The ethic issues in North-East India.
Northeast India (officially North Eastern Region) is the region of India representing both a geographic and political administrative division of the country. It comprises eight states– Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim. The region shares an international border of 5,182 kilometres (3,220 mi) (about 99 percent of its total geographical boundary) with several neighbouring countries – 1,395 kilometres (867 mi) with Tibet Autonomous Region, China in the north, 1,640 kilometres (1,020 mi) with Myanmar in the east, 1,596 kilometres (992 mi) with Bangladesh in the south-west, 97 kilometres (60 mi) with Nepal in the west, and 455 kilometres (283 mi) with Bhutan in the north-west. It comprises an area of 262,230 square kilometres (101,250 sq mi), almost 8 percent of that of India.
Every state of Northeast India is itself an abode of multiple ethnicities, with a bulk of people converted to Christianity by the European Christian Missionaries. There are around 220 ethnic communities in Northeast India alone, and more than 220 dialects. The hill states in the region like Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland are predominantly inhabited by native ethnic communities with a degree of diversity even within the ethnic groups. The region's population results from ancient and continuous flows of migrations from Tibet, Indo-Gangetic India, the Himalayas, present Bangladesh and Myanmar. Adivasi, Assamese, Bhutia, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Biate, Bodo, Chakma, Chhetri, Dimasa, Garo, Gurung, Hajong, Hmar, Hrankhwl, Jamatia, Karbi, Khasi, Khampti, Koch, Kom, Kuki, Paite, Vaiphei, Zou, Teddim, Simte, Gangte Lepcha, Lushai, Meitei, Mishing, Mizo, Poumai, Mao, Maram, Tangkhul, Anal, Monsang, Naga, Nepali, Noatia, Paite, Pnar, Purvottar maithili, Rabha, Reang, Rongmei, Singpho, Sylheti, various Tibetan tribes, Tamang, Tiwa, Tripuri, Zeme Naga, Chorei and Limbu, etc. are different ethnic groups inhabiting the region.
Besides the diverse native population, the region has been witnessing huge immigration since before independence. There is internal immigration from the states; again, there is external immigration from the neighbouring nations. Naturally, there are inter-ethnic conflicts. The ethnic demand for a homeland created several smaller states in the northeast. For instance, the greater Assam was broken down into Nagaland (1963), Meghalaya (1972), Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram (1987) to meet the demands of these ethnic groups. And, there are further new state demands. 7 months back, the ethnic party, Tipra State Party, had demanded a separate state called Tipra Land, as their community is on the verge of extinction. Besides this, there are multi-ethnicities and external ethnicities that suffer intercultural clashes due to diversity. Immigration leads to economic, spatial and psychological crisis, which in turn becomes the cause for insurgency and violence in the region.
Ethnicity and Multi-Ethnicity:
Ethnicity is often identified with the ideas of primordialism based on descent, race, kinship, territory, language, history, etc. It is also related to the concept of nativism, which seeks a revival, preservation and protection of native culture. Ethnicity, according to Smith, is defined as “the sense of collective belonging to a named community of common myths or origin and shared memories, associated with a historic homeland”. Ethnicity also refers to some form of group identity related to a group of persons who accept and define themselves by a consciousness of common descent or origin, shared historical memories and connections. Multiculturalism occurs when members of a variety of ethnic groups interact within a particular forum. Northeast India is a land where many ethnicities have been residing, and there have been clashes among them. There is a need to assert one’s ethnicity only when there is a threat to its existence, and Northeast India has shared a long history of immigration and acculturation.
Northeast India is a land of multiple ethnic cultures living simultaneously together. And all the ethnic cultures are different from one another. The Bodos are different from Khasis; some communities are matriarchal, while others are not and so on. Subsequently, some communities are more dominant than others. So, there are clashes among the native communities in respect of identity, existence and sustenance. At the second level, some immigrants further diminish the resources for the natives and aggravate their problems. These immigrants have their own culture, which again clashes with the diverse culture of the natives. At the third level, these immigrants and these natives are often homogenised in the national culture. The national culture dominates these diverse native ethnicities and immigrant ethnicities. At the fourth level, let us consider the growth of information and communication technology and the soft world politics. Here, a growing trend of the spread of a monocultural society is observed. The native ethnic culture of northeast India and the dominant national ethnicity are equally affected and affected by cultural products. These international strategy to globalise and homogenise the culture of the whole world in the Western line of culture has the potential to gradually alter the folk narratives.
The ethnic problems faced by North East India
Presence of manifold ethnic groups: North East India is rich in diverse ethnic groups having peculiar historical and structural backgrounds passed down from one generation to another. Therefore, for the preservation and the upliftment of their ethnical and cultural uniqueness, the groups have been consistently involved in conflict.
Historical Legacy: Historically, Northeast India was never a part of the Indian Union. Before the arrival of the Britishers, this region was ruled by Raja’s or Maharaja’s. It was from 1826 that the region came under British control. Therefore, after the Independence of India, various ethnic groups started to develop a sense of regional or separate tendencies due to their past history.
Economic Underdevelopment: The uneven growth of development as well as underdevelopment in tribal as well as plain areas of the North East region of India. It is, however, asserted that the national mainstream has vehemently ignored the North East's status in terms of providing sufficient economic resources for its development. It is alleged that despite contributing a large sum of national earnings through exporting natural resources, they are not getting enough for their development in return for it. Consequently, the ethnic groups such as Karbi, Kuki, Dimasa, Bodo, Naga, and Mizu are in continuous conflict and disappointment with the national mainstream, sometimes leading to the demand for autonomous status.
The attitude of the people: The attitude of the people of plain areas towards the people of hill tribes of east Assam has been perceived to be discriminatory and big brotherly in nature. Therefore, a condition of unlikeness and conflict arose between plains people and hill people based on differences in language and culture, leading to the foundation of separate states like Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, etc.
Linguistic identity crisis: The Assamese language was imposed on the tribal people of North East India through the implementation of the Assam State Language Bill (1960). The bill has ensured the safeguard of Assamese identity based on the Assamese language. This imposition of the Assamese language has threatened the identity of hill people, and they were therefore afraid of being dominated by people having an Assamese identity. The bill has bothered the hill elites as they were linguistically different from Assamese Assamese-speaking people. These disturbances led to the separation of Nagaland in 1963 by reducing the territorial size of Assam. Likewise, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh were separated based on language.
Illegal Immigration: The continuous inflow of foreigners to North East India has led to the politics of identity movement by ethnic groups. The national as well as international migration in North East India since the British colonial period to the present time has increased the insecurity level of local inhabitants. Despite taking certain measures for the deportation of foreigners, the risk of demographic imbalance, economic scarcity, political havoc and unemployment remains a common occurrence. The insecurity of various ethnic groups for losing their distinctive identity has resulted in ethnic violence and conflicts.
Developmental Projects: The displacement of the tribal people due to globalisation and developmental projects has evicted them from their own inhabited area. They face major loss in terms of their land, livelihood, and identity without receiving any compensation or any alternative for the acquisition and requisition of their land. Education among various ethnic groups has brought consciousness and awareness regarding their backwardness and deprivation in respect of social, economic and cultural context. To preserve their ethnic identity, numerous movements have been undertaken by the aboriginal people of North East India. Besides the emergence of an educated middle-class elite, poverty, and unemployment, the attitude of the government is also responsible for the emergence of ethnic assertion and conflict in this region.
Ethnicity and politics: Language, culture and religion are directly connected with the emotions of the people, so these issues are being used as an instrument of politics. In Assam, Bodo, Missing, Tea Tribes, etc, are organised and mobilised to create ethnic conflicts to preserve distinct linguistic identity. Political deprivation among various groups of northeast tribes has resulted in a feeling of regionalism among ethnic groups instead of nationalist feelings. They thought that without political power, economic development is not possible. Therefore, they are trying to get involved in politics. Like language, religion is also a very sensitive issue, and politicians are not far from doing politics under the banner of religion. Besides the fear of losing their own cultural identity, socio-economic and political deprivation, various ethnic groups started movements, and some became insurgents. Therefore, it can be said that identity assertion of the ethnic people and politics based on ethnic symbols are the two sides of the same coin in the north-eastern region.
Every state of Northeast India is itself an abode of multiple ethnicities, with a bulk of people converted to Christianity by the European Christian Missionaries. There are around 220 ethnic communities in Northeast India alone, and more than 220 dialects. The hill states in the region like Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland are predominantly inhabited by native ethnic communities with a degree of diversity even within the ethnic groups. The region's population results from ancient and continuous flows of migrations from Tibet, Indo-Gangetic India, the Himalayas, present Bangladesh and Myanmar. Adivasi, Assamese, Bhutia, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Biate, Bodo, Chakma, Chhetri, Dimasa, Garo, Gurung, Hajong, Hmar, Hrankhwl, Jamatia, Karbi, Khasi, Khampti, Koch, Kom, Kuki, Paite, Vaiphei, Zou, Teddim, Simte, Gangte Lepcha, Lushai, Meitei, Mishing, Mizo, Poumai, Mao, Maram, Tangkhul, Anal, Monsang, Naga, Nepali, Noatia, Paite, Pnar, Purvottar maithili, Rabha, Reang, Rongmei, Singpho, Sylheti, various Tibetan tribes, Tamang, Tiwa, Tripuri, Zeme Naga, Chorei and Limbu, etc. are different ethnic groups inhabiting the region.
Besides the diverse native population, the region has been witnessing huge immigration since before independence. There is internal immigration from the states; again, there is external immigration from the neighbouring nations. Naturally, there are inter-ethnic conflicts. The ethnic demand for a homeland created several smaller states in the northeast. For instance, the greater Assam was broken down into Nagaland (1963), Meghalaya (1972), Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram (1987) to meet the demands of these ethnic groups. And, there are further new state demands. 7 months back, the ethnic party, Tipra State Party, had demanded a separate state called Tipra Land, as their community is on the verge of extinction. Besides this, there are multi-ethnicities and external ethnicities that suffer intercultural clashes due to diversity. Immigration leads to economic, spatial and psychological crisis, which in turn becomes the cause for insurgency and violence in the region.
Ethnicity and Multi-Ethnicity:
Ethnicity is often identified with the ideas of primordialism based on descent, race, kinship, territory, language, history, etc. It is also related to the concept of nativism, which seeks a revival, preservation and protection of native culture. Ethnicity, according to Smith, is defined as “the sense of collective belonging to a named community of common myths or origin and shared memories, associated with a historic homeland”. Ethnicity also refers to some form of group identity related to a group of persons who accept and define themselves by a consciousness of common descent or origin, shared historical memories and connections. Multiculturalism occurs when members of a variety of ethnic groups interact within a particular forum. Northeast India is a land where many ethnicities have been residing, and there have been clashes among them. There is a need to assert one’s ethnicity only when there is a threat to its existence, and Northeast India has shared a long history of immigration and acculturation.
Northeast India is a land of multiple ethnic cultures living simultaneously together. And all the ethnic cultures are different from one another. The Bodos are different from Khasis; some communities are matriarchal, while others are not and so on. Subsequently, some communities are more dominant than others. So, there are clashes among the native communities in respect of identity, existence and sustenance. At the second level, some immigrants further diminish the resources for the natives and aggravate their problems. These immigrants have their own culture, which again clashes with the diverse culture of the natives. At the third level, these immigrants and these natives are often homogenised in the national culture. The national culture dominates these diverse native ethnicities and immigrant ethnicities. At the fourth level, let us consider the growth of information and communication technology and the soft world politics. Here, a growing trend of the spread of a monocultural society is observed. The native ethnic culture of northeast India and the dominant national ethnicity are equally affected and affected by cultural products. These international strategy to globalise and homogenise the culture of the whole world in the Western line of culture has the potential to gradually alter the folk narratives.
The ethnic problems faced by North East India
Presence of manifold ethnic groups: North East India is rich in diverse ethnic groups having peculiar historical and structural backgrounds passed down from one generation to another. Therefore, for the preservation and the upliftment of their ethnical and cultural uniqueness, the groups have been consistently involved in conflict.
Historical Legacy: Historically, Northeast India was never a part of the Indian Union. Before the arrival of the Britishers, this region was ruled by Raja’s or Maharaja’s. It was from 1826 that the region came under British control. Therefore, after the Independence of India, various ethnic groups started to develop a sense of regional or separate tendencies due to their past history.
Economic Underdevelopment: The uneven growth of development as well as underdevelopment in tribal as well as plain areas of the North East region of India. It is, however, asserted that the national mainstream has vehemently ignored the North East's status in terms of providing sufficient economic resources for its development. It is alleged that despite contributing a large sum of national earnings through exporting natural resources, they are not getting enough for their development in return for it. Consequently, the ethnic groups such as Karbi, Kuki, Dimasa, Bodo, Naga, and Mizu are in continuous conflict and disappointment with the national mainstream, sometimes leading to the demand for autonomous status.
The attitude of the people: The attitude of the people of plain areas towards the people of hill tribes of east Assam has been perceived to be discriminatory and big brotherly in nature. Therefore, a condition of unlikeness and conflict arose between plains people and hill people based on differences in language and culture, leading to the foundation of separate states like Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, etc.
Linguistic identity crisis: The Assamese language was imposed on the tribal people of North East India through the implementation of the Assam State Language Bill (1960). The bill has ensured the safeguard of Assamese identity based on the Assamese language. This imposition of the Assamese language has threatened the identity of hill people, and they were therefore afraid of being dominated by people having an Assamese identity. The bill has bothered the hill elites as they were linguistically different from Assamese Assamese-speaking people. These disturbances led to the separation of Nagaland in 1963 by reducing the territorial size of Assam. Likewise, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh were separated based on language.
Illegal Immigration: The continuous inflow of foreigners to North East India has led to the politics of identity movement by ethnic groups. The national as well as international migration in North East India since the British colonial period to the present time has increased the insecurity level of local inhabitants. Despite taking certain measures for the deportation of foreigners, the risk of demographic imbalance, economic scarcity, political havoc and unemployment remains a common occurrence. The insecurity of various ethnic groups for losing their distinctive identity has resulted in ethnic violence and conflicts.
Developmental Projects: The displacement of the tribal people due to globalisation and developmental projects has evicted them from their own inhabited area. They face major loss in terms of their land, livelihood, and identity without receiving any compensation or any alternative for the acquisition and requisition of their land. Education among various ethnic groups has brought consciousness and awareness regarding their backwardness and deprivation in respect of social, economic and cultural context. To preserve their ethnic identity, numerous movements have been undertaken by the aboriginal people of North East India. Besides the emergence of an educated middle-class elite, poverty, and unemployment, the attitude of the government is also responsible for the emergence of ethnic assertion and conflict in this region.
Ethnicity and politics: Language, culture and religion are directly connected with the emotions of the people, so these issues are being used as an instrument of politics. In Assam, Bodo, Missing, Tea Tribes, etc, are organised and mobilised to create ethnic conflicts to preserve distinct linguistic identity. Political deprivation among various groups of northeast tribes has resulted in a feeling of regionalism among ethnic groups instead of nationalist feelings. They thought that without political power, economic development is not possible. Therefore, they are trying to get involved in politics. Like language, religion is also a very sensitive issue, and politicians are not far from doing politics under the banner of religion. Besides the fear of losing their own cultural identity, socio-economic and political deprivation, various ethnic groups started movements, and some became insurgents. Therefore, it can be said that identity assertion of the ethnic people and politics based on ethnic symbols are the two sides of the same coin in the north-eastern region.
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