[ASSAM] 03/01/2004
01. Alert sounded in Assam over US tremor warning Guwahati, Jan 2 : The Assam government Sunday sounded an alert asking police, health and civil officials to work out contingency disaster management plans in the event of an earthquake jolting the region, officials said. The alert follows reports by experts at the Centre for Earth Observing and Space Research at George Mason University in Virginia that aftershocks of last week's killer quake off Sumatra were moving northwards and could hit Assam. "We are taking the reports very seriously and alerting all government agencies, including police, army, the paramilitary, health officials and fire fighters to be prepared to meet any natural disaster," Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told journalists in Assam's main city Guwahati. Gogoi was speaking after an emergency disaster management meeting involving all government heads, besides top police, health and fire officials. "There is no need to panic, but we must be prepared to face any eventuality so that we are able to minimise hardship and cope with the situation," Gogoi said. The government decided to organise a weeklong earthquake awareness campaign beginning Saturday across the state of 26 million people. "We need to educate and make the people aware about what to do in the event of a major quake," Gogoi said. "We will conduct training on disaster management in schools and colleges, besides involving village youths and community elders." The seven northeastern states - Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur - are considered by seismologists as the sixth major earthquake-prone belt in the world. They have experienced some of India's worst jolts, including one measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale in 1897 that killed 1,600 people and was felt as far away as Delhi. Assam experienced a massive tremor measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale Aug 15, 1950 that claimed some 1,500 lives. "We have started gearing up our disaster management plans by alerting all government agencies, besides efforts at creating awareness among the masses to cope in the event of a major quake," Gogoi said. The northeast has experienced at least half-a-dozen tremors of moderate intensity in the past two months. "From the time we heard over TV news channels about a possible earthquake hitting Assam, there is total panic with people not sure what to do and how to escape the disaster if at all it happens," said Arindam Sharma, a government official. In many parts of Assam, people were performing special community prayers after news spread about a possible quake in the region. "If at all there is a quake, nobody can save us. So we are offering prayers to seek divine blessings to ward off any potential disaster," said Taranath Goswami, a community elder in eastern Assam's Jorhat district, 300 km east of Guwahati. Elsewhere, people were preparing for the worst by stocking up on water bottles and other essentials, though residents were still staying put in their homes. "We have purchased biscuits, rice and other food items, including a torchlight," said Narayan Deka, a resident of Guwahati. The state fire service department has set up extra water reservoirs in most major cities and towns to deal with a possible disaster. "We are working overtime and trying to put all our resources together to meet a possible crisis," said J. Mipun, Director of the Assam Fire Organisation. http://www.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=57719&cat=India 03/01/2005 02. Mamoni Goswami meets ULFA leaders in jail Monalisa Gogoi (Newsfile) Guwahati, January 3 In an effort to bring back onto the rails the peace process in Assam, noted literature and professor of Delhi University, Mamoni Goswami has met three jailed leaders of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), including the vice-chairman of the outfit, Pradip Gogoi, advisor Bhimakanta Buragohain and publicity secretary Mithinga Daimari. While the details of the discussions have not been made public, sources close to Goswami said that the meeting with the jailed militants yesterday took into account various differences which had led to Paresh Barua, the commander in chief of the ULFA rejecting the prime minister's offer for unconditional talks recently. Goswami is also understood to have got a "first-hand impression of the ULFA's ideology" the sources said. The outfit has even in the face of a number of military operations stuck to its stand that the "sovereignty" of Assam be made a part of talks. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7454_1180500,000800050001.htm 03/01/2005 03. Foreign Agency Running ULFA: Indian Army S.N.M. Abdi, Arab News CALCUTTA, 3 January 2005 — Peace talks between United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and New Delhi are unlikely to begin in the near future because the control of ULFA has passed into the hands of a powerful foreign agency, a top Indian military commander said yesterday. “ULFA is finding it difficult to come to the negotiating table because it is now under the influence of a foreign agency which doesn’t want peace in India’s remote northeastern region,” Gen. J.S. Verma, GOC in C, Eastern Command, revealed yesterday in his farewell press conference. Addressing newsmen at Fort William, headquarters of Eastern Command in Calcutta, before handing over charge to Lt. Gen. Arvind Sharma, Verma also disclosed that a joint Indo-Myanmar operation recently launched against ULFA and other rebel groups has not been as successful as expected. He also admitted that diversion of Indian troops from the troubled northeast to the India-Pakistan border for Operation Parakaram — the long military standoff with Pakistan after the December 2001 attack on India’s Parliament - helped northeastern rebels, particularly Manipur militants, fighting for independence. Verma claimed that besides the role of the foreign agency in stalling talks with the Indian government, sharp divisions within ULFA on several key issues have become a stumbling block in the path to peace. Significantly, the general refused to identify the foreign agency despite persistent questioning by journalists. According to him, public opinion in Assam has turned against ULFA but the foreign agency which has taken control of the separatist outfit is prodding it not to give up violence or negotiate with New Delhi. Verma confirmed the launch of a joint Indo-Myanmar military operation to flush out Indian rebels from the jungles of the neighboring country but added that “Myanmar had not deployed sufficient troops achieve our objectives”. “It’s a long border and the terrain is difficult. The Myanmar Army has not pressed enough soldiers into action and there are logistical problems.” http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=56952&d=3&m=1&y=2005 [NAGALAND] 02/01/2005 04. NNC (Panger) warns against compromising Nagas' sovereign rights Oken Jeet Sandham Kohima, January 02 (NEPS): The Naga National Council (Panger) expressed serious concern on the political development emanated from the ongoing peace process between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM). In a statement here, the NNC (P) President, Mr I Panger Walling, said the NSCN (IM) was discussing only "Naga integration" in their talks with the Government of India instead of focusing on the Naga sovereignty issue that had been at the "heart of our political struggle for the last 57 years". If the NSCN (IM)'s talks with the Government of India was only for integration of India-occupied Naga areas, then the organization (NSCN-IM) would be making a formidable mistake and the nation (Naga) would never forgive them, the NNC (P) Chief said. He further cautioned that "Whoever compromises the sovereign rights of the Nagas will be condemned by the people now and also, by the future generations and the blood of the martyrs will be upon them". "The precious lives of our martyrs were given for sovereignty (and) not for a mere integration," he said adding, "The Naga political issue is an international issue and should be dealt internationally". Calling the Naga people to ponder over the Naga political issue seriously at this critical juncture, the NNC (P) also reminded the NSCN (IM) that its (NSCN-IM) ceasefire and subsequent talks with the Government of India over the last seven years had caused weakening not only them (NSCN-IM) but the political issue itself. Sending a strong note to the Government of India that piece-meal settlement could never bring permanent settlement to the longstanding Naga political issue, Walling reiterated the NNC's commitment to fight till they achieved their "proper recognition and of a free and independent nation" covering the whole of Naga inhabited areas. Asking the Government of India and the Myanmar junta to cease aggressing their territories, the NNC (P) leader explained the two countries (India and Myanmar) would never know true security and peace within their own lands until they reached a peaceful and just settlement with all the Nagas. Reiterating its commitment to the Naga National Unity for the achievement of its national goal, the NNC (P) called upon the Nagas to be united in their struggle to reach a final political solution to the 57 years of conflict. http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=3.10.030105.jan05 30/12/2005 05. NSCN (I-M) meet from January 3, 2005: [India News]: NSCN Camp Hebron, Dec.30 : The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) will reportedly hold a giant party meeting from January 3 to 6 for the first time since its Chairman Isak Chisi Swu and General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah landed in Nagaland in the third week of December. Swu and Muivah, informed sources told ANI that both leaders will also hold consultative meetings between January 19 and 21 to mobilize the popular Naga opinion on the ongoing peace talks with the Government of India. The outfit will also hold a giant party meeting for the first time. It has been learnt that during this meeting NSCN (I-M) members would reaffirm their mandate in both Swu and Muivah. "It will be a reaffirmation of mandate in the collective leadership of chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah," said K. Chawang, a top spokesperson of the NSCN (I-M). According to Chawang, those who have enrolled as NSCN workers will be present at the meeting. The party meeting was earlier scheduled to be held on December 28 and 29, but has now been postponed to January next year. Meanwhile, both Swu and Muivah have been holding a series of meetings with various groups in the highly secured fortress zone -- the NSCN (I-M) headquarters at Camp Hebron aimed at collecting popular Naga opinion on issues concerning the future of the state. "Consultations with various groups are going on daily. In the first week of January next year, from January 3 to 6 a party meeting will be there," said K. Chawang. After the glittering X-mas celebration in the camp now the organization is getting ready for a hectic New Year with series of party activities lined up. Unlike Christmas, when all the senior office bearers of the NSCN (I-M) were present at the General Headquarters of the organization to celebrate the event, the visiting dignitaries have been allowed to celebrate and usher in the New Year with their family members. On January 2, 2005, the first Sunday of the year, there will be a prayer and a fasting programme in the Camp at which Swu and Muivah will also be present. It may be mentioned here that the two top leaders of NSCN (I-M) are in Nagaland to gauge the mood of people in the state. They have already expressed satisfaction on the ongoing peace talks with the Government of India. The duo also made clear that, if need be, they may stay on in Nagaland beyond January for the speedy resolution to their decades-old political conflict. NSCN (I-M) has held a ceasefire with New Delhi for the last seven years. Swu and Muivah visited New Delhi for the first time in January 2003, but there was no agreement on the organization's demand to unify all Naga-dominated areas in the northeast region. (ANI) http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/?action=fullnews&id=52390 [TRIPURA} 02/01/2005 06. Tripura police chief says insurgency is on the decline A top police official in Tripura has claimed that insurgency is on the decline. State DGP G.M. Srivastava said that there were fewer rebel attacks last year and hoped the situation would improve further. "The overall crime has gone down, in totality compared to what you call 2003 but it is coming very close to 2002 as on date. 2001 has been a good year when the crime was also under control. But here as activity of militants is going up, we are also geared up accordingly," he told reporters in Agartala. Srivastava said a border fence being erected by India was acting as a deterrent. He said fencing along Tripura's international border with Bangladesh is more than 50 percent complete. "This year the target is over 300 kilometers, so it will be more than 50 percent of the total border of 856 km covered. We hope that once it is covered and we go for change in our posting pattern at the border,...of BSF and our own force, then the impact in normal crime, day to day activities and the militancy related incidents would be tremendous and there will be a marked change that you'll be able to see and notice," Srivastava said. New Delhi says anti-India guerrillas run camps in Bangladesh. Last year, it asked Dhaka to hand over 126 guerrillas, most of them belonging to groups blamed for a sudden upsurge in separatist violence across the northeast. Bangladesh has rejected the charges. Ties between the neighbours are normally good but they occasionally hit rough patches over cross-border disputes that have not been resolved for decades. (ANI) http://www.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=57787&cat=India 31/12/2004 07. Tripura asks for additional forces Surajit Talukdar Silchar The Tripura government has requested the Centre for additional paramilitary forces to step up operations against militants in the state. A massive combing operation was recently launched by the security forces in the after seventeen Territorial Army personnel of the 119 BN (Assam Regiment) were killed in an ambush by the Biswamohan Debbarma faction of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT). Following the incident, state chief minister Manik Sarkar issued a statement saying that the troops would be needed to prevent the militants striking in the state. Additionally, official sources have said that the issue of sealing the international border with Bangladesh had also been taken up with the Centre to check infiltration attempts by militants who were operating from the neighbouring country. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1176860,000900030004.htm 31/12/2004 08. Tripura govt to issue arrest warrant against Nayanbasi Press Trust of India Agartala, Tripura government will issue an arrest warrant against Nayanbasi Jamatiya, leader of a faction of banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) unless he surrenders on Friday, official sources said in Agartala. Sources said that the decision on setting a deadline for Nayanbasi's surrender was taken by the government about a week back and from tomorrow he (Nayanbasi) would be treated as a criminal. Over 130 militants of the NLFT (Nayanbasi faction) had surrendered before Governor DN Sahaya on December 25 last following eight months of suspension of operation. However, Nayanbasi fled to Bangladesh saying his "political demand of making him the Chief Minister of Tripura was not met". Sources said it was known that he had applied for political asylum to the governments of neighbouring Bangladesh and Myanmar. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1177101,000900030013.htm __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! - What will yours do? http://my.yahoo.com -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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