Bijhu Nijeni 2011 - MAADI

from Mizoram government purse. A beautiful
way to displace minority tribals with the
tax payers’ money, indeed.
In another case, the state
government of Mizoram has quietly converted
the entire Puankhai-Demagiri range
(271 sq km) in Lunglei district into “Puankhai
Reserved Forest”. It was done so secretly
that not even the villagers knew about it until
25th January 2011 when the authorities
told the Puankhai Chakma villagers that they
had no land to engage in gardening or plantation
under New Land Use Policy (NLUP),
the flagship programme of the Mizoram government!
III. Leadership vacuum:
It is interesting to know that the 271
sq km “Puankhai Reserved Forest”, which
was executed in total secrecy, falls under the
Assembly Constituency represented by Nihar
Kanti Chakma, who is a Minister in the
present Lalthanhawla government.
We still live in Dark Ages without
basic amenities in our villages. I do not talk
about the total absence of basic healthcare
facilities as a prominent Chakma leader tried
hard to make me understand that lack of
healthcare is a problem in every part of
Mizoram or the lack of safe drinking water,
for the same reason. Mizoram is the second
most literate state; so let me talk about literacy
and educational facilities. Chakmas
are only 45% literate against Mizos’ staggering
96% (2001 census). Recently, the state
Education Minister has confirmed that
Lawngtlai, Lunglei and Mamit districts which
have significant presence of Chakmas are
most illiterate districts of Mizoram. Till today,
72% of the Chakma villages do not have
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Middle Schools and 96% Chakma villages
are without High Schools.
The condition of the Chakmas is no
better in CADC which, to me, has become a
plutocracy. Or like a capitalist society, where
rich are getting richer and poor poorer day
by day. In CADC we do not seem to be living
in a welfare state. Corruption, nepotism
and indifference towards the condition of the
common people are rules of the day there.
Recently, over 4,000 Chakmas of Parva I,
Parva II, Parva III and Kamtuli villages under
CADC starved for several weeks but the
CADC authorities refused to extend any help.
From the Village Council Presidents to the
local Member of District Council up to the
Chief Executive Member, everybody expressed
helplessness to provide food to the
starving villagers. What is the use of Chakma
Autonomous District Council if the Chakmas
living within it have to go to bed hungry?
Somebody would have surely died had not
the Mizoram Chakma Development Forum
(MCDF), an NGO, come to their rescue. The
MCDF took the case to the Commissioners
of the Supreme Court, after Mizoram government
too failed to act, and the Supreme
Court Commissioners shot off a strong
worded letter to the Chief Secretary of
Mizoram to not only feed the starving
Chakmas but also ensure their right to health,
nutrition, wages under NREGS, old age pension,
ICDS, Mid Day Meal and other livelihood
schemes. After the Supreme Court
Commissioners’ order of 5th January 2011
everything has been set in motion: ration began
to flow, retailer was terminated, the incharge
of the food godown has been suspended
and disciplinary investigation has been
launched against two food officials. Parva villages
were visited thrice by the District
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