Collaborative Conversations: Reimagining Migration Debates in India
Overview
Background
In this fictional story, set in New Delhi, Menaka Neotia imagines a TV show aimed at fostering a nonviolent, integrative dialogue on the sensitive topic of migration in India. The story is inspired by the real-life struggles of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in Gazipur, Uttar Pradesh, and presents a way to address migration challenges constructively and collaboratively, avoiding common pitfalls of acting from anger at what’s not working, and instead mobilising based on love of the possible.
Story Summary
The protagonist, Maya, facilitates a roundtable discussion with several stakeholders: a journalist, a political representative, a consultant for mass organisations (encompassing people from major social groups, including workers through trade unions, students, youth, and women), and a human rights activist. Maya transforms the typical debate into an collaborative conversation, where participants express their deep-seated concerns and collectively explore ways to address migration challenges.
Using principles from Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and Convergent Facilitation (CF), Maya helps each participant articulate their fears and needs, to navigate the intense emotions and differing viewpoints, seeking common ground and respectful dialogue. She helps participants see the process's potential to transform hostile debates into meaningful, solution-oriented conversations.
Target Audience
This story offers activists, facilitators, and CF practitioners a way to transcend polarizations in a world facing increasing crises, to work towards integrative nonviolent solutions by creating space for all needs to be heard, inviting dissent without fear or animosity, and attending to power dynamics that are in the room. The story also illustrates a way we can communicate and collaborate to address local and global challenges through principles of care, dignity, and willingness.
About the Author
Menaka Neotia wrote this story as a hopeful vision for humanity. She drew on her experiences with migrant workers, her training in NVC and CF, research on news coverage, and with the guidance of Dunu Roy (founder of New Delhi NGO Hazards Centre) and Dilip Simeon (a labour historian).
The Story: NEWS ROOM | NEWS CHANNEL INDIA
Maya (facilitator): “Hi everyone, I am Maya. I am here with you today to facilitate a conversation that we collectively agreed to have. The topic is a challenging one: challenges around migration in this region. I would like to acknowledge that we are all passionate about this topic. It is close to many hearts here, in India, and globally.
I’d like to introduce our participants: the journalist who usually holds this space, Manoranjan Gowswami, will participate in the conversation like everyone else here. We also have with us Shakuntala Misra representing All Government and Political Parties (AGPP); Vikram Azad from Sahyog Kendra, which consults to nonprofit organisations and communities; and Sanjay Gogoi, a human rights activist from Assam.
You may have noticed that we are not calling the show a Debate. A “debate” assumes polarisation, and we agreed to come together here to find pathways to integrate. So I suggested we call it “collaborative conversation”. I am grateful to all of you here for being willing to explore a different way to have difficult conversations, and to solve the challenges we are all facing in a way that brings us together.
Next, I want to give you an idea for how this will work: I will try to hear what’s important to each of you individually. I will reflect back what you said, until you sense that I got it. As I get what is important for each person, the Computer Graphics team will collect those criteria and considerations on the TV monitor here.
To help me navigate the conversation, I want to highlight a few features that may be new compared to a typical newscast debate: as you can see, we are sitting in a circle, so that there isn’t a sense of debating for and against something, we are creating a space to look at something together. If you want to speak, please raise your hand, and I’ll pass on the mic to you. At times, I may interrupt you; please know that this is a way to help people hear you more clearly, so please help me to interrupt you and not speak over each other. Finally, I want to mention that there are several power dynamics in this room, and I will be tracking them. I would like all concerns to be heard, to make it more possible to move forward collectively. This means I may ask different questions of different people, for those who don’t normally speak to bring in their concerns more easily.
To begin, I can propose a question to collect criteria and considerations for addressing the challenges we are seeing around migration in this region.
First, does anyone have any concerns with speaking about this topic today?”
Manoranjan raises his hand.
Maya: “Thank you for raising your hand. Do you have a concern about this being the topic we will have a discussion about?”
Manoranjan (journalist): “No, I want to say something about it.”
Maya: “Alright. Since I'm not seeing anyone raise their hand with concerns, I think if you would like to dive straight in and share something, go ahead.”
Manoranjan: “Illegal immigrants are coming from outside our country and becoming a law, order and security problem. They have changed the demographics of Assam, and they are snatching land and jobs from our desh-vasis (citizens). AGPP had decided to completely seal the Indo-Bangla border by 2018. Our high court has ordered these immigrants to be deported back to their countries under the Foreigners Act. I think we need measures so these illegal immigrants cannot prove that they are legal.”
Maya: “I’m seeing that you are bringing in several points in what you are saying. I’ll share what I see, what one or two of the points might be, and then we move to the next person. I want to hear what's important for all, and I imagine this will help capture what’s important for you too. You will have a chance to share if anything important was not covered. Okay?”
Manoranjan: “Yes, go ahead”
Maya: “What I’m hearing you say is that you care about the demographics of a space not being altered by influences coming from outside, to preserve the sanctity of that place. Did I get that point?”
Manoranjan: “Yes.”
Maya: “How does this sound as a criterion for this: Sustain and honour the relationships that all (affected) communities have with specific places and areas of land?”
Manoranjan: “Yes, that covers what I was saying.”
Maya: “Alright then. I want to check if anyone has even the slightest concern about this criterion being on the list?”
No one raises their hand.
Manoranjan: “I’m glad no one has any concerns.”
Maya: “I want us to also cultivate strength to receive concerns as a way of growing the possibility that our pathway to move forward collectively, will work for all.”
Vikram raises his hand.
Maya: “Would you like to go next?”
Vikram (nonprofit consultant) responds: “I heard Manoranjan use the term illegal to address the migrants, I would like us to use ‘undocumented’ or ‘informal’ instead?”
Maya: “I’m hearing a request from you about the vocabulary that we may choose to use. Did I get this?”
Vikram: “Yes”
Maya: “I am proposing to place this as a consideration on our list, to use vocabulary that is in alignment with honouring the dignity of all. Does this work for you to attend to it when we are in the phase of coming up with solutions?”
Vikram: “Yes.”
Maya: “Does anyone have any major concerns about this?”
Manoranjan: “Isn’t the opposite of legal, illegal?”
Maya: “I get that you are wondering if something is not happening legally, it is illegal, is that it?”
Manoranjan: “Yes of course.”
Maya: “Would you like people to follow rules?”
Manoranjan: “Absolutely, doing anything illegally, against the law, is wrong.”
Maya: “Ah, you want everyone to honour the law, did I get that?”
Manoranjan: “Yes, yes absolutely. What are we without law, just a bunch of beasts?!”
Maya: “I imagine this brings up major concerns in you, thinking that, in the absence of law, humans are capable of much violence?”
Manoranjan: “Imagine the chaos if there wasn't a law and order to control us.”
Maya: “I’m imagining that you would like safety for all, that each and all of us is safe and moves freely, without any fear of being harmed in any way, did I get that?”
Manoranjan: “Yes, that has been the efforts of the law, to provide safety and a dignified life for everyone.”
Maya: “So as a consideration is that something that needs to be in place be to provide pathways for those who are migrating to do so in ways that are manageable and secure for them?”
Manoranjan: “No, why would we want to care for migration, it’s illegal..”
Maya: “I would like you to take a few moments to check what concerns you have about migration, will you do this and say all the concerns that come up?”
Manoranjan: “Okay, first what about Indian culture and our own religions? People will come from outside and everything will get finished. Our communities will be mixed with outside influences. Who will care for all of this? We cannot control what will happen, all our culture and ways will get spoiled.”
Maya: “I feel your deep worry, and, within that, the longing or want you have for your communities, culture and religion to be honoured and sustained into the future?”
Manoranjan: “No, our India is very old, and it is so important for us to protect our land and our people.”
Maya: “If there was a consideration in place that would care for all that you named, like Protect Indian culture(s), religion(s) and communities and support them to be honoured and sustained into the future. Would you still have even the slightest concern about migration?”
Manoranjan looks puzzled, he is shaking his head. Vikram and Sanjay are staring at him, wondering what he is going to say. Shakuntala is muttering something beneath her breath, looking like she may be chewing gravel.
Maya: “I would like to acknowledge the tension - and even angst - that is there in the room. I know this is a burning topic. People are killed when they express their opinions in our country about migration. I imagine a few may be very upset when hearing opinions in this room too.
I want to say that we are doing something that's very challenging. And I am calling on everyone here to remember that we are trying to model a way of dialoguing that has potential to take us collectively towards less violence. It's tough to be here right now, and yet, if we manage to stay with what comes up in this room, it'll be of service to India and people across the world.
So, my request is: if anyone is tense at this moment, please know that I'll get to you and will include your consideration, and together we'll see if we can get to solutions that have never been tried before to resolve everyone's passionate concerns.
Coming back to Manoranjan: would you like to respond to what I was checking with you about?”
Manoranjan: “Yes, the migrants will take away all our jobs and our money. Then where will our people go?!”
Maya: “Would you truly like a way in which peoples jobs are secure ongoingly?”
Manoranjan: “Yes, without any tension or threat from outsiders.”
Maya: “How’s this as one more consideration: Ensure that Indian communities can meet their economic needs now and ongoingly. Any concerns?”
Manoranjan: “As much as I don’t believe it is possible that we will be able to do all that is needed, I have no concerns with this consideration. I don’t know if anyone else has any concerns.”
Vikram raises his hand.
Maya: “Do you have any concerns?”
Vikram responds: “I don’t have concerns, I want to add something for consideration.”
Maya: “Alright, since I’m not hearing any concerns from anyone at this point, please go ahead.”
Vikram: “Large numbers of migrants perform informal labour without documents or with false documents, because they have no other way of securing work, and also because the Indian system breeds upon and enables corruption.
In fact their illegal status gives further leverage for victimisation at the hands of contractors, police, etc., because, in India's rank-ordered society, every social weakness serves to augment exploitative arrangements - a kind of negative 'social capital.'
And this arrangement seemingly works for those in positions of authority, who earn money from the labourers to allow them to do the work without documentation, while they are saving money they would have paid the labourers if they had been hired legally, and saving on incentives needed to be given to them as labourers on payrolls. This is corruption.”
Maya: “It sounds like you want our way forward to recognise what the migrants are contributing to the community?”
Vikram: “Yes, and also for them to rightfully get the wages they deserve for all that they contribute, instead of upholding a system that exploits them while also labelling them as illegal.”
Maya: “Would you like a way in which those working in this region receive money that is rightfully earned by them.”
Vikram: “Yes.”
Maya: “Does the consideration, to create labour conditions where the population in a region is socially and environmentally sustainable, speak to what you are bringing?”
Vikram: “Yes, it does. Thank you.”
Maya: “I would like you all to see the considerations we have collected till now, and check if there’s something more that needs to be there?”
Manoranjan: “I have a major concern, are you suggesting to give wages to these people that are here illegally and breaking the law?!”
Maya: “I am hearing that this consideration is controversial for you. So I'd like to go deeper to get something that would match Vikram’s consideration and be acceptable by all. Something like, to create conditions to preserve the dignity of all.
I want to hear only major concerns from those who have spoken already, and even the slightest concern from those who haven’t spoken yet?”
Shakuntala (All Government Political Parties representative): “I would like to say. I swear on our mother, the holy cow, if what I’m saying is lies, you can cut my head off: these infiltrators, who are terrorists, they all belong to one religion.”
Maya: “I’m going to guess what is truly important to you, based on what I believe I’m hearing. I would like you to let me know if what I am guessing isn’t close to what you are saying. Are you afraid that the people who enter spaces without permission might cause physical harm to those who are already living there?”
Shakuntala: “Yes! Because they are coming in forcefully, to cause violence!”
Maya: “And would you like our way forward to create the highest level of conditions for the safety of the people in this region?”
Shakuntala: “The best way would be to recognise people of this religion and finish them so that they can never cause harm to anyone.”
The group erupts with disagreement speaking on top of each other all at once:
Vikram: “Wow, you want to stop harm by causing harm to them…” Manoranjan: “Rubbish, she should be banned from talking…” Sanjay: “That’s violence, how can you say such a thing?...”
Maya: “Please, please, I request you all to raise your hand if you want to speak. Please, I’m trying my best to help you, please help me do this. I trust that we can work this out. If we truly want to collaborate, then it is important for us to hear “all" concerns.
I acknowledge it is even harder to hear information when it doesn’t come across in a non- controversial way. Give me a moment to think. I want to guess what is important to Shakuntala. Please trust me. I can do this, and I can do this only with your full support… Do I have this?”
Vikram, Manoranjan and Sanjay nod.
Maya [To Shakuntala]: “I can feel that you have a deep desire inside you for the safety of the people who you care so deeply for. Did I get this?”
Shakuntala: “Yes these people are my own, and I will do anything, by anything I mean anything, to make sure they are safe.”
Maya: “When I hear you say that you are willing to do anything, I feel your passion. Would you like to find ways in which people can be safe?”
Shakuntala: “Yes, what can we do? I want to talk about this.”
Maya: “I want to point out how intense this topic is. I’m having to imagine the killing of people, and then pull us back to gathering the needs of the group from there.
Shakuntala, I heard what you said. In this phase, we are collecting considerations that we can all agree to in principle. Then, speaking about ideas and proposals for solutions happens in a separate phase, where you all will come up with ideas, then see if it includes all the considerations we come up with in this phase. Is this clearer now?”
Shakuntala: “As long as we speak about the ways, then okay.”
Maya: “So for what you are sharing now, inside that I can guess what the consideration might be, tell me how does this sound to you: To create the highest level of conditions for the safety of the people in this region?”
Shakuntalam: “This is what I want for my people”
Maya: “Does anyone have any concerns about this criterion?”
Manoranjan: “Yes, I have a concern about her saying terrorists belong to one religion. I want it to be clear that terrorists do not belong to any religion.”
Sanjay: “Terrorists do not have a religion, but they do belong to one religion only.”
Maya: “I would like to remind you to raise your hand if you would like to speak. I truly want to hear all considerations, and it is challenging to hear what is important to each of you when more than one person speaks at a time.
If you raise your hand, I will track that you want to say something, and I’ll come to you once I’m done gathering what the person already speaking is bringing forward.
Going back to what Manoranjan was saying: are you meaning to say that people don’t do what they do because of the religion they belong to?”
Manoranjan: “Yes, absolutely. No religion asks us to be violent.”
Sanjay raises his hand.
Maya: “I see you Sanjay, I will come to you once I’m done speaking with Manoranjan. So would you like a shared understanding to be in place, that what people are doing is not because of belonging to any particular religion?”
Manoranjan: “I want exactly this understanding to be there.”
Sanjay (human rights activist): “People of a particular religion are taught to spread terrorism.”
Maya: “I want to say it again: this is a high-intensity topic, and close to everyone. It is challenging to navigate this for us. I request each of you to help me, to help us, to do what we have come here for. I’m going to complete the round with Manoranjan and come back to you.
As a consideration, how is this: to establish a shared-understanding that people’s actions are not influenced by any Religion?”
Manoranjan nods.
Maya*: “*I sense that Sanjay has something burning to share?”
Sanjay: “I do. People of a particular religion are taught to spread terrorism.”
Maya: “Would you like a way in which people whose actions are violent in the name of religion are taught about love, care and compassion?”
Sanjay: “Yes, of course. Yes yes.”
Maya: “I would like to pause for a second to see if I can find the words…
So a criterion for this could be: to create effective pathways by which people who have been led into acting in violent ways in the name of a religion (whichever it is) can unhook from this harmful set of beliefs and anchor in love, care, compassion?”
Sanjay: “Yes, this works for me.”
Maya: “Does anyone have any concerns about this?”
No one raises any concerns.
Maya: “Okay then. Looking at the time, I would like to end this conversation here.
I would like to invite you all to continue conversation outside the show’s time. Can we come back to the show once we’ve progressed, to look at specific strategies to meet all the considerations we collected? I see nods. I’ll stay in touch with Manoranjan about the next conversation with all of us.
I would now like to spend some time hearing from each of you how this process was for you and what your takeaways have been. Manoranjan, would you like to begin?”
Manoranjan: “I never imagined that a show would be this successful without the usual drama. My producer let me know that once Shakuntala spoke, the ratings of the show kept increasing! My takeaway is that there is a way to listen to what is important for each of us.”
Sanjay: “I really had no interest nor any belief that this conversation here would actually do anything. One of my opening statements was that I didn’t trust anybody in the room.”
Maya: “And I’m hearing that now you do have more trust?”
Sanjay nods a yes, throwing his arms up in the air.
Maya: “That’s great! Vikram?”
Vikram: “Warring groups who want dialogue-based solutions should seek out a patient, focused facilitator like Maya. I came in thinking it was going to be a disaster and I’m leaving with hope.”
Maya: “Shakuntala?”
Shakuntala: “I never thought anyone here would understand what I say. I was worried of being attacked, as always. May God bless you.”
Maya: “This is a very emotionally charged topic. It was very delicate work to connect with what is really important for you as a group. I’m so glad that we came out on this side, knowing what we know now: there can be space for what’s important to all on the table!”
Author’s Statement
I discovered nonviolent communication in 2015 and convergent facilitation (CF) in 2021 when I joined the NGL community, founded by Miki Kashtan, the creator of CF.
I wrote this story with the hope that it'll give my readers a vision of what's possible starting right where you are, at your home, work, community, anywhere where there might be “real” openings towards building a Nonviolent Collaborative future. I have trust that it is possible for most needs to be met in a collaborative society. And only a large number of people can create such a world that can work for all. If you want collaborative societies, you will have to make a conscious choice, become aware, and practise it. Transformation is not, just going to happen.
Acknowledgements
I am ever so grateful to Paul Kahawatte for coaching me to sense into Noncontroversial Essence following the process Convergent Facilitation (CF), and from whose way of teaching I learned and experienced what multi-partiality truly means. Miki Kashtan who also offered coaching with inputs on the facilitation by Maya in the story and pointed out places where more truth needed to be said about power dynamics and more. Verene Nicolas for her inputs which brought the lens of realness to the story tracking how challenging and intense this scenario truly is, and that in actuality perhaps even with the best facilitation, such a conversation on this level isn’t possible. Fabian Kirsch, Rick G, Julia Sherbakov and Sabine Virani who are also supporting the CF community for suggesting edits, and shaping this piece more into a story. They restructured the entire story to bring it to where it is now, which I find very effective. And supported in bringing more of a sense of the underlying tension that is there around this topic into the story. And gratitude to all those beings who directly and indirectly contributed in making this story possible with their inputs and support: all the migrants supporting waste-picking at Gazipur and Seemapuri, the community leader Bali Bhai, Dunu Roy, Dilip Simeon and more.
With the degree of support offered by everyone who I spoke about in this section, this story which speaks about collaboration, is ultimately a work of collaboration and not from me alone!
And I am grateful that I have the privilege, awareness, and skill of these specific pathways of storytelling, publishing, Convergent Facilitation and more to bring all the considerations as non-controversially as possible at this time (within my own limitations and knowing) that are usually buried inside to reach us all, even in this tiniest significant way.