Chins in Mizoram fear of reprisal

Aizawl: Tribal Chins who had left Mizoram after public anger over a rape incident in 2003 only to return back to the state are now apprehensive of being targeted again. The fear of the Chins, originally from the Chin hills of Myanmar, has apparently stemmed from allegations of atrocities against them published on the official website of the Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The Chins had left Mizoram after public anger erupted against them triggered by the rape of a minor girl allegedly by a member of the community in Aizawl in 2003.

In a statement, Young Mizo Association accused the Chins who had taken refuge in the State again of trying to receive global sympathy at the cost of the image of the Mizos.

“The central committee of the YMA is pained by how the Mizo population, the YMA in particular, had been pictured in the HRW report,” the statement said.

“Whereas Mizos have shown utmost hospitality to their cousin Chins who fled military atrocities from the neighbouring country, we strongly condemn such baseless accusations to get international sympathy,” it said.

The YMA said it would soon convene a meeting with all Chin organisation leaders on the issue.

Meanwhile, coordinator of the Chin Women’s League, Cheery Zahau, said the Chin groups in Mizoram were not involved as reported.

“The Mizos are hospitable to us but it is the Indian government which is to be blamed for refusing to recognise the Chin refugees in India,” Zahau said.

The Chin community feels that the decision of the central committee of the YMA to conduct an independent census of foreigners living in Mizoram was mainly targeted at the Myanmarese nationals.

A very few Chins of the over 75,000 living in the state have refugee status, while the majority of them came to Mizoram due to economic reasons, YMA leaders said.

They alleged that many Chins were indulging in smuggling and narcotic trafficking along the porous 404 km Mizoram-Myanmar international border.

“We accepted them when they returned, after all blood is thicker than water. But how long can we tolerate them in our family if they continue to tarnish our society while living with us” a YMA leader asked. (PTI)

Meningitis outbreak | Tripura Govt adopts emergency measures

Agartala: Tripura on Saturday decided to take measures on “war footing” to curb the spread of meningitis that has so far killed 17 people in the state.

“At a high level meeting chaired by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar it was decided to undertake mass immunisation programmes and cancel all leaves and holidays of doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff,” official sources said.

State Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty along with Health Department officials reviewed the situation at the meeting, they said.

The disease was first reported from Longterai Valley at Dhalai district. It later spread to other districts of the state.

Health camps and temporary hospitals were set up in the affected areas and people were being given vaccines and anti-biotics as a precautionary measure.

The State Government was also conducting a survey on the health profile of the people living in affected areas, sources said.

Assistant Professor of AGMC Dr Pradip Bhowmik said, ”We have advised the people as well as health workers to administer ciprofloxacin tablets (antibiotics) – 500 mg for adults and 250 mg for children – as a preventive measure, which had already been distributed among the villagers in affected areas of Longtharai Valley of Dhalai district on Friday.” (PTI)

45 rebels surrender in Assam

From Our Correspondent

Guwahati: As many as 32 militants belonging to the banned ULFA were among 45 militants who surrendered before the Army in Asam on Saturday serving a major blow to the ULFA.

The militants gave up arms before Major General Chander Prakash, the GOC of the 21 Mountain Division at the Army base at Rangiya, about 35 kilometers away from here.

The militants deposited a large number of arms and ammunition including AK series assault rifles, RDX exploives, pistols and ammunition while taking the pledge to join the mainstream of the society giving up the path of violence.

Out of the 45 militants who surrendered on Saturday included 32 ULFA militants, six Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) militants, five ultras from National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), one Muslim United Liberation Tiger of Assam (MULTA) cadre and one from the People’s Liberation Front of Manipur (PLFM).

Welcomig the ultras to the mainstream, the Army GOC, Maj Gen Prakash hailed the courage, conviction and decision of the militants to give up arms.

KLNLF extends unilateral truce with Assam Govt

Diphu : The Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF) has extended its unilateral ceasefire by 15 days from March two in view of the ongoing discussions with the Assam Government.

The KLNLF had announced a 60-day ceasefire from January one to facilitate the peace process and talks between the outfit and the Government.

KLNLF chairman P Dili told PTI on Saturday that the ceasefire was extended as discussions were on the new ground rules laid down by the government for underground organisations to be in ceasefire with the administration.

Dili also alleged that cadres of his outfit were being harassed “in the name of operations” despite the truce being on since January 1.

The Government has set certain ground rules for ceasefire by extremist outfits and they include– to give up arms, abjure violence, remain in designated camps and not collect donations as the government would provide them financial assistance. (PTI)

New terminal inaugurated at Dibrugarh airport

Dibrugarh : The new terminal building of Dibrugarh airport, modelled on the lines of the Singapore airport was on Saturday inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Gogoi said the new terminal building, built at a cost of Rs 55 crore would create a new horizon in the aviation sector in Assam.

Speaking about the extension of the runway from 6,000 m to 7,500 m, Gogoi said the IAF has agreed to hand over the land required for it.

The new building has an area of 10,536 square metre and is made of glass and steel.

Dibrugarh airport was constructed during World War-II by the Allied Forces. (PTI)

Non-Manipuri man shot dead

Imphal: A non-Manipuri person was on Saturday shot dead by gunmen in Imphal West district of Manipur, official sources said. The victim, who was a barber hailing from Bihar, was killed on the spot when he was shot at from point blank range outside a road-side shop at Sagolband area here, official sources said. Police said they would investigate into the incident. (PTI)

3 killed, 7 injured in road accident

Kokrajhar: Three persons, including two Bhutanese, were killed and seven others injured in a road accident in Kokrajhar district of Assam along the Indo-Bhutan border on Saturday. The mishap took place when a lorry carrying them from the West Bengal side collided with another vehicle at Patgaon, official sources said. (PTI)

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