Altogether 5 persons have been injured in group clash with a section of local residents is Tinsukia district on Sunday. The clash took place in Shantipur on the NH 37 when a group of persons had an altercation with a group of local residents over a family matter where these persons who came on two vehicles from Roing threatened the local residents showing sharp weapons.Then an irate f mob accepted the challenged and attacked them before handing them over to police.The vehicles were damaged in the incidents. Police have already re
PermalinkSubmitted by Molokhu on Thu, 02/09/2010 - 01:50
MEDIA-- The New 'Divisive Agent'
Border problems have been plaguing the north-east states since sometime. As if political greed, student leaders, irrational insurgents, outside power lobbies were not enough, now we have a new entrant to add fuel to the fire. This new agent is the frenzied Media which flares up every issue as a border related problem. Take the example of the quarrel between two families in Sadiya last week. It revolved round a marital dispute between a Mising family from Assam and a Nyishi family from Arunachal Pradesh. The manner in which the skirmish was reported in the media, especially the television media, the entire incident was given the colour of an inter-state conflict.
I was very surprised at the news presentation of ‘News Live’ regarding this incident. On Sunday at 11:30 a.m. when I switched on the TV, this news was repeatedly telecast. The way of news presentation in most news channels is sick. Urgent treatment is required. If such news is presented in such a sensational fashion, anyone and everyone will be provoked at the propaganda. News in Assam has become very judgemental. News should be news. My father related me of times when the Nyishis (then called Dafalas) and the Misings (then called Miris) used to have skirmishes now and then. But at that time there was nothing called two states, one being Arunachal Pradesh. So things didn’t take the menacing shape of inter-state dispute. For example, a couple of weeks back, there was a fight involving a few boys from the Nocte tribe and a few boys from the Singpho tribe in Bordumsa, Arunachal Pradesh. Had the Nocte area been in Assam and the Singpho area put in Arunachal Pradesh, the media would have had a feast by blowing the quarrel out of proportion and calling it an inter-state dispute. Actually this entire idea of statehood in north-east, a territory with more than 200 tribes will be a failure in the 21st century. The best administrative arrangement for a ethnically diverse region like north-east would have been that of a Zonal Republic (based on zones for administrative efficiency) with English as the official language because of its international spirit and usage. But that would never be a reality because of the ethnic politics, misguided notions of insurgents and vested interest of the power lobbies who operate from other parts of India as well as Bangladesh. These are the band of people who best benefit from unrest in north-east states.
I would also request the Journalists Association of Assam and senior journalists to take the initiative of organizing training classes for the news producers, reporters and cameramen on the pattern and style of news presentation from time to time. We need trainers from channels like BBC and Times Now, since most of the news channels in Assam are aping the uncultured manner of news presentation rampant in Hindi news channels like Aj Tak or India TV. Its high time quality is ensured in the style of news reporting in the TV channels of Assam for the present breed of channels is lowering the taste and refinement of the people of Assam and several areas of the neighbouring states as well. The reporters and news editors have no knowledge in distinguishing constructive criticism from cheap sensationalism. News channels should not be used to create a society steeped in misinformation and vile tastes and attitude. The media should endeavour to promote a sober and informed society.
PermalinkSubmitted by Sumon on Thu, 02/09/2010 - 20:56
INCREDIBLE NORTH-EAST INDIA !!
From here in Bhubaneshwar, two areas in the world looks confusing and strange. Whenever there is a news on inter-tribal riots in African countries like Sudan, Nigeria, Congo etc, it makes me wonder how the rival tribes identify each other since they all look the same.
In India, North-east is amazing. These days we are getting stories of two states Nagaland and Manipur locking horns. When reading about the Nagas, it is found that there are numerous tribes among Nagas. My question is, why does an Angami, Ao, or Maram think they are Naga? Why the Kukis think they are not Naga. If Angami, Konyak, Tangkhuls have different histories, Kukis are also different. Why are they not Nagas? They are also hill tribe and are Mongoloid in look like the Ao or Angami. Angami, Konyak is so different from Tangkhul. Then why does Tangkhul leader Muivah bring Angami, Konyak etc in Nagalim and not form a separate land for Tangkhuls in Nagaland.
We read in tourism advertisements of north-east as land of seven sisters. The person who termed this sobriquet should rethink. Every now and then neighbouring hill states like Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram take away Assam’s bordering forest areas and there is fighting. Going by the scenario this doesn’t look true. Anyone will say the region to be that of ‘seven enemies’.
Sumon Das,
Bhubaneshwar, Orissa.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is likely to visit Kokrajhar and Chirang on Monday to take stock of the situation in the riot hit districts. During the hurricane tour, the Union home minister is be apprised of the prevailing law and order situation by meet top civil and police officers. Chidambaram is likely to call on the leaders of both the groups to end the conflict. According to unconfirmed sources, he is likely to visit one or two relief camps set up for those affected people.
There is some let-up in Kokrajhar and Chirang. But the situation is tense. There is no report of any fresh incident of violence during the last 7 hours. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday said that situation was back to normal barring a few stray incident. Four bodies were recovered in Gossaigaon on Friday taking the death toll to 58.
BJP on Friday blamed it all on Dispur for not taking timely action to rein in the ethnic violence in Assam. BJP activists staged a protest rally in New Delhi on Friday condemning the clash that took a heavy toll in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts. The protestors shouted slogans alleging the utter inefficiency of the state government.
Party leader Vijay Goel accused state government of a delayed action in the deployment of army in the disturbed areas. He further held the illegal migrants responsible for the clash.
The weeklong ethnic clash seems to have kept the state’s political scene on the boil. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Friday, AGP leader Atul Bora said that during their stock-taking visit to BTAD on Thursday, they got wind of a bitter conspiracy behind this ethnic clash that has taken a heavy toll. On the other hand, CPI would take out a peace rally on the streets of Guwahati on Saturday.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has partially blamed the Centre for providing him with inadequate security forces to bring the situation under control. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Fruday, Gogoi said that a reduction in Central forces has put him in a fix.
Gogoi also that his resignation over the issue was not going to help reduce the tension. “Had there been full forces there, the situation could have been controlled,” he said. Gogoi made it clear that he was not making it a vote bank politics. He said, “I do not need a single vote of the illegal migrants.”
An uneasy calm settled over Kokrajhar and Chirang districts of Assam on Friday a day before prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s healing visit to Kokrajhar. Four more bodies were recovered in Gossaigaon on Friday taking the death toll to over 60. One more person was killed in police firing at the height of ethnic clash in Dhubri. The curfew in Chirang was relaxed till 4 in the afternoon. The violence has rendered over 2 lakh people homeless in 400 villages.
Police on Thursday got remand of Amarjyoti Kalita when the prime accused in the infamous GS Road molestation case was produced before the Kamrup CJM court. Police sought Kalita in their remand for 5 days which was allowed. But the court slammed police for filing a case in loose sheet calling it an example of serious lapse in a high profile case.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit Kokrajhar on Saturday in the time of ethnic clash that has so far left 42 people killed. Dr Singh, who happens to be a Rajya Sabha member from Assam, is set to visit the refugee camps during his day long visit to the worst-hit district. The prime minister is likely to visit parts of Chirang district along with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to take stock of the situation.
Police on Thursday arrested one more miscreant in the infamous GS Road molestation camp. Identified as Rubul Ali, the miscreant was arrested from Baihata chariali in the morning. He was straightly rushed to Guwahati to be grilled by the special investigation team of police. With this police have arrested 15 miscreants involved in the incident including the prime accused Amarjyoti Kalita and TV journalist Gauravjyoti Neog.
BJP on Thursday reiterated its allegations of a nefarious role of Bangladeshi immigrants in the on going ethnic clash that rocks BTAD areas where over 40 people were killed.
Talking to reporters in Guwahati, the BJP leader said that the government could have tried to avert it. Goel further alleged insufficient relief materials in the refugee camps set up in Kokrajhar ands Chirang districts.
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