Sultana Kamal compares deadly Santal eviction in Gaibandha to ‘genocide’

Human rights activist Sultana Kamal has said killings and arson attacks 'backed by the state' were carried out on the people of Santal tribe to evict them from a land acquired by a sugar mill in Gaibandha.

She says the incident is 'similar to genocide'.

Sultana Kamal was speaking at a press conference jointly organised by three organisations working on indigenous and civil rights.

The former adviser to the military-controlled caretaker government said, "We don't have words to condemn what happened in Gaibandha's Bagdafarm area. We have nothing to do but to shiver after seeing such repeated, cruel and inhumane acts."    

She said the government has risked being named ‘as a conductor of genocide by intentionally' using ways like killings, looting and arson attacks to evict a tribe.

"The government announced that there are no indigenous people in this country. Now they are out to prove their claim. They want to make the country free from indigenous people by any means," Sultana added.

The members of the Santal tribe in the area clashed with police and the workers of Rangpur Sugar Mill who on Nov 6 came to evict them from 1,842 acres of land acquired by the authorities. The workers also started clearing sugarcane from the land cultivated by the tribal people.

At least three persons of the tribe have died in the clash. No case over the deaths has been started yet. Police have arrested four people in a case they initiated against 350 people over the clash. 

The organisers of the press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity said on Friday that four Santal tribesmen died in the clash and some others were still missing.

They alleged Awami League MP from Gobindaganj, Abdul Kalam Azad, and other local leaders of the ruling party and its affiliates led the arson attacks on Santal properties and firm land.

They demanded judicial investigation into the incident, and rehabilitation and compensation for the evicted people.

Bangladesh Adibasi Forum General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong read out a written statement at the conference.