Hill Voice, 17 August 2019, Kamalanagar: Chakma Black Day, the 17th August, was observed today at Kamalanagar, the headquarters of Chakma Autonomous District Council organised by Chakma National Council of India Mizoram State Committee with participation by people from across varied sections of the society. Political leaders, NGOs, students, intellectuals and CADC employees have joined the programme held at CADC Rest House Complex, Kamalanagar. This is the 4th time the Day is being observed by the Chakmas of Mizoram.
The programme was started with singing of the CNCI Anthem “Aami Changma Jaat, Jaador Ragei Maan” in unison.
Mr. Rasik Mohan Chakma, President, CNCI, Mizoram, Mr. Amar Smriti Chakma, Vice-President, CNCI, Mizoram, Mr. Durjya Dhan Chakma, Secretary, National Committee, CNCI and Mr. Jagadish Chakma, President, MCSU(C) spoke on the significance of the Day. All the people wore black badges in solidarity with the cause of the Day.
The gathering has condemned the Radcliffe award of Bengal Boundary Commission which had awarded non-Muslim majority CHT to Pakistan during partition of the Indian sub-continent in 1947 against the terms of reference of the Commission and Indian Independence Act 1947. It also blamed the then Indian leadership for the meek effort they have made for inclusion of CHT within the dominion of India despite legitimate and strong grounds to be part of India. The speakers have cited how CHT was beyond the purview of the Bengal Boundary Commision, CHT being an Excluded area under CHT Regulation 1 of 1900 and therefore, it could not have been treated as part of Bengal. That, CHT had no representatives in the Bengal legislature is because of this fact. It asserted that the award of CHT by Bengal Boundary Commission to Pakistan was illegal and therefore very challengeable in the International Court of Law.
The then Indian leaders failing the Chakmas to include them within the dominion of India afford them a right to demand for proactive action from the current crop of Indian leaders to resolve the Chakma issues in Bangladesh as well as in India. A speaker added, “The Indian leaders are morally obligated to act for the cause of the Chakmas to redeem the pain they have caused the Chakmas for their failure to include CHT within India.”
It was also recalled how the western strip of present-day Mizoram where there is Chakma concentration was once part of CHT before 1900 and later enjoined with South Lushai Hill for the administrative convenience of British India government. The meeting observed that this has caused the Chakmas of Mizoram to be treated as foreigners in their own ancestral homeland. Chakmas have come to be treated as second class citizen and subjected to untold discrimination because of this mistaken identity.
Source: Press Release of Chakma National Council of India Mizoram State Committee, Kamalanagar, Mizoram.
