NEWS HEADLINES IN CLIPPINGS 01. ULFA is 'frustrated', says Indira Goswami 02. Vij ignores creeping careerism 03. Govt keen on talks with ULFA: Governor 04. Nagalim an illusion: UNLF 05. Three held by AR, I/W police, arms recovered 06. UGs held 07. UNLF takes issue with NSCN on ‘Naga integration’ /////////////////////////////////////
[ASSAM] 29/01/2005 01. ULFA is 'frustrated', says Indira Goswami ULFA is 'frustrated', says Indira Goswami Publish Date : 1/29/2005 11:30:00 AM Source : Religion and Spirituality News ExpressNewsline.com Noted Assamese writer and peace negotiator Indira Goswami has termed the recent blasts, allegedly by the separatist United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), in the northeastern state as an "act of frustration". "It is for the first time that they (ULFA) have wanted to talk to the Indian government and it is natural that their level of patience is coming down. But no doubt violence can't be an excuse for that," said Goswami, who was sought by the rebel outfit to negotiate with the government. "I have appealed to the government to issue a fresh letter of invitation to the ULFA," Jnanpith winner Goswami said. The ULFA is suspected to be behind four powerful landmine blasts in Assam, including three in the state's main city of Guwahati during Wednesday's Republic Day celebrations, injuring at least eight people. The fourth blast was in the western Assam district of Bongaigaon. "I personally feel that they (ULFA) are frustrated because the peace process with the government is being delayed due to various factors which I can't disclose at this juncture," Goswami told IANS. The Delhi University professor had received a letter from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in November that said the government was ready for a peace process with the ULFA if it shunned violence. But the rebel outfit declined the offer, saying the government had laid a "precondition". It also objected to the fact that the letter was not signed by the prime minister, but by M.K. Narayanan, then Internal Security Advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Goswami disclosed that the government was considering various "options" and "modalities" before starting negotiations with the ULFA, which has been fighting for an independent Assam for the past 26 years. Goswami said ULFA chief Paresh Baruah had not been in touch with her for a couple of months. "I feel he (Baruah) will get back to me soon and I will be made aware of their move." More than 10,000 people have lost their lives in the two-decade long armed conflict in Assam.(IANS) http://www.expressnewsline.com/0805/fullstory0805-insight-ULFA+frustrated+Indira+Goswami-status-31-newsID-310.html 29/01/2005 02. Vij ignores creeping careerism Days before he is to hang up his spurs as Chief of Army Staff, Gen NC Vij has departed from established practice to write individually to around 45,000 officers of the Army. In his poignantly-worded thank-you letter, he has accepted that the Army needs to ?obviate altogether?, some human rights 'aberrations' despite an 'outstanding track record'. He said the fencing of the Line of Control (LoC) was a magnificent task, which deterred intruders. Vij has avoided any reference to the creeping careerism in the Army as manifested by the faked killings of infiltrators, which is one of the biggest embarrassments for the Army. Gen K Sundarji had addressed a similar letter 'a kind of a personal manifesto' to colleagues that began 'Dear Brother' when he became Army Chief. Vij is writing when he is about to retire. His letter begins 'Dear Colleague' and was written on January 15, the Army Day. The 13-page letter reviews his tenure as Army Chief and notes that as a result of the three-pronged strategy of combating proxy war in Kashmir, the number of militants has been reduced from 3,500 in January 2003 to around '1800 now'. He says the 'well-coordinated' operation between the Army and the Royal Bhutan Army in December 03-January 04 'have appreciably marginalised' the Kamtapuri Liberation Organisation (KLO), the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). The militancy in Manipur, he says, continues to simmer. But it is 'being addressed adequately,' says the letter. Vij also mentions the new operational strategy of the Army, a drive to rapidly develop information systems, and an improvement in the organisational structure of the army. A case has been projected to the government to create some additional headquatrters albeit without any force accretion. 'It should materialise soon,' he says. He refers to the new training academy for non-commissioned officers and speaks of the improved career prospects of officers and says an additional 750 posts of colonels have been created by the government to ensure cadre mobility, as per the Ajay Vikram Singh committee report. More officers will now be taken into the Army to address the shortfall, he says. He also says transparency in personnel matters has been a thrust area of his tenure, though he recognises more has to be done. The Army still has a large number of complaints of arbitrary appointments and denial of promotions, though the Air Force has a large number of higher ranking officers in court. Vij also talks of the welfare measures, housing, medical educational requirements of soldiers and their families, which received a boost during his tenure. He has paid a special tribute to the Vice-Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Gen Shantonu Choudhary for ensuring team work. The letter pays a tribute, in the best tradition of the soldier, to retired officers, who never cease to be part of the 'big family that is the Army'. http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?hpFlag=Y&chklogin=N&autono=179377&leftnm=lmnu2&lselect=0&leftindx=2 28/01/2005 03. Govt keen on talks with ULFA: Governor By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI – In his Republic Day speech yesterday, the Governor of Assam, Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh paid homage to those killed in last year’s Dhemaji blast. Referring to the need to have a peaceful climate in the State, he remarked that the Government was keen to hold talks with the ULFA, and further the peace process with the other insurgent groups. “The law-and-order situation has improved and insurgents have, in desperation, resorted to sporadic attacks on soft targets. We continue to witness growth in all sectors and mindset of the State is optimistic and dynamic,” said the Governor. The floods in 2004 were unprecedented and caused immense loss of lives, infrastructure and property. He said that the State was thankful to the Government of India for rendering assistance during the crisis. “Continuing on the theme of peace and development, the State Government has taken several steps to consolidate the gain made in the last three-and-a-half years. The GDP growth rate has risen from 3.96 in 2000-01 to 6 in 2003-04. The per capita income increased from Rs 10,718 in 2000-01 to Rs 12,593 in 2003-04,” the Governor remarked. He also mentioned that it was to benefit the government employees that the retirement age was increased from 58 years to 59. The salary of casual employees has increased from Rs 1,800 per month to Rs 2,100 per month. Referring to institutional reforms, he said that such reforms would received a boost as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned a loan of $ 150 million for Assam Governance and Public Resource Management Programme for financial restructuring and institutional reforms, out of which $ 45 million has already been released. In his speech, the Governor pointed to the developments taking place in the rural sector. During the period from 1997-98 to 2000-01, the total fund flow under rural development was Rs 1,187.80 crore, which increased to more than Rs 3,327.38 crore during the next four years. In this connection, he stated that rural connectivity, housing, employment generation and wasteland development have also witnessed rapid progress. According to the Governor, employment generation has been the overriding objective of all the schemes and programmes of the State Government. Against this background, recently, a standing committee on employment generation has been constituted to examine and suggest measures to create avenues for employment. He mentioned the Kalpataru scheme for self-employment in this regard. Talking on the socio-cultural and economic status of the State, the Governor said that the State Government has focused on the problems faced by the SCs, STs, minorities and OBCs. “The State Government has recommended the cases of inclusion of the Adivasis, Koch-Rajbongshis, Ahoms, Morans, Mataks, and Chutiyas in the list of scheduled tribes,” he said. Alluding to the Bodoland Territorial Council, he said that the State Government has entrusted and delegated the functioning of 39 subjects/departments to the Council. Rules have been framed for holding elections to the general committee of the Council. His speech also highlighted a project for the development of the Guwahati city at an estimated cost of Rs 436.80 crore, which has been formulated for funding by the ADB. The Government of India and the ADB have accepted the proposal in principle http://assamtribune.com/ [NAGALAND] 28/01/2005 04. Nagalim an illusion: UNLF Source: The Sangai Express Imphal, January 28: Reacting strongly to the demand for unification of Naga inhabited by the NSCN (IM), the UNLF has today asserted that the stand of the IM group will do nothing except give rise to ethnic tension and plunge the entire North East region into endless ethnic conflict and chaos. Terming the demand of the NSCN (IM) as an illusion, UNLF in a statement today said that the demand raised by the NSCN (IM) to integrate the Naga inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh under one administrative unit has generated strong and legitimate reactions from people of the three States. Questioning why the IM group has been playing this emotive issue time and again in the course of the peace talk with the GoI, UNLF said that it now obvious that the objective of the collective leadership of the NSCN (IM) is to manufacture some sort of a 'mandate of the people' to strengthen their negotiating power in pressing for 'Naga integration'. In their inverted vision of the 'uniqueness of Naga history' and 'Naga integration', the NSCN (IM) is forgetting the history of others, which date back to more than 2000 years. To them this seems to be no history, observed the outfit. Though made through human actions, history is an objective process, said UNLF and added that going against this objective process will be catastrophic. The historical process of the multi ethnic territorial boundaries should develop towards a larger unity transcending ethnic territorial boundaries not fragmentation on narrow ethnic lines, said the outfit. Reacting to 'offer' of Th Muivah to the Meiteis, Hmar, Dimasa and Karbi to live together with the Nagas, the statement said that all should certainly live together but not in ethnic-exclusive club like NSCN (IM)'s 'Nagalim'.The fact is that these different communities have been living together for ages despite subversive external religious influences. Ultimately Naga-exclusive 'Nagalim' of the NSCN (IM) is anti-history and as such anti-Naga as well said UNLF. The concept of Nagalim is nothing more than an illusion, added the statement. Accusing the NSCN (IM) for launching the ethnic cleansing process that killed over 700 Kukis in the early 1990s, UNLF said this was a crime against humanity and added that the NSCN (IM) too should be held responsible for the death of Naga people during the ethnic clash. Seen against this backdrop, the offer of the NSCN (IM) to live together sounds hypocritic, said UNLF and appealed to the Naga people to reason against the futility the narrow ethnic politics played by the NSCN (IM). Reiterating that the territorial integrity of Manipur is non-negotiable, UNLF however appealed to all the people of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur to stay calm and forge amity and unity with sensible Naga people to defeat the divisive and reactionary forces of the region. http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=11.18.290105.jan05 28/01/2005 05. Three held by AR, I/W police, arms recovered The Imphal Free Press IMPHAL, Jan 28: Personnel of the 4th Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ 9 Sector apprehended W Diken Singh, son of W Ibobi Singh a resident of Thoubal and an activist of the underground PLA from Chingmeirong. Meanwhile, commandos of the Imphal west district police arrested one activist each of the underground UNLF nd KYKL. The arrest at Chingmeirong was made after the AR personnel swooped down in the general area of Chingmeirong upon receiving specific information on manufacture of weapons and ammunition. The apprehended activist revealed that he had been working under self styled private Jiten Sigh, a PLA cadre and an expert in fabricating and manufacturing weapons and accessories. Three country made magazines of 9 mm carbine and 9 mm pistol barrel assembly were recovered from the individual who was later handed over to Heingang police station, a release said. In the meantime, the UNLF activist arrested by Imphal west commandos has been identified as Thangjam Iboyaima Singh alias Paikhomba alias Prem, 36, son of Th Chandra Singh of Nongpok Keithelmanbi while the KYKL activist has been identified as Soibam Ibomcha Singh alias Puya, 24, son of S Bokuljao Singh of Thoubal Kiyam Wangma Taba. http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=22015&typeid=1 28/01/2005 06. UGs held Source: The Sangai Express Imphal, January 28: Troops of 4 Assam Rifles have reportedly apprehended a suspected PLA activist identified as W Diken Singh s/o W Ibobi Singh of Thoubal during a search operated conducted in general area of Chingmeirong early hours today. According to a PIB Defence Wing source the arrested individual is an expert in fabricating and manufacturing weapons and accessories and has revealed that he had been working for one self styled private Jiten Singh, a PLA cadre. Three country made magazines of 9 mm carbine and 9 mm pistol barrel assembly were recovered from Diken who has been handed over to the Heingang PS, the release added. Meanwhile, the Commandos of Imphal West District Police have arrested two underground activists during frisking and checking at different parts in general area of Babupara Imphal this evening. One of the arrested activist identified as Thangjam Iboyaima Singh alias Paikhomba alias Prem (36) of Nongpok Keithelmanbi belongs to UNLF while the other identified as Soibam Ibomcha Singh alias Yuya (24) of Thoubal Kiyam Wangma Taba belongs to KYKL outfit, police said. http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=14.18.290105.jan05 28/01/2005 07. UNLF takes issue with NSCN on ‘Naga integration’ The Imphal Free Press IMPHAL, Jan 28: The underground United National Liberation Front, UNLF, has cautioned the NSCN (IM) leadership over the latter’s drumming up once again of the Naga integration issue, terming it as a dangerously myopic policy that has the potential to plunge the whole region into endless conflict and chaos. The UNLF, in a statement issued by its department of publicity, also took the view that the NSCN(IM), in seeking an exclusive solution to the ‘Indo-Naga political process’ through the creation of a ‘Nagalim’, was indulging in illusion. The UNLF maintained that the NSCN(IM), by playing up the sentiments of the common Nagas, was trying to manufacture some sort of a ‘mandate of the people’ to strengthen their negotiating position vis-a-vis the government of India in pressing on for ‘Naga integration.’ ‘This is a dangerously myopic policy in that it has the potential of plunging the entire Region into endless ethnic conflict and chaos. In their inverted vision of “uniqueness of Naga history” and “Naga integration”, the NSCN(IM) collective leadership is forgetting the history of others more than 2000 years old, which to them seems to be no history,’, the statement said. Taking the view that the historic process of the multi-ethnic region should develop towards a larger unity transcending ethnic territorial boundaries, not fragmentation on narrow ethnic lines, the UNLF maintained that in history there is no room for the ‘individual benevolence’ and ‘chauvinistic ego’ displayed by NSCN(IM) leader Th Muivah in his invitation to Meitei, Kuki, Dimasa and other brethren to live together with the Nagas. ‘Certainly, all of us should want to live together, but not in an ethnic-exclusive club like the NSCN(IM)’s “Nagalim”, the statement said, pointing to the historical fact that these ethnic brothren have been liviing together from historical times despite subversive external religious influence. ‘In the ultimate analysis, the Naga-exclusive “Nagalim” of the NSCN(IM) is anti-history, and as such anti-Naga as well’, the UNLF stated. It is time for the NSCN(IM) to touch down on ground reality, it asserted. It recalled that the NSCN(IM) was responsible for the killing of over 700 innocent people of the Kuki community, during its violent ethnic cleansing campaign of the 1990s, and by extension, also for the Naga brethren killed in the same conflict. Put against this backdrop, Muivah’s offer sounds hypocritical, the statement said, and urged the fraternal Naga people to reason against the narrow ethnic politics of the NSCN(IM). On its part, the UNLF, reiterated that the territorial integrity of the land now called Manipur is non-negotiable, and that the emotional unity of all the ethnic brothers of Manipur is inviolable. It also reiterated its commitment to protect the integrity and unity of Manipur at all costs. At the same time, the UNLF appealed to all concerned, particularly the peoples of Manipur, Arunachal, and Assam, to stay calm and forge amity and unity with sensible Naga peoples so as to defeat the divisive and reactionary forces in the region. http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=22012&typeid=1 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page Try My Yahoo! http://my.yahoo.com ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for anyone who cares about public education! http://us.click.yahoo.com/_OLuKD/8WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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