India's northeast speaks out against racism

[Lipizzaner_Stallion]

Guys ... maintain some standard yaar ... I mean yahi din dekhana baki tha ... wasting your time arguing with a lungi ???

 

[zootinali]

Oops sorry! My mistake!
I don't have Iodine deficiency! But I do have very low attention span and I am really hyper! So maybe that's why!

Delete your post about Indian bengoli. it is offensive to even non bengoli Indians like me..

 

[Lipizzaner_Stallion]

Racism or not ... this is our internal problem ... don't waste your time arguing with a lungi f@rt

 

[The Snow Queen]

Delete your post about Indian bengoli. it is offensive to even non bengoli Indians like me..

Yeah I will. If you all stop making "Lungi" jokes all the time. Most people don't wear lungi, just those really poor ones. So it is not right to say "Lungiwalas" everytime and attack Bangladeshis.

 

[amygdaloideum]

You freak. No where did I trivialize Nido Tania's death. It was not racially motivated in the first place. It was committed by a Muslim group over what perhaps was anger at the Assam riots. That I refuse to let you get away with making political capital out of his unfortunate death is what hurts your butt. There are many many NE kids being brought up in my cousin's home since they belong to RSS. The only racist here is you.

well,both of you have similar attitudes,i.e.
either you are with us or against us

 

[Voltaire]

You freak. No where did I trivialize Nido Tania's death. It was not racially motivated in the first place. It was committed by a Muslim group over what perhaps was anger at the Assam riots. That I refuse to let you get away with making political capital out of his unfortunate death is what hurts your butt. There are many many NE kids being brought up in my cousin's home since they belong to RSS. The only racist here is you.

Sure..I remember it was you going off on,"peope die..get over it" tangents.Bad news,aunty..human life may have no value in mainland but it is the most precious thing in the whole world for us tani people.You may be very comfortable with your own people starving to death,killed in riots,dying of minor treatable disease.
For us,each of ours is an irreplaceable treasure.

 

[Lipizzaner_Stallion]

In my office these lungis are appointed as gaurds (unfortunately). Almost all of them have hindu sacred thread tied around their wrist to disguise as Hindus. I hadn't have guessed unless one day i asked one of them his name.

 

[Indrani]

well,both of you have similar attitudes,i.e.
either you are with us or against us

It is usually simple unless you are addicted to riding on 2 boats at the same time. You cannot fuel fire on one side and act like you are doing everything to douse it on the other.

 

[The_Sidewinder]

First you were claiming that the mainlanders are raping NE women. When Zootinali gave you examples of Naga police men involved in those acts, now you have painted the whole of Bharatvaasis as rapists and greedy. Is there any good thing you see in Bharat or are you also going to join some rebel forces to make your own pure land?

Miss there were countless crimes commited by IA men after ULFA came into existance. So many women were raped, many young men were shot to dead in fake encounters. Only some army men were punished for these crimes that to due to supreme court intervantion. there was a period between 1992-1998 where armed forces commited so many horrendous crimes in NE reason. You know, once army was planning to raid our home due to false info thinking we are sheltering ulfa terrorist. They surrounded our homes from all sides. In the morning, my mom wake up & first saw their movement. She called my dad, he went out to see what happened. Thank god, he knew the major who was leading the raid. They told him that their informem gave them info citing we were sheltering terrorist. They checked & found nothing. No farther action was taken, everyone drank tea made by mom. we were lucky, but there were countless other cases where househead and his sons were abducted by army and tortured them to death to find out info based on false accusations.
IA is not as angelic as it seems my dear.

 

[Voltaire]

In recent past there were some incidents of rape frequently coming up in news papers in assam. Crimes being commited by mainly non assamese people, specially bihari & D voters ( illegal immirants) , but local assamese men were involved in few of them. most recent being dibrugarh Banipur railway station rape case. But the thing is here society outcast the rapists, more often they are punished. So its not becoming a trend.
Places like Meghalaya are more safe for women as they are mother oriented society.
Honestly in NE women are safe and well respected than other parts of Indibar, here if someone dares to say something supporting rapes, he will be beaten to death for sure.

That is true for all of NE to varying degrees,crimes and criminals face a serious societal backlash in NE.Particularly true on the sexual assaults front..the law and establishment may fail the victims,but the society doesn't.

 

[Jayanta]

I would like to hear from the North Easterners in PDF, what's their suggestion to stop this racism?

Well nothing new, people in Delhi are ignorant about the people in NE. This is all due to the failure of previous government to engage and bring the NE to mainstream. Students have nothing to read about NE in their school curriculum. With these people speaking out, I hope things will change.

I have been called "Chinki" by many in Delhi...but never gave a shit about it. Although my classmates were cool, but local residents especially of (North Campus) Mukherjee Nagar, Gandhi Vihar, Nehru Vihar, Haqiqat Nagar, Outram lines, Civil lines etc. for them students from NE are mints...printing money for them.

 

[SrNair]

A recent street brawl in New Delhi that spiralled out of control and led to the death of a young student from India's Arunachal Pradesh has brought into focus what people from the northeast have always bitterly complained about without getting much of a hearing: racial discrimination that they routinely face in the rest of the country for their Mongoloid looks.

Since Nido Taniam was killed in late January, the complaints have grown louder and northeasterners have taken to the streets in large numbers across India to highlight the discrimination.

Every year thousands of young people from the northeast migrate to New Delhi and other cities for higher education and jobs. The seven states known as "Seven Sisters" are connected to India with a sliver of land that spans over the northern top of Bangladesh, and are plagued with chronic underdevelopment and separatist conflicts.

It is common for the people from the northeast to be called "Chinkies" - a word so common that many have become immune to it but derogatory enough for the government to punish its use with five years jail term. Harassment from landlords, employers and assaults on the street are commonplace.

Now India's northeastern community is campaigning for an anti-racism legislation. But they say most Indians including the government are in denial that Indians are racists.

Some of them speak to Al Jazeera, sharing what they are forced to endure for being from India's northeast:

Kim, Call centre worker from Manipur, now working in Haryana
"Men in Delhi treat us as if we are loose women. Just the other day, I was standing at the pickup point for my office cab to take me to Faridabad. There was another woman next to me from northern India working for a tech company; we both were in formals. A car pulls up and the man asks, 'Madam do you need a ride?' His look and his voice made it clear what he was looking for.

"But the point is why he asked me and not the other woman?

"At our workplaces, the men always invite me and other girls from northeast for any party they are having. As if we are party girls. They keep nagging us saying, 'Lets go grab a beer, a drink.' Why don't they ask other women and why ask only for drinks and parties? Even when we say no, they don't give up.

"It becomes very difficult because most of the time they are our managers. If the rent is 5,000 rupees ($80.42) for any normal Indian, for us it is 7,000-8,000 ($112 - $128)

"When we ask for a rent agreement to get a phone connection etc, they make us buy it in black for 300-500 rupees ($4.83 - $8.04)."

Bruce K. Thangkhal, Journalist, Delhi
"When people call me Bahadur, China, etc, I ask them politely, 'Why do you call me this? I am also an Indian.' But in response they pull my shirt, twist my arms or grab my neck.

Bruce K. Thangkhal, Journalist [Supplied/Al Jazeera]
"A few months ago my sister and I went to Sarojini Nagar Market in Delhi. Someone called me King-Kong, Chow-chow, momo in a low tone voice but loud enough for me to hear.

"When I confronted they roughed me up. A crowd formed and they enjoyed the show. They pinched my cheeks. The men tried to pull my sister’s hair, touched her back.

"Last year, I was travelling in the metro in the general compartment. Two seats to my left were reserved for ladies and physically challenged people, where some men were sitting. I was at the third seat.

"A woman, who was wearing formal clothes, so it was clear she was an educated woman said, 'You stand up.' I did not hear her because I was listening to music so she shouted. I asked, "Why don’t you ask them who are sitting at the wrong place, why me?"

She said, "You don’t respect women?" I was so embarrassed, a crowd gathered and they made me feel as if I was harassing the woman.

This same incident happened to me five times last year. To them I am an easy target.

D. Yirang Jimbe, Call Center worker, Haryana
"Two years ago, I was with my brothers and sisters in my rented apartment in Gurgaon.

India Page: Racism Vox Pops: Yirang Jimbe [Supplied/Al Jazeera]
"The landlord and his son came to our room at midnight to ask for rent.

"They kicked our door, so when we went out they beat my brother. 'All we said was why are you asking for rent at midnight and we have never been late in paying.'

"But we had to be quiet because our sisters were with us; we were scared they would do something to them.

"We can't complain to the police. Then no one will rent us rooms in the locality. The police don't even take us seriously. It is only a waste of time.

"Even when I am with my sisters or girlfriends, they look at our women and say, 'It will be so much fun to be with you.'

"We avoid confrontation; they will only beat us and maybe kill us like Nido."

Jackson Gonmei, Student, Delhi
"I was working at call centre in Delhi associated with a California-based company since 2012. In June, they asked me to stop coming with no notice. But till date they did not clear my last month's salary.

Jackson Gonmei [Supplied/Al Jazeera]
"Every time I call they challenge me saying, 'try and do whatever you want.' They are rude and misbehave.

"I have started the legal process through the northeast helpline.

"For months I asked for an employment letter but they refused.

"Because we are treated as outsiders, they get away with suppressing us. I am not chasing the money; I think it is time that I have to speak up.

"On the streets people comment, 'Are you from Nepal or China?' Do you know Karate, Kung-fu? Do you eat snakes, dogs?"

Phurpa Tsering, Northeast India Forum Against Racism


"Our demands are the enactment of the anti-racism law and that the pending cases of violence against northeasterners be put in fast-track court.

Phurpa Tsering, Northeast India Forum Against Racism [Supplied/Al Jazeera]
"We recognise that there is racism in India not only against northeast people but also against south Indians, adivasis (tribals). That is why we want a cohesive and comprehensive law that addresses racism in the country.

"Even the prime minister, uses the word prejudice, which is a very milder form and does not address racism. The media is biased. For example, when the police lathi-charged protesters on February 14, the media said it was mild. But I was
there and I have seen people with broken limbs, bones; it was not mild at all.

"Prior to the post-mortem, the Asian Age newspaper wrote on February 4 saying Nido Tania died of drug overdose. This falls in line with stereotyping. Northeastern women are seen as morally loose, easy to get.

"Men are portrayed as drug addicts, drop outs, good for nothing, scumbags. These events, like Nido's killing, rape
cases are very polarising. It makes you very conscious of your race. Who you are? What you are? This will result in isolation."

Alana Golmei, North East Support Centre and Helpline (NESCH)
"We receive an average of 20-30 calls a month. Most are related to non-payment of salaries to northeasterners working in BPOs and physical assaults.

Alana Golmei, North East Support Centre and
Helpline (NESCH), Delhi [Supplied/Al Jazeera]
"When we call the employers, most of them are in Haryana so they say, 'I am Haryanvi. I am a local man. You are an outsider, what can you do?'

"Verbal abuse is something very small because people encounter this everyday.

"They keep it to themselves and don't complain. We are little immune to it. We have been facing it and not speaking up and this has led to more serious assaults like the death of Nido Tania."

Binalakshami Nepram, Activist, Manipur
"I have handled five dead bodies of young people from the northeast. A week before Nido Taniam died, two women from Manipur were molested in broad daylight in south Delhi. A 27-year-old woman from Manipur was sexually assaulted and
murdered in her own flat by the landlord and his brother-in-law in Chirag, Delhi.

"A young boy died in Safdarjung hospital because he was denied a bed in the hospital. Now we say: enough is enough. We don’t want to be treated as second-class citizens.

"They call us chinki. Who is making us feel different? Is it us? Or the people of the other parts of India?"

Aruni Kashyap, Author, Assam
"The word remote is a problematic modifier to stand in front of 'Northeast.'

Aruni Kashyap, Author [Supplied/Al Jazeera]
"Remote - for whom and from which standpoint? Do people in Delhi use the word remote to describe Chennai or Kottyam?

It shows the psychological disconnect people of mainland India has with our region.

"Prejudice against Biharis/outsiders in northeast should be condemned no doubt, but this is often a topic that comes up when we talk about racism against northeastern people and often used as a conversation blocker.

"It is like saying Indians in the western countries have no right to complain about racism because Indians are racists themselves."

I agree with this article hundred percent.
Some parts of North India especially Delhi is become an insult to this entire nation.They treat South Indians as also outsiders.In earlier decades persecution was that much and they called us 'Madrasis'.Now a days atrocities against SI is reduced but still not bettrr.Same happens to NE .Some North Indians are absolutely arrogant unwise even if they have formal education.

 

[amygdaloideum]

Sure..I remember it was you going off on,"peope die..get over it" tangents.Bad news,aunty..human life may have no value in mainland but it is the most precious thing in the whole world for us tani people.You may be very comfortable with your own people starving to death,killed in riots,dying of minor treatable disease.
For us,each of ours is an irreplaceable treasure.

offcourse,AP is the land of milk and honey,ever heard of malaria?

It is usually simple unless you are addicted to riding on 2 boats at the same time. You cannot fuel fire on one side and act like you are doing everything to douse it on the other.

so i am correct

 

[Jayanta]

Yeah I will. If you all stop making "Lungi" jokes all the time. Most people don't wear lungi, just those really poor ones. So it is not right to say "Lungiwalas" everytime and attack Bangladeshis.

Why are you so ashamed of the LUNGI....

Enjoy this....

 

[Voltaire]

Miss there were countless crimes commited by IA men after ULFA came into existance. So many women were raped, many young men were shot to dead in fake encounters. Only some army men were punished for these crimes that to due to supreme court intervantion. there was a period between 1992-1998 where armed forces commited so many horrendous crimes in NE reason. You know, once army was planning to raid our home due to false info thinking we are sheltering ulfa terrorist. They surrounded our homes from all sides. In the morning, my mom wake up & first saw their movement. She called my dad, he went out to see what happened. Thank god, he knew the major who was leading the raid. They told him that their informem gave them info citing we were sheltering terrorist. They checked & found nothing. No farther action was taken, everyone drank tea made by mom. we were lucky, but there were countless other cases where househead and his sons were abducted by army and tortured them to death to find out info based on false accusations.
IA is not as angelic as it seems my dear.

You guys were fortunate indeed.IA has some serious issues with interaction with civilians.My own uncle,on a business purpose in Assam, had an INSAS barrel pressed against his forehead because an IA soldier wanted his table at a restaurant back in the heydays of ULFA insurgency.