Racism: Why I am a reluctant Indian!

It is scary being a minority in India but it is intolerable being a racial minorities.  (A quote from one of my blog post in 2007)

Growing up in the hills of Manipur, I never have had any problem calling myself an Indian. Every once in a week, in the private school I attended, we would be asked to sing the national anthem of India and we would mumble the words through despite not having the slightest clue about its meaning. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember ever questioning my nationality while I was living in the North-east, not even a single time.

But once I left the north-east to pursue higher education in Delhi, I was constantly forced to answer the question regarding my nationality. I don’t have any problem with curious people asking my nationality –if they ask, I can always clarify.  But it is just too much to tolerate on everyday basis the ignorant masses that are too stupid to have any curiosity or the audacity to ask, yet still call you all the names that they can think of.

You can dismiss them as ignorant, but when they chose your facial features or skin colour to call you names, it’s nothing but pure racism.  What most people don’t know is that racism can be mild, coated or blown-out abuses, or that it can come in the form of silence or unspoken gesture.  One of my blog posts in 2008:

In India, more than the majority doesn’t even know what racism or discrimination means. The lower caste people are so used to the abuses they only cursed their lot instead of fighting for justice, while the upper castes are used to abusing the lower castes who legitimatize by accepting the abuses. So you can forget about expecting anyone from knowing what little and minor things, words, expression and gestures constitute racism and discrimination. (Read the full article here)

Around 2007-08, I used to blog about my ordeal (see my blog posts here) in Delhi, but what hurt me the most at that time was the ignorance and self-righteousness of the Indian masses, including the media.  The piousness and self-righteousness of the media over their own racism at that time was almost nauseating.

In 2008, I wrote:

Mainland Indians’ anti-racist gestures come out of the woodwork only when they perceived themselves as the target, or if it happened in the west. Just take a look at the Shilpa Shetty’s or the Lakshmi Mittal’s issues.

They stereotyped themselves only as possible victim that they forget to look home and notice that they are ruthless perpetrator themselves. If you don’t understand what I meant, you don’t have to look further than the 10 pages of matrimonial advertisements coming with your newspaper every morning. (read the full article here)

Despite the fact that I have lived over a decade in mainland India now, I continue to face the question of my nationality. But now I work in the rural areas and interacted mostly with children, I used it as an opportunity to build rapport or to start a conversation, so it benefit me with my work, and they too learned something.

But I’m tired, tired of being questioned about my nationality all the time. I'm tired, tired of proving my Indianess every time.  Because the more people ask me about my nationality, the more they make me feel alienated. And forgive me if you think I am not a patriotic Indian no matter what I really feel inside, because I cannot, and they would not let me be an Indian! 

(Read all my blog posts related to racism/discrimination)

The Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project and the Tribals

A few days ago, India signed a $120 million (Rs. 545 crores) deal with Myanmar for the Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport (KMTT) Project. The project will include shipping, riverine and road transport, and is anticipated to be completed within three – four years. The Kaladan River runs from Mizoram (India) across Chin state and Rakhine province of Myanmar to emptied in Sittwe at the Bay of Bengal.

The project includes three components –the development of the British era Sittwe Port; river transportation of cargo along the Kaladan River up to Kaletwa from which the river is too shallow for navigation; and a connecting road to be constructed to connect Kaletwa with Saiha (Mizoram). Later, this road will be connected to India’s National Highway 54. The project will be executed by India’s public sector organisation RITES (Rail India Technical Economic Services) and is expected to be commissioned by as early as 2009.

The British era port in Sittwe is nearly 400 km from Mizoram’s capital Aizawl, and 250 km from the border. It will take 12 hours from Haldia (near Kolkata) and 36 hours from Vishakapatnam (AP) to reach Sittwe port.

The Project will open up India's landlocked north-eastern states which share only 2% of its borders with mainland India, to international trade routes through the Bay of Bengal and give a fillip to the country’s ‘Look East’ policy by giving a gateway to the South-east Asian nations.

To me it is doubtable that the development of the north-east is the first priority of the Indian government when it inked this deal. Of course, India has ample of excuses like development of the north-east, cooperation with neighbour, access to Myanmar’s rich natural resources, and so on. But one question that should be noted is –why such a novel idea now and not earlier, or are we (the north-east) just a prawn in India’s attempt to checkmate China over Myanmar?

By its own admission India has been driven by its own interest to acquire a transit route to south-east Asian countries through Myanmar. This project will not answer its interest but it seems that the Government of India is desperate enough to let the entire project being dictated by the generals. India has ceded to the generals demands of control of the port right after the development and not only that, provided them with a soft loan of $10 million when the Junta regime was reluctant to invest and tried to back down.

Despite it despicable Human Right records, India has been cultivating the Burmese military junta for more than a decade now, ignoring mounting criticism at home and abroad. The main reasons India wanted to court the generals is primarily to check China's growing influence and presence in that country which has implications for the nation’s security.

The other reason is to get the generals to shut down camps run by anti-India insurgent groups on Myanmar's soil. The insurgent groups has often giveaway the perfect and peaceful image that India want to project to the world. India realized that its counter-insurgency operations in the north-eastern states would not be effective unless it had the support of Myanmar's military rulers.

For the various Zo tribes living around there, there are a few things that should be noted. Developments may be always welcome, and for once I’m not going to say that this is an intrusion into our heartland, and let’s pretend forgetting the whole identity issues. But we should remember that this project is going to have not just economic impact, but also social and environmental impact that can be negative or positive. Here are few possible impacts that it might have (not necessarily in order).

Firstly, the implementation will open up many opportunities for people of diverse background, so are we ready for the possible deluge of immigrants that the projects will attract? Those immigrants will bring in their culture and tradition, and would even want to practice it, and to think of it, the Mizos are not best known for their tolerance.

Secondly, the project, if implemented, will demand more infrastructures, from water to land to electricity and conflicts will arise due to the demand. But is the government ready to tackle that problem. In fact, even more roads and connectivity will be demanded as the intention is to make Mizoram a trade-centre for the whole of the north-east.

Thirdly, even though I don’t know the extent of the possible negative environmental impact, it can be safely assumed like most other development works; it will have an adverse impact. I can only hope the scanty forest areas of Mizoram are not destroyed or at least compensated, and the rare faunas and orchids which are homogenous to our areas are not touched.

Fourthly, truckers across India are often cited for the spread of HIV/AIDS across the country, and if so, the project will open up our tribal dominated rural areas, and with the poverty and backwardness, are we ready to tackle the problems.

Fifthly, the port will be under the control of the Junta and you never know what they are up to. Mizoram has often blamed the Burmese, especially the immigrants from Chin state, of the drug problems that it is struggling with. A trade route under the direct control of the regime notorious for its opium plantation will be a freeway for more drugs, and even more supplies for the insurgent groups.

Sixthly, Apart from that there will be displacement and many lives will be uprooted. And it is a simple fact that not a single government in the world delivered in time when it comes to rehabilitating its victims.

Finally, if the project is implemented, the implication will be not very desirable, especially for the radical section of the YMA and MNF. The projected route will pass through the rather neglected Lais, Maras and Chakmas dominated southern Mizoram. This means they can hold Mizoram to ransom by blocking the road, and all in all, a more influential and more potent southerner is not in the interest of the rather egoistic Mizo community.

There are many more grounds wherein the implication will be felt, but I trust the government of Mizoram knows the possible impacts, how to balance the negative and positive, and most importantly, give some thought to the poor rural folks who may be dislocated by the project and may not necessarily be well rehabilated.

[Update June 2012: The work already started in September 2010. Indian conglomerate Essar Group is building the port on 70,000 square metres of landfill in Sittwe's centre. It was expected to be ready in two-year but it seemed the progress is very slow as of now. Up-stream of the Kaladan River in the town of Paletwa, Essar will build a second, smaller port.  A 122 km highway will connect Paletwa to the Indian state of Mizoram. The two ports and dredge work will cost $74 million. The highway will cost $140 million.]

[This is not the first time India has done/funded a development project in Myanmar, here are a few:

• A road connecting Moreh with Kaletwa at a cost of $30 million called Indo-Myanmar friendship road. (Status: Completed)
• India has recently signed a $150 million deal for exploration of gas off the coast in the southern state of Rakhine, Burma in three deep-water exploration blocks, AD-2, AD-3 and AD-9.
• In the pipeline is the development of the Old Stillwell Road that runs from Assam passing through Myanmar to Yunnan in China.
• Another plan in the pipeline is to link Manipur with Myanmar through a railway line from Jiribam-Imphal-Moreh to Tamu-Kalemyo-Segyi. ]

LIVING IN THE EDGE: IN THE VALLEY OF FEAR

My innocent little friend asked me why most of the insurgent groups in the north-east describe themselves as revolutionary or liberation army. It stupefied me; it’s just too complicated and confusing to even describe. For me, they are revolutionary or liberating only in their efforts of letting animals hold guns to kill humans.

‘97 and the following chaos had taught me not to be too outspoken about any issues related to such groups, but my inability to forget their misconducts, apart from stealing away my childhood, hardly changed my views towards them. Apart from that their very presences bring fears and chaos in the society, and demands (though shaken) some reproach.

I first heard of the ZRA, KNF, KNA, etc. when troubles brewed in ’97, and as a Zomi, I have to thank the ZRA for saving my butt, and well, my head. I would earnestly bow my head in respect for what they did during that time, but I resented, as a Zomi, the ZRA of post-2000. The simple reason is, they look like the underworld (mafia) –working only for the vested-interests and pockets of their supreme bosses. The same apply to all of the outfits in Manipur.

The very foundation of their organization, I suppose, is to provide securities and fight for the causes of the communities, but most of the time, they are the source of communal discords, many other excesses and the trouble maker. Ask anyone in the streets, I’m pretty sure they will express the same sentiments.

Ignoring the brutalities and human right violations, the total ineffectiveness of the ‘never-the-first-choice’ Indian security forces gives us no choice but to embrace the ‘Z’, the ‘K’ or the ‘Etc.’ as our respective guardian. So there is no point in raising the questions of our security under them or their worth as our guardian, but I want to ask if they have any respect for us or are we their mere subjects liable to their wishes.

It is pretty high time that we, the common folks as well as the outfits, evaluate our situation and position within our respective communities. Do we, the common people, still need them or do they have served their purposes? Is their vision realistic, what steps they had taken in that direction and do we support that vision? While on the other hand, the outfits need to honestly assess, above everything, their standing and worth in their respective communities’ lives.

As a common folks, for me the main question is –can we do without them? Ask me if I am afraid of them; yes I am. I fear them as much as I feared a mad cow. Do I hate their presence; of course I do, they are loaded guns. But do I wish them away; only if all of them can be wished away in one go. If not, past experiences will force me not to, for those outfits are the one that can keep the other outfits at bay, and I still want my chance to fight for another tomorrow.

I’m not a critic of them, but rather, considering the role they played in our community, I want them to reform and organize in a better way, and keep their goal in their mind. I don’t want to be identified by the violence that they practice, like the Muslims are identified with fundamentalism and jihadi.

If those outfits are serious about the cause they are fighting for, let them fight like a gentleman, holding their heads high, with pride and dignity –not like the gangsters, who stole in the middle of the night or the mobsters who get their way by threatening and frightening everyone.

With all those outfits around, life for the common man is like living in the edge. You can’t expect everybody to know how to balance and counter-balance issues; which are a necessity for our daily survival as you are not given many priorities. It is like juggling 3 knives –pay too much attention to one and the other will hit you in the head, pay too much attention to the going-on around you and you will go crazy, but if you don’t pay attention, it may cost you your life.

There is no middle path here, silence may help but it is not always the answer. But then, talking doesn’t help much either, especially in this part of the world where everyone with a little authority, starting from the Chief Minister, are as deaf as a statue. Apart from that, be it talking or writing, they expect you not to cross a certain limit, or your warning may come in the form of death.

I don’t find any appropriate word to describe the situation we live in. Express your feeling and you’re forced to remain silent, remain silent and nobody will care about you. Cry for help, but there’s no one to hear you, definitely not the government, neither will the outfits. Apparently the government and the outfits don’t give a damn about you. Apparently the government and the outfits don’t know that forced silence is a horrifying torment, and an unattended cry for help is the superlative of all brutality.

The unresponsive government and the reckless militants pushed us all to the edge; suppressed anger, desperation and helplessness forced us to be more aggressive, more brutal or to totally give-up on everything. Our daily life is a struggle for survival, being cheated of even the most basic of facilities supposed to be provided free of cost by the government, the common folks are left at the mercy of our merciless shylocks to be fleeced to their bones.

But we are survivors, we have survived thus far, and our survivor instincts are strong. I only hope those militants apprehend and appreciate our daily struggle. God helps us all…

Long Live The Zomi! Happy Zo Minam Day!

Tags: mizo, zomi, zogam

AIIMS: Teaching Discrimination

Chances are if you are a Schedule Caste/Tribe student studying or practicing in India’s premier medical institute, AIIMS in New Delhi, none of your fellow student or doctor will work with you and you will have to live in a ghetto, you will not be able to play a certain sport and each and every day, you will be reminded again and again that you belongs to an inferior class in the society.

The Thorat Panel set up by the Union Health & Family Welfare Ministry at the PM behest after a series of articles from the print media exposed the social discrimination practiced in the Institute was led by Mr. SK Thorat, UGC Chairperson with two other members. The report has thrown up many shocking result, which, not surprisingly, the Administration of AIIMS rejected ‘in totality’.
The Panel which interviewed 50% of the Students belonging to the reserved category accused the Director (of AIIMS) of instigating and creating a divide between the students and ghettoizing reserved category students.

The report says the AIIMS administration failed to ensure safeguards for weaker sections of society guaranteed under the Constitution like undergraduate programme and special coaching for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students. They also accused the faculty of ‘misusing’ their power during internal assessment.

As many as 69% of the reserved category students alleged that they did not receive adequate support from teachers, 72% said they faced discrimination, and 76% said their evaluation was not proper while 82% said they often got less than expected marks.

In practical examinations and viva voce, the treatment meted out to them was 'not fair'. And worse, 76% said higher caste faculty members enquired about the castes of their students while 84% said they were asked, directly or indirectly, about their caste backgrounds. An equal percentage of students alleged that their grading was adversely affected due to their background.

The reserved category students also alleged 'social isolation' at various levels, including even from faculty members, with 84% of the students saying they faced segregation in the hostel that forced them to shift to hostels No. 4 and 5 where there was a concentration of SC/ST students.

So far, the AIIMS administration has rejected the report as a bundle of lies and set up their own panel, their report is awaited. But considering that the panel was set up by the administration which is also the alleged perpetrator, one doesn’t expect much except for ‘another bundles of lies’.

It is no secret the problem between the Health Minister and the Director of AIIMS especially after the recent reservation controversy, but the question is –is these brutalities triggered by the recent reservation controversy or is it a deep-rooted tradition in the institute that was there for a long time but exposed only when this controversy cropped up?

Whatever the answer is, discrimination in any form, be it harsh or subtle, be it based on caste, creed or race, it should be condemned. Every one must note that the Quota system did not guarantee entrance to any institute; all the SC/ST students in AIIMS get there based on their merits. Their selection is not based on caste or religion, but on their performances in the extremely competitive Entrance Exam –so there really is no void of merit.

There is no denying that the quota system as practiced in India is not the best solution for what it is applied for. Still you cannot compare the effect it has on the communities. Just compare this –the general community having one more doctor and the tribal community having its first doctor.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/06/stories/2007050609700100.htm

The Tribal, the Job Market & the Quota System

Being a Christian, a tribal and an arts graduate doesn’t give you much edge in the present day job market. But that puts you among the minority of minorities and that’s not a disadvantage –at least not in India. If you wonder what I mean, I am talking about the adorable evil called quota or reservation system in India.

The quota system enabled me to enroll myself into a college in Delhi University which I would not be able to get into if I were in the general category. Being a Christian (or the western education system it brought along) contributed to my medium of education that helped me sail through the three years where I was deemed unfit if I were to go along with their eligibility criteria set-up for the general category.

I know many other who managed a seat in the country’s best IT and Business school through the quota system. And if you want to apply for a government job, there are seats reserved for you. And there is more to come. With the Home Minister of the Congress led UPA govt. intent on implementing the quota system in private sector, we the tribal –with our ‘not qualified for the white collar job market but over qualified for blue collar job’ qualification, are the one to benefit the most.

When it comes to education, most of us from the North-east, especially the tribals, cannot afford the financial or infrastructural backing to get good education, especially the technical or management kind, or simply don’t have access to them. And a resume without any technical background is difficult to sell in today’s job market. But our modest English medium of education gives us an edge over our counterpart in the mainland whose medium of education is in some regional language rather than English.

Even though the quota system is yet to be implemented in the private sector, a certain number of them started showing-off how much tribals, dalits or backward class employee they have with them despite their resistance to its implementation. That definitely is good news for us, but it should be noted that even if the quota system is implemented in the private sector, it will be on voluntary basis, and we cannot expect much from it.

Still, what bother me is –if the quota system is implemented, what could be the possible implication for the tribals of north-east India? In my opinion, it would surely benefit those of us living outside the north-east of India, but in the north-east itself, it would hardly make any difference since there’s no private sector functioning from there.

Rather, it will spurt another wave of migration to the mainland. That would certainly be good news to the government if they are serious about greater integration, but it definitely won’t ring a bell with the various liberation armies back home (is that good news for us as well?). It would also means lost of roots and identities for many of us.

But as I said before, the quota system is yet to be implemented and that too on a voluntary basis so we cannot expect much benefits from it. As such, what we can do is –those of us who are already in the mainland should continue working hard -seriously and sincerely, and shows them (the mainlanders?) the stuffs that we are made of, and most importantly, occasionally sent a few thousand back home.