That was a very informative and carries some very constructive ideas. Thanks Rajen.
>But I bet his heart is in UAONA and he has already explained why UAONA >still exists. *** Just a clarification here: While I support UAONA objectives, it is NOT to the EXCLUSION of others involved with such in our community. It is an important point to note I think. >This year, AANA really snatched the joint convention from the San >Francisco community who were eager and willing to hold it. (Incidently we >never had any Assamese Convention is San Francisco so far.) Again, the >rest of the community gave in to AANA's wishes for the sake of unity. >In spite of this year�s hot e-mails, we hope that the Texas Host Committee >(which is predominantly AANA members) will be sensitive to ASA's views and >will be able to hold a successful joint convention and will continue >the tradition to the future. *** One of the problems of the AANA/ ASA organized conventions is that neither side is well represented in ALL regions of the country. Some AANA members are suspicious of regions where they have little or no representation --- (it became quite apparent in the St. Louis debate) even though the concerns were FRAMED in a more politically correct form. The same is true of ASA. *** It is for that reason I support the concept of autonomous host communities organizing these, with solicited assistance from the orgs. Perhaps if this could be sorted out by ASA and AANA, and a set of parameters agreed upon, which would also INCLUDE the non-aligned people; then this perennial point of contention could be resolved. >Coming back to your 'unification', my perception is, however, to go for a >Federal type of unification where all orgs enjoy their autonomy and >freedom, and at the same time united by a joint annual convention. With >this process, I also have great faith that we can still achieve >'unification' through Oxom Xahityo Xobha and AFNA. AFNA is already >opening up to the entire community. Some of us are trying so that Oxom >Xahityo Xobha also opens up to the entire community. So far we have >received very positive responses from AANA as well as ASA's sides in this >respect. Through this e-mail, I would like to appeal to the Oxom Xahitya >Xobha President to adopt a resolution this year so that all ASA members >become automatic Oxom Xahitya Xobha members (like AANA members). Also our >proposal is that the magazine 'Luitor Pora Misisipi' (an organ of Oxom >Xahityo Xobha) should be jointly published by both AANA and ASA (keeping >the same name) so that the cost can be shared and the magazine can be made >available to the entire community members. *** I hope this is seriously expolred and adopted. It is an incremental means for getting to where we would like to go to. cm At 10:59 AM -0500 9/22/03, Rajen Barua wrote: > > >Dear Hazarika: > > > >Chandan has already adequately replied to your questions, and in fact >asked some more. I was thinking of making some clarifications to your >comments. > > > >First let me tell you that what you are doing may be said well by any of >the following Assamese proverbs: > > > >1) Hola gos dekhile ataie bagi kuthar mare. > > > >2) Urohor khong bhoga dharit. > > > >3) Raije Sale bere kwbwaise. > > > >4) Ebar xape khale Kesu.loikw bhoi. > > > >Etc > > > >>Since you were connected with the past unification efforts, I presumed you > > > >>knew what was the result of the past efforts. > > > >I am not trying to defend Chandan, but this is to refresh your and >everybody's memory that Chandan was not connected to any of the past >unification efforts of AANA and ASA that culminated in the doomed 1991 >Philadelphia Joint Convention. As a matter of fact Chandan was not even >present in the said convention. So the above remark actually does not >apply to poor Chandan. On the other hand, while the result of the doomed >Convention is known to everybody, without going into details let me simply >say that Chandan's perception of reasons of the failure may be quite >different to yours and many others in the community as he could look at >the issue without any biasness either from AANA or ASA's side. That may >explain why he may be yet positive about the future of 'unification' >although many in the community term him (as well as some of us) as snakes >who simply refuse to die even after being killed. > > > > >Even after 5 successful joint conventions, UAONA still exists. Mahanta: > > > >>since you are one of the persons involved in the creation of UAONA, for the > > > >>benefit of the community, can you please explain why UAONA still exists? Do > > > >>you like to share some of your success/frustration/wisdom? > > > >Here again, I would ask you to refresh your memory to the fact that >Chandan was not at all involved in the creation of UAONA. But I bet his >heart is in UAONA and he has already explained why UAONA still exists. >Looking at the issue positively, one can say that UAONA was borne from the >ashes of Philadelphia to hold the divided community of AANA and ASA with >'jwra tapoli.' UAONA is acting rather like a 'dhwka'. The UAONA members, >at that time, thought that the 'dhwka' would be very temporary and would >be removed as soon as both AANA and ASA would unite. However, it is now 12 >years (how time flies!) that UAONA is still acting like a 'dhwka' in the >community. In future, we hope that the community will be one, and the >'dhwka' will be meaningless and will be removed and discarded. But from >your message and from the on-going e-mail fights with the Host Committee, >it seems that we are still struggling for the 'joint convention', not to >speak for unification. To make it even gloomier, some AANA members >are, in fact, openly declaring that they are against these 'joint >conventions'. So you tell us, Hazarika, how long you want UAONA to stay? >If on the other hand, you can show that UAONA is the culprit that is >bringing division to the Assamese Community here and the community will >unite and there will be one organization and peace once this UAONA culprit >is removed, I can assure you that UAONA members will very happily resolve >it (if that is the only reason holding AANA and ASA from forming one >organization). > > > >Regarding joint conventions also, I need to refresh your memory and >clarify people's perception. It is a fact that in 1999, we had the first >AANA-ASA joint convention in Houston, and we thank many of you AANA >moderates for making it happen by convincing the AANA hard liners for the >merits of a joint convention. From 1992 till 1998, while AANA was >arranging its separate conventions alone, the rest of the community >however, had been arranging successful non-organizational Assamese Get >Togethers. In 1992, we had a successful Get Together in Chicago where Dr >Bhupen Hazarika was the chief artist. In 1993, we had another successful >Assamese Get Together in New Jersey where Khagen and Archana Mahanta were >the chief artists. In all these Get Together, AANA was invited (almost >with tamwl panor xorai) without any success. In 1996, UAONA members >decided to go to AANA Chicago Convention to persuade the AANA >members to join the following year�s joint convention proposed from Los >Angeles. To refresh your memory, there also the rest of the community >failed to persuade AANA to join the joint convention. As a result, we had >an Assamese Get Together (without AANA) in Los Angelos in 1997 arranged by >California Assamese Community including some veteran AANA members. Artist >Jitul Sonowal graced the occasion. Next year we had another Assam 1998 Get >Together in St Louis where Ramen and Dipen Barua brothers were the chief >guests. > > > >So we all were really glad and excited that in 1999, AANA finally decided >to join the rest of the community in a 'joint convention'. We again thank >you and others for fighting with the AANA hard liners and convincing them >of the wisdom to have one convention in the community. > > > >Now since then we had five successful joint conventions. Every year, we >the UAONA members worked hard behind the scene to make it happen. In last >year�s joint convention in St Louis, we, as a community, have achieved >something good. The AANA and ASA general bodies have passed a joint >resolution where both ASA and AANA would jointly decide and agree on the >future venues of the joint conventions every year. This is a great >achievement for the unification of the community. We sincerely thank ASA >members for initiating this bold step and persuading AANA to adopt it for >the sake of the community. We hope that the joint AANA-ASA executive >committee will work sincerely to achieve this goal. > > > >This year, AANA really snatched the joint convention from the San >Francisco community who were eager and willing to hold it. (Incidently we >never had any Assamese Convention is San Francisco so far.) Again, the >rest of the community gave in to AANA's wishes for the sake of unity. >In spite of this year�s hot e-mails, we hope that the Texas Host Committee >(which is predominantly AANA members) will be sensitive to ASA's views and >will be able to hold a successful joint convention and will continue >the tradition to the future. > > > >Coming back to your 'unification', my perception is, however, to go for a >Federal type of unification where all orgs enjoy their autonomy and >freedom, and at the same time united by a joint annual convention. With >this process, I also have great faith that we can still achieve >'unification' through Oxom Xahityo Xobha and AFNA. AFNA is already >opening up to the entire community. Some of us are trying so that Oxom >Xahityo Xobha also opens up to the entire community. So far we have >received very positive responses from AANA as well as ASA's sides in this >respect. Through this e-mail, I would like to appeal to the Oxom Xahitya >Xobha President to adopt a resolution this year so that all ASA members >become automatic Oxom Xahitya Xobha members (like AANA members). Also our >proposal is that the magazine 'Luitor Pora Misisipi' (an organ of Oxom >Xahityo Xobha) should be jointly published by both AANA and ASA (keeping >the same name) so that the cost can be shared and the magazine can be made >available to the entire community members. > > > >Let us hope that the newly formed joint AANA-ASA executive committee will >discuss among themselves and will work towards these goals in consultation >with Oxom Xahityo Xobha. We would appreciate your help and support in >these regards. > > > >Please let me know if I may be of any help. > > > >Thanks > > > >Rajen Barua > > > >From: "Mano Hazarika" >To: "Chan Mahanta" >CC: , , , , , "Sayten Das" >, "Rana Gogoi" , "Rabin Mahanta" , "Mano Hazarika" , "Manjula Datta-Barua" >, "Kamna Das" , "Dilip & Dil Deka" , "Barada & Kumkum Sarma" >Subject: >[Assam] RE: Unification >Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 13:05:39 -0500 > > >>Mahanta: >First, I wished there was one organization. Second. I would >like to see >joint conventions continued in future that was started >successfully in >Houston in 1999. I have heard from many people that they >like these joint >conventions and see it continued. (A further step was >taken in Saint Louis >where representative from both ASA and AANA laid >down the grown works for >future convention site selection. I have strong >faith that the executives of >these organizations can work together to >provide leadership. They can work >out to publish one directory in future >like in 1999 convention in Houston >jointly by ASA and AANA and >investigate if feasible to do other projects >together to reduce cost. >Also, start other efforts - for example, nomination >of Kedar Bhuyan to >AFNA's board of directors to serve 2000-2002 term). > >I have respect to >your talent, intelligent and also dedication to AssamNet. >I was out of >town this weekend to attend a meeting. I am sorry for the delay >in >replying to you. > >Since you were connected with the past unification >efforts, I presumed you >knew what was the result of the past efforts. >For the benefit of the >netters, I want to give a very brief history of >unification efforts in the >past. An effort was made in 90's by forming >an IC (integration committee) >consisting of representatives from both >ASA and AANA. Among others, Rajen >Barua, Satyen Das and Ashwini >Choudhury were members of this committee. The >committee sent out a >questionnaire to Assamese residents in North America by >mail and got >their responses on the unification issue. Subsequently, there >was a >meeting in 1991 in Philadelphia where both ASA and AANA (AANA was >going >to have their convention in 1991 in Washington, but changed the venue >to >come to Philadelphia for this) members attended, but it ended almost in a >>fistfight. Otherwise that would have been the first successful joint >>convention instead of the one in Houston in 1999. And that gave birth to >>another organization called UAONA. > >Even after 5 successful joint >conventions, UAONA still exists. Mahanta: >since you are one of the >persons involved in the creation of UAONA, for the >benefit of the >community, can you please explain why UAONA still exists? Do >you like to >share some of your success/frustration/wisdom? > >Now, another poll is >active for unification. I am worried that it could end >up adding another >organization much like UAONA . I am also worried that >this may impact >the next joint convention. People come to convention to have >fun. >Mahanta: My anticipation was for you to help diffuse the situation by >>sharing your wisdom much like Rajen Barua from your past experience for >>unification. I also presumed, Ramgopal Sarangapani, who was strong >proponent >of plebiscite, was aware of the problems encountered in >Philadelphia as >Rajen Barua was trying to share his wisdom through the >Assamnet as reply to >Ramgopal. The other note on unification I sent was >meant for Ramgopal and >not to Mala; Mala was supposed to be in cc, but I >messed up by putting her >in as to also along with Ramgopal. > >I do >share the philosophy of unification. But, do you want to achieve this >by >hurting some people? Do we not need goodwill from all? My opinion, the >>first priority is to continue these joint conventions and bring an >>atmosphere to respect and to trust each other. This is taking time and >will >take more time. This net is full of intelligent people. This is an >appeal to >the netters and community not to force the unification, let it >come >naturally. > >Mano Hazarika > > > >>_______________________________________________ >Assam mailing list >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > <http://g.msn.com/8HMBENUS/2749??PS=>Share your photos without swamping >your Inbox. Get Hotmail Extra Storage today! _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
