Govt fails to protect tribals: CHTC

The attacks on the tribal villages in Matiranga reflects the government’s ‘continuous failure’ in protecting the lives and livelihoods of the indigenous people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, said the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission (CHTC).

The CHTC in a press statement issued Tuesday expressed alarm at the unwarranted violence and called on the government to take prompt actions and protect human rights.

It sought a high level investigation into Saturday’s attack.

Hundreds of migrant settlers attacked five villages in Tabalchhari area under Matiranga Upazila on Saturday reportedly leaving one tribal dead and four others seriously injured. Five villages inhabited by Chakma and Tripura tribes people have been burned down.

The CHTC in its statement said they have found a pattern in these recurring arson on tribal settlements -- they follow rumours about Bengali settlers being attacked or held hostage.

“Within hours settler groups mobilize themselves and attack neighboring villages of indigenous peoples.”

The press statement heavily criticises the security forces for their inactivity in protecting the lives and livelihood of the tribal people. It said during such attacks the ‘the security forces tacitly support the settlers’.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials reportedly detained 14 to 15 tribal people following the attack on Saturday.

“This has reportedly led more than a thousand indigenous people to take refuge in the neighbouring state of Tripura.”

Suhas Chakma, Director of Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) said on Saturday, "The Bangladesh Border Guards instead of arresting the arsonists arrested many innocent indigenous tribal people including Mr Bakul Chakma, Mr Supayan Chakma and Mr Phani Bhusan Chakma, a member of the local Union Council and subjected them to severe torture in their custody."

CHTC demand that the government make sure that the security forces including military, police and border guards are made accountable ‘for their role in allowing these attacks to take place.’

The unwarranted violence by settlers on the tribal people goes on to reveal the quality of governance in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, continued military control in the area and the government’s negligence on violation of international human right norms there, the statement read.

The CHTC strongly recommended that the government act quickly to ensure prevention of further attacks on indigenous people living in Matiranga and all other areas of CHT and rehabilitate all those who have lost their homes and properties in this and other arson attacks. Those who fled the country in fear should be brought and their safety ensured.

The press note said immediate steps be taken to ' activate the Land Disputes Resolution Commission and amend the CHT Land Dispute Settlement Commission Act 2001’ for the fair settlement of all land disputes in Chittagong Hill Tracts, ‘as per the provisions of the CHT Accord’.

The government should declare a road map for concrete implementation of 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Treaty and withdraw army camps from the three hill districts as well as shut down ‘Operation Uttaran’ in line with the treaty. the statement said.

Tension has been brewing in the Chittagong Hill Tracts ever since the Bangladesh cabinet on May 27 approved the draft of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Land Dispute Resolution Commission (amendment) Act 2013 and gave its final approval on Jun 3.

The Act makes the Commission more effective in settling land disputes in accordance with the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord of 1997.The Bengali settlers fear the Act would hurt their interests, an apprehension described as 'unfounded' by the government.

The CHT Commission was set up in 1990 jointly by the Organising Committee CHT Campaign (OCCHTC), an Amsterdam based organization and International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), based in Copenhagen.

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