Khasis under duress

Greed and injustice are gradually putting the small population of Khasis of Moulavibazar's Kulaura and Srimangal upazillas under stress with the local administration, reportedly, putting pressure on the small indigenous group to give up the land they have been living on for generations and paying tax for it. 

This comes after last year's violent attacks on them by a group of men led, reportedly, by the manager of a local tea garden in an attempt to evict them and occupy the land. Since then the plain living ethnic community who solely survives on the cultivation of betel leaf has been living in fear. Instances of their villages being attacked and betel vines cut are many. 

Perhaps, at the root of the problem is the fact that there is no clarity of land tenure. And they seem to have fallen into a bureaucratic chasm, with local departments 'unclear' about who has jurisdiction over the land. But that notwithstanding, can the administration evict a community from the land they have been in occupation of and made their home for many years?

Minorities in the country constitute a small percentage of the population. In many cases they face overwhelming odds to eke out a living. The state has to be more sensitive to their rights and address their needs with more diligence in keeping with the values of our liberation war. We feel that we have failed occasionally in this regard. 

The local administration, instead of putting the community under duress, should ensure their safety and security.