Some BIG news and some updates (October 14, 2010)

1) On UNLF Linky

The chairman of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest Meitei insurgent group of Manipur, was arrested in Dhaka and handed over to Indian officials yesterday. The ultra leader, Rajkumar Mrigen alias Salayaima, was arrested by Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh in a place called Lalmati in Dhaka. The insurgent leader, who had reportedly returned from Saigol in Vietnam after procuring arms and ammunition, is being brought to New Delhi. Mrigen is also likely to be handed over to National Investigation Agency.

On Anthony Shimray, Sentinel has this to add: Linky

United National Liberation Front (UNLF) chairman Chanu Yama alias Rajkumar Mrigen, who was arrested by Bangladesh intelligence sleuths on October 3 in Dhaka where he went for an arms deal, is likely to be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India. In another development, Antony Shimray, who is considered a major arms supplier to the ULFA, NSCN-IM and other militant groups in the Northeast, was produced before the Patiala House Court in Delhi by the NIA on Tuesday. Shimray, who is very close to ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah, had been staying mostly in Philippines and Thailand. According to sources in the Ministry of External Affairs, acting on a tip-off from the NIA, the Nepal Police had arrested Shimray from the Kathmandu international airport last week.

An NIA official said that it had come to light in early 2008 that the NSCN-IM had been procuring a huge quantity of sophisticated arms from the Yunan province of China. In the last part of 2009, the official said, the NIA had come to know that the outfit had sent a huge amount of money to Shimray for purchase of arms. The official further said that Shimray had been involved in the transhipment of a huge consignment of arms reportedly meant for the ULFA at Chattagram in Bangladesh in 2008. Till the seizure of the consignment of arms in Chattagram, ULFA ‘c-in-c’ Paresh Baruah and Shimray had been at Golden Inn, a hotel in Bangladesh, the NIA official said.

Telegraph adds this: Linky

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) has questioned the Centre’s sincerity in the Naga peace process which has been dragging on for the past 13 years without any tangible results. The outfit’s remark came after the arrest of its leader, Anthony Shimray, from Kathmandu by a joint team of Indian and Nepal intelligence agencies on October 2. The NSCN has directly blamed the Research and Analysis Wing for the arrest. Joe Anal, the secretary of information and publicity of the government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim, slammed the “double-standard” policy of the Centre.

Maj. Gen. Phungthing Shimrang, convener of the ceasefire monitoring cell of NSCN, said the outfit has been keeping in touch with the Indian officials so that Shimray is released soon. NSCN general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah has also lodged a complaint with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The arrested NSCN leader was questioned by the National Investigation Agency yesterday and remanded for 14 days again. He has been accused of conspiring with arms dealers in China and Thailand to carry out war against India.

The intelligence agencies have recovered incriminating documents, including foreign passports, national identity cards of multiple countries, including Bangladesh, the Philippines and Thailand, an Indian passport, driving licence in fictitious names and other related documents. During his arrest, Shimray was travelling on a foreign passport, and was on his way from Bangkok to New Delhi to attend the next round of Naga peace talks.

On NDFB (from SATP)

Meanwhile, Dedung Daimary alias Khangru a leader of the Ranjan Daimary faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), his wife Nisha Daimary and their associate Johny Dung who were reportedly arrested by the Karnataka Police from Bangalore, were brought to Mangaldai of Darrang District, reports Assam Tribune.

This is the second bigwig (if I am right) arrested from Bangalore, even Jewel Garlosa had been arrested from Bangalore.
Tribune adds this: Linky

According to an Army source, the trio was traced by tracking the mobile phones used to make extortion calls to businessmen and government officials, especially in Sonitpur and Udalguri districts in the name of NDFB. Dedung Daimary, nephew of Ranjan Daimary and the kingpin of the extortion racket with the assistance of Nisha and Johny, was giving extortion demands through cell phone from Bangalore and the extortion amounts were reportedly deposited in few accounts in Udalguri and Shillong branches of SBI.

2) In the maoist action, the circle around Kundan Pahan has been reducing in radius over the last fortnight with joint action in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa having begun. I would like to posit that the recent fast-paced action in Jharkhand is because of the joint ops. Kundan Pahan's capture is imminent, but nothing is guaranteed till the guy is nabbed.
3) The Ongoing bonhomie with Viet Nam Linky

India today announced a slew of measures to expand its defence ties with Vietnam, including joint training of armies and support to strengthen and upgrade the capabilities of the Vietnamese armed forces. “New Delhi will provide support to Vietnam to enhance and upgrade the capabilities of services in general and navy in particular,” Defence Ministry Spokesman Sitanshu Kar said, after Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who is in Hanoi, met Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Vietnamese counterpart General Phung Quang Thanh. Antony assured the Vietnamese leadership that India “will help Vietnam in its capacity building for repair and maintenance of its platforms”. “The armies of the two countries will also cooperate in areas like IT and English training of Vietnamese army personnel,” Kar said. He said the two armies would also undergo joint training in mountain and jungle warfare in India next year.

“The two sides will work towards developing cooperation among defence institutes and establishing linkages for sharing experience and knowledge,” Kar said. “Antony also offered assistance to Vietnamese forces in UN peacekeeping operations,” Kar said. The two sides also discussed global and regional security issues, he said. “Antony said Vietnam occupies a strategic position in New Delhi’s policy priorities, both bilaterally as well as under its ‘look east policy’,” said the spokesperson. Kar said that General Thanh thanked India for its valuable contribution to make the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defence ministers’ meeting a great success. Stating that India occupied a “special position” in Hanoi’s foreign policy framework, General Thanh said: “We are indeed moved by your support.” He welcomed more port calls by the Indian Navy to Vietnam and offered maintenance and repair facilities at Vietnamese ports. Antony also extended an invitation to his Vietnamese counterpart to visit India next year. (IANS)

Telegraph has this to add: Linky

The Indian Army has decided to learn from the masters of the bush war — Vietnam — in the middle of an intensive study of Maoist military tactics. The irony is hard to miss. When the Naxalites emerged in India in the late-1960s, a popular slogan that reverberated in Bengal was “Tomar naam, amar naam, Vietnam, Vietnam”. Translated it means “Your name, my name, Vietnam, Vietnam”, but the English does not have quite the same ring as the passionate Bengali in which the slogan was chorused.
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The first exercise between the Indian and Vietnamese armies in mountain and jungle warfare will be held in India. The Indian Army has limited its current role in the counter-Maoist offensive to training the police and logistics. But its Allahabad-headquartered Central Command is specifically tasked with mapping the Maoist militancy, analysing their tactics and equipping the army with the right resources. None of this has figured in the agreement reached by A.K. Antony and General Phung Quang Thanh yesterday.

Hindu adds this: Linky

There was no authoritative word on whether Vietnam would, like Malaysia, seek to capitalise on India's expertise in the training of pilots for Russian-made combat aircraft.
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Hanoi later this month for the India-ASEAN summit and the EAS meeting, both being hosted by Vietnam.

4) Cross-border power trade between India and BD: The much unmentioned point in media circles is the synergistic convergence of the Indo-BD power sector, which should augur well for the holistic development of the NE. Underneath this fabric is the (perhaps belated!) realization on both sides of the Foreign Policy circles that it is better to cooperate and develop simultaneously than indulge in a regressive nineteenth century-ish zero-sum game of fear and depredation. But as the saying goes, Foreign Policy can be usurped by political dispensations, and hence, one has to ensure that the rubicon cannot be uncrossed (yet again!). The urgency in South Block is thus understandable.

Illegal immigration from BD into the NE of India cannot be solved nor CRE-ed, even if fences keep coming up at a far more rapid pace than now. A big IF given that the terrain is riverine, the forces are inadequate, the alarm is missing, the population in the BD side is desperate, the NE population is labor-short, and the netas know which side the bread is buttered. It is better to ensure that BD rises up and creates enough chances for its population to develop. Unfortunately, this development will have the by-effect of identity assertion in an aggressive sense. From India's point of view, we dont need a basketcase to our east as much as we dont need one to our west. Neither do we need a holier-than-thou (subconscious or otherwise) assertion of regional chauvinism that is collectively destructive.
Linky

Bangladesh and Asian Development Bank yesterday signed a $100 million loan agreement for a cross border electricity transmission deal between Bangladesh and India under which Dhaka will be able to import up to 500 megawatts of power. Under the deal for Bangladesh-India Electrical Grid Interconnection Project, a 40-kilometre 400-kilovolt transmission line will be built linking electrical substations at Bahrampur in India and Bheramara in Bangladesh, an ADB press release says. Besides, Bangladesh will set up a 500-MW high voltage substation at Bheramara and a 230 KV double circuit-in-loop-out interconnection at Bheramara to link with the transmission network in the country, and associated infrastructure. The ADB also said the interconnection will facilitate an initial power flow of 500 MW into Bangladesh from the Indian grid starting in 2012, with a provision to expand the power flow to 1,000 MW in the future.
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Musharraf said the government stresses enhancing regional cooperation, and different multilateral and bilateral development partners including the World Bank and ADB are assisting in this regard. The total investment cost of the interconnecting grid project is $156.8 million, and the ADB is providing 63 percent of it and Bangladesh government the rest. The ADB assessed some risks and solutions regarding the interconnectivity. One such risk is delay or failure to enter into binding power purchase agreements between the two countries or non-extension of the cooperation agreement after January 2015. The ADB notes that Bangladesh government is aware of this risk and is comfortable with the documented political commitments of both the countries. A long-term contract between the power utilities of the two countries would further mitigate this risk. Another risk is whether the cost of imported power would be competitive for Bangladesh. Regarding this, the ADB notes that the government has been reviewing its gas pricing policy which is likely to impact the existing bulk and retail power tariffs. Most new power plants will be based on dual-fuel technology, and power produced using imported fuel will be comparatively more expensive than power to be procured from India. Another concern is inadequate power is available in the eastern region of India. The ADB mentioned that the eastern region is expected to add a significant generation capacity in the next five years and there will be up to 500 MW available for supply to Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Linky

Business leaders yesterday strongly opposed India's demand for a waiver on transit and transshipment fees on goods containers, as it is a major source of income for Bangladesh. India has been demanding this waiver even though the foreign ministry has continually opposed it, saying the Indian private sector already received large subsidies for transporting goods to the northeastern hinterlands. The ministry sent its message to officials of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Monday and advised them to discuss the matter with the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

The NBR has imposed a transit and transshipment fee of Tk 10,000 per container and Tk 1,000 per tonne for bulk cargo. Bangladesh has an opportunity to earn an estimated Tk 1-2 billion as transit and transshipment fees. AK Azad, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said Bangladesh can in no way afford to lose the transit and transshipment fees from the Indian goods containers because these are a major source of income. "India must pay the fees if it [India] uses the land of Bangladesh for transit and transshipment. It is a major source of income for us," Azad said.

He said Bangladesh will also have to pay India for using its land to carry goods to Nepal and Bhutan. "We can pay India the fees for transporting goods to Nepal and Bhutan from the earnings from the transit and transshipment fees from India," Azad added. "We should definitely not waive the fees. We should charge a fair fee for transit and transshipment on the containers laden with Indian goods," said Anis Ud Dowla, president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "There should not have any free lunch. We are ready to pay the fees to India for transit and transshipment in case of transporting goods to Nepal and Bhutan through Indian land," he said. India will use Bangladesh's infrastructure that has a cost, and they have to pay the fee, he said.

Abul Kasem Khan, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also agreed. He said the fees should not be waived, as they will use the country's infrastructure. "Nothing should be given free, but both the governments can re-calculate the fees," he said. Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan declined to comment on the issue. The issue over waiving the fee came to a focus at a time when the customs authority blocked the entry of two Indian ships carrying fly ash at the Bangladeshi border at Shekbaria, as they did not pay the transshipment fee. The ships, destined for Assam, were not allowed to enter Bangladesh.

And Linky

The government plans to import cotton from India and Uzbekistan to solve problems at the country's textile industry hit hard by the rising prices of raw materials on the global and domestic markets, said the commerce minister. The issue of imports from India, the world's second largest cotton producer, will be discussed during the commerce minister's visit to the neighbouring country this month, according to a ministry statement. The government will also take steps to buy cotton from Uzbekistan, another leading cotton producer, Faruk Khan said. He was talking with the newly elected leaders of Bangladesh Specialised Textile Mills and Power Loom Industries Association at his secretariat in Dhaka yesterday.

5) The year's major sporting events have been conducted more or less safely -- World Cup Hockey, World Cup Billiards and Snooker, IPL 3, Commonwealth Games, etc. Economic circulation requires that these mega-events happen as regularly as they should, and as efficiently and as safely in these days and age. But it is important to realize that the security issues for the Commonwealth Games are NOT over till it is really over. Plus, there is a real possibility of post-game doping related churning. More on this as the saga unfolds (hopefully not!). In any case,

The several hundred foreign journalists covering the Commonwealth Games in Delhi are not leaving India immediately after the event, according to a local media report. From the chances of getting a glimpse of Rajasthan's royal palaces to visiting Kolkata's Durga Puja celebrations from October 13 to 17, the pleasure trips are about to begin. According to a government official, more than 630 foreign journalists from various Commonwealth countries are accredited to cover the Games.

As for me, I am itching to reopen CVC's report on the CWG preps with a CA's scalpel. While the disclaimer that "Any coincidences with the Asiad 82 hosting are not intentional" might have been made, it is hard for folks such as me to discard dubious disclaimers of that nature. Other than that, the only happy thing about the Games so far has been the collective happiness of Indians from different parts of India exulting over their sons and daughters rising to the challenge, yet again.
6) Talks with ULFA Linky

The bail petition of ULFA leader Raju Baruah in connection with three TADA cases, which was supposed to be heard today, has been deferred till October 26. Jailed ULFA leaders including the outfit’s ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, ‘financial secretary’ Chitraban Hazarika and ‘foreign secretary’ Sasha Choudhury and ‘cultural secretary’ Pranati Deka were produced before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup in connection with different cases.

Telegraph adds a bit more detail here.
7) Nepal update: Linky

Amid a political deadlock in Nepal, Maoist chief Prachanda was on Wednesday appointed as the coordinator of a panel entrusted with sorting out contentious issues hindering the drafting of the country’s new Constitution. The decision to appoint Prachanda, who pulled out of the Prime Minister’s race recently after failing to get elected to the top post, was taken at the first meeting of the task force in Kathmandu. The meeting also appointed leaders from major political parties for helping the task force to complete its task. Maoist leader Dev Gurung said Prachanda was made the coordinator of the task force as he represents the largest party in the Constituent Assembly. The task force will sort out issues hindering the drafting of the new Constitution in Nepal, which finds itself in a deep political crisis.
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Besides Prachanda, the seven-member task force comprises of Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudyal, CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Madhesi People’s Rights Forum chairman Upendra Yadav, Nepal Workers Peasants Party chairman Narayan Man Bijukchhe, Prem Bahadur Singh and Rukmini Chaudhary.

Regarding Than Shwe visit and Vietnam relations

Reply to Sid Gau:

Two comments:
1) The itin seems to be:
Sunday - Checks in at 10:30 AM at Royal Residency hotel near the Bodhgaya international airport. Visits the Mahabodhi temple with wife. Makes visit to Sarnath and Varanasi.

Monday - Arrives at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya at 5 AM, offers prayers and meditates for 5 hours. Checks out from the hotel at 12:45 PM.

Travel to New Delhi and is received by Preneet Kaur at the Indira Gandhi airport.

Checks in at ITC Maurya Hotel at about 6:30 PM.

Tuesday - As a guest of Pratibha Patil, he is accorded a ceremonial reception in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Pratibha Patil hosts a banquet in his honour. He is then called upon by M. Hamid Ansari, S. M. Krishna, and Sushma Swaraj. He then has a meeting with Dr. Manmohan Singh, which was followed by delegation level talks. Both MMS and Than Shwe witness the signing of five agreements concluded by the delegations.

Wednesday - Flies early morning to Hyderabad to visit the Tata Nano factory.

Thursday - Departs to Burma.

Comment: I did not see the PM make an exception to protocol and receive Than Shwe. He did meet him one on one. You know, symbolism has a lot of gravitas to both parties: US and Burma. We still seem cautious in certain matters, even if many would just be assured by the signals (both said and unsaid).
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2) I am mostly keen on the contents of the "Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters" signed by PC and U Nyan Win.
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India, Vietnam agree to firm up defence ties Linky

Gen. Singh, marking the first visit to Vietnam by an Indian Army Chief in over a decade, also met his counterpart there, Deputy Chief of General Staff Pham Hong Loi, for talks on follow-up action. Two areas spotted for immediate cooperation were training of military personnel and dialogue between experts on strategic affairs on both sides.
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Defence Minister A. K. Antony is expected to visit Vietnam in October to participate in the first-ever regional meeting of political leaders in the defence field.

Vietnam BP bid and some posts

1) Linky

India won Vietnam's support on Thursday for its bid for crisis'hit BP Plc's energy assets in the South Asian country, as Hanoi stressed BP must give priority to its partners in the stake sale. The two nations, who are partners of BP in offshore gas fields in Block 06.1, appeared cozying up for splitting the British firm's stake between them after a meeting between India's Oil Minister Murli Deora and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. "I had a very good meeting where the Vietnamese Prime Minister agreed with our proposal to takeover BP's interest (in an offshore gas field, a pipeline and a power plant - together known as Nam Con Son project)," Mr. Deora told PTI here. "He was supportive and asked us to work out details (of the bid)," he said without further elaborations.

ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas investment arm of State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), already has 45 per cent stake in the offshore gas fields where BP has 35 per cent and the balance 20 per cent is with Vietnam's national oil firm PetroVietnam. Both OVL and PetroVietnam are keen to acquire BP's stake in the fields that currently produce about 14 million standard cubic meters per day of gas. "He (Dung) sounded very positive (on India making a bid for BP?s interest). I think we are making progress," Mr. Deora said, adding Vietnam gave enough hints that it will not come in way of BP selling its stake to India.

Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Huu Hao earlier said BP must give priority to its partners in sales of stakes in Vietnam assets before making offers to outside parties. In all likelyhood, OVL and PetroVietnam may arrive at an understanding to divide the BP's stake between them. "We are open to taking 1 per cent to 35 per cent stake," Mr. Deora said. "Since (India's first Prime Minister Jawarhal) Nehru to (former prime ministers) Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and now (UPA Chairperson) Sonia Gandhi, India has always supported Vietnam. We have very good relations with them and we will be happy to extend our relationship." Besides the offshore fields, BP also has 32.33 per cent stake in a 371-km pipeline, built at a cost of $ 565 million, that ships the gas produced from the fields to onshore power plants. ConocoPhillips (16.7 per cent) and Petrovietnam (51 per cent) are other partners in the pipeline.

The gas produced from the fields is supplied to a 720 MW, $ 412 million Phu My-3 power plant where BP, Japan's Kyushu Electric Power and Singapore's Sembcorp have 33.3 per cent stake each. India is keen to take BP's stake in the pipeline project and the power plant. "BP has told the Vietnam government that they want to sell their stake in the Vietnam gas fields," Mr. Deora said. The British energy giant intends to sell all of its assets in Vietnam and Pakistan, except for its lubricants business, in its drive to raise $ 10 billion to help pay for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill clean up and compensation.

The Vietnamese assets are valued at about $ 966 million and the Pakistan business at about $ 690 million, according to investment banker UBS. "In principle, priority should be given to sell the stake to partners", Mr. Hao said. "If partners do not buy, then they can sell to outside parties." OVL had sold stake in the Lan Tay field in the block 06.1 in Vietnam to BP after winning the exploration license for the area in 1988. Mr. Deora flew into the Vietmease capital Hanoi on Wednesday and held discussions with top officials of Petrovietnam. Later he flew to Dalat, the venue of ASEAN Energy Ministers meeting. He met the Vietnamese Prime Minister on sidelines of the conference.

"The gas fields were originally allocated to us but due to foreign exchange crisis of 1990s, we had to farm?out (give away) some stake to BP. We will like to get back that stake," Mr. Deora said. China's CNOOC and Sinopec as well as Thailand's PTTEP may also be interested in BP's stake in the Vietnam project. Chinese oil majors could come up against political opposition in Vietnam, where suspicion of China runs high due to the territorial disputes between the countries in the South China Sea. Oil Secretary S. Sundareshan said India is interested in taking over Bk's stake in all the segments of the Nam Con Son project - the gas fields, pipeline and the power plant.

While OVL along with State-owned Oil India Ltd may takeover BP stake in the gas fields, gas utility GAIL India was interested in the British energy giant's stake in the pipeline. GAIL and refiner Indian Oil Corp (IOC) can together manage the power plants. Nam Con Son project's upstream part is the Block 06.1, located 370 km south-east of Vung Tau on the southern Vietnamese coast. The 955 sq km block has Lan Tay and Lan Do gas fields. Lan Tay currently produces around 14 million standard cubic meters per day of gas while Lan To is being developed currently.

OVL recouped all its investment in the project in 2006 and currently earns $ 35.40 million of net revenues, officials said. OVL has so far invested $ 217 million in the gas fields and has government approval to invest up to $ 377.46 million. ONGC Chairman and Managing Director R. S. Sharma, OVL Managing Director R. S. Butola, GAIL Chairman and Managing Director B. C. Tripathi, OIL Chairman and Managing Director N. M. Borah and IOC Director (Refineries) B. N. Bankapur are part of the high-level delegation Mr. Deora is leading. Besides Nam Con Son, BP also owns 75.9 per cent operating interest in Block 5?2 with Petrovietnam holding 24.1 per cent. It partners ConocoPhillips and PetroVietnam in Block 5?3. OVL also has two other exploration blocks - 127 and 128 in Vietnam. The gas fields in Block 06.1 were discovered in 1998 and were put on production in January 2003. The field produced an average of 12 mmscmd in 2009 and with additional compressors being put, the output will rise to 15 mmscmd.

2) Linky

“The Sino-Burma relation is not as good as before. It has become cold. Instead of a return visit to China [in the wake of a recent Chinese delegation to Burma], Than Shwe will make his next visit to India, which suggests a warmer and closer relation with India than with China,” he further speculated.

Just note that mizzima is the outlet for pro-democrazy voices in burma sitting outside, specially in Delhi, and bad-mouthing the junta. Not that the junta are saintly, but one has to take the mizzima assessment and statements with a pinch of Tata salt (no pun intended).
3) Different strokes for different folks Linky
It is certainly odd that GoI would provide kid-glove treatment for NSCN (IM) while it treats ULFA with the treatment they deserve, and the NDFB with utter derision. So why is GoI afraid of NSCN (IM)? NSCN (IM) has a strong nexus with the west as can be seen from Thuingaleng Muivah's refuge in Netherlands. Same can be said for A.Z.Phizo who was domiciled in London till his death. Is it the fear of the west? It cannot be the fear of extra-territorial disputes such as Manipur or NSCN (K)'s strategic depth in Burma. It has to be something else. I can naively claim the Baptists to be the zero point in this mess. But that just shuts out any logical reasoning from the picture. What is it, I want a more specific and histrionics-free answer.

Northeast and south east asia

Many reports today...

1) India eyes BP Vietnam stake Linky

India is pitching to buy British energy giant BP Plc’s stake in the $1.3-billion Nam Con Son gas project in Vietnam. Oil minister Murli Deora today flew to the Vietnamese capital with the heads of Indian oil firms to lay a claim on BP’s stake in two offshore gasfields, a pipeline and power project — together called Nam Con Son. “This is a great opportunity for us. The gasfields were originally allocated to us but because of the foreign exchange crisis of 1990s, we had to farm out (give away) some stake to BP. We will like to get that back,” Deora said ahead of his meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and government-run PetroVietnam.

BP is considering the sale of fields in Colombia, Venezuela and Vietnam to meet the $20-billion clean-up bill of the worst US spill. It had in June announced a $10-billion asset sale programme to pay the costs of compensating victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill caused by the blowout of the Macondo well in April. China’s CNOOC and Sinopec, as well as Thailand’s PTTEP may also be interested in BP’s stake in Vietnam’s largest gas project. ONGC Videsh, the overseas arm of state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, already has a 45 per cent stake in the offshore gasfields where BP has 35 per cent. The balance is with PetroVietnam.

2) NRC update in Assam Linky

Dispur has told the Centre that it would not be possible to define who is an “Assamese” without completing the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), 1951. The Union home ministry had yesterday asked the Assam government to expedite the process of the definition to ensure a decision on 100 per cent reservation of seats in the Assembly, Parliament and other local bodies for the state’s indigenous people.
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“The very process of updating the NRC has not yet been able to progress properly due to division of opinions. While the minority groups want the update on the basis of the voters’ list of 1971, many non-minority organisations have demanded that the NRC be updated on the basis of the voters’ list published in 1952. The AASU, in its report submitted to the GOM, clearly stated that the NRC 1951 or the voters’ list of 1952 be taken as the benchmark to define the concept of indigenous Assamese people. So the government feels that it would be a politically immature step to take the final decision on the issue without waiting for the completion of the NRC update,” the source said.
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AASU adviser Sammujjal Bhattacharyya termed the government step as an attempt to woo illegal Bangladeshis for votes. He said the AASU does not understand the logic of the NRC update to define who is an Assamese. He said considering the gravity of socio-economic aggression by illegal foreigners, the AASU also wants creation of a provision under the clause 7 of the Assam Accord to enable the people to assert an exclusive right over land and other natural resources in the state. He said since flood and erosion were fast eating up huge quantum of lands, Assam must come out with a proper land policy to protect the interest of indigenous people. “The AASU’s demand is being given due consideration,” a source said.

Linky

At least four persons were killed and more than 50 injured in clashes between activists of the All Assam Minority Students’ Union and police as well as residents here today. The Barpeta administration clamped Section 144 in the entire district while the AAMSU called a 12-hour Assam bandh — supported by the AIUDF — from 6am tomorrow. Police said hundreds of AAMSU activists and supporters gathered in front of the deputy commissioner’s office at 11am to take part in a scheduled dharna staged to oppose the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The protesters shouted slogans against chief minister Tarun Gogoi and All Assam Students Union (AASU) adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya and threw stones at the security personnel, injuring 10 police personnel, including two CRPF jawans. About 20 vehicles parked on the premises of the deputy commissioner’s office were also damaged.
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The AAMSU has been demanding cancellation of the process of upgrading the NRC undertaken in Barpeta district and Chaigaon in Kamrup district as pilot projects in Assam. As part of the project, the citizens have been asked to attach some documents as proof of their Indian citizenship with the standard government form. These documents include the list of NRC 1951 and the electoral rolls of 1966 and 1971. The purpose of the NRC is to identify and enlist Indian citizens in the state. AASU alleged the incident was instigated by a pro-Bangladeshi lobby to throttle the process of NRC update. The AASU adviser told reporters there was no justification in AAMSU agitating on the issue since the NRC would be updated on the basis of the voters’ list of 1971.

“There are enough reasons to believe that migrants across the border who came to the state after 1971 are threatened by the NRC update. The lobby of these illegal migrants backed by organisations like AAMSU is now trying to create a communal divide in the state in the name of NRC update. The AASU will not allow the issue to take a communal colour,” Bhattacharyya said. Condemning the incident, the AGP said it was a complete failure on part of the district administration to control the situation. In a statement issued by the party’s Barpeta unit secretary, Liaquit Ali Khan, the AGP condoled the deaths and demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident.

3) ULFA vs. PC Haldar, NSCN vs. RS Pandey
Linky

Former director of Intelligence Bureau, P.C. Haldar, who was appointed an interlocutor for talks with the banned Ulfa, arrived here today on a three-day visit aimed at preparing the ground for negotiations with the outfit. According to sources, the basic objective of his visit is to asses the ground realities. “He will take opinion of a cross-section of people on initiating peace talks with Ulfa. He will also weigh the pros and cons of entering into a dialogue with the outfit without Paresh Barua,” a source said.

National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) ‘general secretary’ Thuingaleng Muivah wants more powers for Centre's interlocutor R.S. Pandey to accelerate the 13-year-old Naga peace talks, reports Nagaland Page. The Naga leader, who arrived New Delhi on July 15 with at least eight deputies for the next round of peace talks, would like to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P. Chidambaram to convey this request, among others, before the official dialogue begins. Sources said the peace talks between the Centre's representatives R.S. Pandey, home ministry officials and a nine-member delegation of the outfit could be held next week.

4) Baptists vs. Catholics Linky

The minority Catholic community in a Nagaland village is allegedly facing persecution, with the predominant Baptists imposing fines and seizing property of people from the rival denomination for practising their faith — a rights violation deeply condemned by the Nagaland Baptist Church Council. Village authorities and a students’ union of Anatongre in Kiphire passed a resolution on March 18 stating that there shall be only Baptist Christian denomination in the village. They warned that Rs 50,000 would be imposed against those who bring in other religion/denomination to the village, their moveable and immovable properties seized and the defaulters expelled from the village. The Catholic Association of Nagaland highlighted this denial of right to religion in a memorandum submitted to the governor, after a Catholic Church was dismantled at Anatongre village on July 9.

5) Dima Hasao Linky

A 15-member delegation of the Indigenous Peoples Forum met Assam chief secretary N.K. Das today to press for the demand to bifurcate Dima Hasao (formerly NC Hills) district. The team, headed by the forum’s president A. Langthang, submitted a three-point memorandum to Das and demanded immediate and fruitful solutions to their problems. The demands include bifurcation of Dima Hasao district into autonomous council districts and Sixth Schedule status to both, renaming of the separate district as North Cachar Hills, steps to cancel the proposed wildlife sanctuary covering Boraille hill as it is the habitation of the indigenous people, and finally formation of a high-powered committee to look into the demands. Dima Hasao district is home to 18 different communities.

6) Burma issues and Than Shwe visit, thanks Al for posting that.
linky

Intelligence agencies are worried about the increasing presence of Chinese-origin businessmen in Myanmar, the concern being voiced ahead of next week’s trip by the head of the country’s military junta. The anxiety is expected to figure in the talks between General Than Shwe and the Indian side during his five-day state visit starting July 25, though he is also expected to invite Indian investment in a big way. The warning on the Chinese traders’ rising presence and influence — in the border areas as well as in the hinterland — assumes significance also because of the conclusion that their expansion has come at the cost of Tamils. The trend has been pronounced in the trade hubs of Mandalay and Tamu. “An intelligence report says within five years, Myanmar will be a Chinese colony,” a home ministry official told The Telegraph. The Tamil families have been there for over a century. Visitors couldn’t miss the aroma of idlis and sambar in Tamu, close to Manipur’s Moreh. “We would joke that the best south Indian food is found in Moreh,” said Pradip Phanjoubam, the editor of Imphal Free Press. That is changing now as Chinese businessmen overtake their Tamil rivals, many of whom are now said to be looking at greener pastures in Moreh.

The Indian worries have a parallel. In the villages of Arunachal Pradesh’s Kibitho — close to the Tibet-India-Myanmar tri-junction — local sources said the population of the Hans, the dominant ethnic Chinese group, had doubled over the past year. The sources even claimed that many of the new settlers were ex-Chinese servicemen. The Arunachal situation mirrors the tensions in Tibet where riots in 2008 traced their roots to Beijing’s policy of encouraging the Han majority to migrate to the region dominated by native Tibetans. The Dalai Lama, whom China had accused of having plotted the violence, had cited the Han migrations as a cause. Last year’s Uighur uprising in China’s Xinjiang was also blamed on discontent over Han settlers.

Myanmar is strategically important for New Delhi. Militants from Manipur and other states in the Northeast find shelter in the jungles of the country’s north. Myanmar is also a route for gunrunning and drug-smuggling. General Shwe could bring a bag of goodies when he comes calling next week, mainly investment opportunities in his country, including in hydro-power, oil and natural gas projects for an energy-hungry India. But religion, not business, will be the 77-year-old leader’s trump card as he tries to win over Indian hearts. Shwe — dubbed the “world’s third-worst dictator” behind North Korea’s Kim Jong Il and Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe by the Foreign Policy magazine — will start his Indian sojourn with a visit to Bodh Gaya and seek India’s assistance to help to restore a famous Buddhist pagoda, Ananda Temple, in Myanmar.

Myanmar wants the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to restore the over 900-year-old structure. The temple whose architecture is similar to temples in Bengal and Orissa is located in Myanmar’s Bagan region. Shwe is scheduled to meet President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders during the July 25-29 visit. On his business itinerary will be meetings with barons, including one with Ratan Tata possibly to set up a vehicle plant. Myanmar produces only Jeeps and there is a huge demand of four-wheeler trucks and cars. A visit to infotech and pharmaceutical companies in Hyderabad is also on the cards.

Shwe’s visit is being viewed as yet another sign of India shedding its “moralistic” approach to foreign policy for a “pragmatic” one that requires it to deal with neighbours the way they are, not how they ought to be. Delhi had supported the movement for democracy led by icon Aung San Suu Kyi before it started engaging with the junta. “It (the ties with Myanmar) is a relationship that needs to be nurtured,” said a top foreign ministry official.

India and Myanmar have been working towards closer strategic and economic ties. General Shwe had visited India earlier in 2004. Then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam went to Myanmar two years later. Maung Aye, Myanmar’s No. 2 general, came to India in 2008. Vice-President Hamid Ansari went there last year, as did the army chief. Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and home secretary G.K. Pillai made trips earlier this year. Trade between the nations is over $1 billion (Rs 4,700 crore). But India does not have big investments in Myanmar. The only notable deal — by the Essar group which put in Rs 535 crore since 2007 — is in the upcoming Sittwe port, known as the Kaladan river project. The project, which includes making the Kaladan river navigable all the way up to a point close to Mizoram, is scheduled to start by 2013. This will complement Bangladesh’s Chittagong and Khulna ports that Dhaka has already offered India to cater to the Northeast.

I never realized Khulna was offered as a port by BD, I assumed only Chittagong was offered. This is news to me.