Assamese Gamocha Makes it To Guinness

Guwahati, Apr 9 : The traditional Assamese gamocha is making headlines - at home and abroad.

In the presence of Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, the Assamese gamocha was given an international recognition on Monday under the category of "the world's longest hand-woven feat of silk" in New Delhi.

Measuring at mammoth 1455.3 metres, the feat was accomplished by Abhijeet Baruah in the national capital and was recognized by the Guinness World Records. Baruah broke the previous record held by one J Mammato from Indonesia.

The silk gamocha had imprints of different historical and heritage symbols of Assam like the Rang Ghar, Majuli, Sankardeva, Bhupen Hazarika and the one-horn rhino.

"It was my idea on which I have worked for the last six months. The main purpose of this was to showcase the Assamese gamocha in front of the world and to tell people that we have more to show and represent. Ten people were involved in making the gamocha and the entire thing weighs around 138 kg," said Baruah.

Baruah, who already has 11 different world records, now has two Guinness records with this feat.

"With the recent Sualkuchi incident, it is now required to protect indigenous items and give them the respect. I want to offer my thanks to Kaziranga University, Joon Hazarika, Sumnagal Dutta and Manna Dey for their help," said Baruah.

The gamocha was put on display at the India Gate lawns. Union DoNER minister Paban Singh Ghatowar and other dignitaries were present. As it was rolled out, the gamocha left everyone spellbound. Baruah was given a certificate by Fortuna Burke, an official of the Guinness World Records. Gogoi was so impressed that he announced incentives for Baruah and the workers.

With Bihu around the corner, it was a perfect gift for Assam and its people.

It may be mentioned that cheap polyester-made gamochas are giving a tough fight to the traditional hand-woven ones these days.

Though the shopkeepers say the sale of traditional gamochas are satisfactory ahead of Bihu, the polyester-made gamochas are surely a threat to the weavers as they are being sold as cotton gamochas in many places.

Gorkha’s Burn Effigy of Former Minister Over Monkey, Dog Eat Remark

Dharamshala: A BJP legislator suggesting that deploying Gorkha or Naga regiment in monkey and stray dog infested area would help to contain their population as they do eat them has angered Gorkha residents, who have demanded an immediate apology from the lawmaker.

Agitated members of Bharatiya Gorkha Praisangh here, today, burnt an effigy of Ravinder Singh Ravi for having stated during a debate in the Vidhan Sabha posting Gorkha and Naga regiments in the state would help to contain the menace exploding monkey population and stray dogs.

Media reports quoted Ravi have suggested during a debate on April 5 that “If Gorkha or Naga regiments are posted in Himachal from time to time, it will definitely have an impact on the population of monkeys.”

He is also reported to have claimed monkey was a delicacy for Gorkhas and Nagas. Ravi also said, “Black dogs are a favourite food of Gorkhas and this would help maintain ecological balance.”

Pained and shocked at this racist jibe against the Gorkhas, the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh has demanded action from both the Speakers of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Brij Behair Lal Butail,  BJP President Rajnath Singh and Himachal Pradesh BJP President Satpal Singh Satti against the erring MLA.

Saying Ravi had misused the floor of a Constitutional House, the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh has requested the Speaker to expunge these remarks from the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly and to take appropriate action against Ravi.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh told Rajnath Singh that it was especially shocking to have a BJP MLA uttering such demeaning, and utterly erroneous, references to the community because only in the month of March, the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh had met Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad and Manohar Parikkar in Panaji to apprise them of the status of Gorkhas in India and had been assured of the BJP’s attention both to their issues and their demand for Gorkhaland.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh has asked both the Speakers and Rajnath Singh to take action against Ravinder Ravi and have him immediately tender an apology to not only the Gorkhas, but also the Naga community.

Mizo Music Industry Lagging Behind: Mami Varte

Guwahati, Apr 8 : Popular Mizoram singer Mami Varte on Saturday said the Mizo music industry is still lagging behind and young talents are fighting to uphold the state's culture. While receiving the FILadies' Organisation (FLO) Award here, she called for more efforts to popularize Mizo music internationally.

Every year, the FLO, northeast chapter, honours northeast women who have reached a distinguished level of success in their profession. This year, the FLO awards were given to three women from NE. Besides Varte, the two other recipients were Assamsese actress Arati Baruah and singer Archana Mahanta.

Speaking at the awards function, Varte said there are a lot of talented singers in Mizoram but they haven't been able to utilize their talent due to lack of proper platform. She urged the government to take up steps to promote the singers and the industry. Gradually, the interest of the youth towards learning music is increasing, but there is a need for a proper platform to showcase their talents at the national as well as international level, she added.

"The people of Mizoram have a craving for pop music, rock, jazz and hard metal songs for which the folk songs of Mizoram are losing their significance. But now we are trying to revive the folk music by giving it a modern touch. Every song has influence of folk music. Folk music is something where the root of music exists and it reflects our culture. So, we should not forget our culture," she added.

Arati Baruah, while receiving the FLO award, said the Assamese film industry underwent a lot of changes. "Things are not the same as it was in our times. Now, the films made in this part of the state have Bollywood touch as a result of which there is a lack of originality. The films should be made in such a way so that they reflect the Assamese culture and tradition," she said

Speaking on the folk music of Assam, Archana Mahanta said the interest of people towards folk music is increasing. Many new singers have come up and they are also working to promote folk music, she added.

Chinese Arms Fuelling Northeast Rebels?

By Manimugdha S Sharma

New Delhi, Apr 8 : On March 12, a question was raised in the Lok Sabha if insurgent groups in the northeastern states have been acquiring sophisticated weapons from China via Myanmar. Minister of state for home M Ramachandran replied in the negative saying that the Chinese leadership has assured that the country will not fan insurgency or encourage separatist elements in the region.

However, photographic evidence seems to suggest otherwise.

Two photographs accessed by TOI show Chinese characters (possibly indicating firing modes) on an AK-56 rifle, and ULFA cadres assembling sophisticated Heckler & Koch 33 assault rifles somewhere in the jungles of the region. A senior Assam Police officer involved in counter-insurgency operations says they are aware of ultras using sophisticated weapons.

"The favourite sidearm of insurgents nowadays is what we call the star pistol. It's highly accurate and very stable. The ones we have seized don't have the 'Made in China' tag, but have a star and a logo. The star probably is the red star that communist countries use. We have not seized any HK 33 rifle so far, but we know they have it," he says.

The HK 33 assault rifle has a higher muzzle velocity and rate of fire than the AK-47, the preferred weapon of guerrilla fighters all over the world.

The ULFA cadres, like many other militant outfits in the region, allegedly get these weapons from four major arms syndicates based out of Yunnan, China. The syndicates buy these weapons in auctions allegedly held by the Royal Thai Armed Forces every few years.

"These syndicates are believed to be run by retired People's Liberation Army (PLA) men with good access to Chinese military resources," says Rajeev Bhattacharya who has written a pictorial book on militancy titled 'Lens and the Guerrilla: Insurgency in India's Northeast'. He adds that insurgent groups who fail to strike deals with Thai or Burmese arms cartels straightaway approach the Yunnan syndicates that facilitate the deals and supply of consignments through Myanmar. "I was in an ULFA camp when they received the HK 33 consignment. The factory marks and serial numbers had been scratched off, making it difficult for anyone to make out where these weapons originated, but these weapons didn't seem old and performed really well in the firing range."

So is it advantage rebels now? "Not quite. Any sophisticated weapon could be more of a liability than an asset if it's not handled by a conventional army," says strategic analyst Major General (retd) Dipankar Banerjee. "In Myanmar, the Kachin rebels are well supplied and fight pitched battles; they can afford to fight with sophisticated weapons. But in the northeast, rebels face a lot of constraints; years of army operations have blocked many supply routes and brought down weapon proliferation in the region. They need a weapon that needs bare minimum maintenance and also comes cheap. AK is such a weapon." He adds that after the Sheikh Hasina government came to power in Bangladesh, the arms trade through that country has come down substantially. "That is the reason why the insurgents have once more started buying arms from Myanmar and Thailand. This activity may have some tacit support from the Chinese government."

Woman's Murder Sparks Protests in Manipur

Imphal, Apr 8 : In the aftermath of the brutal murder of a  woman  N.Satyabhama Devi, 32, the Joint Action Committee has enforced an indefinite Manipur Bandh since Saturday.

The JAC has demanded immediate arrest of the killer and has demanded punishment within five days.

All business establishments remained closed and schools did not open

Large number of men and women came out on the streets from Moirangkhom  near National Highway 2  to register their protests. They stopped vehicles from plying on the road and appealed to local shopkeepers to close down their shops.

In Kakwa Bazar, from where Sathyabhama Devi hailed, hundreds of men and women along with representatives of civil body organizations held a rally which was followed by a march from Kakwa to Singjamei Chingamakhong.

Slogans were raised against chief minister O. Ibobi Singh by the protesters. They tried to march towards Imphal, but were stopped by police late in the evening.

Northeast Students in Delhi Stir Over Hindi Paper

New Delhi, Apr 6 : Students from the northeastern states protested at the offices of the ministry of human resource development asking it to scuttle the introduction of Hindi or a Modern Indian Language in the compulsory foundation course in Delhi University's new four-year programme.

They had been organized by the North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS).

"We ... submitted a memorandum to the ministry demanding its immediate intervention to stop imposition of a compulsory Hindi language/Modern Indian Language (MIL) course by DU," says a statement from NEFIS. A group of five students also met the senior secretary of higher education.

The students have been protesting since March 22 against what they regard as "cultural chauvinism" on DU's part." The list of languages - the syllabus will follow the eighth schedule of the constitution of India—does not feature a number of their own languages including Hmar, Tangkhul, Nagamese, Kuki, Bodo language, Sikkimese and Teniedie. They further argue that given the existing infrastructure, many languages included in the list, can't be taught.

Neso petitions minister on Hindi

The North East Students’ Organisation (Neso) today petitioned Union HRD minister M.M. Pallam Raju on the decision of Delhi University to make Hindi a compulsory subject under major Indian languages.

Neso is a conglomeration of student organisations from the different states of the region. It comprises the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), All Manipur Students’ Union (Amsu), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU),

“We are sending this representation to your good office with regard to the decision of Delhi University to make Hindi a compulsory subject in major Indian languages, thus deviating from its earlier practice to offer the other major Indian languages including alternative English,” Neso chairman Samuel B. Jyrwa stated. He said the decision was “totally unacceptable” as it deprives indigenous students from the Northeast to study in the university.

“The decision of the university, if not altered, and allowed to be implemented, can be construed as an act of discrimination towards the indigenous peoples of the northeastern region and also as an act of conspiracy to keep our students away from availing of the opportunity to study in this prestigious university,” he further stated. “We urge you to address this very sensitive issue and to give it all the seriousness it deserves,” Jyrwa added.

In New Delhi, students of Northeast Forum for International Solidarity demanded an immediate stop to such “imposition” of Hindi.

Leopard gets into a spot of bother... by falling down a well: Amazing rescue in India

• Leopard saved after falling down a well on food hunt in northeast India

By Sara Malm

A young leopard found itself in a deep trouble, after it fell down a well in northeast India.
The poor animal was discovered trapped in the pit at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, India. 
Forest officials, temple staff and volunteers all rallied around the narrow well to save the leopard and bring it back to the surface.

Not so s-well:The young leopard fell down the well at a temple in north east India

According to locals, the leopard had been scouring for food at the temple fell down the narrow well.
Forest officials were called to the scene where they were forced to tranquilize the animal before climbing a ladder and going down the pit.

They tied a rope around the groggy leopard and it was successfully pulled out of the hole.
After drying off the animal, forest officials transported it to a safe place for the leopard to recover before it is to be released into the wild.

Saviors: Forest officials and volunteers gather around the narrow well to prepare for the rescue mission

Trapped: The leopard stares into the light from the well as forest officials get ready to tranquilize it

Spot on: A member of the rescue team climbed down the well and after securing the animal with a rope, the leopard could be hauled out of the hole

The Indian leopard is smaller than its African relative, with the Indian leopard normally between 4ft 2in and 4ft 8in long, compared to the sub-Saharan leopard, which can grow to be 5ft 4in long.
The leopard can be found across the Indian subcontinent, but as it is under threat from poachers and habitat loss is rarely found outside protected areas.
It is currently classified as ‘Near Threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) but as a result of the downward population trend it may soon qualify for a ‘Vulnerable‘ status.

Knocked out: Officers lift the tranquilized leopard onto a truck following the successful rescue mission

Safe and sound: A rescuer pets the knocked-out leopard as it is placed in a cage before being taken to recover before its release back into the wild

SC Step Can Go A Long Way in Manipur

By Esha Roy

Imphal, Apr 6 : Manipur has seen 1,528 cases of contested encounters in the past two decades. A Supreme Court-appointed commission deeming six of these, randomly selected from the above, as being fake has brought nothing less than jubilation in the state. The panel's observation that the victims were innocent has vindicated the stand of families who have had to live with the stigma of their loved ones being branded militants.

But while the efforts of the Extrajudicial Execution Victims' Families Association (EEVFAM) in taking the matter to the Supreme Court may still win justice, such encounters are but a way of life in this small Northeastern state. It was the security forces before, with the Army and Assam Rifles the

object of fear. Over the years, Manipuri commandos have taken on that role. Stories abound of young boys being picked up on the "suspicion" of being cadre members of underground groups.

FIRs are lodged by the commandos who carry out the encounters themselves, with the complaints of families never accepted by the police. So the main accused are also the main investigators of a killing. Judicial inquiries are rare and no accused has so far undergone any criminal proceeding or prosecution. The state has, in fact, never till date initiated an inquiry of its own accord.

At the most the families receive a compensation amounting to several lakh rupees on the directive of courts.

One of the reasons cited for the high number of extrajudicial killings in the state is the policy of giving gallantry awards to police personnel following such encounters. Promotions and pay rise follow in the awards' wake. This Republic Day, a havildar-rank commando, earlier implicated in a fake encounter, was among those given a gallantry award.

If, at its next hearing, the Supreme Court indeed sanctions the setting up of an SIT to look into Manipur's 1,528 cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, that alone may bring a change in this conflict-ridden state.

Ironically, even as the proceedings were on in New Delhi, Imphal was busy carrying out its annual police recruitment — jobs in the force are the most sought after in the state. Locals believe it's among the few ways to remain "safe" in Manipur. However, given that the fake encounters' list has many victims with relatives in the police force, even that is not much of a guarantee.

Esha is a special correspondent based in Imphal