Bring violators of indigenous people's rights to justice

The Daily Star, 30 July 2009

Bring violators of indigenous people's rights to justice

Speakers say at report launching ceremony

Numerous cases of human rights violation committed by law enforcement agencies with impunity provided by the government is contrary to the laws of the country and should be brought to justice, said the speakers at the launch of the report on Indigenous People's Human Rights in Bangladesh 2007-08.

The report, published by Kapaeeng Foundation with the support of Oxfam, said serious cases of human rights violation of indigenous people include extra-judicial killing, arbitrary arrest, torture, harassment, religious persecution, arson and displacement by land grabbers.

During the last two years, three people died in military custody, three were killed by settlers and land grabbers, about 50 activists and 20 farmers were arrested, two monks were detained, eight people were tortured in custody and eight women were raped, it added.

The report said 15 incidents of land grabbing and arson by settlers, armed forces, NGOs and private companies also took place during the period.

The report was formally launched by Priyanka Simsang, daughter of slain Chalesh Ritchil of Madhupur who died in military custody, and Ranglai Mro, indigenous rights activist from Bandarban who was arrested allegedly on false charges in 2007.

Speaking on the occasion Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, demanded apology from the government on various incidents of human rights violation by state forces during the last two years.

Barrister Sara Hossain said the issues of human rights violation of indigenous people should be taken to the higher court.

The victims should be compensated, not only by the government but also by the persons directly involved in the incidents.

According to the census of 1991, around 1.2 million indigenous people live in Bangladesh and the total number of indigenous ethnic groups is 27.

Non-government bodies however put the number of groups in between 40 to 50 with around three million population.

Pankaj Bhattacharya, presidium member of Gono Forum, laid emphasis on re-establishing the secular nature of the constitution.

Without a secular constitution it would be impossible to ensure equal rights of the minority communities, he added.

Chakma Circle Chief Raja Devasish Roy said implementation of Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord and constitutional recognition of indigenous people are necessary to ensure their rights.

He said the definition of human rights has an expanded meaning in the case of indigenous people.

Their rights to religion, language and culture should be ensured along with basic, political and economic rights.

The programme was chaired by Rabindranath Soren, chairperson of Kapaeeng Foundation, while Prof Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, former vice chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, was the chief guest.

Shahriar Kabir, president of Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee, Rokeya Kabir, executive director of Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha, Mangal Kumar Chakma of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity, and Alexius Chicham of Oxfam also spoke on the occasion.

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New Age, Dhaka, July 30, 2009

Rights activists call for ending repression on ethnic minority people

Intellectuals and rights activists on Wednesday observed that torture on indigenous people by lawmen had increased during the two years of state of emergency under the military-backed interim government.

They said that women were tortured more during the time as there was a move to demoralise the leadership in the indigenous community.

They were speaking at a function to launch Indigenous People’s Human Rights Report 2007-08 in the city. Kapaeeng Foundation, a non-governmental organisation dealing with rights issues, published the report.

Indigenous rights activist and also a victim, Ranglai Mro, who was tortured during the interim administration, and Priyanka Simsang, daughter of Chalesh Ritchil who died in custody, unveiled the report.

Leaders of the indigenous people who spoke at the function demanded trial of killers of indigenous people, including indigenous leaders Chalesh Ritchil and Kalpana Chakma, who never returned after being abducted 13 years ago.

Speaking as chief guest, former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Zillur Rahman Siddique alleged that influential people with the support of police were evicting the ethnic minority people from their homesteads in different parts of the country.

He also alleged that custodial torture became rampant as in most cases police torture the accused while they are remanded in custody.

‘The lawmakers should come up to do something to stop violation of human rights during police remand,’ he said.

Chakma Raja Devashish Roy, who was also a special assistant to the interim government’s chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, said the government should take initiatives to conduct trial of killings of indigenous people before and after the 1997 peace treaty.

The report launching ceremony was presided over by Rabindranath Saren, chairman of the foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, president of Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee Shahriar Kabir underlined the need for protecting the culture and languages of the indigenous people. There were 45 indigenous languages, many of which have already become extinct, he pointed out.

General secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum Sanjeeb Drong said the authorities should at least feel sorry for not doing justice to the victims and apologise for their failure to conduct trial of the killers of Chalesh Ritchil.

Chalesh was allegedly killed in custody in March, 2007 while Ranglai was arrested in February the same year and was allegedly tortured by lawmen.

Chakma leader Mangal Kumar alleged that torture on indigenous people had increased during the state of emergency, which, he said, was used for different purposes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, home to some 11 indigenous communities.

Gono Forum presidium member Pankaj Bhattacharya and rights activist Rokeya Kabir and lawyer Sara Hossain also took part in the discussion.