Press conference: PCJSS demands constitutional recognition of fundamental rights of indigenous peoples

Press conference: PCJSS demands constitutional recognition of fundamental rights  of indigenous peoples

PCJSS demanded constitutional recognition of fundamental rights indigenous peoples and cancellation of some recommendations made by Special Parliamentary Committee on Constitution Amendment (SPCCA) terming those contradictory to the fundamental principles of state policy of the constitution made in 1972.

On behalf of PCJSS, its president Mr. Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma (Santu Larma) declared party’s stance on recommendations of SPAAC on constitution amendment and recognition of indigenous peoples at a press conference at Sundarban Hotel in Dhaka on 23 June 2011. Information and Publicity Secretary of PCJSS Mr. Mangal Kumar Chakma and Organisiing Secretary of PCJSS Mr. Shakti Pada Tripura were present at the press conference. Besides, among others, Presidium member of Gono Forum Mr. Pankaj Bhattacharya, eminent columnist Mr. Syed Abul Moqsud and General Secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum Mr. Sanjeeb Drong attended the conference as guest.

Mr. Larma said that PCJSS submitted its memorandum to the SPCCA demanding constitutional recognition of national entities, languages and cultures of indigenous peoples; special governance arrangement of CHT region for the protection of political, economic, cultural and religious rights of CHT; seat reservation for indigenous peoples including women in the parliament and local government councils; constitutional provision with a guarantee that no amendment of constitutional provisions and laws relating to indigenous peoples will be made without the prior consent of indigenous peoples; the rights to control over land, territory and natural resources of indigenous peoples; and constitutional recognition of CHT Accord signed in 1997 and laws formulated under this Accord.

Mr. Larma alleged that the SPCCA completely ignored demands of the PCJSS. He said that the SPCCA recommended a disregarded and confusing provision regarding preservation and development of culture and heritage terming indigenous peoples as “tribals, small nationalities, ethnic groups and communities”. "The proposal terming indigenous peoples as “tribals, small nationalities, ethnic groups and communities” is disgraceful and confusing to the indigenous people's identity", he added. He also said that the SPCCA did not consider PCJSS proposal to include a list of all indigenous ethnic group by inserting a new Schedule in the constitution.

He added that only recognition of preservation and development of culture and heritage ignoring recognition of fundamental rights of indigenous peoples is nothing but meaningless, incomplete and motivated in regard to constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples. He demanded constitutional recognition of fundamental rights of indigenous peoples as mentioned in the memorandum of PCJSS submitted to the SPCCA on 26 October 2010.

Mr. Larma also rejected the recommendation of the SPCCA which mentions that “all peoples of Bangladesh shall be known as Bengali as nation and citizens of Bangladesh shall be known as Bangladeshis”. He said that indigenous peoples are Bangladeshi as citizens, but they are not “Bengali” as nation/community. Indigenous peoples are known as Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Garo, Santal, Munda, Khasi, Barban etc. as nation. They all are a separate nation possessing separate identity, culture, customs, language and society.

He said that such kind of proposal is a reflection of colonial mindset of the ruling class. ‘The way Bengalis will not want to be treated as Chakma, thus Chakmas will not want to be Bengali,’ Larma reasoned. He demanded that the proposed provision to label all the people of Bangladesh as Bengali be withdrawn. "It is valueless, motivated and can never be accepted by the indigenous people" he said.

Mr. Larma also protested the government move to retain Islam as the state religion. ‘A state cannot have a religion.’ He demanded that “Bismillah-er-Rahmanir-Rahim” and Islam as state religion should be dropped from the constitution terming it discriminatory. ‘It would turn people of other religions to second-class citizens,’ he observed.

Pointing at the 1997 CHT Accord, Larma said the Accord and other related laws must be recognised in the constitution.

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