Aizawl: Chakma organisations in Mizoram on Monday observed the 11th “Chakma Black Day” to mark the allocation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to erstwhile East Pakistan during Partition in 1947.The programme was held at the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) Art and Culture Hall in Kamalanagar in south Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district, which borders Bangladesh.It was organised by the Mizoram state committee of the Chakma National Council of India (CNCI), along with the Central Young Chakma Association, Central Mizoram Chakma Students’ Union and Chakma Mahila Samiti.The Bengal Boundary Commission’s award, commonly known as the Radcliffe Award, was published on Aug 17, 1947. It placed the CHT — then home to a predominantly non-Muslim indigenous population — in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.Speakers at the programme said the decision had long-term consequences for the Chakmas and other indigenous communities of the region.CADC chief executive member and CNCI national president Nirupam Chakma said historical records documented the circumstances surrounding the allocation.Citing what he described as minutes of a meeting held in New Delhi on Aug 16, 1947, Chakma said Jawaharlal Nehru had objected to the proposed inclusion of the CHT in East Bengal, citing its predominantly Buddhist and Hindu population and cultural links with India.He also said the Indian flag had been hoisted at Rangamati on Aug 15, two days before the boundary award was made public.Chakma said indigenous communities in the CHT continued to face the consequences of displacement, loss of ancestral land and insecurity. He also referred to the construction of the Kaptai Dam, which submerged cultivable land and displaced residents of the region.He stressed that the observance was not directed against any country, religion or community.“It is a day of remembrance, not hostility,” he said, adding that preserving historical memory and maintaining friendship among peoples could go hand in hand.Chakma urged the youth to study original historical documents and help preserve the community’s language, literature, music, dance and traditional knowledge. He also called for greater focus on education, economic opportunities and constitutional rights.Others who addressed the programme included CADC chairperson Kali Kumar Tongchangya, CNCI Mizoram vice-president Amarsmriti Chakma, Central Young Chakma Association religious secretary Santosh Chakma, Chakma Mahila Samiti senior vice-president Indu Moti Dewan and Central Mizoram Chakma Students’ Union president Parbesh Chakma.The speakers called for unity and preservation of Chakma identity while pursuing community aspirations through peaceful and democratic means.According to the organisers, the CNCI decided at its national convention in Guwahati in 2016 to observe Aug 17 as Chakma Black Day. The event has since been organised annually in different parts of India.
