[ Karyir Riba ]
ROING, 23 Jun: The All Idu Mishmi Students’ Union (AIMSU) has condemned the recent attack on the Mishmi community by Chakma refugees at Kathan village in Lohit district.
Speaking on the incident that had occurred on 16 June, the AIMSU said that it has hurt the sentiment of every indigenous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.
“The Chakmas have no land to claim as the land that they till and thrive on is the traditional and ancestral land of the Mishmi community, which was encroached by the Chakmas,” they said.
The student body further said that when the Chakmas were harassed, oppressed and driven away from their homes, the Mishmis showed sympathy and allowed the Chakmas to settle down in an area of Mishmi land.
“However, today these very people have encroached upon our land, turned hostile against the Mishmi people and threaten us in every possible opportunity. Time and again we have showed maturity and believed in harmony, but the recent attack by the Chakmas on Mishmi people is clear and loud, of their ill intention of encroaching and marginalizing the Mishmi community, which will not be tolerated,” the AIMSU said.
They added that there are many other refugee camps in Lohit, but the district has never faced any encroachment issues with these refugee settlements, let alone being attacked by them. “This attitude shown by the Chakmas time and again is a sign that they have a political hegemony ambition for future by marginalizing our community. We will never let them succeed in their motto,” they said.
The AIMSU has demanded that the issue be resolved immediately. In a letter to the Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the student body has demanded eviction of the Chakmas from the indigenous and ancestral land of the Mishmis as early as possible, failing which the union said that it will resort to a democratic movement.
“We have always looked for an amicable solution to this but the unceasing attacks and coercive hardship inflicted on our people is unimaginable and beyond our tolerance. We cannot stay mute spectators forever, and expect acceptable resolution to this cancer, keeping in mind the dignity of our people,” the AIMSU said in its letter to the CM.
