XENOPHOBIA

Xenophobia may be defined as the attitude,prejudice and behaviours that

reject,exclude and vilify persons based on the perception that they are outsiders and
foreigners.As the word itself says , xenophobia means fear of foreigners.It undermines
principles of human qualities,justice and social cohesion.It is also called as nativism ,
ethono centrism, xeno racism, ethono exclusionism ,anti-immigrant prejudice and
immigration phobia.

The reason for having xenophobic thoughts is mainly attributed to natural feeling of
human who support and favor their own and discriminate outsiders.The economic and
social insecurity can further fuel the situation. It is also associated with the availability of
resources why because when people in a locality suffer with lack of resources ,entry of
outsiders will create problems related to sharing of resources.Xenophobia is most
prevalent in weaker sections of society. They are backward both in economy and social
status so they fear their opportunities would be robbed by new comers.The cultural
differences between the host group and migrant people also creates fear among the host
population.The host population tries to protect their culture and tradition against the
influence of the migrants.Another important phenomenon that encourages xenophobia is
the globalization.People from developed world are utizling the available opportunities all
over the world,leading to the decline of opportunities for the host population.In extreme
cases the migrant people are made as space goats and national identity is increasingly tied
to racist xenophobic expression.

India is facing xenophobic threats now and then.It was here way back from
1970's.During partition of Pakistan into east and west Pakistan, large number of migrant
people occupied north eastern province of India from East Pakistan (Bangladesh). The
Bangladesh muslims are treated as infiltrators who must be punished and hindus from
Bangladesh are treated as refugees and victims of political action based on islamic
fundamentalism. World bank report says that indo-Bangladesh corridor is the most active
globally coming next to US-Mexican corridor.In april 2008 , a report by parliamentary
standing committee announced that " large presence of illegal Bangladesh immigrants
poses a grave threat to the internal security of India and it should be viewed strongly". In
census 2001 there were some 3.1 to 3.7 million bangladeshi's in India. In 2004,Union
minister of state for home has said that there are 12 million bangladeshi's residing
illegally in India. Indian Border Security force reportedly estimates that between 1972-
2005 , some 1.2 million bangladeshi's entered India on tourist visas and failed to leave.
There are lots of reasons for acting against bangladeshi migrants.Long standing hostility
towards Bengali speakers has some relation to the current unrest among the host
population. Bengal kheda movement in Assam from late 1940's onwards, provoked by the
demographic and cultural changes linked to the entry of bengali speakers from the east
Pakistan. In 1960's Bengali hindus fled from assam and Tripura.It happened in
Meghalaya also in 1980's and 1990's. During 1979-1984, All Assam Students Union spear
headed anti foreigners movement in assam opposing the entry of irregular
Bangladeshi's.They demanded the expulsion of all people of Bengali descent who have
entered in India from 1951. At the height of movement close to 2000 bengali muslims are
killed due to violence arising out in that region as an assamese girl was raped by a bengali
migrant.The presence of large number of illegal migrants from Bangladesh is in fact an
aggression on the state assam and it has also contributed significantly in causing serious
internal disturbances in the form of insurgency in large proportions. Migrants from
Bihar , Uttar pradesh have been attacked in places like assam, meghalaya and
maharashtra.In sep, 2008 vigilant groups from Assamese indigenous communities
conducted a state wide drive to locate ' Bangladeshi's'.In oct 2008, the clash between
indigenous Bodo community and muslim immigrants in north assam contributed to more
than 50 deaths and displcement of more than 10000 muslim migrants.

When considering in the global prespective, Xenephobia is prevalent in both

developing and developed countries. In 1980 ,80000 Ghanians were expelled from
Nigeria.Worlds values survey shows that nearly 40% of participants from 19 European
countries approved of strict limit on immigration and 42.55 % supported immigration
when jobs are available. The present Out Sourcing ban from Ohio state of North America
is due to that fact that the host population were not getting job opportunities as they loose
their jobs to foreign counterparts.The expulsion of Roma communities from France is
also related to the fear of host population as the roma people will ruin the reputation and
status of people living in France.Although this has resulted in wide range opposition from
various countries of the world, this act has instilled the fear in roma community people
against native people of France.

From the above statements it is evident that Xenophobia is prevalent all over the
world in one form or the other. The next thing that needs our attention is whether the
xenephobic feelings can be determined or not.It is possible to understand and determine
to some extent the xenophobic nature of people.It can be done by observing the attitude
of people ( both the host population and migrant population),attitude of political parties
present in the country,the way media depicts the feelings and sentiments of people,
internet sites, hate sites created to spread odd things about particular community, knowing
the migrant experiences in a region or country,collecting and storing database of hate
crimes involving migrants and refugees as victims and by regulating the policies and laws
related to migration,migrants and anti hate crime legislation.

Xenophobia is a social and political phenomenon.People may experience various

degrees of xenophobia.Hostile and skewed perceptions of people may go hand in hand
with discriminatory practices.Violence ,aggression and brutality are extreme forms of
xenophobia.It also linked with nationalism and national integrity for political gain.Fear
towards foreigners is a natural feeling but it must not be sowed and grown in the form of
hatred and violence.People must be given equal opportunity in work place.The living
conditions of migrants and non-migrants must be good.The need for people to work
together and achieve common goal must be empahsised.Inter group co-operation is
needed rather than competition within the group.Authorities must take the initiative and
provide guidelines for interaction within divergent groups.Tolerance towards foreigners
must be grown in people mind. The attitude of host population must be made clear to the
migrant groups.Ratification and implementation of global standards on protection of
migrants.For example, UN migrant workers convention..Global, regional and national
monitoring of the migrant population.Identification and critical analysis of xenophobia in
media depictions.Public education to build social coherence and encourage diversity and
tolerance.Political leadership must have the will to condemn and make legislation to
remove the xenophobic practices within the country.

Our world is one and we humans are one.Understanding others and living in
harmony with our own race needs to be stressed. There is a fear among host population as
the foreigners will ruin their nation destroying their culture and draining the resources
present in the country. It is also true that most infiltrations of anti-national elements take
cover in the form of migrants and refugees.It is high time that we must device a system
and regulate the existing practices to filter the real migrants and refugees from anti-
national elements and provide the basic things for living their life with self respect and
peace with the host population.People must come forward to accept migrant people and
government must provide the suitable environment to nurture the friendly attitude present
in the host population.Xenophobic feelings can be suppressed if people were made to
work and move towards a common goal that provides them with better standard of living
and happiness.