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.
- Asian Tribune -