Dear Baruah: I understand and agree. However, that would not see an end to it, no matter how many or who outside this community agree it is not a reasonable demand, particularly in view of the fact that India has created this system of spoils for groups of people; be they genuinely worthy of such special entitlements or be it for political expediency or merely seeking easy solutions to complex problems thru what is little more than group bribery. It is very similar to the creation of new states by Dilli that have no means to sustain themselves, and thus forever indentured to Dilli's handouts that you explained so well in more than one of your books. So how will it be resolved, be it in Assam or be it in Rajasthan or be it elsewhere? Do you see any move on the part of Indian policy makers or among its intelligentsia on putting brakes on this expectation if not eradicate it altogether? My guess is that there have been no such move, for we would have heard of it if there were. So should we brace for more agitation and perhaps violence that is bound to follow? Where does the buck stop, woyuld be the big question here.
m At 12:14 PM -0500 11/25/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >Dear Mahanta, > >In a way the adivasi demand may not be unexpected, but quite >extraordinary. I have said the following about this demand in one of >my publications: > >Seen through the prism of the global political economy, the >migration of Santhals as indentured labour to the tea plantations of >Assam was part of the same nineteenth century migration that took >Indian labor to plantations in various parts of the British Empire, >such as Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius or South Africa. Whether a person >landed in a plantation of Assam or in Guyana, Fiji or Mauritius was >quite accidental. > >India today celebrates its diaspora. Since January 2003 India has >begun honoring descendants of migrants to far-away shores, some who >had even risen to become heads of governments of their countries. >But the Santhals in Assam -- descendants of those who remained >within the borders of postcolonial India -- have gone through a >vastly different experience. They are now seeking designation as >scheduled tribes. > >Whatever the transformed modern meaning of the term ?tribe? in >India, viewed through the lenses of global economic history, efforts >to claim tribal status by a community that had provided the muscle >for the nineteenth century capitalist transformation of Assam, >nearly a century and half after their forefathers had left their >original habitat, is quite extraordinary. That people from this >ethnic background could be physically displaced today as outsiders >-- as a result of another historically disadvantaged indigenous >group?s demand for an ethnic homeland -- no matter how tragic the >story of the latter?s immiserization, is symptomatic of a crisis of >citizenship in democratic India. > >Good wishes, > >SB > > > > >Quoting Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > >>Thanks much for clearing the name issue up Baruah. >> >>Now about the issue that created the riots: From the sounds of it, the >>issue has been brewing for some time and it is unlikely to be the last, >>never mind what our fellow caste Oxomiyas may think of it. If I am not >>mistaken, it is an issue very similar to the one in Rajasthan from a >>few months back, which ended up in shutting down of Delhi and many >>deaths. >> >>Personally I am quite ignorant of the brewing discontent among the "Tea >>Community", a major constituency of the ruling Congress Party if I am >>not mistaken. Could that have been the cause of the police's >>unwillingness to help maintain order among the protesters, until it >>went out of hand? Not that it is unique to this political party and is >>the widely prevalent norm all over India. Question is what now? Is >>there a solution? The Adivasis' demands are neither unique nor >>unexpected, given how India has dealt with ( or more precisely -- >>avoided dealing with ) it over the decades. I remember a similar demand >>from the Ahom community as well from some time back. Is that now >>dormant ? >> >>Any thoughts? >> >>Best. >> >>m >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>At 9:50 AM -0500 11/25/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >>>Dear Mahanta, >>> >>>Young activists of what is sometimes called the ?tea community? -- >>>the descendants of tea workers in Assam ? prefer the term Adivasi >>>to describe their community. The term seeks to emphasize their >>>roots in Jharkhand and other parts of India from where their >>>forefathers had migrated more than a century ago. Adivasi >>>activists point out that since their ethnic kin in their original >>>habitats >>>are recognized as scheduled tribes they should have the same >>>status in Assam. There are now organizations like Adivasi Cobra >>>Force, >>>Birsa Commando Force ? named after an Adivasi hero ? and Adivasi >>>Suraksha Samiti (Adivasi Protection Committee). >>> >>>Good wishes, >>> >>>Sanjib >>> >>> >>> >>>Quoting Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: >>> >>>>Hello Hazarika: >>>> >>>>While I appreciate your clarifying what actually took place and how a >>>>SECTION of the media presented it, I must come to Umesh's defense here. >>>>He merely forwarded what others already posted, namely Assamtimes >>>>.org. Umesh and other Assam lovers merely attempt to spread word of >>>>trouble, not so much to malign Assam, but to make sure good people get >>>>involved to stem the tide of bad happenings. Verifying the facts before >>>>spreading the word is not Umesh's responsibility, just like it is not >>>>of other netters who love to forward all kinds of stuff that fit their >>>>personal political needs. In that Umesh is just another innocent >>>>bystander doing what he does best. I know I give him a hard time over >>>>many things, but on this count I won't gang up on him. >>>> >>>>I have a request here. What can you tell us about what the term >>>>includes? Is this an euphemism used by the Indian press ( from outside >>>>Assam) for Santhals , Tea Garden Laborers and other groups from >>>>Central/ north India etc. who have lived long in Assam and are called >>>>that historically? Or does it mean indigenous people of Assam like >>>>Karbis, Bodos, Misings and the like? >>>> >>>>At any event why did the Adivasi's have to take to the streets ? >>>>Obviously the government has not responded to their demands, would be >>>>my conclusion. Are their demands for getting special treatment devised >>>>by democratic India for other groups unreasonable and/or unfair? Do >>>>the caste-Hindu immigrants who rule the state, people like yourself or >>>>myself, oppose it? And if so, why? Is it fair or reasonable, in view of >>>>the prevailing Indian system of sharing the spoils? >>>> >>>>Also, why do you think the police not take appropriate and timely >>>>action to allow an orderly protest march, and by their delay and >>>>inaction allowed it to degenerate into a riot resulting in loss of >>>>lives ? Is it a typical ineptitude of the police in general or a >>>>failure of its leadership ? Or was the inaction and/or inappropriate >>>>response a result of political interference, typical or otherwise? >>>> >>>>Finally, to your knowledge, what exactly happened that turned the march >>>>into a riot? Did the protesters get unruly by themselves and started to >>>>damage public property angering the victims as the assamtimes report >>>>indicated? Or were their acts of incitement from the public or the >>>>storekeepers that caused it? I am sure there will be demands for a >>>>judicial enquiry, the results of which will be either inconclusive or >>>>secret and nothing will come out of the effort as countless other such >>>>efforts historically have. But we, people like yourselves, myself and >>>>others interested would benefit from learning what the truths might >>>>have been, even though not officially sanctioned. >>>> >>>>Thanks in advance for sharing what you may know to be the truths. >>>> >>>>Best. >>>> >>>>m >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>At 1:03 PM +0530 11/25/07, Shantikam Hazarika wrote: >>>>>Umesh: >>>>>do you not have any other work? >>>>>The term Adivasi is a north Indian term, not prevalent in Assam and >>>>>the fact that the Association is called Adivasi Association indicates >>>>>who are the people fomenting trouble in Assam. And, sitting out there >>>>>you ought to have waited for the facts to filter before taking the >>>>>easy way out of posting a dubious news item on the net to misled >>>>>others. >>>>> >>>>>One of the problem was that the police took a long time to get into >>>>>action and the statement in the news that "city police sprung into >>>>>action and dispersed the Adivasi people from the >>>>>protest rally site" is not true. In fact the frequent use of the term >>>>>Adivasi in the news item itself is mischievous, with the intent of >>>>>creating a divide. >>>>>Sitting in the comforts of the US, please at least try to do something >>>>>constructive, instead of spreading canards. I never expected you to >>>>>indulge in such things. >>>>>Shantikam Hazarika >>>>> >>>>>On Nov 25, 2007 5:02 AM, umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> > Newsletter Editor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>http://www.assamtimes.org/index.php?news=680 >>>>>> >>>>>>Group clash in the city: 12 killed, curfew in city >>>>>> >>>>>>A string of group clash that leaves twelve people dead, as many as one >>>>>>hundred people injured has forced the authority to clamp curfew >>>>>>in the city >>>>>>on Saturday. The condition of thirty is reported to be critical. >>>>>> >>>>>>The violence began as soon as the Advasi people in large numbers were >>>>>>holding a rally demanding Scheduled Tribe status for the community. >>>>>> >>>>>>The Adivasi protesters damaged as many as 150 vehicles while these were >>>>>>plying in the Beltola areas. Moreover, some of them vandalized some shops >>>>>>and markets in the area. >>>>>> >>>>>>The angry people in general retaliated by attack and the clash >>>>>>left 5 people >>>>>>to death. >>>>>> >>>>>>The city police sprung into action and dispersed the Adivasi >>>>>>people from the >>>>>>protest rally site. But another group further proceeded to the Khanapara >>>>>>areas and then to Ganeshguri areas to stop the city buses. >>>>>> >>>>>>The public in general got angry with these Adivasi students leaders and >>>>>>retaliated with attack. As many as ten Adivasi students have >>>>>>fallen injured. >>>>>>The injured people have been rushed to the hospital. >>>>>> >>>>>>The entire Beltola area has come under curfew from 12 noon. The over all >>>>>>situation has yet to be quelled. >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>>assam mailing list >>>>>[email protected] >>>>>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
