Monday Musing
[ Bengia Ajum ]
Since childhood, we have been hearing about two things repeatedly. The first is Arunachal Pradesh' potential to become the powerhouse of India, and the second is the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue. In the last few days, both these issues have become a matter of public discourse.
Politicians in the state never get tired of selling the dream of Arunachal becoming the powerhouse of the nation as they push major hydropower projects. But when summer arrives, the state government struggles to provide something as basic as electricity to its own capital region.
For the past week, people in Naharlagun and even towns like Doimukh have been suffering from a severe electricity crisis. In this scorching summer heat, depriving citizens of reliable electricity is nothing short of punishment. People are being forced to endure unbearable conditions while those in power continue making grand promises about development and a 'powerhouse' Arunachal.
A government that cannot keep the lights on for its people has no moral ground to boast about turning Arunachal into a powerhouse. The irony is that the Pare Hydropower Project is located barely 10 km from Doimukh, yet people in Doimukh constantly struggle for electricity. How on earth does the government expect people to support mega dams by promising free electricity when people living near existing hydropower projects are literally struggling for electricity?
There is an urgent need to revamp the power sector, starting with the Itanagar Capital Region, so that the people of the state can actually enjoy the benefits of being a so-called powerhouse of India. The population is growing and human settlements are expanding in the ICR, while the existing transformers and electric poles are unable to meet the growing demand. The existing infrastructure needs massive upgrading.
The second issue is the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue. Recently, a clash took place in Bordumsa in Changlang district between members of the AAPSU and the Chakma-Hajong community during an SIR hearing. As a result, the refugee settlement issue has once again come to the forefront.
In 2010, I visited M'Pen near Miao in Changlang district when clashes broke out after Chakma-Hajong refugee settlers allegedly grabbed the land of a local Singpho woman, Thuing Singpho. I had gone there on reporting duty as tension gripped the area after members of the AAPSU and others gathered in Miao to protest the alleged land grabbing. That was my first close encounter with the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue.
Not much has changed since then. Since the formation of the AAPSU, many of its leaders have used this issue to further their political careers, and many have gone on to become MLAs, ministers and even a chief minister. In the meantime, the Singpho community has become a minority in parts of its own homeland, as the Chakma population has grown significantly in the Diyun and Bordumsa areas. The issue needs a permanent solution in the best interests of everyone, including the Arunachali and Chakma-Hajong communities.
In Kokila in Papum Pare district, the Chakma population, which is around 3,000, has remained within the designated settlement and has not expanded beyond it.
The Kokila model should be considered for Changlang as well, with Chakma-Hajong settlers remaining within their original settlements allotted by the government.
On their part, the Chakma-Hajong community should also understand that an aggressive posture towards the indigenous communities will not serve them well. It will only further alienate them from the indigenous tribal communities. For a solution to this vexed issue, they too have to play their part and help create an atmosphere conducive to dialogue and reconciliation.
A consultative meeting organised by the AAPSU on the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue, the Assam-Arunachal boundary dispute and Article 371(H) of the Constitution is a very good initiative. I hope something constructive comes out of this meeting, and that the issues discussed are taken forward in a meaningful and sustained manner.