nov 15th, 2007
while everyone is focusing on the antics of "our sonofabitch" musharraf (this is what the telegraph, uk, called him), the jihadis in amar sonar bangla are doing their usual thing: violating the human rights of non-mohammedans
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sital GHRD <s.sital@ghrd.org>
Date: Nov 15, 2007 3:18 AM
Subject: RGENT APPEAL: Stop Fresh Landgrabbing and Settlement Programme of Bengali Settlers in CHT, Bangladesh
To: info@ghrd.org
URGENT APPEAL: Stop Fresh Landgrabbing and Settlement Programme of Bengali
Settlers in
CHT, Bangladesh
The Hague,
14 November 2007
Dear friends,
GHRD has received reliable information that, by taking advantage of the
current State of
Emergency that was imposed in the country on 11th January 2007 by the
present
military-backed Caretaker Government of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, the military
forces
deployed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) have resumed the settlement
programme of
government-sponsored Bengali settlers and landgrabbing in CHT. We are deeply
concerned
that, as all kinds of protests, processions and public meetings are
restricted by the
State of Emergency, the indigenous peoples can not protest against this
fresh settlement
programme as well as land grabbing activities.
GHRD has also received information that with the direct support of military
forces,
Bengali settlers from the Kabakhali area cleaned huge areas of Sona Mian
Tilla and
BouddhaBihar under Babuchara mouza in Dighinala upazila (sub-district) of
Khagrachari
district since last week of August 2007 for constructing houses.
Military forces of Dighinala cantonment declared the settlement of hundreds
of Bengali
settler families in theses areas. The Zone Commander of Dighinala army zone
called upon
all mouza headmen under Dighinala upazila to providing support to this fresh
settlement
programme. The headmen could not protest, fearing military harassment.
However, the
headman of Babuchara mouza did try to protest. He was threatened by the Zone
Commander
that he would be arrested or that a case would be filed against him. The
intelligence
activities have increased against headmen, in order to prevent any
communication with
human rights activists and the media.
Complaints have been received that military forces undertook a plan to
settle about 300
families of Bengali settlers at Kripapur village under Kabakhali mouza in
Dighinala. The
military have already visited the places for this purpose. The source also
confirmed
that a settlement programme is going on at Merung, Changrachari and Betchari
under
Dighinalasub-district and Lemuchari and Itchari areas under Mahalchari
sub-district.
Adding tho this, GHRD has also received information that in June 2007, the
military
forces settled at least 200 families of Bengali settlers at Dantkupya
village under
Khagrachari sub-district, on the land of 52 families of indigenous people.
Jumma
villagers said that a camp was set up on the land of one villager on 8th
March 2007 by
the military forces of 32nd Bengal, in order to provide security to the
settler
families. The villagers also confirmed that the General Commanding Officer
(GOC) of 24th
infantry division of Chittagong cantonment visited the camp on 29th July
2007 for this
purpose.
One of the victims of land dispossession in Khagrachari said that from
January 2006 to
June 2006 Bengali settlers from Nunchari cluster village occupied more than
500 acres of
land and built about 300 houses on the recorded lands of the Jumma people of
Gamaridhalaunder Khagrachari sadar sub-district. They also occupied lands of
the Bouddha
Shishughar Orphanage and Jumma villagers at Saprue Karbari Para under
Mahalchari
sub-district. Every day they threatened the Jumma people for committing
communal riots.
Further information has been received that the Upazila Nirbahi Officer
(sub-district
executive officer) of Mahalchari sun-district, directed by Mahalchari army
zone, called
a meeting on land disputes at his office on 5th August 2007, with
representatives of
both Bengali settlers and Jumma villagers. But, bypassing the demands of
Jumma people,
the UNO ordered the Jumma people to be presented their land documents within
a few days.
It is claimed that there are huge traditionally occupied lands, other than
recorded
lands. Traditionally occupied lands are not required to have land deeds. It
is worth
mentioning that the Government does not formally recognize the rights of the
traditionally occupied lands. The Government regards these lands as
state-owned. They
are also known as Khas lands. It is claimed that Government forces are using
State of
Emergency in occupying Jumma's land in order to move a programme of ethnic
cleansing
forward.
With an aim to conduct this land grabbing and settlement programmes
uninterrupted, the
military forces are forming so-called "Shanti Committees" (Peace
Committees) with
representatives both from Jumma and Bengali settlers in several places. The
Headman of
Dantkupya mouza confirmed, for example, that such a committee was formed at
Dantkupya
village in his chair. Three representatives from each Bengali and Jumma
community were
included as members of this committee. One of the members said that Jumma
villagers were
compelled to be member of this committee. He expressed that no Jumma people
agreed
willingly to be member to this committee, as their lands were being seized.
He also said
that the committee was not really effective, but merely a front so that the
military
could continue their work interrupted. The Jumma have no option to protest
against this
activity as State of Emergency is going in the country.
In the last week of July 2007 high military officials in Khagrachari met
with District
Awami League and BNP leaders in a meeting at Brigade headquarters. They
discussed the
settler issue and decided to begin settlement expansion. The military
officers urged
both the AL and BNP leaders to shun mutual political bickering and work for
the common
interest of the Bengalis in CHT.
Appeal:
GHRD finds it unacceptable that this programme of settlement and
landgrabbing is allowed
to continue and so appeals that everything possible is done to influence the
present
Caretaker Government of Bangladesh and Bangladesh military forces to:
1. stop fresh settlement programme of Bengali settlers and land grabbing in
CHT and
2. return Bengali settlers back to their cluster villages unless and until
land disputes
are resolved through land commission.
This message has been sent by GHRD* to local authorities and International
Organisations in order to increase awareness and to encourage action to be
taken to
investigate Human Rights violations.
*GHRD is an International, non-governmental organisation which strives for
the
protection of basic Human Rights throughout the world, as well as
encouraging
international awareness towards disregarded Human Rights violations.
Global Human Rights Defence
Javastraat 58
2585 AR The Hague
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 70 345 69 75
Phone: +31 70 345 34 11
Fax: +31 70 392 65 75
Postal Address:
P.O Box 193
2501 CD The Hague
url: www.ghrd.org
e-mail : info@ghrd.org
From: sital GHRD <s.sital@ghrd.org>
Date: Nov 15, 2007 3:18 AM
Subject: RGENT APPEAL: Stop Fresh Landgrabbing and Settlement Programme of Bengali Settlers in CHT, Bangladesh
To: info@ghrd.org
URGENT APPEAL: Stop Fresh Landgrabbing and Settlement Programme of Bengali
Settlers in
CHT, Bangladesh
The Hague,
14 November 2007
Dear friends,
GHRD has received reliable information that, by taking advantage of the
current State of
Emergency that was imposed in the country on 11th January 2007 by the
present
military-backed Caretaker Government of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, the military
forces
deployed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) have resumed the settlement
programme of
government-sponsored Bengali settlers and landgrabbing in CHT. We are deeply
concerned
that, as all kinds of protests, processions and public meetings are
restricted by the
State of Emergency, the indigenous peoples can not protest against this
fresh settlement
programme as well as land grabbing activities.
GHRD has also received information that with the direct support of military
forces,
Bengali settlers from the Kabakhali area cleaned huge areas of Sona Mian
Tilla and
BouddhaBihar under Babuchara mouza in Dighinala upazila (sub-district) of
Khagrachari
district since last week of August 2007 for constructing houses.
Military forces of Dighinala cantonment declared the settlement of hundreds
of Bengali
settler families in theses areas. The Zone Commander of Dighinala army zone
called upon
all mouza headmen under Dighinala upazila to providing support to this fresh
settlement
programme. The headmen could not protest, fearing military harassment.
However, the
headman of Babuchara mouza did try to protest. He was threatened by the Zone
Commander
that he would be arrested or that a case would be filed against him. The
intelligence
activities have increased against headmen, in order to prevent any
communication with
human rights activists and the media.
Complaints have been received that military forces undertook a plan to
settle about 300
families of Bengali settlers at Kripapur village under Kabakhali mouza in
Dighinala. The
military have already visited the places for this purpose. The source also
confirmed
that a settlement programme is going on at Merung, Changrachari and Betchari
under
Dighinalasub-district and Lemuchari and Itchari areas under Mahalchari
sub-district.
Adding tho this, GHRD has also received information that in June 2007, the
military
forces settled at least 200 families of Bengali settlers at Dantkupya
village under
Khagrachari sub-district, on the land of 52 families of indigenous people.
Jumma
villagers said that a camp was set up on the land of one villager on 8th
March 2007 by
the military forces of 32nd Bengal, in order to provide security to the
settler
families. The villagers also confirmed that the General Commanding Officer
(GOC) of 24th
infantry division of Chittagong cantonment visited the camp on 29th July
2007 for this
purpose.
One of the victims of land dispossession in Khagrachari said that from
January 2006 to
June 2006 Bengali settlers from Nunchari cluster village occupied more than
500 acres of
land and built about 300 houses on the recorded lands of the Jumma people of
Gamaridhalaunder Khagrachari sadar sub-district. They also occupied lands of
the Bouddha
Shishughar Orphanage and Jumma villagers at Saprue Karbari Para under
Mahalchari
sub-district. Every day they threatened the Jumma people for committing
communal riots.
Further information has been received that the Upazila Nirbahi Officer
(sub-district
executive officer) of Mahalchari sun-district, directed by Mahalchari army
zone, called
a meeting on land disputes at his office on 5th August 2007, with
representatives of
both Bengali settlers and Jumma villagers. But, bypassing the demands of
Jumma people,
the UNO ordered the Jumma people to be presented their land documents within
a few days.
It is claimed that there are huge traditionally occupied lands, other than
recorded
lands. Traditionally occupied lands are not required to have land deeds. It
is worth
mentioning that the Government does not formally recognize the rights of the
traditionally occupied lands. The Government regards these lands as
state-owned. They
are also known as Khas lands. It is claimed that Government forces are using
State of
Emergency in occupying Jumma's land in order to move a programme of ethnic
cleansing
forward.
With an aim to conduct this land grabbing and settlement programmes
uninterrupted, the
military forces are forming so-called "Shanti Committees" (Peace
Committees) with
representatives both from Jumma and Bengali settlers in several places. The
Headman of
Dantkupya mouza confirmed, for example, that such a committee was formed at
Dantkupya
village in his chair. Three representatives from each Bengali and Jumma
community were
included as members of this committee. One of the members said that Jumma
villagers were
compelled to be member of this committee. He expressed that no Jumma people
agreed
willingly to be member to this committee, as their lands were being seized.
He also said
that the committee was not really effective, but merely a front so that the
military
could continue their work interrupted. The Jumma have no option to protest
against this
activity as State of Emergency is going in the country.
In the last week of July 2007 high military officials in Khagrachari met
with District
Awami League and BNP leaders in a meeting at Brigade headquarters. They
discussed the
settler issue and decided to begin settlement expansion. The military
officers urged
both the AL and BNP leaders to shun mutual political bickering and work for
the common
interest of the Bengalis in CHT.
Appeal:
GHRD finds it unacceptable that this programme of settlement and
landgrabbing is allowed
to continue and so appeals that everything possible is done to influence the
present
Caretaker Government of Bangladesh and Bangladesh military forces to:
1. stop fresh settlement programme of Bengali settlers and land grabbing in
CHT and
2. return Bengali settlers back to their cluster villages unless and until
land disputes
are resolved through land commission.
This message has been sent by GHRD* to local authorities and International
Organisations in order to increase awareness and to encourage action to be
taken to
investigate Human Rights violations.
*GHRD is an International, non-governmental organisation which strives for
the
protection of basic Human Rights throughout the world, as well as
encouraging
international awareness towards disregarded Human Rights violations.
Global Human Rights Defence
Javastraat 58
2585 AR The Hague
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 70 345 69 75
Phone: +31 70 345 34 11
Fax: +31 70 392 65 75
Postal Address:
P.O Box 193
2501 CD The Hague
url: www.ghrd.org
e-mail : info@ghrd.org
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