Militant Outfits in Peace Process Flouting Ceasefire Ground Rules

Guwahati, Feb 13 : Militants outfits in the state, which are in peace talks with the government, have been flouting ceasefire ground rules at will. Since 2002, when the United People's Democratic Solidarity went into ceasefire, Assam Police have arrested 620 cadres of various outfits in talks on charges of extortion, kidnapping and other crimes.

The outfits have also violated the ground rules by carrying weapons outside the designated camps. In the last 9 years, police have seized about 180 weapons. It is mandatory for all these outfits to deposit all their arms before starting dialogue.

The cadres of the outfits, who stay in designated camps, are allowed to keep some weapons with themselves for guarding their camps but are not permitted to exhibit them outside the camps.

"If anyone of them is seen outside the camps with arms, we immediately arrest them and seize the weapons," a source said.

"There are six outfits in peace talks with a combined cadre strength of 3354 staying in 24 designated camps. The two Dima Halam Daogah factions - Nunisa and Jewel groups - are the biggest violators," the source added.

From the two DHD factions, the police have arrested as many as 462 cadres and have seized 82 weapons. The Nunisa group declared truce in 2003 while the Jewel faction entered the peace process in 2009. This group is the key player in the huge financial scam in NC Hills Autonomous Council by siphoning off development funds to its coffers. Two cadres of the outfits have also been killed in encounters with security forces, while in the peace process.

The Ulfa's pro-talks faction, which has declared ceasefire in October last year, have also been flouting the rules and 26 of its members have been arrested so far along with 18 weapons. Similarly, 46 members of NDFB (Progressive), which entered the peace process in 2005, have been arrested on charges of kidnappings and extortion. From them 37 weapons have been seized so far.

The Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), which declared ceasefire in 2010 has also flouted the rules for which police have arrested 22 of its cadres and seized 23 weapons. If these outfits are not enough, another nine outfits of the state - Kuki Revolutionary Army, United Kukigram Defence Army, Hmar people Convention (D), Kuki Liberation Army, Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam, Birsa Commando Force, Santhal Tiger Force, All Adivasi National Liberation Army and Adivasi peoples Army - have laid down arms in one of the biggest development on January 24. These outfits together have 1659 cadres, who will be put up in 18 new designated camps.

Singer Whitney Houston Dies at 48

Whitney Houston sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos over her career.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Representative: Singer Whitney Houston has died at age 48

She sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos

The entertainer has struggled with addiction problems

Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston has died at age 48, representative Kristen Foster said Saturday night.


The cause of death and where she died were not immediately known.
According to her official website, Houston, who struggled with addiction problems over the years, sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos over her career.

Houston was set to appear in this year's "Sparkle," a remake of the 1976 hit, which was loosely based on the story of The Supremes. It was her first movie role since 1996's "The Preacher's Wife."

Her body of work includes seven straight Billboard No. 1 hits in the 1980s, including "Saving All My Love for You," "Greatest Love of All" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go." Billboard puts her soundtrack to the movie "The Bodyguard" as one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all time. She also starred in the film.
The daughter of singer Cissy Houston, Whitney was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. Famed music producer Clive Davis reportedly spotted Houston 20 years later in a New York nightclub, signing her on the spot, according to her website.

Her rendition of the national anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl, days into the first Persian Gulf War, earned raves and cemented her place in the American musical landscape.

After "The Bodyguard," Houston went on to appear in several more films in the 1990s, including "Waiting to Exhale."

In 2000, Houston earned her sixth Grammy for best female R&B performance and, a month later, she was named female artist of the decade at the "Soul Train" Music Awards.

Her career stalled, however, in subsequent years as she entered rehab for addiction problems.

In May 2011, Houston got help for her much-publicized struggle with drugs and alcohol, her representative said at the time.

Tipaimukh Under Hmar Extremists’ Control

By Anwarul Karim


Kolkata, Feb 10 : The members of an extremist group of the Hmar, a dominant tribe of Tipaimukh, control the vast area adjacent to the much-talked-about Tipaimukh Dam project.

Several militant organizations are active in Manipur State with different demands. But, Hmar Peoples Convention-Democratic’ (HPC-D) is the most influential extremist group.

Banglanews correspondent got the information while visiting the impassable and hill tract areas of Jiribam, Senbum and Churachandpur districts of the state.

HPC-D does not want the Tipaimukh Dam on Barak River. They also vowed several times to prevent the construction of the dam.

Wholesaler of Fulertol market Pradeep Pal told banglanews the daily essential demands of one third people in Monirampur is supplied from the Fulertol Port.

He added: “Though Bangla-spoken people are the majority in Fulertol, but Hmar is the dominant in the area.”

Barak River is the easiest way of communications in Tipaimukh and adjacent areas. So, the main aim of HPC-D and other extremists is to establish control over the river.

The HPC-D sets Check-post, Kachurbali, in 10-kilometer far from Jakuradahr. All boats plying in Barak River are compelled to stop at the check-post.

No boat can play on Barak River sans the license provided by HPC-D. They issued a number written on a steel plate as ‘license’, the boatmen have to paste it in front of their boats.

Each big size boat has to pay Rs 2,000 to HPC-D per year for playing on the river.
On condition of anonymity, owner of an engine-driven boat in Barak River told banglanews that they have no fear about the toll collection by the extremists. They give the money happily.

He said, “We had not any security of lives to go upstream from Jakuradahr earlier three to four years. But now we are secured for HPC-D.”

However, the boat owners, boatmen and passengers of Barak River are panicked of the sub extremist groups. They behaved like the terrorists of Bangladesh.

A boatman said the small extremist groups feared of the HPC-D members.

Headway in Aizawl Mono Rail Project

End of traffic troubles

Aizawl, Feb 10 : The proposal of the Congress-ruled Mizoram government to build a 5km mono rail network across the hill capital town of Aizawl to ease traffic has made considerable headway.

The state government has now asked the RITES, Rail India Technical & Economic Services Limited, an engineering and consultancy subsidiary of the Indian Railways, with its headquarters in Lucknow, to prepare a technical as well as economic feasibility report of this mono rail system in Aizawl town.

Minister for urban development and sports Zodintluanga told The Telegraph that the entire project would be funded by the Centre. He, however, could not give an estimate for the scheme. The cost structure could only be known once the feasibility report is prepared, he added.

The minister said once the report is completed by the RITES by early next year, it would be placed before the Centre for the phase-wise grant of funds.

Zodintluanga said the proposed mono rail network inside Aizawl would run in a phased manner from Zemabawk in the town’s northern end to Kulikawn locality in the south, a distance of about 5km.

The overcrowded Aizawl town is now chock-a-block with cars and so the traffic moves at a snail’s space there, causing much discomfort to the people. According to an official report, Aizawl town alone at present boasts about 30,000 cars.

Zodintluanga said the masterplan for the beautification, which includes laying of more new roads in the capital town of Aizawl, has been drawn. He said the thrust of first masterplan of Aizawl town will be to lay more roads on its western side between Sairong in the northwest and Melbawk in the south to divert traffic meant for Lunglei town in the south and Champai town in the west.

The minister said more roads in Aizawl would help ease traffic in the town.

Aquaculture Development in Mizoram To Get A Boost

Bhubaneswar, Feb 10 : The Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneswar a constituent of Indian Council of Agricultural Research would promote freshwater aquaculture in Mizoram through provision of enabling technologies, training programmes, demonstrations, and other critical inputs. 

As a part of this initiative the Institute has organized a training programme on ‘Aquaculture for Entrepreneurship Development in Mizoram’   in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mamit during 1-3 February 2012 at KVK, Lengpui.

The training programme was inaugurated by Hon’ble Secretary DARE & Director General ICAR Dr. S. Ayyappan. Programme coordinators of all 7 KVKs of the state were represented in addition to Subject Matter Specialists, and other staff members.

The DG suggested that instead of going for several species and technologies in this north east state, focus should be on few species of regional importance and most enabling technologies.

He asked CIFA to make arrangements for providing FRP Portable hatchery, portable aquaculture kits, ornamental fish units and fishing nets to the fish farmers through KVKs of the state.


Dr B Meenakumari, DDG (Fy.), ICAR emphasized on the need for synergy in fish culture and post-harvest technologies for holistic development of the sector. Dr. P. Jayasankar, Director, CIFA  assured all possible help to develop freshwater aquaculture in Mizoram as means of income and employment generation, as well as for food and nutritional security of the people.

IIM Shillong To Send Bureaucrats To China

Guwahati, Feb 10 : Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong is rolling out an advanced management programme for bureaucrats in the northeastern states in collaboration with Ocean University of China, from February 17 this year.

To begin with, nearly 20 bureaucrats from Meghalaya will be trained in China on the Chinese way of doing business. IIM plans to cover other states in a phased manner.

IIM-Shillong has signed a memorandum of understanding with Ocean University of China, and the five-day course will be conducted in the university's campus in Qingdao. The fee per participant is nearly Rs 2 lakh.

"We are also in talks with governments of other northeastern states for this course, and by next year, officials of these states will be taken for the course," IIM Shillong director Ashoke Dutta told ET.

The course will involve understanding Chinese business and its growth. "It will include a field visit. The economic transformation of China, state functioning and culture, besides operation of foreign direct investment and urban development will be the focus," says Dutta.

The whole idea of this programme is to establish people-to-people contact and learn from Chinese experience, he adds. "China to wants greater engagement with India and Northeast India is a good platform to do so."

The Northeast's bilateral trade with its neighbour is dismal. During 2010-11, total export from the region was worth around Rs 861.14 crore. "China has emerged as an important trading partner of India and the European Union, and knowing China has become very important for us," he adds. As part of its Look East policy which came into existence a decade ago, India is making attempts to foster greater economic ties with Asian countries.

"Meghalaya is looking to become the launching pad of the Look East policy. This region has close proximity with the emerging economics of South East Asia," adds Dutta.

Assam Demands Dedicated Railway Zone For Northeast

Guwahati, Feb 10 : Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has demanded that Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) be declared as a dedicated railway zone exclusively for the North Eastern states in this year’s railway budget.

Gogoi, while stressing on the need for “good connectivity from Assam, so critical for the people of the state and also other North Eastern states,” placed the demand during his meeting with Union railway minister Dinesh Trivedi in New Delhi.

Presently, parts of eastern Bihar and North Bengal are also included in NFR, which is headquartered at Maligaon in Guwahati.

Gogoi had placed the same demand before former railway minister Mamta Banerjee last year, but the same was not met in the last year’s railway budget.

Gogoi also demanded laying of new railway line connecting Salona to Kumtai and Jorhat to Sivasagar. “I told Trivedi that if a new line is laid between these two sections, the distance between Guwahati and Upper Assam will be considerably reduced,” said Gogoi. Gogoi added that he also urged Trivedi for a new railway line linking Tirap to Lekhapani to help transportation of coal to upcoming Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station.

He also requested the railway minister to initiate steps to set up the wagon manufacturing facility at Amingaon, near Guwahati, which was announced in railway budget of 2010, besides upgradation and modernization of coach workshops at Bongaigaon and Dibrugarh.

Gogoi also demanded introduction of a new daily express train, preferable the Durnoto Express, between Guwahati and Chennai, via Kolkata, and between Guwahati and Mumbai to “cut short the enormous time the existing trains take to travel to southern and western parts of the country”. Gogoi also demanded introduction of a new super fast express train connecting Jorhat-Sivasagar-Moran-Dibrugarh.

Gogoi requested Trivedi for doubling of railway track from New Bongaigaon to Guwahati via Rangiya and Guwahati to Tinsukia via Lumding as well as electrification from Katihar to Guwahati.

Other proposals taken up by the chief minister include modernization and improvement of railway stations at Guwahati, Tinsukia, Jorhat and Bongaigoan, railway level crossing at important unmanned locations across the state and setting up of an integrated freight complex at Changsari, near Guwahati.

Gogoi also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, requesting him to consider the proposals submitted by the state and for their inclusion in the railway budget.

300 Trucks Bound For Manipur Stranded on Assam Border

By Iboyaima Laithangbam

Imphal, Feb 8 : Over 300 loaded trucks bound for Imphal are stranded at Jiribam, bordering Assam, along the 225-km-long National Highway 37 for five days due to the absence of armed Manipur paramilitary personnel to escort them. The Jiribam police said the trucks were being provided protection in the interim.

A number of militant groups extort illegal taxes while highwaymen loot passengers occasionally. Some drivers, who had plied in small numbers without armed paramilitary personnel, were waylaid, beaten up on the charge that the owners had not paid various taxes, and their vehicles torched.

As the trucks transport goods regularly, a blockade-like situation prevails in Manipur. Last year, there were blockades for 123 days as the Kuki and the Naga tribals made demands over the formation of a new district. However, the blockade was suspended on December 1 to facilitate a visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on December 3 to inaugurate a slew of new constructions.

Goods rot

Talking to The Hindu, some traders said perishable items in the stranded trucks were rotting. Besides, the transporters were charging more for the inordinate delay. As a result, the traders had to jack up the prices.

Prices of all consumer items and construction materials remain exorbitant. Till recently, fuel was strictly rationed with most of the oil pumps remaining closed. However, at the direction of the Election Commission, the pumps were opened. Sources say that soon after the March 6 counting for the Assembly polls, fuel will become scarce since the trucks and oil tankers cannot be provided armed escorts along the highways on a daily basis.

The other lifeline is National Highway 39 that snakes through Nagaland. Many trucks and oil tankers avoid it fearing extortions and manhandling of the drivers, though the road condition is better.

Raising a highway protection force to prevent blockades by some tribal groups was one of the main election issues of the political parties contesting the January 28 Assembly polls.