Why this is important
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in the Indian Sub-continent is the traditional homeland to the 11 ethnic groups who today collectively identify themselves to be an ‘indigenous people’, namely the ‘Jumma’. The British colonized CHT in 1860. With the end of the British colony, the Sub-continent was partitioned into the two nations—Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Secular Democratic Republic of India—in 1947 on the basis of religion. Pakistan was formed with the Muslim majority areas, while India with the non-Muslim majority areas. CHT with 98% non-Muslims (Buddhists, Hindus and Christians) was annexed with East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in violation of the principle of the partition of the Sub-continent and without any consultation with the then leadership of the Jumma indigenous people! Such annexation is illegal, undemocratic and unfair.
