BANGLADESH: INDEPENDENT TEAM DENOUNCES REPRESSION OF JUMMA TRIBES

[marcel]

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:44:25 +0000
From: Miriam Ross <m...@survival-international.org>

SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE

15 February 2008


A group of prominent Bangladeshis have spoken of their 'grave
concern' for the Jumma tribal peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts
after a fact finding trip to the region.

The group, which includes Bangladeshi academics, writers,
journalists, development workers, political leaders and activists,
said that an increase in repression has caused 'fresh fear' among the
Jummas. Arrests and torture of Jummas have escalated since emergency
rule was declared in Bangladesh in January 2007.

The team found evidence of torture, political repression and
religious persecution, and received numerous reports of intimidation
and eviction of Jummas from their land by Bengali settlers, often
with the assistance of the authorities.

The report calls on the government to stop settling Bengalis in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts, and to meet the commitments it made in a
peace accord with the Jummas in 1997. 'They are also human beings,
let them survive with their rights,' it says.

The eleven Jumma tribes have experienced waves of murder, torture and
other human rights abuses at the hands of the Bangladesh military
ever since the country gained independence in 1971. The government
has moved hundreds of thousands of Bengali settlers onto their land.

Survival's director Stephen Corry welcomed the report, saying,
'Survival is delighted that prominent Bangladeshis have had the
courage to speak out and expose the tragic situation of the Jummas.
It is time the Bangladesh government listened to its own people and
allowed the Jummas to live in peace on their own land.'

-ENDS-

For more information contact Miriam Ross on (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or
email m...@survival-international.org

To read this press release online visit
http://www.survival-international.org/news/3078

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