Pages

Friday, May 13, 2011

BUDDHIST TRIBALS SEEK JUSTICE,The Shillong Times,June 27,1981/July 30,2009

By The Shillong Times

     The Indian Buddhist council has urged the centre to stop "repressive measure" against the Buddhist tribal minorities in north-eastern region.It express concerned concern at the centre's apathy towards Buddhist tribal's plight.
     The Central Executive Committee of the Indian Buddhist Council which met recently in New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Justice Mr. R. R. Bho'e, M. P. discussed at length the social sevil and religious disabilities and difficulties faced by the Ahom,Chakma and Mogh Buddhist tribal communities of Northeast and asked the Government to initiate special schemes to eradicate the economic exploitation and political persecution meted out to these Buddhist ethnic tribals.
      The Committee regretted that the Chakma Buddhist tribal were subjected to "all forms of persecution's in Arunachal Pradesh and they were even deprived of the equal rights and privileges as citizens of the country.It demanded that the Chakma Buddhist tribal settled and rehabilitated in the Union Territory be given citizenship rights,due protection and "share of development".
              The Committee said the Ahom Buddhist tribal Section was in all respect qualified to be classified as scheduled tribe in view of their pristine tribal customs and characteristics and of their struggle with an under developed tribal economy being deprived of their due benefits under tribal schemes.The Committee described this as a clear case of "segregation and perpetuated discrimination" againstnthe community and urged upon the Centre to intervene in their problems in the national interest and enact Suitable legislation to treat the Ahom Buddhist tribal section scheduled tribe of Assam for their around protection and development.
       It brought to Centre's attention that the Mogh Buddhist tribal of Tripura were familiar with only the Burmese-oriented educational system and they remained socially and educationally backward so long for not being provided with such facility.
      The Committee therefore pleaded for introducing the Burmese system of education for Mogh Buddhist tribal students.
       Meanwhile,three Buddhist tribal leaders,namely  Mr. B Gogoi (Assam), Mr S. K. Chakma (Tripura) and Mr A. M. Chakma (Arunachal Pradesh) met Dr. Gopal Singh,Chairman of the High Power penel on Minorities,Scheduled Castes,Scheduled Tribes and other Weaker Sections in New Delhi and submitted representations reiterating the earlier demands of the Buddhist tribals of the Northeast region.
      Later,Mr. S. K. Chakma conveyor of the Buddhist Minorities Protection Committee said the Buddhist ethnic tribals were so long considered "unnecessary elements" in the country.
      Mr. Chakma hoped the Centre would render "parental duty " to protect the them from further onslaught of the "reactionary politics".

2 comments:

Comment at your own risk. Your comment(s) shall be monitored.