AITF demands special assembly session on Chakma Hajong issue
Itanagar
In the backdrop of decision to grant citizenship to Chakma & Hajong in the state, the Arunachal Indigenous tribes Forum (AITF) on Friday has urged the state government to summon a special session of the assembly over the burning refugee issue and pass an emergency ordinance or adopt resolution that could be thereafter passed in Parliament against the supreme court illogical order.
AITF, Chairman, Bengia Tolum at a press conference held here at Arunachal Press Club on behalf of all Community based organizations (CBOs) expressed strong objection of the proposed granting of citizenship to Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state and affirmed not to share any inch of tribal’s land with the refugees in any circumstances even if it’s a Supreme Court order.
Tolum clarified that the forum is not against the granting of citizenship to Refugees, but asserted that if given citizenship then government who dumped them in the state in 1960s must shift them back to any where but not in our state as Arunachal is a ST state.
Tolum said that the state government need to call a special assembly session and pass an ordinance or resolution and send a clear cut message that refugees are not indigenous people and will be never allowed to settle in Arunachal just like what Tamilian had done to protect its age-old traditional game Jallikatu.
Objecting the Tibetan Rehabilitation policy (TRP) along with proposed creation of 100 posts of Bodhi teachers, Tolum while categorically rejecting the policy has advised rather formulating such policies, the state government should first came up with a proper State education and language policy considering the fact that there are many indigenous tribal languages recognized and notified by the state government as third language and they should be first taken into consideration but felt to understand why the GoAP is taking up the refugee issue.
Tolum alleged the people of the state are Puzzled with the statement given by Rijiju on Media over the refugee issue.
“We are puzzled whose side he is working for ,our people or for the refugees as sometimes he expressed helplessness due to supreme court order, while sometimes vouched to protect the land. His statements in media are self contradictory,” Tolum alleged.
Further condemning all MPs of the state for deliberately failing to do nothing to safeguard the state at this hour of crisis, Tolum while questioning their integrity has expressed pain that all MPs are keeping silent on the issue and alleged that are being elected as MP by people not to sit on the chair, but to do something for the development for the state Tolum said.
The centre must also realize the future impact keeping the fact the Arunachal is purely tribal inhabited area after refugees are granted citizenship jeopardize the indigenous population, resulting social unrest in near future. And any modifications or framework violating the provisions of Bengal Eastern Frontier regulation Act 1873 will not be accepted by us, Tolum further added.
The AITF chairman also expressed resentment for not giving an appointment despite several request letters submitted to CM office as the government is parent and they need to hear our pain but failed and wanted that the pain may reach though media
Furthermore the AITF also urged the government to expedite the Green field airport project, for which the technical expert’s has already given approval to construct the airport at Hollongi long back and demanded handing over the works to Civil avaiation department and the Airport authority of India for early start the dream project.
