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.
For the second day, the rapid response team are carrying out poultry culling in some parts of Kokrajhar and Dhubri district. The culling is going on in an area of 5 kilometer having as many as 90,000 poultry. Officials here say these will be culled as per the instructions from the Centre. The areas falling in this 5 kilometer area are Kochugaon block in Kokrajhar district, Agomoni block in Dhubri district. As many as 35,000 poultry are there in Dhubri district while Kokrajhar district has 54,000 which are to be culled soon. Altogether 2,200 poultry have been culled in Dhubri o0n Monday while the number of culled poultry in Kokrajhar district is 448. Speaking to Assam Times, poultry owners...
A brimful cup of misery awaits the tea garden labourers working at the Dumor Dalong Tea Estate where lock out has entered eight day on Monday. The deadlock came up following the clash among a section of Congress workers for panchayat poll ticket. A big clash for a small matter which has forced the lock out of the Doomar Dalong Tea Estate in Moran under Dibrugarh district. Initially, it’s all about the Congress ticket for the panchayat polls which divided labourers into two groups. The people of both groups clashed with each other. The entire scenario took a grim turn when the tea garden authority had a secret deal with one of the labourers where parts of their salaries were forcibly...
From Babul Gogoi, New DelhiAssam will get Rs 5011 crore for the year 2008-09. It was finalized here on Monday at a meeting between Planning Commission, Deputy Chairman Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Kumar Gogoi.According to official confirmation, the Annual Plan size has been agreed at Rs.5011 crores. This includes special plan assistance of Rs.250 crores for identified projects of the State, of this, Rs.20 crores will be earmarked for development of Majuli Island. The special plan assistance release will be conditional upon Assam providing fully for its share of Centrally sponsored schemes.Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mr. Ahluwalia complimented the...
Children enjoying some light moments with populer singer-music director Manas Robin during the 12th biennial conference of All Assam Moina Parijat, the biggest childrens' body of Assam at Sivasagar on 04-02-2008. Picture byUB Photos
It’s a big revelation that the Adivasi militants outfit ANLA funded the AASAA to hold the rally that turn violent in the city’s Beltola area on November 24. The startling revelation came up before the Justice Manisana Singh while the arrested AASAA vice president Rafel Kujur deposed before it recently. According to the Kujur received Rs 20,000 in cash at a Paltanbazar hotel in the evening on November 23. The amount was paid to hold the rally. Notably, the police arrested Kujur alleging nexus with the ANLA. The entire probe is taking a new turn with this revelation. There is no doubt about it.
Tension still prevails in Manderdisa a day after the death of people when Black Widow tribal militants opened indiscriminate fire in the North Cachar village. Three people have been left injured in the strike. The militants set ablaze five houses in the incident. According to information, the militants arrived in the village and woke up villagers who were sleeping and started firing; killing two persons and leaving three injured. The militants further later set on fire five houses. The deceased were were all Adivasi daily wage workers.The reason for the killings was not immediately known.
Womens as well as girls in numbers took out a rally shouting the slogans of death ULFA cadre Bidur Gohain at his adya shradha in Fhutahula, Fhulampur village in Dibrugarh on 03-02-08. Pix by UB photos.
Living legends duo Dada Saheb Falke award winner legend singer Bhupen Hazarika and Writer and Jnanapith award winner Mamoni Roysom Goswami seen during an interaction at the inaugural function of the Newly Built Sixmile campus of GNRC (Guwahati Neurological Research Centre) at Sixmile, Guwahati on 03-02-08. Pix by UB Photos
Aman King is the younger son of Omar Luther King and Roma King. He is incidentally the grandson of Maulana M. Tayyebulla who was a Minister in the Bardoloi Cabinet in the late forties and early fifties and was thereafter unanimously elected (unopposed) to the Upper House of Indian Parliament for two terms (12 years). Aman, a software developer, used to work for a product engineering company in Delhi called GlobalLogic, and is now working for another company called ThoughtWorks in Pune. The King (Junior) claimed his Queen, Arpita (nee Mirani) on January 12, 2008 and the two became one. Aman’s better-half holds a high executive post in Satyam at Pune.
The Asom Gana Parishad will formulate a set of strategies fore the Lok Sabha polls in the light of the panchayat poll results. Disclosing this at a press conference at the party headquarters, Mr Goswami said the result was encouraging and it will help the party ensure victory in the Lok Sabha polls. He maintained that despite rigging the ruling party could not to show expected performance. The president further alleged that the ruling party with the help of a section of vote counting officials ensured the defeat of AGP candidate.
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