Monday July 19 2004 00:40:43 AM BDT
Dear President, Morethan six years after the signing of the ChittagonHill Tracts Peace Accord, the tribal inhabitants of the area continue to livein fear of attacks from Bengali settlers. Amnesty International is concernedabout the climate of impunity surrounding human rights violations by securitypersonnel in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The Letter is posted Below
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Dr. Hermann Beer
Wehlauerstrasse 103
76139 Karlsruhe
Germany
Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahamed
Presidential Secretariat
Old Sangsad Bhaban
Tejgaon
Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Telefax: (00 880) 2 9566242
Karlsruhe,16 July 2004
Dear President,
More than six years after the signing of the ChittagonHill Tracts Peace Accord, the tribal inhabitants of the area continue to livein fear of attacks from Bengali settlers. Amnesty International is concernedabout the climate of impunity surrounding human rights violations by securitypersonnel in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
In this letter I refer to attacks which took place in August 2003 in the Mahalchari
area of the KhagrachariDistrict. The villages where the incidents ocurredare
Mahalchari Bazaar,Ramesu Karbari Para, and Kerenganala. According to testimonies
given to Amnesty
International by eye witnesses a man was killed in front of his family, a ninemonth
old baby was strangled to death, nine women were sexually assaulted, oneof whom
was subjected to gang rape, several people sustained serious injuries,hundreds
of houses were burnt down and dozens were looted.
According to witnesses, police initially refused to accept complaints from
the tribal people although they filed complaints onbehalf of the Bengali settlers
against tribalinhabitantsof the area.
It is my urgent request that the Government of Bangladesh takes decisivemeasures to provide justice to the victims and survivors of these Mahalchari attacks and to ensure the protection of thetribal inhabitants of the Chittagon Hill Tractsagainst future attacks. I urge the Government of Bangladesh to institute anindependent and impartial investigation by a competent authority into theattacks against the tribal people in Mahalchari. Theauthorities should ensure the protection of witnesses and other survivors ofthe attacks so that they are able to testify before the inquiry without fear offurther attack and intimidation.
The scope of investigation should be broad enough to include the following:
1) Killings: Identify the killers of Binud Bihari Khisha and nine-month-old
Kiriton, and
make recommendations of the prosecution of thoseresponsible. Families of the
victims should receive full reparations.
2) Rape and sexual assault : The inquiry shouldidentify the individuals, including
any
army soldiers, responsible for the rape and sexualassault of women during the
attacks,
and make recommendations for the prosecution of thoseinvolved. Survivors of
sexualattacks and rape shouls receive compensation and beprovided with adequate
resources for their rehabiliation.
3) Burning and looting tribal houses : The inquiryshould identify the Bengali
settlers
responsible for burning and looting tribal houses andmake recommendations for
the
prosecution of those involved. Adequate resourcesshould be provided for rebuilding
tribal homes and rehabiliationof those who have lost property and belongings.
4)Access and redress : The inquiry should establishthe identity of the police
officers who refused to file complaints from thetribal people following the
attacks, and make
recommendations for disciplinary action and criminalcharges to be brought against
those involved.
I urge the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of thetribal
people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and toact immediately to prevent future
attacks.
I call on the Government to ensure that the law enforcement personnel are fullytrained
in upholding internationally recognized human rights standards, andthat any
security personnel involved in violations of human rights are brought tojustice
without delay in accordance with international standards for a fairtrial.
Yours sincerely,
Cc:Begum KhaledaZia
Office of the Prime Minister
Gona Bhaban
Old Sangsad Bhaban
Tejgaon
Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Cc:Md. LutfuzzamannBabar
Ministry of Home Affairs
Bangladesh Secretariat
Building 4
Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Cc:Moni SwapanDewan
Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka
BANGLADESH