annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
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INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Arunachal Pradesh<br />
the electoral rolls. More than 10,000<br />
Chakmas and Hajongs migrants have also<br />
not been granted Indian citizenship. About<br />
4,000 Chakmas had submitted their<br />
applications to the Ministry of Home<br />
Affairs, Government of India in 1997<br />
pursuant to the Supreme Court judgement<br />
but not a single application has so far been<br />
processed.<br />
Serious human rights violations<br />
against the Chakmas and Hajongs<br />
remained the main concern in Arunachal<br />
Pradesh. Following the murder of a local<br />
public leader, Innaolaong Singpho<br />
allegedly by some miscreants in December<br />
2004, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students<br />
Union turned the murder into a communal<br />
issue1 and unleashed fresh atrocities<br />
against the Chakmas and Hajongs. One<br />
Hajong was killed, dozens were injured<br />
and 33 Chakma houses were torched. The<br />
entry of the Chakma and Hajong students<br />
at Innao Secondary School in Changlang<br />
district was temporarily banned. On 10<br />
December 2004, underground National<br />
Liberation Front of Arunachal (NLFA)<br />
headed by K H Tara served quit notice to<br />
the Chakmas and Hajongs to leave<br />
Arunachal Pradesh within two months. 2<br />
Although, NLFA has not been<br />
relatively active, armed opposition groups<br />
from neighbouring Assam and Nagaland<br />
<strong>report</strong>edly maintained their presence<br />
especially in the Changlang district in the<br />
State. Many innocent persons have been<br />
victims of atrocities perpetrated both by<br />
the armed opposition groups from outside<br />
of Arunachal Pradesh and the security<br />
14<br />
<strong>for</strong>ces. 3 On 16 November 2004, the army<br />
personnel posted in Tikhak Putak village<br />
under Changlang district were attacked.<br />
Three persons were killed and seven were<br />
injured. The army subsequently launched<br />
combing operations. 4 On 13 December<br />
2004, the Assam Rifles personnel<br />
<strong>report</strong>edly shot dead one Tana Profulla, a<br />
civilian, while entering a jungle along with<br />
three of his friends. 5<br />
II. Discrimination against the<br />
Chakmas and Hajongs<br />
About 35,000 Chakmas and Hajongs<br />
migrants from erstwhile East Pakistan<br />
(now Bangladesh) were settled in<br />
Arunachal Pradesh in 1964. Although, all<br />
other migrants who came from erstwhile<br />
Undivided India were accorded Indian<br />
citizenship, the Chakmas and Hajongs of<br />
Arunachal Pradesh have not been granted<br />
the same.<br />
In the mid 1990s, the All Arunachal<br />
Pradesh Students Union and the State<br />
Government of Arunachal Pradesh<br />
perpetrated serious violations of human<br />
rights to <strong>for</strong>cibly evict the Chakmas and<br />
Hajongs. The Committee <strong>for</strong> Citizenship<br />
<strong>Rights</strong> of the Chakmas of Arunachal<br />
Pradesh approached the National <strong>Human</strong><br />
<strong>Rights</strong> Commission (NHRC) to seek<br />
protection and security. In October 1995,<br />
NHRC approached the Supreme Court as<br />
the State government of Arunachal<br />
Pradesh refused to comply with its<br />
directions <strong>for</strong> protection of the lives,<br />
liberties and properties of the Chakmas<br />
and Hajongs. The Supreme Court in its
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