North-East Briefcase

Jeep and elephant safari affected in Pobitora Sanctuary
Morigaon (Assam): Jeep and elephant safari services in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary was affected on Sunday due to ceasework by regular and casual forest guards and workers.The regular and casual forest guards struck work due to non-payment of their salaries for the last two months. Range Officer of the sanctuary Ashok Das said that he had a discussion with the forest guards and assured them that their payments would be cleared soon following which they withdrew their ceasework programme. Normal functioning of the Park in the morning session was affected with many tourists–both domestic and foreign returning without taking the jeep and elephant safari, Das said. The jeep and elephant safari services, however, resumed in the afternoon, Das added. (PTI)
 BPF not for pre-poll alliance
Kokrajhar (Assam): Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) leader Hagrama Mohilary on Sunday said it will not enter into any pre-poll alliance and will contest in 16 constituencies in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area in the Assembly elections scheduled next year in Assam.”We will not enter into any pre-poll alliance with any political party as we are considering to field our candidates in all 16 assembly constituencies in the BTC area,” Mohilary said after attending a meet of prominent citzens here today. Mohilary also appealed to all political parties to maintain peace in the region. He further said that the party was confident to win more than 14 seats. “The party wants to strengthen democracy in the region and its main poll plank will be peace and development in the region”, he added. (PTI)
 Woman hotel owner fired upon by unidentified gunman
Kohima: Unidentified gunman fired upon a woman hotel owner in Dimapur inside the hotel, who escaped unhurt. Official sources on Sunday said however, Ritika Mehta, the owner, escaped unhurt last night. Speaking to media persons, she said a man entered her hotel during closing hours and asked her in Nagamese, “jabo?” “When I replied, where to go, he grabbed my wrist and took out a pistol,” she said. She then got herself freed from the clutches of the gunman and fled, when the man fired from behind. An FIR has been lodged and investigations are on. (UNI)
Naga women leaders participate in International Conference
Kohima: Two Naga women leaders, Rosemary Dzuvichu, Director of Women Studies Centre, Nagaland University and advisor to Naga Mothers’ Association; and Abeiu Meru, president of Naga Mothers’ Association, would represent the Northeast at the XVI International Conference of Women in Black against War and for Peace in Bangalore beginning from on Sunday to November 19. The conference would bring together women leaders and academicians from war torn countries to deliberate on peace and violence against women.  Rosemary Dzuvichu has been invited as speaker at the international conference and as jury member at the World Court of Women against wars, for peace. The jury would listen to testimonies from women across the world, analyze and critique the experiences of women from conflict countries. The five-day conference would include seminars, workshops, vigils as well as the world court. It is expected to bring high profile women leaders from across the globe to seriously deliberate on peace processes and inclusiveness. A large delegation of women leaders from different countries have started arriving for the conference being hosted by WIB, India. (UNI)