Friday, May 21, 2010

The M-Pen issue

The issues that is burning in the local politics in Arunachal Pradesh is the land row between the Chakmas and the Singphos residing in and around M-Pen. The problem does not seem to be as big as it was made into if precautionary measures had been taken from both the parties. It could be resolved through dialogue involving the concern parties.
The reason for making it into a big issue is that it involved the Chakma community.
We have been reading all the bias report from some of the Arunachalee dailies. But did they bother to hear the opinion of the Chakmas residing in M-Pen? No , because they are landless and refugees ? They took only the opinion of some Singpho leaders , and other students bodies.
How many time a Arunachalee daily reported about the plight of Chakmas, who are leading a miserable life without the facilities of proper education, health care, job, etc? How many times did they report the atrocities meted out to the Chakmas ?
Now the Singpho leaders are claiming that they posses Land Possession Certificate (LPC) .Where was those LPC before 2 years. Just because they have the political and the bureaucracy backing they can get LPC anytime. Which is not the case with the Chakmas .
There are many question to be ask. The whole issues is taking advantage of the administrative power and make the poor, de-enfranchise people to the brinks of landless.
The main occupation of the Chakmas is the agriculture. If the are without left landless , how will they feed themselves ? Nobody can deny the fact that Chakmas are feeding all the people in Diyun and Miao circle with their agricultural products. How many local people of Singpho and Khamti work in their agricultural fields? You can count in your fingers. They all give their agricultural land to the Chakmas for share-cropping.
So, in order to get to the conclusion it is very important to listen to the both side of the story. Here we are listening the version of only one side. While the other side the powerless and without any voice.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Rigging and Booth- Capturing In Arunachal Pradesh

It is very very surprising to wake up early and reading such ridiculous articles about my state. I always thought that people in my state will never do such thing whether they win or loose. But the power hungry politicians in the state can do anything now to win the election. 

“In the days of yore, when rigging and booth-capturing were the order of the day in Bihar, it was not unusual for polling centres to register a voter turnout of 90% and above”

I think the politician in the state are taking lessons  from their counterparts in Bihar…. It is so ridiculous to   see a turnout of more than 100% in the state where the overall voters turnout all over the country is struggling to cross 50% mark.

We hape put Bihar to shame..

Look at the figures below:

Figures released by the office of the Tawang district election officer suggest that the voter turnout in the Luguthang Primary School polling station 108.11%. Other booths in the assembly segment had a similar tale. It was 104.48% in Gyamdomg Medium School, 104.38% in Mirba community hall, 102.70% in Thingbu Medium School, 101.72% in the Kharjung Primary School, 101.56% in the Bomja Primary School polling centre and 100.55% in the Lhou Secondary School. 

Palin recorded -battering turnout. The Korayar polling station, for instance, recorded a 154.08% turnout. It was 136.86% in Kembing, 127.14% in Riaga, 21.13% in Resteriang and 120.40% in Korayar. 

Is our state going the Bihar's way? 

If the situation goes in this direction, then just think 20 years ahead ,what will be the our situation? There will be daylight robery, kidnapping , abduction and so on. The symptoms of which are slowly showing up. Think about it.


Friday, March 20, 2009

INC candidate strive for solution to Chakmas- Hajongs problem

So finally , the INC candidate takam Sanjoy decided to include the Chakma and Hajongs problem in its election manifesto. Which as usual  erupt every time an election is near its corner. But this time they are singing a  different tunes. Which is very commendable.  The  best solution can be reached only through dialogue instead of direct confrontation.

I personally feel that  the Chakmas wants to solve the problem through dialogue involving all the concern parties . Solution which is acceptable to all the parties. The AAPSU, the main agitation party, should understand that a solution can only be reach by peaceful means.  They should come to the table.

During every election whether the Lok Sabha , State assemblies or AAPSU election in the state the candidates use this issue as its main agenda to garner votes .Only using the issue for gaining votes during election and forgetting it afterwards only will add to their woes. In this way both the public as well as the victim will get frustrated thus eroding their faith on them.

Also it is important to know what the BJP says about it since its candidate Kiren Rijiju and Tapir Gao still didn’t mince a word about the issue. We want to hear your opinion Mr. Rajiju ?

During every election time, great words are being said by the candidate that when they are voted to power they will solve the Chakma and Hajongs  issue. How many of them really want to solve the problem for all?

Mr. Sanjoy  promised to strive to solve the Chakma-Hajong issue if elected. “The Chakma and Hajong issue has been put on the backburner. But I will work earnestly to find a solution to the imbroglio by initiating a dialogue among the Centre, state government, Chakma leaders and the representatives of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union,” he added.

Mr. Sanjoy , we  don’t want you to only  “STRIVE TO SOLVE ”  but to "SOLVE" it.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Denial of Voting Rights to the Chakmas and Hajongs Of Arunachal Pradesh

As the time for 15th Lok Sabha election is nearing, everybody in the country is gearing for the elections. This time the mood is different from the previous elections. The situation has changed after the Mumbai attack. Now even the corporate sectors is encouraging its employees to exercise their voting rights, helping them to get their name enrolled in the voters list.
But far away for the attention of the mainstream nation news lies the plight of two communities, Chakmas and Hajongs, who are struggling for gaining citizenship's and voting rights. Their lives is torment between the questions of Indian or refugee. Their faith is slowly eroding from the Indian justice system. The Election Commission Of India which claim to be a fair and independent body has not even able to enforce its order on the Arunachal Pradesh Election Commission ,which in a way work for the state government and changes colour at the whims of them. As the saying goes justice delayed is justice denied. The are struggling from the last 48 years to lead a life of a responsible and proud citizen of India. How long will justice elude these communities ?

The following is a report by Asian Centre for Human Rights, a leading NGO based in Delhi:
http://www.achrweb.org/countries/india.htm

III. Denial of voting rights to the
Chakmas and Hajongs

In June 2007, the State government of Arunachal Pradesh headed by Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu formed a high powered committee to find out an amicable solution to the Chakma-Hajong issue. The high powered committee headed by Speaker of the Arunachal Pradesh legislative Assembly, Setong Sena and includes, among others, all four members of legislative Assembly of the Chakma-Hajong inhabited Assembly Constituencies as members.Both the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) and the Committee for Citizenship Rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh (CCRCHAP) welcomed the establishment of the Committee.
At the same time, over 12,000 Chakma and Hajong eligible voters continued to be denied enrollment into electoral rolls. Electoral activities in the four Chakma-Hajong inhabited Assembly Constituencies of 14-Doimukh, 46-Chowkham,
49-Bordumsa-Diyun and 50- miao remained suspended as a result of complaints of bias on the part of the local electoral officials.On 6 September 2007, the Election
Commission of India revoked the suspension and ordered the conduct of Special Summary
Revision of electoral rolls. The Election Commission issued specific guidelines as to how to conduct the revision of electoral rolls in the Chakma and Hajong areas. As earlier, the local electoral officials who are
also employees of the State government of Arunachal Pradesh did not comply with the guidelines and instead they imposed their own directions to ensure that even the 1,497 previously enrolled voters were deleted. As many as 36 out of 326 enrolled voters were deleted from 14-Chowkham Assembly Constituency even before beginning of the Special Summary Revision 2007. In 49-Bordumsa-Diyun and 50-miao
Assembly Constituencies several Chakma villages were not even officially informed about the revision process and were informed only after the Election Commission of India issued specific instructions following complaints from the Committee for Citizenship Rights of the Chakmas of Arunachal Pradesh. The Chakma and Hajong claimants were subjected to harassment, humiliation and were openly
discriminated by electoral officers led by the Deputy Commissioner of Changlang district Hage Batt, who has been designated as Electoral Registration Officer of 49- Bordumsa-Diyun and 50-miao Assembly Constituencies. Instead of conducting the hearing of claims and objections at Diyun, Mr Batt sat at Bordumsa, which is 60 kilometers away from Diyun. As there were no means of transportation between Bordumsa and Diyun, none out of 7,311
Chakma and Hajong claimants from Diyun Circle could appear for hearing. The hearings were re-held at Diyun only after the Election Commission intervened on complaints from the Committee for Citenship Rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh (CCRCHAP).
Taking cognizance of these violations of its guidelines by the local electoral officials, the Election Commission of India deputed two teams to the four Chakma-Hajong inhabited Assembly Constituencies. But justice continues to elude the Chakma and Hajong citizens as the Election Commission has again failed them. In February 2008, the Election Commission ordered the publication of final rolls in three of the four Assembly Constituencies (14-Doimukh, 46-Chowkham, and 50-miao). 49-Bordumsa-Diyun remained in abeyance until further orders. Out of about one thousand eligible voters, the names of only 201 claimants were included in the electoral rolls in 14-Doimukh while in 46-Chowkham, out of more than 1400 new claimants the names of only 14 were enrolled and names of 44 previously enrolled voters deleted. Similarly in 50-miao, only 1 out of about 4500 new claimants was included in the electoral roll.The Election Commission of India assured the CCRCHAP that it would send 2 more teams to Itanagar to examine claimants’documentation from 49-Bordumsa-Diyun. At the end of the year, the Election Commission of India had failed to enforce its guidelines.

For verifying the claim please Check:
http://ceoarunachal.nic.in

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Where is The Solution?

Its been almost 10 months since Prime Minister visited Arunachal Pradesh . On his visit he promised many development packages for the state. The most important amongst it was the Rs. 55,00 crores 1,840-km trans-Arunachal Pradesh highway that will stretch from Tawang to Mahadevpur. Once this highway will be built it will be a big respite and a boom for the people of the state. Till now the movement of citizens from one part of the state to another part depends on the moods of Assam. I would say if moods because you never know when there will be bandh in Assam. It like that Assam is always under mood swings.
Another important decision for the development of the state was to put the the state in the rail map.

But can Arunachal Pradesh be really a peaceful and achieve what it want to in terms of education, infrastructure, health care, etc without including the Chakmas and Hajongs. That is a big questions? Can a state take stride towards development leaving a section of its citizen behind ? I don't think so.

The state government should accept the Chakmas and Hajongs as its citizen. Their problem is more of a political problem. The leaders in the state lacks visions to solve the problem . There is no leader to take bold steps leaving behind the communal feeling and taking into consideration the reality.

The Chakma- Hajong problem must be solve as soon as possible before it is too late and get complicated. All the concern parties should be taken into consideration.

In 2007, when Chief minister Khandu Dorjee came to power he constituted a high- power committee headed by Assembly Speaker Setong Sena and MLAs from Chakma inhabitant areas. It was welcome by both the AAPSU (All Arunachal Pradesh Student Union), the major party spearheading the anti-Chakma agitation, and CCRCAP(Committee for Citizenship Rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh ). The AAPSU welcome the decision thinking that at last the politicians woke up to their call to drive the Chakmas out of the state while the CCRCAP welcome thinking otherwise. The CCRCAP thought that finally the politicians will take the call to solve the problem. Now both the parties are unsatisfied since the committee didn't took any decision till date. If the committee can not reach a decision even after one and half year then what is the point of forming a committee ? It shows the lack of apathy of the state politicos.
Again during the prime minister's visit to the state in February 2008, the Chief Minister requested the PM to form a high- power committee to solve the problem. What happen to the previous high power committee that was constituted in June 2007?
When will the state politicians and the AAPSU will wake up and try to solve the problem once and for all for the betterment of Arunachal Pradesh.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Clearing The Dark Cloud

I was reading about the abduction of some members of Kathan Village by the Chakmas as reported by the media in Arunachal Pradesh. The reports by the Arunachal Times was biased against the Chakmas. It was a propaganda tool by the AAPSU (All Arunachal Pradesh Student Union) and Arunachal Citizens Rights (ACR)to create xenophobia in the state.
But in order to make a judgment it was important to know the view from the Chakmas also. What really happen? What was the problem? The Conflict was only between the members of the two villages. Then why trying to blame the whole community? Why trying to start a conflicts between the two neighbors who were having a harmonious relations?
I was really eager to know what really happen on 4th October. Since the whole community was blamed by the AAPSU(All Arunachal Pradesh Student Union) and Arunachal Citizens Rights (ACR).
All these years there was no major conflicts regarding land between the Mishmis and the Chakmas. They were staying as good neighbors.
The reason of conflict this time was regarding land. The land happens to fall between the boundary of Changlang and Lohit District.The land was allotted to the Chakmas from the time they came to Arunachal Pradesh. They were staying there since.
But now the villagers of Kathan claimed it to be their land. The conflict started from last year. And on 4th October , a mob from Kathan village torch the house of the Chakmas residing in that land. While running away after burning the houses , the Chakma villager caught 6 members of them. They kept them for a night but without harming them physically. But to hand over to the police the next day. That was what transpired. That was the incident that the AAPSU and ACR groups were claiming that the Santhi Vahini ,a Chakma militant group, abducted six members of Kathan village.
There is no such Chakma militant group in Arunachal. Those people who caught them are simple and unarmed villagers.
I hope the dark cloud over the incidence get clear after reading this. Now, it is the responsibility of the village heads from both the side to discuss the problem and reach an amicable solutions. There may be some misunderstanding from both side.
Such incidences can be solve by discussion among the villagers.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Neigbours

Its been a long time since i wrote anything in my blog. Now, i have got some space to breath and i wanted to devote some time on my blog . I had been thinking a lot about the topic i want to write. Finally i decided to write about the tribes around whose surrounding i been brought up. I had grown up seeing mainly Khamtis , Singphos , Deoris and Tangsas. I never knew about other tribes in Arunachal until l i started going to Middle School. But till now I i know about all the tribes of the state.
Mainly, i will concentrate on the economic, cultural, educational conditions of Singphos and Khmatis vis-a-vis the Chakmas. I am not here to demean , ridicule or make a judgment on any community but to write about the reality.
I wrote a lot about my people. What i like about the Chakmas of Arunachal is that they are very hard working people. Their aspiration in this adversities. Their believe in fate. Their optimistic thinking, which is really to be proud of .

Singphos are our immediate neighbors. They are Buddhist by religion. They are very known for arts and crafts. They are very able blacksmiths. Which you can see in their tradition swords and knife.
I think the interaction of Chakmas with Singphos is more than between any other tribes. The Chakmas are lucky to be their neighbour. Religion is acting as a binding factor between the two communities. In the last four and half decades the has been any inter community marriages between the two communities. Beings Buddhist they are a peace loving community. There were no major conflicts between the two communities except a few unfortunate incidence , incited by some anti- social elements.
I think one of the major problem that is ailing their society is the drug abuse mainly heroine , against which the whole community should fight. Drug abuse is like a time bomb, which if not diffuse on time will inhale the society the way the the abuser inhale the smoke. In order to overcome this menace , the collective effort of the society is required . It will be the responsibility of the responsible youth to lead the campaign with the help from the leaders, elderly people .
In the field of education, they are also lagging behind. Their literacy rate is not commendable. Though the situation is changing slowly. More parents are emphasizing in education . Which is visible in the annual school reports.
Comparing with the condition of the two communities, I don't see a sea of difference in the socioeconomic condition of the majority of the populace, except in the political sphere.
Their is no much of a difference in the village conditions. In many of the Singpho villages , there
are no metallic roads. Even if there are roads but they are not being repair for a long time which is as good as having no roads. A very good example is the Diyun-Namsai road. The road is very important for the economic development of the area. The road cut across the areas of the Khamtis , Singphos and Deoris finally ending in the Chakmas areas. Being only of 32 km , it takes more than 2 hours to travel from Namsai to Diyun thus giving a average speed of only 14-16 km/hr. Just imagine!!! It is as good as riding on a cycle. How will the economic condition of the people living in this areas will increase , if the major road connecting to their areas is in such a pathetic state of condition? If there is problems in the transportation and communication , how will people sell their product to the outside markets? Agriculture being the main occupation of the people, they expect to sell their product to the outside market thus giving the much needed money.