Inter Tribal Conflict and its Impact on Woman and Child

Abstract

North East India has witnessed scales of conflict that revolves primarily around different levels and characters of conflict. Some of the recent ethnic conflicts of North East India are the ethnic conflict between Karbis and the Kukis, the Meitei Naga conflict, Kuki Nagas conflict, the Karbi Dimasa conflict, the Bodo Minority conflict and the Bodo Adivasi conflict. These conflicts were mainly fought on land and identity issues which have resulted in the uprooting of many villages and have killed many lives. Ethnic clashes are a depressing picture of destruction and insecurity. Such violence is not only responsible for material destruction but also central in destroying culture and eroding values. Conflicts have also impacted womens life in a terrible way. History exemplifies how women have been the first ones to be targeted by the opposing groups during conflicts. Many of them are also widowed and left homeless. Ethnically motivated conflict has detrimental impact on womens health and participation in livelihood activities. The physical and mental stress resulting from experiencing death, separation, rape, torture, destruction, loss of livelihood and material deprivation have largely affected women. The present study therefore, is an empirical and descriptive analysis of the impact of conflict on women and children. The objectives of the study are: to study the psychological and physical impact of conflict on women and children, to know about the extent of damage caused by the conflict, to identify the causative factors of conflict, to know about the role played by woman and the difficulties faced by the children during conflicts, to analyze the post conflict social situation of the study area, and to suggest some conflict resolution measures. To meet the objectives, individual conflict affected tribal households are taken as sample units, while the senior most woman by the criterion of age of the household are approached as informant.