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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

SOME FACTS ON THE CHAKMA COMMUNITY IN MIZORAM - A Critical Study of their Problems

Compiled by: Suman Chakma, Borapansury (CADC), Mizoram


                                                                 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
      At the most, I would like to thanks the Editorial Board of North-East India Chakma Students and Youth Federation (NEICSYF),which was established in the year 1995 under the leadership of Dangu S.Jiban Chakma. H.Q: Silchar, Cachar, Assam. Who has published this article in its first Annual Magazine named "SAWJAG" which literally means "Awareness". However, the organization is now unrecognized due to some delinquency.
    I am obliged to Dangu L.B. Chakma, the writer of this precise topic who has made every efforts to provide us in details in a nutshell about the problems of the Chakmas in Mizoram. Who was the then Art & Cultural Officer, Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC), Kamalanagar, Mizoram.



'The bigger fishes swallowed the small fishes' is the term used to describe the attitude of a  major community on the smaller communities; when the major community try to annihilate the smaller communities-politically, culturally, economically or religiously. The term is going to fit perfectly on the chakma community in Mizoram for the treatment being given to them by the major communty, the Mizos.

    The present political scenario in Mizoram is seen to revolve around the peace loving ethnic Chakmas. They have now become a delicate subject of politics. Every Mizo politician, leaders and organisations now use the Chakmas as their weapon to gain popularity and power. The only political issue which suits the Mizos seems to be only the 'Chakma Issue'. The politicians and leaderships are keeping no stone unturned to prove the Chakmas as illegal infiltrators and foreigners in every newspapers, magazines and other correspondence the Chakmas are now branded as 'Foreigners' and 'Illegal Infiltrators'. Every efforts are active to stripe the Chakmas even from their fundamental right of citizenship. Their names are being deleted from the Electoral rolls to show them as 'Foreigners'. They have become poorest of all communities in Mizoram and the developmental and family oriented schemes practically reached them very few. An administrative conspiracy is being going on to deprive them from their rights and privileges.

      All the administrative offices are occupied by mizo officials in Mizoram and it is very easy for them to give effect to any conspiracy against the Chakmas. The representation of the Chakma community in the form of job holders is almost NIL. There is only one Gazetted officer and two UDCs in the whole Mizoram Civil Administration. There is also no reservation of job or seats for higher and technical education like MBBS, engineering etc. for the Chakma community.

       The fact that there is not a single bank, treasury or sub-post office in the Chakma inhabited area is a best example to show how the Chakmas are deprived from facilities and privileges. After its existence or the last twenty seven years, there is no any post-office, bank, treasury or metal road in the whole Chakma Autonomous District Council area. Perhaps Chawngte Sub-Division (Chakma Autonomous District Council Area) is the only civil sub-division in India where there is no bank, treasury, post-office or other facilities. The head quarters of the Chakma Autonomous District Council, Kamalanagar always remain cut off during the Rainy Season for not having any bridge or metal road. A policy of deprivation of the Chakmas is always active in Mizoram.


          CAUSES OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CHAKMAS AND THE MIZOS


   The present situation of Chakmas hatred by the Mizos did not exist earlier. The Mizo people were very kind and loving on the Chakmas. They helped them liberally whenever their assistance was in need. There are many instances where the Mizos helped and guided the Chakmas for community welfare, pursuance of Govt. facilities. They also helped the Chakmas on natural calamities, accidents etc. without any communal feelings. The Chakmas also extended their love and friendship with their traditional hospitality and affection.

    The relation between the Mizos and the Chakmas started to sour after the Mizo uprising in 1966. In the 1966 Mizo uprising the Chakmas helped the security forces with supply of porters and guides. The Mizo blame the Chakmas for not taking part in their fight for a independent Mizoram. Many Mizos still blame the Chakmas for their role on the torture caused by the security forces for extraction of hide out of MNF. It is also a fact that the Mizos never took the Chakmas in their confidence for the fight for a independence Mizoram. It is also a fact that many Mizos still remember with gratitude for the help extended by the Chakma guides in freeing them from the custody of security forces.

     There are also instances where the MNF killed Chakmas and burnt their houses at Gorosora and other places. Some Chakma criminals also killed one pastor and his companions in 1966 near Dibblibagh.

    The main causes of differences between the Chakmas and the Mizos is believed to be the differences in religious beliefs. The Chakmas are traditional followers of Buddhism whereas the Mizos are cent percent Christian since 1905. The Mizo Christian are aggressive and they always try to convert others by any means. On the other hand the Chakmas are very conservative in their beliefs and seldom convert to other religions. The Mizo Christian missionery have been trying their level best to convert the Chakmas into Christianity. But they are not successful after so many years of persuation, and lure of job and other facilities. Very few Chakmas have converted to Christianity and those few converts are also not from elite families but from the poorer section of the society. There are also instances of reconversion into the original faith Buddhism. The Chakmas even hesitate to send their children in the Missionary Schools due to the religious teachings. It is also a fact that the Chakmas are suspicious of the Christian Mizos after the killing of Chigonya Chakma, (the first Christian Chakma in the Lushai Hills) along with two of his colleagues in 1966 by the MNF at Kauduar when they went to fetch their belongings from their village, Betbonya.

    The acceptance of Bengali language by the Chakmas in their schools as medium of instruction is also believed to be another cause of differences. Some Mizo leaders and educationist believe that the people of Mizoram should learn the state language, Mizo. They still blame G.N.Chatterjee, the First Education Director in Mizoram for approving the Bengali language in Mizoram. But the acceptance of Bengali by the Chakmas is not for the hatred of Mizo language. It is rather for the closer relation between Bengali and 'Changhma (Chakma)' since there is seventy to eighty percent similarity in wording. Further Bengali is a developed language and the Chakmas have accepted it during British period.

    The Chakma issue came into limelight immediately after the collapse of Brig. T. Sailo's Peoples Conference Government in 1978 at the withdrawal of support by the then independent Chakma MLA Dangu Kristo Mohan Chakma. He withdrew his support from the Peoples Conference Govt. in favour of Congress party. Being a minority community, the Chakmas always support the political parties of the Central Govt. with the psychological belief to get closer relation with the Central leadership and to acquire their sympathy and protection from any oppression, suppression and any nefarious activities from any hostile corner. Brig. T. Sailo and his colleagues of People Conference Party could not tolerate such withdrawal and started propaganda against the Chakmas alleging them as Foreigners and Illegal infiltrators. They also withdrew the privileges like job reservation, seat reservation etc. from the Chakmas and tried to drive them away from their villages by making the Chakmas inhabited areas as Wild Life Sanctuary at Tuipuibari and Puankhai area and Riverine Forest Reserve.

   The Chakmas Issue also got promonance after the report clashes between the underground MNF out fits and the underground Shanti Bahinis (now known as PCJSS) in Bangladesh. The MNF and the MNF symphatisers started propaganda against the Chakmas of Mizoram as a relation against the Shanti Bahinis, who are mostly Chakmas. And the Chakmas of Mizoram become the target of the Fundamentalist Mizos.

   The communal Mizos started propaganda against the Chakmas to raise the Mizo sentiment and started spreading also and malicious propaganda against the Chakmas. They published fabricated stories in news papers and magazines to the extend of a dreamt story, a rumour and of news from unknown source. The state authority was also found to be silent spectator as no one dare to go against the 'Mizo sentiment' and to be branded as 'Takam (Chakma) symphatiser'. Now the propagandas are very successful in their nefarious schemes and they could raise the 'Mizo Sentiment' especially in the young section.

   The communal and fundamentalist Mizos started to show a false Census Report on the Chakmas from 1901.They have utilised this alleged Census Report in their Memorandum to the Central Govt. and in other official records and correspondences, they have also widely published the said report in every news papers and magazines in Mizoram. On the basis of the above false Census figure, now the politicians and the young activists are vomiting fires against the Chakmas in their public addresses, meetings, articles and other correspondences. Now the situation have become so grave that there is every chances of rising a communal riot against the peace loving Chakmas at a slightest pretext.

    The creator of that false Census Report is Pu F. Lianchhinga of Serkawn, Lunglei. In his book - 'PHEICHHAMMAN CHAKMA-TE' published in 1992, he stated at page 45. (please read the whole book if available in stock)

5 comments:

  1. Thank you Mr. Suman for publishing this on ur blog. I've read this long time back, somewhere in some mags. or some books which I got from my dady's desk. I really can't recall the name however somehow it has been embedded within my vague memory chip...this article is very imp. I would say that every chakma ought to know this. Kudos dude.

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. I guess it's not only the mixo
    govt who is creating
    obstruction in livelihood of
    every chakma's life but also the
    Few corrupted controllers of CADC.
    I guess it's not only the mixo
    govt who is creating
    obstruction in livelihood of
    every chakma's life but also the
    Few corrupted controllers of CADC.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree with you @ avishek chakma...This is the most selective article I have ever found ample enough to go through once for those mizos and chakmas who only blame each other sans knowing the facts...U welcome @ alarchakma

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  5. Hello, I'm Joy from Khulna, Bangladesh. I'm a Bengali but I always respected other people. Especially, Chakma people. I found them very polite and nice people. I always like them. It is sad to know that they are facing many problems in Mizoram. May God bring the unity and peace between Mizo and Chakma people! Sabbe Satta Sukhi Hontu! Om Shanti!

    ReplyDelete

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