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                          Vol.3, No.35  [*]  May 29, 1998
                          -------------------------------
                          S P E C I A L * 200 * I S S U E
 
             It's important to know what people expect from you.
              Then, of course, you surprise them by giving more.
                            - Alfred Hitchcock
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

1  PRO-MAHANTA CAMP CLAIMS SUPPORT OF 53 MLAs	          [AT:29-MAY-98]
   ------------------------------------------
   
   The 12-day long crises over the leadership of the ruling AGP  on  May
   28 took a new turn as party general secretary Nagen Sarma claimed the
   support of  53  MLAs  to  the  leadership  of  Mr P.K.Mahanta.  Their
   support came at a hurriedly convened meet at  the  residence  of  the
   Chief Minister and it was attended by 46 MLAs.
   
   It  may  be  mentioned that the Education Minister Thaneswar Boro had
   resigned from the two-year-old Mahanta Ministry on May 27.   Mr  Boro
   is the third Cabinet Minister after Atul Bora and Pradeep Hazarika to
   resign  from  the  Ministry, while another senior minister Jatin Mali
   was dropped from the Ministry in the ongoing political turmoil.
   
   Meanwhile, the dissident leader, Mr Atul Bora said that  parading  of
   53  MLAs  in  front  of  newsmen  was  neither  legally  tenable  nor
   politically acceptable.  He alleged that  the  MLAs  were  bought  by
   dangling the carrot of giving them ministerial berths and threatening
   with   the   stick   of  dissolving  the  Assembly  and  recommending
   President's rule.  He demanded holding of the AGP  legislature  party
   meeting and a secret ballot to prove the majority support of Mahanta.
   

2  AASU-BODY FOR AXOM UNNATI XABHA (AUX) FORMED		   [S:28-MAY-98]
   --------------------------------------------
  
   The AASU  on  May  27  announced  the  constitution  of  a  31-member
   preparatory committee with Mr Satyabrata Kalita as the chief convenor
   of  the proposed Axom Unnati Xabha, a non-political body, to work out
   an action plan on the multifarious  socio-politico-economic  problems
   of  the  State. The January convention of the AASU in Guwahati mooted
   the idea of constituting the non-political body with active  branches
   in all the 126 Assembly segments of the State.
   
   The  preparatory  committee  comprising leading citizens representing
   all ethnic groups of Assam will strive to constitute the body  so  as
   to  work  out an agenda on the multifarious problems of the State and
   suggest solutions to the vexed issue safeguarding the identity of the
   composite Assamese society from unabated influx of foreigners.
   

3  MASSIVE PROTEST OVER PLAN TO SETTLE REFUGEES		   [S:28-MAY-98]
   --------------------------------------------
   
   The  proposed  move  by  the  present  AGP Government to settle 4,000
   families of refugees of the Kokrajhar and  Bongaigaon  riots  in  the
   Charkebasti  area,  adjacent  to  the Lumding Reserve Forest in Hojai
   subdivision, has snowballed  into  a  bitter  controversy  as  social
   groups,  political  parties  and  students'  organizations  have come
   forward with sharp protests against the move,  and  have  warned  the
   Government  that if it goes ahead with the move the consequences will
   be unimaginably serious.  The most fierce opposition  has  come  from
   the  Hojai District Committee of the AGP and Lanka Anchalik Students'
   Union.
   

4  BLT CASTIGATES ULFA ON NSCN's CAMPAIGN		   [S:28-MAY-98]
   --------------------------------------
   
   The banned Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) has strongly protested against
   the  recent  statement of the ULFA which had warned the NSCN(I-M) not
   to seek to usurp Assam's territory into `greater Nagaland' and  said,
   this only smacked of the ULFA's usurping the right to speak on behalf
   of the aboriginal people of Assam.
   
   In an statement faxed to  The  Sentinel  by  the  outfit's  publicity
   secretary,  the  BLT said the ULFA was neither the Government nor any
   responsible organization of the Assamese people. It said, the  ULFA's
   claim of solidarity with the NDFB, the other Bodo militant outfit, in
   their  fight  for  sovereignty, was also not acceptable because while
   the ULFA propagated  that  it  was  committed  to  Assam's    present
   politico-geographic  area,  the NDFB wanted sovereignty for a part of
   the present Assam. It said, the BLT, therefore, rejects the  idea  of
   launching a joint fight with the ULFA.
   

5  TWO SHOT DEAD BY NDFB ULTRAS, 3 POLICEMEN INJURED     [PTI:26-MAY-98]
   -------------------------------------------------
   
   Two persons were shot dead while three policemen were injured in  two
   separate incidents  in  Assam  on May 26.  Sadananda Boro and his son
   Subhash Boro were shot  dead  by  armed  militants  of  the  NDFB  at
   Atrikona village   in  Barpeta  district.    Inter-gang  rivalry  was
   believed to be the reason behind the killing.  In  another  incident,
   armed Bodo militants fired on a police picket near the Bangtol relief
   camp in  Bongaigaon  district.    The  police  retaliated  and in the
   ensuing encounter three policemen were injured.

6  SCHOOL PRINCIPAL SHOT DEAD AT KALIABOR		  [AT:28-MAY-98]
   --------------------------------------
   
   Four  unidentified  youths  gunned  down   the   principal   of   the
   Jakhalabandha  High School, Mr Lalit Chandra Bora at his residence on
   May 27.  His wife was also critically injured in the incident and has
   been hospitalized.  Mr Bora died on way to hospital.  Property  deals
   are suspected to be the reason behind the killing.
   
   In a separate incident, Dhiren Das (55) and his wife Geeta  Das  (44)
   have  been missing since the evening of May 22 from the hospital road
   at Tangla. They were both returning from a relative's  house  in  the
   town  to their residence at Subhaspalli. They remained untraced since
   about 8 pm on that day. Some suspect they might have been kidnapped.
   

7  HC ALLOWS PILLION RIDING, POLICE CRACKDOWN	          [AT:26-MAY-98]
   ------------------------------------------
   
   Gauhati High Court  has  permitted  pillion  riding  on  two-wheelers
   provided riders comply with the proviso of the Motor Vehicle Act.  As
   per  the  Act, wearing of protective headgear is mandatory for riders
   of two-wheelers -- the driver as well as the pillion rider.
   
   It  may  be mentioned that one Nasir Hussain and three others filed a
   petition  in   the   High   Court   against   the   Kamrup   district
   administration's   order  to  ban  pillion  riding  in  two-wheelers.
   Advocates who appeared in the Court on  behalf  of  the  petitioners,
   contended  that  no order banning pillion riding can be passed by the
   Government under the provisions of the Section 144 Cr.  Penal Code.
   
   Meanwhile, Guwahati police  launched  a  crack  down  on  helmet-less
   pillion  riders for violating the standing orders of the Gauhati High
   Court.
   
   (Government  has  been  resorting  to  such  bans in a bid to prevent
   militants using two-wheelers for their antisocial activities.    This
   has  been  a cause of concern and resentment among the general public
   who were severely affected by such bans.  - Mozz)
   
   Meanwhile, the Kamrup district administration on May 25 again  banned
   tinted glasses  in  vehicles.  The earlier ban was initially enforced
   strictly but had to be given up when pressure was mounted by  certain
   circle to  relax  it  in their case.  It may be recalled that several
   cases of sensational killings  in  Guwahati  had  been  committed  by
   assassins from  vehicles  with tinted glasses.  The ban was reimposed
   after it was found that killers of noted journalist Parag  Kumar  Das
   had used a vehicle with tinted glasses.  Most of the SULFA youths use
   tinted glass in their vehicles, sources said.
   

8  CENTRE REJECTS PLEA FOR WAIVING LOANS		  [AT:29-MAY-98]
   -------------------------------------
   
   The Centre has turned  down  the  pleas  of  Assam  and  three  other
   Northeastern  States for waiving off Central loans due repayment from
   them.  Prime Minister Atal Behai Vajpayee clarified this at the Rajya
   Sabha in New Delhi on May 28 by disclosing that there was no proposal
   as  such  to  waive  off  loans  of  the  Notheastern  States   under
   consideration of  the  Union Government.  Assam, Manipur, Tripura and
   Mizoram have represented to the Centre in the past  for  writing  off
   the loan  outstanding  against  their  States.    As  on March, Assam
   Government's debt servicing laiability for the current financial year
   (1998-99) is estimated to be Rs.7.21 billion.
   

9  FOUNDATION STONE OF INDUSTRIAL GROWTH CENTRE LAID	   [S:28-MAY-98]
   -------------------------------------------------
   
   Assam  Chief Minister, P.K.Mahanta while laying the foundation of the
   first Industrial Growth Centre at Dhekidol under Balipara development
   block, 15 km from Tezpur, on May 27 stressed on maintaining peace and
   tranquility for all round development of the State.  He  appealed  to
   the people to take advantage of the proposed industrial growth centre
   to  be  set  up  at  a  cost  of  Rs.254.4  million including central
   assistance of Rs.150 million for self-employment of the youth.
   

10 BROKEN BRIDGES OF THE WEEK			          [AT:28-MAY-98]
   --------------------------
  
   As  many  as three photographs of broken and dilapidated bridges were
   published in the Assam  Tribune.    In  the  first  photo  captioned,
   `Highway to  hell:   Most of the wooden bridges on the NH-53 are in a
   pitiable state.  (Photo Sobhapati Samon)', shows loose wooden  planks
   carefully arranged by people to allow a passenger bus to move across.
   
   In the second picture captioned, `A view of the  wooden  bridge  over
   the  Kapilee  river at Rani, lying in a deplorable state.' shows four
   young boys standing on the bridge without the  protective  side  bars
   and a portion of the road eroded by the river waters.
   
   In the third photograph captioned, `The damaged bridge over the  Nona
   river across the Rangiya-Barajol PWD road is yet to be reconstructed.
   In  the  absence  of  which,  poor  villagers have to use a temporary
   bamboo bridge as an alternative means of communication.',  shows  the
   bridge on  a  dried  up  river.  One woman and a child walking ahead,
   while a turbaned Sikh man pushing his scooter behind, over the narrow
   and weak bamboo portion of the original wooden bridge.
   

11 REPAIR OF PWD ROAD BY PUBLIC AT NAMRUP		   [S:28-MAY-98]
   --------------------------------------
   
   The  populace  of  Namrup township, frustrated with the apathetic and
   whimsical attitude of the PWD  authorities,  and  the  negligence  of
   public sector undertakings located at Namrup, towards maintenance and
   development  of the lone PWD road, running through the township, came
   forward to repair the road, being inspired by a group of  enlightened
   citizens.   Despite  repeated appeals in different platforms, neither
   the PWD nor the PSUs came forward to mend the road.
   

12 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK		[S+AT:28-MAY-98]
   --------------------------------------
   
   A Snow-loris (Nyticebus coucang) was rescued from poachers on May  24
   by  the  members  of  Vikash  Prayasthi Sangha at Udalguri and it was
   handed over to the Forest Department (Wildlife) at Tezpur. The mammal
   was caught in Belsiri Reserve Forest on May  16.  Those  species  are
   protected  under  the  schedule-2  of Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.
   Anuwaruddin Choudhury's `The Checklist of Mammals  of  Assam  (1997),
   says  that it is rarer in the north bank of Brahmaputra river and the
   protected areas where the species has  been  recorded  are  Kaziranga
   National Park, Nameri National Park and Laokhowa WLS of Assam.
   
   In  Guwahati,  a  python  was  captured  near the State Bank of India
   complex at the busy Bhangaghar area of the G.S.Road on May 23.    The
   15-feet  long python was first spotted by people nearby, who informed
   the State Zoo authorities which rescued it.
   
   The  Kaziranga  National  Park  authority  and the Indian Wild Health
   Cooperative jointly organized a health checkup camp for  domesticated
   staff elephants  recently.  Altogether 45 elephants, including calves
   were examined and treated at six camps falling under KNP.
   
   The Early Birds, an NGO organized a free veterinary  camp  at  Nameri
   National Park  recently.    819 cattle heads, including buffalos were
   inoculated against HS+BQ and 13 departmental elephants against FMD at
   several camps.  Vitamin supplements and medicines for common diseases
   afflicting livestock were also distributed free of cost.

13 FRAUD DUPES X-RAY CLINIC AT JORHAT			   [S:27-MAY-98]
   ----------------------------------
   
   A fraud impersonating as a Sonography machine mechanic from  Calcutta
   stole  parts of a Sonography machine from X-ray Clinic at Jorhat. The
   `repairman' stated that he came according to the order given  by  his
   Calcutta-based  institution as a decision had already been arrived at
   earlier between the doctor of  the  X-ray  Clinic  and  the  Calcutta
   institution.
   

14 BULLETIN BY ASSAMESE ASSOCIATION IN GUWAHATI SHORTLY   [AT:27-MAY-98]
   ----------------------------------------------------
  
   The Assamese Students Association of Bangalore will shortly bring out
   a bulletin `Drishti' at a function in Guwahati shortly.  The bulletin
   will  contain  the  addresses  of  various  frontline  colleges   and
   educational  institutions  of  Bangalore  and  the courses offered by
   them, informs Bhrigu Pratim Phukan.
   

15 ELVIS ALI PREPARING FOR MALAYSIA MEET		   [S:26-MAY-98]
   -------------------------------------
   
   Elvis  Ali  Hazarika,  who  has  been just cured off from typhoid, is
   preparing for the Asia Pacific swimming meet to be held in  Malaysia.
   It  may be mentioned that a selection camp is going to be held at New
   Delhi from June 20 to select the national team for the Malaysia meet.
   Elvis is hopeful of qualifying for the meet.
     

16 TWO ASSAM FOOTBALLERS IN INDIAN 20		          [AT:28-MAY-98]
   ----------------------------------
   
   Defender Thagit Sonowal and midfielder  Kushal  Rajkowar  are  placed
   among  20-probables  of the National under-16 football team. The team
   left for Bangladesh on May 27 from Calcutta where they will play four
   exhibition matches. Both Thagit and Kushal are  Sports  Authority  of
   India  (SAI)  inmates  of  the Golaghat centre. Both of them however,
   have taken inter district transfer this year  to  Guwahati  and  will
   play for SAI Guwahati centre in GSA league.
   

______________________________[Mozz-BG]_________________________________
Compiled from newspaper and agency reports for private circulation only.
      [S=Sentinel, AT=Assam Tribune, Agencies = UNI, PTI, PIB]
              http://www.cyberspace.org/~mozz/aol.html  
             http://www.assam.org/assam/news/index.html
________________________________________________________________________