Guwahati: The Chakma Hajong Rights Alliance (CHRA), a representative organization of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh, has stated that they will not engage in any dialogue with the government until Chief Minister Pema Khandu clarifies that the resolution of the Chakma-Hajong issue will be found within Arunachal Pradesh.
The CHRA has called for the full compliance of the 1996 Supreme Court judgment and granting of full rights to the Chakmas and Hajongs as citizens of India.
They have also urged the Chief Minister to not mislead the people of Arunachal Pradesh on the issue of Arunachal Pradesh being a tribal state and therefore protected, and that the Chakmas and Hajongs cannot be permanently settled.
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According to the CHRA, the Chakmas and Hajongs need resolution, not relocation, and they should be granted full rights as citizens of India.
They stated that relocation of the Chakmas almost 60 years after their settlement is inhumane and cruel.
The CHRA emphasized that the Chakmas and Hajongs are not refugees, but rather victims of racial discrimination who are casting their votes.
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The CHRA has affirmed that dialogue can be held with the State of Arunachal Pradesh and Union of India to find ways for implementation of the 1996 Supreme Court judgment and improvement of the economic conditions of the Chakmas and Hajongs, as they have been excluded from the development programs of the State government.
The Chakmas and Hajongs have been living in Arunachal Pradesh for several decades and their rights have been a long-standing issue.