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                         Vol.4, No.26 [*]  May 20, 1999
                         ------------------------------

                           Peace has no borders.
                             - Yitzhak Rabin
   -------------------------------------------------------------------

1  ULFA FOR PEACE, PROSPERITY, SAYS PRADIP GOGOI         [S:20-MAY-99]
   ---------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:   Refuting  claims  of the Assam Government that the ULFA
   has lost its strength and support among people, the deputy chief of
   the banned outfit Pradip Gogoi, told newsmen in Guwahati on May  19
   that  the  ULFA  was committed to bring peace and prosperity to the
   State, provided suitable conditions were created by the Government.
   
   Unlike  the  agreement  signed between the All Assam Students Union
   (AASU) and the Government in 1985 after years of  Assam  agitation,
   where the AASU had to compromise on several issues, the leader said
   that  the  ULFA does not favour a similar process. The ULFA wants a
   permanent solution to the vexed problems, but not in the  lines  of
   the Assam Accord.
   
   Criticizing  the  Government  for  `its insincerity' in solving the
   problem and holding negotiations with the ULFA, Mr Gogoi said  that
   had  the  Government  shown its sincerity, the ULFA would have come
   forward willingly to solve the problem.  Mr Gogoi, who is currently
   lodged in Guwahati Jail was produced before the designated court at
   Guwahati on May 19.
   
2  HIGH COURT DIRECTS ASSAM GOVT TO PAY COMPENSATION     [S:20-MAY-99]
   -------------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  Acting on a writ petition filed by Sudhangshu Das in the
   Gauhati  High  Court  demanding  compensation  of  Rs.1 million and
   disciplinary  action  against  the  guilty  police   officers   for
   torturing  his  mentally  retarded  son,  Ujjal Das, a single-judge
   bench of the  court  has  directed  the  Assam  Government  to  pay
   compensation of Rs.75,000 to the victim.
   
   The  court  also  directed the then Guwahati city superintendent of
   police B.P.Gupta and the then officer-in-charge of Noonmati  police
   station M.A.Laskar  to  pay  another  sum  of Rs.25,000.  The court
   further directed the authorities to  initiate  disciplinary  action
   against the two guilty police officials.
   
   Ujjal  Das, who had been picked up by the police on January 2, 1995
   while he was on his way  to  his  father's  shop  at  Bamunimaidam,
   sustained  severe  injuries  due  to  police  torture and had to be
   admitted to hospital for immediate treatment.  Despite a  complaint
   being  lodged  before  the  superintendent of police, no action was
   taken against the guilty, following which the  father  of  the  boy
   moved to the court seeking justice.
   
3  SOUTH AFRICA KEEN TO INVEST IN STATE                  [S:19-MAY-99]
   ------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  The  South  African  High  Commissioner  in  India,   Mr
   J.M.Matsila,  called  on  the  Assam  Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar
   Mahanta at Janata Bhawan on May 18  and  discussed  at  length  the
   industrial  development,  the agricultural production and the power
   situation etc in the State.
   
   Mr Matsila informed that  traders  in  South  Africa,  particularly
   those who are of Indian origin, were willing to invest in India and
   the  northeastern  states in particular. The chief minister assured
   that in the event of such investments  coming  in,  the  Government
   would extend all possible help and cooperation.
   
   Meanwhile,  Union  Minister  for Environment and Forests, Mr Suresh
   Prabhu said that a bamboo plantation programme will be launched  in
   June in the northeastern states and in July in the Western Ghats in
   a massive  scale. 
   
   The minister said that  India  can  use  its  terrain  and  weather
   conditions to  develop an export market for its bamboo products.  A
   meeting of the chief executive officers of Star Trading House  will
   be  held  on  June  5  to  discuss  the marketing of these products
   outside India.

4  INDIAN RAILWAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN TRANS ASIAN LINK    [S:28-APR-99]
   --------------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  The  Indian  Railways  have agreed to participate in the
   Trans Asian Railway link between Europe and  South  East  Asia  via
   Iran,  Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia.
   The  Trans  Asian  Railway  Project  is  being considered by United
   Nations Economic and Social Commission for  Asia  and  the  Pacific
   (ESCAP),  under  Asian  Land  Transport  Infrastructure Development
   Project.  Preliminary information has been collected by  the  ESCAP
   to prepare specific project proposals.
   
5  BILL ON SMOKING PASSED BY ASSAM ASSEMBLY              [S:15-MAY-99]
   ----------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  The Assam Assembly on  May  14  unanimously  passed  the
   Assam  Prohibition  of  Smoking  and  Non-Smokers Health Protection
   Bill, 1999, which prohibits smoking in public places.  The Bill was
   introduced by the State  Health  and  Family  Welfare  Minister  Dr
   Kamala Kalita.    The Bill will come into force in the entire state
   after an official notification is issued.
   
6  CIRCLE OFFICER OF MORAN PUNISHED BY GOVERNMENT        [S:16-MAY-99]
   ----------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  The circle officer of Moran revenue circle, Mr Prasenjit
   Gogoi, an ACS officer, is punished for his misconduct and violation
   of revenue laws and rules, by withholding four annual increments of
   his pay.  Mr  Gogoi  was  found  guilty  of  transferring  land  to
   non-agriculturists which had been earlier allotted to some landless
   people.

7  SULFA ORGANIZES SEMINAR ON PEACE                      [S:20-MAY-99]
   --------------------------------
   GUWAHATI: A section of former ULFA members who had surrendered  has
   organized  a  seminar on `A Day for Peace' at the District Library,
   Guwahati on May 22 to discuss ways and means on how the  people  of
   Assam  can  unitedly  strive  to  bring  back  peace  and  how  the
   surrendered ULFA (SULFA) members can contribute in the effort.
    
   Meanwhile,  the  Assam Government has prepared to observe May 21 as
   Anti-Terrorism Day.  The deputy commissioners and the subdivisional
   officers are directed to organize pledge taking ceremony at  11  am
   in  which  all  officers  and  staff  are  to take pledge to oppose
   violence and terrorism.

8  SPECIAL SCREENING OF RAY FILM AT CANNES CANCELLED    [AP:15-MAY-99]
   -------------------------------------------------
   CANNES:  Kanchenjuga, a movie by top Indian filmmaker Satyajit  Ray
   that  was  to have a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival,
   was cancelled because of `obstacles'  by  Indian  officials,  Films
   Sans  Frontiers,  the  company  in charge of distributing the film,
   said in a statement.
   
   Chogyal Statues:    The  Sikkim  government  has  decided  to erect
   statues of all 12 Chogyals kings, who ruled the Himalayan state for
   over 300 years before its merger with the Indian Union.  (PTI)

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