In one of my post last year, I wrote about my dismay at the faces I saw on my way back to Manipur. I had pointedly asked “What good do this Marwaris and Beharis bring to our land?” It was just a rhetoric question but now with the recent killing spree of ‘Non-Manipuris’ in Manipur, I feel guilty enough to make a clarification.
Firstly, I want to clarify that the Marwaris and Beharis in Manipur are mostly traders and when they came to the North-east their intention was/is profits (money) and not to kill our culture or tradition nor to bring their own. They are innocent on that regards –I mean, the tribals in the north-east had done enough to kill their culture and tradition by embracing non-indigenous religion and culture a century ago.
Secondly, the whole of the north-east is a rather backward area, and since those people come there for profits and don’t utilize their profits there, they are guilty of economically exploiting the natives.
Thirdly, every Indian had a constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement and to reside anywhere in the country, but the north-east is different. Except for Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam (is it the large presence of non-tribals that make them lost their status as a restricted tribals area?), foreigners/NRIs and people from the mainland needed a permit, RAP/PAP (Restricted/Protected Area Permit) and ILP (Inner-Line Permit) respectively, to visit the North-eastern states. The very existence of such restriction, though it hardly serves its purpose, evidently point that those people are in the wrong place.
Fourthly, with the tribals’ experience in Tripura, it is understandable if the uncontrolled mass influx of non-natives makes them uncomfortable. In Tripura, the tribals had become a minority especially after the Bangladesh War when Bengalis Refugees came in hordes. The Bengalis demographic invasion made the Tribal state of Tripura a Bengalis state –dominating the culture and politics of the state.
Fifthly, our states already have the not so desirable images as failed states and we don’t need such recklessness to make our pathetic image any bloodier; I only hope their deaths bring some mainland media attention to the conveniently ignored states and, hopefully, some reformative actions from the government as well.
And finally I want to ask, are we guilty of reverse racism, or is it just another case of xenophobia? I don’t want to believe that we are guilty of reverse racism even though each of us living in the mainland had enough tales of discriminations and denigrations to tell for a thousand nights. But it surely is a case of xenophobia, which is present in every culture of the world thought not always in such a violent form.
Firstly, I want to clarify that the Marwaris and Beharis in Manipur are mostly traders and when they came to the North-east their intention was/is profits (money) and not to kill our culture or tradition nor to bring their own. They are innocent on that regards –I mean, the tribals in the north-east had done enough to kill their culture and tradition by embracing non-indigenous religion and culture a century ago.
Secondly, the whole of the north-east is a rather backward area, and since those people come there for profits and don’t utilize their profits there, they are guilty of economically exploiting the natives.
Thirdly, every Indian had a constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement and to reside anywhere in the country, but the north-east is different. Except for Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam (is it the large presence of non-tribals that make them lost their status as a restricted tribals area?), foreigners/NRIs and people from the mainland needed a permit, RAP/PAP (Restricted/Protected Area Permit) and ILP (Inner-Line Permit) respectively, to visit the North-eastern states. The very existence of such restriction, though it hardly serves its purpose, evidently point that those people are in the wrong place.
Fourthly, with the tribals’ experience in Tripura, it is understandable if the uncontrolled mass influx of non-natives makes them uncomfortable. In Tripura, the tribals had become a minority especially after the Bangladesh War when Bengalis Refugees came in hordes. The Bengalis demographic invasion made the Tribal state of Tripura a Bengalis state –dominating the culture and politics of the state.
Fifthly, our states already have the not so desirable images as failed states and we don’t need such recklessness to make our pathetic image any bloodier; I only hope their deaths bring some mainland media attention to the conveniently ignored states and, hopefully, some reformative actions from the government as well.
And finally I want to ask, are we guilty of reverse racism, or is it just another case of xenophobia? I don’t want to believe that we are guilty of reverse racism even though each of us living in the mainland had enough tales of discriminations and denigrations to tell for a thousand nights. But it surely is a case of xenophobia, which is present in every culture of the world thought not always in such a violent form.
So my final question is, does the presence of non-natives pose a threat for us the natives, –especially in the protected states of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. I don’t think so –for they make up just a miniscule percent of our population. And if you asked me, I’d always prefer a Marwaris/Beharis shopkeepers rather than some native girl sitting pretty inside the shop, telling you to take it or leave.
1 comment:
na gelh awm mahmah e
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