 Bangladeshi Indigenous Peoples’ Advocate and Oblate Friend and Colleague Brutally Attacked
Sanjeeb Drong survives but fears further attacks...
Mr Sanjeeb Drong, an important advocate for human rights and indigenous peoples in Bangladesh and SE Asia, and good friend of the Oblates, was brutally attacked last Friday by a group of hired thugs. He and his wife were travelling home from a meeting with the Bishop and a Diocesan Committee. Sanjeeb fled from his attackers and was rescued by the Bishop and several priests who then took him to a hospital. He is now safe in Dhaka. His wife was unharmed.
Please call on US government officials and your elected representatives to press for an inquiry in Bangladesh.
Background:
Sanjeeb is the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum and a respected leader in the indigenous community of Southeast Asia and in the indigenous community world wide. He has been a very active participant in the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples at the UN for a number of years and a respected expert and invited speaker by many forum governments and non-governmental organizations on indigenous issues. Sanjeeb is also a well-known journalist and commentator.
He is a very dear friend and colleague to Oblates in the US and Asia as well as a close collaborator with church leaders in Bangladesh. He is chief editor of the media and publication committee for the Diocesan Hundred Year Jubilee celebration. It was a meeting about the Jubilee Celebration that he was attending last Friday.
It is clear from the nature of the attack, and the fact that he was singled out and beaten while his wife was left unharmed, that this was a premeditated event with the intention of sending a clear message. Sanjeeb had been openly critical of an incident of corruption, which may have stimulated the attack on him. He has also been an outspoken advocate for the rights of workers and the indigenous Khasi and Garo peoples.
It is extremely important that the government of Bangladesh be pushed to fully investigate this attack and hold accountable both those who planned it and those who carried it out.
Please write to Secretary of State Clinton as well as your Senators and Congressional Representatives.
The State Department has a public comment line. Go to the webpage of your Senator and Representative to send an email today! Look for 'Contact Us'.
Here is a suggested text for emails to US officials:
I am writing to draw your attention to a recent brutal attack on an important advocate for human rights and indigenous peoples - Mr. Sanjeeb Drong. As he and his wife were returning home by motor bike after attending a meeting at Ranikhnong Catholic Mission in the District of Netrokona, Bangladesh, he was set upon by a group of thugs who beat him and destroyed his motorcycle. He was able to escape and was rescued immediately by the Bishop of Mymensingh, Bishop Paul Ponen Kubi CSC and several priests who were at a meeting in a nearby parish.
Sanjeeb is the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum and a respected leader in the indigenous community of Southeast Asia and in the indigenous community world wide. He has been a very active participant in the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples at the UN for a number of years and a respected expert and invited speaker by many forum governments and non-governmental organizations on indigenous issues.
He is a very dear friend and colleague to Oblates in the US and Asia as well as a close collaborator with church leaders in Bangladesh. He was on his way home from a meeting with the bishop and church leaders when he was attacked. He is chief editor of the media and publication committee for the Diocesan Hundred Year Jubilee celebration.
It is clear from the nature of the attack, and the fact that he was singled out and beaten while his wife was left unharmed, that this was a premeditated event with the intention of sending a clear message. It is extremely important that the government of Bangladesh be pushed to fully investigate this attack and hold accountable both those who planned it and those who carried it out.
Sanjeeb has been a trusted guest a number of times at the US embassy in Dhaka and a participant in several State Department programs. I trust that you will make every effort to bring this heinous act to the attention of the Bangladesh authorities, condemning those who are responsible and reminding them of their responsibility to protect leaders like Sanjeeb from assaults like the one that took place recently.
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