Sunday, May 20, 2007

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.
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Friday, May 18, 2007

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.
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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.
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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, better known as Pele, his nom de guerre, and another JSS activist were 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.”
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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.
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JSS men beat one in Manikchari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 10/2007, April 27, 2007

A group of JSS men beat up an innocent villager named Mongal Mohan Chakma in Manikchari under Khagrachari district.

The incident took place on 25 March Saturday at around 12 noon when Mongal Mohan Chakma, aged 25, s/o late Kalachand Chakma of Mohesh Khali Dojori Para Village went to Manikchari bazaar to buy daily essentials.

Some members of the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) accused him of being a supporter of the UPDF and roughed him up. They were all drunk when they beat him.

The JSS members also took away Taka 100 from him.

The JSS men who took part in the beating are Mongbu Marma aged 36 s/o unknown of Manikchari Rajpara village, Kalabo Chakma aged 28 s/o Brejo Chakma of Golachari village and Eren Kaji Chakma aged 50 s/o late Toru Mohan Chakma of Manichari Rajpara village.
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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.



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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.
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Settler attack leaves 9 Jummas injured in Manikchari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 07/2007, April 17, 2007

At least nine Jummas were injured in a settler attack in Manikchari under Khagrachari district. The settlers also looted the Jumma houses and ransacked a Buddhist temple.

The incident occurred on 27 March 2007, Tuesday, when a group of about 10 Bengali settlers from Gochchabil cluster village went to North Sapchari to grab Jumma’s land and plant Kochu, a variety of arum. When the Jumma villagers resisted the settlers went back.

However in the afternoon, they returned with more fellow settlers with them in two open jeeps. Their number was estimated to be about 50.

Armed to the teeth with dao, knife and stick, the settlers divided into two groups with one group attacking North Sapchari that falls within Ramgarh Thana and the other rampaging through South Sapchari, under Manikchari Thana.

The attackers looted and ransacked the houses and vandalized Dharma Rakshit Buddist temple in North Sapchari.

A group of Jumma people who were returning from Guimara bazaar also came under attack at Gocchabil cluster village. All their belongings were taken away.

Injured
The attacks left nine Jummas injured. They have been identified as 1. Hlufa Aung Marma (Boidyo) 59, s/o Thoai Khoi Marma, his son 2. Nithoai Marma 35, 3. Mong Sai Marma 43 s/o Uggyojai Marma, 4. Mong Sajai Marma 42 s/o Hladu Marma, 5. Ms. Paiju Marma 29 w/o late Rampru sai Marma, 6. Aungthoai Pru Marma 35 s/o Athui Marma and 7. Kyojai Marma 45 s/o Thoai Khoi Marma from North Sapchari; 8. Chaila Pru Marma (a UP member) 33 s/o Memay Marma of West Chailatoli village, Lakshmichari Thana and 9. Goattya Chakma 45 s/o Narainya Chakma of Gungyo Para village, Lakshmichari Thana.

Loot
Eleven houses were looted during the attack. In North Sapchari, the houses of Kaunghla Pru Marma (50) s/o Ruipru Marma, Uthoai Aung Marma 26 s/o Kongchai Karbari, Rui-u-Khoi Marma 22 s/o Kongchai Karbari, Ms. Paiju Marma 29 w/o late Rampru Sai Marma, Mongsajai Marma (35) s/o Hladu Marma, Prussai Marma 40 s/o unknown and Ms. Nai-u Marma 23 w/o Maung Pru Marma were looted.

The names of those whose houses were looted in South Sapchari are Ms. Rui Chaima Marma 65 w/o late Rui Pru Marma, Chai Aung Marma 45 s/o unknown, Sathoai Marma 50 s/o Ching Pru Marma and Konghla Marma 34 s/o Lathoai Marma.

Attackers
Some of the attackers have been identified. They are Md. Shahidul (35) s/o Asraf Ali, Md. Saroj (35, Md. Delwar (40), Md. Akram; son of Amir Hossain; son of Nurul Haque; Md. Ratan (28), Md. Sakira (30), Md. Joinal (30) Md. Lal Bhandari (42) and Md. Mossabbar.

One of jeeps used in the attack carried the number 2280.

About 50 settlers took part in the attack. All but a jeep driver are from Gochchabil cluster village. One of the jeep drivers is from Fathikchari, Chittagong.

In the past
Due to extensive arum farming, a vast area of Manikchari has already been reduced to arid barren land. The settlers plant arum, which is edible as vegetable, after forcibly taking away land from the Jumma people. Therefore, dispute over land and arum farming is not new in Manikchari. In 2004 one Kyoujai Marma s/o Paishay Mahajon of Molongi Para village was killed by the settlers when he tried to protest arum farming on his land. Not long afterwards, another two Jummas – one from Molongi Para and the other from Lapaidong Para village – were brutally murdered.
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Another four Jumma villagers arrested in Lakshmichari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 06/2007, April 17, 2007

Four innocent Jumma villagers including two Union Council members were arrested during an army operation on 22 March 2007 from Rangamachara village under Lakshmichari Thana in Khagrachari district.

The arrest came a day after another three Jumma villagers were arrested in Hazachari village in the same area.

Army personnel from Lakshmichari zone led the latest operation. The arrested villagers were identified as Bimal Kanti Chakma, member, Ward No. 7 of Dullyatoli Union, Rothi Mohan Chakma, member, Ward No. 6 of the same Union, Ram Krishna Chakma and Anil Karbari.

All of them were handed over to the Lakshmichari police station and sent to Khagrachari district jail.
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Three innocent villagers arrested in Lakshmichari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 05/2007, April 17, 2007

During an operation on 21 March 2007, army personnel from Dullyatoli Sub-zone under Lakshmichri zone in Khagrachari district arrested three innocent Jummas from the village of Hazachari.

The arrested Jumma villagers are Balaram Chakma 60 s/o Bokta Chakma, Bilebo Chakma 25 s/o Rabi Chandra Chakma and Bimal Chakma 25 s/o Kali Dhan Chakma.

They were handed over to Lakshmichari Police statin and sent to Khagrachari jail.

There were no previous cases filed against any of them, nor did the army found anything incriminating from their possession during the arrest.
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Military search Buddhist temple in Lakshmichari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 04/2007, April 17, 2007

In a midnight raid, army soldiers from Lakshmichari zone conducted searches in a Buddhist temple in Lakshmichari under Khagrachari district.

On 10 January 2007 a group of about 25 army personnel led by Lakshmichari zone commander raided Arya Mitra Bouddha Vihara in Beltoli Para village. The soldiers encircled the temple before the search.

Hearing the sound of their boots, the chief priest of the temple Ven. Shraddha Tisso Bhikkhu came out of his room and asked what they wanted.

The soldiers said they would search the temple to see if there were any outsiders inside. They then entered the temple with their boots on and searched all the rooms of the temple topsy-turvying everything they laid their hands on.

The soldiers did not find any outsider and left, without saying sorry for disturbing him in the dead of night.

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Military conducts house searches in Kawkhali

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 03/2007, April 16, 2007


Members of the Bangladesh military have conducted targeted house searches in Kawkhali under Rangamati district.

The searches were carried out in the villages of Hajachari and Shuknachari by a group of army personnel led by Subedar Nurul Huda from Panchari camp yesterday, 15 April. It lasted about 4 hours from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.

The Jummas whose houses have been searched include Rabi Chandra Chakma, a member of the UPDF, in Hajachari village and Lakshmi Lal Chakma and Amit Chakma in Shuknachari village.

There were none in the houses when searches were carried out. The adults and sometimes the whole village usually flee into the jungle when they see the army coming in the direction of their villages.

In the house of Rabi Chandra Chakma the soldiers entertained themselves with biscuits and banana stored for his 4-year-old son Bhalettya Chakma. They also took away his wife’s new hand bag.

Army raids and house searches are still common in most of the CHT. The HWHRF also received the following reports on house searches in Kawkhali:

28 March 2007
On the night of 28 March 2008 a group of army personnel from Talukder Para camp in Kawkhali searched the houses of Binimoy Chakma, Etu Chakma and Bipikachong Chakma in Talukder Para village of Kawkhali under Rangamati district.

The soldiers harassed the inmates of the houses and took away Taka 700 from the house of Binimoy Chakma and Taka 400 each from the houses of Etu Chakma and Bipikachong Chakma.

28 February 2007
At around 8am army personnel from Talukderpara camp in Kawkhali, Rangamati led by Major Yasin raided the house of UPDF activist Rabi Chandra Chakma in the village of Hajachari.

The soldiers searched his house and found some party documents which are available for the public. As he was not at home during the search, the army personnel threatened his wife to show his whereabouts and shouted: "tell us where your husband hid the firearms."

The army personnel took away Taka 1,500, books, kit box of a pump machine, two bags, one shirt, one pants, one waist belt, one lungi, under garments, his 3-years old son Bhalettya's vaccine card, household items and some photographs.

The army also took village head's son Moroccha Chakma to the camp. However he was released later.

4 March 2007, Sunday
A group of army personnel led by Subedar Nurul Huda from Talukderpara camp in Kawkhali under Rangamati district searched the houses of ex-UPDF activist Amrita Lal Chakma, Joy Kumar Chakma, Tatto Chakma and Nirmal Chakma at Talukderpara.

17 March 2007, Saturday
Army personnel led by Talukderpara Panchari army camp commander Nurul Huda in Kawkhali under Rangamati district picked up Nirmal Chakma from his home in Panchari village. He was taken to the camp and was interrogated about the whereabouts of the UPDF members.

In the evening he was handed over to the local UP members and village elders.

28 March 2007, Wednesday
Army personnel led by Talukderpara Panchari army camp commander Nurul Huda in Kawkhali under Rangamati district searched the house of Sunder Mohan Chakma in Dhebhachari village in the name of investigating an incident of robbery, which was committed in his house on 22 March. The soldiers stole Take 300 during the search.

29 March 2007, Thursday
At around 10 am a group of 10-15 army personnel led by Nurul Huda, commander of Talukderpara Panchari camp in Kawkhali under Rangamati district, carried out search operations in the village of Talukdarpara (west side). The soldiers broke into the houses and stole Taka 700 from Binimoy Talukder, Take 400 plus from Tontu Chakma and Taka 400 from Ripika Chakma during the searches.
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Army constructs camp with forced labour in Khagrachari

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum
NEWS No. 02/2007, April 10, 2007

Members of the Bangladesh military have been accused of constructing their camp in Dadkuppya under Khagrachari district using forced labour.

In a letter to the editor of the Swadhikar bulletin, a mouthpiece of the United People’s Democratic Front, one of the victims complained that immediately after the relocation of an army camp from Itchari Mouza No. 260 to Dadkuppya Mouza No. 259 on 18 February 2007, fear and anxiety loomed over the villagers.

The writer (name withheld for security reasons) alleged that the camp commander Lt. Al Amin forced the villagers to construct the new camp, which took about one month to be completed. The villagers were not paid for the work they had done.

He further said while the commander put restrictions on cutting trees and bamboos from the personal gardens of the villagers for home use, he has depleted their groves felling trees and bamboos to construct the camp. For example, he cut teak trees from the teak grove of Mr. Pritri Raj Chakma, took away teak logs belonging to Mr. Banomali Dewan and cut bamboos from the gardens of Mr. Moni Shankar Dewan, member of Kamalchari Union Parishad and Mr. Priti Dewan.

Not only were the villagers forced to work, even the rank and file soldiers under his command had to toil like anything. After sentry duties at night, the soldiers had to carry bricks all day for the camp construction. A corporal raised the matter with the commander, but he was rebuffed.

On the other hand, the villagers had to work for hours without break. Those who wanted to take some rest were caned. However he did not say who were tortured.

According to the letter writer, the commander also demolished 10 new houses of the Jumma people in Dadkuppya village. This happened at around 9 – 10 am on 8 March 2007, Thursday. The names of the villagers whose houses were destroyed are Sugata Chakma, Moloy Bikash Chakma, Ananta Lal Chakma, Morotto Chakma, Surot Chakma, Indu Bhushon Chakma, Jogot Joti Chakma, Denga Chakma, Topon Joti Chakma and Gyana Joti Chakma.

Earlier, Al Amin went round the area and ordered the villagers not to build new houses.

The writer submitted pictures of the demolished houses and the new army camp to back up his report.

“Al Amin has become the most dreaded name in Dadkuppya. It evokes terror in the minds of the villagers. They don’t know what days are lying ahead for them,” said the letter writer whose name begins with an “S”.
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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.
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