Kalpana abduction investigation and punishment of the kidnappers demanded

Report submitted by:

PCJSS(Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti)
Kalyanpur, Rangamati-450000,
Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
Tel+Fax: +880-351-61248
E-mail: pcjss.org@gmail.com, pcjss@hotmail.com
Website: pcjss-cht.org

13th years after the abduction of Kalpana Chakma

Publication of report on Kalpana abduction investigation and punishment of the kidnappers demanded

On 12 June 2009 Parbatya Chattagram Mohilla Samiti (PCMS) and Hill Women’s Federation (HWF) called for publication of the full report on Kalpana abduction investigation and punishment of the kidnappers. PCMS and HWF jointly organized demonstration in protest of the abduction of Kalpana Chakma simultaneously in Rangamati and Dhaka.

Rangamati: A protest gathering was organised by PCMS and HWF at outer Stadium in Rangamati. Presided over by President of PCMS Ms. Madhabi Lata Chakma, the protest gathering was attended by Political Affairs Secretary of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) Ushatan Talukder as chief guest. Among others, Parvin Akhter of Samajtantrik Mahila Forum, Hamid Meer of Chittagong University, Jyoti Prava Chakma of PCMS, Udayan Tripura of Pahari Chhatra Parisahd, Advocate Juhel Dewan of BLAST Rengamati unit, Mr. Sukhamoy Rava of Assamese Welfare Council addressed in the gathering.

Speakers said that soldiers had picked Kalpana Chakma up from her home in Baghaichhari upazila in Rangamati on the night of June 12, 2006 and she never came back. The then Awami League-government, which later signed a treaty with the PCJSS to end the decades-long conflict in the hills, turned a blind eye to her kidnapping during its tenure between 1996 and 2001. In response to protests by the Jumma people and members of the civil society who wanted Kalpana Chakma to be returned to her family, the government formed a committee to investigate the incident. The committee submitted a report, but the government never made it public. A procession was brought out from Stadium to Banarupa after the public gathering.

Dhaka: PCMS and HWF organized a human chain in protest of the abduction of Kalpana Chakma in front of national museum at Shahbag in Dhaka.

Different organization including Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, Sammilito Nari Somaj, Nari Progoti Songha, Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), Kapaeeng Foundation, Samprity Mancha, Adibashi Adhikar Andolon, CHT Hill Student Council (PCP), Bangladesh Indigenous Student’s Action Forum, Samajtantrik Chatra Front, Worker’s Party (reconstituted), Santal Student’s Union, Garo Students Union expressed their solidarity being present there.

Eminent intellectuals and academicians also expressed their solidarity and demanded to the present government to publish whitepaper of all incidents of women rights violation committed by security forces in CHT. They also demanded constitutional recognition of the indigenous people. They termed the abduction of Kalpana Chakma as shame and stigma for the state. The present government must materialize the CHT Accord for the sake of implementation of Charter of Change. The speakers were eminent educationist Professor Sirajul Islam Chowdury, Columnist Syed Abul Moksud, Professor Sadeka Halim, Professor H K S Arefin, Professor Mesbah Kamal, Robayet Ferdous, Advocate Laila Khaleda, veteran politician Haider Akbar Khan Rono, Farida Akther, Sanjeeb Drong, Rabindranath Soren, Dipayan Khisa and many others. Meo Ching Marma conducted the whole program.

Finally, Meo Ching Marma, President of Hill Women’s Federation (HWF) read out a package of demands of HWF and PCMS. These are the followings:

• Publication of report on Kalpana abduction investigation and punishment of the kidnappers
• Publication of whitepaper of all rapes, abduction and massacre.
• Withdrawal of all temporary army camps and de facto military rule ‘Operation Uttoron’ as per CHT Accord.
• Full implementation of CHT Accord in letter and spirit.

It is mentionable that Kalpana Chakma was abducted from her house at New Lalyaghona village under Baghaichari upazila in Rangamati district on 12 June 1996 by the army personnel of Kajaichari camp led by Lt. Ferdous. Kalpana Chakma was the organizing secretary of HWF. She was a strong voice against military atrocities and repression.