Kapaeeng Foundation

On 17-18 July 2012 a community seminar titled ‘Community Seminar on ILO Convention No. 107 & 169 and UNDRIP for Indigenous Communities and Mainstream People of North Bengal’ was Organized by Kapaeeng Foundation and Jatiya Adivasi Parishad with the Support of International Labour Organization (ILO) at Parjatan Motel Conference room, Rangpur Sadar, Rangpur district. Mr. Rabindranath Soren, chair person of Kapaeeng Foundation and president of Jatiya Adivsi Parishad presided over the inaugural session of the conference while Mr. Jasim Uddin Ahmed, divisional commissioner of the Rangpur division was present as the chief guest. Mr. Mangal Kumar Chakma, advisor of Kapaeeng Foundation, Mr. Abhilash Tripura, national coordinator of ILO, Mr. Omar Faruque, teacher of Begum Rokeya University and Mr. Mong Sing Neo, coordinator of Kapaeeng Foundation spoke in the inaugural session of the! community seminar.

Mr. Jasim Uddin Ahmed, in his speech said Bangladesh government ratified the ILO Convention No. 107 in 1972. So government has the obligation to implement the international law. Regarding the appointment of indigenous peoples in public service, he said that indigenous people should apply for the job. If indigenous candidates passed in the written examination, he would appoint them in the services. He also urged indigenous peoples to submit complain to him directly if any land grabbers grabbed any land belonging to indigenous peoples and damaged their houses. It he got any complain, then he would take necessary action. He opined that indigenous peoples must unite themselves, if they did so, then the land grabbers would afraid to grab land.

The teacher of Begum Rokeya University Mr. Omar Faruque said that till now the rights of indigenous peoples is limited in the meeting, seminar, demonstration and in the street movements. Indigenous peoples are fighting for constitutional recognition, but it is not understandable why government does not fulfill this demand. The present government declared in its election to end all kind of discrimination on indigenous peoples and to ensure constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples. But now the constitutional recognition is not being ensured rather the discrimination has increased, he said.

The national coordinator of ILO Mr. Abhilash Tripura said that indigenous peoples are most deprived sect of the society. He expressed hope that the existing disputes between government and indigenous peoples would be resolved through discussion.

The advisor of Kapaeeng Foundation Mr. Mangal Kumar Chakma said that despite popular demand to recognise fundamental rights of indigenous peoples in the constitution, the government recognised only culture of indigenous peoples. But other rights including rights to land, participation, representation etc have not been recognized. He also urged local administration to give special attention to the land dispossession of indigenous peoples.

In his speech, the chair of the conference Mr. Rabindranath Soren said that the indigenous peoples of the country participated in all the movement of the country including liberation war along with mainstream people of Bangladesh. For instance, Budhu Oraon led an operation to capture Rangpur cantonment during liberation war. But he was compelled to leave country after the liberation as his land was grabbed by land grabbers.

In the technical sessions basic understanding on human rights, United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, land and natural resources and indigenous peoples rights, documentation of human rights violation, ILO Conventions 107 and 169 and indigenous peoples rights, CHT Accord, Overall situation of indigenous peoples of Bangladesh etc. were discussed by resource persons and facilitators. Mr. Mangal Kumar Chakma, Mr. Abhilash Tripura, Mr. Pavel Partha, Mr. Rabindranath Soren, Mr. Mong Sing Neo conducted the technical sessions. Around 50 participants among from indigenous and mainstream peoples attended the community seminar.