Interrogating peace in Meghalaya

The document challenges the perception of Meghalaya as a peaceful state, identifying deep-seated ethnic tensions between Khasis, Garos, and non-tribal populations. It attributes these conflicts to ethnocentric politics, economic disparity—particularly in the underdeveloped Garo Hills—and disputes over government job quotas. While the government has implemented land transfer laws and development projects, and religious organizations have facilitated negotiations, the brief argues that these measures are often unsustainable or insufficient. It recommends moving away from monetary appeasement toward structural reforms, social auditing, and improved connectivity to the rest of India.

• Meghalaya's image as a peaceful state is a 'veneer' that masks ongoing ethnic disaffections structured along tribal and non-tribal lines, which could lead to new conflicts if left unaddressed.
• Ethnocentric politics led to violence against non-tribal populations, specifically targeting Bengalis during the 1979 Durga Puja incident, as well as Nepalese in 1987 and Bihari and Marwari communities in 1992–93, resulting in a mass exodus of non-tribals.
• Tensions exist between the Khasis and Garos, primarily driven by the Khasis' perceived political dominance and disputes over the 1971 Reservation Bill's quotas for government jobs and education.
• Insurgency in the Garo Hills is linked to severe economic instability, poverty, and underdevelopment compared to the Khasi Hills, making the region a 'fertile ground' for groups like the GLNA and ANVC, especially in coal belt areas where extortion is prevalent.
• Government efforts to mitigate conflict include the Land Transfer Act of 1971 and the Benami Transaction (Protection) Act of 1980 to prevent land transfer to non-tribals, as well as community policing and rural tourism projects.
• Civil society, particularly the Garo Baptist Church and the Mothers Union, has played a critical role in peace-building by bringing insurgents from the ALMA and ANVC to the negotiating table.
• Current conflict-mitigation strategies are deemed unsustainable because they rely on monetary incentives and fail to address the Khasis' administrative monopoly or the issue of Bangladeshi immigrants.

APA

Upadhyaya, A. S., Upadhyaya, P., & Yadav, A. K. (2013). Interrogating peace in Meghalaya. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e2b36a7b-5d56-4ec8-bfbd-06cbb6e098ae/CORE Policy Brief 3-2013.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Upadhyaya, Anjoo Sharan, Priyankar Upadhyaya, and Ajay Kumar Yadav. Interrogating peace in Meghalaya. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2013. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e2b36a7b-5d56-4ec8-bfbd-06cbb6e098ae/CORE Policy Brief 3-2013.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Upadhyaya |first1=Anjoo Sharan |last2=Upadhyaya |first2=Priyankar |last3=Yadav |first3=Ajay Kumar |title=Interrogating peace in Meghalaya |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2013 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e2b36a7b-5d56-4ec8-bfbd-06cbb6e098ae/CORE Policy Brief 3-2013.pdf?inline=true |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{upadhyaya2013interrogating, author = {Upadhyaya, Anjoo Sharan and Upadhyaya, Priyankar and Yadav, Ajay Kumar}, title = {{Interrogating peace in Meghalaya}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2013}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e2b36a7b-5d56-4ec8-bfbd-06cbb6e098ae/CORE Policy Brief 3-2013.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }