In Afghanistan, a foreign correspondent writing for the UK’s Guardian newspaper and two Afghan journalists held hostage for six days have been released. These journalists were captured last week by an armed gang in Kunar province, a mountainous region bordering Pakistan. The Guardian website said all three were exhausted but in good spirits. The journalists had been planning to interview militia in what is one of the country’s most dangerous regions.
Nepal: Maoists declare two more states autonomous
December 17, 2009 — IMCIn Nepal, the opposition Unified CPN (Maoist) declared two more states – Magarat and Tamuwan autonomous states today as a part of their on going third phased of anti-government agitation. With this, the number of Maoist-declared autonomous states has reached twelve.
Maoist general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa declared the Magarat autonomous state at Tansen in Palpa district this afternoon, while Maoist central committee member Dev Gurung declared the Tamuwan autonomous state at Pokhara on Kaski district. Defying calls from several quarters to withdraw the autonomous state declaration programme, the Maoists went ahead with its plan to declare 13 autonomous states based on ethnicity and region from the 11thof this month.
Three major Terai based political parties – Madhesi Janadhikar Forum(Loktantrik ), Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) and Sadbhawana Party) have criticized the declaration of autonomous federal states saying such act would undermine the role of Constituent Assembly. A meeting of top leaders of the three Madhesh-based parties has demanded the opposition Maoists to immediately withdraw the unilateral declaration of states.
Indian Govt. intends to set up NSG hub in every state: PC
December 15, 2009 — IMCThe government today said it intends to set up National Security Guard (NSG) hub or an equivalent commando force in every state in due course to strengthen the national security apparatus. The Home Minister P Chidambaram told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour that the government is trying to have these units soon, though it was a long-term plan in view of the constraints of manpower and training.
Four regional NSG hubs in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata have already been operationalised . He informed the house that setting up of Regional Centres of NSG at Kolkata and Hyderabad have been approved apart from raising 10 Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (CoBRA) to be raised during the three-year period from 2008-09.The Centre would also provide assistance for raising commandos in states, apart from upgrading existing four training centres for Central Paramilitary Forces at Silchar in Assam , Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, Sapri in Himachal Pradesh and Gawaldham in Uttarkhand.
Debt ridden fisherman committed suicide in Orissa
December 15, 2009 — IMCRajesh Kumar Behera in Kendrapara, India
A debt ridden fisherman of sea side Bengali dominated village of Kharanashi on Tuesday committed suicide after losing his mental balance following he lost his fishing net (kani jala) in the sea after the forest officials ,who were patrolling the sea on 12th December allegedly tried to intercept his boat while he was illegally catching fish inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary .
According to sources, a 40-years old debt ridden fisherman, Harekrushan Sikhdar , of Kharnashi village on Tuesday committed suicide by consuming poison after losing his mental balance at Nehru Bungalow fishing jetty following he failed to find his net which he lost in the sea.
If sources are to be believed, the poverty stricken fisherman , Harekrushan Sikhdar , who was a driver in a sea worthy mechanized boat of a Paradeep bound owner and collecting his bread and butter by catching fish in the sea , on 12th December had gone to catch fish at Bay of Bengal .He was allegedly catching fish illegally by entering into the prohibited zone of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary . While he was catching fish in the sea , a forest patrolling team ,who was entrusted to guard the coast in order to provide security to the endangered Olive ridely turtle and to curb down fishing illegally inside the prohibited zone of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary allegedly chased to the boat of the Harekrushna Sikhdar.As a result, in order to avert himself from the arrest of the forest officials for illegally entering into the marine sanctuary and catching fish with the boat and also to save the boat from the seizure, the ill fated Sikhdar fled from the spot by leaving his fishing net ,whose cost would be of about Rs 1.50 lakh .
Later , on the next day he went to the sea in search of his net that he left in the sea ,but in vein . Later, he went to the fishing jetty at Nehru Bungalow and asked his fellow fisherman about his net. When Harekrushna Sikhdar failed to get his net , being depressed and allegedly lost his mental balance and committed suicide by consuming poison, informed Manohar . Sikhdar, the father of the ill fated Harekrushna Sikhdar.
Locals alleged that Harekrushna Sikhdar allegedly by borrowing money from the local money lender and also by conducting loans in the local financial institution allegedly prepared the Kani net. But when he came to know that the net is not with him and he would not able to repay the loan amount ,so he might have taken such a drastic step by committing suicide , informed Anatha Das, the president of Kharanashi boat owner’s association.
Police later seized the body of the deceased Sikhdar and sent it for autopsy at Kujanga hospital . The deceased was survived by his old parents , his widow Satyabati Sikhdar , his 15 years old son , Ram Krushna Sikhdar, and his 11-year old son, Biswamaya Sikhdar.
The last rites of the deceased is going to be held on Wednesday as his spouse and his two sons ,who were in the house of the decased’s father –in-law at Murshidabad in West Bengal , were returning to Kharnashi.
Meanwhile ,Palpable tension mounted in the village Kharanashi and its nearby areas after the fisherman community came to know about the untimely demise of Harekrushna.
About 8 marine fishermen of the coastal pockets of Kendrapara district committed suicide in last four years after they lost their sole livelihood of fishing after the state government imposed a six months fishing ban every year on the sea in the name to protect the endangered sea turtles. As a result, several fishermen became paupers and lost their mental balance due to fishing ban, alleged Narayan Haldar ,the secretary of Orissa Traditional Fish workers Union (OTFWU)
Seven Naxalites killed in Indian state
December 11, 2009 — IMCIn Chhattisgarh, Seven Naxalites were killed in an encounter in the Dantewada district that was continuing since last evening. According to the police sources, the encounter took place in the jungle between Aranpur and Jagargunda of the Dantewada district.
Police have also recovered some weapons from the site of the encounter. On the other hand, the naxalites killed a person near Kukram village under the Jagargunda police station area of the Dantewada district last night suspecting him to be a police informer.
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