Nature of latest ethnic clash in Assam! Priyanku Narayan Baruah ,Digboi,8811836885 The Bodos are the main indigenous tribal people of Assam, numbering around 1.3 million according to the 2001 Census of India, and their livelihood has been severely affected with the arrival of migrants from Indias impoverished neighbor Bangladesh. This has been a recurring problem in Indias northeast for the past several years. There have been other previous incidents highlighting the uneasiness prevailing between the two communities for a long time. In 1983, a similar incident took place, the Nellie massacre, which claimed over 2,000 lives. However, the recent ethnic clashes have echoed in other parts of the nation as well, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and chaos. Trouble started on May 29, 2012 with the Muslim youth group, the All Bodoland Minority Students Union, protesting against the removal of a signboard from a mosque, allegedly illegally built on a forest area. The local Bodoland Territorial Council administration prevented the protesters from forcing shops and offices to close, which resulted in a fracas and injuries to some people. On July 6, two Muslim youths were killed by unidentified gunmen in Kokrajhar district.The incident sparked off a series of attacks and counter-attacks the same night and later, blew up into full-scale conflict. Rioters indulged in both pre-planned as well as opportunistic violence- killing, burning and ransacking. Men, women and children from 500 villages filled in the 128 temporary relief camps and in all probability would stay there for months waiting for the paltry rationed food. The Assam ethnic clashes present a paradoxical picture of diversity underneath the Union of India. The Assam violence was a clash between the local Bodo people, and Bangladeshi migrants, which killed thousands of people and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless.Whatever may be the source of this migration, it seems that it is gradually leading to a significant change in the demographic character of the affected areas. Available data from the south Assam districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi show that there has been a significant rise in the Muslim composition in these areas,” said the report, adding the proportionate composition of the Hindus and Muslims in the districts has decreased and increased by almost three percentage points over a 10-year period between 1991 and 2001. “A few aspects of the insurgent problem in the region may, at this point in time, require only a close monitoring. These are areas that have strong political undercurrents and would, therefore, require careful handling. Nevertheless the serious security implication of these issues would require more than adequate attention to these areas.” If we look into it with an open view, it is seen several causes in contrast, challenging previous one. It is remarked by political reviewer that, another cause of these clashes is creating of BODO TERRITORIAL COUNCIL in an area where Bodos are only 29 per cent and rest are non-Bodos including Bengali speaking Muslims settled there since the British period and the British had brought them there for cultivation of jute more than 100 years ago. The Central Government did this to buy peace with militant Bodos who are demanding Bodo state in Assam. As Non –Bodo asked, How can one create Bodo Territorial Council and give them powers for development and other matters when they are just 29 per cent. All non-Bodo people feel aggrieved and want the Council to be repealed. They feel they are not getting due share in development. The Bodos, on the other hand, want to increase their number in that area so that they become the majority and creation of Bodo Territorial Council could be justified.Another thing which is the cause of this turmoil is that Bodo militants who were supposed to surrender arms never did so and these militants roam around freely with their guns. The flow of arms has never stopped and government has never taken steps to disarm these Bodos, mainly for political reasons. The ruling alliance has Bodo National Front as its constituent and the Chief Minister does not want to displease the Bodos. The Assam ethnic clashes are a depressing picture of destruction and insecurity. The Bodos fears of being oppressed socio-culturally and overshadowed economically by the foreign immigrants made the indigenous people react in a way that triggered the clashes between the two communities Assam will be in turmoil until this issue is resolved and it is not only Bangla Deshi people or Bengali speaking Muslims who are migrating to Assam but many others like Biharis are also migrating who are Hindi speaking. Marwaris from Rajasthan have also migrated and control trade in all parts of North East. But the propaganda machinery is in full swing talking about Bangla Deshi Muslims. It is unlikely that these links would have automatically led to political action without the mediation of political parties. The emerging characters of electoral politics have made matters worse. The higher recent incidence of Hindu-Muslim riots has a good deal to do with this new phenomenon. The role of some Assam politicians linked with hardline Muslim groups is being probed for the weekend violence in Mumbai as investigators opined that the agitation was orchestrated rather than being spontaneous. These vested interests encourage illegal Bangladeshi immigrants into the North-Eastern States to alter the demographic profile of a number of districts in the region, and encourage proliferation of Islamist fundamentalist outfits with a long-term aspiration of creating an exclusive homeland for their community. A thorough look, however, brings out an even more horrifying picture of ruined lives and a dark future, even in normal times. Ethnic clashes are the toughest hurdle in the developmental process and deteriorate the situation further making socio-political, cultural and economic advancement all the more difficult. Ethnic violence is not only responsible for material destruction, but also central in destroying cultures and eroding values. Restoring lost cultural assets and value is the most difficult challenge faced not only by the communities involved, but the responsibility also lies with the socio-political stakeholders. It is easier to outline these problems than suggest what should be done about them. In a situation of mutual distrust, almost any solution will generate controversy. Partisan communal leaders and communal electoral mobilization should be exposed. Aware leadership - political, social and intellectual - has to work for this political reconstruction. Definitive resolution of problems may be inordinately difficult but substantial alleviation is not. Politically, the Assam clashes have become another tool of mutual accusation by the political parties, with the opposition parties blaming the ruling party and the government sticking its head in the sand to avoid criticism as much as possible. We shouldnt forget that the northeast region of India is strategically, culturally and regionally close to the borders with China, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. India cant afford to see the region disturbed at a time when it remains strategically vital for Indias growth and foreign relations at the regional level. But so far, in terms of inclusive socio-economic growth, the northeast has been neglected. [Edited source] ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 18:55:24 +0000