Internal Displacement of Kashmiri Pandits: Socio-economic consequences of past policies and the continued predicament of those displaced
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The magnitude of the social phenomenon of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is a daunting humanitarian challenge with thirty-three million people around the world, in displacement. Among the reasons that force people to flee their homes are: forced evictions, running for safety in fear of persecution, intolerance of the differences in religious, social or political beliefs, natural disasters and national development goals. The most troubling of these reasons is the conflict-induced displacement, which results in psychological, cultural, social, economic and political transformation of those displaced, touching every dimension of their lives and the lives of the generations that follow. Such was the displacement of the 250,000 Kashmiri Pandits (KPs), of the Kashmir Valley, in India-administered Kashmir, which had ruptured the very fabric of this community in 1989.
Based on an extensive field study that examined the dynamics of policies and perspectives of policymakers, host communities and the displaced families, this Chapter unfolds the political, social, cultural and psychological dimensions of this displacement. Narratives of those interviewed in myriad IDP camps of Delhi and Jammu, home to the largest number of those displaced, situates the families’ continued predicament in the context of their socio-economic challenges. IDP Policymaking is shown to be a direct corollary of the positions and perspectives of policymakers, influenced by members of the host communities, the voting bloc. The official labeling of this displaced community as “migrants” has now translated into their social, political and economic exclusion, representing a complex relationship between members of both communities.
A scrutiny of the intended and unintended consequences of policies, in the context of this protracted displacement, is presented here in the hope of advancing a multi-level IDP policy dialogue.
Book Abstract South and Southeast Asia continue to be extremely critical regions, deeply intertwined and bound in many ways by centuries of intersecting histories. As the recent experiences of rapid and transformative political and economic changes in several countries in these two regions illustrate, these changes have significant bearing on and are simultaneously affected by the legacy and continued dynamic of dominant-minority group relations. To be sure, while the dynamics of dominant-minority relations in each country are distinct and often mitigated by distinct historical conditions, the phenomenon of these dominant-minority relations, especially along ethnic and religious fault lines, are deeply consequential to many of the nations in these regions. This book, featuring eight case studies, provides a multidisciplinary and multi-layered assessment of the salience of the ethnic and religious realities in shaping various South and Southeast Asian nations. Featuring chapters on Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, this volume provides a deep appreciation of the challenges that these societies confront in integrating and/or responding to specific ethnic and/or religious based conflicts and tensions. Reviews The book provides a comprehensive survey of the position of minorities in South and Southeast Asia. Through vivid case studies, the authors inquire into the very foundation of the construction of minorities across ethno-religious lines and show how particular social categories are used to create patterns of social, political, and economic inclusion and exclusion. The book does not only offer an interesting perspective on the violence in the region, it also contributes to the understanding of complex relationships between majority and minority in the process of nation building. There are many studies of the state and minorities in South and Southeast Asia. With the convincing combination of theoretical argument and empirical base, this is one of the most interesting. (Rüdiger Korff, University of Passau) |
