Attack on Chakma village: Punishment of policemen demanded

Source: New Age

Staff Correspondent

National minority students at a demonstration in the city on Monday demanded immediate trial and exemplary punishment of the police personnel who recently attacked Amtali, a Chakma village in Teknaf, leaving 11 injured and several women sexually harassed.

They condemned the attack on the Chakma village.

Bangladesh Adibhasi Chhatro Sangram Parishad organised the human chain in front of the National Press Club.

The protesters said that on May 30 a group of policemen from the Teknaf police station and some Bangalis led by sub-inspector Bakhtiar and locally influential man Abdul Haque raided Tanchangya villages, locally called Chakma villages in Howaikyong under Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazaar district.

In the attack, they said, nine houses were ransacked and 11 Chakma villagers were severely injured.

They said that 30-year old Malaimey Chakma, pregnant for eight months, was severely beaten by the policemen for trying to protect her husband from police assault.
They said that following the beating, Malaimey gave birth to a premature baby.
They said that the police also arrested seven Chakma villagers, four of them students.

Try Chakma village attackers'

Source: The Daily Star

Staff Correspondent

Speakers at a rally yesterday demanded immediate trial of attackers who attacked a Chakma village at Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar early hours on May 30, leaving 11 indigenous people injured and nine homes damaged.

They also demanded to ensure security of all affected indigenous families in the area as panic gripped the entire village following the attack.

Bangladesh Adivasi Chhatra Sangram Parishad (BACSP) organised the rally before the Jatiya Press Club in the capital. They also formed a human chain.

BACSP President Pari Chingtham presided over the programme while its general secretary Ananta Dhamai, Hill Women Federation President Chanchana Chakma, Dhaka University students Mohan Rabidas, Sabuj Baraik and Bipul Manab, among others, spoke.

Update about police attack on Chakma village in Teknaf : Police compel to sign villagers in white paper

Source: Kapaeeng Foundation

Today (on 3 June 2012) around 12.00 noon a group of police from Cox’s Bazaar district led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Uttam Kumar Pal and Chhatradhar Tripura visited the Amtali Chakma village. It is learnt that police interrogated the villagers and compelled them to sign in white paper.

It is also reported that though police primarily claimed that some police personnel of Howaikong police post went to the Amtali village following a case filed by Abdul Haque to arrest the culprits. But at present, police tried to divert the incident to other direction in order to suppress the indigenous Chakma villagers.

It is also learnt that police mentioned in the dispatch (challan) form that the injured policeman Sipon Mian was wounded by one Bengali villager named Anowar Hossain. But local newspapers, namely, daily Cox’s Bazaar, Apon Kontho, Rupashi Gram, Bankkhali etc. intentionally reported today (3 June) that the policeman Sipon Mian was wounded by Chakma villagers.

Jumma villagers attacked by Bengali settlers with the intention to grab land in Barkal

Source: Kapaeeng Foundation

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On 30 June 2012, three indigenous villagers including a woman of an indigenous family were allegedly attacked and injured by Bengali settlers with the intention to grab the land of that family in Barkal upazila of Rangamati district.

The victims were identified as Mr. Biro Kumar Chakma (60), Mr. Amar Kanti Chakma (28) s/o Biro Kumar Chakma and (3) Ms. Sangeet Mala Chakma (25) w/o Amar Kanti Chakma of village Amtala of Aimachara union under Barkal upazila in Rangamati district. Of them, seriously injured Biro Kumar Chakma was admitted to Barkal upazila Hospital and other two were released on that day after providing primary treatment.

It is learnt that on that day in the morning time Biro Kumar Chakma, his son Amar Kanti Chakma and daughter-in-law Sangeet Mala Chakma together went to their own land nearby their home to erect a house. At that time, Md. Amir Hossein (45) and his two sons Md. Jasim (21) and Md. Ibrahim (18) of nearby Bengali settler area of Amtala suddenly attacked them with stick and wood and beat indiscriminately, leaving the Jumma villager seriously injured. Of them, Biro Kumar Chakma sustained serious injuries on his head, shoulder and backside.

According to the victims, Bengali settler Md. Amir Hossein and his family coming from nearby Kalabunia area of Barkal upazila had already forcefully occupied paddy land of Biro Kumar Chakma and constructed house in 2006 on this land. At that time, Biro Kumar Chakma filed a general diary against Amir Hossain with Barkal police station. Now, again he is trying to snatch away the rest hilly land, the last property of Biro Kumar Chakma.

It is learnt that Biro Kumar Chakma put an allegation on the attack with the Barkal police station. But, till preparing the report, no action was reportedly taken by the police against the attackers.

Breaking News! Police attack on indigenous village in Teknaf, 11 injured & a woman gave birth to a premature baby due to inhuman torture

Source: Kapaeeng Foundation

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Courtesy (Kapaeeng Foundation): A series of pictures above shows Police attacks on chakma community at villages of Howaikyong area under Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazaar district.

In the early hours of 30 May 2012 a group of police from Teknaf police station and miscreants of mainstream population led by Sub-Inspector (SI) Bakhtiar and local influential Abdul Haque raided indigenous Tanchangya (generally called Chakma themselves) villages of Howaikyong area under Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazaar district. In this attack, 9 houses were completely ransacked and 11 Chakma villagers were severely wounded. Besides, 7 villagers including 4 Chakma youths and students were arrested. One pregnant woman gave birth to a premature baby due to brutally torture and several women were sexually harassed.

It is learnt that on 29 May 2012 around 10.00 pm, a group of miscreants numbering 10-11 persons led by one policeman Sipon Mian (32), a village police member Md. Hossain and a local land grabber Md. Abdul Haque made an attack on Amtali Chakma village of Howaikyong union in Teknaf. They first raided the houses of Bhantu Ching Chakma (25) s/o late Neemong Chakma and Chingkyahla Chakma (40) s/o Chaigya U Chakma and tried to bring out young women from the houses. The neighbours of this village rushed there while the young women were shouting. Sensing public presence, the two police personnel and miscreants fled the area hurriedly.

Around 3.00 am on 30 May 2012, the police taking more police force from Howaikyong police post led by Sub-Inspector (SI) Bakhtiar and more musclemen led by local influential Abdul Haque again attacked Amtali Chakma villages. They beat the Chakma villagers indiscriminately and looted the valuables of the houses.

Sources said that the police and miscreants first raided the house of Ucha Thaoi Chakma (40) of Amtali village and arrested him without any allegation and then beat severely. At that time, 8-month pregnant his wife Ms. Malaimey Chakma (30) was also beaten indiscriminately while she tried to protect her husband from beating of attackers. Due to beating her indiscriminately, Malaimey gave birth to a premature baby. She was first admitted at local health complex at Teknaf and on 1 June she was transferred to Cox’s Bazaar district hospital with serious condition.

Then the miscreants raided the house of Pou Aung Chakma and looked for him and his son Shanti Mong Chakma. The miscreants ransacked and looted the house. The miscreants also tortured his daughter-in-law Ms. Chhaya Mee Chakma (28) while she tried to prevent them from ransacking and looting the house. In this attacked, hand of the Chhaya Mee Chakma was broken.

After that, the police and miscreants ransacked and looted the houses of Chhoi Mong Chakma, Nee Mong Chakma, Aung Kee Chakma, Ukhya Hla Chakma, Thowai Chha Chakma, Mong Thing Chakma and Sai Mong Goo Chakma. At that time, the gang leader of the attack Abdul Haque, Azizul Haque and Jahangir Alam (s/o Azizul Haque) inhumanly beat and molested Ms. Lucky Chakma (18) and Ms. Samiya Ching Chakma Sumi (15) in front of police.

In this attack, 9 houses of indigenous villagers were ransacked and 11 indigenous Chakma villagers including two girls and two boys were critically wounded. Of them, 4 innocent Chakma villagers were arrested without showing any allegation. The victims were identified as-

(1)   Ms. Lucky Chakma (18), beaten and sexually harassed;

(2)   Ms. Samiya Ching Chakma Sumi (15), beaten and sexually harassed;

(3)   Roi Mey Chakma (85), severely wounded

(4)   Usa King Chakma (55), severely wounded

(5)   Rima Sai Chakma (50), severely wounded

(6)   Kishore Uoisa Chakma (10), severely wounded

(7)   Sain Ming Chakma (9), severely wounded

(8)   Uchha Thain Chakma (35), severely wounded and arrested

(9)   Sathaing Chakma (25), severely wounded and arrested

(10)     Nayan Chakma driver (24), severely wounded and arrested

(11)     Sathai Sing Chakma (26), severely wounded and arrested

Consecutive raids by the police on indigenous villagers continued 30 and 31 May. Police encircled the village. At present, Aamtoli village is almost without any male members as they have fled their village fearing further attack and police harassment. It is learnt that the villagers are in grave fear even to bring the wounded to Cox’s Bazaar district headquarters for better treatment lest police arrest them.

It is reported that the gang leader of the attack Abdul Haque, Azizul Haque and Jahangir Alam (s/o Azizul Haque) occupied hilly land of local Buddhist temple and have been staying there erecting house on this land.

In addition, Abdul Haque has been trying to occupy land owned by indigenous Chakma villagers of Shukna Amtali village in Teknaf. In the arbitrations, Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) gave decision/judgment in favour of indigenous Chakma villagers. Failing to win in the arbitration, Abdul Haque filed a false case against 11 Chakma villagers and 5 Bengali villagers of Shukna Amtali village with Teknaf police station on 13 May 2012.

It is reported that in the name of arresting the contestants of the said case, policeman Sipon Mian (32), a village police Md. Hossain, local chowkidar (village watchman) Majan and Md. Abdul Haque along with some musclemen went to the Amtali village (far from around 3 kilometers from Shukna Amtali village) basically with the aim to collect money from innocent Chakma villagers threatening to arrest them. Hearing the hue and cry of the victims, and thinking the victims might have been attacked by robbers, the villagers rushed there and attacked the assailants. In this counter attack, Sipon Mianh was critically injured. He is now undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College hospital.

Police falsely claimed that some police personnel of Hoaikong police post went to the Amtali village following a case filed by some Abdul Haque to arrest the culprits. Police also claimed that when police were returning with two accused arrested, the villagers swooped on them with sharp weapons, and gravely injured one of their colleagues namely Shipon Mian. But the villagers claimed that police’s version of the incident was fully fabricated and baseless. Police went to the Amtali village putting civil dress with the motive to conduct robbery in the name of searching accused persons.

Case panics Naogaon Adivasi clash victims

Source: The Daily Star

Having lost their bread-earners in the May 4 clash, families of four Adivasi labourers in Naogaon are passing their life in panic, as police recorded a case filed by the alleged killers against a number of unnamed Adivasi men.
The families expressed their fears on Friday when a group of social activists, including lawyers, journalists, and development activists led by columnist Syed Abul Maksud from Dhaka, visited them at Pungi Niboda village in Niamatpur.
Kristina Hembrom, wife of Ilias Mardi, one of the four murdered, alleged that police recorded a case of the killers, accusing 10-12 unnamed Adivasi people to counter their murder case.
“We are worried and fearing arrest any time for the case”, she said, in tears. Kristina said she was also anxious about her future with her two sons.
Ilias Mardi, Madan Hembrom, Moharam Marang and Koki Tudu were killed in a clash between the supporters of two rivalling land owners at Chalk Gopal village in Manda upazila, where they went to work after being hired by Abdul Alim, one of the owners.
Abdul Alim has been in feud with one Anwar Hossain over eight bighas of land.
Kristina said Alim hired five Adivasi labourers for harvesting paddy for a rate of Tk 2,500 per bigha a day before the clash. “Alim's offer was lucrative as labourers usually work at Tk 200 per day. Alim said he was having a shortage of labourers”.
The widows said they were not aware that their husbands had been hired.
“I felt like a bolt out of the blue when I heard of the murder", said Maina Hembrom, wife of Madan Hembrom. "And now police are also acting against us”.
The only surviving Adivasi man in the incident, Chandi Kisku, was now fleeing home following the case, they said.
Syed Abul Maksud told the families that they would pressure the government for ensuring justice.
Noted jurist Barrister Rafiq-ul Huq, who was also in the team of visitors, said recording a case against fellow men of the victims was like murdering the victims once more.
Asked why police took the case against the Adivasi men, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Naogaon YM Belalur Rahman said it was because Anwar Hossain claimed that Abdul Alim forcibly wanted to harvest crops of the land, of which he was the actual owner.
He said he would ask police not to harass or arrest the Adivasi men.
The visitors' team also included journalist Saleem Samad, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum organising secretary Saktipada Tripura, Dhaka University teacher Robaet Ferdous, and Kapaeeng Foundation's Dipayan Khisa.