‘Racial profiling’ of the Chakmas and Hajongs

‘Racial profiling’ of the Chakmas and Hajongs - an update

 ‘Racial profiling’ of the Chakmas and Hajongs

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• The story: A “special census” to be conducted in all the Chakma- and Hajong-inhabited areas of the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Key points: The Buddhist Chakmas and Hindu Hajongs are migrants from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of erstwhile East Pakistan. They were displaced in the 1960s by the Kaptai dam on the Karnaphuli River and sought asylum in India. As of 2011, there are 47,471 (estimated to approx. 65,000 in present) Chakmas and Hajongs living in the State of Arunachal Pradesh, the majority of them living in the Changlang district. A rehabilitation plan was formulated; land and financial aid were provided depending on the size of their families. Mizoram and Tripura also have a substantial amount of population of the Chakmas. Some Hajongs also inhabit the Garo Hills of Meghalaya and adjoining areas of Assam. Of the total estimated 65,000, 60,500 of the migrants are citizens by birth under Section 3 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• Migrants' view: The organisations representing the migrants argue that (i) they were permanently settled by the Union of India in the 1960s and since 95% of the migrants were born in the North-East Frontier Agency or Arunachal Pradesh, the Inner Line Permit mandatory under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, for outsiders seeking to visit the State, also does not apply to them; (ii) the proposal for the special census is racial profiling. Which they claim violates Article 14 of the Constitution of India (Right to Equality) and Article 1 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination which has been ratified by India.

1. the Supreme Court had in January 1996 prohibited any move to evict or expel the Chakma-Hajongs and directed the Central and State governments to process their citizenship. Similar observations had also been made by the National Human Rights Commission.
2. the Supreme Court in its September 2015 judgment had noted that Arunachal Pradesh cannot expect other States to share its burden of migrants.

• Nativess view: Local organisations argue that - (i) the Union government had not consulted the local communities before settling the Chakma-Hajongs; (ii) Arunachal Pradesh is having to carry the burden of hosting the migrant Chakmas and Hajongs; (iii) the population of the migrants has increased alarmingly and could outnumber the indigenous communities; and (iv) poses challenges to their own survival given the increased competition over land, resources and jobs.
• Root cause of the problem - ethnic consciousness: Ethnicity and ethnic consciousness are considered unique features of tribal societies. Such ethnic consciousness in their extreme forms convert to hatred for others. Same have been observed in the recent attacks on non-tribal people in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong. Violent ethnic assertions could bring in divisions within the society. This could take extreme forms of ethnic cleansing and civil wars. Ethno-nationalistic mobilisations could lead to calls for separatism.
• Summary: Unless the right to life and equality of both the local and the non-local population is preserved and balanced the northeast of India (with a history of these types of conflicts) continues to face challenges of identity and development.
• EXAM QUESTIONS: (1) Comment on the viability and desirability of the new plan for ‘Racial profiling’ of the Chakmas and Hajongs. 

#northeastIndia #chakmas #hajongs  

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