Joint statement calls for urgent action over ‘repeated violence in CHT’

The Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Commission have released a statement expressing deep concern over the "ongoing violence and attacks on the Indigenous Peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts".

In a joint statement dated 8 October, they said that recent deadly attacks by Bengali settlers in the presence of state forces in Khagrachari and Dighinala on 19 September, and in Rangamati the next day, had resulted in the deaths of four indigenous persons (one in Rangamati and three in Khagrachari) and widespread arson attacks on indigenous houses, businesses, and Buddhist places of worship.

They noted that these events were ostensibly sparked by the alleged mob killing of a settler who was attempting to steal a motorbike.

The statement goes on to add the incident on 1 October, when further violence erupted in Khagrachari after the alleged mob killing of Sohel Rana, an instructor at the Khagrachari Government Technical School and College, following allegations that he raped a 7th-grade indigenous girl from the school.

"Once again, settlers instigated a reign of terror against indigenous communities and their businesses, allegedly in response to the death of Sohel Rana. Witnesses testimony and live-streamed videos on social media show that, despite the local administration imposing restrictions on unlawful assemblies of four or more persons (Section 144, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898) at 3pm, settlers continued their rampage of destruction until around 7:30pm, in the presence of security forces," the statement said.

It goes on to describe the role of the security forces as "highly questionable, as they allowed these crimes to continue for several hours." Pankhayapara, the area that suffered the worst atrocities, is located less than half a kilometre from the Khagrachari Cantonment (Garrison), yet no intervention occurred until later in the evening, the statement said.

Citing reports from the ground, the statement said the accused teacher, Sohel Rana, lured one of his teenage indigenous female students to the teacher's quarters, where he allegedly raped her. The girl's friends witnessed Rana leading her to his residence and quickly raised the alarm. The Officer-in-Charge of Khagrachari Police Station and five students rescued her, and she later testified to being raped by Rana, and a recent medical test found evidence of rape. Protests erupted, and while Rana was confined to the principal's office, a mob broke in and assaulted him. Rana fled but was injured in a vehicle collision and died at the hospital.

It said the police and civil administration officials present failed to protect Rana from the mob.

The statement also cites media reports that indicate that the mob's anger toward Sohel Rana stemmed from his long history of sexual misconduct allegations at various institutions, including an attempted rape charge involving another Indigenous girl student at the same school in Khagrachari.

While condemning mob violence as 'unjustifiable', the statement says the incident underscores the "impunity surrounding violence against Indigenous women and girls in the CHT, fueling public outrage".

"Although the government has formed a seven-member investigation committee to examine the causes of the violence in Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Dighinala, we have little confidence that this committee will bring justice," the statement goes on to say.

It adds, "We have also received testimonies that Army personnel in Rangamati have been checking the cell phones of Indigenous Peoples and deleting footage of the settlers' attacks. If they find any such footage, they beat the Jummo individuals. Additionally, it is deeply concerning that many mainstream Bengalis are siding with the settlers, labeling the Jumma as secessionists and spreading false propaganda on mainstream and social media. Posts and videos filled with lies are being shared widely on social media, inciting nationwide hatred toward the Jumma, which is very alarming. The live videos posted by Jumma during the settlers' attacks have been reported and removed from Facebook.

Several Jumma bloggers and pages that shared videos of the attacks have also been targeted by cyber-attackers and had their accounts hacked."

It called upon Dr Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of the interim government, "as a Nobel Peace Laureate", to take the following measures to ensure long-term peace in the CHT:

The government should immediately invite the United Nations and mandate holders to conduct an independent investigation into the reasons behind the continued violence against Indigenous Peoples in the CHT, as it did when inviting a UN team to probe the human rights violations that took place between 1 July and 15 August 2024.

Pending such investigations by the UN, the government should establish an independent, impartial, and adequately mandated Commission of Inquiry in accordance with the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1956. Such a commission would have all the powers of a civil court, including the authority to summon all concerned officials, enter all concerned premises, and peruse necessary documents, and facilitate criminal proceedings by Courts of Judicial Magistrates. The 7-member committee that the government has formed, headed by an additional divisional commissioner of Chittagong, and including six other low-level civil administration and police officers has none of the powers mentioned above. Moreover, it is of too low a level to be regarded as independent, or neutral or adequately mandated. These committee members' rank and status are far below that of the senior-most military officials posted in the hill region at region/brigade level, and therefore the committee is almost certain to be unable to summon the concerned officials and look into their conduct.

Swift and transparent legal action must be taken against those responsible for the attacks. The government must take decisive steps to end the culture of impunity surrounding violence against Indigenous Peoples in the CHT. We also call for proper justice regarding the alleged mob killings.

Ensure the safety of Indigenous women and girls by implementing stronger legal protections and holding perpetrators of gender-based violence accountable.

Investigate the role of security forces in allowing violence to continue under Section 144 and hold those responsible accountable for failing to protect the lives and properties of the Jumma.

The government should immediately revoke the executive order 'Operation Uttoron,' restoring civilian administration and a democratic environment in the CHT. All temporary military and security camps should be dismantled, with the exception of the six permanent military bases designated in the 1997 CHT Accord.

In the CHT, the security forces are composed entirely of personnel from the Bengali community, which often makes it difficult to maintain neutrality during communal clashes. To build trust and restore confidence among Indigenous communities, the government should establish an ethnically diverse police force in the region, incorporating both Indigenous Peoples and ethnic Bengalis, as expressly provided for in the Hill District Councils Acts of 1989 (Acts 19, 20 and 21 of 1989). Implementing this diverse police composition will help prevent discriminatory practices and reduce the risk of perceived or actual bias during conflicts between Indigenous and Bengali groups.

We also ask the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Adviser Nahid Islam to ensure that media and social media platforms are not used to spread misinformation and hate speech that incites violence against Indigenous Peoples.

Finally, it is clear that settlers continue to pose a significant obstacle to the full implementation of the CHT Accord, the resolution of land disputes, and the achievement of lasting peace in the region. The only viable solution is the dignified relocation of settlers outside the CHT. The government can relocate them outside the CHT while continuing to provide rations, food grains, and other support, as it has done since their relocation to the region.