Kapaeeng Foundation

On 18-20 October 2015, Kapaeeng Foundation, Bangladesh Indigenous Women’s Network (BIWN), Society for Integrated Women’s Progress and Jagarani Mahila Samity jointly organized a three day training titled “Training on Combating Violence against Indigenous Women and Girls” at Taungya Conference Hall in Rangamati. The training was targeted at 30 indigenous human rights defenders from Rangamati, both female and male, to equip them with national and international human rights mechanisms, advocacy strategies, leadership skills and tools for combatting violence against indigenous women.

The tourism business in the indigenous territories was destroying lifestyle of the indigenous peoples by violating their property and human rights. The land acquired for implementing tourism projects end up depriving indigenous people of their traditional croplands and in some cases lead to eviction of people from their homes. The tourism industry has appeared more as a threat to indigenous peoples’ cultural integrity and to their right to the land and forest rather than an economic opportunity, speakers told a roundtable on “Tourism and Development inIndigenous Territories: Partnership of Indigenous Peoples and Roles of the Government’ held on 20 August 2015 at CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka.

On 19-21 June 2015,a three day training titled “Training of Indigenous Human Rights Defenders on Promoting UPR Recommendations on Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh” held at FIVDB Training Centre, Sylhet. The training was jointly organised by Kapaeeng Foundation (KF), Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum (BIPF), Sylhet Region and Coalition of Indigenous Peoples Organisations on Universal Periodic Review (UPR). A total of 28 indigenous peoples human rights defenders (IPHRDs) from different parts of the country, belonging to Banai, Barman, Chakma, Garo, Khasi, Manipuri, Marma, Patro, Tripura and Tea-estate community attended the training programme.

On 5 July 2015, Kapaeeng Foundation organized a whole day training titled “Leadership Training for Indigenous Women’s Network Member” at Apon Uddyog Foundation Training Centre, Dhaka. The training was organised with support from Manusher Jonno Foundation. The objective of the training was to address and flourish leadership skills among the indigenous women.

On 10 June 2015, a national seminar titled “Introducing Mother-Tongue Based Primary Education for Indigenous Children: Present Perspective and Way Forward” was jointly organized by Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum and Kapaeeng Foundation with support from Manusher Jonno Foundation at Azimur Rahman Conference Hall of the Daily Star Bhaban in Dhaka. Over a hundred participants, from both indigenous and mainstream population with different working backgrounds, participated in the event.

On 7 April 2015 with the support of International Labor Organization (ILO), Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum (BIPF) and Kapaeeng Foundation jointly organized adaylong regional workshop on ILO Convention No. 107, 111 and 169 (also known as C 107, C 111 and C 169)at Cox’s BazaarCultural Centre in Cox’s Bazaar. 60 indigenous representatives from different sub-districts of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazaar, Rangamati and Bandarban were present in this workshop.

Land Grabbers and Bengali settlers carried out at least 7 communal attacks on indigenous peoples, and destroyed and looted their houses and properties. At least 15 indigenous peoples including 7 indigenous women were killed and at least 126 indigenous people were physically tortured and assaulted in 2014. Around 3,911 acres of lands in the CHT were taken over by state and non-state actors while 84,647 acres of lands are currently under the process of occupation and acquisition. And about 102 families including two from the plains were evicted from their ancestral homesteads, while 886 families including 300 families in the plains are currently facing eviction.A stunning figure of 122 indigenous women and girls were subjected to sexual and physical violence in 2014. All these information related to indigenous peoples were disclose on 27 February 2015 through Kapaeeng Foundation’s (KF) ‘Human Rights Reports 2014 on indigenous peoples in Bangladesh.’ The launching event and the publication of the report was supported by Oxfam and European Union.