Saturday, May 4, 2013

Become a part of the Jonai Campus University Movement


Well, many might be interested in joining this social awakening movement for varsity that kicked off from small place called Laimekuri by villagers and rural college-goers and school-goers, but you might be far from your home village/ town/ state. 
Villagers and students during Highway blockade burnt tyres on April 29
 Take the example of Bikash Doley, a final year under graduate student of Laimekuri College, is consistently fighting for allotment of land for the project. He keeps updating his friends via Facebook on the latest development relating to this university movement. He shares pictures and information through social network that has indeed lit a tempo among large number of persons across the various walks of life. Bhupen Mili, a Phd scholar of IIT Guwahati, too has initiated an
Students forming human chain outside the Jonai administrative premises on May 3, 2013.



online petition for final approval of land allotment addressing the chief minister of Assam which have contribute to the growing awareness for the cause. There is still to do since the allotment of land is not final so far.


In this hour, what a concerned individual can contribute is by requesting the education minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, through social media. Dr. Sarma is well connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can type or copy and paste/ message these words: "Sir, May I request you for speedy approval of land allotment process for Tezpur University Jonai Campus at Dhemaji district. " on his Facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/Himanta-Biswa-Sarma/329145898982?fref=ts) and Twitter handle (https://twitter.com/himantabiswa).

Become a part of the varsity movement. Please act now, time is running out!
 
Read more about the Jonai campus varsity movement: 
Lackadaisical Role of Administration Exposed
http://www.misingonline.com/tusikmassik/blog/tezpur-university-jonai-campus-land-allotment-sub-divisional-administration/
On Tezpur University land Allotment Politics
http://www.misingonline.com/tusikmassik/blog/tezpur-university-jonai-campus-land-clearance-crisis/
Protest demo in Jonai
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=577464815619523&set=pb.104919259540750.-2207520000.1367732886.&type=3&theater 
Highway blockade in Laimekuri
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=575809912451680&set=pb.104919259540750.-2207520000.1367732886.&type=3&theater

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Brahmaputra river: Eroding Land of the Misings of Gohpur in Assam

I was in Gohpur's Mising villages on the day of Bihu this year. Towards south of National Highway 52 from Gohpur town in Sonitpur district of Assam, there are number of villages inhabited by Mising people till the immediate bank ( some are even after crossing it!) of Brahmaputra river.

We enjoyed Bihu with our friends based in number of villages, most of whom were in home during Bihu holidays. So far I can recall, the  name of villages we toured were Dondhi, Letburung, Choraibari, Lohitmukh, Pichola etc. Our gang of friends, most of whom were university students , when we reached Choraibari village, near the embankment joined local youths in merry-making . Some seized the cymbals, others picked the drums. Then, we were almost forced by a group of damsels to sing oi nitom, our folk song. We enjoyed in courtyard of taléng okum.

Portion of land falling into river Brahmaputra in Pichola
We were on bike. We rode through the muddy road cum embankment along beautiful taléng okum/ stilt house in the villages. A guy named Pabitra took me and another friend to the river side in Amguri Pichola near Lohitmukh. I was taken aback by images, a mighty river marauding people's dwellings and farmlands. I cursed myself I could not do anything to stop the beautiful land from eroding. We saw families packing their belongings to safer location with the increasing onslaught of the river. When many people are absorbed with Mising Autonmous Council (MAC) boundary and election,  I was witnessing helplessly shrinking land that falls in MAC. I am sharing the pictures which I captured with a friend's cellphone.

Women collects firewood from the river side.
This will be devoured soon, cause of people's silent weeping.
Can't we have a long term measure to stop erosion? What happened to the policy makers who promised of protecting the lives and property of people? Doesn't we have an engineer in the country who can make foolproof embankment rather than just sand filled long dykes? We can create billion of scams, not embankment. I'm sharing only these heart-pounding pictures , not the celebration ones in protest. This blog is dedicated to all struggling people of river banks who are serially been ignored, marginalized and excluded from the fruits of Indian democracy, whose votes are valued only during election.


I'm sure that no one will intervene or assist,  I will not see the river banks, the river side stilt houses, the green paddy farm any more when I visit next time. Because, this is Assam, and suffering people here are Mising!

( I am thankful to all my friends of the villages of Gohpur. Special thanks to Pabitra who took me to the river side.)
Sandcasting: This was once a fertile farm land and human habitat
"When we were in our childhood, we have to walk miles with packed meals to reach the ghat. Today, it is here".




Talks with state government on Mising issues by TMPK, MMK, TMMK

A new update is being shared by the Chief Minister of Assam that the state government has set for talks with the national organisations or M...