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Former British minister wants probe into CHT incident

By Staff Correspondent
Lord David Ennals, the Chairman of the Asia Committee of the British Refugee Council (BRC), has urged the Bangladesh Government to conduct an ’independent Judicial Investigation' Into the alleged massacre' and the human rights violations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region
Lord Ennals. a former junior minister in the British Foreign Office, arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a week long visit and was talking to reporters at the Jattya Press Club In the afternoon.
The Lord, a member of the Upper House of the British Parliament, said that there were great discrepancies In facts on the April 10 CHT Incident.
He said that he had heard about a death toll of upto ' 1200 people' while the Bangladesh Government had given a figure of 13 dead — 12 tribals and one nontribal.
The Government should not hide facts for its own Interests-. Lord Ennals Insisted.
Meanwhile. Western diplomatic sources In Dhaka say that some of the Western countries have enquired about the Incident and called upon the Government to let the world know the facts on the allegations
At the Aid Chib meeting in Paris last month, represents ttves from countries including the EC. Switzerland. Sweden. Norway. Belgium. Netherlands raised the Issue and called for Investigations
Finance Minister M Salfur Rahman, the leader of the Bangladesh delegation, however. denied the allegations
Replying to question on Myanmar refugees who have crossed Into Bangladesh to flee persecution, he observed that the refugees should not be repatriated against their will and added the UN and UNHCR should oversee what guarantee and security' the Myanmar authorities would ensure.
Lord Ennals Is accompanied by General Secretary of the Campaign for Disaster Prevention In Bangladesh (CDPB) Ayub Karam Ali and will be visiting the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar and Bandarban districts, the stranded Pakistanis and also intends to go to the CHT.
After his fact-finding mission on behalf of a number of UK NGOs Interested in refugees', he will report back to those organisations as well as the British Refugee Committee.
On the CHT issue, he will be working for the Amnesty International and other organisations.
He on behalf of CDPB. will also assess the disaster man agement activities of the government and examine current status of the World Bank Flood Action Plan
During his stay, he will be meeting the Speaker, the Foreign Minister, the State Minister for Relief, senior officials of the Foreign, Home and Relief ministries, the GOC of Chittagong Area. UNHCR off) clals. and some political and NGO leaders.
UNB adds : Regarding the WB-coordinated Flood Action Plan. Lord Ennals said it had earned criticism at home and abroad as local experts were barred from participating in the study of the project.
"Participation of local ex perts tn the plan Is essential." he said
On FAP, Karam All said WB experts are promoted by donors, but local experts also have similar expertise. There should be effective consultation for a permanent solution to the flooding problem.
"We ll ask the government for providing us information on the amount of donation received and distributed after the April cyclone . . this is a democratic demand ... we have enough information on how much had been raised and what amount the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) had contributed." he said.
This is of immense importance to the Bangladeshis living in UK who had contributed following the appeal for helping the cyclone victims.
CDPB. a London-based "pressure group" formed last year after the April 29 cyclone, will also sponsor an international conference on permanent solution to flooding In Bangladesh in September
The conference venue will be somewhere in the EEC clues.
CDPB also plans to lobby at the Aid Consortium meeting in Paris early 1993