The Quest for Self-governance and Autonomy: Tribes in Northeast India

This article examines the self-governance framework, critiquing the concept of autonomy and its limitations in addressing the varied realities of tribes in Northeast India, specifically in the states of Assam, Manipur and Tripura, where tribes are minorities. Analysing the interviews of select tribal leaders, the article seeks to illuminate the complexities and challenges of reconciling ideals of self-governance and autonomy with the lived experiences of tribal populations in the current political context. Although the framework for self-governance and tribal autonomy is well-defined, the article argues that real-world dynamics reveal entangled and dominant governance structures, especially in states where tribes are not the majority. It calls for a re-evaluation of the framework and an examination of its structural components that impede effective self-governance for tribal communities.