Jumma refugee Leader arrested in Khagrachari, CHT

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Jumma refugee leader arrested in Khagrachari, CHT

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 19/2007, June 05, 2007

A Jumma refugee leader has been arrested in
Khagrachari, Northern Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Mr. Santoshito Chakma Bakul (52), General Secretary of
the Chittagong Hill Tracts Jumma Refugee Welfare
Association, an organisation of the Jumma refugees
returned from Tripura State of India after the CHT
Accord of 1997, was arrested by police on 3 June from
Chengi Square in Khagrachari town. He was returning
home after attending a meeting of the Task Force on
rehabilitation of the returnee Jumma refugees at the
Circuit House.

No reason was shown for the arrest.

Mr. Chakma has been highly critical of the previous
BNP-led four party coalition government for lake of
progress in the rehabilitation of a large number of
the refugees. In order to attract attention of the
government to the pitiable condition of the returnee
refugees, his organisation had to often resort action
programmes such as mass rally, road blockade and
hartals (strikes).

The army and police have arrested dozens of leaders
and activists from both side of Jumma political divide
- the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) and Jana
Samhati Samiti (JSS) - under the cover of the state of
emergency declared on 11 January this year.

While the ongoing crackdown on political corruption in
the country has earned acclaim from the general people
of the country, the indiscriminate arrests of the
Jumma activists are generally seen as politically
motivated.

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