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05/21/2005: "NSCN-IM reacts to Arunachal Governor’s statement"


21 may 2005 Saturday
NSCN-IM reacts to Arunachal Governor’s statement From Pradeep Pareek
DIMAPUR, May 20 – Breaking its silence over the remarks made by Arunachal Pradesh Governor SK Singh, who after returning from his trip to the state’s Changlang and Tirap districts on May 13 last said, “Clouds and confusion over the violence created in the name of Greater Nagalim were bound to pass as a bad dream”, the NSCN-IM accused him of conspiring to sabotage and derail the ongoing Indo-Naga peace process.

“The Nagas birthright to live as one people and to decide the fate lies only on Nagas. The Nagas shall stand, “prepared for the worse and hope for the best,” NSCN-IM reiterated. Stating that the Governor’s remark “is speaking the mindset of the right wing Indians which resulted in confrontation for more than five decades”, the NSCN-IM pointed that his comment was in stark contrast to late Narshimha Rao and his successive Prime Minister’s statement and views which reflected the ground position that military solution was not feasible in the context of Indo-Naga issue. The NSCN-IM said the ongoing talks had entered into a crucial stage and the government of India had recognized the uniqueness of the Naga history and situation and therefore, the Governor’s statement was “unwarranted”.
Terming the statement as a “comment without any bases”, the NSCN-IM retorted that the Governor “is on the negative side” and does not have the political will to solve the problem.
“At this juncture, Governor SK Singh is making unwarranted comments against the peace process which amounts to plotting a conspiracy to sabotage and derail the ongoing peace process. He knew very well that there is no greater or smaller Nagalim and that Nagas have what belongs to them and what is theirs for ages,” pointed the NSCN-IM statement.

Echoing the doubts voiced by its general secretary Th Muivah during his last weeks’ visit to the Hebron camp, near here on the success of the talks, the statement cautioned, “If the Indian officials are dilly-dallying the issue at this rate, there is no point to expect an honourable solution acceptable to both parties. The statement further stated that NSCN-IM is prepared for any eventuality to defend the aspirations of the Naga people.
NSCN-IM flays Arunachal Governor’s remark
KOHIMA, May 20 (UNI): The NSCN (IM) has dismissed the recent remark of the Arunachal Pradesh Governor S K Singh, who had said that Naga integration issue was bound to pass as a bad dream. In a statement issued by the ‘secretary of the Ministry of information and publicity (MIP)’ of NSCN (IM) Akaho Assumi said the Governor was speaking the mindset of the right wing Indians.
Arunachal Governor does a first By Mamang Dai
For the first time in 13 years, a Governor has visited the militant-hit districts of Tirap and Changlang in Arunachal’s eastern corner, bordering Nagaland and Myanmar. Governor SK Singh, a former Foreign Secretary, said he was compelled by convictions to undertake a “searching out” of hearts and minds of people living here. In recent years, the two districts have been hard hit by the spill over of Naga insurgency and have become a battleground for rival factions of the NSCN (I-M) and the NSCN(K). The districts are also included in the demand for Greater Nagalim by the NSCN (I-M), comprising what the group describes as traditional Naga areas. Mr Singh, who travelled by road and visited remote villages, circles and subdivisions where few ministers and leaders from Itanagar or New Delhi have ever gone because of insurgent activities, said he had reassured the people that the government cared and that the confusion and violence created in the name of Greater Nagalim was bound to pass. He said more visitors, media, legislators, and people from outside the districts and from Delhi should visit these outposts of the Indian system. Mr Singh said the first step was to ensure road connectivity across the heavily wooded and hilly terrain of the porous border here.
He declared that busy and open roads would curb underground elements, since criminal activities flourished on dark footpaths. The infiltration of NSCN cadres into these districts has gone unacknowledged for the most part, though it is an open secret that the administration has virtually collapsed with government officials allegedly paying “tax” to the insurgents. The villagers remain silent for fear of reprisal, and police say that the apparent calm is in fact a sign of total surrender to the NSCN cadres who have overrun the place. The two groups continue to clash in their struggle for domination and extort and intimidate villagers, who are quiet and fearful in the face of possible reprisal. Mr Singh said “outsiders” were looting and cheating local people and increasing pressure on them. He was aware of the determination of ordinary people who were resolutely opposed to sharing even an inch of territory with outsiders who vaguely claimed some hoary historical ethnic relationship. Mr Singh cited that the police, para-military forces and Army had been patient in anticipation of the success of the ongoing peace talks, but that this patience could not be tried beyond a point. The Governor also travelled on the old Stilwell Road of World War II fame, built to carry Allied supplies across into China which was under pressure from the Japanese. Mr Singh visited the “lake of no return,” on the Myanmar side of Pangsau Pass, so called because of the high toll in human lives that this marshy terrain claimed in the war between the Japanese and the Allied forces.
At Pangsau Pass he also inspected the preparations for facilitating bilateral border trade between India and Myanmar, met public leaders, traders, senior citizens, village headmen (gaon buras), womens’ groups and members of the district administration.
Commenting on the courage and optimism of the people in the districts, Mr Singh said that while it appeared that the people were buying peace by quietly paying up to the NSCN, yet there was every likelihood that the wisdom and patience of the people would withstand the forces of the outsider.
(The author is an Itanagar-based freelance writer)
Infighting cripples Bodo elections By Bijay Sankar Bora
The Bodo quest for autonomy and their campaign to become masters of their own destiny have been dealt a severe blow by a bitter power struggle within the nascent Bodo People’s Progressive Forum (BPPF) during the first election to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) on 13 May.
This is all the more ironic because the elections and the BPPF are fruits of a peace accord signed by the now disbanded Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) with the Government of India in February, 2003. The elections could have been a red-letter day for Bodo aspirations for greater autonomy but turned out to be a dark chapter in the community’s struggle to determine its future. At least 30 people were injured as large-scale violence, group clashes between Bodos, snatching of ballot boxes and rigging marred the BTC elections. The district administration admitted that polling was not free and fair in many places and a repoll was ordered in 144 polling stations spread over 22 BTC constituencies of a total of 40. Elections were held in 35 constituencies as five candidates won unopposed, including former BLT chairman Hargrama Mohilary, in the remaining constituencies. The scale of violence was not unexpected. In the run-up to the elections, there were clashes between supporters of official BPPF candidates and those of Independent candidates backed by the former BLT chief. Because of the allegations of rigging by rival groups, the results of this much-awaited election have been postponed indefinitely. The poll violence was an ugly manifestation of the power struggle in the month-old BPPF, a political party formed by leaders of the dissolved BLT and former leaders of the powerful All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU). Though the former ABSU chief, Rabiram Narzary, became the new party’s first president, it was sharply divided into two groups. One comprised of former ABSU men and the other faction of ex-BLT men and their supporters, headed by Mr Mohilary, former leader of the armed militants.
Both factions vied to capture power in the BTC after the polls, which the BPPF confidently claimed it would win given the low-key participation by other major parties in the state. The ruling Congress chose not to contest the polls. The former BLT faction’s claim to power is spurred by the fact that the BTC is a fruit of peace negotiations between the former armed group and New Delhi; the ABSU-backed faction wants to control the council as it believes that the students organisation played a key role in mobilising mass support for the peace process. The infighting was vicious and open. Mr Mohilary declared in public that he would leave no stone unturned to prevent his own party president Rabiram Narzary from becoming the council’s chief executive member (CEM).
Mr Narzary sought to place himself above power politics, saying that he was not eyeing the CEM’s post but wanted to become an elected member of the BTC and keep a close watch on the functioning of the council, the outcome of years of struggle by the Bodos against control from Dispur, capital of Assam. The rift between Mr Mohilary and Mr Narzary came into the open with the former sponsoring an ex-BLT man, Mono Kumar Brahma, as an Independent candidate against the BPPF president at Bonorgaon constituency, Kokrajhar district. Mr Mohilary had the dubious distinction of openly backing several Independent candidates, all former BLT cadres, against official BPPF candidates. It all started with the allotment of party tickets. The former armed cadres in the party accused the party president of favouring former ABSU men and ignoring several senior leaders of the BLT.
As accusations and counter-accusations flew, tension and bitterness began to rise, with sporadic incidents among rivals later escalating into a full-blown confrontation during the election, showing up the greed for power and position — as is the case elsewhere.
Part of the tragedy is that the Bodo people lack a leader of the stature of Upendra Brahma, regarded as the father of the Bodo campaign for separation from Assam. He died an untimely death in the 1990s. Of course, it could be argued that the lack of inspiring leadership is not just a problem in Assam but across the country. Losing face after baring their hunger for power, leaders of both factions in the BPPF are now looking for excuses. The BPPF president, Mr Narzary says that the Congress in Assam played “dirty” games to drive a wedge in the BPPF, while Mr Mohilary was firm in denying any “official” understanding with the Congress on the BTC polls. As expected, the ruling party has vehemently denied its role in BTC polls though the Opposition Asom Gana Parishad charged it with encouraging the rift. The BTC was formed after the Bodo Peace Accord of February, 2003 and an interim council headed by former BLT chairman Mr Mohilary took charge of the council in December, 2003. After an elected council assumes charge of the council, the Centre is committed under the BTC Accord to provide an annual grant of Rs 100 crore for five years to the council for development of BTC areas in Assam.
(The author is The Statesman’s Guwahati-based Special Representative.)
NE States ‘gang’ up against Assam Border row
KOHIMA, May 20 (UNI): In a strategic move Nagaland today joined hands with Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya on the issue of boundary dispute with Assam. Official sources said here today that Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya agreed to cooperate with Nagaland ‘to fight for a common cause.’ Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who left for New Delhi yesterday, is expected to raise the boundary issue with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
New Delhi's suggestion on Naga integration roadmap stings NSCN (I-M)
Publish Date : 5/12/2005 9:44:00 PM Source : World News Onlypunjab.com
Continuing the tenor and tempo of his unusually tough posturing made against New Delhi since he landed in Nagaland yesterday, general secretary of the NSCN (I-M) Th. Muivah once again tried to send across an unassumingly strong message to New Delhi that the NSCN (I-M) would not accept any kind of deal which goes against its core aspirations. The NSCN (I-M) seem to be clearly upset with the Centre over its persistent suggestion to the former to seek consensus among the likely affected neighboring states and its people on the issue of how to realize the long aspiration of integration of Naga inhabited areas. General secretary Th. Muivah said enough to indicate that the Central leadership and its negotiators had asked the NSCN (I-M) to do the ground work based on the spirit of consensus with its Assamese and Meitei neighbors to create a roadmap for integration of Naga areas. He feared that the Meiteis and the Assamese might be asked for consensus on the issue of Naga contiguous areas which he bluntly rejected saying that it was unacceptable to the NSCN (I-M). Muivah also strongly hinted that since it was the Centre that politically divided the Nagas it was now upto them and their political will to unite the Nagas.
"It is not the Nagas who divided themselves, it is their (Government of India's) own creation and was purposely created," Muivah said and asked, " If they can't solve, who'll solve (the problem)?"
Muivah informed that the Centre was still sticking to its position for a consensus among the states and ethnic groups concerned of the region on the issue of integration of Naga areas. This is an insult to the Nagas, he said. When asked whether the Centre has begun its exercise of bringing about consensus, the general secretary said, "That is simply an escape route. They don't have the courage to talk with the Meiteis, the Assamesethey just want us to talk with them. Let the Nagas decide for themselves, this would be the right method."
Muivah also cautioned that while exploring possibilities for an amicable solution to the decades-old Naga problem, the Centre should not look for protracted measures like "consensus (among the states of the region)" or impose the Indian Constitution but respect the historical rights and legitimacy of the Naga people. Replying to a query whether there should be a referendum, he said, "We have made the point very clear. Referendum must be there, if the Centre thinks that justice is to be done to the Nagas."
Sounding a note of warning to the Centre, Muivah once again reiterated that the Nagas would not accept imposition of any decision from the Centre now. He said that the Naga struggle had carried on for more than 50 years because of the arbitrary attitude of the Government of India. He also alleged that while on one hand India was professing Ahimsa (principle of non violence) on the other hand its forces were killing Nagas.
"This is the attitude of India," he said in a major departure from the kind of reconciliatory tone that the NSCN (I-M) had maintained in the recent past. "If they don't try to understand us, we can go (Fighting) for another 50 years and we can buy that time unless the Indians understand our rights," Muivah said replying to a query whether GoI was using some kind of prolonging tactics on the Naga issue. While interacting with mediapersons at Camp Hebron today, he said said, "We have told the Government of India that Nagas are not a toy in your hand. We have told them and now they are trying to understand us. The Prime Minister is sincere enough. If they say it can take a long way, they have their ways."
On being asked whether the NSCN (IM) had set any deadline to the Centre to solve the Naga issue, Muivah replied in the negative, but quickly added that a time frame should be there for that.
"I don't know whether they are ready for a time-frame based solution," he added. Muivah, who is here in Nagaland to hold consultations with the mass based civil organizations, said that a decision would be taken within the next two months on the extension of ceasefire, which expires in July. On being asked about the issues that the NSCN-IM had raised with the Centre during the recent round of talks, Muivah was not specific but cited the example of the issue of providing security to Nagaland in the event of external threats. He said Indian leaders in the past were very particular about security threat from external forces. "It is rationale and Nagas must also have their own forcessecurity matters has been solved to a great extent", said Muivah.
On whether the NSCN (I-M) has dropped the idea of sovereignty and was now only pursuing the integration of Naga areas, Muivah replied that sovereignty lies with the Naga people and it was for them to decide. Earlier, clarifying the position of the NSCN, the general secretary said that the NSCN (IM) had made the case of the Nagas sufficiently clear to the Indian leadership and they (NSCN-IM) think that Centre had understood the genuineness of the Naga case.
"So we do not think that there would be much problem. Now the ball is in their court. If the GoI has the political will, they can do so, if they cannot we are sorry", he said. He further said that Nagas will not accept any imposition but only negotiated settlement. "Suppression of Nagas' right to decide their future will never be accepted," he added. "If both the parties respect each other, then there would be a meeting point. We have given our side. If they can appreciate it, it is good," he said adding, "If they don't appreciate, Nagas will be driven far back. I think Government of India would appreciate our stand." (ANI)
Border people's role important for border solution: Dr Lotha Oken Jeet Sandham – Asian Tribune
Wokha, 21 May, (NEPS): Nagaland Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Information Technology and Technical Education, Dr TM Lotha said people living in the border areas have crucial role and responsibility towards solving the border problem with the neighboring Assam. Speaking as Chief Guest in the seminar on "Border Awareness to Lotha Community," organized by the Lotha Students Union held here at the Lotha Tribal Council Hall today, the Minister said the Government had been doing its best to bring honorable settlement to the border problem with the neighboring Assam. But people living in the border areas should also keep constant vigil as without their cooperation, Government alone would be difficult to push the matter forward for solution.
"You (Lothas living in the border areas) should know your responsibilities," he said. "So long you are active and alert in the border areas, things would not go wrong as your activities in the border would be the hard evidence for our right."
Dr Lotha said the border issue was already in Supreme Court and further disclosed that Nagaland Government had been feeding all the genesis of the border tangle with Assam. "We hope there will be settlement sooner than later that is acceptable to the people of both the States, he stated. The Minister also stressed the importance of people's participation for the all round development in the State. He said Government alone cannot do without the participation of the people. Calling upon the people to know how to demand their rights in a democratic society like theirs while not forgetting their rightful contributions to the society, Dr Lotha said there should be always reciprocation if people expect proper developmental activities. Parliamentary Secretary, N Khao, Wokha DC E Ezung, Lotha Hoho Chairman N Ngullie, President of Lotha Lower Range Y Mozhui were among other who also spoke on the occasion. - Asian Tribune –
Sonia's foreign origin issue is over: Sangma By Syed Zarir Hussain, Indo-Asian News Service
Guwahati, May 21 (IANS) Former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma says Congress president Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin that led him to quit the party "is over now". But that does not mean the tribal leader of Meghalaya wants to see the Italy-born Gandhi as India's prime minister. Sangma said he left the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) last year following the party's move to ally with the Congress in general elections.
"I was opposed to any foreign national becoming our prime minister and I still subscribe to my views," Sangma told IANS in an interview. "The issue is over now and people need a Third Front after being disillusioned with the both the Congress and Bharaitiya Janata Party (BJP). I am rejoining NCP to strengthen its base and make it a third alternative."
Until recently Sangma was considered a towering political figure in the country's northeast. He has won the Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya since 1977. But despite his invincible record, Sangma's stature has plummeted to an all time low now. For almost two decades he was a Congress leader until he, along with Sharad Pawar and Tariq Anwar, was expelled from the party in 1999 for questioning Gandhi's foreign origin. Sangma and Pawar formed the NCP and fought the 1999 parliamentary elections. Just before the 2004 elections, Sangma joined hands with Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. Last year, he suffered a personal setback with his son, who was groomed to take over local politics, lost the state assembly elections. Now Sangma has announced his decision to sever ties with the Trinamool Congress and rejoin the NCP.
Hmar students want Union govt to talk with UG groups The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, May 20: The Hmar Student’s Association has submitted a memorandum to Union home minister Shivraj Patil urging him to take the initiative in bringing Hmar underground groups to the negotiating table so that peace and normalcy returns to Hmar inhabited areas of the North Eastern region. The memorandum also highlighted grievances being faced by Hmar communities settled in different parts of the region. This was stated by Joseph R Hmar, president of the Hmar students body in a press conference held at the premises of the Jupiter Yambem Centre, Imphal today.

The student leader said that the armed Hmar underground group, Hmar Peoples Convention has shown willingness to come to the negotiating table with the government of India and start a dialogue for a justifiable solutions in regards to the Hmar issues so that peace prevails and development works undertaken in the Hmar inhabited areas. He further expressed hope that the Hmar armed group can come over-ground in the interest of the Hmar community. He further lamented that development works in Hmar inhabited areas have been hampered due to underground related activities. On the contentious issue of construction of the Tipaimukh Dam, Joseph said construction of the Dam cannot be taken up without prior consent of the Hmar people.

Call to improve NE link with SE Asia By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, May 20 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and two of his ministers today made a strong pitch for improving the linkages between the North-East and the South East Asia to tap the immense economic possibilities that exist in the two areas. Inaugurating a seminar organised by the Federation of Industries and Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER) at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre today, Gogoi said that there are proposals to connect Guwahati to several South East Asian destinations by air soon. He said that the success of the ASEAN car rally has proved the viability of road connectivity between the North East and ASEAN. Gogoi said that though Assam has plenty of resources, there is need to develop its infrastructure more to properly tap it. He said the investment climate in the state has improved in recent times.

Gogoi made his brief inaugural address on the lobby of the GTAC. He could not go up to the first floor auditorium of the building where delegates waited for him. His aides said he was suffering from severe back trouble and climbing up a flight of stairs would have been impossible given his condition.
Carrying on from where the Chief Minister left off, state Industries Minister Anjan Dutta said that Assam and the NE have the unique locational advantage of being close to ASEAN. Assam’s proximity to some SAARC nations also makes it an investment destination targeting a fifth of the world population, he said. Calling for developing the infrastructure in the region to attract industry, Dutta said that offering only subsidies would not attract industry. “Subsidies can only be a part time solution,” he said.

ULFA urges US to remove terror tag From Our Staff Correspondent
NEW DELHI, May 20 – Fearing reprisal, the outlawed ULFA has written to US President George W Bush and pleaded for removal of the terror tag, regretting the incidents of bomb blasts in the State which it described as tactical error. Even as ULFA and Government of India are wrangling over the ‘core issue’, its chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa recently wrote a long letter to the US President, lamenting the branding of the outfit as Other Selected Terrorists Organisation (OSTO). Highly placed sources in Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) quoting reports from Bangladesh, said that the ULFA has regretted the incidents of bomb blasts in the State particularly the Dhemaji blasts that left over 13 people including six children dead. The ULFA chairman described the bomb blasts as tactical blunders on their part. But at the same time claimed that these incidents were aberrations and not what their movement was all about. He claimed that ULFA was basically fighting for independence of Assam from India and not indulging in terrorist activities, sources said.

On this ground, the chairman pleaded that US Government should take out ULFA from the list of OSTO. Soon after the US move, ULFA had reacted by claiming that it was a US ploy to attach a “terror tag” to the outfit. “The inclusion of the ULFA in the list of terrorist organisations by the US is another attempt by vested interests to put the terror tag on the outfit”, ULFA chairman had said in an e-mail message. The US State Department on April 27 released a Country Report on Terrorism 2004 naming the designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and OSTO. Designation by State Department results in the US Government blocking assets held in US financial institutions, denying its members visas, and making it a crime for US citizens or others within US jurisdiction to provide it with support or resources. That apart, US normally puts pressure on countries extending support to any outfits designated FTO or OSTO to act against it. Action could lead to anything from freezing of accounts of individual members of the outfit to their detention. Official said that the US move has shaken ULFA badly and the outfit may be under pressure of Bangladesh, which itself is also under pressure of the US to act against Jehadi elements and terrorists outfits operating out of the country.

The same Country Report on Terrorism had passed critical remarks on Bangladesh. “Bangladesh supports the global war on terrorism but its ability to combat terrorism is undermined by weak institutions, porous borders and limited law enforcement capabilities and debilitating infighting between two major political forces,” the Report had said. The US State Department Report further commented that Bangladesh was committed to enforcing UN Security Council resolution and actions related to terrorism including identification and freezing of assets of individuals and organisation designated as terrorist or terrorist supporters. The Report said that Bangladesh tradition of moderate Islam was increasingly under threat from extremist alternatives, already offering an alternative breeding ground for political and secretarian violence. Endemic corruption, poverty and a stalemated political process could further contribute to the type of instability and wide spread frustration that has elsewhere provided recruits, support and safe haven to international terrorist groups, it said.

US is working with Bangladesh and providing technical assistance in strengthening police institutions, enhancing banking capabilities to combat terrorist financing, strengthening border control systems to detect suspicious terrorists. The State Department report, had said that, “ULFA procures and trades in arms with other North-East Indian groups and receives aid from unknown external sources.”

Described ULFA as North-East India’s most prominent insurgent group, an ethnic secessionist organisation, the Report said that ULFA began to lose popularity in the late 1990s after it increasingly targeted civilians, including a prominent NGO activist (Sanjoy Ghosh). “It lost further support for its anti-Indian stand during the 1999 Kargil war,” the State Department said. In 2003, ULFA killed more than 60 ‘outsiders’ in Assam, mainly residents of the bordering State of Bihar. On August 14, one civilian was killed and 18 others injured when ULFA militants triggered a grenade blast inside a cinema hall at Gauripur in Dhubri district. The next day, at an Indian Independence Day event, a bomb blast in Dhemaji killed an estimated 13 people, including six children and injured 21, the report said. The US State Department said that the ULFA trained, financed and equipped cadres for a ‘liberation struggle’ while extortion helps finance military training and weapons purchases. ULFA conducts hit-and-run operations on security forces in Assam, selective assassinations and explosions in public places.

Gogoi’s statements irresponsible: BJP By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, May 20 – The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today lambasted Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for alleging, yesterday, that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan were behind the popular campaign in upper Assam where suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators are being subjected to an economic boycott. BJP state president Indramoni Bora told presspersons today that the “irresponsible and wild” statements of the Chief Minister indicate that he has realised that he is not coming back to power. “He has lost the support of the people for his government’s failures,” Bora said during a press conference. The BJP leader said that it is surprising that the Chief Minister, who has intelligence agencies feeding him with information, should be making statements that have no basis. He rejected Gogoi’s charge that the RSS and the BJP are inciting communal tensions in the state. “The BJP has never indulged in the politics of religion. It is the Congress that have done it again and again,” said party spokesman Ashok Singhal who was also present. Bora said that the boycott of the suspected infiltrators, initiated by the youth in Dibrugarh, is a result of the disappointment of the people with the continuation of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act. The people were hoping that the tripartite talks (held in New Delhi recently) would lead to the scrapping of the Act. “There were high expectations from the meeting,” he said. He said that once the outcome of the meeting became clear, the youth decided to take it upon themselves to root out the infiltrators. “They did their duty as responsible citizens.”

Expressing surprise over the Chief Minister’s statement describing the fleeing persons as Indian citizens, Bora said that if they were citizens they would have gone to the police instead of fleeing. He said that the BJP does not want genuine Indian citizens to be harassed. “The Chief Minister is working against the interests of the indigenous people and favouring the infiltrators,” Bora said. Party vice president Dhruba Prasad Baishya demanded that the Congress government bring out a “white paper” to find out whether the Chief Minister has been mislead by the state intelligence machinery and also to locate the whereabouts of the people who are said to have fled from the upper Assam districts in their thousands. There was no violence involved in the campaign in upper Assam, he emphasised. Baishya said that the BJP would oppose the Assam bandh called by certain minority organisations against the happenings in upper Assam.

“The BJP is not anti-Muslim. We call upon the indigenous Muslims to help the BJP in our movement to deport the infiltrators,” said Singhal. Meanwhile, party general secretary Pramode Mahajan, who has been given the responsibility to spearhead the BJP’s preparations for next year’s scheduled Assembly elections, is arriving in the state early next month to gear up the party machinery. Mahajan will meet with district units of the party in his tour of the state. On June 3 he will meet the party units from Sadiya, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh at Dibrugarh. This will be followed by meetings, on June 4 at Jorhat (Jorhat, Sivasagar, Majuli and Golaghat units) and on June 5 at Nagaon (with the Nagaon, Morigaon, Hojai, Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills units). On June 6 and 7, Mahajan will meet with the Goalpara, North Kamrup, South Kamrup, Goalpara, Nalbari and Guwahati city units at Guwahati.
DATELINE Guwahati/Wasbir Hussain Look North-east first, but not the DONER way
Wow, what a great achievement: P. Ripple Kyndiah has got a promotion! The Meghalaya politician in Dr Manmohan Singh’s durbar is no longer heading a ‘department,’ he is now heading a ‘ministry.’ That’s because DONER or the Department of Development of North Eastern region has been upgraded to that of a ministry as the UPA Government completes a year in office. Now, DONER will be in a position to sponsor more fashion shows, more seminars and more conferences to deliberate on such vital issues as India’s Look East Policy that can change the complexion of the North-east forever. Fashion parades, after all, are the in-thing isn’t it, and backing seminars and meets gives an impression that the sponsor is engaged in intellectual activity. The babus at DONER should know it better. If DONER is not updating its website, it is perfectly understandable. They are terribly busy, else the computer chaps at the ‘ministry’ (or is it a firm handling the website?) would have done the job. Between May 2004 and May 2005, DONER, as a press release announced, ‘took a major initiative to seek international cooperation for development of the North-Eastern Region. Under this initiative, 5 core Sectors were identified for preparing Vision Documents in order to facilitate Externally Aided Projects (EAPs).’ Preparing ‘vision documents’ could mean to suggest that DONER has a vision! Well, these documents include Integrated Road Project, Urban Development Project, Trade and Investment Creation Initiative, Water Resource Development and Integrated Energy Project. The Urban Development Project and the Integrated Road Project have already been started with the technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). But, what is it that DONER has done and that is visible on the ground anywhere in the region? I mean, fashion shows and seminars aside!
Under the scheme of Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR), 80 new projects, worth Rs 601.21 crore, have been sanctioned to the Northeastern States. These projects include significant contribution towards infrastructure projects for holding National Games in Assam during 2005 and also Rs.100 crore for the development of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) areas. The total outflow from NLCPR to the North-Eastern States during the period (May 2004-May 2005) has been Rs. 650 crore. Again, from the North Eastern Council (NEC), of which DONER Minister Kyndiah has been nominated the Chairman, Rs.500 crore have been provided to the North-Eastern States for integrated development of the region. Thus the total funding by DONER during the period is Rs 1,150 crore. Still, not many really think that DONER has done a good job for the region. And funding Assam for the National Games or funding the BTC? Well, the Centre would have made funds available for these in any case, with or without an agency like DONER. Getting support from external agencies is fine, but for sometime, the North-east should try and get its basics right before dreaming of swimming with New Delhi’s ‘look east’ campaign. There is no infrastructure in place, power projects and power potential have remained confined to bulky project reports, the bureaucratic red tape has not been dust-binned yet, innumerable student outfits are still out to bring states to a halt with bandh calls at the drop of a hat and so on. To cap it all, the corrupt politician-contractor-bureaucrat nexus is firmly saddled, out to pocket large wads of cash. I’m sure DONER babus, many of whom are either from the North-east or are IAS cadre officers from states in the region, would like to argue that sponsoring fashion shows amount to encouraging textiles and handloom items from the area. But, fashion shows are best left to the liquor companies and the cola giants. And seminars, well it is best left to the foundations and the corporates to support. DONER on its part would do well to ensure that there is value addition to the finished products, lay emphasis on packaging and marketing, help identify markets, bulldoze state governments in the region to cut red tape and create an investor-friendly climate, remove the gaps in the so-called Northeast Industrial Policy, train state government in preparing implementable location-specific projects and a whole lot of meaningful things. Simply looking east and sitting tight won’t do. If a person from the North-east heading DONER can’t galvanize things, God help. Else, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could think of giving the DONER charge to Laloo Prasad Yadav. The best bet could be to ask the CBI Director to head DONER for a couple of years! Of course, he must hold dual charge. (Feedback: Wasbir@yahoo.com)
‘Tourism can change NE fate’ By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, May 20: A study says: every tourist from outside creates the opportunity of at least seven jobs — direct and indirect — without any capital investment. When the plethora of opportunities for the north-eastern States has been provided by the ‘Look East’ policy declared by the Centre along with the opening up of the Pan Asian Highway and the Trans Asian Railways as well as the Free Trade Agreement with the ASEAN countries, the tourism industry alone can bring a sea change in this economically backward region. Hope in this regard has been reflected in a day-long seminar —‘Look East — The Infrastructural Requirements — Potential Unexplored’, organized by the Federation of Industries and Commerce of North Eastern Region here today. The seminar, inaugurated by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, was organised with the partnership of Ministry of DONER and the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (FI and CL), and was attended by a galaxy of eminent resource persons of various fields ranging from tourism, medi-tourism, agriculture, education, power and the service sector. The basic objective of the seminar was to explore the untapped resources of the region and identify the infrastructural requirements. The FINER wants to act as a catalyst for the State Government and private industries to take the initiatives to meet the vision for growth in the context of the ‘Look East’ policy and identify the shortcomings, said Sudip De, president of the organizing committee.
Anjan Dutta, Minister for Industry and Commerce, while addressing the seminar requested the organizers to submit the report of today’s deliberation to the government for further discussion and providing suggestions. He pointed out several untapped potential areas like medicinal plants, Muga and eri as well as tourism. Pradyut Bordoloi, Minister for Environment and Forest, pointed out the historical and cultural relation among the people of this region and the ASEAN countries. The ‘Look East’ policy has created the opportunity to renew the old ties and economic activities, which was snapped after the Independence, he said. Bordoloi gave a detailed demonstration on reopening of the Silwell road, which stretched through India, Myanmar and China since 1944. "By the new climate of political understanding and goodwill the boundaries have been transformed from barriers to the gateways," he said. Amitabha Kant, joint secretary of Union Tourism department, said that the north-east, the "driving factor of the ‘Look East’ policy," has the ability to emerge as a tourist destination with difference. The National Geography has identified the region as a ‘destination with difference’ with its immense treasure of natural diversity, he said. Kant, who is also known as the father of Keral tourism, has suggested for private participation in the tourism industry of the region. However, he admitted that the utilization of the Central scheme in north-east is ‘pathetic’ so far. Dr Vikram Chhatwal, CEO of the Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad, had given a detailed account on how to achieve the expected goal on Medi-tourism which is a relatively new concept in the region. The list of the eminent speakers included Dr NN Dutta, CMD of Down Town Hospital and Arun Kumar from Ramoji Film City.
B’deshi influx: Role of Cong Govt under scanner AASU rubbishes AP directive
GUWAHATI, May 20: Reiterating that Assam will not accept those who have come to the State from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971, the All Assam Students’ Union said that each person who came before 1971 has the right to stay in Assam. Opposing any move to support giving citizenship to those who have migrated to the State after 1971, AASU adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya in a press release has also opposed an Assam Police directive in this regard and has demanded of the State Government that this directive should be withdrawn immediately. Bhattacharyya has also termed the amendment of the Citizenship Act in 1986 as a conspiracy against the State. The amendment paved the way for conferring citizenship rights on those who have been born in Assam before 1986 even though their parents are Bangladeshis. Expressing serious concern over the issue, Bhattacharyya has also severely criticized the political parties of the State for maintaining surprising silence over the ‘anti-Assamese’ move to amend the Citizenship Act. "Instead of opposing the amendment of the above Act, the political parties, including the Congress, the BJP, the AGP and the Left parties have been playing vote-bank politics putting the national sovereignty in stake,"
Equating the amendment of The Citizenship Act, 1986 to the IM(DT) Act, the AASU adviser said that they had demanded of the Centre and the State Governments to scrap both the IM(DT) and the above amendment during the officer-level tripartite talks held on various occasions. "The amended provision is as dangerous as the IM(DT) Act," Bhattacharyya added. Raising doubts over the intention of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi towards protection of the indigenous Assamese, Bhattacharyya said, "Time will tell whether Gogoi will protect the Assamese in their homeland or act on behalf of those who came to the State after 1971".



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