CHT News for the World

Indigenous Day for CHT

2012-09-14T08:53:00.002-07:00

In 9 August the government and the indigenous people had been faced again for keeping the International world Indigenous day. The president of Chittagong hill Jana songhiti samiti(JSS), The chairman of Chittagong hill tract council and the president of Bangladesh indigenous forum has been declared to keep the world indigenous day even after the governments barriers. Of course from the information of different places it is known that there is no ideation or preparation of government about keeping the indigenous day. However, some members of intelligence agency asking from different person if the indigenous day will be celebrated and if is, then in which places it will be celebrated ?and who will be present there? So this making idea in minds of indigenous people that government will try to prevent the indigenous day celebration.

In subject to celebration of indigenous day based on secret confidential report of a intelligence agency a letter had been sent from ministry of home affairs to ministry of local government on 11 august 2011 i.e. last year. Based on that letter a massage had been sent to District Magistrates from the ministry of LGRD on 11 March 2012. Now question arises if the government prevent the indigenous day celebration later on by sending massage to sub-district magistrates from district administrators. By observation on that secret papers it is found that there is no government order to prevent indigenous day celebration.

But whatever opinion has been updated from the source of intelligence agencies based on preparation of international indigenous day of country’s indigenous people is that – Sponsor should not be from the administration in celebration of indigenous day, any important person of government should not say about policies adopted by government and all joyful programmes of the august should be cancel by narrating the month of august as national bereavement. In addition, it is said to various information databases to broadcast the news that there are no indigenous people in Bangladesh.

Even though if the government or the administration try to prevent the world indigenous day on incitement of some influential leader then it will be alike hurting on own feet to government. Because the indigenous people are very loud with celebrating indigenous day across the country. And in the country’s politics indigenous people support is still to current government. So if is prevented to celebrate indigenous day then this support to current government will not last anymore.

On 2 August 2012 a conference was held at Manikgonj human resource development centre on the topic of indigenous rights and good governance with the initiative of Transparent International Bangladesh anti corruption department. Dissatisfaction expressed from the indigenous people on conference due to not recognizing them as indigenous even in fifteenth correction of the constitution. As besides, let government identify them with any name but they said they will celebrate indigenous day. Therefore it is comprehensive that the indigenous people are preparing to celebrate indigenous day without any organisational initiative. So it’s clear that the claims of the indigenous people to be recognised as indigenous in constitution is the claim from the hearts. Declining of this claims will be the governments human rights violation. And if it is officially prevented to keep indigenous day then the image of government will be jeopardized in whole world.

Lets come to the point of not celebrating any joys programmes in the month of august. Firstly,9 august is the very joyful day of indigenous people of whole world. Because UN recognised this day means a lot to them. The indigenous will rejoice the day surely. To other side, it is really bereavement day due to death of father of nation. Now on this day the religious festival of largest Muslim Bengali nations EID will be celebrated coincidentally. The Bengalis wait whole year only for this day. After the continuous meditation they cheer up with joys. Till now many groups or organisation organizing Iftar Party. Should this festival be cancelled as because of bereavement day? And do the people whole world celebrate together unnecessary festival by fixing a date? Some festival may be unnecessary to some nations but again that festival may be important to other nation to which people prepare for a year to celebrate. So the question is do any government can fix the date of festival of any nation? Of course not. Similarly in indigenous day if the indigenous people enjoys ,do the government stands as a barriers? If barriers come then it will be a great violence to human rights. But obviously it will not be appropriate to celebrate as because of bereavement month. Our respect become disrespect as a proud citizen of Bangladesh. And that should be remembered by Government, Administration and Indigenous people.

Some Word of the Hill -2

2012-09-09T11:24:00.002-07:00

All indigenous ST(schedule Tribe) people of Hill Tract have their own weaving industry i.e traditional tent cloth and handloom industry. The design of tent cloth is different in each small nations. A woman easily can be identified in which nation she belongs to by observing her tenth cloth wearing design if she is Chakma, Marma ,Tripura, Tanchngya, Mro or of other nation. Even beyond the hill tracts this indigenous people cherish and care their own customs and traditions. For example,the Tripura girl of Srimangal weaving her own cloth to welcome the Boisuk.

Mro Trible, once were the redoubtable hunter of the hill. Now it’s very difficult to hunt in almost extinct unfathomable forest. Due to Army forces, including land acquisition of forest division the land of Jum farming have been declining from Chimbuk Hill. Hundreds of Mro families have been evicted. To protest against this the three mro girl came to join a indigenous rally. Before this the “Chimbuk Pahare Mro”s photo blog of Muktomona.com has been described a lot about this. There were some life images of Mro Families too.

The Chakma children students group. After taking the photograph the unknown girl said in inaudible voice ”The Bengali Language is very Tough”.

The Chakmas are the largest in population among the Indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts. They are one of the largest tribal groups of the country. The literacy rate of Chakma’s are almost 100 percent which is relatively much higher than the Bengalis. The main reason, The social movement of former guerrilla leader M.N Larma’s on spreading education. Before the formation of Guerilla group “Shantibahini” this leader (MN LARMA)the founder of Jana Sanghiti samiti(JSS) ordered to all group organizer to build school for education. Because he knew ,if the education system could be established then very hind limb the other basic needs of the indigenous people also could be filled automatically. Now everywhere, in hills and plain there in claims of aboriginal language education.

The memory monument of the victims of Bengali settler’s violence at Bhagaichari.

Out of these current life flow cycle the harsh reality is that in presence of Army and Bengali settler the violence occurring one after another alike Bhagaichari. At least 13 genocide has been committed by join attack of Army and Bengali settler before signing the CHT peace accord. Even after the accord the disruption happening in the quiet hill.

A homeless woman of Bhagaichari violence. A lilltle dream of making life again in burned island.

At least 200 indigenous house had been burnt in greedy human violence at Bhagaichari. Two people had been murdered. Its amazing that ,the patriot Army force joined to UN peace mission to maintain peace in the world, but inside the country how they kill innocent indigenous people . The main root of this violence in Hill tract is land dispute. The Hill analytic thinks, the full implementation of peace accord cum if all the basic needs of the accord does not fulfilled then the violence will continue one after another.

With the image of M.N Larma, the Former General of Guerrilla Group Ushaton Talukder .

The Guerilla group of hill tract i.e Shantibahini had been fought two decades to establish own rights and self controlling right in Chittagong hill tract. The peace accord has been signed in exchange of almost 25000 approximately tribal and Bengalis blood. But the basic terms of the accord did not fulfill even after one and half era of Awoami league, BNP and presidential governance period. Due to lack of government unlimited action the accord became such as this. History says that the insurgency never finish fully. Again History also says that nobody learns from the history ,so history is repeating it.

Some Word of the Hill

2012-09-09T10:43:00.002-07:00

The hill tract has been decorated with Jum cultivation. Surge in green desert life.

The prime source of production of indigenous tribal people of Bangladesh south-eastern side is jum cultivation. It’s a special cultivation in mountain slopes. Strains era of era serially the tribal people were producing delicious all crops, vegetables, various types of forestry and fruity food in the slopes of mountains. But gradually the residence of plain area Bengalis are increasing in hill. Declining mountain for Jum cultivation. Life becoming much more difficult day by day.

The Chakma, Marma Festival runs in Hill

Preparation of “BIJHU” festival runs in Hill. The old tradition of the chakma’s old year out and new year welcoming -the social festival makes known that the tribal people knows to hold their individualism even in hundreds of sorrow and difficulties. The Marma’s celebrate this festival differently. In themthis festival is known as “SANGGRENG”.The Tripura say it as “BOISUK”. And the Tanchangya say it “BISU”.

The Tangchngya Child in traditional dress in the rejoicing rally of “BOISABI”

The festival of Chakma, Marma & Tripura-the three main tribal categories among the 13 linguistic small nations is respectively ‘BOISUK, SANGGRENG and BIJHU”. The initial of these three festivals together is known as “BOISABI”. The festivals are known by this name(Boisabi) in plain area of Bangladesh

Beverly Buddha in Sanggreng Festival.

The Sanggreng festival takes place in Chithmorom Hills of Rangamati. The saint Beverly marma Buddha child was roaming there. Why would he deprive from the festival of joy?. He does not have any identification with Bengali language. This Photo blogger might not know marma language. Work is done by signal without interpreters. In this way together the monk click photo in Olympus auto digital camera. He broke down with his pure laughter by seeing his image in view finder. Argh it! If this image could be taken.

The team of Bom Childs in the peak of keokradong hill. Christmas ahead; everyone is happy.

This happily face of Bom childs can only be observed in the month of December at the peak of keokradong hill of Bandarban. They were singing song with guitar for the upcoming Christmas at second largest mountain peak of the country(First one is Tajingdong, it is situated in eastern side of Keokradong). If they were told for image they uproar and sit-down at mountain peak stairs of Keokradong.

The student of forgotten Hons, the Tripura girl is busy in traditional tent industry at Srimangal Hill. In every scheduled tribe of the Hill have their such own weaving industry.

Respectful Religious Guru

2012-08-20T07:38:00.001-07:00

Respectful Religious Guru

Respectful Religious Guru ( Bana Vante)

Chittagong Jum Cultivation

2012-08-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

All Cultivation crop

Before Jum Cultivation Burn Soil

Dust remove when complete Jum Cultivation

Ginger cultivation

Jum Cultivation Rice and Maize

Jum crop sale at market

A Jum house

Before cut jum crop

Rested a chakma girl at jum

Rice pick

Rice Cultivation

Sale crop

Turmeric cultivation

Banana

Sale Pineapple

Cultural Dress

2012-08-18T15:52:00.000-07:00

Chakma Girls

Tanchangya Girl

Chakma Song

2012-08-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

Best Five Chakma Song

Jummo Conference

2012-08-11T01:11:00.005-07:00

We the Jummo Nation, we are indigenous, we are jum cultivators and we are rich. Our existence is not only the mountains and indigenous, we are human. So we have the right to survive as proper human in all aspects. We are educated, poor, wealthy and established, then why would we be deprived of all rights? As because we are Ethnic? Why do we hand over to our father land? Why would we be deprived from all learning opportunities? Our forefathers had been dedicated their lives to the war in the sound that we can live .So if we live motiveless livelihood without remembrance to them than there is nothing to be held to our nation and existence rather than destroy and unnatural death. We are so backward due to our own mistakes. Why do I, We and our mothers and sister suffers from insecurity and inexistence? Can’t we all together bring back the social, reform and the nation to her demise following? To develop and proceed our nation evidently we can come to discussion with our appropriate opinion. So for the development of Chittagong Hill Tracts region in all aspects and to know which problem do we have I am posting some topics in below that we may come to discussion about these and may we able to bring peace and security to our nation.

Financial Problem
Well Education
Nationalism
Unity
Narrow Mindness