Shiver! But study they must!  
Winter is not the best time to burn the midnight oil because it actually freezes at midnight. This year night temperatures dipped so low that getting out of the bed to visit the loo was a gigantic effort, some students confessed. Yet night-owls preparing for their final examinations have no choice. When children keep awake until the wee hours can parents have a sound sleep? Most parents are bitter about the examination schedules here. They feel that all Board and University final exams should be over by late November or early December before the cold really hits those who have to study and others who have to keep watch along with them. This has been a much debated subject for decades. There was a proposal once from the Catholic Board of Education that the MBOSE conducted SSLC exams and University final exams should be completed before the winter vacations. But evidently the teachers’ lobby is so strong that the proposal was shot down. And guess why teachers don’t want exams to be over and done with by December? Because the results would have to be out by March-April!  This means that teachers would have to correct answer scripts during the winter vacations! They want to do it at leisure from March to May-June. Parents wonder whether education is all about the teacher and very little about the learner. A good question indeed! Education in Meghalaya, including scams have always had to do with teachers. Students are at the receiving end always!
 Code of misconduct
A former politician known for his sharp wit and humour sent this message around. “Now that the Code of Conduct for politicians has been announced and strictly implemented, is the Code of Misconduct now placed under temporary suspension?”  It would seem so from the instant seizure of materials, including blankets, by the District Administration from the Shillong South NCP candidate, Sanbor Shullai. And wonder of wonders is that a local collage meant to teach students about ethics, played host to this illegal exercise! Shullai claims he was not officially informed that the code of conduct had come into effect. He is probably too busy campaigning and had missed the news on television, Friday evening, announcing the dates of the election in Meghalaya and the simultaneous suspension of any code of misconduct. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, so say legal experts. “Quipped a political watchdog, “Ignorance of the law by a law maker makes it even more bizarre. How do we expect the common man to observe the rule of law then? Don’t tell me the guy spent five years as a legislator and does not know that when election dates are announced the model code of conduct which prevents contesting politicians from distributing freebies to woo voters, also comes into effect? And we the voters are equally weird for electing such ignoramuses!”
 Festival on Cultures of Peace
On Jan 18-19, a group called ‘KHUBLEI’ is organising a literary festival of sorts called Cultures of Peace, the Festival of the North East, at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Writers and poets from India’s North East will be part of this pow-wow where Daisy Hasan’s book, ‘Lunatic in my Head,’ will be discussed among a group of panellists. The tribal non-tribal divide in Meghalaya beginning from 1979 and carrying on in subtle but perceptible ways in the present context will be the theme of the discussion. The Festival which has been put up on Facebook already has many people ‘liking’ it and many recording their attendance.  KHUBLEI is headed by Mary Therese Kurkalang a young lady from Shillong and currently based in Delhi. These young, vibrant ambassadors of the North East can do much more to interpret this region to the rest of India than our Members of Parliament can ever do in their five year tenure. Indeed, if Delhi and other Indians don’t know and remembers us it is because there is not a single MP from here who moves and shakes Parliament when it is in session. We need to groom more ambassadors of peace and culture from this State and Region.

From Our Correspondent

JOWAI: Jaintia Hills Police on Sunday arrested two persons- Kular Sungoh of Mookhap and Skhem Suchiang of Laskein in connection with the murder of two coal businessmen, Wik Latam and Tro Tangliang of Myntriang village recently.
Both the suspects were arrested by Police at Korampani who brought them to Raliang Police Outpost.
Sources informed that as soon as the news spread that police arrested the suspected accused, around 70 to 80 people from Myntriang village and also from nearby villages gathered in the premises of the Thana, fueled with anger over the murder, which forced the Raliang Police to immediately shift the two suspects to Jowai PS.
Relatives and friends of both of the victims including the       headman and village elders of Myntriang village also gathered at Jowai PS forcing them to seal all entrances to the Thana to prevent any unwanted incidents. Earlier, Phramer Police led by Sub-inspector, E Pohchen rushed to Assam to take over a vehicle belongs to one of the victim, Wik Latam from Assam Police. The vehicle (Gypsy) was seized in Kamrup district, Assam on January 10 and Jaintia hills police, led by SI E Pohchen brought the vehicle to Jaintia hills the next day. Police sources informed that, the Sungoh and Suchiang was arrested and a SIM Card, which belongs to one of the victims, was recovered from their possession.
It may be mentioned here that bodies of coal businessmen – Wik Latam (45) and Tro Tangliang (47) – both of Myntriang village in East Jaintia Hills district were recovered from a place called ‘Riat Iajaw’ near Kyndong-tuber village in West Jaintia Hills last Saturday afternoon. Their bodies were found with their throats slit. Their mobile phones, cash of around 6 lakh approximately along with Latam’s vehicle, were missing.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG:  With the State Government continuing to be adamant to their demand, the Association of Qualified Grade IV-2011, East Khasi Hills has decided to hold an indefinite hunger strike from January 15.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, association general secretary H Sun said that the association has been compelled to hold this indefinite hunger strike since the Government has remained adamant to extent the merit list of the qualified candidates who are eligible for appointment to the various posts under Grade IV.
“We had given a two-day deadline to the Government to comply with our demand. But sadly there is no positive response from the Government” Sun said.
It may be mentioned that out of the 331 qualified candidates in the merit list, so far only 122 candidates have got the appointment while there are another 209 candidates who are yet to get an appointment.

By Our Reporter
SHILLONG:  The Garo National Council (GNC) has decided to field advocate, Jipson R Marak to contest South Tura seat in West Garo Hills on the issue of separate state for Garos.
The GNC president, Clifford Marak informed over phone from Tura on Sunday that Marak will be the sixth candidate approved by the party. Earlier, the party cleared the names of five candidates including GNC chief, Clifford Marak (Chokpot).
The agenda of GNC is to fight for a separate Garo state.

From Our Correspondent

NONGPOH: The four day district integration camp, organized by the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Nongpoh and supported by the Department of Sports and Youth affairs of Meghalaya, on Saturday inaugurated the four day Inter District Integration camp conducted at Parish Hall, Nongpoh.
This Inter District Integration camp of NYK, Nongpoh was inaugurated by EAC      of Ri-Bhoi Rap Thangkhiew in the presence of Zonal Director NYK, Meghalaya Zone RPS Thakur, Bobby Wahlang, Kitboklang Nongphlang, Liaison Officer, Eric Calvin Ranee, NYC, NYKS, Nongpoh and over 150 youths from various Districts participated in the camp.
The inaugural function of the camp was presided over by Dr. Salam D. Singh, District Youth Coordinator of NYK, Ri-Bhoi. Addressing the participants as chief guest, EAC of Ri-Bhoi Rap Thangkhiew said that youth are the backbone for the development of the community and urged them to remain organized and united to serve the nation.
Thangkhiew also assured that in the future, the District Administration will be given all sort of assistance and cooperation to amalgamate the integration of the youth in the District. At the same time, he lauded the NYK for organizing such programmes that would benefit the youth in all spheres of life and he hopes that all the youth who have been participated in this camp will learn more knowledge especially quality of leadership among the youth is a must, he added.
Earlier, Zonal Director NYK, Meghalaya Zone RPS Thakur in his speech threw light on the aims and objectives of the programmes of Nehru Yuva Kendra.
He said that youth are the major resource in the country and NYK works for channelizing their immense for the development of the nation and provide them an opportunity to involve themselves in the development process including planning, decision making, managing and evaluating the activities to provide services to the community and to develop their own personality and leadership qualities.

From Our Correspondent

JOWAI: Following the denial of Congress ticket for Khliehriat seat, Justine Dkhar has decided to contest the general assembly election as an Independent.
Dkhar informed that his decision to contest the election as an Independent was taken in a meeting held at Khliehriat on Saturday.
Dkhar who has recently resigned as a government Assistant teacher, decided to jump into the poll battle. He joined Congress and also applied for the party ticket but the AICC awarded the party ticket to JHADC MDC from Mu-sniang Rangad, Amos Dkhar.

From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: At least 10 passengers from Mizoram were injured, few of them critically, as their vehicle (Tata Sumo-MZ01G-9712) went off the road at Yingkein Myntdu near Jowai on Sunday morning.
The vehicle coming from Mizoram had 11 people including the driver. Jowai Police shifted all injured persons to Jowai Civil Hospital. Three of the critically injured were referred to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong.

From Our Correspondent

JOWAI: Around 6 wild elephants including one calf were chased away from villages in Jaintia Hills on Sunday. Officials of the Wild Life Division of the forest Department led by Ms. H. Lato in the presence of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, SS Syiemlieh visited Thadmynri, Tamu, Myngngor and Umkhen area on Sunday and chased away the wild elephants with the help of crackers and burning of chilies. These wild elephants came from Assam two weeks ago and destroyed grass brooms gardens including many houses in the area.