Kapaeeng Foundation

Expropriation of ancestral lands of indigenous peopleshas recently been intensified by a group of influential land grabbers locally known as Laden Groupin Lama upazila of Bandarban district. Reportedly 74 families belonging to Mro, Tripura, Marma and permanent Bengali communities from six villages of Faisakhali union under Lamaupazila in Bandarban have already been evicted by the land grabbers.The activities of Laden Group, however, did not limit within land grabbing only, but they were coupled with other forms of human rights violations like killing, rape, torture, and forced religious conversion etc., as alleged by the locals.

It is learnt that the misdeeds of Laden Group are basically run by Mohammad Anisur Rahman, son of Prakash Laden, project in-charge of Laden Group from Hospital Para of Ward no. 4 in Chokoria Municipality under Cox’s Bazar district and Mohammad MohsinBadal gang. Under their leadership, Laden Group has allegedly been using members of Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), drug smugglers, and Rohingya refugees from refugee camps in Teknaf andUkhiyaand Cox’s Bazaar areaswith the intention to grab the lands of indigenous peoples in Lama. Rohingya refugees,under the leadership of Laden Group,also made several attacks on local people in this connection.

In March2014, more than a hundred Rohingyas led by Laden Group forcefully evicted and occupied 175 acres of lands belonging to 74 indigenous families that include villages and lands for fish farming, horticulture, forestry, and rubber plantation. Evicted families and villages including head of the village are:

During the same time, on 21 March 2014 Friday at around 11:00 am, the same miscreants, disguised in the attires of indigenous Mro people so that false allegation can be made against Mro villagers, allegedly gunned down Kyajai Mong Marma, 60, of Baching Para under Lama upazila in bright daylight. Following seven days of this incident, on 28 March 2014, the miscreants occupied 55-year-old plantation and cultivable lands comprising of 300 acres belonging to 21 families of Baching Para including that of Kyajai Mong Marma. Currently, the Rohingyas are staying in that land with weapons as the guards of the land occupied by Laden Group.

Besides, 221 families of 10 villages, which are under threat of eviction, killing, abduction, and harassment through fabricated case by the Laden Group,are:

Anisur Rahman and his gang also occupied total 2099 acres of land from Sangu mouza and 60 acres of land from Eangcha mouza in Lama upazila. Laden Bahini tempted innocent villages saying that employment will be provided and no persons will remain unemployed; road will be constructed and madrasa, mosque and temple will be provided; financial supports and health care will be provided to destitute poor families and free education will be provided to the children.

Name of persons who help Laden Bahini in land grabbing in Lama and Naikhyongchari:

1. Jaker Hossain Majumdar, chairman of Faisyakhali union (he helps Rohingya to enroll them in the voter lists);
2. Lutfar Rahman, s/o Aatahar Ali, village- Banaphul;
3. Abul Kalam, s/o Sundar Ali, village- Banaphul;
4. Badruddoja Master, village- Banaphul.

Furthermore, another alarming activity allegedly being conducted by Laden Group is forced religious conversion (to Islam) of local indigenous people who practice different religions other than Islam. Indigenous Buddhist and Christian children are the prime victims of religious conversion.With that end in view, leaders of Laden Groupwere seen tempting the locals with money, health care, education and other facilities. It is seen that previously above 20 indigenous Tripura and Mro children from this area were taken to a madrasa in Dhaka and converted them into Islam and given Islamic names erasing their indigenous names. Indigenous children from nearby Naikhyongchari, Bakkhali, and Baishari were also taken to Dhaka the similar way. Now their parents are passing their days in extreme anxiety.

The following indigenous children were took in Dhaka (some are rescued):

1. LengkrataMro, 12, son of KaiyaMro
2. LengklangMro, son of PaiyaMurong, vill: Chiru Mro Para, SanguKhal, SanguMouza
3. AungsainMro, 9, son of Mong-e Mro
4. Than ThuiMro, 8, son of ChetonMro
5. PremuoiMro, 10, son of late KidongMro, Christian Para, SanguKhal, SanguMouza
6. Koying pre Mro, 11, son of KongyengMro and LengpaoMro, LangniMro Para,YengchaMouza
7. Badumoni Tripura, 10, son of Gajon Tripura and Hanrung Tripura
8. Alexandar Tripura, 10, son of Vosinik Tripura and Enjena Tripura
9. Tereza Tripura, 10.
10. K chandra Tripura, 11, son of late Nodaram Tripura and Hantima Tripura
11. Roshi Chandra Tripura, 12, son of Biswabot Tripura

It is noteworthy that according to the Hill District Council Act of 1989, and the CHT Accord of 1997, “no land including the khas land suitable for settlement within the jurisdiction of three Hill District shall be leased out, settled with, purchased, sold out or transferred otherwise with the prior approval of the Hill District Council.”So, transfer, lease or transaction of land to any person or organization from outside of the CHT are not allowed in this region. Laden Group has seriously violated many provisions from the Hill District Council Act of 1989 and CHT Manual of 1900 as well.

On 21 May 2014, the victims submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of the Government of Bangladesh.On behalf of victims, 237 signatories from Fasiakhali union, the Headman and Karbari of Sangu Mouza andYeangcha Mouza under Lama upazila in Bandarban urging for quick intervention regarding this matter. But the government is yet to take any measure in this regard.