The Guwahati based journalist and a regular contributor to 'Assam Times', Nava Thakuria has been awarded with the first media fellowship on refugee issues sponsored by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES). The Fellowship with the theme, 'The Chins of Myanmar: Refugee Life in a Distant Neighbour', with a focus on Protection and Durable Solutions for the Chin ethnic group from Western Myanmar, which lives in challenging conditions in the Northeast as well as in New Delhi starts from 1 March to 31 May.
The announcement was made by a Committee comprising Mr. Sanjoy Hazarika, C-NES Managing Trustee, journalist and editor, Ms. Pamela Philipose, Independent Journalist and Ms. Nayana Bose of the UNHCR on February 15 last. The awardee Mr Thakuria has written extensively on issues related to Burma (Myanmar). Thakuria is a regular contributor to many acclaimed newspaper and portals based in Guwahati, Kolkata, New Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Seoul, London and California and his special areas of interest include socio-political developments in Northeast India with Burma, Bhutan and Bangladesh
It may be mentioned that Mizoram, a Burma bordering Northeast Indian state gives shelter to nearly 40,000 Chin refugees. Those Burmese citizens fled their country to get rid of the atrocities of the present regime named State Peace and Development Council. Led by the Senior General Than Shwe, the SPDC is identified as one of the worst human rights violators in the globe.
The refugees started fleeing Burma after the 1988 uprising for restoration of democracy in the land of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Thousand of Burmese have already sacrificed their precious lives supporting the pro-democracy movement led by the Great Lady. Many of them left Burma to live an exile live in its neighbouring Thailand, India, Bangladesh and many other countries around the globe.
"The effort is to build capacity and better understanding among journalists interested in refugee issues, especially at the middle-level, but also to publish their findings and observations extensively in the Indian media," said Sanjoy Hazarika, Managing Trustee of C-NES. It is an opportunity for the journalist to look at issues relating to refugee movements into the country, the condition of refugees, the problems of mixed migration (refugee movements combined with economic/environmental international migrants).
Carol Batchelor, Chief of Mission, UNHCR India, while mentioning the fellowship to study the refugee issue said, "It is hoped that through this opportunity for an in-depth review of refugee issues, journalists will be strengthened in their efforts to inform public opinion." There are two other fellowships, applications for which are welcome, one on "The need for a refugee specific legislation in India" (to be announced in May 2008) and another on Sri Lankan refugees (to be announced in August 2008). The programme is aimed to research and write on the issue comprising the protection and durable solution of the refugee problem.
Rural administrative service is coming up. Courtesy Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday, Gogoi said that to service has been introduced for serving in the rural areas. He said that the new service will recruit candidates for serving in the rural areas to carry forward government schemes and plans specially for the rural areas. He said 30 per cent of the jobs so created will be reserved for rural based candidates who will have to serve in the backward areas for a time-bound period.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday admitted his utter helplessness to efficiently deal with corruption from government department. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday, Gogoi said that corruptions was very much in almost all departments.
“We need to check the system to stop corruption," Gogoi said adding that his government is stressing e-governance, RTI Act, decentralization of power and peoples empowerment to check corruption. Gogoi said that he supports any movement against corruption but not the one being undertaken by the IAC.
In a bizarre incident that sends shockwave across the state, a couple committed suicide in a Guwahati based lodge. Identified as Bipin Saikia and Poppy Saikia were found hanging inside the Capital Lodge in Ganeshguri on Friday evening. The couple hailing from Golaghat had been lodging in the hotel for the last four days. Investigation is going on.
BJP infuses fresh hope in Assam even nearly two and a half years ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The party on Friday appointed Sarbananda Sonowal as the interim president of the state. According to BJP General Secretary attached to Assam Vijay Goel, Nitin Gadkari has appointed Sonowal as the Assam unit chief after Ranjit Dutta had citing poor health. Sonowal is a former MP from Dibrugarh and a former MLA from Moran seat of Assam. He won both these polls on an AGP ticket. He has also been head of All Assam Student Union.
The Planning Commission has cleared a huge Rs 14.49 crore flood control scheme for Kamrup Rural district. The project will involve the dyke of the river Brahmaputra river from Gumi to Kalatoli. The entire project would be completed by 2013-14 and Plan accounts will be closed by March 31, 2014. The project will have to be executed as per the approved outlays in the State Annual Plans. The Finance Department will restrict the expenditure to the approved cost and no additional expenditure beyond approved cost will be permitted unless the revised estimate is got approved following the prescribed procedure.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stressed amicable solution of to the simmering border row with Nagaland. He said it to the Assam-Nagaland Goodwill Team when it it visited him on Friday in Guwahati. He told the delegation that both sides sit together and arrive at a mutual understanding. He said that the state has good relations with Nagaland, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh despite border problems. An eight-member team of Assam-Nagaland Goodwill Team said the people of Nagaland want solution to the long festering Assam-Nagaland border amicably and peacefully outside the jurisdiction of the apex court.
The November 18 India-Yemen match in Guwahati was cancelled. According to All India Football Federation, they received an email from the Yemen Football Association that their players' tickets 'were cancelled due to some problems with the airlines.' AIFF vice-president Ankur Dutta and secretary of Assam Football Association, said apart from the national team, this was a big loss for the fans from north-east also. The issue has been reported to the Asian Football Confederation.
The much-awaited ASEAN car rally will be flagged off from Guwahati on December 17. Kamrup (metro) district administration, GMC, GDD and PWD departments have been asked to spruce up the entire city roads. The rally will kick off from Yogyakarta in Indonesia on November 25. But in the absence of a road link between Indonesia and Singapore, the rally will be given its ceremonial flag-off on November 28 from Singapore.
The rally, with 31 SUVs, will cover the ASEAN countries of Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and India. The rally will enter India through the border town of Moreh in Manipur. It will reach Guwahati thorugh Kohima and Dimapur in Nagaland on December 17 from...
"Conflict in BTAD, Issue of Influx and Land Alienation in Assam: Problems and Perspectives"
Date: November 8, 2012Venue: Mavalanka Auditorium, Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi.
Where is the end of the conflict?
Conflict is ever unwanted but inevitable in the society and its civilization as I understand. Conflict emanates certain course of development and entire world has the more or less similar history. And yet conflicts of certain areas require special focus and understanding in order to reduce the same. Government agencies, NGOs, Civil Society organizations and all others also have achieved very little in conflict resolution despite their honest efforts...
Come Wednesday. Anna Hazare will address a national conclave in Guwahati on infiltration. Former army chief Gen VK Singh will also accompany the veteran social activist in the two-day event.
Organised by the KMSS, the conclave will chalk out a roadmap to resolve the problems of infiltration from across the Bangladesh border by bringing together various organisations, political parties, leaders, intellectuals and activists on a single platform.
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