Nellie massacre
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The Nellie massacre[1] took place in Assam during a six-hour period in the morning of February 18, 1983. The massacre claimed the lives of 2,191[2] people (unofficial figures run at more than 5,000) from 14 villages[3]—Alisingha, Khulapathar, Basundhari, Bugduba Beel, Bugduba Habi, Borjola, Butuni, Indurmari, Mati Parbat, Muladhari, Mati Parbat no. 8, Silbheta, Borburi and Nellie—of Nagaon district. Most of the victims were women and children belonging to the Muslim community from East Bengal who had migrated to the region during colonial times. A group of media personnel passing by the region were witness to the massacre.[4] One of the journalist Hemendra Narayan has written a book-25 years on..Nellie still haunts.
The massacre was one of many violent incidents during the infamous 1983 elections conducted in the midst of the Assam Agitation. The elections were declared against the wishes of the Assam Agitation leaders who did not want an election till the electoral rolls were cleansed of illegal immigrants. In the 1985 Assam Accord, which ended the agitation, that election was set aside and new elections were declared.
A Commission of Inquiry was instituted under Tribhubhan Prasad Tiwary, the report of which has not been made public. There is enough evidence to suggest that successive local governments, belonging to both the Congress[5] and the AGP,[6] have suppressed information about the massacre.
[edit] Notes
- ^ (Kumura 2007)
- ^ (Assam Tribune 2008)
- ^ (Rehman 2006)
- ^ (Lahkar 2008)
- ^ The Indian National Congress is a national political party that came to power in Assam based in large part to the "Muslim" vote (Gokhale 2005), and seen to be a protector of Muslim interests.
- ^ The Assam Gana Parishad is a regional political party that was formed by the Assam Agitation leaders after the conclusion of the agitation.
[edit] References
- “’83 polls were a mistake: KPS Gill”, The Assam Tribune, 2008-02-19, <http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=feb1908/at02>. Retrieved on 19 February 2008
- Lahkar, Debabrata (2008-02-18), “Recounting a Nightmare”, The Assam Tribune, <http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=feb1808\edit3>. Retrieved on 24 March 2008
- Gokhale, Nitin (2005), “The Simple Safety of Numbers”, Tehelka, <http://www.tehelka.com/story_main13.asp?filename=Ne070205The_simple.asp>. Retrieved on 24 March 2008
- “Review of the book 25 years on..Nellie still haunts”, The Statesman, 2008-03-31, <http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=14&id=224178&usrsess=1>
- Gokhale, Nitin (2005-07-16), “Vote banks pay dividends”, Tehelka, <http://www.tehelka.com/story_main13.asp?filename=Ne071605Vote_banks.asp>. Retrieved on 19 February 2008
- Kumura, Makiko (2007-03). "The Nellie Massacre". Himal Southasian 20 (3).
- Rehman, Teresa (2006-09-30), “Nellie Revisited: The Horror's Nagging Shadow”, Tehelka, <http://www.tehelka.com/story_main19.asp?filename=Ne093006the_horrors.asp>. Retrieved on 19 February 2008
- Chadha, Vivek, Low Intensity Conflicts in India. Sage Publications, 2005.
- Saksena, N.S. "Police and Politicians" in Alexander, P.J. (ed.) Policing India in the New Millennium. Allied Publishers, 2002.
