Protect rights of Chakmas & Hajongs: NHRC tells Centre, Arunachal government

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Centre and the Arunachal Pradesh government to submit an action report against “racial profiling” of the Chakma and Hajong communities in the state. 

The NHRC has given the Centre and the Arunachal Pradesh government a timeframe of six weeks to ensure protection of human rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs in the state. 

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The NHRC passed the directive based on a complaint filed by the Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI). 

The CDFI sought NHRC’s intervention into the proposed “illegal census” of the Chakmas and the Hajongs. 

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This “illegal census” of the Chakmas and the Hajongs, which was scheduled to begin from December 11 last year was allegedly proposed to be carried out for “racial profiling” of 65,000 people belonging to the Chakma and Hajong communities of Arunachal Pradesh. 

The “illegal census” was allegedly proposed to be carried out for “deportation, expulsion or relocation” of the people belonging to the Chakma and Hajong communities from the state. 

The Buddhist Chakmas and Hindu Hajongs settled in Arunachal Pradesh in the 1960s following a calamity in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). 

Notably, the Supreme Court in January 1996, had declared the Chakmas and Hajongs as citizens of India. 

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“The recent measures with respect to the Chakmas and Hajongs are contrary to the laws of the land,” the CDFI said. 

It added: “Instead of complying with the Supreme Court judgments, the state government initiated their racial profiling.” 

The CDFI also slammed union law minister Kiren Rijiju, who is a BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh, for “repeatedly advocating their (Chakmas and Hajongs) forcible relocation”.