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.
Media organizations on Thursday boycotts the All Assam Minority Organization for three months. The decision was taken when the media organizations held a meeting in Guwahati press club where the recent attack on media people by a section of AAMSU workers on Tuesday was condemned. The press club has restricted the entry of AAMSU leaders and workers for three months. Notably, several media people injured on Tuesday when a section of AAMSU workers sprang upon them.
The Assam government on Thursday hints at strict action against bandh calls a day after it banned this culture.Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that band calls have crippled the state on all state and that it won’t tolerate the organizations who often call bandh to make their presence felt.
A major string of blasts has been averted in Dibrugarh district when police seized three powerful grenades on Thursday. The grenades along with an improvised explosive devices were seized during a joint search operation by police and army in Kakopothar area in the morning. Notably, a group of hardcore ULFA militants are remaining active in the district. Recently, ULFA militants exploded a powerful blast near a police station but nobody was injured as it missed the tagets.
An AGP delegation visited Merapani on amid the simmering Assam-Nagaland border row. The seven member delegation comprise Padma Hazarika, Phani Bhushan Chaudhury and Atul Bora along with four others who took stock of the situation prevailing in the disputed areas. Nrmalcy has returned to Merapani area on the Assam-Nagaland border of Golaghat district where people of both the Gaud Basti village of Assam and Mikirang Basti village of Nagaland have arrived at a truce and the Gaud Basti people have returned to their tilling fields on the southern bank of the Selseli River on August 23.
People from Assam, who fled from are back to the southern city. BJP leaders claimed that this was due to a goodwill mission undertaken by the party to restore the confidence of the people that they would be safe in Andhra Pradesh. The BJP national committee had sent a delegation to Assam to reassure people who had abandoned their studies and employment in states like AP, Karnataka and Maharashtra. BJP leader Ramachandar Rao, who was in the delegation, said that now they are returning. He said the BJP delegation interacted with all sections of people and found that there was discontent that Bangladeshi infiltrators were disturbing the social and economic balance in the northeast.
More Central Reserve Police Force jawans are ready to rush to Assam to help the state get rid of the violence.
CRPF Director General K Vijay Kumar said at the Central Training College campus near Kurudampalayam that if needed more personnel will rush to Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts to quell the ongoing violence. Vijay Kumar added that a fresh review of the ground situation in the north east was done on Tuesday and they were awaiting fresh orders for deployment of personnel in the region.
Social activist Akhil Gogoi on Wednesday said that the Bodoland Accord must be revisited to ensure land rights to indigenous people in BTAD areas. Talking to reporters in Guwhati, he said that the accord signed did not ensure land rights to the indigenous people and thus should be revisited to provide them their demands. He said that the National Registrar of Citizens should also be updated within two years and inner line permit enforced to ensure there is no influx.
AIUDF has alleged that both Delhi and Dispur have failed to efficiently deal with the law and order situation in violence-hit areas.
Talking to reporters in Guwahati on Wednesday, General Secretary Aditya Langthasa said that Dispur has lost control over the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area and the Centre has also not done enough. He said that armed miscreants were able to act with impunity and without any challenge from the government and security forces.
Bandh calls would be off for the one month. Courtesy Dispur. The Assam government on Wednesday declared all bandh calls as illegal. The decision against bandhs was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. According to the government, Ninety per cent of violence in the state was due to frequent bandh calls which have also crippled the economy.
Several media persons’ organizations have expressed their concern at the increasing trend of unprovoked attacks on journalists on duty in Assam. They were unanimous while condemning the attacks and threats on the media persons during the day long Assam Bandh on August 28, 2012, called by All Assam Minority Students' Union and other organizations, which turned violent in various places.
The dawn-to-dusk Assam Bandh, which was followed by another 12 hour long general strike called by Bajrang Dal on the previous day, demanding President’s Rule in Assam resulted in the clashes between the supporters and general people. Moreover, media persons on duty were targeted by the...
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