Kapaeeng Watch News Release on CHT Situation: 12 August 2008

8 Islamic militants held in Bandarban

On 5 August 2008 eight Islamic militants belong to 'Islami Samaj' aged between 18 and 50 years were arrested by intelligence officials when they were distributing leaflets at Bandarban District and Sessions Judge's Court premises. They were handed over to Bandarban police station and sent Bandarban jail.

The arrested militants are identified as Solaiman Kabir, Syed Ahmed Kabir, Abu Bakar Siddique, Nazmul Haque Rana, Abul Bashar, Khaled Saifullah Mamun, Habibur Rahman and Abu Hanif who came from Comilla, Sherpur, Noakhali, Shariatpur, Jamalpur and Tangail districts. They said they joined Islami Samaj a few months ago. They also added that they do not obey any man-made law and will not seek permission to distribute leaflets. They said that they were visiting different districts taking permission from Allah.

The militants said that they held a meeting earlier in the day with a teacher of Bandarban College and gave him some leaflets for distributing among the teachers and students. However, they claimed that they have no connection with the militants of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) who kill people.

It is mentionable that the state policy of Islamisation in CHT helps to grow strong underground base of Islamic extremists in hilly region of CHT. By taking the advantage of state policy of Islamisation, Islamic extremist group including JMB, Huji and Rohinga separatists set up base camps and training centres in the deep forest of CHT, particularly Naikkyongchari, Lama and Alikadam upazilas under Bandarban district without facing hard difficulties. The militants, who were arrested from CHT after the bomb blast through out the country in August 2005, admitted that there were several training camps and hundreds of members in three hill districts of CHT and thousands of jihadis had been trained from these training camps.

Jumma village attacked by Bengali settlers at Gangaram Duar in Sajek

On 9 August 2008 at around 11.00 p.m. a group of Bengali settlers numbering 12/15 persons made an attack on Jumma houses at Gangaram Duar of Sajek union under Baghaichari upazila in Rangamati district. Bengali settlers beat the villagers and looted the valuables of houses. At least 6 Jumma villagers were wounded in this attack. One of wounded persons got admitted first at MSF hospital at Sajek and later transferred to Khagrachari hospital with serious injuries. The following Jumma villagers were wounded-

1) Mr. Buddhadhan Chakma (60) s/o Surendra Chakma was beaten and his house was looted.

2) Mr. Kaloketu Chakma (68) s/o Rajendra Chakma was beaten.

3) Mr. Joyanta Chakma (70) s/o unknown was brutally beaten.

4) Mr. Tungkala Chakma (42) s/o Rai Mohan Chakma was beaten.

5) Mr. Mukul Kumar Chakma (50) s/o Suresh Swapan Chakma was beaten.

6) Mr. Hriday Ranjan Chakma (70) s/o Ramani Mohan Chakma was chopped by sharp lethal weapon and one of hands was broken. He got admitted at MSF hospital. His house was also looted.

It is learnt that at day time a quarrel was happened between Bengali settlers and Jumma villagers at Baghaihat bazaar. In retaliation to this incident, the Bengali settlers along with few army personnel attacked the said village. The attack was led by (1) Habilder Shariful from Baghaichari army zone, (2) Md. Nasim Dactor, shopkeeper of Baghaihat bazaar, (3) Md. Rafiq, shopkeeper of Baghaihat bazaar, (4) Rahman, shopkeeper of Baghaihat bazaar and (5) Ali, shopkeeper of Baghaihat bazaar.

Land owned by Jumma occupied by Bengali settlers in Bandarban

On 10 August 2008 a group of Bengali settlers occupied land owned by Jumma people at Kyaching Karbari Para under Bandarban sadar upazila in Bandarban district.

It is learnt that on that day at around 3.00 a.m. Bengali settlers led by Kazi Mujibur Rahman, secretary of district Awami League and also vice president of army-backed extreme Bengali nationalist and fanatic organisation named Sama Odhikar Andolon constructed 12 houses on land of Kyaching Karbari. Following the forcibly occupation of land, Kyaching Karbari filed a case with judicial magistrate court of Bandarban district on 11 August. In addition, he also lodged a case against the Bengali settlers with Bandarban police station. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of police station called both parties i.e. land owner Kyaching Karbari and Bengali settlers. But astonishingly he, instead of eviction of Bengali settlers from forcibly occupied land, only ordered Bengali settlers not to further expand occupation land and construction of house.

It is mentionable that Bengali settlers constructed at least 150 houses occupying around 4 acre of land owned by Kyaching Karbari during last 3 years. Kyaching Karbari lodged a case against the land grabbers at that time. Court ordered to maintain status quo. But violating the court order, the Bengali settlers constructed 12 houses further occupying land of Kyaching Karbari. It is also reported that a mosque and a school were constructed in this area with financial help of Bandarban army brigade 6 months ago. Kyaching Karbari has around 30 acre of land in this area.

CHT Commission urges government to speed up CHT Accord execution

On 14 August 2008 in a press conference held at national press club in Dhaka, the CHT Commission (CHTC) urged the government to speed up the implementation of the CHT Accord of 1997 and to take early measures to activate the land commission and the refugee rehabilitation task force.

It is mentionable that the twelve-member CHTC was re-constituted in a meeting held on 31 May and 1 June 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark. There are three co-chairs of the newly constituted CHTC. They are member of the Upper House of the UK Parliament and vice chair of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group of UK Lord Eric Avebury, former advisor ro caretaker government of Bangladesh and eminent human rights activist Ms. Sultana Kamal and indigenous people expert from Denmark Dr. Eda Nicolson.

CHTC visited three hill districts of the CHT from 7-10 August 2008 to observe the prevailing situation of the region and help promote human rights, democratic practices and land rights of indigenous people. They talked to the advisors to the caretaker government, chairmen-members of the CHTRC and three HDCs, civil and military officials, representatives of permanent residents of CHT both indigenous Jumma and Bengali peoples, leaders of Bengali settlers, political and traditional leaders, civil society members, public representatives in CHT and Dhaka during the visit. They also visited Baghaihat and Sajek area under Baghaichari upazila where arson attack was made on 7 indigenous Jumma vilages by Bengali settlers, land dispute areas of Karalyachari under Mahalchari, Twi-tilla and 4 Kilometre area on Dighinala-Baghaichari road and Baragram in Dighinala.

After completing the visit, CHTC organised this press conference where its co-chairs Lord Eric Avebury and Ms. Sultana Kamal, its members Ms. Victoria-Tauli Corpus, Dr. Swapan Adnan, Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal and Barrister Sara Hossain, and its resource persons Dr. Meghna Guhathakurta, Ms. Yeneki Arens and Tom Erickson.

Lord Eric Avebury read out the written statement of the commission. He said that this was a familiarisation trip to gather and establish a database on information received during and after the first mission. The commission will make recommendations to the government, political parties and stakeholders in the light of gathered information.

Lord Avebury also added, "The commission is still at an initial stage of its operations. In the coming months, it will gather and establish a database on information received during and after this mission." He said that individuals or groups looking to contribute to the recommendations can do so before November 30 by contacting the CHTC secretariat. He expressed that there was a common view about the urgent need for peace in the region and for implementation of the CHT Accord, although there were diverse views on the possible means available. They also received reports on ethnic tensions and disharmony surrounding land disputes.

Co-chair of the commission and former adviser to the caretaker government Sultan Kamal and its members educationist Zafar Iqbal, Sara Hossain and Swapan Adnan attended the briefing. They also answered to question of journalists in the conference.

It is mentionable that CHTRC was formed in 1990 and operated till 2001. It published a report on land and human rights of CHT people titled 'Life is not Ours' and updated it four times.

Massive military operation is going on in Rowangchari

Since 15 August 2008 massive military operation is going on through out Rowangchari upazila in Bandarban district.

It is learnt that Brigade commander of Bandarban brigade ordered to launch operation through out Rowangchari upazila in the name of kicking out terrorist from the area. He also ordered to destroy Jum houses constructed by Jum cultivator for temporary use alleging that the terrorists hide at these houses. The army deployed to this operation ordered Jum cultivator not to make hedges of the houses. However, Jum cultivators alleged that they would not leave without hedges of the houses.