Sanghamitra Choudhury1 & Shailendra Kumar2
1Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, Sikkim University, India. Email: schoudhuryassam@gmail.com
2Department of Management, Sikkim University, India
Volume 12, Number 2, April-June, 2020 I Full Text PDF
DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v12n2.11
Abstract:
Armed conflict across and between communities results in massive levels of destruction to the people- physically, culturally, economically and psychologically. The genesis of most of the conflicts that has engulfed the north-eastern states of India is either to preserve the unique identity or due to lack of economic development and opportunities for the large majority of the people or both. Women as heterogeneous group of social actors are arguably more affected than their male counterparts in conflict situations. Armed conflict exacerbates inequalities in gender relations that already exist in society. In an ethnically divided society in Assam, women bodies are generally used as ‘ethnic markers’ thereby have more specific manifestations. The paper aims to analyze the multiple roles that women are subjected to and play in armed conflict in the state of Assam. The paper is going to highlight that woman in NE India with a special reference to Assam cannot be categorized just as ‘victims’ of conflict. Even when they are victims; they exercise their agency and survival techniques despite adverse conditions. Beyond judicial measures, how women grapple with the problem of the ‘truths’ of the past in post conflict scenario will also be highlighted.
Keywords: Armed conflict, Assam, Ethnicity, Northeast India, Trauma.
