Chakma-Hajong Issue: Background, Current Status

For many years, Arunachal Pradesh is crippled with two separate refugee related issues viz. Chakma-Hajong and Tibetan Refugees. The crux of the issue is that central government / judiciary have mandated to settle them in the state while the locals are protesting.

Chakma-Hajong Refugees

Chakmas are Buddhist and Hazongs are Hindu refugees from East Pakistan, who prior to partition, lived in the Chittagong Hill Tract and the Mairnen Singh districts (now in Bangladesh). From partition till 1970s, some of the Hindu, Buddhist and other tribals fled from their original habitats to India and spread into North-Eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. These people had to flee due to two reasons viz. religious persecution in Pakistan; and displacement caused by the Kaptai Hydel Power Project {in Bangladesh now} in 1960s. Since then, they were treated differently in different states and today, there are three categories of Chakmas / Hajongs in India:

• A small fraction of these people who settled in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura got citizenship rights and ST status.
• Even smaller fractions that live in south-west Mizoram along the Chittagong Hill Tract region enjoy district level autonomy to plan and implement their own development schemes.
• Large fraction of Chakma and Hajongs that were moved to a vacant land in NEFA (now Arunachal Pradesh) got tangled into political issues and are still foreigners.

The Governments / Judiciary Stance

Initially, the Central government had decided to move the Chakmas and Hajongs to Tirap division of the NEFA. There are a few evidences to show that this decision was taken after discussion with NEFA administration, which was unelected that time. This area was chosen for two reasons. First, it was mostly vacant land; and second that too much land on border areas should not remain vacant, and some kind of development / occupation should be there.

Initially, they were settled as refugees but in 1972, a joint statement by India and Bangladesh Prime Ministers said that these people will be granted citizenship under section 5(1) of the Citizenship Act (citizenship by birth). By this time (1972), political parties had emerged in Arunachal Pradesh. Thus, the 1972 joint statement was met with protests in the state. All-Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) launched the ‘Refugee Go Back Movement’ aimed at deporting all the Chakmas and Hajong refugees from the state.

By the time Arunachal Pradesh became a full-fledged state in 1987, AAPSU had built up a strong movement. In the meantime, the population of these people rose from some 15000 in 1964-65 to over 60,000 in 1995. A petition was filed in Supreme Court by National Human Rights Commission. In 1996, Supreme Court gave its verdict and ruled out any forcible eviction of Chakmas and Hajongs. The central government then set up the S B Chavan committee to look into the issue. This committee recommended granting them Indian citizenship but this was vehemently opposed. The state government also opposed the central government / SC stance and this opposition continues even today.

Stance of Arunachal Pradesh State Government

The Arunachal Pradesh state government’s stance in Supreme Court is that settlements of the outsiders in its territory would affect the demography and stretch the limited resources.

Stance of Central Government

In 2015, the Supreme Court again directed the centre to confer citizenship to these refugees. Arunachal Pradesh government approached the SC review its order but Supreme Court rejected it. After this, both the central and state governments have started consultations to find an amicable solution to the issue.

Stance of Political Parties / AAPSU

The political parties in state are unanimous that the permanent settlement and citizenship to Chakma and Hajongs would dilute the constitutional safeguards provided to indigenous tribes of Arunachal Pradesh and will pose a danger from outsiders. This would also contravene the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, Scheduled District Act, 1874, Assam Frontier Tract Regulation, 1880, Assam Frontier Forest Regulation, 1891, Chin Hills Regulations, 1896, and Assam Frontier (Administration & Justice) Regulation, 1945 (1 of 1945); which protect the locals.

Current Status

The Chakma and Hajongs have continued to stay in the state but still facing discrimination and violence including quit notices. Currently, they are settled in Chowkham in the Lohit district; Miao, Bordumsa, and Diyun in the Changlang district; and Balijan and Kokila in the Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh.