UN officials urge Bangladesh to protect minorities from attacks

Guwahati: The chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim and the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples José Francisco Cali Tzay in a joint statement called upon the Interim Government of Bangladesh “to take immediate action to protect the Jumma Peoples from violent and indiscriminate attacks, conduct an impartial commission of enquiry into allegations of violence and prosecute perpetrators to end the culture of impunity” regarding recent human rights violations committed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) in September 2024.

In their joint statement, the UN experts stated, “The recent violence is set against a backdrop of broader discrimination and marginalization of the Indigenous Jumma Peoples, who for decades have been subjected to forced evictions and heightened militarization of the region”.

Most importantly, the UN experts called on “social media companies to take all relevant steps to prevent their platforms from disseminating hate speech and misinformation regarding the Indigenous Jumma Peoples.”

The UN Permanent Forum Chairperson and the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples called on the interim government to implement the CHT Peace Accords of 1997, in line with national and international laws, and the provisions contained within the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in particular Article 7, which states that "Indigenous Peoples have the collective right to live in freedom, peace and security as distinct peoples and shall not be subjected to any act of genocide or any other act of violence."

Furthermore, the UN experts called on the interim government to invite the United Nations to investigate and report on allegations of human rights violations in the region, and to monitor the situation unhindered, in coordination with the interim government, Indigenous Peoples' representatives and relevant stakeholders, with a view to strengthening Indigenous Peoples' institutions and ensuring respect for their collective and individual rights.

This joint statement by the UN experts is a significant step towards recognition of the crime of genocide and other acts of violence being perpetrated upon the indigenous Jumma peoples of the CHTs. The onus is on Dr Mohammed Yunus, Chief Advisor of the Interim Government as to whether he wants to be remembered as a Noble Laureate for peace or a perpetrator of gross human rights violations on the most marginalised community in Bangladesh”- stated Suhas Chakma, Director of the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG).