The Chakmas, Life and Struggle

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THE Chakmas are a simple hardy. peace-loving community professing Buddhism and inhabiting the inaccessible hilly areas in India’s north-east viz. the States of Tripura, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh and Arakan in Burma. Over the years and due to their cultural interaction with the people of other races, mainly Bengalees they have lost much of their original ethnic characteristics, and speak a dialect, Chakma dialect, which is almost the same as south
-eastern Bengali, but there is much still which make them a distinctive cultural and ethnic entity.
The present crisis of the Chakma community i.e. the ethnic threat which the Chakma inhabitants of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT, Bangladesh), their traditional homeland, are facing from the religiously prejudiced Bangladeshi rulers stem from the partition of Indian Subcontinent in 1947. The Chakmas much against their will were merged with Pakistan though in their religion they were much closer to the Hindus than Muslims. Since then the successive rulers of Pakistan, and since 1972 of
Bangladesh, have worked systematically for the obliteration of their seperate ethnic identity which they have preserved all through their history. This has resulted in their being swamped over by the non-tribal Muslim Bengalees from the plains and their being reduced to minority status in their own homeland (CHT). Their saga of woes has stirred the conscience of the freedom-loving people the world over.
The ethnographic literature hitherto has singularly lacked in a systematic and definitive study of this fascinating tribe and this great void has been now ably filled by S.P. Talukdar through the present work.
The book, fruit of the author’s years of dedicated and painstaking work, has documented for the first time different aspects of the life of the Chakmas to a great degree of authenticity.
S.P. Talukdar was born at Barkal, a small town in Chittagong Hill Tracts (Bangladesh) bordering Mizoram. He is the son of Dr (Capt) P.B. Talukdar whose ancestors were members of the landed aristocracy during the reign of the Chakma Rajas.
He took up a career in the Indian Merchant Navy as an Engineer Officer after qualifying from the Directorate of Marine Engineering Training, Calcutta. He travelled around the globe during his stint in the Merchant Navy.
Later on he gave up the career of voyaging in favour of a more settled career in Civil Service with the
Government of Assam. As a member of Mizoram Civil Service now, he holds the position of Deputy Controller, Printing and Stationary Department.

Foreword

The Civil Service, in India as also in other countries of the world, has the distinction of throwing up many authors of repute who have produced absorbing and informative literature. Many administrators and civil servants are credited with literary works of permanent value. Shri S. P. Talukdar, an officer of the Mizoram Civil Service, has kept up this tradition through his book on the Chakmas. He has brought out an authentic document on the history, culture and social life of the Chakmas who are little known and far less written about. He delved deep into the life and culture of this community, to which, incidentally, Shri Talukdar belongs, and brings out a plethora of interesting information which will greatly supple- ment our sketchy knowledge of the Chakmas.
For years the Chakmas roamed around in the Arakan region, later spread to Assam and to areas near the Bay of Bengal and finally came to settle down in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The partition of the country disturbed them both physically and mentally. For long years they were in dold- rums and even today many of them have not been able to live a permanent settled life. Shri Talukdar’s book will help us to know the Chakmas better and to appreciate their problems in the proper perspective. I have no doubt that readers in general will find the book most useful.
GOVERNOR MIZORAM RAJ BHAWAN
AIZAWL
April 29, 1987,
Sd/- HITESWAR SAIKIA

Message

I understand that Mr. S. P. Talukdar, an Officer of Mizo-ram Civil Service has brought out a book on the history, culture and social life of the Chakmas who are little known and far less written about. Though I have not gone through the book yet I hope this book will help us to know the Chakmas better and appreciate their problems in the right. perspective.
CHIEF MINISTER MIZORAM
Dated 13th May, 1987.
Sd/- (LALDENGA).

Preface

uring my long tenure in government service, I have met people of different states of our country on different drawn from all walks of life; politi- occasions. They were From the informal chats cians, government servants, students, academics, businessmen, journalists and even ordinary men. as also serious discussions with these people and also from some recent reports appearing in national and international media on the Chakma Shanti Bahini (an underground libera- tion organisation operating in Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh) I gather an unmistakable impression that there are many wrong notions, mostly bred by ignorance, prevailing about the problem of Chakmas.
What accounts, in main, for the prevalence of this state of affairs is that no systematic and comprehensive study of this little known tribe has been undertaken so far. This has resulted in circulation of wrong ideas, distorted facts, half- truths and in the delineation of a picture of this tribe diametri- cally opposite to the reality. Till date no intellectual effort towards gathering a systematic has also been directcd knowledge of this tribe- their origin and historical past, educa- tional and cultural status, socio-economic conditions, various problems faced by them and of course the aims and objectives of the “Shanti Bahini”.
This actuated me to prepare and present to the world a factual account of the different aspects of the life of Chakmas. Hence the present book.
In this book, I have put my best efforts to present a detailed description of the various facets of the life of the Chakmas mostly inhabiting the eastern parts of our country (the States of Tripura, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizo- ram) as also the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh and Arakan in Burma,
On account of the great geo-strategic significance of their habitation, the Chakmas’ issue has become a serious concern to three different countries namely India, Bangladesh and Burma. India being a federal country, all the states of the Indian Union are also exercised about the problem of the Chakmas.
The root of their present problem, in fact, lay in the parti- tion of India in 1947 and as a result of which the Chittagong. Hill Tracts, the home-land of the Chakmas, were merged with Pakistan without first ascertaining the wish of its inhabitants. Subsequently, time to time, they had to leave their native place i. e. the Chittagong Hill Tracts and cross over international boundary to enter India and Burma. Ever since they have been branded as ‘Nomads’, ‘Bengali Chakmas’, ‘Refugees’, ‘Foreigners’ and ‘Trespassers’ by political leaders, administ- rators and even by some scholars.
Frankly speaking, I wonder how much justice do we do to them when we raise so many doubts about the Chakmas and. sometime also paint a dark picture of them. Various questions generally heard about them are: Who are these people? How and why they turned homeless? Are they really the refugees. in India? What ethnic threat are they facing? It was my strong desire to search probable answers to all such questions that led me to undertake a study of the Chakmas, to which incidentally I also belong. I have tried to be as much objective in my study as possible though subjectivity may not be completely ruled out in such type of work.
In the course of preparation of this study and collection of reference material I was helped by many of my friends and well-wishers to all of whom I pay my sincere thanks. Parti- cularly, I would like to express my deep sense of gratitude to Mrs. Kalyani Maitra of National Library, Calcutta without whose cooperation and guidance in the collection of reference books this work would not have been completed.
due to His Excellency My sincere thanks are also Sri Hiteswar Saikia, the Governor of Mizoram, who very kindly went through the script and also helped me throughout in the publication of this book.
Last but not the least thanks are also due to my wife Smt. Bindu Lata Talukdar for her untiring help, love and cooperation in fulfilling this mission.
                                             P. TALUKDAR

Contents

  Foreword
  Message
  Preface
  List of Maps and Illustrations
  Abbreviations
  Introduction

Chapters

  1. Meaning and Significance of ‘Chakma’
  2. Establishment of Sakya Kingdom at Arakan Holy Land of   Mahamuni (Buddha) in North Arakan
  3. Assimilation of Sakya Clan of Central India with the Burmese
  4. The Arakanese swamp over to Bengal
  5. The Early British Period
  6.Chakmas and the Partition of India
  7. Chakmas in India: Mizoram
 8. Role of the Chakmas in Mizoram Politics Chakmas in India: Tripura
 9. Chakmas in India: Arunachal Pradesh
 10. Origins of Chakma Language and Literature Chakmas: Physical   and Cultural
 11. Characteristics, Customs and Beliefs
 12. Epilogue
 13. Annexures
 14. Letter from the Commissioner of 16th
 15. Division and Sudder Board
 16. Government Notification for the administration of Chittagong Hill Tracts
 –  An Open Letter to Lt. General Ershad
 –  Report on racism in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
 – Extract from a report published in Feb. 84 ‘Impact’
  – Extract from Buddhist Peace Fellowship Newsletter
  – Letter to Gen. Ershad from Survival International London
  – Report of Survival International Information Pack
  – Letter to Gen. Ershad from Holland based International   Fellowship   of Reconciliation
  – Letter to Gen. Ershad from Survival International
 – Reports to the UN Working Group on Indigenous population in   CHT
  – Report of Anti-Slavery Society for 1984
  – Report of oppression of the Chakmas
  – Names of the Representatives of Chakma Community in District   Council
 – Letter of Prof. Suniti Kumar Chatterji on Chakma language

List of Illustrations and Maps

1. ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, at Demagiri (Mizoram) while addressing the people during his visit.
2. Late Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, in Chakma Traditional dress with Shri Hari Kristo Chakma, M.L.A. (Right).
3. Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Traditional Chakma Dress with Pulin Bayan Chakma, C.E.M. of Chakma District Council (Extreme Right).
4. His Excellency Hiteswar Saikia, Governor of Mizoram.
5. Mr. Laldenga, Chief Minister, Mizoram
6. Chakma Khadi, Alam (Pattern)
(a) Chakma Khadi, upper part of Girl’s Dress.
(b) Chakma Lady (Author’s Mother) in Sari.
(c) Hand Woven Table Covers by Chakma Girls.
(d) Chakma Alam (Pattern).
(e) Chakma Girl in Traditional Dress.
7.Chakma Belle with Traditional Ornaments.
8.Chakma Belle at River Ghat (Kamalanagar).
9.Cultural Programme in Nunsuri Village (20.11.1986).
10.Chakma M.L.A. welcoming P.M. Indira Gandhi on her arrival at Aijawl.

Maps

   Fig. 1 A map showing Chakma inhabited area in the State of     Mizoram.
   Fig. 2 The Chakma District Council area in the State of Mizoram.
   Fig. 3 A map showing
   (a) the area of Mizoram (Looshai Hills),
  (b) the river routes from Arakan to Chittagong hill tracts and
  (c) the main rivers flowing through India and Arakan.
  Fig. 4 A map on Chapter VI.
  Fig. 5 A map on Chapter VI.
  Fig. 6 A map showing the area between Assam and Yunnan (China).
  Fig. 7 A map showing the area between Assam and Yunnan (China).

Abbreviations

   CEM – Chief Executive Member
   MDC – Member District Council
   CDC – Chakma District Council
   MNF – Mizo National Front
   PC – People’s Conference
   NEFA – North Eastern Frontier Agency
   BSF – Border Security Force
  CRPF – Central Reserve Police Force
   JSS – Jana Samhati Samity
   MU – Mizo Union
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