The myth of colonial ‘protection’ of indigenous peoples: the case of the Chittagong Hill Tracts under British rule

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Abstract

Through a critical examination of British colonial policies in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh, this paper challenges the conventional wisdom that colonial administration had a benevolent strategy of ‘protecting’ indigenous peoples. To this end, this paper specifically dispels three examples of such protectionist rhetoric advanced in the CHT by the British colonial administration: protection of hill people from external invasions, from the exploitation of dominant Bangalee groups, and from their own oppressive chiefs. I conclude that these protectionist policies were in fact self-interest motivated and, therefore, often proved to be counterproductive for hill peoples by further empowering dominant Bangalees and tribal chiefs. Therefore, in engaging with the question of ‘protection’ of ordinary hill peoples in the CHT from ongoing oppression and marginalisation, we must consider new paradigms, beyond the colonial isolationist and seclusionist model of protection.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)210-235
Number of pages26
JournalInternational Journal on Minority and Group Rights
Volume25
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 May 2018

Keywords

  • colonial protection
  • Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT)
  • Bangladesh
  • British colonial rule
  • ethic marginalization
  • legal history
  • indigenous communities

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