Sources- http://thereport.amnesty.org/eng/regions/asia-pacific/bangladesh
Human rights were severely restricted under a state of emergency imposed in the wake of widespread political violence. Hundreds of thousands of people were reportedly arrested on suspicion of criminal activity or breaches of emergency rules. Torture continued to be widespread. Law enforcement agencies were implicated in the deaths of more than 100 people in custody, but no one was held to account for the deaths. At least six men were executed.
Background
Following weeks of violent clashes between the supporters of the main political parties, a state of emergency was declared on 11 January. Elections scheduled for 22 January were postponed until 2008. President Iajuddin Ahmed appointed a new caretaker government headed by Fakhruddin Ahmed as Chief Adviser and supported by the army, and the army was deployed with the police to maintain law and order.
The new government embarked on an anti-corruption programme, and took steps towards judicial and electoral reform, but the pace of reforms was disappointingly slow. There were also widespread concerns both about the role of the army in the country’s political life and about economic problems, including a sharp rise in the cost of food and other essential goods.
The government announced that it had initiated the creation of a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The authorities were urged by Amnesty International to ensure that the NHRC’s mandate, independence and resources would enable it to be an effective mechanism for strengthening human rights protection.
More than 60,000 slum dwellers were forcibly evicted when the government demolished slums in Dhaka, and also in Chittagong and Khulna. They were given no alternative accommodation or compensation.
Cyclone Sidr which hit south-western areas in mid-November caused severe devastation to over a million people’s homes and livelihoods and killed more than 3,000 people.
State of emergency restrictions
Emergency rules restricted freedom of association and assembly, withdrew some constitutional safeguards against arbitrary arrest and gave far-reaching powers of arrest to law enforcement agencies. The ban on political meetings was partially lifted in September to allow political parties to prepare for dialogue with the Election Commission on electoral reforms. Members of parties supported by the authorities were allowed to meet with no restrictions throughout the year.
Fair trial safeguards were weakened by the use of Special Courts which imposed tight restrictions on defendants’ access to lawyers, and by the denial of bail to defendants charged under emergency regulations.
Police and security forces – torture and deaths in custody
The security forces, including army and paramilitary units deployed under emergency rule with the police, committed human rights violations with impunity, including torture and other ill-treatment and alleged extrajudicial executions. The police force was inadequately trained and equipped and lacked effective accountability and oversight mechanisms. Army personnel accused of human rights violations remained almost entirely outside the purview of civilian judicial accountability mechanisms.
Rang Lai Mro, a community leader in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, was arrested on 23 February and allegedly tortured by army personnel. He required hospital treatment for his injuries. He was charged with possession of arms and reportedly sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. In October he was reportedly taken back into police custody, beaten again, and once more needed hospital treatment. There was no reported investigation into the torture allegations.
Sahebullah was reportedly detained on 16 May by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel and tortured in the office of the director of the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Both his legs were reportedly broken. He was arrested after demanding that a doctor attend to his wife, who had not been treated for 12 hours. She died the next day.
Law enforcement agencies were implicated in the deaths of more than 100 people in custody. No action was apparently taken to bring those responsible to justice.
Khabirul Islam Dulal, from Char Fashion Municipality in Bohla district, was arrested by navy personnel on 20 February. He was reportedly beaten, thrown in a pond with his hands tied with rope, and beaten again. He died that evening.
Garo indigenous leader Cholesh Richil died on 18 May while in the custody of Joint Forces (army and police) personnel. There were strong indications that he died under torture. Three other members of the Garo community – Tohin Hadima, Piren Simsung and Protap Jambila – were arrested at the same time and reportedly tortured. The government set up a judicial inquiry into Cholesh Richil’s death, but there was no news about it by the year’s end.
Arbitrary detention
According to media reports, officials stated that over 440,000 people were arrested on various grounds during the year. Many detainees were detained arbitrarily, initially held under emergency rules, then served with a detention order under the 1974 Special Powers Act (SPA). Some were then charged with politically motivated criminal offences.
Some people held under emergency rules were accused of “extortion” or other criminal activity. Detainees included over 160 politicians from the main political parties, as well as some wealthy business people. A number of detainees held without trial under emergency regulations or the SPA were reportedly tortured or ill-treated.
Shahidul Islam, a human rights activist, was charged with murder on the basis of a “confession” by another detainee, Badrul, in February. This charge blocked the release of Shahidul Islam when his detention order under the SPA expired in late February. Badrul retracted his original statement in court, saying he had been forced to make it by police. However, the charge against Shahidul Islam was not dropped and he was reportedly tortured in detention before being released on bail in late August.
Following clashes in August between law enforcement agencies and students in Dhaka and Rajshahi demanding an end to the state of emergency, 10 university lecturers from Dhaka and Rajshahi universities were detained. They were prisoners of conscience. Dozens of students were also arrested, accused of involvement in clashes. The six Rajshahi University lecturers were released in December but the four Dhaka University lecturers remained in detention.
Freedom of expression
Although wide-ranging emergency restrictions on the news media were not strictly enforced, their continued existence intensified self-censorship by journalists and editors. Journalists were threatened with arrest if they criticized intelligence agencies or the army.
Arifur Rahman, a cartoonist, was arrested on 17 September over a cartoon that used the name of the prophet Muhammad, following threats by Islamist groups. He was charged with “hurting religious sentiments” and was a prisoner of conscience. A 30-day detention order was issued against him under the SPA and extended for a further three months.
Human rights defenders
As in previous years, human rights defenders were subjected to arbitrary detention and torture. Lawyers were allegedly threatened with arrest on corruption charges if they took up high-profile cases.
Prisoner of conscience Tasneem Khalil, a journalist who worked with the Daily Star newspaper, CNN and Human Rights Watch, was detained on 11 May and reportedly tortured because he had supplied information on human rights violations.
Prisoner of conscience Jahangir Alam Akash, journalist and local head of two human rights organizations, was arrested on 24 October by RAB agents in the north-western city of Rajshahi. He was reportedly given electric shocks, was beaten on the soles of his feet with a stick, and was hung from the ceiling with his hands tied. He was transferred to the Rajshahi Jail hospital with multiple injuries. His detention followed his television news report in May about the shooting of an unarmed man by RAB agents. He was charged with extortion, a charge widely believed to be false and politically motivated, and held in detention for over a month before being released on bail.
Justice system
The government took steps to implement the Supreme Court’s 1999 ruling requiring separation of the judiciary from the executive, including amendments to relevant laws. On 1 November the new system came into effect. However, reports indicated that executive magistrates would retain some judicial powers.
Past human rights abuses
Demands gathered momentum during the year for the investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed in 1971. However, as in the past, no action was taken by the government to implement the 1973 International Crimes (Tribunals) Act and no official commission was ever established to provide a comprehensive account of the events of 1971, to determine responsibilities and to make recommendations for reparation for the victims.
Violence against women
Violence against women continued to be reported, including beatings, acid attacks and dowry deaths.
In Kushtia district, in the month of June alone, police and hospital records reportedly revealed that at least 19 women committed suicide and 65 more attempted suicide because of violence by their husbands or family members.
Death penalty
At least 90 men and three women were sentenced to death, and at least six men were executed.
Amnesty International visit/reports
An Amnesty International delegation visited Dhaka, Jessore and Khulna in March to assess the impact of the state of emergency on the human rights situation.
Bangladesh: Death in custody and reports of torture (ASA 13/005/2007)
Bangladesh: Amnesty International calls for thorough unrestricted inquiry into violations by security forces (ASA 13/011/2007)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Indigenous people of Bangladesh
Sources- http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=46025
THE terms "indigenous people," "indigenous ethnic minorities," and "tribal groups" are used to describe social groups that share similar characteristics, namely a social and cultural identity that is distinct from dominant groups in society.
United Nations human rights bodies, ILO, the World Bank and international law apply four criteria to distinguish indigenous people:
Indigenous peoples usually live within (or maintain attachments to) geographically distinct ancestral territories.
They tend to maintain distinct social, economic, and political institutions within their territories.
They typically aspire to remain distinct culturally, geographically and institutionally, rather than assimilate fully into a national society.
They self-identify as indigenous or tribal.
The situation of the indigenous people in the world is not encouraging. According to an estimate, there are about 370 million indigenous people spread across 70 countries. Individual groups practice their uniqueness, different from those of the dominant communities they live in. They are the descendents of those who originally took up habitation in a geographical location. Other settlers, who came through conquest, occupation, encroachment, or other means, gradually joined them.
Ultimately, when and where these intruders and occupiers became more dominant than the original population, the indigenous people were displaced and driven away from their ancestral homelands. Today, these indigenous populations throughout the globe, including Bangladesh, are facing similar problems and are fighting for their land and way of life.
Bangladesh has quite a few varieties of indigenous communities living in various parts of the country. Though the total indigenous population is about one million, or less than 1% of the total population, it consists of 45 indigenous communities using about 26 different languages.
Most indigenous people live in the rural settings of Chittagong Hills and in the regions of Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rajshahi. Most of the tribal people are of Sino-Tibetan descent, and have distinctive Mongolian features. These indigenous people differ in their social organisation, marriage customs, birth and death rites, food, and other social customs, from the people of the rest of the country. In the mid-1980s, the percentage distribution of tribal population by religion was Buddhist 44, Hindu 24, Christian 13, and others 19.
Each indigenous community, however small it may be, has a distinctive culture and heritage. The leaders from those communities express concern that those are fading away due to lack of government patronisation and aggressive activities by sections of local people. They complain that their rights are often violated both by the government and by Bengalis. These can be protected only if the government shows more awareness and sensitivity to indigenous causes and comes forward and take steps.
How the indigenous people were forced to lose their dominance in their own locality is shown in the table as a progressive decline of indigenous population in context of the total population in Chittagong Hill Tracts over a period of time (see table).
Problems faced by the indigenous population of Bangladesh may be categorised as follows:
In addition to facing discrimination due to their ethnicity, members of indigenous communities face hardship in education, employment, and everyday life.
Lands of the indigenous peoples have been encroached upon and settled by newcomers. With little legal protection, indigenous peoples can rarely recover the lands they traditionally occupied. Sometimes government agencies in the name of development work take over lands belonging to the indigenous people.
All over the north of Bangladesh, indigenous people say they are concerned about what they call encroachment onto their traditional homelands by Bengali settlers.
Indigenous communities are mostly situated in remote, rural areas, where they lack infrastructure and access to larger markets.
Indigenous communities have also played a historically important role in environmental protection. Traditional livelihoods in indigenous communities may depend upon agriculture and raising animals. Environmental damage, therefore, is having a severe impact on their economies.
Land reform and property laws have restricted some indigenous groups like Khasis at Moulvibazar or Garos at Modhupur, making their traditional occupations untenable.
As they are mostly marginalised, indigenous and tribal peoples lack clout in national and even in most local governments, with the limited exception of local governments of Chittagong Hill Districts. Their interests and needs are often ignored by decision-makers.
Years of discrimination have cast the indigenous people into poverty, thus further damaging their chances at empowerment and opportunities to improve their situation.
Bangladesh is a poor country. But, it may not be wrong to say that, with very few exceptions, Bangladesh's indigenous peoples are by and large the poorest among the poor. It cannot be denied that they face discrimination in education, employment, and civil rights. Decades of violence between indigenous-led insurgencies and government security forces in the Chittagong Hill Tracts gave rise to social tensions there which still persist despite the signing of a peace accord nearly ten years ago. Allegations of serious human and civil rights abuses against members of indigenous communities surface every now and then.
The diversity of our culture due to the presence of indigenous communities is providing extra vigour to the national fabric of Bangladesh. Moreover, indigenous people are the original inhabitants of our country. So, they have the same right we have over Bangladesh, if not more.
The newly elected Australian prime minister recently apologised to the indigenous people of Australia. Prime Minister Kevin Ruddtold parliament: "We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering, and loss on these our fellow Australians."
Should we continue to neglect our fellow Bangladeshis, the indigenous people, and continue not doing what should be done for them, and be compelled by our conscience to offer similar apologies in future? Would asking for apology in future absolve our irresponsible acts today?
G.M. Quader is a former Member of Parliament.
THE terms "indigenous people," "indigenous ethnic minorities," and "tribal groups" are used to describe social groups that share similar characteristics, namely a social and cultural identity that is distinct from dominant groups in society.
United Nations human rights bodies, ILO, the World Bank and international law apply four criteria to distinguish indigenous people:
Indigenous peoples usually live within (or maintain attachments to) geographically distinct ancestral territories.
They tend to maintain distinct social, economic, and political institutions within their territories.
They typically aspire to remain distinct culturally, geographically and institutionally, rather than assimilate fully into a national society.
They self-identify as indigenous or tribal.
The situation of the indigenous people in the world is not encouraging. According to an estimate, there are about 370 million indigenous people spread across 70 countries. Individual groups practice their uniqueness, different from those of the dominant communities they live in. They are the descendents of those who originally took up habitation in a geographical location. Other settlers, who came through conquest, occupation, encroachment, or other means, gradually joined them.
Ultimately, when and where these intruders and occupiers became more dominant than the original population, the indigenous people were displaced and driven away from their ancestral homelands. Today, these indigenous populations throughout the globe, including Bangladesh, are facing similar problems and are fighting for their land and way of life.
Bangladesh has quite a few varieties of indigenous communities living in various parts of the country. Though the total indigenous population is about one million, or less than 1% of the total population, it consists of 45 indigenous communities using about 26 different languages.
Most indigenous people live in the rural settings of Chittagong Hills and in the regions of Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rajshahi. Most of the tribal people are of Sino-Tibetan descent, and have distinctive Mongolian features. These indigenous people differ in their social organisation, marriage customs, birth and death rites, food, and other social customs, from the people of the rest of the country. In the mid-1980s, the percentage distribution of tribal population by religion was Buddhist 44, Hindu 24, Christian 13, and others 19.
Each indigenous community, however small it may be, has a distinctive culture and heritage. The leaders from those communities express concern that those are fading away due to lack of government patronisation and aggressive activities by sections of local people. They complain that their rights are often violated both by the government and by Bengalis. These can be protected only if the government shows more awareness and sensitivity to indigenous causes and comes forward and take steps.
How the indigenous people were forced to lose their dominance in their own locality is shown in the table as a progressive decline of indigenous population in context of the total population in Chittagong Hill Tracts over a period of time (see table).
Problems faced by the indigenous population of Bangladesh may be categorised as follows:
In addition to facing discrimination due to their ethnicity, members of indigenous communities face hardship in education, employment, and everyday life.
Lands of the indigenous peoples have been encroached upon and settled by newcomers. With little legal protection, indigenous peoples can rarely recover the lands they traditionally occupied. Sometimes government agencies in the name of development work take over lands belonging to the indigenous people.
All over the north of Bangladesh, indigenous people say they are concerned about what they call encroachment onto their traditional homelands by Bengali settlers.
Indigenous communities are mostly situated in remote, rural areas, where they lack infrastructure and access to larger markets.
Indigenous communities have also played a historically important role in environmental protection. Traditional livelihoods in indigenous communities may depend upon agriculture and raising animals. Environmental damage, therefore, is having a severe impact on their economies.
Land reform and property laws have restricted some indigenous groups like Khasis at Moulvibazar or Garos at Modhupur, making their traditional occupations untenable.
As they are mostly marginalised, indigenous and tribal peoples lack clout in national and even in most local governments, with the limited exception of local governments of Chittagong Hill Districts. Their interests and needs are often ignored by decision-makers.
Years of discrimination have cast the indigenous people into poverty, thus further damaging their chances at empowerment and opportunities to improve their situation.
Bangladesh is a poor country. But, it may not be wrong to say that, with very few exceptions, Bangladesh's indigenous peoples are by and large the poorest among the poor. It cannot be denied that they face discrimination in education, employment, and civil rights. Decades of violence between indigenous-led insurgencies and government security forces in the Chittagong Hill Tracts gave rise to social tensions there which still persist despite the signing of a peace accord nearly ten years ago. Allegations of serious human and civil rights abuses against members of indigenous communities surface every now and then.
The diversity of our culture due to the presence of indigenous communities is providing extra vigour to the national fabric of Bangladesh. Moreover, indigenous people are the original inhabitants of our country. So, they have the same right we have over Bangladesh, if not more.
The newly elected Australian prime minister recently apologised to the indigenous people of Australia. Prime Minister Kevin Ruddtold parliament: "We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering, and loss on these our fellow Australians."
Should we continue to neglect our fellow Bangladeshis, the indigenous people, and continue not doing what should be done for them, and be compelled by our conscience to offer similar apologies in future? Would asking for apology in future absolve our irresponsible acts today?
G.M. Quader is a former Member of Parliament.
Cries for justice fall on deaf ears
- Asian Tribune -
Sources - http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/12386
Sat, 2008-07-26 01:29
By Kamal Rajapakse
Asian Centre for Human Rights issued a damning indictment of human rights violations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts by Bangladesh government. It says "This deliberate act of arson, looting, assault and rape, leading to the destruction of seven Jumma villages is reminiscent of similar attacks which forced over 70,000 indigenous Jumma peoples to cross the international border and seek refuge in India in 1985-1986 "
Human rights violations in the CHTs is nothing new to the international community. Almost every big player who monitors human rights had produced reports after reports during the past twenty years. Foreign missions in Dhaka visit CHTs on fact finding missions. Their missions have not had any impact on Islamization of Chittagong Hill Tracts by Bangladesh government.
One of the clauses of The 1997 Peace Accord is to dismantle all temporary military camps. According to the CHTs Commission three years after the agreement only 32 out of over 500 have been dismantled.Today Chittagong Hill Tracts is one of the most militarised zones on earth. The main objectives of the military administration (the de facto government) is to suppress Jumma activists and to give guidance and support to the civil administration to settle Bengali Muslims in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
To avoid another bloody rebellion by the indigenous tribes, Bangladesh armed forces have adopted counter-insurgency measures throughout the CHTs. Army camps and check points are so numerous, it is difficult for Jummas to move freely from one place to another. Very often security forces arrest Jummas on false charges in connection with terrorists activities. As emergecy laws are in force since January 2007 there is no protection under law.Jummas who have been accused face toture and extra-judicial execution.
Under the cloak of emergency laws Bangladesh army have also intensified its land grabbing. Army forcibly evict Jumma people from their land. Their land has been given to illegal Muslim settlers and provides protection to them. There are nearly half a million Bengalis settled in ethnic cleansed land in Chinttagong Hill Tracts.
Despite the systematic extermination of Jumma people it is beyond comprehension why international community is propping up the Bangladesh armed forces. Its air force now operates upgrade version of the Mig-29 and Mi17 and Bell helicopters.Chinese supply military hardware to its forces. Bangladesh officers were trained at the Royal College of Defence Studies and at the Joint Services Command & Staff College in the UK. USA and India have also given training to Bangladesh officers in their respective countries.
1997 Peace Accord was hailed as a breakthrough by the international community. After ten years, Bangladesh government has not fulfilled any of the fundamental demands of the Jumma people. One cannot perceive it will implement any in the near future. There is no doubt that the gradual extinction of the Jumma people who do not have any political or military clout is not a concern of the international community any more.
Sources - http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/12386
Sat, 2008-07-26 01:29
By Kamal Rajapakse
Asian Centre for Human Rights issued a damning indictment of human rights violations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts by Bangladesh government. It says "This deliberate act of arson, looting, assault and rape, leading to the destruction of seven Jumma villages is reminiscent of similar attacks which forced over 70,000 indigenous Jumma peoples to cross the international border and seek refuge in India in 1985-1986 "
Human rights violations in the CHTs is nothing new to the international community. Almost every big player who monitors human rights had produced reports after reports during the past twenty years. Foreign missions in Dhaka visit CHTs on fact finding missions. Their missions have not had any impact on Islamization of Chittagong Hill Tracts by Bangladesh government.
One of the clauses of The 1997 Peace Accord is to dismantle all temporary military camps. According to the CHTs Commission three years after the agreement only 32 out of over 500 have been dismantled.Today Chittagong Hill Tracts is one of the most militarised zones on earth. The main objectives of the military administration (the de facto government) is to suppress Jumma activists and to give guidance and support to the civil administration to settle Bengali Muslims in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
To avoid another bloody rebellion by the indigenous tribes, Bangladesh armed forces have adopted counter-insurgency measures throughout the CHTs. Army camps and check points are so numerous, it is difficult for Jummas to move freely from one place to another. Very often security forces arrest Jummas on false charges in connection with terrorists activities. As emergecy laws are in force since January 2007 there is no protection under law.Jummas who have been accused face toture and extra-judicial execution.
Under the cloak of emergency laws Bangladesh army have also intensified its land grabbing. Army forcibly evict Jumma people from their land. Their land has been given to illegal Muslim settlers and provides protection to them. There are nearly half a million Bengalis settled in ethnic cleansed land in Chinttagong Hill Tracts.
Despite the systematic extermination of Jumma people it is beyond comprehension why international community is propping up the Bangladesh armed forces. Its air force now operates upgrade version of the Mig-29 and Mi17 and Bell helicopters.Chinese supply military hardware to its forces. Bangladesh officers were trained at the Royal College of Defence Studies and at the Joint Services Command & Staff College in the UK. USA and India have also given training to Bangladesh officers in their respective countries.
1997 Peace Accord was hailed as a breakthrough by the international community. After ten years, Bangladesh government has not fulfilled any of the fundamental demands of the Jumma people. One cannot perceive it will implement any in the near future. There is no doubt that the gradual extinction of the Jumma people who do not have any political or military clout is not a concern of the international community any more.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Navanethem Pillay tipped to become U.N. Human Rights Chief
The South African judge Ms. Navanethem Pillay, who has served on the International Criminal Court since 2003, is expected to be proposed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the candidate for UN's next Human Rights Chief, succeeding Louise Arbour, Reuters reported Friday. As a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, where she served for eight years, Judge Pillay led the landmark decisions defining rape as an institutionalized weapon of war and a crime of genocide.(Pic- Navanethem Pillay)
Navanethem Pillay
Ms. Pillay was the first non-white South African to earn a doctorate in Law from Harvard in 1982. Judge Pillay became the first woman to start a law practice in Natal Province, South Africa in 1967. She defended and represented liberationists and activists in South Africa. Los Angeles Times reported that Pillay was selected over two others by a committee that gave weight to geographic origin and gender as well as experience. She was born in 1941 to South Africa.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Pope lauds apology to Aborigines
Pope Benedict XVI has praised the Australian government for apologising to the country's indigenous people for past injustices.Speaking at his first public appearance in Sydney, he said it was a courageous move that had offered hope to other disadvantaged people around the world.
PM Kevin Rudd formally apologised to Australian Aborigines early this year.
(Pic- The Pope is in Sydney to lead the Catholic Church's World Youth Day)
The Pope is in Sydney for the Catholic Church's World Youth Day, expected to attract some 200,000 young Catholics.
He made his remarks at a short welcome ceremony led by Mr Rudd.
The prime minister said the pontiff was "truly among friends" in Australia and that the country was honoured to have him there.
'Concrete steps'
The Pope, who arrived in Australia on Sunday, began his first full day of events on Thursday to celebrate the World Youth Day festival.
He will receive a traditional Aboriginal welcome ceremony, to be followed by a tour of Sydney Harbour by boat and an address to crowds gathered on the waterfront.
The pontiff said: "Thanks to the Australian government's courageous decision to acknowledge the injustices committed against the indigenous peoples in the past, concrete steps are now being taken to achieve reconciliation based on mutual respect.
"This example of reconciliation offers hope to peoples all over the world who long to see their rights affirmed and their contribution to society acknowledged and promoted."
Australia's Aborigines make up about 2% of the population. They have consistently higher rates of ill-health, unemployment and imprisonment than other Australians and a life expectancy 17 years lower.
Protests expected
Mr Rudd issued his landmark apology for the abuse and discrimination the country's indigenous people have endured since European colonisation in February, soon after taking office.
In his remarks, the Pope also commented on Australia's "serious commitment" to the environment.
During the course of the visit - his ninth outside Italy - he is also expected to apologise for decades of sexual abuse of children by priests.
Demonstrators have vowed to protest against the Church's stand on homosexuality and birth control.
The Pope will close his trip by presiding over an open-air Mass on Sunday at Sydney's Randwick Racecourse, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.
Source from- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7510862.stm
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Kapaeeng Watch News Release: 13 July 2008
Panpunji (Betel field) of Khasi indigenous people at Jaflong in Sylhet tried to occupy by mainstream people
[Report has been prepared with the help of news published on daily Prothom Alo on 10 July 2008]
On 18 June 2008 a group of land-hungry mainstream people tried to occupy 10 acres of land owned by Khasi indigenous people at Songram punji of east Jaflong in Sylhet. At night on that day, indigenous people opposed the Bengali Muslim people who had come to occupy the land. From that incident, they are guarding betel field by turns.
It is learnt that retired BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) person Habilder Muslem Uddin, a resident of Mohammadpur of Jaflong Ballaghat area tried to occupy 10 acres of land showing a letter of attorney in the name of his two sons. His two sons Shahin Alam and Mintu Alam with groups of people went there to grab betel field of Khasi people but they receded after they were chased.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Goainghat police station Md. Abdur Razzak said that indigenous people have been cultivating betel leaf on this land for generations. He also added that he asked the land-grabbers to show land document. But they failed to do. Later he learnt that the land is under indigenous people's record. It is mentionable that Khasi indigenous people traditionally cultivate betel leaf in this area for commercial purpose.
A team of Bangladesh Adivasi Odhikar Andolon (BAOA), an organisation working for upholding indigenous peoples' rights, rushed there to investigate the incident and returned to Dhaka few days ago after investigation. Team leader and General Secretary of BAOA Professor Mesbah Kamal said that the whole area of Jaflong situated at the bottom of Meghaloya, is a place of stones. A group of mainstream Bengali people are trying to occupy betel field to extract precious stones. He added that they would inform the concerned authority in Dhaka for taking necessary steps.
Ujjal Mehedi, a correspondent of Bengali national daily 'Prothom Alo' reported that 9 July he saw two young indigenous men on the spot who are repairing the fencing of betel field. A group of young people in tent are guarding one side of the garden and another group of people are protecting other side of garden. Delowar Lamin, an indigenous youth, informed that they are protecting garden by guarding in turns since after the incident of 18 June night. He also alleged that neither police nor local administration come forward for helping them.
Delowar Lamin said that the next day after the incident he on behalf of indigenous people filed a case against Muslim Uddin along with his two sons and two other people with Goainghat police station. But the police recorded it as general diary (GD) instead of case.
It is learnt that Khasi indigenous people are traditionally the owner of betel field. The present landlord Nerula Tongsong is paying revenue as an owner of the land. She paid revenue of Chailakhel mouza this year against the receipt no. 795496. She expressed that they are now in fear. On the other, Ujjal Mehedi reported that he went to Muslim Uddin's house on 9 July, but Shahin Alam was not found there. However, Muslim Uddin claimed that his son Shahin Alam bought these 10 acres of land by 7 lakh taka. In response to a question OC of Goainghat police station said that police took initiative to reconcile incident between two parties.
Modhupur eco-park wall would not be constructed
Says Raja Devaisish Roy at view-exchange meeting in Modhupur
On 11 July 2008 Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor Raja Devasish Roy attended a view exchange meeting with local indigenous people at Dokhala Rest House of Modhupur upazila in Tangail district. The view-exchange meeting was organised by Joyenshahi Adivasi Parishad with its president Ajoy Mree in the chair. Former member parliament and indigenous leader Promode Mankin and general secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum Sanjeeb Drong were also present at the meeting where more than 500 indigenous people from 60 villages in Modhupur area participated. Indigenous people raised their problems regarding eco-park, national park, social forestry, forest cases filed against them, quota reservation in educational institutions and jobs etc.
Raja Debashish Roy assured the representatives of indigenous people that Modhupur eco-park wall would not be constructed. He said that postponing construction of eco-park wall, the fund for construction of wall was already transferred to other project. It is mentionable that indigenous people have been protesting against the construction of wall since 2001 as it hampers their livelihood.
Devasish also said that the government was thinking about preservation of indigenous people's quota in the local government polls and introduction of forest administrations that would include locals to protect the interest of forest dweller indigenous people.
He added that the present Forest Act would be amended, if required, to protect the interest of indigenous people. He added that earlier, forest-related cases had been filed indiscriminately against indigenous people including children, old people and even dead people. It cannot be allowed to continue. He urged the indigenous people to find out ways to preserve their rights.
Promode Mankin said that indigenous people have been living this area for centuries. Then King of Nathore allotted land for indigenous people. But successive governments since Pakistan regime created problems through its forest department by declaring eco-park, wood-logging, social forestry etc violating the rights of the indigenous people.
Sanjeeb Drong said that problems of indigenous people should be resolved in accordance with international conventions, such as, ILO 107 Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, Article 8j of Convention on Biological Diversity etc. Government should understand that forest and bio-diversity cannot be preserved without involvement of indigenous peoples. He also added that there were no Bengali people in Modhupur area during British regime, but only indigenous people of Garo and Koch. Till that time, forest and bio-diversity was intake. But it has gradually been demolished since after the settlement of Bengali people.
Raja Debashish Roy was welcomed by indigenous Garo people with their traditional songs and dances.
Update of Priya Tanchangya killing
It is learnt that rest of the 6 villagers arrested from no. 3 Rubber Bagan area were released. Following the killing of Priya Tanchangya on 27 June allegedly by a group of armed miscreants, 7 Jumma villagers from no. 3 Rubber Bagan area were arrested by joint forces. Among them, Joy Moni Tanchangya was sent to Bandarban jail and other 6 villagers were released later.
Sources also informed that a UPDF supporter named Ashok Kumar Tanchangya from Balaghata under Bandarban sadar upazila was arrested by joint forces on 7 July. But he was released later. It is also learnt that next day on 8 July an armed cadre of UPDF belong to Chakma (name is not available) who came there from Kaukhali upazila under Rangamati district was arrested with arm from Balaghata area in Bandarban by joint forces and as per his statement Ashok Kumar Tanchangya and Bindu Tanchangya were arrested later. A reliable source also confirmed that they were handed over to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and taken to Rangamati district.
Sources said that five PCJSS leaders, namely, Mr. K S Mong, assistant general secretary of central committee of PCJSS and also member of CHT Regional Council; Mr. Sadhuram Tripura, president of Bandarban district committee of PCJSS and also member of CHT Regional Council; Dr. Nilu Kumar Tanchangya, central member of PCJSS and also member of CHT Regional Council; Mr. Bimal Kanti Tanchangya, leader of Bandarban sadar upazila branch of PCJSS and Shambu Kumar Tanchangya, leader of Rowangchari upazila branch of PCJSS who were deliberately charged with the killing of Priya Tanchangya by deceased wife Ms. Chikan Bala Tanchangya got bail from High Court on 13 July 2008.
Resolve CHT issues thru' political means
Speakers tell discussion
The Daily Star, Dhaka, Sunday, July 13, 2008
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) issues should be resolved through political means, speakers at a discussion said yesterday. The Bangalees and hill people should put in joint efforts to solve the problems, they said. Some indigenous people at the meeting alleged that hundreds of acres of their lands are being acquired in the name of development activities.
The discussion titled 'Present situation of CHT and the responsibility of citizens' was held under the banner of 'Worried Citizens' at Mukti Bhaban auditorium in the city, with Prof Akmol Hossain in the chair.
Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party of Bangladesh, said the problems in Chittagong Hill Tracts are absolutely political problems. Therefore, the issues should be resolved through political means, he added. He also said the CHT regional council is not functioning properly.
Prof Anu Muhammad of Jahangirnagar University called for giving constitutional recognition to the indigenous people. Comrade Khalequzzaman of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal said the local administration is acquiring hundreds of acres of land in CHT in the name of development. Advocate Gyan Jyoti Chakma said the situation in CHT has worsened after the caretaker government took over. He also accused the local administration of remaining indifferent to the suffering of indigenous people. Ruhin Hossain Prince of Communist Party of Bangladesh and Samir Kanti Dewan, a resident of CHT, also spoke.
The Kapaeeng Watch- E-mail: kapaeeng.watch@gmail.com, kapaeeng.watch@micico.ch
[Report has been prepared with the help of news published on daily Prothom Alo on 10 July 2008]
On 18 June 2008 a group of land-hungry mainstream people tried to occupy 10 acres of land owned by Khasi indigenous people at Songram punji of east Jaflong in Sylhet. At night on that day, indigenous people opposed the Bengali Muslim people who had come to occupy the land. From that incident, they are guarding betel field by turns.
It is learnt that retired BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) person Habilder Muslem Uddin, a resident of Mohammadpur of Jaflong Ballaghat area tried to occupy 10 acres of land showing a letter of attorney in the name of his two sons. His two sons Shahin Alam and Mintu Alam with groups of people went there to grab betel field of Khasi people but they receded after they were chased.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Goainghat police station Md. Abdur Razzak said that indigenous people have been cultivating betel leaf on this land for generations. He also added that he asked the land-grabbers to show land document. But they failed to do. Later he learnt that the land is under indigenous people's record. It is mentionable that Khasi indigenous people traditionally cultivate betel leaf in this area for commercial purpose.
A team of Bangladesh Adivasi Odhikar Andolon (BAOA), an organisation working for upholding indigenous peoples' rights, rushed there to investigate the incident and returned to Dhaka few days ago after investigation. Team leader and General Secretary of BAOA Professor Mesbah Kamal said that the whole area of Jaflong situated at the bottom of Meghaloya, is a place of stones. A group of mainstream Bengali people are trying to occupy betel field to extract precious stones. He added that they would inform the concerned authority in Dhaka for taking necessary steps.
Ujjal Mehedi, a correspondent of Bengali national daily 'Prothom Alo' reported that 9 July he saw two young indigenous men on the spot who are repairing the fencing of betel field. A group of young people in tent are guarding one side of the garden and another group of people are protecting other side of garden. Delowar Lamin, an indigenous youth, informed that they are protecting garden by guarding in turns since after the incident of 18 June night. He also alleged that neither police nor local administration come forward for helping them.
Delowar Lamin said that the next day after the incident he on behalf of indigenous people filed a case against Muslim Uddin along with his two sons and two other people with Goainghat police station. But the police recorded it as general diary (GD) instead of case.
It is learnt that Khasi indigenous people are traditionally the owner of betel field. The present landlord Nerula Tongsong is paying revenue as an owner of the land. She paid revenue of Chailakhel mouza this year against the receipt no. 795496. She expressed that they are now in fear. On the other, Ujjal Mehedi reported that he went to Muslim Uddin's house on 9 July, but Shahin Alam was not found there. However, Muslim Uddin claimed that his son Shahin Alam bought these 10 acres of land by 7 lakh taka. In response to a question OC of Goainghat police station said that police took initiative to reconcile incident between two parties.
Modhupur eco-park wall would not be constructed
Says Raja Devaisish Roy at view-exchange meeting in Modhupur
On 11 July 2008 Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor Raja Devasish Roy attended a view exchange meeting with local indigenous people at Dokhala Rest House of Modhupur upazila in Tangail district. The view-exchange meeting was organised by Joyenshahi Adivasi Parishad with its president Ajoy Mree in the chair. Former member parliament and indigenous leader Promode Mankin and general secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum Sanjeeb Drong were also present at the meeting where more than 500 indigenous people from 60 villages in Modhupur area participated. Indigenous people raised their problems regarding eco-park, national park, social forestry, forest cases filed against them, quota reservation in educational institutions and jobs etc.
Raja Debashish Roy assured the representatives of indigenous people that Modhupur eco-park wall would not be constructed. He said that postponing construction of eco-park wall, the fund for construction of wall was already transferred to other project. It is mentionable that indigenous people have been protesting against the construction of wall since 2001 as it hampers their livelihood.
Devasish also said that the government was thinking about preservation of indigenous people's quota in the local government polls and introduction of forest administrations that would include locals to protect the interest of forest dweller indigenous people.
He added that the present Forest Act would be amended, if required, to protect the interest of indigenous people. He added that earlier, forest-related cases had been filed indiscriminately against indigenous people including children, old people and even dead people. It cannot be allowed to continue. He urged the indigenous people to find out ways to preserve their rights.
Promode Mankin said that indigenous people have been living this area for centuries. Then King of Nathore allotted land for indigenous people. But successive governments since Pakistan regime created problems through its forest department by declaring eco-park, wood-logging, social forestry etc violating the rights of the indigenous people.
Sanjeeb Drong said that problems of indigenous people should be resolved in accordance with international conventions, such as, ILO 107 Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, Article 8j of Convention on Biological Diversity etc. Government should understand that forest and bio-diversity cannot be preserved without involvement of indigenous peoples. He also added that there were no Bengali people in Modhupur area during British regime, but only indigenous people of Garo and Koch. Till that time, forest and bio-diversity was intake. But it has gradually been demolished since after the settlement of Bengali people.
Raja Debashish Roy was welcomed by indigenous Garo people with their traditional songs and dances.
Update of Priya Tanchangya killing
It is learnt that rest of the 6 villagers arrested from no. 3 Rubber Bagan area were released. Following the killing of Priya Tanchangya on 27 June allegedly by a group of armed miscreants, 7 Jumma villagers from no. 3 Rubber Bagan area were arrested by joint forces. Among them, Joy Moni Tanchangya was sent to Bandarban jail and other 6 villagers were released later.
Sources also informed that a UPDF supporter named Ashok Kumar Tanchangya from Balaghata under Bandarban sadar upazila was arrested by joint forces on 7 July. But he was released later. It is also learnt that next day on 8 July an armed cadre of UPDF belong to Chakma (name is not available) who came there from Kaukhali upazila under Rangamati district was arrested with arm from Balaghata area in Bandarban by joint forces and as per his statement Ashok Kumar Tanchangya and Bindu Tanchangya were arrested later. A reliable source also confirmed that they were handed over to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and taken to Rangamati district.
Sources said that five PCJSS leaders, namely, Mr. K S Mong, assistant general secretary of central committee of PCJSS and also member of CHT Regional Council; Mr. Sadhuram Tripura, president of Bandarban district committee of PCJSS and also member of CHT Regional Council; Dr. Nilu Kumar Tanchangya, central member of PCJSS and also member of CHT Regional Council; Mr. Bimal Kanti Tanchangya, leader of Bandarban sadar upazila branch of PCJSS and Shambu Kumar Tanchangya, leader of Rowangchari upazila branch of PCJSS who were deliberately charged with the killing of Priya Tanchangya by deceased wife Ms. Chikan Bala Tanchangya got bail from High Court on 13 July 2008.
Resolve CHT issues thru' political means
Speakers tell discussion
The Daily Star, Dhaka, Sunday, July 13, 2008
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) issues should be resolved through political means, speakers at a discussion said yesterday. The Bangalees and hill people should put in joint efforts to solve the problems, they said. Some indigenous people at the meeting alleged that hundreds of acres of their lands are being acquired in the name of development activities.
The discussion titled 'Present situation of CHT and the responsibility of citizens' was held under the banner of 'Worried Citizens' at Mukti Bhaban auditorium in the city, with Prof Akmol Hossain in the chair.
Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party of Bangladesh, said the problems in Chittagong Hill Tracts are absolutely political problems. Therefore, the issues should be resolved through political means, he added. He also said the CHT regional council is not functioning properly.
Prof Anu Muhammad of Jahangirnagar University called for giving constitutional recognition to the indigenous people. Comrade Khalequzzaman of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal said the local administration is acquiring hundreds of acres of land in CHT in the name of development. Advocate Gyan Jyoti Chakma said the situation in CHT has worsened after the caretaker government took over. He also accused the local administration of remaining indifferent to the suffering of indigenous people. Ruhin Hossain Prince of Communist Party of Bangladesh and Samir Kanti Dewan, a resident of CHT, also spoke.
The Kapaeeng Watch- E-mail: kapaeeng.watch@gmail.com, kapaeeng.watch@micico.ch
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Resolve CHT issues thru' political means
Source-http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=45518
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) issues should be resolved through political means, speakers at a discussion said yesterday.
The Bangalees and hill people should put in joint efforts to solve the problems, they said.
Some indigenous people at the meeting alleged that hundreds of acres of their lands are being acquired in the name of development activities.
The discussion titled 'Present situation of CHT and the responsibility of citizens' was held under the banner of 'Worried Citizens' at Mukti Bhaban auditorium in the city, with Prof Akmol Hossain in the chair.
Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party of Bangladesh, said the problems in Chittagong Hill Tracts are absolutely political problems. Therefore, the issues should be resolved through political means, he added.
He also said the CHT regional council is not functioning properly.
Prof Anu Muhammad of Jahangirnagar University called for giving constitutional recognition to the indigenous people.
Comrade Khalequzzaman of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal said the local administration is acquiring hundreds of acres of land in CHT in the name of development.
Advocate Gyan Jyoti Chakma said the situation in CHT has worsened after the caretaker government took over.
He also accused the local administration of remaining indifferent to the suffering of indigenous people.
Ruhin Hossain Prince of Communist Party of Bangladesh and Samir Kanti Dewan, a resident of CHT, also spoke.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) issues should be resolved through political means, speakers at a discussion said yesterday.
The Bangalees and hill people should put in joint efforts to solve the problems, they said.
Some indigenous people at the meeting alleged that hundreds of acres of their lands are being acquired in the name of development activities.
The discussion titled 'Present situation of CHT and the responsibility of citizens' was held under the banner of 'Worried Citizens' at Mukti Bhaban auditorium in the city, with Prof Akmol Hossain in the chair.
Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party of Bangladesh, said the problems in Chittagong Hill Tracts are absolutely political problems. Therefore, the issues should be resolved through political means, he added.
He also said the CHT regional council is not functioning properly.
Prof Anu Muhammad of Jahangirnagar University called for giving constitutional recognition to the indigenous people.
Comrade Khalequzzaman of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal said the local administration is acquiring hundreds of acres of land in CHT in the name of development.
Advocate Gyan Jyoti Chakma said the situation in CHT has worsened after the caretaker government took over.
He also accused the local administration of remaining indifferent to the suffering of indigenous people.
Ruhin Hossain Prince of Communist Party of Bangladesh and Samir Kanti Dewan, a resident of CHT, also spoke.
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