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From: debray@sbcs.UUCP (Saumya Debray)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.india
Subject: Re: assam
Message-ID: <429@sbcs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 09:03:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: sbcs.429
Posted: Mon Aug 19 09:03:55 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Aug-85 07:37:31 EDT
References: <2698@ut-sally.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Computer Science Dept, SUNY@Stony Brook
Lines: 28

> For those who are unfamiliar with the Assam problem, several people
> from Bangla Desh (adjoining Assam) illegally immigrated ... The Assamese
> resented the newcomers ... To complicate matters, most of the immigrants
> were Muslims and Assam is predominantly Hindu and this has lent a communal
> tinge to the acrimony ...

More like several million ... :-)

My recollection (I grew up in Assam/Meghalaya/Nagaland, and spent a lot of
time there upto 1981) is that the divisions were more along linguistic
lines than religious ("Assam for the Assamese").  The more radical of the
"student leaders" didn't even consider themselves Indians -- slogans like
"Indian Dogs Go Home" were quite common on walls in Gauhati!

> An accord has been reached on the Assam immigrants issue. In essence,
> those who immigrated to Assam after 1965 will be disenfranchised,
> and those who did so after 1971 will be deported.

Hmm ... now that we have the specs, I'd love to see an implementation.
(Am I being hopelessly cynical when I don't see Bangla Desh welcoming the
deportees back with open arms?)
-- 
Saumya Debray
SUNY at Stony Brook

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