Following is the report from Bangladeshi daily, 'The Daily Star, Monday, July 23, 2012'
Human rights should get more attention
EU ambassador urges govt
Staff Correspondent
The
government needs to pay more attention to human rights of people in
every community as human rights violation amounts to the violation of
democracy.
European
Union Ambassador to Bangladesh William Hanna said this at a seminar in
the capital yesterday, also urging the state to protect the rights of
indigenous people.
The
seminar titled “Indigenous Peoples in the Plain Land: Challenges and
Prospects” was jointly organised by Indigenous Peoples Development
Services and Oxfam GB.
Addressing
as the chief guest, Hanna said the EU will continue discussions with
the government and other stakeholders on human rights protection.
National
Human Rights Commission Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman, also present on
the occasion as special guest, said a country cannot be called democracy
if rights of its indigenous people are not ensured equally with other
citizens.
He
said the land ministry should establish a separate land commission for
dealing with the disputes over the indigenous people's properties.
Expressing
annoyance at policies of bureaucratic institutions involved with the
indigenous issues, the NHRC boss said government officials need to be
acquainted with the communities so that they can realise what their
responsibilities are.
ILO
Country Director Andre Bogui urged the government to take steps for
protection of the socio-cultural rights of indigenous communities.
Bangladesh
Adivasi Forum General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong said many indigenous
families, especially those living in the plain land, have been evicted
from their ancestral homesteads by locally influential land grabbers.
He
placed some recommendations including their constitutional recognition
as Adivasi, formation of a land commission to protect their land rights
and measures for their educational facilities and economic development.
The
seminar held at Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh was also
addressed by Gareth Price Jones, country director of Oxfam GB, with
Dhaka University Prof Dalem Ch Barman in the chair.
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