CHT American Jumma Peoples appeal to United States Ambassador to Bangladesh
Download: CHT American Jumma Peoples Association’s appeal United States ambassador
Hon. James F. Moriarty Feb 26, 2010
United States Ambassador to Bangladesh
Dhaka.
Hon. James F. Moriarty Feb 26, 2010
United States Ambassador to Bangladesh
Dhaka.
Subject: Appeal to save Indigenous Peoples of CHTs Region of Bangladesh from intolerable humiliation and inhuman sufferings
We are deeply concerned about the recent grave situation of CHTs region of Bangladesh resulted from the atrocities committed by the fanatic Muslim Bengali settlers on Indigenous peoples (Jumma) with active support from law enforcement agencies (Army, BDR, Police) and civil administration. According to different mass media, about 7 indigenous people were killed, 70 people were injured, 500 houses including one Buddhist Temple of Jumma people were burnt into ashes, and 3 thousand Jumma people have become destitute as a result of these hostile and violent activities committed by the Bengali people. These indigenous people are now passing their life in jungles under the open sky without food, clothes and shelter with utmost inhuman sufferings. The violence started first at Baghaihat of Rangamati Hill District on February 19 with arson attack on Jumma houses by Bengali settlers backed by law enforcement agencies which was followed by arm firings, killings, lootings, and torture; and afterwards, it extended over to Khagrachari district headquarters when a peaceful procession brought out by the Jumma students in protest against these atrocities was intercepted by the Bengali settlers.
The situation has become more terrible when the law enforcement agencies started grabbing of male Jumma persons leaving the women and children insecure and unsafe at this severe situation.
All of these violent activities are extreme human rights violation against these innocent minority Jumma peoples by the majority population who are controlling the state power.
We are also extremely worried that most of our parents, brothers, sisters and close relatives are living in these severely affected areas, and they also have become the victims of the violent situation.
It may be mentioned here that this type of brutal incidents is not an isolated occurrence. It begun in mid ‘70s when an ill motivated plan was introduced by the then Military turned into BNP Government of Bangladesh to settle the Muslim Bengalis from plain land with a view to force out Indigenous peoples from their ancestral land of CHTs region and capture and expand the area for the Muslim territory. More than 400,000 Bengali settlers have already infiltrated into this region under this plan with full support (money, materials and security) of different governments. Consequently thousands indigenous families have become destitute; and now the mere survival of indigenous peoples is at stake.
In this crucial situation, we earnestly appeal to you to kindly look into the matter how to bring to an end of these carnage in order to save these helpless and vulnerable indigenous peoples of CHTs region of Bangladesh from intolerable humiliation and inhuman sufferings.
Best regards.
Maung Thowai Nu Ching Debashis Chakma
President General Secretary
Copy to:
1. Hon. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State, United States of America
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street
NW, Washington, DC 20520
2. Hon. Robert O. Blake
Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asian Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street
NW, Washington, DC 20520
1. Hon. Michael H. Posner
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street
NW, Washington, DC 20520
