Heroin seized

Aizawl, Aug 27 (PTI) About 400 grams of heroin have been seized and six persons arresed by police and anti-drug cell of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) here, police said today.

The contraband was seized from the six persons by the joint force last night and it was suspected that the narcotics had been smuggled in from Myanmar via Manipur.

The seized heroin is worth Rs 12 lakh in local market, police said.

READ MORE - Heroin seized

Aizawl to conduct civic polls in October

Aizawl, Aug 26 : The first election to the 19-ward Aizawl Municipal Council is likely to be held in the third week of October, according to a senior official source in the Mizoram government’s local administration department.

He said today over phone from Aizawl that the total number of voters in the hill-top capital city is 169,072.

The final electoral roll for the municipal council was published in the second week of June this year.

Sources said ward 18 in the southern part of the city will have the largest number of voters at 13,291 while Chandmari in the northern part of the city has the lowest at 6,100.

Of the 19 seats, six will be reserved for women candidates.

Aizawl town, with 11 Assembly constituencies, and its fringe areas had earlier been under the jurisdiction of the village councils.

In the last Assembly polls held in December 2008, the Congress, now in power in Mizoram, romped home bagging eight out of the total 11 seats in Aizawl city and its fringes, which comprise Aizawl municipality areas.

The other three seats were won by the Zomi National Party and Mizoram People’s Conference.

The Congress is hoping to wrest the maximum number of seats in the maiden poll for the Aizawl municipality.

READ MORE - Aizawl to conduct civic polls in October

Mizo youth Caught with cache of Gelatin sticks at Dimapur

Kohima, Aug 26 (PTI) A large number of gelatin sticks along with fuse wires were today seized from a house at Dimapur and four people arrested in this connection, police said.

Sleuths of special branch of Dimapur police seized 1,600 gelatin sticks and 300 meter of fuse wire from a house in Nagarjan area of the commercial town after following suspicious movements of four youths in the areas.

Police said the arrested four youth are from Mizo community and interrogations were on.

READ MORE - Mizo youth Caught with cache of Gelatin sticks at Dimapur

Mizoram ready to take back Bru refugees

Aizawl: The Mizoram government was ready to take back Bru refugees from the six relief camps in North Tripura district before October this year as desired by Union home minister P Chidambaram.

"The ball is in the court of the refugees," chief secretary Van Hela Pachuau told PTI here today.

"The state government is ready and it is now the refugees who should be ready for the repatriation process," he said, adding that it was always the refugees who made excuses when the state government had prepared schedules for their repatriation earlier.

Pachuau said that the state government was making arrangements for the repatriation process, including identification of settlements for the refugees once they were repatriated.

The administration of Mamit district on the Mizoram-Tripura border decided to make final arrangements on August 30, for the re-settlement of the Brus in their villages before they fled Mizoram in 1997 and in 2009.

Hundreds of Brus left Mizoram in 1997 and 2009 after when Bru militants murdered two Mizos, a forest guard in October 21, 1997 and a 17-year-old boy near Bungthuam village on November 13, 2009.

Chidambaram, during his Aizawl visit on May 25 had urged Bru leaders to ensure that all the refugees returned to Mizoram latest by end of October.

READ MORE - Mizoram ready to take back Bru refugees

Compensation of 3 lakhs for death of a Mizo juvenile detainee is highly insensitive and inadequate

New Delhi: The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) termed the award of compensation of Rs. 300,000 by the National Human Rights Commission to the next of kin of 13-year-old child, Lalnunpuia who died as a result of torture in the Herald for Christ’s Children Home at Lungleng in Aizawl, Mizoram on 13 July 2009 (http://www.nhrc.nic.in/display.asp?fno=7/16/1/09-10) as highly insensitive and inadequate. On 17 August 2010, the NHRC directed the State of Mizoram to pay the compensation.

"The award of Rs three lakhs to the next kin of Lalnunpuia smacks of insensitivity of the NHRC and the NHRC must award the same level of compensation for each case of violation of the right to life." - stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of ACHR.

The NHRC took up the case after it received a complaint from the ACHR on 3 August 2009 alleging torture of Lalnunpuia, son of Rinsanga of Chaltlang Lily in Aizawl, Mizoram by the officials of Herald for Christ’s Children Home for alleged disobedience, resulting in his death.

In its report to the NHRC, the Superintendent of Police (SP), Aizawl confirmed that the child died as a result of torture and that there were several injuries on the dead body. Based on the report of the SP, the NHRC issued a show cause notice, among others, asking the state government of Mizoram as to why monetary relief be not given to the next of kin of the deceased.

Replying to the show cause notice as to why monetary relief shall not be paid, the state government of Mizoram urged that the decision be deferred till the conclusion of the criminal trial.

The NHRC rejected the plea of the state government and directed it to pay Rs. 300,000 to the victim’s family. In its order the NHRC stated, “The plea made by the State Govt. is devoid of merit. The proceeding before this Commission is independent of any other proceeding which may be going on at any other forum. Prima-facie there is enough material to prove that the child was subjected to assault and the authorities of the Home failed in their duty to give adequate protection to the child. The State Govt. cannot therefore evade its liability to make monetary amends.”

“The award of compensation is not enough. Unless the culprits are prosecuted, torture and murder of the juveniles will continue to take place. The NHRC must therefore monitor the criminal trial of the accused responsible for murder of Lalnunpuia and ensure their prosecution." - further stated Mr Chakma. 

READ MORE - Compensation of 3 lakhs for death of a Mizo juvenile detainee is highly insensitive and inadequate

Mizo dance to be staged at opening ceremony of Commonwealth Games

Aizawl, Aug 21 : Cheraw dancers of Mizoram will find their place in opening ceremony of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

Cheraw dance is a traditional and popular bamboo dance of the Mizos.

Preparation for this purpose in a state-level is going on in full swing.

Dancers from across the state of Mizoram are camping in Aizawl and the final rehearsal was held today in the presence of state's art and culture minister PC Zoramsangliana.

Earlier, the Commonwelath Games 2010 Committee had invited the state government to present its traditional dance.

Around 80 dancers from Mizoram will perform the dance on October 3 in New Delhi.

The state government will bear all the expense of the troupe and in this connection, the minister thanked the Mizoram chief minister for his ceaseless support in terms of money and time.

He also thanked the Commonwealth Games organisers for choosing Mizo youths to perform at the event.

The minister advised the Mizo youths not to only showcase the dance but also to expose the good nature, discipline and character of true Mizos.

The selected 40 boys and 40 girls are now rehearsing in full swing.

The team is headed by its leader Lalchuailova, Research Officer, art and culture department and Ngurmawii Ralte, Instructor at the Mizoram's art & culture department, it is learned today.

It can be noted that Mizoram had already found its way into the Guinness World Records with a 'Cheraw' performance featuring 10,736 participants on March 12 this year.

READ MORE - Mizo dance to be staged at opening ceremony of Commonwealth Games

Expenditures of Mizo ministers & PS

AIZAWL, Aug 20 (NNN): Over Rs 27 lakhs has been spent by ministers and parliamentary secretaries of Mizoram of the present ministry for traveling. Mizoram Secretariat Administration Department has revealed the traveling expenses of Mizoram ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries during the period from 2009 to till August 17.
In its detailed data recorded about the expenses of money by the ministers and Parliamentary secretaries, the department had said Rs. 27, 32,246 has been spent by the state government. The figure did not include ‘Free travel and health condition’ tour taken by the ministers and parliamentary secretaries during the period.
Among the ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, state transport minister PC Zoramsangliana topped the chart with Rs. 5, 09,497 while Mizoram Parliamentary Secretary S Laldingliana came bottom with just Rs. 13,172.
Giving the detailed figure of the expense during their tour, the department said state home minister R Lalzirliana traveled three times spending Rs. 26,278 while agriculture minister H Liansailova spent Rs. 1,29,357. State education minister Lalsawta had spent Rs. 2,88,022 during the stated period traveling 12 times outside the state.
On the other hand, state health minister Lalrinliana Sailo while traveling eight times outside the state spent Rs. 2, 308,77. Among the Parliamentary Secretaries, Lal Thanzara topped the list with Rs. 2,23,955 by his name while his colleague Lalrinmawia had spent a mere Rs. 29,665.

READ MORE - Expenditures of Mizo ministers & PS

Mizo Govt receives list of Bru refugees

AIZAWL, Aug 20 – The Mizoram Government has officially received the lists of Bru refugees in six relief camps in North Tripura district, which would be analysed.

The government received the lists submitted by the Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) which conducted population survey of the refugees, through the Tripura government. The lists would be analysed by officials, Additional Secretary for Home TV Fambol told PTI.

The criteria to be included in the repatriation process would be inclusion in the Mizoram electoral roll and other documentary proof of being bona fide residents of Mizoram before they fled the state, Fambol said.

“Those included in the State voters’ lists and their children will be first repatriated,” he said. Other documentary proof like job cards under MGNREGS, ration cards would also be scrutinised.

The State government was also aware that there were many refugees in the Tripura camps coming from Assam to avail free rations and other benefits provided by the Union Home Ministry, he said.

According to the MBDPF President Elvis Chorkhy, there were 31,703 Bru refugees belonging to 5,448 families in six relief camps in Kanchanpur sub-division of North Tripura district.

The refugees migrated to Tripura in 1997 and in 2009, due to communal tension created by killing of two Mizos by Bru militants.

READ MORE - Mizo Govt receives list of Bru refugees

Mizoram assembly summoned from Sep 20

Aizawl, Aug 16 (PTI) Mizoram Governor Lt Gen M M Lakhera summoned the session of the state assembly to commence from September 20, state assembly secretariat sources said here today.

A detailed programme of the session would be chalked out by the Assembly's Business Advisory Committee which is likely to meet soon. With the first election to the Aizawl Municipal Council to be held by October end, the session was likely to be a stormy one with the opposition likely to raise the issues of price rise, shortage of essential commodities including oil, LPG and rice and general law and order situation.

READ MORE - Mizoram assembly summoned from Sep 20

Land survey in CHT stalled for 13 yrs

The land survey in three Chittagong Hill Districts have been stalled for the last thirteen years due to 'abduction fear' by anti social elements in the region. As a result it also delays demarcation process of the frontier with north-eastern Indian states, sources said.

Though the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord was signed in 1997, and the officials of the land survey department hardly visit those areas due to fear of 'clandestine attacks' by the anti social elements.

Bangladesh border with the north-eastern states are mostly hilly, terrain and remote. The officials of the Department of Land

Records and Survey could not visit those areas due to lack of security, sources of the concerned department told The New Nation.

Bangladesh shares about 1,023 kilometres border with the Indian states of Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram and Tripura. Bangladesh shares 202 kilometres border with Assam, 443 kilometres with Meghalaya, 318 kilometres with Mizoram and 85 kilometres with Tripura.Sources said, except 0.3 kilometres of international frontier pillar No 1,102 to 1,107, the demarcation of Bangladesh border with the Assam has been shown done in black and white.

Similarly, international pillar No 1,071 to 1,338 between Bangladesh and Megahalaya border was also shown demarcated.

On the other hand, demarcation of about eight kilometers of Bangladesh and Mizoram and about 36 kilometres border between Bangladesh and Tripura also left undone.

A high official of the Land Records and Survey said that they would request the government to take initiative to sit with the Indian government to demarcate border in some areas of the north-eastern Indian states soon.

READ MORE - Land survey in CHT stalled for 13 yrs

Child sexual abuse rampant in Mizoram: Study

Aizawl, Aug 10 : Child sexual abuse is highly prevalant in Mizoram, a research has stated.

A 'Study of Child Abuse in Mizoram', prepared by the Social Welfare Department and Human Rights and Law Network (HLRN), revealed that 630 cases of child sexual abuse had been received during the period of 2003 to 2009.

Of these, 248 were received by the CID, 240 cases by district police stations, 124 by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and 18 cases by MHIP, Mizoram's apex women body.

Speaking at a preview workshop on the report, researcher Rohmingmawii, an assistant professor at Pachhunga University College, stated that almost 86.88 per cent of the victims were re-victimised by the same molesters.

She also pointed out that 12 cases of sexual abuse of boys were received during the period 2005 to 2009.

However, the actual number of such cases was 15 as three cases went unreported.

Most of those accused in sexual abuse belonged to the age group of six to twelve years.

''Child sexual abuse is also inflicted by older relatives of the victim like uncle, stepfathers and other people close to the family,'' a source in CWC indicated.

There could be more cases of abuse as many parents and victims dare not to approach the CWC for fear of stigmatisation of the victims, the sources said.

Most of those accused in child sexual abuse were aged between 19 to 35 and most of them were high-school dropouts.

The research also found a high percentage of children aged between 5 to 18 had access to pornography.

Of the 595 children interviewed, 55.78 per cent said that they had watched pornographic films.

READ MORE - Child sexual abuse rampant in Mizoram: Study