Ensure rights of indigenous people
Leaders of small ethnic communities at a conference at Thakurgaon Press Club in the town yesterday reiterated their nine-point demand including recognition as indigenous people and steps for ensuring their rights, especially on land and education.
The indigenous communities are still lagging behind in the society as their economic, educational and political rights are yet to be established, speakers said at the third district unit conference of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, a platform of the small ethnic peoples living in plain land.
Many indigenous families had to leave their ancestral homesteads as local influential people grabbed their lands, in collusion with a section of officials, the community leaders said.
They demanded immediate formation of a separate land commission to protect their rights and allocation of khas lands among the landless indigenous people.
They demanded withdrawal of all false cases against the indigenous people.
They also urged arrangement of mother tongue-based primary education for their children and the community’s quota in higher education and government services.
Indigenous people played a significant role during the Liberation War in 1971 but they are yet to be given constitutional rights, speakers said.
Rabindranath Soren, advisor of the central committee of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, attended as chief guest at the programme with convener of the conference Jacob Khalkor in the chair.
Comments