Pulling Assam back from the abyss
A call by policymakers, scholars, activists and intellectuals on the situation in the State.
Ajeeb dastaan hai yeh: learning from Mary
Ajeeb dastaan hain ye, sang the small, slim figure, while her husband accompanied her on the guitar. She was in casuals, jeans and shirt; he was in a dark suit as were many of the men at the dinner although the women from the North-east were clad in their colourful best, many in their traditional…
A Discussion on the Situation in Assam
Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Sept. 3, 2012, 2-5:30 pm The present situation in Assam, the largest state of the North-East, has been extremely disturbing with extensive violence, including killings and arson, between different groups as well as the flight of the displaced to relief camps. The repercussions have been seen and felt in…
Through American Eyes: The C-NES Boat Clinics
Intern’s Report: Through American Eyes: The C-NES Boat Clinics By: Arunava Sarma (May/June 2012) Introduction For a public health and molecular biology student, the prospect of touring areas of rural India via boats on the crisscrossing channels of the Brahmaputra and providing healthcareto underserved populations is very attractive. For such a student with ancestral Assamese…
India’s Northeast: How a Troubled Region May Be a Global Flashpoint
Sanjoy Hazarika is extensively quoted: In the world's largest democracy, recent fears of pogroms and ethnic violence have highlighted just how fractious and febrile India's social makeup is. By Ishaan Tharoor | @ishaantharoor | August 22, 2012 | Read more: http://world.time.com/2012/08/22/indias-northeast-how-a-troubled-region-may-be-a-global-flashpoint/#ixzz24kLBO96
The good, the bad and the downright ugly
The best of times has turned into the worst of times for the North-East. The cheers of national pride for Olympian boxer Mary Kom have been drowned out by ugly ethnic threats. It's time to go beyond quick-fix solutions. It's taken barely a week for Manipuri boxer Mary Kom and the blaze of glory that…
The Quickfix Syndrome
As much of India plunges repeatedly into darkness at noon, the conflict and tragedy in Assam is fading rapidly. The governments, at the Centre and the state, will breathe a sigh of relief at this reduction of the public gaze, but no one should for a moment be fooled into thinking that this seeming “easing”…
No sense of belonging
The madness that has gripped parts of India, leading to the exodus of tens of thousands of people from the North-east — not just from Assam but from across the region — is not only an expression of fear and doubt, but also a stark reflection of the absolute and resolute ignorance that holds much…