ICC Note:

Christian leaders in Bangladesh have condemned recently clashes between government forces and Santal Christians in the country’s northwestern region. According to reports, the Santal Christians, who come from a tribal background, clashed with police and Muslims after they attempted to retain land rights owed to them by the Bangladesh government. Christian make up only a tiny minority of Bangladesh’s Muslims majority population. Often Christian tribals face a form of double persecution because of the minority status as Christians and as tribals. 

11/14/2016 Bangladesh (Asia News) – An attack on tribal Santal Christians on 6 November in Gaibandha District, northwestern Bangladesh, left two people dead, and six others wounded. For human rights activist Jotirmoy Borua, this “was premeditated.”

“We received information that local police and Muslims attacked Tribals to take away their land,” he said.

On that day, local Christians, mostly ethnic Santal Catholic, clashed with the police because of a land dispute. Witnesses noted that police had arrest warrants for 300 Santal, who fled to avoid jail. Others defended themselves with bows and arrows injuring some agents.

Tribal homes were ransacked and looted. As a result of this, people are starting to go hungry for lack of food, said Fr Samson Marandy, the parish priest in Mariampur. Christians dare not leave their home to go to work or to school for fear of Muslim retaliation.

The reason for the dispute lies in the fact that “After 1962, the government bought 774,000 hectares of land that belonged to the Santal, where they grow sugar cane,” the clergyman explained.

“The agreement provided that the land would be used only for this type of crop. If another crop was introduced, the land would go back to the original owners. In 2003, the local government suspended sugarcane production and so local Tribals asked for their land.”

“We saw police attack minority Christians,” said Bangladesh Christian Association (BCA) president Nirmol Rozario. “Since they are tribal, police thought they were weak and struck them hard. We condemn this indecent act and demand an investigation.”

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