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.
Bijni : A bomb exploded near Lasaiygaon Hosipital in a High Voltage Electricity Tower. Altogether 4 bombs were discovered and only one exploded. The rest of the three bombs were discovered alive. No casualties have been reported and power supply is also on. No one has claimed responsibility for the blast but police suspect the hand of ULFA in the blast. ULFA observes Martyr day on 27th July and hence every year it is observed that the subversive activities go up on or before this day
Sonapur : One person has been killed and many injured when one bus and one truck collided at 8 pm on Tuesday at Sonapur near Guwahati in NH 37.The person who has been killed has been identified as Dhal Chetri, Age 35 years. Many of the injured are in critical conditions and have been admitted to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital.The critically injured people are Arun Vaidya of Sapekhati, Prakash Choudhury ( location unknown) . Sajad Ahmed of Bokakhat, Pranjit Dutta of Birubari in Guwahati, Daulat Singh and Mrs Pabitri Singh of Nepal.
Dhemaji : The flood situation in Dhemaji district is improving and communication via road and train has also started.Road transport via Gogamukh to Dhemaji has been established after Army built a temporary bridge in Tengakhuwa.The Rangia Murkakselak rail route to Arunachal is operational again. This meter gauge railway line is the only connection to Arunachal Pradesh and is a major supply source to the State. This route was also badly damaged because of the flash floods caused by Kumotiya (Jiyadhal) on 12th of July 07. NF railway had worked overtime to repair it from the next day itself.
Shillong: Julius Dorphang, the chairman of the dreaded Hymmetrip National Liberation Council (HNLC), a Khasi militant organisation based out of Meghalaya surrendered alongwith four others before the Meghalaya Chief Minister, DD Lapang. The HNLC is a banned organisation. The HNLC was formed in 1992 and is the oldest militant organisation of Meghalaya.
Guwahati : AASU had called for a Rail Abarodh on Tuesday between 11 am to 3 pm. Trains services were disrupted in Guwahati, Lumding, Lakua, Sarupathar, Kokrajhar and various other places in Assam.CPRO, NF railway has communicated that a goods train was blocked in Guwahati and this delayed many outgoing trains. The Brahmaputra Mail, NE express and Amritsar Express were amongst those mails which were effected.In Sarupathar, AASU activists were lathicharged as they tried to stop the Lumding- Tinsukia inter-city.
Tezpur: The army has decided to step up action against ULFA.This was decided in a Senior Commanders meeting held at the Headquarters of IV core in Tezpur on Monday. The meeting was presided by GOC Lt General R K Chabra and was attended by the GOCs IN C's of all divisions under IV core. PRO, Colonel Narender Singh said that the decison to mount pressure on ULFA was taken to prevent the threat that ULFA creates ahead of its martyr day on 27th July and the Independence Day of India on 15th of August. It has been observed that ULFA increases its subversive activities on or before this period every year.It has also been decided to keep strict vigilance on the Assam-Meghalaya border and the...
Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi will leave for New Delhi today for three days to attend the swearing in ceremony of Pratibha Patil, the 12th President of India. He would be returning to Assam on 26th of July 07.
Guwahati: A young couple Raj Kumar Choudhury and Priti Choudhury commited suicide in Ganeshguri Chariali at Sinha Lodge on Sunday night as they were unable to stay together as Priti was married to another person. The couple committed suicide together and left behind a note donating their dead body to the Guwahati Municipality Corporation Hospital Raj Kumar Choudhurys father is a Mouzadar in Ghagrapar in Nalbari and he himself was an active Congress worker. Priti Choudhurt and he had known each other for a long time but she was married to another person and hence due to peer and family pressures they could not come together. Priti had come to Guwahati on 14th April 2007 for Athmangala and...
Gurgaon : The “Millennium City” that’s the word that has been coined for Gurgaon. The Millennium city with its huge Assamese population formally got its own Assam Association with the completion of the registration formalities on 13th of July 2007.The association has been registered under the Societies Act 1860 of India. Assam Association of Gurgaon was formed on 11th of Feb 2007 by a group of people from Assam and well-wishers of Assam, currently residing or having his place of business in the Millennium city of Gurgaon. The association is a socio-cultural non-profit society. The main objectives of the association are to achieve harmony, bonhomie, camaraderie of the...
Golaghat : One ANLA activist was killed while three others managed to escape in a fierce fighting between the ANLA activists and a joint team of CRPF and Golaghat Police at Naojan Pachim Beelpar bordering Dhansiri Sarupathar subdivision.Golagaht police received a tip off on the ANLA activists in the area and they laid an ambush for the activists alongwith the CFPF team. The ANLA activists were armed heavily and hence heavy fighting broke out. There were no reports of casualities or injuries from the police side.
Comments
Pages
Add new comment