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Manipur : President Kalam’s visit

	October 23, 2006

President A.P.J Abdul Kalam who visited Manipur on October 16, was greeted by empty streets following a general strike called by various people’s organisations to protest against alleged persecution by security forces in the state.



Residents of the state capital remained indoors throughout the President’s stay in deference to the strike called by the Apunba Lup, which has been spearheading the campaign against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. The militant Revolutionary People’s Front supported the strike.



However, inside Manipur University, students, teachers, officials, Ministers and MLAs listened to Kalam spouting homilies on development politics and the need to expand the scope of research to make India a developed nation by 2020. The President’s speech at the University’s 10th convocation did not contain any reference to either the Armed Forces Act or the agitation for its repeal.



However, the pageantry in Mao and Churachandpur made up for the lack of a colourful reception for Kalam in Imphal. People in traditional attire welcomed him at both places. Before leaving Imphal for Aizawl, Kalam interacted with children at Bunlon High School in Churachandpur and chatted with representatives of self-help groups at a Senapati food-processing unit.





Developments in New Delhi



In New Delhi, activists supporting Irom Sharmila’s hunger strike campaign against the Armed Forces Act claimed that Union Minister Oscar Fernandes had indicated a positive decision on the issue before the winter session of Parliament.



On Sunday afternoon (Oct.15), a day before he left for Amsterdam to resume negotiations with NSCN (I-M) leaders, Fernandez visited Sharmila at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences to enquire about her condition. When Sharmila asked the Minister to ensure that the issue of repealing the Army act figures in the winter session of Parliament, Fernandez is understood to have replied that “it will not go even that far (till winter session)”. “Action will be taken,” he was quoted as saying.





Centre to seek states’ viewss Armed Forces Act



Meanwhile, the Centre on Oct.17 decided to send the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee’s recommendations on the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for comments to the Ministry of Defence and the states where the law is in force.



The decision to get the views of the north-eastern states - Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura - and Jammu and Kashmir, besides the defence ministry, was taken at the high-powered meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the home ministry in New Delhi on Oct. 17.



“The Union Government is studying Justice Reddy’s recommendations and after getting comments from all those concerned will be in a position to take some decision,” said Sri Prakash Jaiswal, Minister of state for home.



Briefing the media, Army Chief Gen. J.J. Singh said there should be some legal provisions to prevent soldiers “being dragged to court” while on duty during counter-insurgency operations. “However, efforts will be made to ensure that any operation is at least led by a junior commissioned officer.”



Gen. Singh said a Bill in this regard might be tabled in coming session of Parliament. Similarly, he hoped that a Bill to set up the first-ever armed forces tribunal might also be tabled during the session.



Protest against merger of Manipur with Indian Union



Whether the campaign is against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or violence by rebel groups, Manipur’s protest bandwagon brooks no stopping.



Defying a “general strike” called by three of the dominant rebel groups of the state, women and youths of an Imphal East came out of their homes for a five-hour demonstration against a CRPF-militant encounter in which a civilian was critically wounded. Police said militants in a Tata Sumo attacked a CRPF convoy near the jail, injuring three of the security personnel. A woman bystander was caught in the crossfire.



Elsewhere in the valley, all shops remained closed and vehicles were off the road in compliance with the announcement of a dawn-to-dusk general strike by the Manipur People’s Liberation Front, which includes the United National Liberation Front, the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak and the Revolutionary People’s Front.



The outfit called the strike to oppose Manipur’s merger with the Indian Union on this day in 1949. No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state.





Tripura : Insurgents observe Black Day



Security was beefed up in Tripura last Sunday as insurgent groups, including the National Liberation Front of Tripura and the All-Tripura Tiger Force, observed a Black Day to protest the State’s inclusion in Indian territory on October 15, 1949.



All police stations and security outposts in the State were on alert to foil any attempt by militants to carry out subversive activities, officials said.



The Border Security Force intensified its vigil along the 856-km border with Bangladesh to prevent intrusion by militants from the neighbouring country.





Improving trade relations with SEA nations



In a bid to improve trade relations with Bangladesh, Nepal, China Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, the Centre has asked all northeastern states, including Sikkim, to draw up a new road map.



Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said the Centre was “seriously contemplating,” extending support to all land customs stations in the region to help create a conducive atmosphere for export of minerals, tea, handloom and flowers to the neighbouring countries. Ramesh was addressing a meeting of Northeast Ministers for Commerce and Industries at the Meghalaya secretariat conference hall in Shillong on Octobr 18.