NHRC cautions govt on CHT inhabitants
The National Human Rights Commission chairman has told the government not to alienate the 'indigenous' people by calling them 'small ethnic groups'.
"It will not be fair to call them otherwise and deprive them of rights when the international laws are recognising them as indigenous," Mizanur Rahman said on Monday.
He was speaking at a programme to unveil the cover of a book 'Alienation of the Lands of the Indigenous Peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts', composed by Swapan Adnan and Ranjit Dastidar.
CHT Commission organised the programme.
Chief of Chakma circle Raja Devasish Roy in his speech suggested formation of a regional land policy to ensure land rights of the hill people.
Stressing on the need for the resolution of land disputes in CHT, he said the policy could be implemented through the three regional councils in the area.
"People are the owners of the land and property of this country which achieved independence through much sacrifice. This is a democratic right on land," said Devasish, a former caretaker government advisor.
CHT Commission member Sultana Kamal expressed her frustration over the slow implementation of the CHT Peace Accord of 1997, which ended the decade-long bush war between the hill people and the army.
"We're upset that the government that signed the deal is in the power now and is not executing the accord," she added.
A recent study report on the deal by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues asked the government to declare a timeline for the execution of the deal and to spell out the modalities of the process and persons and/or institutions responsible for implementation.
The body also urged the United Nations to prevent military units violating human rights from participating in international peacekeeping activities.
It asked the Bangladesh government to "establish an independent enquiry commission to look into the allegations of human rights violation by army against 'indigenous' people".
"It will not be fair to call them otherwise and deprive them of rights when the international laws are recognising them as indigenous," Mizanur Rahman said on Monday.
He was speaking at a programme to unveil the cover of a book 'Alienation of the Lands of the Indigenous Peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts', composed by Swapan Adnan and Ranjit Dastidar.
CHT Commission organised the programme.
Chief of Chakma circle Raja Devasish Roy in his speech suggested formation of a regional land policy to ensure land rights of the hill people.
Stressing on the need for the resolution of land disputes in CHT, he said the policy could be implemented through the three regional councils in the area.
"People are the owners of the land and property of this country which achieved independence through much sacrifice. This is a democratic right on land," said Devasish, a former caretaker government advisor.
CHT Commission member Sultana Kamal expressed her frustration over the slow implementation of the CHT Peace Accord of 1997, which ended the decade-long bush war between the hill people and the army.
"We're upset that the government that signed the deal is in the power now and is not executing the accord," she added.
A recent study report on the deal by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues asked the government to declare a timeline for the execution of the deal and to spell out the modalities of the process and persons and/or institutions responsible for implementation.
The body also urged the United Nations to prevent military units violating human rights from participating in international peacekeeping activities.
It asked the Bangladesh government to "establish an independent enquiry commission to look into the allegations of human rights violation by army against 'indigenous' people".
---------------------courtesy: bdnews24 ---------------
Following is the report from New Age:
NHRC for implementing CHT accord
The chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Mizanur Rahman, has stressed immediate implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord to establish the right of national minority people.
‘We’ve failed to acknowledge the people living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Now it’s time to implement the peace accord,’ he told a book-launching ceremony at CIRDAP in the city on Monday.
Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission in collaboration with the Association for Land Reform and Development organised the function.
Chaired by CHT Commission co-chairperson Sultana Kamal, the function was addressed, among others, Chakma Circle Chief and member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Raja Devasish Roy, ALRD executive director Shamsul Huda and CHT Commission member Shapan Adnan.
Mizanur Rahman said, ‘We had trusted the government’s charter of change, but the indigenous people are still passing their days in anxieties. This is not acceptable.’
About the identity of the people living in hills, he said, ‘It has been trying to push away the indigenous people calling them the ethnic minority groups by distorting the international law. This is also not acceptable in a democratic country.’
The NHRC chairman alleged that a vested quarter was trying to create panic among the national minority people, but this panic had to be removed. ‘There is no reason why the rights of the indigenous people won’t be protected?’
Mizanur Rahman urged all to come forward to ensure the rights of the national minority people in the greater interests of the country.
Raja Devasish put emphasis on formulating a regional land policy guided by the CHT district councils with a view to resolving the longstanding land dispute in the CHT.
Sutana Kamal urged the national minority people to avoid intra-ethnic and inter-ethnic conflict to establish peace in the CHT.
Earlier, Mizanur Rahman formally launched the book tilted ‘Alienation of the Lands of Indigenous People in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh’, written by CHT Commission member Shapan Adnan and Ranajit Dastidar.
‘We’ve failed to acknowledge the people living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Now it’s time to implement the peace accord,’ he told a book-launching ceremony at CIRDAP in the city on Monday.
Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission in collaboration with the Association for Land Reform and Development organised the function.
Chaired by CHT Commission co-chairperson Sultana Kamal, the function was addressed, among others, Chakma Circle Chief and member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Raja Devasish Roy, ALRD executive director Shamsul Huda and CHT Commission member Shapan Adnan.
Mizanur Rahman said, ‘We had trusted the government’s charter of change, but the indigenous people are still passing their days in anxieties. This is not acceptable.’
About the identity of the people living in hills, he said, ‘It has been trying to push away the indigenous people calling them the ethnic minority groups by distorting the international law. This is also not acceptable in a democratic country.’
The NHRC chairman alleged that a vested quarter was trying to create panic among the national minority people, but this panic had to be removed. ‘There is no reason why the rights of the indigenous people won’t be protected?’
Mizanur Rahman urged all to come forward to ensure the rights of the national minority people in the greater interests of the country.
Raja Devasish put emphasis on formulating a regional land policy guided by the CHT district councils with a view to resolving the longstanding land dispute in the CHT.
Sutana Kamal urged the national minority people to avoid intra-ethnic and inter-ethnic conflict to establish peace in the CHT.
Earlier, Mizanur Rahman formally launched the book tilted ‘Alienation of the Lands of Indigenous People in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh’, written by CHT Commission member Shapan Adnan and Ranajit Dastidar.
------------------ courtesy: New Age ------------------
HR situation in CHT worries NHRC chief
“We have failed to acknowledge the people of CHT in the Constitution as per their demand. Now it is time to implement the CHT accord,” Mizanur said.
He was addressing launch of a book titled “Alienation of the lands of indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh”, jointly organised by Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission (CHTC) and the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) at CIRDAP auditorium in the city on Monday.
Presided over by CHTC co-chairperson and former adviser to a caretaker government advocate Sultana Kamal, the function was addressed, among others, by Chakma Circle chief and member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Barrister Raja Devasish Roy, ALRD executive director Shamsul Huda and CHTC member Shapan Adnan.
Mizanur stressed immediate implementation of the CHT Accord to establish the rights of the indigenous people.
He said, “We trusted the government for change of the county’s charter, but the indigenous people are still frustrated about it, which is not acceptable.”
About the CHT people’s constitutional identity, he said, “The government has been trying to impose the identity of khudra nrigosthi (ethnic minority groups) on the indigenous people by distorting the international law regarding them. This is also not acceptable in a democratic country like ours.”
The NHRC chairman alleged that a vested quarter is trying to create panic among the indigenous people, but this panic has to be removed.
Raja Devasish Roy emphasised formulating a regional land policy guided by the CHT district councils with a view to resolving the age old land dispute in the CHT.
He also alleged that an influential group wanted to develop connivance with the corporate business giants to grab land in CHT. Sutana Kamal urged the indigenous people to avoid intra-ethnic and inter-ethnic conflict to establish peace in the CHT region.
Shapan Adnan said even though 13 years have gone by, many of the critical clauses of the CHT agreement have yet to be implemented by the government.
Shapan said the new book focuses on the multiple and complex mechanisms that have been used to grab hilly lands in CHT, inclusive of state power, illegal violence, and fraudulent manipulation of land records.
------------------ courtesy: the independent ----------------------------------
Following is the news from Priyo:
NHRC for implementing CHT accord
Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Dr Mizanur Rahman on Monday stressed immediate implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord to establish the right of indigenous people.
“We’ve failed to acknowledge the people living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Now it’s time to implement the peace accord,” he told a book-launching ceremony at CIRDAP in the city.
Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission in collaboration with the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) organised the function.
Chaired by CHT Commission co-chairperson Sultana Kamal, the function was addressed, among others, Chakma Circle Chief and member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Raja Devasish Roy, ALRD executive director Shamsul Huda and CHT Commission member Shapan Adnan.
Mizanur Rahman said, “We had trusted the government’s charter of change, but the indigenous people are still passing their days in anxieties. This is not acceptable.”
About the identity of the people living in hills, he said, “It has been trying to push away the indigenous people calling them the ethnic minority groups by distorting the international law. This is also not acceptable in a democratic country.”
The NHRC chairman alleged that a vested quarter is trying to create panic among the indigenous people, but this panic has to be removed. “There is no reason why the rights of the indigenous people won’t be protected?”
Mizanur Rahman urged all to come forward to ensure the rights of the indigenous people in the greater interest of the country.
Raja Devasish put emphasis on formulating a regional land policy guided by the CHT district councils with a view to resolving the longstanding land dispute in the CHT.
Sutana Kamal urged the indigenous people to avoid intra-ethnic and inter-ethnic conflict to establish peace in the CHT.
Earlier, Dr Mizanur Rahman formally launched the book tilted ‘Alienation of the Lands of Indigenous People in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh’, written by CHT Commission member Dr Shapan Adnan and Dr Ranajit Dastidar.
------------ courtesy: Priyo ------------
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