Tag: Top Stories

By Nilofer Rehman
26th June, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is observed globally. Torture is one of the worst crimes against humanity. The direct implications of torture are both physical as well as psychological. Of these two, the psychological effects are more difficult to cope with by the survivor of torture. The physical injuries can be healed, while the psychological effects take time to heal. The survivors may live their whole lives with the psychological and emotional effects; often the survivors succumb to these effects.

People who are subjected to torture suffer a severe form of trauma. We all use the word “trauma” in everyday language to mean a highly stressful event. Traumatic events refer to extremely stressful experienced events that can overwhelm a person’s ability to cope. Traumatic events are unique individual experiences of events or enduring conditions in which – the individuals ability to integrate emotional experience are overwhelmed or the individuals experience a threat to life, bodily integrity or sanity. The individual may be overwhelmed emotionally, of his or her normal mental functions and physically. Torture can be faced by males and females, all ages, all races, all classes, all sexual orientations, all religions and all nationalities.

Trauma is an event outside normal human experience. The trauma of torture generally leave us feeling powerless, helpless, paralyzed, intense fear or horror. It tends to be sudden and overwhelming, and potentially life threatening. Though there are different traumatic events one can experience, they show common elements, such as unexpected, the person was unprepared; and there was nothing the person could do to prevent it from happening (beyond physical control).

It is also an individual’s subjective experience that determines whether an event is or not traumatic. These is likely to be due to one or more of these factors – the severity of the events, the individual personal history, the larger meaning the event represents for this individual, skills to deal with the experience, values and belief held by the individual, the reaction and support from family members, friends and/or professionals. Most of us have had at least one traumatic experience in our lives – for example, death of a loved one, serious illness or breakdown of a primary relationship. At such times we may have been very upset, or frightened or sad. But usually the grief passes; the pain lessens over time and eventually become normalized. But sometimes people experience life threatening or life changing situations that are so distressful or cruel that the memory doesn’t fade, not even slightly. For some people the experience is so extreme that they find they can’t get over it to move on with life.

Trauma is different from stress. Stress disregulates our nervous system but for only a relative short period of time. Within a few days or weeks our nervous system calms down and we revert to a normal state of equilibrium. This return to normalcy is not the case when we are traumatized.

There are common effects or conditions that may occur after a traumatic experience. Sometimes these responses can be delayed, for months or even years after the event. The following are symptoms that may result from unresolved trauma – physical (eating disturbances, sleeping disturbances, sexual dysfunction, low energy, chronic, unexplained pain; emotional (depression, spontaneous crying, despair and hopelessness, anxiety, fearfulness, compulsive and obsessive behavior, feeling out of control, irritability, angry and resentment, emotional numbness, withdrawal from normal routines and relationships), cognitive or mental function (memory lapse especially about the trauma, difficulty in making a decision, decreased ability to concentrate, feeling distracted , attention-deficit hyper activities; re-experiencing the trauma (intensive thoughts, flash backs or nightmares, sudden flood of emotions or images related to the traumatic events); and emotional numbing and avoidance (a total blank, avoidance of situations that resemble the traumatic event, detachment, depression, guilty feeling, grief reactions, hyper-vigilance, jumpiness, an extreme sense of being “on guard”, insomnia, obsession with death).

There are also other possible emotional effects of trauma. Some of them are on common personal and behavioral character like substance abuse, compulsive behavior, uncontrollable reactive thoughts like rage, inability to make healthy lifestyle choices, dissociative symptoms like inability to love a dear one, feeling of ineffectiveness, shame, despair, hopelessness, feeling permanently damaged, or a loss of previously sustained beliefs. Trauma can even affect interpersonal relationships like inability to maintain close relationship or choose appropriate friends and mates, sexual problems, hostility, arguments in family members, employees or co-workers, or social withdrawal and feeling constantly threatened.

What one can do to help survivors immediately after a trauma?

One of the best ways to help a traumatized person is simply to listen compassionately and actively; and make the person aware that we are willing to listen. We must make the person believe or reassured that we are willing to help and there are realistic ways to make it okay, that s/he can survive. We should suggest practical assistance. We should not ask if we see that something needs doing, we should suggest that we will do it. This is much more effective than simply saying “If there is anything I can do….”. We shouldn’t criticize the person’s reaction, instead minimize the trauma and suggest it was fate of God’s doing, minimize the person’s feelings or say we know exactly how they feel. We should not interfere with actions the person has chosen to take, unless they are endangering themselves or others.

Recovering from a traumatic experience takes time. We must give ourself time to heal and mourn the losses we have experienced. We should not try to force the healing process. We must be patient with the pace of recovery. We have to prepare for difficult emotions. There are some strategies that can be used by the individual to heal from these worst condition. Some of the strategies are:
· Don’t isolate: – After following a trauma, we may want to withdraw from others. But isolation makes things worst. Connecting to others will help us heal, so we must make an effort to maintain our relationship and avoid spending to much time alone.
· Ask for support: – It’s important to talk about our feelings and ask for the help we need. We much try to take help from a trusted family members, friends and counselor.
· Establish a daily routine: – We must try to stick to a daily routine with regular time for waking, sleeping, eating, working and exercise. We must also try to schedule time for relaxing and social activities, too.
· Take care of our health: – It is important to note that a healthy body increases our ability to cope with stress. We have to get a plenty of rest and exercise regularly and eat a well-balanced diet. It is also important to avoid alcohol and drugs.

When to seek professional help for emotional and psychological trauma
Everyone heals at his or her own pace. But if months pass, and our symptoms are not letting up, we may need professional help.

It’s a good step to seek professional help if we are:
· Having trouble functioning at home or work
· Suffering from severe fear, anxiety, or depression
· Unable to form close, satisfying relationships
· Experiencing terrifying memories, nightmares or flashbacks.
· Avoiding more and more things that remind us of the trauma
· Emotionally numb and disconnected from others
· Using alcohol or drugs to feel better
In order to heal from the psychological and emotional effects of trauma, we must face and resolve the unbearable feeling and memories we have long avoided. Otherwise they will return again and again, unbidden and uncontrollable. Trauma treatment and healing involves:
· Processing trauma-related memories and feeling
· Discharging pent-up “fight –or- flight” energy
· Learning how to regulate strong emotions
· Building or rebuilding the ability to trust other people
Trauma counseling is also very much effective in handling emotional trauma. Some of the techniques used are Ventilation which includes play therapy, journal/letter writing, art therapy, story- telling, puppetry, dance therapy, etc. Cognitive restructuring like positive thinking, logical thinking, attribution of meaning, and handling grief and guilt can also be used in treating such types of clients.

Counsellors can also use behavioral technique like daily scheduling, anger management, building self esteem, positive self talk, problem solving, and thought management. Relaxation technique like meditation, deep breathing and imagery works Talk therapy is also one of the most important traditional therapy uses by the counsellor.

Supporting victims of torture or survivors of trauma means enabling the persons to come out and deal with the problems, sometimes with the help of trained professionals. Sometimes, it may be too difficult for a survivor to make the first step towards reaching out to others. In such cases, forming self-help therapy can be very helpful. Medical and other health professionals must be aware and alert to the client who has been tortured or traumatized, and obliged to develop the skills to attend the problems appropriately. An enabling policy and professional environment is necessary for this, and the government has a very important role to play.

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Leader Writer: Hrishikesh Angom

In the midst of stringent movement for “quality education” launched by various students’ bodies in the state, many educational institutions are fast moving in the so called trend of “commercialized education”. One may find large colourful ads on some popular local papers about this and that school with lucrative offerings to the students. It’s quite commendable for the proprietor to make such big offers which could bring a big change in the education scenario of the state. But then looking at the commercial side of education, one may obviously sense the motive for making such advertisements by these schools. Often it happens with less popular schools which want to draw public attention by repeatedly casting some of their bright students on newspapers and television. These institutions are more or less business establishments where everything is meant for profit-making only.

From where does the need for making advertisement in education arise? Why do less popular schools spend huge money on ads? Are they simply making for the sake of students? These questions will surely haunt the commonsense of the people who see the ads of schools and coaching centres everyday. Quite simply “profit making” is the motive behind such ads. Moreover, the lucrative offers are designed only for some meritorious students who will indeed be the name and fame of the school. The school will then make money from numerous average students enrolled with the hope of getting quality education. Here, one may investigate the actuality of these schools. The essence of education seems to be lost by making such advertisements. There is no need to spend huge amount of money on making advertisements to seek more enrolment of students. The education institutions have been turned into business hubs by some commercial mined people. It is an undeniable fact that nothing in this world works without money and so is the education. But, the trend of commercializing education is a stumbling block in the path of achieving quality education. Moreover, most people of our state are economically backward and they would not be able to afford so much on education. The higher cost of education in private schools is due to huge expenditures made on advertisements. If the advertisement is made once or twice for announcing new admission by highlighting some of the facilities of the schools, then it is quite acceptable. But casting some bright students time and again on newspapers and television irritates the people. It seems the students are models promoting some kind of commodity called “education” in the market.

As far as possible education should not be considered as a “commodity” as claimed by many people. It is true that we pay money for education but that does not necessarily mean that it should be commercialized like in other business sectors. The purpose of “education” should be made clear so as to sensitize the people towards achieving quality education in the state. A good school will be good and it will be noticed by people without much publicity and advertisement. On the other hand, the schools run by profit mongers will try to catch the public attention by making all sorts of publicity and advertisement in the media offering to sell their product of purported “education”. It is high time for the people to come to senses and look thoroughly to the actuality of schools and coaching centres which make attractive advertisements on newspapers and television luring the students to get enrolled at their schools and coaching centres. It will be good for the school management groups to invest more in enhancing education than in making advertisements to get more enrolment.

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By Anil Bhat
A recent news report in this daily about security agencies alerting the Assam police that Paresh Baruah, now heading Ulfa’s anti-talks faction, has sent 35 armed cadres to launch offensives in oil-rich Upper Assam districts and target the leaders of the pro-talk faction of Ulfa, again bring into focus some factors, which are not favorable for peace in Assam.

The report also cites authoritative security sources mentioning that among the 35 armed cadres, few are new recruits, who may try old Ulfa tactics of abducting officials of oil companies operating for Oil and Natural Gas Commission and Oil India Limited which have been resisting the Ulfa’s extortion demands and may also blow up oil pipelines to create fear psychosis. In 1991, among many persons abducted by Ulfa, were a bureaucrat and Russian engineer Sergei Grishchenko, who was later killed.

In a feature by this writer titled ‘Disarming pro-talks militants’, published in this daily on 22 April 2011, it was brought out that the “pro-talk” leaders released of the from jail moving about freely and ULFA’s symbol of the rising sun becoming visible in villages had boosted Paresh Baruah’s efforts to recruit volunteers to make good the loss of at least two battalions. This has been confirmed by the security sources saying that the anti-talk faction of Ulfa has also recruited nearly 100 new cadres sent to Burma for arms training.

It is also significant that Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has also admitted that the anti-talks faction of Ulfa has been carrying out recruitment and extortion in Upper Assam districts.

In 1991, Ulfa supported the Hiteshwar Saikia led Congress to power not just to do down AGP, but to save its own leaders from the Army. Reportedly, there was an internal agreement between Hiteshwar Saikia and Paresh Baruah through the mediation of Rewati Phukan, a top industrialist and Paresh Baruah’s good friend and co-player when both represented Assam in football.

In 2001, Congress led by Tarun Gogoi sought Ulfa’s support from. ULFA did everything to bring Congress to power, including selection of candidates, attacks on pool booths, grenade blasts in Janata Bhawan etc. with a hope of establishing talks between the outfit and the Government.

This time around Mr Gogoi’s new year’s gift to Rajkhowa and co. of releasing them from jail, also seems to have paid up.

Taking the advantage of elections and peace-process that had slowed down the operations of the security forces, the pro-talks leaders freely moving around and creating awe amongst youth has resulted in the anti-talks Ulfa succeeding in roping some unemployed youths to join the outfit.

Security sources have reportedly admitted that free movement of the pro-talk Ulfa leaders and cadres might create some confusion for the security forces so the state government has been advised to confine them within the boundary of designated camps. While home ministry is reported to be firm on its policy of starting talks with the insurgent groups only after the surrender of arms and restricting cadres in designated camps, Ulfa has ‘reservations’ on both matters. Whereas home ministry has reportedly proposed three designated camps for about 250-300 Ulfa cadres, they want nine camps. About surrender of arms, the Ulfa leadership has been insisting on keeping the arms ‘under joint custody’. Government must certainly not allow any negotiating group to keep its arms and all surrendered leaders and cadres must be kept under close watch in designated camps.

On the possibility of anti-talks leader / leaders joining the pro-talks group, there have been two versions reported in media. One was that the Centre was arranging a meeting between a top pro-talk leader and Ulfa’s ‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia, currently lodged in a jail in Bangladesh, ostensibly to get his consent for the dialogue. This version, if true, is quite hair-brained. The other version is that two top anti-talks leaders may soon join the peace-process. Refusing to reveal their names, security sources however hinted that the process to deport them from Bangladesh back to Assam will start soon. While government must not allow any pro-talks leader to go to Bangladesh to meet Chetia, extraditing any leader/leaders under Paresh Baruah would be a clever move which is bound to affect him adversely.

Meanwhile, Ulfa’s gory past, which includes mass graves and countless attacks on innocent civilians, is reported to be catching up with it. Victims of Ulfa’s terror are demanding a say in the talks. They are seeking justice for those killed by Ulfa. Speaking to media, one victim said, “The Government and those involved in the peace talks need to know what our problems are, and what we`re thinking and must involve us directly.” While CM Gogoi has assured them of a ‘fair hearing’, it remains to be seen how he is going to provide the victims with any relief or justice, given how hard he worked at freeing from jails those guilty of heinous murders, colluding with Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and implementing all kinds of acts of war/destabilization, like massacres, sabotage, causing demographic changes, circulation of fake Indian currency etc.in Assam. So far, political expediency has been the main uncompromised priority.

The Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA), an intellectual umbrella body of civil society organisations of Assam, recently handed over a charter of demands to the pro-talk Ulfa faction, listing issues which could be discussed with the Centre. SJA Chief Convener Dr Hiren Gohain, a Sahitya Akademi winner, handed over the charter to Arabinda Rajkhowa in the presence of top leaders of both the organisations in Guwahati. Pro-talks leaders will discuss the charter and may redraft it to include any more of their own demands before submitting it to the Centre. Expresspmg the hope that the talks between Ulfa and Centre would lead to positive results, he is reported to have said, “I am hopeful that the talks will be fruitful as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has made it clear that the Indian constitution is flexible and necessary changes could be made to fulfill the aspirations of the indigenous Assamese.” The document has included various burning issues facing the state and the indigenous Assamese population. The SJA chater demands Constitutional amendments to give Assam, and thereby its people greater control over their own future by strengthening the State`s power to control the revenues generated, the natural resources, and the planning process and ensure a secure demographic situation as well as accelerated and balanced development. Gohain said, “If the government of India and the ULFA honour the Charter in letter and spirit and do not undersell it, we may look forward to untroubled peace, true development, and vigorous growth of democracy in the region.” SJA noted that the present calm does not at all mean the return of peace. Rajkhowa told media that the outfit would press for a time-bound dialogue with the Centre and would not like the talk process to drag on for long. The next and substantive session of talks between the ULFA and the Centre is expected to be held towards end-June.

According to an Assamese daily, Paresh Baruah’s decision not to join the talks could be so that he can impact pressure on the talks. It is understood that if the entire brass of ULFA leaders and cadres comes out to open, they will be under complete dominance of the Government. Talks under domination from one side on the other might then lead to no fruitful results. The other possibility is that Paresh Baruah wants to wait and watch where the lateral talks lead to. The hardliner faction has already announced their conditional support to the talks where they have asked:

Consider ULFA armed revolution as a democratic-aspiration movement of natives of the land, keeping in mind the inception of their movement in context of time and situation.

Grant Assam a special status under the Constitution of India by an amendment under Part XXI that deals with Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions. This should enable Assam to draft a publically acceptable Constitution/Legal Document of its own.

Endow the state government with the right of self-governance and adjudication over any matter relating to socio-political-judicial issues that concern the interests of entire group or community domiciling in Assam.

There should be an official national anthem for Assam as the Indian federation will not be in a position to change its own national anthem, which grossly discriminates Assam by excluding from the most-audible federal representation.

A detailed investigation relating to the crimes committed and attributed to either belligerent parties i.e. Federal authority of India and ULFA be it the Kakopathar massacre of 2006 or the blast in Dhemaji. This is to be done through the good offices of International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission (or any credible international organization) that are in a position to deal over issues of international and non-international armed conflicts.

This group is currently actively involved in managing many ‘businesses’, including procuring arms for Naxal-Maoists through contacts with ISI and Chinese intelligence operatives, among many other nefarious and anti-India activities.

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var addthis_product=’wpp-252′;var addthis_options=”Google+1″IMPHAL, July 31: All Manipur Fish Farmers Ngayok Lup Welfare Association has said that they will initiate various democratic actions if the…

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IMPHAL August 22: Many young women in the state who are widowed by unforeseen circumstances are reeling under meager earnings on daily basis. As our society is firmly based on traditional customs and norms has adversely affected to widows who are living in scrimpy earnings. The condition is rather severe to women who have been left behind by husband that succumbed to HIV/AIDS.

This was revealed during a one day awareness programme on vulnerable organized by Manipur Positive Women Network (MPWN+) held at Rising Youth Organization (RYO) ground located at Moirangkhom Bokul Makhong, Imphal west.

Tanuja Sharmi, secretary of MPWN+ during the function described that one of the main issues that these widows are facing in our society today is social gender discriminations and stigmatisms. In rural domains the conditions of the widows remain the same where the society look down upon them as ill-omened in social and religious gatherings whereas the situation of  their counterparts in urban  regions are rather relax. Imposition of social sanction to them has negative implications in their day today livelihood that survive on limited resources. Many of them fallen prey to easy earnings which are regarded as socially outrageous professions in our society. Tanuja added that such social discrimination has adversely affected in the income generation.

In order to give morale solace and support and to provide self reliance and independent Manipur Positive Women Network (MPWN+) was formed, Tanuja said.

She elaborated that the reasoned behind the one day awareness programme on vulnerable widow that was held today was to address on the current issues face by these women in their daily live and to create awareness on the benefits and welfare facilities provided by the central and state government for the widows in order to pave ways to come to the mainstream society.

Ph. Satyabhama devi, Advisor(MPWN+) presided the function while Samom Reeta Devi, councilor ward no.4 and A. Manisana Singh,local leader graced the one day awareness campaign as the chief guest and guest of honour respectively.

In the mean time, prior to the today’s function, the MPWN+ had observed a two minute silence as mark of respect to late Elangbam Suraj Singh, MLA. Yaiskul a/c.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/08/socioeconomic-condition-of-widows-not-sound/

IMPHAL Sept 8: Condemning the bomb blast at gate number 5 of Delhi High Court yesterday in which twelve persons were killed and several others were injured, the members of High Court Bar Association, (HCBA), Manipur abstained from court works today.

Speaking to media persons at the office of the association at Gauhati High Court Complex, senior advocate and president of the lawyers’ body N Kumarjit stated that such wanton acts of terror should be condemned. The demand of the terrorist group Harkat-ul-Jehadi-Islami (HUJI) which perpetrated the bombing to revoke the death sentence of one of their cadres, namely Afzal Guru is unreasonable and unjust.

“The Judicial system cannot discriminate between people. Let the person be a minister or a beggar, rights of the citizens from all walks of life are redressed. The court gives its verdict by deliberating cases through trials and such an act of terror on the judiciary is an intolerably grave act and a barbaric one’, he averred.

He added that bomb threats have been witnessed inside the GHC, Manipur twice.

“We will make representations to the Chief Justice of the GHC and concerned state authorities to provide adequate security arrangements for the court also”.

He mentioned that it was due to the security measures carried out before entering the Delhi High Court that the terrorists could not detonate the bomb inside court premises.

Executive member of HCBA, advocate Khaidem Mani also added that the act carried out to the judicial institution is a gross act of terrorism and should be condemned in the highest.

“We share the sorrow of family members of the deceased persons and those injured.As a token of condemnation, we did not attend court proceedings after a meeting resolve of the HCBA today morning”.

The press conference was also joined by vice president Ch Dhananjoy,secretary M Roshini Piba and joint secretary H Genanda of the HCBA, Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/high-court-lawyers-protest-delhi-blast/

It took a Public Interest Litigation, PIL, to have the government pull up its socks in matters of tightening up its power supply system to control power thefts by numerous consumers in connivance with electricity department officials. So far however, while bill defaulting consumers and those tapping electricity illegally are being penalised, sometimes humiliatingly, what everybody is yet to see is any move to haul up electricity department officials who had allowed these theft all the while, often in collaboration. The principle compromised is the vital understanding in democratic jurisprudence that everybody is equal before the law, and that nobody is above the law. If the government is serious about ensuring this widespread electricity theft racket to end, it must also apply the rod to its own officials responsible either of neglect of duty or complicity in power theft, beginning from petty ground staff to those who these personnel are answerable to. If need be this responsibility fixing must go right up to the very top, including the minister in charge.
On the electricity front it is encouraging that there is some semblance of action and thereby a great deal of consciousness of the issue among the public. This is the kind of atmosphere needed to bring any change for the better. On and off, we have also been hearing how some bill defaulters are complaining this campaign of disconnecting defaulting power subscribers should stop until the government is able provide power supply uninterrupted. This is farcical, but the message should perhaps be read more leniently. Because the government electricity department has not been alert or else neglecting its duty of collecting power taxes, many defaulting subscribers have accumulated huge bills which may not be easy to pay in a single down payment. For these subscribers, the government should offer easy instalment facilities and perhaps a package to write off certain amount if the defaulting subscribers pay up a prescribed percentage within a specified time frame.However, the problem of theft of public utilities and services is not restricted to electricity alone. It is very much happening in the municipal water supply as well with the result that thieves and dishonest consumers who illegally tap government water pipelines not only in manner designed to siphon more water than consumers are allowed to, but also often with no official records hence without tax, get all the benefits, while honest consumers are left with hardly a trickle in their taps. Most of those who would not resort to thieving have no option than to buy water from private water tanker services, a growing enterprise which are now doing brisk businesses in the Imphal area precisely because of the failure of the government to avail them this vital and indispensible commodity. It is time for the government to take a proactive stance and begin the cleaning up act in this vital service too before it is caught on the wrong foot and in extreme embarrassment, and forced to do so by the court as in the case of electricity. Indeed, it is only a matter of days before a PIL comes up on this matter too.
Apart from the failure of the government in not policing well enough to keep these important services from thieves, what is also worrisome is the fact of what seems to be a widespread lack of civic sense amongst the people of the state. The general attitude cannot but remind of the cynical outlook to public psychology which says public property is nobody’s property. This total disregard of the altruistic sense of a progressive society which lays an unwritten moral premium on “the larger common good”, does not reflect civilised behaviour or even a civilised history which so many in Manipur claim at the drop of a hat. Nobody seems to think what he or she unfairly steals from the pool of public services or public properties would deprive a fellow citizen of his or her entitlements. Not only are the putative thieves insensitive, but even the victims of these acts of the thieving consumers have become numb and fail to be outraged at the deprivation of their right. This is to say, it is the duty of those whose entitlement are diminished by these thefts to complain to the authorities, and if the authorities are part and parcel of these thieving ways, to the court or law through mechanisms such as the PIL.

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There is a very unfortunate misconception in Manipur about the duty of a citizen with regards to law keeping. This is about the act of reporting by ordinary citizens to law keeping authorities of unusual events they witness which may constitute a breach of law. Rather than consider this attitude as an obligation, ordinary citizens often treated this as sneaking. Perhaps this is a reflection of the respect the people by and large have of the law, all the same this must not result in what the popular adage says, throwing the baby away with the bath water. For the truth is, every citizen must realise the responsibility he or she has to shoulder in the enterprise of law keeping. What may be necessary is, as in countries like the USA, to make this responsibility obligatory by law. That is to say, not reporting a potential crime, especially those which will not result in personal safety compromised, should be made a cognizable offence under the law.
In a lawless and violence ridden place like Manipur, this argument would need some qualification. Ordinary citizens cannot be expected to report on the movement of armed combatants of the raging insurgency in the land. For one thing this would amount to putting their own lives in danger, and for another, insurgency is no ordinary crime and as so many have articulated in the past, it is in many ways a radical expression of dissent, and its solution would have to be nuanced, rather than the usual linear policing crime fighting approach. However leaving this issue for the government to tackle imaginatively but firmly, there are so many other cognizable breaches of law by ordinary citizens which other more conscientious citizens must take it upon themselves to prevent through the invocation of the law using the simple handles available to them. The simplest of these is reporting these matters to the police or other concerned authorities. To take just a few examples, in the past one month, the entire state has been somewhat shaken awake by the aggressive campaign of the government to clean up illegal power connections in the Imphal area. All these illegal activities were happening right under the noses of every citizen, in particular those who have been honestly paying the taxes for whatever amount of power they consume.
Yet in all this while, there has never been even a single report of putative breach of law from any citizen. This is despite the fact that these thefts are from the common pool of service resources and thereby robbing from it by anybody would amount to robbing from everybody, in particular the honest consumers. Thankfully, at least in the case of electricity, there has been a public interest litigation, PIL, which is in a way a last resort in the absence of a citizen vigil which should have been always present. The despairing fact about Manipur is, electricity is just one case of neglect of citizen duty, for there are plenty more. Water supply is another very prominent one. Today, if a survey were to be done, half of Imphal households would be tapping piped municipal water illegally, and in manners not prescribed, making siphon holes larger than allowed, thus depriving other consumers of their shares of potable water. Yet again, as in the case of electricity, everybody witnesses this but apart from a bitter frown here and there, nobody has thought it his duty to complain that he is being robbed in broad daylight.
Having said this, the blame for this confounding reluctance of the citizens to keep vigil of public utilities, and also against other similar crimes, must also go to the government, in particular the police. There have been far too complaints of policemen on duty refusing to take notice of complaints by citizens. Instead, such whistle blowers often end up more harangued for they are looked upon by the police with suspicion and the onus of proving their complaints thrown back at them. The time has come for a radical change of attitude both of the police as well as the citizens. If they must work hand in hand, they must both be sensitized as well as made to realise what wonders they can do by cooperating with each other towards improving everybody’s everyday quality of life.
 

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TAWANG  (Arunachal Pradesh), May 10 (ANI): Former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, who was killed in a chopper crash, was cremated with full state honours at Shepedung near his native village in Tawang District.Thousands of people turned up to attend the last rites of Khandu, who was cremated as per Buddhist traditions of the Monpa community.Khandu and four others – crew members Captain J S Babbar and Captain K S Malick, Khandu“s security officer Yeshi Choddak and Yeshi Lamu, sister of Tawang legislator Tsewang Dhondup were killed in the chopper crash on April 30.The bodies were retrieved from the crash site at Lobothang near the 13,700 feet Se La in Tawang district on May 5 after six days of intense search operations.

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IMPHAL, May 24: The Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council) has reiterated that the outfit has been waging a military struggle to regain the lost freedom of Manipur.

A statement released by Lanheiba Meitei, Secretary Military Affairs Military Council (KCP) said that the outfit`™s Red Army has been carrying forward the struggle with new idea and strategy to bring a socialist society and at the same time to crush the nameshake democracy and neo-capitalist rule in Manipur.

While stating that sacrifice has been the first and foremost ideal of a revolutionary, the KCP (MC) statement said that the outfit`™s Red Army cadres strongly believe that success of the revolution depends on sacrifice.

It also said altogether 18 cadres of the outfit have sacrificed their lives during the revolution struggle initiated by the outfit since August 3, 2007 while many of the cadres are languishing in government jails.

With regard to Operation Clear Cut being launched by the outfit targeted to forced outsiders residing in Manipur to leave the state, the KCP (MC) statement further reiterated that the operation has been taken up to save Manipur`™s fragile economy which is currently at the firm hands of the outsiders.

While asserting that the specific operation has been launched to counter `substantive security`™ operation initiated by the enemy to suppress the revolutionary movement in Manipur, the KCP (MC) appealed the people to extend support to the `OCC`™ and make it a people`™s movement.

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IMPHAL, May 31: The 23 year old IAS topper Haulianlal Guite, from Churachandpur district ranking 33rd position, probably the youngest among toppers of the state sees potential in Manipur in producing toppers in good ranks.

Comparing the past performance of the state and the present he said, `My achievement is the testimony that we have potential`, in an exclusive interview with the IFP.

The Bachelor student of Philosophy who graduated from St. Stephen College, DU, is the eldest of four siblings of Dr. Thangchinkhup Guite (father) MHA, USA and Dr. Dr. Paozachiin Guite, an eye specialist.

The young topper expressed his desire in preserving the ecology of Manipur and arranging alternative livelihood for those whose activities is threatening it. He is also willing to work for encouragement of animal husbandry and improvement of road connectivity.

He observed the need of reformation of the education system in the state especially the Matriculation. He maintained that the syllabus is somewhat narrow when compared to others.

Haulianlal further suggested the need for introducing logical reasoning which he sees as a helpful tool in studies and appearing in competitive examinations and asserted that he does not believe in `punishment`™ but productive measures to encourage students. And most importantly, he lamented on the lack of Library facilities in the schools of Manipur. `These things are vital, my success and experiences is a testimony` he said.

He did his schooling till six standards at St. Joseph Churachandpur, which he termed as the `formative years`™ for it was the first time that he have ever been exposed to public speaking. He shifted his school from seven standards at the St. Paul institute, Churachandpur, and matriculated from there. And He received his higher secondary studies at the Air Force School, New Delhi.

Haulianlal reacted that his result was beyond expectation. He revealed that he was confident of going through the exam however was expecting within 300 positions. His outmost desire is to become a philosopher, but somehow he ended appearing the civil service exam owing to his father`™s suggestion.

He asserted that this was his second attempt.

He expressed his love for reading books base on philosophy, human and science etc and stated that Steven Hawkings remains one of his favorite.

Responding on being asked about his way of preparation for the exam, the young topper maintained that he spent 4 to 5 hours a day reading on a regular basis. As for the preliminary round of the exam he said that he prepares his notes by himself base on past papers and college notes and as for the mains exams, he took coaching.

He likes to indulge in extracurricular activities like badminton, table tennis, hiking and has hobbies of Philosophical Writing, Reading books, news paper etc.

As strong believer of God and determination, he gives his credits of success to God and his parents. `God help those who help themselves`, said Haulianlal.

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IMPHAL June 2: Calling for new changes in the state, Th. Chaoba ex- union minister, while addressing a One day political conference at Thoubal Charangpat Mamang Leikai community hall under Wangkhem A/C stated that the state is facing an acute hardship as a result of the congress government. He further mentioned that in the forth-coming general election, MPP will form an alliance with like minded political parties other than NPF to overdraw the Congress led government.

Accusing the Chief Minister of being associating with family politics, Th. Chaoba termed the present O.Ibobi led Congress government will have the same fate as that of Karunanidhi led government in Tamil Nadu.

The One day political conference was organized by the Youth Front of Manipur Peoples Party to address on various present issues of the State.

Dr. Nimaichand Luwang, president MPP, L. Kunjabihari, district president MPP, Th. Chaoba, , L. Jatra, ex-MLA, M. Maniton Mangang, president Youth Front MPP graced the function as chief guest, president and guests of Honour respectively. The function was also attended by other office bearers, members and invitees.

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NEW DELHI, June 4 (MIC): The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh called a high-level meeting with Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh and senior central ministers and top officials today at 10.30 am at his official residence, Race Course here to review implementation of national projects, besides several critical infrastructure and health and education ventures. The Chief Minister was accompanied by the chief secretary, Manipur and special secretary, Planning.After detailed discussions lasting over one hour, it was agreed that the JN Institute of Medical Sciences should be supported for completion within 2014-15. Pending approval of the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Rs. 867 crores, the Planning Commission agreed to release allocated SPA funds of Rs132crores for this project. Approval to the revised DPR would be expedited. The state government was advised to submit the revised DPR for the Capital Project. The progress made in respect of the State Assembly and High Court Complexes was appreciated. The Planning Commission also agreed to consider favourably the revised DPR estimated at Rs. 841.83 crores. The Chief Minister of Manipur expressed concern regarding the slow pace of implementation of the Railway Line project Jiribam- Tupul-Imphal. Noting that the target date for completion of the Railway Line upto Tupul had already been re-scheduled to 2012, the Chief Minister requested the Railways authoruties to induct additional manpower and equipments for ensuring that there would be no further slippages. On the suggestion of the Member (Engg) of Railway Board, the Border Road Organisation was advised to strengthen all weak bridges on NH-53 by December 2011, so that the Railways could bring in all required heavy equipments required for the tunneling work. The Railways also agreed to supplement equipment and manpower and assured that the Railwayline upto Tupul would be completed by 2014, and upto Imphal by 2016. The Chief Minister also re-iterated the importance of expediting upgradation of NH-53 as it was the second lifeline of Manipur. The union minister of Defence A.K.Antony, on behalf of the BRO, assured that the ongoing work for double-laning and black-topping of NH-53 would be completed by 2013. It was also decided that the ministry of Defence would advise the BRO to outsource the critical portions of NH-53 to reputed engineering companies for expediting completion and ensuring quality work. The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked the ministry of Road Transport & Highways to clear pending DPRs submitted by BRO in the coming week, and also develop a new proposal for converting NH-53 to a world class road, befitting a road leading to international borders.The state government’s proposal to have an alternative alignment of NH-39 to by-pass sinking areas and link Manipur to Assam through Peren, Nagaland was appreciated. The secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways informed that both proposals were proposed to be included in ‘Phase A’ of the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme, and approval of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure was being obtained. The Prime Minister advised the ministry to bring the two issues to the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure within June 2011 for approval. As regards the proposal to seek Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) assistance for Augmentation of Water Supply for Imphal city, by drawing water from the Thoubal Multi-Purpose project, the Planning Commission reported that it had given in-principle approval to the project which estimated at Rs. 687 crores, for funding as an Externally Aided Project. It was agreed that besides posing it to JICA, Planning Commission would also consider funding the project through plan financing. The state government’s proposals seeking support of the ministry of Human Resource Development for establishing Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas in all nine districts was considered favourably. The union minister of Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal agreed to bring up a Note for consideration and approval of the Central Cabinet to relax the existing guidelines and assist Manipur to set up additional KGBVs. He also informed that the ministry had approved setting up of four additional KGBVs (residential schools for poor and vulnerable girls) in educationally backward blocks of the state, taking the total to five KGBVs. Similarly, the Ministry would bring up another Note for the Union Cabinet to approve setting up of new Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas at Ukhrul and Kangpokpi.The Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region(DoNER) B.K.Handique agreed to expedite approval to NLCPR support for Construction of 300 school buildings in the five Hill districts at an estimated cost of Rs.137.77 crores. In connection with the request of the State Government for release of Special Advance Plan Assistance of Rs. 300 crores, the Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh called on Pranab Mukherjee, union finance minister separately. After brief discussion, it was agreed that issue of cash reserve would be cross-checked and State Finance department would separately meet the secretary, Expenditure to work out the details.

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By A Staff ReporterIMPHAL June 6: In an endeavor to address the rising crime perpetrated against women in the state, a monthly magazine titled “Nupigee Punshi” has been launched today at GM hall by MLA Th Nandakishore.
The magazine is launched under the aegis of Young Women Help Organization with Arambam Robita,who is also the secretary of the Organization as the editor of the magazine.
The function was also attended by ex-chairperson of Manipur State Commission for Women, Dr Ch Jamini and social worker Laishram Nabakishore.
In the keynote address, Arambam Robita stated that the initiative to launch the magazine was to address and inform the public against the rising violence and crime perpetrated against women.
“We have an aim to spread awareness among the public, especially to the women so that the victims can know how to address the situation and what help can be sought, we have the belief that the crime rate will decreased if awareness is provided through our publication”, she said.
MLA Th Nandakisore in his speech as the chief guest commended the motive behind the inception of the magazine.He stated that the elected legislators need to address the issue of the rampant violence committed to women. He opined that the monetary benefits given to widows under the scheme of the Family Welfare department needs to be increased.
Today’s program saw a full audience mainly comprising of widows and victims of conflict incidents.

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IMPHAL June 9:  Due to present conflict situations, mental illness has been on the rise in the state and the matter need to be discussed in length.
This was disclosed by Dr. Abdul Bary of the Manipur State Mental Health Authority today at one day awareness campaign on mental health held at Kamong Meisnam Leikai which was organized by the Nupi Agang Yaipha Lup under the sponsorship of the Manipur State Mental Health Authority (MSMHA).
Dr. Abdul Bary was one of the resource person at the campaign.
He further said that various mental problems were found by the doctors in the state. Among them depression illness and panic or disorder are some of the main mental disease. Such illness of depression are mostly created by the lost of property, divorce etc.
Person with mental illness needed treatment as earliest as possible because this illness sometimes led to committing suicide due to high depression.
He further said that depression illness, panic and disorder illness were created in the state mostly due to conflict issue and family matter as well from friend’s circles.
He further mentioned that to give awareness on mental health, the state government had launch this campaign from 2008 and still gives awareness to villages.
He also appealed the villager of Kamong to consult medical practitioner and give immediate treatment whenever any villager are found having mental disorder.
M Shakhi Devi, vice president of the All Manipur Nupi Marup, who attended as chief guest also disclosed that prevailing conflict situation in the state is one main factor for developing mental disorder.
She further appeal the Manipur State Mental Health Authority to organise more awareness campaign like the one organised today at Kamong.
During the awareness campaign, Kh. Imoba Singh resource person MSMHA, Kamong GP Pradhan A. Kunjamala and Working Women Forum Manipur Y Indramani Devi also attended.

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By N. Arunkumar
Laika, the first living creature who was sent to space on November 3, 1957, had actually died it seems, soon after the launch of the Sputnik 2, Russia`s manned space ship, to go one notch up on its rival of those days , the USA. Unfortunately, Laika was a scapegoat, a guinea pig, as the jargon goes, for specimens used for laboratory experiments to test something new on a living creature, in the name of scientific progress.

Laika was a street dog, a mongrel that was picked up from the streets of Moscow, in order to be sent on that ground-breaking mission to space. Of course the poor mongrel clearly did not know what was going to be her fate, or even what the whole thing was about that was being secretly put in place by the Russian scientists.

In that rigid Communist regime of the erstwhile USSR, it was impossible for anyone to question or even enquire about the activities of the highly secretive and often ruthless machinations of the coterie holding the reins of power in their politburo. Had there been a pressure group to speak up for the ethical treatment of animals, the story would perhaps have been different and Laika would have lived an average dog`s life.

In fact, one scientist involved in that path – breaking mission, had declared that it was not worth having sent the poor mongrel to its terrifying end, as they had hardly learnt anything significant from that experiment, according to his own admission. The craft had eventually crashed into the ocean floor after a while.

The poor dog had died within five to seven hours of the launch, though the regime withheld that truth till much later. The people were however given to believe that Laika had lived in space for many days, instead of hours, as news was never told in truth from behind the Iron Curtains of the regime. The poor dog invokes a tear in those who care to read the real story of the fate of the creature, available all over the Internet today.

There are detailed accounts of how she was prepared for the mission and trained to endure the stress of space travel, though the scientists knew that they were sending her to her wretched end all the time. Mans singular aim to realize a majestic scientific accomplishment took priority over other noble human values, in the case of this dog. The poor street dog had only wanted a loving home and affection from her handlers, and perhaps she had felt secure under their watchful eyes and the special treatments that were being showered upon her in the build up to the last days before the mission, after she was snatched from the streets of Moscow.

There is a particular picture of the poor creature sitting in her capsule inside the Sputnik 2, looking helplessly and almost crying out for some sympathy from her handlers, who had left her in the capsule to be sent to space. That picture refuses to leave my mind even at this moment as I try to feel like her, sitting in that death row. A dog was about to be sacrificed at the altar of science and quest for supremacy over a rival nation, equally ruthless in its quest for doing one better than the other.

A monument has been erected in Moscow by the Russians now, as a memorial to the sacrificed little dog, Laika. The language of love, which all mankind professes as the only solution to achieve a peaceful world and happiness for all, is more or less all the time put under the butcher`s knife relentlessly. You might wonder why I should be musing over the death of a mere dog, who had been instrumental in mans pursuit for scientific knowledge.

It is of course insignificant to many who have no element of compassion for our speechless friends from the world of the animals of less important faculties. But, the simple fact is that they are also creatures, who have needs and fears just like us superior humans.

Man has forever been a major threat to weaker animals, and it would not be out of place to mention here that more often than not, he is even prone to be wilder than the wild animals roaming in the jungles of the world. Man has pitted himself against monster beasts, using his feeble body but far superior powers of thought and action.

But, Laika, my dear girl, you will forever be remembered and cherished as the brave girl who went ahead in your journey to death, and I take solace in thinking that you went away from our midst, nearer to God who treasures you now in his garden of everlasting joy. You will always remain alive in our memories Laika, my dear brave girl.

I heard your last bark that was recorded before you went silent eternally. Your terrified bark will forever travel in the waves of eternal time as a message to those who sent you up, as a bark to the horrors of being men. However, we pray that you are resting in peace, nearer to the creator who loved you more than us. I console myself by these self delusions.

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Absolute faith is absolute surrender to an amazing grace. A lot many people do not like the idea of surrender, but it is a fact that a lot many who felt there never was a need to surrender, did ultimately surrender – albeit a surrender not in humiliation, but in humility. In legendary singer and poet, Bob Dylan’s words: “You may be the heavy weight champion of the world, but someday you gonna have to serve somebody.” This amazing grace however does not have to be in the direct sense of Almighty God, but often manifests in the shape of what many poets have referred to as “hope”. TS Eliot’s “Four Quartets” comes to mind, an extended poem that followed his earlier one of a similar genre “The Wasteland”, which, after a lengthy tour of the spiritually barren landscape of modern life, ends with the chant Shanti, repeated three times. In the end, all that matters is peace, but peace, as a physical condition as well as a mental state, is illusive. Nobody would know this better than those of us in Manipur. Its quest has also never been easy. In a very paradoxically way, those who have found it are those who have surrendered – in the most sublime cases, surrendered their individual wills to the will of the “Amazing Grace”.

Many, if not most religions actually say this. Earthly life in this interpretation is a punishment, and transition from this temporal existence to the divine is the ultimate meaning. In the Semitic religions (including Christianity) the original sin is what condemned life to earthly existence. Otherwise it would have been an eternity in Eden for the original parents and nobody else. As to how attractive this idea is, is a matter of opinion. The original mother, Eve, probably thought it was a bore so she ate the forbidden apple, out of what is described as a feminine weakness. If not for her original sin, we all probably would never have seen daylight, or moonlight for that matter. It is difficult to say if we should deride what she did or else be thankful. Another paradox of life we suppose – another overwhelming question of “to be or not to be”. To be happy with a secure vegetative life, or else look for happiness in choosing to face challenges even if it means exposure to trouble and misery. The non-Semitic religions say very much the same thing, but in a different way. Take Buddhism for instance, or Hinduism for that matter. Rebirth is perpetuated by individual sins, implying that this cycle will end when sin is banished. As in other religions, earthly nonexistence here becomes bliss. The lure of this bliss, it has been explained, is also what gives suicide bombers the fanatic courage which makes them able to do what they do.

But the Amazing Grace manifests in another more tangible and comprehensible form – hope. To paraphrase Eliot’s “Four Quartets” this amazing grace is like the faith of a passenger in a subway train that stops and becomes stranded for hours in pitch darkness in the middle of a tunnel deep down below the surface of the earth because of a sudden power failure, that power would be ultimately restored and the train would again begin moving. That at the end of even the darkest tunnel, there would be light. Put another way, it is like a test of faith of a child in her father’s love for her and her belief that he would never abandon her, come what may. In pitch darkness where she cannot see anything, in the event of an emergency if she is required to jump from the window of her first floor room, and her father implores her to do so from below with the assurance that he can see her and would catch her, would she jump? She would if she had enough faith in her father. Such faiths give hope. Such hopes salvage. The amazing grace is that way too. For some inscrutable reason which you cannot explain but all the same feel, you know that this amazing grace would not let you fall. Come to think of it, Manipur has been stranded in the middle of a deep, dark tunnel for decades. Yet it has held together, despite all the centrifugal forces threatening to tear it apart. It is reasonable to believe hence that despite all its inherent contradictions, a faith in itself has given it the strength and hope that there would one day be light. What a time to recall the miracle of this Amazing Grace in this auspicious and festive season of a great religion of the world.

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In 2006 Literature Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk’s “The Black Book” there is a passage describing the relationship between Turkish Jews and the Turks, dominantly Muslims. Both are the same people, yet both are so different in their outlook to life, for reasons unfathomable. Describing the situation he says: “And wasn’t it amazing, just amazing, to watch these two peoples through the twentieth century swaying to the rhythm of the same secret music, never meeting, always at a tangent, forever linked, forever condemned, like a pair of hopeless twins.” The great thing about great quotes is, they seem so uncannily applicable to similar human situations everywhere. Pamuk’s quote hence may just as well have been about Manipur and the relations between different ethnic groups and different geographic regions of the state, in particular the much hyped hill-valley divide.

Yesterday this tangential show of interests was up for show. While in the valley, the June 18 uprising anniversary was being observed, an extraordinary event in which hundreds of thousand people took to the streets of Imphal in 2001 to protest what they believed was a move by the Central government to dismember Manipur’s historical territory, elsewhere the United Naga Council, UNC, dispatched a letter to the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, seeking an administrative arrangement separate from the Manipur government for the Nagas in what they consider as their traditional territorial domain. It may be recalled, the June 18, 2001 incident that followed the Government of India’s unilateral decision to extend the NSCN(IM) ceasefire into Manipur under the blanket clause “without territorial limits”, resulted in the death of 18 protestors and the burning down of several important government infrastructures, including the Manipur State Assembly building. It is pertinent to note here that one of the main demands of the NSCN(IM) is the formation of a Greater Nagaland by merging territories of Manipur and other neighbouring states which it considers as part of a traditional Naga homeland with the state of Nagaland. In 2010 May 6 again there was another confrontation when the Manipur government did not allow the NSCN(IM) chairman, Th. Muivah to enter Manipur to visit his village Somdal in Ukhrul, leading to agitations at Mao gate in which two protestors ended up killed. At the time, the Manipur government was pushing ahead with the election to the autonomous district councils, ADCs, in the hill districts, which for reasons of their own, the UNC and some other Naga organisations objected, and the government was apprehensive Muivah’s visit was timed to coincide with the agitation, among others. It may also be recalled that while sections of the Nagas objected to the ADC elections, other hill communities welcomed it.

What can anybody make of this friction, other than what Pamuk described as “always at a tangent, forever linked, forever condemned, like a pair of hopeless twins”? If the problem seems intractable and irreconcilable, think again. It just requires for all caught in this senseless trap to distance themselves a little from the immediate and from a detached vantage, take a more dispassionate look at these same issues. From such a vantage, these frictions would suddenly begin to appear extremely limited, and this is probably also why so many observers from outside this conflict theatre are unable to comprehend how these conflicts manage to sustain for so long, for the reasons behind them appear to them as easily reconcilable. Those of us immersed in these frictions know very well how very far the truth this observation is. However, the question worth considering is whether it is these observations which are limited in vision, or else it is the inability of parties in these frictions who are incapable of rising above the immediate and mundane, to see and think outside the box. While we have always been of the opinion that there has to be a balance between the objective and subjective visions for a more accurate assessment of any conflict situation, it must also be acknowledged this also implies that either of these visions can come to overbear on the other thus skewing up these assessments. At this moment, it does seem there is an excessive and indeed unhealthy tilt towards a myopic subjectivism dominating the professed logics behind these conflicts.

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By Robin S Ngangom
“The yellow mustard’s in bloom
Krishna’s got a wife
Radha has given birth to a child
Krishna is starving.”

Once again it is the season that smells of Yaosang.

The yellow mustard departs, peas ripen, and
Boys revisiting the year, steal from vegetable patches at night
For Yaosang’s neighbourhood feast.

We cursed the Brahmin priest when he refused to bring the god
To our reed and straw hut on the river bank
Ready to be razed to mark the new season.

As the months warmed up to her
My grandmother pulled out, one by one,
From the caches in her sunny room
Dry sweetmeat she brought from her endless pilgrimages.
In winter, she could only give me wizened fruits
That looked like her fingers.

And then the courtyard plays, the touring cinemas,
The khongjom parba phaibok, arrived in droves,
Growing in clamour as a boy’s nights grew very late
And he didn’t know that his father had gone looking for him.

For the boy, though, in the twinkling festive nights
Every girl was a fairy or a goddess
Smelling of lotuses and dreams.

And having abandoned his grandmother
While chasing his kite he felt guilty
And went to her now “dark and mouldy” room.

He found her tied with a rope to her bedpost and
Hobbling around her bed. She said,
“I’m mad now, don’t come near me.”

The boy ran onto the street behind his house.
But while running on the street he did not realise that
He was growing taller with patches of hair under his arms and belly
As the life of the streets claimed him.

It could be his blooming heart
Or his wet dreams, he mustered up courage to ask a girl out
After writing fifteen perfumed letters
And they went cycling past the returning mustard fields on river banks,
Past his almost happy boyhood.

So many years he waited in vain for them to return
The pena shakpa,the laiharaoba, the chalees of kang,
Thehalf-remembered pass khelas.

But they’ve disappeared in the folds of his reveries
Like the fairies and the goddesses.

One day in his middle years
They all returned suddenly as spectacle
Watched eagerly by wives and boys
Before they became victims
Of the killers who have stepped out
Of the courtyard plays and created widows
And made boys disappear into endlessly waiting days.

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IMPHAL July 1: Chief-whip of the SPF and MLA of Thanga constituency T. Mangibabu clarified that the allegations made against him by one Tongbram Robindro who was arrested by police for smuggling drugs and that his arrest was perpetrated by the MLA himself is unfounded.

Talking to reporters at his office at the old secretariat complex today, Mangibabu contended that he had nothing to do with Robindro’s arrest and he was hauled up by police for his clandestine business activities.

“How can I instigate the police to arrest someone, Robindro was known as a smuggler after the Delhi police arrested one Napolean from Delhi airport with 200 kgs of Ephidrine on April 4, Robindro was named as the mastermind behind the smuggling in the media. His allegation in the local electronic media that he is not involved with drug trafficking and that I was responsible for his arrest is baseless”, the MLA added.

The MLA contended that he had been involved in politics since the early 80’s has never used any unfair means to get ahead in his career. “Let anyone stand for election, it is a person’s democratic right but I feel that he should be centered in bringing about peace and development, not in criminal activities”, he said.

The MLA and his workers voiced that Tongbram Robindro has political aspirations and to contest the forthcoming elections.

Meanwhile Robindro who belongs to the same constituency as the MLA is said to be related to the MLA.

Mangibabu replying to the fate of fishers after the introduction of the Loktak Protection Act said that the Act has to be there to protect the lake, but if the clauses in the said act becomes anti people, then it needs to be amended, he maintained.

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