Call to ensure land rights of indigenous hill people

Bangladesh lawyer Raja Devasish Roy, who spoke at the meeting on Wednesday lauded Bangladesh government's recent initiative to form Land Rights Commission said it will enable the indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to establish their rights over their century old community lands in the hill forest. The land dispute in the CHT began since, previous undemocratic military regime of General Ziaur Rahman and General HM Ershad pushed impoverished thousands of Bangalee-Muslims from land-hungry plain-lands and arbitrarily settled them in indigenous community lands, pushing them in dire poverty.

Other speakers at the meeting of “Scaling Up Government Support To Secure Land Rights: Key To Achieving 2030 Global Goals” were Lilianne Ploumen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Winnie Byanyima, Oxfam International, Kees de Zeeuw, Kadaster International, Netherlands and Andy White, Rights and Resources Initiative.The Government of the Netherlands co-organized the side-event on this important issue with partners of Land Rights Now: a Global Call to Action on Indigenous and Community Land Rights, and the Indigenous Peoples Major Group.

Devasish Roy of Indigenous Peoples Major Group drawing researches worldwide said for centuries the reliable forest-keepers were always the indigenous people, than the officers of the Forest Department. Bangladesh experience also demonstrates the same, but powerful groups in nexus with the politicians and civil administrations continue to grab lands for profit, ignoring the rights of the local community, lamented Chakma Raja.Raja Devashis Roy urged Bsngladesh government to declare zero tolerance on land grabbing of Indigenous People, which will dramatically reduce the social and political tension in CHT.

He also demanded of the government to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and ratify and implement the ILO Convention number 169 immediately.The goal of the Land Rights Now initiative is to double the amount of land legally recognized as owned or controlled by Indigenous Peoples and local communities by 2020.
The speakers said the movement for ensuring land rights has gained a little progress in 30 years of campaign.Securing land rights for Indigenous People and local communities contributes to inclusive economic development, environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and are a key component of the 2030 Global Goals.

The Land Rights Now goal is to secure all indigenous and community land rights during 2016 – 2020.The speakers urged governments, private sector actors, national and international institutions, and civil society organizations that support Indigenous Peoples and local communities' land rights to join efforts to secure the collective land rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.The meeting called upon all concerned to protect and strengthen those peoples and