from:"Dilip\/Dil Deka"

Re: [Assam] NE TV's Ekap Half Chah programme

2005-08-18 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I really do not see any problem in the use of "tumi" as long as neither Mr. Bhuyan and Mr. Sarma had any objection. After all there are three accepted forms of "you" in Assamese - "Apuni, Tumi and Toi", and they areused as appropriate between two people.
If Bhuyanused "Apuni" just for the show, it would have beenartificial and probably would have put a barrier in the flow of words.

Dilip Deka

muktikam phukan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Hello everybody

I've a small observation to make. Recently I've been to Sivasagar for some official job. It was nice to see the TV channel called NE TV catering to all the major languages of NE including Sikkim. One of the programme I saw was a Talk Show titled "Ekap Half Chah". The anchor Sri Atanu Bhuyan was interviewing a young Assam Minister, Sri Himanta Biswa Sarma. But, I was really astonished to hear Sri Bhuyan calling Sri Sarma "TUMI" all through the programme. Is it not really very unprofessional? Even if Sri Sarma is very junior to Sri Bhuyan or even if they r very good friends, some decorum should have been maintained in such public programmes by calling him "APUNI". After all he is a H'ble Minister of the Govt of Assam, duly elected by the people of Jalukbari. These r small things but if taken care of will go a long way in improving the programmes of this budding channel.
My observation has nothing personal against anybody and I may kindly be corrected if I m wrong.

Muktikam Phukan

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[Assam] ULFA's perspective - An Aspect of Independent Asom

2005-08-17 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

This seems like a good topic to chew on. Though details are lacking, this is the first time I have seen an ULFA along these lines. A Pol Pot regime in the making?

An Aspect of Independent Asom.

1) The law of revolutionary administration and justice will remain enforced after the establishment of an Independent Asom until all the required arms for democracy have been established.
2) Peoples Council will be formed by all the ethnic groups of having definite identity and are outside the assimilation process for the formation of Asomese nation.
3) Independent Asom will confirm the right of self determination of each nationality through the Peoples Council according to their wishes to ensure the Council according to their according to their wishes to ensure the share of power for all and by all.

4) The representatives of government of independent Asom and the Peoples Council will form the Peoples Political Committee to solve all common problems and independent issues among the different ethnic groups.
5) The politics of Independent Asom will be the means to ensure all the rights and freedom to one all, protection of life and property and total welfare of the individual and social life.
6) Independent Asom shall endeavor its best to present a clean and efficient modern administration for the betterment of the peoples service. Beaurocratic red-tapism will be checked.
7) The legislature (law making body) and executive (the government) shall work in close co-operation with each other. The judiciary shall be independent of the executive so as to ensure justice and dignity for all.
8) To protect the people from becoming minority in their own homeland, Independent Asom shall enforce strict immigration laws.
9) The economy of Asom is based upon Agriculture. Therefore priority shall be given to develop the agricultural sector as industry. The steps shall be taken to achieve this objective-
a) Feudal system shall be abolished.
b) Land shall be distributed to the actual farmers, by the principle of land and tillers.
c) Co-operative system shall be established to ensure smooth production and marketing.
d) Argo-based industries shall be established with top priority.
e) Every possible step shall be taken to control the perennial flood and natural calamities.
10) The large tea gardens, all natural resources including wild life, basic financial sectors and enemy properties shall be bought under the direct control of the state.
11) Private sector entrepreneurs shall be encouraged with an aim to develop national capital.
12) As Asom is rich in human and natural resources, an export-oriented economy shall be established with the help of available raw materials.
13) The export of raw materials shall be discouraged.
14) Foreign investment shall be welcomed without compromising natural interest.
15) Any economic policy that may undermine the hard-earned sovereignty of Independent Asom shall not be implemented.___
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Re: [Assam] my introduction

2005-08-17 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Welcome to the group, Utpal.
I have a few questions for you - well actually for many others in this net.
Where exactly is Upper Assam? Being from Upper Assam - does it connote an ethnical difference from the people in Guwahati? Or is it a cultural difference? Was it a cultural shock for you when your family moved to Guwahati (in Lower Assam?) from Upper Assam? What was the compelling reason that forced your family to settle in crowded Guwahati?
I have always wondered why everyone in Assam wants to buy a plot of land in Guwahati after retirement and become a Guwahatian.
Dilip Deka
Houston, TX
utpal borpujari [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Hi everybody. Am a new entrant to the group. Thought would introduce myself, and hope to interact with all on issues concerning Assam (Asam/Axam/Axom?) I am a journalist based in Delhi. Have been in the profession for about 12 years. Started out with The Sentinel in Guwahati in 1993, moved to PTI in Delhi in 1995 and since last four years been working with the Delhi News Bureau of Bangalore-based English daily Deccan Herald. If you ask about my origins: I am from Guwahati (settled there since 1978 though we are from Upper Assam originally). - Utpal Borpujari

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Re: [Assam]

2005-08-06 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Srijuta (distortion of Shriyukta in Sanskrit) means "Let prosperity accompany him", :-) something similar to "PBUH" that some Muslims use when referring to Hazrat Muhammed. When a person has passed away, the common practice used to be to put"Swargiya" or its distortion "Xorgiyo" before the name. For example, Xorgiyo Gopinath Bordoloi.
Is that usage still in practice in Assam?
"Proyato" means gone or passed away. Proyato Srijuta is too farfetched, in my opinion.
Dilip
=Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
O' Alpana:Moi 'expart' nohoy, tothapi mukh melilw:Sri, by definition, is an appellation for a live person.Therefore Srijuta would be too I think.BTW, what is the meaning of 'Proyato'? Is it same as Sworgiya/ Sworgiyo? If it is, then the combo may be an unusual one :-).c-daAt 5:31 PM -0500 8/6/05, Alpana B. Sarangapani wrote:Hi Everybody:I just learnt something that I never had to think about before - that you can't add "Shri-juta" to a deceased person's name! Is it true? Or can you put "Proyato Shri-juta" at least?Thanks in advance for your help.- A. SarangapaniHouston, Texas.___Assam mailing
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Re: [Assam] ASA Newsletter, July 2005 (Volume 33, Issue No 10) published..

2005-08-01 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Are you sure?
Porhuwoixokol has "w" and I realize "w" has been usedin instancesphonetically as a special form of "o". To follow that rule, "Porhuwoixokol" is not the proper way to write.
Nor is "Porhuixokol". Phonetically the solution appears to be "Porhuoixokol"
Dilipbarua25 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:




Porhuixokol seem to be thecorrect Roman spelling, not Porhuwoixokol. .
Barua

- Original Message - 
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Cc: assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu 
Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2005 9:53 PM
Subject: RE: [Assam] ASA Newsletter, July 2005 (Volume 33, Issue No 10) published..

 "Hello Esteemed Porhuixokol"

 I think it should be Porhuoixokol / Porhuwoixokol..
 
 regards,


 CRB
 
-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of ASA NewsletterSent: 31 July 2005 23:19To: assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; jonaki@yahoogroups.comSubject: [Assam] ASA Newsletter, July 2005 (Volume 33, Issue No 10) published..

Hello Esteemed Porhuixokol,
Volume 33, Issue No 10, June 2005 of the Newsletter has been published. This our 22nd consecutive monthly publication. Thank you for your patronage during this time.
The newsletter can be downloaded from http://assam.org/newsletter/july2005.pdf The table of contents is given below:
- Assam 2005: My Impressions . . . . . .. . . . .. . .1-Assam 2005, Disneyland, Orlando, USA . . . . . 2- Book Review . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .. .3- The Passage by Sancjayota Sharma . . . . . . . .4- London Torn into Pieces: My Heart Bleeds . . .5- Some Key Concepts of Assam Vaishnavism ... . .5- Golden Jubilee of AEC and Sustainability Issues . 6
We appreciate your valuable feedback, comments  suggestions.
Thanking you,
With regards,
Satyam Bhuyan (Ames, Iowa)Ganesh Bora (Lake Alfred, Florida)Prasenjit Chetia (Atlanta, Georgia)Babul Gogoi (New Delhi, India)Jugal Kalita (Colorado Springs, Colorado, Editor-In-Chief)Symanta Saikia (Wichita, Kansas), Vavani Sarma (Secane, Pennsylvania)Rini Kakati (London, UK)Umesh Sharma (Cambridge, Massachusetts)Ram Sarangapani (Houston, Texas)


---
bg


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[Assam] Difference between a baptist and a catholic

2005-07-26 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Hope you guys like this one.



A young boy was walking down a dirt road after church one Sundayafternoon when he came to a crossroads where he met a little girl comingfrom the other direction.-"Hello," said the little boy."Hi," replied the little girl."Where are you going?" asked the boy."I've been to church this morning and I'm on my way home," answered thegirl. "Me too," replied the little boy. "I'm also on my way home fromchurch."-"Which church do you go to?" asked the boy."I go to the Baptist church back down the road," replied the littlegirl. "What about you?" "I go to the Catholic church back at the top ofthe hill," replied the boy. They are both going the same way so theywalk together.-They came to a low spot in the road where spring rains had partiallyflooded the road so there was no way that they could get across to theother side without getting wet.-"If I get my new Sunday !
dress wet
 my Mom's going to skin me alive," saidthe little girl. "My Mom'll tan my hide too if I get my new Sunday suitwet," replied the little boy.-"I tell you what I think I'll do," said the girl. "I'm gonna pull offall my clothes and hold them over my head and wade across."-"That's a good idea," replied the boy. "I'm going to do the same with mysuit." So they both undressed and waded across to the other side withoutgetting their clothes wet.-They were standing there in the sun waiting to drip dry before puttingtheir clothes back on when the boy, who had been visually appraising hisnew friend, finally remarked,-"You know, I never did realize before just how much difference therereally is between a Baptist and a Catholic."Irish Warlock___
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Re: [Assam] TOI - 'Delete Dalit slur from scriptures' -- a positive move

2005-07-22 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I realize it is a touchy subject - separating scriptures from the constitution in the minds of the average citizen. What do scriptures have to do with the functioning of democracy in India? Indian constitution does not make any reference to the scriptures. Does it?

Let the scriptures remain in the history of India. One cannot erase the past. The thrust should be in correcting the past mistakes inreal life and that needs to be started in the interior areas of Bihar, UP, Gujarat, Tamilnadu and wherever else it is deeply rooted.

Dilip Dekaumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

'Delete Dalit slur from scriptures'
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1178311.cms

NEW DELHI: Delete "objectionable references" to Dalits from the scriptures if you want to intensify the fight against untouchability, says National Commission for Scheduled Castes chairman Suraj Bhan. Bhan claims he has the blessings of the Sankaracharya of Sringeri Mutt has for his demand and he will soon meet other Sankaracharyas to garner support for his cause. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Bhan said that references like dhol ganwar shudra pashu nari, sakal tadan ke adhikari (drum, illiterate, Dalit, animal, women, all are fit only to be beaten) in Ramcharitmanas should not be allowed in print in a society with a Constitution giving equal rights to all. He said fresh edited versions of these scriptures should be brought out. Bhan said the Commission will hold conferences in all the states to "generate awakening" on the subject.
In a bid to garner support for his endeavour, Bhan met the religious head of the Sringeri seat earlier last week. "He has agreed to support my cause and asked me to speak to other Sankaracharyas on this issue and then a joint appeal can be made," he said. Saying that Dalits were still subject to discrimination, Bhan said atrocities against them were continuing to rise despite government's attempts to control them. He said eight Dalits were killed in police custody last year. "The same story exists in all states," he said. Recalling tales of tsunami survivors from upper castes refusing to share relief camps with Dalits, Bhan lamented, "Untouchability was in their minds despite having come back from the jaws of death.

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Re: [Assam] Sunil Nath in Tehelka

2005-06-29 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

With ULFA, it is not WYSIWYG. They have their Gurus behind the scene.
Dilipdaumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
If I may clarify, all ULFA memebrs seem to be skilledin (jungle) warfare but seem to have no plan forgovernance. Do they have the skills to discuss afruitful plan of development with Indian govt?Umesh--- Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: I wonder about the quality of 'education' that would produce a  question such as this. At 3:37 AM +0100 6/29/05, umesh sharma wrote: I wonder what the learned memebers of ULFA have learnt in their  jungle university --- most seem like high school drop outs to --any  views on their professional skills in development?  Umesh  [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  RK, The qu!
estion is
 worth million dollar,indeed." Miya ki daur masjid  tak" is an old Urdu aphorism which,when transalated,means, ' the  Muslim's run end at the mosque'.Its message has  wisdom: everything  must have a limit.But there is apparently no limit to the talk about  talks as far as the ULFA is concerned.Sooner or later,the people of  Assam will start wondering what the ULFA can talk to the Government  about save Assam's independence.Quite obviously,sovereignty will  come up for discussion, because the ULFA wants it.But most  certainly, the GOI will turn down the demand. Where does the talk go  from there?Dr.Goswami will soon discover that the ULFA has very  little to put up by way of reasonable demands. KJD ___ Assam mail!
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[Assam] Life in Independent Assam

2005-06-27 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

The information in this news item is important. It gives a good picture of what life would be in "Independent Assam". There is a caveat - is the source of information reliable?
Dilip Deka

Guwahati, Monday, June 27, 2005

Differences crop up in ULFA leadershipBy A Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, June 26 The banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has reportedly split right through the middle with the leaders and cadres being divided along regional lines. Highly-placed sources disclosed today that there is a rift between upper Assam and lower Assam leaders and cadres. The sources said that sharp differences have cropped up among the leaders of the outfit with the lower Assam commanders having contrary views on a number of key issues vis-a-vis the stand taken by the leaders hailing from upper Assam. ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah both hail from upper Assam. But the commanders hailing from lower Assam control the outfit as a whole, particularly the armed cadres.The moot point of the differences is the stand taken by the ULFAs top leaders on the issue of Bang!
ladeshi
infiltration into Assam. Rajkhowa and Paresh Baruah have taken an ambiguous stand, merely stating that the issue can be sorted out after Assams independence. The lower Assam cadres, however, want the outfit to take a stand against infiltration since it is an issue close to the hearts of the common people in the State.The maltreatment of the cadres by the seniors within the outfit, like demotion from the rank of lieutenant to sepoy for criticising the seniors for wrong policies and use of non-democratic means in elections to top posts have generated a lot of internal bickerings within the group. The ULFAs Nalbari unit, comprising the 709 battalion, has emerged as the most powerful unit. Most of the ULFAs active commanders are from this unit and they have their own set of opinions, quite contrary to the ones held by Rajkhowa and Paresh Baruah. Earlier, the sources said, all important operations were carried out by the upper Assam-based A and B units o!
f the
28th battalion. Misunderstandings have cropped up as a large number of lower Assam leaders have been killed or arrested during operations while the upper Assam leaders, who hold the top organisational posts, are safely ensconced in Bangladesh. The sources said that the leadership in Bangladesh are operating with their hands tied as Bangladeshi authorities have reportedly warned them not to do anything against the interests of Muslims in Assam. Some of the leaders, like Anup Chetia, have married Bangladeshi women. They also have heavy financial interests in Bangladesh that they do not want to compromise on.Leading the lower Assam lobby within the ULFA is Raju Baruah, a one-time right hand man of Paresh Baruah. Lower Assam cadres have started rallying around Raju Baruah who hails from Bahjani in Nalbari district. It is this lower Assam that has contributed scores of ULFA cadres who are presently attached with different units of the ULFA. Raju Baruah ha!
s decided
to stay away from Bangladesh and avoid the leaders there. He is reportedly in Burma along with a few trusted men, staying in a camp in an area with a profusion of NSCN (K) camps. He is said to be unhappy also with the fact that there is no democracy within the organisation with the upper Assam leaders maintaining a vice-like grip on the organisation while the dirty work is entrusted to the lower Assam men, the sources added.___
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RE: [Assam] BPO data theft in India

2005-06-24 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

What is Rajen Barua's comment on this? :-)
Dilipumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

You can give people technology but you cannot change their corruption ridden nature. Given that India has one of the highest level of corruption it is not surprising that ghosts from India's nature are now visiting its latest "opportunity" -- the BPO.

Umesh"Alpana B. Sarangapani" [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


there goes the call centers in india down people are already so irritated hereabout it - that "foreigners with a funny accent" are handling their accounts, and now this? I was depressed seeing this on tv last night.
From: umesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED]Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: assam@pikespeak.uccs.eduSubject: [Assam] BPO data theft in IndiaDate: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 23:19:35 +0100 (BST)http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=94780-Yahoo! Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PCcalling worldwide with voicemail___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam


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[Assam] NRL ready to ship out cargo via Bangladesh

2005-06-16 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Will it sustain? I hope it does.
Dilip
===

NRL ready to ship out cargo via BangladeshSilghat port comes to life, vessel flag off soon
By Wasbir HussainNUMALIGARH, June 15: An oil refinery, located in the wilds of Assam, could well provide the ?fuel of life? to a historic port in the Brahmaputra, that has been virtually abandoned for years.
The dilapidated river port at Silghat, around 100 km west of here, has sprung to life ever since a private vessel from Kolkata arrived and anchored there a few days ago. The vessel has been hired by the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) to ship a consignment of Euro III Diesel for the Kolkata market.
Top NRL sources said that the vessel with a 1,500 tonne cargo of Euro III Diesel, valued at Rs 4 crore, will set sail in a day or two. It is expected to reach Budge Budge, its destination near Kolkata, via Bangladesh, in 15 days.
"We are trying out an alternate mode of transport to evacuate our products," an NRL official said. Two more consignments of the same product are to follow as part of this trial run to try and ascertain whether products from the 3 million tonne state-of-the-art refinery could be evacuated through the river route.
NRL has an eye on the Bangladesh market. The country has a refinery at Chittagong that processes 1.5 million tonne of crude per year. Oil industry sources said Bangladesh has a shortfall of 1.5 million tonnes of petroleum products.
It is being thought here that when the present cargo of Euro III Diesel passes through ports close to Dhaka, it could create an indirect impact in Bangladeshi oil circles on the possibility of importing petro products from NRL.
NRL officials had held exploratory discussions with the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, a state owned oil company, a couple of years ago. The talks had not made much progress. NRL officials are once again expected to resume the discussions with the oil company in Bangladesh.
NRL, in collaboration with the Inland Waterways Authority, has made makeshift arrangements to make Silghat suitable for the current shipment. Around Rs 20 lakh is understood to have been spent to make the defunct port suitable for loading of the cargo, that has been driven to Silghat from the NRL storage depots.
An alternate mode of transport is important for NRL as it is having a major problem in evacuating its products. There is a perennial shortage of railways rakes to ship out the products. ___
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Re: [Assam] Bravo Bezboruah! Even Winston Churchill avoided putting it so candidly.

2005-06-13 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

For Bezboruah's effort to bear any fruit, the people in legislature that is the MPs must carry the idea to the Lok Sabha.Is any of the Assam MPs ready to do that? If a proposal is brought to the floor, at the least it will get a hearing and who knows it may get support from some of the national leaders.

A side note: Why do they use MP for the members of the Lok Sabha,where "Parliament" was superseded by "Lok Sabha" many years ago? The same with MLA, where "Vidhan Sabha" replaced "Legislative Assembly".
DilipBartta Bistar [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:



Democracy a tyranny of majority: Bezboruah

http://www.assamtribune.com/

12 june 05By A Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, June 11  In Assam, ones religion determines whether one belongs to the minority or majority. One does not even have to be a citizen, said eminent journalist DN Bezboruah while delivering the first LN Phookan memorial lecture at the Lakshiram Baruah Sadan here this morning.Elucidating on the theme Aberrations of Democracy, Bezboruah delved deep into the malpractices and aberrations that have crept into Indian democratic machinery since independence. He categorised the major!
ity rule
 scenario in democracy under the class of tyranny of majority and wished for equal representation in Parliament from all States, irrespective of the population.If anything, there is a strong motivation in the more populous states of India to go on increasing their population because this gives the states a much better representation in Parliament. And it is this overwhelming majority of heartland states in Parliament that has marginalised the peripheral States like those of the North East, said Bezboruah.Earlier, dwelling on the life and work of late Lakshmi Nath Phookan, the founder editor of The Assam Tribune, Bezboruah saluted this quite unassuming man as a man of great courage and convictions.It may be mentioned here that late LN Phookan, born in Dergaon in 1897, !
was not
 only a talented journalist, but also an excellent writer, poet and a true professional. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1970 for his collection of biographies Mahaatmaar poraa Rupkonwaroloi. He served as the editor, The Assam Tribune for 25 years from 1939 to 1964.Among other dignitaries present on the occassion were eminent poet Nilamani Phukan, Tabu Taid, and Prof Dilip Baruah. Dorin Hazarika and Diwas Phukan of Ace Institute, which had instituted the lecture,were also present 



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[Assam] Karbi State Today, Bodo State Tomorrow

2005-06-13 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Karbi state now and a Bodo state soon. Independent (?)Assam will be reduced to nine distributed districts ! Do we smell foul play by the central government again? Divide and rule by granting autonomy and statehood to the tribal areas, while the independence seekers keep dreaming. :-( :-(

On the other hand, with more states in the north east and two MPs per state as perceived recently, there is a possibility that NE may get a big say in running the country. The table may turn.
Dilip






Talks with Centre todayUPDS hopes high on Karbi state
From our Staff CorrespondentSHILLONG, June 12: On the eve of the negotiations between the Centre and the UPDS today, the UPDS accused the Government of Assam for the delay in the creation of a separate Karbi State. The rebel group maintained that it will not compromise on the issue. Talking to The Sentinel, UPDS joint secretary Wojaru Mukrang, who is leading a seven-member delegation to New Delhi, said that if a positive recommendation is dispatched by the Assam Government, the Centre will take only ten days to announce the creation of a new Karbi State. Lamenting on the retardation of the peace process, Mukrang said, "The Government of Assam not only took three years to send the recommendation sought by the Centre, but had also submitted negative reports on the demand." Maintaining a firm stand on their demand fo!
r a new
 Karbi State, the UPDS hoped that "the Centre will accede to the long-pending desire of the Karbi populace". 








BARPETA DISTRICT MAP

BONGAIGAON DISTRICT MAP


CACHAR DISTRICT MAP

DARRANG DISTRICT MAP


DHEMAJI DISTRICT MAP

DHUBURI DISTRICT MAP


DIBRUGARH DISTRICT MAP

GOALPARA DISTRICT MAP


GOLAGHAT DISTRICT MAP

HAILAKANDI DISTRICT MAP


JORHAT DISTRICT MAP

KAMRUP DISTRICT MAP


KARBI ANGLONG DISTRICT MAP

KARIMGANJ DISTRICT MAP


KOKRAJHAR DISTRICT MAP

LAKHIMPUR DISTRICT MAP


MARIGAON DISTRICT MAP

NAGAON DISTRICT MAP


NALBARI DISTRICT MAP

NORTH CACHAR HILLS DISTRICT MAP


SIBSAGAR DISTRICT MAP

SONITPUR DISTRICT MAP___
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Re: [Assam] Karbi State Today, Bodo State Tomorrow

2005-06-13 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

If the number of MPs gets fixed at say 2 per state, the total number will not be 500 or 700. There are 28 states now, of which 7 are in the north east. If the number 7 goes upto 9, north eastwillhave almost 30% of the seats, the other 70% being divided between 21 states.
That is what I meant by the table may turn.
But who can say that the 9 will stick together or the other 21 will not start sticking together?

In India, Rajya Sabha is patterned after the House of Lords in UK and it does not do much. The action is in Lok Sabha, similar to Parliament in UK and this is where numbers count. Under the current federal system, the chances of limiting the number of MPs from a state to a fixed number are remote.

Where is Santanu? Would like to hear his comments on Bezboruah presentation.
DilipChan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

On the other hand, with more states in the north east and two MPs per state as perceived recently, there is a possibility that NE may get a big say in running the country. The table may turn.

*** Instead of the present 13 or whatever, let us it becomes 30. In a house of how much--700 or so ( or is it about 500?). What are the chances?

Besides, none of these states have a snow-ball's chance in heck for raising any revenue worth considering. So they will for ever be in the Center's dole -- enslaved in perpetuity. Would their MP be stupid to rock the boat and kill their golden goose?

At 7:53 AM -0700 6/13/05, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
Karbi state now and a Bodo state soon. Independent (?)Assam will be reduced to nine distributed districts ! Do we smell foul play by the central government again? Divide and rule by granting autonomy and statehood to the tribal areas, while the independence seekers keep dreaming. :-( :-(

On the other hand, with more states in the north east and two MPs per state as perceived recently, there is a possibility that NE may get a big say in running the country. The table may turn.
Dilip

Talks with Centre todayUPDS hopes high on Karbi state
From our Staff CorrespondentSHILLONG, June 12: On the eve of the negotiations between the Centre and the UPDS today, the UPDS accused the Government of Assam for the delay in the creation of a separate Karbi State. The rebel group maintained that it will not compromise on the issue. Talking to The Sentinel, UPDS joint secretary Wojaru Mukrang, who is leading a seven-member delegation to New Delhi, said that if a positive recommendation is dispatched by the Assam Government, the Centre will take only ten days to announce the creation of a new Karbi State. Lamenting on the retardation of the peace process, Mukrang said, "The Government of Assam not only took three years to send the recommendation sought by the Centre, but had also submitted negative reports on the demand." Maintaining a firm stand on their demand fo! r a new Karbi State, the UPDS hoped that "the Centre will accede to the long-pending !
desire of
the Karbi populace".

BARPETA DISTRICT MAP

BONGAIGAON DISTRICT MAP

CACHAR DISTRICT MAP

DARRANG DISTRICT MAP

DHEMAJI DISTRICT MAP

DHUBURI DISTRICT MAP

DIBRUGARH DISTRICT MAP

GOALPARA DISTRICT MAP

GOLAGHAT DISTRICT MAP

HAILAKANDI DISTRICT MAP

JORHAT DISTRICT MAP

KAMRUP DISTRICT MAP

KARBI ANGLONG DISTRICT MAP

KARIMGANJ DISTRICT MAP

KOKRAJHAR DISTRICT MAP

LAKHIMPUR DISTRICT MAP

MARIGAON DISTRICT MAP

NAGAON DISTRICT MAP

NALBARI DISTRICT MAP

NORTH CACHAR HILLS DISTRICT MAP

SIBSAGAR DISTRICT MAP

SONITPUR DISTRICT MAP
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[Assam] 'A Classic Exposition Of A Secular State'

2005-06-13 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

If you are curious aboutwhat Advani really said in Karachi, you can find the full text in Outlook India. After reading the speech, I cannot understand why there is so much noise in India over it.

He wanted to sound like a prime minister ( may become one) and he did.End of story.
Dilip


CONTROVERSYL.K. ADVANI'A Classic Exposition Of A Secular State''I believe that this [Jinnah's speech to Pakistan's Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947] is the ideal that India, Pakistan as!
 well as
 Bangladesh  the three present-day sovereign and separate constituents of the undivided India of the past, sharing a common civilisational heritage  should follow.'Web | Jun06,2005___
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Re: [Assam] A Conundrum: From ToI

2005-06-12 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

The following will give some clue. Money goes where it produces quick return or promises big return in the future. With the easing of restrictions in India, it has become easier for money to flow in and out. Is it bad?
Isn't it similar to Japanese investment in USA and US companies investing in Japan? If you shed your concept of India as a beggar and see her as an emerging strong economy, it is easier to believe what is happening.
Dilip

Indian Owned Businesses Represent 5 % of London's Economy India is the 2nd Largest Investor in the UK From Asia; London Attracts Half of all Indian Investments into Europe
New Delhi, Delhi, India, Tuesday, March 15, 2005 -- (Business Wire India)Over 10,000 Indian-owned businesses, including 140 Indian multi-national companies operate in London and employ 49,000 people. Together these businesses generate a combined turnover of over USD 14.4 billion, representing five per cent of London's economy. These facts are highlighted in a new report called Indian Communities in London, released by Think London, the official inward investment agency for London, a partner agency of the British Government organisation - UK Trade Investment. The report highlights the substantial contribution of the Indian community to London's economy and way of life. The highlights of the report were shared by Mr Michael Charlton, Chief Executive Officer, Think London today.Speaking on the report, Mr Charlton said, One in every ten people in London originate from the Indian subcontinent. The synergies between the vib!
rant,
fast-growing and services-driven economies of the UK and India have resulted in the UK becoming India's gateway to Europe. Indeed, London, voted as Europe's best city for business for 15 consecutive years, attracts half of all Indian investment into Europe. There are now more Indian companies listed on the London Stock Exchange than on the New York stock exchange and NASDAQ combined. These include the State Bank of India, Bajaj Auto, Gail (India), Reliance Energy, Raymond, Bajaj Auto, Ashok Leyland, Associated Cement Co, and East India Hotels. India's globalisation process has been uniquely balanced with India being the only developing country among the top ten nations for both attracting FDI and making investments globally. In fact, India ranks fourth in the list. Our impression is that this so far has been led by industry and supported by the encouraging policies of the government here, said Mr Charlton. Indian businesses expanding offshore are !
targeting
the UK- the number investing in the UK rose 47 per cent in 2003-04 from the previous year. India is now the 2nd largest source of FDI into the UK from Asia in terms of projects and jobs generated and rank among the UK's top ten Foreign Direct Investment markets, according to figures from UK Trade Investment.Indian investors are choosing the UK and London as a good fit for the Indian entrepreneurial spirit - the UK provides dynamic businesses the ability to grasp new opportunities, technologies and markets through agility and innovation in an open and cost-effective environment, said Mark Dolan, Deputy Director, Inward Investment, India. Over the last eight years India's overseas investment in Europe has seen an incredible rise of 450 percent according to Ernst Young's European Investment Monitor. Today, India has emerged as the second largest source of FDI into the UK from Asia in terms of projects and jobs created. The report, Indian
communities in London, observes that the British capital has been a popular destination for Indians since the beginning of the 17th century. Currently home to 173,000 nationals from India, London accounts for over a third of the resident Indian population in the UK. With the British born people of Indian origin included, this number accounts for 437,000, accounting for six per cent of London's population.Flight routes from India to London are UK's busiest, with over 60 flights a week to and from nine Indian cities. Nearly 4000 of 16000 students from India in the UK are currently studying in London. This demonstrates the influence of India's growing presence in the UK economy.Indian communities have made their mark on many aspects of London's life, participating at all levels of business, politics and cultural activities. London is a home to all major Indian languages, restaurants, places of worship, books and music.A host of dedicated business servic!
es are
available to support the Indian business community in London, including all of the major Indian public and private sector banks, specialist Indian legal centres and translation and interpreting services. Think London's free advisory services have helped over 200 companies from Asia Pacific to set up, develop and expand their businesses in London. From India the agency has worked with both large multi-national enterprises and smaller entrepreneurial firms. Think London's Indian clients include ICICI Bank, Tata Elxsi, SBI Capital

Re: [Assam] NHRC

2005-06-11 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Hobo, hobo. Lahe lahe.
Indian legislature-or manuhe je human rights-or kotha bhabibo parise, xeyei bohut. Ami akou xodai xuni aso je dillit bhabibo pora manuh kwnw nai.

There is no way all problems in India can be solved with the magic wand in one day. If you look at the charter for NHRC, they have certain tasks. They are working according to the charter. It will be upto the others to follow up. For example, GOA now needs to clean up the police department (prisons) to make them more alert.

On another topic, what do you think of the recent encroachment on states' rights when the US federal court ruled on Marijuana?
DilipChan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:



At 3:28 PM -0700 6/10/05, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
Does it imply Desi-democracy works when it is put to work by the right people? :-)
NHRC is the result of an act passed by Loksabha. Chapter III in NHRC website says the following:

*** That depends entirely on whether a trend could be established, or even barely perceived, with the instances of successes or achievements or making a real difference.

Has NHRC, staffed with the RIGHT people, established a success story of desi-demokrasy?

 Have they merely brought otherwise hidden cases of injustice to light,
  or 
 Have they reversed or helped cases of injustice?
 Have they helped give redress to victims?
 Have their actions created deterrence to prevent future miscarriage
  of justice or abuse of human rights?
 Have they been able to influence removal of corrosive laws that abet and
  promote abuse of human rights or erode democratic values, as
  laws such as AFSPA, POTA, TADA ad nauseum do? What is their
  public record in advocacy against these or even merely
  speaking up against these?

I can go on and on, but I trust it won't be necessary.

Now why don't you tell us what the answer to your question is. Netters, I am sure,will await a credible assessment with cocked ears :-).












Chapter III
FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE COMMISSION
12. Functions of the Commission
The Commission shall perform all or any of the following functions, namely :(a) inquire, suo motu or on a petition presented to it by a victim or any person on his behalf, into complaint of
(i) violation of human rights or abetment thereof or(ii) negligence in the prevention of such violation,
by a public servant;
(b) intervene in any proceeding involving any allegation of violation of human rights pending before a court with the approval of such court;(c) visit, under intimation to the State Government, any jail or any other institution under the control of the State Government, where persons are detained or lodged for purposes of treatment, reformation or protection to study the living conditions of the inmates and make recommendations thereon;(d) review the safeguards provided by or under the Constitution or any law for the time being in force for the protection of human rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation;(e) review the factors, including acts of terrorism that inhibit the enjoyment of human rights and recommend appropriate remedial measures;(f) study treaties and other international instruments on human rights and make recommendations for their effective implementation;(g) undertake and promote resea!
rch in
 the field of human rights;(h) spread human rights literacy among various sections of society and promote awareness of the safeguards available for the protection of these rights through publications, the media, seminars and other available means;(i) encourage the efforts of non-governmental organisations and institutions working in the field of human rights;(j) such other functions as it may consider necessary for the protection of human rights.
==Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:http://nhrc.nic.in/NHRCis a legally chartered, govt. body, not an NGO.There are dozens of cases cited.Many on custodial deaths and encounter killings, but sy urprisinglyNONE from Assam or the NE. Obviously such things don't happen there:-(
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Re: [Assam] What a Surprise/ from ToI

2005-06-11 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I still haven't figured out what all the fall-outs are going to be? Have you?
For sure Advani is trying to make BJP a more acceptable name in Indian and international political circles. Is he also trying to rid the BJP of RSS and VHP influence? If he does, isn't he risking losing a large vote bank? He will haveto declare his intention sooner or later, for reasons of national election. 
DilipChan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Daam bhalkoye borhai lole' eibar LKA-dangoriai. Big surprise isn't it? Heh, heh, heh :-).'I have learnt a lot from Pak tour, crisis'PTI[ SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2005 03:35:13 PM ]Surf 'N' Earn -Sign innowNEW DELHI: Back to work a day after he withdrew his resignation, BJP President L K Advani today described his controversial Pakistan visit and the subsequent crisis that engulfed the party as an "extraordinary and unexpected" experience that taught him a lot in life."All the time people keep learning and some experiences are extraordinary and unexpected. I have had such an experience in the last 15 days", he said addressing party's Central office bearers and heads of its different Morchas (front organisations) at the party headquar!
ters
 where he arrived to a tumultous welcome by party workers."I learnt a lot in life during my visit to Pakistan and after my return in the past four days. I hope that what I learnt would prove useful in the discharge of my responsibilities in future", party spokesperson Sushma Swaraj quoted him as saying___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___
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Re: [Assam] Re: Assam Digest, Vol 21, Issue 64

2005-06-10 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

" Why our state graduated engineers has to leave for bangalore or chennai for job?" --
What's wrong withengineers from Assam going to Bangalore or Chennai to work if there are jobs available there? Don't the Kannadigas and Tamils come to Assam and work?

Why should every graduate in Assam look for a job in Assam alone? If Assam is producing more graduates than it can give employment to, and the other states/cities will employ some of these capable graduates, where is the problem? After all, Assam is a part of the larger entity called India, right? :-)

When Assam becomes an independent country (as planned by some), suddenly there will be a flood of jobs in Assam and citizens of Assam will not have to look for jobs in India, the neighboring country. Unlike Bangladesh, Assam will not allow illegal aliens to India. Do you believe it?

Dilip Deka

partha patawari [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
hi friends,i am really sorry if my views on thecommunication skills of our Honourable Chief Ministerhas hurt some of you guys. I agree to your views thatfew CMs of India like Karunanidhi or jayalalithadoesnt speak in english in front of the media but myviews were not meant for showing disgrace to the CMbut what i wanted to put forward to you guys was thedevelopment process.YOU know that states like TamilNadu and |Karnataka has left us far behind in thedevelopment process. Why our state graduated engineershas to leave for bangalore or chennai for job? theanswer is quite simple. there is no industry in ourstate. even if tamil nadu CM doesnt speak in englishindustries are still flowing in. all we want isdevelopment and nothing else we are leeast interestedin whetherhe speaks in assamese hindi or english thatsit
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[Assam] Sounds familiar?

2005-06-10 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

ULFA in Balochistan is called BLA.
Dilip
==

Pakistan risks new battlefront

By Aamer Ahmed Khan BBC News, Karachi

Tribesmen have been taking on the security forcesThe Pakistani military is already embroiled in what many analysts call a "war without an end" against foreign militants and local supporters in Waziristan near the Afghan border.
Now the Pakistan government risks a new battlefront against an adversary of an entirely different nature.
The venue is Balochistan, Pakistan's troubled western province where nationalists have been fighting pitched battles against security forces for well over a year.
Their demands include more autonomy for the province and an end to military cantonments and huge development projects that they feel may marginalise the local Baloch population.
Guerrilla-style attacks
In 2004 this conflict assumed serious proportions as rebels stepped up their attacks, killing more than 30 soldiers and paramilitary personnel.

The government should be asking why so many people in Balochistan support the BLA

Former chief minister Nawab Akbar Bugti
Government troops and installations across the province came under rocket attacks and bombings throughout the year, including the Sui gas complex.
More important was the emergence of a new militant group calling itself the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
It is this group, say government officials, which is fuelling the current unrest. The BLA says it carried out several attacks over the last year.
"The question is not whether what the BLA is doing is right or not. The government should be asking why so many people in Balochistan support the BLA," says Nawab Akbar Bugti, former Balochistan chief minister and the last of the major tribal chiefs still resident in the province.

Mr Bugti argues that the BLA's agenda clearly strikes a chord with the Baloch population.
The BLA, for its part, says it is fighting "Punjabi domination" - the sense that Balochistan's natural resources are being exploited by a state apparatus dominated by people from the province of Punjab.
This, they say, results in the "marginalisation of the Baloch population through mega-development projects".
Doorway to Central Asia
One of the BLA's immediate targets is the city of Gwadar, once a tiny town on the Makran coastline that constitutes the southern boundary of Balochistan.

A paramilitary soldier guarding the Sui gas complex
The federal government intends to turn it into a major international route for sea traffic in the region, projecting it as the world's doorway to Central Asia.
"Fifty years ago, Karachi had half a million people, all of them locals," says Sardar Ataullah Mengal, one of the three major tribal chiefs in Balochistan who recently ended his 18-year exile in London and is now living outside Balochistan in Karachi.
"Today, Karachi has 14 million people, 90% of them outsiders."
Mr Mengal says that the government is trying to turn Gwadar into another Karachi.
"Balochistan has a population of about five million. If they turn it into another Karachi, the Baloch will become a minority in their own province."
Such fears are compounded by the Pakistan army's plans for establishing new garrisons in the province. Senior military officials in Islamabad say that the garrisons, or cantonments, are necessary because of the increased security needs of the area.

Quetta was the last major Pakistani city to be connected to the national Sui gas grid

Ghizain Baloch Baloch Students' Organisation

With the fall of Pakistan's former ally, the Taleban, in Afghanistan, army officials argue that Pakistan has lost the "strategic depth" in Balochistan which shares a 600-mile border with Afghanistan.
And with India continuing to increase its presence in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, they say, Pakistan has no choice but to secure Balochistan against external threats by building additional cantonments in the area.
The military also argues that the cantonments bring windfall gains in terms of development and that anyone resisting the creation of new cantonments "cannot be sincere to Pakistan".
Poor development
Locals scoff at this argument. "They have had a cantonment in Quetta [the provincial capital] since before partition," counters Ghizain Baloch, a leader of the Baloch Students' Organisation, which is sympathetic to the BLA's agenda.
"But Quetta was the last major Pakistani city to be connected to the national Sui gas grid."
Indeed, Balochistan's development record is not something that any Pakistani government can be proud of.
Covering nearly 350,000 square kilometres, it is by far the largest province in the country but houses less than 7% of Pakistan's population.
Basic quality of life indicators are abysmal.
Tapped drinking water is available to less than 5% of the population. The female literacy rate is under 15%.
Over the decades, consistent

Re: [Assam] NHRC

2005-06-10 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Does it imply Desi-democracy works when it is put to work by the right people? :-)
NHRC is the result of an act passed by Loksabha. Chapter III in NHRC website says the following:

Chapter III 
FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE COMMISSION
12. Functions of the Commission
The Commission shall perform all or any of the following functions, namely :(a) inquire, suo motu or on a petition presented to it by a victim or any person on his behalf, into complaint of
(i) violation of human rights or abetment thereof or(ii) negligence in the prevention of such violation, 
by a public servant;
(b) intervene in any proceeding involving any allegation of violation of human rights pending before a court with the approval of such court;(c) visit, under intimation to the State Government, any jail or any other institution under the control of the State Government, where persons are detained or lodged for purposes of treatment, reformation or protection to study the living conditions of the inmates and make recommendations thereon;(d) review the safeguards provided by or under the Constitution or any law for the time being in force for the protection of human rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation;(e) review the factors, including acts of terrorism that inhibit the enjoyment of human rights and recommend appropriate remedial measures;(f) study treaties and other international instruments on human rights and make recommendations for their effective implementation;(g) undertake and promote research in the field of human
 rights;(h) spread human rights literacy among various sections of society and promote awareness of the safeguards available for the protection of these rights through publications, the media, seminars and other available means;(i) encourage the efforts of non-governmental organisations and institutions working in the field of human rights;(j) such other functions as it may consider necessary for the protection of human rights.
==Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:http://nhrc.nic.in/NHRCis a legally chartered, govt. body, not an NGO.There are dozens of cases cited.Many on custodial deaths and encounter killings, but sy urprisingly NONE from Assam or the NE. Obviously such things don't happen there :-(___
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Re: [Assam] What makes Indians top spellers

2005-06-09 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Umesh,
Not really. These children were born and raised in the USA. They do not know many languages.
The real truth is parental influence. Sometime in the last thirty years, it became a fashion and passion in the Indian community to take Spelling Bee seriously, mainly by word of mouth. Many children and their parents practice together, using published material for the event. With serious practice, the children start seeing the pattern of spelling, even in words they do not know the meaning of. It is fun to watch when the parent calls out a word with his/her Indian way of pronouncing, the child spells it wrong and then the child blames the mistake on the pronunciation.
Dilipda
umesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

surprising that all 4 toppers were Indians. Could be because we have so many languages so that we learn to make relation between words across languages --and get a feel about etymology etc.

UmeshMalabika Brahma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/weekinreview/05berger.html

Yahoo! Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail ___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam

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[Assam] Donation to USF

2005-06-09 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka


In "Junior Achievement" class, we volunteers always emphasize to the high school students, 
" You shouldn't feel guilty about making money and when you make lots of money, you should share it with the less fortunate ones."
It is so nice to see that Americans of Indian origin are nowjoining the ranks of Rockefeller, Carnegie, Mellon, Bell, Gates andothers.

"The man who dies rich dies disgraced."Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)





Indian doc gives US varsity $18.5 mnTIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2005 12:44:26 AM ]













WASHINGTON: An Indian emigre has donated $ 18.5 million to put a modest American university on the international map, making him one of the largest known contributors from the Indian-American community for any single cause. 
Tampa Bay cardiologist Kiran Patel's largesse is also the single biggest donation to the University of South Florida. The bonanza will eventually help USF raise $ 62.5 million with matching state grants and other contributions. The money will go towards building the Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions, a school for researchers to study issues such as global hunger and international trade. USF is hosting a one day meeting today (Thursday) with the, officials, faculty and scholars to discuss the donation. "I'm excited and anxious...excited because it is a major committment...anxious because unlike a Kennedy Institute or Baker Institute we do not have a brand name and we have to work hard to establish our reputation," Patel told TNN in an interview over the phone as he drove to the USF campus for the meeting. Patel, who was born in Zambia, studied medicine in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where he met his!
 future
 wife Pallavi, also a physician. The couple has built a $ 1 billion health care business in Florida and... 



Continued...Next ___
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[Assam] THE MINES AND MINERALS (REGULATION ANDDEVELOPMENT) ACT, 1957

2005-06-08 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Does anyone know if this is the only act in Indiathat regulates oil and gas exploration and production in India? 
Also does someone know where in the constitutionit says that the GOI has the mineral rights on land owned by individuals?
Dilip___
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[Assam] Emailitis and Cure

2005-06-07 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

If you ever suffered from emailitis, please read the following. It was published by BP.

eMailitis - are you a sufferer?

Do you feel overwhelmed by another eMail entering your inbox? Worse still, are you adding to the problem by filling up someone elses inbox with unnecessary eMail? You might have eMailitis.
Learn to spot the symptoms, start dealing with them and find out where to go for more help.
The problem Too much eMail.
The scale of the problem Time is money.
The purpose of BP plc is to make money for its shareholders. It has many useful pieces of equipment and machinery to do that. The heart of this money making enterprise though is You. Your time is valuable with many conflicting demands made upon it. Communication is often key to ensuring that you operate most effectively and eMail is one of the key tools that allow you to do so internationally. However, eMail like many things in life is best used in moderation. Reading eMails is often not the best use of your time. Particularly if they contain unnecessary information, which you probably didnt need to know in the first place. Time wasted reading pointless, irrelevant, unclear, long eMails costs BP millions of dollars. The problem continues to grow, but its solution is in your hands.
What you can do?
Part of the solution is easy, as for every received e-mail, there is a sent e-mail. So, if you sent 10% fewer eMails each day think how much money would be saved by people never having to spend the time reading them. Would BP grind to a halt?
Last year, we did a survey. 70% of you were getting too much eMail, however only 30% of you thought you were sending too much eMail. That 30% are the people who are beginning to come to terms with their problem. Many of you still dont realise you have a problem. This article is designed to make you consider whether you might also be a sufferer of eMailitis. You are not alone. Accepting you have a problem is the first step on the road to coming to beating it. Temptation is everywhere and we all need help to overcome it.
My name is Mark.I work for Employee Communications in LondonI have eMailitis and I want to do something about it.Its going to be a struggle, but I know Im not alone
Spotting the symptoms
eMailitis comes in many shapes and forms. To help you recognise whether you are also suffering from it, several of your colleagues across BP have agreed to share their particular experiences. Names and locations have been disguised to protect their identities. Any resemblance to specific individuals however, is deliberate and intentional.
Letting everyone know what you are doing
Tom from Whiting refinery is a busy person. He sends lots of eMails each day. He wants his boss, colleagues and Fred in Security to know just how busy he is. Thats why he copies them on everything he sends. Tom thinks all his colleagues think hes a really busy hard working person. His colleagues think hes a [EMAIL PROTECTED] as they spend all day deleting these unwanted eMails. However, they have never had the heart to hurt Toms feelings by telling him.
The problem Copying in people who dont need to know.
The lesson - Only direct e-mails to those who need to know.
How you can help - If you work with someone like Tom, let them know you dont want to be copied on everything.
Staying on too many distribution lists
Vanessa in Bangkok is on her 10th job in BP at her eighth location. Over the years she has done a wide range of jobs. She has stayed on every distribution list she has ever been on, so still knows when the canteen in Baltimore is closing early for a lunchtime presentation, where she worked 3 jobs ago. Vanessa thinks she is keeping in touch with whats going on. Unfortunately, she is so in touch with all this peripheral history, she hasnt got time to stay in touch with her colleagues locally.
The problem Staying on too many distribution lists.
The lesson - Only stay on current important distribution lists. Let other list owners know you have moved on and want to be removed from their lists.
How you can help - If you own a large distribution list and send out to large groups of people, check if everyone still needs to be on it. Take them off or ask if you are not sure.
eMail isnt always the best way of communicating
Yvonne is a manager in Cape Town. She gets asked to disseminate important team messages from her boss in London. Rather than explain the context or allow for debate in face to face meetings with her team, she just hits the forward button to her team and hopes they understand.
The problem Using eMail when other communication methods like face to face meetings are better as they allow context to be added and two way dialogue.
The lesson Face to Face meetings or using the telephone can often be more effective.
How you can help - If you work for someone like Yvonne, let them know that you dont understand what these e-mails all mean for you; your colleagues dont either and that hearing

Re: [Assam] Oil India Strikes it rich in Dibrugarh Dist.

2005-06-07 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Also, I think its good thing that the company is issuing IPOs. Whatsstopping the GOA (as Barua suggested) or others in Assam from buyinginto the company. One needs money to buy shares. Does GOA have money to spare?
If the GOA is not getting what it ought to be getting from OIL, iteither does not negotiate well, or is not listening to the electorate,or the electorate is blissfully not aware that they could demand theGOA work for them. You are correct.I would not blame OIL, its just looking after its own interests, justlike any other pvt. company. Its for the people to hold the GOAs feetto the fire. I agree.
Dilip Deka

Ram Sarangapani [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
C'da,*** I don't believe any of these statistics. There is no history ofreliable numbers coming out either in govt. handouts, or in privatecompany notifications, or news-paper reporters' dispatchers or Assamnetters' speculations.Maybe you will atleast believe what OIL itself is reporting to themedia. The figures quoted were from OIL (NOT GOI or mediaspeculation).Here is some more financial data from OILhttp://oilindia.nic.in/perf_financial.htmAlso, I think its good thing that the company is issuing IPOs. Whatsstopping the GOA (as Barua suggested) or others in Assam from buyinginto the company.There is something grossly unfair about it as far as the owners ofthese natural resources, the people of Assam, that OIL or ONGC get,almost for free.That kind of statement can be m!
ade by
any state or country - its justover the top. Should the people of Texas feel cheated because Shell orExxon operate here at high profits?The residuals from a company like OIL is that they provide greatemployment opportunities in Assam. They bring technology, explore newreserves etc.That is why a more reliable system of selecting able and accountable Assam govt. is one of the most pressing needs for the people ofAssam, something the current Indian model has failed to deliver on,and cannot in the future, without fundamental reforms.Isn't OIl a private entity? And it is governed by all the rules regsof such industries. If the GOA wanted a bigger share, they shouldrenegotiate with OIL on the contract.If the GOA is not getting what it ought to be getting from OIL, iteither does not negotiate well, or is not listening to the electorate,or the electorate is blissfully not aware that th!
ey could
demand theGOA work for them.I would not blame OIL, its just looking after its own interests, justlike any other pvt. company. Its for the people to hold the GOAs feetto the fire.I think, the intellectuals in Assam would best serve the state byseriously analyzing issues such as royalties from OIL (or ONGC) etc,and the GOA should listen and implement on their recommendations.--RamOn 6/7/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: At 9:51 AM -0500 6/7/05, Rajen Barua wrote: Take it easy. You don't need to interprtet that way. If you don't believe the Rs 1061 crores figure, why don't you come up witth your economics and enlighten the kharhwas? If f you believe, then you should agree with me. Which one it is? Please don't talk on air. Rajen *** I don't believe any of these statistics. There is no history of reliable numbers coming out either in g!
ovt.
handouts, or in private company notifications, or news-paper reporters' dispatchers or Assam netters' speculations. But one has to believe in something, to be able to deliberate on issues, right? I would agree, but it has to be something that is beyond reproach. In this case, that has to be the fact that OIL is pumping oil. That it is in business making a profit ( a private company cannot stay in business if it is not making a profit, unless it is a desi one, surreptitiously subsidized by the citizenry), that it has discovered new sources of oil and that it pays Assam little, while it makes its profit selling its processed goods at international rates. There is something grossly unfair about it as far as the owners of these natural resources, the people of Assam, that OIL or ONGC get, almost for free. That is one of the !
many
grievances many people of Assam have been fighting against the Center for decades now, without any satisfaction. Now, just because the establishment of Assam does not make waves about it , does not mean ALL people of Assam acquiesce to it. The proof is the insurgency, which arose due to the short shrift given to the people of Assam by its colonial master, the Center, after its own reps. let it down. That is why a more reliable system of selecting able and accountable Assam govt. is one of the most pressing needs for the people of Assam, something the current Indian model has failed to deliver on, and cannot in the future, without fundamental reforms. - Original Message - From: Chan Mahanta To: Rajen Barua ; Ram Sarangapani ; Assam Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 9:25 AM Subject: Re: [Assa!
m] Oil
India Strikes it rich in Dibrugarh Dist. This also shows that owning OIL by Assam may not be that fun after

[Assam] Just a bit of Trivia

2005-06-02 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Just a bit of Trivia.

Thursday June 2, 2005
Previous | Next

Dear Yahoo!:

What financial obligations do the president and first lady have while living in the White House? Is everything free?

CarlColumbia, Missouri

Dear Carl:

As far as we can tell, a U.S. president and his squeeze don't have to pay one thin Roosevelt dime during their four to eight years at the White House. Add up all the presidential perks and subtract the wars, natural catastrophes, and economic disasters, and it seems like a pretty sweet gig.
Title 3 of the U.S. Code is what governs the cash at the president's disposal. Here's the basic package: For starters, he makes a salary of $400,000 a year, plus a $50,000 expense account to defray costs relating to the "discharge of his official duties." Traveling expenses: $100,000 per year. Entertainment: $19,000. As for taking up residence in the White House (including use of its bowling alley and movie theater), t!
rips on
Air Force 1, meals, and vacations at Camp David...all are comped.
By law, the prez is also entitled to "use of the furniture and other effects belonging to the United States and kept in the Executive Residence at the White House." Mr. Lucky Ducky is also appropriated up to $1 million each fiscal year to spend at his discretion for "unanticipated needs" related to the national interest. Then of course there are the gifts. Finally, when his term of office is up, he is entitled to an annual pension of $157,000 per year, plus office space, administrative help, and Secret Service protection.
So get your resumes ready -- 2008 is just around the corner.
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[Assam] Digitize Manuscripts?

2005-06-02 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Good to hear that a serious effort has started somewhere in India. As you may remember from earlier discussions, there was an attempt to digitize some Assamese manuscripts also. Since the Assam bureaucrats did not want to take the lead, may be they can follow now.

Sanskrit, Persian Manuscripts to be Digitalized in Kashmir
T he Jammu and Kashmir Government is in the process of digitalizing the manuscripts in Sanskrit, Persian, Balti and Hindi languages kept in the Alama Iqbal Library and Rs 92 lakh would be spent on the project. Minister of State for Education G M Lone said the CDs after digital documentation of the scripts would be kept in all the major libraries, including the SRS Library at Jammu. He said digitalization of the Sanskrit manuscripts is in progress and the project is expected to be completed soon. Dr Lone said there are 6000 manuscripts in the Alama Iqbal University, including 2500 in Sanskrit and Hindi, and 3366 in Persian and Balti. The Minister said measures have been taken to modernize the major libraries in the State and the information has also been made available at the website. Dr Lone said the S P Library at Srinagar would be shifted to the newly-constructed building at the College of Education here whi!
ch is
under construction for which Rs 7 crore have been earmarked. He said a massive construction programme has been started for developing libraries in Jammu and Kashmir. Rs 8.49 crore would be spent on the programme. The construction of the Anantnag Library building has been completed at a cost of Rs 65 lakh and work on the library complex at Kupwara is also nearing completion at a cost of Rs 49 lakh, besides the execution work on the Pulwama Library complex is in progress involving a cost of Rs 35 lakh, he added. (UNI)___
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[Assam] Time to Introspect

2005-06-01 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I totally agree with Mr. Friedman's recommendation in, " Bottom line: We urgently need a national commission to look at all the little changes we have made in response to 9/11 - from visa policies to research funding, to the way we've sealed off our federal buildings, to legal rulings around prisoners of war - and ask this question: While no single change is decisive, could it all add up in a way so that 20 years from now we will discover that some of America's cultural and legal essence - our DNA as a nation - has become badly deformed or mutated? "

An introspection by a non-partisan commission hopefully will reveal the inner fears of our people and prescribe how the short term measures can slowly be transformed to long term solutions. At the core of it,the commissionmust explorehow the Middle East can remain Moslem and still take part in the inevitable globalization.
Dilip
===

Op-Ed Columnist
America's DNA

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: June 1, 2005

New Delhi
A few years ago my youngest daughter participated in the National History Day program for eighth graders. The question that year was "turning points" in history, and schoolchildren across the land were invited to submit a research project that illuminated any turning point in history. My daughter's project was "How Sputnik Led to the Internet." It traced how we reacted to the Russian launch of Sputnik by better networking our scientific research centers and how those early, crude networks spread and eventually were woven into the Internet. The subtext was how our reaction to one turning point unintentionally triggered another decades later.

I worry that 20 years from now some eighth grader will be doing her National History Day project on how America's reaction to 9/11 unintentionally led to an erosion of core elements of American identity. What sparks such dark thoughts on a trip from London to New Delhi?
In part it is the awful barriers that now surround the U.S. Embassy in London on Grosvenor Square. "They have these cages all around the embassy now, and these huge concrete blocks, and the whole message is: 'Go away!' " said Kate Jones, a British literary agent who often walks by there. "That is how people think of America now, and it's a really sad thing because that is not your country."
In part it was a conversation with friends in London, one a professor at Oxford, another an investment banker, both of whom spoke about the hassles, fingerprinting, paperwork and costs that they, pro-American professionals, now must go through to get a visa to the U.S.
In part it was a recent chat with the folks at Intel about the obstacles they met trying to get visas for Muslim youths from Pakistan and South Africa who were finalists for this year's Intel science contest. And in part it was a conversation with M.I.T. scientists about the new restrictions on Pentagon research contracts - in terms of the nationalities of the researchers who could be involved and the secrecy required - that were constricting their ability to do cutting-edge work in some areas and forcing intellectual capital offshore. The advisory committee of the World Wide Web recently shifted its semiannual meeting from Boston to Montreal so as not to put members through the hassle of getting visas to the U.S.
The other day I went to see the play "Billy Elliot" in London. During intermission, a man approached me and asked, "Are you Mr. Friedman?" When I said yes, he introduced himself - Emad Tinawi, a Syrian-American working for Booz Allen. He told me that while he disagreed with some things I wrote, there was one column he still keeps. "It was the one called, 'Where Birds Don't Fly,' " he said.
I remembered writing that headline, but I couldn't remember the column. Then he reminded me: It was about the new post-9/11 U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, which looks exactly like a maximum-security prison, so much so that a captured Turkish terrorist said that while his pals considered bombing it, they concluded that the place was so secure that even birds couldn't fly there. Mr. Tinawi and I then swapped impressions about the corrosive impact such security restrictions were having on foreigners' perceptions of America.
In New Delhi, the Indian writer Gurcharan Das remarked to me that with each visit to the U.S. lately, he has been forced by border officials to explain why he is coming to America. They "make you feel so unwanted now," said Mr. Das. America was a country "that was always reinventing itself," he added, because it was a country that always welcomed "all kinds of oddballs" and had "this wonderful spirit of openness." American openness has always been an inspiration for the whole world, he concluded. "If you go dark, the world goes dark."
Bottom line: We urgently need a national commission to look at all the little changes we have made in response to 9/11 - from visa policies to research funding, to the way we've

Re: [Assam] All imprisoned ULFA leaders are needed for talks?

2005-05-31 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

If Dilip Deka were in Paresh Baruah's shoes, would he not make such a demand?
DD: If I valued my credibility I wouldn't. But can we demand credibility from a millionaire who has to kill innocent people including children to keep his business running?
And if he were in Dainik Agradoot editor's shoes, would he not spin it the way it has?
DD: I am glad you could read Dainik Agradoot on your Mac. Was there any spin in the report or was it a plain report? I can't tell. Where was the spin?
Any of it a surprise? Unexpected?
DD: None of it is a surprise because it is a game only at the expense of the people of Assam.
Question is what would DD being an Assam well-wisher, safely perched in Texas, do or say?
DD: I say - " ULFA, give up your dreams about independent Assam because there is no geographical area that could become an independent Assam. Throw your guns away, run for election, represent the people, and get from DelhiAssam's due share. Find others in India who would work with youfor decentralization of power from Delhi."
What is unexpected here is the surreal stance of Delhi, the benevolent patriarch, wishing nothing but peace and prosperity for all, including the 'wayward boys', with whom they have been dying to make peace, while they incarcerate their leaders in prison.
DD: Leaving the sarcasm aside, what stance are you talking about? Do you have some inside knowledge of the contents of the last letter from the GOI?
There was no demand from Paresh Baruah to free the incarcerated ULFA leaders earlier and now it has become a precondition.It is nothing but a ploy from Paresh Baruah to stay away from the table.
If ULFA leadership is capable of running their bombing and killing with their remaining leaders, they should also becapable of sitting at the table to negotiate with the GOI.
You go figure!

At 8:36 PM -0700 5/30/05, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
Read ULFA's new demands in http://www.dainikagradoot.com/mainnews1.htm.

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Re: [Assam] AND knowingly, hoodwinked Assamese continue to vote under Indian constitution!

2005-05-31 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Bartta Bistar wants to spin the news to his own agenda. I don't want to comment on that.
Getting back to the news item, the real analysis is in the following part:

" The constitution is intended to provide an ambitious, streamlined system for growth and greater unity in the newly expanded 25-country bloc. If the document is abandoned, member states will have to continue working together under a cumbersome and limiting array of existing treaties and rules adopted when the union was smaller.
In an effort to salvage the European unification process, some European figures were sugarcoating their earlier dire predictions of the consequences of the French veto.
Not long ago, for example, Romano Prodi, the former president of the European Commission, had predicted that a French no would mean "the end of Europe." On Monday he called the outcome "a disaster," but insisted that the union would continue to function under current rules and that things could be worse.
"This is still better than a war of secession like the United States once had," he said in a telephone interview. "I'm serious now. We must keep this perspective in mind. We don't have a treaty, but we also don't have wars."
That is certainly true, but the lowest-common-denominator approach was not what the leaders of Europe had in mind when they embarked on the drafting of the constitution, a process that took two and a half years."
Other interesting comments I heard were:
1. The urban areas in France voted yes and the rural areas said no.
2. The vote was directed at the Chirac government. ApparentlyFrench citizens are not happy with the government and as a result anything the govt. proposes and sends for a vote is likely to get defeated.
3. George Bush and Carl Rove had something to do with it. :-)Bartta Bistar [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

France's Rejection of E.U. Charter Emboldens Opponents

http://www.nytimes.com/auth/login?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/30/international/europe/30cnd-france.htmlOQ=hpQ26exQ3D1117512000Q26enQ3D985fdac39b4cf715Q26eiQ3D5094Q26excampQ3DGGGNeuropeanconstitutionOP=32cfe68/mRjSmQ5B_DdK__Uhmh88Gm8GmA8mPcUjKcpUP_cpxmjkK_WjmA8DcQ5B9FKpcDjQ3BoU)x

By ELAINE SCIOLINO
Published: May 30, 2005
The next step for the E.U. remains uncertain, especially if the Netherlands also rejects the treaty this week.

Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! MSN Messenger Download today it's FREE! ___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___
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[Assam] ULFA and New Precondition

2005-05-31 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Here is what they are saying in Guwahati. Note that Kanaksen Deka is also the editor of Dainik Agradoot. There was some information in this net that K.S. Deka is an arch enemy of the ULFA and that there was spin in theDainik Agradoot report. What gives?
Dilip

By a Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, May 31: The ULFA condition demanding release of ten of its top leaders before the proscribed organization moved ahead for talks with the Centre was greeted by a number of intellectuals of the State.
The Sentinel talked to a few intellectuals and political leaders for their views on the ULFA condition.
Kanaksen Deka, the president of the Axom Xahitya Xabha, while welcoming the ULFA condition, said that there was no harm in releasing the ten detained leaders. He said that this will facilitate a democratic discussion within the ULFA and help its top brass to go ahead for the talks with the Centre. He added that the time was ripe for such a move as the jailed ULFA leaders by now must have understood the support of the Assamese for the talks.
Eminent intellectual Hiren Gohain said that this was an interesting condition. He questioned as to why the ULFA had not consulted these leaders before placing the tough precondition before the Centre. He, however, said that the ULFA logic was not illogical and is worth considering.
AGP president Brindaban Goswami said that the party had all along been saying that the only possible solution to the impasse was through negotiation. He said that the Government must consider it and set the process rolling.
A dissenting voice, however, came from Dhirendra Nath Chakravarty, the editor of a local daily, who said that the condition put forward by the ULFA is a reflection of the realization of the outfits top brass that they face a bleak future. He said that ULFA was a non-actor in the social and political stage of Assam and added that in another five years the proscribed outfit would decay.
Jatin Borgohain, the editor of another local daily, said that the demand merits consideration.
The AJYCP said that the ULFA demand was not without merit but it should have come earlier. ___
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Re: [Assam] What is in a name

2005-05-30 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

This guy Umesh is getting smart in the company of all these crooked NRA's.
Welcome to the club, Umesh.
Dilipdaumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

This write-up resembles very much that of a foremost contributor to the Net. I got it now!
Sarcastically yours!

UmeshTilok Hatimuria [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
O'Kamal Kai,Apunar prosnotu xunilu, Sondon kair-pa. Moi nije oxom-jalot mas dhoribo nurau aji-kali. Xei-gune amar dokhin-jokaisukore buli so-kai'e maje xomoye ji pothai thake tar-pahe gom paun.Anyway, Kukur-muta , the fabled neighbourhood of Guwahati, is an important place name. There was a time its fame spread far and wide, at least that is what I am inferring here. You may ask, how?You know my adopted hometown,Dogpatch, Arkansas, is an important city, at least in our own minds, nestled among the clouds high up in the rarified environment of the High Ozarks.How do you think this dog-forsaken place got to be christened Dogpatch to begin with?Somewhere in time , there must have been some canine incident that left a mark on this piece of sacred ground high in the dizzying Ozarks. Thus Dogpatch.Now then what canine incident could leave a patch on ground, sacred or otherwise? You guessed it.And what is the etymology of Kukur-muta? Do I need to get into it Kamal-kai? I mean it would be redundant, won't it?Now then, putting two and two together, you can prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that names like Kukurmuta, or Dogpatch are universal in nature and are used to mark territories, dog-like, for posterity. QED, aint it?Now the gentrification of the name Kukurmuta, the fabled neighbourhood of Guwahati, to Hedayetpur, is nothing less than a desecration of a historical name in the guise of political correctnessperpetrated by neoVictorian mores of the burgeoning nuevo-middle class imposing the shapeless, rootless, facile culture of a bloating urban sprawl that has settled down on to the soulf of Guwahati.So, this Memorial Day weekend, please do shed a quiet tear in the fond memory of a departed nam!
e,!
that once adorned this historical neighbourhood in the armpit of Guwahati, marked by mosquito infested, sewage filled and water-hyacinth laden swamps and railroad track garlanded, noisier than heck home to hordes of hapless huseholders that will hang in twilight of a hoary past in the memories of all those who passed thru Guwhati at a different time in its formative era.Fondly,Tilok Daktor_Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam

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Re: [Assam] List of Assamese in some inflential posts in GOI

2005-05-30 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Some of the netters are going to be offended, but let me say it anyway - drilling for oil and sending the oil to the refinery is no Rocket Science. Any tamulkhowa Assamese engineer can do it and I met quite a few of them in the seventies.
What prevents even the Assamese roustabouts ( the helpers in the field)in Sibsagar oil fields from going to Saudi Arabia, other than their own restrictions? If they want to sign up, I am sure their experience will get them the jobs. But will they? The reference is to Texas oil field workers who go to Saudi Arabia and other places to earn money.
Dilip Deka
Rajib Das [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Another way of looking at things - and I see alreadythat the CMDship of oil companies already has / had afew people from Assam - is to figure out how to createthe infrastructure to monopolize oil jobs across thecountry. I remember GAIL (Gas Authority of India) where Iworked for a year had pubjabis at the top followed byhordes of Bengalis in the middle cadre. But ifspecialized education enables wholesale awarding ofjobs from top to bottom (and wherever they might be)to people from Assam it would be great. That wouldmake business sense for the companies. It would be acompetitive edge that should be relatively easier toobtain given local industry presence. Besides oil andoil companies are not going away any time soon.I hear even the drilling laborers in Saudi Arabia andother places come from
Texas.--- mridul bhuyan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:-Dear fellow netters,With apologies to the persons, whose name I havementioned, here is a list of our fellow assamese insome of the top rung posts in GOI, of which the fellownetters might not be aware.1. Kumar Sanjay Krishna - Director in PMO (PrimeMinister's Office)2. Mr.Mushary (the first name I forgot) - Director,BSF3. Mr.Ranjit Kumar Dutta - CMD (Chairman-cum-Managingdirector), Oil India Ltd.4. Mr. Bikash C. Borah - Ex-CMD ONGC.5. Mr.Jyotirmoy Chakrabartee - DIG, SPG (SpecialProtection Group)6. Director General of Police Communication (Forgothis name)There will be many more, not to mention the name offamous writers, who has been recognised in thenational level and few famous journalist/newreaderswith popular news channel NDTV !
and
renownedNewspapers. I am hopeful that with so many people inthe top ehleons of GOI, Assam's problems shall behighlighted in the proper forums in the near future.Others may add further to this list.Mridul Bhuyan-Job hunting? Get the right one! Log on towww.timesjobs.com TODAY___ Assam mailing list Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam Mailing list FAQ: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam __ Yahoo! Mail Mobile Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone. http://mobile.yahoo.com/learn/mail ___Assam mailing
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Re: [Assam] Population control

2005-05-30 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Is there a national or state law that says a family can have only two children? Is the Supreme Court interpreting the law or is it making a new law on its own?
The Legislation makes the law, the Judiciary interpretes it and the Executive Branch carries out the law. 
Thus I am at a loss to hear, " It was in the national interest to check the growth of population by casting disincentives even through legislation". Was it interpretation of an existing law?
Dilip Deka[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

The Supreme Court of India recently upheld the decision to disqualify a member of a village council in Haryana for violating the two-child norm,which sets a limit of two to the number of children a couple can have.The Supreme Court said " It was in the national interest to check the growth of population by casting disincentives even through legislation".
Is the SC justified in upholding two-child norm as policy?
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Re: [Assam] What is in a name

2005-05-30 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Hello Umesh,
Don't be surprised when you find out that some of the netters who claim to be from Assam or Delhi finally turn out to be right here in the USA? The electronic world of communication can be very deceiving.
Dilipdaumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

This write-up resembles very much that of a foremost contributor to the Net. I got it now!
Sarcastically yours!

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[Assam] All imprisoned ULFA leaders are needed for talks?

2005-05-30 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Read ULFA's new demands in http://www.dainikagradoot.com/mainnews1.htm.
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Re: [Assam] What is in a name

2005-05-30 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

:-)umesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Dilip-da,

I think Dr Tilok is very much in US -somewhere in MidWest near a river.

UmeshDilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

This write-up resembles very much that of a foremost contributor to the Net. I got it now!
Sarcastically yours!

UmeshTilok Hatimuria [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
O'Kamal Kai,Apunar prosnotu xunilu, Sondon kair-pa. Moi nije oxom-jalot mas dhoribo nurau aji-kali. Xei-gune amar dokhin-jokaisukore buli so-kai'e maje xomoye ji pothai thake tar-pahe gom paun.Anyway, Kukur-muta , the fabled neighbourhood of Guwahati, is an important place name. There was a time its fame spread far and wide, at least that is what I am inferring here. You may ask, how?You know my adopted hometown,Dogpatch, Arkansas, is an important city, at least in our own minds, nestled among the clouds high up in the rarified environment of the High Ozarks.How do you think this dog-forsaken place got to be christened Dogpatch to begin with?Somewhere in time , there must have been some canine incident that left a mark on this piece of sacred ground high in the dizzying Ozarks. Thus Dogpatch.Now then what canine incident could leave a patch on ground, sacred or otherwise? You guessed it.And what is the etymology of Kukur-muta? Do I need to get into it Kamal-kai? I mean it would be redundant, won't it?Now then, putting two and two together, you can prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that names like Kukurmuta, or Dogpatch are universal in nature and are used to mark territories, dog-like, for posterity. QED, aint it?Now the gentrification of the name Kukurmuta, the fabled neighbourhood of Guwahati, to Hedayetpur, is nothing less than a desecration of a historical name in the guise of political correctnessperpetrated by neoVictorian mores of the burgeoning nuevo-middle class imposing the shapeless, rootless, facile culture of a bloating urban sprawl that has settled down on to the soulf of Guwahati.So, this Memorial Day weekend, please do shed a quiet tear in the fond memory of a departed nam!
! e,!
that once adorned this historical neighbourhood in the armpit of Guwahati, marked by mosquito infested, sewage filled and water-hyacinth laden swamps and railroad track garlanded, noisier than heck home to hordes of hapless huseholders that will hang in twilight of a hoary past in the memories of all those who passed thru Guwhati at a different time in its formative era.Fondly,Tilok Daktor_Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam

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Re: [Assam] One about the Singapore dictatorship

2005-05-28 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

There goes the Singapore model for independent Assam down the tube.
At least that is what I think. Thepeople in Assam will not like that much of repression. If you can't have Bandh or strike, where is the fun?
Dilip DekaRajib Das [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
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Re: [Assam] Assam's economy

2005-05-28 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I'd like to renind evreyone that Autonomy can take many forms. There is not one prescribed form of autonomy. Probably the word to use is "Decentralization".
Dilip DekaRam Sarangapani [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Thank you KJD for listing these measures and the 2 examples. I quiteunderstand the 'need' for a change' Yes, it is quite frusturatinggoing thru these hurdles of bureaucracies. And I agree with youcompletely that these need to be modified and become more efficientconsidering today's challenges.While I also agree with all those steps that you have listed (ie whatought to be done), I was hoping that you would tell us how there wouldbe a change in the system of Governance?Your solution, in summation:(a) decentralize(b) institute accountability(c) remove corruption(d) re-codify laws and rules in smple language(e) campaign finance reform (BTW: the US stilll hasn't got it)Except for decentralization, I am not sure how any of the others wouldactually change the 'System of Governance' that you advocate.
 Theother points (if the powers that be so desire) can be accomplishedtoo and without an change in the System of Governance.I like decentralization for other reasons. Its more akin to autonomythat a number of us would like to see happen.So, my question to you still remains: Does the present system ofgovernance NOT have the capability of taking corrective measures(other than decentralization) that you suggest?So far, what you and others have put forth are examples of badgovernance, little or no accountability, breaucracy, etc. (and Iconcur).But you have not told us told us what really is wrong with ademocratic setup, with a bi-cameral legislation, and an independentjudiciary, and all the checks and balances provided. Why would wewant to replace this with a despot (albeit, a benevolent one)? Whythis clamor for change when a democracy should be able to handle itall?Are you perchance suggesting w!
e do away
 with democracy?When you suggest a change in governance, I assume that you would wantto throw this system out and get a different one. So, do we want tomake changes within the present system or basically throw the babywith the bathwater?Unfortunately, I have to go back to my original thoughts - its thepeople, their ethics, their value systems, their fundamentalism,parochialism, their greed. That is the big reason why so many thingsdo not work in India, while it does in other places. While yourbenevolent dictatorship idea may actually be a solution, its nevergoing to happen in India, and it is practically impossible.My conclusion: Its not the system thats the problem, its the people. This has come to a full circle. As Barua has been telling us forsometime, unless peoples' attitudes/habits/preferences are changeddrastically, there will always be problems.*By 'people' I mean all - those who make up !
the
 Governments, thebusinesses, as well as those who send the crooks into power year afteryear.--RamOn 5/28/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:   Sarangapani wrote  Easier said than done.Could you give us a practical way of how one should go about it   I have no intention of keeping you and others in tenterhooks.But before penning down the steps that could be considered in order to create a change,let me give you two examples to show you why the system should undergo a radical change.Please hang on your lips.  Tavleen Singh was taken aback to find out that the English used in legal proceedings is so arcane as to be almost a forgotten language.A brief account of what she wrote.She received a summons to appear before the court in Bombay and the language of the summons so baffled her that if the
 policeman bringing it had not transalated into Hindi, she would not have understood, what she was suppopsed to do.The summons said " whereas on the --day--month--year-- you became surety for one ---that he should appear before the court on the --day---month--year and should continue so to attend until otherwise directed by the court and bound yourself in default thereof to forfeit the sum of Rs---and whereas---".  In simple English it would have said---please appear in court on the following date because the man you stood bail,failed to attend a hearing!!Why do we not write our law in more modern but easy to understand language? Because our law-makers SPEND SO MUCH TIME WALKING OUT OF PARLIAMENT,THEY HAVE NOT FOUND TIME TO REVISE OUR ANCIENT LEGAL PROCEDURES.  Here is the other one to show how red tape gets redder in India.An Indian NRI,a resident of Singapore,wan!
ted to
 register a wholly owned subsidiary in India and went to a lawyer to get the job done.The lawyer advised him that if it was to be the subsidiary of an international company,the authorised capital would have to be 10 times the minimum stipulated for an Indian company.Asked for the reason, none could be provided.He went to the secretariat to get an answer and was made to run from pillar to post--yet no answer could be found.The next problem cropped up

Re: [Assam] Bangladesh

2005-05-25 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Dear Mr. Ahmed,
Now I am convinced you have mistaken me for someone else. There must be another Dilip Deka in your country, UK. Can you please send me a copy of the material you are talking about?
Dilip Dekasabbir ahmed [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Dear Mr Dilip

I pray that you are well. Dear sir, i have read the article that has continuosly mentioned Bangladesh as a 'mistake'. I do not write to offend you personally but it is a practice in the UK to stand up for what we believe in and the article provided made my fellow Bangladeshi studentsfeel as if our nation was useless. In order to practise free trade one has to consider whether it will benefit both nations equally, therefore a recognised body to ensure that exploitation does not take place. Even a referendum will portray the views on open border trading.
However critcism is good providing it is constructive and does not offend anyone. In the UK we are trained to view our concerns with feroucity and therefore i do not intend to disrespect you or upset you for that matter. It is a honour to have read your material.
SabbirDilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Dear Mr. Ahmed,
I am at a loss regarding the "harsh discriminating Attacks" you mentioned. Is it a case of mistaken identity? Only letter I wrote about Bangladesh was in Assamnet and I talked about removing the border between Bangladesh and India. Is that the reason for your writing to me to tell me that I am ignorant and foolish? Please let me know.
Dilip Dekasabbir ahmed [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Ihave read your comments on Bangladesh, which can only be described as a 'harsh discriminating' attack. the ideology you hold about Bangladesh is one of which looks to benefit only your own selfish needs of extending your borders and economic growth. However you have failed to mention that Bangladesh is a new found country aged only 30 years, suppressed from Pakistani rule but due to long hard struggle have gained independance. The comment you have made are not all true but have proved that you are very ignorant and foolish. There is evidence of religionfundamentalism in every country for example Vajpayee party. Bangladesh is a country that looks for improving its democracy, more importantly a country which is a community at work. If you feel that the statistics you have given prove that Bangladesh is a mistake then you are very narrow minded because parts of the world such as Africa there are countries which are poorer.!
However
we do not criticise them but offer ideas, help and support.I am a Law student andmy fellow students of Indian and Bangladeshi origin have criticised you and your writing.The aim and ethos you hold isto create tension, but your ignorance does not prevail in everyhuman being. I can only wish that you understand your narrow minded, selfish and ignorant comments do not benefit Bangladesh or the world for that matter.

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Re: [Assam] Bangladesh

2005-05-24 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

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Fwd: Re: [Assam] Sentinel Article: Guess who is on whose side: Ref the boycott of Bangladeshis

2005-05-23 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Dilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


Is this an attempt to spin the ULFA accusationsout of control? Does anyone know what atrocities have been committed? I read that there an appeal insome areas to stop employing or patronizing illegal workers. Did it go further than that?

The following news report in the Sentinel tells me that there is an attempt now to communalize the subject. Is there any likelihood that the attempt will succeed?
Dilip
=

Exodus: CPI hits out at BJP, Osmani
By a Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, May 23: The CPI has accused both the BJP and AF Golam Osmani, chairman of Assam Pradesh Congress Committees minority cell, for, what it called, trying to communalize the recent exodus of suspected foreigners from upper Assam. It has also expressed doubt over the State Governments role in the whole episode.
"The people of Assam should remain vigilant against the forces who are trying to communize the entire issue," said Promode Gogoi, CPI national executive member, while addressing the press in the party office here today.
He, however, said that though his party is in favour of stopping all kinds of harassment on Indian minorities, the foreigners illegally entering in the country will have to be detected and deported to protect the interest of the citizens of the country.
Gogoi, however, said that it is a very good sign that all political parties as well as the minority organizations, including the United Minority Forum and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind have supported the decision taken in the recent tripartite talks held in New Delhi on the Assam Accord.
"The State Government should find out the names of the fleeing people conducting a district-wise survey and check their citizenship status on the basis of 1971 voters list, Gogoi suggested. "But the Government is not willing to do that for some obvious reasons," he added. =Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 
 ëChairmaní Arabinda Rajkhowa in a statement said thatthe outfit will not tolerate atrocities on indigenousAssamese Muslims in the name of illegal immigrants.*** Should the Assamese or the ULFA tolerate "---atrocities on indigenous Assamese Muslims--" ?At 7:45 PM -0700 5/22/05, Rajib Das wrote:Wasn't there somebody here who mentioned the centralplan of supporting Bangladeshis?What do folks think of this?ULFA: Stop harassing Assamese MuslimsBy a Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, May 22: The proscribed ULFA today joined theësave Muslimsí bandwagon by issuing a warning to thoseharassing innocent people. It termed the move as apre-election exercise of people with vested interests.ëChairmaní Ar!
abinda
 Rajkhowa in a statement said thatthe outfit will not tolerate atrocities on indigenousAssamese Muslims in the name of illegal immigrants.Rajkhowa also refuted allegations that the outfit hadappealed to the US administration to strike off itsname from the countryís list of terroristorganizations. He said that recent reports in thisregard are an attempt to discourage the struggle ofthe outfit.On the other hand, four persons were arrested lastnight for their alleged nexus with the ULFA. PanbazarPolice apprehended two persons ó Kuntal Sarma, acorrespondent of a vernacular daily and Chinmoy KantiSarkar ó from Bilasipara on charges of theirinvolvement in unlawful activities under ULFA.Chandmari Police also arrested Fainur Ali andTafiruddin Ahmed from Maroi in Sipajhar for theirlinks with the ULFA. A large number of arms,am!
munition
 and documents were recovered from theirpossession.__Do you Yahoo!?Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses.http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___
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RE: [Assam] Sentinel Article: Guess who is on whose side: Ref theboycott of Bangladeshis

2005-05-23 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

should not get any kind of communal color

*** Is that a wish, or is that a conjecture on possibilities?

Read "Must" in stead of "Should" .

*** Also what is 'communal' supposed to mean here? For the word is used, in the Indian context, as an euphemism for the Hindu Muslim conflicts. But what about Language origin conflicts, like Assamese/Bengali? Is it a communal one or is it something else? And could that degenerate into the the latter?

"Communal" includes language origin conflicts as well. The word Communal relates to Community.
If themovement wasaimed at illegal immigrants, the proponents must be extra cautious to keep it that way and not let RSS, BJP and Congress Party swing it to their political advantage. A question - Did RSS really have anything to do with starting the movement or was it spontaneous from the young adults?

I guess I should ask that of Rajib more specifically and have him speculate on those possibilities :-).

Is Rajib an authority on this kind of discussion? :-)

At 2:51 PM -0700 5/23/05, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
There is no rejoicing on my side. To me, a man-made border cannot be maintained forever. The border between Bangladesh and India will break someday. The sooner the better.

You have made some good practical points. Those are the very reasons why this boycott (not atrocities!) should not get any kind of communal color.
Dilipda"Roy, Santanu" [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Dear Dilip-da:

We all seem to be quietly rejoicing this "boycott of Bangladeshis" in Dibrugarh and the reported exodus. But does anyone honestly believe that this kind of a move is not going toaffect the Bengalis and na-oxomiyas whomigrated from Bangladesh prior to "1971" (or your favorite cutoff date)?That itcan continue without igniting civil strife?

I am notopposing the boycott. I am only saying that we should not be so naive as to expect this kind of a mass action to take fine tooth comb and examine the legality and/or propriety ofwho it expels. Most likely it willaffect anyone who looks and speaks like a Bengali from what is now Bangladesh - and particularly, those who are poor and Muslim.

If I may venture to predict, no one is going across the border. They are simply relocating - temporarily and if things turn bad, permanently - to the lower districts.

And what if thisboycott and student action spreads to the lower districts? What if someone tries this in Barpeta or Dhubri?We will havecivil waron a good scale.

Santanu.

-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Dilip/Dil DekaSent: Monday, May 23, 2005 1:05 PMTo: Chan Mahanta; Rajib Das; assam@pikespeak.uccs.eduSubject: Re: [Assam] Sentinel Article: Guess who is on whose side: Ref theboycott of Bangladeshis
Is this an attempt to spin the ULFA accusationsout of control? Does anyone know what atrocities have been committed? I read that there an appeal insome areas to stop employing or patronizing illegal workers. Did it go further than that?

The following news report in the Sentinel tells me that there is an attempt now to communalize the subject. Is there any likelihood that the attempt will succeed?
Dilip
=

Exodus: CPI hits out at BJP, Osmani
By a Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, May 23: The CPI has accused both the BJP and AF Golam Osmani, chairman of Assam Pradesh Congress Committeeís minority cell, for, what it called, trying to communalize the recent exodus of suspected foreigners from upper Assam. It has also expressed doubt over the State Governmentís role in the whole episode.
"The people of Assam should remain vigilant against the forces who are trying to communize the entire issue," said Promode Gogoi, CPI national executive member, while addressing the press in the party office here today.
He, however, said that though his party is in favour of stopping all kinds of harassment on Indian minorities, ëthe foreigners illegally entering in the country will have to be detected and deported to protect the interest of the citizens of the country.í
Gogoi, however, said that it is a ëvery good signí that all political parties as well as the minority organizations, including the United Minority Forum and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind have supported the decision taken in the recent tripartite talks held in New Delhi on the Assam Accord.

"The State Government should find out the names of the fleeing people conducting a district-wise survey and check their citizenship status on the basis of 1971 votersí list, Gogoi suggested. "But the Government is not willing to do that for some obvious reasons," he added.
=Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
ÎChairmanÌ Arabinda Rajkhowa in a statement said thatthe outfit will not tolerate atrocities on indigenousA

Re: [Assam] New BPO: Tutoring US schoolkids

2005-05-23 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

The original article was published in the Christian Science Monitor. It was co-authored by my niece, Anupreeta Das, who was in Montreal till last week. She forwarded the article to me since this is her first article publishedin the international news media.
The original version has more details to explain how such tutoring is made possible. You will find that version below. If you compare the two, you will see how the rediff editor, in the process of editing, lost touch with the real story.
Dilip Dekaumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

I wonder how thats possible!!
Umesh
===
Learning from the May 23, 2005 edition

Need a tutor? Call India.
By Anupreeta Das and Amanda Paulson
NEW DELHI AND CHICAGO
Somit Basak's tutoring style is hardly unusual. The engineering graduate spices up lessons with games, offers rewards for excellent performance, and tries to keep his students' interest by linking the math formulas they struggle with to real-life examples they can relate to.
Unlike most tutors, however, Mr. Basak lives thousands of miles away from his students - he is a New Delhi resident who goes to work at 6 a.m. so that he can chat with American students doing their homework around dinnertime.

Americans have slowly grown accustomed to the idea that the people who answer their customer-service and computer-help calls may be on the other side of the globe. Now, some students may find their tutor works there, too.
While the industry is still relatively tiny, India's abundance of math and engineering graduates - willing to teach from a distance for far less money than their American counterparts - has made the country an attractive resource for some US tutoring firms.
It's a phenomenon that some hail as a triumph of technology, a boon for science-starved American students and the latest demonstration that globalization is leveling the playing field, particularly when it comes to intellectual capital. But critics worry about a lack of tutoring standards and question how well anyone can teach over a physical and cultural gulf. The fact that some of the outsourced tutors may be used to fulfill the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) supplemental education requirements - and get federal funds to do so - has been even more controversial.
"We don't know who's tutoring the students, we don't know what their qualifications are, and we're concerned about their familiarity with the curriculum in the districts of the students they're tutoring," says Nancy Van Meter, director of the Center on Accountability and Privatization at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Ms. Van Meter says she's concerned about the lack of quality control for all tutors hired under NCLB, but "the offshore tutoring raises that issue even more dramatically than we've seen here in the States."
Still, while the AFT and others, including US Rep. George Miller (D) of California, have been quick to pounce on the practice, its proponents wonder why qualified teachers should be kept from helping kids, just because they're in a foreign country.
"With this, there's an added wrinkle in the outsourcing debate, because the beneficiaries are not just the teachers," says Francesco Lecciso, a spokesman for BrainFuse, an online tutoring firm in New York City. "The beneficiaries are the students who are getting the tutoring." Still, BrainFuse has been "cautious" about outsourcing - about 50 of its 850 tutors are located overseas - because of the political questions as well as technical challenges and concerns about culture gaps, he says.
"We would be reluctant right now to put a tutor from India with a fourth grade student from North Carolina, for instance," says Mr. Lecciso. On the other hand, he says, a high-schooler with specialized science needs might benefit from such tutors, many of whom have superb math and science backgrounds.
"In spite of all the criticism of learning by rote, the Indian teaching system has produced some of the greatest professionals in the new world economy," says Anirudh Phadke, an official at Career Launcher, where Basak, the math tutor, works.
Career Launcher is one of just five Indian firms currently tutoring US students. Some contract with American e-tutoring providers, and some work directly with schools and students. Mr. Phadke estimates that Indian tutors are now working with some 20,000 American students, but he hopes the market will increase as technology improves and demand from NCLB rises.
One big reason for the outsourcing is, of course, cost. Take Growing Stars, a small company headquartered in Fremont, Calif., and a center with 20 tutors in Kochi, India (all of whom start their workday at 4:30 a.m.). Lower labor costs allow the company to offer one-on-one services for $20 an hour, significantly less than the $45 to $80 an hour charged by big-name tutoring companies like Sylvan and Kaplan.
"My teachers

[Assam] Patience Is Needed as Nations Build a Democracy?

2005-05-19 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Does anyone need a lesson in history? :-)
Dilip
==

Bush Says Patience Is Needed as Nations Build a Democracy
Published: May 19, 2005

WASHINGTON, May 18 - President Bush called Wednesday for patience in assessing the progress of Iraq and other nations toward democracy. He said the United States had gotten off to a rocky start after its independence and that it could take years for newly free countries to establish the institutions necessary for stability and prosperity.
Speaking to the International Republican Institute, Mr. Bush said the American Revolution had been followed by "years of chaos," and that the first effort to develop a governing charter, the Articles of Confederation, had "failed miserably."
"No nation in history has made the transition from tyranny to a free society without setbacks and false starts," Mr. Bush said. "What separates those nations that succeed from those that falter is their progress in establishing free institutions."
Mr. Bush has been criticized for underestimating how difficult it would be to stabilize and rebuild Iraq, and his remarks amounted to an argument as to why the transition from tyranny to democracy there and elsewhere is inherently challenging and prone to setbacks.
Mr. Bush listed a widely agreed upon set of prerequisites for success, including freedom of speech and assembly, a market economy and the rule of law.
He added another, freedom of worship, "because respect for the beliefs of others is the only way to build a society where compassion and tolerance prevail."
Mr. Bush used the speech to continue his gradual reversal from a central commitment of the 2000 presidential campaign: that he would never use the United States military for what he called "nation building."
On Wednesday night, he celebrated the military's nation-building role, saying that while "the main purpose of our military is to find and defeat the terrorists overseas," members of the armed forces are "also undertaking a less visible, but increasingly important task: helping the people of these nations build civil societies from the rubble of oppression."
Aides to Mr. Bush have said that his change of view began early in his first term, during a visit to Kosovo. But even then, he seemed to draw limits on what kind of nation-building activities he thought were appropriate.
On Wednesday, he celebrated the military's participation in actions that are normally considered civilian.
In Afghanistan, he noted, "Provincial Reconstruction Teams" were "helping the Afghan government to fix schools, dig wells, build roads, repair hospitals, and build confidence in the ability of Afghanistan's elected leaders to deliver real change in people's lives."
In Iraq, he noted, the First Cavalry Division began "Operation Adam Smith - setting up local chambers of commerce, providing Iraqi entrepreneurs with small business loans, and teaching them important skills like accounting, marketing and writing business plans."
He also talked about his proposal to create a new civilian Active Response Corps to help newly formed governments build institutions, including courts and tax systems.
The initial budget proposal for the office is small, about $24 million, but White House officials have said they expect the program will expand.
The president said promoting democracy was in the national interest because it would "isolate and defeat the forces of terror, and ensure a peaceful future for our citizens."
Mr. Bush, who was introduced by his onetime rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Senator John McCain of Arizona, cited the progress toward democracy across the former Soviet Union and in the Middle East.
But freedom, he said, can create political vacuums and instability, citing the struggles in recent years in Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine.
"Democratic change and free elections are exhilarating events," he said. "Yet we know from experience that they can be followed by moments of uncertainty. When people risk everything to vote, it can raise expectations that their lives will improve immediately - but history teaches that the path to a free society is long and not always smooth."
David E. Sanger contributed reporting for this article.___
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[Assam] Priorities in Life

2005-05-19 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Talk about priorities in life! In some parts of the world, they plant bombs. In others, they plant cameras.
==

A Camera Below a Grate? The Police Suspect a Peeper's Work

Ting-Li Wang/The New York Times
A video camera was found Tuesday underneath this grate on 88th Street near Lexington Avenue. The police said that it had apparently been placed to look up women's skirts, but that it had not functioned properly.

At first, it looked as if it might be a bomb. The truth, it turned out, was not as dangerous but was alarming nevertheless: someone had put a video camera below a street grate on the Upper East Side, apparently placed to look up the skirts of women walking past, the police said.
A passer-by spotted the camera on Tuesday on a shelf above a subway catwalk, about three feet below street level, rigged to a battery pack and pointed straight up on the south side of 88th Street just west of Lexington Avenue. After the passer-by called the police, the bomb squad arrived, and a technician dropped onto the catwalk, among cigarette butts, bottle caps and gum wrappers, to examine a camera connected to a digital video recorder, the police said.
Speaking to reporters in the Bronx, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said: "You wonder what goes through people's minds. I guess 'sick' is the only word that comes to mind."
Hidden cameras are a staple of Internet pornography sites, but a police spokesman, Lt. Eugene Whyte, said he did not know of a camera being used in a public space like a sidewalk before.
Because the grate is difficult to lift, the police were investigating the possibility that the camera had been placed from below, on the subway catwalk. There were no suspects yesterday, the police said.
The discovery repulsed women who live or work near the corner.
"It's disgusting. It's an invasion of a woman's privacy," said Johanna Roberts, 38, a real estate manager wearing a long denim skirt yesterday. "My God. That's horrible. I hope they find him. To me, it's a pervert. I guess I have to be a little more careful now walking on the street."
The device was not capable of transmitting live video, the police said. The department's Technical Assistance and Response Unit found that the camera had not recorded anything under the grate, because of faulty wiring or a loose battery.
"No images were captured showing anybody alighting above," Lieutenant Whyte said. The digital file stored in the recorder appeared to have been taken at a children's school recital, and was of poor quality, he said.
David Feldman, a spokesman for the company that made the recorder, Archos Inc., said the police had not contacted the company yesterday.
Caroline Altman, a 35-year-old musical theater performer, said she normally walked over the grate, unless she was wearing a skirt, as she was yesterday, and "afraid to do a Marilyn Monroe," she said.
Jennifer 8. Lee and Jim Rutenberg contributed reporting for this article.___
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RE: Re: [Assam] It takes a village

2005-05-19 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

No, it is not in Delhi. Some concerned and enlightened citizens in Guwahati have organized similar garbage pick up and Mridul Bhuyan is right with his complaint. 
I know of one organization that has been formed by Mrs. Kamal Kumari Baruah ( mother of Geeta Deka who passed away) and my aunt Dr. Trishna Mahanta. The organization usescontractor/s to provide the service.These two people live at two ends of the city. So I assume it is a citywide organization.
But the complaint is the same. The organization charges Rs. 50 per month per household for this garbage pick up. Most pay to keep their neighborhoods clean but there are some who have defaulted and some complain that Rs. 50 is too much.
Dilip"Alpana B. Sarangapani" [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


Here, even people prefer to throw their garbage to roads instead of paying Rs.30/-pm to the garbage pickers. 
This is in Delhi, I assume. At least the garbage pickers are available there. In Guwahati, 'poisa dileu paaboloi naai'. And where would they even dump it? 
The principle prevailing here is 'keep your home clean, throw the garbage outside' :-)
I agree, that is the common attitude there - all over India.
From: "mridul bhuyan" [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]CC: Assam@pikespeak.uccs.eduSubject: Re: [Assam] It takes a villageDate: Thu, 19 May 2005 15:40:22 +0530___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assamContent-Type: text/html; format=flowed 


Here, even people prefer to throw their garbage to roads instead of paying Rs.30/-pm to the garbage pickers. The principle prevailing here is 'keep your home clean, throw the garbage outside' :-)
Mridul BhuyanFrom: Ram Sarangapani [EMAIL PROTECTED]Reply-To: Ram Sarangapani [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" [EMAIL PROTECTED]CC: Assam@pikespeak.uccs.eduSubject: Re: [Assam] It takes a villageDate: Wed, 18 May 2005 23:24:04 -0500KJDIMHO, Singapore is a very tiny country, and that by itself can be abig advantage when talking about law and order, or even keeping itclean.The question is whether such a system, with all the trappings ofdraconian laws work in India?Why even the slightest move in that direction will cause an uproar inIndia, specially by those who are advocating it right now.They will be the first to yell about fundamental rights being curtailed etc etc.Will Indians be willing to pay that price that Singaporeans or S.Kor!
eans have
 paid?--RamOn 5/18/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Cd,  That's why I wrote " This is not to say that such actions can be yoked to  religion itself".   You are right.Just forty years ago, Singapore was a war-battered British  port,which had rapidly growing,poor,uneducated population living in slums  and households.Singapore struggled along until 1965,when it became an  independent nation with prime minister Yew in firm control.Forty years  later,75% of families,the previous slum-dwellers own their homes.Despite a  few harsh measures ( eg,forced savings),Singaporeans are happy with their  paternalistic government.  KJD  ___  Assam mailing list 
 Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu  http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam   Mailing list FAQ:  http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html  To unsubscribe or change options:  http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam   ___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam

Claim your space online! Share your world for free! Have a blast with MSN Spaces! ___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___
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[Assam] It takes a village?

2005-05-18 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

From the article below, I quote, "In identifying the problem, though, Mr. Na'mat also identifies the solution. If you want to stop a wave of suicide bombings, the likes of which we are seeing in Iraq, it takes a village. I am a big believer that the greatest restraint on human behavior is not laws and police, but culture and religious authority. It is what the community, what the village, deems shameful. That is what restrains people. So how do we get the Sunni Arab village to delegitimize suicide bombers?"

Laws and police, or shame on the perpetrators by means of culture? Which one do you think works better? Does religion (as Friedman says) have any role in bringing about restraint?
Dilip

Outrage and Silence
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: May 18, 2005

It is hard not to notice two contrasting stories that have run side by side during the past week. One is the story about the violent protests in the Muslim world triggered by a report in Newsweek (which the magazine has now retracted) that U.S. interrogators at Guantánamo Bay desecrated a Koran by throwing it into a toilet. In Afghanistan alone, at least 16 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in anti-American rioting that has been linked to that report. I certainly hope that Newsweek story is incorrect, because it would be outrageous if U.S. interrogators behaved that way.

That said, though, in the same newspapers one can read the latest reports from Iraq, where Baathist and jihadist suicide bombers have killed 400 Iraqi Muslims in the past month - most of them Shiite and Kurdish civilians shopping in markets, walking in funerals, going to mosques or volunteering to join the police.
Yet these mass murders - this desecration and dismemberment of real Muslims by other Muslims - have not prompted a single protest march anywhere in the Muslim world. And I have not read of a single fatwa issued by any Muslim cleric outside Iraq condemning these indiscriminate mass murders of Iraqi Shiites and Kurds by these jihadist suicide bombers, many of whom, according to a Washington Post report, are coming from Saudi Arabia.
The Muslim world's silence about the real desecration of Iraqis, coupled with its outrage over the alleged desecration of a Koran, highlights what we are up against in trying to stabilize Iraq - as well as the only workable strategy going forward.
The challenge we face in Iraq is so steep precisely because the power shift the U.S. and its allies are trying to engineer there is so profound - in both religious and political terms.
Religiously, if you want to know how the Sunni Arab world views a Shiite's being elected leader of Iraq, for the first time ever, think about how whites in Alabama would have felt about a black governor's being installed there in 1920. Some Sunnis do not think Shiites are authentic Muslims, and are indifferent to their brutalization.
At the same time, politically speaking, some Arab regimes prefer to see the pot boiling in Iraq so the democratization process can never spread to their countries. That's why their official newspapers rarely describe the murders of civilians in Iraq as a massacre or acts of terror. Such crimes are usually sanitized as "resistance" to occupation.
Salama Na'mat, the Washington bureau chief for the London-based Arabic daily Al Hayat, wrote the other day: "What is the responsibility of the [Arab] regimes and the official and semiofficial media in the countries bordering Iraq in legitimizing the operations that murder Iraqis? ... Isn't their goal to thwart [the emergence of] the newborn democracy in Iraq so that it won't spread in the region?" (Translation by Memri.)
In identifying the problem, though, Mr. Na'mat also identifies the solution. If you want to stop a wave of suicide bombings, the likes of which we are seeing in Iraq, it takes a village. I am a big believer that the greatest restraint on human behavior is not laws and police, but culture and religious authority. It is what the community, what the village, deems shameful. That is what restrains people. So how do we get the Sunni Arab village to delegitimize suicide bombers?
Inside Iraq, obviously, credible Sunnis have to be brought into the political process and constitution-drafting, as long as they do not have blood on their hands from Saddam's days. And outside Iraq, the Bush team needs to be forcefully demanding that Saudi Arabia and other key Arab allies use their media, government and religious systems to denounce and delegitimize the despicable murder of Muslims by Muslims in Iraq.
If the Arab world, its media and its spiritual leaders, came out and forcefully and repeatedly condemned those who mount these suicide attacks, and if credible Sunnis were given their fair share in the Iraqi government, I am certain a lot of this suicide bombing would stop, as happened with the Palestinians. Iraqi Sunnis would pass on the intelligence needed to prevent these attacks, and they would deny the suicide bombers the safe

Fwd: [Assam] It takes a village?

2005-05-18 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

We have already strayed far far away from the original discussion. How does law and police deter a criminal (suicide bomber) who is determined to die anyway. Isn't death penalty the ultimate form of punishment in the legal system?These criminals have already imposed death penalty on themselves. So, law and police cannot be a deterrent for this crime.
DilipDilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 06:42:39 -0700 (PDT)From: Dilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: ASSAMNETCOLORADO assam@pikespeak.uccs.eduSubject: [Assam] It takes a village?
From the article below, I quote, "In identifying the problem, though, Mr. Na'mat also identifies the solution. If you want to stop a wave of suicide bombings, the likes of which we are seeing in Iraq, it takes a village. I am a big believer that the greatest restraint on human behavior is not laws and police, but culture and religious authority. It is what the community, what the village, deems shameful. That is what restrains people. So how do we get the Sunni Arab village to delegitimize suicide bombers?" 

Laws and police, or shame on the perpetrators by means of culture? Which one do you think works better? Does religion (as Friedman says) have any role in bringing about restraint?
Dilip

Outrage and Silence
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN 
Published: May 18, 2005

It is hard not to notice two contrasting stories that have run side by side during the past week. One is the story about the violent protests in the Muslim world triggered by a report in Newsweek (which the magazine has now retracted) that U.S. interrogators at Guantánamo Bay desecrated a Koran by throwing it into a toilet. In Afghanistan alone, at least 16 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in anti-American rioting that has been linked to that report. I certainly hope that Newsweek story is incorrect, because it would be outrageous if U.S. interrogators behaved that way.


That said, though, in the same newspapers one can read the latest reports from Iraq, where Baathist and jihadist suicide bombers have killed 400 Iraqi Muslims in the past month - most of them Shiite and Kurdish civilians shopping in markets, walking in funerals, going to mosques or volunteering to join the police.
Yet these mass murders - this desecration and dismemberment of real Muslims by other Muslims - have not prompted a single protest march anywhere in the Muslim world. And I have not read of a single fatwa issued by any Muslim cleric outside Iraq condemning these indiscriminate mass murders of Iraqi Shiites and Kurds by these jihadist suicide bombers, many of whom, according to a Washington Post report, are coming from Saudi Arabia. 
The Muslim world's silence about the real desecration of Iraqis, coupled with its outrage over the alleged desecration of a Koran, highlights what we are up against in trying to stabilize Iraq - as well as the only workable strategy going forward.
The challenge we face in Iraq is so steep precisely because the power shift the U.S. and its allies are trying to engineer there is so profound - in both religious and political terms. 
Religiously, if you want to know how the Sunni Arab world views a Shiite's being elected leader of Iraq, for the first time ever, think about how whites in Alabama would have felt about a black governor's being installed there in 1920. Some Sunnis do not think Shiites are authentic Muslims, and are indifferent to their brutalization.
At the same time, politically speaking, some Arab regimes prefer to see the pot boiling in Iraq so the democratization process can never spread to their countries. That's why their official newspapers rarely describe the murders of civilians in Iraq as a massacre or acts of terror. Such crimes are usually sanitized as "resistance" to occupation.
Salama Na'mat, the Washington bureau chief for the London-based Arabic daily Al Hayat, wrote the other day: "What is the responsibility of the [Arab] regimes and the official and semiofficial media in the countries bordering Iraq in legitimizing the operations that murder Iraqis? ... Isn't their goal to thwart [the emergence of] the newborn democracy in Iraq so that it won't spread in the region?" (Translation by Memri.) 
In identifying the problem, though, Mr. Na'mat also identifies the solution. If you want to stop a wave of suicide bombings, the likes of which we are seeing in Iraq, it takes a village. I am a big believer that the greatest restraint on human behavior is not laws and police, but culture and religious authority. It is what the community, what the village, deems shameful. That is what restrains people. So how do we get the Sunni Arab village to delegitimize suicide bombers? 
Inside Iraq, obviously, credible Sunnis have to be brought into the political process and constitution-drafting, as long as they do not have blood on their hands from Saddam's days. And outside Iraq, the Bush team needs to be forcefully demanding that Saudi Arabia

Re: [Assam] About Time--From the ToI

2005-05-14 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I agree with you. It will not be a serious effort since already overworked chief justices are the members of the council and also probably the council has not been given a deadline to meet. Will the chief justices also be doing their day to day court duties?

"The council, which could take final shape in a month's time, will have three sitting judges of the Supreme Court and three Chief Justices of High Courts and have powers to send judges on leave pending inquiry," he said.
Let's see. This council will have the power tosend judges on leave if suspected and get inquiries started. Then there will be inquiries all over the place and the judges will keep getting paid. May be in a few years the inquiry results will be available and a few judges may get canned. Will thepositions vacated by the judges on leave be filled during this time to take care of lawsuits that keep coming? To a question, Bharadwaj said a proposal to redefine contempt of court when truth or public interest was involved was also being debated by a parliamentary committee.
Does anybody know what all this means?
DilipChan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
It was about time. Even though the patriots might take solace in better late than never, it does not sound like a move to do a serious analysis to pinpoint all that ails the judiciary and recommend action to reform the entire system.cmNational Judicial Council on the anvilPTI[ SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2005 07:28:32 PM ]Sign into earnIndiatimes pointsLUCKNOW: Government on Saturday said it will soon set up a National Judicial Council, headed by the Chief Justice of India, to make the judiciary more accountable."The proposed council with statutory powers would be recommending action to the President of India after finding the charges as correct against judges in their inquiry," Union law and justice minister Hansraj Bhardwaj said."The council, which could take final shape in a m!
onth's
 time, will have three sitting judges of the Supreme Court and three Chief Justices of High Courts and have powers to send judges on leave pending inquiry," he said.To a question, Bharadwaj said a proposal to redefine contempt of court when truth or public interest was involved was also being debated by a parliamentary committee.The law minister, who was here to attend a programme of the legal cell of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, justified government's action of rejecting the Phukan commission report giving a clean chit to former Defence Minister George Fernandes saying it had touched on deals of pre-George period and left matters concerning the Tehelka expose untouched.To a question on the ongoing tussle over the alleged ownership of the monument of love, Taj Mahal, he said it was being looked after by the ASI as per the laws and raking a controversy on the great monumnet would amount to belitt!
ling its
 international reputation and importance.He, however, favoured protection of Waqf properties saying they were in a "bad shape".___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___
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[Assam] Scholarship for Xatriya Dance

2005-05-14 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

A couple of years ago, when Xatriya dance was recognized at national level as a classical form, there was a discussion in this net and some netters scoffed at the recognition, saying it does not do anything for Assam. Some of us optimists said that the recognition will bring central money to nourish this art form. I found the following news itemthat says there is now national scholarship/s for students of Xatriya dance. 
Dilip
==
Satriya scholarshipBarnali Das, a prominent Satriya dancer of the new generation, has been awarded the prestigious national scholarship in Satriya dance by the Union Ministry of Culture, New Delhi. She is a student of Nartan Kala Kendra, Guwahati and has been taking lessons on this classical dance form from Guru Ramkrishna Talukdar. Barnali is also an acclaimed Kathak dancer and has performed with her Guru in different stages across the State, besides taking part in various festivals in other parts of the country. A resident of Six Mile area of the city, Barnali is equally good in her studies and she is presently pursuing her degree course in the Government Ayurvedic College, Guwahati.___
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Re: The Translation into English Re: [Assam] SATTRIYA DANCE PERFORMANCE IN MARSEILLE, SOUTH OF FRANCE

2005-05-14 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Apparently Doab means the area between two rivers. For example Ganga Yamuna has a Doab. Does that mean anything in Rajasthan? 
Dhoab definitely was a french way of writing Doab.
Dilipumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Ram-da,

I do have heard the word "Doab" but I am not able to place it. Mangaliars are famous singers/dancers of Rajastahn as are KaalBelia (snake piper) or Ghoomar dance.

UmeshRam Sarangapani [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
That was wonderful, thank you. I didn't know, you knew French. While,I was trying, I thought 'Dhoab ' meant something in French, andrealize its something more 'Indian' and actually don't what it means.Could be a Rajastani desert tribe, Umesh?They do seem to have a good variety of Indian music and dance in theIndian Nights. And its really glad that the Satrriya Dance could alsobe displayed as one of India's fine traditional art forms.On 5/13/05, Dilip/Dil Deka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:du vendredi 13 au Samedi 21  Friday 13th to Saturday 21stThe Indian nights  Musiques du Monde  Music of the world   Vendredi 13  Friday 13  Les Dhoab du désert du Rajasthan  The Dhoab from the Rajasthan
 desert  Musique du Rajasthan  Rajasthani music   Samedi 14  Saturday14  Master-classes Musique et/ou Danse indienne  Master classes - Music and/or dance from India   Lundi 16  Monday 16"Sattriya Dance", "Odissi" et "Bharatanatyam"  Danses traditionnelles  Traditional (classical) dances   Mardi 17  Tuesday 17Le Mahabharata  Théâtre musical  Musical theater   Mercredi 18  Wednesday 18Muzaffar Ali  Soirée du cinéma indien  evening of Indian cinema   Jeudi 19  Thursday 19  Nautilus - (1ère partie Viddya Srinivasan (chant) et  Sumod (Chant Carnatique de l'Inde du sud)  Nautilus - first !
! group
 Viddya Srinivasan (song) and Sumod ( Karnatic music from South India)  Indian FusionIndian fusion   Vendredi 20  Friday 20Shubhendra Rao  Saskia Rao de HassSitar et Violoncelle  Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:  Thank you Hazarika for the information. Its once again wonderful to note that Satriya Dance is being performed in another international setting. The Bora duo had visited Houston some years ago, and we really cherish their performance.  The website you listed is also interesting (though I don't know French), I am struggling to find out their offerings, I see they are also presenting the Mahabharata, the Oddissi dance and some other dance forms.  Hoefully some of you in the South of France will be able to avail of this wonderful experience.!
mp;g! t;
  --Ram  On 5/13/05, Gagon Hazarika wrote:  Calling all Sattriya Dance lovers in the South of France,Menaka PP Bora, the well known Sattriya dancer from Assam and Ph.D student  at Goldsmith's College, University of London, will be performing Solo  sattriya dance at international Indian dance/music/film festival...Fest de  la Inde...in Cite de la Musique auditorium in Marseille on Monday the 16th  of May 2005. Website for the venue:  http://www.citemusique-marseille.com/Website for the festival:  http://www.citemusique-marseille.com/progr/fr_progr.htmlYou are cordially invited to attend this special occasion representing rich  Assamese tradition and culture at an international music / dance festival.Regards Gagon
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[Assam] Got Time to Read?

2005-05-11 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I am not a blogger. But I couldn't control myself from putting the following information together from the Assam Tribune, and sharing with Assam-netters. All of the followinghas relevance to our discussions in the net.
Dilip


Guwahati, Wednesday, May 11, 2005



ULFA comments on talks meaningless: AASUBy A Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, May 10  The AASU today described the comments of the ULFA on the tripartite discussion concerning the Assam Accord as an unwarranted one and meaningless. Reacting to ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowas comment yesterday on the tripartite discussion, AASU president Sankar Prasad Roy and its general secretary Tapan Gogoi said in a statement today that the AASU would continue with its non-violent struggle to protect the social and political entity of the indigenous peoples of the State.The AASU has nothing to learn from the organisation, which is not aware of the gravity of the threat posed by the unabated influx of Bangladeshis and on the issue of sealing the Indo-Bangla bor!
der in
 this part of the country, the AASU leaders said.They also reiterated that the AASU has accepted the deadline of 1971 in matters of identification and deportation of foreign nationals only against the provisions for safeguarding the interests of the indigenous peoples of the State. The AASU is not to abide by the dictats of any force, nor it is willing to serve as a medium for fulfilment of political interests of some forces, they said.The spontaneous support of the flood and erosion victims to the decisions of the tripartite discussion is a pointer to the correct stand of the AASU on the problems facing the peoples of the State, they claimed.They also dared the ULFA to prove its patriotism by driving away the illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators from the State and checking fresh infiltration bids.Meanwhile in a separate statement, Roy and Gogoi have made an appeal to the Bodo leaders to unite overcoming all their mutual differences for the sake of
 development of the Bodos.

Guwahati, Wednesday, May 11, 2005 EDITORIAL 



Fiscal policy and economic responsibility Dimbeswar Deka
Generally fiscal policy means a part of governmental economic policy which deals with revenue, expenditure, borrowings and the management of public debt in an economy. Fiscal policy is also a potent weapon for achievement of economic growth in a backward and developed economy. The mobilisation of financial resources and maintenance of economic stability with capital formation are the main objectives of the fiscal policy in a developing country like India. In a developed economy, the main objectives are to raise the level of investment and determination of suitable taxation policy. The fiscal instruments!
 in under
 developed countries are concerned with allocating more resources or investment and restraining consumption. Under the modern fiscal policy government uses its expenditure and revenue programmes in such way so as to keep an equilibrium between demand and supply of goods and services.Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh introduced the concept of long term fiscal policy when he was the Finance Minister. The present Finance Minister has abandoned the long term fiscal policy. The Finance Minister shall be responsible for preparation of Annual Financial Statement which is to be laid before the State Legislature under Article 202 of the Constitution of India. Under Article 202 the Governor shall in respect of every financial year cause to be laid before the House of the Legislature of the State a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the State for that year which is referred to as the annual financial statement.The estimates of expenditure embodied !
in the
 annual financial statement shall show separately the sums required to meet expenditure described by the Constitution as expenditure charged upon the consolidated fund of the State and the sums required to meet other expenditure proposed to be made from the consolidated fund of the State and shall distinguish expenditure on revenue account from other expenditure.The expenditure charged on the consolidated fund of each State are (a) Governor and his office expenses, (b) Deputy Speaker and Legislative Council, (c) debt changes for which the State is liable including interest other expenses the relating for raising loan, (d) salary of judges of High Court, (e) expenditure in judgment, decree or award of any government, (f) any other expenditure declared by the Constitution, or by the Legislature of the State by law, to be charged.Fiscal policy relates to governmental decision making with respect to taxation, public expenditure, government borrowing and deficit
 financing.The budget recognises the role of financial services in catalysing economic activity. The budget also recognises the maturity of the Indian financial sector and how it can be leveraged to meet developed goals. In the Union Budget 2004 revenue deficit was 2.5 per cent of GDP and fiscal deficit

Re: [Assam] Are you a Liberal or Conservative or none

2005-05-11 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

From an Upbeat - 
The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press - that is conducting the survey is a respected organization and is featured on NPR regularly.
Dilip

Rajen Barua [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:




Are you a Liberal or Conservative or None:

You no longer can just call yourself a Liberal or Conservative or just simple Democrats and Republicansany more.You need to qualify yourself. 
This org has classified Americans into nine different catagories depending on their social and political beliefs.

The new political typology is :
.
ENTERPRISERS
SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES
PRO GOVERNMENT CONSERVATIVES
UPBEATS
DISAFFECTEDS
LIBERALS
CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS
DISADVANTAGED DEMOCRATS
BYSTANDERS

If you want to find out where you fit, you can do a self test and see.

http://people-press.org/reports/display

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[Assam] Marriage, a child's play in Jaipur

2005-05-11 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Now I see why Umesh was so despondent over child marriage. Being from Assam, I never thought it was a social problem.
Dilip

Marriage, a child's play in JaipurIANS[ WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2005 12:14:38 PM ]

Sign into earnIndiatimes points

JAIPUR: Thousands of families, and many thousands of their guests, all over Rajasthan were getting ready on Wednesday to flout the law as they organised and attended child marriages on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej.
Though the government has geared itself to preventing this blatant violation of the law, many households in the state were getting ready to marry off their children just as they had done for centuries on the day. "We have already directed district collectors and superintendents of police in all the 32 districts in the state to leave no stone unturned in their effort to prevent child marriages," said chairperson of State Women's Commission Pawan Surana. She said the commission was able to prevent about 500 cases of child marriages last year. "Efforts have also been made to generate public awareness against child marriages through street plays and corner meetings," Surana said. She said parents, the owner of the building where the marriage had taken place and the priest conducting the ceremony would be booked. State Governor Pratibha Patil and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje have issued appeals not to participate in child marriages as it is a social evil. The custom has been banned under the Child Marriage Prevention Act of 1929. Notwithstanding government assertions, however, the practice continues unabated in large parts of Rajasthan. According to activist Rakesh Singh, villager!
s had
begun organising marriages 10 days before Akha Teej to escape scrutiny of the law. On Tuesday, the district administration foiled the wedding of a 12-year-old girl with a 14-year-old boy in Bassi, 30 km from here. "There is need to create awareness about the evils of child marriage rather than stopping it," Singh said. Clearly, with the number of child marriages being planned for the day, the government has been singularly unsuccessful in either creating awareness or stopping the practice. ___
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[Assam] Bloggers - Are They Journalists?

2005-05-08 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Media andjournalists are an important part of democracy, and definitely so in USA. The newspaper, radio and TV media set ethical standards on themselves. How about the bloggers? The influence of bloggers on today's population is very evident. Is there a need for self-control in this community?
=

Editorial Observer
The Latest Rumbling in the Blogosphere: Questions About Ethics
By ADAM COHEN

Published: May 8, 2005

Bloggers like to demonize the MSM (that's Mainstream Media), but it is increasingly hard to think of the largest news blogs as being outside the mainstream. Bloggers have been showing up at national political conventions, at the World Economic Forum at Davos and on the cover of Business Week. Establishment warhorses like Arthur Schlesinger Jr. are signing on to write for Arianna Huffington's blog collective. And Garrett Graff, of FishbowlDC, broke through the cyberceiling recently and acquired the ultimate inside-the-Beltway media credential: a White House press pass.
Bloggers are not only getting access; they have also been getting results. The Drudge Report, of course, is famous for pushing stories, often with a rightward spin, onto the national media agenda, but it is not alone. Daily Kos did a brilliant job last fall of pressuring Sinclair Broadcasting not to show a hatchet-job documentary about John Kerry. And Joshua Micah Marshall has been rattling Congress with his entertaining and influential listing of where individual members stand on Social Security privatization. Blogs helped to shape, in some cases in major ways, some of the biggest stories of the last year - the presidential election, tsunami relief, Dan Rather.

The thing about influence is that, as bloggers well know, it is only a matter of time before people start trying to hold you accountable. Bloggers are so used to thinking of themselves as outsiders, and watchdogs of the LSM (that's Lame Stream Media), that many have given little thought to what ethical rules should apply in their online world. Some insist that they do not need journalistic ethics because they are not journalists, but rather activists, or humorists, or something else entirely. But more bloggers, and blog readers, are starting to ask whether at least the most prominent blogs with the highest traffic shouldn't hold themselves to the same high standards to which they hold other media.
Every mainstream news organization has its own sets of ethics rules, but all of them agree broadly on what constitutes ethical journalism. Information should be verified before it is printed, and people who are involved in a story should be given a chance to air their viewpoints, especially if they are under attack. Reporters should avoid conflicts of interest, even significant appearances of conflicts, and disclose any significant ones. Often, a conflict means being disqualified to cover a story or a subject. When errors are discovered or pointed out by internal or external sources, they must be corrected. And there should be a clear wall between editorial content and advertising.
Bloggers often invoke these journalistic standards in criticizing the MSM, and insist on harsh punishment when they are violated. The blogs that demanded Dan Rather's ouster accused him of old-school offenses: not sufficiently checking the facts about President Bush's National Guard service, refusing to admit and correct errors, and having undisclosed political views that shaded the journalism. Eason Jordan, CNN's chief news executive, resigned this year after a blogmob attacked him for a reported statement at the World Economic Forum at Davos that the military had aimed at journalists in Iraq and killed 12 of them. Their complaint was even more basic than in Mr. Rather's case: they were upset that Mr. Jordan said something they believed to be untrue.
But Mr. Rather's and Mr. Jordan's misdeeds would most likely not have landed them in trouble in the world of bloggers, where few rules apply. Many bloggers make little effort to check their information, and think nothing of posting a personal attack without calling the target first - or calling the target at all. They rarely have procedures for running a correction. The wall between their editorial content and advertising is often nonexistent. (Wonkette, a witty and well-read Washington blog, posts a weekly shout-out inside its editorial text to its advertisers, including partisan ones like Democrats.org.) And bloggers rarely disclose whether they are receiving money from the people or causes they write about.
A few bloggers have begun calling for change. There have even been fledgling attempts to create ethical guidelines, like the ones found at Cyberjournalist.net. Defenders of the status quo argue that ethics rules are not necessary in the blogosphere because truth emerges through "collaboration," and that bias and conflicts of interest are rooted out by "transparency." But

Re: [Assam] just got back from Assam

2005-05-08 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Dear Santanoo,
We were saddened by Ritam's death. We will remember him for what he achieved despite the limitations on his body. His physical presence was short but his memory will remain.
Dilip and Dil DekaSantanoo Medhi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:




Raiz,

Short report from a quick visit to guwahati. GNB Road is getting a face lift as well as widening of the road from Guwahati Club until Chnadmari is going on. There is still water logging problem. 

My visit was due to to demise of my cousin. If you all remember a young kid called Ritam Deka who created quite a stir by scoring 85 % mark with 6 letter marks in HSLC depsite being suffering from Duchene Muscular Dystrpohy in 2003. He ultimately succumbed to this incurable disease at young age of 19 years. It wasa sad day for all fo us. He showed incredible courage to fight this disease and lead a normal life as much possible till his death.

Santanoo Medhi
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Re: [Assam] Re: The Case for Autonomy -an Encore

2005-05-06 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Good research done byauthor Kapuria.

But a question arose in my mind - why doIndians compare everything to USA? There are many other functioning democratic pluralistic countries in the world where the citizens are not complaining about federal-state relationship. Isn't there anything to learn from them?

Did the proponents in Kashmir have only these nine points or were there more? If these nine are the only ones, I'd say the thought process is shallow. Many of these are only symbolic. The real guts of autonomylike revenue generation and sharing are not even discussed well, other than saying, "Regulate all administrative and financial affairs without Central interference". I thinkthe subject of revenue is as important, if not more, than political and administrative power sharing.

What fundamental rights were implied in, "Authority to draw up fundamental rights." ? Does it include rights of the state as in referendum to secede from India, or is it about rights of individuals within the state?

Did anything come out of the Kashmir proposal? Or was it summariy rejected? Anyone knows?

DilipRam Sarangapani [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Here is an interesting article outlining the benefits of autonomy. Iam not sure I agree with everything the author says, but its a start(instead of going around in circles).What are netters view on the subject?--Ramhttp://www.chowk.com/show_article.cgi?aid=0926channel=civic%20center#The Autonomy is for IndiaAnil Kapuria October 12, 2000 In post-dynastic democracy, greater autonomy for states is the onlyway to create a sustainable growth and stronger India.Recently, The Economist wrote "While [Indian] GDP has grown by anaverage of 6% annually in the past ten years, this translates into anincrease in income per person of just over 4% after allowing for theincrease in population." The best example of India's ability to dobetter are provided by those few parts of the country that are growingmuch faster than the national rate. Some of these states are larg!
erthan
many countries: Gujrat, the fastest growing state, has around 50Mpeople; Tamilnadu has 65M, and Maharashtra 85M. Clearly, severalIndian Tigers are buried in the sea of Indian population. Many of suchstates even have non-tiger like increasing fiscal deficits and strongdependence on subsidies. By contrast, Bihar and U.P. are among thelaggards because of their collapsing infrastructure and poorgovernance. Bihar has the honor of declining per person GDP sinceearly 1990s. Due to increasing fiscal deficits and strong dependenceon subsidies, even the best run states are unable to!build theinfrastructure needed for sustainable growth.Interestingly, the central government in India is free to determineits own deficit; whereas strict limits are placed on the amount ofmoney Indian states can borrow directly from the money markets. Thishas helped maintain some fiscal discipline on states but has givenfreer reign to the center. Indian economic reforms so far have takenthe form of!
lower
tax rates, but without any reduction in bloatedbureaucracy or pork barrel subsidies. Tamilnadu provides free power tofarmers, so does the Punjab, along with water for irrigation, whiletheir state electricity boards pile up losses and are unable to timelypay suppliers. The inter-state commerce in India is mired in archaicexcise and tax structure, which slow down the movement of raw materialand finished goods, thus further burden the feeble infrastructure.The software and diamond exports, which do not rely on movement ofheavy goods, are the only two major industries to achieve respectablelevels of exports. Still these industries alone can neither generatesufficient jobs nor export earnings to fill the shortfall in foreigndirect investment (FDI). Creation of jobs is essential to reduce 33%dilution of growth in GDP (from 6% to 4% - see above) due topopulation factor. The surprise is that some Indian states haveachieved so much with so little. They could be an example for th!
elaggards
if competition among the states can be created, provided thegrowths in leading states could be sustained without making thembankrupt.The centralized governance and British modeled parliamentary systemadd further overheads; and distort and delay the decision-making. Thebeginning of economic reforms proves this point so well, because tostart the reform process, India heavily relied on ordinances ratherthan on democratic vote in the parliament.The faster growing states send lesser number of parliamentarians tothe Lok Sabha than the laggard states, and may not tolerate in thefuture the parliamentary veto the laggards enjoy over their destiny.Both the distribution of power and collected revenue must beequitable. Currently neither is fair nor equitable, and correction isover due. The present system worked when Nehru, his daughter IndiraGandhi, and his grandson Rajiv Gandhi had absolute power both atcenter and in the majority, if not all of the states.The distracters a!
nd

[Assam] In Kansas, Darwinism Goes on Trial Once More

2005-05-06 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

The debate on Darwinism vs. Intelligent Design is becoming interesting every day. When is Missouri joiningneighbor Kansas' bandwagon? It is worth noting that it is a big issue in Midwest USA (including Ohio). Georgia in the south turned it down earlier, and it has not become an issue in Texas.
Is it because some like to mix religious belief with science whereas others like to mix religious belief with politics? Everyone has a right to choose his cocktail, I guess. Also what is the real alcohol in these cocktails?
Dilip
==

In Kansas, Darwinism Goes on Trial Once More

by JODI WILGOREN
Published: May 6, 2005

TOPEKA, Kan., May 5 - Six years after Kansas ignited a national debate over the teaching of evolution, the state is poised to push through new science standards this summer requiring that Darwin's theory be challenged in the classroom.

Larry W. Smith/Getty Images
Kathy Martin of the Kansas State Board of Education at hearings Thursday in Topeka.

Forum: Human Origins

Forum: Ideas on Contemporary Education

In the first of three daylong hearings being referred to here as a direct descendant of the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial in Tennessee, a parade of Ph.D.'s testified Thursday about the flaws they saw in mainstream science's explanation of the origins of life. It was one part biology lesson, one part political theater, and the biggest stage yet for the emerging movement known as intelligent design, which posits that life's complexity cannot be explained without a supernatural creator.
Darwin's defenders are refusing to testify at the hearings, which were called by the State Board of Education's conservative majority. But their lawyer forcefully cross-examined the other side's experts, pushing them to acknowledge that nothing in the current standards prevented discussion of challenges to evolution, and peppering them with queries both profound and personal.
"Do the standards state anywhere that science, evolution, is in any way in conflict with belief in God?" the lawyer, Pedro Irigonegaray, asked William S. Harris, a chemist who helped write the proposed changes.
When a later witness, Jonathan Wells, said he enjoyed being in the minority on such a controversial topic, Mr. Irigonegaray retorted, "More than being right?"
If the board adopts the new standards, as expected, in June, Kansas would join Ohio, which took a similar step in 2002, in mandating students be taught that there is controversy over evolution. Legislators in Alabama and Georgia have introduced bills this season to allow teachers to challenge Darwin in class, and the battle over evolution is simmering on the local level in 20 states.
While the proposed standards for Kansas do not specifically mention intelligent design - and many of its supporters prefer to avoid any discussion of it - critics contend they would open the door not just for those teachings, but to creationism, which holds to the Genesis account of God as the architect of the universe.
For Kansas, the debate is déjà vu: the last time the state standards were under review, in 1999, conservatives on the school board ignored their expert panel and deleted virtually any reference to evolution, only to be ousted in the next election.
But over the next few years anti-evolution forces regained the seats. And now, the board's 6-to-4 anti-evolution majority plans to embrace 20 suggestions promoted by advocates of intelligent design and are using this week's showcase to help persuade the public. "I was hoping these hearings would help me have some good hard evidence that I could repeat," Connie Morris, an anti-evolution board member, said in thanking one witness.
Sighing was Cheryl Shepherd-Adams, a physics teacher who took an unpaid day off from Hays High School to attend the hearings. "Kansas has been through this before," she said. "I'm really tired of going to conferences and being laughed at because I'm from Kansas."
The proposed changes to the state's science standards would edit everything from the introduction to notes advising teachers on specific benchmarks for individual grades. Perhaps the most significant shift would be in the very definition of science - instead of "seeking natural explanations for what we observe around us," the new standards would describe it as a "continuing investigation that uses observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, logical argument and theory building to lead to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena."
Local school districts devise curriculums in Kansas, as in most other states, but the standards provide a template by outlining what will be covered on the statewide science tests, given every other year in grades 4, 7 and 10.
Even as they described their own questioning of evolution as triggered by religious conversion, the experts testifying Thursday avoided mention of a divine creator, instead painting their position as simply one of

Re: [Assam] The system of governance

2005-05-06 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Is it due tofree market? 
The mobile phone wallahs in Assam also have monopoly. Don't they?
So, is it because it is in the private sector? Does that mean India should turn everything over to the private sector? 
Dilipda[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

If Assamese people are fundamentally corrupt,why is it that the people donot have to pay a bribe in Assam to get a mobile phone? How would the situation have been different if the mobile phones were to be a government monopoly instead? We all know the answer.
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[Assam] Bodo politics

2005-05-06 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

If the information below is correct, it just proves my long-time suspicion to be correct. The political and armed movements of the various ethnic groupsin Assam are not for the masses, they serve the whims of a few leaders who felt they couldn't compete with others inthe main stream.I am afraid the BTC election-aftermath will lead to more kidnapping and killing.
Dilip
==

DATELINE Guwahati/Wasbir HussainBodo politics: power-hungry leaders, stunned masses
Its unfortunate, but such is the hunger for power. So, neither the ex-bosses of the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), nor the flag-bearers of Bodo nationalism, the former and some present leaders and volunteers of the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), have turned out to be any different. After all, elections are meant to be won, come what may!
The maiden elections to the Bodoland territorial Council (BTC) are less than a week away. The Bodos, and others in Assam for that matter, had perhaps thought that the polls to the 40-member elective body would enable all democratic forces in the Bodo heartland to contest, get elected and work sincerely for the comparatively downtrodden masses in the area. Wasnt it for their people that the ABSU-BLT combine had fought for all these years?
Its true that the BTC Accord of 2003 did lead to the creation of three new districts and an annual outlay of Rs 100 crore to the BTC to start with. Besides, several government departments were transferred to the control of the new politico-administrative structure. But, the hard reality has been that there was not just enough political space within the new set up for the various players in the murky Bodo political arena.
The results are there for everyone to see. If anyone thought that the ABSU, the BLT, the All Bodo Womens Welfare Federation (ABWWF) or the former ABSU leaders were all part of a strong and united Bodo force whose sole interest was to work for the uplift of their people and boost the areas they inhabit, they have been proved wrong.
A month ago, it appeared that the pro-ABSU-BLT forces would be so formidable that other political players like the Congress, the AGP and others may not have any relevance at all in the coming BTC polls. But, that was not to be. Today, we find the BLT battling the ABSU and the nascent Bodo political party, the Bodo Peoples Progressive Front (BPPF).
Its now clear that there was no unanimity in the selection of former ABSU president Rabiram Narzary as the chief of the BPPF. Narzarys appointment as the leader of the BPPF gave out an indication that he could be the natural choice for the coveted post of the BTC chief executive member after the polls. Where would the former BLT boss and the chief of the interim BTC Hagrama Mahilary fit in at the post-poll power game?
The way the ex-BLT chief is campaigning for his former comrades, many of whom are in the fray as independents, fighting the official BPPF candidates, it is amply clear that he is bent on having his loyalists elected and then grab the hot seat with their backing. The BPPF, one can safely say, has actually split even before it has taken off. And, the BLT seems to be garnering the support of Adivasi and other non-Bodo groups in a case of one-upmanship.
The violent clash between some former BLT militants (many of whom are wrongfully designated special police officers as part of their rehabilitation package) and supporters of ex-ABSU chief Narzary at Serfanguri earlier this week gives a curtain-raiser of things to follow. I would imagine that if good sense does not prevail now (it is unlikely to prevail), the Bodo heartland will once again witness a bloody fratricidal feud.
The real problem seems to be that the Bodos today have too many leaders, and each one is eyeing the top spot in the BTC. Some of these contenders are: current BTC chief Hagrama Mahilary, BPPF president Rabiram Narzary, Rajya Sabha MP U.G.Brahma, Lok Sabha MP S.K.Bwiswmutiary, and several others waiting in the wings.
The way things are moving, the divide between the former BLT men and the ABSU could widen so much that bridging it might become difficult. And, if the BPPF split becomes formal, it will go the way of the Bodoland Peoples Party (BPP) that was divided in 1993 for exactly the same reason: leadership tussle.
In the ultimate analysis, it is seen that ethnic groups in the region can unitedly fight a violent movement with other like-minded forces to extract their pound of flesh from the Government, but cannot work unitedly for the benefit of their own people. This is the tragedy that afflicts the tribes-people in the North-east. Right now, it is the ordinary Bodos who are at the receiving end of their community leaders power games. (Feedback: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) ___
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Re: [Assam] Peace the buzzword in ULFA land

2005-05-05 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I think the words in the sentence from the news below, " The ULFA wants the issue of sovereignty to figure in the talks. We feel the ULFA should explain why it is seeking sovereignty and the government should specify why the demand cannot be conceded." are important.
Has ULFA ever publicly stated the reasons for sovereignty? Has any one other than the 3000 ULFA members endorsed the demand?
=

mridul bhuyan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Peace the buzzword in ULFA land

Source: IANS.

Jeraigaon (Assam), May 5: There was a time not very long ago when people in this remote village were scared to talk of peace. Today Jeraigaon residents have picked up enough courage to speak the language of peace and with conviction.

There were at that time many reasons for the fear. Jeraigaon, 550 km east of Guwahati, is the village from where Paresh Baruah, commander-in-chief of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), and its general secretary Anup Chetia hail.
Just that was enough to make people refuse to divulge their minds about the ULFA's campaign to secede oil-rich Assam from India.
Joining the peace bandwagon today with others are schoolteachers Bikul Baruah and Bimal Baruah - the ULFA commander-in-chief's brothers. "We must all strive hard for peace and for that talks between the ULFA and the government must begin," Bimal told IANS.
"The ULFA wants the issue of sovereignty to figure in the talks. We feel the ULFA should explain why it is seeking sovereignty and the government should specify why the demand cannot be conceded," he added.
Although there is a clamour for peace, yet the villagers of Jeraigaon are very diplomatic while airing their views - no one says if he or she supports the ULFA or not. They prefer to remain silent on this issue.

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As part of their peace campaign, the 20,000 residents of this village are organizing a four-day cultural extravaganza next week where Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is expected to be present.
"The theme of the cultural fest is peace and we shall take the opportunity to urge the chief minister to try to expedite the peace process with the ULFA," Bikul said.
Everyone in this village is hoping that Assam will witness an early end to the dragging insurgency so that Paresh Baruah, as also Anup Chetia who is in jail in Dhaka, could return home.
Intelligence officials say the elusive ULFA commander-in-chief is believed to be holed up somewhere in Bangladesh from where he commands his cadres who continue to launch guerrilla strikes in Assam.
"Ever since they left Assam after forming the ULFA, we have not seen Paresh or Anup. We want both to come back home safe and sound," said a community elder.
The ULFA has been fighting for an independent homeland since 1979.
Paresh Baruah's mother Milliki, now aged about 85, has also joined the chorus of peace.
"We all want peace and there should be talks between the ULFA and the government," Milliki said. "I definitely want to see my son before I die."
Paresh Baruah, however, has maintained no links with his family since going underground.

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Re: [Assam] Bihu Festival in Delhi

2005-05-05 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Way to go, Mr. Manoj Das. Educating the rest of India about the good side of Assam is important and you are doing itthe right way. All of this is investment in the future.
We try to do our share abroad. My wife organized a Bihu group among the Indian community in Caracas, Venezuela when we were there as ex-pats in 1994. The Muga Mekhela Saadors and the Japis were on loan from Houston Texas (our home base) and were flown in. But it was a tremendous success and at least 200 other Indians got to appreciate Bihu dance and Bihu songs.
Dilip Deka
manoj das [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Rongali Bihu Festival at Delhi.
Assam Association, Delhi celebrated Rongali Bihu Festival on 2nd May 2005 at Samaj Sadan, Laxmibai Nagar, New Delhi 110023 in the presence of a huge audience of about 1000 in traditional fervour. The attendance was large, despite being the first working day of the month. The function started with the release of the Samayik- the magazine of the association by Mr. Mihir Kanta Barooah, and lighting of the ceremonial lamp by Mr. S D Lahkar. The Choir of the association presented a quorus. Young girls of the association rendered a bihu to show the continuum of the great cultural heritage. Among others renowned artist, Dr. Pankhi Dutta rendered a few soul stirring numbers. The main attraction however this year was, the invitee team Bordoloni Anchalik Navajyoti Sangha consisting of 50 members, who came from the Dhemaji district of upper Assam. The team presented huchori,
Dewri bihu, bihu, jng bihu, traditional instrumental bihu, etc. Originality was galore right from the costumes, styles to songs. Girls wore rihas instead of the chadars as they did in old ages. They were mostly adolescent youths fll of life and vigour, whose commitment was cent percent.
The team came to Delhi on 28th April and performed a series of bihu renderings across Delhi as shown in the program grid. The teams performance was overwhelming and pushed establishment of bihu as one of the most vigorous and lively folk dances of India in the land of bhangra. The event was widely covered by the electronic and print media and acclaimed by the audience as one of the best shows they have ever seen.

28 April

Bihu at Dilli Haat 6 PM (Audience: 750)

29
April

Bihu at Alliance Francaise Auditorium (Katha Valedictory function) 4:30 PM (audience: 300)

Huchori at South Avenue. 7:30 PM
(Audience: 300)

30
April

Bihu at Mothers International School 8:15 AM (Audience: 1500)

Bihu at Hotel Ashok (Night Bazar) 8:00 PM
(audience: 300)

1
May

Bihu at Mehrauli and Garden of 5 Senses, Saket, near Qutab Minar (audience: 500)

2 MAY

Bihu at Samaj Sadan Laxmi Bai Nagar 6:30 PM (Assam Association, Delhi, Rongali Bihu Festival) (audience: 1000)
The experiment of presenting bihu before school kids was most revealing. Last year bihu was performed before the students of Vasant Valley School at Vasant Kunj. This year Mothers International School was chosen. Its the number one school in India for the last 3-4 years as per the survey of Outlook magazine. The outcome was overwhelming. The 40 minute long performance was an out of the world experience for the 2000 strong student-teacher community.
The principal penned in the certificate We wish to state that all of us enjoyed the show which was full of life and vigor. It was highly entertaining and gave all the members of the audience a peep into the rich culture of Assam. We also got an idea of the importance that Bihu Festival has in the life of the Assamese people. We assure you that all of us will cherish life long the memory of this most rewarding and enriching experience.Thats what the states culture department should do to propagate the rich cultural heritage of Assam or strengthen the hands of the association in its cultural yeomans job.--
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Re: [Assam] something about corruption

2005-05-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Barua,
Where did you find the magnum to shoot and make holes like this?
DekaRajen Barua [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:




Bulk of Assam Govt's employees are brought over to the USA to work in one it's state,say for example,the state of Texas. Beyond all questions,one would not perceive widespread petty corruption from the same set of people,while working under the Texas systems.

There hides your fallacy!!. How in the world you came up with the above conlclusion?
Or let us say,you are right. What does it mean then?
If you are trying to call it Ureka, it simply means thatall you need in Assam is to replace the Assam systems with the a Texas systems.Now what does Texas systems really means? Does it not include the Texas public with their religion, organizations, social values, education system, legal laws, civic valuesand everything that goes with it? Or you have something different in mind when you use the words "Texas systems".

Or if my a response seems too complicated, try asking yourself the million dollar question. 
Now that you have found a Ureka for Assam or India ie Replace Assam systems with Texas systems, what to do next or how to do it?. 

Barua

- Original Message - 
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
To: Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu 
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 9:16 PM
Subject: [Assam] something about corruption

CD,
It is really nice to learn that my response has alleviated your discomfort!!! After all, of what measure is a mutual admiration society,where regards are not exchanged on equal footing:)
Game aside,I agree with you in general.Allow me create a scenario.Bulk of Assam Govt's employees are brought over to the USA to work in one it's state,say for example,the state of Texas.Beyond all questions,one would not perceive widespread petty corruption from the same set of people,while working under the Texas systems.If individuals with similar backgrounds appear to act differently within two different systems,would it not be wise to examine the difference between the two systems that may provide clues in understanding the difference in perceived corruption in Assam and Texas ? By the way,the state of Assam is used as an example only.
KJD



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[Assam] Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's inaugural address

2005-05-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Many words were used in this net including "clueless" while discussing Mr. Kalam's statement about parents' and teachers' role in the war against corruption. I had not read the full text of Mr. Kalam's speech. So I dug it out. Here it is.
After you read Mr. Kalam's speech to the teachers' gathering you can draw your own conclusions and post your comments here. It will produce changes if Mr. Kalam follows up on his recommendations and goads the "clueless" ministers towards the same goal.
Dilip

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's inaugural address National Conference on Enhancing Learning in Elementary Schools, July 23, 2004, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore

Good Morning Friends, I am very happy and delighted to see you all here. I understand a number of educationists have assembled here and every state has three representatives besides representatives from the Centre. I am very happy to meet all of you.
Honorable Mr. T.N Chaturvedi, Governor of Karnataka, Honorable C Dharam Singh, CM of Karnataka, Mr. Azim Premji, Chairman, Azim Premji Foundation, Ms. Kumud Bansal, Secretary Government of India, and Mr. Dileep Ranjekar, CEO, Azim Premji Foundation and all of you who assembled here to interact and have a beautiful day. I wish you all the best.
Friends, I have prepared for you a talk. The topic I have selected is "Evolution of Creative children". But I am going to deviate from my talk after I visited the school just now. The school I visited is Government Higher Elementary School, Nagasandra. I was with the children for about 20 minutes. And the children had smiles. Of course, I have met this type of students, about 200 thousand students, throughout the country. But children always smile. When I saw a child, a girl child, when she interacts with the computer, when she does the sum correctly, when she puts the mark correctly on the screen and got 80 per cent or 90 per cent, how happy she is!.
How do we ensure the child smiles throughout the education period ?See how children smile. Whether the age is about six or 14-15 you see them smiling. Whether Nagaland, Karnataka, or any islands, our own islands, I find they are all the same children, same smile they have. Now how can we ensure that this smile continues among the children? What you have to do as an educationist? You know how the smile comes for the primary school children when they are learning but they don't know where they are heading, that is their secondary school and after secondary school, they have to fight for their 90-95 percent marks they have to score to get into professional colleges. So these children are not aware of that and that's why they smile now. But you know as responsible citizens of this country, as educationists our job is to see that smile
continues throughout or at least through the education period. Can you do that? How can you do that?
Do you know from class one to 10 + 2 how many years the students are on the campus ? 25 thousand hours ! In these 25 thousand hours, what do they learn ?You know a child gets a kick of happiness when it achieves. A teacher who can bring out the creativity of children is the real teacher. The computer lesson has been made in such a way that it brings out the creativity of the children. So I believe even up to the age of 17, that is up to ten plus two you can keep the children smiling if the education system keeps the focus on themes of creativity. That is very important. That's why I am going to work with my friends in the Human Resource Development and primary education. I want to reduce the load of books for them so that creativity in the class is generated. So creativity is one of the very important tools for the teachers who are
teaching. You are all educationists. Do you know from class one to 10+ 2 how many hours the students are on the campus? 25 thousand hours! In these 25 thousand hours, what do they learn? What do they? And when they go home they do the homework and sleep. A lesson should be shaped in such a way that as we grow, the children are also growing. The more we learn the better it is for the nation.
Every school is responsible to create enlightened citizens. Every parent in the 250 million homes is responsible to generate transparent citizens.Azim Premji expressed his concern about corruption. Wherever I go, youngsters ask me: Mr. President, tell me. You are planning a knowledge society. You are talking of a developed India. But in a country that is not transparent, that is so corrupt, how do you expect all this development? See it happened in Orissa. The same question I faced. A 10th class boy asked me "How can you do development work in a corrupt world?" Immediately I asked the mother sitting by his side: "Would you like to clarify your son's question? "No no, this boy is a fantastic fellow. He studies well but he has asked you a question bigger than himself," she said. I then put the question

[Assam] About Dog Meat - Read if you have time to spare

2005-05-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka






The Marmot's Hole
 Everything you didn't want to know about Korea and couldn't care less to ask. 
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When man bites dog 

« H » Korean Culture :: email link
I went out today with two of the other teachers from Kwangju University for my first dog meat dinner of the year. Now, for those of you who might not know, I managed to earn the nickname "Dog Killer" at Kyung Hee University, and for a very good reason - I'll be willing to bet money that I consume more dog meat than any other white man in the Republic of Korea. My relationship with man's best friend altered soon after I arrived in Korea nearly seven years ago - well, we all know that Koreans (at least some of them, anyway) eat dogs, and being of a curious nature and willing to ingest just about anything, I decided to give it a try. Needless to say, I found the delicacy much to my liking, and began eating it on a fairly regular basis. While I personally enjoy the canine any time of year, Koreans enjoy dog meat most in summer - it is beli!
eved that
 dog meat replenishes ones lost energy and increases stamina. In particular, dog is considered the traditional food of the bognal, which represent the three hottest days of the Korean year (why they represent the three hottest day, however, requires an explanation of Korea's traditional calendar and element system that goes beyond the scope of this little post). 
The practice of eating dog meat became a controversial topic circa 1988, when Korea began to come under fire from foreign-based animal rights activists in the period leading up to the Summer Olympic Games held in Seoul that year. Sensitive to the criticism from abroad, the Korean governmentbanned the consumption of dog meat right before the start of the Games. Not that this stopped the diehard from enjoying the fruits of the pooch - dog meat restaurants simply invented new names for the dishes (many of those names are still in use, causing some confusion for the uninitiated), and continued doing a brisk trade. The period leading up to the 2002 World Cup witnessed a new round of criticism from animal rights activists, this time lead by shitty actress-turned-dog hugger Brigitte Bardot, who attempted to organize an international boycott of Korea over the dog meat issue. This time, however, Koreans fired back, led by Korea's very own "Dr. Dogmeat," Professor Ahn Yong-ge!
un of
 Ch'ungnam University, who led a very public campaign to raise Koreans' awareness of their unique food culture. Truth be told, Dr. Ahn is an ultra-nationalist bigot; his web site (in Korean, English, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese!) is for the most part an anti-Western diatribe that borders on the racism for which he (rightly) condemns Western dog meat critics (the French come in for particularly brutal treatment), and his fellow traveller Dr. Kang Ju-hyeon of the Korean Folk Traditions Research Center writes in his "Dog Meat and Cultural Imperialism" that Western women are barbarians that have sex with dogs (they don't, do they?). For a much better defense of dog meat, check out William Saletan's January 16, 2002 piece in Slate. 
Anyway, dog meat currently resides in legal limbo - technically, it's illegal, but dog meat restaurants operate openly, not one single person has ever been arrested for either the sale or consumption of canine meat, the current President is reportedly a big fan, and now that I think about it, I've eaten it

Re: [Assam] something about corruption

2005-05-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

"While at it, try and answer the questions I raised after your agreement with Pres. Kalam's pleas, if you can." We all know that prevention is better than cure. Enacting all kinds of laws and enforcing them strictly to catch the culprits, like you desire,will only produce a cure that is temporary. On the other hand prevention byeducating and raising a new generation of Indians, as Mr. Kalam desires, will result in permanence. Only a start has been made in that direction. With people like Kalam and Premji behind the effort, I expect some results.
==Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

It caused a lot of hardship like standing in front of an RBI clerk in Calcutta office for six hours to get a document because I refused to pay him a bribe.

Tsk, tsk. My heart goes out for you. Good for you. You are a credit to your kind :-).

On the other hand, I did pay a bribe to a court clerk to get me a birth certificate in Kolkata, which I had to have a foot-path lawyer manufacture for me, since none existed. I knew it was wrong. But I was weak, unlike you.

But what are you going to do about it? What is President Kalam going to do about it? You are good and I am bad.

But tell me whose kind is running India today? Your kind or my kind?

Would I do it again, if I had to? You betcha I would.

I will give you another example:

My nephew was harassed by a passport control guy at Kolkata on
a return trip from Assam, for some clerical inconsistency in his
Indian passport. My nephew, who was in front of me at the line, lost
his cool after endless arguments. We were already getting very
close to departure. I dragged him behind me, took up position in
front of the window and asked the guy what he wanted. He said
'ja khusi apnar' ( whatever pleases you). I gave him ten dollars,
and we were on our way. There were people all around us.

Was I wrong in bribing? Of course I was. But I was not going to leave my nephew behind in Kolkata. I did what I had to do.

From your description of your moral uprightness, you probably would not have done that. But what are you going to do about it? What will President Kalam do about it? Tell me though whose kind is running India today? Your kind or my kind?

The point is, you are making an untenable argument.

Your question about road building corner cutting or whatever are quite hypothetical. I can answer yes, or no. A yes won't make me the cause of India's corruption problems, and no would not make me holier than thou, or not even at par with your integrity. But who is running things, and how will you change it?

While at it, try and answer the questions I raised after your agreement with Pres. Kalam's pleas, if you can.

At 1:47 PM -0700 5/3/05, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
O'Mahanta,
You said, " Depending on my circumstances, I might. It may not have to be a cash bribe. I might look the other way, considering that it is the norm anyway, and that I won't have to pay even if I get caught; for a seat for my child at the Holy Whatsmacallit School. Or a piece of land I might be able to buy at a reasonable price at Hengerabari. Or for treatment for my ailing uncle at the Uptown Nursing Home. Catch my drift?

And now can I ask you the same question, with the same conditions?"

DD: What I gather from your (personal) answer is that depending on your convenience and needs, you would bend your moral values that you inherited from your parents. Did I read you correctly?

You asked me how I'd answer the question with the conditions you set. I definitely would not accept bribe to augment my income so that I can send my children to Holy Whatsamacallit or buy a property inNarikolbasti or Hengerabari. Amain reason why I remained in USA isrelated -even on my limited income I do not have to ask for graft/bribe for a decent living,and also I do not have to offer bribe to any one to get things done.Did I change after coming to USA? No, I respected the same moral values when I lived in India. It caused a lot of hardship like standing in front of an RBI clerk in Calcutta office for six hours to get a document because I refused to pay him a bribe. But I did not sway.
I have seen several postings in the net on moral values and their relativity. In my opinion either you have it or you don't, there are no conditional situations.

The last question I asked you was about taking bribe. Let's go another way. Let's say you were managing a road upgrade project near Namti and you could divert1 lakh of rupees to yourself from the Rs. 1 crore project if the compacting requirements were relaxed. Let's also say that you need the money to replace your wife's old car. Would you cheat the poor people of Namti by giving them an inferior road?

O'Deka
===

Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
At 7:43 AM -0700 5/3/05, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
O'Mahanta,

Suppose

[Assam] Task Force for storage projects

2005-05-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I didn't see the word "dredging" anywhere in the news. Did I miss it?

==

 Guwahati, Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Massive erosion by the Brahmaputra taking place at Phulbari Village in South sootea, Sonitpur district, on Tuesday.  UB PhotosTask Force for storage projectsBy Ajit PatowaryGUWAHATI, May 3  The Task Force for Flood Management and Erosion Control recommended storage projects on the Brahmaputra, the Barak and their tributaries for a permanent solution to the States floods and erosion problems. It also laid emphasis on expeditious implementation of the non-structural measures for the purpose. These include wetland revival and maintenance; watershed management; flood plain zoning; extension, modernization of flood forecasting and warning system; setting up a core group of highly trained officers for disaster mitigation etc.It however, needs mention that the Task Force also recommended
 implementation of various immediate measures, short-term measures, besides the long-term measures, which mainly include the storage reservoirs.Immediate measures are the measures to be completed before the onset of 2005 monsoon. The measures proposed to be started and completed within the Tenth Five Year Plan are categorized as the short-term measures-I. Those measures, which are to be started within the Tenth Five Year Plan and to be completed in the Eleventh Five Year Plan, are categorized as short-term-II measures.The measures proposed to be taken up and completed within the Eleventh Five Year Plan are categorized as the long-term ones. Storage reservoirs fall in this category, but their completion depends on the cooperation of the neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and China. Their estimated cost also could be worked out, said the Task Force. Its recommended reservoirs include  Siang Upper, Middle and Lower on the Siang (Brahmaputra); Subansir!
i Upper,
 Middle and Lower; Dibang Dam;Lohit Dam and on the Barak the Tipdimukh Dam.The Siang projects are proposed in Arunachal Pradesh, with an estimated gross capacity of about 20,000 million cubic metre (MCM). The three Siang projects came up as alternative to a single dam project. On the other hand, the Subansiri projects, also in the same state area, have an estimated gross capacity of about 4,800 MCM. The three projects on the Subansiri also were the alternatives to a single dam project.The Dibang Dam Project proposed in Arunachal Pradesh, has an estimated gross reservoir capacity of about 3,600 MCM. The Lohit Dam Project has the estimated gross reservoir capacity of about 5,100 MCM. It is also proposed to be located in Arunachal Pradesh.The Task Force has given a list of the reservoirs proposed or implemented on the Brahmaputra tributaries by the countrys agencies and also by the neighbouring countries. These include the Brahmaputra Boards u!
nder
 preparation projectsNoadihing (about 57 MCM), Jiadhal (about 1,344 MCM), Killing (about 56 MCM), Kulsi (about 795MCM) and its under execution project Pagladiya (about313 MCM).The Task Force report also mentioned NEEPCOs under preparation projectsDikrong, Kameng (about 6,500 MCM) and Dhansiri South (about 1,500 MCM) and the Kopilli (about 1,620 MCM) implemented by the Central power agency and the Government of Assam.Besides, it has mentioned in its said list the Central Water Commissions (CWC) proposed Dikhou (about 1,000 MCM) project and the Government of Assams proposed Dhansiri North project. The tentative about 300 MCM Janji project also features in the list.Further, the Bhutan Governments proposed projects on the Manas (about 920 MCM) and on the Aie have also been mentioned by the Task Force, among others. It has suggested that the issues of submergence and environment related to the Siang Upper/Intermediate Project should be taken up at th!
e highest
 level to resolve the deadlock. It needs mention that the Arunachal Pradesh Government has been objecting to the execution of the project for the submergence threat from it to Yingkiong town. Besides, it also poses a similar threat to a part of the Dihang-Dibang Biosphere and Tuting Monastery.Meanwhile, construction of the Lower Subansiri Power Project entrusted to the National Hydroelectric Corporation (NHPC) has started and contracts for all the major works of the project have been awarded. But, an impasse is going on over the implementation of the Subansiri Upper and Middle Projects because of the Supreme Court directive concerning environmental issues, said the Task Force.On the Tipaimukh Multipurpose Project, it said that it was proposed on the Barak River 500 metres downstream of its confluence with the Tuivai River on the Manipur-Mizoram border. It has an installed capacity of 1,500 MW. The Brahmaputra Board had prepared the Detailed Project Report (DP!
R) in
 1995 with a flood cushion of 675 MCM to moderate flood in Barak Valley. The scheme was handed over to the NEEPCO for

[Assam] Delimitation Commission of India

2005-05-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I was wondering about the name " Delimitation Commission of India", couldn't get a good description anywhere and looked at various places. Finally I found a fairly comprehensible write-up in the Sentinel. As usual I wanted to share it with others. Let me know if you were in the same boat.
In USA, it is called redistricting and Texas did that last year with a lot of influence from Tom Delay the hammer who used the phone a lot from Washington DC. :-)
Dilip
=

Another Kind of Map
T he Delimitation Commission of India has published the draft report of the delimitation process in Assam. Earlier, there were doubts as to when the delimitation exercise in Assam might begin or end. Now it is almost certain that the actual process of delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies will begin in the next few weeks and be concluded well before the Assembly elections of 2006. This could well happen regardless of the decision taken by the all-party meet held recently at Dispur that the delimitation exercise should be implemented in Assam only after the Assembly elections slated for early 2006. The reasons for this will be apparent once the implications of this delimitation exercise and the aberrations that can take place are understood.
It is normal practice in most democracies to review periodically the size and number of constituencies of the legislature in order to cope with the increase in population and the demographic changes in them. It may so happen that the size of a constituency could increase noticeably over a period of two or three decades because of a significant increase in population either due to rapid industrialization of the region, natural disasters in neighbouring regions compelling people to migrate to the constituency or because the population there has increased due to a higher fertility rate or an increase in the number of polygamous people. In India, the need for periodic delimitation of constituencies is all the greater because the countrys population is increasing at the rate of 23 million a year. And yet, it is not feasible to increase the number of constituencies frequently because this would entail the construction of new Assembly bui!
ldings
every few decades to accommodate the increased number of legislators. And since there will be an increase in the number of Parliamentary constituencies as well, we might well need a new Parliament building to be constructed every 50 years or so. Therefore, in India, the problem is sought to be solved by increasing the number of voters in each constituency rather than creating new constituencies. This is not always a satisfactory solution because the demographic change in each constituency is not uniform, being more pronounced in some areas than in others. There is also a vested interest in sheer numbers because the number of MPs in Parliament for each State depends on population. A huge population translates into more MPs which in turn translates into more political clout at the Centre. That is mainly how some States are better off than others that believe in population control measures!
In any case, when delimitation of constituencies does take place without any increase in the number of constituencies, some constituencies are merged together and others created anew. In other words, the map of the constituencies has to be drawn afresh. This is when electoral advantage can accrue to some political parties and disadvantage to others. And political leaders are keen to find out what kind of a boundary will yield the greatest advantage to their own political parties. This exercise of drawing new boundaries not in an objective, impartial way to give the best advantage to the electorate but rather of drawing them to provide the greatest advantage to one political party or another is called "gerrymandering" or "jerrymandering". The word is derived from the name of Governor Gerry of Massachusetts in the US who perfected this unfair technique of influencing the electoral advantages of a political party way back in the early !
19th
century. There is no doubt that gerrymandering, which calls for a great deal of research and homework, will greatly benefit the pro-Bangladeshi lobby, because the lobby would obviously have undertaken this complex homework and will succeed in influencing the demarcation of the new boundaries of the Assembly constituencies. It is noteworthy that many of the districts of Assam will lose one or more of their present Legislative Assembly constituencies (LACs), so that new districts can have their LACs. The districts of Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Karimganj will all lose one LAC each, while Kamrup will lose as many as four LAC seats and Nalbari and Darrang three each. Obviously, some of the present MLAs will lose their seats and others will have a tough time getting elected because of the impending gerrymandering. But in most cases the MLAs

[Assam] Fwd: PBS is under attack

2005-05-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

What CPB chairman is doing is unfair. I believe PBS is balanced and gives both sides of a story.Timothy Karr Campaign Director [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 11:39:49 -0400Subject: PBS is under attackFrom: Timothy Karr Campaign Director [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: Undisclosed-Recipients:;







Dear Media Reformer: 
PBS is in jeopardy. Earlier this week, the New York Times described secret efforts by Republican operatives to make our Public Broadcasting System more "fair and balanced." 
Kenneth Tomlinson, the Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) -- the government-funded organization that was designed to shield PBS from political pressure -- is aggressively pressing PBS to correct what he considers "liberal bias." 
He secretly hired a White House staffer to help draft "guiding principles" for the future of CPB. He brought in a consultant to monitor the "anti-Bush" and "anti-Tom Delay" content on Bill Moyers' NOW program, and then set up and funded right-wing commentator Paul Gigot's new PBS program. Now Tomlinson is working behind the scenes to stack CPB's board and executive offices with Republican Party cronies. 
Click here to save PBS 
Together we can stop this partisan attack. Join our call to Congress, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS station managers to: 
1. Remove Kenneth Tomlinson from the CPB board. 
2. Return PBS to the people by holding local town meetings in your community. We the public -- not partisan political operatives -- should decide what we want from PBS. 
Tomlinson told the Times that he's trying to restore "objectivity and balance" to public broadcasting. This top-down partisan meddling goes against the very nature of PBS and the local stations we trust. Let the people speak and decide the future of PBS, not secret dealings by White House operatives. 
Send your message now -- and forward this letter to all of your friends and colleagues, asking them to do the same. 
Onward, 
Timothy Karrwww.freepress.net 
P.S. -- To learn more, read the recent report on "Building a Public Broadcasting System that Deserves Public Support" by Free Press, Consumers Union, Common Cause, Media Access Project and the Consumer Federation of America. 

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Re: [Assam] Fwd: PBS is under attack

2005-05-04 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka



I have done what needs to be done, that is, taking part in the protest organized by freepress.net. Writing to Tom Delay will not do any good on this subject. I'll save that bullet for another day.

By the way Tom Delay is not my congressman. But I can tell you- despite the acts for which he is nationally known, he does his basic job of looking after his constituency well and Democrats are having trouble finding a candidate who would contest him in 2006.

Though I agree with some of Republican Party philosophy, I do not agree with everything the party leaders do. Besides, I am not a member of either party. Thus my options are open. :-)
I'd like to remind you that having conservative views is not a crime, it is just different from yours.
=
Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:



I agree.

Would you, as a Republican, write a letter to Tom Delay with copy to Assam Netters ?


You put me in a spot yesterday making me fess up to my ethical lapses. Let us see you do something far less self-incriminating.


:-)










At 9:09 AM -0700 5/4/05, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
What CPB chairman is doing is unfair. I believe PBS is balanced and gives both sides of a story.Timothy Karr Campaign Director [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 11:39:49 -0400Subject: PBS is under attackFrom: Timothy Karr Campaign Director [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: Undisclosed-Recipients:;
Dear Media Reformer:
PBS is in jeopardy. Earlier this week, the New York Times described secret efforts by Republican operatives to make our Public Broadcasting System more "fair and balanced."
Kenneth Tomlinson, the Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) -- the government-funded organization that was designed to shield PBS from political pressure -- is aggressively pressing PBS to correct what he considers "liberal bias."
He secretly hired a White House staffer to help draft "guiding principles" for the future of CPB. He brought in a consultant to monitor the "anti-Bush" and "anti-Tom Delay" content on Bill Moyers' NOW program, and then set up and funded right-wing commentator Paul Gigot's new PBS program. Now Tomlinson is working behind the scenes to stack CPB's board and executive offices with Republican Party cronies.
Click here to save PBS
Together we can stop this partisan attack. Join our call to Congress, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS station managers to:
1. Remove Kenneth Tomlinson from the CPB board.
2. Return PBS to the people by holding local town meetings in your community. We the public -- not partisan political operatives -- should decide what we want from PBS.
Tomlinson told the Times that he's trying to restore "objectivity and balance" to public broadcasting. This top-down partisan meddling goes against the very nature of PBS and the local stations we trust. Let the people speak and decide the future of PBS, not secret dealings by White House operatives.
Send your message now -- and forward this letter to all of your friends and colleagues, asking them to do the same.
Onward,
Timothy Karrwww.freepress.net
P.S. -- To learn more, read the recent report on "Building a Public Broadcasting System that Deserves Public Support" by Free Press, Consumers Union, Common Cause, Media Access Project and the Consumer Federation of America.



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[Assam] Fwd: UPDATE : Eco Friends Inter-school Debate on Ganga can never be polluted

2005-05-03 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Raising awareness among the young children plays an important part in bringing long lasting changes to a society. The following report describes a small effort in that direction. I have requested the Eco Friends group to spread this kind of effort to village schools also.
DilipEco Friends [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
From: "Eco Friends" [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Eco Friends Inter-school Debate on Ganga can never be pollutedOn Apr 26, 2005 at Huddard High School, KanpurA brief report56 speakers from 28 different schools of Kanpur assembled at HHS on Apr 26 to express their views for and against the topic Ganga can never be polluted. The audience, mainly comprising teachers, students, principals and some eminent guests, gave a patient and careful hearing to the fresh and stimulating ideas and views of young speakers on Ganga for almost 4 hours. Were compiling the speeches that will be available on Eco Friends website www.ecofriends.org very soon.The objective of the Debate was to seek the opinion of the young generation about Ganga.I have not seen how polluted the Ganga is in Kanpur but the concern expressed by the young people truly gives a picture that the situation is grim and grave. Something needs to be done. The efforts of these children will definitely bear !
fruits,
 said the Chief Guest Kristen Easter who is Country Program Manager for the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership Program of the United States Agency for International Development.The concern expressed by the young students over the current state of Ganga was highly encouraging. The Debate reflected that the new generation was deeply worried about the physical state of the river Ganga. The dedication and enthusiasm of the students was the real hope for a clean Ganga. Children were better than the elders on this issue. This was stated by Kristen Easter.Manglam Tiwari of Delhi Public School, Kalyanpur and Dipti Dhawan of St. Marys Convent High School were judged as the best speakers for and against the topic Ganga can never be polluted. Richa Maheshwari of Woodbine Gardenia School and Surabhi Ganguli of Sir Padampat Singhania Education Centre bagged the second prize for and against the topic respectively. Tanmaya Vivek of Sir Padampat Singhania Educat!
ion
 Centre and Anushka Nigam claimed the third place for and against the topic respectively.The Championship Trophy was won by DPS, Kalyanpur.K Balakrishnan, Suchitra Singh and YN Khare were the judges. Bhaskar Ganti, KV Vincent, Sr Yvette, Ch Harishchandra were the eminent guests.Click Here.
Rakesh K. JaiswalEco Friends-25-A (5), Tari Khana, Om Purwa,Lal Bangla, Kanpur-208007INDIAPhone: 91 512 2402986Telefax: 91 512 2405229Mobile: 09415129482


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[Assam] Oh, What A Racket!

2005-05-03 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Want to know how NGO's function in India? Below is an article written by Anupreeta Das, who was a journalist with Outlook India and who happens to be my niece. Many NGO's in India thrive on government grants and serve as employment or source of income to the founder/s.
Dilip

P.S. If you liked Anupreeta's writing, type in "Anupreeta Das" in Google search and you will find many other articles written by her.
===

Oh, What A Racket!
Author: Anupreeta Das Publication: Outlook Date: September 22, 2003
Introduction: The hills are alive with the buzz of self-seeking NGOs, many existing only in name
Lush forests are not the only bounty that Uttaranchal got in its kitty after it became a state in November 2000. It also got close to 45,000 NGOs mind-boggling for a state so tiny, with a population of only 84.7 lakh. Records from the offices of the chief commissioner of income tax and the registrar of societies confirm this huge NGO presence. What has also come as a surprise to the authorities is the unusually high density of NGOs in a state with 13 districts. That's nearly 4,000 NGOs per district!
When Uttaranchal's IT commissioner Ashwini Luthra initiated a survey of NGOs in May, he did not expect to chance upon a fraud that runs into crores of rupees. "When the IT department started collecting data, we found that many NGOs did not actually exist or were non-functional," says Luthra. "Yet, money is being pumped into trusts, educational societies, NGOs and ashrams all over Uttaranchal."
While the IT office lists a total 44,824 groups, the office of the registrar puts the figure at 41,826.
No wonder then that Uttaranchal's NGO community is rife with allegations of corruption and diversion of funds. Amidst the profusion, one can find registered NGOs such as the Mahila Vikas Sansthan and Priyadarshini Himalayan Seva Institute that don't exist at their addresses, educational societies that have run up huge accounting discrepancies, and blacklisted NGOs that are ostensibly unaware of their disrepute.
Take, for instance, the Bal Evam Mahila Kalyan Sansthan in Dehradun's Nehru Nagar. This NGO has been blacklisted by the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) for "non-refund of loans and non-submission of accounts", but its founder-director Parmanand Agarwal denies it outright. "In the past, we have run a tailoring centre, training sessions for making incense sticks and health relief camps with funds from CAPART. Who says we have been blacklisted?" asks Agarwal. He took voluntary retirement from the army to pursue his "mission", which is to provide "literacy, health and employment for the people of Uttaranchal". His tiny one-room office, which sits atop his residence, houses the meagre tools of his mission: a computer, a typewriter, two desks, government pamphlets and a telephone.
Since 2001, Agarwal's NGO has been running a tele- counselling centre for HIV/AIDS under a Rs 2.74 lakh grant from the National AIDS Control Organisation. "People call every few minutes asking about HIV/ AIDS," he informs us and opens a register to show calls recorded at two-minute and three- minute intervals. However, in the one hour we sat in his office, there was not a single call. Agarwal insists it is because it's "lunch break", presumably for callers too. Neither he nor his colleague Dinesh Chand seem to know much about HIV/ AIDS. "Hum pamphlet se padh ke batate hain (We read out answers to queries from the pamphlets)," explains Chand.
Faced with reports and allegations of such misconduct, Dehradun's district magistrate ordered a survey of registered NGOs and societies in June last year. Dehradun district is home to 7,469 NGOs, the largest concentration in the state. The initial results of the survey show that of 223 organisations checked so far, 139 NGOs and societies are fraudulent or registered only on paper. "It is quite evident that barely 10 per cent of the NGOs in Dehradun district are functional. The rest just sit there, waiting for funds to come by," says chief development officer P.S. Jangpangi. He says the situation in the rest of Uttaranchal is "even worse".
Examination of bank accounts has yielded irregularities in the funds of many NGOs. The Van Karamchari Welfare Society, for instance, could not identify the source of Rs 4.6 lakh in its bank account when questioned by officials of the District Programmes Office (DPO).Setting up schools appears to be another racket. In October last year, a survey of educational societies by the IT department showed unaccounted funds to the "tune of several crores", says an IT official. However, Devender Mann, chairman of the Doon International School Education Society (not to be confused with the renowned Doon School), which is one of the schools surveyed, dismisses it as "baseless". "We are a no profit, no loss society. All the money we earn from students is spent on improving school facilities," he says.
Furthermore, a rough

Re: [Assam] something about corruption

2005-05-03 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

O'Mahanta,
Suppose you (personally) had stayed in India and were workingfor Guwahati Development Authority as an architect-manager. Would youaccept bribe to allow someone to build an apartment complex in violation of the codes or would you even think about it? If not, why not?

Give me a straight answer, without asking me a question in return. Then we can discuss more.
O'Deka
Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

O'Deka:

Are you suggesting that your generation and mine grew up without any moral foundation, either from home or from elementary school?

To accept your contention would mean that we did not, that is why the nations leadership today--your contemporaries and mine, are so without any moral compunction.

Of course I reject the notion entirely. Because I know that most of the people I grew up with are capable of being as moral as Dilip Deka or Rajen Barua or Ram Sarabgapani or any such icon of kharkhowa-morality.

The other questions that comes to mind are:

1: If parents of our generation or those after us too,
were/are incapable of providing the moral foundations to their
progeny, HOW will it change for the other generations to come?

Are you not implying that because Dilip Deka or Rajen Barua or Kalam
Saheb wishes so, it will happen miraculously? Would that not be a
profoundly simplistic wish? A delusion in fact?

2: What has been the state of elementary education in Assam or
the vast majority of schools in India? And who teach those kids?
Where do the teachers get their own MORAL FOUNDATIONS to pass on
to their charges--the pupils?

If society's most privileged, the parents of the present , corrupt
generation that leads the nation failed to impart moral education
to their progeny, at their homes; how do you suppose the high-school
graduates or at most a BA from a local college who are the elementary
school teachers, have the moral wherewithal to instruct that future
MORAL generation to save India from itself?

3: Furthermore, what is the source of morality in India? Where do
the people get their moral education from? Do they derive it from
their religious scriptures and leaders, or from secular ethics?

In the former, if it is lacking today, where will it come for better
moral foundations tomorrow? And if the religious teachers were
either ignorant or frauds yesterday or are so today, how would
things change, I mean unless one is depending on bigger and more
temples or more effective bribing of the gods?

If it were the latter, secular ethics that has proven to be
schmethics, then who will train better teachers to impart truly
secular ethics on the generations to come? And where will they get the
bribe money to go get those plum elementary school teache jobs for life?

Need I go on? I am sure you catch my drift. Now don't go silent on us to
leave us reeling in our own despair. Tell us how!

The least you can do :-).

O'm

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
What would be the best way to bring down the level of corruption to the minimum,if not completely,in a state like Assam? President A Kalam,in his Republic day address to the nation said " There are only three members of the society who can remove corruption They are father,mother and elementary school teacher."
Is corruption then a problem of moral character ? Or,is it something to do with the transformation of our system?
What is your view ?
KJD
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Re: [Assam] Oh, What A Racket!

2005-05-03 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Umesh,
I am sure there are a few honest ones. The referenced article also talks about them. But fake NGO's outnumber the real ones. Can you believe there were 45,000 in Uttaranchal in 2003?

As you may have noticed I used the word "Many" in the sentence, "Many NGO's in India thrive on government grants and serve as employment or source of income to the founder/s."

I still believe that an honest NGO can produce results in areas where government action is lacking or absent. I know of several in Guwahati itself where the young and the older alike are striving to help citizens without access to medical care, and children withoutshelter. These folks figured they cannot wait any longer for the bureaucracy of government to take care of problems around them and decided to go the NGO way.
Dilipdaumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Dilip-da,

These are not NGOs but fabrications for putting corrupt money in pockets of Babus.
I'm sure if you look at Kerala or Himachal Pradesh or Maharashtra -- you will find some really good ones. I do know of ome internationaly recognized but locally sprung up ones an what they are doing. Here is a World Bank recognised list of six local NGOs doing really good work:
http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64165259piPK=64165421menuPK=64166093theSitePK=469372entityID=94946_01021007442861

It is possible for local NGOs to become internationally famous and get money from International funding agencies. The case in point is very close to Assam - in Bangladesh where lies the biggest NGO in the WORLD -- called BRAC ( http://www.brac.net/)--which has become a case study for all major universities in th world and very often quoted.

Only yesterday a professor from Toronto was relating its case study. how it started by providing health services of really good level and its reputation spread and it got funds to get into rural girls' education.

Umesh
Dilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

P.S. If you liked Anupreeta's writing, type in "Anupreeta Das" in Google search and you will find many other articles written by her.
===

Re: [Assam] I/J from Tehelka

2005-05-02 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

If I recall correctly, the cow or cowsin this case were sold by a Hindu seller to a Muslim buyer. If cows are so dear to Hindus, why do Hindus sell cows and that too to Muslims knowing well that they may be slaughtered?
If the Hindus would not sell cows, the beef eaters would have to raise their own cattle for slaughtering and hopefully the inter-community trade and ensuing complications would stop. May be that will satisfy both parties till they find something else to fight over.

I realize this is not a solution to the millenia old feud between Hindus and Muslims in India. I am just thinking outside the box on the cow protection/slaughter issue. Any other "Gosot Goru utha" thoughts?
DilipChan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Hi Umesh:

My apologies for not reading your note carefully enough.

I let myself to be carried away by your opening the Catholic and Hindu comparisons, even though it was in a different context and had nothing to do with the subject matter under discussion.

Bajrang Dal's terrorism perpetrated on the father and son duo of Muslim cattle traders had nothing to do with attempts to perpetuate feudal controls by landowners using the politics of religion either in India or in Central America.

I stated some facts -common to ALL faiths

*** It has nothing to do with faith but everything to do with using religion to advance or perpetuate political power, like Rajen explained.

c-da

At 8:06 PM +0100 5/1/05, umesh sharma wrote:
C-da,

I think you need a good sleep, I never made any of the suggestions you are suggesting I authored. I stated some facts -common to ALL faiths and all sorts of class conflicts.

You'd better re-read what we both wrote.

UmeshChan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Ram:I understand the urge to try and use a set of pre-owned arguments offthe shelf to reply to some unpleasant news in a hurry. If it fits,fine. No harm done.But if it does not fit, it could look rather awkward, as it does inthis instance :-).***If only they could be---Those were from a response to certain recommendations made in Assam Net.In this case, I don't know that anybody has made any recommendation,or even commented on them. I just posted it for Netters' information.No doubt judgements were made by the desis themselves,Tehelka. If theeditorial part hurt, a rebuttal is always possible.Can ex-pat desis make some recommendations to the Kannadi culprits?I am sure some could be found to lecture them.Would it mean anything?Take a wild guess :-).But on the other hand:Is it a blot on these people's ethics and their civilization?Yes.Does it reflect o!
n their
faith?Yes.Does it reflect on all who identify themselves as Hindus?No, never!Does it indicate an absence of the rule of law?Yes.Can and do these happen in other parts of India ?Yes. But not everywhere.Should I or anyone else feel guilty about it?That would depend on if I or others identify with anything thatwas involved.I don't. I have no feeling of guilt or responsibility.What about others?If the shoes fit, they would have to wear them.Do I have responsibility to make any recommendation?Not on your life.Are there others who have such a responsibility?That is for them to decide. If they have a tradition to uphold,they may. If there is pattern to their reactions, and they wishto maintain it, it is their choice.What does Umesh's comments mean?Since Catholics in Central America do similar thin! gs,as he claims,their religion is no better than the Kannadi culprits' versionof
Hinduism.Where did the need for this comparison come from?I am not sure, but it must be from a deep seated inferiority complexabout his own faith, Hinduism, that he harbors. And since he identifieswith all those who sport Hinduism, his feeling of guilt istroubling him. Or maybe he shares the political beliefs of theBajrang Dal terrorists.Should he though? I mean do ALL those who sport a Hindu identity haveto share in the guilt of transgressions by some, like these Kannadiculprits?That depends on whether he believes in individuality andindividual responsibility. I have seen many fine and educated peoplepeople from India, who are so deeply confused, that they areready and willing to demonize everyone who share an identity--national, cultural or religious, for the sins of a few and hold allresponsible.For example, those ! who massacred Sikhs pursuant to Indira Gandhi'sassassination by her Sikh secu!
rity
guards. Or Gujaratis who massacredMuslims after Godhra. Or those who hold ALL Muslims responsible forthe crimes of the violent fundamentalist segments. Or those who hold
the present day Muslims of India responsible for the atrocities ofMughal invaders.So on and so forth.What do you think Ram? Am I off target :-)?c-daAt 9:43 AM -0500 5/1/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote:C'da,For What? Hajabba (left) and Hassanabba at the hands of the mob ( Inthe Tehelka Website, two people on the ground, naked- cm)This should never have happened. This is a shame.Don't you think these 'uneducated,

Re: [Assam] something about corruption

2005-05-02 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I agree with the president. Charity begins at home (and in elementary school).
Dilip[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

What would be the best way to bring down the level of corruption to the minimum,if not completely,in a state like Assam? President A Kalam,in his Republic day address to the nation said " There are only three members of the society who can remove corruption They are father,mother and elementary school teacher."
Is corruption then a problem of moral character ? Or,is it something to do with the transformation of our system?
What is your view ?
KJD___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___
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Fwd: Re: [Assam] something about corruption

2005-05-02 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

In the same token, if parents stopped talking about racial inferiority/superiority at home, many of the race related problems in USA also would go away. 
DilipDilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 20:12:10 -0700 (PDT)From: Dilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: Re: [Assam] something about corruptionTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED], Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu
I agree with the president. Charity begins at home (and in elementary school).
Dilip[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

What would be the best way to bring down the level of corruption to the minimum,if not completely,in a state like Assam? President A Kalam,in his Republic day address to the nation said " There are only three members of the society who can remove corruption They are father,mother and elementary school teacher."
Is corruption then a problem of moral character ? Or,is it something to do with the transformation of our system?
What is your view ?
KJD___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___
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[Assam] Real Worry?

2005-04-29 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Is Mr. Friedman hung up on his own theory about "Flat World" or is it real that India and/or China will outpace USA in the knowledge competition?

From what I gather, USA is still a leader in fundamental research. Are the true researchers moving toBangalore and Shangai in flocks, like the scientists did in the 40's to USA, that led tonuclearandaero space industries? Is there a similartrendin the semiconductor and telecom industries?

Providing cheap labor to do the grunt work in information industry or engineering/design of process plants will definitely improve the economies of India and China.Will it produce a competition to USA in the Knowledge core? I have my doubts.
Dilip
=

OP-ED COLUMNIST
'What, Me Worry?'By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Published: April 29, 2005

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

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ne of America's most important entrepreneurs recently gave a remarkable speech at a summit meeting of our nation's governors. Bill Gates minced no words. "American high schools are obsolete," he told the governors. "By obsolete, I don't just mean that our high schools are broken, flawed and underfunded. ... By obsolete, I mean that our high schools - even when they are working exactly as designed - cannot teach our kids what they need to know today.
"Training the work force of tomorrow with the high schools of today is like trying to teach kids about today's computers on a 50-year-old mainframe. ... Our high schools were designed 50 years ago to meet the needs of another age. Until we design them to meet the needs of the 21st century, we will keep limiting - even ruining - the lives of millions of Americans every year."
Let me translate Mr. Gates's words: "If we don't fix American education, I will not be able to hire your kids." I consider that, well, kind of important. Alas, the media squeezed a few mentions of it between breaks in the Michael Jackson trial. But neither Tom DeLay nor Bill Frist called a late-night session of Congress - or even a daytime one - to discuss what Mr. Gates was saying. They were too busy pandering to those Americans who don't even believe in evolution.
And the president stayed fixated on privatizing Social Security. It's no wonder that the second Bush term is shaping up as "The Great Waste of Time."
On foreign policy, President Bush has offered a big idea: the expansion of freedom, particularly in the Arab-Muslim world, where its absence was one of the forces propelling 9/11. That is a big, bold and compelling idea - worthy of a presidency and America's long-term interests.
But on the home front, this team has no big idea - certainly none that relates to the biggest challenge and opportunity facing us today: the flattening of the global economic playing field in a way that is allowing more people from more places to compete and collaborate with your kids and mine than ever before.
"For the first time in our history, we are going to face competition from low-wage, high-human-capital communities, embedded within India, China and Asia," President Lawrence Summers of Harvard told me. In order to thrive, "it will not be enough for us to just leave no child behind. We also have to make sure that many more young Americans can get as far ahead as their potential will take them. How we meet this challenge is what will define our nation's political economy for the next several decades."
Indeed, we can't rely on importing the talent we need anymore - not in a flat world where people can now innovate without having to emigrate. In Silicon Valley today, "B to B" and "B to C" stand for "back to Bangalore" and "back to China," which is where a lot of our foreign talent is moving.
Meeting this challenge requires a set of big ideas. If you want to grasp some of what is required, check out a smart new book by the strategists John Hagel III and John Seely Brown entitled "The Only Sustainable Edge." They argue that comparative advantage today is moving faster than ever from structural factors, like natural resources, to how quickly a country builds its distinctive talents for innovation and entrepreneurship - the only sustainable edge.
Economics is not like war. It can always be win-win. "But some win more than others," Mr. Hagel said, and today it will be those countries that are best and fastest at building, attracting and holding talent.
There is a real sense of urgency in

[Assam] Democracy in Ancient India

2005-04-27 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka


Regarding democracy in ancient India, you will find the following article illuminating. The article is long but it reaffirms some factswe learntfrom high school textbooks on Indian history.

Since the text is too large for Assamnet , let me give you the link to the website - www.nipissingu.ca/department/ history/muhlberger/histdem/indiadem.htm 
Dilip
==
Democracy in Ancient India
by Steve Muhlberger, Associate Professor of History, Nipissing University.

World History of Democracy site.
=
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Subject: Your message to Assam awaits moderator approvalFrom: [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 07:50:26 -0600Your mail to 'Assam' with the subjectRe: [Assam] The meek shall be homeless -IIIs being held for the following reason:Message body is too big: 195253 bytes with a limit of 100 KBThe message will be automatically deleted at 7pm EST (5pm MST). Ifyou feel any action needs to be taken on this message, please forwardthis notice to the moderator.If you would like to cancel this posting, please visit the followingURL:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/confirm/assam/f6d0d790f40be86a97b419114568aa62b707bb9f___
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Re: [Assam] The meek shall be homeless -II

2005-04-27 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

The first few paragraphs summarize the author's point of view and below they are. The rest of the article elaborates on these. I posted the informationbecause I saw a statement that democracy is a western concept, when really it is not.This articledoes not add anything to the debategoing on inAssamnet.
Dilip
===

"Historians who are interested in democracy often insist it must be understood in context of a unique western tradition of political development beginning with the Greeks. The spread of democratic ideals and practice to other cultures, or their failure to spread, have many times been explained on the assumption that democracy or personal liberty are ideals foreign to the non-Western world -- an assumption at least as old as Herodotus.1 But events since the late 1980s have shown that people both in "Western" and "non-Western" countries have a lively interest in democracy as something relevant to their own situation. The old assumption deserves to be re-examined.
In fact, the supposed differences between "Western" and "non-Western" cultures are in this case, as in so many others, more a matter of ideological faith than of cool, impartial judgment. If we are talking about the history of humanity as a whole, democracy is equally new or equally old everywhere. Fair and effective elections, under adult suffrage and in conditions that allow the free discussion of ideas, are a phenomenon of this century. The history of democracy, properly so called, is just beginning.
The "prehistory" of democracy, however, is scarcely restricted to Europe and Europeanized America and Australasia. A search of world history finds much worth studying. There are no perfect democracies waiting to be discovered, but there is something else: a long history of "government by discussion," in which groups of people having common interests make decisions that affect their lives through debate, consultation, and voting. The vast majority of such groups, it may be objected, are more properly called oligarchies than democracies. But every democracy has been created by widening what was originally a very narrow franchise. The history of government by discussion, which may be called republicanism for brevity's sake, has a claim to the interest of anyone who takes democracy seriously.2

This article will examine one important case of government by discussion -- the republics of Ancient India. Although they are familiar to Indologists, these republics are hardly known to other historians. They deserve, however, a substantial place in world historiography. The experience of Ancient India with republicanism, if better known, would by itself make democracy seem less of a freakish development, and help dispel the common idea that the very concept of democracy is specifically "Western."
The present article has two goals. First, it will summarize the history of the ancient Indian republics as it is currently known. This survey is restricted to North India and the period before about 400 A.D., when sovereign republics seem to have become extinct."
==Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Thanks for shgaring. But a treatise like this takes a lot of time to go thru. It would be helpful if you could post a short executive summary.

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[Assam] Fast Track Courts

2005-04-26 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

How does a Fast Track Court work? Are they for petty thefts, intimidation and cases of that sort? Who decides what goes to FTC and what doesn't? Do magistrates preside over these courts? Do lawyers take part in the process?

Is the old trial set-up of a Gaon Panchayat traeted asan FTC?
Dilip

Guwahati, Tuesday, April 26, 2005 EDITORIAL

MESSAGE FOR TODAYHe who goes no further than bare justice, stops at the beginning of virtue. BLAIRFast Track CourtsIts a typical instance of coordination between two arms of modern democratic Governance executive and judiciary at its worst. As a result, one of the ideal means of assuring fast redressal of masses grievances at the minimum of time and expenses the Fast Track Courts (FTCs) is now in the lurch. The moot point is the term of the 11th Finance Commission, under whose recommendations the FTCs were set up, is over and there is no mention of any counsel for the continuity of this scheme in the report of the 12th Finance Commission. This is despite the fact that the performances of these FTCs had come in for appre!
ciation
from the Supreme Court. Mentionably, taking a serious view of the issue, the apex Court in an interim order on March 30 had ordered extension of the FTCs till April 30, 2005. Union Law Minister HR Bharadwaj is also on record as saying four days later that the Centre is keen on continuing with these Courts as scrapping them down would be a retrograde step. The 11th Finance panel had given a grant of Rs 509 crore for the setting up of 1,734 FTCs across the country which were to continue till March 31 this year. However, the case now remains hanging.To ensure the uninterrupted flow of funds for the FTCs, the Justice Department should have well in advance approached either the Finance Ministry with a non-plan scheme or the Planning Commission for a plan scheme. On the contrary, the Department kept waiting for the recommendation of the 12th Finance Commission which ultimately resulted in the present crisis. The folly was that it acted upon the assumption that the 12th !
Finance
Commission would adopt a positive approach in the case. What is more, the Finance panels report could not be made available to the Department before the finalization of its budget process. Therefore, it did not get the time to pursue it further. Belatedly though, a Parliamentary Committee has recommended that the Justice Department should take up the matter with the State Governments for providing funds to them. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personal, Public Grievances and Law and Justice, in its report tabled in Parliament, said in these circumstances, the Justice Department should vigorously pursue this issue with the Finance Ministry or the Planning Commission and till the scheme is finalized, take up the matter with the State Governments for providing funds to be reimbursed subsequently by the Central Government. Under the circumstances, it remains to be seen what the stand of the Centre would be. Nonetheless, it is in the fitness of things that the Union G!
overnment
gives its nod to the proposal and in the meantime ensure that the necessary steps are taken in the 12th Finance Commission for inclusion of the clause to extend the life period of these Courts. A socialist democratic society depends largely on the rule of law that is quite comprehensive in its scope. It is not merely a tool to safeguard and advance civil and political rights but also a potent weapon to establish social, economic, educational and cultural conditions under which human dignity and his legitimate aspirations are realized. And, the FTCs foot the bill aptly. Since there cannot be a fair process of law unless it is accompanied by an effective rule of law structure, it is a must that the authorities concerned join hands in making these Courts till now highly successful a viable component of the judiciary system. Mere money factor should not be allowed to act as a spanner in this regard.___
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[Assam] Red Cross, Red Crescent and What Else?

2005-04-22 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I read the article below in today's NYT editorial and became curious about Indian Red Cross Society's logo. So I went to their website and this is what I found.

Now that Israel has raised the issue, will BJP or VHP start talking about it in India? Or did I miss it when they fought over it earlier?
In my opinion nobody cared about any religious connotation of the Red Cross logo until Red Crescent came along. Now some want a Red Star of David for Isreal. What will India want? a Red 'OM' sign, a Red Crescent and a Red Cross next to the name "Indian Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Om Society? It could become interesting for those who are always looking for identity and separation. Is it something worth fighting over?
Dilip
===
EDITORIAL
Crosses, Crescents and StarsPublished: April 22, 2005

he International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has member organizations from more than 180 countries, but not Israel. Excluding Israel is wrong, and it diminishes the Red Cross movement's moral standing. But there is a real chance that under heavy pressure from the American Red Cross, the policy will change in the near future. For the sake of the Red Cross as much as Israel, it should.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies includes Red Cross organizations from North Korea, Iran and Cuba, but not from Israel. The reason it gives is that the corresponding Israeli society, Magen David Adom, uses the Jewish star as its emblem and will not adopt the red cross or red crescent, emblems that are recognized by the Geneva Conventions and the international Red Cross movement. Understandably, the Israelis do not want to adopt either of these emblems because they are heavy with religious meaning.
There is growing pressure on the Red Cross federation to change its policy. Since 2000, the American Red Cross has protested the discrimination against Israel by withholding $30 million in dues from the federation. Unless something changes before the 181 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies meet in November, the American Red Cross will have withheld its dues for five years. That means it could have its voting rights suspended, which would be a setback for both the American Red Cross and the international Red Cross movement.
The best solution would be for the umbrella organization, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, to drop both the cross and the crescent and to adopt a protective emblem with no religious connotation. It would be less divisive and safer for rescue workers, who are now in danger of being targeted because of the religious symbolism of the emblem they operate under. It seems unlikely that the Red Cross movement will switch to a single emblem anytime soon, but it is working on a plan that could allow Israel to join.
It is considering adding a protective emblem devoid of religious connotations, known as the red crystal, which could be adopted by Israel and by other nations that do not want to use the cross or the crescent. But there are a series of procedural hurdles that must be jumped over, starting with amending the Geneva Conventions. Switzerland, the official depository of the Conventions, is now sounding out the 191 signatory nations to see whether there is enough support for the change.
If the Geneva Conventions are amended, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which includes the federation, would then have to change its statutes to recognize the new emblem.
Despite all the talk of emblems, it is politics that have impeded Israel's entry. That situation puts the Red Cross movement in an unfortunate position. The International Committee of the Red Cross, the arm of the movement that works in conflict zones and visits prisoners, often finds itself urging nations to put politics aside and do the right thing, such as in its current work on behalf of the detainees at the American prison in Guantánamo Bay. It will be in a better position to make these moral appeals when it can show that it is part of a movement that does what is right, rather than what is politically expedient, when it comes to running its own shop.___
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[Assam] Why is the gas tank on the right in some cars and the left on others?

2005-04-22 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Have you ever wondered why gas tank caps can't be on the same side of the vehicle? Say, passenger side always. Read the article below.

Now the question arises - since the engine is always along the center line of the car, why can't the exhaust pipe be always on the same side, leaving the other sideto the gas tank opening? I don't know, do you?
Dilip
==

Friday April 22, 2005
Previous | Next

Dear Yahoo!:

Why is the gas tank on the right in some cars and the left on others?

OhAtlanta, Georgia

Dear Oh:

Apparently, this question has plagued car owners for some time. We found a number of theories in various automotive forums. Here are a few:

Car makers place the fuel door on arbitrary sides so everyone doesn't try to pull up to the same side of the pump at gas stations.
On German vehicles, the gas door is always on the right so people don't have to stand in a traffic lane when fueling on a roadway.
The gas filler will almost always be on the opposite side of the vehicle from the exhaust pipe. This last theory appears to be correct. Indeed, none other than Car Talk's Click and Clack, in the employ of government-funded NPR and thus two of our more trusted public officials, confirm this last hypothesis.
According to the boys, there is no universal standard for placement of the gas filler, but "the exhaust system has to go down one side of the car, and the gasoline filler tube generally goes on the other." So it's the vehicle's engineering design that determines the location of the gas tank. And who knows -- perhaps in the future gas tanks will only be available as an option.
Just kidding about that last part.
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[Assam] Is Law Important to Law-abiding Citizens?

2005-04-16 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

O"Mahanta,
Amaar Bezboruah saaror bor khong uthise. Pise eitu khong okol kagozote ne xosa? Moi Cotton College -ot thakwte pise dhoribo nwarisiliw ketiya Bezboruah saaror khong uthisile?
Abois-se (this is a hard one to write in transliterated Assamese, the word is "However") Cotton College-or English department-ot mwr xodaiye bhoi aasile je mor maamak khobor dibo.

So what do you think? Is it for real?

O'Deka
===

The meek shall be homeless -I

WITH EYES WIDE OPEN
D. N. BezboruahThe biblical aphorism "The meek shall inherit the earth" is no longer valid - at least not in Assam. Here the meek are seen not as being more civilized or law-abiding, but rather as the weak ones of the species, since it is the lawless ones who rule. In a land where lawmakers and the rulers of the day prefer lawbreakers to law-abiding souls, in a dispensation where the ability to break laws with impunity is a coveted status symbol, the days of law-abiding citizens would seem to be over, were it not a trifle difficult to banish laws altogether and yet approach the electors for votes. After all, even lawless election candidates want some protection from even more lawless souls with more muscle than themselves. That is when being able to invoke the law and to file election petitions (if not anything else) makes the law a handy tool. But otherwise, the !
attempt
is always to break the law and to take advantage of the hapless citizen who quotes the law at every step. As such, the solution to the current predicament is not to throw the law to the winds and join the band of rulers who have no need of the law (but must pretend that they do), since the greatest irony of it all is that they are called lawmakers. The solution is not only to abide by the law but also to use the law as a lever to prevail over the lawless ones in the end and not to permit the system itself to wink at the law at any time. For this, one needs endless reserves of perseverance and courage and the help and support of like-minded souls at all times. Collective action is crucial, considering that good people have always failed because of their inability to unite;!
whereas
the main strength of the evil ones is that they always manage to remain united. This week and the next, I propose to indicate how this crusade must be undertaken (since nothing less than a crusade will do now); but before that it is important to discuss why and how the number of people who attempt to bypass the law has increased by leaps and bounds.
Perhaps the main reason why law-abiding people are looked down upon today is that the number of law-breaking lawmakers has greatly increased over the past three decades. They constitute the support base for people who do not have the law on their side, but have all the money to compensate for the fact that their cases are backed neither by merit nor by the law. After all, the whole business of corruption started because people who were not entitled to certain benefits started hankering for them, and at one point in the short history of independent India too there were people among the rulers who bent the law or subverted merit to promote the undeserving ones for a price. Lets us not forget that bribery and other corrupt practices were inherited by our rulers from the Moguls as well as the British. Gandhian norms were too Spartan and bland for that section of rulers who were waiting for their opportunity to make the kind of !
money
from corrupt practices that could not be made from mere salaries. And pretending that the wrong and the unlawful is right and the law is an ass is the kind of rationalization that lawless people must undertake as a kind of psychological defence of their indefensible actions because the law still exists in some form or the other to hold our society together. An extension of this aberration of the system is that chief ministers, ministers and others in the corridors of power never get convicted or punished by our judicial system no matter how serious or anti-people their crime may be. (Remember, that any corrupt action that loots the exchequer is a crime against the people because the exchequer belongs to the people and the money embezzled or looted from it is public money. Since there can be no nation without an exchequer, any loot of the exchequer is an anti-national or treasonable act. And let no quibbling politician try to argue that this is not so.) A further extension o!
f this
aberration is that not only the lawmaker but also his family and progeny imagine themselves to be above the law. The judiciary is clearly to blame for no major politician ever being convicted or punished for his crime since Independence. The conviction rate of even the apex investigation agency of the country, the CBI, is a measly eight per cent. Where is all this winking at the law leading India to? To the ignominy of being one of the most corrupt and violence-prone countries

[Assam] 30-minute films on India on Houston TV

2005-04-14 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

If you are interested in watching a video-documentary about India, please read on.
=
From: 	Patel, Ramesh (R)  Sent:	Thursday, April 14, 2005 7:44 AM Subject:	Press Release, Consulate General of India, HoustonPress Release, Consulate General of India, Houston To promote the Houston International Festival, the Department of Tourism, Government of India, had sponsored a team from Channel 13 (ABC) to visit India for a week. Along with anchorman Don Nelson, the 5-member crew visited many places of tourist and general interest. They have shot 34 hours of video which is now being edited. As a curtain raiser, 30-minute films on India will be shown on Channel 13 (ABC) the following dates: Sunday, April 17 at 10.35 PM Sunday, April 24 at 4.30 PM Please do convey this information among your friends and enjoy the programme.   Regards, Ramesh C. Patel, P.E.&!
gt;
 Gig'em Aggies! '74___
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[Assam] Religion and Politics in India by Lancy Lobo

2005-04-12 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

The following article popped up when I was looking for statistics on percent composition of Indian population in terms of religion, caste etc. I read the article and found it worthy of sharing with others in the net. By the way I have not found the statistics I was looking for.
Dilip
=

Table of Contents
of many things George M. Anderson

editorials Survey From a Mountaintop

news Signs of the Times

articles Catholic EnglandGreg Watts
Globalization: Myth, Reality, ProblemsVictor Ferkiss
Religion and Politics in IndiaLancy Lobo
The Augsburg Signing: An Overview of the Joint Declaration on JustificationJoseph A. Fitzmyer

columns Killing Unborn PatientsJohn F. Kavanaugh
Not Born to Do EvilRobert Coles

book reviews Meditations on Mary
T. S. Eliot
A Star Called Henry

tv reviews A Wasteland Less VastJames Martin

the word A Wedding Invitation: Please Respond!John R. Donahue

letters Letters

Print Friendly Send To A Friend

Religion and Politics in India
By Lancy Lobo
There are one billion people in India, the second most populous country in the world. This means every sixth person in the world is an Indian. About 450 million Indians live below the poverty line. Suppression of religious minorities and its nuclear blasts have made India visible to the world. One of the messages that India sent to the world was that it needs to be reckoned with. The Hindu nationalist leadership on the whole sent this message. While each country needs dignity before others, many ask why such a poverty-ridden country should invest massive amounts in nuclear devices and why it persecutes a Christian religious minority that has made bold attempts to empower the poor of India.
Religious Landscape in India
Of the one billion people in India, 85 percent are Hindus, 10 percent Muslims, and 2.5 percent Christians. The rest belong to other religious minorities: Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsees and other groups. Though the decennial census classifies 85 percent as Hindus, there is no positive definition of what Hinduism is. Negatively, whoever does not belong to any of the other religious minorities is taken to be a Hindu. British discourse shaped the terminology used in reference to Hinduism. The British in India began by asking the Indians: "Our religion is called Christianity, what is yours?" It was then decided to call Indias religion Hinduism. The British asked, "We have the Bible as our scripture, what is your scripture?" It was decided to consider the Vedas, the Upanishads, etc. as the scriptures of Hinduism. Further the British asked, "We have religious heads like the pope and the bishops, but who are Hinduisms heads?" They declared the Shankaracharyas as their pontiff!
s. The
West initially tried to understand the religions in India in its own terms and categories.
But in truth many religions are grouped together under the title of Hinduism. First of all, there are the religions of autochthonous (indigenous or tribal) people, and second, there are the religions of Aryan invaders known as Hindus (living on banks of the Indus River). The latter had two main divisionsShaivism and Vaishnavism. Later came the protest religions, Buddhism and Jainism, criticizing the religion of the Aryan or Brahminic Hindus. In the medieval period came the Bhakti movements, through which the lower castes sought equality with the upper caste Hindus. Then came Sikhism, blending both Hindu and Muslim religious elements. As a result of the British colonial rule, reformist movements like Brahmo, Prarathana and Aryasamaj sought to reform Hinduism from within. Today Hindu nationalists prefer to classify Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism as insider religions to India and Islam and Christianity as outsider religions, even though Christianity has existed in India for !
2000
years.

Two Traditions Within Hinduism
One useful approach to finding ones direction within Hinduism is to see it as composed of two traditions: the Great Tradition and the Little Tradition. The Great Tradition consists of the higher forms of Hinduism, also known as Sanskritic or Brahmin Hinduism. This encompasses the hegemonic classical philosophy, rituals, dance, music and art of the upper castes (middle and upper classes) or the elite of Hindu society, who compose about 20 percent of Hindus. The Little Tradition consists of the lower forms of Hinduism, also known as non-Sanskritic or non-Brahminic. This encompasses the rites, folk wisdom, folk dance, music and art that have become the cultural heritage of the lower castes (the lower classes) or the masses, who consist of 80 percent of all Hindus.
It is important to understand the existence of two categories of elite within the Great Tradition. According to Schermerhorn, the first is known as the "parochial neo-traditionalists" and the second the "conditionally Westernized." The parochial neo-traditionalists "had their education

Re: [Assam] SC NOTICE ON DALIT CHRISTIANS

2005-04-12 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

The article I posted is from http://www.dalitchristians.com. If you go to the website, it appears to bean authentic website created by Dalits and Dalit-Christians for their cause. Thus any statement made there about Dalits should have some truth to it, unless of course it was set up by someone to mislead the readers. Why would anyone do that?
Dilip
=Barua25 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:





My assessment is that you are jumping to judgements too quickly to call Dalits fools for converting, without attempting to understand the many facets of the issue.

You are right. My assessment is based on the article.

Even the Caste Christians do not treat the Dalit Christians as equals.
If this trtue, the Dalits are fools to covert to Christianity. 
If the article is wrong, I take my statements back.
Rajen


- Original Message - 
From: Chan Mahanta 
To: assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu 
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:21 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] SC NOTICE ON DALIT CHRISTIANS

Hi Rajen:


2)Under the circumstances, theDallits are fools to change the religion from Hinduism to any other, because it is likegoing from frying pan to fire.


*** Would you be willing to go tell a Dalit this? Would you go tell him why he he is better off remaining a Hindu Dalit instead of taking a chance with Buddhism or Christianity or Islam?

At any event would you care to explain that to us?

Besides, how do you know that what Dilip forwarded is the universal truth about the Dalit's lot in Indian Christianity, to make your assessment that they are fools to pursue a faith of their choice? Are you suggesting that Dalits convert out of being born a lesser Hindu to some other faith merely to get economic benefits?

Even if they did, and even if they did not gain economically or socially in the short run, what about in the long run? Wouldn't Christianity give him a better shot at life thru better educational opportunities and gradually diminishing burden of their lesser status in society, from the burdens of which in the nominal Hindu fold they would have little chance of ever escaping ?

My assessment is that you are jumping to judgements too quickly to call Dalits fools for converting, without attempting to understand the many facets of the issue.

c









At 8:09 AM -0500 4/12/05, Barua25 wrote:
Thanks for the article. It is well written article about the fate of the Indian Dalits. However I read and read and had a hard time trying to undseratnd the problem of the Chrustian Dalits. Somewhere there is a fallacy, which is this:

The Root Problem, the Hindu Dallits:
Dallits in the Hindu society has the problem because they are discriminated by the uper caste Hindus. They are not allowed to goto the same temple not to speak in intereating, internarryingetc.

The Solution:
Now somebody suggested that let us change religion to something other than Hinduism. The problem solved. We don't care for temple any more. Other religion will treat us as equal.

Now the problem asI see it is that the 'other religions', be it Buddhists, Islam or Christians have not treated the Dallits as equals. And that is the problem. The article also admitsthat. 

Whenever there is any killing or violence, the Caste people do not discriminate between the Hindus and the Christians.
Even the Caste Christians do not treat the Dalit Christians as equals.

The above reveals couple of truths which the Dallits and everybody else need to realize:
1) It goes to show what I have been telling is that the Caste system in India transcends religion. Caste system is a very strong tradition, stronger than religion.
2)Under the circumstances, theDallits are fools to change the religion from Hinduism to any other, because it is likegoing from frying pan to fire. (This is not to mean that I am for Hinduism).
3) The Christians who are apealing to GOI to include the Christian Dallits into SC are fools because they are basically saying as if , "Please include these Christian Dallit brothersinto SC because we, the upper caste Christians discriminate against these Dallit Christians like the Hindus.
4) The problem cannot be solved by stamping them as SC which might give them temporary economic advantage. The solution is the India mind-set will have to change. The Indoos (my term for Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis) must change their traditional mind set.

Barua

.

read the article but failed
- Original Message -
From: Dilip/Dil Deka
To: Chan Mahanta ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2005 11:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] SC NOTICE ON DALIT CHRISTIANS

While on the subject of Dalits, please read the article below from the website http://www.dalitchristians.com/Html/CasteChurch.htm.The article is a little old but it appears nothinghas changed from the time it was written to today.

The situation is mind boggling. isn't it? Especially when you hear that there is discrimination

Re: [Assam] PWD pins strategic tag on border road

2005-04-11 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

That's anice project for economic development of Assam. In Texas we call such roads F.M. ( farm to market). An example is FM 1960 in North Houston that used to be an F.M. road many years ago and now :-) is a main urban artery of North Houston.
Dilip[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
PWD pins strategic tag on border roadhttp://www.telegraphindia.com/1050409/asp/guwahati/story_4591701.aspMore on roads in Assam___Assam mailing listAssam@pikespeak.uccs.eduhttp://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assamMailing list FAQ:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.htmlTo unsubscribe or change options:http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam___
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Re: [Assam] From the Telegraph, April 12, 2005

2005-04-11 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Keep the pressure on, Sanjib. Could we request you to publish more such articles in the other leading dailies of India, like the TOI, the Indian Express, the Outlook etc.? It will be even better if others in Assam could join you in a mass campaign.
Dilip DekaSanjib Baruah [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050412/asp/opinion/story_4590622.aspThe Telegraph (Kolkata) Tuesday, April 12, 2005OF BROKEN PROMISES AND FALSE STARTSSanjib BaruahDeveloping the North-east must be an integral part of India's plans to court the advanced economies of south-east Asia, writes Sanjib Baruah The author is visiting professor, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi.In the past few years, there has been much talk about the "look east" policy bringing about a transformation of north-east India, which is often projected as our gateway to south-east Asia. Rajiv Sikri, secretary-east in the external affairs ministry, told a forum in Guwahati last year that the policy "envisages the North-east region not as the periphery of India, but as the centre of a thriving and integrated economic space linking two
dynamic regions with a network of highways, railways, pipelines, transmission lines crisscrossing the region". His hope, he said, is that it would be possible some day to drive from Calcutta via Dhaka, or from Guwahati, to Yangon and Bangkok in three or four days, and that trains and buses would carry "millions of tourists, pilgrims, workers and businessmen in both directions".The look east policy is making impressive headway. But there is a danger that it may get delinked from the vision of north-east India as a gateway. This should not be surprising. After all, historically, mainland India's ties with south-east Asia were primarily maritime and not continental. Even today, it is cheaper and easier to trade with south-east Asia by sea rather than by land.India is now a summit level partner of the Association of South East Asian Nations. Only China, Japan and Korea enjoy formal diplomatic relations with Ase!
an at
that level. Trade between India and Asean countries is expanding fast. India has already signed free-trade area agreements with Thailand and Singapore. By 2011, there will be a free-trade area with Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia and by 2016, with the remaining Asean countries, that is, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Aside from Asean, bilateral trade between India and China is also improving. At last year's third Asean-India summit, the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, came out with a bold vision of an Asian economic community - to include Asean, China, Japan, Korea and India.North-east India has not quite been playing the role of a gateway in all this, nor is it about to. True, there has been some excitement about a few things. For example, the Asean-India car rally, the inauguration of a Bangkok-Guwahati air service (even though Indian Airlines's commitment to this twice-a-week service has been f!
ickle),
the new international status of the Guwahati airport, the inauguration of an India-built road in Myanmar and the recent clearance by the home ministry of the proposal to reopen the Stilwell Road.No one doubts that closer relations with south-east Asia will open up significant possibilities for north-east India. Apart from ambitious talk of highways linking the region with the dynamic economies of south-east Asia and Yunnan, more modest scenarios have north-east India supplying hydro-electric power to its cross-border Asian neighbours, and pipelines moving gas and petroleum products across this transnational region. The changing geography of global tourism might make opening our eastern doors to tourists from the Asia-Pacific region an attractive proposition.Economic gains dominate most scenarios. But there are potential non-economic gains as well. Developing north-east India's tourism industry, for instance, co!
uld
involve building cultural centres and museums to showcase and celebrate the cultures of the region's many ethnic communities. This could attract tourists and, at the same time, respond to the urge for recognition that animate the region's many movements for ethnic assertion.But benefits of the sort that have been talked about won't just trickle down as effects of development expenditures by government departments and market forces. The concept of turning the North-east into a gateway will have to be the focus of a grand project involving the government, civil society, as well as corporate and multilateral actors. Projects with clear backward and forward linkages will have to be designed and their social and environmental impact carefully assessed. This will require substantial investments. It is not just money that is needed. There has to be investment of political and intellectual energy as well. These are serious
challenges, and choices have to be made in domestic and foreign policy for the North-east to fulfil its potential as a gateway.The participation of

Re: [Assam] SC NOTICE ON DALIT CHRISTIANS

2005-04-11 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

While on the subject of Dalits, please read the article below from the website http://www.dalitchristians.com/Html/CasteChurch.htm.The article is a little old but it appears nothinghas changed from the time it was written to today.

The situation is mind boggling. isn't it? Especially when you hear that there is discrimination even in the church itself.

CAST IDENTITY WITHIN THE CHURCHTWICE ALIENATION

There are 200 million dalits in India who form 20% of the total Indian population. These are the people whose very touch is considered polluting and who are treated as untouchables by upper caste.
Conversion to Christianity has not redeemed 19 million Dalit Christians from social discrimination and untouchability. It has only added to their misery. Conversion disqualifies a dalit Christian a whole lot of constitutionally guaranteed protection and privileges. The dalits accepted the new faith in Jesus Christ with some hope that they would regain their lost humanity and they would be considered as Gods children. But in reality, it is only a dream. As Christians, we continue to suffer and live all human misery both in the society and in the church.
The church in India is a dalit church, because 70% of Indias 25 million Christians are dalits. Although dalits form the majority in all these churches, yet their place and influence in these churches is minimal or even insignificant. Their presence is totally eclipsed by the power of the upper-caste Christians who are only 30% of the Christian population. This is all the more true in the case of the Catholic Church where such discrimination is strongly felt.
In the Catholic Church, the dalits form the majority, almost 70%: but it is the higher caste-people, only 30% of church population, who control the Church by pre-emptying the key position. The majority of the catholic bishops and clergy, the religious and lay leaders, come from the upper caste. One can say that this 30%, the upper caste, occupy the 90% of the administration and leadership of the church. Thus the dalits are pushed aside and reduced to insignificance in their own homeland. Today this trend has become a major matter for concern in the church and must be dealt with.

The Problem
The Dalit Christians suffer the same socio educational and economic disabilities like the Dalits of the other faith. The change of Religion does not change their social,economical and educational status. It is evident that the Dalit Christians are subject to atrocities, violence and disabilities solely because they suffer the sigma of the Untouchability. Most of the Dalits whether they are the Hindus or the Christians, they often live together side by side, while the other Caste people, the Hindus or the Christians live seperately. Whenever there is any killing or violence, the Caste people do not discriminate between the Hindus and the Christians. Even the Caste Christians do not treat the Dalit Christians as equals . Though the Dalit Christians undergo the same unjust Caste discrimination as the other relogious Dalits, the Chrisitan dalits are deprived of the privileges of protect!
ion of
Civil Rights Act and Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989.

Christians, Twice Discriminated
For centuries the Dalit Christians have been carrying the burden of oppression in common with the other Dalits: but now the Indian Government has brought in a distinction between one kind of Dalit and another, offering one treatment to Dalits who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist and a different treatment to Dalits who are Christian or Muslim. The Indian Constitution grants to the President of India power to designate certain disadvantaged groups referred to as the 'Scheduled Castes', who are now to receive special rights to compensate for the disadvantages they have been suffering in the past. The Indian Government has refused to include Christian Dalits in this list of the Scheduled Castes, thus denying the Christians the basic rights that are owed to them under the Constitution. The fact that the Government has designated Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist Dalits among the Scheduled Castes, and refused to do the same for Chri!
stian
Dalits, shows that Christian Dalits are being penalised specifically as Christians.
Everyone in India knows that the fate of a Dalit is the same whether a person is Hindu or Christian or Buddhist or Muslim. In general, the social and economical condition of a Dalit Christian is in no way better than that of a Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist Dalit. Every Indian with truly human feelings will acknowledge this fact beyond any doubt. But the Indian Government and some Hindu fundamentalists refuse to recognise the miserable condition of the Dalit Christians. The Christian churches in India have been fighting against this unfair discrimination since 1947, since the independance of our country. Many commissionsappointed by the Government of India have studied the actual situation of Dalit Christians in society and have concluded

[Assam] Elephant in Middle Town, USA

2005-04-08 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

A little humor.
It all depends on perspective - which end you are looking at.


A circus was to perform in a small town where the locals had never seena circus. On the night before the first performance one of the elephantsescaped. It was hungry and found a garden in an old lady's backyard.The old lady, who had never seen an elephant, was hysterical and calledthe police.Lady: Help police! There's a huge monster in my backyard.Police: Calm down lady. What's the matter?Lady: There's a monster in my backyard.Police: What's the monster doing?Lady: It's in my garden pulling up my vegetables with its tail!Police: With its tail? What's it doing with them?Lady: You wouldn't believe me if I told you!___
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Re: [Assam] from the sentinel

2005-04-08 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

"About 36,000 cases of the State Government are pending in both the Supreme Court and the Gauhati High Court." -- these are law suits that the state government of Assamfiled against someone or other, or were filed against the government. Then there are other lawsuits that the citizens have filed against each other. The report only talks about the High Court and the Supreme Court. Remember there are lower courts also. So the situation is definitely dire. Does anyone how the numbers compare against the number of lawsuits in a typical american state, say for example New York? I tried to get some information via the internet but did not get anything comprehensive.

Now, the question arises how many of these lawsuits are frivolous. Is it time for some tort reform in India? Litigation is a right provided in democracy. Is it being abused by the litigants?
The other question is -are there too many lawyers in Assam (and India) and what we are seeing is a proliferation of the legal industry?
Dilip
Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Dear Netters:The following from tonight's Sentinel.Do people wonder what this means? It means that the means of democraticsocieties for holding people accountable do not work. It is an example of a dysfunctional govt. Something that direly needs reforming, or so one might think. What do our friends think? Am I proposing something subversive, as I get charged for when, I present such ideas?cm36,000 cases pending against State GovtBy a Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, April 8: About 36,000 cases of the State Government are pending in both the Supreme Court and the Gauhati High Court. Disclosing this on the floor of the House today, Assam Law Minister Dinesh Prasad Goala, in reply to a query from Independent MLA Pabindra Deka, said that the Government had already appointed contact officers in the various
departments concerned for the speedy disposal of these cases.Goala said that as many as 35,780 cases are pending at the High Court while a total of 146 cases are waiting to be settled at the Supreme Court. The Government has incurred an expenditure of Rs 42.38 lakh on lawyers' expenses, the minister said, adding that an amount of Rs 69.90 lakh has been incurred on litigation at the Supreme Court.On the other hand, Minister of State for Home Rockybul Hussain informed the House that data relating to the pending cases against ministers and MLAs was still in the process of being collected. In reply to another question from Deka, Hussain said that though the Government had earlier decided to withdraw 39 pending cases against ministers and MLAs, the decision had since been revoked.___Assam mailing
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[Assam] Assam's salvation

2005-04-01 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

"Assam's salvation therefore lies in wresting the powers of state from the center to its own hands." --
Suppose Assam gets more power through autonomy or sovereignty. What will be the changes in the much-criticized Indian system that will suddenly make Assam a Shangrila? I am sure someone has all this written down, we the laymen just haven't seen them. Could we have the pleasure?
Also, once Assam becomes a Shangrila, how isAssam going to be insulated from the rest of India (or the world) so that all evils remain outside? Again I am sure the plans are there, I just don't have access.

Don't get me wrong. I am definitely for more power in the hands of the Indian states and for constitution amendment to make that happen. But I do not believethat will bring salvation to Assam or any other state. The changes will take place gradually.

DilipChan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

I agree with all you write BK.

But we cannot merely look at the hapless mohori or kerani or the sipahi. That well be dwelling on the " bengena swr" problem, while we turn a deaf ear to the "hati swr" issue.

Let us look at the big defaulters:

** How do the massive scams take place involving hundred's of
crores of rupees?

** Who are involved in massive bribery by national contractors,
involving crores of rupees?

** How do the children of military generals and ministers committing
murders get away with it?

** How come we never hear about how all those notorious cases
taken up by none other than the incorruptible CBI turn out?
How come no one ever gets convicted?

Are not ministers, MLAs, MPs, IAS /IPS tyopes involved? What is the accountability of an IAS ? Can they be tried by a state? You know that can't be--they are central govt. functionaries and cannot be held responsible or tried by the states. Can armed forces personnel serving as policemen in a state be held responsible for dereliction of duty, for abduction and murder? Not in your life.

When did you ever see a minister, or a an elected representative go to prison, or even be dismissed ?

Recently I posted a NY Times story of the Connecticut Governor, a Republican,
being sent to prison for a year and a half, for graft involving $ 150,000 or so.
I noticed how the defenders of desi-demokrasy did not notice.

** You maybe right--it does not require drastic changes to the system. Even little changes may work. But why have we not seen any. All we see is a steady deterioration of the affairs of state. Where is the attempt to reform what does not work? Where is the outrage of the lawmakers? Has ANY Prime Minister made an issue of it? Has any President? Why don't they? Surely the population has been crying hoarse.

** The fact is that those who are in power are themselves deeply embroiled in
the sordid systemic debauchery. Those who would change things cannot come together--they are too fractured.

But I argue Assam has no business submitting to the dysfunctional Indian state machinery. They ought to take it into their own hands, reform it, restructure it, and move ahead. The only little hitches are that they are not free to do so.
And the 'national' party members have no incentive to do so.

Assam's salvation therefore lies in wresting the powers of state from the center to its own hands.

At 11:13 AM -0500 4/1/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"Content-Language: en
There are various ways of maintaining the morale and discipline amongst the employees. These find place in massive tomes of personnel management dealing with minutiae of employer-employee relations. Setting aside academe, I am citing examples from my own experience.

During the Raj if a mohurrer (mohori: clerk/babu)) was found to defalcate company funds and caught red-handed while doing so, he was sacked straightway. In a Government office if a cashier defalcates money, he is suspended pending a departmental enquiry. At times the Police may take over after receiving a report from the employee's superiors. Usually what happens is like this: the cashier concerned gambled the money the previous night or spent the money for his personal use e.g. buying a property with office funds in the hope of replenishing the same with a loan from some other source etc.While he is in suspension, he goes to MLAs or Ministers praying to take pity on him and agreeing to pay the money back. Finally there is a reprieve after the money is found. This is also what happens when a clerk or an officer is found to accept bribe from someone and is caught red handed.

A friend of mine who was working as a lecturer of Physics in a government college in UP told me that he was transferred five times by the college principal. Every time he was successful to get his superior's orders countermanded with the help of influential politicians. The principal at last gave in. In theory transfer orders are made in public interest; in practice it primarily serves the self interest of the incumbent

[Assam] Re: Assam's salvation

2005-04-01 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

O,bwlw, Mahanta, agor dinot mahanta aru goxain xokole enedore wlwta-pwlwta ekowa-bekowa kotha koiye khaisile. Azikalihenw noware -xuniboloi paisw.
Ei xoronlowar sithikhon akou ebar porhi uttor dibone? Ami ataye xikiboloi roi asw.
===Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

The changes will take place gradually.

*** Now that verdict has been projected based on what ? On the changes observed so far, on the basis of trends that have been observed so far? Or is it based on something some one pulled out of a hat? I am most curious about the basis for such soothe-saying?

What will be the changes in the much-criticized Indian system that will suddenly make Assam a Shangrila?

*** Why is the expectation of a Shangrila, and that too suddenly? Is that the only acceptable alternative considering all the great things that have been happening at a 'normal' pace so far?

I am sure someone has all this written down, we the laymen just haven't seen them.

*** Seen what? Shangri-la happening suddenly, or the current state of normally expectable progress?

Also, once Assam becomes a Shangrila, how isAssam going to be insulated from the rest of India (or the world) so that all evils remain outside?

*** OOOh, I didn't think of that at all. Damn! I gues it is therefr ore better to keep things as is. Because if it becomes Shangrila all of a sudden, Assam is liable to be overrun by the jealous!

What is this sudden eruption of the vision thang? First of April flamboyancy?

Don't get me wrong. I am definitely for more power in the hands of the Indian states and for constitution amendment to make that happen.

*** Would we ever ? Yeah we know, the only complaint is about the unseemly hurry that Assam seems to be in to want it, isn't it? Tsk, tsk!

___and for constitution amendment to make that happen.

*** Heh, heh :-).

But I do not believethat will bring salvation to Assam or any other state.

*** Would make a nice decorative element though, won't it?

What can I say? It sure sounds like an eruption of extraordinary insights all right :-)

At 11:48 AM -0800 4/1/05, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
"Assam's salvation therefore lies in wresting the powers of state from the center to its own hands." --
Suppose Assam gets more power through autonomy or sovereignty. What will be the changes in the much-criticized Indian system that will suddenly make Assam a Shangrila? I am sure someone has all this written down, we the laymen just haven't seen them. Could we have the pleasure?
Also, once Assam becomes a Shangrila, how isAssam going to be insulated from the rest of India (or the world) so that all evils remain outside? Again I am sure the plans are there, I just don't have access.

Dilip
Chan Mahanta [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I agree with all you write BK.

But we cannot merely look at the hapless mohori or kerani or the sipahi. That well be dwelling on the " bengena swr" problem, while we turn a deaf ear to the "hati swr" issue.

Let us look at the big defaulters:

** How do the massive scams take place involving hundred's of
crores of rupees?

** Who are involved in massive bribery by national contractors,
involving crores of rupees?

** How do the children of military generals and ministers committing
murders get away with it?

** How come we never hear about how all those notorious cases
taken up by none other than the incorruptible CBI turn out?
How come no one ever gets convicted?

When did you ever see a minister, or a an elected representative go to prison, or even be dismissed ?

** The fact is that those who are in power are themselves deeply embroiled in

[Assam] Ex-Presidents ire

2005-03-31 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Isn't this interesting? How did the impotent ex-president gather courage now? Was it a feeling of guilt or a need to redeem himself?
It is becoming apparent more and more that the posts of president and governor are not serving the intent of the constitution laid out in 1950. Both of these positions need man of courage to be fully functional and there isa dearth of this quality in Indian leadership.There isa growing criticism in Indian press of the usefulness of these positions in thesystem . Will it bring about some change?
Dilip
===


 Guwahati, Thursday, March 31, 2005 LETTERS

Ex-Presidents ireSirFormer President, K R Narayanan has recently disclosed in a Malayalam magazine, his anger against former PM, Vajpayee and the then Gujarat government for the Gujarat riots of 2002. He also claimed that there had been a conspiracy involving the State and the Central government behind the riots.The killings of about 1000 Muslims in the riots of Gujarat have already tarnished the image of the BJP more and the Indian voters have successfully voted out that party from the power of the Central government in 2004.But the people are interested to know why the then President remained silent and inactive when Gujarat was burning. Why did he not apply his constitutional authority to impose Presidents Rule in Gujarat to stop the killing of the Muslims ? The President could have declared an emergency and dissolved the Central BJP government for dereliction of duty. But Sri
 Narayanan did not do anything tangible at the appropriate time.He now unnecessarily criticised the BJP for not electing him President for the second term. It is not at all necessary that a man will remain in the highest post of the nation for long 10 years. It was perhaps necessary for the BJP to elect a Muslim candidate as the President to compensate their misdeeds against the Muslims to improve the image of the party.Smt Sonia Gandhi has also elected a Sikh as the Prime Minister to compensate the old misdeeds of the Congress against the Sikhs after the killing of Indira Gandhi.  Yours etc., NIRANJAN DAS, Master Colony, Tezpur.___
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RE: [Assam] Ex-Presidents ire

2005-03-31 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Santanu,
I understand your point of view on the technicalities. The important issue here is -if Mr. Narayanan was a true courageous leader, why didn't he propose some changes to the constitution or at least instigate those inthe legislative branch when he was still in power? The reason probably was that he was hoping for a renomination through the BJP ministry and didn't want to rock the boat.

The good sign I notice is that people in India are becoming aware of the limitations of the Indian constitution. The next phase naturally will be the demand for amendment. There will not be any "drastic change" due to the democratic set up India has and the lack of courage that I talked about earlier. However collective work by revisionists will surely bring in slow changes. Back in the sixties I was a young man in India and at that timeI didn't know that a constitution can be amended. Today's young Indians know that it can be done but they need to gather the courage to step up and propose the changes. And they will, though the process has been slow. I am forever an optimist.
Dilipda

"Roy, Santanu" [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

The President could have publicly vented his ire and that's all.
But the Indian constitution does not allow the president to impose "president's rule" in any state (or take any decision whatsoever)- except on the advice of the council of ministers. The only thing he can do is to send back a legislative bill recommended for his signature to the council of ministers for "reconsideration" and if the council recommends it again, he is obliged to sign it. What irritates me is that the Tribune publishes letters written by people with so little knowledge of the constitutional set up.
Santanu.

-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Dilip/Dil DekaSent: Thursday, March 31, 2005 8:22 AMTo: ASSAMNETCOLORADOSubject: [Assam] Ex-Presidents ire
Isn't this interesting? How did the impotent ex-president gather courage now? Was it a feeling of guilt or a need to redeem himself?
It is becoming apparent more and more that the posts of president and governor are not serving the intent of the constitution laid out in 1950. Both of these positions need man of courage to be fully functional and there isa dearth of this quality in Indian leadership.There isa growing criticism in Indian press of the usefulness of these positions in thesystem . Will it bring about some change?
Dilip
===

Guwahati, Thursday, March 31, 2005 LETTERS

Ex-Presidents ireSirFormer President, K R Narayanan has recently disclosed in a Malayalam magazine, his anger against former PM, Vajpayee and the then Gujarat government for the Gujarat riots of 2002. He also claimed that there had been a conspiracy involving the State and the Central government behind the riots.The killings of about 1000 Muslims in the riots of Gujarat have already tarnished the image of the BJP more and the Indian voters have successfully voted out that party from the power of the Central government in 2004.But the people are interested to know why the then President remained silent and inactive when Gujarat was burning. Why did he not apply his constitutional authority to impose Presidents Rule in Gujarat to stop the killing of the Muslims ? The President could have declared an emergency and dissolved the Central BJP government for dereliction of duty. But Sri
Narayanan did not do anything tangible at the appropriate time.He now unnecessarily criticised the BJP for not electing him President for the second term. It is not at all necessary that a man will remain in the highest post of the nation for long 10 years. It was perhaps necessary for the BJP to elect a Muslim candidate as the President to compensate their misdeeds against the Muslims to improve the image of the party.Smt Sonia Gandhi has also elected a Sikh as the Prime Minister to compensate the old misdeeds of the Congress against the Sikhs after the killing of Indira Gandhi. Yours etc., NIRANJAN DAS, Master Colony, Tezpur.___
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[Assam] New Words

2005-03-30 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

Where did you see a Bozone Layer last time? :-)


The Washington Post's Style Invitational once again asked readers totake any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, orchanging one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year'swinners:1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stopsbright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, showslittle sign of breaking down in the near future.2. Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purposeof getting laid.3. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders thesubject financially impotent for an indefinite period.4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and theperson who doesn't get it.6. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are
 runninglate.7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extracredit.)9. Karmageddon (n): It's like, when everybody is sending off all thesereally bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it'slike, a serious bummer.10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the dayconsuming only things that are good for you.11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action.12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarterwhen they come at you rapidly.13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just afteryou've accidentally walked through a spider web.14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into yourbedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.15. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn af!
ter
 finding half a grub inthe fruit you're eating.And the pick of the literature:16. Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole.Don of Niagara Falls___
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[Assam] Fuel for South Asia's Arms Race

2005-03-29 Thread Dilip/Dil Deka

I support the editor of the NYT. This arms sale is nothing but fuel to a fire that was dying slowly.albeit on the surface.
=
EDITORIAL
Fuel for South Asia's Arms RacePublished: March 29, 2005

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he United States has far better ways to reward Pakistan for its helpful but selective pressure on Al Qaeda and the Taliban than President Bush's decision last week to break with 15 years of policy and sell Pakistan high-performance fighters whose only plausible use is to threaten India. Balancing those sales by offering New Delhi the chance to purchase, and perhaps build, similar planes doesn't lessen the damage of the Pakistan sale. It compounds it. The worst thing for these two nuclear powers, which have fought three wars against each other since 1947, is to encourage them to engage in a new, American-fueled arms race.
The United States does have a compelling strategic interest in helping Pakistan. But the right kind of help does not consist of selling Pakistan's armed forces, led by the country's military dictator, President Pervez Musharraf, prestigious, expensive and dangerous weapons systems. Decades of swollen military budgets have virtually bankrupted Pakistan, leaving its government unable to afford adequate spending on education and job-creating economic modernization. Instead, its leaders have fed the Pakistani people a diet of belligerent nationalism and projects like nuclear weapons that are designed to enhance a sense of prestige.
In this environment, civilian democracy has never struck deep roots, military takeovers have been common, and recruitment for a variety of groups preaching armed Islamist jihad has thrived. General Musharraf likes to advertise his occasional attacks on the most terrifying symptoms of this syndrome. He is far less willing to strike at its sources by pushing Pakistan toward development and democracy and far too eager to drain its resources on supersonic attack jets.
In reviewing the new Pakistan arms sale policy, which overturns a 15-year-old ban imposed over concerns about Pakistani nuclear weapons activity, Congress should think hard about the messages the United States wants to send to future proliferators. Pakistan developed nuclear weapons of its own after refusing to sign international nonproliferation treaties. Worse, it has spread nuclear weapons technology to Iran, North Korea, Libya and who knows what other countries, through the rogue network that was run by its top government nuclear scientist, A. Q. Khan. When Dr. Khan's activities became public a little over a year ago, he was pardoned by Pakistan's government, which conveniently avoided embarrassing revelations about any help he might have received from allies in the Pakistani military.
Advocates of these military sales will argue, as they always do, that if the United States did not sell Pakistan and India advanced fighter jets, other countries would. That is probably true, but it is not a justification for fueling an arms race. One big reason both governments want to buy American planes is to advertise to their own people and the world that their costly military spending enjoys the full backing of Washington. That alone is reason enough to regret Mr. Bush's decision. ___
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