Politics / Northeast

AKAJHAN, June 2 – The 3-day Northeastern Regional Assembly of Indigenous and Tribal People’s Organisations with Allies started today at Akajan village 30 kilometres north of Dhemaji town. In the morning session Professor Rose Haokip of Kuki Mothers’ Association presided over the meet, while Suhas Chakma of the Asian Indigenous and Tribal People’s Network made an introductory remark on the draft National Policy on Tribals prepared by the Government of India.

In his remarks, Chakma said that since the Nehruvian era it had been a practice with the Indian rulers to treat the tribals as the people...

SHILLONG, June 2 – A Cabinet sub-committee, constituted to deal with the problem of influx of ‘foreigners’ and ‘outsiders’ into Meghalaya, has recommended the introduction of a 3-tier identity card system to check the menace. Sports and youth affairs minister Paul Lyngdoh, who is the chairman of the cabinet sub-committee on public grievances, today presented the sub-committee’s report, recommending introduction of a three-tier identity card system with 1971 as the ‘cut-off’ year to determine three category of residents – permanent, semi-permanent and temporary.

The sub-committee also...

NEW DELHI, June 1 – The irritants in the relations between India and Bangladesh came to the fore once again, when India’s new External Affairs Minister, K Natwar Singh today raised the issue of insurgent outfits operating from its soil, illegal infiltration problem and the recent arms haul in Chittagong with the visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister, M Morshed Khan.

Although both the sides refrained from making any critical remarks, the visiting Bangladeshi Foreign Minister reacted to India’s concern in a round about way. “Bangladesh is a country of 55,000 square mile and we need every mile...

GUWAHATI, June 1 – The Government of India has offered to extend all possible help to Myanmar Government to evict the militant groups of the north-eastern region camping in the country, highly placed security sources said. Sources told The Assam Tribune that the presence of the militant groups belonging to the north-eastern States in Myanmar is causing serious concern to the overall security scenario of India, and with the improvement of relations between India and Myanmar, the Government of India has time and again requested its Myanmar counterpart to take action against the militants as was...

SHILLONG, May 29–The North Eastern Council (NEC) will not be ‘downgraded’, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs P R Kyndiah has assured.

“There was a move for down-grading the NEC in the recent past but I can now assure that the importance of the Council will never be undermined,” Kyndiah promised at a meeting with NEC officials in Shillong on Saturday. It may be mentioned here that the creation of a separate Central Department for the Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) by the then NDA regime at the Centre had given rise to misgivings in official quarters to the effect that the...

SHILLONG, May 27 – The Border Security Force (BSF) has handed over a list of 210 North East militant hide-outs in Bangladesh to the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) urging the latter to initiate operations against the ultras.

The border force has also agreed to conduct joint operations with the BDR in India, if similar camps of terrorist outfits of the neighbouring country existed on this side of the border. The BDR has claimed that Bangladeshi militants have set up camps in the north eastern region of India, specially in the State of Tripura.

Inspector General of the BSF’s Assam, Meghalaya...

NEW DELHI, May 27— Royal Government of Bhutan’s Army operation against outlawed ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants, extension of the ongoing cease-fire with the NSCN and the problem of unabated infiltration from across the border have been reported by the Amnesty International in its annual report released last evening.

Chief Editor Tehelka Tarun Tejpal at a function here released the Amnesty International Report 2004 last evening. “The activities of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the Kamtapur Liberation Front (KLO), armed...

NEW DELHI, May 27 – Reaffirming Centre’s commitment to resolve the insurgency problem, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh today assured that all legitimate grievances of the separatist outfits would be looked into urging them to join the mainstream. Interacting with newsmen on the sideline of the release of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) at his 7 Race Course residence, Dr Singh said that though he has so far not applied his mind as to how to go about the Naga peace process, he said the Centre would strive to address all the legitimate grievances. “At the same time I would like to appeal to...

AIZAWL, May 26 : Mizoram council of ministers endorsed the draft prposals for laying down of arms by the underground Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) cadres and repatriation of Brus lodged in Tripura relief camps, state Chief Secretary said here today. HV Lalringa told PTI that the decision was taken by the council of ministers which met yesterday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Zoramthanga.

NEW DELHI, May 26 – The controversy over the demand for greater Nagaland is sought to be settled with the United Progressive Alliance likely to endorse a demand for maintaining territorial integrity of the north eastern states, even as the NDA Government’s much-touted River Inter-linking Project faces an uncertain future. The UPA Government is all set to examine the techno-economic feasibility the project. But good news is in store for the north eastern states particularly the oil producing Assam, as due to pressure from the Left allies, a clause to review the crude royalty is under...