Chakma-Hajong refugee imbroglio
ITANAGAR | Apr 28 | The 5th Joint High Powered Committee (JHPC) on Chakma and Hajong refugee issue, held a meeting chaired by MoHA joint secretary (NE) Satyendra stock Garg here on Friday, to take stock of the situation.
A team of All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) led by president Hawa Bagang, after attending the meeting, in a press statement, said that state’s indigenous people will never accept granting of citizenship rights to Chakma and Hajong refugees. It demanded that there should be no fresh enrollment of Chakma-Hajong in electoral rolls.
The meeting was attended by MHA joint secretary (foreigners) Anil Malik, state home secretary GS Meena, DCs, PCCF, AAPSU executive members, legal advisors Nabam Jollaw and Marto Karto, and representatives of Chakma and Hajong organisations.
“We demand immediate deletion of all names of Chakma-Hajong refugees enrolled in electoral rolls, since they are not citizens of India. Fresh enrollment should not be allowed till the matter of granting citizenship rights to them is not resolved,” the release said. Citing legal provisions that protect state’s people, Bagang expressed concern over the high rise in refugees’ population to 3 lakh now.
Highlighting their criminal activities of the refugees, the union, quoting latest records, claimed that 493 cases were registered against them while number of cases has recorded manifold increase during 2011 to 2017, particularly encroachment of reserved forest areas.
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“The GoI, in consultation with the GoAP, must identify and verify the applicants, who have applied for citizenship and put on record all their criminal activities,” it said and asked the GoAP to issue clear-cut instructions to district authorities concerned not to issue any kind of official document (PRC, TRC, LPC, birth certificate, etc) to them “without prior approval of the GoaAP.” The GoAP should “identify original 57 Chakma families and identify who are Hajongs.
“Since the application for granting of citizenship is under consideration, the GoAP must issue strict instructions to Chakma-Hajong to settle only in the designated refugee camp,” it said, adding that rampant deforestation of reserve forest areas and illegal hunting of rare species there must be stopped and those involved in such cases be punished.
It also demanded constitution of a committee for hearing and verifying migrants with refugee cards, who had entered the state between 1964 and 1969, and who should be kept in designated camps/areas. The illegal migrants should be sent out of the state.
It demanded to know from the Centre whether the Chakma-Hajong are refugees, displaced people, or illegal migrants. The Chakma & Hajong students have formed an underground insurgent group – Arunachal Pradesh Deprived People Forum – to terrorize local indigenous people and Indians.“Such groups should be banned and action should be initiated against them,” it said.
AONS adds: It may be recalled that lawmaker Pani Taram on the floor of the assembly on March 12 last had asked as to why 1,798 applications of Chakma & Hajong refugees were recommended to the GoI to grant citizenship as per SC order of 17.09.15 as the assembly had resolved not to grant them citizenship within Arunachal territory?
Home Minister Kumar Waii had clarified that those recommendations were given before the assembly adopted the resolution.
In a supplementary, C T Mein wanted to know steps being taken to evict more than 2,000 Chakma refugees living in Diyun reserve forest besides identify all illegal refugees? Waii informed that the DCs of affected districts have been directed to conduct assessment and actions would be taken on receipts of reports.
The Supreme Court on March 12 last had granted special leave petition (SLP) filed by the AAPSU against 19.03.13 verdict of Gauhati High Court division bench (PIL No. 52/2010). The SLP was filed on 06.11.15 along with application for condonation of delay of 823 days in Chakma-Hajong case, AAPSU claimed in a release.
Though the HC had dismissed AAPSU’s PIL by refusing to interfere with additional guidelines of 23.05.05 and 03.10.07 issued by Election Commission of India for inclusion of Chakma-Hajong refugees’ names in Arunachal electoral rolls.
Assailing legality of validity of ECI additional guidelines for special summary revision of electoral rolls to include Chakma-Hajong in Doimukh, Chowkham, Bordumsa-Diyun and Miao Assembly constituencies, AAPSU had filed the PIL.
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