Dharna being staged to demand punishment of the Mother-Daughter duo killers

IMPHAL, Jan 28: Con-demning the recent brutal murder of a mother and her daughter at Phayeng Makha Leikai, Meira Paibis of Tairenpokpi, Sairenkhul and Atongkhunou jointly staged a wakat meepham at the ground of Tairenpokpi Youth Club today.

Angom Ongbi Chanbi and her daughter Meneka alias Ibemcha were abducted by unidentified persons from their house in the intervening nights of January 12 and 13. Their bodies were found on January 23. It is suspected that they may have been raped before they were murdered.
Organised under the aegis of Tairenpokpi Women Society, the protestors demanded the Government to book the perpetrators of the crime and award them exemplary punishment.
They also called upon the Government to take the responsibility for the upbringing of three surviving children of Chanbi.
Placards inscribed with slogans like ‘We condemn brutal murder of Chanbi and Meneka’, ‘Respect the rights of women’, ‘Ensure protection of women’, ‘We want to live in peace’, etc were seen being used at the protest demonstration.
Participating in the protest demonstration, 60-year old Moirangthem Keina-hanbi of Sairemkhul said that the incident of brutal murder of Chanbi and her daughter Meneka has send shockwaves among the women not only in Phayeng area but also in other neighbouring villages.
‘‘We strongly condemned the incident and to ensure such incidents are not repeated the perpetrators of the crime should be arrested and given exemplary punishment. Such beastly beings should have no place in human society’’, she said.
Kh Punima, another protestor, called upon the Government for providing necessary assistance to the three surviving kids of Chanbi.
‘When there is lot of hardship for children who have lost either one of their parents, lost of both the parents may lead them to go astray’, she pointed out. Many of the protestors also cried in condemnation of the brutal murder.

Natl panel to take up child trafficking issue

New Delhi, January 27: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is rushing a team to Chennai to take up the issue of trafficked children from Assam and Manipur. The decision to despatch a team to Tamil Nadu came following pressure from NGOs to institute a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry on the large scale trafficking from Assam and North-Eastern States.

Chairperson of the NCPCR, Shanta Sinha told newsmen that a team has been assigned to visit Tamil Nadu to take up the issue with the State Government.

The Commission is also going to convene a meeting of the North Eastern States and the destination States to work out a coordination plan for State to State mechanism. “We are concerned about the North-Eastern States,” said the chairperson.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Shakti Vahini and Bikalpa Dhara also met the chairperson with a demand to institute an inquiry and take necessary action. In a memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the two NGOs called for a CBI probe into the whole issue of trafficking.

Trafficking from the North-East India and Eastern Himalaya region is continuously on the rise and needs a detailed investigation. There are all the possibilities that organised gangs have started operating in the area to traffic women and children.

Since these crimes are spread over different States it would be beneficial that this investigation is done by federal agency like the CBI, the NGOs said.

It was also pointed out that the Chennai incident is not an isolated case, in July last the Kolkata police had rescued 25 North-East children who were going towards Andhra Pradesh.

Similarly, there was a media report about the plight of 1600 children who had been shifted to schools in Karnataka. On August 5, 2008, Nagaland girls were rescued from traffickers in Malaysia. One trafficker was caught in Nagaland but nothing happened.

“These are very disturbing trends,” said Rishi Kant of Shakti Vahini. At least 76 children hailing from Manipur and Assam were rescued by Child Welfare Committee, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu from a children’s home in Magappair, Tamil Nadu.

This is the second time that CWC had rescued trafficked children from Manipur in Tamil Nadu. All the rescued children were rescued from an unregistered orphanage called Bedesta Blessing Home located at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

Earlier, the CWC claimed to have rescued 17 from a Children Home in Magappair, Tamil Nadu few days back. Reports have it that Bedesta Blessing Home lacked both infrastructure and enough food to feed the children and the crackdown was done by the members of CWC of Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu.

Out of the 76 children, 54 of them (all boys) belong to Manipur while the remaining hail from Assam, the source said adding the children were staying at BB Home since July, 2009.

9525 FIRs in four years only in 4 valley district of Manipur- Chief Minister

9525 FIRs lodged with police in last four years in valley districts: Ibobi

15 hours, 58 minutes, 50 seconds ago

IMPHAL, Jan 14: The State government had registered a total of 9525 (nine thousands five hundred and twenty five) FIR (First Information Report) cases at the police stations in Imphal East, Bishnupur and Thoubal District from 1st January, 2005 to 31st December, 2009, said home minister Okram Ibobi Singh during the question hour of the 7th session of the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly this morning.
The home minister further mentioned that a total of 3743 (three thousands seven hundred and forty three) FIR cases were registered at the police station of Imphal East, while a total of 2209 (two thousands two hundred and nine) FIR cases registered at Bishnupur district and a total of 3573 (three thousands five hundred and seventy three) FIR cases registered at the police station of Thoubal district.
The home minister was replying to a question raised by MLA, L. Nandakumar.
According to the home minister’s report a total of 185 were charge sheeted, 1783 were F.R.s and 1775 were under investigation from 2005 to 2009 for Imphal East District, while 52 were charge sheeted, 1089 were F.R.s and 1068 under investigation from 2005 to 2009 for Bishnupur District and a total of 15 were charge sheeted, 556 were F.R. and 3002 under investigation for Thoubal District.
  In another question raised by state MLA, Dr. Kashim Ruivah this morning the minister for tribal development and hills, D.D. Thaisi maintained that Autonomous District Council employees were cadre employees of the district council only and therefore there is no special terms and conditions of the employees.
The minister also noted that the employees’ names are included in the Manipur Government List (MGEL) and they are entitled to all the facilities of the state government.
On the other hand the P.H.E.D. minister T.N. Haokip said that town water supply scheme at Kumbi would be commissioned from July, 2010 while Pombikhok and Wathalambi Santipur Water Supply Scheme would be commissioned and made available to the public from March, 2010. Similarly the Ithai Water Supply Scheme would also be commissioned June, 2010.
The P.H.E.D. minister was answering a question raised by Kumbi Assembly Constituency, MLA N. Mangi during the question this morning.
He further noted that the P.H.E.D. department is ready to make the Tingsing Wangoo Water Supply Scheme functional from March, 2010.
He also clarified that Kumbi Laingoubi Water Supply Scheme is currently functioning however due to lack of the manpower there are some problem faced. To make the scheme self sustainable the department is trying to form a Village Water and Sanitation Committee in the area, he added.

Higher secondary amendment bill introduce in Assembly

2010-01-15 | 04:03:51

Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 14: Government bill seeking amendment to the Manipur Higher Secondary Education Act, 1992 was introduced today in the house of the Assembly today on the last day.

The bill introduced today related with amendment of the section 12(2)of the Manipur Higher Secondary Education Act, 1992 dealing with the appointment of the chairman of the Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur by which the government can appoint on deputation of an officer, who is working as the director of education (University) or director of Education (School) or a senior principal of a government college for three year term.

The bill is seeking insertion of a provision to allow appointment of a principal of government college with a minimum 15 years service as reader/section grade lecture as Chairman of the Council.

After a brief discussion on the bill, a house committee was formed to examine the bill and submit a report on the next session of the Assembly.

Class boycott ends, Lup signs truce with govt All under preventive detention in relation to stir released unconditionally, seized properties returned

10 hours, 39 minutes, 21 seconds ago

IMPHAL, Jan 8: The much anticipated moment of the people of the state finally arrived on Friday. Unyielding efforts of the senior citizens of the state ultimately bore fruits. They have finally managed to get the government and Apunba Lup signed a memorandum of understanding, MoU, today to end up the current impasse in the agitation in the aftermath of the July 23 Khwairamband firing.
Not long after reaching the truce, Apunba Lup who has been spearheading the agitation along with AMSU, MSF, KSA and the two JACs of the two victims, today decided to suspend their agitation and informed their class boycott call is over and educational institution can resume normal classes from January 11.
The MoU signed between the conflicting parties said all persons under preventive detention in connection with the protests that followed the July 23 incident would be unconditionally.
It also said all seized materials in operations on the issue would also be released.
Further, adequate compensation would be given to (L) Rabina Devi and the injured as per law, that the state government reassured that all cases of complaints in any of the CI operation would be looked into promptly.
Reciprocally, the Apunba Lup, AMSU, MSF, KSA and the two joint action committee of (L) Sanjit and (L) Rabina agreed to suspend all forms of agitations, including the education boycott call, launched in connection with the above mentioned incidents, with immediate effect.
Altogether 10 representatives including three co-ordinators of the Apunba Lup, presients of AMSU, MSF, KSA, convener and co-convener of the two JACs, represented the agitating groups in the truce signing, while on the government side, the chief minister Okram Ibobi headed the team which included his cabinet colleague Paarijat, Jayenta, Ranjit, Debendra, Biren and DD Thaisii along with chief secretary, DGP, commissioner Home and Advocate general. 
Three members of the senior citizens forum, Khaidem Mani, Prof. Sadananda and N.Binoy, who were the peace brokers in the four month long drama, were also part of the mediation.
The talks started from around 10 am in the morning and lasted till afternoon.
The Senior Citizens’ Forum for Society, Manipur, has been actively involved in mediating the talks between the Apunba Lup and the government. The first round of talk was held on October 31 and since then there has been several rounds of talk to deliberate the issue.
In a press meet held this afternoon at the office of Senior Citizens’ Forum, Khaidem Mani said that the members of the forum have succeeded in fulfilling the wishes of the general public by ending the impasse which has greatly affected the whole education sector of the state.
He further stated that the forum has been urging both the Lup and the government to soften their stances in the interest of the people of the state and added that they are doing all these things not for any personal benefit or favour from the government.
The senior citizens only wanted the state to be peaceful so as to ensure students proper education in the light of today’s highly competitive world, he added. 
The forum has also expressed desire to mediate the dialogue for resolving the present arm conflict which has shattered the tranquility of the state.
Further, the secretary of the senior citizens’ forum informed that the annual general body meeting of the forum would be held on January 21 at Singjamei Thongam Leikai.
There would also be discussions on ways to mediate the present arm conflict in the state and its possible solutions.
On the other hand, a statement released by the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup, WCAL, said they decided to suspend their agitation to provide the government with the opportunity to demonstrate its sincerity in initiating necessary action as per the findings of the CBI to which the July 23 case has recently been handed over.
The WCAL release also reiterated that educational institute can now resume normal classes from January 11.
It said that the decision of the state government to hand over the July 23 incident to the CBI is itself an achievement of the peoples’ agitation adding that it was a victory.
It held that the agitation has also achieved the objective of exposing to the masses as well as to the world the true colour of the government.
It also profusely thanked the determination and co-operation extended by the people in making the prolonged agitations bear fruit and added that with such endorsement from the people the WCAL felt that the society could be freed from oppressive government functioning behind the mask of democracy.
It also said the failures encountered during the agitation should also serve as lesson for one and all.
The agitation’s biggest achievement however is in its success in building unity among among the civil society organization, students bodies and the people, added the WCAL statement.
Further the statement said that although the government has been elected Class boycott ends, Lup signs truce with govt
through peoples’ vote however the representatives failed to abide by the rule of law and this amounts to challenging democracy.
It did this blatantly by unleashing a reign of terror by killing at will adding that in the year 2009 alone, around 400 lives had been lost in fake encounters, custodial killing etc filling the land with cries for justice.
It held that it cannot be ruled out that democracy no longer exists in the state as no one is abiding by the rule of law. Even the established law has failed to take action against the chief minister for misleading the highest institution of democracy, the Manipur Assembly. It also failed in hauling up police officers passing on false statements adding even the MLA do not raise any opposition for these acts of demeaning the august House.
All this is covered up in the name of counter insurgency it said.
Further the WCAL extended its apologies for the hardship caused to the people and thank them for their patience in bearing out with teh Apunba Lup in the fight for justice.
If the government is not sincere and tries to cover up the crimes of the guilty, the Apunba Lup would be all ready to embark on another agitation, and it appealed to the people to be prepared to go along with it.