Arranging Public Hearing on Indigenous People’s Rights (2013)
ECDO arranged the first public hearing on indigenous people’s rights violations in Sylhet City on 23 November, 2013. The event was organized by ECDO under the project of “Strengthening the voice of Human Rights Defenders to protect rights and ensure entitlement of ethnic minorities” supported by the European Union and Oxfam. Public hearing was presided over by Mr. Lakshmikanta Singh, Executive Director of ECDO and more than 300 people, including representatives from Khasi, Manipuri, Patro, Garo, Oraon and Tea Labor indigenous communities attended this hearing program.M. Sakhawat Hossain, Additional DIG (Police) of Sylhet range attended the hearing as chief guest. Mr. Kawsar Ahmed, Judge, Land survey tribunal Sylhet, Mr. Faruque Mahmud Chowdhury, member Sujon central committee, Professor Anwara Begum, Head of Public Administration department from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and A K Sheram, Manipuri writer, attended as special guests. Three separate panels formed the main contingency for the public hearing: the indigenous panel, the media panel and the legal panel.
The hearing was opened up to the floor and indigenous victims were invited to come forward and share their experiences. Most of the experience was on stories of violence and coercion and painted a clear and consistent picture of the challenges indigenous minorities face on a daily basis. However, the journalist panel ensured that by enhancing the quality of regular reporting and briefing on indigenous people’s issues, media can play critical role in communicating indigenous issues to the wider public. Meanwhile, legal panel proposed to form an independent commission for indigenous people and advocated for the development of a Monitoring Indigenous Rights Cell.
