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07/01/2008: "NSCN-K official alleges rift, quits OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"

NSCN-K official alleges rift, quits OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph

Kohima, June 30: A senior functionary in the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), A.Z. Jami, has resigned after differences of opinion up within the outfit.
Jami, a senior kilonser (minister) told The Telegraph from his hideout that he had submitted his resignation to NSCN (K) chairman S.S. Khaplang and was awaiting his reply. “I have already submitted my resignation to chairman Khaplang,” he said.
Jami said there was no point in serving in the outfit, which was already a divided house. He added that there were wide differences of opinion in the running of the outfit and that the real power was only in the hands of a few persons.
However, according to sources in the NSCN (K), Jami had developed differences with outfit’s general secretary, Kitovi Zhimomi and Kughalu Mulatonu, emissary to the collective leadership of the outfit.
Mulatonu said the outfit’s top brass had directed the council of kilonsers to discharge Jami within seven days on the ground that he was involved in “anti-Naga-nationalism” during his brief stint in the outfit. Jami defected from the NSCN (I-M) in 2005, saying the leadership of the outfit was “autocratic” and “despotic”.
He also said there was no transparency in the peace talks between the Centre and the NSCN (I-M). After his defection, Jami was allocated the portfolio of kilonser for information and publicity and later given the additional charge of convenor, council of kilonsers. According to him, his views and opinion were never taken into consideration and that Zhimomi and Mulatonu solely made all the policies of the outfit.
Mulatonu said Jami had become a liability for the outfit because of his arrogance. “He joined us only yesterday and now he is trying to drive us. We’ll not tolerate such attitude. It is a blessing in disguise for us,” he said.

Chiang Mai conclave symbolic, say state`s Naga MLAs Nagarealm.com
Imphal, JUN30 [NNN] : Six Independent Naga MLAs in Manipur have expressed that the recently concluded peace conclave convened by Forum for Naga Reconciliation and participated by both the NSCN-IM and NSCN-Unification representatives at Chiang Mai in Thailand, was a symbolic step to end divisive forces "within and outside".

The six Naga MLAs are Morung Makunga, Awangbow, Danny Shaiza, K.Raina, W.Keishing and Dr Khasim Ruivah. In a joint statement, the Indepenent MLAs said, "Rising above the bitterness that exists in every Naga family, the initiative of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation to resolutely address reconciliation process to a rightful conclusion deserves appreciation across Naga homeland".
The six MLAs also stated, "The joint declaration of the NSCNs at the Chiang Mai Naga Peace Conclave is a symbolic step to end divisive force within and outside. The Naga people are assured another oppurtunity to ward off the misgivings, divisions and confussion created by adversaries". The statement then expressed optimism by saying that the positive dicision of the NSCNs and other organisations involved in the Chiang Mai Peace Conclave "for realistic peacefull environment and situatiuon in the Naga areas is a radiant hope for new generations".

"We expresss our attribution to the noble venture of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation in contributing to shape the desnity of the Nagas. We also congratulate the God given providence and wisdom of the national workers to end divisions through reconciliation and work together to find amicable settlement for the Nagas." concluded the statement.

DAN govt neutral to all factions: NPFBy NPN |
Dimapur30/06/2008 Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) has clarified that the DAN government was absolutely neutral towards all underground groups and was neither against nor in support of any particular group.
Responding to the statement of commander-in-chief of NSCN (K) ‘Gen’ Khole Konyak that the DAN government’s “policy of partial and one-sided attitude” towards a particular faction would only encourage further loss of lives and bloodshed, general secretary, NPF, Dr. Kath in a press release said the DAN government had, on several occasions, made its stand very clear as far as its approach to the peace process and the Naga political issue was concerned.
Kath said the DAN had always advocated understanding, reconciliation and oneness among all underground groups and, time and again, appealed for cessation of hostilities between various underground groups. He said DAN had also appealed to all groups to adhere to the ceasefire ground rules in the interest of peace and maintenance of normalcy in the State.
The NPF party also pointed out that the DAN Government had set up the Political Affairs Committee at both the Government and the party level to facilitate the peace process and to work towards understanding within the Naga family.
“Despite the fact that the State Government is not a direct party to the ongoing negotiations, we are sincere and dedicated in our role as an active facilitator and we will continue to strive so as to bring lasting peace,” NPF added.
Stating that Naga people were crying out for peace and an end to the senseless killings, the party also it would welcome any positive suggestion from senior leaders like Gen Khole Konyak that would lead towards peace and understanding.
It may be mentioned ‘Gen’ Khole had also alleged that the NPF-led government that came to power the second time had ignored Nagas’ aspiration and endeavour for restoration of peace and unification of Nagas.
On CLP leader Chingwang Konyak’s allegations against the State Government and the chief minister on the utilization of the Nagaland Road Development Project fund, the NPF said the Congress had only succeeded in exposing its immaturity and negative attitude to the public.

NSF calls off NPSC agitation morungexpress
Dimapur, June 30 (MExN): The Naga Students’ Federation has decided to suspend its ongoing revamp-NPSC agitation indefinitely. All its federating units and subordinate units are requested to abide by the indefinite suspension of agitation till further notice. The NSF today said in a note that ‘acknowledgement of the matter’ was received from the Government and the organization had ‘minutely deliberated the matter consulting different organizations, intellectuals etc.’
Further, the NSF Executive Council reached ‘an understanding with regard to the on-going agitation’ on the issue of revamping the NPSC in the light of the assurance given by the chief minister. “The Naga Students’ Federation has honorably decided to suspend its ongoing agitation indefinitely. Nevertheless, the federation will not leave any stone unturned if any flaws or lapses recur. As such, the ongoing agitation is suspended indefinitely until further notification” stated the NSF note. The NSF expresses utmost appreciation to all its volunteers, well-wishers for their unflinching support and “It is indeed pertinent for the students’ community to fight against any design of injustices, nepotism, favoritism etc, which diminished the plight of the future society” it added.
Khekiho assures best effort for solution to Naga issue morungexpress
DIMAPUR, June 30 (MExN): Nagaland’s new Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Khekiho Zhimomi exclaimed joyfully that his new appointment was the fulfillment of his long cherished dream to represent the Nagas in the Parliament. Speaking at the felicitation program held today at the Division Office of NPF party at Midland, Dimapur Khekiho promised to try his best to take up the cause of Naga political issue in the Centre which, he had been unable to give priority as an MLA and Minister, due to time constrain.
During the 60 years of political struggle, Khekiho said that Nagas have been constantly looking at every organization with hope that it may provide a solution to the Naga issue, but as yet nothing concrete had been achieved though efforts were still on. With his entry into the Upper House of the Parliament, Khekiho hoped that he would be able to do something with the help of the people.
Referring to the different ideologies of two NSCN factions, the Rajya Sabha MP said that many people have the opinion that “Integration” and “Unification” are two parallel issues in the Naga political issue which can have no meeting point. However, Khekiho expressed optimism that if the people would just put their heads together, they would be able to “bring the two parallel lines to meet and thus perform a mathematical wonder.”
Thanking the Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio and NPF president Dr. Shurhozelie, DAN alliance and Independent MLAs for the “wonderful reward” a politician can hope to achieve in one’s lifetime, Khekiho said that his patience had been paid off. The Rajya Sabha MP however reminded the gathering that along with the joy came a “big assignment” for which he was counting on the people to help him accomplish.
Chairperson of Dimapur Municipal Council, Khekaho Assumi also expressed hope in the new MP for creating the right social ambiance and political acumen, so that the “Peace loving Nagas” can foster fraternity among the people with the feeling of accommodation and compromise. While addressing the meeting, the DMC chief asserted the need to establish a sense of security and stability to enable positive political and economic content for the business to flourish.
The meeting was also addressed by all NPF presidents of the five assembly constituencies in Dimapur district while the vote of thanks was proposed by Kerie Pfukha, president of Women Wing, NPF Dimapur Division.
North Tusom Village lauds spirit of forgiveness Khaleng Vashum
•Sir-The joint statement of the General (Retd) V.S. Atem, emissary to the Collective Leadership representing NSCN, and Y. Wangtin Naga Deputy Kilonser, representing NSCN/GPRN which appear in Local dailies deserve highest applaud and respect for the roadmap to peace in Naga homeland and its people. The process of reconciliation has begun in the spirit of forgiveness and therefore this call for united approach by all section of Nagas to carry on the process to achieve our 7 decade conflicts towards our vision. It also urges to stop and harbouring other revolutionaries groups attached with Naga faction that work against the spirit of Naga nation or people.
I sincerely believe that every Naga will rise above party politics, tribe, region and family to cultivate this golden opportunity. I also appeal to church leaders to honestly hunt through morally and spiritually for the sake of Naga nation.
I applaud the leaders and the political groups to honour for the sake of your people and Naga nation.

God bless the peace maker.

Khaleng Vashum & grand children
North Tusom Village
Laughing on the way to peacemaking Gene Stoltzfus Morungexpress
Peacemaking work can get heavy especially when one always has to be right. Hard nosed politically correct peacemaking is related to its cousin, hard nosed religiously correct spirituality. Both communities have had some impact upon my life and I have learned that I apparently close down in both environments. In closing down I erect my own borders because of my fear of rigidity. When they come together the two can reenforce each other and get lost in the thicket of oughts, have tos, and shoulds. Closing down means that my mind turns fuzzy, uncreative, and sleepy. When it catches me by surprise I suddenly find myself detached from the world, alone, so alone that I can’t even think of good pun or joke.
Religious faith can be morbid and heavy when there is too little joy. I have come to see that true spirituality lives in the uncharted territory between the sacred and the profane. Laughing allows me to go into the unknown. By sidestepping my fear I enter into that place where the walls designed to protect me either dissolve or cease to inhibit me. This is the place where creativity can find a home and new possibilities become visible. Humour shifts my perspective and allows my body and mind to imagine.
Laughter experts tell us that humour is a very good medicine because it allows our bodies to release a fresh set of chemicals that affect our mood and our outlook. Over the years I noticed that peacemaking work can be like a harmonious eco system when there is a little lightness and laughter. I also noticed that teams and work groups can stagnate when the walls of fear are erected. Often this can happen when just one person insists on their vision. That person may be the “leader” but it might be anyone. In some groups that person is called a blocker. These moments of immobility are not expunged by a bristling discussion of the evils of authoritarianism although it might feel good for a time and the analysis may even be correct.
I grew up in a home where there were frequent visitors. Some of those visitors were from the Amish community who lived 20 miles north of our Ohio home. Occasionally the visits were characterized by incredible story telling, spats of laughter and general levity, not the popular understanding of Amish people but nevertheless true. Amish who have a firm belief system often have a joyful life together full of laughter, tricks and teasing. At other times those visits from the Amish were morbid and heavy.
Often my father would take the guests into the living room, shut the door and tell me to go somewhere else. Of course that was the signal to me that something interesting was about to happen, a time that the boundaries of confidentiality needed to be tested. So I would listen at the door, trying not to get caught and thereby get a handle on the unfolding mystery. Usually I got bored with the long sad sentences and weight of a conversation full of blame and guilt. After a time I just went away. As I child I thought that I was banished because I would get in the way of heaviness. I believed that truly spiritual people were heavy. But now, as I remember those events I suspect that my father was protecting me from a moment of spiritual and personal heaviness.
In recent years the study of laughter has been baptized with a really tantalising combination of a Greek words, gelotology, the study of humour and its physical affect, laughter, as well as the psychological and physiological effects on the human body. I don’t think that word got used in our home, however occasional bouts of humour were a part of my formation. Laughter is not always ignited by jokes especially the type that are not funny or worse still, manipulative. Humour invites us to carry our belief systems with the kind of respect that prevents us from placing burdens or guilt upon others. Laughter may signal to others that we want to be part of the group and turn interactions in a positive direction.
Laughter can bring clarification to hard questions that require the invention of new thoughts and more creative ways to communicate those thoughts. Often laughter is contagious and occasionally brings tears although the geolotolgists (if that is what laughter theorists or therapists are called) remind us that the chemical make up of tears of laughter are different from sad tears. Some comedians are our best prophets because they live in that place beyond fear and they get us to laugh at our walls of separation. Laughter comes from that place beyond, where space is provided for the transforming power of kindness, truth telling, sympathy, and compassion.
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Breakthrough in feudal fighting Naga International Support Centre Amsterdam, June 30
The Naga International Support Center felicitates all concerned with their efforts to reunite

For the first time in 20 years the bitterly feuding NSCN factions came together in Chiang Mai under the auspices of well meaning third parties, Thailand, to straighten out their differences. And this was necessary too. Why?

Because of the ceasefire between the National Socialist Council of Nagaland and the Government of India there was relative peace and movement in Nagaland, now for a decade already. Created long before the cease fire and subsequent peace talks on the basis of strong differences leading to violence opposing factions became so engrossed in their differences over the years that they practically forgot about their occupier India, their real enemy. Instead, more and more they fought each other, this with severe repercussions to the Naga society too.

In line with its, not published agenda, the Government of India, GOI, used these differences to drive the Nagas further apart. With money, guns and power it supported the factions so they would fight each other till death. Since there was no tangible progress in the peace talks for over a decade this is what became the focal point of those who could not tolerate the others' presence. And, of course they had every reason too!!! After all killing spurs on retaliation and so a vicious circle of violence was born and nurtured.

Recently with the emergence of the Unification Group, yet another faction, all attention was on internal troubles rather than on the all important Indo Naga peace talks. As a result tribalism reared its ugly head. Though more violent than before the creation the Unification group could very well be the turning point.

In this light NISC welcomes the Chiangmai communiqué and compliments the NSCN IM for its courage to forgive others and to be frank about its own mistakes, all for the sake of peace and unity. They did what others have not or could not do.
The result of the Chiang Mai meeting paves the way to genuine reconciliation and unity; not the violent kind the Unification group showed; as it also did not elucidate on what the different factions were driven apart.

Over the years the NSCN made some grave mistakes too and had to swallow its pride long and hard before it could consent so NISC encourages all concerned to respect and live up to the commendable Chiang Mai Joint Communiqué in letter and spirit. Let it not be a token, a null and void, statement.

NISC lauds all those who tirelessly worked to for this agreement to unite once again for the common cause of all Nagas. For, as pointed out in the statement, it is the Government of India which is responsible for the bloody war, not fellow Nagas occupying the Naga lands. This communiqué is a great leap forward, a significant step to achieve unity. Let it not be shot down to fall in midair.

For more information visit our website www.nagalim.nl or email to nisc@nagalim.nl

Has militancy saturated? The Telegraph Northeast Echoes PATRICIA MUKHIM
José Ortega y Gasset in Revolt of the Masses says, “A revolution only lasts 15 years, a period which coincides with the effectiveness of a generation”. This statement seems to relate to the insurgencies in different parts of the Northeast, which now appears redundant and absolutely self-serving movements.
Naga insurgency does not resonate with the common people as it used to two decades ago. Now it is associated with a brotherhood of bloodshed. What else do you call a fratricidal war? Notably, the Ulfa movement is one year short of its third decade. Is this why some of its critical mass want peace?
Insurgencies are actually modelled on revolutions, which in real terms are assertions against perceived or real injustices in economic and social orders. Going by what Gasset says, every revolution, (in our case, armed conflict) has its own gestation period beyond which point it no longer works. William Ralph Inge in his book Our Present Discontents makes an interesting observation. He says, “If there is one safe generalisation in human affairs, it is that revolutions always destroy themselves”.
Order of values Jean-Paul Sartre’s critique on revolutions and revolutionaries is very enlightening. Sartre says every revolutionary wants to change the world; he transcends it and moves towards the future, towards an order of values, which he himself invents. Sartre further observes that the rebel is careful to preserve the abuses, which he suffers so that he can go on rebelling against them.
Does this sound familiar to us in the Northeast? How many times have we heard litanies of army atrocities, of step-motherly treatment by “India”, of the Indian state as the new coloniser of Northeast India, and so on. If we take away some of the above plaints there would be very little left to carp about the demonic Indian State. And then the searchlights might fall on own culpability and our own roles in adding our bit of poison to the entire mess.
Self-introspection is a discomfiting thought. It takes away our armoury of abuses against the Indian State. So neither the revolutionaries (militants/insurgents) nor the heads of governments of the northeastern states will allow that to happen. Everything is so enmeshed, the revolution, the revolutionary, the political decision makers, security forces, the small players who live off serving extortion notes et al. You cannot even begin to disentangle this mass without getting hurt.
Too many people have too much at stake, first in creating revolutions and later in pretending to stop them. Only those who run governments in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur know the symbiotic relation they have with militants. It is the common man who is the unwitting victim of this highly obnoxious, predatory, ego-centric mind game. Inge’s observation that revolutions invariably destroy themselves is also an apposite point if we focus on our own backyards.
When cadres begin to train the gun at one another instead of at the object of their disenchantment, then the revolution has indeed begun to consume itself.
It is only a matter of time when the process of self-destruction completes its work. History is replete with examples of revolutions going awry and revolutionaries themselves becoming the worst oppressors of human rights and liberty. Albert Camus, writing way back in 1951, says, “Every revolutionary ends by becoming either an oppressor or a heretic”.
Is this not a classic example of our own situation? Why else would we all fear for our lives in insurgency- hit areas? Aren’t insurgents supposed to protect our lives and liberties against the oppression of the State? Ironically, the situation has turned a full circle. We need more and more state forces to protect us from revolutionaries.
Rule of law Today almost all of the northeastern states are unable to uphold the rule of law. After the kidnapping of Getam, son of former chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh Gegong Apang, and his confrere in music Narain Rai, the present chief minister, Dorjee Khandu has proposed that the Centre immediately adopt the unified command model where the army, paramilitary and state police forces will converge and provide security to the common man.
The alibi, of course, is that the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) and a plethora of armed insurgents operating in the region are using that state as a corridor to Myanmar and China.
While a high level of diplomacy is necessary to ensure that militant groups from this country do not get their continued dose of oxygen from China and Myanmar, India’s failure to seal the borders and get the compliance of neighbours in this is bewildering.
Considering that India is now planning to invest in hydro-electric projects in Myanmar in the manner it has done in Nepal and Bhutan, you would expect a minimum of reciprocal goodwill from that country. But the news that the Ulfa is also proposing to generate wind and hydel energy along the Myanmar border is equally baffling. Let me now come to the surrender of the A and C companies of the 28th battalion of the Ulfa. The battle-scarred cadres of the two companies, which had created unprecedented terror during their time, now look like a spent force. It does not serve their purpose to continue to rebel without a cause because the “cause” itself no longer has a popular mandate.
In the eighties and nineties “the cause” fired the imagination not just of the youth and the intelligentsia but more so of the suppressed classes. Today, after 29 years, people have seen that the cause they supported has boomeranged. It is today the reason for the siege mentality within the Assam. Erich Fromm, who wrote Escape from Freedom as far back as 1941 and was probably a keen observer of the two World Wars says, “The successful revolutionary is a statesman, the unsuccessful one a criminal”. We have to analyse whether our revolutions have spawned statesmen or criminals.
Fatricidal killings Apart from A.Z. Phizo who spearheaded the Naga national movement in his time and drew much support from those in the West who believed that revolutionaries must necessarily be nurtured to bring about a just social order, one cannot think of a revolutionary-turned-statesman from our own soil. Can we boast of a Mahatma Gandhi or Nelson Mandela who sacrificed everything for the cause?
It is our plight that our homegrown revolutionaries have all turned mercenaries. Today money is the driving force behind every movement. Even the fratricidal killings are the result of turf wars for control of incomes from extortion.
Let me conclude with a quote from Nikita S. Khrushchev. He says, “If you feed the people just with revolutionary slogans they will listen today, they will listen tomorrow, they will listen the day after tomorrow, but on the fourth day they will say, ‘To hell with you’.” The insurgent outfits in our region are fortunate that we are a decent, self-respecting people who will never say “To hell with you”. But they should read our body language to understand our non-verbal cues. (The writer can be contacted at patricia17@rediffmail.com)
Delhi gauges truce mood A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Guwahati, June 30: The recent ceasefire declaration by the two companies of Ulfa’s 28 battalion that led to a wave of euphoria in Dispur, has failed to impress the home ministry. The Assam government had welcomed the move by the A (Alpha) and the C (Charlie) companies of the elite strike force and appealed to others to follow suit.
A cautious home ministry has decided to go by what the people think about future prospects vis-à-vis the truce. It has asked its intelligence agencies to collect feedback from the people on the latest developments and their opinion on how to ensure large-scale participation of the outfit in the peace process. The central agencies have been asked, among others, to find out the ethnic compositions of the groups that could help influence the leadership of the various Ulfa formations. Besides the 28 battalion, Ulfa has 27, 109 and 709 battalions.
The agencies have also been told to find leaders of civil society organisations who can convince the B (Bravo) company to join the other two companies of the 28 battalion in ceasefire declaration. The agencies have been gathering the views of a cross-section of society, seeking its opinion on the possible outcome of such developments.
Sources in the central intelligence agencies said the home ministry had also sought reports on ethnic composition of the B company of the 28 battalion that has so far kept itself away from declaring a ceasefire. The ministry has also asked for the ethnic composition of the other three battalions. A source said the move followed the ministry’s bitter experience on the Nagaland front. “Probably it does not want to get into a Nagaland-like situation — initiating talks with one group leading to more confusion and bloodshed.”
A senior Assam police officer, known to be one of the brains behind convincing the leadership of the two companies in declaring the ceasefire, said the development would have a major impact in help establish peace in the trouble-torn state.
“There cannot be anything better for the insurgency-ravaged state. The ceasefire declaration by the two companies of the 28 battalion is the beginning of a peace process in the true sense,” he said. The official said the leaders of the A and C companies of the 28 battalion looked a dedicated lot and had the capacity to force Ulfa leadership to come to the negotiating table. “We are also sure that the other battalions will respond very soon,” he said.
Former commander of the 28 battalion Mrinal Hazarika had recently said that the leaders of the two companies would try to convince the leaders of the other battalions to declare a ceasefire in the larger interest of Assam.
Action against corrupt ministers: CM By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, June 30 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today asserted that he would conduct thorough probes if anyone provides substantive allegation of corruption against any member of his Council of Ministers. Addressing a Press conference, Gogoi said that he would give two months time to the members of his Council of Ministers to submit the lists of their properties. When asked whether the lists would be made public, he said, “ these days anyone can get the lists by taking advantage of the Right to Information Act.”

Gogoi said that former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has no right to talk about corruption as he was found to be involved in corruption by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and he could not be chargesheeted because of technical reasons. If the opposition parties are keen on eradicating corruption, they should prove their motive by moving a resolution in the State Assembly calling upon the Governor to revoke the decision of not allowing the CBI to prosecute Mahanta, he challenged.

Referring to reports that Assam was considered one of the most corrupt states of the country, Gogoi said, “ I never said that Assam is totally free from corruption, but I am saying that we have been able to bring down the level of corruption. If Assam is one of the most corrupt states of the country, how come our progress is faster than most other states”.

Gogoi said that the Congress was ready to face the Lok Sabha polls and said that the Centre should go ahead with the nuclear deal even if the Left withdraws its support. He revealed that the Government would soon bring out a white paper on the performance of the Congress-led Government and the support that it is receiving from the UPA government comparing it to the performance of the AGP Government vis-a-vis the support that the state received during the tenure of the NDA Government at the Centre.
Gogoi to ULFA: Whose interest do you serve? (Sentinel) Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, June 30: Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said with active support from foreign power, ULFA ‘commander-in-chief” Paresh Barua has converted Asom into a battle field. “By killing innocent people in the State, whose interest do you want to serve, Asom’s or ISI’s?” Gogoi questioned Paresh Barua.
Talking to newsmen in Guwahati today, Gogoi said in the last few days, seven people were killed and over 90 injured. “All these were innocent people. This is cowardice,” Gogoi said, and added: “Even the ULFA leaders know it better that sovereignty of Asom is not possible as the people of the State don’t want it. Sovereignty is just a pretext of the outfit’s leaders to derail the peace process. When the PCG was about to pave the way for peace talks between the ULFA and the Government, the leaders of the outfit raised the issue of sovereignty in order to derail the peace process.”
The Chief Minister appealed to the civil society of the State yet again to come forward and create a congenial atmosphere for peace talks between the Centre and the ULFA. Gogoi, however, excluded the PCG from the civil society of the State on the ground that the group works at the diktat of the ULFA that constituted it, and not in accordance with the wish of the people of the State.
On the unilateral ceasefire announced by the ULFA’s 28 Battalion, Gogoi said: “It’s a good sign, but the AGP and the BJP are against it.” On former Chief Minister Prafaulla Kumar Mahanta’s statement that the Government should not play any divide-and-rule policy while initiating peace talks with the ULFA, he said: “Surrender and ceasefire are a continuous process in the State. So far about 13,000 militants have surrendered in Asom and it can’t be termed as a divide-and-rule policy.”
On the unilateral ceasefire announced by the ULFA’s 28 Battalion, Gogoi said: “We haven’t received the terms and conditions of the ceasefire officially as yet. After getting it, we will see how the peace process can be carried forward.”
When asked whether the recent spate of violence in Asom is the outcome of the announcement of unilateral ceasefire by 28 Battalion, Gogoi replied in the negative. “The ULFA triggered such blasts even when the outfit was not divided. The outfit is triggering such blasts so as to make its presence felt.”
On the report of a study conducted by some NGOs that Asom is among the most corrupt States of the country, Gogoi said: “If Asom is so corrupt, how could all these developmental works take place in the State? I, however, don’t mean Asom is a totally corruption-free State. The State Government is trying to check corruption.”
Taking a dig at former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Gogoi said: “It doesn’t sound pleasant when Mahanta talks of corruption. After all, he is the main man behind the multi-crore-rupee LoC scam though he was not issued charge sheet due to some technical reasons. If anybody in the State Assembly wants to reopen the LoC scam, I am ready to open it.”
Gogoi said that as asked by AICC’s Asom in-charge M Veerappa Moily, he would ask the ministers of his Cabinet to submit reports of their assets within two months. When asked if the reports would be made public, Gogoi said: “The public can get them through the RTI Act.”
On the Indo-US nuclear deal, Gogoi said he is in favour of signing the deal. “If the UPA Government’s stand on the nuclear deal leads to early Lok Sabha polls in the country, I am ready for it. In fact, I have already geared up for the Lok Sabha polls,” he added.
Boro-Borok unification on the cards From our Correspondent Sentinel
KOKRAJHAR, June 30: In a significant development, the Boro people of Brahmaputra valley and Borok of Tripura have come more closer and fast heading towards the re-unification and oneness of their identification. The Dimasa people who are also the same group of people is in the same track for reuniting the great Bodo race of Sino-Tibetan family.
A three-day seminar on reuniting Boro and Borok people is under way from June 28. The seminar is jointly organized by Bodo Writers’ Academy (BWA) and Borok Kokrubai Bosony (KBSS) where scholars and renowned litterateurs of Bodos and Borok took active part As per the programmes, the seminar was inaugurated by Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary on the first day where EM of BTC Maheswar Basumatary, EM of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) Deben Chandra Kachary, president of Barak Kokrubai Bosung (KBSS), Nanda Kumar Deb Barma and noted writer Hiracharan Narzinary of Kolkata, West Bengal graced the occasion.
In his inaugural speech, Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary said that holding of such seminars is a significant step for reuniting the scattered Bodo groups and will abridged the long gap amongst the Bodo group of people. He also said the constant meet between each other will make the relationship of Boro and Borok people more cordial.
The Boro and Borok has same language, tradition and rich culture. On the second day, president of BWA Dainonath Basumatary hoisted the organizational flag while Nanda Kumar Deb Barma, president of KBSS unfurled its organizational flag, vice president of BWA Rakhao Basumatary paid floral tribal to martyrs. A poet meet was also held on the occasion. A seminar on a comparative study of the boro and Kok-Borok languages was also held on the day.
Bodo looms are now weaving success stories Sentinel (IANS)
GUWAHATI, June 30: Till two years ago, 45-year-old Motori Brahma, a Bodo woman from Rowmari village in Assam, was doing menial jobs to feed her family of five, including her ailing husband. That’s history now.
A weaver by profession, Brahma, along with a group of 130-odd tribal women weavers, is now earning a handsome sum of money. The products of the Bodo weavers of Chirang district have clients across Indian metros and as far
away as the United States. But it is the recently opened ‘The Ant’ boutique in Bangalore that the weavers feel will help make Bodo handloom and handicraft products commercially viable.
The boutique has already started attracting connoisseurs for its unique collection of handloom and handicraft items from across India’s northeast.
Supporting the cause of these poor Bodo women of Chirang is The Action Northeast Trust (The Ant), a voluntary organisation based in Assam’s Bongaigaon district that makes best use of their weaving talent.
It was under its initiative that poor and debt-stricken Bodo women, having great weaving skills, formed a weavers administered trust - “Aagor Daagra Afad” in 2002. Today they are selling their products under the brand name Aagor, which in the Bodo language means design.
“The motive behind setting up the boutique in Bangalore is to make the handloom products of Bodo women commercially viable.
Till now, we have been supplying the products to various brand names across India and the US. But the boutique is an independent attempt by the bodo weavers,” Sunil Kaul, founder member of The Ant, told IANS.
“The boutique is the result of five years of our work and planning. We’re also planning to open up similar boutiques across India,” Kaul added.
Along with selling Aagor’s cotton and trendy silk fabrics, the Bangalore store is also pulling crowds for pottery items from Manipur and bamboo and cane products from Mizoram and Tripura. The boutique also has a cafe and bookstore.
“Our attempt is to merge traditional designs with modern sensibilities invarious handloom and handicraft products.
We are happy that buyers have shown great interest in our products,” said Nandini Mosahary, a weaver and sales executive of Aagor. “Soon we’re going to patent all our designs as they are all unique and carries the age-old tradition of bodo handicraft,” she said. Starting off with just five weavers, the trust today has 130 permanent weavers. Last year, the trust sold goods worth Rs 7.5 million. It also engages other poor rural women, if needed when it get huge orders from buyers.
“A total of 400 weavers worked for us last year,” Mosahary said. “Almost 80 per cent of the weavers, when they initially join the trust, are poor and debt-stricken.
But weaving is changing the fate of many such women and we’re proud to say that the programme has reaped huge benefits,” said Kaul. After being the guiding light for weavers, The Ant recently transferred the money and stocks to the trust.
“We’ll soon transfer the complete management of the trust to the weavers,” said Kaul.
Bomb blast at pro-Junta group's office in Rangoon Mizzima News



Chiang Mai - A crude bomb exploded at the government-backed civil organization office in the outskirts of Burma's former capital city Rangoon early on Tuesday, an eyewitness said.

The bomb went off at about 6 am in the morning, in the office of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), which is located behind the local Township Peace and Development Council office in Rangoon's suburb township of Shwepyithar, the eyewitness said.

"The bomb suddenly exploded in the USDA office this morning," the eyewitness said. "But there were no casualties," he added.

After the blast, the police cordoned off about 50 metres from the scene of occurrence and security was tightened, the eyewitness said. "Security was beefed up and roads near the scene were sealed," he told Mizzima. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast yet.

The Burmese military government, which has always been quick in blaming dissidents and ethnic armed rebels, who are fighting for autonomy, for such incidents, has so far not blamed any group.

The blast on Tuesday is the first since April, when two bombs exploded in downtown Rangoon, causing damages to cars but no casualties.

The government had blamed an armed student group in exile, Vigorous Burma Student Warriors, who oppose military rule, for the blasts in April.

USDA, a pro-military junta civil organization, was formed by junta chief Snr. Gen Than Shwe almost 15 years ago. The organization, which played a vital role in crushing the monks' protests in September last year, claims it has a membership of more than 24 million.

Members of USDA and Swan Arrshin, another pro-junta civil organization, were reportedly behind the deadly attacks on Burma's pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's motorcade during her political tour in Depeyin town in May 2003.