Bangladesh: Justice Sought After Arson Attack on Indigenous Community

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International echoed calls from tribal leaders for the Bangladeshi government to try the perpetrators of Friday’s massive arson attack in an indigenous community in Southeastern Bangladesh.

Witnesses said a group of Bengalis launched the attack in Tintila village, home to the indigenous people, after police on Friday returned the body of Nurul Islam Noyon, a leader of Jubo League, the youth front of the ruling party Awami League, to his home in the Langadu sub-district of Rangamati.

The attackers burned down at least 200 houses in the village and were apparently spurred by Noyon’s death the day before, witnesses said.

Police said Noyon was a commercial motorcycle driver in the hilly areas of Rangamati. He went missing after he drove two tribal passengers Thursday night and police found his body in the neighboring district of Khagrachhari.

Noyon was hacked to death, but no arrests have been made, Khagrachhari district police superintendent Ali Ahmad Khan told BenarNews.

Following the attack, officers imposed restrictions against gatherings in Langadu to avert the potential escalation of clashes between the indigenous people and the Bengalis who settled in the region after August 1975.

The Bengali groups called for a half-day protest on June 11 in Rangamati over Noyon’s death while members of the indigenous Garo Student Organization protested Tuesday in Dhaka against torture of indigenous people.

On Monday, AI posted a statement calling for justice on its website.

“Bangladeshi authorities must bring to justice those responsible for a vicious mob attack on indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which left hundreds of homes torched and at least one person dead,” AI said in the statement.

Police said no one died as a result of the arson attack.

At least one resident questioned police efforts.

“We do not think the police would detect the real culprits through their investigation. Our past experiences say we will not get justice,” Longodu resident Rasel Chakma told BenarNews, pointing to an unsolved case where a tribal female leader was abducted in June 1996.

Investigations

The independent National Human Rights Commission has formed a three-member team to investigate the attack, chairman Kazi Reazul Haque told BenarNews.

Haque said the team has been in Longodu and will make its findings public when finished.

“This sort of attack is not acceptable,” Haque told BenarNews, describing it a violation of human rights.

Rangamati district Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Manzrul Mannan told BenarNews police are conducting their own probe and has already filed cases against suspects in the arson attack.

“Look, Amnesty (International) can issue a statement, and the National Human Rights Commission may investigate, but to us, the police investigation is most credible,” Mannan told BenarNews, adding police arrested 12 people in connection with the arson attack.

AI also responded to the report of the arrests.

“While these steps are welcome, Bangladeshi authorities have a poor track record of holding Bengali settlers to account for violent attacks on indigenous people and the perpetrators are often allowed to carry out such attacks with impunity,” the London-based global rights organization said.

“Settlers” history

Former President Ziaur Rahman brought the Bengalis to the tribal-dominated Chittagong Hill Tracts, angering the indigenous groups who term them “settlers.” Since August 1975, the groups have confronted each other in three hill districts – Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

On Dec. 2, 1997, the government signed a peace deal with a tribal party, Parbatya Chattagram Jono Songhati Samity to end fighting. It drastically reduced the level of violence, but mistrust remains high.

Ushatan Talukder, the parliament member representing the Rangamati district, discussed the issue on Monday with his fellow lawmakers.

“There should be a judicial inquiry into the attack in Langadu. Also, I urge the government to send a parliamentary team to Langadu to assure the tribal people now fearing further attacks,” he told parliament.

S.M. Abul Kalam Azad, another legislator, demanded the creation of a parliamentary committee.

Ruling party whip Atiur Rahman Atik told BenarNews lawmakers have not yet decided if they would send a team to Langadu or form a panel to investigate the incident.