IMPHAL, December 18: Bureaucratic bungling sealed the fate of filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma's documentary The Marams, which missed the Mumbai International Film Festival. The film, based on the monolithic culture of the Maram Naga tribe of Manipur, was selected for the competitive section of the festival. The last date for submitting the film's print was Wednesday, but the Manipur Film Development Corporation (MFDC) refused to send it citing contravention of norms. However, MFDC managing director Y Nabachandra Singh failed to give a concrete reason for this step. He is now avoiding the Press. The film, produced by the directorate for development of tribals and Scheduled Castes under the Manipur government, was also selected for the Indian Panorama this year. The MFDC had initially delayed sending the print to Mumbai, saying the directorate was yet to clear outstanding payments. When the directorate went with the funds, the MFDC, which is the executive producer of the film, employed delaying tactics. It claimed certain norms were violated by Sharma, who refuted the charge. Sources said Nabachandra Singh's personal dislike for Sharma was the main reason for his action. In a bid to deprive Sharma of state awards, the MFDC recently framed a new rule for the third and fourth Manipur film festivals, debarring films produced by firms from outside. The festival is now underway at Imphal. All of Sharma's earlier films were produced by national producers like the National Film Development Corporation, Films Division of India, Doordarshan and Children's Films Society of India. Sources said the new rules are yet to get the approval of the state government. National producers were allowed to participate in the first and second Manipur film festivals. But The Marams was not allowed entry into the Manipur festival. The MFDC failed to explain why The Marams was denied entry even though it has been produced by a state government department. As The Marams got its certificate from the Censor Board in 1998, it cannot be featured for the next Manipur film festival. Film critics and cinegoers are upset over these developments in the film industry. They are planning to demand an inquiry into MFDC's actions by its chairman, Chief Minister W Nipamacha Singh. Sources said the MFDC managing director has arbitrarily taken the decision without the knowledge of the Chief Minister, who heads the film corporation. Six other documentaries by Sharma will be screened in the retrospective section of the Mumbai festival to honour the Indian filmmaker. All the six films had won national and international awards. The sixth Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short and animation films will be held from February 3 to 9 next year. After the initial round, The Marams was selected for the competitive section. The film could have been entered in the festival either by its director or its producer. But the print was in the hands of the MFDC, which blocked its entry. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 19, 1999)

SHILLONG, December 18: Eminent scholar and former education minister, Barrister Pakem, died early this morning after a prolonged illness. He was 62. Pakem was also the former former vice-chancellor of the Northeastern Hill University (NEHU). Meghalaya Governor MM Jacob, Chief Minister BB Lyngdoh, Speaker EK Mawlong, leader of the Opposition DD Lapang and others visited Pakem's residence to pay homage. Family sources said Pakem's funeral service will be held at Jowai on Tuesday. Pakem is survived by his wife, Neini Roy, and seven children. Sources said Pakem's death was a great loss to the Northeast and the Centre which often sought his advice on matters related to the Northeast. Born to Lebius Dkhar and Quesneybon Takem of Moolait Sutnga village in Jaintia Hills district on June 10, 1937, Pakem became a renowned social scientist specialising in politics. He not only theorised on political science but was also elected as an MLA for two terms between 1978 and 1988. Pakem became education minister during his first term in the Assembly. His term as education minister is often referred to as "the best." Pakem also held the post of vice-chancellor for two terms till he resigned on August 5 this year on health grounds. Family sources said he suffered from acute gout and arthritis. Pakem was a guiding light to the Khasi-Jaintia society to which he belonged. He never hesitated to give his studied comments and offer insights, no matter how unwelcome they might have been. Pakem was educated in St. Anthony's College in Shillong, Gauhati University and the School of International Studies under the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. He taught political science in many colleges and at Dibrugarh University. He was also honorary director of the Northeast India Council for Social Science Research. He has written several books and scores of articles about the Northeast in regional and national journals. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 19, 1999)

SILCHAR, December 19: Police arrested four persons yesterday in connection with the massacre at West Bethubari village in south Assam's Karimganj on Wednesday. All four have criminal cases pending against them. Two of them, identified as Muslim Ali and Arfan Ali, were arrested at Baithakhal village. Both have admitted to being involved in the massacre. An armed group raided one Surman Ali's house at West Bethubari on Wednesday night and killed eight members of the family. They also shot dead a neighbour who tried to intervene. The victims were Surman Ali, his daughters Najma, Roshna, Hasna and Ayesha, his mother Subijan Bibi, his elder brother Jaban Ali, the latter's wife Alariya Begum and Atar Ali, a neighbour. The only surviving member of Surman Ali's family is his 72-year-old father Najafat Ali. He told The Telegraph that the incident took place shortly after the family retired to bed. "At least 20 people, their faces covered with black cloth, attacked my family," he said. The Ratabari police outpost was informed of the massacre the next morning. Police personnel were deployed in the village immediately to prevent a backlash. Police sources said Surman Ali, a former dacoit, had been at loggerheads with one Sonabar Ali for a long time now. The latter, also a dacoit, is suspected to have masterminded the massacre. Karimganj superintendent of police Dilip Barua today said a combing operation was under way in the forest areas of Ratabari. He said the situation in West Bethubari was tense, but under control. Sources said several families had fled the village in apprehension of more violence. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 20, 1999)

GUWAHATI, December 21: Assam's "complex" population pattern is likely to hinder enforcement of the new abortion laws proposed by the Centre, according to health officials here. The Centre plans to amend certain clauses of the Anti-abortion Act of 1971 with a view to lowering the maternal mortality rate and improving medical facilities for pregnant women. The Union health ministry has solicited the views of all state governments on the proposed amendments. Though the Asom Gana Parishad-led government is in favour of certain amendments to the Act, the unabated influx of foreigners is likely to be a major impediment to enforcement of the new laws. "The Centre has made a case for amendments to the Act due to the high incidence of abortion-related deaths in the country," a health official said. According to a survey conducted by the Union health and family welfare ministry earlier this year, 45 out of every 10,000 married women who undergo abortions die due to various complications. Forty per cent of these women are between 15 and 19 years of age. "Though the amendments are meant to ensure safe motherhood and strengthen a woman's right to have the final say in matters of childbirth, the population pattern in Assam, particularly in the minority-dominated areas, is not conducive to enforcement of the proposed laws," said a senior official in the state health department. "The reproductive and child health programme was launched in the state quite sometime back, but it is yet to yield results in areas where the population pattern is complex," he said. The official said illiteracy was the primary reason behind the "abnormal growth in population", particularly in areas where migrants from Bangladesh have settled. "They still think that children are gifts from god and undergoing abortion or using contraceptives is against the tenets of their religion," he said. One of the suggestions made by the Union health ministry is introduction of stringent penalties against medical practitioners and proprietors of nursing homes which carry out illegal abortions. "Most abortion-related deaths are caused by use of unsafe methods and bungling by inefficient doctors. We have information about touts carrying out abortions in private clinics and nursing homes, but are helpless due to certain loopholes in the Act. Once the legislation is amended, we can penalise anyone carrying out illegal abortions," the official said. Assam health minister Kamala Kalita said the Centre's proposal for amendments to the Anti-abortion Act was being considered. "We will air our views after carefully examining the proposal," he said. Asked whether there could be problems in implementing the amended Act, the health minister declined to comment. (Siddhartha Dutta Kashyap; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 22, 1999)

IMPHAL, December 22: The state achieved yet another milestone in its crusade against AIDS with a novel workshop, "Christmas without AIDS", at Churachandpur. The workshop, part of a multi-pronged AIDS awareness campaign, distributed 700 condoms free of cost to women. The three-day workshop sponsored by the Manipur State AIDS Control Society commenced yesterday. Organised by the Tribal Women's Welfare Trust, Churachandpur, it was aimed at combating HIV and AIDS in the district and bring about consciousness among the youth to abstain from promiscuity during Christmas. Every year, scores of young boys, girls and couples have unprotected sex during the festival. The uninhibited nature of celebration is fraught with health hazards, in view of the high incidence of drug-induced HIV infection in the state. It has also become a major source of concern for the older generation. Perturbed by the rising number of HIV cases, the women's trust mooted the workshop scheme to prevent the spread of the virus. The Churachandpur-based Shalom hospital, took an active part in the workshop and its director dwelt at lengths on the subject -- AIDS in the community and psycho-social issues -- during the workshop. Many other experts also took part. Majority of the participants in the workshop were women under the 16-30 age group. The participants are expected to use the condoms during Christmas for safe sex. Churachandpur figures next to Imphal on the list of HIV-affected districts in the state. The town is inhabited by a number of ethnic groups. Prominent among them are the Kukis, Paites, Hmars, Mizos and Zous. Most of these tribals are Christians. During Christmas, the tribal youth indulge in hectic merry-making and sex is a natural corollary to the festivities. Sources said "Christmas without AIDS" was a bold step on part of state AIDS control society as it had touched a religious nerve. But going by the response, the workshop was expected to be result oriented, they added. (Oinam Sunil; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 23, 1999)

GUWAHATI, December 27: Taking advantage of the border dispute between Assam and Nagaland, illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Nepal have encroached upon large tracts of land adjoining Assam's Golaghat district. With people from Nagaland and Assam steering clear of the disputed border belt, illegal migrants have settled en masse in the area. The influx has increased since Nagas allegedly began engaging migrants to cultivate land in the disputed belt in exchange for a share of the crop and cash. Apart from cultivating land the Nagas claim to own, the migrants have encroached upon vast stretches of reserved forests in the disputed border belt. Golaghat deputy commissioner Ravi Kota said a large number of illegal migrants had settled in the area and encroached upon reserved forests. He said it was difficult to identify these migrants. Nagaland Chief Minister SC Jamir admitted that illegal migrants from Bangladesh had settled in the disputed border areas, but denied that the Nagas were helping them do so. He said the influx of migrants could endanger the country's security. "We have taken up the issue with the Union home ministry on several occasions, but it does not take anything seriously unless it hears the sound of guns blazing," the Chief Minister said. Jamir said the Assam government should give up its intractable stand on the issue and resolve it amicably. He said Naga people were being harassed by the Assam police along the Assam-Nagaland border. Citing an instance, Jamir said Assam police arrested 40 Nagas in retaliation for the abduction of a person by militants sometime back. "This must stop if trust between the two communities is to be restored. Harassment of innocent people is a violation of the rule of law. We should learn to live like brothers as we are of the same stock," he said. The Chief Minister said "artificial boundaries" should be done away with through bilateral talks. "A few square kilometres here and there will make no difference as long as the people are happy," he said. While Jamir acknowledges that there is a problem, the Assam government refuses to admit that there is a dispute over Assam's border with Nagaland. "The border may be a bone of contention as far as Nagaland is concerned, but not so for Assam," said Kota. He said the Assam government's claims on the disputed belt were based on Article 2 of the Constitution, the Survey of India map of 1962 and the Nagaland State Act, 1962. "While our stand is bolstered by documents, Nagaland is making demands propelled by emotions," the deputy commissioner said. However, the Nagaland Chief Minister refused to buy Kota's argument, saying, "The 16-point agreement is very clear on the merger of all-Naga inhabited areas. Since the people living in these areas want to be with Nagaland, it will not be just for the Assam government to deny them this right." (Rajib Borah; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 28, 1999)

SILCHAR, December 30: Funds crunch has forced the Regional Engineering College at Silcoorie near here, the premier institute of technology in the Northeast, on the brink of an "indefinite closure". The crisis stemmed from the Assam government's failure to pay its 50 per cent share of the annual recurring grants to the 23-year-old college over the past few years. College principal BUA Barbhuiya said the arrears had shot up to Rs 7.32 crore. Barbhuiya said the college, which has 900 students in its four-year graduation courses, was forced to divert central grants from time to time for development of infrastructure and modernisation projects. The college has already diverted Rs 4 crore to meet its recurring expenditure, he added. Barbhuiya said the acute funds crunch had forced the authorities to stall the payments of salaries of its faculty members and other staff for December. The laboratories and workshop classes in the college might also come to a grinding halt soon, he added. Barbhuiya has asked the Union human resources development minister Murli Manohar Joshi for a central grant of Rs 3 crore to prevent the immediate closure of the college. The college, one of the 17 RECs spread over the country, has already been declared a "centre of excellence" by the All India Council for Technical Education . The shadow of closure looms large over the college, set in its scenic 1600-bigha campus, at a time when the council has approved the opening of four post-graduate courses in its mechanical and civil engineering streams. At present the institute runs courses in civil, mechanical, computer, electric and electronics. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 31, 1999)

GUWAHATI, December 31: Noted litterateur of the State, Ajit Barua will be conferred the prestigious Assam Valley Literary Award for 1999. This was announced by the Williamson Magor Education Trust in a press relese issued here today. The Williamson Magor Education Trust has been giving this award every year since 1990 to a living person for excellence in creative writing and total literary contribution to the Assamese society. Recognised as one of the eminent poets and prose writers of Assam, Barua's works in Assamese language are considered valuable contribution to the modern literature. Born in 1926 at Jorpukhuripar, Guwahati, Barua obtained his master degree in English literature from Calcutta University in 1949. He also did his LLB in 1971 and subsequently obtained a degree in Public Administration from IIAP, Paris in 1975. Beginning his professional career as a college lecturer, he joined the Assam Civil Service in 1952 and later in the same year he joined the Indian Revenue Service. He was later nominated to the Indian Administrative Service. He retired as the Commissioner of Lower Assam Division in 1986. Barua has been successful in introducing the Assamese readers to various nuances of French and English literature. He translated four books from the French language including extensive works of Albert Camus. Among his well known publications in Assamese, Kisuman Padya Aru Gan, Brahmaputra Etyadi Padya, Ekhan Premar Upanyas, Sahityar Bishaye, Kabya Aru Anyanya and Bibhinna Prabandha are considered most outstanding. His translated works from the French language Niyainishtha, Gadh, Plague and Manuhar Sthiti and translated work of TS Eliot, Chan Mati, are considered rare brand of works which have ushered in a fusion of world class literature in the Assamese language. Barua received Bharat Bhasa Parishad Award in 1987 and Sahitya Akademi Award in 1991 for his poems, Ambika Giri Rai Chowdhury Award of Asam Sahitya Sabha in 1993 for his prose works. The Assam Valley Literary Award will be presented to Barua at a function in the first week of March, 2000 which will be attended by noted Telugu litterateur C Narayan Reddy as the chief guest. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; January 1, 2000)