WHO WE ARE

The Global Association for Indigenous Peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (GAIPCHT) works for protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

MISSION AND OBJECTIVES:

1. To Raise violations of the rights of indigenous peoples of the CHTs with the international community;
2. Launch an international campaign for the removal of illegal plain settlers from the CHTs;
3. Launch an international campaign tackling violence towards indigenous women in the CHTs;
4. Provide technical and other assistance to indigenous peoples’ organisations in the CHTs in their struggles to secure and realise their political, economic, social and cultural development as provided under the UN Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples and other international human rights standards;
5. Enhance cooperation among community organisations of the indigenous peoples in the CHTs and their ethnic brethren in the neighbourhood especially India and Myanmar and among CHTs indigenous peoples’ organisations around the world
6. Any other tasks decided by the Convening Committee/ Governing Body.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

1. In carrying out the mission and objectives, the GAIPC will be guided by the following principles:
2. It shall remain non-political and non-partisan with respect to the political parties of indigenous peoples in the CHTs;
3. It shall include all indigenous peoples in the CHTs;
4. It shall respect each indigenous peoples organization to define and pursue its objectives and strategies;
5. It shall endeavour to seek the advice of the elders, and development of youth leadership; and
6. It shall work through consensus as the means to building unity, based on mutual understanding and shared commitment.

The founding team:

• Mr. Suhas Chakma, Convenor, India
• Mr Arun Chakma, Co-Convenor, USA
• Ms Samapti Chakma Borgne, Member, France
• Ms Shiuli Chanpa Chakma, Canada
• Dr Bhagadutta Chakma, Member, Australia
• Mr Pavel Chakma, Australia
• Mr Ashu Chakma, Member, UK
• Mr Rémi Pflieger-Chakma, Member, France
• Mr Sanchay Chakma, Member, Switzerland
• Mr. Ronel Chakma, Member, South Korea
• Mr. Dipti Sankar Chakma, Member, Japan
• Mr. Devashish Chakma, Member, USA
• Mr Sushil Chakma, Member, USA
• Mr Parish Chakma, Member, USA
• Mr Satu Chakma, Member, China