Northeast Platform

After a brief fourteen-minute speech on June 12, Nepal’s last King of the 239 year Shah dynasty, Gyanendra, departed from the side entrance of the Narayanhiti Palace to live out his days in the former summer home of his ancestors. “I have done all I can to cooperate with the government’s directives,” he said as the reporters and onlookers scuffled with each other to get a good shot of his momentous occasion. “The monarchy in Nepal has always been with the people of Nepal in good times and bad times.” At least in his departure the universally despised Gyanendra offered some humility, although the monarchy was generally the architect of the bad times while its members and their A-Class Rana bureaucrats enjoyed the good times.Not often do a people get the opportunity to elect to be a republic, to vote out their King. The tremor runs down the Himalayas. On March 24, in the tiny kingdom of Bhutan, the monarchy hastily conducted what these days passes for an election (two virtually identical

Dimapur, June 15 (MExN): The “NSCN/GPRN” today reflected on a number of aspects characterizing the Naga political issue. The outfit in a statement wondered about the end of the “peace” process. According to the publicity cell of the “NSCN/GPRN” the issue of Naga “sovereignty” “is about the future of the Naga people” and so any solution must reflect the will of the Nagas. Any solution must reflect will of the people: NSCN/GPRN“Historical documents clearly proves that Naga issue is not about integration. Its more than 6-decade of political struggle of the Nagas is turned into integration issue overnight, those responsible must be questioned” it stated and proceeded to mention NSCN (IM) general secretary Th. Muivah. He must seek “emotional integration” from the Nagas first “than demanding physical integration of Nagas from the Government of India” the outfit stated.The “national” movement “of the Nagas,” the publicity cell asserted, “originated from Nagaland and then spread to other are

DIMAPUR, JUNE 15 (MExN): A couple of days after walking out of the Cease Fire Monitoring Group meeting (CFMG), the NSCN (IM) today made their stand loud and clear by declaring that it would not accept ML Kumawat as chairman of the group. “We don’t have a chairman now” declared Phungthing Shimrang, convenor of the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell (CFMC) during a press conference in the CFMC office at Diphupar and also announced that the NSCN (IM) would not attend any meeting of the CFMG under Kumawat’s chairmanship. Shimrang said that the NSCN (IM) harbors no personal dislike for Kumawat but the fact that the NSCN (IM) views were not taken to consideration while appointing the new CFMG chairman. Shimrang said that the NSCN (IM) had made it clear to the Government of India that the new chairman would have to be selected on the basis of mutual understanding. He reasoned the imperative that any new incumbent have to be someone who understood the Naga situation so that continuity of the talks can

IMPHAL, Jun 14: Most underground cadres arrested by the police and security forces in Manipur end released without trials for their alleged crimes.The inability of the judiciary to get undergrounds to be convicted for their crimes was due to poor case documentation by the state administration and police, an official source in the state home department said.An approximate 1310 to 1480 cadres of different militant organisations, excluding the overground workers and the cadres in camps are actively operating in the state as per the latest "state of militancy" report of Manipur.In the state, more than 20 underground orgnisations are operating actively. Among them are four Naga based outfits, eight Kuki, two Zomi, two Hmar, one Muslim and five Meetei based outfits.The report estimated the number of NSCN(IM) from 350 to 380, UNLF from 300 to 350, PLA from 120 to 130, PREPAK from 40 to 45, KYKL from 70 to 80, KRA from 45 to 50, UKLF also from 45 to 50, KNA from 200 to 225, KLA from

IMPHAL, Jun 13: The KYKL and UNLF have imposed a ban on Heirok residents from going outside their locality with immediate effect for defying their warning and deciding to join as volunteers of the SPO.A joint statement of the two outfits also said the names of five persons who are in lead role in the move to appoint SPOs and obtain arms are now known, and announced that they would be awarded capital punishment.The statement also declared that some individuals including the chief minister O Ibobi Singh were `enemies` of the people.The statement signed jointly by Ningombam Ibochou, deputy secretary, organisation, UNLF and Langamba Mangang, secretary, publicity and research, KYKL reiterated the two outfits had already announced their final stand on the opening of SPOs and taking of arms from the enemy.After the announcement of the stand, the two outfits have found out the names and particulars of the five from Heirok who colluded in the move to open SPOs and procure arms.As per previous

IMPHAL, Jun 14: The self-righteousness of the NSCN(IM) in boasting about their “...magnanimity in helping out the various revolutionary groups of the region” and the assertion that “fighting with the common enemy unitedly does not necessarily mean fighting for a common goal” is a point for further debate so that concerned people can make their own judgment, a UNLF statement from Ksh Yoiheiba, senior publicity officer, has said.The UNLF’s belief in the composite interdependent unity of the Indian occupied region, has been its consistent revolutionary effort to develop fraternal relationship with all the revolutionary struggles in the region for unity against the common enemy. Believing in the fraternal interdependent coexistence of all the peoples in the region, UNLF tried to develop fraternal relationship with the Naga struggle from the time of undivided NNC, and also with the Mizo National Front, then leading the Mizo freedom struggle, the statement said. It was all in the larger int