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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.
