Dimapur, Sep. 5 (EMN): The All India Chakma Students’ Union, the apex student’s body of the Chakmas of India, welcomed the report submitted by the Mizoram Government to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that the Chakma population data from 1901 to 1941 as presented by the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) are false and fabricated, this was reported through a press release.
It stated, in 2014 the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA), the largest NGO of Mizos in Mizoram, wanted to conduct the “Head Count” Census on the Chakma Buddhist minorities of Mizoram. The Chakmas protested this “proposed unconstitutional and discriminatory Head Count census” by non-state actors and filed a complaint before the NHRC.
The CYMA claimed that Chakmas’ population in Mizoram was 198 in 1901; 306 in 1911; 680 in 1921; 863 in 1931; 5,088 in 1941; 15,297 in 1951; 19,337 in 1961; 22,393 in 1971; 39,638 1981; 54,217 in 1991; 71,283 in 2001 and 96,972 in 2011. It claimed that these data were taken from the Census data. Based on these socalled “Census data” the CYMA alleged that the rapid growth rate of Chakmas’ population was due to illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and therefore illegal Chakma foreigners must be identified, it added.
But, now it has come to light that the Mizoram government has clarified that the so called Census data on Chakmas from 1901 to 1941 as claimed by the CYMA are not genuine. The State government has validated Chakma population data only from Census 1951 to Census 2011 which did not show any abnormal growth rate of Chakmas.
Lalhriatpuia, Deputy Secretary to the Government of Mizoram, Home Department in his official response on behalf of the Government of Mizoram vide letter No. C-18018/74/2014-HM(HR) dated April 10th 2015 informed the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that:“Census figures indicating the population of Chakmas in Mizoram starting from Census 1951 to Census 2011 has been obtained from Census Directorate and the same are enclosed at Annex-I along with background notes. The Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA), is of the considered view that the ballooning of Chakmas’ population in Mizoram is due to continuing influx of Chakmas from Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh and cannot be attributed to birth alone of Chakmas possessing Indian citizenship living in Mizoram. The veracity of the census figures between 1901 and 1941 cannot be ascertained as the same are not available with the Census Directorate, Mizoram.
It further stated that, the state government of Mizoram was of the view that CYMA’s “Head Count” campaign was illegal and meant to “vitiate communal harmony in the State”.
“It is now clear from the facts clarified by the Mizoram government that some Mizo NGOs have been launching anti-Chakma campaigns all these years based on falsified, fabricated and manufactured population figures of Chakmas which they falsely claimed to be from official Census data. The State’s response to the NHRC has exposed all those who have been carrying out their communal agenda to target members of a particular community based on their ethnic origin”- stated All India Chakma Students Union (AICSU) in a statement released to the media.
