Published On:Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Posted by Celebrate Life Style information Blog
Protect indigenous Rakhines : Citizens' group urges govt on the back of the community's dwindling population due to land grabbing
Subjected to land grabbing and
faced with discriminations at different administrative levels, many Rakhines
have left the country, the group's leaders told a press conference at Dhaka
Reporters Unity.
The group comprising academics,
writers and activists visited the Rakhine neighbourhoods in Taltoli in Barguna
and Kalapara, Khepupara, Kobirajpara and Kalachanpara in Patuakhali and an old
Buddhist temple in Kuakata on September 12-14.
One visitor, Robaet Ferdous, an
associate professor at Dhaka University, said the Rakhines began settling in
the country's south towards the beginning of the 17th century. "Even a few
decades ago, lakhs of Rakhines lived there. Today the number has came down to
about 2,500," he said.
The report on the visit states
that in 1948 there were 144 Rakhaine neighbourhoods in Patuakhali and 99 in
Barguna, which are now 26 and 13 respectively.
Robaet said local land grabbers
in complicity with land officers had grabbed the Rakhines' arable land, temple
site as well as cremation grounds. "Every Rakhine family at least has
three to four cases against them filed by the land grabbers," he added.
Dipayan Khisa, who moderated the
programme, said there were allegations that the authorities concerned refused
to issue voter identity cards to Rakhines terming them Rohingyas.
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"How can they use such an
excuse, when there is clear distinction between a Rakhine and a Rohingya. They
are two completely different ethnic groups and the former following Buddhism
and the latter Islam," said noted columnist Syed Abul Maksud.
Rakhine students at primary and
secondary levels are forced to study Islam as religion under the pretext that
the schools lack books on Buddhism and required teachers, said Khisa.
Describing land grabbing as the
main cause of repression of all minorities, Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of
Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, stressed the importance of creating a separate land
commission for plain land Adivasis.
The citizens' group placed 13
demands including return of grabbed land to Rakhines, taking legal action
against grabbers and withdrawal of false cases against Rakhines, appointing at
least three Rakhaine members to the Kuakata Pourashava management committee,
while ensuring their representatives at all levels of the administration in
Barguna and Patuakhali.
"In fact there must be an
administrative officer from an indigenous community in all areas, where
indigenous communities live," added Maksud.
The demands also include
providing primary education to Rakhine children in their mother tongue, giving
them the opportunity to study their religion, and including Rakhine villages in
the Kuakata master plan. [ The Daily Star ]
