Hill women weaving colourful pinons (sarongs), their golden-brown skin glinting in the sun; clusters of bamboo and thatch huts; naked children prancing about; men huddled together, smoking or playing cards…
Hill women weaving colourful pinons (sarongs), their golden-brown skin glinting in the sun; clusters of bamboo and thatch huts; naked children prancing about; men huddled together, smoking or playing cards… To eyes accustomed to the dirt and filth of urban India, these images are a soothing balm. It is easy to forget that these men, women and children are among the worst-off refugees in South Asia. The accompanying pictures show Takumbari relief camp, more than 100 km from Agartala, the capital of India's northeastern state of Tripura, where more than 2000 families of Jumma tribals, primarily Buddhist Chakmas, have been languishing in wretched conditions for over a decade. Takumbari is the largest of six camps set up in Tripura for Chakmas. About 15,000 refugees have returned home since 1994 following agreements between India, Bangladesh and refugee leaders. But around 44,000 remain here.
Every night, in the camp, the clang of the temple bells is punctuated by the staccato notes of the news bulletin. The refugee guards, marching round the camp, pause every once in a while to listen to the Bengali service of the BBC. Every bit of news on the latest negotiations between tribal leaders from the hill tracts and the Bangladesh government is discussed and analysed in detail.
Elusive Peace
Peace talks are nothing new between the Bangladesh government and the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) – the political wing of the Shanti Bahini (Chakma guerrillas fighting the Bangladesh state). But this time, Sheikh Hasina's government in Dhaka seems keen on a political solution to the long-festering problem. Nearly 9000 people have been killed so far in the 20-year-old conflict, and an aid-dependent Bangladesh is under increasing pressure from donors to mend its human rights record in the hill tracts.