Repression of indigenous peoples by - Asian Indigenous and Tribal ...

18 Indigenous Rights Quarterly ARTICLEVol. II : No. 4 • Oct-Dec 2007Bangladesh: The Army attacks Buddhism to facilitateillegal settlement in the Chittagong Hill TractsOn 25 January 2008, indigenousJumma peoples are scheduled tohold a large religious gathering atSarnath Arannyo Kuthir, a Buddhisttemple at Karallyachari inKhagrachari Hill district of theChittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs). TheBangladeshi authorities havebanned the meeting. It is unclear ifthe meeting will go ahead. As weupload this Weekly Review, theDeputy Commissioner ofKhagrachari district is holding ameeting with the local Jumma eldersof Karallyachari to decide the fate ofthe religious gathering while theBangladesh army personnel havebeen seizing the bikes and othervehicles. But if the meeting takesplace it is likely that the governmentwill use violence to suppress it.The government’s actions at the templeare a microcosm of an ongoingand long established State policy toestablish a homogenous BengaliMuslim society; a policy that impliesthe destruction of the identity of theindigenous Jumma peoples througha process of illegal and often violentsettlement of the Bengali Muslimsettlers.With international community’sattention focused on Bangladesh’sparliamentary elections the caretakergovernment is free to executethe ethnic cleansing policy in theCHTs without external interference.Background to the SarnathArannyo Kuthir:The banning of the religious gatheringcomes as part of a pattern ofwider attacks on the religion of theindigenous communities. On 14January 2008, the Bangladesh Policearrested Reverend Arya JyotiBhikkhu, Head Priest of SarnathArannyo Kuthir, after a settler,Abdul Majid, son of late AkadZaman from Karallyachari clustervillage, filed a First InformationReport (No. 1 of dated 11/1/2008)under sections 143, 447, 379, 427, 506and 109 of the Bangladesh PenalCode. The complainant accusedThe government ofBangladesh recently sought toban a large religious gatheringat Sarnath Arannyo Kuthir, aBuddhist temple at Karallyachariin Khagrachari Hilldistrict of the CHTs. Thegovernment’s actions at thetemple are a microcosm of anongoing and long establishedState policy to establish ahomogenous Bengali Muslimsociety; a policy that impliesthe destruction of the identityof the indigenous Jummapeoples through a process ofillegal and often violent settlementof the Bengali Muslimsettlers.about 500 indigenous peoplesincluding Rev Aryo Joti Bhikkhuand Late(!) Tumbo Chakma of committingoffences of illegal gathering,theft and destruction to privateproperties. In reality, it appears thatthese indigenous Jummas were makingtemporary houses to accommodatethe Buddhist monks and thedevotees within the temple premise.On 21 January 2008, the AdditionalDistrict Magistrate of KhagrachariMr Manindra Kishor Majumder in acommunication (je.pra.kha/je.em/tin-75/2008-63) ordered theOfficer-in-Charge of MahalachariPolice Station area to issue showcause on the headmen and Karbaris(traditional village chiefs) ofKarallyachari area as to why theyhad failed to notify the administrationabout the religious programme.He also ordered that the court examinethe land documents of the templeand threatened legal actionagainst the headmen and Karbaris ifthey failed to provide satisfactorydocumentation.On 21 January 2008, Bangladesharmy personnel prevented local peoplefrom constructing a makeshiftbridge over the river Chengi atKarallyachari - Paujjyachari areaunder Mahalchari Police Station.The bridge was being prepared forthe religious programme.Targeting of the Buddhist temples:The events at Sarnath ArannyoKuthir are not isolated. Across theCHTs, Buddhist temples have beentargeted for destruction by theauthorities. Indigenous BuddhistChakmas and Marmas usually livein and around their temples. Oncetemples are destroyed the area canbe more easily cleared for illegalplain settlers.In August 2007, illegal settlers andthe Bangladesh army personnel triedto take over the lands of the SadhanaTila Buddhist temple of Babucharaarea under Dighinala upazila inKhagrachari district. As national andinternational protest grew, the defactoruler of the country GeneralMoeen U Ahmed visited Dighinalaon 28 August 2007 and assuredlocals that the temple will not be