Colonial Constructs and Contemporary Conflicts: Conservation, Indigenous Rights, and Borders in Dihing Patkai Rainforest

The legacy of colonial conservation practices continues to shape contemporary conservation efforts in post-colonial nations, perpetuating injustice and violence. This paper assesses the impact of colonial conservation ideologies in the Dihing Patkai Rainforest of Assam, India, exploring the commodification of the forest and the marginalization of the indigenous Tangsa community in the reserved forests of Saleki and Tipong. These practices obscure the colonial ideology of conservation as a political tool. The Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border dispute encapsulates the effects of colonial boundaries and governance on contemporary administrative structures. This paper critically examines how colonial conservation ideas influence mainstream conservation, intertwining colonial legacies with Western-centric state-making, bureaucratic interests, and the concept of fixed borders. The research investigates colonial conservation policies imposed by the British in Assam, which prioritized resource extraction and control over ecological and indigenous well-being. Tracing the evolution of these policies, the study reveals their lasting effects on current conservation strategies that favor state and commercial interests over local communities. The case of the Tangsa community exemplifies how colonial legacies manifest in the marginalization and displacement of indigenous peoples, undermining traditional ecological knowledge and land rights.The paper also explores the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border disputes, rooted in colonial-era demarcations that ignored the region's complex ethnic and ecological landscapes. These disputes highlight the challenges posed by rigid administrative boundaries that overlook the interconnected nature of ecosystems and human societies. Furthermore, the analysis underscores how conservation has been used as a political tool during and after the colonial period, serving state and commercial agendas by controlling land use and marginalizing local populations under the guise of environmental protection.