Protest in Mizoram - Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and the Chakmas
iasparliament
January 28, 2019
What is the issue?
Among various Northeastern states protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Mizoram witnessed massive demonstrations. Click here to know more on the Bill.
Why is the protest?
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill amends the Citizenship Act, 1955.
It relaxes the citizenship eligibility rules for immigrants belonging to six minority (non-Muslim) religions from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan.
Political parties and non-political groups in the Northeast (NE) have protested due to the potential impact on the region’s demography.
The Bill is also questioned for its constitutionality as it grants citizenship on the basis of religion.
Why is Mizoram's case different in this regard?
For protesters in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura, the concern is about Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh.
The Assam Accord lays down 1971 as the cutoff for acceptance as citizens.
The National Register of Citizens is being updated based on this cutoff, which does not differentiate on the basis of religion.
But in Mizoram, the concern is not about Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh but about Chakmas, a tribal and largely Buddhist group.
The Chakmas are present in parts of the Northeast, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh with which Mizoram shares an international border.
While Christians form 87% of Mizoram’s 11 lakh population (2011), Chakmas number about 1 lakh.
What is the concern with the Chakmas?
Chakmas are clearly identified as ‘non-Mizo’ by the Mizos, and there is no attempt at incorporating them as Mizo.
Notably, the Chakmas do not want to identify themselves as Mizo.
Certain sections in Mizoram blame Chakmas for illegal migration from Bangladesh, which the community denies.
Large-scale migrations are said to have taken place in 1964.
This was caused by inundation of their land due to the damming of the Karnaphuli river for a hydro-electric project in Bangladesh.
1980-4 migrations were caused by insurgency in the Chittagong Hill Tracts led by the Hills Peoples’ Movement of Bangladesh.
In 1901, there were only 198 Chakmas in Mizoram and by 1991 it was over 80,000, as per census data.
The growth rate is far more than normally possible, proving that there has been influx from Bangladesh.
The state has seen ethnic violence, names of Chakmas being struck off voters’ lists, and denial of admission to Chakma students in college.
There are even calls to expel them from Mizoram.
Given these, if the Bill is passed, Chakmas who have illegally migrated from Bangladesh will become legal Indian citizens.
Also, in some time, possibly Mizos could become a minority in their own land.
The protests are serious because protesters, notably, displayed posters that proclaimed “Hello China, bye bye India”.
What is the Chakmas' stance?
The reliability of the Census figures between 1901 and 1941 cannot be ascertained as they are not available with the Census Directorate, Mizoram.
Chakma activists cite a 2015 report submitted by the government of Mizoram to the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission).
The report cites Census data that puts the Chakma population at around 15,000 in 1951 and 97,000 in 2011.
Reportedly, in the 1960s, Chakmas had migrated from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, but all of those people were settled in Arunachal Pradesh.
Chakmas deny any migrations into Mizoram citing the structural discrimination against them in Mizoram.
