{"id":10678,"date":"2015-01-12T11:33:52","date_gmt":"2015-01-12T11:33:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/?p=10678"},"modified":"2015-01-16T10:02:39","modified_gmt":"2015-01-16T10:02:39","slug":"when-indigenous-people-come-second","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/2015\/01\/when-indigenous-people-come-second\/","title":{"rendered":"When indigenous people come second"},"content":{"rendered":"

The \u2018indigenous\u2019 people of Bangladesh\u2019s Chittagong Hill Tracts have a long history of persecution. Not only are they treated as second-class citizens in their own country, but it is now believed that their presence in the region was predated by the arrival of some Bengalis in the lowlands<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Bangladesh<\/p>\n

E<\/span>xtending along the south-eastern side of Bangladesh, the rolling green scenery of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is a sight to behold. Unfolding like a picture screen, the hills, rivers, lakes and waterfalls give way to dense forests and creeper jungles, which are home to a colourful range of species. The area is home to more than 60 species of birds, which share their habitat with monkeys, wild cats, turtles, snakes, lizards and tree frogs, making the area a highly desirable tourist spot.<\/p>\n

Tourists wishing to visit the area, however, must do so with care and may find themselves up against a few barriers. The hill tracts themselves are not only a beautiful place to visit, but are steeped in rich culture and tradition. The only extensively hilly region of Bangladesh, the hill tracts are an area of extreme ethnic, religious and cultural diversity, contrasting with the rest of Bangladesh.<\/span><\/p>\n

The majority of Bangladesh\u2019s 154.6 million people are Bengalis, but approximately three million are tribes people, who differ markedly from the Bengali majority in terms of language, culture, religion and appearance. Approximately 500,000 of these tribe members, from 11 distinct tribes, call the CHT their home. Speaking with Global<\/i>, Dr Nicholas Taylor, who served as head of governance and human rights development co-operation for the European Union in Bangladesh up until 2007, highlights some of the issues the inhabitants of the CHT face regarding relationships with the Bengali population of Bangladesh. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWithin Bangladesh itself, there is an issue to do with categorising these \u2018indigenous\u2019 peoples,\u201d he says. \u201cAlthough some Bengali people do use the word \u2018tribal\u2019 to describe these communities, the preferred term is Adivasi, which, when translated directly, becomes \u2018aboriginal\u2019. This in itself is problematic, because the Bengali people have just as long a history in Bangladesh as the peoples of the CHT.\u201d In fact, suggests Taylor, it is probably the case that some of the tribal people of Bangladesh moved to where they are living now after the Bengalis arrived in the lowlands. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn my mind the actual term is a little bit problematic,\u201d he says, \u201calthough it is certainly the case that, in meaningful historical terms, the particular area of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh has been exclusively inhabited by these people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Of the 11 tribes that inhabit the CHT, the largest are the Chakma. The Chakma themselves claim to have originated from the ancient kingdom of Champaknagar in India. However, the exact history of the tribe is shrouded in mystery and scholars disagree as to where the tribe first originated. One theory is that Chakmas moved to the CHT from the Arakan area of Burma around the 15th century.<\/span><\/p>\n

Local folklore claims that the Chakma are descended from one of the sons of the king of the Champaknagar kingdom, who travelled east with an army in the hope of conquering new lands. The Kingdom of Arakan in Burma was captured, and the king\u2019s people integrated with the Burmese and adopted Buddhism. The last king of this great dynasty, Sher Daulat, was believed to have the capability of purifying his soul of sin by washing his intestines in the river. One day, his wife, curious as to his frequent trips to the river, hid herself and spied on him. She was caught and the king flew into a great rage, killing her and all of his family. It is said that after this event the king\u2019s tyranny became so intolerable that his people rebelled and killed him, before fleeing the kingdom and taking up refuge in the Chittagong Hill Tracts where they remain to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a traditional Chakma household, the women will carry out many of the same tasks as in Bengali families, including cooking, tending to babies, cleaning the house, fetching water and washing clothes. However, the women in Chakma society also have a strong presence out in the fields, unlike in mainstream Bangladesh, carrying out agricultural work alongside men.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chakma women may also be involved in selling goods in the marketplace \u2013 in particular handwoven items. \u201cThe Chakma have a beautiful tradition of backstrap weaving,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cIt is truly stunning and helps them to bring in a little extra money.\u201d The art of weaving on loin looms is an established female tradition; a woman is not seen to be suitable for marriage until she is able to weave. Many items are woven, including the traditional female dress, which is known as khadi<\/i> and penon<\/i>. The dresses are woven using any combination of six main colours: black, white, red, yellow, blue and green.<\/span><\/p>\n

The religion of the Chakma reflects the diversity found in the CHT. The Chakma themselves practice Buddhism combined with their own very unique customs and traditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The other inhabitants of the CHT come from a variety of different ethnicities. Tribes often have their own languages and practice different religions. Scattered throughout the whole area you will likely find people who practise Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism. The only religion not prevalent among any of the tribal peoples of the CHT is Islam, which is significant because the majority of Bengalis in Bangladesh are of Islamic faith.<\/p>\n

Given the differences between the indigenous inhabitants of the CHT and the Bengalis of the lowlands, it is hardly surprising that the historical relationship between the two groups has been less than friendly. The recent history of the CHT has been steeped in political upheaval and violence, stretching back to a time when Bangladesh was part of East Pakistan.<\/span><\/p>\n

Problems initially arose following the construction of the Kaptai Dam, as part of a huge hydroelectric power project, in 1962. Indigenous people in the area suffered greatly during the construction process, which displaced thousands of people and led to the flooding of huge areas of fertile land in the main town of Rangamati. The indigenous population was never compensated for its losses by the government.<\/span><\/p>\n

When an independent Bangladesh emerged from behind the curtain of East Pakistan in 1971, many representatives of those residing in the CHT began to fight for the autonomy and recognition of the rights of people of the region. As such, the constitution of Bangladesh, which did not recognise non-Bengali inhabitants, was heavily protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1977 things took a turn for the worse when a civil war erupted between the government of Bangladesh and the United People\u2019s Party of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (PCJSS). A huge Bangladeshi army presence was stationed in the area. The conflict continued for two decades and was finally concluded in 1997 with the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord.<\/span><\/p>\n

The CHT Peace Accord theoretically recognised the CHT as a \u2018tribal inhabited\u2019 area with traditional governance systems. The signing of this agreement was intended to pave the way towards the complete political, cultural and religious autonomy of the CHT people. However, even now, the agreement remains largely unimplemented and the inhabitants of the CHT continue to clash with the Bangladeshi authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

In September 2014, while addressing the officials of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emphasised the commitment of the government of Bangladesh to safeguarding the rights of the people of the CHT. \u201cThe people that live in the Chittagong Hill Tracts are the citizens of our country, so they must enjoy their rights on land like other citizens. We have to ensure it and I hope that the CHT Ministry will take proper steps in this regard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She added that the government is taking all necessary procedures for the implementation of the CHT Peace Accord, in hope of finally bringing harmony to the region. \u201cWe want to do everything required for the socio-economic development of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It\u2019s very important for the region as these people have suffered for more than two decades.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A large Bangladeshi army presence remains in the CHT, in direct violation of the CHT Peace Accord. According to a report published by the International Working Group of Indigenous Affairs, the exact number of troops currently deployed in the CHT is unknown. However, UN Special Rapporteur Lars-Anders Baer, in his 2011 report to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, suggested that it could amount to as many as a third of Bangladesh\u2019s soldiers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a huge number of Bangladeshi army camps all over the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It is a very beautiful area, but you would be pretty restricted in getting there as a tourist. You can\u2019t just wander in, you need to have the correct permits,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cIt is still highly militarised.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The ongoing presence of the military in the area has been justified by military personnel as being necessary for several reasons, including aiding conflict resolution between different indigenous political parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

A recent report by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, however, suggests that the military has done very little to inhibit the conflict between Bengali settlers and indigenous people and has, in fact, exacerbated it. The working group points to the lack of military intervention in diffusing violent attacks by Bengali settlers against indigenous villagers, which continue to occur frequently. Attacks carried out against Bengali settlers by indigenous people, the group further points out, are largely unheard of since the signing of the Peace Accord.<\/span><\/p>\n

Issues between the tribal people of the CHT and the settlers from Bangladesh initially emerged between 1979 and 1984, when the then Bangladesh Nationalist Party government implemented a mass transmigration policy, through which 350,000 Bengalis were settled in the CHT. By 1991 the Bengali population of the CHT had increased by 150 per cent. In March 2014, at the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council, it was suggested that the mass transmigration of Bengalis into the area directly resulted in the persecution of indigenous people in the form of eviction and dispossession of land, and communal attacks on individual tribes and villages.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, sexual attacks on indigenous women of all ages, said the council, have been used as tools to terrorise tribal communities and force them to abandon their lands. It was also suggested that, in the past, such attacks have been directly carried out at the hands of the military personnel stationed in the area. In 1991 the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission released a report exposing a secret memorandum that was circulated in 1983. The memorandum was distributed to all army officers in the CHT, encouraging them to marry indigenous women.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each year the Kapaeeng Foundation, an organisation for the protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples of Bangladesh, publishes its Human Rights Report, which includes an analysis of the human rights abuses of the tribal people of the CHT. The 2013 report found that the number of these incidents are still increasing year on year. In 2013 there was a notable increase in the raiding and destruction of indigenous property and in the number of tribal people who were forced to flee the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

The issue of Bengali settlers inhabiting the CHT runs deeper than the effect it has on the tribal people inhabiting the lands. The population pressure, exacerbated by the presence of Bengali settlers, is of significant threat to the region itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe argument for those who are in favour of Bengali settlement is where they come from they have tiny land holdings, and that in the CHT, per head of population, people have got several hectares each, so it seems sensible to share it out,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cOf course, this is not realistic given that some of this land is very vertical and already subject to extreme erosion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tribes in the area have one basic method of mainstay, which extends to tribal people in more or less all mountainous regions \u2013 the practice of swidden, or \u2018slash and burn\u2019 agriculture, whereby areas of foliage are cut down and burned to make way for fields, which are used for several years before being essentially returned to the forest. In Bangladesh, the practice is known as jum<\/i>, which is the reason behind the nickname for tribal peoples in the area, Jumma<\/i>. This practice is thought to be incredibly sustainable when carried out correctly and on a relatively small scale. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith increasing population pressure from added Bengali settlers,\u201d Taylor says, \u201cland is not being used for long enough and farming is beginning to take place on land which is too steep for sensible cultivation and used to be left to be traditional forest. So there are now tremendous problems of erosion.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plight of the indigenous people in Bangladesh, and of the CHT themselves, is of increasing concern. In recent years the international community has been coming together to assist the peace process in the CHT and help end the human rights abuses of the tribes that call the area home. There have been a number of projects to support community development, empowerment and peacebuilding in the CHT, including the large-scale CHT Development Facility, implemented by the UNDP with funding from the European Union.<\/p>\n

The Kapaeeng Foundation is also engaged in several projects throughout the area, including capacity-building activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of indigenous people and their organisations, as well as networking among indigenous peoples\u2019 organisations and the international community, to protect and promote the human rights of tribal peoples.<\/p>\n

Assistance from organisations such as these can only go so far, however, while issues remain at the very root of indigenous people\u2019s presence in Bangladesh. \u201cWhat has been lacking so far,\u201d says Taylor, \u201cis an ongoing degree of progress on issues of land ownership and on issues of recognition.\u201d To this effect, it is imperative that the CHT Peace Accord is implemented in full in order to adequately protect the human rights of the tribal people of the CHT. This will give a greater degree of recognition to, and protect the human rights of, the tribal people of the CHT.<\/p>\n

An economy that has triumphed over natural disasters<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Bangladesh has a high population density, limited natural resources and an agricultural economy vulnerable to floods and cyclones, but it has nevertheless achieved annual economic growth of about four per cent since its independence in 1971. The country possesses a wealth of natural gas (estimated at 200 billion cubic metres in January 2013) and some coal reserves. Economic policy has long aimed at the alleviation of poverty by encouraging increased agricultural production and investment in education. This is combined with the development of an industrial and technological base. However, severe floods, drought and famine have often frustrated development plans. <\/span><\/p>\n

From the mid-1990s successive governments committed to free-market policies, privatisation of state companies, attracting overseas investment and banking reform. More than 70 state-owned enterprises \u2013 in areas as diverse as manufacturing, agriculture, transport and communications \u2013 were either fully or partially divested by the state. Plans exist for the privatisation of 20 further companies into the 2010s, but progress has been slow due to strong popular opposition. These policies led to an improvement in economic performance, which did not even relent in 1998 when the country was devastated by the floods that covered nearly two-thirds of the land area. <\/span><\/p>\n

The country\u2019s financial standing grew strongly at the outset of the new millennium, the economy generating more than six per cent annual growth in the years 2006-13, primarily driven by strong exports. The economy remained strong despite the global downturn in 2008 and high rates of inflation. A share scam resulted in a stock market crash in 2011, the effects of which are st<\/span>ill being felt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The \u2018indigenous\u2019 people of Bangladesh\u2019s Chittagong Hill Tracts have a long history of persecution. Not only are they treated as second-class citizens in their own country, but it is now believed that their presence in the region was predated by the arrival of some Bengalis in the lowlands Extending along the south-eastern side of Bangladesh, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10673,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[188,79,43,9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10678"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10673"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10678"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10678\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10680,"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10678\/revisions\/10680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.global-briefing.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}