Who Are Chakma Migrants; Why Tripura Tribal Body Wants Their Deportation?

The Council of Tiprasa Hoda, an umbrella tribal association (comprise six organisations) of Tripura, has written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking deportation of the Chakma migrants of Bangladesh from the Dhalai district.

The association said their deportation is essential to prevent any future communal disharmony between the migrants and locals.

In its letter, the body claimed an influx of Bangladeshi nationals, who have settled in four villages of Gandacherra sub division – Narikel Kunja, Naikacherra, Twichakma and Thakurcherra, The Indian Express reported.

"In the recent past, some feud occurred between the locals and the illegal Chakma settlers. Henceforth, if no action is taken in due course of time, it might lead to a massive communal disturbance may occur in future," the media quoted the letter.

Areas Occupied

Other areas where the migrants can be found are in regions to the international border, the letter claimed.

Some of these refugees, primarily settled in Meghalaya and Mizoram, migrate to Tripura, especially in Kanchanpur sub-division, Pecharthal, Chawmanu Assembly Constituencies, Raima Valley Assembly Constituency, Korbook Assembly Constituency, and Agartala, it added.

Some infiltrators work for gangs with arms and ammunition and have carried out various illegal activities earlier. These people, the letter stated, have also started cultivating crops and have kept cattle, which poses a threat to the residents' livelihood and has restricted their movement.

Chakmas

Chakmas are one of the largest ethnic groups of the easternmost areas of the Indian subcontinent and are natives of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region in southeastern Bangladesh. They have a significant population in West Bengal and the northeastern part of India, especially Mizoram.

According to The Hindu report, many of these people, mainly from Mizoram, live in relief camps in Tripura. Not only this, but these Indian Chakmas also participate in the state elections. They are predominantly Buddhists.

According to the 2011 census, when the community members took shelter in India, the Arunachal Pradesh government set up relief camps, where the majority of them lived for decades. According to the 2011 census, nearly 47,471 Chakmas live in Arunachal Pradesh alone.

Intentions To Divide Indigenous People

The letter is said to have been forwarded by Opposition leader Manik Sarkar to the Chief Minister. Sarkar's move has been criticised by the head of Tripura ADC's ruling TIPRA Motha party, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, who accused him of dividing the indigenous people.

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