ACR raises questions on forest rights and refugee issues, AAPSU reacts
ITANAGAR, Oct 6: Arunachal Citizens Rights (ACR) expressed concern at the reported abduction of hundreds of indigenous Mishmis and forceful confinement of six by Chakmas at Anandpur in Changlang district is a grave indication of the confrontation between the local people of Arunachal Pradesh and unsolicited settlement of Chakma refugees in the state by the Union Govt. A problem for which, a solution is long overdue.
'The alleged encroachment into NamdaTaneebrotherhoodpha Wildlife Sanctuary by the Chakma settlers and the inaction of the Govt to confine them to their designated camps is another serious concern that the Govt is sleeping over. Had the encroachers been indigenous people, the authorities would have swiftly evicted them without thinking twice. But the failure to take any action on the refugees, who have encroached into a Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a National Park and a Tiger Project, and even after reports of abduction of local people under gun-point exposes the 'fear of the unknown' harbored by the authorities. While the incident proves the extremities that the Chakma settlers are willing to resort to, inaction on part of the Govt exposes its weakness in dealing with a situation that has now become only an election issue.
At the same time, criticism is equally liable on the state govt and its leaders for failing from all fronts on this particular issue.
'AAPSU isn't wrong in pointing out what is stopping the state govt to take up the issue with the central govt. Both the govts are of the Congress. Till now the state govt should have been able to convince the central leaders on the gravity of the issue and find a solution. It always takes a serious incident like a murder of a circle officer and a ZPM, assault on a forest officer or abduction of hundreds of people under gun-point for the authorities to take notice. Noticeably and unfortunately the authorities have, as of now, grown lethargic to such incidents, said its chairperson Bamang Tago.
The Govt could very well pursue the matter with central leaders all the time, not waiting for an unsavory incident to occur. Continuous talks, persuasions, representations and resolutions in this regard would have at least made the Center take notice and may be finally give a decision in favour of the indigenous people of the state. But the state govt and its mandarins have just failed to do so.
When a cabinet sub-committee was constituted by the state govt to study the Chakma issue, a ray of hope had flickered in. Unfortunately, the committee is yet to come out with a solution. If it is not possible for the committee to arrive at any conclusion on the issue, its existence on paper is a farce and better to do away with it.
On the other hand, the central govt has failed to live up to the expectations of the people not only of Arunachal Pradesh but of the whole North East. It has passed several acts and enactments formulated by people sitting in the cozy rooms of New Delhi without taking into confidence the people who would be actually affected by the enactments, particularly those of the indigenous communities. Even when consulted, recommendations from indigenous societies have hardly found any place in the final draft of the bills later passed without much deliberation by the Parliament. One such bill passed recently that has a major impact on the indigenous people of the North East is the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006. Objections and recommendations from civil societies and intellectuals from the region were never incorporated in the final bill. The state govt hardly had any say in its formulation. It won't be wrong if a perception is made that the state govt didn't even go through it.
The first objection in the Act in question is that it does not define what it means by 'Other Traditional Forest Dwellers'. In a state like Arunachal Pradesh where all tribes come under the 6th Schedule proclaiming them as scheduled tribes, the identity of Other Traditional Forest Dwellers becomes very vague. Does it mean all those coming from outside the state, including the Chakmas and Hajongs, settled in the forests as rightful traditional forest dwellers with rights on forest lands that traditionally belong to the indigenous people? Big question that was never thought of by the state govt.
The Act then provides rights over forest land to all forest dwellers including those called as 'Traditional Forest Dwellers' besides the scheduled tribes, who have been occupying the land till before December 13, 2005. Now, 2005 is comparatively a very recent year, which means almost all the Chakma and Hajong refugees as well as people from other states of the country residing in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh (which is almost 80% of the total land) would have right over the land occupied by them and the resources from it. The Act, in a sense, is contradictory to the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873 already in force in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Another initiative of the Central Govt that goes against the interest of indigenous people is the EIA Regulations, which takes away the right of the state from its forests and natural resources.
If the state govt doesn't have any say on its forests and natural resources, how can it safeguard the interests of its people? Hoping the same from the central govt is expecting a lot from an unexpected quarter.
The state govt has to wake up from its deep slumber and stand up to such regulations and enactments that would go against the interest and welfare of its indigenous people before it is too late, a statement read.
On the other hand, All Arunachal Pradesh Student's Union (A.A.P.S.U) expressed grave concern over the statement made by police that the police department have no knowledge of the abductions of students in connection with the kidnapping of 6(six) students leaders from Kathan village in Lohit district by Chakma refugees on October 4 last as carried in certain local dailies of the state.
The union decry's the loose statement and is at loss of words to describe the version of the police department when the whole of the state came to know about the unfortunate incident within a short span of time.
We are apprehensive that such loose comments would embolden the criminal activities and are often used by these refugees in national and international forum as documents to argue their point.
The union urged upon the officials who are at the helm of affairs to have the audacity and courage to spell out the truth and tell the whole world what these refugees are up to and the dangerous real life Dramas these people are enacting in the guise of Refugees.

The Arunachal Times, 7 October 2008.