B A N G L A D E S H :

PLANNED ETHNOCIDE OF MINORITY

NATIONALITIES IN CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS

by the

Bangladesh Peoples Democratic Movement (UK)

The Chittagong Hill Tracts is situated between 21deg. 25' and 23deg. north latitude and between 90deg. 45' east longitude. It has a total land area of 5093 square miles, primarily hilly region, comprising one-tenth of Bangladesh. The district is bound on the west by Chittagong district; on the south by Burma and on the east by the Arakan Hill Tracts of Burma and the Lushai Hill on north by Tripura State of India.

The census of the year 1974 estimates the population of CHT at 0.508 million which is 0.67 per cent of the population of Bangladesh. The percentage of immigrants in the CHT is the highest among all the districts of Bangladesh. At present (1981) the Bengali settler population comprises one-third of the total population in CHT. In 1947 the national minorities, mostly Buddhists of Mon-Khmer or Mongolian origin, accounted for 98 percent of the population.

To trace the genesis of the current cycle of repression-resistance-repression one has to go back to Pakistan days of early 1960 when some one hundred thousand people, more than a quarter of the total population in CHT, were displaced by the commissioning of the Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Project in 1962 which occupied 40 per cent of prime agricultural land for an otherwise nomadic agrarian population.

The Pakistan authorities spent only 12.5 million rupees compared to an estimate of 240 million rupees for the compensation and rehabilitation of the displaced peoples. Pakistan government officials attitude was "let them eat grass than waste money on them." Of course todays Bangladesh officials attitude is no better, actually worse, "let them swallow bullets and leave the land to us."

The Hill Tracts minority nationalities are ethnically different from plain land people of Bangladesh. The district is at present inhabited by 13 minority nationalities, each speaking its own distinct dialect. Under British colonial rule they were administered indirectly by the Governor of Bengal (Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation of 1900). Except for the Deputy Commissioner who was British, all other administrative staff including a separate police administration were locally recruited, certain minority nationality chiefs used to help in the administration, while outsiders were not allowed to settle in the district nor could they purchase land. Migration to CHT was strictly forbidden under the 1900 regulation, as minority nationalities opposition to assimilation by a majority culture was well known.

In 1964 the government of Pakistan abolished the special status of the CHT under the 1900 regulation. The abolition of a special status was affirmed in the 1972 Bangladesh Constitution much to the protest and resistance of the minority nationalities.

All sorts of representations to successive Bangladesh governments went unheeded.

After the emergence of Bangladesh as a separate state in 1971 the "Mukti Bahini" backed by the Indian Army, unleashed a reign of terror throughout the length and breadth of CHT subjecting the members of the different minority nationalities to annihilation, eviction, loot, and rape. This gave rise to armed resistance at first led by Mukti Parishad and later by Shanti Bahini.

At present the SHANTI BAHINI is leading most of the attacks against the government forces. Shanti Bahini is dominated by members of the Chakma minority nationality which is the largest of the minority nationalities in CHT. The Shanti Bahini has an organizational network in the Ramgati, Ramgaarh and Bandorban subdivisions, while the Mukti Parishad, the other resistance group has its strong holds in the areas inhabited by the Tangchaiga minority nationality.

According to the "Daily Ittefaq" (26.4.'80), one of the national Bengali newspapers, the "Mukti Parishad and Shanti Bahini both support the demand of the peoples of CHT for the right of self-determination." Meanwhile the leading english language weekly, "Holiday" (30.3.'80) of Bangladesh reported that the popular leader of the Tangchainga and chief of the Mukti Parishad, Mr. Shudatta Bikash Tangchainga, was arrested in early 1978, tried secretly in a military court, and sentenced to life imprisonment.

At present he is in solitary confinement in Rangamati Cantonment.

In 1980 alone many a 'My Lai' was enacted in a series of operations which were launched by units of the 24th Infantry Division of the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Rifles, Special Police and other paramilitary forces to ferret out suspected collaborators and members of Shanti Bahini and Mukti Parishad. To deny popular support to resistance forces the government is resorting to Vietnam type strategic hamlets known as "Joutha Khamar" collective farming blocks and so-called rehabilitation centres financed by Asian Development Bank loans (FEER, 2.5.'80).

According to latest reports (Sunday Observer of the U.K., 15.3.'81) there are now 57,000 Bangladesh troops and police in the area -- one for every 10 person of minority nationalities.

Recently, the Bangladesh Army has been extended in CHT and five full time Brigades have been stationed at Rangamati, Bandorban, Kaptai, Sabuatali and Khagrachari in addition to the newly built three cantonments at Ruma, Alikadam and Dighinala. Besides, for the Kaptai Lake area a Naval Base has been opened at Kaptai.

According to another report, methods of torture used by Bangladesh Armed Forces over the years included: "Severe beatings, electric shocks, uninterrupted interrogation, withholding of food and water, inadequate medical care (if any), standing in the sun until collapse, living and sleeping in open trenches exposed to the elements and half drownings." (IFOR Report, October, 1980).

Meanwhile the Bangladesh Government is reported to be introducing a Disturbed Areas Bill in sixth session of the parliament currently in session (April, 1981) designed to give the police and armed forces personnel of all ranks unrestricted powers to shoot anyone suspected of subversive activities.

It will also confer unlimited authority to search, destroy or confiscate property, to arrest without a warrant and shoot to kill at will. The defence forces will be immune from prosecution in the courts.

The government is concurrently stepping up plans to settle more Bengalees in CHT in total disregard to the fact that it will be seen by the people there as further evidence of attempts to uproot them from their centuries' old habitat.

The government has now taken up a policy of settlement of Bengalee families in CHT by uprooting the minority nationalities.

Accordingly, Mr. Ali Haider Khan, Deputy Commissioner of CHT was authorized to organise the settlement of 100,000 Bengalee family to CHT form other districts of Bangladesh. (Reference: His top secret letter no.1025(9)/C of the 15th Sept. '80 to all Heads of Districts of Bangladesh). For speedy and smooth implementation of this programme, a transit camp was opened at "Haji Camp" in Chittagong. The 'Top Secret Letter' also guarantees that the Bengalee settlers will be provided with: Plain Land 2.5 acres, Plain and Hilly Land 4.0 acres and Hilly Land 5.0 acres for each family.

According to the letter, retired army personnel and ex-members of paramilitary forces will be given preference in the settlement programme.

In this connection it will be appropriate to not the activities of various western countries, multilateral aid institutions and multi-national corporations in CHT. The Home Minister of Bangladesh himself admitted that Asian Development Bank load is being used for the 'Joutha Khamer' strategic hamlets' project in CHT. It is also reported that the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) is considering giving assistance to the project after being approached by the Bangladesh Government. The Australian Government is financing the building of strategic roads in CHT leading to nowhere. Recently the Australian engineers had to beat a retreat after being challenged by the resistance organization of the minority nationalities (HOLIDAY, Bangladesh). Both the Canadian and Swedish aid agencies are involved in the forestry programme in CHT which is nothing less than uprooting the minority nationalities from their ancestral home. The British Government generously funded the entire telecommunication project linking

CHT with Dacca and Chittagong as part of their general 'Aid' towards radio-linking all the police stations in Bangladesh to a police central communication headquarters at Dacca. Incidentally the British electronics firm Plessey got the contract after being approached by the Crown Agents, the agency responsible for most British defence sales to the notorious Svak of the late Shah to Iran. Now the Shell Oil Company, a multi-national with much British interest in it is going to obtain a 25 year contract from the Bangladesh Government for exploration, development and exploitation of gas and oil fields in CHT. It is learnt that the Shell Oil Company has proposed to spend 120 million US dollars. This sum will exceed the total sum spent on all development projects in CHT for the last 20 years (weekly HOLIDAY, 15.3.'81, Dacca). To cap it all, the permanent mission of the SAS unit of British Army stationed at the Military Academy of Bangladesh Army at Mirpur near Dacca is learnt to be passing on their 'much valued'

Malaya campaign experience to Bangladesh Army officers who subsequently are posted in CHT and are increasingly showing their efficiency as seen the increase of innocent civilians killed in CHT since the SAS mission went to Dacca.

The people of Bangladesh have very strongly condemned the genocide perpetrated on the minority nationalities of CHT by the Bangladesh Army. The people and all patriotic and democratic organizations of Bangladesh support the right of self-determination of the people of CHT. The Bangladesh Government has imposed blanket censorship on any news coming out of CHT and as a result the whole nation is being kept in the dark. The military operation in CHT is costing the country huge expenditures both in terms of foreign exchange and internal resources which should be used for the development of Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world.

The Bangladesh People's Democratic Movement in Britain appeals to all quarters to bring all possible pressure on the Bangladesh Government to immediately cease its military operations in CHT, abandon the policy of settlement of Bengalees there, and declare an unconditional general amnesty for those who were waging the just struggle against the repressive policies of the Government. We also demand of the Bangladesh Government to immediately release all political prisoners of CHT resettle and compensate the displaced and recognise the right of self-determination of the people of CHT.

WE SAY: GENOCIDE MUST STOP!

ACCEPT THE LEGITIMATE DEMANDS OF THE PEOPLES OF THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS!

STOP SETTLEMENT OF BENGALEES IN CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS!