Agatha Union Minister for State urges PM to repeal or withdraw AFSPA

2009-06-27 | 08:13:04

Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 26
Union minister of State for Rural Development Ms Agatha Sangma yesterday met Prime Minister Dr Manmohon Singh and handed him a letter urging him  to repeal or withdraw AFSPA from Manipur so as to save the life of Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been fasting over ten years now.

Ms Sangma conveyed her concern for Irom Chanu Sharmila's condition to the Prime Minister.In her letter, of which a copy was sent to the president of NCP Manipur state and MLA (ex-CM) Radhabinod Koijam today, Ms Sangma stated, "During my visit to Manipur the people drew my attention to the atrocities being perpetuated by the security forces using the provisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. This was very much in my mind and therefore, I visited the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital on the 17th June, 2009 and met Ms Irom Sharmila who is on hunger strike till death for over eight years. It was a very memorable moment for me. I assured Ms Sharmila that I will take up the issue before the Government for the repeal of the Act."

She further stated, she knows that "this issue is very much in your mind and therefore, I earnestly request you to consider thecase on its merit for repeal of the Act or alternately withdrawal of the provision of the Act in so far as its application in Manipur is concerned, so that Ms Sharmila can end her fast and her precious life be saved."

For the Sake of our Children An Appeal to all Sensible Nagas

Sources-http://www.morungexpress.com/leftwing/27003.html

The churches in all nook and corners of the villages must be made aware and sensitized about the dangers of sending their children outside the state in the name of free education, job, training, mission work etc. The churches must check and verify the person, organization, or church that is offering the help to children. There is no doubt that there are genuine and good human beings/organizations doing noble work of helping the poor and needy but we must be aware that most of the so called “ charity organizations” get funds in the name of these poor tribal children. The funds actually do not reach the children; the children are used as “show piece” for prospective funders to fund their interest. The children are used like servants, treated as lesser beings and objects of charity because they are “poor backward tribal from remote villages of Manipur or Nagaland”. There are many street children, child beggars, children from impoverished homes in Andhra Pradesh and for that matter in many other states of India. Why should they bring children all the way from the North East? There are many more things hidden beneath the superficial charity work. The church must also play active role in pressurizing the Govt and NGOs to do what they are supposed to do. Why do the poor parents from the villages send their children to far off places when offered free education for their children? If affordable quality education is available in their villages/towns the poor parents will not send their children which most of the time land them into exploitative and difficult situations? If the government is not doing enough, raise your voice for a good cause. If the government is too poor to do something for its people, start some good schools in the villages like the catholic churches. Money is never the problem, where there is a will there’s a way. Don’t we all believe in a rich God, Who provides? Women organizations, student bodies, village councils, NGOs,Hohos, etc, worth its salt must spread the message, educate its members about this issue of child trafficking and child labor, violation of child rights etc. Every mother must be told that it is illegal to send their children to work as child labor/domestic servants. She must be told that her child has a right to quality education. She has a right to demand from the government to give her child quality education. The student organization, the NBCC women wing, church youth organization must help the poor illiterate mothers fight for her children’s right to quality education. It is time that we must raise our voice against all the injustice being done in our society by our own very people and for which our people/children become easy targets for exploitation by outsiders. How long can we remain silent spectators? God will surely judge us for not doing what each of us ought to do. A good Christian doesn’t start and end simply by going to church every Sunday, singing some hymns of praise and worship and saying some prayers. I believe our God expects much more than that! Nagas, please stop illegal practice of keeping child domestic servants. Do not violate the child’s right to education and the child’s right to have a normal childhood. Stop illegal adoption. Simply giving a Naga name to a non-Naga doesn’t give you the right to say you have ‘adopted’ the child. There is a proper legal procedure for adoption. If you are educated and modernized enough, you should know better! Naga Christians, please know that all these violation of child rights is wrong/sinful/illegal.Every student organization must check and see that a child of their community is send to school even if she is working as a domestic servant in some other homes. Student unions must continue to see that the schools in their villages are running properly so that no poor family is compelled to send their children to some very far off places when ‘free education’ is offered. Every child has a right to quality education. The poor child and the poor/illiterate parents need your help.

note- this is the news in morung express

15 houses burn down and villages tortured by Indian Security Forces

2009-06-21 | 07:05:25

Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 20
A huge combined team of state and central security forces set on fire and destroyed 15 houses belonging to villagers at Chingjao located between Tokpa Ching and Pumlen Pat in Thoubal District.

The team comprising Thoubal, Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur District police commandos, 21 AR and 12 Maratha Light Infantry surrounded, cordoned off and launched a massive combing operation in areas of Khoidum Pat, Pumlen Pat, Komnao, etc. from 9 am yesterday.The security personnel  rounded up villagers and made them row the boats on the lakes and combed the areas.

There has been no report of arrest of any insurget nor recovery of any items related with the UGs during the combing operation that began from yesterday and continued till this afternoon. The operation ended in the afternoon today.

Soon after the combing operation was over, a group of pressmen landed at Chingjao located just next to Tokpa Ching under the jurisdiction of Waikhong Police Station. The pressmen found 15 houses completely destroyed by fire.

Chingjao is a village of 15 houses, located a little distance away from Tokpa Ching. Boats are the only means to reach the village. The main occupation of the villagers is fishing.

Villagers told the reporters that since the security forces conduct search operations at Chingjao village very frequently, some of the villagers had left their homes and were taking shelter in the neighbouring villages. They keep their huts at Chingjao village under lock in their absence. They come to the village during day time, feed their pigs and chickens, then retreat in the evening. 

The villagers said, all the huts that had been burned by the security forces are owned by villagers. No insurgents have ever built a house there.

Since the security forces had set on fire the houses, there is no place for poor people to live now, the villagers complained and alleged that it was an attack on the villagers launched by the security forces.Heisnam Ongbi Manitombi (38), a widowed mother of three children, said, the security forces come to Chingjao village from time to time and conduct search operation saying that the underground insurgents are allowed to stay at the village. Because of fear, most of the villagers had left their homes and taken shelter at homes of relatives or friends in the neighbouring villages. Some people had purchased land and constructed their houses elsewhere.

However, she said, since her husband had passed away and she has no money to shift home elsewhere, she continues to live in her house. She rears seven pigs left by her husband.

She went to Imphal yesterday to get herself treated at a hospital. On the way back, she heard of the operation being conducted at the village, therefore she halted the night at her relatives' home at Kakching Khunou. Today when she went to the village, she found her house completely reduced to ashes and her seven pigs had been killed and cosumed up by the security personnel.

She said, four almirahs, one generator used in the Lai Haraoba of thevillage, two beds, all the clothes in the almirahs worth thousands of rupees had been reduced to ashes in the fire. The security personnel had burned everything they had.

"Now where shall I live along with my three little children and what shall we wear?" She wept.The reporters found 15 houses completely burned. However one church, Chingjao Primary School and a village shrine were un touched.

Union minister Agatha Sangma visits Sharmila and promise to advocate for the removal of AFSPA with the Parliamentarian

‘Large number of children living sub-human lives’

Source-morungexpress.com/local/25250.html

Nagaland Governor K Sankaranarayanan addresses the North East Zonal Committee meeting of the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) at Hotel Japfü, Kohima, on Thursday, June 4. (DIPR Photo)

Kohima June 4 : NAGALAND GOVERNOR K Sankaranarayanan today challenged the people to question themselves of the efficacy of their efforts and commitment towards providing better living conditions and future for their children, pointing out that a large number of children continue to live sub-human lives. He said the uplift and proper care of our children is a most important and noble task which requires the efforts of all the well-meaning individuals and organisations besides the government.Exhorting the North East Zonal Committee meeting of the Indian Council for Child Welfare at Hotel Japfü this morning, the Governor said our welfare state has always been alive to the burning issue of the acute deprivation and distress that exists among a great population of our children and has made numerous efforts to bring about a genuine and meaningful transformation in the lives of the children and their unfortunate parents. However, while there have been noticeable successes, we cannot but question ourselves of the efficacy of our efforts and commitments when we are confronted with the unpleasant situation of a large number of children living sub-human lives, Sankaranarayanan said. He cited the some success examples such as the nationwide Integrated Child Development Scheme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid-Day Meal scheme and other poverty alleviation programmes such as the NREGA and REGA in increasing the income of the poor and thereby helping them provide better future for their children.The Governor also expressed pain that despite more than six decades of independence, many children still live their childhood that can never be called normal. “The future that we want our society to be like depends to a great extent on the way we nurture, care, mould and bring up our children,” he said adding that a sensitive and enlightened society would never even for a moment shirk this very responsibility towards its most precious asset – the children.Earlier, speaking as guest of honour, President of the Indian Council for Child Welfare, New Delhi, Gita Siddhartha highlighted some of the major concerns and achievements of the ICCW and said the people are the collective voice of the future of the children of India. Also, speaking on the occasion, Parliamentary Secretary Chotisuh Sazo said the government alone cannot ensure the rights of children and that it needs the cooperation and support of all concerned. Gita Siddhartha and her team from the ICCW later visited the World War Cemetery and villages in Southern Angami area where they were entertained with cultural programmes.