What was unthinkable few years ago took place on Sunday. The members of All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) meet the representatives of Chakma-Hajong refugees at Diyun under Changlang district and discussed on wide ranging issues including the most critical of all the citizenship issue. This is a new beginning and AAPSU deserves appreciation for holding direct discussion with refugees. Such interaction will offer chance to both the sides to have open discussion and share each other’s sentiment. For years both Arunachalees and refugees have virtually fought guerilla war to depict each other as victim. This has not yielded any result for both the sides.
While Chakma-Hajong because of its wide reach have manage to portray Arunachalee as oppressors in the eyes of international communities, the AAPSU and other NGOs have effectively depicted refugees as occupier in the eyes of the people of state. This has lead to souring of relation. Even if Supreme Court grant citizenship rights to Chakma-Hajong refugees, unless the people of state accepts them they will never be truly welcomed in the state. Therefore instead of developing hostility towards indigenous communities, the refugees should try to win the hearts. This can be possible by respecting the sentiments of the local communities. The AAPSU has taken unthinkable step of opening direct line of communication with leaders of Chakma-Hajong refugees. This golden opportunity should not be wasted. The refugee issue can only be solved through dialogues.