PABNA. Dec 11: The poor adibasis’ living for at least two centuries in village Marma under Ishurdi thana are faced with untold torture, oppression including those of murders. being dispossessed of their hearth, home and other landed properties, allegedly with a declared purpose of driving them away from the said village by a section of powerful and otherwise Influential person of the locality. These Influential persons, it was further alleged, have been lodging false cases — both civil and criminal — against them and have successfully built up an unholy relation with the local police and other administrations thus throwing the poor community into utter helplessness.

The said adibasis recently came to Pabna town, their men, women and children brought a big demonstration, proceeded towards the offices of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Ppllgf. submitted memoralnafyrni inanding JusUce. withdrawal of false cases lodged with them and also arrange for fresh investigations into Shyamal murder case by the CID and lifting of warrants of arrest pending against some of them.

They also brought out similar demonstrations last year, paraded main thorough fares of Pabna town and in similar manner, submitted memorandums with the authorities concerned but to no effect. They now suspect that the said local influential circles have possibly built up a chain withgi the administra tlon and hence, they were getting no protection of law

The poor adibasis then came to Pabna Press Club recently to narrate their sorrow plight before the newsmen With tears in their eyes they gave the harrowing tales with regard to their sufferings and those are mentioned below

These adibasis (tribal aboriginals) settled about two centuries back in village Manna under Ishurdi thana of Pabna district by the Ma haraja of Natore and gave

them all the lands attached to a temple and a 'dighi' covering a total area of about 12 acres of land. The land was recorded as Debotter property in the name of goddess 'Kali'. The adibasis cultivate these land, arrange puja of the said goddess and also maintain themselves with the earnings from the land. Besides, the adibasis also work in the neighbouring villages as day-labourers. They are mostly Illiterate and taking advantage of their poverty, ignorance and Illiteracy, a few local influen-tlals have quite illegally dispossessed the adibasis from a portion of the said land. They have also created forged deeds and Kabuhais and instituted suits in the Civil Courts on the basis of said documents. claiming title and possession of some other plots of land. But the influential circles could not succeed in taking possession of the entire area of land and hence they hatched other conspira-cies too.

I In pursuance of this con-spiracv. Leouis Biswas, a member of the adibasis community was murdered on August 28. 1994 in the morning while the adibasis most of whom are Christians, were offering their weekly prayers in the nearby church, were all on a sudden attacked although nearby 20 of those who were offering prayers, were women. The gang, armed with lathis. Jalas, Dao and axes, the unarmed adibasis who were completely unprepared for any such occurrence were all caught unawares. Men and women both were injured and the number of such injured persons were 21. six of whom were Immediately shifted to hospital One of these critically injured persons was Louis Biswas, aged 30. by profession a poor day-labourer. succumbed to his injuries after struggling for life for long 17 days in the Rajshahl Medical College Hospital.

The said attack, in broad daylight, was so dreadful that young women were also

brought out forcibly from their respective houses, assaulted on various parts of their body, some of them received bloody head-injuries even.

The appalling story behind such inhuman occurrence was a piece of land — 0.66 acres in area, awarded by an adibasi known as Martin Biswas (60) but Sultan Moulavi started claiming the ownership of the said piece of land to other surprise of the real owner since his birth.

Next day. the villagers lodged an ejahar with Ishurdi thana but police did not act timely and properly. Ultimately. after long several months however, police submitted a charge-sheet but excluded the names of a good number of accused from the names mentioned in the ejahar. While most of the charge accused, against whom police submitted charge-sheet, were released on bail from the court in this Louis murder case — believed .tp be a very sensational murder case.

Dominic Biswas, a Roman Catholic, a school teacher by profession, told in anguish that if the repressions were not brought to an end. he, along with the members of his family, would be compelled to have the village. The so-called influentials were claiming the ownership 0.66 acres of his land loo.

The story does not end here. When the so-called influentials were charge sheeted in connection with the Leouis Biswas murder case they continued to pressurise the adibasis to withdraw the case but they refused. Angered with their refusal , the influential village . touts hatched another conspiracy for getting rid of the troubles arising out of the said murder case. In pursuance of this conspiracy, the group of conspirators. murdered yet another boy, a school-going one. named Shyamal a student of class V.

This Is a gruesome story. Shyamal is the son of Stephen who has got links with the said matbars who murdered Leouis. Occasionally, accused persons while In absconsion. took shelter in Stephens house. Stephen, due to extreme poverty joined hands with the group and allegedly signed as witness to several false and forged deeds prepared by the said Influential group

S«ill. they conspired to kill his son Shyamal only to make the adibasis accused in Shyamal murder case The story of the murder Is as follows

On June 23. 1995 at about 8 15 pm in the night. Alam, son of Jamaat All. came to the house ol Shyamal. called him out and asked him to accom pany him for witnessing TV । show In the house of Mannan. ! Mannan is a petty business men Alam and Shvamal both started for the house of Man nan Pfjush. a friend of Shya | mal also followed th<-ni when

he came to learn that they were going to witness a TV film show. Pijush was however. much behind them but when he reached the house of Mannan, he found neither Shyamal nor Alam therein for witnessing the film Alif Laila."

Alam, it was gathered, took Shyamal to the house of one Tafizuddin who was an accused in Leouis murder case. After they entered there. Bernard found, several unknown persons entered into that house and. reportedly a sumptuous night meal with meat of duck was prepared apd supplied to all as if there was feast in the house. Shyamal, however, did not return home that nighty Stephen, a l>oor TB patient and father of Shyamal. did also not go for searching him as he could not foresee anything doubtful.

However, next morning Sultan Moulavi came to Stephen's house along with some persons accused in ' Leouis murder case and paid Stephan an amount of Tk 1200 and just before this. Tamiz came to Stephan and reported that the body of Shyamal. whose throat was cut. was found near the house of Mannan beaide the dighi'. Sultan Moulavi . coming there Just after Tamiz. made the above payment, and asked Stephen to go to Ishurdi thana and lodge an ejahar against the witnesses of Leouis murder case.

On the other hand, when Dominic Master came to know of this murder of Shyamal. he proceeded to Pabna town, met the Deputy Commissioner and informed him about the incident in writing and sought for his Intervention. The Deputy Commissioner gave a note upon the application asking the police to take proper action with all promptness and asked Dominic to proceed to Ishurdi thana. One police officer from Pabna also rushed to village Murmi and there from to Ishurdi thana and directed the police to arrest Mannan who was mysteriously found sitting in Ishurdt thana but surprisingly. the same night Mannan was freed from the custody.

Ultimately. It was found the next day that three minor babies from the adibasi families were arrested by the police in connection with Shyamal murder case Meanwhile, charge-sheet has also been submitted by Ishurdi police against those minor boys. They were Abul Hashem, son of Yasin, a day labourer Manerel. son of Locus. also a day-labourer and Manzurul son of late Azmat All — all of village Marmi and aged be tween seven to 10 years

This sort of case In connec tlon with the murder of Shya mal was allegedly prepared in collusion with Ishurdi police, with the object of putting pressure upon the adibasis to withdraw Leouis murder case and also to compel them to give up the lands owned and

possessed by the adibasis throughout the centuries. Village politics, as it is widely known to be, is so torturous for the millions of rural people — away from the din and bustle of the town or city areas — how much it is out of reach not only of the laws. Justice and of the mass media till today — in this fag end of the twentieth century!

The story was yet to come to an end. a theft cash has also been falsely been instituted against the adibasis on 1.12.94 with the Ishurdi thana under sections 143/447/3 79 BPC and after this, the influential Sultan Moulavi and his henchmen have allegedly threatened the adibasis with dire consequences if the Leouis murder case pending before the court of sessions was not withdrawn. They have further threatened the poor adibasis to quit the village and this is. as the adibasis say. the real threat before all of them.

What happened earlier. The Daily Star correspondent further investigated and found that on being victims of such tortures, as many as eleven adibasi Christian families became compelled to leave Marmi permanently .

Now. 38 adibasi families are living in the said village — their total number being 185 to 200. This is small population indeed and this has rendered llicm helpless Had their nunibci been 10(10 at least, none could pussfhly dan. victimising them so much. they think.

Narrating further, the tribal adibais disclosed another horrifying story. In short, the story runs as follows:

One member of their community and permanent resident of village Marma. named Blpin Biswas was also compelled to flee away from the said village, few years back and he was now staying in a village under Rajshahl district. Bipin is still alive but showing him dead, a false deed with a false signature was prepared by those influential people who have already forcibly taken procession of his entire properties In Marma claiming ownership of those properties. A suit also was filed by them in the civil court praying for declaration title of the properties of dead' Bipin Biswas who is still living in a Rajshahl village with his wife and children Na more he dares returning to Marma fearing, in that case, he would really be made dead.

Oppressions and repressions are thus continuing unabated upon the helpless adibasis In Marma They now demand:

Fresh investigation of Shyamal murder case by the CID

Investigations as to how a number ol murders of Leouis were excluded from the charge-sheet

Conducting the cases through a set of lawyers on their behalf as they have no means to engage good lawyers

Thorough investigations Into the affairs of theli landed properties and to take all legal steps for restoring all their properties

Creation of an atmosphere । congenial for the adibasis to live in Marma in peace, and 1 justice In every sphere . To create atmosphere so that all who left the village, would come back safely

The adibasis have called upon the government, the lo cal administration, the NGOe. the Human Rights Organisations to come forward to res cue to selvage them from the I evil clutches of the village । touts who were out to drive I them out from village Marma.