Leaders and activists of minority ethnic communities from across the country, defying the pouring rain, took to the streets in the capital on Monday to press home their demand for being officially recognised as 'indigenous peoples', not as 'small ethnic groups', in the Constitution.
They held discussions, brought out processions, formed human chains and arranged cultural programmes in different places of the country to observe the International Day of Indigenous Peoples.
They marched through the streets, chanting slogans in protest against the government's move to describe them as 'tribes', and demanded full implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tract peace accord.
The Bangladesh Adivasi Forum staged a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar, in which its president Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma,
better known as Santu Larma, warned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that if her party and government continue to be undemocratic and communal, only she and they would be responsible for the results.
Larma, also president of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti and the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council, said they would not accept the 15th Amendment to the Constitution.
'Each person has the right to retain his true identity, but the present government has foisted on all of us the Bengali identity. But we can't accept that. We want constitutional recognition of our true identity,' he said.
He also said that Sheikh Hasina had failed to fulfil her promise to implement the CHT accord. 'The government has not taken any positive initiative to implement the accord in spite of being in power for two and a half year.'
Larma also denounced foreign minister Dipu Moni's recent statements on the country's ethnic minorities. On July 26 she claimed that 'the CHT people are tribal and not indigenous'.
Larma urged the ethnic minority communities to launch a strong movement to realise their rights.
The chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Mizanur Rahman, as chief guest of the rally said that recognition of ethnic minorities as 'indigenous' is inevitable and 'it should be done immediately'.
He also stressed the need for immediate implementation of the CHT accord to establish the rights of the hill people.
Sultana Kamal, former adviser to the caretaker government and co-chair of the International Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission, inaugurated the rally which was conducted by Sanjeeb Drong, the Adivasi Forum's general secretary.
Politicians, activists and academics also expressed solidarity with the cause of the ethnic minority communities, saying that the government has made them second-class citizens by not giving them due recognition in the Constitution. They also said that the government has repeated the mistake of 1972 when the ethnic minorities were not recognised as 'indigenous people' in the Constitution, which was a historical blunder.
Member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Raja Devasish Roy, Communist Party of Bangladesh's president Manjurul Ahsan Khan, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal's president Hasanul Haque Inu, Workers Party of Bangladesh's presidium member Fazle Hossain Badshah, Gana Forum's presidium member
Pankaj Bhattacharya, Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad's general secretary Rana Dasgupta, Dhaka University teachers HKS Arefin, Mesbah Kamal and Robayet Ferdous were among those who addressed the rally.
Ethnic minority peoples joined the four-hour rally, wearing their traditional dress, in spite of the continuous downpour. A cultural programme, featuring the traditional culture of various ethnic groups, followed the rally.
The Jatisatta Mukti Sangram held a discussion on '15th Amendment to the Constitution and rights of different minorities' at the RC Majumdar Arts Auditorium of Dhaka University.
The Coalition of Local NGOs also held a discussion at the National Press Club.
New Age's Khagrachhari correspondent reported that the local chapter of PCJSS and Adivasi Forum, and the Ganatantrik Jubo Forum, the youth forum supported by the United Peoples Democratic Front, organised rallies, brought out processions and formed human chains in the town, demanding constitutional recognition of all ethnic minor groups as 'indigenous'.
The PCJSS formed a human chain on the road adjacent to the court and staged a rally at Khagrapur Community Centre. The Adivasi Forum staged a rally at Khagrachhari Mukta Mancha.
The Ganatantrik Jubo Forum staged a rally and brought out procession which paraded various roads of the town.
New Age's Rangamati correspondent reported that the Adivasi Forum organised a reception for elderly people of ethnic minorities and held a
discussion in the Rangamati Municipality Auditorium. Later they brought out a procession which paraded several roads of the town.
This year the indigenous people's day, amidst debate on recognition of ethnic minorities as 'indigenous', was observed with the slogan: 'Indigenous Designs: Celebrating Stories and Cultures, Crafting Our Own Future'. The day has been observed since 1995 to uphold the rights of indigenous people, now numbering about 370 million around the globe
The United Nations' secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, called upon everyone to recognise the unique identities of indigenous peoples around the world. He urged all to work for ensuring their rights.
Source : New Age
