Santal women file writ with HC

Two Santal women yesterday filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its directive on the government to form a judicial enquiry commission to probe the November 6 incidents of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha.

The Santal victims -- Olivia Hembrom, wife of Dijen Tudu, and Rumila Kisku, wife of Ganesh Murmu -- submitted the petition through their lawyer. They also prayed to the court to issue a rule upon the government to explain why the eviction and torture of the indigenous people should not be declared illegal.

The petitioners also requested the court to ask the authorities concerned for an explanation why they should not be directed to take appropriate action against the people who were involved in evicting and attacking the Santals.

Secretaries to the ministries of home, law, industries and land, inspector general of police, deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Gaibandha, upazila nirbahi officer of Gobindaganj, officer-in-charge of Gobindaganj police, managing director, Rangpur Sugar Mill, Abul Kalam Azad, lawmaker, Gaibandha-4, and Shakil Akand Bulbul, chairman of Sapmara Union Parishad have been made respondents in the required rule.

Earlier, both the Santal women sent a legal notice seeking an explanation from the administration under what authority they had carried out the eviction.

Petitioners' lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua told The Daily Star that the HC might hold hearing on the petition today.

The Gobindaganj police have meanwhile arrested five more people in connection with the alleged attack, looting and arson in Shahebganj cane farm.

The police yesterday launched a drive at Shahebganj, Taraf Kamal, Nasirabad and Madarpur villages and arrested Rana Babu, 30, Abul Khair, 35, Mokhlesur Rahman, 28, Rafiqul Islam, 35, and Abdul Mannan.

As many as 17 people have so far been arrested in connection with the case.

One Shawpon Murmu filed the case on November 16 against some 500 unknown people, said Subrota Kumar Sarker, OC of Gobindaganj police, reports our Gaibandha correspondent.

However, Santal leader Philimon Baske termed the case an eyewash and said they would file a case depicting the “real” facts.

No such case has been filed yet.

Two Santal men were killed and 25 people injured in a clash between the indigenous community and labourers as well as police on November 6. Joint forces later opened fire and lobbed tear gas shells to evict the Santal community.

The Court of Senior Judicial Magistrate yesterday granted bail to another arrested Santal man -- Majhee Hembrom. He was arrested along with three others on November 6. Three Santal men have so far been released on bail.

The HC has meanwhile issued an order on the sugar mill authorities to hand over Aman paddy to the Santal community by November 30.

“We have asked the community leaders to send a list of Santal men, who planted Aman seedlings but received no response,” said Abdul Awal, managing director of the sugar mill.

Asked, Santal leader Philimon Baske said, “No individual but the Shahebganj-Bagda Bhumi Uddhar committee planted Aman on the land.” Paddy on hundreds of acres of land is getting ripe and needs to be harvested soon, he added.

BRAC and local NGO Gono Unnayan Kendra have set up two childcare centres at Joypurpara and Madarpur for the Santal children. Besides, Dhaka-based Bidhananda Foundation is arranging food for 102 distressed Santal people every night.