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                          Vol.3, No.57 [*]  August 7, 1998
                          --------------------------------

                   Take example by your father, my boy, 
               and be very careful o'vidders all your life.
                   - Charles Dickens, Pickwick Papers
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

1  THREE ARMYMEN KILLED IN ULFA ATTACK			    [S:7-AUG-98]
   -----------------------------------
   Three  Armymen  were killed and three others, including a Lieutenant,
   seriously injured in a powerful bomb explosion  by  ULFA  in  Nalbari
   district on  Thursday.  The militants detonated the remote controlled
   bomb placed under a culvert near Nalbari  College,  around  7:20  pm,
   when a  military  jonga  was  about to pass.  The attack comes in the
   wake of intelligence reports stating that  militants  might  step  up
   their   terror   tactics  in  the  run-up  to  the  Independence  Day
   celebrations on August 15.

2  STAGE SET FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF ULFA SURRENDER	    [S:7-AUG-98]
   ---------------------------------------------
   The  stage  is  all  set  for  the surrender of another group of ULFA
   militants in Nagaon either on the Independence Day  or  prior  to  or
   after  that day -- this time at the joint initiative of the Army, the
   Central Government and the State Government.   The  Assam  Government
   was  not  in  the  picture  in  the  Thakurbari (in Tezpur) surrender
   recently.  Most of the militants expected to surrender are  the  ones
   operating in the district.
   
   Army  sources  said,  militants  from  other  districts  who  want to
   surrender, can do so at Nagaon, where the venue of the surrender  has
   been kept  a secret.  The Army will provide them travelling and other
   expenses.  Sources  said,  a  large  number  of  ULFA  militants  had
   conveyed their willingness to come overground.  The rehabilitation of
   the   militants   will  be  done  both  in  the  State  and  outside.
   Arrangements for providing vocational training will also be made  for
   them.
   
   Meanwhile,  the  ULFA  on Thursday came down heavily on the militants
   who will  surrender  and  termed  them  spineless.  In  a  statement,
   publicity  secretary  of  the  outfit,  Mitinga  Daimari  said,  such
   surrenders will not affect the moral of the outfit.
   
3  FUND COLLECTION SPREE BY MUSLIM SECURITY FORCE	   [AT:7-AUG-98]
   ----------------------------------------------
   A new outfit, the Muslim Security Force of Assam (MSFA) having  close
   links  with  major  militant  groups  of the Northeast, has collected
   funds of over Rs.2 million from Guwahati city in the past two months.
   According to security force sources, the  outfit  has  collected  the
   money  mainly  from  the business community ranging from Rs.50,000 to
   100,000 each, to accelerate the activities of the organization and to
   procure arms and ammunition from foreign agency with the  help  of  a
   top militant group of the region.  According to sources, a section of
   the  people  of  the city with a soft corner towards the organization
   have been providing funds to the outfit.
   
   The  outfit  was  launched  three  years  back  in Kamrup district to
   protect the interest of the Muslims residing in the State by  way  of
   armed revolution. There are about 20 to 25 trained cadres and another
   two  groups  are  undergoing  training in a neighbouring country. The
   cadres of the outfit have been following the ideals of the  ULFA.  Of
   late,  the activities of the MFSA has expanded to Nagaon, Barpeta and
   Morigaon. Abdul Quadir and Safiq Ali Murza are the president and  the
   secretary respectively of the organization.
   
4  CBI STARTS PROBE INTO CORRUPT DEALS IN COAL		    [S:7-AUG-98]
   -------------------------------------------
   A four member team of CBI officials is conducting an inquiry into the
   various  allegations  of  mismanagement,  corruption  etc,   at   the
   collieries in  the  Margherita-Ledo  belt  in Tinsukia district.  The
   team, assisted by the local police, conducted stock  verification  at
   the  Margherita  Central  Store,  made  inquires into transactions at
   Ledo, Tirap and Tipong collieries.
   
   The  Sentinel had published an three-part report on the coal industry
   of Assam in the area, which concluded on Thursday,  highlighting  the
   various  factors  which  are almost throttling the otherwise thriving
   industry.  The production of coal has declined sharply over the  past
   few  years, while even the Government-owned coalfields are alleged to
   have indulging in corrupt transactions.
   
   The case of the vanishing stock of 1,460 metric tonne of coal of  the
   North  East  Coalfields  Ltd  given rise to all kinds of speculations
   while the NECL have sought to explain through books and ledgers  that
   the stock  exists in Tipong Colliery.  Investigations by The Sentinel
   revealed that the stock  does  not  exist  physically.    It  is  not
   immediately know whether the CBI is inquiring into this case also.
   
   The  authorities   concerned   put   the   blame   on   student-youth
   organizations,  non-governmental  organizations, environmental groups
   for the sharp decline in the production of coal in  the  entire  belt
   because these groups are stoutly opposed to open-cast mining which is
   an economical method of processing coal, but considered as unfriendly
   to the environment.
   
5  CENTRE ASSURES TO CARVE OUT EXPORT ZONE IN NORTHEAST	    [S:7-AUG-98]
   ----------------------------------------------------
   Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde has assured the Rajya Sabha
   in reply to a question by the Assam MP Dr.Arun Kumar Sharma that  the
   Centre will give necessary help to carve out an Export Promotion Zone
   (EPZ)  in  the  northeastern region, even as an exception because the
   Government does not build such zones which  are  set  up  by  private
   entrepreneurs,  if that would help develop the backward region of the
   country.

   Mr  Hegde  welcomed the suggestion by Dr Sharma for setting up an EPZ
   in the region. He said, normally the Government does not start  EPZs.
   It is the interested private people who start it. The Government will
   give  necessary  help  to  build  up  the  structure.  But  since the
   suggestion had come from the Assam  MP,  the  Centre  will  certainly
   consider  it  and  take  the  initiative  to  carve out an EPZ in the
   Northeast even as an exception, the Minister said.
   
6  FORMER CHIEF MINISTER OF ASSAM PASSES AWAY		    [S:6-AUG-98]
   ------------------------------------------
   Mr Keshav Chandra Gogoi, the former Chief Minister of Assam  breathed
   his last at the Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, following a cardiac
   arrest at 4:45 on August 5.  He was 76.  He leaves behind three sons,
   two daughters  and  his  wife.    After the fall of Ms Anuwara Taimur
   (Congress) Ministry, he became the Chief Minister for a brief period,
   from January 13 to March 19, 1982.  All State Government offices, and
   educational institutions in the State remained closed on August 6  as
   a mark of respect to the departed soul.
   
7  PUSHPA BHUYAN TO PERFORM IN THE USA			    [S:7-AUG-98]
   -----------------------------------
   Sponsored  by  India Forum of Utah, and assisted by Indian Council of
   Cultural Relations, the renowned classical danseuse Ms Pushpa  Bhuyan
   and  her  troupe  will  participate  in  the concluding ceremonies to
   celebrate the 50th anniversary of India's independence, in  the  USA.
   She  and  troupe  will  give  six  performances of Xatriya Nritya and
   Bharat Natyam, three of which will be in the State of  Utah  and  one
   each in Sun Diego, Lubbuck and Yongs Town.

   India  Forum  had initially invited her to perform Bharat Natyam with
   her troupe.    However  on  her  request  and  after  witnessing  the
   documentary  she  had  produced  on  Sankari-Xatriya Nritya which was
   telecast on the national TV channels, the sponsors  agreed  to  stage
   one hour of Sankari-Xatriya Nritya in all her performance.
   
   Ms Bhuyan regretted that she could not include the artists  from  the
   Mul  Kamalabari Xatra in her troupe due to very strict visa procedure
   of the USA.  However, she is planning to show their `Dhemali' led  by
   Barbayans  Tankeswar Hazarika and Rameswar Khataniar and comprised of
   100 `gayan bayan' on the large screen  at  the  commencement  of  her
   troupe's performance where possible.
   
9  MITHOO BARUA TO REPRESENT INDIA 			    [S:6-AUG-98]
   -------------------------------
   Mithoo Barua of Assam employed in the NF Railway has been selected to
   represent  the country in the 12th Asia-Pacific Aquatic championships
   to be held in Malaysia from August 7 to 9 in the open section. It  is
   noteworthy that she is the only swimmer from the Northeast to win two
   golds  and  a  silver  in  the  South  Asian Federation Games held at
   Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1991.
   
______________________________[Mozz-BG]_________________________________
Compiled from newspaper and agency reports for private circulation only.
      [S=Sentinel, AT=Assam Tribune, Agencies = UNI, PTI, PIB]
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