The number of human rights violations against indigenous peoples had increased in 2013 due to political unrest
One of the fundamental precepts of human rights is the principle that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) stipulates that everyone is entitled to the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration irrespective of their status, including their racial and social origin.
But the situation of the indigenous people of the world, including Bangladesh, is not very encouraging. They are still facing many difficulties fighting for their land and way of life, as intruders or settlers gradually joined them in their habitat.
Indigenous peoples constitute a least 370 million individuals, representing 6% of the total world population, among which 260 million live in Asia, making it the most culturally diverse region in the world. Loss of control over their land and natural resources is a common problem for the indigenous in Asia, and Bangladesh is no exception.
Nearly 2.5 million indigenous people belonging to 46 different ethnic groups live in the country. They are concentrated in the regions of Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Rajshahi in the north, and in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in the south-east. They face discrimination not only on the basis of their religion and ethnicity, but also because of their indigenous identity and their socio-economic status. Their constitutional recognition still remains a far cry.
In addition, the lands of indigenous peoples have been encroached upon and settled by newcomers. With little legal protection, they can rarely recover the lands they traditionally occupied. All over the north of Bangladesh, indigenous people say they are concerned about what they call encroachment onto their homelands by Bengali settlers. Years of discrimination have cast the indigenous people into poverty, further damaging their chances at empowerment and opportunities to improve their situation.
According to the 2013 Human Rights Report on indigenous peoples in Bangladesh, the number of human rights violations against indigenous peoples had increased in 2013 compared to 2012 due to political unrest and other incidents. Three from CHT and seven others from the plain lands were killed. Among them, 82 were from CHT and 41 were from plain lands. At least 2,000 people from 400 families in CHT fled to no man’s lands adjacent to the neighbouring state of India due to communal attacks. In many cases, it was seen that the violence was carried out by the settlers.
The report also said the issue of land-grabbing had increased in 2013 as well. 3,792 acres of land in CHT was grabbed by settlers, private companies, or in some cases, the government. Additionally, another 84,542 acres of land is under the process of acquisition in the name of reserved forest.
Situation of land-grabbing in plain land areas is also a threat, a report published in The Daily Star on August 5 said: “Plain Land Indigenous Communities including Santal, Hajong, Khashi, Orao, Dalu, Patro and Pahanlost over 6 lakh bighas of land to the grabbers in last 30 years.”
This shows how much the livelihood and lifestyle of the indigenous people have been transgressed upon by outsiders. This is leading to forced migration for the indigenous communities. Indigenous people currently make up less than half of the total population of the CHT region, whereas three decades ago they used to be the vast majority.
It’s still ongoing, in an episode of violence that took place on May 30, at least 20 Khasi people were injured by land grabbers at Nahar Punjee, a locality of the indigenous community, in Moulvibazar’s Srimangal upazila.
The mastermind behind the attack, reportedly, was the manager of Nahar Tea Garden, a local enterprise which had claimed some 200 acres of land from where the Khasi people reside.
As a worldwide development organisation, Oxfam promotes social justice and fights poverty by working with communities around the world, and in Bangladesh it has been implementing the “Diversity and Indigenous Peoples Leadership Project” since 2007 in 12 districts, with its partners, aiming to improve the lives of indigenous peoples.
Oxfam arranged a two-day Human Rights Fair last month in Sylhet to promote, disseminate, and popularise the understanding of the diversity and rights of the indigenous communities linked with human rights.
With the theme “Promoting equality, valuing diversity, and protecting human rights,” the fair provided an opportunity to link the human rights issues of the indigenous communities living in Sylhet with the duty-bearers and rights-holders.
Attending the inauguration session of the event, William Hanna, head of the European Union Delegation to Bangladesh, said Bangladesh had a rich culture with diverse communities from ethnic minorities and indigenous people, but they often suffer as their rights are violated.
“We can’t separate human rights and cultural diversity. To protect their rights, the whole society must stand together,” he said.
Human rights activist, and former adviser to the caretaker government, Sultana Kamal, urged everyone to step forward in stopping violence against indigenous people and to stand beside them. “Everyone born on this earth is entitled to all the basic human rights, without distinction of any kind, such as race, religion, ethnicity or other statuses,” she said.
Realising the importance of the media’s role in protecting the rights of the indigenous communities, four journalists were honoured at the event for their courageous reporting on the rights of indigenous people.
Different indigenous communities in Sylhet, displayed their cultural diversity in the fair.
Such events, in larger scales, can help raise awareness of the issues surrounding the human rights of indigenous communities.
