Editor,
Through your esteemed publication, I wish to draw attention to the unresolved PRC (permanent resident certificate) issue in Namsai district, affecting non-tribal communities like the Deori, Sonowal Kachari, Moran, Mishing, Adivasi, and Tai Ahom – residents of the region since before independence.
Due to the lack of PRC, these communities are ineligible for scholarships like Ishan Uday, unable to apply for educational loans due to the absence of land documents, and face difficulty accessing state government jobs and higher education. They have voting rights, yet are denied the right to contest elections.
In 2019, when the state government considered granting PRC to these groups, it sparked widespread protests among indigenous tribal communities, who feared that their cultural identity, land rights, and political representation would be threatened. The proposal was withdrawn, but the issue remains unresolved.
The ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur shows how deep-rooted tensions over identity and land can explode if not handled with sensitivity and dialogue. The Namsai PRC issue carries similar risks.
As a media student at the Centre for Studies in Journalism and Mass Communication, Dibrugarh University, Assam, I urge the Arunachal Pradesh government and media to take timely, inclusive action before the situation escalates.
Jubin Hazarika