Dear Editor,
It is a very shameful to highlight that Chakma & Hajong(C&H) refugee issues has attained the Golden Jubilee status but still the issues are pending. Let me remind you all, since from last five decades C & H issues were the headline of the State; but till today there is no positive outcomes. Many prominent organizations have raise these issues and democratic movement were organized with theme “Chakma & Hajong-Go Back” but still no result.
Why every effort goes in vain and results in same fate of futility? Our state has been renamed from NEFA to Arunachal Pradesh on 20th February 1987; but still C&H issues remain the same.
The people of the State heartily welcomed the 9th Chief Minister; but still C&H remain the same. The state affairs are dynamic and has witnessed changes in many socio-economic scenario yet C&H issue remains the same.
Why have we failed every time in this endeavor? One of the main reasons is that our social activists and protestors always follow the same old steps – bandh call & call off & burnt tyres; destroy our people vehicles & shops etc. During bandh call, the common people only suffer as many times it has seen that patients from district are not able to get treatment in the lone State general hospital.
Indeed, we appreciate a democratic movement undertaken by our people through various organizations to resolve the issues yet it always seems to be a dream to get justice. Is the tactics used by these organization is the lone process to get freedom from C&H issue? We believe that there are many ideas and mechanisms to get our rights and all sections of society must stand together and contribute to liberate from the said problems.
It is also not a secret that this issue is not only the matter of few organizations and state government who had been fought for last five decades as they are not only the ones going to face the future consequences but every indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh is going to face the future tribulations. If we honor the Supreme Court verdict for granting a citizenship to C&H, then the day is not far when indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh will be a minority and our culture & traditions will extinct and may be displayed somewhere in museum.
If this happen, I am not sure how we will answer our future generation when they ask why we didn’t took appropriate action at the right time on the issue.
Therefore, we must unite and wake up from deep slumber to fight for our land and people for the greater interest of indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh and for our future generation. Let’s unite together by keeping aside all our differences to resolve these issues once for and all.
Are human rights applicable only to Chakma and Hajong people? It is also applicable for the indigenous tribes of Arunachal whose forefather had lived since time immemorial. It is our homeland at stake which need to be protected or else time is not so far when we will be minority people fighting for our rights which is very well happening in other parts of the north-east.
As per my observations, the Chakma & Hajong people are legally placing the issue at the highest court of the country very tactfully whereas we just resort to bandh call etc. Can we also use the same tactics by hiring the best advocates of the country to place our views in the Supreme Court and fight to the last against C&H issues? As all of us know that huge fund of the Govt. is being spent for fighting individual cases, the same can be done to save the indigenous tribes and our motherland Arunachal Pradesh; a land of indigenous harmony.
It is my earnest request to all intellectuals, NGOs, social activists, student unions to view these issues seriously. Let us not forget that together we stand, divided we fall.
Yours,
Hillang Nima