Politics / Northeast

IMPHAL, April 6 – The Naga National Party (nnp), a Manipur-based regional political party is aiming for an emotional integration of Naga tribes in the region. However, the party would not directly support the decision of Naga Hoho, the apex body of Naga tribes, but will “honour” their decision for a common cause. This was stated by Ng Hungyo, president of the nnp, and its candidate for the up and coming 14th Lok Sabha polls in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency Valley Rose Hungyo during a meet-the-press programme here at the State Information Office Conference Hall on Sunday...

NEW DELHI, April 5 — Even though the country’s biggest arms haul continues to shake the Government of Bangladesh, the North East connection is yet to be confirmed. Although the needle of suspicion is pointed towards the North-east rebel groups, particularly the ULFA, sources said that they are yet to receive any word from Bangladesh Government in this regard. Intelligence reports, however, indicated that the North East was the likely destination.

Reports speculated that ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah himself was supervising the operation that went sour forcing him to flee to Bangkok...

NEW DELHI, April 2 – Security agencies here have gone into a tizzy following reports that at least 10 truckloads of sophisticated weapons were seized in Bangladesh. The huge consignment was reportedly on its way to the North-East. According to sources here, acting on a tip off, security agencies in the neighbouring country today consficated a big huge cache of AK-47 assault rifles and other small arms in a pre-dawn raid at Chittagong. The weapons carefully sealed in large wooden boxes and jute bags were in the process of being loaded in two country boats on the banks of the River Karnafuly...

DHAKA, April 2 – Bangladesh has virtually ruled out the possibility of extradition of jailed ULFA leader Anup Chetia saying the government cannot intervene in judicial matters, reports PTI. Foreign Minister Mohammed Morshed Khan told reporters here on Wednesday that "the government can't intervene in the matter as the case pertaining to Chetia is in the court." An NGO run by Sigma Huda, wife of Bangladesh's powerful Communication Minister Nazmul Huda, has moved the court pleading against Chetia's extradition and seeking political asylum for him in Bangladesh. The government is yet to take...

NEW DELHI, March 31 — On a day when Assam Government’s amnesty offer to fleeing militants from Bhutan expired, North East Coordination Committee on Human Rights (NECOHR), an apex body of human rights organisations, called on the Royal Government of Bhutan to publish the names of all those killed, detained and handed over to the Government of India. The bone of contention is the whereabouts of at least 19 cadres of outlawed ULFA and NDFB, who are traceless. The cadres reported to have been captured during the ongoing operation in the Himalayan Kingdom were not to be heard again, provoking deep...

Guwahati, March 2: The BJP today completed its seat adjustments with the party?s allies in the northeastern states, barring Nagaland, but ruled out any truck with the AGP in Assam. Among its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, the BJP decided to concede just one seat each to the Trinamul Congress, the NCP, the Mizo National Front and an All Bodo Students? Union (Absu)-backed Independent candidate.

In Assam, the party, however, kept its doors open for some ?minor local-level adjustments?, BJP vice-president and eastern region in-charge Pyarelal Khandelwal hinted that it might...

Shillong, Feb. 26: A Meghalaya customs official, released from militant custody recently, has provided police with valuable information on links between rebels of the Northeast and Bangladesh army personnel.

L.H. Faihrem, who was released by the banned Achik National Volunteers? Council (ANVC) and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) on February 19 after months in captivity, said during interrogation that the militants had kept him in a hideout in Bangladesh, senior police officials said.

A senior police official, in charge of investigating the case, said Faihrem had also...

Guwahati/Nagaon, Feb. 24: Assam today turned down the Nagaland government?s offer to settle the inter-state border dispute between the two neighbouring states out of court.

Dispur admitted that the situation in the D-sector in Golaghat district was tense, but chief minister Tarun Gogoi said: ?There is no question of an out-of-court settlement when the land rightfully belongs to Assam. Let the Supreme Court decide.?

Gogoi was reacting to his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio?s appeal for an out-of-court settlement of the border dispute. Rio had said that a dialogue was the best way to resolve...

Shillong, Feb. 20: Buoyed by the success of the Bhutan flushout, the governors and chief ministers of the Northeast today decided to urge New Delhi to put pressure on Bangladesh and Myanmar for similar offensives.

Seven governors and five chief ministers of the region today passed a resolution at the 49th annual meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) here to submit a memorandum to the Centre asking it to exert diplomatic pressure on Dhaka and Yangon to dismantle the militant camps and seal the escape routes.

?The memorandum will be submitted to the home ministry and we hope it yields...

Aizawl, Feb. 12: The 1st Assam Rifles (Lushai Hills) battalion has found a champion in the state branch of the Public Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), in face of the home ministry threat to pull it out of Mizoram.

In a letter to deputy chief minister L.K. Advani, who holds the home portfolio, the PUCL outlined the battalion?s history and said it was the true symbol of nationhood to the Mizo people.

Explaining the role of Laldenga, the late founder of the Mizo National Front (MNF), in the steps taken towards the removal of the 1st Assam Rifles from the state, the PUCL said Laldenga had taken...