Politics / Northeast

Kohima, Dec. 16: The Nagaland government today introduced a resolution in the Assembly on integration of Naga areas contiguous to the state. The timing of the resolution is significant. The resolution, tabled by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, iterated ?its earlier stand and urged the Centre to bring together the Naga people living in the state of Nagaland and the contiguous areas by integrating them under one administrative unit?.

Three resolutions were pas-sed by the Assembly earlier, too, on December 12, 1964, August 28, 1970 and September 16, 1994.

Though the adoption of this resolution may...

Kalikhola (South Bhutan), Dec. 16: Two kilometres inside the jungle ? and the same distance from the Indian border ? a Kalashnikov-toting Royal Bhutan Army soldier popped out of the foliage to shout the warning: Go back to the Indian side. There is grave danger here. A heavily-armed royal army unit cordon appeared in his footsteps. ?You have no business inside Bhutan territory. How did you enter?? the soldier asked.

Once informed of our identity, the unit warned: ?There have been fierce encounters between the RBA and Indian militants throughout yesterday. And it is not safe for you to proceed...

GUWAHATI, Dec 16 ? Army personnel have been deployed all along the West Bengal-Bhutan border to prevent the militants from sneaking into the State in view of the Bhutan Army operations in the neighbouring country. Security sources in North Bengal told this correspondent that though the Army was not operating in West Bengal, Army personnel were posted all along the international boundary from the night of December 14, hours before the Bhutan Army launched the offensive against the militant outfits in the country. West Bengal has about 200 kilometres of border with Bhutan and the entire border...

GUWAHATI, Dec 16 ? A full-scale Army operation is once again looming large on the State as the State government has sounded a state-wide red alert to thwart possible infiltration bid by militants from Bhutan in the wake of the Bhutanese Army launching operations to flush out ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants from the Himalayan kingdom.

Addressing a Press conference today, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi informed that the Union government had specifically asked the State government to prevent any bid by militants who are facing offensive of the Royal Bhutan Army, to sneak into the State. Gogoi informed...

GUWAHATI, Dec 16 ? Intensifying its crackdown on Indian insurgent groups operating from its soil, Bhutanese army has captured the central command headquarters of ULFA and destroyed several camps near the border with Assam amidst reports of casualties from both sides as Indian troops kept a strict vigi to prevent fleeing ultras from entering the country, reports PTI.

A red alert has been sounded in Assam and borders with Bhutan sealed with the army moving additonal forces on the border. ?Bhutan?s Royal Army soldier have seized ULFA?s centreal command headquarters located at Phukatong in...

New Delhi/Guwahati, Dec. 15: India today lavished praise on Bhutan for launching a military offensive against Northeast militant groups operating from its territory, but senior bureaucrats remained sceptical about its ability to keep the rebels out for good.

A senior official said Bhutan?s military manpower and equipment might be inadequate to maintain control over the areas from where militants of the Ulfa and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) were being shunted out.

He claimed the top leaders of both groups fled the Himalayan kingdom before the operation began.

?With their...

Dawki, Dec. 15: Two years after Pyrdiwah, a border conflict of similar proportions is brewing near Dawki. Thousands of Bangladeshi boatmen have transgressed into a disputed area 150 yards from the Zero Point in Meghalaya and are trying to make further inroads with the Bangladesh Rifles? backing. Some have entered parts of Dawki and nearby Rongkhum.

The infiltrators were recently spotted collecting boulders from Dawki Khal with Bangladesh Rifles personnel deployed across the border keeping watch. The BSF reacted to the intrusion only after learning that a group of journalists were witness to it...

GUWAHATI, Dec 15 ? The North East Students? Organisation (NESO) has launched a region-wide movement from today demanding hundred percent reservation of jobs in all the Central Government offices for local candidates. Members of the NESO began 72 hour hunger strike from 11 am today in most of the state headquarters of the region. NESO chairman Samujjal Bhattacharya said that the hunger strike in Shillong has been postponed till December 17 in view of the prevailing situation in Meghalaya, while, the strike in Itanagar has also been postponed due to a cultural festival. In Guwahati, members of...

GUWAHATI, Dec 15 ? Assam government has lauded the military action initiated by Royal government of Bhutan to force closure of unauthorised camps belonging to the banned ULFA, NDFB and KLO outfits in that country even as steps have been taken to prevent ultras sneaking into Assam crossing the Indo-Bhutan border. Official sources informed that the operation by Bhutanese Army to flush out Indian militants from that country was started at around 8-30 this morning.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi while welcoming the bold action taken by Bhutan government termed it as a...

NEW DELHI, Dec 15 ? Bhutan today launched military action against Indian insurgent groups operating from camps in that country, a move strongly supported by India, reports PTI. Announcing launching of the operation by Thimpu, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha told Parliament ?we have been informed by the Royal Government of Bhutan that they have launched today military action against Indian insurgent groups operating from camps in that country?.

The Government of India ?strongly supports this action,? he said adding that Bhutanese King Jigme Singye Wangchuk had telephonically informed...