AASU warns against NRC form change

GUWAHATI, July 28 – Firing a salvo at the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi-led government for “letting the AAMSU find a scope to legalize the status of illegal migrants who came to Assam after 1971,” the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) today warned of a movement, in case the NRC form is changed to suit the purpose of illegal Bangladeshis.

The AASU also demanded the State government to start the NRC update work at the earliest possible time, failing which it would have to face the wrath of people of the State.

Addressing a press meet here, the AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said that the government spokesman Himanta Biswa Sarma’s statement mentioning about some flaws in the NRC form is totally unacceptable.

“The State government’s move to ‘simplify’ the form to make it comprehensible for the common people, is unnecessary as the form, in its current structure, is very simple, transparent and fit for updating the NRC. We warn the State government not to do politics on the issue of NRC form and start updating the citizens’ register as per the Assam Accord,” he mentioned.

Criticizing both the AAMSU and the State government for the Barpeta incident and its aftermath, Bhattacharya said that suspending the work due to an ‘undemocratic protest’ by the minority students’ body the government is encouraging the AAMSU to communalize the whole issue. “The incident took place at Barpeta, but the pilot project was also stopped in Chhayagaon, which also shows that the government is acting as the benefactor of the illegal Bangladshis,” he mentioned.

“It was the responsibility of the State government to explain about the NRC and its minuets to the common people in a simple manner, rather than suggesting a change in the form itself,” he added.

The students’ body also asked the Opposition not to start the vote bank politics by speaking in favour of the illegal Bangladeshis. “We would not allow the State government or any other political party or organization to communalize the issue of NRC update in Assam,” said the AASU president Shankar Prasad Roy.

 
 

Students protest against kidnapping in Imphal

Hundreds of students carried out a rally at Lamlai in Imphal east district demanding unconditional release of their colleague who was taken captivity by allegedly KCP group in place his father who is a close associate of state health minister.
Nineteen year old Yumnam Manaobi, a student of Birmangol College, Swambung in Imphal east district was kidnapped by armed cadres of KCP (MTF)-City Meetei group on the night of July 19 when his father Megha was not at home.
Later, the group reportedly demanded Rs 10 crore from the state health minister as well as contract work at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and a job quota in the recruitment of doctors to the institute.Students from various schools located in and around Lamlai area took part in the rally.
Further Health and Family Welfare minister, Ph Parijat anguished over the kidnapping of his worker’s son said that kidnapping of people demanding contract works, quotas in job appointments and money was not the work to be done by true revolutionaries and that they were gangs, not revolutionary. Meanwhile, bus service on the inter-district Imphal-Churachandpur road had been suspended from Friday owing to KCP threat for not meeting their extortion demand of Rs 50, 000 from the bus owners. Drivers of the buses also staged a sit-in protest at Bishnupur Bazar, report stated. When contacted by this correspondent, a driver said that they were threatened of dare consequences if they continue their service without meeting the demand.
(Correspondent)
The demand served by them is above various underground groups both hills and valley based active on this route, he added.
Further, scribes in Churachandpur district of Manipur resumed duty Friday after two days of cease work following militant group, Hmar People Convention (Democratic)-HPC (D) offered apology to the scribes for their alleged misconduct towards their colleague.
Newspapers failed to hit for two consecutive days due to the cease-work strike in Churachandpur and for a day Friday in Imphal as scribes staged sit-in protest in Churachandpur district headquarters and Imphal yesterday.
In Imphal, newspapers failed to hit as scribes cease work for a day yesterday and staged sit-in protest at Keishampat in Imphal. They also resumed duty from today.
With the militant outfit under ceasefire trust with government forces apologized and withdrawn threat posed to the Imphal Correspondent of Sangai Express daily, the two day old indefinite cease work strike of the scribes suspended from today, scribes in the district informed.
They have resumed their duty today, scribes said adding publication of newspapers will resume from tomorrow.

 
 

'Delhi suppresses fundamental right in state'

Imphal, July 12 : The Manipur Students' Association, New Delhi is organising a programme "Indian State's War Game" in solidarity to the struggle for the democratic rights of the people of Manipur.

MSAD considers that while the Indian State's war game in Manipur is semi-colonial in character, the overarching neo-liberal exploitative regime has been carrying out various forms of repression, oppression and exploitation in other parts of the Indian sub-continent, an e-mail statement of the association said.

"This character is dominantly visible in Manipur, some other Northeastern regions, Kashmir and tribal areas where there is a visible collaboration between rulers, military or paramilitary forces and MNCs," it observed stressing the need for struggle for the democratic rights of the people of the state and to understand the situation and work in unity with other democratic forces towards the final victory of people's democracy.

Inviting all to participate in the meeting and express their views showing solidarity to the people's democratic movement against assault on democratic rights, MSAD said that repeal the law that is responsible for killing of civilians with impunity.

"This is the unceasing cry.

This is our demand.

This is the most fundamental democratic demand that remains under suppression ever since the Indian state had established control over Manipur in October 1949.In December 1950, Comrade Irabot had condemned, "the Government of Nehru is a Fascist Government." On 6 March Chanu Rose of Ngaprum Khullen had committed suicide after she was raped by BSF personnel," the MSAD said.

Since November 2000, it added Irom Chanu Sharmila has been on hunger strike in protest against AFSPA.

On 4 October 2003 Nandeibam Sanjita of Jiri committed suicide after she was raped by the paramilitary force.

On 15 July 2004 about a dozen of women in protest against custodial rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama had stripped themselves and demanded, "Indian Army Rape Us", "Indian Army Take Our Flesh".

On 15 August 2004 Pebam Chittranjan self-immolated in protest against state terrorism.

As the movement for defending human rights against the backdrop of escalating assault on democratic rights continues; we, today, raise a simple question – why allow the armed forces to kill people with impunity, it asked.

AFSPA that allows the Indian armed personnel to kill people with impunity may come & go, the MSAD considered reminding the condition of state terrorism that kills and torture people will continue under an exploitative bourgeois democracy that operates with the support of suppressive machineries.

"The rulers may try to cover up their exploitative material objective; but, we, the victim of subjugation and oppression certainly feel the pain and trauma of their selfish war game.

For all these reasons and based on our experience, we no longer see AFSPA in a box of its own," the MSAD added.

Although AFSPA (sic.

state terrorism) stands out as open assault directly keeping under suppression the right to life & freedom we are aware that it constitute an element of an overall war game that is being waged upon the people.

The war game involves series of criss-crossing and reinforcing tactics that only perpetuate subjugation and oppression.

 
 

Students’ bid to check rising prices

Imphal, July 7 : The All Manipur Students Union today said it would carry out raids on the godowns of traders here from tomorrow in a bid to check rising prices of essentials.

Speaking at a news conference today, James Bond Mangang, the president of the student union, said the move was an attempt to bring down prices of essential commodities by checking hoarding by traders.

On July 3, volunteers of the students’ union launched a similar raid on shops and business establishments of the city. However, police picked up four of the volunteers but released them later the same day.

“We seek co-operation from the business community, government authorities, including the police. If our volunteers are arrested again by the police, such action could invite a public uproar because our campaign is in the interest of the people of Manipur,” Mangang said.

The union’s announcement came in the wake of soaring prices of essential commodities, a trend that gained momentum during the 69-day economic blockade imposed by the All Naga Students Association, Manipur.

While traders and officials in the state food and civil supplies department claimed that price rise could not be checked because normal supply of commodities was yet to resume, citizens and civil society organisations put the blame for the phenomenon on government inaction and hoarding by businessmen.

“The economic blockade was lifted on June 18. Goods started coming (to Imphal) even before the blockade was lifted through the Imphal-Jiribam highway with security escorts. The prices should have come down by now. But this has not happened. So, something is wrong and the people are suffering. We believe it is because of hoarding (by traders) that prices have remained high. This should be checked,” Mangang said.

The decision to carry out the raids came a day after a student delegation, including leaders of All Assam Manipuri Students Union, Northeast Manipuri Students Organisation and United Committee Manipur, met chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh to discuss the problem of transportation and price rise.

The chief minister assured the delegation to check prices and also develop the Imphal-Jiribam highway for uninterrupted goods supply and also speed up the construction of the railway line from Jiribam to Imphal.

O. Manindra, the president of Northeast Manipuri Students Organisation, said the chief minister agreed to construct a Manipur Bhawan in Silchar where truckers could put up.

“The chief minister also agreed to a suggestion that a temporary base be set up at a suitable place in Silchar for the truck drivers, who can halt and stay overnight,” Manindro said.

He said truckers plying between Imphal and Guwahati were facing a lot of problems, as they did not have a proper place to rest during the journey.

 
 

AASU objects to hydel unit

The All Assam Students Union today asked the Centre, the Assam government and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation to immediately shelve the Lower Subansiri hydroelectric project after a committee of experts found that the project would have adverse impact on ecology, aquatic life and people.
The project is being executed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation at Gerukamukh village in Dhemaji along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border to generate 2,000MW of power. The committee, with experts from Gauhati University, Dibrugarh University and IIT Guwahati, was formed to study the downstream impact of the power project following a tripartite meeting between the state government, the power corporation and the AASU in December 2006. The panel submitted its report to Dispur and the power corporation on June 29, while AASU received a copy of the study this morning.Ltd.