The latest issue
(issue 33, dated 30 June 2005) of the Swadhikar, a mouthpiece
of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), has come
out.
This issue leads
on the army-BDR led eviction drive against Jumma villagers
in Sajek Union under Rangamati district. It calls upon all
the Jummas to resist government plan to expand Bengali settlements
in the area.
The editorial
deals with the land issue arguing that the population transfers
into the CHT cannot be justified because of the fact that
Bangladesh is a densely populated country. Citing examples
of such other densely populated countries as Bahrain, it
proposes that the first and foremost step in any meaningful
attempts to settle land problems in CHT would be to recognise
the communal ownership right of the Jumma people.
Sattyodarshi
writes about the chaotic situation of the country. He subjects
the government of Begum Khaleda Zia to scathing criticism
for rampant corruption, adulteration of edible food items,
police brutality on the Dhaka University campus, standoff
in the high court, unbridled price hike and deaths in so-called
cross-fires. He accuses that for the last 35 years since
independence the ruling elites of all hue and colours have
plundered the country at the expense of the majority interest
and said the situation will find a just analogy in the banana
republics of Africa.
Apart from activities
of the overseas Jumma organisations, the issue also carries
a report on recent Bolivian movement that led to the stepping
down of President Carlos Mesa.
Regular sections
on human rights violations by members of the Bangladesh
military and organisational activities of the UPDF and its
front organisations also carry interesting news and features.
The bulletin
is priced at Take 10. For subscription abroad it is $5 (postal
charges inclusive).
