Tribal insurgency up anew in India state

Title

Creator

Ganguly, Dilip

Language

English

Source

Business Day XIV (99) July 15, 1980

Year

1980

Subject

Indigenous peoples -- India

Insurgency -- India

Tribes -- India

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

uesday, July 15, 1980 Business Day Page 5 Tribal insurgency up anew in India state UN meet on women: slim progress to review By DILIP GANGULY Agence France Presse MANDAI-AGARTALA ROAD, Northeast India — 'he executioners had fled. But the limp body of the ictim, a 35-year-old Bengali immigrant settler was >en hanging in the woods. A few hundred yards away, there was another ruesome sight. A headless and highly decomposed ody of a 12-year-old Bengali girl lay crumpled in a itch. Both were the victims of the Tripura tribes. These are the fresh killings around the now nfamous Mandai Valley, the scene of an nprecedented carnage, killing and arson early last lonth, which left 421 dead and hundreds injured in ne single village. After over one month of the Mandai killings, the 0-kilometer cobbled Mandai-Agartala Road smains a trail of devastations. Not a single soul was sen throughout the journey — not even the therwise evident pariah dogs. Fear and death seem j be stalking the valley. Our taxi driver refused to go without an armed scort. We were warned by the state government, tens of thousands of tribals are entrenched in the lountains, preparing to mount another attack, be areful, take an escort,” were the words of the tate’s chief secretary at Agartala, state capital of All the Bengali-owned houses on the roadside rere burned down, property were looted and the nfortunates who did not flee, were killed. The entire 250,000 Bengali population in the ffected areas has taken shelter in 155 state run amps set up by the Marxist-run government. IUNGER. No one is allowed to go out of the camp ompound. But the pang of hunger (only 400 grams f rice is given per adult for a day) sometimes forces le Bengalis to go in the woods to fetch jackfruit nd pineapples, which are in abundance in Tripura. .The fresh killings have now established beyond oubt that a full-fledged tribal insurgency movement has started in Tripura state. Ethnic insurgency first raised its head in Tripura nthin a year of its accession to the Indian union on ict. 15, 1949. The immediate provocation was the ppointment of the chief administrator, who appens to be a Bengali. The administrator disarmed and disbanded the >yal guards comprising of tribals. The sacked royal guards formed isurgent group and named ? wordsmen) and joined the tribals ----- ----ready bitter about the sudden influx of Bengal ie. om East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. The tribals meanwhile, formed the tribal youths >rum and according to reports circulating here, btained support from the Pakistani government, he forum set up training camps oh Pakistani soil nd mounted attacks on ill-equipped Indian army. The Indian government ordered a massive rakdown and by the end of 1968 the forum rumbled. After two years of hibernatioh, the Tripura ctremists began to regroup under a different name Tripura Sena’ (Tripura Liberation Army). But efore they could be organized sufficiently, the 971 Indo-Pakistan war broke out, which lead to tie birth of Bangladesh. Another spell of ibemation followed. In 1975 the extremists renewed their links with le Mizo National Front. __ _ militant it ‘ ‘sangrak” who were COPENHAGEN - Five years after the first United Nations’ Confer ence on Women met in Mexico and set up a 10-year worldwide pro gram, a second confer ence, which was to open here Monday, will review the progress made so far. This conference will also concentrate on how to deal with the aspira tions of “millions of women who are the poorest in the poorest re gions,” Lucille Mair, the conference secretary general, said. But progress over the past five years appears slim. According to the five U.N. regional com missions, which prepared the conference and re ceived evidence from 93 governments, even the “minimal” objectives set out by the Mexico con ference have not been attained. This is why the inter dependence of economic and social progress must be emphasized in the promotion of women, Lise Ostergaard, the Danish culture minister and conference chair man, said. TOPICS. Delegates from about 150 countries were to attend, and they would have to concen trate on measures de signed to achieve this interdependence. Efforts must be waged on fight ing illiteracy — two out of every three illiterate people are women — fighting disease, or giving women better job oppor tunities, Ostergaard said. In Africa, for ex ample, women living in rural areas produce at least 50% of the food, but their work is not al- , wsLys included'TA1' their country’s gross national product, the minister said. Experts here believed it significant that the UN Voluntary Fund for Women, set up in 1975 to help the most de pressed areas of Asia, Africa and Latin Amer ica, only managed to secure $3 to $4 million a year in voluntary con tributions. Other more politically sensitive matters will probably be debated during the conference. These might include dis cussions on the con sequences of apartheid for women in Southern Africa, the consequences of Israel’s military occu pation of Arab lands for General Kurt Waldheim. But a full list of all those taking part had still not been finalized Friday — three days before the conference’s opening. ment has reinforced sec urity around the confer ence center and several delegations have been given added protection; including that led by the wives of two presidents conference has been or ganized by several hundred associations and will debate the same themes as those proposed by the official conferNEEDED FOR IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR - male, between 22-35 years old - must be thoroughly trained or experienced in electrical, mechanical, building repair and maintenance work - must be a licensed electrician - experience as maintenance supervisor preferred ASSISTANT PERSONNEL OFFICER: - preferably male, 22-32 years old, a law graduate (Bar examination not required) - well versed on labor laws - experienced in personnel management Male AND FEMALE TYPISTS - must be at least 18 years old - must have a typing speed of at least 40 wpm - must be able to communicate effectively in oral and written English - must have finished at least two years of college education “WE OFFER ATTRACTIVE COMPENSATION PACKAGES AND LIBERAL FRINGE BENEFITS TO QUALIFIED APPLICANTS” Interested parties may apply at: BUSINESSDAY CORPORATION 113 West Avenue, Quezon City on: Wednesday and Fridays 2:00 to 5:00 P.M. PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING 1.3 pcs. passport size photos 2. Transcript of Record/True Copy of Grades/Classcards-whichever is available 3. Bio-data Palestinian women, and the plight of some 11 million women refugees throughout the world. Between 1,000 and 1,500 delegates are ex pected to attend the con ference which will be opened by UN Secretary know who will represent Cambodia, or whether South Africa, a member of the UN, will send a delegation. The Iranian government is to send a delegation of 12 people, 11 of them women. Th e Danish govern— Jehanne Sadat of fficials and Egypt, anti Imelda Danish authorities have Marcos of the Philip- even given this second pines. conference an aura of A shadow conference legitimacy — a bus shut will also be held a few «e miles away from the offi- OIIlclal to cial UN conference at conference. Bella Center. This second " to travel freely from the official to the shadow wirfcrciive. Agency France Presse Republika ng Pilipinas Pambansang Pangasiwaan ng Patubig NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION Lungsod ng Quezon ContwtdMo.-MPD-C-M i in The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) hereby invites applications from suitably qualified and experienced Contractors with Contractor's License of not lower than Category "B” who wish to be qualified as tenderers for the construction of Checkgate, Headgate and Diversion Channel for Pump Station No. 2 for the Magat River Multi-purpose Project. The Contract Work which shall have a contract duration of 240 calendar days to cover one full dry season period will involve but not limited to the following major items of work. Description of Work 1. Structure Excavation 173,710 cu.m. 2. Embankment Cons, and Compaction 930 cu.m. 3. Concrete, 3,000 psi 479 cu.m. 4. Road Surfacing 1,890 cu.m. The qualification of applicants to submit a bld will be determined taking Into consideration their financial capabilities, experiences, manpower and equipment Interested Contractors should submit a written application for prequalification not later than July 17, 1980 at the address below. The start of Issuance of Prequalification Forms and the last day for submission of Prequalification Documents will be on July 21, 1980 and August 8, 1980, respectively. Prequalification Forms will cost P50.00 (non-refundable). The National Irrigation Administration Project Development and Implementation Office 6th Floor, NIA Building EDSA, Dillman, Quezon City Metro Manila Applicants with on-going contracts with NIA must submit together with their applications a certification from the Project Manager concerned that they are not behind schedule and are performing satisfactorily with Applicants are also required to submit together with their applications proofs of ownership on the following construction equipment required for prequallflcatlon: Description Quality 5 9 D6-Dozer (120 HP) D7-Dozer (140 HP) Pay loader (2 cu. yd.) Sheepsfoot Roller (DD-4' x 4’) with prime mover Wheel Roller (ST) Grader Dump Truck (6 cu.m.) Water Truck (1,000 gal.) Concrete Mixer (1 bagger) (SGD.) FIORELLO R. ESTUAR Acting Administrator Philippine Marketing Association, Inc, will hold its annual Marketing conference on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of July 1980 at the Philippine Plaza Hotel, Cultural Center Complex. The Conference theme, "MARKETING IN A CRISIS ENVIRONMENT," will focus on the new dimensions in Marketing brought about by recentworld economic developments which have been triggered-off by the oil price increase of the OPEC member-nations. This national Marketing endeavor will pinpoint on a common effort to develop an effective Marketing offensive not just within the country, but also with our Asian neighbors and the rest of the wdrld. Resource speakers and other experts have committed them selves to participate in this conference to help analyze present market situations in the country and help develop new techniques and trends to cope with these changes. Call us immediately and register now! THE CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT 3rd Floor J & M Building 7848 Makati Avenue, Makati Metro Manila Tel. nos. 86-17-71 or 40-84-95 or 59-00-11 locals 7426 & 7420

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