No. 8, April 2007 InternalȱDisplacement,ȱ Migration,ȱandȱPolicyȱinȱ PAPERS ȱ NortheasternȱIndia Uddipana Goswami East-West Center Washington WORKING EastȬWestȱCenterȱ TheȱEastȬWestȱCenterȱisȱanȱ internationallyȱrecognizedȱeducationȱ andȱresearchȱorganizationȱ establishedȱbyȱtheȱU.S.ȱCongressȱinȱ 1960ȱtoȱstrengthenȱunderstandingȱ andȱrelationsȱbetweenȱtheȱUnitedȱ StatesȱandȱtheȱcountriesȱofȱtheȱAsiaȱ Pacific.ȱThroughȱitsȱprogramsȱofȱ cooperativeȱstudy,ȱtraining,ȱ seminars,ȱandȱresearch,ȱtheȱCenterȱ worksȱtoȱpromoteȱaȱstable,ȱpeacefulȱ andȱprosperousȱAsiaȱPacificȱ communityȱinȱwhichȱtheȱUnitedȱ Statesȱisȱaȱleadingȱandȱvaluedȱ partner.ȱFundingȱforȱtheȱCenterȱ comesȱforȱtheȱU.S.ȱgovernment,ȱ privateȱfoundations,ȱindividuals,ȱ corporationsȱandȱaȱnumberȱofȱAsiaȬ Pacificȱgovernments.ȱȱ EastȬWestȱCenterȱWashington EstablishedȱonȱSeptemberȱ1,ȱ2001,ȱtheȱ primaryȱfunctionȱofȱtheȱEastȬWestȱ CenterȱWashingtonȱisȱtoȱfurtherȱtheȱ EastȬWestȱCenterȱmissionȱandȱtheȱ institutionalȱobjectiveȱofȱbuildingȱaȱ peacefulȱandȱprosperousȱAsiaȱPacificȱ communityȱthroughȱsubstantiveȱ programmingȱactivitiesȱfocusedȱonȱ theȱthemeȱofȱconflictȱreductionȱinȱtheȱ AsiaȱPacificȱregionȱandȱpromotingȱ Americanȱunderstandingȱofȱandȱ engagementȱinȱAsiaȱPacificȱaffairs. ContactȱInformation: Editor,ȱEWCWȱWorkingȱPapers EastȬWestȱCenterȱWashington 1819ȱLȱStreet,ȱNW,ȱSuiteȱ200 Washington,ȱD.C.ȱȱ20036 Tel:ȱ(202)ȱ293Ȭ3995 Fax:ȱ(202)ȱ293Ȭ1402 [email protected] Uddipana Goswamiȱis a Ph.D. fellow at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta (CSSSCAL). EastȬWestȱCenterȱWashingtonȱWorkingȱPapers ThisȱWorkingȱPaperȱisȱaȱproductȱofȱtheȱEastȬWestȱCenterȱWashingtonȱprojectȱonȱ InternalȱConflictsȱandȱStateȬBuildingȱChallengesȱinȱAsia.ȱSeeȱpagesȱ45—61ȱȱforȱ details. No. 8, April 2007 InternalȱDisplacement,ȱ Migration,ȱandȱPolicyȱinȱ NortheasternȱIndia Uddipana Goswami EastȬWestȱCenterȱWashington WorkingȱPapers areȱnonȬreviewedȱ andȱuneditedȱprepublicationsȱreportingȱonȱresearchȱinȱprogress.ȱ TheseȱworkingȱpapersȱareȱalsoȱavailableȱinȱPDFȱformatȱonȱtheȱ EastȬWestȱCenterȱWashington’sȱwebsiteȱPublicationsȱpageȱatȱ www.eastwestcenterwashington.org/publications.ȱAdditionalȱ paperȱcopiesȱcanȱbeȱobtainedȱbyȱcontactingȱtheȱtheȱEastȬWestȱ CenterȱWashingtonȱoffice.ȱȱTheȱpriceȱforȱEWCWȱWorkingȱPapers isȱ$3.00ȱeachȱplusȱpostage.ȱȱ EastȬWestȱCenter Washington Internal Displacement, Migration, and Policy in Northeastern India Executive Summary other non-native populations there has been The paper is divided into four sections: taken as an example for elucidation. Migration; Illegal Migration and Policy There is also a close look at migrations Lacunae; Ethnic Politics and Internal from the various neighboring countries and a Displacement; and State Responses to Internal discussion of illegal migration, and the state’s Displacement. In the first section I discuss the response all such migrations. The case of colonial policy environment, altered continued influx from Bangladesh—mainly administrative boundaries and concepts and into Assam—has been taken as a case in point. how all this aided/abetted large-scale The inefficacy of the various instruments migrations into the Northeast. Demographic suggested by various quarters for tackling the patterns were fast changing under the colonial problem have been discussed and the sincerity administration’s policy of importing more of all quarters towards solving the problem migrants to people a frontier region, and this questioned. approach did not lapse when a post-colonial “Illegal Migration and Policy Lacunae” government was ushered in. deals entirely with the phenomenon of I subsequently look at how colonial continued illegal migration. It outlines the legacies lived on in the postcolonial period. tragedy of confounding legal settlers with Postcolonial policies reflected this while influx illegal migrants. It suggests that the problem of population continued unabated. The case of should be addressed by its real nature, and Arunachal and settlement of refugees and propensities to color it—in a fundamentalist hue, for instance—should be questioned. Uddipana Goswami Economicsȱ beingȱ atȱ theȱ rootȱ ofȱ theȱ problem,ȱ toȱ theȱ present,ȱ andȱ toȱ addȱ toȱ thatȱ thereȱ isȱ noȱ findingȱ anȱ economicȱ solutionȱ isȱ advocated.ȱ guaranteeȱ thatȱ theȱ emotionalȱ geographiesȱ ofȱ Theȱconceptȱofȱworkȱpermitsȱtoȱdailyȱworkersȱ twoȱ rivalȱ contendersȱ forȱ theȱ sameȱ pieceȱ ofȱ fromȱ acrossȱ theȱ borderȱ isȱ examinedȱ asȱ oneȱ landȱ wouldȱ deriveȱ fromȱ theȱ sameȱ periodȱ inȱ suchȱ possibility,ȱ whileȱ examiningȱ aȱ similarȱ history.ȱ Besides,ȱ ethnicȱ boundariesȱ andȱ extraȬlegalȱsystemȱalreadyȱinȱplaceȱinȱTripura.ȱȱ definitionsȱ beingȱ dynamic,ȱ thereȱ isȱ everyȱ Itȱ alsoȱ pronouncesȱ theȱ inefficacy/ȱ possibilityȱ ofȱ splinterȱ ethnicitiesȱ demandingȱ redundancyȱ ofȱ actsȱ likeȱ theȱ Illegalȱ Migrantsȱ exclusiveȱrightsȱoverȱtheȱsameȱhomeland.ȱ (Determinationȱ byȱ Tribunals)ȱ Act,ȱ 1983ȱ andȱ Anȱinquiryȱintoȱhowȱandȱwhereȱtheȱideaȱ showsȱhowȱsuchȱanȱactȱcanȱandȱhasȱintensifiedȱ ofȱ exclusivityȱ originatedȱ follows.ȱ Itȱ isȱ tracedȱ theȱchasmȱbetweenȱcommunities.ȱ backȱ toȱ theȱ colonialȱ policiesȱ ofȱ “protectiveȱ “Ethnicȱ Politicsȱ andȱ Internalȱ DisplaceȬ discrimination”ȱ whichȱ wereȱ mythologizedȱ asȱ ment”ȱ dealsȱ withȱ internalȱ displacement.ȱ Itȱ theȱ idealȱ toolsȱ ofȱ governingȱ theȱ “others”.ȱ Inȱ startsȱ withȱ clarifyingȱ thatȱ theȱ paperȱ isȱ onlyȱ retainingȱ theseȱ colonialȱ instrumentsȱ ofȱ aboutȱ displacementȱ inducedȱ byȱ ethnicȱ governanceȱ andȱ introducingȱ changesȱ toȱ conflicts,ȱ andȱ goesȱ onȱ toȱ discussȱ theȱ kindȱ ofȱ them—forȱ instance,ȱ inȱ theȱ shapeȱ ofȱ theȱ Sixthȱ ethnicȱ politicsȱ prevalentȱ inȱ theȱ Northeastȱ Schedule—toȱ allowȱ theseȱ “other”ȱ whichȱ breedsȱ violenceȱ andȱ consequentlyȱ communitiesȱ toȱ “developȱ alongȱ theȱ linesȱ ofȱ internalȱdisplacement.ȱ theirȱ ownȱ genius”,ȱ theȱ postcolonialȱ stateȱ letȱ Itȱ discussesȱ theȱ kindsȱ ofȱ ethnicȬ looseȱaȱrhetoricȱthatȱwasȱtoȱbeȱusedȱbyȱfutureȱ formation/reformation/constructionȱ thatȱ areȱ insurgentsȱ againstȱ itȱ inȱ theȱ processȱ ofȱ rampantȱinȱtheȱNortheastȱtodayȱandȱanalyzesȱ demandingȱ protectiveȱ discriminationsȱ andȱ theȱ“fastȬfoodȱstyleȱpolitics”ȱthatȱisȱatȱtheȱrootȱ exclusiveȱ homelands.ȱ Theȱ tokenȱ natureȱ ofȱ ofȱ it.ȱ Itȱ alsoȱ analyzesȱ howȱ thisȱ brandȱ ofȱ theseȱ instrumentsȱ howeverȱ isȱ quiteȱ obviousȱ politics—whichȱ dolesȱ outȱ autonomiesȱ andȱ andȱtheyȱareȱseenȱasȱhavingȱbeenȱtakenȱdownȱ otherȱ sopsȱ atȱ theȱ dropȱ ofȱ aȱ hatȱ inȱ orderȱ toȱ toȱtheȱlevelȱofȱburlesque,ȱalmost.ȱ controlȱtheȱinfluentialȱethnicȱelite—hasȱledȱtoȱ Theȱsectionȱlooksȱatȱtheȱreorganizationȱofȱ hostilityȱandȱviolenceȱbetweenȱethnicitiesȱandȱ theȱNortheasternȱstatesȱwhichȱintensifiedȱsinceȱ communities.ȱ Newerȱ andȱ newerȱ ethnicȱ theȱ 1960s—aȱ processȱ thatȱ endedȱ inȱ 1987—asȱ formulationsȱ andȱ constructionȱ haveȱ croppedȱ anotherȱcauseȱofȱintensificationȱofȱtheȱideaȱofȱ upȱinȱorderȱtoȱreapȱtheȱbenefitsȱgrantedȱbyȱanȱ exclusiveȱ homelands.ȱ Itsȱ failureȱ isȱ shownȱ byȱ overȬgenerousȱ state.ȱ Theȱ fluxȱ andȱ fluidityȱ inȱ theȱ factȱ thatȱ evenȱ Mizoram—whichȱ hasȱ beenȱ ethnicȱ andȱ interȬethnicȱ dynamicsȱ thatȱ hasȱ toutedȱ asȱ theȱ postcolonialȱ Indianȱ state’sȱ resultedȱfromȱsuchȱpoliticsȱhasȱbeenȱillustratedȱ successfulȱ managementȱ ofȱ ethnicȱ aspiraȬ byȱ takingȱ theȱ casesȱ ofȱ theȱ Nagaȱ andȱ Bruȱ tions—hasȱ seenȱ turbulenceȱ latelyȱ andȱ identityȱ formationȱ onȱ theȱ oneȱ hand,ȱ andȱ theȱ rumblingsȱ ofȱ dissatisfactionȱ haveȱ beenȱ oftenȱ BodoȬKoch,ȱ HmarȬMizoȱ interȬrelationȱ onȱ theȱ heardȱemanatingȱfromȱit.ȱ other.ȱ Itȱshowsȱhowȱtheȱreorganizationȱofȱstatesȱ Theȱ politicsȱ ofȱ ethnicȱ homelandsȱ isȱ alsoȱ startedȱ borderȱ disputesȱ betweenȱ theȱ variousȱ heldȱresponsibleȱforȱmuchȱofȱtheȱconflicts.ȱTheȱ statesȱandȱtheseȱdisputesȱhaveȱbeenȱkeptȱaliveȱ absurdityȱofȱdemandingȱexclusiveȱhomelandsȱ andȱ allowedȱ toȱ fester.ȱ Asȱ aȱ result,ȱ thereȱ hasȱ isȱ illustratedȱ throughȱ aȱ descriptionȱ ofȱ theȱ beenȱ violenceȱ andȱ largeȬscaleȱ internalȱ overlappingȱ cartographiesȱ ofȱ variousȱ homeȬ displacement.ȱ Displacementȱ hasȱ alsoȱ beenȱ landsȱbeingȱdemandedȱbyȱinnumerableȱethnicȱ causedȱ byȱ theȱ state’sȱ counterinsurgencyȱ groups.ȱ Theȱ problem,ȱ itȱ isȱ discussed,ȱ arisesȱ measuresȱ suchȱ asȱ groupingȱ ofȱ villagesȱ inȱ becauseȱ theseȱ imaginedȱ cartographiesȱ drawȱ Mizoramȱ andȱ Manipur.ȱ Evenȱ theȱ apparentlyȱ mostlyȱ uponȱ legendary,ȱ mythicalȱ orȱ preȬ wellȬmeaningȱpoliciesȱofȱtheȱstateȱtowardsȱthisȱ colonialȱ memories,ȱ withȱ littleȱ orȱ noȱ referenceȱ regionȱ haveȱ beenȱ halfȬbaked,ȱ causingȱ moreȱ 2 Internal Displacement, Migration, and Policy in Northeastern India traumaȱ thanȱ reliefȱ toȱ theȱ targetȱ populations.ȱ IDPs.ȱRehabilitationȱisȱalsoȱmadeȱaȱcasualtyȱofȱ TheȱSulungsȱofȱArunachalȱPradeshȱareȱaȱcaseȱ theȱgameȱofȱpoliticalȱoneȬupmanship.ȱ inȱpoint.ȱ Itȱ endsȱ withȱ aȱ noteȱ ofȱ cautionȱ thatȱ aȱ Thereȱ isȱ aȱ lookȱ atȱ howȱ theȱ state’sȱ continuedȱ apatheticȱ standȱ onȱ theȱ partȱ ofȱ theȱ inaptitudeȱinȱhandlingȱethnicȱaspirationsȱleadsȱ governmentȱtowardsȱIDPsȱmightȱbreedȱfurtherȱ toȱ violence,ȱ bloodshedȱ andȱ internalȱ displacȬ insurgentȱactivities.ȱBetterȱethnicȱmanagementȱ ement.ȱForȱexample,ȱwhenȱtheȱBodoȱlaunchedȱ instrumentsȱ areȱ calledȱ for,ȱ inȱ theȱ absenceȱ ofȱ aȱ movementȱ inȱ 1987ȱ toȱ demandȱ anȱ ethnicȱ whichȱtheȱstateȱmightȱnotȱbeȱableȱtoȱretainȱitsȱ homeland,ȱtheȱstateȱfirstȱusedȱthemȱforȱitsȱownȱ dubiousȱcontrolȱoverȱtheȱNortheast.ȱ endsȱ andȱ fueledȱ anȱ alreadyȱ volatileȱ interȬ ȱ ethnicȱ relationship.ȱ Itȱ thenȱ setȱ