American Jummo protest at the UNGA79 Venue

American Jummo Indigenous peoples of Bangladesh have gathered at the UNGA79 venue and protest against the recent arson attacks and killed 4 Indigenous people in Rangamati and Khagrachari two districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

24 September, 2024
Time-12.00 PM

A protest rally was organized by the American Jummo Council in front of the United Nations headquarters (Dag Hammarskjold Plaza) to stand against the killing and arson attacks on the Indigenous Jummo people in Dighinala Upozilla, Khagrachhari and Rangamati of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh by Bengali settlers on September 19th-20th.

Around 75 Indigenous and non-Indigenous Bangladeshi living in the USA joined to voice their frustration for the brutal treatment of the Indigenous communities. They also urged for transparent and rigorous investigation to the state and the law enforcing agencies on the killings and unlawful vandalism. The attendees expressed deep concern about the security of their fellow community members back home and demanded immediate actions from the interim government in alleviating the situation.
Diasporic Indigenous people from several states gathered to stand in solidarity and to draw attention from the state to ensure security and basic human rights for their Indigenous communities in the CHT.

Uchimong Chawdhury, a New York-based social activist facilitated the event. He briefed on the context of the series of violent communal incidents and the escalated security condition of the Indigenous minorities in Bangladesh. Tapan Tanchangya, one of the young organizers of the American Jummo Council, delivered inaugurating speech where he strongly demanded an end to torture, persecution, disappearances and killings of Indigenous people in the hills. He added that a sudden and brutal attack took place in the Larma square area of Khagrachhari by the Bengali settlers backed by the military. He expressed serious concern on the military rule in the hills and demanded for safeguarding the rights and security of Indigenous people. Sushil Jiban Chakma called for immediate actions to compensate for the loss of properties of the victims.

A Chakma youth named Arnab Dewan whose house in Rangamati was burned also was present in the event. He expressed grief over the burning of his ancestral properties in the mob violence. Smita Chakma, a woman living in New York City voiced her frustration over the unlawful assaults of the Indigenous women in the country. Mong A Prue, A Marma activist raised his voice against the malign narratives spread about the Indigenous peoples that attempt to portray them as anti-nationalists and anti-Bengalis. He strongly emphasized that the Indigenous peoples in CHT do not want independence rather their rights to be secured and their fight is not against Bengalis and Military forces rather it is against the unlawful settlements and military regime. Chanchana Chakma (Human Rights activist), Mahla Marma & Apruma Chowdhury emphasized the immediate action to demilitarize the CHT and increasing security of the Indigenous women. Parish Chakma, a Chakma Activist raised his voice to stop land grabbing, rape, extra judicial killing and withdrawal military camp from CHT. Besides, several others spoke in the event and stood in solidarity with their fellow members. The event was joined by the Bengali allies as well who called out the state for unfair brutal treatment on their Indigenous counterparts. One of them is Dilip Barua who is a member of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council in New York branch.

The attendees reiterated the recommendations provided in IWGIA and CHT commission joint statement. They urgently called on the Interim Government of Bangladesh to take immediate action to ensure the safety and protection of the Indigenous peoples in CHT. They demanded the formation of a UN-led inquiry committee to investigate the alleged human rights violations, the root causes of the violence, and the role of the military. If the security personnel who fired on unarmed students during the recent student movement that ended Sheikh Hasina's authoritarian rule can be brought to justice, they believe the military personnel who opened fire on unarmed Jummo people in the event should also be held accountable. The video footage IWGIA and CHTC collected will be crucial for the investigation.

Furthermore, they urged the removal of all temporary military and security force camps in CHT, except for the six military bases as outlined in the 1997 CHT Accord.


American Jummo People
NEW YORK, USA