Buddhist monk assaulted in Mizoram

By Paritosh Chakma
(In a case of religious intolerance, a Buddhist monk, Ven. Kacchayana Bhikku was brutally assaulted by a group of Mizo youth near Phuldungsei, 147 km from Aizawl in Mizoram on the night of 19 May 2010.)

Thu, May 20, 2010 15:36:59 IST
http://www.merinews.com/article/buddhist-monk-assaulted-in-mizoram/15812894.shtml


A BUDDHIST monk belonging to Chakma ethnic tribe was attacked by some unknown miscreants in Mizoram on the night of 19 May 2010. The incident took place at around 9-30 PM near Phuldungsei in Mamit district, 147 km from Aizawl.

Buddhist monk, Ven. Kacchayana Bhikku was assaulted when he was carrying a Buddha statue in a hired vehicle from Guwahati (Assam). This Buddha statue from Thailand was donated by Mahabodhi Society Bangalore to the Marpara South Buddhist Temple.

It so happened that the vehicle hired by Ven. Kacchayana Bhikku slightly hit the rear view mirror of another vehicle (a 407 vehicle) where about a dozen Mizos were coming from the opposite direction while negotiating for side near Phuldungsei. The Mizos asked the driver, who was a Bengali (a “Vai” in Mizos’ vocabulary) to get down. When the non-Mizo driver was reluctant, they dragged him and started beating him. Seeing this Ven. Kacchayana Bhikku of Marpara South Buddhist Temple intervened and requested the Mizo youths to spare his driver.

At this the Mizo youths began to interrogate Ven. Kacchayana Bhikku. The Buddhist monk showed them the Buddha statue and appealed them to let them go. But the Mizo youths brutally assaulted Ven. Kacchayana Bhikku. They punched him on the face and kicked him for several minutes. One of the assaulters even bit Ven. Kacchayana Bhikku on his bald head, leaving teeth imprints on the head.

Speaking to this writer on the phone from his Buddhist temple in Marpara today, Ven. Kacchayana Bhikku stated, “My case highlights religious intolerance in Mizoram. They fully knowing that I was a Buddhist monk assaulted and insulted me. But I can tell you not all Mizos are like that. After the incident, we could do little because we had failed to note down the number of the vehicle of the accused.”

Meanwhile, the Mizoram Chakma Development Forum (MCDF) has strongly condemned the attack on the Buddhist monk. In a statement, MCDF termed the attack as “unfortunate and unacceptable in a civilized society.”

Eighty Seven per cent of Mizoram's population are Christians. Buddhists constitute only 8% who are mainly Chakmas.

Mizoram CM praises Chakma culture, promises development

Merinews.com, 1 May 2010, http://www.merinews.com/article/mizoram-cm-praises-chakma-culture-promises-development/15805778.shtml

By Paritosh Chakma

SPEAKING AS Chief Guest on the occasion of 39th ‘CADC Day’ held in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) headquarters Kamalanagar on April 29, 2010, Mizoram Chief Minister Pu Lal Thanhawla highly appreciated the unique culture of the Chakmas and promised rapid development of the CADC and other Chakma-inhabited areas.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was accompanied from Aizawl by his wife, Pi Lalriliani, Deputy Speaker of Mizoram state assembly John Rotluangliana, Minister of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Nihar Kanti Chakma, and Deputy Commissioner of Lawngtlai district, C Ralkapa, among others.

Promises rapid development

Pointing out that it was the Congress government at the Centre which created the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) way back in 1972, Pu Lal Thanhawla stated that the CADC can’t be dissolved. Three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) respectively for Chakma, Lai and Mara were created in 1972, but some Mizo political parties have opposed the Chakma ADC and even introduced resolutions in the Mizoram assembly demanding its dissolution.

Having separate autonomous legislature, executive and judiciary, the Chakmas administer their autonomous region in accordance with the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.

The Chief Minister promised rapid development of the Chakma inhabited areas – both the CADC and non-CADC areas. He said development in Mizoram was mainly taking place from the North, but now development should begin from the South, and provided examples of proposed trade centre with Bangladesh to be established near Demagiri in Lunglei district.

Spelling out his development plan for the CADC, Pu Lal Thanhawla informed that the Backward Region Grant Fund to the tune of Rs 57 crore will be implemented in six installments and the CADC authority will be empowered to directly implement the programme. To improve road connectivity, Routlang (Chhumkhum)-Kamalanagar road will be upgraded to state highway within one or two years and Kamalanagar-Boroponsury road will be completed with priority.

Kamalanagar Greater Water Supply Scheme will be introduced soon to solve the water woes. The Kawlchaw Hydro Project that is being constructed over the Chhimtuipui River will generate 460 MW of electricity for CADC, he stated. He further stated that he would like to see the CADC as the rice bowl of Mizoram and a technical team led by state Agriculture Minister will soon undertake a visit to carry out a study on agriculture prospects in the CADC area.

Beguiled by Chakmas’ culture

In particular, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and his wife appreciated the beautiful culture of the Chakmas that was presented as part of the CADC Day celebration. So beguiled they were that they even performed a dance on the stage to the tune of a Chakma song.

Pu Lal Thanhawla stated that he found the Chakmas’ culture and tradition very rich and would invite Chakma cultural troupe to perform at state level cultural programmes. Mindful of the fact that not many Chakmas can speak the Mizo language, he appealed to them to learn the Mizo language which he said would bring them closer to the Mizos and help them grab more opportunities in the state. However, he was quick to add that no one should be forced to learn Mizo language.

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Read another report:
Chakma Autonomous District Council will not be dissolved, says Mizoram CM, Mizoram Express, 30 April 2010, http://mizoramexpress.com/index.php/2010/04/chakma-autonomous-district-council-will-not-be-dissolved-says-mizoram-cm/