Development

MARIANI, Oct 21 ? Even though the situation in the Assam-Nagaland border areas is fast getting out of hand, with reports of incursions and Naga presence being reported every now and then, the authorities sitting in Dispur, Kohima and even New Delhi seem to be least concerned with the sensitive situation. The recent eviction drives conducted by the Assam government further aggravated the simmering tension prevalent along the border areas.

Being specific to the E-sector here in Jorhat district, the problem had started in 1963 after bifurcation when Naga men started to claim vast tracts of Assam...

AIZAWL, Oct 21? ?One of our prominent Mizo rebels has been rehabilitated in the Chief Minister?s office?, quipped a senior Mizo government officer when asked about the rehabilitation of the former Mizo underground cadres after the signing of the successful Mizo Accord of 1986.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga, a close aide of the Mizo rebel leader Laldenga who signed the Accord with the Central government has been leading the Mizo National Front (MNF) after the demise of Laldenga. The transition of the rebel group to a political party participating in electoral politics has not proved to be...

NEW DELHI, Oct 21 ? The Centre today gave the go ahead to Assam Government to open dialogue with the outlawed NDFB before announcing a formal ceasefire pact with the outfit. The talks are going to be held in the pattern of the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT).

The Centre?s clearance came after an hour-long meeting between Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil and Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi at North Block here this afternoon, which was also attended by top officials of the Ministry. Union Home Secretary, Dhirendra Singh, joint Secretary (North-East), Rajeev Agarwalla and IGP (SB), Khagen Sarma were...

IMPHAL, Oct 20 ? Manipur Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh, known to have an uncanny instinct for smelling political trouble in advance, has anointed soothing balm to the hurt feelings of the dissident Naga MLAs.

Ibobi, to blunt the voice of dissent raised against him, has made political chicanery with the promise that tainted and non-performing Ministers under his ministry will be dropped by the end of this year after assessing their performances and investigating a scam which was raised by the Opposition People?s Democratic Alliance in the state. The Chief Minister is...

DIMAPUR, Oct 20: Just ahead of the submission of its first report by the State Government constituted inquiry committee, the NSCN-K has claimed ?Al Qaeda footprints? in the October 2 Dimapur terror blasts case. The NSCN-K made the revelation through a release issued by Kughalu Mulatonu, a member of its Ceasefire Supervisory Board (CFSB).

He said that none but only terrorists could do such ?an evil act?. Whatever may be the truth, but the NSCN-K?s new statement is a clear indication that it no longer believes that its rival, NSCN-IM were involved in the blasts in any way.

Earlier, the same...

JORHAT, Oct 20: As recurring floods continue to shatter the State?s economy with alarming regularity, a book on the genesis of the problem has lately drawn Dr APJ Abdul Kalam?s attention.

Despatching a letter dated August 10 from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the Editor of the anthology Dr Prabhat Chandra Sabhapandit at his Nehru Park residence here, the missile man-turned President of India wrote: ?Thank you for sending me a copy of the book titled Flood problem of Assam: Cause and remedies.

Having gone through the volume, I liked chapters 11 and 12 in particular, where some good solutions to...

GUWAHATI, Oct 20 ? The joint task force constituted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) has suggested a slew of measures for enhancing bilateral trade between India and Myanmar.

The 30-page recommendations prepared after a detailed study in various areas will be presented before the Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and Aung Thaung, Ministry of Industry, Government of the Union of Myanmar on October 25 in New Delhi. The North East has been identified as a major trade point with Myanmar in which the...

GUWAHATI, Oct 20 ? The Sanmilita Jana-Gosthiya Sangram Samity (SJSS), which has been in the forefront in opposing the last Bodo peace accord, has once again demanded that the government?s talks with the banned NDFB, if it were to take place, should include representatives of all ethnic groups and political parties.

The SJSS has decided to stage a sit-in demonstration at the Dispur Last Gate on November 1 to press this demand, said deputy chief convenor Brajen Mahanta during a press conference here today. He said that including the non-Bodo people in the talks is of utmost importance to ensure...

ITANAGAR, Oct 19 ? Both the newly-elected Nationalist Congress Party legislators in Arunachal Pradesh have requested party president Sharad Pawar to ensure that they were given ministerial berths in the Gegong Apang ministry. The two legislators, Nikh Kamin and T Wanwham accompanied by Arunachal Pradesh party unit president Kabak Tacho, made the request when they called on Pawar at his New Delhi residence.

Tacho told PTI over phone from Delhi that they had asked Pawar to talk to the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in this regard. He said that the spirit of coalition between the NCP and the...

NEW DELHI, Oct 19: The needle of suspicion in the Dimapur bomb blasts pointed towards the involvement of the outlawed ULFA and ISI of Pakistan, Nagaland Chief Minister N Rio today told Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

The development came even as the Nagaland Chief Minister sought the intervention of the Ministry of Home Affair (MHA) in sorting out the Assam-Nagaland border dispute and complained about the shooting down of an innocent youth by CRPF in the inter-State border that led to sharp escalation of tension.

The Nagaland Chief Minister, accompanied by top State Government officials...