Govt suffers from 'security phobia of separatist movement' in CHT
Dr Mizanur tells book launching ceremony
Suffering from a “security phobia of separatist movement” in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), the government denies to recognise hill people as indigenous, said Dr Mizanur Rahman.
Dr Mizanur, chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said a vested quarter briefed the government that hill people may start a movement for independence based on different international laws once they are given the “indigenous” status.
He was speaking at the launching of a book titled “Alienation of Lands of Indigenous Peoples in Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh” in Cirdap auditorium in the city. The book's authors are CHT Commission Member Dr Shapan Adnan and Dr Ranajit Dastidar. Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission in collaboration with Association for Land Reform and Development organised the programme.
“They (hill people) showed their respect to Bangladesh and expressed interest to live as its citizens by signing the CHT Peace Accord in 1997.
“So, expressing such an attitude towards hill people is nothing but an insult to them,” Prof Mizanur said while speaking as the chief guest.
The opinion comes at a time when several key ministers of the Awami League-led government spoke against terming hill people as “indigenous”, triggering widespread criticism and protests from the indigenous community.
“Definition of indigenous people is very clear under international laws. So, an attempt to recognise them with an identity like ethnic minority can not be a correct decision, but a process of depriving them of the rights they deserve,” he said.
Raja Devasish Roy, member of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, said a regional land policy should be adopted in the CHT region to resolve land disputes. The CHT regional council should implement different policies through the district councils, he added.
CHT Commission Co-chairman Advocate Sultana Kamal chaired the programme. Presenting an overview of the book, Dr Shapan gave an idea about the present crisis over land dispute in CHT region and other factors involved.
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