INDIA

Arunachal Pradesh: Deepening Divisions

Between February 22 and 24, 2019, three people were killed and more than 35 (including at least 24 Police personnel) were wounded in three days of protests in Arunachal Pradesh after a Joint High Power Committee (JHPC), constituted on May 1, 2018, submitted a recommendation to the State Government for Permanent Resident Certificates (PRC) to be provided to six non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (Non-APSTs). Although the JHPC report was not tabled in the State Assembly, purported extracts were leaked on Social Media before the Assembly was convened on February 23.

Over 150 vehicles were damaged during the protest. Moreover, 10 additional companies of Indo-Tibetan Police Force (ITBP) were deployed to Arunachal Pradesh in light of the violence. No fresh incidents of violence were reported on February 25. A total of 15 companies of ITBP, and four Indian Army columns were deployed to suppress the mob violence. The Army conducted a flag march in Itanagar on February 23.

The six communities which were to be given PRC were the Deori, Sonowal Kachari, Moran, Adivasi, Gorkha and Mishing, live in Namshai and Changlang Districts.

On February 21, 18 student and civil society organisations called for a 48-hour shutdown protesting the perceived move by the Government to grant PRC status to six non-APSTs. The organisations which called for the shut down included Arunachal Law Students' Union, All Papum Pare District Students' Union, All Nyishi Students Union, United Arunachal Indigenous People's Forum, All Tagin Students' Union, and Arunachal Anti-Corruption Union. The protesters specifically targeted the political leadership and administrative machinery of the State, burning down the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein in Itanagar and a shopping mall owned by State Environment and Forests Minister Nabam Rebia in Nahargun. They also ransacked the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Itanagar and burnt down the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) office as well.

Agitators demanded a permanent resolution of PRC issue, immediate resignation of the Chief Minister, unconditional release of protesters (numbering around 40) and immediate transfer of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Satya Gopal.

The immediate cause of the protests can be traced back to December 2018, when Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Mein had announced that the six non-APST communities residing in the Changlang and Namsai Districts would be given PRC status.

The non-APSTs had also been campaigning for PRC status in Arunachal Pradesh. On January 20, 2019, the All Moran Students Union (AMSU) launched an economic blockade in eastern Arunachal, demanding PRC for Morans living in the State. The blockade was launched by AMSU in Assam along with its Leikang unit in Namsai District in Arunachal Pradesh, affecting the movement of goods via the Tinsukia District of Assam. On January 25, they suspended the stir after a meeting with the Assam Chief Minister and Finance Minister.

On January 28, 2019, Deori organisations, United People's Movement of Lekang (UPMoL), Lekang Indigenous Forum and Deori Tribal Students' Union, launched an indefinite shutdown on the PRC demand. The shutdown was withdrawn on January 30 after the Arunachal Chief Minister's Advisor Tai Tagak met with the protesting organisations.

However, on February 25, 2019, after the violence erupted, Chief Minister Pema Khandu clarified that the Government had scrapped PRCs:

Further, on February 24, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs (MoS) Kiren Rijiju stated that the Arunachal Pradesh Government had decided not to accept the recommendations of the JHPC.

Arunachal Pradesh had already witnessed political agitations recently, after the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) 2019, in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), on January 8, 2019. The region-wide shutdown call by the Northeast Students Organisation (NESO) on January 8 was supported by AAPSU.

Earlier attempts by the Government to assimilate perceived outsiders have also been resisted by student organisations such as AAPSU and had resulted in mob violence. In September 2017, the Government of India's attempt to implement the Supreme Court's order to grant citizenship to Chakmas and Hajongs had resulted in mob violence in various parts of the State, including capital Itanagar. The violence resulted in the Court's order not being implemented.

Widespread violence in the Arunachal Pradesh is an indicator of increasingly polarizing politics just ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in this Frontier State. Crucially, Arunachal Pradesh occupies a strategic location, bordering China and Myanmar. Moreover, the necessity of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and the Army to handle a law and order issue indicate the incapacity and reactive nature of State law enforcement agencies and the lack of anticipation by the civil administrative machinery.

M.A. Athul
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management