India-Bangladesh relations: Issues and Irritants

A partial list

Issues:
1) Water issues with Bangladesh -- Teesta and Feni rivers along with the festering lack of confidence due to a perceived Indian unilateral action at the Farakkha Barrage. There have been many incidents in the past such as with Tipaimukh where Bangladesh has openly helped planks in India (Manipur, specifically) to ensure the safety of its river flows. As China will continue to dam more of the Brahmaputra, Bangladesh will suffer the most. Plus, the high cyanide content in the surface water will ensure a huge burden on whatever limited potable water that is available. Global warming and the consequent rise in sea levels and pushing of Bangladeshis to upstream locations will ensure an even higher stress. Morally speaking, unbeknownst to much of India, there is a brewing water crisis evolving in not-so-slow-motion in Bangladesh that could become a potential water war in the not-so-near-future. A regional water-sharing agreement along the lines of Indus Water Treaty with India, China, Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand is the need of the hour, but the upper riparian in this matter will pursue a cold water war strategy unless forced to see reason.
2) Harboring of terrorists -- Various groups such as ULFA, NDFB, NSCN(IM), KLO, NLFT, ATTF etc. have been harbored in Bangladesh in the past and continue to be as we speak. The opposite case of Shanti Bahini is a moot point because as per the agreement with the Sh. Hasina government and the previous regimes, these have now been disbanded. It is in Bangladesh's interest to catch and hand over these terrorists as has happened in the recent past. This is just their duty, not an action that has to be seen in compassionate terms as they have been willingly harbored as pawns in a chess game.
3) Illegal immigration -- Bangladesh is one of the few countries (perhaps along with some regions of India) where population growth has not stabilized. With an area or an economy that is not expanding at a commensurate rate, this puts a massive stress on the available resources. In short, this problem cannot be handled by Bangladesh and often gets diverted to India, which borders it on three sides. In India, this problem is seen in terms of the illegal immigration issue. It is not a wishful or a fantastical conspiracy theory, but Demographic change in the border districts of West Bengal and Assam is a reality. It is more of a status quo in terms of politicians of different hues in West Bengal and Assam. There is really not much that can be done to fix this mess in the short-term, especially those who are already in. The fences are being built, but the progress is slow at best especially given the changing riverine border profile and natural calamities that lay to waste 2-3 years of hard work (e.g., Cyclone Aila). Just as with the border with Pakistan, maintaining the border fences is a continual task and not a once-in-a-life time event. Further, a BSF estimate shows that most of the illegal immigration is happening in the riverine territory than in fenced areas. Riverine structure make ~1/3 of the demarcated borders, so there is really not much that can be done except a huge vigil and raising multiple battalions of BSF. India needs to do more by seeking the judicial route in this matter vis-a-vis the implementation of the various stipulations under the IMDT Act that have been suspended. The case of D-Voters can be a test case in this matter. All this requires political will, unfortunate as it does not exist in India in a broad measure. Similarly, labor shortage cannot be wished away by grandiose claims to making Indians work harder.
4) Trans-shipment issues -- If Bangladesh wants to economically tie itself to the Indian growth engine, it has to see reason and enable trans-shipment of goods from India to Indian territories in the Northeast. A regional hub that helps Bhutan, East Nepal, parts of Burma and parts of Yunnan will only ensure the economic benefits for Bangladesh. Acting unilaterally and contrary to normative discourse as happened with the Asian Highway is only a fruitless path to hell. India (and especially parts of Tripura and Meghalaya) stand to gain a lot by having a shorter route to the Bay of Bengal and it should not be surprising that these states are at the forefront of the trans-shipment issue. But then, the concerns within the Indian establishment of its periphery better connected to foreign nations than to the mainland is not to be dismissed as flightful fancies of fear.
5) Sea boundary demarcation -- India and Bangladesh have reasonably wisened up to the possibility of joint exploration of contentious water blocks for oil exploration purposes. The same cannot be said about Burma and Bangladesh. There is an imminent possibility of a war between the trigger-happy (despite a numerically minority armed forces strength) Burmans and the Bangladeshis and India will be forced to pick sides rather than advise from a cautionary role.
6) Enclaves, adverse possessions and beyond -- Enclaves are pieces of territory contiguous and inside India (and Bangladesh) that are rightfully owned by the other Government. Adverse possessions are pieces of char (riverine) territory that are illegally occupied by the other Government. In terms of enclaves, we have the complicated of issue of even an enclave within an enclave within an enclave. Unfortunate as it is, this issue is best resolved by the future generations. Emotionally traumatic as is the case with people in these territories, there is really not much of a solution that is not zero-sum.

Irritants:
1) BSF is trigger-happy -- Whatever be the accusations against BSF, these deaths of smugglers of phenisidyl, cows, people, and merchandise under the illegal economy are dwarfed significantly by encounter deaths by the RAB. Not to compare apples with oranges, the BSF is doing a thankless job in a hostile environment and no amount of vilification is going to change course.
2) Power sector unification -- Not happening not only in the medium-term, but also in the long term. Bangladesh is a power deficient economy with a big anti-India bandwagon. The case of export of natural gas is also stymied by the same bandwagon. Anyone who denies the presence of this contingent has to only note the fact that even after 40 years of independence, people such as Golam Azam, Matiur Rahman Nizami, and the various Razakars are walking free in Bangladesh even today.
3) They will continue to hate us -- It is a fancy that Bangladesh can be unified into India as it stands today. It is another fancy that we should try. Even within India, there are multiple states where hatred to the government in Delhi is harbored in different forms and all it takes for this expression to come to the forefront is an incident of opportunism. Our neighbors will continue to hate us, because they hate the idea of India and the idea of India poses an existential question to them. Success of India results in further questions and as India succeeds more and more, questions become a comparison, then a crisis, and later a calamity. The twine will not meet and it is best accepted that they will not.
4) Treatment of minorities -- Unfortunate as it is, our policy (from Panchsheel to our secular polity to our non-interference as stated by our No-First Use) means that India really does not have much say in the internal affairs of other countries. Broadly speaking, while Hindus in India can and should have an empathy to the fellow Hindus of other countries, Constitutionally speaking, unless India amends its Constitution to become a Hindu nation with all the attendant baggage (reactions from other countries, etc.), we do not stand much in raising the issues of others on a priority basis. There is going to be no sea change in terms of priorities of the babus even if political tidings change on a democratic whim. All the above is true even if Bangladesh or even Pakistan can and often do raise issues on how India treats its minorities. The best retort to this matter is "India does not encourage meddling by other countries in its internal affairs nor does it meddle in the internal affairs of other countries."
5) Various cases in Bangladesh that are important to India in terms of their evolution -- the 10 truck arms-haul case, murder of SAMS Kibria, bomb thrown at Sh. Hasina, Pilkhana carnage trials, the 71 Razakar case. In India, it is normative to wait for decades to see a judicial light and to fruition the path of retribution for the victims, and it would be unfair to criticize Bangladesh in this matter. Nevertheless, important verdicts have been delivered in India on a priority basis despite the numerous stallings and stillbirths, and it would be expected that a question as basic as whether someone acted against Bangladeshi interests or not in the War of Independence would be settled early.
6) Easing of trade barriers -- Again these are matters that can be resolved under the stipulations of WTO, but it is not illegal under these stipulations to put para-tariff barriers because of quality and safety constraints. These are not institutional biases, but these are legalistic and every country pursues them. Even friends and allies pursue these measures, so there cannot be any special provisions for Bangladesh.
7) Internal politics in Bangladesh and West Bengal -- It is the policy instrument and historical baggage of Jamaat-e-Islami to hate kafir India. There is really not much to be done. Advising caution in expressing ground realities (especially if it comes from the PMO) does not solve problems or bring new solutions to the table. Further, India is a democrazy and everyone has a right to express ground realities as they perceive. Bangladesh has to seek its inner wisdom in expressing surprise at a noisy, chaotic and openly expressive India. Similarly, West Bengal and its politics are often tied to cater to its internal dynamics. The historical baggage of the region cannot be ignored at framing policy instruments or reacting to responses that have been arrived at after considerable thought by people who run the ship there.
8) Trade imbalances -- As India continues to get better at consuming its own raw materials and goods instead of exporting them (as is the case with cotton, cement raw materials, food grains etc.), there will be less that can be sourced from India. The reliability of India as a source of import for Bangladesh is contingent on ground realities of a growing and prosperous India. Bangladesh suffers a much higher imbalance vis-a-vis China than with India. Demonizing India while at the same time pandering to China does not augur well for the behavior of a rational nation. Surely, the negative list between India and Bangladesh have to go down, but then there are internal dynamics in India where different communities tend to lose their livelihoods if India silently accedes to Bangladeshi requests. Thus, it would be advisable for Bangladesh to understand these various dynamics instead of demonizing India for the lack of a strong reason.

Northeast Frontier Railway

The above pic is a recent railway map of Assam. From a recent news report:

At present, there is a network of only 2,447-km rail line in the entire north-eastern region, which accounts for 4 per cent of the national network. Of the total railway network, about 97 per cent is in Assam and 2 per cent in Tripura. Therefore, a very accelerated programme of rail connectivity is required to provide the basic infrastructure capacity for the NE to realize its economic potential. At present, there is a plan to connect Itanagar and Agartala during the 11th Plan whereas Aizawl, Imphal and Kohima would be connected during the 12th Plan, the sources said, and added that Shillong and Gangtok were expected to be connected in the 13th Plan. According to the sources, India is going to construct the Agartala-Akhaura (Bangladesh) line to connect Tripura to the Bangladesh railway network. It has been decided that the projects of the Railways designated as national projects will be supported by the Government of India in the ratio of 75-25. It has also been decided to create a fund for development of rail infrastructure in the north-eastern region.

So here is a Know Your Northeast Frontier Railway Primer.

1) Headquarters: Maligaon in Guwahati,
2) Established: The railway zones of the Indian Railways were reorganized in the year 1953. During this time, Avadh - Tirhut Railway and Assam Railway were coalesced to create North Eastern Railway. Later in 1958 (Jan 15), Northeast Frontier Railway was created out of the North Eastern Railway.
3) Divisional headquarters: Alipurduar, Katihar, Lumding, Rangiya and Tinsukia
4) Issues: Pre-partition Indian Railways had linked the North-East and the present-day Bangladesh as an organic whole. Partition resulted in complete severance of this logical link. The truncated network of the North-East stood woefully incomplete and unconnected. See more of the Pre-partition history at Linky 1 and Linky 2.

The Indian Railways addressed this problem immediately and in right earnest. The Assam Rail Link project was completed in 1950 providing a meter gauge (MG) rail link to Assam. But the journey involved transhipment and ferry crossing both for passengers and for freight. The broad gauge (BG) link was extended in phases to Guwahati between 1965 and 1985. Two massive bridges on the mighty Branhmaputra at Kamakhya and Jogighopa and later extension of a BG link up to Dibrugarh and Lekhapani finally made it possible to travel to the North-East.

5) Past achievements:
a) Track linking project in Agartala-Jogendranagar-Jirania-Brigudaspara
b) Katihar-Jogbani GC Project
c) Senchoa-Silghat GC project
d) Siliguri Diesel Shed
e) Sick line shed and freight examination facilities at New Bongaigaon

6) Freight traffic composition (from Linky):
Three broad categories — coal, petroleum products and other cargoes — each having almost equal share
In 2008-09 and 2007-08 (in million tons):
a) Coal - 4mt 4.8mt
b) Petroleum - 3.5mt 3.8mt
c) Foodgrains - 0.876mt
d) Bamboo - 0.503mt
e) Dolomites - 0.306mt
f) Cement - 0.176mt
g) Fertilizers - 0.133mt

7) Heritage projects:
a) 120km long Mahur–Harangajao hill section in North Cachar Hill district (now called Dima Hasao district) of Assam
b) 10km long Siliguri—Bagdogra section in West Bengal
c) Heritage park called the Rail Heritage Park-cum-Museum at New Tinsukia station in eastern Assam at the confluence of two historic railway systems — Dibru Sadiya Railway (DSR) and Assam Bengal Railway (ABR), which were linked at Tinsukia on March 1, 2003. The museum showcases DSR and ABR along with a gallery on the unique Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). The DHR is the famous 610 mm-wide narrow gauge railway that snakes up the Himalayas from Siliguri to Darjeeling for 88 km and is a World Heritage Site, as recognised by UNESCO since November 2, 1999. The still-operational DHR was made operational in 1881 across one of the most scenic mountainous terrains of the world by virtue of ingenuous engineering solutions.
d) Century-old Cooch Behar railway station in West Bengal is a heritage structure

8) Ongoing major projects (from Linky):
In Assam:
a) Gauge conversion Lumding-Silchar (201.03km), Arunachal-Jiribam (50.39km), Badarpur-Kumarghat (117.82km) segments, Hill section of 151km and Plain section of 217km, sanctioned in 1996-97, declared National Project in 2004 (meaning 75% funding will be met by the Ministry of Finance, GoI and remaining 25% by Ministry of Railways), Hill section is confronted with the constraints of short working season (November-April), militancy (NC Hills area has been under the spell of DHD and KLNLF), difficult terrain, limited contractors, non-availability of raw material and skilled labour, bad condition of roads and bridges resulting into frequent interruptions in man and material movement and land acquisition resulting into interruptions by several departments and interest groups
b) Rail cum road Bridge over river Brahmaputra at Bogibeel with linking lines on North and South Bank - 74km, National Project, sanctioned in 1997-98, expected to be completed by 2014 (around 90% of work done in earthwork, minor as well as major bridges, no tunnels needed), need to complete Dibrugarh Guide-I in one working season otherwise it will be washed away in the monsoon season, project delayed due to extortion attempts and security threats by militants and meagre allotment of funds through 2005-06
c) Completion of 142km Jogighopa-Guwahati and the Bridge at Jogighopa

In Tripura:
a) New broad gauge line Agartala-Sabroom (110km), Sabroom is 75km from Chittagong International Airport in Bangladesh, a small bridge over river Feni can connect Sabroom and Khagrachari (in BD) -- the second such link after the Kolkota-Dhaka rail line, sanctioned in 2008, delay by State Government to hand over land and resistance by villagers
b) New line connecting Agartala with Akhaurah (in BD) - 5km
c) Kumarghat-Agartala meter gauge line project - 109km, foundation stone laid in 1996, project complete and line commissioned by October 2008, three big tunnels through the Longtharai Valley, Baramura and Atharamura Hills in Dhalai and West Tripura districts, 1,962-metre Longtharai tunnel is the longest railway tunnel in eastern India

In Manipur:
a) Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal - 84km in place of the Diphu-Karong project (123 km) connecting Brahmaputra valley with Manipur valley which was frozen for strategic reasons, National Project, sanctioned in 2003-04, Jiribam-Tupul expected to be completed in 2014 and Tupul-Imphal in 2016, survey took five years to complete due to insurgency, frequent bandhs, hilly terrain, economic blockades in NH39 and NH53, poor/non-existent feeder roads to reach interior project sites, weak bridges and poor road conditions to transport heavy machinery and material not possible from Silchar side, and NH39 not available due to blockades.

In Arunachal-Upper Assam:
a) New broad gauge line from Harmuti-Naharlagun-Itanagar - 22km, project sanctioned in 1996-97, detailed estimate sanctioned in January 2008 for the Harmuti-Naharlagun segment, the other segment's estimate sent to the Railway Board, approx 10% of work on major bridges done, no tunnels required, delay in land acquisition by Government of Assam, dispute of ownership of land at State boundary between Arunachal and Assam

In Sikkim-North Bengal:
a) New broad gauge line from Siliguri-Sevok-Rangpo-Ranipool near Gangtok, 52.70km, National Project, sanctioned in 2008-09, expected to be completed in 2016, detailed estimate under process with the Railway Board
b) Gauge conversion New Jalpaiguri-Siliguri-New Bongaigaon (417km)

9) Other major/minor projects in the works:
a) New line from Dimapur to Kohima (Zubza)
b) New BG line from Bhairabi to Sairang
c) New BG line from New Maynaguri to Jogighopa - 265.7km
d) New BG line from Azara to Byrnihat
e) New BG line from Eklakhi to Balurghat (113km) and Gazole to Itahar
f) Dudhnoi to Depa (Mendipathar) - 18km
g) New BG line from Araria to Galgalia (Thakurganj)
h) New BG line from Kishanganj to Jalalgarh
i) Gauge conversion Katihar-Jogabani (200km)
j) Gauge conversion Lumding-Dibrugarh including branch lines (628km)
k) Gauge conversion Katakhat-Bhairabi (84km)

In short:
1) Tripura's trade future seems to lie in close-knit cross-border ties with Bangladesh. This writing on the wall + rapproachment from the Bangladeshi side means that the Manik Sarkar government has not been found wanting in moving towards a status quo ante in terms of trade with Bangladesh.
2) Assam as usual is the connector for Arunachal and Nagaland (Upper Assam) and Meghalaya (Lower Assam). Some speedy movement in Arunachal is perhaps mooted by the Chinese claim, while the various insurgencies in Nagaland and Meghalaya means that they stand to see the gains of connectivity last. Darwin's award for self de-selection deserves no better exhibit than the case of Nagaland.
3) Sikkim's future is tied to the Dooars-Siliguri corridor (Darjeeling/North Bengal). This may provide a stepping stone to pull East Nepal and Bhutan into a tight trade-based embrace with a cross-border rail and HV transmission network. The day is not far off when hydroelectric power is traded for perishable and non-perishable commodities.
4) Vested by the disadvantage of geography, Mizoram might see connectivity towards the fag end of the process. Cross-border ties with Mizo tribes in Burma is the way to go. The process bulldozed by the Manik Sarkar government may catalyze such a revolutionary thinking sometime soon. While Moreh-Tamu is a significant boost in this direction, the viability of Mizoram-Burma trade is still light years away.
5) An alternate to the NSCN(IM)/Nagalim pressure point vis-a-vis Manipur is being envisaged, but given the state of affairs with respect to project completion in India (in general) and the Northeast (in particular), NSCN (both the factions) will remain a pressure point for a long time to come. Diversifying trade with Burma and developing the British era highway system to Assam (North Cachar Hills) is the way to go for Manipur.

Updates (December 12, 2010)

1) NDFB key catch: Linky

Security forces have apprehended the self-styled deputy commander-in-chief of the anti-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) George Boro alias John alias B. Jwangkhang, a key accused in the October 30, 2008 serial blasts, from Mizoram. The most wanted NDFB leader, who hails from Guduligaon in Baksa district, has been named in the chargesheet filed by the CBI in connection with the serial blasts. A cash reward had been announced for information leading to his arrest.
...
Though an official source in Mizoram said he was nabbed by AR from Indo-Bangladesh border on Wednesday night, another source close to NDFB claimed that Boro was picked up from a hotel in Aizawl by AR troops at around 7.30 pm yesterday. Following the arrest of Ranjan Daimary in May this year, George Boro along with two other leaders of the outfit — Rajen Goyari alias Rifikhang and Arun Borgoyary alias Dinthilang — were trying to regroup the anti-talks faction of the NDFB.
...
The “arrest” is being seen as part of the initiative to get things moving on the talks front. “In such a situation the arrest was necessary as that would bring him to jail where he can discuss the nittygritty with his leader Ranjan Daimary as had happened with the Ulfa leadership who have held discussions among themselves and also with government officials within the jail on how to take talks move forward,” the source said. George’s arrest is the latest in line of senior militant leaders getting nabbed from along the Indo-Bangla border starting with Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa last year and Daimary this year.

2) Breakway faction of GNLA: Linky

Four militants of the breakaway faction of the Garo National Liberation Army, including its leader, were killed during an encounter with police in East Garo Hills district today. Five militants were arrested while at least one managed to escape with a bullet injury.
...
However, while Jokin Momin, the leader of the group, was being arrested along with five others, another group of at least four suspected militants of the breakaway faction arrived at the spot in an auto-rickshaw and started firing indiscriminately. Momin, who was with the GNLA during its formation, had also conducted operations against the police in the past. A few weeks ago, he and a few other cadres deserted the GNLA after they were unhappy with the style of functioning of the outfit’s chairman, Champion Sangma, and the commander-in-chief, Sohan D. Shira. Police sources said the breakaway group of the outfit was in the process of giving a name to the group after procuring arms from an Assam-based militant group.

3) DHD pro-talks faction: Linky

The pro-talks faction of the DHD met the Centre’s interlocutor for peace talks, P.C. Haldar, in New Delhi today on the demand to upgrade their district into “a mini state within a state”. Nunisa today said over the phone that his team would reiterate its demand for the amalgamation of the Dimasa-inhabited areas in the Assam districts of Cachar, Nagaon and Karbi Anglong and also in some portions of Dimapur
...
The army and the police, engaged in a combing drive in the district to trace the nine persons who were abducted from three places since Saturday, are yet to make any breakthrough. Significantly those kidnapped were the relatives of the Dima National Democratic Front (DNDF) chief Bihari Dimasa and its army commander Lailung Dimasa. Sources in Dima Hasao said such the abductions were masterminded by the outfits opposed to DNDF in a retaliatory move. DNDF chief Bihari Dimasa left the DHD (Jewel) group in a huff, protesting against the ceasefire agreement between the Jewel Gorlosa group and the state government.

4) ULFA talks: Linky

Leaders of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), who are in favour of talks with the government, are trying to get in touch with the members of the outfit camping in Myanmar to persuade them to join the proposed peace process. A few pro-talk members of the ULFA also reportedly went to Myanmar with the knowledge of the government, highly placed security sources said. Sources told The Assam Tribune that the phase wise release of the senior leaders of the ULFA on bail created a major impact among the rank and file of the outfit and if the peace process starts as expected, a majority of the members of the outfit are expected to join the process. Sources said that apart from Jiban Moran and Bijoy Chinese, the other senior leaders of the ULFA, who are yet to express desire to join the peace process, include Antu Chowdang, Drishti Rajkhowa and Nayan Medhi. Antu was in Bangladesh till recently but his whereabout is not known now.
...
However, as per intelligence inputs, the cadres of the ULFA in Myanmar are in a confused state of mind as they are still not sure whether to follow the pro talk members or the commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, who is still maintaining a hard line on the issue of talks with the Government. The leaders having the responsibility of looking after the camps are also not keen on sending cadres to Assam as several of them surrendered after they were sent back to the state with specific tasks.

5) BD closer to Tripura: Linky

The Bangladesh visa office, started here in 1973 within two years of the country’s emergence as a sovereign nation, is all set to be upgraded to a deputy high commission. The issue had cropped up during the two-day visit of Bangladesh external affairs minister Dipu Moni on November 10-11 and she had promised to look into the matter but a decision in principle has already been taken.

Sentinel adds: Linky

Mondal said Bangladesh also expected to increase its volume of export to Tripura to Rs 300 crore during the current financial year. He said that in 2007-08, Bangladesh had exported goods worth Rs 84.15 crore to Tripura and imported commodities worth Rs 1.51 crore from the State. Northeastern states like Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam export commodities like limestone, tea, machine parts, fruit and coal to Bangladesh and import cement, stone chips, bricks, Hilsa fish, dry fish, edible oils, readymade garments and furniture from the country.

All the while, there is the Tin Bigha footbridge issue: Linky

Political parties cutting across their affiliations have opposed the construction of an elevated footbridge over the Tin Bigha corridor for which the Centre has given the go-ahead. The corridor connects the Bangladeshi enclave of Angrapota-Dahagram with the mainland.
...
He said the people of the area would not tolerate the Bangladeshis using the Tin Bigha corridor, while the Indians used the footbridge. “We are also going to oppose the proposal of keeping the corridor open for 24 hours,” he said. At present, the corridor remains open from 6am to 6pm.

Meanwhile, BKZ builds her own bridges: Linky

Opposition leader Khaleda Zia is going on a six-day tour to China from December 18. "BNP chairperson will be visiting at Chinese Communist party central committee's invitation," Khaleda's press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told bdnews24.com on Friday. "She will be staying there as a state guest." She will be meeting Communist Party central committee members on December 19, 20 and 21. "They will discuss issues of common bilateral and regional interests," Maruf Khan said. Khaleda is scheduled to return December 23. Her last tour to China was in 2006 as the prime minister.

6) The travails of the NRC update: Linky

Dispur has made more than a “few changes” in the application form one has to fill up and submit to get enlisted in the National Register of Citizens in a bid to make the process “simple and convenient”. Along with the changes in the form (see chart), the Bhumidhar Barman-headed cabinet sub-committee, which was set up to make the process simple, has included ration card as a document of proof but with a rider that it has to be for the period upto March 24, 1971.
...
Sources today said the “simplified” forms had been circulated to AAMSU and All Assam Students Union (AASU) a couple of days ago for their response by December 13. Though the cabinet sub-committee is understood to have met the concerns of all sections, especially AASU and AAMSU, the AASU might take some time to respond given its stand that “change in the form will only help illegal Bangladeshis to get enlisted in the NRC”. “Dropping the place of birth could be a ticklish issue because the objective of updating the NRC was to ensure that only Indians got included. Certain quarters may see the simplification of the process as dilution of the process,” a source said.

More on the travails: Linky

Dispur appears to have got into a damage-control mode after the furore over dropping of the column on place of birth in the simplified National Register of Citizens (NRC) application form with chief minister Tarun Gogoi today saying that no final decision had been taken. The AASU and the BJP have flayed the government for tinkering with the form on the ground that it would only help illegal Bangladeshis get enlisted in the NRC which is being updated. Even the Mujammil Haq group of AAMSU has criticised the government saying it should retain the place of birth clause.

7) It is not only Nepal that acquiesced: Linky

"As of now, our position is not to attend the ceremony," Sri Lankan Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters. "We are not the only country that took up that position, there are lots of countries that are not attending the event," he said.

WSJ adds: Linky

One diplomat from Sri Lanka initially told The Wall Street Journal that its embassy in Oslo was sure to send someone "if nobody had a cold," but later said that no one would attend, saying: "We are a small country and China is now our friend."

8) AFSPA in Manipur: Linky

He said his government would recommend withdrawal of the act to the Centre once the state forces could deal with the situation. “The state government does not want to keep this act even for a second. It is because of this it defied strong instructions from the Centre and withdrew the act from the Imphal Municipal limit in 2004. But the situation in the rest of the state is not conducive to withdrawal of the act entirely,” Ibobi Singh said while addressing a Congress conference at Thangmeiband Assembly constituency here.

9) Meanwhile in Nepal: Linky

Continuing their policy of obstructing Indian investors, Nepal’s former Maoist guerrillas on Saturday trained their guns on yet another Indo-Nepal joint venture, threatening to bring it to a halt. The Government of Nepal had awarded the licence to Green Ventures Pvt Ltd, founded by IIT alumnus KR Krishnan, along with his Nepali partner, to survey the 120-MW Likhu 4 hydropower project that is sprawled over two districts in eastern Nepal, Okhaldhunga and Ramechhap.

The government is expected to ink a fresh agreement with Green Ventures, giving it the go-ahead to develop the project. However, on the eve of the new contract, the Ramechhap wing of the Maoists, who are now the largest party in parliament, issued six demands on Saturday, warning they would stop the project if these were not fulfilled. A statement signed by “Kushal”, who called himself the secretary of the Maoists’ district committee, said the project went against the right of locals to their own natural resources. The former rebels are demanding that residents be given five per cent of the shares free and another 20 per cent be reserved for local participation. The districts should also be paid royalty and the power generated would first have to be given to the two districts at the cheapest tariff. Only the surplus power can be sold outside. The rebels are also demanding jobs for locals as well as infrastructure development in the areas of health, education, transport, drinking water supply and irrigation. The fresh threat comes after the Maoists last month produced a hit list of hydropower companies, of which over a dozen were Indian companies and JVs.

Trade matters and other updates (December 5, 2010)

First off, Bangladesh
1) India-BD border survey: Linky

Joint survey of the disputed borders along Sylhet-Meghalaya will begin 7 December. The decision came with a view to resolving the nagging disputes over the borders like Dibir haor, Sripur, Tamabil, Sonarhat, Bichnakandi, Protappur and Lalakhal in Sylhet with the Indian state of Meghalaya. Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Abu Syed Mohammad Hashim told this correspondent that the joint survey would initially cover 13 points on the border from Lobhachhara in Kanaighat upazila to Lalakhal and Dibir haor in Jaintapur upazila and Sonarhat in Kanaighat upazila. It will be held in presence of land officials and BDR, he added.

2) Railway building in BD under Indian credit line: Linky

Only Indian companies will be allowed to bid for the purchase of 50 flat wagons and five bogey break vans under the $1 billion Indian loan. The companies have been asked to offer their bids between Dec 6 and Jan 24. Earlier, Bangladesh Railway floated tender for purchasing 10 engines with Indian loan under the same condition. On Aug 7, Bangladesh signed a $1 billion credit deal with India. Foreign minister Dipu Moni had said the loan will be used to implement 14 projects, including five for the development of the railway. The credit came with an annual 1.75 percent interest, which opposition BNP termed "very high".

3) Cattle smuggling across the BD border: Linky

The BSF has said that cattle trade between India and Bangladesh along the India-Bangladesh border in the Assam-Meghalaya sector should be legalized to a certain extent through border haats. Almost everyday, cattle are seized in the Dhubri area of Assam and also in Khasi-Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya while they are being smuggled into the neighbouring country. Acknowledging the views of his higher-ups, BSF Inspector General (Assam-Meghalaya Frontier) SC Saxena told The Sentinel: “In certain stretches of the international border, our personnel are 90 per cent involved in catching cattle smugglers.” While pointing out that cattle-laden trucks keep coming from the hinterland towards the border, Saxena said: “If the States carry out checking of movement of cattle in their own areas, the BSF’s task of checking cattle smuggling into Bangladesh will be eased to a great extent.”

4) Continuing from the last week, the former Chief Secretary of Assam writes on the Look-East Policy and Bangladesh: Linky

India’s most immediate neighbour, Bangladesh, needs special attention. Close collaboration between these two countries will help achieve growth and prosperity for both. Therefore, the five agreements signed during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in January 10-13, 2010 have become significant. These five agreements are on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, on transfer of sentenced persons, on combating international terrorism, organized crimes and illegal drug trafficking, on cooperation in the power sector and a cultural exchange programme. In pursuance of these agreements certain concrete steps were taken including India’s promise to export 240 MW of power to Bangladesh and to assist that country to build power plants of 1,320 MW each in Khulna and Chittagong.

There are critics in India who do not like that so much concessions have been given to Bangladesh. Some of them feel that the credit of US $1 billion is too much. There is a perpetual adverse balance of trade of about US $1 billion annually which Bangladesh has not been able to wipe out. They do not produce the goods which India can import. The quality also is low. They have plenty of natural gas. But they want to preserve it under ground rather than drill out and export to India. Meanwhile, the value of the smuggled goods, on both sides, has been estimated to have increased to US $3 billion per annum. The Bangladeshi smugglers are reported to be making up the adverse balance of illegal trade by illegal export of arms, gold and narcotics according to a National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) study. After the January, 2010 agreements this type of clandestine trade should end. However, whether that will actually happen is still a moot question.

Bangladesh is expecting to gain considerable improvement of its economy by better connectivity with India. According to the former Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, Farooq Sobhan, the Prime Minister-level talks have “opened up a whole new vista, not only simply in terms of Bangladesh’s bilateral relations with India, but in terms of Bangladesh becoming a middle income country by 2021”. He further stated that “if Bangladesh is to move from an annual growth rate of 6 per cent to 8 or 9 per cent, it must take rapid progress in the integration of its economy with its immediate neighbours, India, Nepal and Bhutan”.

According to Sanjib Baruah, foremost scholar on LEP, “Northeast India’s isolation from its neighbourhood has much older roots: that which came about as a result of the advent of western dominance over sea routes and over global trade and more particularly the British conquest of the region and the decisions to draw lines between the hills and plains, to put barriers of trade between Bhutan and Assam and to treat Myanmar as a strategic frontier – British India’s buffer against French Indochina and China. While the British colonial rulers built a major new transportation infrastructure, aimed primarily at taking tea and other resources out of Assam, the disruption of old trade routes remained colonialism’s most enduring negative legacy”.

Next off, China and Bangladesh
5) Cotton exports to China and elsewhere: Linky

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Thursday appealed to the Centre to order an immediate suspension of cotton exports till needs of the domestic textile industry are met and sufficient arrivals in the domestic market bring about a substantial reduction in the price of cotton. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which was circulated to the media in Chennai, he also sought a cap on the level of cotton yarn exports and also provide for imposition of an export duty for the same. He said the yarn used in handlooms, powerlooms and knitwear was different and needed to be available in sufficient quantity, category-wise, to meet the domestic needs.
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“Normally, the period of 4-5 months after October witnesses a dip in cotton prices owing to fresh arrivals in the market. However, this year, the clearance given for exporting 55 lakh bales of cotton has resulted in a hand to mouth situation by which virtually no cotton is available in the market to build up cotton stocks.” He said competing countries such as China who are the beneficiaries of Indian cotton exports maintain stock to use ratios of about 33 per cent, whereas India’s stock to use ratio is just about 17 per cent. Mr. Karunanidhi said it was urgently necessary to build up cotton stocks during these months of the cotton picking season lasting up to January, so that the textile sector, which provides the maximum employment, next to agriculture is kept continuously fed with raw material.

6) Zorawar Daulat Singh asks why are we being stupid and exporting raw materials to China without being diligent enough in improving our competitiveness: Linky

India's current discourse over its economic relationship with China is nothing short of self-deception. To correct course, we need to recognize the problem. Is anybody listening?

Finally, Nepal
7) Nepali exports piggy-backs on India: Linky

Exports have grown by 5.9 percent to Rs 16.87 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal year 2010/11, according to the Current Microeconomic Situation of the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). Such exports had shrunk by 16.5 percent to Rs. 15.94 billion in the same period last year, the report stated. The merchandise export of the country increased by 12.2 percent in September/October, of the current fiscal year compared to the value of the previous month.

The exports to India rose by 11.8 percent in the three months of the fiscal year 2010/11 in contrast to a drop of 11.3 percent in the same period last year. Nevertheless, exports to other countries dropped by 2.4 percent compared to a plunge of 22.7 percent in the same period last year. The increase in the exports to India was largely attributed to the increase in the exports of jute goods, zinc sheet, M.S. pipe, wire, plastic utensils, textiles, threads, Ayurvedic medicine, juice, toothpaste and readymade garments among others. Similarly, exports to other countries declined due mainly to the decrease in the export of pulses, pashmina, handicraft goods, Nepalese paper and paper products, woollen carpet and herbs among others.

Merchandise imports, on the other hand, grew by 3.6 percent to Rs. 92.98 billion in the three months of the fiscal year 2010/11. Such imports had grown by 31.9 percent to Rs. 89.72 billion in the same period last year. Similarly, on a monthly basis, the merchandise imports increased by 4.4 percent in September/October 2010 compared to the value of the previous month. Imports from India grew by 31.9 percent in the review period compared to a growth of 26.8 percent in the same period last year. Likewise, imports from other countries declined by 29.1 percent in contrast to a growth of 38.3 percent in the same period last year. The import of hot rolled sheet in coil, sugar, chemical fertilisers, fruits, dry cell battery and vegetables among others increased from India whereas import of gold, polythene granules, electrical goods, betel-nuts, crude soybean oil and other machinery and parts declined from other countries in the review period.

Total trade deficit during the three months of 2010/11 expanded by 3.2 percent to Rs. 76.11 billion. Trade deficit had risen by 50.7 percent in the same period last year. Trade deficit with India rose by 36.6 percent in the review period compared to a growth of 41.2 percent in the same period last year. On the contrary, trade deficit with other countries declined by 34.2 percent compared to a growth of 63.1 percent in the same period a year ago. The improvement in exports coupled with deceleration in import growth contributed to decline in the ratio of export to import to 18.1 percent in the review period from the ratio of 17.8 percent a year ago.

8) To top off, the costs behind screening of a movie: Linky
9) And as I said earlier, it is important to note how the Judiciary interprets the Constitution as even confirmed terrorists can use the laws of the land to get away legally. Here is one such judgment: Linky

The Supreme Court today said police should not arrest people on flimsy grounds as it could lead to great ignominy and denial of anticipatory bail was also a violation of an individual’s fundamental right to personal liberty. A Bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and K S Radhakrishnan said in a judgement that anticipatory bail granted to a person should continue till the conclusion of the trial and no conditions should be imposed for the accused to surrender to obtain a regular bail.
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The apex court made the remarks while granting anticipatory bail to Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre, a Congress leader allegedly involved in the killing of a BJP worker on September 26, 2009, in Maharashtra. Mhetre moved the apex court after the Bombay High Court had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea.

10) Here is the update on Kishen, the maoist: Linky

It had been rumoured that Kishen had either been killed or seriously injured in an encounter with the police a few months ago. "According to arrested Maoist leader Kanchan and others, Kishen is alive and well and he is leading them in West Bengal," joint commissioner of Kolkata Police, Special Task Force, Rajiv Kumar told newspersons in Kolkata today. Kumar also quoted Kanchan as having claimed during interrogation that Kishen could be in Dandakaranya.

Updates (November 30, 2010)

1) SAAG says this on Nepal: Linky

It is seen that some emissaries from India with or without “official blessings” are in Nepal to explain India’s stand and perhaps are taking/preparing a conciliatory approach towards the Maoists. If this is so, it will be most unfortunate and it is time India stops countenancing the usual trend seen in Nepal of “public humiliation and private appeasement.”
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The important result of the plenum is that Prachanda has retained his leadership and in order to retain his position, he may continue with his India bashing at least outwardly!

2) Nepal maoists' open support for Indian maoists: Linky

The week-long plenum of Nepal’s largest party, that ended in a remote village in western Nepal on Saturday, has formally condemned India’s Operation Green Hunt, the offensive started in five Indian states in November 2009 to flush out underground Maoists, known as Naxalites in India. “We condemn the oppression of the Indian people in the name of Operation Green Hunt,” the plenum declaration said. “We urge for a peaceful resolution of the problem.” The 14-point statement also condemned the “immoral and planned murder” of Cherukuri Rajkumar, who was the spokesman of the Indian Maoists under the nom de guerre Azad.

3) Indo-Nepal border encroachment: Linky

The no-man’s-land near India-Nepal border at Adapur has become a free-for-all space with citizens of both the countries encroaching on it to cultivate grains for their personal use. The resident also said that an area of about 12 acres in the no-man’s land under Adapur block had been encroached. Sashatra Seema Bal inspector and Beldarwa camp in-charge Sitaram Sharma said the administration has not made any efforts to check residents who have started cultivating the no-man’s land for their personal gains.
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The administration of either country is not bothered about the encroachment or the uprooted pillar that lies limp at the place that once marked the international border. Any action against the encroachers could be initiated only after instructions from higher authorities. Most of the encroachers are Nepali citizens, added Kumar. A local said the administration had been alarmed over the issue when, a few days ago, a Nepali citizen Gani Miya, a resident of Basantpur under Bara district of Nepal, uprooted pillar no. 382/18 from the border and moved it within 20ft of the Indian border.

4) Rail connectivity to Nepal: Linky

Indian Railways has decided to execute a 70km rail line project at an estimated cost of Rs 470 crore in Nepal as part of the move to strengthen ties between the two neighbouring countries, Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) reported Sunday. PTI quoted East-Central Railway general manager KK Srivastava as saying that the project includes gauge conversation between Jai Nagar (India) and Janakpur (Nepal) spanning a distance of 30 km and laying a new Janakpur-Bardivas line covering a distance of 40 km. The railway ministry has given its nod for the project and released Rs10 crore as first installment for the purpose, he said.

5) Green stump on rail connectivity: Linky

In 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Bhutan king had signed an agreement to extend the railway link to the Himalayan kingdom as a gesture of friendship to mark the golden jubilee of Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Bhutan. It was decided that the lines would be extended from five stations — the other three routes being Kokrajhar-Gelephu, Pathsala-Naglam and Rangia-Samdrupjongkhar via Darrang, all originating from Assam. The Northeast Frontier Railway had planned to extend the railway lines from Banarhat and Hashimara to Samtse and Phuentsholing in Bhutan following an agreement between the two countries. The state forest department will oppose any move by the railways to extend the Dooars rail route to Bhutan as it will pose threats to the wildlife, minister Ananta Roy has said. The opposition from the government came close on the heels of the deaths of seven elephants on the Dooars rail tracks on September 22.

Railway officials said the survey on the three stretches of Assam was complete but a similar exercise in Bengal was held up because of land encroachment. “We own land on the two stretches (of Bengal) but they are already encroached upon by a number of families. When we discussed the project with the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri and the divisional commissioner of Jalpaiguri, we were assured that an alternative land would be provided,” said S. Singh, the divisional railway manager of Alipurduar which falls under the NFR. “We agreed to it but now we have no clue about the statements made by the forest department.”

6) AFSPA: Linky

Government today ruled out revoking the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from "some" of the North-Eastern states in the wake of the security situation there. Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran stated this in reply to a question in Lok Sabha. The members of the House had asked whether the government was contemplating withdrawing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from North-Eastern states including Manipur. "No, Madam. In view of security situation in some of the NE states, it is necessary that the Act continues to be in force," the Minister said.

7) ANVC update: Linky

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today said his government was examining the demands of the Achik National Volunteer Council, the Garo rebel outfit, which is currently engaged in tripartite talks. "The group has scaled down from its demand for a separate Garoland state to that of a Garo Hills Territorial Council in line with the Bodo Territorial Council of Assam. The matter is under consideration," Sangma said in reponse to a question in the state Assembly.

Northeast and other updates (November 28, 2010)

1) Book review: When Churchill starved India Linky

Churchill’s racism toward Indians, especially Hindus, is no longer news, such has been the tide of revisionist thinking that began with the historian John Charmley’s 1993 book Churchill: The end of glory – A Political Biography. Nevertheless, the scale of British perfidy towards the 400 million people of India, and the scale of the famine that befell Bengal in 1943, are recounted by Mukerjee with such blistering coolness that one is left reeling. The fact that today, these things should be so badly forgotten, or treated as a surprising revelation, also gives pause for thought.

India’s job in the 1940s, as far as the British were concerned, was to ward off the Soviets from Afghanistan, to join in the defeat of the Germans in the Middle East and Africa, and, after Pearl Harbour, to join in the defeat of the Japanese. But there was another job Britain did, too: it removed India’s best troops from India, so that no nationalist mutiny there could be successful. Added to this, as Mukerjee makes clear, the colony’s entire output of timber, woollen textiles and leather goods, as well as three quarters of its steel and cement, were diverted to the defence of the British Empire. India was, next to Britain, the largest contributor to the Empire’s war.

Minutes from Britain’s War Cabinet in February 1940 record that Churchill regarded the ‘feud’ between Hindus and Muslims ‘as the bulwark of British rule in India’. The more Britain built up IOUs to India, the more Churchill came to favour partitioning India and creating Pakistan. The liberal-leaning Conservative elder statesman Leopold Amery (who had drafted the 1917 Balfour Declaration promising Jews a homeland in Palestine) was, as Churchill’s secretary of state for India, more cautious than his boss. On the other hand, Lord Cherwell, the Anglophile German scientist and War Cabinet member F A Lindemann, could massage any statistic to reinforce Churchill in the view that emaciated Indians were in fact thoroughly greedy in asking for food supplies (indeed, Cherwell also singled out the working-class areas of Dresden for bombing with incendiaries). But even Field Marshall Archibald Wavell, who became viceroy at the end of October 1943 and who often opposed Churchill’s policy of starving the Indians, at the same time felt that they had reached, at best, the ‘tiresome’ age of adolescence. Even if, as a one-time friend of Lawrence of Arabia, he could also see the merit of supporting what for him were martial Muslims over conniving and more populous Hindus.

2) Raju Barua bail: Linky

Barua was released from Central Jail in Guwahati at 11.30am after being granted bail in two TADA cases and a CBI case. A festive atmosphere gripped Barua’s native village when he reached there around 1pm.
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Barua told reporters that Ulfa wanted talks to be held with full dignity and honour. “We will not hold talks by keeping people in the dark.” He said they wanted Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua and general secretary Anup Chetia to join the peace process.

3) Rail and road connectivity: Linky

The Ministry of Railways has an investment plan of over Rs 17,000 crore in different projects in the North-east, which are scheduled for completion by 2015. The Central Government has also approved augmentation of foodgrain storage capacity in the region by 5.25 lakh tonnes, more than doubling the existing storage capacity of 4.58 lakh tonnes. On the Railway Ministry’s investment plan of more than Rs 17,000 crore in projects in the region to be completed by 2015, it was assured that those projects would be taken up as per schedule and funding would not be a constraint. On the road sector, it was emphasized that NH-44, NH-53 and NH-39 would be taken up on priority and efforts would be made to speed up work, including maintenance, before the onset of the next monsoon. The need for regular maintenance of the roads, particularly by BRO, was also stressed.

Sentinel adds: Linky

“The Ministry of Railways has an investment plan of more than Rs 17,000 crore in projects to be completed by 2015. Eleven new line projects, three gauge conversion projects and one doubling project are in progress. These projects will be taken up as per schedule and funding will not be a problem. Other issues will be taken up by the ministries and the State governments concerned at the earliest,” he said.

4) The former Chief Secretary of Assam writes on the Look-East Policy and Burma: Linky

Considerable progress has been recorded in trade between India and the ASEAN countries in the past few years. The volume has risen from US $40 billion in 2007-08 to US $44 billion in 2009-10. A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed between India and the ASEAN countries in Bangkok on August 13, 2009. It is proposed to increase the trade volume to US $60 billion in seven years and to reduce the tariff rates drastically.
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It is appropriate that the LEP first touched Myanmar. Myanmar has a common border of 1643 km with four of India’s States, namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. For trade with China and the Southeast Asian countries by the land route, all movement has to be through Myanmar. It is true that Myanmar itself is poor. It does not have as much manufactured goods to offer as the other Southeast Asian countries. But it has vast natural resources which are yet to be tapped. In recent years the volume of trade between India and Myanmar has gone up to US $1.2 billions. At present India’s imports include pulses, wood and wood products, fruits and nuts, natural rubber and paper and paper pulp. India exports drugs and pharmaceutical products, machinery and instruments, steel and transport equipments. Moreover, Myanmar’s geo-strategic location cannot be ignored. That is why India is building the trans-Asian railway network through Myanmar to Singapore. The Asian road highway is also under construction through Myanmar. The ultimate idea is to link up the Indian ocean with south China sea. Besides, India has taken up several infrastructure projects in Myanmar. The Tatas are setting up a truck-manufacturing plant at Magway, the ESSAR group is joining in the attempt to build the multi-model Kaladan transport project, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation will build the Tamanthi power project, and GOI will help Myanmar to build a new port at Sittwe.

All this effort to achieve closer Indo-Myanmarese relations reflected India’s present pragmatism in matters relating to foreign policy. It may be recalled that writing about India’s foreign policy in the Asian context, the former Indian Foreign Secretary, JN Dixit, had suggested that our trade relations with Myanmar should be normalized irrespective of the government that might be in power there because that country is geo-strategically important to India. Such close cooperation with Myanmar is also necessary in order that India may curb smuggling, border crimes, drug movement and insurgency. Dixit, however, never envisaged the LEP although he had devoted three chapters of his book to India’s relations with the countries of Asia.

India is now following a different policy towards the autocratic junta which controls Myanmar while at the same time supporting the world community’s effort towards assisting the Nobel Laureate Aung San Su Ki’s fight for democracy in her country. This is realpolitik. It is in pursuance of this realpolitik that India and Myanmar have exchanged high-level visits in recent times. The most important visit perhaps is that of the Myanmarese senior General Than Shwe, who as the “Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar” heads the autocratic government of that country. During his discussion with the Indian Prime Minister on July 27, 2010 India and Myanmar agreed on “close co-operation between the security forces of the two countries in tackling the pernicious problem of terrorism”. Arrangements were also finalized for Indian participation in critical areas like medical science, education, telecom services and in major projects and manufacturing industries.

5) NSCN-K and NSCN-IM peace moves: Linky

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has backed out of the ongoing Naga reconciliation meet at Chiang Mai, Thailand, providing yet another hiccup to the peace process. The meeting, under the aegis of Forum for Naga Reconciliation and Quakers from the UK, began at Chiang Mai yesterday. Representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of Nagaland/National Socialist Council of Nagaland (GPRN/NSCN), formerly known as NSCN (Khaplang), and Federal Government of Nagaland (Singnyu faction) are attending in the absence of representatives from NSCN (Isak-Muivah).

Meanwhile, Linky

All medical, paramedical as well as fourth grade staff of Haflong Civil Hospital staged a sit-in in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Saturday demanding immediate arrangement of security in the backdrop of extortion threat, allegedly by the NSCN, asking all the staff to pay 24 per cent of their salary per month to the outfit. Dr Pradip Kumar Baruah, Superintendent of the Civil Hospital, told The Sentinel over telephone from Haflong on Saturday that panic-stricken staff had no alternative but to seek intervention of the administration. Already two doctors had left Haflong and others were trying to manage transfer, added Dr Baruah, who himself had received an extortion note on November 19. Dr Baruah said, the administration had provided police security in the hospital campus, but about 200 staff were under constant mental pressure. The medical service in the 100-bed hospital has been badly been affected. It is to be noted that Dr Nityananda Naiding of the Civil Hospital had been abducted by local miscreants from his official quarters on October 30, and he was released on the same day allegedly after making a hefty ransom. Babul Haflongbar, who was the kingpin in the abduction, was picked up by Haflong police from Dimapur, and he admitted that he had kidnapped Dr Naiding with the help of Naga miscreants.

And, Linky

A Naga separatist group has started a parallel census of non-Nagas in Dimapur district since the first week of November even as the state government is gearing up for the second phase of Census 2011. Sources said the NSCN (K) which is now known as “GPRN/NSCN” (Government of the People’s Republic of Nagaland/National Socialist Council of Nagaland) had taken this unauthorised and illegal headcount to identify and record the number of non-Naga households. A similar exercise had been conducted by the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN for the past couple of years in Naga-inhabited areas. State government officials said they did not know anything about the parallel census.

6) Hindu Bengalis in Assam: Linky

Altogether 12 organisations representing the Hindu Bengalis in Assam have moved President Pratibha Patil seeking her intervention to stop the alleged harassment of genuine Indian citizens by the state government in the name of detection and deportation of illegal foreigners. The co-ordination committee of the Hindu Bengali Organisations of Assam today said it had submitted a memorandum to the President appealing that the Hindu Bengalis of Assam should be identified as “political sufferers of and victims of Partition of the two-nation theory” and should be protected from harassment According to them, there are nearly 65 lakh Hindu Bengalis in the state who were separated during Partition.

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The committee said the Centre had provided protection to the Hindu migrants from West Pakistan to the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan by making appropriate legal provisions in 2004 and the state governments in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Tripura and West Bengal were patronising the Hindu migrants but the Assam government was penalising the Hindu Bengali migrants by labelling them “D-voters”. Foreigners’ notice was served on a Hindu Bengali freedom fighter, Prafulla Chandra Saha, a few years back and chief minister Tarun Gogoi had to apologise for that.

Sentinel op-ed: Linky

Many of the names on the lists of ‘D’ voters are Hindu Bengalis. The largest number of cases filed on the ground of being suspected Bangladeshis are Hindu Bengalis. Reports of several being harassed and even pushed back to the other side of the border and being subjected to untold mental and physical harassment are not rare. This only brings out the total indifference and apathy of the Centre and the State towards Hindu migrants, the victims of atrocities in Bangladesh, taking shelter in Assam.

According to the latest information, 80% of the 1.5 lakh persons on the lists of ‘D’ voters are Hindu Bengalis. The police is active to hunt them down, but dare not touch the infiltrators, fearing backlash. NRC update has been held up due to violent protests by the All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU). Why are Hindu Bengalis the prime target? Reason is not far to seek. It is more on political consideration that the Centre and the state work in cohort known for their brazenly minority appeasement policy, feel circles concerned here. The present UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh has been totally indifferent to complete fencing of border, allowing aliens to sneak into from Bangladesh, the circles feel.

The BJP, while welcoming the NRC update of 1951 with the cutoff date of 1971 voters lists, has reminded the Centre of the assurances of national leaders and the relevant laws enacted after the partition of the country in respect of enrolment of Hindu Bengalis. It was on the basis of the assurances of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sardar Vallavbhai Patel that The Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 had been enacted and became effective from the same year. The Act has clearly spelt out that any person displaced from his place of residence due to civil disturbances in any area now forming part of Pakistan and subsequently living in Assam shall need special protection. The Act thus makes clear distinction between refugees and infiltrators. It needs no repetition why Hindus have to leave East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, and seek shelter in India. The worst thing to happen in Assam was the enactment of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act of 1983 replacing the 1950 Act. It helped to protect the infiltrators more than the victims of atrocities in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. It was, however, annulled in 2005 by an order of the Supreme Court. With the revival of the Act of 1950, it is natural that the Hindus among the ‘D’ voters should be restored their right to vote and given refugee status.

It is to be recalled that the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Bajpayee amended the Citizenship Act of 1956 in order to treat the Hindu migrants from Pakistan in the wake of 1965 and 1971 wars seeking shelter in Gujarat and Rajasthan as refugees. UPA government of Dr Manmohan Singh ratified the amendment. There is no reason why the Hindus, the victims of partition, Indo-Pak war of 1971 and the continuous chain of torture and atrocity in Bangladesh should be treated differently.

7) Border fencing: Linky

The construction of a 9.3km barbed wire fencing along the Indo-Bangla international riverine border in Moslabari Char of Dhubri district has made little progress since it was started in 2006. The fencing, being done under the pilot project, if proved to be feasible and successful, would be extended to the remaining 35km of the riverine border. However, only 60 per cent of the work has been completed in the past four years.
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Officials from the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) said they had understood it was going to be an uphill task for them to implement the project as everything, from material to machinery, had to be transported to the char by boat. South Salmara-Mancachar sub-divisional officer Swami Biswanathan said 60 per cent of the total work had been completed since 2006 and the rest of the construction would be completed by January next year. “I shall, however, have to visit the site to assess the progress of the project and within a couple of days, I shall be able to speak about the present status of this project,” Biswanathan said.

An intelligence source said since the beginning of the fencing work in 2007, clashes between BSF jawans and cattle smugglers have been on the rise. Six separate clashes took place last year. “On many occasions, the BSF had to fire to stop the cattle smugglers from transporting cattle to Bangladesh or to disperse village mobs which often came out to defend the smugglers,” the source said. “Besides Moslabari, Mantrir Char, Bhogdohar and Mahamaya Char border fronts also have been identified as very sensitive for the same reasons. Hundreds of Bangladeshis often gather at night on the other side of the border with public announcement systems and abuse the BSF personnel for hours together and attempt to instigate BSF,” the source added.

8) Sana Yaima and UNLF: Linky

The Manipur unit of the CPI today said it would continue to mount pressure on New Delhi to know the whereabouts of the UNLF chairman. The announcement came a day after CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan passed on to the state CPI unit the information provided by Bangladesh Communist Party that Sana Yaima was arrested from Dhaka and taken to India. The party reported the matter after Bardhan contacted Manjur Hassan Khan, the chairman of the Bangladesh Communist Party, about the case.
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He said the CPI MPs were preparing to raise the Sana Yaima issue in both Houses of Parliament. “Instructions were given to the MPs in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to take up the matter,” Iboyaima said.

9) Indian counter-moves in SL: Linky

Pushing for national reconciliation in Sri Lanka, India on Saturday opened its consulate in Jaffna, the Tamil heartland, and inaugurated the Northern Railway lines for which New Delhi has pledged a $800-million credit that will spur the reconstruction of the war-ravaged northern region. Besides its high commission in Colombo, India has a consulate in Kandy, in the tea-growing region populated by “Indian Tamils”. Now, besides Jaffna, another consulate has opened in Hambantota, in the Sinhalese-populated south which is the political hub of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In an ambitious move that can transform the region, Krishna also formally inaugurated works for the reconstruction of the Northern Railway lines with the launch of the Medawachchiya-Madhu line in presence of Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, Peiris and Transport Minister Kumar Welgama. India has pledged a line of credit of $800 million at concessional rates for various aspects of the Northern Railway project, including reconstruction of railway lines, installation of signalling and telecom systems and the procurement of rolling stock. “Work will also begin simultaneously on the Madhu-Talaimannar and Omanthai-Pallai railway lines,” Krishna said. Krishna and Peiris on Friday held wide-ranging talks by unveiling projects worth over $1 billion and expanded cooperation in areas ranging from transport and energy to defence and security as New Delhi pressed for a lasting political settlement.

10) Arup Mochi: Linky

Maoists lost toehold in Dalma — their second stronghold after Saranda forests — three months ago following uprising by village vigilantes, and sub-zonal commander Arup Mochi was on a desperate mission to revive his squad when he was killed in an encounter on November 22. This important piece of information, which is likely to buoy anti-insurgency operations, was provided by three Mochi aides — Manoj, Maheswar and Dara — arrested during Monday night’s encounter at Bardih village in the Karadoba panchayat area of Ghatshila.

11) Keynote talk on history matters: Linky

Delivering the keynote address, former ASI Director-General Prof. B. B. Lal spoke about “postulates [that] have been distorting our vision of India's past”. Among these is the belief that the Vedas are no older than 1200 B.C. and that Vedic people were nomads. Recent excavations at sites in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat and a fresh study of Vedic texts, he said, have proved that most of these postulates are “ill- founded.” According to Prof. Lal, these excavations proved that the Rigveda is older than 2,000 BC and people of this civilisation were not nomads. Quashing the “Aryan invasion theory” he said that the Harappan civilisation did not become extinct, and C-14 dating procedures proved that Harappan and Vedic people were indigenous, not invaders or migrants.

12) Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in India: Expert Linky

"More than 75 percent of heart attack patients are either diabetic or undiagnosed. A vast majority of patients undergoing renal dialysis and transplants have diabetes as the underlying cause," said Prof. Jamal Ahmad, director, Centre of Diabetes and Endocrinology, J.N. Medical College, AMU. He said the country had 50 million diabetes patients, and more than 95 percent of the population suffers from some form of the disease. "Early diagnoses and optimal management can significantly decrease the mortality associated with this dreaded disease," he said.

Who catches the fish and who consumes it?

From October 2010 edition of the Nat Geo Magazine:

Wealthy nations once obtained most of their fish by fishing. Today, they are more likely to buy a swordfish than to catch it. Japan purchases more than twice as much fish as it catches, while Peru, the number two seafood producer in the world, consumes barely any at all.

Top 20 catchers (Annual average over 2001-05, in million metric tons of fish)
1) People's Republic of China - 9.9
2) Peru - 8.3
3) USA - 4.9
4) Japan - 4.4
5) Chile - 4.2
6) Indonesia - 4.2
7) India - 3.4
8) Russia - 3.1
9) Thailand - 2.6
10) Norway - 2.6
11) Phillipines - 2.0
12) Denmark - 2.0
13) Iceland - 1.9
14) South Korea - 1.7
15) Vietnam - 1.6
16) Malaysia - 1.3
17) Mexico - 1.3
18) Burma - 1.1
19) Canada - 1.1
20) Taiwan - 1.0
Total - 62.6

Top 20 consumers (million metric tons of fish, averaged over 2001-05)
1) People's Republic of China - 13.6
2) Japan - 9.0
3) USA - 4.7
4) Indonesia - 3.6
5) India - 3.1
6) South Korea - 2.7
7) Thailand - 2.4
8) Russia - 2.1
9) Phillipines - 2.1
10) Nigeria - 1.8
11) Spain - 1.6
12) Taiwan - 1.5
13) UK - 1.5
14) Norway - 1.4
15) Malaysia - 1.4
16) France - 1.4
17) Mexico - 1.4
18) Italy - 1.3
19) Vietnam - 1.3
20) Chile - 1.3
Total - 59.2

Message: If one country has to be held accountable for the depleting fish stocks around the world, it must be the sushi-loving Japanese. The footprint of Taiwan is not too far behind. Ok, put the blame on sushi-loving South East Asians (in general) and the West Europeans, if you have to.

Updates (November 3, 2010)

1) When the State slacks, terrorists move in Linky

Noting the alarming growth of illegal immigrants in Nagaland, the NSCN-K has decided to check and control influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and others from mainland India. A release issued by the NSCN-K said the outfit in coordination with regional authorities will identify and record every illegal immigrant family living in Nagaland while urging for fullest cooperation from Naga land owners as and when they are approached by NSCN-K officials for information and other necessary papers of the non-Naga tenants and farmers.

2) Tourists visiting NE states in 2007-09 Linky
State --- Domestic tourists --- Foreign tourists 2007, 2008 and 2009
Data from Linky

Arunachal Pradesh 91100 2212 149292 3020 195147 3945
Assam 3436833 12899 3617306 14426 3850521 14942
Manipur 101484 396 112151 354 124229 337
Meghalaya 457685 5267 549936 4919 591398 4522
Mizoram 43161 669 55924 902 56651 513
Nagaland 22085 936 21129 1209 20953 1423
Sikkim 329075 17498 460564 19154 547810 17730
Tripura 244795 3181 245438 3577 317541 4246

Clearly, Arunachal and Sikkim numbers have shown a dramatic rise, while Tripura domestic numbers has shown a huge jump from 2008 to 2009. The PIB release attributes it to:

The review of restrictions pertaining to Restricted Area Permit (RAP)/Protected Area Permit (PAP) for tourists is a continuous process and is undertaken by Ministry of Home Affairs on receipt of proposal from the concerned States and in consultation with security agencies. Ministry of Home Affairs has conveyed relaxation of Protected Area Regime in the following circuits of Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim:

Arunachal Pradesh:
(i) Along – Mechukha.
(ii) Existing Pasighat – Jenging – Yiungkiong to be extended upto Tuting.
(iii) Daporijo – Nacho Circuit via Taliha and Sayum.
(iv) Ziro – Palin – Nyapin – Sangram – Kaloriang.
(v) Doimukh – Sagalee – Pakke Kasang – Seppa.

Powers were delegated to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh for issue of Protected Area Permit (PAP) in respect of the following:
(i) To visiting foreign tourists in a group of two or more persons (as against the existing requirement of group strength of four or more persons) for a maximum period of 30 days.
(ii) To a group of two foreign tourists even if they are not married couples and to foreigners married to Indian nationals belonging to the State of Arunachal Pradesh for visiting the State on tourist visas.

Sikkim:
(i) To issue PAP/RAP to foreign tourists in a group of two or above with a recognized travel agent, who would act as an escort. However, existing restrictions on visit of foreigners to Rumtek Monastry and restrictions on movement of Tibetan Refugees need to be enforced.
(ii) To issue PAP/RAP to visiting foreign tourists (subject to (i) above) initially for a period of 30 days extendable to another spell of 30 days.

The powers to issue PAP/RAP to foreign tourists are also delegated to Tourism Information Officer posted at Tourist Information Centre (TIC) at Darjeeling (West Bengal) and Melli (Sikkim).

3) ULFA Linky

The deployment of the Assam Rifles also failed to seal the international border with Myanmar because of the tough terrain and the militants are still being able to move between India and Myanmar by taking advantage of the unguarded portions of the international border.

4) War crime trials in BD

A tribunal in Bangladesh preparing to try former Islamist militants on the charge of killing unarmed civilians during the 1971 freedom movement has amended rules to facilitate their detention. The International Crimes Tribunal Monday amended its rules of procedure to stipulate that anyone being investigated for ‘crimes against humanity’ will be considered an accused. Earlier, a person was considered an accused only if formal charges against him were submitted to the tribunal. The change facilitates the detention of seven Islamists belonging to various parties, the Daily Star said Tuesday.

Coming into the tribunal’s net will be Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, a lawmaker of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) who is considered close to party chief and former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Also in the net will be Abdul Alim, who was a minister under Zia, and BNP leader Abul Kalam Azad. Among others targeted by the tribunal are former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Golam Azam, Jamaat leader Mir Kashem Ali and former Jamaat lawmaker Abdus Sobhan, and Abdul Hannan of the Jatiya Party, a constituent of the ruling alliance. The Jamaat’s chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid, assistant secretaries general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla have already been put behind bars to face charges of ‘genocide and crimes against humanity’.

Meanwhile, BD-Pak talks Linky

Pakistan once again avoided making any commitment to resolve long outstanding issues with Bangladesh, including apology for the 1971 genocide, repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, and sharing of pre-separation period state assets. Since independence, Bangladesh has been asking Pakistan to resolve the issues which also include transfer of foreign aid that was meant for cyclone victims of 1970, and payment of war reparations -- but all successive Pakistani regimes, including the present government, have completely ignored the request, except some repatriation of stranded Pakistanis.
...
Diplomatic sources said Pakistan's assurances are merely rhetorical, which its officials have been chanting since Bangladesh's independence, without taking any initiative to resolve the issues. Full diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in 1976. However, on Bangladesh's request, Pakistan agreed at the meeting to provide access to information and database particularly on geological surveys and archaeological excavations conducted by Pakistani agencies before 1971 in Mainamati, Chittagong, etc.

In contrast, Linky

An estimated 15.64 million tonnes of freight traffic between different states in India could potentially be diverted through Bangladesh where rail corridors could be the most cost effective, according to an independent study on transit-transhipment. Bangladesh is expected to earn a total net profit of $23 billion from cargo handling in 30 years.

A team of experts from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan prepared the study report. Dr Rahmatullah, former director of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, led the team. The study by independent think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said, of the amount, about 12.02 million tonnes would be potentially diverted from Assam and 2.32 million tonnes from Nagaland. Additionally, 68,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of inter-state containers could potentially be diverted through Bangladesh.

Updates (October 28, 2010)

1) Does this signal an end to the BSF woes, possibly not? Linky

In line with a major policy decision taken a few months back, Bangladesh and India both have begun construction of structures within 150 yards of the zero line along the international border at designated areas. While this is a deviation from the Indo-Bangladesh Boundary Agreement 1974, on the parts of both countries, it is essentially addressing the needs of both too. The agreement restricts any construction within 150 yards of the zero line. Bangladesh allowed India to erect fences at a dozen places having important establishments including religious installations that could not be dismantled due to the sensitive nature of those. Terrains at some of those places are also difficult for erecting fences beyond the 150 yard zone. India recently began construction of the fences. India also allowed Bangladesh to construct structures within 150 yards of the zero line at 11 points of the country.

The arrangement came following a proposal from India early last year. India had been seeking to erect such fences within 150 yards of the zero line at 46 places since the last BNP regime. Talking to The Daily Star, Director General of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam said yesterday, "As we have agreed to the Indian proposal, India is also reciprocating by allowing Bangladesh to construct a bridge in Laxmipur, expansion of a wall in Hili, construction of approach roads in Moulvibazar and Bhomra, and several other initiatives. Our mutual agreement has created a very positive environment. Both countries are now willing to resolve long standing minor issues," he said, "This will help boost border trade on both sides."

Following last year's Indian proposal, BDR inspected various border points the same year, and submitted clearance to the Bangladesh home ministry about 12 out of the 46 points. India and Bangladesh conducted combined surveys of these areas as well, the BDR DG said. "We are continuing such surveys to see if accepting the Indian proposal will affect Bangladesh adversely in anyway," he added. As per the understanding, India will erect single channel fences at those 12 areas instead of barbed wired double channel ones like it erected beyond the 150 yard zone within its own territory. He made it clear that both countries are constructing the structures within their own boundaries.

Back in the early 1990s when India began erecting fences within permissible border areas on grounds of preventing smuggling and illegal migration among other reasons, it faced some problems. It identified the 46 points at the total 4,156 kilometres (km) long border, where it could not erect fences beyond 150 yards from the zero line. For now, Bangladesh has accepted the Indian proposal for erecting the fences within the 150 yard zone at 12 of the points. Bangladesh will decide about the remaining 34 places only after a joint verification in Assam and Meghalaya, said Bangladesh official sources.

Bangladesh foreign ministry sources said India told them that the fences will be erected over a period of time, and no timeframe has been fixed for completion of the joint survey. India however requested to expedite the verification process, they said. The officials, quoting Indian sources, said only 248 km of the allowed 571 km of such fencing along the border between Bangladesh and the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya has been completed. Work is in progress for 123 km more, while for the remaining length (200 km) there are objections either from Meghalaya or Bangladesh, they added.

India has so far fenced 3,300 km of the border beyond the 150 yard zone within its own territory in line with the boundary agreement. According to BDR sources, the Indian authorities started erecting fences within 50 yards of the zero line at Azampur frontier under Akhaura of Brahmanbaria on Saturday. They said the neighbouring country already placed alignment designs for the 12 places. An official of the Bangladesh home ministry said, on condition of anonymity, that the government agreed to allow India to erect the fences within the 150 yard zone because of difficult terrains beyond that point. Citing examples, he said there is a religious establishment within five yards of the zero line at Hili border, and there is a wall at the boundary pillar in Benapole.

2) Faruk Khan's visit to India Linky

The minister said Bangladesh and India came up with some major developments such as establishment of border haats [commodity markets], agreement on movement of trucks between the countries, import of 3 lakh metric tonnes of par-boiled rice and 2 lakh metric tonnes of wheat from India and ensuring cotton-import quota for Bangladesh.

On Saturday, Bangladesh and India signed an MoU for establishing two border haats along the Meghalaya border. These haats will be opened by mid-February next year. Some 20 types of goods -- mainly agri and agro-based -- will be displayed for sale where currencies of the both countries will be accepted. Another major development of the visit, as the commerce minister claimed, was allowing transit for trucks from Nepal to Bangladesh up to Land Customs stations. India committed to do it during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in January this year.

India has also agreed to consider Bangladesh's demand of excluding 61 items, including garments, from its sensitive list of 480 items, said Faruk Khan, adding that Bangladesh will get to import 11 lakh bales of cotton from India this year out of its total import demand of 55 lakh bales. The commerce minister termed the cotton deal the biggest success of his visit. So far this year, Bangladesh did not get 1.35 lakh bales of cotton from India despite opening of LCs. Bangladesh imports 30-35 percent of its cotton requirement from India.

India has also made other pledges including accreditation of certification of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI), reduction of items in its sensitive list, withdrawal of tagging "Made in Bangladesh" label on each jute bag exported to the country, he said. During the visit the business communities of the countries signed four memorandums of understanding (MoU) including setting up of a joint venture packaging industry in Bangladesh by Indian SRS Group and Nitol Group of Bangladesh. The Indian company will invest $50 million in this venture.
...
Khan said the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, probably in January next, would help settle issues like allowing duty and quota-free export of apparel products to India. Referring to the non-tariff barrier in export of jute bags from Bangladesh to India, Khan said he discussed it with Indian Textile Secretary Rita Menon who assured him of necessary change in the law. Khan said allowing more garment items and jute bags from Bangladesh will reduce the huge trade imbalance between the two neighbouring countries. Meanwhile, Bangladesh would be able to export duty-free 1.7 million pieces of textile products in the last quarter of this year while a fresh duty-free quota of 8 million pieces would take effect from January 2011, he added.

3) Transit rights and other matters Linky

Bangladesh will hold talks with Nepal and Bhutan soon on allowing them to use Chittagong and Mongla ports, and sign Memorandums of Understanding as per the joint communiqué signed by the prime ministers of Bangladesh and India. Dhaka will also have talks with Delhi on the matter as both Nepal and Bhutan will need Indian land corridor for using the two ports. "We will visit Nepal and Bhutan soon, may be at the end of this month or early next month, to discuss the use of Chittagong and Mongla ports by the two countries. After reaching a decision with them, we will discuss it with India," the adviser told The Daily Star later.
...
He mentioned that the shipping ministry is overseeing setting up of land customs offices at some border points. Procedure of operation has been settled for trucks from Nepal and Bhutan which will cross 200 metres from zero point, he added. The meeting emphasised building power transmission lines immediately for import of 250 MW electricity from India. It also discussed taking up more projects with the $1 billion Indian credit.
...
Asked about sharing of the Teesta water, the adviser said it will take time to estimate the quantity of water the two countries now get.

4) News adds on the MOUs Linky

Four more MOUs were signed between Bangladesh and India during the commerce minister's visit to India. Of them three were signed with the Tata group. "Tata wants to study the feasibility of assembling Tata pickups in Bangladesh and production of retail parts of Tata vehicles used in Bangladesh. It also wants to open driving schools." Indian SRS Group and Bangladeshi Uttara Packing have also signed an MOU on setting up a joint packaging factory in Bangladesh. Both the countries have decided that trucks of both countries can enter 200 meters inside their borders.

----
Elsewhere
5) ULFA talks: Linky

A local court today granted bail to ULFA political adviser and senior leader Bhimkanta Buragohain who served seven years in Tezpur jail. Additional Judge of Sonitpur district and sessions court Hemadevi Phukan Bhuyan granted Buragohain, popularly known as Mama, bail on the submission of surety of Rs 25,000 each for two bail petitions moved by his nephews Anup Phukan and Kula Mohan Barua.

Telegraph adds: Linky

Buragohain will now be taken to Guwahati Central Jail. He is likely to be released in a day or two after his one of relatives submits a bail bond. The court of the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) here had already granted bail to the Ulfa leader regarding one pending case and is awaiting submission of a bail bond. “I feel good as I am free now. I have not been able to meet my people for a long time. I have met a few of my relatives today on the court premises and felt really good,” Burgohain, while talking to The Telegraph today over phone from Tezpur, said. “I am happy that the process of releasing the jailed leaders of the outfit has started. However, our chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and other key leaders like Chitraban Hazarika and Sasha Choudhury are still inside the jail. I hope they are also released soon as the ongoing peace process can gain momentum only after the release of all the jailed leaders,” he said.

6) India-Burma trade: Linky

While India is almost prepared for the Indo-Myanmar border trade, the Myanmarese government has many works to finish for the same, an official said today. PK Neihsial, Superintendent of Central Land Custom based at Champhai, informed DoNER Secretary Jayati Chandra, who visited the proposed border trade area at Zokhawthar, said the border trade was yet to be commissioned. “While Mizoram almost prepared for the border trade, the Myanmarese government has not executed works as expected. Among others, the road from Tiau (border point) to Tiddim is yet to be made an all-season road,” the official informed the DoNER Secretary.

According to the customs official, border trade was taking place unofficially on one or two items of the 40 trade items listed for the border trade. He said fertilizers, bicycles, vehicle spare parts and medicines were at the top of the list of the items which Myanmar wanted to import from India. Neihsial also said all the departments concerned were ready to occupy their offices at the Land Custom building once the border trade took off.

7) The GJM travails: Linky

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to seek the opinion of all its leaders across the country before accepting the proposed set-up for the hills, an indication that the outfit is walking a tightrope and wants to avoid a Sixth Schedule-like fiasco that also brought out Subash Ghisingh’s nemesis. Sources confirmed that Morcha president Bimal Gurung would invite its unit leaders from across the country for deliberations on the interim set-up and Gorkhaland. “The meeting will be held very soon,” a source said. The date could probably be October 30, another source said.

The Morcha has formed units in the seven northeastern states besides Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It has a unit in Calcutta, too. The Nepali-speaking people from across the country had supported the Morcha agitation for Gorkhaland as they saw in it a solution to the identity issue of the Gorkhas. The new state, it was said, would give the Gorkhas the identity they had been craving for by differentiating between the Nepali-speaking Indians and the citizens of Nepal. Although the party has been insisting that the proposed arrangement is only temporary and the statehood movement will continue, Gurung and his think tank are wary because the initial agitation was for a new state and not a new administrative set-up. Under the circumstances, the Morcha wants a consensus to be reached before the interim set-up deal is inked. Observers said the Morcha did not want a repeat of the Sixth Schedule fiasco, another reason why a consensus is needed.

In the past, the Centre, the state and the Subash Ghisingh-led GNLF had signed a Memorandum of Settlement for conferring the Sixth Schedule status on the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling. The status could not be conferred because of a spontaneous opposition in the hills. The delay in amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution — the process starting almost one-and-a-half years from when the settlement was inked in 2006 — to include the Darjeeling hills proved to be Ghisingh’s nemesis. “Gurung is aware how Ghisingh, who was then considered the undisputed leader of the hills but had to go because of the mass opposition. The Morcha leadership does not want a repeat and will try to convince its unit leaders that the interim set-up is only for two years and that the party has not set aside the Gorkhaland issue,” said an observer.

The party is likely to firm up its decision on the interim set-up only after receiving feedbacks from its unit leaders. In fact, the Morcha yesterday asked its leaders from the Dooars and Terai to submit their opinions complete with their address and phone numbers. “A similar exercise will be conducted when members of other units are invited for discussion,” the source added. The prospect of settling the interim issue within the next political-level talks seems real as Gurung seems to have worked out a strategy to solve the territorial dispute. He has hinted that the solution is in the formation of a joint verification committee that will survey the Dooars and Terai and submit a report by 2011. “(After that) the government has to agree to include the Nepali-dominated areas in the administrative arrangement that will be in force till 2012,” he said yesterday.

8) On Anthony Shimray: Linky

Immediately after his arrest, the NSCN-IM’s special envoy, V.S. Atem, had written an angry protest letter to the Centre. But sources said the outfit soon realised the harm done to the talks and its chairman Isak Chishi Swu wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — and Muivah to the home ministry — explicitly “withdrawing” that letter.