C-da,
Assuming that you wrote the follwoing in support of ULFA ( I do not want to
make another mistake due to damned English language)
***I shall not attempt to
second-guess those fellow men of mine who had the courage and
dedication to take up arms against an overwhelmingly larger and
powerful adversary , knowing full well it could mean certain death
and have pursued it tenaciously for a quarter century.
I shall not be the one to insult these brave men and women's
sacrifices
and courage, while never lifting a finger or voicing a word
in their support or quest. That is not MY style.
What do you say when I compare ULFA's Jan 2007 killings of 67 innocent ,
unarmed Biharis with that of Osama Bin Laden's killings of Sep 11, 2001. If I
remember correctly ULFA had killed 150 unramed Biharis in 2003 (in one go?)
also and about 60 in 2000.
Regards and bEST OF LUCK.
Umesh
Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I had no intention of getting into this originally, since my experience
with the matter is on the light side :-). Not only because I had not served in
any such movement, but also because I am not much of a history-of-conflicts
buff. Rajen's question , a lawyer like Nayanjyoti would surely know, is called
a 'leading question' in 'legalese'. They are usually not allowed in enlightened
legal procedures, because they are designed to coach and elicit a particular
answer, obviously to serve the interest of the questioner. But since it is not
a court of justice, and since I do that all the time myself, the least I could
do is to address it as best as I can.Furthermore, since I see occasional
recommendations , usually to ULFA, here in Assam Net and in the Assam
newspapers,from people who no doubt mean well, I thought it may not be a bad
idea to examine the options and go where they may lead.
*** >From the little I know of independence movements from the
last two or three centuries, it is obvious that it always required
violent confrontations, spilling of much blood, usually of the
independence seekers.
*** It is said that India's struggle for independence was a
non-violent one. Unless I am terribly mistaken about the meaning
of the word non-violent, this statement must be the most daring
con-jobs
of deceptive marketing at best and the most bald faced of
historical lies at worst.
I know, I am taking a highly unpopular position here, probably
at par with my last such position about Lasit's Whack several
years back, if not even more outrage evoking.
But like Rajen reminded me, I do have the arguments ready to defend my
view, should anyone be interested in pursuing it :-).
*** Rajen obviously hoped to lead me to take a stand here against
those
who took up arms in pursuit of this goal for Assam, citing the
example of Mahatma Gandhi's tactics. But regardless of my penchant
for violence, or respect for non-violence, I shall not attempt to
second-guess those fellow men of mine who had the courage and
dedication to take up arms against an overwhelmingly larger and
powerful adversary , knowing full well it could mean certain death
and have pursued it tenaciously for a quarter century.
I shall not be the one to insult these brave men and women's
sacrifices
and courage, while never lifting a finger or voicing a word
in their support or quest. That is not MY style.
*** Having said that, I will again acknowledge, like I always have,
that without the support of a broad section of society's
intelligentsia, and without a well formed political base, no
independence movement against as overwhelming an adversary as India
is to Assam, is ever likely to succeed. To that end, I agree with
Rajen
and others who advocate a discourse in Assam society. It was expected
from ULFA, since they are the ones who held up the torch and led
the struggle. ULFA has its reasons not to speak out publicly over
the matter, and I understand them.
But I submit, WE, Assam's well wishers and an elite segment of
Assam's intelligentsia, has as much a responsibility to take
it up,if not even more.
With that I conclude my say.
I would like to sit back now and take the brick-bats, or the kind of highly
unexpected accolades that came from Nayan.
I hope I did not use the rope my friends here offered me to hang myself and
appreciate their patience in letting me say my piece without interruptions and
pot-shots. But regardless, I hope my time and effort here would serve as a
spring-board to discuss and debate the subject, examine it for its worthiness
for Assam's future.
And to all those who challenged me to embark on it, my only request: Please
make your statements FOR or AGAINST independence, give your reasons, and take a
stand. What will be most disappointing will be a disappearing act or a long
bout of laryngitis.
I believe it was H.L. Mencken, the acerbic journalist and commentator who
once said something to the effect that " I don't know of anyone going broke
underestimating the intelligence of the American people". I hope no one will be
tempted to echo Mencken with something like " I don't know of anyone going
broke underestimating the courage or activism of the Assamnetters." :-).
Best regards.
cm
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Umesh Sharma
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Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005
weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
website: www.gse.harvard.edu/iep
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