NORTH EAST NEWS BULLETIN           DATED:-06/01/2013
HEADLINES
• Centre likely to take decision not to hold peace talks with militant outfits anymore.
• Central interlocutor, PC Haldar concludes tripartite talks with Meghalaya’s
militant outfit Achik National Volunteer Council.
• Suspected ULFA militant killed in encounter with security forces in Tinsukia
district.
• Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath satisfies with preparations for
forthcoming Tripura Assembly polls.
• Arunachal Pradesh inks agreement NABARD Consultancy Services for third party
monitoring of Central projects under Special Plan Assistance and Border Area
Development Programme.
• Assam’s Mayong, known for magical activities becomes popular tourist destination.
NEWS IN ORDER
NO MORE TALKS :
The Centre was likely to take a decision not to hold peace talks with militant outfits
anymore, a senior official of Home Affairs said yesterday. "We shall no longer hold talks
with any militant groups anywhere in the country and this is in the pipeline," Union
Ministry of Home Affairs joint secretary (North East),  Shambhu Singh, told reporters in
Shillong. He said "the reason is that every time you talk to a group, a small remnant of
the group tends to break away and again continues with illegal and prejudicial activities.
Assam has a list of militant groups which held peace talks, but later a small group of the
same outfit broke away as an 'anti-talk' faction as was the case with the DHD, UPDS
KLNF and NDFB outfits. The Home Ministry official also said the government was not
interested in talking to the Garo National Liberation Army, another outlawed
organisation in Meghalaya's Garo Hills region. Meanwhile the Centre has extended its
declaration on the Hynniewtrep National Liberation  Council as unlawful organisation
and directed the Meghalaya government to take necessary action on the issue that the
Khasi militant outfit has resurfaced again. The Registrar Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Tribunal has also directed the militant group to reply to the show cause notice issued
within 30 days.
ANVC TALKS:
Central interlocutor, PC Haldar yesterday concluded peace talks with the Garo Hillsbased militant outfit Achik National Volunteer Council in Meghalaya, which was under a
tripartite ceasefire agreement from 2004. Joint Secretary (North East), Ministry of Home
Affairs, Shambhu Singh, termed the talks as successful. A process of various approvals
would be needed including approval of the state cabinet and the union cabinet before the
final document is signed by parties concerned, he said. One of the demands of the ANVC
was for creation of a Garoland Autonomous Council similar to the Bodoland Territorial
Council in Assam, which the state government did not agree. The Centre and state
conceded to 13 demands which included giving more powers to the Garo Hills
Autonomous District Council.
 
ULFA KILLED:
In Assam, a suspected ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in
Tinsukia district. Acting on a tip-off about the presence of a group of five ULFA cadres in
Hebeda village, police launched an operation in the area. In an ensuing encounter themilitant was killed while others managed to escape. Police recovered a grenade and some
ammunition from the slain militant. A massive combing operation was launched in the
area to arrest other militants who managed to escape.
EC REVIEW TRIPURA:
Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath yesterday reviewed preparedness for the
Tripura Assembly polls and was fully satisfied with the functioning of the election
machinery in the state. The Commission was fully satisfied that the machinery was
capable of conducting elections on time, the process for which will expire on March 16,
Sampath told reporters in Agartala. During the visit, Sampath and Election
Commissioners, HS Brahma and Syed Nasim Ahmed Zaidi held separate meetings with
political parties, Chief Secretary SK Panda and DGP Sanjay Sinha and all SPs and DMs
of the state. He said, adequate security measures would be taken for conducting free, fare
and incident free elections and added the date of elections would be announced in
appropriate time. Sampath said voters slip with photos would be introduced for the first
time in the country during elections in Tripura for reducing the chances of manipulation.
He said that that monitoring committees were formed in district levels to take actions
against paid news.
MOU-ARUNACHAL:
Arunachal Pradesh has inked a memorandum of understanding with NABARD
Consultancy Services for third party monitoring of all the central projects under Special
Plan Assistance and Border Area Development Programme being implemented in western
part of the state since 2008. Arunachal Pradesh is  the first state in the country to
implement the concept of Third Party Monitoring which has been lauded by the Planning
Commission. Planning secretary, Ankur Garg representing the state government and Dr
P Radhakrishnan, principal representative of NABCONS, signed the MoU in a simple
function held at Raj Bhawan. The State government led by Chief Minister Nabam Tuki
has taken several measures to ensure that the fund allocated for each project is utilized
judiciously so that the projects are implemented properly as per the specification for
reaching out the fruits of development at the grassroots.
MAYONG:
In Assam, Mayong, known for magical activities has become a popular tourist destination.
Situated near the Pobitora wildlife sanctuary in Morigaon district, Mayong has often been
called India's magic capital. Astounding tales of a man disappears into thin air, or being
turned into an animal, or a fierce tiger being tamed and serious illnesses being cured lie in
the treasure trove of almost every family at Mayong. Today Mayong's fascinating stories
are attracting tourists, prompting the government to develop this place as a tourist
hotspot. Villagers said that People from Punjab, Haryana and West Bengal, along with
other North Eastern states come to Mayong to learn magic. Assam Tourist department
has also taken initiative to bring more tourists to Mayong