NEW DELHI, 1 Mar: The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) on Tuesday urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to approach the Supreme Court “to protect the lives and liberties of about 65,000 Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh whose racial profiling through special census for the purpose of expulsion from the state is being carried out in gross violation of the directions issued by the NHRC on 24.01.2022 in Case No 3/2/0/2022, and the judgment of the
Supreme Court in the NHRC vs state Of Arunachal Pradesh & Anr, dated 9 January, 1996.”
In a press release, the CDFI claimed that, on 28 February, the ADC of Balijan in Papum Pare district convened a meeting for carrying out a special census/survey of the Chakmas residing in the district, “in clear contempt of the direction/order issued by the NHRC on 24.01.2022 and the Supreme Court judgment.”
It said that the EAC of Chongkham in Namsai district had on 23 February held a similar meeting.
“The NHRC in its order dated 24.01.2022 directed the home secretary, government of India, New Delhi and the chief secretary, government of Arunachal Pradesh to ensure that human rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs are protected by all the ways,” the CDFI said.
“The special census of only the Chakmas, 95 percent of whom are citizens by birth, constitutes an act of racial discrimination, ie, a gross violation of human rights of the entire community and therefore, the contempt of the NHRC as well as the Supreme Court,” CDFI founder Suhas Chakma said.
“On 29 October, 1995, the NHRC while approaching the Supreme Court recorded a prima facie conclusion that the officers of Arunachal Pradesh were acting in coordination with the AAPSU with a view to expelling the Chakmas from the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The NHRC stated that, since Arunachal Pradesh was delaying the matter, and since it had doubts as to whether its own efforts would be sufficient to sustain the Chakmas in their own habitat, it had decided to approach the apex curt to seek appropriate reliefs,” Chakma said.
“The same situation of 1995 has arisen today and it would be a travesty if the respect for Supreme Court’s celebrated judgment in the NHRC vs state of Arunachal Pradesh cannot be ensured,” he added.
