‘Even if the talks fail, ULFA leaders will never return to jungle life’

The Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan, a forum of prominent citizens, intellectuals and organisations from Assam, was instrumental in bringing the leadership of the United Liberation Front of Asom or ULFA forward for talks. In an interview, the forum’s convener Hiren Gohain tells TEHELKA’s Ratnadip Choudhury about the prospects. Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan Convener Hiren Gohain With the modalities...

Fight For Naga Sovereignty Continues

Demand for ‘Frontier Nagaland’ fails to get enough attention, believe community leaders By Avalok Langer The Telangana issue has made it to the mainstream media, but the demand to bifurcate Nagaland and Manipur has somehow to not found its 15 minutes of fame. Earlier this month, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) vocalised its demand through the media for a separate state...

Exploration For Hydrocarbon Deposits Begin in Mizoram

Aizawl, Feb 3 : Drilling for oil and gas exploration began near Meidum village in Kolasib district in the north western part of Mizoram from Tuesday, official sources said. H Lallenmawia, joint director of the state geology and mineral resources department said, "This time we are extremely optimistic of finding hydrocarbon deposits as the drilling is undertaken after proper investigation with state-of-the-art...

Mizoram Anticipating Security Problems Post-Kaladan

By Rahul Karmakar Guwahati, Feb 3 : Mizoram, the ‘island of peace’ in the Northeast, fears security problems after the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport becomes operational. New Delhi and Yangon had in April 2008 inked an agreement for the $ 120 million Kaladan project to be funded by India. The project envisages developing a trade route between India and Myanmar along river Kaladan....

Jeopardising Peace For Politics

By S.K. Sinha Assam is the key state of the Northeast (N-E). Its population is more than double the combined population of the remaining seven states of the region and its natural resources, in terms of oil, tea and minerals, far surpass those of all the other N-E states. Its geo-strategic location is crucial — the western district abuts the narrow Siliguri corridor. Surface communications to...

Ethnic Strife-Hit Pupils May Miss Board Examinations

Shillong, Feb 3 : Over 200 hundred students, displaced in the recent ethnic clashes along the Assam-Meghalaya border, may miss their X or XII board exams beginning in the first week of March, though authorities concerned are trying to prevent that from happening. Officials of the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education ( MBoSE) led by its president will visit the violence-hit Mendipathar area of East...

California Superbike School India is a Hit!

By Varad More Photography by Aditya Bedre The best known motorcycle training programme in the world, California Superbike School was in India last week and it helped several motorcycle enthusiasts in the country refine and hone their riding techniques within the controlled environs of the MMST race-track near Chennai. After a successful stint last year, this year the California Superbike School...

I Quit, Says Mubarak

As a million protesters hit the streets, Egyptian leader finally gives in President Mubarak confirms he is to stand down at election Military holding good to pledge not to fire on peaceful protesters King Abdullah of Jordan sacks prime ministers after protests 18,000 passengers stranded at Cairo Airport in dash to escape Foreign Office to send charter planes tomorrow to pick up British...