An Appeal on Behalf of Indigenous Peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

 

To, 

His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations sgcentral@un.org

Cc:ohchr-expertmechanism@un.org, 

  • rcs-unbd@un.org

BCC:ohchr-InfoDesk@un.org


Subject: An Appeal on Behalf of Indigenous Peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
 

Dear Mr. Secretary-General,

With profound respect, I write to you as a voice for the Indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts) in Bangladesh. These Jumma communities have, for decades, experienced systematic dispossession of their ancestral lands, militarisation of their home areas and the erosion of their cultural identity — despite the signing of the 1997 Peace Accord which promised demilitarisation, regional autonomy and recognition of Indigenous rights.

While the United Nations has spoken with moral clarity on many crises worldwide, the situation of the Indigenous peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts appears to have remained largely unaddressed at the highest level.

In accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP 2007) and in recognition of the moral obligations set out in the UN Charter, I respectfully urge you to:

  1. Publicly acknowledge the continuing human rights violations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and affirm the UN’s solidarity with the Indigenous peoples of Bangladesh.

  2. Appoint a UN Special Rapporteur or Fact-Finding Mission to assess both the implementation of the 1997 Peace Accord and the current humanitarian conditions in the region.

  3. Encourage the Government of Bangladesh to fully implement the Peace Accord, to withdraw non-essential military presence and to restore Indigenous land rights through transparent community-based mechanisms.

  4. Ensure representation of Chittagong Hill Tracts Indigenous peoples in national and international development dialogues — especially on issues of environment, climate resilience and Indigenous governance.

Mr Secretary-General, injustice anywhere diminishes the credibility of justice everywhere. The silence surrounding this region is not only a political omission — it is a wound in our collective conscience. I appeal to you, as the moral voice of the United Nations, to hear and act — before the last remnants of these Indigenous communities’ existence disappear without witness.

With highest respect and enduring faith in the principles of the United Nations,

Yours sincerely,


 Ko Kaung
 Contact Information: kokaung178424@gmail.com 

“V.L. Questor” – Voice for Indigenous Rights and Human Dignity
 [Optional: kokaung178424@gmail.com

—-------------------------------------

  • To the Secretary-General, : sgcentral@un.org

  • To the office dealing with Indigenous Peoples (Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples): ohchr-expertmechanism@un.org

  • To the UN Bangladesh Resident Coordinator’s Office: rcs-unbd@un.org

  • For general human rights/inquiries at the UN: ohchr-InfoDesk@un.org




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