[Assam] reply to chan mahanta: The search for a solution

Wed Aug 8 09:44:55 PDT 2007

>>some societies have indeed found limited solutions to similar problems

  I've in fact learnt these >> signs from you and assamnet. 
  Having sent my mail, I remembered that Mizoram is somewhat tranquil. Then I attributed it to the absence of the pressure on land in that area. 

  >> I would highly recommend Sanjib Baruah's most recent book, Post Frontier Blues: Toward a New Policy Framework for Northeast India

  Thanks for the cue. I'll definitely try that.

cmahanta at charter.net wrote:
  >Please forgive me for my misdemeanour.

*** Not at all. Come right in and say your piece :-).

And I have NOT given it much thought either, much less 'profound'; merely questioned the ceaseless and mindless blather.

> Does the problem really have any solution at all?

*** Good question. I have very similar doubts. But that is not what we read coming out from Assam. Perhaps Mr. Goswami would enlighten us.

>No, I am not saying about pogroms, ethnic cleansing, blood bath etc. by the

*** I am not sure those are possibilities entirely excluded by some of the most vocal, true representatives of Assam.

>To my limited information, I am yet to find an example of resolution such an issue . In fact, similar >problems seems to be on the rise around the world,

*** While that is not far from the truth, some societies have indeed found limited solutions to similar problems. I would highly recommend Sanjib Baruah's most recent book, Post Frontier Blues: Toward a New Policy Framework for Northeast India. Baruah is one of the most knowledgeable persons on these matters, studied it for long, and has offered some theoretically viable, albeit highly likely to be contested options in this wasteland, littered with bad policies and non-policies spanning decades. For those who are truly interested, it is a must-read.

cm

At 4:02 AM +0100 8/7/07, uttam borthakur wrote:
>>>>>Why I ask is that in spite of the enormous amount of Assamese tears shed over the print media and the internet on this matter, I am yet to read a single report on how the problem could or should be resolved, coming out either from Assam or from India. Not to suggest that none such exist.

Please forgive me for my misdemeanour. I should not have dared, where angels fear to tread. I should not have barged in when the exchanges were between two persons who have given profound thought to the problem, or so it seems to me. Does the problem really have any solution at all? No, I am not saying about pogroms, ethnic cleansing, blood bath etc. Such things do not really solve a problem, else North East India would not have been the cauldron of problems that it has been for so long.  Why is the hope that a solution exists? Is there any historical parellel? To my limited information, I am yet to find an example of resolution such an issue . In fact, similar problems seems to be on the rise around the world, despite the increase in the number of sharp brains in tandem with the population and the democracy of the net. 

cmahanta at charter.net wrote:

Hello Mr. Goswami,

It was good to hear back from you.

I am glad we are common ground on the point of who is responsible for border protection and immigration controls. Ordinarily it should not at be an issue of contention at all. As we say here, it is a 'no-brainer' . But it has become one because we have seen numerous instances of editorials from what is considered 'respectable journals' of Assam, columns from 'respected journalists', heart-rending letters to editors of leading newspapers; luminaries and intellectuals, real or so labeled; leaders of cultural/literary organizations and 'probaxi-oxomiyas' like members of our own assamnet; who have written and debated passionately how ULFA has let Assam down in its time of need from the hordes of the lungi-menace, and thus are traitors to Assam. In fact some have argued how ULFA is in cahoots with that most dreaded of Indian enemies, ISI, to help the B'deshis overrun Assam and gift-wrap it over to the Islamists ; all the time without a single word about who really ought to be
 responsible for border protection, immigration controls, detection and deportation or even finding ways to stem the flow and help assimilate those who are unlikely to be sent back -- ever!

Now that we, you and I, agree on where the real responsibility lies and who have the authority and the resources to dispense their duties , would you be kind enough to share your views on exactly WHO have WHAT responsibility on the matter of unchecked B'deshi migration into Assam and HOW they should be tackling the issue?

Why I ask is that in spite of the enormous amount of Assamese tears shed over the print media and the internet on this matter, I am yet to read a single report on how the problem could or should be resolved, coming out either from Assam or from India. Not to suggest that none such exist. Just that I have not been exposed to them yet. And from the sounds of it, nor have most of our friends here in assamnet. So YOUR input will be extremely valuable in educating ourselves here.

Now for a lighter-weight matter: Them 'self-appointed guardians of Assam' and their 'self-imposed silence' on the invasion of the lungi-menace.

*** I understand how those of you, who believe they are the true representatives of Assam,
would be outraged by the pretenses of 'self-appointed guardians of Assam' . I would be too,
if I had such legitimacy myself. But are you sure their silence is 'self-imposed ' though?

Anyway, one might think that the thing for the righteously outraged to do will be to lay bare
the pretenses of the self-appointed ' lot by showing the people how they differ from their true
and dependable representatives.

And it is quite easily done if you asked me. Just inform them of what their real,
democratically elected ', if not divinely authorized 'guardians' or masters are
saying about it or doing about it.

One might hope they have not been asleep at the wheel, or lost their voices. And if they
have , even at the risk of being seen as patronizing, I would like to suggest that those
of you who are more intelligent and are not handicapped by narrow political self-interests
ought to delineate what should be done and how to go about getting it done. Wouldn't you
agree? After all, this democracy thing is about utilizing the collective wisdom of the entire
people for the common good. And the job of the watchdogs of democracy, people like
yourselves, owe it to the people to hold their government's feet to the fire and demand
action and accountability, lest you all be considered mere lapdogs of vested interests.

And the best part of this is that it does not even require standing up to bullets or bullying
from the self-appointed ' lot. All it takes is a bit of professional integrity and
intellectual honesty.

>Its echo can be heard in Assamnet.

*** Actually, Mr. G, what you hear in assmanet is hardly an echo. Assamnetters have been
at the forefront of bearing the torch of this dishonest discourse.

>Agreed for ULFA, they are foreigners. But what about the Bangladeshis (or East
>Pakistanis from 1947 to 1971)? Even without saying so, by its behaviour, Ulfa has made
>it clear who are foreigners and who are not. It maybe its way of expressing gratitude to
>Bangladesh for the shelter Dhaka has extended to it.

*** Maybe so. I wouldn't be the one to question your judgement here. After all they are
bad folks. You couldn't expect much from the self -appointed lot. They must follow the ethos
of 'jaar nimokh kham, taar gun gaam' ( I will scratch the back of those who scratch mine).

But what about the ethos of those who are the true representatives of Assam? What is
their stance ?

For that matter WHAT is YOUR stance? Do you consider the Indians who control
everything involving Assam's present and future, native sons and daughters or rightful
citizens of Assam even though over generations they have remained itinerant
businessmen, laborers and government workers, with HOME being some far off land?
Oh I know NOT every one of them is like that. But the vast majority is. Isn't that the truth?

So it boils down to a pot calling a kettle black, isn't it? The only difference is that you
consider yourself a true representative of Assam, while those you don't agree with you label
self-appointed or 'paabot-goja'.

Would I be wrong, therefore, to characterize the difference as a mere self-serving one?

>What I blame it for is the outfit's discriminatory stand on aliens, friendly to Bangladeshis
>and hostile to the Hindi-speaking.

*** I understand your outrage. I would be too, if I were to have had a fair-and-balanced
outlook. But you know what? Those of us who are not endowed with such integrity, we
tend to look at issues with a degree of selfishness. For example, I would like to see
Assam being able to take the reins of its own destiny, instead of remaining forever on
Dilli's dole and a debtor, with its own resources controlled by its masters and owners
elsewhere.

Question would be what is really right for Assam?

***Last, but not the least: We still don't know anything about you? Perhaps a few words next time?

Best.

cm

At 3:08 PM +0100 8/3/07, ranenkumar goswami wrote:
Dear Mr Mahanta,
Thanks for the reply. It requires a great reserve of
stamina for writing the letter you have written. I
can't help but but appreciate that.

Now I would like to come to the point you have raised.
I wrote in reply to MM that the
self-appointed guardians of Assam are maintaining a
self-imposed silence on illegal migration from across
the border. Are they not? Right now, Assam is in grip
of a turmoil centering issue. Its echo can be heard
even in Assamnet. Now, what is ulfa doing? Is it not
maintaining a silence and is this silence not
self-imposed?     

When urged to clarify its stand on the foreign
nationals issue, on several occasions ULFA has said it
considers all those to be foreigners who have been in
Assam from August 15, 1947. Fine. By that yardstick,
even the Hindi-speaking people are foreigners in
Assam. From January 5 this year, ULFA started killing
Hindi-speaking people in upper Assam. On January 18,
Ulfa issued a statement in "Freedom", its organ,asking
The Hindi-speaking people to leave the State. Agreed,
for ULFA, they are foreigners. But what about the
Bangladeshis (or East Pakistanis from 1947 to 1971)?
Even without saying so, by its behaviour, Ulfa has
made it clear who are foreigners and who are not. It
maybe its way of expressing gratitude to Bangladesh
for the shelter Dhaka has extended to it.

Otherise, I agree with you it's the primary
responsibility of the government to protect the
borders. We cannot and should not blame ULFA for that.
What I blame it for is the outfit's discriminatory
stand on aliens, friendly to Bangladeshis and hostile
to the Hindi-speaking.

With regards,

Ranen Kumar Goswami

Unlimited freedom, unlimited storage. Get it now, on http://help.yahoo.com/l/in/yahoo/mail/yahoomail/tools/tools-08.html/

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Uttam Kumar Borthakur

Why delete messages? Unlimited storage is just a click away.

and gift-wrap it over to the Islamists ; all the time without a single word about who really ought to be
> responsible for border protection, immigration controls, detection and deportation or even finding ways to stem the flow and help assimilate those who are unlikely to be sent back -- ever!
> 
> Now that we, you and I, agree on where the real responsibility lies and who have the authority and the resources to dispense their duties , would you be kind enough to share your views on exactly WHO have WHAT responsibility on the matter of unchecked B'deshi migration into Assam and HOW they should be tackling the issue?
> 
> Why I ask is that in spite of the enormous amount of Assamese tears shed over the print media and the internet on this matter, I am yet to read a single report on how the problem could or should be resolved, coming out either from Assam or from India. Not to suggest that none such exist. Just that I have not been exposed to them yet. And from the sounds of it, nor have most of our friends here in assamnet. So YOUR input will be extremely valuable in educating ourselves here.
> 
> Now for a lighter-weight matter: Them 'self-appointed guardians of Assam' and their 'self-imposed silence' on the invasion of the lungi-menace.
> 
> *** I understand how those of you, who believe they are the true representatives of Assam,
> would be outraged by the pretenses of 'self-appointed guardians of Assam' . I would be too,
> if I had such legitimacy myself. But are you sure their silence is 'self-imposed ' though?
> 
> Anyway, one might think that the thing for the righteously outraged to do will be to lay bare
> the pretenses of the self-appointed ' lot by showing the people how they differ from their true
> and dependable representatives.
> 
> And it is quite easily done if you asked me. Just inform them of what their real,
> democratically elected ', if not divinely authorized 'guardians' or masters are
> saying about it or doing about it.
> 
> One might hope they have not been asleep at the wheel, or lost their voices. And if they
> have , even at the risk of being seen as patronizing, I would like to suggest that those
> of you who are more intelligent and are not handicapped by narrow political self-interests
> ought to delineate what should be done and how to go about getting it done. Wouldn't you
> agree? After all, this democracy thing is about utilizing the collective wisdom of the entire
> people for the common good. And the job of the watchdogs of democracy, people like
> yourselves, owe it to the people to hold their government's feet to the fire and demand
> action and accountability, lest you all be considered mere lapdogs of vested interests.
> 
> 
> And the best part of this is that it does not even require standing up to bullets or bullying
> from the self-appointed ' lot. All it takes is a bit of professional integrity and
> intellectual honesty.
> 
> 
> >Its echo can be heard in Assamnet.
> 
> *** Actually, Mr. G, what you hear in assmanet is hardly an echo. Assamnetters have been
> at the forefront of bearing the torch of this dishonest discourse.
> 
> 
> >Agreed for ULFA, they are foreigners. But what about the Bangladeshis (or East
> >Pakistanis from 1947 to 1971)? Even without saying so, by its behaviour, Ulfa has made
> >it clear who are foreigners and who are not. It maybe its way of expressing gratitude to
> >Bangladesh for the shelter Dhaka has extended to it.
> 
> *** Maybe so. I wouldn't be the one to question your judgement here. After all they are
> bad folks. You couldn't expect much from the self -appointed lot. They must follow the ethos
> of 'jaar nimokh kham, taar gun gaam' ( I will scratch the back of those who scratch mine).
> 
> But what about the ethos of those who are the true representatives of Assam? What is
> their stance ?
> 
> For that matter WHAT is YOUR stance? Do you consider the Indians who control
> everything involving Assam's present and future, native sons and daughters or rightful
> citizens of Assam even though over generations they have remained itinerant
> businessmen, laborers and government workers, with HOME being some far off land?
> Oh I know NOT every one of them is like that. But the vast majority is. Isn't that the truth?
> 
> So it boils down to a pot calling a kettle black, isn't it? The only difference is that you
> consider yourself a true representative of Assam, while those you don't agree with you label
> self-appointed or 'paabot-goja'.
> 
> Would I be wrong, therefore, to characterize the difference as a mere self-serving one?
> 
> >What I blame it for is the outfit's discriminatory stand on aliens, friendly to Bangladeshis
> >and hostile to the Hindi-speaking.
> 
> *** I understand your outrage. I would be too, if I were to have had a fair-and-balanced
> outlook. But you know what? Those of us who are not endowed with such integrity, we
> tend to look at issues with a degree of selfishness. For example, I would like to see
> Assam being able to take the reins of its own destiny, instead of remaining forever on
> Dilli's dole and a debtor, with its own resources controlled by its masters and owners
> elsewhere.
> 
> Question would be what is really right for Assam?
> 
> ***Last, but not the least: We still don't know anything about you? Perhaps a few words next time?
> 
> Best.
> 
> cm
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At 3:08 PM +0100 8/3/07, ranenkumar goswami wrote:
> Dear Mr Mahanta,
> Thanks for the reply. It requires a great reserve of
> stamina for writing the letter you have written. I
> can't help but but appreciate that.
> 
> Now I would like to come to the point you have raised.
> I wrote in reply to MM that the
> self-appointed guardians of Assam are maintaining a
> self-imposed silence on illegal migration from across
> the border. Are they not? Right now, Assam is in grip
> of a turmoil centering issue. Its echo can be heard
> even in Assamnet. Now, what is ulfa doing? Is it not
> maintaining a silence and is this silence not
> self-imposed? 
> 
> When urged to clarify its stand on the foreign
> nationals issue, on several occasions ULFA has said it
> considers all those to be foreigners who have been in
> Assam from August 15, 1947. Fine. By that yardstick,
> even the Hindi-speaking people are foreigners in
> Assam. From January 5 this year, ULFA started killing
> Hindi-speaking people in upper Assam. On January 18,
> Ulfa issued a statement in "Freedom", its organ,asking
> The Hindi-speaking people to leave the State. Agreed,
> for ULFA, they are foreigners. But what about the
> Bangladeshis (or East Pakistanis from 1947 to 1971)?
> Even without saying so, by its behaviour, Ulfa has
> made it clear who are foreigners and who are not. It
> maybe its way of expressing gratitude to Bangladesh
> for the shelter Dhaka has extended to it.
> 
> Otherise, I agree with you it's the primary
> responsibility of the government to protect the
> borders. We cannot and should not blame ULFA for that.
> What I blame it for is the outfit's discriminatory
> stand on aliens, friendly to Bangladeshis and hostile
> to the Hindi-speaking.
> 
> With regards,
> 
> Ranen Kumar Goswami
> 
> 
> Unlimited freedom, unlimited storage. Get it now, on http://help.yahoo.com/l/in/yahoo/mail/yahoomail/tools/tools-08.html/
> 
> _______________________________________________
> assam mailing list
> assam at assamnet.org
> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> 
> , assam at assamnet.org
> 
> _______________________________________________
> assam mailing list
> assam at assamnet.org
> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> 
> 
> 
> Uttam Kumar Borthakur
> 
> 
> ---------------------------------
> Why delete messages? Unlimited storage is just a click away.

Uttam Kumar Borthakur

---------------------------------
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