Assessing the Socioeconomic and Health Impacts of Internal Displacement: A Study on the Internally Displaced People of Assam

Abstract

Large numbers of individuals have to flee their homes or residences annually in the context of violence, disaster, conflict, development projects, and environmental and climate change, and stay away from their own countries. Internal Displacement is an improbable catastrophe, and North-East India has the maximum amount of Internally Displaced People (IDP) in India. The people have suffered hugely in the degraded environment, the viciousness of growth and concern of violence, and political conflicts such as for space and ethnic identity. In this study, an endeavor was made to examine the rehabilitation and resettlement procedure of displaced people in Assam. The paper's main objectives are to explore the nature and extent of internal Displacement caused by environmental disasters and ethnic conflict in Assam. In order to cover the analysis, we first designed a research framework that would serve as a guiding frame throughout the study process. So, for assessing the Displacement because of ethnic conflict, four districts are taken. The area teams within those districts visited two urban centers, semi-rural and rural IDP inhabitants. The result of the study revealed that a massive chunk of the areas of Assam witnessed a series of horrendous violence in the post-colonial period. At the same time, the chronic flood problem also results in substantial Displacement for the people of Assam regularly, recurring each year. Peace has been unsustainable in this state, especially in the western region of the state. Killings, extortions, violence, lootings, setting ablaze of villages, kidnappings, and soon have marked the state's political developments for a long. In recent violence trends in Assam, it is distinctly recognized that the victims are mainly the poor people residing in rural areas. Rather than providing shelter, food, and other basic needs, the government must look for permanent rehabilitation and resettlement of the internally displaced persons in Assam. Cash compensation is only a part of the rehabilitation process and must be accompanied by registering the socioeconomic structure of the society. There is also a need to have a clear-cut national policy and a state that may compensate and resettle the internally displaced persons in Assam.

Keywords: Displacement, North East India, Rehabilitation and Resettlement.