As far as I remember, Ram's impression of AANA-AFNA relationship is correct.
During 1980, when we all went to Washington DC to demonstrate, everybody in AANA felt that since AANA and ASA were involved in the demonstration, it was necessary to form a separate wing of AANA which would be tax exempt and as such could send money to Assam without any problem and being tax exempt, it would be an incentive to donors to contribute. And as such AFNA was born in 1982. Even today we always see AANA, AFNA and ASSNA logo on their common newsletter and AFNA has always held their general body meetings in AANA conventions (till 1998) and with AANA and ASA conferences (since 1999). Even the recent news item sent by AANA to Sentinel was in the official letterhead of AANA with AFNA's logo in it. Only this year, AFNA President declared that AFNA was never a part of AANA! I am not sure that was a declaration from AFNA board of directors or AFNA executive body or just AFNA President! Even AFNA's financial Report of 2001-2002 with lots of transactions (thousands of dollars) between AFNA, ASSNA and Y2K convention (of AANA and ASA) was published in AANA newsletter, Issue 87. I even heard that in one of the AANA conventions it was decided that all the financial obligations of AANA (membership money) etc. would be handled by AFNA! As long as I see AFNA's logo in AANA newsletter and AFNA's financial statement etc. with AANA's newsletter, it would be very hard for me to believe that AFNA was never associated with AANA. ************ P.S.: By the way ASA's upcoming 31st anniversary of Assam Day is correct. Again, as far as I know ASA existed since early 1970s in New York/New Jersey area - only they were known as "Assam Sangha". Mere changing of name does not make one lose one's identity and age. ----- Original Message ----- From: "R. Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 4:37 PM Subject: [Assam] Re: Assamese Associations > > Dear Krishanu: > > Let me first applaud you on the yeoman service you are providing the > Assamese community thru AFNA. Further, its rather commendable that you are: > > >>Since I got the leadership role I am trying to make it clear to everybody > >>that AFNA is a non-aligned / non-affiliated >assamese organisation in the > US > >>focussed on doing charity work in Assam. > > However, I have always had the impression that AFNA was the cultural wing of > AANA. Further, if I am not mistaken, I have often heard AANA members > indicate it as such. If what I have heard is TRUE, you as President of AFNA, > must take all necessary steps to remove any doubts from the doubting > Thomases like me. > > Wasn't AFNA created by AANA? If so, when did it cut the umblical cord? Of > course, I am just asking questions, and I may be totally wrong in my > assumptions. > > Nevertheless, it is indeed gratifying to see young men like you to take it > upon yourself great work you are doing. And whether AFNA has any > affiliations to AANA or not is not important here. What is important is that > AFNA is doing a lot of charity work. > > BTW: It is saddening to note that stalwarts like Chandan da would give up so > easily on some kind unification of the Kharkhowas. > > With Regards, > > Ram Sarangapani > > > > > > > From: "Kaushik, Krishanu (.)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 1:38 PM > > Subject: Assamese Associations > > > > > > > Dear Vavani, > > > > > > Recently I saw your posting on the topic - "From Sentinel - AANA silver > > jubilee / UNITY IN DIVERSITY" - in assam net (www.assam.org). I am not a > > subscriber although I check the archives once in a while. I faced the same > > dilemna like you when I came to this country in 1995. I started working > with > > IFAA and AFNA because they were the only two Charity organizations. Till > > date I'm not a member of ASA, AANA or UOANA. I lost contact with IFAA > after > > Joken Kalita and Khanin Pathak went back to India. > > > > > > There is no leadership issues with AFNA because nobody wants to take its > > leadership. I was made the president last year although I was not very > keen > > to work from the limelight. Since I got the leadership role I am trying to > > make it clear to everybody that AFNA is a non-aligned / non-affiliated > > assamese organisation in the US focussed on doing charity work in Assam. > > Everyone, from all sections of the society (ASA/AANA/UOANA/JONAKI etc.) > are > > welcome to join and /or work with AFNA. It is truly a non-partisan > > charitable entity for the entire community to close ranks on. One thing > I've > > learnt is that any efforts to unite the organisations are deemed to be > > futile. You can take my word for it! Don't ask me why? Because I don't > know > > the answer. Instead of wasting our time and energy chasing our own tails > > let's concentrate on doing something for Assam. > > > > > > We have plenty of good opportunities, to provide financial assistance, > in > > Assam. These are projects and relief efforts handled by reliable and > > trustworthy people. Some examples are: > > > > > > 1. Rural Volunteers Center - RVC (an NGO working for relief of Flood > > affected people and for long term flood preparedness in Dhemaji) > > > 2. North-East Affected Area Development Society - NEADS (same as # 1 in > > Jorhat and Golaghat, including Majuli) > > > 3. The "Aarohan" project by Dr. BN Saikia Children's Welfare Trust - we > > can have a long term relationship with that project and make it a success. > > > 4. Journalist Fellowship Program administered ny C-NES - Centre for > North > > East Studies and Policy Research (Instituted by journalists like Sanjoy > > Hazarika) > > > 5. The "Save Kaziranga" project > > > > > > In addition to the above we also have some projects listed in our > website > > www.geocities.com/assamfoundation and some which are not. > > > > > > All we need from the community is an willingness to help these projects > > and considerable financial contributions - by way of memberships, by way > of > > donations to a particular project or the general fund. Money from the > > general fund is used for day-to-day operations (Minimum. The only big > amount > > is the $500 registration fees for annual meeting) and to contribute > towards > > deserving fundraising efforts. e;g we'll be adding $ 500 from the general > > fund to the $2000 plus that we have already collected for the Aarohan > > project. (The computer you'll donate will be in addition to that.) There > is > > a $ 25 annual membership fees, which goes to the general fund. You may > > send the membership fees to AFNA @ 44963 Lemont Road, Canton, MI 48187. > > > > > > We need volunteers to raise funds for these projects and increase the > > awareness among the assamese community. > > > > > > My humble request to all the recepients of this email - please become a > > member and take an active part in helping those who need our help back > home. > > Please pass on the word to all your friends and aquaintances. > > > > > > Regards, > > > Krishanu Kaushik > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Assam mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
