[Assam] ULFA : Demand for full autonomy of Assam

[uttam borthakur]

Regarding formation of nation-state, by and large, I tend to agree with Sri Deka. I also agree with autonomy to every federating body in the Indian union for the time being undertsanding at the same time that if history is any indicator the map of the Indian union may not ethereal but ephemeral:-) 

What I have not understood is how 'autonomy' would safe-guard Assam from influx of illegal migrants and why it cannot be achieved within the framework. Because, even in true federations, the army is controlled by the centre and borders are the prerogative of such security forces.How is this considered a pragmatic approach to abandon the sovereignty demand by the pro-talk group of ULFA? 

This is a question that would definitely arise and has to be answered. Is it a question of strategy or tactics? If it is tactics, it is understandable. As a matter of strategy, the explanation seems to be weak. If it is a question of strategy, then the contention that Assam is a colony within a colony or a colony of India has to be abandoned. It goes to the root of the issue.

Only after this basic question is settled, the nitty-gritty of the specific demand about the pale and ambit of autonomy can be discussed vis-a-vis similar  such demands in existence.
 
Uttam Kumar Borthakur




________________________________
From: kamal deka <kjit.deka at gmail.com>
To: ULFA Pro-talk <ulfa.protalk at gmail.com>; A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world <assam at assamnet.org>
Sent: Friday, 20 March, 2009 9:10:27 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] ULFA : Demand for full autonomy of Assam

  One of the oft-repeated urban myths that sometimes pops-up in conversation
even among many educated, well meaning Assamese is that India as a nation is
a British creation. The argument goes roughly as follows – India is an
artificial entity.  It was only the British that created the idea of India
as a single nation and unified it into a political state.  Note that the
concept of nationhood is based on the idea shared by a set of people that
they constitute a nation. This idea or feeling may be based on common ties
of a people based on their culture, common descent, language, religion or
other such attributes. The state constitutes a group of people inhabiting a
specific territory and living according to a common legal and political
authority. The modern nation-state, as it exists today, *is a new
development for the entire world*, and not just for India. Medieval Europe,
for instance, was divided politically into many small principalities, the
boundaries and sovereignties of which changed frequently.

Similarly, Africa and South America mostly constitute of state boundaries
carved up by colonial rule.  In short, if we take the legitimacy of current
nation-states on the basis of centuries of common continuous political rule
over the same geographical boundary and inhabited by the same people, then
practically no country on the planet meets this criteria. Simply put,
shifting nature of political kingdoms and their boundaries over the
centuries legitimize virtually no country in its present form.

Turning my attention towards autonomy demand,let me raise the following
questions.
Would it not be a total Alice-in -Wonderland to expect the people of Assam
to behave responsibly all of a sudden only after full autonomy is achieved?
Can you boast of a single city in Assam which is clean and filled with
amenities which is purely a state subject in which Delhi can't and does not
poke its nose?
Wouldn't it be foolishness to expect someone to run before being able to
walk?
KJ Deka

On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 1:16 AM, ULFA Pro-talk <ulfa.protalk at gmail.c

> Dear Sir,
>
> Historically and socially, Assam have no affinity with India and
> nationalism in the north-east had a different context altogether. The
> Assamese very strongly resented the British occupation of the Ahom
> territory. Between 1828 to 1857 Assamese led by the erstwhile prince's
> revolted thrice. The Assamese having lost all their earlier battles and the
> prayer and petitions having failed, decided to join Indian National
> Congress(INC). The congress never considered northeast within the national
> scene. The Assamese joined the INC volunteerly and the INC entered the
> plains of Assam only on invitation. The hills remain unconnected and
> unaffected by the slogan.
>
> Indian independence infact did not mean freedom and liberty for the
> Assamese people. It was mere transfer of power without a break with the
> imperial past. The Indian stepped into the shoes of alien whether in the
> administration, industry, trade or commerce. Despite being the largest
> producer of Tea, Oil Assam remains one of the poorest and industrially
> backward regions. The colonial mode of exploitation still very much prevails
> in Assam making it into a colonial hinterland. In the last 61 years of
> Indian independence, the problem of illegal immigrants has been deliberately
> neglected and encouraging infiltration of foreign nationals by indian
> political leaders irrespective of any political party for their vested
> interests. In the next 20 years, the Assamese community will be reduced to a
> minority and the foreign nationals will become socially and politically
> dominant. Therefore, we strongly beleive that a full regional autonomy with
> regional federalism will ensure the protection of socio-economic and
> political rights of self-determination of the indigenous and ethnic people.
> For your information, in response to our menifesto and with confidence and
> co-operation of indigenous and ethnic people we are in the process
> of forming a broad based common platform in order to achieve long-term
> solutions to the various issues along with the serious issue of foreign
> nationals.
>
> Finally, we would once again request you to kindly go through our menifesto
> carefully.
>
> Thanking you,
>
> Regards,
>
> Jiten Dutta
> General Secretary
> ULFA ( Protalk )
>
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