Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Int'l CHT Commission Motorcade

Attackers should be sued for attempted murder

Says columnist Syed Abul Moksud
 
A case for attempted murder should be filed against those who attacked the motorcade of the International Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission in Rangamati on Saturday, noted columnist Syed Abul Moksud said yesterday.

Somebody could have got killed by the projectiles raining down on the two cars, he told a press conference organised by "Nagorik Protinidhi Dal", a group of rights activists, at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Bangalee settlers allegedly carried out the attack, opposing the commission members' visit to the three hill districts following the news that the government has evicted 21 indigenous families in Dighinala upazila of Khagrachhari to build the headquarters of a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) battalion there. Nagorik Protinidhi Dal visited Dighinala upazila last month.

Moksud said, “Evicting indigenous people goes against the principles of our constitution, which protects the interests of underprivileged communities.”

Reading out a statement, activist Rashed Rine said the displace dadivasi families had been living in a local school for nearly a month, lacking proper sanitation and hygiene.

Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum, said the attack on an international rights body like the CHT Commission alone showed how vulnerable adivasi people were in the hill tracts.

“The indigenous people are living like exiles in their own lands,” he said.
Other speakers demanded that the evicted families be given back their homes.
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Courtesy: The Daily Star, July 08, 2014

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