Assam journalists call for peace in the region

September 16th, 2009 GUWAHATI - Separatist leaders from various groups Wednesday warned that cadres in ceasefire mode in Assam were getting restive and threatening to go underground again as New Delhi was taking no steps to further the peace process after entering into a truce. At least eight influential rebel groups in Assam are operating ceasefires with the central government.

September 14th, 2009 GUWAHATI - Thousands of devotees visited the Dhekiakhuwa Bor Namghar, Temple of Vaishnavism in Assam to celebrate the 560th birth anniversary of Srimanta Sankardeva, the famed Vaishnavite saint and social reformer of the region. Spirituality, peace and unity formed the foundation of the month long birth anniversary celebration, which started from August 22.

September 13th, 2009 GUWAHATI - Hopes for an end to long years of violent bush war brightened in Assam with an influential tribal separatist group deciding to surrender en masse and hold peace talks with New Delhi, officials said here Monday. A police spokesperson said some 350 cadres and leaders of the outlawed Jewel Garlosa faction of the Dima Haolam Daogah (DHD-J), more popularly known as the Black Widow, have decided to surrender and join the peace process.

September 1st, 2009 GUWAHATI - The central government Tuesday rejected a unilateral ceasefire offered by the Black Widow separatist group in Assam and instead gave an ultimatum to the rebel group to surrender within 15 days and then begin peace talks. "It was decided to give an ultimatum to the Black Widow, asking them to surrender and lay down arms by Sep 15 and stay in designated camps and then only we would hold peace talks with them," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.

August 27th, 2009 GUWAHATI - Experts have claimed that a big earthquake might hit Assam shortly. "There is no accurate method of prediction of earthquake.

August 15th, 2009 GUWAHATI - Thousands of people across the northeast Saturday defied a shutdown called by separatists and celebrated India's Independence Day, officials said. "It is heartening to see people attending Independence Day functions despite calls by some militant groups to boycott the celebrations," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said after unfurling the national flag here.

August 11th, 2009 GUWAHATI - Modalities are being worked out for suspension of ongoing security operations, even as the Assam Government has agreed to start peace talks with the rebel Dima Halem Daogah (Jewel faction), said Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. Asserting that the State Government would hold talks on its own terms and conditions, Gogoi, however, clarified that DHD (J) rebels are eager to start the peace process.

July 29th, 2009 JORHAT - Protesting against the careless handling of a journalist's murder case by the CBI, scores of media persons took on to streets of Assam's Jorhat city on Wednesday. Holding placards and banners condemning the CBI's attitude in the handling of the case of Parag Das' murder, journalists gathered at the city's Rotary Club and marched through the all-important locations of the city.

May 23rd, 2009 AGARTALA/GUWAHATI - Economic stimuli and peace - that's what India's restive northeastern region is looking for as the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government begins its second term at the centre. Some of the eight northeastern states are also hoping for a repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which is aimed at tackling insurgency.

April 14th, 2009 GUWAHATI - The Journalists' Forum, Assam has condemned the attitude of Himanta Biswa Sharma, the State health minister and the spokesman of Assam government, for maligning the image of media persons in Assam, and asked him to identify the journalist, who had submitted the mobile call list of an individual to the minister. The forum expressed anguish that the particular journalist (who supplied the call list of Hiranya Saikia to Sharma) has compromised all values of journalism to take such a shameful act.

March 27th, 2009 GUWAHATI - The recent killing of a veteran journalist of a Assamese daily by unidentified gunmen here have sent shock waves across the media fraternity here. Anil Majumdar, a journalist and Executive Editor of Aji, an Assamese daily, was shot on point blank range in front of his house in Guwahati, the main city of Assam state.

March 26th, 2009 GUWAHATI - Police Thursday released a sketch of the suspected killer of murdered Assam editor Anil Mazumdar, even as three people were detained for interrogation, officials said. 'On the basis of an eyewitness account by Mazumdar's driver, we prepared a sketch of the killer who is about 5.3 feet tall and aged around 35,' Guwahati city police chief P.C.

March 22nd, 2009 GUWAHATI - Theatre groups in the North Eastern region are promoting national integration, peace and harmony through the medium of theatre. Street plays on peace that also dealt with problems caused by militancy were staged in different parts of Assam.

March 18th, 2009 IMPHAL/GUWAHATI - The upcoming parliamentary elections in the country have increased hopes in the northeast part of the country that a fresh stress would be given to further peace and development process would be promoted further after Lok Sabha polls. The general elections commence on April 16 and will last till May 13.

January 25th, 2009 GUWAHATI - People in the northeastern states of Assam, Tripura and Manipur defied a 17-hour general strike called by separatist rebels to boycott Monday's Republic Day by joining the celebrations, officials said. 'Despite a boycott call by militants it is heartening to find people coming to attend the Republic Day functions across the region,' Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said in the state's main city of Guwahati.