Army arrest 5 in Khagrachari

On Saturday, 5 November, the army detained four Jumma villagers at Bizitola while they were returning from Maischari bazaar in Khagrachari district. The incident occurred at about 3:15 p.m. However, the reason for the arrest could not be known.

One of the arrested Mr. Gyana Chakma aged 40 hails from the village of Gamaridhala, it is learnt. The name of the other arrested villagers could not be known.

In another incident the Maischari army detained one Udayan Chakma (father’s name Einangdi Chakma) of village Gurgujjya Chari. He was returning home after working in his paddy field at Bizitola.

He was tortured mentally in the name of interrogation.

The residents of the area believe the arrests might have been made at the fingering of the local members of the Jana Samhati Samiti who have taken shelter in the army camp in Maischari. Now they accompany the army during the raid in villages and advise them whom to arrest.

The names of the JSS members are Swapan Chakma, 25, and Ashwini Kumar Chakma of Kiang Ghat village, Tarun Chakma, Samar Bikash Chakma alias Ubhochulo Chakma and Choto Chakma of Karallyachari village.

There is also report of similar open army-JSS cooperation in Guimara of Khagrachari district. Sources said the army is now raiding villages and harassing innocent people in the name of searching for UPDF members. The JSS members are providing full and active cooperation to the army. They accompany the army during the raids wearing military combat uniforms and masks. So far, no UPDF members have been arrested despite repeated raids to villages tagged as UPDF strongholds.

There has also been report of army raids in Jumma villages in Massyochara where Bengali settlers have been trying to occupy land belonging to the Jummas. The soldiers are reported to have smashed a few houses during the raid. In the land dispute which has been running for quite some years now, the army takes the side of the settlers and often instigates them to occupy the land by force.

Prepared by Press Section, Publications and Publicity Department, United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), November 07, 2005, Dhaka.