Royal Institute of Traditional Arts implements Saudi-Chinese cultural exchange program    Localization in Saudi military industries rises to 19.35%    Logistics park for vehicles worth SR300 million to be set up at Dammam port    Commerce Ministry recalls 6,500 Genesis cars due to risk of fire    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss Oman-mediated talks with US    Prince Sultan University launches first bachelor's program in language and media    Al-Falih: Eastern Province hosts 700 investment opportunities worth SR330 billion    Putin announces three-day Russian ceasefire in Ukraine from 8 May    Crown Prince donates SR1 billion to support housing for eligible families    Pakistani military says it killed 54 militants attempting to cross border from Afghanistan    Suspect charged after Vancouver car ramming leaves 11 dead    Eight hundred Houthi targets hit after weeks of strikes, says US    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Assam riots
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 30 - 07 - 2012

THE most saddening thing about the communal or ethnic riots between majority Bodos and minority Muslims that have been rocking Kokrajhar and some other districts in the eastern Indian state of Assam for more than 10 days is that this was a tragedy waiting to happen and as such could have been averted or contained, once the violence broke out, if there was timely action on the part of local authorities. The army has finally been called in, but crucial time and precious human lives (52 so far) have been lost because of the state government's inability or unwillingness to read the warning signs. The administration has been slow in stemming the tension building up in Kokrajhar and surrounding areas. As a result the violence has spread across several districts. Reports coming out of Assam speak of brutal killings, random torching of houses and large-scale displacement of people.
That Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had to visit the state “to review the situation” or goad the local officials into some meaningful action shows how things have gone out of the control of the state administration.
Unfortunately, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is blaming everybody from the federal government to the local media for the worsening conditions in his state. His government, says Gogoi, did not get any intelligence report from the federal Home Ministry about the possibility of a flare-up. There was delay in deploying the army. “It took four to five days for the forces to reach the state,” Gogoi told reporters.
This is an open admission of failure. The state administration could have contained the situation and minimized the extent of the carnage and destruction of property before the forces reached the state. The fact is the state government misread and mismanaged the situation in a district that has witnessed large-scale clashes between the two groups in 1993, 1994, 1996 and as recently as 2008. The worst single incident occurred in 1983, when more than 3,000 men, women and children were massacred.
The current situation has actually been building up for almost two months. Trouble was brewing in the last few weeks, after Muslim student unions and non-Bodo tribes began pressing their demand for greater representation in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
It is difficult to believe that Chief Minister Gogoi did not know the “communally-sensitive” nature of his state where insecurities relating to land, forest rights and a shrinking job market have created a combustible mix. Muslims and Hindus, including tribals like Bodos, view each other with suspicion if not open hostility. It is even more difficult to comprehend why his administration did not act in time even after reports came in of the firing on two student leaders of the All Bodoland Minority Students' Union and the All Assam Minority Students' Union in Kokrajhar leading to the killing of four former Bodo Liberation Tigers cadres.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has promised an impartial inquiry into the riots. This can wait. The immediate task is to end violence. The army's presence, one hopes, will restore order and some sanity to the Assamese people who are at each other's throats. Equally important is the speedy rehabilitation of the displaced people. Most important is a campaign aimed at restoring trust between the two communities.


Clic here to read the story from its source.