Garo culture

Tourism, on the other hand, can also play a major role in uplifting our economy and culture. We are happy to know that our government has taken a keen interest in the development of our forests and the tourism industry. The government has taken an initiative to develop an eco-park in Madhupur entitled 'Madhupur National Park,' at a cost of about Tk 9 crore. Unfortunately, the initiative steered along a wrong course resulting in serious unrest in forest homes. This has given rise to many questions in our minds. Does the government really believe in positive development? Why in most cases the grievances of the common people are left unheard? In this regard a few things must be stated after identifying the mistaken ideologies.

First, the development project has mirrored a wrong image creating discord between the planners and the local residents. The conflict is the outcome of a non-participatory project plan implementation. With the onset of the project work, part of their home (the forest regions) has already come under restrictions. This has given the indigenous people the impression that gradually they are going to be driven away. It is obvious for them to think this way because they don't have access to proper information.

Second, according to the project planners it is believed that the work is going on smoothly. In reality, we see some influential people being benefited while the freedom of others is disturbed, protests are suppressed when innocents cry for justice. Moreover, the situation has worsened due to a cheap political intrusion which has led to the ghastly incident, killing of a man. I believe if these communities are subjected to such treatment then they too will not hesitate to be violent. The story of the brutal killing would instigate people. The Garos may have to take refuge in different locations, much deeper into the forest, which the communities describe as hazardous. Practically, it's robbery in broad daylight!! A large community is going to be homeless in the near future. Yet, no progress has been made for an all out bilateral discussion between the Garos and the government so far.

Third, if we want positive results then we should plan accordingly so that our errors are minimised. Over here the errors are the negative impacts of the so-called 'development'. With a rise in the negative impacts, the outcome is at stake and a counter development is certain to occur resulting in minimisation of social welfare. I suppose this cannot be any government's motto.

With all this in mind, I must conclude that such a process of development has heightened tension on both sides. At present both the planners and the inhabitants are in a dilemma. I must say that the work should continue with good correspondence and reconciliation. Only then true development in the sense of achievement and satisfaction would be accomplished.

In your write-up on the front page of the 31 December Daily Star, you gave a lovely picture of a Garo warrior on the conventional thanksgiving day celebrated at Askipara in Haluaghat. You proceeded to say that the culture of the Garos had been lost for the last 70 years or so... gone are even the traditional ornaments and musical instruments.

Should you be interested in the Garo culture you could travel a bit south of Haluaghat to the Modhupur forest area where the Garo culture is quite active. There are many musical instruments, ornaments, the Garo dress is woven by men and women of the area, and the Wangala celebration of thanksgiving has been celebrated annually for many years. Not only are old songs and dances taught to the young people by those older in age, but new songs have also been written and sung.

The Garo people of that area are active in protesting the construction of a wall around 3,000 acres of forestland under a project titled 'Forest conservation and Eco-tourism in Modhupur... the local ethnic people consider the project a threat to their livelihood (From P- 12, columns 6,7,8 DS of 4 January, 2004.).

You may be interested in contacting Father Eugene Homrich, (St. Paul's Church, P.O, Jalchatra, Dist. Tangail) 50 miles north of Tangail Town, who has been in that area for almost 50 years. He has been standing alongside the Garo people and helping them to learn more about their culture and to carry on the beauties of their past.

Margaret Shield Noakhali

In different national dailies the news was published that the Garos of Modhupur on 5th January 2004 gave an ultimatum to the prime minister to implement a five point charter of demand including cancellation of forest conservation and eco-tourism plan. The eco-tourism and forest conservation will affect the Garo community as there will be encroachment on their territorial jurisdiction by others. If the problem is not solved permanently, then in course of time their existence will be threatened.

There are many basic necessities which are to be met by the government but without looking into the problems of the people, it has taken up some projects at the cost of the indigenous people.

During the regime of Ayub Khan, the Kaptai hydro-electric project had ousted thousands of people from their homes. They have not yet been rehabilitated, nor have any effective steps been taken by successive governments in this respect. But such dislocation of people is not expected in Bangladesh.

Md. Azizul Haq Advocate,Supreme Court, Dhaka