Security and Development of Border Areas Management of Meghalaya's Border with Bangladesh
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556120160318 |
| Date | 01 July 2016 |
| Published date | 01 July 2016 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
SECURITY
AND
DEVELOPMENT
OF
BORDER
AREAS
MANAGEMENT
OF
MEGHALAYA'S
BORDER
WITH BANGLADESH
H.SRIKANTH
National borders are to be seen not only as zones
of
conflicts,
but also as realms
of
opportunities, growth
and
cooperation.
Of
late, Indian government has realised that apart
from
securitising the borders
and
preventing illegal immigration,
it
is
necessary to initiate developmental activities in border
villages
and
promote border trade with neighbouring countries.
The article focusing
on
the management
of
Meghalaya s border
with Bangladesh, critically
ana~vses
different measures initiated
to ensure security
and
development
of
the border areas
and
border people in the state
of
Meghalaya.
INTRODUCTION
THE PEOPLE living along international boundaries experience hardships
of
different sorts, usually unknown to the people inhabiting
in
the mainland.
As border areas are located far away from centres
of
political and economic
power, the problems and issues
of
concern to the people
in
the border
areas are often overlooked. Usually the governments tend to view border
areas more from national strategic concerns. Economic and infrastructural
development
of
the border areas are often neglected in border provinces.
At the time
of
war -protracted or otherwise -the people living near the
international boundaries are the first ones to suffer. In countries where the
communities living in border areas are linguistically, culturally and racially
different from the dominant communities inhabiting the mainland, the
border people are generally looked down upon with contempt and suspicion.
In many multi-ethnic countries political under-representation, economic
neglect and cultural domination
of
the communities living in border areas
create a sense
of
alienation among the people, driving
the111:
to join militant
movements for autonomy or independence. These general observations on
border people are valid for border areas
of
many a nation-state, including
India's North-East.
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