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 special operation unit of the Assam police apprehended a hardcore ISI activist on Friday from the city. The arrested activist S M Alam alias Mujhibulla Alam alias Ashif Alam hails from Dhaka in Bangladesh and has been actively operating in the north eastern region. Prior to it, he was a Jammat-e-Islamic activist closely associated with Chatra Sibir. In 1993 he joined the Pakistan based Jehadi outfit, Harkat-ul-Mujahiddin after undergoing training in the Pakistan occupied Kashmir. In 2005, he worked as a Jamatul Mujahiddin activist in Bangladesh. From 2006 and onwards he has been working as an ISI activist. Now he is the ISI’s keyman operating in the north eastern region and has been...
The School of Journalism, Southern Illinois University Carbondale (USA) in association with Guwahati Press Club has organised a two-day media workshop for mid career journalists on strengthening media professionalism and the NGO-media interface in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for HIV/AIDS coverage. The workshop, to be held at Guwahati Press Club, will begin on January 4.The workshop will include joint sessions for all participants together including one headed by a Guwahati physician who is expert in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and breakout sessions specifically for journalists, journalism educators and Non-Governmental Organizations.The programme will be led by two American faculty...
The injured Asom Gana parishad MLA Padma Hazarika has been shifted to the Guwahati Neurological Research Centre on Saturday morning. According to information, doctors here say the legislator from Sootea needs more treatment and suspect more bullets might be there inside his body.The regional party has condemned the attack on Mr Hazarika and has demanded immediate arrest of the miscreants involved in it.In a memorandum to the Union Home Minister, the party demanded that the Assam Government should be dismissed immediately after its failure to maintain law and order. He said that the Government has lost all credibility to remain in power because of lack of administrative control.The party...
Asom Gana Parishad general secretary and former Union steel minister Birendra Prasad Baishya was seriously injured at a car accident in Silchang under Nelie police station in Marigaon district on Friday at eleven in the morning. Two people died and several others injured in the accident.The accident took place while an Indigo car had its head on collision in Silchang with the Tezpur bound car where the AGP leader Mr Baishya was on his way to Tezpur with his two escorts.. The driver and a passenger of the Indigo car died on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Jyotish Chandra Baruah and Reha Chandra Boro.The seriously injured Mr Baishya was later rushed to the Guwahati Neurological...
Asom Gana Parishad MLA, from Sootea, Padma Hazarika was shot by some unidentified miscreants in his home town on Thursday night. Further, the miscreants set on fire his vehicle.According to information, the miscreants sprayed five rounds of bullets and he fell injured. Later he was rushed to the hospital where his condition is said to be out of danger.Investigation is going on but no one has so far been picked up in this connection.
A Powerful Bomb has been exploded in Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express in early morning at 1 AM. 5 person have been killed and many people injured. The explosion took place between Naojan and Sungajan area (Near Bokajan) of Golaghat district. The bomb was placed in a railway track which derailed 4 coaches off the train. Details awaited.Update:The National Security Guards officials will assist the probe into the blast that cracked the New Delhi bound Rajdhani Express at the dead of the night on Wednesday by the Assam Adivasi Liberation Army leaving five people killed and four others injured in between Naojan and Chungajan.Confirming this in New Delhi officials with the Union home ministry say...
"They had migrated to Asom about 150 years ago as labourers for tea gardens and are not the sons of the soil here. When the Bodos are not given tribal status in other parts of the region like the hill district of Karbi Anglong in Asom and Meghalaya, how do the Adivasis consider themselves as indigenous tribals?" -- Anjali Daimari The above statement made by Anjali Daimari, the advisor of the Indigenous Women's Forum of North-East India, who is also the President of the Bodo Women Justice Forum, regarding the ST politics in Assam justifies her stand on the issue. If the whole thing is observed apolitically the matter finds its just solution...
Darrang College, a premier institution of higher education in the northern Assam, is organising a two-day national seminar on "Sustainable Growth of Eco-tourism in North-East India with special reference to Tezpur" on February 2, 2008 at the college premises.Organised by the Department of Commerce and sponsored by the University Grant Commission (UGC), the sub-themes of the workshop will be community-based eco-tourism, eco-conservation of nature, eco-friendly destination planning and marketing, environmental impacts, prospects of rural tourism in Assam, eco-tourism and economic benefits, management problems of eco-tourism etc.KOUSHIK HAZARIKA
A population estimation of the eastern swamp deer was carried out at Kaziranga National Park on December 6. A total of 681 swamp deers were counted, out of that 189 are male, 382 female and 107 yearlings. The eastern swamp deer, known Dal Horina in Asomiya, is a schedule I animal species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It may be mentioned here that the Kaziranga swamp deer is the last surviving population of the eastern swamp deer group. Other world population are the central group found in the Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh and the northern group found in Uttar Pradesh and along the Indo-Nepal border.KOUSHIK HAZARIKA, BOKAKHAT
The Duliajan AASU unit has called for a 36-hour Oil India Limited (OIL) Chaka Bandh from Saturday morning to protest against OIL’s failure to honour the AASU’s 21-point charter of demands.According to information, the student organisation will stop plying of OIL vehicles on the road during this period forcing the authorities to beef up security.Speaking to Assam Times over telephone from Dibrugarh, the district AASU leaders say despiterepeated assurances, the OIL authorities, nothing has happened. “We are bound to continue our agitation,” they say.Notably, the AASU inked a pact with the OIL in full view of the district administration in 1990 to fulfill the AASU...
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