Journalists mourning demise of Rishikanta; Bijoy Koijam conveying CM’s message; and protestors enforcing blockade.

Journalist’s killing condemned, scribes on indefinite strike
By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 18: Inspite of an agreement between representatives of the JAC, formed in connection with the killing of Konsam Rishi-kanta Singh and the State Government, the print and electronic media under the aegis of All manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) will suspend publication and broadcast of news item for an indefinite period with effect from tomorrow.
Decision to cease publication of newspapers from November 20 onwards was adopted at an emergency general body meeting of AMWJU held this afternoon at Manipur Press Club, Major Khul.
Among many other resolutions, it was decided to stage sit-in-protest till the culprits involved in shooting death Rishikanta are pulled up or identified.
The meeting was convened to deliberate over the future course of action in the aftermath of gunning down of 22-year-old K Ri-shikanta, who was a Junior Sub Editor of the Imphal Free Press daily.
Rishikanta’s bullet riddled body was found at near the Langol Hill range second home of the endan- gered brow-antler deer (Sangai) last evening.
Taking grim note of constant threat looming large over the journalist community of the State who have to dispense duties in an insecure atmosphere due to the prevailing conflict situation besetting manipur, senior journalists who addressed the meeting pointed out that Rishikanta is the sixth scribe to die an unnatural death.
Two journalists working in Churachandpur-based dailies and three others of Imphal-based dailies were shot dead in the past.
Conceding that journalists working in a conflict si- tuation like Manipur always face uncertainties the spea-kers also cautioned that as the journalists are wedged in between dichotomy of State and non-State actors the risks are even more.
Moreover, the fact that perpetrator/s of the criminal act ignored AMWJU’s standing appeal to either intimate Editor concerned or the scribes’ body in case any media person are found working in violation of norms of journalism, the meeting expressed concern that certain individuals or groups do not understand or acknowledge contributions of the news media to the Manipuri society.
Media personnel becoming a soft target of individuals with vested interest also came under sharp scrutiny at the congregation.
later in the afternoon a silent protest rally was ta-ken out upto the Chief Mi- nister’s official bungalow where a joint team of editors and AMWJU members submitted a memorandum to Okram Ibobi Singh.
The memorandum han-ded over to the Chief Mi- nister mentioned that ‘AMWJU has reasons to suspect involvement of security personnel in the crime as the spot where Rishi-kanta’s body was found is a highly secured area with personnel of State forces manning all three entry points. It is impossible for anyone to commit such a crime and escape scot free.’
Describing Rishikanta as a hard-working and honest journalist, the represen- tation categorically highlighted that ‘under the circumstances AMWJU feels that only a judicial inquiry can trace the culprit(s).
conveying the general body meeting’s resolution to suspend publication of newspapers from November 20 until the Government finds out and arrest the culprit(s), the scribes’ body demanded that in addition to the judicial inquiry, ex-gratia be extended to the bereaved family as per Centre’s scheme for victims of terrorist violence, ensure sense of security in the minds of journalists and take necessary measures for protection of working journalists of the State.
In response, the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh assured all possible assistance to the victim’s family.
Urging the media fraternity to grant some days to enable the Government investigate the matter, the CM asserted that if nothing concrete could be found out then not only a judicial probe be ordered but service of the CBI would be sought to crack the case.
Earlier, members present at the emergency meeting, held with AMWJU president S Hemant and Editor of Imphal free Press Pradip Phanjoubam as presidium members also unanimously resolved to constitute an investigation team of AMWJU for an independent probe into the killing and appeal to NGOs to extend all possible cooperation in unearthing the truth.
Regarding the resolution to stage sit-in-protest from tomorrow onwards at near Keishampat Power House all concerned involved in print and electronic media have been informed to report at the venue at 10 am.

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A villager in Thanlon sub-division displays the last remains of the rice procured from the Govt

IIngenious method used to receive mobile service in CCpur sub-divisions
Reporter’s CCpur diary : Tales of suffering, humanness
Laishram Shamungou
THANLON, Nov 16 : Living upto its image as one the largest armies in the world, the 12 Madras Regiment stationed at Thanlon and Tipaimukh sub-divisions in Churachandpur district has succeeded in tapping mobile connection and telephone line connection as well in these two remote places, where facilities for mobile phones and land line connections are absent.
Using a device manufactured in China, the troops in Thanlon and Parbung under Tipaimukh hit upon the idea of installing five SIM cards at one post located at Singnat sub-division, where mobile service is available, and connected them to a receiver at Thanlon located about 50 kms away by using a device known as Super Long Range Cordless Telephone.
The ingenious method means that the troops can contact their family members and the facilities are also being extended to the local people.
This story came to light during a recent trip to the interiors of Churachandpur along with the Army PRO Colonel Rajesh Mishra.
The ingenious method was put to use from January this year enabling the troops to keep regular contact with their family members. Moreover a separate line is also opened for the local population.
On the other hand, to extend mobile service to these interior areas, process of laying cable lines along NH-150 by private service providers Vodafone and Reliance has started.
In some cases, WLL sets procured from neighbouring Mizoram are being used for commercial purposes and the rate of one call has been fixed at Rs 10.
Electricity : There is no source of energy save for the power procured from the Solar Household Lighting System and Solar street lamps provided by MANIREDA and the Army in these remote areas. As such life in these two sub-divisions begins and ends with day break and sun set. Candle is the most sought after necessity there.
However the 12 Madras Regiment under 57 Mountain Division has provided a degree of reprieve to the people at Thanlon as it has managed to provide three units of power from its generator to 161 households till 9 pm.
Bamboo flowering : With the villagers facing the prospect of starvation due to the rodent menace following bamboo flowering, parents and elders are no longer able to meet the expenses of sending their children to school. Hence the drop out rate of students has seen a marked increase.
To supplement their income, the villagers have started felling trees on a bigger scale as well in hunting wild life.
Speaking to The Sangai Express a villager of Vaiphei Mol village said that from the two tins of paddy seeds he sowed this year, he could manage to harvest only seven tins. In other years, from two tins of paddy, the return was not less than 100 tins, he said and added that the poor yield was due to the havoc caused by the surging rodent population.
The harvested rice is yet to be eaten, but at the moment he has only two Kgs of rice procured from the Government agency. Once this stock runs out, the villager said, he would go hunting and if there is any catch the same would be sold at Thanlon to replenish the food larder from the rice sold by the Government. The rice is bought at Rs 20 per Kg, he informed.
Interacting with this reporter at Bukpi village at Thanlon sub-division, a school teacher, Vung Ngalmiang said that following the rodent menace, not many students are able to attend school.
Pitching in with aid, the 12 Madras Regiment has started footing the hostel fees and mess fees amounting to Rs 350 per month for 40 students of the two sub-divisions, disclosed Princi- pal of St Xavier’s School, Thanlon, Father Samy. The tuition fee, which is Rs 150 per month has been waived by the school authority.
Villagers of the two sub-divisions while interacting with reporters at Thanlon said that they have to cope with extremely bad roads, non-existent power supply, poor medical facilities and lack of food grain.
NREGS : Amid the gloom and sorry state of affairs, the NREGS has come as sort of a blessing for the villagers for with the prospect of getting paid for their labour shining bright, shop keepers do not shy away from selling them food stuff on credit, said the villagers.
On the other hand, the Army has started constructing some water tanks for the villagers.

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People crowding a petrol pump during the short time it was opened in the face of fuel scarcity

CM, Jayentakumar meet Arjun Singh
Spadework on for IGNTU centre in State
Manipur Info Centre
NEW DELHI, Nov 13 : Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and Education Minister L Jayantakumar Singh on Wednesday met the Union Minister for Human Resources Development Arjun Singh at Shastri Bhawan here to relay the assurance of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh made the previous day for opening a centre of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Manipur.
The meeting lasted for about 10 minutes.
In the evening at 4 today at Shastri Bhawan here; Education Minister L Jayantakumar Singh, Tribal Development Minister
DD Thaisii and student leaders had an hour long discussion with the Union Secretary (Higher Education) RP Agrawal assisted by two Joint Secretaries for formulation of the proposed Manipur campus of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkan-tak in Madhya Pradesh.
The Union Secretary (Higher Education) informed the Manipur Ministers that the matter regarding the opening
of a Regional Centre of the University in Manipur had been
communicated the Vice Chancellor of the University.
An expert group consisting of the representatives of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi had been formed for preparation of Detailed Project Reports of the proposed Centre in Manipur.
RP Agrawal also communicated to them to send a high level team comprising representatives from the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University to Manipur very soon to see the suitable location of the Centre.
The Secretary asked the Manipur representatives to find out a suitable location of the area of 500 to 700 acres.
He informed them that the appointment of faculty staff of the Centre would be done on the basis of the all-India norm and as for the admission of the students; it would be based on the ethnic composition of the State.
At the same point of time, the Ministry would also look into whether the reservation of the STs in the Manipur University was fully observed under the existing norm or not by sending a team from the Ministry, he added.
Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii said here today that the opening of the regional centre of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University would give a good opportunity not only to the tribal people of the region but also to the general people in learning different subjects in the University.
The Minister further stated that the proposed regional centre in Manipur would be the first campus of the University.
The Union Secretary told them that the Ministry has received many proposals from different States for opening of the branches of the University in their respective States, he added.

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READY FOR VISION 2020 : A vehicle makes its way through the slush that passes off as a road at Kasom Khullen

Assam serial blasts
Clues point at ULFA-NDFB combine
Achinta Borah
New Delhi, Nov 9 : More than a week after serial blasts rocked Assam, investigators have found clues that ULFA and NDFB carried out the deadly explosions with the help of Bangladesh-based HuJI's expertise.
Home Ministry sources said the investigators have found enough evidence that the banned ULFA had carried out the October 30 serial blasts with the help of dominant Bodo militant group NDFB.
This comes in the wake of the Centre expressing concern over the "paradigm shift" in the northeast militancy.
Some people have been detained by police and Central security agencies who had provided logistical support including procuring cars used in the blasts that left over 80 people dead and more than 400 injured, the sources said.
The people have an allegiance with the two banned outfits, the sources said.
Interestingly, NDFB is currently under truce with the security forces and is engaged with the Government in peace negotiations.
"We have found that the Bangladesh-based HuJI has provided the expertise to ULFA and NDFB as none of them has the technology to explode such devastating bombs which claimed more than 80 lives," a Home Ministry official said.
Home Ministry sources said the Government is worried over the fact that the northeast militants has started using a deadly mixture of RDX, ammonium nitrate and plasticised explosives to carry out explosions which led to greater casualties which was never seen in the past.
"At least 80 kg RDX were used to carry out the October 30 serial blasts in Assam. Never before in the Northeast such a large quantity of RDX mixed with Ammonium Nitrate and plasticised explosives was used as propellants," a Home Ministry official said.
Each of the cars, which were used to carry out three explosions in Guwahati, was laden with 20 to 25 kgs of RDX.
A maximum amount of explosives used for a single blast in the State was 10 kg at Dhemaji during the 2004 Independence Day which killed 13 people, including 10 school children.
The September 1 serial blasts in Agartala, where terrorists triggered four blasts within an hour, were the first synchronised explosions in the Northeast. The Assam serial blasts were carried out within a span of just 20 minutes.
"Kokrajhar, where three bombs were exploded is 250 km away from Guwahati while Barpeta Road, another place of bomb attack, is 150 km away. The near simultaneous explosions at the three far apart places show how the terrorists worked in precision," the official said, adding "this is also a new trend in the Northeast".
"Neither ULFA nor NDFB has the expertise to carry out such dead explosions. Besides, HuJI has no logistics at a place like Kokrajhar. So a nexus between local outfit with outsiders is evident," the official said.
The November 5 meeting of Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Northeastern States, which was attended by National Security Advisor MK Narayanan, Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrasekhar and Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, took stock of the connection between a Naxal group and a Manipuri insurgent group, possibly to procure arms from the Northeast which has a porous international borders with several foreign countries, the sources said.
"Probably this is the first report of any Northeast militant group having link with an extremist outfit of mainland," the sources said.
Unlike in the past, there have been growing collaborations among the different insurgent groups.PTI

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This pic shows a picture of the pathetic conditions of National Highway-39 which prompted SDSA to launch the Eco blockade

North Indian issue: Five JD (U) MPs quit
New Delhi, Nov 7 : Five JD(U) MPs today resigned from Lok Sabha stepping up pressure on the Centre on the issue of attacks on North Indians in Congress-ruled Maharashtra.
"What option did we have when the Constitution is under attack and the unity and integrity of the country is in peril in the wake of the incidents in Maharashtra?" JD(U) Lok Sabha leader Prabhunath Singh asked.
He was talking to reporters minutes after he and four other MPs -- George Fernandes, Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lallan', Kailash Baitha and Meena Singh, submitted their resignation to Lok Sabha Secretary General P D T Achary.
They had sought an appointment with Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee but could not meet him as he is unwell and hospitalised.
The resignations have come at a time when politics is hotting up in Bihar on the issue of the attacks allegedly by the Raj Thackeray-led MNS and the JD(U) MPs even made an oblique attack on RJD chief Lalu Prasad as also LJP leader Ramvilas Paswan for failing to quit the Union Cabinet on the issue.
"When the Central Government is being seen surrendering to the divisive forces, ministers from Hindi region are wanting to enjoy power and not leave their posts," they said.
Singh accused Prasad of displaying "chipko" (sticking to the chair) behaviour and dismissed RJD charges that the JD(U) was instrumental in breaking the unity of leaders from Bihar on the emotive issue.
Prabhunath and Rajiv Ranjan said the JD (U) planned to launch a campaign in Bihar, starting from Motihari, which is associated with Mahatma Gandhi, to tell people how the Centre has failed to protect the north Indians.
"We will later take the campaign to other Hindi-speaking parts of the country," Singh added.
Making a scathing attack on Lalu Prasad for suggesting that the MLAs and MLCs of the JD (U) should also resign, he said the RJD was attempting to impose President's Rule in Bihar instead of Maharashtra.
"Some people are acting as a joker...some have lost
mental balance," he said.
To a poser on Paswan's claim that the JD(U) was only "sacrificing its finger not head" for the cause of north Indians, Singh said the LJP has not even sacrificed its "nails" for the purpose.
Dismissing charges that the JD (U) was attempting oneupmanship and had breached the unity of Bihar leaders on the issue, he said even now RJD and LJP MPs can resign.
"Why did they fail to take initiative. The decision taken by the JD(U) MPs was that of its Parliamentary party.
"Our Rajya Sabha members have not resigned as they will raise the issue when Parliament meets again (on December 10). Even if that fails to make an impact, we will think on a new course of action," Singh told reporters outside Parliament.
In a memorandum submitted to the Speaker, the JD (U) MPs also made a veiled attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"It appears that the shoulders on whom the Constitutional responsibility rests are weak. They are unable to take the responsibility," it said.
Though the Supreme Court has observed that strong political decisions were needed to stop such incidents, "we regretfully do not see any capacity to take such decisions," the JD(U) MPs said.
The JD(U) MPs also demanded the immediate arrest of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and his nephew and MNS chief Raj Thackeray. "The chacha-bhatija duo are together fuelling violence against north Indians. Their arrest only will make a difference," said Prabhunath Singh.
The MPs alleged that Congress-NCP Government was backing the MNS tirade against north Indians. "In the past too, when Congress was in power Bal Thackeray had launched a campaign against south Indians," the MPs claimed.
They reminded the Speaker that as per the constitutional provisions, the Centre was free to act against any State where people are targetted on regional basis. "If the State Government fails to check such incidents despite warnings, the Centre could also impose President's Rule to dismiss such Governments," they said in the memorandum.
"They are our friends...we are not married to them," remarked the JD (U) leader when asked about BJP's annoyance on the party's decision to resign from Lok Sabha. PTI

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RS MP Rishang Keishing taking a first hand look at the road

Obama Wins, Scripts History As First Black President Of US
WASHINGTON, Nov 5; Barack Obama rode a wave of voter discontent to a historic White House victory, promising change as the first black US President but constrained by a deep economic crisis and two lingering wars.
Obama led Democrats to a sweeping victory that expanded their majorities in both Houses of Congress as voters emphatically rejected President George W Bush’s eight years of leadership.
The son of a Kenyan father and an American mother from Kansas, Obama was born at a time when black Americans were still battling segregationist policies in the South.
His election triumph over Republican rival John McCain on Tuesday is a milestone that could help the United States bury its long and often brutal history of racism.
“It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, at this defining moment, change has come to Ame-rica,” Obama, 47, told more than 200,000 ecstatic supporters gathered in Chi- cago’s Grant Park to celebrate.
Raucous street celebrations erupted across the country, but Obama will have little or no time off to enjoy the victory. He was expected to start work on Wednesday on planning a course for his formal takeover on Jan 20 and putting together a team to tackle the huge challenges at home and abroad.
Obama won at least 349 Electoral College votes, far more than the 270 he needed. With results in from more than three-quarters of US precincts, he led McCain by 52 per cent to 47 per cent in the popular vote.
A first-term Illinois senator who will now be the 44th US President, Obama said he would work to ease the country’s sharp political divisions and listen to those who voted against him.
“The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there,” he said.
McCain’s hopes for a surprise win evaporated with losses in a string of key battleground States led by the big prizes of Ohio and Florida, the States that sent Democrats to defeat in the last two elections.
McCain, a 72-year-old Arizona senator and former Vietnam War prisoner, called Obama to congratulate him and praised his inspirational and precedent- shattering campaign. “I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him but offering our next President our goodwill,” McCain said.
Blacks and whites celebrated together in front of the White House to mark Obama’s win and Bush’s imminent departure. Cars jammed downtown Washington streets, with drivers honking their horns and leaning out their windows to cheer.
Thousands more joined street celebrations in New York’s Times Square and in cities and towns across the United States.
“This is the most significant political event of my generation,” said Brett Schneider, 23, who was in the crowd for Obama’s victory speech in Chicago. “This is a great night. This is an unbelievable night,” said US Rep John Lewis of Georgia, who was brutally beaten by police in Selma, Alabama, during a civil rights march in the 1960s.
Lewis was at a celebration in Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the home Church of Martin Luther King, who led the civil rights movement and was murdered in 1968.
Rev Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader and former Presidential candidate, joined the celebra- tions in Chicago on Tuesday night, tears streaming down his cheeks.
PROMISES
Obama will face intense pressure to deliver on his campaign promises. He has vowed to restore US leadership in the world by working closely with foreign allies, to withdraw US troops from Iraq in the first 16 months of his term and to bolster US troop levels in Afghanistan. But his immediate task will be tackling the US financial crisis, the worst since the Great Depression. Obama has proposed another stimulus package that could cost about $175 billion and include funding for infrastruc- ture and another round of rebate checks.
Most world leaders welcomed Obama’s victory. Allied Governments said they hoped for closer cooperation with Washington, while critics of the United States, ranging from officials in Russia and Iran to Islamist groups in the Middle East, called for clear changes in policy.
Obama took command of the election race in the last month as the financial crisis deepened and as his steady performance in three debates with McCain appeared to ease lingering doubts among voters.
His judgment on handling the economic crisis appeared to help tip the race in his favour. Exit polls showed six of every 10 voters listed the economy as the top issue. In addition to Ohio and Florida, Obama won Virginia, Iowa, New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado—all States won by Bush in 2004. McCain’s loss in Pennsylvania eliminated his best hope of capturing a Democratic-leaning State.
On the campaign trail, Obama had accused McCain of representing a third term for Bush’s policies and being out of touch on the economy.
McCain attacked Obama as a tax-raising liberal and portrayed him as too inexperienced to run the country, but the Republican candidate struggled to distance himself from Bush. Exit polls showed three out of every four voters thought the United States was on the wrong track. In the fight for Congress, Democrats gained at least five Senate seats and about 25 more House of Representatives seats, giving them a commanding majority in both chambers. REUTERS

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