Northeast Platform

By Oken Jeet Sandham The Tibetans have achieved their main objective this time. They make their voice against the Chinese occupation of Tibet heard the world over. Taking advantage of the upcoming Beijing Olympic, they could organize a series of protests against the Olympic torch relay in key locations of the world like Paris, London, New York, New Delhi, etc. It is a history that the Beijing Olympic flame has ended its chaotic relay journey through Paris, amid city-wide protests against China's crackdown in Tibet that forced the torchbearers to extinguish the flame and take refuge in a bus. The Chinese authorities seemed to be facing unprecedented apprehension to the unusual Tibetan uprising against them. The world communities have woken up to find the reality that there is an issue between the Tibetan and the Chinese. And in fact the Chinese government’s integrity and standing in the eyes of the world community has been badly dented, although they might be claiming that Tibet is ...

IMPHAL, May 17: A driver was hurt while the windshields of at least 20 trucks including oil tankers and LPG laden trucks were broken when suspected supporters of the ATSUM economic blockade stoned them while they were crossing Kangpokpi area along the Imphal-Mao section of the NH-39 with security escorts late yesterday night at around 9 pm, official reports said today. The tanker driver who sustained injuries at the head was hospitalized in an unconscious state at a hospital in Kangpokpi, the reports said. In the meantime, the All Manipur Tribal Students Union, Manipur has called off the economic blockade with immediate effect after an agreement was reached with the state government today. Reports said that around 80 goods trucks including oil tankers and LPG laden vehicles, which were stranded at Mao gate due to the ATSUM economic blockade, proceeded for Imphal with heavy security escorts late yesterday evening. The goods vehicles reached Kangpokpi at around 9 pm. However, when some ...

DIMAPUR, MAY 17 (NPN): In the wake of unabated factional clashes and killings in the state despite repeated appeals by the public and various organizations for cessation of violence, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has ascribed the evils of factional killings to the “doctrine of bloodshed” espoused by the NSCN “NSCN cannot renounce the doctrine of bloodshed since ‘power through the barrel of gun’ is enshrined in their manifesto,” said a press statement issued by director, peace affairs, NBCC, Rev. L Kari Longchar. The Council urged the NSCN to amend their political philosophy and transform their mindset to “confront to truth, peace, justice, pro-life, and seek people’s welfare.” NBCC said it had earlier welcomed the ceasefire agreement among all Naga groups signed on December 7, 2007, under the aegis of the Joint Forum of GBs & DBs, and had high expectations that the “significant pact” would bear fruits through honest conversation, admittance of one’s own mistakes, f...

DIMAPUR, MAY 17 (NPN): Reacting to the memorandum of the opposition Congress to state Governor K Sankaranarayanan alleging that the DAN Government had lost the confidence of the people due to two main factors - increase in factional killings and unprecedented price rise -the NPF party hit back saying it appeared the Congress was suffering from “delusion” and continuing the same strategy to dislodge the DAN Government. Reiterating that the DAN Government enjoyed a clear mandate of the people, NPF president Dr. Shurhozelie in a press statement said the Congress failed to get the mandate despite their best effort to distort the people’s mandate through various unfair means during the last election. Terming it as “blatant lie” the Congress allegation that DAN Government was patronizing a particular underground faction, he said it was meant to mislead of the people. On the other hand, Shurhozelie alleged that an underground faction, had, in a letter to the State BJP president dated M...

By Charles Chasie * George of the Bush President George Bush has been giving off the impression that he has been affected by film characters. It is not clear whether President Bush has been watching “George of the Jungle” but he certainly seems to be aping Tarzan. One or two say that Superman is really his hero. But by and large the consensus view is that although the name may inspire him, Superman really is too polished and sophisticated for Bush. `Bush’, loosely translated in Hindi is “jungle”. And all agree that President Bush’s behaviour has often been quite “jungli”. Further, wherever he sent his forces, a new Junglisthan emerges which is immediately baptized “Forestville”, and the action explained away in the name of Democracy. Perhaps, because all these names have so much to do with Hindi, Urdu etc., he has also been trying to play Ping Pong with India, not realizing that China could play the game much better. On the other hand, India, in her infinite wisdom as the on...

By Oken Jeet Sandham The recent stepped-up abductions, factional clashes and killings among the Naga underground factions have not only greatly disturbed the relative peace but also threatened the peace process. For quite some time, the NSCN (IM) and Unification Group have been trading charges each other for the prevailing insecure environment particularly in and around Dimapur area. One should not forget that both NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) are currently in truce with the Government of India. In the past too, there have been allegations of violation of Cease Fire Ground Rules (CFGRs) by cadres of both NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K), while the leaders of both the factions also cast aspersions to the Indian Security Forces for having violated CFGRs. Both factions also accused the Indian Security Forces of working hand in glove with either side. On many occasions, the grey areas in the CFGRs have been highlighted. Even the chairman of the ministerial team of the government of India for political...

By Oken Jeet Sandham The seminar on “Responding to HIV/AIDS – Partnerships with the Media” organized by Center for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) and Project ORCHID on April 1 at the Conference Hall of Police HQs has thrown many critical areas that needed to be seriously looked into. It is a fact that many used to talk about the importance of the media for dissemination of news of the dreaded HIV/AIDS epidemic. And this importance has been discussed in almost all the HIV/AIDS-related Seminars held in the State. In such occasions the media persons too have been invited to share their views and opinions as to how they could play their role. We have NSACS that is mainly controlled by Government Doctors who are normally senior officials in the Medical Directorate. And the maximum fund that has come from the Center and other funding agencies to fight against the dreaded epidemic is channelized through them. Interestingly, a large sum of money has b...

By Oken Jeet Sandham We keep hearing about the worse law and order problem of Manipur and in fact chief minister O Ibobi has been summoned every now and then to Delhi to explain as to why he failed to contain the lawlessness in the state. His second inning as chief minister has not augured well as he was never given a peaceful atmosphere to run the administration by a handful of their own Congress MLAs trying to replace him. These Congress MLAs had been camping in national capital for months pressurizing Congress high command to replace him with Th Devendra. Interestingly, Devendra declined to take on Ibobi’s leadership. For quite some time Manipur has been boiling. There are many underground organizations running paralleled governments and in fact O Ibobi’s government has reduced to such an extent that it cannot even react to any kind of militant threats in the state. It simply watches so helplessly to the spate of kidnappings of government officials for ransom by militants. The gover...