NALBARI, Dec 23— Assam Assam Students’ Union (AASU) president Prabin Bodo today reiterated its willingness to mediate the ULFA-Government talks in the interest of a lasting peace and normalcy in the State. Talking to The Assam Tribune here, the AASU chief said, ‘‘If any side of the Government and the banned outfit ULFA want, we are ready to consider the mediation of the talk only in the interest of the greater Assamese nation.’’ Bodo further stated that in the crucial moment of the Assamese nation when most of the small communities have been raising demand for separation, the leaders of ULFA...

GUWAHATI, Dec 23 — The Dilip Nunisa-led faction of the Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) has demanded the exclusion of Dimapur from Nagaland, claiming that the commercial town was ceded to the hill state for only 25 years from the time of its creation. According to a leaflect circulated by the militants outfit, which is fighting for ‘Dimaraji’, or self-rule for the Dimasa people within the India state, Dimapur, the commercial hub of Nagaland, was only ‘temporarily’ included in the then Naga Hills district under the Sixth Schedule. DHD says that in 1949, during the framing of the Sixth Schedule, Kuladhar...

SILCHAR, Dec 23 – The Governor of Assam recently appointed honorary wildlife wardens in all the 23 districts of the State for the period of two years in exercising of the powers conferred under Section 4 (1)(b) (bb) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The primary responsibility of these wardens will be to assist the District Administration on all aspects relating to wildlife in their respective district. They will, in particular, assist the Divisional Forest Officer on the matters such as enforcement of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, creating...

NEW DELHI, Dec 23 – The Prime Minister’s package for the socio-economic development of the North Eastern region has almost doubled to Rs 13,388.90 crore, even as the strategy of the North Eastern Council (NEC) has been redrafted for the 10th Five Year Plan period (2002-2007) with thrust on completion of ongoing priority works. The 10th Five Year Plan cleared by the National Development Council (NDC) here on Saturday, would see the Planning Commission continue to advocate the area approach and aim to strengthen decentralisation of planning. Focused developmental programmes for backward areas...

Guwahati, Dec. 22: The All-India Tribal Literary Forum today requested the Centre to include Bodo, Khasi, Santhali and other tribal languages in the Eighth Schedule.

The forum passed this resolution at a regional meet it organised here yesterday. The meeting was attended by delegates from the Northeast and Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi.

Addressing a news conference here today, members of the forum said the tribal languages should be included in the Eighth Schedule for protecting them and preserving their identity. Tribal scholar and former Ranchi University vice...