Book Review: "Chakmas: Indigenous Peoples of Mizoram"

BOOK REVIEW: Time and again serious allegations have been levelled against the Chakmas of Mizoram of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and being a non-indigenous community trying to grab the resources of the indigenous Mizos and this created many a ethnic conflicts of different variations in the state. Chakmas always maintained that they are indigenous and unfairly targeted by the Mizos as part of state sponsored racial discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin. Students belonging to Chakma ethnic community have been allegedly denied admissions in medical and engineering colleges because of such discrimination. Following widespread protests by Mizo NGOs, the state government enacted rules and notified the Chakmas under Category 2 (non indigenous) while Mizos under Category 1.

Chakmas have complained and protested against this rule but for the first time, a book titled "CHAKMAS: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF MIZORAM," by Mr Paritosh Chakma (order link https://amzn.to/32p1wQk) convincingly explains why Chakmas are indigenous to Mizoram. It claims that Chakmas' settlement in the western sector of the Lushai Hills (present day Mizoram) is much older than the settlement of the Kukis, or Mizos and provides the historical facts in a manner seen never before. This, book therefore challenges the traditional Mizo narrative that Chakmas are recent migrants. The author has further claimed that ancient Buddhist sites have been discovered near Lunglei which proves Chakma connection to the Lushai Hills from very ancient times. The book also demolishes the allegations of abnormal increase in population of the Chakmas by citing census data.

The conclusion that can be drawn after reading this books is that the Chakmas have been demonised as foreigners or non-indigenous by vested interests and the book powerfully demolishes this false narrative woven around the Chakmas.

The book's narrative is simple and easy to understand.

This book provides historical evidence and brilliant arguments with facts and data analysis.

We rate this book 🌟 🌟🌟 🌟🌟 (5/5)

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