North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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http://www.sentinelassam.com/northeast/ ... 4-09&ppr=1
Northeast India's second readymade apparel unit opens in Tripura


Agartala, April 8: Northeast India’s second readymade apparel manufacturing unit was inaugurated in Tripura on Friday. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and union Textiles Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar inaugurated the unit at western Tripura’s Bodhjungnagar industrial estate, 20 km north of here.

The textile ministry has been providing Rs.18 crore for setting up of a ready-made garment manufacturing unit or ‘Apparel and Garment Making Centre’ (AGMC) in each of the eight northeastern states. It would also provide financial assistance to run the unit after its commissioning.

The first AGMC was inaugurated by Gangwar in Nagaland on Wednesday.

“Each AGMC would provide employment to 1,200 to 1,500 people in the respective states,” Gangwar said adding that the government is trying to stop people from northeast India to go to other parts of the country seeking jobs.

“The readymade apparel and various other clothing have huge market in northeast India, other parts of the country, neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh,” he said.
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http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articl ... 34489.html
Night life in Namphalong and Tamu towns in neighbouring Myanmar near the international border has undergone a sea change following commencement of power supply by India.

There was so far no power supply in these important commercial towns, which have traditionally been conduits for consumer items from China and other South and Southeast Asian countries.

Things changed from Friday when the Manipur government started supplying 3MW of power up to Tamu, just across the border from Moreh.

A Manipur government official told IANS that power supply will remain uninterrupted during night. However, there is heavy demand for power during the day time also as it is a hot region.

Manipur's border town Moreh in Chandel district has so far been without reliable power supply. In fact, there is no night life in the absence of assured power. However, there used to be three bars at Namphalong market just across the international gate where visitors from India could hang around till midnight.

One could guzzle canned beer and dance to western music. As there was no power supply in these two commercial towns, people and shopkeepers had to depend on power generators and solar lamps.

Moreh, Tamu and Namphalong markets display a high range of solar lamps and power generators. Residents of the north-eastern region, who have to contend with dark nights, buy these items like hot cakes.

Teenaged Mary Chang runs a family shop at Namphalong. One of the items the shop stocks is bottled foreign made liquor and beer in cans. She depends on power generators for chilling beer cans and other edible items.

mary told IANS: "Now that there is assured power supply, it will be convenient to run the business as I am told that I will get a power connection."

But other shop keepers and traders may not be as lucky as her.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Mukesh.Kumar »

Our old friend Cyclic is back in action. A humorous but detailed and interesting take on the Mizo Insurgency. The only time that GoI had to resort to use of air power in a domestic crisis.

7 DAYS IN MAR-‘Rat Revolution’ in Lushai Hills - 1966'
‘Mi-Zo-Ram’, now a ‘land of the happy hill people’ became an independent state of the union only in 1987, 40 yrs after Indian independence. It is an exotic locale in the north eastern corner of India, with 90.7% dense forest cover, lots of bamboo, just 52 odd persons per sq km, almost equal man to woman ratio and 97% literacy, all of them reasons why Mizoram is such a happy place.
But that was not how it was in 1840 when Capt Blackwood, a cavalier pirate of sorts, led the 14th NLI Regiment of East India Company through the thick bamboo forest to go after the Kukis (Thahdos), Lusei and others, who were all hell bent on head hunting and eating themselves ‘Su-Shi’, in the raw, and displaying the leering heads of the dead men on a stake outside their cottage.
As it happens in every calamity, the locals rose to the occasion too, by forming the ‘Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF)’. The MNFF was a large work force of pioneers, basically to lend a hand with the grass root distribution of the logistic aid that was being air dropped at the dropping zones at Aijal, Champai and Lungle. MNFF was to carry it in small head loads to inaccessible far flung habitats, all over the jungle, …….one hell of a job.

And the man who quickly rose up the chain of command in MNFF was the charismatic, dynamic, 33 year old, demobilised ex Havildar Pu Laldenga, born an Assamese with Mizo ancestry and family ties. His greatest achievement was to integrate the diverse tribes of Lushai Hill Tracts into a single group called Mizos and give an identity to the Lushai Hill Tract as ‘Mizoram’. He was gleefully preferred as a stooge and promoted to the forefront by the state, as well as the local civil administration, due to his military background as well disciplined efficiency and ability to motivate his illiterate and backward people.


As Hav Laldenga’s popularity grew amongst the tribes of the new ‘Mizoram’ across the board, his pockets began to bulge. He began to develop megalomania and king sized ambition, especially when inadvertently supported and abetted by the army’s Eastern Command, as well as the civil administration run by an ex CoAS in Guwahati. The Indian army, civil administration and the IB created the over ambitious political Frankenstein from one amongst their own cadre.

As it often happens, political mavericks create secessionist movements only when supported by rouge external nation state(s) with motives, money, cross border shelter, arms and training. Hav Laldenga became the darling of then East Pakistan, keen to support dissidents and break away groups in India. Under Paki tutelage in Oct 1961, Laldenga (along with JF Manliana, R Vanlawma, and Rochhinga, comrades from MNFF), dropped ‘Famine’ from the apolitical MNFF and converted it to a right wing fascist ‘Mizo National Front (MNF)’ with explicit secessionist intensions, to go back to the ambitions of creating a kingdom called Mizoram, the same ‘Lushai-Land’ like ‘Eng-Land’, with Hav Laldenga as King (much like Idi Amin in Uganda).
Code named ‘Operation Jericho’, Hav Laldenga’s plan was simple. He hoped the two Bdes of MNA attacking form north and south would quickly capture the treasuries, neutralise the posts manned by Assam Rifles / other local police / militia, takeover police stations and jails, capture armouries, arrest important non-Mizo (‘Vai’) officials and hoist the MNF flag at Aijal on 1 Mar, followed by a victory parade on 2 Mar 1966. He hoped that many from the civil administration would turn sympathisers and make the takeover easy. Hav Laldenga also hoped that if he could keep the MNF flag flying in Aijal for 48 hours, other countries such as Pakis would recognise the Mizo territory as a sovereign state, plead their case in UN, perhaps even invite UN peace keeping forces in the new found ‘Kingdom of Mizoram’.

Though overwhelmed by the turn of events, perhaps because of the quick intervention of Shankaran Nair from IB, GoI immediately grasped the delirious situation and promptly passed the buck back to Sahay and Chaliha to deal with it as they deemed fit, to take immediate and appropriate actions. On 2 March 1966, the Government of Assam invoked the ‘Assam Disturbed Areas Act (1955)’ and ‘Armed Forces Special Powers Act (ASPA-1958)’, handing over the ball to Lt Gen Sam Manekshaw, then GOC-in-C Eastern Command at Calcutta, to intervene and sort out Hav Laldenga and his revolution.

When interrogated by the press, Sam made a candid admission that the ‘Army has been caught with its pants down. We have lost complete control in Lushai Hills and would now have to go and use maximum force to capture it back’ !
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Neshant »

2 brothers, 1 sister of Nagaland descent who've grown up in US make a trip back to India (with their mom & pop). Its a 14 part series so I'm just linking a random part below. In this episode, I think they are travelling through Assam and onwards to Nagaland.

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http://www.sentinelassam.com/cachar/sto ... 6-14&ppr=1
Barak citizen group worries over atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh


Special Correspondent

SILCHAR, June 13: Citizens’ Rights Preservation Committee (CRPC), Assam, has expressed its concern at the recent political unrest in Bangladesh leading to the attack on Bengali Hindus and other minority communities in different forms such as killing, kidnapping, raping, forceful conversion of religion, burning and destroying of properties, temples among others. CRPC says in an e-mail message to The Sentinel that this has created a total anarchy, sense of fear and panic not only among the people residing in different corners of Bangladesh but also for the peace loving citizens of India.

Nripendra Chandra Saha, president, Bidhayak Das Purkayastha, general secretary, of CRPC, Assam, strongly condemns such inhuman torture inflicted upon the Bengali Hindus and other minorities. Such activities clearly indicate “the cleansing policy” of the diehard Islamic elements. There is a deeper conspiracy to drive out Hindus and other minority communities from Bangladesh. The leaders of CRPC appeal to the religious institutions and organizations like Ram Krishna Mission, Bharat Sevashram, Satsang Vihar, Gouriya Math, YMCA and Buddhist Monasteries to pressurize the central government in one voice so that the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister of India take up the matter with their Bangladesh counterparts seriously to stop the systematic killing of innocent people which is nothing but religious persecution.

Bidhayak Das Purkayastha requests all the state governments of India irrespective of political complexion to take cabinet decisions, condemning the killings and atrocities of non-Islamic citizens of Bangladesh and send their resolutions to the central government, demanding its immediate intervention in this regard. He stated that if such type of situation continues for long, it is apprehended it might lead to communal flare up in different parts of the country. It is to be kept in mind that the affected people of Bangladesh have already expressed their desire to migrate to India for the sake of their life and the security and safety of their family members, particularly women.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar engage in quiet diplomacy with Myanmar
National Security Adviser AK Doval was joined by Jaishankar (on his way to China) and the duo made quiet visits to neighbouring Myanmar last week as part of an expanding engagement with the new leadership there. Doval met Myanmar's foreign minister and democratic icon Aung San Suu Kyi as India hopes to invite her in the near future. These visits are significant as external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had to earlier postpone her trip to Myanmar in May following her indisposition.

The objective is to cultivate Suu Kyi, the real power behind this government in Myanmar, an official source said. Doval and Syu Kyi discussed matters on cooperation in agriculture and infrastructure sectors, border management and ways to strengthen bilateral ties, as per a statement from Myanmar's official media. India shares a 1,600-km-long boundary with Myanmar.

Last year Doval had played key role in Indian Army's operations against Naga rebels of the NSCN (Khaplang) faction along the border. Security and defence partnership with Myanmar are key elements of India's Myanmar policy. Sources here indicated India is trying to woo Buddhists from this Southeast Asian country through special arrangements for Myanmar pilgrims to Buddhist sites like Bodh Gaya and Sarnath.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by adityadange »

^^^^ why would a national security adviser talk about agriculture and infrastructure?
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Kakkaji »

adityadange wrote:^^^^ why would a national security adviser talk about agriculture and infrastructure?
Because he can not tell the journalist what he actually talked about. :wink:
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by malushahi »

cultivation and distribution of opiates finance the NE two-bit groups. infra development will allow naypyidaw better control over north myanmar. replacement of poppy with better paying alternate crops will wean away farmers.

better said than done.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-new ... RiP2N.html

"6,900 km gas pipelines to connect India, Bangladesh, Myanmar "
Under an ambitious plan, the government will lay 6,900 km of gas pipelines to link Bangladesh, Myanmar, and West Bengal and most north-eastern states in India, ONGC executive director SC Soni said.

“As part of Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for north-eastern region, 6,900 km pipelines would be laid connecting Sitwe (Myanmar), Chittagong (Bangladesh), most north-eastern states, Siliguri and Durgapur,” Soni told reporters on Saturday.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Rahul M »

this deserves to be here.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 696721.cms
Havildar Hangpan Dada honoured with Ashok Chakra posthumously
PTI | Aug 14, 2016, 03.16 PM IST

NEW DELHI: It was sheer grit and determination displayed by Havildar Hangpan Dada+ , who killed four intruding terrorists before laying down his life at the height of 13,000 feet in the harsh and icy Himalayan range of North Kashmir, that won him the Ashok Chakra.

He was honoured posthumously, with the government announcing the highest award to an army man during peace-time operations+ on Sunday on the eve of the Independence Day.

36-year-old Dada, who laid down his life for the country on May 27 this year, valiantly fought in the treacherous Shamsabari range in North Kashmir eliminating four heavily-armed terrorists who had infiltrated into North Kashmir+ from Pak-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

Hailing from Boduria village in far-flung Arunachal Pradesh, the Havildar, who was popularly known as 'Dada' among his team, was posted at the high mountain range since late last year.

Enrolled in the Assam Regiment of the Army in 1997, Dada was posted with the 35 Rashtriya Rifle
s, a force carved out for counter-insurgency operations......

The presence of mind of Dada, who is survived by his wife Chasen Lowang, 10-year-old daughter Roukhin and six-year-old son Senwang, saved the lives of his team members who came under heavy fire from the terrorists.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Neshant »

Great little travel adventure to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh to meet a cheeky little monk.
___

LITTLE MONK IN TAWANG - A Travel Documentary Film HD

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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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Some confusion about border fencing in Nagaland
http://www.sentinelassam.com/editorial/ ... GnemNzbigw
Border fencing: Naga villagers protest loss of land
India is likely to turn 3,500 fertile acres into “No-Man’s Land” on its eastern border with Myanmar as construction of a fence has started between the existing border pillars demarcating the two neighbouring nations.

The fencing is going ahead despite an agitation by Naga villagers who said the move will affect their livelihood as the area has been used by them for years.

The district administration, located in the border town of Noklak, has begun preparations to seal off farmers’ passage to the 3,500 acres of land, according to sources.

Village Councils say the fencing between existing border pillars 139 and 146 will leave 10,000 villagers belonging to the Khiamniungans Naga tribe, living on both sides of the border, without a livelihood.

Seeking the urgent attention of both the Indian and Myanmar governments, the Khiamniungan Tribal Council (KTC) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President U. Htin Kyaw, urging them to halt the fencing work, as they were not consulted on the issue.

“In the history of Khiamniungans, though divided and living separately across the imaginary boundary between India and Myanmar, there have been no land disputes and encroachments. Our land and people cannot be divided by any external forces or aggressors by putting up fencing and drawing any imaginary lines under the guise and pretext of national security,” said the letter which is with IANS.

According to the KTC, the border pillars were set up in the 1970s on agricultural lands without understanding that people on both sides belonged to the same community.

“We have been using the land for Jhum cultivation for so long. Though the border pillars were set up in the middle of our lands all of a sudden, we did not object as it did not stop our people from passing through. Now all of a sudden what is the meaning of constructing fencing between the border pillars?” S. Puthein, Chairman of Village Council Dan, a village of Khiamniungan on the Indian side of the border, told IANS.

When contacted, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that India was not involved in the construction of the fence.

“Ministry of Home has not proposed any fence on the Indo-Myanmar border. On this issue the MEA has been apprised as it is their subject. We have told our people that there will be no construction in our zone and also there will no construction in non-construction zone. Assam Rifles will ensure that,” Pradeep Gupta, Joint Secretary (Border Management) in the ministry, told IANS.

“If the Myanmar government is doing this, then we will ensure that no construction is done in the 10 metres of no-construction zone. The government is trying to clear all the doubts of the locals living in the border areas on this,” said Gupta.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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http://www.financialexpress.com/india-n ... er/495900/
"Moderate tremors felt in Arunachal Pradesh, India-Myanmar border
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.4 on the Richter scale was recorded along the India-Myanmar border region at 12.20 am today. "
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by ramana »

Thread has been quiet lately. How are NCSN doing?
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

^the usual

Manipur underwent another economic blockade

Irom sharmila gave up fasting. The person who influenced this was a man called Desmond coutinho - a mentally unstable NRI. The two are set to marry soon :)

Nagaland also underwent a month long turmoil. TR Zeling, The CM, tried to pass a 33% reservation for women in the upcoming polls. This created a massive outrage and sparked protests in the very male dominated state who strangely called it an attempt to undermine article 371 and a violation of 'naga customs'. Fearing imposition of PR, zeling went to Delhi and agreed to resign. The latest news is that Rio will come back as CM.

The NSCN and all its factions are relaxing under a tree somewhere.
------------

Due to a severe lack of progressive leaders and a society influnced by the charm of revolution and sermons of religious priests, most of these states and its society have a propensity to pass time in useless endeavours. Socio-economically and politically, they are in a stage where towns in Maharashtra were in the 70s and 80s - very conservative, still charmed with mysticism, ruff handed ettiquitte etc
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

TR Zeling has finally stepped down and Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu has been elected the CM of nagaland. The former is from the zeliang tribe - a tribe considered not pure enough to be part of the naga ideology. As I described in the previous posts, the word "naga" is a political identity. Most of the tribal communities in this area lay allegiance to this ideology. It is only second to the other major tribal political identity mizo(chin) which sustains in this same region. Regarding confrontation between these two political ideologies, an example is a tribe called "anal" which sometimes calls itself "chin" and sometimes a "naga" which causes lot of heartburn. "Kuki" tribe is also seen swinging between these two identities depending on the season. Do note the 90s mass killings when several core "nagas" tribes unleashed on the less pure(kuki was one of them) and exiled them into manipur.

The new CM Shurhozelie Liezietsu is an NPF politician from the angami tribe, sort of like one of the arab sunni tribes in this part of the world.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

Sad to see that hardly any members on BR following North east tribal politics :(

For those who want to play catch on the psychological dimension or a crash course on NE tribal politics can read the following book:

The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia
by James C. Scott

For two thousand years the disparate groups that now reside in Zomia (a mountainous region the size of Europe that consists of portions of seven Asian countries) have fled the projects of the nation state societies that surround them—slavery, conscription, taxes, corvée, epidemics, and warfare. This book, essentially an “anarchist history,” is the first-ever examination of the huge literature on nation-building whose author evaluates why people would deliberately and reactively remain stateless.

Among the strategies employed by the people of Zomia to remain stateless are:
1) physical dispersion in rugged terrain

2) agricultural practices that enhance mobility (slash and burn - cannot be taxed)

3) pliable ethnic identities (calling self sometimes naga, sometimes zo, sometimes chin or indian or myanmarese etc)

4) devotion to prophetic, millenarian leaders ("I am the one and I will be back again" type babas)

5) maintenance of a largely oral culture that allows them to reinvent their histories and genealogies as they move between and around states ("we the the indigenous, living here since time immemorial" type history)


Scott admits to making "bold claims" in his book but credits many other scholars, including the French anthropologist Pierre Clastres and the American historian Owen Lattimore, as influences.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Agnimitra »

nvishal wrote:Sad to see that hardly any members on BR following North east tribal politics :(
I follow your posts and look fwd to your insights nvishal ji. I'm sure others do too, but don't have much to contribute. Please keep the thread going. Thanks!
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Raja Bose »

nvishal, I follow it closely due to SHQ but most of that cannot be posted in a public forum.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Shanmukh »

Three women raped by Bangladeshis in Karimganj in Assam. This was once common in rural Dhubri & then spread to Barpeta & Nagaon, now Karimganj. Joy!

http://www.nelive.in/assam/crime/bangla ... -and-flees
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Raja Bose »

One of the PRJA party (nominally Irom Sharmila's party) candidates in Manipur, Erendro tries to pull a Rajdeep Sardesai and claim he was beaten up by a mob. Of all the candidates in the Manipur elections, only he apparently got 'beaten up'. Unfortunately, social media proves otherwise and turns out the guy was trying to campaign in his constituency at a time when all parties had agreed not to campaign there and create a ruckus due to kids having school exams. This guy then got into an argument with some of the residents and beat a hasty retreat. He goes on Facebook claiming he was beaten up, gets interviewed by the usual suspects in the MSM and then this video surfaces which disproves his claims:



What is uncanny is, as soon as the above video appeared on Facebook to counter his claims that he was beaten up, Facebook not only made the video vanish but banned the user who had posted the video within 2 hours. This along with all the recent Twitter account suspensions of tweeples who dare expose anti-India propaganda, demonstrates how long the tentacles of these deep state linked backers are. The above video however quickly got uploaded on YouTube within hours and since then has spawned multiple uploads and shares so the original take down had limited effect.

Best is in his interview with India Today he claims he was beaten up and shows that his sweater was torn yet in the above video the sweater is intact. Clearly he learned a lot from his 1-1 meetings with Kejriwal and his periodic trysts with slaps, ink and chappals. The people of the locality where he claimed he was beaten up, launched a public protest and sit-in in response and the irony of it all is, most of the protesters are women and mothers - people this fella claims as his main support base.

Now some background about this guy Erendro: He studied at Harvard in the Kennedy School of Government and is a classic plant by backers in the west. Some years ago he used to do seminars funded by folks in massa on Irom Sharmila and GoI's iron fist rule in Manipur. Back in Manipur, he's been trying to dazzle the public by claiming he studied in Harvard and gave up a cushy high profile job in the US to come and serve Manipur (somewhat of a lie since fella was on a J-1 exchange visitor visa so he couldn't have worked in the USA anyways and would have to compulsorily return to India). The Indian English MSM has been dutifully trying to project him as a US returned Harvard educated brown sahib who has come to save the unwashed masses in the NE. He used Irom Sharmila to form the PRJA party and from the looks of it is mainly using her image to raise funds. She is a simple lady and looks like she has very little say in what the party does and even the official music video of the PRJA party mostly has Erendro's face plastered all over it. Kejriwal personally contributed INR50,000 to PRJA and hundreds of AAP workers followed his lead. So expect AAP to try and make in-roads into the NE using this route. Renuka Shahane also contributed INR50,000 as she knows Irom Sharmila. Problem is he is not too bright so his backers must not be too happy. But don't be surprised if he gets a Magsasay Award in the near future to prop up his credentials either in politics or as an exit strategy into the usual NGO-seminar-talk show circuit till he can be surfaced into politics again. A North Eastern version of Kejriwal in the making who openly supports a separatist agenda - someone worth keeping an eye on.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by SSridhar »

All’s not quiet on the eastern front - Pratim Ranjan Bose, Business Line
The Narendra Modi government brought unprecedented focus on improving connectivity with neighbours through the country’s east and northeast regions. And this has triggered a rush for project implementation. What is missing, however, is matching progress in projects undertaken by the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in neighbouring economies, especially in Myanmar, which holds the key to India’s access to Asean.

It is, therefore, high time the Government considered some out-of-the-box solutions to bring accountability to the system, failing which regional and interregional connectivity will remain a pipe dream.

Not that the Modi government didn’t initiate measures on this front. But on the ground development has remained elusive, as is amply proved in the lack of progress either in the Trilateral Highway or the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar.

A white elephant

Kicked off in 2008, the Kaladan project was expected to ensure alternate connectivity to Mizoram through a mixture of sea, river and road transports from Sittwe Port at Kaladan river mouth in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.

Last year, India completed the port project and handed it over to Myanmar. The inland river terminal at Paletwa upstream of Kaladan is nearing completion. At the Indian side, the extension of the Aizawal-Saiha National Highway by 90 km to the international border at Zorinpui is nearing completion too. It was one of the most challenging road projects taken up in many decades in this part of the country.

But a 109-km road from Zorinpui to Paletwa is still missing. Over the last year, the project was tendered twice but unsuccessfully.


And that is one and a half years after the Modi government revised the budget estimates by nearly six times, roped in State-owned Ircon Infrastructure and Services as the consultant and put a 2019 deadline for completion.

Ask ministry officials and they would tell you about the “problems”. Yes, there are problems. But the nature of those problems — starting from difficult terrain to local interferences, resistance or, unlawful activities — is more or less similar on either side of the border in this part of the world.

There is little explanation for zero progress on Myanmar side vis-à-vis marked progress on the Indian side. There is also little doubt without the road link; the entire investment in Sittwe and the Paletwa terminal literally stands sunk.

Unfinished trilateral highway

The proposed 1360 km Trilateral Highway, kick started in 2005, is a more important project that promises to establish road connectivity from Manipur border to Thailand through Myanmar.

During the International Media Conference 2016, organised by the American think-tank East West Centre; academicians, policy makers and journalists from ASEAN countries criticised India for slack progress vis-à-vis China’s OBOR (one Belt, One Road) plans.

The significance of the project increased manifold in view of the recent proposal for motor-vehicles agreement among BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations.

BIMSTEC includes Myanmar, Thailand and SAARC minus Pakistan and Afghanistan. The MVA, therefore, holds promise to bring North Eastern India closer to Asean(represented by Thailand) and the CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) region.

The key to this dream is Trilateral Highway that barely exists.

In 2012 the former UPA government opened a 132 km of the highway from the Indian border to Kalewa in Myanmar with much fanfare. What remained untold is 69 dilapidated bridges en-route, makes even passenger bus movement difficult.
×

Last year the government announced a fresh deadline of 2019 for project completion and allotted funds. But, the project hasn’t progressed an inch since then.

There is zero progress either on laying 120 km road in Myanmar connecting Zokhawthar border in Mizoram with the Trilateral Highway at Kalemyo in Myanmar. Meanwhile, the road widening project on the Indian side is nearing completion.

Kaladan and Trilateral Highway were two most ambitious projects announced in the last decade, so they deserved special mention. But probe further, you will find the same story everywhere, irrespective of the size of projects and geography.

The Indian side of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Jogbani (Bihar) - Biratnagar (Nepal) land border with Nepal is opened. But construction of the India-funded mirror facility in Nepal is yet to begin.

This means the huge investments made on the Indian side of the gate are underutilised and trade facilitation remained a far cry because land ports cannot deliver without matching facilities on either side of the border.

At Raxau l(Bihar)-Birgunj (Nepal), the largest land border with Nepal, the Indian side is ready for at least six months. The India-sponsored facility in Birgunj is still under construction.

India is slow in project implementation. But when it comes to our foreign office, things probably hit the slowest track.

When the control of the BBIN motor vehicles dialogue was shifted from the transport ministry to the MEA, major stakeholders were wary of red-tapism and delay. Willy-nilly their apprehensions proved correct too. MVA is yet to be operationalised.

Desi JICA

Many feel formation of a separate external assistance agency in the lines of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will bring structural reforms in the system.

It is not known, however, how a government agency operating under the ministry would be more efficient than the government. What is the surety that it wouldn’t be another resting place for the same bureaucrats?

Can the Government keep leadership positions away from the bureaucrats and let run like another private sector, not as another public sector enterprise?
Raja Bose
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Raja Bose »

Irom Sharmila apparently got 90 votes in the Manipur elections. More people voted NOTA than for her. Looks like all the candidates in her party lost their deposit this time.
Neshant
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Neshant »

Hopefully India's north east develops, it will benefit Myanmar too.

Looks like Myanmar has good tourism potential.
____

Inside Chin, Myanmar’s Picturesque but Poorest Province

https://globalvoices.org/2016/11/01/ins ... -province/#
Neshant
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Neshant »

Did not China select some fake lama as successor to the Dalai Lama some years ago?

I remember reading something about it.

----

Fears of next Dalai behind Beijing’s Tawang claim?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 801903.cms

BEIJING: China is worried about the next Dalai Lama emerging from a foreign country, which probably explains its stiff opposition to the upcoming visit of the present Buddhist spiritual leader to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, which is the birthplace of one of his predecessors in the 6th century.
Awadhi
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Awadhi »

There are several North East pages on Facebook of which the anti India vile on some is very appalling. I've been following some of these since couple of years and it's crystal clear that there's immense hatred for anything Hindu among Christian tribals of frontier states. Even Manipur Meities many of whom are Hindus there's a feeling in some sections that their gullible king was fooled by a Bengali priest to become Hindu who in turn converted all his subjects, while there's no such feeling among recent Christian converts who were converted by various enticements. They feel missionaries socially emancipated the otherwise backward tribals.

One such Facebook page of which I would like to make a special mention because of its large following is https://www.facebook.com/SDPFTNEI/?ref=ts&fref=ts. It has 1lakh followers. This one started as anti India page then openly started posting anti Hindu vile. It spins trivial street brawls into case of racial discrimination, even cases of rapes in metros are made to appear like they happen with only NE girls with captions like "mainlanders rape our daughters". This page was banned by the government during NE exodus episode for circulating fake news of attacks on NE people. It openly promotes Christianity and degrades Hinduism, the admin is a Naga. I used to debate there earlier thinking there are some misconceptions with these people but soon realised they have an agenda. Wonder what's the way to counter such propaganda which is creating a divide between Indians.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Agnimitra »

Awadhi wrote:...the admin is a Naga. I used to debate there earlier thinking there are some misconceptions with these people but soon realised they have an agenda. Wonder what's the way to counter such propaganda which is creating a divide between Indians.
This level of differentiation from compatriots is only possible with external association. For starters, the penetration of the NE by American and Korean evangelical missionaries and their hate-filled bigotry should be staunched. The government does nothing about this right now.
Neshant
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Neshant »

Interesting statistics.

I notice these missionaries never set foot in North West India where they would encounter educated folks that can debate them one on one.

Instead they target the least educated segment of the population for conversion.

__________________________
Kiren Rijiju the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs tweeted about a disturbing fact and what has been a sad state of affairs for his home state.

"Since 2001 Christian Population has grown at a humongous rate in this North-Eastern state."

In 2001 they were only 18.72% of the population, whereas in 2011 they are 30% of the population and the major religion in Arunachal. It has been possible only because of the mindboggling amount of money spent through the missionaries and Churches and their continuous patronage by Congress in the garb of fake ‘secularism’. The once minuscule population of less than 1% in 1971 has been able to build Asia’s biggest statue of Christ in their state to show their dominance.

Things heated up on Monday when congress attacked Rijiju by claiming that BJP is planning to convert Arunachal into a Hindu state.

They got a befitting reply from the Junior Union Minister. He said “Hindu population is reducing in India because Hindus never convert people. Minorities in India are flourishing unlike some other countries around”.

A landmark research done by ‘Centre for Policy Studies’ shows that in 1971, there were only 3864 Christians in Arunchal Pradesh which has increased to 4,18,732 in 2011.

An overwhelming growth of more than 10,000%. in the last 40 years. This is a rate of conversion which even their Vatican bosses would never have imagined. Official data shows that the Christians were less than Buddhists till 1991, The Buddhists are now reduced to only a few districts. 2001 was a milestone year for conversion agents when they had crossed the indigenous Buddhist population in the state, in 2011 they had finally managed to reduce Hinduism to the 2nd place, with Christianity being the dominant force.

If we look deep in the research we find that most of the converted people belonged to the Scheduled Tribe community. The research points out that although Christians were 18.7% of the overall population in 2001 their share of ST population was 26.5%.

Keeping the trend of mass conversions by catholic missionaries they have now become 40% of the population. Jatinder K. Bajaj, a pioneer in research points to the fact that Christianity may even be higher than 40% in some Major ST communities since data for individual Scheduled Tribe communities based on religion is not available.

Critics may argue that Arunachal was never a Hindu majority state and Other Religions and Persuasions (ORPs) were always the majority there. But if you go through the statistics, even the (ORPs) also followed some kind of a ritual of the Sanatan Dharma just like Buddhists do and there was never any problem for the tribal people to simultaneously mix with their Hindu brethren. The power of Sanatan Dharma is to allow every individual to follow their own path and not keep itself unbending like Abrahamic conservatism which spreads hate among converted people about their past religious beliefs.

There are still 26% ORPs are there in the state down from the once majority 63%. If we don’t take check the conversions rampant in the state, Arunachal – this ever so unique North-eastern state will lose its indigenous culture forever.
http://rightlog.in/2017/02/rijiju-christians-arunachal/
nvishal
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

Neshant, you cannot stop unstable communities from experimenting. There are very few stable mongoloid communities in the north east. I must remind you that not just christian but even hindu/buddhist mongoloid tribes in these parts are chaotic in practice. Tribal identities conflict with religious and racial aspects over share of resources ensuring chronic chaos. As someone already said, best not to rock this boat.
Neshant
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Neshant »

nvishal wrote:Neshant, you cannot stop unstable communities from experimenting.
Not sure what you mean by 'experimenting'.

These missionaries make a beeline to convert the least educated, poorest and thus most vulnerable people in society.

They dare not come over to north west or south India to engage in a debate on their religious philosophy nor conversion agenda with educated folks to have where their points of view can be deconstructed.

That is a red flag.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Agnimitra »

I did not know that Irom Sharmila's boyfriend (now spouse) was a Christian and British citizen:

Irom Sharmila to marry her British partner in Tamil Nadu in July
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

Unlike Indian religions, Christian community in india is close knit. Their sense of community is strong. They meet more than once a week for prayer and missionary work. They contribute a percentage of their monthly income to the church. They fund schools/junior level collages(minority seats) and basic level hospitals. This entire social structure resembles a socialist/ co-operative welfare organisation. It's basically a form of multi level marketing company. Everyone is happy as long as the money is keeping everyone afloat. To keep a MLM afloat, the members convince new members to join(with investment) and so the MLM keeps operating. This need encourages converts to get more converts.

Once the money dries, the whole MLM will collapse. But what then? Hinduism/Buddhism is not christianity. Most hindus don't attend sunday temple or pay membership fees. The religion is able to keep afloat with funding. What I'm trying to say is that christianity comes with benefits. There is nothing like this in hinduism so there is no attraction.

If christianity collapses in the tribal corridors of North east, that will also create a problem because the govt is non-existent here and there will be nothing to fill(benefits) the exist of christianity for at least a decade.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

Agnimitra wrote:I did not know that Irom Sharmila's boyfriend (now spouse) was a Christian and British citizen
Desmonds ancestors were from Goa who left India long time ago. Generations later, the offspring desmond got involved in leftist movements in his collage days and established contacts with like minded friends in india.

He actually has no desire to marry irom but things got very strange in the middle and he has ended up in this situation. As irom has ended her political career, there is high probability that desmond will be without a leftist derived objective and will eventually ghost her. Either she will be forced by him to come back to leftist politics or he'll pack up and disappear.
Agnimitra
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Agnimitra »

nvishal wrote:Unlike Indian religions, Christian community in india is close knit. Their sense of community is strong. They meet more than once a week for prayer and missionary work. They contribute a percentage of their monthly income to the church. They fund schools/junior level collages(minority seats) and basic level hospitals. This entire social structure resembles a socialist/ co-operative welfare organisation. It's basically a form of multi level marketing company. Everyone is happy as long as the money is keeping everyone afloat. To keep a MLM afloat, the members convince new members to join(with investment) and so the MLM keeps operating. This need encourages converts to get more converts.

Once the money dries, the whole MLM will collapse.
Interesting comparison. But given that tithing is a regular donation from existing members itself, rather than new subscribers, it makes this different from MLM. But given the economy and politics of the area, cutting off foreign funds and cultural people-to-people contact is definitely a way to drain the swamp.

From a faith perspective, it is like an MLM, and seeks security in numbers and constant expansion and denigration of other religions' market share.

Daanam is a part of Hinduism also, but has lost its importance as a social institution, especially since temple hundis have been commandeered by the government. Other Dharmic Sansthas can fill the void meanwhile. Open yoga or kirtan groups, Akharas for youth, etc.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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