Here is an old editorial from the Sentinel (2004). Seems very little has changed.
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The Plebiscite Demand
It is indeed strange that ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa should now be demanding a plebiscite to determine whether the people of Assam want to remain within India or want Assam to become a sovereign country in consonance with ULFAís own demand. For the people of Assam, the issue is best resolved by asking the ULFA whether it has the moral right even to talk about a plebiscite any more. It will be recalled that for years we have posed the question as to whether the ULFA could face a referendum on what the people really want. More than a real question, it has been a rhetorical one or a challenge to the ULFA. It has been a way of asking the ULFA who gave the outfit the right to claim that it was spearheading its so-called revolution on behalf of the people of Assam. Had it ever asked the people of Assam what they wanted? And obviously, the only way of doing this was through a referendum. We were thus asking the ULFA, "When did you ever do this before presuming to claim that you and not the elected representatives of the people really reflect the aspirations of the people? How do you know what the people want?" And now that there are clear indications (as in the past) that the Government of India will not entertain any demands for a sovereign state, Arabinda Rajkhowa has come up with a very belated demand for a plebiscite.
The people of Assam should now counter ULFAís demand for plebiscite with two pertinent questions. The first one relates to the very identity of the ULFA. How is the ULFA to be deemed an outfit that can even speak for the people of Assam, when, for well over a decade, ULFAís top leaders have been operating from Bangladesh, a country that has done great disservice to the people of Assam. And it is not as though Arabinda Rajkhowa and Paresh Baruah are in Dhaka because they have no other choice. They are clearly enjoying their long sojourn there and are well-liked individuals in Dhaka mainly because of what little they have done to boost the economy of Bangladesh with money raised by ULFA cadres in Assam. At one time, over two decades ago, the ULFA had begun by doing some rural uplift work. (Never mind that this is the stock-in-trade of all guerrilla outfits.) Today everything the outfit does is for the comfort and security of its top brass. The people of Assam do not count for anything in ULFAís scheme of things Does the ULFA really have a moral right even to pretend that it represents the interests of Assam? But that is not all. In recent months, the ULFA has turned out to be a killer of the people of Assam. It has been picking soft targets in Assam, and has stained its hands with the blood of innocent school children and women who had never lifted a finger against it. And this is the outfit that presumes to tell us what is good for the people of Assam!
The other question is about who will conduct the plebiscite that the ULFA wants. Obviously, the ULFA will not be satisfied with a plebiscite or referendum conducted by agencies of the Government of India. And this begs the question as to why the Government of India should want to hold a plebiscite about whether an integral part of the country wants to break away and form a sovereign state. After all, India is still paying through its nose for that uncalled-for announcement by the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru over All India Radio that India would be willing to hold a referendum in Jammu & Kashmir supervised by the United Nations on the issue of whether the people of the State wanted to remain with India or not. Considering that Jammu & Kashmir had acceded to India according to the principle accepted by both India and Pakistan for the accession of princely States to the two countries (that the ruler could decide which country he would opt for), there was no reason for Nehru to make the offer at all. Obviously, the Centre is unlikely to make a similar mistake again and thus start a very bad precedent for insurgents in many of the States. The United Nations is unlikely to touch the idea of a plebiscite with a bargepole, considering that it is averse even to holding a referendum in Jammu & Kashmir today. And that leaves the ULFA to conduct a plebiscite. How many people in Assam can be expected to participate in a plebiscite conducted by the ULFA after the massacre of innocents in Dhemaji and elsewhere? How many people are willing to overlook ULFAís way of clinching arguments with the gun rather than just words? So the ULFA is back to square one. Who will hold the pointless plebiscite?
On 1/10/06, Roy, Santanu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
C-da:
I agre with all of this. But an armed rebellion is not likely to succeed on its own.
One needs a civilian political movement above the ground for three reasons.
One, to build up and establish internationally visible political legitimacy for the demand for secession (this is distinct from the moral legitimacy of the demand that you allude to).
Second, to articulate and formulate a blueprint for the proposed state in transparent direct interaction with people. This cannot be done from the barracks.
Third, and this is far important than all of the above, to actively foster nation building across the thnic groups in the state. To have a nation state, a pan-Assam political nationality beyond ethnic identities must emerge. This is also not possible without a long term civil movement.
My thoughts were in connection with how one might find room for a civil political movement even within the current political landscape.
In the history of the world, no armed rebellion has been sustained more than few decades without a definite strong civilian political process above the ground.
If the demand for secession is based on the fact that Assam and the states of north east India are colonies of India - then, one must also understand that no empire minds insurgency or armed rebellion that only affects the colonies. For them, its a nuisance at worst.
Finally, I do not think the current negotiations are going to lead to any settlement in the near future.
Santanu.
-----Original Message-----
From: Chan Mahanta [mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tue 1/10/2006 11:13 PM
To: Roy, Santanu; Malabika Brahma; assam@assamnet.org
Subject: RE: [Assam] What prevents India from holding a plesbicite
Hi Santanu:
A few quick thoughts about your thoughts. Gotta run for a bunch of
meetings this morning.
>Is that unconstitutional? I mean, is it unconsitutional to demand an
>amendment >to the constitution? I don't think so.
*** I don't know the answer. But since the constitution was NOT
something given down to a bearded man on a mountain top engraved in
stone tablets by God himself, and it was something devised by
imperfect men, who did NOT represent all of the disparate
constituents of the union and under circumstances not entirely under
their control and/or free will; one will have to believe that it is
an instrument that should and could be amended and corrected, to
reflect the need of the times.
There is nothing inherently sacrosanct about a constitution. Much
more so in the Indian context, because it is violated by its
custodians everyday, with the institutions of governance UNABLE to
prevent its debasement. The Indian constitution's sanctity is a myth,
created by people in power, by majoritarian diktat, and not thru
democratic means where minority rights have credible and effective
built-in protections.
*** The question of the constitutional constraints in dealing with
the issue of secession aspirations of a people could arise ONLY if
the constitution has been mutually acceptable with a credible
track-record for safeguarding the interests of the many disparate
constituents of the union, as they were promised at the time of
accession.
Take for example the case of Manipur, in which the accession was
forced by imprisonment of its King by a lowly Indian army Brigadier
at the orders of Sardar Patel.
If it is not so accepted by EVEN ONE of the constituents, then it is
fair game to be disavowed by the aggrieved party. That would be a
natural law.
Oh, yes there would be the issue of might is right. Just as it has
played out in the subcontinent since independence.
And that is why the armed rebellions.
More later!
At 10:07 PM -0600 1/9/06, Roy, Santanu wrote:
>One must recognize that all it takes for India to recognize the
>right to secede and a procedure for secession of states is to have a
>constitutional amendment. That's not very tough - its been done over
>50 times.
>Now, one can rephrase the demand for referendum and right to
>secession as a demand for such a constitutional amendment. Is that
>unconstitutional? I mean, is it unconsitutional to demand an
>amendment to the constitution? I don't think so. Now, suppose a
>political party was floated in Assam that demanded an amendment to
>the constitution - in this instance, with particular reference to
>procedure for secession of Assam. Suppose it contested the election
>on that platform and won a strong majority of seats. Would that be
>almost equivalent to a preliminary vote on demand for self
>determination?
>I am just thinking aloud.
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Chan Mahanta
>Sent: Tue 1/10/2006 12:30 PM
>To: Malabika Brahma; assam@assamnet.org
>Subject: Re: [Assam] What prevents India from holding a plesbicite
>
>
>
>>Chandan da thinks he is right.
>
>*** I am perfectly willing to SUBMIT to the will of the people of
>Assam, as expressed in a free and fair plebiscite. Heaven knows they
>have suffered enough.
>
>> May be most of the people in Assam want seperation from India or
>>may be they don't.
>
>*** And if they had a shot at expressing themselves, AFTER they had
>an opportunity to EXAMINE the TRUTHS about their condition ( as thru
>a free and unfettered discussion/debate of all pertinent issues), if
>they choose to remain with India and share their dysfunctional state
>of the state, so be it! I shall forever hold MY peace on that.
>
>And I salute YOU Utpal, for being able to think like that ( not that
>I had a doubt).But can Ram? Can Rajen? Can Himen-da ? Can the so many
>amongst us who sing the praises of democracy on the one hand, but
>shall not accord the same to the people of Assam, or of Kashmir?
>
>
>>I hope someday the nation called India will be matured enough to
>>incorporate >the "instrument of seccession" in the constitution.
>
>
>*** Me too. But we all know the reality.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 11:23 PM +0000 1/9/06, Malabika Brahma wrote:
>>Chandan da thinks he is right. So does Rajen da or Ram da or Mike da
>>or my self. May be we all are right or may be not. It does not
>>matter what I or you feel (the elites of Assam) , what really
>>matters is what the people of Assam feel. May be most of the people
>>in Assam want seperation from India or may be they don't.
>>
>>There is easy way to find out. Hold a plesbicite under a free
>>neutral environment and avoid all bloodshed.
>>
>>But somehow I think the present form of GOI does not have the moral
>>courage to face the free and fair ballot that would decide the fate
>>of Assam or NE for that matter. Also the question is whether
>>pro-independence groups of NE have the moral courage face the same.
>>
>>I hope someday the nation called India will be matured enough to
>>incorporate the "instrument of seccession" in the constitution.
>>
>>Ut! pal Brahma
>>
>>
>>
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