Procession, Discussion at Satkhira

Indigenous people call to recognise, protect their rights

10 August 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Satkhira

Hundreds of indigenous people yesterday brought out a procession at Shyamnagar demanding constitutional recognition of their rights and elimination of all sorts of racial discrimination. Marking the International Day of World's Indigenous People, they also held a discussion on “Indigenous People's Right To Land and Language and Cultural Heritage”, organised by Sundarbans Adibashi Munda Sangstha at the upazila auditorium. The speakers alleged that taking advantage of illiteracy and poverty, lands of the indigenous community are being grabbed by local influential people. Munda, Bagdi, Urao and Mahato community leaders said over 2000 people of their communities live in Shyamnagar upazila but they are still facing racial discrimination in the society. They demanded separate ministry and separate allocation from the national budget for their development to ensure equal rights. Indigenous people are still deprived of their rights to khas land, they said. They demanded constitutional recognition of their languages and cultural heritage and enactment of appropriate laws to protect the indigenous communities.