by Staff Reporter
News source :The Independent 10 August 2002
Chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Regional Council Jyotirindra
Bodhipriya Larma alias Santu Larma has called upon the government to
implement all the promises made in the CHT peace agreement and recognise the
traditional land rights of indigenous people.
He said this while addressing a rally organised by Bangladesh Indigenous
People's Forum (Bangladesh Adibasi Forum) to mark International Day of the
World's Indigenous Peoples, 2002.
The programme began with the performance of 'traditional war dance of Khasi
Hill people Prof Sirajul Islam Chowdhury inaugurated the function held at
the Central Shaheed Minar in the city yesterday.
Father R.W Timm, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Ramendu Majumdar, Mamunur Rashid,
Selina Hossain, Dr Pradanendu Bikash Chakma, Dr Nim Chandra Bhoumik, Mesbah
Kamal, Robeta Morong and Flora Babli Talang, among others, addressed the
rally.
"Recognise the Traditional Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples" was
the theme
of this year's International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
Leaders of Bangladesh Adibasi Forum urged the government to solve the
land-related problems with a view to protecting the land rights of the
indigenous people. They also demanded recovery of their lands already
grabbed by vested group.
They said that the colonialist pattern of land administration in the CHT has
not yet been changed though the colonial rule ceased to exist in 1947 and
the laws to some extent deny the legitimacy of the customary land rights of
the indigenous people.
Speakers at the rally said that many of the promises made in the CHT peace
accord have not yet been fulfilled, which has disappointed people.
They also stressed the need for protecting traditional ways of life of
indigenous people, their cultural heritage and dialects.
Thousands of indigenous people from across the country gathered at the
Central Shaheed Minar with colourful banners, festoons and placards in their
hands to observe the Day.
After the rally, the Forum took out a colourful procession in the city
chanting slogans.
The procession was followed by a discussion meeting held at Central Public
Library in the city.
Dr Kamal Hossain was present at the meeting as the chief guest while Deputy
Minister for CHT Affairs Mani Swapon Dewan, Chakma Circle Chief Raja
Devasish Roy, UN Resident coordinator Jorgen Lissner, Charge d' Affaires of
Royal Danish Embassy Ove Fritz Larsen and Promode Mankin MP attended it as
special guests.
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JCC comments:
As is well known, the government of Bangladesh has not recognized the presence
of any indigneouis people in Bangladesh. In view of the debate around the term
'indigenous' the Bangladesh government's representatives at International fora
like United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Population have refused to recognize
the presence of any indigenous population in that country. Though the government
is yet to officially recognise the terms 'indigenous,' the presence of government
officials including the CHT Affairs Minister along with many dignatories from
embassies of EU countries in a celebratory event like this in Dhaka could be
interpreted to imply indirect recognition of the existence of indigenous people.
.
As the government is unwilling to recognize the 'indigenous' indentity at the
UN, the presence of the government officials in an event like this seems contradictory.
Many Jummas believe that it is an eye wash just for drawing foreign funding.
Though the government is not recognizing the 'indigenous' term in official parlance,
there is legal basis for this terminology to be applied to the hill people of
CHT.
The CHT regulation 1 of 1900, which is the principal legal instrument of the region, refers to the "indigenous hillmen" and "indigenous tribesmen" interchangably. Apart from that, the term is also used in the document of Government of Bangladesh, National Board of Revenue: Application of the income Ta Act 1992- Indigenous Hillmen in the Chittagong Hill Tracts -clarification regarding Memo C No. 4(6) Kac- 5/77/589 dated 04.09. 1980- etc. So there is hardly any scope for the government of Bangldesh to deny the indigenous identity.
But recognising the term in legal affairs alone will hardly solve the problem of establishing the rights of the hill peoples, as is apparent from the lack of implementation of the CHT peace accord, and the deteriorating situation in the hill tracts.