| .. |
| 000000 0000000000 |
 After
the kidnapping of two Danish and one British
engineer, the Bangladesh Government has
deployed additional troops in an already
heavily militarised region in order to
search for the abducted engineers. IWGIA
- the International Work Group for Indigenous
Affairs - strongly condemns the kidnapping,
but is also fearful that the intensified
military presence might endanger both
the hostages and the indigenous civilian
population. The already rather fragile
peace process in the southeastern region
of Bangladesh - the Chittagong Hill Tracts
- was initiated in 1997 with the signing
of a peace accord between the Bangladesh
Government and the local indigenous peoples
- the Jumma. The peace accord is now in
imminent danger of collapsing altogether.
The deployment of troops is one the most
critical issues in the fragile peace process,
which since it was initiated almost four
years ago has shown several signs of weakness
- and as a matter of fact has never been
fully implemented by the Bangladesh government.
Neither
has the security situation for the indigenous
peoples been stabilised in compliance
with the intentions of the peace accord.
Constant breaches of fundamental human
rights have occurred, and despite the
peace accord murder, violence and disappearances
are common. Since 1997 no less than 70
Jummas have been killed and more than
100 activists been arrested. The cause
of the instability in the Chittagong Hill
Tracts - including that of the last four
years - lies with the Bangladesh Government's
failure to uphold essential parts of the
peace accord. For instance, the withdrawal
of the troops that have been stationed
in the region for years has never been
concluded. The Bengali settlers allowed
into the area by the Government have not
been removed; nor has the Jumma population
had their original territory restored
to them. |
| 000000 00000 |
| IWGIA
now fears that the indigenous civilian
population may be in immediate danger
of attacks from the military during the
intensive search for the abducted engineers.
|
| 000000 00000 |
 IWGIA
has detailed knowledge of the situation
in the region and has for a number of
years been promoting a peaceful solution
to the conflict in the Chittagong Hill
Tracts. Thus IWGIA has supported the Jumma
in their efforts to secure basic human
rights for their people, as well their
struggle for autonomy and for recognition
as indigenous peoples with rights to land,
development and control of their own political
affairs and destiny. The conflict dates
all the way back to the 1970s, when the
government of Bangladesh initiated an
intensive settlement policy in the area
aided by a powerful military presence.
It is essential that the critical situation
in the area be handled with caution and
with consideration for both hostages and
the indigenous peoples in mind. For this
reason IWGIA strongly supports the request
of the Danish and the British Governments
that the Bangladesh Government let the
search for the hostages be conducted with
peaceful means. The international community
must help prevent that a military escalation
in the region gains a permanent foothold
and thereby sets the peace process back
to the time before 1997, when it was put
into effect. The worst-case scenario would
be that the military under the guise of
the ongoing search might increase abuses
against the local Jumma population, as
it happened at the beginning of the 1980s.
|
| 000000 00000 |
| IWGIA
calls on the international community to
stay focused on the Chittagong Hill Tracts
- even after a hopefully peaceful solution
of the present kidnapping crisis. After
the freeing of the hostages it will be
of the utmost importance to the indigenous
population that the international community
continues promoting the peace process.
|
| 000000 00000 |
| At
present the lives of the hostages are
the central consideration of governments
and people. That is how it must be. Yet
so ought the lives of a whole indigenous
civilian population be. None of them have
made the choice to be what they now are:
pieces in an internal political game.
|
| 000000 00000 |
| In
several books and reports IWGIA has documented
the situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The latest publications are: Land Rights
of the Indigenous Peoples of the Chittagong
Hill Tracts, Bangladesh By Rajkumari Chandra
Roy, IWGIA 2000. "Life is not ours." Land
and Human Rights in the Chittagong Hill
Tracts, Bangladesh, Update Report 4. (the
first Report was published in 1991). |
| 000000 00000 |
| By
The Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission,
IWGIA 2000. |
| 00000 |
For
further information please contact: IWGIA
Classensgade 11 E
DK-Copenhagen Denmark
Phone: +45 35 05 00 |
| 000000 00000 |
Personal
contacts:
Lola García-Alix
Human Rights Coordinator |
| 000000 00000 |
Anette
Molbech
Public Relations Officer |
| 00000000000 |
000000
