Day: December 25, 2015

The Subtle Politics of Migration

Imperial conquests by the European countries especially Great Britain left an indelible imprint on the Asian Subcontinent. Bengal was the first territory won by the British in 1757 at the Battle of Plassey, almost a century prior to the mutiny. Millions perished in the 1943 Bengal Famine while food grains were diverted to the front lines in Europe during the war.

Post Colonial histories are different in the sense the theaters of suffering have shifted. Post independence countries of the Asian Subcontinent did not meet the aspirations of their populace, with the noted exception of Singapore which is an economic miracle.
Countries such as Bangladesh which won its independence in 1971 is a major manpower exporter along with Philippines, Indonesia and Nepal in this region. Migration at any cost occurs due to economic despair. The burning hunger to provide for the family drives the migrant to sell precious assets to render the economic cost of migration.
The migrant arrives in his host country with hopes and dreams, often to be shattered due the unfair information asymmetry between him and the recruiting ecosystem. The exploitation begins from his village, often perpetrated by his family friend or distant relative. The migrant is at the bottom rung of the social hierarchy in the host country. He is the ‘Subaltern’ in this context.

He was not born a worker, as his family is capable to pay his migration cost. He took on hard labor oriented work as he wanted to earn his daily bread. He can write, sing, act and draw as he is a talent like any other.  The local activist sees him as resource for the ’cause’. His muted voice is co-opted in global advocacy themes. He does not understand the issue as his language skills are a barrier.

The academic converts his story into a case study and artiste groups are interested in performances which have an exotic element.

But where is the migrant in all these contexts? After all, He is the migrant who ‘can’t speak’ in a Spivakian vain.

A Year (of Writing) in Review

This day marks five years of this platform. I started the year with an audit in Sohar, Oman. Writing is what keeps me alive. In the latter part of January i moved to work at a Health Communications Think Tank in Singapore. This place gives me an opportunity to work on migration and health issues at the community level in Singapore. I love the work as it helps me to carve a dent in the ecosystem; work with non profits, activists, agencies and a superb boss who is an inspiration. I learn loads everyday. It is blessing.

I have failed too. Every new journey, tests me to the brink. I fail more and fail fast. I stretch myself, but i learn. But this has been an amazing year as i narrate below.

This year I started writing for Huff Post India, Corporate Citizenship Briefing UK and Banglar Kantha Singapore. I wrote about issues and matters which I am passionate about; migration, the region, sustainability & development and even forayed in unchartered intellectual territory such as International Relations. I have been volunteering and pro bono consulting with non profits this year, and these engagements give me the vantage point into unstructured learning and thinking a new.

I have certainly grown as a writer and researcher over the past year. I got married this year, and i have grown as a person thanks to my beautiful wife. This year has been very generous in terms of learning and growth. I pray for the same in the new year and hope to create a lasting impact in the years to come.

I end this year and half a decade of writing with almost 13000 hits. I thank my friends a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.