Writ Petition.
The Petition was filed by Human Rights Law Network, Manipur Unit.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/high-court-issues-notice-on-health-flagship-programme/

IMPHAL, Nov 2 NNN: After remaining defunct for almost three years, the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has been revived today with a new set of its executives.
Thangzamuan Tombing has been elected as the new president of ATSUM, Vareiyo Shatsang as the general secretary and Majabung Gangmei as the speaker of the ATSUM for the tenure 2012-2014. D.Stephen who is the convenor of the Joint Committee Hill Districts Students’ Organisations (JCHDSO) administered the oath of the new ATSUM executives today.
In these three years, the JCHDSO was filling up the vacuum as ATSUM was defunct.
Due to a prolonged debate on some technical issues of All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM), the apex tribal students’ body had not been able to function smoothly since 2010. Having exhausted all the initiatives including appointment of the ‘election commission’, caretakership, appointment of search committees, the assembly of ATSUM on April 5, 2012 at Hotel Tampha, Imphal resolved that the presidents of the five hill students’ organisations viz- Churchandpur District Students’ Union (CDSU), Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA), Naga Students’ Union, Chandel (NSUC), Zeliangrong Students’ Union, Manipur (ZSUM) and the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), should settle the crisis and see that the ATSUM is brought back to its vibrant self at the earliest time possible under the convenorship of the chairman, ZSUM, D. Stephen.
A panel meeting of ATSUM was convened consequently on April 19, 2012 by the convenor of the five apex hills district students’ organisations at the office of ZSUM, Imphal. The All Naga Students’ Association (ANSAM), Churchandpur District Students’ Union (CDSU), Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA), Naga Students’ Union, Chandel (NSUC), Zeliangrong Students’ Union, Manipur (ZSUM) and the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) were present. The signatories decided that the posts of the ATSUM executive council would be allotted district wise. Accordingly, CDSU was allotted the post of president, the post of the vice-president and the general secretary were kept for further deliberation, NSUC was given the finance secretary post and resolution number 4 of the meeting provided ZSUM for the speaker who is responsible for the assembly affairs of the ATSUM. The meeting concluded with a word of prayer by the former president SDSA. After 6 (six) months of rigorous consultation with the federating units and student leaders of the past and present, the convenor called a meetingof ATSUM as a follow of the previous meeting i.e on April 19, 2012, the plenary meeting declared Mr Thangzamuan Tombing as the president of ATSUM, Vareiyo Shatsang as the general secretary, ATSUM and Majabung Gangmei as the speaker of the ATSUM for the tenure 2012-2014. The matter was duly forwarded to the care-taker for execution on or before November 2, 2012 failing which the plenary meeting endorsed the convenor to administered the oath taking.
Since the caretaker fails to execute the oath-taking ceremony during the stipulated time, the convenor as entrusted in the presence of the federating units has administered the oath taking ceremony today.
The remaining posts of the executive council/assembly affairs are ‘entrusted’ to be inducted by the new executive council/officials in consultation with the federating units. While wishing the newly inducted team of the ATSUM the meeting solicits the support and co-operation of one and all.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/atsum-revived-after-two-years/