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 brainstorming consultation on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) was organised by Aaranyak, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Indian NGOs Forum Conservation of Biological Diversity (INFC) here on August 26 last in collaboration with National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).Aaranyak hosted the session at Indian Institute of Bank Management (IIBM), Guwahati. The timing of this meeting is consciously chosen prior to the international meetings of the CBD that are to be held in India through October 2012. The Government of India for the first time is hosting a Conference of the Parties (COP).In order to facilitate compliance to the Convention, a global forum where governments, non-...
Atleast 10 people sustained injury when Ulfa blew out an oil rig in Tinsukia on Saturday. Fire tenders took three hours to douse the fire. Meanwhile Ulfa has claimed the responsibility of the attack on OIL-owned rig. The explosion took place at the oil rig based at Chandmari near Makum in the wee hour where local residents came to hear a huge sound.
The United Liberation Front of Asom claimed to have blown off an oil well in Tinsukia district of Assam causing panic among the local residents on Saturday. The incident took place at Chandmari near Makum where the Oil India Limited-owned rig caught fire following a huge sound in the wee hours. No injury or casualty has been been reported so far. According to the OIL authorities, the fire was reported around 1 at midnight. Several fire tenders deployed there took nearly 5 hours to douse the blaze. Later the well was sealed. Initial investigation suggests it an attempt to steal oil from the well. The thieves made a hole in the oil well's high pressure `xmas tree' valve causing hydro carbon...
Money mattered in the murder of a 40 year old woman in Guwahati where a teenager boy killed his mother recently. Identified as Ankit Saikia the teenager boy and his friend Ranjit Gaur strangulated his mother Puja Saikia who was a caretaker at a Guwahati based building.
Tension erupted near Konadhara in Guwahati following the sudden death of a person at a n road accident on Friday. The incident took place in the evening when a person was crushed to death a person by a truck just near Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s official residence. Immediately after it, local residents in large number came out to the street and attacked the truck. Some others blocked the road. The situation was brought under control only after the arrival of police.
Sivasagar erupts in a massive move to flush out the Bangladeshi immigrants from the district when over ten thousand people took to the streets on Friday. Led by AASU leaders, cutting across party affiliations, thousands of people spilled to the streets demanding immediate steps to detect and deport the immigrants hiding in the district. Some others gave moral support by standing on the both sides of the road in the town from the Boarding field to AT Road through Hemchandra Baruah Road and Temple Road.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday expressed grave concern over the simmering communal tension in BTAD areas and called it is a major cause of worry for the entire country. Speaking to mediapersons on board to New Delhi from Tehran, he said that what worried him more was the ethnic clashes in Assam.
“When I look at the future of our country, the way things have gone in Assam, the ethnic tensions that have disturbed peace in Assam, that part of Assam which is in Bodoland territorial administration”, he said.
Sonitpur media fraternity on Friday demanded ban on the All Assam Minority Students Union along with 30 other organisations alleging attack during their statewide bandh on August 28. Led by a group of scribes, over 7000 people took out a procession in Tezpur and submitted a memorandum to Governor and Chief Minister through the district Deputy Commissioner raising the demand.
The media people further demanded immediate arrest of those responsible for the attack on the media persons.The journalist organisations included the Sonitpur Journalist Union, Journalist Federation of Assam, Sonitpur District Journalist Association and Sonitpur Press Club.
Former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta on Friday said that the ethnic clash would not be totally over until and unless the Assam Accord is not implemented in letter and spirit. Talking to reporters during a party procession in Guwahati, Mahanta who leads the regional party said that after 27 years of it being signed on August 15, 1985, the agreement had not yet been implemented. The party leaders demanded immediate steps for detection and deportation of illegal foreigners in accordance with the Assam Accord.
The Asom Gana Prishad on Friday demanded Prime Minister's intervention to make an end to the bloodbath bath in BTAD areas and Dhubri. Party leader who took out a procession from Ambari on Friday, submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Kamrup (Metro) district Deputy Commissioner in Guwahati raising the demand.Talking to reporters party president and former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta blamed it all on the government of failing to efficiently deal with the situation in BTAD. They alleged that Dispur had no plan and strategy to counter the recent violence in the state known for unity in diversity.
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