Dear Reader,
Even as the tragedy of the Covid second wave unfolds around us in the country, rays of hope appear in the unlikeliest of places.
Like it did last month — in a Covid Care Centre in Mizoram. In this heartwarming story, a 24-year-old law student, who had recovered from Covid, decided to take care of a 93-year-old lady, who had tested positive.
Just that the old lady in question was no ordinary 93-year-old. She was a refugee from Myanmar who had fled the crackdown following the coup in February, seeking shelter in neighbouring Mizoram.
The story may be heartwarming but also shows the unusual schism that has been playing out at the borders of states like Mizoram and Manipur since March. Right after the military coup, hundreds of Myanmarese have fled the crackdown and come into the northeastern states for refuge.
While the centre has been insistent that the borders be sealed, it is easier said than done in Mizoram. The Mizos say they share deep ethnic bonds with the Myanmarese. In this piece, we explain the roots of this bond.
From Assam
After days of high drama, Assam finally has a new Cabinet, led by a new Chief Minister. On the new government’s agenda is not just Covid management but also the re-verification of the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise — the latter, a poll promise by the BJP which was part of its manifesto. In fact, after the government took oath, the Assam NRC chief filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, pushing for re-verification, citing multiple anomalies in the 2019 list. Read here.
In other news, in a tragic incident, 18 elephants were struck down by lightning on a hilltop in an Assam forest. This is the first time in two decades that such a large-scale causality has been reported among elephants in Assam. This is what we know so far.
Finally…
A church worker from Nagaland has won the prestigious Whitley Award, also known as the ‘Green Oscar’, for his efforts to create a “biodiversity peace corridor.” He is the only Indian to have won the honour this year. Read here.
Until next week,
Tora Agarwala
No comments:
Post a Comment