Ceasefire City: Militarism, Capitalism, and Urbanism in Dimapur by Dolly Kikon and Duncan McDuie-Ra, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2021; pp 248, `1,295 (hardcover).
The article notes that the north-eastern states have taken many initiatives to implement and localise the Sustainable Development Goals. But achieving the targets require a multipronged approach, concerted and coordinated efforts, and focus on sectors where the region has inherent advantages. Unfortunately, the pandemic has cast some doubts on the feasibility of achieving the goals as per the original timelines.
Regional variations in multidimensional poverty and inequality are analysed for the two different administrative regions of Tripura—village committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council and gram panchayats under the panchayati raj institutions—using a primary survey. Special emphasis is laid on the deprivations of households with regard to health, education, and the standard of living across these two administrative regions as well as the rural development blocks. The level of multidimensional poverty and incidence appears to be higher in village committees than gram panchayats even though the average deprivation among the poor is around 40% for both the areas with robust between-group inequality.
Against State, Against History: Freedom, Resistance, and Statelessness in Upland Northeast India by Jangkhomang Guite, Oxford University Press, 2019; pp 364, ₹ 1,095 (hardcover).
The North East has historically suffered from poor transport connectivity within and between the seven states as well as with the rest of India and neighbouring countries. This has not only impeded everyday life and livelihoods but also regional development and national security.
The Politics of Swidden Farming: Environment and Development in Eastern India byDebojyoti Das, London and New York: Anthem Press, 2018; pp 272, £70 (Hardback).
Most of the North East enjoys unbridled authority over forests unlike the rest of the country, free from state control under the debilitating impact of the colonial-era Indian Forest Act, 1927. Therefore, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 is perceived as irrelevant. But, the sweeping expansion of how “forest” is defined in law by the Supreme Court and its proposed incorporation into the Indian Forest Act threatens the customary forest rights of these peoples.
A response to the article “The Bru Conundrum in North East India” (EPW, 28 April 2018) by Roluahpuia presents the history of exclusion and oppression of the Brus in Mizoram, and suggests that they are the real victims in the state.
What does it mean to be left in Tripura today? In retrospect, the success of the left in Tripura depended on the recognition of the contrarian geographical impulses of ethno-nationalism. It is argued that efforts by the left to eradicate these geographies of ethno-nationalism not only implied an abandonment of this mode of dissidence, but also that these efforts ensnared the left into gratuitous, quiet militarisation of the state underthe garb of peace and development.
Debating Statehood Durable Disorder: Understanding the Politics of North-East India by Sanjib Baruah; OUP, New Delhi, 2005; PRADIP PHANJOUBAM This recent book by Sanjib Baruah is a departure from available literature on the problems of India
