Fast: Will Anna support Irom Sharmila? North-East ignored?

Imphal, Aug 25 : Anna Hazare's indefinite fast entered ninth day on Wednesday, Aug 24 and the government along with the nation seems to have been stirred up. Crucial members of the government seem busy in persuading Anna to break his fast. The activities among the political leaders clearly show the "discriminate attitude" towards another crusader - Irom Sharmila who has been continuing her fast since last ten years in Manipur.

The "ignored crusader" - Irom, who is also well-known as "Iron lady", reportedly sent a letter to the Gandhian crusader seeking support for her cause to withdraw controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, from Manipur.

In her letter to Anna, Irom Sharmila reportedly ruled out an unconditional support and has spoken about the need for reciprocity from Team Anna towards her cause.

Citing the situation, many started speculating - will Anna extend his helping hands towards Irom Sharmila? Sharmila, who has been under house arrest at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Imphal, had her last voluntary meal on Nov 4, 2000. She started her agitation to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which gives the military powers such as the right to arrest suspected militants without a warrant and to shoot anyone suspected of being a rebel.

Armed Forces Special Powers Act is being implemented in the terrorism dominated states in India and the soldiers are bestowed with tremendous power to tackle the militants.

Sharmila lives in Manipur, the north east state which faces enough trouble - both from the army and the militants. Experiencing the draw-backs of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Sharmila began her long-battle to protest the anti-terror law.

Naga students urge Manipur govt to uphold 1992 MoU

Kohima, Aug 25 : The Naga Students Federation (NSF) has urged the Manipur chief minister to honour the November 1992 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that assured that not an inch of Naga area would be bartered away under any circumstance .

The NSF issued a copy of representation addressed to Mr O Ibobo Singh by NSF vice-president Sinhilo Thong, Speaker RS Jollyson and general secretary N Ejanthung Ngullie. It referred to the ongoing demand for the creation of Sadar Hills District in Manipur and said the organisation would resort to its own course of action if the memorandum was not honoured.

The NSF reminded the Manipur government of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on November 10, 1992 between the NSF and the Government of Manipur, then represented by the Deputy Chief Minister-acting Chief Minister of Manipur and the Chief Secretary.

The NSF asked the Manipur government to sincerely implement the charter points executed in 1992, keeping in mind the interests and rights of the Nagas in that state in the backdrop of the ongoing demand for creation of Sadar Hills District .

Manipur Assembly starts with tributes to deceased members

Imphal, Aug 24 : The eleventh session of the ninth Manipur Assembly began here today amid tight security.


Members of the House paid obituary reference to three former members of the House, Moirangthem Meghachandra, Thangjolal and Elangbam Suraj.


Suraj was a member of the ninth assembly and was killed in a tragic road accident recently in New Delhi.

Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh said Elangbam Suraj was a young dynamic leader who was well educated and excelled in various fields.

Leader of the Opposition, Radhabinod Koijam also remembered the works of the three former members.

The House was adjourned after taking up the obituary reference.

Manipur CM to tour European countries

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh accompanied by a team of state government officials will tour European countries from September 7 to 11 next. Official sources said he will visit Luxembourg, Belgium, Spain and France. Officials, however, did not reveal the details of the tour. Sources said the tour may be linked with taking up developmental works and see the works taken up in the European countries.

BJP up in arms against corruption in Imphal

IMPHAL: Joining the nationwide protest against corruption and storing of black money in foreign banks, members of BJP's Manipur unit staged a demonstration at their Imphal head office on Thursday.

"Our agitation is part of a four-day nationwide agitation against corruption and black money stored in foreign banks," said the party's secretary (media affairs) Laimayum Basanta Sharma.

He added that the party would continue to take up different modes of protests like street meetings, demonstrations and would whip up support against corruption rampant across the country and Manipur in particular.

The BJP's stir comes barely 12 days after the party's national general secretary, Tapir Gao, sought an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the police action on yoga guru Baba Ramdev's supporters on Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.

"Though we don't have any legislator in the sixty-member Manipur assembly, our national leaders have taken up all critical issues of the state in Parliament from time to time for redressal," said Sharma. Ruing the Centre's decision to defer the Parliament session, he added that the decision was taken after rejecting BJP leaders' demand to hold a special session to discuss the crux issues on various aspects, including corruption.

On the other hand, the lone representative of the saffron party in the Imphal Municipal Council (IMC), Yumlembam Ratikanta, carried out a cleanliness drive at a sericulture office complex in the Sangaipat area of Imphal East. "This is the first social work taken up by me after being elected as councilor in the IMC. We will play the perfect role of opposition for the welfare of people," he said.

AFSPA for another year in Manipur

Iboyaima Laithangbam

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, has been extended for another year in Manipur with effect from Wednesday, after the State was declared disturbed.

The Cabinet recently recommended to the Union government that the AFSPA be extended.

The AFSPA was first imposed in Manipur in December 1980 as foreign-trained insurgents had become uncontrollable. Since then, it has been periodically extended. Under the Act, the Army has been deployed to “assist the civil administration.”

Following mass agitations for repeal, the Manipur government lifted the AFSPA from seven Assembly segments from August 12, 2004.

The government hoped that this gesture would elicit a positive response from the insurgents. However, in August 2006 they lobbed grenades at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) temple in Imphal, killing six persons.

Meghen should be brought back says BJP Manipur unit

IMPHAL, Dec 3 : The Bharatiya Janata Party Manipur Pradesh in a statement issued by its president S Ibohal Singh stated that RK Meghen should be brought back to Manipur and tried fairly in law court.
The BJP statement said that after two months concealment of the arrest of RK Meghen alias Sanayaima Singh, chairman of UNLF, a prominent underground organisation of Manipur now it is clearly understood that he was arrested in Bihar on the basis of the statement issued by the DGP, Manipur which was published in all the local newspaper & electronic media on December 2.
Now the drama of uncertainly and undemocratic way of Meghen arrest has gone and ended the harassment given to civil organisations, political parties and family members although there was serious dissatisfaction on the role played by Union Home Ministry, the BJP Manipur president claimed.
It also questioned next type of harassments and suppression of facts will be meted out to the unfortunate underground leader in the name of taking follow up legal procedures is to be observed closely as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India had already played dishonest role on his arrest without giving information of his arrest for a long period of over two months to the people of Manipur which is deadly against the existing practice of the law of the land. This is a serious matter of deceive in brought day light, Ibohal alleged.
While appreciating the statement of DGP, Manipur he also urged the Manipur police to find out the FIR case number of the arrest of RK Meghen, name of the police station and number of days of his police remand and concerned court of the Bihar State to serve the purpose of public information since DGP is officially informed by the office of the National Investigation Agency in the public interest.
It further asserted that in the past one or two years, the public have heard stories of the arrest of some leaders of underground organisations. Rajakhwa, a leader and his associates of ULFA, NDF Chairman Niranjoy, one leader of Dema Halam of Assam and James Kuki, a leader of NSCN (IM) who were arrested in Bangladesh and Kathmandu were brought back to their respective states and now in their respective states Jail. Similarly RK Meghen should be brought back to Manipur and he should be fairly tried by the law of the land, the BJP Manipur unit urged adding any application of third degree method should be avoided.
The Chief Minister of Manipur should also take initiative as was done by the Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland in dealing with the problems of the arrest of underground leaders of their respective states similar to the arrest of RK Meghen the statement added.
If there was no exposition by the vice-chairman of the UNLF, Sudhir Bhonsmik of BBC and Tahelka of the arrest of RK Meghen and subsequent movement and pressure by civil organisations including the AMSU, non-Congress political parties and National and International Human Rights forums, RK Meghen could be a missing person forever, it maintained.