Thursday, August 16, 2007

Detection and Deportation of ‘Illegal Immigrants’-Whose responsibility?

Why is that, there occurs a need for the students’ union or for that matter any other organization or body to step into the shoes of authorities to carry out the work that normally the administration would have been doing? Take for instance the recent ‘Operation Clean Drive’ carried out by the Apex Students’ body of the state AAPSU (All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union) to flush out illegal migrants (read Bangladeshi) from the state. The initiative of the students’ union resulted in driving out more than 5000 illegal migrants from the Capital Complex alone. In doing so, the students union has been alleged of harassing the bonafide Indian Citizen having valid ILP (Inner Line Permit) and resulted in repercussion from the displaced migrants in the form of attack on people of Arunachal traveling at Assam road (unfortunately, one has to traverse through Assam, to move from one district to another at Arunachal Pradesh), political turmoil at Assam owing to mass exodus of illegal migrants from Arunachal Pradesh to Assam, with opposition parties demanding Tarun Gogoi government to deport these ‘foreign nationals’ and not to patronage them and even possible terrorist threat in the Capital Complex. Wasn’t it the duty of administration to detect and deport the illegal migrants rather than the Students’ body?

And when AAPSU announced second phase of ‘Operation Clean Drive’ from August 17th, it made me wonder, would the Government still sit idle and not step in to check the illegal immigrant? Is it enough just to make the issuance of ILP stricter without properly manning the entry gate? Sometimes, I feel all this entry formality in the form of ILP is just a joke. Greasing the palms of personnel at the entry gate one can easily gain access into Arunachal Pradesh, and this is a known fact among the people of Arunachal. It [ILP] has become a tool just for fattening the pockets of those manning the entry point/gates and a deterrent to potential tourists and investors rather than what it was devised for.

But it seems the administration has risen from deep slumber and finally owned up that it’s their responsibility and not the Students’ organization to detect and deport the illegal immigrants.

“Papum Pare deputy commissioner Bidol Tayeng, in a letter to AAPSU convenor Kamta Lapung stated that detecting a foreigner or a person without valid inner-line permit was a routine duty of the government. The student organisation could only bring anomalies to the notice of the government.”

Read full story here.

Further, Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner, Bidol Tayeng, has asserted that the proposed second phase of Operation Clean Drive from August 17th would not be allowed to be carried out, terming that if allowed, it would be tantamount to running a parallel administration by the students.

Rightly said; had the administration sensed it earlier and had done their duty sincerely, this situation wouldn’t have aroused at the first place and the students’ community wouldn’t have stepped in. The Arunachalee commuters wouldn’t have been manhandled at Assam and may be with better co-ordination between the Arunachal Pradesh and Assam governments, the deportation of illegal migrants could have been carried out much better without any political turmoil in the neighbouring state.

Now, it is only hoped that the administration and the government who has realized their mistake, though lately, would do their duties sincerely. That ILP wouldn’t just remain as minting machine for the personnel at the entry point and deterrent to the potential tourists and investors which could contribute to the economy of the state. In that case, what I feel is, it would be better-off with ILP-at least then, there would be free flow of economy to and from the state.

8 comments:

  • raka

    i think ILP has its ups and downs.

    to balance out both advantages and disadvantages, it should be made available at all checkpoints without questions asked (except some form of ID)and valid for say 15 days only--this for tourists and businessmen.To prevent misuse renewal of such passes should be made to go through the due(laborious)process that we have at present.

    also students should mind their studies not politics even though the govt may be corrupt and lethargic.
    My heart bleeds for the Bangladeshi refugees even though i know they are illegal.

  • AG

    "it should be made available at all checkpoints without questions asked (except some form of ID)and valid for say 15 days only--this for tourists and businessmen".But isn't the issue of temporary ILP for visits (tourism /business purpose) quite simple? You don't even need to prove your credentials.

    The need of the hour is sincerity of the officials manning the checkpoints in delivering their duties-else the entire concept of ILP falls flat.

    Yep, the students should stick to the activities pertaining to students welfare only which I've been voicing for quite sometimes but when the society, the politicians, etc., wants to raise their voice they use these students organisations and students in turn fall easy prey to their designs. So, I guess, it's time instead of misguiding the students' fraternity, we should guide them towards right direction

  • Govind

    On a recent visit to Itanagar, I was stopped by the state police some distance away from the city. I enquierd from the autowallah (an assamese) and he told me that it was to check for illegal Bangladeshi migrants. So, the state is definitely on alert and it is good to see that.

    Else, Bangladeshis will flood the beautiful and resource-rich state only to cause more problems.

    Humanity demands that we give shelter to the needy...but then in this case...it just doesn't remain a shelter! One wonders...if its now time that Bangladesh (officially known as the waste basket of the world - even in the United Nations) should open its borders and let India help it as a federal state of the latter.

  • raka dada

    @ag,

    I meant to say the process should be made quicker by giving it right at border gates for a small sum without the visitors having to visit various AP offices within and outside state and country.
    however it should be retained in some form to avoid swamping by migrants which will avoid social conflict .


    @Govind,
    we have to give respect to get respect.bangladeshis are also human and our country is also not so much better as to talk of them with contempt. no person leaves his home or country to be used or abused by others unless major compulsions exist.lets not rejoice in their suffering for tomorrow what lies for india do we know?

    @ag,
    bangladeshis will always be manageable in ap cos' they can be easily identified and have not attempted to occupy land.
    however most of us are not aware of a ticking time bomb:
    nepali ex-army have been settled by indian govt in massive numbers in dibang valley,lohit and anjaw as demographic bulwark against chinese.they have also been occupying land in tawang and w kameng. i predict that in 10-20 years when mishmis get some education and run out of land we will see a lot of violence and bloodshed there.maybe insurgency too---nscn is next door.

  • AG

    @govind,
    good to see you here, keep commenting

    @raka,
    if what you have said is true then the situation is indeed alarming. what the government is doing about it? i'm worried, if we don't act fast then the situation may go out of control.

  • raka

    the state 'govt' lives on handouts so will never confront centre.

    the centre is creating another chakma-like monster by doing these activities.the time of keeping ap people like ignorant animals is coming to an end soon.
    if the situation explodes like condition of biharis in assam or non-tribals in shillong in future the indian govt should take the responsibility for this avoidable tragedy.

  • TARA DAGIUM

    @ raka

    I appreciate for the information you told us about the increasing population of illegal nepalis in our area and their seizing of land.

    I also appreciate your feelings for the bangladeshi immigrants.
    But I think that the increasing intrusion of bangladeshi immigrants in our state will create a problem though you say that they can be easily identified and sorted out from our tribal people.

    What is the case if the Assam right now? She is unable to drive out the Bangladeshis. Their number haVe grown to such an extent that it is now impossible for a country like India. The future of our state will be like that of Assam if we do not take care of this issue seriously.

  • Raka dada

    well Dagyum what i meant was we should deal with these people with some love and sensitivity even if we have to remove them.
    after all it was our officials who connived to let them in, it was our people who gave them work and they did help ap by doing menial work which nobody wanted to do. then suddenly students and antisocials are coming one day and beating &throwing them out without warning. after all they have hopes and feelings just like us, they have wives and small kids too, what will they eat?
    treatment of people weaker than ourselves show us our true nature.even if they are removed they should have been given some small sum as a humanitarian measure atleast for the journey back and food.especialy minorities like us, who are perpetually discriminated by racist indians should have learnt this lesson in humility and humanity.

Post a Comment