Monday 30 July 2012

Humans--we are nomads

There is rioting and unrest in the state of Assam as two lakh people have become homeless as their life is threatened. They are in refugee camps and want to return to their lands where it is sowing time. They are threatened by 'sons of land' movement. There is violence because the native Bodos feel displaced. 49 different tribes have been affected. They feel their lands have been captured. New people have arrived and taken over their land.Now how to identify who are the migrants? When traced, how to move them back? What are their rights?No proper land records were made in the past. Native people were originally tribals who were cultivating by 'slash and burn' method.They were not a united group and were unorganised group dispersed throughout the state. There is no record of tribal(adivasi) territory,  they have group rights over their lands;this is left to interpretation."Assam Accord" or" Bodo Accord" had pacified upheavals periodically; but enmity had  always persisted. Those who had migrated before 1971 were given citizenship. What has happened is that the immigrant population had a mini population explosion,and now the natives have become a minority. Now political agenda would favour the immigrants. The natives even now keep fighting for their land and their rights, but they are not heard.Prime Minister has announced that Rupees 200 crores will be spent on rehabilitation of these people.Anguish of being displaced, the humiliation of refugee camps and the loss of livelihood cannot be compensated by any cash. People are not having trust and faith that if they return to their homes, militant criminals would come threaten them again. Already many people have died from both communities. Railways were blocked for couple of days and vehicles burnt by militant people. The railways have been now restored. But normalcy has not returned yet. The farming people want to return to their fields; but they are not having faith that they can return to their land fearlessly.
The human race has always migrated from continent to continent. But when an old culture comes in contact with a new one, it is threatened and there is a clash. Eventually, they adapt and a newer culture evolves assimilating the features of both. But that has not happened.
Cultural conflicts persist.Sometimes dictator leaders like Hitler practice eugenics and try to bring purity their race. When there are clashes, it can even go to "ethnic cleansing" There are countries where there are ethnic marginalised people who with concerted effort have ousted the dominant migrant group and made them the new marginalized citizens.Is this good? Then good for whom?The determination and intention to preserve one's own " cultural land" can go to extremes.Only education and equal opportunities can bring lasting peace among all.Humans always find a reason to fight for more rights--rights to make themselves better than the new arrivals.And this is how all of man's efforts are wasted--fighting forever. When will we stop fighting over land rights and link it with cultural rights?

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