Ethnic conflict in assam pdf

The region has been witnessing conflicts arising out of the aspiration for a separate and distinct ethnic identity among various groups in the multi ethnic fabric. The outcome of a longdrawn exercise has merely revealed the problems. In this sense, ethnic conflicts in assam are indeed protracted social conflict as they are basically related to the issue around identityrelated needs of certain. The moran community is an important and one of the largest branch of ethnic communities, indomongoloid stock of assam. Diverging from reductionist studies of northeast india and its multifarious conflicts, this book presents an exclusive and intricate, empirical and theoretical. Ethnic conflict, federalism, and democracy in india. Pdf autonomy and ethnic conflict in south and southeast asia. Nonetheless, the state has been raven by ethnic conflicts between the indigenous tribals and the settler nontribal communities since its. Unfortunately, the question of conflict induced internally displaced persons does not find any place in the agenda for building peace and conflict resolution in the northeast. Jul 31, 2012 to complicate matters further, there is little or no discussion on how ethnic categories come into play in violent events and why conflicts continue to persist with such alarming regularity in assam. Pdf conflict resolution in assam a critical inquiry. Primary information is used to study the impact of ethnic conflict. The initial thrust of ethnic conflict in assam, which was directed against the influx of foreigners, experienced some respite in the mid1980s, although now it has reemerged in violent form under the leadership of the bodos and ulfa united liberation front of assam groups. Raising bengali speakers in 1951 census report of assam, was opposed by the bengali speakers and says that these figures were inflated to provide justification for the introduction of.

Identity assertion and ethnic conflict is a widely debated issue in the political and academic discourse in assam today. Secondary data is collected from research articles, books, newspapers. The ethnic conflict in nagaland, in northeastern india, is an ongoing conflict fought between the ethnic nagas and the governments of india and myanmar. Conflict, conservation, and cooperation across the india. Introduction the northeast region of india comprising of eight states assam, nagaland, manipur, arunachal pradesh, mizoram, tripura and sikkim 1 a region poorly connected to the indian mainland by a small corridor, and surrounded by many countries such as bhutan, myanmar, bangladesh and china, is the setting for a multitude of conflict that undermines the idea of india as a. Ethnicitybased movements and states response in assam taylor. Differences in aspirations and dreams often ignite conflict among the ethnic groups. Human migration is an ongoing phenomenon in the brhmaputra valley for centuries. An instructive example is the collective violence in india more than 7000 deaths in five years, 19781983 between assamese hindus and bengali. But the current study will deal only with armed conflict against the state and inter and intra ethnic conflict in the two states of assam and manipur in order to devote specific focus to the. Migration, ethnic conflict and insurgency in northeast india. The enmity between the two linguistic groups led to a social conflict in assamese society. The conflict started in the 1970s 5 following tension between the native indigenous assamese people and the indian government over alleged neglect, domination, subjugation, political, social, cultural, economic exploitation and internal.

Ethnic conflicts contributed to deepen insecurities among the bodos with muslims. Specifically, ethnic conflict can be explained by elites gambling for resurrection, which then snowballs into a security dilemma. We can name the conflicts that have taken place from time to time during the nineties in the north eastern region of india e. Nagaland inhabited by the nagas is located at the trijunction border of india on the west and south, north and myanmar on the east. According to historians and anthropologists they belong to bodo groups and had an independent kingdom with their king badousa in the upper region of brahmaputra valley. Assam has been a refuge for militants for a number of years, due to its porous borders with bangladesh and bhutan and also due to its very close proximity to burma. Immigration, ethnic conflict, and political turmoilassam. The violence in 2012 followed ethnic tensions between the indigenous bodo people and illegal immigrant bengalispeaking muslims. Ethnic conflict in assam on the backdrop of socio economic insecurity ractim goswami abstract assam has passed through a period of political turmoil since 12th century ad which continues even today. Assam separatist movements are insurgency movements operating in northeast indias oilrich state of assam. Ethnic unrest in bodoland and electoral politics at play.

The current study focuses on medias role in communicating conflict that occurred in the year 2014 between the bodos and adivasis in assam. In this context the demand for a bodoland an exclusive homeland of the bodos in assam, the largest tribal group of the state has become a conflict with an. It was this perceived dominance of ethnic assamese hindu. Uddipana goswami johns hopkins university academia. Illegal influx, land alienation and socio ethnic conflicts in assam, india ractim goswami abstract immigration has always been a reality for assam since time immemorial till date. Aug 12, 2012 ethnic conflict in assam, like in some other parts of the northeast is decades old, but has increased in frequency since the late 1970s. Minority rights and ethnic conflict in assam, india. The role of land in ethnic conflicts walter fernandes 66 in the northeast. Assam, meghalaya, tripura, arunachal pradesh, mizoram, manipur, and. Increasing demand for autonomy by various ethnic groups and religious communities has been behind persistent ethnic conflicts around the world both in the developed and developing countries. The attempt of this paper is to look at some of the dynamics of existing poverty in north. Monojit singha ma, ph d, net research scholar, department of political science, assam university, silchar.

Ethnic conflicts have severely affected the newly emerged nation states. The main causes of the friction include antiforeigner agitation in the 1980s, and the simmering indigenousmigrant tensions. Pdf ethnic conflict in assam on the backdrop of socioeconomic. Meghalaya and mizoram constituted a district each of assam, whereas arunachal. Various immigrant groups belonging to mongoloid group had entered assam from neighbouring southeast asian countries. Like other subnationalists and ethnic movements the bodo movement in assam has been associated with ideas of autonomy, liberation and revolution. Tripuras demography changed qualitatively in two decades, with the bengalis becoming a clear majority. Pdf in view of the changing dynamics of conflicts in northeast india, a critical analysis of indias conflict resolution strategies in assam gains. Hindus and muslims were displaced all over assam in violence unleashed during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Three ethnic or religious conflicts have stood out of late. Abstract the paper analyses movements of different small ethnic groups belonging to both tribal and nontribal communities in the state of assam and attempts to understand. Assam government was accused of incentivising ethnic cleansing. This ethnic conflicts and insurgency is however said to be motivated by politically constructed antagonism in india especially assam. With over 70 insurgent groups armed with some of the most sophisticated artillery and the.

View ethnic conflicts in assam research papers on academia. The conflicts in assam can be studied under three types 1. The violence took place around the rapid growth of the muslim population areas. What makes assam a perpetual nani gopal mahanta 97 conflict zone. Prior to the entry of the british in to the territory of present assam the region was ruled by various monarchs belonging to different ethnic groups. Conflict reporting, ethnic conflict, communication ethics, sensitivity, bodos.

Ethnic studies, racial and ethnic politics, violence, ethnic and racial studies, ethnic conflict, and 12 more northeast india, ethnic conflict and civil war, cultural change, digital anthropologies, social research, assam, state, migration and diaspora, knowledge practices, human rightslegal anthropology, ethnic and non ethnic identities. The nellie massacre took place in central assam during a sixhour period in the morning of 18 february 1983. The ethnic diversity of north east india is a resource for ideal democracy. In the end, it got an nrc that nobody accepts nobody seems to be willing to accept the final nrc list. Bodoland, conflict, btad, majoritarianism, ndfb, assam, democracy. But in this paper it is attempted to show only the inter ethnic conflicts. Demands for separate and exclusive territorial arrangements based on ethnic identity are. Research report health inequities in a conflict area an indepth.

The composite population of assam was the result of the migration of various ethnic groups to the soil. Impact of conflict on children in assam and manipur states of. Ethnic conflict in assam 125 two inseparable historical facts the extraordinary role and cultural diversity of the immigrants. The reasons behind such ethnic uprising lie in the differentiated socioeconomic and political status between the caste hindus and noncaste people of assam. The immigration issue in assam and conflicts around it, asian ethnicity.

It arises out of the socioeconomic conditions within the political, economic structures of the country. Uncertainty, each ethnic conflict has its own unique characteristics and, in different contexts, some of these elements will be more prominent than the others, but all of them are the common denominators necessary for ethnic conflict to occur. The present ethnic conflict in tripura began in 1980 and reached its lowest ebb in 2009. The insurgency status in assam is classified as very. Assam is the homeland for many races and communities and possesses. Violent conflicts will be one of the main drivers of health inequities among large population. This article examines the framing of ethnic conflict in northeast india, focusing on militant groups and insurgency in the hill areas of assam and a form of political violence known locally. Primary information is used to study the impact of ethnic conflict on public health in bodoland. Autonomy movement, assam, ethnicity, elites, migration, states responses. Conflicts in assam 1 executive briefing a ssam, which is the most populous state in north east india, has been facing a number of movements aiming to achieve a variety of objectives having both ethnic and territorial focus. The causes of ethnic conflict in multiethnic societies. It also appears to be at the center stage of assam.

Ethnic conflict is the major problem in northeast india, especially in assam. This booklet is an effort to understand the reasons of this violence, ethnic conflicts in particular, and their impact on the life of the people. Eastern region of india a region today known for its ethnicity as well as. Pdf on oct 17, 20, uddipana goswami published conflict and reconciliation. Golaghat assam abstract the north eastern states of india are the hub of ethnic diversity. Nias backgrounder on conflict resolution, b32010, national institute of advanced studies, bangalore.

Among the most recent and infamous of ethnic conflicts have been the bodoadivasi, rabhanon rabha, the bodonon bodo, karbinon karbi in assam and the tribal. Ethnic and religious conflicts in india cultural survival. If land, labour, capital, culture and religion are the major sources of conflict among the human race, then liberty, equality, fraternity and economic development. Conflict and displacement in assam violent conflict that has been witnessed today in assam is the result of number of socioeconomic factors operating right from the advent of british rule. Its perpetual vulnerability to ethnic conflicts and the resultant violence has caused innumerable deaths and massive displacement of population in the region. The massacre claimed the lives of 2,191 people unofficial figures run at more than 10,000 from 14 villagesalisingha, khulapathar, basundhari, bugduba beel, bugduba habi, borjola, butuni, dongabori,indurmari, mati parbat, muladhari, mati parbat no. Some suggestions are made in the booklet for precautionary measures to be taken to prevent conflicts.

Insurgency in northeast india involves multiple armed separatist factions operating in indias northeastern states, which are connected to the rest of india by the siliguri corridor, a strip of land as narrow as 14. May 20, 2014 the bodos is the biggest tribal group in assam, have had bitter clashes with the muslim settlers. However, its origins go back well before indias independence and are virtually inseparable from the issue of bengali migration into the state. Human migration is an ongoing phenomenon in the brahmaputra valley for centuries.

Ethnic conflicts were the main forms of political instability in the multi ethnic societies during second half of twenty century and beginning of new century. Similarly, some of the tribal insurgencies in the northeast have also. The caste hindu became politically powerful, economically dominant and socially advanced in comparison to other ethnic groups of assam. Ethnicity, conflict and population displacement in. A wide variety of ethnic conflicts prevail in the state e.

Conflicts in the north east ministry of development of. Doc migration a cause of conflict among the ethnic. Raising bengali speakers in 1951 census report of assam, was opposed by the bengali speakers and says that these figures were inflated to provide justification for the introduction of the assamese as the state language. For this reason only the ethnic conflict of assam as well as socioeconomic. Peace and conflict studies, armed conflict, nagaland, northeast india, indian politics, and 7 more peacebuilding, peace processes, assam, ethnic conflicts in assam, borders and borderlands, insurgency movements in northeast india, and insurgency and counterinsurgency. Armed conflicts and small arms binalakshmi nepram 85 proliferation in northeast india mentschel 8. The goal of this study determinates social context of ethnic conflict in multi ethnic societies. While the bengalispeaking muslims state that they are descendants of east bengali muslims brought to assam during the british raj, local indigenous communities allege that the muslim population has increased, boosted by refugees from the erstwhile east pakistan. An extremely militant agitation ostensibly to throw out foreigners, but targeted more generally against all nonassamese people, gripped the state from 1979 to 1985.

Ethnicity, conflict and population displacement in northeast. While assam recuperates from its biggest humanitarian crisis that rendered over 4 lakh people homeless, in another part of the state thousands of refugees co. Assam,2 these conflicts are compounded by immigration problems and demographic changes, which have pitted indigenous assamese against migrant bengalis, hindus against muslims, and assam against indias central government. Northeast india, assam, ethnic conflicts in assam, history, conflicts, peace particularly of northeast india, migration in india, and 6 more india bangladesh relations, assam movement, citizenship in india, precarious citizenship, citizenship amendment bill 2016 in india, and national register of.

If indeed the bodo insurgents were not involved in the killing of two muslims on 6 july 2012 and the riots sparked off. Various scattered instances of the land and the mythological clues indicate that the land was ruled by the danava dynesty, the asuras, the varman dynesty, the salastambha dynesty, pala dynesty etc. Even without immigration, assam s indigenous population is extremely diverse in cultural, linguistic and religious terms. Immigration, ethnic conflict, and political turmoil assam, 19791 985 sanjib baruah the assam accord signed on august 15, 1985, between prime minister rajiv gandhi and leaders of the movement that demanded the expulsion and disenfranchisement of foreigners marked the end of six years of ethnic conflict and political instability in the state of. There is a history that provides context to the continuing violence. The politics of ethnicity in assam find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Major components of its social mosaic are hindus 67 percent and muslims 28. These groups were not large in number and therefore subsequently assimilated with the existing population and culture of the soil in order to sustain their existence. Ethnic conflicts in assam assam, the northeastern state of india and the land of many ethnic groups is well known for conflict between many ethnic groups since time immemorial. Ethnic conflict, separatist movement, north east india, btad. Many tribes like bodo, karbi, kachari, mishing, rabha, tiwa etc are the inhabitants of assam.

Migration a cause of conflict among the ethnic groups of assam. To understand the childs development impact and coping. With the arrival of the ahom in the territory of assam resulted in conflicts with the local tribal kings belonging to various ethnic groups like bodokacharis, koch kingdom, the mataks, the borahis and the morans etc. The conflict between the two ethnic groups compelled the bodokacharis to. The question of autonomy has become a subject of attention in the last few decades. In 1983, this ethnic tension erupted into violence that led to the deaths of over seven thousand persons in less than a. Social exclusion and ethnicity in northeast india nehu. In assam,2 these conflicts are compounded by immigration problems and demographic changes, which have pitted indigenous assamese against migrant bengalis, hindus against muslims, and assam against indias. National socialist council of nagaland khaplang, which wants an independent greater nagaland to include.