Kapaeeng Watch News Release: 22 October 2008

New settlement of 4 mile area of Baghaichari and Dighinala upazila

On 3 October 2008 at mid-night Bengali settlers of 4 mile area of Baghaichari upazila under Rangamati district set fire on some 10-15 houses of them and immediately informed the nearest BDR camp authority of it falsely alleging that tribal miscreants burnt down their houses. A group of BDR rushed there and found makeshifts on ablaze, but all the household belongings were intake at the outsides. The BDR authority inquired about the incident and found it a false play.

However, on 6 October 2008 Bengali settlers under the banner of Sama Odhikar Andolon (SOA), an extreme Bengali nationalist and communal organisation of Bengali Muslim settlers, brought out procession at Baghaichari upazila headquarters demanding to take necessary action against tribal people and to provide compensation to them. They also had intension to fall upon the Jumma people and their houses at the upazila headquarters. The BDR and the police prevented them from approaching towards Jumma localities. At a stage, the settler women clapped BDR and police personnel with their slippers and others felted stone. Some leaders of SOA were arrested from the spot and taken to the police station. Of them, Selim Bahari, president of the Baghaichari branch of SOA was sent to the Rangamati jail and others were set free.

It is notable that the said area of the hilly range between Kassalong valley of Baghaichari upazila of Rangamati hill district and Maini valley of Dighinala upazila and Khagrachari hill district belonged to the Jumma people of the said upazilas. Since the beginning of 2006, they cut down bushes, fired and cleared. They planted trees and fruit trees there and few of them made houses as well. As soon as state of emergency was promulgated in January 2007, the authority of Dwitila army camp under Dighinala region collected and if necessary, compelled Bengali Muslim families from Muslim Block Para of Baghaichari union of Baghaichari upazila and from Bachamarong and Betchari cluster villages of Merung union under Dighinala upazila to forcibly occupy the said area.

It is learnt that the army authority granted an amount of Taka 7,000 to each family for making hut and provided ration as well. By September 2008, around 100 makeshift were made by the Bengali Muslim settlers.

Further it is learnt that in the meantime a few families of Bengali settler families those who have cultivable land went back to their previous houses in Dighinala and Baghaichari upazilas. Many others who have good sources of income also want to return to previous locations. But the army authority is yet to allow them.

Follow-up of Bengali settlement programme in Sajek

In August 2008, Lt. Col. Sajid Imtiaz, commanding officer (CO) of Baghaihat army zone was transferred from Baghaihat zone and a new CO has been appointed there. The new CO stopped providing fund and ration to the Bengali settler families since mid-September 2008. He also ordered the settlers to give back lands to the Jumma people except the lands purchased ones in the meantime. Consequently, many families of the settlers returned to their own houses at Muslim Block Para of Baghaichari upazila and Hajachara of Dighinala upazila.

It is important to note here that Ladu Moni Chakma alias Jadu Moni of Retkaba village of Sajek union was brutally killed by Bengali settlers on 19 August 2008 and the CHT Commission raised the incident of it with the Chief Advisor Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed of Caretaker Government of Bangladesh in September 2008. In addition, the UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation) submitted a report on CHT to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2008 on which Bangladesh Government is supposed to face hearing in February 2009. It is speculated that the present Caretaker Government, in order to have favourable position on the situation in Baghaihat area under Sajek union in particular, took up such a soft stance.

Judge Court grants bail for indigenous activists in Khagrachari

Very recently, newly introduced judge court in Khagrachari district granted bail to some indigenous activists. Among them, PCJSS central leader Mr. Tatindra Lal Chakma got bail on 25 September 2008, PCP leader Mr. Bholash Tripura on 7 October 2008 and Anunay Chakma Manas on 14 October 2008. They all were arrested after the promulgation of state of emergency.

PCJSS member harassed by police and intelligent personnel in Khagrachari

On 18 October 2008 police of Khagrachari police station and intelligent personnel arrested PCJSS members namely Buddha Kinkar Chakma Samichin and Priti Chakma for half an hour at Khagrachari police station in charging for photocopying of the "Report of the eminent citizens' visit to Chittagong Hill Tracts". They were released after confining them for half an hour at police lockup of Khagrachari police station.

Commercial afforestation by Destiny-2000 by occupying Jumma's land in Bandarban

Destiny-2000, a multi-level marketing company in Bangladesh, undertook afforestation programme for commercial purposes in Bandarban district by purchasing lands that was leased out to non-residents of CHT. It is also alleged that Destiny also occupied private lands owned by indigenous Jumma villagers.

It is learnt that on 10 September 2008 local people droved out Destiny workers while they were cleaning land by setting fire with kerosene on existing forest and orchard owned by indigenous Jumma villagers at Chemi Dalupara area under Bandarban sadar upazila (sub-district). After driving out from there, they later tried to occupy the land owned by one Bengali permanent resident named A K M Jahangir. Following this incident, complain has been lodged with the headman court.

Khiyang Adivasi leader Mr. Bachha Khyang, Karbari of Chemi Dalu Para Mr. Achhomong and villager of Gungurumuk Para Mr. Chinghla Khiyang said that they opposed the workers of Destiny when they came to occupy their lands. A Bengali resident Mr. Jahangir also alleged that the workers of Destiny occupied and set fire a portion of his orchard. Contractor of Destiny who is involved in afforestation confessed ablaze of a portion of Jahangir's orchard.

It is worth mentioning that CHT Peace Accord signed in 1997 between the government of Bangladesh and indigenous people's political party PCJSS stipulates, "Out of the lands allotted to non-tribal and non-local persons for rubber and other plantations, the lease (allocation) in respect of the lands of those who did not undertake any project during the last ten years or did not properly utilize the lands shall be cancelled." It is also mentionable that al most all the leases were not utilized. However, though eleven have passed after signing of the Accord, no allotment (lease) has yet been cancelled.

Indigenous people demand constitutional recognition

The Daily Star, 21 October 2008, RU Correspondent

Indigenous leaders at a convention yesterday demanded their constitutional recognition and ensuring their rights to their mother tongue, culture and land. They also demanded formation of a separate land commission for them and introduction of primary education in their mother tongue.

The First Convention of the Adivasi Chhatra Parishad (ACP) was held at the Rajshahi Zila Parishad auditorium. Eminent litterateur Prof Hassan Azizul Haque inaugurated the two-day convention that was attended by Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Raja Debashish Roy as the chief guest. Harendra Nath Sing, convener of Adivasi Chhatra Parishad (ACP), presided over the programme.

Prof Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University, Prof Dr Sujit Sarker, Prof Mahmudul Hassan of Rajshahi University, Jatiya Adivasi Parishad President Anil Marandi, General Secretary Rabindranath Saran, Rajshahi district president Bimal Chandra Rajwar, Hiran Mitra Chakma, central secretary of Pahari Chhatra Parishad, student leader Pavel Partha and Debashish Pramanik Debu spoke on the occasion.

Debashish Roy said that the country's indigenous community played a vital role in different democratic movements, including the Language Movement and the liberation war. However, they are still deprived of their rights, he observed. He assured that he would discuss with the government to preserve their rights.

While reading out a written statement, ACP Joint Convener Manik Saran placed a 10-point demand. The demands include five percent quota for the indigenous people in educational institutions and government services, introducing the indigenous children's mother tongue as the medium of their primary education, including indigenous language at university language department, establishing indigenous education, culture and research centre in every educational institutions, launching indigenous students' scholarship, construct indigenous students dormitories in all educational institutions and appoint indigenous teachers at indigenous primary school.

Earlier, ACP brought out a colourful rally that paraded different city streets.

Unite to realise constitutional rights of indigenous people- Shantu Larma urges students

The Daily Star, 22 October 2008

It is the time for the students of indigenous community to get united to realise their constitutional and basic rights, said Jyotirindra Bodhipriyo Larma alias Shantu Larma, chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council, yesterday.

At a freshers' reception at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University, he said members of the indigenous community are deprived of their constitutional rights and victims of harassment and suppression.

The reception was organised by Bangladesh Adivasi Chhatra Sangram Parishad to receive all indigenous students who were admitted to different educational institutions including Dhaka University in the city this year.

Speaking as chief guest at the programme, Shantu Larma said, "We the members of indigenous community should continue our fight against communalism alongside our efforts to establish a democratic and progressive state," he added. Criticising the country's higher education system he said it helps students become communal instead of democratic and progressive.

Dr Harun-ur-Rashid, dean of social science faculty, who attended the programme as special guest, said to ensure higher education of the indigenous students Dhaka University fixed one percent admission quota for them from this year.

"All political parties should make their stand clear about the rights of indigenous people in their political manifestos," said Prof Mezbah Kamal of history department.

He also criticised the caretaker government for holding a meeting with Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid.

Criticising the deployment of military in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Prof Sadeka Halim of sociology department said the government should withdraw them from the area as local administration is there to control the law and order situation.

The programme was also addressed by Prof Mohammad Samad of Social Welfare Institute, Robaet Ferdous, associate professor of mass communication and journalism department, and Sanjib Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adibashi Forum.