[Nagaland] 01. Prayers at NSCN camp for success of peace parleys with New Delhi:
[India News]: Dimapur, Jan 3: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), on the first Sunday of New Year 2005, observed a fast and prayer programme for the success of the ongoing peace talks with the Government of India and also for the progress of the organization. "We observed fast and prayer for the success of the peace talks and also we want to progress and continue in spiritual life", NSCN chairman Isak Chisi Swu told ANI. Many cadres of the armed wing along with their families, attended the programme organized under the theme, "We have peace with God". The collective leadership chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah also joined the prayer, which started at 8:00 am and continued till 1:00 pm. Eminent ethicist and theologian O. Shiluinla Jamir gave a sermon titled "Understanding God's mission in 21st century", to the armed wing cadres of NSCN (I-M) on the first morning service of 2005 in NSCN General Headquarters Church. She expressed satisfaction that she was in the midst of people whose fortitude and persistence has kept the idea of Nagalim going. "We had a prayer and fast programme, since it was the first Sunday of the year, for the success of Indo-Naga peace talks. We did a lot of retrospection and introspection about our role and participation in God's mission", said Shiluinla on the sidelines of the prayer. "God's mission to us is about liberation and deliverance from any oppressive culture, religion, power or structures. It is about reconciliation. Reconciliation involves mending relations between human beings. God wants all children to live in harmony and mutual responsibility", she said in her sermon. Highlighting as to how NSCN can participate in God's mission, Shiluinla said, that (NSCN) could participate in God's mission by imitating God's love and compassion. The famous Chambers Choir also participated in the programme and with their mesmerizing songs tried to spread the message of peace and God's mission of love on the auspicious occasion. Appreciating the members of Chambers Choir after the prayer and fast programme, chairman Isak Chisi Swu said that they should propagate Naga culture to the outside world through music. "Let us pray to God that settlement comes first. Let us pray together that Nagalim is for Christ, that is the will of God," he said. Meanwhile, the prayer and fast programme was also observed in the Council Headquarters of the organization last week to keep the idea of Nagalim going as well as for the success of Indo-Naga peace talks. The NSCN collective leadership, chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah are presently in Nagaland to mobilize the popular Naga opinion before initiating the second inning of talks with New Delhi. The arrival of NSCN top leaders in homeland has raised hopes of people, as both Swu and Muivah have thanked the Government of India for recognizing the unique history of Nagaland and for finding an amicable solution to the decades old political problem. (ANI) http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=54323 03/01/2005 02. AFSPA indispensable: GOC-in-C Source: The Sangai Express Imphal, January 03: The Army will not be in a position to tackle insurgency in the country without the provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), General Officer Commanding -in-Chief (Eastern Command) Lt Gen Arvind Sharma today said. "I am afraid that without the AFSPA, the Army will not be able to function in insurgency situations. Without the Act, we will be a reactive force only. The militants will always get an upper hand,?? Lt Gen Sharma said at his first press conference as GOC-in-C. The AFSPA is now in force in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, two districts of Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Tripura, he said, adding, "this is a right act ...absolutely essential". Asked to comment on reports that Kolkata was fast becoming a transit point for militant outfits, he said West Bengal had neither been declared a Disturbed Area, nor was AFSPA in force anywhere in the state. "This is one major aspect that the State Government must look into. However, our intelligence personnel are working with the State Government in monitoring the situation and exchanging information," he said. On the question of providing rehabilitation packages for surrendered militants in the region, Sharma said there was a need to standardise such packages and talks were on with State Governments. "However, it must also be kept in mind that some State Governments are strapped for cash". On the Manorama issue in Manipur, Sharma said the matter now rested with the Gauhati High Court. He alleged much of the media coverage of the incident was ?one-sided?. Asked to comment on incidents of molestation and rape by Army personnel in some States of the North-East, he said, "in a large army like ours, such incidents are likely to occur. After all, we come from the same stock of society. But we make sure those who are on the wrong side are punished". He said during pre-induction training, personnel were lectured on behavioural and psychological aspects. "In a class, one or two fail despite being taught the same curriculum by the same teacher. This aspect is also taken care of as a matter of routine." When asked to evaluate the activities of the ISI in the eastern sector, Sharma said it was looking eastwards for some years ?after facing the law of diminishing returns? in the western sector following relentless operation by the armed forces. "In the east, the ISI is using forces of countries whose interests are inimical to us". The ULFA, he said, was under sustained pressure owing to operations by the armed forces and it was now up to the Centre to find the means to bring them to the mainstream. Our Staff Reporter adds: The people of Manipur had risen as one following the recovery of the bullet riddled body of Th Manorama after she was picked up by Assam Rifles personnel in May this year. The nude protest at Kangla and the self immolation of Pebam Chittaranjan had given the fillip to the people to raise the demand for the repeal of the controversial AFSPA. Buckling under pressure the State Government lifted the Act from the Imphal Mucipal areas and the Centre constituted the Review Committee to study the Act and give its due recommendations within six months time. http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=1.10.040105.jan05 03/01/2005 03. Nagalim: Democratic Alliance of Nagaland stresses amicable solution to Naga crisis The Chairman of ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) and BJP MLA, Hokishe Sema, has stressed on the need for an amicable solution to the decade old Naga crisis. He said that the political problem should be worked out speedily, failing which the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) might lose the people's support. He said that this time the peace talks are in decisive stage and more likely to be fruitful, and the time has come for the crisis to come to an end.He added that since the solution has become the demand of the people, this time round, the NSCN (I-M) should soften its stand and reach on an understanding with the Government of India in this regard. He is also of the view that the NSCN should work for a special status for Nagaland within India. NSCN (I-M) collective leadership, Chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah are in Nagaland to take the popular Naga opinion into consideration before going for a second round of talks with New Delhi possibly in January end http://www.unpo.org/news_detail.php?arg=41&par=1697 02/01/2005 04. NNC (Panger) warns against compromising Nagas' sovereign rights Oken Jeet Sandham Kohima, January 02 (NEPS): The Naga National Council (Panger) expressed serious concern on the political development emanated from the ongoing peace process between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM). In a statement here, the NNC (P) President, Mr I Panger Walling, said the NSCN (IM) was discussing only "Naga integration" in their talks with the Government of India instead of focusing on the Naga sovereignty issue that had been at the "heart of our political struggle for the last 57 years". If the NSCN (IM)'s talks with the Government of India was only for integration of India-occupied Naga areas, then the organization (NSCN-IM) would be making a formidable mistake and the nation (Naga) would never forgive them, the NNC (P) Chief said. He further cautioned that "Whoever compromises the sovereign rights of the Nagas will be condemned by the people now and also, by the future generations and the blood of the martyrs will be upon them". "The precious lives of our martyrs were given for sovereignty (and) not for a mere integration," he said adding, "The Naga political issue is an international issue and should be dealt internationally". Calling the Naga people to ponder over the Naga political issue seriously at this critical juncture, the NNC (P) also reminded the NSCN (IM) that its (NSCN-IM) ceasefire and subsequent talks with the Government of India over the last seven years had caused weakening not only them (NSCN-IM) but the political issue itself. Sending a strong note to the Government of India that piece-meal settlement could never bring permanent settlement to the longstanding Naga political issue, Walling reiterated the NNC's commitment to fight till they achieved their "proper recognition and of a free and independent nation" covering the whole of Naga inhabited areas. Asking the Government of India and the Myanmar junta to cease aggressing their territories, the NNC (P) leader explained the two countries (India and Myanmar) would never know true security and peace within their own lands until they reached a peaceful and just settlement with all the Nagas. Reiterating its commitment to the Naga National Unity for the achievement of its national goal, the NNC (P) called upon the Nagas to be united in their struggle to reach a final political solution to the 57 years of conflict. http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=3.10.030105.jan05 [Tripura] 03/01/2005 05. Army cannot tackle insurgents without Special Powers Act: [India News]: Kolkata, Jan 3 : The Army will not be in a position to tackle insurgency in the country without the provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (Eastern Command) Lt Gen Arvind Sharma today said. ''I am afraid that without the AFSPA, the Army will not be able to function in insurgency situations. Without the Act, we will be a reactive force only. The militants will always get an upper hand,'' Lt Gen Sharma said at his first press conference as GOC-in-C. The AFSPA is now in force in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, two districts of Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Tripura, he said, adding, ''this is a right act ... Absolutely essential.'' Asked to comment on reports that Kolkata was fast becoming a transit point for militant outfits, he said West Bengal had neither been declared a Disturbed Area, nor was AFSPA in force anywhere in the state. ''This is one major aspect that the state government must look into. However, our intelligence personnel are working with the state government in monitoring the situation and exchanging information,'' he said. On the question of providing rehabilitation packages for surrendered militants in the region, Sharma said there was a need to standardise such packages and talks were on with state governments. ''However, it must also be kept in mind that some state governments are strapped for cash.'' PTI http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=54373 03/01/2005 06. CPM's decision about Tripura strongman raises misgivings: [India News]: Kolkata, Jan 3: The CPI(M)'s unilateral decisiion to revoke the expulsion order, served on the former politburo member and ex-chief minister of Tripura, Nripen Chakraborty, only a couple of days before his death late last month has raised serious misgivings about the party's real intention. Chakraborty was expelled from the CPI(M) in 1995 shortly after the party's Chandigarh congress apparently for criticising its industrial policy and the life-style of a section of leadership. The veteran politburo member and one of the founder members of the party was not even allowed to defend himself before being shown the door quite unceremoniously. The CPI(M)'s decision to take the Marxist into the party-fold when he was no longer in a position to serve it, has naturally generated a great deal of curiousity amidst the political parties here. According to informed sources, the main reason behind the CPI(M)'s decision to restore Chakraborty's membership was a conscious bid by the central leadership to refurbish the party's image, particularly among the Tripura comrades. Aware of the fact that a large section of Marxists in Tripura had not taken kindly to Chakraborty's expulsion, the party leadership was apprehensive of an adverse fallout in the next Assembly polls if he suffered the "ignominy of dying as an expelled member." The CPI(M) politburo was, therefore, in a hurry to withdraw the expulsion order, but obviously could not anticipate that the Chakraborty would die within the next two days. The politburo did not offer any plausible explanation of its decision, excepting that the expulsion was revoked "in view of his role in the communist movement." Mainline opposition parties here, however, feel the CPI(M)'s action only indicated the party's "political opportunism and moral degeneration." As Trinamul Congress spokesman and leader of the opposition in the Assembly Pankaj Banerjee put it, "The CPI(M) could have restored Chakraborty's membership much earlier if the party really felt it had made a mistake by expelling him. The fact that the CPI(M) felt or did nothing of the sort for almost a decade after his expulsion shows its real intention. The party wanted to appear magnanimous by revoking the expulsion on the eve of Chakraborty's demise. However, the very act has exposed the Marxists' self- deception." The state BJP leadership has also described the CPI(M)'s decision as a "political gimmick." "The CPI(M) has only made itself a laughing stock by making the unilateral announcement when Chakraborty was counting the last hours of his life. Had the party really wanted to take him back, the decision should have come much earlier," said a senior state BJP leader. The state Congress too regards the CPI(M)'s decision as "the biggest political joke of 2004." "It is simply childish. A man of Chakraborty's status deserved much better treatment from the party," said PCC general secretary Manas Bhuniya. A seven-time legislator and Tripura's chief minister for two terms, Chakraborty became a central committee member of the CPI(M) in 1972 and joined the politburo in 1985. The veteran Marxist, who spent as many as 18 years in prison as a freedom fighter and played a leading role in the country's communist movement, fell from the grace of the powerful coterie including former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, shortly after the 1994 Chandigarh congress. His praise for late Indira Gandhi as "India's best Prime Minister" and criticism of "corruption in the party" and Basu's industrialist son ultimately sealed his fate. The CPI(M), however, did not cite any reasons for Chakraborty's expulsion, excepting that he had "violated party discipline.' Chakraborty never said he had made a mistake by criticising certain aspects of the CPI(M) policies. Neither had he appealed to the leadership for restoration of his membership. The CPI(M)'s enigmatic silence over the entire episode has only compounded the confusion among its rank and file, particularly among the party workers in Tripura. Chakraborty's humiliation within the CPI(M) reminds one of similar instances in Bengal. Prof. Sankar Sen quit the Left Front cabinet as power minister after developing differences with Basu on policy matters. Asok Mitra, the noted economist, too resigned as the finance minister in the eighties due to similar reasons. The CPI(M) later made amends by sending him to the Rajya Sabha in 1992. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee too had quit the Basu cabinet as information and urban development minister in 1993 following a tiff with his predecessor. The CPI(M), however, has not cited any reasons for all these developments despite a lot of queries from the media as well as party members.(ANI) http://athens-olympics-2004.newkerala.com/?action=fullnews&id=54159 03/01/2005 07. Nripenda: A Long Revolutionary Innings COMRADE Nripen Chakraborty was one of the pioneers of communist movement in India. Particularly, he had a major contribution to the shaping of communist movement in Tripura. Born in 1905 at Bikrampur of undivided Bengal, situated at present in Bangladesh, Comrade Nripen Chakraborty jumped headlong in the Indian freedom movement towards the end of the 1920s while studying in Dhaka University and courted arrest. Following his release from jail, he came to Kolkata to study MA in economics. He also studied law for a brief period. He started his political life as a member of ‘Comilla Abhay Ashram’ under Dr Prafulla Ghosh and Dr Suresh Banerjee. In 1931 he took part in the civil disobedience movement and was imprisoned. Later he joined the socialist movement. Hiren Mukherjee and Nripen Chakraborty were the first joint secretaries of the Bengal unit of the Socialist Party. He had a considerable skill in journalism and joined Ananda Bazar Patrika as a sub-editor. Nripen Chakraborty came to Marxism through self-study and analysis of the political movements of 1930-34. He came in contact with other revolutionaries of communist ideology during this period and joined the Communist Party of India in 1934. He started organising the working class for the freedom movement. He played a robust role in strengthening the banned party Organisation in undivided Bengal, rising to the post of its state secretary in 1937. He was incarcerated as also tortured in jail time and again by the colonial British government. As a communist freedom fighter, he made a huge impact on the then revolutionary movement by escaping from the Hijli jail along with his compatriot Panchu Gopal Badhuri. He carried out his Party organisational functions from underground for a long time. He played an outstanding role in the realm of communist journalism by co-editing with Somnath Lahiri, the Bengali Party daily Swadhinata, in which incidentally the renowned revolutionary poet Sukanta Bhattacharjee was in charge of the juvenile section. Though Somnath Lahiri was the editor of the paper, Nripen Chakraborty used to look after every aspect. He even taught journalism to a number of comrades. Shortly after Independence, Congress goons made an attempt on his life by attacking him near the Party office in Kolkata, and left him lying on the road presuming him to be dead. He was taken to a hospital by certain Party sympathisers who happened to recognise him. He survived this bid on his life. Nripen Chakraborty was also one of the organisers of the armed resistance movement of the peasants of Kakadip. In 1950 Comrade Nripen Chakraborty was entrusted with building the Party organisation in Tripura at a time when the Party was banned and armed resistance movement was under way in the state’s hilly areas against the oppression of the Congress-led government’s army. Since the fifties he rendered tremendous contribution towards developing the Left, democratic and communist movement in Tripura, besides taking a robust role in the sphere of strengthening the Party organisation by waging relentless ideological struggle against revisionism and ultra-Left deviation. He remained Party state secretary from 1967 to 1977. Along with other Party leaders, he was incarcerated in the Bhagalpur Jail of Bihar under Preventive Detention Act by the Congress government in 1962. As a mass movement leader he was incarcerated several more times during the food movement of 1966-67, during the 1974 indefinite strike of Government employees, and following the promulgation of Emergency in 1975, when he was incarcerated in the Vellore Jail of Tamilnadu. In all he spent 18 years of his life in jail. Comrade Nripen Chakraborty was elected to the Tripura Territorial Council in 1957, and became opposition leader in 1962. Following Tripura’s attainment of full statehood, he became member of the state assembly from 1972 to 1998. After joining short spells of coalition governments, with first the Congress for Democracy (CFD) and then with the Janata Party in 1977, in both of which he was a minister, the CPI(M) got a massive mandate in the state assembly elections of December 31, 1977. Comrade Nripen Chakraborty became chief minister of the state’s first Left Front government in 1978 and also of the second one in 1983. Following removal of the Left Front government by the Congress-led centre through falsification of the 1988 assembly elections with assistance of the extremists and deployment of Army, Comrade Nripen Chakraborty discharged his role as the opposition leader effectively in the strenuous struggle against Congress-TUJS semi-fascist coalition regime. With the formation of the third Left Front Government in 1993, he became chairman of the State Planning Board. As a successful chief minister of the state for 10 consecutive years, Comrade Nripen Chakraborty attracted attention of the country with his relentless fight for the development of Tripura and his spartan lifestyle, which he maintained through out his life. He was an erudite person and a bachelor. Comrade Nripen Chakraborty was elected to the central committee of CPI(M) in 1972 and became the member of the Polit Bureau of CPI(M) in June 1984. However in 1995, Comrade Nripen Chakraborty seriously violated the Party discipline and the CPI(M) was forced to expel him from the primary membership of the Party. The Party, in line with its principle that nobody is above the Party, had to take this unpleasant decision. But even after his expulsion, the Party comrades of Tripura used to look after him. In December 2004 he became seriously ill and was brought to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. Keeping in mind the contribution of Comrade Nripen Chakraborty to the communist movement of our country, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau decided to restore his primary membership on December 24, 2004. http://pd.cpim.org/2005/0102/01022005_nripen%20life.htm __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today! http://my.yahoo.com -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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