Politics / Manipur

Imphal, March 17: Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today said the Manipur government would give priority to surrendered militants in the recruitment of personnel for the proposed Third India Reserve Battalion, as part of its policy to rehabilitate them.

He, however, did not say when the recruitment would take place.

The government’s decision follows a threat by the surrendered militants to resume their agitation if the government fails to rehabilitate them.

Ibobi Singh informed the House that at present there were 92 former insurgents under government care and that most of them had outlived...

IMPHAL, March 11 (NEPS) – Amid severe criticism from the opposition - Democratic People’s Alliance, the first anniversary of the Secular Progressive Front government led by the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was held at the outhouse of the Manipur Chief Minister’s official residence on Monday afternoon.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister released a booklet highlighting the achievement of his government which came into power on March 7 last year. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Okram who also holds home portfolio reiterated his appeals to the anti-socials and insurgent outfits...

IMPHAL, March 9 — Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has close touch with his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga over the Indo-Nagaland peace talks which is likely to resume within this month. The Mizoram Chief Minister left the capital Aizawl for Bangkok via Kolkata on March 5. The Zoramthanga’s latest visit to the Thai capital is being largely perceived as one aimed at preparing suitable grounds for the next rounds of peace talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (IM), scheduled to take place soon. Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who used to be a member of the...

Imphal, March 8: The skirmishes between two groups supporting different sets of scripts for the Meitei language have dented the law and order situation in the Manipur capital.

Renowned Manipuri scholar, Padmashree Ningthoukhongjam Khelchandra Singh, continued to be the target of the raging controversy over the use of Meitei script on the damaged foundation stone of Bir Tikendrajit flyover in the heart of Imphal.

Protesters supporting the 27-character Meitei script today burnt an effigy of Khelchandra Singh at Tera in Imphal West. They were protesting over the scholar’s threat to sue the...

Imphal, March 7: The Okram Ibobi Singh government in Manipur is facing a crisis over the issue of reconstructing the foundation stone of the Bir Tikendrajit flyover, with the two groups advocating different sets of Meitei scripts refusing to budge from their positions.

Both groups are demanding reconstruction of the stone with the inscription in their respective script.

The foundation stone for the Rs 25-crore flyover, laid by the chief minister on February 14, was completely destroyed by members of organisations advocating the 27-character Meitei script on Tuesday.

The demonstrators were...

Imphal, March 5: Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today held talks with agitating members of organisations advocating the 27-character Meitei script.

The protesters had yesterday destroyed the foundation stone of a flyover laid by the chief minister after the government reportedly failed to meet their deadline for changing the inscription on the stone.

The organisations have claimed that the alphabets on the stone were “incorrect”.

Ibobi Singh laid the foundation stone for the Bir Tikendrajit flyover in the heart of the state capital on February 14.

The first ever flyover in the...

Imphal, March 5: The word “welcome”, written in bold on the overhead frame of the main door, appears incongruous for once. Young Yumlambem Sanamacha surely had no idea when he wrote the word that he was unwittingly inviting misfortune to his house.

On the night of February 12, 1998, a group of jawans of the Rashtriya Rifles entered Sanamacha’s house in Angtha village of Manipur — without even knocking — and dragged him away. He has not been seen since.

For his parents, Jugol Singh and Arubi Devi, the five-year-long wait for their missing son ended on February 23 when they performed his last...

Imphal, February 27: Though Yumlembam Sanamacha was picked up by personnel of 17 Rashtriya Rifles way back in February 1998 and still remain untraced and though his last rites were finally performed on February 23 this year, the investigation of the case taken up by the Yairipok Police Station is still pending as the police have yet to effect examination and arrest the guilty Army personnel. And what is more interesting is that the personnel of the 17 Rashtriya Rifles who were allegedly involved in the case have had already shifted to other States. On February 13 this year, Yumlembam Amubi...

Imphal, February 27: A one day conference of village chiefs /NGOs of Chandel against the construction of Tipaimukh Dam" organized by Chamdil Khubul Social Welfare Arts & Culture Assn was held today at the Community Hall of Chamdil Khubul. Some of the important participants at the conference included the village chiefs of Japhou, Chandel Khullen, representatives of Anal Naga Taongpi, ANTA, RDS, Christian Social Devt Organization, CKSWA-CA, UTDP, UNC-M Chandel, RTC Imphal, WAD Imphal and Zeliangrong Women Union. Deliberating on the pros and cons of the Tipaimukh Dam, the participants at the...

Imphal, February 26: The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in connection with raping of one Meinam Bina Devi of Luwang-shangbam Matai Mamang Leikai by a personnel of 25 Assam Rifles on October 6, 2001 has been moved before the Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court today. The PIL is being filed jointly by Human Rights Alert represented by its executive director Babloo Loitongbam and Human Rights Law Network (Manipur Unit) represented by its coordinator Nonibala Devi Yengkhom against deprivation of bodily integrity and invasion of sexual freedom of the victim. Meihoubam Rakesh, the counsel...