Thread by @makesyoucakes

Among other things this year, I have covered the myriad ways in which citizenship trials have affected almost all communities in Assam. Receiving a notice from a foreigners' tribunal left these families devastated - socially, financially, emotionally.

A thread 👇

Amena Begum, a Khilonjia (indigenous) Muslim, was marked a D voter in '97. She received a notice in 2013 but was detained three years after being declared a foreigner. In her village in North Lakhimpur, many other Assamese Muslims have received notices article-14.com/post/it-took-a…

Amena's case was re-opened based on a review petition filed in the GHC. Her writ appeal had been dismissed due to the delay in filing.

She did not get a copy of the State complaint against her, which said, ‘No proper documents’ and she’s from Assamese linguistic background.

Although the deadly Covid-19 pandemic this year split many families, it was an odd blessing in disguise for detainees declared illegal foreigners in Assam. Asgar Ali, a Kolkata Bengali, came home thanks to the SC order which released > 300 detainees. article-14.com/post/liberty-s…

If not for the pandemic, Asgar Ali would have come home only in July after completing three years in detention. Under the older order passed in May 2019, he would also have had to pay a bond of Rs 100,000. article-14.com/post/liberty-s…

Two detainees died this year - 60-year-old Rabeda Begum at the Kokrajhar detention centre during the lockdown. She was the 30th declared foreigner to die in detention. Soon after, her daughter, who was detained along with her, was released article-14.com/post/liberty-s…

Surviving the lockdown, when everything came to a standstill, was a huge challenge. Narayan and Amari Das came home after 2 years with several health problems. Their son, the only breadwinner, couldn't find steady work to support the family. article-14.com/post/liberty-s…

The future looked bleak to Amari. She said they had spent nearly Rs 400,000 fighting their case and filing appeals. Now, they have nothing to fall back on. GHC dismissed their appeal.

“Unless the government steps in, we are totally helpless”
article-14.com/post/liberty-s…

After passing the CAA, however, the government hasn't framed the rules in the last 10 months. Meanwhile, Hindus in Assam (Bengalis, tribals) continue to be declared foreigners allegedly by members from the comforts of their homes during the lockdown article-14.com/post/the-caa-h…

While Hindus are yet benefit from CAA, “A quarrel has been started between the Bengali Hindus and Bengali Muslims. Even the Assamese people are against us (Bengali Hindus),” said advocate Niladri Roy. “For nothing we have become the enemy here.” article-14.com/post/the-caa-h…

There's much confusion in Assam over CAA, a move that heavily hit the BJP government here before COVID19.

Tribunals continue to declare foreigners based on Citizenship Act, '55 (cut off@ '71). CAA doesn't change this but adds that doubtfuls can apply for citizenship under 2014

Assam's solicitor general said, “Hindus who receive notices just have to submit a few documents to show they have been residing here before the new cut off date"

But the “declared foreigners” contest the need to declare themselves foreigners at all article-14.com/post/the-caa-h…

Rakesh, whose father died with the bideshi tag in July after being declared last December, said, “I’m an Indian, not because I’m a Hindu but because I was born and brought up here”

“This is my homeland.”

His name is not in the NRC.
article-14.com/post/the-caa-h…

Two recent developments -

The Gauhati High Court order to move detention camps out of district jails hindustantimes.com/cities/detenti…

And the NRC authorities ordering the deletion of 'ineligible' names from the 2019 list indianexpress.com/article/explai…

But as @p_semolina argues "that's just geography" scroll.in/article/975410…

@pbhushan1 told me in June that you cannot detain a person for more than 6 months after which they have to be deported (If the alleged country of citizenship accepts) or released on bail.

The recent developments lay bare two very key majoritarian demands in Assam - one, humanitarian detention camps. Won't argue against detention since many declared or suspected foreigners change addresses.

Indefinite detention is already ruled out. Work permits will soon follow.

Two, the whole system functions on a certain no. of foreigners believed to have entered Assam, a sentiment seen in the agitation and anti CAA protests.

In the pursuit of these numbers, many innocents incl those considered indigenous to Assam have been victimised by the system.

But who decides who's a foreigner and an indigenous is a question that still hasn't been broached. And this needs serious introspection.

Fin.