The Guwahati based journalist and a regular contributor to 'Assam Times', Nava Thakuria has been awarded with the first media fellowship on refugee issues sponsored by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES). The Fellowship with the theme, 'The Chins of Myanmar: Refugee Life in a Distant Neighbour', with a focus on Protection and Durable Solutions for the Chin ethnic group from Western Myanmar, which lives in challenging conditions in the Northeast as well as in New Delhi starts from 1 March to 31 May.
The announcement was made by a Committee comprising Mr. Sanjoy Hazarika, C-NES Managing Trustee, journalist and editor, Ms. Pamela Philipose, Independent Journalist and Ms. Nayana Bose of the UNHCR on February 15 last. The awardee Mr Thakuria has written extensively on issues related to Burma (Myanmar). Thakuria is a regular contributor to many acclaimed newspaper and portals based in Guwahati, Kolkata, New Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Seoul, London and California and his special areas of interest include socio-political developments in Northeast India with Burma, Bhutan and Bangladesh
It may be mentioned that Mizoram, a Burma bordering Northeast Indian state gives shelter to nearly 40,000 Chin refugees. Those Burmese citizens fled their country to get rid of the atrocities of the present regime named State Peace and Development Council. Led by the Senior General Than Shwe, the SPDC is identified as one of the worst human rights violators in the globe.
The refugees started fleeing Burma after the 1988 uprising for restoration of democracy in the land of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Thousand of Burmese have already sacrificed their precious lives supporting the pro-democracy movement led by the Great Lady. Many of them left Burma to live an exile live in its neighbouring Thailand, India, Bangladesh and many other countries around the globe.
"The effort is to build capacity and better understanding among journalists interested in refugee issues, especially at the middle-level, but also to publish their findings and observations extensively in the Indian media," said Sanjoy Hazarika, Managing Trustee of C-NES. It is an opportunity for the journalist to look at issues relating to refugee movements into the country, the condition of refugees, the problems of mixed migration (refugee movements combined with economic/environmental international migrants).
Carol Batchelor, Chief of Mission, UNHCR India, while mentioning the fellowship to study the refugee issue said, "It is hoped that through this opportunity for an in-depth review of refugee issues, journalists will be strengthened in their efforts to inform public opinion." There are two other fellowships, applications for which are welcome, one on "The need for a refugee specific legislation in India" (to be announced in May 2008) and another on Sri Lankan refugees (to be announced in August 2008). The programme is aimed to research and write on the issue comprising the protection and durable solution of the refugee problem.
The 28th Assam Convention was held at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Boston, Massachusetts on Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 1 amidst much fun fare. For the first time ever in the history of Assam Association of North America (AANA) conventions, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam addressed the gathering on June 30 in an attractive ‘Town Hall’ format meeting, where everyone got a chance to ask the Chief Minister, Mr.Tarun Gogoi about their home state Assam. The Chief Minister was accompanied by A.K.Sachan, IAS and Hemanga Sarma, IAS and answered questions on a variety of topics ranging from flood situation in Guwahati to NRI investment in Assam, education, AIDS/HIV etc....
Agartala: Gandhism is catching and fast. This time it is the turn of surrendered militants of National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT-BM) to follow the Gandhism path alleging that the State Government has still not fulfilled their demands. Mantu Koloi alongwith 72 armed cadres had surrendered before security forces in May, 2004 following an agreement with the State Government. But Koloi says that till date the State Government has not taken any steps towards the fulfilment of promises which were made at the time of their surrender.The former rebel leader said that as such they have been compelled to organize a semi-nude march towards the Governor House on July 25 to apprise Governor DN...
Indian companies are rapidly expanding their global footprint, often through acquisitions funded by canny investors who have recognised the competence of Indian managers and the skills they bring to the table. But there is a flipside to this. An estimated one-fifth of India’s current workforce from shop-floor workers to top managers which has played a crucial part in the transformation of Indian business will be out of the workforce by the year 2010. And the reason is that they would have passed India’s absurdly low retirement age of 58 in most corporate organizations and 60 in a few. It is a well know fact that it is felt that India’s much-touted ‘demographic...
GUWAHATI : Indian Bank opened its first all woman manned branch of in the GNB Road in the city. According to the Bank sources, this is the first all woman branch of Indian Bank in the country.The bank was inaugurated by Ms Sundara Rajan, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Indian Bank. Ms Rajan speaking on the occasion had high expectations from the Branch and said that if the is model is successful, Indian Bank would look at opening many such branches in the Country. The Reserve Bank of India, Regional Director, Ms Sewali Choudhury was also present on the occasion.
Guwahati : Assam’s flood situation has taken a grim turn on Tuesday as the Brahmaputra and its tributaries are flowing at an alarming level. The situation has gone from bad to worse following incessant rainfall during the last 24 hours.Officials here say all surface communications in the worst-hit Dhemaji district are still remaining disrupted which has left lakhs of people displaced. With fresh rainfall in some places in the morning more areas in the district have come under the surging waters. The water levels had showed a receding trend on Monday. According to officials engaged in the relief works, the district administration is providing shelter to the marooned people in four...
As what is seen as a precedence for many such moves in the future, a proposal to raise the retirement age from 58 to 60 years for employees of profit-making central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) has been approved by the Union Cabinet. The ministries which are responsible for the administration of the respective companies would be empowered to approve the proposals of CPSEs to enhance the age of retirement of its employees from 58 to 60 years, provided that these companies have made net profits for the last three years continuously and should have positive net worth on a sustained basis, government officials said. “This benefit will be available to only those PSUs that have not...
There are floods in Balipara now. Reports have come in that there are twelve villages which are under water. Water is receding but the situation is still grim. Emergency services have been pressed into operation
GUWAHATI: Caught in a Catch-22 situation, Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, is willing to hand over the probe into the killing of Phul Chand Ram to the CBI but has said that this will not stop the flow of investments into the state.Talking to the reporters on Monday, Mr Gogoi says his government will soon order a CBI inquiry into the crossfire which left the FCI executive director Dr Ram killed.“We are always against allowing rebel groups to hold people for ransom by kidnapping officials and setting conditions for their safe release. I rejected the plea of the Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to release ULFA top guns Mrinal Hazarika and Pallab Chetia for release of Dr Ram as...
Guwahati: In connection with the abduction and recovery of the dead bodies of the CCI Manager Kailash Jha and PWD junior Engineer Ajay Kumar Deka, the City Police has arrested five persons, inlcuding an Army officer, for kidnap and murder of Deka. They have been identified as Lance Naik Akon Kumar Das, Jitu Choudhury, Rinku Choudhury, Subhas Das and Amar Thapa. While Jitu and Rinku, both brothers, were arrested from Baksa district last night, Subhas Das and Amar Thapa, both surrendered ULFA rebels, were arersted from Pathsala, Barpeta today. Sources said that the late Deka took Rs. 7 lakh assuring to provide them jobs.Meanwhile the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has condemned the incident...
Mumbai : Sunita Bhuyan, daughter of famed violinist, Minoti Khaund has been carving her own niche in India’s cultural and corporate world. Bhuyan has been performing in various functions and meets in India alongwith her mother as well as independently. With corporates, she has been presenting workshops on music as a tool for holistic development of corporate executives across various international forums. Recently she had given a performance at NCPA in Mumbai about the influence of classical ragas on some of the Assamese folk music styles. “Bihu is a popular form of folk song as well as dance,” said Bhuyan, who explored the folk, devotional and contemporary music of...
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