Development

IMPHAL, Oct 25 ? Despite tall promises made by the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi to provide government jobs to all surrendered militants, the government is in a position not to fulfil the same due to various reasons.

The state Cabinet with Chief Minister in the chair, on Saturday night, has taken a decision to recruit 70 numbers of surrendered rebels of different outfits although 82 numbers of renegades have threatened to launch fast unto death to absorb themselves as rifles and police personnel in the state home department.

This has clearly indicated that a dozen of surrendered insurgents have...

IMPHAL, Oct 25 ? Myanmar military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has made positive efforts to have close ties with India through the north-eastern states particularly in Moreh, India?s gateway to the South East Asian countries with the releasing of eight Indian nationals from the NE states who were languishing inside a jail in Myanmar after being arrested on charge of drug trafficking and entering Myanmar without valid documents.

The good gesture from the Myanmar authorities has been made ahead of the India-ASEAN car rally scheduled to be started from Nov 22 next...

GUWAHATI, Oct 25 ? The State?s rich pastures are now available only in the anecdotal memoirs of the indigenous village folks. Gone are the days when the State farmers used to deliver with astounding capacity varieties of organic dairy products without depending on any help injected by the administration. With the traditional dairy farming many institutions and games like the Garakhiya Sabah were inseparably linked. These socio-cultural elements are also missing today. Credit goes to the imprudent vote-bank-based polity of the country for tricking out the abundance of the State?s indigenous...

GUWAHATI, Oct 25: The issue of sovereignty must form a part of Government?s discussions with the banned ULFA for lasting peace in Assam, Jnanpith winner Mamoni Raisom Goswami has said today, reports PTI.

Goswami, who will submit an appeal to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon on initiating talks with the ULFA, told PTI that the issue of sovereignty must be heard during the talks process to find out a permanent solution to the problem of insurgency.

?The ULFA is fighting for 25 years on the issue of sovereignty. We just cannot ignore it. We have to listen to this aspect at the negotiating...

GUWAHATI, Oct 25 ? Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today sought to dismiss reports that the State Government is not quite happy with the response of the Centre in the aftermath of the militant outfit, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland?s (NDFB) unilateral ceasefire offer.

He said during a press conference at the Janata Bhawan here that he has nothing to complain about. ?I am not disappointed. I am completely happy,? Gogoi told newspersons while briefing them about his discussions with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in New Delhi last week. He said that the Centre has assured the State...

NEW DELHI, Oct 25 ? The prospects of a crackdown on insurgents belonging to North East in the neighbouring country have brightened with India and Myanmar signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Cooperation on Non-traditional Security Issues.

The MoU was part of the three agreements including on Cultural Exchange Programme and 1200-MW Tamanthi hydroelectric project on River Chindwin signed in presence of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and visiting leader of Myanmar, Senior General Than Shwe who is the chairman of the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

The MoU on non...

DIMAPUR, Oct 24 ? SS Khaplang, chairman of the NSCN-K has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to sign any pact with visiting Myanmarese junta delegation for launching a joint army operation, inside the Myanmarese territory where the NSCN-K has its base headquarters, if New Delhi wants to continue the ongoing Naga peace process undisturbed.

The NSCN-K is worried that New Delhi is poised to sign a document, which would pave the way for a joint security operation along Indo-Myanmar border. The operation is said to be aimed at ULFA and Meitei rebel training bases as well as anti-Myanmar...

NEW DELHI, Oct 24 ? Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today sought to downplay the recent movement of troops to the North East, which recently saw a spurt in militant violence, saying that only the battalions shifted out during the Kargil war in 1999 were being restored, reports PTI.

?During the Kargil War, we had brought in many battalions from the North East. Now, we are simply restoring them,? Patil told reporters on the sidelines of the 43rd raising day of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) here. He was replying to questions about redeployment of ITBP troops from Jammu and Kashmir to the...

NEW DELHI, Oct 24 ? The hands-off attitude of the Centre threatens to derail the peace process with the outlawed NDFB even before formal talks to pave the way for ceasefire gets under way, highly-placed sources told this newspaper.

When Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi called on Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil last Thursday to discuss the NDFB?s offer, he went with the impression that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) would take the lead in opening negotiations with the recalcitrant Bodo militant outfit but had to contend himself with just a ?go-ahead? and an assurance for Centre?s backing.

In...

DIMAPUR, Oct 21? A South Kolkata Durga Puja pandal depicting Hindu gods and goddesses draped in traditional Naga attire drew strong revulsion and outrage in Nagaland. Several organisations in the state have called on the concerned Puja pandal committee to apologize and immediately remove the pandal terming it as an insult to the Naga tradition and culture.

?The shameless depiction of gods and goddesses adorned with Naga shawls is an epitome of insult and has hurt the sentiments of all the Nagas,? said Dimapur Naga Women Hoho president Tiala Sapuh and general secretary Hukali Akato while...