Imphal Times Supplementary issue 2 Editorial POT ON THE BOIL By Yambem Laba (Courtesy: The Statesman) of Tangkhul women by personnel greater Nagaland. There has been Private Raikhan Jajon of the MNPF Bamboo In the early hours of 13 September of the Indian Army. skirmishes between the NSCN (I- in the early hours of 13 September. - our green treasure when the villagers of Makhan, Lt-General Chiman Singh, then Army M) and the MNPF with the latter They accused the NSCN (I-M) of “World Bamboo Day” was observed throughout the world Kamjong district, not far from the commander at Fort William, came to accusing the leaders at Hebron of colluding with the Assam Rifles to yesterday. Manipur too joined in celebrating the day in a grand Indo-Myanmar border, heard the Imphal by helicopter the next day. I cornering all the developmental start striking out at their fellow way. sound of gunfire they must have overheard him instructing his junior contract works in the Naga areas kinsmen who are still struggling for In an ever increasing need to replace and supplement the man- thought it was yet another ambush officers “don’t let these gentlemen of Manipur. “independence” in the Western made materials that is being utilized to fuel the constructions by militants on an Assam Rifles (press squad) stay too long.” Two But the latest ambush cannot be South East Asian region and have and creation of infrastructures, newer avenues and innovative column. But, after the daybreak of them had come from Delhi. viewed as just another piece of thus exposed their true character. use of natural resources are being taken up in a big way. when the villagers went to the site Ever since the start of the peace statistics in this troubled region. Sergeant Major Richards was first One of the most promising and abundantly available natural of firing, they found five bodies, four parleys between the NSCN (I-M) As a matter of fact, relations recruited in 2008 and was a battle resource of building material being bamboo, the world is taking of Meiteis and one of Tangkhul, to and the Government of India, between the NSCN (I-M) and the hardened veteran and was attached a renewed look at this ubiquitous grass to sustain and fuel which community NSCN (I-M) following the July 1997 ceasefire PLA were cordial and at one point to the 252 Mobile Battalion of the PLA buildings and other infrastructures of the future. general secretary, Thuingaleng agreement, the guns had, more or of time they even shared the and the rest were attached to the The inherent advantages of this unique material has only been Muivah belongs. Their bodies lay less, been silent as the militants no general headquarters in the Somra general headquarters. Raikhan Jajo is starting to be appreciated- from the climate friendly and on a raised platform in a hut and longer viewed jawans as their Tract of Myanmar, with the PLA also from Nongdam Tangkhul village. relatively economic attributes to the added aesthetics and about 200 empty bullet shells were enemies. Then about four years ago guarding the western gates to The communiqué also charged that a versatility, not to mention its unique ability to sustain and thrive found scattered on the ground. the ambushes on the Assam Rifles ward off attacks by the combined force of the NSCN (I-M) in diverse climatic conditions. Yet so far, apart from celebrating None of them was wearing the resumed, followed by IED bomb Myanmarese army. Their top and the Assam Rifles had laid an the day and waxing eloquence on the subject once a year, precious familiar camouflaged fatigues. blasts and the like. Then it became leaders were provided shelter by ambush on the team when they were little have been done by the State authorities, nor has there By the time the news trickled into clear the vacuum left by the NSCN the PLA when they ventured out on a mission. But judging from the been any support or visible effort by the Government to infuse Imphal it was late in the day and the (IM), the bulk of which has into the valley areas. This was photographs it appears that they the private entrepreneurs to work with this wonderful material initial information was that four converged at the Hebron some time in the 1980s. But the were all gunned down as they lay and develop commercially viable products. members of the valley-based designated camp near Dimapur, was new ambush has shown that the resting in a jhum cultivation hut. The The most glaring point being the lack of any facility for treatment banned People’s Liberation Army being taken over by the valley NSCN (I-M) is unwilling to part assailants were said to have of bamboo- a prerequisite step for development of any product and one belonging to the Manipur insurgents, namely the PLA, with any area of their former decamped with four automatic using bamboo due to its propensity to attract termites otherwise. Naga People’s Front had been shot camped just across the border in dominance. weapons from the deceased. Manipur is naturally endowed with an abundant supply of huge dead in an ambush by cadres of the Myanmar. The PLA is also not likely to take While the PLA cadres paid their varieties of bamboo, and cultivating them commercially will not NSCN (I-M), whose leaders are on Then came the creation of the things lightly and could be putting respects to those killed, at all its units be a formidable task, given the conducive climatic conditions, the verge of signing a final MNPF, comprising mostly pressure on the NSCN (I-M) as speculations are rife of a possible yet the lack of infrastructures coupled with the lackadaisical settlement with the Government of Tangkhuls who are opposed to operations in the valley region, fratricidal war between the NSCN (I- attitude of the Government in making these infrastructures India. It took three days for Muivah’s tactics. It has a united mostly in terms of collecting taxes M) and the PLA. The latter is also a available as well as the indifference shown in taking the initiative personnel of the Kamjong thana to Manipur on its agenda as opposed from the business community, runs member of the CorCom ~ the apex in promoting and encouraging the individuals and organizations retrieve the bodies and bring them to the plans of Muivah for a greater into hundreds of crores a year. body of the valley-based insurgent in their efforts to develop and popularize bamboo products has to Imphal for autopsy. Nagaland comprising his own home The assistant secretary, publicity groups. And the rest are not likely to so far resulted in the precious and versatile material being Kamjong was the happy hunting district of Ukhrul apart from of the Revolutionary People’s stand as mute spectators. relegated to temporary substitutes for fencing and as makeshift ground of Muivah’s cadres and it Tamenglong, Senapati and Chandel. Front, the political organisation of Perhaps the NSCN (I-M)’s longdrawn- scaffoldings- a huge waste of efforts. was here that leaders like And although on paper there are no the PLA, Bangkim and Thomas out war with the Indian Army is finally For a fund-starved State with very limited opportunities for Livingstone and Atem made their designated camps of the NSCN (IM) Numai of the Manipur Naga going to be over and a new one, with gainful employment such as Manipur, the humble bamboo grass mark as master tacticians of in Manipur there had been People’s Front, in a press the other rebel groups, seems to be in presents the perfect opportunity to enable the society to pole- ambushes. I visited Nambisha in instances of them clashing with the communiqué, made available on 14 the offing. The Chanakyas in New vault itself out of the pit of misery and trouble it is in at present. 1994 after Livingstone led an Zeliangrong United Front in September, have confirmed the Delhi’s North Block must be smiling A sustainable system for value addition and marketing the ambush on the 9-Grenadiers of the Tamenglong district. The latter’s death of sergeant major Richard thinking that the indigenous rebel products with a planned approach towards the development of Indian Army, killing 14. Some parts demand for autonomy of the (A- 3075), Sergeant Lalloi (A-2878), groups will finish each other off now. artisans and adequate raw materials will ensure that our naturally of their bodies were mutilated and it Zeliangrong people runs counter to privates Sinthouba (A-3292) and (The writer is The Statesman’s special endowed State benefits from such a venture. was Livingstone’s reply to the rape that of the NSCN’s dreams of a Nanao (A-3290) of the PLA and representative based in Imphal) National & International News India seeks investigations into NOW IT IS THE TURN OF BABA RAMDEV!!! North Korea’s proliferation linkages New Delhi Sept 19: External Affairs US President Donald Trump’s Minister Sushma Swaraj met leaders daughter and adviser Ivanka Lady journalist has exposed the secret behind the of various countries, including Trump. They discussed women Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh empowerment and Ivanka’s visit to Hasina, last night on the sidelines India in November to attend the journey of Baba from Godman to tycoon of the ongoing UN General Global Entrepreneurship Summit. Assembly session in New York. The External Affairs Minister also By Rajesh Ghadge (Time Mail) of one month and the writer External Affairs Ministry met the Foreign Ministers of UAE, When something controversial gets Priyanka mentions that despite such EVERY SUCCESS STORY HAS DARK SECRETS spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told Bahrain, Denmark, Latvia and published about people who are a drastic incident, Ramdev did not reporters that Mrs Swaraj paid a Tunisia and discussed issues of either celebrities or politicians, it come back to India and decided to HIDDEN BEHIND IT, AND NONE OF THEM ARE courtesy call on the Bangladesh mutual interest.