The government has created a great threat for the existence of the country’s indigenous people by committing activities that went against the CHT Peace Accord and the interest of the indigenous people, Jyotirindra Bodhipriyo Larma has said.
Speaking at a press conference in the city’s Sundarban Hotel yesterday, the indigenous leader – better known as Santu Larma – also slammed the government for acting strongly to eradicate the indigenous Jumma people of the CHT region.
“The state is showing such an irresponsible behaviour to the indigenous people that has crossed all records of the past. United Nations has agreed to improve the lives of indigenous people, but the existence of these people faces a great threat in Bangladesh,” he told the press conference organised by Bangladesh Adibashi Forum as part of its run-up to the upcoming International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples.
Asked why the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord was not being implemented, Santu Larma said ultra-nationalism, absence of democracy, lack of sincerity and goodwill of the rulers were some of the deterrents.
“No government takes proper steps to solve the problems. It is getting awfully worse and difficult day by day.
“A non-cooperation movement has already begun in some areas of the hilly districts,” he added.
Despite being some of the poorest people in the country, the indigenous people were not brought under the draft for the post-2015 Millennium Development Goal, Santu Larma pointed out.
Even though Bangladesh has been applauded for achieving its MDG targets, it was regrettable that the light of these development did not reach the indigenous community, he added.
The country’s indigenous people were being evicted from their own land, becoming victims of communal attacks, raped and abducted, said the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti leader.
Land-centric violence was also increasing as the government was ignoring land rights that were otherwise recognised under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he added.
“If the proposed Bangladesh Indigenous Rights Act is passed in parliament, the discrepancies in realising the rights to indigenous people will be reduced.”
Others present there including columnist Syed Abul Maksud, NAP President Pankaj Bhattacharya, and Institute for Environment and Development (IED) Executive Director Numan Ahmed Khan expressed their solidarity with Santu Larma’s
statements.
