But I Am One of You: Northeast India and the Struggle to Belong

by Preeti Gill, Samrat Choudhury

English 316 pages 1 edition

The ideas of who belongs and who does not, who is an insider and who is an outsider have sparked severe friction in Northeast India for decades now. From the frequent characterization of Bengal-origin Muslims in Assam as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to the ethnic battles between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo tribals of Manipur, from the Naga and Mizo separatist insurgencies to the prejudice the tribal minorities face in the mainland–negotiating identity has always been a complex issue. In recent years the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship Amendment Act have added to that complexity. Amidst sweeping political and social changes in the Northeast and the rest of the country, have things changed for the ‘Northeasterner’? How do the tribals and the old settlers find a way to coexist in the region? This anthology addresses these pressing questions by bringing together a variety of voices from different communities across the Northeast. Each essay offers a unique perspective, reflecting the distinctive micro-history of diverse groups and the multiplicity of stories within every state. Timely and perceptive, But I Am One of You sheds light on the complex fabric of identity in Northeast India.