From: ahmed-shakil@CS.YALE.EDU (Shakil Waiz Ahmed)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bangladesh
Subject: Re: India vs. Bangladesh (Re: We Need A Hindu-Muslim Dialog)
Date: 17 Apr 92 19:57:59 GMT
Organization: Yale University, Department of Computer Science


In article <1992Apr17.183927.30691@watson.ibm.com>, kundu@watson.ibm.com (Sandip Kundu) writes:
> In article <1992Apr16.195907.640@cs.yale.edu> ahmed-shakil@CS.YALE.EDU (Shakil Waiz Ahmed) writes:

> There are several other discriminatory 
> acts in force in Bangladesh. Among them :
> 
>   1. East Bengal Evacuee Property Act of 1951
>   2. East Bengal Prevention of Transfer of Property Act of 1952
>   3. Administration and disposal order of 1966

Could someone elaborate on what these acts state?

> Similar discriminatory laws are enshrined in the constitution of Malaysia
> whereby minorities are strongly discouraged to form groups to promote
> their own interest, which is an essential component of democracy. 

I would be interested in hearing more on this.  Could you post more details?

>   >Consider the various minorities in India and the causes they are
>   >fighting for, Khalistan, Nagaland, liberation of Assam, Kashmir, the
>   >list is endless.  You would like us to belive that they all have a
>   >collective voice?  Obviously not.  Then why is it that we hear so much
>   >more about them?  The reason why we hear more about repression of
>   >minorities in India than in Bangladesh is because, on a relative
>   >scale, the occurences are considerably more frequent in India.  This
>   >does not mean that repression does not occur in Bangladesh, but my
>   >original claim never was that.  My original claim was that tension
>   >with minorities is less pronounced in Bangladesh and Malaysia than in
>   >India.
> 
> Are you suggesting that as a measure to reduce tesnsion between communities,
> India learns from Bangladesh and Malaysia and institutionalize
> discrimination and close door to legal redress ? Commenting on flight of
> CHT people Rev. Bodhipal Mahathero, a spiritual leader of the Buddhists in
> Bangladesh, commented "Gharpora goru sindure megh dekhleo bhoi pai"
> (my poor translation : one who had his house burnt, faints at the hint of
> vermillion). Is that the kind of minorities you are suggesting for India ?

That is not what I suggested at all.  What I *did* say is that the
explanations offered for the tensions in India apply equally well to
other societies like Bangladesh and Malaysia where we have not
witnessed similar problems.  When there is a riot in India, it is not
because some *organized group* went and asked for a riot.  They just
happen in certain circumstances, on the spur of the moment.  This
level of tension does not exist in Bangladesh or Malaysia, so the
reasons that were offered cannot be the explanation.  I did not say
that India should follow Bangladesh or Malaysia.  In fact, I did not
make *any* suggestions on what they *should* do.  I only wish to point
out that nobody has been able to point to the factors that lead to the
tension in India.  I still maintain that misconceptions have much to
do with it.

> I am also surprised by your choice of including Assamese among the minorities in 
> India. Then who are the majority community in India ? 

The reason I included them is because of the strong movement in Assam
to break away from India.  In that sense, they are a minority group --
minority classification need not be based on religion.

> It is true that the
> Indian situation is far from ideal and leaves a lot to be desired. 
> However, emulating the Bangladesh model is probably not in the best
> interest of Indian minorities that you were arguing for.

I agree, and I never made any such suggestions.

-- Shakil