Bodoland Territorial Council Formed (Northeast Regional Media Survey: 1-15 December 2003)
28 Dec, 2003 · 1257
Bibhu Prasad Routray covers insurgency and refugees news in the northeast Indian media
BTC comes into operation
Assam
, demand for 100 per cent job reservation for local youths in Central government establishments has gained momentum. The Sentinel (1 December) quoting the North East Students’ Organization (NESO) general secretary reported that the ‘NESO had served an ultimatum to the Centre to ensure cent per cent job reservation for locals in the Central Government sector by 14 December or else threatened to launch a 72-hour hunger strike in all NE State capitals to be followed by a call of North-east bandh.’ The Northeast Reporter (6 December), in a lead item, quoted the Union Defence Minister, George Fernandes who opposing job reservation said: ‘It could have far-reaching consequences in the region as it will only satisfy the job requirement of a particular class of the society.’ The Sentinel (14 December) reported on NESO’s meeting with the Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on the reservation issue and said: ‘Rio assured the student leaders that he had full support for the NESO’s demands like 100 per cent job reservation for local candidates in Central Government’s Grade III and IV posts.’
Bangladesh
continue to pose serious security threat to States like Tripura. On various occasions the State government has suggested that there can be no solution to the insurgency problem unless
Bangladesh
government dismantles the structures of terror. Tripura Times (2 December) quoting the IG, Border Security Force (BSF) reported: ‘The anti-nationals and criminals do take shelter across the border and hence cooperation from the other side is needed.’ Commenting on the decision of the BSF to impart lesson to its personnel in Bengali as well as the tribal language of Kokborok, Tripura Times (6 December), in a lead item commented: ‘The BSF top brass has at last decided to adopt a pragmatic approach on the issue of establishing good rapport with the population living on the border areas.’ While the Shillong Times (15 December) in an item ‘Peace march to appeal to militants to shun violence’ detailed the plan for a week-long state-wide peace march to appeal to the militants to shun violence. The Tripura Times (2 December), in a lead item, quoted the State Director General of Police who said: ‘The State police has decided to take on the militants head on and crush the challenge posed by them by adopting a new approach.’
Amsterdam
, the NSCN-IM raised objections to the Prime Minister’s comment on the lack of consensus on the integration of Naga-inhabited areas among the neighbouring States. In a front-page item, the Sangai Express (8 December) said: ‘Piqued at Prime Minister‘s reported remark that integration of Naga areas in the North-east was not possible because of lack of consensus among all parties, NSCN-IM on 6 December said peace talks with the Centre cannot be continued unless the Government clarifies its stand on the issue’. The Dimapur based English daily, Northeast Herald (11 December), in its editorial, ‘Post-Bangkok: High time for clean break.’ commented, ‘Dangling peace bonus and using it as a political toy for political constituents in the State is not the solution to the long-term requirements of the Nagas. What guarantee is that this one time peace bonus will be continued every year? Certainly, one good sumptuous meal is not enough for a man to survive. He needs three square meals not once, not twice, not thrice but daily.’
The surrender en masse of the militants of the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) and the subsequent formation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) on 6 December, dominated the media headlines throughout the fortnight. The Telegraph-Northeast (6 December) in an item, ‘Hope flickers in Bodo Heartland’ reported: ‘Hope has returned to the blood-soaked Bodo heartland with the militant BLT set to bid farewell to arms and its leader ready to take over as the head of the BTC.’ On the same day, The Sentinel, in its lead story, ‘Stage set for BLT surrender today’ wrote: ‘With the surrender of 2,623 cadres of the BLT tomorrow, a new chapter is expected to open in Bodo social and political life.’ On 10 December, Assam Tribune, in its news item, ‘BTC leaders carry high expectations of Bodos’ said: ‘After the initial euphoria of formation of the BTC dies down, the Bodo leaders, particularly those at the helm of affairs of the interim council, will have to pull up their socks to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the people.’
Job reservation for youths
In the aftermath of violence targeting the Hindi-speaking population in
Tripura’s concern about militant camps in Bangladesh
Militant camps in
Pnars refugees in Meghalaya
The issue of the Pnar refugees from Karbi Anglong district of Meghalaya dominated the media headlines. In a front page item on 9 December, the Shillong Times said: ‘Sense of insecurity prevails in the disputed areas of Block-I with many Khasi-Pnar refugees who had returned to their villages coming back to Sahsniang refugee camp expressing their lack of confidence in the role of the Assam Police.’ Reporting on the general strike call given by several NGOs in the State to highlight the State government’s apathy towards the refugees, the Shillong Times (11 December) said: ‘Life came to a standstill in all the four districts of Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills, and Ri-Bhoi following the dawn-to-dusk bandh called by several local organisations.’
Naga Peace talks in Amsterdam
In the recent peace talks between the NSCN-IM and the Union Government representatives at
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