The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) has filed a complaint seeking intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against “false prosecution” of Chakma human rights activists.
The Chakma organisation alleged that activists – Kantimoni Chakma, Shanti Mohan Chakma, Sukra Chakma, Sunil Chakma, Sumar Jeevan Chakma and Himanta Chakma of Dharmapur village under Miao circle in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh were “falsely prosecuted” by the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) – Sunny Singh vide his order “dated 10th February 2022 under Section 188 CrPC with respect to alleged violation of Section 144 CrPC”.
In its complaint to the NHRC, the CDFI stated that “on 08.02.2022, Mr Sunny Singh told Diyun Times that he had admittedly not gone to erect the pillars. If the pillars were not erected, the question of removal does not arise.”
“Instead of identifying the real accused, the ADC initiated proceedings against a new person i.e. Shri Shanti Moni Chakma, Headman, Dharmapur-II village and started acting as the complaint, judge and jury,” a release from the CDFI claimed.
It added: “Without conducting any inquiry as to whether the alleged offence was committed after the imposition of Section 144 CrPC, the ADC issued the proceedings under Section 188 CrPC which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and prohibited under law.”
“The Chakmas and neighbouring communities have been living peacefully for the last five decades peacefully and the Buri Dihing River was the recognized natural boundary between Dharmapur in the North and neighbouring Neoton village in the South. However, a problem started in November 2021 when the Chakma villagers of Dharmapur allegedly stopped one of the leaders of Neoton village, from illegally quarrying of boulders/stones from the new canal situated inside Dharmapur village for commercial supply to an illegal stone boulder/crusher nearby. The ADC instead of inquiring into the illegal quarrying sought to draw illegal and arbitrary boundary pillars between the two villages,” said Suhas Chakma, founder of the CDFI.
The CDFI requested the NHRC to direct the Arunachal Pradesh government and Miao ADC to “stop harassment of the Chakma community human rights defenders, ensure the respect for the Supreme Court judgment in National Human Rights Commission Vs State of Arunachal Pradesh… in letter and spirit, initiate the Contempt of Court proceedings against ADC Mr Sunny Singh for indirectly violating and scandalising the Supreme Court judgment in National Human Rights Commission Vs State of Arunachal Pradesh and Anr of 9 January 1996; and direct the Director General of Investigation of the NHRC to conduct an inquiry into illegal commercial quarrying from Buri Dihing river under Miao circle, Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh”.