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Army threatens to demolish Buddhist temple in Baghaihat

The Commanding Officer of Baghaihat zone in Rangamati district has ordered Rev. Dwip Bongshaw Bhukkhu, the chief priest of Bishwa Moitri Bouddha Vihar, to leave the temple.

The verbal order was given on 17 January, Thursday when the CO met the Bhikkhu at his temple in the village of Hazachara. The temple was established in 1991.

"The CO simply said that he would demolish the temple and asked me to vacate it immediately", Rev. Dwip Bongshaw, who is now in Khagrachari to report the incident to the Parbattyo Bhikkhu Sangh president Rev. Sumanalankar Mahathero, told the HWHRF by telephone.

He, however, could not tell the name of the army officer.

Baghaihat lies in the north-eastern corner of Chittagong Hill Tracts bordering Mizoram of India.

Religious freedom has come under increased attack in the recent times in CHT. On 31 December 2007, a group of army personnel led by Captain Sohel, commander of Shuknachari Indra Singh Karbari Para camp, demolished Bhujulichuk Kuthir, a Buddhist meditation centre in Lakshmichari Upazila in Khagrachari district. On 14 January 2008, police arrested a Buddhist monk named Rev. Aryo Joti Bhikkhu from Sarnath Arannyo Kuthir, a Buddhist meditation centre cum temple, at Karallyachari under Mahalchari Upazilla. The monk was also implicated in a frivolous case along with other 500 lay men and lay women followers.