Illegal land grabbing in Latiban

Under the patronage of the army from Panchari Zone, the illegal settlers have begun to occupy lands belonging to Jumma people in Latiban Union under Panchari Thana in Khagrachari district.

 

An incumbent Union Parishad member Habibur Rahman Habib is leading the settlers of Zia Nagar cluster village in the illegal occupation of Jumma land.

 

In a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari, Bilonjoy Tripura alleged that on 17 August hundreds of Bengali settlers went to occupy lands belonging to him and other fellow villagers. The memo further alleged, “when asked who ordered them to occupy our land the settlers explicitly told that they had permission from Panchari zone. The settlers said the army needed the lands for the purpose of target practice and that’s why the army asked them to occupy the land.”

 

After settlers’ physical occupation of the land, the army came on the same day and started target practicing at an open space situated between Ziranikhola Rachai Karbari Para, Padmini Para and Basa Kumar Para villages.

 

The soldiers were led by two senior army officers - Major Nasim, assistant commander of Panchari Zone and Major Tarek, commander of Zharna Tila army camp.

 

Illegal occupation is still continuing, Mr. Tripura alleged in the memo submitted on 18 August, adding “the settlers were cutting off jackfruit trees, bamboos and banana plantations.”

 

The memo sought the intervention of the Deputy Commissioner to stop illegal occupation and to eject those who have already taken illegal possession.

 

The memorandum was submitted on behalf of the residents of eight villages in Latiban Union, namely, Basa Kumar Para, Padmini Para, Zirani Khola Para, Singsha Para, Kork Para, Payung Para, Prafulla Para and Ruhindra Para.

 

The settlers also asked the Jumma villagers to leave the area within three days. “Otherwise, dire consequences will follow” the settlers threatened.

 

Over one hundred settlers were involved in the act of illegal occupation.

 

The settlers were brought in the area in 1980 and 1981 under state-sponsored transmigration programme. Their settlement led to the displacement of hundreds of Tripura families from the village of Payung Karbari Para. After illegal occupation the settlers divided and renamed the village to Ultachari and Zia Nagar.

 

In 1996 the settlers took part in a massive attack on nearby Jumma villages that led to the mass exodus of thousands of Jumma people into the Indian state of Tripura.

Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) on 22 August 2005.