Decline in Assamese-speaking population in Bramhaputra valley

Guwahati, Aug 23 : The number of Assamese-speaking people in seven districts of the Brahmaputra Valley has registered a decline while that of the Bengali-speaking population has increased over a 10-year period from 1991 to 2001.

The 2001 Census data on the district and tehsil-wise language break-up stated that the population of Assamese speakers has declined in Barpeta, Darrang, Sonitpur, Morigaon, Bongaigaon, Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts.
Meanwhile, official sources said the decline had also been registered in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts, considered as relatively free from Bangladeshi infiltration.

Barpeta, Darrang, Sonitpur and Morigaon districts have a sizeable population of immigrant settlers, including indigenous Bengali-speaking Muslims from East Bengal, who had settled in Assam during pre-Partition days, and those who migrated from the erstwhile East Pakistan. Most of them mentioned Assamese as their mother tongue during successive Censuses.

Meanwhile, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) stated that these figures had only strengthened their long standing viewpoint that infiltration had been continuing unabated in the state.

In the three districts of the Barak valley - Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi - the Assamese population is much lesser than Bengali and Hindi speakers.

Interestingly, in Barpeta district, the number of Assamese speakers in 2001 was 7,74,229, down from 8,68,199, recorded during the 1991 Census. The number of Bengali speakers increased to 7,35,845 from 3,95,063.

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SoO signed, Truce Enforced with Kuki groups

Imphal, Aug 23 : After a series of turns and negotiations and brain storming sessions, the ground rules for the Suspension of Operations between the Government and Kuki armed groups, represented by the KNO and UPF were signed today.

While the KNO represents 11 groups, the UPF represents eight outfits.
From the side of the Centre, Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry in charge of North East, Navin Verma appended his signature to the agreement while the State Government was represented by Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia.

Eight members each from the KNO and the UPF also signed the agreement.

The signatories from the side of the KNO are its vice president Lanminthang Vaiphei, defence secretary TS Haokip, cabinet member TS German Kuki and another member Joshua Kuki while the signatories from the UPF include its general secretary ST Thangboi Kipgen, members Calvin H, TL Jacob Thadou and David Hangshing.

Talking to The Sangai Express an official source said that the Director in the Home Ministry AK Goyal and State IGP (Intelligence) LM Khaute were also present at the meeting today.

With the signing of the ground rules, the SoO has come into force, said the source and added that it will be for one year.

The agreement can be extended if there is mutual agreement and understanding, added the source.

The UPF had initially expressed its reservations over some points contained in the ground rules of the SoO, said the source and added that they eventually relented and signed the agreement after their doubts were clarified during the meeting.

Though no time frame has been set on when to start the peace talk, a Joint Monitoring Group headed by the State Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia has been formed.

One representative each from the KNO and UPF are also in the Monitoring Group.

Another meeting will be held to fix the date and place for the peace talk to start, informed the source further.

Some of the significant points of the ground rules include, issuing Identity cards to all the cadres of the two groups by the Government, payment of Rs 2000 to each cadre monthly for maintenance as well as identifying and building the designated camps.

The cadres will not be allowed to move out of the designated camps with arms and all designated camps will be located a good distance from the National Highways as well as international boundaries.

The outfits have been told to strictly adhere to the ground rules laid down.

When the talk starts it will be under the ambit of the Constitution of India, said the source and added that the territorial integrity of the State would not be compromised on account of the peace process.

In case cadres want to move out from their designated camps, then prior information should be given either to the State or Central forces for security.

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Northeast students add colour to youth exchange programme

Some 96 students from Seven Sisters participating in the programme. The programme is being held in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad

Let’s celebrate: Students of North Eastern States performing at the inauguration of Inter-State Youth Exchange programme at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam

They came attired in bright colored native costumes, with some sporting traditional headgear, playing their traditional instruments, attracting attention of all.It was a different experience for those who are used to attend academic and sober meetings at the TLN Sabha Hall on Andhra University campus here on Friday, thanks to the students from North Eastern States who are here as part of the inter-State youth exchange and home-stay programme for the youth of North Eastern Sates.
It was a pleasant surprise for Vice-Chancellor B. Satyanarayana and Registrar P.V.G.D. Prasada Reddy when all the 96 students of seven North Eastern States attending the programme, received them in their traditional manner and took them inside the hall singing songs, playing drums and clapping their hands. Prof. Satyanarayana met all the students individually.

This reception has prompted the Vice-chancellor to say that it was for the first time for him to see such a welcome being accorded to some one in his 40 years of association with the campus and he would never forget it.

Inaugurated
Prof. Satyanarayana, who inaugurated the programme, said such exercises would further strengthen the bonds between people of different regions. He wanted the students to derive the best out of the camp. They could experience the Andhra culture and the life style. The programme would be held in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad. The students would stay with local families from August 24 to 27 apart from going round the city and its important places and interacting with different sections. They would arrive in Hyderabad on August 28 and the valedictory function would be held on August 30, NSS Programme Coordinator of AU P. Ramachandra Rao said. The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs, Andhra University, NSS and the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development are jointly organising the programme.

Prof. Prasada Reddy, who presided over the inaugural session, said the youth would play an essential part in the national integration in a country which was having the unique quality of unity in diversity.

He urged the students to think about others and share their happiness with others. Assistant Programme Advisor of NSS Regional Centre (Hyderabad) K. Rajendran and former NSS Programme Coordinator of AU P.S. Dikshit said it was a wonderful opportunity for the students of the North East to understand the culture and different aspects of Andhra Pradesh. NSS Coordinator of North East States Tanusree Sarkar, Programme Officers of different States Tejan Tora (Meghalaya), A.K. Mishra (Arunachal Pradesh), Debojit Kolita (Asom), Subal Sharma (Regional Centre, Guwahati) and Biaki (Mizoram) also participated.

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Obama’s half-brother a slum dweller in Nairobi

Huruma (Nairobi): His birth certificate shows that he is Barack Obama’s half-brother. George Obama lives in Huruma slum in Nairobi, far away from the glamour of the US presidential campaign.

He says that Obama’s history helped him come to terms with his own past.
“I think I wanted to learn about my father the same way he did. He came here. He was searching for his roots. I was trying to find my roots,” says George.

Barack Obama, who first met George when the Kenyan was a young child, called the experience a ‘painful affair’. George shared the awkwardness.

“I think maybe you don’t have anything to say, it is like meeting someone for the first time,” George stated.

Barack Obama’s father left his family in America and came to Kenya where George Obama was born. They share the same father but they couldn’t have had more different paths.

While Barack Obama grew up in Hawaii and INdonesia and settled in Chicago swiftly gaining prominence, George Obama has led a very different life, growing up in the ramshackle slums of Nairobi.

Some of his neighbors feel that perhaps the candidate Obama should help the brother Obama.

“I am a Kenyan so definitely I would like to live in Kenya,’ says George.

George is training to be a mechanic and helping out his extended family as best he can. He says he knows why Barack Obama will be president.

“I think because he wants to be. I think in life what you want is what you are supposed to get,” says he.

George will be rooting for his brother come November while drawing inspiration from the story and history that they share.

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With pumps closing due to low stock motorists make a bee line for petrol being sold in black

Truce with Kuki groups
SoO signed, enforced
IMPHAL, Aug 22 : After a series of turns and negotiations and brain storming sessions, the ground rules for the Suspension of Operations between the Government and Kuki armed groups, represented by the KNO and UPF were signed today.
While the KNO represents 11 groups, the UPF represents eight outfits.
From the side of the Centre, Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry in charge of North East, Navin Verma appended his signature to the agreement while the State Government was represented by Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia.
Eight members each from the KNO and the UPF also signed the agreement.
The signatories from the side of the KNO are its vice president Lanminthang Vaiphei, defence secretary TS Haokip, cabinet member TS German Kuki and another member Joshua Kuki while the signatories from the UPF include its general secretary ST Thangboi Kipgen, members Calvin H, TL Jacob Thadou and David Hangshing.
Talking to The Sangai Express an official source said that the Director in the Home Ministry AK Goyal and State IGP (Intelligence) LM Khaute were also present at the meeting today.
With the signing of the ground rules, the SoO has come into force, said the source and added that it will be for one year. The agreement can be extended if there is mutual agreement and understanding, added the source.
The UPF had initially expressed its reservations over some points contained in the ground rules of the SoO, said the source and added that they eventually relented and signed the agreement after their doubts were clarified during the meeting.
Though no time frame has been set on when to start the peace talk, a Joint Monitoring Group headed by the State Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia has been formed. One representative each from the KNO and UPF are also in the Monitoring Group.
Another meeting will be held to fix the date and place for the peace talk to start, informed the source further.
Some of the significant points of the ground rules include, issuing Identity cards to all the cadres of the two groups by the Government, payment of Rs 2000 to each cadre monthly for maintenance as well as identifying and building the designated camps.
The cadres will not be allowed to move out of the designated camps with arms and all designated camps will be located a good distance from the National Highways as well as international boundaries.
The outfits have been told to strictly adhere to the ground rules laid down.
When the talk starts it will be under the ambit of the Constitution of India, said the source and added that the territorial integrity of the State would not be compromised on account of the peace process.
In case cadres want to move out from their designated camps, then prior information should be given either to the State or Central forces for security.
Railway line
By Our staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 22: Notwithstanding the declaration of Jiribam-Imphal railway line as a National project by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, survey work for the Tupul-Imphal section of the railway line is yet to be started. Moreover, revised compensation proposal for standing crops likely to be affected by the railway line has not been submitted to the Government by Horticulture Department and PWD till date. The 125.7 kms long Tupul-Imphal section was slated for completion by 2014. Nevertheless, with the completion of survey work on Jiribam-Tupul section, track laying work has been started from Jiribam side, informed an official source. As the Horticulture Department and PWD are unable to submit revised compensation proposal for standing crops likely to be affected by the railway project, the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary are unable to take up steps for distribution of due compensation. The Jiribam-Tupul section of the project with estimated cost of Rs 2714 crores is targeted for completion by 2012. The railway line will pass through 25 tunnels and 135 small bridges and 35 large ones. There has been no security deployment at Govakot, Hangoipat and Thingaou for implementation of the railway project even though security deployment at these places were deemed necessary.

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