North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Vriksh · Post by **Vriksh** » 12 Jun 2009 12:22

I am heading to Nagaland in 10 days... Plan is as follows

Mumbai-Kolkotta-Dimapur IA Flight. Dimapur-Kohima Car. I am there partly since my friend's have a company that is executing a project in Kohima and I tagged along to take in the scenery and also going to meet the some important people in the University of Nagaland. I will be there for about 7 days. Is there good cell/internet connections from those places so that I could theoretically do work

instead of just wandering the country side as is my plan.

I am hoping to find some amount of academic traction in those wild spaces that have been my first love. Any suggestions on what I could do to make this trip more memorable, food, sights, treks, ancient monuments: anything that may be of interest.

Singha etc please pitch in.

ravar · Post by **ravar** » 12 Jun 2009 17:22

Hope this is the right page for posting this news item-

Exposure tour to China for youth
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 11
The Union Ministry for Youth Affairs and Sports would be sending a group of state youth belonging to Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu districts on an exposure tour to China.

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports M.S. Gill conveyed the decision to Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal.

In his letter the minister wrote when he served in the most difficult region of Lahaul and Spiti as Deputy Commissioner long ago there were negligible facilities like electricity, road and other basic amenities.

“I am aware of the ground realities, difficulties and developmental requirements of the people in such areas,” he wrote.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/200906 ... chal.htm#9

Moral of the story-The bureaucrat in M.S. Gill has suddenly realized that this "exposure" trip (whatever that means) to China by spending lakhs of taxpayers money will bring in electricity, road and other basic amenities to Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu!!

Ankit Desai · Post by **Ankit Desai** » 13 Jun 2009 23:01

Ministry of defence to enhance defence networking along Sino-Indian border

On the lines of Ladak and Kumaon scouts, the ministry has agreed to raise the Arunachal scouts. Necessary directions have been issued and the projects will soon take shape

a global tender for the 1,000-km Trans Arunachal Pradesh Highway has already been floated.

Ankit

ticky · Post by **ticky** » 14 Jun 2009 18:41

Vriksh wrote:I am heading to Nagaland in 10 days... Plan is as follows

Mumbai-Kolkotta-Dimapur IA Flight. Dimapur-Kohima Car. I am there partly since my friend's have a company that is executing a project in Kohima and I tagged along to take in the scenery and also going to meet the some important people in the University of Nagaland. I will be there for about 7 days. Is there good cell/internet connections from those places so that I could theoretically do work instead of just wandering the country side as is my plan.

I am hoping to find some amount of academic traction in those wild spaces that have been my first love. Any suggestions on what I could do to make this trip more memorable, food, sights, treks, ancient monuments: anything that may be of interest.

Singha etc please pitch in.

Well, regarding net connection, BSNL provides broadband connections but service can be iffy (lotsa downtime).
And make sure you don't miss a trip to dzuko valley. Its about 35 -40 kms from kohima. And there is a WWII war cemetery in Kohima, get pics.
Also if you drink, try the local stuff.

Added later: This is what the valley looks like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Dzukou_Valley.JPG

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Jun 2009 19:38

there was a recent outlook traveller mag of a visit to kohima and surroundings. cant find it now, but
another one is online.
http://traveller.outlookindia.com/issue ... =issuehome

AjayKK · Post by **AjayKK** » 15 Jun 2009 19:26

Kiren Rijiju at "A Glimpse of our North East": part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oof46ZqZfo

Kiren Rijiju at "A Glimpse of our North East": part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft2ABZqldW0

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 19 Jun 2009 02:16

Military upgradation plan along China border finally takes wing

Jamal K. Malik · Post by **Jamal K. Malik** » 25 Jun 2009 18:25

I'm a victim of racism in India: Mizoram CM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indi ... 701327.cms

"When I go south, people ask me such questions. They ask me if I am from Nepal or elsewhere. They forget that the northeast is part of India. I have told many that see, I am an Indian like you," Lalthanhawla said.

"I am a victim of racism," he said. Indians consist of three races - "Dravidians, Aryans and we in the northeast," Lalthanhawla said.

Though many northeastern students complain of such discrimination in places like New Delhi, a state chief minister speaking in an international podium about an issue unrelated to the subject concerned was not liked by other Indian delegates present.

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 25 Jun 2009 19:17

Jamal Malik, while it is true that many people from the Northeast are mistaken for Nepalis, the use of racism in this article is psy-ops. Further see the level of indoctrination in what he is saying - Aryans, Dravidians etc. He is actually reinforcing the theory that was used by British to subjugate India. Such racial superiority complex also exists in our dear TFTA neighbours on the west as well. One has to discard the Aryan Invasion Theory once for all since it is just plain and simple pakiness.

And finally, was the concerned person "attacked" in India because he has mongoloid features? AFAIK, Indian students have been attacked brutally and thereby you can call that racism. In Europe, many Indians face blatant racism like spitting on them. Does the minister face that in India? Try to ask such questions before posting these articles.

Jamal K. Malik · Post by **Jamal K. Malik** » 10 Jul 2009 14:28

China's railways near Arunachal, says MP from NE

anuj · Post by **anuj** » 11 Jul 2009 12:57

indians in the west strongly dislike being called bangla or paki's and there's a big reason for that. i always wonder why the people of north east hate being called nepali or tibetan. do they hate mongoloids for historic reasons(if any) or is there a feeling of superiority complex in them too.

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 12 Jul 2009 07:03

anuj wrote:indians in the west strongly dislike being called bangla or paki's and there's a big reason for that. i always wonder why the people of north east hate being called nepali or tibetan. do they hate mongoloids for historic reasons(if any) or is there a feeling of superiority complex in them too.

They hate being called Nepali or Tibetan, because they are neither. They are Indian. When outside India, they must be recognized with no identity other than Indian. Inside India, if you call other Indians Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil etc. then likewise call them Naga, Mizo, Manipuri, Assamese etc. But for God's sake don't call them Nepali or Tibetan, or even worse, Chinese. They are not foreigners in India.

Would an Indian Bengali like being called Bangladeshi? If not, is that because of a 'superiority complex'?

anuj · Post by **anuj** » 12 Jul 2009 12:11

thanks for clearly that out for me.

it's just that were more used to meet nepali people and rarely we come across a north-east brother in india. hence we assume all of them are nepali's. the north eastern youth exodus to rest of india looking for IT jobs is a very recent occurrence. so it might be right to ask them "where you from?" instead of "are you from nepal?"

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 15 Jul 2009 05:31

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 15 Jul 2009 17:20

Thank you for the great graphs, RamaY. Some folks are more visually oriented. I am one of those. Much appreciated.

viveks · Post by **viveks** » 16 Jul 2009 23:15

I think the center is pretty shy on north east initiatives. States like Gujarat...just keep undertaking massive projects. The north eastern states just keep falling behind. Do not even announce or take initiatives for some good lobbying to undertake some good projects

I for one think that there should be more power projects undertaken in the North east...be it even nuclear.

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 26 Jul 2009 03:49

This column from Chandan Mitra in dailypioneer.com pertains to the Northeast , West Bengal, and Bangladesh. So I am posting in full on the Northeast and Bangladesh threads. Whatever happened to the West Bengal thread?

Fishing in troubled waters

Chandan Mitra

Bengal’s greatest culinary heritage is tottering on the brink of extinction. Hilsa, the extraordinarily tasty fish species, which the English and Anglo-Indians termed Mango Fish because it swarmed the deltas during the mango season — or Ilish (as it is called by Bengalis) — is virtually unavailable in Calcutta’s crowded fish markets although this is peak season. It’s not that Ilish has entirely disappeared; but the only variety available at an astronomical price comprises babies weighing not more than 750 grams whereas the tastiest are the full grown ones weighing between 2 and 3 kilos. Khoka (baby) Ilish is not only far too bony, it is also against fishing tradition to catch them before they come of reproductive age.

But faced with the virtual annihilation of the bigger variety, and given the Bengali’s obsession with Hilsa, fishermen nowadays routinely flout their own beliefs and customs. But Khoka Ilish too is currently selling upwards of Rs 550 a kg, which explains why fishermen have pounced upon them in a bid to make a quick buck even at the cost of exterminating this delicious species altogether. Bangladesh is the biggest supplier of Ilish, having exported 21 lakh kilos to West Bengal last year. A dispute over price has stalled the import of Ilish to India this year because our agencies insist on retaining the wholesale price at Rs 14 per kg against Dhaka’s demand to hike it to Rs 17. Rather cheap, come to think of it, when it retails at over Rs 500! They are demanding a higher price because the species is rapidly declining in that country too.

Even a decade ago, Ilish was available in plenty although its price started skyrocketing about 20 years ago as availability began to shrink. Hilsa shares its breeding habit with the Canadian salmon and swims upstream from the sea into rivers in order to procreate. Exposure to freshwater contributes to its taste, which is why sea Hilsa, available in Mumbai, is usually shunned by connoisseurs. There was a time not so long ago that Bay of Bengal Hilsa swam through the mangrove delta in Sunderbans, crossed Calcutta and actually managed to reach up to Allahabad, nearly 1,000 km from the Mouths of the Ganga. Literature is replete with a never-ending dispute over the relative culinary merit of the Ganga-bred Ilish vis-a-vis the Padma variety. The Ganga, as is widely known, gets divided in two branches just after the Farakka Barrage in northern West Bengal, with the Bhagirathi or Hooghly travelling due south while the Padma moves in a south-easterly direction into Bangladesh before being joined by the Meghna (or Brahmaputra) and eventually disgorges into the Bay of Bengal.

In my childhood years spent in suburban Hooghly, 40 km north of Calcutta, I routinely accompanied my uncle to the banks of the river that flowed across the road from our ancestral home, yelling out to fishermen “O Karta! Achhe naki? (O boatman, do you have any?)” Fishermen believe Ilish possess sharp ears and if it hears its name being called out, promptly scoots from the vicinity. It is also believed that Hilsa enjoys a light drizzle and therefore surfaces when fine strands of rain saunter down from the skies. That explains why Bengalis often describe a fine monsoon drizzle as Ilsheyguri brishti (fine droplets of rain associated with the surfacing of Ilish).

The purpose of recalling all this is to establish the deep association of this prized fish with Bengal’s culture and heritage. It is also to lament its disgraceful over-fishing, which has resulted in near-annihilation of the species. I realise the difficulty of making lawless Indians adhere to pre-determined fishing quotas. But I wish we could regulate the quantum on an annual basis and enforce rules with regard to fishing baby Hilsa.

In Europe strict laws exist about the permissible amount of the catch, with the European Union setting firm limits. Member countries, in turn, enforce the quota through Government agencies in cooperation with fishermen’s unions. Anyone found violating them is fined heavily and could even be sent to prison, but that doesn’t usually happen because fishermen are conscious of their responsibility and do not endanger the future.

The Hilsa is probably in terminal decline as environmental changes, degradation of mangrove forests, silting of rivers, increased shipping activity through their breeding grounds and construction of barrages have disturbed their habitat irreversibly. But at least the wanton culling of baby Hilsa must be stopped, not only to restore the natural balance but also to ensure we don’t lose an integral part of eastern India’s cultural and culinary heritage.

Something equally preposterous is happening to the flood plain of the gorgeous Brahmaputra in Assam. It is threatened with strangulation as a result of unchecked illegal immigration from Bangladesh and occupation of fertile land along the river by these unwelcome intruders. On a recent visit to Assam, many people I met expressed serious concern not only about the danger of being swamped by alien immigrants but also the destruction of the State’s fragile ecology by aggressive settlers from across the border. I had not realised the environmental devastation Bangladeshi migrants had caused till it was explained to me that, by settling on chars (mid-river islands) and planting trees there, the unwelcome occupants had made these erstwhile shifting islands permanent. As a result, the silt-laden river nowadays routinely breaches its embankment and floods terrain traditionally cultivated by indigenous farmers. Bangladeshis have occupied the chars as well as the vast flood plain on both sides of the river’s stream. These areas were never cultivated on a large scale earlier because they served as natural barriers to flooding.

Indigenous Assamese had their fields located at a sufficient distance from the river’s course to allow it to overflow within a given parameter during the monsoon months. But Bangladeshi settlements have now disturbed this age-old natural balance causing the Brahmaputra and its tributaries to flood vast areas wrecking severe damage on humans and livestock.

The irony is that 14 out of Assam’s 28 districts have been declared drought-affected this year, but the Brahmaputra basin is flooded nevertheless. With rampant deforestation in the hilly regions of Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh through which the mighty river flows, silting has become an additional problem. Meanwhile, China is still toying with the idea of constructing a gigantic dam in southern Tibet to block the flow of the Tsang-Po (as the river is known there) into India and then build a canal to divert the waters to its arid northern territories.

This amounts to playing with fire, not just water. Between illegal Bangladeshi migrants, greedy loggers and industrialists who have invaded India’s North-East and megalomanical Chinese nature killers, Assam’s ecology is on the verge of a catastrophe. Assam, Bangladesh and West Bengal are part of a common eco-system. So, the Hilsa’s near extermination is not the result of population pressure and over-fishing alone; it is linked to what is happening to the north-east of its habitat.

anuj · Post by **anuj** » 26 Jul 2009 14:45

looking at the numerous number of tribes in that region, i don't think seven states are enough for them to co-exist together. i think most of them are more in disputes with each other instead of the indian state. the best thing for us to do is to do nothing. keep a check on there defense and foreign policy apart from that give them whatever autonomy they ask for else there naive-ness will cost us and them too.

regarding development, insurgency and industrialization/employment don't mix so the only option left is to build roads and that sort of infrastructure.

satya · Post by **satya** » 26 Jul 2009 16:32

Way forward could be having multiple Hill Councils broadly covering tribe & their geographical presence .It will require a radical overhaul of the concept of states with NE in mind , for its true that to develop NE to its full potential within political constraints , Hill Councils are way forward . Step could be taken wrt Darjeeling issue & can fine tune what sort of autonomy will work

anuj · Post by **anuj** » 26 Jul 2009 22:44

GUWAHATI: Southern India has become the new destination for separatist groups from the northeast with intelligence inputs that rebel leaders from the region were taking shelter in cities down south, especially Bangalore, following intense pressure from security forces, a senior police official said.

Leaders of outlawed militant groups from Assam like the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) have made some south Indian cities their new bases.

"We have definite reports of some senior and middle level leaders of the ULFA and the NDFB escaping from Assam and taking shelter in south India. We cannot divulge any more details about the cities and other information for security reasons," Assam police chief GM Srivastava said.

"We are in touch with our counterparts in south India to zero in on the militant leaders based in those cities."

Bangalore is one such city linked to separatists from the northeast -- last month two senior leaders of the outlawed Black Widow, a rebel group from Assam, including its commander-in-chief Jewel Garlosa, were arrested there.

Garlosa had travelled from Kathmandu to Bangalore where he was trying to get a passport in his name.

Earlier this month, police arrested Roshan Ali, alias Anees, from Manipur and leader of the People's United Liberation Front (PULF) at Singanapalya near Mahadevpura in Bangalore. Ali moved to Bangalore last year and worked as a security guard for an MNC.
The PULF is a Muslim-based rebel group from Manipur.

Last year, three militants of the outlawed People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) of Manipur, and three of their associates were arrested in Bangalore.

The PREPAK members were arrested from their rented house in Kaggadasapura, about 15 km from the city centre. Their associates were picked up from another house in the nearby Mahadevapura area.

"Militants from the northeast travel to south India to cool their heels when security offensive in the region gathers momentum. Now police and intelligence agencies have unravelled the modus operandi of the militants," a senior police official in Manipur said.

Intelligence sources said apart from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai are two other destinations for northeastern rebel groups, though they declined to give details.

Bangalore new haven for militants from the northeast?

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 05 Aug 2009 19:16

Shoot-at-sight orders in curfew-bound Imphal

http://www.dailypioneer.com/193845/Shoo ... mphal.html

Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued in this curfew-bound capital of Manipur, with the state rocked by a wave of violent protests over an alleged fake encounter in which a surrendered militant was killed, officials said Wednesday.

An indefinite curfew was clamped late Tuesday after protests against the alleged fake encounter death of a 27-year-old former rebel turned violent.

There are an estimated 19 rebel groups active in Manipur, bordering Myanmar, with more than 10,000 people killed in the last two decades of insurgency in the state.

karthik · Post by **karthik** » 16 Aug 2009 21:23

The P.M calls Manipurs CM regarding the fake encounter. Its sad the Indian Army is involved in such mindless policy.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_p ... id=1143310

karthik · Post by **karthik** » 17 Aug 2009 22:08

This being an Indian military analysis thread, this issue should be an hot topic for debate but some how its gone to sleep. These issues are only getting used more and more by our enemies to gain support among the locals and stir up problems. We should be involved in an discussion of how to weed out this problem and finding solutions rather than ignoring it because it unpleasant to hear. Who know the ideas we stir up hear may reach IA and they could find solutions to stop army frustration.

yvijay · Post by **yvijay** » 17 Aug 2009 22:33

karthik wrote:The P.M calls Manipurs CM regarding the fake encounter. Its sad the Indian Army is involved in such mindless policy.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_p ... id=1143310

Did you even read the news? It was done by the Manipur Police Commandos. Army has been removed from the cities.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 17 Aug 2009 23:06

Arundhati Roy infiltrated all the threads with her swine flu. Please run away.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 24 Aug 2009 01:58

Separate homeland plan for Muslims, Centre told

A confidential report sent by a security agency to the Centre says insurgent groups supported by Bangladesh were working on a long-term plan to create a separate homeland for Muslims in the North-Eastern region.

Intelligence reports have already pointed out that such groups are already coming up with posters and banners demanding homeland in areas dominated by the Muslims, mostly from suspected Bangladeshis.

After effecting a significant change in the demographic profile of a number of districts in the North-East by facilitating illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis, the insurgent outfits in the region are now working on a long-term agenda for creating an exclusive homeland for Muslims.

A confidential report from a key para-military force fighting insurgency in the North-East to the Union Home Ministry has classified insurgency in the region into three categories -- ethnic/extortionist, terrorist and secessionist groups.

The secessionists, according to the CRPF report, essentially comprise Islamic fundamental groups who also provide logistics support to the ethnic and terrorist groups in order to strengthen its influence in the region. “The insurgency situation in the North-East is dominated by what can be termed sub-national aspirations of groups within existing territorial divisions,” states the report, adding that the rest of the insurgent groups have ethnic aspirations.

Concerns about the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the North-East were raised by many Chief Ministers at the CMs' conference on security, which was recently held in Delhi. Expressing fears over the increasing influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants into his State, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said. “The decadal population growth rate between 1991 and 2001 as recorded in the 2001 census was 64.41 per cent — the highest in the country. Further, it is striking that the number of masjids and madrasas has increased from 27 to 28 in 2007 and 2008 in the State.”

Rio added, “During the same period (1991-2001), several areas in Dimapur and Wokha districts bordering Assam recorded exceptionally high rates of population growth. It is a fact that the silent and unchecked influx of illegal migrants in the district has played a crucial role in this abnormal growth and is slowly resulting in a change in the demographic profile of the inhabitants in certain parts of the State.”

Rio further said that such demographic changes required urgent attention as they would add to the tensions already prevailing in a volatile insurgency situation. The Nagaland CM also expressed apprehension over the involvement of Muslims in the NSCN (IM) for extortion and the community's involvement with HuJI and other terror groups.

“There is strong possibility of Islamic extremists establishing ‘sleeper cells’ in Nagaland by taking advantage of their contacts inside the State. Another possible scenario is that these Islamic extremist elements may either develop differences with the NSCN (IM) and form a rogue terrorist group or set up a new organisation with links to other Muslim extremist groups to further their own agenda,” the Nagaland CM had told the conference chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Similar apprehensions were also raised by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Arunachal Pradesh CM Dorjee Khandu, Tripura CM Manik Sarkar and Meghalaya CM DD Lapang.

As per the report by the Central Reserve Police Force, the number of insurgent groups in the North-East has surpassed the total number of such outfits at the national level and Islamists have infiltrated most of the groups.

With 43 active outfits in the small State of Manipur, it has exceeded the figures of active insurgent outfits reported for secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

While Assam has 38 active insurgent groups, Tripura has 32 similar organisations.

While both Meghalaya and Mizoram have six outfits each, Nagaland has four and Arunachal Pradesh has one insurgent group. In Manipur, Assam and Tripura, the terrorist groups have outnumbered the districts, highlights the report.

Inputs with the Centre also suggest that the groups have serious differences in terms of ideological positions, but there are various levels of operational understanding between them. The two main Naga outfits coordinate among various outfits in the region. The NSCN (K) has a functional understanding with ULFA and UNLF and the NSCN (IM) has similar arrangement with the PLA, ULFA and operational understanding with National Democratic Front of Bodoland and Kamtapur Liberation Organisation and NLFT. Most of these arrangements are for logistics such as training, movement, arms procurement and not direct operational intervention.

Despite the overall decline in insurgent activities, the spatial spread has not revealed any significant change. Active insurgent outfits -- like the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People's Liberation Army (PLA), Isaac-Muivah and Khaplang factions of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura -- represent the maximum levels of violent insurgent activities.

The year 2008 witnessed more violent incidents and deaths than the preceding year. According to the data available, 480 civilians and 742 insurgents were killed in 1,646 violent incidents in the North-East. Fifty-three security force personnel were killed in action and more than 1,000 arms were recovered from various terror groups.

In 2007, the region witnessed 1,490 violent incidents, in which 498 civilians and 503 insurgents were killed. During the period, 79 security personnel were also killed.

However, the number of bomb blasts decreased to 45 from a significant 83 explosions in 2007.

TROUBLE BREWING
- Insurgent groups supported by Bangladesh working on a long-term plan to create a separate homeland for Muslims in the North-East
- Such groups coming up with posters and banners demanding homeland in Muslim-dominated areas
- Insurgency in the region classified into three categories — ethnic/extortionist, terrorist and secessionist groups
- The secessionists essentially comprise Islamic fundamental groups and provide logistics support to the ethnic and terrorist groups
- With 43 such groups active in Manipur only, the figure of active insurgent outfits reported for secessionist activities is higher than in Jammu and Kashmir

muraliravi · Post by **muraliravi** » 29 Aug 2009 20:35

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090829/j ... 424612.jsp

Fencing on Bangla zero line

New Delhi, Aug. 28: The Centre will go ahead with a plan for barbed-wire fencing on the zero line of the border with Bangladesh, brushing aside Dhaka’s objections.

The decision was taken at a recent meeting held by Union home minister P. Chidambaram, who is to have asserted that India had every right to protect its borders from terrorists, insurgent groups and smugglers with bases in Bangladesh.

The home ministry’s border management division has been asked to draw up the plan for such fencing, with concertina wires, on a priority basis in sensitive areas along the border in Tripura, Assam and Bengal, where the sites include Raiganj, Jalpaiguri and Siliguri. Another spot on the list is Kishanganj in Bihar.

Dhaka has argued that fortification on the zero line — a no-man’s strip of land between the two borders — is not allowed under the Indira-Mujib accord of 1974 and says it must be done 150 yards from the line.

Security agencies believe the move will reduce smuggling sharply. Chidambaram is believed to have told the Border Security Force to assist the agency involved in the fencing.

Sources at the Bangladesh embassy in Delhi said they had no information from Dhaka about the zero line fencing.

Only 2,650km of the 4,095km porous border, in Bengal and the seven northeastern states, had been fenced till March this year, the government has told Parliament.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 06 Oct 2009 03:42

Manipur, still a part of India

More than something is rotten in the state of Manipur. And utter neglect lies at the source of the crippling problems that the people of Manipur are reeling from — for nearly 40 years now. Civil society in Imphal and across the state’s nine administrative districts has been squeezed out between insurgent groups who have found an opportunity to continue to ply their hafta (protection money) trade under the cover of ideology, and the total absence of law and order that the authorities have decided to leave unrepaired and leave conditions ripe for perpetual exploitation. To put it bluntly, Manipur is in ruins.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 18 Nov 2009 12:36

Note to admins: Can we narrow down the scope of this thread to NE terrorist watch? Constructive news could go to Indian Interests or other places.

The Ulfa duo were produced in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Kamrup, following expiry of their 10-day police remand. They were remanded to police custody on November 7 in connection with Special Operation Unit (SOU) case number 2/1998. Police today again sought them in their custody for another 10 days in the same case but the CJM rejected their prayer. However, the court sent them to 10-days police custody in another case number 1/2009 registered at Bharalumukh police station in connection with a bomb blast in Bhootnath area in January 1 this year.

“In the case number 1/2009, police have sought 14-days custody but the court remanded them to 10-days custody,” the counsel of the Ulfa duo, Bijon Mahajan said. The police had pleaded for their custody in SOU case stating that further interrogation of both the accused was needed to locate extortion money and Ulfa camps. “We have argued before the court that the interrogation of the accused during their 10-days custody in SOU case has neither led to recovery of any extortion money nor location of any Ulfa camp. Therefore, the police plea for their custody in the same case for another 10 days does not hold ground and after hearing our argument the court rejected the police prayer,” Mahajan said.

http://telegraphindia.com/1091118/jsp/n ... 752654.jsp
But Assam Tribune says something slightly different...

The case 1/2009 was registered following a bomb blast in the Bhutnath area under Bharalumukh police station, advocate Bijon Mahajan said. It may be recalled that ULFA’s foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury and finance secretary Chitraban Hazarika were, on the earlier occasion (November 7), sent to ten days’ police custody in connection with a case bearing number 2/98 registered with the Special Operation Unit (SOU) of the Assam Police.

The duo was handed over to the Border Security Force by security forces of Bangladesh and was subsequently handed over to Assam Police. The SOU today sought another 14 days’ of custody of the two top leaders of the banned outfit on the basis of three new cases, each registered with Bharalumukh, Bhangagarh and Paltan Bazar police stations. The court, however, entertaining the Bharalumukh case, remanded the duo to ten days’ of police custody and stated that the pleas pertaining to other two cases would be considered subsequently. All the three cases are blast-related. Both Choudhury and Hazarika and were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which was amended recently.

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/det ... v1809/at03
On the contrary, the US can hold Rana and Headly for 58 days. Tighten up the holding time for these oiseaules, change the damn laws. If the beacon of demogaugery

can hold folks for 58+ days and ve gitmo et al, with warts and all, we can have a gazillion days. Throw the terrorists into the jail for eternity lest we cant get useful info frm em.

NIA chargesheets Hojai, Jewel
http://telegraphindia.com/1091118/jsp/f ... 754084.jsp
NIA files chargesheet against 14
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/det ... v1809/at01

Rs 10 cr loss in NRL train blaze, ultra hand suspected
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/det ... v1809/at06

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 19 Nov 2009 09:55

Terrorist watch and other matters....

Peace talk envoy to tour state

Guwahati, Nov. 18: The Centre’s representative for peace talks with militant outfits in Assam will be embarking on a maiden two-day stock-taking visit to the state capital here from tomorrow. Sources here said this evening that former Intelligence Bureau director P.C. Haldar will hold one-to-one talks with chief secretary P.C. Sharma in the afternoon. He will then interact with other officials for an update on the prevailing state of affairs before he gets in touch with leaders of the outfits.

The visit assumes significance as it conveys the seriousness of the Centre to start talks with outfits in ceasefire. It comes less than a month after Haldar’s appointment on October 30 as interlocutor for talks with the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel), United People’s Democratic Solidarity and the pro-talks faction of NDFB. Haldar will be the first to act as interlocutor for talks with Assam outfits. The interaction with the chief secretary is in accordance with Union home minister P. Chidambaram’s announcement that Dispur would be kept in the loop before Haldar starts negotiations with the groups.

“It is also important because Haldar will be the first to act as interlocutor for Assam outfits. For long, outfits in ceasefire have complained that the Centre is not serious about solving the problem as political talks are yet to start. Haldar’s visit is aimed at removing this misconception. He will now become the Centre’s pointsman for talks with the outfits who can now directly discuss their grievances, hopes, aspirations and demands for resolution of their problem,” a source said.

http://telegraphindia.com/1091119/jsp/f ... 758764.jsp
Following filing of chargesheet by the NIA,

DHD cadres flee camp with weapons

Silchar/Guwahati, Nov. 18: Several cadres of the Dima Halam Daogah (Dilip) group have fled their designated camps with weapons over the past three days, jolting the police and administration out of their slumber. Confirming the desertions, DHD (Dilip) chairman Dilip Nunisa today blamed it on the cadres’ frustration over the slow progress of talks with the government. The 800-odd cadres of the group surrendered in 2003, after which they were accommodated in five designated camps — one in Karbi Anglong and the rest in North Cachar Hills.

Nunisa said over phone from Haflong that the first desertion by 11 unarmed cadres was from a camp in Umrangsu, an industrial town 140km from Haflong, on Sunday. Last night, yet another band of four cadres fled from the Deogbra camp, 120km from the district headquarters town, taking at least four AK-47 assault rifles with them. All the deserters are from lower ranks, Nunisa said. Police in Haflong suspect that the deserters could join the outfit’s James Dimasa group which did not come overground during the mass surrender of the DHD (Jewel) on October 2. The James group is said to comprise 20-25 cadres.

The names of the fugitives are yet to be collected by both the police and Nunisa’s associates. Both desertions point to the lax security system at the camps, where the arms are to be kept inside a storeroom, one key of which is to be in the possession of police and another with militants. Both the police and DHD (Dilip) are probing how these arms were carried away from the camp by the deserters. The system of double-locking of arms was introduced only two months ago before the capitulation of the dissident group of the DHD, led by Niranjan Hojai, on October 2 before chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

Before that, the rebels were allowed to carry arms when they were on “duty” or on occasional visits to their homes. Nunisa said the rank and file was frustrated over the Centre’s procrastination in arriving at an amicable settlement on their demand for a separate Dimaraji state and other sundry economic and social demand packages. {well, rightly so, we have enough states in the NE.} He said both the police and his associates have now launched a manhunt for the deserters.

http://telegraphindia.com/1091119/jsp/f ... 758763.jsp

Dispur wakes up after train fire

Guwahati, Nov. 18: Dispur today sounded a warning to the security forces against more attacks by Ulfa in the coming days after the one on a train carrying fuel on Monday night. The warning was issued on a day the People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives in Assam reiterated its demand that the government hold talks with the outfit that has “expressed its willingness for a dialogue”. Experts of the Forensic Science Laboratory yesterday inspected the blast site at Changpul near Lumding.

The Telegraph had last week reported Ulfa’s plan to avenge the arrests of its foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury and finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika. The intelligence agencies came to know about it from radio intercepts. Sources said stung by Monday night’s attack, the government had taken serious note of the intelligence report and alerted security forces across the state. “There is an alert,” a source confirmed, adding that Ulfa was likely to carry out more strikes before it reveals its mind on talks with the government, as was recently stated by the outfit’s chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa.

“This is an old ploy of muscle-flexing before talks to enable it to be in a position of strength when, and if at all, the talks take place,” he said. He said though certain areas had already been identified where the outfit could strike, “we are alert all over the state”. The PCPIA today appealed to the government and Ulfa for resumption of talks. A PCPIA delegation will visit New Delhi on November 22 to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, home minister P. Chidambaram and Opposition leader L.K. Advani to impress upon them the need to revive the stalled peace process between the Centre and Ulfa.

The delegation will also meet MPs from the Northeast and urge them to facilitate resumption of the peace process. On Monday night, of the 51 wagons of the train set on fire, 12 carrying fuel were gutted. The train was on its way to Panki near Kanpur where it was to be offloaded at a Bharat Petroleum depot.

http://telegraphindia.com/1091119/jsp/n ... 756710.jsp
Delhi succour for region ---- Common industrial growth mooted
http://telegraphindia.com/1091119/jsp/n ... 757389.jsp

Victor · Post by **Victor** » 04 Dec 2009 07:59

Arabinda in Indian custody, Ranjan Daimary, Raju Baruah to be in Delhi shortly

Outlawed ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and another cadre of the outfit are in custody of Government of India and hectic behind-the-scene moves are on to start negotiations. Highly-placed sources confided that Rajkhowa is in safe hands and currently kept in a ‘safe and highly secured location’. It is also learnt that he is not being subjected to interrogation and is being ‘treated well’. Only four-five top officials of the Intelligence Bureau have access to him and are reportedly talking to him from time to time.

Paresh Barua had fled to Burma some time ago and says "struggle will continue". If he didn't say that, he would be finished off by the Chinese, his current hosts.

Gogoi sounds Rajkhowa out on peace talks

Officials said Rajkhowa -- believed to be in the custody of Indian agencies along the Indo-Bangla border near Tripura -- was studying Gogoi's offer and simultaneously negotiating with Paresh Baruah, the commander-in-chief of Ulfa, to join the peace process.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 04 Dec 2009 09:06

last chance for paresh barua to do something creative with his life.

money will not be an issue. they could float some small party and ally with the Cong(I)
to enjoy some loaves and fishes.

but the biggest reward is finally being with their families after decades in the bush.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 06 Dec 2009 00:42

United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, wearing spectacles, arrives at a court in Gauhati, India, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009. Rajkhowa was arrested along with a top deputy, officials said Friday, in a major blow to a separatist army already crippled by a string of arrests.

United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) supporters shout pro-ULFA slogans at a court in Gauhati, India, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009. The commander of a powerful rebel movement in India's remote northeast was arrested along with a top deputy, officials said Friday, in a major blow to the separatist army already thought to be crippled by a string of arrests.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 10 Dec 2009 08:17

Ulfa leaders’ children speak Bengali, not Assamese

The children of Ulfa chairman Aravinda Rajkhowa, who supposedly fought all his life for establishing an identity for his people, do not even know that they are Assamese.

Born in Bangladesh, they are not even aware that their father is a dreaded rebel leader wanted in India for terror activities. They think he is a businessman, a little different, though.
The story is similar when it comes to the children of other two leaders of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom, who officially surrendered to the Indian authorities in Meghalaya last Friday along with Rajkhowa — deputy commander-in-chief Raju Barua and ‘foreign secretary’ Sashadhar Choudhury.

Rajkhowa’s children know him by his ‘Bangladeshi identity’ — Mijanur Rahman Choudhury. Barua’s daughter knows her father as Anees Ahmed, while Shishirkana thinks her father Sashadhar Choudhury is actually Rafiqul Islam.
The children, however, will have to unravel many deceptions. For, the person who is now known as Aravinda Rajkhowa was Rajib Rajkonwar in his earlier life, while Hitesh Kalita turned into Raju Barua and Palash Phukan became Raja Bora.

While the three leaders surrendered, they had three women and four children with them. The women are Rajkhowa’s wife and head of Ulfa’s women’s wing Kaveri Kachari (42), ‘foreign secretary’ Choudhury’s wife Runima Chetia (41) and Raju Barua’s wife Nirola Neog (30).

The wives and the children — Rajkhowa’s daughter Khonsang Bohagi (13) and son Gadadhar (10), Choudhury’s daughter Shishirkana (8) and Barua’s daughter Pragati (10) —are being kept in a guesthouse of the Assam Police here.

“The children know each other and are used to being called by their Muslim names,” said Inspector General of Police (Special Branch) Khagen Sarma, “They speak Bengali and are not aware that they are Assamese. They are also not aware they are Hindus.”

“The children are convinced they are Bangladeshis. This shows the level of indoctrination by the ISI of Pakistan and the jihadi groups, which have been controlling the Ulfa and its subversive operations,” said an intelligence official on condition of anonymity.

The Assam Police have assigned Bengali-speaking officers to communicate with the rebels’ families.

On Monday, Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate Robin Phukan sent Ulfa ‘foreign secretary’ Sashadhar Choudhury and ‘finance secretary’ Chitrabon Hazarika to Guwahati jail. The Border Security Force arrested the two near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura last month.

Choudhury and Hazarika will have three fellow Ulfa leaders for company in the jail — vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary and cultural secretary Pranati Deka

arun · Post by **arun** » 10 Jan 2010 11:45

May not be anything more than one Bangladeshi political party trying to smear another as I doubt that the Pakistani's would be stupid enough to create such an openly incriminatory trail by meeting a terrorist in a third country where they lack the ability to completely cloak such a meeting:

'BNP arranged Musharraf-Chetia meet in Dhaka'

Dhaka, Jan 8 (bdnews24.com)—The local government minister has alleged the previous BNP-led coalition government had arranged a meeting between former Pakistan military ruler General Pervez Musharraf and India's separatist ULFA leader Anup Chetia in Dhaka.

Syed Ashraful Islam, also Awami League general secretary, made the claim on Friday at a roundtable on prime minister Sheikh Hasina's forthcoming India visit and Bangladesh-India bilateral relation.

"Pervez Musharraf had a one and a half hours meeting with detained UFLA leader Anup Chetia at his hotel room during a visit when BNP and [Jamaat-e-Islami] were in power," he told the roundtable held at the National Press Club.

"You can guess what had been discussed in such long meeting."

The Pakistan strongman had visited Bangladesh in July 2002. Secretary general of the secessionist organisation, Chetia is currently detained in a Bangladesh jail since his arrest in 1998.

The ULFA has been pursuing an armed struggle since 1979 with the professed objective of liberating the hydrocarbon-rich northeastern Indian state of Assam from what they term as New Delhi's 'colonial rule'. Thousands have died during its insurgent campaign. ................

BD News 24

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 15 Jan 2010 05:21

x-posting.

SwamyG wrote:So Stilwell Road is being opened. What does that mean?

1. Reopening of the Stilwell Road means the distance between India and China will reduce from 6000kms to less than 1750kms.
2. It will help Assam and Yunan, China; apart from trade in Burma and Thailand.
3. Business in NE India: NE India has now a chance to become a major hub for Indian auto components, produce (fruits, grains & vegetables), textiles and cotton.
4. India will stand to benefit in getting electronic gadgets, synthetic blankets, teak, semi-precious stones from SE Asia.

Source

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 15 Jan 2010 19:52

http://www.sentinelassam.com/mainnews/s ... pr=1#25676
100 new helipads proposed for NE

The Assam Rifles proposes to construct over 100 helipads in the north-eastern States for quick mobilization of its troopers along the 1,600-km Myanmar border even as it plans to raise 26 battalions to add to the existing 46.

“We have proposed the construction of over 100 helipads to the Ministry of Home Affairs. These helipads would be constructed all over the north-eastern States for quick mobilization of troopers, dealing with medical emergencies and supplying rations,” Assam Rifles chief Lt General KS Yadava told IANS here.

“We hope this proposal would be cleared by year-end. These helipads would be built along the India-Myanmar border because the terrain is very vast and difficult. It takes days to cover even a few kilometres. It would be to largely support the 26 additional battalions which we will be raising in the next 10 years for deployment along the 1,600-km India-Myanmar border,” Yadava added.

He said three to four battalions would be raised every year. Infrastructure like roads will also be developed.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 22 Jan 2010 02:24

Trade from and to the South East Asia played an important role in India's connection to SE Asia; and also had a positive impact on India's economy.

Imphal-Mandalay bus service awaits New Delhi nod: Jayenta

In a press meet held this afternoon at his office chamber, Jayenta stated that Manipur shares cultural affinities with Myanmar and other South East Asian countries and so there is a great necessity to build up good relation between the Manipuris and other SE Asian people especially the Myanmarese.

As a gesture of maintaining good relation with Myanmar the state government has proposed bus service from Imphal to Mandalay but the Central government has not yet given the clearance to start such service, he noted.

After the commission of this bus service the state will get benefits in terms of economy and other cultural aspects and also the Myanmarese would get chance to travel to their pilgrimage at Bodhagaya (Bihar) at a very low cost, he added.

In an overall view, the look east policy will help to establish a good relation with the South East Asian countries and in view of such visionary policy the state should try to develop its transport and tourism industries, he asserted.

chilarai · Post by **chilarai** » 27 Jan 2010 06:24

Children from Manipur and Assam rescued from Chennai “orphanage”

was this reported in chennai/TN local newspapers ?

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 03 Feb 2010 20:38

http://www.dailypioneer.com/233513/Sove ... ember.html

Sovereignty wasn't on ULFA's agenda initially: Founder member

The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom's (ULFA) demand for sovereignty or independence - now the major stumbling block for opening peace talks with the government - was not on its agenda when the outfit was formed 30 years ago in Assam.

"When we formed the ULFA, sovereignty was not in our scheme of things, nor did we ever contemplate on this demand," said Bhupen Borgohain, one of the founder-members of the ULFA.

"We met and formed the ULFA with the avowed objective of seeking economic independence or economic liberation as we believed the natural resources of Assam were being exploited by the central government," 63-year-old Borgohain told IANS in an interview.

Borgohain and six others met at the ramparts of the historic Rang Ghar, an amphitheatre of the Ahom Royalty in the eastern town of Sivasagar, and gave birth to the ULFA on April 7, 1979.

Big names like chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and the elusive commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah were late entrants.

"Both Rajkhowa and Paresh Baruah joined the ULFA a couple of years after it was formed," Borgohain said.

"We never formed the outfit to wage an armed struggle but wanted economic liberation by way of drumming up public opinion and mass movement," Borgohain said.

"I know Paresh Baruah as a hardliner as he in the initial years told us not to ever believe in the Indian government and never to sit for talks. So I believe Paresh Baruah would never ever come for talks," Borgohain said.

In the last two decades, around 10,000 people have died in the insurgency in Assam.