Sunday, December 1, 2013

The Chakma and Hajong Refugees

During the partition of India in 1947, the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) under present-day Bangladesh, sought to be a part of India and even hoisted the Indian National Flag on their lands. However, the Bengal Boundary Commission headed by Redcliff awarded the CHTs to Pakistan although 98.5 percent of the population of the CHTs was non-Muslim. The then Pakistan Government took a serious view of the hoisting of the Indian flag by the Chakmas and embarked on a series of repressive measures. Unable to bear the atrocities and faced with displacement on account of the construction of the Kaptai Hydel Project about 30,000 Chakmas and Hajongs migrated to India in 1964. They were settled in Arunachal Pradesh after due consultation with the local leaders by the Central Government of India under a “Definite Plan of Rehabilitation”. The Government of India extended all possible kind of helps including financial aids, employment, trade, license, book grants etc for proper establishment of their shattered life.

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