[Assam] Community Work and Volunteerism

Sat, 14 Jun 2003 09:51:42 -0700

Alpana.
Please note that though my response is to your email, the contents are meant for the entire North American Assamese community. The community badly needs volunteers from the younger crowd to carry on the work started two or three decades ago.
Dilip
===================================================
 
I am least bothered about who goes where, who is in the limelight, who is not - never was, never will.
DD: Most volunteers in the community give their time to keep the Assamese heritage for the future generations, not to get limelight. Every such effort needs a leader, and to accuse an appointed leader of seeking limelight would be wrong. We have been fortunate that even unwilling individuals have been persuaded to lead certain efforts and they have successfully completed their assignments. My big complaint is that new younger members of the community have not come forward to carry on the tradition.
 
So no questions of taking pot shots. Just asking/providing the facts the way I know.
DD: You misunderstood me. I did not accuse you personally of taking pot shots. That was a comment for the community.
 
I thought I was appreciating the fact after knowing what Orlando Convention did, and asked why it was not done before or after - since I never went to any of them. Then all this Houston thing (and loss of memory) came up. So who took the "not so best" approach?
DD: Is there a "best" approach? The decision is upto the Convention Host committee. Orlando felt a community project in Assam was the thing to do with their little surplus, whereas Houston felt they had sufficient money to divide the surplus into two funds, one for community projects in Assam through AFNA and the other as seed money for future conventions to be loaned by AFNA. By the way I got these details from AFNA officials after this discussion started.
 
BTW, it is not my business, but was wondering again, why did that sign in the Mohila Aabaax in Assam didn't say AFNA but Assam Orlando convention.
DD: The answer is simple. The donation was not made by AFNA but by the Orlando Convention Host Committee directly to the project in Assam.
 
The day that I have no worries of my own (and grow some desire to be politically active and also learn to be diplomatic), find people without any (hidden) agenda and attitude, will come out to be a volunteer. Until then I will be a "fence sitter" (just learnt the phrase few days ago) consider the ones that have BEEN the volunteers - the Great Assamese living abroad.
DD: Everyone here is like you, with day to day worries in personal life. Also If we start fearing hidden agenda and doubting our own lack of perfection in diplomacy, all community work will come to a halt. At times the goal of all this work seems to get lost in the face of some heated arguments but we shouldn't forget that all of it is to preserve the heritage of a tiny community.
 
Also, nothing personal against anyone, but I don't know (or won't care) if I am called a fence-sitter but a trouble maker, or the one who takes pot shots at the few who are devoted to community work, but WILL ask questions if it wonders me, if I get a chance, that is.
DD: One has every right to level constructive criticism against an action or a decision made by a leader or a committee that affects that person. If one chooses not to be a part of the community and does not take part in its activities, then his criticism does not carry much weight and is termed pot shots..
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: D Deka
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [Assam] Surplus from Houston - a clarification

Alpana,
Consensus building takes time and it runs its own sweet course. There was a strong support for joint convention in the late nineties yet there were dissenters for their own reasons. In the interest of the community, you can't have a joint convention for some and leave out another group altogether. To create the right environment for the majority to participate, it took a lot of effort from some volunteers behind the scene. it is sad that the joint convention still doesn't attract everyone and the participation is dwindling every year from the Houston days. It is easy to take pot shots at the few unwitting who volunteered their time to bring this about but it doesn't help the cause any.
So the best approach is to let the past be in the past and build on the achievements so far. It would be nice to see community volunteers come forward and take on the responsibility of running the organizations and the conventions so that the community does not have to worry where the next convention would be. If only people knew how much arm twisting has to be done to get volunteers to host these annual get togethers!
Dilip Deka

Alpana Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Yes, it would have, but was the idea there from before? well, I don't know
the history either. Were too busy struggling - going to school, taking care
of a small child and trying to survive..


----- Original Message -----
From: "Chan Mahanta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Alpana Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 9:40 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [Assam] Surplus from Houston - a clarification


> At 9:25 PM -0500 6/13/03, Alpana Sarangapani wrote:
> >> At any event, I give you Houstonians full credit for having the
goodwill
> >> and courage to break the tradition of separate-but-equal annual
kharkhowa
> >
> >I thought that started in 1998. It is just that only ASA went there. As
far
> >as I understand, otherwise the history of a joi! ! nt convention would have
> >started in St. Louis itself, isn't it?
>
>
> *** I am not one to throw away a perfectly fine compliment for our small
> community A. But can't take the credit. If everyone would have attended,
> these would have been joint whatchmacallits from even earlier. You all in
> Houston WERE special in that you COULD get everyone together under that
one
> big tent that others either could not pitch or if pitched could not get
> everyone to come in.
> But you all got it together. Let us hope we can say the rest was history.
> No reason why we could not. Just takes some give and take,some mutual
trust
> and a bit of mutual respect, inspite of real or perceived differences. I
> like to think that we are upto it as a community.
>
> c-da
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >
> >
> >
> >----- O! ! riginal Message -----
> >From: "Chan Mahanta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >To: "Alpana Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 8:13 PM
> >Subject: Re: Re: [Assam] Surplus from Houston - a clarification
> >
> >
> >> At 7:52 PM -0500 6/13/03, Alpana Sarangapani wrote:
> >> > I would like to clarify that I aplogoized to Mr. Bhuyan and
others
> >> >this morning , only to the extent that I too thought that the surplus
> >> >money from Houston convention was sent to the convention in New
Jersey.
> >> >Mr. Bhuyan did jog my memory and it is true that the money was NOT
sent
> >to
> >> >the NJ convention in 2000, but to AFNA. Sincerely, --A.
Sarangapani.
> >> >Houston, Texas. ----- Original Message -----
> >>
> >>
> >> *** I was wondering why the apologies A. I thought you were in your
> >apology
> >> binge again--just for the heck of it :-).
> >>
> >> Not that it matters any more whether Houston sent the surplus to Cherry
> >> Hills. But I think it is a GOOD idea to keep alive the tradition that
> >Dilip
> >> thought you all started in Houston. At least demonstrates that he had
the
> >> right idea, even though it might not have been carried out the way he
> >> thought it was.
> >>
> >> At any event, I give you Houstonians full credit for having the
goodwill
> >> and courage to break the tradition of separate-but-equal annual
kharkhowa
> >> borxobaahs and usher in an era of co-operation, even though there might
be
> >> legitimate differences of outlook in the community of markhowas. That
> >truly
! ! > >> was a watershed event, made possible by your community's concerted
> >efforts.
> >> I am thankful for that.
> >>
> >> c-da
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> >
> >> > From: Alpana B. Sarangapani To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ;
> >> >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ;
> >> >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 1:26 PM
> >Subject:
> >> >Re: [Assam] Surplus >from Houston
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Dear Mr. Bhuyan:
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >I am guilty of that too. Thank you for reminding. Now I remember even
> >> >more of the good democratic process of the convention.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> &! amp;! gt;I sure did not mean to mislead anyone by any means. Being one of the
> >"host
> >> >committee" members, virtually or not, I do feel obligated to apologize
> >for
> >> >chiming in without any intention, whatsoever. It is just that I was
least
> >> >interested then and am now to serve in any kind of committee of this
> >> >sort. I have both - phobia and hatred for the word 'politics' (clean
or
> >> >nasty) - regardless of the size of the community.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Now it is confirmed that I will not be hired as any kind of a member,
> >> >is not it? :) Sorry for wasting your time with this little joke,
just
> >> >could not avoid it.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Sincerely,
> >> >
> >> >> >! ;> >
> >> >A. Sarangapani
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > >From: Kedar Bhuyan >To: Dilip Deka >CC: Chandan Mahanta ,
Assam
> >> >>Subject: [Assam] Surplus from Houston >Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2003
> >10:24:53
> >> >-0700 (PDT) > > > > >Dear Dilip: > > Your emails
> >> >regarding surplus drew quite a bit of attention in many quarters of
> >> >Assamese community across USA. I am not a member of Assam net, so I
> >did
> >> >not have the opportunity to read your emails in real time. But
there
> >is
> >> >so much interest about the comments you made that some very respected
> >> >community members have forwarded your emails to me and personally
called> >> >me and discussed about it. > > > > 20th Assam
> >> >Convention/26th Assam Day was held in Houston long time ago. Your
> >> >memory regarding that may be getting a little bit fogy by now. The
> >> >surplus from Houston was not given to Cherry Hill organizers as seed
> >money
> >> >as you have suggested. In stead the surplus (you said $2200) was in
fact
> >> >given to AFNA. Chairperson of Houston verbally told me at that time
> >> >that the surplus amount was given to AFNA to administer for the
> >benefit
> >> >of future Assam Conferences. It was not a donation to AFNA. The
> >surplus
> >> >was for the sole use of future Assam Conferences. > > >
>
> >> >Out of this Houston surplus AFNA loaned $2000.00 to Cherry Hill
> >> >organize! rs. I was a director of AFNA d! uring that time. Per AFNA
> >> >President's email to the Board of AFNA Directors (attached here as
ready
> >> >reference) Cherry Hill organizers repaid $1500.00 to AFNA with $500.00
> >> >remained unpaid. Cherry Hill could not return remaining $500.00
because
> >> >there was no more fund left. > > > >AFNA had rejected
> >> >Toronto's request for fund from Houston surplus amount. Similarly
> >> >Denver also did not get any money from this Houston surplus amount.
> >> >Hence balance of the Houston Surplus is still with AFNA. Surplus
from
> >> >Toronto was directly given (not a loan) to Denver. Similarly Denver
is
> >> >also directly given (not a loan) the surplus to St. Louis. > >
>
> >> >> Now instead of looking backward I would like to look forward for
a
> &! gt;> >brighter future ! and better co- operation from the entire Assamese
> >> >community. Joint conferences of all Assamese organizations are still
> >> >evolving. There are lots of areas that need stream lining. Surplus
or
> >> >deficit is one such area. I think that the surplus from Assam 2003
or
> >> >beyond should directly go to the next year's organizing committee.
Any
> >> >surplus fund should not be used or diverted for any other purposes.
> >Our
> >> >community leaders should openly discuss these matters in St. Louis
and
> >> >find out where lies the consensus. > > > >So far we have
only
> >> >discussed about the surplus. What about the deficit? Who >
>is
> >> >responsible for any deficit? Suppose there is a big deficit at St.
> >> >Louis and then is the Chairman personally responsible or liable? Or> >> >entire organizing committee is jointly and severally responsible? If
they
> >> >are not responsible, who is? Unless we openly discuss these matters
> >and
> >> >come to a consensus, in the future very few people will be coming
> >> >forward to take this responsibility. Organizing Assam Conference is
a
> >> >thankless job with no material upside, whereas it potentially
carries
> >a
> >> >huge personal liability. This is one the reasons that now a days
> >people
> >> >are very reluctant to take that responsibility. > > > >
> >> >> > Thanks. > > With best regards > Kedar Bhuyan > >
> >> >> >--------------------------------- >Do you Yahoo!? >Free
> >online
> >> >calendar with sync to Outlook(TM). ><< AFNAPresidentsemail.doc >>> >> >
> >> > MSN 8 helps ELIMINATE E-MAIL
> >> >VIRUSES. Get 2 months FREE*.
> >> >_______________________________________________ Assam mailing list
> >> >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Assam mailing list
> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
> >>
>
>
>
>
_______________________________________________
Assam mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam

Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!

Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!

Reply via email to