The Northeast Notebook

Meghalaya, incidentally, has a high number of women who are bringing up their children singlehandedly. Women rights groups in the state have also threatened to take the high school board to court for the injustice.

Short stories, big success

THE fifth Northeast Book Fair that began in Guwahati on Wednesday has at least one new publication that’s on its way to becoming a bestseller. It is a collection of English translations of 15 Assamese short stories, which have been compiled and translated by members of the Northeast Writers’ Forum—a forum of writers from the region who write in English. Published by Katha, it is the first of a series of five compilations, the others in the pipeline being collections of poems, essays, novels and stories for children.

Switching camps

POLITICIANS in the Northeast are known for switching allegiance frequently. Now they have company from the cadres and leaders of the Khaplang group of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland NSCN (K) who have defected to the Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) camp.

Seventeen members of the NSCN(K) switched to the NSCN(IM) last week, causing much discomfort to the outfit’s top leadership. Those who defected included one deputy kilonser (minister) and a district-level vice-chairman.

Manipur for inner line permit

THE violence in Assam against Bihari migrants has made Manipur examine its migrant situation. Many groups in Manipur fear that Bihari migrants will take away a large number of jobs both in the government and private sector. They have now demanded introduction of the Inner Line Permit regulations in order to stop ‘outsiders’ from getting jobs and acquiring property.

Leading the campaign is the United Committee of Manipur (UCM), which feels that imposing Inner Line restrictions like it is in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, would help prevent an Assam-type situation in the future.