Organized by : Calcutta Research Group in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Oxford University Press

The Calcutta Research Group in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Oxford University Press organized the book launch of Does the Elephant Dance?: Contemporary Indian Foreign Policy by David M Malone. The event was organized at The Oberoi Grand on May 11, 2011. The book was released by His Excellency M K Narayanan, Honorable Governor of West Bengal.

Annexure 1- Report
 

Organized by : Sansristi and PIPFPD (Odhisa)

Annexure 1- Report
 

Eviction from one’s homeland occurs because of various causes, including conflict, natural or manmade disasters and the so-called development drives. As a result, people are forced to migrate and relocate often amid poor living conditions, uncertainty and insecurity. This problem is encountered in many parts of the world, and the North-east is one of the hotspots today. However, it often does not get due coverage in the media, and many journalists feel that the resources, tools and skills to cover this issue at their disposal is inadequate. The Gangtok media workshop sought to address this issue. Its purpose was to discuss and prepare a toolkit and reader for media persons in the North-east on forced migration.

Annexure 1- List of Participants

Annexure 2- Report
 

Orientation Workshop on ‘Care and Protection of Refugees and IDPs in Nepal’ – Kathmandu, Nepal, 21 to 23 November 2010

The Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (CRG) every year in Kolkatta organises the Annual Winter Course on Forced Migration –A Program on Protection of Refugees, the Internally Displaced and other victims of Forced Migration”. The Winter Course is a product of CRG’s research, dialogues, and advocacy work on autonomy, human rights, issues of forced displacement and migration, forced migration, peace and conflict resolution, citizenship, borders and border-conflicts, and other issues originating from the conflicts around what may be called the “sacred geographies” of the nation-states in South Asia .  

This year (2010), the CRG is organizing a similar workshop in Nepal from 21 to 23 November. The workshop is intended for academics, refugee rights activists and others working in the field of human rights and humanitarian assistance for victims of forced displacement. The workshop will deal with issues relating to refugee flows in South Asia with special reference to Nepal, violence, conflicts, and forced migration, national and international regime of protection, regional trends in forced migration, internal displacement, gendered nature of forced migration and protection framework, and environmental displacement.

The workshop will emphasise the experiences of displacement and refugee life, camp experiences, critical legal and policy analysis, and analysis of relevant notions such as vulnerability, care, risk, protection, return and re-settlement.

Annexure 1 – Concept Note

Annexure 2 – Programme Schedule

Annexure 3- List of Participants

Annexure 4 – Reading List

Annexure 5 – Assignment
 

 Two day Workshop On State of Research on Forced Migration in the East and Northeast Jointly organized by Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla, Panos South Asia and Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (CRG) || Date: 12-13 February, 2010 || Venue: Hotel Pragoti Manor, Guwahati

The two day research workshop  on  “State of Research on Forced Migration in the East and Northeast jointly organized by Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla, Panos South Asia and Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (CRG) in Hotel Pragoti Manor, Guwahati from 12-13 February 2010 explored the possibilities for newer research agendas through a stock taking exercise of ongoing and previous research on resource politics, conflict, militarization and disasters that led to forced migration and displacement in India’s east and north east. The workshop was attended by scholars from various academic institutions in east and north east India; activists; and media persons.

Annexure 1 – Concept Note

Annexure 2 – Programme Schedule

Annexure 3- List of Participants

Annexure 4 – Reading List

Annexure 5 – Report
 

Dialogue on Protection Strategies for People in Situations of Forced Migration in Collaboration with UNHCR Kolkata, 14-15 December 2008

The history of forced migration has presently been recognized as a history of mixed and massive flows of people, which have rendered, to a considerable extent, the older forms of protection inadequate. These early signs of new kinds of flows on the map of forced migration have led governments and humanitarian agencies to adopt newer strategies to cope with massive displacements and unrest. In this context - of massive and mixed flows of forced migration and the need for newer strategies to handle such migrations - Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (CRG) proposed to UNHCR to hold a dialogue that would focus on the relevant experiences of South Asia. The UNHCR graciously accepted this proposal in the spirit of collegiality and the idea emerged that the Sixth Annual Winter Course on Forced Migration could have a special segment on protection strategies in the wake of the emerging situation of forced migration in form of mixed and massive flows, where experts from all over South Asia along with key UNHCR personnel, engaged with the South Asian situation, could participate and deliberate on possibilities of new protection strategies.

Annexure 1 – Recommendation

Annexure 2 – Programme Schedule

Annexure 3- Report on the Dialogue
 

Two-Day Consultative Meeting on Development, Democracy, and Governance: Broad Lessons from Post-Colonial Experiences of India Bhubaneswar, 24-26 May 2008

In 2003 the Calcutta Research Group (CRG) with assistance of the Ford Foundation embarked on a research programme on some of the critical questions facing post-colonial democracies, such as India. Since then CRG has conducted collective research into issues of autonomy and social justice. The research and the dialogues on the theme of autonomy, and the significant case studies it undertook led to further work – this time on the theme of justice, in particular on social justice. Researchers and members who participated in the numerous dialogues on autonomy repeatedly came up with the issue of governmentalised forms of autonomy as against the demands and ideas of autonomies that sought to address the incipient demands for justice. The constitutional, legal, financial, resource-centred, administrative, gender-just – various forms of autonomies were investigated and discussed, in as much were discussed the philosophical-political-historical issues related to the issue of autonomy. There were public lectures on “autonomous voices”. Several research reports were published, and three volumes came out of the programme, namely, The Politics of Autonomy, Indian Autonomy – Keywords and Key Texts, and Autonomy – Beyond Kant and Hermeneutics. The CRG website and its small archive contain resources on this theme and related issues for the benefit of further research in this area.   Annexure 1 – Concept Note Annexure 2 – Brief Summary

Two-Day National Conference on the Resettlement & Rehabilitation of the Displaced Persons organized by the National Human Rights Commission in Delhi on 24 and 25 March 2008 

Prof. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chowdhury participated in the Two-Day National Conference on the Resettlement And Rehabilitation of the Displaced Persons organised by the National Human Rights Commission in Delhi on 24 and 25 March 2008 on behalf of Calcutta Research Group. CRG’s participation has been quite useful in the proceedings of the conference. It is to CRG’s credit that few of its recommendations have been duly incorporated in the draft recommendations meant for the Parliamentary Standing Committee dealing with the Land Acquisition Bill 2007, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill 2007 and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy 2007. The role of CRG in this field has also been appreciated by the Chairman and other representatives of NHRC during formal and informal discussions. On belaf of CRG, Prof. Basu Ray Chowdhury extended an invitation to Justice S. Rajendra Babu, Chairman, NHRC for his presence in the forthcoming Sixth Winter Course on Forced Migration.

Two-Day Indo-French Seminar on ‘State Formation, Citizenship and Gender’ Organized by Calcutta Research Group in collaboration with Indian Council of Social Science Research (Eastern Regional Centre) and University of Calcutta, 13-14 March 2008

Calcutta Research Group in collaboration with Indian Council of Social Science Research (Eastern Regional Centre) and University of Calcutta organized two day Indo-French Seminar on State Formation, Citizenship, and Gender. The details concept note, schedule and report are attached.

Annexure 1 – Concept Note

Annexure 2 – Report and Schedule

Responsibility to Protect'(R2P)  Conference at Bangkok, 20-21 February 2008
 

Subir Bhaumik, member of CRG, attended the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ (R2P) Conference at Bangkok, 20-21 February 2008. Subir Bhaumik presented his views on behalf of CRG, the details of which are given below: 

“ My organization, the Calcutta Research Group, is aware of the R2P resolution adopted at the 2005 World Summit and values its worth as a human security instrument for prevention and tackling situation of genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity. But it is the considered opinion of the CRG that the R2P regime should be extended to address issues of mass displacement created by both ethnic and class conflict and by the forces of economic liberalization and globalization. Large scale displacement, as evidenced from our studies in various parts of South Asia, creates situations of immense conflict that could lead to bloodshed. Since this conference has discussed in some detail the need for "early warning systems" about possible genocides and crimes against humanity, the CRG feels that the R2P regime will be effective only if it is redesigned to address issues of mass displacement caused both by conflict or by economic forces.

I also asked the funding organizations like Austcare and R2P Secretariat for Asia (newly formed during the Conference) to consider studies on ethnic conflicts creating situations of ethnic cleansing (which is in the core agenda of the R2P) in northeastern India, Kashmir and elsewhere in the sub-continent noting that CRG has already carried out studies in these areas. “

Societies, States, “Terror” and “Terrorism” - A Historical and Philosophical Perspective

Thu 2 nov (9AM-6PM) Room 214 (2nd floor left), Maison des Sciences de l'Homme , 54 bd Raspail, 75006 Paris Fri 3 nov (9AM-7PM) Maison de l'Europe, 35 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 75004 Paris. Sat 4 nov (9:30AM-4PM) Room ground floor, Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (A.U.F.), 4 place de la Sorbonne, 75005 Paris Coordinated by Rada IVEKOVIć and Ranabir SAMADDAR.  Conference co-organized with the Calcutta Research Group (MCRG) and with the support of the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (Paris), of the Maison de l’Europe de Paris, of the French Ministère de l’Éducation nationale, of the Services de Coopération et d'Action Culturelle of the French Embassies in India and in Tunisia, of the Centre Culturel Français d'Alger, of the Columbia University in Paris, Reid Hall, of the Global Fund for Women, and of the Universidade de São Paulo.  The end of the Cold War has brought wars on a big scale back. While there is no balance of power and no possible consensus between opposite political options in international relations, the mainstream discourse on Human Rights, Democracy, Security, Globalisation and “War on terror” takes part in a general desemantisation and depoliticisation. Most (all?) histories have had their ages of terror, whether nominally described or not; yet it is an important question as to why, when, and which times are subsequently called the times of terror. We cannot ignore either the singularity of these times, or their generalities. The “universal” description of some “terrorism” supposed to be essential or exemplary, supposed to be a case study of terrorism, is used in order to erase some terrors, while generalising others. It is in the name of effacing terrorism for good that the worst terror is being practiced. Under theses conditions, both “terror” and “terrorism” (can) become normative concepts. Are philosophy and social sciences capable of making sense of the claims about what are termed unique events of terror? Beyond the historic condition, it would mean grasping the political (le politique; not la politique) at its root. The conference will be the occasion to address these problems through different approaches: philosophy, history, law, sociology, the study of gender or feminist studies, political sciences, literature as well as field work. A general discourse on terrorism raises the following questions: terror as historic event; terror as political discourse or generalised ideology; terror, war on terror and the need for legitimating; historic and discursive relations between democracy and terror; terror as an extension of violence, as “extreme violence”; race, difference and instruments of colonial and postcolonial terror; post-communism, societies and terror; the cold war and the “war on terror”.

Annexure 1 – Programme Schedule

Annexure 2- Report on the Conference
 

Workshop on the IDPs in India's Northeast 24-26, 2006, Kohima, Nagaland

The Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (MCRG) in collaboration with the Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) organised a three-day workshop on the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in India’s Northeast at Hotel Japfu in Kohima, Nagaland during August 24-26, 2006. Academics, human rights activists and media-persons from different parts of India’s East and Northeast participated in this workshop.

In the inaugural session on 24 August, Samir Kumar Das, Research Coordinator, MCRG made some introductory comments indicating the justification of organising such a workshop in Kohima. He also referred to the previous work done by the MCRG in this context. Nepuni, General Secretary, NPMHR, welcomed all the participants. Dr. Monirul Hussain, Professor, Department of Political Science, Gauhati University presented a status report on the IDP Situation in Northeast India and this report was subsequently discussed in the workshop. In fact, Dr. Hussain’s presentation acted as the keynote address to the workshop. Apart from a concept note and Monirul Hussain’s keynote address, copies of an article entitled “Nobody’s People in No-man’s Land” by Subir Bhaumik [in Paula Banerjee, Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury and Samir Kumar Das (eds.), Internal Displacement in South Asia, (Sage: 2005)] and another one entitled “Population Displacement in India: A Critical Review” by Samir Kumar Das and Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury (published in Refugee Watch) were circulated among the participants as reference points for discussion in the workshop. Walter Fernandes, Director, North Eastern Social Research Centre, chaired this session. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Secretary, MCRG, proposed a formal vote of thanks at the end of the session.

More Details CLICK HERE
 

Jointly organised by Maison Des Sciences De L 'Homme & CRG, Paris (16-18 February, 2005)
 
Programme Inde et Asie du Sud / South Asia Programme
Séminaire international du 16 au 18 février 2005
Salle 214, Maison des Sciences de L’homme
54 Boulevard Raspail, Paris 6^e (métro Sèvres-Babylone)

Annexure 1 – Programme Schedule
 

1. Till date three (3) dialogues have been held on specific issues of peace and human rights in the east and the Northeast. These have drawn on the themes of culture of peace, reconciliation, justice, and democracy: These dialogues have produced a functioning network of cooperation on various peace activities. Northeast is the theatre of the longest state versus community conflict in South Asia and as such occupies a singular position in Indian politics. Different ethnic groups living in this region have been for years pressing either for independence, or separate statehood on the basis of political and linguistic-cultural identities or for special constitutional safeguards of their respective existences.  But what is forgotten often is that while these conflicts have created frontiers and boundaries dividing and re-dividing territory, peoples, and communities, they are not the only feature of the situation. Surviving connections, relations, friendships, and continuing dialogues on the basis of fairness, accommodation, and mutual recognition of claims also mark such a situation. It seems that dialogues and efforts at accommodations and understandings have complimented war, conflicts, and threatened peace. It is with that realization that the dialogue programme was planned. It aims to institute conversations of peace and human rights activists, gender sensitive artists, novelists, painters, litterateurs, students, and youth from the region of Northeast and East.

2. The first dialogue (2001) held in Calcutta engaged with the inquiry: how are we to connect the issue of democracy with peace in a conflict-ridden region and a war-ravaged situation? While it is important to link human rights and peace, in what way can this link be deepened and made specific with ideas of justice, in particular gender justice, cultural democracy, decentralization, and a dialogic culture? It is from such an inquiry and the related realisation, that the first civil society dialogue on human rights and peace in the east and northeast was held. The participants were human rights and peace activists from diverse parts of the east and the Northeast. Its report has been published.

3. The second dialogue (2002) held in Shantiniketan carried forward the inquiry by bringing in notions of cultural democracy and justice, in particular gender justice. The dialogue probed the assertions of identity, abuse of human rights, and increasing violence against women in the entire region. From rape as a symbol of conquered terrain to identifying women as reproducers of identities, gender appears to be a key dimension in many of these conflicts and it is clear that belligerents including the state take gender seriously.  Yet, as the dialogue found, male-centric analysis of identity conflict still tries to disregard the category of gender. These events prompted extensive conversations among human rights activists, grassroots women activists for democracy, and scholars on relevant issues. The report is available.

4. The third dialogue (2003) held in Shillong took up the issue of autonomy, and deliberated on the question of whether autonomy in the northeast and in the Darjeeling area of West Bengal has advanced democracy or has been mainly tool of governing. It also discussed the issue of autonomy within – that is, how much women or minorities within an autonomous area enjoy autonomy and enjoy the fruits of self-government? Various cases were discussed; the international law on minorities and on autonomy was discussed; international experiences were deliberated upon. The report will come out soon.