Indigenous Jumma People`s Network, USA

The Indigenous Jumma People’s Network, USA

1595 Hardt St. San Bernardino ,

CA 92408, USA

www.ijpnus.org

E mail: ijpnusa@yahoo.com

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) is bordered by State of Tripura and Mizoram of India to the north and northeast, Myanmar (Burma ) to the Southeast and Chittagong District of Bangladesh to the west.

At the time of the partition of Indo-Pak, the indigenous Jummas accounted for 98% of the total population of the CHTs and it was “Excluded Area” in the 1900 Act of British Rules for the indigenous Jumma people. After 1947, gradually Bengali Muslims invasion started to the CHTs. The second phase was started in 1970s with the support of government of

. Presently the population of the indigenous Jumma peoples is 35% and Bengali Muslim is 65% in CHTs. If the present process is continues within two decades the indigenous Jumma peoples are bound to vanish or eliminated from the map of CHT.

With great regret it is mention that two decades old arms struggle ended by signing peace agreement which was widely known as “CHT Peace Accord”, it was signed on December 2, 1997 between the government of Bangladesh and Parbatya Chattagram Janasamhati Samity (PCJSS) which are yet to be implemented.

The illegal Bengali Muslim Settlers and the Bangladesh Military has intensified the land grabbing and the forceful occupation of land in the CHTs after the imposition of Emergency rule in January 2007.

The Bangladesh military has unleashed a reign of terror across the CHTs by carrying out extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, illegal detention, lodging false cases and terrorizing the people by frequent raids, military operations, torture, threats and intimidation.

The indigenous Jumma activists have been unfairly targeted by the Bangladesh military taking advantage of the Emergency rules. Since the declaration of Emergency on 11 January 2007, at least few hundred indigenous Jumma people have been arrested.

The CHTs Peace Accord has been in tatters much before the care-taker government assumed powers. Even when the democratically elected governments were in power, the army enjoyed unbridled powers which resulted in blatant violations of rights of the Jummas. Since the imposition of the Emergency, the situation in the CHTs deteriorated drastically.

Under the cover of emergency rules in the country the military and law-enforcing agencies are continuously migrating Bengali Muslim to the land by evicting indigenous Jumma people. 

More information please visit:-

www.jpnuk.org.uk

www.achrweb.org/countries/bangla.htm

www.angelfire.com/ab/jumma/bground.html

http://jummacht.blogspot.com

 

Appeal For Immediate Action

 1. To stop Military atrocities and human rights abuses on indigenous people in CHTs;

2. To immediately stop illegal land grabbing and return the illegally occupied lands to their rightful owners;

3. To stop using the Bengali speaking settlers as a tool of national oppression against Indigenous Jumma people and to withdraw all illegal settlers from CHTs.

4. Implement the CHTs Peace Accord of 1997.

5. Appointment of indigenous people in all posts under the CHT local government system.

6. Establishment of international Human Rights Camp in CHTs.

07. Constitutional assurance for the future safeguard of indigenous people and non-repetition.

1. To implement fully the existing laws;- (i) The CHTs Regulation of 1900, (ii) The CHTs Peace acoord-1997, under the supervision of the United Nation.

2. To prepare a new Voter List in the CHTs region in accordance with the provisions of the said existing laws because the extremely biased Military Rulers, Civil Servants, and other Bengali employees illegally and forcefully have enlisted all illegal settlers in the new voter list.

3. To send a UN Special Rapporteur or Team of Expert to the CHTs Region to investigate all the genocidal crimes committed by the

against indigenous Jumma people. 

4. To stop Military atrocities and human rights abuses on indigenous people in CHTs;

5. To immediately stop illegal land grabbing and return the illegally occupied lands to their rightful owners;

6. To stop using the Bengali speaking settlers as a tool of national oppression against Indigenous Jumma people and to withdraw all illegal settlers from CHTs.

7. Appointment of indigenous people in all posts under the CHTs local government system.

8. Establishment of international Human Rights Camp in CHTs.

9. Constitutional guarantee for the future safeguard of indigenous people.