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.
One person was killed and two others were injured on Saturday in an accident in Rangia on Saturday.According to police, the incident took place in Rangia in Kamrup (Rural) district when Rajat Ali died on the spot after his motorcycle rammed into an electric post after hitting a pedestrian Mustafijur Rahman at Karara on Indo-Bhutan international road. Rajat Ali and his father Jalaluddin Ahmed were travelling on the motorcycle. Jalaluddinand Mistafijur were injured and were admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.
The overall flood situation improves further on Saturday. The water level of the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries are receding gradually 100 hours after cessation of the rains. A section of the trapped people are preparing to leave the make shift camps. According to information, over 35 lakh people in 19 districts have been reeling under the floodwaves where the toll stands at 19.Over 3000 villages have been hit in latest wave of flood. The affected districts Barpeta, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Goalpara, Jorhat, Kamrup rural and metro, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sibsagar, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Dhubri, Baksa and Udalguri.
Sivasagar police have achieved a major breakthrough in the recent of powerful blast that left a businessman killed and ten others injured. Police have arrested six youths in this connection and the initial confessional statements have suggested it a handiwork of ULFA. All the six have been arrested during a special operation led by additional SP in Sivasagar and Dibrugarh districts. They have been identified as Naba Gogoi, Narayan Gogoi, Papu Chetia, Nabajyoti Baruah and Upen Dihingia. According to inputs available with police, ULFA leader Bhaskar Nath alias Amlan Baruah planted the bomb near the Laxmi Talkies on Monday which exploded at 9 in the evening leaving Nirud Das dead.
A three-member central team has arrived in Kaziranga on Saturday to probe into the sudden rise in rhino poaching in the national park. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that that the CBI inquiry recommended by his government into rhino killings would be able to curb these incidents.
One more rhinoceros was found dead at the Kaziranga National Park on Saturday. The carcass of the mature female rhino was found floating in the flood waters at Gorakati under Bagori Range of the park on Saturday. But the its horn was found intact. The horn from the body of the rhino was handed over to the forest department.
CPM polit bureau member Brinda Karat came down heavily on Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for coming out in support of FDI in multi-brand retail.Talking to reporters on Friday in Guwahati, Karat said that the Assam government can’t help the farmers when they are affected by flood. “But how FDI in retail would help the farmers. What can be more bankrupt than such an understanding?", she said.
CPM on Friday on Friday said that Assam flood is a fit case of national disaster.Talking to reporters in Guwahati on Friday CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said that at a time when lakhs of people are reeling under flood, displaced people are living without food, without clothes, the cente should declare it as national disaster.She alleged that the Centre and state have not done enough to mitigate the misery of the people in third wave of floods to hit the state. He has asked her party cadres to mobilise resources for helping the flood affected people.
The repeated incidents of rhino poaching seem to have triggered an acrimonious blamegame between ruling Congress and opposition parties.
A stunned forest minister Rockybul Hussain lashed out at AGP and BJP for blaming it all on him. Hussain has already alleged a smear campaign against him. AGP also blamed it all on the government’s failure. But Chief minister Tarun Gogoi flayed AGP and BJP alleging that more rhinos were killed in Kaziranga during the AGP and NDA regimes.
International animal body smugglers are involved in the Kaziranga rhino poaching. Four rhinos were shot dead in Karbi Anglong bordering Nagaland. The needle of suspicion points at KLNLF, KPLT and NSCN.According to initial inputs, rhino horns are routed through Dimapur to south-east Asian countries where a rhino horn is sold at Rs50 lakh to Rs1crore in the international market.
Army would counter rhino poachers in Kaziranga. Dispur has asked police to work jointly with army and para paramilitary forces to stop the repeated incidents of rhino poaching.
An anti-poaching squad would be set up in a day or two with focus on the 860 sq km Kaziranga National Park.
The move comes following the shooting of four rhinos within 48 hours. Two rhinos were hacked off. Forces would be allowed to take appropriate action against anyone involved in poaching.
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