Chakma refugees still virtually stateless
February 10, 2008
UJI Correspondent
Dharmapur: Ever increasing population of Chakmas refugees settled in Arunachal Pradesh is becoming a major concern in the administration of Arunachal Pradesh. The Chakmas who had migrated from Bangladesh and Tripura during the early 80`s predominantly occupied Dharamapur village in Miao district of Arunachal Pradesh at present.
The populations of Chakma refugees which are concentrated mainly in the Miao district have crossed more than 90,000 against the population of about 1.3 million Arunachali`s. The population of Chakma refugees in Miao district is at least double the population of original sub-tribes of Arunachal Pradesh now.
The refugees, though they now dominate demographically in Miao district of the state, have not yet been able to claim their fundamental rights as the government of Arunachal Pradesh still does not recognize them as citizens. Some 5000 of them have however been given the voting rights at present by the Arunachal Pradesh Government, though they are not given candidature rights. As a matter of fact the status of the Chakma refugees there remains unchanged as they still practice nomadic and primitive lifestyle.
The settlement villages of the Chakma refugees being located in extreme isolated from the Miao district headquarter, there was no proper approach road from the rest of the state to reach their camps - Dharampur part-I,II and III, - and no electricity, no water supply, no health care facilities and no schools in all three refugee camps. And the people there have been taught the lesson of Bodhgaya by the Buddhist Monks, as all Chakmas refugees there follow the Buddhism as their religion since they settle there.
Being spent rest of their life in primitive ways their livelihood depends mainly on cultivation and hunting in nearby jungles. It seems, like dreams for the people of Chakmas seeing the sophisticated video cameras and laptop carried by a team of researchers from German and young Journalists from all over the states went there for study tour organized by the Panos Asia.
In the meantime, while interacting with elders of Chakmas refugees who spoke in Assamese language expressed their opinions to be a recognized as citizen of the Arunachal state so that they can enjoy every fundamental rights and will improve their social, political and economic status.
They said they are not blaming to the Arunachal Pradesh government for the status which they have been living with and they knew they are refugees but the struggle to achieve their goals constitutionally to get the status of rightfull citizens is only their sole objective the Chakmas claimed.
February 10, 2008
UJI Correspondent
Dharmapur: Ever increasing population of Chakmas refugees settled in Arunachal Pradesh is becoming a major concern in the administration of Arunachal Pradesh. The Chakmas who had migrated from Bangladesh and Tripura during the early 80`s predominantly occupied Dharamapur village in Miao district of Arunachal Pradesh at present.
The populations of Chakma refugees which are concentrated mainly in the Miao district have crossed more than 90,000 against the population of about 1.3 million Arunachali`s. The population of Chakma refugees in Miao district is at least double the population of original sub-tribes of Arunachal Pradesh now.
The refugees, though they now dominate demographically in Miao district of the state, have not yet been able to claim their fundamental rights as the government of Arunachal Pradesh still does not recognize them as citizens. Some 5000 of them have however been given the voting rights at present by the Arunachal Pradesh Government, though they are not given candidature rights. As a matter of fact the status of the Chakma refugees there remains unchanged as they still practice nomadic and primitive lifestyle.
The settlement villages of the Chakma refugees being located in extreme isolated from the Miao district headquarter, there was no proper approach road from the rest of the state to reach their camps - Dharampur part-I,II and III, - and no electricity, no water supply, no health care facilities and no schools in all three refugee camps. And the people there have been taught the lesson of Bodhgaya by the Buddhist Monks, as all Chakmas refugees there follow the Buddhism as their religion since they settle there.
Being spent rest of their life in primitive ways their livelihood depends mainly on cultivation and hunting in nearby jungles. It seems, like dreams for the people of Chakmas seeing the sophisticated video cameras and laptop carried by a team of researchers from German and young Journalists from all over the states went there for study tour organized by the Panos Asia.
In the meantime, while interacting with elders of Chakmas refugees who spoke in Assamese language expressed their opinions to be a recognized as citizen of the Arunachal state so that they can enjoy every fundamental rights and will improve their social, political and economic status.
They said they are not blaming to the Arunachal Pradesh government for the status which they have been living with and they knew they are refugees but the struggle to achieve their goals constitutionally to get the status of rightfull citizens is only their sole objective the Chakmas claimed.
posted by Ven. Pragya Jyoti at 5:08 AM
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