Organizing First Human Rights Fair in Sylhet (2014)
Ethnic Community Development Organization (ECDO) organized a successful Human Rights Fair for the first time at Sylhet Zila Parisad premises on 21 and 22 May 2014.The aim of this twodays long fair was to increase understanding about indigenous people’s rights and their present condition among non-indigenous communities. Indigenous people also benefited from the fair as they got an opportunity to know about their rights and learn the ways to exercise and protect it. Fifteen stalls were decorated by different development agencies, legal aid support organizations and indigenous people’s organization like BLAST, BNWLA, IPDS, IDEA, ECDO, PASKOP and Anik Manipuri Fashion House. The stalls displayed indigenous people’s culture, life, and livelihood as well as legal supports that are prescribed by the State for protecting them. Advocate Ms. Sultana Kamal, former advisor to the caretaker government, was present as the Chief Guest and Mr. William Hanna, Ambassador and Chief of the EU delegation to Bangladesh, Mr. Snehal V Soneji, and Country Director of Oxfam Bangladesh and Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) were also present as special guest during the inaugural session of this event. Academics, civil society members, political elites, media personnel, indigenous leaders and members of different indigenous groups actively participated and shared their experiences in all the sessions
.
The total event had three sessions and the following topics were discussed: the problems and prospects of different indigenous communities, land rights of indigenous communities and the role of local administrations, civil society and human rights defenders (HRD) in protecting the rights of indigenous people in Bangladesh.
At the end of the session, Human Rights Journalism Award was provided to four journalists for their invaluable contribution in raising awareness about indigenous people’s right issues among indigenous and mainstream people. Moreover, they also helped to gain the attention of civil society actors, local administration and national level human rights activists by publishing and circulating stories. The session was concluded with a colorful cultural program performed by different indigenous cultural teams. The motive of this cultural program was to introduce the beauty and richness of indigenous culture among mainstream communities. Thus, the event was held under the Strengthening the Voice of Human Rights Defenders to protect Rights and Entitlements of Ethnic Minorities project with support from European Union and Oxfam. At the end of this fair, European Union Ambassador and Chief of EU delegation to Bangladesh Mr. William Hanna and his team along with Oxfam Country Director thanked ECDO for organizing the successful event and media covered the event with great appreciation.
