Protest against cancellation of residential proof certificates to Chakma and Hajong
- Jantar Mantar, Delhi, 08th January 2023 -

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Protest against cancellation of residential proof certificates to Chakma and Hajong

NEFIS PARTICIPATES IN PROTEST AT JANTAR MANTAR AGAINST CANCELLATION OF RESIDENTIAL PROOF CERTIFICATES TO CHAKMA AND HAJONG COMMUNITIES!
DEMANDS IMMEDIATE REVOCATION OF THE DECISION!
DEMANDS ALL RIGHTS INCLUDING THAT OF CITIZENSHIP TO BE ENSURED TO THE CHAKMA AND HAJONG COMMUNITIES!

North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) today participated in a Protest Demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the recent decision by the Arunachal Pradesh government to cancel the Residential Proof Certificates (RPCs) of the Chakma and Hajong communities. This effectively denies them the right to be considered Indian citizens. This is in violation of various judgments of different high courts and the Supreme Court on the issue.

The Chakma and Hajong communities who live in Arunachal Pradesh are among the poorest of the poor communities in the country. However, despite being residents of India for decades, they continue to face various kinds of oppression and deprivation. The communities are at various points made scapegoats by the respective governments for their self-seeking narrow political aims. Instead of granting citizenship rights to the communities as per rules and procedure, shamefully denying them even RPCs, creates legal precarity for the vulnerable Chakma and Hajong communities.

The wealth of the country is created by the labour of its people. Be they of whichever religion and ethnicity, they toil and perform labour to make a living. Likewise, the Chakma and Hajong communities have been living for decades in Arunachal Pradesh and have been contributing to the building of the economy. Therefore, whoever contributes to the building of the economy through labour cannot be denied citizenship right.

Protest against cancellation of residential proof certificates to Chakma and Hajong

However, due to the narrow self-serving political interests of the dominant political forces seeds of discord are sought to be sown among the toiling people of the state. The situation in the North-East is such that successive governments have promoted conflict among various communities. The strategy to sow conflict has been used to deny people the chance to unite for their long-standing issues, and instead promote hatred in the name of ethnicity and indigenous culture. While the common masses continue to face issues, the elites hold onto power by creating conflicts among the people.

NEFIS stands for protecting the democratic rights of the people and demands the immediate revocation of the decision to cancel RPCs of the Chakma and Hajong people in the state. The organization demands that all rights including that of citizenship should be ensured to the Chakma and Hajong communities immediately.

Kishan Yumnam
Member
North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS)