Sun 4 May 2008
[Pahari Students Defy Emergency To Protest On DU Campus]
DOWNLOAD: Fact Finding Team 2 (Sara Hossain led)
DOWNLOAD: Fact Finding Team 1 (Moshrafe Mishu led)
REPORT: Ain Salish Kendra 2007 Annual Report
REPORT: Hana Shams in Star
REPORT: Shamima Binte Rahman in Shamokal (Bengali, Scroll down to 3d item)
OP-ED: Zubeida Nasreen on Region Unrest
LAW: Peace Treaty Challenged in Court, Court Rules Against Treaty
REPORT: Life Is Not Ours
REPORT: Bangladesh Watchdog
ALERT: Jumma People’s Network
OP-ED: Sachalatayan (Bengali)
HISTORY: 390,000 Bengali Settlers (2005)
[Korea Protests]
[New York Protests]
[Fact Finding Team 1: Moshrefa Mishu, Dr. Manosh Chowdhury, Udisa Islam, etc]
[Fact Finding Team 2: Pankaj Bhattacharya, Syed Abul Moqsud, Shameema Binte Rahman/Desh TV, Rubayet Ferdaus/DU, Rajiv Mir/Chittagong U, Shupriyo Chakma/Prothom Alo, Sara Hossain, and Ziauddin Tareque Ali/Shomilito Shamajik Andolon.]
[Victim's Press Conference (Shawkat Jamil/The Daily Star)]
[Image: Hill Watch Human Rights Forum]
PHOTO: Tripura Houses & Sajek Hills
[Image: Flickr/Ina]
VICTIM PRESS CONFERENCE SUMMARY
Sajek settler attack: victims holds press conference in Dhaka
April 27, 2008
Victims of Sajek settler attack held commander of Baghaihat Zone Lt. Col. Sajid Md. Imtiaz and businessman Golam Mowla responsible for it. Five of the victims who came to Dhaka for the press conference were speaking to the newsmen at Reporters Unity at Segoon Baghicha today, Sunday. (photo attached) Reading out a written statement Binoy Chakma alleged that the 20 April incident was preplanned. He said prior to the incident settlers from Merung and Kobakhali in Dighinala and Marishya and Longudu in Baghaichari were gathered together, while on 19 April a leader of the so-called Samo Odhikar Andolon, a platform of the illegal settlers, Selim Uddhin Bahari, came to Baghaihat to confer with Lt. Col. Imtiaz. He further said “at around 9:45 pm approximately 200 settlers first proceeded towards Dane Baibachara. When they saw the Jumma villagers in an organized way, they went back. Afterwards they came along with the army personnel and burned down our houses. They began the attack by torching the house of Nirmol Kanti Chakma. This was soon followed by the burning down of houses in the villages of Purbopara, Retkaba and Gangaram. They even burned down a church and two village schools (Para Kendra) run by Unicef. In Retkaba village, they settlers destroyed a mixed fruit garden developed with financial assistance from UNDP and then put up a signboard of Baghaihat Jeep Employees Association.” Binoy Chakma said the attackers also looted away almost everything that is movable including furniture and utensils. “Even the cows bought with the financial assistance from UNDP were taken away” he alleged. He said “we tried to resist the attackers. However, when we saw the military we had no other option than to run away.”
Background info
The victims narrated many incidents that ultimately culminated in the 20 April attack. They said 90 percent of the Jummas inhabiting the affected areas were previously displaced due to army and settler attacks. Despite continued military repression, they had been living in peace with a small Bengali community who had come to Sajek on business purpose. They said “since January this year this scenario began to change” as the settlers grabbed lands belonging to the Jummas. In the written statement, Binoy Chakma cited 13 instances of intimidation, land grabbing and measures of economic strangulation of the Jummas.
Damage
He said besides a church and two Unicef-run schools, a total of 77 Jumma houses were burned down. These includeded 28 houses out of 33 in Purbopara, 11 out of 47 in Gangaram, 5 out of 94 in Retkaba and 33 out of 100 in Dane Baibachara. He said property worth of Taka 15,000,000 was damaged. He said that three Jummas were injured in the attack. They are Newton Chakma alias Kalabo, Bijoy Singh Chakma and Ratan Chakma.
Aftermath of the incident
According to the victims, after the incident the military has been putting pressure on the settlers to build houses on the Jummas’ land. They said on 22 April, two settler families mounted on a Chander Gari (jeep) to leave Baghaichari; however one Kashem pulled them down and showered them with abusive language. On 23 April, zone commander Imtiaz dropped a group of settlers at Bana Vihar area lying between Dane Baibachara and Retkaba and ordered them to construct houses on burned land. On 24 April, Zone commander Imtiaz held a meeting at his headquarters in which elders from both the communities took part. At the said meeting he warned the Jummas that “if anything happens to the Bengalis in the future, I will kill all of you in brushfire. You have no need to live in this country.” Binoy Chakma said the Jumma villagers were living in fear. “We have to live in constant fear of losing our lands” he wailed.
The culprits
They said commander of Baghaihat zone, Lt. Col. Sajid Md. Imtiaz and Golam Mowla, a businessman in Baghaihat bazaar, were mainly to blame for the attack on Jumma villagers on 20 April. The motive of the attack was to grab the Jumma people’s lands after evicting them.
Demands
The victims placed the following demands before the government: 1. adequate compensation to all the Jumma victims and their proper rehabilitation; 2. arrest of Lt. Col. Imtiaz, Golam Mowla and their cohorts and to take legal actions against them; 3. putting an end to intimidation, coercion and torture resorted to by Imtiaz to subdue the Jumma villagers; 4. to stop land grabbing and implantation of settlers in Sajek and to withdraw all the settlers from Sajek area; and 5. to stop attack on religious institutions such as churches and Buddhist temples; return all the grabbed lands belonging to Banani Bana Viahr, to rebuild Bishwa Moitree Bouddha Vihara at its previous site and to provide monetary compensation for the damage caused to the Kuthir (temple) built for the use of Rev. Jogashiddhi Bhikkhu at Gangaram.
The press conference was also attended by Gyanendu Chakma (Retkaba Mukh), Clinton Khisha (Gangaram Mukh), Shanti Bikash Chakma (Dane Baibachara) and Dino Mohan Chakma (Retkaba).
PRESS: Daily Star on April 27 Press Conference
April 28th, 2008 at 11:50 am
There were such outrage when the good barrister was beaten in the airport, there were such outrage when the restaurant four seasons was burnt down last August, and also imagine the reaction would have been if 7 houses in Gulshan would have been burnt down like this. But when 77 houses are burnt down in Chittagong Hill Tracks of people who are ‘not like us’, there is no reaction among us. There is no K Gazi asking for law and order and proper investigation. There is no British Bangladeshis calling for justice. Its only outrageous when it happens to ‘our kind’.
April 28th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Most of the time, I am so proud to be Bengali. And then things like this happen that make me sad and ashamed of us all. It’s bad enough that events like this occur, but it’s even worse that we do not stand up for the downtrodden. You’re right, Asif Bhai, these people probably need us all more than well-connected barristers do. Amra ki kortey pari?
April 28th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
A Little correction, instead of mentioning ‘barrister’, I would prefer to say a British citizen name Rizwan Hussain was beaten in the ZIA airport as he is not a barrister. It’s a minor point though. See below a reply from the bar council record dept.
========================================
Re: Rizwan Hussain
Thank you for your email regarding the above named person.
I can confirm that we do not have the above named person as a member of the
Bar in England and Wales under any combination of the name. I have checked
our record, which goes back to the 1960s, and we have no details.
If you have any queries regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to
contact me at this office.
Yours Sincerely
John Shinn
Records Assistant
The General Council of the Bar
289-293 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7HZ
Tel: 020 7242 0934
==============================================
P.S. Staggering 85 post for a person who is believed to be well educated and enough strong to fight for the justice but I have doubt how many of those will protest for the vulnerable minorities? We all should stand up, if any unfair event takes place at anytime in Bangladesh. This should not be limited only for some particular persons, communities or some professionals.
April 28th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
My own little Palestine
Shambhu Rahmat
Imagine a country where troubles started with British masters. Drawing lines, separating people, making countries. Some gained freedom, others became prisoners.
After World War II, the exhausted Empire in retreat — new post-colonial nations are created. For geo-political reasons, borders are drawn and people find themselves in another country. The original inhabitants of that land now become a problem. They have no documents proving legal ownership of the land they lived in for generations. Slowly they start to see settlers — new arrivals subsidised by an invisible, far-away state. Ironically the settlers belong to a people who have been historically oppressed, and have just emerged from a genocide. But they fail to see the contradiction in their own action.
Soon, very soon, the original inhabitants find themselves becoming a numeric minority. More settlers take over land and build settlements. Large construction projects also arrive, displacing entire villages. The gentle days are over.
The inevitable happens. The indigenous people lose their so-called gentleness. A charismatic leader rises and unites the disparate groups — groups that formerly had no cohesion, structure, or politics. An armed guerilla group is born, the stated intention is to defend rights and win freedom.
For a time, the world is enamored of the figure of the romantic guerilla. But soon, other headlines dominate and they move on. Neighbouring states also support the movement for a time. Less out of solidarity, more out of a desire to make trouble for their enemy. Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish said in a Godard film: “The world is only interested in us because of who our opponents are.”
Eventually the neighbouring states stop supporting the guerillas. The settlers are also increasingly well-protected. Lighting terrorist strikes that cause damage become difficult. Exhausted and under-funded, the guerilla movement drops the demand for full independence. Now they want autonomy, some even say partial autonomy would be acceptable.
The charismatic guerilla leader comes out of hiding. To everyone’s surprise he finally recognises the right to co-existence. Some praise his maturing political approach, others remain suspicious. After top-secret talks, a historic peace treaty is signed.
Some observers are jubilant: an end to the fighting? But among the guerilla movement’s own ranks, there are cries of betrayal. The movement splinters into two. The more radical group rejects the treaty, and vows to continue fighting.
The second inevitable happens. Now the two factions start fighting each other. Brother against cousin against friend. Fratricide is the order of the day, the movement for independence and rights is long forgotten.
The indigenous people are at a twilight crossroad. Independence is a shattered dream, many are so exhausted they want peace at any cost. Their children scatter all over the world — Australia, England, America, any place that will give a visa. A new diaspora is created. The next generation is exhausted. “Give us freedom” becomes “Just give me a job and some dignity.”
The once proud guerilla movement is corroded to the point of random kidnapping of foreigners. No faction claims credit, thus every person is a suspect. Even those who have assimilated and taken mainstream jobs are not protected. It all depends on the way you look, the colour of your skin, the shape of your eyes, your last name.
Everything I wrote, it happened, more or less. Not far away in the Middle East, but very close to our own homes. Our hearts bleed for Palestine, but when will they bleed for our own people? This is an elegy for the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
DAILY STAR
Tue. July 10, 2007
April 28th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Why is there increasingly no room for difference in BD? Turning even more mono-cultural, mono-lingual, mono-racial will be the death of us.. sad.
April 28th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Shame!! It will come back to bite us one day. At least on this incidence, can we hold the highest civilian (if any) and military authority responsible?
I guess if we try to draw international attention on this, we will be “traitor” and “unpatriotic”?
#4 - a very touching piece!
April 29th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Ashamed of being a bengali, 7 villages were burnt, men were wounded , women were raped and our BD media is busy with pre-songlap and post-songlap news. Did I miss the news or the media missed it because of emergency?
Bengali settlers carried on arson, loot and rape under the protection of military during emergency, now if you protest, you will be arrested for violating emergency .
This kind of attack has been going on since 1979.Our hearts do not bleed for them because we do not consider them as our own people.
April 29th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Got the following message from a Dhaka based activist:
“We are on our way back from Sajek, 180 families affected and it includes Bengali setllers as well. Crossed path with army chief who gave relief materials. Families living under makeshift covers. Children’s school books burnt and they are not going to school. Chittagong University teachers on our team wants to return with educational materials. Can you all help?”
Dear all, can we come together and help these children go back to school?
April 29th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
#8 Asif Bhai,
I want to help the childern but how? Are you going to raise any fund for them?
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 am
Borsha/So,
Our Dhaka chapter is getting the details on the what is required and we will help them raise some funds for this.
thanks,
Asif
May 6th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Asif/Borsha/So,
It is important to raise some funds for the victims of this particular brutality. But in the longer term, it is also important to fight the battle of ideas.
The particular idea I have in mind is about ‘what it means to be a Bangladeshi’? I’ve tried to raise this question before, and it has always got sidetracked into some question about the war crimes, or corruption, or people’s experiences in the 1970s. But this is an important issue to discuss. Until there is widespread acceptance of a rights-based citizenship notion of Bangladeshiness that allows people’s individual ethnic and religious identities to peacefully co-exist, we’ll see this kind of apathy among the chattering classes.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:29 am
While discussing this issue with some people recently, I was informed that Bangladesh has the worst human rights record after the US when it comes to minority and indigenous people’s rights. Apparently, in the UN, we always vote against this. Does anyone else know anything about it, and if we do, then how can we lobby to change things?
May 6th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
This is a very shocking news. I have heard from friends who visit Sajek and that part of the country often for trekking and climbing these type of occurances. The ARMY is always saying that “Paharis” are a threat to us and they will attack but actually it is the oppossite. WE “Bengalis” are constantly harrassing these people. BUT why?? Aren’t they also a part of our cpuntry???
May 7th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Well, I went to Rangamati this January and found out its more a UN land then Bangladesh itself and they aren’t going much other then getting the rich richer. We have been ruled by Armies ever since liberation and it’s still an ongoing process and its almost like we weren’t liberated. Armies can do anything and they are, like forcing indigenous people to leave their land because they are more powerful and set their camp anywhere they like. Imagine Dhaka city. Half of Dhaka city is taken up by the Army, Cantonment, BDR, and Air Force.What can we do as citizens??
May 7th, 2008 at 1:28 am
This needs immediate PRIORITY attention from the govt, ACC and RAB.
This is much worse than a cyclone disaster - this sounds like planned terrorism. Sounds to me like somebody maybe MAKING MONEY from “settlers” to terrorise villagers away from their homes.
I would ask govt to BAN ANY FURTHER SETTLEMENT in the CHT areas, creating settler RESTRICTED zones. Any new “settlement” must require special govt permits (which needs to be evaluated, if any) in Supreme Court.
Govt must prohibit terrorism and misconduct in the CHT, from ALL concerned by creating special RESTRICTED ZONES. All residents, army, locals, insurgents, Indian terrorists, “settlers” and fraud mastans must abise with those restrictions.
May 7th, 2008 at 4:05 am
#11, Jyoti
Though understanding nationality issue is important, but at this instant, whether victims are Bangladeshi or not is a secondary question. A cowardly crime against humanity is a crime. My common sense judgment is not to let anyone hide under the long drawn nationality debate after committing mass murder.
Please post the address when the fund raising for the victims starts.
May 7th, 2008 at 9:15 am
So, I understand Bangladesh’s official position (under all governments) is that we have no ‘indigenous’ people. See the article by Zubair Siddiqui here:
http://www.newagebd.com/2007/oct/08/oped.html
SC, yes this is a crime and it should be condemned with no ‘ifs and buts’. My point was about the silence Asif mentioned in 1. This kind of silence happens because most people don’t think the Paharis are ‘one of us’. I personally reject that kind of divisive nationalism, but until most of us loudly and clearly articulate an inclusive nationalism, we’ll have the 2-nation theory inspired Bangladeshi jatiyatabad and muktijuddher chetonar Bangalee jatiyatabad, with no place for the Paharis in either of them.
May 7th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Jyoti,
I think you hit the nail on the head (or open up Pandora’s box) when you say ‘in the longer term, it is also important to fight the battle of ideas. The particular idea I have in mind is about ‘what it means to be a Bangladeshi’?’
Yes - I really think this is the crux of the matter!! Why should being Bangladeshi be so totally synonymous with being Bengali Muslim that it should make the incorporation of an ‘other’ (cultural, religious, ethnic, linguistic) totally impossible within the rhetoric of such an identity?
18% Hindus in the early ’70s down to 9% in the latest census. In the last week 7 Pahari villages burnt to ashes, women raped, leaders tortured. ‘Biharis’ still refused citizenship rights and not incorporated in the recent voters’ lists. Ahmadiya, Buddhist and Hindu places of worship regularly attacked.. is this the Bangladesh that was dreamt of?
and KGazi, you offer noble solutions in no uncertain terms, why don’t you try getting them printed in any of the local papers??
May 7th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Looks like GOVT is currently looking at CHT problems, specific to HILL CUTTING - (not directly about terrorism on villagers).
Possibly there is also a committee on ILLICIT “settlement” and security problems of villagers. (but I will still write my suggestions to papers to raise issue).
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=35467
Bonbibi #18,
OK, I will create a writeup of #15 and will HOPE to have it printed in a local paper
May 8th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Jyoti,
As far as I know , BNP camp’s argument in favour of ‘Bangladeshi Jatiotabad’ is that it represents all people, Bengali and non Bengali, including the indigenous people of CHT.
However, main theme is 2 nation theory. Purpose of the Bangladeshi Jatiotabad is to delink the identity from the Indian Bengalis with whom; we have many things in common.
Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and Bangladesh, on the basis of Bengali nationalism. People who are not Bengali Muslim should be grateful to the majority as they have been allowed to live in this country. More or less, this is out attitude towards the minorities. Historically, we are very good at grabbing the lands of the minorities, we have been grabbing the lands of Hindus since 1947 and it’s still going on.
KGazi bhai’s idea about RESTRICTED zone reminds me of Indian reservation area in Arizona that I have come across several times. Probably we are doing the same to these native people what American settlers did to the native Indians. Americans are trying to get rid of the sin by creating reserve areas where native Indians can have their own Govt and taxation system. What should we do to get rid of the sin?
May 8th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Borsha,
I didnt envision a totally no-go zone like an Indian reservation, or refugee camp type reserve areas.
The CHT areas not only hold massive ancient Buddhist and original regional heritage, but the entire area constitutes priceless lifestyle and communities that need to be preserved, with NATIONAL priority. Planning and control here needs more attention and value than Sunderbans, or anywhere else in S. Asia.
My idea is to restrict ANY terrorism, crime & unplanned, random vandalizing of the region like hill-cuttting, village/green clearing or land invasion in the name of “settlement” or industrialization.
Otherwise all access and lifestyle must remain normal and undisturbed.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Yay, KGazi Bhai! And here I thought you were just a blog hogger who was going to let this one go by!
I am very happy to hear that you will be writing a piece about this, as I believe that Jyoti Bhai is right: we Bangalis need to think about how we treat our minority groups in Bangladesh. Creating awareness is a good starting point as many young Bangladeshis I’ve been speaking with don’t seem to know much of anything about our treatment of religious and/or ethnic minorities in Bangladesh.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Once upon a time an esteemed newspaper editor said to me “I can’t allow you to use the word ‘ethnic cleansing’ in an article. We Bengalis have never practised such a policy.”
And with a stroke of his red pen, he cut that phrase out.
And then peace prevailed in the Middle Kingdom.
May 10th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Bangladesh Army Officers and Soldiers often take pride of Serving in UN Peace Keeping Forces(PKF). And there is nothing wrong in it, one can obviously be proud of that. But what do they learn after wearing those Blue Helmets in UN? Or its just a way to eearning some money for them? If they don’t nurture the basic lessons of respecting diversity and pluralism at home, how do they contribute in UN PKF? Should UN not consider such aspects before deploying troops for PKF Missions?
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