According to Joan Halifax Roshi, Head Teacher, Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico – "Today, more than any other time in human history, we are living in a kind of intimacy that can destroy or liberate. Our weapons can find their targets within minutes, our diseases can spread like a wild fire in a dry forest, and our delusions can contaminate the minds of millions instantaneously through the media".

We are living in the world of nervous nuclear arm race, injustice, violence, racial intolerance, hatred,, greed, corruptions and delusions. We are just being the victims of all these intolerances and overbearing nervousness. That is why we are unable to live in harmony with our fellow beings and therefore no happiness. Our mind and thoughts are full of agony when we come to know how our leaders are creating unrest and troubles for their self interest. If you permit me, I want to draw your kind attention to an incident of 53 years back.

India and Pakistan were given birth for making home lands for the Hindus and the Muhammadans. No one was responsive of the demand of the minority Tribal Buddhist and their home land , Chittagong Hill Tracts where 98 p.c population Buddhist was transferred to Pakistan. It resulted in inestimable social tragedy both internally and externally as the Pakistan government began to change the demographics of CHT. A sinister plan was carried out by constructing of a huge Kaptai Dam in CHT. As a result of which more than 100,000 ethnic Buddhist people lost their lands. 40 p.c of the available fertile valley land was inundated. 40,000 people left for India in 1964 yet they are stateless as no citizenship was given to them by the Government of India. They are living in Arunachal Pradesh. Some 20,000 are said to have gone to Arakan in Myanmar. The Governments (both Pakistan and Bangladesh) promoted Islam, carrying out, forced conversion. The Buddhist women who marry Bengali Muslims, wheather by choice or abducted by force, are being converted to Islam.

BANGLADESH

Since East Pakistan became Bangladesh (new country); and the ethnic Buddhist leaders had tried their best to come to an understanding with the Bangladesh Government to overcome the ethnic problems of the minority Buddhists, but failed to yield any results. And after having failed all peaceful dialogue with the Government, the Buddhist hill people formed an under ground organization under the banner "Shanti Bahini" (peace force) which started to be active in the mid of 1970's. In the process of an armed struggle between Shanti Bahini and security forces, many became victims and more than 80,000 people crossed over to India and Myanmar. At the end, on 2 December 1997 a peace accord was signed between the National Committee on CHT (on behalf of Bangladesh Government) and the Parbatia Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) in the presence of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.. Following this many refugees from India were repatriated. A further three years have passed. Still peace is yet to dawn on CHT.

This is the long grueling journey of 53 years of the hill Buddhists. It is taking time for them to identify themselves with the majority, especially when religious fanaticism is on the uppermost level. In the majority dominated political system of democracy Buddhists became devastated. The uprooted Buddhists who had crossed over to India are trying to live with their culture and religion in India, but they are more in bad shape and shattered in comparison of their brethren in their home land, CHT. They are looking forward for a new beginning – a fresh start of life.

SILENT CRIES IN INDIA

As I had already mentioned that during the last 53 years they became desperately poorer, as they were unable to cope up with their new surroundings. They turned to be semi- nomadic, moving from place to place in search of jhuming lands (a primitive method of cultivation of felling trees and burning them to ashes to be soil manure before sowing paddy and vegetables just before the first rain of the monsoon) in the mountain valleys of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Tripura. Jhuming is already prohibited in all these states, as it destroys the forest resources. As they have not been taught any alternative method of livelihood, they are unable to come out from the forests and continue to live in distant forest areas. Education have had no great meaning to them, as no schooling facilities are available for their children. Of the majority of them, education has been in their first generation. Against all these odds and adversaries, they had produced a good number of professionals in the last couple of years and a handful of them are now working at Guwahati which is the capital of Assam. Guwahati is the route around of all tracts in this region and the gate way to outside India and the world. It is also the nerve center of the seven states in the north east. The educated group of this ethnic Buddhists are contemplating how to take care and look after the well being of the ill fated ones who are being enticed to join other religions or underground arm groups.

The ardent faith in non-violence of Buddhism stood in good stead in their hornest's nest as succour and therefore they were able to live in harmony and peace with all cross sections of people of different races, religion and culture wherever they were. A few of the first ranking educated among them had contemplation of their sufferings. With a view to overcome such a pass, a constellation of the society had several meetings and discussions and finally followed into the formation of a Friendly Society (Indigenous Buddhist Group) with its H.Q (temporary) in the premises of the house of Sakya Talukdar (Chakma), Chandan Nagar, P.O. Beltola, Guwahati, Assam. The Friendly Society has envisaged plans which includes among others :

1. To establish a precinct (prayer, meditation) hall;
2. To establish a guest house and students' home;
3. To provide social security and to uplift the needy.

The Friendly Society has made big strides within a very short period and its membership is now gradually spilling over to all over India and even abroad, as those who have empathy and bear a part with them are joining to it. At Guwahati we have on Sunday evening group meditation and Sangha meeting in members' residences. A land deal is going to be finalised very soon to start with the construction of the complex.

The members of the Friendly Society are getting massive encouragement and help from the Amida Trust in consolidating the work in the spirit of Bodhisattva. With the support of the Amida Trust two members are studying the Buddhist Ministry Training (3 years course).

The nightmare would be getting over soon; as I see it. Below is quoted from His Holiness the Dalai Lama :

"Whether one belives in a religion or not, and whether one belives in rebirth or not, there is not anyone who does not appreciate kindness and compassion".

S.P. Talukdar
November 2000