Mizo Nugget

Four new branches of IIMC to come up next year, one in Mizoram

2010-08-07T23:04:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Aug 8 : Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), one of the renowned media institutes in the country, is all set to spread its wings across India with four new branches commencing next year.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni today announced this at the 43rd convocation of the institute.

''The four new chapters of IIMC will be established in Jammu and Kashmir, Kerela, Maharashtra and Mizoram for the session 2011-12,'' Ms Soni said.

Referring to the growth of the media industry in India, the Minister said, ''It is expected that in the year 2014 the compounded growth rate in this industry will be approximately around 13 per cent.'' She expressed hope that the growth will be in all the sectors of the industry -- broadcasting, print media, radio and animation.

With a special mention to the animation industry, Ms Soni reckoned that in the years to come, India would be the hub in animation.

''We hope that with an investment of Rs 52 crore through public-private partnership (PPP), India will be an animation hub including gaming and visual effects,'' she said.

MBDPF alleges conspiracy to create rift between Mizo-Brus

2010-07-27T04:55:00.000-07:00

Agartala, July 27 (PTI) The Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum (MBDPF), an apex body of the Bru/Reang refugees, today alleged a conspiracy was being hatched to create rift between the Mizo and Bru communities and demanded the Superintendent of Police conduct probe into the matter.

In a letter addressed to the SP, North Tripura district, A Sawinbunga, General Secretary of MBDPF informed some leaflets with a malicious campaign against the MBDPF, were found in several places of Kanchanpur sub-division recently.

The leaflets, written in local dialect, reportedly read that Elvish Chorkhy, R. Laldawngliana and A. Sawibunga, all MBDPF leaders, are heading the Bru National Army (BNA) outfit and working to target Mizo people in near future which is potently untrue, the letter said.

Alleging the distribution of such leaflets triggered tension among Bru and Mizo communities in Kanchanpur sub-division, a team of MBDPF met the Officer in Charge (OC), Kanchanpur sub-division and handed over some leaflets to him.The letter, sent to the SP, called for a probe in the matter.

The letter alleged the move is aimed to destabilize the relations between Mizo and Reang (Bru) in the sub-division where more than 30,000 refugees had been sheltered due to ethnic strife in neighbouring Mizoram.

Tagore tome in Mizo

2010-07-13T06:09:00.001-07:00

JHINUK MAZUMDAR

Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) has taken up a project to translate the Gitanjali into Mizo to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.

The Rs 1.5-lakh joint venture between the RBU and Mizoram University will take off in November with March 2011 deadline. The initial print volume is 2,000 copies.

“Tagore has been translated into 20 European languages and nine Asian languages but unfortunately not in any of India’s north-eastern languages,” said Subir Dhar, the director of RBU’s School of Languages and Culture, who is at the helm of the project.

“The interesting part is that we will translate from both the Bengali and English versions of Gitanjali and not just from the English text, which is the base book for several translations,” he added.

The departments of English and Mizo of Mizoram University will collaborate with RBU on the project.

Mizoram University is hopeful of the project. “Though it is in the initial stage, there’s a possibility of including this translation in the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It will open up the scope of studying writers from other regions and not only those of Mizoram,” said Margaret Zama, the head of the department of English, Mizoram University.

Giving translation studies a boost, RBU has decided to offer a one-year postgraduate diploma course in ‘translation and transcultural studies’ from August this year.

“The course will be more practical than theory. Students will be encouraged to do translations and evaluate translations,” said Dhar.

Graduates can opt for either translation or transcultural studies after passing an entrance test. There will be 50 seats in this UGC-sponsored course, which, the RBU authorities believe, will open up job avenues for the students in the publishing, hospitality and tourism industries.
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First indigenous ‘toned milk’ coming up in Mizoram

2010-07-13T03:19:00.001-07:00

Aizawl | July 12: For the first time in the history of Mizoram a ‘toned milk”–a product of Mizoram Multi- Commodity Producers Cooperative Union ( MULCO) was launched in Aizawl by Lalriliani, president of Indian Society for Tobacco & Health (ISTH), Mizoram Chapter who is also the wife of chief minister Lalthanhawla on Saturday. Lalrinliani lauded the MULCO’s genuine initiatives in bringing out “toned milk” product for the larger interests of sound health and nutrition of the people.
Consultant, MULCO Ltd Rinzuala citing Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA), the Toned Milk has to possess the minimum 3% fats and 8.5 % SNF (Solid Not Fat). Officials revealing the dark side of its workers across the state said that milk producers under MULCO are struggling hard for survival against soaring prices and stiff competitors. Prices of commodities such as cattle feed and oil cake are comparatively higher in Mizoram than other states. In average, a single cow in Mizoram can produce eight litres of milk per day.
After paying for cow feed, oil cake, mineral, medicines and wages of labours, a dairy farmer virtually has no profit. To make matters worse, dairy brands like Amul and Nestle are selling their ultra high temperature (UHT) milk at much cheaper prices in Mizoram due to their lesser production cost. MULCO has been making all-out efforts to rescue the dairy farmers. MULCO was established in 1984 and the company is currently helping out as many as 330 cattle rearers in the state.
According to Varsi Consultancy, Mission Veng in Aizawl, each family in Aizawl consumes only 36 litres of milk in a month with 3% of it for drinking purpose and the rest for making dahi, paneer, lassi, sweets, ice cream et al. The survey also revealed that Aizawl’s requirement of milk on daily basis is 3076 litres worth Rs.8,20,000. MULCO has been selling out 7000- 8000 litres of milk on daily basis.
Meanwhile, the just launched ‘toned milk’ is priced at Rs.36- per litre and will be available in the markets from July 3 next. Other products launched by MULCO in recent times include pasteurized milk (regular), dahi, lasi, paneer, rasmallai, rasgulla, ghee and ice cream (5 flavours). During 2009- 10, the MULCO had notably purchased 23.33 lakh litres of milk worth Rs.58.95 lakhs from cattle rearers in the state. Currently, as many as 3 societies are affiliated under MULCO Ltd.

MBDPF to complete list of Bru refugees in relief camps

2010-07-09T21:48:00.003-07:00

Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF) has been preparing the complete list of Bru refugees lodged in the six relief camps at Kanchanpur Sub-Division in North Tripura district and expected to complete the exercise within a week or two. Elvis Chorkhy, president of the MBDPF told PTI over phone
from Naisingpara relief camp, the largest Bru refugee camp, that some of the camps were yet to submit the lists while they expected to complete the lists within one or two weeks.

"The proformas distributed to the inmates of the camps wanted minute details of the family members including which village they want to resettle after their return to Mizoram," Chorkhy said.

The lists were classified into three categories those who left Mizoram in 1997, those who left Mizoram in 2009 and the members of the former Bru militants who had surrendered to the Mizoram government.

The head count of the Bru refugees would facilitate the repatriation of hundreds of Bru families who fled Mizoram due to communal flare-ups in 1997 and 2009 both triggered by murders of Mizos by Bru militants.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, when he visited Aizawl on May 25 last, urged the Bru leaders to ensure that all the refugees returned to Mizoram latest by October end.

Zero tolerance for extortion: Mizoram govt

2010-07-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

Aizawl, Jul 9: Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana today made it clear that the state government would not tolerate extortion in the name of ''donation''.

Concerned over the rampant cases of extortion from non-Mizos by different organisations, Mr Lalzirliana convened a meeting with different bodies on the issue.

''There is a good number of organisations formed by lazy people, who are trying to live on others' hard-earned money. These people have given a bad name to Mizoram and turned the otherwise peaceful state into a horrible land for non-Mizos,'' Mr Lalzirliana said.

It is alleged that a number of organisations, including some student bodies, are ''collecting donations'' from non-local traders. ''The government does not allow any kind of extortion, even if it is called donation. This is illegal. Anyone involved in this illegal activity will be dealth in accordance with the law,'' the Home Minister stated.

Mizoram CM greets Mizos on Peace Day

2010-06-30T00:47:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, Jun 30 : Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today extended his greetings to the Mizos on the eve of the 24th anniversary of the historic Mizo Peace Accord.

The Mizoram Accord was signed on June 30, 1986 between then outlawed Mizo National Front, led by Laldenga and the Union Government, ending one of the bloodiest insurgencies in the country.

In his message, the Chief Minister said his government gives top priority to the law and order situation so that the people of Mizoram can march forward to catch up with the rest of the country. Stating that his government remains committed towards promoting the welfare of the poor, Mr Lal Thanhawla said, the flagship New Land Use Policy that aims to uplift the poor is being launched.

''Under the NREGS and JNNURM, the government has been providing employment to the poor,'' he stated.

To generate more power, the government has vigorously pursued big projects like the 210 MW Tuivai Hydel project, 60MW Tuirial Hydel project and 460MW Kolodyne hydel project while smaller projects like 3MW Maicham II small hydel project and 12 MW Serlui B hydel project have been completed, the Chief Minister said.

Mizoram is one of the most peaceful states in India and the accord signed by MNF rebel leader Pu Laldenga with the Centre is often taken as a model for peace settlements in the trouble-torn northeastern states.

In the field of education, the government had taken major steps to impart quality education from primary to college level and to overtake Kerala in literacy. ''Mizoram has been declared the second best performing state in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan,'' he added. Sources said that the Mizo National Front party is gearing up to mark the occasion at the party headquarters Hnam Run in Aizawl. ''Several cultural activities and awareness campaigns will be held here and in party units across the state,'' MNF official said.

Among many others, the Mizoram government had taken major initiatives to explore the huge sports potential in Mizoram, the Chief Minister said.

The opposition Mizo National Front will separately observe Remna Ni or Peace Accord Day at its general headquarters office Hnam Run where party president and former Chief Minister Zoramthanga will address the party members.

The 'Remna Ni' (Peace Accord Day) is a landmark occasion for the people of Mizoram as they feel that it signalled renewal of hope for peace, progress and real development for Mizoram.

The political disturbances started during the tribulation of the bamboo flowering (Mautam) famine which left a deep scar on the minds of some Mizos and was interlinked with a secessionist movement that was to follow.

A voluntary organisation Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF) took up arms on February 28, 1966 in a bid to achieve its goal to separate the state from the India Union.

The Mizo hills were immediately declared a 'disturbed area' and security forces were inducted to maintain law and order.

The disturbances lasted for two decades during which the land had to weather many storms apart from lagging behind in the field of development.

Now 24 years down the line, the Mizo Peace Accord stands out as the most durable symbol of peace and progress, earning Mizoram a sobriquet of Island of Peace in the trouble-torn Northeast India.

Mizoram Governor Flagged-Off Olympic Day Run

2010-06-23T22:01:00.001-07:00

Aizawl: The Mizoram Governor Lt. Gen (Rtd) M.M.Lakhera, PVSM, AVSM, VSM flagged-off the Olympic Day Run from the A.R.Ground at 6:30 A.M. this morning. The Olympic Day Run was organised by Mizoram Olympic Association and 1695 athletes from 19 Sports Associations participated in this event. The Olympic Day Run covered a distance of around 2 kilometres from the A.R.Ground to Government Higher Secondary School Field, Mc Donald Hill where Pu Zodintluanga, Sports & Youth Services Minister and Senior Vice-President Mizoram Olympic Association distributed prizes to the participants.

In his flag-off speech, the Governor emphatically said that sport has been promoting friendship and brotherhood among people of different cultures, and encouraged the mizo youth to nurture and develop their sporting talents to make a mark in the National and International arenas.

At the Olympic Day Run closing function, Minister Pu Zodintluanga said that apart from its playful nature, Sports also aimed at rebuilding social life in a better way and it is high time we put our heart and soul into everything we do to succeed. He also encouraged the sports personalities present there by saying that if they put more sincere effort to any sporting discipline they are in, they have a great chance to make a name in the world.

The Minister also felicitated the winners of the 16th Asian Games Youth Across Asia Essay & Art Competition held on Mat 10, 2010. He also distributed prizes to various Sports Associations participating in the Olympic Day Run today. The top three participating Associations are :

1. Mizoram Amateur Taekwondo Associations - 335 members
2. Mizoram Judo Association - 302 members
3. Mizoram Athletics Association - 117 members

In 1987, in an effort to encourage all National Olympic Committees to commemorate and celebrate Olympic Day, the IOC Sport for All Commission launched the Olympic Day Run concept with the objective of promoting the practice of participation in sport by men, women and children from all corners of the world and all walks of life, regardless of athletic ability. The first Olympic Day Run was held in 1987, over a distance of 10km, with 45 participating NOCs. In 2006, there were 161 NOCs promoting Olympic Day Run to their countrymen.

The Olympic Day Run is usually held during June 17-24 by NOCs, with 1.5 KM Olympic Day Fun Run, 5 KM, and 10 KM running activities.

In Mizoram, the Olympic Day Run has been organised annually since 2006.

AMSU delegation visits Mizoram

2010-06-23T01:44:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL, June 23 : A delegation of the AMSU visited the office of the MZP (Mizoram students body) to apprise of the present situation in Manipur that has risen out of the unwarranted blockade of both the National Highways, NH-39 & NH-53, which are the life-lines of Manipur.

In a release, the AMSU said the whole population of the state were kept at ransom for more than two months by the economic blockade which was against any form of humanitarianism. The AMSU feels that the suspension of the blockade is not sufficient as res-imposition of the same looms large.

The AMSU remains indebted to MZP for their effort in organizing a press conference where AMSU could clarify many intricate issues revolving around the current blockade, the release said adding the students body is willing to host a direct talk with the NSF and AMSU under the aegis of the NESO as proposed by the MZP.

The AMSU also alleged that the central government has not been doing much to diffuse the situation and this intervention has been a little too late as the damage had already been done. The AMSU accused central government of igniting the unwanted issues due to which it resulted in such an ugly situation.

Mizoram to hike petrol and diesel price

2010-06-23T01:43:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, June 23 : A Cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Lal Thanhawla in Aizawl yesterday decided to hike the price of petrol and diesel by 0.50 paisa per litre, and approved ‘The Mizoram Energy Conservation Fund Rules, 2010”, “Amendment of Mizoram Air & Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Rules and decided to raise duty allowance of Mizoram Home Guard Volunteers.

Stating the reason for hiking petrol and diesel price, the chief minister said that as the state government had spent Rs. 4046 lakhs for buying rice so in order to stabilise the financial condition of the state it had to hike the prices of petrol and diesel.

Mizoram also have very less rice quota unlike previous months. The state government had to buy rice through economic cost from the centre monthly incurring a loss of Rs. 1190 per quintal. This is the fact that while Mizoram buys rice from outside at Rs. 2137 per quintal, the state government had sold rice at Rs. 950 per quintal. As per statistic from Agriculture department, Mizoram had 29,646 metric tons of rice during 2006-2007, 15,688 metric tons during 2007-08 and 68,917 metric tons during 2008-09.

On the other fronts, the Cabinet meeting gave nod to a one-time relaxation for one year in the recruitment rules for selection of Science, Mathematics and English subject teachers and also decided to relocate Sainik School and its related matters from the Home Department to the School Education Department. The Cabinet meeting also approved in principle the Sixth Pay Commission Report, and agreed to implement it at the earliest, after making necessary revisions as per the suggestions of the Employees’ Federation. The Cabinet meeting then approved in principle to implement the “Scheme of Revision of Pay of Teachers and Equivalent Cadres in Universities & Colleges on the Recommendation of the Sixth Central Pay Commission”, and re-arrangement of various posts among different Departments in the Secretariat.

A decision on proposed New Land Usable Policy (NLUP) Grant-in-aid Rules, 2010 (Grant-in-aid to Executing Agencies and Individual from NLUP Board and Grant-in-aid to NLUP Board from the Government) has been postponed for reconsideration in future meetings.

R.Lalzirliana inaugurates HSS lecturers training

2010-06-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

Aizawl: Home Minister R.Lalzirliana,here today graced an inaugural function for 'Training of HSS Lecturers on Scheme of Examination & Question Setting Technique' held at MBSE's Conference Hall as a Chief Guest.

Addressing the trainees, Home Minister highlighted that development and security of a country deeply depended upon the quality of education prevailed therein. It was a high time for each and every lecturer to have self introspection in order to gauge whether parents have absolute faith in them to look after their wards. Minister wondered why enrolment at private schools was always higher than that of government schools in spite of their exorbitant rate of admission and monthly fees. This pro-private schools- attitude deeply ingrained in the minds of parents today itself is a clarion call for teachers/lecturers to have self introspections and find out what went wrong in its entirety. Minister exhorted trainees to measure up to their great sobriquet 'Builder of the Nation' by giving their hearts and souls to their teaching job.

Minister further stressed that making a man humane and good citizen, rather than academic excellence alone is the ultimate aim of education, and urged the trainees to keep these facts in mind always. "In order to set standard and comprehensive questions teachers need to know their text books, syllabi and courses thoroughly, otherwise irrelevant and half-baked questions not only put culprit teachers ashamed but also tarnished the image of their schools and became a sore thumb to Board," added the Minister.

Director MBSE,Laldawngliana presided over the inaugural function which was also attended by Director(Acd) MBSE, R.Vanramchhunga, some MBSE officers . and 75 Lectures from 8 Districts.

Mizoram Minister Chakma inaugurates training on school safety

2010-06-17T22:10:00.001-07:00

Aizawl: Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Shri Nihar Kanti Chakma inaugurated today a 'Training on School Safety" at Central YMA Hall.

The Minister addressed the participants and said that Mizoram is fortunate for not coming across grave disasters, yet it is very necessary to be prepared in advance. Disaster Management committees were set up at state, district, block and village levels and trainings had been conducted every year. The Minister expressed that school safety training is very essential to ensure the safety of students in case of possible natural calamities. He inaugurated the training with wishes of success to the teachers attending the training.

The inaugural function was presided over by Rohmingliana Secretary, DM & R. Dominic Lalhmangaiha State Project Officer, GoI - UNDP DRR Program gave the keynote address and Dr. Lalrokima Chenkual Head Faculty, DMC, ATI explained the objectives of the Course. The training is to be held on 16 - 18 June, 2010.

1,000 Mizo families shun census fearing devil’s wrath

2010-06-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

The fear of the Beast or the Devil in the Christian-dominated state of Mizoram has caused almost 1,000 families to refuse to enroll their names in the National Population Register (NPR) taken up along with the Census 2011 in Aizawl from May 15.

The dread stems from Chapter 13 Verse 17 of the Book of Revelations in the Bible which says, “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name.”

The problem has stemmed from the Unique Identification Authority of India stipulating that no one could buy or sell property without the Unique ID card. According to adherents of the belief, since buying or selling of property made one a follower of the Beast, one having the UID card, which authorised property transactions, automatically made one a follower of the Devil.

Those refusing to be enumerated belong to the Mizoram Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Church of Mizoram.

Champhai District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Bidhuri said when he summoned Lalzawna the leader and high priest of a sect, he was told that his religious belief would not permit him to register his name and he was ready to face any punishment. Serchhip Deputy Commissioner said that adherents of the belief claimed they had the religious freedom to disobey the government and were not afraid of punitive action.

“They are not afraid of being prosecuted for their beliefs as they are more afraid of being identified with the Devil,” one enumerator said.

The Presbyterian Church Synod, the highest decision making body of the largest Church in the state on June 13 issued a message to all members asking them to cooperate with census officials as it was the duty of every citizen to do so.

Trouble with numbers

Reports of district magistrates state that 939 families have refused to registered in the NPR

In Aizawl district, 483 families have refused to register in the census, including 132 from Aizawl city and 158 families in Champhai

In Serchhip district, 135 families refused to be enumerated

Over 130 families from Lawngtlai and 33 families from Kolasib district have refused register themselves in the 2011 Census

Impressive Progress of Integrated Watershed Management Programme in Mizoram

2010-06-15T04:04:00.001-07:00

The Integrated Watershed Management Program (IWMP) in Mizoram has been impressive with the coverage extending over 433803 hectares of land. Out of the 52 sanctioned projects spread over eight districts 51 projects are operational at present. During the current financial year 2010-11 Rs. 4.41 crore has been released as Central share so far. During 2009-10 a total of Rs. 5.057 crore were released for the sanctioned projects16 projects were under which a total of 62435 ha of land was covered. Since 1995-96 Centre has released Rs.155.45 crore under the scheme..

The main objectives of the IWMP are to restore the ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water. The outcomes are prevention of soil run-off, regeneration of natural vegetation, rain water harvesting and recharging of the ground water table. This enables multi-cropping and the introduction of diverse agro-based activities, which help to provide sustainable livelihoods to the people residing in the watershed area. In addition, the Scheme of Technology Development, Extension and Training (TDET) is also being implemented to promote development of cost effective and proven technologies to support watershed management.

DoNER Ministry Approves Sainik School in Mizoram

2010-06-02T04:34:00.001-07:00

The Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER) has approved in principle, the construction of a Sainik School at a total cost of Rs. 82.89 crores at Chhingchhip in Serchhip district of Mizoram. The Minister of Mines & DoNER, Shri Bijoy Krishna Handique conveyed this to the Chief Minister of Mizoram, Shri Lalthanhawla, in a meeting in New Delhi yesterday. Shri Lalthanhawla expressed satisfaction and said that the approving of the Sainik School was timely and in line with the recent development plans for the education sector in Mizoram. The project was retained under the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) of the Ministry of DoNER during the Financial Year 2010-11.

Shri Handique said that the Ministry of Defence has conveyed its willingness to start the Sainik School upon completion of the construction of buildings. The Chief Minister of Mizoram hoped that the construction of buildings would be completed by 2014.

One day consultation on mental health

2010-06-01T02:26:00.000-07:00

Aizawl: Mr. Lal Thanzara, Parliamentary Secretary has innaugurated 'One day Consultation & Two days Workshop on Mental Health( Depression and Suicide) at I&PR Conference Hall, today. Noted Psychiatrists, NGO's and Church leaders participated in this consultation which is jointly organised by Volunteers for Community Mental Health(VOLCOMH), Mizoram and SAARTHAK, New Delhi.

Parliamentary Secretary pointed out that much emphasis being given on spiritual and physical health while mental health is being neglected at one's own peril. He lamented at the loss of many youths with a prospect of bright future due to suicide acts. That lack of awareness on mental health and apathy towards mental illness were the main causes of increasing suicide acts in Mizoram, he stated. He had also lauded the commendable efforts of VOLCOMH and vital contributions made by sympathetic people in News papers even as he conveyed government's assurance and co-operation on such kind of goodwill missions and noble acts.

Dr.John M Ralte has also equated the importance of Body, Mind and Soul by saying that there can be no soul and body that is healthy with a mind that is unhealthy and sick. He explained that out of 100 people with unsound minds 10% are mentally ill while the rest are people suffering from mental problems.In his views, it was foolish of people with mental problems to avoid Psychiatrist when he/she had no problem of visiting a Physician when physically sick.

'Suicide and Depression' were the main theme of this consultation in which Dr.C.Lalhrekima, Dr.John M. Ralte and their colleagues of noted Psychiatrists in the city were the panel of experts. The consultation which kicked off today will be followed by seminar on the same topic at Central YMA Hall, Aizawl, tomorrow. People suffering from mentally related problems are welcomed to approach VOLCOMH at their Counseling Center and Drop-in-Centre at Central YMA Building,MG Road, Aizawl.

Highest Mizo literary award conferred on Prof Khiangte

2010-05-28T04:13:00.002-07:00

Aizawl, May 27 (NNN): Pu Buanga Award 2010, the highest literary prize which was given every five years by the Mizo Academy of Letters, Lunglei district has gone to Dr. Laltluangliana Khiangte, who is an accomplished playwright-dramatist, poet, scholar-critic, essayist, biographer and folklorist, a professor of Mizo language and literature in the Mizoram University.
The Award was given away by Dr. R.Lalthangliana, MLA on May 21 last at the Auditorium of Art & Culture, Lunglei before an audience of admirers and writers. Honouring the pioneer Missionary Rev. J.H.Lorrain, whom the Mizos called him with this name, PU BUANGA AWARD has been given to the most deserving litterateur of the state in every five years starting from 2000 AD. The Award consisted of a special Scarf (Zochawi diar), Citation, Trophy and a Cash prize of Rs. 5,000.
Prof. Laltluangliana Khiangte has achieved distinction of being recognized as a playwright and poet but is also one of the most prominent writers and folklorists in North-east India. He has taken the struggle among tribal society as his subject and fictionalized it, thus instituting a different genre especially in the field of playwriting. He has received many awards for his remarkable contribution to the development and growth of Mizo language and literature.
Born on June 28, 1961 at Saitual to one church elder Tlanghmingthanga (formerly teacher and music instructor) of Khiangte clan and Mrs. Darngeni, a young Laltluangliana completed his Master Degree in 1984 in English Literature and hence awarded Ph.D in 1991 and D.Litt. in 1999.
He was a convenor of Civil Rights, and Relief & Development Committee and a former Exe. Member of North East India Christian Council, who happened to be an active Youth leadership at Shillong right from 1979 to 2003 and a dedicated Church Elder from 2007 onwards in Aizawl.

Mizo bodies appeal for normalcy in Nagaland-Manipur

2010-05-28T04:13:00.000-07:00

DIMAPUR, MAY 27 (NPN):
Various civil societies and political parties of Mizoram have expressed concern over the ongoing "misunderstanding" between the neighbouring states - Manipur and Nagaland. According to a joint press statement issued by representatives of Mizo organisations, the ongoing situation between two communities was assessed at a meeting of various civil societies and political parties of Mizoram at Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) office May 27.
While pleading for early solution to end the hardships being faced by the people and for "re-establishment of normalcy" between the two states, the house also resolved to offer their services, if required, towards the restoration of normal life among the people of Manipur and Nagaland.
The signatories of the joint statement included MZP general secretary, H. Lalremsiama; Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP) secretary, F. Lalramliani; Mizo National Front (MNF) secretary, P.C. Laltlansanga; Zoram Nationalist Party Youth (ZNPY) president, P.C. Vanlalruata; Mizo Peoples Conference (MPC) secretary, Zongensanga Sailo; and Bhartya Janata Party (BJP) Mizoram state secretary, F.C. Zese.

Mizoram: State level seminar on MIZO poetry

2010-05-27T10:22:00.001-07:00

Aizawl: An UGC Sponsored State Level Seminar on Mizo Poetry organized by Govt. T. Romana College in collaboration with Mizo Language & Literature Teachers' Academy (MILLTA) was held today at I & PR Auditorium, Aizawl.

In the seminar, B. Lalthangliana, Lecturer Hrangbana College, Thuamtea Khawlhring, Lecturer J. Buana College, Lalrammawia Ngente, Lecturer Johnson College and Lalsangzuala, Asst. Professor MZU each presented a paper on Mizo Poetry and its development before and after the 20th century.

Mizoram Education Minister Lalsawta grace MSTA general conference

2010-05-25T22:31:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, May 26 : Education Minister Lalsawta graced a 2-days function of the 7th - Mizoram Middle School Teachers' Association (MSTA) General Conference, held at Vanapa Hall as Chief Guest.

Addressing a gathering of teachers, Lalsawta expressed his hope of a bright future for Mizoram, owing to the fact that he works along with the Chief Minister who has a keen interest in education, Parliamentary Secretary who has had a rich experience in the field of education and Education Secretary who is not a novice either in the nuances of education set-up of mizoram. Chief Guest reiterated the importance of showing our love and respect for teachers all the time, lest our accolades and praises may sound cliché if expressed only on the 5th September-Teachers' day.

He exhorted the assembled teachers to uphold themselves with dignity and righteousness by giving their best and all-out efforts in their professions. He also urged the teachers to strive harder for each day for the betterment of mizoram. He also added that big industries and hi-fi machinery may be beyond our reach, but we can improve and utilize education which is at our very reach, by the dedication and hard work of our beloved teachers. Government of Mizoram is trying its best to redress the problem of government schools so that our children are not fleeing from government schools to private run schools. Expressing his hope of seeing children drifted back to government schools in near future.

The forenoon of the first day of conference was presided over by Sr.Vice president C.Thantluanga with a theme of Quality Education, and the business of association was conducted in the afternoon.

Pu Lal Thanhawla turns 72

2010-05-19T22:56:00.000-07:00

Aizawl, May 19 (NNN): Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla turns 72 today. A celebration function was organised at Chief Minister Conference Hall today attended by well wishers in which the chief minister cut a birthday cake amidst huge applaused from the gatherings. Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh also wished Lal Thanhawla on his 72nd birthday this morning through telephone.
The prime minister during his telephonic conversation with the chief minister wished for his successful life in future. Manmohan Singh also hoped that under the able leadership of Lal Thanhawla, Mizoram will be a transparency government, free of corruption and good administration. The Prime Minister then wished the people of Mizoram to have covetous development in every angle through Congress ministry in the Centre and the state.
The chief minister on his part felt priviledged and expressed his gratitude on the Prime Minister's words and promised to work even harder to fullfil his aims of making Mizoram a better place. He also thanked Manmohan Singh for his support over New Land Use Policy (NLUP), the flagship programme of the Congress government in Mizoram.
Meanwhile, at the third meeting of New Land Use Policy (NLUP)'s apex board today in Aizawl, Lal Thanhawla said that the NLUP is a remarkable programme aimed at creating new means of livelihood for people in rural areas through Government support thereby ushering in development at an accelarated pace.
He added that the NLUP programme is not only aimed at generating new avenues of employment but also can go a long way in eradicating jhum cultivation, minimising deforestation, mitigating environmental degradation and conservation of the rich flora and fauna of the state.

Brus to Return Home from Tripura

2010-05-11T01:23:00.000-07:00

Aizawl, May 11 : The 462 Bru families who fled Mizoram for Tripura following the murder of a Mizo youth by Bru militants on November 13 near Bungthuam hamlet on the Mizoram-Tripura border, would begin returning from tomorrow, a senior Mizoram home department official said here today.

The official told PTI that the state government had completed all arrangements for the repatriation process. Administrative officers have been designated for all the eight villages to oversee the return under the supervision of Mamit district deputy commissioner Zothankhuma.

The state government, following request from the Union Home Ministry, made arrangements for the repatriation of Bru families from May 11. It was to be completed by May 15.

Identification of bona fide residents of Mizoram would be made at the border for which NREGS job cards, ration cards and enrolment in the voters' lists would be needed, state Home Secretary Lalmalsawma said.

Each family would be given Rs 80,000 to be disbursed and free rations for nine months, he said.

Meanwhile, the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum president Elvis Chorkhy was quoted as saying that advance payment of Rs 1,500 has been demanded for travel expenses.

The murder of the youth, Zarzokima, on November 13, three days before the proposed commencement of the repatriation of Brus from six relief camps in North Tripura upset the repatriation process of refugees who were there since 1997. It also triggered communal tension resulting in another exodus of Brus to Tripura.

NAMSA attends ‘Drag race’ in Aizwal

2010-05-11T01:22:00.001-07:00

The Nagaland Adventure and Motor Sports Association attended the recently conducted Mizoram Motorsports Association (MiMSA) SPEED RUN (Drag Race) on April 30 and May 1 at Tuirial Airfield, Aizawl as observers. This was the first Drag Race event in the Northeast for Two Wheelers.

The representatives of NAMSA were led by Vikeshe Shohe, (president) and two other members. Meanwhile, the NAMSA has appreciated the Mizoram Motorsports Association (MiMSA) for promoting motorsports in Mizoram.

Nagaland project inspires Mizoram

2010-04-13T09:42:00.001-07:00

DIMAPUR, April 13 – Inspired by the successful implementation of ‘Communitisation of public institution/service’ at the grassroots level in Nagaland, a High Powered Committee (HPC) of Mizoram has undertaken a tour of the State with the purpose of studying and witnessing its actual operating mechanism and district level planning.

Nagaland has received recognition and award at the national and international level for the successful implementation of ‘Communitisation of public institution/service’ at the grassroots level in the State.

The HPC, constituted by the Government of Mizoram, is contemplating to evolve a suitable and a viable system of participative decentralised planning to suit the local conditions. Keeping this in view, an interaction with the Communitised departments of Nagaland was held at the Chief Secretary’s conference hall, in Kohima. Officers from the Departments of Health and Family Welfare, PHE, Power, Education and Rural Development gave power point presentations on their projects, status of implementation and the responses and challenges of communitisation in the State.

V Sakhrie, Commissioner and Secretary, Rural Development, during an interactive session, shared that “not everything about Communitisation is a success, there are loopholes but we are trying to fill in the gaps and address the challenges in the best possible way”.

The visiting Mizo team headed by it vice chairman, Joseph Lalhlimpuia, MLA Lalchhuanawma Hrahsel, chief planning officer, HPC-L, Dr Lalrinchhanna, senior research officer, HPC-L and L Colney, former Chief Secretary of Nagaland also visited Rusoma village and had an interaction with the different committees on the implementation of the Communitisation process in their village.

Joseph Lalhlimpuia, expressed his appreciation and congratulated the State for successfully implementing the concept of Communitisation.

Fencing-affected border residents of Mizoram go on strike

2010-04-09T13:22:00.001-07:00

Aizawl/Agartala, April 9 (IANS) People affected by the fencing on the India-Bangladesh frontier Tuesday called an indefinite shutdown in the border areas of Mizoram while their counterparts in Tripura threatened to launch a similar stir to demand their immediate rehabilitation.
“The strike was inevitable as both central and state governments have turned a deaf ear to the repeated pleas of the affected families for their due compensation and rehabilitation,” a statement released in Aizawl by the Indo-Bangla Border Fencing Affected Families Resettlement Demand Committee.

A senior Mizoram home ministry official told reporters that the committee has called an indefinite strike in Mizoram’s three southern districts of Lawngtla, Lungle and Saiha.

According to the official, the shutdown severely affected normal life in the three border districts. Most shops and businesses establishments, government and semi-government offices and educational institutions remained closed, while traffic was thin.

The central home ministry is erecting a barbed wire fence along its 4,095-km long border with Bangladesh running through five states - West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram - to curb infiltration, smuggling, trans-border movement of militants and other anti-national activities.

Around 2,900 km of fencing has so far been completed and work on the remaining portion is on.

Many government institutions, religious places, irrigation projects, government schools and many markets along the border with Tripura and Mizoram have fallen within the stipulated 150-metre belt from the zero line of the border.

An estimated 8,730 families in Tripura and over 1,500 families in Mizoram, whose homes and farmlands have fallen outside the barbed wire fence being erected along the border with Bangladesh, have been demanding the government rehabilitate them.

“We would soon launch a relay hunger strike if the government does not take any steps to rehabilitate the fencing-affected bordering villagers,” said Samar Das, a leader of the affected people in Tripura.

Tripura’s Finance and Revenue minister Badal Chowdhury told IANS that the government could not rehabilitate those affected families due to scarcity of funds.”

“The Tripura government had sent a Rs.93-crore proposal to the centre long back to rehabilitate the affected families, but the union government is yet to sanction any funds for this purpose,” he said.

“While the central government has sanctioned homes for a few hundred families under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), the state government has spent Rs.10 crore to rehabilitate and construct homes of 4,000 affected families,” the minister added.

Pneumonia tops list deadly diseases in Mizoram

2010-04-09T13:21:00.001-07:00

Aizaw: Pneumonia was the biggest killer disease in Mizoram last year claiming 143 lives compared to malaria which claimed 119 lives.

According to state health and family welfare records, 491 people in Mizoram fell prey to diseases- 245 due to communicable diseases and 246 due to non-communicable diseases-during the previous year.

Pneumonia topped the communicable diseases list killing 143 people of 4437 people contracting the disease, the source said.

The department also recorded that 68 persons died of accidents, most of them vehicular.

While as many as 21670 people were infected with acute diarrhoea, only 15 of them died. No case of polio was detected, 158 people caught tetanus of which one person died.

Four persons died of typhoid and enteric fever, four people (all women) died of hepatitis B. Among the 159 people infected by hepatitis CDE, three women died.

The department also recorded that 27 persons, including 12 women died of AIDS whereas tuberculosis claimed 11 lives.

Hypertension claimed the lives of 17 persons in 2009 Heart trouble also killed 7 people.

Hypertension-related problems claimed 42 persons, the health officials said.

While 25 people died of diabetes, bronchitis and asthma killed 12 and 15 respectively, the death toll for emphysemas was recorded to be 5.

Cancer, the disease Mizoram has topped the world in, claimed 51 lives during 2009, the health officials added.

100km road from Mizoram to neighbouring port to cost Rs 600cr

2010-03-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

Silchar, APR 1: The Centre will build a modern highway spanning 99.82km between Lawngtlai town in south Mizoram to Sittwe port in northwest Myanmar on the Bay of Bengal to establish a sea link between several states in the Northeast, including Mizoram, Assam and Manipur with other parts of the country.

Union minister for national highways and transport Kamal Nath will arrive in Aizawl on April 24 to lay the foundation of the multi-modal road transport project in Lawngtlai, 335km from Aizawl. Though this project was approved four years ago after New Delhi got the clearance of Myanmar, the subsequent delay led to the escalation of the cost of the scheme from Rs 420crore to a whopping Rs 600crore.

This road, whose construction will be completed in two years, will unveil a transit access for goods and people between India and Myanmar as part of the Open Asia policy among the nations of the continent.

Sources in Aizawl said more fresh schemes for the improvement of road infrastructure and sea links are now in the pipeline, and the official delegations between India and Myanmar are busy in giving shape and finding out resources to give a go-ahead to some of the schemes. The sources added that other schemes envisaged area network of roads between towns in the Chin hills and Arakan Yoma, including Paletwa and Tiddim on Myanmar’s borders with Mizoram and Manipur to facilitate trade, cultural exchanges and tourism between the two countries and upgrade the waterways of Kaladan river flowing through Mizoram’s southern borders to Myanmar.

The sources also said improvement of the Sittwe port was on the cards. At present, Indian and Myanmarese businessmen exchange produce of the two countries in a Rs 12crore international trade centre at a village near Champhai in west Mizoram.

While India trades in cement, bicycle parts, medicines and horticulture products of Mizoram, from Myanmar handicrafts and clothes, apart from electronics goods and shoes, arrive in plenty.
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Source: The Telegraph

2 killed, churches damaged as storm sweeps Mizoram

2010-03-31T12:03:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, Apr 1 : At least two persons were killed and 2,900 houses damaged as a storm swept across Mizoram snappping communication and power in different parts of the state last night.

A 60-year-old man was killed in house collapse and three persons, including the old man's grand son, were seriosly injured in IOC Veng locality of Serchhip, official sources said.

Another person was killed as a tree, uprooted by strong wind, fell on him at West Phaileng village in Mamit district during the same time.

The gale, called 'to' in local parlance, coupled with hailstorm in Mizoram, had struck different parts of the state since Sunday night and rendered at least 5,000 people homeless, officials of the state Disaster Management and Relief said today.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla informed the state assembly today that officials were working overtime to deliver relief materials to the affected people.

Pneumonia claims 143 lives in Mizoram in 2009

2010-03-29T12:56:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, March 30 : Pneumonia has claimed 143 lives during the year 2009 in Mizoram, according to health & family welfare department, government of Mizoram. The data further revealed that 4437 people have been diagnosed as pneumonia in the same period.

Overall, the department highlighted that 491 people have died due to various disease in govt hospital. Out of this, 246 patients were victims of non-communicable disease while 245 died due to communicable diseases. It further said 68 people also died due to road accidents out of the total 17494 victims admitted in various hospitals.

While as many as 21670 people were infected with acute diarrhoea, only 15 of them died. No case of polio was detected, 158 people caught tetanus of which one person died.

Four persons died of typhoid and enteric fever, four people (all women) died of hepatitis B. It is also recorded that 27 persons, including 12 women died of AIDS whereas tuberculosis claimed 11 lives.

Cancer, the disease Mizoram has topped the world in, claimed 51 lives during 2009, the health officials added. Hypertension-related problems claimed 42 persons, the health officials said.

No lives have been lost due to snake bites notwithstanding 195 people admitted with snake bites, the record said.

Neepco signs pact with Mizoram Govt

2010-03-29T04:55:00.001-07:00

AIZAWL: Neepco (North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd) and the Mizoram Government have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) here to take up three hydro electric projects having a total capacity of 1,526 MW.
Addressing a press conference on Friday night, Mr I.P. Barooah, Neepco Chairman and Managing Director, said the MoA was for setting up of 635-MW Chhimtuipui project, 815-MW Lungreng project and 76-MW Mat hydro electric project.
“Neepco would first carry out field investigations, which would take around 18 months, and thereafter subject to techno-commercial viability and necessary mandatory clearances, the projects would be taken up for execution,” Mr Barooah said.
He said with strong support received from the State Government and the Centre, the abandoned 60-MW Turial hydro electric project is in the final stages of revival and likely to commence work within three months after obtaining fresh clearances from the U nion Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
The Turial project was delayed for six years due to law and order problems over claims of compensation by the land owners for the areas proposed to be submerged. The project cost was revised to Rs 880 crore and would produce power at Rs 3.70 per unit, he said. — PTI

Mizo students demand semester system

2010-03-22T09:03:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, March 22 : Mizo Students Union has asked colleges to implement Semester system in all colleges during the current academic session.
In a press release issued after the Executive Committee meeting, the MSU also asked the State Government not to adhere in toto the birth control policy formulated by the Centre as it does not address the need of the State.
The MSU also asked the Government to give a clear cut instruction to the school authorities to ban carrying of mobile phone by students in examination hall.

Myanmarese national held with heroine

2010-03-22T09:02:00.001-07:00

Karimganj (Assam), Mar 22 : A Myanmarese was today arrested by the BSF in Mizoram neighbouring for possessing heroine, BSF sources said.

Acting on a tip off, sleuths of BSF's intelligence wing and special narcotic cell arrested the 28-year-old Myanmarese from Bungherh-Kawi area of Mizoram and seized 33 grams of heroine from him.

The market value of the contraband drug is at least Rs 1.2 lakh, the sources said adding the youth was being interrogated.

The BSF said the youth, hailing from Tiddim area of Myanmar, could be part of a racket which smuggles heroine from that country to the North Eastern states.

MNF opposes NCMEI order

2010-03-17T08:01:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, March 17 The opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) today took strong exception to the new rulings of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) that require 30 per cent students from a minority community for an institution to claim minority status.

The MNF, in a statement, expressed fear that the country’s best known Christian schools and colleges could lose minority status as their students comprised less than 30 per cent from the community.

“The new orders of the NCMEI will have far reaching impact on the Christian-run institutions in particular and the Christian community in the country in general,” the statement said.

The MNF, led by former Chief Minister Zoramthanga, also expressed anguish over the absence of a Christian representative in the Commission as ‘the NCMEI is required to have members from the Sikh and Christian communities in addition to a Muslim representative’.

Diversity is Indias strength: Lakhera

2010-03-14T03:58:00.001-07:00

Aizawl | Wednesday, Mar 10 2010 IST

Mizoram Governor Lt Gen (rtd) M M Lakhera today stated that Indias diversity is the secret of its strength and rich cultural heritage.
''The people of India have diverse culture heritage, they speak different languages and this diversity is the secret of the nations strength,'' Mr Lakhera said, while addressing the closing ceremony of the sixth mini jamboree North East scouts and guides here today.
He urged the participating scouts and guides to be part of a solution to the countrys problem rather than remaining a mere grumbler. Mentioning that India's future is in their hands, the Governor also expressed optimism that the jamboree would instil a sense of brotherhood among the people of North East India.
Participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim and Mizoram performed cultural dances during the closing ceremony.
As many as 528 scouts and guides and 50 officials, including Sikkim State Chief Commissioner H P Chhetri, from the eight NE states participated in the event.

Sonia vows Mizoram progress

2010-03-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in traditional Mizo attire at a function in Aizawl on Saturday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Silchar, March 7 : UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi today assured the people of Mizoram that New Delhi would always “remain ready” to support the peaceful state and its people in their economic and social development.

Addressing a crowd of nearly 4,000 people at a rally, Sonia paid glowing tributes to the Mizos for their cultural heritage, art, literature and sense of beauty.

Earlier, she laid the foundation stone of the first-ever modern stadium in Aizawl’s Mualpui locality. The stadium, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 132 crore, will be christened Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.

Sonia recalled that on her first visit to Mizoram with her husband and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986, she had been fascinated by the “lovely land”, unique for its natural splendours.

She revealed that her husband had a special fondness for the youths of Mizoram for their creativity, vigour and zeal for sports.

Sonia also said that the Centre had allotted Rs 8,800 crore for Mizoram’s annual plan in the next fiscal to accelerate the pace of development in various economic and social spheres.

She made it clear that the hill state and its people would never be isolated by Delhi. “We would not allow the Mizos to fall behind the other people in this country,” she said.

Sonia referred to the New Land Use Policy (NLUP) ushered in by the Congress government in Mizoram under the leadership of chief minister Lalthanhawla for doing away with the wasteful jhum cultivation and introducing a secure and lasting farming practice.

She said the scheme would soon become a path-breaking project to be emulated by the other tribes and people in the country.

The Congress president thanked the people of Mizoram for reposing trust in an “overwhelming way” on the party in the last Assembly polls in the state, and urged them to vote for the Congress in the village council elections too.

Sonia also announced that a Sainik School would be set up in the state.

The UPA chairperson landed at Lengpui airport near Aizawl and flew in a private chopper to the state capital.

She draped herself in an exotic green and purple traditional Mizo skirt (puan). A cheraw dance was performed on the occasion.

Referring to the cheraw competition in Aizawl on March 11, Sonia hoped that it would make it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest mass dance.

Earlier, chief minister Lalthanhawla, home minister R. Lalzirliana and sports minister Zodintlunga welcomed the UPA chairperson at the venue.

UPA Government Making Efforts To Tap Talent In Northeast

2010-03-07T08:49:00.001-08:00

The UPA government is making all-out efforts to tap talents in northeast which has huge sports potentiality. United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi said on Saturday that the central government is giving special attention to boost sports in northeast India.

"There is huge sports potentiality in Mizoram and other northeastern states. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is making all-out efforts to tap these talents," Gandhi said in her address after laying the foundation stone of the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium at Mualpui, on the outskirts of Mizoram capital Aizawl.

She said, "If we develop the talents of sportspersons in the northeast, India's performance in the national and international meets would be further improved."

The stadium, the first full-fledged sports arena in the border state, is to be constructed inside the headquarters complex of the third battalion of the Mizoram Armed Police (MAP).

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is constructing the 20,000-seat stadium. The 12th Finance Commission had granted Rs.250 million for the Rs.1.32-billion project.

Sonia said the central government would extend all help to implement the Mizoram government's flagship programme - the New Land Use Policy (NULP).

The Congress president added that as per the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission, Mizoram would get Rs.8,835 crore for the next five years.

Addressing the inaugural function, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said, "If Mizoram gets all-out support from the centre, we would produce world class players."

"With the laying of the foundation of the sports stadium, one of the visions of late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi for the land-locked state has been fulfilled," he said.

The chief minister thanked the UPA chairperson for her support to the NLUP."The NLUP would be implemented for coordinated, balanced and inclusive development of farmers and poor people. It would help in economic empowerment of all sections of people," he said.

"The NLUP would also help in afforestation and protect the environment.

"The Mizoram government has taken a series of steps for women empowerment and also supports the women's reservation bill," he added.

"The Congress, particularly Rajivji, had played a great role in bringing back peace to Mizoram, shattered by two decades of militant violence," the chief minister said.

"We do not want to don the robe of a beggar with a begging bowl for all time to come. We want to be self-reliant as quickly as possible. But there are countless hurdles on our way forward," Lal Thanhawla stated.

Sonia promises all help for the Mizoram development

2010-03-06T05:31:00.001-08:00

Aizawl, Mar 6 Extending her support to the establishment of medical and engineering colleges in Mizoram, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today promised all help for the development of the state.

"Let there be no doubt that we will fulfil our promises to undertake different developmental programmes so that the state would become more productive in all spheres," Gandhi told a huge gathering after laying the foundation of the Rajiv Gandhi Sports Stadium.

The Congress president said Mizoram was one of the most peaceful states in the country due to the dedication of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi during whose tenure the historic Mizo Peace Accord was signed in 1986 and the sacrifices made by Lal Thanhawla.

"The signing of the Mizo Accord shows that given the will, all problems can be resolved," she said, adding the power of the people in maintaining peace was most laudable.

Number of HIV positive climbs down in Mizoram

2010-02-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

AIZAWL | February 20 : In order to spread awareness among the Mizo youths regarding the dreaded HIV/AIDS in the state, Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) had launched various programmes in the state, stated MSACS Project Director Dr. K Ropari today. Spearheaded by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), a multi media campaign on HIV/AIDS was launched in three states of north east viz,. Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland.
As part of the awareness campaign, the MSACS also worked with churches in Mizoram and organised various sports event to spread the message ‘prevention is better than cure on HIV/AIDS’ among the youths.
Among the sport event, Red Ribbon Inter Village Football Tournament 2010 starting from 25th January to 19th February. The sporting event organised by MSACS with close collaboation from UNODC, ZONET (Private Cable TV) and Mizoram Football Association was participated by hundreds of youths from across the state. Stressing on the aims and objective of the multimedia campaign, the Project Director stated that the campaign has been launched in order to spread the dreaded killer disease, teaching on the importance of protected sex among the people, to keep themselves aloof from drugs, to spread unity in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Among 4169 HIV positive in Mizoram, 26.31% are from the age gruop 15-24 while 40.44% are from the the age gruop 25-42, said sources from MSACS yesterday. Sources also added that unprotected sex is the main cause of transmission of HIV in Mizoram where 62.39% of the victims are transmitted through unprotected sex and 29.88% are transmitted from through the using of drugs (sharing syringes).
In the meatime, local dailies have stated that trend of HIV positive had climb down to 17 % during January, 2010 in compared with December last year and it is found out of blood samples tested for HIV, 4% of the total population is living with HIV/AIDS. According to MSACS data, out of 2000 people blood sample tested on Janaury, 80 persons came out with positive while 38 people were full blown AIDS.Four persons have also died due to AIDS in January which is equal during December last year. The record highlighted that on December last, 86 people have been confirmed contracted with HIV positive from 2,067 blood sample tested. Out of this figure, 63 were males and 23 females.Accordingly, from October 1990 to December 2009, the state housed 4169 HIV positive people. AIDS claims 168 lives in Mizoram till today.

Mizoram police to assist Assam in curbing terrorism More at : Mizoram police to assist Assam in curbing terrorism http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/mizoram-police-to-assist-assam-in-curbing-terrorism_100305841.html#ixzz0cycYQLp1

2010-01-18T07:07:00.001-08:00

Aizawl, Jan 18 : Two battalions of the Mizoram Armed Police (MAP) are being deployed in Assam to help in the fight against terrorism, an official here said.

“Following the direction of the union home ministry, two battalions of the Mizoram Armed Police (India Reserve Battalions) would be deployed in Udalguri and Darrang districts in eastern Assam adjoining Bhutan,” said an official of the state home department.

“The first batch has already been sent to Assam and the deployment would be completed by this week,” the official told IANS.

The state police forces raise the India Reserve Battalions with full financing from the home ministry and they can be deployed anywhere in the country.

After 25 years of terrorism (1961-1986), the mountainous northeastern state of Mizoram, bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh, is more or less peaceful while Assam has been facing the insurgency problem for the past many years, with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) being the key separatist outfit.

'North Eastern states most environmentally sustainable'

2010-01-13T08:06:00.002-08:00

Chennai, Jan 12

The northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim, along with Uttarakhand, have been rated the highest on the environment sustainable index (ESI), developed by think-tank Centre for Development Finance (CDF) here.

The ESI has been developed as a composite index from 40 key environmental indicators grouped into nine thematic sub-indices -- air quality and pollution, water quality and availability, land use and agriculture, forest and biodiversity, waste management, energy management, health impact, population pressure and environmental budget.

According to the index, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Tripura and West Bengal figure among the more sustainable states.

Among the larger states - in terms of size and ecomomy - Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh rank low in the chart, while Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have managed to balance economic growth andenvironmental quality.

States with abundant natural resources such as Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Goa fall in the medium and less sustainable categories in ESI 2009.

"The overall ESI is aggregated from data on various aspects of the environment and environmental policy in order to understand the larger picture of sustainability, while the sub-indices provide more specific information aboutenvironmental sustainability in particular issue areas such as water, air, land and forest cover," CDF director Jessica Wallack.

The CDF has also launched India's first website to assist pollution monitoring.

"The website or the pollution map will aim to support more meaningful tracking of environmental change by creating a repository on pollution monitoring," said Rajesh Rangarajan, senior researcher at CDF and head of the Online Pollution Map Initiative.

He said the website makes existing pollution data more accessible and informative by transforming it into user-friendly visual displays, which link pollution levels and monitoring sites to specific places in the country.

In the first phase, CDF has developed the pollution map for Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Mizoram will take back Reang refugees: Tripura chief minister

2010-01-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

Agartala, Jan 13 – Mizoram will soon take back around 35,000 Reang tribal refugees who have been staying in Tripura since 1997 after fleeing their state due to ethnic violence, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said Wednesday.

‘The Mizoram chief minister during his visit in north Tripura held a meeting with refugee leaders Jan 8. He also asked the refugee leaders to study the proposed land and areas where the immigrants would be settled after their repatriation to Mizoram,’ Sarkar told reporters here.

He had Monday held talks about the repatriation of tribal refugees with Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla in New Delhi.

Sarkar said: ‘I have also discussed about the Mizoram refugee repatriation with union home secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai in New Delhi. Pillai will visit Tripura next month.’

Over 35,000 Reang tribal refugees have been sheltered in six north Tripura camps since 1997 after they fled Mizoram following ethnic clashes with the majority Mizo community.

‘The Mizoram chief minister assured us that he would call a Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting immediately to discuss the refugee repatriation issue,’ said Elvis Chorkhy, who led the three-member refugee delegation that met Lal Thanhawla in north Tripura last week.

Lal Thanhawla visited north Tripura’s Mizo-dominated areas and participated in a Mizo cultural function. There are several thousand Mizos residing in north Tripura adjacent to Mizoram.

He had told reporters: ‘It was not possible to constitute an autonomous council for Reang tribals (locally called Bru) residing in Mizoram. The refugees came to Tripura voluntarily and they should go to their homeland willingly.’

‘A road map for the repatriation of tribal refugees from Tripura has been prepared and it was approved by the union home ministry,’ he added.

The tribal refugees are unwilling to return to their homes in Mizoram until their demands for fool-proof security and sufficient financial assistance are accepted by the state government.

‘The Mizoram government’s package for the home-bound refugees suggested a Rs.20,000 cash grant instead of Rs.50,000 as promised earlier. The package also recommended a scattered resettlement of the 35,000 tribal refugees in three different districts of Mizoram – Mamit, Kolashib and Lunglei. We want compact rehabilitation of the tribals in two districts in western Mizoram,’ Chorkhy told IANS.

Three securitymen die in Mizoram road accident

2010-01-09T07:48:00.001-08:00

Aizawl: Three security personnel were killed and seven others injured when a car plying between Assam's Silchar and south Mizoram's Lunglei town met with an accident near the Tlawng river in Lunglei district, the police said today.

The police said ten people including the driver were inside the vehicle when the accident took place yesterday.

Three persons died on the spot, the police said.

Six injured persons were flown to Silchar by helicopter while one of the injured was admitted in Lunglei District Hospital, sources said.

Myths, Legends and Folklore of the ‘Seven Sisters’ of North East India: Mizoram

2009-12-27T00:32:00.000-08:00

Mizoram lies in the southernmost outpost of North Eastern India, the land of the Blue Mountains. Evergreen ranges of Mizoram hills boasts of blooming exotic flora and dense bamboo jungles. Gushing rivers and sparkling waterfalls criss-cross these hills and its plunging gorges. The Phawngpui or ‘The Blue Mountain’ is one of the highest peaks.

Do you know why Mizo houses are built on stilts?

Once upon a time, a heavenly creature swallowed the moon and the whole earth was plunged into darkness. Chaos reigned. Goddess Khuazingnu was worried about the future of creation. To protect them, she put a couple from each human clan and representatives of each species of animals into a pit and sealed it with a huge rock called the Chhinlung.

Some generations later, the goddess opened the mouth of the pit. Droves of humans emerged and she closed the Chhinlung for she reasoned there were enough people on earth. Among the people who emerged was a powerful man named Thlanrawkpa. He was named king and to celebrate he planned to host a feast, later to be known as the Thlanrawkpa Khuangchawi.

He, however, forgot to invite his father-in-law, Sabereka, who was furious and caused thunderstorms that washed away all the earth of the village, leaving behind only rock. The legendary rain is said to be why a traditional Mizo house is built on stilts, to avoid such calamities.

Source: Paper titled Myth & The Mizo World View, presented by Lalnunziri Chhangte at the International Seminar on History of Religions.

Dead body warms up, burial delayed

2009-12-21T11:07:00.001-08:00

AIZAWL, Dec 22 – A 24-year-old man was buried here yesterday even as he was declared dead on the early morning of Thursday due to the fact that his body remained warm and the relatives were afraid that he might be buried alive.

Lalrinchhana was declared dead at 4.15 am on Thursday due to brain haemorrhage and was scheduled to be buried at 2 pm the same day. Relatives of the deceased person said that the body began to become warm again after the rigor mortis was over and was not buried that day.

The time of burial was again fixed at 12 noon yesterday, but the warmth in the body compelled the bereaved family to abandon the plan again even as doctors confirmed again that he was clinically dead. However, his body was finally buried at Zarkawt cemetery today attended by many people.

119 die in Malaria attack this year in Mizoram

2009-12-17T01:40:00.001-08:00

Aizawl, Dec 17 (PTI) An estimated 119 people died in Malaria outbreak in Mizoram between January and October this year as the disease turned out to be the biggest killer, state health department officials said today.

The increase in number of deaths is due to the fact that malaria patients approached the hospitals and health centres too late, they said.

Those who died were without any medical treatment for at least four days or more and the average hospitalisation period was just two and half days, the officials said.

State vector-borne diseases control sources said that out of 1,51,631 blood samples tested, 8,426 people were found to be infected with the mosquito-borne disease.

Violence against women shameful act: Mizo CM

2009-12-13T00:40:00.001-08:00

AIZAWL, Dec 12 – “Violence against the fair sex is a shameful act no matter how advanced we may be,” said Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla here on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister was speaking at a ‘Fortnightly Campaign on Violence Against Women cum North East Regional Level Consultation on Gender Violence’ organised jointly by Association of Theologically Trained Women of India, Panchayat Mahila Shakti Abhiyan Core Committee and Centre for Peace and Development.

Lal Thanhawla rued that though the people in our country have gained vast knowledge in all fronts but we have miserably failed to preventviolence against women especially in the mainstream India where numerous cases have been registered.

“Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had rightly called that among violence in human beings, violence against women is extremely a shameful act. Even Amnesty International also protests and condems violence against women,” said Lal Thanhawla.

Urging journalists to be careful while reporting such cases, the Chief Minister asked them not to cross ethics of journalism. He claimed that incidents ofviolence on women is much less in Mizoram as compared to other States. This is because Mizos share one language, one religion and above that caste and dowry problems are absent.

A participant at the programme lamented that there are laws to prevent violence against women, there are police pertsonnel to keep a check on these events and there are seminars and symposiums to analyse the matter and make recommendations. However, on ground level nothing seems to be working.

Lal Thanhawla govt completes one year

2009-12-11T08:51:00.001-08:00

Aizawl, Dec 11 : The Congress government in Mizoram led by Lal Thanhawla today completed one year as the chief minister announced that his government has the courage to make the dreams of the people come true.

At a dinner function held at the Chief Minister's official residence, Lal Thanhawla said larger state annual plan outlay would be utilised to implement the New Land Use Policy (NLUP), the flagship programme of his government to uplift the poor and revive the state economy.

NLUP would replace jhum cultivation in the state and lead the rural people towards permanent and more productive system, of farming, he said.

The chief minister, who also holds Power portfolio, said his government has revived the 60-MW Tuirial Hydro Power Project, abandoned by the Mizo National Front (MNF) government and had also begun the construction of 460-MW Kolodyne Hydel Project which is being implemented by NTPC

Centre cautions Mizo Govt on Bru issue

2009-12-11T00:52:00.001-08:00

NEW DELHI, Dec 11 – Reports of attack on Brus (Reangs) in Mizoram has led the Ministry of Home Affairs to caution the State Government to take steps to contain violence and restore normalcy.

Mizoram Government has been advised separately to instil confidence among the Bru families living in Mizoram and to persuade those families who have fled to Tripura to return, said Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ramachandran.

The Centre, however, denied reports of Bru families fleeing to Tripura. Tension escalated after a Mizo youth was shot dead on November 13 by suspected Bru militants on Mizoram-Tripura. Some Bru huts were also burnt in Mizoram.

1 convicted of Dhaula Kuan rape

2009-12-09T00:54:00.001-08:00

New Delhi: Justice, though partially, has finally been done to a 20-year-old Mizoram girl who was abducted and raped by four men in a moving vehicle in 2005.

A Delhi court on Tuesday found Ajit Singh Katiyar, a taxi driver, guilty of abducting and raping the DU student. The Delhi police could arrest only one of the four accused; the remaining three have been declared offenders. The quantum of punishment will be announced on December 10.

The incident at Dhaula Kuan early on May 8, 2005, had shaken the Capital. The girl and her friend were returning after buying eateries when she was abducted. The girl was raped for hours before being dumped near a gurudwara. This was one of the first incidents of young girls being abducted and raped in moving vehicles. Delhi registered over 600 such cases in 2005.

The Delhi police nabbed Katiyar almost five days after the incident. The victim identified him during an identification parade in Tihar Jail.Katiyar's lawyer Manoj Sharma said he will challenge the judgment in high court.

Mizoram to implement sixth pay panel recommendations

2009-12-03T07:34:00.001-08:00

Aizawl, Dec 3 (PTI) The Mizoram government has decided to implement the recommendations of the sixth pay commission, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said today.

Lal Thanhawla, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that the recommendations will be implemented with retrospective effect from January one, 2006.

"In order to sort out possible anomalies in groupings of state government employees, a high level committee, headed by Minister H Liansailova, has been constituted," he told a press conference.

C Lasawta, state finance commissioner, who accompanied the chief minister in the press conference, said there will be an additional expenditure of Rs 151 crore for meeting the arrears and another additional expenditure of Rs 68.7 crore during the current fiscal.

Koramangala: The commercial hub

2009-11-30T03:15:00.000-08:00

Bangalore: Not a well-known name till the late 70s, Koramangala and HSR Layout which was close to Adugodi village, has now transformed into a huge residential and commercial hub, housing a large number of IT firms.

Just three kilometres from Koramangala, is the well-designed HSR layout. Divided into seven sectors, HSR Layout (officially called Kengal Hanumanthaiah Layout) is self-sustained with its shopping malls, parks and infrastructure. A favourite among techies, Koramangala has everything, from shopping complexes to the best hospitals and educational institutions. "I chose to live in Koramangala because it is centrally located. We have easy access to the best hospitals like St John's, Hosmat, Manipal, and even Narayana Hrudayalaya is not far off," says HT Sangliana, former member of Parliament.

Besides, he adds, reputed educational institutions are also close by. The major ones being the Christ institution, Jyothi Nivas College and St John's Medical College. "There are so many eateries. The Koramangala Club which is one of the best clubs in Bangalore, is also here. It is self-contained, with parks, an indoor stadium and a whole lot of other facilities for the residents," says Sangliana. Even passport office is close by. All these things make Koramangala the best locality to live in.

However, Arjun Award winning athlete Ashwini Nachappa feels commercialisation has reduced the lung space in the area. "It was a lovely residential area when I came here in 1992. It had a lot of open space and greenery. Now, there is no space to even park vehicles in front of our houses. Things have changed drastically," she says.

"Though there are pro-active resident welfare associations (RWAs), the best shopping complexes, hospitals and educational institutions, my concern is that it is losing green space. In the next five years, it will become more commercialised like the rest of Bangalore. The RWAs have to take up these issues," Aswhini adds.

But South Indian actress Nettoo, a resident of Koramangala, thinks that though traffic is heavy in front of malls like Forum and Oasis, the bylanes in Koramangala make way for smooth movement of traffic. "What makes Koramangala more likable are the bylanes.

The different blocks and BDA complexes provide for easy movement of traffic," she says.
She points out that the mix of culture makes the area unique. "The place is not only for youngsters. Many senior citizens have also made Koramangala their home. We have everything here so youngsters needn't go to Commercial Street or MG Road to have fun. I have been residing here for the last five to six years. But it is sad that there aren't many Kannadigas," says Neettoo.

Wheel jam caps hill bandh

2009-11-28T04:13:00.001-08:00

Police post in Manipur village, strike hits hills & rebels arrested
OUR CORRESPONDENT

Imphal, Nov. 27: A 24-hour bandh called by the Peoples Democratic Alliance, a political party, paralysed normal life in the five hill districts of Manipur.

The bandh, which began at midnight last night, was called in protest against the deployment of India Reserve Battalion personnel, police commandos and members of the village volunteer force in the hill districts of Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel, Churachandpur and Senapati.

“The bandh was total and peaceful in all the five hill districts. The support was overwhelming,” Gaidon Kamei, the spokesman for the Alliance, said after visiting some of the districts.

He said the intention of the government to deploy the state forces was to crush regional aspirations of the tribal people, which could not be accepted.

The other demands of the hill-based party include the amendment to the Village Authority Act, 1956, a separate land law for the hills, clear reservation policy for the hills and implementation of the National Tribal Policy, 2006.

Kamei said the hills needed separate laws for protection of land, forest and economic rights of the inhabitants.

He said the village authority act was outdated and because of it there was chaos in tribal society.

Shops and business houses also remained closed in the headquarters of the five hill districts.

The bandh, however, did not affect academic activities and examinations in schools were held uninterrupted.

Coinciding with the hill bandh, a 24-hour chakka bandh was called by the Senapati District Students Association along the Imphal-Dimapur national highway since midnight last night in protest against the state government’s failure to repair the road.

The chakka bandh disrupted supply of essential commodities and vehicular movement, with trucks and passenger buses remaining off the highway.

The Imphal-Dimapur national highway is the main supply route to Manipur.

This is not the first time the student body imposed bandhs along the route. A 20-day economic blockade was observed in November last year over the same demand.

The association had also staged a five-day roadblock along the highway in November 2007.

“We had suspended our agitation after PWD K. Ranjit Singh promised us that the road would be repaired. But nothing came of the assurances,” Psokrehrii Khrasi, the president of the student body, said.

He said Union home secretary G.K. Pillai, during his visit to Senapati district in August this year, had promised to sanction funds for the road repair. However, the promise is yet to be fulfilled.

The student body has also demanded the opening of a fire station and a State Bank of India branch along the national highway at Tadubi in Senapati district.
Top

BSF opens fire at smugglers on border

2009-11-27T07:35:00.001-08:00

GUWAHATI, Nov 27 – Firing by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel deployed along the border with Bangladesh continued for the second successive day, as the troops had to open fire to prevent anti-national elements from crossing over with smuggled goods. Meanwhile, BSF seized smuggled goods worth more than Rs 40 lakh within the last 24 hours in the Assam-Meghalaya frontier.

BSF sources said that the troops seized 155 cattle heads, country boats, liquor and other contraband items in different parts of Dhubri, West Khasi Hills and Garo hills areas along the international border in the last 24 hours. The value of the seized items is estimated to the tune of around Rs 31 lakh.

Sources said that the BSF men deployed in the Salapara BOP in Dhubri district last night opened fire in self-defence on a group of smugglers. Sources revealed that the troops saw movement of smugglers in the area and when challenged, the smugglers attacked the BSF men with sharp weapons forcing the security men to open fire. The smugglers managed to escape under the cover of darkness but the BSF men managed to seize cattle worth Rs 10.80 lakh.

In another incident in the same area, BSF arrested one Sanwar Hussain of South Salmara and recovered cattle worth Rs 40,000 from him.

Mizoram Govt to take back Bru refugees

2009-11-27T07:34:00.001-08:00

AGARTALA, Nov 26 – The Mizoram Government has finally assured to take back uprooted Reang refugees sheltered in relief camps in North Tripura’s Kanchanpur subdivision within next two months. The assurance came at a meeting on Wednesday at Kanchanpur SDM Office where BDO of Zwalnuam block in Mamit district, T Robert and SDM Kanchanpur DK Chakma were present. At the meeting, the hardships faced by refugees were discussed threadbare.

Interestingly, no representative from refugees attended the meeting. No decision was taken in the meeting to provide ration money to the newly uprooted Reang families.

The BDO has assured all the Bru people living an uprooted life in Tripura will be returned to Mizoram within the next two months. The assurance has but brought somewhat relief among therefugees leading in pitiable living condition and ration facilities.

Most of the big guns of the refugee camps are presently in Delhi with their demands of rehabilitation in Mizoram.

The Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) has already held the Mizoram Government responsible for the deplorable plight of the Bru people. “They (Mizoram Government) have failed to protect the interest of the minority Bru tribesmen even after a series of ethnic strife since November 9,” said Evlish Chorkhy, president of therefugees’ body.

It may be noted that about 8000 Bru tribesmen were uprooted from Mizoram following ethnic violence after killing of a Mizo youth and taken shelter at Damcherra in Kanchanpur subdivision.

Mizoram government disburses Rs20 lakh for Bru relief

2009-11-23T06:28:00.001-08:00

Aizawl: Mizoram government has distributed Rs20.55 lakh and other relief materials to the 385 Bru families displaced by the recent outbreak of communal wave in the western part of the state, official sources said here today.

Relief materials included 1,155 silpouline for construction of temporary shelters, 770 blankets, 158.72 quintals of rice, 7.70 quintals of dal, 36 bags of clothes and 70 numbers of large utensils.

"Some of them who had fled to neighbouring Tripura have also received the relief materials and returned to their new habitations," an official said.

Around 500 Brus belonging to about 100 families fled to Tripura due to the recent spurt of communal tension triggered by the murder of a Mizo youth by Bru militants on November 13, they said.

Earlier the three major churches donated more than Rs6 lakh and relief materials to the state-level relief coordination committee, drawing flak from NGOs of the border district Mamit.

Mizo body receives 641 child abuse complaints in 4 yrs

2009-11-22T05:44:00.000-08:00

Aizawl: A total of 641 complaints on child abuse have been received by Mizoram's Child Welfare Committee since its formation on September 22, 2005, CWC Chairman Lalengruali Sailo said Thursday.

"The highest is sexual abuse against children and we have identified 127 child sexual abuse during the past four years," Sailo said on the sidelines of a programme on the occasion of World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse.

Out of the 127 cases, reported in over four years, a high 107 were incidents of sexual abuse by adults, she said.

CWC, working in coordination with the administration and human rights' bodies, has registered 22 cases of physical abuse and two cases of using child labour while there were 18 cases of sexual abuse perpetrated by minors.

CWC Secretary Zodinpuii said a high incidence of child sexual abuse, was by older relatives of the victim like uncles, step-fathers and people close to the family.

She felt there could be more cases of abuse as many parents and victims dare not approach the CWC for fear of stigmatisation of the victims.

On the day the Aizawl-based NGO Centre for Peace and Development organised a procession.

Bru repatriation preparations almost complete: Minister

2009-10-26T04:39:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, Oct 26 : Preparations for repatriation of Bru refugees, from six relief camps in neighbouring North Tripura district, are almost complete, Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana informed the state legislature today.

Replying to a question from Lalrobiaka of the ruling Congress, Lalzirliana said that the road map for repatriation process had been submitted to the Union Home Ministry in which proposals for resettlement of the Brus, construction of health centres and educational institutions and others were included.

"We hope that the preparation can soon be concluded after centre provides financial assistance for the proposed expenditure of Rs 25.86 crore for implementation of the repatriation road map," he said.

He said that the Brus, once repatriated would be settled in different districts where they were living before migrating to Tripura during the last part of 1997 and that they should not be concentrated in one assembly constituency.

Mizoram to set up new power project, implement 6th Pay Commission

2009-10-24T08:16:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, Oct 24

With a rise in demand for electricity, the Mizoram government has signed an agreement with the state-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to set up a 460 MW power project at Lawngtlai in southern Mizoram.

"Since the demand has risen from 65 MW to 100 MW during peak hours, power source needs to be increased and the government has signed an agreement with NTPC to set up a 460 MW power project at Lawngtlai in southern Mizoram," Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said.

The power project, to be installed at a cost of Rs.30 billion, would be commissioned by 2013.

The government is also working to renew the Tuirial Hydel project and Tuivai project, Lal Thanhawla said, adding that some small power projects would also be taken up under Public-Private Partnership.

The chief minister told the state assembly that the government would implement the Sixth Pay Commission for its 90,000 employees.

Lal Thanhawla said that the cabinet's decision is being awaited and the government is keen to implement the 6th Pay Commission recommendation as soon as possible, a senior finance department official told newsmen.

Lal Thanhawla, who also holds the finance portfolio, told the house that while the government was ready to implement the recommendations for its regular employees, the welfare of the casual and contingent workers of the government was not overlooked and it was recommended that their wages be increased.

He also said the New Land Use Policy (NLUP), a flagship programme of the government, was aimed at achieving sustainable development for the rural poor and several improvements had to be incorporated in the policy to ensure its utmost success.

The chief minister said education reform and improving the healthcare system were other priority areas of his government.

Mizoram government urged to curb influx of foreigners

2009-10-22T10:38:00.001-07:00

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Young Mizo Association (YMA), a social organisation in India’s North-eastern state of Mizoram has urged the state government to strictly curb influx of foreigners from neighbouring countries, including Burma.

The YMA, an influential youth organization into social activities in Mizoram state, in its 64th General Conference held in Darlawn in Aizawl, discussed threadbare the issue of foreigners. It called on the state government to fully implement the law dealing with foreigners staying in the state, the meeting resolution posted on the YMA website said.

“The conference is still on and they urged the government to take action on not only foreigners but also people coming in from neighbouring states in India,” a Burmese living in Aizawl told Mizzima.

The YMA in its resolution said its Central Executive Committee (CEC) is willing to help the government, if called on to do so.

The YMA central office in Aizawl could not be contacted on Thursday for comment.

Meanwhile, the YMA is also conducting a survey, bordering on a census, on the population of Burmese nationals, including ethnic Chin living in Mizoram, which shares a 404-kilometer border with contiguous Chin State in western Burma.

The survey, launched in June, is complete in about 173 out of 772 YMA branches across the state and has listed 6375 Burmese so far, according to a local online news group, The Zozam Times.

While various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) estimate the number of Burmese living in Mizoram to be somewhere between 50,000 to 60,000, there has so far been no extensive census.

While the motive behind the survey is still not clear, Burmese living in the state believe that it could be a move to identify the Burmese from among the locals.

“By tracking the exact location and number of people, the Mizo community can easily identify and target the Burmese in Mizoram, whenever they want to crack down on foreigners,” a Burmese living in Aizawl said.

Burmese nationals constitute the majority of migrants in Mizoram, which shares borders with Burma and also shares state borders with other North-eastern states of Assam, Manipur and Tripura. The state is also home to a number of Bangladeshis.

Some Burmese are of the opinion that the survey could be the YMA’s reaction to a report released earlier this year by the New York-based Human Rights Watch.

The HRW, in its report titled “We are like forgotten people”, spoke at length about Chin ethnics suffering under military rule, forcing them to flee from their homes to Mizoram. It also said the Chin’s further endure hostile treatment by their host, particularly mentioning the YMA as an organisation that is hostile towards Chins.

The YMA, however, denied the report saying it does not reflect the true situation and taints the image of Mizo’s. The YMA said, the Mizo community has supported the Burmese, particularly the Chin people and allowed them to stay in their state.

The YMA also held a meeting with over 23 Chin organizations based in Mizoram and accused the Chin leaders of providing false information to the HRW and demanded that they refute the report.

Mizo house ratifies 109th Constitution amendment

2009-10-20T09:55:00.001-07:00

Mizoram legislative assembly unanimously ratified the 109th amendment of the Constitution last evening after a brief deliberation.
The constitutional amendment, already passed by both Houses of the Parliament, seeks to extend the special concessions given to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Anglo Indians for another ten years.

Are Lai people a clan of Mizo tribe?

2009-10-15T23:44:00.001-07:00

Lately, some enthusiasts have invaded Wikipedia once again. They have referred all Kuki-Chin-Mizo people in Myanmar (Burma) and India as clans of Mizo tribe.
Now, the new entry for Lai people at Wikipedia says,

The Lai people are one of the biggest clans of the Mizo tribe, native to Chin State of Myanmar, and Mizoram state in Northeast India, mostly concentrated in the area of Lai Autonomous District Council, and speaking the Mizo language along with their own dialects. Lusei people called them Pawih, Pawi or Pawihte.
Source: Wikipedia

What is more surprising is the population and how happy Lais are to call themselves as Mizo,

Total population is around 1,700,000 in 1991. Lai people are one of the clans who are happy to be a Mizo, rather than calling in their own clan/tribal names.
Source: Wikipedia

And also, a look at Asho Chin people says:

Asho people, one of the eleven clans of Mizo tribe are native to Arakan plains, plains of Irrawady and Minbu.
Unlike other Mizo clans, many of them are Buddhist.
Source: Wikipedia

Is clan the best way to describe those of us who speak different language than Mizo (Duhlian/Lusei), the most common language among us? And is Mizo a tribe? Then what could be the name of our nation?
The source of such claims are from one Mizo author – B. Lalthangliana, who wrote a book titled History and Culture of Mizo in India, Burma and Bangladesh. Published in 2001.
Scholars like Dr Lian Hmung Sakhong, Ph.D (from Sweden) however do not classify our people like B. Lalthangliana did.
Dr Sakhong, a Chin scholar in his book ‘In Search of Chin Identity’ classified Kuki-Chin-Mizo people under six different groups. And Lais are grouped under Laimi, and Lusei/Duhlian/Lushai speaking people are under Mizo group, the other four are Zomi, Asho, Cho and Khuami. The classification seems to be based on the language affinity and intelligibility.
As per our understanding, a clan is a group of people united by kinship and descent, which is defined by actual or perceived descent from a common ancestor. And an example for clans will be Sailo, Khiangte, Chhangte, Fanai, Sakhong, Baite, Haokip, Shwepang, Hlychho, Chinzah or Cinzah, Hlawnchhing or Hlawnching, Hauzel, etc.
Sailo, a clan name of Mizo is not equal to Lai people. It is equal only to Chinzah, a clan among Lai people. Sailo is also equal to Hlychho, Fachhai, etc, the clans among Mara people. So does with Haokip, Baite and others from Thado (Kuki) people.
Lais have many clans. Likewise, there are many clans among Maras, Senthangs, Asho, and other Kuki-Chin-Mizo people.
Lais, Maras, Senthangs, Zotung, Zyphe, Thado, Simte, Paite, Siyin, Mizo, Zomi, Khuami, etc are definitely a group of people. We cannot call them as Clans. It is very surprising to that the volunteers are Wikipedia are exclusively quoting from one scholar, whose view is definitely a questionable one.
Will Lais accept Lai as one of the clans of Mizo? I could not imagine. If it is described as a sub-tribe or sub-group of Mizo, perhaps, there are more chance.
Some web enthusiasts have started to invade Wikipedia again. They have edited few pages, but they have not finished. Perhaps, they will edit more pages containing the groupings within Kuki-Chin-Mizo people in the coming days.
We all know Wikipedia is not always reliable, but some have often used the free online encyclopedia as a tool to express their views not respecting the views of others that are common and generally acceptable to most people.

Source: http://samaw.com/are-lai-people-a-clan-of-mizo-tribe/1716

Centre has released over Rs. 550 crore for development of minority districts

2009-10-15T00:42:00.001-07:00

Patna: For schemes under the Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) the Central Government has released Rs 555.45 crore so far. MsDP, a part of the Prime Minister's 15-Point Programme for minority welfare, was launched for development of 90 Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs). Under the scheme 72 minority concentration districts of the country have been covered till date.
These 72 districts fall in 15 States/UT viz. Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Bihar, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Andaman & Nicobar Island, Orissa, Mizoram, Kerala, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra.
An amount of Rs. 555.45 crore has been released till date for the welfare of these districts under the scheme. The year wise status of implementation of Multi -sectoral Development Program during the 11th Five Year Plan is mentioned below:

Year	Target(for 11^thFive Year Plan)	Achievements	Amount(Rs. in crore)
2007-08(The Programme was not launched)	NA	NA	NA
2008-09	90 MCDs	47 MCDs	270.85
2009-10*	90 MCDs	25 MCDs	284.60
Total		72 MCDs	555.45

*Upto 30th September,2009. The program aims at improving the socio-economic parameters of basic amenities for improving the quality of life of the people and reducing imbalances in the MCDs during the Eleventh Five Year Plan period.
It would include absolutely critical infrastructure linkages like connecting roads, basic health infrastructure, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres, skill development.
Besides, marketing facilities required for improving living conditions and economic opportunities and catalysing the growth process would also be eligible for inclusion in the plan
The main focus of this program is on rural and semi-rural areas of the identified 90 minority concentration districts and will be implemented by the Panchayati Raj institutions, scheduled area councils and other such local representative bodies.
An amount of Rs. 2750 Crore has been allocated by the Planning Commission for Multi-sectoral Development Programme for Minority Concentration Districts for the 11th Five year plan.
List of Minority Concentration Districts

Sl.No.	State	District
1	Arunachal Pradesh	East Kameng
2	Arunachal Pradesh	Lower Subansiri
3	Arunachal Pradesh	Changlang
4	Arunachal Pradesh	Tirap
5	Assam	Kokrajhar
6	Assam	Dhubri
7	Assam	Goalpara
8	Assam	Bongaigaon
9	Assam	Barpeta
10	Assam	Darrang
11	Assam	Marigaon
12	Assam	Nagaon
13	Assam	Cachar
14	Assam	Karimganj
15	Assam	Hailakandi
16	Assam	Kamrup
17	Bihar	Araria
18	Bihar	Kishanganj
19	Bihar	Purnia
20	Bihar	Katihar
21	Bihar	Sitamarhi
22	Bihar	Pashchim Champaran
23	Bihar	Darbhanga
24	Jharkhand	Sahibganj
25	Jharkhand	Pakaur
26	Maharashtra	Parbhani
27	Manipur	Thoubal
28	Meghalaya	West Garo Hills
29	Orissa	Gajapati
30	Uttar Pradesh	Bulandshahar
31	Uttar Pradesh	Budaun
32	Uttar Pradesh	Barabanki
33	Uttar Pradesh	Kheri
34	Uttar Pradesh	Shahjahanpur
35	Uttar Pradesh	Moradabad
36	Uttar Pradesh	Rampur
37	Uttar Pradesh	Jyotiba Phule Nagar
38	Uttar Pradesh	Bareilly
39	Uttar Pradesh	Pilibhit
40	Uttar Pradesh	Bahraich
41	Uttar Pradesh	Shrawasti
42	Uttar Pradesh	Balrampur
43	Uttar Pradesh	Siddharthnagar
44	Uttar Pradesh	Bijnor
45	West Bengal	Uttar Dinajpur
46	West Bengal	Dakshin Dinajpur
47	West Bengal	Maldah
48	West Bengal	Murshidabad
49	West Bengal	Birbhum
50	West Bengal	Nadia
51	West Bengal	South 24-Parganas
52	West Bengal	Barddhaman
53	West Bengal	Koch Bihar
54	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	Nicobar
55	Arunachal Pradesh	Tawang
56	Arunachal Pradesh	West Kameng
57	Arunachal Pradesh	Papum Pare
58	Assam	North Cachar Hills
59	Delhi	North East
60	Haryana	Gurgaon
61	Haryana	Sirsa
62	Jammu & Kashmir	Leh (Ladakh)
63	Jharkhand	Ranchi
64	Jharkhand	Gumla
65	Karnataka	Gulbarga
66	Karnataka	Bidar
67	Kerala	Wayanad
68	Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal
69	Maharashtra	Buldana
70	Maharashtra	Washim
71	Maharashtra	Hingoli
72	Manipur	Senapati
73	Manipur	Tamenglong
74	Manipur	Churachandpur
75	Manipur	Ukhrul
76	Manipur	Chandel
77	Mizoram	Lawngtlai
78	Mizoram	Mamit
79	Sikkim	North
80	Uttar Pradesh	Lucknow
81	Uttar Pradesh	Saharanpur
82	Uttar Pradesh	Muzaffarnagar
83	Uttar Pradesh	Meerut
84	Uttar Pradesh	Baghpat
85	Uttar Pradesh	Ghaziabad
86	Uttaranchal	Udham Singh Nagar
87	Uttaranchal	Hardwar
88	West Bengal	Haora
89	West Bengal	North 24Parganas
90	West Bengal	Kolkata

Mizoram: Adult Learners’ Week concludes

2009-10-09T08:45:00.001-07:00

The highly appreciated ‘Adult Learner’s Week’ with the Theme ‘Women Literacy Programme’ was recently successfully concluded at Archives Hall, Babutlang amidst the presence of people from different strata of Mizo society. The Week had also been observed at all district headquarters in the state. J. Hmingthanmawia, Additional Deputy Commissioner (DC) & Chairman, sub- committee on observance of Adult Learners’ Week Aizawl in his keynote address to the assembled said that Adult Education, formerly known as ‘Social Education’ had been started by the foreign missionaries in Mizoram since 1894. The term ‘Social Education’ was changed and substituted by ‘Adult Education’ since October 2, 1978.
It is not surprising that when the ‘National Adult Education Programme’ was launched by the Central Government in 1978, Adult Education in Mizoram received a new impetus. Simultaneously, a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) of three Rural Functional Literacy Projects were implemented. In order to facilitate vocational Training for Adult Learners, vocational schools had been started in Aizawl in August 1984. According to Adult Education Assistant Director B. Lungmuana, Indian President Pratibha Patil in a Joint Parliamentary Session held recently had declared 2009-14 as the years for Women Literacy Programme under Adult Literacy Policy in India. He said that as per the 2001 census the recorded illiterate people in Mizoram are Male 9.3% (35, 828 people) and Female 13.3 % (47,566 people), totaling up to 11.2 % as a whole.

Cabinet grants Rs 4 bn to Mizoram for roads construction

2009-09-09T06:22:00.001-07:00

The ministry of rural development granted Rs 4 billion to Mizoram for construction of rural roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

The sum is the second installment of Phase-V of grants in aid to the Mizoram Rural Roads Development Agency (MRRDA).

MRRDA is the state level autonomous agency for implementation of works under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the state.

Pradah Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme to provide road connectivity in the rural areas of the country.

PMGSY envisages connectivity to all habitations with a population of 500 persons and above in the rural areas and about 250 persons and above in respect of the hill states, tribal areas and desert areas through good and all weather roads.

Catholic Church calls upon Christians to give birth to more children

2009-09-05T09:16:00.001-07:00

New Delhi Worried about the community’s dwindling population, church leaders in the Indian states of Kerala and Mizoram are encouraging Christians to give birth to more children.

In Kerala, the Catholic Church has initiated several measures in church-run hospitals, including medical interventions such as the reversal of tubectomies for women and providing treatment to infertile couples.

“The church will extend support to women who want to undergo recanalisation or reversal of tubectomy. A recanalisation surgery in other hospitals costs around 50,000 rupees. In our church-run non-profit hospitals we can bring down the cost to 10,000 rupees,” said Father Jose Kottayil, the secretary to the council from Kochi.

While parishes across Kerala have been asked to conduct sessions with smaller Christian families to encourage them to have more children, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council’s Commission for Family has also promised to provide an education allowance to the fourth child in a family – indirectly asking each Christian family to have at least four children.

According to the 1991 census, Christians accounted for 19.5 per cent of Kerala’s 29.09 million population. When the 2001 census revealed that the state’s population had increased to 31.84 million, or a 9.42 per cent increase, the percentage of Christians had actually dropped to 19 per cent. In response, in 2004, church leaders decided to begin their campaign for larger Christian families.

“According to the latest government statistics, the fertility rate [children per family] among Kerala’s Christians is 1.5, the lowest among all [religious] communities in the state. It’s leading to the fall of the state’s Christian population and it concerns us,” said Fr Kottayil.

The Catholic clergy’s concerns run counter to those of the Indian state. Beginning in the 1950s, health officials began promoting smaller families and attempted to popularise slogans such as “Ham do, hamare do” (“We two, our two”, in Hindi), urging couples not to have more than two children.

In the Christian-dominated north-eastern state of Mizoram, where a church campaign for larger families began last year, the executive secretary of the Mizoram Synod, Zosangliana Colney, said children are the “continuation of God’s creations” and “human beings have no authority to control that process”.

As the country’s population has grown to over 1.2 billion, experts predict that by 2050 it will reach 1.53 billion and overtake China as the world’s most populous nation. India’s national fertility rate, according to latest figures released by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, stands at 2.8.

The same 2007 chart shows Kerala’s fertility rate at 1.9, among the lowest in the country, and the Christian fertility rate in Kerala at 1.5, the lowest among all religious communities in the state.

Christian leaders say that while Hindus and Muslims, the two larger communities in Kerala, are growing, the shrinking Christian population has reason to feel threatened.

“Kerala has seen a higher rate of fall in its Christian population, possibly because of increasing education among [Christian] women and growing unemployment among adults.

“But, on the other hand, the populations of other religious communities have been growing in the state, further making the Christians shrink in the society, and it is a matter of grave concern in a country where violence against Christians has been rising every year,” said John Dayal, the secretary of the All India Christian Council and national convenor of the United Christian Forum for Human Rights in Delhi.

Church leaders also blame western influence for Christian families becoming smaller in Kerala.

Noting that abortions were taking place among the state’s Christians, Fr Kottayil said that “loose Catholic doctrines” emanating from the West were leading Keralite Catholics to assume the non-Catholic belief that contraception and abortion are a matter of personal choice for couples and outside the purview of their religion.

“But we are against contraception and abortion: the birth of a child is originally a decision by God. A couple can only help His decision be executed, as partners in the process,” said Fr Kottayil.

“Many [Christian] couples are opting for only one child. For normal growth of their child at least another sibling is needed in the family – we are passing this message to those single-child parents. This one-child policy is the root of our crisis,” he said.

Health experts say that India can no longer sustain large families and it must immediately bring down the population growth rate to zero.

“People’s economic situation is not improved by having more children. It places them under greater financial pressure and exposes them to malnutrition and disease and they do not have the money for education and clothes,” Vivek Baid, the president of India’s Mission for Population Control, told London’s Observer newspaper last month.

Fr Kottayil, however, argued that in India the “unequal distribution of wealth” is the main hurdle for overall development.

Mr Colney said: “[Children] are God’s blessing on human beings. We know that if God wants to continue His creations, He surely will balance life on earth”.

Gan Sabra, a special home for HIV/AIDS orphans in Mizoram

2009-09-05T09:15:00.001-07:00

Located at Zonuam village on the outskirts of the Mizoram’s capital Aizawl, ‘Gan Sabra’ is a special home for orphans affected with HIV or AIDS.

“That they may have life, life in its fullness”, is the motto of ‘Gan Sabra’, the first and only transitional children’s home in Mizoram. It spreads joy in the lives of children and motivates them to lead their lives to the fullest.

Gan Sabra aims to provide a special home where children affected with HIV/AIDS can have a good time away from social stigmas.

Lucy Maruati, who is the moving force behind the home, believes that there is life beyond HIV-AIDS and every child has a right to cherish childhood in a world full of love.

“’Gan Sabra’ means ‘Garden of Cactus’ in Hebrew. The cactus survives in the desert and so also our children who are infected and affected with HIV/AIDS. For them it is a bit like desert because of the discrimination, stigma and different problems that they face. But they will survive. We are trying to provide them a family atmosphere in this home. That is what they need,” said Lucy Maruati, the founder of Gan Sabra.

There are presently 33 children at the home, the youngest of them is just one-and-a-half-year-old and the senior-most being of 16 years of age.

Lucy Maruati decided to open such a home after she adopted a girl child left abandoned by her parents.

Since its inception in 2006, ‘Gan Sabra’ has been helping the HIV / AIDS infected children to lead a normal life through education, healthcare and most of all love.

Today most of the children attend schools and get excellent results. Initially they encountered problems at schools due to opposition of guardians. However, with the help of various counselling programmes, parents started to accept the HIV positive children.

“I lost my parents due to AIDS and I am also HIV positive. Now I live here and this is my family. I go to school and love studying,” sai Puii (name changed), one of the AIDS patients.

Besides taking care of these children, the Gan Sabra also undertakes advocacy and arranges awareness workshops and campaigns on prevention of AIDS on a regular basis.

Tribals arrested with fake currency

2009-08-18T04:05:00.000-07:00

Agartala, Aug 18 : Four tribals have been arrested by security forces from Naisinghpara in Kanchanpur sub-division of North Tripura district, bordering west Mizoram, with fake Indian currency.

The police today said that acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Tripura police raided the Naisinghpara camp of displaced Reangs, about 27 km from Kanchanpur police station, yesterday.

The joint team arrested four tribals with fake Indian currency of Rs 14,000 In denomination of Rs five hundred and a mobile set.

About 35,000 Reangs, who were displaced during several ethnic clashes with Mizos from western Mizoram since 1997, are now sheltered in six evacuee camps including the Naisinghpara.

The police said a racket on fake currency is active in the border areas of Tripura and Mizoram.

Assam to raise new battalions as 2nd line of defence on border

2009-08-16T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Assam government would raise two new battalions of the state police to be used as the “second line of defence” with the Border Security Force (BSF) for deployment along the Indo-Bangladesh border. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced this while hoisting the national flag here on Saturday.

“We have already got the go-ahead from the Centre for raising the two battalions as a second line of defence in addition to the BSF in order to increase vigil along the Indo-Bangla border,” Gogoi said.

He also said that while his government was duty-bound to implement the various provisions of the Assam Accord (signed way back in 1985), he was also contemplating a legislation to prevent foreigners from acquiring land in the state.

“The government has also taken a decision to set up two detention camps on the Indo-Bangladesh border for those persons identified as Bangladeshi infiltrators so that they can be deported back to Bangladesh,” the Chief Minister said.

“Our government has already strengthened 91 km of barbed wire fence along the Indo-Bangladesh border in the past eight years. Work is on to complete the remaining portion of the border fence,” Gogoi said. The state government is also updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in order to identify Bangladeshi infiltrators, he added.

Mizoram CM promises terror-free state

2009-08-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

He said "militants and would leave no stone unturned to usher in a responsive and corruption-free administration.

In his Independence Day address after unfurling the tricolour at the Assam Rifles ground here, Thanhawla said: "There will be no leniency on anti-social elements such as armed militants, unlicensed arms holders and illicit arms dealers who pose threat to the peace and tranquility of our state".

He also said that besides the establishment of a Vigilance Commission, the state Anti-Corruption Bureau is being strengthened and would be headed by an Inspector General grade of police officer.

Poverty alleviation of the people living both in rural and urban areas would be given top priority, the chief minister said, adding that the New Land Use Policy (NLUP) would soon be launched throughout the state for the purpose.

The NLUP has in its package, more rural harvest and urban self-employments, marketing of products and rural and urban housing for the poor, he said.

He added that efforts were being made to establish a separate High Court in Mizoram.

The Union Ministry of Food Processing had sanctioned Rs 60 crore and Rs 15 crore for setting up of a Mega Food Park and an Abattoir respectively, he stated.

CRPF constable suspected of swine-flu quarantined

2009-08-15T00:57:00.000-07:00

Aizawl, Aug 15 : A CRPF constable posted at Mizoram's lone Lengpui Airport near here was quarantined at a hospital on being suspected of swine-flu infection, officials said today.

Blood and swab tests have been sent to National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, from where the results are expected to come by tomorrow, Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, nodal officer for prevention of swine flu, told PTI over phone from the airport.

"Awareness of the swine flu is very high in the state and samples taken from two Mizos, who volunteered, were also sent to Kolkata for tests," he said adding no swine flu case has been detected in the state so far.

The state government has prepared a ten-bedded room at the Falkawn Hospital where suspected swine flu patients are being quarantined.

A doctor and two nurses have been posted at Lengpui Airport to screen suspected swine flu passengers, he said.

Death of pigs in Mizoram prompts Cachar, Hailakandi to take steps

2009-08-13T02:06:00.000-07:00

Aizawl, Aug 13 : In the backdrop of reports death of a number of pigs in neighbouring Mizoram, the district administrations of Cachar and Hailakandi have taken a slew of precautionary measures.

While Cachar district administration has imposed a ban on import of pigs from Mizoram, Hailakandi district administration has been contemplating on sealing its border with Mizoram. As a precautionary step, a quarantine ward has been opened at Silchar Medical College and Hospital.

Meanwhile, a report of bodies of at least ten pigs being noticed at Dholeswari river at Katakhal in Hailakandi has panicked people in the district. Mehdi Hasan, Range officer of Kukicherra, has reportedly confirmed the report and brought the matter into the notice of Deputy Commissioner Tapan Chanda Goswami.

Dhaleswari flows from Mizoram. Goswami has asked Hasan to submit a written report on the matter. He said that he would take up the matter with his counterparts in the neighbouring State.

Cachar district Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Officer Bijan Bihari Chakraborty said there are at least 60,000 pigs in the district, mostly in piggeries in Lakhipur and Rajabazar. So far no abnormality has been detected, he said.

Huge cache of arms recovered in Aizawl

2009-07-31T10:29:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, July 31 (PTI) A huge cache of arms, including eight US-made M-16 rifles and one .9 mm Beretta pistol, were seized from a house rented by a Myanmarese national at Saron Veng locality here, police said today.

"The weapons were brought here from Myanmar and were suspected to have been ordered by Dimasa rebels of the neighbouring Assam's North Cachar Hills," a senior police officer told PTI.

Besides this, 14 bullets, one telescope and 12 sets of Chinese-made walkie talkies were also recovered yesterday.

Investigations have been launched to arrest the arms smugglers as the Myanmarese national Lalnempuii is residing in her native Tahan village in Myanmar since May, the official said.

Mizoram's largest church decries gay ruling, says homosexuals only 0.3%

2009-07-29T09:23:00.001-07:00

Some were for it and few others were against it, but for the largest Church in northeast state of Mizoram there is no discomfiture in its stance against the recent gay ruling.

The Mizoram Presbyterian Church has strongly opposed the HC ruling that de-criminalised gay sex among consenting adults and called on Law Minister Veerappa Moily to review the judgement that overturned a 149-year-old colonial law.

"Homosexuality is against all religious ethics and the culture of Indian society. We feel that the Indian society is safeguarded by the IPC Section 377 from unnatural and anti-social behaviour. Hence we are of the opinion that there is no need of legalising homosexuality in our country," the Church wrote to Union Government.

It pointed that homosexuality was fundamentally against the family structure and legalising it will destroy the fundamental nature of family unit of life.

It continued: "Homosexuality is against the natural order of God’s purpose in creating both sexes. Anything that goes against the natural order does not last over time and will have negative impact on the lives of the people and society."

"The society has the right to consider the ethical and moral aspects in an individual’s life. We are of the strong opinion that legality should never challenge ethical and moral standard of the society. It is on this basis that the Church finds this judgement unacceptable."

What's more, homosexuals comprise only 0.3 per cent of the population, so the right of rest 99.7 per cent to lead a decent and moral life must not be ignored.

Therefore, it pleaded the law minister to "seek a thoughtful review of the verdict and retain a good standard of social ethical values in our country, known for upholding its traditional values for centuries."

Earlier, there were reports indicating that the Christian-dominated state of Mizoram might disregard the Delhi High Court's gay ruling and rather stick with an 100-year-old British law that rigidly criminalises homosexuality.

The British law formulated in 1909 by superintendent of then Lushai Hills HWG Cole strictly opposes homosexuality and also punishes chiefs who fail to "report all cases of unnatural offences".

Mizo church leaders also support the 1909 order that was framed with Christianity in mind.

Reverend Zosangliana Colney, executive secretary of the Mizoram Synod, says the British order was strongly supported by the church as "homosexuality is directly against the ethics of Christianity and the Bible."

Meanwhile, the National Council of Churches in India - an ecumenical forum of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches - after its Chennai symposium on homosexuality Tuesday, told Christian Today that it would soon release an official statement that would present the unequivocal view of the Church on the issue.

Mizo Govt not to tolerate obstacles to development: CM

2009-07-17T07:06:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, Jul. 17 Noting that 20 years if insurgency had crippled development, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today said no disruptive element would be allowed to act as an impediment to growth.

"Unless we take up infrastructure development in earnest we will remain backward as 20 years of insurgency had obstructed us to undertake developmental works while the rest of India was moving forward," he said on the event of the 'home coming' of 64 militants of Sinlung People's Liberation Army (SPLA) here.

The militants gave in to authorities along with their arms and ammunition.

Mentioning some of the infrastructural projects in the state, Thanhawla said that the government is going ahead with the Multi Modal Transport Project linking the state with Sittwe port in Myanmar and construction of railroad up to Sairang, about 30 km from Aizawl city.

Mizo leaders

2009-07-09T01:26:00.001-07:00

Imphal, July 9 : Mizo People Convention, an apex body of the Mizos in the State is planning a tour of Mizoram to meet political party leaders and other philanthropic organizations to strengthen its policies and discuss the various challenges it often faces, reports our Churachandpur correspondent.

The MPC, according to F Lalnunmawia, Secretary I&P does not indulge in arms culture, neither support nor against any other communities and non-political body with no political agenda; striving for the integrity of different communities in Manipur.

Traditional Music Festival

2009-07-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur leh Mizoram sorkara Art & Culture Department te tangkawpin nimin khan vanapa Hall, Aizawl-ah ‘Traditional Music Festival’ buatsaih a ni a. FEstival-ah hian Mizoram bakah hmarchhak state pathum dang - Manipur, Assam leh Meghalaya-te an tel a, Mizoram ARt & Culture tangkawpin July ni 29-ah ‘Choral Festival’, Augugst 1 & 20th-ah ‘Costume Exhibition cum sale’, Mizoram Inter-Collegiate Cultural Meet te, November thlaah ‘Art Camp’ leh February 2010-ah Poets Meet buatsaih an tum a ni. Nimina Traditional Music Festival-ah hian Meghalaya, Manipur atangin zai leh lam chi hrang hrang entir a ni a, Mizoram atangin Bungkawn Cultural Club leh Hnahlan Cultural Club ten Mizo hnam lam leh zai an entir bawk a ni. (Courtesy Vanglaini)

Mizoram celebrates 23 years of peace and progress

2009-07-01T23:20:00.000-07:00

Aizawl | Tuesday, Jun 30

Mizoram, which stands out as a land of peace amid an ocean of insurgency will maintain the priceless peace at all costs, state Home Minister R Lalzirliana said here today.

Speaking at an observation of Remna Ni or Peace Day that marked the historic Mizo Peace Accord signed on June 30, 1986, at Congress Bhavan here today, Lalzirliana said, ''The peace we have been enjoying for the last 23 years had been earned with toil and blood and it is priceless. The Congress government will spare no efforts to preserve the hard-earned peace.'' ''The government will not allow any part of Mizoram to be used by underground elements as safe haven or even for a temporary shelter.

There will be no leniency on anti-social elements such as armed militants, unlicensed arm holders and gun runners,'' he said.

''As peace is pre-requisite for all forms of development, there is no room for insurgency in Mizoram. We will not allow any Mizo youth to take up arms, neither we will allow armed militant from the neighbouring states and countries to use Mizoram even as a route,'' he said.

On this day, the home minister said, the people of Mizoram remembered the sacrifice made by then Congress Chief Minister of Mizoram Lal Thanhawla who sacrificed his chief ministerial seat to end the 20-year-long insurgency and usher in permanent peace in this northeastern state.

''There could not be peace without surrendering something. Had Lal Thanhawla refused to step down from his seat, there could not be peace we are enjoying today,'' Lalzirliana said.

The Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), who had signed the Peace Accord under the leadership of the legendary Laldenga with the Rajiv Gandhi government 23 years back, also organised a separate function at its headquarters office here in observation of the Peace Day.

Addressing a huge gathering of party workers, MNF chief Zoramthanga said the Mizo Accord was neither the satisfaction of the Indian government nor the MNF, but a compromise between both the parties.

However, the former chief minister added the Mizo Accord went on to be one of the most successful peace agreements not only in the country, but in the whole world. ''We have seen a number of peace accords which the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi signed with insurgent groups in the country, but none of them has been as successful as the Mizo Accord,'' he said. ''Ours is a time-tested peace accord,'' he added.

''As those who have never been in the dark cannot appreciate the value of being in the light, the new generations who had not witnessed the Mizoram disturbances cannot appreciate the peace. ''It is a must for each and every one of us to preserve this peace,'' Zoramthanga said.

The political disturbances started during the tribulation of the bamboo flowering (Mautam) famine which left a deep scar in the minds of some Mizos and was interlinked with a secessionist movement that was to follow.

A voluntary organisation Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF) took up arms on February 28, 1966 in a bid to achieve its goal to separate the state from India.

Mizoram was immediately declared a 'disturbed area' and security forces were inducted to maintain law and order.

Mizoram CM denies calling Indians racist

2009-07-01T04:54:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla has denied saying that Indians were racist or that he was a “victim of racism”. The CM was quoted extensively in the media as saying in Singapore that Indians too were racist. He reportedly cited his own example, saying he was asked by people if he was Nepali because of his physical features.

On Friday, the Mizoram government issued a strongly worded denial which said the chief minister was “not correctly appreciated”. “What he had stated was that India is a multi-racial country and there could occasionally be some misunderstanding based on physical features of individuals from particular regions of the country. He did not even distantly suggest or hint that the people of India were racist and that he was a victim of racism,” the Mizoram government said.

Others present at the conference and who had heard the Mizoram chief minister speak said Lalthanhawla did not refer to racism at all, but took a light-hearted look at the “distance” between the northeast and the rest of India.

Mizoram Chief Minister: I am told “you do not look like an Indian!”

2009-06-30T02:04:00.001-07:00

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: An awareness deficit among Indians about their northeastern region and its current economic constraints were brought into focus by Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla at an international conference here on Thursday.

Highlighted in particular was the lack of awareness about the racial composition of India.
Mr. Thanhawla was addressing a networking session on the “business of water in India.” The event was jointly organised by the City-State’s public utility agency, called PUB, and the Singapore-based India Business Forum of the Confederation of Indian Industry. The overarching event was the Singapore International Water Week.

Emphasising the identity of the northeastern States as an integral region of India, Mr. Thanhawla said: “Even after [my] landing here, many people ask me: ‘You do not look like an Indian!’ Even in my own country, wherever I go to, Delhi or down south, while I say ‘I am from Mizoram,’ [I am asked] where is Mizoram. I tell them that this is in their own country. And, I ask many people, who claim themselves to be national leaders: ‘Why do you not accept that our great country is populated by at least three major races of the world?’”
In reply to this question, he cited the Dravidians in the south, the Aryans in the north, and the people belonging to the Mongoloid stock in the eastern, mainly northeastern region, besides the aborigines in various parts.
The northeastern region “is far away from mainland-India,” the two being linked by the so-called “chicken neck” bordering West Bengal.

Mizo push for Barak railway plan

2009-06-21T04:32:00.001-07:00

SILCHAR: A powerful social organization from Mizoram has extended support to a convention proposed to be held in Silchar, Assam on Sunday demanding immediate implementation of the much-delayed Lumding-Silchar broad gauge project.

Young Mizo Association (YMA) members will also take part in the agitations to be chalked out by the Silchar-based Citizens' Forum during the meet. YMA expressed concern over the "inordinate delay" in implementing the broad gauge project, as the 221-km rail link is considered the lifeline for southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and parts of Manipur.

Sources said this is for the first time a Mizo organization joined hands with its Barak Valley counterpart for the cause of the rail project.

'Notorious' gunrunner not Mizoram resident

2009-06-20T10:24:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, Jun 20 : Intelligence sources today clarified that a 'Mizo notorious gunrunner' was not a permanent resident of Mizoram but a Myanmarese migrant.

The National Investigation Agency on Tuesday released a sketch of John Mizo alias Shambhu Pradhan, who allegedly supplied arms to the Dima Halam Daogah(Jewel) and other insurgent groups in the North East.

''We know this man very well. He is a Myanmarese national.

Notorious drug and arm smugglers are mainly from Myanmar and pose as Mizoram residents giving a bad name to our state,'' an intelligence officer here said.

According to sources John Mizo generally operates from areas bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh.

''His arrest will be crucial to cracking the entire network of arms supply to the NE militants,'' a source said.

John’s role in supplying arms to the militants came to light with the arrest of two DHD(J) cadres. Sources said Rs 1 crore recovered from them was to be paid to John in return of his supplied arms. The sketch was prepared based on the description given by the arrested ultras.

Maoists take over part of India's West Bengal state

2009-06-18T04:39:00.000-07:00

New Delhi - A Maoist-backed organization of local tribal people has virtually taken over Lalgarh, an area of India's eastern West Bengal
state, and set fire to police camps and offices of the ruling party, news reports said Tuesday.

Hundreds of supporters of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) set fire to police camps in the villages of Salboni, Rangarh and Dharampur in the early hours of Monday, the Indian Express newspaper reported.

They also demolished offices of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), a leading partner in West Bengal's ruling leftist coalition.

The locals were accompanied by armed cadres of the CPI-M, which is spearheading the rebellion in the area.

Lalgarh town and adjoining villages in West Midnapore district have seen widespread unrest by local tribes since November when the Maoists supported the formation of the PCPA to organize protests against alleged police atrocities.

Barely 200 kilometres north-west of the state capital Kolkata, Lalgarh has been a virtual no-go area for the local administration since late 2008 and the media has largely been barred.

On Monday, the media was allowed in and television channels showed drumming, dancing villagers celebrating.

PCPA leaders were quoted as saying that they were not responsible for the arson or demolitions but that it was a spontaneous expression of anger.

Most local officeholders of the CPI-M as well as police fled the area before the attacks took place.

At least three CPI-M cadres were killed during the violence and two more were missing, PTI news agency reported.

Three police posts were ransacked and set on fire along with a local office of the CPI-M.

Television channels filmed PCPA members demolishing a new two-storey house belonging to a local CPI-M leader on Monday.

After the demolition, a leader of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, identified as Bikash, gave a press briefing with his back to the camera and an AK-47 rifle slung across his shoulder.

'The ground here is already ready and waiting for us. A child is about to be born and we are playing the role of the nurse who will deliver it,' he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya called a meeting of top officials to discuss future action in Lalgarh.

Bhattacharya narrowly escaped a landmine blast triggered by the Maoists when he was passing through the area in November 2008, following which, locals allege, the police atrocities increased with illegal detentions and torture.

Maoist guerrillas who operate in 13 Indian states say they are fighting for the rights of the landless, poor and tribal people.

They usually target security personnel and government installations.

According to unofficial estimates, at least 400 people, including rebels, have been killed in Maoist violence since January 2009.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the Maoist insurgency as one of the gravest internal security threats facing India.

Read more: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/southasia/news/article_1483883.php/Maoists_take_over_part_of_Indias_West_Bengal_state_#ixzz0ImThYBNX&B

Aizawl Theological College inaugurates M.Th in History of Christianity

2009-06-18T04:38:00.000-07:00

By Babu thomas

Aizawl Theological College (ATC) will now offer Master of Theology (M.Th) in History of Christianity as its latest post-graduate course.

A special function to inaugurate the opening of the new course was held at ATC Sandy's Hall on Friday 12 June.

The function was led by Rev. Dr. Lalhmangaiha, Senior Executive Secretary of Mizoram Presbyterian Church. ATC Principal Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad thanked the invited guests, while Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod Moderator Rev. H. Lalchhanhima announced the opening of the new course.

With the induction of new M.Th (Christian History) course, ATC now offers four fields of study at Master's level including Theology, Missiology and New Testament.

After this function was held, a book written by Dr. O.L. Snaitang, History of Christianity Head of Department, “Historical Methodology & Historiography” was also presented and discussed. Dr. Snaitang is one of the leading Church history in India, he is currently serving as President of Church History Association of India (CHAI).

Currently, there are 22 M.Th students including the three new students in the History of Christianity course.

Aizawl Theological College is one of the leading Theological colleges in India. It is affiliated to Serampore college; the Senate of Serampore is a deemed university based in Serampore, near Kolkata city in West Bengal state. Serampore college was founded by an English Baptist Missionary to India and the father of modern mission - William Carey, and his friends Joshua Marshman and William Ward in 1818.

Mizoram bans import of pigs from Myanmar

2009-06-18T03:46:00.001-07:00

AIZAWL: Amid a sort of paranoia of of swine flu, which is spreading to many countries, Mizoram has banned import of pigs from the neighbouring Myanmar.

Sales of pork, arguably the undisputed champion on the Mizo menu, have dropped drastically. "Ever since as the news of swine flu started getting prominence in newspapers and television channels, sales of pork has suffered. We have to sell beef instead of pork now," a pork seller from Chhinga veng locality said.

Normally on Saturdays, women carrying baskets queue up at meat shops for a grand Sunday breakfast. But such queues have now shifted to beef counters.

Owners of Beef, mutton and chicken shops seem to be revelling at pork sellers' loss. "Niow luck is now on our side. Bird flu virtually ruined our business. But now our business has looked up," said a chicken seller called.

State animal husbandry and veterinary department director C Sangnghina said, "No case of swine flu has so far been detected here. We are alert and on the job. Our rapid action team is keeping a strict vigil along the 722-km international border with Myanmar and Bangladesh and also boundaries with Assam, Manipur and Tripura.

Gill's IHF joins hands with Hockey India

2009-06-14T09:31:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Jun 14 In a dramatic turn of events, the erstwhile Indian Hockey Federation and the newly-formed Hockey India today decided to bury the hatchet and joined hands to bring the state associations -- both men's and women's -- into HI's fold.

The erstwhile IHF decided to join hands with HI in its general body meeting here today and formed a six-member sub-committee to work out the modalities of the merger of the men's and women's units in the state level within 45 days time.

"We held a meeting of the IHF general house today with due notice to states and union territories. We have 28 states and five union territories under us of which majority attended the meeting.

"We've been having discussion with Hockey India for quite sometime and in today's meeting the main decision we took was to set up the modalities for the merger of the state associations," Gill told reporters.

"For this purpose we have formed a sub-committee. The main idea is to work out the modalities of the merger and smoothen the process. We have given the committee 45 days' time to complete it," he added.

The members of sub-committee includes Chander Sekhar from Chandigarh, Charanjit Singh (Delhi), Dinesh Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), RK Shetty (Karnataka), Pratap Satpatty (Orissa) and H Khiangte (Mizoram). (Agencies)

Mizo veteran Congress politician passes away

2009-06-10T11:52:00.001-07:00

Aizawl, June 12 : Former Mizoram Finance Minister and veteran Congressman John Lalsangzuala died after a prolonged illness at Aizawl Civil Hospital here around midnight last night. He was 84.

He is survived by his wife Zokhumi, three surviving children and a number of grandchildren.

Born at Kulikawn in Aizawl in 1924, Lalsangzuala joined the First Battalion of Assam Regiment during the World War II in 1941 while he was studying at St Anthony's College in Shillong.

After he retired from the Army in 1958, he engaged in social work and later joined the Indian National Congress and got elected for the first time on the party's ticket from Aizawl South constituency in the 1972 Mizoram UT assembly elections.

He was re-elected to the assembly in 1989 from Aizawl East-I seat and again in 1993 from the same seat.

He had held various Cabinet posts in the Lal Thanhawla-led Congress ministries, but was most popular as finance minister in the 1993-1998 Congress ministry during which he earned a nickname of Mr Clean.

Due to internal crisis in the party, Lalsangzuala split the Pradesh Congress party in 2005 to float Mizoram Congress Party (MCP) with two Congress MLAs and a good number of followers.

After remaining an ally of then ruling Mizo National Front, Lalsangzuala dissolved the MCP and went back to the parent party in 2008 before the state assembly elections.

Political analysts attributed the comeback of Lalsangzuala to the storming resurgence of the Congress in the 2008 assembly elections.

His funeral took place at his Mission Veng residence which was hugely attended by Congress ministers and MLAs, politicians, officials, friends and relatives.

Mizoram news briefs

2009-06-05T02:49:00.001-07:00

Mizoram Council of Ministers discussed matters relating to establishment of Aizawl Municipal Council today. The Cabinet Meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, Mr. Lal Thanhawla discussed formation of Municipal authority, Mizoram Grant in Aid to Aizawl Municipal Council Rules 2008, filling of 5 temporary posts in the Council and Mizoram Municipality Ward Committee and Local Committee Rules 2008. The Council of Ministers also reviewed Aizawl Municipal Council area and the final decision of the meeting is awaited. Other agenda taken up in this Cabinet meeting included upgradation of the post of Asst. Drugs Controller to Deputy Drug Controller, proposed creation of Buarpui and Kawlkulh PWD Sub Divisions, upgradation of the post of Vice Principal of ITI Lunglei and Saiha to Principal and framing of Mizoram Grievance Redressal Rules 2009 as proposed by Rural Development Department.
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The Border Trade Point at Zokhawthar has been closed again since yesterday afternoon. The SDPO of Champhai, Mr. Lalduhthanga told our Corr. that all the goods held up in Zokhawthar and Zokhawmawi were sent away to their respective destinations during the last 3 days. Meanwhile our Champhai Corr. said, the stalemate in the talks between Champhai Transport Union and Zokhawthar Welfare Committee continue to persist despite earnest effort made to hammer out solution. The bond of contention is how to share transportation of goods coming from Myanmar between Zokhawthar and Champhai. The deadlock being faced in the talks may invite authority in the Government to intervene in the issue, he added.
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Anti Narcotic Squad of Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department seized 16 canes of heroin in Bawngkawn yesterday afternoon. The Department sources said, the main accused, Hramchung of Halka District in Myanmar, living in a rented house at Bawngkawn was arrested along with the drugs. A case has been filed against him under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act-1985.
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Meanwhile the Excise Squad also destroyed 18 brewing chambers in the jungle below Police Training Centre at Lungverh. They however fail to make any arrest as the involved persons could ran away in the forest nearby.
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A recipient of Sangeet Natak Academy Award, John Lalhluna Chhakchhuak passed away in Tlangnuam, Aizawl yesterday after a prolonged illness. He was 83 and survived by his wife, 4 sons and 4 daughters. He was awarded Sangeet Natak Academy Award-2004 by the President for his genius in Mizo Instrumental music. He was also B High Grade artist of All India Radio, Aizawl in Mizo instrumental music.
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The first meeting of NLUP Implementing Board was held in Agriculture Directorate Committee Room today. The meeting chaired by the NLUP Apex Board Vice Chairman, Mr. R. Selthuama discussed the creation of NLUP Cell in Government Departments and the Rural Development Blocks where the scheme will be taken up first. Addressing the meeting, the Vice Chairman informed the members that 120 crores is expected in the State Annual Plan for implementation of the Scheme which is expected to cover about 25 thousand families in a year. He also said that more care and attention will be taken for proper implementation of the scheme. The meeting was attended by representatives of various Government Departments including Agriculture, Industry, AH & Vety, Soil and Water Conservation, Horticulture, Fishery and Sericulture Deptt.
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The Special Investigation Team of Mizoram Police on Chiahpuam fake investment is currently working with the State Transport Department to complete the formalities to dispose vehicles and 2 wheelers seized in this connection. The Investigation Team leader told our Corr. that public auction of the vehicles and two wheelers seized from the agents will be completed in the near future. In reply to another question, the Team leader said over 6 crore, 82 lakhs, 98 thousand rupees have so far been received back by the Police and over 2 lakh rupees also is received today which is yet to be recorded along with others.
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Chhimbial Chhantu Committee has decided to ask the Government to shift the State capital to Thenzawl. This decision was taken in Chhimbial Chhantu Committee meeting held in Lunglei today. The Committee also asked the Government to take up Greater Lunglei Water Supply Scheme based on Mat river water as the present water supply scheme can no longer provide sufficient drinking water to the people of Lunglei town. The Committee also suggested introduction of Mini Bus within Lunglei town area and stoppage of issue of permit for Auto Rickshaw. The meeting was chaired by Mr. C. Lalsangliana.
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Education Minister, Mr. Lalsawta warned teachers engaging their substitute that they will be penalized. Addressing the training in District Institute of Education Training, Aizawl yesterday, the Minister said, engaging substitute on their own by the school teacher is illegal and highly irregular practice which will not be tolerated by the Government. He also said that the Government is trying to improve the system and quality of education in the State on the basis of the recommendation to be made by Education Reform Commission.
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Today, the maximum temperature of Aizawl City was 28.2 degree Celsius and the minimum was 20.2 degree Celsius. Rainfall recorded during the day was 3.9 millimetres.
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5 people killed, 54 houses set ablaze in N.C. Hills

2009-06-04T01:13:00.001-07:00

Guwahati: Suspected militants gunned down five people, including four women, in a pre-dawn swoop on a Zeme Naga village in southern Assam’s North Cachar Hills district on Wednesday. The militants set ablaze 54 houses in the village.

With this, the death toll in militants’ attacks on villages belonging to Dimasa and Zeme Naga tribes in the hill district since March 18 has gone up to 31.

Deputy Commissioner S. Jagannathan told The Hindu that about 25-30 unidentified armed miscreants attacked the Boro Chenam village, about 40 km. off Haflong, the district headquarters town between 3.40 a.m. and 4 a.m.

A team of National Investigation Agency arrived here to formally take over the two cases of recovery of cash amounting to more than Rs. 1 crore near the Assam-Meghalaya border.

The cash was meant for payment for an arms procurement deal of the militant Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel faction).

Chief Executive Member of the N.C. Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) Mohit Hojai and three others have been arrested in connection with the cash haul.

‘Us’ and ‘Vais’ in the NorthEast

2009-06-04T01:07:00.001-07:00

Paritosh Chakma says ‘racial discrimination’ thrives within the North East too:

Outsiders (meaning of course long-nose plains people) are called “vais” in Mizoram. “Vai” is a Mizo word and the term is used in contempt towards the people who look “different” from “us” in Mizoram. The people of Mizoram may contest my claim but I have seen how the socalled “vais” from Silchar and elsewhere are asked to take seat in the backside of the MST bus by the Mizos or for that matter even the Chakmas in Chakma dominated areas.

Prior to award of Bodo Territorial District Council in Assam, a Bodo friend of mine had told me how the Assamese majority discriminated against the Bodo tribals. Even the Mizos of Mizoram had similar grudge against the state of Assam prior to formation of Mizoram.

JAC hails Naga Hoho gesture

2009-05-31T11:57:00.001-07:00

Imphal, May 31 : The JAC formed against the brutal killing of Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Thingnam Kishan and his two sub-ordinate staff namely Yumnam Token and Aribam Rajen Sharma has appreciated the sincere effort of the Naga Hoho and Eastern Naga People's Organisation in convincing the NSCN (I-M) leadership to hand over Hopeson Ningshen, the prime accuse in the murder cadre, to the CBI on May 28 .

In a statement, JAC chairperson Lt Col (retd) S Tikendrajit Singh said that JAC firmly believes that any other NSCN (I-M) cadres found guilty in the subsequent investigation by CBI will also be handed over without further ado.

Extending its gratitude to all organisations and individuals cutting across community whose comprehensive and unrelenting pressure on the State functionary left no alternative to the Central leadership but to warn the Naga rebel outfit of a possible raid of its camps in case Hopeson Ningshen was not handed over to the CBI on May 28, the JAC recalled that Hopeson Ningshen was produced in the mobile court of CJM Ukhrul at Tulihal Airport complex yesterday and remanded to CBI custody for further investigation for 15 days.

He will be subsequently produced in the court of CJM Ukhrul on June 12 on the expiry of the remand period and JAC sincerely hopes that CBI will bring out all the culprits involved in the gruesome murder and prepare necessary charge-sheet against them within the stipulated time frame of 90 days before any possible move of bail application is contemplated, the JAC chairperson expressed.

Meanwhile, the JAC urged State Govt to make proceedings of the inquiry committee headed by O Nabakishore Singh, IAS available through filing of an application under RTI Act.

31 labourers held by Mizo police

2009-05-31T11:55:00.001-07:00

SILCHAR, June 1 : Tension gripped the Asom-Mizoram border at Lailapur of Cachar as 31 labourers from this side of the border were locked up in Kolacib PS. Sources said, altogether 93 labourers went to Vairengte of Mizoram in search of work yesterday. They were eventually detained by Vairengte police as the labourers could not reportedly produce their Inner line permit or certificate from the local panchayats.

However, some of the labourers were later released as some Mizo people told the police that they had hired the labourers. Remaining 31 labourers were detained by Kolasib police. Dholai PS OC Aizur Rahman told The Sentinel today that till Saturday evening there had been no news from Kolasib about the release of the labourers.

Sources said, the new Congress government in Mizoram had made ILP mandatory even for the labourers who need to enter Vairengte in search of work.

Later, a district-level party between Cachar and Kolasib decided that these labourers would be allowed to enter into Mizoram if they could produce certificates from the local panchayat.

Dholai Panchayat GP authority has agreed to issue such certificates, but some labourers yesterday intruded into Vairengte without the certificates from the panchayat body.

On Friday night, Rahman and other police officers went to Kolasib for releasing the 31 labourers, but they were sent back by their Kolasib counter-part with the assurance that the labourers would be released on Saturday.

Rahman hoped the labourers would reach home today night. He further claimed that the situation was normal.

2009-05-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

Rains beginning Saiha skies are visited repeatedly by teams of myriad colours at various times of the times, with our new Nikon I tried capturing a glimpse.

A Saiha morning.........

I got this view of the Blue Mountain in the background with the Circuit House in the foreground from the Helipad before the clouds changed forms.

Clouds invited the evening a trifle earlier the other day, some lights went up at the Camp and I was lucky to be then on way from the market to our office.

Stunning sunsets i ever associate only with Agraa (Madhya Pradesh); the Saiha (Mizoram) skies during the past week have however made my list longer. This is from the terrace of the building in New Saiha East that also houses our office.

Lightning continued for well over 15 minutes on a late cloudy evening while thunder was conspicious with its absence, i took the opportunity and rushed upstairs

How i love the monsoons here.......

Resent in Mizoram over non-representation in union ministry

2009-05-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

Aizawl , May 30 : Cross sections of the Mizo people expressed dismay at the absence of a representative from the state in the union council of ministers while both MPs from neighbouring Meghalaya were inducted as union ministers.

Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) leader M C Lalrinthanga today accused state chief minister Lal Thanhawla of being powerless to influence the UPA and the AICC leadership to include C L Ruala, the lone Lok Sabha member from the state, in the union ministry.

" While Meghalaya PCC leaders could manage to include both their MPs in the union ministry, the weakness of the Mizoram PCC leadership stood exposed," Lalrinthanga said.

Lallianchhunga, a lecturer of political science in Mizoram University, lamented that the Congress leadership in Delhi failed to appreciate the huge mandate received by the party from the people of Mizoram in the December state assembly polls and the recent Parliamentary polls.

Bru refugee Identification soon

2009-05-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

AIZAWL, May 23 – Mizoram government officials posted in the districts adjoining Tripura and Bangladesh would soon conduct identification of Brus in six relief camps in Tripura to find out who are bona fide residents of the state and their descendants.

“The officials would coordinate with the NGOs in the identification process,” chief secretary Vanhela Pachuau told PTI, adding that the criteria would “include enrollment in the Mizoram voters’ lists and knowledge of Mizo language” amongst others.

Meanwhile, Young Mizo Association, the largest NGO in the state has announced that Bru refugees who are bona fide residents of Mizoram are welcome to return.

Thousands of Bru community migrated to Tripura in the late 1997 due to communal tension and were lodged in the six relief camps in North Tripura district’s Kanchanpur Sub-Division since then. The Mizoram government and the Ministry of Home Affairs recently decided that the refugees would be repatriated to Mizoram.

Outright discrimination against Chakmas in Mizoram

2009-05-21T02:33:00.001-07:00

By - Paritosh Chakma

There are 71,283 Chakmas in Mizoram, according to the Census of India 2001 which also states that “Chakma has registered the lowest literacy of 45.3 per cent, with male and female literacy at 56.2 per cent and 33.6 per cent respectively.”

The people of Mizoram, including the Chakmas, are proud that Mizoram is the second most literate state in the country and is still improving its record. But honestly there is also nothing to cheer about when it comes to the conditions of the Chakmas who are living outside the jurisdiction of the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC). In these areas, in particular in the border areas near the India-Bangladesh border, education does not receive any importance from the state government of Mizoram. I have myself visited these areas and have seen with my own eyes how difficult it has become to receive education beyond what is being provided under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). There is simply no middle school, not to say of high school. SSA education in the Chakma areas is nothing but only an official record that the state has reached to the masses and the state is progressing towards full literacy.

The goal of education is to make a man with capital letter M, as Swami Vivekananda has said. Education allows one to have a decent job and bring stability, progress to the family and to the society at large. But this is not to happen to the Chakmas of Mizoram, especially for those who are living outside the CADC.

To make the matter worst, the state government of Mizoram, it seems, is determined not to provide government jobs to the Chakmas, the largest minority community in the state. With clear evil design in mind, the state government has framed such rules under which candidates must pass Mizo subject up to Middle school level to qualify for state government jobs. It is needless to say that the representation of the Chakmas in the state services has been very negligible in Mizoram.

I do not doubt of the fact a public servant must be able to communicate in the state language (Mizo in case of Mizoram) to be able to provide better and efficient services to the public. Hence, one may argue that a state government official, even if he is from minority community, must be able to speak in Mizo. I do not debate the merit of this argument.

But the truth lies deeper, which needs proper examination. The state government of Mizoram has passed several Recruitment Rules where “working knowledge of Mizo language at least up to Middle School standard” has been either made a compulsory requirement of educational qualification or as a “desirable qualification”.

The following are just a few of the Recruitment Rules which have provided that Mizo subject is a necessity for qualification for the jobs:

- MizoramPublic Health Engineering Department (Group A' posts) Recruitment Rules, 2008

- Mizoram Public Health Engineering Department (Group B post) Recruitment Rules, 2006

- Mizoram Public Health Engineering Department (Group D post) Recruitment Rules. 2006

- Mizoram Transport Department (Group 'B' post) (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2006.

- Mizoram Industries Department (Group 'B" post) Recruitment Rules, 2006.

- Mizoram Education and Human Resources Department (Group 'C' post) Recruitment Rules, 2007.

- Mizoram Home Guard Department (Group ‘C’ post) Recruitment Rules, 2007

- Mizoram Home Guard Department (Group 'B' posts) Recruitment Rules, 2007

- Mizoram Health & Family Welfare Department (Group 'B' posts) Recruitment Rules, 2008.

Mizoram Rural Development Department (Group 'B' posts) Recruitment Rules, 2008.

- The Mizoram Administrative Training Institute (Group B post) Recruitment Rules, 2008

- The Mizoram Rural Development Department (Technical Wing) Recruitment Rules, 2008

All of these above Recruitment Rules have set “working knowledge of Mizo language at least up to Middle School standard” as a qualification for the job. In cases where this requirement has been mentioned as “desirable qualification” this is just to hoodwink the world because past experiences tell that it is nothing short of an eligibility requirement for the job.

One of my friends was harassed by the Chairperson of the Interview Board when he appeared for the interview for Hindi teacher in 2008. My friend is a graduate in English medium but he had studied in Haryana, which is a Hindi belt and hence is fluent in both speaking and writing Hindi. Even the BSF personnel in his village are awestruck by his ability to speak Hindi so well. Now, you tell me what is that he is lacking to be eligible for Hindi teacher job. But because he did not study Mizo in school it became an obstacle for him.

The interview board in stead of sticking to their mission to judge his Hindi abilities and character to know whether he is suitable for the job, began to question him on his inability to speak Mizo well and for not studying Mizo subject. He was asked to sing a Mizo song and translate into Hindi an old Mizo proverb. He could sing a small Mizo song but could not understand the Mizo proverb (we all know, proverbs in all societies are difficult to understand as they always carry a history with them and a deeper meaning). My friend was almost asked to get out of the room when he annoyed the Chairperson after he answered a question somewhat funnily. The Chairperson asked as to how he (my friend who is a Chakma) will teach the Mizo students if he is appointed in a Mizo village after his selection to the Hindi teacher post. My friend answered this way, “Sir, I shall teach as the Mizo teachers are teaching the Chakma children when posted in Chakma villages”. This angered the interview panel. But my friend was trying to convey a message that the Mizo teachers who are not able to speak or understand Chakma language are not doing justice to their jobs and hence doing injustice to the Chakmas.

Hence, the question is not whether Chakmas should also learn Mizo language (they should definitely learn) but whether or not these Recruitment Rules are discriminatory against the linguistic minorities like the Chakmas.

Article 16 of the Constitution of India provides that -

“(1) There shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State.

(2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect of, any employment or office under the State.”

The incident I have mentioned above clearly shows that the Chakmas are discriminated in matters of employment on the ground of religion (Chakmas are Buddhists), race, caste, and language.

In other states, of course the state language could be one of “desirable” requirements for the job and the candidates are sometimes specifically given preference in selection based on their ability to read, write and speak the concerned state or regional language if the profile of the job so demands. But in the case of Mizoram it is different and discriminatory. Let me explain.

Most of the Chakma students complete their education (Middle School onwards) outside the state of Mizoram. They study in institutions where the expenses are low and affordable, say in Shillong (for example, Ramakrishna Mission), in different towns of Assam, Kolkata (for example in Bodhicarya School which is a charity institution), in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Mumbai, Mysore (in Hindu and Christian missionary schools) etc.

So, they do not have the opportunity of studying Mizo subject in school because the Mizo as a subject is certainly not taught there. But as per the Recruitment Rules, the candidates must study Mizo subject up to Middle School (or Class VII) standard to qualify for appointment. I wonder how the Mizo students who have done their Middle School studies outside Mizoram qualify for these jobs of Mizoram government.

Legally, by “Working Knowledge of Mizo at least up to Middle School standard” it is meant that one must possess the academic passing certificate of Class VII wherein it is shown that he or she has passed the Mizo subject. Here lies the basic problem.

A Chakma graduate can learn the Mizo language at later stage but it is impossible for him to change his Class VII certificate, can he? Hence, the eligibility criteria should have been ability to speak the Mizo language to the extent that the candidate can communicate with the general public in Mizoram.

The problem also is, the government of Mizoram has failed to introduce the Mizo subject compulsorily in schools in Chakma dominated areas. When laws have been framed, there must be also facility of Mizo teachers teaching the Mizo subjects to the Chakma and other non-Mizo children in schools.

Only if Mizo teachers are appointed to teach the Mizo language in Chakma village schools that the problem could be solved to a large extent. Till then the Chakmas will continue to suffer discrimination because of the wrong policies of the state government towards the minorities in Mizoram.

(To contact the writer of this article, please email him at pchakma@gmail.com. All your views/opinions expressed in this forum or to him directly will be appreciated)

Brief History of Chin/Kuki/Zo

2009-05-19T01:45:00.000-07:00

The word "Zo" has many literal meanings such as "win", "respond", "higher altitude", "conquer" hill, mountainous place hihger elevation where climate is cold; and "Mi" means "people", human, person. Due to external dominance and influence, the Bengali called them Kuki, the Burmans called them Chin, the Indians called them Lushai but they never called themselves by those names. Zomi is the most commonly known identity regardless of their living in the plain, high altitude, South, North, East or West.

Professor F.K. Lehman (Anthropology and Linguistics, University of Illinois (USA)), in his research findings, concludes that despite the variation in the form of writing, it appears to have a single root of Zo, Yo, Ysou, Shou and the like.

According to Rev. S.T. Hau Go, the term- 'Zu' is widespread throughout the inhabitance of Zomi from Burma to Bay of Bengal. For instance, they are known as, Yo in Thadous areas, Laizo in Falam areas, Zomi Tedim areas, Mizo in Lushais area, Zotung, Zophei, Zokhua in Haka areas, Bawmzo in Chittagong Hill Stracts, Yaw in Gangaw areas, Jo or Cho in Mindat, Khomi in Paletwa, A-Sho in Prome, Thayetmyo, Sandoway and Bassein areas. Thus, Zo or Zomi is the most widely used National Name.

However the names given by their neighbors such as Lushai, Kuki and Chin are not National names, additionally never able to cover the whole Nation. Only the name “Zu” is found to be the most common name among Chin-Kuki-Lushai.[1]

The racial origin of the Zo are considered to be a Tibeto-Burman race. There are many sub-tribes under Zo People who live in India, Burma and Bangladesh namely, Zomi, Mizo, Lai-Zo, Bawm-Zu, Cho, Asho, Khumi, Kuki, Mara (Lakher) etc. of the Sino-Tibetan linguistic family.

The ZOMIs are the original descendants (progeny) of a legendary person named Pu Zo, who is believed to be the elder brother of Pu Zing Phaw (presently known as Kachins). Though living under the present-day military-ruled Burma, the Zote were known to have lived independently and harmoniously since time immemorial. Due to lack of evidence and difficulties in excavating archaeological remains, the Zo's origins are difficult to be proved. Though widely believed to have descended from Mongolia, the routes to the present settlements are not clear. It is believed that the Zote have descended from Mongolia to China and to Tibet and to the present day Burma.

Many of scholars believed that the origin of the Zo people was somewhere in the North-Western China, more specifically, the area which lies between the upper course of the Yangtze Kiang and the Hwang HO rivers are believed to be the original home of the ZO people. S.K. Chatterji, also makes an attempt to identify the area of the North-West China between the head waters of Hwang Ho and Yangtze Kiang Rivers: as the origin of the Sino-Tibetan migration in to India and Burma. Dr. Grierson wrote “tradition and comparative physiology agree in pointing to North-Western China between the upper course of the Yangtze Kiang and the Hwang Ho as the original home the Tibeto-China race, to which the Tibeto-Burman and the Siamese-Chinese groups belong”. It was also an accepted fact that this people belong to Tibeto-Burman stock.

This historical linguistic and ethnicity of the Zo people to the place of origin established this fact from thence; the Zo people had started their migration as their predecessors had done. They moved southwards, most probably via Tibetan Highlands then onto the Salween River and entered the Irrawaddy and Chindwin valley. They came into this region by following the route south-westward on the line of the Irrawaddy and the Chindwin. They settled in the watershed area of Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers for many generations and founded their kingdom “ Pupa Gam”. With the rising of the more powerful kingdom from south forced them to move to the east of river Chindwin. The Chindwin River is name by the Zo people as Tuikang (White Water). They crossed the river and settled in the area of Kale-Kabaw-Myittha-Yaw valley which stands still testimonial to our settlement todays.

It is also irony that some people less familiar or ignorant of their history interpret the name Zo to mean the climatic conditions of the highlands, “they occupy because they called the land with a cold climate of higher elevation “Zo”. This is totally a full misconception of the term and origin of Zo. It is in fact also contrary to the origin and progenitor Pu Zo. This must have been one of the most catastrophic historical interpretations, because the people called themselves Zo when they live in the plains of Burma and the valley of Manipur (India). Thus, the name Zo could not have come from the climatic conditions of this land. They are Zo not because they live in the highlands or the hills, but all Zo and called themselves Zo because they are the descendants of the great ancestor, “Zo”.

The Zo folksongs give the picture oh their settlement, prosperity and the civilization that evolved in the plains of Burma in the last part of the Thirteen century A.D. It is also further believed that the Zo had once upon a time established an independent state in the upper Chindwin areas. This observation about establishment of kingdom is clearly evident by the terms “Kumpi”, “Mangpa”, and “Lengpa” which are equivalent to kingships. These above terms are indeed interwoven with the Zo people till today.

The present distributions of the population of the Zu people and their most notable towns and villages can be seen from the Chindwin river in the east to Aizawl (Mizoram, India) in the west and from Kalemyo, (Burma) in the south to Imphal (Manipur, India) in the north. The hubs of their present settlements are all along most important routes of the region. They all spread all along the Indo-Burma road, the Tedim road and the Tamu-kalemyo National Highways.

Towns and villages along the Indo-Burma road are Sugnu, Singtom, Gelngai, Salem, Paldai, Sahich Tampak, Kathoung, Khollian, Moulnuom, Zangzom, Zangdung, Khoungtal, Denlha, Senam, Thuambuol, Khianglam, Lungtah, Gelmuol, Khuamun, Anlun, Naazang, Tonzangmyo etc.. towns and villages all along the Tedim Road are S. Muolnuom, Lamka (Churachandpur), Zoumun, Khianglam, Geltui, Gelzang, Busau, Hiangtam Khounou, Hiangtam, Singngat, Behiang, Khuaivum, Tonzang, Phungtong, Salzang, Tahzang, Lomzang, Gamngai, Tualmu, Gelzang, Gienchiel, Tedim. Moreover, apart from these routes and roads many Zo villages are scattering all other parts of this particular region. It will not be out of the text to include some more. In the Tuining, Singheu kual some of the notable villages are, Tuining, Vazang, Sangaikot, Kuvan, Tuaitenphai, Tuibul, Saiboh, Gangpimual, ZO Bethel, Khaukual, Moulom, Khuainuoi, Siongheu, Phaisan, Phaisat in Churachandpur distirict; In Tonzang Area to Khampat, Phaitu, Khamzang, Seksi, Thauthe, Maulawn, Liikhaan, Tuigial, Tuimang, Singtum, Sialthawzang, Boungkung, etc… The above towns and villages are aligned from North to South direction. There are other many villages which are not included here.

The Zo people took pride in calling themselves by this name for ages. The cultural heritage of the Zo people makes them whole as having a full blossom identity as Zo. This people traditionally named their sons and daughters, villages, places imbibing the great great progenitor “ZO”. Names such as Zogam, Zozaam, Zotui etc. stand testimonial to the affiliation that these people has had to their great ancestor Pu Zo from time immemorial.

In religion, the majority of the Zo people are Christians of the Protestant variety. Before that, animism was considered to be the most widely practiced religion, until the late 1800s and early 1900s when American Baptist missionaries from the U.S. and Lutheran missionaires from Sweden preached Christianity among the Zo people. 5 to 10 percent of people who profess to be non-Christians currently in Chin State, but the Zo people are the highest percentage practice Christianity there.

An estimated 15 to 20,000 Zomi live in the Chin state of Myanmar, another 15,000 in the Chittagong Province, Bangladesh and about 10,000 in the Indian side (Assamese State) of the Zomi homeland. Since the 1930s, tens and thousands of Zomi migrated out of the homeland to cities in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. However, the missionairy work of the Baptist and Lutheran churches brought thousands of Zomi to Europe (i.e. Sweden and Great Britain) and also to North America (primarily Canada and the U.S.).[citation needed]

Demographics Identities

The simplification of term Zomi into English is Zo People. Zomi people who occupied part of India, Burma and Bangladesh are considered to be indigenous people. Zomi settled down in large part of Churachanpur district, Chandel district of Manipur State, India. The brethren, Thado-Kuki especially in India adopted the name Kuki which means hill people in Bengali language. Similarly Zomi in Burma are called Chin initially by the Burmans around 700 AD for the first time, and subsequently by the British. Zomi who live in Mizoram State of India referred themselves as Mizo, although the two terms Zomi and Mizo simply mean "Zo People". Basically Zo people covered the whole Chin State of Burma, the whole Mizoram State of India, part of Manipur State of India called Churachandpur District, part of Sagaing Division in Burma, part of Chittagong Hill Tracts[2], Bangladesh, part of Rakhine State in Burma. The area of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is about 13,184 km², which is approximately one-tenth of the total area of Bangladesh. It is believed that there are about 1 million Zo people in Mizoram, 5-700 thousands in Chin State, 300 thousands in Churachandpur district or Lamka and 2 million in the plain areas of Sagaing Division, Magway Division, Chittagong Hill Tracts,[3],and Rakhine State. The numbers of Bawm Zo[4] [5] in Bangladesh is believed to be around 6000.[6]

Zomi who settled down at the central part of Chin State are known to themselves as Lai Zo, because of the central location of their inhabitance. Additionally, the Lai Zo were fond of the idea of exclusiveness from the Zophei, Zokhua and Zotung people. Hence, the idea of dichotomisation was applied by using US-THEM method of segregation for centuries, in this segmentation. The LaiZo, later dismantled the word "Zo" from LaiZo and use only Laimi, however they are very much part of "Zo" or "Zomi". Nevertheless, the word "Laimi" only covers a small numbers of people at the center part of Chin State. On the other hand, the name "Zomi" or "Zo" covers people who called themselves Mizo, Zomi, Kuki, [Bawm] Zo and Chin as a whole.

The southern part of Chin State, Burma occupied by Asho, Cho people, nonetheless, the words simply are the indication of their beings as southern Zomi (Zomi People).

Religion

Traditionally animism was considered to be the most widely practiced religion among Zomi, until the Swedish-American Baptist missionaries preached Christianity around 1899, for the first time. Before the arrival of Christian missionaries in the 19th century there was a new religion in among the Zomi known as the Laipian. It is still practiced even in the present day. The founder of 'LAIPIAN' religion was Pau Cin Hau, Sukte. He invented the Zotuallai. Approximately there are about 5 to 10 percent of people who profess to be non-Christians currently in Chin State, the rest are Christians either by birth or conviction. A small but growing Buddhist population does exist in the southern and eastern parts of Chin State.

Rice scarcity in Mizoram

2009-05-15T12:50:00.000-07:00

Aizawl , May 16 : A food scarcity has hit Mizoram as rice, the staple food of the state, could not be transported through trains due to militancy in neighbouring Assam, official sources said here today.

They said that train services in Assam were disrupted following recent attacks on trains by suspected Dimasa rebels on the Lumding-Badarpur sector, causing erratic supply of rice at Mizoram&aposs lone Bairabi rail station.

Food Corporation of India (FCI) began lifting rice supply from Guwahati, but it was not sufficient and the state government is appointing carrying contractors to supplement the FCI efforts, an official statement said.

Is There A Power Shift In Indian Football?

2009-04-28T01:35:00.000-07:00

In the wake of Churchill Brothers’ triumph in the I-League 2008-2009, in this edition of the SpeakOut series, Goal.com's Subhankar Mondal wonders whether Goa is surpassing Kolkata in terms of footballing power…..

In the last five years, Goan clubs have won the Indian national league four times, Kolkata sides have finished in the top three four times. Dempo have won the league thrice in the last five years, Mohun Bagan have been among the top three only twice in as many years. Churchill Brothers finished runners-up last year and won the league this season, East Bengal have been among the top three only twice in the last five years.

Statistics might be the missing link in the three-piece jigsaw that also comprises lies and damn lies, but for once, statistics do not seem to lie. Apparently.

The last time a Kolkata side won the national league was in 2003-2004 when East Bengal, a traditional powerhouse and one of the two sides that contest arguably the biggest derby in Asia, finished four points ahead of Dempo. It was their second successive league triumph and one that perhaps demonstrated that Kolkata is truly the hub of Indian football.

Since then the two Kolkata giants, namely Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, have consistently managed to deceive but have always managed to fail. In 2004-2005 East Bengal finished third, in 2005-2006 they ended up second, in 2006-2007 they were fifth, in 2007-2008 they were eighth and in 2008-2009 coach Subhash Bhowmick managed to steer them away from relegation to sixth in the table.

Mohun Bagan were eighth, third, eighth again (equivalent to third from bottom), fourth and second in 2004-2005,2005-2006,2006-2007,2007-2008 and 2008-2009 respectively.

And it is not only the results that exhibit how far Goa has traveled to become a footballing haven, and a cultured one too, it is also the means. For the past few years, Dempo SC have been playing the most enjoyable football in India and this season it has been Churchill who have been the best team, both in terms of points and in terms of playing well.

No surprise then that it was Churchill who won the league this season, finishing three points ahead of second placed Mohun Bagan, scoring 53 goals in the process. This was their maiden league title.

Churchill's nearest challengers might have been Kolkata giants and former national league winners Mohun Bagan but it was their battling spirit combined with the rub of the green that led them to a record 10 league wins in a row. Bagan's football was scintillating at times, but it was inclined more towards the awkwardly rampaging and often erratic football played by Atletico Madrid of Spain rather than towards the galactic football of Catalunya giants FC Barcelona.

There were so many times that Bagan got of jail, Marcos Pereira’s creativity, Bhaichung Bhutia’s class and Jose Baretto's technique and work ethic compensating for lack of depth in the squad and for an error-strewn defence. It was their team spirit and self-conviction that won them the games and led them to second place in the table.

But while things on the pitch might have altered somewhat, things off it have not, at least not too much. The Kolkata derby still remains the most keenly contested match in Indian football, fans in Kolkata are the most passionate in the country, the rich footballing culture in the City of Joy and in (West) Bengal remains unparalleled and Mohun Bagan remain the country’s most well known club.

But still, there's no denying the fact that the rest of India has eventually caught up with Kolkata; maybe they did that some time back. After Dempo's lackluster 0-0 draw with Chirag United in the I-League at the Barasat Stadium in late March, Dempo coach Armando Colaco blamed their-nothing-to-play-for-situation for their insipid performance
, but remarked how the coach of a foreign side that had played against them was impressed with their football. Which is as much true as flattering, revealing the depth of football in the country.

Dempo reached the semi-finals of the AFC Cup last year and top their group this season too. As for Mohun Bagan, four successive defeats in their group imply that they are out.

Moreover, next season there would be only three teams from Kolkata-Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Chirag United, as many as Mumbai would have and one fewer than Goa. More than anything, it adds to the diversity of Indian football as the I-League 2009-2010 would have teams from Kerala, Pune and the North East too but maybe the fact that there would be one fewer side from Kolkata in the Indian top flight also demonstrates that the power of football in India is shifting, if it hasn’t already shifted, from the east to the west.

Subhankar Mondal

How to Attract the Tourist

2009-04-28T01:34:00.001-07:00

JN Mahanta

Everyone maintains that in the Northeast, tourism industry has vast potential to create employment opportunity and economic bonanza for the region. In the practical sense, any region thriving on tourism earns basically from four counts and these are accommodation, transport, restaurants/eating joints with ethnic flavour, and the shopping spree of the tourists. In all the places of tourist attraction, one finds a number of hotels, restaurants, roadside vendors, souvenir stalls and fleets of transport vehicles.

For a place to attract tourists, the primary infrastructure will need to be created by the State government. A good connecting road from the nearest airport or railway station cannot be made by an entrepreneur. This has to be done by the government. Likewise, it is the government that will have to provide electricity, water and security — the three most vital aspects for sustainable tourism. The local people (the entrepreneur) cannot provide these most essential requirements on their own.

Assam has vast potential for a mega-sized tourism industry. Lately, the Government of Assam has taken many positive steps to boost tourism in the State. A few examples are Elephant Mahotsav at KNP, incentives for tourism industry in NEIIPP-2007, renovation works in many historical sites, developmental works in Manas sanctuary/KNP/Pobitara etc, and the latest being the State Tourism Policy unveiled on February 25 last.

There are many places, monuments, temples, lakes, and reserve forests which are capable of attracting tourists to the State in a big way. These sites would require attention of the government departments — renovation of the sites as well as good linking roads would be required for drawing tourists. Guwahati being the principal point of entry to the Northeast, Assam may take advantage of this situation to enhance its tourism potential by including all the colourful places of the other States in the tourist’s itinerary.

The other two very important aspects which will contribute immensely to development of tourism industry are publicity and marketing. Hardly anyone outside Assam has heard about Rang Ghar, Kareng Ghar, Talatol Ghar, Hajo-Poa Mecca, Garampani, Dibru-Saikhowa or can imagine the beauty of the sun setting in the mighty Brahmaputra. The itinerary of a tourist from outside Assam or abroad will include only Guwahati-Shillong-Cherrapunji and Guwahati-Kaziranga. Marketing of the tourist spots has never been done in a systematic manner. The Government of Assam has got quite competent departments and agencies for this job. Basically, the job consists of three steps: identification of all the probable tourist spots, preparation of brief colourful write-ups on each site with attractive photographs, and widespread publicity through all available channels. The channels may include travel journals, newspapers, electronic media, tie-up with agencies within the country and abroad, Assam Houses in all the State capitals, and through the State tourism websites.

It may be mentioned here that in every issue of in-flight magazines of all airlines, one finds articles on 10-12 places of tourist attraction within the country as well as abroad. But till date not a single article has featured any place in Assam other than Kaziranga National Park and Kamakhya Temple. The Indian Oil Corporation (Assam Oil Division) had brought out an article on Digboi Refinery on the occasion of its centenary celebration in January, 2002 in Sahara’s in-flight magazine. Steps should be taken to publish authoritative articles on all the identified sites and tourism potential activities (like rafting, angling, trekking, golf, eco-tourism, tea tourism etc) in the national dailies. The government may seek help from experts in the field.

In the recently released State Tourism Policy-2008, plans have been mooted for a systematic approach towards the development of tourism industry in the State. The schemes and action plans have been briefly defined in the policy. In order to implement the policy in letter and spirit, a lot needs to be done, and since the policy covers the period till 2013 only, actions need to be taken on a war footing. The government should immediately come up with a list of places which will be eligible for subsidies offered under the policy, so that potential investors and entrepreneurs may then carry out feasibility surveys for the facilities intended to be developed at these sites. The government should also assure the investors that the subsidies will not be withdrawn before the expiry of the period notified in the policy. Without such an assurance the investors may not be willing to come forward. This is an important factor for the potential investor.

There is no reason why tourism cannot happen as an industry in Assam. What we need is a mix of right vision and planning.

Heat wave seen rebuilding over North and East India

2009-04-28T01:33:00.001-07:00

Thiruvananthapuram, April 28 A helpful north-south trough along the east coast persisted on Monday even as India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of heat wave conditions rebuilding over much of the North and East.

Severe heat wave conditions have developed over parts of Saurashtra and Kutch, and these were expected to last for another next two days as well.

Heat wave conditions also prevailed in some parts of Gangetic West Bengal and Coastal Orissa, and were forecast to evolve over parts of Rajasthan during the next 24 hours.

This will later spread to parts of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, the IMD said. By May 2, heat wave conditions would have fully evolved over parts of Northwest, Central and East India.

The west to east trough in the westerlies straddling the plains of North India and running into East and Northeast India persisted. The parent western disturbance lay parked over Jammu and Kashmir.

The north-south trough from Jharkhand to Kerala now runs from Orissa to Kerala through south Chhattisgarh, Telangana, interior Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The cyclonic circulation over Kerala had weakened.

This trough will continue to set up some weather from the north down to the south. Isolated rain or thunderstorm has been forecast over coastal West Bengal, Orissa and the Northeastern States.
THUNDERSTORM

Isolated rain or thunderstorm is likely over south Konkan, Goa and south madhya Maharashtra during the next two days.

Isolated thundershowers are likely over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, coastal and south interior Karnataka, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In its update, the IMD said that during the past 24 hours ending Monday morning, maximum temperatures have risen by 1 to 2 deg Celsius over the plains of Northwest India.
Mercury rise

Current meteorological analysis and interpretation of numerical weather prediction models indicated further rise by 2 to 4 deg Celsius in maximum temperatures over parts of Northwest, Central and adjoining East India during the next four days.

This is in agreement with international model outlooks that showed a huge seasonal anticyclone (high-pressure area with warming and subsiding air) pushing west from Northwest India.

Vidarbha and adjoining north interior Andhra Pradesh are bracing to witness some record heating during this phase. Parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal also would see runaway mercury blazing a trail.