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November 21, 2004

Combating the khasi uprooting: humanity cries

Sultan Mahmud Ripon

'Combating the Khasi Uprooting: Humanity Cries' is published by Empowerment through Law of the Common People (ELCOP) and edited by Professor Dr. Mizanur Rahman.
Contact Address: 333/1, Shegun Bagicha (2nd Floor), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

'Combating the Khasi Uprooting: Humanity Cries' is a collective research effort undertaken by a group of anti-generic law students of the three leading public universities in the country: the Dhaka University, the Rajshahi University and the Chittagong University. These student-researchers shared a deep sense of commitment towards protection of rights of the minorities of the country. They have for the first time tried to analyse the deprivation and alienation of the Khasis from a politico-economical perspective. A}thors have tried to find answers to issues like why the Khasis are Khasis, what makes them indigenous, how have they been divorced from traditional land rights, what makes them feel aliens on their own land? etc.etc.

It contains 8 chapters including the introduction and the conclusion. The introductory chapter is followed in Chapter 2 by an ethno-sociological profile of the Khasi. The chapter trace{ the historical origin of the Khasi and discusses why this community should be treated as an indigenous community entitled to various specific rights and safeguards. Geographical mapping of the Khasi, especially identification of the main centres of their concentration substantially enriches this chapter.

Disintegration, subordination and marginalization of the Khasi community comprise the central theme of chapter 3. In this chapter the political history of the region inhabited by the Khasi is measured alongside their gradual loss of power and economic independence. The authors provided sufficient evidence and arguments to conclude that 'numeric inadequacy, strong sense of ethnic identity, monopoly domination, disempowerment and violence' are the main causes for marginalization of the Khasi people.

Ho the various factors accounting for disintegration and dispersion of the Khasi community are at work in the everyday life of the community is depicted in the next chapter on the 'present socio-economic structure of the Khasi community'. The analysis however, goes far beyond mere narration of the socio-economic life of the community and touches upon delicate political life of the community including various aspects of traditional communal governance. This chapter also reminds us about the growing disparity between the theory and practice of constitutional rights and freedoms enjoyed (?) by the Khasi as citizens of Bangladesh.

The above theme is further elaborated on the basis of field experience in chapter 5 dealing with 'Political subordination of the Khasi community'. It shows how |raditional i.e. more common means of exerting pzessure are put alongside 'innovative' means to compel the Khasi to remain subservient to dominant economic and political interests and ideology.

Chapter 6 concentrates basically on the social life of the Khasi community and illustratms how changes in the economic and political structure of the community have changed the inner life of the community members, including its relioious belief.

The succeeding chapter is mssentially the logical conclusion of the whole research. If the Khasi continue to live the life they are compelled to live today, if all the factors remain in thmir respective places playing their respective d}e roles, and if the state i.e. the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh does not intervene to protect the 'indigenousness' of the community and promote its rights and freedoms, what impact would it have on the Khasi? The title of chapter 7 is an unfortunate reminder of what lies ahead: dissolution of the ethnic and subordination of the Khasi to dominant culture.

This however, is commensurate neither with the Proclamation of Independence of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh nor with the constitutional rights and guarantees. Therefore, in the concluding chapter the authors make recommendations for positive actions to be taken primarily by the government of Bangladesh. These recommendations speak for a comprehensive programme of action to protect the Khasi as an indigenous community. It is not mere protection of their economic interests, but protection of their socio-political life, ideology, way of life etc. A human rights response cannot be otherwise.