'Operation Clean Drive' and Backlash

Once bitten twice shy - but for some, they never seem to learn a lesson. It was thought that the administration would learn a lesson from their mistake that they made around same time last year when they passed on the baton to juveniles instead of weilding the baton themselves which led to tension along Arunachal-Assam border. But no. They made the same mistake again this year and even supported the act. The result- economic blockade along National Highway NH-52, the lifeline of Arunachal Pradesh, by All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) against the recent drive to detect and deport illegal migrants by students' bodies of Arunachal, damage of public and private vehicles bearing Arunachal registration, attack on the people of Arunachal along the stretch of Kimin & Banderdewa (Assam side) and finally injuring of 12 protestors by law enforcing agencies to bring the situation under control.

It all started with All Papum Pare District Students' Union (APPDSU) and All Nyishi Students' Union (ANSU) serving quit notices on 6^th September to illegal migrants to leave the state within 5 days, in the wake of reported increase in cases of burglary, theft, conspiracy to murder and other serious crimes allegedly involving the so-called 'illegal Bangladeshi' migrants at Capital Complex. The first phase of 'Operation Clean Drive' was carried out on September 12^th where the supporter's of students' union supposedly took the law into their own hands and physically went about evicting the 'illegal Bangladeshi migrants'. 

This provoked the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) to clamp indefinite economic blockade at Banderdewa and Kimin-the two entry points to Arunachal and to take on the streets vandalising the vehicles bearing Arunachal registration and assault on the passenger's on 18^th of September; alleging that unnecessary and unlawful harrassment has been meted out to the genuine minorities from Assam living at Arunachal Pradesh with law enforcing authorities becoming just a mute spectator to the entire drama.

“We have decided to impose an indefinite economic blockade on Arunachal Pradesh in protest against the anti-migrant drive which saw an exodus of at least 2,000 to 3,000 Muslims from Arunachal Pradesh. We announced our decision on the road blockade at a meeting, which was attended by 10,000 Muslims, at Laluk in North Lakhimpur yesterday. The union strongly condemned the atrocities meted out to the innocent labourers by student unions in the name of detection and deportation of illegal migrants,” Rahman said from Laluk over phone today.

(Source)

However, with the interference of district administration from both the states, the situation has been diffused a bit and a meeting of the officials of both the districts Papum Pare and North Lakhimpur has been fixed for tomorrow to discuss the matter in presence of public and the unions. The outcome of the meeting is awaited.

Now the question that comes to mind is had this 'ugly situation' been averted? And the answer is, hopefully, yes, had the administration weilded the baton themselves and had carried out the detection and deportation of illegal migrants plaguing the state, lawfully. I wonder, why didn't the administration learnt from their past mistake of allowing students' union to carry out 'Operation Clean Drive' last year which resulted in almost similar kind of tension? Why did the administration shirked away from their responsibility this year too?

(Picture at top- source The Arunachal Times)

'Operation Clean Drive' and Backlash

Once bitten twice shy - but for some, they never seem to learn a lesson. It was thought that the administration would learn a lesson from their mistake that they made around same time last year when they passed on the baton to juveniles instead of weilding the baton themselves which led to tension along Arunachal-Assam border. But no. They made the same mistake again this year and even supported the act. The result- economic blockade along National Highway NH-52, the lifeline of Arunachal Pradesh, by All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) against the recent drive to detect and deport illegal migrants by students' bodies of Arunachal, damage of public and private vehicles bearing Arunachal registration, attack on the people of Arunachal along the stretch of Kimin & Banderdewa (Assam side) and finally injuring of 12 protestors by law enforcing agencies to bring the situation under control.

It all started with All Papum Pare District Students' Union (APPDSU) and All Nyishi Students' Union (ANSU) serving quit notices on 6^th September to illegal migrants to leave the state within 5 days, in the wake of reported increase in cases of burglary, theft, conspiracy to murder and other serious crimes allegedly involving the so-called 'illegal Bangladeshi' migrants at Capital Complex. The first phase of 'Operation Clean Drive' was carried out on September 12^th where the supporter's of students' union supposedly took the law into their own hands and physically went about evicting the 'illegal Bangladeshi migrants'. 

This provoked the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) to clamp indefinite economic blockade at Banderdewa and Kimin-the two entry points to Arunachal and to take on the streets vandalising the vehicles bearing Arunachal registration and assault on the passenger's on 18^th of September; alleging that unnecessary and unlawful harrassment has been meted out to the genuine minorities from Assam living at Arunachal Pradesh with law enforcing authorities becoming just a mute spectator to the entire drama.

“We have decided to impose an indefinite economic blockade on Arunachal Pradesh in protest against the anti-migrant drive which saw an exodus of at least 2,000 to 3,000 Muslims from Arunachal Pradesh. We announced our decision on the road blockade at a meeting, which was attended by 10,000 Muslims, at Laluk in North Lakhimpur yesterday. The union strongly condemned the atrocities meted out to the innocent labourers by student unions in the name of detection and deportation of illegal migrants,” Rahman said from Laluk over phone today.

(Source)

However, with the interference of district administration from both the states, the situation has been diffused a bit and a meeting of the officials of both the districts Papum Pare and North Lakhimpur has been fixed for tomorrow to discuss the matter in presence of public and the unions. The outcome of the meeting is awaited.

Now the question that comes to mind is had this 'ugly situation' been averted? And the answer is, hopefully, yes, had the administration weilded the baton themselves and had carried out the detection and deportation of illegal migrants plaguing the state, lawfully. I wonder, why didn't the administration learnt from their past mistake of allowing students' union to carry out 'Operation Clean Drive' last year which resulted in almost similar kind of tension? Why did the administration shirked away from their responsibility this year too?

(Picture at top- source The Arunachal Times)

Let's speak Apatani - A Blog by GT

With Tanii agun (Apatani) being considered 'Endangered Language' on the verge of becoming extinct due to fascination of the Tanii's towards National Language Hindi and the global language English, an immediate attention was needed to preserve, promote and document Tanii agun lest it become extinct. 

In this line, to preserve and promote Tanii agun a wonderful effort was/is being made by NPR and PB through their blog Let us save Tanii. Following suit, here is another wonderful blog by GT - Tanii Agun Lu Sa (Let's speak Apatani), which aims at documenting the language. Head to this blog for a peek at the effort.

Let's speak Apatani - A Blog by GT

With Tanii agun (Apatani) being considered 'Endangered Language' on the verge of becoming extinct due to fascination of the Tanii's towards National Language Hindi and the global language English, an immediate attention was needed to preserve, promote and document Tanii agun lest it become extinct. 

In this line, to preserve and promote Tanii agun a wonderful effort was/is being made by NPR and PB through their blog Let us save Tanii. Following suit, here is another wonderful blog by GT - Tanii Agun Lu Sa (Let's speak Apatani), which aims at documenting the language. Head to this blog for a peek at the effort.

Fire Mishap at Hapoli (Updated)

I just about finished my work at comp when power went out around 10.35 pm. So, I saved my work and shut down my computer and was preparing for bed when I suddenly heard siren... the ever so familiar sound at Ziro-Hapoli that make you jump out of the bed and out of the house to the streets. Thinking that some fire mishap has occured I rushed out only to find road empty. So, I enquired over mobile and learnt that fire mishap indeed had occured. 

According to the report obtained, the fire broke out at a house behind the main administrative building or the DC office at Hapoli. However, the fire was doused before it could break out to other houses in the vicinity. Unconfirmed report says that there was casualty which is yet to be confirmed. More updates on this later.

Update (14-09-2008):

"I had gone to sleep and was in deep slumber when the commotion outside woke me up. When I came out of my house, I was  shocked to see my neighbor’s house on fire and fellow neighbors trying to contain and douse the fire," said a resident adjacent to the house which caught fire last night. “I was quite afraid that the fire would spread to my residence or to other buildings in the vicinity but for the alert neighbor’s who was able to contain and douse the fire in time”.

The house belonged to one Nending Tama of Hija Village, who had leased his building to two families and a businessman who was using one of the rooms as go-down. The businessman reportedly suffered burn injuries and was rushed to the District Hospital. And the two families were reported safe. The incident occurred just behind the District Administration Office.

Considering the approach to the incident site (the only access to the site or the neighborhood being the lone narrow footpath), I wondered how would’ve fire firefighter’s from Fire Department would have helped to contain and douse the fire. I’m all the praise for the resident’s of that locality for acting promptly to contain and douse the fire thereby preventing spread of fire and causing damages to property and in turn saving themselves. Now, I feel it is high time we stop setting up structures haphazardly and ponder over the importance of proper planning of settlement areas if we want to prevent such mishaps in future.

It was also reported that taking advantage of commotion last night some miscreants looted one Electronic Shop, just opposite Post Office and debunked with DVD Players and VCD’s and DVD’s.

The shop (blue one) which was looted

Fire Mishap at Hapoli (Updated)

I just about finished my work at comp when power went out around 10.35 pm. So, I saved my work and shut down my computer and was preparing for bed when I suddenly heard siren... the ever so familiar sound at Ziro-Hapoli that make you jump out of the bed and out of the house to the streets. Thinking that some fire mishap has occured I rushed out only to find road empty. So, I enquired over mobile and learnt that fire mishap indeed had occured. 

According to the report obtained, the fire broke out at a house behind the main administrative building or the DC office at Hapoli. However, the fire was doused before it could break out to other houses in the vicinity. Unconfirmed report says that there was casualty which is yet to be confirmed. More updates on this later.

Update (14-09-2008):

"I had gone to sleep and was in deep slumber when the commotion outside woke me up. When I came out of my house, I was  shocked to see my neighbor’s house on fire and fellow neighbors trying to contain and douse the fire," said a resident adjacent to the house which caught fire last night. “I was quite afraid that the fire would spread to my residence or to other buildings in the vicinity but for the alert neighbor’s who was able to contain and douse the fire in time”.

The house belonged to one Nending Tama of Hija Village, who had leased his building to two families and a businessman who was using one of the rooms as go-down. The businessman reportedly suffered burn injuries and was rushed to the District Hospital. And the two families were reported safe. The incident occurred just behind the District Administration Office.

Considering the approach to the incident site (the only access to the site or the neighborhood being the lone narrow footpath), I wondered how would’ve fire firefighter’s from Fire Department would have helped to contain and douse the fire. I’m all the praise for the resident’s of that locality for acting promptly to contain and douse the fire thereby preventing spread of fire and causing damages to property and in turn saving themselves. Now, I feel it is high time we stop setting up structures haphazardly and ponder over the importance of proper planning of settlement areas if we want to prevent such mishaps in future.

It was also reported that taking advantage of commotion last night some miscreants looted one Electronic Shop, just opposite Post Office and debunked with DVD Players and VCD’s and DVD’s.

The shop (blue one) which was looted

Can Rijiju's Chinese Visa be Hailed as 'Positive Change' in Beijing's attitude?

When high profile persons from the state having diplomatic passports were denied visa to visit China on earlier occasions, this BJP parliamentarian from Arunachal Pradesh, Kiren Rijiju has made a glitch less trip to China as a part of 5 members Indian delegates to study how the Olympic organizers has managed the show so that it may benefit the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be staged at New Delhi. This prompt issuance of visa without a hitch has surprised the parliamentarian and made him feel that 'historical breakthrough' has been achieved and issuance of visa by China without any hitch indicated a 'positive' change in Beijing's attitude that could pave the way for resolving the vexed border dispute, particularly over Tawang.

A prompt issuance of visa by China has left BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh Kiren Rajju "surprised" who said it indicated a "positive" change in Beijing's attitude and could pave the way for resolving the border dispute, particularly over Tawang.

This issuance of visa to an Arunachalee has been hailed by other political parties as well and many has felt that China has softened it's stand on Arunachal.

But can this single instance be considered as 'change in Beijing's attitude' over vexed boundary dispute? Isn't is bit premature to say that Beijing has mellowed down over border dispute? Considering the timing when the visa was issued i.e., Beijing Olympics, I would rather say it is quite premature to hail this single instance as a 'historical breakthrough'. When China was desperately trying to put up 'good boy' image during the Olympics and western media watching over them, would China have risked raking up issue of border dispute at that time by denying a visa to an Indian parliamentarian who was nominated by IOA and was a part of 5 member Indian delegates visiting Beijing for the closing ceremony. I would say no. Had the visa been issued some other time and on some other occasion, then only it could have been considered to be 'positive change' in Beijing's attitude towards resolving the boundary dispute over Arunachal Pradesh. It has to be seen if another high profile Arunachalee gets visa without a hitch to come to think that Beijing has mellowed down over boundary dispute.

It seems obtaining visa to China for a common Arunachalee never had been a problem as otherwise mentioned in the media. The problem arises only when any high profile Arunachalee having Diplomatic passport approaches for visa to China.

Can Rijiju's Chinese Visa be Hailed as 'Positive Change' in Beijing's attitude?

When high profile persons from the state having diplomatic passports were denied visa to visit China on earlier occasions, this BJP parliamentarian from Arunachal Pradesh, Kiren Rijiju has made a glitch less trip to China as a part of 5 members Indian delegates to study how the Olympic organizers has managed the show so that it may benefit the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be staged at New Delhi. This prompt issuance of visa without a hitch has surprised the parliamentarian and made him feel that 'historical breakthrough' has been achieved and issuance of visa by China without any hitch indicated a 'positive' change in Beijing's attitude that could pave the way for resolving the vexed border dispute, particularly over Tawang.

A prompt issuance of visa by China has left BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh Kiren Rajju "surprised" who said it indicated a "positive" change in Beijing's attitude and could pave the way for resolving the border dispute, particularly over Tawang.

This issuance of visa to an Arunachalee has been hailed by other political parties as well and many has felt that China has softened it's stand on Arunachal.

But can this single instance be considered as 'change in Beijing's attitude' over vexed boundary dispute? Isn't is bit premature to say that Beijing has mellowed down over border dispute? Considering the timing when the visa was issued i.e., Beijing Olympics, I would rather say it is quite premature to hail this single instance as a 'historical breakthrough'. When China was desperately trying to put up 'good boy' image during the Olympics and western media watching over them, would China have risked raking up issue of border dispute at that time by denying a visa to an Indian parliamentarian who was nominated by IOA and was a part of 5 member Indian delegates visiting Beijing for the closing ceremony. I would say no. Had the visa been issued some other time and on some other occasion, then only it could have been considered to be 'positive change' in Beijing's attitude towards resolving the boundary dispute over Arunachal Pradesh. It has to be seen if another high profile Arunachalee gets visa without a hitch to come to think that Beijing has mellowed down over boundary dispute.

It seems obtaining visa to China for a common Arunachalee never had been a problem as otherwise mentioned in the media. The problem arises only when any high profile Arunachalee having Diplomatic passport approaches for visa to China.

Arunachal Diary Anniversary Issue is Out now

As promised earlier, I’m making available the 'Anniversary Issue of Arunachal Diary' for you to download.

Well, I know I’ve been late at putting it up online, which was supposed to be made online latest by 31st of August, 2008 but for the off and on relationship with BSNL broadband connectivity out here at Ziro. You never know when the connectivity would be up and when it would be down. And it was difficult uploading the e-magazine ‘Arunachal Diary Anniversary Issue’ through the inconsistent and slow dial-up connection. But somehow, I managed to upload it.

For slow connection, you can download the Anniversary Issue here (file size: 1.4 MB) and for faster connection the download link is here (file size: 2.8 MB). The print quality version of the Anniversary Issue (file size: 9.7 MB) can be downloaded here.

Pour in your feedback about the anniversary issue.

Arunachal Diary Anniversary Issue is Out now

As promised earlier, I’m making available the 'Anniversary Issue of Arunachal Diary' for you to download.

Well, I know I’ve been late at putting it up online, which was supposed to be made online latest by 31st of August, 2008 but for the off and on relationship with BSNL broadband connectivity out here at Ziro. You never know when the connectivity would be up and when it would be down. And it was difficult uploading the e-magazine ‘Arunachal Diary Anniversary Issue’ through the inconsistent and slow dial-up connection. But somehow, I managed to upload it.

For slow connection, you can download the Anniversary Issue here (file size: 1.4 MB) and for faster connection the download link is here (file size: 2.8 MB). The print quality version of the Anniversary Issue (file size: 9.7 MB) can be downloaded here.

Pour in your feedback about the anniversary issue.