Human Rights of Arunachal backs AAPSU, seeks withdrawal of July 13 meeting on Kachari ST inclusion
Human Rights of Arunachal has backed AAPSU's opposition to the July 13 meeting on Kachari ST inclusion. It said any move affecting Arunachal Pradesh's tribal framework must follow broad indigenous consent.
- Jul 11, 2026,
- Updated Jul 11, 2026, 8:40 AM IST
- HRA said tribal rights and land in Arunachal enjoy constitutional protection
- It urged broad indigenous consensus before any change to ST framework
- The group said Scheduled Tribe issues carry social, cultural and political weight
The Human Rights of Arunachal (HRA) has extended its support to the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) in opposing the Arunachal Pradesh government's proposed consultative meeting on July 13 regarding the inclusion of the Kachari community residing in Namsai and Changlang districts in the state's Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
In a statement issued on July 10, HRA Chairman Dr. Kipa Kaha said Arunachal Pradesh is a tribal-majority state where the rights, identity, customs, traditions and land of indigenous communities enjoy constitutional and legal protection. He said any proposal that could alter the existing ST framework must be approached with caution and only after securing broad consensus among indigenous tribal communities.
Supporting AAPSU's demand, HRA called for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed consultative meeting, stating that issues related to Scheduled Tribe status carry significant constitutional, social, cultural and political implications and should not proceed without the confidence and consent of the state's indigenous people.
The organisation also noted that the Sonowal Kachari community already enjoys Scheduled Tribe status in neighbouring Assam and said any proposal to extend ST recognition within Arunachal Pradesh should undergo careful constitutional scrutiny without affecting the safeguards available to the state's indigenous tribes.
Dr. Kaha further said that the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system and the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, were enacted to safeguard the identity, culture and traditional rights of Arunachal Pradesh's indigenous communities and should not be diluted through decisions that may alter the state's tribal framework.
HRA appealed to the Arunachal Pradesh government, the Chief Secretary and the Department of Social Justice, Empowerment and Tribal Affairs (SJETA) to withdraw the July 13 meeting and urged the government to hold transparent consultations with all recognised indigenous stakeholders before taking up issues that could impact the state's tribal identity and constitutional safeguards.
