Fwd: Bangladesh: IPs Massacred for Land Grab

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ACHR REVIEW <achr_review@achrweb.org>
Date: Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 3:38 PM
Subject: Bangladesh: IPs Massacred for Land Grab
To: suhaschakma@achrweb.org


Asian Centre for Human Rights
 [ACHR has Special Consultative Status with the UN ECOSOC]
C-3/441-C, Janakpuri, New Delhi-110058, India
Tel/Fax:  +91-11- 45501889 25620583
Website: www.achrweb.org; Email: achr_review@achrweb.org


Embargoed for: 23 February 2010

Dear Sir/Madam,

The Asian Centre for Human Rights is writing to inform that more villages
of indigenous Jumma peoples have been brunt today i.e. 23 February 2010
under Khagrachari district of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh.
Dozens of houses were set on fire at Mahajanpara and Milanpur villages at
Khagrachari by the illegal plain settlers with the backing of the
Bangladesh Army personnel at the time of issuing this press release. The
illegal plain settlers took advantage of a strike called by the United
Peoples Democratic Front, a political party of the indigenous Jumma
peoples, protesting against the killings of indigenous Jumma people at
Sajek Union under Rangamati district on 19-20 February 2010.

The ACHR has also released the report, "Bangladesh: IPs Massacred for Land
Grab". The report is available at:
http://www.achrweb.org/reports/bangla/CHT012010.pdf

In its report, the ACHR demanded that the government of Bangladesh
provides immediate and unrestricted access to massacre sites. The
government of Bangladesh has so far denied access to the sites where
scores of indigenous Chakmas in 14 villages under Sajek Union were
massacred on 19-20 February 2010.

The ACHR stated that at least six Chakmas were shot dead by the Bangladesh
army personnel while dozens were injured on 19-20 February 2010. The
injured ones who went to government hospital for treatment of bullet
injuries sustained in the firing by the Bangladesh army personnel were
shown arrested in connection with the attacks on indigenous Jumma peoples
since 19 February 2010.

In order to prevent the truth from coming out, the Bangladesh army
personnel have prevented any independent observer including journalists
and human rights activists from visiting the affected areas to hide the
truth. On 20 February 2010, two journalists from the Bengal dailies -
"Samakal" and "Prothom Alo" - who tried to visit the affected areas were
attacked. The motorbike of "Samakal" correspondent was burnt down by the
illegal plain settlers.

ACHR questioned the silence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who has
recently been awarded Indira Gandhi Peace Award by the government of
India, among others, for promoting "peace by resolving a long standing
insurgency (problem) in Bangladesh by concluding the Chittagong Hill
Tracts Peace Accord".

ACHR has urged the Prime Minister to order a judicial inquiry into the
killings of indigenous peoples at Sajek to be completed in ninety days,
prosecute the culprits, provide proper resettlement and rehabilitation to
the victims; terminate the military operation "Uttaran" in the CHTs,
withdraw all the military forces to the cantonments and fully implement
the CHTs Accord of 1997.

We thought you would find ACHR's report of interest.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely



Suhas Chakma
Director

--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/