By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Intentional Day of the World’s Indigenous People will be observed in Bangladesh Saturday with other member states of the UN to promote and protect the rights of indigenous people.
The day is observed every year in light of a resolution taken by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1994 to further strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people.
In April 2000, the Commission on Human Rights of the UN adopted a resolution to establish the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which was endorsed by the Economic and Social Council in July 2000.
The mandate of the Permanent Forum is to discuss indigenous issues related to culture, economic and social development, education, the environment, health and human rights.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a message on the eve of the International Day for Indigenous People said, the day has set out a framework on which states can build or rebuild their relationship with indigenous people.
‘The suffering of indigenous people includes some of the darkest episodes in the human history’, he said, adding the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a visionary step towards addressing the human rights of indigenous peoples.
The fundamental objective of the day is to put an end to the marginalization of indigenous people, their extreme poverty, exploitation of their traditional lands and other grave human rights abuses they have faced and continue to encounter, the UN Secretary General said.
Ban Ki-moon called upon the member states of the UN and indigenous people to come together in a spirit of mutual respect to strengthen their relationship, promoting reconciliation and ensure that the past is not repeated.
Speakers at a discussion on the day at Jatiya Press Club here Saturday urged for ensuring the constitutional rights of the indigenous people and creating opportunity for them to work with the people of mainstream. Former army chief Lt Gen (retd) M Mahbubur Rahman was present as the chief guest at the discussion held under the auspices of Coalition of Local NGOs, Bangladesh (CLNB).
Women leader Nargis Jahan Banu, journalist Syed Tosaraf Ali, human rights activist Abdul Mazid Mallik, SKOP leader Harunar Rashid and political leader Nurul Haque, among others, took part in the discussion while indigenous leader of Dinajpur Nabin Pahan was in the chair.
Mahbubur Rahman laid importance on moving ahead the peace in the indigenous people dominating Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) side by side give care to human rights of others aboriginal living in different areas of the country.