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Conflict between govt. & the Indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts in BD

 

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Conflict between government and the indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh

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Iqthyer Uddin Md Zahed
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IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS)
Volume 16, Issue 5 (Sep. - Oct. 2013), PP 97-102
e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845.
www.Iosrjournals.Org
www.iosrjournals.org 97 | Page
Conflict between government and the indigenous people of
Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh
Iqthyer Uddin Md Zahed
B A (Honours), M A (History), University Of Chittagong, Bangladesh
MBA, Anglia Ruskin University, UK
Abstract: This paper explores the struggle of indigenous people for their ethnic identity and conflict with
Bangladesh government. The indigenous community was persecuted and deprived of human rights, basic needs
from the British colonial periods. Internal displacement of aboriginals was started by the Pakistan government
and continued till 1997.Land grabbing, Bengali settlement, internal displacements, ethnic non recognition in
constitution of country, militarization of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and others issues made the indigenous
people revolutionary and ultimately force them to demand autonomy of CHT. The conflicts between indigenous
people and government came to end after signing Peace Accord of CHT in 1997 but non implementation of this
incites the conflicts again what is being continued till now.
Keywords: Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Conflict, Indigenous people, Hill People, Shanti Bahini (Peace
Force), Government,
Introduction
The three hill districts of Bangladesh named Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Banderban together known as
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) that is the south eastern part of Bangladesh, bordering the Arakan and Chin States
of Myanmar and the Tripura and Mizoram States of India. This region comprised of 13,295 kilometres which is
one tenth of total country‟s land. About Thirteen indigenous communities live in the CHT and the people are of
Sino-Tibetan descent belonging to the Mongoloid group and similar to the people of north east India, Myanmar,
and Thailand rather than the people of the other parts of Bangladesh. Those communities are known as different
names like Chakma, Marma, Pankho, Khumi, Lusai, Murong, Bonojog, Tanchanya, Khyang, Chak, Tripura,
Mro, and Ryang. People call them Jummo or Pahari (The hill Men).The livelihood became changed
simultaneously with the change of ruling body of the state. We try to depict the wave of their livelihood in three
period of times like British colonial period in Bengal (1757-1947), Pakistan period (1947-1971) and
Independent Bangladesh period (1971-onwords). The Hill people in CHT were very happy with the Act of CHT,
1900 (known as CHT Manual) which was made by the British government and made the CHT „totally excluded
area‟ from administration of the state. The conflict between indigenous people of CHT and government started
from the Pakistan period (1947-1971). The Pakistan government built a Kaptai Hydro –Electric Dam at
Chittagong in 1962. As a result of this project thousands and thousands of hill people became internally
displaced and lost everything, many of them became refugee in India and Myanmar (Hussain, 1999). In
Bangladesh period, the conflict come front because of rejecting to accept ethnic identity in Bangladeshi
constitution. After long time of conflict the Peace Accord of CHT 1997 brought peace for the HT‟s people. But
non implementation of this accord creates a new conflict between indigenous people and government of
Bangladesh. This conflict is now not only limited with seeking identity but also include other issues like
ownership of land and forest, resource use, settlement of non Bengali migrants and other socio-cultural, political
and religious factors which exaggerate the situation even before.
Historical Analysis of Conflicts
Before the British rule in Bengal, CHT was the independent and sovereign territory. The hill people
had own administrative and judicial system. In 1860 British East India Company put their attention to resources
of CHT like cotton, trees, spices, food grains etc. In 1776 British military attacked CHT and the hill people
fought strongly. This fighting between Chakma king and British army continued for a decades (Levene, 1999;
Serajuddin, 1984). In 1887 the conflict ended when Lord Cornwallis and Chakma King Jan Box Khan agreed to
sign a mutual agreement by giving right to British to do trade in HT. In 1860 the British declared CHT as a
separate district from Chittagong. At the very beginning of 20th Century, The British passed an act named „CHT
Regulation 1900‟ which is well known as Hill Tract Manual. In this regulation, CHT was divided into three
circles and the community chief controlled the administration and judicial system. He was also responsible for
collecting revenue and social security (Chakma, 2010). The CHT Regulation 1900 not allowed to sale the land
to non tribal people and made restriction for settlement of Bengalis in CHT (Panday & Jamil, 2009). The
Conflict between government and the indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh
www.iosrjournals.org 98 | Page
Bengalis, who intend to settle in HT, had to take prior permission of settlement from deputy Commissioner who
had to take recommendation from Headman or Circle Chief. In this way CHT manual restricted the influx of
non indigenous people in Hill Tracts. CHT Regulation 1920 declared CHT as an Excluded area and Independent
from general administration. The King of CHT enjoyed complete autonomy by the government of India Act
1935 that declared CHT as „Totally Excluded Area‟.
In 1947 the British India was divided by two countries India and Pakistan on the basis of „Two Nations
Theory‟ that based on religious identity. As a Muslim state Bangladesh (then known as East Pakistan) was part
of Pakistan. Pakistan was not concern about CHT and allowed the hill people to run their administration
according to CHT Regulation 1900 till 1963. The army government of Pakistan made a constitutional
amendment in 1963 which began to effective from1964. By this amendment the Bengalis (People from the plain
area) had got chance to settle in CHT and the status of CHT area was changed from Excluded area to tribal area
and the hill men to tribal people. The indigenous people and the Pakistan government had a clear conflict
regarding this issue. Bengal was included with Pakistan due to religious similarity. According to CHT Manual,
CHT was a sovereign territory and 97.2 percent indigenous people were non Muslim. So the HT people dislike
the inclusion of the CHT with Pakistan (Chakhma, 2010). The Indian flag was erected in Rangamati and the
Burmese flag in Bandarban after partition of India (Mey, 1984; shely, 1992). The Pakistani government treated
this as a disloyal to state and recognized the hill people as anti Pakistani and pro Indian. The Pakistan
government amended CHT manual several times to migrant the non hill people. The Abolition of the Act of
1900 and the construction of Kaptai project had considered as a starting point of conflict between CHT and the
state.
Kaptai dam and displaced hills people
Bangladesh was part of Pakistan till 1971 due to impractical decision of British government. The
Pakistan government took a project of h ydro-electric dam at kaptai, Chittagong in 1960.The government made
the dam without consulting local people. In 1962, when the project was ready to production, the water level rose
and flooded the whole area. Thousands of people were displaced and lost their houses, agriculture lands and
properties. About 400 square miles lands including 54,000 acres of cultivation lands that 40% of districts
cultivation land went under water. About 100,000 indigenous people of CHT became refugee due to Kaptai dam
and many of them became stateless in Tripura, Assam (Chowdhury, 2002). The government did not take any
steps and did not pay any compensation to victims to rehabilitation. The displaced people for kaptai Dam were
never regain their life like past time (Ali & Tsuchiya, 2002). Most of the Jumma people think the major and
starting cause of conflict with government is Kaptai Dam.
Ethnic identity
From very beginning of Bangladesh, the indigenous people facing the identity crisis. The ruling body
of the country called them in different names in different times. They were known as a „Hill Men‟ in British era
and „tribal‟ in Pakistan period. Since their ethnic identity was threatened in the very beginning of Bangladesh
era and this was related to their role in liberation war of Bangladesh. Now try to trace back their position in the
liberation war of Bangladesh.
There is a strong allegation against CHT people as a collaborator of Pakistan. It is true that some
politician and Chakma King‟s activities were against Bangladesh. The leaders of CHT M. N. Larma and A.S.
Pru Chowdhury did not give any clear decision about the liberation war of Bangladesh. The leadership of
Awami League never show their interest about HT people to join in the war. In spite of few of them manage to
engage themselves in the liberation war but most of them joined as a collaborator of Pakistani Army (Civil
armed forces). Raja Tridiv, the Chakma Chief went to convention of United Nations as a member of Pakistan
delegation to spread anti Bangladesh propaganda (Shelley 1992). Most of the common people were neither in
favour of Bangladesh nor Pakistan except Chakma king (Uddin, 2005). The position of CHT people in
Liberation war was one of the causes of their identity crisis. The Stranded Biharis of Bangladesh received same
fate due to collaborating with Pakistani army in the Liberation war of Bangladesh (Zahed, 2013).
A delegation of CHT led by M. N. Larma met with the Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 February
1972 and submitted four point charter of demand. Those were
i) Autonomy of the CHT with its own legislature;
ii) Retention of Regulation 1900 in the constitution of Bangladesh;
iii) Continuation of circle chiefs‟ offices; and
iv) A constitutional provision restricting the amendment of Regulation (Haq & Haque, 1990)
The Prime Minister rejected the demands of the delegation of hill people and advised them „to forget their ethnic
identities‟ and assimilate with the new constitution of Bangladesh and accept the „Bengali nationalism‟(al-
Conflict between government and the indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh
www.iosrjournals.org 99 | Page
Ahsan & Chakma, 1989). As a result of rejection of four charter of demand they established a Political party
named Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (United Peoples Organization of the CHT, PCJSS) lead by
M.N. Larma. Shanti Bahini (Peace forces) was armed wings of it. In 1975 after assassination of Sheikh Mujibar
Rahman, Larma went to India and organised guerrilla force named Shanti Bahini (Peace Force). Between 1975-
1977 Shanti Bahini was organised and established as an armed organisation. As the Shanti Bahini was a
revolutionary organisation, the Bangladesh government considered it threat for national security and national
integration. The demand of autonomy of CHT and armed struggle against Bangladesh army was a significant
threat of the new born country, Bangladesh.
The constitution of Bangladesh which finally approved in 1972, had not recognised the hill people. In
the constitution of People‟s Republic of Bangladesh Article 9 Stated, “The unity and solidarity of the Bangalee
(Bengali) nation, which deriving its identity from its language and culture, attained sovereign and independent
Bangladesh through a united and determined struggle in the war of independence, shall be the basis of Bangalee
nationalism”. (Constitution of Bangladesh, 1972). In Article 3 (Part 1) stated about mother language of the
country, “The state language of the Republic is Bangla”. Article 6 (Part 1) stated about nationalism, “The people
of Bangladesh shall be known as Bangalees as a nation and the citizens of Bangladesh shall be known as
Bangladeshis”. Manobendra Narayan Larma the president of PCJSS refused to accept Bengali nationalism
according to constitution of Bangladesh. He stated disagreement in Parliament, “You cannot impose your
national identity on others. I am a Chakma not a Bangali. I am a citizen of Bangladesh, Bangladeshi. You are
also a Bangladeshi but your national identity is Bangali . . . They (Hill People) can never become Bangali.”
(Parliamentary Debates, Government of Bangladesh,1972).
Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said at Rangamati in 1973 that the hill people known as
bengalees and they would not bear any other identity (al-Ahsan & Chakma, 1989). State refused to make
category to recognise the minorities of country (Mohsin, 1997). The PCJSS was the result of rejection of ethnic
identity by the state and persecution of tribal community by military wings of the state. Shanti Bahini (Peace
Force) started operation in 1977. After the surprise attack of Shanti Bahini, the CHT region came under the
General Officer Commander (GOC) of the Twenty-fourth Division of the Bangladesh Army and the Bangladesh
army started the counterinsurgency operations. Thus, the life of hill people was in threat.
Land and Migration Issue
Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman warned the delegation of CHT by saying that if they did not
leave the autonomy demand of CHT, the government would arrange the resettlement of Bengali people in CHT
(Schendel, 1992). Many Bangladeshi Refugees who returned home from India after the 1971 war were
rehabilitated in the CHT (Kamaluddin, 1980). Government gave chance to the poor and landless people of
different parts of Bangladesh to migrant in the CHT. About one hundred thousand landless Bengalis has been
settled in CHT from 1979 to 1981. And each Bengali settler family received 5 acres of hilly land or 4 acres of
mixed land or 2.5 acres of paddy land (Shelly, 1992). There were many people settled in the CHT with their
own afford. The non hill people were increased dramatically in HT areas. If we see the Table 1, In 1956 the non
hill people was 9% of total population of CHT. The number of non hill people in HT was increased by about
50% in 1991. In contrast the number of indigenous people was decreased by 50% in the year of 1991.
Table 1: The Population of CHT: hill Vs non-hill people (1872–1991)
Year
Hill people (%)
Non-hill people (%)
1872
98.26
1.74
1901
92.98
7.02
1951
90.91
9.09
1956
90.91
9.09
1981
61.07
38.93
1991
51.43
48.57
Source: Adnan (2004)
The poor landless Bengali people and hill people are involve in fighting for ownership of land. CHT is an area
of hills and forests. There is very little cultivable land in HT areas. Bangladesh government‟s plan to allocate 5
acres of hilly land or 4 acres of „mixed‟ land, or 2.5 acres of paddy land to each Bengali family, it is quite
impossible to allocate those large number of lands due to want of land in those areas. So the settler started to
arrogate the land and homes of indigenous people. The settler had got the direct support from the administration
and Bangladesh army. Thousands of indigenous people had been displaced from their home and crossed the
boarder to take shelter in India. Table 1 shows the decreasing of indigenous people in Hill tracts.
... This agreement, however, did not satisfy all classes of hill people. The United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF)-backed student wings have criticized the agreement, claiming that it fails to resolve the basic rights of hill citizens and that PCJSS has abandoned the call for CHT autonomy (Zahed, 2013). Due to governments' political commitment, the peace accord has not yet been implemented completely. ...
... Approximately 70,000 tribal people escaped to India during the revolt, while approximately 100,000 individuals were internally displaced. On December 2, 1997, the Bangladeshi government and the PCJSS negotiated the CHTPA, officially ending the warfare (Zahed, 2013) ...
... During the initial stages of negotiations between Shanti Bahini and government officials, confidentiality was strictly upheld. As a result, intellectuals had little opportunity to examine issues such as obligations, power-sharing, and regional council leadership, among other things (Zahed, 2013). The responsible bodies involved in the agreement lacked mutual trust. ...
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... Zahed et al. reports that the settlers in CHT replaced the Chakma, Marma names of different places with Bengali and Muslim names. The author reported a list of such places [76]. Williams and Sowell discusses social ostracism, highlighting how indigenous minorities may experience psychological invisibility and exclusion, leading to marginalization and lack of recognition within society [74]. ...
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... In the CHT, the situation is more complex and there is no significant institutional development, which helps the ethnic community to include their participation in a proper benefit sharing mechanism. Fear and mistrust among the ethnic minority indicates that the inclusion process may cause further marginalization of their access and control over forest resources, which is also reflected in some other studies (Ahsan, 2012;Rasul, 2007;Zahed, 2013). Within the VCF, ethnic people are maintaining their benefit and other management well, however in terms of their access and bargaining capacity with the other stakeholders they remain extremely suppressed. ...
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