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                        Vol.3, No.83 [*] November 16, 1998
                        ----------------------------------

         He who will not reason, is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool;
                       and he who dares not is a slave.
                             - William Drummond
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

1  AMNESTY'S CONCERN OVER RAPE BY ARMY IN ASSAM, MANIPUR   [S:14-NOV-98]
   -----------------------------------------------------
   
   Amnesty International has initiated a campaign to register concern at
   reports  of  rape  and sexual abuse of women and children by security
   forces in Assam and Manipur.
   
   In  a  fax  message  to  The  Sentinel, the international rights body
   stated that the members of  the  Amnesty  International's  women  and
   children's  groups  in  30 countries worldwide will be writing to the
   Central Government and State authorities in India calling on them  to
   take immediate steps to prevent sexual torture of women and children,
   to  ensure  that  investigations  are  carried  out, that those found
   responsible are prosecuted, and that the victims  are  provided  with
   medical treatment, rehabilitation and compensation.
   
   While acknowledging that in some cases stern action has been taken to
   bring perpetrators of  rape  to  justice  in  recent  years,  Amnesty
   International  remained  concerned at the high incidence of rape with
   impunity in the two States, and at the manner  in  which  this  grave
   human rights violation is being addressed by the authorities.
   

2  AASU TO PROTEST POLLS IN BHABANIPUR AND UDHARBAND       [S:16-NOV-98]
   -------------------------------------------------
   
   The  All  Assam  Students  Union  (AASU) called a nine-hour strike at
   election-bound  Bhabanipur  constituency  in  Barpeta  district   and
   Udharband constituency in Cachar district on November 24 from 7 am in
   protest  against  holding  of  polls in the two constituencies with a
   voters' list which contains the names of a large  number  of  foreign
   voters.  The hunger strike would be conducted by the respective local
   units of the AASU, and all the members will refrain  from  exercising
   their franchise.
   
   AASU  leaders  Sarbananda Sonowal and Samujjal Bhattachrayya reminded
   the Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who a former  AASU  leader
   himself,  and  his  colleagues  that on December 19, 1979, Khargeswar
   Talukdar lost his life trying to prevent the elections  held  with  a
   incorrect voters' list. They also pointed out that Mr Mahanta totally
   forgot about the issue after coming to power. 
   
   The  AASU  said  that  the  names  of  370,000 foreigners' names were
   deleted from the voters' list before the last elections due to  their
   constant  pressures on the Central Government. But still the names of
   hundreds of thousands foreigners still remain in the voters' list.
   

3  PROTEST IN DIBRUGARH OVER SULFA MAN'S KILLING           [S:15-NOV-98]
   ---------------------------------------------
   
   Even  though  police  are  yet  to  get any clue as to who had killed
   surrendered ULFA (SULFA)  leader  from  Dibrugarh  Rituraj  Gogoi  on
   November  13,  they  strongly suspect the involvement of the ULFA and
   have accordingly launched investigations along this line.
   
   Meanwhile,  as  the  news  of  Rituraj's  killing came in the morning
   newspapers, all business establishments, shops downed their  shutters
   in Dibrugarh as a mark of respect to the slain SULFA leader.  Rituraj
   (24) was gunned down by unidentified motorcycle-borne  assailants  at
   Christianbasti area of Guwahati at 7:30 pm.
   
   However, a report in The Assam Tribune said that traders in Dibrugarh
   were  `ordered'  by  a  group of youths to close shop for the day, to
   `mourn' the  killing  of  Rituraj  Gogoi.    The  sudden  bandh  took
   everyone by surprise, the report said.

   
4  HOPES FOR ASSAM TO FILL CHEERING RUSSIAN TEA CUPS       [S:16-NOV-98]
   -------------------------------------------------
   
   After experiencing stagnating trends in  tea  prices  mainly  due  to
   shrinking  global market, there is buoyancy in the near 12,00 gardens
   of Assam.  This turn around has been possible because of  the  stress
   of   plantation  community  on  high  levels  of  production  without
   compromising on quality.  Russia which turned to  Bangladesh,  Kenya,
   Sri Lanka and Indonesia for tea has again become potential market for
   Indian tea.
   
   The  Russian  government  as part of its strategy to rediscipline its
   economy has allowed sale of commodities from  neighbouring  countries
   through its borders after payment of existing duties.  In the case of
   packed teas, the duty levied is around 30 to 40 per cent.
   
   Stock of tea in Moscow at the moment are very low and with Russia not
   importing  tea from Sri Lanka, Kenya, Indonesia and Bangladesh due to
   `dollar tea trade', more teas are expected to be sourced  from  India
   in  November  and December on rupee-rouble payment. The southern part
   of Russia has started blends consisting of 80 per cent Assam  and  20
   per cent South Indian tea. 
   

5  EXTENSIVE USE OF IT IN NORTHEAST SUGGESTED              [S:15-NOV-98]
   ------------------------------------------
   
   The  National  Convention  of  Electronics  and Telecommunication and
   Exhibition at Guwahati which concluded on November 14,  suggested  to
   the  government  that  it  should  install  a satellite communication
   network with a central hub at Guwahati,  which  should  serve  as  an
   international gateway.
   
   The Institute of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre, in a  release
   stated that after prolonged deliberations, an expert panel consisting
   of  prominent engineers and scientists from all over the country felt
   that the State Governments should take up short and long  term  plans
   for   extensive   use   of   Information   Technology  in  education,
   administration and development works to ensure  optimum  use  of  the
   communication  outlets.  Moreover,  a  fibre  optic telecommunication
   network connecting all district headquarters should be implemented in
   a time-bound manner.

   
6  NAMERI NATIONAL PARK DECLARED OPEN                     [AT:16-NOV-98]
   ----------------------------------
   
   Dedicating to the nation, Nameri, the third national park of Assam in
   Sonitpur  district,  Assam  Forest  Minister,  Nagen  Sarma  formally
   declared open on November 15.  He said that  the  tiger  conservation
   project  will  be  implemented  soon,  and maximum facilities will be
   provided to attract more tourists  to  the  new  national  park  near
   Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
   
   Situated  in  the  district of Sonitpur adjoining Pakhui Sanctuary of
   Arunachal Pradesh, Nameri comprising a total area of 200 square km is
   fit to be a tiger reserve.  There is a  strong  pre-base  for  tiger,
   sambar,  barking  deer,  hog  deer,  wild  boar,  bison  beside  rare
   varieties of butterfly, 310 varieties of  birds,  four  varieties  of
   hornbills, turtles, python and Himalayan black buck in the park.
   

7  PROGRAMME ON LEONID METEOR STORM BY SCIENCE SOCIETY    [AT:15-NOV-98]
   ---------------------------------------------------
   
   The  Assam  Science  Society  in  collaboration  with  the   Guwahati
   Planetarium  will  organize  a  night-long  sky  watching  and meteor
   observation programme on the `Leonid Meteor Storm'  at  the  Guwahati
   Planetarium during the night hours of November 17. The programme also
   include  a  demonstration  cum  lecture  on  the  meteor  storm.  The
   programmes will be open to all interested people free of cost.
   
   The  Science  Society has also appealed to the people of the State to
   enjoy the `beautiful flowerings' of the heavenly fireworks with naked
   eye without any hesitation or fear, and said  that  this  spectacular
   `festival  of  lights' occurs at an interval of 33 years, and will be
   visible in the northeastern sky around 10 pm (IST) on November 17.

8  ASSAM BOY TOPS IN INTELLECT MEET AT CALCUTTA            [S:14-NOV-98]
   --------------------------------------------
  
   Kamal Hussain, the son of late  Badaruddin  Ahmed,  a  national-level
   football  player  of  late  80's and a resident of Jyotinagar area of
   Guwahati, secured the first position in the 31st World Intellect Meet
   1998 organized jointly by  Indira  Gandhi  National  Open  University
   (IGNOU) and the University of Humanities, New Jersey, USA.
   

9  JUNIOR NATIONAL FENCING AT GUWAHATI                     [S:16-NOV-98]
   -----------------------------------
   
   The 6th Junior National Fencing Championship 1998 will be held at the
   Kanaklata Indoor Stadium at the Nehru Stadium premises from  December
   26 to  28 under the auspices of Assam Fencing Association.  More than
   500 participants from 24 affiliated states and union territories  are
   expected to  take  part  in  the  championship.    There  will  be 25
   categories and three events, foil, epee and sabre.  It  will  be  the
   first time such a tournament is organized in the Northeast.
   

______________________________[Mozz-BG]_________________________________
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