Northeast Platform

IMPHAL, Mar 28: The independent candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Valley Rose Hungyo today filed her nomination for fighting the Outer Manipur seat, while seeking the votes of the people of Manipur and promising to fulfill their expectations.Speaking to media persons, Valley Rose maintained that successive governments had failed miserably to govern on all fronts during the last few decades and had not safeguarded the lives and properties of the citizens. The social fabric had been fragmented to pieces and the seeds of hatred sown deeply among different groups of people, she said. The weak and the poor have been discriminated and further marginalised with the gap between the rich and the poor widening, she said adding that the land has been ruled by lawlessness and rights violation is the least concern for any group perpetrating it.She further promised that if she gets elected with the love and support of the people she would work for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special

IMPHAL, Mar 29: Many agitations and protests have been held to bring quality education but where is that quality education gone, asked education secretary of the DESAM, Arambam Thoithoi at a press conference held at its head office at Keishampat today.He further said that on March 4 at around 5 pm an unbelievable and cowardly act was carried out by two teachers named Meisnam Binoy Singh, vice principal, 40 years, son of late M Biramangol and another assistant teacher named Thokchom Romen Singh, son of Th Raghumani Singh, 40 years, at the hostel of Budhachanddra Academy, Kongba Laishram Leikai.On that particular day the warden went for a wedding ceremony and both the teachers forced the students, specially the girl students, to take alcohol and M Binoy tried to molest the students.When the DESAM came to know of this incident it took certain strong decisions which include that M Binoy, who is the vice principal, cannot take charge in the Budhachandra Academy and also cannot work in othe

IMPHAL, Mar 29: After the recent announcement of the Manipur People’s Party (MPP) candidate for the Inner Manipur constituency for the upcoming 15th Lok Sabha elections, the party has today changed its candidate and announced another candidate in place of the previous one.The candidate for the Inner seat announced earlier by the party was Prof. N Mohendro and the newly announced candidate is Th Chaoba, ex-Union minister. Regarding the change of candidate, MLA O Joy stated today that the decision was taken after the party held a meeting and the decision was approved by the working committee.He further said that with the new candidate contesting the Bishnupur area would be a vote bank of the MPP. He also added that the matter of the present law and order situation in the state and territorial integrity would be taken up strongly as issues in this election.Meanwhile, a meeting of the JD(U) held today at the residence of RK Dorendro, former chief minister at Moirangkhom, announced that the

TAMENGLONG, Mar 29: As many as 345 Zeliangrong people from eight villages of Haflong force fled and are camping as refugees at Tousem sub-division of Tamenglong district of Manipur. The incident took place after the recent violence in Haflong areas of North Cachar Hill district in Assam in which five persons were killed and another three persons were injured by armed cadres of DHD (Jewel) faction few days back.Out of 345 Zeliangrongs who are taking shelter at Tousem sub-division as many as 220 people are sheltered at Mandeu village, 55 at Tousem headquarters, 50 at Njunkuak village and 20 more at Zenning village. They are staying at their relatives, a source said.Many Zeliangrong organizations, communities, NGOs and relatives have condemned the incident. Among the Zeliangrong organizations, the Zeliangrong Students Union Manipur (ZSUM), Zeliangrong Students Union Tamenglong District (ZSUTD), Zeliangrong Students Union Tousem Area (ZSUTA), Zeliangrong Pui Baudi and Zeliangrong Baudi Tam

IMPHAL, Mar 17: The state budget estimate of Rs. 4550 crore for the year 2009-10 was tabled before the Manipur State Assembly by the finance minister in charge, chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today.However, the chief minister qualified his statement saying that the provisions under plan are tentative as the plan outlay for the state for 2009-10 has not yet been finalised as the final round of discussions with the deputy chairman, Planning Commission, are pending on account of the announcement of the elections.Under the circumstance, the estimate would have to be revised through supplementary demands when the outlay is finalised, he said.The chief minister said of the total of Rs 4550 crore total estimated expenditure, Rs. 1733 crores would be under plan, Rs. 2592.79 crores under non-plan and Rs 224.21 crores under Centrally sponsored schemes, Central plan schemes and NEC schemes.“As these estimates will be subject to the finalisation of the Central Budget for Non-Plan, Plan and CSS

IMPHAL, March 17: The 4-lawyer “fact finding team on the working of the ceasefire in Naga areas” in its 10-page executive summary of its findings, concludes on page-3, perhaps a little hastily, that a particular official document clearly states the Shirui camp of the NSCN(IM) was officially approved, backing up this conclusion with the following line from a letter which says the “new location of the NSCN(IM) camp stands approved.” The above parenthesised line quoted by the report is from a letter (No. CFMG/IM/2007-1566 dated February 6, 2007) but the entirety of sentence which gives it a rather different hue is omitted. A photocopy of the letter is attached as Annexure-A in the executive summary. The letter does have a line (or part of a line) which says the “new location of the NSCN(IM) camp stands approved,” but this does not at all appear to be an official order or notification. On the other hand, this seems to be what the former Ceasefire Monitoring Group chairman, Lt. Gen. R.V. K

UKHRUL, Mar 9: Many were rendered homeless as a ravaging fire broke out at 12.20 pm this evening at Ukhrul town’s Wino bazar, destroying properties worth crores of rupees. At least six civilians were injured and two of them were taken to the district hospital with minor injuries, while the other four were treated at a private clinic. A young 13-year old girl received after-shocks and was also rushed to the hospital.The whole town was engulfed in smoke as flames soaring up to 50 metres high continued to raze one house after another in this thickly populated posh locality. By the time the fire brigade arrived on the spot at around 12.45 pm, the fire was beyond control. Assisted by the strong wind, it started eating shop after shop within minutes. Roars of cylinder blasts were heard all over and all vehicular movement came to a grinding halt as the inferno started spreading to the wooden buildings across. The Assam Rifles swiftly pitched in their firefighters from the northern direction