JOIN USArunachal Pradesh's expulsion plan angers Chakmas, Hajongs
Fear of displacement and anger has gripped Chakmas living in Arunachal Pradesh after Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju recently announced that the Chakmas would be shifted out of the state for rehabilitation as they are "illegal immigrants."
At least three major rights bodies representing the Chakma community have expressed concern and resolved to fight against the government's move to "uproot" nearly 70,000 people belonging to Chakma and Hajong community living in Arunachal Pradesh for decades.
"It hurts us badly when after 57 years of rehabilitation we are branded as ‘refugees’ by none other than the CM himself when, we were ‘refugees’ at one point in time long ago before the resettlement in North East Frontier Agency (as Arunachal was known till 1987) but are like any other citizens of the country now," Chakma Rights and Development Organisation (CRDO) said on Monday.
According to the CRDO, Chakmas were brought from Chittagong Hill Tracts in erstwhile East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) by the Centre under a "rehabilitation plan" after discussion with the state government and local tribal leaders in Arunachal Pradesh. But Kiren Rijiju, days after becoming the union law minister said at a function that Chakmas are refugees and can not live in the tribal state.
The Supreme Court in 2015 had ordered for giving citizenship to the Chakmas for settlement in Arunachal Pradesh. But Rijiju said the Supreme Court order became nullified after the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) came into being in 2019. The Chakmas may get citizenship under the CAA but can not be settled in Arunachal Pradesh, Rijiju said.
The Chakmas or Hajongs were settled between 1964 and 1969 in Bordumsa-Diyun and Kokila area in Changlang and Papum Pare district. But tribal groups in Arunachal Pradesh have been agitating for years against their settlement.
"More than 90 per cent of these people were born here and are citizens by birth. They will live and die here with dignity and honour and cannot suffer through another mass migration to start life afresh outside Arunachal Pradesh," said the CRDO statement issued by its president, Mahendra Chakma and general secretary, Anton Chakma.
In his Independence Day speech, Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced that all Chakmas would be shifted out of the state for "rehabilitation with dignity" and the matter has already been discussed with union home minister Amit Shah.
Opposing the move, Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) submitted a memorandum to PM Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, Rijiju and others. "Arunachal Pradesh had granted citizenship to Lisus/Ypubins who had migrated in 1960s. Therefore, targetting the Chakmas and Hajongs only for settlement outside of Arunachal Pradesh proves that we are being targeted because of our ethnicity," said Suhas Chakma, founder of CDFI.
Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Gaonburah Association also opposed the move.
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