Stories that Matter

 https://www.institutesi.org/resources/monthly-bulletin-march-2021   When and why did you become interested in citizenship rights issues? Illegal immigration has been a perennial socio-political issue in Assam. It resulted in a spectrum of policies and practices in legislations, executive policies, judicial orders for detection and deportation of illegal immigrants since partition in 1947.  These actions enacted from time to time are reminiscent of the colonial legal process based on the colonial understanding of ‘alien’. The process bears reflection of dominant racial and cultural norms together with the claims of civilizational superiority of the ‘Assamese’. Any non-conforming community to this criteria is regarded as ‘outsider’, an ‘Other’ [Bohiragoto in Assamese] and is subjected to persecution, censorship, social stigma, prolonged incarceration and virtual statelessness.   In 2008, I was researching for a project on Understanding Impunity in India, when I started d

  10th July, 2020 By Anjuman Begum: There is a need for a substantive approach for the empowerment of women in marginalised communities through education, especially on the tea estates of Assam. But it is still a tall order. No dedicated teachers, inadequate infrastructure, no congenial atmosphere to motivate students contribute in keeping girls out of school. There is also more stress on marriage for girls than education, low income of the parents, gender discrimination, the widespread perception that they will work as labourers in the tea garden that doesn’t require formal education etc. are harming education in the tea gardens. Being confined in the tea estates, cut off from the mainland area, deprives the community of exposure to the outside world to understand the need for education. Himonti’s Story Himonti Ghatwar Himonti, a 22 years old single woman and a school dropout, from Gotonga tea state, Jorhat has no support from her family, so she started workin

Living at the edge: Border and Barriers in Anarul’s Life Along with the whole country, Anarul Islam alias Babul, 47 years old small marginal farmer in landlocked border village Mahendraganj in South West Garo Hills in Meghalaya is finding it hard to cope up with the lockdown due to COVID 19. However his worries are different from the rest of the country. As a farmer his ‘lockdown’ will continue irrespective of the COVID 19 pandemic. His land situated outside the international border fencing restricting access to his land throughout the years. Each time Anarul goes to plough his land, he literally crosses an international border following a detail protocol and security check. India and Bangladesh share a 4,096 km-long international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world. The state of Meghalaya shares 443 km of this long border and out of this 329 km border is fenced with barbed wire and concrete, a process initiated in the 1980s. Fencings are bu

Dulema’s dilemma amidst lockdown Today [27 April, 2020] I was approached by a female farmer named Dulena Khatun, 45 years, wife of Soriful Miah, Nayapara, Mahendraganj. She looked distressed and weak. Its been more than a month that she is not able to go to her land where she was growing vegetables and was looking forward to earn a handsome amount. Her husband is deeply worried for survival in future. ‘I am facing immense hardship and loss for not being able to pluck my vegetables in my land bordering Bangladesh’, she said. India and Bangladesh share a 4,096 km-long international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world . The state of Meghalaya shares 443 km of this long border and out of this 329 km border is fenced with iron wire and concrete. Fences are built anti-climb and has three layers of wire making it extremely difficult for people to break or cross over. Fencing of border was initiated in the 1980s. Over the years, borders are highly securitised and mili

Nosumuddin at work Sweet and Sweat in Nosumuddin’s life Nosumuddin smiled, paused a few times holding tears. His small business of rasgollas [sweet] has abruptly come to a halt with the declaration of nationwide lockdown due to COVID 19 on March 24, 2020. Life was sweet despite being full of sweats. Nosumuddin was confident to afford two meals a day. That confidence is fading fast. A deep fear and uncertainty of economic condition keeps hurting him. Its been eight years now, Nosumuddin Sheikh, 40 years, along with his family staying in my parent’s old house as tenant. Lean, average built man with salt and pepper hair never forgets to wear a smile. My interaction with him is limited to my occasional visit to Mahendraganj, South West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, my home, my village. Nosumuddin is helpful to my parents and often looks after our kitchen garden. One day I asked him if he ever went to school. He smiled and nodded in negation. ‘Humiliating,