Delhi School Starts ‘Northeast India Studies Programme’

via Northeast Today on March 13, 2015

Delhi: As a special initiative to conduct comparative and collaborative research on the Northeast that informs public policy away from the rhetorical categories that see the Northeast as a problem, the Delhi School of Economics has started a “Northeast India Studies Programme.”

In the last few years, the Northeast region has hit the national headlines for reasons ranging from the Armed Forces Special Powers Act to the insurgency problem to illegal migration from Bangladesh to being victims of violence in metropolitan cities due to their culture and lifestyle, Dr Kamei Aphun, the convenor of the programme, said as he explained its objective.

“This programme aims to have exchange with the Northeast, accelerate social science research by attracting the best PhD scholars and leverage the strengths of the department in comparative research along with closely collaborating with other academic and policy-research institutions such as the Asian Dialogue Society, Singapore; Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia University, print and digital media. This will be the first such programme in the country,” added Dr Aphun.

Appreciating the effort, Robin Hibu, joint commissioner of police and Northeast nodal officer, Delhi police, said, “As a policeman and nodal officer for the Northeast, I feel that such scholarly work should reach out to as large an audience as possible, let your research be available to all, share it with us, policy makers, the youth and give solutions.

I am connected to over 18 lakh Northeast youth from around the world through our FB page and receive hundreds of complaints, suggestions and comments everyday. I feel these youth feel left out somewhere or the other. The benefits of developmental policies have not reached equitably.”

Speaking on what the youth from the Northeastern states feel, Mr Hibu said, “They say they are made to feel like outsiders, like ‘exotic’ people, who are different from others. They want the academia to change perceptions, trap the potential and hope of the youth through their research. Every tribe in the Northeast has its own way of life and we have to accept those differences.”

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Loktak Lake Among Earth’s 14 Amazing Waterbodies

 via Assam Tribune on March 12, 2015

Loktak Lake

IMPHAL: Manipur’s Loktak lake is the sole waterbody in India that has been listed among 14 most amazing waterbodies on Earth in BBC’s Strange and Beautiful list in its website.

The amazing waterbodies on the earth include a spring that bubbles like champagne to a lake that changes colour.

Loktak Lake in India “is speckled by phumdis: large, circular masses of intertwined vegetation, soil and other organic matter. The largest phumdi covers over 40 sq km.”

“Rich in biodiversity, the lake is home to threatened animals like Indian pythons and hoolock gibbons,” says the BBC site. “It also supplies water to a hydropower project.”

The other most beautiful waterbodies in this planet Earth include multi-coloured Grand Prismatic Spring of USA, Canada’s Lake Manicougan which covers an area of 2,000 sq km and Spotted Lake, Plitvice Lakes of Croatia, Pamukkale Travertine Terraces of Turkey, Boiling Lake of Dominica, Blood Falls of Antarctica, Lake Retba of Senegal, Kelimutu Crater Lakes of Indonesia, Champagne Pool of New Zealand, Caño Cristales of Colombia and Salar de Uyuni of Bolivia.

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Blast in Manipur; 3 Killed, 23 Injured

via Northeast Today on March 12, 2015

Representational photo

IMPHAL: At least three people were killed and 23 injured in a powerful bomb blast at a crowded marketplace here in the Manipur capital on Wednesday evening, police said. Some media reports said four people were killed in the explosion triggered by a separatist outfit.

“An IED (improvised explosive device) planted near a chicken shop at Khwairamband Keithel exploded, killing three people on the spot and wounding 23 others, including women,” a police official said.

Inspector General of Police Clay Khongsai had earlier said that three people were dead and 21 were injured. The injured, most of them either shoppers or vendors, were immediately taken to the central government run Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

Local media reports said another man succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, taking the toll to four. Police officials were unavailable to confirm the death of the fourth person. RIMS sources said the condition of at least six of the wounded was critical.

Among those killed, two were non-locals. One was identified as Mithu Yadav, a resident of Bihar, while the identity of the other person was yet to be ascertained. The third person killed in the blast was identified as Md. Suman Khan, a resident of Kshetri Awang Leikai of Imphal East district.

Police officials along with additional security forces have rushed to the spot and launched a combing operation to nab those responsible for the blast. No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast. Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh condemned the blast.

Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, who also holds the home portfolio, told reporters: “We have asked police to nab the militants responsible for the blasts at any cost.” Manipur has about 40 militant outfits. While more than 20 armed groups have tripartite ceasefire agreements with the state and central governments, the Coordination Committee, an umbrella group of six militant outfits, has been rejecting an offer of peace talks.

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Northeast to get its own Film Production Centre

via TNT 

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has revealed that a centre for film production will be set up in the Northeast region of the country.

“A centre for film production would be set up in the Northeast,” he said, presenting the union budget in parliament.

The government has laid special emphasis on developing the Northeastern region of the country, he added.

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If Buddhism is so Good Why are some Buddhist Countries Poor?

Question: If Buddhism is so good why are some Buddhist countries poor?

Answer: If by poor you mean economically poor, then it is true that some Buddhist countries are poor. 

But if by poor you mean a poor quality of life, then perhaps some Buddhist countries are quite rich. 

America for example, is an economically rich and powerful country but the crime rate is one of the highest in the world, millions of old people are neglected by their children and die of loneliness in old people's homes, domestic violence and child abuse are major problems. One in three marriages end in divorce and pornography is a major industry. 

Rich in terms of money but perhaps poor in terms of the quality of life. 

Now take traditional Buddhist countries. Some are economically backward but parents are honored and respected by their children, their crime rates are relatively low, divorce and suicide are almost unheard of, domestic violence and child abuse, pornography and sexual license are not common. Economically backward but perhaps a higher quality of life than in a country like America. 

But even if we judge Buddhist countries in terms of economics alone, one of the wealthiest and most economically dynamic countries in the world today is Japan where a large percentage of the population call themselves Buddhists.

source: https://www.facebook.com/buddhisminbangladesh.bbu

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PCJSS Vehemently Condemns and Protests the Heinous Attack on Convoy of J B Larma and Demands Immediate Arrest and Punishment of the Attackers

via PCJSS on March 12, 2015

Bandarban (CHT): The Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), in a press release signed by PCJSS assistant information and publicity secretary Sajib Chakma dated 11 March 2015, vehemently condemns and protests the heinous attack and at the same time demands immediate arrest and awarding punishment to the those who involved in the attack and provide proper treatment with compensation to the wounded persons.

With a view to foil the pre-scheduled Bandarban official visit of Chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council and also President of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) Mr. Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, a 72-hour strike to be in force from 11 May to 13 May 2015 was called by the Anti-CHT Accord elements and ultra-nationalist & ultra-communalist groups under the banner of so-called ‘Jago Parbattyabasi’ (Awake Hill Dwellers) and a heinous attack was carried upon Mr. Larma’s convoy in presence of administration and law & order forces at Balaghata of Bandarban proper Upazila by them on 11 May 2015 while the convoy was on its way to Bandarban.

The attack claimed at least 12 members of PCJSS and Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP) (Hill Students Council) to have been wounded. Among them the seriously wounded are ─ General Secretary of Bandarban Thana Branch of PCJSS Pushwe Thowai Marma (40), member of Bandarban District Branch of PCP Parimal Chakma (23), member of Lemuchhari Branch of PCP Swapan Tanchangya, member of Kualong UP Branch of PCJSS & Karbari of Koiyapara village Mong Ba Thowai Marma (52), member of Balaghata Banch of PCP Rocky Tanchangya and member of PCJSS Rambabu Marma (60). They have been admitted to Bandarban Sadar Hospital in critical condition. Puchwe Thowai Marma was made seriously wounded by striking with a sharp weapon in head and body. Later on, as the condition deteriorated, Rambabu Marma, Mong Ba Thowai Marma and Rocky Tanchangya were sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

It is learnt that when Mr. Larma’s convoy reached Balaghata of Bandarban Town, the terrorists attacked on the last moving vehicle one jeep and two motorcycles. The terrorists set fire on one of the motorcycles dring the attack. It is learnt that the attack was led by Abidur Rahaman, kamal Uddin, Nurul Alam, Golam Sarwar, Abdul jalil, siraj Khalipha and Yasmin Chowdhury, at the incitement fuelled by Mujibul Haque, general secretary of Awami League Bandarban District Branch and also member of Bandarban Hill District Council and Zabed Reza, Convener of Bandarban District Sweswasebak Dal (BNP’s wing organisation) and also Mayor of Bandarban Municipality. A few anti-accord terrorists of UPDF also helped Bengali settlers to attack the convoy.

The chronological events reveal that firstly, a two-day strike was declared in a Press Conference held at the Press Club on 11-03-2015 under ‘Jago Parbattyabasi’ (Awake Hill Dwellers) banner, and later, it was extended up to 72 hours on receiving information of J B Larma’s stay in Bandarban till Friday. Speakers attended the press conference were ─ Abidur Rahman, Joint-Convener of District Juba Dal (a BNP wing organization); Abdul Jalil, General Secretary of District Shramik League (an Awami League wing organization); Kamal Uddin, General Secretary of District Shramik Dal (a BNP wing organization); Sirajul Islam alias Siraj Khalipha, President of Awami League municipality Ward No. 9 branch, among others (Daily Prothom Alo, 11 March 2015). While speaking in the conference, though they tried to justify their calling for strike by highlighting the lame excuse of increase in the extortion cases, yet they concluded in saying that their calling for strike is in protest of Santu Larma’s visit to Bandarban.

It has become an established fact the local leadership of the national level political parties such as Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamat-E-Islam, Jatiya Party and the like have been playing an anti-CHT Accord and anti-Jumma-interest role since long. It is worthy to be mentioned that the Bengali people associated with these political parties get united irrespective of their political affiliation while playing anti-CHT Accord and anti-Jumma-interest role. Though these parties traditionally maintain a ‘logger-heads’ relation among them at national level, the Bengali people hailing from these parties do not hesitate to re-appear in a single file under various upstart organizational banners, such as, Samo Odhikar Andolan, Parbatya Gano Parishad, Parbatya Nagorik Front, Parbatya Juba Front, Jago Parbattyabasi, etc. Obviously, their main objective is to foil the implementation of CHT Accord, to stand against movement of the Jumma peoples and over all to turn the non-Muslim dominated region into a Muslim-dominated region by hook or by crook. The incidents of Bagachari-Naniarchar on 16 December 2014, communal attack on 10 January 2015 in Rangamati and attack on J B Larma’s convoy on 11 March 2015 are the genre to have occurred as the latest.

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Integration of North-East with ASEAN on agenda

via The Assam Tribune on March 10, 2015

NEW DELHI: Integration of the north-eastern region with the ASEAN is on the agenda of the seventh edition of the Delhi Dialogue that gets under way here tomorrow.

The Chief Ministers of NE states have been invited to be part of the inaugural session of DD VII in the ASEAN-India strategic partnership. So far, the External Affairs Ministry has received confirmation from the Chief Ministers of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur and a Minister from Assam for the event. Other state governments will send senior representatives, official sources said.

“The North-east is our land bridge to South East Asia. As in the previous years, ways of integrating North-east India with the ASEAN region, as envisioned in India’s ‘Act East Policy’ would also be discussed,” said Secretary (East) Anil Wadhwa while briefing newsmen.

Since last May, there has been an increased focus on India’s eastern neighbourhood and beyond. The government has moved with a great sense of priority and speed to transform India’s ‘Look East Policy’ into an ‘Act East Policy’ and ASEAN-India relationship is the foundation of India’s ‘Act East Policy’, he said.

“This year’s Delhi Dialogue assumes even more salience on two accounts. One, it comes in a year, which is a milestone in the history of ASEAN, as it moves towards the ASEAN Economic Community which is the culmination of decades-old economic integration efforts to create a free market for goods, services, investment, capital, and skilled labour. Secondly, it comes at a time, when our own foreign policy has entered an era of new vigour and dynamism as our erstwhile ‘Look East Policy’ transforms into an ‘Act East Policy’, the Secretary said.

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