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ASIA INDIGENOUS OBSERVER LOVE FOR FREEDOM CONTENT PAGE-02-06 PAGE-07-20 HUMAN RIGHTS RADAR: Bangladesh 02 GROUND REPORT 01 Focus False lawsuit against the Chairperson of AIPP assesses the ground the Kapaeeng Foundation realities of the Myanmar- Thailand border refugee A Mro woman allegedly raped by a crisis local political leader in CHT, Bangladesh Communal attack on indigenous Jumma PAGE-35 villages in Baghaichhari, Rangamati GENDER LENS District 04 This month the Indigenous Miscreants cut down a thousand betel Women’s Programme trees in Sylhet; Khasi Indigenous People collaborated and broke down in tears consulted with global Attack on a Buddhist Monk in partners IWGIA and SIDA Khagrachari to start exciting new Anti- conservation infrastructure projects that will have development under the guise of eco- wide reaching impact on tourism Indigenous Women and the many intersections that Eviction fear grips Tripura indigenous affect their lives. community in Sitakunda PAGE-36-38 03 CLIMATE WATCH International Biodiversity Day was momentous with the digital launch of the comic book “Let’s Go Back Home”. The digital campaign saw full participation and solidarity from our partners and members HUMAN RIGHTS RADAR: Bangladesh Focus False lawsuit against the Chairperson of the Kapaeeng Foundation On May 5, 2021, an alleged land robber Md. Mahabubur Rahman filed a false and fabricated case against the victim Niren Mardi along with local indigenous leaders in Senior Judicial Magistrate Amli Court (5), Dinajpur, Bangladesh in connection with the land robbery. In that case, Rabindranath Soren, a human rights activist, President of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad and Chairperson of Kapaeeng Foundation has been made the prime accused in that case. Manik Soren, Information & Research Secretary of the Jatiya Adivasi Parishad were also included in the case among others. A total of 22 Indigenous People have been accused in that false case. It is to be noted that, earlier, the court acquitted Niren Mardi in another case filed by land robber Md Mahabubur Rahman last year. Since then, Rahman has been furious with Niren Mardi and his family. Source: Kapaeeng Foundation & Daily Star A Mro woman allegedly raped by a local political leader in CHT, Bangladesh Source: Kapaeeng Foundation The rape accusation of a young Mro indigenous woman (23) was found on 11th May 2021, against Mahbubur Rahman Zahid alias Kabir (35) at Chitajhiri muk of Hambuk para village of Rupsipara union under LamaUpazila in Bandarban hill district of Chittagong Hill Tracts. According to local sources, the indigenous woman lives with her family on a farm at Chitajhiri muk of the said village. Next to their farm, there is the fish farm and tobacco field of the perpetrator. As per media reports, the accused developed an illicit affair on the basis of fake promises of marriage and accordingly raped the girl several times. Page-2 The Chairman of the local union council said that Mahbubur Rahman had been raping the girl for the last five years at different times. On May 11, 2021, he started pressuring the girl to have an abortion. When the woman did not agree, the culprit beat her and forced her to take medicine. The perpetrator immediately fled the scene when the girl fell sick after taking medicine. Later, the survivor was admitted to the Upazila Health Centre. A rape case was filed at the Lama police station in this connection on Wednesday, 12 May 2021, under “Women and Children Violence Protection Law 2000” by the victim’s father against the perpetrator. Communal attack on indigenous Jumma villages in Baghaichhari, Rangamati District Source: Kapaeeng Foundation A group of settlers led by Rassel Chowdhury, Chairman of Amtoli Union Parishad allegedly carried out a communal attack on the indigenous village namely Perachhara under Ward 7 of the neighbouring Sarboatali Union of Bagharchhari upazila, Rangamati District of CHT on 24 April 2021. 3 indigenous Jumma villagers were injured and 1 shop and 1 Buddhist monastery were vandalized during the attack. It's been learnt that on the incident day at around 9am the Bengali settler namely Md. Rob Mia went to graze cows on the paddy field of Kalachokha Chakma in Perachhara village of nearby Sarboatali Union while the cows destroyed the paddy field of Kalachokha Chakma. After seeing this, Kalachokha Chakma asked Md. Rob Mia to take his cows elsewhere. At this, Md. Rob Mia became furious and insulted Kalachokha Chakma by using abuses. Afterwards, there was a verbal argument and physical clashes occurred between them. Later, Md. Rob Mia threatened Kalachokha Chakma when he was returning with his cows. It’s to be mentioned that, Md. Rob Mia often grazed his cows in the paddy field of Kalachokha Chakma and misbehave with the indigenous women. After returning to the village, Md. Rob Mia informed the matter immediately to Rassel Chowdhury. As a result, at around 3pm. 20-25 Bengali settlers with arms sticks and sharp weapons, led by Rassel Chowdhury indiscriminately attacked on the indigenous Jumma villages of Perachhara and destroyed and looted the shop of Purnachandra Chakma. The perpetrators also vandalized and looted the property of a Buddhist monastery namely ‘Naba Karunapur Banavihar’ in the village. Chulakal Bhikkhu, the principal of the Buddhist monastery flew away and took shelter elsewhere to save his life during the attack. Page-3 The Khasi people in a sad mood in front of the betel leaf trees that cut down by the miscreant. Photo: Collected. Source: Kapaeeng Foundation Miscreants cut down a thousand betel trees in Sylhet; Khasi Indigenous People broke down in tears On 28th May 2021, it has been alleged that outsiders have occupied three betel leaf jum of Khasi people in Banakhola punji of south Shahbazpur union of Moulvibazar’s Baralekha upazila. Two written complaints have been lodged with the Baralekha police station on behalf of the residents of Punji and Chhotalekha tea garden authority. In it, 16 names were mentioned and 30-35 anonymous people were charged. According to the tea authority and local Khasi residents, the Chhotelekha Tea-Garden Authority leased 1,968 acres of hilly land from the government for tea cultivation. Later, they sub-leased 272 acres of land to the Khasias at an annual cost of 1 million Bangladeshi taka. But suddenly, on May 26, a group of outsiders entered the punji with local weapons and occupied three betel leaf jum of Khasi people. At this time, outsiders built a temporary house there. It is to be noted that, at present 36 Khasia families live in this punji. On the other hand, 30th May 2021, miscreants cut down a thousand of betel leaf trees at Agar punji in south Shahbazpur union of Moulvibazar’s Baralekha Upazila on Sunday afternoon. After waking up in the morning to find out about the incident, the local Khasi residents broke down in tears. It has been seen that most of the betel tree roots have been cut off. It is estimated that they have lost 8 hundred thousand taka as a result of cutting down betel trees. About 48 indigenous Khasi families live there. They have been planting betel trees in the small hills for ages for their livelihood. Page-4 Attack on a Buddhist Monk in Khagrachari A Buddhist Monk has been intentionally attacked by two Bengali settlers in Pujgang Pragya Sadhana Bana Vihara Monastery under Panchari upazila of Khagrachhari District in CHT, Bangladesh on 31 May 2021. It was learnt that; the unknown two Bengali setters have attempted to cut the trees of the temple illegally before. However, the authority of the temple has forbidden them not to do that again. Early hours of the incident day, the perpetrators allegedly attacked on Agrojyoti Bhante (Monk) (47) with iron chariot and chopper and injured him seriously after finding him alone while most of the Buddhist Monks went away and looted almost 60,000 Taka from the temple. Sources said that, the victim has identified an attacker who often comes to work along with other Bengali settlers in the Buddhist Temple. The villagers of Pujgang protested and demonstrated a rally against this barbaric attack and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. Source: Kapaeeng Foundation Page-5 Anti- conservation infrastructure development under the guise of eco-tourism On 30 May 2021, the Indigenous peoples formed a human chain in Madhupur of Tangail district of Bangladesh protesting the construction of an arboretum, a guest house and boundary walls over an ancient crematorium by the forest department in the name of eco-tourism. The forest department will have to stop constructing the arboretum and the guest house, otherwise, people from indigenous community will wage tougher movements to resist the bid, speakers at the programme warned. Link of the news https://www.thedailystar.net/environment/news/ garos-demand-stop-destruction-forests-the-name- eco-tourism-2101709 Page-6 Anti- conservation infrastructure development under the guise of eco-tourism Tripura indigenous community live in different areas of Bangladesh, including the Chittagong Hill Tracts and plains of Bangladesh. Tripura community of Sonaichhari in Sitakunda upazila, Chittagong (plain land) are in constant fear as some local influential people have allegedly been trying to evict them from their ancestral land. The indigenous inhabitants of Tripura Para at Sonaichhari alleged that Abul Khayer Group, a Chittagong-based business conglomerate, is trying to grab their land illegally. The influential people of Abul Khayer Group have long been asking the Tripura community people to leave the place. Community people are receiving threats from the land grabbers. According to the Bangladesh Indigenous Forum, Sitakunda, there are 800 families living in different hills in Sitakunda. The areas include Choto Darogarhat of Baroiardala union, Mahadebpur in Sitakunda municipality, Banshbaria, Sultana temple and Choto Kumira in Kumira upazila, Madhya, South Sonaichhari under Sonaichhari union and Madnahat area.