Assam

Assam (অসম) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur. Located just below the eastern Himalayan foothills, it is surrounded by the other northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. Assam and its commercial capital Guwahati form the gateway to the northeastern states, together called the seven sisters. These states are connected to the rest of India via Assam's border with West Bengal and a narrow strip called the "Chicken's Neck." Assam shares international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Problems in Assam

The region was part of the British Empire and most of the nationalities of this region were integrated peacefully into the new country. Unfortunately economic indexes of the region, which were above average before independence, began to fall compared to the rest of the country.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Militant groups began forming along ethnic lines after Independence, and demands for sovereignty grew, resulting in the new states of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram in the 170s. ULFA, and NDFB are two major militant groups that came into existence in the 1980s, leading to a strong military crackdown. The low-intensity military conflict has been continuing for more than a decade now without an end to the insurgency at sight. High rural unemployment adds to this insurgency.

Related Topics:
ULFA - NDFB

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At the turn of the last century (1900s), people from present-day Bangladesh migrated to Assam, encouraged by the British to increase agricultural production and thus revenue. The migration continues today under different conditions, a claim which is hotly contested by some. The British tea planters imported labor from central India to work in the estates adding to the demographic canvas.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Like indigenous peoples in other parts of the world, the many ethnic groups of this region struggle to maintain their cultural heritage. There are active autonomy movements in the Bodo and Karbi dominated regions. In recent times, ethnicity based militant groups have mushroomed (NDFB, BLT, UPDS, DHD, KLO, HPCD etc.) leading to violent inter-ethnic conflicts (e.g. the Hmar-Dimasa conflict).

Related Topics:
Indigenous peoples - Bodo - Karbi

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~