fighting for full autonomy

Sajek attack in nowpublic.com

2010-02-20T18:59:00.000-08:00

Another attack in Sajek:burning-looting occurred by Army-Settlers
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by Changma | February 19, 2010 at 08:29 pm
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Sajek
under Rangamati District is under attack. A few hours ago at midnight
the Settlers with the help of Bangladesh Army attacked on Jumma peoples
village and ashes to burn many houses, looting happened.

The
attack began at 10:30pm. The Jummas fled their homes. There have been
reports of widespread looting. The casualties are yet to be ascertained.
At 11.10pm they set fire atLadumoni Bazar.
Till now at this moment attackinng happening.

We are urging all concern to intervene and give pressure to Bangladesh
Government to take action against the perpetrators.
to know more about CHT please visit: jummonet.blogspot.com

Update on Sajek attack: a charred body recovered

2010-02-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

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Update on Sajek attack: a charred body recovered

chtnews.com

News No. 32/2010, February 20, 2010

A charred body of a Jumma woman has been recovered in Guchchagram, bringing the death toll to five. Her identity could not be ascertained.

The casualty figure may rise further, as many still remains unaccounted for.

A report says army have arrested eight Jummas in Mazolong, further east of Baghaihat where the attacks took place. No further details are available.

In another incident, the Bengalee settlers attacked a jeep carrying UPDF supporters to Dighinala at Khagrapur in Khagrachari town.

They were returning home after attending a demonstration in Khagrachari held in protest against the Sajek attack.

One UPDF supporter, Ripon Chakma (25) from Indramacahra village in Dighinala, was badly injured in the attack.

The settlers stopped their vehicle and pulled down five of them from it. After protests, the settlers have been forced to release them.

Tensions have risen in Khagrachari town following the incident.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Sajek attack leaves 4 dead, scores wounded

2010-02-20T18:53:00.000-08:00

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Sajek attack leaves 4 dead, scores wounded

chtnews.com

News No. 31/2010, February 20, 2010

At least four Jumma villagers have been confirmed dead and scores others wounded when the army fired indiscriminately into unarmed civilians without slightest provocation in Sajek under Rangamati district. They also burned burnt to ashes hundreds of houses, including a Buddhist temple and a church, in a number of villages.

The attack began last night when a group of army personnel and illegal Bengalee settlers burnt down 29 houses including 7 shops, a church and a UNDP-run village centre, in two Jumma villages of Gangaram Doar and Retkaba.

The villagers fled into the jungle when the attack took place.

After the first attack, the villagers returned to their villages the next morning and gathered in Gangaram to protest it.

At about 10am the army and settlers went there again and ordered the Jummas to leave the area, but they refused to comply.

At 10:25am the army opened fire into the crowd without any sort of provocation, leaving many dead and wounded. They army also arrested three persons from there.

Another group of trigger-happy army men entered Guchchagram, a cluster village for the Chakmas, across the Kachalong river, while firing from their automatic weapons.

It is still not clear how many people have been killed in the attacks. However, three of the dead have been identified. They are Laxmi Bijoy Chakma, Liton Chakma (30) and Buddhabati Chakma.

Some of the injured are Shanta Shil Chakma, Mrittunjoy Chakma, Sushil Jibon Chakma, Bharat Joti Chakma, Biza Ma Chakma and Rekha Devi Chakma.

Three Jummas -- Dayal Chakma, Chironjeeb Chakma and Nipu Chakma -- are still missing.

The army also attacked Purbo Para village and burnt the houses and Banani Bana Vihar, a Buddhist temple. The abbot of the vihara, Ven. Purnabas Bhikkhu, is missing.

Baghaichari Upazila chairman Sudarshan Chakma and other local Jumma leaders have been barred from visiting the spots. Only the Baghaichari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) was allowed in.

The local administration has imposed section 144 in the area to prevent Jummas from taking out protest demonstrations.

UPDF and its front organisations have planned for demonstrations in three districts of Khagrachari, Bandarban and Rangamati, and in Dhaka and Chittagong.

Buddhist monks will also take up programmes to protest the barbaric attack in Sajek, a Jumma Bhikkhu in Dhaka told chtnews.com.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Protest against murder of Poney Mala Tripura held

2009-09-08T03:48:00.001-07:00

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Protest against murder of Poney Mala Tripura held

chtnews.com
News No. 113/2009, September 08, 2009

Jumma organisations held a protest demonstration against continuing military repression and the killing of Ms Poney Mala Tripura in Khagrachari.

The Hill Students’ Council, Hill Women’s Federation and Democratic Youth Forum jointly organised the demonstration on Saturday, 5 September.

They brought out a procession from Swanirbhor bazaar and paraded city streets chanting slogans before holding a protest rally at Chengi Square.

Hundreds of members and supporters of these front organisations of the UPDF joined the demonstration.

Presided over by Arpan Chakma, General Secretary of PCP Khagrachari District Unit, the rally was also addressed by Remin Chakma, central member of DYF, and Konika Dewan, General Secretary (in charge) of Hill Women’s Federation.

The speakers condemned the arrest of PCP president Ricoh Chakma and others in Panchari and the killing of Poney Mala Tripura in Sindukchari.

Arpan Chakma said “Ricoh Chakma went to Panchari on a speaking tour to persuade Jumma youths and students to take part in a joint conference of the Khagrachari District Units of the three organisaitons to be held on 10 September. But the army detained him along with many others and harassed him.”

Mr. Chakma condemned the undemocratic and fascist behaviour of the army and demanded their complete withdrawal from the CHT.

“The army is the perpetual threat to peace, democracy and development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and therefore they must go back to their barracks in the plain land.” he said.

He also urged the government to bring the killer of Poney Mala Tripura to justice. “It is regrettable that the police have done nothing to arrest Noab Ali and his accomplices” he said and demanded that the government must take measures to ensure that Poney Mala Tripura’s lands cannot be captured illegally by the settlers.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Protest against murder of Poney Mala Tripura held

2009-09-08T03:48:00.000-07:00

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PCP President, 21 others arrested by army, released later

2009-09-08T03:42:00.001-07:00

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PCP President, 21 others arrested by army, released later

chtnews.com
News No. 111/2009, September 07, 2009

The Hill Students Council President Ricoh Chakma was arrested along with 21 others including 5 women in Panchari under Khagrachari district on 4 September.

Army personnel from Panchari zone made the arrest at 3:15pm when PCP leaders were returning from a meeting organised by Democratic Youth Forum. They were arrested from a tea shop at Taltola.

“The army came in two jeeps and caught us without assigning any reason.” Ricoh Chakma told chtnews.com.

The army gave no reason for the arrest and took them to the Panchari police station. However, they were released after midnight.

Among the arrested were PCP Khagrachari district unit president Ratan Chakma, Chairman (in-charge) of Chengi Union Council Mr. Nabo Kumar Chakma, Chengi UP member Khagendra Tripura and businessman Hirohito Chakma.

The arrested also included 5 Jumma women who were returning from a meeting of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF). All other arrested excepting the PCP members had also taken part in the same meeting.

The army beat up nine of the arrested including Tripti Dhan Chakma, Tinku Chakma and Kamleshwar Chakma.

“We don’t know why they have been tortured. None of them has committed any crime and the army personnel also did not ask them anything; they just beat them up.” Ricoh Chakma said.

“The army tied Tripti Dhan and Tinku to a wooden pole and beat them mercilessly”, he added.

He further said the army released them in phases: the five women were released first from Panchari bazaar after forcing them to sign a bond.

All others were released after midnight.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

PCP President, 21 others arrested by army, released later

2009-09-08T03:42:00.000-07:00

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Jumma woman killed by settlers in Sindukchari

2009-09-08T03:36:00.000-07:00

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Jumma woman killed by settlers in Sindukchari

chtnews.com
News No. 110/2009, September 07, 2009

A group of settlers chopped to death a Jumma woman in Sindukchari under Mahalchari Upazila of Khagrachari district on 3 September.

Sources said a group of 4 - 5 settlers led by Noab Ali of Sindukchari village went to the house of Ms Poney Mala Tripura (age 50) in the village of Chotomura Para and chopped her to death. The incident occurred at around 9:30 PM. Her husband’s name is Bibishon Tripura.

Her dead body was taken to Khagrachari for autopsy. A case has been filed with Guimara police station against 4 settlers and a Jumma in connection with the killing.

The accused have been identified as Noab Ali, Rustam Ali, Khairul Islam, Aksar Gaji and Shola Ana Tripura. No one has been arrested till the writing of this report.

Ms Poney Mala Tripura might have been killed over a land dispute with Noab Ali, one of the accused, who has been trying to capture her land. Before the incident, he had been continuously giving threats to her, it has been learnt.

In a village arbitration, it was decided that the disputed land belongs to Ms Tripura. However, Noab Ali refused to accept the verdict.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Trial

2009-09-08T03:16:00.001-07:00

We want full Autonomy

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200 Mro families in fear of land-grabbers and terrorists in Bandarban

2009-06-25T02:43:00.000-07:00

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200 Mro families in fear of land-grabbers and terrorists in Bandarban

chtnews.com
News No. 73/2009, June 25, 2009

About 200 ethnic Mro families in Ronjupara, Penaipara, Chakkoipara and Bhattyapara under Tonkaboti Union in Bandarban Sadar Upazila have been living in fear of land grabbers and terrorists, says Prothom Alo, a leading national Bengali daily.

In a news article today, 25 June, the daily says “Since the attack on a villager of Penaipara on 18 June, the residents of the area have been living in fear of further terrorist attacks on them.”

“The villagers spoke of their sense of insecurity at a press conference held at Bandarban press club on Sunday. The chairman and members of Tonkaboti Union Council and village chiefs at the press conference demanded that land-grabber Shaha Alam and his terrorist gang members are arrested and brought to justice.

“At the press conference Tonkaboti Union Council Chairman Purna Chandra Mro said: ‘Shah Alam, a resident of Choromba area under Lohagora Upazila in Chittagong, has occupied without legal documents hundreds of acres of land belonging to Mro people with the help of his Rohinga terrorist gang. As a result the Mro people of Ronjupara and Penaipara have been unable to cultivate Jum for the last three years, plagued by dire financial crisis and compelled to live a substandard life. Complaints have been lodged with the government administration but to no avail, and the lack of effective measures on the part of the government has been a shot in the arms of terrorist Shah Alam.’

“Expressing anger village chief of Ronjupara, Luring Mro said: ‘I can no longer enter the land where we have been cultivating Jum for generations.’ He said Shah Alam and his terrorists tortured Rengrao while he was working at Jum field. He is still undergoing treatment in Bandarban Sadar Hospital. A case has been filed against six persons including Shah Alam; however police has so far failed to arrest any of them.’

“UP member Majeda Begum and Ashraf Mian told the press conference that they have been living in peaceful co-existence with the Mro. As Shah Alam has illegally occupied the lands of Mro people, who are simple and peaceful, they cannot cultivate their Jum fields and have to live in starvation.

“Bandarban Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Anupam Barua said Shah Alam has no land in Tonkaboti Union. He is doing this defying an order not to occupy Jum lands belonging to Mro people.”

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Six innocent villagers tortured in Sajek

2009-06-25T02:41:00.000-07:00

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Six innocent villagers tortured in Sajek

chtnews.com
News No. 71/2009, June 24, 2009

Six innocent Jummas were tortured in Sajek in Rangamati district during an army raid on a village.

Sources said on 20 June, at 2pm a group of Bangladesh Army soldiers from Baghaihat zone carried out a surprise raid into the village of MSF Para.

The soldiers surrounded the village and began searching for what they said “terrorists”. Finding no ‘terrorist’, the soldiers picked up 6 innocent villagers, took them to the camp and tortured them severely.

They army beat them with stick and gave electric shocks in their bodies.

Five of the torture victims have been identified as Ballya Chakma, 50, of village MSF Para; Chuchyang Naga Chakma, 40, of Bhuachari; Jagadish Chakma, 40, of Karengatoli; Amar Dhan Chakma, 45, of Nakshachari; Kaladhan Chakma, 50, of Gangaram Dore.

The victim whose name could not be known is a friend of Jagadish Chakma, himself a torture victim. Both of them are day labourers.

Ballya Chakma was picked up from his home, while Chuchyang Naga Chakma was arrested while he was on his way to Baghaihat bazaar.

Jagadish Chakma and his friend were preparing to float bundles of bamboo down the river Kachalong to be carried to Kaptai for Karnaphuli Paper Mill, while the army arrested them.

The army arrested Amar Dhan Chakma while he was on his way to Baghaichari Upazila headquarters to draw UNDP’s Village Development Project money from a bank.

Kaladhan Chakma was arrested from his home in Gangaram Dore.

The army released Ballya Chakma, Chuchyang Naga Chakma, Jagadish Chakma and his friend in the evening, the same day, while the rest two were set free the following day.

Baghaihat zone is notorious for carrying out raids, torture and arrest of innocent villagers.

The army takes these repressive measures as part of a general plan to capture land in the area.

In April last year, the settlers burned down hundreds of Jumma houses in ten villages and made a series of attempts to grab land belonging to the Jumma people.

Following the April incident, many human rights organisaitons including International CHT Commission have visited the area. Yet, the conditions have not improved.

Close on the heels of the CHT Commission’s visit last year, the settlers launched further attacks and killed one Ladu Moni Chakma in the most brutal fashion.

A few days ago, the army made a number of arrests in connection with the alleged abduction and murder of a Bengali settler.

Baghaihat zone, under Khagrachari brigade, is commanded by Lt. Col. Anisuzzaman of 14 Bir.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Army threatens Daily Star correspondent

2009-06-25T02:39:00.000-07:00

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Army threatens Daily Star correspondent

chtnews.com
News No. 62/2009, June 19, 2009

The army was reported to have threatened Jasim Majumder, Khagrachari district correspondent for The Daily Star, for publishing a report on a protest rally organised by Boroitali villagers against settler attempts to grab their lands.

The rally was held on Wednesday, 17 June, in Khagrachari and the report appeared in the Daily Star on Thursday -- yesterday.

Quoting Jasim Majumder, Hill Women’s Federation leader Rina Dewan told chtnews.com that he was called to the zone headquarters by an army Major who did not disclose his name, and was threatened not to send such reports because these reports are “injurious to the interest of the army”.

“The Major asked me why I, being myself a Bengali, write against the interest of the Bengali people.” Ms Dewan quoted Jasim as telling her.

“But I told the Major that I am writing the truths, that I have written (the report) after verifying the allegation of the Boroitali people to be true.” Jasim was quoted as saying.

“But I am not afraid of the army threats.”

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

BMSC forms human chain to protest Boroitali land grab attempts

2009-06-25T02:35:00.000-07:00

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BMSC forms human chain to protest Boroitali land grab attempts

chtnews.com
News No. 61/2009, June 19, 2009

The Bangladesh Marma Students’ Council (BMSC) yesterday formed a human chain to protest attempts by a group of settlers to grab 300 acres of land belonging to Jumma people in Boroitali in Ramgarh. (Please see photo attached)

The leaders of the organisation also sent a memorandum to the State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs via Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari.

At the human chain formed at Shapla Chattor in Khagrachari town, the Marma leaders expressed concern over the systematic way the Jumma people’s lands are being taken away by illegal settlers.

“We are observing with serious concern that the CHT situation is becoming unstable again. The settlers continue to build houses after grabbing lands of the innocent Jumma villagers. This has become a regular phenomenon.” said Upasing Marma, President of BMSC Khagrachari District Unit.

Mongshi Prue Marma, another BMSC leader, said the settlers had been constructing houses in Boroitali village under Hapcahri Union in Ramgarh after taking away Hill people’s lands.

Mr. Marma accused a certain state agency of instigating the settlers to go about grabbing other people’s lands.

Legal adviser of the BMSC, Upathoai Marma termed the settlers’ attempt to grab lands as violation of the constitution of Bangladesh and human rights law.

He condemned the use of the settlers as human shield and as a mean to destroy Jumma people’s age old tradition and culture.

Ming Prue Chai Marma of BMSC Chittagong Metropolitan Committee urged the authorities to stop instigating the settlers.

In the memo addressed to the state minister for CHT Affairs, the BMSC leaders made the following demands:

1. to take immediate steps to stop attempts by settlers to build houses on lands belonging to Jumma people in Boroitali;
2. to constitute a high level parliamentary committee to investigate the incidents taking place Boroitali area;
3. to settle land disputes through the CHT land commission with emphasis being laid on the traditional land use system of the Jumma people; and
4. to try all cases relating to human rights violations including illegal land grabbing, incidents of communal riots and rape of Jumma women in the CHT.

The memorandum was signed by the President and General Secretary of BMSC Khagrachari District unit.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

EU urges removal of military camps on tribal land

2009-06-18T00:57:00.000-07:00

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EU urges removal of military camps on tribal land
17 June 2009

The European Union last week urged Bangladesh to remove military camps from the land of the Jumma tribes, and to help re-settle Jummas who have lost their land.

EU officials, who were visiting the country, called on the Bangladesh government to implement the 1997 Peace Accord it signed with the Jumma tribal people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) when it was last in power.

The EU noted that more than 11 years after the signing of the treaty, many of the tribal people displaced by conflict in the Hill Tracts have still not returned to their land. It also called on the government to activate the Land Commission in order to resolve land disputes and hold elections to regional councils.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is reported to have told the EU delegation that her government would implement the peace treaty fully. A committee, led by Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, has been formed in order to ensure its full implementation.

Local activists, however, say that despite election pledges and the formation of a number of committees, no changes have been seen in the lives of the tribal people.

Shirin Lira, Co-ordinator of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission, which is co-chaired by Britain’s Lord Avebury, said, ‘Human rights violations including torture, killings, harassment of Buddhist monks, sexual violence against women and children and the dispossession of indigenous peoples’ lands by Bengali settlers and military personnel are regularly reported.’

Write a letter in support of the Jumma tribal peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts

Army conducted search in Baghaichari, Rangamati

2009-06-17T06:55:00.000-07:00

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Army conduct house searches in Baghaichari

chtnews.com
News No. 56/2009, June 16, 2009

Bangladesh Army soldiers conducted house searches in Jumma villages in Baghaichari under Rangamati district.

Sources said that on the night of 14 June, soldiers from Baghaihat zone led by Lt. Col. Anisuzzaman, Commanding Officer of the camp, took position in Babupara village and began searching houses the next morning.

“They (the army) searched each and every house of the village.” a high school teacher said on condition of anonymity, and added that “the soldiers marked the houses with colours after the search.”

On 16 June, searches were also carried out in the same way in Jeebtoli and Talukder Para.

The army action came on the heels of a HWF rally to mark the 13th anniversary of the abduction of Kalpana Chakma.

The army is blamed for her disappearance on 12 June 1996.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Boroitoli Villager's Demonstration against Land Grabbing

2009-06-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

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Boroitali villagers stage demo against land grabbing

chtnews.com
News No. 59/2009, June 17, 2009

Jumma villagers have staged demonstrations in Khagrachari in protest at attempts by illegal settlers to grab land in Boroitali of Ramgarh Upazila.

They also submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner demanding that the government immediately stop settlers from occupying 300 acres of land belonging to the Jumma people.

Hundreds of people and villagers took part in the demonstration.

Before submitting the memo, the demonstrators took out a procession at 11:30am which paraded the city roads.

Thereafter, they held a brief rally in the town which was addressed by Niong Karbari, the Head of the village, and Mong Chai Aungyo Marma, another villager.

Mr. Karbari said “since 7 June, the settlers have been attempting to grab 300 acres of land in our village which we have been using for generations. On 14 June, the settlers began constructing houses there, and when we tried to prevent them, they attacked us.”

He urged the government to take immediate steps to stop land grabbing and ensure safety and security of his village people.

After the rally, Mong Chai Aungyo Marma submitted a memorandum to the DC on behalf of the villagers.

Democratic Youth Forum leader Remin Chakma and Hill Students’ Council leaders Batayon Chakma and Niko Chakma helped Mr. Marma submitting the memo.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Three innocent villagers tortured in Nannyechar

2009-06-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

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Three innocent Jumma villagers tortured in Nannyechar

chtnews.com
News No. 48/2009, June 12, 2009

Three innocent Jumma villagers were tortured by army in Nannyechar on 9 June, according to independent sources.

Sources said the incident occurred at around 10pm when the victims were returning home in a country boat after selling jackfruits in Rangamati town.

When they reached Komtoli near Burighat some patrolling army personnel from Burighat camp led by Warrant Officer Akbar signaled them to come to the shore, but they took the army for robbers and sped up their engine boat.

However, the soldiers pursued and caught them up at a corner of the Kaptain Lake and beat them mercilessly.

The army freed them after torture.

The victims are Subrata Chakma, age 35, s/o Mongol Mohan Chakma of Mongtola village under Burighat Union, Mithon Khisha, age 16, s/o Anil Kumar Khisha of Mongtola village under Burighat Union and Tontu Bikash Khisha, age 28, s/o Chigon Dhan Khisha of Kengelchari village under Sabekyong Union – were returning home from Rangamati town after selling jackfruits there.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Attemp to Grab Jumma Land in Ramgarh

2009-06-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

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Attempt at land grabbing in Ramgarh

chtnews.com
News No. 50/2009, June 12, 2009

A settler attempt to steal about 300 acres of land belonging to Jumma people in Ramgarh has been failed, according to independent sources.

Sources said a group of illegal Bengali settlers had begun cutting jungles to capture the land in Boroitali under Hapchari Union (No. 3) on 7 June and erected a house structure with bamboos.

The army provided support to the settlers in their attempt to capture the land. They were present at the site when the settlers worked.

Because of the presence of the army the Jummas could not protest openly but destroyed the structure overnight after the settlers had left, sources said.

The next morning the settlers came back along with the army to see the demolished structure, however, they refrained from showing any reaction.

The Jummas use the said land as common property. Previously when it was covered with forests, it provided them with food, medicines and household materials.

In 1981-82, during the rule of dictator general Hussain Muhammad Ershad the army for the first time made an attempt to settle newly-arrived Bengali infiltrators on that patch of land, but the attempt failed when the Jummas put up a fiery resistance.

The second attempt was made in 2004 but again frustrated when the Jumma villagers protested.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

demand publication of Kalpana Chakma inquiry report

2009-06-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

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Jumma organisations submit memo, demand publication of Kalpana Chakma inquiry report

chtnews.com
News No. 47/2009, June 11, 2009

Three Jumma organisations campaigning for full autonomy for Chittagong Hill Tracts today, 11 June, called upon the government of Bangladesh to make the inquiry report on disappearance of Kalpana Chakma public.

The demand was made in a memorandum submitted to the Home Minister by Hill Women’s Federation, Hill Student’s Council and Democratic Youth Forum. A three-member delegation of these organisations handed over the memo to the Home Minister’s Private Secretary, Md. Shahinoor Mian Shahin.

The delegation comprised Mithun Chakma, General Secretary, Democratic Youth Forum; Aongay Marma, General Secretary, Hill Student’s Council and Rina Dewan, Office Secretary, Hill Women’s Federation.

Before submitting the memo, the three organisations held a rally on Dhaka University campus at 11:30am.

The rally was addressed by Mithun Chakma, Aongay Marma and Rina Dewan, and moderated by Thuikyo Ching Maram, office secretary of the PCP.

Besides, representatives from a number of progressive Bengali organisations delivered solidarity speech in support of their demands. These speakers included Faizul Hakim, General Secretary, Bangladesh Mukti Council; Shibli Qyum of Naya Gonotantric Gono Morcha; Shubhra Chakravarti, Convenor, Seven Organisations Against Imperialism; Minhaz Ahmed, Joint Convenor, Bangladesh Chattra Federation; Hillol Roy of Biplobi Chattra Moitree; Nurur Rahman Shiplu, Convenor, Biplobi Chattra Jubo Andolon; Ashish Sharma, General Secretary, Biplobi Chattra Sangha; Mashud Khan of Prapada; and Sajeeb of Sanskritir Naya Setu, a Marxist study group.

The speakers urged the government to make the findings of the inquiry into the abduction of Kalpana Chakma public, and said the government must immediately withdraw military rule from the CHT in the interest of ending repression on the Jumma people.

“Peace has not descended on the hills even after the signing of the 1997 CHT accord, while human rights violations such as unlawful arrest, false cases, harassment and disruption of peaceful meetings and demonstrations still continue unabated as before”, they further said.

After the rally, the participants started to march in a procession towards Home Minister’s office at Bangladesh Secretariat but the police prevented them near Shishu Accademy. Later, a delegation went to the Home Minister’s office and handed over a memorandum to the Minister’s private secretary.

Ms Kalpana Chakma, a leader of the Hill Women’s Federation, was kidnapped from her home at New Lallyaghona village under Baghaichari Upazila in Rangamati district by Lt. Ferdous, then commander of Kojoichari army camp, on 12 June 1996. The incident occurred merely seven hours before voting for the 7th national parliamentary elections began.

The incident provoked CHT-wide protests as well as national and international condemnation. In one of the protests, a schoolboy named Rupon Chakma was killed in VDP firing in Baghaichari while three other Jumma youths were disappeared while on their way to participate in a peaceful road blockade.

In the memorandum, the three organisations said “the then government of Awami League had formed a three-member committee headed by a retired justice, Abdul Jalil to probe the incident. The other members of the committee are Dr. Anupom Sen, professor of social science department, Chittagong University, and the then divisional commissioner of Chittagong. According to press reports, the committee, after conducting inquiry, submitted its findings to the government. However, the previous governments have failed to make it public. Nor those responsible for the murder of Monotosh, Sukesh, Samar Bijoy and Rupon have been tried.”

“We have every right to know what happened to Kalpana Chakma and whether the committee recommended punishment for Lt. Ferdous and his accomplices.” the memo adds.

The memo put forward the following demands: 1. immediately publish the inquiry report on the disappearance of Kalpana Chakma and bring Lt. Ferdous and his accomplices to justice; 2. punish those responsible for the death of Monotoh, Sukesh, Samar Bijoy and Rupon who were killed for protesting the abduction of Kalpana Chakma; 3. remove all the army check posts put up across the CHT and end military rule enforced under codename “Operation Uttoron”; and 4. stop arrest of innocent people including members and supporters of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), release all the political prisoners and take effective steps to stop human rights abuses.

HWF rally in Baghaichari

Hill Women’s Federation, a front organisation of the UPDF, will organise a mass rally in Baghaichari tomorrow to demand publication of the inquiry report on disappearance of Kalpana Chakam.

Progressive Bengali intellectuals including noted poet Abu Bakr Siddiq have been invited to participate in the rally, organisers said.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Six including 3 UPDF members arrested in Laxmichari

2009-06-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Six including 3 UPDF members arrested in Laxmichari

chtnews.com
News No. 46/2009, June 09, 2009

Six persons including three members of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) were arrested in Laxmichari, Khagrachari.

Reports reaching from the area said on 7 June at around 1pm a group of army personnel from Laxmichari zone raided the village of East Chailyatoli and picked up three UPDF members and two supporters. They were making preparations for holding a meeting with the villagers when the arrest was made.

The arrested UPDF members have been identified as Bochai Marma alias Monu, age 30, s/o Mong Hla Ching Marma of village Chowdhuri Para, Betbunia, Kawkhali, Rangamati; Shimul Chakma alias Nipon, age 23, s/o Motilal Chakma of village Dujjyapara, Ghagra, Kawkhali; and Dilmoni Chakma alias Pratap, age 26, s/o Harbo Chakma of villlage Durchari, Dullyatoli Union, Laxmichari.

The arrested UPDF supporters are Dipayan Chakma, age 22, s/o Erokko Chakma and Tejendra Chakma, age 30, s/o Nanda Chakma. Both of them hail from East Chailatoli village, Laxmichari.

The army took them to the zone headquarters and beat them so severely that all of them had to be admitted in Laxmichari hospital at 2am the next day. While the two supporters were released later on after medical treatment, the UPDF members were handed over to the Laxmichari police station.

They had been kept in the police station till yesterday, according to sources. It is not known under which section they have been shown arrested.

Another report adds another Jumma villager was arrested on Monday, 8 June, in Laxmichari. The army arrested Nilondo Chakma, age 40, s/o Boidyo Chakma of Badorkaba village from a tea shop at around 1:30pm. He was handed over to the police, but the reason for the arrest could not be known, it said.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

13th Years of Kalpana Chakma abduction

2009-05-31T08:32:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

13th Years of Kalapana abduction
timeline
In 1996 on 12th June Hill Women's Federation Leader Kalpana Chakma was abducted by Bangladesh Army officer Lieutenant Ferdous from her village New LalyaGhona in Marishya Upazilla.The abduction created public anger among the CHT people. They went out to the Road and protested. This incident created national and international concern. The intlectual and Human Rights concern people spoke out.
The then Government had to set up a probe body.
But After 13 years of the abduction Not even Government did not publicised the report .
Even the Army did not take action against the abductor Lt. Ferdous.
We want immediate releale of the probe body report.
We want abductor Mr. ferdous's punishment.
We want security of the women from atrocities by Security force.
We want free from Army Rule in CHT.

Police foils DYF rally in Dighinala

2009-05-31T07:50:00.001-07:00

cerebral palsy

Police foils DYF rally in Dighinala

chtnews.com
News No. 45/2009, May 31, 2009

Army and police have foiled a youth rally organised by Democratic Youth Forum in Dighinala today, sources said.

As the organisers were setting the stage for the program at 10am, the police led by SI Shamim Shafiq came and ordered them to disperse on the plea that they could not show any written permission for the program.

The police also tried to snatch the mikes and dismantle the podium at Upazila Station Ground where the rally was to be held.

When contacted, DYF’s General Secretary Mithun Chakma, who was present the meeting venue, said they had informed the local administration about the program a few days ago.

He also said that his supporters had been stopped at Jora Bridge army check post. They were coming from Kobakhali and Kangarimachara areas south of Dighinala Headquarters in a jeep or Chander Gari as it is locally called.

After police actions, a team of DYF organisers led by Merin Chakma and Ripan Chakma met with UNO Manuruzzaman Mian at his office.

“When we lodged a strong protest against the undemocratic behaviour of the police, the UNO said he had to take this measure (foiling the rally) because a certain interest group is opposed to our program”, Remin Chakma told chtnews.com after his meeting with UNO.

“He assured us of his cooperation in our future programs.” Remin added.

In protest against the fascist behaviour of the police the DYF brought out a prompt protest demonstration in Dighinala.

The Hill Students’ Council (PCP) will also stage demonstrations in capital Dhaka in the evening, PCP sources said.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Six Jumma arrested in Sajek

2009-05-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Six Jummas arrested in Sajek

chtnews.com
News No. 43/2009, May 27, 2009

At least six Jumma villagers have been arrested by army since 10 May over alleged involvement in the killing of two Bengali settlers in Sajek, sources said.

On the night of 10 May, a group of army personnel from Baghaihat zone arrested two Jummas from their houses. Dipayan Chakma age 25 s/o Anil Baran Chakma was arrested from Gattowatuli village while Priya Moy Chakma age 27 s/o Bijoy Karbari from his village Baibachara.

On the night of 21 May, Baghaihat army raided the village of Nakshasuri and arrested Subarna Chakma age 35 s/o Shubha Mohan Chakma.

On 22 May, Mao Satung Chakma s/o Phidikke Chakma was arrested from his village Nangal Mara.

On 25 May, the army arrested Bar Kana Chakma age 30 s/o Aarech Mohan Chakma from Samitry Chara village.

On 26 May, Arun Shanti Chakma age 14 s/o Hiran Chakma Sajek was arrested from his house in Sajek.

A villager from Sajek told chtnews.com that the army was carrying out raids and making arrests of innocent villagers almost daily. “We live in constant fear of arrest” he said requesting anonymity.

On 6 May two settlers were allegedly kidnapped from a tea shop at Gangaram Mukh in Sajek. Their dead bodies were said to have been recovered from the same area four days later on 9 May in mysterious condition.

The army blamed the Jummas for the incident but a Jumma teacher denied the allegation and said it was a deliberate plan of the army and the settlers to create communal tension and capture Jumma’s land of the area.

“The settlers have been trying to find pretexts to launch fresh communal attacks on our villages so that they can grab our lands.” he said requesting anonymity for security reasons.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Harassment of Buddhist Monk: army arm-twists protesters

2009-05-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

pls visit : Jummonet

Harassment of Buddhist monks: army arm-twists protesters

chtnews.com
News No. 44/2009, May 28, 2009

Jumma villagers in Naniachar have alleged that the army is threatening them after they staged a demonstration in protest against harassment of a group of Buddhist monks at Bogachari check post on 21 May.

The army called the prominent Jumma individuals who had taken part in the demonstration to the zone headquarters separately and forced each one of them to give a video statement saying that Captain Shamim was not involved in the harassment of the Buddhist monks.

Ramani Mohan Talukder, Chairman in charge of Naniachar Union, was called on 25 May, Sentru Chakma, a member of Naniachar Union Council, on 26 May and Anadi Ranjan Chakma, a member of Sabekyong Union Council and also the Karbari or village head of Morachengey village, on 27 May.

The army also called a group meeting on 31 May with 18 Jummas including these three.

Captain Shamim, who was involved in the harassment of Ven. Bishuddhananda Thero and other Buddhist monks, was also present at the meetings.

He and Riaz, another army personnel, took video of the meetings.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Harassment of Buddhist monks: protests continue

2009-05-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Harassment of Buddhist monks: protests continue

chtnews.com
News No. 40/2009, May 24, 2009

Protests against harassment of Buddhist monks are continuing in and outside of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

In Lakshmichari of Khagrachari district, more than 200 Buddhist followers staged demonstration today and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the UNO.

The memo was received by Md. Salimullah, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Lakshmichari.

Mr. Sunity Bikash Chakma, Chairman of Laxmichari UP, Mr. Rajendra Chakma and Mr. Karunamoy Chakma led the demonstration and submitted the memo on behalf of the participants.

They demanded punishment to Captain Shamim for being responsible for the harassment of Ven. Bishuddhananda Thero and other Buddhist monks on May 21, an end to harassment of Jummas including monks at check posts, and withdrawal of all military and paramilitary check posts in the CHT.

Rangamati

In Rangamati town, about 500 people participated in a protest rally today. Held at Shilpakala Academy, the rally was addressed by Saranga Dhanu Chakma alias Shankar, a retired member of Bangladesh Air Force and also President of Banduk Bhanga Bana Vihar; Subhash Chakma, member, Jurachari Bana Vihar; Biswajit Barua, member, Naniachar Bana Vihar; Rahul Chakma, member, Banduk Bhanga Union; Ramani Ranjan Chakma, Chairman in charge of Naniachar; and Sadananda Chakma, a lay follower.

After the rally, the participants marched to the office of the Deputy Commissioner in a procession and handed him a memorandum.

Protest in Chittagong

On Friday, 22 May, Buddhist followers organised a rally in front of press club in protest at the harassment of Ven. Bishuddhananda Thero.

The rally was addressed among others by Dr. Jina Bodhi Bhikkhu, professor of Chittagong University, Rinku Chakma, central committee member of Democratic Youth Forum, Dhiman Chakma, from Bandar area and Shyamol Chakma, a youth leader in Bandar.

Press club chairman Abu Sufian also addressed the rally expressing solidarity with the demands of the protestants.

The rally was followed by a procession which ended at Dosth Building Square, near New Market.

Khagrachari

In Khagrachari, an 11-member committee was formed yesterday to organise a rally in protest against the harassment of Buddhist monks.

Renowned educationist Ananta Bihari Khisha is heading the committee.

It will organise a protest rally tomorrow, one of the committee members told chtnews.com.

More protests are planned in and outside CHT, sources said.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Harassment of Buddhist monks: Naniachar zone commander threatens Jummas

2009-05-25T03:52:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Harassment of Buddhist monks: Naniachar zone commander threatens Jummas

chtnews.com
News No. 41/2009, May 25, 2009

Naniachar zone commander, Lieutenant Colonel Mushfikur Rahman (Bir-1) has threatened the leaders of a protest rally with dire consequences if they continued their agitation against the harassment of a group of Buddhist monks.

The commander on Sunday, 24 May, called 18 persons to the zone headquarters and ordered them to refrain from organising further protests against the 21 May incident involving Captain Shamim of Bogachari army camp.

Lt. Col. Mushfikur Rahman categorically denied that Ven. Bishuddananda Bhante was subjected to harassment and said he had video footage of how the Ven. Bhante behaved at the check post.

He said he would call a press conference and make it known to all.

He warned that if the protests were not stopped within 24 hours he would go tough and do his job as he had always done in the past.

Among those present at the meeting with the army commander were Bishwajit Barua, assistant teacher, Nannyachar High School; Pranati Bikash Chakma, Chairman, Burighat UP; Mithu Chakma, Chairman, Ghilachari UP; Ramani ranjan Talukder, Chairman, Nanyachar UP; Onadi Ranjan Chakma, Chairman, Sabekkhang UP; Shasil Jiban Chakma, President, Ratnankur Bouddha Bihara, Naniachar; Sentru Chakma and Rupayan Chakma.

Commenting on Mushfikur Rahman’s threat, one of those present at the meeting with him said it was a desperate bid of the army to cover up the incident of harassment and save Captain Shamim, the army officer responsible for the harassment of Ven. Bishuddananda Bhante.

“And it is to be expected from an army officer like him who have been terrorising the whole of Naniachar.” he said requesting anonymity for fear of reprisal.

“But people cannot be intimidated any longer... such tactics have become obsolete. The harassment of the Bhante is an insult to our religion and we cannot let it go unprotested.” he added.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Harassment of Buddhist monks: Jummas stage demo in Khagrachari

2009-05-25T03:45:00.001-07:00

cerebral palsy

Harassment of Buddhist monks: Jummas stage demo in Khagrachari

chtnews.com
News No. 42/2009, May 25, 2009

A demonstration has been held in Khagrachari in protest against the May 21 harassment of a group of Buddhist monks at Bogachari army check post in Naniachar, Rangamati.

Hundreds of people irrespective of religious affiliation took part in a procession braving heavy downpour.

The procession, which started at 10am, marched from Sujo Shikha club at Mahajonpara to the office of the Deputy Commissioner to submit a memorandum.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner received the memo on behalf of the government.

Renowned Jumma businessman Chonchu Moni Chakma, Khagrachari Upazila Lady Vice President Banshari Marma, Khagrachari Municipality Councilor Milon Dewan alias Monang and PCJSS (reformist) leader Roktotpal Tripura were present at the submission of the memorandum at DC office.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Harassment of Buddhist monks: Jummas stage demo in Khagrachari

2009-05-25T03:45:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Army harassment of Buddhist monks leads to public resentment: two arrested

2009-05-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Army harassment of Buddhist monks leads to public resentment: two arrested

chtnews.com
News No. 38/2009, May 21, 2009

Two members of the Hill Women’s Federation have been arrested while they were returning from a rally held in protest against harassment of a group of Buddhist monks at Bogachari under Naniachar Upazila of Rangamati district.

Sources from Rangamati said Ven. Bishuddhananda Mahathero, chief priest of Ratnankur Bana Vihara, and his fellow monks and novices were returning to their temple in Naniachar after attending a religious event in the village of Tarachari in Hengelchari area this morning.

When they reached Bogachari army check post at around 10:30am, the jeep carrying them was halted, and they were ordered to get down to allow the soldiers to carry out searches.

“The army wanted to check our vehicle and asked us to get down. However, I refused to obey their order, although all others in the vehicle got down reluctantly.” Ven. Bishuddhananda told chtnews.com by phone from Naniachar.

“I told the army that the jeep belongs to a Buddhist temple, and so there is no need to check it” he added.

But the on-duty army officer, Captain Shamim, was not ready to see his order being disobeyed.

He flung abusive languages at Ven. Bishuddhananda Mahathero and tried to intimidate him. At his order, a group of army personnel came down to the scene with clubs and ropes in their hands. But the Bhante (monk) remained calm and peaceful, and refused to be daunted.

One and half hours later the Second-in-Command of Naniachar zone rushed there and asked for forgiveness from the Bhante for the mistake committed by overbearing Captain Shamim.

Protest and arrest

The news of the harassment of the Buddhist monks spread quickly, and people in Naniachar took out processions and held a protest rally instantly.

They condemned the harassment of Buddhist monks who have renounced their worldly life and been seeking Nibbana or supreme bliss.

However, the army arrested two of the participants – Ms Juthika Chakma, convenor of HWF’s Naniachar Unit, and Ms Mika Chakma, a member of HWF – while they were returning from the rally.

Latest: released

Latest reports said the army took the girls to the zone headquarters, forced them to put their signature on a blank sheet of paper, took their photographs and then set them free.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Youth rally held in Mahalchari

2009-05-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

Youth rally held in Mahalchari

chtnews.com
News No. 33/2009, May 4, 2009

The Democratic Youth Forum organised a youth conference in Mahalchari on May 1, with the slogan: “Strengthen national unity and fraternity, join the movement to protect land and national property of the Jumma people”. (photo attached)

Held at Tholipara ground, the conference was presided over by Michael Chakma, Organising Secretary of the DYF and convenor of the preparatory committee of the conference.

While Remin Chakma conducted the conference, it was addressed, among others, by Mithun Chakma, General Secretary of DYF, Konica Dewan, General Secretary (in charge) of Hill Women’s Federation, Sumen Chakma of PCP and Sorbananda Chakma and Zamini Kumar Chakma of DYF.

The conference was followed by a rally that paraded the streets of Mahalchari.

In the conference the leaders said: “the Semutang gas field belongs to the CHT people. While it is heartening to know that the government is taking initiative to launch production of gas at this field, we want to make it clear that the CHT people must have share in the use of the gas.”

They added that the CHT people did not get electricity after the construction of the Kaptai dam. They have always been discriminated against. Even the right of entrance to the Kaptai Electricity House has been almost restricted for the Jumma people. Although the Karnaphuli Paper Mill is situated in CHT area, the Jumma people do not have partnership in it.

“The CHT people have become alien to their own homeland. Thousands of acres of land have been forcibly taken away form them. The government and the army are direct participant in this orgy of land grabbing.” They said.

The leaders demanded that the government must withdraw army check posts, stop grabbing of land and put an end to military rule and repression in all its forms that is in place under code name Operation Uttoran.

Later a 19-member Mahalchari Thana committee of the DYf was formed with Sarbananda Chakma as President and Ushamoy Khisha as General Secretary.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Withdraw check posts on Rangamati – Khagrachari road, demands UPDF

2009-04-14T23:18:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Withdraw check posts on Rangamati – Khagrachari road, demands UPDF

chtnews.com
News No.29/2009, April 14, 2009

United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) has called upon the government to stop harassing people in the name of checking, and withdraw all the so-called security check posts from Rangamati – Khagrachari road. (photograph of a soldier checking a bus attached)

Speaking to the chtnews.com, UPDF’s central committee member Ujjal Smriti Chakma said: “each and every vehicle plying on Khagrachari – Rangamati and Khagrachari – Chittagong road is halted and checked.”

“The security forces often harass passengers at these check posts” he added.

A government employee said: “Why there should be any check posts? I do not see any changes between pre and post accord situations in the area.”

All – Bengali and Jumma alike - are unanimous in their demand to withdraw all the check posts from Khagrachari – Rangamati road.

According to Democratic Youth Forum’s General Secretary Mithun Chakma, there are as many as eight check posts on Khagrachari – Rangamati road. These are at Mainikchari (Rangamati), Kuduksuri, Ghilachari, Bogachari, Betchari, Kerenganala, Bizitala and Zero Mile.

“They have become anachronistic even in the present-day Chittagong Hill Tracts although the area is still under military occupation and the army rules the roost.” he said.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Breaking News!: Settlers attacked a village in Bogachari

2009-04-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Breaking News! Breaking News! Breaking News!
(chtnews.com April 14, 2009):
Settlers attacked a village in Bogachari under Naniachar Upazilala last night(on 13th april). Jumma villagers fled their homes.

One source said neighbouring villagers had seen the red skyline and plumes of black smoke over the village, suggesting the marauding settlers might have set fire to the houses.
UPDATE NEWS
( The following news updated by CHT news and Views analysis platform)
In the morning(14th april) we got message that Settlers attacked Nabin Chandra Karbari Para(Village) at night.Villagers fled from the village. Though the Settlers didn't set fire the house but it was being apprehended that the house of the Jumma people have been vandalised. It is to be noted that Within and between the Jumma and settlers' village there are Bagachari Army Camp situated. No one could do harm without the concern of the Army.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Army beats up Khg Municipality Councilor

2009-04-13T20:10:00.001-07:00

cerebral palsy

Army beats up Khg Municipality Councilor

chtnews.com
News No.28/2009, April 13, 2009

Army personnel have beaten up Monang Dewan, an elected Councilor of Khagracahri Municipality, at Zero Mile check post, sources from Khagrachari said.

Mr. Dewan went there to enquire into an allegation that the army at the check post was providing shelter to some miscreants who had kidnapped a Jumma woman.

After the beating, hundreds of Jummas converged on Zero Mile to lodge their protest.

An unconfirmed report said the army personnel involved in the beating have been closed.

UPDF President Prasit Khisha in a statement condemned the beating of Monang Dewan and demanded exemplary punishment to those involved in the incident.

He said there is no chance of peace in the CHT as long as the army remains there, and demanded that the authorities withdraw the army from Zero Mile check post permanently.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Army beats up Khg Municipality Councilor

2009-04-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

UPDF member arrested in Lakshmichari

2009-04-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

UPDF member arrested in Lakshmichari

chtnews.com
News No.24/2009, April 11, 2009

A member of the United People’s Democratic Front, popularly known by its acronym UPDF, was arrested by army in Lakshmichari under Khagrachari district on 7 April.

Party sources said UPDF member Rashik Chandra Chakma, 17, s/o Undujjya Chakma of Bardona village under Dullyatoli Union was arrested from the house of his relative at Jurgachari.

“Around 10pm a group of army from Lakshmichari zone raided the house of his relative and picked him up”, UPDF’s Niron Chakma in Khagrachari said and added that he was badly tortured in the camp before being handed over to the police the next day.

Quoting local sources he further said Rashik was booked under section 54 of the criminal procedure code and was sent to Khagrachari jail on 10 April, after 2 days confinement in the police station.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

PCP observes Logang Massacre Day

2009-04-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

PCP observes Logang Massacre Day

chtnews.com
News No.23/2009, April 10, 2009

The Hill Student’s Council has held a rally today in Panchari in Khagrachari district in commemoration of those killed in Logang Massacre in 1992.

At least at two points –Pujgang and Panchari army zone -- the army prevented hundreds of participants from coming to the meeting venue at College ground, one kilometer south of Panchari bazaar.

Despite that, the turn out has been satisfactory, PCP sources said, putting the figure at 1,200.

Presided over by PCP president Ricoh Chakma and conducted by its General Secretary Aungyo Marma, the meeting was addressed by Konica Dewan, Organising Secretary of Hill Women’s Federation and Sukiron Chakma, a member of the PCP, while Ratan Chakma read out the commemoration message.

Before the meeting, a team of the PCP and HWF met the TNO at his office and lodged a strong protest at the way the army was preventing the people from participating in the program.

However, the TNO brushed aside the complaint and instead ordered them not to use mike in the meeting. He also asked them not to bring out any procession, and to confine themselves to the rally.

In a bid to foil the commemoration meeting, the local military and civil administration in Panchari had imposed section 144 last night. However, they had to withdraw it subsequently after UPDF and its front organisations made a strong protest to the Khagrachari Deputy Commissioner.

Longang Massacre Day is a day which will never be forgotten by the Jumma people. It is often viewed as the My Lai of Chittagong Hill Tracts. On this day in 1992, a group of settlers in league with the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles and Village Defense Party (VDP) personnel carried out an attack on unarmed Jumma civilians in Logang cluster village, killing at least 200 persons, including women and children, and burning down thousands of houses.

The incident evoked national and international condemnation, and acted as a catalyst to the formation of the National Committee for the Protection of Human Rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which played a crucial role in drawing media attention to the just cause of the Jumma people.

To eyewash the international community, the then Khaleda government formed a one-member inquiry committee headed by Justice Sultan Hossain Khan. In his inquiry report, which was made public -- an unusual phenomenon in Bangladesh where such inquiry reports usually never see the light of the day -- Mr. Khan absolved the perpetrators and laid down the army version of the incident verbatim.

Not only that, he went to the extent of making a recommendation that the government should arm the murderer settlers for “self-defense”. On the other hand, Mr. Khan maintained a complete silence about the need for safety and security of the Jumma villagers, who were the victims of the massacre.

The Jumma people, including the PCP, rejected the inquiry report of Sultan Hossain Khan and demanded exemplary punishment to the perpetrators.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Jumma – settler communal tension in Ghilachari

2009-04-08T04:04:00.000-07:00

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Jumma – settler communal tension in Ghilachari

chtnews.com
News No. 19/2009, April 6, 2009

There have been reports of heightened tension between Jumma villagers and illegal settlers in Ghilachari under Rangmati district over ownership of land.

Democratic Youth Forum leader, Alakesh Chakma from Rantgamati told chtnews.com that tension had been brewing over the last few days as the settlers began planting pineapple saplings on lands Jumma villagers claim to be their own.

The Jummas lodged a strong protest about it, but the settlers paid no heed.

The matter came to a head 3 days ago when the Jummas destroyed the planted saplings.

The settlers instantly made it an issue and tried to whip up communal sentiment against the Jummas.

Hundreds of settlers came out on the Rangamati – Khagrachari road yesterday, blocked vehicles and forced the passengers to witness “the destruction” of their pineapple gardens.

Alakesh Chakma farther informed that they were worrying for four Jumma villagers who had gone to Islampur bazaar, a settler dominated market place, yesterday. “They have not returned till now”, he said quoting villagers in the area. Two of them are from Nanakrum village and the other two from Guchagram (cluster village).

Another source said vehicular movement on Rangamti – Khagracahri road remained closed today.

“No vehicle is plying on the road, and some Bhantes (Buddhist monks) from Naniachar were supposed to attend a religious function in Ranamati town; but they could not go.” he said.

UPDF’s Rangamati district organiser Shanti Dev Chakma expressed concern over the incident and urged both the Jummas and settlers to stay calm.

He also urged the government to prevent the settlers from grabbing Jumma people’s lands.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

ADC, SP visit Ghilachari

chtnews.com
News No.20/2009, April 6, 2009

In a bid to quell the ongoing tension between the Jummas and Bengali settlers over land grabbing, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati, Bishwajit Bhattacharya Khokan and the Superintendent of Police visited Ghilachari today at noon.

The ADC is reported to have promised to provide compensation to the settlers and urged them to withdraw the road blockade.

The Jummas expressed surprise at what they consider to be ADC’s misplaced attempt to placate the settlers.

A Jumma UP member accused the ADC of being biased, and said “It is unbelievable that the ADC should reward those who grabbed Jumma people’s lands in the first place.”

In another incident, the army carried out a raid into a Jumma village at Ghilachari where large numbers of villagers gathered together to defend themselves in the event of a possible settler attack.

No arrest was made during the raid on “17 Mile” area but it forced the Jummas to disperse.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Conspiracy to capture Sadhana Bana Vihara continues

2009-03-20T22:44:00.001-07:00

cerebral palsy

Conspiracy to capture Sadhana Bana Vihara continues

chtnews.com
News No. 16/2009, March 20, 2009

Conspiracy to capture 300 acres of land belonging to Sadhana Bana
Vihara in Babuchara is still continuing as the army refuses to allow
house building materials into areas north of Babuchara army check
post. The army suspects that the materials will be used to construct a
Buddhist temple there.

Forcible grabbing of Jumma people’s land had become rampant after the
declaration of a state of emergency in the country in January 2007.
Even lands belonging to religious institutions were not spared.

At that time, the army and settlers also made numerous attempts to
capture Sadhana Bana Vihara’s land by force. But when the Jumma people
of the area put up an organised resistance, they retreated but
continued their efforts by changing their strategy.

The settlers filed a number of false cases against the Jummas, but in
the end of the day the Jummas came out victorius.

On 18 February 2009, two Bengali settlers filed another law suit with
the Khagrachari district judge’s court, and the court issued an
injunction ordering parties to maintain status quo.

After obtaining the court order, the army imposed an embargo on house
building materials such as brick, cement, iron rod, corrugated iron
sheet and sand to be carried beyond Babuchara army check post in the
direction of Sadhana Baba Vihar area.

This resulted in immense suffering of the common people who are not
being able to build new houses or repair old ones before the onset of
the rainy season which is not far off.

One Juboraj Chakma, who resides near the office of Babuchara Union
Council office, sought to import in corrugated iron sheets for the
reparation of his house. But the army and Village Defense Party
members prevented him from doing so. Like him, many other Jummas have
faced similar experience.

Apart from the embargo, the army regularly checks vehicles carrying
Jummas and holds them back for hours on end, for reasons best known to
it.

On 12 March, an ambulance carrying the dead body of a Jumma was halted
at the check post for 4 hours. On the same day, a jeep of a wedding
party was also halted and held back for three hours.

“But the army never checks or halts the vehicles of the Bengali
people”, alleged a Jumma villager of the area.

“This is awfully discriminatory, and we are really sick of it”, he further said.

Apparently to check out if the court order was being complied with,
soldiers from Babuchara sub-zone regularly visit Sadhana Bana Vihara.

On 7 March, they entered the dining hall of the Vihar with their boots
on and showered insults on Ven. Buddha Bongsha Bhikkhu, the chief
priest of the temple. He and other monks were taking their pre-midday
meal at the time.

On another occasion, the army ordered the chief priest to remove the
bricks, iron rods and other house building materials from the Vihar
area. But the monk told the army point blank that “that is not
possible”.

While there is smoldering resentment against the unlawful embargo
imposed by the army, the Jummas are also showing resilience. “We will
no more take such injustices lying down. We will fight the legal
battle, and do whatever we can to save Sadhana Bana Vihar.” said a
villager echoing the general sentiment of his fellow Jummas in
Babuchara.
..............................
chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service
dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's
struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information
please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Conspiracy to capture Sadhana Bana Vihara continues

2009-03-20T22:44:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Two innocent villagers arrested in Kudukchari

2009-03-18T19:32:00.001-07:00

cerebral palsy

Two innocent villagers arrested in Kudukchari
It has been confirmed that Later they were released

chtnews.com
News No. 15/2009, March 18, 2009

Two innocent villagers have been arrested by army in Kudukchari under
Rangamati district.

Sources said a group of army personnel led by a captain from
Kudukchari camp raided the village of Kabukchari today and arrested
Amal Chakma, 45 and Dharma Chan Chakma, 45.

The name of the commander could not be known; he came to the camp only
two days ago.

The Jummas were picked up in the afternoon, and the army has taken
them to the camp, the sources said without giving further details.

Kabukchari lies about one and a half km west of the camp. Today’s raid
follows another two such recent raids into the village in as many
days.
..............................
chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service
dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's
struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information
please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Two innocent villagers arrested in Kudukchari

2009-03-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Two innocent villagers arrested in Kudukchari

chtnews.com
News No. 15/2009, March 18, 2009

Two innocent villagers have been arrested by army in Kudukchari under
Rangamati district.

Sources said a group of army personnel led by a captain from
Kudukchari camp raided the village of Kabukchari today and arrested
Amal Chakma, 45 and Dharma Chan Chakma, 45.

The name of the commander could not be known; he came to the camp only
two days ago.

The Jummas were picked up in the afternoon, and the army has taken
them to the camp, the sources said without giving further details.

Kabukchari lies about one and a half km west of the camp. Today’s raid
follows another two such recent raids into the village in as many
days.
..............................
chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service
dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's
struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information
please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Three innocent villagers arrested in Karallyachari

2009-03-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Three innocent villagers arrested in Karallyachari
After mind fearing interogation later they were released

chtnews.com
News No. 13/2009, March 16, 2009

Three innocent Jumma villagers were arrested by army yesterday from
Sarnath Arannyo Kuthir area in Karallyachari under Mahalchari Upazila
in Khagrachari district.

Warrant Officer, Md. Wahid of 13 Bir, stationed at Sarnath Arannyo
Kuthir, made the arrests at 9am while they were sawing logs in the
Kuthir (Buddhist temple) area.

The arrested have been identified as Shanti Ranjan Chakma, 45, s/o
late Ram Charan Chakma, Amar Singh Chakma, 40, s/o Biro Sen Chakma and
America Chakma, 45, s/o Kalabiza Chakma. They are from the village of
Karallyachari.

The army handed them over to the police station in Mahalchari.
However, no case has yet been filed against them, said Sunil Jibon
Chakma, ex-chairman of Kyang-ghat Union Council.

He further said newly-elected Mahalchari Upazila Chairman, Mr. Sona
Ratan Chakma contacted the Mahalchari zone headquarters of the army
yesterday and pleaded for their release; but his request went
unheeded.

“I have heard that there will be a meeting this morning at 10am at
Karallyachari where the issue will be discussed. Sona Ratan Chakma and
army officers are expected to attend this meeting.” Mr. Sunil said.

During the state of emergency in 2007 and 2008, the army and settlers
made repeated attempts to capture the Kuthir’s 8 acres of land and its
adjacent areas. The local administration imposed section 145 in the
area prohibiting the gathering of people and banning uplift work in
the Kuthir.

Army personnel have been deployed to the area since January.
..............................
chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service
dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's
struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information
please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

UPDF leader’s house searched in Kudukchari, one arrested

chtnews.com
News No. 14/2009, March 16, 2009

The army has searched the house of a central committee member of the
United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) at Kudukchari and arrested a
neighbor, sources in Rangamati said.

A group of army personnel from Kudukchari camp raided the house of
Ananda Prakash Chakma, a member of the central committee of the UPDF,
in the village of Pora Adam today at 5:45pm.

The house lies within 250 yards of the camp, near Kudukchari bazaar.

The soldiers turned the house upside down, searching for firearms or
incriminating materials, but found none.

Mr. Ananda Prakash Chakma was not at home during the search, and the
army personnel interrogated his wife Monica Chakma about his
whereabouts.

Eyewitnesses said the soldiers were accompanied by a person with a
bandanna covering his face.

“The masked man stood at a corner of the house and talked something
into the ears of a soldier.” said an eyewitness who refused to be
named for security reasons.

He said after the search the army picked up Tindukkya Chakma, 32, from
his house.

Tindukkya Chakma, an innocent villager, has a false case against him
and is on bail.

The army left the scene at 6:10pm.
..............................
chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service
dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's
struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information
please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

One Jumma girl child raped in Dighina

2009-03-09T23:30:00.000-07:00

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One Jumma girl child raped in Dighinala

chtnews.com
News No. 11/2009, March 9, 2009

As the world observes International Women’s Day, a girl child is raped in a village in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a region where an overwhelming presence of military and settlers makes the ethnic Jumma women most vulnerable to sexual assaults.

Four-year old Ety Chakma was raped by Mostafa Mian, a Bengali settler from Betchari village in Dighinala Upazila, yesterday, 8 March, sources in Khagrachari said.

Quoting the victim’s father Zhimit Chakma and mother Joshi Chakma of village Shanti Lakshmipur in Madhyom Boalkhali under Dighinala Upazila, sources said the incident occurred at 1pm when Ety Chakma went to Miyeeni River, half a Kilometer away from their house, to have a bath.

At 3pm she was taken to Dighinala hospital from where she was referred to Khagrachari District Hospital.

“She is now lying on bed number 8 in the Child Unit of the hospital”, sources said.

Victim’s parents said the Officer-in-Charge of Dighinala police station had contacted them and taken their signature on a blank paper. They did not know the reason why the police did this.

Sonali Chakma, president of Hill Women’s Federation, condemned the incident and urged the government to bring the culprit to justice.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Rape of Ety Chakma: HWF stages protest rally

chtnews.com
News No. 12/2009, March 9, 2009

The Hill Women’s Federation, a front organisation of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), today brought out a procession and staged a rally in Khagrachari in protest against the rape of Ety Chakma in Dighinala. (photo attached)

The procession took off from Red Square and paraded the main road of the town before ending at Swanirbhor Bazaar.

Thereafter, the processionists held a rally which was presided over by Rina Dewan, President of HWF Khagrachari District Unit. Konika Dewan, Organising Secretary of the HWF and Arpan Chakma, Secretary of PCP Khagrachari District Unit, also addressed the rally.

The speakers condemned the rape of four-year old girl Ety Chakma and demanded immediate arrest rapist Mostafa Mian.

The leaders regretted that no perpetrator of human rights violations has ever been arrested and punished, and added that “the life of the Jumma women will never be safe and such kinds of incidents are bound to recur until and unless the army and settlers are withdrawn from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.”

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

FOLLOW UP OF SACHIB CHAKMA ARREST

2009-02-10T03:12:00.000-08:00

cerebral palsy

Voice for your ancestral land and the rights of self - determination of Jumma people

UPDF leader arrested in Rangamati

Yesterday(7th february,2009), Mr. Sacib Chakma, a top leader of UPDF and member of Central Committee of the party was arrested by the security forces in Rangamati.

According to the source of daily newspapers – Pothom Alo, Suprabhat and Ittefaq Mr. Sachib Chakma was arrested on his way to see his sickness mother in Ranghamati. He was going to see his sickness mother after joining in a party meeting in Khagrachari and the security forces arrest him halting the vehicle was carrying him reach at Bagachari under Rangamati district in Chittagong Hill Tracts.

It was third arrest of Mr. Sacib Chakma and in previous he was arrested twice in 1998 and 2005. Immediately after his arrest, although UPDF’s front organizations (Democratic Youth Forum, Hill Women’s Federation and Hill Students Council) managed to oraganise a protest demonstration in Khagrachari, however, UPDF has not been allowed by the security forces to protest in Nanniyacar, home town of Mr . Sachib Chakma .

In Kharachari, the leaders of front organisations condemned the arrest of Mr. Sacib Chakma and demand unconditional release of Mr. Sacib Chakma. Further, they demand to stop military interference and arrest without reason. Mr. Mithun Chakma, Organizing Secretary of Democratic Youth Forum, Miss Rina Dewan, Secretary of Hill Women Federation and Mr. Arpan Chakma, General - Secretary of Hill Student’s Council were the key speakers at the protest demonstration.

In a joint statement, Advocate Bhulan Bhoimik, president of National Liberation Front and Mr. Amir Abbas, members of the same organisation condemned the arrest of Mr. Sacib Chakma.

They said, UPDF in democratic way is leading movement and however, many its leaders have been victims of arrest. They said through the arrest Mr. Sacib Chakma, it indicates two policies in the country in one hand and came undemocratic and fascist’s face of the state to light on the other.

Mr. Sacib is a dedicated leader of UPDF and popular to the Jumma people. Therefore, he was targeted again and again by the security forces. To suppress UPDF and its movement of self- determination, over 200 its activists were arrested so far.

International Campaign for Self-Determination

in

Chittagong Hill Tracts (ICSDCHT)

Army of Nanyachar Zone in Rangamati warned not to staged any rally again in protest of Sachib Chakma's arrest

10th February, 2009
From Khagrachari, Chittagong Hill Tracts(CHT), Bangladesh

Army of Nanyachar Zone under Rangamati District asked the PCP, Leader and peoples represantative yesterday(09th february, 2009)) at 11am to go to the camp.When the Leaders went in the camp the Army Zone commander Mr. Morshed warned them not to stage any programme again against the arrest of UPDF leader Sachib Chakma.The Army commander warned that if any more protest rally would be staged, Army would close down the office of UPDFand it's front organisation. They also reminded them about the 13th November,1993 Nanyachar Massacre. They told that if another protest rally would come then another 13th November like Nanyachar Massacre would be created. It is to be noted that Nanyachar Massacre occurred by Army in 1993 where more than 39 Jumma people were slaughtered or killed.
The Army asked the following people to go to their camp-
1. Mr. Bilash Chakma - president, Hill Students Council(PCP) , Nanyachar Upazilla Branch
2. Mr. Bitu Chakma - General Secretary, PCP, Nanyachar Upazilla Branch
3. Ms Juthika Chakma - President, Hill Women's Federation(HWF)
4. Ms Dipa Chakma - General Secretary, HWF
5. Mr. Santosh Bikash Khisha - Principal- Nanyachar College
6. Mr. Ritan Chakma - Chairman- Nanyachar Union Parishad(Local Union Council)
7. Mr. Mtu Chakma - Chairman - Ghilachari Union Parishad
8. Mr. Pranati Ranjan Khisha - Burighat Union Parishad
9. Mr. Kumendu Bikash Chakma - Newly elected Vice Chairman of Nanyachar Upazilla

News gathered from UPDF sources and sending by Mithun Chakma
Email: mithunlinguistics@ yahoo.com
cell: +88-01552559763

UPDF leader Sachib Chakma arrested

2009-02-09T03:43:00.000-08:00

cerebral palsy

UPDF leader Sachib Chakma arrested

February 8, 2009

UPDF leader Sachib Chakma was arrested from Bagachari under Nanyachar Upazila in Rangamati district on Saturday, 7 February.

Army personnel from Bagacahri camp arrested him at 5pm when he was on his way to see his ailing mother.

Sachib Chakma is a central committee member of the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) and organiser of the party’s Rangamati district unit.

Sources said he was going to his village Bogachari by a CNG auto rickshaw after attending a meeting in Khagrachari. The army halted his vehicle at Bagachari check post on Khagrachari – Rangamati road and arrested him.

Sachib Chakma has a number of false cases filed against him in the past. He was handed over to Nanyachar police at midnight. However, no new case has been filed against him.

UPDF sources said he was carrying Taka 79 thousand with him.

Sachib Chakma was first arrested on 11 February 1998 from Nanyachar bazaar, one day after the surrender of the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) members at Khagracahri stadium. At that time he was arrested for voicing criticism of the CHT accord.He was He was arrested for the second time on 23 May 2005 from Khagrachari town when he was arranging a demonstration in protest of forced land grabbing in Sajek area in Rangamati by Settlers by the help of Army.
News gathered from UPDF sources and send by Mithun Chakma, General Secretary, Democratic Youth Forum(DYF).( A CHT based youth organisation in Bangladesh)
Email: mithunlinguistics@ yahoo.com
Cell: +88-01552559763

सम more CHT News

2009-01-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

cerebral palsy

Terrorist attack in Sajek, one terrorist dies when resisted

chtnews.com
News No. 03/2009, January 20, 2009

Reports say one terrorist has been killed when villagers resisted an
attack on a UPDF house in Sajek under Rangmati district.

The terrorists, 15 in number and led by Chinu Marma, encircled the house
at Choinoichara village in the small hours last night and then set it on
fire after looting valuables.

When the villagers came to know of the incident, they blocked the road
and fought the terrorists. One of the terrorists was killed in their own
"friendly fire", sources said. However, the name of the deceased could
not be known immediately.

The terrorists also beat up five villagers during the attack. They have
been identified as Kina Chan Chakma (45) s/o Rangahulo Chakma,
Chikkakala Chakma (30) s/o unknown, Kalacheda Chakma (22) s/o late Budu
Chakma, Bhagyojit Chakma (25) s/o Bannya Chakma and Ripon Chakma s/o
Bharat Bijoy Chakma.

Besides being tortured, the victims were also made to carry the dead
body up to the river bank of Sajek and were tortured there again.

The terrorist attack is believed to have been carried out to foil an
election meeting called by UPDF. The meeting is scheduled to be held
today.

The terrorists are remnants of an armed group patronized by a regional
party whose headquarters are based in Rangamati.

Members of this armed group have recently ganged up with the military
and the local leaders of the Awami League to make sure their favourite
candidates win in the upcoming Baghaichari Upazilla elections.

They have been terrorizing, intimidating and coercing the innocent
villagers in Baghaichari for the last few days.

On 14 January, the terrorists looted away cash Take 35 thousand and
other goods from three shops in Ugalchari of the area. Three persons
were wounded when they resisted the terrorists. They are Mohiuddin (20),
Nazrul Islam (24) and Abbas Uddhin (30).

A local newspaper published from Chittagong treated the incident but
stopped short of revealing the identity of the terrorists.

The army also did nothing either to prevent the looting or to nab the
terrorists after the incident.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service
dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's
struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information
please contact at: chtnewsonline@ gmail.com

Army forcing Jummas to sell goods at cheaper price

chtnews.com
News No. 02/2009, January 19, 2009

The army is forcing the Jummas to sell their produce such as dried
turmeric and ginger at throwaway prices to the Bengali traders in
Baghaihat bazaar of Sajek in Rangamati district, alleged a human rights
activist, who requested anonymity, citing security reasons.

He said Saturday is market day in Baghaihat. On last Saturday, 17
January, the Commanding Officer (CO) of Baghaihat army zone, Lt. Col,
Anisuzzaman, forced five Jumma villagers to sell their ginger at Taka 40
per kg, much cheaper than the market price.

At the market it sells at Taka 65 per kg.

According to him, Arun Mohan Chakma (53) s/o Lakshmi Chakma, Anil Kanti
Chakma (52) s/o late Kanti Chakma, Shanti Bikash Chakma s/o Badi Chandra
Chakma, Joton Kumar Chakma of Bhaibonechara village and Anil Kanit
Chakma (30) s/o Shukar Singh Chakma of Hazachara village were forced to
sell their produce at such a throwaway price.

"The Jummas each brought 80 kgs of ginger to the market, the aggregate
value of which stands at Taka 26,000. Therefore, clearly they have been
made to lose Take 10,000." he said.

He said he also received reports of such forced selling from Dighinala,
but could not give details.
............ ......... .........
chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service
dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's
struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information
please contact at: chtnewsonline@ gmail.com

High court issues rule on EC over non-registration of UPDF

2008-12-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

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High court issues rule on EC over non-registration of UPDF

chtnews.com
News No. 173/2008, December 03, 2008

The High Court yesterday issued a rule on the Election Commission to show cause as to why the decision not to register United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) as a political party should not be declared to have been issued without lawful authority and is of no legal effect.

A high court bench comprising justice Said Mahmud Hossain and justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui gave the order after Rabi Shankar Chakma, General Secretary of the UPDF, filed a writ petition against the EC decision. The court gave the respondents two weeks to reply.

Advocate Md. Iddrishur Rahman, Barrister Sarah Hossain, Advocate Pratikar Chakma and Advocate Md. Shahidullah moved the writ petition in the high court.

The respondents of the case are 1. The Election Commission for Bangladesh, Election Commission Secretariat, Shere-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka; 2. The Election Commission Secretariat, represented by its Secretariat, Election Commission Secretariat, Shere-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka represented Shere-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka; 3. Deputy Director (Administration) of the Election Commission, Election Commission Secretariat, Shere Bangla Nagar, Dhaka; 4. Senior Assistant Secretary (Proshashon- 3), Election Commission Secretaiat, Shere-Bnagla Nagar, Dhaka; 5. District Election Officer, Khagrachari Hill District; and 6. The Deputy Commissioner, Khagrachari.

On 20 October, the United People's Democratic Front submitted an application to the Election Commission Secretariat for obtaining registration as a political party. However, on 2 November, in an arbitrary manner and without giving UPDF the legally mandated opportunity to be heard, the EC took a decision not to grant UPDF registration, and in a letter wrote to the UPDF that "the Election Commission has decided that the United Peoples Democratic Party (sic) is not eligible for registration because it has failed to fulfill the conditions for registration as set by the Political Parties Registration Rules, 2008."

On 30 November, UPDF filed the writ petition against the said decision of the EC contending that it is ultra vires of the provisions of the Political Parties Registration Rules, 2008 and violates the principles of natural justice.

According to section 7(5) of the Political Parties Registration Rules, 2008, the EC is legally bound to give the applicant a fifteen-day's opportunity if the application is not submitted along with adequate documents and information.

The EC refused to give this opportunity to the UPDF and turned down the application in a manner described in the writ petition as arbitrary.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Denial of Registration: UPDF sends legal notice to EC

2008-11-09T03:22:00.001-08:00

Denial of Registration: UPDF sends legal notice to EC

chtnews.com
News No. 167/2008, November 9, 2008

THE United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) on Sunday, November 09, sent a legal notice to the Chief Election Commissioner, A T M Shamshul Haq, urging him to inform the party by 2pm today whether the EC would "cancel, withdraw or rescind" its decision of 2. 11. 2008 not to register the UPDF as a political party.

The notice has been sent on behalf of the UPDF President, Mr. Prasit Khisha, by Advocate Md. Shariful Haq from Hazlul Karim and Associates.

It said " the said decision dated 2.11.2008 of the Election Commission not to register the UPDF as a political party is ultra vires of the Political Parties Registration Rules, in particular Rule 7(5) which specifically provides that the Commission shall give any applicant party an opportunity of fifteen days to correct any errors in its application and to supply the necessary documents in support of such application."

It also contended that " the said decision dated 2.11.2008 of the Election Commission is without lawful authority and of no legal effect inasmuch as it is wholly arbitrary and in violation of the principles of natural justice."

The press release was signed by Aongay Marama, Publication and Public Relations Department of the UPDF.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: UPDF terms EC 'biased' in party registration

chtnews.com
News No. 164/2008, November 8, 2008

The United People's Democratic Front on Friday accused the Election Commission of showing 'discriminatory and biased' attitude in the registration of political parties, says the New Age, an English national daily in Bangladesh.

Full excerpt of the New Age report is as follows:

UPDF terms EC 'biased' in
party registration

Staff Correspondent

The United People's Democratic Front on Friday accused the Election Commission of showing 'discriminatory and biased' attitude in the registration of political parties.
Condemning the commission's decision not to register the UPDF as a political party, the party's president Prasit Bikash Khisha, in a statement signed by Angya Marma, the office and public relation secretary of the party, termed 'unacceptable and illogical' the reasons the commission showed for not registering it.
'It is very unfortunate the commission refused to register democratic and progressive parties such as the United People's Democratic Front whereas it registered parties like Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami which acted against the country's independence in 1971, amid strong opposition,' the statement said.
Prasit Bikash asked the chief election commissioner to reconsider registering it as a political party.

http://www.newagebd.com/2008/nov/08/nat.html

UPDF member arrested in Sajek

chtnews.com
News No. 166/2008, November 9, 2008

A member of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) was arrested in Sajek under Rangamati district on 7 November.

Sources said Motor Chakma, aged 33, s/o Budu Chakma (mother's name Erebu Chakma) of village Balukhali under Bongoltoli Union of Baghaichari Thana was arrested from the house of one of his relatives in the village of Egojyachari in Sajek.

A group of army personnel from Majolong camp raided the village at around 4:30pm and arrested him.

Mr. Chakma, an active member of the UPDF, is believed to have been there on a family business. He has not been handed over to the police till the writing of this report at 3pm today.

No further details are available.
PCP Naniachar office standoff: army picks up 10 PCP and HWF members

chtnews.com
News No. 165/2008, November 8, 2008

In a latest development today, the army picked up five members of the Hill Students Council (PCP) including the president of its Naniachar branch, Bilash Chakma, and another five Hill Women's Federation members from their office at T & T area in Rangamati district.

However, they were released later after "interrogation". PCP and HWF sources in Naniachar told chtnews.com that a group of army personnel led by Adjutant Nazmul from Naniachar zone (1 EBR) came to the PCP and HWF office at around noon and took the PCP and HWF members to the zone headquarters.

At the zone, they were interrogated by captain Morshalin. In reply to his questions, the PCP Naniachar unit president told him that they had closed down the office after the declaration of the state of emergency last year.

"The army officer said they will not allow us to open the office without permission from the TNO (Thana Nirbahi Officer)." one of the PCP men present at the interrogation told chtnews.com.

Captain Morshalin also asked them to appear before the zone headquarters with identity cards and meet with the Commanding Officer (CO) tomorrow.

The other PCP members that were picked up included Bablu Chakma, Organising Secretary; Bignabinashon Chakma, Assistant General Secretary; Tapu Moni Chakma, member; Kalo Moni Chakma, member.

The HWF members taken to the zone headquarters along with them are Aruna Chakma, Kemie Chakma, Bipasha Chakma, Rupashi Chakma and Api Chakma.

PCP condemns
The Hill Student's Council President, Ricoh Chakma, and General Secretary, Aungya Marma, in a statement condemned what they called "the autocratic and undemocratic attitudes" of the army.

Army-police cordon off UPDF office in Naniachar

chtnews.com
News No. 163/2008, November 8, 2008

A joint force of army and police personnel cordoned off the office of the Naniachar branch of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) yesterday, 7 November, a day after it was opened for the first time in nearly two years.

Like all other political parties of the country, the UPDF also closed down its offices after the promulgation of the state of emergency on 11 January last year suspending all kinds of political activities.

After the announcement of polls schedule on 2 November, the caretaker government relaxed the emergency rules, allowing the parties the freedom to conduct election related activities. A few months earlier, the government had withdrawn a ban on indoor politics.

In the morning of 6 November, the UPDF members and supporters opened their office in Naniachar Thana under Rangamati district. At 12 noon, two security intelligence personnel visited the office, but they did not speak to any one. "They stayed a few minutes at the office and then left" said a UPDF member from Rangamati.

The following day, i.e., 7 November, around 7am a joint force of army and police personnel came to the office in three pick-up vans and cordoned it off until 5pm.

The soldiers asked the people, present at the nearby tea shops, who had opened the office the day before.

The soldiers also told them that they had information that there would be a meeting at the office.

Sachib Chakma, a central committee member of the UPDF, confirmed the incident and said "the way the army and police cordoned off our office is a clear violation of our democratic rights."

"This is a tactic of intimidation and coercion, and they did it so that we are not able to participate in the polls freely and openly." he added.

Sajek victims demand withdrawal of settlers

2008-09-01T02:39:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Sajek victims demand withdrawal of settlers

chtnews.com
News No. 145/2008, August 29, 2008

Sajek victims at a press conference yesterday at Reporters Unity, Dhaka, called upon the interim caretaker government to withdraw the settlers from Sajek, stop land grabbing and punish the murderers of Ladu Moni Chakma.

Organised in cooperation with the Democratic Youth Forum, Hill Women's Federation and Hill Student's Council, the press conference was attended by four victims of the latest settler attacks in Sajek -- Mukul Bikash Chakma, Hridoy Ranjan Chakma, Tara Kinkor Chakma and Minti Chakma alias Chikonpudi, wife of Ladu Moni Chakma.

In a written statement read out by Mukul Bikash Chakma, the victims narrated the incidents that took place since the 20 April settler attack in the area.

They said immediately after the visit of the members of the CHT Commission to Sajek, the settlers begun threatening the Jummas for speaking to the Commission, and 9 August they attacked four Jumma houses in Gangaramdoar, leaving Hridoy Ranjan Chakma seriously wounded. The settlers also ransacked and looted the houses and tore books on Jesus Christ to pieces.

Hridoy Ranjan Chakma said "It was half past eleven in the night. ... The settlers were advancing near our house while shouting. I woke up from bed. I heard the settlers saying 'there is a house over here'. As soon as I opened the door, they began beating me, without asking me anything. They hit me on the back, legs and hands with sticks. At one stage they hit me in the head, and I fell on the ground unconscious."

"A little later when I regained my senses, I found a member of the Ansar (paramilitary force) taking me near the road, holding my hand. He took me beside an army vehicle. An army Subedar (Warrant Officer) named Rabiul was there. From there, they led me to the CO. I said to the CO: 'Sir, why did the settlers beat me? What wrong have I done? As you have seen, I always take part in your meetings. But why this happened to me?' After hearing this, the CO, Sajid Imtiaz said, 'tuth beta' (you wretch!)" He continued. "I was still soaked in blood. The Bengalis were roaming near the army personnel. They were armed with "dao", axes, long knives, "dhama" etc. They were 20 - 25 in number. Those who beat me were also roaming around."

All the victims were unanimous in their accusation that the attack was carried out because "we spoke to the CHT Commission".

Narrating the 19 August attack in which Ladu Moni Chakma was chopped to death, his wife Ms Minti Chakma of Retkaba village said, "On the day of incident, that is on 19 August, at around 10 in the night, we woke up by the shouts 'open the door, open the door' and the knocks at the door". Without us realizing what was going on, three Bengali people broke into the house. They asked us to cover our eyes, and cut the mosquito nets hung over the beds. They threw our clothes at us so that we could blindfold us with them. They told us to blindfold us ourselves. My sons tried to get up from bed, but they were kicked.

"At this time, they began to take my husband out. My eyes were covered with folds. My husband tried to resist. They also tried to take my daughter, Minu, out, but I vigorously resisted and they hit me in my forehead with a knife. When they were entering the house I saw knives in their hands and recognised Ali."

She said after the Bengalis took her husband out, she and her children fled away through the backdoor of the house, and took shelter in the house of Joy Mongol Bap. "I was coming back the next morning when I found the mutilated body of Ladu Moni Chakma on the west side of Baghaihat road." she said.

She said she filed a case with the Baghaichari police station and heard that three of the culprits were arrested.

She said on the night the incident took place there was no army vehicle patrolling the road, which was unlike other nights.

Ms Minti Chakma said their house was also burnt down during the 20 April deadly attack, but they had built it within one week of the attack.

The victims said that the settlers felt encouraged to launch further attacks because no legal actions had been taken against those responsible for the 20 April attack. They said "Immediately after the 20 April attack, the settlers embarked on the grabbing of the Jumma people's lands with new vigor. They built about 50 - 60 new huts on our lands in the villages of Simanachara, Retkaba and Gangaram. Military personnel from Baghaihat zone directly assisted the settlers. In Gangaramdoar, the settlers built a row of small huts after destroying a cottage built for the Buddhist monks. 10 - 15 settler families have now settled there. An army sentry post has been erected there to provide security to the settlers"

The victims further said "we want to live in peace as citizens of the country with our lands and property. In the past there was no conflict with the Bengalis over land or any other issue. The problem started when Lt. Col. Sajid Md. Imtiaz, commander of Baghaihat zone, brought in settlers from different areas and took initiative to settle them on our lands."

"There will be no peace until the settlers are taken back from Baghaihat" they said.

They also placed a five-point demand to the government. These include 1. withdrawal of the settlers from Baghaihat; 2. putting an end to forcible land grabbing and stoppage of rehabilitation of the settlers; 3. providing Taka 300,000 as compensation to each of the victim families of the 20 April attack; providing compensation to the affected families of 9 and 19 August attacks; punishment to Lt. Col. Sajid Md. Imtiaz and businessman Golam Mawla for the 20 April attack; 4. exemplary punishment to the murderers of Ladu Moni Chakma and arrest and trial of their abettors; adequate compensation to the family of Ladu Moni Chakma; and 5. providing security to the life and property of the Jumma people and putting an end to the army incitement to the settlers against the Jumma people.

The press conference was also attended, among others, by Super Joti Chakma, organising secretary of the Democratic Youth Forum; Ricoh Chakma, president of the Hill Student's Council, Thuikyoching Marma, Office Secretary of the PCP; Sonali Chakma, president of Hill Women's Federation and Nepali Chakma, a member of the HWF.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Some News about CHT situation

2008-09-01T02:32:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

UP member arrested in Barkal

chtnews.com
News No. 137/2008, August 13, 2008

The Bangladesh border security force, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), personnel on 9 August arrested Laltu Lal Chakma, 45, s/o late Suresh Moni Chakma of Aimachara from Barkal bazaar. He is an incumbent member of Aimachara Union.

The BDR arrested him at around 2pm without any warrant, handed him over to the police and falsely implicated him in previously filed cases.

He has been sent to Rangamati jail............................

Jumma woman raped, her sons tortured in Belaichari

chtnews.com
News No. 134/2008, August 10, 2008

A Jumma woman was reported to have been raped in Belaichari under Rangamati district on 4 August.

UPDF sources said at around 2 p.m. on that day a group of Bangladesh army personnel led by Captain Tanvir from Merangchara camp raided the village of Down Nuopara in Belaichari Sadar. The soldiers met Ms Shanti Devi Chakma, 40, w/o Lakshmi Chakma near the village and raped her.

They also beat up her two sons -- Ranjan Chakma, 20, and Rubel Chakma, 11.

The army men searched their house, destroyed the utensils and looted away the valuables.
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Two Jumma youths arrested in Dudukchara

chtnews.com
News No. 133/2008, August 08, 2008

On 5 August, two Jumma youths were arrested in Dudukchara of Pujgang area under Panchari Thana in Khagrachari district.

Sources said at around 1 p.m. of that day a group of Bangladesh Rifles led by Subedar Md. Azad form Dudukchara camp (38 Rifle Battalion) raided the village and arrested Tepantor Chakma, 23, of village Brazo Mohan Para and Nicholas Chakma, 20, s/o Bersingh Chakma of village Shanti Ranjan Para from a meeting of the Democratic Youth Forum.
Nicholas Chakma is the General Secretary of the DYF Shanti Ranjan Para unit while Tepantor Chakma is a student.

The members of the border security force took them to the camp, and thereafter handed them over to the Panchari police station on 6 August. The police sent them to Khagrachari jail.
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Attempted to rape of a Jumma girl in Rajstali

chtnews.com
News No. 131/2008, July 28, 2008

A teenage Jumma girl is reported to have been subjected to a rape attempt by an unnamed army officer in Rajstali under Rangamati district.

According to a source in UPDF, on 19 July, a group of army personnel led by a Warrant Officer raided the village of Magainpara under Ghilachari Union No. 3.

The army officer attempted to rape 15-year-old Ms Jika Rani Tonchongya when he found her alone in the house.

"He (army officer) asked her to cast off her dress and grabbed her", UPDF leader Soikat Chakma quoted one of her relatives as saying.

"She screamed, somehow freed herself and ran out of the house." he said.

Her father's name is late Dharon Moni Tonchongya and mother's name Mrs. Kalachogh Tonchongya.
Fresh tension over land grabbing in Sajek

chtnews.com
News No. 130/2008, July 27, 2008

Fresh tension over land grabbing has been reported from Sajek in Baghaichari Upazila of Rangamati district where 77 Jumma houses had been burnt down in an army-settler joint attack over three months earlier, on 20 April.

Sources said tension started brewing afresh when the settlers resumed construction of houses on Jumma people's lands over a month ago. The Jumma villagers lodged protests a number of times against the move of the settlers, but to no avail.

Frustrated by the continuous failure of the army and the civil administration to stop the illegal occupation of their lands, hundreds of Jumma villagers yesterday (26 July) between 10 a.m. to 12 noon destroyed some newly built illegal houses of the settlers at Gangaram dore.

After that, the settlers proceeded towards Jumma villages to mount an attack but they were repulsed.

However, a few minutes later they staged a come-back along with a group of army personnel.

Tension has been running high in the area since then, Ricoh Chakma, president of the Hill Student's Council, quoted a villager as saying.
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Settler attempt to harvest in Jumma's land

chtnews.com
News No. 129/2008, July 26, 2008

A communal riot was narrowly averted yesterday in Longudu under Rangamati district when the settlers made attempts to harvest in a Jumma villager's land.

One source said Sagarbacha Chakma's wife in Baro Harikaba village went to harvest paddy in their land. But to her utter surprise and dismay, she found that some settlers from Bhaibone Chara had been cutting paddy there.

She made a strong protest and chased them away wielding a dao (a kind of knife) in her hand. A settler was slightly injured when she hit him with the dao.

Thereafter, a group of 15 - 20 settlers led by Nupur Ali (s/o Elahi Box, a VDP Platoon Commander) came back to mount a reprisal attack on the Jumma people. Apparently, the retreating settlers misreported the incident to their fellow settlers and provoked them against the Jummas.

When the settlers reached a village shop, they found a large number of Jummas already assembled there, a common sight in almost every village shop in the CHT.

Unaware of the incident, the Jummas asked the settlers what they had been up to. The truth came out when they talked to each other and a mutual settlement was reached.
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Two Jummas arrested, another two tortured in Rajstali

chtnews.com
News No. 128/2008, July 24, 2008

Two innocent Jumma villagers have been arrested and another two subjected to physical torture in Rajstali Upazila of Rangamati district on charges of providing help to the members of the United People's Democratic Front. UPDF is a political party of the Jumma people campaigning for full autonomy for the Chittagong Hill Tracts region through peaceful and democratic means.

Sources said army personnel from Rajstali Sadar camp on 19 July arrested Kanta Lal Tonchongya, 38, s/o Chakyo Bap of village Punorbashon Para No. 3 and Charu Kumar Tonchongya, 35, s/o Surjo Sen Tonchongya of village Mine Para on charges of providing food and shelter to the UPDF members. They were arrested from their respective homes in Ghilachari Union at around 10 pm.

Both of them were taken to the camp and tortured severely. Thereafter, the army handed them over to the Rajstali police station.

In another incident, on 21 July, army personnel raided the village of Mine Para under Ghilachari Union in Rajstali Upazila (sub-district) and tortured two Jummas on charges of providing help and shelter to the UPDF activists.

The victims have been identified as Rashikyo Tonchongya, 28, and Kalaya Tonchongya, 27.
chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

PCP-DYF and HWF observe 5th anniversary of Mahalchari Mayhem

chtnews.com
News No. 142/2008, August 27, 2008

The Hill Student's Council, Hill Women's Federation and Democratic Youth Forum observed Mahalchari Mayhem Day yesterday in Khagrachari.

In a commemoration meeting held at Swanirbhor, the speakers said the policy of ethnic cleansing that resulted in numerous attacks on innocent Jumma people including the Mahalchari Mayhem is being pursued vigorously by the present interim caretaker government. The urged the government not to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor partisan governments.

Presided over by Ani Bikash Chakma, president of PCP Khagrachari District unit, the meeting was also addressed by Arpan Chakma, GS of PCP Khagrachari unit, Remin Chakma, a DYF member, Konika Dewan, organising secretary of the HWF central committee and Rina Dewan, president of HWF Khagrachari District unit.

They criticized the government for the failure to form a judicial committee to investigate the incident and for its attempt at cover-up.

At least 350 Jumma houses were burnt to ashes, two persons including an 8-month old baby killed and 10 Jumma women raped during the Mahalchari Mayhem perpetrated jointly by illegal settlers and the Bangladesh Army on 26 August 2003. Over 1,300 people in 10 villages were affected in the gruesome attack.

The incident provoked national and international condemnation, but the government of the day failed to punish those responsible for the attack.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Two UP members arrested in Naniachar

chtnews.com
News No. 144/2008, August 27, 2008

Two elected members of Naniachar Union Parishad, including a female member, have been arrested from Naniachar bazaar in Rangamati district.

Mr. Sentru Chakma 35, (s/o late Bipin Bihari Chakma) and Ms Nirmala Dewan alias Niru (w/o Mongol Joti Chakma) were arrested by army at around 1p.m. today while they were returning from the office of the TNO after attending a meeting on law and order. Both of them are incumbent members of Naniachar Union Parishad.

Mr. Sentru Chakma (mentioned in News No. 143) is from Padachari village and Ms Niru from Hullyangpara village under Naniachar Upazila. The army handed them over to the police. Sources form Rangamati said Mr. Sentru Chakma has been implicated in a previously filed murder case, although his name was not included when the case was originally filed. It is not known what charges have been brought against Ms Niru.

Both of them are staunch supporter of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), and Mr. Sentru Chakma's elder brother, Mr. Bipulask Chakma -- who is now in jail -- is a member of the UPDF.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Latest from Sajek: merchandise seized

2008-05-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Latest from Sajek: merchandise seized

chtnews.com
News No. 83/2008, May 13, 2008

The settlers in Sajek appear to have put an economic embargo on Jumma populated areas, with merchandise for village shops of two Jummas seized at Baghaihat bazaar.

Sources said, on 11 May, two elderly Jummas in their sixties, Leipeda Chakma and Gyana Ranjan Chakma, were ferrying goods from Karengatoli bazaar to their shops at Gangaram Mukh. When they reached Baghaihat, a settler named Nazimuddin seized the goods, apparently on orders of the army officers.

As the Jummas protested at the illegal seizure, Nazimuddin asked them to contact the zone commander, Lt. Col. Sajid Imtiaz, the mastermind behind the 20 April attack on 4 Jumma villages in Sajek.

Attempt at capture or effacement of evidence?
Since 10 May, settlers have been cleaning the ashes and charred beams of the burned houses of the Jummas. "They are doing it on orders of the army and it is not clear if it is an attempt to capture our land or to efface the telltale mark of the brutal attack or a purely generous help" said one villager, who spoke to chtnews.com from Sajek on special arrangement.

Army beats up five Jummas in Naniachar

chtnews.com
News No. 82/2008, May 13, 2008

On 6 May 2008, captain Shamim and Sebedar Abdul Kashem from Naniachar zone beat up five Jummas who came to Morachengi Government Primary School ground to get themselves registered as voters.

The incident occurred at around 9:30 am. The Jummas stood up in a long queue in the simmering summer heat. The unwelcome abusive language of the army personnel deployed there to help the voter registration officials seemed to have shot up the temperature level beyond any tolerable point.

Some of the Jummas protested at such rude behaviour of the army, but of no use. At one stage, some of them shouted at captain Shamim: "dhara, dhara" (catch him, catch him). The soldiers became furious and instantly singled out five Jummas to mete out retribution.

The victims have been identified as Bir Ranjan Chakma (30) s/o Jharbodhan Chakma, Shanti Ranjan Chakma (35) s/o Sur Sen Chakma and Maya Dhan Chakma (22) s/o Allo Chakma of village North Morachengi, Ms Kalabi Chakma (35) d/o Roghunath Chakma of village South Morachengi and Kalamua Chakma (28) s/o Ah-Mua Chakma of village Karallyachari.

After the beating, Subedar Abdul Kashem apologized to the victims, a rare gesture of any army officer in CHT.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@ gmail.com

More news from CHT and more atrocities against Jumma Peoples

2008-05-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

3 Jummas arrested in Jurachari

chtnews.com
News No. 77/2008, May 8, 2008

On 5 May 2008, a group of 20 to 25 army personnel under the command of Major Tanvir, who is in charge of Pukirachara camp, arrested three Jummas while on patrol.

Sources said Tanvir arrested Niranjan Chakma after calling him to the camp. Thereafter, the army personnel went to Pukirachara village and arrested Ranangan Chakma(23) son of Nishanto Chakma from his own house.

The following day another Jumma named Lamba was arrested when he was going to Pukirachara bazaar. The day was weekly market day in Pukirachara.

The army tortured them severely and implicated them with false cases after placing one homemade ek nola gun and a donation book in their hands. Now they are languishing in Rangamati jail.

Sources told chtnews.com that the army used to pay them regularly for providing information about UPDF activists and their whereabouts. But when they failed to provide any useful information leading to the arrest of any UPDF member, the army became angry and arrested them.

Four Jummas tortured in Choleshchari

chtnews.com
News No. 76/2008, May 7, 2008

Four innocent Jumma villagers have been tortured by army in Choleschari village under Burighat Union of Rangamati district.

According to sources in Naniachar, a joint force of army personnel from Longudu and Naniachar zone raided the village of Choleschari before dawn today. They encircled the village and gathered the villagers at a corner of the village.

The soldiers then singled out four Jummas on fake information provided by two other Jummas who were arrested earlier from Moddhyo Harikaba village in Longudu.

The victims have been identified as Samiran Chakma aged 35 s/o Dulalya Chakma, his brother Mona Chakma aged 28, Ranjan Chakma aged 30 s/o Dhana Mohan Chakma, and Dev Ranjan Chakma aged 18 s/o Pitto Ranjan Chakma.

They were badly tortured and given electric shocks.

The other two Jummas who are believed to have been arrested from Maddyo Harikaba have been identified as Shushil Moy Chakma aged 28 s/o unknown and Brisha Kumar Chakma aged 30 s/o Hori Mohan Chakma. It is not known when and how they were arrested. However, both of them dressed in military combat uniform and accompanied the army.

The villagers believe that the army raided the village after extracting false confession from them through the use of torture.

Two UPDF supporters arrested in Lemuchari

chtnews.com
News No. 75/2008, May 7, 2008

Two supporters of the United People's Democratic Front were arrested in Lemuchari under Mahalchari Upazilla yesterday, UPDF sources said.

Sources said army personnel from Mahalchari zone arrested Ananta Chakma aged 24 s/o Sarda Chakma from Kalapahar area at around 4 p.m., while Prem Chakma aged 20 s/o Bashu Chakma was rounded up from his house in Lemuchari village at around midnight. Both of them were taken to the camp and were severely tortured.

The victims are staunch supporter of the UPDF.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com
Army arrests a JSS member

chtnews.com
News No. 80/2008, May 9, 2008

Army personnel from Jurachari camp arrested a member of the Jana Samhati Samiti on 31 March from Bara Panchari in Jurachari of Rangamati district.

A petrol team comprising 30/35 military personnel led by Lt. col. Abid and warrant officer Nizam arrested Hridoy Chakma from his own house in the presence of the OC of Jurachari, Mr. Mansur Ali and sent him to jail after framing a false case.

Hridoy Chakma had been politically inactive for more than a year before arrest.

UPDF activist arrested from wedding ceremony

chtnews.com
News No. 79/2008, May 9, 2008

The Army arrested one UPDF activist named Mangol Kumar Chakma (35) son of Kalachan Chakma of village Mandir Chara in Jurachari Thana on 31 March 2008.

Mr. Chakma was attending a wedding ceremony of one of his relatives when Jurachari camp Commander Md. Nizam arrested him.

The army recovered nothing incriminating from him. Yet, they put hashish into his hands, filed a false case against him and sent him to jail.

Army detains suspected UPDF member, releases later

chtnews.com
News No. 81/2008, May 9, 2008

On 30 March 2008, army personnel arrested Debapriya Chakma (20) from Dumdumi Union in Jurachari when he came to get himself registered as a voter.

He was arrested on suspicion of being an activist of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF). The soldiers took him to the camp and interrogated him for more than four hours.

However, he was released later only when the army became convinced that he was not a UPDF activist. The arrest was made by warrant officer Md. Ibrahim from Pukirachara army camp.

Villagers in Jurachari alleged that recently military searches, raids and harassment of innocent people have increased in the area. The people always live in constant fear of army atrocities. Many have gone in to hiding to avoid military persecution.

"The army officers arrest innocent people and then portray them as terrorists after placing arms and ammunition in their hands in order to secure a promotion for themselves" alleged a teacher of Jurachari High School who wished not to be named for fear of reprisal.

Army arrests two in Jurachari for helping UPDF

chtnews.com
News No. 77/2008, May 8, 2008

Jurachari Army camp commander, warrant officer Md. Nizam arrested two Jummas on 7 March 2008 on allegations of providing support to the UPDF.

The arrestees are Tarun Bikash Chakma (36) son of Ananda Hridoy Chakma and Surjojit Chakma (38) of village T & T area.

Sources said a group of army personnel led by Nizam surrounded their house at around 9.00pm on that day. At that time they were in sleep. The soldiers woke them up and then took them to the army camp. They were kept in confinement in the camp for more than 19 hours and were subjected to physical torture.

The army accused Tarun and Surjojit of helping UPDF.

After rigorous interrogation Surjojit Chakma was set free, while Tarun Bikash Chakma was sent to jail after implicating him with a false extortion case. Tarun Bikash Chakma's arrest put his wife Sona Chakma in a helpless situation. She works at Jurachari Hospital as a sweeper.

Tension brewing in Dighinala over land grabbing, international pressure needed

2008-05-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

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Tension brewing in Dighinala over land grabbing, international pressure needed
ShareThisMay 2 2008 | Views 1 | Comments (0) Leave a Comment

News No. 73/2008, May 2, 2008
Tensions have been building up for the last few months in Kobakhali, Merung and Chaar Mile in Dighinala Upazilla over land grabbing and open hostility may erupt any day, said a human rights activist. "The way settlers are grabbing Jumma's lands with the support of the army, there is strong possibility that incidents similar to the 20 April Sajek settler attack may happen any time" he said and added that vast areas of lands belonging to the Jumma people have already been taken away in these areas after destroying banana plantations, fruit trees, teak and bamboo orchards of the Jummas.
The settlers have built small huts like the ones in Sajek and are now dwelling therein. Some of the settlers told the investigative team of progressive Bengalis who visited Sajek on 27 April that they have been brought in from Betchari of Khagrachari and that they have houses there as well. The settlers said they had come to the new places under duress - on pain of forfeiting the right to receive food ration from the government. Jumma activists irrespective of party affiliation feel the need for international community to step up pressure on the government of Bangladesh to put a stop to its ethnic cleansing policy. ..............................

chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Sajek investigative team demands judicial probe

2008-05-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

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Sajek investigative team demands judicial probe

chtnews.com
News No. 74/2008, May 2, 2008

A team of progressive political and student leaders, university teachers and journalists at a press conference in Dhaka today called for the government to form a judicial committee to probe the Sajek incident and publish the enquiry report within six days.

They made this demand after a restricted visit to the place of occurrence at Sajek on 27 April.

Held at Reporter's Unity, the press conference was attended by all but those team members who joined the team in Khagrachari.

The press conference was presided over by Ms Mosrefa Mishu, convenor of Biplobi Okyo Front, while Mr. Manos Chowdhury, teacher of Anthropology Department at Jahangirnagar University, read out a written statement.

They said the army blocked them at Baghaihat zone before reaching the place of occurrence on 27 April. "After writing down all our names and identities, checking and listing each and every bag we were carrying with us and then reporting it to the camp authority, we were taken inside the camp complying with the order of Second-in-Command Major Kabir" Manos said.

He further said the team members were taken to the place of occurrence in three army vehicles and brought back after 20 minutes. He said: "We noticed burned houses on either side of the road from Baghaihat bazaar on ward. The area looked desolate as if it were a cremation ground. One of the victims, Buddhi Ranjan Chakma, came up to us, hugged our team leader Moshrefa Mishu and then burst into tears in front of the army and all other team members accusing the Bengali settlers for the 20 April arson attack. At that moment Major Kabir swiftly changed the topic and deprived us of the chance to speak to Buddhi Ranjan Chakma"

In the written statement Manos narrated how another Jumma victim came up to them with fear writ large on his face and whispered into their ears that they (Jummas) were not allowed to say anything about the incident. "We also knew from him that the settlers have been kept under watch of the army at the local bazaar (market place), while the Jummas have taken shelter in a Buddhist temple, in nearby jungles and in the house of their relatives." he added.

He said the team members were informed that after the imposition of the state of emergency on 11 January 2007, the Bengalis continued to build houses after grabbing Jumma people's lands. "This has been verified later on when we visited other areas." he said.

Manos said although they could not interact with the victims on the spot, subsequently they heard the victims' accounts of the incident of that day. The statement quoted a victim as saying: "In January last settlers led by Bengali leader Golam Mowla occupied my house. We did not get the opportunity to speak at the meeting at our council office. When Raja (Devashish Roy) came, we were threatened not to speak to him. It was a humid night on 20 April. I was sitting outside of my house. All on a sudden I heard some Bengali people shouting 'Narayek Takbir Allahu Akbar'. Then I saw fire at some distance from my house. The Jummas were shouting 'Ujo Ujo (advance). At that time I saw an army lorry. By that time my house and the adjacent houses began to blaze. While our houses were on fire, the settlers were busy looting."

The team members also demanded that the government must open up the Chittagong Hill Tracts region to the mass media, must publish a white paper on all cases of genocide, rape and torture committed in the past in CHT and must put an end to grabbing of hill people's land, to repression and torture.

Besides Moshrefa Mishu and Manos Chowdhury, team members also included Udisha Islam (journalist) ; Ricoh Chakma, president, Hill Students Council; Monjurul Ahsan, coordinator, Sangskritir Naya Setu; Md. Arifuzzaman, member, Sangskritir Naya Setu; Nurur Rahman, convenor, Biplobi Chattra Jubo Andolon; Saifuddin Sohel, organiser, Biplobi Chattra Jubo Andolon, Chittagong Unit; Sohan, Garments Workers Unity Forum; Nepali Chakma, Hill Women's Federation; Rina Dewan, organising secretary, HWF; Shahadat Hossain, Jatiyo Biplobi Front; Ashik Akbar, poet and little magazine writer; and Nisha Chakma, student, Khagrachari.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@ gmail.com

Sajek settler attack: victims holds press conference in Dhaka

2008-04-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

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Sajek settler attack: victims holds press conference in Dhaka

chtnews.com
News No. 70/2008, April 27, 2008

Victims of Sajek settler attack held commander of Baghaihat Zone Lt. Col. Sajid Md. Imtiaz and businessman Golam Mowla responsible for it.

Five of the victims who came to Dhaka for the press conference were speaking to the newsmen at Reporters Unity at Segoon Baghicha today, Sunday. (photo attached)

Reading out a written statement Binoy Chakma alleged that the 20 April incident was preplanned. He said prior to the incident settlers from Merung and Kobakhali in Dighinala and Marishya and Longudu in Baghaichari were gathered together, while on 19 April a leader of the so-called Samo Odhikar Andolon, a platform of the illegal settlers, Selim Uddhin Bahari, came to Baghaihat to confer with Lt. Col. Imtiaz.

He further said "at around 9:45 pm approximately 200 settlers first proceeded towards Dane Baibachara. When they saw the Jumma villagers in an organized way, they went back. Afterwards they came along with the army personnel and burned down our houses. They began the attack by torching the house of Nirmol Kanti Chakma. This was soon followed by the burning down of houses in the villages of Purbopara, Retkaba and Gangaram. They even burned down a church and two village schools (Para Kendra) run by Unicef. In Retkaba village, they settlers destroyed a mixed fruit garden developed with financial assistance from UNDP and then put up a signboard of Baghaihat Jeep Employees Association."

Binoy Chakma said the attackers also looted away almost everything that is movable including furniture and utensils. "Even the cows bought with the financial assistance from UNDP were taken away" he alleged.

He said "we tried to resist the attackers. However, when we saw the military we had no other option than to run away."

Background info
The victims narrated many incidents that ultimately culminated in the 20 April attack. They said 90 percent of the Jummas inhabiting the affected areas were previously displaced due to army and settler attacks. Despite continued military repression, they had been living in peace with a small Bengali community who had come to Sajek on business purpose.

They said "since January this year this scenario began to change" as the settlers grabbed lands belonging to the Jummas.

In the written statement, Binoy Chakma cited 13 instances of intimidation, land grabbing and measures of economic strangulation of the Jummas.

Damage

He said besides a church and two Unicef-run schools, a total of 77 Jumma houses were burned down. These includeded 28 houses out of 33 in Purbopara, 11 out of 47 in Gangaram, 5 out of 94 in Retkaba and 33 out of 100 in Dane Baibachara. He said property worth of Taka 15,000,000 was damaged.

Injured
He said that three Jummas were injured in the attack. They are Newton Chakma alias Kalabo, Bijoy Singh Chakma and Ratan Chakma.

Aftermath of the incident

According to the victims, after the incident the military has been putting pressure on the settlers to build houses on the Jummas' land. They said on 22 April, two settler families mounted on a Chander Gari (jeep) to leave Baghaichari; however one Kashem pulled them down and showered them with abusive language. On 23 April, zone commander Imtiaz dropped a group of settlers at Bana Vihar area lying between Dane Baibachara and Retkaba and ordered them to construct houses on burned land. On 24 April, Zone commander Imtiaz held a meeting at his headquarters in which elders from both the communities took part. At the said meeting he warned the Jummas that "if anything happens to the Bengalis in the future, I will kill all of you in brushfire. You have no need to live in this country."

Binoy Chakma said the Jumma villagers were living in fear. "We have to live in constant fear of losing our lands" he wailed.

The culprits
They said commander of Baghaihat zone, Lt. Col. Sajid Md. Imtiaz and Golam Mowla, a businessman in Baghaihat bazaar, were mainly to blame for the attack on Jumma villagers on 20 April. The motive of the attack was to grab the Jumma people's lands after evicting them.

Demands
The victims placed the following demands before the government: 1. adequate compensation to all the Jumma victims and their proper rehabilitation; 2. arrest of Lt. Col. Imtiaz, Golam Mowla and their cohorts and to take legal actions against them; 3. putting an end to intimidation, coercion and torture resorted to by Imtiaz to subdue the Jumma villagers; 4. to stop land grabbing and implantation of settlers in Sajek and to withdraw all the settlers from Sajek area; and 5. to stop attack on religious institutions such as churches and Buddhist temples; return all the grabbed lands belonging to Banani Bana Viahr, to rebuild Bishwa Moitree Bouddha Vihara at its previous site and to provide monetary compensation for the damage caused to the Kuthir (temple) built for the use of Rev. Jogashiddhi Bhikkhu at Gangaram.

The press conference was also attended by Gyanendu Chakma (Retkaba Mukh), Clinton Khisha (Gangaram Mukh), Shanti Bikash Chakma (Dane Baibachara) and Dino Mohan Chakma (Retkaba).
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

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Jumma house burnt down in Sajek, Rangamati, CHT< BAngladesh

2008-04-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

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BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS

60 JUMMA HOUSES BURNT DOWN IN SAJEK

chtnews.com
April 21, 2008

ILLEGAL Bengali settlers backed by a strong contingent of army personnel have burnt down at least 60 Jumma houses in four villages under Sajek Union of Rangamati district. Many Jummas are reported to have been wounded and women raped during the attack that began at 9:45 p.m. on 20 April. Details of the incident are yet to come.

Sources said tension had been mounting in the area since the settlers began constructing houses in March after grabbing Jumma people's lands.

Sensing an impending attack, the Jummas, 50 - 60 of them, gathered at a point of the village to defend themselves. This somehow leaked to the army who went up to them and asked them not to worry. "Since we are here, nothing will happen and settlers will not attack you" an RP Habilder, Harun, was reported to have told the Jummas.

The CO (Commanding Officer) of Baghaihat zone was also present there. However, he did not speak to the Jummas.

While the army engaged the Jummas in talks, a group of Bengali settlers mounted an attack on four Jumma villages namely Gangaram Mukh, Simana Chara, Purbo Para and Baibachara.

They torched the houses, beat up whomever they caught hold of and raped the Jumma girls and women. However, details as to how any have been raped and wounded could not be known immediately.

The Hill Students Council, a front organisation of the United People's Democratic Front, will hold a demonstration in Dhaka later in the day, today, in protest against the barbarous Sajek settler attack.
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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com

Reports on Illegal Land Grabbing in CHT, Bangladesh

2008-03-01T00:46:00.000-08:00

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Reports On

Illegal Land Grabbing in Maischari and Other Three Unions Under Khagrachari District

by

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum

December 13, 2007, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Email: hwhrf.cht@gmail.com
Contents:

I. Preamble

II. Findings

III. Recommendations

IV. Map of Bengali settlements in

Kiang-ghat and Maischari Unions

V. Cases of land grabbing

i. East Gamaridhala, Dadkuppya, Kamalchari Union

ii. Tholipara, Noonchari, Khagrachari Union (No. 1)

iii. Headman Para, Noonchari, Khagrachari Union (No. 1)

iv. Inner Karallyachari village, Kiang-ghat Union

v. Rangapanichara, Kiang-ghat Mouza, Kiang-ghat Union

vi. Hazachara Village, Kiang-ghat Union

vii. Kiang-ghat village, Kiang-ghat Union

viii. Ratna Sen Karbari Para, Maischari Union

ix. Rabi Chandra Para, Maischari Union

x. Pakujyachari Inner Village, Lemuchari Mouza, Maischari Union

xi. Poshai Karbari Para, Maischari Union

xii. South Joysen Para, Lemuchari, Maischari Union

xiii. Moddyo (Middle) Lemuchari, Lemuchari Mouza, Maischari Union

xiv. Bodanala, Lemuchari Mouza, Maischari Union

xv. Lemuchari Boradam, Lemuchari Mouza No. 250, Maischari Union

VI. Captured land christened "Cutting Tila"

VII. Land-grab attempt in Lemuchari Boradam

I. Preamble

A two-member fact finding team of the Hill Watch Human Rights Forum, a Dhaka-based Human Rights organisation, in collaboration with the Committee for Protection of Land in Mahalchari, conducted an investigation into the problem of recent land grabbing in four Unions (Maischari, Kiang-ghat, Kamalchari and Khagrachari Sadar No.1) under Khagrachari district. The team members (we have deliberately chosen not to mention their identity for fear of reprisals) spent 10 days from 19 to 28 November 2007 in the area interviewing the victims as well as common villagers and visiting the lands grabbed by the settlers. The team members also have had the rare opportunity of being witnesses to a land grabbing attempt by illegal settlers in one of the villages in Maischari.

II. Findings

The findings of the investigation by Hill Watch Human Rights Forum have been summerized as follows:

1. Since March 2007, a total of 399.22 acres of land belonging to 133 Jumma individuals and a primary school in 14 villages under 4 Unions of Mahalchari Thana and Khagrachari Sadar Thana have been forcibly taken away by the illegal plain settlers. The break down of the figures is as follows:

S. No.
Name of village
Number of land owners
Amount of land grabbed

1.
East Gamaridhala, Kamalchari Union
50
200.00 acres

2.
Ratna Sen Karbari Para, Maischari Union
7
12.40 acres

3.
Rabi Chandra Para, Maischari Union
4
9.60 acres

4.
Pakujjyachari Inner Village, Maischari Union
3
4.80 acres

5.
Posai Karbari Para, Maischari Union
1
6.00 acres

6.
South Joysen Para, Maischari Union
6
9.00 acres

7.
Middle Lemuchari, Maischari Union
9
34.22 acres

8.
Lemuchari Boradam, Maischari Union
15
27.00 acres

9.
Bodanala, Maischari Union
6
15.50 acres

10.
Tholipara, Noonchari, Khagrachari Union (No. 1)
8
16.20 acres

11.
Headman Para, Noonchari, Khagrachari Union (No. 1)
7
15.00 acres

12.
Rangapanichara, Kiang-ghat Union
15
40.00 acres

13.
Hazachara Village, Kiang-ghat Union
1
3.00 acres

14.
Kiang-ghat village, Kiang-ghat Union
1
4.00 acres

15.
South Joysen Para Community Primary School
1 school
2.50 acres

Total 133 + 1 school 399.22 acres

2. The military is directly involved in the planning and execution of the programme of recent land grabbing and settlement of the illegal plain settlers. In the initial phase of the settlement, the settlers were brought in from different cluster villages including Bhuiyochari, Mahalchari, Chongrachari, Manikchari, Joysenpara, Kala Pahar and Shalbon of Khagrachari town, and gathered around Dadkuppya army camp. After that, the settlers were implanted on lands forcibly taken away from the Jumma villagers. Some of them even constructed houses right on the courtyards of the Jumma people.

All the Jumma villagers interviewed by the HWHRF have been unanimous in accusing the army personnel of constantly instigating and abetting the illegal settlers in grabbing Jumma people's lands.

The army has created a climate of fear among the Jumma people in the area by making arrest of innocent villagers, raiding their houses and harassing them regularly. During a raid on a Jumma village, an army officer reportedly threatened to kill Kalibandhu Tripura in "crossfire", a form of extrajudicial killing widely used by the Rapid Action Battalion in the plain districts of Bangladesh. The raid followed a protest by Mr. Tripura against the illegal grabbing of his land. In addition to general repression on the people, the Headmen and Chairmen of the area have been put under tremendous pressure to aid the settlers in their land grabbing scheme. For example, on 8 December 2007, the second-in-command of Mahalchari Army zone, Major Gaffar called Mr. Niroti Chakma, Headman of Ugudochari Mouza and Mr. Biswajit Chakma, chairman of Kiang-ghat Union, to the zone headquarters and asked them to agree to the army plan to settle more Bengali people in Ugudochari. The Major sought to coerce them into agreeing the plan and said: "I can put you in a dungeon any time. So do as you are told. You must look into the matter of the Bengalis".

The Hill Peace Group in its recent report entitled Nij Deshe Porobashi (Refugee in Homeland) has also accused the army of carrying corrugated iron sheets and wooden poles in military vehicles for the construction of houses for the illegal settlers in a Tripura village in Noonchari.

3. With regard to the lands grabbed by the settlers, the victims have either valid documents or have been in actual and uninterrupted possession of them for 15 - 40 years. When the Jumma villagers showed their land documents, the army personnel brushed them aside.

4. The local civil administration has done nothing to stop illegal land grabbing. Some of the victims lodged complaints with the Thana Nirbahi Officer of Mahalchari, but no tangible result came out. No action was taken against the land grabbers.

5. Some of the victims have been forced to leave their homesteads for fear of attack from the settlers, while some others had to go into hiding for fear of arrest.

6. The Jummas have teak orchards, bamboo groves and fruit gardens grown on the lands taken away by the settlers. Now the settlers are enjoying all these, while the Jummas cannot enter their orchards and cut trees.

7. In short, the recent land grabbing in Mahalchari is far from an isolated incident. It is preplanned and orchestrated by a section of the Bangladesh Army deployed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The timing of the land grabbing scheme has been deliberately chosen to coincide with the state of emergency imposed on 11 January this year (2007) so that no open and organised mass protest can be organised against it.

8. The problem of land grabbing in CHT in general and in Maischari and its contiguous areas in particular is nothing new. In 1979 - 84 approximately 400,000 illegal plain settlers were brought in the CHT from plain districts of Bangladesh to use them as a tool of ethnic cleansing against the Jumma people. This resulted in massive violation of human rights and alienation of the Jumma people from their ancestral lands.

Even after the signing of the CHT accord on 2 December 1997 between the government of Bangladesh and the Jana Samhati Samiti, land grabbing continued in Mahalchari. During the investigation, the team members also found numerous cases of land grabbing that took place in 2003, 2004 and 2006.

III. Recommendations

The land grabbing in four Unions under Khagrachari district is unlawful, unjust and contrary to the provisions of the CHT accord of 1997. The civil as well as military administrations of Khagrachari are criminally liable for doing nothing to stop it.

The Hill Watch Human Rights Forum urges the interim caretaker government of Dr. Fakruddin Ahmed to take the following measures:

1. To immediately take effective measures to stop illegal land grabbing in four Unions under Mahalchari and Khagrachari Sadar Upazillas and to return the grabbed lands to their rightful owners;

2. To bring the illegal land grabbers and their abettors to justice and to take appropriate steps to prevent recurrence of such illegal land grabbing in the future; and

3. To recognize the traditional land laws of the Jumma people and rehabilitate the illegal settlers elsewhere in the plain districts for a permanent solution to the vexed land problem in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

To the international community:

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum requests the international community including the United Nations and other human rights organisations to urge the government of Bangladesh to implement the above-mentioned recommendations.

IV. Map of Bengali settlements in Kiang-ghat and Maischari Unions

V. Cases of land grabbing

[The following cases of land grabbing have been prepared jointly by the Committee for Protection of Land in Mahalchari and Hill Watch Human Rights Forum.]

i. East Gamaridhala, Dadkuppya, Kamalchari Union

1. Army-sponsored settlement on 100 acres of Jumma land

An estimated 200 illegal Bengali settler families have been settled on about 200 acres of land belonging to the Jumma people in East Gamaridhala village under Dadkuppy Mouza (No. 259), a few kilometers south of Khagrachari district town.

The settlers were brought in from Bhuiyochari, Mahalchari, Chongrachari, Manikchari, Joysenpara, Kala Pahar, Shalbon of Khagrachari town and Aam Bagan and Lichu Bagan areas of Maischari in the first week of July 2007. The army was directly responsible for the planning and execution of this new Bengali settlement programme.

The army is reported to have resorted to threats of depriving of government facilities including cancellation of ration cards when some of the settlers expressed reservation about settling on the newly captured lands.

Initially, the settler families were gathered around Dadkuppya army camp. Then, they were settled on lands of the Jumma people. Even many of them were implanted near the houses of the Jumma villagers. The Jummas protested and showed valid land documents, but that did not deter the army.

ii. Tholipara, Noonchari, Khagrachari Union (No. 1)

1. Illegal possession of Kalibandhu Tripura's land and threat to kill him in "crossfire"

A Bengali settler named Hazor Ali grabbed a small piece of land (.50 acres) belonging to Kalibandhu Tripura s/o Tangerai Tripura in the village of Noonchari Tholi Para and planted banana saplings with the help of the army.

When Mr. Tripura protested, the settler reported it to the nearby army camp. Acting on his baseless allegations, a group of army personnel raided the village and searched for Kalibandhu Tripura with the intention to arrest him. However, Mr. Tripura managed to run away evading arrest. After failing to arrest him, the army personnel gathered the villagers and told them that if they got hold of Kalibandhu Tripura, they would "put him to crossfire".

2. Seven Jumma villagers' 15.5 acres grabbed

On 3 March and 6 October 2007, the settlers from Machyochara cluster village illegally captured 15 acres of third class hilly land and 0.50 decimals of first class arable land belonging to 8 individual Jumma villagers in Noonchari Tholipara.

Shanti Lal Tripura's (s/o Bino Bhushan Tripura) 20 decimals of first class land were grabbed by Hashem Ali of Machyochara cluster village on 6 October 2007.

The rest were captured on 3 March 3007. Two acres of third class land belonging to Rajani Tripura s/o Indra Moni Tripura were captured by Chand Mian, while five acres belonging to Aroti Mohan Tripura s/o Ananda Tripura by Hashem Ali, one acre belonging to Chakhoja Tripura s/o Nano Kumar Tripura by Md. Shahajahan, five acres belonging to Chironjit Tripura s/o Bosh Kumar Tripura by Md. Shamsu, two acres belonging to Mohendra Tripura s/o Birendra Tripura by Bila Ali and 30 decimals of first class paddy land belonging to Kalibandhu Tripura s/o Tangey Roy Tripura by Md. Hazrat s/o Shamshu.

The settlers have constructed houses on those lands with the help of army personnel from Bizitola camp.

3. Shanti Lal Tripura's 20 decimals of paddy land grabbed

On 6 October 2007, Mohammad Hashem Ali from Maischari cluster village forcibly grabbed 20 decimals of first class paddy land belonging to Shanti Lal Tripura s/o Bin Bhushan Tripura. Mohammad Hashem originally came from the plain district of Norshingdi.

Army personnel from Bizitola camp (24 Bengal) helped him grab the land.

iii. Headman Para, Noonchari, Khagrachari Union (No. 1)

1. Manikya Tripura's courtyard grabbed

About 10 - 12 Bengali settlers led by Hashem Ali constructed houses in the courtyard of Manikya Tripura s/o Odhiar Tripura in the village of Noonchari Headman Para. Mr. Tripura is a poor day-labourer.

When protested, Hashem Ali introduced himself as a Village Defense Party leader and threatened Mr. Tripura with dire consequences.

At one stage, the settler took a few things out of his newly built houses, placed them on the courtyard and set them on fire. After that, he went to the Bizitola army camp and falsely reported that all his belongings had been burnt down by the Jumma villagers. The army commander called the Jummas to the camp and threatened that if they "went beyond the limit" they would be implicated in arms cases.

A settler named Antor Ali of Machyochara cluster village also captured Manikya Tripura's 2 acres of third class land on 3 March 2007.

2. 13 acres belonging to 6 individual Jummas grabbed

On 3 March 2007, settlers from Machyochara cluster village forcibly occupied 13 acres of third class land belonging to 6 individual Jummas in Noonchari Headman Para.

While 3 acres belonging to Kachari Kumar Tripura s/o Toru Kumar Tripura were captured by Md. Haneef, 3 acres belonging to Mrs. Deepali Tripura (husband's name late Bhupati Tripura) by Shahajahan, 1 acre belonging to Krishna Kumar Tripura by Md. Joshim s/o Shamsu, 2 acres belonging to Nohey Ranjan Tripura s/o Leela Mohan Tripura by Shahajahan and Antor Ali, 2 acres belonging to Chukkura Tripura s/o Manikya Tripura by Md. Rahim s/o Asgor Ali and 2 acres belonging to Chirojjyoti Tripura s/o Poti Pabon Tripura by Alauddin.

iv. Inner Karallyachari village, Kiang-ghat Union

1. Settler attempt at grabbing 100 acres of land

On 4 and 5 November 2007, the illegal plain settlers made an attempt to capture 100 acres of land belonging to individual Jummas in the village of Inner Karallyachari.

On 4 November, two groups of settlers - one from Kiang-ghat led by Mobarrok (50) and Majid (50) and the other from Noonchari led by Lebu (45) - converged on an area of the land and began cutting jungle for construction of house and grass for their cattle. Armed with Dao (a kind of knife), axe and stick, each of the groups had about 20 male settler members.

When the head of the village Mr. Nikhil Karbari (35) protested, the settlers paid no heed to him. Rather, Mobarok threatened him with dire consequences and said in an arrogant manner, "we will come back tomorrow; resist if you can".

True to his words, the following day, i.e. 5 November, one group of settlers led by Majid, staged a come back. As they began clearing jungle, the Jumma villagers made a strong protest and asked them who had told them to grab other people's land. In reply Majid said: "the government no longer allows us to live where we live now; that is why we are clearing jungle here".

However, after the second protest, the settlers did not come back.

These 100 acres of land are owned by some individual Jummas. For example, Mr. Ananda Chakma (50), head master of Ugudochari Primary School, has four acres along with teak trees; Mr. Biro Bal Chakma (47) s/o Goyasur Chakma 10 acres and Mr. Nikhil Karbari (35) one acre.

v. Rangapanichara, Kiang-ghat Mouza, Kiang-ghat Union

1. Sumati Talukder's 5 acres of land grabbed

In August 2007, 10 - 12 settler families forcibly occupied 5 acres of third class land belonging to Sumati Talukder (45) s/o Bijoy Talukder. He had been enjoying the said land for the last 50 years and he had grown teak, Gamari and Gorjon trees and a bamboo grove. Previously, he had a farm house there.

The land was grabbed by Md. Shamshu Leader (55) and another Shamshu (60) of Kiang-ghat cluster villgae and Hashmot Ali (55) and Arshad of Mahalchari cluster village.

There was protest at the time the settlers were beginning to occupy the land. But the settlers threatened the Jummas with army torture and built 10 - 12 makeshift houses.

2. Shanti Moy Talukder's 2 acres of land grabbed

In March - April 2007, settlers led by Shamshu Leader and Hashmot Ali from Kiang-ghat cluster village illegally occupied 2 acres of third class land belonging to Shanti Moy Talukder (42) s/o Tarun Mohan Talukder. He is the headmaster of Rangapanichara Registered Primary School.

Four settler families have built houses in his land.

He has got a total of 5 acres of third class land in that area in three separate plots which are now under settlement process. The settlement case No. is 166/2000. Of these 5 acres, the settlers have grabbed 2 acres.

Before illegal occupation, Shanti Moy Chakma let his cousin Dipon Talukder (30) s/o Prithi Bachan Talukder to live in the said land. However, as the settlers took illegal possession of it, he was forced to leave.

3. Dharaj Chandra Talukder's 3 acres grabbed

In March - April 2007, settlers led by Shamshu Leader (55) from Kiang-ghat cluster village grabbed 3 acres of third class land belonging to Dharaj Chandra Talukder (60) s/o late Nogendra Kumar Talukder. He is a poor day labourer.

Four settler families have built houses on his land, which is under settlement process. The settlement case No. is 42/2001. Mr. Talukder had been in possession of the said land for the last 20 years. The different species of trees that he planted on this piece of land are now 12 - 15 years old.

The illegal occupiers have destroyed his bamboo grove and are now planting turmeric and fruit trees on his land.

4. Shimal Kanti Talukder's land grabbed

In March - April 2007, settlers led by Shamshu Leader from Kinag-ghat cluster village forcibly occupied 3 acres of land belonging to Shimal Kanti Talukder (40) s/o Birendra Mohan Talukder. Currently 15 illegal settler families have built houses there.

He had been in possession of the said land for the last 10 years. He has grown Gorjon and Gamari trees there. The settlers are now enjoying those trees and growing potatoes and other vegitables.

This piece of land is under settlement process, the case No. of which is 43/2001. Plot No. 1873 and 1874.

5. Hridoy Mohan Talukder's land taken away

In March - April 2007, settlers from Kiang-ghat and Pakujjyachari cluster village took away 3 acres of land belonging to Hridoy Mohan Talukder s/o Amish Chandra Talukder. He had been in possession of the said land since 1965.

The illegal occupiers have been identified as Abdul Gafur s/o Intaz Ali, Hayet Ali s/o Jobbar Sheikh, Ashraf Ali s/o Insaf Ali, Noor Mohammad s/o Cherag Ali, Ainal Haq s/o Ameer Ali, Alam Sheikh s/o Ainal Haq, Ashmot Ali s/o Neim Uddin, Bodiuzzaman s/o Abdur Rahman, Amzad Hossain s/o Julum Uddhin, Shaha Zaman s/o Ainal, Azahar s/o Shukkur Ali and Belal Hossain s/o Shafder Ali. Originally, they came from plain districts of Sylhet, Kurigram and Sirajganj.

6. Maya Mohan Talukder's 4 acres of land grabbed

In March - April 2007, illegal settlers from Kiang-ghat and Pakujjyachari cluster village grabbed 3 acres of third class land belonging to Maya Mohan Talukder s/o Inendra Talukder. He had been in possession of the said land since 1965.

The illegal occupiers have been identified as Afsar Ali s/o Solaiman Mollah, Iltash Ali s/o Elahi Bakhs and Munjeel Ali s/o Hashem Ali. The settlers originally came from the plain district of Rangpur.

In another plot, settlers Belayet Hossain s/o Sobhan Ali and Saifur Islam s/o Korban Ali forcibly occupied one acre of land belonging to Maya Mohan Talukder.

7. Suryo Sen Talukder's land grabbed

Three acres of third class land belonging to Suryo Sen Talukder s/o Tilok Chandra Talukder have been illegally occupied by settlers from Kiang-ghat and Pakujjyachari cluster villages during state of emergency.

The illegal occupiers have been identified as Belal Hossain s/o Kashem Ali, Kamal Hossain s/o Rashid Ali, Rabiul Hossain s/o Azizul Haq, Nazimuddin s/o Taher Ali and Sanwar Hossain s/o Delwar Hossain. They came to the CHT from the plain district of Lal Monirhat.

Mr. Suryo Sen had been in possession of the said land since 1955.

8. Bijoy Mohan Taluker's land grabbed

Settlers from Pakujjyachari and Kiang-ghat cluster village grabbed 5 acres of third class hilly land belonging to Bijoy Mohan Talukder s/o Shanta Kumar Talukder. The land has been grabbed during the state of emergency.

He had been in possession of the said land since 1955.

The illegal grabbers have been identified as Hashmot Ali, Khalek Leader s/o Fazar Ali, Hashem Mollah s/o Moktar Mollah, Abdul Salam s/o Abdul Rahman and Shahajalal s/o Befa Sarkar. Originally they came from the plain districts of Rangpur and Sirajganj.

9. Chandra Talukder's 2 acres grabbed

During state of emergency, Md. Azizur Rahman s/o Noor Mohammad from Kiang-ghat cluster village forcibly occupied 2 acres of land belonging to Chandra Taluker s/o Bir Sen Talukder.

He had been in possession of the said land since 1975.

Azizur Rahman originally came from the plain district of Kurigram.

10. Amrita Sen Talukder's land grabbed

Ruhul Amin S/o Boktar Ali and Kormot Ali s/o late Nur Mohammad from Pakujjyachari cluster village grabbed one acre of second and third class land belonging to Amrita Sen Talukder s/o Tilak Chandra Talukder. The settlers originally came from plain district of Kurigram.

Mr. Talukder has grown mixed fruit trees in the said land, which he had been in possession since 1970.

11. Chandra Chakma's land grabbed

Chandra Chakma's one acre of third class land was grabbed by Nazrul Islam s/o Korban Ali and Abu Siddique s/o Fikushen from Pakujjyachari cluster village. They originally came from Kurigram.

Mr. Chakma had been enjoying this piece of land since 1970. The settlers grabbed it after the state of emergency was imposed in the country.

12. Reboti Mohan Chakma's land grabbed

Reboti Mohan Chakma's (s/o Rashik Chandra Chakma) 3 acres of land comprising second and third class categories were forcibly occupied by Mostafizur Rahman s/o Siddique Commander and Jahangir Alam s/o Hashmot Ali from Pakujjyachari cluster village. The settlers originally came from Rangpur district in the plain land.

Of the 3 acres, one acre falls into second class category while the rest comprise of third class category.

He had been in possession of the said land since 1970 and grown mixed fruit and other threes.

13. Binod Kumar Chakma's land grabbed

Settlers Absar Ali s/o Abul Hossain and Kafil Uddin s/o Nur Mohammad grabbed 2 acres of third class land belonging to Binod Kumar Chakma s/o Rashik Chandra Chakma. The settlers originally came from the plain district of Kurigram.

Mr. Chakma had been in possession of the said land since 1970 and grown an orchard of different species of trees.

14. Indra Chakma's land grabbed

Indra Chakma's (s/o Rashik Chandra Chakma) one acre of third class land was forcibly taken away by Sattar Ali s/o Mubarak Ali and Atikur Rahman s/o late Javed Ali from Pakujjyachari cluster village. They originally came from Kurigram district.

Mr. Chakma had been in possession of the said land since 1970 and has grown an orchard of mixed fruit trees.

15. Sona Kanti Chakma's land taken away

Two acres of third class land belonging to Sona Kanti Chakma s/o Beunya Chakma were forcibly occupied by Nur Mohammad s/o Iman Ali and Rafiqul Islam s/o Javed Ali from Pakujjyachari cluster village. They originally came from Kurigram district in the plain land.

Mr. Chakma had been in possession of the said land since 1970 and has grown different species of trees there.

Hazachara Village, Kiang-ghat Union

1. Sona Kanti Chakma's land grabbed

3 acres of land (one acre second class and 2 acres third class) belonging to Sona Kanti Chakma s/o Beunya Chakma have been forcibly occupied by a group of settlers from Pakujjyachari cluster village. The settlers originally came from the plain district of Lal Monirhat.

Mr. Chakma had been in possession of the said land since 1970 and has grown an orchard of mixed fruit and other trees.

The illegal occupiers have been identified as Saiful Islam s/o late Javed Ali, Altaf Ali s/o Chanu Sheikh, Lutfar Ali s/o Piku Sheikh, Majnu Rahman s/o late Makbul Rahman, Samad Ali alias Kamal s/o Mohiuddin, Hakim Ali s/o unknown, Sajan Mian s/o Habibur Rahman, Belal Hossain s/o unknown and Osamn Ali s/o Hikim Ali.

Kiang-ghat village, Kiang-ghat Union

1. Lorai Chandra Karbari's 4 acres of land grabbed

Settlers from Kiang-ghat and Pakujjyachari cluster villages grabbed 4 acres of land belonging to Lorai Chandra Karbari s/o Chenda Karbari. He had been in possession of the said land since 1965.

The land has been seized in phases beginning from 1982. The last phase began after the state of emergency was imposed on 11 January this year.

The illegal settlers involved in the forcible occupation of his land, have been identified as Md. Abu Siddique, Juran Ali, Rashid, Sirajul Islam, Mozhar and Jamal. They originally came from Rangpur district in the plain land.

Mr. Chakma has grown an orchard of mixed fruit and other trees on his land.

vi. Ratna Sen Karbari Para, Maischari Union

1. Seven Jumma's 12.40 acres grabbed

About 30 illegal plain settler families have been moved to Ratna Sen Karbari Para, while another 30 families have been illegally settled on Jumma people's lands in Rabi Chandra Para in Maischari Union.

In Ratna Sen Para, five settler families forcibly took away 1.6 acres of land along with a teak plantation belonging to Moyur Kanti Chakma. The settlers built houses on the captured land. Besides that, 4 acres belonging to Jyotsna Kanti Chakma and Sukriti Chakma, 1.6 acres belonging to Bijimo Chakma, 2 acres belonging to Jyana Chakma, 1.6 acres belonging to Rangey Chakma and 1.6 acres of bamboo orchard belonging to Santosh Moy Chakma have been grabbed by 25 illegal settler families.

vii. Rabi Chandra Para, Maischari Union

1. Four Jumma's 9.6 acres grabbed

In Rabi Chandra Para, 30 settler families have taken illegal possession of 9.6 acres of land belonging to the Jumma villagers. Of these lands, 1.6 acres belong to Nantu Bap, 2 acres each to Motilal Chakma and Kachagulo Chakma and 4 acres to Sudhir Chakma.

The settlers cut trees and bamboos from the orchards of Kachagulao Chakma and Sudhir Chakma for the construction of the houses.

viii. Pakujyachari Inner Village, Lemuchari Mouza, Maischari Union

1. Binod Bihari Chakma's land grabbed

In the last week of August 2007, a group of settlers led by Taju (40) and Saidur (40) of Pakujyachari cluster village forcibly grabbed 2 acres of third class hilly land belonging to Binod Bihari Chakma (35). The land grabbers built houses within few yards from his own house, dug up the ground of his courtyard and planted trees. Mr. Chakma protested but the settlers paid little heed to it.

Binod Bihari Chakma has been in possession of this piece of land for the last 16 years. He has grown teak and different kinds of fruits trees including jackfruit, mango and litchi. The settlers are now enjoying them. His family members are being prevented from entering his orchard.

His wife Ms Angalika Chakma complained: "we had been away for a few days. When we came back we saw the settlers had already built houses on our land. When we asked Taju about it, he simply said 'we built the house because we wanted it'." She urged the government to evict the illegal occupier and return their land.

2. Attempt at illegal occupation of land of Anil Bikash Chakma

Taju of Pakujyachari cluster village has been making attempt to capture 20 decimal paddy land and one acre third class hilly land belonging to Anil Bikash Chakma (s/o Madan Mohan Chakma), a poor Jumma peasant.

In the second week of October 2007, the settlers led by Taju cut teak trees and bamboos from the orchard of Anil Bikash Chakma and sold them in the market. On 11 November, the settlers obstructed his family members planting pepper saplings.

Anil Bikash Chakma has 2 acres of paddy land and 6 acres of third class hilly land, which he has inherited from his father. His ancestors had been in possession of these lands for the last 60 years.

3. Pradeep Chandra Chakma's land captured

In the first week of November 2007, illegal settlers Taju and Saidur of Pakujyachari cluster village forcibly grabbed one Kani (0.4 acre) of paddy land and one Kani (0.4 acre) of hilly land belonging to Pradeep Chandra Chakma (50).

Mr. Chakma has been enjoying these lands uninterruptedly for many years. The grabbers caused damage to the paddy and the isles of the land and grazed their cows. When Mr. Chakma protested, the settlers became aggressive.

Besides, in October Saidur and Taju are also suspected of destroying the betel-leaf plantation of his brother Amar Kanti Chakma by sprinkling saline water on it.

4. UP member's land under occupation

In the second week of September 2007, Md. Zahidul Islam Zahid (s/o Mofizul Haq), a Bengali settler from Pakujyachari cluster village, took away 2 acres of land belonging to Sneha Kumar Chakma (40), member of Maischari Union Council (Ward No. 4).

Mr. Chakma had been in possession of this piece of land for 20 years. Besides his home and a granary, the land is covered with betel-nut, coconut and litchi trees.

The settler built a house after capturing the land and has been living ever since. The army is providing full protection to the settler.

In 2006, when Mr. Chakma sought to build a new house for himself on one side of the land, the erstwhile Commanding Officer of Mahalchari zone prevented him from doing so.

5. Attempt at grabbing 40 acres belonging to 9 Jummas

As we compile the reports, sources from Mahalchari told HWHRF that on 3 December 2007, illegal Bengali settlers from Joysen Para cluster village captured 40 acres of third class hilly land belonging to nine individual Jummas in Pakujjyachari Inner village under Lemuchari Mouza.

Earlier, from 22 - 29 November, the settlers led by Saheb Ali, Taju, Muniruzzaman, Gazi, Saidur and father of Nazrul had cleared jungle for construction of houses.

On 3 December, when the settlers came to grab the land again, the Jummas put up resistance to them. However, a group of army personnel from Deppochari (Manikchari) came to the rescue of the settlers, took the Jumma elders to the camp and threatened them with dire consequences if the continued to resist the settlers move. Now, the settlers have begun constructing houses on grabbed land.

The grabbed lands belong to Rajani Kumar Chakma's three sons - Prem Ranjan Chakma (30), Dipayon Chakma (27) and Pran Moy Chakma (22); late Ananda Kumar Chakma's four sons Binod Kanti Chakma (35), Shyamol Kanti Chakma, Animish Chakma (43), Amar Kanti Chakma (32) and Pradeep Chandra Chakma and another villager Anil Bikash Chakma.

6. Attempt to capture Sushil Bhushan Chakma's land

Sushil Bhushan Chakma (42) s/o Ganga Dhar Chakma purchased 1.5 acres of hilly land from Gulmani Chakma s/o late Hakkana Chakma. A settlement deed was executed in relation to the said piece of land in 1964 - 65, the Khatian number (land register) of which is R-23. There are a total of 170 teak and Jackfruit trees and a banana plantation in the said land.

The settlers are now eying this land to capture. One Abdul Gafur (40) s/o Matruddin of Pakujyachari cluster village has been making attempts to grab it with the help of the army. The soldiers obstructed Sushil Bhushan Chakma when he went there to weed the garden. On 30 October, immediately after that incident, the settlers broke the fence of the garden down and tried to build houses inside. However, in the face of strong protests, the settlers eventually backed off.

ix. Poshai Karbari Para, Maischari Union

1. Umong Marma's land taken away

After the death of Mracha Thoai Marma, his 6 acres of titled land was divested to Umor Marma (35) s/o Rajchandra Marma, one of his close relatives. Apart from a farm house, he had grown mango and jackfruit trees and a teak plantation on this piece of land. In the last week of October 2007, a Bengali settler named Belal illegally occupied the said land.

x. South Joysen Para, Lemuchari, Maischari Union

1. Sananta Chakma's 3 acres of land grabbed

A group of settlers led by Monsur Ali (50) and Village Defense Party member Juran Pighi of Pakujjyachari cluster village forcibly took away 3 acres of third class hilly land belonging to Sananta Chakma, age 26, s/o late Subolesh Chandra Chakma.

About 10 - 12 settler families constructed houses on the said land that were taken away in phases between 2006 and November 2007.

For the last 40 years Mr. Chakma had been in uninterrupted possession of this land where he had grown different kinds of fruit and other trees including teak, Gamari and litchi.

2. Krishna Ranjan Chakma's land grabbed

In the first week of September 2007, a group of illegal plain settlers forcibly took away one acre of third class land belonging to Krishna Ranjan Chakma (40) s/o late Gujhjoy Chakma.

The land-grab took place at a time when heavy rains forced people to keep indoors. The settlers came with wooden poles and bamboo-made walls and instantly made house structures on his land.

Krishna Ranjan Chakma had been enjoying the said land for many years and he had grown banana plantation, jackfruit and teak trees. Now the settlers are enjoying all these.

3. Parts of Bikalpa Chakma and Karunamoy Chakma's land grabbed

One out of six acres of third class land belonging to Karunamoy Chakma (40) and his brother Bikalpa Chaka (26) has been taken away by Kutub Uddin (45), an illegal plain settler from Pakujjyachari cluster village.

In June and July 2007, groups of settlers went there to cut jungle to construct houses. In the end of November they occupied one acre out of six acres.

The owners have teak trees and banana plantation besides a farm house in the said land. After occupying one acre, the illegal settlers led by Mansur Leader (50) and Mostafa (60) from Pakujjyachari cluster village have been trying to grab the remaining five acres.

4. Nayanjan Chakma's land grabbed

Nayanjan Chakma (45) s/o Kandara Chakma of village Deppochari purchased one acre of third class land located in South Joysen Para from Posai Karbari (60) of Posai Karbari Para village under Maischari UP.

However, in the last week of September 2007, this piece of land was forcibly taken away by Rajjak (35) s/o late Majid, an illegal settler from Pakujjyachari cluster village.

Before the illegal takeover, Nayanjan Chakma had built a house on the said land. But the marauding settlers destroyed the house and ousted him from there by force. Now the illegal settler family is in physical control of the said land where there are grown-up teak, Gamari and jackfruit trees planted by the original Jumma owners.

5. Shyamal Chakma's land grabbed

Shyamal Chakma (40) s/o late Madan Mohan Chakma of Manikchari Chairman Para village had 3 acres of land in South Joysen Para. Taking advantage of the state of emergency imposed in the country in January 2007, illegal plain settlers Aziz (45) and Barek (55) of Pakujjyachari cluster village grabbed the said land with the help of the army. The actual date of the incident could not be known.

6. School land grabbed

Three illegal settler families from Pakujjyachari cluster village have taken away two and a half acres of land belonging to South Joysen Para Community Primary School. The lands are registered in 1992 - 93 in the name of the school.

In the third week of October 2007, families of Shahidul Islam (25) s/o Mokbul, his brother Saiful (22) and Salam (30) s/o Subhan forcibly grabbed the north-eastern part of the land and built houses on it.

xi. Moddyo (Middle) Lemuchari, Lemuchari Mouza, Maischari Union

1. Five acres belonging to 3 brothers grabbed

After the death of Juddha Moni Chakma, his 5 acres of third class land have been bequeathed to his three sons namely Prem Ranjan Chakma (55), Mrinal Kanti Chakma (45) and Khularam Chakma (35). The holding number of the land is R-8.

On 25 - 26 August 2007, 20 - 25 settler families led by Zahurul Leader (60) forcibly grabbed the said land. Eleven of these settler families have been identified. They are families of Shahajahan (55), Aziz Dokandar (65), Anwar (25), Khokon Ali (30) and his brother Hakim (50), Buro or Old Anwar (65), Jasimuddhin (60) and his brother Jukhumuddhin (65), Salam (35), Nurul Islam Fakir (70) and Tanter Fakir.

In the said land there are jackfruit trees and a bamboo plantation planted by the original owner. The illegal grabbers built houses with bamboos cut from this plantation.

Protest

Initially when a group of about 25 settlers went there to cut jungles for construction of houses, the Jumma land owners lodged a protest against it with AP Battalion camp situated at Lemuchari. Acting upon the said protest, an army Major from Mahalchari zone visited the spot. He however refused to take any action against the land grabbers and the settlers continued their activities despite his presence.

2. Land belonging to Montu Bikash Chakma occupied

In August 2007, five illegal settler families led by Abul Leader settled on a piece of land measuring one acre and 22 decimals belonging to Montu Bikash Chakma s/o late Jibrotno Chakma.

Mr. Chakma inherited three acres of third class land along with Koroi and Kanak trees and a bamboo grove after the death of his father. The Khatian number of that piece of land is R-87. Of the three acres, the government officially requisitioned 1 acre and 78 decimals for the construction of Mahalchari - Khagrachari road, while the remaining was forcibly taken away by the settlers.

3. Dev Ranjan Chakma's land grabbed

Nine acres of third class land belonging to Dev Ranjan Chakma, age 65, s/o Ratan Moni Chakma were forcibly taken away by seven illegal settler families from Chongrachari cluster village.

Of the nine acres, 5 acres are registered in the name of his father Ratan Moni Chakma and the remaining 4 acres in his grand father Batto Chakma's name.

Situated on Rangamati - Khagrachari road, the land was planted with teak and Gamari trees. Now illegal settlers Salam (45), Nur Amin (42), Shaha Jamal (32) s/o Dano Munshi, Raju (30) s/o Zahurul, Abul Leader (60), Ashraful (27) s/o Rashid and son of Gato Khan grabbed the said land and the trees.

Dev Ranjan Chakma lodged a complaint with Mahalchari army zone against the theft of his land. A land surveyor came to inquire into the allegation on 24 October 2007. Now the matter is under judicial consideration of the court of the Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari.

4. AP Battalion camp on grabbed land

A camp for the AP Battalion was constructed on 11 acres of land illegally grabbed from three Jumma villagers in Middle Lemuchari.

Of the 11 acres, 5 acres belong to Kinaram Chakma (75) of Bodanala village and 3 acres each to Kalachogha Chakma (75) and Hemonto Chakma (45) s/o late Chidingey Chakma of Lemuchari village.

After protest, the camp authority agreed to pay a yearly sum of Taka 3,000 as rent, of which Kinaram would get Tk. 1,800 and the other two would get Tk. 600 each.

5. Lalit Mohan Chakma's 8 acres of land grabbed, attempt at grabbing his paddy land

A total of eight acres of land with orchard belonging to Lalit Kumar Chakma (60), head of the village and an ex-member of Lemuchari Union Council (Ward No. 3), were forcibly grabbed by illegal settlers from Chongrachari cluster village.

The lands were taken away with the help of the army on 25 - 26 August 2007. Since then five settler families have been occupying the land after constructing houses. They are the families of Abul (50), Mozammel (40), Inus Pissi (50), Mollah (60) and Moinal (40) s/o Mollah.

Army personnel were deployed for their 24-hours protection for at least 20 days since the first day of occupation.

Of the 8 acres, 3 acres with holding No. R - 65 are covered with teak and

Gamari trees he had planted 10 years back.

He also grew teak and Gamari on the other patch of land. The trees are now 15 to 16 years old. In September 2007, 15 illegal settler families led by Zahurul Leader from Chongrachari cluster village constructed houses on this land.

Attempt at grabbing his paddy land

The settlers are also trying to capture Lalit Mohan Chakma's registered 4 acres and 28 decimals of first class paddy land under two holdings. Under one holding, (holding No. 245), he has 2 acres and 8 decimals while under holding No. 246 the amount of land is measured 2 acres and 20 decimals. He had duly paid land tax against the said lands for the years up to 2007.

The settlers damaged paddy crop and turmeric seedlings planted on patches of lands near the paddy field. They are also preventing Lalit Mohan Chakma and his family members from entering his land.

Protest

Mr. Lalit Mohan Chakma did not let the illegal occupation of his lands go unprotested. In August 2007, his son, Paritosh Chakma who is currently in the service of the Bangladesh army, lodged a complaint with Mahalchari army zone and demanded justice. But the zone authority refused to take any action against the settlers. Instead, at the instruction of the camp commander a certain army officer called Lalit Mohan Chakma to the camp and threatened him with dire consequences. He told him: "you have been a UP member and so you are a bad person. Do not make fuss about the land-grab or else I will get your son thrown out of job in no time."

6. Ananta Bihari Chakma's land set to be grabbed

Five or six settler families from Chongrachari cluster village are now in the final stage of capturing one acre of third class hilly land belonging to Ananta Bihari Chakma, age 50, s/o late Jibo Ratna Chakma.

Mr. Chakma has grown teak and Gamara orchard on the said land. The number of Gamari trees is 200 and they are over 10 years old, matured enough to be cut and sold off.

He has been in possession of this land for the last 20 years.

Three of the settler families involved in the grabbing attempt have been identified as the families of Tofazzal (55), Babu Munchi (50) and Mollah (60).

7. Attempt at grabbing Bijoy Prashad Chakma's land

Five settler families from Chongrachari cluster village have been making attempts to capture 3 acres of third class hilly land belonging to Bijoy Prashad Chakma, age 55, s/o late Jibo Ratna Chakma.

He has been enjoying the said land for the last 20 years and he had planted teak and Gamari trees 7/8 years back. Besides, there is a bamboo orchard grown by him.

The settlers who have been attempting to grab his land have been identified as Noor Zaman (50), Khadem Ali (50), Anwar Hossain (35), Motaleb Hossain (25) and Mizanur (30).

xii. Bodanala, Lemuchari Mouza, Maischari Union

1. Octogenarian Suresh Mohan Talukder's land grabbed

In August 2007, four illegal settler families grabbed 3 acres of third class hilly land belonging to 80-years old Suresh Mohan Talukder (s/o late Kalachand Talukder) and are attempting to capture 3 acres more under another holding. The Khatian number of the plot of his land is R-30.

He has grown teak and jackfruit trees on the said land. During armed rebellion of the now-defunct Shanti Bahini, the Bangladesh military personnel had cleared much of his teak orchard.

The settlers built houses on the captured land, uprooted teak plants and cleared the bamboo grove.

Of the four settler families settled on his land, one has been identified as the family of Md. Arzal (40) from Mahalchari.

The other plot of land measuring 3 acres is situated near Rangamati - Khagrachari road. The settlers are also attempting to capture it.

2. Shushil Jibon Talukder's land grabbed

In August 2007, twenty illegal settler families forcibly occupied three and a half acres of third class hilly land belonging to Shushil Jibon Talukder (55) s/o Sukhendu Bikash Talukder. The Khatian number of the land holding is R-30.

Five of the settler families have been identified. They are the families of Malek (60), Denish (20) s/o Malek, Korban Ali (25), Hazrat Ali (60) and Momin (60) from Chongrachari cluster village.

There are 70 - 80 teak trees on the said land planted by the owner. Of these, the settlers cut down 8 and kept the rest under their control.

3. Settlers occupy Milan Chakma's courtyard

Mr. Milan Chakma (50) has been living in his 3 acre plot of land for the last 10 years. He has grown teak and jackfruit trees on it. In August 2007, one Fazar Ali (25) from Chongrachari cluster village forcibly occupied his courtyard and built a house on it.

When Milan Chakma protested, the illegal settler threatened him with army torture.

4. Dev Priya and Maha Priya Chakma's land captured

In August 2007, nine illegal settler families forcibly occupied 3 acres of third class homestead land belonging to two brothers - Dev Priya Chakma and Maha Priya Chakma. The settlers have built houses on the grabbed land.

The Chakma brothers inherited the land after the death of their father Purno Kumar Chakma. The Khatian number of the plot of the land is R-32 and settlement was granted in the year 1960. They have grown teak, Koroi, Moanchaba and tamarind trees in their orchard.

In November, the settlers built the houses on the grabbed land. The Chakma brothers are still living in their houses, although the settlers have claimed that they belong to these lands as well.

Some of the land grabbers have been identified. They are Billah (40) of Mahalchari cluster village, Sona Mian (35), Azad (50), Lal Chand Fakir (65) and Rashid of Pakujjyachari cluster village, Abdus (55) of Joysenpara cluster village and Salimuddin (55) and Jasimuddin (55) from plan districts.

5. Widowed Mrs. Mongol Pudi Chakma's land grabbed

Three acres of land belonging to widowed Mrs. Mongol Pudi Chakma (45) were forcibly grabbed by two illegal settler families from Joysen Para cluster village in August 2007. They have already built houses on the grabbed land.

One of the two settler families involved in the grabbing of her land has been identified as the family of Kalam (55).

Mrs. Mongol Pudi Chakma has been living there for the last 15 years. She has grown coconut and betel-nut trees on the said land.

6. Settlers threaten to capture Sorbananda Chakma's land

Illegal settler Harunur Rashid (45) from Chongrachari cluster village is learnt to have threatened to capture five acres of third class land belonging to Sorbananda Chakma (35) s/o Gyani Mohan Chakma.

7. Settlers prevent Nishi Kumar Chakma selling his trees

Nishi Kumar Chakma (40) s/o Jatil Chandra Chakma has grown teak and Gamari orchard over 4 acres of land. The trees are 30 to 40 years old. Recently, when he attempted to sell these trees, the settlers threatened him not to do so.

8. Attempt at capturing Anil Chandra Talukder's land

The settlers are reported to have been making desperate attempts to capture 4 acres of third class land belonging to Anil Chandra Talukder (70) s/o late Sukhendu Bikash Talukder. The land was granted to him in 1964 - 66.

His son Shovan Chandra Talukder (40) has houses built on this plot of land.

The settlers went there 3 or 4 times to clear jungle for construction of houses. However, when objection was made, they retreated.

xiii. Lemuchari Boradam, Lemuchari Mouza No. 250, Maischari Union

1. Pran Krishna Chakma and his two brothers' land grabbed

Four acres of third class land belonging to Pran Krishna Chakma (40) and his two brothers, Rup Krishna Chakma (35) and Neel Krishna Chakma (30), have been forcibly taken away by three illegal settler families from Chongrachari cluster village.

The Pran Krishna Chakma's family has been forced to leave their homestead for fear of attack from the settlers.

They inherited this piece of land with Khatian number R-41 after the death of their father Gyana Lal Chakma. The settlement year of the land was 1965 - 66. They had grown teak, Koroi and Gamari trees on the said land.

Two of the three illegal settler families involved the land grabbing have been identified. They are families of Javed (26) and Ishak (26).

The settlers began cutting jungles in the first week of October 2007 and built houses a few days later, on 16 October 2007.

The three brothers lodged complaints with the local land office as well as with AP Battalion camp at Lemuchari. However, no action was taken against the illegal occupiers.

Aftermath of the illegal occupation

In the first week of November 2007, the settlers chased away Mrs. Maya Devi Chakma, wife of Pran Krishna Chakma, when she went to collect firewood in their orchard. Previously, attempts were also made to attack Neel Krishna Chakma and Rup Krishna Chakma.

2. Shanti Moy Chakma and his two brothers' land occupied

In the first week of October 2007, settlers from Chongrachari cluster village captured 5 acres of third class land belonging to Shanti Moy Chakma (70) and his two brothers, Indu Moy Chakma (55) and Sukriti Chakma (50).

They inherited this plot of land settled in 1966 with Khatian number R-35 after the death of their father Joyanta Kumar Chakma. They had planted teak and jackfruit trees on the said land 10 - 12 years back.

They also have a small piece of paddy land adjacent to the 5 acres hilly land plot. The settlers tried to cause damage to the paddy field.

Three of the 13 settler families involved in the illegal occupation of the said land have been identified as families of Noor Uddin (40) s/o Salauddin, Tofer (60) and Kalam (35).

A case has been filed against the illegal land grabbers with the UNO of Mahalchari. An investigation is reported to have been carried out, but no report has so far been submitted. Nor has any action been taken against the offenders.

3. Suniti Chakma and Sukhomoy Chakma's land grabbed

Fifteen illegal settler families from Chongrachari cluster village forcibly took away 3 acres of third class land belonging to Sukhomoy Chakma (45) and Suniti Chakma (36) in October 2007. This piece of land with Khatian number R-52 was originally granted to their father Ban Bihari Chakma in 1966.

There are teak and Gamari trees, banana plantation and bamboo grove on the said land. They also had a farm house there.

Six of the fifteen settler families involved in the grabbing of the said land have been identified. They are the families of Harun Leader (65), Rashun Ali Munchi (50), Salu (50), Abul (40), Noher (50) and Arzal (55).

4. Hiranmoy Chakma's land grabbed, mosque built

In the first week of October 2007, ten settler families from Chongrachari cluster village forcibly captured 3 acres of third class land belonging to Hiranmoy Chakma (40) s/o late Dhan Bihari Chakma. The settlers built houses and a mosque on the grabbed land.

The land was settled in the year 1966 and the Khatian number is R-55. Before illegal possession by the settlers, Hiranmoy Chakma had a house on this land and he had to leave it for fear of attack from the settlers. He also grew different species of trees on the said land. The settlers are also trying to grab his 1.5 acres of paddy land near the captured land.

Three of the ten settler families involved in the grabbing of his land have been identified as Jalil (40), Saufi (40) and Dulal Mistri (50).

5. Nitimoy and Bimal Chakma's land grabbed

In the first week of October 2007, 14 - 15 settler families from Chongrachari cluster village captured 2 acres of land belonging to Nitimoy Chakma (50) and Bimal Kanti Chakma (45).

They inherited the said land from their father late Jogendra Lal Chakma, in whose name the land was settled. The Khatian number of the land could not be known.

On the captured land there are teak, Gamari, jackfruit and mango trees, which are 10 - 12 years old. They also had a farm house over there. But they had to leave it when the settlers took the land.

The settlers are also making attempts to capture their 2 acres of paddy land near the captured land.

Six of the settler families involved in the illegal grabbing of the said land have been identified. They are the families of Latif (40), Hazrat (40), Mollah (60), Shahajahan (45), Rafiq (35) and Azizur (40).

6. Neel Kanti Chakma's land grabbed

In the first week of October 2007, settlers led by Shaha Jamal alias Fat Sha Jamal from Chongrachari cluster village began the process of illegally capturing 5 acres of third class land belonging to Neel Kanti Chakma s/o Pulin Chandra Chakma.

The Khatian number of this piece of land is 33. Mr. Neel Kanti Chakma was forced to leave his homestead when the settlers grabbed the land.

On the captured land, there are jackfruit and teak trees, which he had planted 10 - 15 years ago. The settlers are now cutting those trees.

7. Naba Ratan Chakma and his two brothers' land grabbed

In the first week of October 2007, illegal settlers Salam (35) and Motaleb (32) from Chongrachari cluster village grabbed approximately 5 acres of third class land belonging to Naba Ratan Chakma (70) and his two brothers, Mono Ranjan Chakma (60) and Dulal Chandra Chakma (55) s/o late Rashik Chandra Chakma.

VI. Captured land christened "Cutting Tila"

The illegal settlers have formed a village after slicing lands off Lemuchari Boradam village and christened it "Cutting Tila". It is situated on the south and west side of Lemuchari Boradam.

Besides that, in August 2007 another new settler village comprising approximately 100 families has been formed after capturing lands between Lemuchari Boradam and Middle Lemuchari.

VII. Land-grab attempt in Lemuchari Boradam

The illegal settlers have been making attempts to capture the lands of the following Jumma villagers in Lemuchari Boradam:

1. Two brothers - Basuki Chakma (50) and Shanti Chakma (40) s/o late Ramani Kumar Chakma.

Illegal settler Jalil (50) and his father-in-law from Chongrachari cluster village have been making attempts to grab 5 acres of third class land belonging to the Chakma brothers since the first week of November 2007. The Khatian number of the land plot is R-49. The settlers went there to cut jungle for construction of houses. However, after protest, their attempts failed.

2. Gunodhar Chakma (65) s/o late Chandra Kumar Chakma. Third class hilly land comprising 5 acres. Khatian number is R-37. He has grown jackfruit and coconut trees on the said land.

3. Late Kanta Moni Chakma's four sons namely, Abani Kumar Chakma (50), Sabuj Chakma (45), Rummo Chakma (45) and Jibon Pradeep Chakma. The land comprises of 4 acres of third class category, the Khatian number of which is R-40. There are teak, bamboo and different kinds of fruit trees in the orchard.

4. Ashim Chakma (60), Shubhonkor Chakma (55) and Hemongkor Chakma (35) s/o late Mukundu Chakma. The land area is of third class category and comprises 4 acres. Khatian number is R-42.

5. Ananda Lata Chakma (60) s/o Shukro Moni Chakma. Third class land comprising 4 acres, with Khatian number R-13. There are teak, litchi, coconut, betel-nut trees and bamboo groves on the said land.

6. Two brothers Gyani Mohan Chakma (70) and Kamini Chakma (60) s/o late Chandra Ban Chakma. The land area comprises 3 acres. They have been in possession of this land for many years and have grown teak and different kinds of fruit trees.

7. Sudaksha Chakma (55) s/o late Upendra Lal Chakma. His land falls into third class category and comprises 8 acres, with Khatian number R-33. He has grown teak, Gamari, jackfruit and other fruit trees on the said land.

8. Shanti Ranjan Chakma (32) s/o Mereiya Chakma. He has got three acres of land under Khatian number R-47. He has grown teak and pineapples on the said land.

............................

Cover photo: Settler women cutting away hay straw from paddy fields of the Jumma villagers at will. Photo taken from Joysen Para.

Army threatens Headman to agree to illegal Bengali settlement

2007-12-09T02:55:00.000-08:00

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Hill Watch Human Rights Forum wrote:

Army threatens Headman to agree to illegal Bengali settlement

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 57/2007, December 09, 2007

The second-in-command of Mahalchari Army zone, Major Gaffar yesterday,
8 December 2007, threatened Niroti Chakma, headman of Ugudochari Mouza
under Khagrachari district, to agree to new illegal Bengali settlement
in his area.

The Major called Niroti Chakma and Biswajit Chakma, chairman of
Kiang-ghat Union under Mahalchari Thana, to the zone headquarters and
asked them to agree to the army plan to settle more Bengali people in
Ugudochari. He sought to coerce them into agreeing the plan and said:
"I can put you in a dungeon any time. So do as you are told. You must
look into the matter of the Bengalis".

Niroti Chakma told the Army commander that when it came to the
settlement of the Bengali people he was helpless because they did not
possess any valid land documents. He also reminded him that all the
lands the settlers want to settle on belong to the Jumma people.

Fresh attempt
One of our sources in Maischari said the illegal settlers made another
attempt today to capture Jumma villagers' land Ugudochari. The
settlers went to an area near Aryopur Kuthir to cut jungle for
construction of houses. No further details are available.

Press conference in Dhaka
Victims of recent land grabbing in Mahalchari are holding a press
conference at Reporters Unity offices in Dhaka to highlight their
problem. The press conference is underway at the moment.
.............................................
Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate, objective and
reliable information on human rights abuses in the Chittagong Hill
Tracts. For further details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com or
hwhrf.cht@gmail.com

Army threatens Headman to agree to illegal Bengali settlement

2007-12-09T02:51:00.001-08:00

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11th year of Kalpana Chakma abduction: an article

2007-06-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

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KALPANA CHAKMA WILL NEVER DIE: MAKE THE INQUIRY REPORT
PUBLIC
By Mithun Chakma, General Secretary, Democratic Youth
Forum

FLASH BACK
On the night of 11 June, 1996. Scene: New Lalyaghona
village, Marishya, Rangamati. Barely 7/8 hours were to
go before the voting for the seventh National
Parliamentary Elections began. Earlier in the day
Kalpana Chakma had taken part in exhaustive election
campaign for her candidate. She felt tired and soon
dipped into a deep sleep. What was she dreaming in her
sleep? A dream dreamt by each and every Jumma? A
sudden, shrill and harsh voice made her awoke: "Who
are in the house? Come out." In pure Bangla the voice
spoke. It was past midnight, about 1.30 a.m. to be
exact. The sounds of the boots of the soldiers were
tearing the stillness of the night apart.

Mrs. Bandhuni Chakma, Kalpana Chakma's widowed mother,
got out of the bed and opened the door, her whole body
trembling in fear. Then one by one came out: Kalpana
Chakma, her two brothers, Khudhiram and Kalindi Kumar,
and Kalindi Kumar's wife. The house was surrounded by
the marauding soldiers so that no one could escape. A
soldier flashed a torch on their faces and Kalindi
Kumar recognized Lt. Ferdous, who had visited their
house a few days back, and two VDP (Village Defence
Party) members - Nurul Haqe and Salah Ahmed. Amnesty
International in an Urgent Action issued on 1st July
wrote: "Six or seven security personnel in
plainclothes, believed to be from Ugalchari army camp
(actually Lieut. Ferdous was commander of Kojoichari
Army camp), are reported to have entered the home of
Kalpana Chakma in New Lallyaghona village, Rangamati
district in the early hours of 12 June. Kalpana Chakma
and two of her brothers were forcibly taken from their
home, blindfolded and with their hands tied."

What happened after that? Members of the Ain -o-
Salish Kendra (ASK), a Bangladeshi human rights
organisation, visited the place of occurrence after
the incident. In their report they said, “They (army)
took Khudiram near a lake and told him to step into
the lake. As soon as he went down in the lake, there
was an order to fire bullet on him. Out of fear
Khudiram took shelter in the water and with a fearful
swimming of some minutes he managed to take shelter in
the house of one neighbour called Lamba, but without
clothes in his body. The armed personnel fired at him
but he managed to flee without being hurt. In the
meantime the armed personnel took Kalpana Chakma and
her brother Kalindi Kumar blindfolded. After hearing
the firing he (Kalindi Kumar) tried to run to flee
from them, and he managed. When he was fleeing he
heard two firings and heard that his sister Kalpana
Chakma was screaming.” In an interview Kalicharan
(Kalindi Kumar) said “They shot at me and when I ran I
could hear Kalpana crying out ‘Dah Dah Mare Baja"
(Brother, brother save me!).

Dear readers, please don't mistake it for a
Shakespearean tragedy. It's real life in Chittagong
Hill Tracts.

WHY WAS SHE ABDUCTED?
Kalpana Chakma is a combination of an indigenous
political activist, a women leader and a human rights
defender. She was the organising secretary of the Hill
Women's Federation, a platform for the Jumma women in
Chittagong Hill Tracts. She is an excellent organiser
and played a very important role in organising its
first central conference in Khagrachari in 1995. The
Daily Star reporter Morshed Ali Khan, who visited
Kalpana Chakma's house after the incident, wrote:
‘Local youth said that Kalpana, a student of BA at the
local college, was always a strong and vocal activist
for the cause of the Chakma people and she regularly
attended conferences, discussions at the national
level and played a prominent role in this respect’.

On 19th March 1996, an incident occurred in Kalpana’s
village. ASK in its report said, ‘Villagers told us
that on 19th March1996, 7 Chakma houses were burned
and villagers were abused by the Bengal Regiment’. On
23 July the Janakantha, a Bengali language daily
published from Dhaka, quoted a Hill Students Council
leader saying "Kalpana Chakma vehemently protested
against the incident." He told the Janakantha that
Kalpana Chakma squarely blamed the army officer for
the arson attack and entered into a heated debate with
him. He expressed the fear that she might have been
kidnapped because of that debate. The army officer who
had burned down the Chakma houses and with whom
Kalpana Chakma exchanged heated words was none other
than Lt. Ferdous himself. This took place at Kalpana
Chakma's house few days before her abduction.

Amnesty International believes her abduction has
something to do with the parliamentary election in
which Kalpana Chakma had taken part as a campaigner
for an independent candidate. Amnesty wrote, ‘It has
been suggested that her abduction may have been linked
to her support of a candidate representing the
interests of indigenous people in the parliamentary
elections that took place in Bangladesh on June12.’

PROTESTS
Storms of protest swept the CHT. In Marishya, Kalpana
Chakma's home county, general strike was observed.
While the Jummas supported the programme whole
heartedly, some sections of the Bengali settlers
attacked a rally of the picketers and shot dead
16-year old Rupon Chakma. The settlers also hacked to
dead Sukesh Chakma, Monotosh Chakma and Samar Chakma,
who were on their way to Baghaichari bazaar to take
part in the picketing.

Protests were also held in other parts of the country
including capital Dhaka. On 27 June 1996, HWF staged a
symbolic hunger strike in front of the national press
club in Dhaka. Mass rallies were also organised by the
National Committee for the Protection of Fundamental
Rights in CHT. All the progressive political parties
and human and civil rights organisations of the
country joined the protest. The role of the print
media was impressive. Because of their unstinted
support, the incident could attract national and
international attention. Here we mention some
newspaper headlines published at the time on Kalpana
Chakma.

The daily star: 1 July: DU students urge govt. to
rescue Kalpana Chakma; 5 July
Abduction of Kalpana Chakma: Home Ministry probe
demanded; The Independent: 15 July, 1996: 12 human
rights bodies call to rescue Kalpana Chakma; Bhorer
Kagoj: 6 July: Hill Women’s Federation rally: It is a
mystery that there is no govt. effort to rescue
Kalpana; Janakantha: 21 July, 1996: Editorial: rescue
Kalpana; Bhorer Kagoj: 23 July, 1996: Demands for
discussion on Kalpana in Parliament; Sangbad: 19
august, 1996:
Kalpana’s mother tells: HR Commission lying, I want my
daughter back.

ATTEMPT TO COVER UP
From the very beginning, there was an attempt to cover
up the incident. Initially, the army termed the
incident as a 'love affair". However, they backtracked
later on and flatly denied army's involvement in the
abduction. When they failed to sweep the incident
under the rug, they launched a vicious disinformation
campaign. The Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission in its
report Life is Not Ours, update 3, said that an NGO
named Bangladesh Human Rights Commission on 15th
August 1996 at a press conference declared that
Kalpana Chakma had been seen in the Tripura state of
India and that she herself plotted the abduction
incident. Agartala based Humanity Protection Forum
investigated the accusation in the area and by
interviewing many peoples they had come to the
decision that the statement of Bangladesh Human Rights
Commission is totally baseless and false. Kalpana
Chakma’s mother also in a press conference rejected
the BHRC’s statement and termed it as a `blatant lie’.

In a 9-page lengthy press release the Army's 24th
infantry Division, which is responsible for
coordinating the so-called counter-insurgency
operations in CHT, displayed its mastery over cooking
up stories. It questioned the authenticity of the
claim that Kalpana Chakma was kidnapped and suggested
that she might be hiding somewhere on her own accord
to support the unholy efforts of the Shanti Bahini and
to embarrass the government. In the same press
statement, the army claimed that Kalpana Chakma had
been trying to participate in the International
Women's conference in Beijing and that she might have
secretly left the country using her international
passport. The 24th Infantry Division also dropped
leaflets from helicopters announcing a reward of Taka
50,000 for information about the whereabouts of
Kalpana Chakma.

However, the Jumma people's organisations such as Hill
Peoples Council, Hill Student's Council and Hill
Women's Federation rejected the statement of the 24th
Infantry Division and demanded that the government
steps up efforts to find out Kalpana Chakma. They
refuted the claims made in the statement with forceful
and logical arguments thus frustrating its nefarious
attempt to create confusion about the kidnapping.

CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE?
Yet to the great surprise of all, the most damaging
remark about the abduction of Kalpana Chakma was made
by former guerrilla leader and Jana Samhati Samiti
president Santu Larma. When, after the closing of the
surrendering ceremony at Khagrachari stadium on 10
February 1998, the media persons asked him to comment
on the abduction of Kalpana Chakma and Logang
massacre, he said "these are all controversial
issues". (Daily Janakantha, 11 February 1998). It is
still an enigma as to why Mr. Larma had to put his
reputation at stake by making such a comment. Whatever
may be the reasons, the later events have turned out
that it is Mr. Larma who has become the most
controversial figure in the contemporary political
history of the CHT.

PROBE COMMITTEE
After months of protests and mounting international
condemnation, the government on 7 September 1996
constituted a three-member inquiry committee headed by
Justice Abdul Jalil. The other members are Sawkat
Hossain, Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong and Dr.
Anupam Sen, professor of Chittagong University.

The committee is reported to have submitted its
findings to the Ministry of Home Affairs a couple of
years ago, but the government is yet to make it
public. After the incident Kalpana Chakma's brother
Kalindi Kumar Chakma filed an FIR with the Baghaichari
police station. (Case number 12/6/1996#2). There is
allegation that the officer-in-charge registered the
FIR after dropping the army from it. Even then, the
police never acted on this FIR.

DOES LAW TURN ITS OWN COURSE?
When the members of the ASK Team asked whether Kalpana
will be rescued, the then DC of Rangmati District
replied, "Law will take its own course" and "Police
are investigating” After eleven years, the law seems
to have lost its course. The inquiry report has never
seen the light of the day and the culprits roam
scot-free. Lt. Ferdous, the mastermind behind the
kidnapping, is reported to have been promoted to the
rank of Major and posted back to Karengatoli army
camp, not far from Kalpana Chakma's village New
Lalyaghona. This amounts to an indigestible affront to
the human rights organisations and to those who
supported the demand that Lt. Ferdous should be
brought to justice.

CONCLUSION: MAKE THE REPORT PUBLIC
The present caretaker government of Dr. Fakruddin
Ahmed has taken many commendable actions to clear the
mess that was created by the previous partisan
governments. With regard to the Chittagong Hill
Tracts, it has not yet taken any major steps, apart
from withdrawing a few base camps, taking decision to
call the meeting of the CHT Ministry's advisory
committee and to reactivate the Task Force on the
rehabilitation of the Jumma refugees. We hope the
government would take a bold step to make the inquiry
report on disappearance of Kalpana Chakma public.
Making the report public does not require any money or
hard work. What it needs is just a decision. That's
all.
.........................................

Jumma refugee Leader arrested in Khagrachari, CHT

2007-06-07T00:12:00.000-07:00

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Visit: http://www.jummonet .blogspot. com

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.

This news is also available at
http://jumwatch. blogspot. com/
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ..
Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate,
objective and reliable information on human rights
abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further
details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo. com or
hwhrf.cht@gmail. com

Another UPDF activist arrested

2007-06-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

cerebral pal
sy

Another UPDF activist arrested in Pujgang

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 17/2007, June 02, 2007

Another United People's Democratic Front activist has been arrested by
military personnel in Pujgang, about 40 kilometers north of
Khagrachari town.

Dhongo Chakma age 22 was arrested at around 1 pm on 29 May 2007, the
day UPDF leader Milton Chakma was picked up from Chengi Bridge in
Khagrachari town.

He is from Jitendra Para village of Tarabunia under Panchari Thana
(sub-district) and his father's name is Bishwamoy Chakma and mother's
name Chandra Shova Chakma.

No further details about his arrest are available.

Due to state of emergency now in force in the country, all the offices
of the UPDF remain closed and most of the UPDF leaders and activists
have gone into hiding.

While the military-backed interim government of Dr. Fakruddin Ahmed
has continued its crackdown on corrupt politicians much to the relief
of the common citizens, the military in CHT are hugely misusing the
emergency power equating corrupt Bengali politicians and businessmen
with the Jumma rights defenders.

At least 14 UPDF and 7 JSS members have been arrested so far since the
declaration of state of emergency on 11 January this year.

This news is also available at http://jumwatch.blogspot.com/

7-day remand for Milton Chakma

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 18/2007, June 04, 2007

The United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) leader Milon Chakma, who
was arrested on 29 May in Khagrachari, has been placed on 7-day
remand.

A court in Rangamati ordered his remand for interrogation in
connection with the death of an army officer in Ghilachari under
Rangamati district in December last year. Milton Chakma has been
implicated in this case after his arrest.

He will be produced before the court again on 11 June. Advocate Dulal
Kanti Dey, who is acting as his legal counselor, will submit a bail
prayer on his behalf.

Milton's wife Sumana Chakma told the HWHRF from Rangamati by telephone
that he was neither tortured nor interrogated during military custody.
She feared that the joint forces may use torture during the remand
period to extract false confession from him.

This news is also available at http://jumwatch.blogspot.com/

UPDF Leader Miltan Chakma areested

2007-06-02T03:07:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

UPDF leader Milton Chakma arrested in Khagrachari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 16/2007, June 02, 2007

Milton Chakma, former president of the Hill Student's Council and
coordinator of the United People's Democratic Front's Naniachar unit,
was arrested from Khagrachari on 29 May 2007.

He and his wife Sumana Chakma were waiting for a bus at around 11:30
am near Chengi Bridge, one kilometer west of Khagrachari bazaar, to go
to Chittagong, when the army picked him up.

Narrating the incident, Sumana Chakma, who is the finance secretary of
the Hill Women's Federation, a front organisation of the UPDF, said
"we were standing under the shade of the Shishu trees when an army
lorry pulled up near us. One army personnel asked Milton what his name
was and he told him his name. Then the lorry went a few yards towards
the direction of Khagrachari town before halting again. After a few
minutes they came back to where we were standing and took Milton away
leaving me there alone."

In the afternoon Sumana and her mother-in-law Ananta Probha Chakma
contacted Khagrachari zone headquarters. They were told at the
reception that the offices of the zone were closed at 2 pm and asked
them to go the next morning.

Accordingly, when they contacted again the next morning, the zone
commander told them that Milton was picked up by army personnel from
Mahalchari zone. But when they went to Mahalchari zone, the army
officers denied this.

It was only on 1 June that Milton's family could know through UPDF
members in Naniachar that he was sent to Rangamati district jail.

Although he was not tortured, the army filed three false cases against
him with Naniachar Thana (police station). One of these cases is
related to the death of an army officer who was accidentally killed in
crossfire in December last year. Another case is learnt to have been
filed under Arms Act. The third case is still unknown.

Milton Chakma is the coordinator of the UPDF Naniachar unit. A few
days ago he went home in Khagrachari on leave to see his ailing wife.
On the day of arrest, he was taking her to Chittagong for treatment.

Milton Chakma joined the UPDF after completing his Masters degree in
Sociology from Dhaka University. He also held the post of president of
the Hill Student's Council from 2000 - 2001.

He was first detained by army in 1999 when he went to Manikchari in
Khagrachari to attend the first death anniversary of Mongshey Marma, a
PCP member, but was released a few weeks later. After that, in the
same year he was kidnapped by JSS members from Ghagra in Rangamati
district along with another PCP activist Panthu Chakma. They were
released a few days later when pressure was brought to bear on the JSS
leadership. He was also among many others tortured by the military in
1998 when they were holding a PCP meeting in Baghaichari under
Rangamati district.

This news is also available at http://jumwatch.blogspot.com/
......................................................................................
Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate, objective and
reliable information on human rights abuses in the Chittagong Hill
Tracts. For further details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com or
hwhrf.cht@gmail.com

2007-05-27T00:53:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

11th year of Kalpana Chakma’s abduction
Perpetrators must be brought to justice

Kalpana Chakma- has become a source of courage and inspiration in the struggle of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

As we all know, she was abducted by Lieutenant Ferdous, the then Kojoichari camp commander, under Baghaichari thana in Rangamati district on the night of 11 June 1996, just seven hours before the voting began for national parliamentary elections.

The incident attracted national and international attention. The Jumma people of CHT launched massive agitation against the incident. Peoples from all walks of life joined the movement and in the plainland of the country progressive and conscientious citizens voiced their unequivocal support for the demand that the abductors be punished with due severity. Eleven years have already passed, yet the perpetrators have been brought to justice. Lieutenant Ferdous, the main culprit, is still serving in the military and he is reported to have been promoted to the higher rank and posted back to a camp not far from Kojoichari, his earlier posting. This is strange! Such kind of things can only happen in Bangladesh!!

After 11 years the issue of Kalpana Chakma still remains alive.

The BD military, who are the de facto administrator of CHT, must take full responsibility for the incident. They should have the courage to acknowledge the truth and take appropriate actions against Lt. Ferdous and his cohorts so that justice can prevail.

This year’s 12th June marks the eleventh anniversary of abduction of Kalpana Chakma. The Day has come nearer. Every year the Day is observed with fiery protests, demonstrations and discussions.

What are we going to do this time around? Shall we allow the day pass by? State of emergency is still in force and all kinds of political activities are banned. Therefore, street agitation is out of the question. This is tough time, but we surely don’t want to let it go unnoticed.

Now a non-party caretaker government is running Bangladesh. Would it be an excess on our part if we demand punishment to the abductors of Kalpana Chakma?

Dear friends, I think the issue demands special attention from you.

Hope.

Mithun Chakma

E-mail: mithun.chakma@gmail.com
Cell: +88-0152-559763

AI Report 2007: Chittagong Hill Tracts Forgotten

2007-05-24T01:04:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

AI Report 2007: Chittagong Hill Tracts Forgotten

http://citizenxpress.com/blog/view/2345/ai_report_2007_chittagong_hill_tracts_forgotten/

THE London-based human rights organisation Amnesty international yesterday, 23 May, released its annual report. The document - Amnesty International Report 2007 - is the group's annual assessment of human rights country-by-country. It is available on its website at http://thereport.amnesty.org/eng/Homepage.

As soon as it was put on the website, I enthusiastically downloaded a copy and took a quick look on it. I typed "Chittagong Hill Tracts" and clicked search, but to my utter surprise and dismay failed to find any entry. Then I went through the Bangladesh chapter to try to find if the word "minority" was mentioned. But I was disappointed again. To be honest, I find it quite intriguing, because even lesser known (not in negative sense) Uighur community in China, national minorities of Myanmar and Hmongs of Laos have found special mention in the report. Kashmir and Tibet have also been dealt with adequately. Only the poor Chittagong Hill Tracts is missing!

Then, does it suggest that there have been no incidents of human rights violations in 2006 in the Chittagong Hill Tracts? Has peace at long last descended on the repressed hills? Far from it. Despite the CHT treaty of 1997, human rights violations continue unabated. The aim is to suppress the dissenting voices offered by UPDF and its associated organisations. The year 2006 has been no exception. Political repression reached a high pitch in that year. An incident will best illustrate the deterioration of the human rights situation in CHT.

On 5 March 2006, security forces led by one Captain Zahid entered into Khagrachari District Court without permission from the sitting judge. Captain Zahid took away two Jummas Shuchil Kanti Chakma and Kamala Ranjan Chakma, who were arrested from Mahalchari the previous day, out of court custody by force. He then photographed them after putting weapons in their hands. Khagrachari District Bar Association condemned the incident, but no action has been taken against the delinquent officer. (Cited in Delhi-based Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network's report "Then and Now: Repression on the indigenous Jumma peoples of Bangladesh ").

Throughout the year arrests of innocent people, communal tension and land grabbing continued. In a remote village in Rangamati district, security personnel attacked a wedding party and shot dead the bridegroom. On 3 April, the Maischari settler attack took place. At least four Jumma women were raped and scores of innocent villagers wounded in that attack. The incident attracted national media attention and the Jumma people boycotted Boisabi festival in protest.

The CHT failed to attract AI attention in the past. In 1999 massive crackdown began on UPDF. Scores of its members and supporters were subjected to unlawful arrest and detention. In one single incident in Chittagong 45 UPDF members and sympathizers including Prof. Anu Muhammad of Jahangirnagar University and Bangladesh Chattra Federation leader Maruf Hassan Rumi were arrested and the founding anniversary programme of the Party was foiled by using brute force. On 22 April 1999, two persons were killed when the police opened fire indiscriminately on a peaceful rally of the Hill Peoples Council, a front organisation of the UPDF. On 16 October 1999, three Jummas were killed in a joint attack by Bangladesh security forces and the settlers in Babuchara under Khagrachari district. In yet another communal setter attack hundreds of Jumma houses were burnt down in Ramgarh. Many other cases of HR violations were reported throughout the year. And yet, the AI maintained complete silence. Since the CHT accord, the only incident that found a place in AI report of 2004 is the Mahalchari settler attack in which two Jummas died, ten Jumma women raped and hundreds of houses in 10 villages were burnt to ashes.

The deafening silence of Amnesty International is an ominous sign. It will definitely send a wrong signal to the government of Bangladesh. Further more, it has all the potential to encourage the security forces to continue to ride roughshod over the human rights of the Jumma people in CHT.

The war on terror has seized much of AI's attention and its annual report 2007 has offered a scathing criticism of the most appalling human records of the world's most powerful governments and rightly so. However, in doing so, the AI should not have forgotten the most vulnerable communities of the world.

.......................................

Former UPDF activist arrested in Guimara

2007-05-21T01:19:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Former UPDF activist arrested in Guimara

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 15/2007, May 20, 2007

Army personnel on 17 May, Thursday, arrested a former activist of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) from Guimara under Khagrachari district.

Amar Chakma alias Chokkapeda of Babuchara village in Dighinala Upazilla of the district was arrested from his father-in-law's house in Podachara village in Guimara at around 3:30 pm. He was taken to Sindukchari army camp under Guimara brigade after arrest.

His family members could not tell whether he has been produced before the court or whether any cases have been filed against him.

The army has extraordinary power to arrest any one under the state of emergency that was declared on 11 January this year.

Mr. Chakma resigned from theUPDF two years back for personal physical problems and has been leading a quiet life ever since. Before joining the Party he was kidnapped three times by the armed members of the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) and was brutally tortured while in captivity.

In a report the daily Purbokone, a Bangla language newspaper published from Chittagong, said a group of army personnel from Sindukchari zone raided the "terrorist den of the UPDF", recovered two SBBL, two home-made guns and three rounds of live bullets and arrested three persons, but stopped short of mentioning the names of the arrested.

However, the Samakal, a national vernacular daily, and Suprabhat Bangladesh, published from Chittagong, mentioned the name of one of them, albeit, with incorrect spelling.

In all the above-mentioned reports, except the one in Purbokone, the date of arrest has been mentioned to be Saturday, 19 May. However, Purbokone did not bother to tell us when the incident was occurred.

After inquiry, HWHRF learnt that no incidents of army raids on "UPDF dens" in Guimara area on that day or in the last few days did ever took place. The report of recovering firearms has also turned out to be false.

This news is also available at http://jumwatch.blogspot.com/
......................................................................................
Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate, objective and reliable information on human rights abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com or hwhrf.cht@gmail.com

Army tortures innocent villagers and also UP Chairman and JSS activist arrest

2007-05-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Army tortures and arrests innocent villagers in Naniachar

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 14/2007, May 10, 2007

The Bangladesh military personnel in a series of raids on Jumma villages in Naniachar under Rangamati district tortured 8 innocent villagers and arrested two.

HWHRF received complaint that on 27 April a group of army personnel from Naniachar zone carried out raids on four Jumma villages namely Egarallya Chara, Chongrakuttya, Gobchari and Gunguttyachari. It was a predawn raid and the soldiers encircled the villages on all sides, with rounding up the people at day-break.

At least eight villagers were beaten up inhumanly during the raids. The victims have been identified as Udoi Kiron Karbari (Egarallyachara), Sunil Bikash Talukder (Egarallyachara), Siddharth Chakma (Gobchari), Gyana Joti Chakma (Gobchari), Chokka Chakma (Gobchari), Mother of Babudhan (Gobchari), Purno Kumar Chakma (Gunguttyachari) and Barallya Chakma (Gunguttyachari).

Of them, Siddharth Chakma (55) s/o Buddha Moni Chakma and Jyana Joti Chakma (40) s/o Moti Lal Chakma were handed over to the police, while Purna Kumar Chakma was taken to the camp. He was tortured again there and released at night the same day.

Villagers said JSS members Siarth Chakma and Biarth Chakma - the two brothers who are in the pay of the army – played the role of collaborators in the planning and execution of the raids.

This and many other incidents tend to indicate that some people are now out to take advantage of the state of emergency to settle personal scores. They are furnishing the members of the joint forces with false tip-offs about people against whom they harbour some personal grudge.

The joint forces, on the other hand, do not often verify the information they receive and work in a mechanical way, putting their image at stake and victimizing the innocent people at the same time.
......................................................................................
Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate, objective and reliable information on human rights abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com

UP chairman, 3 JSS men arrested in Rangamati

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum

NEWS No. 13/2007, May 09, 2007

Joint forces yesterday arrested Ghilachari Union Parishad chairman Mr. Amar Bikash Chakma and three other Jana Samhati Samiti activists from Manikchari in Rangamati district .

Mr. Chakma was on his way to Phuro Moan Bhabona Kendra, a Buddhist meditation centre, to become a Sramana or novice.

The joint forces personnel stopped a bus carrying him at Manikchari in Ghagra, dragged him out and sent him to Rangamati. The reason for his arrest could not be known.

Three other JSS activists were also reportedly arrested by the military. However, their identities could not be known.

......................................................................................

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate, objective and reliable information on human rights abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com

Formar JSS Leader arrested

2007-05-09T06:16:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Former JSS rebel commander arrested in Khagrachari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum

NEWS No. 12/2007, May 09, 2007

Former Shanti Bahini rebel commander Mr. Tatindra Lal Chakma who is better known as Pele, his nom de guerre, and another JSS activist was arrested on 5 May in Khagrachari, Northern Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Both of them were held by joint forces for allegedly demanding toll from Grameen Bank, the bank of micro credit Guru Mohammad Yunus, who won Nobel Peace Prize a few months back.

The police first arrested Nagor Chakma, 31, an active member of the Jana Samhati Samiti, from his Boradom residence in Dighinala of the district. This was soon followed by the arrest of Major Pele, 47. He was picked up from his residence in Khagrachari town.

JSS members alleged that police used torture tactics to extract statement from Nagor Chakma admitting to being involved in toll collection.

Pele's wife said her husband is a victim of a deep conspiracy. "I know who have instigated the police to arrest my husband", she said alluding to the internal feuds and frictions within the JSS.

The former rebel commander has been at odds with Santu Larma, the president of JSS, over the question of peace negotiations with UPDF, another political party of the Jumma people founded in 1998. Pele and his followers favour a negotiated settlement of the intra-Jumma conflict, while Santu Larma and his hawkish lieutenants opt for a military solution. The difference blossomed into an open clash in Dighinala in February which claimed the lives of two JSS members.

Sources from Khagrachari said Pele is being questioned by joint forces and that no formal case has been filed against him.

"He is one of the best military commanders the Jumma struggle has ever produced and as a commander he was popular with both the Shanti Bahini members and the people at large" said one of his colleagues in praise of Mr. Pele. "Therefore, it is not surprising that many Jummas would view his arrest as an attempt to vilify a great struggle that they had been very much part of."

......................................................................................

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate, objective and reliable information on human rights abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com

UPDF sctivist arrested in Manikchari of Khagrachari Hill District

2007-05-08T04:36:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

UPDF activist arrested in Manikchari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum

NEWS No. 11/2007, May 08, 2007

The military yesterday arrested an activist of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) in Manikchari under Khagrachari district.

UPDF activist Ripon Chakma was arrested at around 12 noon from Noa Bazaar of Batnatoli. He was beaten up and taken to Sinkukchari zonal camp.

No further details could be known due to remoteness of the area.

His arrest pushed the number of total UPDF members arrested since the declaration of state of emergency on 11 January to ten.

Persecution against UPDF and its front organisations are common in the CHT. Even before emergency was enforced in the country, hundreds of UPDF members and supporters had been subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention. At present about one hundred of its members and supporters are being detained in jails in Khagrachari, Rangamati and Chittagong.

UPDF and its front organisations are campaigning for full autonomy through peaceful and democratic means.

......................................................................................

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate, objective and reliable information on human rights abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com

2007-05-02T06:42:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

Settler attempt to rape a Jumma woman

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 09/2007, April 27, 2007

An unidentified settler is alleged to have attempted to rape a Jumma woman in Manikchari under Khagrachari district.

UPDF (United People's Democratic Front) sources said on 17 April, Tuesday, at around 12 noon Mrs. Arema Marma aged 20 w/o Kyoching Maung Marma of Mohish Khali Dojori Para village went to a nearby rivulet to fetch water.

A settler, who was working in the arum filed of Md. Kabir Ahmed, saw her alone and grabbed her. She exerted all her strength to shake him off and screamed for help. Hearing her shouts, the villagers rushed to the spot and rescued her. However, the culprit melted away before their arrival.

Mrs. Marma could not recognize him nor could remember whether she had seen him before in the area. She thinks he might have come from some other parts of the area to work as a day labourer.

The culprit is believed to have been hired by Kabir Ahmed of Gocchabil cluster village under Manikchari Thana.

Her family did not raise the issue with Kabir Ahmed to avoid unnecessary hazards.
......................................................................................
Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate, objective and reliable information on human rights abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com

UPDF men arrests in Guimara in Khagrachari in CHT, Bangladesh

2007-04-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

cerebral palsy

UPDF member arrested by army in Guimara

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 08/2007, April 27, 2007

Army personnel from Guimara brigade yesterday detained
a member of the United People’s Democratic Front
(UPDF) from Guimara bazaar in Khagrachari district.

Rimongsu Marma (30) s/o Jini Aung Mara of village Baro
Dulu, Kawkhali under Rangamati district was arrested
at about 2 pm along with Mrs. Sanau Marma (33) wife of
another UPDF member Nakka Marma.

Both of them were taken to Guimara brigade
headquarters. However, after interrogation Mrs. Sanau
Marma was released at 9 pm. She is from Natun Para
village in Guimara.

Rimongsu Marma is still being held under army custody.
......................................................................................
Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate,
objective and reliable information on human rights
abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further
details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com

2007-04-02T02:24:00.000-07:00

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Urgent newsfrom CHT, Bangladesh: UPDF Leader's wife arrested

Army arrest 5 including wife of UPDF leader Rangamati

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 01/2007, April 02, 2007

Members of the Bangladesh military yesterday arrested
five persons including wife of UPDF leader Sachib
Chakma and tortured two villagers in a remote hilly
hamlet in Rangamati district.

Sources said a group of army personnel from Jurippya
Para camp raided the house of Sachib Chakma, a central
committee member of the United People’s Democratic
Front, in the village of Bogachari and beat up his
father Mereya Chakma (67), and another villager Arun
Chakma (40).

The army asked for Sachib Chakma, but he was not
available at the time. The soldiers then took his
father Mereya Chakma, his wife Manekpudi Chakma, his
two children aged 2 and 4 and Arun Chakma to Naniachar
army zone headquarters. The army personnel also
misbehaved with his wife, who is a teacher of a
primary school in Kawakhali.

Sachib Chakma was arrested twice before – first on 11
February 1998 for voicing criticism to the CHT Accord
and then on 23 May 2005 along with 13 others from
Khagrachari office of the UPDF while they were holding
a meeting. He was released on bail a few moths back
from Chittagong jail.

After the declaration of state of emergency on 12
January, military operations have been stepped up in
the CHT. At least 8 UPDF members have been arrested
since then. The military is using the emergency rules
to unleash sweeping political repression against UPDF
and its front organisations.
................................................................................................................................
Hill Watch Human Rights Forum provides accurate,
objective and reliable information on human rights
abuses in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For further
details contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com

CHT HR Violation news from Bangladesh

2007-03-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

CHT HR Violation news from Bangladesh

Army arrest 3 UPDF members in Naniachar

HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, March 21, 2007

Three members of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) were
arrested on 21 March by army in Naniachar under Rangamati district.

Before the arrest, the army personnel from Naniachar zone encircled a
house used by the UPDF members at T&T area at around 4 p.m.

The army dressed the arrested UPDF members in olive green uniforms and
placed homemade guns and bullets into their hands and then
photographed them.

The arrested UPDF activists have been identified as Arpan, Dixton and
Shokta. All of them have been sent to Rangamati district jail. It is
not known under what charges they have been arrested.

The army also tried to arrest Milton Chakma, ex-president of Hill
Student's Council, who was deputed to the area to organise Party
activities, but he was able to evade arrest.

CHT NEWS NO. 19/2007. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United
Peoples' Democratic Front (UPDF). March 23, 2007. Website: www.updfcht. org

CHT NEWS

Innocent villager dies after military beating

An innocent villager Suresh Mohan Chakma (40) died after severe military torture in Ghilachari of Rangamati district. Hill Watch Human Rights Forum has reported that on 3 March 2007 a group of army personnel from Ghilachari camp under Naniachar Thana raided the house of Suresh Mohan Chakma s/o Phedera Chakma in the village of Choichari . The victim was groaning with high fever with an intravenous drip set up when the arrest was made. However, the army provided no rationale for the arrest nor showed any warrant. After the arrest Mr. Chakma was taken to the camp and was severely beaten. He was released after three days on 6 March. The next day he died as a direct result of the torture. His family members could not give the name of the army commander who led the raid as the soldiers, as a rule, do not put on name badge during such operations.

UPDF activist arrested in Khagrachari

An activist of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) has been arrested in Khagrachari district of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Human Rights Monitoring Cell of the UPDF said Kalo Priya Chakma (35) was arrested on the night of 10 March from the village of Gurgujjyachari , about 5 kilometers south of Khagrachari district town. A contingent of army personnel from the nearby camp made the arrest at midnight . He is learnt to have been handed over to the Khagrachari police station. It has not been known under what charges he has been arrested or whether any cases have been filed against him. Political repression against UPDF and its front organisation is rampant in the CHT. Bangladesh is now under an emergency rule declared on 12 January and the interim government of Dr. Fakruddin Ahmed, backed by the military, is now waging a tough battle against corruption. However, the context of the CHT is different from the rest of the country. While the ongoing crackdown on the corrupt politicians across the country is a commendable job, the arrest of the members of the ethnic Jumma organisaitons who are fighting for their just rights cannot be acceptable. There is wide apprehension that the government agencies may misuse the emergency powers to arrest the ethnic Jumma rights activists in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

CHT HR Violation news from Bangladesh

2007-03-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

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Recent CHT news

2007-02-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

cerebral palsy

Recent CHT news

Chittagong Hill Tract News (CHT) NEWS No. 16-2007

Marma girl kidnapped in South CHT

Thursday February 08 2007 15:04:09 PM BDT Marma girl kidnapped in South CHT HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, February 7, 2007 Settlers have kidnapped a sixteen-year old Marma girl in Nakkyaongchari of Bandarban district in South Chittagong Hill Tracts. The abduction was masterminded by a bunch of settler youths who had been eve-teasing her for a long time. Ms Nunu Ujai Marma from Lohajhiri village under South Baishari was kidnapped on 4 February 2007 when she was grazing her cows in the field. It was midday when the incident took place. The alleged masterminds are Mostafa s/o Nurul Haq, Bodia s/o Abu Subahan, Md. Hossain, s/o Hanif and Md. Putul s/o Zakir Hossain. Her father Ming Mong Marma reported the incident to the Baishari police outpost, but no action has been taken to date. Mr. Marma told the journalists that the terrorists had made sexual advances to her several times earlier and added that he believed that they kidnapping her because she refused them all. He expressed fear that the terrorists might kill his daughter. About the same time last year the settlers had kidnapped another Marma girl King Chai Marma from the area. She was killed after rape and her dead body was recovered from the rubber garden of Humayun Kabir. This report is based on a news article published in Chattagram Manch (Chittagong) on February 7, 2007. ===================================================================================================================== CHT NEWS NO. 16/2007.

Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). February 07, 2007. Website: www.updfcht.org

Chittagong Hill Tracts News :CHT NEWS No. 15-2007-

Army tortures innocent villagers in Khagrachari

Thursday February 01 2007 18:01:19 PM BDT Army tortures innocent villagers in Khagrachari HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, February 1, 2007 A group of Bangladesh military personnel from Giriful camp at Perachara, on 22 January 2007 Monday surrounded Baburopara village, three Kilometers north of Kahgrachari district town and searched the house of the village head or Karbari Mr. Kanak Baran Chakma. The soldiers also tortured his son Mr. Amit Chakma (27). The raid, which took place before dawn, was led by Major Hannan and about 40 to 45 army personnel took part in it. After dawn the soldiers searched Kanak Baran Chakma’s house. However, he was not at home. He was in Rangamati district on some family business. The military detained his son Mr. Amit Chakma (27) and interrogated him. During interrogation the army tortured and harassed him. He was freed only after midday. Before freeing him the military asked him to go to the Giriful military camp the next morning with his elder brother Binoy Chakma (33) and his father Kanak Baran Chakma. Accordingly, the next day they went to the camp and called on the commander. In the camp the military interrogated them separately and subjected them to mental harassment. During the interrogation the commander threatened them to inform him whenever any UPDF member comes to their village. He asked them not to give shelter, food and clothing to the UPDF members. He also wanted to know whether anyone in the village supports UPDF. The military also asked them to come to the camp every week to report about the UPDF activities. After a long interrogation and taking a written statement from them the military set them free. Military operation and torture of innocent people have become a common phenomenon in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Despite the CHT accord, which was signed in 1997, Human Rights violation still continues unabated. The military carry out their activities under the so-called “operation Uttaran” which literally means “Uplift”.

CHT NEWS NO. 15/2007. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). February 01, 2007. Website: www.updfcht.org ====================================================================================================================Chiitagong CHITTAGONG Hill Tracts (CHT) NEWS No. 14-2007

One shot dead by JSS in Matiranga

Monday January 29 2007 14:45:19 PM BDT One shot dead by JSS in MatirangaHR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, January 25, 2007 The armed militants of the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) shot dead a villager in Matiranga in Khagrachari, Northern Chittagong Hill Tracts. The incident occurred at about 8 p.m. on 22 January. Mr. Ram Kumar Tripura (30) s/o Gagan Singh Tripura was having leisurely talks with his family members at the courtyard of his house in the village of Natun Bazaar, when the JSS terrorists opened fire on them. Mr. Tripura was fatally wounded and was admitted to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital. He was hit in the abdomen and died at the hospital. CHT NEWS NO. 14/2007. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). January 25, 2007. Website: www.updfcht.org Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) News : BD Army harass Buddhist monk in Lakshmichari Wednesday January 24 2007 19:07:24 PM BDT HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, January 18, 2007 A group of army personnel from Lakshimichari zone in Khagrachari district harassed Rev. Sharadhatissyo Bhikkhu, the chief priest of Aryo Mitra Bouddha Vihara. The incident took place at around 10 p.m. on 10 January 2007. The soldiers encircled the temple and interrogated the monk about another Buddhist monk who had earlier in the day spoken at a religious ceremony held in the same temple ground. It has been learnt that the village head of Lakshmichari Mr. Prabhat Kumar Karbari performed Sangha Dana ( a religious ceremony) at Aryo Mitra Bouddha Vihara (temple) in which many other Buddhist monks had also taken part. At the sermon a Buddhist monk, Nanda Bhikkhu, from Horina Amrita Dham Buddhist Temple in Bhujpur Union under Fatikchari, dealt on the UPDF-JSS conflict and grossly blamed the JSS for it. As the ceremony was open to all, many heard what he had said including army informers who reported it to the camp. It is not known if it was Nanda Bhikkhu’s religious talk which prompted the army to go and harass the chief priest. Religious persecution is on the rise in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In almost every religious gathering the Buddhist monks invariably advise the lay men and women to follow the five principles of non-violence; and some even go to the extent of appealing both the UPDF and JSS to stop violence and find a negotiated settlement of the conflict. This suits what they believe and practice. Therefore, Rev. Nanda Bhikkhu’s talk on the UPDF-JSS conflict was not unusual at all and the army should not have made it a pretext to harass the monk. ===================================================================================================================== CHT NEWS NO. 12/2007. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). January 18, 2007. Website: www.updfcht.org

Settler attack in Ramgarh leaves 6 persons injured

2007-01-09T02:59:00.000-08:00

Settler attack in Ramgarh leaves 6 persons injured

HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, January 8, 2007

An unprovoked settler attack in Ramgarh town under Khagrachari district has left at least 5 Jummas and a member of Barua community wounded.

The attack took place at around 1:30 p.m. today when a group of settlers led by Nuru Commissioner began beating whoever they caught hold of in T&T area of the town. The settlers also made attempts to torch the houses belonging to the Jummas, but they were repelled when organised resistance was put up.

Locals said most of the attackers came from outside the town, mostly from Khagrachari.

After the incident, the village head Mr. Sadhan Bikash Chakma complained to the local government administrative officials and army zone commander about the attack and demanded punishment to the culprits. However, it is not known if any cases have been filed in connection with the attack. The zone commander assured that he would order an investigation into the incident.

The injured have been identified as Ms Kamala Devi Chakma (45), Ms Sumitra Devi Chakma (18), a college student, Basu Chakma 18), Boren Bikash Chakma (18) s/o Naga Chakma, Mrs. Nirod Sona Chakma (45) w/o Motilal Chakma and Nayan Barua (18) s/o Ratan Barua. Of them, Kamala Devi and Sumitra Devi’s condition has been stated to be critical.

Once upon a time, Ramgarh was mostly a Jumma dominated area. Now two-thirds are illegally occupied by Bengali settlers who came from nearby Feni and Noakhali districts of the plain land. Despite the settlers’ continuous push for more and more Jumma lands, T&T still remains mainly a Jumma populated area. And the attack is believed to have been carried out to drive the Jummas from the town and grab their land and property.

UPDF in a statement condemned the attack and demanded punishment to those behind it. The party also staged demonstration in Khagrachari in protest against the attack.

CHT NEWS NO. 02/2007. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). January 8, 2007. Website: www.updfcht. org

total hit

2007-01-09T02:57:00.000-08:00

Counter Stats

dry cleaning Counter

Army confiscates Swadhikar bulletin in Naniachar

2007-01-09T02:51:00.000-08:00

Army confiscates Swadhikar bulletin in Naniachar

HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, January 9, 2007

The army confiscated 300 copies of the current issue (42) of the Swadhikar Bulletin, a mouthpiece of the United Peoples Democratic Front, and other party literatures last night in Naniachar in Rangamati district.

Lieutenant Wadud of Naniachar zone picked up Randal Chakma from T&T area and confiscated the bulletins and some 50 copies of a booklet containing UPDF documents from him. The documents include the manifesto, constitution, programmes and demands of the party.

Mr. Chakma was taken to the army zone and was subjected to inhuman mental torture in the name of interrogation. Later he was released, but the bulletin and the booklet were not returned.

UPDF publishes the bulletin irregularly in which incidents of human rights abuses are given a prominent place. The military does not like it and makes attempts to restrict its circulation wherever and whenever gets the chance.

The booklet has been published recently after the first national congress of the UPDF held in November last year.

CHT NEWS NO. 03/2007. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). January 9, 2007. Website: www.updfcht. org

news in october,2006

2006-11-08T05:01:00.000-08:00

some CHT news
JSS-backed goons attack DYF activists in Chittagong HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, November 2, 2006 At least three members of the Democratic Youth Forum have been wounded when JSS-backed goons attacked them at the main gate of Chittagong Export Processing Zone (EPZ). Of the injured, Sudatta Tripura has been admitted to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital. His condition has been stated to be critical. The other injured have been identified as Sumati Chakma and Polen Chakma. They have been given first aid. The DYF members were distributing fliers about 3 November council of their Chittagong Metropolitan City branch at around 7:30am, when the JSS terrorists attacked them in the presence of the on-duty police personnel. The police remained happy spectators during the attack. They even refused to arrest JSS terrorist Suman Tripura when the DYF activists handed him over to them. Suman Tripura is a notoriously drug addict and drug peddler and he has many cases filed against him including a murder case with Mahalchari police station in Khagrachari. The JSS goons involved in the attack are Suman Tripura, Gyana Bakul, Sumanta Bikash, Bijoy, Sahadev, Jatin, Pluto, Satej and Suman Boidyo. Today?s attack is the latest of a series of similar attacks believed to have been carried out to foil the programme of the Democratic Youth Forum. On 29 October DYF activist Prajit Chakma was assaulted when he was returning from his duty at EPZ. On 31 October Supreme Chakma, president of DYF Chittagong branch, was beaten by a hired goon of the JSS while another DYF activist Pavel Chakma was chased at New Mooring area. Both of them were on their way to work at EPZ.
CHT NEWS NO. 128. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples? Democratic Front (UPDF). November 2, 2006. Website: www.updfcht.org

Please read the following news in today's Daily Star.
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/10/23/d61023070585.htm Vol. 5 Num 858 Mon. October 23, 2006

National Road blockade by UPDF in Khagrachhari 4 inured in clashes Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari A half-day road blockade enforced by the anti-peace treaty United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) was observed here yesterday with sporadic clashes which left five people injured. The UPDF enforced the programme to press its seven-point demand including preparation of a voter list only with permanent residents in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). The UPDF activists beat up transport workers, damaged four buses and broke glasses of many vehicles during the programme, police and locals said. Police were deployed in all vital points of the town. The injured are Sabur, 30, Gafur, 32, Kutub, 30, Abdul, 21, and Hasan, 23. After the road blockade, a rally was held at the UPDF office at Sanirbar Bazar. The UPDF district convener Ujjal Smriti Chakma presided the rally. Speakers threatened to paralyse life in CHT by stopping all activities of the government. They criticised both the ruling BNP and opposition Awami League for their step mother attitude towards indigenous people. They urged the indigenous people to empower themselves through exercising franchise. They were also critical of BNP lawmaker Wadud Bhuiyan for his anti-people activities. They thanked people to make the road blockade programme a success. The UPDF demands included enrolment of only permanent citizens of CHT in the new voter list, introduction of postal ballot system for Bengali settlers including members of army and para-military forces, stoppage of army harassment in name of Operation Uttaran during three months of election, stoppage of army repression on indigenous people, specially on UPDF activists, stoppage of grabbing of land of indigenous people, inclusion of indigenous voters who were dropped from the voter list, deployment of police in polling centres during election and establishment of a separate Election Commission for CHT people. Among others, Hill Women's Federation president Sonali Chakma, Democratic Youth Forum president Dipankar Chakma and secretary Mithun Chakma including its member Animesh Chakma addressed.

Some HR violation news occured in July,2006

2006-08-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

Army tortures one in Maischri

HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, 18 July 2006

An innocent villager in Tholipara under Maischari of Northern Chittagong Hill Tracts has been arrested.

On 13 July the soldiers from Maischari camp rounded up Kalibandhu Karbari (Tripura) from his house in Tholipara and taken him to the camp. He was severely beaten up before being released the following day.

CHT NEWS NO. 114. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). July 18, 2006. Website: www.updfcht.org

UPDF member killed in BDR firing

HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, 21 July 2006

A member of the United Peoples’ Democratic Front has been killed in Logang under Panchari Thana of Northern Chittagong Hill Tracts (Khagrachari district).

The incident took place in the early hours of today. UPDF members were in the house of Samar Bikash Chakma, chairman of Logang Union Parishad, when a contingent of paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) led by Major Golam Mowla, second-in-command of Logang Zone in Khagrachari Sector, opened brushfire after encircling the house.

Minutes earlier, the UPDF members had been driven by the armed cadres of the Jana Samhati Samiti.

The indiscriminate BDR firing left UPDF member Kalafa Chakma dead on the spot. However, no other casualties have been reported.

As usual, the BDR is trying to project Kalafa as a terrorist.

The BDR men also arrested Samar Bikash Chakma and beat him up. He is still being held by them.

The JSS militants and the government of Bangladesh have recently intensified armed attacks and political repression against UPDF in a synchronized manner.

Due to intensified armed attacks and army and police raids, in many areas UPDF members cannot sleep in their own houses.

UPDF Khagrachari unit in a statement issued to the press has condemned the killing of Kalafa Chakma and demanded punishment to the BDR men responsible for it.

CHT NEWS NO. 116. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). July 21, 2006. Website: www.updfcht.org

Army beat one Jumma to death

HR Monitoring Cell, UPDF, 18 July 2006

The army in Mahalchari in Northern Chittagong Hill Tracts (Khagrachari district) has beaten an innocent Jumma to death and arrested six others. The victims are being projected as terrorists.

On the night of 14 July a group of 40 – 50 army men raided the house of Atul Chakma in the village of Badalhat when his wedding ceremony was taking place. The soldiers rounded up and tortured seven persons including the bridegroom. One of them – Mr. Kengal Moy Chakma s/o Kerani Mohan Chakma – died from the beating, while the rest were arrested and taken to an army camp in Mahalchari. The following day they were handed over to the Mahalchari police station.

The other victims have been identified as Abinoy Chakma (19) Purna Kumar Chakma, Ananda Chakma (20) s/o Sumati Ranjan Chakma, Ajentono Chakma (18) (deceased’s brother) s/o Kerani Mohan Chakma, Binimoy Chakma (19) s/o Nilo Mohan Chakma and Putul Bikash Chakma (20) s/o Upendra Chakma.

All but Putul Bikash Chakma, who hails from Kengelchari, are from the village of Badalhat.

The arrested are now being held at Khagrachari district jail.

To cover up the death, the army is trying to project them as terrorists.

CHT NEWS NO. 113. Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF). July 18, 2006. Website: www.updfcht.org

fighting for full autonomy

Sajek attack in nowpublic.com

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Update on Sajek attack: a charred body recovered

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Sajek attack leaves 4 dead, scores wounded

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Protest against murder of Poney Mala Tripura held

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Protest against murder of Poney Mala Tripura held

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PCP President, 21 others arrested by army, released later

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PCP President, 21 others arrested by army, released later

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Jumma woman killed by settlers in Sindukchari

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Trial

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200 Mro families in fear of land-grabbers and terrorists in Bandarban

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Six innocent villagers tortured in Sajek

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Army threatens Daily Star correspondent

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BMSC forms human chain to protest Boroitali land grab attempts

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EU urges removal of military camps on tribal land

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Army conducted search in Baghaichari, Rangamati

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Boroitoli Villager's Demonstration against Land Grabbing

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Three innocent villagers tortured in Nannyechar

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Attemp to Grab Jumma Land in Ramgarh

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demand publication of Kalpana Chakma inquiry report

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Six including 3 UPDF members arrested in Laxmichari

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13th Years of Kalpana Chakma abduction

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Police foils DYF rally in Dighinala

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Six Jumma arrested in Sajek

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Harassment of Buddhist Monk: army arm-twists protesters

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Harassment of Buddhist monks: protests continue

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Harassment of Buddhist monks: Naniachar zone commander threatens Jummas

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Harassment of Buddhist monks: Jummas stage demo in Khagrachari

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Harassment of Buddhist monks: Jummas stage demo in Khagrachari

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Army harassment of Buddhist monks leads to public resentment: two arrested

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Youth rally held in Mahalchari

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Withdraw check posts on Rangamati – Khagrachari road, demands UPDF

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Breaking News!: Settlers attacked a village in Bogachari

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Army beats up Khg Municipality Councilor

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Army beats up Khg Municipality Councilor

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UPDF member arrested in Lakshmichari

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PCP observes Logang Massacre Day

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Jumma – settler communal tension in Ghilachari

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Conspiracy to capture Sadhana Bana Vihara continues

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Conspiracy to capture Sadhana Bana Vihara continues

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Two innocent villagers arrested in Kudukchari