NET Bureau

The Northeast Dialogue Forum, NEDF urged the Government of India to consult all the stakeholders like Universities, Student communities, Farmers, Women Organizations, Widows groups, Forest dwellers, Fisher communities, Labour Unions, Drivers Unions, Community leaders, Tribe Unions, Local Trade Unions etc with the Free and Fair Inform Consent of the peoples in Manipur, Assam, Tripura etc on the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, CAB and it’s positive and negative impact on the Indigenous people in the North-Eastern states in India.

In a statement, it has said, “We are already the victims of migration (both legal and illegal) from Bangladesh during the war in 1971. Further, the region also suffers from the huge migration of Chakmas from the Chittagong Hill Tract of Bangladesh and the migration from neighboring country like Nepal and others. NEDF is difficult to imagine how our situation will be with another additional population from other countries happen. We acknowledge the concern of our Hon’ble Union Home Minister’s empathy of the suffering of the religious minority (Hindu, Christians, Jain etc) from the majority Muslim community.

However, we also experience the serious violent conflict between Assamese and Bengali speaking community in Assam in the 1980s where thousands of people lost their lives. Still, people in the region are in deep fear for overtaken the Indigenous population by the migrants. We do not see our future. Therefore, NEDF humbly urge to the Govt. of India to differ the passing of the CAB during present parliament Session without the Free Prior Inform Consent of the People. NEDF also request the Govt. of India to respect the UN Declaration on Right of the Indigenous People (2007).