Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 13 Sep: A marathon consultative meeting was organised by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) on the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue, the Assam-Arunachal boundary dispute and Article 371(H) of the Constitution here on Sunday.
AAPSU general secretary Mato Bui in his address highlighted the agenda of the meeting and said that the present AAPSU team is serious about pursuing all three issues.
"We are conducting this meeting to take the opinions of all stakeholders, so that these three issues can be taken forward unitedly by every Arunachali. We want the support of each citizen as it is going to be a huge battle to try to find solutions to vexed issues like the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue, the Assam-Arunachal boundary dispute and the amendment of Article 371(H) of the Constitution," said Bui.
AAPSU president Meje Taku said the meeting was necessary to forge a united front on such sensitive issues.
"We need to have one voice and together seek solutions to these three issues. The AAPSU will need the support of community-based organisations, student unions, youth organisations and every other stakeholder," said Taku.
Prominent speakers, including Prof Nani Bath, senior advocate TT Tara, Deputy Solicitor General of India Marto Kato, and human rights activist Bamang Tago spoke on the day and highlighted the three issues.
Former AAPSU general secretary and Transport Minister Ojing Tasing, who also attended the meeting, said the government would have to use the law to take back land from Chakma settlers who have gone outside the designated settlement areas.
"It is reported that Chakmas and Hajongs have illegally settled in reserve forest areas. This is against the law, and they will have to be pushed out of the reserve forest areas and pushed back to their original settlement areas," said Tasing.
He said also that the AAPSU would have to take the lead in this regard.
"We all know this is a long-pending and vexed issue. The AAPSU should lead in this battle, and we should learn from past mistakes while dealing with this issue," he added.
Members of the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum (AITF), community-based organisations (CBOs), community-based student and youth organisations, former AAPSU leaders, representatives of political parties, and various other stakeholders attended the meeting. All of them were given the opportunity to present their views on the issues.
The meeting went on for more than 10 hours. The representatives of areas affected by settlement of Chakmas Hajongs presented their views and said how, in certain areas, indigenous community like the Singpho tribe is becoming a minority in their own homeland. The representative of various groups urged the AAPSU to take a strong step to find a long-term solution to the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue and the Assam-Arunachal boundary dispute.
Several speakers also called for amendment of Article 371(H) and replacing it with provisions like Article 371A granted to Nagaland, so that the people of Arunachal become true owners of the state's own resources.
