Should we talk to the Bodos?
By V.P. Prabhakar

AS a member of a Press party, I had the occasion of travelling through remote areas of Assam that are now under the threat of Bodo insurgency. As I studied the region and its people, I realised that lower Assam, which is also land of Bodos, did not seem to have been developed at all. Shops gave an impression of khohas, and abject poverty was writ large on the faces of men, women and children. My impression was shared by Urkhao Gwra Brahma of All Bodo Students Union that the Bodo areas have been neglected while other areas in Assam have developed faster. Even 52 years after independence, the Bodo-dominated areas in Assam lacked basic facilities such as good roads, hospitals and educational institutions. The people in the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) area need educational facilities, industries, markets to sell their agricultural products and remunerative prices for farmers.

Above incidents only indicate that the agitation for Bodoland can again flare up and if this happens then it will be difficult to control it. The Bodo Liberation Tiger Force (BLT), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), organisation of Adivasis called COBRA, Biharis’ Birsa Munda, United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and a Muslim outfit are active in the Kokrajhar area. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Kokrajhar, the Naxalites are more active where the population of Adivasis is more, and the Gossaigaon sub-division is the example of this phenomenon. He said, however, that till 1996 there was no enmity between Bodos and Adivasis and both were living peacefully in various villages.

But around 1996 the Bodo people began to fear that the population of the Adivasis was increasing very fast, and that a time might come when the Adivasis might outnumber them. After this the Bodo agitators started attacking the villages of Adivasis. So far the Adivasis are not opposing the demand of Bodoland, but if they, too, start demanding separate area for themselves then the situation will take a very serious turn.

British had started bringing Adivasis from Bihar in 1884 for working in the tea estates. Since then their number is on the increase. Though the demand for Bodoland was made in 1986, it took the shape of militancy only in 1991. Upendra Nath Brahma was the father of Bodoland demand. Under the Bodoland agreement, the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) was established. First the Bodo people had given acceptance to the Council but later they started neglecting it...The Government has so far failed to specify the area of the Council... The question is of ‘identity’ and Bodo parties are of the view that this is only possible by creation of Bodoland.

In the Kokrajhar bazaar the business is mostly in the hands of Punjabis and Biharis. Now when there is awareness among the Bodos they themselves want to take business in their own hands. However, till now they have not much say in this. Some shopkeepers confided that the terrorists take a monthly sum from them and in return they provide them security cover. The shops are closed early and the people do not go in bazaar after darkness. When two newsmen wanted to go to bazaar for making an STD call in the evening, they were advised that either they should not go at this time or at least three persons should go because there is always danger in the night.

While some people feel that before settling the Bodoland issue the safety of non-Bodos living in the BAC area should be ensured, others feel that the demand of Bodos of separate state is not practical as Bodos have very weak economy of their own. Centre should take steps to improve their economy. Moreover, it is felt that the Government must have the political will and sincerity for a solution which is only possible at the negotiation table.