Adivasi leaders demand justice for torture, rape, land grabbing:
Financial Review 5/12/2006



Adivasi leaders from Khagrachhari Hill Tracts demanded justice for alleged attacks, rapes and land grabbing by Bengali settlers supported by the army at Saupru Karbari Para under Mohalchhari Upazila on April 3 last.They made the demands through a press conference at the National Press Club in the city Thursday, reports BDNEWS. Legal Aid and Research Association General Secretary Hemanta Tripura read out the written statement. Among others, Adivasi Forum General Secretary Sanjib Drong, Khagrachhari Zilla Headman Association President Shaktipada Tripura, General Secretary Suilapru Chowdhury and Hill Law Graduates' Association President Ashutosh Chakma were present at the press conference. The leaders alleged that Bengali settlers with a view to grab the land owned by Buddha Shishughar Anath Asram and Buddha Bihar attacked local indigenous residents on April 3. The Bengali settlers injured at least 50 indigenous people and raped two women.The indigenous leaders said around seven acres of land of that area were grabbed within a year by Bengali settlers with continuous support from the local civil administration and the army. They claimed that army personnel hired some journalists of both print and electronic media and made them publicise fabricated stories about the occurrence of April 3 to create confusion among the people. The Adivasi leaders demanded return of the lands recently grabbed from the indigenous people of Saupru Karbari Para, Joysen Karbari Para, Gamari Dhala, Nunchhari, Sindukchhari, Bhuachhari, Chempru Para Mouza, Balyachhari, Lemuchhari, Jugalchhari and Bara Panchhari along with other lands grabbed in different areas of Khagrachhari district. They also demanded arrest and trial of the miscreants involved in the attack and rape. They further demanded immediate withdrawal of the false cases filed against the indigenous people by the settlers from Maischhari area under Mohalchhari Upazila on April 3, 2006. The demands also included, compensation to the affected Jummas, a halt all forms of torture, oppression, harassment and filing of false cases by the army, stopping rehabilitation of the Bengali settlers from outside Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and new migrations, withdrawal of camps of all kind of law enforcers including army from CHT and calling off Operation Uttaran, and rehabilitation of the Jumma refugees returned from India. Punishment to the deputy commissioner (DC) of Khagrachhari, zonal commander of army at Mohalchhari Lieutenant Colonel Shams, sub-zone commander of army at Bigitala, second-in-command of Panchhari zonal army Major Nasim, Captain Salauddin of Patachhara camp, Lieutenant Colonel Ferdous of Sindukchhari zone was also demanded for their alleged communal and anti-peace-treaty activities. They demanded amendment of the Land Commission Law 2001 following the CHT Peace Treaty and cancellation of allocation of land to Bengali settlers that were done violating the Peace Treaty, Hill Tracts Manual and other international laws and declarations.