The International CHT Commission is deeply concerned over continued violence upon the Mro community; calls for effective action to ensure justice, safety, and human rights of the victims

Written on 03 January 2023. Posted in News

Press Statement

3 January 2023

The International CHT Commission (CHTC) is grimly disturbed to learn that Lama Rubber Industries Limited has perpetrated another arson attack upon the Mro indigenous community in Rengyan Mro Para of Lama, Bandarban.

The CHTC calls upon the Government to act effectively to ensure justice, safety, and human rights of the Mro community. According to media reports^1,2, on Monday (2nd January), at around 1 am, hundreds of goons, allegedly hired by Lama Rubber Industries Limited – initiated the attack. The goons burnt down and vandalized over a dozen houses of the Mro indigenous community and looted their mobile phones, household items, poultries, cattle, and other belongings. The Mro people fled to the jungle to escape physical harm during the attack.

It has been a long time now that the influential Lama Rubber Industries Limited has repeatedly been perpetrating violence and arson attack upon the indigenous peoples of Langkom Karbari Para, Joychandra Tripura Karbari Para, and Rengyan Mro Para of Sarai union under Lama Upazila of Bandarban with the intention to grab their land. Previously, the CHTC released two separate press statements on 30 April 2022 and 28 September 2022; and demanded justice and protection for the indigenous communities, their traditional land, and the environment. The recent attack on the 2nd of January is a result of the government's repeated failure to bring into account those who were responsible for the previous attacks.

We hope the government will take some exemplary action this time against the alleged perpetrators and ensure Indigenous Peoples' safety and security. The CHTC believes that the existing culture of impunity is what encourages these perpetrators to continue such repeated attacks on the Indigenous Peoples. We also request that the government provides immediate food support and shelter for the victims and ensure their safety and protection of human rights.

On behalf of the CHT Commission,

Members: Shapan Adnan, Lars Anders Baer, Tone Bleie, Bina D’Costa, Hurst Hannum, Yasmeen Haque, Sara Hossain, Zafar Iqbal, Khushi Kabir, Michael van Walt van Praag, Iftekharuzzaman.

Advisers: Jenneke Arens, Tom Eskildsen, Meghna Guhathakurta.

¹ https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/imqpnfytb6
² https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/over-dozen-mro-houses-torched-bandarban-3211306?amp

Tags: Press releases