>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.
*** That you are pathetically ignorant and inferentially challenged.
*** That your outrage is selective, probably due
to your ignorance, as well as being influenced by
your agenda.
At 5:56 AM +0000 2/26/07, umesh sharma wrote:
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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Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
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weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
website: www.gse.harvard.edu/iep
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