date:20061004

[Assam] Fwd: Join Sharmila Irom in Protest against draconian AFSPA.

2006-10-04 Thread bg




FYI
 








Dear friends,

 

Sharmila Irom, who has not let a drop of water or morsel of food pass her lips for six years, has shifted her protest to Delhi. 34-year old Sharmila says she will fast until the government repeals the Armed Forces(Special Powers) Act, which gives soldiers sweeping powers to kill, with virtual immunity from prosecution. 


Following the massacre of innocent villagers by security forces in Malom in Manipur, Sharmila went on a fast on 2 November 2000. About three weeks later, she was arrested and charged with attempted suicide. Subsequently, the authorities force-fed her through a nasal tube. Sharmila was released on Monday October 3 
rd 2006 from judicial custody in Imphal.

 

Today (4th October) she was smuggled out of Imphal's high security airport and whisked to Delhi.


 

Support Sharmila in her struggle for repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, at the dharna site in Jantar Mantar. Please join in a hunger fast in solidarity, or simply come and show your solidarity. 


 

Please forward this widely, to friends and media persons.

 

In Solidarity,

 

All of us in Saheli. ___
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Re: [Assam] Story for Grant/ A Granduncle's story

2006-10-04 Thread Barua25




Chandan:
Thanks. You may not realize 
but both the stories (yours and your brother's) will make good entries in 
some future 'Namti Century Book' to be published in the 900th year of its 
establishment of Namti (whenever that is: 2130?).
 
BTW is there a river called Namti 
in Namti? I wonder how the name was evolved. You may know that both the two 
phrases in the word Nam-ti means water in Bodo language.
The word Nam as found in Namsai, 
Namrup, Namsang, etc means water in Bodo language.
So also the word Ti as found in 
Namti, Tiok, Tipam, Tirap etc means water in Tai language.
 
Namti must be founded after the 
coming of the Ahoms sometime in the 13th century.
 
Just some stray 
thoughts.
 
Rajen
 
 
- Original Message - 
From: "Chan Mahanta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 9:28 
AM
Subject: [Assam] Story for Grant/ A Granduncle's 
story
> > Hi Grant:> > Here is a story from my 
childhood for you. It is kind of long, but I > hope you would like 
it:> > I was about eight years old at the time. Our school was 
about half a > mile from home. It was a small, one roomed hut, with dirt 
floor, > mud-plastered bamboo walls and thatched roof framed with bamboo. 
> Thatch is a kind of long and sturdy grass, which people used to make 
> roofs with, after drying them. We had two teachers and two > 
blackboards, where about fifty pupils from Grades A, B, 1st, 2nd and > 
3rd. sat, in different groups, on the dirt floor,on mats that we > 
brought with us from home. There were no bathrooms and no drinking > 
water ,other than a pond in the front yard, where we drank from on > hot 
days, with our hands cupped together.> > When we were in second 
grade ( I think), there was a vaccination > drive by the  State 
Public Health Department, funded by the World > Health Organization, for 
immunizing children against the dreaded > disease tuberculosis ( TB). The 
vaccine was called BCG, short for > Bacillus Calmett-Guerin. The 
vaccination was done at another little > school about two miles away from 
ours. All of us kids and the > teachers walked about a mile and a half 
along the little but historic > dirt road, that linked a large number of 
little villages separated by > rice paddies, which ran from the capital 
of the Kingdom to the > mountains in the south, and was called Khorikotia 
Ali ( Woodcutter's > Trail). From the road we took a detour of another 
half a mile or so > to the vaccination site along a railroad 
track.> > We got our shots. OUCH--it stung too,but I did not 
cry.Then we were > heading back home in groups of twos and threes and 
even more. After > we got off from the railroad tracks and got back on 
Woodcutter's > Trail, I got separated from the other kids who went to 
their homes in > a different direction and I was trudging along the road 
all by > myself. All of a sudden I heard a strange, beep-beep-beep sound 
> coming from the rear, which was getting louder by the moment. It 
> appeared> that the sound was from something over the road. I 
looked back and > saw nothing but the sound was getting very loud and 
scary. Suddenly I > saw this huge dragonfly looking thing with a large 
bulb like head > appear over the groves of bamboo tree-tops that line the 
> roadway,flying, it seemed, straight towards me. And that noise, now 
> ear-splitting, going braap-braap-braap-braap ---!> > 
Panic struck me!> > I ran, as fast as my little legs would let me, 
towards the only house > on my right about a hundred yards away, 
surrounded by waterlogged > rice paddies. Thinking back, I probably ran 
that distance faster than > anyone I would have ever known. I reached the 
gate, which was made > of horizontal bamboo poles spaced about a foot or 
so apart on bamboo > posts with holes in them, and are called 'nongola' 
in Assamese, my > native language. To open the gate you slide the poles 
through the > holes. But there was no time for that. I slipped right 
through the > gaps and crossed the little front yard and almost flew into 
the > house, struggling for breath. In those days and even today, people 
in > the villages of Assam leave their front doors open. There is no fear 
> of strangers . And there is always someone in the house. Since there 
> were no door-bells, and knocking on mud-plastered walls or the woven 
> bamboo-mat door panel don't make much of a sound, if a stranger comes 
> visiting, he or she would make a coughing sound or clear the throat 
> to indicate there is someone at the door. Later I learnt that  
city > folks made fun of that coughing sound as the "Assamese 
calling-bell".> > Anyway, to make a long story short, the man of 
the house found me, > this breathless kid barging into the house with 
panic in his eyes, > just about when this dragon-fly-from-hell flew past 
the house. He > knew what was coming after me.> He told me it 
was  kind of a 'ura-jahaaz'( flying ship). He also knew > who I was, 
since took his bullock cart along the trai

Re: [Assam] From ToI/India world leader in greasing palms

2006-10-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Don't lose any sleep over it. Your colleagues don't read the TOI. :-) And they don't know what BPI means. :-) :-)     Yes, things will be different in sovereign Assam. Haven't you noticed the marked change in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan after they broke free of soviet control?   How about greasing in Pakistan and Bangladesh? They got separated from India but old practices remain. And the reason?  It is hard to change old practices and systems even in fifty years.  Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:Hehehe!     Thats really bad. Wonder what that tells of us (who came from India). Is it possible to dealienate ourselves from the desh?  Maybe this is one reason that some in Assam want to be a separate desh (of sorts). 
    And how on earth am I going to explain this away to the folks at work?:)     --Ram     On 10/4/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:   What did I tell you :-)?cmIndia world leader in greasing palms[ 5 Oct, 2006 0031hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ] RSS Feeds|  SMS NEWS to  for latest updatesLONDON/NEW DELHI: India doesn't just have loadsof corruption at home, it is also the worldleader in exporting graft.Months after Transparency International ranked India as among the more corrupt societies in theworld, the NGOç¼ï¿½s Bribe Payer's Index 2006 showsthat Indian exporters are more willing
 than theircounterparts from other countries to pay overseasbribes to secure business, clinch contracts, do deals and generally get on in the world.Of the 30 countries surveyed by the index, Indiawas the worst ç¼" or most willing to give ç¼"followed by China and Russia.With Brazil also ranking pretty low as the eighth biggest bribe giver, the BRIC nations ç¼"the foursome of Brazil, Russia, India and Chinaç¼" predicted to become among the biggesteconomies in the world by 2050 ç¼" emerge asbeing prepared to do whatever it takes to enhance their share of the global trade pie.While this is the third BPI released byTransparency, after the ones in 1999 and 2002, itis the first time India has featured in the index.It was considered too economically insignificant and lacking global spread and reach in theearlier rounds. Liaoran Liao, TransparencyInternational programme coordinator
 for SouthAsia, told  TOI  on Wednesday that it wasdefinitely bad news for India to make its first outing on the BPI with a most-corrupt ranking forits newly jet-setting companies."In 1999 and 2002, India was not listed on theBPI," said Liaoran, "but now India is consideredan emerging economy and an emerging export power, so the CEOs and MDs ranked its companies."The newest league table was compiled afterasking 11,000 top business executives in 125countries to rank foreign companies in order oftheir propensity to bribe in the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey.Transparency said the executives ranked Indiabottom of the list of 30 countries. Theexecutives suggested Indians seemed ready to dobusiness by paying bribes or making extra payments.The BPI ranked Swiss companies as least likelyto use brown envelopes and backhanders to get thejob done.
 No Asian country figures in the list ofthe ten cleanest countries. Japan figureseleventh followed by Singapore.___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org___
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Re: [Assam] From ToI/India world leader in greasing palms

2006-10-04 Thread Ram Sarangapani

Hehehe!
 
Thats really bad. Wonder what that tells of us (who came from India). Is it possible to dealienate ourselves from the desh?
Maybe this is one reason that some in Assam want to be a separate desh (of sorts).
 
And how on earth am I going to explain this away to the folks at work?:)
 
--Ram
 
On 10/4/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
What did I tell you :-)?cmIndia world leader in greasing palms[ 5 Oct, 2006 0031hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
RSS Feeds|  SMS NEWS to  for latest updatesLONDON/NEW DELHI: India doesn't just have loadsof corruption at home, it is also the worldleader in exporting graft.Months after Transparency International ranked
India as among the more corrupt societies in theworld, the NGO發�s Bribe Payer's Index 2006 showsthat Indian exporters are more willing than theircounterparts from other countries to pay overseasbribes to secure business, clinch contracts, do
deals and generally get on in the world.Of the 30 countries surveyed by the index, Indiawas the worst 發" or most willing to give 發"followed by China and Russia.With Brazil also ranking pretty low as the
eighth biggest bribe giver, the BRIC nations 發"the foursome of Brazil, Russia, India and China發" predicted to become among the biggesteconomies in the world by 2050 發" emerge asbeing prepared to do whatever it takes to enhance
their share of the global trade pie.While this is the third BPI released byTransparency, after the ones in 1999 and 2002, itis the first time India has featured in the index.It was considered too economically insignificant
and lacking global spread and reach in theearlier rounds. Liaoran Liao, TransparencyInternational programme coordinator for SouthAsia, told  TOI  on Wednesday that it wasdefinitely bad news for India to make its first
outing on the BPI with a most-corrupt ranking forits newly jet-setting companies."In 1999 and 2002, India was not listed on theBPI," said Liaoran, "but now India is consideredan emerging economy and an emerging export power,
so the CEOs and MDs ranked its companies."The newest league table was compiled afterasking 11,000 top business executives in 125countries to rank foreign companies in order oftheir propensity to bribe in the World Economic
Forum's Executive Opinion Survey.Transparency said the executives ranked Indiabottom of the list of 30 countries. Theexecutives suggested Indians seemed ready to dobusiness by paying bribes or making extra
payments.The BPI ranked Swiss companies as least likelyto use brown envelopes and backhanders to get thejob done. No Asian country figures in the list ofthe ten cleanest countries. Japan figures
eleventh followed by Singapore.___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.org
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[Assam] Songs from home in a foreign land : Debojit Saha

2006-10-04 Thread Pradip Kumar Datta

Songs from home in a foreign land - Flitting between Los Angeles and San Francisco, singer discovers mini IndiaVoice of India DEBOJIT SAHA writes exclusively for The Telegraph from the US, where he is regaling the diaspora during the festive season... Life has really turned upside down for me, albeit for good reasons. After winning Zee TVs musical reality show Sa Re Ge Ma Pa, my entire lifestyle has changed and all this has happened in just a years time. I realise this all the more as I write, sitting in a cosy Los Angeles hotel suite.Now what am I doing in the US at a time when the entire country is celebrating Durga
Puja with great fervour, especially in my hometown Silchar? I am on a tour to the US, and my mission is to enthral Puja revellers during the festivities. People of Indian origin here celebrate the festival with as much gusto as their counterparts in India. I, along with a group of singers, have been especially invited from Mumbai, bringing songs from India that touch Indian hearts. Even as you read this column I will, perhaps, be performing at different venues in Los Angeles and San Francisco. My tour has been conducted by organisers of various community Pujas in these great cities. Right now, I am halfway through the tour. At most of my concerts, I performed popular Hindi numbers from Bollywood blockbusters. Matching the festive mood, I sang Bengali songs too, touching a chord among the nostalgic Bengali population settled all over this foreign land. Popular Assamese, Gujarati
and Punjabi numbers have also been part of my varied repertoire. Los Angeles has a considerable population of Assamese NRIs, so I specially sang some eternal favourites among the Bihu numbers for them. Actually, I have done a good amount of homework, so I am prepared to sing every kind of song. I know that once I am on stage and someone requests me to sing something, I cannot but honour that request. This entire tour is aimed at celebrating India, Indian music and Indian festivals in the country that has become an ally of ours. At my shows I found many American citizens who came to enjoy the music and join in the revelry. Foreigners, too, have great respect for Indian culture and tradition. There is another thing I must admit.Although many people of Indian origin have been staying in the US for long, they have still retained
Indian traditions, culture and sentiment.Wherever I went, I got the impression that India has been recreated in each of those places.The image of the Mother Goddess in a decorated pandal and devotees singing in praise of the Devi the entire ambience made me nostalgic in a way I never felt before. One thing is clear with a little bit of love and devotion, moods and festivities that are essentially Indian can be recreated anywhere in the world. I know I am far away from home, but the mood of celebration here is so similar to that in my native land that I feel completely at home. Moreover, the amount love and admiration I get from the people is no less a blessing for me, a beginner who is trying hard to better himself with every passing day.
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[Assam] From ToI/India world leader in greasing palms

2006-10-04 Thread Chan Mahanta

What did I tell you :-)?

cm


India world leader in greasing palms
[ 5 Oct, 2006 0031hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

RSS Feeds|  SMS NEWS to  for latest updates

  LONDON/NEW DELHI: India doesn't just have loads 
of corruption at home, it is also the world 
leader in exporting graft.

  Months after Transparency International ranked 
India as among the more corrupt societies in the 
world, the NGOâ¤s Bribe Payer's Index 2006 shows 
that Indian exporters are more willing than their 
counterparts from other countries to pay overseas 
bribes to secure business, clinch contracts, do 
deals and generally get on in the world.

  Of the 30 countries surveyed by the index, India 
was the worst â¤" or most willing to give â¤" 
followed by China and Russia.

  With Brazil also ranking pretty low as the 
eighth biggest bribe giver, the BRIC nations â¤" 
the foursome of Brazil, Russia, India and China 
â¤" predicted to become among the biggest 
economies in the world by 2050 â¤" emerge as 
being prepared to do whatever it takes to enhance 
their share of the global trade pie.

  While this is the third BPI released by 
Transparency, after the ones in 1999 and 2002, it 
is the first time India has featured in the index.

  It was considered too economically insignificant 
and lacking global spread and reach in the 
earlier rounds. Liaoran Liao, Transparency 
International programme coordinator for South 
Asia, told  TOI  on Wednesday that it was 
definitely bad news for India to make its first 
outing on the BPI with a most-corrupt ranking for 
its newly jet-setting companies.

  "In 1999 and 2002, India was not listed on the 
BPI," said Liaoran, "but now India is considered 
an emerging economy and an emerging export power, 
so the CEOs and MDs ranked its companies."

  The newest league table was compiled after 
asking 11,000 top business executives in 125 
countries to rank foreign companies in order of 
their propensity to bribe in the World Economic 
Forum's Executive Opinion Survey.

  Transparency said the executives ranked India 
bottom of the list of 30 countries. The 
executives suggested Indians seemed ready to do 
business by paying bribes or making extra 
payments.

  The BPI ranked Swiss companies as least likely 
to use brown envelopes and backhanders to get the 
job done. No Asian country figures in the list of 
the ten cleanest countries. Japan figures 
eleventh followed by Singapore.

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Re: [Assam] Anyone for Yoga -in front of White House

2006-10-04 Thread umesh sharma

If anyone is coming - I will be there for only 30 minutes or so since I have to teach a student on Saturday also at 10 am far away. I did find the ISKCON chief's book ( I paid only one dollar when the suggested donation was 2 :-) ) on Yoga quite different but better - from the stuff they might be doing(as by BK Iyengar) -as mentioned in their advt in Express mag of Washington Post the other day. It seems they are doing for the first time in open -like in Indian tradition. It would my Yoga class after my high school days. So late-joiners/comers are welcome. Any takers? Umeshumesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:http://www.asia.si.edu/events/index.asp?year=2006&month=10&day=7 8:00 am -Saturday Oct 7th -- at National Mall Yoga DemonstrationsSaturday, October 7, 2006, 8 am, Freer plazaTo kick off the Freer centennial celebration, several of Washington's leading yoga instructors demonstrate this popular form of exercise and meditation. All skill levels, from absolute beginner to advanced, are welcome to join in. Bring a blanket or mat to use on the National Mall in front of the Freer Gallery.Umesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, (Washington D.C. Metro Region)MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of
Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/website: www.gse.harvard.edu Inbox full of spam? Get leading spam protection and 1GB storage with All New Yahoo! Mail.___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.orgUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, (Washington D.C. Metro Region)MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/website: www.gse.harvard.edu

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[Assam] Anyone for Yoga -in front of White House

2006-10-04 Thread umesh sharma

http://www.asia.si.edu/events/index.asp?year=2006&month=10&day=7     8:00 am -Saturday Oct 7th -- at National Mall     Yoga DemonstrationsSaturday, October 7, 2006, 8 am, Freer plazaTo kick off the Freer centennial celebration, several of Washington's leading yoga instructors demonstrate this popular form of exercise and meditation. All skill levels, from absolute beginner to advanced, are welcome to join in. Bring a blanket or mat to use on the National Mall in front of the Freer Gallery.Umesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, (Washington D.C. Metro Region)MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of
 Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/website: www.gse.harvard.edu 
		 
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Re: [Assam] A parallel government on march in Assam? Reporter, donï¿½t you know how many movie theatres have closed down in Assam being unable to show the Hindi movies?

2006-10-04 Thread Rajib Das


Is there economics behind this decision? If I am not
mistaken, the liquor shop licenses were cornered by
the SULFA - I am not quite sure SULFA is paying taxes
to ULFA? That would be a first.



--- Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Mukul da
> 
> >Could Netters explain any Rationale behind Drinking
> liquor in a hot >and
> humid climate?
> 
> It is probably the same logic that ulfa recommends:
> lao-paani is OK (instead
> of biliati).
> 
> >Which religion except*< India Democracy>*
> encourages drinking >alcohol?
> 
> I don't see the connection between religion and
> Indian Democracy in this
> context.
> 
> But as far as religions are concerned, Christ
> himself 'approved' of wine.
> For Catholics, wine is an important part of some
> rituals.
> 
> Other religions probably forbid it. But the elite
> are able to circumvent
> that. Imagine the Arab sheikh sitting in a tent in
> an oasis, grapes, a
> hookah, belle dancers, camels parked outside, and
> you think there is no
> liquor - because Islam forbids it? :)
> 
> I agree with you that there probably isn't a good
> rationale to drink in the
> a hot & humid climate. But the people obviously
> don't have the 'thinking
> power' to decide  - so the great savior of the
> people, the ulfa has to
> decide, and make rules for them, and punish the evil
> doers. They have become
> the 'decider' (apologies to the famous linguist -GW
> ).
> 
> 
> Whats next? Haircuts? Long hair is definitely not
> good in a hot humid
> climate. How about a tax on beards?- a page from the
> Czar.
> 
> --Ram
> 
> 
> On 10/4/06, mc mahant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> wrote:
> >
> >  Could Netters explain any Rationale behind
> Drinking liquor in a hot and
> > humid climate?
> >
> > Which religion except*< India Democracy>*
> encourages drinking alcohol?
> >
> > mm
> >
> >  --
> > From:  *"Bartta Bistar"
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>*
> > To:  *AssamNet *
> > Subject:  *[Assam] A parallel government on march
> in Assam? Reporter,
> > don't you know how many movie theatres have closed
> down in Assam being
> > unable to show the Hindi movies?*
> > Date:  *Wed, 4 Oct 2006 08:23:17 +0100*
> >
> > 
> 
> >
> >   *Ulfa curfew on Assam liquor shops*
> >
> > **
> >
> > *
> >
>
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061004/asp/nation/story_6824255.asp*
> >
> > A STAFF REPORTER
> >
> > *Guwahati, Oct. 3:* Playing moral police, the
> banned Ulfa has come up
> > with a set of "regulatory guidelines" for wine
> shops across Assam.
> >
> > The outfit has asked owners of wine shops not to
> open their outlets before
> > 7 pm on weekdays. On Sundays, shops can be opened
> only after 2 pm.
> >
> > Ulfa has also asked wine shops not to sell liquor
> to students.
> >
> > The strictures were mentioned in an article in the
> Ulfa mouthpiece *
> > Swadhinata.*
> >
> > The outfit cited the trend of unruly behaviour
> among youths under the
> > influence of liquor as the reason for clamping
> such regulations.
> >
> > The outfit had previously banned screening of
> Hindi films for allegedly
> > portraying vulgarity.
> >
> > Ulfa clarified that its guidelines for wine shops
> should not be construed
> > as an attempt to interfere with the tradition of
> drinking of home-brewed
> > wine. But consumption of excessive alcohol should
> not be encouraged, it
> > said.
> >
> >  Ulfa said some urgent steps to regulate both
> sellers and consumers of
> > alcohol were needed to prevent alcoholism in
> society. It appealed to people
> > to cooperate in implementing its directive.
> >
> >  The outfit also accused the Centre of encouraging
> social menaces such as
> > alcoholism with the "ulterior motive of crippling
> the society."
> >
> > Recently, the outfit decided to levy taxes on
> "Indians" living and working
> > in Assam and sought "voluntary" donations from the
> indigenous population.
> >
> > The wine directive has, however, not been received
> with much seriousness
> > by shop-owners and officials of the excise
> department. They believe the
> > diktat will meet with the same fate as the
> Ulfa-imposed ban on Hindi films.
> >
> >  "Except for cheap publicity, such restrictions
> never help in addressing
> > the real issue. Many states have been declared
> dry, but they have failed to
> > prevent people from drinking," an excise
> department official said.
> >
> >  He said the restrictions would only boost the
> black market in liquor. "If
> > somebody wants to have a drink before shops open
> at 7 pm, he will have it
> > even if he has to pay more for it."
> >
> >  The owner of a wine shop in Ulubari said Ulfa's
> directive was irrational
> > and, if implemented, would direct revenue to
> neighbouring Meghalaya.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >___
> > >assam mailing list
> > >assam@assamnet.org
> >
>
>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >
> >
> >

Re: [Assam] A parallel government on march in Assam ? Reporter, don’t you know how many movie t heatres have closed down in Assam being unable to show the Hindi movies?

2006-10-04 Thread Ram Sarangapani

Mukul da
>Could Netters explain any Rationale behind Drinking liquor in a hot >and humid climate?
It is probably the same logic that ulfa recommends: lao-paani is OK (instead of biliati).
>Which religion except< India Democracy> encourages drinking >alcohol?
I don't see the connection between religion and Indian Democracy in this context.
But as far as religions are concerned, Christ himself 'approved' of wine. For Catholics, wine is an important part of some rituals.
Other religions probably forbid it. But the elite are able to circumvent that. Imagine the Arab sheikh sitting in a tent in an oasis, grapes, a hookah, belle dancers, camels parked outside, and you think there is no liquor - because Islam forbids it? :)

I agree with you that there probably isn't a good rationale to drink in the a hot & humid climate. But the people obviously don't have the 'thinking power' to decide - so the great savior of the people, the ulfa has to decide, and make rules for them, and punish the evil doers. They have become the 'decider' (apologies to the famous linguist -GW ).

Whats next? Haircuts? Long hair is definitely not good in a hot humid climate. How about a tax on beards?- a page from the Czar.
--Ram
On 10/4/06, mc mahant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Could Netters explain any Rationale behind Drinking liquor in a hot and humid climate?
Which religion except< India Democracy> encourages drinking alcohol?
mm

From: "Bartta Bistar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>To: AssamNet <
assam@assamnet.org>Subject: [Assam] A parallel government on march in Assam? Reporter, don't you know how many movie theatres have closed down in Assam being unable to show the Hindi movies?
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 08:23:17 +0100

Ulfa curfew on Assam liquor shops

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061004/asp/nation/story_6824255.asp

A STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, Oct. 3: Playing moral police, the banned Ulfa has come up with a set of "regulatory guidelines" for wine shops across Assam.

The outfit has asked owners of wine shops not to open their outlets before 7 pm on weekdays. On Sundays, shops can be opened only after 2 pm.

Ulfa has also asked wine shops not to sell liquor to students.

The strictures were mentioned in an article in the Ulfa mouthpiece Swadhinata.

The outfit cited the trend of unruly behaviour among youths under the influence of liquor as the reason for clamping such regulations.

The outfit had previously banned screening of Hindi films for allegedly portraying vulgarity.

Ulfa clarified that its guidelines for wine shops should not be construed as an attempt to interfere with the tradition of drinking of home-brewed wine. But consumption of excessive alcohol should not be encouraged, it said.

Ulfa said some urgent steps to regulate both sellers and consumers of alcohol were needed to prevent alcoholism in society. It appealed to people to cooperate in implementing its directive.

The outfit also accused the Centre of encouraging social menaces such as alcoholism with the "ulterior motive of crippling the society."

Recently, the outfit decided to levy taxes on "Indians" living and working in Assam and sought "voluntary" donations from the indigenous population.

The wine directive has, however, not been received with much seriousness by shop-owners and officials of the excise department. They believe the diktat will meet with the same fate as the Ulfa-imposed ban on Hindi films.

"Except for cheap publicity, such restrictions never help in addressing the real issue. Many states have been declared dry, but they have failed to prevent people from drinking," an excise department official said.

He said the restrictions would only boost the black market in liquor. "If somebody wants to have a drink before shops open at 7 pm, he will have it even if he has to pay more for it."

The owner of a wine shop in Ulubari said Ulfa's directive was irrational and, if implemented, would direct revenue to neighbouring Meghalaya.

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RE: [Assam] A parallel government on march in Assam? Reporter, donï¿½t you know how many movie theatres have closed down in Assam being unable to show the Hindi movies?

2006-10-04 Thread mc mahant

Could Netters explain any Rationale behind Drinking liquor in a hot and humid climate?
Which religion except< India Democracy> encourages drinking alcohol?
mm

From: "Bartta Bistar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>To: AssamNet Subject: [Assam] A parallel government on march in Assam? Reporter, donÂt you know how many movie theatres have closed down in Assam being unable to show the Hindi movies?Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 08:23:17 +0100