‘Find humanitarian solution to citizenship crisis’

Guwahati: A citizens’ convention, in which several eminent lawyers, intellectuals, academicians and also people from all others walks of life took part, has urged upon the government to bring about a permanent settlement to the vexed question of citizenship in Assam. The speakers said the government as well as organizations should chalk out a definitive strategy to deal with people who are left out of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) and find a humanitarian solution to the crisis.
The convention, which was organized by social organizations and several trade union initiatives led by the Forum for Social Harmony, Vasundhara-For New Days and Deshprem, took place at the Bishnu Nirmala Bhavan in Guwahati on Sunday.

“If the final NRC gets published by the end of 2019, are we ready to deal with those people whose names are left out? Considering the global concerns raised by the UN over the citizenship crisis, Assam will have to be ready to face any situation in the aftermath of the publication of the final NRC. If no amicable solution is found to deal with people who are left out, the situation may lead to a communal conflict,” said Gauhati high court lawyer, Santanu Borthakur.

Even as hearings for NRC claims and objections continues in Assam, the human rights advocates said that the families of many poor labourers are getting harassed after being asked to travel to far away districts to prove their identity before the NRC authorities.

Borthakur further said it is inhuman that people are being kept confined in detention camps merely on suspicion of being ‘doubtful citizens’. He added, “How to do the balancing act between the concerns of the indigenous people about migration and the rights of migrants should be envisaged,” he added.

Academician and scholar Devabrata Sharma, who is also the convener of Deshprem, said that while “defeating fascism and communalism” is the need of the hour, a statewide citizens’ initiative to unite the democratic-minded people is absolutely essential now. “Starting from eviction of minority peasants from their lands since decades to the hegemony established by the selected corporates today, the state of affairs in the country and state is not favourable,” said Sharm

People attending the convention were unanimous in their demand that the government should not bring any citizenship legislation that can trigger religious polarization. The speakers also called for the release of all inmates who are lodged in detention camps on suspicion of being foreigners.