Thirty-year-old Sabita Chakma’s dead body was recovered from Kamalchari, Khagrachari on February 15, but police are yet to arrest anyone, fearing a rise in “tension between Paharis and Bangalees.”
Sabita was killed whilst gathering grass for her cattle that morning. Locals found her naked body and informed the local police station. They alleged she was raped before being killed.
Khagrachhari Superintendent of Police M Mizanur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune: “She has been killed as the primary evidence shows. The upazila parishad election was our first priority. Arresting someone could have raised Bangalee-Pahari tensions. So, we are taking our time.”
On October 1, 2011, Pratima Chakma, 32, was allegedly raped and killed in the same area. Despite the filing of a case by Pratima’s husband, Prity Bikash Chakma, accusing a person named M Rafiq, police are yet to arrest Rafiq.
Sociologists, lawyers, and rights activists observed that this kind of negligence in cases of violence against indigenous women could not be labelled as “mere negligence,” but rather is a form of “oppressing minorities and denying their right to justice.” They also added that such violence continues since prosecution of alleged perpetrators is rare.
According to home ministry statistics given to human rights organisation Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), from 2010 to 2011 not a single verdict was given punishing alleged perpetrators in the 57 cases filed by indigenous women. All of these cases were filed in Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals of Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Rights organisation Kapaeeng Foundation’s findings state that 160 cases- including rape, killing after rape and sexual harassment- were filed in these tribunals from 2007 to 2012. Up until 2012, only one of these cases- the killing of Mariam Murmu- resulted in a verdict punishing the perpetrators. In September 2013 another such case saw the light of justice in a Chittagong tribunal.
BLAST honorary director Sara Hossain opined that indigenous women’s dire justice situation prevails as law enforcement agencies rarely carry out their role in a ‘proactive, accountable, and unbiased manner.’
‘As the majority of alleged perpetrators are Bangalee, law enforcement agencies’ personnel- who have the responsibility to investigate and submit charge sheets- tend to work in a biased manner as they also belong to the Bangalee community.’
Hossain said a lack of awareness among the indigenous communities and a lack of interpreters in the court, also added to the problem.
Kapaeeng’s recent findings state that, in 2013, 67 indigenous women and children- 53 from CHT and 14 from plain land- were victimised. Among those, 15 were raped, 8 girls were rescued- 5 of them from a madrasa in Dhaka after allegedly being forced to convert to Islam, 3 from Dhaka-Khulna highway after allegedly being trafficked.
The research also found that 69% of these victims were minors, 89% of alleged perpetrators were Bangalee settlers and 7% were indigenous, while 4% were from security forces.
Rights activists Khushi Kabir said many incidents do not even reach the courts due to a lack of proper follow-up and investigation from law enforcers, and the lack of awareness and financial capacity of victims.
Pointing out Kalpana Chakma’s abduction 17 years ago, Khushi said: “If, even with such examples, anyone thinks such a situation is not oppressive, then they are living in a fool’s paradise.”
Hill Women’s Federation activist Kalpana was abducted from her village home in New Lalyaghona, Baghaichari in Rangamati on June 12, 1996.
“Our experience says that until activists form strong protests condemning such violence, law enforcers never tend to work. It is frustrating when we have to police the police so they perform their roles,” Khushi added.
Sociologist Sadeka Halim, also an information commissioner, said such an awful state of negligence would increase the tendency of minorities being oppressed by the majority. “Such crimes should not go unpunished, irrespective of ethnicity. Moreover, examples of punishment in violence against indigenous women cases are needed. Otherwise, the state is helping increase crimes and racial discrimination in society.”
Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Hassan Mahmood Khandker declined to comment, saying he was “busy.”
