Fact-Finding and Media Advocacy
Kapaeeng Foundation has been providing Rapid-Response to the human rights incidents through conducting on-site inquiry, organisation of human chain and press conference as part of the media advocacy aiming to focus indigenous peoples’ issues to print and electronic media for promotion and protection of fundamental freedoms and human rights of indigenous peoples. Delegation of journalists and human rights activists are sent to conduct an on-site inquiry of particular human rights incidents on indigenous peoples. Side by side human chain or press conference are also organised in Dhaka or local level, as appropriate as circumstances, to cover media advocacy. Kapaeeng Foundation facilitated following activities-
Rapid Response, Fact Finding and Media Advocacy
Media advocacy were conducted to focus on indigenous peoples issues to print and electronic media in order to promote and protect fundamental freedoms and human rights of indigenous peoples. After knowing the particular incident KF initiates to send media personnel, civil society team and human rights activists to the spot immediately to conduct on-site inquiry of particular human rights incidents on indigenous peoples. The whole year of KF responded three such incidents where rights of indigenous peoples were violated by the miscreants.
- On 23 November 2011 a group of journalists and civil society representatives were sent to visit Sylhet Khasi Punjees in order to conduct on-site inquiry for fact finding and media advocacy. The reports of the the fact finding were published on several national newspapers following day and mainstream peoples are sensitized regarding the issue.
- To sent a media team to Sreemongal to bring out the real story and to help the victimized Khasi people to save their ancestral land and their traditional occupation, considering their crucial situation in land alienation (with the support of Oxfam-GB). The team visited the spot on 12 & 13 December 2010
- To support indigenous students to organize human chain all over the county demanding constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples of Bangladesh on 2 October 2010
- To organise and participate in human chain across the country formed on 25 September 2010 by different indigenous peoples’ organization demanding constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples of Bangladesh.
- To sent a media and human rights team comprising reporters from The Daily Kaler Khontho, The Daily Star and The New Age and representatives from ASK, IED, BIPF, Sammilito Samajik Andolon, SUPRO and KF headed by veteran Pankaj Bhattachariya (with the support of Oxfam-GB) to investigate Niamotpur incident on 29 September 2010. A brutal attack was took place upon the innocent indigenous people of Nakoil village under Niamotpur Upazila in Noagoan district on 23 September 2010
- To send an 8-member media team (with the support of Oxfam-GB) to different adivasi villages under Birgonj, Chirir Bandar, Phulbari, Nababgonj upazila in Dinajpur District on 18-20 August 2010. Mostly Santal indigenous people lives there. The team found that indigenous peoples living in those villages are having different problems including land grabbing, eviction from ancestral land, fabricated cases, physical torture, rape and killing
- To send a media and human rights team comprising reporters from daily Kaler Kontha, daily Jugantor and The Daily Star with the support of Oxfam-GB to Shitakunda for in-site inquiry where about 15 thousand indigenous people from Tripura community have been living in this place for generations on 19-21 July 2010
- To facilitate in organising a press conference protesting against arson attack on indigenous Jumma peoples in Baghaihat under Baghaichari and Khagrachari sadar at Reporters Unity in Dhaka jointly with IED, BNPS, Smapriti Mancha, Sammilita Samajik Andolon and Jog Sutra on 11 March 2010
- To send a group of eminent citizens from Dhaka to Sajek to conduct an on-site inquiry of arson attack at Sajek on 28-29 April 2008
- To send a delegation of eminent citizens from Dhaka to CHT 28-30 January 2008 to see human rights situation
