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.
A 50 member special contingent of special security unit has left for Kaziranga to counter the poachers who have already killed more than 15 rhinos. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi flagged off the team at a function in Guwahati on Tuesday. Handing over SLRs to the members before leaving for Kaziranga, Gogoi hoped that the special team would help the park authorities to efficiently deal with the poachers.
Abhijit Baruah set multiple record on his hectic Sunday when the longest barefoot runner arrived in Jhanji in Sivasagar district on foot within four hours. Then he left for Sivasagar via Bhatiapar and went back to Jorhat by bicycle within three hours. He showed 20 push ups at the prowling Jorhat Stadium. This was followed by his 200 KM barefoot race with 40 KG weight. IBR observer handed over a certificate to Baruah after the events were properly recorded.
A rhino is battling for life after poachers left it dehorned in the Kaziranga National Park. A team of veterinarians finds it quite difficult to keep the profusely bleeding rhino alive. The efforts are not expected to keep the animal alive which lost a vital organ. The park authorities have restricted entry of media people.
AGP on Sunday resolved to take a stand against construction of big dams in the state and came out against the proposed Brahmaputra River Valley Authority.
Party president Prafulla Kumar Mahant said in Lakhimpur that the BRVA would not solve any issue and will in fact be a non-starter. Mahanta also called for immediate steps to solve the issue of illegal immigrants, besides asking the government to commence work on updating the National Register of Citizens and for implementation of all the clauses of the Assam Accord.
More and more media houses may be driven by the business interest, but at the end of the day the media should not miss its missionary character. More over, the media house owners should not engage the media space only for its profit sacrificing the media’s immense social responsibilities, commented His Excellency Bharat Vir Wanchoo, Governor of Goa. Inaugurating the 9th Annual South Asia Media Summit 2012 at The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula- Goa today morning the Governor also added that irrespective of increasing challenges, the media should continue its presence in the society as a watch dog and conscience keeper.
Organised by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) India in...
Petroleum dealers across the state operate in a single shift from Monday. The petrol depots would be operating from 9 in the morning to 5 in the evening. The decision was taken to press for their demands on payment of commission as per the cost-based structure as recommended by Apoorva Chandra Committee.
The petroleum dealers in Assam and other north eastern states will operate only one shift in order to cut costs. They said that there has been no revision in commission for past two years. In these years, the cost of operations and investments have gone up substantially.
The Nilotpal Lahan death case takes a new twist on Saturday when his mother lodged a complaint before police claiming it a conspiracy.
Lahon’s mother Nilima Lahon on Saturday filed and FIR before Jalukbari police station to investigate her son’s mysterious death near the Kamakhya temple recently. Notably, initial investigation called it a case of suicide.
Abhijit Baruah on Saturday set yet another record. The pride of Assam punched 300 times at a pair of punching pads within a record single minute. The historic deed took place at the Jorhat Stadium in the morning in presence of observers of India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records. He required only 150 times within the timeframe to be eligible for a claim in the Guinness World Records as there was no such global record in the category.
Just after 72 hours of two high profile visits to Kaziranga National Park, one by Union Environmental Minister Jayanti Natrajan and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and the other by state Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, the silence of KNP was broken once again by the booming of gun. All the assurance of providing safety to the wildlife of KNP especially to the rare one horned rhino fell flat as poachers gunned down a rhino and dehorned it. The incident took place at around 1 pm between Sohola and Duramari forest camp under Agoratoli range. The poacher brutally severed the horn from the bullet ridden rhino and let it to languish. Till the filing of this report the rhino is struggling for...
Guinness World Record holder Abhijit Baruah will attempt eight more records in different events this weekend. The immediate one is slated for Sunday. The attempts by the Assam policeman on both days are organised by the Great Run Club. The whole event with each moment was recorded and all the necessary guidelines of the Guinness World Records was followed and formalities were observed to make a claim in the record book.
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