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.
--
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Aungkyew Mong
Coordinator
Kapaeeng Watch
(A human rights group for indigenous peoples)
Jagannath Hall, Dhaka University
Dhaka, Bangladesh
E-mail: kapaeeng.watch@gmail.com,
kapaeeng.watch@micico.ch